Shower floor with heat exchanger

Abstract

Shower floor (10) for preferably flush installation in a building structure surrounding the shower floor (10), comprising: - a support element (12) with at least one drainage opening (15), a bottom (13) and a top (14), - a drain pot (16) installed in the drain opening (15) with a dirt trap (20) installed or installable in the drain pot (16), - a heat exchanger (30) which is coupled to the drain pot (16) by means of a drain line (17), characterized by the fact that - the support element (12) is made of a rigid foam plastic, - the heat exchanger (30) includes a grey water inlet (31), a grey water outlet (32), a preheating water outlet (33) and a cold water inlet (34), - the drain pot (16), the drain pipe (17) and the heat exchanger (30) are at least partially installed in a free space (18) or cavity (21) provided in the support element (12), - the support element (12) has at least one mounting opening (19) on its upper side (14) which allows access to at least one line connection (31, 32, 33, 33', 34) provided on the heat exchanger (30).

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a shower floor with a heat exchanger according to the preamble of claim 1.

[0002] A heat exchanger transfers thermal energy from one medium to another and serves to utilize energy efficiently. Heat exchangers operate according to three different basic principles: direct, indirect, and semi-indirect heat transfer. Indirect heat transfer is based on the principle that the two fluid flows are spatially separated and therefore do not mix. Such heat exchangers are particularly well-suited for transferring the heat contained in the outgoing warm shower water to the cold water flowing towards the shower head. To heat the pre-warmed cold water to a desired shower temperature, fresh water at a higher temperature can be mixed in, or the pre-warmed hot water can be further heated, for example, by an instantaneous water heater. In both cases, the energy required to heat cold water to the desired shower temperature is reduced.

[0003] From EP 4 306 728 A1, a sanitary tray installation is known in which a sanitary tray made of sheet steel is used, and a cold water pipe is installed spirally or meandering beneath the sanitary tray, so that the tray and the pipe form a heat exchanger. Warm shower water, which flows along the tray floor to the drain, thus heats the cold water flowing through the pipe installed beneath the floor. Good thermal conductivity of the sanitary tray is necessary for efficient heat transfer. A sanitary tray made of sheet steel has sufficiently good thermal conductivity. However, other shower trays, especially those consisting primarily of rigid foam, have poor thermal conductivity, making the system described in EP 4 306 728 A1 unsuitable for such trays.

[0004] The object of the invention is to eliminate the described disadvantages and to propose a shower floor with a heat exchanger that can heat cold water with high efficiency using the outgoing shower water, even when the shower floor has poor thermal conductivity. The shower floor should also be easy to manufacture and easy to install on a construction site.

[0005] This problem is solved by a shower floor having the features of claim 1.

[0006] A rigid foam material is understood to be a hydrophobic and / or liquid-impermeable material, which can be based, for example, on polyurethane (PU), extruded polystyrene rigid foam (XPS), expanded polystyrene (EPS), a PE, melamine, phenolic resin, PET, PVC foam, a bio-based foam, or a mineral foam. Rigid foams generally have a closed-cell structure, with the walls between the individual cells preferably being completely closed. Furthermore, a rigid foam material can also be based on an integral foam with a closed-cell, thick outer skin and a cellular core.

[0007] The shower floor according to the invention is designed for preferably flush-mounted installation in a building structure surrounding the shower floor and comprises: - a support element with at least one drainage opening, a bottom and a top, - a drain pot installed in the drain opening with a dirt trap installed or installable in the drain pot and - a heat exchanger which is connected to the drain pot via a drain line.

[0008] The support element is made of a rigid foam material, preferably a rigid plastic foam. The drain pot, the drain pipe, and the heat exchanger are at least partially installed in a space provided in the support element. The support element has at least one mounting opening on its upper side, which allows access to at least one pipe connection provided on the heat exchanger.

[0009] The heat exchanger is preferably a ready-to-install component comprising a closed housing with a liquid inlet and a liquid outlet. A spirally or meandering pipe is preferably installed within the housing, including an inlet and an outlet that pass through the housing wall. Such heat exchangers are commercially available and suitable for various applications.

