Tile-Ready Shower Pan With Raised Drain for Flush Installation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing shower pans face challenges in installing tiles of varying thickness due to curvature issues, pre-installed drain pipes, limited tile options, and difficulty in controlling tile elevation, leading to awkward floor appearances and potential water leakage.
Innovation Solution
A one-piece prefabricated shower pan with a conventional drain hole design that allows a drain pipe to rise ½ to 2 inches above the floor, accommodating tiles of different thicknesses, and features a sand-finished interior for better adhesion and a waterdam with a fin to prevent water migration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a pre-installed drain pipe is built into the shower pan, then the shower pan structure is complete and ready for use, but tiles cannot be installed flush with the drain pipe and the floor appearance becomes awkward
Solution Approach 1:
The drain pipe is extracted from the shower pan structure, allowing it to be installed separately. The shower pan is manufactured without a pre-installed drain pipe, enabling tiles to be installed first and then the drain pipe to be positioned separately to achieve a flush appearance.
Solution Approach 2:
Tiles are installed on the shower pan surface before the drain pipe is positioned. This preliminary action allows the tiles to be properly set and leveled, and then the drain pipe can be adjusted to match the tile surface height for a flush finish.
2Ease of operation
If custom-made shower pans with pre-installed tiles are used, then tile installation is simplified, but tile selection is limited to what the manufacturer has available
Solution Approach 1:
The shower pan is segmented into two separate components: the pan structure itself and the tiles. This allows the tiles to be selected and purchased separately from the shower pan, giving customers flexibility in tile selection while maintaining ease of installation through the flat, tile-ready surface.
Solution Approach 2:
The shower pan is designed with a universal flat surface that can accommodate any type of tile. This multi-functional design allows the same shower pan structure to work with various tile types, sizes, and styles, providing versatility in tile selection.
3Ease of operation
If tiles are glued onto a shower pan, then tile installation is possible, but elevation control is not possible and water protection is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
A waterproof membrane is introduced as an intermediary layer between the shower pan and the tiles. This membrane provides both waterproofing and a smooth, level surface for tile installation, enabling both tile attachment and elevation control through the membrane thickness and positioning.
Solution Approach 2:
The shower pan system uses composite materials including the pan structure, waterproof membrane, and tile layer. This composite construction allows for controlled elevation through the membrane and provides integrated waterproofing while maintaining tile installation capability.
4Reliability
If a conventional drain pipe is used with a custom shower pan, then drainage function is achieved, but the drain pipe does not rise sufficiently above the floor surface to accommodate tiles of various thicknesses
Solution Approach 1:
The drain pipe installation is made dynamic and adjustable rather than fixed. The drain pipe can be positioned at varying heights above the shower pan surface, allowing it to accommodate tiles of different thicknesses while maintaining proper drainage function.
Solution Approach 2:
The height parameter of the drain pipe above the shower pan surface is made variable. This allows the drain pipe to be installed at different elevations to match the thickness of various tile types, providing versatility while maintaining drainage reliability.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a one-piece shower pan with no openings for water leakage, other than the drain hole, and designed for easy installation of tiles of various thicknesses. The shower pan comprises a drain hole designed to fit a conventional drain pipe such that when the conventional drain pipe is fastened to the shower pan, the conventional drain pipe extends ½ to 2 inches above the bottom of the shower pan. In this way, when cement or other adhesive is floated on the interior surface of the shower pan, tiles of varying thickness can be installed in such a manner that the top surface of the tiles are substantially flush with the top portion of the conventional drain pipe. The shower pan also has a waterdam with a fin extending vertically on the outer edge of the waterdam as added protection against water migration outside the shower pan.