GB2404143A - Height-adjusting mounting plinth for sanitaryware - Google Patents

Abstract

A mounting plinth for increasing the height of sanitary ware consisting of two elliptical or near elliptical parallel planes, forming the top and bottom, that are interconnected by a continuous perpendicular side. Strengthening may be added to the top and or the bottom through a cut out in the bottom surface and fixing points may be provided in the perpendicular side.

Description

24041 43 THE "KNEE-BO"

UNIVERSAL MOUNTING PLINTH FOR SANITARY WARE

The present invention relates to a mounting plinth, upon which an item of sanitary ware such as a toilet bowl, a bidet or a wash hand basin may be mounted in order to increase the overall working height from the floor.

It is well known that for people with certain disabilities, some of whom are confined or partially confined to a wheelchair, it is necessary to provide a toilet which is raised above the nommal height. In some cases this is because an increased height above ground facilitates the use of a toilet from a wheelchair.

It is less well known that for some disabled persons, for example, those with arthritis, or certain knee or back problems, an increased working height for a toilet may also be desirable so that they may move into and out of the sitting position more easily.

It is also rarely recognised by the designers of sanitary ware that many people who would benefit from an increased working height toilet would also benefit from an increased working height on other sanitary fittings such as a bidet or a wash hand basin.

In hospitals nursing homes and other similar public facilities there are sometimes provided higher than normal toilets and special opaque toilet seats, which have been specially designed for use by the elderly, the infirm and the disabled. These fittings are mostly available only in white making this "institution" type of toilet unsuitable for a domestic environment. They are also expensive because of the low volumes involved making it impossible for manufacturers to use their nommal mass production techniques to their best effect.

Partial solutions to these problems are to be found in the art, for example: EP O 777 995 together with US 5 251 338 illustrates the most common solution to be found in many domestic situations. This is a specially thickened toilet seat designed to raise the sitting height. Whilst this can be a very effective solution it does not cater for those people who also would benefit from a raised working height on other sanitary ware such as a bidet or a wash hand basin.

EP 1 191 159 shows a height adjustable toilet bowl which also can provide for a variable height. However the fittings are expensive, flexible pipes are required and the unit is not adaptable to provide height adjusting facilities on a bidet or a wash hand basin.

There are also a significant number of other designs forming part of the art such as US 5 303 430 a height spacer which has to be shaped to fit the toilet and incorporates arm rests. Also US 6 094 752 and US 4 515 398 which both show various types of height raising device which incorporate provision for the waste outlet.

None of these devices which are exampled from the art offers a cost effective solution, none of them is adaptable to fit a bidet or a wash hand basin and in general terms none of them can be described as a truly universal device.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a height increasing accessory which can be added to existing sanitary ware in order to increase the working height above the floor. It is a second object to provide said accessory in a shape which has been carefully designed to facilitate it's use with a wide variety of different items of sanitary ware such as toilets, wash hand basins and bidets. A third object of the invention is to provide said accessory in a very simple form which can be mass produce at very low cost.

Finally it is a fourth object of the invention to enable manufacture of said accessory in the form of a simple moulding which can easily be produced in a variety of different colours.

According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided a plinth consisting of two elliptical or near elliptical parallel planes that are interconnected by a continuous perpendicular side which provides the separation of the parallel planes. In a second aspect of the invention one of the flat horizontal planes may not be a continuously flat surface but may instead have it's centre removed so as to form a lip on which the unit may stand on the floor, so providing access to the inside for manufacturing purposes. In a third aspect of the invention, strengthening may then be provided inside of the assembly to receive fixing screws from the sanitary ware to be mounted on top of the plinth. Finally in a fourth aspect of the invention, there may also be provided inset pockets on the vertical sides which will accept fixing screws to attach the plinth firmly to the floor. Said fixing points may also have strengthening material bonded to the inside of the plinth around the pockets so as to prevent pressure from the fixing screws deforming the assembly.

The invention will now be more particularly described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 Shows the Knee-go plinth in side view and illustrates the floor fixing points (1) with their screw holes (2).

Figure 2 Shows a rear view of the Knee-go plinth and illustrates the flat back of the plinth where it deviates slightly from it's otherwise elliptical shape.

Figure 3 Is a frontal view of the Knee-go plinth with the two forward most mounting cavities (1) on either side visible together with their corresponding fixing screw holes (2).

Figure 4 Is a view of the Knee-go plinth in place beneath a toilet showing how the toilet is located and mounted on the plinth.

Figure 5 Is a view of the Knee-go plinth supporting a bidet Figure 6 is a view of the Knee-go plinth supporting a hand wash basin, In this view the fixing points are not shown but they are nevertheless present as in others figures.

Referring to figure 1 it will be seen that the plinth consists of two horizontal flat semi elliptical surfaces forming the top and the bottom of the plinth. The bottom is assumed to be present since it is not actually illustrated. The sides are vertical surfaces connecting the top and bottom semi elliptical flat surfaces.

The sides of the plinth are equipped with four fixing points (1) each of which has a hole for a fixing screw (2). Fixing screws are inserted at 2 in order to secure the plinth to the floor. The inside of the plinth is hollow in a preferred embodiment but may be more solidly constructed in further embodiments. In the preferred version the bottom flat surface is cut away to form a lip upon which the Knee-go plinth rests on the floor but also allowing access to the inside. In the preferred embodiment, a reenforcing material, not shown, is bonded to the inside surface or surfaces to provide strengthening adjacent to the fixing screw positions.

Under the top surface on the inside of the plinth a bonded strengthening material is used both to add strength and to serve as a receptor for the fixing screws of the mounted sanitary ware.

The Knee-go fixing points (1) together with their corresponding screw holes (2) are further illustrated in figures 3 showing the front and 2 showing the rear.

In use the Knee-go is illustrated in figure 4 supporting a toilet pedestal, in figure 5 supporting a bidet and in figure 6 supporting a hand wash basin.

Figure 6 does not show fixing points but they are nevertheless present in all of the preferred embodiments.

Each feature disclosed in the specification, including the drawings, may be replaced by alternative features serving the same, equivalent or similar purpose unless expressly stated otherwise. Thus unless expressly stated otherwise each feature disclosed is one example only of a generic series of equivalent or similar features.

The invention is not restricted to the details of the foregoing embodiments, the invention relates to any novel one or any novel combination of the features disclosed in this specification including any accompanying claims and drawings.

Claims (4)

1 A height increasing mounting plinth for sanitary ware consisting of two elliptical or near elliptical parallel planes that are interconnected by a continuous perpendicular side which provides the separation of the parallel planes.

2 A height increasing mounting plinth according to claim 1 where one of the said parallel planes has it's surface partially removed.

3 A height increasing mounting plinth according to claims one and two with strengthening pieces added to increase the thickness of the said parallel planes.

4 A height increasing mounting plinth according to any preceding claim with strengthening pieces added to increase the thickness of said perpendicular sides.

A height increasing mounting plinth according to any preceding claim which has inset pockets in its perpendicular side through which fixing means may be inserted to secure said plinth to the floor.