U.S. patent application number 10/565496 was filed with the patent office on 2007-06-14 for sanitary connection and draine device.
Invention is credited to Marc Sadler.
Application Number | 20070130687 10/565496 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 33495522 |
Filed Date | 2007-06-14 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070130687 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Sadler; Marc |
June 14, 2007 |
Sanitary connection and draine device
Abstract
A sanitary connection and drain device for mounting in a basin
(1), such as a washbasin, a bidet, or a kitchen sink, is
illustrated and described, having a feed (2), via which water may
be supplied to the sanitary connection and drain device and
subsequently delivered into the basin (1), and a drain (3), for
water delivered into the basin (1), which is integrated into the
sanitary connection and drain device. Using the sanitary connection
and drain device according to the present invention, the basin (1)
only has to have one single opening, which is used, on one hand, to
attach the sanitary connection and drain device and, on the other
hand, as a drain of the basin (1).
Inventors: |
Sadler; Marc; (Milan,
IT) |
Correspondence
Address: |
American Standard Inc
One Centennial Avenue
Piscataway
NJ
08855
US
|
Family ID: |
33495522 |
Appl. No.: |
10/565496 |
Filed: |
July 23, 2003 |
PCT Filed: |
July 23, 2003 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/EP03/08079 |
371 Date: |
August 3, 2006 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
4/671 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E03C 1/232 20130101;
E03C 1/04 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
004/671 |
International
Class: |
E03C 1/00 20060101
E03C001/00 |
Claims
1. A sanitary connection and drain device for mounting in a basin
(1), such as a washbasin, a bidet, or a kitchen sink, having a feed
(2), via which water may be supplied to the sanitary connection and
drain device and subsequently delivered into the basin (1), and a
drain (3), for water delivered into the basin (1), which is
integrated into the sanitary connection and drain device.
2. The sanitary connection and drain device according to claim 1,
characterized in that the drain (3) has a drain opening (4), which
is provided in the sanitary connection and drain device, and the
drain (3) may be blocked using a blocking device, which is
integrated in the sanitary connection and drain device and is
movable in front of the drain opening (4).
3. The sanitary connection and drain device according to claim 1 or
2, characterized in that the sanitary connection and drain device
has an overflow (6).
4. The sanitary connection and drain device according to claim 3,
characterized in that the overflow (6) has an overflow opening (7)
and an overflow pipe (8) leading from the overflow opening (7) into
the drain (3).
5. The sanitary connection and drain device according to claim 4,
characterized in that the sanitary connection and drain device has
a main housing (9) and the overflow pipe (8) is positioned inside
the main housing (9).
6. The sanitary connection and drain device according to claim 5,
characterized in that the overflow pipe (8) is rotatable around its
longitudinal axis and has an opening in its wall below the overflow
opening (7) at a distance to the overflow opening (7), so that, by
rotating the overflow pipe (8) around its longitudinal axis, the
drain (3) may alternately be opened or blocked by the wall of the
overflow pipe (8).
7. The sanitary connection and drain device according to claim 5,
characterized in that the overflow pipe (8) is movable along its
longitudinal axis, so that by moving the overflow pipe (8)
longitudinally, the drain (3) may alternately be opened or blocked
by the wall of the overflow pipe (8).
8. The sanitary connection and drain device according to one of
claims 4 to 7, characterized in that the sanitary connection and
drain device includes a cover (14), covering at least the overflow
pipe (8), which leaves the drain (3) free and is positioned at a
distance to the overflow pipe (8).
9. A sanitary fitting having a sanitary connection and drain device
according to one of claims 1 to 8 and a sanitary valve.
10. The sanitary fitting according to claim 9, characterized in
that the sanitary valve is removably attached to the sanitary
connection and drain device.
11. A sanitary facility, having a basin (1) and a sanitary fitting
according to claim 9 or 10, characterized in that the basin (1) has
a receiver opening (17) in the basin bottom (16) to receive the
sanitary fitting.
12. The sanitary facility according to claim 11, characterized in
that the basin (1) has a pass-through opening (19) to pass through
the feed (2) or a feed pipe to be connected to the feed (2) of the
sanitary fitting.
13. The sanitary facility according to claim 11 or 12,
characterized in that the transitions between the sanitary
connection and drain device, on the one hand, and the delimitations
of the receiver opening (17) and/or the pass-through opening (19),
on the other hand, are sealed using an elastic plastic film
(20).
14. The sanitary facility according to claim 13, characterized in
that the plastic film (20) is self-adhesive on both sides.
