US20080301865A1

US20080301865A1 - Toilet ventilation system and associated method

Info

Publication number: US20080301865A1
Application number: US12/157,502
Authority: US
Inventors: Robert Hand
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2007-06-11
Filing date: 2008-06-11
Publication date: 2008-12-11

Abstract

A toilet ventilation system for automatically removing undesirable odor from a toilet during operation preferably includes a toilet, an air intake port, a conduit, and an air discharge port directly coupled to such a conduit. The toilet ventilation system may further include a mechanism for automatically ventilating odorous air from an area located adjacent to the toilet rim to an area remotely located from the toilet rim by siphoning the odorous air through the air intake port to the air discharge port.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/933,847, filed Jun. 11, 2007, the entire disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not Applicable.

REFERENCE TO A MICROFICHE APPENDIX

Not Applicable.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Technical Field
This invention relates to ventilation systems and, more particularly, to a toilet ventilation system for automatically removing undesirable odor from a toilet during operation.
2. Prior Art
Restrooms containing toilets are difficult to keep sanitary. This is true whether the restrooms are public or private. When a human sits on a toilet, various gases may be emitted from the human. In addition, many now believe that the flushing of the toilet produces aerosols containing pathogens. These gases and aerosols permeate the restroom, contaminating surfaces, such as water valve handles at a sink, and objects, such as toothbrushes and towels, with germs.
Bathroom, and specifically toilet ventilation has been pursued over the years with a variety of designs and techniques, with typically similar approaches. Ventilation of a bathroom space is most efficiently affected by venting at the source of the odors. Therefore, ceiling vents and ceiling fans are inherently flawed. Not only must an immediate toilet area itself be ventilated, it must be done so forcefully, with powered forced air. Additionally, venting the toilet itself is most efficiently done by venting the exact area of odor, namely the seat area. Typical problems have involved the design of the seat itself and more specifically the ventilation holes and their size, orientation and placement. Other problems have been faced in the forced ventilation device, its design, location, switching, and noise level. Further problematic areas have been the pathway of vented gases and the gas's final environment. The present invention is disclosed in order to overcome these shortcomings.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,120,942 to Kline discloses a toilet ventilation system for efficiently removing odors from a toilet. The toilet ventilation system includes a ventilating unit attachable to a toilet having a front opening and a passage fluidly connected to the front opening, and one or more connector tubes fluidly connected to the ventilating unit for removing the odors from the toilet. The connector tubes are fluidly connected to a fan for drawing the odors through the connector tubes. The ventilating unit preferably includes a receiver opening that receives a cover opening for allowing cleaning of the passage within the ventilating unit. The cover member has a front lip that extends downwardly to prevent fluids from entering the passage within the ventilating unit. Unfortunately, this prior art example is not designed to be integrated either into a toilet or a wall, as may be convenient to a specific user.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,117,548 to Reyes discloses a toilet ventilation system comprising a seat mounted atop a typical toilet bowl and pivoting about a seat swivel mount. The seat includes vacuum intake holes disposed on the lower side, and the intake holes communicate with a vacuum canal within the seat. The vacuum canal terminates in a flexible vacuum outlet of the seat, and the vacuum outlet communicates with a vacuum hose connected to a conical vacuum pump with integral electric motor. A check valve is included atop the pump, and the pump is installed in the toilet base cavity. The check valve connects to the exhaust and exits via a sewer pipe below the toilet. Unfortunately, this prior art example does not automatically operate after a user spends a predetermined amount of time on the toilet.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,463,595 to Prisco discloses a toilet ventilation system which includes a manifold which is connectable to a toilet near an opening of a bowl thereof, and in one or more embodiments, a hollow toilet seat. The manifold has an inlet through which gases may be drawn from the toilet area, at least one outlet, and a hollow interior through which gases are routed from the inlet to the at least one outlet. The system also includes an elbow connected to the manifold at the outlet, an exhaust conduit connected to the elbow, and an air flow inducing element for drawing air from the toilet area through the manifold from its inlet to outlet and then through the elbow and exhaust conduit to an exhaust point. In one or more other embodiments, manifold has a bottom surface adjacent the inlet which slopes downwardly in the direction of the inlet, causing fluid which enters the inlet to drain back out of the inlet.
Additionally, in one embodiment, the manifold includes at least one fluid flow prevention element for preventing the flow of liquid through the manifold from the inlet to the outlet. This fluid flow prevention element may comprise at least one wall extending upwardly from the bottom surface. The toilet seat includes one or more inlets or vents in a bottom surface leading through the seat to an outlet aligned with the inlet of the manifold, causing air to be drawn directly from the bowl area. Unfortunately, this prior art example is not designed to be integrated either into a toilet or a wall, as may be convenient to a specific user.
