EP2837746B1

EP2837746B1 - Arrangement for installing a termination box in a wall structure

Info

Publication number: EP2837746B1
Application number: EP14177198.0A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Jyri Laakso
Original assignee: Uponor Innovation AB
Current assignee: Uponor Innovation AB
Priority date: 2013-07-19
Filing date: 2014-07-16
Publication date: 2019-09-04
Anticipated expiration: 2034-07-16
Also published as: EP2837746A1; DK2837746T3; FI20135789L

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

The invention relates to an arrangement according to the preamble of claim 1 for installing a termination box in a wall structure, with which termination box a conduit is or may be connected to a tap assembly on the wall, said termination box comprising a body provided with mounting holes, and a bushing or corresponding tunnel, for which a through hole is or may be made in the wall or at least in an outer panel or sheet of the wall structure.
In the present specification and claims the term "termination box" applies also, in addition to the description of the embodiments of the invention, to wall bends and wall bend fixtures in which the conduit and media pipe is bent 90 deg and fixed to the wall by wall bend supports and media pipe by a straight connector, i.e. tap fitting. So, by the term "tap elbow" is also covered such straight tap fittings.

TECHNICAL BACKGROUND

Water conduits in buildings are quite commonly connected to tap assemblies mounted on a wall surface by tap elbows or tap fittings. When conduits are mounted inside the wall structure it is extremely important that the conduit is connected to the tap elbow and further to the tap assembly so that the connections are watertight to prevent water leakage and damages caused by such leakages. Therefore the tap elbow is placed in a termination box and the water conduit is placed in a protective pipe to form a double wall structure (so-called pipe-in-pipe structure). This kind of mounting construction is quite well protected against leakages.
So, normally a termination box for connecting a conduit to a tap assembly comprises a body inside of which a tap elbow is mounted, and the conduit comprises an inner utility pipe and an outer protective pipe. The conduit is connected to the tap elbow with a fastening sleeve, and the tap assembly is connected to the tap elbow through a bushing or corresponding tunnel, for which a through hole is made in the wall or at least in the outer panel or sheet of the wall structure. One disadvantage in current termination box systems is that installation positions, e.g. holes are made in the body of the termination box narrow to the tunnel. So the distance from the installation positions to the tunnel is very small. Normally, at installation, the hole made in the wall structure for the tunnel by a drill saw or corresponding has a diameter which is about 2 to 4 mm bigger than the wall piercing tunnel which makes the mounting of the termination box to the wall quite difficult. Further, in some cases, as in installations in light concrete walls, mounting to the back side of termination box should be wider than the installation positions in the body of the termination box. In many current installation cases an additional mounting part is necessary, which in different mounting arrangements has to differ in size and/or shape. In some prior art solutions the mounting of the termination box is supported by a special plate. It is possible to install two termination boxes to the same plate. A disadvantage of the installation of this kind is that the installation plate has to be made specifically for each purpose, so that said plate is not universal.
EP 2 143 846 A1 discloses a fitting device for sanitary devices, the fitting device comprising a body with a lateral jacket and a flange disposed around the lateral jacket and capable of allowing the fixation of said body onto a wall through which a hole is formed.
DE 203 01 194 U1 discloses connection boxes mountable to a wall using a connection piece between two connection boxes.
EP 1348815 A1 discloses a device for mounting a sanitary installation pipe behind a partition. The device comprises a connector element and a plate through which a front part of the connector element can be engaged.

