EP0940527A2

EP0940527A2 - Movable structure for use as toilet

Info

Publication number: EP0940527A2
Application number: EP99103654A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Maurizio Giovannardi
Original assignee: Emmegi Sas Di Giovannardi Dott Mauro & Lorenzo Monti
Current assignee: Emmegi Sas Di Giovannardi Dott Mauro & Lorenzo Monti
Priority date: 1998-03-05
Filing date: 1999-02-25
Publication date: 1999-09-08
Also published as: IT243826Y1; EP0940527A3; ITMI980138U1

Abstract

A movable structure (10) easy to assemble, disassemble and transport, suitable to provide an emergency toilet, for instance in habitations wherein works of re-structuration or restoring of the existing ones have been started. It comprises a possible base (11) covered with anti-slip material, associated to profiled uprights (12,121), peripheral walls (13) from polycarbonate slabs or the like, fixed to or fitted in the uprights (12,121), and a standard door (14), laterally sliding and/or bellows-like foldable, hinged to at least one of said uprights (12,121) or suspended from a rail hanging between the uprights(12,121). A covering element (15) closes the structure (10) on the top, by fitting in the uprights (12,121), in special seats (16).

Description

The present invention relates to a movable structure for use as emergency toilet.
More particularly, the present invention relates to a movable structure for use as toilet, easy to assemble, disassemble and transport.
The movable structure of the present invention finds a particular use in habitation rooms wherein bath-rooms are being re-structured, or outside home, along roads, in parks, gardens or equipped areas, as well as in rooms of old people with motory difficulties and the like, in seminaries, student's homes, convents and the like.
One knows the discomfort of all the members of a family when, in the general re-structuration of the habitation, the restoring of the toilet has started, as the latter becomes obviously available again only after some time. In fact, the solutions adopted till now to replace provisionally such toilets do not solve the problem at all, as they only provide remedies that are poorly functional or substantially uncomfortable for the user. For instance, W.C. bowls are sometimes used which are placed on the floor, in correspondence with the original waste pipe. Such bowls are in a position of precarious balance and constitute therefore a remarkably uncomfortable or even unusable support for the user.
As a consequence, it often happens that, during toilet re-structuration or restoring works, if a habitation has not a second bath-room, people must found other solutions with relatives and/or friends, or have to stay in a hotel for the necessary period of time, with the obvious drawbacks associated to the costs, which add to the re-structurations in course and which desirably should be eliminated or at least contained.
Object of the present invention is to obviate the above drawbacks.
More particularly, object of the present invention is to provide a movable structure that may be utilised as a toilet during the works of re-structuration or restoring of the bath-rooms of an habitation.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a toilet structure particularly comfortable, economic of contained size, aesthetically agreeable, capable of satisfying the requirements of the users, utilisable as an alternative and/or emergency toilet, and that, after the period of use, may be disassembled and rendered available for new applications, without requiring any operations on masonry works.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a movable structure, suitable to be used as a toilet, of a simple and economic type, realised with inexpensive materials and without having recourse to complex technologies, and that can be adopted not only in correspondence of points equipped with major waste pipes, but also in rooms other than the traditional bath-rooms, as it can be connected to any branch of the water waste system, even if it is higher and far from the waste pipe of the W.C. bowl.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a movable structure, suitable to be adopted also to solve possible emergency situations, for instance, installation in the bedrooms of old people with motory difficulties, and/or to solve quickly and economically arrangements of special environments, such as accommodation structures, seminaries, students' homes, convents and the like, where there may be desired to provide each individual bed-room or complex with an independent, perfectly functional toilet, of reduced size, quick installation, without needing the traditional connection with the main drain column.
According to the present invention, these and still other objects which will be obvious thanks to the following description, are achieved by a movable structure for use as toilet, having the characteristics claimed by claim 1.
Advantageously, the structure of the present invention may be assembled and disassembled in a very quick and simple manner; besides, it is easily transportable as it comprises individual elements which, while having a relatively little bulky size, ensure a complete functionality within the apparatus.
Besides incorporating a W.C. bowl with a water cistern, entirely autonomous and functional, of the suspended type, applied to an own support, the structure is provided with a toilet-bearing back frame, possibly associated to the walls, which comprises other useful toilet accessories, such as a shelf a sink, a water cistern, a device for chopping, dissipating and evacuating the organic wastes and waste water.
The constructive and functional characteristics of the structure of the present invention may be better understood thanks to the following description wherein reference is made to the attached drawings which represent an embodiment reported by way of non limiting example.
Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view of a movable structure for use as a toilet according to the present invention, and
Figure 2 is a schematic cross-section view, on different planes, of the movable structure of Figure 1.
With reference to the above mentioned figures, the movable structure for use as toilet according to the present invention, indicated as a whole by 10, comprises a base 11 which may be realised, indifferently, from stainless steel, PVC or other suitable materials, with a possible anti-slip covering; a covering frame 15 covering the whole structure; a plurality of uprights 12, 121, fixed to base 11 and fitting in said covering frame 15 and peripheral walls 13.
According to an embodiment reported by way of non limiting example, structure 10 may also have a surface configuration having a quadrangular shape, or also a different shape, and may be provided or not provided with a pre-assembled base 11, having a different thickness, possibly with an entry stress raiser or the like.
