ANTONINI, Luciano (Via Lamberto Corsi 55, Fabriano, I-60044, IT)
DA RE, Patrick (Via Lamberto Corsi 55, Fabriano, I-60044, IT)
ANTONINI, Luciano (Via Lamberto Corsi 55, Fabriano, I-60044, IT)
| CLAIMS 1. A sink unit, particularly a kitchen sink unit, comprising: - a sink body (2) with at least one basin (3) adapted to contain water, the basin (3) having at least one drain opening (8), - a lid (11) articulated to the sink body (2) by means of a pair of hinges (15- 18) provided at opposite sides of the sink body (2), to be displaceable about a substantially horizontal axis between a closed position and an open position of the basin (3), - a system for the servo-displacement of the lid (11) from the closed position to the open position, wherein a water delivery mouth (21) is associated to the lid (11), which mouth is accessible by a user when the lid (11) is in the open position, and wherein each hinge (15-18) has a movable hinge part (16, 18) fixed to the lid (11), characterized in that the servo-displacement system comprises: - a gas spring (14) mounted at one first wall (5) of the sink body (2), particularly in a generally parallel position thereto, the gas spring (14) having a cylinder (14a) and a rod (14b) adapted to slide relative to one another, one of the cylinder (14a) and the rod (14b) of the gas spring (14) being constrained to the first wall (5) of the sink body (2) in a substantially stationary position; - a pair of cam members (15), each being fixed to a respective movable hinge part (16, 18) and extending lengthwise in a direction which is generally parallel to a respective side wall (6a, 6b) of the sink body (2) or generally perpendicular to the rotation axis of the lid (11); - a pair of cables (30a, 30b), each cable having one first end, connected to the other one of the cylinder (14a) and the rod (14b) of the gas spring (14), and one second end connected to a respective cam member (15); - a plurality of driving members (33a, 33b, 34a, 34b) for each cable (30a, 30b), each plurality comprising first driving members (33a, 33b) mounted on the first wall (5) of the sink body (2) and second driving members (34a, 34b) mounted on a respective side wall (6a, 6b) of the sink body (2) which is adjacent to the first wall (5). 2. The sink unit according to claim 1, wherein the servo-displacement system also comprises a pair of retaining members (35) mounted on the sink body (2), each retaining member (35) being engageable with a respective cam member (15) when the lid (11) is in the closed position, to keep the lid (11) in said position in a compressed condition of the gas spring (14), the retaining members (35) being disengageable from the cam members (15) through a manual rotation of the lid (11) towards the open position. 3. The sink unit according to claim 2, wherein each retaining member comprises an engagement element (35) engageable in an elastic fashion with a respective cam member (15). 4. The sink unit according to claim 3, wherein each engagement element (35) extends axially in a generally parallel direction relative to the rotation axis of the lid (11) and the respective cam member (15) has a notch (15d) wherein the engagement element (35) is received in a condition of elastic stress. 5. The sink unit according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein at least one said movable hinge part (16, 18) comprises a hollow cylindrical body (16), the cam member (15) has a through hole (15a) whereinto an end portion of the cylindrical body (16) is fixed, an opposite end portion of the cylindrical body (16) protruding within the lid (11), with an intermediate portion of the cylindrical body (16) which extends through an opening formed in a side face (6a, 6b-6c) of the sink body (2). 6. The sink unit according to claim 5, wherein a part of a pipe for supplying water to the delivery mouth (21) extends through one said hollow cylindrical body (16). 7. The sink unit according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein light emitting means (27) are mounted on the lid (11) which, in the open position of the lid (11), are adapted to illuminate the basin (3), control means (26) being also preferably associated to the lid (11), operable by a user to make the light emitting means (27) active. 8. The sink unit according to claim 5 and claim 7, wherein a part of electrical conductors for supplying or controlling the light emitting means (27) extends through one said hollow cylindrical body (16). 