Description
[0001] The present invention relates to a sanitary connection and
drain device for mounting in a basin, such as a washbasin, a bidet,
or a kitchen sink.
[0002] Sanitary fittings are known from the related art which have
one or two feeds to feed the water to be delivered. If two feeds
are provided, one of the feeds is used to feed cold water and the
other feed is used to feed hot water. Furthermore, a sanitary valve
is typically provided to deliver the water, which generally has an
outlet arm and a mixing device, such as a single-lever mixer, which
is used to control the quantity of water and, in the case of two
feeds for cold or hot water, respectively, also to control the
water temperature.
[0003] For the arrangement and mounting on a basin of the sanitary
fittings known from the related art, the mounting of the sanitary
fittings generally occurs in an intrinsic opening in the basin
which is provided solely for the mounting. In addition, the basin
has further openings besides this opening provided for mounting the
sanitary fittings, such as a drain opening, which may generally be
blocked so that the basin may be filled with water, and an overflow
opening at a predetermined distance from the bottom of the basin.
The overflow opening ensures that when water is being supplied and
the drain opening is blocked, no water flows over the edge of the
basin, since draining occurs before this via the overflow opening.
The water draining via the overflow opening generally reaches a
drain pipe, via which the water flowing out through the drain
opening is also carried off, via an intrinsic guide provided for
this purpose.
[0004] Particularly in washbasins made of ceramic, but also in
basins made of acrylic or stainless steel, the provision of the
three openings cited above and the connection of the overflow to
the drain represents a significant outlay in design and production.
In addition, relatively complicated measures are necessary for
blocking the drain if one does not wish to use a simple rubber
stopper inserted into the drain opening.
[0005] Correspondingly, it is the object of the present invention
to provide such a sanitary connection and drain device for mounting
in a basin, due to which the basin may be constructed with a
simpler design.
[0006] The object derived and indicated above is achieved by a
sanitary connection and drain device which has a feed, via which
water may be supplied to the sanitary connection and drain device
and subsequently delivered into the basin, and a drain, integrated
in the sanitary connection and drain device, for the water
delivered into the basin.
[0007] According to the present invention, the drain is integrated
into the sanitary connection and drain device, so that only one
shared opening is necessary, in the basin on which the sanitary
connection and drain device is mounted, for mounting the sanitary
connection and drain device and as an outlet opening. This opening
is preferably positioned at the lowest point of the basin bottom,
as is also typically the case in regard to the outlet opening in
order to avoid stoppage of the remaining water.
[0008] In the sanitary connection and drain device according to the
present invention, it is preferably provided that the drain
includes a drain opening and a drain pipe. This drain pipe is then
led through the sole opening provided in the basin and may be
connected to a drain pipe system. In addition, according to a
preferred embodiment of the present invention, the drain opening
may be blocked using a blocking device, which is integrated in the
sanitary connection and drain device and movable in front of the
drain opening.
[0009] A basin on which the sanitary connection and drain device
according to the present invention is mounted may, in principle,
have its own overflow. However, according to a preferred embodiment
of the present invention, the sanitary connection and drain device
has an overflow itself, so that providing an overflow in the basin
may also be avoided.
[0010] The overflow of the sanitary connection and drain device
according to the present invention preferably has an overflow
opening and an overflow pipe leading from the overflow opening into
the drain. For this purpose, the sanitary connection and drain
device preferably also has a main housing and the overflow pipe is
positioned inside the main housing.
[0011] In this case, the main housing itself may form the overflow
pipe. However, according to a preferred embodiment of the present
invention, a separate overflow pipe is provided. By providing a
separate overflow pipe, an embodiment of the present invention is
possible such that the overflow pipe is rotatable along its
longitudinal axis and has an opening, at a distance from the
overflow opening, in its wall below the overflow opening, so that
by rotating the overflow pipe around its longitudinal axis, the
drain may alternately be opened or blocked by the wall of the
overflow pipe. The rotatable overflow pipe therefore represents the
blocking device already described above. Due to this preferred
embodiment of the present invention, not only are drain and
overflow integrated into the sanitary connection and drain device
in an elegant way, so that they no longer have to be provided in
the basin in addition to the opening for mounting the sanitary
connection and drain device, but rather a possibility for blocking
the drain is also simultaneously provided.
