US3772710A

US3772710A - Sanitary appliance

Info

Publication number: US3772710A
Application number: US00248450A
Authority: US
Inventors: P Coutellier
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1971-04-13
Filing date: 1972-04-28
Publication date: 1973-11-20
Anticipated expiration: 1990-11-20
Also published as: CA958152A; AU4160672A; FR2136724A5; GB1389583A

Abstract

A sanitary appliance, e.g. a bidet has a pan or basin and a spray device with guided jets and a pipe portion for connection to a supply pipe. The spray device is adjustable in both direction and height with respect to the pan or basin.

Description

United States Patent Coutellier Nov. 20, 1973 [5 SANITARY APPLIANCE 1,874,169 8/1932 [76] Inventor: Paul Lucien Coutellier, 36 rue Bui-thi-Xuan, Saigon, South 2: 52:7 2 9 95 Vietnam 3,398,408 8/1968 3 42 0 2 1 22 F1led: Apr. 28, 1972 2 22 j ggf [21] App]. No.: 248,450 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 632,596 7/1936 Gennany 4/7 [30] Foreign Application Priority Data Apr. 30, 1971 South Vietnam 2125 Primary ExaminerI-Ienry K. Artis Attorney-E. F. Wenderoth et a1. [52] U.S. CI. 4/7 [5 Int. Cl- 1 v [58] Field of Search 4/6, 7, 237, 145

A sanitary apphance, e.g. a bidet has a pan or basin [56] References Cited tztnd a sprayfdevitce with glliideti jets T2nd a pipej portion or connec mu 0 a supp y plpe. e spray evlce 1s UNITED STATES PATENTS adjustable in both direction and height with respect to 3,513,487 5/1970 Palarmo 4 7 the pan or basin. 3,375,532 4/1968 Gallrnann... 3,171,138 3/1965 Brienelle.... 7 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures SANITARY APPLIANCE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to a sanitary appliance such as a bidet.

2. Prior Art Bidets are already known in which the filling is effected from the inner periphery of the pan or basin of the bidet or by a swivelling tap known as a swan-neck.

Bidet pans or basins are likewise known which comprise devices for projecting water in an upward jet.

There have also been designed combined assemblies having several connected appliances, e.g. a bath, washbasin and bidet, which assemblies have the benefit of a common supply through a hand-spray device connected to a tap by a long flexible pipe alternately supplying the three appliances. In these known installations the use of the shower rose is not very convenient as it is necessary to guide or hold the flexible pipe in one hand. Furthermore the rim of the bidet pan or basin is often very narrow, which does not make the seated position very comfortable.

There is alsoknown a bidet having a water distributing device with a shower rose fitted on the flat part of the pan or basin, the shower rose being mounted on a swinging base enabling it to be swivelled at will.

In all these known appliances, even with careful cleaning of the rims of the pan or basin, they tend to become dull or tarnished and are difficult to keep in a perfectly hygienic condition.

SUMMARY According to the invention a sanitary device, e.g. a bidet comprises a pan or basin and a spray device with guided jets and a pipe portion for connection to a supply pipe, which spray device is adjustable in both direction and height with respect to the pan or basin.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a perspective view, by way of example, of a bidet,'illustrating the provision of a detachable ledge and the mounting of the spray or shower rose; and

FIG. 2 is an enlarged elevational view, partly in section, of the means for mounting the spray rose of the bidet shown in FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to the drawing, a bidet comprises a pan or basin having a part 1 having an upwardly facing flat surface on which is arranged a water projecting or spray device comprising a small shower or spray rose end 2 with guided jets directed under reduced pressure in order to prevent the water splashing out.

The spray rose 2 is mounted on a swivelling support 3 which in turn is securely attached to a telescopic pipe portion 5 which can be fixed in position at the height desired with respect to the pan or basin and connected to a flexible supply pipe 6 which can be concealed in a recess provided in the body of the bidet. The pipe 5 is provided with a rack-type external configuration formed by a series of circumferential, annular grooves 10 spaced apart axially along the pipe, and is mounted in telescopic, sliding relation with a guide-support member 4. The pipe 5 can be locked at the selected height for use, by a ball 11 and spring 12 made of stainless material and seated in the guide-support member, the ball 11 engaging one of the grooves 10. The spray rose 2 also includes a flow regulator and is tiltable relatively to the support 3 to control the flow regulator and hence the flow of water emitted by the jets.

