EP0170634A2

EP0170634A2 - Sectional modular sanitary ware

Info

Publication number: EP0170634A2
Application number: EP85830173A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Marco Battaglia
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1984-07-30
Filing date: 1985-07-04
Publication date: 1986-02-05
Also published as: IT1174620B; IT8422126A0; EP0170634A3

Abstract

Sectional modular sanitary ware comprises individual sanitary ware units such as a washbasin (10), bidet (11), lavatory (13) and bath (14) each provided with correspondingly shaped side walls, for example flat, having recesses or seatings (3) for receiving interconnection means in the form of dowels (4) to join the modular units (10, 11, 13, 14) together. The seatings (3) are positioned at a level which will be at the same horizontal level from the ground when the units are in position and the invention includes shelving units (12) likewise provided with correspondingly shaped faces with recesses (3) for receiving the dowels (4) to provide suitable spacing between the individual sanitary ware units.

Description

The present invention relates to sectional modular sanitary ware, that is appliances for washing and other sanitary purposes and usually fitted in bathrooms.
As is known, bathrooms are usually provided with sanitary appliances generally constituted by individual elements made of ceramic or enamelled iron, which are each separately fitted in the bathroom and connected individually to the water supply and the drainage system.
This type of arrangement, however, is very often unsatisfactory from an aesthetic point of view, and does not make the best use of the available space in the bathroom. Recently it has become known to fit sanitary ware items, particularly washbasins, into modular furniture units, generally made of wood or plastics, which in practice contain the various sanitary appliances which are traditionally made from ceramics. Although this is an improvement over the traditional arrangements, it is not free from disadvantages in that it requires the utilisation of a plurality of separate elements and there are often difficulties in connecting together the various sanitary appliances and the furniture unit, within which the sanitary appliances are to be lodged.
The present invention seeks therefore to overcome the above described disadvantages, providing a new structure for sanitary ware, which comprises modular units which can be directly connected together in a way which gives the possibility of obtaining the most varied alternative furnishing configurations, whilst moreover, having significant functional advantages and also the possibility of significantly improving the aesthetic appearance of a bathroom.
According to the present invention, there is provided sectional modular sanitary ware suitable for a bathroom, characterised in that it comprises a plurality of sectional elements having a base body for resting on the ground and correspondingly shaped opposite side walls having connector element seatings for receiving connector elements for connecting the said sectional elements together, the said seatings all being disposed at the same height from the ground, whereby adjacent sectional elements resting on the ground can be connected together.
An advantage of the present invention is that of providing a modular sanitary ware system or structure with which all the installation operations are considerably simplified and which offers the user a very wide range of possible bathroom arrangements in such a way as to be adaptable to all the requirements of a bathroom whilst at the same time leaving plenty of scope for personal preferences.
Another advantage of the present invention is that it provides sanitary ware which, being completely made in ceramics, gives the possibility of meeting even the most rigorous rules of hygiene, whilst at the same time simplifying all the associated cleaning operations.
Not the least advantage of the present invention is that it provides sectional modular sanitary ware which, because of its particular structural characteristics, gives the widest guarantee of reliability and safety in use, and which is competitive from an economic point of view.
One embodiment of the present invention will now be more particularly described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view of a bath formed in accordance with the principles of the present invention to a lavatory pan with intermediate shelves;
Figure 2 is a schematic exploded view, illustrating the coupling of a bidet to a lavatory pan, again with shelves positioned intermediate the two; and
Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view, showing the interconnection of handbasins and shelves.

