US20060200896A1

US20060200896A1 - Ventilation check valve for bathrooms and toilets

Info

Publication number: US20060200896A1
Application number: US11/078,420
Authority: US
Inventors: Chang-jin Yang
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2005-03-14
Filing date: 2005-03-14
Publication date: 2006-09-14

Abstract

A check valve for bathrooms and toilets to improve air ventilation and prevent insects and viruses from entering the bathrooms and toilets includes an elbow duct which has an inlet end on one side communicating with a ventilation vent, and a cylinder extended outwards from the inlet end to couple with a padding on the inner rim. There is an outlet end on other end of the elbow duct positioned in a diagonal and upper manner relative to the cylinder. The elbow duct has an inclined side on the bottom. The inclined side has an upper end bent to form a conical cavity. The elbow duct houses a ball which may roll automatically on the inclined side to close the ventilation vent. When air is dispelled through the ventilation vent, airflow pushes the ball to the conical cavity to form a passage in the elbow duct.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a ventilation check valve for bathrooms and toilets and particularly to a check valve for improving air ventilation of bathrooms and toilets and fending off virus and insects that has an elbow duct with a sloped side in the interior the hold a ball which can roll when pushed by airflow to form a passage and slide to automatically close an air ventilation vent when the air ventilation stops.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

With the population density getting higher and higher in every country, urbanization is a growing trend around the world. These days more and more people are living in the city. Because of the land supply is limited, group residences such as apartments and condominiums have replaced the single houses and bungalows to become the mainstream of the housing market. Some builders, in order to enlarge the visible living quarters to impress customers, often pay less attention on the bathroom and toilet. Some even compromise the minimum requirements of the bathroom and toilet. As a result, accidents occurred in the bathroom and toilet have grown in recent years and being frequently reported. And the bathroom and toilet often are damp and musty. People easily slips and falls down. And foul smell breeds. Suffering from toxic monoxide frequently happens. They also become a hot bed to spread infectious diseases, especially those air-born diseases (such as Hanta virus). All this is attributable to the poor air ventilation of the bathroom and toilet.
Conventional air ventilation of the bathroom and toilet usually is done by constructing windows. In the group housing, due to design constraints, many bathrooms and toilets are located inside the house and have no windows. Air ventilation has to be accomplished through pipes.
Refer to FIG. 1 for a conventional air ventilation for a toilet A. It has a ventilation vent A10 to dispel foul smell after use. While it can dispel the indoor air outside, it also draws outside filthy or foul air indoors. Hence the indoor air and outdoor air exchange freely. Virus existed in the ambience is easily transported into the toilet A through the vent. The virus breeds easily in the room and causes hazards.
The conventional ventilation vent A10 of the toilet A previously discussed can only circulate air indoors and outdoors. It does not improve air ventilation very much, but breeds virus easily.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the aforesaid disadvantages, the present invention aims to provide a check valve to improve air ventilation of bathrooms and toilets that is adaptable to varying air ventilation conditions of the bathrooms and toilets and environmental conditions to dispel foul smell in the bathrooms and toilets, and improve air ventilation.
Another object of the invention is to provide a filter on an outlet end of the check valve to prevent insets or external articles from entering through the passage of the check valve, or clogging the passage.
The check valve according to the invention includes an elbow duct which has a sloped side and a ball located on the sloped side movable under airflow to a conical cavity to form a passage. When air ventilation stops, the ball automatically slides on the sloped side to close a ventilation vent to prevent external air from entering the bathroom and toilet thereby to improve air ventilation of the bathroom and toilet.
The foregoing, as well as additional objects, features and advantages of the invention will be more readily apparent from the following detailed description, which proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a conventional ventilation vent configuration in a toilet.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the check valve of the invention.
FIG. 3 is a schematic view of the check valve of the invention.
FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the check valve of the invention.
FIG. 5 is a schematic view of the invention with the ball in an open condition.
FIG. 6 is a schematic view of the invention with the ball sealing the inlet end.
FIG. 7 is a schematic view of the invention with the check valve installed in a toilet.
FIG. 8 is a schematic view of another embodiment of the present invention in an air dispelling condition.
FIG. 9 is a schematic view of the invention according to FIG. 8 with the ball sealing the inlet end.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Please referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, the check valve 2 according to the present invention is installed on one side of a ventilation vent 10 of a toilet 1. The check valve 2 has an elbow duct 20. The elbow duct 20 has an inlet end 200 on one side communicating with the ventilation vent 10 of the toilet 1. The inlet end 200 is extended from one side to form a cylinder 201. The cylinder 201 has an inner rim to couple with a padding 21. There is an outlet end 202 formed in a diagonal manner from the cylinder 201, and tilted upwards. The elbow duct 20 has a sloped side 203 on the bottom forming an inclined angle θ about 5-10 degrees (as shown in FIG. 4). The sloped side 203 has an upper end bending to form a conical cavity 206. The conical cavity 206 has two ends forming respectively an arched portion 207 and a zigzag edge 208. The elbow duct 20 has a passage 204 in the interior that houses a ball 3. The ball 3 slides automatically on the sloped side 203 to close the inlet end 200 to prevent outdoor filthy air from entering to the toilet 1. There is filter 205 coupled on the outlet end 202 to prevent insets from entering through the passage 204.
Referring to FIG. 5, when to ventilate the toilet 1, airflow 4 enters through the inlet end 200 of the elbow duct 20, pushes the ball 3 on the sloped side 203 to the conical cavity 206 and rest on the arched portion 207 and the zigzag edge 208. The inlet end 200 and the outlet end 202 communicate with each other so that the air can be dispelled through the passage 204. After the air ventilation has finished, airflow 4 that pushed the ball 3 is absent, the ball 3 automatically slides on the sloped side 203 to close the inlet end 200. The periphery 30 of the ball 3 is in contact with the cylinder 201 of the inlet end 200. The padding 21 and the ball 3 further form a close contact to seal the inlet end 200 (referring to FIG. 6). Thus the external virus 5 is prevented from entering the toilet 1, and people in the room are protected.
Moreover, when the check valve 2 is in use for the toilet 1 to dispel air (to discharge air from indoor to a piping room 22 as shown in FIG. 7), in order to prevent outdoor foul air, filthy gas and virus 5 from entering, the ball 3 in the elbow duct 20 automatically slides on the sloped side 203 to close the inlet end 200, with the periphery 30 of the ball 3 to form a closely sealing with the cylinder 201. Thus external articles, filthy gas and virus 5, cannot enter through the passage 204 and the inlet end 200 into the toilet 1. The toilet 1 can be well ventilated and also fend off the virus 5.
Refer to FIG. 8 for another embodiment of the check valve of the invention in a use condition. The check valve 6 consists of a large duct 60 and a small duct 61. The large duct 60 has a cavity 600 running through the interior, an opening 601 on one end and an outlet end 602 on other end. The cavity 601 houses the small duct 61 which has an inlet end 610 on one end and a flange 611 formed on the inlet end 610. The small duct 61 also has slots 612 on the periphery that oppose and correspond to each other and a closed surface 613 on other end. The closed surface 613 has an aperture 614 at a diameter smaller than the inner diameter of the small duct. The small duct 61 is inserted into the large duct 60 through the opening 601 and located in the large duct 60 in an inclined manner at an upper inclined angle θ about 5-10 degrees. The small duct 61 houses a ball 3. When to dispel air from the toilet 1, airflow 4 enters through the inlet end 610 of the check valve 6, and pushes the ball 3 to the closed surface 613. Hence the airflow passes through the slots 612 and is discharged through the outlet end 602.
When air discharge of the toilet 1 is finished, the airflow 4 pushing the ball 3 is absent, the ball 3 rolls automatically due to the inclined angle θ to the flange 611 of the inlet end 610 to close the inlet end 610 of the small duct 61. Thus external virus 5 and insets are prevented from entering through the aperture 614 or the slots 612 into the toilet 1 (referring to FIG. 9).

