Baths – closets – sinks – and spittoons – Ventilation – Bowl structure or vent valve
Reexamination Certificate
1999-12-08
2001-10-02
Eloshway, Charles R. (Department: 3751)
Baths, closets, sinks, and spittoons
Ventilation
Bowl structure or vent valve
C004S347000, C004S352000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06295656
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a selectively operable hydraulically actuated venting apparatus for flush toilets which removes air from the bowl of the toilet through the flush passages located around the upper interior perimeter of the toilet bowl. In particular, manual activation of the venting cycle precedes the flushing cycle of the toilet and actuation of the toilet flush lever cancels the venting cycle.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
A basic North American toilet consists of two major components, a tank and a bowl. The rectangular tank has an approximate capacity of two gallons of water. Connected to the tank is a water line which provides a pressurized source of clean water to the tank. The water stored in the tank empties into the bowl through an aperture controlled by a tank or ball valve. A chain is attached at one end of the chain to a flush handle on the outside of the tank. The other end of the chain is attached to the tank valve. Actuating, the flush handle pulls the chain and lifts the tank valve to allow water from the tank through the aperture and into the bowl. A float is also attached to the flushing system in the tank, which gauges when sufficient water has refilled the tank and allows the tank valve to close over the aperture into the bowl.
The bowl is located below the tank. The bowl may approximate a hemispherical shape. A seat is fitted to the upper edge defined by the planer circumference of the hemisphere. The bottom of the bowl has an aperture which cooperates with a pipe, the pipe forms an upside-down U-shape located directly behind the bowl. The top or apex of the inverted “U” is higher than the bottom of the bowl. The pipe continues down to an exit aperture connected to the sewer pipe opening in the floor. The toilet bowl is mounted over the sewer pipe opening. Water in the bowl and in the pipe will be at the same level, leaving an air pocket in the top of the inverted “U”. The air pocket allows for a siphoning action required for flushing.
Water flowing from the tank down into the bowl causes a surge in the bowl. The surge causes water to push into the pipe, upwards around the apex of the “U” in the pipe, pushing the air pocket down into the sewer. This creates a siphon which draws a continuous flow of water from the tank into the bowl and through the pipe. When the tank empties so that there is no more water in the bowl, air fills the “U” in the pipe, stopping the siphon. Once the siphon is interrupted, water fills the tank and re-fills the bowl. The water stops flowing into the bowl when the float in the tank rises with the water level in the tank to a high enough level which allows the tank valve to close. The water level will find itself between the bottom of the bowl and a horizontally equal level in the lower leg of the pipe.
In the prior art, applicant is aware of U.S. Pat. No 5,257,421 which issued Nov. 2, 1993 to Rose et al for an Air Fresh Toilet. Rose et al disclose the use of a toilet bowl having an auxiliary passageway built-in to the rear of the bowl and housing a water driven ventilation fan thereon. Water valves are coupled to use of the toilet seat so that weight placed on the seat initiates the fan turbine which runs the fan until the weight is removed from the seat. The disclosed design of the bowl requires that a conventional toilet bowl has to be entirely replaced, rather than providing for retrofit to conventional toilets as in the present invention.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In summary, the toilet venting apparatus of the present invention includes an upper insert mountable between a toilet tank and a toilet bowl, and a lower insert mountable between the bowl and a floor sewer pipe. The upper insert has a first aperture therethrough cooperating between a flush valve aperture in a lower wall of the tank and a water-entry aperture in an upper surface of the bowl. The water-entry aperture cooperates, via a manifold in the bowl, in fluid communication with water dispensing apertures around an upper rim of the bowl.
A flush valve in the tank is actuable so as to release flush water held in the tank through the flush valve aperture, the first aperture, the water-entry aperture, the manifold and the water dispensing apertures to thereby flush the toilet. The upper insert has a first conduit in fluid communication with the first aperture. The first conduit extends from the first aperture to a first outlet. The first outlet opens externally from the upper insert. The lower insert has a second aperture therethrough cooperating between a down-leg discharge aperture of the bowl and an inlet aperture of the floor sewer pipe. The lower insert has a second conduit in fluid communication with the second aperture. The second conduit extends from the second aperture to a second outlet. The second outlet opens externally from the lower insert.
A third conduit is mountable in fluid communication between the first and second outlets. A water driven turbine is mounted to the third conduit. A water supply is mounted to an impeller side of the turbine. An actuator, for biasing to an open position a water supply valve is mounted on the water supply. The water supply water is fed under pressure to the impeller side of the turbine. Water flows through a nozzle to thereby turn an impeller of the turbine. The impeller is co-axially mounted to a fan of the turbine. The fan is in fluid communication with the third conduit.
Thus, when the first insert is mounted between the tank and the bowl, and when the second insert is mounted between the bowl and the floor sewer pipe, and when the third conduit is mounted to the first and second outlets, turning of the impeller turns the fan so as to draw air into the third conduit from the bowl. Air is drawn from the bowl via the water dispensing apertures, the manifold and the first conduit. The fan urges the air down the third conduit, so as to pass through the second conduit and into the floor sewer pipe.
In one aspect of the present invention the actuator is a manual water supply valve actuator manually operable between first and second water supply valve biasing positions. In the first water supply valve biasing position the water supply valve is biased into the open position. Operation of a flush valve linkage for actuating the flush valve biases, by a return actuator cooperating with the flush valve linkage, the manual water supply valve actuator from the first water supply valve biasing position to the second water supply valve biasing position. In the second water supply valve biasing position the water supply valve is biased into a closed position.
In a further aspect, the manual water supply valve actuator is a plunger. The plunger is mounted to a first end of a mechanical water supply valve linkage. An opposite second end of the water supply valve linkage is mounted to the water supply valve in cooperation therewith for opening and closing the water supply valve upon corresponding translation of the plunger. The plunger is cooperatively mounted to a flush valve linkage actuator. When the plunger is in the first water supply valve biasing position, the flush valve is closed and the flush valve linkage is in a non-actuating state. Actuation of the flush valve linkage by the flush valve linkage actuator, so as to open the flush valve, actuates the return actuator so as to bias the plunger into the second water supply valve biasing position.
In yet a further aspect, the manual water supply valve actuator includes a mechanical water supply valve linkage wherein a first portion of the linkage is contained within the tank, a second portion of the linkage, contiguous to the first portion, passes through a sealed first aperture in the tank, and a third portion of the linkage, contiguous to the second portion, extends from the sealed aperture to the water supply valve. The manual water supply valve actuator also includes a water supply valve linkage actuator cooperatively mounted to an end of the first portion of the linkage, opposite the second portion. The water supply valve linkage actuator is mou
Edwards Antony C.
Eloshway Charles R.
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