EP1481136A1

EP1481136A1 - Sanitaryware

Info

Publication number: EP1481136A1
Application number: EP02787083A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Fritz Carel Schmidt
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2001-11-15
Filing date: 2002-11-12
Publication date: 2004-12-01
Also published as: CA2504748A1; WO2003042464A1; US20050039246A1

Abstract

An article of sanitaryware which comprises a seat (14) which is moulded in one piece using 'solid surface' polymer concrete. The bowl (12) is moulded in a number of parts which are then adhered together. Polymer concrete is the preferred material. The seat in then adhered to the top surface of the fabricated bowl.

Description

SANITARYWARE

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

THIS INVENTION relates to sanitaryware.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

In prisons and other places where men and woman are incarcerated,

there is a substantial problem with sanitaryware. The prisoners break porcelain and

the chips which break off can be used as weapons. Stainless steel is used to

overcome this problem, but it is expensive.

Few toilets or bidets in prisons have seats as these can be torn off and

used as weapons.

Furthermore, some religions, and more specifically the Moslem

religion, require the anal area of the toilet-user to be sprayed with water after using

the toilet. Applicant is aware of devices which are built onto toilet bowls and which

include spray nozzles and a tap for initiating a supply of water to the spray nozzle.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a

method of manufacturing an article of sanitaryware, the method comprising moulding a one piece ring-like seat, moulding a toilet bowl and adhering the underside of the

seat to the top surface of the toilet bowl to form said article of sanitaryware.

The bowl is preferably moulded in a number of sections and the

sections are adhered together to fabricate the toilet bowl.

The seat and bowl are preferably moulded in polymer concrete.

According to a further aspect of the present invention there is provided

an article of sanitaryware comprising a ring-like seat moulded in one piece, a

moulded toilet bowl having an inner surface and outer surface, said seat being

adhered to the top surface of the toilet bowl in such manner that it extends inwardly

of the inner surface of the bowl to form an inner overhang and outwardly of the outer

surface of the bowl to form an outer overhang.

The toilet bowl preferably comprises a number of moulded pieces

which are adhered together.

Said seat is preferably generally oval in plan view, the top surface of

the seat, when viewed in section, being rounded so that the inner and outer

peripheries of said top surface of the seat are below the part of said seat which is

between said peripheries. The part of the seat which forms the outer overhang can have a bull-

nosed shape. To form a flush ring the seat can have a flange extending downwardly

from the part of the seat which forms the inner overhang, the flange being spaced

inwardly of said inner surface of the bowl.

To provide a wasting facility there can be a water inlet passage which

passes through said seat and a spray nozzle to which said passage leads.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a better understanding of the present invention, and to show how

the same may be carried into effect, reference will now be made, by way of example,

to the accompanying drawings in which:-

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a first embodiment of sanitaryware in the form

of a toilet bowl with an integral seat;

Figure 2 is a rear elevation of the toilet bowl and seat;

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the sanitaryware with inlet and outlet pipes

omitted;

Figure 4 is a top plan view of the bowl with the seat omitted;

Figure 5 is an underneath plan view of the seat;

Figure 6 is a section on the line IV-IV of Figure 5;

Figure 7 is a section, to a larger scale and showing the junction between the

seat and bowl; Figure 8 illustrates, to a larger scale, a portion of the toilet bowl and seat and

shows water spraying means, and

Figure 9 illustrates part of the spraying means of Figure 8 to a still larger

scale.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The sanitaryware illustrated in Figures 1 to 7 is generally designated

10 and in the illustrated embodiment is constituted by a bowl 12 and a seat 14.

The bowl 12 can be moulded in a number of sections using a polymer

concrete. The reason for making the bowl 12 in sections is merely to facilitate the

moulding procedure. In the preferred form, the bowl 12 is constructed using two

moulded sections as will be described in more detail hereinafter.

The seat 14 is moulded in one piece. It has a protruding lip 16 around

most of its periphery. The seat 14 is thick compared to the plastic seats and to the

wooden seats that are currently extensively used. The seat 14 is bonded to the

bowl 12 by adhesive. It is possible to obtain a bond that even a strong man pulling

upwardly on the seat 14 cannot break. The seat 14 is thus, for all practical

purposes, integral with the bowl 12.

The configuration in longitudinal cross section is shown in Figure 6.

The water inlet is shown at 18 and the waste outlet at 20. The pipes leading to and from the inlet and outlet are shown at 22 and 24 in Figure 1 but have been omitted

from Figure 3.

The moulded sections constituting the bowl 12 are mirror images of

one another and are adhered to one another along the plane represented by the line

A-A in Figure 2.

