DESCRIPTION

The present invention relates to a device for connecting a washing basin to a water drainage conduit. In particular, the present invention relates to a device for manually coupling the washing basin to a water drainage conduit by mechanical interference.

In another aspect, the present invention relates to a manually removable washing basin connectable to a water drainage conduit by mechanical interference.

A basin, specifically a washing basin, is a plumbing fixture generally bowl-shaped that is used for washing hands, other small portions of the body or even small objects. Bathrooms, kitchens and sometimes even service rooms typically have at least a basin to collect the water used during the washing operations. As part of a washing instrument the basin is normally subject to different conditions that cause its dirtying.

There are many types of washing basins that differ from each other for the materials in which they are made, for the style and the design and for the presence or absence of integrated accessories. Regardless of the material, the style and the accessories, all the basins have to be connected to a water drainage conduit to drain off the water collected during the washing operations.

The connection of the washing basin to a water drainage conduit is, usually, effected by connecting it to the waste pipe using an intermediate conduit, made of a plurality of components. In particular, the connection of the washing basin to the intermediate conduit can be fixed or semi-removable.

The fixed connection, used in rare cases, permits a solid coupling of the washing basin to the conduit without the possibility of easy replacement. This type of connection is used when replacement of the washing basin or of the water drainage conduit or even of the intermediate conduit are not foreseen or scheduled. The advantage of this connection lies in a quick installation, thanks to the reduced number of components, but unfortunately it requires the use of special tools and requires relevant professional skills for installation. The intermediate conduit is made often in a single element and is even solidly connected to the washing basin, thus making a single element device. Furthermore, this typ e of connection is cheap in relation to the semi-removable one, as described below.

The fixed connection has, however, a number of significant disadvantages, including the total lack of flexibility and, consequently, the need for costly and time-di spending operations if the washing basin is to be removed. In particular, if the basin broke it would cause a subsequent collapse of the conduit and the need to build a new one.

The semi-removable connection, most used, allows a coupling between the washing basin and the conduit by means of a connection that guarantees a possibility of decoupling in case of need. This connection is more flexible than the previous one, but has, at same time, significant disadvantages. In particular, this connection requires the use of specific tools since manual operations are not suitable and effective. Moreover, the technical skills necessary to perform these operations require higher abilities than those possessed by a non-expert in the field.

Thus, the known devices, while effecting an efficient connection between the washing basin and the water drainage conduit, cannot ensure flexibility, modularity and a quick and economic installation. Said devices, in fact, do not allow to remove the washing basin after its installation unless using special tools that require professional and technical expertise, thus being more time-dispending.

Moreover, the design of the washing basin can be such to accumulate dirty in crevices or in spaces difficult to reach during the cleaning operations. The known devices, therefore, do not allow a quick removal of the washing basin for the cleaning operations, thus making the sanitation of the environment in which the washing basin is installed difficult.

It would be desirable to have a device for connecting a washing basin to a water drainage conduit, which is able to provide a simple and inexpensive installation. In particular, it would be desirable that this device ensures a reduced time for the installation.

It would also be desirable that the device be able to provide flexibility when installing and removing the washing basin, without requiring the use of special equipment and without the exercise of a special technical skill.

It would be further desirable to have a removable washing basin that can simplify cleaning operations, and at the same guarantees that the hard to reach positions can be cleaned.

It would be therefore desirable that the removable washing basin is able to ensure high flexibility of installation, providing quick and economical assembly and disassembly.

An object of the present invention is thus to provide a device for connecting a washing basin to a water drainage conduit, that is able to provide quick and inexpensive installation and reinstallation without the support of special tools.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a device for connecting a washing basin to a water drainage conduit which provides a flexibility of installation even by people without technical expertise.

One more object of the present invention is to provide a removable washing basin which guarantees flexibility on installation and removal, making it easier to clean up the environment in which the washing basin is installed.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a removable washing basin with little cost for installation, removal and subsequent re-installation, without the need of special equipment or technical skills.

According to the present invention, the above-mentioned objects are achieved by a device for connecting a washing basin to a water drainage conduit characterised in that it comprises at least a first elongated hollow element, mounted on the discharge hole of the washing basin, and at least a second elongated hollow element, connected to the water drainage conduit; the first elongated hollow element and the second elongated hollow element being reversibly coupled to each other to form a water-tight connection between the washing basin and the water drainage conduit, and being manually disengageable, to remove the washing basin. As above described, the device according to the present invention provides a quick and simple connection between a washing basin and a water drainage conduit, without the need of using special equipment. In particular, said connection can also be accomplished by non-experts and repeated over the time without compromising the functionality of the connection itself.

