DK2636803T3

DK2636803T3 - Flush-mounted plumbing box with plaster thickness compensation

Info

Publication number: DK2636803T3
Application number: DK13157196.0T
Authority: DK
Inventors: Jürgen King
Original assignee: Hansgrohe Se
Priority date: 2012-03-05
Filing date: 2013-02-28
Publication date: 2017-12-18
Also published as: PL2636803T3; EP2636803A2; ES2654887T3; DE102012203393A1; EP2636803A3; EP2636803B1; CN103306334B; CN103306334A

Description

DESCRIPTION

The invention is based on a concealed box for installing and accommodating a sanitary fitting.

It is known that so-called concealed boxes are used for attaching sanitary fittings in a flush-mounted manner, which concealed boxes are to protect the actual fitting during finishing of the wall. Partially, base bodies of fittings may also be attached within such concealed boxes and later the actual fittings are placed thereon. The shape of said concealed boxes does not mandatorily have to be a real box shape, it may also have a cylindrical or any other design.

Usually, the concealed boxes are dimensioned such that the side walls thereof project beyond the later wall surface for any possible case of application. Said projecting portion is used as a boundary for tilework. After completion of the wall surface and, as the case may be, also after attachment of further parts of the fitting, the portion of the side walls of the concealed box standing out from the wall surface is severed. The removal procedure needs to be done with great precision, since on the one hand the side wall must not stand out from the wall surface and on the other hand should as well not be cut in excessively, since the concealed boxes are also intended to offer protection of the wall against condensation water produced inside the concealed box. A concealed box of this type disclosed in the first publication of the European patent application EP 1 006 244 A2 has side walls extending beyond fastening eyelets to the front far enough that severing can be effected there. Said concealed box has a circular cylindrical shape and is designed in one piece.

Another concealed box for a sanitary fitting disclosed in the first publication of the German patent application DE 42 17 529 A1 is composed of two halves, divided lengthwise of a central longitudinal plane. Herein as well, the side wall extends in front of a flange far enough forward that severing can and has to be effected there.

That is, with these well-known concealed boxes, the portion of the side walls of the concealed box projecting beyond the front surface has to be severed after completion of the wall and installation of the sanitary fittings. Said procedure needs to be done with great precision. The removed portion of the side walls then has to be discarded.

The utility model document DE 69 00 887 discloses a mixing faucet with a concealed box, wherein a fitting faucet base body is fixedly connected to the concealed box, especially with a box bottom matched to the contour of the faucet base body, enclosed by a frame, which frame is closed by a lid with handles and one or more outlets of the mixing faucet projecting therefrom. On the front edge, said frame has a radially outwards protruding flange, with the lid integrally molded thereon, or fixed by means of screwed connections, for example. The frame can be adjusted in height on side walls of the box and fixed in a desired position using locking screws. A concealed box composed of rubber-elastic material according to the preamble of claim 1 is disclosed in the first publication of the German patent application DE 10 2004 060 744 Al, wherein one side wall section is in the form of bellows, or a push connection is provided between a lower and an upper box region, and the side wall has a relatively wide, radially protruding, annular sealing tab near the front edge thereof, which seal in the installed condition is capable of resting in a sealing fit against an interior side of a tiled wall.

The object of the invention is to provide a possibility of facilitating the installation of sanitary fittings.

To solve the problem, the invention proposes a concealed box having the features mentioned in claim 1. Said concealed box is very advantageous to be used for installing and accommodating a sanitary fitting. Further developments of the invention are the subject matter of dependent claims.

The concealed box, which may have any arbitrary shape, includes in the side walls at least one through-passage opening through which a supply line to the fitting can be passed within the concealed box. The sleeve, which can be moved out of the side walls towards the front and/or towards the top to different lengths, allows moving out of the front edge as far as possible at the beginning of the installation work, in order to thereby ensure protection of the interior cavity during finishing of the wall. After completed finishing of the wall, the sleeve is moved back far enough that the front edge assumes the proper position in relation to the wall. Then, the front edge is flush-mounted with the wall surface, for example.

