EP3701096B1

EP3701096B1 - Universal adapter for water connections

Info

Publication number: EP3701096B1
Application number: EP18792531.8A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Sara PUGGIONI
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2017-10-23
Filing date: 2018-10-08
Publication date: 2022-08-03
Anticipated expiration: 2038-10-08
Also published as: EP3701096A1; WO2019082010A1; PL3701096T3; ES2929940T3; IT201700119660A1

Description

Field of the art

The present invention operates in the plant engineering and building fields. More in detail it refers to universal adapter for water connections that is reusable for making water connections with the best working standards in a short time period and without any risk of imprecision.

Prior art

At the present state of the art, in order to implement water-sanitary connections, one proceeds in a rather imprecise manner and the successful outcome of the work is exclusively entrusted to the manual ability and professionalism of the workers who complete the work. Indeed, there is no instrument that allows making a system with precise measurements. After the selection of the sanitary fixtures to be installed, the measurements of the height of the drain and of the hot water and cold water connections that are indicated in the technical sheets associated with each element (shower, bidet, sink, ...) must be respected. Then, one proceeds with the assembly of the water connectors that will connect the sanitary fixtures to the pipe of the water system already present in the walling.
The problem lies in fixing these water connectors within the wall.
Presently, installers use wood pieces found in worksites to be fit into the perforated bricks of the wall. Alternatively, a wood board is nailed to the wall; to such board, the pipes are momentarily constrained by means of iron wire or cable ties. The fixing of the water connectors is in fact never a work of precision. It follows that once the walling has been made, outside of which only the ends of the water connectors should remain, the latter connector ends are out of plumb, have undesired tilts, are too much within the thickness of the wall or have other similar imprecisions. In some cases, the work is so entirely unacceptable both from a functional and aesthetic standpoint that it is even necessary to remake the walling all over again.
The object of several international patents is that of making improvements for sanitary systems. One example thereof is the patent, extended at worldwide level, WO 2004025166 , which refers to pressure dampers and silencers for water conduits and sanitary fittings. Said dampers and silencers comprise a piece of flexible hose fixed to the adapter or to the connector and a damping element between the inner surface of the flexible hose and the outer casing.
Other examples are DE8632306U1 ; GB2457292A or EP1510625 .
Even if these patents effectively resolve various problems tied to water-sanitary systems, no solution seems to have been developed for a correct installation of water connectors during the assembly of the sanitary fixture.
The object of the present invention is therefore to propose a new and innovative adapter which allows a quick and correct installation of water connections in any situation and for any plant engineering requirement.

Description of the invention

According to the present invention, an universal adapter for water connections is attained which effectively solves the abovementioned problems.
The problem is solved by an universal adapter according to claim 1 or claim 2, both adapted to allow a quick and correct installation of water connections of any one sanitary fixture.
In the first embodiment, the box profile provides for the presence, respectively on the front face and on the rear face of said box profile, of a larger slot and of a smaller slot in place of the larger holes and of the smaller holes. Said slots have length comprised between ½ and ¾ of the total length of said box profile, preferably a length equal to 2/3 of the total length of the box profile. Said larger slot has height comprised between 21 mm and 40 mm, preferably 32 mm. Said smaller slot, instead, has lower height comprised between 11 mm and 32 mm, preferably 21 mm. Advantageously, also this second embodiment is provided with fixing holes as described for the preceding version of the box profile. The levels, instead, are arranged at the front face of the box profile, laterally with respect to said larger slot. On the other face, i.e. on the rear face, in a position coaxial with said levels, two viewing holes are arranged which allow the operator to see said levels even if he/she is observing said rear face of said box profile.
A further version of the box profile, according to the present invention, is characterized by a rectangular opening arranged both on the front face and on the rear face, which are thus identical. Said rectangular opening has length comprised between ½ and ¾ of the total length of said box profile, preferably a length equal to 2/3 of the total length of the box profile.
Both the front face and the rear face of said box profile are provided with a pair of rails, constituted by "L" projections adapted to allow the introduction and the sliding of a plurality of inserts along said front face and said rear face. Such inserts are constituted by at least one pair of levels, in particular at least one horizontal level and at least one vertical level, and by at least one pair of templates, in particular at least one first template provided with a plurality of larger holes and at least one second template provided with a plurality of smaller holes. The configuration of said inserts is such that they can be inserted and slide within said rails defined by said "L" projections. All the inserts, in fact, have an upper portion and a lower portion with thickness equal to or slightly smaller than the thickness of said rails, such that they can be inserted therein and made to slide up to the preselected point. The central portion of said inserts instead has thickness comprised between 1 mm and 5 mm, preferably 3 mm, in a manner such that the front face of said insert is preferably coplanar or slightly protruding with respect to the outer surface of said rails.
Also in this embodiment of the box profile, the fixing holes are laterally provided.
The implementation of the water connection occurs according to the following steps:

(A) first alignment step; in said first alignment step (A), said box profile is arranged with one of the smaller holes or with the smaller slot in a position coaxial with a female connector already present within the wall of the water system to be implemented. It is obvious that, if the box profile in its third version is used, the suitable templates must be previously inserted in the rails. In said first alignment step, then, a common male plug is inserted within the corresponding larger hole or in a point of said larger slot at the position of said female connector, until the threaded projection of said male plug reaches said female connector. The operator who performs the work at this point screws the male plug within the female connector until they are stably connected. The operation is repeated for each water connection to be implemented in the scope of the same system, and possibly until all the larger and smaller holes are used or until the available space of the smaller or larger slots has been completely used. The selection of the holes to be used or of the position within the slots is dictated by the technical sheets of the sanitary fixtures to be installed. At the end of said first alignment step, therefore, all the female connectors of said water system are stably connected and aligned with said box profile and with the respective male plugs;
(B) second fixing step; in said second fixing step an operator, by means of said fixing holes, locks said box profile to the wall, by way of a non-limiting example using a dowel drill, selecting the optimal position with the aid of said levels;
(C) third closing step; in said third closing step, said operator completes the finishing steps for the wall involved with the water connection;
(D) fourth disassembly and finish step; in said fourth disassembly and finish step, said operator disconnects all the male plugs from the relative female connectors, now fixed in the wall and perfectly flush with the wall. Subsequently said operator disconnects the box profile from the wall and completes the operations for finishing the wall.

The connection thus made is perfectly flush with the wall.
Advantageously, due to the particular configuration of the box profile, object of the present invention, a connection can be attained that is provided with a predetermined projection from the wall. In order to do this, in said first alignment step, said male plug is arranged at one of said smaller holes or at the smaller slot, thus ensuring that its threaded projection passes through the hole or the slot. In this case, the female connector is inserted within the corresponding larger hole or within the larger slot, up to coming into contact with the threaded projection of said male plug. When the operator screws the plug within the female connector, the latter approaches the plug, exiting outward from the wall by a distance substantially equal to the thickness of the box profile. In this second installation possibility, the subsequent process steps remain unchanged.
Advantageously, in the first version of the present invention, the box profile can be provided with reversibly removable and reassemblable supports containing said levels. In this manner, it will always be possible to recover said levels if the box profile is bent or becomes unusable, or substitute one or both levels in case of breakage.
Advantageously, the positioning of the box profile with respect to the wall and of the water connectors and of the plugs with respect to the box profile is aided by the presence of at least one ruler, engraved or printed at at least one edge, preferably at all the edges of the box profile.
Independent of the embodiment, the box profile will be attainable in any one metal or metal alloy, preferably aluminum and will advantageously be inscribable in a parallelepiped with dimensions comprised between 40 mm X 400 mm X 8 mm in thickness and 80 mm X 1000 mm X 30 mm in thickness, preferably 60 mm X 500 mm X 15 mm in thickness.
The advantages offered by the present invention are evident in light of the description set forth up to now and will be even clearer from the enclosed figures and the relative detailed description.

Description of the figures

The invention will be described hereinbelow in at least one preferred embodiment as a non-limiting example with the aid of the enclosed figures, in which:

FIGURE 1 schematically shows the possible installations according to the present invention. FIG. 1(a) illustrates the components necessary for the correct implementation of the water connection. In addition to the box profile 1, the reference number 10 indicates the female connector 10 which is always situated within the wall, while the number 8 indicates the male plug 8 which, with its threaded projection 8', is adapted to be engaged with said female connector 10. FIG. 1(b) shows the use of the box profile 1 for attaining a connector protruding from the wall surface. In this case the female connector 10 is inserted in one of the larger holes 6-6'-6" while the male plug 8 is inserted in the corresponding smaller hole 7-7'-7". FIG. 1(c) shows the use of the box profile 1 for attaining a connector flush with the wall. In this case the female connector 10 is arranged aligned with one of the smaller holes 7-7'-7" and the male plug 8 is inserted in the corresponding larger hole 6-6'-6".
FIGURE 2 shows an axonometric view of an embodiment variant of the present invention. In FIG. 2(a), the front face 2 of the box profile 1 is visible. This is centrally provided with a larger slot 6.a and with a plurality of rulers 9 printed or engraved at all the edges of the box profile 1. FIG. 2(b), instead, shows the rear face 3 of the same box profile 1, in which the smaller slot 7.a is visible. Laterally with respect to the latter, the viewing holes 16-16' are seen which allow viewing the levels 5-5' placed on the other side.
FIGURE 3 shows an axonometric view of a second embodiment variant of the present invention. In FIG. 3(a) the box profile 1 is visible without the inserts 14. This box profile 1 is provided with the fixing holes 4-4', the rulers 9 placed on the long edges and, unlike the preceding versions, such box profile 1 is provided with four rails 1.1, two on each face, and with two rectangular openings 17, of equal size, one for each face. FIG. 6(b) shows the three inserts 14 constituted by two levels 5-5' and the first template containing the larger holes 15-15'-15". It is observed that each insert 14 is provided with two lateral portions 14.2-14.1, upper and lower, and with a protruding central portion 14.3. FIG. 6(c) represents the second template provided with the smaller holes 15.a-15.a'-15.a".
FIGURE 4 shows an axonometric view of the second variant of the box profile 1. The components shown in the preceding FIG. 3 are engaged with each other here, with the lateral portions 14.1-14.2 of the inserts 14 inserted within said rails 1.1. FIG. 4(a) shows the front face 2 of the box profile 1, unlike FIG. 4(b) which shows the rear face 3 thereof.

Detailed description of the invention

The present invention will now be illustrated as a merely non-limiting and non-binding example, making use of the figures which illustrate several embodiments relative to the present inventive concept.
The assembly occurs by means of the following steps:

(A) first alignment step; in which the box profile 1 is arranged with the rear face 3 towards the wall, and hence towards one of the female connectors 10 forming part of the connection to be implemented. In particular, the position of the box profile 1 must be such that one of said smaller holes 7-7'-7" is situated in a position coaxial with said female connector 10. The selection of which of said smaller holes 7-7'-7" to use will depend on the technical specifications of the sanitary fixture to be connected. Subsequently, a male plug 8, of those commonly found on the market, is inserted within the corresponding larger hole 6-6'-6" until the threaded projection 8' of said male plug 8 reaches said female connector 10. At this point the operator screws the male plug 8 in the female connector 10 until a firm connection is established. This operation is repeated for all the female connectors 10 to be installed in the same water connection. At the end of said first alignment step A, therefore, all the female connectors 10 of said water system are stably connected and aligned with said box profile 1 and with the respective male plugs 8;
(B) second fixing step; in which the operator, by means of said fixing holes 4-4', momentarily locks the box profile 1 to the wall, selecting the optimal position with the aid of said levels 5-5' and possibly of the ruler 9;
(C) third closing step; in which the operator completes the finishing steps for the wall involved with the water connection;
(D) fourth disassembly and finish step; in which the operator disconnects all the male plugs 8 from the relative female connectors 10, now fixed in the wall and perfectly flush with the wall. Subsequently, he/she disassembles the box profile 1 from the wall and, if necessary, completes the final operations for finishing the wall.

