Sanitary tub and method for producing a sanitary tub

Abstract

Sanitary tub (1, 1') with a tub body (2) made of enamelled sheet steel, which is integrally connected at an edge (6) at least in some regions to at least one reinforcing element (7, 7'), characterized in that the edge (6) and the reinforcing element (7) are ground round on one end face and coated with enamel.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a sanitary tub, comprising a tub body made of an enamelled steel sheet, which is integrally connected at least in part to at least one reinforcing element at one edge, and to a method for producing a sanitary tub.

[0002] DE 67 50 133 U discloses an enamel bathtub for installation in furniture, in which the bathtub edges are connected to angular stiffening elements. These can be used for suspension in an enameling device. Such stiffening elements can provide mechanical reinforcement of the edge, but due to their angular design, they are not visually appealing and do not allow for a flat edge.

[0003] DE 10 2012 111 579 B4 discloses a sanitary tub featuring a folded edge section with a low height. The folded edge section is evenly curved at the outer end, which creates a visually appealing effect. However, the radius of curvature cannot be reduced arbitrarily, as this would reduce the stability of the tub body in the edge area.

[0004] DE 10 2014 013 858 A1 discloses a washbasin with a trough having an upper tapered edge to which a fastening means is glued.

[0005] DE 297 00 623 U1 discloses a tub with a tub body on which a reinforcement layer is provided under an edge.

[0006] It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a sanitary tub and a method for producing a sanitary tub which is suitable for producing a particularly flat edge with high rigidity.

[0007] This object is achieved with a sanitary tub having the features of claim 1 and a method having the features of claim 13.

[0008] In the sanitary tub according to the invention, at least one reinforcing element is integrally bonded to an edge, at least in some areas, reinforcing the edge. On one end face, the edge and the reinforcing element are ground round and coated with enamel. As a result, the grinding process creates a visual unit between the edge and the reinforcing element, which, after the enamel coating, is perceived by the user as a continuous surface, even though a multi-part structure exists beneath the coating. By "round grinding" the edge and the reinforcing element, sharp edges are avoided where the enamel coating could chip off. Instead, an attractive, rounded surface is created on one end face.

[0009] Preferably, the reinforcing element is made of a strip or ring of sheet steel. The reinforcing element can have one or more layers, depending on the strength requirements. The ring provided on the edge can, for example, be arranged all the way around, or the strips can reinforce only individual sections of the edge. The reinforcing element and the individual layers of the reinforcing element can be welded together, with different welding methods being used for the connection.

[0010] In a preferred embodiment, the enameled rim with the reinforcing element has a uniformly curved surface. The rim usually extends from the tub body with the recess in a horizontal direction and thus has a horizontal surface that then slopes down towards the front side and merges into the front side with the reinforcing element at a predetermined radius of curvature. The radius of curvature can be selected, for example, in a range between 2 mm and 7 mm, in particular 3 mm to 5 mm, whereby the curvature can extend through 180° and the reinforcing element can also be flat on the underside. This allows particularly flat geometries to be created, for example with a height of less than 12 mm, in particular less than 9 mm, although the rim with the reinforcing element has considerable rigidity.

[0011] In an optional embodiment, the reinforcement element with the edge on the front side has at least one groove filled with a welding filler. This allows for a deeper root weld to be created during welding.

[0012] During subsequent cylindrical grinding, this prevents the reinforcement element's connection to the edge from being weakened by excessive material removal. Therefore, the reinforcement element is preferably constructed in several parts with a groove open toward the front, which can also be used for hanging the sanitary tub in an oven.

[0013] In a further embodiment, the reinforcing element can be angular in cross-section, with a first leg arranged at the edge and a second leg protruding at an angle from the first leg. The second leg can protrude downward and be offset inward from the edge to reinforce the edge.

[0014] The sanitary tub according to the invention can be designed, for example, as a washbasin, whereby the design of the edge according to the invention can also be used for shower trays, bathtubs or other sinks.

