Deodorizing device for toilet bowls

Abstract

A device for controlling odor from a toilet bowl has a housing primarily formed by a top member, a bottom member and a canister holding section for attaching to the bottom member. The canister holding section holds a canister having a nozzle for providing an odor treating spray from the canister. The housing also has two plates depending downwardly from the bottom member and which form an inverted U-shape for mounting the device on a rim of the toilet bowl. Between the top member and bottom member is a biasing device such as springs for biasing a seat of the toilet bowl in an upward direction when the seat is empty, and for allowing the seat to move in a downward direction in response to someone sitting on the seat. The downward motion of the seat moves the top member down, thereby actuating a nozzle on the canister, spraying a metered amount of spray into the toilet bowl. A method of deodorizing the bowl in response to sitting includes mounting a device on the rim, biasing the seat into a first position which is not fully down, responding to someone sitting on the seat by moving a top member down in response to the seat moving down, and causing a metered amount of spray from the nozzle of the canister to be sprayed into the bowl.

1 . A device for controlling odor from a toilet bowl, the device comprising: 
 a) a housing;    b) means on the housing for holding a canister having a nozzle for providing an odor treating spray;    c) means on the housing for mounting the device on a rim of the toilet bowl;    d) a resilient member on the housing for biasing a seat of the toilet bowl in an upward direction when the seat is empty, and    e) a link member for moving to actuate the nozzle in response to someone sitting on the seat to move the seat down against the bias of the resilient member.    
   
   
       2 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising a conduit for communicating with the nozzle of the canister and having a spray outlet for providing an odor treating spray into the bowl.  
   
   
       3 . The device of  claim 2 , wherein the link member is connected to the nozzle for transferring downward motion to the nozzle to actuate the nozzle.  
   
   
       4 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising means defining a passage for communicating with the nozzle for fluid from the nozzle to pass through.  
   
   
       5 . The device of  claim 2 , further comprising means defining a passage having a first end for communicating with the nozzle for fluid from the nozzle to pass through and a second end for dispersing fluid into a toilet bowl.  
   
   
       6 . The device of  claim 5 , wherein the second end has an opening sized for atomizing the fluid from the container.  
   
   
       7 . The device of  claim 2 , wherein the container disperses only a limited amount of fluid in response to a single downward movement of the nozzle.  
   
   
       8 . A device for controlling odor from a toilet bowl, the device comprising: 
 a) a housing mounted to a toilet bowl between a seat and a rim thereof;    b) a canister having an odor treating fluid, the canister being disposed on the housing and having a nozzle for providing the odor treating fluid;    c) a passage in communication with the nozzle for receiving the odor treating fluid and dispersing the fluid into the bowl; and    d) a link member for moving relative to the canister in response to a user sitting on the seat of the toilet bowl to actuate the nozzle to provide odor treating fluid.    
   
   
       9 . The device of  claim 8 , wherein the housing comprises a base member having an inverted U-shaped section for mounting on a rim of a toilet bowl.  
   
   
       10 . The device of  claim 8 , wherein the housing comprises a section for holding the canister.  
   
   
       11 . The device of  claim 8 , further comprising a biasing device for biasing the link member and seat upward.  
   
   
       12 . The device of  claim 8 , wherein the link member is connected to the nozzle for transferring downward motion to the nozzle.  
   
   
       13 . The device of  claim 8 , wherein the passage is separate from the housing.  
   
   
       14 . The device of  claim 11 , wherein the link member forms a top member of the housing mounted on the biasing device to transfer downward motion of the seat against the biasing device to the nozzle to actuate the nozzle.  
   
   
       15 . The device of  claim 8 , wherein the passage has a first end in communication with the nozzle and a second end for dispersing the odor treating fluid into the bowl.  
   
   
       16 . The device of  claim 15 , wherein the second end has an opening sized for atomizing the fluid from the container.  
   
   
       17 . The device of  claim 8 , wherein the container disperses only a limited amount of fluid in response to a single motion of the seat when a user sits on the seat.  
   
   
       18 . A method of deodorizing the bowl in response to sitting includes mounting a device to the toilet bowl between a rim of the bowl and a seat of the bowl, biasing the seat into a first position which is not fully down, responding to someone sitting on the seat by mechanically moving a portion of the device in response to the seat moving down, and causing a predetermined amount of spray from the nozzle of the canister to be sprayed into the bowl.  
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein in the step of mounting, the device is mounted on the rim of the bowl.  
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein in the step of mechanically moving, the portion of the device that is moved is a top member, which transfers its motion to a pathway, which actuates the nozzle.