System for ventilating a toilet

Abstract

A system for ventilating a toilet having a cistern and a bowl includes a valve located between the cistern and the bowl. The valve includes a housing having a top surface, a bottom surface, a through-passage extending from the top surface to the bottom surface, and a ventilation passage provided at an angle with respect to the through-passage. The through-passage is located at an interior of the housing and is in fluid communication with the bowl. The ventilation passage has an inlet at the interior of the housing and an outlet at an exterior of the housing. A vacuum source is connected to the outlet of the ventilation passage and configured to establish a negative pressure in the ventilation passage to draw air from the bowl through the through-passage, and to exhaust the air to a remote location. The housing, through-passage, and ventilation passage are integrally formed.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for ventilating a toilet having a cistern and a bowl, the system comprising:
 a valve located between the cistern and the bowl, the valve having a housing comprising:
 a top surface; 
 a bottom surface; 
 a through-passage extending from the top surface to the bottom surface, the through-passage located at an interior of the housing, the through passage in fluid communication with the bowl; and 
 a ventilation passage provided at an angle with respect to the through-passage, the ventilation passage having an inlet at the interior of the housing and an outlet at an exterior of the housing; and 
   a vacuum source connected to the outlet of the ventilation passage,   wherein the vacuum source is configured to establish a negative pressure in the ventilation passage to draw air from the bowl through the through-passage, and to exhaust the air to a remote location, and   wherein the housing, the through-passage, and the ventilation passage are integrally formed.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a timer switch configured to turn the vacuum source on or off and to count at least one time period during which the vacuum source remains on. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , further comprising a flap mounted on the housing and having a substantially same shape as a cross-section of the ventilation passage, wherein:
 in an open position, the flap extends outwards from the interior of the housing towards a center of the through-passage, and   in a closed position, the flap extends downwards along a surface of the through-passage towards the bottom surface, the flap covering the inlet of the ventilation passage.   
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the vacuum source is configured to hold the flap in the closed position after the flap has been closed by a pressure exerted by water entering the through-passage when the toilet is flushed, and the timer switch is configured to begin counting a first predetermined period of time during which the vacuum source remains on and the flap is held closed. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein after the first predetermined period of time has elapsed, the timer switch is configured to turn off the vacuum source to allow the flap to reopen from the closed position to the open position. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein after the flap has reopened, the timer switch is configured to turn the vacuum source back on such that air from the through-passage enters the ventilation passage and is exhausted to the remote location. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 2 , if the vacuum source is on and the toilet is not flushed before a second predetermined period of time has elapsed, the timer switch is configured to turn off the vacuum source. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the ventilation passage is perpendicular to the through-passage. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the ventilation passage provided at an acute angle with respect to the through-passage, and inclined in an orientation in which standing water in the ventilation passage drips down into the through-passage. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the vacuum source is located at a height at least 3 feet above a height of the cistern. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the vacuum source can be turned on and off manually via a wall switch. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the through-passage is a non-bent, straight passage. 
     
     
         13 . A valve for ventilating a toilet, the valve comprising:
 a housing comprising:
 a top surface; 
 a bottom surface; 
 a through-passage extending from the top surface to the bottom surface, the through-passage located at an interior of the housing; and 
 a ventilation passage provided at an angle with respect to the through-passage, the ventilation passage having an inlet at the interior of the housing and an outlet at an exterior of the housing, 
   wherein the valve is configured to be connected to a bowl of the toilet and a vacuum source configured to establish a negative pressure in the ventilation passage to draw air from the bowl through the through-passage, and to exhaust the air to a remote location, and   wherein the housing, the through-passage, and the ventilation passage are integrally formed.   
     
     
         14 . The valve of  claim 13 , further comprising a flap mounted on the housing and having a substantially same shape as a cross-section of the ventilation passage, wherein:
 in an open position, the flap extends outwards from the interior of the housing towards a center of the through-passage, and   in a closed position, the flap extends downwards along a surface of the through-passage towards the bottom surface, the flap covering the inlet of the ventilation passage.   
     
     
         15 . The valve of  claim 13 , wherein the housing has a polygonal cross-section with rounded corners. 
     
     
         16 . The valve of  claim 15 , wherein the polygonal cross-section has five sides. 
     
     
         17 . The valve of  claim 13 , wherein a material from which the housing is formed is selected from the group consisting of stainless steel, brass, copper, ceramic, porcelain, and plastic. 
     
     
         18 . The valve of  claim 14 , wherein a material from which the flap is formed is selected from the group consisting of rubber, stainless steel, brass, copper, ceramic, porcelain, and plastic, or a combination of any two or more thereof. 
     
     
         19 . The valve of  claim 13 , wherein the through-passage is a non-bent, straight passage. 
     
     
         20 . A system for ventilating a toilet having a cistern and a bowl, the system comprising:
 a stand pipe located within the cistern and in fluid communication with the bowl, an interior of the stand pipe forming a ventilation passage having an inlet at an end of the stand pipe located closest to the bowl and an outlet at an end of the stand pipe located furthest from the bowl;   a vacuum source; and   a connection connecting the outlet of the ventilation passage to the vacuum source,   wherein the vacuum source is configured to establish a negative pressure in the ventilation passage to draw air from the bowl through the stand pipe, and to exhaust the air to a remote location.