GB2299267A - Overflow fitting for sanitaryware - Google Patents

Abstract

An overflow fitting for a sanitary fixture includes a one-piece conduit (35) in the shape of a trough formed to fit the curvature of the sanitary fixture. The first end of the conduit is configured to cover the overflow opening and the second end is configured to discharge water in the conduit into the drain. The conduit may be welded or otherwise adhered to the shell (14). Moreover, it may subsequently be encapsulated within a layer of plastic material (38).

Description

OVERFLOW SYSTEMS The present invention relates generally to overflow systems and may be applied to an encapsulated overflow system for sanitary fixtures such as bathtubs, spas, whirlpool tubs and the like, and in particular to an overflow system which interconnects the overflow opening and the drain opening of a sanitary fixture, especially designed to be attached to the fixture during manufacture or before shipping.

Sanitary fixtures such as bathtubs, spas, whirlpool tubs and the like are generally provided with a drain opening located in the floor of the fixture and an overflow opening located in the end wall nearest the overflow opening and positioned proximate the top rim of the fixture. A conduit or tube is generally provided to interconnect the drain opening and the overflow opening such that when water reaches the level of the overflow opening, the water will flow therethrough, into the conduit and into the drain coupled to the drain opening.

This prevents water from flowing over the top of the rim or edge of the fixture.

The overflow system is generally formed as an integral passage in chinaware and cast iron fixtures. Alternatively, in enameled steel and acrylic fixtures, the overflow system is independent from the fixture and is installed on the fixture at installation. This procedure is time consuming and inconvenient, increasing the labor costs involved in installing a tub.

Commonly assigned U.S. Patent No. 5,179,740 is directed to an encapsulated multicomponent overflow system for sinks. The overflow system includes a tube formed from a thermoplastic material, bent to conform to the curvature of the sink, which interconnects the overflow opening to the drain.

The system further includes a pair of coupling means to couple the first end of the tube to the overflow opening and to couple the second end of the tube to the drain. Consequently, in order to securely affix the system to the sink, the overflow system must be encapsulated with plastic material which is applied to the nonexposed bottom surface of the sink during manufacture limiting the type of material from which the sink can be manufactured. Additionally, an internal support in the tube is required to maintain rigidity of the tube during the application of the plastic layer. Furthermore, this technique is limited to sinks. Sinks typically have a remote drain stopper assembly independent from the overflow system, while tubs typically integrate the remote drain stopper assembly into the overflow system. The encapsulated overflow system of U.S.

Patent No. 5,179,740 does not include a remote drain stopper assembly and is not applicable to tubs. Moreover, the overflow system of U.S. Patent No. 5,179,740 includes a plurality of components each of which requires a separate mold and thus separate manufacture which add to the expense and time involved in the manufacture of the overflow system. No attempts have been made to incorporate a one-piece overflow system in a tub at the time of manufacture to reduce the time and labor involved in installing tubs and the like. No attempts have been made to incorporate an overflow system in a tub which system may or may not be encapsulated.

Thus, it is apparent that a new type of overflow system for tubs is desirable in order to reduce the time and labor involved in installing tubs. It is desirable in providing an overflow system for a sanitary fixture that the components be capable of attachment to the fixture during manufacture or prior to shipment. It is preferable that the overflow system comprises one component and that it be able to withstand the pressures exerted during the molding process. It is important in providing an overflow system for a sanitary fixture that the components be capable of attachment to the fixture with or without the addition of an encapsulation layer.

One aspect of the present invention provides an overflow system for a sanitary fixture having a shell, said shell having a finish side and a non-finish side, said shell further including an overflow opening and a drain opening coupleable to a main drain, comprising: a conduit for attachment to said non-finish side of said shell at a position extending between said overflow opening and said drain opening, said conduit having first and second ends, said first end covering said overflow opening and said second end covering said drain opening, said conduit comprising an aperture proximate said second end, said aperture aligned to correspond to said drain opening and said conduit adhered to said shell.

A further aspect of the invention provides an integral overflow system for a sanitary fixture such as a tub which directs water from the overflow opening to the drain. The sanitary fixture includes a rigid shell having a finish side and a non-finish side. A tube or conduit interconnects the overflow opening to the drain.

Embodiments of the invention reduce the time necessary for installation of a sanitary fixture.

Further embodiments of the invention ease the installation of a sanitary fixture.

