Toilet ventilation

Abstract

A toilet ventilation system designed to remove malodorous air from one or more toilets. The toilet ventilation system can be a kit that a user can install themselves in a toilet (which may be a traditional toilet) or that can be retrofitted into a new toilet. The toilet ventilation system and kit can have components for removing malodorous air from a single toilet or multiple toilets. The toilet ventilation system and kit can also be configured to remove odors to a sewer drain or to be disposed of outside the building.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 322,692, filed March 23, 2022, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0002]

[0002] This invention relates generally to toilets, and more particularly to addressing odors that may emanate from toilets. [Background technology]

[0003]

[0003] At a basic level, a typical toilet assembly consists of a toilet bowl, a water storage tank, a fill valve and float control to allow water to enter the tank, a flush valve to allow water to flow quickly from the tank into the toilet bowl, a flush lever, and an overflow tube or canister body connected to transfer fluid to the toilet bowl's flush passage for refilling after each flush and to prevent the tank from overflowing if the fill valve malfunctions.

[0004]

[0004] A typical method for removing unpleasant toilet odors from a toilet is to utilize an overhead ventilation fan to draw air from the room and exhaust it to the exterior of the building through a dedicated ventilation duct. Typically, the primary function of this type of ventilation system is to remove moist air rather than odors, the fan components are sized based on the total volume within the enclosed room, and the fan is centrally located to optimize air collection from all areas of the room. However, this may not be an ideal configuration for removing unpleasant odors emanating from the toilet bowl. In such a general purpose ventilation system, odors permeate the entire room while being drawn toward the ventilation fan for extraction. This permeation also allows odors to leak into adjacent rooms through any open doorways.

[0005] Since the widespread adoption of the standard gravity-flush toilet assembly described above, many inventors have proposed and developed solutions to address the problem of toilet odor. However, most of these have not been commercially successful for a variety of reasons, and as a result, adoption of toilet odor elimination systems is a small percentage of the total number of toilets installed worldwide as of the time of this disclosure. As a result of the lack of a viable commercial solution to effectively capture toilet odors at the source, chemical solutions have been employed to mask or neutralize the odor, or more powerful or constantly running exhaust fans have been used. Such solutions have potentially significant drawbacks and have proven to be less effective than desired.

[0006]

[0006] Some have proposed ventilation systems aimed at extracting odors from the toilet bowl. In general, solutions that attempt to extract odors from the toilet bowl may have five components: a device for sucking the odorous air from the toilet bowl, an air moving device, a power source, a control switch, and a device for exhausting or treating the odorous air. In cases where the electrical components of the system are located in areas where there is a high risk of submersion or exposure to water, the systems are typically designed to operate using a low voltage power source. These solutions can also be broadly categorized into two groups: 1) those that do not require physical modifications to the most common types of toilet assemblies or building structures, and 2) those that require specially designed or modified toilets, most often with additions / modifications to the ventilation structure of an existing building. These two groups also tend to represent the lower and upper limits of the range of total installed costs for the system, due to the increasing complexity of moving from the first solution to the second solution.

[0007] Within the first category, attempted solutions may utilize an attachable intake shroud, a portable air mover, and activated carbon filter media to treat odorous air before returning it to the room. This device may often be provided as a ready-to-install fixture or kit that does not require other significant modifications to the toilet, the building's wall structure, or the ventilation ductwork. Such a device is disclosed and disclosed by US Patent US20070256219A1 to Ellinger, which discloses the use of a special toilet rim mounting hook incorporating a carbon filter-integrated air mover, a battery pack for power, and an intake passageway. Similar solutions are disclosed and disclosed by US Patent US20190345706A1 to Casarez, and US Patent US5452481A to Meyer, which discloses the inclusion of an intake shroud located at the toilet seat mounting location and connected to a carbon filter-integrated air mover attached to the floor or a bracket. U.S. Patent US6279173B1 to Denzin et al. discloses and publishes an air mover that is mounted within a toilet water tank and includes a built-in filter and intake shroud that encases an overflow tube that allows the use of existing water flow passages to extract malodorous air directly from the toilet bowl.

[0008]

[0008] Potential advantages of attempted solutions of the first category type may be low cost, compatibility with many conventional toilet brands and models, and relatively easy installation. Potential disadvantages of these attempted solutions may include ongoing maintenance needs to replace filter media, replace or recharge batteries, clean additional components that may trap dirt or collect residue, detracting from the aesthetics of the toilet design due to the often conspicuous additional components, or a combination thereof. The need to purchase proprietary replacement batteries and / or filter elements may also add to ongoing costs, which may discourage consumers from adopting these attempted solutions on a large scale.

[0009] The second category consists of attempted solutions where special design features or additional components are added to the aforementioned conventional toilet assembly, or where modifications to the ventilation of the entire room or building are often required, or both. A system disclosed by Norris, U.S. Pat. No. 2,105,794, is published describing an air mover designed as a toilet tank cover that draws malodorous air out of the toilet bowl through a built-in air passage and discharges it to a vent pipe located inside the wall adjacent to the toilet installation. Hugo Ceja Estrada, U.S. Pat. No. 5,727,263, is published and discloses a similar system where a special toilet bowl design allows malodorous air to be drawn through an externally mounted air mover and discharged to the building's vent pipe. Another subset of attempted solutions utilizes special toilet designs that contain built-in air passages leading to the toilet drain as a method of venting malodorous air, as proposed by US Patent US2005 / 0273917Al to Lapossy, US Patent US5,715,543 to Sim, and US Patent US2012 / 0023650Al to Azodi. Using existing building drains to remove malodorous air has been disclosed and published by US Patent US8,239,973Bl to Character and US Patent US3,649,972 to Sowards. In this case, a special toilet seat design with an intake passage is used to draw the malodorous air into an externally mounted air mover, which is then vented using the drain of an adjacent toilet sink. Previous systems that utilize existing sewer piping for ventilation of malodorous air may require backflow prevention of sewer gases, which also increases the complexity of the system.

[0010]

[0010] Potential advantages of the second category of "special toilet system design" solutions typically include no additional maintenance required after initial installation, the ability to conceal the equipment to preserve the aesthetics of the toilet design, and the ability to increase the airflow rate for odor removal by exhausting directly to the exterior of the building or to a sewer drain vent. Potential disadvantages of such systems include the significantly higher cost of components, tooling, and molds required for manufacture, increased sales and distribution costs, and high installation costs of the systems. In many cases, these solutions may only be economically feasible if incorporated as part of the construction plan for a new building, as they require the inclusion of dedicated exhaust vents within the structure of the building's walls and ceilings. Also, toilets installed in high-rise apartment or office buildings may not allow practical installation and operation of such systems, as access to an exterior exhaust point is not feasible as a retrofit.

[0011]

[0011] In addition, a typical restroom odor removal system may utilize a fan-type air mover, such as a ceiling-mounted lavatory fan, designed to move large volumes of air (in the range of hundreds of liters per minute), and therefore may require a larger exhaust pipe or duct having a cross-sectional area proportional to the diameter of the fan and the air pressure generated. Fan-type air movers may also be prone to failure when exposed to high levels of humidity, or when directly exposed to humidity, which may be the operating environment in, for example, a restroom. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0012] The disclosed invention addresses previously recognized problems that have hindered the adoption of restroom odor ventilation systems. [Means for solving the problem]

[0013] According to one aspect, an embodiment removes odors from a toilet while minimizing ventilation airflow to remove the odors. Such an odor removal system reduces cost, complexity, and can more easily be operably integrated into existing toilet fixtures.

[0014]

[0014] According to one aspect, the embodiments provide an apparatus and method that not only works well from a functional standpoint, but also has a relatively low total cost of ownership, requires little or no maintenance, minimizes adverse effects on the aesthetics of the restroom interior, and is compatible with a wide range of existing toilet installations.

[0015]

[0015] According to one aspect, an embodiment facilitates installation of a toilet ventilation system where a toilet is located, providing a cost-effective and feasible solution for continuously treating malodorous air.

[0016]

[0016] According to one aspect, the embodiment includes components provided to an end user in the form of a kit that can be configured in a manner that best matches the design of an individual toilet and the layout of a home or building. The embodiment can include a kit with the basic elements of a toilet odor ventilation system, which can include: 1) a specially designed intake shroud (which may include a vacuum relief valve) surrounding a toilet tank overflow pipe, 2) one or more diaphragm-type fluid pump elements (configured to operate in tandem when multiple pumps are used) housed in an enclosure (which may include push-to-connect connection piping fittings), 3) small diameter flexible piping, 4) a power source (which may use low voltage) and cable, 5) a control switch (or sensor that can be attached with a mounting bracket) and a signal cable, 6) exhaust vent fittings for small diameter piping to accommodate various exhaust situations, including venting to an existing sewer drain piping, venting to the outside of the building, or using a toilet drain flange adapter, or a combination of these, and any combination of kit elements 1-6.

[0017]

[0017] According to one aspect, embodiments use small air pumps and small diameter piping to meet sufficient design parameters for odor removal while minimizing power usage, implementation size and cost. The low air flow solution also allows the use of existing sewer drains for odorous air removal without overloading the air ventilation capacity of the piped drainage system (which may be an important consideration, especially for high density restroom installations such as high rise apartment or office buildings).

