Abstract:
Methods and devices for drain assemblies including those for building into a floor. Such drain assemblies including a drain body which can be built into the floor and which has at the top an inlet zone with a periphery, a peripheral flange with an upper surface, extending substantially in a horizontal plane from this periphery, a water-sealing layer arranged adheringly on the upper surface of the peripheral flange, a sealing mat with the form of a frame with an inner periphery fitting around the periphery, wherein a portion of the sealing mat overlaps at least the outer periphery of the water-sealing layer, and wherein the sealing mat and the water-sealing layer are adapted to be water-sealing and to adhere well to tile adhesive.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention relates to a drain assembly, particularly for a walk-in shower, which drain assembly is intended for building into a tile floor. The invention further relates to a drain body for use in such an assembly and to a method for building-in of a drain. 
         [0003]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0004]    A known problem of the existing drains for tile floors is associated with making the connections between the drain and the tiles watertight. The development of drains typically takes place from the viewpoint of the plumber. Insufficient attention is paid here to the convenience of placing for a tiler. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    The present invention has for its object to provide a drain assembly which can be placed easily and properly by a tiler and with which leakage and/or moisture problems can particularly be avoided. 
         [0006]    The invention relates for this purpose to a drain assembly which is distinguished in that it comprises the following components:
   a drain body which can be built into the floor and which has at the top an inlet zone with a periphery;   a peripheral flange with an upper surface, extending substantially in a horizontal plane from this periphery;   a water-sealing layer arranged adheringly on the upper surface of the peripheral flange;   a sealing mat intended for placing around the periphery, wherein a portion of the sealing mat overlaps at least the outer periphery of the water-sealing layer.   
 
         [0011]    A minimal overlap zone will typically be necessary along the whole outer periphery of the water-sealing layer in order to guarantee an adequate water sealing. Such a drain assembly will ensure that penetration of water due to capillary action in the tile floor is largely prevented. The water-sealing layer will more particularly provide for a good water sealing close to the drain, this without the tiler having to be particularly experienced. This water-sealing layer is after all pre-adhered watertightly to the peripheral flange, and the sufficient overlap between this layer and the water-sealing mat will in this way bring about an efficient sealing. 
         [0012]    According to a preferred embodiment, the water-sealing layer extends along the periphery so as to form a peripheral zone with a minimal width. The whole peripheral flange is more preferably covered with the water-sealing layer. 
         [0013]    According to an advantageous embodiment, the sealing mat is dimensioned to extend from the periphery of the inlet zone to a position beyond the outer periphery of the peripheral flange. In this way it will be immediately apparent to a tiler how this sealing mat must be placed. A smaller overlap part will however generally be technically sufficient to realize an adequate sealing. In the case that a KERDI material (see below) is used for the sealing layer and mat, use will typically be made of for instance a minimal overlap of 5 cm. 
         [0014]    According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the peripheral flange is provided close to the outer periphery thereof with an upright edge, this such that water seeping in along the sealing layer is held back by this upright edge. This will further improve the watertightness and reduce the overlap necessary in determined embodiments. 
         [0015]    According to an advantageous embodiment, the water-sealing layer and/or the sealing mat comprises polyethylene. The sealing mat and/or the water-sealing layer are typically adapted to be water-sealing and to adhere well to tile adhesive, and comprise for instance polyethylene, wherein a fleece webbing is provided on both sides for a good anchoring in tile adhesive. According to a possible embodiment, the water-sealing layer and/or the sealing mat are manufactured from a KERDI material manufactured by the Schlüter company. 
         [0016]    According to a preferred embodiment, the drain body is a moulded plastic article. 
         [0017]    According to a possible embodiment, the water-sealing layer consists of a KERDI mat material which is arranged on the drain body by means of an adhesive. This adhesive must particularly realize a watertight adhesion of the KERDI mat material to the peripheral flange. 
         [0018]    According to a further developed embodiment, the drain body can be provided on its underside with a number of protrusions for stabilizing the drain body during placing thereof in a floor material such as mortar. The inlet zone can further be provided on the inner side with one or more support edges for supporting a grate assembly along which the water flows from the floor to the inlet zone. 
         [0019]    According to a possible embodiment, the drain body is substantially elongate with a substantially rectangular inlet zone, although other designs are also possible. The inlet zone can further be provided with one or more buffer zones for controlling the flow rate to the outlet. A modified design can be chosen for these buffer zones depending on the form of the drain body. In the case of a rectangular inlet zone the sealing mat for instance takes form of a frame with an inner periphery fitting around the periphery. 