Referring now to the drawings there is shown sectional modular sanitary ware for bathrooms, comprising a plurality of sectional elements which can individually fulfil the various requirements for ablutions in a bathroom.
The common characteristic of all the sectional elements of the modular units is that all the sectional elements have a base 1 which may rest on the ground and have at their upper rear edge 2 means for connection to a wall. The various sectional elements can be made in a range of different widths, and have the common characteristic of presenting, in correspondence with their respective side faces, seatings 3 which are disposed all at the same height from the ground. In the embodiment illustrated the side faces are all flat: however, it will be appreciated that corresponding shapes, such as concave and convex shapes, or others, may be employed, and indeed a corrugated shape to the side faces may help in correctly locating the sectional units together.
In the illustrated embodiment the seatings 3 are circular holes in which can be fitted dowels 4 which allow precise alignment and coupling between the adjacent elements. As is schematically illustrated in Figure 3 of the drawings, the sectional elements include a washbasin 10 which can be of the single or double bowl type, and which has in its side faces and close to its upper edge, indicated 10a, the said seatings 3 for receiving the dowels 4.
As can be seen in Figure 2, between the sectional elements constituting the shelf 12 and the lavatory 13 there is further provided another sectional element comprising a bidet 11 which has a substantially box- like conformation and which has an upper rim-like support surface 11 a. This latter is at substantially the same horizontal level as the support surface defined by shelves 12 which, as can be seen in the drawings, can be interposed between each pair of adjacent sectional elements in such a way as to create between the sectional elements a convenient separation distance to facilitate utilisation and avoid overcrowding.
The water closet or lavatory 13 and the bath tub 14 also have the same characteristics as previously described having the possibility of being fitted alongside each other or the bidet either directly or with the interposition of a shelf 12. The shelves 12 may, indeed, be entirely supported between adjacent sectional units on the dowels 4, or may be provided with independent supports, such as brackets or pedestals. In Figure 3 the shelves 21 shown alongside the washbasin 10 are supported on brackets (not shown), and serve to extend the upper surface of the washbasin.
Thus a plurality of sanitary appliances are provided, which can be made entirely in ceramics, and which offer the possibility of being mutually fitted together thereby simplifying all the installation operations whilst allowing the possibility of obtaining, upon fitting out the bathroom, a structural continuity which, as well as significantly improving the aesthetics, creates a major improvement in the functionality of the bathroom itself.
Another aspect to be emphasised is constituted by the fact that the presence of the coupling elements constituted by the dowels 4, which are inserted into the seats defined by the holes 3 in the side faces of the various sectional elements, gives the possibility of obtaining a precise mutual positioning of all the sectional elements and thus a further simplification during the installation phase.
In practice, the materials used may be any type suitable for the purpose although it is believed that the best results will be obtained by utilising ceramics. Likewise, the dimensions and shapes of the sectional elements may be different from thos illustrated by way of example.

Claims

1. Sectional modular sanitary ware suitable for a bathroom, characterised in that it comprises a plurality of sectional elements (12,13,14) each having a base body (1) for resting on the ground and correspondingly shaped opposite side walls having connector element seatings (3) for receiving connector elements (4) for connecting the said sectional elements (12,13, 14) together, the said seatings (3) all being disposed at the same height from the ground, whereby adjacent sectional elements (12,13,14) resting on the ground can be connected together.

2. Sectional modular sanitary ware, according to Claim 1, characterised by the fact that the said connector means are constituted by dowels (4) which can be removably inserted into holes (3) in the side faces of the elements, constituting the said seatings.

3. Sectional modular sanitary ware, according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, characterised by the fact that the said sectional elements comprise one or more or any combination of a washbasin (10), a bidet (11), a lavatory (13) and a bath (14).

4. Sectional modular sanitary ware according to any preceding Claim, characterised by the fact that it includes at least one shelf (12,21) which can be positioned alongside a sectional sanitary unit (10,11, 13,14).

5. Sectional modular sanitary ware according to Claim 4, characterised in that the said shelf is provided with connector means (3,4) at each end to allow it to be positioned between adjacent sectional sanitary units to determine the spacing therebetween.

6. Sectional modular sanitary ware according to Claim 5, characterised in that each said shelf is supported entirely by the said connector means (3,4) by which it is connected to the adjacent said sectional sanitary unit (10,11,13,14).

7. Sanitary ware according to Claim 5, characterised in that the said shelf (21) is provided with independent means of support, such as brackets or a pedestal.