SUMMARY

The problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a novel and improved arrangement for installing a termination box or, as explained above, a wall bend or wall bend fixture, in a wall structure. The problem is solved by an arrangement according to claim 1. The arrangement comprises at least one separate mounting bracket attached, or at least attachable, to the mounting holes in the body of the termination box, which mounting bracket is provided with holes through which said bracket with the termination box can be fastened in the wall structure by installation screws, the holes in the bracket being arranged at a bigger distance from the bushing or corresponding tunnel than the mounting holes in the body of the termination box in the radial direction of the bushing or corresponding tunnel, the mounting bracket being a foldable structure comprising two opposite parts connected with each other by a hinge about which said two parts are foldable from an open position to a closed position , the mounting bracket is provided with dowels to be fitted into the mounting holes in the body of the termination box an to attach the bracket to the body of the termination box, the dowels being arranged in the two opposite parts of the mounting bracket, so that in its closed position the bracket may be locked in place attached to the body of the termination box.
Thus, in its simplest embodiment, the arrangement comprises just one or more mounting brackets. In this sense, the present invention could also be specified as, and the purpose of the present invention is also to provide, a novel mounting bracket for installing a termination box in a wall structure. Such mounting bracket is characterized by what is disclosed above and in the embodiments below.
In one embodiment, the arrangement further comprises a stabilizing ring and the tunnel of the termination box, for installing of which the mounting bracket is designed, is provided with outer threads onto which a stabilizing ring is or may be twisted, said stabilizing ring comprising a thread section and a support section which rests, when the termination box is fastened in the wall structure and the stabilizing ring is twisted onto the outer threads, against the surface of the wall, whereby the sheet of the wall is squeezed between the bracket and the support section of the stabilizing ring. The bracket may have a support surface provided with spikes protruding from said support surface, whereby when the wall sheet is squeezed between the bracket and the stabilizing ring, said spikes prevent a twisting movement of the bracket. The thread section of the stabilizing ring may be provided with tongue parts which prevent the stabilizing ring to be opened by twisting in an opposite direction. To enable said prevention, the outer threads of the tunnel of the termination box, for installing of which the mounting bracket is designed, may be partly removed or they may be initially formed to cover only part of the tunnel outer surface so as to form, along the circumference of the tunnel outer surface, alternating thread segments and smooth segments, the thread segments extending a bit outer on the tunnel outer surface than the smooth segments. The tongue parts may be formed so as to stop, when the stabilizing ring is twisted to such opposite direction, against the edges formed between such thread segments and smooth segments of the tunnel.
In one embodiment, when the bracket is in the closed position, a gap is formed between the opposite parts of the bracket, so that a part of the body of the termination box is locked in said gap between the opposite parts of the bracket.
According to one aspect of the invention the bracket is mountable on the top, front, back and/or sides of the body of the termination box.
The present invention provides considerable advantages over the prior art. The inventive installation arrangement comprises an extra mounting bracket, so-called foot print part, which can be used in several mounting manners, e.g. in front mountings, top mountings and back and side mountings. Said inventive extra mounting bracket is applicable in all of these mounting alternatives, whereby different mounting parts are not needed for different mountings. So, the inventive mounting bracket is universal the construction of which is simple, whereby the installation of the termination box with said mounting part is easy. The inventive mounting bracket makes it possible to use same parts for installations in different wall constructions, as in light concrete walls and various different board construction walls. The mounting bracket gives improved support and increased footprint for the termination box installation.
Other advantages and characteristic features of the invention are set out below by detailed disclosure of the invention, wherein the invention is described with reference to the figures of the accompanying drawing, to the details of which the invention is not exclusively limited.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

Figs. 1, 2 and 3 show the mounting bracket for installation of the termination box in a perspective view.
Fig. 4 shows a termination box in a perspective view.
Fig. 5 shows different mounting possibilities of the mounting bracket to the termination box in a perspective view.
Figs. 6 and 7 show an alternative design of the mounting of mounting brackets to the termination box, while Fig. 6 a perspective view of the mounting and Fig. 7 is seen from below of the termination box.
Figs. 8 and 9 show another embodiment of the mounting bracket for installation of a termination box or a wall bend in a perspective view.
Figs. 10 and 11 show an installation of the mounting bracket according to Figs. 8 and 9 to the termination box, while Fig. 10 a perspective view of the mounting and Fig. 11 is seen from below of the termination box.
Figs. 12 and 13 show a further embodiment of the invention, in which embodiment a stabilizing ring is used in the installation of a termination box or a wall bend to a wall.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