         [0020]    The invention further relates to a drain body, particularly for use in a drain assembly according to any of the above described embodiments, with features as described above, which can be combined at random. 
         [0021]    Finally, the invention relates to a method for placing a drain, comprising of:
   selecting a drain body having an inlet zone with a periphery and a peripheral flange with an upper surface extending substantially in a horizontal plane from this periphery;   connecting a water-sealing layer adheringly to the upper surface of the peripheral flange;   arranging the drain body in a floor material such that the underside of the peripheral flange is arranged in the floor material;   placing the sealing mat around the periphery,
 
wherein a portion of the sealing mat overlaps at least an outer peripheral zone of the water-sealing layer.
   
 
         [0026]    The present invention will be further elucidated on the basis of a number of non-limitative exemplary embodiments, with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0027]      FIG. 1  is a schematic perspective view of a first embodiment of a drain assembly according to the invention. 
           [0028]      FIG. 2  is a schematic perspective view of the drain body of  FIG. 1  as seen from below. 
           [0029]      FIG. 3  is a schematic perspective view of the drain body illustrated in  FIG. 1  as seen from above. 
           [0030]      FIG. 4  is an exploded schematic perspective view of a grate assembly for use with the drain assembly of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0031]      FIG. 5  shows a cross-section along line A-A in  FIG. 3 , wherein two connecting laid tiles are also shown. 
           [0032]      FIGS. 6A-D  illustrate schematically an embodiment of the method according to the invention. 
           [0033]      FIG. 7  is a schematic perspective view similar to the view of  FIG. 3  of a second variant of a drain assembly according to the invention. 
           [0034]      FIG. 8  shows a partially schematic cross-section similar to the cross-section of  FIG. 5  of a third variant of a drain assembly according to the invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0035]    A first embodiment of a drain assembly according to the invention will be illustrated hereinbelow with reference to  FIGS. 1-5 . The drain assembly comprises a drain body  1  with an upper side  3  and an underside  2 . Drain body  1  is provided on its upper side  3  with an inlet zone  4  with a periphery  5 . This periphery  5  transposes into a substantially horizontally extending peripheral flange  6 . Underside  3  of drain body  1  is preferably intended to be arranged directly into a floor material such as mortar. The underside of peripheral flange  6  is thus placed directly against the floor material here, as will be further illustrated with reference to  FIGS. 6A-D . 
         [0036]    The drain body is preferably manufactured from a plastic which adheres to the typical floor materials such as mortar, and preferably from a mouldable plastic. It is however also possible to manufacture the drain body from metal. An example of a suitable material is a mouldable plastic on the basis of polyester resins and aluminium trihydrates. Such a plastic is already used nowadays for the moulding of other bathroom components, such as shower trays. 
         [0037]    Arranged on the upper surface of peripheral flange  6  is a water-sealing layer  7  which can be connected adheringly to a sealing mat  8  using for instance a tile adhesive. Water-sealing layer  7  preferably extends over substantially the whole upper surface of peripheral flange  6 . This water-sealing layer can for instance be a KERDI mat cut to size which is connected with a suitable adhesive to peripheral flange  6  of the drain body. Such KERDI mats are sold by the manufacturer Schlüter and are manufactured from a soft polyethylene material, wherein a special fleece webbing is arranged on both sides of the mat for a good anchoring with tile adhesive and other trowel-applied covering materials or plaster layers. 
         [0038]    The water-sealing layer must preferably be arranged on the upper surface of the peripheral flange in adhering manner such that water is prevented from being able to permeate under the water-sealing layer. According to a possible embodiment, the sealing layer is arranged by arranging a KERDI mat material on the peripheral flange using a suitable adhesive. This adhesive must therefore preferably ensure a good watertight adhesion of the water-sealing layer to the drain body. An example of a suitable adhesive is an acrylate adhesive with a high adhesive strength. It is for instance possible here to envisage two-sided adhesive transfer tapes (for instance Transfertape 3M Scotch 969/950). A layer of adhesive of between 0.05 and 0.5 mm is typically provided, and for instance a layer of adhesive of about 0.13 mm. 