[0018] According to one aspect, embodiments use small diameter piping for removing the malodorous air, which can facilitate installation of the restroom vent system and minimize aesthetic defects when the piping is partially exposed. The small piping for delivering the malodorous air can be more easily "fished" through existing walls, floors, ceilings, or any combination of building structures. Such small diameter air piping can be "fished" using methods similar to those used to attach electrical wires to building structures. Furthermore, by using small diameter piping, such as 3 / 8 inch outside diameter (OD) piping for air flow, the restroom vent system can be easier and less expensive to install, since conventional 3 / 8 inch OD pipe fittings are typically readily available, and during installation, penetrations through the building structure and sewer pipes can be achieved using standard 3 / 8 inch OD drill bits.

[0019] According to one aspect, in an embodiment, the malodorous air can be pumped out using a common pump, such as a diaphragm pump, etc. Additionally, such pumps can be configured to operate with moisture and can incorporate check valves to reduce or prevent backflow of air or sewer gases.

[0020] According to one aspect, embodiments may utilize the existing bowl water passageway and tank overflow pipe of an existing conventional toilet to extract malodorous air from within the bowl.

[0021] According to one aspect, an embodiment provides an air intake shroud that can be attached to an overflow pipe to cover the overflow pipe opening and can use water in the toilet tank to seal around the bottom of the shroud to create a closed air intake conduit for removing malodorous air from the toilet bowl. According to one aspect, an embodiment provides an air intake shroud that incorporates an interconnected secondary chamber that houses a float-actuated vacuum relief valve that can open when the water level in the toilet tank rises to the top of the overflow pipe due to a fill valve failure to help prevent water from being sucked into the air pump assembly.

[0022]

[0022] According to one aspect, an embodiment provides a control switch device that can be manually actuated to turn the air pump on / off, which may be touch actuated (e.g., push button switch, touch pad, inductive contact) or touchless actuated (e.g., infrared, motion sensor or laser proximity sensor), may be illuminated (e.g., illuminates around the switch) or not, may be easily mounted to the exterior wall of the toilet tank and may be configured to operate power on / off via a wall switch or may be electrically wired in parallel with an existing light or toilet ventilation fan switch, or any combination thereof.

[0023]

[0023] According to one aspect, an embodiment provides a timer module that can be incorporated into an air pump assembly, allowing automatic shutdown after a user adjustable pre-set delay time.

[0024] According to one aspect, an embodiment provides an air line connection to a typical commercially available conventional drain saddle fitting for connection to a standard bath or kitchen sink drain size. According to one aspect, an embodiment provides an air line to a saddle fitting that can be connected to a larger sewer drain.

[0025] According to one aspect, embodiments provide a microchannel housing that can be used with a toilet ventilation system. Such a microchannel housing can enable airflow through tight spaces. The tight spaces may include, for example, toilet locations where an existing drain or access to the exterior of the building is not feasible. The microchannel housing can channel foul-smelling exhaust air through a narrow gap between the underside of the toilet and the lavatory floor, thereby discharging the air to the toilet drain.

[0026] According to one aspect, embodiments provide an air pump assembly that is mounted to the interior of a toilet tank, and that can operably engage air piping, which can be small diameter, routed in a relatively unobtrusive manner, and electrical wiring, which can be low voltage (e.g., exiting the toilet tank between the toilet tank wall and the toilet tank lid).

[0027] According to one aspect, embodiments provide a toilet vent system that may not require regular maintenance or filters (no filters need to be replaced).

[0028] According to one aspect, an embodiment provides a toilet vent system in kit form that can be easily installed on a conventional toilet and used in a typical washroom.

[0028]

[0029] According to one aspect, the present invention provides a kit for removing malodorous air from at least one toilet, the kit comprising: an intake shroud configured to operably couple to a tank overflow pipe in a toilet tank, the intake shroud having sides configured to surround an upper portion of the tank overflow pipe and a top surface configured to be supported above a top of the tank overflow pipe to create an internal air chamber between the tank overflow pipe and the intake shroud, an auxiliary water pipe port and an intake port extending through the intake shroud at a location configured to extend into the internal air chamber and configured to be positioned above the top of the tank overflow pipe; at least one air pump assembly configured to receive power to drive an air pump and electronics controlling the air pump, the at least one air pump assembly including an intake port for drawing malodorous air into the air pump; and a flexible intake pipe having a first end operably engaging the intake port of the intake shroud and an opposite second end operably engaging the intake port of the at least one air pump assembly.

[0029]

[0030] According to one aspect, the present invention provides a kit for removing malodorous air from at least one toilet, the kit comprising: an intake shroud configured to operatively couple to a tank overflow pipe in a toilet tank, the intake shroud having a side configured to surround an upper portion of the tank overflow pipe and a top surface configured to be supported above a top of the tank overflow pipe to create an interior air chamber between the tank overflow pipe and the intake shroud; an auxiliary water pipe port and an intake port extending through the intake shroud at a location configured to extend into the interior air chamber and configured to be positioned above the top of the tank overflow pipe; and a vacuum relief port extending through the intake shroud. the toilet tank includes an intake shroud configured to extend into the internal chamber, the vacuum air relief valve operably engaging the vacuum relief port and configured to open when a water level in the toilet tank is above a predetermined level and close when a water level in the toilet tank is below a predetermined level; at least one air pump assembly configured to receive power to drive an air pump and electronics controlling the air pump, the at least one air pump assembly including an intake port for drawing malodorous air into the air pump; and a conduit having a first end operably engaging the intake port of the intake shroud and a second end operably engaging the intake port of the at least one air pump assembly.

[0030]

[0031] According to one aspect, the present invention provides a kit for removing malodorous air from at least one toilet, the kit comprising: an air intake shroud configured to operatively couple to a tank overflow pipe in a toilet tank, the air intake shroud having sides configured to surround an upper portion of the tank overflow pipe and a top surface configured to be supported above a top of the tank overflow pipe to create an internal air chamber between the tank overflow pipe and the air intake shroud, the auxiliary water pipe port and the air intake port configured to extend into the internal air chamber and to be positioned above the top of the tank overflow pipe; and at least one air pump configured to receive power to drive an air pump and electronics controlling the air pump. The assembly includes at least one air pump assembly including an intake port for drawing malodorous air into the air pump; a conduit having a first end that operably engages the intake port of the intake shroud and an opposite second end that operably engages the intake port of the at least one air pump assembly; a toilet flange exhaust vent fitting having a microchannel structure and configured to be mounted under a base of a toilet bowl, the microchannel structure being configured to be narrower than a width of the base of the toilet bowl, the toilet flange exhaust vent fitting being configured to direct the malodorous air to a sewer drain pipe under the toilet; and exhaust piping extending from the at least one air pump assembly to the toilet flange exhaust vent fitting.

[0031]

[0032] According to one aspect, the present invention provides a toilet vent system comprising: an intake shroud operably engaging a tank overflow pipe in a toilet tank, the intake shroud having sides surrounding an upper portion of the tank overflow pipe and a top surface supported above a top of the tank overflow pipe to create an internal air chamber between the tank overflow pipe and the intake shroud, an auxiliary water pipe port and an intake port extending into the internal air chamber and extending through the intake shroud positioned above the top of the tank overflow pipe; at least one air pump assembly configured to receive power to drive an air pump and electronics controlling the air pump, the at least one air pump assembly including an intake port for drawing malodorous air into the air pump; and a flexible intake pipe having a first end operably engaging the intake port of the intake shroud and an opposite second end operably engaging the intake port of the at least one air pump assembly.

[0032]

[0033] Various aspects of this invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment, when read in light of the accompanying drawings. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0033] [Figure 1]

[0034] FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a toilet according to the prior art; [Diagram 2]

[0035] 1 is a schematic, partially cut-away perspective view of a toilet according to the prior art; [Diagram 3]

[0036] 1 is a schematic, partially cut-away perspective view of a portion of a toilet according to the prior art; [Figure 4]

[0037] FIG. 1 is a schematic, partially cut-away perspective view of a toilet. [Diagram 5]

[0038] FIG. 1 is a schematic, partially cut-away perspective view of a toilet assembly and an electrical outlet. [Figure 6]

[0039] FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view of a portion of the toilet assembly and an electrical outlet. [Figure 7]

[0040] 1 is a schematic partial cutaway elevation view of a portion of a toilet assembly. [Figure 8]

[0041] FIG. 2 is a schematic, partially cut-away perspective view of an air pump assembly; [Figure 9]

[0042] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a diaphragm valve. [Figure 10]

[0043] FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of an intake shroud. [Figure 11]

[0044] FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of a portion of the intake shroud. [Figure 12]

[0045] FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of a portion of an intake shroud showing some internal elements. [Figure 13]

[0046] FIG. 13A is a schematic elevation view of a portion of a toilet assembly.

