UNIVERSAL SUPPORT FOR SUSPENDING SANITARY APPLIANCES

Abstract

The present invention relates to a support (1) for the wall fixing (P) of a thermo-sanitary appliance (AT) equipped with its own fixing means (2) capable of attaching to this support (1). This support (1), which is horizontally elongated, comprises: a substantially flat transverse part (1.1), having an upper profile (1.3) interspersed with a series of grooves (1.4), a pair of plates (1.5) connected at the top to said transverse part (1.1), laterally to the outermost grooves (1.4), a first pair of openings (11), each being connected laterally to said plate (1.5), This first pair of openings (11) is spaced apart by a distance (D1) for insertion on a pair of anchor bolts (T) spaced apart on the wall by an equal distance (D1). Said support (1) further comprises at least a second pair of openings (12) spaced apart by a distance (D2, D3), less than the distance (D1) between the first pair of openings (11).Said support (1) further comprises at least a third pair of openings (13), spaced apart by a distance (D4), less than the distance (D2, D3) between the second pair of openings (12). . Figure for the abstract: [Fig. 3].

Description

Title of the invention: UNIVERSAL SUPPORT FOR SUSPENDING SANITARY APPLIANCES

[0001] The present invention relates to a support for the wall mounting of thermo-sanitary appliances, in particular but not exclusively consisting of storage water heaters, having their own fixing means intended to cooperate with said support.

[0002] The invention is particularly useful for the installation of thermo-sanitary appliances to replace appliances previously fixed on the same wall; but it can also be advantageously used as a support for the first installation of the appliance on a new wall.

[0003] In industry, it is common to suspend a thermo-sanitary appliance from a wall, by means of one or more hanging elements (fixed to the rear of the thermo-sanitary appliance) against which one leans and which one blocks by means of supports previously anchored to the wall.

[0004] These support means generally consist of anchor bolts or threaded studs, fixed to the wall and acting as support elements on which the fixing means (typically in the form of a bracket or plate) of the heating appliance are first simply placed and then fixed, locking them to these anchor bolts by means of nuts or other similar means.

[0005] Prior documents WO2018 / 157316 and WO2021 / 063401 give an example of this.

[0006] Suspension means are also known which involve the use of spacers interposed between the anchor bolts and the fixing elements of the apparatus, the latter being intended to rest on the spacers and not to be directly tightened onto the anchor bolts.

[0007] This method of fixing is, for example, described in the prior patent EP2573473 belonging to the same applicant as the present patent application, or in the prior patent JP4241330, in which special spacers are inserted and securely fixed to the anchor bolts by means of through holes and nuts, then serving as a seat for the fixing means of the heating appliance.

[0008] One of the main disadvantages of the above-mentioned attachment methods is that, when it is necessary to replace old sanitary appliances, anchor bolts and nuts damaged by corrosion and oxidation are encountered, conditions which make it difficult to completely remove the nut and / or the spacer element.

[0009] Another order of problems is linked to the multiplicity of fixing means present on the different types of thermo-sanitary appliances to be installed, which are characterized by a great dimensional variety depending on the markets to be marketed: in fact, each coupling means has pairs of holes, slots or shoulders (intended to cooperate with the wall support means) which are placed at predetermined distances, specific to the appliance and the target market.

[0010] Consequently, the installer is required to drill specific holes in the wall for the insertion of the support means, at a distance equal to that of the predetermined pairs of holes, slots or shoulders present on the fixing means of the heating-sanitary appliance, suffering the aforementioned drawbacks when replacing an old appliance, for the previous installation of which it had been necessary to drill holes at a precise distance which very rarely corresponds to that useful for the installation of the new appliance.

[0011] The aim of the present invention is to at least partially avoid this type of drawback, by means of a support for the suspension means of a wide variety of thermo-sanitary appliances, in order to make the installation, replacement and maintenance of the thermo-sanitary appliance faster and more practical.

[0012] Another object of the present invention is to provide a support which can also be used with support means already present on the target wall of a heating appliance to be installed in place of a previous appliance, thus avoiding the need to drill new holes in the wall.

