Patent Publication Number: US-7900294-B2

Title: Shower tray access ramp

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a shower tray access ramp, a shower tray having such a ramp attached thereto, and a method of installing such a ramp. 
     Raised shower trays are well known, and are located either directly on the floor of a shower area or are slightly recessed into the floor. In any event, the raised showering surface presented by the tray creates a step for the user to negotiate when transferring into and out of the shower tray. 
     This step produces problems for the elderly, infirm and disabled, especially wheelchair bound users. Consequently, a ramp up to the shower tray is often employed. 
     Various national and international standards exist which specify a maximum gradient of such a ramp, and these standards often result in a ramp with a slight or low gradient, thus making the overall length of the ramp large. It is not uncommon to have ramps of 200 mm (8 inches) or more. This in itself creates problems when installing in areas with limited space, since interference with door movement and other, typically ceramic furniture, such as toilets and basin pedestals, can occur. 
     The present invention seeks to provide solutions to these problems. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a shower tray access ramp comprising a ramp part and a transition part selectively attachable to the ramp part, the ramp part having a first edge connectable to a shower tray, a second edge which is opposite the first edge and which is engagable with the transition part, and a ramp portion intermediate the first and second edges, the second edge including a flange which is spaced from an upper ramp surface of the ramp portion and which is fastenable to a ramp supporting surface; and the transition part having a first transition edge which is seatable on the flange of the ramp part, a second transition edge which is opposite the first transition edge and which tapers to or substantially to a point to provide a transition from the ramp supporting surface onto the access ramp, and a transition ramp portion intermediate the first and second transition edges. 
     According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a raised shower tray having a shower tray access ramp in accordance with the first aspect of the invention attached thereto. 
     According to a third aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of installing a shower tray access ramp for a raised shower tray, the method comprising the steps of: a) determining whether the shower tray access ramp is to be provided on or to abut against a finishing floor covering material; b) connecting a first edge of a ramp part of the shower tray access ramp to the shower tray via attachment means, and fastening a flange of the second edge which is opposite the first edge to a ramp supporting surface adjacent to the shower tray, a ramp portion of the ramp part extending from the second edge up to the first edge; and c) only if the shower tray access ramp is being provided on a finishing floor covering material, then engaging a first transition edge of a transition part with the flange of the ramp part, whereby a second transition edge opposite the first transition edge tapers to or substantially to a point to provide a smooth transition from the finishing floor covering material onto the access ramp. 
     According to a fourth aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of installing a shower tray access ramp for a raised shower tray, the method comprising the steps of: a) determining whether the shower tray access ramp is to be provided on or to abut against a finishing floor covering material; b) connecting a ramp part of the shower tray access ramp to the shower tray, and engaging the ramp part to a ramp supporting surface adjacent to the shower tray; and c) only if the shower tray access ramp is being provided on a finishing floor covering material, then engaging a transition part with the ramp part, whereby the transition part provides a substantially smooth transition from the finishing floor covering material onto the access ramp. 
     The present invention will now be more particularly described, by way of non-limiting example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective exploded view of one embodiment of a multi-part shower tray access ramp, in accordance with the first aspect of the invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional side view of the access ramp once installed on a raised shower tray and directly supported on a finished floor surface; 
         FIG. 3  is an enlarged view of part of the access ramp shown in  FIG. 2 , showing the attachment to the shower tray; 
         FIG. 4  is an enlarged view of another part of the access ramp shown in  FIG. 2 , showing a transition part of the ramp attached to a main ramp part; 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the access ramp installed on two sides of the shower tray and around one corner; 
         FIG. 6  is a plan view showing the access ramp adapted to extend around a corner of the shower tray; 
         FIG. 7  is a cross-sectional side view of the access ramp once installed on a raised shower tray and directly supported on an unfinished floor surface, a finishing surface being shown applied thereafter; 
         FIG. 8  is an enlarged view of part of the access ramp shown in  FIG. 7 , showing a the main ramp part with the finishing surface abutting; and 
         FIG. 9  is a perspective view of the access ramp installed on two sides of the shower tray and around one corner, showing part of the finishing surface abutting the main ramp part. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring firstly to  FIGS. 1 to 6  of the drawings, there is shown a shower tray access ramp  10 , typically formed from extruded plastics, moulded plastics, or extruded and painted metallic materials, and which comprises a main ramp part  12  and a secondary transition part  14  which is selectively attachable to the main ramp part  12 . 