[0034]

[0047] FIG. 13B is a schematic elevation view of a portion of the toilet assembly. [Figure 14]

[0048] FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of a portion of the intake shroud. [Figure 15]

[0049] FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of a portion of the intake shroud. [Figure 16]

[0050] FIG. 2 is a schematic, partially cut-away perspective view of a portion of an intake shroud. [Figure 17]

[0051] 1 is a schematic perspective view of a portion of a toilet assembly; [Figure 18]

[0052] 1 is a schematic perspective view of a portion of a toilet assembly; [Figure 19]

[0053] FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of a button assembly of the toilet assembly; [Figure 20]

[0054] FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of a button assembly of the toilet assembly; [Figure 21]

[0055] FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of a button assembly of the toilet assembly; [Figure 22]

[0056] 1 is a schematic perspective view of a portion of a toilet assembly; [Diagram 23]

[0057] FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a toilet assembly, sink, and piping within a room. [Figure 24]

[0058] FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a connection assembly configured to connect to a plumbed drain pipe. [Diagram 25]

[0059] FIG. 1 is a schematic, partially cut-away perspective view of a connection assembly connected to a plumbed drain pipe. [Figure 26]

[0060] FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of an electrical connection and a piping connection. [Figure 27]

[0061] FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a toilet assembly, sink, and piping within a room. [Figure 28]

[0062] FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a portion of a toilet assembly, a sink, and plumbing. [Figure 29]

[0063] FIG. 1 is a schematic cutaway elevation view of a connection assembly connected to a plumbing drain. [Diagram 30]

[0064] FIG. 1 is a schematic elevational view of a toilet assembly and sink in a room. [Diagram 31]

[0065] FIG. 2 is a schematic, partially cut-away perspective view of a room and part of a toilet assembly. [Diagram 32]

[0066] FIG. 2 is a schematic, partially cut-away perspective view of a room and part of a toilet assembly. [Diagram 33]

[0067] FIG. 2 is a schematic cut-away elevation view of a portion of a room and toilet assembly. [Diagram 34]

[0068] 1 is a schematic perspective view of a portion of a toilet assembly; [Diagram 35]

[0069] 1 is a schematic perspective view of a portion of a toilet assembly; [Diagram 36]

[0070] 1 is a schematic perspective view of a portion of a toilet assembly; [Figure 37]

[0071] 1 is a schematic, partially cut-away perspective view of a portion of a toilet assembly; [Figure 38]

[0072] FIG. 1 is a schematic elevation view of a portion of a toilet assembly. [Figure 39]

[0073] FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of a microchannel housing assembly. [Diagram 40]

[0074] FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of a microchannel housing assembly. [Diagram 41]

[0075] FIG. 1 is a schematic elevation view of a building including a restroom ventilation system. [Diagram 42]

[0076] FIG. 1 is a schematic, partially exploded perspective view of a portion of a toilet ventilation system installed in a building. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0035]

[0077] A detailed description of the preferred embodiment and general installation method of the present invention is described in the following paragraphs. It will be understood that the toilet vent system may be configured in the form of a kit for retrofitting to individual toilet fixtures and building configurations, and therefore the description provided regarding the configuration of the installed components should not be construed as limiting the scope or applicability of the present invention to alternative installations of the kit.

[0036]

[0078] Figure 1 shows a conventional toilet 100, which includes a toilet bowl 101, a toilet tank 103, a toilet tank lid 104, and a base 99 that supports the toilet 100 to a floor or other support structure. The toilet bowl volume 402 is indicated by the shaded area in Figure 1, and trapped air / gas 403 is shown as the volume that is essentially trapped when sitting on the toilet 100.

[0037]

[0079] FIG. 2 shows a typical standard toilet 100 with a gravity-fed flushing mechanism, and FIG. 3 shows another typical standard toilet 100 with a gravity-fed flushing mechanism. The toilet 100 may be fitted with a toilet tank 103 whose water level is controlled by a water fill valve 109, a flush valve 106, and a flush lever 113. The toilet tank 103 may have a toilet tank ventilation passageway 105 that allows ventilation when a toilet tank lid 104 (see FIG. 1) is resting on the respective toilet tank 103. These examples of conventional toilets 100 may utilize a tank overflow pipe 107 (FIG. 2) or a canister flush valve 108 (FIG. 3) having an overflow passageway with a normally open air passageway connection to the flush passageway 102 (best seen in FIG. 4) of the attached toilet bowl 101 when not in a flushing state. Minor modifications in the fill valve control assembly (typically a float 110), the flush valve water seal (typically a flapper 112 or canister seal 266), or the flush lever 113 and flush mechanism 114 are common in these typical toilets 100.

[0038]

[0080] 4 shows a water flush passageway 102 typically incorporated into a toilet bowl 101, which may be conventional, with arrow 98 indicating an air purge passageway. The air purge passageway 98 directs air through a water orifice 97 on the rim 117 of the toilet bowl, through the flush passageway 102, the flush valve 106, the overflow tube 107, and into the chamber 96 below the intake shroud 251.

[0039]

[0081] During toilet use, when a person is sitting on the toilet, a partially enclosed air space is formed between the lower half of the person's body and the surface of the water in the toilet bowl. Depending on the design of the toilet, the volume of this air space can range between 8 and 12 liters. For reference, the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) Standard Z9.5-2012 for Laboratory Fume Hood Performance recommends 150 air changes per hour (or 2.5 air changes per minute) under typical conditions as a minimum design specification. This suggests that an air flow rate of, for example, about 20 to 30 liters per minute (or 0.02 to 0.03 cubic meters (0.7 to 1.1 cubic feet) per minute) is a reasonable goal for a toilet bowl ventilation system. This relatively low air flow requirement allows the use of a relatively small air pump and small diameter air piping to meet the design parameters for venting the malodorous air. Also, by implementing a low air flow solution, existing sewer drains can be used for a secondary function to exhaust foul-smelling air without overloading the ventilation capacity of the sewer drain system (one consideration for high density restroom installations such as high rise apartment or office buildings). To meet the air flow rate for the air piping, the inside diameter (ID) of the piping can be, for example, 0.5 liters per second to accommodate a system air flow rate of about 30 liters per minute under minimum pressure conditions (1 bar / 1 atm / 14.5 PSI). To meet this desired flow rate, a pipe with an inside diameter of 6.4 millimeters (1 / 4 inch) or larger is an acceptable size. Considering typical wall thicknesses, conventional piping, which may be made of plastic with an outside diameter (OD) of about 9.5 millimeters (3 / 8 inch) and an inside diameter (ID) of about 6.4 millimeters (1 / 4 inch), can easily achieve this air flow rate, which is a standard size that is readily commercially available. The use of small diameter piping (eg, 3 / 8 inch (9.5 mm) OD) may significantly improve the ease of installation of the toilet vent system.Such small diameter piping can be easily "routed" through existing wall, floor, and ceiling structures using methods similar to those used to install electrical wires. Additionally, 3 / 8 inch (9.5 mm) outer diameter pipe fittings are readily commercially available, and during installation, a standard 3 / 8 inch (9.5 mm) drill chuck and a typical 3 / 8 inch (9.5 mm) diameter drill bit can be used to provide for penetrations made through the building structure and sewer pipes. A 1 / 4 inch (6.4 mm) inner diameter air pipe can be maintained throughout the entire length of the air pipe, which may make it desirable to use, for example, a push-in or similar style connection (instead of a push-in barb-style fitting, which may have a smaller inner diameter at the connection point and restrict air flow). However, if smaller inner diameter piping or fittings (e.g., less than 1 / 4 inch) are used in the toilet vent system, the capacity of the air pump may be increased to increase the pressure in the air pipe. Somewhat larger diameter tubing can be used, but may be more difficult to install, and there may not be readily commercially available push-fit fittings for sizes larger than 12.7 mm (1 / 2 inch) outside diameter.

[0040]

[0082] 5-8 in conjunction with FIGS. 1-4, the air pump assembly 201 can include, for example, a sealed diaphragm valve 300 and can be used as a diaphragm type vacuum pump. The air pump assembly 201 can be located, for example, adjacent to or within the toilet 100, or can be supported and positioned within the toilet tank 103. The air pump assembly 201 can be secured to the top of the wall of the tank 103, for example, using an S-hook type mounting clip hanger 205. If there is not enough space inside the toilet tank 103 to accommodate the air pump assembly 201, the pump assembly 201 can be mounted externally to the toilet tank 103, for example, mounted externally to a nearby wall 131 (such as the wall shown in FIGS. 23 and 27), a cabinet 135 (such as the cabinet shown in FIGS. 23, 27, and 28), or indirectly along a ducting path intended for exhaust of an accessible location (such as the basement, attic, or adjacent room). The air pump assembly 201 may include a motor / pump assembly 221, which may include an inner housing 231 in which a diaphragm valve 300 is disposed, and an electric motor 232. The diaphragm valve 300 may be configured to have a relatively high air flow rate but a relatively low output pressure. The diaphragm valve (pump) may have chemical resistance and liquid suction capabilities, and therefore will not fail due to suction of moisture. Multiple smaller diaphragm valves may be driven together by one motor as a single pump assembly to increase air flow rate, or may be combined in series or parallel with additional pump assemblies to increase air volumetric flow rate. Other types of pumps for pumping air may be used instead, if desired.

