US20080172786A1

US20080172786A1 - Shower device

Info

Publication number: US20080172786A1
Application number: US11/971,539
Authority: US
Inventors: Jens Grabowski
Original assignee: Hansgrohe SE
Current assignee: Hansgrohe SE
Priority date: 2007-01-16
Filing date: 2008-01-09
Publication date: 2008-07-24
Also published as: EP1950355A2; CN101224097A; DE102007003419A1; EP1950355A3

Abstract

A shower unit is proposed that consists of a flush-mounted box and a cover housing. The flush-mounted box is used to establish a connection between a domestic installation and an attachment block arranged at a particular position in the flush-mounted box. This attachment block includes an outlet for hot water and an outlet for cold water.

Sanitary fittings, operating elements and sprinklers are installed in the cover housing, which may be designed in the form of a panel, and these are all connected with a water duct attached to the cover housing. The cover housing can also feature lamps. The water duct, which leads to all water outlets, sprinklers, etc. features a water inlet for cold water and a water inlet for hot water. Two hoses are used to form a connection between the attachment device of the flush-mounted box and the water duct, and these two hoses are connected with the flush-mounted box shortly before final assembly. Assembly and installation of all sanitary fitting parts can be performed in the factory and their functionality can be tested there.

Description

The invention relates to a shower unit wherein one part of the shower unit is mounted on or in a wall and establishes connections with a domestic installation.
A multifunctional sanitary fitting is already known, wherein a flush-mounted box is set into a wall. The flush-mounted box establishes a connection with a domestic installation and contains a sanitary mixing valve. The flush-mounted box also includes attachment devices for showers. A cover including side showers, shower heads and other showers is connected to the flush-mounted box. Multiple line connections are required between the devices of the flush-mounted box and the devices of the cover (EP 1 589 154).
The task of the invention is to develop a shower device with multiple showers in such a way that its assembly can be simplified.
To solve this task, the invention proposes a shower unit with the characteristics specified in Claim 1. Further embodiments based on the invention are the subject matter of sub-claims.
The shower unit is used in the following manner. The flush-mounted box is installed at the installation site or during renovation in a cavity in the wall or via a cut-out in an installation wall. This establishes the line connection with the domestic installation. The attachment device now includes two outlets, namely one outlet that is connected with the hot water source in the domestic installation and one outlet that is connected with the cold water source. These two outlets can also be equipped with stoppers until final assembly.
All actual sanitary fittings, side showers, attachments for hand showers, shower heads etc. are mounted in or on the cover housing and connected with the water duct. This can be performed entirely in the factory, where it is also possible to conduct a subsequent functional test. The cover housing is then transported to the location where the flush-mounted box has already been installed. Next, the outlets of the attachment device of the flush-mounted box are connected with the inlets of the water duct in the cover housing. At the same time, the cover housing is installed mechanically, for example connected with the flush-mounted box. The shower unit is then ready for operation.
A plug connection, for example, can be used to form the connection between the attachment device and the water duct. It especially makes sense, however, when there is a line connection using hoses, wherein the hoses can also be attached to the water duct of the cover housing in the factory. During installation, they then only need to be connected with the attachment device of the flush-mounted box.
For attachment of the cover housing, it can be provided that the cover housing is attached to the wall outside the flush-mounted box. It especially makes sense, however, and this is suggested for further embodiments of the invention, to attach the cover housing to the flush-mounted box and namely in such a way, for example, that it can be fitted within the flush-mounted box. This can be performed in such a way, for instance, that a hook-like projection in the lower area of the cover housing is fitted into a corresponding counter-opening or another counter-element of the flush-mounted box, followed by establishment of the line connection, and then by inclination of the cover housing in the upper area onto the flush-mounted box, where it is then attached. Attachment can be performed through an opening in the exterior of the cover housing, which is then closed again. This can be, for example, a slit into which a holder for a hand shower can be inserted.
In accordance with the invention, it can also be provided in further embodiments that the cover housing is designed as a flat panel, at least in the edge area, and lying on the edge of the flush-mounted box. This can be provided in such a way that the fitting parts attached to the cover housing extend into the flush-mounted box.
It is also possible, however, to design the cover housing as a box, so that the front side of the cover housing extends into the room.
If the cover housing contains not only showers and operating elements for showers, but also includes lamps, for example, then in accordance with the invention, it can also be provided that an electric line connection is established between the flush-mounted box and the cover housing.

Additional characteristics, details and advantages of the invention arise from the claims and the summary, for which the wording of both sections is established through reference to the contents of the description, to the following description of preferred embodiments, and to the drawings. In the drawings, the following are shown:

FIG. 1 Front view of a shower unit in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 Longitudinal section approximately along the II-II line in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 A specification on an enlarged scale;

FIG. 4 The lower area of the shower device on an enlarged scale;

FIG. 5 A depiction corresponding to FIG. 4 with a slightly modified embodiment;

FIG. 6 A depiction corresponding to FIG. 2 in the upper area of the shower device.

