Toilet bowl odor removing device and method therefor

Abstract

A toilet bowl odor removing device and method therefor capable of being coupled to a toilet and capable of effectively collecting air proximate the toilet bowl, thereby preventing the escape of toilet bowl odor into the surrounding environment, and thereafter filtering the collected air, isolating odor causing agents, and then releasing the collected air back into the environment.

1 . A toilet bowl odor removing device comprising:
 an air collector having an air inlet end and an air outlet end;   a fan having a fan inlet and a fan outlet, said fan inlet coupled to said air outlet end of said air collector;   a humidifying chamber having an air inlet and a liquid reservoir and a humidified air outlet, said air inlet coupled to said air outlet of said fan, and said liquid reservoir comprising:
 a liquid inlet dimensioned to receive liquid in said liquid reservoir; and 
 a liquid outlet dimensioned to drain liquid from said liquid reservoir; and 
   a filter having an air outlet and a humidified air inlet, said humidified air inlet coupled to said humidified air outlet of said humidifying chamber, said filter dimensioned to filter humidified air received from said humidified air inlet and to release filtered air through said air outlet of said filter.   
     
     
         2 . The toilet bowl odor removing device of  claim 1  further comprising:
 a housing dimensioned to house said fan and said humidifying chamber and said filter, said housing defining at least one exhaust port, said at least one exhaust port being coupled to said air outlet of said filter. 
 
     
     
         3 . The toilet bowl odor removing device of  claim 2  further comprising sound insulation proximate an interior portion of said housing. 
     
     
         4 . The toilet bowl odor removing device of  claim 1  wherein said fan draws air from said air inlet end of said air collector at a velocity less than a velocity of air expelled from said air outlet of said filter. 
     
     
         5 . The toilet bowl odor removing device of  claim 1  wherein said air outlet of said filter being at a higher elevation than said humidified air inlet of said filter. 
     
     
         6 . The toilet bowl odor removing device of  claim 1  wherein said filter being a carbon filter. 
     
     
         7 . The toilet bowl odor removing device of  claim 6  wherein said carbon filter comprising granular activated carbon. 
     
     
         8 . The toilet bowl odor removing device of  claim 7  wherein said carbon filter comprising a plurality of flow tubes containing said granular activated carbon, each of said plurality of flow tubes having a first end proximate said humidified air inlet of said filter and a second end proximate said air outlet of said filter. 
     
     
         9 . The toilet bowl odor removing device of  claim 6  wherein said carbon filter comprising catalytic carbon. 
     
     
         10 . The toilet bowl odor removing device of  claim 6  wherein said carbon filter comprising CENTAUR catalytic carbon. 
     
     
         11 . The toilet bowl odor removing device of  claim 6  wherein said carbon filter comprising one of liquid activated carbon and liquid vapor activated carbon. 
     
     
         12 . The toilet bowl odor removing device of  claim 1  wherein said liquid inlet of said humidifying chamber being coupled to a liquid source capable of filling a toilet tank. 
     
     
         13 . The toilet bowl odor removing device of  claim 12  wherein said liquid inlet of said humidifying chamber dimensioned to receive liquid following activation of a flushing mechanism coupled to said toilet tank. 
     
     
         14 . The toilet bowl odor removing device of  claim 1  further comprising a filling mechanism coupled to said liquid inlet of said humidifying chamber, wherein said filling mechanism delivering liquid into said liquid reservoir when said liquid reservoir containing an amount of liquid being less than a predetermined amount. 
     
     
         15 . The toilet bowl odor removing device of  claim 1  wherein said liquid outlet of said humidifying chamber dimensioned to drain liquid into said toilet bowl. 
     
     
         16 . The toilet bowl odor removing device of  claim 16  wherein said liquid outlet of said humidifying chamber drains liquid into said toilet bowl upon activation of a flushing mechanism coupled to said toilet bowl. 
     
     
         17 . The toilet bowl odor removing device of  claim 1  further comprising a fill tube coupled to said liquid inlet of said humidifying chamber. 
     
     
         18 . The toilet bowl odor removing device of  claim 1  a first filter screen coupled to said air outlet of said filter and a second filter screen coupled to said humidified air inlet of said filter. 
     
     
         19 . A toilet bowl odor removing device comprising:
 an air collector having an air inlet end and an air outlet end;   a fan having a fan inlet and a fan outlet, said fan inlet coupled to said air outlet end of said air collector;   a humidifying chamber having an air inlet and a liquid reservoir and a humidified air outlet, said air inlet coupled to said air outlet of said fan, and said liquid reservoir comprising:
 a liquid inlet dimensioned to receive liquid in said liquid reservoir, wherein said liquid inlet of said humidifying chamber being coupled to a liquid source capable of filling a toilet tank following activation of a flushing mechanism coupled to said toilet tank; and 
 a liquid outlet dimensioned to drain liquid from said liquid reservoir, wherein said liquid outlet of said humidifying chamber dimensioned to drain liquid into said toilet bowl upon activation of a flushing mechanism coupled to said toilet bowl; 
   a filter having an air outlet and a humidified air inlet, said humidified air inlet coupled to said humidified air outlet of said humidifying chamber, said filter dimensioned to filter humidified air received from said humidified air inlet and to release filtered air through said air outlet of said filter, and wherein said air outlet of said filter being at a higher elevation than said humidified air inlet of said filter;   a housing dimensioned to house said fan and said humidifying chamber and said filter, said housing defining at least one exhaust port, said at least one exhaust port being coupled to said air outlet of said filter; and   sound insulation proximate an interior portion of said housing.   
     
     
         20 . A method of removing odor from a toilet bowl comprising:
 providing a commode having a tank and a seat and a bowl;   providing an air collector having an air inlet end and an air outlet end; coupling said air collector proximate said bowl;   providing a fan having a fan inlet and a fan outlet;   coupling said fan inlet to said air outlet end of said air collector;   providing a humidifying chamber having an air inlet and a liquid reservoir and a humidified air outlet;   coupling said air inlet to said air outlet of said fan, said liquid reservoir comprising:
 a liquid inlet dimensioned to receive liquid in said liquid reservoir; and 
 a liquid outlet dimensioned to drain liquid from said liquid reservoir; 
   providing a filter having an air outlet and a humidified air inlet;   coupling said humidified air inlet to said humidified air outlet of said humidifying chamber;   said filter filtering humidified air received from said humidified air inlet;   said filter releasing filtered air through said air outlet of said filter;   filling said liquid reservoir with liquid; and   activating said fan to draw air from said air inlet end of said air collector and expel air through said air outlet of said filter.