NZ598830B - Shower Base - Google Patents

Abstract

Patent 598830 A shower base is disclosed. The base has a tray (12) fabricated from sheet metal. The tray, when installed defines a substantially horizontal plane supported by an underlying floor structure (14). An upturned wall engaging flange (15, 16) extends along at least one edge region of the tray and an upwardly formed ledge formation (19, 21) is positioned along at least one other edge region of the tray. A drainage opening (24) is adjacent to one edge region of the tray. An insert (25) is positioned in the tray providing an inclined upper surface with a single plane leading downwardly to the drainage opening. This shower base can be installed with tiles covering the surfaces with the tile cuts, if necessary, made easy by the single slope. the tray and an upwardly formed ledge formation (19, 21) is positioned along at least one other edge region of the tray. A drainage opening (24) is adjacent to one edge region of the tray. An insert (25) is positioned in the tray providing an inclined upper surface with a single plane leading downwardly to the drainage opening. This shower base can be installed with tiles covering the surfaces with the tile cuts, if necessary, made easy by the single slope.

Description

SHOWER BASE FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to improvements in the construction of trays or bases for personal showers.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Australian patent application no. 2010226970 filed on 6 October 2010 relates to a shower base construction enabling a level entry to a personal shower zone from a bathroom surrounding the shower zone. Currently available shower trays or bases on the market normally require some constructional modifications to the underlying floor structure in the shower zone where the shower base will be installed. This may include lowering of the floor structure or removal of flooring boards or the like in the shower zone. Typically, known shower bases also include multiple inclined floor surfaces sloping towards an internal or centrally located drainage outlet. Such multiple floor surfaces provide a complication for tile installation, often requiring tiles to be cut to provide a neat floor surface in the shower zone. While patent application no. 2010226970 primarily relates to a level entry type shower base construction, there is also a need to provide a more conventional shower zone and a shower base for such a shower zone.

It is also known from US patent nos. 5913777 and 6643863 to mould a shower base from a suitable polymer material as a one piece base.

These patent specifications show multiple fall planes to a generally centrally located drainage outlet with the designs being necessarily complicated to provide satisfactory load carrying capacity without utilising excessive amounts of polymer material. Moreover shower recesses typically are provided in multiple shapes, sizes and configurations with a different mould being required for each size and configuration. This either restricts the designs and sizes or results in a relatively expensive base.

The objective of the present invention is to provide an improved shower base construction that will enable a shower zone of any desired configuration in a bathroom or similar with minimal constructional changes to the installation zone and with minimal difficulties in tile installation in the shower zone.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a shower base having a first part fabricated from sheet metal having a first zone defining a shower zone of the shower base, said first zone, when installed defining a substantially horizontal plane supported by an underlying floor structure, an upturned wall engaging flange extending along at least one edge region of said first zone, an upwardly formed ledge formation positioned along at least one other edge region of said first zone, a drainage opening leading through said first zone adjacent one edge region of said first zone, and an insert positioned on said first zone providing an inclined upper surface with a single inclination plane leading downwardly to said drainage opening.

Preferably, said ledge formation is formed by said sheet metal being formed into an inverted U configuration. Conveniently an outwardly extending sheet metal flange is formed from at least one said upwardly formed ledge formation whereby, in use, said sheet metal flange is supported by the underlying floor structure.

Conveniently, the first zone is substantially square or rectangular in plan view. In one practical preferred embodiment at least two said upturned wall engaging flanges are provided meeting at a corner of said first zone, said upturned flanges being connected to or sealed to one another at said corner. In a further possible preferred embodiment, three said upturned wall engaging flanges are provided respectively meeting at corners of said first zone, each of said upturned flanges being connected to or sealed to an adjacent said upturned flange at a said corner.

Conveniently, at east two said ledge formations are provided meeting at a corner of said first zone, said ledge formations being permanently connected to one another at said corner.

In a possible alternative arrangement, three said ledge formations might be provided respectively meeting at adjacent corners of said first zone, said ledge formations being permanently connected to one another at said corners.