As already explained earlier the present invention is directed to handle and solve the problems relating to the installing of a termination in a wall structure.
In the drawings, the termination box is generally denoted with the reference numeral 10. The termination box 10 is intended to be mounted inside a wall structure of a building (not shown) to connect a conduit to a tap assembly and it comprises a body 11, 13, 14, inside of which a tap elbow is mounted, and a bushing 12 or corresponding tunnel through which the tap assembly is connected to the tap elbow. For such mounting, a through hole is made in the wall or at least in the outer panel or sheet of the wall structure. The body 11, 13, 14 of the termination box 10 is provided with several installation positions 15, i.e. mounting holes through which the termination box 10 can be installed to the wall structure by installation screws. In the invention, however, the arrangement for installing the termination box 10 in a wall structure comprises a separate mounting bracket 20, an embodiment of which is shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3.
The mounting bracket 20 of Figures 1, 2, and 3 is a foldable structure comprising two parts 21, 22 connected with each other by a hinge 23. In Fig. 1 the mounting bracket 20 is shown in an open position and in Fig. 3 in a closed position. In Fig. 2 the opposite two parts 21, 22 of the mounting bracket 20 are being folded about the hinge 23 from the open position to the closed position. The opposite parts 21, 22 of the mounting bracket 20 are provided with a snap-in fastener 24 by which the bracket 20 is fastened in the closed position as shown in Fig. 3. The opposite parts 21, 22 of the mounting bracket 20 are provided with dowels 26 which fit into the mounting holes 15 in the body 11, 13 of the termination box 10 and attach and lock the bracket 20 in place when it is in the closed position. When the bracket 20 is in the closed position a gap 27 remains between the opposite parts 21, 22, whereby the dowels 26 in the opposite parts 21, 22 match with each other as Fig. 3 is showing. The body 11, 13 of the termination box 10 is formed so that it fits and stays in the gap 27 of the bracket 20 in the closed position, the dowels 26 being pushed into the mounting holes 15 of the body 11, 13. Through holes 25 are provided in the opposite parts 21, 22 of the bracket 20, so that the mounting of the bracket 20 in place is tightened when the installation screws are pushed through the holes 25 and fastened to the wall structure. The holes 25 in the bracket 20 are arranged at a bigger distance from the bushing 12 or corresponding tunnel than the mounting holes 15 in the body 11, 13 of the termination box 10 in the radial direction of the bushing 12 or corresponding tunnel, whereby the installation is easy and the support given by the bracket is improved due to an increased foot print for the termination box 10.
In Figs. 5, 6 and 7 different and alternative mounting possibilities of the mounting bracket to a termination box as shown in Figure 4 are shown. Fig. 5 shows the mounting bracket 20a mounted on the top of the back of the body 11 of the termination box 10. Alternatively a similar bracket 20a can also be mounted on the sides of the back. Fig. 5 shows also that the brackets 20b, 20c can be mounted on the sides of the front of the body 13. Alternatively the bracket 20b or 20c can be mounted on the top of the front. Figs. 6 and 7 show mounting brackets 20e, 20d of slightly alternative design mounted on the sides of the front of the termination box body 13.
Also the embodiment of the mounting bracket 120 shown Figs. 8 and 9 is a foldable structure comprising two parts 121, 122 connected with each other by a hinge 123. In Fig. 8 the mounting bracket 120 is shown in an open position and in Fig. 9 in a closed position. The opposite two parts 121, 122 of the mounting bracket 120 are foldable about the hinge 123 from the open position to the closed position. The opposite parts 121, 122 of the mounting bracket 120 are provided with a snap-in fastener 124 by which the bracket 120 is fastened in the closed position as shown in Fig. 9. The opposite parts 121, 122 of the mounting bracket 120 are provided with dowels 126 which fit into the mounting holes 15 in the body 11, 13 of the termination box 10 and attach and lock the bracket 