Deodorizing apparatus and a toilet provided with the apparatus

Claim 2

A deodorizing apparatus comprising a gas duct having a suction port to be disposed within a toilet bowl and an exhaust port to be disposed outside the toilet bowl; and an active carbon honeycomb and a chemical-supporting active carbon honeycomb as disposed in that order in said gas duct in the direction from said suction port to said exhaust port.

Claim 3

A deodorizing apparatus according to claim 1 wherein a fan is disposed within said gas duct on the downstream side of said chemical-supporting active carbon honeycomb.

Claim 4

A deodorizing apparatus according to claim 1 wherein a fan is disposed within said gas duct either in said suction port side or in said exhaust port side, and a damper for opening and closing said gas duct in response to the action of said fan is disposed in the position where the fan is not located.

Claim 5

A deodorizing apparatus according to claim 3 wherein a fan is disposed within said gas duct in said exhaust port side, and a damper for opening and closing said gas duct in response to the action of said fan is disposed within said gas duct in said suction port side.

Claim 6

A deodorizing apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said fan provides a gas flow of 10 to 500 liters per minute.

Claim 7

A deodorizing apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the suction port side of said casing defining said gas duct is bent in the shape of the letter U so that it can rest on the top circumferential edge of a toilet bowl.

Claim 8

A deodorizing apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said active carbon honeycomb and said chemicalsupporting active carbon honeycomb respectively have a BET specific surface area of not less than 200 m 2 /g.

Claim 9

A deodorizing apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the number of cells in each of said active carbon honeycomb and chemical-supporting active carbon honeycomb is 30 to 1500 cells/square inch.

Claim 10

A deodorizing apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the thickness per layer of said active carbon honeycomb and of said chemical-supporting honeycomb is not less than 5 mm.

Claim 11

A deodorizing apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said chemical-supporting active carbon honeycomb is an active carbon honeycomb supporting an acid, bromine, or a compound of platinum group elements.

Claim 12

A deodorizing apparatus according to claim 10 wherein said acid is phosphoric acid, sulfuric acid, oxalic acid, citric acid and/or malic acid.

Claim 13

A deodorizing apparatus according to claim 10 wherein said acid is phosphoric acid.

Claim 14

A deodorizing apparatus according to claim 10 wherein the proportion of said acid to said active carbon honeycomb is 1 to 60 weight percent.

Claim 15

A deodorizing apparatus according to claim 10 wherein the proportion of bromine to said active carbon honeycomb is 1 to 30 weight percent.

Claim 16

A deodorizing apparatus according to claim 10 wherein said compound of platinum group elements is a compound of platinum, iridium, osmium, palladium, rhodium, ruthenium and gold.

Claim 17

A deodorizing apparatus according to claim 1 which further comprises a sensor means for detecting the user sitting on the stool seat and leaving the stool seat, a driving means operative in response to a sitting detection signal from said sensor means to drive a fan in said gas duct, and a control means operative in response to a leaving detection signal from said sensor means to control the operation time of said driving means.

Claim 18

A deodorizing apparatus according to claim 16 wherein said sensor means for detecting the user sitting on the stool seat and leaving the stool seat is a photosensor set obliquely upwards from the exterior side of the toilet to the interior side.

Claim 19

A deodorizing apparatus according to claim 16 wherein said control means is a timer means which allows said driving means to operate for at least 10 seconds in response to said leaving detection signal.

Claim 20

A deodorizing apparatus according to claim 16 wherein said control means comprises a timer means for allowing said driving means to operate for a preset time, and a set/reset means for resetting said timer means in response to said sitting detection signal from said sensor means and setting said timer means in response to said leaving detection signal from said sensor means.

Claim 21

A deodorizing apparatus according to claim 16 which further comprises a counting means for measuring a cumulative operation time of said driving means, a comparator means for comparing the count value of said counting means with a reference value corresponding to a useful life of said active carbon honeycomb and said chemical- supporting active carbon honeycomb, and an alerting means for informing the end of the useful life of said active carbon honeycombs when said count value of said counting means is larger than said reference value.

Claim 22

A deodorizing apparatus comprising a gas duct having a suction port to be disposed within a toilet bowl and an exhaust port to be disposed outside the toilet bowl; an active carbon honeycomb and a chemical-supyorting active carbon honeycomb as disposed in that order in said gas duct in the direction from said suction port to said exhaust port, and said honeycombs having respectively a BET specific surface area of not less than 200 m 2 /g, the number of cells of 30 to 1500 cells/square inch, and thickness per layer of not less than 5 mm; a fan disposed within said gas duct on the downstream side of said chemical-supporting active carbon honeycomb; a photosensing means set obliquely upwards from the exterior side of the toilet to the interior side for detecting the user sitting on the stool seat and leaving the stool seat; a driving means operative in response to a sitting detection signal from said photosensing means to drive said fan; and a timer means which control the operation time of said driving means to operate for at least 10 seconds in response to said leaving detection signal from said photosensing means.

