|
(11) | EP 2 226 436 A1 |
| (12) | EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION |
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||
| (54) | A flushing tank operating plate/counterplate assembly |
| (57) A flushing tank operating plate/counterplate assembly (1) is formed by a counterplate
(6) connectable to a support wall (19), a substantially flat plate (7), and a fastening
device (8) for fastening the plate to the counterplate; the fastening device (8) consists
of a pair of male elements (40), parallel and orthogonal to the plate (7), that engage
a seat (41) formed in respective elastic female elements (42); the male elements (40)
are insertable into the seats (41) along an insertion direction orthogonal to the
plate (7), and the female elements (42) are elastically deformable in a substantially
crosswise direction with respect to the insertion direction.
|
[0002] As known, wall-mounted or embedded flushing tanks are normally provided with operation buttons carried by a plate mounted to the wall. The buttons operate flushing valve actuating members which are arranged through an inspection opening formed in the wall and closed by the plate. A frame-shaped counterplate, which is fixed either to the wall or to a front wall of the tank, e.g. by means of screws, is commonly used to assemble the plate. The plate is removably fixed to the counterplate so as to access the actuating members if needed.
[0003] Various systems are known for fixing the plate to the counterplate, but they are not fully satisfactory, especially in terms of assembly simplicity, efficacy and versatility.
[0004] Furthermore, because the search for new functional and aesthetic solutions is continuously carried out in the field, the problem arises of making plate-counterplate assemblies which are not only satisfactory from the technical-functional point of view (e.g. are simple and quick to be assembled and disassembled), but which also allow innovative aesthetic effects to be obtained, such as for example the use of special materials and the thickness reduction of the plate-counterplate assembly.
[0005] It is thus an object of the present invention to provide a flushing tank operating plate/counterplate assembly which is simple to be manufactured and installed, fully effective and very versatile, so as to allow a variety of different aesthetic solutions to be implemented, including a small thickness, with a low number of different components.
[0006] Such an object is achieved by the present invention, which relates to a flushing tank operating plate/counterplate assembly substantially defined in the appended claim 1, the preferred aspects of which are defined in the dependent claims.
[0007] The flushing tank operating plate/counterplate assembly in accordance with the invention is simple to be manufactured, assembled and disassembled, while being fully efficient and reliable; furthermore, the assembly of the invention allows a variety of different aesthetic solutions to be implemented, even of small thickness and made of special materials which are not commonly used in similar applications, with a low number of different components.
[0008] The invention further provides a system for fitting a plate-counterplate assemblies which, using a low number of basic, functional components combinable with a plurality of plates of different size, aesthetic appearance, materials and finishing, allows a large variety of different solutions to be assembled in a simple and relatively cost-effective manner.
[0009] The invention is further described in the following non-limitative embodiments, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
- figure 1 is a diagrammatic exploded view of a system for fitting a flushing tank operating plate/counterplate assembly in accordance with the invention;
- figures 2 and 3 illustrate respective details of an assembled plate/counterplate assembly in accordance with the invention with parts removed and parts in section;
- figure 4 shows a further detail of the assembly of the invention.
[0010] In figure 1, numeral 1 indicates as a whole a plate/counterplate assembly for operating a flushing tank 2, known per se and only partially, diagrammatically shown.
[0011] Figure 1 shows alternative embodiments of some components of assembly 1 to be used instead of one another, as well as some optional auxiliary components; the whole of these components forms a system 3 for fitting different types of plate/counterplate assemblies.
[0012] Tank 2 has a wall 4, e.g. a front or upper wall, provided with an inspection opening 5 through which members for actuating a flushing valve housed in the tank 2 are arranged (all components known and not shown).
[0013] Assembly 1 comprises a counterplate 6, a plate 7 and a fastening device 8 for fastening the plate 7 to the counterplate 6.
[0014] Counterplate 6 of substantially quadrilateral shape, for example, and preferably made of plastic (e.g. ABS) comprises a base portion 10 which delimits a central through opening 11, and a radially outer flange portion 12, provided with a flat front surface 13 and with an outer side edge 14 substantially orthogonal to the front surface 13. Counterplate 6 further comprises supporting portions 15, which project into the central opening 11 from respective inner sides 16 of the base portion 10, for example. The supporting portions 15 are provided with holes 17 for inserting the fastening members 18, e.g. screws or plugs, by means of which the counterplate 6 is connectable to a support wall 19, consisting of either the wall 4 of tank 2 or a wall or panel covering the tank 2, for example.
