EP0448502B1

EP0448502B1 - Support for attachment to baths

Info

Publication number: EP0448502B1
Application number: EP19910500029
Authority: EP
Inventors: Armando Lasa Azpitarte
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1990-03-23
Filing date: 1991-03-22
Publication date: 1994-12-21
Anticipated expiration: 2011-03-22
Also published as: EP0448502A1; DE69106019D1

Description

The invention is directed towards the manufacture of sanitary ware accessories and in particular refers to a support for attachment to baths.

ENGINEERING CONDITIONS prior to the date of application.

There are supports for attachment to the edge of baths. See for example US-A-1 376 247.

EXPLANATION OF THE INVENTION. Concerning the arrangement of the constituent elements.

This support, the object of the present Patent of Invention, is disclosed by the features of Claim 1. It is made up in the form of a bridge, which is fitted on/against the edges of the bath.
It offers the possibility of setting variable heights.
In the same way, it may also be adapted to different widths of bath.
The measurement adjustment is made by means of a simple manipulation of levers and the telescopic movement of the tubular elements.
The final attachment is made after carrying out the following operations:

Adjustment of height, by means of the levers -10-.
They are loosened, the measurement is adjusted and the handles are tightened again.
Estimation of width, by means of the handles -14-.
When the width has been estimated, the handle on the right -14- is fixed, as seen in figure 1.
Firm attachment to the edges of the bath by means of turning the handle -17- as seen in figure 3.

Once a firm attachment has been made, the lock nut -16- is fixed, as shown in figure 4.
Finally the handle -14- on the left must be turned (figure 1, and the fixture is then final).

EXPLANATION OF THE INVENTION. With regard to operation.

Operation has already been described in a general way, but will now be explained in more detail:
The bridge assembly is placed in position on the edges of the bath.
The appropriate measurement adjustments are made.
The actual operation is that carried out in order to achieve a firm attachment of the parts -4-against the said edge of the bath -2-.
The attachment is multiple.
The pressure of the attachment is made as follows:
By observing figure 3 and by turning the handle -17-, the spindle -21- is turned. The revolving movement is achieved in view of the fact that the part -20- bears the spindle -21- on one side and the part -19- on the other, which rests on the orifice of the element -12-, and that the said part -19- is extended to form a dowel screw -18- to which the handle -17- is fixed by its threaded collar -24- and the joint is made fast by means of the nut -23-.
The handle -17- is also screwed onto the dowel screw -18-.
Under the conditions of figure 3, any turn of the handle -17- causes the spindle to turn and the consequent displacement of the horizontal part -15- to which the nut -22- is joined.
This revolving movement determines the firm attachment of the assembly to the edge of the bath.
After this tightening movement, its position is guaranteed by means of the lock nut -16- which is set as in figure 4.
Some improvements have been introduced by means of the Certificate of Addition.
Basically, the introductions are the following:

The obtention of greater security in the attachment of the bridge as a whole in order to avoid any accidents as a result of slipping.
The bridge or support for attachment on baths is fundamentally maintained.
The curved elements -3- of the part -7- will be provided with a joint -25- from which will hang a pair of SUCTION CUPS -28- to be affixed to the inside surface of the bath.

This solution is depicted in the attached Figure 8.

However, in some cases when the danger of slipping is not so great, the placing of a sole SUCTION CUP in the centre of the part -7- will be sufficient; as shown in Figure 9.
Figure 7 shows the side view of how the SUCTION CUP is attached.
This type of suction cup is already known in other applications. The important point, however, is the incorporation of the said suction cup to the appliance or support that is the object of the Patent of Invention.

As regards the general operation of the SUPPORT, this is the same as that already described in the main patent application, but The following points may be made:
In achieving greater stability of the assembly by obtaining a firmer attachment by means of the suction cups included:
THE ASSEMBLY AND ADJUSTMENT of the various widths is simplified.
It is therefore possible, in these cases, to exclude the adjustment device of the spindle which appears in Figures 3 and 4.
The breakdown of the improvements as a whole is that shown in Figure 2, which depicts the arrangement of the parts to facilitate packing.

DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWINGS. Concerning that shown in each of the figures used.

Figure 1. View of the support in elevation when placed on opposite sides -2- of the bath.
Figure 2. View of the combined parts ready for assembly, after addition of the improvements of the suction cups, which are introduced in the Certificate of Addition.
Figure 3. Firm attachment device. The position shown is that in which the handle -17- may be turned to make the attachment.
Figure 4. Firm attachment device, after locking into position. After firm attachment has been, achieved.
Figure 5. View showing details of the parts, four in number, which are attached to the ends -6- of each supporting leg. Each of these parts is provided with elastic supports -4-which give perfect adherence of the assembly to the edge of the bath.
Figure 6. Side view of each of the parts that serve as a base for each leg of the support.
Figure 7. Side view showing the arrangement of the SUCTION CUPS on the inside surface of the bath.
Figure 8. View of one of the base supports on the bath when provided with TWO SUCTION CUPS placed on the ends of the horizontal part -7-.
Figure 9. View of one of the base supports on the bath when provided with one SUCTION CUP in the centre.

DESCRIPTION OF THE VARIOUS PARTS OF THE INVENTION.

Reference is made to the different signs that have been used in the accompanying drawings, which also point to the relationship between the various elements, both as regards operational order and assembly.