FIG. 1 shows the front view of a shower unit as a user can see it in a shower cabinet or shower cell. This front side has the form of a panel 1 that features vertical side edges 2, a horizontal upper edge 3 and a horizontal lower edge 4. On the front side, a holder 7 for a shower head 8 is fed through a vertical slit 6 in an inwardly offset field 5 lying approximately opposite the panel 1. In the further area, there are side showers 9, as well as an operating element for a switching valve 10 and an adjustment device 12 for the temperature.
FIG. 2 shows a longitudinal section along the II-II line in FIG. 1, according to the same scale. The aforementioned fittings present on the front side of the shower device are connected with each other via lines on the back side of the panel 1 and of the field 5, wherein these lines form a water duct. It is also possible to see from FIG. 2 that the fittings, namely the temperature adjustment device 12 and the switching valve 10, are mounted on the unit formed by the panel 1 and the field 5. This combination of the panel 1 and the somewhat raised field 5 forms a cover housing that includes all parts of the shower unit that are required for showering.
The shower unit also includes a flush-mounted box 13, which forms a level-lying flange 14 in its edge area. In the assembled state, the cover housing lies up against this flange 14. The flush-mounted box includes connection devices 15 for the domestic installation, which are not portrayed or explained in detail in the simplified depiction of FIG. 2. Hoses that lead from the water duct to an attachment unit are used to connect the water duct of the cover housing 1,5 with the attachment devices in the flush-mounted box 13.
Devices pictured in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 are used to connect the cover housing, which consists of the panel 1 and the raised field 5, with the flush-mounted box. Now to FIG. 4.
On the inner side of the back wall of the flush-mounted box 13, a holder 20 is designed that features a flat front wall 21 running parallel to the back wall. A screw 22 is screwed into this front wall 21 of the holder 20, with a back side 25 that is also flat beneath its screw head. The position of the front side 24 of the holder element 23 can be adjusted using the screw 22 and counter nuts 26 screwed onto the screw shaft. In this way it is possible to compensate to some extent for a flush-mounted box of varying installation depth.
A clasp 27 is screwed onto the inner side of the cover housing 1,5 and this clasp extends downwards towards the back and features one free end. In the pictured state, the cover house 1,5 rests with the clasp 27 on the screw 22. Due to its elastic design, the clasp 27 plays off the front panel 1 of the cover housing against the front side 24 of the holder element 23.
In the upper area of the flush-mounted box, see FIG. 3, a similar holder 20 is arranged, which also features a front wall 21 with a threaded hole. A screw 28 is screwed into this threaded hole which lies with its screw head in the slit 6, which is used to guide the holder 7 for the shower head 8. The cover housing is attached to the flush-mounted box 13 through attachment of the cover housing the clasp 27 in the lower area and using the screw 28 in the upper area.
The subdivision of the shower unit into a cover housing with all devices required for showering and a flush-mounted box for connection to the domestic installation and for attachment on the wall makes it possible to assemble the shower devices with their showering function entirely in the factory and to test their functioning there. On the premises, it is then only necessary to connect the cover housing to the flush-mounted box via two hoses and then to secure the cover housing on the flush-mounted box.
Instead of attaching the cover housing to the flush-mounted box, it is also possible to attach the cover housing to the wall itself outside the flush-mounted box, or using devices that extend through the flush-mounted box into the wall located behind it. In this case, as well, there is the advantage that the shower's functioning can be checked and tested in the factory.
The depiction in FIG. 5 is only slightly different from the depiction in FIG. 4, so that the same reference indicators are used and the description only refers to those parts which are different with regard to the embodiment in FIG. 4. The holder element 23 features a cavity, at least in the upper area, that is designed between the front side 24 and the back side 25 of the holder element 23 and is bordered on both sides by a shoulder. This cavity can especially be a circumferential, even groove that features a level floor in a cross-section view. This groove or indentation floor supports the part of the front side onto which the clasp 27 is screwed. The clasp 27 therefore only serves to position the panel 1 against the front side of the holder element 23, while the burden of the massive part of the panel is supported.
FIG. 6 shows that another additional shower head 38 can be included above the moveable shower head 8 that is attached to the holder 7 in the slit 6, and that this additional shower head is also attached to the panel 1 and supplied with water via the water duct 11.

Claims

1. Shower unit with a flush-mounted box that features an attachment device connected to a domestic installation and including a hot-water outlet and a cold-water outlet, a cover housing that features a water duct leading from a hot-water inlet and a cold-water inlet and sanitary fittings with associated operating elements, connected with the water duct, a line connection medium between the outlets of the flush-mounted box and the inlets of the water duct as well as a mechanical connection medium for connecting the flush-mounted box with the cover housing.

2. Shower unit according to claim 1, wherein the line connection medium features one hose for the hot water and one hose for the cold water.

3. Shower unit according to claim 1, wherein the cover housing can be fitted in the flush-mounted box.

4. Shower unit according to claim 1, wherein the cover housing covers the flush-mounted box on all sides.

5. Shower unit according to claim 1, wherein the cover housing is designed as a panel lying evenly on the edge of the flush-mounted box.

6. Shower unit according to claim 1, wherein the fitting parts attached to/in the cover housing extend into the flush-mounted box.

7. Shower unit according to claim 1 with an electric line connection for electric consumers arranged in/on the cover housing.