[0013] These objectives, as well as others which will become clear hereinafter, are achieved by means of a wall bracket having several pairs of openings, which allows it to be fixed by means of a wall bracket in accordance with the invention.

[0014] This is a support for inserting the fixing means of a thermal sanitary appliance, said support comprising at least one pair of openings for cooperating with a pair of anchor bolts fixed to the wall. This support is particular in that it comprises: • a substantially flat transverse part, presenting an upper profile interspersed with a series of grooves, • a pair of plates each placed laterally with respect to the outermost grooves and connected at the top to the transverse part, said pair of plates projecting towards the rear of the thermo-sanitary appliance and being on a different plane from that of the transverse part, • a first pair of openings, defined by shoulders connected laterally to each of said plates and having a projection plane towards the wall, the openings of said first pair being spaced apart by a distance for insertion on a pair of anchor bolts spaced the same distance apart,

[0015] said support further comprises at least a second pair of openings made on said transverse part, the openings of said at least a second pair being spaced from each other by a distance less than the distance between each opening of said first pair, said at least a second pair of openings being adapted to be inserted on a pair of anchor bolts spaced from each other by the same distance.

[0016] Other objectives may also be achieved by the following additional features.

[0017] According to other characteristics: • said support may comprise at least a third pair of openings made on said transverse part, the openings of said at least a third pair being spaced from each other by a distance less than the distance between each opening of said at least a second pair, said at least a third pair of openings being capable of being inserted on a pair of anchor bolts spaced from each other by the same distance, • said first pair of openings may comprise a pair of shoulders each of which extends laterally over a length slightly greater than the lateral ends of said transverse part of the support, • said second pair of openings may comprise a pair of horizontally elongated slots, the outer and inner ends of each defining a distance between a maximum distance and a minimum distance, both less than the distance between each opening of said first pair, • said third pair of openings may comprise a pair of holes, spaced apart by a distance less than the minimum distance between the inner ends of said second pair of openings, • said transverse part may comprise one or more horizontal and / or vertical reinforcing ribs, • said pair of plates may comprise one or more reinforcing ribs, • the different seating planes of said pair of plates and of said transverse part can define a gap for the insertion of the coupling means of said thermo-sanitary appliance, said fixing means being inserted into a reception zone of said gap up to the upper profile of said transverse part, said coupling means comprising corners cooperating with the grooves of the upper profile of said transverse part, • said thermo-sanitary device can be a storage water heater.

[0018] The features of the present invention will be better illustrated by the following description of a preferred embodiment, in accordance with the invention and illustrated, purely for informational and non-limiting purposes, in the attached drawings, in which • Figures 1, 2 and 3 are views of the support according to the invention, respectively from the front, from above and in perspective; • Figures 4.A and 4.B show a front perspective of the support according to the invention and a first typology of the coupling means of a heating appliance, respectively in the phase preceding and following the insertion of the coupling means on the support; • Figures 5.A and 5.B show in perspective and in detail what has already been illustrated in Figure 4.B, but from a rear view; • Figures 6.A and 6.B show the support in perspective before and after insertion of the fixing means on the support, respectively; • [Fig.7] shows what is illustrated in [Fig.l], with the indication of some of the dimensional quantities associated with the openings of the support.

[0019] The characteristics of a preferred variant of the invention are now described, using the references of the figures. It should be noted that the above-mentioned figures, although schematic, reproduce the elements of the invention according to proportions between their dimensions and spatial orientations compatible with a possible embodiment.

[0020] It should also be noted that all dimensional and spatial terms (such as "bottom", "top", "inside", "outside", "front", "rear" and the like) refer to the positions of the elements as shown in the accompanying figures, without any limiting intention with respect to the possible operating positions.

[0021] Referring in particular to Figures 1 to 3, reference 1 indicates the support according to the present invention.

[0022] This support 1 has a horizontally elongated shape, comprising a substantially flat transverse part 1.1.

