GB2178456A - Odour extractor apparatus for use with lavatories - Google Patents

Abstract

A lavatory bowl (1) is provided with a seat (2) which is hollow. The seat (2) has apertures (4) communicating with the hollow interior, the apertures (4) being disposed around the seat (2) so as to lie inside the rim of the bowl (1) when the seat (2) is lowered. The interior of the seat (2) communicates via a tube (8) with an extractor (3) having an electrically powered fan (10) which passes air extracted from the bowl (1) under a user on the seat, through an activated carbon filter (11) and a fragrance agent (12) before discharge to the atmosphere. The fan (10) is operated by a microswitch (5) when a user sits on the seat (2). <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION "Odour Extraction Apparatus for Use with Lavatories" This specification relates to odour extraction apparatus for use with lavatories.

As social prosperity and living standards have improved over the years, so have standards of hygiene.

Almost all households, offices, factories and so forth have flushing lavatories. However, excreta deposited in a lavatory frequently gives off unpleasant odours which can be objectionable to users of the lavatory.

This can be particularly troublesome if the lavatory is situated in a confined space in a house or flat, or in an aeroplane or boat. Ventilation is sometimes provided for rooms or cubicles where lavatories are situated but this is frequently incapable of dealing with the immediate production of odours which can be unpleasant for the user concerned and can be troublesome for other users if the lavatory is in constant use.

There is thus a need for means to deal more effectively with odours which occur when a lavatory is used. Thus, viewed from one broad aspect there is disclosed herein apparatus for extracting odours from lavatories comprising a member adapted to be placed on a lavatory bowl under the body of a user, the member being provided with at least one passage communicable with the space beneath the user and the passage being connected to an extraction device operable to extract odours from within said space during use of the lavatory.

The member is most conveniently in the form of a hollow lavatory seat which has a space therein terminating in apertures which are arranged to be disposed inside of the rim of the lavatory bowl itself.

However, the member could be in the form of a supplementary component to be positioned above or below a conventional lavatory seat, or could be in the form of passage defining means to be attached to a conventional lavatory seat.

The extraction device is most conveniently in the form of a fan creating suction in the passage. The fan could discharge odours to the atmosphere at a location remote from the lavatory, where no inconvenience will be caused, but preferably a filter is provided and deodorised air can be discharged in the same general location as the lavatory. The filter may be formed by active charcoal. The air may also be caused to pass through means provided with a fragrance agent. This will make the recirculated air more pleasant and will also mask any residual unpleasant odours.

Thus, the air may be caused to pass consecutively through active charcoal and then the fragrance agent before being discharged.

The fan will generally be electrically operated but for safety reasons could be powered by batteries or an isolating transformer so that there will be no danger of any sort of electric shock.

The arrangement could be such that the fan operates continuously or when certain other events occur such as the closing of a lavatory door, the turning on of a light, the operation of general ventilating means, and so forth. Preferably, however, the fan operates only when a user is sitting on the lavatory. This could be detected by photoelectric cells, load sensors and so forth, so that the fan will be switched on and off automatically. Preferably, a user is detected by a microswitch on the lavatory seat.

The lavatory seat is preferably connected to the extraction device by a flexible tube to permit the seat ot be pivoted into and out of position, the connection being for example by way of a releasable coupling.

The extraction device could be secured e.g. to the lavatory cistern or to a wall adjacent to the lavatory.

An electrical wire may pass from a microswitch or the like on the seat to the control for the fan, via the tube.

Control circuitry could provide for the extraction device to continue for a short time after a user has risen from the lavatory, to ensure the disposal of all residual odours.

In a preferred arrangement, the lavatory seat sits flush on the upper rim of the lavatory bowl, to ensure the maximum amount of suction in the space beneath a user. If desired, sealing means could be provided to improve the seal between the seat and the bowl. The apertures for extracting odours are preferably disposed around the seat so that there will be effective suction from several directions. The seat may be moulded from a convenient plastics material.

There will now be described by way of example only, apparatus in accordance with some of the above and other broad aspects. In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a perspective view of the apparatus installed on a lavatory; Figure 2 is a view showing certain components in detail; and Figure 3 is a sectional view through part of the apparatus.

As shown in Figure 1, a flushing lavatory with a low level cistern has a bowl 1 and a seat 2 e.g. of moulded plastics, which when lowered sits flush on the rim of the bowl 1. The seat 2 is hollow and completely sealed apart from apertures 4 and an outlet 6 (as shown in Figure 2). The apertures 4 are disposed around the lower face of the seat 2, adjacent the inner periphery so as to be within the rim of the bowl 1, the seat 2 projecting inwardly beyond this rim. When the seat is lowered, the apertures are just exposed over the space within the bowl 1 and are not blocked by the rim of the bowl.