[0015] Plate 7 is substantially quadrangular in shape and is generally flattened, for example, having a front face 21 and a rear face 22, opposite and substantially parallel to each other, and a peripheral edge 23; preferably, plate 7 is a flat plate and the faces 21, 22 are flat and parallel.
[0016] Plate 7 is provided with one or two through holes 24 for accommodating respective button groups 25 fixed to plate 7 and acting, in a known manner not described in detail for simplicity, on the actuating members of the flushing valve, e.g. by means of respective pneumatic devices 26.
[0017] With reference also to figure 2, in the non-limitative example shown, each button group 25 comprises a hollow, externally threaded body 27 internally provided with a chamber 28 which accommodates a button 29; the body 27 is provided with a radially outer frontal flange 30 at the opposite ends, cooperating with the front face 21 of plate 7, and with a rear bottom wall 31; a ferrule 32 is screwed onto the body 27 and cooperates with the rear face 22 of plate 7 to lock the button group 25 onto the plate 7 and secure plate 7 between the flange 30 and the ferrule 32. The bottom wall 31 is provided with a seat 33, threaded for example, engaged by a connecting portion 34 of the pneumatic device 26; the pneumatic device 26 has a movable stem 35 which crosses the connecting portion 34 and is inserted into the chamber 28 and is mechanically connected to the button 29. The pneumatic device 26 is connectable to actuating members of the flushing valve in a known manner.
[0018] With reference also to figure 3, the fastening device 8 comprises at least one male element 40, which extends along an axis A substantially orthogonal to the plate 7 and engages a seat 41 formed in an elastic female element 42: the male element 40 is insertable into the seat 41 along an insertion direction defined by axis A and hence orthogonal to the plate 7, and the female element 42 is elastically deformable in a substantially crosswise direction with respect to axis A and to the insertion direction; in particular, the male element 40 and the female element 42 are so shaped as to implement a click-on coupling between the male element 40 and the female element 42, wherein the male element 40 is inserted into seat 41 in a click-on manner.
[0019] In the preferred embodiment shown in figure 1, two parallel male elements 40 are provided, which may be inserted into respective female elements 42.
[0020] As shown in detail in figure 3, each male element 40 comprises a pin 43, preferably made of metal material (e.g. steel), extending along axis A and having a circumferential groove 44 engaged by elastic portions 45 of the female element 42.
[0021] The male elements 40 project rearwards from the plate 7 and are directly fixed to the rear face 22 of plate 7, as shown on the right in figure 1, or are carried by an adapter 50 fixed to plate 7, as shown on the left in figure 1.
[0022] The first solution is useful if the plate 7 and the male elements 40 are made of metal material, e.g. steel, and thus the male elements 40 may be welded onto the face 22. On the other hand, adapter 50 is advantageously used if the plate 7 is made of other material and the male elements 40 are made of metal.
[0023] Indeed, according to an aspect of the invention, plate 7 is preferably made of a material selected from the group consisting of: glass, steel or other metal materials, wood, ceramic, stone, acrylic materials, mixed glass/acrylic materials.
[0024] The adapter 50 is made of steel or other metal material and carries one or more male elements 40 (two, in the example shown) made of metal welded onto a rear surface 51 of adapter 50 and which project from the rear surface 51 of the adapter 50. In particular, adapter 50 comprises a flat plate 52 having a peripheral collar 53 about one or more through holes 54, aligned with the holes 24 of the plate and through which respective button groups 25 are arranged; the male elements 40 project from the collar 53.
[0025] Advantageously, adapter 50 has three holes 54 arranged side-by-side, and preferably laterally communicating with one another, so as to receive either a button group 25 in the central hole, or a pair of button groups 25 in the lateral holes.
[0026] The button groups 25, and specifically their bodies 27, are thus arranged (figure 2) through respective through openings 55 formed by the holes 24 of plate 7 and, if the adapter 50 (shown with a dashed line in figure 2) is present, by the holes 54 of adapter 50 aligned with the holes 24 and having respective peripheral edges 56.
[0027] If a predetermined orientation of the button group 25 with respect to plate 7 is to be ensured, e.g. because button 29 and/or flange 30 have a square or non circular shape, the peripheral edges 56 of the openings 55 are provided with radially inner appendixes 57 (figure 1) cooperating with respective centering portions 58 of the body 27 for aligning the button group 25 with respect to plate 7.