[0041]

[0083] 9, a diaphragm pump element that may form a diaphragm valve 300 may be internal to the motor / pump unit 221 (shown in FIG. 8) and may include a flexible diaphragm membrane 301 and internal components, which may be moisture, corrosion, and rust resistant. As indicated by the double-headed arrow, an external mechanical force 308 is applied to the membrane 301, displacing the flexible membrane 301 into a fixed chamber 303 (to a position indicated by element number 302), thereby increasing the pressure of the fluid medium in the fixed chamber 303. As pressure increases within fixed chamber 303 due to displacement of flexible membrane 301, check valve 304 on inlet side 306 of fixed chamber 303 is forced to a closed position, thereby preventing flow from the inlet side of diaphragm valve 300 through check valve 304, while this pressure increase opens check valve 305 on outlet side 307 of chamber 303, thereby allowing pressurized fluid to pass through outlet side 307 of diaphragm valve 300. When external mechanical force 308 is removed, membrane 301 is then allowed to mechanically retract or elastically return to its original position, thereby creating a negative fluid pressure within fixed chamber 303. This negative fluid pressure then causes inlet check valve 304 to open, thereby allowing fluid to be drawn into fixed chamber 303 through inlet 306, while outlet check valve 305 closes, thereby preventing fluid from entering through outlet port 307. This cycling of the flexible membrane 301 can be repeated rapidly to create a suction action on the fluid acted upon by the diaphragm valve 300. Multiple diaphragm pump valves 300 may be connected together with a single motor (or multiple motors) of the air pump assembly 201 to increase the suction capacity.

[0042]

[0084] 5-8 in light of FIGS. 1-4, multiple diaphragm valves 300 (using one or more motors) may be used as pump units to increase air flow, although a single motor / pump unit 221 may be used to reduce complexity. The motor / pump unit 221 may include an air inlet 233 and an air outlet 234. The main air pump enclosure may include a main housing 202 having a sidewall surrounding the motor / pump unit 221, a lid 203 securable to the main housing 202, and a flexible seal 204 extending around the lid 203 and sealing the lid 203 to the main housing 202. The lower portion of the main housing 202 may be made of thermoformed plastic. In addition to the motor / pump unit 221, the main housing 202 may include pump inlet piping 235, pump outlet piping 236, an optional air manifold, and pump wiring 237. The lid 203 may be made of thermoformed plastic and formed with one or more built-in intake and exhaust ports 206, 207 that may be used for external tubing connections for inserting internal tubing 235, 236 and cavities for push-fit connection components, simplifying tubing installation. The lid 203 may also include electrical ports 208, 209 and other mountings for electrical connectors. The air pump assembly 201 may include a timer relay circuit board 212 that may be mounted, for example, on the lid 203, with openings provided for the digital display 210 and one or more operator interface buttons 211 of the timer relay circuit board 212. Gaps around the lid openings for the ports and connector bodies may be internally sealed with, for example, an adhesive sealer and an adhesive-backed membrane plate 213.

[0043]

[0085] 4, 5, 7, and 10-13B in conjunction with FIGS. 1-3, an intake shroud assembly 251 is shown. The intake shroud assembly 251 can be sized to encase the overflow tube 107, leaving a bottom opening (gap) 253 between the intake shroud assembly 251 and the overflow tube 107, for example, a standard 1 inch to 1-1 / 2 inch outside diameter (OD), so that during a tank overflow event, water can enter through the opening (gap) 253 and flow into the top of the overflow tube 107 at the maximum water flow rate of the fill valve. A tank overflow event is a condition in which the water level in the toilet tank 103 reaches the top of the overflow tube 107 and flows into the overflow tube 107 to prevent the water level in the toilet tank 103 from reaching the top of the toilet tank 103 wall. The components of the intake shroud assembly 251 may be made from, for example, thermoformed or cast plastic, providing low cost, durability, and moisture resistance. The top surface 249 of the shroud assembly 251 may include an opening 254 suitable for, for example, a standard 7.9 mm (5 / 16 inch) outer diameter auxiliary pipe 111 to extend through the overflow pipe 107, for example, about 100 mm down into it (best seen in FIGS. 13A and 13B). A hole (connection point) 255 through the top surface 249 of the shroud 251 may be provided for the intake pipe 222, which may have, for example, a 9.5 mm (3 / 8 inch) outer diameter, leading to the intake port 206 of the pump assembly 201. The intake shroud 251 may include internal shroud support ribs 261 (best seen in FIG. 12), which may extend radially inward to a diameter smaller than the outer diameter of the tank overflow pipe 107. The width of the support ribs 261 may be sized so that the lower edge of each rib 261 contacts the top of the overflow pipe 107 to support the intake shroud 251 at a desired vertical spacing.These internal shroud support ribs 261 then space the top surface 249 of the intake shroud 251 a set distance above the top of the tank overflow pipe 107, defining the internal air chamber 96. Additional lateral forces that may be exerted by the auxiliary pipe 111 and the intake pipe 222 can fix the horizontal position of the intake shroud 251 relative to the overflow pipe 107.

[0044]

[0086] The open bottom (gap) 253 of the shroud 251 can be sealed from air by both the lower water level 405 and the upper water level 406 (best seen in FIGS. 13A and 13B) in the toilet tank 103. With the water sealed from air at the open end (gap) 253, when the air pump assembly 201 is activated, a low air pressure area can form in the interior air chamber 96 within the shroud 253. This low air pressure area within the shroud 253 allows the air pump assembly 201 to draw air upward from the toilet bowl passageway 102 through the overflow tube 107. The overflow tube 107 is not filled with water during typical toilet operation, allowing air to flow from the toilet bowl 101 through the toilet bowl passageway 102 and the overflow tube 107 to the air pump assembly 201.

[0045]

[0087] During a toilet flushing event, the water level 405 in the intake shroud 251 (as shown in FIG. 13A) may move upward to the top of the overflow tube 107 to fill it up to equalize the lower water level 405 in the tank, even as the water in the toilet tank 103 is draining into the toilet bowl 101 while the flush valve 106 is open. In such a case, the shroud 251 may be completely sealed off from air, which, in the absence of an open airflow passage 102, causes the water level in the shroud 251 to rise due to the suction pressure in the internal air chamber 96 created in the shroud 251 by the air pump assembly 201. In such a situation, when the water level becomes similar to the water level 406 (as shown in FIG. 13B), the water may eventually be sucked through the intake tube 222 into the motor / pump unit 221. This moisture will not damage the diaphragm type motor / pump unit 221 (or other type of appropriately configured air pump unit), but performance may be somewhat degraded. To limit or prevent water from being drawn into the motor / pump unit 221, and thereby potential deterioration, the user may adjust the lower fill level of the water level 405 in the toilet tank 103 so that the shroud lower opening 253 is submerged by only a few millimeters or so (at the time the water fill valve 109 stops water flowing into the toilet tank 103 at the end of the toilet flushing event). Such an adjustment allows the shroud 251 to be unsealed to allow air to escape through the lower opening (gap) 253 as soon as possible after the start of a toilet flushing event, before the water level in the shroud 251 rises (due to suction pressure from the air pump assembly 201) and can reach the intake port 255. The amount of trapped air in the intake shroud 251 can be configured according to the suction air flow rate of the pump 201 to provide sufficient time for the rapidly falling water level in the toilet tank 103 at the beginning of a flushing event to unseal the lower opening (gap) 253 of the shroud 251.

[0046]

[0088] The intake shroud 251 may include an interconnected secondary chamber 250 that houses a float 258 that is part of a vacuum relief valve 256 (best seen in Figures 10, 11, 13A, and 13B). The vacuum relief valve 256 is configured to open a vacuum relief port 257 (best seen in Figure 12) in the secondary chamber 250 if the fill valve 109 fails and causes the high tank water level 406 (Figure 13B) to rise to the top of the overflow tube 107 during a toilet flushing event. Without the vacuum relief valve 256, in the event of a fill valve 109 failure, water entering the overflow tube 107 could completely block the air flow, causing the suction pressure from the air pump assembly 201 to raise the water level in the shroud 251, which in turn could cause water to be drawn into the intake port 255. The water level at which the vacuum relief valve 256 can be actuated can be set, for example, using a threaded rod 260 and an adjustment nut 259 to adjust when the seal 248 lifts away from the vacuum relief port 257. Figure 13A shows the vacuum relief valve 256 in a closed position when the tank fill level 405 is low with the seal 248 blocking the vacuum relief port 257, while Figure 13B shows the vacuum relief valve 256 open with the seal 248 lifted away from the vacuum relief port 257 when the high water level 406 is slightly above the overflow tube 107.

[0047]

[0089] FIG. 14 will now be discussed with reference to FIGS. 1-13B. FIG. 14 illustrates a variation 251′ of the intake shroud, which includes a connection port 268 on the top surface 249 configured to receive an air tube 267, and a tube guide 269. The connection port 268 and air tube 267 allow for selective relief of air pressure during a flushing event. The lower end 272 of the air tube 267 may be cut, adjusted, or both, such that the lower end 272 is submerged in water just below the water fill level 410 prior to initiating a flushing event. As the water level in the toilet tank 103 begins to drop when a flushing event is initiated, the lower end 272 is unsealed immediately after the flushing event begins, thereby preventing water from being drawn upward through the lower opening (gap) 253 into the intake shroud 251′.

