WO1996034157B1

WO1996034157B1 - Floor protection and cleaning in male toilets

Info

Publication number: WO1996034157B1
Application number: PCT/IE1996/000025
Authority: WO
Filing date: 1996-04-26
Publication date: 1996-11-28
Anticipated expiration: 1997-10-26

Abstract

A washable floor for a urinal consists of a metal grid (10) through which fluid may pass downwardly and an inclined sub-floor (6) on which the fluid falls. A flushing system flushes the inclined sub-floor (6) towards the urinal. This greatly reduces odours.

Claims

AMENDED CLAIMS

[received by the International Bureau on 18 October 1996 (18.10.96); original claims 3-8 cancelled; original claims 1 und 9 amended; new claim 10 added; remaining claims unchanged (1 page)]

1. A floor or floor element for the vicinity of a urinal and extending as far as the urinal comprising:

(a) a grid or mesh or array (10) on which a person may stand but through which fluid may pass downwardly;

(b) an inclined sub-floor (6) beneath the grid (10) onto which the fluid falls;

(c) flushing means (16, 17) for flushing down the inclined sub-floor (6);

(d) a drain outlet (8) at the lower edge of the inclined sub-floor for draining the sub-floor (6);

characterised in that

(e) mounting means (9) are provided for mounting the grid (10) a distance above the sub-floor; and

(f) the inclination of the sub-floor (6) is downwardly towards the urinal .

2. A floor or floor element according to claim 1 in which the grid (10) is pivotally movable between a horizontal operational position and a non-horizontal, preferably vertical, position and/or is removable to facilitate maintenance and/or washing.

9. A floor or floor element according to any preceding claim in combination with a urinal, having a common drainage channel (7) located at and extending parallel to the lower edge of the inclined sub-floor, characterised in that the drainage channel (7) is inclined towards the drain outlet (8) .

10. A floor or floor element according to any preceding claim in which the flushing means includes a plurality of ports (17) for delivering water to the upper edge of the inclined sub-floor (6), characterised in that the ports (17) are at a higher level than said upper edge. 14

Statement under Article 19(1)

The patent claims have been amended to patentably distinguish the present invention over two of the documents disclosed in the International Search as follows:

(a) German Patent No. 242,377 granted on 6th January, 1912 to Wangelin which discloses a sub-floor which is inclined downwardly towards a urinal drainage channel and flushed towards the drainage channel and has a grid resting directly on the inclined sub-floor as a result of which the user stands on a grid which is inclined and is likely to be wet; and

(b) British Patent No. 1,353,504 granted on 22nd May, 1974 to Regency Stainless Limited which discloses a grid mounted a distance above a flushed sub-floor which is inclined in a direction away from the urinal so that all urine passes along the inclined sub-floor under the user.

The amendment will require a consequential amendment of the description of the prior art to acknowledge the Wangelin document, and a consequential amendment of the statement of invention.