Adjustable Elongated Shower Drain for Single-Slope Tile Installation
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Solution Overview
Problem
The challenge lies in finding cost-effective, easily installable elongated floor drains suitable for residential use, as existing solutions are either too expensive or require skilled installation, making them unsuitable for DIY applications and often impractical for residential construction due to the complexity of sloped shower floors and large tile installations.
Innovation Solution
The development of elongated drain assemblies with adjustable components, including a drain base unit, mounting bracket, and extenders, which can be easily installed by DIYers, featuring locating pins for membrane alignment and adjustable cap rails to accommodate various tile thicknesses, simplifying the installation process and eliminating the need for complex tile work.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If elongated drains are used to facilitate single-direction sloping, then installation complexity is reduced, but manufacturing cost and installation cost increase due to specialized requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The drain assembly is divided into separate components: a pre-formed elongated drain body, a shower pan, and a grate assembly. This segmentation allows each component to be manufactured independently using standard processes, reducing overall manufacturing complexity and cost while maintaining the elongated drain configuration that simplifies floor sloping.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention employs a pre-formed elongated drain body that can be installed as a complete unit rather than requiring custom molding into concrete pans. This approach uses more economical manufacturing methods suitable for residential applications, making the solution cost-effective compared to commercial-grade molded-in drains.
2Device complexity
If elongated drains are used to facilitate single-direction sloping, then installation complexity is reduced, but skilled craftsmanship is required to ensure proper leveling
Solution Approach 1:
The drain assembly includes self-leveling features such as an adjustable grate assembly that can be positioned at various heights to accommodate different floor thicknesses and slopes. The pre-formed drain body provides reference surfaces that guide proper installation, enabling DIY enthusiasts and less experienced installers to achieve correct leveling without requiring specialized craftsmanship.
Solution Approach 2:
The grate assembly is designed with adjustable components that can be modified during installation to accommodate variations in floor thickness, slope, and tile configurations. This dynamic adjustability allows the installation process to adapt to different conditions without requiring precise pre-planning or advanced skills.
3Productivity
If center drains are used, then water drainage is effective, but tile installation becomes difficult and time-consuming due to multi-directional sloping requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The invention transitions from a symmetric center drain configuration to an asymmetric elongated drain positioned along one wall. This asymmetric placement allows the shower floor to slope in a single direction toward the drain, eliminating the need for complex multi-directional sloping and diagonal tile cuts, thereby significantly reducing tile installation time while maintaining effective water drainage.
4Shape
If large-sized tiles are used, then aesthetic appearance is improved, but installation complexity increases due to diagonal cutting requirements at slope intersections
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the drain from the center of the shower floor and relocates it to one wall in an elongated configuration. This removal of the central drain eliminates the intersection of multiple slope directions, allowing large tiles to be installed with simple straight cuts parallel to the wall, rather than requiring complex diagonal cuts at multiple intersection points.
Data Source
AI summary
Elongated drain assemblies, systems and their methods of installation suitable for use in tiled shower stalls are described. The drain assembly includes (i) a base unit with locator pins that penetrate a waterproof membrane when installed and are received in locator pin holes in a overlying mounting bracket permitting alignment of fastener holes and bores in the respective bracket and base unit, and (ii) end extenders that can increase the effective length of the trough through attachment to the ends of the base unit thereby allowing drain assemblies of differing lengths to be created for a particular application.