[0015] In the method according to the invention, a tub body is manufactured from sheet steel. Before or after the steel sheet is formed, a reinforcing element is fixed, in particular welded, at least in part to an edge of the tub body. Subsequently, an outer end face of the edge and of the reinforcing element is ground to create a smooth transition between the reinforcing element and the edge of the steel sheet and to avoid sharp edges, which is why the grinding of edges is referred to as "round grinding." The rounded surface of the edge and of the reinforcing element is then enameled together with the tub body. This allows particularly flat edges to be produced on sanitary tubs that are comparatively stable.

[0016] The invention is explained in more detail below using two exemplary embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings. They show: Fig. 1 a perspective view of a sanitary tub according to the invention; Fig. 2 a top view of the sanitary tub of the Fig. 1; Fig. 3 a side view of the sanitary tub of the Fig. 1; Fig. 4 a bottom view of the sanitary tub of the Fig. 1; Fig. 5 a sectional view along the line AA of the Fig. 2; Fig. 6 a sectioned detailed view of one edge of the sanitary tub; Fig. 7 a bottom view of a second embodiment of a sanitary tub according to the invention; Fig. 8 a side view of the sanitary tub of the Fig. 7, and Fig. 9 a sectioned side view of the sanitary tub of the Fig. 7.

[0017] A sanitary tub 1 comprises a tub body 2 made of sheet steel, which has a drain opening 3 in a deep area. Adjacent to the recess, the tub body 2 has a horizontal rim 6, which has a wider section 4 in the area of ​​an opening 5 for a fitting than on the opposite side. The rim 6 is circular in plan view from above, whereby the shape or contour geometry of the tub body 2 can be freely selected within a wide range, and the sanitary tub 1 can also be designed as a shower tray or bathtub instead of a washbasin.

[0018] As in the Fig. 5 and Fig. As shown in Fig. 6, the upper layer of sheet steel is located at the edge 6 and is formed integrally with the tub body 2. Below the sheet steel of the tub body 2, a reinforcing element 7 is located at the edge 6, which is integrally connected to the sheet steel, in particular welded. The reinforcing element 7 has a recess 10 in the area of ​​the opening 5 and is otherwise designed as a circumferential ring.

[0019] The reinforcing element 7 is also made of sheet steel, although other materials, such as metallic extrusions or cast parts, can also be used. The reinforcing element 7 comprises a middle layer 8 and a lower layer 9, which are also welded together or otherwise secured to one another. The individual layers 8 and 9 can be either strip-shaped or ring-shaped and are preferably also made of sheet steel. The reinforcing element 7, consisting of the two layers 8 and 9, is preferably thicker than the sheet steel of the tub body 2, preferably at least twice as thick, in order to provide sufficient reinforcement. The extension of the reinforcing element 7 in the horizontal direction can, for example, be between 4 mm and 10 mm, depending on the strength requirements.

[0020] To produce the sanitary tub 1, after fixing the reinforcing element 7 to the edge 6, the steel sheet at the edge 6 as well as the reinforcing element 7 are ground round, ie a flat transition is created on one end face between the steel sheet of the tub body 2 and the reinforcing element 7, as shown in Fig. 6. Preferably, the front edge is ground round, for example, with a radius between 3 mm and 7 mm, in order to coat the surface at the edge 6 with enamel after round grinding. Layer 8 of the reinforcing element 7 can be somewhat shorter in order to create a groove 11 that can be filled with enamel. It is also possible to make layers 8 and 9 the same size. Fig. 6 The dot-dash line shows the edge 6 after circular grinding and coating with enamel and it can be seen that the previously edged steel sheets form a uniformly rounded end face with a radius of curvature around a center point.

[0021] In the illustrated embodiment, two layers 8 and 9 are used for the reinforcing element 7. It is also possible to provide only a single layer or more than two layers 8 and 9 to reinforce the edge 6. Furthermore, more layers can be used, or a reinforcing element 7 made of an extruded profile or a cast part can be used.

[0022] In the illustrated embodiment, the reinforcing element 7 is arranged in a ring around the edge 6. It is also possible, in the case of sanitary tubs that are rectangular in plan view, to provide straight strips or bars as the reinforcing element 7, which are optionally provided in sections on the edge 6 or are connected to one another circumferentially to form a frame.

