EP3067476B1

EP3067476B1 - Height adjustable toilet support frame

Info

Publication number: EP3067476B1
Application number: EP15158263.2A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Robertus Cornelis Wilhelmus Maria Bente; Marcel Tijssen
Original assignee: Wisa BV
Current assignee: Wisa BV
Priority date: 2015-03-09
Filing date: 2015-03-09
Publication date: 2020-04-29
Anticipated expiration: 2035-03-09
Also published as: EP3067476A1

Description

The invention relates to a height adjustable toilet support frame, comprising:

a base frame mountable to a floor and against an upstanding wall;
a sub frame slidable along a front side of the base frame, which sub frame has mounting points for a toilet bowl, a discharge opening and a flush opening for connection with the toilet bowl;
a flush reservoir connected to the flush opening;
a length adjustable discharge pipe arranged between the discharge opening and the base frame;
an actuator for moving the sub frame along the base frame in order to adjust the height of a toilet bowl mounted to the mounting points; and
a housing arranged around the base frame and attached to the sub frame for covering the exposed sides of the base frame.

Such a frame is for example known from DE 8912047 and is used to adjust the height of a toilet bowl for the user. The height adjustment can be obtained by for example a remote control which controls the actuator, which moves the sub frame along the base frame and accordingly moves the toilet bowl up and down.
Typically such a height adjustable toilet support frame is mounted in front and against a wall. The frame is covered with a housing, such that the frame and the internal components, such as the flush reservoir, the actuator and length adjustable discharge pipe are out of sight.
When maintenance has to be performed on such a toilet support frame, the toilet bowl has to be removed, after which the housing can be removed. This is labor intensive and is furthermore not desired as seals between the toilet bowl and the housing have to be removed and applied again. If the seals are not applied correctly again, dirt, bacteria and the like could get in between the toilet bowl and the housing and could not be removed just by cleaning the toilet bowl and the housing.
EP 2281957 discloses a similar height adjustable toilet support frame as mentioned in the preamble. To provide maintenance to the inner components of the support frame, an access door is provided above the toilet bowl on the front side of the support frame, which provides typically access to the flush reservoir. However, if other components need to be serviced, the toilet bowl still needs to be removed together with the full housing.
It is an object of the invention to reduce or even remove the above mentioned disadvantages.
This object is achieved with a support frame according to the preamble, which is characterized by at least one access door arranged in a side of the housing perpendicular to the front side of the base frame, to reach internal parts of the support frame through an access opening.
By arranging the access door on a side of the housing perpendicular to the front side of the housing, the access door can be positioned on any height and is not limited by the arrangement of a toilet bowl as is the case in the prior art. Due to this unrestricted positioning of the access door, any internal part of the support frame can be reached through an access door by arranging one or more access door at suitable positions.
As the access door is arranged on the side and not the front surface, the frontal width of the frame can be minimized to a width substantially equal to a regular cistern width, as there is no need to provide space on the sides of the cistern to access other internal components.
Typically, at least the front side of the housing, at which the toilet bowl would be mounted, will be provided with a finishing layer, such as tiles, similar to the surrounding walls. As the at least one access door is arranged on a side of the housing perpendicular to the front side of the base frame, the finishing does not need to be removed when opening the access door, as would be the case with prior art support frames.
In an preferred embodiment of the support frame according to the invention the at least one access door extends over substantially the full height of the housing.
Preferably, the access door is a removable panel of the housing, which panel extends to the edges of the side of the housing in which the access door is arranged.
By having the access door on the side of the support frame and extending to the edges of the side of the housing, the maximum surface area of the side can be opened, such that a maximum opening is present to access internal parts, such as for example the flush reservoir and the length adjustable discharge pipe. Typically, the length adjustable discharge pipe would not be accessible with support frames according to the prior art, without removal of the toilet bowl and the full housing.
In another preferred embodiment of the support frame according to the invention a skirt is arranged between the bottom edge of the housing and the bottom edge of the base frame.
When the sub frame is moved up within the base frame, in order to move the toilet bowl up, the housing will also be moved up, as it is attached to the sub frame. As a result, a space will form between the bottom edge of the housing and the floor on which the base frame is positioned.
With the invention, a skirt is provided, which will close off the space, which would otherwise be formed. This contributes to a better hygiene as it would be easier to clean with the skirt in place.
Preferably, the skirt comprises at least two telescopic arranged skirt parts, wherein the first skirt part is fixedly mounted to the base frame and wherein the second skirt part is slidably mounted to the bottom edge of the housing between a retracted position and an extended position.
Using at least two telescopic arranged skirt parts, a clean finish of the skirt and a neat design can be obtained. Furthermore, it would be easy to provide a seal between the skirt parts to ensure a water tight skirt at the bottom of the housing.
By using telescopic arranged skirt parts, the overall height of a collapsed skirt can remain limited, such that the sub frame can be lowered close to the ground. Especially, the discharge pipe moves along with the sub frame, the space for the skirt in the lowest position of the sub frame is limited.
Preferably, mounting means, in particular bolts or screws, of the skirt are positioned with their longitudinal axis perpendicular to an adjacent access door.
In yet another embodiment of the support frame according to the invention the actuator is mounted between the base frame and the sub frame and the mounting means of the actuator, in particular bolts or screws, are positioned with their longitudinal axis perpendicular to an adjacent access door.
By having the mounting means of the actuator and / or the skirt positioned with their longitudinal axis perpendicular to an adjacent access door, the mounting means can easily be accessed when the access door is removed. For example a screw driver or ratchet can simply be put on the mounting means and the mounting means can be unmounted along the longitudinal axis. After unmounting the mounting means, the actuator can simply be removed via the access door on the side of the support frame, or the skirt can easily be taken apart.
In yet another embodiment of the support frame according to the invention the length adjustable discharge pipe comprises a corrugated, flexible part. Using a corrugated, flexible part allows the length adjustable discharge pipe to be arranged with one end on the sub frame and the other end on the base frame. Due to the corrugated, flexible part the sub frame can still be moved up and down relative to the base frame.
Still a further preferred embodiment of the support frame according to the invention further comprises a support rail arranged on the side with the at least one access opening, which support rail can be flipped up parallel to the side with the at least one access opening, between a horizontal position and a vertical position.
Because the support frame is arranged in front of a wall, the support rail can be flipped upwardly and will then not stick out from the support frame. As a result, the support rail will not hinder the movement of persons around the toilet, with the support rail in the vertical position.
Furthermore, the access door provide easy access to the mounting points of the support rail as both the access door and the support rail can be provided on the same side of the housing perpendicular to the front side of the base frame
Preferably, the distance of the support rail to the side with the at least one access opening is adjustable in the direction perpendicular to said side.
The adjustment means for the support rail can be provided inside of the housing, but still be accessed via the access door in the housing.
Still a further embodiment of the support frame according to the invention comprises a second support rail arranged on the side of the housing opposite of the side with the at least one access opening, which second support rail can be flipped up parallel to said opposite side, between a horizontal position and a vertical position.
Preferably, the sub frame and the guides along which the sub frame slides along the base frame, are made out of demountable components, such that parts can easily be exchanged via the at least one access door.
These and other features of the invention will be elucidated in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Figure 1 shows a perspective front view of an embodiment of the invention.
Figures 2A and 2B show perspective back views of the embodiment of figure 1.
Figure 3A and 3B show a second embodiment of support rails for use with the invention.
Figure 4 shows a third embodiment of support rails for use with the invention.

