NZ542186A - A modular bathroom - Google Patents

Abstract

A modular bathroom provided with facilities particularly for use by disabled persons and which may be assembled within a room of a house that does not have plumbing facilities provided, is assembled from a set of stackable components including a floor component 1, a lower perimeter wall component 3 stacked onto the floor component, and a higher perimeter wall component 9 stacked on the lower floor component, the components together forming a partially enclosed space with a door opening 6 to allow walk-in access to the space. Either or both of the perimeter wall components includes toilet 61, washbasin 51, tap, mirror, shower, lights, toilet roll holder, towel rail, shelving and handrail 80 elements within the space.

Description

intellectual Property Office of N.Z. 2 1 AUG 2006 RECEIVED NEW ZEALAND PATENTS ACT, 1953 No: 542186 Date: 1 September 2005 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION A MODULAR BATHROOM I, NORMA DORIS MCCULLOCH, a New Zealand citizen of 9 Tait Street, Ruby Bay, Nelson, New Zealand, do hereby declare the invention for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: The present invention relates to a modular facility.

In particular although not solely the present invention relates to a modular bathroom/toilet facility.

Most dwellings where humans reside, will include a bathroom and toilet. In certain dwellings the bathroom and toilet are provided within the same room within the dwelling. However most bathrooms and toilets are primarily designed for use by the whole family of able bodied persons. Where a bathroom or toilet caters for less than able bodied persons such as elderly or handicapped persons, such bathrooms or toilets (previously designed with only able bodied persons in mind) need to be modified. Such modifications may include the addition of handrails, ramps, specialised taps and sinks etc. However some bathrooms or toilets do not have the structural characteristics for allowing for such additional or replacement components to be fitted.

Where elderly and disabled persons wish to remain in their own house rather than moving to a hospital, nursing home or retirement home, the options in terms of providing a user friendly bathroom and/or toilet facility can be expensive, difficult or impossible to achieve. Accordingly there is a need for allowing a dwelling to have an appropriately designed bathroom and toilet facility to enable its private use by disabled and elderly persons and which can be conveniendy, quickly and cost effectively incorporated in an existing bedroom of a house.

The fabrication of a new room or establishing utilities within an existing room can be time consuming and expensive due to a high labour component that will be required in order to effect such a change in a dwelling. For most rooms it is also impossible to install a toilet/shower unit due to such constraints as room size and room door size.

Accordingly it is an object of the present invention to provide a modular facility which addresses the abovementioned desiderata and/or abovementioned disadvantages or which will at least provide the public with a useful choice.

Accordingly in a first aspect the present invention consists in a modular bathroom assembled or to be assembled from stackable components, said components including at least (a) a lower most floor component (b) a first perimeter wall defining component to be located above said lower most floor component and (c) a second perimeter wall defining component to be located above said floor component and said first perimeter wall defining component, said lower most floor component, first perimeter wall defining component and second perimeter wall defining component defining at least a partially enclosed space with an opening to allow a person to walk into and out of said space, wherein at least one or both of, whether together or individually, said first perimeter wall defining component and said second perimeter wall defining component includes means defining at least part of at least one or more of a toilet, washbasin, taps, mirror, seat, shower, shower area cubicle, lights, toilet roll holder, towel rail, shelving, and handrail, within said space.

Preferably said opening is the only opening to said space.

Preferably said opening is closable by a door movable relative to said stackable components.

Preferably said door is a sliding door.

Preferably said door is a swinging door.

Preferably a ceiling component is provided, located above said second perimeter wall defining component.

Preferably an intermediate perimeter wall defining component is located intermediate of said second perimeter wall defining component and said ceiling component.

Preferably said intermediate perimeter wall defining component includes means defining at least part of at least one or more of a washbasin, taps, mirror, shower, shower cubicle, lights, toilet roll holder, towel rail, shelving and hand rail.

Preferably said ceiling component is to be stacked ontop of said intermediate wall defining component.

Preferably said ceiling component carries down lights to cast light into said space.

Preferably said stackable components include mutually interlockable features to allow the interlocking of a component with its adjacent component(s).

Preferably said floor component defines an upwardly presented floor surface below which there is located ducting for ducting fluid from at least one of said basin and toilet and shower.

Preferably said ducting includes an inlet opening to be in fluid communication with fluid from at least one of basin and toilet and shower.

Preferably said floor component is a one piece floor component and said ducting is defined therein.