In the pre-assembled base, clutches are provided, on pre-fixed positions, for the connection, respectively, of uprights 12, 121; said base is provided with threaded pins or an independent back frame 40, for anchoring the connecting equipment of a W.C. bowl 17 within space 20.
In other possible embodiments, the structure may be devoid of base, with access to the toilet at the same level as the floor, for use by people with reduced motory capacity. In this case, the structure is self-bearing and the peripheral walls 13 and the back frame 40, for anchoring the connecting equipment of a W.C. bowl 17 are supported by a bearing back frame 23 supporting other accessories.
Uprights 12, 121 are preferably realised from metal sections having a quadrangular or a different cross-section, U-shaped or with integral or associated guides, suitable to house and engage the side edges of walls 13, whose extension in height is sufficiently greater than the height of a normal-size standing man. Two side handles, not shown, at about mid-height, may be fixed to the uprights.
One of the front uprights 121 is provided with male hinges, suitable to support an access door 14, made up by a panel from slabs of polycarbonate, wood or like material, possibly reinforced by a light frame from stainless steel or aluminium not shown, to which female hinges 18 are fixed that are hooked to the male hinges present on upright 121. Besides, door 14 is provided with a handle 19 and a closing magnet (not shown), located on the side opposite to the one of hinging to upright 121; instead of handle 19, an alternative central handle reinforcing the internal and external sides may be possibly taken into consideration.
In different embodiments, door 14 may also be a two-wing door, hinged to the front uprights, or of the laterally sliding type and bellows-like foldable, suspended from an upper rail connected to the uprights or the upper covering element 15.
In fact, at the top of structure 10, a covering element 15 is provided, made from metal or other suitable material, which comprises seats or engagement means 16 corresponding to the ones provided on the possible base 11, on pre-fixed positions, for the fitting of uprights 12 and 121. The covering element 15 may comprise a central zone from transparent material. In order to prevent uprights 12, 121 from coming out of their seats, fastening pins are used which lock them from the outside.
Structure 10 is completed by walls 13 from slabs of polycarbonate, wood or other suitable materials, which are fixed to the supporting uprights 12, 121 by means of special magnets, Velcro-like strips, clutches or other quick connections means, such as screws with knobs.
For structures 10 with base 11, the assembly and related disassembly are extremely easy, as it is sufficient to lay the possible base 11 in the place chosen for the assembly, to adjust possibly the screw-feet located under base 11, in order to place it perfectly level with the floor, to fit uprights 12, 121 in the special seats obtained on base 11 and to place the possible fastening pins, and to lay on the top the covering element 15, fitting, also in this case, the locking pins in the special seats 16.
It is now necessary to place the W.C. bowl in space 20 and to fix it either on the base of structure 10 or, and preferably, on the independent anchoring back frame 40, which may be engaged directly in the back frame 23, supporting other accessories. The latter solution is more rational and allows also to adopt without problems the structures devoid of base. Afterwards, door 14 can be coupled to the hooking means and the total assembly work is so concluded, in a simple and quick manner, without the help of screws or bolts, or the help of screws only, directly provided with knobs.
To disassemble structure 10, one operates in the reverse order, with the same advantages of work rapidity, transport facility and comfort for the user. Structure 10 is entirely movable and may be assembled and disassembled, according to need, in a few minutes. It may be completed with the installation of a rechargeable battery device or a device with a fixed electric socket to be connected by an air-cable to a fixed feed line for the internal lighting of space 20, and an air intake 22 for the ventilation, which may be provided with an electric exhaust fan provided with activated carbon filter, and with a flexible pipe to be in condition of communicating with the outside of the environment.
On the back of structure 10, in correspondence of wall 13 behind the W.C. bowl, there is also applied frame 23, with earthing 34, which may be connected to the covering element 15 of the structure or be integral with the latter by means of crosspieces directly engaged with the back uprights. The frame supports a possible cistern 24 of the flushing water for supply to the W.C. bowl 17 through a drain pipe 25, a shelf 29 and a sink 27 with taps 28 for the supply of water, a dissipating device 29, suitable to chop and evacuate towards a waste pipe 31, the organic wastes and the waste water coming from the W.C. bowl 17 and sink 27. For flushing the W.C. bowl, cistern 24 may also be of the type located on the same bowl, with a direct or indirect, pneumatic or mechanical handle, in space 20.
In order to activate the so assembled structure 10, it suffices to make an air-connection with the electric plug 33 to a current socket, fitting a branch of pipe 32 in a piping of the drinking water system, and a branch of pipe 31 in a piping of the waste water system of a sink and/or a washing machine, already existing in the habitation, even if it is placed on a level higher than the level of the waste exhaust and far from it, as the drain is ensured by the action of said dissipator 29, provided with an electric motor.
From the description made, there are clearly highlighted the characteristics of the movable structure for use as toilet subject matter of the present invention, as well as the associated advantages. In particular, they include: realisation easiness, assembly and disassembly rapidity; sturdiness and aesthetic pleasantness; transportation facility; low realisation costs with respect to the known art.
Lastly, variants may be introduced in the embodiments of the invention illustrated herein without departing from the principles that are at the basis of the innovating concept; besides, in the practical application of the innovation, the materials and proportions may be selected according to the technical requirements.
For instance, it is not excluded that the structure may be utilised also outside home and/or differently from the above indications, for instance, along roads, in parks, public gardens or within equipped spaces, on prior introduction of the suitable modifications for its use and location.

