GB2356806A - Curved bath panel formed from a plurality of connected elements - Google Patents

Abstract

A bath panel (1) comprises a number of elements (2) which are connected together, preferably by a spigot (3) and socket (4) type hinge arrangement, and arranged such that they form a curve. The elements may be of vacuum formed plastics and a method of forming a bath panel from such elements is also disclosed. <DP N=4> A bath panel (1) comprises a number of elements (2) which are connected together, preferably by a spigot (3) and socket (4) type hinge arrangement, and arranged such that they form a curve. The elements may be of vacuum formed plastics and a method of forming a bath panel from such elements is also disclosed.

Description

1 2356806 PANELS

DESCRIPTION

This invention relates to panels and, more specifically, to panels which provide a fascia or finish to an object and which may be fitted to an object, such as a corner bath, once that object has been installed in its desired location.

Many household obj ects require fascias, or paneling, to provide a finished look thereto. For example, self-assembly furniture, so-called "flat pack" furniture, is often sold with a sheet of veneer which may be adhered to any exposed surfaces to perfect the look thereof. Indeed, self-assembly kitchen units, which have to fit into many different size kitchens, use such sheets to 'finish' the units and in so-doing provide an assembly which has the look of a bespoke system.

In the bathroom, baths are normally supplied with plistic panels which form the sidewalls of the bath, enclosing the actual bathtub, and providing a finished look. These plastic panels are provided in a variety of colours, so as to match that of the bathtub, and are conventionally moulded from PVC or other plastics materials. These panels are fitted to the side of the bath by wedging them under a lip at the periphery of the bathtub and securing them in place with screws, or other fittings, or sealing them in place with silicone sealant.

Whilst these panels are adequate for this purpose, due to the rigid nature of the plastics material, they are susceptible to cracking whilst they are being fitted and to damage when in place.

Obviously, to 'finish' a conventional rectangular bath tub, which is installed in a comer of a bathroom, two of such panels are required, one for the long and one for the short exposed faces.

However, in the case of a comer bath, a single unitary panel is required which 'finishes' the single curved exposed face of the bathtub. These panels are cumbersome and consequently difficult to fit. Furthermore, due to the length of the unitary panel they are easily damaged in transit, whilst fitting and when in place. In order to increase the strength of these panels they are often formed with a raised portion. The contoured shape increases the rigidity of the panel and makes it less likely to crack, bend or otherwise deform.

Whilst most conventional, rectangular, baths are of similar size, comer baths are provided in a variety of sizes and may be left or right-handed. That is to say one of the two perpendicular sides may be longer than the other.

Furthermore, the third and, once installed, exposed side may describe a variety of curves. The curve of the exposed side may have a constant radius of curvature, such that in plan the edges of the bath describe a quarter of a circle or it may have a radius of curvature which varies along its length.

Obviously, each different comer bath requires an individual panel which corresponds to the particular orientation and dimensions of the tub in order that the tub may be enclosed and thereby 'finished'. Moreover, a consumer will often desire a panel which can be retrofitted to the bath and may not require such a panel to be made from a plastics materials.

Accordingly it is an object of the invention to provide a panel which obviates the above-identified problems and which can be used to encloseany comer bath, irrespective of its particular dimensions or orientation.

According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided a comer bath panel comprising a plurality of elements, connected by connecting means, and arranged so as to be able to describe, or at least approximate, a curve.

Preferably the connecting means is a web or membrane and the elements may also be mutually connected by hinge means.

According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided a comer bath panel comprising a plurality of elements, each of which is connected to an adjacent element by hinge means.

The panel may further comprise a web or membrane which is attached to each element. The web or membrane may comprise a waterproof material such as PVC.

Each element may be elongate and may be provided with a face which, when installed, is exposed to the room Each element may be formed from wood or a material derived therefrom. The hinge means may"comprise a mutually engaging spigot and cavity and each element may comprise a spigot and/or a cavity. Preferably the spigot and/or the cavity on each element are formed on or in opposed longitudinal edges thereof respectively, the edges being preferably perpendicular to the exposed face. The spigot and cavity on each element may run the entire length of their respective longitudinal edges.