[0012] In principle, the cross-section of the sanitary connection
and drain device is arbitrary. The cross-section may therefore not
only be rotationally symmetric, but also triangular, square,
rectangular, etc. Particularly when providing a non-rotationally
symmetric cross-section of the sanitary connection and drain device
and particularly of the main housing and of the overflow pipe,
according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the
overflow pipe may be movable along its longitudinal axis, so that
the drain may alternately be opened or blocked by the wall of the
overflow pipe through longitudinal movement of the overflow pipe.
Therefore, in principle, essentially the same elegant blocking
possibility is provided as with the rotatability of the overflow
pipe described above.
[0013] The overflow pipe may be visible, i.e., itself form an
external terminus of the sanitary connection and drain device.
However, according to a preferred embodiment of the present
invention, the sanitary connection and drain device includes a
cover which covers at least the overflow pipe, leaves the drain
free, and is positioned at a distance to the overflow pipe. In this
way, a uniform, visually pleasing external housing of the sanitary
connection and drain device is achieved without its functionality
being lost. Since the drain remains free, the function of the drain
is additionally ensured in any case by arranging the cover at a
distance to the overflow pipe, the water also being able to rise in
the basin between the cover and overflow pipe when the drain is
blocked and being able to drain off the water via the overflow upon
reaching the appropriate height.
[0014] As already described above, only one single opening is
necessary in the basin for mounting the sanitary connection and
drain device according to the present invention, specifically such
an opening which ensures the drainage of water from the basin via
the drain opening provided in the sanitary connection and drain
device and possibly also via the overflow opening also provided in
the sanitary connection and drain device. In this case, in
principle, a feed pipe to be connected to the feed of the sanitary
connection and drain device either runs visibly above the basin or
is "invisibly" lead through the single opening of the basin below
the basin in or next to the drain pipe of the sanitary connection
and drain device. According to a preferred embodiment of the
present invention, however, the basin has a pass-through opening to
pass through the feed of the sanitary connection and drain device
or a feed pipe to be connected to the feed of the sanitary
connection and drain device. A corresponding implementation of the
sanitary connection and drain device and basin is generally simpler
than guiding the feed pipe to be connected to the feed of the
sanitary connection and drain device in or next to the drain
pipe.
[0015] In this case, the pass-through opening to pass through the
feed or the feed pipe to be connected to the feed of the sanitary
connection and drain device may particularly be connected directly
to the receiver opening of the basin, which receives the sanitary
connection and drain device and through which the drain pipe is
led. Therefore, there is again only one single opening overall, its
part assigned to the outlet pipe typically being provided in the
basin bottom and its part assigned to the feed pipe typically being
provided in a basin wall.
[0016] There are many possibilities for sealing the transitions
between the sanitary connection and drain device, on the one hand,
and the delimitations of the receiver opening and the pass-through
opening, on the other hand. According to a preferred embodiment of
the present invention, however, the transitions between the
sanitary connection and drain device, on the one hand, and the
delimitations of the receiver opening and the pass-through opening,
on the other hand, are sealed using an elastic plastic film. In
this case, a plastic film which is self-adhesive on both sides is
preferably used.
[0017] There are many possibilities for implementing and refining
the sanitary connection and drain device according to the present
invention in detail. For this purpose, reference is made to the
patent claims following patent claim 1 and to the following
detailed description of a preferred exemplary embodiment of the
present invention with reference to the drawing. In the
drawing,
[0018] FIG. 1 shows the arrangement in a basin of a sanitary
connection and drain device according to a preferred exemplary
embodiment of the present invention having a sanitary valve
attached, in perspective view,
[0019] FIG. 2 shows the sanitary connection and drain device
according to the preferred exemplary embodiment of the present
invention having a sanitary valve and a cover, in front of the
overflow pipe, attached, in perspective view,
[0020] FIG. 3 shows the sanitary connection and drain device
according to the preferred exemplary embodiment of the present
invention having a sanitary valve attached, in the blocked state of
the drain, in section,
[0021] FIG. 4 shows the sanitary connection and drain device
according to the preferred exemplary embodiment of the present
invention having a sanitary valve attached, in the open state of
the drain, in section, and
[0022] FIG. 5 shows the sanitary connection and drain device
according to the preferred exemplary embodiment of the present
invention having an elastic plastic film for sealing the
transitions between the sanitary connection and drain device, on
the one hand, and the delimitations of the receiver opening and the
pass-through opening, on the other hand, in an unmounted state in
perspective view.