When it is desired to use the basin all that is necessary is to control the inlet of hot or cold water in the manner described below, then during the entire washing operation an increase or reduction in the flow is effected by simply tilting the spray rose. This makes it possible to maintain the preset mixing and avoid having to handle taps, thus frequently smearing them with soap.

The swivelling spray head on its articulaed support is rotatable about the vertical axis of the pipe portion 5 and thus makes it possible to regulate the direction of the jet of water projected in a shower on to the area to be washed, whilst allowing both hands to be kept free for washing. On account of this system it is no longer necessary to await the lengthy filling of the basin.

In theform of embodiment shown there is provided, in order to facilitate the upkeep of the bidet, whose pan or basin is advantageously well widened, as indicated at 7, and in particular to enable its rim to be kept in a perfectly hygienic condition, a detachable ledge covering the wide rim 8 of the basin, this ledge being made of a piece of suitable resilient or flexible material so that it can be fitted over the rim of the basin simply by pressure.

In order to facilitate the positioning of this detachable ledge the conventional taps have been replaced by two taps which control the supply of hot and cold water respectively and are arranged under the flat surface of the part 1 and hence the rim of the basin. The taps have visible control levers 9 situated on either side of the pan or basin, which levers, so as to avoid any error in operation, work in the same direction, for example so that the forward position corresponds to the opening and the rearward position corresponds to the closure of the outflow of water.

A wide basin rim 8 ensures a better sitting position and maximum comfort. The detachable ledge can be made of any suitable pliant and solid material, of natural or synthetic origin, and likewise it is possible to match the colour shade of the ledge to the colour of the wall-tiles of the bathroom and the decoration thereof.

Also, the wide shaped bidet of this embodiment is advantageous in that the bidet pan or basin may be used both as a bidet or as a wash-basin for children.

The invention is not restricted to bidets. For example, the invention may readily be applied to other sanitary appliances such as baths and wash-basins.

I claim:

1. A sanitary device, e. g. a bidet, said device comprising:

a pan or basin;

a guide support member operatively associated with said pan or basin;

a flexible supply pipe extending through said guide support member;

a pipe portion having a rack-like external configuration and mounted in telescopic sliding relation through said guide support member and connected to said flexible supply pipe;

ball and spring means mounted between said guide support member and said pipe portion for locking said pipe portion in a desired height with respect to said pan or basin;

a swivel support attached to the upper end of said pipe portion; and

a spray device with guided jets mounted in said swivel support for rotation about a vertical axis.

2. A sanitary device according to claim 1, wherein the pan or basin has an upwardly facing flat surface, and said spray device is mounted on said flat surface of the pan or basin.

3. A sanitary device according to claim 1, wherein the spray device has a rose end and includes a flow regulator which enables the flow to be controlled by tilting said rose end.

4. A sanitary device according to claim 1, wherein the pan or basin has a wide rim covered by a detachable ledge formed of flexible or resilient material, which ledge fits over the rim of said pan or basin simply by pressure.

5. A sanitary appliance according to claim 4, wherein taps controlling the supply of hot and cold water respectively are arranged below the rim of the pan or basin so as to facilitate the fitting of the detachable ledge.

6. A sanitary appliance according to claim 5, wherein the control handles of said taps are situated on either side of said pan or basin and, in order to avoid any error in operation, said control handles operate in the same direction.

7. A sanitary appliance according to claim 1, wherein said pan or basin is a bidet pan or basin having a wide shape and a wide rim, the appliance thus being able to serve both as a bidet and as a wash-basin for children.

Claims

1. A sanitary device, e.g. a bidet, said device comprising: a pan or basin; a guide support member operatively associated with said pan or basin; a flexible supply pipe extending through said guide support member; a pipe portion having a rack-like external configuration and mounted in telescopic sliding relation through said guide support member and connected to said flexible supply pipe; ball and spring means mounted between said guide support member and said pipe portion for locking said pipe portion in a desired height with respect to said pan or basin; a swivel support attached to the upper end of said pipe portion; and a spray device with guided jets mounted in said swivel support for rotation about a vertical axis.