9. The sink unit according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein a hydraulic unit is associated to a region of the sink body (2), including one mixing device having - two inlets, for connection to a cold water supply system and a hot water supply system, respectively, - one outlet, connected in fluid communication with the delivery mouth (21), and - manual control means (36) for adjustment of the flow-rate and the temperature of the water supplied to the delivery mouth (21), the control means (36) of the mixing device being inaccessible when the lid (11) is in the closed position. 10. The sink unit according to claim 9, wherein the hydraulic unit also comprises one hand-shower (37), connected in fluid communication with the outlet of the mixing device, and a deviating device (38), manually operable for selectively addressing water exiting the mixing device to the delivery mouth (21) or the hand- shower (37), the hand-shower (37) and the deviating device (38) being in a close position relative to the control means (36) of the mixing device and inaccessible when the lid (11) is in the closed position (3). 11. The sink unit according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the lid (11) and a mouth of the basin (3) have such perimetric dimensions that, in the closed position of the lid, a front edge of the lid is spaced apart from a front edge of the basin (3), to define a gripping interstice (12), the above said front edge of the lid including preferably an inclined surface. 12. The sink unit according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the sink body (2) has an upper perimetric flange (10), generally horizontal, and the gas spring (14), the cam members (15), the cables (30a, 30b) and the driving members (33a, 33b, 34a, 34b) are within the outer maximal overall dimensions of the sink body (2) as defined by said perimetric flange (10). |
Field of the invention
The present invention relates to a kitchen sink unit, having the characteristics specified in the preamble of Claim 1.
Background of the invention
A sink unit according to the preamble of Claim 1 is known from the Japanese patent document No. JP-A-5148871.
In this solution, the sink unit has a sink body, built-in in the top part of kitchen furnishing, which defines a basin designed to contain water, provided with at least one drain opening.
Hinged to a rear region of the sink body, in the upper part thereof, is a lid, which can be displaced about a substantially horizontal axis of rotation between a position for closing and a position for opening the basin. Mounted on the inner face of the lid, i.e., the face that - in the condition where the lid is closed - faces the inside of the basin, are two water-delivery mouths. The delivery mouths are mounted such that they can turn about an axis perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the lid, and in the inner face of the latter seats are made in which the aforesaid delivery mouths are housed when they are not used.
The solution referred to in the aforesaid Japanese document is provided with a system for assisted or servo-displacement of the lid between the positions of opening and closing of the basin. This displacement system is motor-driven and envisages a transmission system including co-operating gears, one of which is connected to a movable hinge element of the lid and the other is connected in rotation to the shaft of a driving motor. This driving motor can be governed via controls set in a front part of the sink body. The aforesaid displacement system is moreover exploited for governing rotation of the water-delivery mouths in such a way that upon opening of the lid said mouths turn out of the aforesaid housings, into an operating position thereof.
The embodiment according to the aforesaid prior document, though convenient to use for the user, is extremely complex from a mechanical standpoint and is consequently costly. The provision of a motor-driven displacement system renders the sink unit as a whole cumbersome. The known solution also proves subject to risks of malfunctioning, considering the fact that the driving motor of the system for servo-displacement is located in the immediate vicinity of the sink, i.e., in areas potentially subject to moisture, which can jeopardize proper operation of the motor over the long term.
Summary of the invention
The aim of the present invention is basically to overcome one or more of the aforesaid drawbacks and to provide a kitchen sink unit that is as a whole simple to produce and is provided with a system for assisted displacement of the lid that is inexpensive to produce, convenient for the user, and reliable also over the long term.
The above and further purposes are achieved, according to the present invention by a kitchen sink unit having the characteristics specified in the annexed claims. The claims form an integral part of the technical teaching provided herein in relation to the invention.
