Floor Installation
The dual-purpose floor installation with removable and adaptable floor formers addresses the need for flexible transitions between bath and shower setups, providing cost-effective and accessible bathroom designs.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- GB · GB
- Patent Type
- Patents
- Current Assignee / Owner
- ON THE LEVEL (WET ROOMS) LTD
- Filing Date
- 2024-08-30
- Publication Date
- 2026-06-29
AI Technical Summary
Conventional floor installations in bathrooms require complete dismantling and replacement when transitioning between bath and shower setups, which is costly and disruptive, especially in settings requiring flexibility and accessibility for varying user needs.
A dual-purpose floor installation comprising first and second floor formers, where the first former is removable and adaptable, allowing for different floor functions without extensive reconstruction, featuring interlocking engagement and integrated waste drainage systems for bath and shower use.
Enables cost-effective and time-saving transitions between bath and shower setups, ensuring accessibility and adaptability for varying user needs, particularly in residential and healthcare settings.
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Abstract
Description
The invention relates to a floor installation, a bathroom, an occupant structure, a kit of parts and a method of configuring a floor installation. It is known to use floor formers in showers and wet rooms. According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a floor installation comprising first and second floor formers, the first floor former arranged on the second floor former, wherein the first floor former is configured to be removable from the second floor former, wherein the second floor former includes an angled floor surface. The configuration of the invention provides a floor installation that is adaptable to different requirements which may vary from user to user and over time. The ability to remove the first floor former from the second floor former enables the design of the first and second floor formers to provide different floor functions, without requiring a complete dismantling of the floor installation which can be costly and time-consuming. In embodiments of the invention, the first floor former may include a level floor surface. This allows the first floor former to provide a level surface on which one or more objects may be supported. The angled floor surface of the second floor former allows the second floor former to provide an alternative to the level surface provided by the first floor former. The first and second floor formers may be configured in a variety of ways to enable arrangement of the first floor former on the second floor former as well as provide the ability to remove the first floor former from the second floor former, non-limiting examples of which are described as follows. It will be appreciated that some or all of the following examples may be implemented in combination, or each example may be implemented in isolation, unless there is a technical incompatibility. In a first non-limiting example, the first floor former may include an angled underside surface, wherein the angled underside surface of the first floor former may face the angled floor surface of the second floor former. In a second non-limiting example, the first and second floor formers may be configured to be in interlocking engagement with each other. In a third non-limiting example, the first and second floor formers may be complementarily shaped for fitment with each other. In a fourth non-limiting example, the second floor former may include a receptacle configured to receive the first floor former. In still further embodiments of the invention, the second floor former may include a recessed floor section. The first floor former may be configured to partially or fully conceal the recessed floor section when the first floor former is arranged on the second floor former. The recessed floor section may provide a functional feature of the second floor former. For example, the recessed floor section may be used to collect water from a shower so as to contain the water within a designated shower area. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the receptacle may be the recessed floor section. In embodiments of the invention, the first floor former may include a first waste outlet for permitting waste to pass therethrough. The first waste outlet may be, for example, a through hole. In embodiments employing the use of a first waste outlet, the floor installation may include a first waste drainage device that is arranged to, in use, guide waste to pass through the first waste outlet. The first waste drainage device may be attached to, or integrated with, the first floor former. Specifically, the first waste drainage device may be attached to, or integrated with, the first waste outlet. Alternatively, the first waste drainage device may be separated from the first waste outlet. For example, the first waste drainage device may be located above the first waste outlet, or may extend through the first waste outlet without contacting the first waste outlet. In further embodiments of the invention, the second floor former may include a second waste outlet for permitting waste to pass therethrough. The second waste outlet may be, for example, a through hole. In such embodiments, the first and second waste outlets may be arranged so that, in use, the first waste outlet directly guides waste into the second waste outlet. For example, the first and second waste outlets may be aligned with each other. The angled floor surface of the second floor former may be angled towards the second waste outlet. This allows water on the angled floor surface to flow towards the second waste outlet. In embodiments employing the use of a second waste outlet, the floor installation may include a second waste drainage device that is arranged to, in use, guide waste to pass through the second waste outlet. The second waste drainage device may be attached to, or integrated with, the second floor former. In still further embodiments of the invention, the first and second waste drainage devices may be arranged so that, in use, the first waste drainage device directly guides waste into the second waste drainage device. For example, the first and second waste drainage devices may be aligned with each other. In such embodiment, the first waste drainage device may be coupled to the second waste drainage device. Preferably the first waste drainage device may be removable from the second waste drainage device. This is so that the first waste drainage device may be removed together with the first floor former when removing the first floor former from the second floor former. According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a bathroom comprising a floor, wherein the floor includes a floor installation according to any one of the first aspect of the invention and its embodiments. The bathroom may include a bath tub, wherein the bath tub may be arranged on the first floor former. The bath tub may include a bath waste outlet coupled to the first waste drainage device. The features and advantages of the preceding aspect of the invention and its embodiments apply mutatis mutandis to the second aspect of the invention and its embodiments. According to a third aspect of the invention, there is provided an occupant structure comprising a bathroom according to any one of the second aspect of the invention and its embodiments. The occupant structure may be or may form part of a building, a residence, a house, a flat, a mobile home or a vehicle. The occupant structure may be a single-occupant structure or a multi-occupant structure. The invention finds particular benefit in settings requiring flexibility and accessibility for a wide range of occupants, such as residential housing, care homes, healthcare facilities and commercial developments. The features and advantages of the preceding aspects of the invention and their embodiments apply mutatis mutandis to the third aspect of the invention and its embodiments. According to a fourth aspect of the invention, there is provided a kit of parts comprising first and second floor formers combinable to form the floor installation according to any one of the third aspect of the invention and its embodiments. The features and advantages of the preceding aspects of the invention and their embodiments apply mutatis mutandis to the fourth aspect of the invention and its embodiments. According to a fifth aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of configuring a floor installation according to any one of the first aspect of the invention and its embodiments, the method including the steps of: providing first and second floor formers, wherein the second floor former includes an angled floor surface; arranging the first floor former on the second floor former. The method may include the step of removing the first floor former from the second floor former. This is to allow the second floor former to replace the first floor former's function as a supporting floor structure. The method may further include the step of removing the first waste drainage device when removing the first floor former from the second floor former. This may involve disconnecting the first waste drainage device from the second waste drainage device. The features and advantages of the preceding aspects of the invention and their embodiments apply mutatis mutandis to the fifth aspect of the invention and its embodiments. It will be appreciated that the use of the terms "first" and "second", and the like, in this patent specification is merely intended to help distinguish between similar features, and is not intended to indicate the relative importance of one feature over another feature, unless otherwise specified. Within the scope of this application it is expressly intended that the various aspects, embodiments, examples and alternatives set out in the preceding paragraphs, and the claims and / or the following description and drawings, and in particular the individual features thereof, may be taken independently or in any combination. That is, all embodiments and all features of any embodiment can be combined in any way and / or combination, unless such features are incompatible. The applicant reserves the right to change any originally filed claim orfile any new claim accordingly, including the right to amend any originally filed claim to depend from and / or incorporate any feature of any other claim although not originally claimed in that manner. Preferred embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of non-limiting examples, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows a floor plan of a bathroom according to an embodiment of the invention; Figure 2 shows a view of the bathroom from line A-A of Figure 1; Figure 3 shows a view of the bathroom from line B-B of Figure 1; Figure 4 shows an exploded view of a bath tub and a floor installation of the bathroom of Figure 1; Figure 5 shows a floor plan of a floor installation according to an embodiment of the invention; Figure 6 shows a view of the floor installation from line A-A of Figure 1; and Figure 7 shows a view of the floor installation from line B-B of Figure 1. The figures are not necessarily to scale, and certain features and certain views of the figures may be shown exaggerated in scale or in schematic form in the interests of clarity and conciseness. The following embodiments are described with reference to a floor installation for a bathroom in a building. It will be appreciated that the following embodiments of the invention are applicable mutatis mutandis to other types of rooms and other types of occupant structures, non-limiting examples of which are described throughout the specification. When it comes to designing and building a bathroom, the floor installation is purpose-built for either a bath or a shower setup. This is because the floor requirements for a bath and a shower setup are different at least in terms of what the floor has to support and how waste water is discharged through the floor. This together with the permanent nature of the conventional floor installation means that, if there is a need to change a bath to a shower setup or vice versa, the floor installation has to be completely dismantled and replaced. This process can be costly, time-consuming, and disruptive, particularly in residential or healthcare settings where accessibility is critical. The inventor has created an adaptable, dual-purpose floor installation that enables cost-effective and time-saving transition of a designated area between a bath and a shower setup (e.g. a level access shower), without extensive reconstruction. This enables bathrooms to be designed and built in an accessible manner to accommodate a wide range of future occupants, particularly the elderly and reduced mobility individuals. Furthermore, the needs of an existing occupant