EP2376325B1

EP2376325B1 - A passenger ship fitted with cabins having a bathtub fitted flush

Info

Publication number: EP2376325B1
Application number: EP09768053.2A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Isabelle Maggiar Comte; Jean-Philippe Rambert; Solène CHARBONNEAU; Morgane Guillet
Original assignee: STX France SA
Current assignee: STX France SA
Priority date: 2008-12-09
Filing date: 2009-12-08
Publication date: 2013-10-16
Anticipated expiration: 2029-12-08
Also published as: EP2376325A1; WO2010066750A1; FR2939400B1; FR2939400A1

Description

The present invention relates to the domain of the interior outfitting of passenger ships.
More precisely, the invention relates to a passenger ship fitted with at least one cabin according to the invention, as well as the process for installing this cabin inside this ship.
Current cabins generally comprise a sleeping space or "bedroom" and a bathroom which comprises for example a washbasin, a shower and toilet. These cabins are also fitted with a porthole or window giving onto the exterior of the ship.
To further improve comfort and offer passengers more luxurious services, it would be preferable to fit out cabins with a bathtub, without as such giving the visual impression of reducing the free space in the cabin and retaining a panoramic sea view, which also contributes to the impression of comfort and luxury for the passenger occupying this cabin.
Also, cabins often comprise a unit prefabricated in a workshop prior to being taken on site, (that is, onto the ship). In this case, it would be preferable to adapt them so they allow integrating a bathtub, without as such complicating or prolonging installation of a series of cabins on the deck of the ship.
The document EP 1 816 067 describes a cabin assembly for passenger ship comprising a bathroom module with a bathtub. Nevertheless, this bathtub is not embedded in the floor of the cabin.
The document GB 2 056 922 relates to a small boat, such as a sailing boat comprising a liner that may be fitted in a well to provide an open cockpit or that may be inverted and refitted to the well to provide an auxiliary cabin.
The document US 5 628 484 refers to a water basin support placed on the ground and used to hold and stabilize a water basin during the fabrication of a floor around it.
None of these three documents discloses the features of claims 1 and 8.
Further, EP 1 302 397 describes a balcony for the cabin of a passenger ship and GB 2 050 256 a boat hull suitable for use on inland waterways and which comprises two different floor levels.
The aim of the invention is to propose a ship, equipped with cabins responding to the above criteria, and a process for installation of such a cabin on the deck of a ship.
In this way, the invention relates to a passenger ship according to claim 1 comprising at least one deck on which several cabins intended for accommodating said passengers are arranged.
According to the invention, at least one of said cabins, called a "luxury cabin", is equipped with a bathtub, said deck comprises at least one recess which terminates at the level of its upper face via an opening and said bathtub is fitted flush in said recess, such that its rim is flush with the level or substantially flush with the level of the floor of said cabin.
Accordingly, as the bathtub is fitted flush, the occupant of the cabin retains the visual impression of having a spacious cabin.
According to other advantageous and non-limiting characteristics of the invention, taken individually or in combination:

said luxury cabin is a prefabricated unit comprising walls forming its side walls, its ceiling and its floor, this floor, which constitutes the floor of the cabin, being fitted with an opening, the dimensions of which are identical or substantially identical to those of the opening of said recess and these two openings are aligned vertically, so as to enable embedding of said bathtub;
said luxury cabin comprises a part reserved for sleeping called a "bedroom", and a bay window giving onto the exterior of the ship, and said bathtub is fitted flush in a part of the floor of said cabin situated between said bedroom and said bay window;
said luxury cabin comprises a part reserved for sleeping, called a "bedroom", and a private balcony and said bathtub is fitted flush in the part of the floor of said cabin extending at the level of said private balcony;
said luxury cabin comprises at least two different floor levels, the floor of the bedroom being situated at a level higher than that of the floor in which said bathtub is fitted flush.

The invention also relates to a process for installation of a cabin for accommodating passengers, on the deck of a passenger ship according to claim 8.
Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will emerge from the following description, in reference to the attached diagrams which represent several possible embodiments thereof by way of indication but non-limiting, in which:

Figure 1 is a schematic plan view showing the interior of a cabin according to an embodiment of the invention,
Figure 2 is a view in vertical and longitudinal section of the cabin of Figure 1, along the line II-II,
Figure 3 is a view in vertical and transversal section of a cabin according to the invention,
Figure 4 is a view in vertical and transversal section of the bathtub, of the surrounding floor and water discharge pipes.

