Illuminated sanitary appliance

• US 5,253,376 A
• Filed: 09/25/1992
• Issued: 10/19/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ideal Standard Limited (LIXIL Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Ideal Standard Limited (LIXIL Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Fait, Claudio
• Primary Examiner(s): Recla, Henry J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Fetsuga, Robert M.
• Application Number:
  US07/950,669
• Time in Patent Office: 389 Days
• Field of Search: 4/619, 4/638, 4/643, 4/654, 4/661, 362/101, 362/133
• US Class Current: 4/643
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 1/322 connected to the wall only
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 2001/321 Siphon or angle valve covers
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 33/004 Sanitary equipment, e.g. mirrors, showers, toilet seats or paper dispensers

Abstract

The support element (10) comprises a concave portion (11) having its concavity facing the vertical wall (3) and arranged define at the front, and at least in part laterally, a shell closed at its rear by the vertical wall (3) to determine a chamber (12), and an electric lamp (20) installed within the chamber (12), the chamber (12) comprising one or more lateral apertures (13) and/or lower apertures (14) which enable the light produced by the electric lamp (20) to escape from the chamber (12).

Claims

1. A support element for use with a sanitary appliance of the type comprising a bowl (2) mounted adjacent a vertical wall (3), and above a floor (4) said support element (10) comprising a shell having at least one concave portion (11) with its concavity positioned to face the wall (3) and the shell being arranged to define an enclosed chamber (12) when the shell is mounted to an undersurface of the bowl and against the wall (3), an electric lamp (20) being mounted to an interior surface of said shell within said chamber (12), said shell comprising at least one opening (13) therethrough which enables the light produced by the electric lamp (20) to escape from said chamber (12).

2. The support element according to claim 1, wherein a screen (21) is mounted above the lamp and extends in plan view to occlude the lamp (20) from view, said shell being sized so that said chamber (12) is closed at an upper end by the bowl (2).

3. The support element according to claim 2, wherein said support element comprises an internal rib (15) projecting horizontally from the inner surface of the shell, said rib (15) having an aperture (16) for mounting the screen (21), said screen (21) being positioned above said rib (15) and forming an angle thereto, said electric lamp (20) being positioned below the rib (15).

4. The support element according to claim 1, wherein the at least one concave portion comprises a lower portion (11) of the shell sized to extend to the floor (4) to define the chamber (12), wherein the shell comprises a second opening (13) therethrough to enable the light produced by the electric lamp (20) to escape, said openings (13) being positioned substantially in said lower portion (11).

5. The support element according to claim 1, wherein the at least one concave portion comprises a lower portion (11) of the shell sized to be spaced a distance from the floor (4), wherein said shell includes a lower wall (18) to define the chamber (12), said at least one opening (13) being provided in the lower wall (18).