[0028] As shown in figure 2, the adapter 50 preferably rests against the rear face 22 of plate 7 and is fixed to plate 7 by means of the ferrule 32 screwed onto the threaded body 27, which is arranged through one of the holes 54; both the button group 25 and the adapter 50 are thus fastened to the plate 7 by means of the ferrule 32 screwed onto the body 27, or by a pair of ferrules 32 screwed onto respective bodies 27.
[0029] With specific reference to figures 1 and 3-4, each pin 43 has a connecting end 61 fixed to the plate 7 or to the adapter 50, and one free end 62 provided with a head 63; in the non-limitative example shown, from the connecting end 61, pin 43 has: a main portion 64, e.g. substantially cylindrical or prismatic in shape, with a substantially constant cross section; a converging portion 65 and a diverging portion 66, between which the groove 44 is engaged; and a further portion 67 converging towards the free end 62. It is understood that the pin 43 may have a different shape from that shown by way of mere example and described herein.
[0030] Each female element 42 comprises a spring 71, preferably made of metal, e.g. steel, substantially fork-shaped.
[0031] In particular, spring 71 consists of a folded metal leaf 72, which has a C-bent bottom portion 73 defining the seat 41, and two arms 74 diverging from a mouth 75 of the seat and arranged about the seat 41, which may be elastically spread from each other; the arms 74 are connected to the mouth 75 by means of respective facing edges 76 defining the elastic portions 45.
[0032] Each female element 42 is accommodated in a chamber 77 formed in the counterplate 6, in particular in a supporting portion 15, and is axially locked in the chamber 77. In particular, the arms 74 have respective shaped end edges 78, e.g. U-shaped, in order to hook respective fastening parts 79 of chamber 77 from opposite sides.
[0033] Counterplate 6 further has slots 80 (figure 1) arranged close to each chamber 77, and thus close to each spring 71, and in which a tool may be inserted, e.g. a screwdriver, to free each male element 40 from the corresponding female element 42 and thus unhook the plate 7 from the counterplate 6.
[0034] The assembly 1 being mounted, the plate 7 overlays the counterplate 6 by means of the rear face 22 of the plate substantially resting against the front surface 13 of the counterplate; the adapter 50, if present, is accommodated in the central opening 11.
[0035] In a first embodiment of the invention, the edge 14 of counterplate 6 remains in sight and is substantially aligned with the peripheral edge 23 of plate 7.
[0036] If instead leaving the edge 14 in sight is not desired, assembly 1 also comprises a frame 83 (figure 1) in which the counterplate 6 and the plate 7 are accommodated; the frame 83 has side walls 84 which surround the counterplate 6 and the plate 7 and which laterally conceal both the counterplate 6 and the plate 7, and a peripheral front edge 85 substantially arranged flushed with the front face 21 of plate 7.
[0037] For example, frame 83 may be fixed to the support wall 19 by means of the same fastening members 18 which also engage the counterplate 6; counterplate 6 rests against the backing portions 86 of frame 83 having holes 87, and the fastening members 18 engage both the counterplate 6 (passing through the holes 17) and the frame 83 (passing through the holes 87) and are fixed to the support wall 19.
[0038] The system 3 includes the above-described components, by means of which different assemblies 1 may be fitted.
[0039] In essence, system 3 includes:
- at least one counterplate 6 provided with female elements 42 at a predetermined distance from one another;
- a plurality of plates 7 different from one another in aesthetic appearance, materials, finishing, number of buttons and/or dimensions, and connectable to the counterplate 6, possibly by means of an adaptor 50; the plates 7 or the adaptor (50) being provided with male elements 40 placed at a given distance from one another equal to the distance between the female elements 42, so that the male elements 40 engage the female elements 42;
- button groups 25 of various type;
- a frame 83 in which the counterplate 6 and a selected plate 7 are insertable.
[0040] System 3 may further comprise a number of series of plates 7 of different size, and for each series of plates 7, a counterplate 6 and a frame 83 of suitable dimensions and matchable with each series of plates 7.
[0041] Once the components used to form the assembly 1 have been selected from those which form the system 3, during the installation step, the counterplate 6 is fixed (possibly along with the frame 83) to the support wall 19 by means of the fastening members 18, thus the plate 7 is mounted, provided with button assemblies 25 and optionally with the adapter 50, to the counterplate 6 by simply aligning the male elements 40 and the respective female elements 42 and by pushing the plate 7 so as to insert the pins 43 into the seats 41, until the heads 63 are inserted into the seats 41 in a click-on manner, i.e. until the grooves 44 of the pins 43 are engaged by the elastic portions 45 of the springs 71.
