EP0126832B1

EP0126832B1 - Bed for carrying and supporting bath tubs, in particular made of plastics material

Info

Publication number: EP0126832B1
Application number: EP83830179A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Gaetano Capodicasa
Original assignee: K & Q King And Queen SpA
Current assignee: K & Q King And Queen SpA
Priority date: 1983-05-31
Filing date: 1983-09-20
Publication date: 1987-12-09
Also published as: PT78596B; ZA842920B; EP0126832A3; GR81566B; DK132484D0; ES274905U; PT78596A; DE3374835D1; MTP944B; EP0126832A2; ES274905Y; DK132484A; IT8321396A0; IT1200377B; ATE31240T1

Abstract

The present invention relates to a bed (1) for carrying and supporting bath tubs (3) made of a plastics material, which comprises a shaped body defining at the top whereof a seat (2) effective to be coupled to at least a portion of the bottom surface of a bath tub (3). The mentioned shaped body (1) is provided, at the bottom thereof, with at least a zone (12) for resting on the bath room floor (19). Moreover stiffening ribs (6), (16) and (13) are provided which are arranged longitudinally, transversally, and along oblique directions.

Description

The present invention relates to a bed for supporting bath tubs, in particular made of a plastics material.
As it is well known, there are commercially available bath tubs which are made of plastics materials, more specifically acrylic materials.
The mentioned bath tubs have the advantage, with respect to the conventional ones, of being remarkably lighter and easier to handle, of great resistance to impacts and nearly underformable.
Notwithstanding the mentioned advantages, the known plastics material bath tubs are rather difficult to be properly installed, since it is necessary to carry out suitable masonry works which negatively affect the cost of the installed bath tub.
For example the LU-A-56 384 Patent describes a support for bath tubs consisting of a shaped body comprising an upper part adapted to be coupled with the bottom part of the bath tub and a lower base part adapted to stay in contact with the bathroom floor, the shaped body being provided with bottom stiffening ribs pertaining to a bottom supporting plate in such a way as to rest on a resting base through longitudinal ribs and supporting the bottom of the bath tub through further longitudinal alternating ribs.
Such a support, as it would be apparent, has the drawbacks that the side walls of the bath tub are scarcely stiffened and that it is rather difficult to apply, in a quick and simple way, finishing panels to the bath tub assembled on the mentioned support.
Accordingly, the task of the present invention is that of obviating the thereinabove mentioned drawbacks, by providing such a bed for supporting plastics material bath tubs which affords the possibility of greatly simplifying the operations related to the installing of the bath tub, in particular without requiring any masonry operations.
Within that task, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide a bed for supporting bath tubs which is effective to afford the possibility of holding said bath tub perfectly positioned, while facilitating its installation.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a bed of the mentioned type which is effective to stiffen the bath tub, thereby saving materials for making the plastics bath tub.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide such a bed for supporting bath tubs which affords the possibility of making a complete installation without the necessity of carrying out masonry operations or works, even with respect to the side wall coating steps of said bath tub.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide such a bed for supporting bath tubs which, due to its constructional features, is able of offering great reliability and use safety characteristics.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide such a bed for supporting bath tubs, which may be made in a simple way while being greatly competitive from a mere economic standpoint.
According to one aspect of the present invention, the task and objects thereinabove mentioned, as well as yet other objects, which will become more apparent thereinafter, are achieved by a bed for supporting bath tubs, in particular plastics material bath tubs, according to the claim.
Further characteristics and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent thereinafter from the following detailed description of two preferred embodiments of a bed for supporting plastics material bath tubs, being illustrated by way of an indicative but not limitative example in the accompanying drawings, where:

Figure 1 is a schematic plan view illustrating a bath tub supporting bed according to the invention;
Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line II-II of Figure 1;
Figure 3 illustrates a cross-sectional view as taken along the line III-III of Figure 1.

With reference to the figures of the accompanying drawings and, more specifically, to Figures 1 to 3, the bed or supporting structure for supporting bath tubs, in particular plastics material bath tubs, according to the present invention, comprises a shaped body, indicated overally by the reference number 1, which is advantageously made of a plastics material.
That shaped body 1, of stackable type, defines in the inside thereof, a seat or housing 2 and forms, practically, a containing element, effective to receive and restrain therein a bath tub, indicated by a dashed line, and by the reference number 3.
More specifically, the shaped body 1 of this embodiment, illustrated in Figures 1 to 3, is provided, at the top thereof, with a perimetrical edge 4, of substantially flat shape, horizontally laying, meeting with a side edge 5 which practically encompasses all the bed, and defines the side wall surfaces whereof.
The shaped body 1 is moreover provided, on its surface, and, in particular, at the region therein said seat 2 is formed, with ribs 6, suitably arranged, effective to act as stiffening elements for the body 1 itself.
With reference to the mentioned Figures 1 to 3, the ribs 6 are arranged according to lines longitudinally extending with respect to the bath tub, said ribs 6 being integral and meeting with transversal ribs 16 extending up to the side edges 5.
More specifically, the longitudinal ribs 6, define elements for resting on the bath room floor or on the sub-floor surface, and allowforthe bed 1 to be simply and quickly installed by glueing.
After having installed said bed 1, the bath tub 3 is inserted into the seat or housing 2 and may be restrained therein, by glueing.
A main feature of the present invention consists of the fact that the side wall coatings may be realized by panels 8, provided with a ribbed side and a substantially flat opposite side, to be applied at the side edges 5 and affixed to the bath room floor and bath tub 3, by simply pressing said panels against the grooved sidewalls of the body 1, in such a way as to cause the ribs of the panels to engage in the grooves of the sidewalls of the body 1.
Naturally, if desired, said panels may be coupled to the body 1 by any other suitable means, for example by screws.
Advantageously the panels 8 will have an already finished outer surface, thereby obviating the need of carrying out further finishing works.
To this connection it should be pointed out that it would be possible to carry out tile coating operations in which the tiles will be directly glued on the side edges 5 upstanding from the bed 19.
It should be moreover pointed out that, through the bottom of the shaped body 1, there is advantageously provided a hole 9 for permitting the discharging duct of the bath tube 3 to pass through.
From the above disclosure it should be noted that the invention fully achieves the intended task and objects.
In particular the fact is to be pointed out that a supporting bed has been provided which is effective to greatly simplify all of the installing and mounting steps of a plastics material bath tub 3 since, in addition to practically providing a receiving cradle for the bath tub itself, it provides a member which, while containing said tub, is effective to further stiffen it, thereby improving remarkably the underformability characteristics of the bath tub, even in the case therein the latter is made with a reduced thickness.

Claims

A bed for supporting bath tubs, in particular plastics material bath tubs, comprising a plastics material shaped body defining an inside seat or housing for receiving therein a plastics material bath tub, said body having a bottom and side walls, with longitudinal bottom stiffening ribs (6) characterized in that said longitudinal ribs extend to said side walls and in that said shaped body has transversal stiffening ribs perpendicular to said longitudinal ribs, said longitudinal (6) and transversal (16) ribs being so designed and arranged as to provide said body with grooved side walls for engaging with outer ribbed finishing panels (8) intended to be pressure applied or glued to said grooved side walls.