Odor elimination system and method for a toilet

Abstract

Odoriferous gases are drawn from a toilet bowl into a passage of a valve assembly, by a fan. When filled with water, a trap downstream of the fan blocks flow of gases through the passage. Downstream of the trap, the passage is fluidly coupled to a sewer drain. During evacuation, water is drained from the trap into a fluidly coupled reservoir. After evacuation, water is displaced from the reservoir. The displaced water flows back into the trap. A portion of flush water is diverted to maintain the water level in the trap.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of evacuating odors from a toilet bowl comprising:
 providing a flow path from a top of a toilet bowl to a valve assembly, the valve assembly including a passage in fluid communication with the flow path and a sewer drain, the passage including a trap in fluid communication with a reservoir, the reservoir having a volume, the trap containing water and the contained water blocking flow of gases through the passage;   evacuating water from the trap, the trap not blocking the flow of gases through the passage when water is evacuated;   producing a pressure differential that draws odoriferous gases from the toilet bowl, through the flow path, through the passage including the trap from which water has been evacuated, and into the sewer drain;   returning evacuated water to the trap; and   discontinuing production of the pressure differential.   
     
     
         2 . The method of evacuating odors from a toilet bowl according to  claim 1 , wherein the step of evacuating water from the trap comprises, under the influence of gravity, draining water from the trap into the reservoir. 
     
     
         3 . The method of evacuating odors from a toilet bowl according to  claim 1 , wherein the step of returning evacuated water to the trap comprises displacing water in the reservoir, said displacing causing the water to rise to a level from which the water flows into the trap. 
     
     
         4 . The method of evacuating odors from a toilet bowl according to  claim 3 , wherein the step of displacing water comprising moving a barrier into the reservoir, the barrier occupying most of volume of the reservoir thereby displacing evacuated water. 
     
     
         5 . The method of evacuating odors from a toilet bowl according to  claim 4 , wherein the step of moving a barrier into the reservoir comprising actuating an actuator operably coupled to the barrier, the actuated actuator causing the barrier to move into the reservoir. 
     
     
         6 . The method of evacuating odors from a toilet bowl according to  claim 5 , the actuator being a linear actuator. 
     
     
         7 . The method of evacuating odors from a toilet bowl according to  claim 5 , the actuator being magnetically coupled to the barrier. 
     
     
         8 . The method of evacuating odors from a toilet bowl according to  claim 5 , the actuator being structurally coupled to the barrier. 
     
     
         9 . The method of evacuating odors from a toilet bowl according to  claim 5 , the barrier being sized and shaped to move linearly in the reservoir. 
     
     
         10 . The method of evacuating odors from a toilet bowl according to  claim 1 , the trap comprising a generally U-shaped segment of the passage, the generally U-shaped segment being configured to contain water. 
     
     
         11 . The method of evacuating odors from a toilet bowl according to  claim 1 , further comprising a step of adding water to the trap. 
     
     
         12 . The method of evacuating odors from a toilet bowl according to  claim 11 , the step of adding water to the trap comprising directing a portion of flush water to the trap. 
     
     
         13 . The method of evacuating odors from a toilet bowl according to  claim 12 , further comprising a step of draining excess water from the trap. 
     
     
         14 . The method of evacuating odors from a toilet bowl according to  claim 1 , the step of draining excess water from the trap comprising overflowing excess water from the trap towards the sewer drain. 
     
     
         15 . The method of evacuating odors from a toilet bowl according to  claim 1 , the step of producing a pressure differential comprising actuating a fan, the fan causing flow of odoriferous gases through the passage. 
     
     
         16 . The method of evacuating odors from a toilet bowl according to  claim 15 , the fan being within the passage upstream of the trap. 
     
     
         17 . The method of evacuating odors from a toilet bowl according to  claim 1 , further comprising a step of sensing a user using the toilet. 
     
     
         18 . The method of evacuating odors from a toilet bowl according to  claim 17 , the step of sensing a user using the toilet comprising one of activating a switch under weight of the user and producing a logical high output from a motion sensor due to motion of a user. 
     
     
         19 . The method of evacuating odors from a toilet bowl according to  claim 17 , the step of sensing a user using the toilet further comprising sensing use of the toilet by the user until the user ceases use. 
     
     
         20 . The method of evacuating odors from a toilet bowl according to  claim 1 ,
 the trap comprising a generally U-shaped segment of the passage, the generally U-shaped segment being configured to contain water;   wherein the step of evacuating water from the trap comprises, under the influence of gravity, draining water from the trap into the reservoir;   the step of returning evacuated water to the trap comprises displacing water in the reservoir, said displacing causing the water to rise to a level from which the water flows into the trap;   the step of producing a pressure differential comprising actuating a fan, the fan causing flow of odoriferous gases through the passage, the fan being within the passage upstream of the trap; and   further comprising steps of:   adding water to the trap by directing a portion of flush water to the trap;   draining excess water from the trap by overflowing excess water from the trap towards the sewer drain; and   sensing a user using the toilet until the user ceases use.