WO1996000028A1

WO1996000028A1 - Assembly for bathtubs

Info

Publication number: WO1996000028A1
Application number: PCT/SE1995/000781
Authority: WO
Inventors: Anders Perjans
Original assignee: Anders Perjans
Priority date: 1994-06-27
Filing date: 1995-06-26
Publication date: 1996-01-04
Also published as: SE9402248L; JPH10502004A; AU2900795A; SE9402248D0; SE502415C2

Abstract

A bathtub assembly comprises a table (7) and an inclined plate (8) for receiving books or papers. The plate (8) is placed centrally between the ends of the table and has a width being smaller than the length of the table. The table includes a tray part which in the area of a long side piece (17) has female recesses for receiving male projections (12, 12') on the lower portions of the reading plate. When the reading plate (9) is dropped down with its corners in seats in the vicinity of the side pieces of the tray part, the projections (12, 12') engage into the female recesses and lock the plate in an inclined position.

Description

ASSEMBLY FOR BATH TUBS

Technical field of the invention This invention relates to an assembly for bath tubs, comprising an oblong, board-like table intended to be applied resting with opposite ends on upper long side edges of a bath tub as well as a plate which is applicable on the table in an obliquely upwardly projecting position in order to receive and support reading-products, such as a paper, a book or the like, said reading plate being seatable substantially centrally between the opposite ends of the table and having a width mark¬ edly smaller than the length of the table, whereby free spaces are established between the ends of the plate and the ends of the table, said spaces making it possible to displace and/or locate the table along the edges of the bath tub notwith¬ standing any objects projecting from an associated wall irrespective of whether the wall is located to the right or to the left of the bath tub, the plate being connectable to the table in the area of a long side edge thereof, whereby the centre of gravity of the inclined plate is located at a point above and between the opposite long side edges of the table so as to secure that the weight of the table does not give rise to tendencies of tilting of the table.

Prior art

A bath tub assembly of the above mentioned type is pre¬ viously known by US 4472843. In this known bath tub assembly the table is composed of a flat, relatively thick board having a central recess accommodating a foldable reading plate which at need may be turned up to an inclined position. For this purpose the reading plate is by way of articulations connected to particular supporting arms which, when the reading-plate is turned up, may support themselves against shoulders in connection with the recess in the board. This construction calls for a plurality of components and working moments in order to be finished. Accordingly the particular supporting arms have to be connected to the reading-plate by the specific articulations after the manufacture of the proper reading- plate. In practical production this is circumstantially, time- consuming and costly. Moreover the construction according to US 4472843 calls for a particular base support for the reading- product, more particully in the form of a small foldable plate which is folded down into a second recess in the table board when the reading-plate is not used and which can be folded up when the reading-plate is used. This base support too forms a separate component which has to be made in a separate manu¬ facturing operation and mounted on the board in a separate mounting operation. This further raises the costs of production in addition what is already done by the necessity of the separate supporting arms.

Objects and features of the invention The present invention aims at removing the above men¬ tioned drawbacks of the known bath tub assembly and provide an improved assembly. Thus a basic object of the invention is to provide a bath tub assembly which can be manufactured at a low cost. Another object is to provide an assembly which may be packed and transported while occupying a minimum of space.

Furthermore the assembly should be aesthetically attractive and simple to use.

According to the invention at least the basic object is attained by the features defined in the characterizing clause of claim 1. Preferred embodiment of the invention are further defined in the dependent claims.

Brief description of the appended drawings In the drawings: Fig 1 is a perspective view of the assembly according to the invention shown during use on a bath tub, Fig 2 is an exploded view showing the same assembly with the reading-plate separated from the table, Fig 3 is a separate perspective view showing only the table in another angle than in fig 2 and, ig 4 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the assembly of the invention. Detailed description of preferred embodiments of the invention In fig 1 reference numeral 1 generally designates a bath tub the two upper long side edges of which are designated 2,3. One of this long side edges, viz. the right edge 3, is shown in the vicinity of a bathroom wall designated 4. Applicated on this wall are various projecting objects 5,5' of which the first one in the example consists of a supporting hand railing, while the other one consists of a filling water tap. In prac¬ tice these objects 5,5' project merely a limited distance from the wall . The distance from the outermost portions of the ob- jects to the wall is in practice usually not markedly greater than the width of the long side edge portions 2,3 of the bath tub.