[0023] The rear face of this transverse part 1.1 of the support 1 serves as a stop for the wall P; while on the front face, facing the rear of the thermo-sanitary appliance AT to be suspended, one or more horizontal and / or vertical ribs 1.2 are preferably produced, which have the function of structurally reinforcing the support 1.

[0024] Said transverse part 1.1 of the support 1 has an upper profile 1.3 defined by a reinforcing rib 1.2, the longitudinal development of which is intersected, at substantially constant pitches, by a series of grooves 1.4 interrupting its continuity: these grooves 1.4, as described below, serve as support for the corresponding fixing means of the fixing means of the AT thermo-sanitary appliance to be suspended.

[0025] Without any limiting intention, in the preferred variant of the support 1 as illustrated in the attached figures, said grooves 1.4 are four in number, defining three sections of substantially equal length of the aforementioned upper profile 1.3.

[0026] Laterally to each of the two outer grooves 1.4, to said transverse part 1.1 of the support 1, a plate 1.5 is connected at the top, having a double function: both as structural reinforcement of the entire support 1, and as a rebate surface against the rear of the thermo-sanitary appliance AT to be suspended.

[0027] This pair of plates 1.5 preferably comprises one or more structural reinforcing ribs 1.51.

[0028] The general design of this pair of plates 1.5 is different from that of the transverse part 1.1 of the support 1, projecting towards the rear of the thermal-sanitary appliance AT with which they come into contact.

[0029] Laterally to each plate 1.5 and connected to it, there is a shoulder 11 whose support plane projects towards the wall P and is substantially similar to the support plane of the transverse part 1.1 of the stirrup.

[0030] Each shoulder 11, in the shape of an inverted U, extends laterally over a length slightly greater than the lateral ends 1.11 of the transverse part 1.1 of the support.

[0031] These pillars 11 are spaced apart by a distance DI and define a first pair of openings with which the support 1 is equipped to be inserted on the anchor bolts T spaced apart by the same distance DI on the wall P.

[0032] At least one second pair of openings is made on the transverse part 1.1 of the support 1; this second pair of openings comprises: • two horizontally elongated slots 12, the outer 12.2 and inner 12.3 ends of each defining a distance between the two slots 12 between a maximum distance D2 and a minimum distance D3, both less than the distance DI between the pair of stops 11.

[0033] According to the preferred variant of the invention and illustrated in the attached figures, the support 1 comprises a third pair of openings, again made on its transverse part 1.1; said third pair of openings comprising: • two holes 13 spaced apart by a distance D4, less than the minimum distance D3 of the distance between the inner ends 12.3 of the pair of slots 12.

[0034] According to other variants of the support 1, not shown in the figure, it is possible to produce additional pairs of openings, even more spaced apart than the sizes D1, D2, D3 and D4 mentioned above.

[0035] On the contrary, according to other variant embodiments of the support 1, it can be envisaged that the slots 12 defining the aforementioned second pair of openings have an increased length, that is to say comprise internal ends 12.3 extending up to the position normally occupied by the holes 13 of the aforementioned third pair of openings: in this case, said second pair of openings defines a distance between the two slots 12 comprised between the maximum distances D2 and minimum distances D4.

[0036] The presence of several pairs of openings described above (preferably at least two pairs of openings 11, 12; more preferably, at least three pairs of openings 11, 12, 13) gives the support 1 the possibility of being used in a wide variety of installations of new thermo-sanitary appliances AT which are to replace previous appliances, for which anchor bolts T (or other similar support means, such as screws or pins) were already present on the target wall P.

[0037] Indeed, as clearly shown in [Fig.7], which illustrates the preferred variant of the invention, the distances D1, D2, D3, D4 between the pairs of openings 11, 12, 13 of the support 1 make it possible to cooperate with pairs of anchor bolts T spaced according to the most common dimensions on the commercial markets, which makes it possible to use the anchor bolts T already used for the installation of the device to be replaced, without it being necessary to drill new holes in the wall P.

