Toilet odor filter device and method therefor

Abstract

A toilet odor filter device includes a support arm, a vented head, and a filter assembly. The support arm is designed to fit onto an upper portion of a toilet bowl and includes an air conduit therein. The vented head is attached to a first end of the support arm and is positionable in a toilet bowl. The filter assembly is attached to a second end of the support arm and is positionable outside a toilet bowl. The filter assembly includes a housing, a suction fan positioned in the housing and designed to suction malodorous air from a toilet bowl through the vented head and the air conduit, and an air filter positioned in the housing and designed to filter odor-causing particles from suctioned malodorous air.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A toilet odor filter device comprising:
 a support arm configured to fit onto an upper portion of a toilet bowl and comprising an air conduit therein;   a vented head attached to a first end of said support arm and being positionable in a toilet bowl;   a filter assembly attached to a second end of said support arm and being positionable outside a toilet bowl, wherein said filter assembly comprises:
 a housing, 
 a suction fan disposed in said housing and configured to suction malodorous air from a toilet bowl through said vented head and said air conduit, and 
 an air filter disposed in said housing and configured to filter odor-causing particles from suctioned malodorous air. 
   
     
     
         2 . The toilet odor filter device of  claim 1 , wherein said support arm comprises arm sections pivotably connected by joints to permit shaping of said support arm in a U-shape for hanging over an upper portion of a toilet bowl. 
     
     
         3 . The toilet odor filter device of  claim 2 , wherein said joints are configured to permit folding of said support arm into a compact profile for transport. 
     
     
         4 . The toilet odor filter device of  claim 2 , wherein said arm sections comprise a telescoping middle arm section that is adjustable in width to permit placement over toilet bowl rims or toilet seats of different widths. 
     
     
         5 . The toilet odor filter device of  claim 1 , wherein said vented head comprises a plurality of orifices. 
     
     
         6 . The toilet odor filter device of  claim 5 , wherein said vented head comprises a spherical portion to aim said orifices in different directions. 
     
     
         7 . The toilet odor filter device of  claim 5 , wherein said vented head is pivotably connected to said first end of said support arm by a joint. 
     
     
         8 . The toilet odor filter device of  claim 1 , wherein said filter assembly comprises a power supply disposed in said housing and operatively connected to said suction fan and a switch disposed on said housing to permit a user to turn said suction fan on and off. 
     
     
         9 . The toilet odor filter device of  claim 8 , wherein said filter assembly comprises a charging port disposed in said housing and said power supply comprises a rechargeable battery operatively connected to said charging port. 
     
     
         10 . The toilet odor filter device of  claim 1 , wherein said air filter is disposable. 
     
     
         11 . A method of using the toilet odor filter device, said method comprising:
 placing said support arm onto an upper portion of a toilet bowl with said vented head positioned in the toilet bowl and said filter assembly positioned outside the toilet bowl;   using said toilet and producing malodorous air; and   activating said suction fan and suctioning the malodorous air from the toilet bowl through said vented head and said air conduit and filtering out odor-causing particles from the suctioned malodorous air with said air filter.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein said step of placing said support arm onto the upper portion of the toilet bowl comprises pivoting arm sections of said support arm pivotably connected by joints and shaping said support arm in a U-shape for hanging over the upper portion of the toilet bowl. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein said method further comprises removing said support arm when done using the toilet odor filter device and folding said support arm at said joints into a compact profile for transport. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein said arm sections comprise a telescoping middle arm section that is adjustable in width to permit placement over toilet bowl rims or toilet seats of different widths, and said method comprises adjusting the width of said middle arm section to fit a toilet bowl rim of the toilet bowl and placing said middle arm section over the toilet bowl rim. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein said arm sections comprise a telescoping middle arm section that is adjustable in width to permit placement over toilet bowl rims or toilet seats of different widths, and said method comprises adjusting the width of said middle arm section to fit a toilet seat of the toilet bowl and placing said middle arm section over the toilet seat. 
     
     
         16 . A toilet odor filter device comprising:
 a support arm configured to fit onto an upper portion of a toilet bowl and comprising an air conduit therein,
 wherein: 
 said support arm comprises arm sections pivotably connected by joints to permit shaping of said support arm in a U-shape for hanging over an upper portion of a toilet bowl, 
 said joints are configured to permit folding of said support arm into a compact profile for transport, 
 said arm sections comprise a telescoping middle arm section that is adjustable in width to permit placement over toilet bowl rims or toilet seats of different widths; 
   a vented head attached to a first end of said support arm and being positionable in a toilet bowl,
 wherein: 
 said vented head comprises a plurality of orifices, 
 said vented head comprises a spherical portion to aim said orifices in different directions, 
 said vented head is pivotably connected to said first end of said support arm by a joint; 
   a filter assembly attached to a second end of said support arm and being positionable outside a toilet bowl, wherein said filter assembly comprises:
 a housing, 
 a suction fan disposed in said housing and configured to suction malodorous air from a toilet bowl through said vented head and said air conduit, and 
 an air filter disposed in said housing and configured to filter odor-causing particles from suctioned malodorous air, 
 wherein: 
 said filter assembly comprises a power supply disposed in said housing and operatively connected to said suction fan and a switch disposed on said housing to permit a user to turn said suction fan on and off, 
 said filter assembly comprises a charging port disposed in said housing and said power supply comprises a rechargeable battery operatively connected to said charging port, and 
 said air filter is disposable.