Accordingly, the present invention is disclosed in order to overcome the above noted shortcomings. The toilet ventilation system is convenient and easy to use, lightweight yet durable in design, and designed for automatically removing undesirable odor from a toilet during operation. The present invention is simple to use, inexpensive, and designed for many years of repeated use.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the foregoing background, it is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for automatically removing undesirable odor from a toilet during operation. These and other objects, features, and advantages of the invention are provided by a toilet ventilation system.
A toilet ventilation system for automatically removing undesirable odor from a toilet during operation preferably includes a toilet, an air intake port formed along an inner perimeter of a rim of such a toilet, a conduit that has a first section directly coupled to such an air intake port, and an air discharge port directly coupled to such a conduit.
The toilet ventilation system may further include a mechanism for conveniently and automatically ventilating odorous air from an area located adjacent to the toilet rim to an area remotely located from the toilet rim by siphoning the odorous air through the air intake port to the air discharge port.
Such an automatic ventilating mechanism is preferably automatically toggled between active and inactive modes when a user sits on the toilet and departs from the toilet respectively, and may include an air-discharging device connected directly to the conduit and may be in fluid communication therewith. The air-discharging device is preferably located down stream of the air intake port and further may be located upstream of the air outlet port. The air-discharging device preferably includes a motorized fan, a motor, and a rectilinear drive shaft coupled to such a motor and pivotally reciprocated along an arcuate path. Such a drive shaft is effectively rotatably mated to the conduit.
The air-discharging device may further include first and second levers mated directly to the drive shaft and oriented generally perpendicular thereto respectively, and first and second bellows may be included for conveniently delivering pressurized air in a controlled quantity to the conduit. Such first and second bellows are preferably deformably resilient such that when an air volume of the first and second bellows is decreased, air escapes through the conduit. The device may further include a plurality of chambers and a plurality of flaps pivotally coupled to ingress and egress orifices of such chambers respectively. Each of such flaps may be selectively articulated between open and closed positions for permitting and prohibiting the pressurized air from passing through associated ones of the chambers.
The chambers preferably include an air ingress chamber in direct fluid communication with the air intake port, first and second air holding chambers in direct fluid communication with the air ingress chamber, and an air egress chamber in direct fluid communication with the first and second air holding chambers. Such an air egress chamber may be advantageously isolated from the air ingress chamber, and first and second ones of the flaps are preferably pivotally seated at the ingress orifices of the first and second air holding chambers respectively. Third and fourth ones of the flaps may be pivotally seated at the egress orifices of the first and second air holding chambers respectively.
The first and second bellows may be alternately compressed and expanded along mutually exclusive vertical paths as the drive shaft effectively pivots along the arcuate path. Each of the first and second bellows preferably increases and decreases air pressure inside of the first and second air holding chambers and thereby causes the flaps to synchronously articulate between the open and closed positions such that the odorous air is continuously forced into the air ingress chamber and expelled through the air egress chamber during compression and expansion of the first and second bellows.
The automatic ventilating mechanism may further include a power source electrically coupled to the air-discharging device and a sensor electrically coupled to such a power source for advantageously detecting when the user sits on the toilet and departs from the toilet respectively. Such a sensor preferably generates and transmits true and false detection signals to a logic gate and a timer when the user sits on the toilet and departs from the toilet respectively. Such a logic gate is electrically coupled directly to the sensor, and such a timer is electrically coupled to the sensor and the logic gate.
The timer preferably generates and transmits start and stop timing signals upon receiving the true and false detections signals such that the timer measures a length of time that the user is seated on the toilet. If the user is seated on the toilet for a length of time that is less than a maximum threshold length of time, then the timer preferably generates and transmits a false timing signal to the logic gate. If the user is seated on the toilet for a length of time that is greater than the maximum threshold length of time, then the timer preferably generates and transmits a true timing signal to the logic gate. The logic gate may further generate and transmit a true output signal to the air-discharging device when both of the timing and detection signals are true for activating the air-discharging device. The logic gate may further generate and transmit a false output signal to the air-discharging device when at least one of the timing and detection signals are false for deactivating the air-discharging device.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.
It is noted the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to enable the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally, especially the scientists, engineers and practitioners in the art who are not familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of the application. The abstract is neither intended to define the invention of the application, which is measured by the claims, nor is it intended to be limiting as to the scope of the invention in any way.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING

The novel features believed to be characteristic of this invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its organization and method of operation, together with further objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a preferred embodiment of a toilet ventilation system, in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross sectional view of an air discharging device, showing the movement of a drive shaft along an arcuate path, in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged cross sectional view of the air discharging device shown in FIG. 2, showing the opposite movement of the drive shaft along the arcuate path;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a rear elevational view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention, as seen in FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a schematic block diagram of an air ventilation mechanism, in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a schematic block diagram of the air discharging device, as seen in FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a schematic block diagram of the preferred embodiment of the toilet ventilation system, in accordance with the present invention; and

FIG. 10 is a schematic block diagram of an alternate embodiment of the toilet ventilation system, in accordance with the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which a preferred embodiment of the invention is shown. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiment set forth herein. Rather, this embodiment is provided so that this application will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the true scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout the figures.
The system of this invention is referred to generally in FIGS. 1-10 by the reference numeral 10 and is intended to provide a toilet ventilation system. It should be understood that the system 10 may be used to ventilate many different types of rooms and should not be limited to ventilating only those types of rooms mentioned herein.
Referring initially to FIGS. 1, 4, 5, 6, 9 and 10, a toilet ventilation system 10, 10′ for automatically removing undesirable odor from a toilet during operation preferably includes a toilet 20, 20′, an air intake port 21, 21′ formed along an inner perimeter 22, 22′ of a rim of such a toilet 20, 20′, a conduit 23, 23′ that has a first section 24, 24′ directly coupled, without the use of intervening elements, to such an air intake port 21, 21′, and an air discharge port 25, 25′ directly coupled to such a conduit 23, 23′. The combination of the conduit within the toilet provides the unpredictable and unexpected result of preventing odors and germs from spreading throughout an entire restroom.
Referring to FIGS. 1, 2, 3 and 8, the toilet ventilation system 10 may further include a mechanism 47, 47′ for automatically ventilating odorous air from an area located adjacent to the toilet rim 20, 20′ to an area remotely located from the toilet rim 20, 20′ by siphoning the odorous air through the air intake port 21, 21′ to the air discharge port 25, 25′. Such an automatic ventilating mechanism 47, 47′ is preferably automatically toggled between active and inactive modes when a user sits on the toilet 20, 20′ and departs from the toilet 20, 20′ respectively, and may include an air-discharging device 48 connected directly, without the use of intervening elements, to the conduit 23, 23′ and may be in fluid communication therewith.
The air-discharging device 48 is preferably located down stream of the air intake port 21, 21′ and further may be located upstream of the air outlet port. The air-discharging device 48 preferably includes a motorized fan 26, a motor 27, and a rectilinear drive shaft 28 coupled to such a motor 27 and pivotally reciprocated along an arcuate path 29. Such a drive shaft 28 is rotatably mated to the conduit 23, 23′. The air discharging device 48 may be situated inside the toilet 20, 20′ or inside a wall, thereby enabling a user to purchase a toilet with an incorporated device, or alternatively providing an option for enabling a building to have the system incorporated into a wall during construction procedures.
Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, the air-discharging device 48 may further include first and second levers 30, 31 mated directly, without the use of intervening element, to the drive shaft 28 and oriented generally perpendicular thereto respectively, and first and second bellows 32, 33 may be included for delivering pressurized air in a controlled quantity to the conduit 23, 23′. Such first and second bellows 32, 33 are preferably deformably resilient which is essential such that when an air volume of the first and second bellows 32, 33 is decreased, air escapes through the conduit 23, 23′. The device 48 may further include a plurality of chambers 34 and a plurality of flaps 35 pivotally coupled to ingress and egress orifices 36, 37 of such chambers 34 respectively. Each of such flaps 35 may be selectively articulated between open and closed positions for permitting and prohibiting the pressurized air from passing through associated ones of the chambers 34.
The chambers 34 preferably include an air ingress chamber 38 in direct fluid communication with the air intake port 21, 21′, first and second air holding chambers 39, 40 in direct fluid communication with the air ingress chamber 38, and an air egress chamber 41 in direct fluid communication with the first and second air holding chambers 39, 40. Such an air egress chamber 41 may be isolated from the air ingress chamber 38, and first and second ones of the flaps 42, 43 are preferably pivotally seated at the ingress orifices 36 of the first and second air holding chambers 39, 40 respectively. Third and fourth ones of the flaps 44, 45 may be pivotally seated at the egress orifices 37 of the first and second air holding chambers 39, 40 respectively. The combination of the air ingress and egress chambers provides the unpredictable and unexpected result, which is not rendered obvious by one skilled in the art, of removing the contaminated air from the toilet and filtering the air to remove any odor or bacteria to a remote location.
