U.S. patent application number 11/335935 was filed with the patent office on 2006-08-31 for water conveying and draining device.
Invention is credited to Marc Sadler.
Application Number | 20060191067 11/335935 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 36165419 |
Filed Date | 2006-08-31 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060191067 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Sadler; Marc |
August 31, 2006 |
Water conveying and draining device
Abstract
The present invention relates to a device (100) for the
conveying and draining of water in a sanitary fixture equipped with
a decoupling basin (2), a drain opening (1) placed on the bottom of
the basin (2) and connectable to a drain duct, and at least one
covering element (3) which can be closed on the basin (2) to
produce at least one draining slit (7) suitable for making the
water flow inside the basin (2).
Inventors: |
Sadler; Marc; (Milan,
IT) |
Correspondence
Address: |
AMERICAN STANDARD INC.
ONE CENTENNIAL AVENUE
PISCATAWAY
NJ
08855-6820
US
|
Family ID: |
36165419 |
Appl. No.: |
11/335935 |
Filed: |
January 20, 2006 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
4/654 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E03F 5/0408 20130101;
A47K 3/40 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
004/654 |
International
Class: |
E03C 1/244 20060101
E03C001/244 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Feb 25, 2005 |
IT |
MI2005A 000302 |
Claims
1. A water conveying and draining device (100) for a sanitary
fixture characterized in that it comprises a decoupling basin
element (2), arranged in a sanitary fixture, a drain opening (1)
situated on the bottom of said basin (2) and connectable to a drain
duct, and at least one covering element (3) which can be closed on
said basin element (2) to form at least one drain slit for allowing
the water to flow inside said basin (1).
2. The water conveying and draining device (100) according to claim
1, characterized in that the bottom of said basin element (2)
comprises at least one slope (4) in the direction of said drain
opening (1) for conveying the water collected by said basin element
(2) towards said opening (1).
3. The water conveying and draining device (100) according to claim
1 or 2, characterized in that said covering element (3) comprises
an entirely continuous upper surface.
4. The water conveying and draining device (100) according to any
of the previous claims, characterized in that said draining basin
element (2) has larger dimensions with respect to the dimensions of
said covering element (3) to produce, coupled with said covering
element, at least one draining slit (7).
5. The water conveying and draining device (100) according to any
of the previous claims 1-4, characterized in that said draining
basin element (2) comprises side walls (5) which can be coupled
with said covering element (3) to form at least one side draining
slit (7).
6. The water conveying and draining device (100) according to claim
5, characterized in that said walls (5) of said basin element (2)
can be coupled with said covering element (3) to form two side
draining slits (7).
7. A shower base (19) characterized in that it comprises at least
one water conveying and draining device (100) according to any of
the previous claims.
8. The shower base (19) according to claim 7, characterized in that
it comprises at least two connectable portions for defining a
housing suitable for receiving said basin element (2).
9. The shower base (19) according to claim 7, characterized in that
it comprises at least two connectable portions (11, 12) for
defining said basin element (2).
10. A sanitary fixture, characterized in that it comprises a
housing for a basin element (2) according to any of the previous
claims.
11. A sanitary fixture, characterized in that it comprises a water
conveying and draining device (100) according to any of the
previous claims.
Description
[0001] The present invention relates to a water conveying and
draining device and in particular a conveying and draining device
for showers, washbasins, kitchen sinks and sanitary fixtures in
general.
[0002] The conveying and draining systems in traditional sanitary
fixtures are represented by a substantially circular hole, possibly
covered by a grid, situated on the bottom of the sanitary
fixture.
[0003] The circular hole is connected, in a known manner, to a
draining duct which allows the water down-flow. The particular
shape of the bottom of the sanitary fixture, deliberately
converging towards said hole, allows the draining of the
accumulated water.
[0004] The present systems however are normally dimensioned for the
draining of a normal water flow, i.e. with the tap not at its
maximum opening capacity.
[0005] The maximum opening of the taps causes a water accumutation
on the bottom of the sanitary fixture which cannot be rapidly
disposed of.
[0006] The water stagnating on the bottom creates an undesired
effect, especially in shower basins.
[0007] In view of the above, the necessity is felt for availing of
a water conveying and draining device, such as that according to
the present invention, which improves the drainage efficiency of
the traditional systems.
[0008] An objective of the present invention is therefore to solve
the drawbacks of the known art by providing a draining device, such
as that according to the present invention, which improves the
efficiency of traditional draining systems and which can, at the
same time, be installed in any sanitary fixture.
[0009] Another objective of the present invention is to provide a
device for the conveying and draining of water, which prevents
water stagnation in undesired areas.
[0010] Yet another objective of the present invention is to provide
a water conveying and draining device which is simple and
economical to produce.
[0011] These and other objectives are achieved by a water conveying
and draining device according to the present invention, which has
the characteristics of the enclosed claim 1.
