[0001] This invention relates to a monobloc product for constructing water overflow and/or
drainage channels.
[0002] In many types of constructions the construction of channels for the overflow and
drainage of water is required.
[0003] A specific case is constituted by the construction of swimming pools, in which around
the perimeter a channel has to be provided for the automatic overflow of the free
surface of the water and the drainage of the overflow towards filtering and repumping
organs in the tank.
[0004] Currently, these channels are essentially obtained in two ways.
[0005] A first way consists of shaping them directly in the edges of the cement floor product
that structurally defines the structure of the swimming pool and of possibly subsequently
cladding them with suitable materials such as ceramic tiles, mosaic tessera tiles
and yet other things that are chromatically pleasing and combinable with other decorative
elements and to create, within the channels, flow surfaces with minimal possible friction
to prevent pockets of humidity and the formation of mould and inflorescence.
[0006] A further requirement of these channels consists of the fact that when they are obtained
in the walking surface, they have to be closed at the top, where required, with suitable
grilles, without thereby limiting their specific functions.
[0007] To keep the grilles in a stable position, the cement floors must be further shaped,
in order to obtain at the top edges of the sides that define the channels suitable
shoulders onto which to rest the edges of the grilles to hold them in position.
[0008] The second manner of making the above channels consists of prefabricating them in
modular sections that are connectable together directly by the moulding of plastic
materials and then by installing them directly on the cement floors.
[0009] This prior art has certain drawbacks.
[0010] A first drawback consists of the fact that the shaping of the cement floors requires
the provision of caissons with a complex shape, in which to pour the cast cement mixture
to create both the channels and, where required, the shoulders for resting the grilles.
[0011] A second drawback, specific to prefabricated channels, consists of the fact that
they are produced with a limited number of sections, each one of which is preset dimensionally
to ensure a range of capacity values that are also preset: for this reason, channels
are often installed with dimensions that are greater than the actual required functions
to be obtained. A third drawback again linked to prefabricated channels in plastic
material consists of the fact that the latter has an essentially monochrome colour
and a limited variety of available colours; this limits the possibility of aesthetically
combining the aforementioned channels in a pleasing way with cladding and elements
provided with particular colouring, thereby in practice restricting the chromatic
choices for them in a sector, in the case in point the sector of construction of swimming
pools, in which aesthetics is an integral and inseparable part of the product, that
in commercial terms is at least as important as quality.
[0012] The object of this invention is to create a monobloc element for the construction
of water overflow and/or drainage channels that does not require for installation
special shaping of the product that is provided to receive them for installation,
which also enables sections to be made for drainage that have capacity that is directly
proportional to the volume of water to be effectively drained that does not chromatically
restrict the combinations with surrounding furnitures.
[0013] This and other objects are achieved by this monobloc product for the construction
of water overflow and/or drainage channels as defined in claim 1.
[0014] Further features and advantages of the invention will become clearer from the detailed
disclosure of a monobloc product for the construction of water overflow and/or drainage
channels, illustrated by way of non-limiting example in the enclosed sheets of drawings
in which:
figure 1 is a schematic view of the monobloc product according to the invention, installed
to compose a water overflow and/or drainage channel in a swimming pool;
figure 2 is a section view of the monobloc product installed to compose on the walking
surface a water overflow and/or drainage channel in a swimming pool;
figure 3 is a section view of a monobloc product installed to constitute a water overflow
and/or drainage channel on a vertical edge of a swimming pool.
[0015] With particular reference to these figures, 1 subsequently indicates a monobloc product
for the construction of water overflow and/or drainage channels.
[0016] The monobloc product 1 essentially comprises a body 2 that has a box-shaped transverse
section, preferably with a substantially trapezium shape, which consists of a bottom
face 3 which is a greater base for resting a product 4 to be canalised, of a first
side face 5 that projects upwards and which is substantially perpendicular to the
bottom face 3 with a greater base, of a second side face 6 that is opposite said first
face 5 and which is arranged obliquely to the bottom face 3 for converging towards
the first side face 5 and finally, of a top profile 7 joining concurrent sides of
the first 4 and second side face 5.
[0017] The second side face 6 of the monobloc element 1 is suitable for constituting a side
of a channel, in which, as can be seen in figure 1, the bottom 8 and the opposite
side 9 are obtained directly in the support product 4, namely in the cement edge of
a pool that constitutes a swimming pool.