[0048]

[0090] FIG. 15 will now be discussed with reference to FIGS. 1-13B. FIG. 15 illustrates a variation of the intake shroud 251″, which includes air escape holes 270 and / or slots 271. The holes 270 and / or slots 271 may be positioned and sized to be completely submerged just below the water fill level 411, as the case may be, prior to the start of a toilet flushing event. As the water level in the toilet tank 103 begins to drop once a flushing event is started, the drop in the water level in the toilet tank 103 may cause the holes 270 and / or slots 271 to be immediately unsealed, as the case may be, thereby preventing water from being drawn upward through the lower opening (gap) 253 and into the intake shroud 251″.

[0049]

[0091] While the intake shroud 251 discussed above tends to work better with toilet configurations such as those shown in Figures 2, 4, and 5, Figure 16 shows an intake shroud 252 configuration that may tend to work better with toilet configurations such as that shown in Figure 3. This intake shroud 252 thus has similar design features and operating principles as previously described and is configured to better accommodate the canister style flush valve 108 (best seen in Figures 3 and 16). The shroud 252 may be positioned over the flush valve canister guide post 263 and may utilize the existing auxiliary water line port 286 of the canister style flush valve 108, which may be incorporated into the guide post locking disk 264 of the canister style flush valve 108. The shroud 252 may be mounted as a male or female socket interface to secure the standoff tube 265 at the center of the shroud 252. An auxiliary water line port 254 may be provided on the top surface 287 of the shroud 252, the auxiliary line port 254 operatively engaging a standoff tube 265. The intake shroud 252 may be radially sized to accommodate the upward movement of the canister body 262 of the canister-type flush valve 108 during a flushing event. The standoff tube 265 may be sized to a length that reliably accommodates the upward movement of the canister body 262 during a flushing event. The intake port 255 on the top surface 287 of the shroud 252 may be provided for a 3 / 8 inch (9.5 mm) outer diameter line (such as the intake tube 222 as shown in other figures) leading to the intake port 206 (best seen in FIG. 8) of the air pump assembly 201. The vacuum relief valve 256 may be housed in a secondary chamber 250 having essentially the same configuration and operation as discussed in connection with FIGS. 10-13B.

[0050]

[0092] 5, 6, 17, 23, 26-28, 30, and 31 show an arrangement for providing power to the air pump assembly 201. Power may be provided to the air pump assembly 201, for example, by connection to an electrical wall outlet 137, which may be conventional. Power may be provided from the electrical wall outlet 137, for example, at 120 volts alternating current (VAC) or 240 VAC, and may be stepped down to, for example, about 12 volts direct current (VDC) by an electrical adapter (transformer) 224. The electrical adapter 224 may engage a two-conductor, thin gauge (e.g., 18, 20, or 22 gauge) insulated power cable 225 that is run from the location of the electrical wall outlet 137 to the air pump assembly 201. Although the electrical adapter (transformer) 224 is shown connected at the interface with the electrical wall outlet 137, the electrical adapter 224 may be located at a different location along the power cable 225 (with generally heavy gauge electrical wires (e.g., 14, 16, or 18 gauge) from the electrical wall outlet 137 to the electrical adapter 224). The power cable 225 may be connected at its other end to an electrical port 208 of the air pump assembly 201. The electrical port 208 may be, for example, a two-position screw terminal power connector and may be provided on the top surface of the lid 203 of the air pump enclosure. This provides electrical power to the air pump assembly 201, which may be used to power the motor / pump unit 221, the timer relay circuit board 212, the digital display 210, the operator interface buttons 211, the control switch device 240, or any combination thereof. To compensate for a longer power cable 225 being run, which has a larger DC voltage drop, the gauge of the wire 225, the output voltage of the electrical adapter 224, or both may be increased.

[0051]

[0093] The control switch device 240 will be discussed in relation to FIGS. 5, 6, 8, and 17-22 in light of FIGS. 1-4. The control switch device 240 may be powered by an electrical port 209, which may comprise, for example, a four-position screw terminal connector. The electrical port 209 may comprise conductors, which may be connected to a switch cable 243. The switch cable 243 may provide power to the control switch device 240, for example, to power a trigger signal, one or more status lights, or both, of the control switch device 240. The control switch device 240 may comprise a housing 242, which may be, for example, plastic, by which an actuation button is supported. The housing 242 may be attached to a mounting clip 244, which may be secured to the top of the wall of the toilet tank 103. The mounting clip 244 may then be entirely covered by the toilet tank lid 104. The control switch device 240 may comprise, for example, a touchless button with status indicators 241 for the idle and run modes of the air pump (as shown in FIGS. 17-19), a mechanical button switch 245 (shown in FIG. 20), a motion or proximity sensor 246 (shown in FIG. 21), or may be incorporated into the flush lever 113 (shown in FIG. 22). In instances where the control switch device 240 is incorporated into the flush lever 113, the flush lever 113 may function as the housing 242 and the mounting clip 244 may be absent.

[0052]

[0094] 5, 6, 8, and 17, the air pump assembly 201 may include a timer relay circuit board 212 that may be mounted within the main housing 202 and wired to electrically interact with the electrical port 208, the electrical port 209, an electrical connection to the motor / pump unit 221, or any combination thereof. The timer relay circuit board 212 may cause the air pump assembly 201 to execute a preprogrammed run time that is executed after, for example, a trigger signal is received from the control switch device 240. The user interface buttons 211 may be used by the user to change the amount of delay time, the run time, the operating mode of the air pump assembly, or any combination thereof, to accommodate an optional switch or sensor, or to ignore the timer function (e.g., the preprogrammed run time) altogether. The particular setting selected by the user using the user interface buttons 211 may be displayed on the digital display 210. The user interface button 211 may also be activated by a user to start the motor / pump unit 221 when the main power source (e.g., a wall light switch that turns the power on / off to the wall outlet 137 into which the electrical adapter 224 is plugged) is on.

[0053]

[0095] 2, 3, 6, 8, 17, and 18, for an air pump assembly 201 mounted to a toilet tank 103, a power cable 225 and exhaust piping 223, which may be, for example, 3 / 8 inch (9.5 millimeter) outside diameter (OD) piping, may extend from respective connectors 208 and 207 at the top of the air pump assembly 201 through a toilet tank ventilation passage 105 to the exterior of the toilet tank 103. A typical prior art toilet tank 103 may include such a ventilation passage 105 at the top of the rear tank wall, providing an exit point from the interior of the tank 103 to the exterior without pinching the power cable 225 and exhaust piping 223. In situations where a ventilation passageway 105 is not available for the particular model of toilet to which the toilet vent system is to be installed, a small cutout passageway (not shown), e.g., about 9 millimeters (MM) wide and about 12 mm deep, may be created adjacent to or at the top of the wall of the toilet tank 103 to provide an exit point for the exhaust pipe 223 and power cable 225. Such a cutout passageway may be created, for example, with a rotary tool equipped with a diamond tipped cutting bit. For toilets that do not have a ventilation passageway, if creating a cutout passageway is not desired by the user, a spacer (not shown), which may be, for example, about 9.5 mm (3 / 8 inch) thick, may be secured along the top of the rear wall of the toilet tank 103 to provide an exit gap for the exhaust pipe 223 and power cable 225 to extend through. The rear of the toilet lid 203 may then be slightly higher than it would be if it were to rest directly against the rear wall of the toilet tank 103.

[0054]

[0096] 5, 6, 23, 26-28, the power cable 225 can receive power from an electrical outlet 137, which can be, for example, a ground fault circuit interrupt (GFCI) electrical circuit outlet. A GFCI may be more desirable when the electrical outlet 137 is relatively close to the toilet 100 (best seen in FIG. 5), or when the outlet 137 is close to a water source and can potentially be exposed to moisture. In the case of an outlet 137 that is far from the water source and toilet (see, for example, FIGS. 30 and 31), a longer power cable 225 may be used that runs from the outlet 137 to the location of the air pump assembly 201.

[0055]

[0097] 23 and 26 in light of FIGS. 1-4, for a toilet installed above a basement or under floor, the configuration for running the piping 223 and electrical cable 225 may be to pass the piping 223, the cable 225, or both through a penetration 138, which may, for example, pass through a wall or floor. In one example, the piping 223 and the cable 225 may be run along the toilet's water supply line. In another example, the piping 223 and the cable 225 may be run along the toilet sewer drain 124. The electrical cable 225 may be run to an electrical outlet 137 and operatively engage with an electrical adapter 224 plugged into the electrical outlet 137. The exhaust piping 223 may be run to a connection point along the sewer drain 124. The engagement point may, for example, be a vertical main downpipe portion of the sewer drain 124, above any tee fittings. If the exhaust piping 223 is connected to a horizontal portion of the sewer drain pipe 124, the connection point may be on the upper side of the sewer drain pipe 124 (see, for example, Figures 27-29) and may be located away from toilet drains or other fittings that are potential obstructions or debris accumulation features.