Preferably, a said ledge formation is positioned directly opposite a said upturned wall engaging flange across said first zone. The shower base may further include at least one shower supporting means connected to said first part adjacent one edge of said first zone. Conveniently a said door supporting means is positioned in at least one corner of said first zone and at an intermediate position along said one edge of said first zone. The door supporting means may be positioned in at least two adjacent corners of said first zone and at an intermediate position along said one edge of said first zone between said two corners. In yet another configuration the door supporting means may be positioned along said one edge of said first zone between adjacent corners of said first zone.

In a preferred configuration the drainage opening is positioned in said first zone adjacent a said upturned wall engaging flange. The shower base may further include a wall upstanding from the first zone spaced inwardly from the or each said upturned wall engaging flange, said wall being spaced from the adjacent said upturned wall engaging flange to define a recess to receive an edge zone of a wall cladding sheet.

Preferably, means is included to allow a shower zone wall to be connected to at least one said ledge formation.

Conveniently, the first zone has a plane shape defining five corners, to allow a shower zone wall to be connected to at least one said ledge formation.

Preferably mounting means is provided to allow an access door for a shower recess formed by said shower base to be located above an edge region of the first zone forming said obtuse angle corners. Conveniently, said first zone may have a plane shape defining three adjacent right angled corners and a convex curved edge line forming two of said right angled corners. Preferably mounting means is provided for an access door for a shower recess formed by said shower base to be located above said convex curved edge line of said first zone.

Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRITPION OF THE DRAWINGS Fig 1 is a perspective schematic view of a first preferred arrangement; Fig 2 is a section view along line I-I of Fig 1 showing a first possible embodiment; Fig 3 is a section view along line I-I of Fig 1 showing a second possible embodiment; Fig 4 is a detailed perspective view of part of the second embodiment shown in Figure 3; Fig 5 is a section view along line I-I of Fig 1 showing a third possible embodiment; and Fig 6 is a section view along line II-II of Fig 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring to the drawings, Fig 1 represents a rectangular shower base 10 adapted to be fitted into a corner zone of a bathroom 11. The shower base 10 includes a first part 12 made from a sheet metal that would desirably be resistant to corrosion as a result of possible water contact in use. Suitable metals might be stainless steel, aluminium or aluminium alloys, however other sheet metals could be employed. The first part 12 has a central first zone 13 that is also rectangular (or square) and in use is mounted horizontally supported on an underlying floor structure 14 of any type including wood or concrete. Typically the underlying floor structure is not modified and the surface of the floor structure 14 underneath the central first zone 13 is at the same level as the floor structure 14 surrounding the base 10. The first part 12 of the shower base 10 has a pair of upstanding wall engaging flanges 15, 16 meeting at a corner 17 and permanently connected at the corner 17 to provide an upright seal at this point. Depending on the intended position of the shower base 10 in the room 11, one, two or three upstanding wall engaging flanges 15, 16 could be provided. Formed at the front edge 18 of the shower base 10 is a ledge formation 19 bent from the sheet metal into an inverted U shape in cross-section preferably with a forwardly extending flange 20 located in the same plane as the first zone 13 and adapted to also be positioned on the underlying floor structure 14. In the embodiment illustrated a second ledge formation 21 of similar structure to the ledge formation 19 is provided, also with a floor engaging flange 22. A plurality of screws 55 (Fig 5) may be used passing through the flanges 20, 22, to fix the first part 12 in position on the floor structure 14. Similarly a plurality of screws might pass through the upstanding flanges 15, 16 to connect the first part 12 to the walls of the room. The under surface of the first zone 13 could also be glued to the underlying floor structure 14. A waterproof membrane and/or a curable silicon sealant layer might also be positioned below the first zone 13. One or both of the ledge formations 19/21 is/are intended to support a side wall of the shower recess. This may be achieved by, in known manner providing an upwardly open channel to the upper surface of the ledge formation 19, 21 along the desired length thereof such that a wall panel, typically a glass panel can be installed therein. The open channel might be formed by stainless steel, aluminium, aluminium alloy or plastics material. A drainage opening 24 is provided extending through the first zone 13 adjacent a wall engaging flange 15 or 16 depending on the configuration of the shower base 10 in the bathroom 11. Conveniently end zones of the ledge formations 19, 21 adjacent the upstanding flanges 15, 16 are permanently secured thereto by welding, soldering or similar to provide a water tight connection at these locations.

