Patent · US Expired

Devices and methods for toilet ventilation using a radar sensor

US6279173A · kind A · utility

30Cited by
65References
26Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateApr 12, 1999
Grant dateAug 28, 2001
Priority date
Expiry dateApr 12, 2019

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC E)Fixed Constructions
  • CPC primaryE03D9/05
  • WIPO fieldCivil engineering
  • WIPO sectorOther fields

Abstract

A toilet ventilation device includes a housing that defines an air inlet aperture and an air outlet aperture. Within the housing are an air movement apparatus for drawing air into the device, a filter for removing malodorous elements in the air, and a radar sensor for activating the air movement apparatus in response to the presence of a user and, optionally, deactivating the air movement apparatus when the user leaves. The toilet ventilation device is configured and arranged to draw air, using the air movement apparatus, from the toilet, through the air inlet aperture, into contact with the filter, and out the air outlet aperture. In one embodiment, the toilet ventilation device is disposed over the overflow conduit of the toilet to draw air from the bowl of the toilet, through the overflow conduit, and into the toilet ventilation device. The entire toilet ventilation device is preferably disposed within a tank of a toilet.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.