Toilet seat with passage system for removal of foul air

Abstract

A ventilating apparatus for a toilet comprises a toilet seat having a rear end and an interior surface extending around a central opening. A primary venting passageway is formed in the seat and extends from the rear end and along opposite side sections and has at least one vent outlet located at the rear end. Inlet apertures are distributed around the interior surface and are in fluid communication with the passageway. Two hinge mechanisms are provided to pivotally connect the rear end of the seat to the toilet bowl and at least one of these mechanisms includes a threaded connecting pin member having a further venting passageway extending therethrough. This further passageway has an upper end which can be sealingly connected to the outlet at the rear of the toilet seat. Another venting outlet located at the bottom end of the pin member can be connected to a vacuum source for withdrawing foul air by means of the venting passageways.

1 . A ventilating apparatus for a toilet having a toilet bowl, said apparatus comprising:
 a toilet seat having a bottom surface, a top surface, a rear end and an interior surface which extends around a central opening;   a primary venting passageway formed in said seat and extending from said rear end and along opposite side sections of said seat and having at least one primary vent outlet located at said rear end of the seat;   inlet apertures distributed along said interior surface in fluid communication with said venting passageway; and   two hinge mechanisms for pivotally connecting the rear end of said toilet seat to the toilet bowl, at least one of said hinge mechanisms including a threaded connecting pin member having a further venting passageway extending therethrough and adapted for operatively connecting at an upper end of said further venting passageway to said primary vent outlet,   wherein said connecting pin member has a bottom end forming a secondary venting outlet in fluid communication with said further venting passageway, said secondary venting outlet being adapted for connection to a vacuum source for withdrawing foul air from said primary venting passageway via said further venting passageway.   
     
     
         2 . A ventilating apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein each of said two hinge mechanisms include said threaded connecting pin member with the further venting passageway. 
     
     
         3 . A ventilating apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein each of said two hinge mechanisms includes an integral hinge pin, which extends substantially horizontally during use of the ventilating apparatus on said toilet, and two hinge sleeves rigidly mounted at said rear end of the toilet seat, each hinge sleeve pivotally engaging a respective one of the hinge pins. 
     
     
         4 . A ventilating apparatus according to  claim 2  wherein the further venting passageway in each hinge mechanism is L-shaped and includes a relatively short, substantially horizontal section and a longer section which extends vertically during use of the ventilating apparatus. 
     
     
         5 . A ventilating apparatus according to  claim 3  including a toilet lid which is pivotally connected to said toilet seat by means of the two hinge pins, said toilet lid having two hinge sleeves mounted at a rear end of the lid and connected to said two hinge pins. 
     
     
         6 . A ventilating apparatus according to  claim 1  including a proximity sensor mounted in said toilet seat and at least one battery powering said proximity sensor and mounted in said toilet seat. 
     
     
         7 . A ventilating apparatus according to  claim 6  including an electronic circuit board detachably mounted in a cavity found in said toilet seat, said proximity sensor being mounted on the circuit board together with a local area transmitter for transmitting signals from said proximity sensor to a receiver of a controller for said vacuum source. 
     
     
         8 . A ventilating apparatus according to  claim 7  including a detachable cover for extending over a bottom side of said cavity in order to enclose and protect said circuit board and proximity sensor when said toilet seat is in use. 
     
     
         9 . A toilet seat apparatus for a toilet having a toilet bowl and holes for connecting said toilet seat apparatus to the toilet bowl, said apparatus comprising:
 a toilet seat extending around a central seat opening and having a bottom surface, a top surface, a rear end, two opposing side sections extending forwardly from said rear end, and an interior surface which extends around said seat opening and is adjacent thereto;   two primary venting passages formed in said seat and each extending from said rear end and along a respective one of said two side sections, each venting passage having a primary vent outlet located at said rear end of the seat;   inlet apertures distributed along each of said side sections at said interior surface, said apertures being in fluid communication with their respective venting passage; and   two hinge mechanisms for pivotally connecting the rear end of said toilet seat to the toilet bowl, each hinge mechanism including a threaded connecting pin member having a secondary venting passage extending therethrough between an upper end of the passage and a bottom end, each pin member being adapted for operatively connecting said upper end of the secondary venting passage to a respective one of the primary vent outlets,   wherein each connecting pin member has an elongate, externally threaded pin section through which said secondary venting passage extends, said bottom end of the venting passage being located at a bottom end of the pin section, and wherein each threaded pin section is adapted to extend through a respective one of said holes in the toilet and to be secured therein by a suitable nut.   
     
     
         10 . A toilet seat apparatus according to  claim 9  wherein each connecting pin member includes an integral hinge pin, which extends substantially horizontally towards the other hinge pin during use of the apparatus, and two hinge sleeves are provided at said rear end of the toilet seat, each hinge sleeve pivotally engaging a respective one of the hinge pins. 
     
     
         11 . A toilet seat apparatus according to  claim 9  wherein the secondary venting passage is L-shaped and includes a substantially horizontal section and a vertical section that extends lengthwise through said pin section. 
     
     
         12 . A toilet seat apparatus according to  claim 10  including a toilet lid which is pivotally connected to said toilet seat by means of the two hinge pins. 
     
     
         13 . A toilet seat apparatus according to  claim 9  including a battery operated proximity sensor mounted in said toilet seat and adapted to provide a signal to a controller for a vacuum source to indicate the presence of a person sitting on said toilet seat. 
     
     
         14 . A toilet seat apparatus according to  claim 9  including a connecting tube arrangement connectible to the bottom ends of both pin sections and being provided for operatively connecting the bottom ends of said secondary venting passages to a vacuum source for drawing foul air from the toilet bowl through said primary and secondary venting passages. 
     
     
         15 . A hinge device for connecting a toilet seat with a venting passage system for removing foul air from a toilet bowl of a toilet, said hinge device comprising:
 a threaded connecting pin member having a venting passageway extending between an upper inlet and a lower outlet,   said upper inlet being located on a front side of the connecting pin member and adapted for connection to an outlet of said venting passage system located at a rear end of the toilet seat,   said lower outlet being located at a bottom end of a threaded pin section of the pin member which is adapted for connection to a tube leading to a vacuum source,   said pin member including a hinge pin which extends substantially horizontally during use of the hinge mechanism on a toilet and which is adapted to pivotally connect said toilet seat to the pin member,   wherein, during use of the hinge device, said threaded pin section can be connected to said toilet bowl by a suitable cooperating nut threaded onto said pin section.   
     
     
         16 . A hinge device according to  claim 15  wherein said venting passageway is L-shaped and includes a relatively short horizontal leg and a longer vertical leg. 
     
     
         17 . A hinge device according to  claim 15  wherein said pin member is a one piece moulded plastic member. 
     
     
         18 . A hinge device according to  claim 15  wherein said pin member includes means for sealing a junction between an outlet of said venting passage system and said upper inlet when said hinge device is attached to the toilet seat and the toilet bowl and the toilet seat connected thereto rests on the toilet bowl. 
     
     
         19 . A hinge device according to  claim 18  wherein said sealing means comprises a friction fit between an end section of the venting passage system forming said outlet and a horizontal extension of said pin member in which said upper inlet is formed. 
     
     
         20 . A hinge device according to  claim 15  wherein said hinge pin is sufficiently long to pivotally connect both said toilet seat and a toilet lid formed with a connecting hinge sleeve for engaging the hinge pin.