EP0529039A1

EP0529039A1 - Mobile washstand with an articulated upper stand

Info

Publication number: EP0529039A1
Application number: EP92906558A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Patrick Butte
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1991-02-26
Filing date: 1992-02-18
Publication date: 1993-03-03
Also published as: FR2673095A1; WO1992014392A1; US5343574A; FR2673095B1

Abstract

Ce lavabo mobile comprend: un chariot (1) monté sur roulettes (8), un plateau supérieur (2), solidaire du chariot (1), comprenant au voisinage de l'une de ses extrémités une vasque creuse (3) et un robinet (9) associé, un dispositif d'alimentation du robinet en eau propre, un dispositif d'évacuation des eaux usées de la vasque (3) vers un réservoir de stockage (10). Le plateau supérieur (2) est articulé sur le chariot autour d'un axe vertical (30) situé au voisinage de l'extrémité du plateau opposée à la vasque (3).This mobile washbasin comprises: a trolley (1) mounted on wheels (8), an upper plate (2), integral with the trolley (1), comprising near one of its ends a hollow basin (3) and a tap (9) associated, a device for supplying the tap with clean water, a device for discharging waste water from the basin (3) to a storage tank (10). The upper plate (2) is articulated on the carriage around a vertical axis (30) located near the end of the plate opposite the basin (3).

Description

MOBILE WASHBASIN WITH TOP ARTICULATED TOP

The invention relates to a new type of mobile sink, more particularly intended for the hospital environment, but however not limited to this single applica¬ tion.

Some patients, or even simply the elderly, are often so weak that it is not possible for them to get up to wash or simply wash. However, the hygiene and comfort of these people require nevertheless to carry out their toilet, even if only once a day. To do this, it was first proposed to use two bowls which are placed on the shelf also serving as support for meal trays. Besides the impractical aspect of this process, it does not, moreover, meet the most basic hygienic conditions, required for certain pathologies, in particular contagious. In addition, the minimum comfort conditions are not met.

Mobile sinks were then proposed, for example on casters, comprising a sink communicating by means of an evacuation pipe with a waste water storage tank. The water necessary to wash or wash is generally contained in a basin or a bowl simply placed on the sink. Once again, the hygienic conditions, although better respected than in the previous case, are still insufficient for a good number of appli¬ cations. In addition, the patient is forced to lean to one side or the other of his bed in order to access the sink, and thus proceed to his toilet. Finally, this type of mobile sink requires a lot of handling for the care staff and therefore proves impractical. The invention aims to overcome all of these different drawbacks. It offers a mobile sink, in particular intended for the hospital field or for hospita¬ lization at home, intended to allow a bedridden person to wash in hygienic and comfortable conditions compatible with the conditions required in particular in the hospital environment.

This mobile sink includes: - a cart mounted on wheels,

an upper plate, integral with the carriage, comprising in the vicinity of one of its ends a hollow basin and a tap associated with this basin,

- a device for supplying the tap with clean water,

- a device for evacuating waste water from the basin to a waste water storage tank.

This mobile sink is characterized in that the upper plate is articulated on the trolley around a vertical axis situated in the vicinity of the end of the plate opposite the basin.

In other words, the invention consists in providing a mobile sink with a movable upper plate rotating in a horizontal plane, in order to allow the basin to be compared with the bedridden patient, regardless of where is the sink at the edge of the bed. This faculty, which makes it possible to increase to a large extent the comfort of the patient, encounters a certain number of technical difficulties which are resolved by the mobile sink according to the invention. Advantageously, in practice:

- The articulation is carried out by means of a circular plati¬ called articulation, in the form of a crown comprising a ball bearing, coaxial with the vertical axis of articulation and fixed on the upper face of the carriage, at 1 interface of the upper plate and the carriage, to allow a rotation of the plate by 360 degrees;

- the water supply is autonomous and includes:. a water tank located in the cart,

. a pump supplied electrically by means of accumulators, batteries or rechargeable pil-es, pumping in the water reserve and supplying an annular conduit defined by two circular half-crowns respectively lower and upper, and si¬ killed coaxially with the axis of articulation of the upper plate on the carriage, and situated in a plane slightly lower than the articulation plate, the upper half-ring being connected by at least one pipe to the tap, and the half-ring lower being connected by at least one pipe to the pump; - The interface separating the two half-crowns is covered with polytetrafluoroethylene, and the sealing of the annular duct is ensured by two concentric neoprene annular seals, located in grooves mena¬ ged for this purpose on the opposite faces of said derai - crowns;