The first and second bellows 32, 33 may be alternately compressed and expanded along mutually exclusive vertical paths 46 as the drive shaft 28 pivots along the arcuate path 29. Each of the first and second bellows 32, 33 preferably increases and decreases air pressure inside of the first and second air holding chambers 39, 40 and thereby causes the flaps 35 to synchronously articulate between the open and closed positions which is vital such that the odorous air is continuously forced into the air ingress chamber 38 and expelled through the air egress chamber 41 during compression and expansion of the first and second bellows 32, 33.
Referring to FIGS. 1 and 7, the automatic ventilating mechanism 47, 47′ may further include a power source 49 electrically coupled to the air-discharging device 48 and a sensor 50 electrically coupled to such a power source 49 for detecting when the user sits on the toilet 20, 20′ and departs from the toilet 20, 20′ respectively. Such a sensor 50 preferably generates and transmits true and false detection signals to a logic gate 51 and a timer 52 when the user sits on the toilet 20, 20′ and departs from the toilet 20, 20′ respectively. Such a logic gate 51 is electrically coupled directly, without the use of intervening elements, to the sensor 50, and such a timer 52 is electrically coupled to the sensor 50 and the logic gate 51.
The timer 52 preferably generates and transmits start and stop timing signals upon receiving the true and false detections signals such that the timer 52 measures a length of time that the user is seated on the toilet 20, 20′. If the user is seated on the toilet 20, 20′ for a length of time that is less than a maximum threshold length of time, then the timer 52 preferably generates and transmits a false timing signal to the logic gate 51. If the user is seated on the toilet 20, 20′ for a length of time that is greater than the maximum threshold length of time, then the timer 52 preferably generates and transmits a true timing signal to the logic gate 51.
The logic gate 51 may further generate and transmit a true output signal to the air-discharging device 48 when both of the timing and detection signals are true for activating the air-discharging device 48. The logic gate 51 may further generate and transmit a false output signal to the air-discharging device. 48 when at least one of the timing and detection signals are false for deactivating the air-discharging device 48. The timer provides the unexpected benefit of automatically activating the system after a user has spent an extended period of time upon a toilet, thereby ensuring that odors and bacteria will immediately be removed from the toilet.
The system may include a toilet that preferably has an integrated or external mechanism for automatically ventilating odorous air that is specifically configured to remove odors from a toilet bowl before the odors enter the bathroom environment. The toilet may be produced of durable materials like porcelain or plastic, for example, and may further have a standard trip-lever flushing mechanism. Of course, the toilet may be produced in a selection of attractive colors, as well as standard white, as is obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art. A motor is preferably connected within the base of the toilet, and a motorized fan may also be internally connected within the toilet to a conduit.
In use, the toilet ventilation system 10 is easy and straightforward to operate. During or immediately after using a toilet a sensor may become activated when a user remains on the toilet for a predetermined amount of time. Once activated, the system 10 conveniently begins to pull air from within the toilet bowl, and through the conduit which surrounds the bowl's rim. By creating a negative pressure within the bowl, the air effectively travels through the specially designed system, and out through the household vent. After use, the toilet is simply flushed as usual and the system continues to run for several seconds, removing lingering odors, bacteria, and contaminated aerosols.
The present invention, as claimed, provides the unexpected and unpredictable benefit of a system that is convenient and easy to use, is durable in design, is versatile in its applications, and offers users a simple and efficient means of maintaining a fresh, clean bathroom environment. The present invention effectively eliminates unpleasant bathroom odors produced by persons while they are using the bathroom facilities. In addition to removing odors, the system also removes many of the microscopic germs and bacteria which infiltrate the bathroom through aerosol spray each time the toilet is flushed. The present invention also offers users an effective alternative to those costly aerosol and solid air fresheners which serve only to mask bathroom odors.
While the invention has been described with respect to a certain specific embodiment, it will be appreciated that many modifications and changes may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention. It is intended, therefore, by the appended claims to cover all such modifications and changes as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.
In particular, with respect to the above description, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the present invention may include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation. The assembly and use of the present invention are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art.