may change over time, thus benefiting from the adaptability of the floor installation of the invention. A floor installation according to an embodiment of the invention is shown in Figure 1 and is designated generally by the reference numeral 20. The floor installation comprises first and second floor formers 22,24. The first floor former 22 includes a level floor surface 26 and an angled underside surface 28. The level floor surface 26 of the first floor former 22 provides a level surface for supporting a bath tub 100. The first floor former 22 includes a first waste outlet 30 in the form of a through hole that permits waste to pass therethrough. The floor installation 20 includes a first waste drainage device 32 that is arranged to, in use, guide waste to pass through the first waste outlet 30. In the embodiment shown, the first waste drainage device 32 is shown as extending through the first waste outlet 30. The first waste drainage device 32 is connected to a drain hole 34 of the bath tub 100 for collecting and draining water from the bath tub 100. The second floor former 24 includes an angled floor surface 36. More particularly, the second floor former 24 includes a receptacle in the form of a recessed floor section 38. The angled floor surface 36 is formed in the recessed floor section 38. The second floor former 24 includes a second waste outlet 40 in the form of a through hole that permits waste to pass therethrough. The second waste outlet 40 is formed in the recessed floor section 38 so that the angled floor surface 36 is angled towards the second waste outlet 40. This enables any water on the angled floor surface 36 to flow towards the second waste outlet 40. The floor installation 20 includes a second waste drainage device 42 (which may be in the form of a shower gully) that is arranged to, in use, guide waste to pass through the second waste outlet 40. In the embodiment shown, the second waste drainage device 42 is sealingly attached to the waste outlet to collect and drain water from the recessed floor section 38. The first floor former 22 is arranged on the second floor former 24. Specifically, the first floor former 22 is received by the recessed floor section 38 so that the angled underside surface 28 of the first floor former 22 faces the angled floor surface 36 of the second floor former 24. When the first floor former 22 is received by the recessed floor section 38, the complementary shapes of the first floor former 22 and the recessed floor section 38 not only enables the first floor former 22 to fit inside the recessed floor section 38 so as to be in interlocking engagement, but also enables the first floor former 22 to conceal the recessed floor section 38. This allows the floor installation 20 to provide a level surface on which the bath tub 100 is supported. When the first and second floor formers 22,24 are combined, the first and second waste outlets 30,40 are aligned, and the first and second waste drainage devices 32,42 are coupled to each other. This enables water from the bath tub 100 to be directly guided by the first waste drainage device 32 into the second waste drainage device 42. This allows the use of a first waste drainage device 32 that is suitable for draining water from a bath tub 100 while ensuring compatibility with a second waste drainage device 42 that is suitable for draining water from a shower setup. The configuration of the first and second waste drainage devices 32,42 ensures that all necessary connections can be made during the initial installation while eliminating or reduced the need for subsequent plumbing modifications. In the event that there is a need to transition from a bath to a shower setup, the transition is achieved by disconnecting the first waste drainage device 32 from the bath tub 100, removing the bath tub 100, disconnecting the first waste drainage device 32 from the bath tub 100, removing the first waste drainage device 32, and removing the first floor former 22 from the second floor former 24. This not only allows the second floor former 24 to replace the first floor former 22's function as a supporting floor structure but also exposes the recessed floor section 38 to enable its function as a shower tray to collect water from a shower so as to contain the water within a designated shower area. The first and second floor formers 22,24 are constructed from durable, water-resistant materials designed to withstand the rigours of both bath and shower use. The materials are compatible with both solid and timber floor buildups, ensuring versatility across different construction scenarios. The first and second floor formers 22,24, with or without the waste drainage devices, may be provided in unassembled form as a kit of parts. An installer may then combine the various components to install the floor installation 20 according to the invention. It will be appreciated that the floor installation according to the invention is not limited for use with bath tubs. For instance, the first floor former 22 may be employed as a covering for the second floor former 22, without requiring the presence of the bath tub 100. In embodiments of the invention, the floor installation 20 may be covered by flooring, carpeting, tiles or other cover materials, and the floor installation 20 may be uncovered at a future time when there is a need to use the first and second floor formers 22,24. In some embodiments, the first waste outlet 30 may be omitted from the first floor former 22. As a result, when the first floor former 22 is placed over the second floor former 24, the second waste outlet 40 and the second waste drainage device 42 are completely concealed. This configuration finds particular use in non-bath tub applications that do not require a connection between the bath tub 100 and the second waste drainage device 42. This configuration also beneficially blocks any smell emanating from within the second waste drainage device 42. The listing or discussion of an apparently prior-published document or apparently prior-published information in this specification should not necessarily be taken as an acknowledgement that the document or information is part of the state of the art or is common general knowledge. Preferences and options for a given aspect, feature or parameter of the invention should, unless the context indicates otherwise, be regarded as having been disclosed in combination with any and all preferences and options for all other aspects, features and parameters of the invention.
