Toilet ventilation system

Abstract

A toilet ventilation system includes a toilet with a sealing gasket between the toilet seat and bowl. An aperture is positioned in the sealing gasket to allow unpleasant odors to be vacuumed out of the toilet bowl via an exhaust tube. The exhaust tube is fitted onto a ventilator with filtered apertures and a fan. The fan creates the vacuum that forces contaminated air through the filtered apertures so that odorless air is released from the ventilator.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A toilet ventilation system comprising:
 a toilet comprising at least a bowl and a seat;   a sealing gasket between the bowl and the seat, wherein the sealing gasket has at least one aperture;   an exhaust tube having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is extends through the aperture in the sealing gasket and the second end extends away from the toilet seat; and   a ventilator connected to the second end of the exhaust tube.   
     
     
         2 . The toilet ventilation system of  claim 1 , wherein the sealing gasket creates an air-impermeable seal between the bowl and the seat. 
     
     
         3 . The toilet ventilation system of  claim 2 , wherein the sealing gasket comprises compressible plastic, foam, rubber, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         4 . The toilet ventilation system of  claim 2 , wherein the sealing gasket comprises a mold and mildew resistant plastic or contains a silver-based antimicrobial agent. 
     
     
         5 . The toilet ventilation system of  claim 1 , wherein the diameter of the sealing gasket aperture corresponds to the diameter of the first end of the exhaust tube. 
     
     
         6 . The toilet ventilation system of  claim 1 , wherein the ventilator further comprises a filter and a fan. 
     
     
         7 . The toilet ventilation system of  claim 6 , wherein the filter comprises one or more layers of filtering material. 
     
     
         8 . The toilet ventilation system of  claim 7 , wherein the filtering material is paper, fabric, or carbon fibers. 
     
     
         9 . The toilet ventilation system of  claim 7 , wherein the filtering material is chemically treated to enhance its ability to filter odors. 
     
     
         10 . The toilet ventilation system of  claim 6 , wherein the ventilator is hollow, and the filter and fan are positioned within the hollow ventilator. 
     
     
         11 . The toilet ventilation system of  claim 1 , wherein the ventilator further comprises one or more apertures to encourage air-flow through the exhaust tube. 
     
     
         12 . A toilet ventilation system comprising:
 a toilet comprising at least a bowl and a seat;   a sealing gasket between the bowl and seat, the sealing gasket having one aperture;   an exhaust tube with a first end and a second end, the first end extending through the aperture in the sealing gasket such that the first end is adjacent to the bowl of the toilet, the second end extending away from the seat; and   a ventilator connected to with the second end of the exhaust tube.   
     
     
         13 . The toilet ventilation system of  claim 12 , wherein the sealing gasket creates an air-impermeable seal between the bowl and the seat, the sealing gasket comprising compressible plastic, foam, rubber, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         14 . The toilet ventilation system of  claim 13 , wherein the sealing gasket further comprises a mold and mildew resistant plastic or contains a silver-based antimicrobial agent. 
     
     
         15 . The toilet ventilation system of  claim 12 , wherein the ventilator further comprises a filter and a fan. 
     
     
         16 . The toilet ventilation system of  claim 15 , wherein the ventilator is hollow, with the filter and fan disposed within the hollow ventilator. 
     
     
         17 . The toilet ventilation system of  claim 16 , wherein the filter comprises one or more layers of filtering material, the filtering material comprising paper, fabric, or carbon fibers. 
     
     
         18 . The toilet ventilation system of  claim 17 , wherein the filtering material of the filter is chemically treated to enhance its ability to filter odors. 
     
     
         19 . The toilet ventilation system of  claim 12 , wherein the ventilator further comprises one or more apertures to encourage air-flow through the exhaust tube. 
     
     
         20 . A toilet ventilation system comprising:
 a toilet comprising a bowl and a seat;   a sealing gasket between the bowl and the seat, wherein the sealing gasket comprises compressible plastic, foam, rubber, or combinations thereof and comprises a mold and mildew resistant plastic or contains a silver-based antimicrobial agent, the sealing gasket having an aperture;   an exhaust tube having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end extends through the aperture of the sealing gasket such that the first end is adjacent to the bowl of the toilet, the second end extending away from the toilet seat;   a hollow ventilator connected to the second end of the exhaust tube, the ventilator containing a filter and a fan, the filter comprising one or more layers of chemically treated filtering material, the ventilator comprising a series of apertures to encourage air-flow through the exhaust tube; and   a power source connected to the fan within the ventilator.