WO2014097331A1

WO2014097331A1 - Quick-installation kit for a sink equipped for children

Info

Publication number: WO2014097331A1
Application number: PCT/IT2012/000394
Authority: WO
Inventors: Angela CINGOLANI
Original assignee: Cingolani Angela
Priority date: 2012-12-21
Filing date: 2012-12-21
Publication date: 2014-06-26

Abstract

A sink for children, the sink having the shape of a round face (100) the sink comprising a round rear wall (200), two faucets (300) forming the eyes of said round face (100), a control of a leverage for a drain plug (400) in central position forming the nose of said round face, a collection basin (600) which represents the mouth of said round face, and an upper horizontal shelf (500), which also acts as a water source (550).

Description

"QUICK-INSTALLATION KIT FOR A SINK EQUIPPED FOR CHILDREN"

Description Field of the art

The invention is applicable to any field, where one such device type can be advantageously used, but preferably the invention generally refers to the field of sanitary installations and in particular to bathroom sanitary installations and still more preferably to sinks equipped for children.

Prior art

It is very important to educate children to take care of themselves from an early age. Indeed, even very young children must learn how to move themselves correct hygiene. They must learn how to wash their hands, their face and brush their teeth. Indeed, skin is one of the main carriers of germs and bacteria, cause of disease and infections. It is known that skin constitutes the main barrier against micro-organisms; it is estimated that both in adults and children about a million germs per square centimeter can be housed in the skin. During the day, moreover, one comes into contact with a multiplicity of objects, people and animals which can in turn be carriers of pathogenic bacteria. Without entering into too much detail, controlled studies have for some time shown that the simple "encouraging" of hand- washing of pre-school children is capable on its own of reducing the incidence of respiratory disease by about 14%; washing hands at least 5 times a day reduces pediatric visits for respiratory infections by 45%.

The presence invention arises from the need to obtain a product that is easy for a child to use and at the same time which stimulates his attention and fantasy, in a manner so as to more easily induce him to care for his own personal hygiene.

Currently, sinks for children are mainly constituted by common supported, built-in or wall- mounted sinks, with however reduced size. Sometimes, such sinks for children have various colors or decorations, with the basins of various sizes adapted to attract children's attention. Nevertheless, such embodiments known up to now by the public are not usually equipped or provided with all the accessories already installed that are necessary for functioning, and it is even more unlikely that they can be quickly installed. A further characteristic (just as important), which differentiates the present invention from those of the prior art, is the particular specific morphology of the inventive sink, representing overall an agreeable round face, designed in particular to stimulate the interest, to amuse, attract and at the same time create a playful setting for children while they wash themselves.

Other advantages of the invention will be clear from the detailed description of an exemplifying and non-limiting embodiment thereof, illustrated below.

Description of the invention

The innovative concept underlying the present invention consists of providing for a quick- installation kit for a sink equipped for children, representing overall and frontally an agreeable round face, designed specifically for stimulating interest, for entertaining, being appealing and at the same time creating a playful setting for children while they wash themselves. Such innovative embodiment divided into its essential parts is constituted by a round rear wall, fixable to the wall and equipped with two faucets forming the eyes of the round face, the control of the drain plug leverage approximately forming the nose of said round face, an upper shelf which acts by means of its lower surface also as a water source, a semicircular lower basin which frontally represents the mouth of the aforesaid round face and a drain.

In this manner, one obtains an innovative sink for children, which has an entire series of advantages with respect to current systems. Indeed, in addition to the obvious and already amply described characteristic of playful stimulation and attraction of children with regard to their personal hygiene, an additional and not less important technical characteristic that differentiates the present inventive kit is represented by the ease of installation. Specifically, the intrinsic nature of the present invention, characterized by a sink equipped i.e. already provided with all the accessories installed, such as faucets, water source, drain leverage, semicircular lower basin and drain, also allows less expert people to be able to easily and quickly assembly it.

In particular, and as an enhancement of the concept outlined above, said inventive kit provides for the supply of suitable flexible connectors and pipes connectable to the drain and to the water loads, in a manner so as to more easily carry out the connection of the inventive sink to the relative previously-existing water pipes. In particular, said flexible connectors and pipes allow being able to easily obtain a level of installation of the inventive kit compatible with the actual needs of the child; at the same time, they allow being able to easily vary. such level proportionally with the growth of the child himself. Moreover, said inventive kit can be adapted to multiple setting situations, by being adapted to various use needs. By means of said flexible connectors and pipes it is in fact possible to achieve an easy installation even in those places where common water connections already exist, without having to carry out expensive building operations. Another characteristic of the kit according to the present invention is that its intrinsic characteristics render the assembly and disassembly simpler and safer.

