Patent Abstract:
A shower pan installation kit is disclosed comprising a hexahedrial polymeric curb and a tray having one or more graded or concave panels defining a recess for a drain. The inward surface of the curb is recessed inward and upward. This recess, or groove, is for receiving a waterproof membrane overlaid and overlapping the tray for improvement of the waterproof barrier underlaying the shower pan constructed above the kit.

Full Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates to showers, and more particularly relates to prefabricated shower tray and curbs for use in installing a shower pan. 
     Description of the Related Art 
     Shower pans used in the installation of showers in residential and commercial construction applications have been known in the art for decades. Shower pans slope inwardly and are required for proper water flow to a centrally-located drain. Most local building codes require shower pans. 
     Traditionally, mortar beds have been built on a subgrade for supporting the pan. Additionally or alternatively, shower frames have been constructed from wooden curbs and ramps to hold the pan. The components of the frame may abut one another but are not waterproof in the art. These curb-ramp assemblies server as little more than bases upon which other shower components forming the pan rest or are affixed, including mortar waterproofing membranes and tile. 
     Although there are shower substrates/frames fabricated from polymeric products known in the art which are supplied to contractors for improving the efficiency shower installation, these substrates suffer from many of the same defects and inefficiencies as mortar beds, including a propensity to leak, or seap, water through the bed/substrate components abutting one another into underlying wooden or steel members. 
     Traditional kits do not provide means of efficiently preventing leakage and provide no means of grading surfaces beyond the curb and tray abutment points. It is therefore desirable that a kit, tray or substrate assembly be provided with enhances waterproofing and pan installation. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     From the foregoing discussion, it should be apparent that a need exists for a frameless polymeric shower implement for constructing a shower pan. Beneficially, such a apparatus would overcome many of the difficulties with prior art by providing a means for more efficiently waterproofing a shower pan. 
     The present invention has been developed in response to the present state of the art, and in particular, in response to the problems and needs in the art that have not yet been fully solved by currently available methods and apparati. Accordingly, the present invention has been developed to provide a shower pan installation kit comprising: a tray comprising one or more polymeric panels, each panel having a planar bottom surface and inwardly sloping graded top surface, wherein the tray defines a circular recess for receiving a drain; a polymeric curb having a planar inward surface and planar bottom surface; wherein the curb defines an upwardly rising groove recessed into the curb such that the groove rises from a lower point on the inward surface to a higher end point within the curb, the groove for subsequently receiving a waterproof membrane overlaying the tray; wherein an outer edge of the one or more polymeric panels rises through a distance from the panel&#39;s bottom surface to the top surface that is equal to a height of the lower point above the curb&#39;s bottom surface; and wherein the outer edge of the panel and inward edge of the curb abut one another. 
     The panels and curbing may be adhered one to another. The curb and paneling may be fabricated from polystrene. The curb and paneling may be fabricated from wood. 
     In some embodiments, the groove rises upwardly at between 10 degrees and 70 degrees off horizontal. 
     A second shower pan installation kit is also disclosed comprising: a tray comprising a polymeric panel having a planar bottom surface and inwardly sloping concave top surface, wherein the tray defines a circular recess for receiving a drain; a polymeric hexahedrial curb having a planar inward surface and planar bottom surface; wherein the curb defines an upwardly rising groove recessed into the curb such that the groove rises from a lower point on the inward surface to a higher end point within the curb, the groove for subsequently receiving a waterproof membrane overlaying and overlapping the tray; wherein an outer edge of the panel rises through a distance from the panel&#39;s bottom surface to the top surface that is equal to a height of the lower point of the curb above the curb&#39;s bottom surface; and wherein the outer edge of the panel and inward edge of the curb abut one another. 
     A method installing a shower pan during shower construction, the steps of the method comprising: recessing an upwardly rising groove into an inward surface of a hexahedrial curb; abutting the inward surface of the curb against an outer surface of a polymeric graded tray, such that a top surface of the tray sits flush with a bottom surface of the groove; overlaying and overlapping a waterproof membrane on the tray such that an overlapping portion of the waterproof membrane extends laterally into the groove defined by the curb; and constructing the shower pan above the tray and curb. 
