Ventilated water closet

Claim 2

In a water closet air ventilating system including a seat spaced above the upper surface of a toilet bowl and defining an air space therebetween, a lid for selectively covering said seat, hinge means having an axis of rotation for coupling said lid to said bowl for movement between a substantially horizontal closed position and an upright open position, and air flow means including an air pathway carried by said lid, improvements therein for efficient entrance of air into said air flow means when said lid is in the open position, said improvements comprising: a. an inlet conduit depending from said lid and communicating with said air pathway; and b. said inlet conduit terminating in a spout defining an air inlet opening for receiving air from said toilet bowl, said inlet opening residing remotely from said air space between the upper surface of said bowl and said seat when said lid is in the closed position, and said inlet opening residing below said seat and within said air space between said seat and the upper surface of said bowl when said lid is in the open position.

Claim 3

The improvements of claim 1, wherein said inlet conduit is rigidly affixed to said lid and said inlet opening rotates about the axis of rotation of said hinge means as said lid is moved between the closed position and the open position.

Claim 4

The improvements of claim 2, wherein said inlet opening resides in a substantially horizontal plane when said lid is in the closed position and resides in an upright plane when said lid is in the open position.

Claim 5

The improvements of claim 1, wherein said inlet conduit extends from said lid and thence downwardly to reside in close proximity to said seat when said lid is in the closed position and at least partially within the space between said seat and the upper surface of said bowl when said lid is in the open position.

Claim 6

The improvements of claim 1, further including an air outlet conduit carried by said lid and residing laterally of said inlet conduit.

Claim 7

The improvements of claim 5, wherein said outlet conduit includes an outlet opening residing rearwardly of said seat and positioned for discharging air in a direction laterally from said toilet bowl.

Claim 8

The improvements of claim 6, wherein said hinge means includes a hinge post upstanding from said bowl and residing intermediate said air inlet opening and said air outlet opening.

Claim 9

A water closet air ventilating system including: a seat spaced above the upper surface of a toilet bowl and defining an air space therebetween, a lid for selectively covering said seat, hinge means including a hinge post upstanding from said bowl, said hinge means having an axis of rotation located above said bowl for coupling said lid to said bowl for movement between a substantially horizontal closed position and an upright open position, air flow means including an air pathway carried by said lid, and an inlet conduit depending from said lid, said inlet conduit communicating at one end with said air pathway and terminating in a spout defining an air inlet opening at the opposite end thereof, said inlet conduit below said seat and below the axis of rotation of said hinge means, said inlet conduit being rotatable with said lid from a first position, in which said lid is closed and said inlet opening resides remotely from said air space between the upper surface of the bowl so that said air inlet opening receives air primarily from outside said toilet bowl, to a second position, in which said lid is open and said inlet opening extends in said air space between the seat and the upper surface of the bowl so that said air inlet opening resides within said space and receives air primarily from inside said toilet bowl.

Claim 10

A water closet air ventilating system including: a seat spaced above the upper surface of a toilet bowl and defining an air space therebetween, a lid for selectively covering said seat, hinge means including a hinge post upstanding from said bowl, said hinge means having an axis of rotation located above said bowl for coupling said lid to said bowl for movement between a substantially horizontal closed position and an upright open position, air flow means including an air pathway carried by said lid, and an inlet conduit depending from said lid, said inlet conduit communicating at one end with said air pathway and terminating in a spout defining an air inlet opening at the opposite end thereof, said inlet conduit below said seat and below the axis of rotation of said hinge means, said inlet conduit being rotatable with said lid from a first position, in which said lid is closed and said inlet opening resides remotely from said air space between the upper surface of the bowl so that said air inlet opening receives air primarily from outside said toilet bowl, to a second position, in which said lid is open and said inlet opening extends in said air space between the seat and the upper surface of the bowl so that said air inlet opening resides within said space and receives air primarily from inside said toilet bowl.

Claim 11

The water closet air ventilating system of claim 8, further including an air outlet conduit carried by said lid and residing laterally of said inlet conduit.

Claim 12

The water closet air ventilating system of claim 9, wherein said outlet conduit includes an outlet opening residing rearwardly of said seat and positioned for discharging air in a direction laterally from said toilet bowl.

Claim 13

The water closet air ventilating system of claim 10, in which said outlet opening is located beneath said seat.