An assembly according to the invention is in its entirety designated 6 and comprises an oblong, board-like table 7 as well as an inclined plate 8 projecting upwardly from the table. A publication resting against the plate 8 is designated 8' .

Now reference is made to fig 2 and 3 which in detail illustrate different features of the table 7 and the plate 8 respectively. As shown in fig 2 the plate 8 mainly has a square basic shape. In addition to a flat portion 9 taking up a major part of the area of the plate, the plate includes a lower rim or border 10 against which the reading-product 8' may be supported. Along the side edges of the plate there are further¬ more two beads 11,11' serving to stiffen the plate and counter¬ act lateral displacement of the reading-produc . Under the rim 10 there are two male projections 12,12' the function of which will be closer described hereinafter. As clearly depicted at the left in fig 2 the lower edge portion 13 of the plate is slightly wedge-shaped or tapering. In practice the plate 8 may advantageously be manufactured by moulding of plastic.

The table 7 shown in fig 3 includes, in a manner known per se, a tray part, generally designated 14, which, in addition to a bottom 15, is confined by two side pieces 16,16' and two long side pieces 17,18 extending therebetween. Of these long side pieces the first one forms a front piece and the second one a back piece. From opposite sides of the tray part 14 supporting plates 19,19' project, which are intended to be applied against and supported on the long side edges 2,3 of the bath tub. In these supporting plates there are, in the em¬ bodiment shown, recesses 20 for pieces of soap or the like as well as two sleeve-like portions 21 intended to receive glasses or cups. Also the table 7 may advantageously be manufactured by moulding of plastic.

In the area of its front piece 17 the tray part 14 in¬ cludes means for dismountably connecting the reading plate with the table, as clearly illustrated in fig 2. In the example shown said connection means consist of seats 22,22' which are provided in the side pieces 16,16' in the immediate vicinity of the front piece 17 and serve to receive the lower tapering corner portions 13 of the reading plate 8, as well as one or more female recesses 23,23' provided in the backside of the front piece 17. These female recesses serve to receive the corresponding, previously mentioned male projections 12,12' on the lower portion of the reading plate 8. When the reading plate 8 is put down into the tray part in an approximately vertical condition with the lower corners 13 engaging the seats 22,22' and thereafter dropped down to the inclined position illustrated in fig 1 and 2, it is evident that the projections 12,12' will automatically engage in the recesses 23,23' and keep the reading plate in the desired angle relative to the plane of the table. In practice this angle may be within the range of 70-80°.

As clearly shown in fig 1 as well as fig 2 the reading plate 8 has a width which is substantially smaller than the length of the table 7. By the fact that the laterally project¬ ing supporting plates 19,19' are equally long, the plate 8 will be located substantially centrally between the two opposite short ends of the table 7. By this centric location in combina¬ tion with the reduced width of the plate 8 free spaces 24,24' are established between the ends of the plate and the ends of the table. The width of each free space is selected so that it by a certain margin exceeds the distance with which the above mentioned objects 5,5' project as a maximum from the associated wall. In other words the assembly according to the invention may be displaced to any position along the bath tub notwith¬ standing the objects 5,5' even when the reading plate is in its active condition according to fig 1. In practice the reading- plate 8 may advantageously have a width which is 20-30% smaller than the length of the table 7.

It should also be emphasized that the reading table 8 is connected to the table 7 in the area of one of the long side edges of the table, i.e the front piece 17 of the tray part 14. This means that the centre of gravity of the plate 8 will, in a reliable manner, be located anywhere in the area between the two opposite long side pieces 17,18 of the tray part. Even if the plate itself is given a relatively great dead weight and moreover be loaded with e.g. a heavy book, there is, accord¬ ingly, no risk that the assembly will tilt or become unstable. Fig 4 illustrates an alternative embodiment which makes it possibly to concurrently pack the reading-plate 8 and the table 7 in an oblong packing. Contrary to the substantially square reading-plate 8 according to fig 1-3 the reading-plate 8 according to fig 4 has a substantially rectangular shape, the height of the plate being mainly equal to the width of the table 7. Still the width of the reading-plate is markedly smaller than the length of the table, meaning that the assembly may be freely displaced along the bath tub in the manner previously described.