Claim 23

A deodorizing apparatus comprising a gas duct having a suction port to be disposed within a toilet bowl and an exhaust port to be disposed outside the toilet bowl; an active carbon honeycomb and a chemical-supyorting active carbon honeycomb as disposed in that order in said gas duct in the direction from said suction port to said exhaust port, and said honeycombs having respectively a BET specific surface area of not less than 200 m 2 /g, the number of cells of 30 to 1500 cells/square inch, and thickness per layer of not less than 5 mm; a fan disposed within said gas duct on the downstream side of said chemical-supporting active carbon honeycomb; a photosensing means set obliquely upwards from the exterior side of the toilet to the interior side for detecting the user sitting on the stool seat and leaving the stool seat; a driving means operative in response to a sitting detection signal from said photosensing means to drive said fan; and a timer means which control the operation time of said driving means to operate for at least 10 seconds in response to said leaving detection signal from said photosensing means.

Claim 24

A deodorizing apparatus according to claim 21 wherein said chemical-supporting active carbon honeycomb is an active carbon honeycomb supporting phosphoric acid.

Claim 25

A toilet provided with a deodorizing apparatus which comprises a gas duct having a suction port being disposed within a toilet bowl and an exhaust port being disposed outside said toilet bowl; and an active carbon honeycomb and a chemical-supporting active carbon honeycomb as disposed within said gas duct in that order in the direction from said suction port to said exhaust port.

Claim 26

A toilet provided with a deodorizing apparatus which comprises a gas duct having a suction port being disposed within a toilet bowl and an exhaust port being disposed outside said toilet bowl; and an active carbon honeycomb and a chemical-supporting active carbon honeycomb as disposed within said gas duct in that order in the direction from said suction port to said exhaust port.

Claim 27

A toilet provided with a deodorizing apparatus according to claim 23 wherein said toilet bowl is provided with a receptor means extending from the interior to the exterior thereof and adapted to be opened and closed, and said deodorizing apparatus is disposed in said receptor means with said suction port communicating with the interior of said toilet bowl.

Claim 28

A toilet provided with a deodorizing apparatus according to claim 23 wherein the suction port side of a casing is bent in the shape of the letter U, and the bent portion rests on the top circumferential edge of the toilet bowl with its suction port communicating with the interior of the toilet bowl.

Claim 29

A toilet provided with a deodorizing apparatus according to claim 23 wherein the suction port side of a casing is bent in the shape of the letter U, the bent portion resting on the top circumferential edge of the toilet bowl with said suction port communicating with the interior of the toilet bowl, a cushioning spacer secured to an upper inner side wall of the U bend is abutted against an upper lateral wall of the toilet bowl, with a mounting means secured to a lower inner side wall of said bend being detachably attached to a lateral wall of the toilet bowl.

Claim 30

A toilet provided with a deodorizing apparatus which comprises a gas duct having a suction port being disposed within a toilet bowl and an exhaust port being disposed outside said toilet bowl; an active carbon honeycomb and a chemical-supporting active carbon honeycomb as disposed within said gas duct in that order in the direction from said suction port to said exhaust port, and said honeycombs have respectively a BET specific surface area of not less than 200 m 2 /g, the number of cells of 30 to 1500 cells/square inch, and thickness per layer of not less than 5 mm; a fan disposed within said gas duct on the downstream side of said chemical-supporting active carbon honeycomb; a photosensing means set obliquely upwards from the exterior side of the toilet to the interior side for detecting the user sitting on the stool seat and leaving the stool seat; a driving means operative in response to a sitting detection signal from said photosensing means to drive said fan; and a timer means which control the operation time of said driving means to operate for at least 10 seconds in response to said leaving detection signal from said photosensing means.

Claim 31

A toilet provided with a deodorizing apparatus which comprises a gas duct having a suction port being disposed within a toilet bowl and an exhaust port being disposed outside said toilet bowl; an active carbon honeycomb and a chemical-supporting active carbon honeycomb as disposed within said gas duct in that order in the direction from said suction port to said exhaust port, and said honeycombs have respectively a BET specific surface area of not less than 200 m 2 /g, the number of cells of 30 to 1500 cells/square inch, and thickness per layer of not less than 5 mm; a fan disposed within said gas duct on the downstream side of said chemical-supporting active carbon honeycomb; a photosensing means set obliquely upwards from the exterior side of the toilet to the interior side for detecting the user sitting on the stool seat and leaving the stool seat; a driving means operative in response to a sitting detection signal from said photosensing means to drive said fan; and a timer means which control the operation time of said driving means to operate for at least 10 seconds in response to said leaving detection signal from said photosensing means.

Claim 32

A toilet provided with a deodorizing apparatus according to claim 27 wherein said chemical-supporting active carbon honeycomb is an active carbon honeycomb supporting phosphoric acid.