Further embodiments of the invention optionally encapsulate the overflow system on the sanitary fixture Preferred embodiments of the invention provide an overflow system that is easy and inexpensive to manufacture.

In a preferred embodiment, the overflow system is a one-piece conduit in the shape of a trough having a peripheral flange formed to fit the curvature of each particular tub. The first end of the conduit is configured to cover the overflow opening of the shell and the second end is configured to discharge water in the conduit into the drain. The conduit may be welded or otherwise adhered to the shell. Moreover, it may subsequently be encapsulated with a layer of plastic material.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Fig. 1 is an exploded perspective view of the components of a prior art overflow system which must be attached during installation of a tub; Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a sanitary fixture in the form of a tub which incorporates the one-piece component integral overflow system constructedin accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 3 is a front elevational view of the tub of Fig.

2; Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the tub of Fig. 2 with a stopper disposed therein; Fig. 5 is a rear elevational view of the one-piece component system in an embodiment of the invention, and Fig. 6 is a cut-away view of an encapsulated version of a tub with an overflow assembly in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 1 is included as an example of a typical prior art overflow system comprising a plurality of components which must be assembled and connected to the tub at installation. As evident from the drawing, the large number of components requires connection to one another and to the tub at installation. Time and labor are involved in fitting and attaching the pieces together and connecting the assembly to the tub at installation.

Reference is now made to Figs. 2, 3, and 4 which depict a sanitary fixture in the form of a tub 10, incorporating an overflow system, indicated at 12, constructed in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. Tub 10 includes a shell 14 having a finish side 16 and a non-finish side 18. Shell 14 has a bottom wall 20 integrally formed with side walls 22 and 24 and end walls 26 and 28. Side and end walls 22, 24, 26, and 28 terminate at rim 29. Shell 14 may be constructed from steel, fiberglass, polymeric materials and/or composite materials and methods disclosed in commonly assigned U.S. Patent Nos. 4,844,944 and 4,844,955 to Graefe et al. and commonly assigned U.S. Patent No. 5,049,433 to Kuszaj et al., the disclosures of which are incorporated by reference herein.

Finish side 16 may be coated with an enamel layer.

If desired, non-finish side 18 may be coated with a polymeric material. Suitable polymeric materials for coating the rigid shell are discussed in commonly assigned U.S. Patent No.

4,664,982 to Genovese et al., the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein, as well as the aforementioned U.S. Patent Nos. 4,844,944, 4,844,955 and 5,049,433.

Overflow system 12 is supported on exterior nonfinish side 18 of shell 14. Bottom wall 20 of shell 14 includes a drain opening 30 having a lip 32 which permits waste water to drain therethrough into a main drain coupled to drain opening 30 when tub 10 is installed. End wall 26 of shell 14 includes an overflow opening 34 proximate rim 29 through which excess water will flow when water in the tub reaches the level of the overflow opening. The overflow opening 34 may be round, oval or other suitable shape.

In accordance with this embodiment, a onepiece conduit 35 via peripheral flange 36 is adhered to the coated or uncoated side of non-finish side 18 of shell 14 which thereafter may or may not be coated with a polymeric material.

The conduit 35 as viewed in Fig. 5 is typically trough-shaped and may be fabricated of metal, plastic, polymeric material, SMC (sheet molding compound) or other suitable material. The shape of the conduit is such that it is formed to fit the curvature of each particular tub. The first or upper end of the conduit is configured to cover the overflow opening 34 of the shell and the second or lower end has a drain aperture 37 corresponding to the drain opening 30. Conduit 35 may be adhered to the shell by an adhesive material such as epoxy, hot melt, urethane or other similar adhesive material. If the addition of a polymeric layer is desired, conduit 35 may be attached to the shell prior to the application of a polymeric material, becoming encapsulated by the polymeric material, or it may be attached to a polymeric layer after the layer has cured.Fig. 6 shows conduit 35 attached to shell 14 and encapsulated by polymeric layer 38.

A plug or stopper 39 is positioned within drain opening 30 and may be operated by a spring or other suitable means. Should water in shell 14 reach the level of the overflow opening 34, water will flow through opening 34, through conduit 35 and out through aperture 37 of conduit 35, which, during the installation of the tub, will be coupled to a main drain pipe in a well-known manner.