To make it possible for the plate 8 to receive reading- products, e.g. papers, the height of which is greater than the height of the plate, arms 25 are connected to the plate, each arm being at one end connected to the plate by an articulation 26 placed in the area of an upper corner of the plate. At the opposite end the arm has a projection 27 which can be snapped into a hole 28 in the plate so as to hold the arm. In its folded-in position each am is located in an edge recess 27 in the immediate vicinity of the upper edge of the plate.

The function of the arms 25 is evident. In its folded-in initial position in the recess 29 the individual arm does not project from the rest of the plate. When large reading- products, such as a paper, should be applied against the plate, the arms are folded out, whereby they are able to support the reading-product in spite of the limited height of the plate 8.

The embodiment shown in fig 4 differs from the embodi¬ ment of fig 1-3 also in the sense that pairs of seats 22,22' are provided in association with the frontal long side piece 17 as well as the rear long side piece 18. This means that the reading-plate 8 can be applied in association with anyone of the two long side pieces 17,18. Furthermore the female recesses 23,23' are provided in the immediate vicinity of the seats 22,22' at the same time as the male projections 12,12' are located at the lower corners of the reading-plate for engage¬ ment with the maximally separated female recesses 23,23'.

An important advantage of the embodiment according to fig 4 is that the comparatively narrow reading-plate 8 can be packed along with the table 7 without projecting therefrom. This means that the packing or wrapping for the assembly for the invention does not have to have a greater width than the table 7. Furthermore the reading-plate 8 may be placed along anyone of the two opposite longs side pieces 17,18 of the table.

Conceivable modifications of the invention

The invention is not limited merely to the embodiments described above and shown in the drawings. Instead of a com¬ plete bottom and simple draining holes it is, for instance, possible to use a perforated bottom or a grating.

Claims

1. Assembly for bath tubs, comprising an oblong, board-like table (7) intended to be applied resting with opposite ends on upper long side edges (2,3) of a bath tub, as well as a plate (8) which is applicable on the table in an obliquely upwardly projecting position in order to receive and support reading- products, such as a paper, a book or the like, said reading plate (8) being seatable substantially centrally between the opposite ends of the table (7) and having a width markedly smaller than the length of the table, whereby free spaces are established between the ends of the plate and the ends of the table, said spaces making it possible to displace and/or locate the table along the edges (2,3) of the bath tub notwithstanding any objects (5,5') projecting from an associated wall irrespective of whether the wall is located to the right or to the left of the bath tub, the plate (8) being connectable to the table (7) in the area of a long side edge thereof, whereby the centre of gravity of the inclined plate is located at a point above and between the opposite long side edges of the table so as to secure that the weight of the table does not give rise to tendencies of tilting of the table, c h a r a c - t e r i z e d in that the table (7) , in a manner known per se, comprises a tray part (14) , which, in addition to a bottom (15) , is confined by two side pieces (16, 16') and two long side pieces (17,18) extending therebetween, as well as two support plates (19,19') projecting from opposite ends of the tray part and intended to be applied and supported on opposite long side edges of the bath tub, and that the tray part (14) of the table (7) in the area of at least one of its long side pieces (17) presents means for dismountably connecting the plate (8) to the table (7) , more particularly in the form of seats (22,22') provided in the side pieces (16,16') in the immediate proximity of a long side piece (17) and serving to receive lower corner portions (13) of the plate (8) , as well as one or more female recesses (23,23') provided in the long side piece (17) and serving to receive corresponding male projections (12,12') on the lower portions of the plate.

2. Assembly according to claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the reading plate (8) includes a lower rim (10) on which the reading-product in question may be supported and below which said male projections (12,12') are provided.

3. Assembly according to claim 1 or 2, c h a r a c t e r i ¬ z e d in that the reading plate (8) has a height which is not substantially greater than the width of the table (7) and that one or more arms (25) are connected to the reading plate, said arms being pivotable between a position folded-in towards the plate, in which position the plate and the arms occupy a minimum of space, and a folded-out position in which they may support a reading-product which is larger than the reading plate.