The moulding constituting the seat 14 (see Figure 3) has, in plan, the

form of a ring of generally oval shape and comprises a top surface which is rounded

when viewed in section (see Figure 7). The rounded top surface is the one on which

the user of the sanitaryware sits. Around the inner periphery of the hole in the seat

moulding there is a depending flange 26. The underside of the seat moulding is

stepped at 28 and 30 thereby to define a groove 32 which extends most of the way

around the seat (see Figure 5).

The upper edge of the bowl has a configuration such as to provide a

rib 34 which extends around most of the bowl. The upper edge of the bowl and the

lower face of the seat co-operate as shown in Figure 7. More specifically the rib 34

enters the groove 32, the inner vertical face 36 of the flange 26 and the inner face

38 of the bowl defining a groove 40 which constitutes the flush ring of the

sanitaryware. It will be noted from Figure 6 that the inlet 18 communicates with the

flush ring. The material used is preferably polymer concrete. The material known

as "solid surface" is also suitable. This latter material emerges from the mould with

a rough surface and can be polished to a high gloss.

An additional inlet pipe is shown at 42 and this is connected to the

bowl 12 via a shut-off valve 44 (Figure 8). A handle 46 is attached to the valve 44

for manually opening and closing the valve 44.

The inlet pipe 42 extends through the seat 14 and into a recess 48

(Figure 9). The section of the pipe 42 that extends into the recess 48 has a number

of holes 50 in the wall thereof to allow water in the pipe 42 to enter the recess 48.

Within the recess 48, a disc 52 is fitted so that the disc 52 is flush with the surface of

the seat. The disc 52 has upwardly-sloping bores 54 extending therethrough. The

disc and bores form a spray nozzle.

Manual operation of the handle 46 opens the valve and allows water to

flow through the pipe 42. The water flows, via the holes 50, into the recess 48 and

is then directed upwardly towards the anal area of the toilet-user by means of the

upwardly-sloping bores 54.

The pipe 42 is connected to the mains supply upstream of the cistern

(not shown) to which the pipe 24 is connected. A flow restrictor (not shown) can be provided in the pipe 42 to limit the

pressure in the recess 48 and thereby prevent water spraying too far.

As will be seen particularly in the sectional view, the top surface of the

seat is rounded so that the inner and outer peripheries of said top surface of the seat

are below the part of the seat which is between the peripheries of the seat.

The shape of the outer overhang can be categorised as bull-nosed.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A method of manufacturing an article of sanitaryware, the method

comprising moulding a one piece ring-like seat, moulding a toilet bowl and adhering

the underside of the seat to the top surface of the toilet bowl to form said article of

sanitaryware.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1 and comprising moulding the toilet

bowl in a number of sections and adhering the toilet bowl sections to one another to

fabricate a toilet bowl.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the seat and bowl are

moulded in polymer concrete.

4. A method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the seat and bowl are

moulded in polymer concrete.

5. An article of sanitaryware comprising a ring-like seat moulded in one

piece, a moulded toilet bowl having an inner surface and outer surface, said seat

being adhered to the top surface of the toilet bowl in such manner that it extends

inwardly of the inner surface of the bowl to form an inner overhang and outwardly of

the outer surface of the bowl to form an outer overhang.

6. An article of sanitaryware as claimed in claim 5, wherein the toilet bowl

comprises a number of moulded pieces which are adhered together.

7. An article of sanitaryware as claimed in claim 5, wherein said seat is

generally oval in plan view, the top surface of the seat, when viewed in section,

being rounded so that the inner and outer peripheries of said top surface of the seat

are below the part of said seat which is between said peripheries.

8. An article of sanitaryware as claimed in claim 5, wherein the part of the

seat which forms the outer overhang has a bull-nosed shape.

9. An article of sanitaryware as claimed in claim 5 and including a flange

extending downwardly from the part of the seat which forms the inner overhang, the

flange being spaced inwardly of said inner surface of the bowl.

10. An article of sanitaryware is claimed in claim 5 and including a water

inlet passage passing through said seat and a spray nozzle to which said passage

leads.

11. An article of sanitaryware as claimed in claim 6, wherein said seat is

generally oval in plan view, the top surface of the seat, when viewed in section, being rounded so that the inner and outer peripheries of said top surface of the seat

are below the part of said seat which is between said peripheries.

12. An article of sanitaryware as claimed in claim 6, wherein the part of the

seat which forms the outer overhang has a bull-nosed shape.

13. An article of sanitaryware as claimed in claim 6 and including a flange

flange being spaced inwardly of said inner surface of the bowl.

14. An article of sanitaryware is claimed in claim 6 and including a water

leads.