Alternatively, the hinge portion may comprise a bendable longitudinal member which projects into adjacent cavities of adjacent elements, the longitudinal member may comprise metal or plastics.

Preferably the rotational motion of the elements about the hinge portions is limited by mutually abutting surfaces. The surfaces may be formed on mating spigots and cavities, or on the adacent longitudinal edges of adjacent elements. The rotational limitation being such that the panel can describe, or at least approximate the curve of the exposed edge, as herein described, of a comer bath.

Additionally each element may be lacquered or otherwise waterproofed prior to construction, and the surface of the exposed face may be veneered.

Preferably each element is provided with a transverse lip which, upon installation, abuts a peripheral edge of a comer bath, and additionally or alternatively, an element may be provided with an upstanding resilient member, arranged to prevent movement of an installed element.

A further aspect of the invention provides a method of construction of a plastics bath panel comprising vacuum forming a molten plastics material over a mould comprising a plurality of hinged elements.

Preferably the plastics material is PVC.

The invention also provides a vacuum formed plastic panel for a corner bath comprising a plurality of flat elements and hinge portions, the hinge portions connecting adjacent flat elements and the panel being bendable so as to describe, or at least approximate, a curve of an exposed edge of a comer bath.

Panels in accordance with the various aspects of the invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure I is an isometric view of a comer bath comprising a first embodiment of bath panel; Figure 2A is a plan view of the first embodiment of bath panel; Figure 2B is a detailed plan view of the hinge arrangement of Figure 2A; Figure 2C is a detailed plan view of an alternate hinge arrangement; Figure 3 A is section through an element of the first embodiment of bath panel as installed, Figure 3B shows a section through, and elevation of, a fixing member used to secure a bath panel; Figures 4A to 4D show various embodiments of hinges which may be formed on individual elements and may be used to connect adjacent elements-, Figure 5A shows a plan of a second embodiment of hath panel; Figure 5B shows an elevation of the second embodiment; Figure 5C shows a view along section A-A' of Figure 5A; Figure 5D shows a view along section B-B' of Figure 5 A; Figure 6A shows a plan of a third embodiment of bath panel; Figure 6B shows a view along section A-A' of Figure 6A; Figure 6C shows a view along section B-B' of Figure 6A; Figure 7 is a plan view of a fourth embodiment of bath panel; and Figure 8 is a plan view of a fifth embodiment of bath panel.

Referring first to Figure 1, a comer bath, generally indicated at 100, is shown, comprising a comer bathtub 10 1 and a first embodiment of bath panel 1. The comer bathtub 10 1 is installed in a comer of a room such that its perpendicular sides 102, 103 abut perpendicular walls of the room and its curved side 104 is presented to the room.

Referring now to Figures 2A and 2B, the bath panel I is shown in plan view, and comprises a plurality of hinged elements 2, each of which is provided with a transverse face 21 and a longitudinal spigot 3 and longitudinal cavity 4 formed on or in opposed longitudinal edges thereof The spigot 3 of one element 2 mates with the cavity 4 of an adjacent element 2. The elements 2 are mutually connected by a web 5 which retains each element 2 in its mating configuration with adjacent elements 2. The web 5 may be connected to each element 2 with adhesive, staples, nails, or other knoWn connecting means, and it may be a PVC membrane or formed from other waterproof materials such as rubber, neoprene or nylon, or a non-waterproof material.

The elements 2 are identical and each spigot 3 tapers such that, in plan, it has a trapezoidal shape. Each cavity 4 has a rectangular profile which affords each spigot 3 a degree of rotational freedom about the longitudinal axis thereof Thus, the panel I can describe, or at least substantially approximate, a curve as shown in Figure 2A. The maximum radius of curvature of the panel I is constrained by the degree of rotational freedom of each element 2 about adjacent elements 2 and the length X of each element.

