GB2481912A

GB2481912A - Cubicle suitable for the provision in a public washroom

Info

Publication number: GB2481912A
Application number: GB1111519.3A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Robert Paul Gardner; Stephen Gardner
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2010-07-06
Filing date: 2011-07-06
Publication date: 2012-01-11
Also published as: GB2481808A; GB201011344D0; GB201111519D0

Abstract

The cubicle comprises a pair of sidewalls 11, at least one fascia 12, a door 13 and a pair of spaced unitary members 14, 15, where the unitary members, in use, effect fixings between one of said fascias and one of the side walls and also a defines a hinge axis 16 for the door. The unitary members have bores which define a hinge axis the location of which defines a gap between the door and fascia. The unitary members may also comprise a hinge which comprises a torsion spring in an upper part of the unitary member so as to bias the hinge and door towards an open or closed position or to dampen the motion of the door. Also claimed is a method of constructing and apparatus for making said cubicle.

Description

IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING TO CUBICLE CONSTRUCTION

Field of the Invention

This invention relates to cubicle construction and provides a method of and/or apparatus for, providing a cubicle. A typical, though not exclusive, application for the invention is the provision of toilet cubicles within public washrooms.

Background to the Invention

Public spaces such as washrooms and changing rooms typically have an area sub-divided into cubicles. These cubicles are typically formed along a common wall of the space in which they are provided and that common wall, or a lining attached to that common wall, provides the rear boundary of the cubicle. The individual cubicles are then provided by spaced side-walls projecting from the common wall, and fascia panels and doors which, in turn, are fixed to the spaced side-walls.

Two examples of existing cubicle constructions are described in British Patents 2 135 358 and 2 262 111. In both cases, the outer edges of the spaced side-walls (i.e. the vertical edges remote from the common wall) are attached to vertical framing posts. These vertical posts, in turn, serve as mounts for the brackets which locate any fascia panels, and the hinges which locate the individual cubicle doors. These framing posts are, inevitably, bespoke extrusions and contribute significantly to the overall cost of providing the cubicle. Further care must be taken to ensure the side-walls, fascia panels and doors are individually aligned and correctly mounted to the framing post.

Frameless cubicles or enclosures have also been proposed. German patent publication DE2952574 describes a shower cubicle in which vertically spaced blocks, fixed to a wall, mount a fascia panel over lying the hinged edge of the panel. The blocks also serve as mounts for the hinge assembly which is located on links extending from each of the blocks. Thus the entire assembly is formed from at least four components. European Patent Application No. 0372206 describes a hinge assembly suitable for the construction of frameless cubicles. The hinge described is configured to not only pivotally mount the cubicle door but also to fix a fascia panel overlying the hinge, the fascia being mounted perpendicularly to the cubicle side-wall. A particular problem with the hinge described is that it locates the pivoting door in the same plane as the fascia panel and thus gives rise to a risk that the fingers of a user of the cubicle will become trapped between the door and the fascia panel.

It is an object of this invention to provide a method of and/or apparatus for providing a cubicle which will go at least some way to addressing the shortcomings described above; or which will at least offer a novel and useful alternative.

Summary of the Invention

Accordingly, in a first aspect, the invention provides apparatus for forming a cubicle against a wall, the cubicle having a pair of spaced side-walls, a fascia, and a door, said apparatus including a pair of spaced unitary members each of said unitary members having a surface for engagement against one of said side-walls and a substantially perpendicular surface for engagement against said fascia, said apparatus being characterised in that said unitary members further include bores that, in use, are aligned to define a hinge axis for said door, the axes of said bores being positioned in relation to those surfaces that engage said fascia so as to, in use, define a finger gap between said fascia and said door.

Preferably at least one of said unitary members provides part of a biasing facility operable to bias said door toward an open or a closed position.

Preferably said pair of spaced unitary members are provided as an upper member and a lower member, said biasing facility being provided in part by said upper member.

Preferably said biasing facility comprises a torsion spring.

Preferably said lower member provides part of a damping facility operable to damp movement of said door.

Preferably said fascia is, upon assembly, arranged to have an inner surface and an outer surface, said unitary members, in use, engaging said inner surface.

In a second aspect the invention provides a cubicle when formed using the apparatus, set forth above.

Many variations in the way the invention may be performed will present themselves to those skilled in the art, upon reading the following description.

The description should not be regarded as limiting but rather as an illustration, only, of one manner of performing the invention. Where appropriate any element or component should be taken as including any or all equivalents thereof whether or not specifically mentioned.

Brief Description of the Drawings

One working embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1: shows a top plan view of part of a cubicle assembly formed according to the invention; Figure 2: shows a view along the line Il-Il in Figure 1; Figure 3: shows an enlarged exploded view of the components forming an upper fixing assembly incorporated in the invention; Figure 4: shows an exploded view of the components forming a lower fixing assembly incorporated in the invention; Figure 5: shows an enlarged plan view of one of the components shown in Figure 3; and Figure 6: shows an isometric view of a door mounted hinge leaf forming part of apparatus according to the invention

Detailed Description of Working Embodiment

The invention provides a method of, andlor apparatus for, providing one or more cubicles in, for example, a public washroom. In the conventional manner, each cubicle extends from a common wall or wall lining 10 and is defined by a pair of spaced side-walls 11, one or more fascia panels 12, and a door 13. The characterising feature of the invention is that the side-walls and fascia panels are positioned relative to one another, and fixed, using pairs of spaced unitary members 14 and 15. The unitary members 14 and 15 also define a pivot or hinge axis 16, and mountings, for the door 13.

