Patent Publication Number: US-2012030871-A1

Title: Water stopper

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims the benefit of the priority date of provisional application 611/58670 filed on Mar. 9, 2009. 
    
    
     FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH 
     Not Applicable 
     SEQUENCE LISTING OR PROGRAM 
     Not Applicable 
     STATEMENT REGARDING COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL 
     Portions of the disclosure of this patent document contain material that is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office file or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever. 
     BACKGROUND 
     The present invention generally relates to waterproofing articles, and particularly, to articles that waterproof shower basins and bathtubs. 
     Waterproofing shower basins and bathtubs during construction are commonly known in the art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,401,418 to Senn discloses a method of installing flooring in a bathroom utilizing a coving cap attached to a bathtub wall or shower enclosure to form a waterproof and flexible seal. The edge of the flooring material is inserted into an inverted “J” shaped coving cap, which traps the edge of the flooring, but allows it to move up and down slightly. The corners of the flooring are mitered and sealed to form a waterproof corner, and the entire floor becomes a waterproof basin. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,123,129 to Lyons discloses a shower stall and bathtub enclosure having door assemblies which use a hinged multipanel door design, with special waterproof hinges and seams, adjustable wall panels retained by waterproof mounting sheaths, and door panel deflector sections with corresponding deflector shields to deflect water which collects on the inner surfaces of the door panels, and a door closure system which firmly secures the doors when the door assembly is closed. 
     While both Senn and Lyons seek to prevent damages caused by water flowing over a bathtub or shower enclosure, they approach the problem from a conventional perspective. Unlike Senn, the present invention is not concerned with forming a flexible seal where the floor meets a bathroom such as a bathtub or shower enclosure to prevent water from seeping into the edges of the flooring; and unlike Lyons, the present invention does not involve the use of door assemblies to deflect water that may escape a shower room or bathtub. Instead, the present invention prevents water from escaping a bathtub or shower assembly by focusing on the outside corners of a bathtub or shower enclosure where water is more likely to escape through the sides of a shower curtain or shower door. 
     It is therefore an object of the present invention to address the problem of structural damage caused by water seeping off or wicking up from a bathtub flange or shower pan, by an article comprising an elbow having an inner rib projection and an outer adhesive backing. 
     SUMMARY 
     The present invention comprises an article for stopping water leakage. In the preferred embodiment of the article, a rectangular elbow comprising a vertical member and horizontal member are adjoined at a right angle at one end of the vertical member and one end of the horizontal member. 
     A rib projecting from the longitudinal center line of the vertical member and horizontal member, in continuous contact with the vertical and horizontal members along the entire length of the rib, is utilized as a dam to inhibit the flow of water off a bathtub flange or shower pan. 
     A waterproof adhesive backing disposed on the surface of the horizontal member and vertical member opposite the surface on which the rib is disposed, is utilized to fix the article on the center line of where a shower door would be installed. The waterproof adhesive further comprises a protective film disposed opposite the adhesive surface attached to the horizontal member and vertical member, wherein the protective film is detached prior to installation. 
     A bore disposed centrally between the upper most edge of the vertical member and the rib is utilized to secure the article on a bathtub flange or shower pan. In the preferred embodiment, a screw is utilized to secure the article to the wall structure of a bathtub or shower pan. A predetermined break line disposed latitudinal on the outer edge of the lower portion of the rib and horizontal member comprises a means of breaking off the excess material once the article is installed. 
     The method of installing the article of the preferred embodiment, comprises the steps of; firstly, marking the center line of where a shower door will install; secondly, removing the protective film from the surface of the adhesive backing to install the article on the markings that show the center of the shower door; thirdly, installing the article by using a screw to secure the article to the wall structure, of which a shim may be inserted between the wall structure and the article to level the article horizontally and vertically; fourthly, caulking all seams or crevices about the perimeter of the article liberally to ensuring that the article is additionally protected; fifthly, removing the protective backing of a substantially rectangular single piece of waterproofing adhesive patch to attach it on the vertical member of the article and wall structure; sixthly, caulking all seams or crevices about the perimeter of the adhesive patch and entire length of rib projecting from the vertical member to provide additional protection again water leakage. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES 
         FIG. 1   a  is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment to the waterproofing article. 
         FIG. 1   b  is a perspective view of another preferred embodiment of the waterproofing article. 
