EP2275004A1

EP2275004A1 - Sliding cabinet, preferably for bathrooms

Info

Publication number: EP2275004A1
Application number: EP09165830A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Paolo Monacelli
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2009-07-17
Filing date: 2009-07-17
Publication date: 2011-01-19

Abstract

The present invention relates to a cabinet for space optimisation in small bathrooms, which is suitably provided with means to hang it and make it slide alternatively on the front of a wall-mounted horizontal guide.

Description

The present patent application relates to a sliding cabinet, preferably for bathrooms.
As it is known, the building sector has consolidated the tendency to reduce the area of apartments, especially in view of the high cost by square metre.
This has resulted in the larger and larger diffusion of the so-called "studio apartments" or in any case apartments with a few rooms.
Such a tendency has resulted in a gradual reduction of the surface used for the bathroom.
In turn, this has reduced the "usable" space and has limited the possibility of equipping such a space with typical bathroom furniture items, since the presence of a cabinet or a wall cabinet would intolerably reduce said "usable" space.
However, the elimination of said furniture items in the bathroom is extremely penalizing, in view of the difficulties encountered in storing the objects that are normally used in such a space.
A careful examination of the current situation has led to devising the specific sliding cabinet of the present patent application.
The specific purpose of the present invention is to devise a cabinet able to change position with respect to the installation wall according to the user's desire.
More precisely, said cabinet is hung on the front of a wall-mounted horizontal guide.
In view of the above, said cabinet can make alternative travels in parallel direction along the guide, changing position in the room following to a simple manual push by the user.
So, from time to time, the user can give the most suitable position to the cabinet according to his specific needs, i.e. the desire to have a larger space on either side of the room.
It must be noted that the cabinet of the invention can be installed in any domestic space, although, as mentioned earlier, the preferred destination is in a bathroom, also in consideration of the fact that the bathroom is normally the smallest space of the apartment.
In case of bathroom installation, the presence of the cabinet of the invention is especially appreciated on the bathroom wall in front of which the water closet and the bidet are mounted one next to the other.
In fact, once the cabinet of the invention has been hung to a guide mounted above the water closet and the bidet, it appears evident that its position can be changed as desired by the user in order to use either the water closet or the bidet.
In particular, when using the water closet, the user can slide the cabinet towards the bidet, until it is positioned immediately above the bidet.
This allows the user to sit comfortably on the water closet, prohibiting the access to the bidet (which is not necessary in that particular moment).
As soon as the user is done with the water closet, he can slide the cabinet of the invention in the opposite direction, in such a way that it is positioned entirely above the water closet, thus freeing the access to the bidet completely.
It must be noted that the cabinet of the invention can be equipped on the sides with shelves, compartments and/or supports for detergents, towels or hygienic paper rolls that can be easily accessed by the user that is sitting on the water closet or on the bidet.
For example, the side of the cabinet facing the water closet can be provided with a support for a hygienic paper roll.
In view of the above, the user sitting on the water closet with the cabinet positioned above the bidet can easily reach the hygienic paper roll supported on the side of the cabinet without getting up from the water closet.
Likewise, the side of the cabinet facing the bidet can be provided with a towel-holder and a soap-holder that can be easily reached by the hand of the user sitting on the bidet while the cabinet of the invention is positioned above the adjacent water closet.
For major clarity, the description of the invention continues with reference to the enclosed drawing, which only has an illustrative, not limitative purpose, whereby figure 1 is an axonometric view of the cabinet of the invention in a possible mounting solution.
With reference to fig. 1, a cabinet (1) is used in the space dedicated to a water closet (W) and a bidet (B) mounted one next to the other.
As mentioned above, said cabinet (1) is hung as wall-cabinet to a guide (2) mounted on the wall in horizontal position, above the water closet and the bidet (W, B).
The back of said cabinet (1) is provided with means (not shown in the enclosed figure) that allow the cabinet to be firmly coupled with said guide (2) and make alternative slides with respect to the guide (2) in parallel direction.
In particular, fig. 1 shows the cabinet (1) in the position that frees the space above the water closet (W) and occupies the space above the bidet (B).
Evidently, this is the first of the two possible positions, since in the second position (not shown in fig. 1) the cabinet (1) occupies the space above the water closet (W) and frees the space above the bidet (B).
In order to ensure a higher structural strength and a higher balance during the alternative sliding travels of the cabinet (1), the cabinet (1) is provided on the bottom, preferably starting from the longitudinal front border, with a long vertical panel (3) that touches the floor with a pair of wheels (4).
Within such an inventive idea, the specific configuration of the cabinet of the invention can be determined freely according to the specific installation and use requirements.
With reference to fig. 1, it must be noted that the embodiment of cabinet is provided with a front drawer (5), and a top internal compartment (6) that can be accessed from above by means of a collapsible door (6a) internally provided with a mirror.
The side facing the water closet (W) is equipped with a support (7) for hygienic paper rolls and a towel-holder (8) is mounted on the front of the vertical panel (3) that rests on the floor.

Claims

1. Cabinet characterised in that it is provided on the back with means to hang it and make it alternatively slide on the front of a wall-mounted horizontal guide (2).

2. Cabinet according to claim 1 characterised in that it is provided on the bottom with vertical means (3) adapted to touch the floor with corresponding wheels (4).

3. Cabinet according to claim 2 characterised in that said vertical means consist in a panel (3) applied on the bottom to the front border of said cabinet (1).

4. Cabinet according to one or more of the preceding claims characterised in that it is provided with a front drawer (5).

4. Cabinet according to one or more of the preceding claims characterised in that it is provided with a top compartment (6) that can be accessed from above.

6. Cabinet according to claim 5, characterised in that said top compartment (6) is closed by means of a collapsible door (6a).

7. Cabinet according to claim 6, characterised in that said collapsible door (6a) is internally provided with a mirror.

8. Cabinet according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that it is provided on one of the side walls with a support (7) for hygienic paper rolls and/or a towel-holder (8).

8. Cabinet according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that it is provided on the front panel (3) with a towel-holder (8) and/or a support (7) for hygienic paper rolls.