WO2001042573A2

WO2001042573A2 - Sanitary units, especially for household use

Info

Publication number: WO2001042573A2
Application number: PCT/HU2000/000127
Authority: WO
Inventors: Gábor VÁROSI
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1999-12-09
Filing date: 2000-12-08
Publication date: 2001-06-14
Anticipated expiration: 2002-06-09
Also published as: HUP9904536A2; AU2018001A; WO2001042573A3; HU9904536D0

Abstract

Sanitary unit, especially for household use, having a water tap (12) connected to a water supply means, a basin (10) or tray preferably resting with one side on a wall (22) and being fitted with an outlet opening (20) directing the water drawn from the supply means into a recipient, especially a sewer. According to the invention the outlet opening (20) is formed at the lower part of a back-wall (24) of the basin (10) or tray, and under the basin (10) or tray a space for accomodating of a water-using household machine, especially washing machine or dishwashing machine (32), is formed.

Description

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SANITARY UNITS, FSPFC1AL.L1 FOR HOUSEHOLD USF

Technical Field

The present invention relates to sanitary units, especially for household use. In the present specification, the term „sanιtary unit" is generally used for all equipments, apparatuses and implements connected at least temporarily to a water supply means and letting to flow the used up water drawn from the said water supply means into a recipient, especially a sewer. Such sanitary units are e.g. commonly used lavatory basins or sinks comprising water tap, basin or tray and outlet, further different sorts of washing and disn-washing machines (housenold equipments using water; .

Background Art

In homes, especially m small flats it is difficult to find right places for some sanitary units. Although for modern mechanized households use of automatic washing machines is almost obligatory and use of dishwashing machines becomes gradually widespread, placing of those equipments m bathrooms and kitchens of often very small footing areas is quite difficult or even impossible.

It would be obvious to place the washing machine in the bathroom under the lavatory basin and the dish-washmg machine in Lhe kitchen under the dish-washmg sink or tray, respectively there being present connections both to the water supply means and the water outlet. With common solutions, however, such placements are not feasible. Thus, in the case of small bathrooms, the washing machine is usually connected with the water supply means and the water outlet, respectively for the actual time of the washing procedure only. When not m use, the washing machine will be pushed onto a place where it does not disturb other daily activities. oving and removing ol the washing machine further connecting and disconnecting thereof are troublesome and time-consuming or s. Moreover, disposal of the water used up during washing is problematic. When the flexible outlet hose of the washing machine is not properly fixed not only the bathroom but also the wnole flat or even the flat below could be flooded.

In the case or dishwashers, the situation is even worse since dishwashing occurs more frequently (possibly several times a day) . Thus going around the machine or pushmg-pullmg thereof could be very inconvenient and greatly depreciate the ma advantage of this equipment i.e. the relief of the owner from the perhaps most disliked homework. In tins problem can be seen one ground of the dishwashers being not so widespread as one woulα expect.

Object of the present invention is to overcome the above shortcomings of the conventional solutions.

Thus the present invention a ms at providing sanitary units, especially for householα use, which by oetter exploitation of the available place permit appropriate accommodation of washing and dishwashing machines even in bathrooms a a kitchens of small footing areas.

Disclosure of Invention

The present invention is based on the recognition that the problems hindering placement of the water-using home machines under the lavatory basin or the dishwashing tray can be mastered with relatively low costs by placing the usual siphon-fltted water outlet at the rear of the lavatory basin or tne disnwashmg tray, close to the wall, in contrast with common solutions where the same is placed at or near the centre of the basin or tray; or, alternatively, by building together the lavatory basin with the washing machine and the dishwashing tray with the dishwashing machine, respectively. This makes it possible to utilize full extent spaces under tne lavatory basin and the dishwashing tray, respectively and, the same time, 01/42573

-3- to accommodate the indispensable washing machine even the smallest bathrooms without the need of frequent pushmg-pullmg and going around. Moreover, owners of small homes have not to despair of advantages of dishwashing machines because of lack of place.

