GB2231065A

GB2231065A - Ventilation of toilet bowl

Info

Publication number: GB2231065A
Application number: GB8910135A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Enzo Casale
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1989-05-03
Filing date: 1989-05-03
Publication date: 1990-11-07
Anticipated expiration: 2009-05-03
Also published as: GB2231065B; GB8910135D0

Abstract

A lavatory pan seat formed in fitted together upper and lower parts (10, 12) defining between them an air flow channel (14, 14a) with which communicate air inlet apertures (16) having entrances at the inner periphery of the seat and an air extraction aperture (22) having an exit at the outer periphery of the seat. <IMAGE>

Description

Lavatory Pan Seat This invention relates to a lavatory pan seat.

The rooms in which lavatories are housed can be rendered unpleasantly odorous after use of the lavatory, and partly for this reason these rooms are sometimes equipped with extraction fans to communicate the room atmosphere with the atmosphere outside the building. It is an object of this invention to provide an alternative solution to this problem.

According to the inver.tion, there is provided a lavatory pan seat having a shape generally conforming to the shape of the ri of a conventional lavatory pan and adapted te be hinged to said pan at the back of the rim, wherein the seat has at least one air inlet aperture in its wall adjacent its inside periphery, connicating with an opening fcr air extraction in its wall adjacent its outside periphery.

In practice, the seat, when fitted tc the pan, cor.z;Jnicates via its air extraction opening with a hcse through which air is drawn by a fan and passed to a stench pipe or the atmosphere outside the building, whereby odours are with drawn directly from the space within the pan and substantially prevented from entering the room in which the lavatory is located. Preferably, therefore, the seat is equipped with a microswitch connected to cause operation of the fan when the lavatory is used, as by sitting on the seat.

A preferred seat has a plurality of air inlet apertures in its wall adjacent its inside periphery, and an air flow channel within the interior of said seat extendina around at least part of its curved length, the air inlet apertures and the air extraction opening communicating with said channel. Conveniently, therefore, the seat is preferably formed in generally similarly shaped upper and lower parts which define the air flow channel between them.

A practical embodiment of pan seat in accordance with this invention is exemplified in the following description, making reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figures 1A, 1B and 1C are respectively views of the upper side, edge and underside of the lower part of the pan seat; Figures 2A and 2B are respectively views of the edge and underside of the upper part of the pan seat; and Figures 3A, 3B and 3C are respectively views of the edge, upperside and median cross-section of the pan seat assembled from the lower and upper parts.

The pan seat comprises an upper part 1 whIch can be assembled with a lower part 12. Both parts have a shape generally conforming to the shape of the rim of a conventional lavatory pan, but the lower part (Figure 1) has a perimeter incomplete at the front, and thus assures a shape similar to that of a horseshoe.

The lower part 12 is formed on its upperside with a wide air flow groove 14 extending around the length of the part, the groove terminating just before the two ends of the part.

Formed through the wall of the part 12, at the inside periphery thereof are air inlet apertures 16, the entrances 18 to which face both generally downwardly and generally towards the geometric centre of the lower part.

The exits 20 of the apertures 16 open into the groove 14.

The illustrated embodiment has five angularly spaced apertures 16, one at the back centre and two on each side thereof. Adjacent the back of the part 12, on each side of the back centre, the part is formed through its wall with an air extraction aperture 22, the entrance 24 to which communicates with the groove 14. The exit 26 of the air extraction aperture faces outwardly.

The lower part 12 is provided on its underside with a sealing strip groove 28 extending around the length of the part, closer to its outside edge than its inner edge. A sealing strip (not shown) fitted to the groove will cover the heads of screws extending through screw holes 30 provided to enable the lower and upper parts of the seat to be fixed together.

Although not shown, a hole is alse provided at the underside of the part 12, right through to the groove 14, for accommodating microswitch. The microswitch will be operated by pressure on and compression of the sealing strl at the pcint where the microswitch is located. A connecting lead to the microswitch will extend around the groove 14 to emerge through the air extraction aperture 22.