Figures 1 and 2 show a cabin 1, called a "luxury cabine", comprising a prefabricated unit which comprises walls respectively forming its side walls 11, its ceiling 12 and its floor 13. This floor constitutes the floor of said cabin.
This cabin 1 which, in the example illustrated in the figures, is rectangular in shape, extends in a longitudinal direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the ship. In other words, this cabin extends between a corridor, situated to the left in Figure 1 and not illustrated therein and the exterior of the ship, situated to the right in Figure 1.
As is evident in the figures, the cabin 1 comprises a sleeping space 2 or "bedroom", inside which is positioned a bed 20, under which storage elements 21 can optionally be provided.
This cabin 1 also comprises a sanitary cell 3 equipped with a washbasin 30, a shower 31 and toilet 32.
According to the variant embodiment illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, the cabin 1 also comprises a private balcony 4, fitted with bay windows 40 giving onto the exterior of the ship.
According to the invention, the cabin 1 also comprises a bathtub 5, fitted flush into the floor.
"Bathtub" designates not only conventional bathtubs but also all bathtubs or basins fitted with hydrojets or devices for diffusing jets of air, such as jacuzzis, and the dimensions of which are adapted to receive one or more persons.
The ship inside which this cabin is mounted comprises at least one deck 6, generally a plurality of superposed decks 6.
As better seen in Figures 2 and 3, each deck 6 comprises an upper plane 61, constituted by an assembly of flat sheets and reinforced by primary and secondary stiffeners 63 which extend under the plane 61. These primary stiffeners are longitudinal beams or "girders" and transversal beams or "deckhead beams". The deck 6 thus has a certain thickness.
The upper face of the deck bears reference numeral 610.
According to the invention, the deck 6 comprises at least one "recess" 64, arranged under the upper plane 61, between the primary stiffeners 63, this recess 64 terminating at the upper face 610 of the deck 6 via an opening 640. The form and the dimensions of the opening 640 and of the recess 64 are such that the bathtub 5 can be fitted flush therein.
In the remaining description and claims, the term "recess" designates the space which extends under the upper plane 61 of the deck 6, vertically to the opening 640 and the depth of which does not exceed the height of the primary stiffeners 63.
The opening 640 is made either by cutting out sheets making up the upper plane 61 or directly during assembly of these sheets.
According to Figures 3 and 4, the recess 64 is delimited by a preferably metallic bin 66 whereof the upper rim is fixed to the upper plane 61 of the deck by any appropriate fixing means, such as fixing feet or welding.
The bin 66 is made so as to support constraints of loads associated with filling the bathtub and being occupied by the passenger.
The bin 66 also ensures the role of firebreak between two tweendecks in the event of fire, and watertight seal of the tweendeck situated below, in the event of a bathtub 5 leak.
The bin 66 has dimensions slightly larger than those of the bathtub 5 to be able to contain not only the former, but also the elements 7 of piping and connections connecting the discharge orifice 50 of the bathtub 5 to the grey water discharge pipes 7.
An inspection cover 67 can also be provided on one of the faces of the bin 66.
As better seen in Figure 4, the portion (referenced 130) of the floor 13 surrounding the bathtub 5 is also fitted with an opening 131 whereof the dimensions correspond to those of the opening 640 of the recess 64 arranged in the deck 6.
The bathtub 5 is thus fitted flush, such that its rim 51 is flush with the level of the floor 130 of said cabin, or substantially flush with the level thereof.
Support and setting elements of the bathtub 5 can also be positioned in the base of the bin.
According to a variant embodiment illustrated in Figures 3 and 4, the bathtub 5 is also enclosed by a "deck drain" or overflow drain 8, on at least one part of its periphery.
The overflow 8 is also connected to the water discharge pipes 7.
The bathtub 5 is preferably fitted flush in one part 130 of the floor 13 which extends between the bedroom 2 and the bay window 40, more preferably between the bedroom 2 and the balcony 4 when the latter is present.
This arrangement is that illustrated in Figures 1 and 2.
According to a variant embodiment not illustrated in the figures, the bathtub 5 can also be fitted flush in the part 132 of the floor 13 of the cabin which extends at the level of the private balcony 4.
The fitted flush position of the bathtub 5 allows the occupant of the cabin 1 to keep the full sea view, since his field of vision is not blocked by the bathtub when it is in his bedroom 2.
Also, the position of the bathtub 5, near the bay window 40, also allows the occupant of the cabin to take a bath while having an unobstructed view of the sea. In this way, the louvers 41 of the bay window 40 can be shifted to fully obstruct the bay window 40.
According to a variant embodiment not illustrated in Figure 2, the bay window 40 can be arranged between the balcony 4 and the rest of the cabin, the balcony 4 opening to the exterior. In this case, the bay window 40 is advantageously constituted by several sliding leaves giving access to the balcony 4.
Preferably also, the cabin 1 comprises at least two different floor levels. In other words, and as will appear more clearly in the upper part of Figure 2, the floor of the bedroom 2 (with reference numeral 133) is at a level higher than the floor 130 enclosing the bathtub 5, the latter being optionally at a level higher than the floor 132 of the balcony 4.
This stepped arrangement of the cabin 1 between the corridor side and the exterior further reinforces the impression of space inside this cabin, and frees up the sea view through the bay window 40, for the passenger in the bedroom part 2 of his cabin.
The installation process for this cabin 1 is described hereinbelow.
The prefabricated unit which comprises it is installed on the deck 6, such that the opening 131 made in its floor 130 and that 640 made in the deck 6 are aligned vertically. The bathtub 5 is later fitted flush in the recess 64, via the two openings 131, 640.
In an embodiment not illustrated in the figures, the cabin 1 cannot be prefabricated, but is assembled directly on the deck 6 of the ship.
In this case, the floor of the cabin can be formed not by the floor 13, but directly by the upper plane 61 of the deck. This plane 61 is generally covered by a floor covering, such as wall-to-wall carpet, parquet or a layer of plastic material, for example. This upper plane 61 will advantageously conform for present stepped levels as described previously for the floor 13.