On the basis of the above recognition the present invention provides a sanitary unit, especially for household use, having a water tap connected to a water supply means, a basm or tray preferably resting with one side on a wall and υemg fitted with an outlet opening directing the water drawn from the supply means into a recipient, especially a sewer; wherein the outlet opening is formeα at the lower part of a back wall of the basm or tray, arid unαer the Oa ^n or tray a space lor accommodating or a water-using household machine, especially washing machine or dishwasn ng machine, is iormed.

In a preferred emoodiment of the invention, one end of an outlet tube benαed to L shape is tightenedly connected to the outlet opening, the other end of the outlet tube being tightenedly plugged into a siphon, and the leg of the outlet tube connected to the outlet opening is led back horizontally, the other leg being directed vertically down.

Rear part of the basm or tray adjacent to the wall is preferably hollow.

In anotner preferred embodiment, the outlet tube is formed in one part with the basm or tray, a filtering unit is tightenedly plugged from above into the vertical leg of the outlet tube and an upper tablet having a tiltable part is provided.

The filtering un t preferably comprises a glove-finger shaped filter element with at least two holder elements joined to the upper rim thereof and with a head element joined to the upper enαs of the holder elements.

The water-using household machine, especially washing machine or dishwashing machine, is preferably built m one piece with the basm or tray fitted with the water tap and with the outlet tube and the siphon. In a furtner preferred emboαiment, tne outlet tuoe is made of a flexiDie tube, and the oas or tray is nmged ana tiltab e up to the wall.

The

household machine, especially washing machine or dishwashing machine, is preferably fitted with a water-boiler un t, and a warm water point of the water tap is connected to a warm water point of the water-boiler urn t .

In a further preferred embodiment, the sanitary unit according to trie invention has elements, especially a rramework and/or upper tablet and/or front-wall-element and/or sidewall-elements for fitting into or joining to built-in furniture elements and/or a series thereof.

Brief Description of Drawings

Objects, reatures ana advantages of tne present invention will be discussed below in αetails by detailed αescription of exemplary embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings in which

Fig. 1 is the axonometric view of one naif of a f_rst embodiment of the sanitary unit according to the present invention; Fig.2 is the axonometric view of one half of a second embodiment of the sanitary unit according to the present invention; Fig. 3 shows a schematic view of the outlet system of the sanitary unit according to Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is the axonometric view of the filter unit o_ the sanitary unit according to Fig. _ and

Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a blown up axonometric view of a third embodiment of the sanitary unit according to tne present invention; Fig. D is a blown up axonometric view of a fourth emoodiment of the sanitary unit according to the present invention; 01/42573

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Eig. 7 shows a schemata c view of interconnections of the sanitary unit according to Fig. 5; Fig. 8 shows a schematic view of alternative interconnections of the sanitary unit according to Fig. 5; and Fig. 9 is the axonometric view of one half of a slightly modified form of the sanitary unit according to Fig. 1.

Best Mode of Carrying Out tne Invention

The sanitary unit shown m Fig. 1 has lavatory bas 10, water tap 12 and outlet 14. The lavatory bas 10 is supported by a framework 16 resting on the floor of a bathroom (not shown; . The framework 16 can preferably be a lower part element of a usual built m kitchen-cupboard with an upper tablet 18 having an opening engaging the outline of the lavatory basm 10.

The lavatory basm 10 has an outlet opening 20 arranged m the rear (not, as usual, m the centre of the bottom) near to a back-wall 24 of the basm parallel with a wall 22 of the bathroom. One end of an outlet tube 26 (preferably made of a plastic material) is connected to the outlet opening 20 using appropriate packing (not shown) . The outlet tube 26 is bended according to an L shape. Tne leg connected to the outlet opening 20 is horizontal the other leg near the wall 22 being vertical. Lower end of the vertical leg of the outlet tube 26 is placed within a siphon 28 again using appropriate packing (not shown) . A connecting element 30 of L shape is joined to the sidewall of the siphon 28. One, longer leg of the connecting element 30 is parallel and near to the wall 22 the other, shorter leg being perpendicular to the wall 22 and connected to an outlet fitting built into the wall 22 (not shown) .