Preferably, the first elongated hollow element and the second elongated hollow element are coupled manually into each other by mechanical interference and/or by friction and/or by geometrical coupling. More preferably, the washing basin comprises interference means operatively connected between the first elongated hollow element and the second elongated hollow element, and effecting a mechanical interference and/or a friction. Alternatively or furthermore, the first elongated hollow element differs in size from the second elongated hollow element, effecting the mechanical interference and/or the friction and/or the geometrical coupling.

In this way the connection of the washing basin is effected without the support of special tools and can be done by hands.

Preferably, the device further comprises a third elongated hollow element, operatively connected to the first elongated hollow element, the washing basin being interposed and fixed in-between. More preferably, the first connection element and the third connection element are coupled into each other by a threaded connection.

In this way it is guaranteed the possibility to operate by hands without the use of special tools or equipment to engage and lock the washing basin to the conduit.

Preferably, the second elongated hollow element comprises means for manual connection to a washing basin support. Moreover, the above-mentioned objects are achieved by a manually removable washing basin characterised in that it comprises a connecting portion in correspondence to the discharge hole of the washing basin to manually connect the washing basin by mechanical interference and/or by friction and/or by geometrical coupling to a water drainage conduit.

With the features described above, the manually removable basin according to the present invention provides a washing basin for quick and easy installation and removal. This allows an accurate cleaning when necessary, simply by temporarily detaching the basin from the water drainage conduit, without compromising functionality when it is re-installed.

Preferably, the connecting portion comprises interference means effecting the friction. More preferably, the mechanical interference is effected by tolerance in size and/or by different dimension of the connecting portion and of the water drainage conduit.

Preferably, the connecting portion comprises at least a first elongated hollow element and a second elongated hollow element coupled to each other; the second elongated hollow element being insertable and solidly connected manually to the water drainage conduit.

In this way, a simple installation or removal of the washing basin is ensured, without the use of special equipment and without using manpower having specialized skills.

Preferably, the manually removable washing basin comprises a third elongated hollow element, operatively connected to the first elongated hollow element, the washing basin being interposed and fixed in-between. More preferably, the manually removable washing basin comprises a washing basin support, supporting the washing basin; the second elongated hollow element comprises means for manual connecting the washing basin to the washing basin support.

In this way it is possible to connect and disconnect the washing basing from the washing basin support, thus facilitating their cleaning.

These and other features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments, which are illustrated by way of non-limitative examples in the accompanying drawings, in which:

- Figure 1 shows an exploded sectional view of the device for the connection of a washing basin to a water drainage conduit, according the present invention;

- Figure 2 shows an overall sectional view of the manually removable washing basin provided with the washing basin support, according to the present invention;

- Figure 3 shows an overall sectional view of the manually removable washing basin of the Figure 2 connected to a water drainage conduit, according to the present invention.

Figure 1 shows a device 10 for connecting a washing basin 20 to a water drainage conduit (not illustrated).

The device 10 comprises a first elongated hollow element 110 and a third elongated hollow element 310, with a diameter smaller than the first elongated hollow element 110, operatively connected to it. The first elongated hollow element 110 is mounted at the discharge hole 50 of the washing basin 20, below it, and has an interior threaded part 111 in the portion in correspondence with the discharge hole 50. In particular, the hole 50 comprises a counterboring 51 on the top of the same, which creates a resting portion. The third elongated hollow element 310, operatively connected to the first elongated hollow element 110, has a first portion 312 that fits into the discharge hole 50, and a second portion projecting from hole 50, provided with an exterior threaded part 311 that screws into the interior threaded part 111, so that the washing basin 20 is interposed and fixed in-between. So, the threaded parts 111, 311 make the insertion of the third elongated hollow element 310 into the first elongated hollow element 110 easy.

The first elongated hollow element 110 and the third elongated hollow element 310 also, are formed as a portion of cylinder in a metallic material, and the shape of these elements is designed so as to fit into the discharge hole of the washing basin 20 used to flow down the water. In particular, the diameter of the former is smaller than the second, so that the former can be inserted in the second.