120 in place when it is in the closed position. When the bracket 120 is in the closed position the dowels 126 in the opposite parts 121, 122 are matching with each other as Fig. 9 is showing. Through holes 125 are provided in the opposite parts 121, 122 of the bracket 120, so that the mounting of the bracket 120 in place is tightened when the installation screws are pushed through the holes 125 and fastened to the wall structure. The holes 125 in the bracket 120 are arranged at a bigger distance from the bushing 12 or corresponding tunnel than the mounting holes 15 in the body 11, 13 of the termination box 10 in the radial direction of the bushing 12 or corresponding tunnel, whereby the installation is easy and the support given by the bracket is improved due to an increased foot print for the termination box 10.
As can be seen in Figs. 8 and 9, multiple mounting holes 125 are made in the bracket 120, and said bracket 120 further comprises supports 121a, 122a for vertical mounting including vertical mounting holes. Further, small spikes 128 are arranged on a support surface of the bracket 120, whereby in certain installations when said support surface is placed against a surface of a wall sheet the spikes prevent a twisting movement of the bracket 120. In such installations any fastening screws are not needed.
Figs. 10 and 11 show an embodiment of an installation in which mounting brackets 120e, 120d according to Figs. 8 and 9 are mounted on the sides of the front of the termination box 110.
Figs. 12 and 13 show a further embodiment of the invention, in which embodiment a stabilizing ring 130 is used in the installation of a termination box 110 or a wall bend to a wall W. At first, these Figs. show an embodiment on the termination box 110 or a wall bend, in which the bushing or corresponding tunnel 113 is a separate component provided with inner threads 114 with which the tunnel is attached to the threads 112 on the body of the termination box 110 or wall bend. However, it is obvious that also such termination box 110 or wall bend is applicable in which the tunnel 113 is integral with the body 111 of the termination box 110 or wall bend.
On its outer surface the tunnel is provided with threads 115. As Fig. 13 shows, said outer threads of the tunnel 113 are partly removed so that there are smooth segments 116 on the outer surface of the tunnel 113. The threaded portions or segments of the tunnel outer surface, lying between the smooth segments, extend outer than the smooth segments. The stabilizing ring 130 is provided with inner threads, so that it is mounted on the tunnel 113 by twisting the stabilizing ring on the outer threads of the tunnel 113. The stabilizing ring comprises a thread section 132 and a support section 131. When the stabilizing ring 130 is mounted on the tunnel 113 the support section 131 is lying against the surface of the wall W. The thread section 132 is provided with tongue parts 133 which prevent the stabilizing ring 130 to be opened by twisting in an opposite direction by stopping against the edges formed between the smooth segments and the threaded sections of the tunnel outer surface. So, the stabilizing ring 130 will not loosen over the time.
The stabilizing ring 130 may be provided with a sealing e.g. membrane, which can be a separate part or integrated in the stabilizing ring. Said sealing stops the water spiral passage at the sections or segments 116 of the tunnel 113 where threads are removed. The sealing arrangement is especially convenient if the sealing membrane is combined with fiber, natural or synthetic, which can be connected to walls water proofing systems, e.g. water proofing membranes (paintable) or films. The membrane for sealing between the wall waterproofing system and the tunnel of the termination box / wall bend can be between the stabilizing part and tunnel threads, not visible in the drawing. Membrane can be e.g. rubber like material, fiber or hybrid material combining several material types. Also adhesion might be aided by chemical agents.
The invention has been described above by way of examples and with reference to the figures of the accompanying drawing. The invention is not limited merely to the examples illustrated in the figures; instead, different embodiments of the invention may vary within the scope of the inventive idea defined in the accompanying claims.