Preferably there is provided delivery ducting by said floor component to be in fluid communication with at least one of said taps and said shower and said toilet to deliver water to such.

Preferably said ducting of said floor component each includes opening(s) for connection to outside of said bathroom unit for delivery to and from said bathroom of said fluid.

Preferably said first perimeter wall defining component is to be located onto said floor component.

Preferably said second perimeter wall defining component is to be located on said first perimeter wall defining component.

Preferably said space is enclosed, save for said opening, by said stackable components, save for any upper most opening that may remain where the ceiling component is not utilised.

Preferably said stackable components, when stacked with each other, define a quadrilateral in plan shape bathroom.

Preferably said first and second wall defining components are of a height of less than 1.2m.

Preferably they are of a height of less than 900 mm and preferably less than 750mm and preferably about 500mm.

Preferably the quadrilateral shape of the bathroom in plan view is approx 2.5 m long by 1.2 m deep by 2.1 m high.

Preferably the floor component can be fastened to a building structure or building floor.

Preferably at least some and preferably all stackable components are one piece components.

They are preferably made from a plastics material such as fibreglass and resin or moulded from a polymer.

Preferably each component is in a monocoque construction.

Preferably at least one of said first and second wall defining components includes a hand rail provided extending about at least part of the exterior thereof.

Preferably at least one of said stackable components includes, presented for access from the exterior thereof, a means to make an electrical connection for electrical components inside of said space.

Preferably said stackable components inter engage each other in a tongue and groove manner or in a rebated lapped manner.

Preferably said stackable components inter engage each other in a tongue and lip manner.

In a second aspect the present invention consists in a modular bathroom as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

In a further aspect the present invention consists in a modular bathroom as shown in the accompanying drawings.

In a further aspect the present invention consist in house having a room in which the modular bath room as herein before described, is assembled.

In a further aspect the present invention consists in a modular bathroom as described above wherein the components can pass through a doorway of a width of between 900 and 700 mm and height at least of 1.9 m.

In a further aspect the present invention consists in a method of defining a bathroom for non able bodied persons comprising assembling the bathroom as herein before described inside a room of a house with litde structural disturbance to said room.

This invention may also be said broadly to consist in the parts, elements and features referred to or indicated in the specification of the application, individually or collectively, and any or all combinations of any two or more of said parts, elements or features, and where specific integers are mentioned herein which have Intellectual Property Office of N.Z. 3 0 NOV 2007 I D P I \/ P" r\ which have known equivalents in the art to which this invention relates, such known equivalents are deemed to be incorporated herein as if individually set forth.

A preferred form of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a base or floor unit of the modular bathroom, Figure 2 is a different perspective view of Figure 1, Figure 3 shows the base unit with the lower most wall defining unit stacked on top, Figure 4 is a different perspective view of that shown in Figure 3, Figure 5 illustrates a second wall defining unit stacked on top of the lower most wall defining unit, Figure 6 is a different perspective view of that shown in Figure 5, Figure 7 illustrates an upper wall defining unit stacked on top of the second wall defining unit, Figure 8 is an alternative perspective view of that shown in Figure 7, Figure 9 illustrates a ceiling unit stacked on top of the upper wall defining unit to facilitate capping off of bathroom, so hiding wiring fro lights water pipes, Figure 10 illustrates a different perspective view to that shown in Figure 9, Figure 11 illustrates a room in a house within which a bathroom unit of a preferred form of the present invention is located, Figure 12 is a front view of a preferred form of a modular bathroom of the present invention, Figure 13 is a back view of Figure 12, Figure 14 is a side view of Figure 12, Figure 15 is a sectional view through a wall section of the modular bathroom of the present invention at where two stacked wall defining units are engaged, Figure 16 is just one possible alternative to the configuration as shown in Figure 15, Figure 17 is a plan view of the ceiling cap unit, Figure 18 is a front view of Figure 17, Figure 19 is a plan view of a top most wall defining unit which could be moulded with ceiling in one piece, Figure 20 is a back view of Figure 19, Figure 21 is a plan view of an intermediate wall defining unit, Figure 22 is a back view of Figure 21, Figure 23 is a plan view of an optional and additional intermediate wall defining unit, Figure 24 is a back view of Figure 23, Figure 25 is a plan view of the lower most wall defining unit and wherein there is shown in phantom, the features that are incorporated in the floor defining unit, and Figure 26 is a side view of a floor defining unit.

With reference to Figures 3 and 4, the basic form of the present invention is shown.

