Supporting frame for a steel bath

Abstract

The invention relates to a support frame for a steel bathtub, comprising at least one rail (1) with two retaining jaws (3, 6) that are variable in their position for bearing against a curved surface of the steel bathtub (8), wherein the retaining jaws (3, 6) are each received by a slide (2, 5) arranged on the rail (1), wherein at least one of the slides (2, 5) is slidably arranged on the rail (1) and can be fixed in defined positions, and wherein the retaining jaws (3, 6) are provided with means for frictional and / or form-fitting and / or material-fitting attachment to the steel bathtub (8).

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a support frame for a steel bathtub, comprising at least one rail with two position-variable contact plates for contact with a curved surface of the bathtub according to the preamble of claim 1.

[0002] For the installation of showers or bathtubs, support frames are regularly used as tub bases. These frames are composed of several interconnected profiles and are placed on height-adjustable support feet. German patent application DE 20 2014 103 986 U1 discloses a support frame comprising a central strut on which two support elements are slidably arranged. Two arms are pivotally attached to each support element opposite each other, and each arm is equipped at its end with a tub support foot and a tub bearing. Each tub bearing accommodates a pivotally mounted rocker arm, which includes a curved contact plate for resting against a bathtub.

[0003] The existing support frame has many pivot points, which limits its stability. Furthermore, aligning the pivot frame to accommodate a bathtub is a complex process.

[0004] This is where the present invention comes in. The invention is based on the objective of providing a support frame for a steel bathtub that allows for easy alignment and exhibits high stability. According to the invention, this objective is achieved by a support frame with the features of the characterizing part of claim 1.

[0005] The invention provides a support frame for a steel bathtub that allows for easy alignment and exhibits high stability. Easy alignment of the support frame is achieved because the retaining jaws are each received by a slide arranged on the rail, with at least one of the slides being slidably mounted on the rail and lockable in defined positions. The retaining jaws can be easily positioned along the rail against the curved surface of the steel bathtub and fixed in this position. Because the retaining jaws are provided with means for frictional, positive, and / or material-locking attachment to the steel bathtub, a stable connection between the support frame and the steel bathtub is ensured.

[0006] In a further development of the invention, the rail is designed, at least in part, as a locking rail with locking notches in which locking tabs arranged on the at least one slide can be engaged in different positions. This enables simple and reliable locking of the at least one slide in a desired position by means of positive locking. Simple presetting of the position of the at least one movable slide is also possible, without the risk of accidental adjustment of the positioning during installation on a steel bathtub.

[0007] In an embodiment of the invention, the fastening means comprise at least one cam receptacle for mushroom-head cams arranged opposite each other on a steel bathtub and / or a lashing piece provided with notches on both sides for positive locking attachment to a lashing tab arranged on the steel bathtub. This enables a positive locking connection of the retaining jaws with receptacles present on the steel bathtub. This allows for optimal use of the support frame with various steel bathtubs available on the market that have corresponding form-fitting connection elements. Preferably, the at least one cam receptacle and the lashing piece are made of metal.

[0008] In a further embodiment of the invention, the at least one cam receptacle and the lashing element are part of a clamping plate, which is connected to the slide via clamping means, preferably an adjusting screw. This enables universal use of the support frame for bathtubs with different form connection elements.

[0009] In a further development of the invention, the fastening means comprise an adhesive or bonding layer arranged on the respective retaining jaw. This enables a material-bonded connection of the retaining jaws to the surface of a steel bathtub, thus enabling a stable connection even with steel bathtubs that do not have form-fitting connection elements.

[0010] In this embodiment of the invention, the respective retaining jaw is pivotably mounted on the slide, with means for fixing a set pivot angle being provided. This enables optimal contact of the retaining jaw with the curved surface of a steel bathtub.

[0011] In a further embodiment of the invention, at least one adjuster for adjusting the swivel angle is pivotably connected to the end of the retaining jaw, and its other end is slidably mounted in a guide running parallel to the locking rail, wherein the means for fixing a set swivel angle are formed by a clamping or locking element. This enables adjustment and fixing of the swivel setting of the retaining jaw.

[0012] In a further development of the invention, the fixing means comprise a detent element arranged on the support lever, which can be engaged in different positions with a detent provided on the slide. This enables simple, stepwise adjustment of the pivot position of the holding jaw. Alternatively or additionally, the fixing means can also comprise a screw arranged in a guide, by means of which the support lever can be positively locked to the guide in different positions.

[0013] In one embodiment of the invention, the retaining jaw has a curved surface. This results in a large contact area between the retaining jaw and the curved surface of a bathtub.

[0014] In a further embodiment of the invention, the retaining jaw is made of elastic material, in particular an elastic plastic or rubber. This allows the curvature of the retaining jaw to adapt to the curvature of a bathtub surface.

[0015] In a further development of the invention, the retaining jaw comprises at least two pivotably connected jaw elements. This enables the retaining jaw to make almost complete contact with a curved steel bathtub surface. The individual pivotably connected jaw elements automatically adjust their position to the curvature of the steel bathtub surface when in contact with it. The pivotable connection can be formed, in particular, by a pivot axis or a film hinge created by material tapering.

[0016] In one embodiment of the invention, the rail has two longitudinally spaced elongated holes, each provided on its longitudinal sides with comb-like detent engagements. The at least one slidably arranged slide has at least one spring-loaded detent element for engaging two opposing detent grooves. This allows for simple adjustment followed by fixing of the at least one slide. Advantageously, the at least one slidably arranged slide has a dome that engages in an elongated hole and preferably includes the spring-loaded detent element. The dome can also itself be a separate component, slidable in the direction of the slide, and have detent lugs for engaging opposing detent grooves, thereby forming the detent element itself. The dome is preferably spring-loaded in the direction of the rail.

[0017] In a further embodiment of the invention, the rail is formed from a U-profile with guide rails projecting outwards on both sides, on which the at least one carriage is guided so as to be slidably enclosed. This achieves stable linear guidance of the at least one slidably arranged carriage in the guide rail.

[0018] In a further development of the invention, an adjusting foot is arranged on the at least one slidably arranged carriage, which is positively and / or force-fit connected to the dome. Preferably, the adjusting foot has screw and / or locking means by which it is screwed and / or locked to the dome. This allows for easy connection of the adjusting foot to the dome after the carriage has been finally positioned, thereby simultaneously securing the locking connection between the carriage and the rail.

[0019] In one embodiment of the invention, a locking device is arranged on the leveling foot, which, in the mounted position of the leveling foot, extends through the elongated hole and clamps the dome in the elongated hole. This further simplifies the mounting of the leveling foot.

[0020] In a further embodiment of the invention, the two slides are each connected by a strut, the two struts being connected to a slide of a further support frame of the aforementioned type, thereby forming a support frame. This provides a stable mounting for a steel bathtub. Preferably, the two support frames connected via the struts are identical.

[0021] Other embodiments and configurations of the invention are specified in the remaining dependent claims. An exemplary embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the drawings and is described in detail below. The drawings show: Figure 1: Schematic representation of a support frame for a steel bathtub a) in a first spatial view; b) in a second spatial view; c) in the side view; d) in the top view; e) in the bottom view; Figure 2: Detailed view of a slide of the support frame from Figure 2 with adjustable foot in longitudinal section; Figure 3: Spatial representation of a steel bathtub with two support frames according to Figure 1 ; Figure 4 shows a schematic representation of a support frame for a steel bathtub in a further embodiment: a) in a first spatial view; b) in a second spatial view; c) in a side view; Figure 5 shows a schematic representation of a slide with an arranged adjusting foot of the support frame. Figure 4a) with holding jaw in a first pivot position; b) with holding jaw in a second pivot position; c) in longitudinal section; Figure 6 shows a steel bathtub with two support frames connected by cross braces according to Figure 4 a) in a first spatial view; b) in a second spatial view.

[0022] This is an example of implementation according to Figure 1 The selected support frame for a steel bathtub comprises a rail 1 on which two slides 2 are slidably guided, each of which has a retaining jaw 3 arranged and each of which is connected to an adjusting foot 4.

[0023] In the exemplary embodiment, the rail 1 is designed as a steel hat profile with a base 11. Right-angled side walls 12 adjoin both longitudinal sides of the base 11, each transitioning into right-angled outwardly bent cantilever rails 13. Two longitudinally extending elongated holes 14 are spaced apart from each other in the base 11. The parallel side walls 15 of these elongated holes are provided with a comb-like arrangement of locking grooves 16. The locking grooves 16 of the two side walls 15 are arranged opposite each other.

[0024] The carriage 2 comprises a support plate 21, on the underside of which, facing the rail 1, a recess 22 is arranged for receiving the cantilever rails 13 of the rail 1. A boss 23 is arranged centrally on the support plate 21, the width of which essentially corresponds to the width of an elongated hole 14 in the rail 1, into which it engages. The carriage 2 is thus guided via the recess 22 along the cantilever rails 13 and via the boss 23 in the elongated hole 14 along its side walls 15. A locking plate 24 is mounted upstream of the boss 23 so as to be slidable orthogonally to the support plate 21 and is pre-tensioned towards the rail 1 by a spring element (not shown). The width of the locking plate 24 is selected such that it engages in two opposing locking grooves 16 of the elongated hole 14.The locking plate 24 is provided in the center with an operating piece 241, by means of which the locking plate 24 can be moved out of the locking grooves 16 of the elongated hole 14 against the preload of the spring element - not shown.

[0025] The dome 23 has a cup-shaped receptacle 231 for receiving the connecting head 45 of an adjusting foot 4. The receptacle has an internal thread 232, which is interrupted by two opposing sliding surfaces. On the outside of the dome 23, there is an axial guide 233 in which a locking bar 25 is slidably guided and is biased by a spring element 251 towards the receiving adjusting foot 4.

[0026] On its upper surface opposite the dome 23, the slide 2 has a second recess 26 on its longitudinal sides in which the retaining plate 3 is slidably mounted. A retaining piece 27 is located centrally on the upper surface, in which a nut 28 is held in a rotationally fixed position.

[0027] In this embodiment, the retaining jaw 3 is made of rubber and has a substantially trapezoidal, convex surface. The retaining jaw 3 is guided in the second insertion 26 of the retaining slide 2 by means of guide rails (not shown). A clamping plate 31 is attached to the retaining jaw 3 at its wider end. This clamping plate transitions centrally into a strip-shaped lashing piece 32, which is provided with notches 33 on both of its longitudinal sides. The lashing piece 32 serves for positive locking attachment to the lashing tab (not shown) provided for this purpose on a steel bathtub. On both sides of the lashing piece 32, a keyhole-shaped cam receptacle 34 is arranged in the clamping plate 31. This receptacle has a tapered opening for the engagement of a mushroom-shaped cam (not shown).

[0028] The retaining jaw 3 accommodates an adjusting block 35 on its end face, through which an adjusting screw 36 is guided and engages in the thread of the nut 28 received by the retaining piece 27 of the support plate 21. By turning the adjusting screw 36, the retaining jaw 3 can be moved along the support plate 21.

[0029] The adjusting foot 4 comprises a substantially cylindrical base body 41 with an internal thread 42, with which a threaded rod 43, guided through the base body 41, engages. The threaded rod 43 has a foot section 44 at its end. A connecting head 45 for connection to the dome 23 of the support plate 21 is arranged on the end face of the base body 41 opposite the foot section 44. For this purpose, the connecting head 45 has an external thread that can be screwed into the internal thread 232 of the receptacle 231 of the dome 23 and is interrupted by sliding surfaces corresponding to the receptacle 231. Radially spaced from the connecting head 45, a recess 46 for receiving the locking latch 25, which is slidably guided on the dome 23, is provided in the end face of the base body 41.

[0030] To mount the support frame on a steel bathtub 8, the two slides 2 are pushed into a first position along the cantilever rails 13 on the rail 1, where the locking plates 24 of the slides 2 engage in two opposing locking grooves 16 of an elongated hole 14 of the rail 1. The support frame is then placed against the underside of the steel bathtub 8, after which the slides 2 are positioned against the curved surface of the steel bathtub 8. Depending on the design of the steel bathtub 8, mushroom-shaped cams (not shown) are inserted into the cam receptacles 34 of the clamping plate 31 of the respective slide, or the lashing piece 32 of the clamping plate 31 of the respective slide is threaded into lashing lugs (not shown) located there.To move the carriages 2 along the rail 1, their detent plates 24 are pressed over the operating piece 241 against the preload of the spring elements, so that they are out of engagement with the detent grooves 16 of the elongated holes 14 of the rail 1.

[0031] Once the desired position is reached, the locking plates 24 are brought back into engagement with the locking grooves 16 of the elongated holes 14 of the rail 1 via their spring elements. By turning the adjusting screws 36, the retaining jaws 3 are moved along the support plates 21 of the slides 2, thereby tensioning the clamping plates 31, which are positively connected to the cams or the lashing lugs of the steel bathtub 8.

[0032] Subsequently, an adjusting foot 4 can be mounted on each carriage 2. For this purpose, its connecting head 45 is inserted into the receptacle 231 of the dome 23, which passes through an elongated hole 14 in the rail. The external thread of the connecting head 45, interrupted by the sliding surfaces, slides along the sliding surface that interrupts the internal thread 232, and its sliding surfaces slide along the internal thread 232 of the receptacle 231. The base body 41 of the adjusting foot 4 is then rotated, thereby engaging the external thread of the connecting head 45 with the internal thread 232 of the receptacle 231. During this process, the locking bolt 25 slides along the end face of the base body 41, against which it is biased by the spring element 251. In the rotational position of full thread engagement, the engagement 46 arranged in the end face of the base body 41 is in alignment with the locking bolt 25, which engages in it due to the preload of the spring element 251.The adjusting foot 4 is connected to the carriage 2 in this way.

[0033] In the exemplary embodiment according to Figure 4 Two slides 5 are slidably guided on the rail 1, each of which has a universally applicable retaining jaw 6 for receiving a steel bathtub even without a positive locking device.

[0034] The carriage 5 comprises a support plate 51, on the underside of which, facing the rail 1, a recess 52 for receiving the cantilever rails 13 of the rail 1 is arranged, as described in the first embodiment above. A centrally positioned boss 53 with a receptacle 531 for attaching an adjusting foot 4 is also arranged. Upstream of the boss 53 is a detent plate 54, pre-tensioned by a spring element (not shown), for engaging two opposing detent grooves 16 of the elongated hole 14. The carriage 5 is thus guided along the cantilever rails 13 via the recess 52 and in the elongated hole 14 via the boss 53. The detent plate 54 is displaceable against the pre-tension of the spring element (not shown) via an operating piece 541.

[0035] As an alternative to fixing the carriage 5 on the rail 1 by means of a locking plate 54, the dome can, in an embodiment not shown, also be designed as a separate component that is slidably guided in a guide arranged for this purpose on the underside of the carriage 5. The dome is provided on two opposite sides with locking lugs for engaging the opposite locking grooves 16 of the elongated hole 14 of the rail 1. A spring element is preferably arranged in the guide between the dome and the carriage 5, by means of which the dome is pre-tensioned against the rail 1. By applying pressure to the dome, it can be moved in the guide against the pre-tension of the spring element, so that the locking lugs are disengaged from the locking grooves 16 of the elongated hole 16, after which the carriage 5 can be moved along the rail 1.

[0036] In contrast to the first embodiment, in this embodiment, the space between the dome 53 and the dome 53 is as follows: Figure 4 A terminal block 55 is arranged, which has a passage 551 in which a nut 552 is positioned to prevent rotation. The terminal block 55 serves to receive a screw for fastening a strut 7 to connect two support frames to form a frame.

[0037] On its upper surface opposite the dome 253, a curved retaining jaw 6 is arranged on the slide 5, which is pivotably connected to the slide 5 at one end. For this purpose, the retaining jaw 6 has a circular arc-shaped engagement 61, by which the retaining jaw 6 is detachably inserted into a pivot guide 56 provided for this purpose on the slide 5. The pivot guide 56 and the engagement 61 thus form a pivot hinge.

[0038] Spacing from the engagement 61, the retaining jaw 6 has two barrel-shaped axle sections 62, which are encompassed by two hinge recesses 64 with a semicircular cross-section. These recesses are arranged at the end of an adjuster 63. On its side opposite the hinge recesses 64, the adjuster 63 has two axle sleeves 65 spaced apart from one another. A guide web 57, arranged on the slide 5, runs between the axle sleeves 65. A slot 58, parallel to the slide 5, is formed in the guide web 57. The adjuster 63 is pivotally connected to the guide web 57 via a screw 65, which acts as a pivot axis and is guided through the two axle sleeves 65 and the slot 58. The screw 65 is also slidably connected along the slot 58. The screw 65 is provided at its end with a nut for axial securing, which is held in a rotationally fixed position in an axle sleeve 65.

[0039] Between the engagement 61 and the axial sections 62, the retaining jaw 6 is provided with parallel grooves 66 extending across its entire width, which have a trapezoidal cross-section. The grooves 66, which can also have any other cross-section, serve to increase the flexibility of the retaining jaw 6 resting against a steel bathtub 8, in order to achieve the largest possible contact area between the curved retaining jaw 6 and the curved surface of the steel bathtub 8 to be held. The smooth, curved surface of the retaining jaw 6 is provided with an adhesive layer for a material-bonded connection with the curved surface of the steel bathtub 8; this adhesive layer is covered by a removable protective film 67.

[0040] To mount the support frame to a steel bathtub 8, the two slides 5 are pushed into a first position along the cantilever rails 13 on the rail 1, analogous to the first embodiment. In this position, the locking plates 24 of the slides 5 engage in two opposing locking grooves 16 of an elongated hole 14 in the rail 1. The protective film 67 is then removed from the retaining jaws 5, and the support frame is placed against the underside of the steel bathtub 8. The slides 5, with their retaining jaws 6, are then pressed against the curved surface of the steel bathtub 8. During this process, the screws 65, which act as axles, slide along the elongated hole 58 of the respective guide web 57 of the slide 5. Once the retaining jaws are fully in contact with the curved surface of the steel bathtub 8, the screws 65, guided by the axle sections 62 of the retaining jaws 6, are tightened.The axle sections 62 are thereby pressed against the guide rib 57, thus fixing the adjuster 63 in its position. The detent plates 54 are brought back into engagement with the detent grooves of the elongated holes 14 of the rail 1 via their spring elements. Subsequently, an adjusting foot 4 can be mounted on the dome 53 of each slide 5, analogous to the embodiment described in the first embodiment.

[0041] After two support frames have been mounted at a distance from each other on the steel bathtub in this manner, they can be connected via struts 7, which are screwed into the nuts 552 of the connection blocks 55 of the slides 5, so that a support frame is formed, as shown in the illustrations in Figure 6 is shown.

Claims

1. Support frame for a steel bathtub, comprising at least one rail (1) with two positionally variable holding jaws (3, 6) for contact with a curved surface of the steel bathtub (8), characterized in that the holding jaws (3, 6) are each received by a carriage (2, 5) arranged on the rail (1), wherein at least one of the carriages (2, 5) is arranged displaceably on the rail (1) and can be fixed in defined positions, wherein the holding jaws (3, 6) are provided with means for non-positive and / or positive and / or material-locking fastening to the steel bathtub.

2. Support frame according to claim 1, characterized in that the rail (1) is designed at least in regions as a locking rail, with locking grooves (16) in which locking webs arranged on the at least one displaceably arranged carriage (2, 5) can be locked in different positions.

3. Support frame according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in thatthe fastening means comprise at least one cam receptacle (34) for mushroom head cams arranged opposite one another on a steel bathtub (8) and / or a lashing piece (32) provided with notches (33) on both sides for positive fastening to a lashing strap arranged on the steel bathtub (8), wherein the at least one cam receptacle (34) and the lashing piece (32) are preferably made of metal.

4. Support frame according to claim 3, characterized in that the at least one cam receptacle (34) and the lashing piece (32) are part of a clamping plate (31) which is connected to the carriage (2) via clamping means, preferably an adjusting screw (36).

5. Support frame according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the fastening means comprise an adhesive or bonding layer arranged on the respective holding jaw.

6. Support frame according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in thatthe respective holding jaw (6) is pivotally mounted on the carriage (5), wherein means for fixing a set pivot angle are arranged.

7. Support frame according to claim 6, characterized in that at least one adjuster (63) is pivotally connected to the holding jaw at its end, which adjuster can be displaced with its other end in a guide running parallel to the rail (1), wherein the means for fixing a set pivot angle are formed by a clamping or locking element.

8. Support frame according to claim 7, characterized in thatthe means for fixing comprise a locking element arranged on the adjuster (63) which can be locked in different positions into a detent provided on the slide (5) and / or that the means for fixing comprise a screw (65) which is arranged in a guide (57, 58) and by means of which the adjuster (63) can be fixed in different positions in a force-fitting manner on the guide (57, 58).

9. Support frame according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the holding jaw (3, 6) has a curved contact surface and is preferably made of elastic plastic or rubber.

10. Support frame according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the holding jaw (6) comprises at least two jaw members pivotably connected to one another, wherein the pivotable connection is formed in particular by a pivot axis or a film hinge formed by material tapering.

11. Support frame according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the rail (1) has two elongated holes (14) arranged at a distance from one another in the longitudinal direction, which are provided on their long sides at least in regions with comb-like locking grooves (16), wherein the at least one displaceably arranged carriage (2, 5) has at least one spring-mounted locking element (24, 54) for engagement in two opposite locking grooves (16), wherein the rail (1) is preferably formed from a hat profile with cantilever strips (13) angled outwards on both sides, on which the at least one displaceably arranged carriage (2, 5) is displaceably guided, encompassing the latter.

12. Support frame according to claim 11, characterized in thatthe at least one displaceably arranged carriage (2, 5) has a dome (23, 53) which engages in an elongated hole (14) and which preferably either has the spring-mounted locking element or itself forms, as a separate component, a locking element which is displaceably mounted in the direction of the carriage (2, 5) and which is advantageously mounted in a spring-loaded manner in the direction of the rail (1).

13. Support frame according to claim 12, characterized in that on the at least one displaceably arranged carriage, preferably on both carriages, an adjusting foot (4) is arranged, which is positively and / or non-positively connected to the dome (23, 53).

14. Support frame according to claim 13, characterized in thatthe adjustable foot (4) has screw and / or locking means by means of which it is screwed and / or locked to screw or locking means arranged on the dome (23, 53), wherein a locking device is preferably arranged on the adjustable foot, which in the mounted position of the adjustable foot (4) passes through the elongated hole (14) and clamps the dome (23, 53) in the elongated hole.

15. Support frame according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the two carriages (2, 5) are each connected to a strut (7), wherein the two struts (7) are each connected to a carriage (2, 5) of a further support frame according to one of the preceding claims, whereby a support frame is formed, wherein the two support frames connected via the struts (7) are preferably of identical design.

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