According to the invention, the sleeve has a cylindrical shape, open on the front side, e.g. a circular-cylindrical shape, with an outer diameter preferably remaining constant in the axial direction and, in any case, not increasing in the direction towards the front edge such that the sleeve can be moved back, as desired, after completed finishing of the wall surface.

According to the invention, the sleeve is configured such that it is smooth on the outer surface, that is, it is free of projections extending radially outwardly. This configuration allows a particularly good treatment and finishing of the wall surface directly up to the sleeve and to move the sleeve back by a desired degree after completed finishing of the wall surface.

The manner in that the sleeve can be fixed at different distance positions, can be implemented in different ways. For example, one option is locking at different distances, another is a threaded connection, in case of a cylindrical concealed box.

The manner of varying the distance, preferred according to the invention, may be in that the sleeve is guided in a displaceable manner on the side walls of the concealed box. What is allowed thereby is a variation of the distance that is continuous and also possible with arbitrary shapes of the concealed box. Displacement may be effected, for example, in that the sleeve rests against the surface of the side walls of the concealed box.

It has already been mentioned above that concealed boxes can also offer protection against condensation water. For that purpose, it can be provided in a development of the invention that an encircling seal is provided, which seal is effective between the sleeve and the side walls and rests against both parts with a certain pre-tensioning. As a result, there is a possibility of displacement and at the same time a certain constraint.

In particular, it can be provided in a development that said seal is provided on the sleeve, for example in the form of an encircling seal that is arranged within a circumferential groove.

It has proved to be expedient that the sleeve is arranged on the inner side of the side walls, even though in special cases an arrangement on the outer side of the side walls is also possible.

In order to further facilitate and simplify the installation of sanitary fittings using the concealed box, it can be provided according to the invention that the sleeve is secured against being pulled out towards the front.

It is possible that the concealed box is equipped with the sleeve during production in the factory such that there is no need for assembling on site. However, it is also possible that the concealed box is assembled not earlier than on the construction site. Furthermore, there may also be a need to remove the sleeve and then reinsert it. Therefore, in a development of the invention, an orienting device for correct orienting of the sleeve with respect to the concealed box can be provided.

According to the invention it can be provided in a development that the concealed box is provided with a rotation-prevention means for preventing the sleeve from rotating with respect to the concealed box, in case the concealed box has a circular-cylindrical shape, for example. This feature may be expedient, if the sleeve also serves for correct orientation of the concealed box itself, for example in the horizontal.

In a development of the invention, the concealed box may include devices for fastening fitting parts within or on the concealed box.

To ensure that the variability of the sleeve is not affected, the fastening devices have to be configured such that they are not located in the way of the sleeve. Thus, said devices are either arranged in a region of the side walls, where the sleeve does not move, or they may be fastened to the base of the concealed box, the latter option being preferred according to the invention.

In particular, it can be provided in a development of the invention that the fastening device has a dome which is integrally formed on the base of the concealed box.

Said dome may be integrally formed on the base of the concealed box in such a manner that it has a distance to the inner side of the side wall, with said distance being correspondent to the corresponding dimensions of the sleeve. As a result, the dome may also contribute to improved guiding of the sleeve, in case said sleeve is disposed on the inner side of the side wall. If the sleeve is disposed on the outer side of the side walls, then the dome can also transition into the side wall.

Additionally, the dome can serve to constitute part of the orienting device and/or rotation-prevention means of the concealed box. For example, the sleeve can have two webs on the inner side of the sleeve, which webs enclose a dome between them when the sleeve is inserted.

The device for preventing the sleeve from being pulled out of the concealed box can also act on the dome.

According to the invention, it can be provided that the base and side walls of the concealed box, and likewise the sleeve, are made of plastics material. Combinations of materials are also possible.

In another development of the invention, it can be provided that the inserting depth of the sleeve is also limited by a stop.