[0038] More specifically, by way of non-limiting example: • the first pair of openings 11 can cooperate with anchor bolts T spaced approximately 440 mm apart, which is a typical distance of known support means required for the installation of large AT thermosanitary appliances; • the second pair of openings 12 can cooperate with anchor bolts T spaced from 230 mm to 360 mm, which are standard distances for the installation of known medium-sized AT thermo-sanitary appliances; • the third pair of openings 13 can cooperate with anchor bolts T spaced approximately 190 mm apart, which is useful for the installation of medium-sized AT thermo-sanitary appliances for other marketing markets.

[0039] Figures 4.A to 6.B make it possible to understand the advantages of using the support 1 according to the invention.

[0040] These figures show the assumption that the bracket 1 is installed on the wall P in cooperation with pre-existing anchor bolts T, previously used to fix a large heating appliance AT: therefore, the bracket 1 is fixed to the wall P by inserting said anchor bolts T into the first pair of openings 11 and tightening them with suitable nuts D and washers if necessary.

[0041] In the case where the thermo-sanitary appliance AT to be replaced had been smaller, and therefore installed in the past using fixing means requiring anchor bolts T placed at a shorter distance than that illustrated in the example of figures 4.A to 6.B, the same support 1 would have been advantageously installed using the additional pairs of openings 12, 13 having a shorter distance.

[0042] Once the bracket 1 is fixed to the wall P, it can be used to suspend a variety of thermo-sanitary appliances AT, each having its own means of fixing to the rear of the appliance AT.

[0043] Figures 4.A to 5.B show the fixing means 2 of a first type of thermo-sanitary appliance AT, consisting of a support in the form of a horizontally developed tile, comprising: • a flat transverse part 2.1, fixed to the rear of the thermal sanitary appliance AT by retaining means 2.4; • the lateral ends 2.3 of said flat transverse part 2.1, having a laying plane different from that of the flat transverse part 2.1 and projecting in the direction of the wall P; • a lower profile 2.2 of said transverse flat part 2.1; • lower corners 2.21 connecting said lateral ends 2.3 to said flat cross-section 2.1.

[0044] Figures 6.A and 6.B show the fixing means 3 of a second type of thermo-sanitary appliance AT, consisting of a wedge-shaped support developed horizontally, comprising: • a middle part 3.1, fixed to the rear of the AT thermo-sanitary appliance by means of fasteners (not shown in the figure); • lateral parts 3.3 of said middle part 3.1, having a general design different from that of the middle part 3.1 and projecting towards the wall P; • a lower profile 3.2 of said middle part 3.1; • lower corners 3.21 connecting said lateral parts 3.3 to said middle part 3.1.

[0045] The two types of fixing means 2, 3 described above are designed to cooperate with the support 1 (previously fixed to the wall P by means of anchor bolts T), thanks to their insertion into the space defined between said support 1 and the wall P of the installation.

[0046] More precisely, as shown in Figures 2 and 3, the different support planes of the pair of plates 1.5 and of the flat transverse part 1.1 of the support 1 delimit a gap IS into which the fixing means 2, 3 of the sanitary appliance AT can be inserted, sliding into the reception zone IS.l of this gap IS until they come into contact with the upper profile 1.3 of the transverse part 1.1 of the support 1.

[0047] For type 2 fixing means, the connection to the support 1 is ensured: • by the lower profile 2.2 of the flat transverse part 2.1 of the support 2, which covers the upper profile 1.3 of the transverse part 1.1 of the support 1, • and by inserting the lower angles 2.21 into the outer grooves 1.4 of the upper profile 1.3 of said transverse part 1.1 of the support 1, said lower angles 2.21 thus representing the adaptation elements cooperating with said grooves 1.4.

[0048] For type 3 fixing means, the connection to the support 1 is ensured: • by the lower profile 3.2 of the central part 3.1 of the support 3, which covers the upper profile 1.3 of the transverse part 1.1 of the support 1, • and by inserting the lower angles 3.21 into the more central grooves 1.4 of the upper profile 1.3 of this transverse part 1.1 of the support 1, said lower angles 3.21 thus representing the adaptation elements cooperating with said grooves 1.4.

