Toilet sealing device

Abstract

Devices for sealing a toilet are provided. The devices comprise at least one barrier comprising barrier members configured to releasably and sealingly engage with and magnetically attract to each other. The barrier members are configured to be coupled to a toilet lid, a toilet seat and/or a toilet bowl and when the barrier members sealingly engage with each other, the at least one barrier inhibits or reduces movement of material from inside the toilet bowl to outside the toilet bowl.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A device configured for sealing a toilet having a toilet bowl and a toilet lid, the device comprising at least one first barrier comprising:
 i. at least one first barrier member configured to be coupled to the toilet lid and to at least partially fill a gap disposed between the toilet lid and toilet bowl; and   ii. at least one second barrier member configured to be coupled to the toilet bowl and to releasably sealingly engage with and magnetically attract to the at least one first barrier member;   wherein when the at least one first barrier member and the at least one second barrier member sealingly engage with each other, the at least one first barrier inhibits or reduces movement of material from inside the toilet bowl to outside the toilet bowl.   
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1  wherein when the at least one first barrier member and the at least one second barrier member sealingly engage with each other, at least one air-tight seal is formed. 
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 1  wherein the at least one first barrier member and the at least one second barrier member are configured to magnetically attract to each other with a magnitude of magnetic attractive force allowing the at least one first barrier member and the at least one second barrier member to remain sealingly engaged with each other during toilet bowl flushing operations. 
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 1  wherein the at least one first barrier member and the at least one second barrier member each comprise ferromagnetic materials. 
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 1  wherein the at least one first barrier member and the at least one second barrier member each are composed of a flexible material. 
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 1  further comprising at least one valve configured to allow passage of air from outside the toilet bowl to inside the toilet bowl and prevent or reduce passage of air and/or material from inside the toilet bowl to outside the toilet bowl. 
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 6  wherein the at least one way valve comprises an elongated passage having a first end and a second end, the first end adjacent to the outside of the toilet bowl, the second end adjacent to the inside of the toilet bowl. 
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 7  wherein the passage comprises a flap member coupled to the first end configured to allow passage of air from outside the passage to inside the passage and prevent or reduce passage of air and/or material from inside the passage to outside the passage. 
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 8  wherein the passage comprises a first portion and a second portion, the first portion and the second portion are essentially parallel to each other thereby allowing passage of air from outside the passage to inside the toilet bowl and inhibiting or reducing passage of air and/or material from inside the passage to outside the passage. 
     
     
         10 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the toilet further comprises a toilet seat and the device further comprises:
 a. at least one second barrier comprising:
 i. at least one third barrier member configured to be coupled to the toilet lid; and 
 ii. at least one fourth barrier member configured to be coupled to the toilet seat and to releasably sealingly engage with and magnetically attract to the third barrier member; 
   b. at least one third barrier comprising:
 i. at least one fifth barrier member configured to be coupled to the toilet seat; and 
 ii. at least one sixth barrier member configured to be coupled to the toilet bowl and to releasably sealingly engage with and magnetically attract to the at least one fifth barrier member; 
   wherein when the at least one third barrier member and the at least one fourth barrier member sealingly engage with each other and the at least one fifth barrier member and the at least one sixth barrier member sealingly engage with each other, the at least one second barrier and the at least one third barrier inhibits or reduces movement of material from inside the toilet bowl to outside the toilet bowl.   
     
     
         11 . The device of  claim 10  wherein:
 i. the at least one first barrier is configured to at least partially fill a first gap disposed between the toilet lid and the toilet bowl; 
 ii. the at least one second barrier is configured to at least partially fill a second disposed between the toilet lid and the toilet seat; and 
 iii. the at least one third barrier is configured to at least partially fill a third gap disposed between the toilet seat and the toilet bowl. 
 
     
     
         12 . The device of  claim 10  wherein:
 i. when the at least one first barrier member and the at least one second barrier member sealingly engage with each other, at least one first air-tight seal is formed 
 ii. when the at least one third barrier member and the at least one fourth barrier member sealingly engage with each other, at least one second air-tight seal is formed; and 
 iii. when the at least one fifth barrier member and the at least one sixth barrier member sealingly engage with each other, at least one third air-tight seal is formed. 
 
     
     
         13 . The device of  claim 10  wherein:
 i. the at least one first barrier member and the at least one second barrier member are configured to magnetically attract to each other with a magnitude of magnetic attractive force allowing the at least one first barrier member and the at least one second barrier member to be remain sealingly engaged with each other during toilet bowl flushing operations; 
 ii. the at least one third barrier member and the at least one fourth barrier member are configured to magnetically attract to each other with a magnitude of magnetic attractive force allowing the at least one third barrier member and the at least one fourth barrier member to be remain sealingly engaged with each other during toilet bowl flushing operations; and 
 iii. the at least one fifth barrier member and the at least one sixth barrier member are configured to magnetically attract to each other with a magnitude of magnetic attractive force allowing the at least one fifth barrier member and the at least one sixth barrier member to be remain sealingly engaged with each other during toilet bowl flushing operations. 
 
     
     
         14 . The device of  claim 10  wherein the at least one first barrier member, the at least one second barrier member, the at least one third barrier member, the at least one fourth barrier member, the at least one fifth barrier member and the at least one sixth barrier member each comprise ferromagnetic materials. 
     
     
         15 . The device of  claim 10  wherein the at least one first barrier member, the at least one second barrier member, the at least one third barrier member, the at least one fourth barrier member, the at least one fifth barrier member and the at least one sixth barrier member each are composed of a flexible material. 
     