While Fig 1 shows a generally rectangular first part 12 of the shower base, other configurations are equally possible. Those other configurations include rearranging the rectangle, providing a square configuration or modifications of those including modifying the front forward corner 23 by either connecting the ledge formations 19, 21 with a curved ledge formation rather than a sharp right angle corner. In yet another possibility, a further straight ledge formation section might connect the ledge formations 19, 21 forming obtuse angles therewith.

As can be seen in the drawings, in the shower base 10 also includes an insert part 25 shown in broken outline that can be secured by gluing with waterproof glue or otherwise to the upper surface 33 of the first zone 13. The insert part 25 might be moulded from fibreglass or some other suitable waterproof material including polymer materials such as polyurethane and presents an upwardly facing surface 26 in a single plane sloping downwardly to the drainage opening 24. As shown in Figs 2, 3 and 5 in the installed position, tiles 27 are secured in the conventional way to the upwardly facing surface 26 of the insert part 25. The inclined or sloping surface 26 is substantially flat so that the tiles 27 can be easily secured thereto without excessive cutting of the tiles to take account of differing inclination planes. Also a conventional floor covering 56 such as a cement sheet can cover the floor flanges 20 (or 22) which can then carry conventional floor tiles for the bathroom. Similarly wall connected cement sheet can be provided over the wall engaging flanges 15, 16 which can then have wall tiles 31 positioned thereon. Fig 2 illustrates a first possible embodiment. In this embodiment a small upstanding wall 50 is provided spaced inwardly from the upstanding flange 16 (or the flange 15) to provide a recess into which a lower edge of the cement sheet 30 might be located. The wall 50 is formed from a corrosion resistant metal (e.g. stainless steel, aluminium or aluminium alloy) as an angle metal strip and is conveniently joined to the first zone 13 by spot welding at 51. Conveniently a semi-liquid and curable sealant substance 47 such as a silicon based sealant is introduced into the bottom of the recess prior to installing the cement sheet 30 whereby the sealant seals potential water flow outwardly from the shower base 10. The sealant may flow and form a layer between the flange 16 and the adjacent edge region of the cement sheet 30. Similar silicon based sealant might also be applied as a layer between the outer surface of the first part 12 and the floor structure 14 and between the outer surfaces of the flanges 15, 16 and any adjacent wall structure. Conveniently a waterproof layer may be applied to the cement sheet 30 located below any tile adhesive and between the cement sheet 30 and the wall tiles 31. Silicon based sealant might also be applied to the wall tiles 31 and the shower recess floor tiles 27. Such a wall 50 can be utilized spaced inwardly from any flange 15, 16 extending upwardly from an edge region of the shower base 10.

Fig 3 illustrates a second possible embodiment. In this embodiment a bar 34 of corrosion resistance material including metals of the type the first part 12 is made of is secured into the corner between the upwardly facing surface 33 of the first zone 13 and each of the wall engaging flanges 15, 16. The bars 34 might be connected by welding or any other suitable means to the position illustrated in Fig 3. The bars 34 might also be connected to one another to form a permanent waterproof corner in the illustrated embodiment. A plate strip 35 is then secured by a plurality of spaced fasteners 36 to the bars 34 to form an upwardly open groove 37 above the bars 34. The fasteners 36 may pass through preformed holes in the strip 35 to secure same into preformed and spaced threaded bores in the bars 34. As with the embodiment of Fig 2 a liquid and curable sealant material 47 is located in the groove 37 to seal the base edge region 39 of a wall cladding sheet 30 such as cement sheet or the like. Other forms of waterproof sheeting are known and can be used. The sheet 30 might be glued at 40 to wall studs 41 or connected thereto by any other suitable fastener devices. As shown in Fig 4 right angled bent corner elbow 42 might be welded or otherwise connected and sealed to the plate strips 35 to provide a sealed corner 46. The threaded fastener 36 might pass through preformed holes in the elbow 42 and the strips 35 into preformed threaded bores in the bars 34. Again a waterproofing substance or layer might be applied at 43 to the outer surface of the cement sheet followed by tile adhesive to secure wall tiles 31 thereto.

