Abstract:
The invention relates to a cabin ( 70 ) for a floating installation, in particular for a ship ( 60 ), having a room unit ( 1 ) which is bounded at least by a ceiling ( 10 ) and walls ( 20 ), and lines ( 30 ) which supply the room unit ( 1 ), in particular with air, water, data, power, illumination, etc. Provision is made according to the invention for the lines ( 30 ) to extend in the room unit ( 1 ) in such a way that the lines ( 30 ) simultaneously act as reinforcing means for the room unit ( 1 ).

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The invention relates to a cabin for a floating installation, in particular for a ship, having a room unit, which is delimited at least by a ceiling and by walls, and conduits, which serve for providing a supply, in particular of air, water, data, electricity, lighting, etc., to the room unit. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     DE 198 28 505 A1 discloses a ship cabin which is composed of a load-bearing floor, a ceiling and wall elements. The floor is formed from a multiplicity of layers which exhibit different flexural strength and elasticity, whereby the cabin has improved characteristics with regard to its strength and basic rigidity. This is of great importance in particular during the transportation of the cabin and during the installation of the cabin on the ship. Consequently, transportation damage can be avoided owing to the increased stiffening of the cabin as a result of the use of the above-mentioned floor. It has disadvantageously been found that the use of said special floor for increasing the flexural strength of the cabin involves great outlay in terms of material and assembly. 
     It is an object of the present invention to eliminate the disadvantages mentioned above, in particular to create a cabin which exhibits the required basic rigidity during transportation and when it is installed on the floating installation, in particular on the ship, whereby damage to the cabin can be virtually prevented. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is provided according to the invention that the conduits run in the room unit such that the conduits simultaneously act as stiffening means for the room unit. 
     According to the invention, the conduits are supply conduits which can supply different media to the cabin. For example, the supply conduits can supply air, water, data, electricity, lighting etc. to the cabin. According to the invention, the conduits are integrated in the room unit such that said conduits simultaneously perform a stiffening function for the room unit. Here, it may be expedient for the conduits to be arranged along the length extent and/or the width extent and/or the height extent of the room unit, which contributes considerably to increasing the basic rigidity of the cabin. 
     In a further measure that improves the invention, it may be provided that the conduits are integrated in the room unit such that the conduits are accessible from the interior of the room unit. The integration of the conduits in the room unit is conducive to the possibility of optimizing the required cabin structural space in a floating installation, in particular in a ship, which results, for example, in an additional deck (a greater number of cabins for the same ship dimensions) or a lower ship, whereby a lower center of gravity of the ship can be realized. Consequently, less aluminum needs to be installed in the upper region of the ship. Furthermore, in this way, the air resistance can be lowered, which can save many tonnes of fuel even in the case of slow ships. By contrast to the prior art, in which, inter alia, the conduits are arranged on the outer side of the cabin, the integration according to the invention of the supply conduits in the room unit yields an increased basic rigidity of the cabin, wherein at the same time, a major advantage is that the conduits are accessible from the interior of the room unit. It has been found that, during the installation of the cabin and during later repair work and/or maintenance work, accessibility to the supply conduits from the interior of the room unit can be an advantage. The arrangement of the supply conduits on the outer side of the room unit has the major disadvantage that said region is only accessible with difficulty, in particular because only little structural space is available for the technician in said region. The relocation of the supply conduits into the room unit is thus highly conducive to keeping the assembly outlay or the repair and maintenance outlay as low as possible. A further advantage is that, owing to the integration of the supply conduits in the room unit, the supply conduits are protected during the transportation of the cabin and when the cabin is installed on the floating installation, in particular on the ship, and said supply conduits thus cannot—as in the prior art—be damaged by any impact against the outer side of the room unit. 
     It may be advantageous for the room unit to be transported into the installation, in particular into the ship, without a floor. This means that the room unit is formed only from a ceiling and the associated walls. This box, which is open on one side, is placed onto the ship floor and subsequently correspondingly fastened to the ship floor, which will be discussed further below. 