An extraction device 3 is attached to the side of the cistern and connectible to an electric supply by a lead 15 with a plug. The device is operated upon action of a microswitch 5 on the lower face of seat 2, which is activated when the seat is lowered onto bowl 1 - the switch engaging the rim of the bowl - and a user sits on the seat.

The relatively large outlet 6 is connected to the extraction device 3 by means of a flexible tube 8 releasably coupled to the outlet 6.

Coupling is effected by means of a spring loaded latch 7 which engages in a groove 16 in the outlet 6.

The latch can be released by manual operation as shown in Figure 3, to facilitate removal of the tube 8 for cleaning purposes. As will be seen from Figures 2 and 3 the outlet has a relatively large axial extent and tube 8 fits tightly within it, so as to provide a reliable coupling.

The other end of the tube 8 communicates with the extraction device 3. This device has an electric motor controlled by the microswitch 5, powering a fan 10 which sucks air through tube 8 and urges it out through a venting grille 13 of the device 3. Before passing through grille 13, the air must pass firstly through an active carbon filter 11 to remove odours, and then through a fragrance agent 12 to impart a pleasant fragrance to the air.

When a user lowers the seat 2 and sits on it, the microswitch 5 automatically causes fan 10 to suck air through tube 8. The weight of the user seals seat 2 against the rim of the lavatory bowl 1, and the user's body will block the central aperture of the seat. There will thus be suction at apertures 4 which will extract odourous air from the space below the user. This air will pass through the extraction device 3 so as to be deodorised and fragrance enhanced. When the user is finished and stands up, microswitch 5 automatically causes fan 10 to cease operating.

There is thus provided an effective deodorising system which is easily attached to conventional, existing lavatory bowls by replacing the seat. The system operates automatically whenever somebody sits on the seat to use the lavatory but does not operate at other times, even if the seat is left lowered, thus avoiding wastage of electricity. The system requires no action to be taken by a user other than the normal one of sitting on the seat.

Modifications and variations to the apparatus disclosed, and to the broad aspects set forth, may be apparent to those skilled in the art.

Claims (18)

1. Apparatus for extracting odours from lavatories comprising a member adapted to be placed on a lavatory bowl under the body of a user, the member being provided with at least one passage communicable with the space beneath the user and the passage being connected to an extraction device operable to extract odours from within said space during use of the lavatory.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the extraction device comprises an electric motor driving a fan.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein the fan urges air through a filter before being discharged.

4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 3 wherein the filter comprises active carbon.

5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 3 or 4 wherein, after passing through the filter, the air passes through a fragrance agent before being discharged.

6. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the extraction device is connected to the member by means of a flexible tube releasably coupled to the member.

7. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the member is in the form of a lavatory seat.

8. Apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein the extraction device operates automatically when a user is positioned on the seat.

9. Apparatus as claimed in claim 8 wherein circuitry operating the extraction device includes a switch on the lower face of the seat which is operated by contact with the rim of the lavatory bowl.

10. Apparatus as claimed in claim 7, 8 or 9 wherein the lavatory seat is hollow and has a plurality of apertures adjacent to and disposed around its inner periphery, the apertures communicating with the interior of the seat which in turn communicates with the extraction device.

11. Apparatus as claimed in claim 10, wherein the apertures are formed in the lower face of the seat.

12. Apparatus as claimed in claim 10 or 11 wherein the apertures are located so as to be within the rim of the lavatory bowl in use.

13. Apparatus as claimed in any of claims 7 to 12 wherein the arrangement is such that a substantial degree of sealing is provided between the seat and the rim of the bowl in use.

14. Apparatus as claimed in claim 13, wherein the lower face of the seat is arranged to lie flush on the rim of the lavatory bowl.

1 5. Apparatus for extracting odours from lavatories substantially as hereinbefore described, incorporating an extraction device particularly as described with reference to Figure 2.

1 6. Apparatus for extracting odours from lavatories substantially as hereinbefore described, incorporating a lavatory seat particularly as described with reference to Figures 1, 2 and 3.

17. Apparatus for extracting odours from lavatories incorporating an extraction device coupled to a lavatory seat, all substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

18. A lavatory having installed thereon apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim.