Stabilizers for shower trays

Abstract

This stabilizing foot for a shower tray comprises a base (1) suitable for positioning or even fixing to the floor, said base (1) being provided with a vertical threaded bore into which a cylindrical support for the shower tray can be screwed or unscrewed, allowing for height adjustment of the tray. The flat upper face of the cylindrical support receives a sliding device (7) provided with at least one freely rotatable ball bearing, on which the shower tray is positioned and is able to slide.

Description

FIELD OF INVENTION

[0001] The invention relates to the field of shower trays or tubs, and more specifically to the feet or supports on which such shower trays are placed. PRIOR STATE OF TECHNOLOGY

[0002] Shower trays are traditionally made from a single piece of stone or other material, usually square or rectangular, and are relatively heavy. Positioning such trays therefore requires handling by at least one or two people, often in confined spaces. These trays are typically placed on feet or supports to ensure they are perfectly level, facilitating water drainage through a drain at the bottom. Furthermore, a silicone sealant ensures the tray is watertight against the wall or partition against which it is positioned.

[0003] Initially, such supports were made using building elements such as bricks, cinder blocks, or other materials, fixed both to the base with cement or mortar and to the shower tray. Later, these supports, which must be able to bear not only the weight of the tray itself but also that of one or more users, evolved and are now typically composed of a base designed to be placed on, or even fixed to, the floor. This base has a threaded hole to accommodate a support for the shower tray itself. This support is cylindrical in shape and has an external thread that engages with the tapped hole in the base, allowing for height adjustment.

[0004] However, the difficulty with this type of support lies in achieving the required flatness of the shower tray. This necessitates several manipulations of the tray itself to allow the support to be screwed or unscrewed into the base, leading to increased fatigue for installers and potentially musculoskeletal disorders. Indeed, one or more of these supports require adjustment to achieve the desired flatness, and these supports can be difficult to access, particularly in a bathroom corner, complicating the installers' work.

[0005] The objective of the present invention is to facilitate these handling operations of such receivers during their installation. DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0006] To this end, the invention aims at a stabilizing foot for shower trays, comprising a base suitable for being positioned, or even fixed on the floor, provided with a vertical threaded bore in which a cylindrical support proper to said tray can be screwed or unscrewed, and allowing an adjustable height adjustment of the latter.

[0007] According to the invention, the flat upper face of the cylindrical support itself receives a sliding device provided with at least one ball mounted freely in rotation, on which the receiver is positioned, and is capable of sliding.

[0008] In other words, the invention consists of equipping the known stabilizing feet with a component or device enabling the receiver to slide on said stabilizing feet, in order to facilitate its handling and manipulation during the installation and height adjustment of the stabilizing feet in question.

[0009] According to a first embodiment of the invention, this sliding device is fixed by means of a double-sided adhesive to the upper surface of the cylindrical support itself, the free face of said double-sided adhesive receiving the sliding device.

[0010] Alternatively, the sliding device and the cylindrical support form a single piece, said sliding device being welded, for example thermally, to the upper surface of said cylindrical support, when both of these elements are made of plastic.

[0011] According to yet another alternative of the invention, the sliding device is provided with a pin emanating from its lower face, and provided with a means suitable for clipping it into an orifice of suitable diameter, provided within the upper surface of the cylindrical support.

[0012] This sliding device includes, for example, a ball mounted for free rotation and received within a housing provided for this purpose. Alternatively, it may include several balls, typically four, flush in the same horizontal plane, also mounted for free rotation and received in as many housings as necessary.

[0013] Advantageously, the stabilizing foot and the sliding device are made of plastic, for example polypropylene, and the balls are made of stainless steel.

[0014] According to one variant, the balls can also be made of relatively hard plastic material due to the load they are required to bear, and for example of polyamide 6-6 (better known by the generic term nylon). BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0015] The manner in which the invention can be implemented and the resulting advantages will be more apparent from the following example of implementation, given by way of illustration and not limitation, in support of the attached figures. There figure 1 This is a schematic perspective representation of a shower tray stabilizer, in which the tray support itself is in the raised position. figure 2 is a view analogous to the figure 1 in which the actual support of the receiver is in a lowered position. figure 3 is a schematic perspective representation of the sliding device according to the invention. figure 4 illustrates the double-sided adhesive used to attach the sliding device to the cylindrical support. figure 5 is a schematic perspective representation of the stabilizing foot of the invention equipped with the sliding device. figure 6 is a view analogous to the figure 1according to another embodiment of the invention. The figure 7 is a schematic view of the sliding device of the invention adaptable to the stabilizing foot of the figure 6 ; DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0016] We have therefore represented, within the figures 1 and 2 , a stabilizing foot for a shower tray.

[0017] This device essentially comprises a base (1), designed to be placed, or even fixed, to the floor on which the shower tray is to be installed, for example by screwing it into slots (2) provided around the periphery of the base. In this case, the base is essentially pyramidal or truncated conical in shape. However, it could adopt any shape as long as it fulfills its primary function of stabilization.

[0018] This base (1) has a vertical bore provided with a tapping and intended to cooperate with a cylindrical support of the receiver itself (3), provided on its periphery with a thread (4) suitable for cooperating with the tapping of the bore of the base (1).

[0019] Thus, the cylindrical support (3) is adjustable in height by simply screwing or unscrewing within the tapped bore with which the base is provided.

[0020] According to a first embodiment, the upper face (11) of the cylindrical support (3) receives a platform (5), which is movable in rotation in a horizontal plane.

[0021] According to the invention, and according to the illustrated example, a double-sided adhesive (6) is fixed to this platform and, on the upper face of the double-sided adhesive, a sliding device (7).

[0022] This sliding device (7) includes a lower flat base (10), intended to be glued to the upper face of the double-sided adhesive (6). Said base (10) has on its opposite face rigid housings (9), in this case four, capable of receiving balls (8) made of stainless steel and mounted freely to rotate within the housings (9) provided for this purpose, like a bearing or a ball bearing.

[0023] Typically, the base (1), the cylindrical support (3) and the base (10) at least of the sliding device are made of plastic material, and for example of polypropylene.

[0024] According to another embodiment of the invention, the platform (5) is not implemented, and the sliding device (7) is directly attached to the upper face (11) of the cylindrical support (3), either by using a double-sided adhesive, or by directly welding the base (10) of the sliding device onto said upper surface (11).

[0025] According to yet another embodiment of the invention illustrated within the figures 6 and 7 The lower face (13) of the base (10) of the sliding device (7) is fitted with a pin (14) emanating from the center of said lower face (13), and provided with clips (15) adapted to cooperate with an opening (12) formed in the center of the upper surface (11) of the cylindrical support (3). Thus, the sliding device (7) can be simply clipped or unclipped from said support.

[0026] The balls (8) of the sliding device can be made of stainless steel or alternatively of polyamide 6-6.

[0027] According to an unrepresented variant, the four balls are replaced by a single ball, of larger diameter due to the load to be received, but operating according to the same principle as the previously described embodiments.

[0028] Therefore, when a shower tray is to be positioned in a dedicated location, the installer(s) first position the stabilizing feet of the invention and possibly fix them to the floor by simply screwing them in through the lights (2).

[0029] Then, they simply slide said receiver onto the sliding devices (7), thus drastically limiting the effort required to allow height adjustment of said stabilizing feet by screwing or unscrewing the cylindrical support (3) within the base (1).

[0030] Thus, when the flatness of the receiver is not correct, it is enough to remove said receiver by simply sliding it on the stabilizing feet equipped with the device of the invention and, screw or unscrew the cylindrical supports until the required flatness is achieved.

[0031] We can therefore understand the full benefit of the stabilizing foot of the invention, which facilitates the handling and manipulation of shower trays, and thus reduces the strain on operators.

Claims

1. Stabilizing foot for shower tray, comprising a base (1) suitable for positioning, or even fixing, on the floor, said base (1) being provided with a vertical threaded bore within which a cylindrical support (3) proper to said tray can be screwed or unscrewed, and allowing an adjustable height adjustment of the latter, characterized in that the flat upper face (11) of the cylindrical support (3) receives a sliding device (7) provided with at least one ball (8) mounted freely in rotation, on which the receiver is positioned, and is capable of sliding.

2. Stabilizing foot according to claim 1, characterized in that the sliding device (7) is fixed by means of a double-sided adhesive (6), respectively attached to the upper surface of the cylindrical support (3) and to the base (10) of said sliding device.

3. Stabilizing foot according to claim 1, characterized in that the sliding device (7) is welded by its base (10) to the upper surface (11) of the cylindrical support (3).

4. Stabilizing foot according to claim 1, characterized in that the sliding device (7) is provided with a pin (14) emanating from the lower face (13) of its base (10), and provided with means (15) suitable for clipping it into an orifice (12) of suitable diameter, provided within the upper surface (11) of the cylindrical support (3).

5. Stabilizing foot according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the sliding device (7) comprises four balls (8) mounted freely in rotation and received within housings (9) provided for this purpose.

6. Stabilizing foot according to one of the claims 1 à 4, characterized in that le sliding device (7) includes a ball mounted freely to rotate and received within a housing provided for this purpose.

7. Stabilizing foot according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that The base (1) and the cylindrical support (3) are made of plastic material, and in particular of polypropylene.

8. Stabilizing foot according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the ball(s) (8) are made of stainless steel.

9. Stabilizing foot according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the ball or balls (8) are made of polyamide 6-6 (nylon).

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