The device 10 also comprises a second elongated hollow element 210, connected to the water drainage conduit and able to include at least a portion of the first elongated hollow element 110 described above. This second elongated hollow element 210 is also formed as a portion of cylinder in a metallic material and has a diameter higher than the first elongated hollow element 110, for coupling them. Said second elongated hollow element 210 comprises also means for the manual connection to the water discharge hole 70 of the washing basin support 30, which, in the preferred embodiment, is formed by a nut 200. The hole 70, like the hole 50, comprises a counterboring 71 on the top of the same creating a resting portion. In particular, the second elongated hollow element 210 comprises a first portion 212 that fits in the discharge hole 70 and a second portion projecting from hole 70, provided with an exterior threaded part 211 onto which the nut 200 is screwed to fix the washing basin support 30. The device 10 further comprises interference means 112 operatively connected between the first elongated hollow element 110 and the second elongated hollow element 210. In the preferred embodiment here described, the interference means 112 comprise two plastic bands surrounding a portion of the first elongated hollow element 110 that effect the mechanical interference. In particular, the thickness of the two plastic bands is higher than the portion where they are housed so making interference by friction. Finally, the first elongated hollow element 110 has an O-ring gasket 500 at its end in contact with the second elongated hollow element 210, to prevent water leaks.

Moreover, the first elongated hollow element 110 differs in size from the second elongated hollow element 210. This difference relates to the tolerance in dimension of these elements to achieve the mechanical interference. The mechanical interference, achieved by the friction due to the tolerance in dimension, in particular, permits to engage and disengage these two elements manually, without using any tools and, at the same time, guarantee a solid connection of the device 10.

To connect the device 10 to the washing basin 20, the operator has to mount on the same the first 110 elongated hollow element and the third 310 elongated hollow element. In particular, the third elongated hollow element 310, as shown in Figure 1, is inserted in the discharge hole 50 of the washing basin 10 with the first portion 312 of the hollow element 310 resting on the counterboring 51 of the discharge hole 50 provided for the water collection, and with the second portion projecting from hole 50. Similarly, the first elongated hollow element 110 has to be mounted in contact with the discharge hole 50 of the washing basin 20, in the opposite portion to the third elongated hollow element 310. The difference in size of these two elements allows to introduce the third elongated hollow element 310 into the first elongated hollow element 110 by inserting and screwing the exterior threaded part 311 into the interior threaded part 111, thus fixing and interposing the washing basin 20 between them. Moreover, the threaded parts 111, 311 provided in the exterior portion of the third elongated hollow element 310 and in the interior portion of the first elongated hollow element 110 allow to screw the first one into the second one by manual connection, without using special tools. The second elongated hollow element 210 has to be connected to the water drainage conduit before the connection of the other parts of the device 10. If the washing basin 20 is provided with a washing basin support 30, this second elongated hollow element 210 has to be connected to it, by the means for manual connection. ,This is achieved by inserting the second elongated hollow element 210 into the discharge hole 70 of the washing basin support 30 until the first portion 212 of the hollow element 210 rests on the counterboring 71 of the hole 70. In particular, the means for manual connection consist of a nut 200 screwed to the exterior threaded part 211 of the second elongated hollow element 210 that projects from the discharge hole 70. To this purpose, the second elongated hollow element 210 is provided with an external threaded part 211 onto which the nut 200 is screwed to fix the washing basin support 30. After the connection to the water drainage conduit of the second elongated hollow element 210, the operator can simply and quickly connect the washing basin 20 to the water drainage conduit. In fact, the first elongated hollow element 110 and the second elongated hollow element 210 can be reversibly coupled to each other to form a water-tight connection between the washing basin 20 and the water drainage conduit. This connection can be, also, manually disengaged to remove simply and quickly the washing basin 20, without damaging parts of the device 10 or the washing basin 20 itself.

The difference in size between the first elongated hollow element 110 and the second elongated hollow element 210, as well as the interference means 112, allows to secure these elements to each other by mechanical interference due only to a friction. Moreover, a water seal is guaranteed by the O-ring gasket 500 provided on the first elongated hollow element 110.

In a further embodiment (not shown), the first elongated hollow element 110 and the second elongated hollow element 210 can be made with a different geometry. In particular at least one of these two elements can be a portion of a conical element. In this way, these elements are coupled by geometrical coupling due to different shapes of the same.

When correctly mounted, the device 10 allows the water to flow down to the discharge hole of the washing basin 20 without any leaks.