Rear side of the lavatory basm 10 near tne wall 22 is hollow formed to provide a hidden space for lower parts of the water tap 12 (not shown) and for its connections (again not shown for the sake of simplicity) . In the free space under the lavatory basm 10 of tne sanitary unit descrioed can be arranged without any problem a washing machine 32 (represented by an arrow m Fig. 1) . In the case of a ront-loaαed washing machine 32 a final build in is possible as well when it would be fixedly connected both to the water supply means (not shown) and to the outlet 14. A washing machine 32 loaded at the upper side could be pushed-pulled e.g. m a direction perpendicular to the wall 22. Other variations (turning of the washing machine hinged to the framework 16 or to the pavement, pushmg-pullmg in a direction parallel with the wall 22 etc. ) .

The sanitary unit according to Fig. 2 differs from trie unit of Fig. 1 t that the outlet tube 2o is formed m one piece witn the lavatory basm 10 and a cylindrical filtering unit 34 is pushed from above into the vertical leg of the outlet tube 26 (see also Fig. 4;, and the upper tablet 15 is divided nto two parts. Part lo' behind the water tap 12 can be turned up to the wall 22 as indicated by an arrow m Fig. 2. This arrangement makes it possible to pull out the filtering unit 34 from above when maintenance or replacement becomes necessary.

The filtering unit 34 (see Fig. 4) has a cylindrical lower part comprising a filter element 36 of glove-finger shape. Lower ends of two elongated holαer elements are 38 joined to trie upper end of the filter element 36. Upper ends of the holder elements 38 support α. circular head element 40. The holder elements 38 are parallel with the longitudinal axis of the filtering unit 34 and arranged in an angular distance of 180° from each other. Around the upper rim of the a packing ring 42 is arranged m order to prevent the used up water arriving through outlet tube 26 from avoiding the filter element 36 and entering tne siphon 28 without prior filtering.

As shown Fig. 3, filtering unit 34 can be arranged withm a siphon 28 of constant cross-section as well. In this case filtering unit 34 is held m position by means of a bayonet lock 44 (not shown m details). In Fig. 3, an exemplary oαe of connection of the outlet opening 20 of the favatory basm 10 and a flexible outlet hose 4d of a washing machine (not shown) , respectively to the outlet tube 26 is demonstrated as well. In this case, the outlet tube 26 is of Y shape. One end thereof is connected via shut-off valve 50 to siphon 28 the other (branching) end being joined via flexible hose sections 48 to the lavatory basm 10 and the washing machine, respectively.

With the exemplary embodiment shown in tig. 5, the framework 16 holding the lavatory basm 10 fitted with water tap 12 and the upper tablet 18, respectively is covered at right and left side thereof by sioewall-elements 52 and at front side by an upper front-wall-element 54. A washing machine 32 of front-loading type s arranged in the interior of the framework 16, the rront siαe of the washing machine 32 preferably being aligned witn the element- element 54. Similar sanitary units can be made of dishwasher trays and dishwasher machines. After mounting of sidewall-elements 52, the appearance of tne sanitary unit is rather similar to lower parts of common built m cupboards. Therefore, such lower part cupboarα units (e.g. open shelved, door-fitted or drawer-fitted cases) can be joined to both sides of the sanitary unit.

With the exemplary emoodiment of the sanitary unit according to the present invention shown m Fig. 6, all basic parts are integrated m the factory. As shown schematically, the lavatory basm 10 fitted witn water tap 12 and the washing machine 32, respectively form a unitary complex, casing 5o of the washing machine 32 being designed to encircie fully the lavatory basm 10 or, alternatively, upper part of the casing 56 of the washing machine 32 is designed to form the lavatory basm fitted with an outlet opening (not shown) . Water tap 12 is mounted on a turn-up tablet 58, which is pivotably connected to rear edge of the part forming the lavatory basm 10. Connections of water tap 12 to fitting points of the water supply means (not shown) are realized by means of flexible hoses (also not shown) . Of course, a front-loading type washing machine 32 is now used. Similar integrated sanitary units could be formed of front-loaded dishwashing machines and dishwashing trays. Fitting onto or into built in cupboard series is again possible.