     Provision may also be made for the conduits to be arranged in the edge region between the ceiling and the wall and/or in the edge region between the wall and a floor of the room unit. It is achieved in this way that the cabin is made more torsionally rigid and flexurally rigid. Since the conduits are integrated in the room unit, the height of the room unit or of the cabin can be reduced. At the same time, fewer collisions can occur as the cabin is transported and introduced into the floating installation. Through the integration of the conduits in the interior of the room unit, it is additionally possible to achieve improved acoustic characteristics for each individual cabin. The conduits are advantageously situated behind a cover element, which may for example be in the form of a decorative strip. The cover element is preferably matched to the overall design of the cabin. This means that, for example, the color of the cover element or of the surface or material thereof may be matched to the interior of the cabin. To permit access to the supply conduits, the cover element is advantageously removable. A clip-type fastening and/or a fastening involving detent means is for example conceivable. Alternative fastening types, for example a screw connection, are also conceivable. 
     According to the invention, it is possible for the conduits to extend through a receiving body which is fastened to the ceiling and/or to the wall and/or to the floor, in particular for the receiving body to be metallic. The receiving body may for example be an extruded profile which serves as a framework for the supply conduits. All fastening types are conceivable for the fastening of the receiving body to the ceiling, to the wall and to the floor. In one possible embodiment of the invention, the receiving body is situated in the interior of the room unit, wherein the receiving body is provided with the cover element, which reliably conceals the supply conduits from the viewer situated in the cabin. In a further possibility of the invention, the receiving body constitutes a load-bearing connecting piece to which the ceiling and the wall are fastened. It is likewise conceivable for the receiving body, which serves as a load-bearing connecting piece, to connect the wall to a floor of the cabin. The receiving body is advantageously highly conducive to increasing the rigidity of the cabin. 
     It is furthermore conceivable according to the invention for the receiving body to have at least one chamber in which the conduits extend, in particular for multiple mutually separate chambers to be provided. The chambers may be completely separate from one another. It may likewise be provided that connecting regions exist between the chambers, such that the chambers are open to one another in defined regions. An advantage of different chambers is that defined supply conduits can be led separately in the respective chamber. For example, it may be of technical importance for defined supply conduits not to be led in the same chamber. Here, safety aspects may be of high importance. For example, it may be advantageous for water conduits to be led separately from electrical lines in separate chambers. 
     Furthermore, it is conceivable for the receiving body to have at least one fastening receptacle on which the wall and/or the ceiling is arranged. Here, the fastening receptacle may form a monolithic component with the receiving body. Here, the fastening receptacle serves for reliably holding the wall and/or the ceiling on the receiving body. Here, in one possible embodiment of the invention, it is conceivable for the wall and/or the ceiling to be held in positively locking fashion in the fastening receptacle. It is additionally conceivable for the wall and/or the ceiling to be held in non-positively locking and/or cohesive fashion in the fastening receptacle. In one possible embodiment of the receiving body, the fastening receptacle is for example in the form of a U-shaped profile in which the wall and/or the ceiling are reliably held. 
     To prevent any movements of the conduits within the chambers, it may be provided according to the invention that, in the chamber, the space in which the conduits are situated is filled with a material. The material, which serves as a type of filler material, may be introduced into the chamber and additionally perform further functions; in particular, said filler material may serve for noise deadening. The filler material is preferably situated in the chamber and preferably holds the conduits in their desired position, whereby any rattling noises, which may be generated for example in the event of contact between the conduit and the receiving body material, can be prevented. Alternatively and/or in addition, the invention also encompasses the possibility of the conduits being fixed in their position within the receiving body by way of plastics cable ties. 
     The cover element may advantageously have at least one of the following elements: lighting element, sensor, loudspeaker, display, plug socket, network connection, sprinkler element, camera, air outlet/inlet opening. As lighting elements, use may be made for example of LEDs which may serve for illuminating the interior of the room unit. Alternatively and/or in addition, an emergency light may be provided on the cover element, which emergency light receives energy via the supply conduit. With regard to the sensor, it is for example possible for a motion sensor to be provided on the cover element in order to provide lighting only in the event of a defined movement within the cabin. 