         [0039]    The first embodiment of the drain assembly further comprises a sealing mat  8  intended for placing on the upper surface of peripheral flange  6  around periphery  5 . In the shown embodiment the inlet zone  4  of the drain body is substantially rectangular and sealing mat  8  takes the form of a frame with a recess  9 , the dimensions of which substantially correspond to those of inlet zone  4 . When placed on peripheral flange  6 , sealing mat  8  will in this way extend from periphery  5  beyond outer periphery  10  of peripheral flange  6 . This sealing mat will typically be sold together with the other parts of the drain assembly and arranged by a tiler around periphery  5  before arranging of the tiles, as will be further illustrated with reference to  FIG. 5  and  FIGS. 6A-D . In this way the sealing mat can form a kind of bridge to other parts of sealing mats used under the tiles. 
         [0040]    According to an advantageous embodiment, peripheral flange  6  is provided close to its outer periphery  10  with an upright edge  11 . This edge  11  will particularly ensure that, should water nevertheless seep under or over sealing layer  3 , this water will in any case be held back by this edge. 
         [0041]    In order to guarantee a good water sealing, it is typically appropriate in the case KERDI materials are used to make use of a minimal overlap of 5 cm between adjacent mats. Similarly, a sufficient overlap is required between the sealing layer and the sealing mat. When the drain body is provided with an upright edge  11 , it is possible to in most cases to opt for a smaller overlap. 
         [0042]    As illustrated in  FIG. 2 , the underside of the drain body can be formed so as to enhance a stable placing thereof in a floor material. Underside  2  of the drain body is provided centrally with a recessed portion  12  in which a siphon (not shown) can be provided which carries the water to outlet  14 . In the shown embodiment the underside is further provided with a number of protrusions  13  intended for a more stable placing of the drain body. The skilled person will appreciate that more or fewer protrusions can be provided depending on the design of the drain body. The skilled person will further appreciate that the invention not only relates to substantially rectangular drain bodies as shown in  FIGS. 1-5 , but also to square drain bodies, round drain bodies, etc. 
         [0043]    Inlet zone  4  can be provided on its inner side with a plurality of support edges  15 ,  16  for supporting a grate assembly. A possible embodiment of a grate assembly is shown in  FIG. 4 . The grate assembly is formed here from substantially two parts  40 ,  41 , being a substantially rectangular frame  40  and a U-profile  41  fitting therein. The water can flow to the inlet zone between walls  43  of the U-profile and the inner walls of frame  40 . In order to arrange the grate assembly in inlet zone  4  a number of supports  44  are typically provided which are intended to support on a support edge  15 ,  16  of the drain body. These supports  44  are for instance formed in order to receive and position frame  40  and U-profile  41 . Additional support blocks  45  can further be added. Such additional support blocks allow the height of the grate assembly to be adjusted to the thickness of tiles  50 . This can be seen in detail in  FIG. 5 . 
         [0044]      FIG. 5  further illustrates how the drain assembly of  FIG. 1  is built into a tile floor, wherein tiles  50  extend to a position against frame  42  of grate assembly  40 . Sealing mat  8  is here arranged over flange  6  to which a sealing layer  3  has been adhered beforehand (i.e. prior to being built into the floor). In this way a watertight connection can be guaranteed without a tiler having to perform complicated operations. 
         [0045]      FIGS. 6A-D  illustrate an embodiment of the method according to the invention. In a first step ( FIG. 6A ) the drain body is positioned on the floor. An auxiliary part  60  (for instance of expanded polystyrene) is typically arranged here in the inlet zone. After the drain assembly has been built in, this auxiliary part will be removed and grate assembly  40 ,  41 ,  44  will be placed. In a second step ( FIG. 6B ) a floor material such as concrete is arranged around the drain body. Sealing mat  8  is then arranged over the drain body, after which the rest of the floor and/or wall(s) can be finished in the usual manner using additional sealing mats ( FIG. 6D ). The tiles can now be placed, these tiles extending as shown in  FIG. 5  to a position beyond the outer periphery of inlet zone  4  of the drain assembly. 
         [0046]      FIGS. 7 and 8  illustrate a second and third embodiment of the drain assembly according to the invention. The difference with the first embodiment lies in the provision of a second upright edge  117  close to the periphery  105  of inlet zone  104 , wherein a sealing layer  103  extends from this second upright edge  117  in the direction of the outer periphery of peripheral flange  106 . In the variant of  FIG. 7  the upright edge  111  is located along the outer periphery of flange  106 , while in the variant of  FIG. 8  it is displaced further inward. Sealing layer  103  and sealing mat  108  further do not overlap fully but only over an outer peripheral zone of sealing layer  103 , this applying to both the second and third variant. 
         [0047]    The skilled person will appreciate that many modifications to the above described exemplary embodiments are possible without departing from the scope of the invention, this scope being defined solely by the following claims.