Patent Publication Number: US-2022220719-A1

Title: Combination of a Drain, Such as an Outlet Drain or Shower Drain, and a Seal

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is the United States national phase of International Application No. PCT/NL2020/050311 filed May 14, 2020, and claims priority to The Netherlands Patent Application No. 2023130 filed May 14, 2019, the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Field of the Invention 
     The invention relates to a combination of a drain, such as an outlet drain or shower drain, and a seal. 
     Description of Related Art 
     EP 2669442 for instance describes a collecting tray of a shower drain, wherein the collecting tray has a bottom with an outflow opening and an upright peripheral wall arranged along the periphery of the bottom. A flat plate is mounted against the underside of the bottom of the collecting tray, around the outflow opening. The flat plate protrudes relative to the peripheral wall, so that a flange can be formed to which a watertight, flexible membrane can be adhered. 
     When arranging a drain in a floor, it is necessary to make both the floor and the connecting walls watertight by arranging flexible watertight layers on which a finishing layer, such as a tile layer, can then be arranged. It is difficult to obtain a good seal particularly in a corner of floor and connecting walls lying at right angles to each other, because surfaces converge from three directions. 
     In the case of a collecting tray as according to EP 2669442 it is possible to fold the membrane, which is arranged flat, so that it takes on the shape of such a corner. The drawback of folding is that the membrane must be folded double, whereby variations in thickness are formed which are difficult to incorporate in a finishing layer. 
     Forming a corner piece from individual parts in order to obtain a corner piece without thickened portions will usually result in a construction that is not watertight because it is not possible to form a good seal at the position where the bottom surface and the two side surfaces converge. Providing a mastic layer at the transitions between the individual parts does not provide a reliable seal either. 
     Further known are corner pieces preformed from a flexible watertight layer, for instance under the brand name Schlüter Kerdi Kereck. Such preformed corner pieces can be glued in a corner of an element and walls during construction. Further widths of watertight layers can then be arranged overlapping the corner piece. 
     In order to obtain a reliable seal when processing such a preformed corner piece during construction an adhesive edge of at least 5 centimetres in width is required. Such a wide edge is necessary because dust and fouling on the adhesive surfaces will be difficult to prevent on a building site. 
     In addition, an adhesive edge of at least 5 centimetres is not always available. When a collecting tray of an elongate shower drain is for instance placed against a wall of a bathroom, a connecting flange of about 2 centimetres is all that&#39;s available on the collecting tray. This is because it is desirable to have the inflow opening connect to the wall tiles, which are usually about 2 centimetres thick, including an adhesive layer. 
     It is possible to adhere the corner piece to the element in a production environment, where dust and fouling can be prevented. In such a production environment an adhesive edge of 2 centimetres more than suffices for a reliable adhesion of the corner piece to the element. 
     The drawback of arranging a corner piece or flat membrane on a collecting tray of a drain in a production environment is that collecting trays with such a form must be kept in stock, in addition to the same variant without corner piece or flat membrane. 
     It is also undesirable to arrange a corner piece on a flat plate which extends around the outflow opening of the collecting tray. When the collecting tray is arranged between two corners, corner pieces would have to be arranged on both ends of the flat plate, while, when arranged against a single corner, the plate need only be provided with one corner piece, this also bringing with it the choice between a left-hand and a right-hand variant. 
     Finally, the positioning of a flat plate with opening for the outflow opening of the collecting tray is determined by the outflow opening. It is therefore not possible to make a lot of adjustments and variations. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is now an object of the invention to reduce or even obviate the above stated drawbacks. 
     This object is achieved with a combination of a drain, such as an outlet drain or shower drain, and a seal, wherein the drain has an inflow opening arranged on the upper side, wherein the seal is arranged against the underside of the drain and wherein the seal extends upward from the underside, along and beyond the upper side, at a corner and along the periphery of the drain, such that an upright free strip is formed. 
     With the combination according to the invention the drain can be provided entirely as desired with a seal by arranging the seal against the underside of the drain. Now that almost the whole underside of the drain can be used as fixing surface, there will be sufficient surface area for a reliable seal. An adhesive edge of 5 centimetres or more can thus be provided on the underside in simple manner, while the most minimal possible flange or edge can be provided on the upper side. 
