EP2960382B1

EP2960382B1 - In-wall mountable boundary box for tap

Info

Publication number: EP2960382B1
Application number: EP15171118.1A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Tai-ying TANG
Original assignee: Roman Dietsche GmbH and Co KG
Current assignee: Roman Dietsche GmbH and Co KG
Priority date: 2014-06-09
Filing date: 2015-06-09
Publication date: 2017-09-20
Anticipated expiration: 2035-06-09
Also published as: EP2960382A1; CN204080955U

Description

Technical field

This patent refers to a pre-mounted installation box for faucets according to the preamble of claim 1.

State of the art

A kind of the pre-mounted installation box is circular, whereas the fixture frame is usually also circular. The fixture frame may be installed directly on the installation box. By means of threads on the fixture frame and the box, or alternatively by means of buckles, the fixture frame and the pre-mounted installation box can be connected tightly. During the installation, the fixture frame and installation box have to be rotated about each other, which may lead to a restriction: when the installation box is non-circular, the fixture frame can not be installed.
When the installation box is non-circular, the fixture frame is usually separated into two parts, i.e. two fixture planks. The fixture plank has buckles in its inner side, which can match to the other joints on the outer wall of the installation box. Additionally, the fixture plank has plugs on one end and sockets on the other end. The fixture frame may be formed by connecting both fixture planks by plugging the plugs to the sockets on each other, yet the strength is reduced significantly and the connection is weakened. Due to the fixture frame is separable, when the fixture planks are under strong external force, the connection may be broken and the installation box may become unstable.
EP 1 382 757 A1 being the next prior art discloses a sanitary installation unit. CN 103669495 A , EP 2 143 846 A1 , DE 10 2004 040 084 A1 and DE 203 03 949 U1 disclose further sanitary installation units.

Contents of the patent

This patent introduces a pre-mounted installation box for faucets. By using plugs to fix the fixture frame to the box body, the shape of the fixture frame is no longer restricted by the shape of the installation box. This design not only simplifies the installation of the installation box, but also strengthens the stability of the installation box.
The technical solution introduced by this patent is solved by the features of claim 1.
In order to break the restriction of the existing pre-mounted installation box and its installation method, this patent introduces a new pre-mounted installation box for faucets.
Firstly, the fixture frame is designed to have a circular structure, which is inseparable. This design not only may fix the installation box, tighten its installation, but also may simplify the installation and break the restriction of the shape of the fixture frame.
Secondly, in this patent, plugs, first ribs, second ribs along with sockets, first notches and second notches that may fit to them, are able to fix the fixture frame and the installation box into one piece tightly.
At last, in this patent, the plug is fixed by the bar-shape buckle in the fixture frame, which may tighten the connection between the fixture frame and the box body. The designed structure is concise, it not only may simplify the installation and operation of the pre-mounted installation box in the hollow wall, but also may adapt the fixture frame with a certain shape to the box body that in different shape.
Further preferred embodiments are stated in the subclaims.

Figure description

Figure 1: is the main view of the fixture frame described by this patent;
Figure 2: is the pictorial drawing of the fixture frame described by this patent;
Figure 3: is the structural representation of the plug described by this patent;
Figure 4: is the structural representation of the box body described by this patent;
Figure 5: is the assembly drawing of the fixture frame and the box body described by this patent;
Figure 6: is the schematic drawing after the assembly of the fixture frame and the box body described by this patent; and
Figure 7: is the schematic drawing of the box body installed with the fixture frame described by this patent.

Application modes

In the following, there are detailed explanations for this patent with the schematic drawings. It serves the technicians in this field, so that one may apply these modes according to the guideline.
As shown in Figures 1-7, this patent introduces a pre-mounted installation box, comprising:

a circular fixture frame 1, plug 2, box body 3, first rib 4, socket 5, slot 6, first notch 7, first installation hole 8, bar-shape buckle 9, groove 10, second installation hole 11, inlet 12, outlet 13, fixture foot 14, second rib 15, vertical part 18 and horizontal part 17.

