Toilet odor removal system, assembly containing the same, and methods for odor removal

Abstract

A toilet odor removal system mountable on and detachable from a toilet is provided. The system features a collection mouthpiece having an air intake port, a vent duct in communication with the collection mouthpiece, an aspiration unit operatively connected to the vent duct for drawing malodorous air from the toilet bowl through the air intake port and along the vent duct, and a support structure mountable on the toilet. The support structure detachably secures the mouthpiece over the rear apron of the toilet and offset rearwardly from the inner edge of the toilet rim while positioning the air intake port in facing relationship with a space between the toilet seat and the rim when the toilet seat is in the lowered position.

1 . A toilet odor removal system mountable on and detachable from a toilet having a toilet bowl with a rim possessing an inner edge, a toilet seat, hinges connecting the toilet seat to the toilet bowl to permit movement of the toilet seat from a lowered position in which the seat rests over the rim to a raised position in which at least a portion of the rim is exposed, and a rear apron extending rearwardly behind the rim, the system comprising: 
 a collection mouthpiece having an air intake port;    a vent duct in communication with said collection mouthpiece;    an aspiration unit operatively connected to said vent duct for drawing malodorous air from the toilet bowl through said air intake port and along said vent duct; and    a support structure mountable on the toilet for detachably securing said mouthpiece over the rear apron and offset rearwardly from the inner edge of the rim while positioning said air intake port to face or extend into a space between the toilet seat and the rim when the toilet seat is in the lowered position, wherein said mouthpiece is constructed and arranged to permit manual and tool-less detachment from said support structure.    
   
   
       2 . The toilet ventilation system of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a cleaning implement detachably connected to said support structure, said cleaning implement sized to permit insertion into said air intake port and a passage of said vent duct.    
   
   
       3 . The toilet ventilation system of  claim 1 , wherein said support structure positions said air intake port between the hinges of the toilet.  
   
   
       4 . The toilet ventilation system of  claim 1 , wherein said support structure is connected to said aspiration unit, and wherein mounting of said support structure on the toilet suspends said aspiration unit above the floor on which the toilet rests.  
   
   
       5 . The toilet ventilation system of  claim 1 , wherein said mouthpiece has an open bottom surface, and wherein mounting of said support structure on the toilet positions said open bottom surface of said mouthpiece e in contacting relationship with the rear apron.  
   
   
       6 . The toilet ventilation system of  claim 1 , wherein said support structure detachably connects directly to said vent duct, and wherein said vent duct supports said mouthpiece over the rear apron.  
   
   
       7 . The toilet ventilation system of  claim 1 , wherein said support structure mounts on the toilet to secure said mouthpiece outside of the exposed portion of the rim.  
   
   
       8 . The toilet ventilation system of  claim 1 , wherein said support structure mounts on the toilet to secure said mouthpiece spaced at least one inch from the inner edge of the rim.  
   
   
       9 . The toilet ventilation system of  claim 1 , wherein said mouthpiece has a front edge extending less than one-half of the way across the width of the toilet rim.  
   
   
       10 . The toilet ventilation system of  claim 1 , further comprising a filter in communication with said aspiration unit.  
   
   
       11 . A toilet assembly comprising: 
 a toilet comprising a toilet bowl with a rim possessing an inner edge, a toilet seat, a rear apron extending rearwardly behind said rim, and hinges connecting said toilet seat to said toilet bowl to permit movement of said toilet seat from a lowered position in which said seat rests over said rim to a raised position in which at least a portion of said rim is exposed; and    the toilet odor removal system of  claim 1  mountable on and detachable from said toilet.    
   
   
       12 . A toilet odor removal system mountable on and detachable from a toilet having a toilet bowl with a rim possessing an inner edge, a toilet seat, hinges connecting the toilet seat to the toilet bowl to permit movement of the toilet seat from a lowered position in which the seat rests over the rim to a raised position in which at least a portion of the rim is exposed, and a rear apron extending rearwardly behind the rim, the system comprising: 
 a collection mouthpiece having an air intake port;    a vent duct in communication with said collection mouthpiece;    an aspiration unit operatively connected to said vent duct for drawing malodorous air from the toilet bowl through said air intake port and along said vent duct;    a support structure mountable on the toilet and operatively connected to said mouthpiece for positioning said mouthpiece to face or extend into a space between the toilet seat and the rim when the toilet seat is in the lowered position; and    a displacement member operatively connected to said mouthpiece to automatically shift said mouthpiece away from the rim when the toilet seat is moved from the lowered position to the raised position.    
   
   
       13 . The toilet ventilation system of  claim 12 , wherein said displacement member comprises a biasing means for raising said mouthpiece upward away from the rim when the toilet seat is moved from the lowered position to the raised position.  
   
   
       14 . The toilet ventilation system of  claim 12 , wherein said mouthpiece is constructed and arranged to permit manual and tool-less detachment from said support structure.  
   
   
       15 . The toilet ventilation system of  claim 12 , further comprising: 
 a cleaning implement detachably connected to said support structure, said cleaning implement sized to permit insertion into said air intake port and a passage of said vent duct.    
   
   
       16 . The toilet ventilation system of  claim 12 , wherein said support structure positions said air intake port between the hinges of the toilet.  
   
   
       17 . The toilet ventilation system of  claim 12 , wherein said support structure is connected to said aspiration unit, and wherein mounting of said support structure on the toilet suspends said aspiration unit above the floor on which the toilet rests.  
   
   
       18 . The toilet ventilation system of  claim 12 , wherein said mouthpiece has an open bottom surface, and wherein mounting of said support structure on the toilet positions said open bottom surface of said mouthpiece in contacting relationship with the rear apron.  
   
   
       19 . The toilet ventilation system of  claim 12 , wherein said support structure detachably connects directly to said vent duct, and wherein said vent duct supports said mouthpiece over the rear apron.  
   
   
       20 . The toilet ventilation system of  claim 12 , wherein said support structure mounts on the toilet to secure said mouthpiece outside of the exposed portion of the rim.  
   
   
       21 . The toilet ventilation system of  claim 12 , wherein said support structure mounts on the toilet to secure said mouthpiece spaced at least one inch from the inner edge of the rim when the toilet seat is in the lowered position.  
   
   
       22 . The toilet ventilation system of  claim 12 , wherein said mouthpiece has a front edge extending less than one-half of the way across the width of the toilet rim when the toilet seat is in the lowered position.  
   
   
       23 . The toilet ventilation system of  claim 12 , further comprising a filter in communication with said aspiration unit.  
   
   
       24 . A toilet assembly comprising: 
 a toilet comprising a toilet bowl with a rim possessing an inner edge, a toilet seat, a rear apron extending rearwardly behind said rim, and hinges connecting said toilet seat to said toilet bowl to permit movement of said toilet seat from a lowered position in which said seat rests over said rim to a raised position in which at least a portion of said rim is exposed; and    the toilet odor removal system of  claim 12  mountable on and detachable from said toilet.