[0010] Since the aforementioned heat exchanger is intended for a shower floor in this case, the standard fluid inlets and outlets are designated as follows: The fluid inlet of the housing is referred to as the greywater inlet, the fluid outlet of the housing as the greywater outlet, the fluid inlet to the pipe as the cold water inlet, and the fluid outlet as the preheating water outlet. Greywater refers to the used and potentially slightly contaminated wastewater from the shower.

[0011] The greywater flowing into the shower drain during operation has a temperature after use that is approximately the same as the temperature of the water flowing from the showerhead and is therefore usually warm or even hot. This warm or hot shower water is directed into the greywater inlet of the heat exchanger, flows through the heat exchanger housing, and is discharged through the greywater outlet. The pipework installed in the housing, and thus the cold water flowing through it, is heated by the warm greywater. This warms the cold water flowing into the cold water inlet within the pipework, and the preheated water is then discharged from the preheating water outlet of the heat exchanger housing and directed towards the showerhead.The advantage of this is that the thermal conductivity of the shower floor is irrelevant for the use of such a heat exchanger, since the heat exchange takes place within the heat exchanger and not via the shower floor. Furthermore, the described heat exchanger is a commercially available product, manufactured in large quantities and therefore inexpensive.

[0012] A further advantage of the shower tray according to the invention is that the heat exchanger is not merely installed beneath the shower tray or at another location, but rather integrated into the shower tray itself. For this purpose, the shower tray has a cavity or recess into which the heat exchanger is preferably pre-installed by the shower tray manufacturer. The heat exchanger is positioned within the shower tray such that it has a predefined slope in the direction of the greywater inlet to the greywater outlet. This prevents greywater from stagnating in the heat exchanger and thus promoting the growth of germs. To simplify the inclined installation of the heat exchanger in the shower tray, the area of ​​the support element in which the heat exchanger is installed already has the desired slope, so that the heat exchanger simply needs to be placed into the support element and immediately exhibits the intended incline.

[0013] It is particularly advantageous if not only the heat exchanger, but also a drain intended for the shower floor and the drain pipe connecting the drain and the greywater inlet of the heat exchanger are pre-installed in the shower floor by the manufacturer. Put simply, a shower floor with a pre-installed heat exchanger and, if applicable, a pre-installed drain and drain pipe is a module that can be easily installed in a shower area on-site. A key feature of such a module is that access to the pipe connections is maintained even after installation. The invention provides an installation opening for this purpose, which can be sealed, for example, with a self-leveling screed after the pipes have been connected.

[0014] In a preferred embodiment, the free space or cavity provided in the support element further comprises a second area for receiving the drain pipe and / or a third area for receiving the drain pot. Thus, the complete unit comprising the drain pot, drain pipe, and heat exchanger can be integrated into the support element. Since this integration preferably takes place at the shower tray manufacturer, the installation by the installer on site is simplified. Furthermore, the risk of leaks caused by or during installation in the area of ​​the aforementioned assembly is reduced. For example, it is possible to test the fully assembled support element for leaks at the manufacturer's facility and only release support elements with guaranteed leak tightness into the market.

[0015] In a preferred embodiment, the support element is formed in two parts, comprising a lower part and an upper part with a contact surface located between them. The contact surface is arranged such that the free space or cavity is accessible when the lower and upper parts are removed, allowing the heat exchanger to be installed in a first region of the cavity when the support element is disassembled. After the heat exchanger is inserted, the lower and upper parts are joined together, preferably by bonding. In its installed state, the heat exchanger is thus integrated into the shower floor and protected there from damage and tampering.

[0016] To provide access to the heat exchanger's inlets and outlets, which are inaccessible within the cavity itself when the upper and lower parts are bonded together, one or more of these inlets and outlets are routed from the cavity of the support element into a free space defined by an installation opening. This free space is preferably designed as a channel leading out of the support element. The channel allows for the installation of a pipe connection, thus enabling the heat exchanger to be connected to a pipe network installed in the wall or floor of the shower area.

[0017] In a further preferred embodiment, the shower tray support element can also include a drain module for fixing the drain pot, which, in its assembled state, is preferably bonded to the support element by a material-bonded connection, most preferably by adhesive bonding. The drain module can be a panel-like element with an opening provided for installing the drain pot. The geometry of the opening is preferably adapted to the geometry of the drain pot so that the drain pot can be easily glued into the drain module.

