New Armitage Shanks Contour hygenIQ Urinals

urinals

The problem with toilets and public urinals is that you can’t see the problem, solution: Armitage Shanks Contour hygenIQ Urinals

With conventional urinals, the splash-back of urine is an unavoidable fact and a serious problem. Basic physics, in particular the rules of impulse and momentum, dictates that when a jet of fluid hits a flat vertical surface at 90 degrees, some of the fluid will rebound as splash. Where does this splash-back land? On the floor, the walls, clothing and other people. And that, obviously, is a problem. The effects are largely unseen. Harmful bacteria thrive in the smelly urine splashed on the walls and floor and can spread germs and potentially disease to those using the washroom. As the urine settles on the washroom surfaces its corrosive effects can easily be seen. Unsightly staining and deterioration of the surrounding décor occurs. Urine eats into the grout between ceramic tiles, creating small fissures which gradually degrade the joint. Grout can harbour fungi that release spores which harm the respiratory system. Splashed clothing can also transport germs outside the washroom. This is not only unhygienic, it’s personally unpleasant too and has the potential of spreading germs to the wider public. An improved cleaning regime can be expensive and will only ever treat the symptoms of the problem; what is needed is a cure for the problem itself.

An expert’s view leading microbiologist, Dr.Ron Cutler gives us the facts on urine surface contamination

Apart from problems associated with the odorous contamination of surfaces, urine coated surfaces can potentially act as microbial fomites. Fomites consist of both porous and non-porous surfaces or objects that can become contaminated with pathogenic microorganisms and serve as vehicles in transmission. During and after illness, viruses for example are shed in large numbers in body secretions, including blood, faeces, saliva, nasal fluid and of course urine. Although urine is normally sterile it can act as a source of infection in three ways
• Urine is an excellent growth medium for bacteria and if a surface is coated with dried and liquid urine it could provide a potential source of infection for hands if they touch these contaminated surfaces
• Viruses can be present in infected urine and can survive on urine contaminated surfaces
• If an individual has a urinary tract or bladder infection surfaces coated with any of these organisms could also act as a source of infection

The objective fitting form to function; a fresh look at urinal design

Most men are unaware of splash from urinals. However, of those who are, some try to reduce splash-back by urinating towards the outward-curving edge of the bowl so that the flow strikes at a lesser angle. Whilst this can be an effective means of reducing splashing, it requires the users to stand off-centre and effectively ‘misuse’ the urinal. This reduces the effective aim area and increases the chance of missing which in turn exacerbates the problem. Clearly, there is a need for an improved ‘anti-splash’ urinal design which offers vastly superior hygiene performance and a reduction in the costs of maintenance. Recognising this problem, Armitage Shanks teamed up with industrial designers Goodwin Hartsh orn to discuss exactly that; a solution that significantly reduces splash-back whilst requiring no special technique to use or install. Furthermore, the new design can easily be incorporated into Armitage Shanks’ market leading Contour and Sanura urinal ranges. Designed using principals of advanced fluid dynamics and independently tested and proven to work, the next stage in the evolution of the urinal is the ’Fin’.

The solution the ‘Fin’ – a breakthrough in washroom hygiene

The new hygenIQ urinals have a central, vertical and rearward- splaying ‘Fin’ cast within the bowl itself. Standing centrally in fr ont of the urinal, with a large aiming area, the user’s flow will hit either side of the ‘Fin’ at a very shallow angle. There will be little or no splashing because, at such an angle, surface tension will cause the fluid to ‘cling’ to the inside of the urinal bowl. Any splashing that does occur will actually travel away from the direction of flow and the user.

How the ‘Fin’ works

The market leading Contour and Sanura urinals have been re-designed to incorporate the new hygenIQ ‘Fin’ and given a sleeker look whilst maintaining the basic shape in order to make retro-fit an easy option. Inside the bowl itself, everything is different. A central ‘Fin’ minimises splashing of urine and directs any that does occur back into the bowl.

Simple installation, easy retrofit

• The unique design and performance of the hygenIQ urinals does not need special techniques or equipment to install.
• Contour hygenIQ and Sanura hygenIQ are as simple and fast to fit as standard Contour and Sanura.
• Contour hygenIQ is designed for use on ducted installations where all flush and waste services are hidden. Sanura hygenIQ is suitable for exposed pipework installations and is available in two sizes.
• The hygenIQ urinals have been designed to make retro-fitting them in existing Contour and Sanura installations easy and
  economical. Both new hygenIQ urinals share the same flush, waste and bracket locations as the standard version making their connection to services fast and simple.
• Refinishing of the washroom wall tiles or panelling is not necessary when Contour and Sanura hygenIQ replace their respective predecessors. A slightly larger footprint ensures that the new urinals cover such things as previous silicone sealant or cut tile edges.

Specifying the new hygenIQ urinals

Contour and Sanura hygenIQ urinals are available now and can be specified as individual items or in packs. Each Contour or Sanura hygenIQ urinal pack contains 1 or 2 urinals, one auto cistern, flush pipe set and all necessary spreader, waste and traps. Armitage Shanks have developed a fin strainer waste that works in tandem with the hygenIQ fin urinals to further reduce splash-back. Available in 1½” BSP with a 50mm unslotted tail.