Subject of the Invention

The invention relates to a fixing system and a fixing method enabling a product to be fixed to a mounting surface in such a way that no fixing member is visible on the product surface.

State of the Art

The ceramic sanitary ware are often used in the toilets, bathrooms and kitchens. Some ceramic sanitary ware are directly fixed on the floor or the force imparted by the ceramic sanitary ware due to its weight and the force imparted during the use are enabled to be directly transferred to the floor with the help of a foot fitted to the ceramic sanitary ware. Today, it is often preferred to fix the ceramic sanitary ware to a surface perpendicular to the floor due to more aesthetic appearance and certain advantages during the use. In the practices where the ceramic sanitary ware is fixed to a surface perpendicular to the floor, it is required to fix the ceramic sanitary ware to the mounting surface in such a way that it is both able to bear its own weight and bear the forces imparted during the use. For this purpose, the mounting procedure is realized using various connection members and various mounting methods.

In the practices where the mounting of the ceramic sanitary ware is performed on a mounting surface perpendicular to the floor, the visibility of the connection members, which are used for mounting, on the surface of the ceramic sanitary ware after the mounting is undesirable. For this purpose, the concealed mounting apparatus, which will not be visible after the mounting, are used for mounting the ceramic sanitary ware.

In an exemplary practice of the state of the art frequently preferred for fixing a ceramic sanitary ware to a wall, a stud fixed to a wall penetrates a mounting apparatus, a setscrew, as result of being rotated, advances on a body of the mounting apparatus fixed on the ceramic sanitary ware and enters a cavity located on the stud, thereby enabling the ceramic sanitary ware to be fixed to the wall. According to this practice, the fixation of the ceramic sanitary ware is achieved by means of the cavity inside the stud and the setscrew. The small size of the contact surface of the setscrew for contacting the stud and the occurrence of a point contact cause an unbalanced load distribution. This in turn could lead to certain restrictions regarding the choice of material as well as a complicated mounting procedure.

Owing to the fixing system and the fixing method according to the invention, it is made possible to achieve the fixation upon the placement of the product intended to be mounted on a mounting surface, i.e. to achieve the mounting without the need for using any hand tool, and further, it is possible to achieve a secure and reliable mounting owing to the increased contact surface between the fixing component positioned on the product intended to be mounted and the bearing member positioned on the mounting surface.

Object of the Invention

An object of the invention is to develop a fixing system and a fixing method wherein a ceramic sanitary ware is enabled to be fixed on a mounting surface perpendicular to the floor in such a way that no connection member will be visible through the ceramic sanitary ware after the mounting.

Another object of the invention is to develop a fixing system and a fixing method wherein the total force resulting from the weight of the ceramic sanitary ware and from the forces imparted during use to the ceramic sanitary ware is able to be transferred in a uniform and balanced manner to the component fixed on the mounting surface.

Another object of the invention is to develop a fixing system and a fixing method wherein the fixation on the mounting surface of the member intended to be fixed on the mounting surface and the fixation on the ceramic sanitary ware of the member intended to be fixed on the ceramic sanitary ware are achieved easily with the ceramic sanitary ware in a position detached from the mounting surface and wherein the mounting is achieved by way of pushing the ceramic sanitary ware onto the fixing member on the mounting surface.

Description of the Figures

Figure 1: An isometric view of the bearing member

Figure 2: A view of the fixing component in the unlocked position

Figure 3: A view of the fixing component in the locked position

Figure 4: A view of the state where the moving component is in the lower position

Figure 5: A view of the fixing component on the ceramic sanitary ware

Reference Numerals

1 : Bearing member

11 : Surface parallel to the mounting surface

12 : Surface perpendicular to the mounting surface

13 : Bearing pin

2 : Fixing component

21 : Fixing component body

22 : Bearing pin opening 23 : Body plane inner surface

24 : Body circular surface

3 : Moving component

31 : Moving component plane surface

32 : Moving component circular surface

33 : Lock member space

34 : Lock member abutment surface

35 : Spring seat

4 : Lock member

5 : Spring

6 : Connection member

7 : Ceramic sanitary ware x : Minimum distance between the moving component and the body plane inner surface

Detailed Description of the Invention

The invention relates to a fixing system and a fixing method enabling a product to be fixed to a mounting surface in such a way that no fixing member is visible on the product surface. More particularly, the invention relates to a fixing system and a fixing method comprising a fixing component (2) fixed on the ceramic sanitary ware (7) and a bearing member (1) fixed to the mounting surface, wherein the mounting of the ceramic sanitary ware (7) is enabled to be achieved without using any hand tool, by way of enabling the fixing component (2) to fasten on the bearing member (1) as a result of the ceramic sanitary ware (7) being pushed towards the mounting surface.