The invention consists of a floor 1 on top of which there is supported a wall and utilities unit 3. The unit 3 defines a perimeter wall which is preferably commensurate with the perimeter of the floor 1. The perimeter wall unit 3 preferably extends about a space 5 defined within the boundaries of the wall. The perimeter wall units may extend about the entire space when viewed in plan view, but preferably also includes an opening 6. The opening 6 preferably extends all the way down to the floor and is provided to allow for a person to pass through the wall to enter into the space 5.

The lower wall unit 3 preferably locks into place by means of registry points provided by the floor 1 and the lower wall unit 3. When they are stacked on top of each other the registry points will (at least in certain directions), lock the floor and lower wall unit together.

A further wall unit such as the intermediate wall unit 9 as shown in Figures 6 and 7 can be stacked on top of the lower wall unit 3. The intermediate wall unit 9 preferably has a similar wall profile as the lower wall unit 3. The intermediate wall unit also includes an opening which in part defines the opening to the space 5 for a person to walk through. This opening matches with the opening 6 of the lower wall unit 3.

The wall units of the present invention preferably define, in plan shape, a substantially closed quadrilateral perimeter shape save for the opening that is provided to define the access way into the space 5 of the modular bathroom. The quadrilateral shape is preferably rectangular as can be seen with reference to the drawings. The intermediate wall unit 9 provides additional height to the enclosed space 5 of the modular bathroom. Such increased height enhances the degree of modesty that will be provided to a person who is using the bathroom.

Additional modesty can be provided by the provision of a further wall unit 14 as for example shown in Figures 7 and 8. This additional wall unit 14 is preferably the upper or uppermost wall unit. It stacks preferably direcdy onto the intermediate wall unit 9 although in some forms the intermediate wall unit 9 may be the upper most.

Preferably each of the units are approximately 700 mm in height. Accordingly with three of the units as shown in Figure 7 and 8 stacked on top of each other, a total height of approximately 2.1 metres is established by the modular bathroom of the present invention. This will be sufficiently high to provide full enclosure for most persons.

In a further aspect of the present invention, an optional ceiling unit can be provided to provide a more complete enclosure to the space 5. The ceiling unit 16 may be a ceiling panel which extends above the upwardly positioned opening of the upper wall unit 14 which preferably can be moulded in one piece to form ceiling. In a most preferred form the ceiling panel 16 has a perimeter shape which is commensurate to the perimeter wall shape of the wall defining units. The ceiling panel may carry a guide or slide track (not shown) from which there can be suspended an internal sliding door 30. The sliding door 30 may be a door which can be moved to open and close the access way 31 defined by the openings in the wall defining units 3, 9, 14. The door 30 may also be guided by guide means provided on the outer surface of the lower wall defining unit 3 and/or by the floor 1. Alternatively the door may be a hinged door which can rotate about a vertical axis.

Each or some of the wall defining units may individually or in combination with other wall defining units, provide certain utility features within the space 5 of the modular bathroom of the present invention. With reference for example to Figure 5 the lower wall defining unit 3 may provide a seat 40, part of a hand basin 50 and a toilet or at least the base or structural support or cladding for a toilet 60.

The floor 1 as for example shown with reference to Figure 25 and 26 preferably includes ducting 70 which may carry away fluids such as water and soap suds and/or human waste from the utilities provided within the space 5. Such ducting 70 may have openings provided in the upper surface of the floor 1 openings 71 provided in the upper surface of the floor 1 for their connection to and/or fluid communication with or for such fluids to be ducted away from the modular bathroom unit of the present invention. Such ducting away may be facilitated by gravity and/or pump devices or similar.

In the most preferred form the floor 1 is a unitary body and has incorporated by for example moulding therein, such ducting 70. The opening or openings such as openings 71 are located by the floor 1 in appropriate positions to be in alignment with the utilities provided within the space 5. Accordingly an opening at or proximate the hand basin and/or toilet are provided in the floor 1. Plumbing elements such as plumbing connectors and ducting may be able to be fastened to such openings. Alternatively the openings may be aligned and directly engaged by the features of the lower most wall defining panel 3 for which such ducting is provided.

