BED FOR CARRYING AND SUPPORTING BATH TUBS, IN PARTICULAR MADE OF PLASTICS MATERIAL

Abstract: The present invention relates to a bed (1) for carrying and supporting bath tubs (3) made of a plastics material, which comprises a shaped body defining at the top whereof a seat (2) effective to be coupled to at least a portion of the bottom surface of a bath tub (3). The mentioned shaped body (1) is provided, at the bottom thereof, with at least a zone (12) for resting on the bath room floor (19). Moreover stiffening ribs (6), (16) and (13) are provided which are arranged longitudinally, transversally, and along oblique directions.

Description: The present invention relates to a bed for carrying and supporting bath tubs, in particular made of a plastics material. As it is veil known, there are commercially available bath tubs which are made of plastics materials, more specifically acrylic materials. The mentioned bath tubs have the advantage, with respect to the conventional ones, of being remarkably lighter and easier to handle, of great resistance to impacts and nearly underforinable. Notwithstanding the mentioned advantages the known plastics material bath tubs are rather difficult to be properly installed, since it is necessary to carry out suitable masonry works which negatively affect the cost of the installed bath tub. Accordingly, the task of the present invention is that of obviating the thereinabove mentioned drawbacks, by providing such a bed for carrying and supporting plastics material bath tubs which affords the possibility of greatly simplifying the operations related to the installing of the bath tub, in particular without requiring any masonry operations. Yithin that task, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide a bed for carrying and supporting bath tubs which is effective to afford the possibility of holding said bath tub perfectly posi tioned, while facilitating its installation. Another obJect of the present invention is to provide a bed of the mentioned type which is effective to stiffen the bath tub, thereby saving materials for making the plastics bath tub. Yet another obJect of the present invention is to provide such a bed for carrying and supporting bath tubs which affords the possibility of Baking a complete installation without the necessity of carrying out masonry operations or works, even with respect to the side coating steps of said beth tub. Yet another obJect of the present invention is to provide such a bed for carrying and supporting bath tubs which, due to its constructional features,- is able of offering great reliability and use safety characteristics. Yet another obJect of the present invention is to provide such a bed for carrying and supporting bath tubs, which may be made in a sfmple way while being greatly competitive from a mere economic stand point. According to one aspect of the present invention, the task and objects thereinabove mentioned, as well as yet other objects, which will become more apparent thereinafter, are achieved by a bed for carrying and supporting bath tubs, in particular plastics material bath tubs, characterized in that it comprises a shaped body provided, at the top thereof, with a seat or housing effective to be coupled to at least a portion of the bottom of said bath tub, and effective to define at the bottom at least a zone to be carried on the bath room floor, stiffening ribs being moreover provided on said shaped body. Further characteristics and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent thereinafter from the following detailed description of two preferred embodiments of a bed for carrying and supporting plastics material bath tubs, being illustrated by way of an indicative but not limitative example in the accompanying drawings, where: Figure 1 is a schematic plan view illustrating a bath tub carrying bed according to the invention; Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line II-II of Figure 1; Figure 3 illustrates a cross-sectional view as taken along the line III-III of Figure 1; Figure 4 is a top plan view illustrating a bed for carrying and supporting bath tubs, effective to be installed without any masonry operations; Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view as taken along the line V-V of Figure 4; and Figure 6 illustrates a cross-sectional view as taken along the line VI-VI of Figure 4. With reference to the figures of the accompanying drawings and, more specifically, to figures 1 to 3, the bed for carrying and supporting bath tubs, in particular plastics material bath tubs, according to the present invention, comprises a shaped body, indicated overally by the reference number 1, which is advantageously made of a plastics material. That shaped body 1 of stackable type, is provided, on the top thereof, with a seat or housing 2 and forms, practically, a containing element, effective to be coupled to the inner surface of a bath tub, indicated by a dashed line, and by the reference number 3. More specifically, the shaped boy I of this embodiment, illustrated in figures 1 to 3, is provided, at the top thereof, with a perimetrical edge 4, of substantially flat shape, horizontally laying, coupled to a side edge 5 which practically encompasses all the bed, and defines the side surfaces where of. The shaped body I is moreover provided, on its surface, and, a aartictllar, at the region therein said seat 2 is formed, with ribs 6, suitably distributed, effective to act as tffening elements for the body 1 itself. With reference to the mentioned figures 1 to 3, the ribs 6 are distributed according to lines longitudinally extending with respect to the bath tub, and with said ribs 6 transversal ribs 16 being associated with continue at the side edges 5. The ribs 6, as longitudinally arranged, define an element for resting on the bath room floor or on the sub-floor block, and allow for the bed 1 to be installed by simply carrying out a glueing operation. The bath tub 3 is inserted into the seat or housing 2 and may be held therein* by means of glueing, or without the need of further glueing operations. A main feature of the present invention consists of the tact that the coatings may be realized by panels 8, to be applied at the side edges 5 and effective to be affixed to the bath room floor and bath tub 3, without carrying out any further coupling operations, since the obtained fixed joints afford the possibility of completing the installation without using any screws. Naturally, if desired, it will be possible to carry out a further fixing operation, for example by means of screws. Advantageously the panels 8 have an already finished outer surface, thereby obviating the need of carrying out further finishing