The fixing system according to the invention comprises in its most basic form at least one bearing member (1), which is fixed on the mounting surface and which forms the surface necessary for the ceramic sanitary ware (7) to fasten on the mounting surface, and at least one fixing component (2), which is fixed on the ceramic sanitary ware (7) and which enables the ceramic sanitary ware (7) to be fixed on the bearing member (1).

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the bearing member (1) includes at least one surface parallel to the mounting surface (11), the said surface being arranged parallel to the mounting surface, and at least two surfaces perpendicular to the mounting surface (12) that are perpendicular to the surface parallel to the mounting surface (11) and are thus perpendicular to the mounting surface. The bearing member (1) is fixed to the mounting surface via the surface parallel to the mounting surface (11), by means of at least one, preferably two connection members (6). The bearing member (1) has at least one, preferably two bearing pins (13) enabling the fixing component (2) to be fixed on the bearing member (1). The bearing pins (13) are positioned on the surface perpendicular to the mounting surface

(12) and extend parallel to the mounting surface, preferably outwards from the center of the bearing member (1). The bearing pins (13) preferably have a cylindrical geometry.

The fixing component (2) is the component that fastens on the bearing pins (13) to enable the ceramic sanitary ware (7) to be fixed to the mounting surface and a preferred embodiment of the invention comprises two fixing components (2) that are fixed respectively to a first bearing pin (13) and a second bearing pin (13) located on the bearing member (1). The fixing component (2) comprises at least one moving component (3), which moves inside the fixing component body (21) and either permits or prevents the movement of the bearing pin (13) inside the fixing component body (21), depending on its position.

The fixing component body (21) has at least one bearing pin opening (22) permitting the bearing pin (13) to penetrate. The bearing pin (13) enters and exits the fixing component body (21) via said bearing pin opening (22). The fixing component (2) has a body plane inner surface (23), which begins at the bearing pin opening (22), and has a body circular surface (24), which the bearing pin (13) contacts when in the fixed position inside the fixing component body (21). Similarly, the moving component (3) has a moving component plane surface (31), which the bearing pin (13) contacts while entering the fixing component body (21) via the bearing pin opening (22) and on which said bearing pin (13) advances, and a moving component circular surface (32), which the bearing pin (13) contacts when in the fixed position inside the fixing component body (21). When the moving component (3) is at a position where no force is imparted on the moving component plane surface (31), the body circular surface (24) and the moving component circular surface (32) have geometric forms complementary to one another. More specifically, in the state where there is no force being imparted on the moving component plane surface (31), the center of the body circular surface (24) and the center of the moving component circular surface (32) overlap each other. The gap formed between the body circular surface (24) and the moving component circular surface (32) in a state where the centers thereof overlap is a gap with size enabling the penetration of the bearing pin (13) into the said gap.

In the state where there is no force being imparted on the moving component plane surface (31), the minimum distance between the moving component and the body plane inner surface (x) is smallerthan the diameterof the bearing pin (13). Forthis reason, the moving component (3) is supported in a movable manner inside the fixing component (2) so that the bearing pin