     
         16 . A device configured for sealing a toilet comprising a toilet bowl, a toilet seat and a toilet lid, the device comprising:
 i. at least one first barrier comprising:
 a. at least one first barrier member configured to be coupled to the toilet lid; and 
 b. at least one second barrier member configured to configured to be coupled to the toilet seat and to releasably sealingly engage with and magnetically attract to the at least one first barrier member; 
   ii. at least one second barrier comprising:
 a. at least one third barrier member configured to be coupled to the toilet seat; and 
 b. at least one fourth barrier member configured to be coupled to the toilet bowl and to releasably sealingly engage with and magnetically attract to the at least one third barrier member; 
   wherein when the at least one first barrier member and the at least one second barrier member sealingly engage with each other and the at least one third barrier member and the at least one fourth barrier member sealingly engage with each other, the at least one first barrier and the at least one second barrier inhibit or reduce movement of material from inside the toilet bowl to outside the toilet bowl.   
     
     
         17 . The device of  claim 16  wherein the toilet seat comprises a seat outer peripheral extent and a seat inner peripheral extent defining an aperture and wherein:
 i. the first barrier member is coupled to a lid outer peripheral extent of the lid;
 a. the second barrier member is coupled to the seat inner peripheral extent; and 
 b. when the first barrier member and the second barrier member sealingly engage with each other, the movement of material from inside the toilet bowl onto a top surface of the toilet seat is inhibited or reduced. 
 
 
     
     
         18 . The device of  claim 16  wherein:
 i. when the at least one first barrier member and the at least one second barrier member sealingly engage with each other, the at least one barrier is configured to at least partially fill a first gap disposed between the toilet lid and the toilet seat; and 
 ii. when the at least one third barrier member and the at least one fourth barrier member sealingly engage with each other, the at least one second barrier is configured to at least partially fill a second gap disposed between the toilet seat and the toilet bowl. 
 
     
     
         19 . The device of  claim 16  wherein:
 i. when the at least one first barrier member and the at least one second barrier member sealingly engage with each other, at least one first air-tight seal is formed; and 
 ii. when the at least one third barrier member and the at least one fourth barrier member sealingly engage with each other, at least one second air-tight seal is formed. 
 
     
     
         20 . The device of  claim 16  wherein:
 i. the at least one first barrier member and the at least one second barrier member are configured to magnetically attract to each other with a magnitude of magnetic attractive force allowing the at least one first barrier member and the at least one second barrier member to be remain sealingly engaged with each other during toilet bowl flushing operations; and 
 ii. the at least one third barrier member and the at least one fourth barrier member are configured to magnetically attract to each other with a magnitude of magnetic attractive force allowing the at least one third barrier member and the at least one fourth barrier member to be remain sealingly engaged with each other during toilet bowl flushing operations. 
 
     
     
         21 . The device of  claim 16  wherein the at least one first barrier member, the at least one second barrier member, the at least one third barrier member and the at least one fourth barrier member each comprise ferromagnetic materials. 
     
     
         22 . The device of  claim 16  wherein the at least one first barrier member, the at least one second barrier member, the at least one third barrier member and the at least one fourth barrier member each are composed of a flexible material. 
     
     
         23 . The device of  claim 16  further comprising at least one valve configured to allow passage of air from outside the toilet bowl to inside the toilet bowl and prevent or reduce passage of air and/or material from inside the toilet bowl to outside the toilet bowl. 
     
     
         24 . The device of  claim 23  wherein the at least one valve comprises an elongated passage having a first end and a second end, the first end adjacent to the outside of the toilet bowl, the second end adjacent to the inside of the toilet bowl. 
     
     
         25 . The device of  claim 24  wherein the passage comprises a flap member coupled to the first end configured to allow passage of air from outside the passage to inside the passage and prevent or reduce passage of air and/or material from inside the passage to outside the passage. 
     
     
         26 . The device of  claim 25  wherein the passage comprises a first portion and a second portion, the first portion and the second portion are essentially parallel to each other thereby allowing passage of air from outside the passage to inside the toilet bowl and inhibiting or reducing passage of air and/or material from inside the passage to outside the passage. 
     
     
         27 . A device configured for a toilet, the toilet comprising a toilet bowl, a toilet lid and a toilet seat having a seat outer peripheral extent and a seat inner peripheral extent defining an aperture, and a space extending between the seat outer peripheral extent and the seat inner peripheral extent forming spaced-apart ends of the seat, the device comprising a nub member attached to the lid and configured to fit inside the space, wherein when nub member is situated inside the space, the nub member inhibits or reduces movement of material from inside the toilet bowl to outside the toilet bowl while the toilet is in a closed configuration. 
     
     
         28 . The device of  claim 27  wherein the nub member is configured to releasably sealingly engage with the toilet bowl while inside the space. 
     
     
         29 . The device of  claim 27  wherein the nub member is configured to releasably sealingly engage with the toilet seat, adjacent to the space, while inside the space. 
     
     
         30 . The device of  claim 27  wherein the nub member and the toilet bowl are configured to magnetically attract to each other. 
     
     
         31 . The device of  claim 27  wherein the nub member and the toilet seat, adjacent to the space, are configured to magnetically attract to each other. 
     
     
         32 . A toilet system comprising a toilet and the device according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
         33 . A toilet system comprising a toilet and the device according to  claim 16 . 
     
     
         34 . A toilet system comprising a toilet and the device according to  claim 27 .