The maximum angle that can be described by adjacent elements 2 is related to the angle between one of the tapered faces 31 of the spigot 3 and a face 41 of the cavity 4. The two extreme positions are shown in Figure 2B as 3' and 3 ", with the neutral position, that is to say that where the transverse axes A of two adjacent elements 2 are parallel, shown as 3.

However, and as shown in Figure 2C, it is also possible to form the spigot 300 with one face 301 which, in the neutral position, is parallel and adjacent to a face 401 of the cavity 400. In the fully rotated configuration of the spigot 300', a tapered face 302 of the spigot 300 abuts a face 402 of the cavity 400. The tapered face 302 of the spigot 300 is presented toward the face 21 of its associated element 2 such that the configuration of spigot 300 and cavity 400 ensures that the panel may only form a convex curve, with respect to the face 2 1, rather than a concave curve.

Figure 3A shows a section through an element 2 of the panel I as it would be installed against a comer bathtub 101. Each element 2 is provided with a lip 6 which abuts the peripheral rim 105 of the bathtub 101. Movement of each element 2 of the panel I away from the rim 106 is prevented by a resilient member 7 which is attached to the element 2 by a scfew or nail 8.

The resilient member 7, which is constructed from a plastics material, is arcuate in cross section with the distal edge thereof pointing toward the lip 6 of the element 2. The member 7 is provided with a hole or aperture 9, through which the screw or nail 8 projects to so-connect a member 7 to an element 2.

To install the panel 1 onto a comer bath tub 10 1, a curved baton 108, which describes an identical curve to that of the exposed edge 104 of the bath tub 10 1, is screwed to the floor of the bathroom such that its outside edge is parallel with the rim 105 of the bath 10 1. A panel I of a size commensurate with the length of the edge 104 is then pushed into place, such that the base of each element 2 abuts the baton 108 and the lip 6 abuts the rim 105. This operation causes the member 7 to flex, allowing location of the panel 1, and then subsequently springs back due to its resilient nature to securely locate the panel 1 against the bath tub rim 105. To complete installation, each etement 2, or every other element 2 as required, may be screwed to the baton 108.

Each element 2 may be constructed from solid wood or a reclaimed product such as MW or chipboard, and each is lacquered on all surfaces prior to construction to render each element 2 waterproof and to give it the required decorative finish. Thus each element 2 may be provided in a variety of textures and finishes, for example, teak, mahogany, pine or a colour to match an existing colour scheme. Each particular panel 1 may be cut to the required size by sawing, with the panel 1 being installed such that the exposed edge of the element 2 which is sawed abutting one of the perpendicular walls.

Obviously, the panel 1 provides a fascia or finish for all types of corner bath, irrespective of whether they are left or right handed and/or of the particular radii of curvature of the exposed side 104 of the bath 10 1.

The panel 1 may be attached to the rim 105 of a bath by a silicone sealant as well as, or in place of, a member 7. Once the panel lip 6 abuts the rim 105 a silicone sealant may be spread into the gap therebetween as is known in the art. This will prevent any water from passes between the rim 105 and the lip 6 and will secure the two relative to one another.

Each, or every other, element 2 may be provided with an individual fixing attached to its base. Each fixing is provided with a serrated portion which push-fits into a corresponding portion of a fixing which is attached to the floor under the bathtub. In this embodiment, a curved baton 108 is not necessary to secure the panel 1, and the subsequent installation requires merely that the base fixings are matable and that the resilient members are in place. The panel 1 is then simply pushed inio place such that the lip 6 abuts the rim 105 and the fixings mate. The panel I may then be further secured by a silicone sealant.

Figures 4A to 4D show various other embodiments of hinges which may be used to join the elements 2. In Figure 4A the hinge portions between adjacent elements 2' are formed by rounded portions 35 and 36 which respectively engage rounded cavities 37, 38. In this embodiment the backing web is not necessary as the elements 2' are secured together by the action of the rounded portions 3 5, 3 6 and cavities 3 7, 3 8.