The drain hardware needed to connect the drain opening 30 to a main drain may include but is not limited to a tailpiece 40, washer nut 41, washer 42 and wedge seal 43. The assembly process at the drain is a simplified operation and involves placing the tailpiece 40 through the drain hole in the tub, placing wedge rubber seal 43 over the bottom of the tailpiece 40, sliding on the brass washer 42 and tightening the washer nut 41 to seal the wedge rubber seal 43 against the tub.

The assembly of this hardware is much easier and faster requiring fewer parts than the conventional method which requires external piping to connect the overflow and the drain, as shown in Fig. 1.

Thus, the present embodiment provides a one-piece overflow system for a tub which is an integral component of the tub. It may be bonded to the tub by an adhesive material without encapsulation thereof or it may be additionally encapsulated in a plastic material bonded to the under surface of the tub. The overflow system is adapted to withstand the heat and pressure exerted during the molding process when the plastic layer is bonded in place on the non-finish surface of the tub.

The single component system of the present embodiment reduces the number of components necessary to provide an overflow drain system, thereby reducing the amount of molding equipment necessary to manufacture the components. Moreover, the attachment of the overflow system to the tub at manufacture reduces and eases the labor involved during installation of the tub. This is very economical when a large project requiring the installation of high numbers of units is involved.

Although illustrative embodiments of the present invention have been described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to those precise embodiments, and that various other changes and modifications may be effected therein by one skilled in the art without departing from the scope --------- of the invention.

Claims (7)

CLAIMS 1. An overflow system for a sanitary fixture having a shell, said shell having a finish side and a non-finish side, said shell further including an overflow opening and a drain opening coupleable to a main drain, comprising: a conduit for attachment to said non-finish side of said shell at a position extending between said overflow opening and said drain opening, said conduit having first and second ends, said first end covering said overflow opening and said second end covering said drain opening, said conduit comprising an aperture proximate said second end, said aperture aligned to correspond to said drain opening and said conduit adhered to said shell. 2. The overflow system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said conduit is a one-piece component. 3. The overflow system as claimed in claim 2 wherein said conduit is in the shape of a trough. 4. The overflow system as claimed in claim 3 wherein said conduit includes a peripheral flange, said peripheral flange conforming to said non-finish side of said shell, and further comprising an adhesive material applied to said peripheral flange for attachment of said trough to said shell. 5. The overflow system as claimed in claim 4 wherein said adhesive material is a material selected from the group consisting of epoxy, hot melt, and urethane. CLAIMS

1. An integral overflow system for a tub fixture having a shell, said shell having a finish side and a non-finish side, said shell further including an overflow opening and a drain opening coupleable to a main drain, comprising: a conduit for attachment to said non-finish side of said shell at a position extending between said overflow opening and said drain opening, said conduit comprising a one-piece component in the shape of a trough, said trough including a peripheral flange which conforms to said non-finish side of said shell, and to which an adhesive material is applied for attachment to said shell, said one-piece component having first and second ends, said first end covering said overflow opening and said second end covering said drain opening, said conduit comprising an aperture proximate said second end, said aperture aligned to correspond to said drain opening and said conduit adhered to said shell, said overflow system further encapsulated within a layer of polymeric material.

2. The overflow system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said adhesive material is a material selected from the group consisting of epoxy, hot melt, and urethane.

3. The overflow system of claim 1 or claim 2 further comprising hardware to connect said drain opening to said main drain.

4. The overflow system of claim 3 wherein said hardware comprises a tailpiece, a washer nut, a washer and a seal.

5. The overflow system of any preceding claim further comprising a stopper disposed in said drain opening.

6. The overflow system of any preceding claim wherein said conduit is fabricated from material selected from the group consisting of metal and polymeric

6. The overflow system as claimed in claim 1 further encapsulated within a layer of polymeric material.

7. An overflow system substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 2 to 6 of the accompanying drawings.

7. The overflow system of claim t further comprising hardware to connect said drain opening to said main drain.

8. The overflow system of claim 7 wherein said hardware comprises a tailpiece, a washer nut, a washer and a seal.

9. The overflow system of claim 1 further comprising a stopper disposed in said drain opening.

10. The overflow system claim 1 wherein said conduit is fabricated from material selected from the group consisting of metal and polymeric material.

11. An overflow system substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 2 to 6 of the accompanying drawings.

material.