In addition, even if said inventive embodiment was designed to be intended for wall- mounted use, nothing prohibits said inventive kit from being installed as a built-in sink or as a supported sink.

A further object is to propose a quick-installation kit for a sink equipped for children, which is obtainable on industrial scale, whose components are of standard type, can be easily found on the market and whose production is fully sustainable from an economical and environmental standpoint.

With regard to the materials constituting said inventive quick-installation kit for a sink equipped for children, these can be selected by the man skilled in the art in a manner so as to meet the technical characteristics in this particular field, including solidity, resistance over time to solvents and detergents, and anti-corrosive nature. Nevertheless, said materials can comprise those of metal type, preferably steel and/or aluminum and/or polymers of plastic type and/or those of ceramic type and/or glass type. Also, said constituent materials can comprise those having partially or overall a galvanized external finish and/or having monochromatic and/or polychromatic external finish and/or having plasticized external finish.

With regard to the dimensions of said inventive sink equipped for children, it should be said that these are merely indicative and non-limiting of the invention. Nevertheless, they can be expressed and overall summarized regarding the length of the diameter of said round rear wall in the range of 70 cm to 20 cm, more preferably in the range of 62 cm to 36 cm and still more preferably the diameter length is 50 cm.

Other characteristics of the present invention are described in the following detailed description of one or more specific embodiments, protected by the various dependent claims.

Brief description of the drawings

The preceding advantages, as well as other advantages and characteristics of the present invention, will be illustrated by making reference to the following attached drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 shows an axonometric view of the sink equipped for children according to the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a plan view of the polychromatic sink equipped for children according to the present invention;

FIGURE 3 is a sectioned side view of the sink equipped for children according to the present invention;

FIGURE 4 is a lower-side perspective view of the sink equipped for children according to the present invention; FIGURE 5 is a perspective view of the laminar water jet of the sink equipped for children according to the present invention; FIGURE 6 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment with drain on the bottom of the sink equipped for children according to the present invention.

As stated above, it is opportune to repeat that the borders, shapes and areas shown in the above figures must not be considered limiting of the invention, since this is preferably aimed for any type, size, diameter, color, translucence and shape so long as it does not depart from the intrinsic concept of quick-installation kit for a sink equipped for children.

Description of several preferred embodiments of the invention

It is underlined that only some of the possible embodiments of the present invention are illustrated below, as an exemplifying and non-limiting example, given that it is possible to describe many other embodiments thereof on the basis of the particular identified technical solutions.

With reference to the different figures, these show a quick-installation kit for a sink equipped for children, representing overall and frontally an agreeable round face 100 (Fig. 2) which substantially comprises a round rear wall 200 fixable to the wall, respectively equipped in superolateral position with two faucets 300 forming the eyes of said round face 100, in central position with the control of the drain plug leverage 400 forming the nose of said round face and also comprising an upper horizontal shelf 500, which acts as a water source 550 by means of an opening obtained on the lower surface thereof (Fig. 4), and finally comprising a semicircular collection basin 600, which frontally represents the mouth of the aforesaid round face, placed on the lower part and surrounding the profile of said round rear wall 200, and shaped sloping towards the relative drain 700.

With reference to Figs. 1 and 3-6, these show the upper horizontal shelf 500 which acts as a water source 550, by means of an opening obtained on the lower surface thereof (Fig. 4). Even if said water source 550 can also be obtained by means of a normal single circular water jet (not shown) coming from such lower surface, a more complete embodiment of the present invention with regard to effect - and much more aesthetically pleasing -, as represented in Figs. 4 and 5, provides that said lower surface of the upper horizontal shelf 500 is provided with a transverse slit capable of constituting a water source 550 having a laminar jet 580 which is collected in the underlying semicircular collection basin 600.

A further and still more complete embodiment provides that said lower surface of the upper horizontal shelf 500 is provided with a suitable transverse slit such to allow, by means of a selector (not shown), the selection of the aforesaid single circular jet flow or the aforesaid laminar jet flow 580.