Claims

1. A toilet ventilation system for automatically removing undesirable odor from a toilet during operation, said toilet ventilation system comprising:

a toilet;

an air intake port formed along an inner perimeter of a rim of said toilet;

a conduit having a first section directly coupled to said air intake port;

an air discharge port directly coupled to said conduit; and

means for automatically ventilating odorous air from an area located adjacent to said toilet rim to an area remotely located from said toilet rim by siphoning said odorous air through said air intake port to said air discharge port.

2. The toilet ventilation system of claim 1, wherein said automatic ventilating means comprises:

an air-discharging device connected directly to said conduit and being in fluid communication therewith, said air-discharging device being located down stream of said air intake port and further being located upstream of said air outlet port;

a power source electrically coupled to said air-discharging device;

a sensor electrically coupled to said power source for detecting when said user sits on said toilet and departs from said toilet respectively;

a logic gate electrically coupled directly to said sensor; and

a timer electrically coupled to said sensor and said logic gate.

3. The toilet ventilation system of claim 2, wherein said sensor generates and transmits true and false detection signals to said logic gate and said timer when said user sits on said toilet and departs from said toilet respectively.

4. The toilet ventilation system of claim 3, wherein said timer generates and transmits start and stop timing signals upon receiving said true and false detections signals such that said timer measures a length of time that said user is seated on said toilet;

wherein if said user is seated on said toilet for a length of time that is less than a maximum threshold length of time, then said timer generates and transmits a false timing signal to said logic gate;

wherein if said user is seated on said toilet for a length of time that is greater than said maximum threshold length of time, then said timer generates and transmits a true timing signal to said logic gate.

5. The toilet ventilation system of claim 4, wherein said logic gate generates and transmits a true output signal to said air-discharging device when both of said timing and detection signals are true for activating said air-discharging device.

6. The toilet ventilation system of claim 5, wherein said logic gate generates and transmits a false output signal to said air-discharging device when at least one of said timing and detection signals are false for deactivating said air-discharging device.