[0012] Further characteristics of the invention are specified in
the subsequent claims.
[0013] Additional characteristics and advantages of the present
invention will appear more evident from the present illustrative
and non-limiting description, with reference to the enclosed
drawings, in which:
[0014] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a shower base comprising
a water conveying and draining device according to the present
invention;
[0015] FIG. 2 shows an exploded perspective view of the shower base
comprising a water conveying and draining device of FIG. 1;
[0016] FIG. 3 shows an enlarged exploded perspective view of the
shower base comprising the water conveying and draining device of
FIG. 1;
[0017] FIGS. 3a-3c show a side view of different embodiments of
slits produced by the coupling of the covering element with the
basin element according to the present invention;
[0018] FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of a shower base comprising
a water conveying and draining device according to the present
invention.
[0019] With reference to FIGS. 1-4, these show a water conveying
and draining device according to the present invention.
[0020] The water conveying and draining device, according to the
present invention, indicated as a whole with the reference number
100, comprises a decoupling basin element 2, situated in a sanitary
fixture, a drain opening 1 on the bottom of the basin element 2
connectable to a drain duct, not shown, and at least a covering
element 3 which can be closed on the basin 2 to produce at least
one draining slit 7 suitable for allowing the water to flow inside
the basin 1.
[0021] The covering element 3 according to the present invention,
is advantageously represented by an entirely continuous upper
surface, i.e. without slits or openings, forcing the water to flow
through the slit(s) 7 formed by the coupling between the covering
element 3 and the basin element 2.
[0022] The description hereunder refers to an application in a
shower base 19, even if it is obviously not limited to this
specific use but can be relate to any sanitary fixture such as
sinks, bath tubs or washbasins, etc.
[0023] As is clearly visible in FIG. 3, the bottom of the basin 1
has at least one slope 4 in the direction of the drain opening 1
suitable for conveying the water collected by the basin element 2
towards the opening 1.
[0024] It should be noted that in order to form the slits 7, from
the coupling between the covering element 3 and the basin element
2, the latter has slightly larger dimensions than those of the
covering element 3.
[0025] As mentioned above, the water conveying and draining device
100 according to the present invention, can be envisaged, but not
exclusively, for use in a shower base 100.
[0026] For this purpose, the shower base 19 has at least two
connectable portions 11, 12, suitable for defining a housing which
is shaped and dimensioned for receiving the basin element 2.
[0027] According to an alternative embodiment, the shower base 10
has at least two connectable portions 11, 12, for defining the
basin element 2.
[0028] In other words, according to this embodiment, shown in FIG.
4, the basin element 1 is integral with the two shower base
portions 11, 12.
[0029] Specific fixing means 13, such as brackets 14 and screws 15
are present for coupling the two portions 11, 12.
[0030] The brackets 14 are situated between the two portions 11,
12, whereas the screws 15 are in correspondence with seats 16
envisaged on the brackets 14 and in corresponding seats 17 on the
portions 11, 12 to ensure the coupling position.
[0031] The brackets 14 also act as a support for the covering
element 3 which, once coupled with the basin element 2, is
perfectly in line with the shower base.
[0032] According to another embodiment, shown in FIGS. 1-3, the
basin element 2 comprises side walls 5 which can be coupled with
said covering element 3 to form at least one side draining slit
7.
[0033] For this purpose, the walls 5 have small protruding elements
18 suitable for resting against the covering element 3 to prevent
this from leaning on the walls 5 of the basin element 2 obstructing
the water flow.
[0034] Alternatively, the protruding elements 18 can be envisaged
on the covering element 3 and in this case will rest on the walls 5
of the basin element 1, as shown in FIG. 3a.
[0035] According to another embodiment, the flow slits 7 can be
situated directly on the wide walls 5 of the basin element 2, as
shown in FIG. 3c, or possibly on edges 17, protruding downwards
towards the covering element 3, as shown in FIG. 3b.
[0036] It should be noted that there are two slits 7, produced by
the coupling between the side walls 5 of the basin element 2 and
the covering element 3, and they are arranged on opposite sides of
the basin element 2, but can also be situated on all the sides of
the basin element 2 and covering element 3 without being excluded
from the protection scope of the present invention.
[0037] As mentioned above, the draining device according to the
present invention, can be applied to any type of sanitary fixture,
such as washbasins, bidets, bath tubs, all included in the
protection scope of the present invention.
[0038] The draining device can have additional elements such as,
for example, a further plug, not shown and described, as already
known to experts in the field.
[0039] From the above description, with reference to the figures,
it is evident how a draining device according to the present
invention is particularly useful and advantageous. The objective
indicated in the preamble of the description has thus been
achieved.
[0040] The forms of the invention can obviously differ from those
shown for purely illustrative and non-limiting purposes in the
drawings, i.e. square, circular or irregular shapes, as also the
materials.
[0041] The protection scope of the invention is therefore delimited
by the enclosed claims.
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