Claims

A passenger ship comprising at least one deck (6) on which several cabins intended for accommodating said passengers are arranged, at least one of said cabins, called a "luxury cabin" (1) being equipped with a bathtub (5), characterised in that said deck (6) comprises at least one recess (64) which terminates at the level of its upper face (610) via an opening (640), in that said recess (64) is delimited by a bin (66) connected to the structure constituting said deck (6) and in that said bathtub (5) is fitted in said bin (66), such that its rim (51) is flush with the level or substantially flush with the level of the floor of said cabin.
The ship as claimed in Claim 1, characterised in that the bin (66) has dimensions larger than those of the bathtub (5) and contains the bathtub (5), and the elements of piping and connections connecting the discharge orifice (50) of the bathtub (5) to the grey water discharge pipes (7).
The ship as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that the bathtub (5) is enclosed by an overflow drain (8) connected to said grey water discharge pipes (7).
The ship as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that said luxury cabin (1) is a prefabricated unit comprising walls forming its side walls (11), its ceiling (12) and its floor (13, 133, 130, 132), this floor, which constitutes the floor of the cabin, being fitted with an opening (131) the dimensions of which are identical or substantially identical to those of the opening (640) of said recess (64) and in that these two openings (131, 640) are aligned vertically, so as to enable embedding of said bathtub (5).
The ship as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that said luxury cabin (1) comprises a part reserved for sleeping (2), called a "bedroom", and a bay window (40) giving onto the exterior of the ship, and in that said bathtub (5) is fitted flush in a part of the floor of said cabin situated between said bedroom (2) and said bay window (40).
The ship as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that said luxury cabin (1) comprises a part reserved for sleeping (2), called a "bedroom", and a private balcony (4) and in that said bathtub (5) is fitted flush in the part of the floor of said cabin extending on the level of said private balcony (4).
The ship as claimed in any one of Claims 5 or 6, characterised in that said luxury cabin (1) comprises at least two different floor levels, the floor of the bedroom (2) being situated at a level higher than that of the floor in which said bathtub (5) is fitted flush.
A process for installation of a cabin intended to accommodate passengers on the deck (6) of a passenger ship, comprising the step consisting of:
- positioning on said deck (6) a cabin (1) constituted by a prefabricated unit comprising walls forming side walls (11) and a ceiling (12),
said process being characterised in that said cabin (1) comprises a floor (13, 130, 132, 133) fitted with an opening (131) and in that it comprises the other steps consisting of:

- arranging a recess (64) in said deck (6), this recess (64) terminating on the upper face (610) of the deck, via an opening (640), the dimensions of which are identical or substantially identical to those of the opening (131) of the floor (13, 130, 132, 133),

- fixing a bin (66) inside said recess (64) such that the upper rim of said bin (66) be fixed to the upper plane (61) of the deck (6) by fixing means,

- adjusting the position of said prefabricated unit so as to vertically align the opening (131) of its floor with the opening (640) of said recess (64) arranged in the deck (6),

- building in a bathtub (5) in said recess (64) of the deck and in said bin (66) such that its rim (51) is flush with the level or substantially flush with the level of the floor (130, 132) of said cabin.