     The ceiling and the walls are advantageously formed from a multiplicity of ceiling elements and wall elements that are fastened to one another. The ceiling elements and wall elements may for example be formed from an insulating material. It is likewise advantageous for the material of the ceiling elements and of the wall elements to exhibit adequate strength, in particular also in the event of a fire. Furthermore, the material of the ceiling elements and of the wall elements may exhibit high imperviousness and low thermal conductivity. 
     Ease of assembly may be increased by virtue of the ceiling element being fastened to the ceiling element adjacent thereto by way of a tongue and groove connection, and/or the wall element being fastened to the wall element adjacent thereto by way of a tongue and groove connection. The tongue and groove connection may additionally be supplemented by a non-positively locking and/or positively locking and/or cohesive connection. For example, a screw connection additionally in the region of the tongue and groove connection can ensure reliable fastening of the individual ceiling elements and wall elements to one another. The material of the ceiling elements and/or of the wall elements is advantageously surrounded by thin sheet metal. The material of the ceiling elements and of the wall elements may also be in the form of rigid mineral wool. 
     In one possible embodiment of the invention, it may be possible for a metallic frame profile to be fastened to the floor of the room unit, wherein the wall element is held in the frame profile. The frame profile is for example in the form of a U-shaped profile in which the wall element can be reliably fixed. Furthermore, the frame profile may be welded to the ship floor, such that the cabin is reliably held in its defined position within the ship. 
     According to the invention, a ship having multiple cabins is provided, wherein each cabin is formed by a room unit which is delimited at least by a ceiling and by walls, and conduits are provided which serve for providing a supply, in particular of air, water, data, electricity, lighting, etc., to the room unit. Furthermore, the conduits run in the room unit such that the conduits simultaneously act as stiffening means for the room unit. 
     In one possible embodiment of the invention, the floor of the cabin may be formed by a ship floor, wherein the walls are held, at the floor side, in a metallic frame profile, in particular in a U-shaped profile, wherein the frame profile is fastened, in particular welded to the ship floor. 
     The cabins may advantageously be arranged one on top of the other and/or adjacent to one another within the ship. Owing to the conduits according to the invention, which serve to stiffen each cabin, the cabins according to the invention can be arranged one on top of the other. Here, the floor of the upper cabin may simultaneously be the ceiling of the lower cabin. A reduction of the structural height of the ship can be achieved in this way. It is likewise possible for additional ship decks to be realized. Furthermore, the weight of the ship can be reduced considerably, because fewer metallic frame profiles, which jointly define the floor region of each ship deck, are required. 
     Further advantages, features and details of the invention will emerge from the following description, in which, with reference to the drawings, the invention is described in terms of multiple exemplary embodiments. Here, the features mentioned in the claims and in the description may be essential to the invention individually or in any desired combination. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  shows a schematic view of a cabin composed of a ceiling and multiple walls. 
         FIG. 2  shows a possible exemplary embodiment of a cabin which is equipped, at the ceiling region, with supply conduits. 
         FIG. 3  shows a further exemplary embodiment of a cabin which is formed with supply conduits both at the ceiling region and also at the floor region. 
         FIG. 4  shows a possible exemplary embodiment for the fastening of a wall element of a cabin to the floor of the ship. 
         FIG. 5  shows a sectional view along two wall elements arranged adjacent to one another. 
         FIG. 6  shows an exemplary embodiment of a possible arrangement of supply conduits in the region of the cabin. 
         FIG. 7 a    shows a further exemplary embodiment for the arrangement of the supply conduits in the cabin. 
         FIG. 7 b    shows yet a further exemplary embodiment for the arrangement of the supply conduits in the cabin. 
         FIG. 7 c    shows an additional example for the arrangement of the supply conduits in the cabin. 
         FIG. 8  shows a further example for the arrangement of the supply conduits in the region of the cabin. 
         FIG. 9  shows a schematic view of a ship that is equipped with a multiplicity of cabins. 
