Device for docking impregnator

Abstract

An apparatus for docking a steeper comprises a base plate (1) and a back plate (2) extending upwardly from a rear edge of the base plate (1). A drain pipe (6) extends from the back plate (2) to a drain connector for engagement with a drain outlet of the impregnator, and a water pipe (7) extends from the back plate (2) to a water connector for engagement with a water supply inlet of the impregnator. The equipment facilitates the installation of the steeper.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for installing a macerator and, more particularly, to a docking station for accurately positioning a macerator and facilitating the connection of services to the macerator. Background Art

[0002] Installing a macerator into a building is a complex process that requires not only the macerator unit itself to be properly secured in place, but also the connection of the incoming water supply, drain outlet and power supply.

[0003] In the traditional macerator installation process, a paper template is placed on the floor or wall where the macerator is to be installed, and the fixing holes are drilled as shown on the template. The template is then removed, the mounting brackets are fixed in place, and the macerator unit is placed in place. The fixing bolts are then placed in the fixings through the designated attachment points in the chassis of the macerator, floor or wall to mount the macerator unit in place.

[0004] In conventional macerator units, the water supply and drainage connections are at a fixed location, usually at the rear of the unit, and once installed, the unit itself therefore blocks the connection of these services. This complicates both the installation and subsequent maintenance of the macerator unit. Furthermore, advanced plumbing techniques are often required to route these services from the wall or floor of the building to the appropriate locations on the unit, so macerator installers need to be highly skilled. Summary of the invention

[0005] The present invention seeks to facilitate the installation, maintenance and replacement of macerator units.

[0006] According to a first aspect, there is provided an apparatus for docking an immersion device, comprising: a base plate having a front edge and a rear edge; a back plate extending upwardly from the rear edge of the base plate; a drain pipe extending from the back plate to a drain connector for engaging with a drain outlet of the immersion device; and a water pipe extending from the back plate to a water connector for engaging with a water supply inlet of the immersion device, wherein the drain connector and the water connector are positioned closer to the front edge of the base plate than to the rear edge of the base plate.

[0007] In one embodiment, the drain connector and the water connector provide vertical connections to the macerator.

[0008] The apparatus may further comprise a P-trap between the drain connector and the back plate.The apparatus may further comprise an isolator between the water connector and the back plate.

[0009] In one embodiment, the backing plate may further comprise a guide configured to engage with the macerator unit and guide it to a correct position relative to the base plate. The guide comprises one or more V-shaped guide rods adapted to engage with roller pins or vertical rods on the macerator unit.

[0010] The apparatus may further comprise an attachment bracket for securing the infuser to the substrate.

[0011] The back plate is removably attached to the base plate. The rear edge of the base plate is angled with the plane of the base plate.

[0012] According to a second aspect, there is provided a method for installing a macerator unit, comprising: lifting the macerator unit using a wheeled trolley supporting a jack; positioning the macerator unit on an apparatus according to any preceding claim; and lowering the macerator unit to connect it to a water supply and a drain. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0013] Various embodiments of the present invention will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0014] Figure 1 shows a perspective view from the left front of one embodiment of the docking station;

[0015] Figure 2 shows a perspective view from the right rear of one embodiment of the docking station;

[0016] Figure 3 shows a close-up view of a positioning guide in one embodiment of a docking station;

[0017] Figure 4A and 4B A front view showing the water supply and drain connections during installation of the macerator unit;

[0018] Figure 5 A view from the right rear of a typical macerator unit for use with the present invention is shown. The front cover has been removed.

[0019] Figure 6 The macerator of FIG. 4 is shown positioned on a docking station.