- The bottom of the basin is slightly inclined in the direction of the center of the plate, and the basin is closed by a drain, the latter communicating with a pipe for evacuation of waste water ending in the waste water storage tank located under the half-crowns defining the annular duct, after passing through the center of said duct; - The wastewater storage tank comprises a floating bell coaxial with the axis of revolution of said tank, and having in its center a protu¬ beration of revolution directed upwards; - The lower end of the sewage eva¬ cuation pipe comprises an annular vent, integral with the external periphery of said pipe, and extending upwards, intended to cooperate with the internal wall of the neck of the waste water storage tank;

- The trolley has four doors, articulated at the middle of each of its side faces, allowing access to the waste water storage tank, and to the clean water tank, for their respective emptying and filling; in addition, the carriage has on its upper face a hinged hinged cover, capable of being opened when the upper plate is offset and not folded.

The manner in which the invention can be implemented and the advantages which ensue therefrom will emerge more clearly from the embodiment which follows, given by way of non-limiting indication without the support of the appended figures.

Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view of the mobile sink according to the invention.

Figure 2 is a schematic perspective view of the mobile sink, the upper plate being shown in an offset position relative to the rest of the carriage.

Figure 3 is a schematic perspective view similar to Figure 2 with the front panel open. Figure 4 is a schematic longitudinal section of the mobile sink according to the invention.

Figure 5 is a detail view of the upper tray of the sink according to the invention. Figure 6 is a schematic exploded view of the annular conduit of the water supply circuit of the mobile sink according to the invention. And finally, FIG. 7 is a diagrammatic representation of the lower end of the waste water evacuation pipe.

According to the invention and as can be seen in FIG. 1, the mobile sink is in the folded position in the form of a parallelepiped. It is basically made up of a carriage (1). It is made of a sanitary approved material, and typically of thermoformed plastic, resistant and compatible with the conditions of use. The assembly of thermoformed plastic material is mounted on a tubular chassis treated anti-corrosion, for example stainless steel or electrogalvanized. It has four casters (8), possibly adjustable in height and intended to allow its movement to be convenient.

According to an advantageous characteristic of the invention, the carriage (1) comprises a front door (6), articulated at the level of a hinge (7), situated on the lateral face (7) of said carriage (1), contiguous to the hinge pin of the upper plate (2). The opening of this door (6) provides access to the interior of the cha¬ riot (1), and in particular to the tank (10), intended to collect the waste water, as will be described in more detail later. In addition, the carriage has three other doors, similarly articulated, and intended to allow access to the various elements and components contained in the carriage. Finally, it has on its upper face, a cover (36) for access from above to the inside. This cover is articulated at a hinge, not shown, and is only accessible when the upper plate (2), described in detail below, is retracted out of the plane of the carriage. According to the fundamental characteristic of the invention, the mobile sink comprises an upper plate (2), pivotally mounted relative to the carriage (1). This upper plate (2) essentially comprises a hollow basin (3), intended to receive the water, and located in the vicinity of one of the ends of the plate, the adjacent extremity of said basin being extended by a handle (5). The other end has a shelf (4), for example intended to receive utensils and other toilet materials.

The upper plate (2) can also be realized by thermoforming and this in a completely tradi¬ tional manner.

In order to be able to pivot around the vertical axis (30), located in the vicinity of one of the ends of the carriage, the upper plate (2) is secured to the carriage (1) by means of a plate (26) well-known for this function. This plate (26) is fixed to cross members solidai¬ res of the chassis of the carriage. In fact, this plate is so designed that it allows the overhang generated by the free end of the plate (2) relative to the rest of the carriage (1). In addition, and as will be described later, this overhang is compensated by the presence of reservoirs located inside the carriage (1), these acting as a counterweight.