         FIG. 10  shows a schematic view of a possible arrangement of cabins in a ship. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       FIG. 1  shows a cabin  70  that can be installed in a ship  60  as per  FIG. 9 . As can be seen in  FIG. 9 , the ship  60  has a multiplicity of cabins  70  which are situated on different levels (decks). Each cabin  70  is equipped with supply conduits  30  such that electricity, lighting and air (by way of an air-conditioning system), for example, are available to each passenger in the cabin  70 . It is likewise conceivable for waste water to be able to be discharged from the cabin  70  via the supply conduits  30 . The passenger can likewise receive audible information via the supply conduits  30 . It is furthermore possible for the user in the cabin  70  to be provided, via the conduits  30 , with a network connection in order that they can receive and/or exchange electronic data. It is thus possible for any form of information technology to likewise be integrated into the conduits  30 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , the cabin constitutes a room unit  1  which is composed of a ceiling  10  and multiple walls  20 . A wet room, for example, may be integrated in the cabin  70 , wherein an entrance door and/or a window port may additionally be provided. 
       FIG. 2  and  FIG. 3  schematically show that the conduits  30  may run in the edge region  3  between the ceiling  10  and the wall  20  and/or in the edge region  3  between the wall  20  and the floor  4  of the room unit  1 . By virtue of the conduits  30  being integrated in the room unit  1 , the cabins  70  can be reduced in height, such that overall, the number of cabins in a ship can be increased, whereby the profitability of a ship can be increased considerably. 
     The arrangement of the supply conduits  30  along the longitudinal extent of the room unit  1  additionally has the effect that the cabin  70  is made more torsionally and flexurally rigid, which is a great advantage during the transportation of the cabin  70  and when the cabin  70  is installed on the respective ship deck. 
     In the exemplary embodiment shown as per  FIG. 1 , the cabin  70  does not have a separate floor, such that the room unit  1 , formed by four walls  20  and a ceiling  10 , is initially open at the floor side. Said box  1 , which is open on one side, is placed onto the ship floor and fastened to the floor  4  for example as per  FIG. 4 . In the present exemplary embodiment, a frame profile  6  is provided on the floor  4 , which frame profile holds the walls  20  in a reliable manner. The frame profile  6  is for example in the form of a U-shaped profile, as per  FIG. 4 . The geometric design of the U-shaped profile  6  is correspondingly adapted to the dimensions of the wall  20 , such that the wall  20  is held in the U-shaped profile  6  in positively locking fashion. The U-shaped profile  6  is welded to the ship floor  6 , thus ensuring a reliable fastening of the cabin  70  to the ship deck. 
     As is also shown in  FIG. 1 , the ceiling  10  and the walls  20  are formed from a multiplicity of ceiling elements  11  and wall elements  21 , which are fastened to one another by way of a tongue and groove connection  5 , as per  FIG. 5 . Each ceiling element  11  and wall element  21  is composed of a defined inner material which is encompassed by thin sheet metal  12 . The inner material is preferably rigid, and meets all fire safety requirements. The inner material may likewise advantageously have an insulating effect, wherein it may alternatively and/or additionally perform sound-insulating functions. The individual ceiling elements  11  and wall elements  21 , which may also be referred to as panels, may additionally be screwed to one another in the region of the tongue and groove connection  5 . The thickness of the sheet metal  12  may for example be less than 1 mm. 
       FIG. 6  to  FIG. 8  show by way of example that the conduits  30  may be equipped with a cover element  31 , such that the conduits  30  are concealed from the interior  2  of the room unit  1 . Here, different geometrical forms of the cover element  31  are conceivable, these also being shown in  FIG. 7 a    to  FIG. 7 c   . In  FIG. 6  and  FIG. 8 , the cover element is arranged at 45° with respect to the wall  20  and with respect to the ceiling  10 . Alternatively, the cover element  31  may have an extent similar to a segment of a circle, as per  FIG. 7 a   . Further variants regarding the geometry of the cover element  31  are shown in  FIG. 7 b    and  FIG. 7   c.    
