AU2019101802A4

AU2019101802A4 - A drain sill holder and system including same

Info

Publication number: AU2019101802A4
Application number: AU2019101802A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Ronald Maxwell
Original assignee: DEZINAL Pty Ltd
Current assignee: DEZINAL Pty Ltd
Priority date: 2019-06-05
Filing date: 2019-06-05
Publication date: 2021-07-01
Anticipated expiration: 2027-06-05

Abstract

A drain sill holder for a drain grate assembly, the drain sill holder including a base wall having an opening for a drain therein, a pair of spaced apart upstanding sidewalls extending from the base wall, each of the sidewalls having an outer step forming an abutment shoulder. 'Ii

Description

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I A DRAIN SILL HOLDER AND SYSTEM INCLUDING SAME TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present invention relates generally to a drain grate assembly for building thresholds such as doors and windows.

BACKGROUND ART

[0002] Drain grates are located adjacent building thresholds, such as doors and windows, to drain rainwater which may otherwise enter a building. The drain grate is generally installed internally or externally to the building, and adjacent a sill to which the door or window is mounted.

[00031 A known drain grate is inserted in a sump which, in turn, collects water passing through the grate. A drain extends from the sump to drain water away from the grate. In the event of a sudden downpour, the sump can overflow, especially in the event of a drain blockage which can occur from debris passing through the grate.

[0004] The preferred embodiment provides for improved installation of the drain grate assembly. The preferred embodiment provides for less chance of sump overflow.

[0005] It will be clearly understood that, if a prior art publication is referred to herein, this reference does not constitute an admission that the publication forms part of the common general knowledge in the art in Australia or in any other country.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

[0006] The present invention is directed to a drain sill holder and system, which may at least partially overcome at least one of the abovementioned disadvantages or provide the consumer with a useful or commercial choice.

[00071 With the foregoing in view, the present invention in one form, resides broadly in a drain sill holder for a drain grate assembly, the drain sill holder including a base wall having an opening for a drain therein, a pair of spaced apart upstanding sidewalls extending from the base wall, each of the sidewalls having an outer step forming an abutment shoulder.

[0008] The drain sill holder of the present invention is readily installed in the flooring to define a collection area or sump and to allow a drain grate and/or sill to be installed relative to the drain sill holder. The drain grate and/or sill will generally be placed in the holder with gravity holding the drain grate and/or sill in place to allow for easy removal.

[0009] Preferably, the drain sill holder defines a sump for collecting water that passes the drain grate and/or sill. Advantageously, the sump may collect more water than prior art sumps which collect water from the drain grate only thereby reducing the chance of sump overflow. Typically, the sump is defined by the base wall and a lower portion of the respective sidewalls and extends unimpeded by any features of the base wall, across the width of the base wall between the respective sidewalls.

[0010] Normally, a drain conduit or similar is provided beneath the holder in communication with the opening in the base wall. Advantageously, more water may be effectively drained compared with prior art sumps and with less chance of blockage issues owing to the increased water volume thereby further reducing the chance of sump overflow.

[0011] The water to be collected may pass through the drain grate and/or sill which is located relative to the holder.

[0012] The holder preferably defines an open topped receptacle for receiving the drain grate and/or sill.

[00131 The receptacle typically includes a pair of shelves upon which the drain grate and/or sill rests. Preferably, the shelves extend laterally inwardly from the respective sidewall, normally in the same plane and substantially horizontally. Typically, the shelves will be located spaced from the base wall and also spaced from an upper free end of the respective sidewall in order to define a sump below the shelves.

[0014] The shelves need not be provided and in an alternative aspect, the open topped receptacle may receive a drain grate and/or sill with elongate arms with a lower free end that simply rests on an upper surface of the base wall. Preferably, the elongate arms of a drain grate and/or sill of this aspect will be located immediately inside and preferably abutting an inner surface of the sidewalls so as to provide a substantially unobstructed sump area in the holder.

[0015] The drain grate and/or sill may sit flush with an upper free end of the respective sidewalls when inserted. The assembly including the holder and the drain grate and/or sill may sit flush with adjacent external and/or internal flooring.