If it is desired to make a water connection with the female connector 10 slightly protruding from the wall, it will be sufficient, in said first alignment step A, to place the front face 2 of the box profile in contact with the wall and not the rear face 3 as described above. In this manner, the female connector 10 will be inserted within the pre-selected larger hole 6-6'-6". In the corresponding smaller hole 7-7'-7", only the threaded projection 8' of the male plug 8 is inserted, which for size reasons is only abutted against the rear face 3 of the box profile 1. At the time of screwing, it will be the female connector 10 to approach the male plug 8 and, at the end of the subsequent fixing B, closing C and disassembly and finish D steps, said female connector 10 will be protruding from the wall surface by an extent substantially equal to the thickness of said box profile 1.
With reference to FIG. 2, a second preferred version of the box profile 1 of the present invention is shown. In place of the larger holes 6-6'-6", a larger slot 6.a is arranged on the front face 2, such larger slot having height equal to 32 mm and length equal to 2/3 of the total length of the box profile 1. On the rear face 3, in place of the smaller holes 7-7'-7", a smaller slot 7.a is present with lower height equal to 21 mm, and with length equal to said larger slot 6.a. As in the first embodiment, also this version of the box profile 1 is provided on both said front and rear faces with a pair of fixing holes 4-4'. Said levels 5-5', instead, are placed at the front face 2 while, on the other face 3, viewing holes 16-16' are placed that are coaxial with said levels 5-5', adapted to allow the operator to view said levels 5-5' also from the other side of the box profile 1.
The use of this first version of the box profile 1 is the same as that described above. The position of the female connectors 10 and of the respective male plugs 8 is free within the slots 6.a-7.a. In order to assist the operator in a correct positioning, in fact, this particular version has printed or engraved rulers 9 at all the edges of the box profile 1.
A second embodiment is shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. The box profile 1, in this case, is provided both on the front face 2 and on the rear face 3 with two rectangular openings 17 that are identical to each other, in fact making the two faces equivalent. At the upper and lower edge of each face, a rail 1.1 is present constituted by an "L" projection. In this version, the box profile 1 is completed with a plurality of inserts 14 that are suitably configured in order to be inserted within said rails 1.1 and reversibly slide along the face 2-3 up to obtaining the desired positioning. Said inserts 14 are thus constituted by an upper portion 14.2 and a lower portion 14.1 having exactly the same thickness, or a thickness slightly smaller than said rails 1.1, in order to be inserted therein in a slidable manner. The central portion 14.3, however, has a minimum thickness adapted to allow perfect coplanarity between the front face of said insert 14 and the outer surface of said rails 1.1. Possibly, the central portion 14.3 of said inserts 14 can also have a greater thickness, adapted to protrude from said front face 2 or rear face 3 of said box profile 1 by a predetermined distance.
Said inserts 14 are constituted at least by an insert containing the horizontal level 5, an insert containing the vertical level 5', a template containing at least two, maximum five, preferably three larger holes 15-15'-15" and a template containing an equivalent number of smaller holes 15.a-15.a'-15.a".
After the insertion of said inserts 14 in the suitable rails 1.1, the process of making the water connection is the same as that described above for the other two versions of the box profile 1 of the present invention.
Finally, it is clear that modifications, additions or variations can be made to the invention described up to now that are obvious for a man skilled in the art, without departing from the protective scope that is provided by the enclosed claims.

Claims

Universal adapter for water connections, adapted to allow a correct and quick installation of any connection of a water system, wherein the universal adapter consists of a box profile (1) having a front face (2), a rear face (3), an upper face (12), a lower face (13); said box profile (1) at the front face (2) being provided with a larger slot (6.a), with height of between 21 mm and 40 mm, preferably 32 mm and length of between ½ and ¾ of the total length of said box profile (1), preferably a length equal to 2/3 of the total length of the box profile (1); said rear face (3) being provided with a smaller slot (7.a) coaxial with said larger slot (6.a) and of smaller height, of between 11 mm and 32 mm, preferably 21 mm; said box profile (1) being further laterally provided, both on said front face (2) and on said rear face (3), with at least one pair of fixing holes (4-4'); said box profile (1) being further provided, at said front face (2), with at least one pair of levels (5-5'), in particular a horizontal level (5) and a vertical level (5') arranged respectively on the left and on the right of the larger slot (6.a) or vice versa; said rear face (3) being provided with at least one pair of viewing holes (16-16'), coaxial with said levels (5-5'), adapted to allow the operator to view said levels (5-5') also from the other side of the box profile (1); said universal adapter being suitable for water connection being implemented according to the following steps:
(A) first alignment step; in said first alignment step (A), said box profile (1) being arranged with a preselected point of said smaller slot (7.a) at a female connector (10) of the water connection to be implemented; said preselected point being determined from the technical installation specifications of the fixture to be connected to said water connection; in said first alignment step (A), a common male plug (8) being inserted into the larger slot (6.a) in the point coaxial with the position of said female connector (10), until the threaded projection (8') of said male plug (8) reaches said female connector (10) and is screwed by an operator therein; at the end of said first alignment step (A) all the female connectors (10) of said water system being stably connected and aligned with said box profile (1) and with the respective male plugs (8); said first fixing step (A) being repeated for each water connection to be implemented until the space available in said larger and smaller slots (6.a-7.a) of said box profile (1) is completely used;

(B) second fixing step; in said second fixing step (B), an operator, through said fixing holes (4-4'), fixes said box profile (1) to the wall, selecting the optimal position with the aid of said levels (5 -5');

(C) third closing step; in said third closing step (C), said operator completes the finishing steps for the wall involved with the water connection;

