Concealed mixer

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This presentation concerns a mixer tap embedded in a partition wall, and the associated mounting method. Previous technique

[0002] Installing a mixer tap concealed within a partition wall presents a challenge related to the tap's thickness and, more generally, its overall size. Conventional mixer taps have a structure thicker than the standard thickness of a plasterboard partition wall, primarily due to the components required for fixing the tap to the wall. This typically necessitates doubling the wall thickness, which is both costly and space-intensive. More generally, installing a concealed mixer tap within a partition wall is a delicate operation for a professional, and therefore, methods to simplify this process are sought.

[0003] Document EP3222786A discloses a method for mounting a mixer tap in a partition wall. A wall-mounted box is used to house the tap. A plate to facilitate cutting the wall panel is part of the method.

[0004] Document EP2522782B uses a plate as an adapter for the wall box. Description of the invention

[0005] In order to at least partially address these issues, the present presentation concerns a method of mounting a mixer in a partition as defined in claim 1.

[0006] According to one example, following the clamping of the fixing plates, a finishing plate is placed to cover the support plate, and said finishing plate is fixed by means of a finishing ring.

[0007] Alternatively, prior to the placement of the finishing plate, a waterproof membrane is fixed so as to cover at least partially the support plate and the partition, in order to ensure airtightness.

[0008] According to one example, the opening formed in the partition has a cross-section similar to the cross-section of the support plate, the dimensions of which are reduced by 5 to 20%.

[0009] According to one example, said fixing plates are mounted to slide relative to the support plate by means of clamping elements mounted in oblong holes provided in the support plate, and are offset from a folded position in which they are superimposed on the support plate to a deployed position in which they partially protrude from the support plate, so that when the clamping elements are tightened, the partition is clamped between each fixing plate and the support plate.

[0010] This disclosure also relates to an assembly – not claimed – comprising a mixer body and a support system for mounting the mixer body in a partition, said support system comprising: a support plate, having at least one opening, adapted to allow a conduit of the mixer body to pass through said support plate, centering holes, defining cutting centers of a partition, a plurality of fixing plates, mounted to slide relative to the support plate by means of clamping elements mounted in oblong holes, said fixing plates being movable between a folded position in which they are superimposed on the support plate, and an extended position in which they partially protrude from the support plate. Brief description of the drawings

[0011] The invention and its advantages will be better understood upon reading the detailed description below of various embodiments of the invention given by way of non-limiting examples. [ Fig. 1 ] There figure 1 is an exploded view of an assembly according to one aspect of the invention. Fig. 2 ] There figure 2 represents a step in the process of assembling such an assembly in a partition. Fig. 3 ] There figure 3 represents a step in the process of assembling such an assembly in a partition. Fig. 4 ] There figure 4 represents a step in the process of assembling such an assembly in a partition. Fig. 5 ] There figure 5 represents a step in the process of assembling such an assembly in a partition. Fig. 6 ] There figure 6 represents a step in the process of assembling such an assembly in a partition. Fig. 7 ] There figure 7 represents a step in the process of assembling such an assembly in a partition. Fig. 8 ] There figure 8 represents a step in the process of assembling such an assembly in a partition. Fig. 9 ] There figure 9 represents a step in the process of assembling such an assembly in a partition. Fig. 10 ] There figure 10 represents a step in the process of assembling such an assembly in a partition. Fig. 11 ] There figure 11 represents a step in the process of assembling such an assembly in a partition. Fig. 12 ] There figure 12 represents a cross-sectional view of an assembly as previously shown, mounted in a partition.

[0012] Across all figures, common elements are identified by identical numerical references. Description of the implementation methods

[0013] We represent on the figure 1 an exploded view of an assembly according to one aspect of the invention, then on the figures 2 à 11 representations of the different stages of assembling such a unit in a partition, and on the figure 12 a cross-sectional view of such an assembly mounted in a partition wall along a plane perpendicular to the partition wall.

[0014] We now describe the assembly and the assembly process as shown.

[0015] We represent on the figure 1 a partition 100, a mixer body 200, a thermostatic cartridge 210, a diverter 220, a cartridge nut 215 and a diverter nut 225, a temperature limiter 217, a support system 300, a bottom nut 230 and a top nut 240, a finishing plate 400, a bottom centering 250 and a top centering 260, a thermostatic knob 270 and a diverter knob 280.

[0016] The support system 300, as shown, comprises a body formed by a support plate 305, which has a generally rectangular shape with rounded corners. The support plate 305 is provided with one or more openings; in the example shown, two openings, 310 and 320 respectively, are sized to allow the passage of parts of the mixer body through the support plate 305. The openings 310 and 320 are typically circular and positioned approximately in the middle of the support plate 305, for example, centered on the midpoint of the width of the support plate 305, and on either side of the midpoint of the support plate 305 along its length. The dimensions of the openings 310 and 320 are adapted to the dimensions of the associated mixer body 200.

[0017] The support plate 305 also has centering holes 330, which are small openings formed in the support plate 305. The centering holes are typically sized to allow the passage of a pencil, felt-tip pen, marker, or more generally, an object for making a mark on a partition against which the support plate 305 is placed. The centering holes 330 typically have a maximum dimension of less than 10 mm, or typically less than 5 mm or 3 mm. In the illustrated example, the support plate 305 has 4 centering holes 330. The centering holes 330 are typically positioned so as to at least partially frame the openings 310 and 320; that is to say that the centering holes 330 are positioned so that their respective centers define a rectangle, and that the centers of the holes 310 and 320 are positioned inside this rectangle.

[0018] The support plate 305 also has several sets of holes, each set of oblong holes 340 typically comprising two oblong holes, both perpendicular to an edge of the support plate 305. In the illustrated example, the support plate 305 has four sets of two oblong holes 340, each set of oblong holes centered on one side of the support plate 305 and located near an edge of the support plate 305, typically at a distance of 3 to 10 mm from an edge of the support plate 305. The support system 300 includes several mounting plates 350, each mounting plate 350 being slidably mounted relative to the support plate 305 by means of clamping elements 345, such as screws slidably mounted in the oblong holes 340.The various mounting plates 350 are thus movable between a folded position in which the mounting plates are superimposed on the support plate 305, and a deployed position in which the mounting plates 350 protrude from the support plate 305. The positions superimposed on the support plate 305 and protruding from the support plate 305 are defined with respect to a view along a direction perpendicular to the plane of the support plate 305. The mounting plates 350 are typically rectangular in shape, and the clamping elements 345 are typically connected to them in an eccentric manner.

[0019] The various components will be described in more detail as we go along with the different stages of the assembly process described below.

[0020] We represent on the figure 2 The first step involves providing the support plate 305 of the support system and positioning it against the partition 100. Using the centering holes 330, markings are made on the partition to define the cutting areas of the partition 100. The markings are made using a pencil, pen, chalk, point, or any other suitable element to create a visual reference on the partition 100.

[0021] Once the markings are made, the support plate 305 is removed, and holes 130 are drilled in the partition 100, typically using a hole saw. These holes are positioned using the markings made previously. When using a hole saw, the holes 130 are typically centered on the markings made previously. The size of the holes 130 is calibrated according to the dimensions of the support plate 305 and the positioning of the centering holes 330. For example, a hole saw can be used to make circular openings with a diameter of 67 mm, the circular openings being, for example, tangent to each other. The figure 3 schematically represents this step.

[0022] Next, a cutting step is carried out as shown schematically on the figure 4 In this step, a cutting area is defined in the partition 100, which includes the holes 130 made in the previous step. In the illustrated example, cutting contours 140 are defined as linear segments tangent to two circular holes 130 made in the previous step. More precisely, for each hole 130, the two nearest holes are determined, and two cutting contours 140 are defined. Each cutting contour 140 is a segment tangent to the hole in question and to one of the nearest holes in that hole 130, and is positioned to maximize the cutting area. Each linear segment is thus tangent to two circular holes 130, and the linear segments and the circular holes 130 define a rectangular cutting area with rounded corners.The partition 100 is then cut according to the cut area thus defined, so as to form an opening 120 in the partition 100, said opening 120 having a surface strictly less than the surface of the support plate 305. The opening 120 typically has a cross-section of similar shape to the cross-section of the support plate 305, but with reduced dimensions, for example 5 to 20% smaller than the dimensions of the support plate 305, for example 5, 10, 15 or 20%.

[0023] The mixer body 200 is then positioned in the opening 120 thus formed in the partition 100, as shown in the figure 5 The mixer body 200 is connected to water pipes, typically hot and cold water inlets, and typically to hot and cold water outlets. In the example shown, the mixer body 200 has two pipes, 201 and 202 respectively, protruding from the partition 100. Depending on the mixer body's design, various components are then inserted into these pipes 201 and 202. In the example shown, the thermostatic cartridge 210 is inserted into pipe 201, and then the cartridge nut 215 and the temperature limiter 217 are positioned around the thermostatic cartridge 210. The diverter 220 is inserted into pipe 202, and the diverter nut 225 is positioned around the diverter 220.Alternatively, the thermostatic cartridge 210, optionally the temperature limiter 217 and the diverter 220 are pre-assembled in the mixer body 200 respectively by means of the cartridge nut 215 and the diverter nut 220, which limits the assembly operations to be carried out by the operator, the mixer body 200 can thus be supplied partially pre-assembled.

[0024] The support system 300 is then repositioned against the partition 100, so that conduits 201 and 202 of the mixer body 200 and the various components mounted in these conduits 201 and 202 pass through the openings 310 and 320 respectively of the support plate 305. The support system 300 here comprises the support plate 305 to which the fixing plates 350 have been attached by means of clamping elements 345, the fixing plates 350 then being in a folded position. Next, a lower nut 230 and an upper nut 240 are respectively tightened around the conduits 201 and 202, typically around the cartridge nut 215 and the diverter nut 225. The support system 300 is thus secured to the mixer body 200. These steps are shown successively on the figures 6 And 7 .

[0025] Next, the support system 300 is immobilized relative to the partition 100, as shown in the diagrams. figures 8 And9 , there figure 8 being a view from a front face of partition 100, that is to say the face visible to a user when the installation is complete, and the figure 9 This is a view from the rear face of the partition 100, opposite the front face. To achieve this, the mounting plates 350 are moved into the deployed position. At the locations of the mounting plates 350, the partition 100 is thus situated between the mounting plates 350 and the support plate 305 of the support system 300. The mounting plates 350 are then clamped, for example using the clamping elements 345, so that the partition 100 is held between the support plate 305 and the mounting plates 350.

[0026] A membrane, not shown in the figures, is then glued to the partition 100 to ensure the airtightness of the assembly. Typically, this is a rubber membrane glued to the support plate 305 so as to cover the various parts of the support plate 305 and to partially overlap the partition 100, without covering or blocking the conduits 201 and 202 of the mixer body 200. Such a membrane makes it possible to ensure airtightness as defined according to the RT2012 thermal regulations.

[0027] A finishing plate 400 is then placed over the support system 300. The finishing plate 400 has openings allowing the passage of portions of the mixer body 200 and its associated components. The finishing plate 400 is then secured using a lower centering device 250 and an upper centering device 260, which are typically nuts that engage the cartridge nut 215 and the diverter nut 225 respectively, as shown in the diagram. figure 10 .

[0028] Next, a thermostatic knob 270 and a diverter knob 280 are mounted respectively in the lower centering 250 and the upper centering 260, as also shown on the figure 10 , typically by means of screws, respectively 272 and 282, the heads of which are then covered with a cap, respectively 274 and 284. The final assembly is shown on the figure 11 The system thus installed in the partition can then be combined with additional components well known to those skilled in the art, which will not be detailed further here.

[0029] We represent on the figure 12 a cross-sectional view once the assembly is mounted in the partition 100, along a cross-sectional plane perpendicular to the partition 100 and passing through the centers of the holes 310 and 320 of the support plate 305 shown on the figure 11 As can be seen on the figure 12 , the bulk of the mixer at the rear of the partition 100 is reduced, and the system for securing the support system 300 to the partition 100 has a thickness (measured along the direction perpendicular to the partition 100) less than the thickness of the mixer body 200 at the rear of the partition 100.

[0030] The proposed system and associated method simplify the installation of a mixer tap within a partition wall, minimizing the overall bulk, particularly in terms of thickness. This is a significant advantage, eliminating the need to increase the wall thickness due to the mixer tap itself. The system and method can be applied to shower or bath mixer taps, which are typically fixed within a plasterboard partition, but can also be used for washbasin or sink mixer taps to simplify their installation, or more generally, for any mixer tap or faucet installation within a partition wall.

[0031] Furthermore, the proposed system allows access to the components installed in the partition 100 to be maintained. It is simply a matter of removing the various components, then disengaging the clamping elements 345 to free the support system 300 and thus gaining access to all the system components, which is particularly advantageous for any maintenance operations.

[0032] Although the present invention has been described with reference to specific embodiments, it is evident that modifications and changes can be made to these examples without departing from the general scope of the invention as defined by the claims. Therefore, the description and drawings should be considered illustrative rather than restrictive.

Claims

1. A method for mounting a mixer tap in a partition (100), wherein: - a support plate (305) with four centering holes (330) is provided, - the support plate (305) is positioned on the partition (100), - markings are made on the partition (100), said markings being positioned by means of the centering holes (330), - four circular drillings (130) are made in the partition, centered on each of said markings, - an opening outline is delimited by defining cutting outlines (140), each cutting outline (140) being a linear segment tangent to two circular drillings (130), the linear segments and the circular drillings (130) delimiting a rectangular cutting area with the rounded corners, - the partition (100) is cut along the cutting outline (140) so as to create an aperture (120) in the partition (100), the aperture being delimited by the linear segments and the circular drillings (130) and having a rectangular shape with the rounded corners, - a mixer tap body (200) is positioned in said aperture (120), - the support plate (305) is positioned bearing against the partition (100), the support plate (305) having orifices (310, 320) through which at least one conduit (201, 202) of the mixer tap body (200) protrudes, - the mixer tap body (200) and the support plate (305) are assembled by means of fixing rings (230, 240) engaging said at least one conduit (201, 202) of the mixer tap body (200), - fixing plates (350) slidably mounted relative to the support plate (305) are offset so that the partition (100) is positioned between the support plate (305) and each fixing plate (350), - said fixing plates (350) are flanged.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein following the flanging of the fixing plates (350), a finishing plate (400) is placed so as to cover the support plate (305), and said finishing plate (400) is fixed by means of a finishing ring (250, 260).

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein prior to the placement of the finishing plate (400), an airtight membrane is fixed so as to at least partially cover the support plate (305) and the partition (100), in order to ensure airtightness.

4. The method according to any of claims 1 to 3, wherein said fixing plates (350) are slidably mounted relative to the support plate (305) by means of clamping elements (345) mounted in oblong holes (340) arranged in the support plate (305), and are offset from a folded position in which they are superimposed on the support plate (305) to a deployed position in which they partially protrude from the support plate (305), such that during the flanging of the clamping elements (345), the partition (100) is clamped between each fixing plate (350) and the support plate (305).