Toilet bowl odor eliminator

Abstract

Battery energized apparatus mounted within the water tank for conventional flush toilet operates in any or all of three phases of operation to eliminate odors. During the initial phase, air from the toilet bowl is drawn from the toilet tank into a plenum to expose the air to UV radiation to produce ozone molecules that have an oxidizing effect on organic matter and the UV radiation serves as a germicide and a virucide. During the flush phase, ozone enriched air is entrained in the water flowing into the toilet bowl. During the sanitizing phase, ozone enriched air is channeled from the plenum into the toilet bowl.

1 . A toilet bowl odor eliminator mounted within a water tank of a conventional flush toilet having a standpipe in fluid communication with the toilet bowl, a flapper valve for passing water to the toilet bowl from the water tank and a water fill tube extending from a valve mechanism responsive to the water level in the water tank for filling the tank, said odor eliminator comprising in combination: 
 a) a plenum for accommodating a flow of air therethrough;    b) a UV lamp disposed in said plenum for irradiating air within said plenum to kill microorganisms and to selectively convert oxygen molecules into ozone molecules and produce ozone enriched air for oxidizing organic matter present in the air and to kill bacteria and viruses that may be present in the air;    c) a fan for urging a flow of air through said plenum; and    d) a conduit interconnecting the stand pipe with said plenum, whereby said fan draws air from the toilet bowl through the stand pipe into said plenum to subject the drawn air to radiation from said UV lamp.    
   
   
       2 . The apparatus as set forth in  claim 1  including a venturi disposed in the fill tube and connected to said plenum to receive ozone enriched air from said plenum for ozonating the water flowing through the fill tube into the toilet bowl.  
   
   
       3 . The apparatus as set forth in  claim 1  including a cartridge disposed in the fill tube for dispensing a selected element into the fill water.  
   
   
       4 . The apparatus as set forth in  claim 1  including means for reversing flow of ozone enriched air through said plenum and urging the air into the standpipe.  
   
   
       5 . The apparatus as set forth in  claim 1  including means for mounting said odor eliminator at the top of the water tank.  
   
   
       6 . A toilet bowl odor eliminator mounted within a water tank of a conventional flush toilet having a standpipe in fluid communication with the toilet bowl, a flapper valve for passing water to the toilet bowl from the water tank and a water fill tube extending from a valve responsive to the water level in the water tank for filling the tank, said odor eliminator having three phases of operation and comprising in combination: 
 a) a plenum for accommodating a flow of air therethrough;    b) a UV lamp disposed in said plenum for irradiating air within said plenum to kill microorganisms and to selectively convert oxygen molecules into ozone molecules and produce ozone enriched air for oxidizing any organic matter than may be present in the air and for destroying bacteria and viruses that may be present in the air;    c) a fan for urging a flow of air through said plenum;    d) a conduit interconnecting the stand pipe with said plenum;    e) a venturi disposed in the fill tube and connected to said chamber to receive ozone enriched air from said and discharge it plenum into the fill tube;    f) said fan being energized in the initial and flush phase of operation to draw air from the toilet bowl through the stand pipe and into said plenum;    g) upon flow of water from the valve mechanism through said venturi in the flush phase of operation, said venturi draws ozone enriched air from said plenum into the water flowing into the stand pipe; and    h) said fan being energized in a reverse direction during the sanitizing phase of operation to cause ozone enriched air to flow through the stand pipe into the toilet bowl.    
   
   
       7 . The apparatus as set forth in  claim 6  including a cartridge disposed in the fill tube for dispensing an element into the fill water.  
   
   
       8 . The apparatus as set forth in  claim 6  including means for mounting said odor eliminator at the top of the water tank.  
   
   
       9 . A method for eliminating odor attendant a conventional flush toilet having a stand pipe and a valve mechanism for injecting water into the toilet tank as a function of the water level in the toilet tank with apparatus mounted within the water tank of the toilet, said method comprising the steps of: 
 a) an initial phase of operation including drawing air from within the toilet bowl, through the stand pipe and through a plenum formed as part of the apparatus, exposing the air flowing through the plenum to a source of ultraviolet radiation to convert some of the oxygen molecules into ozone molecules and create ozone enriched air to promote oxidation of organic matter by the ozone molecules and to promote destroying any bacteria and viruses present in the air flowing through the plenum;    b) a flush phase of operation, including said steps undertaken during the initial phase and further including the step of entraining some of the ozone enriched air in the water flowing into the stand pipe from the valve mechanism; and    c) a sanitizing phase of operation, including reversing the flow of air within the plenum to cause ozone enriched air to flow through the stand pipe and into the toilet bowl.    
   
   
       10 . The method as set forth in  claim 9 , including the step of injecting an element into the water flowing into the stand pipe during the flush phase of operation.  
   
   
       11 . The method as set forth in  claim 9 , including the step of exhausting the ozone enriched air from the plenum into the toilet tank during the initial and flush phases of operation.  
   
   
       12 . The method as set forth in  claim 11  wherein the water tank includes a cover and wherein said step of exhausting includes the step of discharging ozone enriched air from the water tank between the water tank and the cover.  
   
   
       13 . The method as set forth in  claim 9 , including a control unit for activating the initial phase, the flush phase and the sanitizing phase of operation.  
   
   
       14 . The method as set forth in  claim 13  wherein said step of activating is selectively manually controlled.  
   
   
       15 . The method as set forth in  claim 13  wherein said step of activating is automatically controlled.  
   
   
       16 . The method as set forth in  claim 9 , including the step of suspending the apparatus from the top edges of the water tank.  
   
   
       17 . The method as set forth in  claim 9 , including the step of providing electric power from batteries supported by the apparatus.  
   
   
       18 . A method for eliminating odors attendant a conventional flush toilet with apparatus supported within the water tank of the toilet, said method comprising the steps of: 
 a) drawing air from within the toilet into a plenum formed as part of the apparatus;    b) irradiating the air within the plenum during exercise of said step of drawing with UV radiation to produce a stream of zone enriched air exhausting from the plenum and to serve as a germicide and a virucide;    c) entraining the ozone enriched air in water flowing into the toilet bowl;    d) reversing the flow of air subsequent to operation of said step of drawing; and    e) injecting ozone enriched air into the toilet bowl during exercise of said step of reversing.    
   
   
       19 . The method as set forth in  claim 18 , including the step of injecting an element into the water flowing into the toilet bowl.  
   
   
       20 . The method as set forth in  claim 18 , including the step of providing direct current electric power supported by the apparatus to operate the apparatus.