[0056]

[0098] 23-26 in conjunction with FIGS. 1-4, during installation of the toilet vent system, a vent hole 278, which may be a single hole, for example, 3 / 8 inch diameter, may be drilled into the sewer drain pipe 124. A vent saddle 273, for example, may be used to connect the exhaust piping 223 to the sewer drain pipe 124. The vent saddle 273 may include a cavity built therein that allows for the attachment of a push-fit connection assembly 275 (e.g., allowing for a 3 / 8 inch outer diameter), which may be configured to fit both conventional 3 inch and 4 inch outer diameter sewer drain pipes 124, for example. During installation, a gasket 279, which may be a bonded rubber gasket with perforations, may be placed between the sewer drain pipe 124 and the vent saddle 273 and may be centered over the vent hole 278 using the drain saddle air hole guide pin feature 277. During installation, the vent saddle 273 may be placed directly over the vent hole 278 using the same air hole guide pin feature 277 and secured to the sewer drain pipe 124 with, for example, two worm drive hose clamps 276. The vent saddle 273 may be made from a thermoformed plastic such as, for example, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) or polyvinylchloride (PVC), which is the same material typically used for many residential sewer drains, allowing the vent saddle 273 to be permanently attached during installation, for example, using a conventional plumbing adhesive as an attachment means. During installation, the exhaust pipe 223 may be inserted into the push-fit connection port 274 of the drain saddle to complete connection of the exhaust pipe 223 to a portion of the sewer drain pipe 124 .

[0057]

[0099] 27-29 in conjunction with FIGS. 1-4, an example toilet vent system configuration is shown in which exhaust piping 223 engages the sink drain 125. For example, exhaust piping 223 and electrical cable 225 may be routed together during installation, sharing a common penetration 138 through, for example, a wall 131 or cabinet 135, and separated to reach the intended termination point (e.g., sewer drain 125, or electrical adapter 224 plugged into electrical wall outlet 137). Electrical outlet 137 may be located inside cabinet 135, for example, at a sink vanity table. If electrical outlet 137 is not initially available within cabinet 135, such electrical outlet 137 may be added inside cabinet 135, for example, by connecting to a building power source from a nearby existing electrical outlet located on one of the walls 131 or an electrical connection point of an existing light fixture. Exhaust piping 223 may be routed to a location immediately downstream of the sink drain P-trap 126, for example. During installation of the toilet vent system, a vent hole 278, which may have, for example, an outer diameter of 3 / 8 inch (9.5 millimeters), may be created (e.g., by drilling a hole in the top side of the horizontal pipe section). During installation, a drain saddle 271 may be placed over the vent hole 278 and secured to the pipe of the sink drain 125 using, for example, a sealing gasket 279 and fastener 128. The drain saddle 271 may be, for example, a typical commercially available drain saddle, and may be configured, for example, to mate with a 3 / 8 inch (9.5 millimeters) outer diameter plumbing connection and operably engage with a standard (e.g., 1 to 1-1 / 2 inch (25.4 to 38.1 millimeters) drain size) pipe of the sink drain 125. The drain saddle 271 may include, for example, a push-fit connection port 275, so that the exhaust plumbing 223 can be easily inserted and secured to the port 275 during installation.

[0058]

[0100] 30-34 in conjunction with FIGS. 1-4, an example of a toilet ventilation system configuration is shown in which the exhaust pipe 223 is routed to the attic 133 for direct ventilation to the exterior of the building. During installation, the exhaust pipe 223 and the electrical cable 225 can be routed together, for example, sharing a common penetration 138 through the wall 131 and building structure to reach, for example, the attic space 133 above the toilet ceiling 139. The electrical cable 225 can be routed to an existing electrical outlet 137 or, during installation, to a location where a new electrical outlet 137 will be installed to provide power to the toilet ventilation system. The electrical adapter 224 can be plugged into, for example, the existing electrical outlet 137 or the new electrical outlet 137. In another example, the electrical cable 225 can be plugged into, for example, an outlet near the toilet (e.g., FIG. 5). During installation, one end of the exhaust pipe 223 can be routed to a location above, for example, a roof overhang 140. This end of the exhaust pipe 223 may be secured to an end stop fitting 281, which may be, for example, a thermoformed plastic fitting. During installation, the end stop fitting 281 may be attached to an end stop tube extension 284 (shown in FIG. 34), which may be cut to length, for example, as shown in FIGS. 32-33, to extend the desired distance from the bottom of the roof overhang 140. Such cutting may be done after or before installation. During installation, a penetration 138 matching the body diameter of the end stop tube extension 284 may be formed (e.g., by drilling) through the roof overhang 140. The end stop fitting 281 may then be inserted through the penetration 138 and secured in place, for example, with a waterproof sealant or mechanical fasteners (not shown).

[0059]

[0101] During installation, rather than extending the exhaust pipe 223 through the roof overhang 140, the exhaust pipe 223 may be extended through the wall, for example through the wall 131 if the wall is an exterior wall. The penetration through the wall 131 may be formed, for example, by drilling a hole through the exterior surface 132 of the wall 131 that matches the diameter of the end stop tube extension 284. In such a configuration, the penetration may be extended through the exterior surface 132 of the wall 131. The exhaust pipe 223 may be connected to an end stop fitting (such as, for example, end stop fitting 281), which may be rotated approximately 90 degrees (from the position shown in FIG. 30 ) so that the end stop tube extension 284 extends to the exterior of the building and through the exterior surface 132. During installation, the end stop 281 may be inserted through the penetration and secured in place, for example, with a waterproof sealant or mechanical fasteners (not shown).

[0060]

[0102] 1-17 and now referring to FIGS. 35-40, a toilet vent system configuration is shown that can utilize a toilet flange exhaust vent fitting 291 for locating a toilet 100 where access to an existing drain or building exterior is not a suitable solution. The toilet flange exhaust vent fitting 291 may comprise a portion of a microchannel housing 292, which may be made of aluminum, for example, and may be an extrusion. The microchannel housing 292 may have a cross-sectional thickness of between about 1.5 millimeters (MM) and 3 MM, for example, and a width of between about 50 MM and 100 MM. As used herein, width is in the lateral direction of the toilet and length is in the front-to-back direction of the toilet. It will be noted that, as best seen in FIGS. 35 and 36, the width of the microchannel housing 292 may be narrower than the width of the toilet base 99. This allows the toilet vent system to function while maintaining good aesthetic appeal of the toilet 100. The microchannel housing 292 may comprise a plurality of passages 295. The total cross-sectional area of ​​the air passages 295 available for air to flow may be, for example, approximately twice the cross-sectional area of ​​a 6.4 millimeter (¼ inch) inside diameter (ID) exhaust tubing, where the doubling of the cross-sectional area can accommodate potential airflow losses due to compression, bending, or partial blockage of the air passages 295 within the microchannel housing 292 during installation or use. Such blockage may be caused, for example, by extrusion from the toilet wax seal 122 or other debris that may potentially accumulate during installation or use.

[0061]

[0103] The fitting 291 may include a manifold 293 that may include an internally incorporated cavity for a push-fit connection fitting 275, which may have an outer diameter of, for example, 9.5 millimeters (3 / 8 inch). The push-fit connection fitting 275 may be operably engaged to one end of the microchannel housing 292. The opposite end of the fitting 291 may be machined to a curved profile that matches, for example, the inner circular periphery of a standard toilet drain flange fitting 121. A slot 296 that matches the profile of this curved profile, with a centerline slightly radially inside the curved profile and a cut depth of approximately half the thickness of the fitting 291, may be formed, for example by machining, in the downwardly facing side of the microchannel housing 292 to allow for a secondary air escape path. The overall length of the microchannel housing 292 may be, for example, about 250MM so that the microchannel housing 292 can extend about 10MM into the toilet flange 121 and, for example, to accommodate standard North American building guidelines of 305mm (12 inches) from the center of the installed toilet drain flange 121 to the wall 131. During installation, for example, a bead of sealing putty 297 may be applied to the portion of the toilet drain flange 121 that supports the microchannel housing 292 to seal the underside of the microchannel housing 292. The microchannel housing 292 may be bendable to accommodate a toilet drain flange that is not flush with the floor 134. The fitting 291 may be set in place and secured to the floor 134, for example, with a waterproof sealant 298 applied to the mating surfaces of the floor underside of the microchannel housing 292 and manifold 293. If the toilet is intended to be placed directly on the bathroom floor 134 (as best seen in Figures 5 and 27), a gap spacer 299 matching the thickness of the microchannel housing 292 can be secured (e.g., with an adhesive) to the underside of the base 99 to maintain uniform contact and prevent the microchannel housing 292 from compressing while maintaining the aesthetic appeal of the toilet after installation.The toilet 100 can then be installed according to the manufacturer's instructions and a standard wax sealing ring 122, which may incorporate a locating flange 123, may be used.