As can be seen in Figure 2, the unitary members 14 and 15 are located on a common vertical axis 16 and are positioned where, conventionally, the door hinges might be positioned. As can be seen in Figure 1, the members 14 and also serve to position the door 13 inwardly of the adjacent fascia panel 12 and thus define a finger gap 17 between the door, when closed, and the fascia panel.

It will be appreciated that, whilst the members 14 and 15 define the hinge axis 16, hinge leaves 18 need to be provided, fixed to the door 13 and engaged respectively with members 14 and 15, to provide the hinging function. It will be seen from Figure 1 that the hinge leaves 18 are preferably mounted on the outer surface of the door 13. This ensures that the finger gap 17 remains of a constant dimension, regardless of the thickness of material from which the side-walls, fascia panels and doors are formed.

The members 14 and 15, and their hinge leaves 18, outwardly appear to be the same though, as will be described in detail below, may be configured into different assemblies so as to provide either a biasing function or a damping function.

Referring now to Figure 3, an exploded view of a hinge and biasing assembly is shown. This assembly preferably incorporates the upper fixing member 14 and can be selectively configured to bias the door 13 toward either an open or a closed position.

The components shown comprise the fixing member 14, door mountable hinge leaf 1 8a and a hinge pin 19 which locates in aligned bores 20 and 21 in the member 14 and the hinge leaf 1 8a, respectively. As can be seen, the pin 19 has a threaded end 22 which is configured to engage and lock into tapped end section 23 in the bore 21. A bearing sleeve 24 may be fitted into bore 20 to provide a bearing surface for the pin 19 whilst a torsion spring 25 locates about the hinge pin and within the bore 21 in the hinge leaf. Upon assembly of the components, shoulder 26 of the member 14, which mounts an o-ring 27, locates within spigot 28 formed about the lower edge of bore 21, thus locking the two hinge halves together. At the same time, projecting arms 29 and 30 on the spring 25 locate in holes 31 and 32 respectively, thus allowing the spring to be tensioned upon rotational movement of the leaf 1 8a relative to the member 14. As can be seen from Figure 5, alternative positioning of the holes 32 allow alternative mounting of the spring 25 so that the door can be selectively and alternatively biased toward an open or a closed position. The alternative positions of the holes 32 also allow the door to be hinged from the left or right-hand edge.

Turning now to Figure 4, an exploded view of a hinge and damping mechanism is shown which is preferably provided, in part, by the lower fixing member 15. As shown, fixing member 15 is connected to lower hinge leaf 18b by a hinge pin 33 which locates in bores 34 and 35 in the member 15 and hinge leaf 1 8b respectively. Provided about the upper edge of the bore 34 is a groove 36. As the hinge leaf 1 8b, and hinge pin 33 are engaged with the member 15, 0-ring 37, provided about the hinge pin 33, locates within the groove 36 to lock the assembly together. To provide a damping function, the pin 33 is locked in bore 35 and a damping medium such as grease is placed in the bore 34 to occupy the space between the bore and the outer surface of pin 33. The degree of damping can be adjusted by altering the clearance between the pin 33 and the bore 34 and/or by varying the grade (viscosity) of the grease. It will be appreciated that, in addition to locking the assembly together, the 0-ring 37 also serves to prevent the leakage of grease from the bore 34.

In the form shown, vertical grooves 38 are provided in the surface of the pin 33 to distribute grease provided in the bore 34 and to allow the release of air when the pin is inserted into the bore.

A further feature of the assembly shown in Figure 4 is that the length of the pin 33 is preferably established to ensure a gap between the member 15 and the hinge leaf 1 8b. This, in turn, ensures that bearing surfaces are provided between the lower end of the pin 33 and the base of the bore 34. When the cubicle is assembled, this also defines a gap between the member 14 and the hinge leaf 1 8a.

In use the panels which are to provide the side-walls, fascias and doors are brought together. These may be pre-drilled, using a template, to establish the mounting positions for the fixing members 14 and 15. With the members 14 and 15 fixed in position, the panels may be assembled together, the damping and biasing assemblies formed, and the doors then hung, all functions which require minimal specialist skill. As shown in Figure 6, more accurate connections can be provided between the door panel 13 and the hinge leaves 18a, 18b by forming projections 40 on the leaves, the projections engaging routed cavities in the door panel.

It will thus be appreciated that the invention provides a method and apparatus whereby a cubicle can be formed using two simple assemblies which not only align and fix, but also define hinges. Thus separate framing, fixings and hinges are no longer required and the assemblies can also provide door biasing and damping functions.

Claims

Claims I. Apparatus for forming a cubicle against a wall, the cubicle having a pair of spaced side-walls, a fascia, and a door, said apparatus including a pair of spaced unitary members, each of said unitary members having a surface for engagement against one of said side-walls and a substantially perpendicular surface surface for engagement against said fascia, said apparatus being characterised in that said unitary members further include bores that, in use, are aligned to define a hinge axis for said door, the axes of said bores being positioned in relation to those surfaces that engage said fascia so as to, in use, define a finger gap between said fascia and said door.
2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein at least one of said unitary members provides part of a biasing facility operable to bias said door toward an open or a closed position.
3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein said pair of spaced unitary members are provided as an upper member and a lower member, said biasing facility being provided in part by said upper member.
4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2 or claim 3 wherein said biasing facility includes a torsion spring.
5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 3 wherein said lower member provides part of a damping facility operable to damp movement of said door.
6. Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5 wherein said fascia is, upon assembly, arranged to have an inner surface and an outer surface, said unitary members, in use, engaging said inner surface.
7. A cubicle when formed using the apparatus claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6.