[00161 The holder, sill and/or drain grate may be formed from aluminium. The holder, sill

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and/or drain grate may be extruded.

[00171 The holder of the present invention is normally used with a drain grate and/or sill member. Preferably, the holder is configured with a set of features that allows the interchangeable use of a sill or a drain grate or a combined drain grate/sill.

[00181 According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a drain assembly for a building threshold, the assembly including a drain sill holder including a base wall having a drain opening for a drain therein, a pair of spaced apart upstanding sidewalls extending from the base wall, each of the sidewalls having an outer step forming an abutment shoulder and at least one upper sill and drain extrusion including at least one sill portion to allow mounting of a window or door relative thereto and at least one grate opening to allow fluid to pass through the upper sill and drain extrusion and into the holder to be drained from the holder through the drain opening.

[0019] The sill and drain extrusion preferably incorporates features of both a sill and a drain grate in the one extruded component. In the prior art, a separate sill and a drain grate may have been provided and the provision of one, dual purpose component will not only simplify installation of the drain assembly but also allow the holder to provide a sump area which is unobstructed by a support portion to support an edge of the separate sill and drain grate.

[0020] The sill and drain extrusion may include features that give the extrusion an appearance which is more like a sill or more like a drain grate. For example, in one embodiment, the sill and drain grate extrusion is configured as a substantially U-shaped extrusion (that will be located relative to the holder in an inverted orientation) with a substantially planar top wall and a pair of dependent sidewalls. The top wall will preferably have a sill portion extending along at least one and typically both side edges relative to which a hinged or pivot door can be mounted. A number of drain openings are provided through the top wall, between the preferred sill portions to allow fluid to drain though the extrusion. A central depending wall may be provided (part or full height) preferably the same length as the sidewalls.

[0021] In an alternative embodiment, the sill and drain grate extrusion has a planar central wall between a pair of spaced apart side walls but the central wall is spaced from both free ends of the respective sidewalls. This will normally form a foot or similar at the lower end of the sidewalls and an upper part of the sidewalls forms a part of a sill into which a sliding door or window for example may be placed. One or more intermediate upstands may be provided spaced across the central wall. A number of drainage apertures are preferably provided in the central

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wall between the sidewall portions and/or the upstands through which water can drain into the holder. In this configuration, the sill and drain grate extrusion may define one or more receptacles for receiving respective doors or windows.

[0022] The drain grate and/or sill may include a number of parallel ribs.

[0023] The drain grate and/or sill and/or the holder may include a seal mount, preferably at or adjacent an upper portion of the sidewalls and/or any intermediate upstands to seal to a window or door located relative thereto and/or to seal the sill and drain grate extrusion relative to the holder.

[0024] Any of the features described herein can be combined in any combination with any one or more of the other features described herein within the scope of the invention.

[0025] The reference to any prior art in this specification is not, and should not be taken as an acknowledgement or any form of suggestion that the prior art forms part of the common general knowledge.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[00261 Preferred features, embodiments and variations of the invention may be discerned from the following Detailed Description which provides sufficient information for those skilled in the art to perform the invention. The Detailed Description is not to be regarded as limiting the scope of the preceding Summary of the Invention in any way. The Detailed Description will make reference to a number of drawings as follows:

[00271 Figure 1 is an isometric view of a drain sill holder according to a preferred embodiment.

[00281 Figure 2 is an isometric view of a first sliding door drain sill configuration according to a preferred embodiment.

[0029] Figure 3 is an isometric view of a second sliding door drain sill configuration according to a preferred embodiment.

[0030] Figure 4 is an isometric view of a third hinged or pivot door drain sill configuration according to a preferred embodiment.

[0031] Figure 5 is an isometric view of a fourth hinged or pivot door drain sill configuration according to a preferred embodiment.

[0032] Figure 6 is an exploded view of the drain sill configuration illustrated in Figure 2.

[0033] Figure 7 is an exploded view of the drain sill configuration illustrated in Figure 3.

[0034] Figure 8 is an exploded view of the drain sill configuration illustrated in Figure 4.

