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EP 1 112 416 B1 |
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EUROPEAN PATENT SPECIFICATION |
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Mention of the grant of the patent: |
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23.06.2004 Bulletin 2004/26 |
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Date of filing: 19.08.1999 |
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International application number: |
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PCT/SE1999/001407 |
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International publication number: |
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WO 2000/014346 (16.03.2000 Gazette 2000/11) |
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Drain cover in sanitary compartments
Ablaufabdeckung in Sanitärräumen
Couvercle filtrant destiné à des pièces sanitaires
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Designated Contracting States: |
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AT BE CH CY DE DK ES FI FR GB GR IE IT LI LU MC NL PT |
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Priority: |
03.09.1998 SE 9802968
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Date of publication of application: |
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04.07.2001 Bulletin 2001/27 |
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Proprietor: Boder, Owe |
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533 34 Götene (SE) |
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Inventor: |
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- Boder, Owe
533 34 Götene (SE)
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Representative: Lindberg, Klas Valter Bo et al |
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Awapatent AB
P.O. Box 11394 404 28 Göteborg 404 28 Göteborg (SE) |
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References cited: :
SE-A- 9 601 642 US-A- 5 470 500
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SE-B- 467 263
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Note: Within nine months from the publication of the mention of the grant of the European
patent, any person may give notice to the European Patent Office of opposition to
the European patent
granted. Notice of opposition shall be filed in a written reasoned statement. It shall
not be deemed to
have been filed until the opposition fee has been paid. (Art. 99(1) European Patent
Convention).
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[0001] The present invention relates to a drain cover of a floor drain, drain from a bath-tub,
bidet, wash-basin, shower cabinet and the like, i.e. preferably in sanitary compartments.
[0002] Known drain covers serve to drain the water flow to a floor drain or a water seal.
[0003] The cover should also have such a design that the water flow including hair and the
like is quickly drained through the holes of the cover to the floor drain and the
water seal.
[0004] The requirements mean that the desired large area of the holes for the water flow
together with, for instance, the required carrying capacity of drain covers controls
the dimensioning of the cover regarding its thickness and the like which, naturally,
affects the cost of the cover in view of the consumption of material or other reinforcement
measures.
[0005] This type of cover implies that the floor drain, the water seal and the cover'in
which hair easily gets caught regularly have to be cleaned in order to get the water
flow run into the drain without running off so slowly that water collects on the floor,
in the wash-basin, bath-tub, shower cabinet, bidet and the like, or that the drain
is completely blocked up.
[0006] Such blocking causes high cleaning costs, especially in large houses such as blocks
of flats and public buildings.
[0007] The usual work of cleaning floor drains and/or water seals is unpleasant and uncomfortable
since the waste in the floor drain and the water seal normally has to be removed by
hand. This means, in its turn, that the floor drain is generally not cleaned very
often. The floor drain is thus blocked and the water flow through the floor drain
is reduced. This results in a high water level in the floor drain, and thus there
is a risk of water escaping, which may cause damage due to damp and bad smell.
[0008] The object of this invention is to reduce the work of cleaning floor drains and/or
water seals at the same time as a cheaper cover structure is obtained.
[0009] This object is achieved by the device according to the invention by letting hair
and the like move around on the surface of the cover without getting caught or entangled
in the cover, from which it can easily be removed with the aid of, for instance, a
squeegee or by wiping with paper.
[0010] A less expensive structure is achieved since the cost of material and the waste of
material will decrease in connection with manufacturing compared with other already
known alternatives.
[0011] In order to make the hair and the like move easily on the surface of the cover, the
surface is highly polished and anti-static and the cover is provided with circular
holes with a diameter of 5-7 mm, preferably 6.0-6.5 mm, the upper edge of the holes
being rounded.
[0012] The holes should also be symmetrically distributed over the surface of the cover.
[0013] The total area of the holes in relation to the surface of the cover should be about
8-14 %, but preferably 10-12 %.
[0014] The surface of the cover is preferably somewhat concave.
[0015] Since the surface is highly polished and anti-static, hair and the like easily move
around on the surface without penetrating the surface tension of the water across
the area of the holes.
[0016] The desired surface tension of the water in the hole is equivalent in all directions
by the holes being circular. The lower limit of the diameter of the holes is determined
by the required quick run off and the upper limit by the desired surface tension.
[0017] The surface tension is enhanced by means of the rounded upper edge of the holes.
A sharp edge contributes to the surface tension being "broken" more easily.
[0018] The surface tension will be further enhanced by the holes in their lower edge having
an inwardly and downwardly directed conical flange. As a consequence, water which
is transported through the drain cover, instead of running, forms droplets having
a high surface tension. Consequently, this reduces the risk of hair and the like being
carried into the floor drain together with the water.