[0018] As a further element, the shower floor can include a cover plate that can be attached to the support element, preferably by gluing. The cover plate preferably has a top surface with a slope oriented towards the drain opening. The cover plate closes the mounting opening provided on the support element after the heat exchanger pipe connections have been connected to the cold water or wastewater pipe system of the shower area. Preferably, the cover plate, when installed, is flush with the drain element, so that a surface of the shower area can be easily covered with tiles or other covering elements. The result is a maintenance-free, level-entry shower area with an integrated heat exchanger, where only the drain is visible after the floor covering has been installed.

[0019] In a preferred embodiment, the drain module and / or the cover plate, as well as the support element, are made of a rigid foam plastic. This simplifies handling, particularly when the shower area is smaller than the support element and the components need to be cut to size.

[0020] Preferably, the shower base also includes a point drain or a linear drain module that can be connected to the drain body and has a receptacle for the removable insertion of the dirt trap. The receptacle is preferably contoured to match the outer shape of the dirt trap. The dirt trap can thus be positively inserted into the receptacle and, if necessary, preferably without tools, especially for cleaning purposes.

[0021] The dirt trap can comprise a bridge that fits snugly into the receptacle and a screen element coupled to the bridge. The screen element has a three-dimensional contour and includes a vertical section and a gate angled relative to the vertical section at an angle (β). Tests have shown that such a gate is particularly well suited to preventing the ingress of dirt particles, especially hair, into the drain line and subsequently into the heat exchanger. In contrast to other dirt traps known from the prior art, it is precisely the gate-like structure and the angled position that enable the almost complete prevention of fouling in the heat exchanger, which is necessary for maintenance-free operation.

[0022] The angle (β) of the gate relative to the vertical part is 120° to 150°, preferably 130° to 140°, most preferably 135°. Tests have shown that this angle reliably filters hair out of the wastewater stream and ensures a sufficiently high flow rate for rapid conveyance of the shower water, while also allowing for easy and low-resistance installation and removal of the strainer.

[0023] In a preferred embodiment, the point drain or the channel drain module has a pipe-like drain opening into which the dirt trap projects when installed. An outer contour formed on the dirt trap is adapted to an inner contour formed on the pipe-like drain opening such that the outer contour of the dirt trap is less than 5 mm away from the inner contour of the pipe-like drain opening when installed. Preferably, the gap between the dirt trap and the pipe stub surrounding the dirt trap has a width of 1 mm to 3 mm, most preferably 2 mm.

[0024] A dirt trap designed with the aforementioned spacing is, on the one hand, easy and low-resistance to insert into the recess of the point drain or the channel drain module, and on the other hand, sufficiently narrow to filter out any dirt particles and hair that may enter the drain with the outgoing shower water (grey water).

[0025] Further measures improving the invention are described in more detail below with reference to the figures and preferred embodiments of the invention.

[0026] The figures show: Fig. Figure 1 shows a shower floor in a perspective view from a slightly elevated angle; Fig. 2 shows the shower floor according to Fig. 1 in a perspective view from a low angle; Fig. 3 shows the shower floor according to Fig. 1 in a perspective exploded view; Fig. 4 shows the shower floor according to Fig. 1 in a side view in an exploded view; Fig. Figure 5 shows a gutter drainage module with an inserted dirt trap in a perspective section view; Fig. 6 shows the mudguard Fig. 5 in a perspective view; Fig. Figure 7 shows the gutter drainage module with the dirt trap inserted in a front view; Fig. Figure 8 shows the gutter drainage module with the dirt trap inserted in a side view; Fig. Figure 9 shows the gutter drainage module with the dirt trap inserted in a top view.

[0027] Identical or similar elements in the following figures may be designated with the same or similar reference numerals. Furthermore, the figures of the drawing, their description, and the claims contain numerous features in combination. It is clear to a person skilled in the art that these features can also be considered individually or combined into further combinations not described in detail here. The invention expressly extends to embodiments that are not defined by combinations of features from explicit cross-references in the claims, meaning that the disclosed features of the invention can be combined with one another in any way that is technically feasible. The exemplary embodiments shown in the figures are therefore merely descriptive and are not intended to limit the invention in any way.