     The cover element  31  as per  FIG. 6  to  FIG. 8  is advantageously removable, thus permitting access to the supply conduits  30  from the interior  2  of the room unit  1 . This makes it significantly easier for a technician to perform repair work or maintenance work on the conduits  30  from the interior  2  of the cabin  70 . Ease of installation is further increased if the cover element  31  is detachably fastened in the region of the conduits  30  by way of a simple connecting means. It is advantageous for the cover element  31  to be arranged on the conduits  30  by way of a detent connection and/or clip-type connection. As is schematically shown in  FIG. 6  and  FIG. 8 , the conduits  30  extend through a metallic receiving body  32 . As per  FIG. 6 , the receiving body  32  is fastened to a metallic frame  7 , wherein at the same time, the wall  20  and the ceiling  10  are reliably fixed to the frame  7 . To one side, the frame  7  has a U-shaped profile  6  in which the wall  20  is held in positively locking fashion. To the other side, the frame  7  has a support surface on which the ceiling  10  is supported in contiguous fashion. Furthermore, the wall  20  and the ceiling  10  may be fixed to the frame  7  by way of non-positively locking and/or positively locking and/or cohesive fastening means. 
     The receiving body has a chamber  33  in which there extend various conduits  30  which can serve for providing a supply, for example of air, water, data, electricity, lighting, etc., to the cabin. By way of example, it is shown that a lighting element  50 , a sensor  51  and a loudspeaker  52  are arranged on the cover element  31 . The sensor  51  is a motion sensor which is coupled to the lighting element  50 . The lighting element  50  is activated only in the event of a defined movement within the cabin. 
       FIG. 8  shows a further exemplary embodiment of a receiving body  32  which has two chambers  33 . 1 ,  33 . 2 , through each of which various supply conduits  30  extend. Furthermore, the receiving body  32  has two fastening receptacles  34  to which the wall  20  and the ceiling  10  are fastened. In the exemplary embodiment illustrated, the fastening receptacles  34  are in the form of U-shaped profiles  6  in which the ceiling  10  and the wall  20  are reliably held in each case in positively locking fashion. 
     The space  35  between the conduits  30  may advantageously be filled with a material  36 , as per  FIG. 6  and  FIG. 8 . In this way, it is possible for any rattling noises, which are generated for example as a result of contact between the conduits  30  and the metallic receiving body  32 , to be prevented. 
     Various elements are also incorporated in the cover element  31  as per  FIG. 8 : a lighting element  50 , a sensor  51 , a loudspeaker  52 , and air outlet and/or inlet openings  53 . 
       FIG. 10  shows a further alternative of a possible arrangement of ship cabins  70  within a ship. Each cabin has conduits  30 , such as have already been described with reference to  FIG. 1  to  FIG. 8  in different variants, as stiffening means in the edge regions  3 . The possible embodiments of the conduits as per  FIG. 1  to  FIG. 8  may self-evidently also be used in  FIG. 10 . However,  FIG. 10  shows that, by means of an arrangement of cabins  70  one on top of the other, the structural height of the ship can be reduced considerably.  FIG. 10  shows a double-deck arrangement of cabins  70 , with two frame profiles  6  being provided which delimit the double-deck arrangement at the top and at the bottom. The ceiling  10  of the lower cabin  70  simultaneously constitutes the floor of the upper cabin  70 . The structural height of the ship can be reduced considerably in this way. 
     LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS 
     
         
           1  Room unit 
           2  Interior of  1   
           3  Edge region 
           4  Floor 
           5  Tongue and groove connection 
           6  Frame profile, U-shaped profile 
           7  Frame 
           10  Ceiling 
           11  Ceiling element 
           12  Sheet metal 
           20  Wall 
           21  Wall element 
           22  Sheet metal 
           30  Conduit 
           31  Cover element 
           32  Receiving body 
           33  Chamber 
           33 . 1  Chamber 
           33 . 2  Chamber 
           34  Fastening receptacle 
           35  Space for  36   
           36  Material, felt 
           50  Lighting element 
           51  Sensor 
           52  Loudspeaker 
           53  Air outlet/inlet opening 
           60  Ship 
           70  Cabin