As already said, the upper plate (2) comprises a basin (3), the bottom (20) of which is slightly inclined in the direction of the center of the plate up to the level of a plug (19), capable of closing, and this in known manner, the basin. This drain (19) is extended by a drainage pipe (18), for example made of polyvinyl chloride (PVC), terminating by means of a siphon (22) at the tank (10) of waste water storage. In addition, the upper plate (2) comprises, at the level of the basin (3), a tap (9), with cell control or with manual control, supplied with water by a pipe (17) from an annular conduit. described in more detail below. All of these. two pipes are advantageously molded when the upper plate is made. More specifically, the plastic is expanded, and typically polyurethane, after the installation of the various pipes and other fittings, and after having brought back a plate acting as a lower face (33) on the sides side of the tray (2). We choose for example for the pipe (17) supply of clean water polybutylene. In this way, a hygienic and soundproof upper plate (2) is obtained, which is particularly appreciated in a hospital environment.

The supply of clean water, possibly microfiltered or even sterilized after exposure to ultraviolet radiation, is done from a reservoir (14), contained in the carriage, with a capacity of 80 liters, and for example made of rotomolded polyethylene. This tank is located under the basin (3), when the upper plate (3) is in the folded position above the carriage. A pipe (15) plunges into the tank and is intended to ensure the transfer of water to the annular duct (25) by suction by means of a low voltage electric pump (11). This is supplied electrically by means of accumulators (13) or rechargeable cells or batteries, or even directly from the electrical supply sector (220 Volts).

The pump (11) thus causes, under electronic servo activated directly by the tap, the transfer of water from the pipe (15) to the pipe. reading (12), this conveying it at the level of the annular duct (25). The latter is typically consti¬ killed by two circular half-crowns respectively upper (24) and lower (23), defining the annular pipe proper (25). The sealing of the annular duct (25) is ensured by the presence of two neoprene seals (27) and (28) coaxial with said concentric half-crowns. These two seals are received in two grooves of appropriate dimensions, formed respectively in the two half-rings. In addition, the interface (16) for cooperation between the two half-rings is covered with polytetrafluoroethylene, in order to allow almost free rotation of one relative to the other.

The pipe for supplying clean water (12) from the pump (11) to the annular conduit (25) ends at the lower half-crown (23) and opens into the annular conduit (25). Correlatively, the pipe (17) for supplying clean water from the annular duct (25) at the tap (9) opens into the annular duct (25) at the level of the upper half-crown (24). In this way, whatever may be the rotational movement imparted to the upper plate (2), one systematically eliminates the problem linked to the pipes, taking into account the free rotation of the upper half-crown (24) with respect to to the lower half-crown (23). This gives the possibility of rotating the upper plate (2) 360 degrees, regardless of the direction of rotation.

In addition, this possibility of rotation is also made possible by the fact that the waste water evacuation pipe (18) opens into the waste water storage tank (10) after passing through the siphon (22) and after passing through the center of the said crowns (23 and 24) defining the annular duct (25), and as best represented in FIG. 5. In other words, the lower end (29) of the waste water evacuation pipe (18). is coaxial with, on the one hand the pivot axis (30) of the upper plate (2), on the other hand the center of the ball bearing plate (26) allowing this pivoting, and finally with the center of the two half-crowns (23 and 24) defining the annular duct (25).

The waste water storage tank is, as already said, located in the carriage (1), under the pivoting area of the upper plate (2). It has a typical capacity of around 80 liters. It is also made of rotomolded polyethylene. In addition, it has in the lower part, a sectional emptying valve (21), intended to allow the emptying of said tank above a floor drain.

In order to perfect the hygienic operating conditions of such a mobile sink, it should be noted, as can also be seen in FIG. 7, that the lower end (29) of the pipe can be provided waste water outlet (18) of an annular vent (31), secured at the outer wall of said end (29), and extending upwards. This vent (31) is intended to cooperate with the internal wall of the neck (34) of the waste water storage tank (10). In this way, whatever the size of the splashes generated by the fall of the waste water in said tank (10), these cannot spread in the carriage (1) given the presence of this vent.Moreover, this vent, advantageously rigid towards its place of attachment at the end (29) of the evacuation pipe (18), is more flexible towards its periphery, allows, by its structure, air to escape following the arrival of water in the tank (10).

In another embodiment not shown, this vent can be replaced by a rubber disc pierced in its center, fitted in force around the pipe (18), and the periphery of which rests on the upper edges of the neck (34) of the waste water storage tank (10).