Claims
1. A floor installation comprising first and second floor formers, the first floor former arranged on the second floor former, wherein the first floor former is configured to be removable from the second floor former, wherein the second floor former includes an angled floor surface.
2. A floor installation according to Claim 1, wherein the first floor former includes a level floor surface.
3. A floor installation according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein the first floor former includes an angled underside surface, wherein the angled underside surface of the first floor former faces the angled floor surface of the second floor former.
4. A floor installation according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the first and second floor formers are configured to be in interlocking engagement with each other.
5. A floor installation according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the first and second floor formers are complementarily shaped for fitment with each other.
6. A floor installation according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the second floor former includes a receptacle configured to receive the first floor former.
7. A floor installation according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the second floor former includes a recessed floor section, wherein the first floor former is configured to partially or fully conceal the recessed floor section when the first floor former is arranged on the second floor former.
8. A floor installation according to Claims 6 and 7, wherein the receptacle is the recessed floor section.
9. A floor installation according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the first floor former includes a first waste outlet for permitting waste to pass therethrough.
10. A floor installation according to Claim 9 including a first waste drainage device that is arranged to, in use, guide waste to pass through the first waste outlet.
11. A floor installation according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the second floor former includes a second waste outlet for permitting waste to pass therethrough.
12. A floor installation according to Claim 11 when dependent from Claim 9 wherein the first and second waste outlets are arranged so that, in use, the first waste outlet directly guides waste into the second waste outlet.
13. A floor installation according to Claim 11 or Claim 12, wherein the angled floor surface of the second floor former is angled towards the second waste outlet.
14. A floor installation according to any one of Claims 11 to 13 including a second waste drainage device that is arranged to, in use, guide waste to pass through the second waste outlet.
15. A floor installation according to Claim 14, wherein the second waste drainage device is attached to, or integrated with, the second floor former.
16. A floor installation according to either Claim 14 or Claim 15 when dependent from Claim 10, wherein the first and second waste drainage devices are arranged so that, in use, the first waste drainage device directly guides waste into the second waste drainage device.
17. A floor installation according to Claim 16, wherein the first waste drainage device is coupled to the second waste drainage device.
18. A bathroom comprising a floor, wherein the floor includes a floor installation according to any one of the preceding claims.
19. A bathroom according to Claim 18 including a bath tub, wherein the bath tub is arranged on the first floor former.
20. A bathroom according to Claim 19 when dependent from Claim 10, wherein the bath tub includes a bath waste outlet coupled to the first waste drainage device.
21. An occupant structure comprising a bathroom according to any one of Claims 18 to 20.
22. A kit of parts comprising first and second floor formers combinable to form the floor installation according to any one of Claims 1 to 17.
23. A method of configuring a floor installation according to any one of Claims 1 to 5 17, the method including the steps of:providing first and second floor formers, wherein the second floor former includes an angled floor surface;arranging the first floor former on the second floor former.10 24. A method according to Claim 23 including the step of removing the first floorformer from the second floor former.