GB2403143A

GB2403143A - Shower Tray

Info

Publication number: GB2403143A
Application number: GB0315037A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Malcolm Baker
Original assignee: MARLETON CROSS Ltd
Current assignee: MARLETON CROSS Ltd
Priority date: 2003-06-27
Filing date: 2003-06-27
Publication date: 2004-12-29
Anticipated expiration: 2023-06-27
Also published as: GB0315037D0; GB2403143B

Abstract

A shower tray 10 comprises a plastics material layer 18 defining, on its underside, a channel, a foamed filler material 20 located within the channel, and a resinous material layer 24 forming the underside 16 of the shower tray. The resinous material layer 24 and the plastics material layer 18 together encapsulating the foamed filler material 20. The foamed filler 20 may comprise a two-part low density polyurethane foam. The plastics material layer 18 is preferably formed as a co-extruded acrylic capped ABS material sheet, which has been vacuum moulded to the desired shape. Preferably, the resinous material layer 24 is composed of dicyclopentadiene (DCPD) mixed with ground calcium carbonate, with a quantity of methyl ethyl ketone peroxide (MEKP). Preferably, a thin base priming resin layer 22 of vinylester or isophthalic resin is applied over the area to which the resinous material is to be applied.

Description

2403 1 43 Shower Tray This invention relates to a shower tray and to a

method of manufacture thereof. in particular, the invention relates to a shower tray of the type including an upper past of a plastics material, and a resinous material layer forming a flat undersurface of the tray.

The plastics material upper part of a shower tray of the type referred to typically defines a large channel extending around the tray adjacent. the periphery thereof which forms an upstanding wall around the edge of the shower tray. If the resinous material layer is formed directly in the underside of the plastics material component, then a large quantity of resinous material must be used to fill this channel. This is wasteful, expensive, and as the resinous material used may include a significant quantity of, for example, a calcium carbonate material, the end product can be heavy. Rather than fill the channel, it is known to apply a substantially uniform thickness of resinous material over the underside of the plastics material layer, but this involves the use of a secondary mould to prevent the channel being filled with the resinous material resulting in the moulding operation being relatively complex.

Rather than filling the channel with the resinous material, it is known to use a pelletised filler material in this region of the shower tray. However, the pelletised filler material may damage the plastics material component with the result that the visual appearance of the final product may be impaired. Further, the pelletised filler material used may also result in the final product being heavy.

It is an object of the invention to provide a shower tray of the type referred to and in which the disadvantages referred to above are avoided.

According to the present invention there is provided a shower tray lo comprising a plastics material layer defining, on its underside, a channel, a foamed filler material located within the channel, and a resinous material layer forming the underside of the shower tray, the resinous material layer and the plastics material layer together encapsulating the foamed filler material.

The channel may be formed in a part of the plastics material layer forming an upstanding peripheral wall of the finished shower tray.

The use of a foamed filler material in the channel results in the product being of relatively low weight whilst maintaining its strength at an acceptable level. The shower tray can also be manufactured in a relatively economic manner.

Conveniently, the foamed material filler substantially fills the channel.

Although the channel is conveniently substantially filled by the foamed material, it will be appreciated that some of the advantages of the invention may also be achieved by only partially filling the channel with the foamed material.

In one preferred embodiment, the foamed material comprises a two part low density polyurethane foam. The plastics material component may comprise a co-extruded acrylic capped ABS material sheet which has been vacuum moulded to the desired shape. The resinous material may comprise dicyclopentadiene (DCPD) mixed with ground calcium carbonate. A quantity of MEKP may also be included in the material. By way of example, the calcium carbonate and DCPD may be mixed in a ratio of 85% calcium carbonate to 15% DCPD and then 2% MEKP may be added.

Preferably, before the resinous material is applied, a thin layer of a base priming resin, for example a vinylester or isophthalic priming resin, may be applied over the area to which the resinous material is to be applied. The thin layer may have a thickness of, for example, 300 to 400 1lm.

The invention also relates to a method of manufacture of a shower tray comprising moulding a plastics material layer to a desired shape including an area defining a channel, applying a foamed material to the channel, and applying a resinous material over the underside of the plastics material layer to encapsulate the foamed material between the plastics material layer and the resinous material layer.

The invention will further be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawing (Figure 1) which is a diagrammatic lo sectional view illustrating part of a shower tray in accordance with one embodiment of the invention.

Referring to Figure 1 there is shown part of a shower tray 10 having an upper surface 12, a peripheral wall region 14 and an underside 16. The upper surface 12 is defined by the upper surface of a plastics material layer 18 which has been vacuum moulded or otherwise formed into a desired shaped.

