GB2425788A

GB2425788A - A toilet cubicle

Info

Publication number: GB2425788A
Application number: GB0615432A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Markus Hohl
Original assignee: BERLINLONDON Ltd
Current assignee: BERLINLONDON Ltd
Priority date: 2003-08-20
Filing date: 2003-08-20
Publication date: 2006-11-08
Anticipated expiration: 2023-08-20
Also published as: GB0615432D0; GB2405158B; GB2405158A; GB0319507D0; GB2425788B

Abstract

A cubicle comprises a rear wall (14), first and second spaced parallel side walls (12) which extend from the rear wall, and a door (16) pivotally mounted on the first side wall such that in a closed position the door is not perpendicular to the first wall. The first and second side walls may be perpendicular to the rear wall and in a closed position the door and first side wall preferably form an angle external to the cubicle of between 30 and 60 degrees. The door may close against a vertical support (10) to which the second side wall is attached. The door may be mounted on the first side wall closer to, but not at, an edge furthest from the rear wall and where the door opens outwards (a), away from the rear wall. A bracing member may be provided between first and second side walls, which preferably lies along the plane of the closed door.

Description

Cubicles The present invention relates to cubicles, particularly, but not

exclusively, to toilet cubicles and the like.

In fabricating toilet cubicles, a common known arrangement is to attach pillars to the floor of the area, and then attach dividing partitions between the existing back wall and each pillar, thereby defining each cubicle. The pillar extends either side of the region where the dividing partition meets it, to provide a surface on which a door can be hung and hinged for one cubicle, and a surface for a keep for the corresponding door of the other cubicle.

In such an arrangement, it may be difficult to attach the pillars firmly to the floor; therefore, in order to provide sufficient strength and rigidity to the structure, a common head rail is usually attached across all the pillars, and may also be attached to a pre-existing wall at one or both ends.

The doors to the cubicles are almost invariably arranged so that they open inwards, since if the doors opened outwards there would be a risk of people walking outside the cubicles being hit as a door is opened. Cubicles housing toilets for disabled people however usually open outwards, so they are often placed at the end of the cubicle row where the risk of people outside being hit by an opening door is minimised, though the risk remains.

For a cubicle having an inward opening door, the cubicle must be sufficiently large to house the toilet, accommodate the sweep of the door as a :.:::. person enters the cubicle (the door must swing through an angle of at least 700 to allow the person to enter) and provide enough room for the person to close the door behind them. I.. * S S

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The object of the present invention is to provide a cubicle configured to use the space the cubicle occupies efficiently. Further objects will become

clear upon reading the description.

According to the present invention there is provided a cubicle comprising a rear wall, a first side wall extending from the rear wall, a second side wall substantially parallel to the first side wall also extending from the rear wall, and a door pivotally mounted on the first side wall, the door having a closed position which prevents access to the cubicle, and an fully open position which allows access to the cubicle, such that in the closed position the door lies at an angle of less than 90 to the first side wall.

Preferably the first and second side walls extend substantially perpendicularly from the rear wall.

The door may though lie at an angle of less than 85 , 80 , 750 70 , 60 , or 50 , and may in a closed position lie at an angle of greater than 20 or 30 to the first side wall.

When it is said that the door is mounted on the wall, it will of course be understood that a panel or element serving as a wall may be extended or augmented by additional elements to which the door is attached, and that these are intended to be within the meaning of the term side wall'.

It will be seen that such arrangement results in an efficient cubicle arrangement, which is particularly suited for cubicles arranged in rows.

The invention will now be described, by way of example, and with e reference to the accompanying drawings, of which; * .* 3 * S S :. Figure 1 is a plan view of a row of cubicles; I.. * S S. S 5S5* * . 5..

Figure 2 is a cross sectional view of a pillar of one of the cubicles; Figure 3 is an exploded cross sectional of some of the components of the pillar; Figures 4a and 4b are longitudinal and cross sectional views respectively of the pillar foot; Figures 5a to 5f are sectional views of different embodiments of part of the pillar and a side wall; Figures 6a and 6b are sectional views of the pillar and the door; Figures 7a to 7c are sectional views of different embodiments the bracing member, the cover panel, part of the pillar holding the cover panel, the door, the dividing partitions; Figure 8 shows overlaid sectional views of different locations of the door and side wall; Figure 9 shows overlaid sectional views of a further configuration of different locations of the door and side wall; Figure 10 shows a plan view of another embodiment of the cubicle; Figure 11 shows a plan view of further embodiments of cubicles; Figure 12 shows a cross sectional view of another embodiment of a component of the pillar; * .* S. e * *.

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Figure 13 shows a cross sectional view of an embodiment of the pillar and a toilet roll dispenser; Figure 14 shows a front elevation the pillar and a toilet roll dispenser; and Figures 1 5a and 1 5b a longitudinal sectional view of the pillar and a toilet roll dispenser in open and closed positions respectively.

Referring to figure 1, the cubicles comprise a row of pillars 10 which support dividing partitions 12 extending between a wall or back panel 14 to define a series of cubicles, each cubicle also including a door that extends, in its closed position, between the dividing partitions 12 and the pillar 10. The cubicles are shown housing toilets 11, with seated users 13.

The pillar 10 has a generally triangular form, with one apex being rounded. One apex of the pillar 10 includes a recess to accept a dividing partition 12. A second apex includes a lip with which the lock of the door 16 can engage. The pillar is oriented such that rounded apex points approximately outwards from the cubicle. The pillar will be described in greater detail below.

The door is hung from a dividing partition 12 at a region set back some distance from the front edge of the dividing partition 12. When abutting the pillar in the closed position therefore (indicated in position b), the door lies at an angle less than 90 to the wall. When opening, the door pivots about its hinges to open outwards, so that when in the fully open position the door abuts the dividing partition 12 upon which it is hung indicated in position a.

It will be understood that the dimensions of the cubicles can be varied * e*.

depending upon the requirements, but typical dimensions for a toilet cubicle *. 30 would be about 800 mm wide (i.e., the distance between neighbouring dividing * S. partitions 12), about 1500 mm deep (i.e., the length of a dividing partition 12 *.. * ..

and pillar), with a door about 800 mm wide being hung on the dividing partition 12 about 880 mm from the back wall. The door lies, in the closed position, at angle of 40 to the dividing partition 12 on which it is hung.

In a cubicle of these dimensions, when the door is in the fuiiy open position, part of the door extends beyond the dividing partition 12 on which it is hung, by a distance of about 165 nmi. It will be seen then that the door may be fully opened outwards with only a small portion extending beyond the dividing partition 12; there is very little chance of a person walking outside the cubicles being hit by the edge of the door, since the distance it extends beyond the dividing partition 12 is so small.

Having the door set at an angle and opening outwardly in a safe manner allows an efficient use of space. The cubicle does not have to accommodate the inward swing of the door, and allow a person to get behind the door as he closes it outwardly behind him. The front of the cubicle can therefore be set closer to the wall. The cubicle is also very convenient to enter, since a person can enter the cubicle quite comfortably by swinging the door through an angle of 30 , whereas a conventional, inward swinging door must be swung through at least an angle of 70 in order to allow a person to enter. Although the edge of the door on which the door is hinged is set closer to the user, when seated, that a door in a conventional toilet cubicle, the cubicle retains a reasonably spacious feel since the eye is drawn along the angled door to the corner where the pillar is set.

Referring to figures 2 and 3, the pillar comprises three extruded : members 17, 18, 19 of uniform cross section attached to the ground by a foot 20, and a cover panel 22. * **

Extruded member 17 has a groove 24 and retaining surface 25, and S..

spaced from this by a bridge member, a snap fitting lip 29. Extruded member S.. S * S S. S *.S. * S

*SSS 5 18 has a hooked lip 26, and spaced from this, an angled flange and recess 27.

To connect the extruded members 17 and 18, the hooked lip of extruded member 17 is inserted into groove 24, and the snap fitting lip 29 pressed down on the angled flange and recess 27 until it locks. The other side of the extruded member 18 has a similar hooked lip 36, and spaced from this, an angled flange and recess 37, which fits in a like manner to a groove 34 and retaining surface and snap fitting lip 39 of extruded member 19.

Extruded members 17 and 19 include inwardly directed flanges 31, 32.

After being connected together, the extruded members 17, 18 and 19 are located on the ground using a foot 20 which is axially inserted into the extruded members and retained by flanges 31, 32 and by spacer portion 33 of the extruded member 18 (not shown in figure 3). Referring to figures 4a and 4b, the foot has a horizontal base 42, and an approximately vertical wall 44 which describes a generally triangular shape, one of the apices being rounded in a similar fashion to the pillar itself. The base of the foot includes three apertures by which means the foot is fixed to the ground using floor bolts. Internal webs 46 are provided to stiffen the foot 20.

Once the foot 20 is fixed to the ground, the constructed extruded parts 17, 18, 19 of the pillar is dropped on top of the foot 20 and slid downwards.

The upper edge 46 of the approximately vertical wall 44 is chamfered to assist the fitting of the constructed extruded parts, the approximately vertical wall 44 then tapering slightly over the length of the foot to the base 42. The exact vertical position of the of the constructed extruded parts 17, 18, 19 of the pillar can be adjusted by sliding the pillar up or down on the foot 20, and when the : correct level of the pillar has been achieved, the constructed extruded parts 17, 18, 19 are fixed to the foot 20 with a screw 47 which extends through the foot and the spacer portion 33. * 30 S. S..

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5555 6 Once the pillar has been fixed to the floor, a cover panel is placed on the inwardly directed flanges 31, 32 of extruded members 17, 19, and secured with screws 48, 49 that pass through the cover panel 22 and the flanges 31, 32.

The profile of the extruded member 17 includes a recessed portion 52, which accommodates the cubicle's dividing partition 12. The extruded portion 17 may be configured in various alternative ways in order to accommodate or accept the dividing partition 12 and the column cover 22. Rather than a full recess, a surface having a right angle 53 is sufficient to secure the dividing partition 12, as shown in figure 5a to 5c. The front edge of the dividing partition 12 can be provided at varying distances from the rear wall, with a corresponding variation in the recess or retaining surface. In figure 5b, the cover panel 22 extends to almost directly abut the dividing partition 12, the dividing partition being secured with a bolt 54 and spacer element 55. Figures Sc and Sf show the extruded member 17 provided with a trim flange 56 to give the corner between the dividing partition 12 and the cover panel a tidy appearance. The trim flange 56 may extend to abut the cover panel 22, as shown in figure Se. Naturally, more than one sheet of material, placed side by side, can be accommodated in the recess, as shown in figures 5d to Sf. The dividing partition 12 may be fixed to the extruded member 17 with a screw, bolt or other fixing means, including adhesive.

Referring to figure 6a, the extruded member 19 includes a door stop flange 62 against which the door 16 abuts in its closed position; the bolt 65 of door lock 64 also engages against this flange 62 to secure the door. In the same manner as for the extruded member 17, extruded member 19 may include a return flange 66 to conceal the edge of the cover panel. Where such a return * **** flange 66 is not present, as shown in figure 6b, door stop flange 62 need not extend from the pillar so far in order to engage the bolt 65 of door lock 64.

* 30 Figure 6b also shows a handle 67 present on the door. S.. *.. * S * S. S

*.S. 7 Referring to figure 7a, on the cubicle's adjacent dividing partition 12', a V-shaped extruded member 68 is attached to the partition 12* at the region where the door is to be hanged. The door hinge is then secured to this extruded member.

Often, when fitting cubicles, particularly into pre-existing rooms rather than purpose built spaces, the walls and floor may not be perfectly flat or at exactly right angles to each other. Therefore, the position of the pillars may have to be varied to suit the circumstances, and adjacent dividing partitions 12 may vary in separation and not be perfectly parallel. In order to accommodate such variations, the extruded member 68 and door hinge 70 may be set forward or back on the dividing partition 12, so that the angle that the door makes with the dividing partition 12 varies. In this manner, the separation of adjacent partitions by 10 mm, can be accommodated by moving the extruded member 68 and door hinge 70 by approximately 12 mm along the partition, such that the door angle will vary by 1.25 ; this is shown in figure 8, where three overlaid views of the door 16, door hinge 70 and extruded member 68 are shown accommodating a divider panel varying from + 10 mm from the expected position, in the expected position, and - 10 mm from the expected position. This results in almost no change in the position of the bolt 65 of door lock 64 relative to the door stop flange 62.

If it is not possible to vary the region along the dividing partition 12 where the extruded member and door hinge are placed, a longer door lock bolt and longer door stop flange 62 may be provided so that the bolt may be displaced relative to the stop flange 62 to accommodate changes in position of : the door hinge 70, as shown in figure 9 by the three overlaid drawings of the extruded member and door where the dividing partition 12 varies from the expected position by + 10 mm and - 10 mm respectively. * 30 S..

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The floor bolts fixing the foot may be attached sufficiently firmly to hold the cubicles rigidly. Referring to figure back to figures 7a to 7c, if further rigidity is required, a head bar 72 spanning the adjacent dividing partitions 12, 12' may be provided. Considered in plan, a first part 73 of the head bar 72 follows the cover panel 22, the head bar 72 also including a second part 74 which follows the door 16 in its closed position. The first part 73 of the head bar 72 is fixed to the inwardly directed flanges 31, 32 in a similar manner to the cover panel. The end of the second part 74 of the head bar is fixed to the V- shaped extruded member 68. The head bar 72 may be formed from a 12 mm wide flat strip as shown in figure 7a. More ideally however, and as shown in figure 7b, the strip is formed so that the greatest thickness is vertically arranged, so as to provide better resistance to bending should a person attempt to swing on the head bar. The head bar may be attached to the pillar and Vshaped extruded member and using spacer members 75. Referring to figure 7c, the return lip 66 could be cut away where the head bar is to be fitted so that the head bar 72 can lie flush against both the pillar 20 and the V-shaped extruded member 68. It will be appreciated that the invention could be implemented using common head rail extending across a row of cubicles, the head rail either situated along the most forward part of each dividing wall, and set back somewhat, perhaps to coincide with and be hidden by the most forward part of the door when in the closed position.

Features may be conveniently included in the internal corner provided by the pillar 20, even in the cover panel 22 itself. For example, referring to figure 10 a hand basin 78 may be provided in this corner. In the example shown, the dividing wall 12 between neighbouring cubicles comprises two spaced sheets 82, 83 of dividing material, the gap between the sheets allowing plumbing to be conveniently piped to the hand basin 78. * **

The cubicles may be adapted for other purposes besides toilets. S..

Referring to figure 11, the cubicles house showers 85. Typically, shower * S * ** S S...

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cubicles are wider than toilet cubicles, the cubicles here being approximately 1000 mm wide, and 1520 mm deep. A wider door 16' may be used for such a cubicle. The door will though extend out approximately 260 mm from the front of the pillars when in the open position, but at this position it is still unlikely that people would be walking this close to the pillars when walking along beside the cubicles. Referring also to figure 12, rather than providing a wider door 16', part of the pillar 20 could be extended to span the increased width, using an extruded member 86 having an elongated portion 88 between the inwardly directed flange 32 for the cover panel and the door stop flange 62.

Where the pillar is extended in this way, the area that the corner can use is increased, so that, for example, a bench 90 may be included in the corner.

Referring to back to figure 10, it is also advantageous to extend the pillar using extruded member 86 to incorporate the hand basin in the corner area of the cubicle.

Although an important advantage of the embodiment described is that it may open outwards without the risk that people walking outside the cubicles will be hit by the front edge of the door, this is not the only advantage. By using an angled door, the total angle through which the door must be opened can be reduced, making the cubicle more convenient to use. This is the case even where the door opens inwards into the cubicle, and whichever side of the door the hinge is located (i.e. whether, when the door is in the closed position, the hinge is on the side of the door closest to the rear wall or on the side of the door furthest from the rear wall). Further, using the angled door in conjunction with a column can allow extra space in the cubicle so that a user can step aside the path of the door in order to close door. A column or pillar can extend out from the dividing partition which it is attached to, ideally at an angle. The door may be pivotally hinged from the front edge of the opposite partition at an angle other than 90 from that partition. S..

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*III 10 Various features and mechanisms may be accommodated in the cover panel. For example, lights could be set in the panel shining into the cubicle, shining from inside the panel onto the floor or ceiling, or behind a cover panel made of translucent material. Fittings such as hooks, shelves and mirrors could be included in the panel. Referring to figures 13 to 15b, another facility that can be set in the panel is a toilet paper dispenser and hygienic bin 91, comprising two toilet roll holders 92, 93 set above a swing door 94 that covers a bin 96. The unit may be pivoted upon unlocking for emptying of the bin 96 and replenishing of toilet paper.

It will be seen that the principles disclosed herein can be applied to many different sorts of cubicles having doors, both installed and freestanding, such telephone kiosks. It will be understood that whilst the embodiments described herein feature dividing partitions to provide walls, other types of wall may be provided; in particular, cubicles at the end of a row may utilise the pre- existing wall. S... * S. S * S * ** * *S*

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Claims

Claims 1. A cubicle comprising a rear wall, a first side wall extending

from the rear wall, a second side wall substantially parsilel to the first side wall also S extending from the rear wall, and a door pivotally mounted on the first side wall, the door having a closed position which prevents access to the cubicle, and an filly open position which allows access to the cubicle, such that in the closed position the door lies at an angle of less than 90 to the first side wall.
2. A cubicle according to claim 1 wherein the first and second side walls extend substantially perpendicularly from the rear wall,
3 A cubicle according to either previous claim wherein the door opens outwards away from the rear wall.
4. A cubicle according to any previous claim wherein the door is pivotally mounted at a region spaced from a front edge of the first side wall furthest from the rear walL
5. A cubicle according to claim 4 wherein the door is pivotally mounted at a region spaced by a distance greater than half the width of the door from the font edge of the first side wail.
6. A cubicle according to any previous claim wherein in the closed position, the door lies at an angle of less than 80 to the first side wall.
7. A cubicle according to any of claims I to S wherein in the closed position, the door lies at an angle of less than 70 to the first side wall.
8. A cubicle according to any of claims 1 to 5 wherein in the closed position, the door lies at an angle of less than 60 to the first side wall. I. P pIe.

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9. A cub ide according to any of claims I to 5 wherein in the closed position, the door lies at an angle of greater than 300 to the first side wall.
10. A cubicle according to any previous claim wherein a bracing member is provided between the first and second side walls, the bracing member, when considered in plan, lying substantially along the line of the door in the closed position.
11. A cubicle according to any previous claim wherein a vertical support member is provided to which the second side wall is attached.
12. A cubicle according claim 11 wherein the door closes against the vertiml support member. * a I.. *aa a.. a

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