With reference to Figure 3 and 4 the lower wall defining unit 3 includes a part of a hand basin 50. The intermediate wall unit 9 may carry additional parts of the hand basin such as the upper hand basin top 51 to fit over the hand basin base 50 provided by the lower wall unit 3. Alternatively the hand basin top 51 may be provided as a separate item to be engaged onto the hand basin base 50. Likewise a toilet seat 61 may be separately located onto the toilet seat base 60. The seat 40 extending from the perimeter wall of the lower wall defining unit 3 into the space 5 is preferably provided in a region of the modular bathroom at or where showering can take place. The opening 71 is a drainage hole for water and suds created during showering. A shower nozzle may be provided from the ceiling panel 16 at an appropriate location for it to deliver water to a person standing in the region of the modular bathroom at where showering is to take place.

The lower most wall defining unit 3 or the intermediate wall defining unit 9 may carry a handrail 80. The handrail 80 may be provided substantially about the entire inside perimeter of the wall defining unit. The handrail 80 can provide support to a person within the modular bathroom of the present invention. The lower and/or intermediate wall defining units 3, 9 may also provide additional utilities such as light fittings, shelving, toilet roll holders, towel rails or similar. In the most preferred form such utilities have been preassembled or incorporated as a unitary body with the wall defining unit or units.

With reference to Figures 7 and 8 the upper or upper most wall defining unit 14 may or may not include any utility defining features. However with reference to Figure 8, for example the wall defining unit may at a certain region include a shower head 93. Additionally or separately, it may also provide a clothes hanger or hook, mirror or other utilities that may serve a useful purpose for making the modular bathroom a convenient place for human activity.

One or additional wall defining units of the modular bathroom of the present invention may also include handrails provided to the exterior of the perimeter wall. Such a handrail or handrails can provide convenience where the modular bathroom is desired to be shifted or to provide additional places for a person to hold themselves when they are moving about the modular bathroom of the present invention.

With reference to Figure 11 the modular bathroom is shown inside of a room 94. The modular bathroom having modular sections of a size which is smaller than the overall size of the modular bathroom allows for the modular bathroom to be moved into the room through a doorway 95 and then quickly and conveniently assembled within the room. Such assembly is by firsdy placing the floor panel 1 onto the ground thereafter in succession stacking the wall defining unit or units on top and placing the optional ceiling panel 16 on to the upper most wall defining unit. Such stacking may be facilitated by registry elements which are for example as shown with reference to Figure 15 and 16. Such registry elements 96 may include a tongue and groove configuration between a lower and upper wall defining unit such as units 3 and 9. The tongue and groove arrangement is preferably provided at all of the interfacing edges of the perimeter walls of mating wall defining units. Figure 16 illustrates an alternative configuration to that of Figure 15 or the like.

In the most preferred form each of the units defining the modular bathroom of the present invention is a one piece unit although it may have been fabricated and assembled offsite. Preferably the majority of each of the units is made from a fibreglass or concert or injection moulded plastics. Substantial portions of each of the units may also be formed by vacuum moulding. Fastening means to lock the units from moving vertically relative to each other may also be included. In addition or alternatively the door frame may provide for a means of locking the units in their vertically stacked configuration.

Each of the wall units is preferably approximately 700 mm in height. Each is preferably approximately 2500 mm in length and preferably approximately 1200 mm in depth. The base is preferably 100 mm thick, 1200 mm deep and 2500 mm long. It will be appreciated these preferred sizes will allow for the units to be moved through a conventional doorway or doorways of a house to allow for the modular bathroom to be assembled within a room of a house. This has the advantage of eliminating the need for a room to be modified and instead allowing for a separate enclosure in the form of the modular bathroom of the present invention, to be erected within an existing room without significant modifications to that room. Modifications to the room may need to be made in order to allow for utilities to be provided to the modular bathroom once erected. Such utilities may be power, water and drainage. With the use of moulding technology or vacuum forming technology the interior surfaces of each of the units can be formed to have curves and changes in surface which allow for the surfaces to be conveniently cleaned. Difficult to reach corners can be avoided in the design of the units of the present invention.

Claims (36)

1. A modular bathroom assembled or to be assembled from stackable components, said components including at least (a) a lower most floor component (b) a first perimeter wall defining component to be located above said lower most floor component and (c) a second perimeter wall defining component to be located above said floor component and said first perimeter wall defining component, said lower most floor component, first perimeter wall defining component and second perimeter wall defining component defining at least a partially enclosed space with an opening to allow a person to walk into and out of said space, wherein at least one or both of, whether together or individually, said first perimeter wall defining component and said second perimeter wall defining component includes means defining at least part of at least one or more of a toilet, washbasin, taps, mirror, seat, shower, shower area cubicle, lights, toilet roll holder, towel rail, shelving, and handrail, within said space.