Figure 1 shows a perspective front view of an embodiment of the support frame 1 of the invention. The support frame 1 has a base frame 2, which is arranged to a wall 3 by brackets 4, 5. A sub frame 6 can slide up and down along the base frame 2. A toilet bowl 7 is arranged on the front side of the sub frame 6, which is covered by a housing 8.
The sides of the housing 8 comprises access doors, which are embodied as removable panels 9. After removal of the panels 9, access is obtained to the internal parts of the support frame 1.
Furthermore, support rails 10, 11 are provided on either side of the support frame 1, which are particularly helpful for elderly and handicapped people.
Figures 2A and 2B show perspective back views of the support frame 1 of figure 1. In these figures 2A and 2B, the sub frame 6 is positioned in the highest position, while in figure 1, the sub frame 6 is shown in the lowest position.
A flush reservoir 12 is arranged in the sub frame 6 and connected via a tube 13 to the flush opening of the toilet bowl 7. The discharge opening of the toilet bowl 7 is connected to a discharge pipe 14 with a corrugated, flexible part 15. The other end of the discharge pipe 14 is attached to an opening in the floor of the sanitary space.
An actuator 16, which is electrically driven, is arranged between the sub frame 6 and the base frame 2 to move the sub frame 6 up and down along the base frame 2. The actuator 16 is mounted by bolts 17, which have a longitudinal axis parallel to the front side of the base frame 2. After removal of the panels 9 and the skirt 19, 20, these bolts 17 can easily be removed, after which the actuator 16 can be removed.
Also, an electrical box 18 arranged on the opposite side, can easily be removed from the sub frame 6 after removing the panels 9. The same applies for removing the flush reservoir 12 and the discharge pipe 14.
The skirt 19, 20 is arranged along the bottom edge of the housing 8. The skirt parts 19, 20 are C-shaped bend plates, which can telescopically slide within each other and the housing 8.
The skirt part 19 is fixedly arranged to base frame 2 and on to the ground, while the skirt part 20 is arranged by a linear guide 21 to the sub frame 6. When the sub frame 6 is moved up by the actuator 16 along the base frame 2, the skirt 19, 20 will ensure that the bottom will always be covered and even be sealed, when suitable seals are provided between the skirt parts 19, 20 and the housing 8.
Furthermore, the sub frame 6 is provided with mounting points 22, to which support rails 10, 11 can be mounted.
The flush reservoir 12 is supplied with water from a fixture plate 23, which is connected to the water supply, via a flexible hose 24. The flexible hose 24 enables the up and down movement of the sub frame 6, while the reservoir 12 is connected to the water supply.
When the sub frame 6 is in the lowest position, the flexible water hose 24 can easily be reached for maintenance via the opening of the access door 9.
Figure 3A and 3B show a second embodiment of support rails 30 for use with the invention. These support rails 30 have a U-shaped tube base part 31. One end 32 of the tube base part 31 is rotatably mounted in the sub frame 6.
A U-shaped support part 33 is arranged perpendicular to the tube base part 31. The support part 33 can slide along the legs of the U-shaped base part 31, such that the width between two support rails 30 can be adjusted.
Due to the rotational mounting of the one end 32, the support rail 30 can be moved from a horizontal position to a vertical position, along the side of the housing 8. The other end 34 of the tube base part 31 slides along a slot 35 in the housing. In horizontal position of the support rail 30, the other end 34 abuts a plate 36, which is mounted on the sub frame 6 and which plate 36 keeps the support rail 30 in horizontal position when it is loaded by the weight of a user.
Figure 4 shows a third embodiment of support rails 40 for use with the invention. The support rails 40 have U-shaped support parts 41, of which the bottom end 42 is rotationally mounted in a bushing 43, which allows the bottom end 42 also to slide in axial direction.
A threaded bar 44 connects the bottom ends 42 of both support rails 40. The threaded bar 44 is on both sides provided with opposite threads, such that by rotating the wheel 45 the bottom ends 42 can be pulled towards each other or pushed away, such that the distance between the two support parts 41 can be adjusted.
The upper ends 46 are guided in a slot 35 in the housing 8, such that the support parts 41 can be moved between a horizontal and a vertical position.