Brief description of the drawings
Further characteristics and advantages of the present invention will emerge clearly from the ensuing description, with reference to the annexed drawings, which are provided purely by way of non-limiting example and in which:
- Figures 1 and 2 are perspective views of a sink unit according to the invention, with the corresponding lid open and closed, respectively;
- Figures 3 and 4 are a front elevation and a rear elevation of the sink unit of Figures 1 and 2, in the condition of lid open;
- Figure 5 is a perspective view, at an enlarged scale and from the rear side, of the sink unit of Figures 1-4, in the condition of lid open;
- Figure 6 is a perspective view similar to that of Figure 1 , but from a different angle and with a delivery spout integrated with the lid in a respective operative position;
- Figure 7 is a perspective view of the sink unit of Figures 1-6, with a part of lid removed;
- Figure 8 is a detail at an enlarged scale of Figure 7;
- Figure 9 is a perspective view of a cam member of the sink unit according to the invention;
- Figure 10 is a perspective view of an element for blocking of the cam member of Figure 9;
- Figure 11 is a perspective view of the cam member and of the arrest element of Figures 9 and 10; and - Figure 12 is a side view of the sink unit according to the invention, with the corresponding lid in a plurality of angular positions.
Description of preferred embodiments of the invention
Reference to "an embodiment" or "one embodiment" in the framework of this description is meant to indicate that a particular configuration, structure, or characteristic described in relation to the embodiment is comprised in at least one embodiment. Hence, phrases such as "in an embodiment" or "in one embodiment" and the like that may be present in different points of this description do not necessarily all refer to one and the same embodiment. In addition, the particular configurations, structures, or characteristics can be combined in any adequate way in one or more embodiments. The references used in what follows are only provided for convenience and do not define the sphere of protection or the scope of the embodiments.
With particular reference to Figures 1 to 5, designated as a whole by 1 is a sink unit according to the present invention. The unit 1 comprises a sink body, designated as a whole by 2, which defines at least one basin 3 designed to contain water. In the example of embodiment represented, the sink body 2 is made of metal material, in particular stainless-steel sheet.
The sink body 2 has a front wall 4, a rear wall 5, and two side walls 6a and 6b. Preferably, at least some of these walls are double-walled, for the reasons that will emerge clearly hereinafter. This is the case in particular of the side wall 6a and of the rear wall 5. The sink body 2 further comprises a bottom wall 7, within which a drain opening 8 is formed. Preferably, also provided in the double rear wall 5 is an overflow opening of the basin 3, designated by 9.
The body 2 includes an inner side wall, designated by 6c for example in Figures 1 and 3. Said wall 6c is shaped so as to define, together with the wall 6b applied on the outside of the body 2, an area for positioning some functional components of the sink unit 1 , described hereinafter.
From the figures it may moreover be noted how the sink body 2 presents, at the upper ends of the walls 3-5, a perimetral fiange, designated as a whole by 10, which surrounds the opening of the basin 3. The sink body 2 is designed to be built-in in a working surface of a kitchen, or else in an opening provided above a kitchen cabinet, in such a way that the fiange 10 will rest on the outside on the aforesaid surface or on the structure of the aforesaid cabinet.
The sink unit 1 further comprises a lid, designated as a whole by 11, which is articulated to the body 2 via at least one hinge, preferably a pair of hinges provided on opposite sides of the body 2. In this way, the lid 11 can be displaced about a substantially horizontal axis of rotation, between a position for closing the basin 3, visible for example in Figure 2, and a position for opening the basin, visible for example in Figure 1. As may be noted from Figure 2, the arrangement of the hinge means of the unit 1 is such that, in the closed position of the lid 11, the latter is substantially flush with the top surface of the flange 10. Once again from Figure 2 it may be noted how, preferably, the lid 11 and the opening of the basin 3 have perimetral dimensions such that, in the closed position, a front edge of the lid 11 is at a distance from the front edge of the opening of the basin 3. In this way, there is defined a gripping interstice, designated by 12 in Figure 2, which enables a user to stick the fingers of one hand to get hold of the lid 11 and raise it up manually into the position of Figure 1. For this purpose, preferably, at least the front edge of the lid 11 includes an inclined surface, as is clearly visible, for example, in Figure 1.
From Figure 5 it may also be noted that the front wall 4 of the sink unit 1 can be shaped so as to present a step 13, aimed at providing a space for insertion of the user's fingers (see also Figure 12).
The sink unit 1 according to the invention includes a system for the servo - displacement of the lid 11 from the position for closing to the position for opening the basin 3.