(13) is able to penetrate the gap formed between the body circular surface (24) and the moving component circular surface (32). The moving component (3) is able to move inside the fixing component (2) in a direction of approaching or moving away from the body plane inner surface (23). At least one spring (5) is utilized in order to provide the force necessary for the movement of the moving component (3) in a direction of approaching the body plane inner surface (23). The spring (5) applies a force to the moving component (3) that will enable said moving component (3) to approach the body plane inner surface (23), on the other hand, when a force is applied from the moving component plane surface (31) to the moving component (3), said spring (5) allows said moving component (3) to move away from the body plane inner surface (23). Said force applied from the moving component plane surface (31) is imparted by the bearing pin (13) as a result of said bearing pin (13) entering the fixing component body (21) via the bearing pin opening (22) and advancing within the same during the mounting. In this way, the minimum distance between the moving component and the body plane inner surface (x) increases. More specifically, the minimum distance between the moving component and the body plane inner surface (x) increases to thereby permit the bearing pin (13) to penetrate the gap formed between the body circular surface (24) and the moving component circular surface (32). Once the bearing pin (13) has penetrated said gap, the moving component (3) moves again in a direction of approaching the body plane inner surface (23) under the influence of the force applied by the spring (5) and enables the bearing pin (13) to become fixed inside the gap formed between the body circular surface (24) and the moving component circular surface (32). The moving component (3) has at least one spring seat (35) on which the spring (5) may be fixed. One end of the spring (5) is positioned in said spring seat (35), while the other end of the said spring (5) is fixed within the fixing component body (21).

When it is desired to fix the bearing pin (13) inside the gap formed between the body circular surface (24) and the moving component circular surface (32), it is desired to prevent the moving component (3) from moving in a direction of moving away from the body plane inner surface (23), i.e. it is desired to prevent the increase in the minimum distance between the moving component and the body plane inner surface (x). For this reason, the fixing system according to the invention comprises at least one lock member (4) that prevents the movement of the moving component (3). The lock member (4) is fixed on the fixing component body (21) preferably via at least one connection member (6) in such a way that it is capable of freely performing rotational movement around itself. It is desired that the lock member (4) permits the movement of the moving component (3) during the mounting and prevents the movement of the moving component (3) after the mounting. The moving component (3) comprises at least one lock member space (33) to which the lock member (4) may penetrate. In the case where it is desired to have the moving component (3) be able to freely move, the lock member (4) penetrates the lock member space (33) and thus the moving component (3) is able to move. The moving component (3) has at least one lock member abutment surface (34) against which the lock member (4) will abut to prevent the movement of the moving component (3) in the case where it is desired to prevent the movement of said moving component (3). In case it is desired to prevent the movement of the moving component (3), the lock member (4) is rotated to be removed from the lock member space (33) and is brought into a position at which it will contact the lock member abutment surface (34). As a result of the contact of the lock member (4) with the lock member abutment surface (34), the movement of the moving component (3) is prevented.

The fixing method according to the invention for fixing a product by means of the fixing system according to the invention comprises the process steps of

• fixing the bearing member (1) on the mounting surface and fixing the fixing component (2) on the ceramic sanitary ware (7),

• bringing the lock member (4) into the position at which it is to penetrate the lock member space (33),

• positioning the ceramic sanitary ware (7) on the bearing member (1) such that the bearing pin (13) enters the fixing component body (21) via the bearing pin opening (22),

• pushing the ceramic sanitary ware (7) towards the mounting surface in such a way that the bearing pin (13) advances between the body plane inner surface (23) and the moving component plane surface (31),

• the moving component (3) moving away from the body plane inner surface (23) as a result of the movement of the bearing pin (13) on the moving component plane surface (31),

• the bearing pin (13) penetrating the gap formed between the body circular surface (24) and the moving component circular surface (32),

• the moving component (3) moving in a way to approach the body plane inner surface (23) by means of the force applied by the spring (5) upon the termination of the force imparted by the bearing pin (13) on the moving component plane surface (31),

• the bearing pin (13) getting caught in the gap formed between the body circular surface (24) and the moving component circular surface (32),

• bringing the lock member (4) into the position at which it will abut against the lock member abutment surface (34) and preventing the movement of the moving component (3).

Owing to the fixing system and the fixing method according to the invention, it is made possible to achieve the fixation upon the placement of the product intended to be mounted on a mounting surface, i.e. to achieve the mounting without the need for using any hand tool, and further, it is possible to achieve a secure and reliable mounting owing to the increased contact surface between the fixing component (2) positioned on the product intended to be mounted and the bearing member (1) positioned on the mounting surface.