GB2532945B

GB2532945B - Mounting device

Info

Publication number: GB2532945B
Application number: GB1421320.1A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Mcgowan Luke; Castro Pelayo Xorge; James Curtis Stuart; John Strutt Benjamin
Original assignee: Bristan Group Ltd
Current assignee: Bristan Group Ltd
Priority date: 2014-12-01
Filing date: 2014-12-01
Publication date: 2019-09-11
Anticipated expiration: 2034-12-01
Also published as: GB2532945A; GB201421320D0

Description

Mounting Device

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a mount for attaching an item to a surface, more particularly to a generally planar wall or ceiling. More particularly, the invention relates to a mounting device which is arranged to permit a user to re-use pre-formed mounting holes to mount equipment to a surface, and a related method.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

It is often desirable to mount an item of equipment or furniture to a surface. Most commonly, particularly in domestic settings, it is desirable to mount plumbing or electrical equipment or items of furniture such as cabinets, shelving units or other kitchen, living room or bedroom furniture to a fixed surface such as a wall, or in some cases to a floor or ceiling. In most instances, the installation procedure will involve forming holes in a surface for receiving fixing means such as screws, offering up the item to be mounted, or mounting plates for the item to be mounted, and inserting fixing means through holes in the item or mounting plate, into the fixing holes, to retain the item to the wall or ceiling, via a fixing plate or mount. There are instances where an item needs to be replaced with a newer item and in these instances, it can be desirable to re-use fixing holes which have already been formed for the item which is being replaced. Further, one of the most time-consuming aspects of an installation process can be accurately measuring up locations for fixing holes to be formed and ensuring that the holes are appropriately formed at the desired locations, as defined by a set of fixed mounting points on the equipment to be mounted. Even when care is taken, the hole-forming equipment, such as a hand held drill, can often 'wander' and so the hole may ultimately not be precisely in the initially planned location. Further, it can often be desirable to form the fixing hole or holes at a particular point, for example at a junction between bricks or tiles of a wall or at a particular location relative to pipework or joists in a wall or ceiling. It is not therefore always possible to form a hole where it would most ideally be formed for a particular mounting plate or fixed-location fixing point of an item.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention seeks to address these and other drawbacks of the prior art, and in doing so, the present invention provides a method of mounting an item of plumbing or electrical equipment to a surface, comprising the steps of: removing a first item from a surface to leave existing fixing points for the first item exposed; providing a mounting device having a substantially planar body; locating the mounting device on the surface; looking through a visually transparent fixing region of the mounting device, to identify at least one of the existing fixing points on the surface; passing fixing means through the visually transparent fixing region, into the existing fixing point, to fix the mounting device to the surface; and mounting a second item to an engagement arrangement of the mounting device, to mount the second piece of equipment to the surface via the mounting device and the existing fixing points; wherein passing the fixing means through the fixing region comprises passing the fixing means through one of an array of pre-formed openings formed in the fixing region to fix the mounting device to the surface; and wherein the pre-formed openings are formed at predetermined locations corresponding to a plurality of different arrays of fixing openings corresponding to fixing points of a plurality of different items of plumbing or electrical equipment.

At least the visually transparent fixing region may comprise a transparent material.

Passing the fixing means through the visually transparent fixing region may comprise passing a self-tapping screw through the transparent material to fix the mounting device to the surface.

The method may further comprise drilling a hole through the transparent fixing region, wherein passing the fixing means through the visually transparent fixing region comprises passing the fixing means through the drilled hole.

Passing the fixing means through the fixing region comprises passing the fixing means through one of an array of pre-formed openings formed in the fixing region to fix the mounting device to the surface. The pre-formed openings are formed at predetermined locations corresponding to a plurality of different arrays of fixing openings corresponding to fixing points of a plurality of different items of plumbing or electrical equipment.

The visually transparent fixing region comprises a series of openings spaced apart to permit a user to identify the fixing point and to locate fixing means in the fixing point through one of the openings. The openings may be elongate slots.

The method may comprise placing first fixing means in a first fixing region comprising a first series of slots extending in a first direction, and placing second fixing means in a second fixing region, comprising a second series of slots, extending in a second direction different from the first direction. The slots may comprise curved slots. The slots may comprise concentric arcuate slots. The slots may comprise slots formed in a spiral arrangement.