[0049] The above description clearly shows the advantages that can be obtained with the support 1 according to the invention, the most important of which concerns the possibility of using it without the installer having to drill new holes in the target wall P, given that the plurality of pairs of openings 11, 12, 13 allows it to cooperate with pre-existing anchor bolts T previously used by the heating appliance AT to be replaced.

[0050] But the use of the present invention is also advantageous during the first installation of an HV heating appliance, in anticipation of future replacements by HV appliances of different dimensions and / or different fixing means 2, 3, which are in any case capable of being inserted into the gap IS defined between this support 1 and the target wall P.

Claims

Claims

1. Support (1) for inserting the fixing means (2, 3) of a thermo-sanitary appliance (AT), said support (1) comprising at least one pair of openings (11, 12, 13) for cooperating with a pair of anchor bolts (T) fixed to the wall (P), characterized in that it comprises: • a substantially flat transverse part (1.1), having an upper profile (1.3) interspersed with a series of grooves (1.4), • a pair of plates (1.5), each placed laterally with respect to the outermost grooves (1.4) and connected at the top to the transverse part (1.1), said pair of plates (1.5) projecting towards the rear of the thermo-sanitary appliance (AT) and being on a different plane from that of the transverse part (1.1), • a first pair of openings (11), defined by shoulders connected laterally to each of said plates (1.5) and having a projection plane towards the wall (P), the openings (11) of said first pair being spaced apart by a distance (Dl) for insertion on a pair of anchor bolts (T) spaced apart by the same distance (Dl), said support (1) further comprises at least a second pair of openings (12) made on said transverse part (1.1), the openings (12) of said at least one second pair being spaced apart from each other by a distance (D2, D3) less than the distance (Dl) between each opening (11) of said first pair, said at least one second pair of openings (12) being suitable for insertion on a pair of anchor bolts (T) spaced apart from each other by the same distance (D2, D3).

2. Support (1) according to claim 1, comprising at least a third pair of openings (13) made on said transverse part (1.1), the openings (13) of said at least one third pair being spaced from each other by a distance (D4) less than the distance (D2, D3) between each opening (12) of said at least one second pair, said at least one third pair of openings (13) being adapted to be inserted on a pair of anchor bolts (T) spaced from each other by the same distance (D4).

3. Support (1) according to claim 1, wherein said first pair of openings (11) comprises a pair of shoulders each of which extends laterally over a length slightly greater than the lateral ends (1.11) of said transverse part (1.1) of the support (1).

4. A support (1) according to any preceding claim, wherein said second pair of openings (12) comprises a pair of horizontally elongated slots, the outer (12.2) and inner (12.3) ends of each defining a distance between a maximum distance (D2) and a minimum distance (D3), both less than the distance (D1) between each opening (11) of said first pair.

5. Support (1) according to claims 2 and 4, wherein said third pair of openings (13) comprises a pair of holes, spaced apart by a distance (D4) less than the minimum distance (D3) between the inner ends (12.3) of said second pair of openings (12).

6. Support (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein said transverse part (1.1) comprises one or more horizontal and / or vertical reinforcing ribs (1.2).

7. Support (1) according to claim 1, wherein said pair of plates (1.5) comprises one or more reinforcing ribs (1.51).

8. Support (1) according to claim 1, wherein the different seating planes of said pair of plates (1.5) and of said transverse part (1.1) define a gap (IS) for the insertion of the fixing means (2, 3) of said thermo-sanitary appliance (AT), said fixing means (2, 3) being inserted into a reception zone (IS.l) of said gap (IS) up to the upper profile (1.3) of said transverse part (1.1), said fixing means (2, 3) comprising corners (2.21, 3.21) cooperating with the grooves (1.4) of the upper profile (1.3) of said transverse part (1.1).

9. Support according to one of the preceding claims, in which said thermo-sanitary appliance (AT) is a storage water heater.