In Fig. 7, an exemplary connection scheme of sanitary units according to Fig. 1, Fig. 2 and Fig. 5, respectively is shown. Joining elements (not shown) of water tap 12 are connected to cold water point 70 and warm water point 72, respectively via flexible hose sections 60, 60' . Outlet 14 is connected to outlet point 80 by means of a hose section 62. Corresponding joining elements of the washing machine 32 are connected to cold water point 70 warm water point 72 and outlet point 80, respectively via flexible hose sections 64, 64' and 66.

In Fig. 8 a sanitary unit is shown which is useful on those places where there is neither standard warm water supply nor an accessible boiler but a cold water connection point and a water outlet point only. In this case, a water- boiling unit 90 of the washing machine will deliver warm water to the water tap 12 of the lavatory basin 10 as well. (In Fig. 8, the water-boiling unit is shown apart from the washing machine 32 for the sake of better understanding it is, however, arranged in the interior thereof and needs no extra space. Thus necessary number of connections and length of connecting hoses are decreased since cold water point 70 is connected through hose section 60 to cold water leg of water tap 12, through hose section 64 to the cold water point of the washing (or dishwashing) machine 32 and to the cold water point of the water-boiler unit 90, respectively. The outlet point 80 is connected through hose section 62 to outlet tube 14 of the lavatory basin 10 and through hose section 66 to an outlet point 68 of the washing (or dishwashing) machine 32. Warm water point of the water-boiler unit 90 is connected through hose section 72 to the warm water leg of water tap 12 and (within the machine) to a warm water point of the washing compartment.

The sanitary unit shown in Fig. 9 differs from the sanitary unit according to Fig. 1 in it that the lavatory basm 10 itself is hinged and tiltable up to tne wall 22 as indicated by an arrow. Further, outlet tube 26 is made of a flexible hose having an U shaped bended section, m the normal position of the lavatory basm 10 and becoming gradually straight when the latter is tilted up.

Claims

1. Sanitary unit, especially for household use, having a water tap connected to a water supply means, a basm or tray preferably resting with one side on a wall and being fitted with an outlet opening directing the water drawn from the supply means into a recipient, especially a sewer; characterized m that the outlet opening (20) is formed at the lower part of a back-wall (24) of the basm (10) or tray, and under the basm (10) or tray a space for accommodating of a water-using household machine, especially wasn g machine or dishwashing macnme (32), is formed.

2. Sanitary unit according to Claim 1, characterized m that one end of an outlet tube (26) bended to L shape is tightenedly connected to the outlet opening (20), the other end of the outlet tube (26) being tightenedly plugged into a siphon (28), and the leg of the outlet tube (26) connected to the outlet opening (20) is led back horizontally, the other leg being directed vertically down.

3. Sanitary unit according to Claim 1 or Claim 2 characterized that rear part of the basm (10) or tray adjacent to the wall (22) is hollow.

4. Sanitary unit according to anyone of the preceding claims, characterized m that the outlet tube (26) is formed m one part with the basm (10) or tray, a filtering unit (34) is tightenedly plugged from above into the vertical leg of the outlet tube (26) and an upper tablet

(18) having a tiltable part (18') is provided.

5. Sanitary unit according to Claim 4, characterized by the filtering unit (34) having a glove-fmger shaped filter element (36) with at least two holder elements (38) joined to the upper rim thereof and with a head element (40) joined to the upper ends of the holder elements (38) . D. Sanitary unit according to anyone of the preceding claims, characterized in that the water-using household machine, especially washing machine or dishwashing machine

(32), is built m one piece with the basm (10; or tray fitted with the water tap (12) and with the outlet tube

(2D) and the siphon (28) .

7. Sanitary unit according to anyone of the preceding claims, characterized m that the outlet tube ( o) is made of a flexible tube, and the basin (10; or tray is hinged and tiltaoie up to the wall (22) .

8. Sanitary unit according to anyone of the preceding claims, characterized in that the water-using household machine, especially wasn g machine or dishwashing machine

(32), is fitted witn a water-boiler unit (9uj, and a warm water point of the water tap ( 12 j is connected to a warm water point of the water-boiier unit ι 0) .

9. Sanitary unit according to anyone of the preceding claims, characterized by having elements, especially a framework (16) and/or upper tablet (18) and/ or element- element (54) and/or sidewall-elements (52) for fitting into or joining to built furniture elements and/or a series thereof .