7. The toilet ventilation system of claim 2, wherein said air-discharging device comprises: a motorized fan.

8. The toilet ventilation system of claim 2, wherein said air-discharging device comprises:

a motor;

a rectilinear drive shaft coupled to said motor and being pivotally reciprocated along an arcuate path, said drive shaft being rotatably mated to said conduit;

first and second levers mated directly to said drive shaft and being oriented generally perpendicular thereto respectively;

first and second bellows for delivering pressurized air in a controlled quantity to said conduit, said first and second bellows being deformably resilient such that when an air volume of said first and second bellows is decreased, air escapes through said conduit;

a plurality of chambers and a plurality of flaps pivotally coupled to ingress and egress orifices of said chambers respectively, each of said flaps being selectively articulated between open and closed positions for permitting and prohibiting the pressurized air from passing through associated ones of said chambers.

9. The toilet ventilation system of claim 8, wherein said chambers comprise:

an air ingress chamber in direct fluid communication with said air intake port;

first and second air holding chambers in direct fluid communication with said air ingress chamber;

an air egress chamber in direct fluid communication with said first and second air holding chambers, said air egress chamber being isolated from said air ingress chamber;

wherein first and second ones of said flaps are pivotally seated at said ingress orifices of said first and second air holding chambers respectively;

wherein third and fourth ones of said flaps are pivotally seated at said egress orifices of said first and second air holding chambers respectively.

10. The toilet ventilation system of claim 9, wherein said first and second bellows are alternately compressed and expanded along mutually exclusive vertical paths as said drive shaft pivots along said arcuate path, each of said first and second bellows increasing and decreasing air pressure inside of said first and second air holding chambers and thereby causing said flaps to synchronously articulate between the open and closed positions such that the odorous air is continuously forced into said air ingress chamber and expelled through said air egress chamber during compression and expansion of said first and second bellows.

11. A toilet ventilation system for automatically removing undesirable odor from a toilet during operation, said toilet ventilation system comprising:

a toilet;

an air intake port formed along an inner perimeter of a rim of said toilet;

a conduit having a first section directly coupled to said air intake port;

an air discharge port directly coupled to said conduit; and

means for automatically ventilating odorous air from an area located adjacent to said toilet rim to an area remotely located from said toilet rim by siphoning said odorous air through said air intake port to said air discharge port;

wherein said automatic ventilating means is automatically toggled between active and inactive modes when a user sits on said toilet and departs from said toilet respectively.

12. The toilet ventilation system of claim 11, wherein said automatic ventilating means comprises:

a power source electrically coupled to said air-discharging device;

a logic gate electrically coupled directly to said sensor; and

a timer electrically coupled to said sensor and said logic gate.

13. The toilet ventilation system of claim 12, wherein said sensor generates and transmits true and false detection signals to said logic gate and said timer when said user sits on said toilet and departs from said toilet respectively.

14. The toilet ventilation system of claim 13, wherein said timer generates and transmits start and stop timing signals upon receiving said true and false detections signals such that said timer measures a length of time that said user is seated on said toilet;

15. The toilet ventilation system of claim 14, wherein said logic gate generates and transmits a true output signal to said air-discharging device when both of said timing and detection signals are true for activating said air-discharging device.

16. The toilet ventilation system of claim 15, wherein said logic gate generates and transmits a false output signal to said air-discharging device when at least one of said timing and detection signals are false for deactivating said air-discharging device.

17. The toilet ventilation system of claim 12, wherein said air-discharging device comprises: a motorized fan.

18. The toilet ventilation system of claim 12, wherein said air-discharging device comprises:

a motor;

19. The toilet ventilation system of claim 18, wherein said chambers comprise:

an air ingress chamber in direct fluid communication with said air intake port;

20. The toilet ventilation system of claim 19, wherein said first and second bellows are alternately compressed and expanded along mutually exclusive vertical paths as said drive shaft pivots along said arcuate path, each of said first and second bellows increasing and decreasing air pressure inside of said first and second air holding chambers and thereby causing said flaps to synchronously articulate between the open and closed positions such that the odorous air is continuously forced into said air ingress chamber and expelled through said air egress chamber during compression and expansion of said first and second bellows.