Claims

1. A ventilation check valve for bathrooms and toilets located on one side of a ventilation vent, comprising an elbow duct which has an inlet end on one side and an outlet end on other side, the inlet end being extended outwards to form a cylinder, the outlet end being located in a diagonal and upper manner relative to the cylinder, the elbow duct further having a sloped side on the bottom that has one end bent to form a conical cavity and a passage in the interior, the passage holding a ball which rolls automatically to close the inlet end to prevent outdoor foul air and filthy gases from entering a toilet.

2. The ventilation check valve of claim 1, wherein the inlet end communicates with the ventilation vent of the toilet.

3. The ventilation check valve of claim 1, wherein the cylinder has an inner rim to couple with a padding.

4. The ventilation check valve of claim 1, wherein the sloped side has an inclined angle ranging from 5 degree to 10 degree.

5. The ventilation check valve of claim 1, wherein the conical cavity has two ends that are formed respectively an arched portion and a zigzag edge.

6. The ventilation check valve of claim 1, wherein the outlet end is coupled with a filter.

7. The ventilation check valve of claim 1, wherein the check valve includes a large duct which houses a small duct, the large duct having an opening on one end and an outlet end on other end, the small duct having an inlet end on one end that has a flange, slots on the periphery that are opposing and corresponding to each other, and a closed surface on other end thereof, the closed surface having an aperture at a diameter smaller than the inner diameter of the smaller duct, the small duct further housing a ball.

8. The ventilation check valve of claim 7, wherein the large duct has a cavity running through the interior thereof.

9. The ventilation check valve of claim 7, wherein the small duct is positioned at an inclined angle.

10. The ventilation check valve of claim 9, wherein the inclined angle ranges from 5 degree to 10 degree.