The method may comprise locating a head of fixing means against a shoulder of one of the openings to fix the mounting device to the surface.

The method may further comprising passing a pipe or wire through one of a plurality of openings, each of the plurality of openings being for allowing passage of an electrical wire and/or a pipe through the plane of the body, and being located at different locations from one another on the body. The alignment means may be located at or in the opening for allowing passage of an electrical wire and/or a pipe through the plane of the body.

The method may include the use of a mounting device for mounting an item to a surface, comprising a substantially planar body, the body comprising an engagement portion, for engagement with the equipment to be mounted to the mounting device; and a visually transparent fixing region configured to allow a user to identify a fixing point on the surface while looking through the fixing region, and to locate fixing means in the surface at the fixing point, through the fixing region, to fix the mounting device to the surface.

The item is preferably a piece of furniture, domestic furniture, such as a cabinet, or plumbing or electrical equipment.

The device may comprise an opening for allowing passage of an electrical wire and/or a pipe through the plane of the body.

The device may comprise alignment means arranged to allow a user to identify a correct location of the body relative to pipework or electrical wiring fixed to, or protruding from, the surface.

The present invention therefore permits a user to mount a piece of plumbing or electrical equipment to a surface such as a wall or ceiling, using fixing points on the wall or ceiling which are located at any point in the visually transparent fixing region, by looking through the fixing region to identify the fixing point. This, combined with the alignment means for allowing the user to correctly identify the required location of the opening and the body of the mounting device, allows a user to install a piece of equipment at the necessary location relative to electrical wire and/or pipework, using either new or existing fixing points at substantially any point on the surface to which the equipment is to be mounted. Installation of equipment is therefore a faster and more efficient process in view of the features of the present invention.

The visually transparent fixing region may comprise a transparent, semi-transparent or translucent material. This can allow the fixing region to be formed from a constant layer of material, which is substantially planar and preferably of uniform thickness across at least a majority of the fixing region, while still allowing the user to see through the visually transparent region to identify the necessary fixing point on the surface. Truly transparent material allows the clearest and easiest identification of fixing points in a surface, such as pre-formed holes, although a semi-transparent or translucent material can still allow a user to identify areas of different contrast which reveal, e.g. a dark region indicating a hole in a light coloured wall or ceiling, or light passing through a hole in a dark wall or ceiling or other surface.

The transparent material may preferably be penetrable by a self-tapping screw to fix the mounting device to the surface. This avoids the need for a user to use hole forming equipment, such as a drill to form holes in the device for the fixing means to pass through.

The device further comprises an array of pre-formed openings formed in the fixing region, for receiving fixing means for fixing the mounting device to the surface. This can help the user avoid the need to form holes themselves.

The preformed openings are formed at predetermined locations corresponding to a plurality of different arrays of fixing points corresponding to fixing points of a plurality of different items of plumbing or electrical equipment. This plurality of different arrays of preformed holes allows the mounting device to be mounted to the surface using one of several arrays of pre-formed fixing points, each of which corresponds to fixing points for any one of a number of different items of plumbing or electrical equipment. This can help a new item of plumbing or electrical equipment to be located on the surface using fixing points, such as drilled holes in the surface, which were previously used for a different item of plumbing or electrical equipment.

The visually transparent fixing region comprises a series of openings which are spaced apart to permit a user to identify the fixing point through the openings and to locate fixing means in the fixing point through one of the openings. The visually transparent region can therefore be made from a non-transparent material, but where a sufficient frequency of openings is provided, the region, when viewed by a user, is substantially visually transparent, and a user will be able to easily identify a fixing point by looking through the openings, to the surface behind the fixing region. Regular slots, having a width equal to or less than a standard screw head width, with a gap between the slots of the same distance or less can provide this function. A typical dimension for a screw head using in domestic installations of plumbing and electrical equipment is between around 7mm and 10mm. Preformed opening for use with screws having a head diameter of 7mm to 10mm can usefully be around 5mm. A screw head to opening diameter ratio may therefore be between around 7:5 to 10:5 (2:1) or greater. These ratios, or an overlap of the head over the plate adjacent the opening in the region of 2mm, can be implemented to attach the equipment to a surface and provide sufficient support to the equipment. Particularly large or heavy equipment may require greater overlap and/or larger screws, for example. This head width can usefully define the pitch, or number of slots per unit of distance, of the slots, in a direction across the width of the slots, such as a number of slots per metre or per centimetre. However, the actual width of the opening of the slots will be less than the head diameter, since the head must engage a part of the body to retain it between the head and the surface to which the device is mounted.

The openings may be elongate slots. Elongate slots permit fixing means to be located in the slots at substantially any location along the length of the slot.

The mounting device may comprise a first fixing region comprising a first series of slots extending in a first direction, and a second fixing region, comprising a second series of slots extending in a second direction, different from the first direction. Having slots extending in first and second directions allows further flexibility in the relative locations of the fixing means used to fix the device to the surface via the slots. This, in turn, results in increased flexibility in the different arrangements of pre-formed fixing points on a surface which can be usefully used to locate the mounting device at the appropriate location relative to pipework or electrical wires.

The slots may comprise curved slots, arcuate slots, concentric arcuate slots, or slots formed in a spiral arrangement. These various arrangements, used either alone, or in any combination, can further improve the flexibility of locations at which the item can be fixed to the surface via fixing means located in the fixing region of the mounting device.

At least one of the openings may comprise a shoulder for engaging a head of fixing means for fixing the mounting device to the surface. This can allow a head to be received within the depth of the mounting device, while allowing the shoulder to be retained to the surface by engaging the head of fixing means used to mount the mounting device to the surface. A reinforcement member may extend across the plane of the fixing region. This can help to provide further strength to the transparent material or to the intermediate members located between the slots, to allow a sufficient degree of transparency while retaining a sufficient degree of strength to mount the equipment to the surface. Plural reinforcing members may extend across the plane of the fixing region to increase this additional strength.

The device may further comprise plural openings, each for allowing passage of an electrical wire and/or a pipe through the plane of the body at different locations on the body. This can allow the mounting device to be used with pipes or wires which are mounted to, or protrude from, the surface at a variety of different locations, and can allow the mounting device to be used with a greater variety of plumbing or electrical equipment.

The alignment means of the device may be located at or in the opening for allowing passage of an electrical wire and/or a pipe through the plane of the body. This can facilitate the alignment of the pipe or wire at the appropriate location during the mounting of the mounting device to the surface.

The alignment means may be removable. This feature can allow the alignment means to be removed to facilitate passage of pipework or electrical cabling through the opening without obstruction by the alignment means.

The method of the invention includes use of a mounting device for mounting plumbing or electrical equipment to a surface, comprising: a substantially planar body, comprising: an engagement arrangement for engagement with the product to be mounted on the mounting device; and a fixing region configured to allow a user to locate fixing means in the fixing point, through the fixing region, to fix the mounting device to the surface; the fixing region further comprising an array of pre-formed openings, for receiving fixing means for fixing the mounting device to the surface, the pre-formed openings being formed at predetermined locations corresponding to a plurality of different arrays of fixing points, corresponding to fixing points of a plurality of different items of plumbing or electrical equipment.

The visually transparent fixing region may comprise a series of openings spaced apart to permit the user to identify the fixing point and to locate fixing means in the fixing point through one of the openings. A sufficiently dense series of openings at relatively close locations can appear substantially visually transparent to the human eye and can thus allow the user to see through the fixing region to identify the necessary fixing point. For example, a spacing between centre points or edges of the openings equal to a width of a standard screw head may be beneficial. Useful exemplary values may range from around 7mm to around 10mm, for example. The gap provided by the openings may be in the region of 5mm, but may usefully be in the range of around 2mm to around 7mm. A ratio of opening width to width of material between openings may be in the region of about 7:5 to 10:5 (2:1) or greater. This can give heads of fixing means, such as screw heads sufficient spacing and material in between fixing locations to adequately support the equipment, while providing a degree or transparency so that a user can see through the fixing region to identify fixing points on the surface.

Placing first fixing means in a first fixing region which comprises a first series of slots extending in a first direction, and placing second fixing means in a second fixing region, comprising a second series of slots extending in a second direction, different from the first direction can allow increased flexibility of the location of installation of the device and its appropriate alignment with electrical wiring, cabling or pipework.

Locating a head of fixing means against a shoulder or lip of one of the openings to fix the mounting device to the surface can allow a head to be received within the thickness of the mounting device, while allowing the shoulder to be retained between fixing means and the surface to which the device is mounted.

Passing a pipe or electrical wire through one of a plurality of openings, each for allowing a passage of a wire and/or a pipe through the plane of the body at different locations on the body can allow pipes and/or wires to be passed through the body at plural locations, either simultaneously, or to enable the mounting device to be used with different items of equipment, which require the pipes and/or wires to be received at different locations on the mounting device.

The method of the invention invention may further include the steps of: locating the mounting device on the surface and aligning alignment means of the mounting device relative to a wire and/or a pipe to be connected to the equipment; identifying an opening in a fixing region of the mounting device corresponding to a preformed fixing point in the surface, the opening being one of an array of pre-formed openings for receiving fixing means for fixing the mounting device to the surface, the pre-formed openings being formed at predetermined locations corresponding to a plurality of different arrays of fixing openings arranged to correspond to fixing points of a plurality of different items of plumbing or electrical equipment; passing fixing means through the identified opening, into the fixing point, to fix the mounting device to the surface; and mounting the equipment to the mounting device corresponding engagement means on the equipment and on the mounting device.

The method may further comprise the step of connecting the wire and/or the pipe at a location aligned with the alignment means. Connecting the wire and/or pipe to the equipment mounted to the surface via the mounting device is an easier task in view of the fact that the mounting device allows the user to ensure that the equipment will be properly aligned with the pipe or wire while locating the mounting device on the surface.

Insofar as the claims permit, any or all of the above features of the invention can be combined in any combination to provide advantages which will become further apparent on reading the following detailed description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

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

Figure 1 shows a mounting device of the present invention, viewed from an equipment side.

Figure 2 shows a mounting device of the invention shown from the surface-facing side; Figure 3 shows an orthogonal view of the mounting device of Figures 1 and 2;

Figure 4 illustrates an example of the device of the invention using spaced slots in the fixing region;

Figure 5 shows the device of Figure 4 in isometric view;

Figure 6 shows a version of the device of the invention having concentric arcuate slots; Figure 7 shows an isometric view of an equipment side of the device of Figure 7; and Figure 8 shows an isometric view of a non-equipment side of the device of Figures 6 and 7.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Figure 1 shows a mounting device according to the present invention. The device comprises a substantially planar body 100. The preferably planar body comprises a fixing region 110. This fixing region 110 may be divided into a plurality of fixing regions separately numbered 110 to 124 in the Figure. In the example shown, the fixing regions are made from a transparent material. Making the fixing regions from a transparent material allows a user to look through the fixing regions and to see the surface to which the mounting plate is going to be attached through the fixing regions. In practice, this means that the mounting device 1 can be used to mount equipment to a surface, by using fixing points which are pre-formed in the surface at locations corresponding to substantially any point within the fixing regions 110 to 124.

The device comprises a front, or equipment-facing, face 130, which can be seen in full in Figure 1. The device also comprises a rear, or surface-facing, face 140, which cannot be seen in Figure 1, but which is shown in full in Figure 2. Visible from the front face 130, are plural optional visual alignment means 160, 161, 162 and 163. These visual alignment means are preferably located at specifically chosen locations in relation to equipment requiring a supply of media such as water, gas other fluids, and/or electricity, such as plumbing or electrical equipment which is to be mounted to the mounting device 1 when the mounting device 1 is mounted to a surface. A particular example of a piece of plumbing equipment is an electrical shower unit. An electrical shower unit needs two separate media, or utilities, to be delivered to it. The first of these is water, and the second is electricity, to control heat provided to, and/or the flow of, the water. Other plumbing equipment may need gas to be delivered, such as gas fuelled showers or boilers. When locating the mounting device 1 on a wall, water, gas and/or electricity, generally termed the media for delivery to the device, would often already have been installed in the surface at certain defined locations.

Therefore, for the pipework or wiring affixed to or protruding from the surface to which the shower unit is to be mounted to be delivered to the equipment at the desired location, then the mounting device 1 to which the shower unit will be mounted, must also be located at an appropriate location on the surface, relative to the pipework or electrical cabling.

The alignment means 160, 161, 162 and 163 allow a user to align pipework in particular with the mounting plate, so that when the shower unit is mounted to the mounting plate, the pipework is appropriately aligned relative to a connection point on the shower unit itself. Each shower unit may have several possible connection points, which can be used in different installation situations and these can be indicated by plural alignment means as shown in the figure. Alternatively, the multiple alignment means can be useful where the mounting plate is for use with a number of different models of e.g. boilers or shower units, which may each have different connection locations for pipework or electrical cabling. In general, shower units may have water delivered to them from a plurality of different optional directions, for example those indicated by arrows 170, 171, 172 and 173. Therefore, an example of a pipe indicated at 180 can be aligned relative to alignment means 161 in order to ensure that a shower unit, once mounted to the mounting device 1 is correctly aligned with the pipe 180. Alignment means may be provided for alignment with other items, such as an opening in the surface to which the device is to be mounted or relative to other complementary equipment, such as an adjacent item, to allow correct alignment of adjacent items on a surface, or to enable proper alignment of, for example, a kitchen cabinet or other domestic furniture or equipment, so that further items or equipment mounted to the item can be appropriately aligned with one another or with utilities or fixings. A fixing region, or any part of the mounting device 1, may be provided with one or more reinforcement portions as numbered 191 to 196. In the illustrated example, the lateral reinforcement member 191 extends substantially across a centre of the fixing region. A second lateral reinforcement member 192 extends in a direction substantially perpendicular to member 191 across the fixing region, while diagonal reinforcement members 193 and 194 may additionally or alternatively be provided. Further longitudinal reinforcement members 195 and 196 may also be provided. Each and all of these members help to improve the general stiffness of the fixing region to improve its suitability for mounting equipment to a surface in a more rigid manner.

One or more openings can preferably also be provided in the device, preferably adjacent to, directly adjacent to, or within, the fixing region, as indicated at 201, 202, 203 and 204. These openings can also have reinforcement regions of increased thickness perpendicular to the plane of the fixing region located around them as indicated at 211, 212, 213 and 214. Any or all of the reinforcing members 191 to 196 may be formed as areas of increased depth of the fixing region, such that a greater thickness of material is provided in these regions to provide increased bending stiffness. The reinforcement members may be formed separately from the device and attached thereto, or preferably they are reinforcement portions integrally formed as part of the device, for example by moulding them into the fixing region or regions. The device 101 may further comprise a surround 101 of increased strength compared to the fixing region(s), to provide stiffness to the device. This stiffening surround may be of a greater depth in the plane of the device than the fixing region, or generally of greater stiffness in order to increase to overall stiffness of the device 1.

Figure 2 shows a view of the device of Figure 1 from the rear or surface-facing side 140 of the device 1 of Figure 1. As the device is made from a transparent material, the features shown on the front, or equipment-facing, face 130 in Figure 1 can be seen in dotted lines through the body of the device 1. Further detail of the equipment mounting arrangements 151a to 151 d can be seen. The arrangements are configured for sliding engagement with corresponding sliding engagement means of the equipment to be mounted to the device 1. Further, engagement portions 220 and 221 are provided, through which engagement means may be fitted, to engage the equipment to the mounting device 1 to prevent it from slidably disengaging from the mounting device 1 after mounting to a surface via device 1. The engagement arrangement 151 comprises a front, sloped, portion for guiding corresponding engagement means to one side of a straight retention portion 153, and a stop 154 is provided, at an end of the straight portion 153 distal from the sloped portion 152, to prevent the equipment from sliding past the preferably straight retention portion 153. This configuration is preferably repeated on all of the features 150a to 150b and 151a to 151 d. This array of plural engagement arrangements can help to ensure a secure attachment of the equipment to the mounting device 1. As can be seen in Figure 2, in addition to indicator means 160, 161, 162 and 163, one or more of further indicator means 250, 251, 252, 253, 254 and 255 may be provided on or in the fixing region of the body and so can be generally formed as areas of increased or reduced thickness of the fixing region. The outer boarders of these areas can act as alignment features, for visual identification by a user mounting equipment to a wall or ceiling or other surface. These indicator means can therefore indicate, to a user, a path which a pipe or wiring should follow in relation to the device 1 in order to be located at an appropriate position in relation to the equipment once the equipment is mounted to a surface.

Figure 3 shows an orthogonal view of the device 1 of Figures 1 and 2. The transparent fixing region can be made from a number of different transparent materials. As a particular example, if the fixing region is made from transparent polypropylene, then it has been found that for a plate thickness of up to around 10mm, then a self-tapping screw can be usefully driven through the plate by a manual or handheld electric screwdriver in order to secure the body to a surface on the other side. In practice a material thickness of around 1 to 10mm can be used, more preferably around 2mm to around 4mm. Alternatively, a transparent polycarbonate material could be used. However, the properties of this material do not generally allow a hole to be created by a self-tapping screw, rather it is necessary to use holes which are either drilled through the plate by a user using a drill, or preformed during the manufacturing process of the device 1.

An advantage of using materials which cannot be penetrated by self-tapping screws is that they may be stronger and stiffer and so they can be advantageous in certain applications, particularly where holes are pre-formed in a manufacturing process. It can be beneficial to provide a plurality of different arrays of holes in the fixing region(s) of the device. Further, if the plural different arrays of holes are provided at locations which correspond to the mounting holes used for an array of different items of plumbing or electrical equipment, then this can increase the usability of the device with various preformed fixing arrangements. For example, the plate can be used for mounting an item to a surface using holes which have already been previously formed for mounting another item to a surface. When replacing items of equipment, this then removes the need for forming new mounting holes in a surface.

For example, a first array of holes indicated by dashed circles numbered 301 to 304 in Figure 3 may be provided at an array of locations corresponding to the points or locations at which fixing means are located to mount a first item or piece of equipment to a wall. In this case, the invention permits any item which can be mounted to the mounting device 1 to be mounted to the wall using the array of openings 301 to 304 which are normally only configured to fix equipment A to the surface. The invention therefore allows a user to fix a new or second item to the surface using holes which have been formed in the surface to mount another, first, item or piece of equipment to the wall or surface. A second array of holes or openings, indicated by, for example, dashed circles 311,312, 313 and 314 may further be provided. By providing the mounting device with preformed holes corresponding to the first array 301 to 304 of fixing points, and the second array 311 to 314 of fixing points, the device 1 can be used to mount plumbing or electrical equipment to a wall using holes which have already previously been used to mount either of the first or second items of equipment to the surface. The device can therefore render the process of replacing a range of previous items of electrical or plumbing equipment with a new item of electrical or plumbing equipment faster and less cumbersome, by providing pre-formed openings at locations corresponding to fixing points used to mount one or more items or equipment which is/are to be replaced.

This can be illustrated by a scenario where a technician intends to replace an item or piece of equipment A with a replacement item or piece of equipment B. Item or piece of equipment A is fixed to a wall at an array of fixing points indicated by dashed circles 301 to 304. This array of points will be known as array A. In order to fix the replacement item to a surface using fixing holes already created in a surface to fix item A to the surface, the technician can make use of the device 1 of the invention, having preformed holes arranged at locations corresponding to array A. A technician may also wish to replace a second piece of equipment, equipment B, which is fixed to a surface using fixing means located at an array of points indicated by dashed circles 311 to 314, known as array B. By providing a mounting device 1 with openings at locations defined by both array A and array B, the same mounting device can be used to mount a piece of equipment in replacement of either equipment A, or equipment B, without the need to form new fixing holes in the surface. This is because the device 1 is already provided with openings corresponding to those plural arrays A and B of fixing locations.

The provision of plural arrays of preformed holes therefore makes the device of the invention suited to use for replacing numerous general items or items of furniture, electrical or plumbing equipment with any item which can be mounted to the device 1. It will become apparent in light of the preceding and the following description, that all of the embodiments described herein permit this flexibility of replacement of items, particularly electrical or plumbing equipment, by enabling the use of existing fixing holes to mount new items or equipment in place of old items or equipment.

Figures 4 to 8 show alternative arrangements which can be used to provide the visually transparent fixing region for the device 1 of the device shown in Figures 1 to 3. Although the slotted structures shown in Figures 4 onwards comprise the same type of slots across the whole area of the body, they may be combined or alternated in any combination across the fixing region or regions of the devices of any of the Figures to provide the most flexible options for fixing the arrangement to a surface.

In general, the slotted arrangements may therefore be combined with the one or more of any of the openings 201 to 204, indicator means 160 to 163 or 250 to 255, reinforcing members 191 to 196 and the surrounding frame 101 of Figures 1 to 3, along with the engagement means 150 a to d and 151 a to d, which may be combined with and/or replaced by other engagement means for mounting the items or equipment as described in relation to the following figures.

Figure 4 shows how arrangements of parallel slots 400 interspersed with intermediate members 401 can be used to create a visually transparent fixing region through which it is possible to see, in order to identify a fixing point on a surface on the other side of the fixing region. This allows a user to hold up the device between himself and the surface to look through it and conveniently identify a fixing point on or in the surface. Any or all of the fixing regions 110 to 124 of the device of Figures 1 to 3 can therefore be provided with such slots as are illustrated in the device of Figure 4. A reinforcing member 402 may be provided at a chosen location along the length of the slots 400 and intermediate members 401, in order to provide additional strength and stiffness to the intermediate members 401. An alternative form of equipment engaging arrangement is shown at 403, in the form of an opening having a reinforcing wall around it and a protruding engagement portion disposed within the reinforcing wall. Fixing means such as a screw or bolt may be placed in the engagement portion to fix equipment to the mounting device.

The illustrated example has a first fixing region 410, having elongate slots therein, which extend in a first direction. The device can also be provided with a second fixing region, comprising elongate slots which extend in a second direction, different from the first direction. The first and second directions may be substantially perpendicular to one another, or at any non-zero angle above zero, and up to 90°, relative to one another. A cutaway portion 450 of an item of equipment which may be attached to the device is also shown for illustrative purposes. As will be appreciated from the earlier description, it is possible to locate fixing means in any of the slots 400. Such fixing means may be a screw or a bolt, for attaching the device to a wall or ceiling, or any other substantially planar surface. Each slot comprises a shoulder 404 and an upstand 405. The shoulder 404 is arranged to engage the head of any fixing means such as a screw or a bolt used to attach the device 42 a wall. The upstand provides additional strength to the intermediate members 401 and also enables a head of any fixing means to be received within the depth of the device, between its front face, which may be defined by the top edges of the upstands and the surround 406 and its rear face, as is more clearly shown in Figure 5.

As is shown by illustrative screw heads 411 and 412, 421 and 422, such fixing means can be located at any point in any of the elongate slots to retain the mounting device 42 to a surface using fixing points in the surface, located at substantially any location within the first and/or second fixing regions 410 and 420. The choice of locations is only limited by the pitch of the slots as defined in the above.

Returning to Figure 4, the openings and alignment means of the device 1 of Figures 1 to 3 can be applied as indicated in dashed lines at 471, 472, 473 and 474. These can be integrally moulded with the device as shown. Alternatively, the general structure of the device 1 of Figures 1 to 3 may be provided with elongate slots as illustrated in either or both of the fixing regions 410 and 420 of the device 4 of Figures 4 and 5.

Figure 5 illustrates a perspective view of the device 4 of Figure 4, in which it can be more clearly seen how the intermediate members comprise a shoulder or lip 404 and an upstand 405 extending substantially perpendicularly to the plane of the slots 400. The device has a front, or equipment facing, face 430 and a rear, or surface-facing, face 440. The provision of the upstand 405 and the shoulder 404 permits fixing means such as screw head 411 to be received substantially between the front 430 and rear 440 faces of the device, in order that the front face 430 is substantially flat and unobstructed, which means that the equipment mounted to the device 4, a portion of which is illustrated at 450, can sit substantially flush against the device 4 when attached to it via engagement arrangements 460 and 461. In Figure 5, the openings and alignment means are not shown, for clarity, but as indicated above, they can optionally be additionally provided as shown in Figure 4.

Figure 6 shows a further alternative arrangement of a device comprising slots, which may optionally be used in the device of Figure 6 or in the fixing region or regions of the device of Figures 1 to 3. In this instance, the slots 600 are curved. Further, the curved slots 600 may be arcuate and may further be concentrically arranged around a common centre point 601. The curved slots 600 are provided with intermediate members 602, which act in a similar manner to the straight intermediate members 401 of Figure 4. As described in respect of upstands 405 and shoulders or lips 404 of Figure 4, the curved intermediate members of Figure 6 are provided with an upstand 605 and a lip or shoulder 604 for engaging a screw head or other fixing means, to fix the device 6 to a wall or surface. The curved slot 600 of the device 6 can be combined with any of the slots illustrated in Figure 4 or features of the fixing regions described in relation to the device of Figures 1 to 3. As illustrated in Figure 6, the device can therefore be fixed to a surface using fixing means, such as screw heads 610, 611,612 and 613, for example.

In the same way as is indicated in Figure 4, the openings and/or indicator means illustrated on the device of Figures 1 to 3 can be applied to the device 6 of Figures 6 to 8, as indicated in dashed lines at 621, 622, 623 and 624.

Figure 7 shows a perspective view of a front, or equipment-facing, face 630, where it can be seen more clearly how the curved intermediate members may be provided with upstands 605 and shoulders 604 to engage fixing means such as a screw head 70 located in the slot. As with the slots of Figure 4, the screw head 70 can be located generally between a front face 630, and a rear, or surface-facing face 640 of the device 6. The upstands of any of the examples are portions of the intermediate members separating the slots, which extend in a direction oriented between the front and rear faces of the device. The shoulders or lips of the devices generally extend laterally relative to the openings in a plane of the device.

As illustrated in Figure 8, the rear face of the device 6 can be comprised of elements which are all substantially co-planar, to provide a substantially planar rear face, which includes slots 600, while the rear face of intermediate members 602 is substantially flat, so that the device 6 can be mounted in a substantially flat manner against a wall, ceiling or other surface to which it is mounted. The same features can be envisaged in the rear face 440 of the device 4 illustrated in Figures 4 and 5. A similar embodiment to that shown in Figures 6 to 8 can be envisaged in which the curved slots are given a spiral shaped form instead of being concentric circles.

Although the invention has been described above with reference to one or more preferred embodiments, it will be appreciated that various changes or modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention, as defined in the appended claims. It will also be apparent that, insofar as the claims permit, features of these different embodiments can be combined both with one another and also with features of the prior art arrangements described herein in order to achieve the advantages of the invention.

Claims

1. A method of mounting an item of plumbing or electrical equipment to a surface, comprising the steps of: removing a first item from a surface to leave existing fixing points for the first item exposed; providing a mounting device having a substantially planar body; locating the mounting device on the surface; looking through a visually transparent fixing region of the mounting device, to identify at least one of the existing fixing points on the surface; passing fixing means through the visually transparent fixing region, into the existing fixing point, to fix the mounting device to the surface; and mounting a second item to an engagement arrangement of the mounting device, to mount the second piece of equipment to the surface via the mounting device and the existing fixing points; wherein passing the fixing means through the fixing region comprises passing the fixing means through one of an array of pre-formed openings formed in the fixing region to fix the mounting device to the surface; and wherein the pre-formed openings are formed at predetermined locations corresponding to a plurality of different arrays of fixing openings corresponding to fixing points of a plurality of different items of plumbing or electrical equipment.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein at least the visually transparent fixing region comprises a transparent material.

3. A method according to claim 2, wherein the passing the fixing means through the visually transparent fixing region comprises passing a self-tapping screw through the transparent material to fix the mounting device to the surface.

4. A method according to any of claims 1 to 3, further comprising drilling a hole through the transparent fixing region, and wherein passing the fixing means through the visually transparent fixing region comprises passing the fixing means through the drilled hole.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein the visually transparent fixing region comprises a series of the preformed openings spaced apart to permit a user to identify the fixing point and to locate fixing means in the fixing point through one of the preformed openings.

6. A method according to claim 5, wherein the openings are elongate slots.

7. A method according to claim 6, comprising placing first fixing means in a first fixing region comprising a first series of slots extending in a first direction, and placing second fixing means in a second fixing region, comprising a second series of slots, extending in a second direction different from the first direction.

8. A method according to claim 6 or 7, wherein the slots comprise curved slots.

9. A method according to claim 8, wherein the slots comprise concentric arcuate slots.

10. A method according to claim 8, wherein the slots comprise slots formed in a spiral arrangement.

11. A method according to any of claims 5 to 10, comprising locating a head of fixing means against a shoulder of one of the openings to fix the mounting device to the surface.

12. A method according to any of claims 1 to 11, further comprising passing a pipe or wire through one of the plurality of preformed openings, each of the plurality of preformed openings being for allowing passage of an electrical wire and/or a pipe through the plane of the body, and being located at different locations from one another on the body.

13. A method according to any of claims 1 to 12, wherein alignment means are located at or in the opening for allowing passage of an electrical wire and/or a pipe through the plane of the body.