According to a characteristic of the invention, the aforesaid system for servo-displacement comprises a gas spring, designated as a whole by 14 in Figures 4 and 5. This gas spring 14 is mounted on the sink body 2 in a position generally parallel to a wall of the body itself. In the example of embodiment provided herein, the wall on which the gas spring 14 is installed is the rear wall 5. The gas spring 14, of a type in itself known, comprises a cylinder 14a and a rod 14b, which can slide with respect to one another. In the example of embodiment provided, the cylinder 14a is constrained to the rear wall 5 of the sink body 2, in a stationary position.
The system for assisted displacement further comprises a pair of cam members, designated by 15 in the figures. Each cam member 15 is fixed to a respective movable hinge part and extends in a direction generally parallel to a respective side wall 6a and 6b of the sink body 2.
As may be seen in particular in Figure 9, the aforesaid movable hinge part comprises a hollow cylindrical body, designated by 16, and the cam member has a generally flat body, having at one end a through hole 15a. Fixed in this hole 15a is one end of the hollow cylindrical body 16, with modalities in themselves known. In the mounted condition of the lid 11, the cylindrical body 16 is inserted through a respective opening formed in a respective side wall 6a or 6c of the sink body 2, in such a way that the cylindrical body 16 also passes through an opening formed in a respective side of the lid 11, in the proximity of its rear edge; the aforesaid side hole of the lid is designated by 17 in Figure 8.
In this way, an end portion of the cylindrical body 16 is positioned within the lid 11, with a respective intermediate stretch that is inserted through the aforesaid opening formed in the side wall 6a or 6c of the body 2; said through opening cannot be seen in the figures, but its position may be inferred from Figures 7 and 8.
The portion of the cylindrical body 16 that extends within the lid 11 is fitted to a fixing member, designated as a whole by 18 in Figures 7 and 8 (note that represented in Figure 8 is just one hinge of the unit 1). As may be seen also in Figure 10, the member 18 basically consists of a prismatic body, provided with an axial cavity 18a designed to receive at least part of the cylindrical body 16; the cylindrical body 16 is blocked within said cavity 18a via screws (not represented), screwed into radial holes, designated in Figure 10 by 18b. The prismatic body of the element 18 is constrained in position on the body of the lid 11, for example via welding. The assembled condition of the cam member 15, of the cylindrical body 16, and of the fixing member 18 may be seen in Figure 11. The mounted condition of said components is, as has been said, visible in Figure 8.
In a preferential embodiment of the invention, the lid 11 is made up of at least two parts, designated by 1 la and 1 lb in the figures. The part 11a, formed for example starting from stainless-steel sheet, defines the face referred to herein as "external face" of the lid 11, as well as its sides, including the inclined front edge. The second part 1 lb defines, instead, the inner face of the lid 11, i.e., the face that - in the condition where the lid is closed - faces the inside of the basin 3. As may be noted in particular in Figure 7, where the part l ib has been removed, the lid 11 is hollow and positioned inside it are some functional components. In particular, designated by 20 is a metal sectional element used for installation of a water- delivery spout 21. This metal sectional element 20 is substantially channel-shaped and mounted inside it is a hollow body 22, open at the front, hinged within which is the spout 21, which has a generally parallelepipedal and flattened configuration (see, for example, Figure 6), the body of the spout 21 being hinged so as to turn about an axis generally perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the lid 11. Designated by 23 in Figure 7 is a means for hinging of the spout 21; another means for hinging of the spout 21 is designated by 24, and includes also functions of connector, for supplying the water to the spout itself, as will emerge clearly hereinafter.
In the non- limiting example illustrated, also fixed within the body 11a are two sectional elements 25 for installation of light-emitting means (not represented in Figure 7), appropriately protected and insulated. Again mounted within the cavity defined by the lid body 1 la is a switch means 26, for example a switch of a capacitive type, used for controlling the aforesaid light-emitting means. The light- emitting means may be seen, for example, in Figures 1, 3 and 6, where they are designated by 27.
In order to enable transfer of the light generated by the means 27, the part 1 lb of the lid 11 has at least one purposely provided slit (not indicated). Of course, the part l ib of lid has a slit also at the area in which is the spout 21, or more precisely, at which is the hollow body 22 that defines the housing for the spout itself.