[0023] The drawing shows a sanitary connection and drain device
according to a preferred exemplary embodiment of the present
invention, mounted on a basin 1, having two feeds 2, namely one for
cold water and one for hot water. Furthermore, a drain 3, having a
drain opening 4 and a drain pipe 5 discharging into drain 3, is
provided. The sanitary connection and drain device according to the
preferred exemplary embodiment of the present invention also has an
overflow 6, which includes an overflow opening 7 and an overflow
pipe 8 leading from overflow opening 7 into drain pipe 5.
Furthermore, the sanitary connection and drain device includes a
main housing 9, open at the front, within which overflow pipe 8 is
arranged so it is rotatable around its longitudinal axis. Overflow
opening 7 is formed in this case in that overflow pipe 8 ends
before the upper end of main housing 9, which is open at the front,
so that water which has risen appropriately high may flow into the
upper mouth of overflow pipe 8.
[0024] In the wall of overflow pipe 8, below its upper mouth, an
opening is located at a distance thereto, which forms drain opening
4 when it points forward, as illustrated in FIG. 1. By rotating
overflow pipe 8 around its longitudinal axis, this opening may be
moved to the rear, so that drain 3 is blocked by the wall of
overflow pipe 8. The change between these two states, namely "drain
blocked" and "drain open" is particularly obvious from FIGS. 3 and
4. A rotating ring 10, which is rigidly connected to overflow pipe
8 and is externally accessible, is used to rotate overflow pipe
8.
[0025] Although it is not further illustrated in the drawing, a
similar principle to that described above for blocking drain 3 may
also be implemented if overflow pipe 8 is movable along its
longitudinal axis, so that, through longitudinal movement of
overflow pipe 8, drain 3 may alternatively be opened or blocked by
the wall of overflow pipe 8. In this case, no opening is necessary
in the lower region of overflow pipe 8; specifically, drain opening
4 is already formed when overflow pipe 8 is moved upward in that an
opening is released below overflow pipe 8, so that the water in
basin 1 may drain off.
[0026] A sanitary valve 11 is removably attached to the sanitary
connection and drain device, sanitary valve 11 also in principle
able to be implemented in one piece with the sanitary connection
and drain device. Sanitary valve 11 has a single-lever mixer having
mixer lever 12 for controlling the amount and temperature of the
water and an outlet arm 13. In this case, the function and design
of sanitary valve 11 are essentially those known from typical
sanitary valves. In particular, the sanitary connection and drain
device according to the preferred exemplary embodiment of the
present invention may be constructed in such a way that typical
sanitary valves may also be attached thereto.
[0027] As is particularly obvious from FIG. 2 and FIGS. 3 and 4,
the sanitary connection and drain device according to the preferred
exemplary embodiment of the present invention has a cover 14, which
covers main housing 9 having rotatable overflow pipe 8. The cover
leaves drain 3 free, so that water may still drain off via drain 3.
In addition, cover 14 is positioned at a distance to overflow pipe
8, which leads to water also rising between cover 14 and overflow
pipe 8 when drain 3 is blocked, i.e., the lower opening in the wall
of overflow pipe 8 is directed toward the rear, and water draining
off upon reaching overflow opening 7 via this opening, specifically
through overflow pipe 8 into drain pipe 5.
[0028] As the Figures show, in the illustrated sanitary facility,
the sanitary connection and drain device according to the preferred
exemplary embodiment of the present invention is attached to basin
1 in that the sanitary connection and drain device, having its main
housing 9, is fitted into an opening provided in basin 1. This
opening is formed by both a receiver opening 17 provided in basin
bottom 16 and a pass-through opening 19 provided in basin wall 18.
Pass-through opening 19 is used, on one hand, to pass through feeds
2, however, it is dimensioned so large, on the other hand, that it
forms a joint opening in basin 1 with receiver opening 17 and at
least partially receives main housing 9 of the sanitary connection
and drain device. In this way, the sanitary connection and drain
device according to the preferred exemplary embodiment of the
present invention is integrated into basin wall 18. In principle,
it is, of course, also possible for this purpose that receiver
opening 17, on the one hand, and pass-through opening 19, on the
other hand, form openings separate from one another.
[0029] In order to ensure the necessary seal of the transitions
between the sanitary connection and drain device, specifically main
housing 9, on the one hand, and the delimitations of receiver
opening 17 and pass-through opening 19, on the other hand, an
elastic plastic film 20 is provided between them, which is
self-adhesive on both sides and may therefore be easily attached.
This is particularly obvious from FIG. 5, which shows the sanitary
connection and drain device according to the preferred exemplary
embodiment of the present invention, together with sanitary valve
11 and plastic film 20, in an unmounted state.
* * * * *