1. Representation of a bath, on the edges of which is to be placed the support concerned in this Patent of Invention.
2. Edges of the bath, on which the support rests and is fixed.
3. Curved elements four in number, which determine the base of the support assembly in the form of a bridge.
These curved parts, which are shown in figure 5, are provided with sockets to house supports -4- with a certain degree of elasticity, to achieve a strong, firm attachment.
4. Elastic base supports.
5. Screw holes for the attachment of each curved element -3- to the ends -6- of the legs of the bridge frame assembly.
6. Site of attachment of the curved elements -3-.
7. Frame, which allows the attachment at -6- of curved elements -3- at each end, and from the centre of which emerges the extension -8- within which is housed the tubular element -11-.
After insertion, it is fastened as may be most convenient and may even be fixed by gluing.
After insertion, fastening is carried out by means of the handle -10- which joins the lugs -9-.
8. Base of the legs of the bridge.
9. Lugs for attachment by the handle -10- of the bar that has been inserted in the support -8-.
10. Attachment handles of the bar or tubular element -11-, after insertion in the support -8-.
11. Bar which is placed in position according to the height required for the support as a whole.
12. angular element which joins and attaches the horizontal bar -15- to the vertical bar -11-.
The combined mechanisms shown in figure 3 are arranged on this support, in order to achieve the firm attachment of the support assembly on the edges of the bath.
13. Support which similarly attaches the horizontal bar -15- to the other vertical bar -11-.
The support assembly is formed thanks to the pair of elements -12- and -13- with their two legs -11-.
14. Handle to secure the position of the tubular elements -11- and -15- in their telescopic adjustment displacements.
15. Horizontal tubular part, which is the actual handle support for all the movements that the user of the bath wishes to make.
16. Security lock nut, after establishing the position of firm attachment.
17. Pressure handle whereby the displacement of the tubular part -15- is controlled with the desired degree of precision.
18. Screw bolt intregrated in the part -20- and the spindle -21-. The handle -17- is screwed on to this bolt. The handle is also secured by means of its own screw, with the nut -23-.
19. Part that serves to reinforce the angular element -12-, so that any turning movement is made freely.
20. Assembly body of the spindle -21-.
21. Spindle, which can turn when required by means of the handle -17-. This spindle is joined to the nut -22-. The revolving movement of the spindle determines the displacement of the nut and the resulting displacement of the tubular element -15-.
22. Nut integrated with the horizontal part -15-.
23. Fastening nut for the handle -17-.
24. Threaded collar forming part of the handle -17-. The part -16- moves freely on this threaded collar and forms a stable lock nut.
25. Joint of the assembly of the SUCTION CUP. A small shank -27- joins the body -26- of the suction cup with the said joint.
26. Metal body of the suction cup, to one side of which is attached the suction cup -28- which, on being deformed by traction of the part -26- on the other side, determines the vacuum.
27. Integral lug of the part -26- which articulates at the point -25-.
28. Suction cup which, through its central deformation, serves as a SUCTION CUP, the adherence being produced thanks to the lever -30-, and a displacement owing to its eccentricity.
The capacity of the suction cup is thus increased and its appropriate depression.
This phenomenon is already known and applied as suction cups in other cases. The novelty lies in its application to this case of securing and fastening in the support to which the invention refers.
29. Central appendage when a sole SUCTION CUP is used for the part -7-.
30. Handle with an eccentric end for moving the suction cup -28- that serves as a suction cup.
The turning of this lever determines the displacement of the central part of the plate -28- and the resulting vacuum.

Claims

SUPPORT FOR ATTACHMENT TO BATHS, in form of a bridge, comprising a horizontal part (15), characterized by the fact that the end of said part each fit telescopically into angular elements (12) and (13) from each of which emerge tubular elements (11) and after establishing the relevant positional measurements, fastening is carried out by means of handles (14).
SUPPORT FOR ATTACHMENT TO BATHS, according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that each of the tubular elements (11) rest on a part (7) in the form of an inverted "T", so that they are fixed in position on the leg of the "T" (8) by means of levers (10), and at the ends of the wings of the "T" are attached curved elements (3) provided with elastic supports (4) which rest directly on the edges of the bath.
SUPPORT FOR ATTACHMENT TO BATHS, according to claims 1 and 2, characterized by the fact that the angular element (12) has a bolt device (21) that may be manoeuvred by means of an handle (17) attached at the outer end, of the element (12) so that this device connected to a nut (22) integrated in the horizontal part (15) produces displacements of the same, and locking may be obtained by means of a further nut (16), thus ensuring that the support assembly is firmly fastened on the edges of the bath.
SUPPORT FOR ATTACHMENT TO BATHS, according claim 2, characterized by the fact that said part (7) in the form of an inverted "T" is provided with a joint (25) at its curved elements (3) to which are adapted one or more suction cups (28) wich are applied to the inside surface of the bath,holding the whole device on the same.
SUPPORT FOR ATTACHMENT TO BATHS, according to claim 4, characterized by the fact that the suction cups (28) are arranged inside a resistant body, preferably of metal, which incorporates an elastic plate that acts on the suction cup and is provided with an eccentrically operated lever (30) which acts on the said elastic plate (28), causing the vacuum in the corresponding suction cup, for attachment to the bath.