Claims

A movable structure for use as toilet, comprising a space (20) circumscribed by:

a supporting base (11);

at least a covering element (15) provided with fitting-in seats;

a plurality of uprights (20, 121), fixed to said base (11) and inserted in seats (16) of the covering element (15);

side walls (13) connected to said uprights (12, 121);

a door (14);

at least a W.C. bowl (17) fixed in said space (20), and

a waste pipe (31) connected to said toilet (17);
said structure being installable in habitation rooms wherein bathroom restoring works have been started, or outside home, along roads, in parks, gardens or equipped areas, as well as in bedrooms of old people with motory difficulties or the like, in accommodation structures, seminaries, students' homes, convents and the like.
The movable structure (10) according to claim 1, characterised in that door (14) is a tilting panel hinged in a plurality of first hinges (18) which insert in suitable second hinges of at least one of the uprights (121).
The movable structure (10) according to claim 2, characterised in that door (14) comprises at least a reinforcing element (19) for the panel, shaped as a central handle and realised from a slab of polycarbonate or the like, either supported or non-supported by a metal frame.
The movable structure (10) according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the covering element (15) is realised from metal with possibly at least a central transparent zone.
The movable structure (10) according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that walls (13) are made from a polycarbonate slab and fixed to said uprights (12, 121) by means of rapid connection devices, such as clutches, magnets, Velcro strips, screws with knobs, and the like.
The movable structure (10) according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the base is pre-assembled and provided with means for the coupling of at least a fixing device (40) for toilet (17).
The movable structure (10) according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that uprights (12), 121) are realised from metal sections having a quadrangular or U-shaped cross-sections or having integral or associated guides to house and engage the lateral edges of walls (13).
The movable structure (10) according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that it also comprises at least a supporting frame (23), placed in correspondence of the back wall (13) of toilet (17) and connected at least with the covering element (15) or the back uprights by means of crosspieces; there being fixed from one side to said supporting frame (23):

a possible cistern (24) of the flushing water to be fed to toilet (17);

a shelf (26);

a sink (27) with the related taps (28), and

a chopping and evacuating dissipating device (29) connected to a drain pipe (31); and
there being fixed from the other side:

toilet (17) of the suspended type through an anchoring back frame (40); and

possibly a cistern (24) for the flushing water.
The movable structure (10) according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that it is provided with a device for the internal lighting of space (20), and an air intake (22) for the ventilation, comprising an electric exhaust fan provided with activated carbon filter, and with a flexible pipe for communicating with the outside of the environment.
The movable structure (10) according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that door (14) has two wings hinged to the front uprights, or is of the laterally scovering elementing type, bellows-like foldable and suspended from an upper rail connected to the uprights or the upper covering element.
A movable structure for toilet use characterised in that it comprises uprights (12, 121), connected each to at least a wall (13) and an upper covering connected to each other in such a way as to eliminate at least a space (20) without base and with access from the same level as the floor, there being provided within said space (20) at least a toilet (17), associated to at least a drain pipe (31); said structure (10) being installable in rooms of habitations wherein bath-room restoring works have been started, or outside home, along roads, in parks, gardens or equipped areas, as well as in rooms of old people having motory difficulties and the like, in accommodation structures, in seminaries, students' homes, convents and the like.