OVERFLOW PIECE FOR BATHTUB

Abstract: An overflow piece (10) can be used with a bathtub (23) to provide for removal of the waste water from the overflow drain (26) and bottom drain (24) of the bathtub. The overflow piece allows for an easy connection of the bathtub to the waste water system. The overflow piece can be used with a variety of bathtub designs. The overflow piece allows for the use of customized, elongated overflow drains. The overflow piece may also be made of two elements to allow connection to bathtubs having different angles between their bottom and front side portions.

Description: OVERFLOW PIECE FOR BATHTUB Background of the Invention This invention relates to overflow designs for bathtubs. Bathtubs typically have overflow drains which prevent the bathtub from being filled beyond a certain level. These overflow drains prevent the overflow of water from the bathtub and its resulting damage. Currently, a multiple-piece bath and overflow unit is connected to the overflow and bottom drain of a bathtub. This multiple-piece bath and overflow unit comprises connectors for the overflow and the bottom drain, pipes attached to both of these connectors, and an additional connector to attach the two pipes together. A rubber gasket is used with the connector for the overflow drain to form a seal at the back of the bathtub. A screw secures the rubber gasket to the back of the bathtub. This type of multiple-piece bath and overflow unit is relatively difficult to install. Additionally, the rubber gasket seal may become loose such that water flowing through the overflow drain will leak and subsequently cause damage. In particular, children may loosen the overflow drain by playing with the overflow lever. Additionally, this type of multiple-piece bath and overflow unit is usually connected to the bathtub at a later time in the construction process than the instal¬ lation of the water pipes. Typically, the water pipes are placed in the house at "rough-in." After the pipes are put in place, they are tested for leaks before the multiple-piece bath and overflow unit is connected to the bathtub. The multiple-piece bath and overflow unit is typically connected to the bathtub at "finish." It is desired to have an overflow design for the bathtub that avoids some of the disadvantages of the prior art systems. Summary of the Invention The present invention comprises an overflow piece which can be attached to the bathtub to handle water waste from the overflow and bottom drains of the bathtub. The overflow piece has a side section for connection around the overflow drain, and a bottom section for connection around the bottom drain. The overflow piece includes a flange portion which provides a surface for the connection of the bathtub piece to the bathtub. When the bathtub piece is connected to the bathtub, an overflow section of the bathtub is formed which directs the water from the overflow and bottom drain to a pipe connection section. The overflow piece would typically be attached to the bathtub by the manufacturer. The overflow piece allows the manufacturer to form a variety of types of overflow drains rather than requiring the use of a standard drain. The new overflow drain designs can be aesthetically pleasing and thus a selling point for the bathtub manufacturer. An advantage of the overflow piece for the plumber is that the bathtub is now easier to install. A single pipe can now connect the bathtub to the waste water system. A significant amount of installation time will be saved. Additionally, bathtubs that use the overflow piece will be good for the do-it-yourself market, since the attachment of the pipe to the overflow piece is relatively simple. Furthermore, the pipe can be attached to the bathtub during the "rough-in" portion of the plumbing construction. This means that the pipe testing can include a test of the connection of the bathtub to the waste water system. The overflow piece of the present invention can be attached to standard bathtub forms. There is no need to change the bathtub molds for use with the overflow piece. A single overflow piece design can be used for a variety of bathtub designs. This is an advantage, since the molds used in injection molding the overflow piece can be quite expensive. Having the bottom and the side piece of the overflow piece relatively flat aids in the use of the overflow piece with different types of bathtubs. In one embodi¬ ment, the bottom and the side pieces are attached by a flexible joint section. This flexible joint section allows the angle between the bottom and the side pieces to be modified within a certain range. This allows the overflow piece to be used with different bathtubs designs having a variety of angles between the bathtub's bottom and front sides. Additionally, the flange sections may be flexible to aid in the connection of the overflow piece to different bathtub designs. In one embodiment, the part of the side piece which is to be placed behind the overflow drain is formed broader than the bottom section of the overflow piece. This allows for larger sized overflow drains to be used. In one embodiment, the overflow drain of the bathtub is formed after the drain piece is attached to the tub. This allows the manufacturer to produce and store a number of bathtubs, and then later form the overflow drain to the customer's requirements. The overflow piece can also be used with dedicated showers. The ease in producing the overflow drain pieces allows for an easily formed overflow drain for use with dedicated showers. The overflow drain will prevent the shower from overflowing if the bottom drain gets clogged. Brief Description of the Drawings The above and other features and aspects of the present invention will become more apparent upon reading the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Figure 1 is a perspective view of an overflow piece. Figure 2 is a top view of a bathtub for use with the overflow piece. Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of the bathtub of Figure 2 and the overflow piece. Figure 4 is a perspective view of a two-piece overflow unit of the present invention. Figure 5 is a perspective view of a top mold used in a two-piece embodiment of the present invention. Figure 6 is a perspective view of a bottom mold used in a two-piece embodiment of the present invention. Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view of an overflow drain piece for use with a dedicated shower. Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiment Figure 1 is a perspective view of the overflow piece 10. The overflow piece includes a side portion 12 and a bottom portion 14. The side portion 12 is placed behind the location for the overflow drain on the bathtub. In the preferred embodiment, the side portion 12 includes an elongated portion 12a which is positioned behind the location of the overflow drain. This elongated portion 12a is broader than the bottom portion 14 and the rest of the side portion 12. Since portion 12a is elongated, this allows for use of a broad overflow drain. Additionally, the use of the elongated portion 12a allows for some leeway in the positioning of the side portion behind the overflow drain on the bathtub. The bottom section 14 is positioned so that it is beneath the bottom drain of the bathtub. The side portion 12 and bottom portion 14 are linked by joint section 16. This joint section 16 may be flexible so that a single overflow piece can be used with multiple bathtub designs. In one embodiment, the side section 12 and bottom section 14 form a roughly flat plain to aid in connection of the overflow piece to typical bathtub designs. The overflow piece 10 also includes a flange section 20 which surrounds the overflow piece 10. The flange section 20 is used to provide a good connection to the bathtub. Use of the flange section allows the bathtub piece 10 to be attached to the bathtub with adhesives or with fiberglass and resin. Since the flange piece 20 will be approximately parallel to the back surface of the bathtub when attached, the flange section 20 will provide a good contact for the overflow piece 10 to the bathtub. In one embodiment, the flange section 20 can be flexible to aid in the connection of the overflow piece 10 to different bathtub designs. If the flange section 20 is flexible, the flange section 20 can be curled upwards until it contacts the back of the bathtub. The overflow piece 10 may be formed by injection molding. The bathtub piece 10 is preferably constructed of Aerylononitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS) plastic. Rubber may be added to the ABS plastic to make the material more flexible. Alternately, the bathtub piece 10 can also be made of other plastics, plexiglass or plexis. In one embodiment, the flange 20 is one inch wide. The elongated portion 12a is two inches high and six inches wide. Other areas of the side portion 12 and of the bottom portion 14 are four inches wide. The bottom portion 14 and side portion 12 are one inch deep. The bottom portion 14 also includes a pipe connection portion 22 which is used for connection of the overflow piece to the pipes of the waste water system. Figure 2 is a top view of bathtub 23. Shown are a bottom drain 24 and an overflow drain 26. Note that with the present invention, the overflow drain 26 can be formed in the designs 26a or 26b. The overflow designs 26a and 26b are wider than the typical overflow drain designs and can be formed with gold or chrome trim. These new designs are aesthetically pleasing and can add to the value of the bathtub. Alternately, a standard cover 26c with a hidden drain can be used. Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of the bathtub 23' and overflow drain portion 10'. In a preferred embodiment, the pipe connection portion 22' can allow connection with two-inch pipes externally and one-and-one- half inch pipes internally. The one-and-one-half inch pipes are standard pipe connections and the two-inch pipes are a newer pipe standard used with more expensive houses. Additionally, the bottom drain 24 can include a pop-up drain 30. with the present invention, since the toggle switch is not available with the overflow drain 26', the bathtubs will typically use a pop-up drain 30. Note that the elongated portion 12a' is behind the overflow drain 26' . Figure 4 is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment of the present invention in which two parts are combined to form an overflow piece. Bottom part 50 is shaped like the bottom portion of the overflow embodiment discussed above, with a flange portion 54 and drain portion 56. The side part 52 connects onto the bottom part 50 and can be glued together to form a single leak- proof unit. The single leak-proof unit can be used like the other embodiment discussed above. The material used to form the side and bottom parts may be of the type that melts under the chemical action of the glue to form a strong leak-proof bond. Advantages of forming a two-part unit include lower mold and packaging costs. Figures 5 and 6 are perspective views of molds used to make the two-piece embodiment of Figure . Figure 5 shows a mold 100 for a top portion of a two-piece spillway. The mold can be cut in half at a point such as point 102 and extensions added to produce different length top pieces for use with different bathtub designs. Figure 6 shows a mold 104 for the bottom portion of the spillway. Additional elements can be added at point 106 in order to produce a bottom portion having different radii of curvatures and different angles for different bathtub designs. Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view of an overflow drain piece for use with a dedicated shower 40. The overflow piece 42 is positioned so that waste water that goes through the bottom drain 46 and the overflow drain 44 will go into the overflow piece 42. Dedicated showers typically do not have overflow drains such as overflow drain 44. Since the unit 42 is easy to produce, the overflow drain can be formed onto the shower. This has the advantage that if the bottom drain 46 is clogged, the waste water will go through the overflow drain 44. Various details of the implementation and method are merely illustrative of the invention. It will be understood that various changes in such details may be within the scope of the invention, which is to be limited only by the appended claims.