     In an embodiment of the combination according to the invention the seal further comprises:
         a fixing plate against the underside of the drain, which fixing plate has at least two straight edges lying at an acute angle, preferably an angle of 90 degrees, and wherein the fixing plate comprises at least one fastening opening through which a fastening means such as a threaded end and nut can protrude for the purpose of fastening the fixing plate against a bottom of a collecting tray;   a watertight, flexible membrane which is arranged with an edge zone on the fixing plate, wherein the free part of the membrane extends upward from the underside of the drain, along and beyond the upper side of the drain, such that an upright free strip is formed.       

     With the fixing plate the corner piece can be installed easily against the underside of the drain. The watertight, flexible membrane extends upward, whereby it can lie flush and without folds against the walls of a corner in a space, and can seal them. 
     Such a device can moreover be arranged on every corner of the drain, and two devices can for instance be installed when the drain is placed between two corners. 
     In a preferred embodiment of the device according to the invention an upright wall is arranged on the fixing plate, along the two straight edges, wherein a flange is arranged on the upper edge of the upright wall and wherein the flange is parallel to the fixing surface. 
     Such an embodiment is particularly suitable for installation on a drain, which is provided on the upper edge with a peripheral flange. The device will follow the contours of the drain with peripheral flange with its upright wall and flange so that the watertight, flexible membrane will run upward along the peripheral flange of the drain and can thus lie against the walls forming the corner. 
     The edge zone of the watertight, flexible membrane is preferably adhered to the flange. 
     In a further preferred embodiment of the combination according to the invention the watertight, flexible membrane is preformed into an element with two surfaces at right angles to each other and a flange formed at right angles to these surfaces, such that the element has an L-shaped cross-section as seen in the direction at right angles to the intersection of the surfaces. 
     Such a preformed element can be adhered to the fixing plate in reliable manner in a production environment. With the fixing plate a suitable drain can then be provided with a corner piece from watertight, flexible membrane in simple and reliable manner on a building site. 
     In another embodiment of a combination according to the invention a depending wall is arranged on the free edge of the flange, and the edge zone of the watertight, flexible membrane is adhered to the depending wall. 
     In such an embodiment no preformed element is necessary, and a strip of watertight, flexible membrane can be arranged on the depending wall in simple manner, thus forming an upright part of the membrane. 
     By arranging fastening means at suitable positions on the underside of the bottom a plumber can arrange a device according to the invention at the desired positions during installation of the collecting tray. The fastening opening preferably takes a form, for instance elongate, such that the device can be adjusted relative to the collecting tray. 
     In a further embodiment of the combination according to the invention an adhesive layer is arranged between the seal and the underside of the drain. This adhesive layer provides for a reliable sealing between the seal and the drain. Other ways of sealing are also possible, for instance arranging a foam layer between the underside and the seal. 
     In yet another embodiment of a combination according to the invention the watertight, flexible membrane of the seal extends along the upright wall of the drain and to a position beyond the upper edge of the upright wall. 
     In yet another embodiment of the combination according to the invention the seal is a watertight, flexible membrane, such as a tile membrane, which seal comprises at least a fixing surface with at least two straight edges lying at an acute angle, preferably an angle of 90 degrees, and surfaces standing upright along the at least two straight edges. 
     A stepped part can optionally be arranged in the upright surfaces. In this embodiment the sealing membrane can follow the contours of a usual drain, which is provided with a bottom, upright walls and a horizontal flange. 
     In yet another embodiment of the combination according to the invention the drain is a flat plate, which flat plate is provided with an opening which forms the inflow opening on the upper side and forms an outlet opening on the underside of the flat plate. 
     Because the seal is always fixed on the underside, the upper side can remain free and for instance be visible. With a flat plate, over part of which lies a surrounding tile floor, as described in EP 2466023, a reliable seal can thus still be formed during installation. 
     Yet another embodiment of the combination according to the invention further comprises a second watertight, flexible membrane which is arranged on the upper side of the drain, wherein the second watertight, flexible membrane comprises an opening which corresponds with the inflow opening of the drain. 
