Systems and methods for a shower base assembly compatible with residential and commercial construction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing structural shower tray installations lack a small, centered drain location, making them incompatible with concrete substrates above the first floor for commercial applications and causing installation compatibility issues due to large drain holes and inadequate reinforcement rings.
Innovation Solution
A tile-over shower base assembly with a pre-sloped dorsal side and a centered drain hole, compatible with a double threaded flange nipple and industry standard plumbing drain body, featuring a rubber gasket for a watertight seal and a removable grate for enhanced water flow, allowing for easy installation and reduced obstruction risks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If a large drain hole is used in existing shower trays, then drainage capacity is improved, but compatibility with concrete substrates and floor systems deteriorates due to obstruction risks and reinforcement requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the critical parameter of drain hole diameter from the conventional large size (typically 4 inches or more) to a small size (3 inches or less). This parameter change enables the drain to pass through floor joists and concrete substrates without obstruction, while the pre-sloped pan design and reinforcement ring maintain adequate drainage capacity and structural integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
The drain assembly is segmented into multiple functional components: a small centered drain hole in the pan, a separate reinforcement ring, a flange nipple, and a gasket system. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function - the small hole provides unobstructed passage, the reinforcement ring provides structural support, and the gasket provides sealing - thereby resolving the contradiction between small size and functional adequacy.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a centered drain location is implemented, then compatibility with commercial floor systems is improved, but installation complexity increases due to precise positioning requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The shower pan is pre-sloped during manufacturing with the drain hole precisely positioned at the center of the pan. This preliminary action of pre-sloping and pre-positioning eliminates the need for complex field adjustments and positioning during installation, as the pan naturally directs water toward the centered drain without requiring additional sloping work or precise positioning procedures by the installer.
3Reliability
If waterproofing at the drain connection is required, then water tightness is improved, but installation time increases due to additional waterproofing steps
Solution Approach 1:
A rubber gasket is introduced as an intermediary sealing element between the flange nipple and the shower pan. This gasket provides the water tight seal at the drain connection, eliminating the need for additional waterproofing membranes or coatings at this critical junction. The gasket is simply compressed during assembly to create the seal, thereby maintaining reliability while reducing installation time.
4Strength
If a reinforcement ring with adequate strength is used, then structural integrity is improved, but the drain hole may land on obstructions in the floor system
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the parameter of drain hole diameter to a small size (3 inches or less), which allows the hole and reinforcement ring to pass through floor joists and concrete substrates without obstruction. The reinforcement ring is designed with adequate strength to maintain structural integrity despite the small hole size, thereby resolving the contradiction between strength and adaptability.
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
Enables the installation of a curbless tiled shower with a centered drain on various floor systems, reducing installation time and avoiding obstructions, while providing a durable and efficient water drainage system.
Implementation Method 1
a rubber gasket, the rubber gasket being compressed by the double threaded flange nipple and the industry standard plumbing drain body to the reinforcement ring allowing a water tight seal
Implementation Method 2
a dorsal side of the tile-over shower base pan being pre-sloped to allow for consistent water draining to a dorsal opening of a centered drain hole
Implementation Method 3
the dorsal side of the tile-over shower base pan has a textured surface, the textured surface boding with tile setting mortar
Data Source
AI summary
A structural, shower base assembly is provided. The assembly includes a tile-over shower base pan, a tile drain grate frame, a double threaded flange nipple, and a rubber gasket. The tile-over shower base pan includes a dorsal side pre-sloped to allow for consistent water draining to a dorsal opening of a centered drain hole of the tile-over shower base pan, and a ventral side having a ventral opening of the centered drain hole of the tile-over shower base pan and a reinforcement ring. The tile drain grate frame is compatible with the dorsal opening and the ventral opening. The double threaded flange nipple is compatible with the tile drain grate frame and an industry standard plumbing drain body. The rubber gasket is compressed to the reinforcement ring to seal a connection between the double threaded flange nipple and the industry standard plumbing drain body.