[0028] The terms used below, “upper”, “top”, “lower”, “left” or “right”, refer to the arrangement of the components shown in the drawing in operating mode or in the installed state of the shower floor.

[0029] Fig. Figure 1 shows a shower tray 10 in an assembled state Z1 in a perspective view from an oblique angle above. In the illustrated embodiment, the shower tray 10 comprises: - a support element 12 with a top 14 and a bottom 13 (in Fig. 1 not visible). In the illustrated embodiment, the support element 12 comprises a lower part 22, which is bonded to an upper part 23. To better illustrate a mounting opening 19 provided in the support element 12, a cover plate 35, also belonging to the shower base assembly 10, is shown (see figure 1). Fig. 3) in Fig. 1 not shown; - an assembly consisting of a drain pot 16, a drain pipe 17 and a heat exchanger 30, which is inserted into a cavity 21 formed in the support element 12, so that in Fig. 1 only a grey water drain 32, a preheating water drain 33 and a cold water inlet 34 are visible through a mounting opening 19 provided in the support element 12 and - a drainage module 29 with a drainage opening 15 and the drainage pot 16 inserted therein.

[0030] An insert part 47 is inserted into the drain pot 16 (see below). Fig. 3) The insert 47 comprises an insert plate 48 and an eccentric part 49. The arrangement of the insert plate 48 and the eccentric part 49 relative to each other is adjustable and allows for the determination of a site-specific final position of the drain element to be installed later. The drain element can be a channel drain module 38 or a point drain (not shown). The function and installation of the insert 47 correspond to the drain system described in EP 4 575 112 A1, to which reference is made here. By adjusting the position of the insert plate 48 and the eccentric part 49 relative to each other, the radial alignment of a channel drain module 38 and the distance of the drain from the edge of the shower floor 10 can be adjusted. In simplified terms, the adjustment allows, for example, a channel to be aligned parallel to a building wall at a desired distance from that wall.

[0031] Fig. 2 shows the shower floor according to Fig. Figure 1 shows a perspective view from a low angle. It can be seen that, in the illustrated embodiment, the mounting opening 19 extends through the lower part 22 and the upper part 23. A channel 50 extends longitudinally along the mounting opening 19, connecting it to an outer surface of the support element 12. Pipes can be routed through the channel 50 to connect the terminals 32, 33, and 34 to an existing pipe network in a building. If necessary, the channel 50 can be adapted to individual site conditions by cutting it from the underside 13 of the support element 12. For example, the channel 50 can be adjusted to the specific location of the pipes in the shower area. Such cutting is easily carried out on site because the support element 12 is made of a rigid foam plastic that is easy to cut.

[0032] The Fig. 3 and Fig. 4 show the shower floor according to Fig. 1 in a perspective and in a side view, each in an exploded view and thus in a disassembled state Z2.

[0033] In the illustrated embodiment, the heat exchanger 30, the drain line 17, and the drain pot 16 are first preferably inserted into the lower part 22 by the manufacturer. Subsequently, the upper part 23 is connected to the lower part 22, and the drain module 29 is connected to the upper part 23 at a contact surface 51, in this case by bonding. The result is a pre-assembled support element 12 with an integrated heat exchanger 30 and drain 16, 17. This assembly is particularly easy to handle on a construction site and has, for example, a standardized size of 1,200 mm x 1,200 mm. On the sides where the cavity 21 and channel 50 are sufficiently far from the edge, the support element 12 can easily be cut to a specific on-site dimension. In this case, for example, cutting it to a size of 900 mm x 900 mm would be possible.

[0034] In the pre-assembled state of the support element 12, the greywater drain 32 protrudes into the mounting opening 19 (see figure). Fig. 2) Since the cold water to be preheated in the heat exchanger 30 flows through the heat exchanger 30 from a front side 56 to a rear side 57, and only the front side 56 of the heat exchanger 30 is oriented towards the mounting opening 19, the preheating water outlet 33 projecting into the mounting opening 19 is connected by means of a connecting line 58 to a preheating water outlet 33' located directly on the heat exchanger 30. Thus, both connection points 33, 34 of the heat exchanger 30 are accessible in a single mounting opening 19.