     In this embodiment an already existing drain, which is provided on the upper side with a sealing membrane, can be combined with the seal according to the invention. When installed against a wall, a suitable part can be removed from the second watertight, flexible membrane and then be arranged, overlapping the seal, against the wall. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       These and other features of the invention are further elucidated with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
         FIG. 1  shows a first embodiment of a combination according to the invention with exploded parts. 
         FIG. 2  shows a second embodiment of a combination according to the invention with exploded parts. 
         FIG. 3  shows a third embodiment of a device according to the invention in perspective view. 
         FIG. 4  shows a cross-sectional view of the embodiment according to  FIG. 1 . 
         FIGS. 5 and 6  show a fourth embodiment of a combination according to the invention. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       FIG. 1  shows a device  1  and a collecting tray  2  according to the invention. Device  1  has a fixing plate  3  with four straight edges  4 . Arranged in the fixing plate  3  is a fastening opening  5  through which a threaded end  6  protrudes in installed state, onto which threaded end a nut  7  is tightened. 
     Threaded end  6  is arranged on the underside  8  of the bottom of collecting tray  2 . An upright wall  9  is provided along the peripheral edge of this bottom  8  and an outflow  10  is provided in bottom  8 . 
     A preformed membrane  11 ,  12  is arranged on fixing plate  3  along two straight edges  4 . This preformed membrane  11 ,  12  is embodied with an edge zone  12 , which is adhered to fixing plate  3 , and an upright part  11 . 
       FIG. 2  shows a second embodiment of a collecting tray  20  and a device  21  according to the invention. Collecting tray  20  has a bottom  22  with a wall  23  standing upright along the periphery and a peripheral flange  24  which is arranged on the upper edge and is parallel to bottom  22 . 
     Arranged on the underside of bottom  22  is a threaded end  25  which protrudes through a fastening opening  26  in a fixing plate  27  of device  21 . A nut  28  is tightened onto threaded end  25  in order to fixedly clamp fixing plate  27  against bottom  23 . 
     Arranged along two edges  29 , lying at right angles, of fixing plate  27  are upright walls  30  on which a horizontal flange  31  is arranged. A preformed membrane  32  with an L-shaped cross-section is adhered to this flange  31 . 
       FIG. 3  shows a third embodiment of a device  40  according to the invention. Device  40  has a fixing plate  41  with a fastening opening  42 . Provided along two straight edges of the fixing plate  41  are depending walls  43  on which a strip of watertight, flexible membrane  44  is arranged. The upper side of this membrane  44  lies clear and can be adhered to a wall of a space. 
       FIG. 4  shows the embodiment 1, 2 according to  FIG. 1  in installed state. An adhesive layer  13 , such as a sealant, is arranged between bottom  8  of collecting tray  2  and fixing plate  3  of device  2 . Fixing plate  3  is clamped firmly against sealant  13  and bottom  8  by means of the nut  7 , whereby a good and reliable fixing of the watertight, flexible membrane  11 ,  12  is obtained. 
       FIG. 5  shows a fourth embodiment  50  of a combination according to the invention. Combination  50  has a drain (partially shown) with a bottom  51 , upright wall  52  along the periphery of bottom  51  and a horizontal peripheral flange  53 . 
     Arranged against the underside of bottom  51  is a seal with a fixing surface  54  with upright surfaces  55  which are arranged along two straight edges and in which a stepped part is arranged. 
     A second flexible, watertight membrane  56  is arranged against the upper side of drain  51 ,  52 ,  53 . Provided in this membrane  56  is an opening  57  which corresponds with the inflow opening surrounded by the upright wall  52  of drain  51 ,  52 ,  53 . 
       FIG. 6  shows the combination  50  installed against two walls  58 . Seal  54 ,  55  is arranged against the underside of bottom  51  of the drain and the second watertight, flexible membrane  56  is fixed to the horizontal flange  53 . 
     A corner  59  has been removed from this second membrane  56  so that the longitudinal edges of membrane  56  can be folded and can be arranged, overlapping the upright surfaces  55 , against walls  58 .