2. A modular bathroom as claimed in claim 1 wherein said opening is the only opening to said space.

3. A modular bathroom as claimed in claim 1 or 2 wherein said opening is closable by a door movable relative to said stackable components.

4. A modular bathroom as claimed in claim 3 wherein said door is a sliding door.

5. A modular bathroom as claimed in claim 3 wherein said door is a swinging door.

6. A modular bathroom as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5 wherein a ceiling component is provided, located above said second perimeter wall defining component.

7. A modular bathroom as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6 wherein an intermediate perimeter wall defining component is located intermediate of said second perimeter wall defining component and said ceiling component. -13-

8. A modular bathroom as claimed in claim 7 wherein said intermediate perimeter wall defining component includes means defining at least part of at least one or more of a washbasin, taps, mirror, shower, shower cubicle, lights, toilet roll holder, towel rail, shelving and hand rail.

9. A modular bathroom as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 8 wherein said ceiling component is to be stacked ontop of said intermediate wall defining component.

10. A modular bathroom as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 9 wherein said ceiling component carries down lights to cast light into said space.

11. A modular bathroom as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 10 wherein said stackable components include mutually interlockable features to allow the interlocking of a component with its adjacent component(s).

12. A modular bathroom as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 11 wherein said floor component defines an upwardly presented floor surface below which there is located ducting for ducting fluid from at least one of said basin and toilet and shower.

13. A modular bathroom as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 12 wherein said ducting includes an inlet opening to be in fluid communication with fluid from at least one of basin and toilet and shower.

14. A modular bathroom as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 13 wherein said floor component is a one piece floor component and said ducting is defined therein.

15. A modular bathroom as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 14 wherein there is provided delivery ducting by said floor component to be in fluid communication with at least one of said taps and said shower and said toilet to deliver water to such.

16. A modular bathroom as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 15 wherein said ducting of said floor component each includes opening(s) for connection to outside of said bathroom unit for delivery to and from said bathroom of said fluid.

17. A modular bathroom as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 16 wherein said first perimeter wall defining component is to be located onto said floor component. -14-

18. A modular bathroom as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 17 wherein said second perimeter wall defining component is to be located on said first perimeter wall defining component.

19. A modular bathroom as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 18 wherein said space is enclosed, save for said opening, by said stackable components, save for any upper most opening that may remain where the ceiling component is not utilised.

20. A modular bathroom as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 19 wherein said stackable components, when stacked with each other, define a quadrilateral in plan shape bathroom.

21. A modular bathroom as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 20 wherein said first and second wall defining components are of a height of less than 1.2m.

22. A modular bathroom as claimed in claim 21 wherein they are of a height of less than 900 mm and preferably less than 7 50mm and preferably about 500mm.

23. A modular bathroom as claimed in claim 20 wherein the quadrilateral shape of the bathroom in plan view is approx 2.5 m long by 1.2 m deep by 2.1 m high.

24. A modular bathroom as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 23 wherein the floor component can be fastened to a building structure or building floor.

25. A modular bathroom as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 24 wherein at least some and preferably all stackable components are one piece components.

26. A modular bathroom as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 25 wherein components are made from a plastics material such as fibreglass and resin or moulded from a polymer.

27. A modular bathroom as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 26 wherein each component is in a monocoque construction.

28. A modular bathroom as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 27 wherein at least one of said first and second wall defining components includes a hand rail provided extending about at least part of the exterior thereof.

29. A modular bathroom as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 28 wherein at least one of said stackable components includes, presented for access from the exterior thereof, a means to make an electrical connection for electrical components inside of said space. H *

30. A modular bathroom as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 29 wherein said stackable components inter engage each other in a tongue and groove manner or in a rebated lapped manner.

31. A modular bathroom as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 30 wherein said stackable components inter engage each other in a tongue and lip manner.

32. A modular bathroom as herein claimed with reference to the accompanying drawings.

33. A modular bathroom as shown in the accompanying drawings.

34. A house having a room in which the modular bath room as hereinbefore claimed, is assembled.

35. A modular bathroom as claimed above wherein the components can pass through a doorway of a width of between 900 and 700 mm and height at least of 1.9 m.

36. A method of defining a bathroom for non able bodied persons comprising assembling the bathroom as hereinbefore claimed inside a room of a house with little structural disturbance to said room. Intellectual Property Office of N.Z. 3 0 NOV 2007