One-piece shower base
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional shower installations are messy and time-consuming due to the need for creating a mortar bed for structural support and drainage, which requires hours to set and involves complex assembly of multiple pieces.
Innovation Solution
A one-piece shower base with an integrated drain and pitched foam support base, allowing for faster installation without the need for a mortar bed, featuring a double flange structure for waterproofing and easy installation against walls, and pre-pitched bottom surface for efficient drainage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a mortar bed is created to provide structural support and drainage pitch, then structural stability and drainage are improved, but installation time and complexity increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the shower base, drain assembly, and support structure into a single integrated unit. The pre-assembled base includes integrated support legs and a pre-sloped drainage surface, eliminating the need for separate mortar bed installation while maintaining both structural support and drainage functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The shower base is pre-assembled and pre-sloped during manufacturing. The support legs are pre-attached and the drainage surface is pre-formed with the correct pitch, so that when installed, the unit immediately provides both structural support and proper drainage without requiring on-site mortar work or setting time.
2Reliability
If a mortar bed is created for proper drainage pitch, then drainage performance is improved, but the process becomes messy and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The drainage pitch is integrated into the molded base structure itself. The single-piece construction includes pre-formed drainage channels and a pre-sloped surface that directs water to the drain, eliminating the need for separate mortar bed work that creates mess and complexity.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple pieces are assembled to create a shower base, then adaptability to different spaces is improved, but device complexity and installation time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The adjustable support legs provide multi-functionality by allowing the same base unit to accommodate different floor conditions and heights. The legs can be adjusted to level the base on uneven surfaces and to match different floor-to-ceiling heights, providing adaptability without requiring multiple different base units.
Solution Approach 2:
The support legs are designed to be adjustable rather than fixed, allowing dynamic adaptation to different installation environments. This adjustability enables the same base structure to fit various space requirements while maintaining a simple single-piece construction.
Data Source
AI summary
A one-piece shower base includes a pitched bottom surface, a plurality of vertical flanges extending upward from a plurality of outer edges of the one-piece shower base, a drain integrated within the one-piece shower base, and a pitched foam support base having an upper surface and a lower surface. The pitched bottom surface is pitched downward in at least one direction toward the drain. The upper surface of the pitched foam support base is adhered to an underside of the pitched bottom surface. The pitched foam support base fills in a hollow space below the underside of the pitched bottom surface created by the pitch of the pitched bottom surface.