[0035] Figure 9 is an exploded view of the drain sill configuration illustrated in Figure 5.

[0036] Figure 10 is an end view of the drain sill configuration illustrated in Figure 2.

[00371 Figure 11 is an end view of the drain sill configuration illustrated in Figure 3.

[0038] Figure 12 is an end view of the drain sill configuration illustrated in Figure 4.

[0039] Figure 13 is an end view of the drain sill configuration illustrated in Figure 5.

[0040] Figure 14 is an end view of an installation of the drain sill illustrated in Figure 2 according to a preferred embodiment.

[0041] Figure 15 is an end view of an installation of the drain sill illustrated in Figure 4 according to a preferred embodiment.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

[0042] According to a particularly preferred embodiment of the present invention, a drain sill holder 10 and a drain assembly including a drain sill holder is provided.

[0043] The drain sill holder 10 illustrated in Figure 1 includes a base wall 11 having an opening 12 for a drain therein. A pair of spaced apart upstanding sidewalls 13 extend from the base wall 11 and each of the sidewalls have an outer step 14 forming an abutment shoulder.

[0044] As illustrated in Figures 14 and 15 in particular, the drain sill holder 10 is readily installed in the flooring to define a collection area or sump and to allow a drain grate and/or sill to be installed relative to the drain sill holder 10. The drain grate and/or sill will generally be placed in the holder with gravity holding the drain grate and/or sill in place to allow for easy removal.

[0045] The drain sill holder defines a sump for collecting water that passes the drain grate and/or sill. The sump is defined by the base wall 11 and a lower portion of the respective

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sidewalls 13 and extends unimpeded by any features of the base wall 11, across the width of the base wall 11 between the respective sidewalls 13.

[00461 Normally, a drain pipe 15 is provided beneath the holder 10 in communication with the opening 12 in the base wall 11. The water to be collected passes through the drain grate and/or sill which is located relative to the holder, and then out of the holder 10 through the opening 12 and into the drain pipe 15.

[00471 The open topped holder 10 shown in Figure 1 also includes a pair of shelves 16 upon which the drain grate and/or sill rests. As shown, the shelves 16 extend laterally inwardly from the respective sidewall 13, normally in the same plane and substantially horizontally. The shelves are spaced from the base wall 11 and also spaced from an upper free end of the respective sidewall 13 in order to define a collection sump below the shelves 16.

[00481 The shelves need not be provided and in an alternative aspect shown in Figures 3 and 6 for example, the open topped receptacle of the holder 10 receives a drain grate and/or sill with elongate side arms with a lower free end that simply rests on an upper surface of the base wall 11. Preferably, the elongate arms of a drain grate and/or sill of this aspect are located immediately inside and abutting an inner surface of the sidewalls 13 so as to provide a substantially unobstructed sump area in the holder 10.

[0049] The holder, sill and/or drain grate may be formed from aluminium. The holder, sill and/or drain grate may be extruded.

[0050] The holder 10 of the preferred embodiments is used with a drain grate and/or sill member and the holder 10 is configured with a set of features that allows the interchangeable use of a sill or a drain grate or a combined drain grate/sill.

[0051] An upper sill and drain extrusion, examples of which are shown in Figures 6 to 9, each of which includes a sill portion to allow mounting of a window or door relative thereto and a number of grate openings to allow fluid to pass through the upper sill and drain extrusion and into the holder 10.

[0052] The sill and drain extrusions preferably incorporate features of both a sill and a drain grate in the one extruded component. The sill and drain extrusion may include features that give the extrusion an appearance which is more like a sill, such as those illustrated in Figures 6 and 7 used with sliding door for example or more like a drain grate such as those illustrated in Figures 6 and 7 used with hinged or pivot doors for example.

