GB2123284A - Shower tray with removable stool/soapholder - Google Patents

Abstract

Shower tray with removable stool or soapholder characterised in that it consists of a basin 1 bordered by a raised edge 2 which creates a ledge 3 extending in toward the basin and offering an opening 4 located at a point above the waste trap beneath said basin so as to afford access thereto from the outside; said opening extending through an angle partly taking in said ledge 3 and partly taking in the inner vertical wall of said raised edge 2, and provided peripherally with means 6 for supporting the removable stool 8 or soapholder 9, and at the rear with a recess 7 designed to accommodate means for making the removable stool 8 or soapholder 9 fast to said opening 4. This gives good access to the waste trap, and can also provide the stool 8 upon which the user can rest or lean. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Shower tray with removable stool/soapholder The invention described herein relates to a shower tray designed so as to incorporate either a stool or a soapholder shelf.

There are several known types of shower tray, being either those let down into the floor, or those simply laid down over floor level, which differ one from the other only in terms of actual shape, and of the kind of rim and uppermost surface. Such units offer no more -in terms of pure function-than a surface area permitting gathering and draining of the shower water.

An ever-increasing interest in shower units for installation in the bathrooms of private dwellings has brought to light a number of specific requirements and attendant difficulties which occur with traditional types of shower, which may be summed up thus: the need for access to the waste trap underneath the shower tray itself, for possible repairsthis not being possible save by total removal of the tray, and in addition, the total absence of any kind of support on which to rest or lean, which would enable the shower's being used by older people, as well as small children and the disabled.

The object of the invention described herein is that of creating a shower tray provided with an opening which will given access from the outside to the waste trap located beneath, so as to facilitate and speed up any eventual repairs, and which envisages a removable cover which may be made fast to said opening -this being embodied either as a soapholder or, should the case dictate, a stool.

These and further objects are arrived at with the shower tray to which the invention relates, which in general terms is characterised in that it consists of a basin bordered by a raised edge which creates a ledge extending into the actual basin area and offering an opening located at a point over the waste trap beneath said basis, so as to afford access thereto from the outside, the opening itself extending through an angle taking in part of the ledge, and part of the vertical wall joining with said ledge to make up the rim of the shower tray, and being provided peripherally with means for supporting the removable stool or soapholder, whilst at the rear of the opening there is a recess, e.g. of the type commonly encountered, utilized for accepting means of making fast removable components such as a stool or soapholder, designed to fit over said opening.Further features and advantages will emerge more clearly from the detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the invention which follows, illustrated as a purely unlimitative example with the aid of the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows the plan of a shower tray as per the invention, fitted with a stool; Figure 2 shows a side view of the shower tray; Figure 3 is a view of the shower tray drawn in persective, showing the manner of installing either stool or soapholder.

With reference to the above drawings, 1 denotes the basin of the shower tray described herein, bordered by a raised edge, or rim 2 which develops into a ledge 3 extending inwards from one side or corner of the basin itself, and is provided with an opening 4; the opening itself being positioned so as to lie over the waste trap 5 (see Figure 2) situated beneath the actual tray, and extending through an angle taking in part of ledge 3 aforesaid, and part of the vertical wall, or surface giving into said basin 1 which forms part ofthetray-edge 2.

Said opening 4 is provided about its peripheral area with a suitable profile 6 (which can be a simple groove or a tongue to form part of a tongue-andgroove joint), and at the rear with a recess 7 such as will accommodate conventional means (not shown in the drawing) for making fast a removable component to the opening 4, said removable component being either a stool 8 or perhaps a soap-holder 9.

A stool 8 of the type envisaged is illustrated in the drawings in a preferred version, and is prismatic to all intents and purposes, with a body arranged so as to slant inwards toward the centre of the shower tray. The base 10 of the stool 8 is shaped and contoured so as to match said opening 4 and is provided with an arrangement 11 designed to match with that offered by the profile 6 (the arrangement 11 can for example be a simple edge which will form a tongue, or a narrow tongue protruding from the edge, or a groove, to form one part of a tongue-andgroove joint), as well as being fitted with an element 12 at rear for the purpose of making the entire stool fast; said element 12 being destined to locate in recess 7 and be made fast therein by conventional means.

The soapholder 9 has a shaped top surface 13 designed to accommodate bars of soap or other such articles, the front of which being defined by a flap upright surface 14, whilst the base is shaped so as to match exactly with said opening 4, locating therein and made fast thereto by offering an arrangement 15 to profile 6 and an element 16 to said recess 7, in exactly the same fashion as already set forth for the stool.

The shower tray thus described offers the facility of quick and easy access through to the waste trap 5 for the purpose of repair & , by way of opening 4, and may be fitted either with a stool 8 or a soapholder 9 which will locate over the opening and remain fast thus until its removal is called for. The choice of stool or soapholder will be made according to the needs or preference of the individual user.

Numerous modifications may be made to the preferred embodiment of the shower tray set forth herein, which is not to be considered exclusive, without by any means straying from within the bounds of protection afforded thereto by the claims following.

