AN AIR EXHAUST SYSTEM FOR A TOILET TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to an air exhaust system for a toilet and, in particular, a system for exhausting air from a toilet bowl that utilises many of the existing functional components of a conventional toilet system. BACKGROUND ART

The problem of exhausting air containing unpleasant odours from an area in and around a toilet during or after use of a toilet is one that has been addressed over many years. In many cases, a solution to that problem has sought to install equipment or machinery in the area around the toilet that is costly to manufacture and install and difficult to operate.

It is an object of the present invention to overcome, or substantially ameliorate, the aforementioned problems of the prior art, or at least provide a useful alternative. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to the invention, there is provided an air exhaust system for a toilet, comprising:-

(a) first air flow passageway means from a bowl of the toilet to a cistern for the toilet, (b) suction means for drawing air through the first air flow passageway means, and (c) second air flow passageway means from the cistern to a waste pipe for the toilet, wherein, in use, operation of the suction means draws air from within the bowl to the cistern and then to the waste pipe where it is exhausted from the system.

Preferably, the first air flow passageway means is a tube located longitudinally within an overflow pipe for liquid contained in the cistern, the tube having an upper opening for release of air from within the bowl into the cistern, the upper opening being above the uppermost height of the overflow pipe. It is preferred that the suction means is a fan located within a housing inside the cistern, the housing having an air inlet and an air outlet.

Alternatively, the fan is located within a housing outside the cistern. In a preferred form, the air inlet of the housing may be closed by operation of a float valve when the level of liquid in the cistern reaches a predetermined height.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Fig. 1 is a side view of a toilet air exhaust system according to a first preferred embodiment of the invention, Fig. 2 is a front, partly sectional, view of the inside of a cistern for the toilet of the system shown in Fig. 1 ,

Fig. 3 is a side view of a toilet air exhaust system according to a second preferred embodiment of the invention, Fig. 4 is a front, partly sectional, view of the inside of a cistern for a toilet of the system shown in Fig. 3, and Fig. 5 is a side view of a toilet air exhaust system according to a third preferred embodiment of the present invention. MODES FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

The toilet air exhaust system shown in Figs. 1 and 2 includes a toilet bowl 12, a cistern overflow pipe 14, a cistern 16, an exhaust pipe 18, and a waste pipe 20. As is commonplace, the overflow pipe 14 interconnects the toilet bowl 12 and the cistern 16 to enable rapid flow of liquid from within the cistern into the bowl when flushing of waste deposited within the bowl is

required. The exhaust pipe 18 is predominantly located within a wall 21 of the room in which the toilet system is located, and interconnects the cistern 16 and the waste pipe 20.

The cistern 16 shown in Rg. 2 has a first air flow passageway means in the form of an air intake tube 22 located longitudinally within the overflow pipe 14. The air intake tube has an upper opening 24 for release of air into the cistern above the uppermost height of the overflow pipe 14. Also located within the cistern, is a suction means in the form of a fan 26 located within a housing 28. The housing 28 has an air inlet 30 and an air outlet 32 to the exhaust pipe 18.

There is also a float valve 34 which is pivotally connected to the underside of the housing 28 and which falls and rises with the level of liquid in the cistern. If the level of the liquid in the cistern reaches a predetermined height, the float valve will close the air inlet 30 of the housing, thereby preventing any entry of liquid intra the housing where it might damage or compromise the operation of the fan 26.

The cistern also includes a conventional float valve 36 for normal operation of the toilet system, and a conventional flush mechanism (not shown in detail) actuated by a button arrangement 38 supported on a lid 40 for the cistern.

In use, operation of the fan 26 causes air to be drawn from within the bowl 12 through the lower part of the overflow pipe 14 (namely, that part which is below the cistern) and then through the air intake tube 22 where it enters into the cistern. Air is further drawn from within the cistern to the air inlet 30 of the housing 28 containing the fan 26 and then expelled therefrom through the air outlet 32 into the exhaust pipe 18. The exhaust pipe 18 constitutes a second air flow passageway means for the toilet air exhaust system described herein.

Air entering the exhaust pipe 18 is forced subsequently into the waste pipe 20 where it is exhausted from the system. The exhaust pipe 18 may be diverted from within the wall 21 to the waste pipe 20 above floor 42 (as shown in Figs. 1 and 3) or it may be diverted to the waste pipe below floor level (as shown in Fig. 5) according to the requirements of the user.

The toilet air exhaust system shown in Figs. 3 and 4 differs from the system shown in Figs. 1 and 2 by having a fan 26 located within a housing 28 outside the cistern 16, rather than inside the cistern. The air inlet 30 for the housing is formed through a side wall 44 of the cistern and an adjacent side wall of the housing 28. For ease of understanding, the same numbers have been assigned to similar features in Figs. 3 and 4. The system shown in Figs. 3 and 4 operates in a similar manner to that described with respect to Figs. 1 and 2.

The toilet air exhaust system shown in Fig. 5 differs from the system shown in Figs. 3 and 4 by having its exhaust pipe 18 diverted to the waste pipe 20 below the floor 42, rather than above floor level. For ease of understanding, the same numbers have been assigned to similar features in Fig. 5. The system shown in Fig. 5 operates in a similar manner to that described with respect to Figs. 1 to 4. It will be apparent to persons skilled in the art that various modifications may be made in details of design and construction of the toilet air exhaust systems described above without departing from the scope and ambit of the invention.