Claims

Arrangement for installing a termination box in a wall structure, with which termination box (10, 110) a conduit may be connected to a tap assembly on the wall, said termination box (10, 110) comprising a body (11, 13, 111) provided with mounting holes (15), and a bushing (12) or corresponding tunnel (113), for which a through hole may be made in the wall (W) or at least in an outer panel or sheet of the wall structure, whereby the arrangement comprises at least one separate mounting bracket (20, 20a-e, 120, 120d, 120e) attachable to the mounting holes (15) in the body (11, 13, 111) of the termination box (10, 110), which mounting bracket (20, 20a-e, 120, 120d, 120e) is provided with holes (25) through which said bracket (20, 20a-e, 120, 120d, 120e) with the termination box (10, 110) can be fastened in the wall structure by installation screws, the holes (25) in the bracket (20, 20a-e, 120, 120d, 120e) being arranged, with the mounting bracket attached to the mounting holes in the body of the termination box, at a bigger distance from the bushing (12) or corresponding tunnel (113) than the mounting holes (15) in the body (11, 13) of the termination box (10, 110) in the radial direction of the bushing (12) or corresponding tunnel(113), the mounting bracket (20, 20a-e, 120, 120d, 120e) being a foldable structure comprising two opposite parts (21, 22, 121, 122) connected with each other by a hinge (23, 123) about which said two parts (21, 22, 121, 122) are foldable from an open position to a closed position, characterized in that the mounting bracket (20, 20a-e, 120, 120d, 120e) is provided with dowels (26, 126) to be fitted into the mounting holes (15) in the body (11, 13, 111) of the termination box (10, 110) and to attach the bracket (20, 20a-e, 120, 120d, 120e) to the body (11, 13, 111) of the termination box (10, 110), the dowels (26, 126) being arranged in the two opposite parts (21, 22, 121, 122) of the mounting bracket (20, 20a-e, 120, 120d, 120e), so that in its closed position the bracket (20, 20a-e, 120, 120d, 120e) may be locked in place attached to the body (11, 13, 111) of the termination box (10).
Arrangement as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the arrangement comprises a stabilizing ring (130) for being twisted onto outer threads (115) of the tunnel (113), said stabilizing ring (130) comprising a thread section (132) and a support section (131) for resting, when the termination box is fastened in the wall structure and the stabilizing ring is twisted onto the outer threads, against the surface of the wall (W), whereby the sheet of the wall (W) is squeezed between the bracket (20, 20a-e, 120, 120d, 120e) and the support section (131) of the stabilizing ring (130).
Arrangement as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that the bracket (120, 120d, 120e) has a support surface provided with spikes (128) protruding from said support surface, whereby when the wall sheet (W) is squeezed between the bracket (120, 120d, 120e) and the stabilizing ring (130) said spikes prevent a twisting movement of the bracket (120, 120d, 120e).
Arrangement as claimed in claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the thread section (132) of the stabilizing ring (130) is provided with tongue parts (133) which prevent the stabilizing ring (130) to be opened by twisting in an opposite direction.
Arrangement as claimed in any of claims 1 - 4, characterized in that the two opposite parts (21, 22, 121, 122) of the mounting bracket (20, 20a-e, 120, 120d, 120e) are provided with a snap-in fastener (24, 124) by which the bracket (20, 20a-e, 120, 120d, 120e) can be fastened in the closed position.
Arrangement as claimed in any of claims 2 - 5, characterized in that when the bracket (20, 20a-e) is in the closed position a gap (27) is formed between the opposite parts (21, 22) of the bracket (20, 20a-e), so that a part of the body (11, 13) of the termination box (10) can be locked in said gap (27) between the opposite parts (21, 22) of the bracket (20, 20a-e).
Arrangement as claimed in any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the bracket (20, 20a-e, 120, 120d, 120e) is mountable on the top, front, back and/or sides of the body (11, 13, 111) of the termination box (10, 110).