(D) fourth disassembly and finish step; in said fourth disassembly and finish step (D), said operator disconnects all the male plugs (8) from the relative female connectors (10), now fixed in the wall and perfectly flush with the wall; said operator proceeding with the disconnection of said box profile (1) from the wall and carrying out the final operations for finishing the wall.
Universal adapter for water connections, adapted to allow a correct and quick installation of any connection of a water system, wherein the universal adapter it consists of a box profile (1) and a plurality of inserts (14); said box profile (1) being provided with a front face (2), a rear face (3), an upper face (12), a lower face (13); said box profile (1) at both said front face (2) and said rear face (3) being provided with a rectangular opening (17) having length of between ½ and ¾ of the total length of said box profile (1), preferably a length equal to 2/3 of the total length of the box profile (1); said box profile (1) being further provided, both on said front face (2) and on said rear face (3), with a pair of rails (1.1) consisting of "L" projections adapted to allow the introduction and sliding along said front face (2) and said rear face (3) of said plurality of inserts (14); said inserts (14) consisting of at least one pair of levels (5-5'), in particular a horizontal level (5) and a vertical level (5'), and at least one pair of templates, in particular a first template provided with a plurality of larger holes (15-15'-15") and a second template provided with a plurality of smaller holes (15.a-15.a'-15.a"); said inserts (14) being provided with an upper portion (14.2) and a lower portion (14.1) having a thickness equal to or slightly smaller than the width of said rails (1.1) of said box profile (1); said inserts (14) being also provided with a central portion (4.3) having a thickness of between 1 mm and 5 mm, preferably 3 mm, so that the front face of said insert (14) is preferably coplanar to the outer surface of said rails (1.1); said box profile (1) being further provided laterally, both on said front face (2) and on said rear face (3), with at least one pair of fixing holes (4-4'); said universal adapter being suitable for water connection being implemented according to the following steps:
(A) first alignment step; in said first alignment step (A), after inserting the preselected inserts (14) in the respective faces (2-3) of said box profile (1), making the smaller holes (15.a-15.a'-15.a") of said second template be coaxial with the larger holes (15-15'-15") of said first template; said box profile (1) is arranged with one of said smaller holes (15.a-15.a'-15.a") in a coaxial position with respect to a female connector (10) of the water system to be implemented; in said first alignment step (A), a common male plug (8) being inserted into the corresponding larger hole (15-15'-15") until the threaded projection (8') of said male plug (8) reaches said female connector (10) and is screwed by an operator therein; at the end of said first alignment step (A) all the female connectors (10) of said water system being stably connected and aligned with said box profile (1) and with the respective male plugs (8); said first fixing step (A) being repeated for each water connection to be implemented until all the larger and smaller holes (15-15'-15", 15.a-15.a'-15.a") present on said templates of said box profile (1) are used;

(B) second fixing step; in said second fixing step (B), an operator, through said fixing holes (4-4'), fixes said box profile (1) to the wall, selecting the optimal position with the aid of said levels (5 -5');

(C) third closing step; in said third closing step (C), said operator completes the finishing steps for the wall involved with the water connection;

(D) fourth disassembly and finish step; in said fourth disassembly and finish step (D), said operator disconnects all the male plugs (8) from the relative female connectors (10), now fixed in the wall and perfectly flush with the wall; said operator proceeding with the disconnection of said box profile (1) from the wall and carrying out the final operations for finishing the wall.
Universal adapter for water connections, according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the universal adapter is such that in said first alignment step (A), said male plug (8) being arranged at one of said smaller holes (7-7'-7", 15.a-15.a'-15.a") or at the smaller slot (7.a) so that the threaded projection (8') of said male plug (8) passes through said hole or said slot; said female connector (10) of said water connection being inserted within the corresponding larger hole (6-6'-6", 15-15'-15") or within the larger slot (6.a) up to coming into contact with the threaded projection (8') of said male plug (8), allowing the screwing by an operator up to establishing a stable and aligned connection between said female connector (10), said box profile (1) and said male plug (8); at the end of the subsequent fixing (B), closing (C) and disassembly and finish (D) steps, said female connector (10) being protruding from the wall surface by an extent substantially equal to the thickness of said box profile (1).
Universal adapter for water connections, according to the preceding claim 1, characterized in that said levels (5-5') are arranged on supports that are reversibly removable and reassemblable from/on the front or rear face (2-3) on which said levels (5-5') are positioned.
Universal adapter for water connections, according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said box profile (1) is provided, at at least one edge, with a ruler (9), either printed or engraved, adapted to assist the operator in positioning the box profile (1) with respect to said female connectors (10) of said water connections.
Universal adapter for water connections, according to the preceding claim 5, characterized in that said box profile (1) is provided with a ruler (9) on each edge.
Universal adapter for water connections, according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said box profile (1) has dimensions of between 40 mm X 400 mm X 10 mm in thickness and 80 mm X 1000 mm X 30 mm in thickness, preferably 60 mm X 500 mm X 15 mm.
Universal adapter for water connections, according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said box profile (1) is made of any metal or metal alloy, preferably aluminum.