Claims: WHAT IS CLAIMED IS: 1. An overflow piece for a bathtub comprising: a side portion that is adapted to fit around an overflow drain of the bathtub; a bottom portion adapted to fit around a bottom drain of the bathtub, the bottom portion including a pipe connection portion; a joint portion connecting the bottom portion with the side portion, the joint portion arranging the bottom portion and the side portion at an angle with respect to one another; and a flange section around the edge of the side portion and the bottom portion, the flange section providing a surface that allows for connection of the overflow piece to the bathtub such that when connected to the bathtub, the overflow piece will direct water from the overflow drain and bottom drain to the pipe connection portion, wherein the side portion, the bottom portion, and the joint portion define an open space in the area between where the side portion, the bottom portion, and the joint portion are connected to the flange section, wherein the flange section is attached to the side portion to define a first substantially flat plane and the flange section is attached to the bottom portion to define a second substantially flat plane. 2. The overflow piece of claim 1, wherein the overflow piece is made of plastic. 3. The overflow piece of claim 1, wherein the overflow piece is an integrally-formed single piece. 4. The overflow piece of claim 1, wherein the overflow piece comprises two parts which are connected together with a glue in the joint area, the angle between the parts being adjustable before the glue is added so that the overflow piece can be connected to a bathtub having a specific shape. 5. The overflow piece of claim 4, wherein the two parts are formed of a type of plastic that melts under the influence of the glue. 6. The overflow piece of claim 1, wherein the flange section is shaped such that the overflow piece is attached to a bathtub with fiberglass and resin. 7. The overflow piece of claim 1, wherein the flange section is flexible. 8. An overflow piece for a bathtub comprising: a bottom portion adapted to fit around a bottom drain of the bathtub, the bottom portion including a pipe connection portion; a side portion that is adapted to fit around an overflow drain of the bathtub, the side portion containing an elongated section that is wider than the bottom portion to allow for overflow pieces used with a variety of bathtub overflow drains; a joint portion connecting the bottom portion with the side portion; and a flange section around the edge of the side portion and the bottom portion, the flange section providing a surface that allows for connection of the overflow piece to the bathtub such that when connected to the bathtub, the overflow piece will direct water from the overflow drain and bottom drain to the pipe connection portion, wherein the side portion, the bottom portion, and the joint portion define an open space in the area between where the side portion, the bottom portion, and the joint portion are connected to the flange section. 9. The overflow piece of claim 8, wherein the overflow piece is made of plastic. 10. The overflow piece of claim 8, wherein the overflow piece is an integrally-formed single piece. 11. The overflow piece of claim 8, wherein the overflow piece comprises two parts which are connected together with a glue in the joint area, the angle between the parts being adjustable before the glue is added so that the overflow piece can be connected to a bathtub having a specific shape. 12. The overflow piece of claim 11, wherein the two parts are formed of a type of plastic that melts under the influence of the glue. 13. The overflow piece of claim 8, wherein the flange section is shaped such that the overflow piece is attached to a bathtub with fiberglass and resin. 14. The overflow piece of claim 8, wherein the flange section is flexible. 15. A method comprising the steps of: providing an overflow piece, said overflow section including a flange section for attachment to a bathtub; attaching the overflow section to a bathtub so that the bottom drain of the bathtub is enclosed by the overflow piece; and thereafter, forming an overflow drain in the bathtub such that the overflow drain is enclosed by the overflow piece. 16. The method of claim 15, wherein the providing step comprises connecting two parts which are connected together with a glue in a joint area. 17. The method of claim 16, wherein the providing step comprises adjusting the angle between the parts before the glue is added so that the overflow piece can be connected to a bathtub having a specific shape. 18. The method of claim 16, wherein the connecting step is such that sections of the two parts melt under the influence of the glue. 19. The method of claim 15, wherein the attaching step includes attaching the overflow piece to the bathtub with fiberglass and resin. 20. The method of claim 15, wherein the flange section is flexible, and wherein the attaching step includes bending up portions of the flange section. 21. The method of claim 15, wherein the portion of the overflow section that encloses the overflow drain is broader than other sections of the overflow piece so that in the overflow drain forming step there is leeway in the positioning and size of the overflow drain. 22. The method of claim 15, wherein the overflow drain forming step includes forming a pattern of slits into the bathtub. 23. An overflow piece for a shower comprising: a side portion that is adapted to fit around an overflow drain of the shower, the overflow drain to be positioned above the floor of the shower on the shower wall; a bottom portion adapted to fit around a bottom drain of the shower, the bottom portion including a pipe connection portion; a joint portion connecting the bottom portion with the side portion, the joint portion arranging the bottom portion and the side portion at an angle with respect to one another; and a flange section around the edge of the side portion and the bottom portion, the flange section providing a surface that allows for connection of the overflow piece to the back of the shower floor and wall such that when connected, the overflow piece will direct water from the overflow drain and bottom drain to the pipe connection portion, wherein the side portion, the bottom portion, and the joint portion define an open space in the area between where the side portion, the bottom portion, and the joint portion are connected to the flange section, wherein the flange section is attached to the side portion to define a first substantially flat plane and the flange section is attached to the bottom portion to define a second substantially flat plane. 24. The overflow piece of claim 23, wherein said angle is approximately 90° .

Inventors: PADEN KENT, PADEN, KENT
Applicants: PLUMBING INNOVATIONS INC, PLUMBING INNOVATIONS, INC.
Application year: 1996
Main classification: E03C1
IPC codes: A47K3, E03C1