works. To this connection it should be pointed out that it would be possible to carry out tie coating operations, the tiles being effective to be directly glued on the side edges 5 of the carrying bed 19. It should be moreover pointed out that, on the bottom of the housing or seat 2 defined by the mentioned shaped body 1,there is advantageously provided a hole 9 for permitting the discharging duct of the bath tab 3 to pass through. With reference to figures 4 to 6, there is herein S2lustrated a further embodiment of the carry ing and supporting bed according to the invention, which, differently from the bed of the above described embodiment, may be installed through mansory works. More specifically, this carrying and supporting bed comprises a shaped body, indicated at 10, provided, at the top whereof, with a seat or housing, indicated at 11, which is open at the rear thereof. The shaped body 10 has a less height than the conventional height of a bath tub, thereby it may be engaged only at the lower or bottom portion of the bath tub corresponding surface, thereby providing a coupling and resting housing for said tub. The shaped body 10 is provided, on the periphery thereof, with a perimetrical edge 12 which provides an effective element for resting the bath tub on the bath room floor, in cooperation with ribs 13 mainly longitudinally extending in the body 10. At the rear portion of the shaped body 10 there is advantageously provided a flattened zone 14, therein may be obtained the passage for the discharging duct. In the embodiment illustrated in figures 4 to 6, it is possible to use a single bed, even for bath tubs of different size, since the coupling is carried out at the front region of the bath tub itself. Also in that case, the bed 2 is advantageously effective to be glued on the bath room floor, and the bath tub may be applied either by glueing it or not to the bed. The bed according to the invention may be stacked and is reinforced, in the inside ribs, by means of small blocks of thermoformed plastics materials. Moreover, in this embodiment, in order to perimetrically coat the bath tub, it is necessary to carry out masonry works. From the above disclosure it should be noted that the invention fully achieves the intended task and objects. In particular the fact is to be pointed out that a carrying and supporting bed has been provided which is effective to greatly simplify all of the installing and mounting steps of a plastics material bath tub 3 since, in addition to practically providing a resting cradle for the bath tub itself, it provides a member which, while containing said tub, is effective to further stiffen it, thereby improving remarkably the undeformability characteristics of the bath tub, even in tke case therein the latter is made with a reduced thickness. A further main advantage of the invention is that the bed according to the invention provides a wide resting zone 12 on the bath room floor 19, thereby facilitating all of the operations necessary for obtaining a perfect flatness of the installation. While the invention has been thereinabove disclosed with reference to preferred embodiments thereof, it will be obvious that it is susceptible to all variations and modifications falling within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. A bed for carrying and supporting bath tubs, in particular plastics material bath tubs, characterized in that it comprises a shaped body (1) provided at the top thereof, with a seat or housing (2) effective to be coupled to at least a portion of the bottom of said bath tub (3), and effective to define at the bottom at least a zone to be carried on the bath room floor, stiffening ribs (6) being moreover provided on said shaped body. 2. A bed for carrying and supporting bath tubs, in particular plastics material bath tubs, according to the preceding Claim, characterized in that said shaped body ( is provided with a seat or housing (2) effective to completely house said bath tub (3), said shaped body being provided with a top flat portion (4) ending with a side edge (5) perimetrically encompassing said shaped body (1). 3. A bed for carrying and supporting bath tubs, in particular plastics material bath tubs, according to Claim 1, characterized in that said longitudinal ribs (6) extending from the bottom of said seat or housing (2) are effective to provide a resting zone, transversal ribs (16) being further provided perpendicularly extending to said longitudinal ribs (6) and formed also on said side edges (5). 4. A bed for carrying and supporting bath tubs, in particular plastics material tubs, according to Claim 1, characterized in that it is effective to allow for said bath tub (3) to be affixed to the bath room floor (19) either by glueing and/or by 'using fixing screws. 5. A bed for carrying and supporting bath tubs, in particular plastics material bath tubs,^ ac cording to Claim 1, characterized in that it is effective to allow for coating panels to be applied thereon, said panles being effective to be applied between said bed and side edges. 6. A bed for carrying and supporting bath tubs, in particular plastics material bath tubs, according to Claim 1, characterized in that it comprises a tile coating, directly glued on the side edges (5). 7. A bed for carrying and supporting bath tubs, in particular plastics material bath tubs, according to Claim 1, characterized in that it is provided, on the bottom of said seat or housing with a hole (9) effective to allow for the discharging duct of said bath tub (3) to pass therethrough. 8. A bed for carrying and supporting bath tubs, in particular plastics material bath tubs, according to Claim 1, characterized in that said shaped body (1) has a less height than the height of said bath tub and is open at the rear thereof. 9. A bed for carrying and supporting bath tubs, in particular plastics material bath tubs, according to Claim 1, characterized in that said shaped body (10) open at the rear whereof, is provided of a perimetrical edge (12) effective to improve the resting zone on the bath room floor (19). 10. A bed for carrying and supporting bath tubs, in particular plastics material bath tubs, according to Claim 1, characterized in that said shaped body (iso), open at the rear whereof, is provided with a flattened zone (14) effective to define the passage for the discharging duct (9). II. A bed for carrying and supporting bath tubs, according to Claim 9, characterized in that it is stackable and reinforced, in its inner ribs (6, 16, 13) by jthermoformed plastics material blocks.

Inventors: CAPODICASA, GAETANO
Applicants: K & Q KING AND QUEEN S.P.A.
Application year: 1983
Main classification: A47K3
IPC codes: A47K3