EP0116012B1 - Preformed base element for bath and shower tubs - Google Patents

Abstract

1. Preformed base element for a bath and shower tub having a supporting body to be mounted to the structure and carrying the tub, the supporting body further having threaded base feet adjustable in hight and having an outer surface to be covered by tiles and having an isolation consisting of sponge or mineral fiber material, characterized in that the sponge-mineral isolation (5) prefabricated in one piece is shaped at its inner side at least partly according to the tub's bottom side's shape and is at its outside at least partly surrounded by a multilayered sandwich panel (6) being absorbent and having a consistency to be penetrated.

Description

The invention relates to a prefabricated base element according to the preamble of claim 1.

A base element with foam insulation which is adjustable in height on feet is known (DE-A-3 110 120), in which four plate-like foam parts have to be put together on the construction site and the feet have to be adjusted in height from below and partially inside, below. Only then can an insulating part floor be used. There remains a large air cavity around the tub, which is not at least no problem in terms of sound technology (resonance box). The frame must be adapted to the tubs on a case-by-case basis and subsequently cut to size. An assembly opening for the drainage area must be created on the construction site; an opening must be cut into the foam panels. There is no constructive solution to the inspection opening, it remains open how its accessibility or closure can be designed or guaranteed. The tubs must also be be provided with sound insulation before insertion. The tiles must be glued to the unfavorable foam sheets - which have no surface structure that improves adhesion. Installation in a niche comprising the tub on three sides is very difficult and requires large distances between the base element and at least one niche wall located on a short side.

Bases consisting of a single piece of foam, which can be modeled on the underside of the tub, are also known (DE-A-2 052 979). Their only advantage over the known embodiment described is that assembly on site is not necessary, while besides all the other disadvantages they also have to be leveled by means of documents and wedges.

Due to the lack of metal parts in these base elements, they can neither be mechanically adjusted, nor do they have any supporting consolidation. The only foamed elements can deform due to material loss and temperature fluctuations and are then at least also problematic with regard to the tiling. Due to the lack of design features, there is a sound bridge from the tub to the floor. Even a base design of this kind, which has hard foam on the outside and soft foam on the inside, does not change these disadvantages and, on the contrary, brings about even greater distortions and deformations due to the unevenly shrinking foam types.

The object of the invention is to create a prefabricable base element of the type mentioned at the outset which is advantageous in terms of heat and sound insulation and which can be produced economically and is easily displaceable for any installation situation. It should be versatile and can be easily and permanently covered with tiles. The disadvantages of previous designs should be avoided, but their advantages should be retained.

To achieve this object, a base element of the type defined in claim 1 is proposed.

It is advantageously a partial separation of the mechanical, thermal and acoustic, sanitary connection and tile functions with complete mutual integration in the base element.

The one-piece construction of the foam insulation, composite panels and metal construction prevents them from being assembled on site.

The at least partial replication (molded foam) of the underside of the tub, the all-round closure of mineral fiber composite panels and the strict separation between the tub and floor - all around with a cellular rubber profile and rubber buffer on the supporting feet - offer the best conditions for thermal and acoustic insulation.

The outer covering with composite panels protects the foam from damage and also prevents the elements from being deformed with the metal adjustment and support frame. The surface optimized with a structure favors the covering with tiles and their permanent gluing. The composite panel can also serve as a “lost formwork” during production, so that separation problems in the case of molded foaming are eliminated.

With e.g. then preferably made of rigid foam and mineral fibers, it is particularly well possible to achieve an inside penetration and penetration with the insulating foam, which ensures an excellent connection and stability and solidifies the whole. The internal mineral fiber part can absorb the foam pressure during the form of foaming and, thanks to the resetting option, absorb the foam shrinkage without the outer surfaces of the element being deformed.

It is also possible to use a relatively soft foam, preferably a pressurized polyurethane foam, because the mechanical properties of the composite panel cladding and the composite construction mentioned allow a less hard foam.

If one can carry out the leveling in a preferred manner by means of screw spindles which can be actuated from above, the relocation in the building can also be carried out conveniently, safely and quickly.

If the feet are supported on the floor in friction bowls, there is no need to fear self-adjustment when the leveling is complete.

The integrated, preferably metal, support frame, which can be connected to the feet and is preferably provided between the composite panel and the foam, can be screwed or glued together with the preferably metal, outer protective corners.

The shape-stabilizing cross beams can be embedded in the composite panels with a thermal cut mold, i.e. inserted, screwed or glued to the composite panels. A connection of the metal parts by welding is also possible. The combination of these connections in a prefabricated element only brings the necessary stability.