[0023] In addition, the reinforcing element can be L-shaped or U-shaped or have a different cross-sectional geometry instead of being plate-shaped.

[0024] In the Fig.Figures 7 to 9 show a second embodiment of a modified sanitary tub 1', in which the tub body 2 made of enameled sheet steel, as in the previous embodiment, is equipped with a drain opening 3 and an opening 5 at a section 4 for securing a fitting. A modified reinforcing element 7' is provided on an edge 6 of the tub body 2. This element is no longer designed as a single- or multi-layer annular strip, but is made of an angle profile with an L-shaped cross section. A first leg 12 of the angle profile is welded onto the middle layer 8 of the reinforcing element 7', similar to what is shown for layer 9 in the first embodiment. A second leg 13 protrudes downward from the leg 12 on the side facing away from an outer end face of the edge 6, thus ensuring increased stability at the edge 6 of the tub body 2.In the installed position, the downwardly projecting leg 13 is not visible, in particular, it is arranged in a recess of a tabletop or other built-in element. The angular reinforcement element 7' can be made of a bent steel sheet or a bent extruded profile and can be mounted on the edge 6 either in a ring shape or with one or more interruptions.

[0025] The leg 12 is preferably welded to the edge 6 or layer 8 and, after welding, is ground round on the end face and coated with enamel. For the enamel coating, the second leg 13 can be used as a holder to transport the tub body 2 suspended through a coating system. The second leg 13 can optionally remain uncoated, as it is located in an invisible area when installed. List of reference symbols 1.1' sanitary tub 2 tub bodies 3 Drain opening Section 4 5 Opening 6 Edge 7, 7' reinforcement element 8 Location 9 Location 10 recess 11 grooves 12 legs 13 legs

Claims

[1] Sanitary tub (1, 1') with a tub body (2) made of an enamelled steel sheet, which is integrally connected at one edge (6) at least in some areas to at least one reinforcing element (7, 7'), characterized by that the edge (6) and the reinforcing element (7) are rounded on one end face and coated with enamel. [2] Sanitary tub (1, 1') according to claim 1, characterized by that the reinforcing element (7, 7') is made of a strip or a ring of sheet steel. [3] Sanitary tub (1, 1') according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by that the edge (6) is connected all around to the reinforcing element (7, 7'). [4] Sanitary tub (1, 1') according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the reinforcing element (7, 7') has a greater thickness than the steel sheet of the tub body (2). [5] Sanitary tub (1, 1') according to one of the preceding claims, characterized bythat the reinforcing element (7, 7') is composed of several layers (8, 9). [6] Sanitary tub (1, 1') according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the reinforcing element (7, 7') is welded to the tub body (2). [7] Sanitary tub (1, 1') according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the enamelled edge (6) forms a uniformly curved surface with the reinforcing element (7, 7'). [8] Sanitary tub (1, 1') according to claim 7, characterized by that the surface has a radius of curvature between 2 mm and 7 mm. [9] Sanitary tub (1, 1') according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the reinforcing element (7, 7') with the edge (6) has a groove (11) on one end face which is filled with a welding additive. [10] Sanitary tub (1') according to one of the preceding claims, characterized bythat the reinforcing element (7') is angular in cross-section and a first leg (12) is arranged on the edge (6) and a second leg (13) protrudes at an angle from the first leg (12). [11] Sanitary tub (1, 1') according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the edge (6) is circular in plan view. [12] Sanitary tub (1, 1') according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the sanitary tub (1, 1') is designed as a washbasin. [13] Method for producing a sanitary tub (1, 1') comprising the following steps: - manufacturing a tub body (2) from a steel sheet; - materially connecting at least one reinforcing element (7, 7') at least in regions to an edge of the tub body (2); characterized by - cylindrical grinding of an outer end face of the edge (6) and the reinforcing element (7, 7'), and - Enamelling of the tub body (2) and the rounded edge (6) and the reinforcing element (7, 7'). [14] Method according to claim 13, characterized by that the reinforcing element (7, 7') is welded to the edge (6) of the tub body (2).

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