[0018] Between the top joining profile 7 and the first side face 5 a first protruding shoulder
10 is defined, that is parallel to the bottom face 3, suitable for providing a stop
reference for a concurrent side of flat cladding products 11, namely ceramic tiles,
used to clad said first side face 5.
[0019] The first shoulder 10 has a height substantially coinciding with the thickness of
said flat cladding products 11 in such a way as to prevent undesired steps being created
along the common joining line.
[0020] Also between the top joining profile 7 and the second side face 6 opposite the first
shoulder 10, a second shoulder 12 is obtained, parallel to the first 10 and suitable
for supplying a rest edge for flat elements to be used to cover the channel, such
as, for example, grilles 13.
[0021] The top profile 7 preferably has a substantially rounded and non-aggressive shape,
constituting, when the monobloc element 1 is used in particular for the construction
of a channel of a swimming pool, an edge turned towards the pool and therefore towards
the bathers.
[0022] In order to have greater gripping force for the cladding products, or more precisely
for the gluing materials with which the latter are installed, the surfaces of at least
the first face 5 and of the second 6 are provided with roughness distributed both
casually and in a pre-ordered manner.
[0023] The use of the invention is intuitive and is as follows: the monobloc product 1 is
installed on a flat surface of a cement floor product 4, with the first face 5 aligned
vertically to the corresponding vertical edge of the floor product 4 that for example
constitutes one side of swimming pool.
[0024] As is visible in the figures, the second face 6 of the monobloc product 1 opposite
the first one 5, constitutes a preferably tilted edge, to reduce of the noise of the
water, of an overflow and discharge channel 14 in which the bottom 8 and the opposite
side 9 are obtained directly in the cement floor 4 product, thereby creating therein
a simple right angle square.
[0025] In the monobloc product 1 two shoulders 10 and 12 are obtained, the first of which
is turned towards the inside of the pool and constitutes the stop edge for resting
a cladding product 11 applicable to the first face 5; the second shoulder 12 is on
the other hand obtained in the channel 14 and constitutes a first rest of an edge
of a grille 13 when the channel 14 is obtained in a walking surface of a swimming
pool: a second rest edge 15 is obtained directly in the cement floor product 4 or
in a cladding element 16 thereof.
[0026] The monobloc product 1 is modular and is combinable with others of the same type
to constitute, with the succession of second combined faces 6, the continuous edge
of a channel 14, an edge which, like the bottom 8 and the opposite side 9, is for
example claddable with ceramic materials having an unlimited chromatic range.
[0027] Furthermore, as the section of the channel 14 may have dimensions dedicated specifically
to the capacity of each application for which it is provided, it being possible to
provide for it dimensions suitable for squaring on which to apply the monobloc products
1.
[0028] The disclosed invention has in practice been found to meet the preset objects.
[0029] The invention thus conceived is subject to modifications and variations, all of which
fall within the inventive concept.
[0030] In the practical embodiment, the materials, dimensions and constructional details
may be different from those shown but be technically equivalent, without thereby departing
from the legal scope of the present invention.
1. Monobloc product for the construction of overflow and drainage channels
characterised in that it comprises a body having a substantially box-shaped transverse section consisting
of:
a bottom face with a greater base and rest for a product to be canalised,
a first side face substantially perpendicular to said bottom face with a greater base,
a second side face opposite said first face and suitable for constituting a side of
a channel,
a top joining profile of converging sides of said first and
second side faces.
2. Monobloc product according to claim 1 wherein said second side face is arranged tilted
to converge towards said first face.
3. Monobloc product according to claim 1 wherein between said top joining profile and
at least said side face a first externally protruding shoulder is provided, parallel
to said bottom face with a greater base, suitable for constituting a stop edge for
concurrent sides of flat cladding products of said first side face.
4. Monobloc product according to claim 2 wherein said first projecting shoulder has a
height substantially coinciding with the thickness of said flat products.
5. Monobloc product according to claim 1 wherein between said top connecting profile
and at least said second side face, a second rest shoulder is obtained, opposite said
first shoulder and parallel thereto.
6. Monobloc product according to any one of claims 1 to 5 wherein said top profile has
a substantially rounded shape.
7. Monobloc product according to any one of claims 1 to 6 wherein said face with a greater
base, first and second side faces and said top joining profile have rough surfaces.
8. Monobloc product according to any one of claims 1 to 7 wherein at least said first
and second side face are claddable with flat cladding products.