1. A flushing tank operating plate/counterplate assembly (1), comprising a counterplate
(6) connectable to a support wall (19), a substantially flat plate (7), and a fastening
device (8) for fastening the plate to the counterplate; the assembly being characterized in that the fastening device (8) comprises at least one male element (40) that projects along
an axis (A) substantially perpendicular to the plate (7) and engages a seat (41) formed
in an elastic female element (42), the male element (40) being insertable in the seat
(41) along an insertion direction defined by the axis (A) and hence perpendicular
to the plate (7), and the female element (42) being elastically deformable in a substantially
crosswise direction with respect to the axis (A) and to the insertion direction.
2. An assembly according to claim 1, wherein the male element (40) and the female element
(42) are so shaped as to implement a click-on coupling.
3. An assembly according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the female element (42) comprises a
spring (71) made of metal material and substantially fork shaped, having arms (74)
positioned around the seat (41) and elastically diverging from each other.
4. An assembly according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the female element (42)
is housed in a chamber (77) and comprises a metal leaf (72) defining a spring (71),
the leaf (72) having a C-shaped seat (41) and two arms (74) diverging from a mouth
(75) of the seat (41) and having respective end edges (78) shaped in such a way to
hook on opposite sides respective fastening parts (79) of the chamber (77).
5. An assembly according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the male element (40)
comprises a pin (43), preferably made of metal material, that extends along the axis
(A) and has a circumferential groove (44) engaged by elastic portions (45) of the
female element (42).
6. An assembly according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the male element (40)
and/or the female element (42) are made of metal material.
7. An assembly according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the male element (40)
projects rearwards from the plate (7) or from an adaptor (50) fixed to the plate (7),
and the female element (42) is housed in a chamber (77) formed in the counterplate
(6) and is locked axially in the chamber (77).
8. An assembly according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the fastening device
(8) comprises at least a pair of parallel male elements (40) insertable in respective
female elements (42).
9. An assembly according to one of the preceding claims, comprising at least a button
group (25) positioned through a through opening (55) formed in the plate (7) and optionally
in an adaptor (50) fixed to the plate; the opening (55) having a peripheral edge (56)
provided with at least a radially inner projection (57) cooperating with a centering
portion (58) of the button group (25) for aligning the button group (25) with respect
to the plate (7).
10. An assembly according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the plate (7) is made
of a material selected in the group consisting of: glass, steel, metal materials,
wood, ceramic, stone, acrylic materials, mixed glass/acrilic materials, combination
thereof.
11. An assembly according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the plate (7) is made
of metal material, in particular steel, and carries one or more metal male elements
(40) welded on a rear face (22) of the plate.
12. An assembly according to one of the preceding claims, comprising an adaptor (50),
that carries one or more male elements (40) projecting from a rear surface (51) of
the adaptor (50); the adaptor (50) being fixed to the plate (7) by a ferrule (32)
screwed on a threaded body (27).
13. An assembly according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the adaptor (50) is
made of metal material and carries one or more male elements (40) welded on a rear
surface (51) of the adaptor (50).
14. An assembly according to claim 12 or 13, wherein the adaptor (50) has three side-by-side
holes (54) communicating with one another, so as to receive either a button group
(25) in the central hole, or a pair of button groups (25) in the lateral holes.
15. An assembly according to one of the preceding claims, comprising a frame (83) internally
housing the counterplate (6) and the plate (7), and having side walls (84), that cover
laterally both the counterplate (6) and the plate (7), and a front peripheral edge
(85) positioned substantially flush with a front face (21) of the plate (7).
16. A system (3) for assembling a flushing tank operating plate/counterplate assembly
(1) according to one of the preceding claims, comprising;
- at least a counterplate (6) provided with female elements (42) set at a predetermined distance from each other;
- a plurality of plates (7) different from one another in aesthetic appearance, materials, finishing, number of buttons and/or dimensions, and connectable to the counterplate (6), optionally by means of an adaptor (50); the plates (7) or the adaptor (50) being provided with male elements (40) positioned at a distance from each other equal to the distance between the female elements (42), in such a way the male elements (40) engage the female elements (42);
- button groups (25) of different kinds insertable in each plate (7);
- a frame (83) in which the counterplate (6) and a selected plate (7) are insertable.
17. A system according to claim 16, comprising a number of series of plates (7) of different
dimensions, and for each series of plates (7) a counterplate (6) and a frame (83)
of suitable dimensions and fittable to each series of plates (7).