[0019] A symmetrical positioning of the holes results in optimum distribution of the area
of the holes in order to allow the hair to get caught more easily over the whole surface.
[0020] The relatively small area of holes in relation to the total area of the cover, preferably
10-12 %, means that the carrying capacity of the cover increases, for instance in
connection with floor drains, which implies that the thickness of the material can
be made smaller, preferably 1-3 mm at a diameter of the cover of about 150 mm, thus
reducing the cost of the cover.
[0021] In order to have a floor cover adapted to the vertical positioning of existing floor
drains in relation to the level of the surface of the floor, the cover may in this
context, for instance, be provided with a thickened edge or gaskets may be placed
on the edge of the floor drain to obtain an appropriate level.
[0022] The drain cover is normally connected to its bearing support by the surface provided
with holes having a horizontal bearing edge in its outer edge.
[0023] A somewhat concave surface facilitates the accumulation of hair and the like within
the area of the cover, which makes cleaning easier.
[0024] Fig. 1 shows the cover 2 in alignment with the symmetrical positioning of the holes
3.
[0025] Fig. 2a is a cross-section of the cover with its concavity.
[0026] Fig. 2b is a cross-section of a hole 3 with its rounded upper edge 4 and its inwardly
and downwardly directed conical flange 5 in the lower edge.
[0027] The drawing shows a preferred embodiment which may be varied within the scope of
the appended claims.
1. A drain cover for a floor drain, drain from a bath-tub, bidet, wash-basin, shower
cabinet and the like, i.e. preferably in sanitary compartments, characterised in that the surface (1) of the cover is highly polished and anti-static and that the cover
has circular holes (3) with a diameter of 5-7 mm, preferably 6.0-6.5 mm, the upper
edge (4) of the holes being rounded.
2. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the holes (3) in their lower edge have an
inwardly and downwardly directed conical flange (5).
3. A device as claimed in claims 1 and 2, wherein the holes (3) are symmetrically distributed
over the surface of the cover.
4. A device as claimed in claims 1,2 and 3, wherein the area of the holes comprises 8-14%,
preferably 10-12%, of the total surface of the cover.
5. A device as claimed in claims 1, 2, 3 and 4, wherein the surface of the cover is somewhat
concave.
1. Ablaufabdeckung für einen Fußbodenablauf, Badewannen-, Bidet-, Waschbecken-, Duschablauf
oder dergleichen, das heißt vorzugsweise in Sanitärräumen,
dadurch gekennzeichnet,
dass die Oberfläche (1) der Abdeckung hochpoliert und antistatisch ist und dass die Abdeckung
kreisrunde Löcher (3) mit einem Durchmesser von 5-7 mm, vorzugsweise von 6,0-6,5 mm
aufweist, wobei die obere Kante (4) der Löcher abgerundet ist.
2. Vorrichtung nach Anspruch 1, wobei die Löcher (3) an ihrer unteren Kante einen nach
innen und unten gerichteten konischen Flansch (5) aufweisen.
3. Vorrichtung nach Anspruch 1 und 2, wobei die Löcher (3) symmetrisch über die Oberfläche
der Abdeckung verteilt sind.
4. Vorrichtung nach den Ansprüchen 1, 2 und 3, wobei die von den Löchern eingenommene
Fläche 8-14 %, vorzugsweise 10-12 % der Gesamtoberfläche der Abdeckung ausmacht.
5. Vorrichtung nach den Ansprüchen 1, 2, 3 und 4, wobei die Oberfläche der Abdeckung
etwas konkav ausgebildet ist.
1. Couvercle de canalisation d'évacuation au sol, d'une canalisation d'évacuation de
baignoire, de bidet, de lavabo, de douche ou similaire, c.-à-d. de préférence dans
des installations sanitaires,
caractérisé en ce
que la surface (1) du couvercle est polie brillante et antistatique et que le couvercle
a des trous circulaires (3) d'un diamètre de 5-7 mm, de préférence de 6,0-6,5 mm,
le bord supérieur (4) des trous étant arrondi.
2. Dispositif selon la revendication 1, où les trous (3) ont sur leur bord inférieur
un rebord (5) conique dirigé vers l'intérieur et vers le bas.
3. Dispositif selon les revendications 1 et 2, où les trous (3) sont répartis symétriquement
sur la surface du couvercle.
4. Dispositif selon les revendications 1, 2 et 3, où la zone occupée par les trous représente
8-14 %, de préférence 10-12 % de la surface totale du couvercle.
5. Dispositif selon les revendications 1, 2, 3 et 4, où la surface du couvercle est quelque
peu concave.