The servo-displacement system of the lid 11 also comprises a pair of cables, in particular metal cables, designated by 30a and 30b for example in Figures 4 and 5. Each of these cables has a first end connected to the rod 14b of the gas spring 14, and a second end that is connected to a respective cam member 15. In the example of embodiment exemplified, as has been said, the cylinder 14a of the gas spring 14 is constrained to the rear wall 5 of the sink body 2, and provided for this purpose are contrast elements for installation of the cylinder 14a, which are designated by 31 in Figures 4 and 5. On the other side, mounted at the end of the rod 14b external to the cylinder 14a is a constraint member for the aforesaid ends of the cables 30a and 30b. This constraint member, which for example includes two vices, is designated by 32 in Figures 4 and 5. The connection of the second ends of the cables 30a and 30b to the respective cam members 15 is obtained with modalities in themselves known, for example envisaging a cable lug for each cable. Preferably, the body of the cam member 15 has a bifurcation; i.e., it defines two generally parallel flattened portions, which delimit between them a slit designated by 15b in Figures 9 and 11. The two flattened portions are provided with respective arrays of holes 15 c, used for positioning the aforesaid cable lug between them. The provision of a plurality of holes 15c enables choice of an adjustment position deemed optimal for the servo-displacement system.
Finally, the servo-displacement system comprises a plurality of driving or transmission members for each cable 30a and 30b. In the embodiment of the invention exemplified, these driving or transmission members are basically constituted by wheels or pulleys. As may be seen, each plurality of transmission members for each cable 30a or 30b comprises first transmission members, which are mounted on the same wall as that on which the gas spring 14 is installed. These first pulleys are designated in the figures by the reference number 33, followed by the letter "a" or "b", respectively, according to whether they are pulleys that regard the cable 30a or else the cable 30b. Each plurality of transmission members then comprises a plurality of second pulleys, designated by 34, also in this case followed by the letters "a" or "b", which are mounted on a respective side wall 6a or 6b of the body 2 that is adjacent and - in the example shown - orthogonal to the rear wall 5.
It may be noted that the arrangement illustrated is intended merely as an example in so far as, for instance, the gas spring 14 could possibly be mounted also on the wall 7 of the sink body 2, i.e., the wall defining the bottom of the basin 3 or, possibly, also on the wall defining the front wall 4 of the body 2. In any case, irrespective of the positioning, there will be provided for each cable 30a, 30b a plurality of pulleys or similar transmission members, some of which will be operative on the same wall as that on which the spring 14 is installed and others will, instead, be mounted on the side walls of the sink body 2, parallel to which the cam members 15 extend and are movable.
As may be noted, for example, in Figures 5 and 7, in the corner areas between the wall 5 and the wall 6a, on one side, and the wall 5 and the wall 6b, on the other side, at least two pulleys 33 and 34 are preferably provided, which are set in close proximity to one another and the axes of rotation of which are mutually orthogonal.
As has been said, in the embodiment exemplified in the figures, the side wall of the body 2 on which the pulleys 34b of the cable 30b are mounted is an additional outer wall 6b, i.e., one not delimiting the basin 3; as has previously been explained, in fact, the basin 3 is delimited, on the side close to the wall 6b, by an inner side wall 6c, shaped so as to define an area for housing some functional components of the unit. In a particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention, the servo- displacement system comprises a pair of retaining members, mounted on the sink body 2, where each of these retaining members can engage with a respective cam member 15 when the lid 11 is in the closed position, to keep the lid itself in said position in a condition of compression of the gas spring 14, and where the aforesaid retaining members can be disengaged from the cam members 15 by means of a rotation imparted manually on the lid towards the open position of the basin 3.
In the embodiment exemplified in the figures, the aforesaid retaining members comprise an engagement pin designated by 35 in the figures, which can engage elastically with a respective cam member 15. Once again with reference to a preferential embodiment, the engagement pins 35 extend axially in a direction that is generally parallel to the axis of rotation of the lid 11. The cam member 15 defines a notch, designated by 15d for example in Figures 9 and 11, where the pin 35 is received in a condition of elastic stress.
