Shower stall floor and method of construction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing shower stall construction methods require on-site tile laying and grouting, making them cumbersome and requiring skilled labor, while also not offering easy customization or maintenance, and often use porous materials.
Innovation Solution
A prefabricated shower pan is created by measuring the shower location, forming a mold, placing tiles and pouring a resin/filler mix within it, curing the mixture, and then installing the pan with a non-slip surface, which can be easily customized and has a non-porous, smooth surface, with the drain plumbing being the only on-site requirement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If traditional shower stall construction methods are used with on-site tile laying and grouting, then customization and design flexibility are improved, but installation complexity and labor requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The shower base is pre-formed with integrated tile surfaces and grout lines in a factory setting before installation. The mold includes pre-positioned tile elements and grout channels that are prepared in advance, eliminating the need for on-site tile laying and grouting operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention combines multiple functions into a single integrated shower base unit. The base integrates the waterproof barrier, drainage system, and tiled surface into one monolithic resin-fabricated structure, eliminating separate components that would require individual installation and grouting.
2Quantity of substance
If traditional porous materials are used for shower bases, then material availability and cost are improved, but maintenance difficulty and cleaning complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the fundamental material parameter from porous traditional materials to non-porous resin-based composite. This material parameter change creates a smooth, impermeable surface that prevents moisture absorption and eliminates the grout lines that require maintenance, while remaining economically viable through efficient manufacturing.
3Manufacturing precision
If custom-sized shower bases are fabricated on-site, then fit to location is improved, but installation time and labor requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The shower base is custom-sized and precision-formed in the factory using molds that are configured for specific installation locations before the base is shipped. All measurements, cutouts, and structural features are prepared in advance, allowing rapid installation without on-site fabrication or waiting for material curing.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This method allows for easy installation and maintenance of a customized, non-porous shower pan with various tile designs, eliminating the need for on-site tile laying and grouting, and simplifying the installation process by only requiring the pan to be placed and the drain to be plumbed.
Implementation Method 1
pouring, a resin/filler into the shower pan mold over the plurality of tiles, curing the resin/filler
Data Source
AI summary
A method of manufacturing a customized shower pan or floor includes the steps in which the desired shower stall area is measured to determine an outer periphery with regard to the existing drain in situ and then a shower pan mold is constructed with both an outer and a drain periphery. In a first embodiment, a resin/filler is poured partway in to the mold and then pre-cut tiles are placed in a desired manner on top of the resin while it cures. In a second embodiment, a single slab is poured with a resin/filler mixed with crushed or powdered stone, metal, or the like. The set shower pan is then placed and the drain periphery is grouted to the existing drain and plumbed.