BNL Solution Helps Kohler Daryl Achieve Design Objectives
BNL (UK) Ltd., a leading designer and manufacturer of plastic bearing assemblies and technical moulding solutions, has joined forces with Daryl Showers, part of the Kohler Group, to produce an adjustable mechanism for securing glass shower panels into their frames. The plastic mechanism will significantly simplify the process involved in the installation of Daryl’s shower enclosures.
(April 2007; UK) BNL’s in-house design team and the Kohler Daryl Development and Design Team, working in close collaboration, have produced a mechanism (patent pending), which allows glass panels to be inserted directly into the aluminium frame and be locked in place with one turn of a screwdriver. Having already provided Daryl Showers with various ball-bearing assembly solutions for their shower enclosure doors, BNL was chosen to assist in the realisation of the project. “As ever, BNL played a pro-active role in the development process helping to turn the original concept into mass-produced reality”, stated Andy Baines, Daryl’s Design & Development Manager.
The design is made up of two parts, both equipped with sliding teeth. One part is embedded in the frame of the shower and the other is attached to the glass panel itself. Once the frame is fixed to the wall, the glass panel can be slotted into the frame, where the teeth slide together to achieve a balanced fit. The mechanism is then locked together with one turn of a spring-loaded cam pin, fixing the glass securely in the frame. The simplicity of the mechanism is evident; “We even left the photography chaps at their studio to install these new units with no help from us and they said that they were the easiest they had ever done”, said Jon Sands, Daryl’s Design Engineer.
The key benefits are that the mechanism can be loosened and re-tightened to allow adjustment of the panel in the frame, achieving the ideal positioning and helping to reduce after sales costs. Also, there is no longer any need for drilling through the frame to secure the panels, narrowing the possibility of damage during installation and easing the whole process.
The mechanism will initially be placed in the Mattia and Iana range of showers intended for the house building, retail and quality builders merchants markets, where the ease of installation will be a key selling point. It is designed to be easily adapted to fit a range of potential glass widths, so can potentially be used in other shower enclosure designs.
About BNL
BNL (UK) Ltd specialises in the design and manufacture of innovative plastic bearing assemblies and technical moulding solutions, that offer many advantages over the traditional steel bearing, including anti-static properties, low friction, corrosion and chemical resistance, reduced weight and inertia and no requirement for lubrication. In addition, the company’s dedicated in-house design team is able to promote added value through the integration of other features such as axles, gears, fixing clips, mounting flanges and pulleys on order to form fully integrated bearing assemblies that maximise functionality and deliver whole system cost reductions. Learn more about BNL at www.bnl-bearings.com.
April 2007
ENDS
For further information contact:
Donna Loughnane
Marketing
BNL (UK) Ltd, Manse Lane, Knaresborough, North Yorkshire HG5 8LF, UK
T: +44 (0)1423 799208 F: +44 (0)1423 799108