[0062]

[0104] 1-40 and now referring to FIGS. 41 and 42, the toilet ventilation system 50 may be operatively engaged to a single toilet 100 in a building 52, multiple separate toilet ventilation systems 50 may each be operatively engaged to a single toilet 100 in a building 52, or the toilet ventilation system 50 may be operatively engaged to multiple toilets 100, 100', 100'' in a building 52. The building 52 may be, for example, a house, which may have multiple toilets, which may be on multiple floors of the house. FIGS. 41 and 42 are directed to an example showing a toilet ventilation system 50 operatively engaged to three toilets 100, 100', 100'' in a building 52, which may have a basement 54 (although a basement is not required for the toilet ventilation system 50 of this example to operate). Although the illustrated example of the toilet vent system 50 shows three toilets, the toilet vent system 50 can be operatively engaged with more than two toilets. For all three toilets 100, 100', 100'' in this example, each toilet can have an air intake shroud 251 disposed therewith (e.g., as shown in FIGS. 4-7, 13A, 13B, 16, and 17) and a control switch device 240 attached to or disposed adjacent therewith (e.g., as shown in FIGS. 5, 6, 17-22, and 30).

[0063]

[0105] The first toilet 100 is operably engaged with the intake pipe 222 and the switch cable 243. The intake pipe 222 can be operably engaged with the corresponding intake shroud 251, and the switch cable 243 can be operably engaged with the corresponding control switch device 240. The intake pipe 222 and the switch cable 243 can extend through a penetration 138 in the wall 131 (which may be an interior or exterior wall), the floor 134, or both (as illustrated in other figures herein), to a remote central (common) location, for example, the multi-air pump assembly housing 56, which may be located in the basement 54 (or another floor). The second toilet 100' is operably engaged with the intake pipe 222' and the switch cable 243'. The intake pipe 222' can be operably engaged with the corresponding intake shroud 251, and the switch cable 243' can be operably engaged with the corresponding control switch device 240. The intake pipe 222' and switch cable 243' can extend in a similar manner as with the first toilet, for example to a central location of the multi-air pump assembly housing 56. The third toilet 100'' is operably engaged with the intake pipe 222'' and switch cable 243''. The intake pipe 222'' can be operably engaged with a corresponding intake shroud 251, and the switch cable 243'' can be operably engaged with a corresponding control switch device 240. The intake pipe 222'' and switch cable 243'' can extend in a similar manner as with the first toilet, for example to a central location of the multi-air pump assembly housing 56.

[0064]

[0106] The multi-air pump assembly housing 56 can include one or more air pump assemblies. In the particular example shown in FIG. 42, three air pump assemblies 201, 201', and 201'' are disposed within the multi-air pump assembly housing 56. An intake tube 222 can be operably engaged to the external intake port 206 of the air pump assembly 201 (as shown in FIGS. 5-8, 13A, 13B, and 17), and a switch cable 243 can be operably engaged to the electrical port 209 (as shown in FIGS. 5, 6, and 17). Similar connections to the ports of the air pump assemblies 201' and 201'' can be made by the respective intake tubes 222' and 222'', and switch cables 243' and 243''. Alternatively, one large volume air pump assembly can be used, with the intake tube and switch cable operably engaged to the large volume air pump assembly.

[0065]

[0107] In the particular example shown in FIG. 42, each air pump assembly 201, 201′, and 201″ may include an exhaust port 207 that operably engages a respective exhaust piping (only two, 223′ and 223″, are shown in FIG. 42) (as shown in FIGS. 6, 8, and 17). The opposite end of each exhaust piping from the respective exhaust port may be coupled at an air manifold 60 to couple the exhaust airflow to a combined exhaust piping 227. The combined exhaust piping 227 may then operably engage a ventilation saddle 273 (as shown in FIGS. 23-29). Alternatively, the combined exhaust piping 227 may be routed outside the building (as shown in FIGS. 30-34). Power may be provided from a wall outlet 137 to an electrical adapter for each air pump assembly 201, 201′, and 201″ or to an electrical adapter 224 that provides power to all of the air pump assemblies.

[0066]

[0108] The multi-air pump assembly housing 56 may be sound dampened to reduce noise emanating from the air pump assemblies 201, 201', and 201''. A housing lid 58, which may be removable, may be secured to the housing 56 and may also be sound dampened. The lid 58 may include an opening 64 through which various plumbing and electrical wiring may be routed into the housing 56.

[0067]

[0109] In another embodiment, the toilet assembly may be delivered directly from the manufacturer with a plumbing connection port built into the body of the toilet bowl 101 that provides an exhaust passageway to the toilet drain channel 115 (best seen in FIG. 4). This can be delivered to the customer with a removable plug to allow easy connection of the exhaust line 223 to interface with the air extraction device.

[0068]

[0110] The principles and modes of operation of this invention have been explained and illustrated in its preferred embodiment. However, it must be understood that this invention can be practiced otherwise than as specifically explained and illustrated without departing from its spirit or scope.

Claims

1. 1. A kit for removing malodorous air from at least one toilet, comprising: an intake shroud configured to operably couple to a tank overflow pipe in a toilet tank, the intake shroud having a side configured to surround an upper portion of the tank overflow pipe and a top surface configured to be supported above a top of the tank overflow pipe to create an internal air chamber between the tank overflow pipe and the intake shroud, an auxiliary water pipe port and an intake port extending through the intake shroud at a location configured to extend into the internal air chamber and configured to be located above the top of the tank overflow pipe; at least one air pump assembly configured to receive power to drive an air pump and electronics controlling said air pump, the at least one air pump assembly including an intake port for drawing said malodorous air into said air pump; a flexible intake tube having a first end operably engaging the intake port of the intake shroud and an opposite second end operably engaging the intake port of the at least one air pump assembly; A kit comprising:

2. 2. The kit of claim 1, the intake shroud comprises a vacuum air relief valve extending through the intake shroud and operably engaging a vacuum relief port configured to extend into the interior air chamber, the vacuum air relief valve configured to open when a water level in the toilet tank is above a predetermined level and to close when the water level in the toilet tank is below the predetermined level.

3. 3. The kit of claim 2, the flexible intake tube being long enough to extend to the air pump assembly when the air pump assembly is installed in the toilet tank.

4. 3. The kit of claim 2, The kit, wherein the flexible intake tube is long enough to extend to the air pump assembly when the air pump assembly is mounted in a room different from the toilet.

5. 2. The kit of claim 1, a second intake shroud configured to operably couple to a second tank overflow pipe in a second toilet tank of a second toilet, the second intake shroud having a second side configured to surround a second top of the second tank overflow pipe and a second top surface configured to be supported above a top of the second tank overflow pipe to create a second interior air chamber between the second tank overflow pipe and the second intake shroud, a second auxiliary water pipe port and a second intake port extending through the second intake shroud at a location configured to extend into the second interior air chamber and configured to be located above the top of the second tank overflow pipe; a second flexible intake tube having a first end operably engaging the second intake port of the second intake shroud and an opposite second end operably engaging the second intake port of the at least one air pump assembly, the at least one air pump assembly being configured to be disposed in a room different from a first room in which a first toilet is disposed and a second room in which the second toilet is disposed, the flexible intake tube and the second flexible intake tube being sufficiently long to extend from each of the first and second toilets to the room in which the at least one air pump assembly is disposed; The kit further comprises:

6. 6. The kit of claim 5, the at least one air pump assembly is configured to connect to both the flexible intake tube and the second flexible intake tube to draw malodorous air from both the internal air chamber and the second internal air chamber.

7. 6. The kit of claim 5, The kit, wherein the at least one air pump assembly is a two air pump assembly, the flexible intake tube operably engages a first air pump assembly of the two air pump assemblies, and the second flexible intake tube operably engages a second air pump assembly of the two air pump assemblies.

8. 8. The kit of claim 7, a first exhaust pipe operably engaged with the first air pump assembly for directing the malodorous air away from the first air pump assembly; a second exhaust pipe operably engaged with the second air pump assembly for directing the malodorous air away from the second air pump assembly; and an air manifold operably engaged with the first and second exhaust pipes for receiving and directing the malodorous air away from the two air pump assemblies. The kit further comprises:

9. 6. The kit of claim 5, The kit further includes an air pump assembly housing in which the at least one air pump assembly is housed, the air pump assembly housing being configured to reduce sound so as to attenuate sound from the at least one air pump assembly emanating from the air pump assembly housing.

10. 6. The kit of claim 5, The kit further includes a first control switch device for selectively activating the at least one air pump assembly, a first switch cable for operably engaging the first control switch device with the at least one air pump assembly, a second control switch device for selectively activating the at least one air pump assembly, and a second switch cable for operably engaging the second control switch device with the at least one air pump assembly.

11. 2. The kit of claim 1, The kit further comprising a control switch device operatively engaged with the at least one air pump assembly for selectively activating the at least one air pump assembly.

12. 12. The kit of claim 11, The kit, wherein the control switch device comprises a bracket configured to be mounted to a top of a wall of the toilet tank, the bracket configured to be movable to a plurality of positions along the wall of the toilet tank.

13. 12. The kit of claim 11, The kit, wherein the control switch device comprises a light configured to illuminate a switch for activating the at least one air pump assembly.