Figure 4B details a hinge assembly similar to that described with reference to Figure 2A and 2B with the exception that the spigot 30 is triangular in cross section. A different approach is detailed in Figure 4C wherein the spigot 43 of an element 20 is contained within the cavity 44 of an adjacent element 20'. In this embodiment, the maximum angular limit between the transverse axes of adjacent elements 20, 20' is reached when surfaces 46 and 47 abut. Due to the nature of the connection between adjacent elements 20, 20' the backing web may also be dispensed with in this effibodiment.

Figure 4D shows a similar construction to that of Figure 4C, except the spigot 43' is not wholly contained within the cavity 44'. The angular limit is again provided by the abutment of surfaces 46' and 47', although a backing web is a necessary provision in this embodiment.

It has also been found that the panel 1, as described, can be used as a vacuum form mould for the production of PVC or other plastics material panels. Figure 5 A shows a plan of a PVC panel 10 which has been vacuum formed fi7om a panel 1. The panel 10 comprises flat elements 26 and hinge portions 40. Figure 5B shows the panel 10 with integral hinge portions 40 and Figures 5C and 5D show respectively views along section A-A' and B-B' of Figure 5A.

To construct a panel 10, a panel 1 has PVC, or another suitable plastics material, vacuum formed over it as is well known in the art. The spigot 3 and socket 4 portions of the panel 1 correspond to the hinge portion 40 and the surface of each element 2 corresponds to the elements 26. During the vacuum forming operation the PVC is thinned in the region of the hinge portion 40, with respect to that of the elements 26, such that it is bendable, whilst still maintaining the rigidity of the element 26.

This provides a plastics bath panel which is cheap to produce and which can be fitted to any size corner bath whether or not it is left or right handed and irrespective of the radius of curvature of the exposed edge 104.

Furthermore, it is easy to pack and store, it may be installed easily using similar fixings to those used to install the wood version or using conventional silicone sealant.

Referring now to Figures 6A, 6B and 6C, a further plastics bath panel is shown. This panel 70 is provided with convex elements"260 inter connected by hinge portions 460. The panel 70 may be vacuum formed from PVC, as is well known, over a mould comprising a plurality of convex hinged elements, or over a unitary mould comprising a series of convex portions.

The plastics material comprising the hinged portions 460 is thinned during the vacuum forming process, with respect to that comprising the elements 260, such that the panel 70 is bendable and may form a convex shape which describes, or at least approximates the curve of a corner bath.

Figure 7 shows a further embodiment of bath panel, generally indicated at 200, comprising a plurality of elements 201. Each element 201 is provided with a longitudinal cavity 204 in each of its opposed sides 206.

Adjacent elements 201 are connected by a longitudinal bridging piece or hinge 203 which projects into, and is secured in, adjacent cavities 204.

The hinges 203 may be fabricated from, for example, polished metal or rigid plastics materials, and they are of such a thickness that they are bendable.

Each hinge 203 may be wedged into the cavities 204 or may be held in place by an adhesive. The panel 200 may also comprise a membrane 205 similar to that shown in Figure 2A, although it may be dispensed with if the hinges 203 are securely located within the cavities 204.

The elements 201 may be constructed from solid wood, or another suitable material, and as such will provide a high quality finish. The hinges 203 in this embodiment afford the panel 201 means to accurately describe the required curve as the rotational limitation afforded to the panel 200 is limited solely by the breaking point of the material and the size of the individual element 203.

Figure 8, shows a panel 250, of a similar design to that exemplified above, comprising individual elements 25 1, provided with cavities 254 in opposed longitudinal edges 25 6 and joined by longitudinal hinge pieces 25 3.

The major difference being that the face 257 of each element which is contoured according to a desired shape. Thus a variety of different finishes in various materials and shapes are provided to suit any particular taste or desire.

Furthermore, any contoured face, such as that shown in Figure 8, may be used in the construction of the elements described with reference to Figure 2A, 2B, 2C and 3A.

Whilst the above-described embodiments have been directed to corner bath panels it is possible to utilise the exemplified panels for any object which has a radius of curvature and which require 'finishing' to cover an exposed portion such as a reception desk in a hotel foyer for example. Furthermore, the panels could be used as panels for conventional rectangular baths, although a length of panel 1 would need to be cut to form the two portions.