[0020] Figure 7 Shows Figure 6 Front view of the macerator from the front right. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0021] Figure 1 and Figure 2A substrate 1 having a front edge and a rear edge is shown. The substrate is designed to be placed horizontally on the floor of a room where an impregnator 20 is to be installed, wherein the rear edge 2 is closer to the wall of the room than the front edge 3. The substrate 1 may comprise a sheet of metal. The substrate 1 may be 383 mm from the front edge 2 to the rear edge 3 and 416 mm from one side to the other. The substrate 1 comprises one or more fixing points 4 for securely attaching the substrate 1 to the floor. The fixing points 4 may comprise pre-drilled holes, the substrate 1 thus being able to act as a template for locating fixing holes to be drilled in the floor, thereby avoiding the need for a separate template. The substrate 1 may be fixed to the floor using screws or bolts (shown) which are inserted through the substrate 1 into the floor. In some cases, such as rooms with floor heating, it may not be appropriate to drill fixing holes into the floor. In this case, the substrate 1 may be fixed using alternative means, such as by gluing it to the floor.

[0022] The base plate 1 is preferably installed with its rear edge 80mm to 135mm from the wall to ensure correct positioning of the macerator unit 20. It is recommended that the macerator unit 20 be positioned 100mm from the wall when installed to facilitate cleaning and maintenance of the macerator unit 20.

[0023] The rear edge 2 of the baseboard 1 may be bent upwards so that it is at an angle to the plane of the floor on which the baseboard 1 is placed. This provides extra space for features in the room such as skirting, pipes or cables running along the floor between the baseboard 1 and the wall.

[0024] The back plate 5 rises substantially vertically from the rear edge 2 of the base plate 1. The back plate 5 is preferably at least 75 mm from the wall to allow access for connecting and tightening pipes, hoses or cables protruding from the wall.

[0025] The back plate 5 is rigidly connected to the base plate 1 and both may be formed from a single folded steel plate. However, preferably the two plates are detachable from each other to allow easy replacement of the back plate 5 if it is damaged during installation. The back plate 5 may be bolted to the base plate to allow easy replacement.

[0026] In one embodiment, the back plate 5 extends upward by 272 mm. The back plate 5 includes a hole through which a drain pipe 6 passes to be connected to a drain pipe protruding from the wall, and a hole through which a water supply pipe 7 passes to be connected to a water supply pipe protruding from the wall.

[0027] The drain pipe 6 extends from the back plate 5 to the drain connector 8 on the base plate 1 for engaging with the drain outlet of the macerator unit 20. Preferably, the drain pipe 6 is supported above the base plate 1 by the back plate 5. Preferably, a P-type water trap is positioned between the connector 8 and the back plate 5. The water trap prevents sewer gases from being discharged into the air, improves odor and reduces the risk of infection. The water trap is usually part of the macerator unit, but by moving it to the docking station, the water trap will still function even when the macerator unit 20 is not docked. When the macerator unit 20 is removed from the docking station for a long time, the plugging cover 9 can also be placed on the open end of the drain pipe 6.

[0028] The drain connector 8 comprises a short section of tubing rising vertically from the P-trap to engage with the vertical drain outlet on the macerator unit 20, and the connector 8 may be securely held on the P-trap by a hose clamp. The connector tube 8 may be transparent or translucent to allow blockages in the drain to be easily seen and to allow visual confirmation that the macerator drain outlet is properly seated in the connector 8. The inner diameter of the connector tube generally matches the outer diameter of the macerator unit drain outlet. The macerator drain outlet tube preferably has a circumferential ridge around the outside, which may be approximately 8 mm from the end to act as a stop for the drain connector. A second hose clamp may be used to tighten the connector 8 around the drain outlet of the macerator unit 20 to ensure a watertight seal.

[0029] The top of the connector tube 8 is positioned above the level of the trap to reduce the risk of spillage during connection and disconnection. In one embodiment, the top of the connector tube 8 is more than 40 mm above the level of the trap (i.e. the bottom of the drain pipe 6, which indicates the liquid level in the trap).