In an entirely advantageous manner, and in order to further limit such risks of splashing, said tank (10) is provided with a floating bell (32), for example made of plastic material such as polyethylene or polypropylene, and having a central protuberance of revolution directed upwards so that the water coming from the pipe (18) comes to break on this protuberance without generating significant splashes.

An airtight waste water storage tank is therefore obtained, which can advantageously be treated against bacteria, by incorporating therein, after each emptying, an antiseptic.

Advantageously, the operation of this mobile sink is managed by a microcontroller, ensuring the proper functioning of the pump, and controlling the levels of the two tanks, respectively of clean water and used water, permanently. In addition, it controls the charge of the battery, and regulates the transformer integrated with the battery, used during charging periods. It is thus understandable that such a mobile sink fulfills the conditions of hygiene and comfort, such as can be desired by bedridden patients, in particular those subjected to long periods of hospitalization, or even in hospitalization at home. In effect, there is then a real sink with running water, easily movable due to the presence of casters. In addition, it considerably simplifies the work of the care personnel, insofar as the patient's manipulations remain limited. In addition, it is entirely conce¬ see to adapt a headrest, in particular to allow washing of the patient's hair, and also a mirror on one of the edges of the basin (3), in order to increase its comfort.

Finally, all the elements intended to come into contact with water or with a washing liquid are provided with slopes, so that a natural flow is created, thus avoiding leaving any trace or any foreign element, thus promoting • the permanent search for optimum hygienic conditions.

Claims

1 / Mobile sink including:

- a carriage (1) mounted on casters (8), - an upper plate (2), integral with the carriage (1), comprising in the vicinity of one of its ends a hollow basin (3) and a tap (9) associate,

- a device for supplying the tap with clean water, - a device for evacuating waste water from the basin (3) to a storage tank (10); characterized in that the upper plate (2) is articulated on the carriage around a vertical axis (30) located in the vicinity of the end of the plate opposite to the basin (3).

2 / mobile sink according to claim 1, charac¬ terized in that the articulation of the upper plate (2) on the carriage (1) is achieved by means of a circular hinge plate (26), in the form of a crown comprising a ball bearing, coaxial with the vertical articulation axis (30), and fixed on the upper face of the carriage (1), at the interface of the upper plate (2) and the carriage (1 ), to authorize a 360 degree pivoting thereof relative to said carrier (1).

3 / mobile sink according to one of claims 1 and 2, characterized in that the supply of clean water is autonomous and comprises: a tank of clean water (14) located in the carriage (1), a pump (11 ) associated with an electrical supply member (13), pumping into the water reserve by means of a pipe (15) and supplying an annular conduit (25) defined by two circular half-crowns respec¬ tively lower (23) and upper (24), positioned coaxially with the hinge axis (30) of the upper plate (2) on the carriage (1), and located in a plane slightly below the articulation plate (26), the upper half-crown being connected by at least one pipe (17) to the clean water supply member ( 9), and the lower half-crown (23) being connected at least by one pipe (12) to the pump (11).

4 / mobile sink according to claim 3, characterized in that the interface (16) separating the two half-rings (23,24) is covered with polytetrafluoroethylene, and in that the sealing of the annular duct ( 25) is provided by two concentric neoprene annular seals (27,28), located in grooves provided for this purpose on the facing faces of said half-crowns.

5 / mobile sink according to one of claims 1 to

4, characterized in that the bottom (20) of the basin (3) is slightly inclined in the direction of the center of the plate (2), and in that the basin (3) is closed by a plug (19), this communicating with a waste water evacuation pipe (18) ending in the storage tank (10) of the waste water located under the half-rings (23,24) defining the annular duct (25), after passing through the center of said conduit.

6 / mobile sink according to one of claims 1 to

5, characterized in that the storage tank (10) for waste water comprises a floating bell (32) coaxial with the axis of revolution of said tank, and having in its center a protuberance of revolution (35) directed upwards. 7 / mobile sink according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the lower end (29) of the discharge pipe (18) of wastewater com¬ carries an annular vent (31), integral with the outer periphery of said pipe, and extending. upwards, intended to cooperate with the internal wall of the neck (34) of the wastewater storage tank (10).

8 / mobile sink according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the carriage (1) has four hinged doors (6) at the middle (7) of each of the side faces of said carriage, allowing access and emptying and respectively filling the storage tank (10) of waste water and the reservoir (14) of clean water.