         FIG. 2   a  is a perspective view of a shower pan showing two waterproofing articles installed. 
         FIG. 2   b  is a broken perspective view of a shower pan showing the waterproofing article installed. 
         FIG. 3   a  is a perspective view of a bathtub showing two waterproofing articles installed. 
         FIG. 3   b  is a cutaway view of the bathtub showing the waterproofing article installed. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1   a  and  1   b , an article for stopping water leakage is shown and described. In the preferred embodiment of the article  100 , a rectangular elbow comprising a vertical member  10  and horizontal member  20  are adjoined at a right angle  12  at one end of the vertical member  10  and one end of the horizontal member  20 . 
     Still referring to  FIGS. 1   a  and  1   b  of the article  100 , a rib  14  projecting from the longitudinal center line  24  of the vertical member  10  and horizontal member  20 , in continuous perpendicular contact  16  with the vertical  10  and horizontal  20  members along the entire length of the rib  14 , is utilized as a dam to inhibit the flow of water off a bathtub flange or shower pan (shown in subsequent figures). 
     Referring to  FIG. 1   a  of the preferred embodiment, the elevation of the rib  14  from the surfaces of the horizontal  20  and vertical  10  members changes, causing the rib  14  to slope from the first extreme end  10   a  of the vertical member  10  to the second extreme end  20   a  of the horizontal member  20 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 1   b  showing another preferred embodiment, the rib  14  is projected perpendicularly from the surfaces of the horizontal  20  and vertical  10  members, causing the rib  14  to extend parallel to both surfaces to form a right angle elbow. 
     Referring now to both  FIGS. 1   a  and  1   b  of the article  100 , a waterproof adhesive backing  18  disposed on the surface of the horizontal member  10  and vertical member  20  opposite the surface on which the rib  14  is disposed, is utilized to fix the article  100  on the center line of where a shower door would be installed. The waterproof adhesive backing  18  further comprises a protective film  19  disposed opposite the adhesive surface attached to the horizontal member  10  and vertical member  20 , wherein the protective film  19  is detached prior to installation. 
     Still referring to  FIGS. 1   a  and  1   b , a bore  22  disposed on the latitudinal center line  24  of the vertical member  10  between the upper most edge  10   b  of the vertical member  10  and the rib  14  is utilized to secure the article  100  on a bathtub flange or shower pan. In the preferred embodiment, a screw (not shown) is utilized to secure the article  100  to the wall structure of a bathtub or shower pan. 
     In the preferred embodiment of the article  100  shown in  FIGS. 1   a  and  1   b , a predetermined break line  21  disposed latitudinal on the surfaces of the rib  14  and horizontal member  10  comprises a means of breaking off any excess length of the article  100  after installation. 
     Now referring to  FIGS. 2   a  and  2   b , a shower pan  200  is shown comprising two articles  100  installed on a threshold  42 , wherein the article  100  is disposed on the center line  24  of where a shower door would be installed and is anchored to the wall structure  26  of the shower pan  200 . 
     Now referring to  FIGS. 3   a  and  3   b  of the article  100 , a bathtub  300  is shown comprising two articles  100  installed on the bathtub flange  52 , wherein the article  100  is disposed on the center line  24  of where a shower door would be installed and is anchored to the wall structure  26  of the bathtub  300 . 
     The method of installing the preferred embodiment of the article  100 , comprises the steps of; firstly, marking the center line of where a shower door will install; secondly, removing the protective film from the surface of the adhesive backing to install the article on the markings made in the previous step; thirdly, installing the article by using a screw through the bore in the vertical member to secure the article to the wall structure, of which a shim or similar tools may be inserted between the wall structure and the article to level the article horizontally and vertically; fourthly, caulking all seams or crevices about the perimeter of the article liberally to ensuring that the article is waterproof; fifthly, removing the protective backing of a substantially rectangular single piece of waterproofing adhesive patch to attach it on the vertical member of the article and wall structure; sixthly, caulking all seams or crevices about the perimeter of the adhesive patch and entire length of rib projecting from the vertical member to provide additional protection again water leakage. 
     All features disclosed in this specification, including any accompanying claims, abstract, and drawings, may be replaced by alternative features serving the same, equivalent or similar purpose, unless expressly stated otherwise. Thus, unless expressly stated otherwise, each feature disclosed is one example only of a generic series of equivalent or similar features. 
     Any element in a claim that does not explicitly state “means for” performing a specified function, or “step for” performing a specific function, is not to be interpreted as a “means” or “step” clause as specified in 35 U.S.C. §112, paragraph 6. In particular, the use of “step of” in the claims herein is not intended to invoke the provisions of 35 U.S.C. §112, paragraph 6. 
     Although preferred embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, various modifications and substitutions may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, it is to be understood that the present invention has been described by way of illustration and not limitation.