14. 2. The kit of claim 1, a kit, the electronics controlling the air pump being attached to a housing containing the air pump and having a control for a user to selectively vary the timing of operation of the at least one pump, the control being configured to be contained within the toilet tank along with the air pump and accessible by removing a toilet tank lid from the top of the toilet tank.

15. 15. The kit of claim 14, a kit, wherein the electronics controlling the air pump includes a digital display, the digital display being attached to the housing containing the air pump, indicating a current setting of the air pump operation, and configured to be viewable from within the toilet tank when the toilet tank lid is removed from the toilet tank.

16. 2. The kit of claim 1, 11. The kit further comprising: flexible exhaust tubing extending to a sewer drain; and a connector configured to sealably connect the flexible exhaust tubing to the inside of the sewer drain for directing odorous air from the at least one air pump to the sewer drain.

17. 2. The kit of claim 1, 11. The kit, further comprising: flexible exhaust piping configured to extend to an exterior of a building in which the toilet is located; and an end stop fitting configured to seal the flexible exhaust piping to an exterior structure of the building in which the toilet is located.

18. 2. The kit of claim 1, a toilet flange outlet vent fitting having a microchannel structure and configured to be mounted under a base of a toilet bowl, the microchannel structure being configured to be narrower than a width of the base of the toilet bowl, the toilet flange outlet vent fitting being configured to direct malodorous air to a sewer drain below the toilet; a flexible exhaust pipe extending from the at least one air pump assembly to the toilet flange exhaust vent fitting; The kit further comprises:

19. 2. The kit of claim 1, The kit further comprising an electrical adapter configured to operably engage an electrical wall outlet, and a power cable extending from the electrical adapter to the at least one pump assembly to provide electrical power to the at least one pump assembly.

20. 2. The kit of claim 1, the kit further comprising an air tube having a first end extending through a port in the top surface of the air intake shroud and a distal second end extending along the side of the shroud to a lower end configured to extend just below the water level when water in the toilet tank is filled to a predetermined level during a toilet flushing event.

21. 2. The kit of claim 1, The kit, wherein the air pump is at least one diaphragm pump.

22. 2. The kit of claim 1, The kit wherein the air pump includes at least one valve that prevents foul-smelling air from flowing back into the intake shroud.

23. 2. The kit of claim 1, the intake shroud includes an internal support extending into an inner side and configured to engage the tank overflow pipe to maintain the top surface of the intake shroud a predetermined distance above the top of the tank overflow pipe.

24. 1. A kit for removing malodorous air from at least one toilet, comprising: an intake shroud configured to operably couple to a tank overflow pipe in a toilet tank, the intake shroud having sides configured to surround an upper portion of the tank overflow pipe and a top surface configured to be supported above a top of the tank overflow pipe to create an interior air chamber between the tank overflow pipe and the intake shroud, an auxiliary water pipe port and an intake port extending through the intake shroud at a location configured to extend into the interior air chamber and configured to be located above the top of the tank overflow pipe, a vacuum relief port extending through the intake shroud and into the interior chamber, a vacuum air relief valve operably engaged with the vacuum relief port and configured to open when a water level in the toilet tank is above a predetermined level and to close when the water level in the toilet tank is below the predetermined level; at least one air pump assembly configured to receive power to drive an air pump and electronics controlling said air pump, the at least one air pump assembly including an intake port for drawing said malodorous air into said air pump; a conduit having a first end operably engaged with the intake port of the intake shroud and a second end operably engaged with the intake port of the at least one air pump assembly; A kit comprising:

25. 25. The kit of claim 24, 11. The kit, wherein the vacuum air relief valve comprises: a float mounted within the side of the intake shroud and configured to float on water in the toilet tank; an adjustable rod extending from the float through the top surface; and a seal attached to the adjustable rod above the top surface, the seal sealing the vacuum relief port when the float drops with the water level in the toilet tank, and configured to move up and down with the float so that when the water level rises above a predetermined level, the float and rod push the seal out of the vacuum relief port, unsealing the vacuum relief port.

26. 1. A kit for removing malodorous air from at least one toilet, comprising: an intake shroud configured to operably couple to a tank overflow pipe in a toilet tank, the intake shroud having a side configured to surround an upper portion of the tank overflow pipe and a top surface configured to be supported above a top of the tank overflow pipe to create an internal air chamber between the tank overflow pipe and the intake shroud, an auxiliary water pipe port and an intake port extending into the internal air chamber and configured to be positioned above the top of the tank overflow pipe; at least one air pump assembly configured to receive power to drive an air pump and electronics controlling said air pump, the at least one air pump assembly including an intake port for drawing said malodorous air into said air pump; a conduit having a first end operably engaged with the intake port of the intake shroud and an opposite second end operably engaged with the intake port of the at least one air pump assembly; a toilet flange outlet vent fitting having a microchannel structure and configured to be mounted under a base of a toilet bowl, the microchannel structure being configured to be narrower than a width of the base of the toilet bowl, the toilet flange outlet vent fitting being configured to direct malodorous air to a sewer drain below the toilet; an exhaust pipe extending from the at least one air pump assembly to the toilet flange exhaust vent fitting; A kit comprising:

27. 27. The kit of claim 26, The toilet flange exhaust vent fitting comprises a manifold configured to operably engage the exhaust piping and distribute malodorous air throughout the microchannel structure.

28. 27. The kit of claim 26, The microchannel structure comprises an aluminum extrusion having a total cross-sectional area of ​​air passages approximately twice the cross-sectional area of ​​the inside of the exhaust piping.

29. 27. The kit of claim 26, The kit further comprises a gap spacer configured to be attached to an underside of the base of the toilet bowl to raise the toilet bowl from an installed position to reduce or eliminate crushing of the microchannel structure when the toilet bowl is installed and in use.

30. an intake shroud for operably engaging a tank overflow pipe in a toilet tank, the intake shroud having a side that surrounds an upper portion of the tank overflow pipe and a top surface that is supported above a top of the tank overflow pipe to create an internal air chamber between the tank overflow pipe and the intake shroud, an auxiliary water pipe port and an intake port extending into the internal air chamber and extending through the intake shroud that is disposed above the top of the tank overflow pipe; at least one air pump assembly configured to receive electrical power to drive an air pump and electronics controlling said air pump, the at least one air pump assembly including an intake port for drawing malodorous air into said air pump; a flexible intake tube having a first end operably engaging the intake port of the intake shroud and an opposite second end operably engaging the intake port of the at least one air pump assembly; A toilet ventilation system comprising:

31. 31. A toilet ventilation system as claimed in claim 30, comprising:

11. A toilet vent system comprising: a vacuum air relief valve configured to operably engage a vacuum relief port extending through the intake shroud into the interior air chamber, the vacuum air relief valve configured to open when a water level in the toilet tank is above a predetermined level and to close when the water level in the toilet tank is below the predetermined level.

32. 31. A toilet ventilation system as claimed in claim 30, comprising: a second intake shroud operably coupled to a second tank overflow pipe in a second toilet tank of a second toilet, the second intake shroud having a second side surrounding a second top of the second tank overflow pipe and a second top surface supported above a top of the second tank overflow pipe to create a second interior air chamber between the second tank overflow pipe and the second intake shroud, a second auxiliary water pipe port and a second intake port extending through the second intake shroud and into the second interior air chamber, the second intake shroud being positioned above the top of the second tank overflow pipe; a second flexible intake tube having a first end operably engaged with the second intake port of the second intake shroud and an opposite second end operably engaged with a second intake port of the at least one air pump assembly, the at least one air pump assembly being disposed in a room different from a first room in which a first toilet is disposed and a second room in which the second toilet is disposed, the flexible intake tube and the second flexible intake tube extending from each of the first and second toilets to the room in which the at least one air pump assembly is disposed; The toilet ventilation system further comprises:

33. 33. A toilet ventilation system as claimed in claim 32, comprising: a first control switch device for selectively activating the at least one air pump assembly; a first switch cable for operably engaging the first control switch device with the at least one air pump assembly; a second control switch device for selectively activating the at least one air pump assembly; and a second switch cable for operably engaging the second control switch device with the at least one air pump assembly.

34. 31. A toilet ventilation system as claimed in claim 30, comprising:

11. A toilet vent system, wherein the electronics controlling the air pumps are mounted on a housing containing the air pumps and have controls for a user to selectively vary the timing of operation of the at least one pump, the controls being contained within the toilet tank along with the air pump and accessible from the top of the toilet tank by removing a toilet tank lid.

35. 31. A toilet ventilation system as claimed in claim 30, comprising: a toilet flange outlet vent fitting having a microchannel structure and mounted under a base of a toilet bowl, the microchannel structure being narrower than a width of the base of the toilet bowl, the toilet flange outlet vent fitting configured to direct malodorous air to a sewer drain under the toilet; a flexible exhaust pipe extending from the at least one air pump assembly to the toilet flange exhaust vent fitting; The toilet ventilation system further comprises:

36. 31. A toilet ventilation system as claimed in claim 30, comprising: A toilet venting system, wherein said air pump is at least one diaphragm pump.

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