The plastics material layer]8 could potentially take a wide range of forms, but in one preferred embodiment comprises a coextruded acrylic capped ABS material of approximately 2.5mm thickness. As is clear from Figure 1, the peripheral wall region 14 is also defined by the plastics material layer 18.

The part of the layer 18 defining the peripheral wall region 14 is, during manufacture, hollow and, when the layer 18 is inverted, defines a relatively large channel within which a foamed filler material 20 is provided, the foamed filler material 20 substantially filling the channel in the arrangement shown, although arrangements are possible in which the channel is only partially filled.

Beneath the foamed filler material 20 and the exposed part of the underside of the layer 18, in the orientation illustrated, is a thin base priming resin layer 22 (shown is exaggerated form in Figure 1 for clarity) , and beneath this is a thicker layer 24 of a resinous material.

The process by which the shower tray illustrated in Figure 1 is manufactured comprises vacuum forming the coextruded acrylic capped ABS IS sheet to form the layer 18, and locating the layer 18 in a support jig so that the layer 18 is inverted. A two part low density polyurethane foam material is then mixed and applied to the channel, only, defined by the layer 18 in the peripheral wall region 14. if required, a secondary jig may be used to restrict the expansion of the foamed filler material, and in particular to prevent the expansion of the filler material out of the channel. The foamed filler material is then allowed to cure.

Once the foamed filler material 20 has cured, the shower tray is moved to a casting support jig, still in its inverted condition. Once in the casting support jig, a thin layer 22 of a base priming resin is applied over the foamed filler material 20 and over the exposed part of the underside of the plastics material layer 18. The base priming resin could take a number of forms but conveniently comprises a blend of a vinylester or isophthalic polyester resin with 2% MEKP. The layer 22 conveniently has a thickness falling within the range 300 to 400pm. The layer is allowed to cure.

Once the base priming resin layer 22 has been allowed to cure, a DCPD based resinous material mixed with calcium carbonate, conveniently ground natural calcium carbonate, is poured over the entire underside of the shower tray 10 to a depth sufficient to reach the waste outlet of the tray to form the layer 24. The resinous material conveniently comprises approximately 85% calcium carbonate mixed with approximately 15% DCPD. The mixture may have added thereto approximately 2% MEKP.

Once the resinous material layer 24 has cured the completed shower tray is removed from the casting jig and any excess acrylic material is removed from around the edge of the shower tray leaving a finished product of good rigidity having a completely flat base and which is of relatively low weight.

Although one specific arrangement has been described hereinbefore, it will be appreciated that a number of modifications or alterations may be made thereto without departing from the scope of the invention as deemed hereinbefore.

Claims

1. A shower tray comprising a plastics material layer defining, on its underside, a channel, a foamed filler material located within the channel, and a resinous material layer forming the underside of the shower tray, the resinous material layer and the plastics material layer together encapsulating the foamed filler material.

2. A shower tray according to Claim 1, wherein the channel is formed in a part of the plastics material layer forming an upstanding peripheral wall of the finished shower tray.

3. A shower tray according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein the foamed material filler substantially fills the channel.

4. A shower tray according to Claim 1 or Claim 1, wherein the foamed material filler partially fills the channel.

5. A shower tray according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the foamed material filler comprises a two-part low density polyurethane foam.

6. A shower tray according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the plastics material layer comprises a co-extruded acrylic capped ABS material sheet which has been vacuum moulded to the desired shape.

7. A shower tray according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the resinous material comprises dicyclopentadiene (DCPD) mixed with ground calcium carbonate.

8. A shower tray according to Claim 7, wherein the resinous material further comprises a quantity of MEKP.

9. A shower tray according to Claim 8, wherein the resinous material comprises calcium carbonate and DCPD mixed in a ratio of 85% calcium carbonate to 15% DCPD, 2% MEKP then being added.

10. A shower tray according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein a thin layer of a base priming resin is applied over the area to which the resinous material is to be applied prior to the application of such material.

11. A shower tray according to Claim 10, wherein the base priming resin comprises a vinylester or isophthalic priming resin.

12. A shower tray according to Claim 10 or Claim 1 1, wherein the thin layer of base priming resin is of a thickness of 300 to 4001lm.

A shower tray substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawing.

14. A method of manufacture of a shower tray comprising moulding a plastics material layer to a desired shape including an area defining a channel, applying a foamed material to the channel, and applying a resinous material over the underside ofthe plastics material layer to encapsulate the foamed material between the plastics material layer and the resinous material layer.