One-piece shower base
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional shower installations require the creation of a mortar bed for structural support and drainage, which is messy, time-consuming, and requires hours to set, delaying the installation process.
Innovation Solution
A one-piece shower base with a pre-pitched foam support base and integrated drain, eliminating the need for a mortar bed and allowing for faster and more efficient installation, as it is custom-sized, waterproof, and includes a double flange structure for stable installation.
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 function are improved, but installation time and complexity increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The foam support base is pre-formed with the required pitch and drainage channels before installation, eliminating the need to create the mortar bed structure during installation. The flange structure is also pre-configured with attachment features, allowing direct installation without preliminary structural preparation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the material parameter from traditional mortar to foam material, which provides equivalent structural support and drainage pitch properties but with significantly reduced installation time and without requiring setting time. The foam base can be directly installed and immediately provides the required structural function.
2Strength
If a mortar bed is created and allowed to set, then structural support is achieved, but the installation process becomes messy and requires careful handling
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material state from wet mortar (messy, requires careful handling) to pre-formed foam base (clean, easy to handle). The foam material maintains structural integrity while being much easier to install cleanly without risk of spilling or improper setting.
Solution Approach 2:
The foam support base is pre-formed and prepared before installation, eliminating the need to mix, spread, and pack mortar during installation. This preliminary preparation ensures both structural strength and installation cleanliness.
3Reliability
If a mortar bed is used to create pitch for drainage, then proper water flow toward drain is achieved, but the process is time-consuming and requires precise positioning
Solution Approach 1:
The foam support base is pre-formed with the exact pitch and drainage channels required for proper water flow. This eliminates the time-consuming process of creating and positioning the mortar bed to achieve the correct drainage slope during installation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes from using mortar (which requires precise positioning and time to set to achieve proper pitch) to pre-formed foam material that already has the correct drainage pitch built-in, significantly improving installation efficiency while maintaining reliable drainage function.
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.