The attachment of the base element to the structure can preferably on such a support attack scaffolding, which is also conducive to stability. For this purpose, a number of holes can be provided in the corresponding metal parts, as well as in the profile bars, which are accessible and possibly visible through the foam and the composite panels.

If a tub is to be installed on the building in a niche surrounding it on three sides, that embodiment of the invention is particularly advantageous which has a base main part which covers the drain area of the tub completely (i.e. not only below), i.e. blank on all three sides and below as well as above. You can then move this base part of the base, which has the feet, accordingly and fasten it to the structure, carry out the sanitary installation on the building unhindered and attach a screen (with revision door) to close the gap on one longitudinal wall, with a support structure with an integrated design Inspection doors have special advantages. The screen, which preferably has a metal frame, is preferably covered with the same composite panel, so that a problem-free surface is provided for tiling. A removable closure should be provided in the screen as a sanitary inspection opening, which is also clad with the composite panel and can be covered with tiles.

The cavity behind the screen can be stuffed with an insulating material (mineral fiber stuffing wool) or the like, and besides excellent insulation and avoidance of a resonance room there is also the advantage of being easy to repair.

The screen can be equipped in such a way that it can be used on both sides, which, when three sides of the base main part are preferably covered with composite panels, allows a base element to be used universally for one type of tub. The screen can also be designed so that it allows the drainage area to be clad on two or three sides if necessary.

• Fig. 1 eine Seitenansicht eines erfindungsgemässen Sockelelementes in einer Tieflage,
• Fig. 2 eine Seitenansicht dieses Sockelelementes in einer Hochlage (stärker ausgefahrene Füsse),
• Fig. 3 eine Draufsicht nach Pfeil 111 in Fig. 1 und 2 auf das Sockelelement,
• Fig. 4 einen mehrfach gebrochenen, vergrösserten Schnitt nach Linie IV-IV in Fig. 3 des Metallgerüstes, wobei die linke Seite einen in Tiefstellung und die rechte Seite einen in Hochstellung befindlichen Fuss darstellend gezeichnet ist,
• Fig. 5 eine fragmentare Draufsicht auf das Metallgerüst,
• Fig. 6 eine gegenüber den Fig. 1 und 2 vergrösserte Seitenansicht des Schildes und
• Fig. 7 eine Ansicht des Schildes nach Pfeil VII in Fig. 6.

An embodiment of the invention is discussed below with reference to the purely schematic drawings. Show it:

• 1 is a side view of a base element according to the invention in a low position,
• 2 is a side view of this base element in a high position (more extended feet),
• 3 shows a plan view according to arrow 111 in FIGS. 1 and 2 of the base element,
• FIG. 4 shows a multiply broken, enlarged section along line IV-IV in FIG. 3 of the metal frame, the left side being drawn to show a foot in the down position and the right side showing a foot in the up position,
• 5 is a fragmentary top view of the metal frame,
• Fig. 6 is an enlarged side view of the shield compared to Figs. 1 and 2 and
• 7 is a view of the shield according to arrow VII in Fig. 6th

The base element 1 (for a bathtub) shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 consists of a main part 2, which leaves the drainage area 3 free, and a shield 4 fastened to the main part 2, which covers the drainage area 3 on one side.

For other purposes, the sign could also cover the drainage area on two or even three sides, which is easy to see and therefore does not need to be shown or discussed further. In today's relatively small bathrooms, a bathtub will preferably be placed in a building niche surrounding it on three sides. Therefore, the base element 1 shown here is adapted to such a case.

The main part 2 has a one-piece foam insulation 5 on the inside, foamed exactly to the tub profile, which is modeled on the underside of the bathtub (not shown) to be used (with the exception of the drainage area). This foam insulation 5 is clad on the outside with rigid foam-mineral fiber composite panels, firmly connected by foam penetrating the latter. This cladding can preferably also be made of penetrable lightweight building boards, e.g. Wood-wool cement boards, ordinary hard foam boards, with or without a factory-applied base coat, exist, while the foam is a polyurethane foam with medium hardness.

Embedded in the foam insulation 5 is a metal frame 7 (FIGS. 4 and 5) which comprises feet 8 which are height-adjustable in a manner to be described.

A foot 8 comprises an outer guide tube 80 (FIGS. 4 and 5), in which a threaded nut 81 is firmly seated, in which the threaded spindle part 82 of the foot 8 runs, with the guide tube being open at the top and covered with a mushroom buffer before inserting the tub 80 the foot 8 can be rotated by means of a screwdriver. A plastic friction shell 9 (FIG. 4) resting on the bottom B prevents the set height from changing unintentionally. The friction shell 9 serves as a rotation lock.

It is easy to see that in this way the height and inclination of the base and thus the bathtub to be inserted later can be easily adjusted from above.