For this purpose, provided in the embodiment exemplified are units 36, which are anchored to the rear wall of the body 2; provided within the body of these units 36 are elastic means that force the engagement pin 35 towards a predefined position. When the lid 11 is brought into the closed position, thereby determining - at will be seen - also rotation of the cam members 15, each notch 15d comes to face the respective engagement element 35, but in a condition where it is slightly staggered or off axis. Given that preferably the elements 35 are cylindrical in shape, as is the notch 15d, proceeding in the movement of closing of the lid 11, and thanks to the fact that the elements 35 are mounted elastically, the co-operation of the surfaces of the elements 35 and of the notches 15d brings about a movement of the elements 35, which engage with the notches 15d so as to elastically guarantee that the lid 11 is kept in the lowered position. In order to bring the lid 11 into the raised position, the user merely has to turn the lid 11 in a direction opposite to the previous one, with exertion of a slight force, sufficient to produce elastic disengagement of the elements 35 from the notches 15d.
As has been seen previously, the means for hinging the lid 11 to the sink body 2 comprise hollow cylindrical tubular bodies 16. Advantageously, the axial cavity of these bodies 16 is used for inserting within the lid 11 a flexible hose (not represented) for supply of water to the spout 21, said hose having one end connected to the element designated by 24 in Figure 7. Once again through the axial cavity of said tubular body 16, or else of the body 16 opposite to the one in which the hose for the water passes, there can be fed the electrical conductors necessary for supply and/or control of the light-emitting means 27, i.e., the cables that connect a low-voltage power supply, outside the unit 1 and not represented in the figures, to the switch means 26 and to the light-emitting means 27.
As mentioned previously, the inner side wall 6c of the body 2 is shaped so as to define, outside the basin 3, an area for housing functional components of the sink body, comprised between the wall 6c itself and the wall 6b of the body 2, as may be seen for example in Figures 3 and 6. In the space defined between these two walls a water-delivery unit is mounted, not visible in the figures, which includes a mixer device of a general construction in itself known, for example of the ceramic-cartridge mixer type. This mixer device has two inlets, one for connection to a cold-water supply system and the other for connection to a hot- water supply system. The mixer device then has an outlet, which is connected to one end of the aforesaid hose that feeds the water to the delivery spout 21 mounted in the lid 11.
The aforesaid mixer device also comprises manual control means, designated by 36 (see, for example, Figures 1, 6 and 7) which consist, for example, of a swivel knob that enables regulation of the flowrate and temperature of the water supplied to the spout 21. As has been said, these means for mixing hot water and the corresponding control members can be of a known type. In a possible embodiment, for example, the mixer device is configured in such a way that by turning the knob 36 through a first angular range, for example a rotation of from 0° to 90°, it is possible to open and regulate the flowrate of just cold water to the spout 21. Proceeding in the rotation (i.e., beyond 90°) of the knob 36, mixing between the hot water and the cold water starts, with a corresponding possibility of regulating the temperature of the water and of the corresponding flow.
In the example, the aforesaid water-delivery unit further comprises a hand- shower, designated by 37, which is accessible, like the knob 36, within the basin 3, in the region defined by the shaped wall 6c. A hand-shower, as is known, is a delivery device, which can be pulled out of a corresponding seat (not visible) and can be freely displaced manually by the user, and is in fluid communication, via a corresponding hose, with the outlet of the aforesaid mixer device. In the embodiment illustrated in the figures, provided adjacent to the knob 36 and to the hand- shower 37 is a deviator device, of a type in itself known, the control knob of which is designated by 38. The deviator device can be operated manually by the user to deviate the water at outlet from the mixer device selectively to the delivery spout 21 or else to the hand-shower 37. It will be appreciated that, given their positioning, the knobs 36 and 38, as well as the shower 37, are inaccessible when the lid 11 is in the position for closing the basin 3.
Preferably, the deviator device governed by the knob 38 is operative only when the flowrate of water admitted to the spout 21 is high. For this reason, it will be necessary first to open the mixer device, i.e., turn its knob 36 at least up to the aforesaid 90°, and then proceed to switching the deviator by acting on the knob 38.
