Baths – closets – sinks – and spittoons – Wash receptacles – With work surface
Reexamination Certificate
2000-11-07
2001-11-06
Huson, Gregory L. (Department: 3751)
Baths, closets, sinks, and spittoons
Wash receptacles
With work surface
C004S630000, C004S635000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06311345
ABSTRACT:
The invention relates to a method of integrating a basin into a receiving plane, in particular a plane for sanitary fittings or a worktop in bathroom or kitchen furniture. It extends to the monobloc receiving-plane/ basin assembly obtained.
Bathroom or kitchen furniture possesses an upper panel forming a plane for sanitary fittings or a worktop into which a basin, generally a sink-basin or wash-basin, is fitted; this upper panel may be clad with a coating (in particular made of laminate) and is often designated by the term “receiving plane”. Two types of technique make it possible to integrate the basin into the receiving plane. After an opening has been made in the latter, the basin can be placed in position in the said opening, either below the receiving plane or above the latter. In the first case, the operations for fixing the basin are more complex, and imperfect installation can lead, when the basin is in use, to displacement of the latter in relation to the receiving plane, in particular to separation under the weight of the load or even to breaking-away.
The method to which the invention relates is of the second type in which the basin is placed in position in the opening in the receiving plane above the latter. Thanks to an overlapping peripheral border, the basin can be fitted above the upper surface of the receiving plane so as to project in relation to the said surface (EP-0471964; FR-2729169, FIG. 5); it may also be fitted in a moulding formed in the receiving plane around the opening so as to ensure that the basin is flush with the level of the upper surface of the receiving plane (EP-0307825; FR-2729169, FIG. 6). This flush fitting of the basin has the advantage of ensuring surface continuity between the basin and the receiving plane, thus avoiding accumulations of contaminants and facilitating cleaning. In both cases, the basin inserted in the opening in the receiving plane in this way is stabilised by means of a number of fixing components of a mechanical type (pinching or gripping components) which are disposed on the periphery of the receiving plane at the bottom part of the latter.
Such a method of integration has a number of shortcomings. In the first place, the need to place a number of fixing components in position around the basin appreciably increases the installation costs by reason of the actual cost of these accessories and the cost of fitting them. Moreover, the connection between the basin and the receiving plane remains imperfect in the case of this type of fixing: the basin, which is held, at its bottom part, at a distance from the receiving plane at a number of points, may undergo minor displacements in relation to the said receiving plane, particularly in the event of impacts. When a flush fit is being sought between the upper surface of the receiving plane and the basin, an integrating and fixing mode of this kind does not enable perfect continuity of the surfaces to be obtained, and the aesthetic quality of the assembly remains imperfect; in particular, minor displacements of the basin have a considerable effect on the quality of appearance of the assembly.
A variant for integrating a sink in a support is described in Patent NL 8,201,555. The sink is placed in the receiving plane at a certain distance from the latter so as to form a clear peripheral space intended to constitute a moulding volume for an elastomer (especially polyurethane); the assembly is disposed, in the upside-down position, on an air bolster which closes the moulding volume at the level of the working face of the receiving plane, and the elastomer is cast into this volume in order to serve as a connecting and damping buffer. However, such an embodiment has the same shortcomings as before as far as the quality of fixing of the sink and the quality of appearance of the finished product are concerned. The flow of elastomer into the moulding volume generally contains bubbles (originating from the trapping of air when casting is carried out) which affect the quality of the fixing. Moreover, a major peripheral joint remains apparent on the utility face of the finished product, thereby breaking the continuity between the basin and the receiving plane; this joint ages in the course of time, with the risks of variation in colouring and accumulation of stains. Moreover, at the time of manufacture (before the casting of the elastomer), the basin is difficult to position perfectly in relation to the receiving plane and a shortcoming in positioning leads to a very defective aesthetic quality in the finished product (basin off-centre and surrounded by a joint of variable thickness).
The present invention proposes to alleviate the above-mentioned shortcomings of the known methods of integration of the type providing, in the upper part, flush fitting of the basin and receiving plane.
One object of the invention is, in particular, to supply a receiving-plane/basin assembly which, once produced, forms an indissociable monobloc element, without any possibility or risk of displacement of the basin in relation to the receiving plane.
Another object is to obtain, for the said assembly, a finished appearance of remarkable quality with, in particular, perfect basin/receiving-plane continuity at the level of the upper surface of the said receiving plane.
Another object is to indicate a method which does not call for mechanical fixing accessories and the implementation of which may be carried out at the factory at a reduced cost compared to the known methods.
With a view to making the description clearer, it will be assumed, throughout the following, that the receiving plane and basin are in their normal position of use, the terms “top”, “bottom”, “upper” and “lower” referring to this position.
The method according to the invention for integrating a basin into a receiving plane is characterised in that it combines the following operations:
(a) the basin is produced by moulding a synthetic material, with a peripheral mouth comprising a portion which is widened out towards the top, followed by a rounded portion terminating in an upper rim of centrifugal direction and of predefined diameter,
(b) The receiving plane is bored right through and an opening for the insertion of the basin is produced in the said plane, the said opening comprising, edgewise:
in its top part, an upper offset matched to the upper rim of the basin and of a height which is suitable for permitting the encasing of the said upper rim of the basin in the said offset with little clearance,
in its intermediate part, a convex rounded formation matched to the rounded portion of the basin so as to be capable of being applied, with little clearance, against the said rounded portion, the said convex rounded formation being followed by a so-called “decompression” section, which is arranged to arrive opposite the widened-out portion of the basin so as to form a decompression chamber with the said portion,
c) a fine layer of polymerisable glue is deposited at the level of the upper offset and of at least part of the rounded formation on the receiving plane,
d) the basin is then placed in position in the opening in the receiving plane so that its upper rim and its rounded portion become enchased opposite the upper offset and the rounded formation on the receiving plane respectively,
e) the said basin is pushed in, compressing the fine layer of polymerisable glue, in such a way that the upper rim of the basin becomes flush with the upper surface of the receiving plane, the compression having the effect of making the thickness of the polymerisable glue compressed between the matched surfaces thinner and uniform, and being accompanied by a flow of glue towards the decompression chamber delimited by the widened-out portion of the basin and by the decompression section of the receiving plane.
According to a preferred mode of implementation, the boring of the opening in the receiving plane (b) is carried out so as to endow the said opening, in its lower part, with a supporting face (
14
) for casting a shoulder, the method comprising a final operat
Huson Gregory L.
Nguyen Tuan
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