GB2347691A

GB2347691A - Ventilating a water closet

Info

Publication number: GB2347691A
Application number: GB9903870A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Adil Ali-Khan
Original assignee: ALI KHAN ADIL
Current assignee: ALI KHAN ADIL
Priority date: 1999-02-20
Filing date: 1999-02-20
Publication date: 2000-09-13
Also published as: GB9903870D0

Abstract

A water closet includes an outlet 4a from its bowl 1, at a level above a usual water level therein. An inlet 4b into a drain 2 from the bowl 1 is connected to the outlet 4a via a fan 5 adapted to extract air and odiferous gas from the outlet 4a of the bowl 1 and deliver such gases to the drain inlet 4b.

Description

IMPROVED WATER CLOSET The present invention relates to a water closet. More particularly, but not exclusively, it relates to a water closet adapted to eliminate or at least reduce odours.

It is well known that during use of a water closet, the use may often be accompanied by emission of odiferous gases. Such odiferous emissions may be even more unpleasant depending on what the person has eaten recently and if the person has such medical conditions as irritable bowel syndrome or some other chronic intestinal condition, or a gall bladder problem.

These odiferous gases pollute initially the bowl of the WC and exit therefrom to pollute the entire room in which the WC is situated, for convenience referred to as a toilet room. The gas may be withdrawn from the toilet by means of natural ventilation or an extractor fan system, or the quality of the air may be improved by an air freshening device. All of these methods will work to improve air quality in due course, but there will be a period of time after use of the WC when it is inadvisable or certainly unpleasant for others to enter the toilet room.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a WC which will eliminate at least a major part of such gases from the bowl of the WC before they have a chance to pollute the toilet room to any marked degree.

According to the present invention, there is provided a water closet comprising an outlet from a bowl thereof from a point therein at a level above a usual water level therein, an inlet into a drain from and downstream of the bowl, and disposed between said outlet and said inlet a fan means adapted to extract air and odiferous gas from said outlet of the bowl and deliver such gases to said drain inlet.

Preferably, said fan means may be located at a median point of a passage leading from a rear part of the bowl to an upper part of the drain.

A non-return valve may be included in said passage, optionally adjacent said drain to allow discharge of odiferous gas from the bowl but prevent inlet of foul gases from said drain.

The fan means may be operated electrically, either by means of a battery or by mains electric power.

Actuation of said fan means may be by means of a switch located adjacent a seat of the WC and adapted to sense downward pressure thereon and therefore actuate the fan means.

Advantageously, the fan is controlled to operate for a predetermined length of time after the pressure switch has been returned to a normal state.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be more particularly described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawing, the single Figure 1 of which shows schematically and in cross section, an improved water closet embodying the invention.

Referring now to the drawing, there is shown a water closet having a bowl I connected to an outlet drain 2 by a conventional water-filled U-bend 3. The water in the U-bend 3 prevents foul odours from the drain 2 being released into the box ! 1 and hence into the toilet room in which the WC is located.

A passage 4 leads from an outlet 4a of the bowl to an inlet 4b of the drain 2, and bypasses the U-bend 3. The passage 4 contains a fan 5 adapted to force air and odiferous gases from outlet 4a of the bowl I to inlet 4b to the drain 2. A non-return valve 6 is provided in the passage 4 to prevent ingress of foul gases from the drain 2 to the bowl 1 when the fan 5 is not in operation.

Power to and operation of the fan 5 is controlled by control means 9 which may either contain batteries for powering the fan 5 or may be connected to electric mains power.

Operation of the fan 5 is initiated when pressure switch 7 is actuated by downward pressure from a seat 8 of the WC. The control means 9 may continue to supply power to the fan 5 for a predetermined period of time after the switch 7 has been deactivated by release of any pressure on the seat 8. This will aid final cleansing of the toilet room of any odours.

Hence, as may be seen, the presence of a person on the seat 8 will actuate the motor 5 to withdraw air and, more importantly, odiferous gases from the bowl 1 and direct them into the outlet sewage drain 2 for a period of time as least as long as the person remains sitting on the seat 8. Hence, the odiferous gases are not permitted to spread to the remainder of the toilet room. This will allow the room to be used almost immediately afterwards by other persons.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. A water closet comprising a bowl, an outlet therefrom disposed at a point therein at a level above a usual water level therein, an inlet into a drain from and downstream of said bowl, and disposed between said outlet and said inlet fan means adapted to extract air and odiferous gas from said outlet of the bowl and deliver such gases to said inlet into the drain
2 A water closet as claimed in claim 1, wherein said fan means is located at a median point of a passage leading from a rear part of the bowl to an upper part of the drain
3. A water closet as claimed in claim 2, wherein a non-return valve is included in said passage, optionally adjacent said inlet into the drain to allow discharge of odiferous gas from the bowl but prevent inlet of foul gases from raid drain.
4 A water closet as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the fan means is operated electrically, either by means of a battery or by mains electric power.
5 A water closet as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein said fan means is actuatable by means of a switch so located adjacent a seat of the water closet that it is adapted to sense downward pressure thereon.
6. A water closet as claimed in claim 5, wherein the fan is so controlled as to operate for a predetermined length of time after the pressure switch has been returned to a normal state.
7. A water closet as claimed in either claim 5 or claim 6, wherein the switch is responsive only to downward pressure additional to that exerted by the seat above,
8. A water closet as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawing