JPH0448050B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION <Industrial Application Field> The present invention relates to a buffer for a bathtub flange.

<Prior art> Most conventional bathtubs, regardless of whether they are made of stainless steel or plastic, are designed to improve strength and uniformity of quality.
114238, (2) Utility Model Application Publication No. 52-147766,
The invention (1) has a structure in which a bent flange on the upper end of a stainless steel bathtub and a joint portion of a molded flange made of wood or plastic are overlapped and removably fixed directly with screws or the like. The invention (2) is a fiber-reinforced plastic (FRP) molded by a resin injection molding method with a reinforcing core material having a plurality of small holes provided at positions corresponding to the liquid resin inlet of the mold interposed in the bottom part. The purpose of this bathtub is to provide a homogeneous FRP bathtub with the small holes. Combining these two bathtubs, the core material was reinforced in the bottom of the bathtub body, which required the most reinforcement, and a rigid and thin flange made of wood or hard plastic was removably fixed to the top of the bathtub using overlapping screws. You can get a bathtub, but
The flange is made of a material that gives a warm appearance, and is not used as a buffer for the bathtub flange.It also prevents the strength from decreasing due to grinding of stainless steel and omits the grinding technology and process, making it a dream for the safety of bathers. Therefore, there is no consideration given to safety in the structure of the bathtub.

Bathrooms and bathtubs are humid, and the washing area is also slippery due to soap and hot water, making it difficult for healthy people, as well as elderly and disabled people, to fall in the bathtub or washing area.
It was extremely dangerous to hit your head or body with the hard corner of the flange. The above-mentioned bathtub with safety measures in the bathroom was invented in Japanese Patent Application No. 62-227867, and has a structure in which cushioning bodies are inseparably inserted into the bathtub body and other places that are dangerous to bathers in the event of a fall. be.

<Problems to be Solved by the Invention> The bathtub equipped with the above-mentioned risk prevention means can be manufactured by attaching a shock absorbing body to the required location of the bathtub body or integrally providing a shock absorbing body to the flange of the bathtub by insert molding. ing. By the way, since the material of the cushioning material is a resin-based foam material, it deteriorates quickly in hot and humid bathrooms and requires frequent repair or replacement.If the cushioning material is pasted on, it is necessary to remove it once and then replace it, or use insert molding. There is a problem in that the damaged one must be replaced together with the bathtub.

<Means for solving the problem> A bathtub flange is made of a soft foamed resin material having a desired shape to cover the bathtub flange, and a mounting base piece is embedded in the foam, and it is attached integrally or removably to the mounting base piece. The buffer body is constructed by making the attachment arm piece project outward, and the buffer body covering the bathtub flange is fixed to the bathtub flange with a mounting member such as a mounting screw via the attachment arm piece. The purpose of making it easier to attach and detach the shock absorber is to have the mounting arm protrude outside the shock absorber so that it can be easily fixed to and removed from the bathtub flange using only the attachment member without the need for jigs or techniques. I was able to achieve this.

<Operation> The buffer is fixed to the flange by placing the buffer over the bathtub flange, and inserting and tightening a mounting member such as a mounting screw into the mounting arm corresponding to the mounting surface of the flange. When necessary, the mounting member can be loosened and the buffer body can be removed.

<Example> Fig. 1 is an exploded perspective view of the bathtub of the present invention, in which 1 is a bathtub, 2 is a flange at the upper end of the bathtub, and 9 is a buffer body, which covers the flange 2 and the bent portion, top, and outer surface of the bathtub 1. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, the buffer body 9 is formed into a frame having an inverted L-shape in cross section, and as shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, a plurality of mounting base pieces 4 are inserted and connected to each of the mounting base pieces. The mounted mounting arm pieces 6 are made to protrude outside the buffer body, and during molding, liquid soft foam resin material is uniformly introduced into the mold through the plurality of through holes 5 formed in each mounting base piece 4 and foamed. The cushioning body is formed by molding.

In the figure, reference numeral 3 indicates a mounting tool, which consists of a mounting base piece 4 bent in a cross-sectional shape, and a bent-shaped mounting arm piece 6 integrally or integrally connected to a hanging portion of the base piece 4. The mounting arm piece 6 is bent in a continuous shape with a cross section that has changed direction, and a mounting screw 8 is screwed into the horizontal part 7 at the bent outer end. This is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which a shock absorber 9 is attached to cover the shock absorber 9. The horizontal portion 7 of the mounting arm piece 6 that protrudes below the mounting surface of the shock absorber 9 is located below the flange 2, and the mounting screw 8 screwed in is located below the flange 2. The shock absorber 9 is fixed to the flange 2 by tightening.

Figures 3 and 4 show the flange ₂ of the casting bath 1.
This is a cross-sectional view of the shock absorber 9 attached to the mounting arm 6 ₁ , in which the horizontal portion 7 ₁ of the protruding mounting arm piece 6 1 is aligned with the lower surface of the flange 2 ₁ and fixed with mounting screws 8 . In the figure, reference numeral 10 indicates a pillow provided by foam molding at a suitable location on the cushioning body 9.

The mounting tool 3 is illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 4 as an example in which a separately formed bent-shaped mounting base piece 4 and mounting arm pieces 6, ₆₁ are joined together and insert-molded. The mounting base piece 4 and the mounting arm pieces 6, ₆₁ constituting the attachment part to the bathtub flange are assembled, and the buffer body 9 with the mounting base piece 4 insert-molded is mounted on the flanges 2, _21. After the installation, the mounting arms 6, ₆₁ may be engaged with the mounting base piece 4 in the buffer body and fixed to the bathtub flange by tightening the mounting screws 8 on the horizontal portions 7. If the fixture 3 is composed of two members, an assembleable mounting base piece 4 and a mounting arm piece, the shock absorber can be attached even more easily. The insert-molded fitting 3 also has the effect of a dampening reinforcement.

In addition to the above, the bathtub 1 may be an enameled bathtub made of cast iron, a steel plate, or the like as a base material, or a stainless steel plate, a resin-based artificial stone, or a glass fiber-reinforced polyester resin.

The soft foamed resin material constituting the cushioning body 9 is made by foam-molding urethane resin, for example, and forms a skin layer with high cell density on the molded surface, making it extremely smooth and free from hardness and coldness, making it easy to touch. In addition to being of good quality, the interior has a structure with a low cell density, densely packed closed cells, and strong elasticity. Therefore, when installed over the bathtub flange, when a bather grasps the buffer when entering or exiting the bathtub, it will not dent like a sponge, and it will not feel cold like soft materials such as stainless steel or tiles, and the bather will not be able to inadvertently touch the washing area. Even if you slip and hit your body or head, it's soft and thick, so it's soft and there's no risk of injury, making it ideal for ensuring safety in the bathroom.
By forming the foam-molded pillow 10 in the appropriate position of the cushioning body, the bathing posture becomes comfortable and the relaxing effect is increased.
Even with the protruding bulge, due to the material it is made of, it is completely safe even if you accidentally slip and fall and hit a pillow.

The shock absorber and the bathtub are separate solid bodies and are not inseparable structures, so even if the shock absorber is removed when replacing the bathtub, there are no mounting parts protruding from the bathtub flange, making it safe and maintaining its appearance and structure. There is nothing wrong with that.

<Effects of the Invention> The structure and operation of the buffer of the present invention are as described above, and the following effects are achieved. (1) If the buffer made of soft foam resin becomes soiled or deteriorated, it can be easily removed from the bathtub flange and replaced with a new one by simply loosening the mounting screws, regardless of the bathtub itself. (2) Therefore, safety in the bathroom can be maintained at all times. (3) Since it is easy to remove, it is ideal for changing the mood by replacing the cushioning material with one of a different color. (4) Since it can be manufactured separately from the bathtub body, it does not require a large mold, reducing costs. (5) Since it is constructed so that it can be retrofitted using an insert-molded mounting base piece, it can be embedded in the side of the bathtub or any part of the flange, even if the entire periphery of the bathtub flange is not in contact with anything. However, if the buffer body is formed into a U-shape, L-shape, etc. depending on the case, and the number of inserts for the mounting base piece is reduced and prepared in advance, it can be installed in an existing bathtub. This is easily possible and can increase versatility.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

The drawings show an embodiment of the shock absorber of the present invention; FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of the bathtub and the buffer; FIG. 2 is an enlarged longitudinal cross-sectional view of the main parts of the bathtub attached to the stainless steel bathtub;
Fig. 3 is a partially cutaway perspective view of another embodiment, Fig. 4 is an enlarged vertical cross-sectional view of the main parts in a state where it is attached to a cast bathtub, 1...bathtub, 2, _{2 1} ...flange, 4...for installation Base piece, 6, 6 ₁ ...Mounting arm piece, 8...Mounting screw, 9...Buffer.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A mounting arm made of a soft foam resin material and having a shape to cover the bathtub flange, which is integrally or removably connected to a mounting base piece embedded within the foam body and protrudes from the foam body. 1. A shock absorber for a bathtub flange, characterized in that the shock absorber is removably fixed to a bathtub by covering the bathtub flange with an attachment member through the attachment arm piece of the shock absorber molded by the above method. 2. Claim 1, characterized in that each mounting arm piece protruding outside the square, U-shaped, or L-shaped buffer body covering the bathtub flange is provided so as to correspond to the mounting surface of the bathtub flange. Buffer body for bathtub flange as described. 3. The buffer body for a bathtub flange according to claim 1, wherein each mounting base piece insert-molded within the buffer body is provided with a plurality of through holes.