1. Shower tray with removable stool or soapholder characterised in that it consists of a basin 1 bordered by a raised edge 2 which creates a ledge 3 extending in toward the basin and offering an

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (5)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Shower tray with removable stool/soapholder The invention described herein relates to a shower tray designed so as to incorporate either a stool or a soapholder shelf. There are several known types of shower tray, being either those let down into the floor, or those simply laid down over floor level, which differ one from the other only in terms of actual shape, and of the kind of rim and uppermost surface. Such units offer no more -in terms of pure function-than a surface area permitting gathering and draining of the shower water. An ever-increasing interest in shower units for installation in the bathrooms of private dwellings has brought to light a number of specific requirements and attendant difficulties which occur with traditional types of shower, which may be summed up thus: the need for access to the waste trap underneath the shower tray itself, for possible repairsthis not being possible save by total removal of the tray, and in addition, the total absence of any kind of support on which to rest or lean, which would enable the shower's being used by older people, as well as small children and the disabled. The object of the invention described herein is that of creating a shower tray provided with an opening which will given access from the outside to the waste trap located beneath, so as to facilitate and speed up any eventual repairs, and which envisages a removable cover which may be made fast to said opening -this being embodied either as a soapholder or, should the case dictate, a stool. These and further objects are arrived at with the shower tray to which the invention relates, which in general terms is characterised in that it consists of a basin bordered by a raised edge which creates a ledge extending into the actual basin area and offering an opening located at a point over the waste trap beneath said basis, so as to afford access thereto from the outside, the opening itself extending through an angle taking in part of the ledge, and part of the vertical wall joining with said ledge to make up the rim of the shower tray, and being provided peripherally with means for supporting the removable stool or soapholder, whilst at the rear of the opening there is a recess, e.g. of the type commonly encountered, utilized for accepting means of making fast removable components such as a stool or soapholder, designed to fit over said opening.Further features and advantages will emerge more clearly from the detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the invention which follows, illustrated as a purely unlimitative example with the aid of the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows the plan of a shower tray as per the invention, fitted with a stool; Figure 2 shows a side view of the shower tray; Figure 3 is a view of the shower tray drawn in persective, showing the manner of installing either stool or soapholder. With reference to the above drawings, 1 denotes the basin of the shower tray described herein, bordered by a raised edge, or rim 2 which develops into a ledge 3 extending inwards from one side or corner of the basin itself, and is provided with an opening 4; the opening itself being positioned so as to lie over the waste trap 5 (see Figure 2) situated beneath the actual tray, and extending through an angle taking in part of ledge 3 aforesaid, and part of the vertical wall, or surface giving into said basin 1 which forms part ofthetray-edge 2. Said opening 4 is provided about its peripheral area with a suitable profile 6 (which can be a simple groove or a tongue to form part of a tongue-andgroove joint), and at the rear with a recess 7 such as will accommodate conventional means (not shown in the drawing) for making fast a removable component to the opening 4, said removable component being either a stool 8 or perhaps a soap-holder 9. A stool 8 of the type envisaged is illustrated in the drawings in a preferred version, and is prismatic to all intents and purposes, with a body arranged so as to slant inwards toward the centre of the shower tray. The base 10 of the stool 8 is shaped and contoured so as to match said opening 4 and is provided with an arrangement 11 designed to match with that offered by the profile 6 (the arrangement 11 can for example be a simple edge which will form a tongue, or a narrow tongue protruding from the edge, or a groove, to form one part of a tongue-andgroove joint), as well as being fitted with an element 12 at rear for the purpose of making the entire stool fast; said element 12 being destined to locate in recess 7 and be made fast therein by conventional means. The soapholder 9 has a shaped top surface 13 designed to accommodate bars of soap or other such articles, the front of which being defined by a flap upright surface 14, whilst the base is shaped so as to match exactly with said opening 4, locating therein and made fast thereto by offering an arrangement 15 to profile 6 and an element 16 to said recess 7, in exactly the same fashion as already set forth for the stool. The shower tray thus described offers the facility of quick and easy access through to the waste trap 5 for the purpose of repair & , by way of opening 4, and may be fitted either with a stool 8 or a soapholder 9 which will locate over the opening and remain fast thus until its removal is called for. The choice of stool or soapholder will be made according to the needs or preference of the individual user. Numerous modifications may be made to the preferred embodiment of the shower tray set forth herein, which is not to be considered exclusive, without by any means straying from within the bounds of protection afforded thereto by the claims following. CLAIMS

1. Shower tray with removable stool or soapholder characterised in that it consists of a basin 1 bordered by a raised edge 2 which creates a ledge 3 extending in toward the basin and offering an opening 4 located at a point above the waste trap 5 beneath said basin so as to afford access thereto from the outside; said opening extending through an angle partly taking in said ledge 3 and partly taking in the inner vertical wall of said raised edge 2, and provided peripherally with means 6 for supporting the removable stool 8 or soapholder 9, and at the rear with a recess 7 designed to accommodate means for making the removable stool 8 or soapholder 9 fast to said opening 4.

2. Shower tray as in claim 1 characterised in that said stool 8 is prismatic in shape to all intents and purposes, disposed vertically, and provided with a base 10 of shape and contour such as to match said opening 4; the peripheral area thereof provided with an arrangement 11 destined to mate with the profile 6 offered by said opening 4, and with an element 12 at rear designed to locate in said recess 7 and be made fast thereto by conventional fixing means.

3. Shower tray as in claim 1 characterised in that said soapholder 9 has a shaped top surface 13 designed to accommodate bars of soap or such like, the front of which being defined by a flap upright surface 14; said soapholder shaped to match with said opening 4 in such a way as to locate thereon and mate with the profile 6 offered by said opening 4 and with said recess 7 by ay of an arrangement 15 and fixing element 16.

4. Shower tray as in any one of the preceding Claims, wherein the means 6 and the arrangement 11 of the stool 8 or the arrangement 15 of the soapholder 9 form a tongue-and-groove joint.

5. Showertraywith removable stool orsoapholder, substantially as herein described with reference to, and as shown in, the accompanying drawings.