[0035] On site, the support element 12 can be cut to the desired dimensions and inserted into the shower area at a designated location. The existing pipes (wastewater, cold water) in the building are then connected to the greywater drain 32, the preheated water drain 33, and the cold water inlet 34 in the area of ​​the installation opening 19 using suitable coupling elements. After connecting the pipes, the installation opening 19 can be filled with a self-leveling screed, if necessary, to increase the strength and stability of the overall system.

[0036] In the illustrated embodiment, the shower floor 10 further comprises a cover plate 35. During installation, the cover plate 35 is adapted to the dimensions of the support element 12 as needed and placed onto the support element 12, preferably glued in place. In the illustrated embodiment, the cover plate 35 is a rigid foam board with a top surface 36 oriented towards the drain with a slope 37. As an alternative to a rigid foam board suitable for covering with a floor covering, such as tiles, other cover plate elements can also be used. For example, the cover plate element can also be made of an acrylic resin-bonded mineral material, so that the cover plate element directly forms the walking surface of the shower floor and replaces a tile covering.

[0037] The insert part 47 mentioned above is placed on the drain pot 16, which is connected to the drain opening 15.

[0038] Fig. Figure 5 shows the channel drain module 38 with an inserted dirt trap 20 in a perspective sectional view. The channel drain module 38 comprises a channel 52 with a channel profile 55 and, in the illustrated embodiment, a channel body 53 integrally connected to the channel 52. The channel 52 collects the flowing shower water and directs it, by means of a slope provided in the channel profile 55, to a channel drain opening 54 formed by the channel body 53. An outer contour 44 of the channel body 53 is adapted to an inner contour of the insert part 47, so that the channel body 53 can be positively inserted into the insert part 47.

[0039] Fig. Figure 6 shows the dirt trap 20 of the channel drain module 38 in detail. Since the heat exchanger 30 integrated into the support element 12 is no longer accessible after the support element 12 is installed in a shower area, it is important that any dirt particles contained in the wastewater that could settle in the heat exchanger 30, especially hair, are reliably filtered out of the draining shower water. For this purpose, the dirt trap 20 comprises a screen element 41 with a vertical part 42 and, in the illustrated embodiment, a gate 43 inclined at an angle β of 135° relative to the vertical part 42. The screen element 41 also has an arc 59 on its vertical part 42. The arc 59 enlarges the contour of the screen element 41 and, in particular, prevents the dirt trap 20 as a whole from falling through the channel body 53 during installation or removal and becoming lodged in an inaccessible location in the drainage system.

[0040] The dirt trap 20 further comprises a web 40, which in the illustrated embodiment has a cuboid contour and can be inserted with its ends into a receptacle 39 of the channel drainage module 38 adapted to the cuboid contour in a form-fitting manner.

[0041] The Fig. Figures 7 to 9 show the channel drain module 38 with the inserted dirt trap 20 in a front view, a side view, and a top view. The gate 43 has an outer contour 45 which, in the assembled state, is spaced from the channel body 53 surrounding the gate 43, more precisely from an inner contour 46 of the channel body 53, by a gap S.

[0042] In the illustrated embodiment, the gap S has a width of 2 mm and is therefore large enough to easily install and remove the dirt trap 20 stored in the receptacle 39, and on the other hand small enough to prevent the dirt particles contained in the outgoing shower water from flowing past the gate 43, but rather to filter them out of the outgoing shower water. Reference symbol list 10 Shower floor 11 - 12 support element 13 Bottom page (of 12) 14 Top side (of 12) 15 Drainage opening 16 Drain pot 17 Drainage line 18 free space (in 12) 19 Mounting opening (in 12) 20 mud flaps 21 cavity (in 12) 22 Lower part (of 12) 23 tops (out of 12) 24 lower part (of 21) 25 upper part (of 21) 26 first area (of 21) 27 second area (of 21) 28 third area (of 21) 29 Process module 30 heat exchangers 31 Greywater inlet (for 30) 32 Greywater drain (for 30) 33, 33' Preheating water drain (for 30) 34 Cold water inlet (for 30) 35 Cover plate 36 Top side (of 35) 37 gradients (out of 35) 38 Gutter drainage module 39 recordings (for 20) 40 Bridge (out of 20) 41 sieve element (out of 20) 42 Vertical section (of 41) 43 gates (out of 41) 44 Outer contour (of 53) 45 Outer contour (of 43) 46 Inner contour (of 53) 47 Insert part 48 insert plate (of 47) 49 eccentric part (out of 47) 50-channel 51 Contact area (between 22 and 23) 52 gutter 53 gutter pot 54 Gutter drain opening 55 Gutter profile 56 front page (of 30) 57 rear page (of 30) 58 Connecting line 59 sheets (out of 42) β angle S gap Z1 assembled state (of 12) Z2 disassembled state (of 12) QUOTES INCLUDED IN THE DESCRIPTION