As may be readily understood, in the condition where the sink unit 1 is installed and with the lid closed (see Figure 2) the outer face of the lid itself provides a horizontal plane surface, which can for example be exploited for resting objects. In said condition, the basin 3 is hidden from view, as are also the elements 36-38 of the water-delivery unit of the sink 2. When it is necessary to use the sink, the user merely has to stick the fingers of one hand in the interstice 12 represented in Figure 1 and impart a rotation on the lid 11 such as to overcome the elastic reaction to which the engagement elements 35 are subjected. Once release of the cam members 15 from the engagement elements 35 is obtained, the gas spring 14 is released, with the stem 14b that tends to exit by itself from the cylinder 14a: in this way, the cables 30a and 30b are pulled in a first direction, causing an angular movement of the cam members 15. As has been said, the cam members 15 are fixed in rotation with respect to the cylindrical bodies 16, which provide movable hinge parts. In this way, the energy developed by the spring 14 is exploited to obtain the assisted lifting of the lid 11.
When it becomes necessary to close the lid 11, the user merely has to impart on the lid itself an angular movement opposite to the previous one, overcoming the reaction of the gas spring 14. When the lid 11 is lowered, i.e., when it is turned, the connection of the cam members 15 to the cables 30a and 30b causes the cables themselves to be pulled in directions opposite to the previous one, with consequent re-entry of the rod 14b of the spring within the cylinder 14a, overcoming the pneumatic reaction of the gas-operated system. When the lid 11 is practically in the closed position, engagement is again obtained between the elements 35 and the corresponding seats 15d of the cam members 15, as explained previously. The lid 11 is thus closed, and the gas spring 14 is in a respective condition of compression. With the lid open, the delivery spout 21 can be turned manually into the position of use, as indicated schematically by the arrow in Figure 6. As has been said, supply to the spout 21 is obtained by way of the mixing device equipped with the control knob 36. As an alternative to the delivery spout 21, the user can use the hand-shower 37, and for this purpose he will have first to open the water via the knob 36, and then intervene on the deviator via the knob 38. Obviously, in order to use the hand-shower 37, it will be necessary to pull it out of its seat.
It has been previously mentioned that some walls of the sink body 2 are double walls. This arrangement is particularly recommended in the case of the walls of the sink body on which external components must be mounted, such as the supports 31 of the gas spring, the units 36 that elastically support the engagement elements 35, and the pulleys 33, 34. Said components will in effect be fixed to the outer wall, in order to prevent damage to the inner wall that delimits the basin 3.
It is again to be noted that the various components of the system for servo- displacement associated to walls of the sink body 2 (the spring 14, the cam members 15, the pulleys 33, 34, the pins 35 and the corresponding units 36) remain in any case within the maximum overall dimensions defined by the peripheral flange 10 of the body itself (see, in particular, Figures 3, 4 and 12), to the advantage of compactness of the solution.
From the foregoing description, the characteristics of the present invention emerge clearly, as likewise clear are the advantages that it affords. The sink unit 1, i.e., its body 2, can be obtained in a relatively simple way, via operations of drawing and assembly of sheet metal. The system for assisted lifting of the lid 11 is of a simple design and based upon a component, such as a gas spring, that is highly reliable over time, capable of undergoing innumerable operating cycles and substantially immune from negative effects caused by prolonged exposure to moisture. The entirely mechanical transmission system, via cables and pulleys, is likewise not adversely affected by exposure to moisture. Notwithstanding the simplicity of construction, the assisted-displacement system considerably facilitates the operations of opening of the lid, with noticeable advantages for the user.
Of course, without prejudice to the principle of the invention, the details of construction and the embodiments may vary with respect to what has been described and illustrated herein purely by way of example, without thereby departing from the scope defined by the ensuing claims.
For example, in a possible embodiment, within the lid 11 there can be provided an actuator, in particular of an electrical type, for obtaining motor-driven movement of the spout 21 between its operative and inoperative positions. In said embodiment there can be conveniently provided a control means, for example similar to the one previously designated by 26, for controlling operation of the aforesaid actuator.
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