[00531 For example, in one embodiment illustrated in Figures 8 and 9, the sill and drain grate extrusion 17 is configured as a substantially U-shaped extrusion (that will be located relative to the holder 10 in an inverted orientation as shown in Figure 15) with a substantially planar top wall and a pair of dependent sidewalls. The top wall has a sill portion 18 extending along both side edges relative to which a hinged or pivot door can be mounted. A number of drain openings 19 are provided through the top wall, between the sill portions to allow fluid to drain though the extrusion. A central depending wall 20 may be provided (part height as shown in Figure 10 or full height as shown in Figure 11) preferably the same length as the sidewalls.

[0054] In an alternative embodiment illustrated in Figures 6, 7 and 14, the sill and drain grate extrusion 30 has a substantially planar central wall between a pair of spaced apart side walls 21 but the central wall is spaced from both free ends of the respective sidewalls 21. This will normally form a foot or similar at the lower end of the sidewalls 21 and an upper part of the sidewalls 21 forms a part of a sill into which a sliding door or window for example may be placed. A pair of intermediate upstands 22 are provided spaced across the central wall. A number of drainage apertures are 19 provided in the central wall between the sidewalls 21 and/or the upstands 22 through which water can drain into the sump.

[0055] The drain grate and/or sill and/or the holder illustrated includes a seal mount 23, at or adjacent an upper portion of the sidewalls and/or any intermediate upstands to seal to a window or door located relative thereto and/or to seal the sill and drain grate extrusion relative to the holder.

[0056] The method for installing a drain assembly is now briefly described with reference to Figures 14 and 15.

[00571 Initially, the flooring 108 and drain pipe 15 are in place. The drain assembly is situated in a recess of the sub-flooring 108, and non-shrinkable grout 250 is poured in the recess. The non-shrinkable grout 250 is smoothed to be flush with the top of the sub-flooring 108, and is allowed to set. The top of the non-shrinkable grout 250 is also preferably directly under the abutment side of the step in the sidewalls 13.

[0058] Upon the non-shrinkable grout 250 setting, a top floor covering, such as tiles, can be glued on the sub-flooring 108 so that the assembly sits flush with the adjacent external and internal overall flooring. Expansion strips may be placed between the sump holder 10 and the tiles. The grate and/or sill sit flush in the holder 10 so that there is a flat surface to avoid tripping.

[0059] In the present specification and claims (if any), the word 'comprising' and its derivatives including 'comprises' and 'comprise' include each of the stated integers but does not exclude the inclusion of one or more further integers.

[0060] Reference throughout this specification to 'one embodiment' or 'an embodiment' means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, the appearance of the phrases 'in one embodiment' or 'in an embodiment' in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment. Furthermore, the particular features, structures, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more combinations.

[00611 In compliance with the statute, the invention has been described in language more or less specific to structural or methodical features. It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to specific features shown or described since the means herein described comprises preferred forms of putting the invention into effect. The invention is, therefore, claimed in any of its forms or modifications within the proper scope of the appended claims (if any) appropriately interpreted by those skilled in the art.

Claims

1. A drain sill holder for a drain grate assembly, the drain sill holder including a base wall having an opening for a drain therein, a pair of spaced apart upstanding sidewalls extending from the base wall, each of the sidewalls having an outer step forming an abutment shoulder.

2. A drain sill holder as claimed in claim 1 wherein the drain sill holder defines a sump for collecting water that passes the drain grate and/or sill. the sump defined by the base wall and a lower portion of the respective sidewalls and extends unimpeded by any features of the base wall, across the width of the base wall between the respective sidewalls.

3. A drain sill holder as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the holder includes a pair of shelves extending laterally inwardly from the respective sidewall, and spaced from the base wall, upon which a drain grate and/or sill rests.

4. A drain assembly for a building threshold, the assembly including a drain sill holder including a base wall having a drain opening for a drain therein, a pair of spaced apart upstanding sidewalls extending from the base wall, each of the sidewalls having an outer step forming an abutment shoulder and at least one upper sill and drain extrusion including at least one sill portion to allow mounting of a window or door relative thereto and at least one grate opening to allow fluid to pass through the upper sill and drain extrusion and into the holder to be drained from the holder through the drain opening.

5. A drain assembly as claimed in claim 4 wherein the sill and drain extrusion incorporates features of both a sill and a drain grate in a single extruded component.

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