One or more door support member(s) may also be provided to enable a desired door structure to be provided for the shower recess. The door support member may be provided either as a connected bar between the front corners of the shower base 10 or as individual bar sections secured at the corners and at an intermediate location along the front of the shower base 10. The support members may be welded to the base 10 and the insert part 25 will have recessed or cut out zones complementary to the support members. The door utilized can comprise a sliding door or swinging door of any known type.

Fig 5 illustrates yet another possible preferred embodiment being a modification of the arrangement described with reference to Fig 3. In this embodiment several mounting blocks or bosses 60 are welded to the inside surfaces of the flanges 15, 16 at spaced locations. The bosses 60 include threaded bores 61 to threadingly receive fasteners 62. The fasteners 62 pass through preformed holes 63 in the strip 35 and holes 64 in the lower edge 39 of the sheet 30. The number of fasteners 62 may be fewer than the number of fasteners 36 but are generally equally spaced apart.

Various modifications or improvements may be made to the shower base falling within the scope of the annexed claims.

Claims (19)

WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. A shower base having a first part fabricated from sheet metal having a first zone defining a shower zone of the shower base, said first zone, when installed defining a substantially horizontal plane supported by an underlying floor 5 structure, an upturned wall engaging flange extending along at least one edge region of said first zone, an upwardly formed ledge formation positioned along at least one other edge region of said first zone, a drainage opening leading through said first zone adjacent one edge region of said first zone, and an insert positioned on said first zone providing an inclined upper surface with a single 10 inclination plane leading downwardly to said drainage opening.

2. A shower base according to claim 1 wherein said ledge foundation is formed by said sheet metal being formed into an inverted U configuration, and an outwardly extending sheet metal flange is formed from at least one said upwardly formed ledge formation whereby in use said sheet metal flange is supported by 15 the underlying floor structure.

3. A shower base according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said first zone is substantially square or rectangular in plan view.

4. A shower base according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein at least two said upturned wall engaging flanges are provided meeting at a corner of said first 20 zone, said upturned flanges being connected to or sealed to one another at said corner.

5. A shower base according to claim 3, wherein three said upturned wall engaging flanges are provided respectively meeting at corners of said first zone, each of said upturned flanges being connected to or sealed to an adjacent said 25 upturned flange at a said corner.

6. A shower base according to claim 3 or claim 5, wherein at least two said ledge formations are provided meeting at a corner of said first zone, said ledge formations being permanently connected to one another at said corner.

7. A shower base according to claim 6, wherein three said ledge formations are provided respectively meeting at adjacent corners of said first zone, said ledge formations being permanently connected to one another at said corners.

8. A shower base according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein a said ledge 5 formation is positioned directly opposite a said upturned wall engaging flange across said first zone.

9. A shower base according to any one of claims 1 to 8, further including at least one shower door supporting means connected to said first part adjacent one edge of said first zone.

10 10. A shower base according to claim 9, wherein said door supporting means is positioned in at least one corner of said first zone and at an intermediate position along said one edge of said first zone.

11. A shower base according to claim 9, wherein said door supporting means is positioned in at least two adjacent corners of said first zone and at an 15 intermediate position along said one edge of said first zone between said two corners.

12. A shower base according to claim 9, wherein said door supporting means is positioned along said one edge of said first zone between adjacent corners of said first zone. 20

13. A shower base according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein said drainage opening is positioned in said first zone adjacent a said upturned wall engaging flange.

14. A shower base according to claim 13, further including a wall upstanding from the first zone spaced inwardly from the or each said upturned wall engaging 25 flange, said wall being spaced from the adjacent said upturned wall engaging flange to define a recess to receive an edge zone of a wall cladding sheet.

15. A shower base according to any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein means is provided to allow a shower zone wall to be connected to at least one said ledge formation.

16. A shower base according to claim 1, wherein said first zone has a plane 5 shape defining five corners, three adjacent said corners being right angles and two adjacent said corners forming obtuse angles.

17. A shower base according to claim 16, wherein mounting means is provided to allow an access door for a shower recess to be located above an edge region of the first zone joining said obtuse angle corners. 10

18. A shower base according to claim 1, wherein said first zone has a plane shape defining three adjacent right angled corners and a convex curved edge line joining two of said right angled corners.

19. A shower base according to claim 18, wherein mounting means is provided for an access door for a shower recess formed by said shower base to be located 15 above said convex curved edge line of said first zone.