[0000] This list of documents cited by the applicant was automatically generated and is included solely for the reader's convenience. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA accepts no liability for any errors or omissions. Cited patent literature

[0000] EP 4 306 728 A1

[0003] EP 4 575 112 A1

[0030]

Claims

[1] Shower floor (10) for preferably flush installation in a building structure surrounding the shower floor (10) comprising: - a support element (12) with at least one drainage opening (15), a bottom (13) and a top (14), - a drain pot (16) installed in the drain opening (15) with a dirt trap (20) installed or installable in the drain pot (16), - a heat exchanger (30) which is coupled to the drain pot (16) by means of a drain line (17), characterized by , that - the support element (12) is made of a rigid foam plastic, - the heat exchanger (30) includes a grey water inlet (31), a grey water outlet (32), a preheating water outlet (33) and a cold water inlet (34), - the drain pot (16), the drain pipe (17) and the heat exchanger (30) are at least partially installed in a free space (18) or cavity (21) provided in the support element (12), - the support element (12) has at least one mounting opening (19) on its upper side (14) which allows access to at least one line connection (31, 32, 33, 33', 34) provided on the heat exchanger (30). [2] Shower floor (10) according to claim 1, characterized by , that the free space (18) or cavity (21) provided in the support element (12) further comprises a second area (27) for receiving the drain opening (15) and / or a third area (28) for receiving the drain pot (16). [3] Shower floor according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by , that - the support element (12) is designed in two parts and has a lower part (22) and an upper part (23) as well as a contact surface (51) arranged between the lower part (22) and the upper part (23), - wherein the contact surface (51) is arranged such that the free space (18) or cavity (21) is accessible when the lower part (22) and upper part (23) are removed, so that the heat exchanger (30) can be installed in a first area (26) of the cavity (21) in the disassembled state (Z2) of the support element (12) and wherein the lower part (22) and upper part (23) are materially connected to each other, preferably bonded, after the heat exchanger (30) has been inserted. [4] Shower floor (10) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized by , that the support element (12) further comprises a drain module (29) for fixing the drain pot (16) and that the drain module (29) is preferably materially bonded, most preferably glued, in an assembled state (Z1). [5] Shower floor (10) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized by, that the support element (12) further comprises a cover plate (35) which has a top surface (36) and preferably has a slope (37) directed towards the drain opening (15). [6] Shower floor (10) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized by that the drain module (29) and / or the cover plate (35) are made of a rigid foam plastic. [7] Shower floor (10) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized by , that the shower floor (10) continues to include a point drain or a channel drain module (38) that can be coupled to the drain pot (15) and that the dirt trap (20) can be removed and inserted into a receptacle (39) provided in the point drain or channel drain module (38). [8] Shower floor (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by, that the dirt catcher (20) comprises a bridge (40) that can be inserted into the receptacle (39) and a sieve element (41) coupled to the bridge (40), wherein the sieve element (41) comprises a three-dimensional contour with a vertical part (42) and a gate (43) inclined at an angle (β) relative to the vertical part (42). [9] Shower floor (10) according to claim 8, characterized by , that the angle (β) is 120° to 150°, preferably 130° to 140°, most preferably 135°. [10] Shower floor (10) according to one of claims 7 to 9, characterized by, that the point drain or the channel drain module (38) has a tubular channel pot (53) into which the dirt trap (20) projects in the assembled state, wherein an outer contour (45) formed on the dirt trap (20) is adapted to an inner contour (46) formed on the channel pot (53) such that the outer contour (45) of the dirt trap (20) is spaced less than 5 mm, preferably less than 1 mm to 3 mm, most preferably 2 mm, from the inner contour (46) of the channel pot in the assembled state.

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