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Claims (32)

1. A comer bath panel comprising a plurality of elements, connected by connecting means, and arranged so as to be able to describe, or at least approximate, a curve.

2. A panel according to claim 1, wherein said connecting means comprises a web or membrane.

3. A panel according to claim I or 2, wherein adjacent elements are mutually connected by hinge means.

4. A comer bath panel comprising a plurality of elements, each of which is connected to an adjacent element by hinge means.

5. A panel according to claim 4 further comprising a web or membrane which is attached to each element.

6. A panel according to claim 5, wherein the web or membrane comprises a waterproof material such as PVC.

7. A panel according to any preceding claim, wherein each element is elongate and provided with a face which, when installed, is exposed to the room.

8. A panel according to any preceding claim, wherein each element is formed from wood or comprises a material derived therefrom.

9. A panel according to claim 3 or 4 or any claim dependent thereon, wherein said hinge means comprises a mutually engaging spigot and cavity.

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10. A panel according to claim 9, wherein each element comprises a spigot and/or a cavity.

11. A panel according to claim 10, wherein each element comprises a spigot and a cavity.

12. A panel according to claim 10 or 11, wherein the spigot is formed on a longitudinal edge of each element.

13. A panel according to claim I I or 12, wherein the cavity is formed in a second longitudinal edge of each element.

14. A panel according to claim 12 or 13, wherein the longitudinal edge and the second longitudinal edge are opposed.

15. A panel according to claim 14 when dependent upon claim 7, wherein the longitudinal edge and 'the second longitudinal edge are substantially perpendicular to the exposed face.

16. A panel according to any of claims 10 to 15, wherein the spigot and/or cavity on each element run the entire length of their respective longitudinal edges.

17. A panel according to any of claims 5 to 8 when dependent upon claim 3 or claim 4, wherein said hinge means comprises a bendable longitudinal member which projects into a cavity of an adjacent elements.

18. A panel according to claim 17, wherein the longitudinal member comprises a metal or plastics material.

19. A panel according to claim 3 or 4 or any preceding claim dependent thereon, wherein the rotational motion of the elements about said hinge means is limited by mutually abutting surfaces.

20. A panel according to claim 19, wherein the surfaces are formed on mating spigots and cavities, or on the adjacent longitudinal edges of adjacent elements.

21. A panel according to claim 19 or 20, wherein the rotational limitation is such that the panel can describe, or at least approximate the curve of the exposed edge, as herein described, of a comer bath.

22. A panel according to any preceding claim, wherein each element is lacquered or otherwise waterproofed prior to construction

23. A panel according to 7 or any claim dependent thereon, wherein the exposed face comprises a veneer.

24. A panel according to any preceding claim, wherein each element is provided with a transverse lip which, upon installation, abuts a peripheral edge of a comer bath.

25. A panel according to any preceding claim, wherein one or more elements are provided with an upstanding resilient member, arranged to prevent movement of a so-installed element.

26. A method of constructing a plastics bath panel comprising vacuum forming a molten plastics material over a mould or forme which comprises a plurality of hinged elements.

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27. A method of forming a plastics bath panel comprising vacuum forming a molten plastics material over a mould or forin- e which comprises a bath panel in accordance with any of claims I to 25.

28. A method according to claim 26 or 27, wherein the plastics material is PVC.

29. A vacuum formed plastic panel for a comer bath comprising a plurality of flat elements and hinge portions, the hinge portions connecting adjacent flat elements and the panel being bendable so as to describe, or at least approximate, a curve of an exposed edge of a comer bath.

30. A comer bath panel substantially as hereinbefore described and with reference.to the accompanying drawings.

3 1. A method of forming a comer bath panel substantially as hereinbefore described and with reference to the accompanying drawings.

32. A vacuum formed plastic panel substantially as hereinbefore described and with reference to Figures 5A to 5D or Figure 6A to 6C.