The upper part 10 cf the seat, as shown in Figure 2, has a complete perimeter, and is formed around the major part of its length, on its underside, with a groove 14A matching the groove 14 in the lower part 12. A portion 22A of the air extraction aperture is also formed in this upper-part, as well as the inner closed ends 3CA of the screw holes.

In Figure 2, reference 32 indicates a provision for hinging the seat to the back of a lavatory pan, in the conventional manner.

The parts 10 and 12 may conveniently be moulded of plastics material.

Figure 3 shows the upper and lower parts 10, 12 in assembled condition. The upperside of the upper part is smooth and unbroken, and is contoured in a conventional manner. References used in Figure 3 correspond to those employed in Figures 1 and 2. It will be see that the upper part 10 is wider than the lower part 12 and, for completeness, reference 34 is used in Figure 3B to indicate the approximate position of the inner periphery of the lower part 12 relative to the inner periphery of the upper part 10, whilst reference 36 indicates the approximate position of the inner periphery of the pan rim, when the seat is fitted in position. The sealing strip will thus be positioned approximately around the centre line of the pan rim.

When the upper and lower parts 1C, 12 are fitted together, along with the microswitch and its connecting lead, a blanking plate or plug (not shown) will be simultaneously secured in one air extraction aperture 22, depending on the requirement for air extraction on the right or the left. A tube connecting socket, for example analogous to a vacuum cleaner pipe fitting, will be simultaneously secured in the other air extraction opening.

Although not shown1 the seat will be used in combination with a small housing accommodating a "silent" fan and a relay-timer, the housing fitting directly or an electric power supply inlet on the wall adjacent the back of the lavatory pan. A length of hose, flexible enough to accommodate the hinging movement of the seat, will connect the air extraction aperture with the interior of the housing, which will otherwise be sealed except for an outlet opening leading via a short pipe to a stench pipe or to the atmosphere outside the building. Operation of the relaytimer, which in turn controls the operation of the fan, will be determined by the microswitch, the connecting lead from which will extend into the interior of the housing through the flexible air extraction tube.

Thus, in use, when the lavatory is used by a person sitting on the seat, the microswitch will trigger the relay timer, which will set the fan in operation for the duration of closure of the microswitch and for a preselected period thereafter.

As the space within the pan is substantialy closed (although at least able to draw in fresh air via the gap created by the incomplete front of the lower part cf the seat), any odours produced within the space will be directly extracted, and escape into the room where the lavatory is located will be substantially prevented.

Various modifications of the afcre-described and illustrated embodiment are possible within the scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A lavatory pan seat having a shape generally conforming to the shape of the rim of a conventional lavatory pan and adapted to be hinged to said pan at the back of the rim, wherein the seat has at least one air inlet aperture in its wall adjacent its inside periphery, communicating with an opening for air extraction in its wall adjacent its outside periphery.

2. A pan seat according to claim 1, wherein the seat has a plurality of air inlet apertures in its wall adjacent its inside periphery, and an air flow channel within the interior of said seat extending around at least part cf its curved length, the air inlet apertures and the air extraction opening communicating with said channel.

3. A pan seat according to claim 2, wherein the pan seat has a plurality of air inlet apertures angularly spaced around its curved length symmetrically on both sides of the hinge mounting position.

4. A pan seat according to claim 3, wherein the pan seat has two air extraction openings adjacent its hinge mounting position, one on each side thereof, one intended to be blanked off in use.

5. A pan seat according to any cf claim 2 te , formed in generally similarly shaped upper and lower parts which define the air flow channel between them.

6. A pan seat according to claim 5, wherein the lower part has the general shape of a horseshoe, having an incomplete perimeter at the front.

7. A pan seat according to claim 5 or claim 6, wherein the lower part has a resilient strip for sealing against the pan rim around at least the major part of its curved length.

8. A pan seat according to claim 7, wherein the lower part has a hole which accommodates a microswitch adapted to be operated by compression of the resilient strip, which covers the opening to the microswitch hole.