[0030] Importantly, the drain connector 8 is located towards the front edge 3 of the base plate 1. This means that the drain connector 8 is easily accessible when the macerator unit 20 is in place on the base plate 1. In an embodiment, the macerator unit 20 may have a removable front cover. When such a front cover is removed, the drain connector 8 is even more accessible.

[0031] A water supply pipe 7 extends from the back plate 5 to a water connector 10 for engagement with a water supply inlet of the macerator unit 20. In the embodiment shown, the water supply pipe 7 is substantially parallel to the drain pipe 6. The water supply pipe 7 is preferably supported above the base plate 1 by the back plate 5.

[0032] The connector 10 for engaging the macerator unit 20 is in the form of an elbow (shown as a right angle isolator) to connect with the vertical water supply inlet of the macerator unit 20. It may include a tap or valve that serves as a supply isolator. When the macerator unit 20 is in place on the base plate 1, the isolator control (e.g., a tap switch) is accessible from the front edge 3 of the base plate 1. As with the drain connector 8, the water connector 10 is located towards the front edge 3 of the base plate 1 so that it is easily accessible when the macerator unit 20 is in place on the base plate 1. In one embodiment, the front cover of the macerator unit 20 can be opened to facilitate access to the isolator and connectors 8, 10.

[0033] When the macerator unit 20 is in place, the drain connector 8 and the water connector 10 are located closer to the front edge 3 of the base plate 1 than the rear edge 2 of the base plate 1, which is important to make both connectors, especially the water supply isolator, easily accessible through the front of the macerator unit 20.

[0034] The drain connector 8 and the water connector 10 are preferably both oriented vertically so that the final movement to connect the macerator unit 20 to the pipe is a downward movement.

[0035] like Figure 1 and 2 as well as Figure 3 As shown in the close-up in FIG. 1 , the back plate 5 further includes one or more guides 11 configured to engage with the macerator unit 20 and guide it to the correct position relative to the base plate 1. In one embodiment, the guides may be guide rods formed in a horizontally oriented "V" shape with the apex of the "V" pointing toward the back of the device. The rods engage with one or more vertical pins or pins on the macerator unit 20. The pins may be roller pins and / or the guide rods may be covered in or formed from acetal plastic or another low friction material to facilitate sliding of the pins along the guide rods. When the macerator unit 20 is pushed toward the rear of the base plate, the pins on the macerator unit 20 press against the left or right side of the "V" and the macerator unit 20 is thereby forced to move sideways so that the pins end up in the apex of the "V" and the macerator unit 20 is in the correct position. In a preferred embodiment, two spaced-apart "Vs" engage with two similarly spaced-apart pins on the macerator unit 20 to ensure that rotation of the macerator unit 20 about the vertical axis is also controlled.

[0036] In one embodiment, the "V" is preferably 40 mm wide, which allows correction of an initial positioning error of 20 mm left or right. Preferably, the tolerance of the final positioning relative to the substrate 1 is 0.5 mm.

[0037] The guide 11 may be formed as a separate part of the back plate 5, which may be bolted to the rest of the back plate 5. However, the entire back plate 5 (including the guide rod 11) is preferably formed from a single sheet of metal to ensure manufacturing accuracy in the relative positions of the guide rod 11, the drain pipe 6 hole and the water supply pipe 7 hole.

[0038] The macerator fixing point 12 is located on the base plate 1 for fixing the macerator unit 20 to the base plate 1. In one embodiment, the fixing 12 comprises a bracket supported above the base plate 1 at the same height as the floor panel of the correctly positioned macerator unit 20. Bolts passing through the floor panel of the macerator unit 20 engage with the bracket to fix the macerator unit 20. The guide 11 ensures that the macerator is accurately positioned, so minimum tolerance is required in the bolt hole. In one embodiment, the bolt can include a custom fixing (as shown) that enables the bolt to be tightened by hand.

[0039] A typical macerator unit 20 (such as Figure 5 The weight of the unit is preferably supported on a base plate 1 which helps distribute the weight on the floor. Additional wall mounts are not considered necessary or desirable.