     The main ramp part  12  includes first and second edges  16 ,  18  which are opposite and, preferably, parallel to each other. However, the second edge  18  may be shaped to fit around floor standing ceramic furniture. The first edge  16  is connectable to a shower tray  20 , and the second edge  18  is engagable with the transition part  14 . A ramp portion  22  having an upper ramp surface  24  of suitable gradient to meet national and international standards extends between the first and second edges  16 ,  18 . Elongate ridges  26  are provided thereon to aid grip for a user. Reinforcing ribs  28  extend along the longitudinal extent of the ramp part  12  below the upper ramp surface  24  to support the ramp part  12  on the ramp supporting surface  30  or floor. 
     To enable connection with the shower tray  20 , the first edge  16  of the ramp part  12  includes a protruding lip  32  which extends along the longitudinal extent of the ramp part  12 . In this case, the lip  32  depends in a curved manner and may be slightly flexible. The lip  32  is complementarily shaped to match a perimeter edge  34  of the shower tray  20  having a recess  36 , which may be a trough, channel, slot or shoulder, therein. A clamping bar  38  and capping strip  40  are also provided. The clamping bar  38  clamps the lip  32  of the ramp part  12  into the edge recess  36 . The clamping bar  38  is preferably fastened directly to a surface of the edge recess  36  without perforation of the lip  32  or providing a leak path through the shower tray  20 . Fastening can occur either with screw-threaded fasteners (not shown) and/or adhesive. The capping strip  40  is then applied, typically as a push- or snap-fit, in order to cover the edge recess  36  and to provide a substantially flush finish. 
     To enable connection with the secondary transition part  14 , the second edge  18  of the main ramp part  12  includes a flange  42  which, preferably, extends along the longitudinal extent of the ramp part  12 . As best seen in  FIG. 4 , the flange  42  extends laterally from a lowermost edge of the reinforcing rib  28  closest to the end of the upper ramp surface  24 . The flange  42  is thus spaced from the upper ramp surface  24 , and the upper ramp surface  24  projects and overlaps the flange  42 . 
     An elongate recess  44  or channel which extends the longitudinal extent of the ramp part  12  is thus defined in the second edge  18  by the reinforcing rib  28 , the flange  42  and the projecting upper ramp surface  24 . 
     The transition part  14  includes a first transition edge  46 , a second transition edge  48  which is opposite and, preferably, parallel to the first transition edge  46 , and a transition ramp portion  50  which extends between the first and second transition edges  46 ,  48 . 
     The first transition edge  46  includes a transition flange  52  which is spaced from an upper transition ramp surface  54  of the transition ramp portion  50 . The transition flange  52  is formed at the free distal end of a further reinforcing rib  56  so as to project away from the second transition edge  48 . The transition flange  52  includes a step  58  partway between its two longitudinal edges, and an upstanding wall  60  provided at its free distal end. The transition flange  52  thus lies directly on the ramp supporting surface  30  or floor, seats on the flange  42  of the ramp part  12  by the provision of the step  58 , and the upstanding wall  60  abuts an edge of the upper ramp surface  24  of the ramp part  12 . In this condition, the upstanding wall  60  projects above or beyond the upper ramp surface  24  so as to provide a further ridge  62  for gripping. 
     A further elongate recess  64  or channel which extends the longitudinal extent of the transition part  14  is thus defined at the first transition edge  46  of the transition part  14  by the reinforcing rib  56 , the transition flange  52  and the upstanding wall  60 . Due to the transition flange  52  being supported directly by the floor surface  30  therebeneath, fastening can occur either with one or more screw-threaded fasteners  66  and/or adhesive. Furthermore, this fastening consequently results in clamping engagement of the flange  42  of the ramp part  12  between the floor surface  30  and the underside of the overlapping transition flange  52 . As such, separate fastening of the flange  42  of the ramp part  12  can be dispensed with, if necessary. 
     This further recess  64  includes two inwardly projecting shoulders which extend in parallel with each other at or adjacent to an upper opening of the recess  36 . The shoulders  68  are adapted to support and engage a push- or snap-fit capping strip  70  which covers the recess  64 . The capping strip  70  is coplanar with the upper transition ramp surface  54 . 
     The second transition edge  48  tapers to or substantially to a point to provide an easy and largely smooth transition from the ramp supporting surface  30  or floor onto the access ramp  10 . 
     Exposed side ends  72  of the ramp part  12  and transition part  14  are closed by, preferably trimable, end caps  74 , shown in  FIG. 1 . The end caps  74  can be fastened to the ramp part  12  and transition part  14  by any suitable means, and for example, can be snap- or push-fit, or bonded. 
     Although the ramp part  12  and transition part  14  have typically rectilinear longitudinal extents, there will be cases when the access ramp  10  must extend around a corner of the shower tray  20  so that the access ramp  10  can project from two or more sides of the shower tray  20 . 
