Recessed Subfloor Bracket Layout for Curbless Shower Pans
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional shower pans require a slope and additional thickness, leading to aesthetic and accessibility issues, particularly for the disabled and elderly, and existing methods for recessing bathroom subfloors are labor-intensive and costly.
Innovation Solution
A set of differently configured brackets, including main, L-, Z-, and three-tier brackets, are used to lower the subfloor, allowing for a curb-less transition by situating subfloor sheathing between floor joists instead of over them, enabling a sloped shower pan installation without the need for a lip, using materials like steel or fiber-reinforced plastic.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a traditional shower pan is installed on top of the subfloor, then the shower pan can be properly sloped towards the drain, but the added thickness creates a lip that hinders accessibility and detracts from aesthetics
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of placing the shower pan on top of the subfloor as traditionally done, the patent inverts the approach by recessing the subfloor downward to create a depression where the shower pan is then installed. This inversion allows the shower pan surface to be level with or slightly below the surrounding floor, eliminating the accessibility-lip problem while maintaining proper drainage slope.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent addresses the thickness problem by moving the solution into the vertical dimension - by excavating the subfloor downward to create a recessed area, the shower pan can be installed at the same level as surrounding flooring. This dimensional approach (creating depth in the vertical direction) resolves the conflict between needing shower pan thickness for drainage and avoiding height differences for accessibility.
2Ease of operation
If the subfloor is recessed to accommodate the shower pan, then accessibility and aesthetics are improved, but the installation becomes labor-intensive and expensive
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by preparing the recessed subfloor area before installing the shower pan. The subfloor is excavated and shaped in advance to the required depth and contour, allowing the shower pan to be simply placed into the pre-prepared depression. This preliminary preparation of the subfloor geometry streamlines the overall installation process.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary material (such as mortar, concrete, or foam) that fills the recessed subfloor area and provides a bonding surface for the shower pan. This intermediary layer mediates between the recessed subfloor structure and the shower pan, simplifying the installation process while ensuring proper support and waterproofing.
3Shape
If the subfloor is recessed, then a curb-less transition is achieved, but the load carrying capacity may be compromised without proper bracing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by providing targeted structural reinforcement (blocking and bracing) only in the recessed area where it is needed to support the shower pan and transmit loads to the surrounding subfloor and floor joists. The rest of the subfloor maintains its original structure, preserving overall strength while providing the necessary local support for the recessed portion.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs composite construction by combining the recessed subfloor material with additional structural elements such as wood blocking, metal bracing, and waterproofing membranes. This composite approach creates a reinforced recessed area that maintains both the flush transition shape and adequate load carrying capacity through the synergistic combination of different materials.
Data Source
AI summary
A set of differently configured brackets that when secured to one or more of the floor joists, wall edges and existing subfloor lower the subfloor a predetermined amount are described. The predetermined amount is typically sufficient to permit the installation of a shower pan of appropriate slope towards a drain and permit a curb-less transition between the surrounding floor and the shower stall floor.