[0040] It is noted that there are preferably no plates or other features extending upwardly from the front of the base plate 1. This clear area at the front of the base plate 1 ensures that the macerator 20 can be easily moved onto or off the base plate 1 from the front. Furthermore, when the macerator 20 is in place on the docking station, it facilitates access to the internal components of the docking station, particularly the pipe connections 8, 10 and / or the supply isolator, through the front of the macerator 20. Similarly, there are preferably no plates or other features rising from the left or right side of the base plate 1. This can facilitate access to the internal components of the docking station when used with a macerator 20 having a panel or door that is removable to one side.

[0041] To install the macerator unit 20 using the described docking station, the macerator unit 20 is preferably positioned on a platform (or other macerator support) on a cart. The platform is then raised, thereby raising the unit, so that the drain outlet and water inlet of the macerator unit 20 are above the drain connector 8 and water connector 7 of the docking station. The macerator unit 20 can be lifted 40 mm from the floor. The cart preferably includes a jack for raising and lowering the platform.

[0042] Once lifted, the macerator unit 20 can be pushed onto a cart on the base plate without being obstructed by the docking station. A large hole 21 in the back of the macerator unit 20 allows the P-trap and water separator to pass inside the macerator unit 20. If the use of a docking station with a particular model of macerator unit 20 is optional, the hole can be covered with a removable panel 21 when the macerator unit 20 is used without a docking station.

[0043] When the macerator unit 20 is pushed back, the guide 11 positions it precisely above the docking station by causing lateral and rotational movements. The unit then reaches Figure 4A The cart platform can then be lowered to move the macerator unit 20 to the position shown. Figure 4B This downward movement causes the macerator unit 20 to move downward and engage the drain connector 8 and the water supply connector 10 with the drain outlet and water inlet of the macerator unit 20 .

[0044] The trolley is then removed and the installer can easily access the pipes to fasten the pipe clamps on the drain connector 8 through the front of the macerator unit 20. Connecting the drain and water supply in one move greatly facilitates the installation of the macerator unit 20. The docking station ensures that the drain connector 8 and the water supply connector 10 are always in the same position and that the macerator unit 20 is always accurately positioned to engage the macerator unit 20 correctly.

[0045] It should be understood that any feature described with respect to one embodiment may be used alone or in combination with other features described, and may also be used in combination with one or more features of one or more other embodiments, as far as technically feasible.

[0046] Furthermore, equivalents and modifications not described may also be employed without departing from the scope of the invention, which is defined in the accompanying claims.

Claims

1. An apparatus for docking an impregnator, comprising: a base plate having a front edge and a rear edge; a back plate extending upwardly from a rear edge of the base plate; a drain pipe extending from the back plate to a drain connector for engaging with a drain outlet of the macerator; as well as a water pipe extending from the back plate to a water connector for engaging with a water supply inlet of the macerator; Wherein, the drain connector and the water connector are positioned closer to the front edge of the base plate than the rear edge of the base plate.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the drain connector and the water connector provide a vertical connection to the macerator.

3. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, further comprising a P-trap between the drain connector and the back plate.

4. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, further comprising a spacer between the water connector and the back plate.

5. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein the backing plate further comprises a guide configured to engage with an infuser unit and guide it into a correct position relative to the substrate.

6. Apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the guide comprises one or more V-shaped guide rods adapted to engage with roller pins on the macerator unit.

7. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, further comprising an attachment bracket for securing the infuser to the substrate.

8. An apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein the back plate is removably attached to the substrate.

9. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein the rear edge of the substrate is angled with respect to the plane of the substrate.

10. A method for installing an infuser unit, comprising: Lift the macerator unit using a wheeled cart with a jack; positioning a macerator unit on an apparatus according to any preceding claim; as well as Lower the macerator unit to connect it to the water supply and drain.

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