Threaded Shower Drain Assembly for Floor Height Adjustment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing bathtub and shower drain assemblies face challenges in installation due to variations in flooring height and material, leading to fit, function, and aesthetic issues, particularly during renovations or new constructions.
Innovation Solution
An adjustable bathtub/shower drain assembly featuring a bonding flange component with centripetal flange and bore portions, a grate leveler component, and a grate-height adjustor component, allowing for height adjustment and secure attachment to various flooring materials and drainage pipes, with optional retrofitting capabilities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a fixed-height drain assembly is used, then the installation process is simple and quick, but the drain assembly cannot adapt to variations in flooring height and material
Solution Approach 1:
The drain assembly incorporates an adjustable height mechanism that allows the grate and trim assembly to be positioned at different heights relative to the bonding flange. This dynamic adjustment capability enables the drain to adapt to various flooring heights and materials while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure through standardized components.
Solution Approach 2:
The drain assembly is divided into distinct segments: a bonding flange component that attaches to the drainage pipe, and a grate/trim assembly that can be adjusted independently in height. This segmentation allows the lower portion to remain fixed while the upper portion adapts to flooring variations, resolving the contradiction between simplicity and adaptability.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the drain assembly is designed to accommodate all flooring types, then versatility is improved, but installation complexity and time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The adjustable height mechanism allows installers to quickly adapt the drain assembly to different flooring heights without requiring custom fabrication or complex adjustment procedures. The mechanism is designed for tool-free or minimal-tool adjustment, maintaining fast installation while achieving versatility across tile, stone, and other flooring materials.
3Ease of operation
If the drain assembly height is fixed during manufacturing, then manufacturing precision is maintained, but post-installation adjustment is impossible
Solution Approach 1:
The drain assembly separates height-critical components (bonding flange with precise pipe attachment) from height-adjustable components (grate and trim assembly). This segmentation allows the manufactured portions to maintain precision while the adjustable portion compensates for flooring variations, achieving both manufacturing consistency and post-installation flexibility.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention provides a drain assembly for use with bathroom/shower renovations, the drain assembly providing for the adjustment of the drain grate to match the height of surrounding flooring and including a grate holder component with a floor-level flange to connect to the surrounding flooring and a threaded inner surface that connects with the counter-threaded outer surface of a grate-height adjuster component including means for accessing and rotating the grate-height adjuster component relative to the grate holder component to adjust the height of the grate holder component without uninstalling or disassembling the drain assembly.