After this height adjustment can be securely fixed by means of screws which are rotated through holes 10 in the wall (dowel) shown in FIG. 4.

The shield 4 can either be installed now or only after inserting the bathtub, whereby it is attached and screwed to the screws 70 of the metal frame 7 by means of the button holes 41 (FIG. 6 and 7) provided on its two end sides 40 (FIGS. 6 and 7) can be. An inspection opening 42 (FIGS. 6 and 7) in the shield 4 can be closed or opened by a cover 44 held by snap fasteners 43. Here too, a composite panel 60 (FIG. 7) is provided as the outer cladding. In this way, an optimal adaptation of the base 1 to the structural conditions can be achieved, and the drainage area 3 can be stuffed with insulating material, for example mineral fiber stuffing wool, through the assembly or inspection opening 42, which brings an optimized insulation, which, however, is possible from case to case the necessary revision of the tub installation can be removed and then re-stuffed.

The metal frame 7 fulfills the function of supporting and insulating with its feet in combination with the insulating foam 5 and the composite panels 6.

The insulating foam 5 fulfills the function of sound insulation in combination with the surrounding mineral fiber composite panels, the cellular rubber profile glued to the upper edge of the composite panels as well as the mushroom buffer that prevents sound bridges on the metal base parts and the friction shells.

The function of the protection and the tile holder are fulfilled by the composite panels 6 structured on the outside and firmly connected to the foot parts 8 corner protection profiles.

The shield 4 simplifies the installation of the tub and provides the possibility of accommodating the base in a tight fit in a building niche.

In this way, a synergistic effect can be achieved despite the division of tasks.

The base according to the invention can be manufactured very simply and economically. The composite plates 6 connected in advance to the metal components are placed in a support mold. As a further possibility, the composite panels 6 are placed in a support mold and the metal frame 7 is assembled from individual pieces, whereby one can easily attach them to the composite panels 6 and, if necessary, glue, rivet, screw, weld or otherwise connect their parts to one another.

Now you place a tub to be imaged over it and foam under it, whereby the foam also penetrates the mineral fiber-rated composite panels and connects everything in a form-fitting manner. The tub, pre-treated with a release agent, can be removed. The shield 4 is easy to manufacture from metal components and composite panels, with bonding being one of the preferred types of connection.

Claims (13)

1. Preformed base element for a bath and shower tub having a supporting body to be mounted to the structure and carrying the tub, the supporting body further having threaded base feet adjustable in hight and having an outer surface to be covered by tiles and having an isolation consisting of sponge or mineral fiber material, characterized in that the sponge-mineral fiber isolation (5) prefabricated in one piece is shaped at its inner side at least partly according to the tub's bottom side's shape and is at its outside at least partly surrounded by a multilayered sandwich panel (6) being absorbent and having a consistency to be penetrated.

2. Base element of claim 1, characterized in that the sandwich panel (6) preferably made from hard sponge and mineral fiber on its inner side is penetrated by sponge isolation material.

3. Base element of one of the claims 1 and 2, characterized in that the sponge isolation (5) consists of a pressed preferably medium solid polyurethane sponge.

4. Base element of one of the claims 1 through 3, characterized in that each one of the feet (8) is adjustable in hight from above by means of a threaded spindle (82).

5. Base element of one of the claims 1 through 4, characterized in that each one of the feet (8) is standing in a rubbing shell (9).

6. Base element of one of the claims 1 through 5, characterised in that trestle (7) is provided made from metal.

7. Base element of one of the claims 1 through 6, characterized in that fastening means (10) are provided to be fastened to the structure, which fastening means are preferably fixed to a trestle made from metal.

8. Base element of one of the claims 1 through 7, characterized in that there is provided a main base part (2) taking over the bigger part of a bath tub and being adjustable in hight, which base part leaves free the drain area (3) of the bath tub and which base part is intended to fasten a lining (4) covering the drain area (3) at least at one side, whereby the lining (4) having a similar sandwich panel (60) has a mounting opening (42) closed by a removable cover (44).

9. Base element of one of the claims 1 through 8, characterized in that the base main part (2) at least at both of its longitudinal sides, at its short side remote from the lining (4) and at its bottom side carries a multilayered sandwich panel (6).

10. Base element of claim 8 or 9, characterized in thatthe lining (4) is designed as a prefabricated opening for inspection having an inspection door with a snap fastener closure, an adjustable lifting rosette made from metal and a metal frame to be mounted at the base main part (2).

11. Base element of one of the claims 1 through 10, characterized in that the multilayered sandwich panels (6) at their outer corners are provided with reinforcements preferably made from metal.

12. Base element of one of the claims 1 through 11, characterized in that the multilayered sandwich panels (6) have an outer surface design made in a thermomechanical process.

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