It has already been mentioned above that the concealed box can have any arbitrary shape. According to the invention, the concealed box and likewise the sleeve can have a cylindrical shape, in particular a circular-cylindrical shape.

In order to prevent that during finishing of the wall surface, namely during plastering, tiling or immuring, the concealed box suffers inward bending, what could then hinder inserting of the sleeve, a development of the invention provides that the concealed box is made of a material that renders it shape-invariant, e.g. the box is made of a hard and/or rigid plastics material.

Further features, details and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the claims, with the wording thereof incorporated into the content of this description by reference, the description below of preferred embodiments of the invention, and with reference to the drawings. In the drawings:

Figure 1 shows a perspective illustration of a concealed box according to the invention;

Figure 2 shows a longitudinal section through a concealed box with a fitting base body inserted and a sleeve pulled-out to maximum;

Figure 3 shows the cross section of Figure 2 with the sleeve pushed-in to maximum;

Figure 4 shows a top view on the concealed box;

Figure 5 shows a broken section view through the arrangement of Figure 4.

The concealed box illustrated in Figure 1 in a perspective view includes continuous circular-cylindrical side walls 1 having circumferentially extending ribs 2 with slots 3 between them disposed on the outer side of the walls. These features are provided for attachment of further fastening means. Disposed in the side walls 1 are through-passage openings 4 for water lines to be passed there through into the interior of the concealed box 1. On the outer side of the side walls 1 external fastening eyelets 5 are integrally formed in the region of the base (not visible in Figure 1), and using said eyelets the concealed box can be attached to the base of a recess in a wall.

The front edge 6 of the side walls 1 facing away from the base is located in a plane extending in parallel to the base.

Within the concealed box, in the illustrated example, is disposed a fitting base body with a pressing cap 7 fixed thereto.

Inside the concealed box is disposed a plurality of domes 8 which are integrally formed on the base and include an insert nut 9 on the dome upper end facing away from the base. Said domes are used for screw-fastening of fitting parts to the concealed box. The domes are integrally formed on the base with a certain distance to the inner side of the side walls 1, as will be explained below.

Between the domes and the side walls 1 a sleeve 10 is inserted into the concealed box, which sleeve is configured and arranged concentrically to the side walls 1 and projects by way of its front edge 11 beyond the front edge 6 of the side walls 1. On each of four locations, uniformly distributed over the perimeter, the sleeve 10 has a small projection 12 which may be used for orienting a bubble level. On the interior side of the sleeve 10, radially inwards oriented webs 13 are integrally formed and in each case enclosing a dome 8 between them. In this manner, the sleeve 10 is secured against rotation about the axis of the concealed box. Said webs 13 are provided on all domes 8, in the exemplary embodiment as illustrated.

On one of the two webs 13 associated with a dome 8, a latch 14 extending in the peripheral direction is integrally formed. Said latch 14 slides on a flat portion 15 on the inward-oriented side of the dome 8. Said latch 14 provides protection against pulling out of the sleeve 10 towards the top and in a vertically installed condition towards the front, respectively.

Now with reference to the illustration of Figure 2. Illustrated therein is a section through the concealed box in a plane in which the axis 16 of the concealed box is located. The base 17 of the concealed box is planar. To the right and to the left hand sides, there is in each case a through-passage opening 4 provided, wherein a sealing ring 18 is inserted. The two sealing rings 18 seal the connecting piece 19 of a fitting base body 20. The fitting base body is used to provide line connections to the lines in the wall and to constitute a surface area to which the actual sanitary fitting is connected after completed installation. In the not yet installed condition as illustrated, the above mentioned pressing cap 7 is fixedly screwed to the fitting base body 20 using a screw 21. The pressing cap 7 provides passages 22 which can be used to check the tightness of the domestic installation.

The sleeve 10 has a front edge 11 located in one plane with the exception of the projections 12. It is apparent in figure 2 that said front edge 11 is located in a plane extending in parallel to the base 17. On the outer side, in the region of the sleeve rear edge facing the base, the sleeve has a rib 23 which includes a groove, wherein a sealing ring 24 is inserted. Said sealing ring 24 projects somewhat beyond the front side of the rib 23 and rests against the inner side of the side walls 1 with a certain surface pressure. As a result, there is not only sealing but also fixation of the sleeve 10 in relation to the side walls 1 of the concealed box.