9. A pan seat according to claim 8, wherein an electrical connecting lead for the microswitch extends through the air flow channel to the air extraction outlet.

10. A pan seat according to claim 7 or claim 8 or claim 9, wherein the sealing strip covers the heads of screws employed fixedly te connect the two parts, of the seat together.

11. A pan seat according to any of claims 5 to 10 when appendant to claim 4, wherein the fixing together of the upper and lower parts also secures in position a Llar.k plate at one air extraction opening and a connect Ion socket for a flexible air extraction hose at the other air extraction opening.

12. A pan seat according te any of claims 1 to 11, wherein the or each air inlet aperture has an entrance which faces both generally downwardly and generally towards the geometric centre of the seat.

13. A pan seat according to any of claims 1 to 12, in combination with a sealed housing adapted for wall mounting at an electric power supply, the housing containing a relay and a fan controlled by the relay, the interior of the housing communicating both with the air extraction opening of the pan seat via a flexible hose and with a stench pipe or the atmosphere external to the building via a vent pipe.

14. A lavatory pan seat substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

14. A pan seat according to claim 13 when appendant to claim 7, wherein the relay is a relay timer triggered by the microswitch to switch on the fan for the duration of closure of the microswitch and a predetermined period following opening of the microswitch.

15. A kit of parts which can be assembled to produce the lavatory seat of any of claims 1 to 14.

16. A lavatory pan seat substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Amendments to the claims have been filed as follows

1. A lavatory pan seat having a shape generally conforming to the shape of the rim of a conventional lavatory pan and adapted to be hinged to said pan at the back of the rim, wherein the seat has a plurality of air inlet apertures in its wall adjacent its inside periphery, and an air flow channel within the interior of said seat extending around at least part of its curved length, the air inlet apertures and the air extraction opening communicating with said channel, and wherein the seat is formed in generally similarly shaped upper and lower parts which define the air flow channel between them.

2. A pan seat according to claim 1, wherein the pan seat has a plurality of air inlet apertures angular spaced around its curved length symmetrically on both sides of the hinge mounting position.

3. A pan seat according to claim, 2, wherein the pan seat has two air extraction openings adjacent its hinge mounting position, one on each side thereof, one intenoec te be blanked off in use.

4. A pan seat according to claim 1 or claim 2 or claim 3, wherein the lower part of the pan seat has the general shape cf a horseshoe, having an incomplete perimeter at the front.

5. A pan seat according to an of claims 1 to 4, wherein the lower part of the pan seat has a resilient strip for sealing against the pan rim around at least the major part of its curved length.

6. A pan seat according te claim 5, wherein the lower part has a hole which accommodates a microswitch adapted to be operated by compression of the resilient strip, which covers the opening to the microswitch hole.

7. A pan seat according to claim 6, wherein an electrical connecting lead for the microswitch extends through the air flow channel to the air extraction outlet.

8. A pan seat according to claim 5 or claim 6 or claim 7, wherein the sealing strip covers the heads of screws employed fixedly to connect the two parts of the seat together.

9. A pan seat according to any of claims 1 to 8, wherein the fixing together of the upper and lower parts also secures in position a blanking plate at one air extraction opening nd a connection socket for a flexible air extraction hose at the other air extraction opening.

10. A pan seat according te any cf claims 1 te 9, wherein the cr each air inlet aperture has an entrance which faces both generally downwardly and generally towards the geometric centre of the seat.

11. A pan seat according to any of claims 1 to 10, in combination with a sealed housing adapted for wall mounting at an electric power supply, the housing containing a relay =nd a fan controlled by the relay, the interior of the housing coinrunicating both with the air extraction opening of the pan seat via a flexible hose and with a stench pipe or the atmosphere external to the building via a vent pipe.

12. A pan seat according to claim 11 when appendant to claim 6, wherein the relay is a relay timer triggered by the microswitch to switch on the fan for the duration of closure of the microswitch and a predetermined period following opening of the microswitch.

13. A kit of parts which can be assembled to produce the lavatory seat of any of claims 1 to 12.