     In this case, as best seen in  FIGS. 5 and 6  the first and second edges  16 ,  18  of the ramp part  12  and the first and second transition edges  46 ,  48  of the transition part  14  are smoothly curved, instead of straight as described above. 
     The continuous flange  42  of the ramp part  12  is replaced with a plurality of spaced flanges, for example, tabs  76 . These tabs  76  can be independently fastened to the ramp supporting surface  30  using, for example, screw-threaded fasteners or adhesive. 
     The transition flange  52  on the transition part  14  is also dispensed with. 
     A plurality of spaced end connectors  78  are provided in castellated fashion along each side end  72  of the corner ramp part  12  and the corner transition part  14 . The end connectors  78  are sufficiently spaced to receive as a close or tight fit the reinforcing ribs  28  and  56  of respective adjacent ramp and transition parts  12 ,  14 . 
     The transition part  14  described in the above case is typically only utilised when the ramp supporting surface  30  is a finished floor. The term ‘finished’ means that a final floor covering material has been laid, and by way of example, this can be a flexible plastics impermeable waterproof floor covering, such as Altro®, or an inflexible or rigid floor covering, such as tiles or wood. 
     However, by raising the height of the finished floor surface relative to the installed shower tray  20 , the transition part  14  can be dispensed with, thus effectively reducing the ramp distance without altering the gradient. It will thus be understood that the above-described transition part  14  has a typical maximum height equivalent to the depth of a finishing surface or layer. 
     With reference to  FIGS. 7 to 9 , a decision is therefore made that the main ramp part  12  is to be provided on an unfinished floor  80  and thus the transition part  14  is to be dispensed with. The main ramp part  12  is as described above, and therefore like references are used and further detailed description is omitted. 
     The first edge  16  of the main ramp part  12  is attached to the edge recess  36  of the shower tray  20 , as described above. However, the flange  42  of the second edge  18  is preferably directly fixed to the ramp supporting surface  30 / 80  via one or more fasteners and/or adhesive. 
     Straight and curved sections of the main ramp part  12  are installed, as necessity dictates, along one or more sides of the shower tray  20 . 
     Once installed, a finishing surface  82  or layer, in this case tiles, is installed on the unfinished ramp supporting surface  30 / 80 . The finishing surface  82  overlaps the flange  42  of second edge  18  of the ramp part  12  and abuts or substantially abuts the upper ramp surface  24 . As such, a flush or smooth transition from the finished surface  82  to the access ramp  10  is provided. 
     Consequently, it is understood that the spacing between the flange  42  of the ramp part  12  and the upper ramp surface  24  is equal or substantially equal to a depth of the finishing surface  82 . 
     The finishing surface can extend fully into the recess or channel defined in the second edge of the ramp part, or the finishing surface can extend up to the edge of the upper ramp surface, thus overlapping the flange but extending into the recess. 
     It is entirely feasible that the direct fastening of the flange of the ramp part to the unfinished ramp supporting surface is dispensed with, in favour of sole reliance on the overlapping of the finishing surface to hold the flange in place. 
     Although the recesses in the second edge of the ramp part and the first edge of the transition part can be channels, they can take other forms, such as short openings. For example, instead of a single continuous flange, a plurality of spaced flanges, such as tabs, can be utilised. In this case, the capping strip for the further recess of the transition part has a complementary dimension. 
     Other means for connecting the first edge of the ramp part to the shower tray can be employed, instead of clamping. For example, bonding or screwing. 
     Although it is preferable that the access ramp is attached in overlapping fashion to an upper surface of the shower tray, in order to reduce possible leak paths therebetween, it is feasible that the first edge of the ramp part can be attached or connected, either directly or indirectly, for example via the use of sealant or adhesive, to a side of the shower tray. 
     Although a clamp device is suggested above, other attachment means for attaching the first edge of the ramp part to the upper surface of the shower tray can be utilised, such as bonding or screw-threaded fasteners. 
     It is also feasible that the lip could extend across and round a raised edge of the shower tray and attached to an inner surface of the shower tray. 
     It is thus possible to provide a shower tray access ramp which is multi-part or modular in nature, and which in certain installations can provide a reduced protruding extent from the shower tray without altering a ramp gradient. It is also possible to provide a dual use shower tray access ramp which permits installation onto both finished and unfinished floor surfaces whilst maintaining a smooth transition from the finishing surface onto the access ramp. 
     The embodiments described above are given by way of examples only, and various other modifications will be apparent to persons skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention, as defined by the appended claims.