The position of the sleeve illustrated in Figure 2 is the position in which the sleeve assumes the maximum distance to the base 17 of the concealed box. In this position the sleeve 10 is prevented from any further movement out of the concealed box in that the latches 14 rest against a shoulder of the domes 8. The concealed box is transferred to this position when tiling of the wall is to be performed.

If the sleeve 10 is completely pushed into the concealed box, then the rear edge 26 of the sleeve rests on a step 27 provided on the inner side of the side walls 1. This position is illustrated in Figure 3. Figure 3 also shows the shoulder 28 of the domes 8 formed on the end of the flat portion 15. Said shoulder 28 together with the latches 14 provide securing against pulling-out of the sleeve 10 from the concealed box.

The top view of Figure 4 illustrates the interaction of the webs 13 and the domes 8 in more detail, and also the fact that the sleeve 10 is arranged between the side walls 1 and the domes 8.

Figure 5 shows a section through the side wall 1 and the dome 8 disposed juxtaposed to said side wall. The dome 8 is integrally formed to the base 17 of the concealed box and is spaced from the side wall 1. The sleeve 10 is accommodated within this interspace 29. The dome 8 has a step 30 on a side facing the side wall 1, which step 30 is a limitation for the insertion movement of the sleeve 10, just like the step 27, as indicated in Figure 2 and Figure 3.

The already mentioned projections 12 on the front edge 11 of the sleeve 10 are used to ensure a horizontal or vertical orientation of the concealed box and also of the fitting base body included therein, in the exemplary embodiment as illustrated. For that purpose, a bubble level is applied on the projections which project in relation to the vertically disposed front edge 11.

Claims

Recessed box for mounting and fitting a sanitary fitting with - a bottom (17), - side walls (1), which adjoin the bottom (17) and which include at least one passage opening (4) for a water pipe, and - a sleeve (10) having a cylindrical shape with closed circumference, abutting along its circumference against the side walls (1), with its leading edge (11) projecting beyond the leading edge (6) of the side walls (1) on the recessed box and can fixed on the recessed box at different distances to the bottom (17) of the recessed box, characterized in that - the sleeve (10) is provided with an outer diameter which does not increase in the direction of the leading edge (11), with a smooth outside without projections , projecting outwards in the radial direction.

A recessed box according to claim 1, wherein the sleeve (10) is slidably guided on the side walls (1) of the recessed box.

A recessed box according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the sleeve (10) is provided with a circumferential gasket (24) which abuts against the side walls (1) of the recessed box with sealing effect.

Recessed box according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the sleeve (10) is located on the inside of the side walls (1).

Recessed box according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the sleeve (10) is secured against pulling out of the recessed box.

Recessed box according to one of the preceding claims, with an adjusting device for an angular adjustment of the sleeve (10) relative to the recessed box.

Countersunk box according to one of the preceding claims, with a pivot to prevent rotation of the sleeve (10) relative to the countersunk box.

Recessed box according to one of the preceding claims, with a fastening device for fastening luminaire parts to the recessed box.

A recessed box according to claim 8, wherein the fastening device includes at least one mandrel (8).

A recessed box according to claim 9, wherein the mandrel (8) is formed on the bottom (17) of the recessed box.

A recessed box according to claim 9 or 10, wherein the securing device for preventing extraction of the sleeve (10) acts on the mandrel (8).

Recessed box according to one of Claims 9 to 11, in which the adjusting device and / or the anti-rotation device act on the mandrel (8).

Recessed box according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the recessed box and / or the sleeve (10) is made of plastic.

A recessed box according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the side walls (1) of the recessed box have a cylindrical shape, in particular a circular cylindrical shape.

Countersunk box according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the countersunk box is made of a dimensionally stable material.