Claims

Height adjustable toilet support frame (1), comprising:
- a base frame (2) mountable to a floor and against an upstanding wall (3);

- a sub frame (6) slidable along a front side of the base frame, which sub frame (6) has mounting points for a toilet bowl (7), a discharge opening and a flush opening for connection with the toilet bowl (7);

- a flush reservoir (12) connected to the flush opening;

- a length adjustable discharge pipe (14) arranged between the discharge opening and the base frame (2);

- an actuator (16) for moving the sub frame (6) along the base frame (2) in order to adjust the height of a toilet bowl (7) mounted to the mounting points; and

- a housing (8) arranged around the base frame (2) and attached to the sub frame (6) for covering the exposed sides of the base frame (2), characterized by

- at least one access door (9) arranged in a side of the housing (8) perpendicular to the front side of the base frame (2) to reach internal parts of the support frame (1) through an access opening.
Support frame (1) according to claim 1, wherein the at least one access door (9) extends over substantially the full height of the housing (8).
Support frame (1) according to claim 2, wherein the access door (9) is a removable panel of the housing (8), which panel extends to the edges of the side of the housing (8) in which the access door is arranged.
Support frame (1) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein a skirt (19, 20) is arranged between the bottom edge of the housing (8) and the bottom edge of the base frame (2).
Support frame (1) according to claim 4, wherein the skirt (19, 20) comprises at least two telescopic arranged skirt parts (19, 20), wherein the first skirt part (19) is fixedly mounted to the base frame (2) and wherein the second skirt part (20) is slidably mounted to the bottom edge of the housing (8) between a retracted position and an extended position.
Support frame (1) according to claim 4 or 5, wherein mounting means, in particular bolts or screws, of the skirt (19, 20) are positioned with their longitudinal axis perpendicular to an adjacent access door (9).
Support frame (1) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the actuator (16) is mounted between the base frame (2) and the sub frame (6) and wherein mounting means (17) of the actuator (16), in particular bolts or screws, are positioned with their longitudinal axis perpendicular to an adjacent access door (9).
Support frame (1) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the length adjustable discharge pipe (14) comprises a corrugated, flexible part (15).
Support frame (1) according to any of the preceding claims, further comprising a support rail (10) arranged on the side with the at least one access opening, which support rail (10) can be flipped up parallel to the side with the at least one access opening, between a horizontal position and a vertical position.
Support frame (1) according to claim 9, wherein the distance of the support rail (10) to the side with the at least one access opening is adjustable in the direction perpendicular to said side.
Support frame (1) according to claim 9 or 10, comprising a second support rail (11) arranged on the side of the housing (8) opposite of the side with the at least one access opening, which second support rail (11) can be flipped up parallel to said opposite side, between a horizontal position and a vertical position.