GB2422386A

GB2422386A - Prefabricated disabled toilet

Info

Publication number: GB2422386A
Application number: GB0501485A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Peter Kao Yong Ching
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2005-01-24
Filing date: 2005-01-24
Publication date: 2006-07-26
Anticipated expiration: 2025-01-24
Also published as: GB2422386B; GB0501485D0

Abstract

A prefabricated disabled toilet complying with the DDA Act 2004 comprises a prefabricated main box A comprising WC bowl and wash-basin with pre-installed plumbing, and prefabricated floor, wall and ceiling panels B to H. The components are designed to be built off-site and to pass through building or lift doors for installation.

Description

PRE-FABRICATED DISABLED TOILET

DESCRIPTION

This invention is a pre-fabricated disabled toilet that meets the requirements of the DDA Act 2004.

Since the new legislation for the disabled came into effect in October 2004, this design is pro- posed for a disabled toilet room that is constructed off-site of a pre- finished and pre-plumbed main component that can be delivered and assembled with other wall, floor, ceiling and door panels. This pre-fabricated toilet room will provide a simple and less invasive on-site construc- tion with a higher build quality.

The proposed design will be attractive to building owners, public institutions, retailers, transport and facilities groups that must comply to the DDA Act as all public buildings must comply to pro- vide disabled persons with access to the building and provide proper facilities for their use. This product also responds to an employer's needs to provide equal opportunities and access to all employees especially the disabled. See figure 1 for disabled toilet requirements as published in UK Building Regulations 2004 -Part M: Access to and Use of Building 2004.

Currently, conventional construction of a disabled toilet would involve many trades including a plumber, tiler, general builder for walls, floors and ceilings, painter, electrician and a mechanical contractor for exhaust venting. The coordination of different trades and building requirements make this construction exceeding high and complicated. The pre-fabricated toilet room that could be delivered to site and assembled will be attractive to the market as it reduces the time on an existing site and reduces on-site trades, especially the wet-trades. The system that will be pre-finished will provide a high level of quality as it will be built by an off-site fabricator and will be cost competitive through its efficiency of construction and installation.

PRE-FABRICATED DISABLED TOILET

This invention or product is a design of a disabled toilet manufactured off-site in a main box component and several wall panel and door panels. The main box component' includes the fittings for a wc and wash hand basin, and is pre-plumbed and tested. The box will also be finished throughout within the interior. The main box component is designed to be easily por- table which could be assembled on a site with the minimum of disturbance. The box compo- nent is limited to a size, not unlike the size of a refrigerator or tall piece of furniture, includes pre-installed plumbing fixtures and plumbing in a pre-finished shell. This box could readily be delivered to a building upright fitting through doors and into lifts The enclosing wall, floor, ceil- ing and door panels are flat-packed' and are also easily transportable. These panels are all pie-finished and have sound absorbing insulation to minimise plumbing noises (See figure 3 for main box component and panels).

A customer would place an order a disabled toilet in either of Type A or Type B configuration (see figure 4), specifying the quality, colour, and type of internal finishes. They will also specify the external panelling option or confirm that the enclosure should match the existing construction. External panelling will be of a modular, demountable interior panel system that is secured to the toilet sub-frame.

Upon delivery of the components and panels, an installer is then able to set and level the main box component and sub-frame structure into a specified location. The main box component could be delivered to site in a vertical position that could be transported within a lift and then situated on site. Internal panels are then assembled and secured and isolated to the sub-struc- ture All plumbing, electrical, venting connections are then connected to existing building ser- vices. Ceiling and internal fittings such as handrailing, ironmongery, and accessories are then installed. Floor, ceiling and door panels are installed once the services connections are made and functionally tested. External panelling could be installed and fitted to existing situations.

PRE-FABRICATED DISABLED TOILET 3 There are several manufacturers that provide pre-fabricated toilets however these are complet- ed boxes or pods that could only be installed during construction or are too large logistically to fit into existing conditions. This proposed product will permit the main box component to be deliv- ered to site, vertically rolled into a building or lift and then assembled. The system is attractive to building facilities managers as it could also be relocated as perhaps thus treated as furniture.

This disabled toilet assembly could be adapted to many site siuations. It is easily constructed within existing office premises with raised floors. For facilities without raised floors, a low dis- abled ramp could be installed4o meet existing levels to the toilet room. Potential insatllations are for all applications including office premises, public facilities, rail and transport facilities, retail shops, and food establishments The key benefits to the installation is the simple assembly of components, its quality build from an off-site manufacturing process, and the less invasive on-site construction.

The embodiment of the invention is described in the accompanying drawings where:- Figure 1 - illustrates the dimensions for a disabled toilet published in the UK Building Regu- lations -Part M (Crown Copyright 2003).

Figure 2- illustrates the main box component' with plumbing and fixtures securely installed and standing vertically for ease of transport.

Figure 3- illustrates in an exploded view the main box component', floor, wall, and ceiling panels that will be secured to a sub-frame structure. External panelling will also be secured to the sub-frame.

Figure 4- shows two configurational layouts (Type A and Type B) for the disabled toilet.

The shaded area depicts the main box component' which is a compact prefabri- cated unit consisting of the wc (cistern to be remote and installed separately), basin, plumbing, and internal finishes, 14.

PRE-FABRICATED DISABLED TOILET

KEY FOR ACCOMPANYING DRAWINGS: for Drawing I of 3 Figure 1 -DDA Disabled Toilet Dimensions (Crown Copyright 2003) Drawing replicated from UK Building Regulations 2004 - Part M Figure 2 -Pre-fabricated Main Box Component A Main Box Component (upright) comprised of pre-piumbed fixtures and pre-finished materials to a transportable structural frame B Pre-finished Floor Panels, completing the enclosure and protection of Main Box Component (A) C Elevator Lift Cab D Door Opening (door or lift) for Drawing 2 of 3 Figure 3 -Disabled Toilet Assembly of main box component, floor panels, wall panels, and ceiling panels A Transportable Main Box Component comprised of pre-plumbed fixtures and pre-finished materials to a structural frame B Pre-finished Floor Panels, completing the enclosure and protection of Main Box Component (A) :. . E Structural Frame secured to floor and underside of structure Supporting frame for internal and external wall panels: F Pre-fjnished Internal Wall Panels G Pre-finished External Wall Panels (not shown on this drawing, see Fig 4) H Ceiling Panels forDrawing3of3 *1....

Figure 4 -Disabled Toilet Plans for Type A and Type B Disabled Toilet A Transportable Main Box Component comprised of pre-plumbed fixtures and pre-finished * * : materials to a structural frame (shaded) B Prefinished Floor Panels, completing the enclosure and protection of Main Box Component (A) E Structural Frame secured to floor and underside of structure Supporting frame for internal and external wall panels F Prefinished Internal Wall Panels G Pre-finished External Wall Panels H Ceiling Panels above (not shown on plan) J Door and Frame with alternative door positions shown dotted dimensions K 2200 mm minimum L 1500 mm minimum M equal N 1800 mm approximate

Claims

PRE-FABRICATED DISABLED TOILET CLAIMS

1. A high quality pre-finished disabled toilet room that can be delivered to a site, assembled within with a compact pre-plumbed main component and enclosing panels.

2. The configuration of the disabled toilet meets DDA requirements in size and placement of fixtures and mounting distances

3. All components and enclosing panels are fabricated off-site and are designed for the ease of delivery, portability, and assembly.

4. The key component is a compact pre-finished box unit that is limited in size for transport- ability and has plumbing fittings and piping fitted and tested, with wall and floor finishes pre-installed.

Other components for assembly have adequate sound insulation quality including pre- finished wall, floor, ceiling and door panels that are secured to a stable sub-frame structure.

6. The pre-fabricated disabled toilet sunstantially as herein described above and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.