Of course, the invention must meet all safety norms, also providing for a possible separation from the wall of said inventive kit following improper use by the child. The entire structure of the invention must therefore be stable even after stress of static and dynamic type, and for such purpose wall anchors are provided, obtained on the round rear wall 200 by means of blocks and/or other suitable, strong anchorage means.

As can be observed in Figs. 1 and 3, said inventive structure will of course be provided with a drain 700 which can be obtained on the lower portion of the round rear wall 200. Nevertheless, the present invention provides for further alternative embodiments corresponding with several variations of its structure and the shape of its components. In particular, as can be observed in Fig. 6, the drain 750 can be more simply obtained at the lower-rear end of said semicircular collection basin 600 with external drain structure placed on the lower part and in full view.

The quick-installation kit for a sink equipped for children according to the present invention is therefore extremely comfortable and according to the inventors of the present patent transmits to the child user - also by means of the use of the suitable horizontal shelf 500 on which the items to be cleaned can be laid down - the alluring sensation of pleasure and playfulness coming from an object exclusively dedicated thereto, in which the child can take care of his own personal hygiene with greater enthusiasm and attraction.

Of course, the information provided herein is merely exemplifying and absolutely non- limiting of the range of the present invention, since it only serves to help a man skilled in the art become capable of comprehending several possible applications and embodiments of the finding. Therefore, different and obvious modifications could be clearly made by the average man skilled in the art to the preceding exemplifying and non-limiting embodiments described with reference to the figures, without implying an extension beyond the inventive concept that underlies the present invention.

Claims

Quick-installation kit for a sink equipped for children representing overall and frontally an agreeable round face (100) obtained by a round rear wall (200) fixable to the wall and respectively equipped in superolateral position with two faucets (300) forming the eyes' of said round face (100), in central position with the control of the drain plug leverage (400) forming the nose of said round face, also comprising an upper horizontal shelf (500), which acts as a water source (550) by means of an opening obtained on the lower surface thereof, and finally comprising a semicircular collection basin (600), which frontally represents the mouth of the aforesaid round face, placed on the lower part and surrounding the profile of said round rear wall (200) and shaped sloping towards the relative drain (700), and finally characterized in that said sink is equipped i.e. already provided with all the accessories installed, such as the faucets (300), the upper horizontal shelf (500), the water source (550), the control of the drain plug leverage (400), the semicircular collection basin (600) and the drain (700).

Quick-installation kit for a sink equipped for children according to claim 1 , characterized in that said lower surface of the upper horizontal shelf (500) is provided with a transverse slit capable of constituting a water source (550) having a laminar jet (580) which is collected in the underlying semicircular collection basin (600).

Quick-installation kit for a sink equipped for children according to claims 1 and 2, characterized in that said lower surface of the upper horizontal shelf (500) is provided with an opening capable of constituting a water source (550) having a single circular jet.

4. Quick-installation kit for a sink equipped for children according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said lower surface of the upper horizontal shelf (500) is provided with a suitable transverse slit such to allow, by means of a selector, the selection of the aforesaid single circular jet flow or the aforesaid laminar jet flow (580).

5. Quick-installation kit for a sink equipped for children according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by the drain (700) obtained on the lower portion of the round rear wall (200).

6. Quick-installation kit for a sink equipped for children according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by the drain (750) placed at the lower-rear end of said semicircular collection basin (600) with external drain structure placed on the lower part and in full view.

7. Quick-installation kit for a sink equipped for children according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the wall anchors are obtained on the round rear wall (200) by means of blocks and/or other suitable, strong anchorage means.

8. Quick-installation kit for a sink equipped for children according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it is constituted by materials comprising those of metal type, preferably steel and/or aluminum, and/or polymers of plastic type and/or those of ceramic type and/or glass type and in that said constituent materials can comprise those having partially or overall a galvanized external finish and/or having monochromatic and/or polychromatic external finish and/or having plasticized external finish.

9. Quick-installation kit for a sink equipped for children according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the length of the diameter of said round rear wall (200) is comprised in the range of 70 cm to 20 cm, more preferably in the range of 62 cm to 36 cm and still more preferably is 50 cm.

10. Quick-installation kit for a sink equipped for children according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by the presence of flexible connectors and pipes connectable to the drain and to the water loads, in a manner so as to more easily make the connection to the relative previously-existing water pipes.