Disconnecting of the washing basin 20 from the water drainage conduit is simple and time- inexpensive. It is only necessary to raise the washing basin 20, by hands, until it overcomes the resistance of the interference due to the friction between the first elongated hollow element 110 and the second elongated hollow element 210. If the elements are coupled by geometrical coupling the resistance to overcome depends on the geometries and shapes of the same, but, as described above, the hands are sufficient to exert the force.

Therefore, to reconnect the washing basin 20 to its water drainage conduits the operator simply inserts the first elongated hollow element 110 into the second elongated hollow element 210, repeating in reverse order the previous operations, thus overcoming the resistance of the mechanical interference between them.

Figures 2 and 3 show a manually removable washing basin 20, which consists of a basin provided with the device 10 shown in figure 1, and a washing basin support 30, supporting said washing basin 20.

The washing basin 20 comprises a connecting portion in correspondence to the discharge hole 50 of the washing basin 20 to manually connect it by mechanical interference due to friction to a water drainage conduit 300 to flow down the water. In particular, the connecting portion comprises a first elongated hollow element 110 and a third elongated hollow element 310, operatively connected to the first elongated hollow element 110. The washing basin 20 is thus interposed and fixed in-between. These two parts, namely the first and the second elongated elements, are formed as described above for the device 10. All the elements are, therefore, part of the device 10 so the diameter of the former is smaller than the second, and that the former can be inserted in the second. Moreover, both these elements have a threaded part 111, 311 for coupling into each other, thus making the insertion easier. The first elongated hollow element 110 is also provided with interference means 112 operatively connected between the first and the second elongated hollow element 210, described below, thus effecting a mechanical interference, as described below. In particular, in said embodiment the interference means 112, are preferably formed with two circular bands in plastic material, surrounding the first elongated hollow element 110 in a portion shaped to this purpose. Finally, the first elongated hollow element 110 has an O-ring gasket 500 at the end thereof in contact with the second elongated hollow element 210, to prevent water leaks. This connecting portion also comprises interference means to effects mechanical interference by friction. The same, in particular, is obtained through the tolerance in dimension between the connecting portion and the water drainage conduit. The same effect can be obtained if at least a portion of the first elongated hollow element 110 and/or the second elongated hollow element 210 are made with a different geometry, like a portion of a conical element where the interference is obtained by geometrical coupling through the same.

The manually removable washing basin 20 also comprises a second elongated hollow element 210 coupled with the first elongated hollow element 110. The second elongated hollow element 210 is insertable and solidly connected manually to the water drainage conduit 300, forming a water-tight connection between the washing basin 20 and the water drainage conduit itself. Furthermore, the second elongated hollow element 210 of the manually removable washing basin 20 of the preferred embodiment, comprises means for the manual connection of the washing basin 20 to the washing basin support 30, for the insertion of the second elongated hollow element 210 into the discharge hole 70 provided in the washing basin support 30. These means comprise a nut 200 that is screwed onto the exterior threaded part 211 provided in the second portion of the second elongated hollow element 210, as above described. As described for the device 10, the connection and the disconnection of the washing basin 20 to a water drainage conduit requires only a few operations that can be done manually. In particular, the operations described for the device 10 are the same as the operations useful for the manually removable washing basin 20. The technical solutions adopted for the device for connecting a washing basin to a water drainage conduit and for the manually removable washing basin fully achieve their task and pre-set objects. In particular, the connection and disconnection of the device and of the washing basin itself are simple and time-inexpensive. Moreover, said connection and disconnection can be better achieved without using special tools and without special technical skills. Furthermore, the construction of the device and of the washing basin allows a reduction in the time spent for cleaning operations and allows a better cleaning of the surface and of the environment in which said device and said washing basin are installed. The minimisation of the components also results in a simple structure of the device and of the washing basin.

Lastly, the use of the device and of the washing basin as described above enables a minimisation of costs for initial installation or replacement and, more important, for future disconnection and reconnection. This is due to the simple way of connecting the washing basin to the water drainage conduit, and to the complete absence of adjustments to be carried out by the operator.

The device for connecting a washing basin to a water drainage conduit and for the manually removable washing basin has a relatively simple structure, which can be manufactured in a relatively cheap way by using known industrial processes. The invention is susceptible to numerous modifications and variants, all of which fall within the scope of the invention defined by the claims.