The box body 3, which has a rectangular cross section, has at least one inlet 12 and outlet 13. There is one fixture foot 14, which may be used for mounting the box body 3, on each corner of the box body 3.
Several first installation holes 8 are distributed equally on the circular fixture frame 1.
The linkage mechanism includes: a first notch 7, slot 6, first rib 4, bar-shape buckle 9, second rib 15, plug 2 and second notch 16.
First notch 7 is located on the inner side of the fixture frame 1.
Slot 6, which has the hole on the end surface of the fixture frame 1, extends through the frame 1 to the first notch 7. Additionally, slot 6 goes through the first notch 7 and forms an extension part below the first notch 7.
First rib 4 comprises the first rectangular part, the first tail, which is wider than the first rectangular part, and the triangular first head. First rib 4 is located on the outer side of the box body 3 and has at least one socket 5.
Second notch 16 is located on the inner side of the fixture frame 1.
Second rib 15, which is located on the outer side of the box body 3, comprises the second rectangular part, the second tail, which is wider than the second rectangular part, and the triangular second head.
Bar-shape buckle 9, which is located at one side of the fixture frame 1, with its root connected to the fixture frame 1, becomes a part of the fixture frame 1.
The first notch 7 is between the head of the bar-shape buckle 9 and the fixture frame 1. The extension of the slot 6 is between the first side wall and the fixture frame 1, where the first side wall has a linear bump that is perpendicular to the extension of slot 6. The second side wall and the fixture frame 1 are separated by a narrow groove.
The plug 2 is an L-shape component that consists of the horizontal part 17 and the vertical part 18. The horizontal part 17 has a second installation hole 11. The bottom of plug 2 has a groove 10 that fits to the linear bump on the first side wall.
Four linkage mechanisms are included in this application mode. Each two first ribs 4 are located on the same side wall and close to the edges of the box body 3 separately. Four second ribs 15 are located on four side walls of the box body 3.
As shown in Figure 5 and 6, the installation process is:
Fixture frame 1 is installed around the box body 3. First rib 4 goes through first notch 7, leading the slot 6 to one of the sockets 5. Second rib 15 goes through second notch 16. Plug 2 is inserted into slot 6. The horizontal part 17 of plug 2 remains outside the slot 6. The bottom of the plug 2 may be inserted into the extension of the slot 6, where the groove 10 at the bottom should match to the linear bump. The mounted installation box is shown in the Figure 7.

Claims

A pre-mounted installation box for faucets, comprising:
a) a box body (3),

b) a circular fixture frame (1), which is installed around the box body (3) and is connected with the box body (3) via at least one linkage mechanism,

c) wherein the linkage mechanism includes
i. a first notch (7), which is located on an inner side of the fixture frame (1), and

ii. a first rib (4), which is located on an outer side of the box body (3) and has at least one socket (5), which first rib (4) extends into the first notch (7),
characterized by

iii. a slot (6), extending from a hole on an end surface of the fixture frame (1) the fixture frame (1) to the first notch (7), and

iv. a plug (2), which is plugged into the slot (6) and reaches the socket (5) thereby locking up the position of the fixture frame (1).
A pre-mounted installation box for faucets according to claim 1,
a) wherein the slot (6) goes through the first notch (7) and forms an extension part below the first notch (7), and

b) wherein the linkage mechanism also includes a bar-shape buckle (9), which is located at one side of the fixture frame (1), with its root connected to the fixture frame (1), and becomes a part of the fixture frame (1),
- wherein the first notch (7) is between a head of the bar-shape buckle (9) and the fixture frame (1),

- wherein the extension of the slot (6) is between the first side wall and the fixture frame (1), where the first side wall has a linear bump that is perpendicular to the extension,

- wherein the second side wall and the fixture frame (1) are separated by a narrow groove, and

c) wherein a bottom of the plug (2) may be inserted to the extension part and has a groove (10) that fits to the linear bump on the first side wall.
A pre-mounted installation box for faucets according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the first rib (4) comprises a first rectangular part and a first tail, which is wider than the first rectangular part, and a triangular first head.
A pre-mounted installation box for faucets according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the linkage mechanism also includes
a) a second notch (16), which is located on the inner side of the fixture frame (1), and

b) a second rib (15), which is located on the outer side of the box (3) body, goes through the second notch (16) and comprises a second rectangular part and a second tail, which is wider than the second rectangular part, and a triangular second head.
A pre-mounted installation box for faucets according to claim 1, wherein the fixture frame (1) has several first installation holes (18).
A pre-mounted installation box for faucets according to claim 1, wherein the plug (2) is an L-shape component that consists of a horizontal part (17) and a vertical part (18), the horizontal part (17) having a second installation hole (11).
A pre-mounted installation box for faucets according to claim 1, wherein the at least one linkage mechanism includes four linkage mechanisms, each two first ribs (4) being located on the same side wall and close to edges of the box body (3) separately.
A pre-mounted installation box for faucets according to claim 4, wherein the at least one linkage mechanism includes four linkage mechanisms, each two first ribs (4) being located on the same side wall and close to edges of the installation box separately, four second ribs (15) being located on four side walls of the box body (3).
A pre-mounted installation box for faucets according to claim 1, wherein a cross section of the box body (3) is rectangular.