     The method may further comprise adhering the tray to the curb. The method may further comprise constructing a mortar subsurface over the tray and curb. 
     These features and advantages of the present invention will become more fully apparent from the following description and appended claims, or may be learned by the practice of the invention as set forth hereinafter. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       In order that the advantages of the invention will be readily understood, a more particular description of the invention briefly described above will be rendered by reference to specific embodiments that are illustrated in the appended drawings. Understanding that these drawings depict only typical embodiments of the invention and are not therefore to be considered to be limiting of its scope, the invention will be described and explained with additional specificity and detail through the use of the accompanying drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a side elevational perspective environmental view of a shower pan installation kit in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 2A  is a side elevational perspective view of the curb of a shower pan installation kit in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 2B  is a side perspective view of a the curb of a shower pan installation kit in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 3A  is a side elevational perspective view of a panel of a shower pan installation kit in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 3B  is a side perspective view of a panel of a shower pan installation kit in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 3C  is an elevational perspective view of the tray of a shower pan installation kit in accordance with the present invention; and 
         FIG. 4  is a flow chart of the steps of a method for constructing a shower pan in accordance with the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Reference throughout this specification to “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” or similar language means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, appearances of the phrases “in one embodiment,” “in an embodiment,” and similar language throughout this specification may, but do not necessarily, all refer to the same embodiment. 
     Furthermore, the described features, structures, or characteristics of the invention may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. In the following description, numerous specific details are provided to provide a thorough understanding of embodiments of the invention. One skilled in the relevant art will recognize, however, that the invention may be practiced without one or more of the specific details, or with other methods, components, materials, and so forth. In other instances, well-known structures, materials, or operations are not shown or described in detail to avoid obscuring aspects of the invention. 
       FIG. 1  is a side elevational perspective environmental view of a shower pan installation kit  100  in accordance with the present invention. The shower pan kit comprises a curb  102  having an angled groove  104  upwardly rising from the curb&#39;s inner surface. 
     In various embodiments of the present invention, the curb  102  is cubic, cuboid or hexahedrial. The curb  102  has a planar bottom surface and a planar inner surface. In some embodiments of the present invention, the kit  100  comprises a plurality of curbs  102  sitting adjacent to and/or in line with one another. 
     In various embodiments of the present invention, the curb and/or panels  104   a - d  are formed from polystyrene, wood, metal alloys, or other polymeric or elastomeric materials. 
     The curb  102  defines a recess, or groove  104 , rising upwardly from the inner surface through the curb  102 . This groove  104  is typically an angle-cut, largely planar recess carved or milled into the curb  102  such that the groove  104  rises from a predetermined height on the inner surface of the curb  102  at between 10 and 70 degrees of horizontal through the curb a predetermined distance. 
     The predetermined height of the groove  104  start point is predetermined to correspond to a thickness of the tray  106  and/or panels  108   a - c  forming the tray. 
     The panels  108   a - c  are typically formed, like the curb  102 , from elastomeric, polymeric or foam. The panels  108   a - c  are lightweight and designed to be easily cut or adjusted to meet the needs of a shower installer or laborer. 
     The tray  106 , in some embodiments, is concave such that water runs toward the centrally located point in the tray  106  where a drain is disposed. In various embodiments of the present invention, the tray  106  is formed from a plurality of panels  108   a - c , each having a planar bottom surface that is not parallel to the panel&#39;s  108  top surface. The top surface of the panels  108   a - c  may be graded, or declined toward the drain; or, in various embodiments, concave. 
     The height of the panels  108   a - c  at their outermost edge is predetermined to correspond to the predetermined height of the groove  104  above the bottom surface of the curb  102 . 
     A panel  108  is position during installation such that it abuts, or sits adjacent to, the inner surface of the curb  102 . A waterproof membrane  112  is laid over the tray  106  such that is overlaps the tray  106 . The overlapping portion of the waterproof membrane  112  is inserted into the groove  104  of the curb  102 . 
       FIG. 2A  is a side elevational perspective view of the curb of a shower curb  200  of a shower installation kit in accordance with the present invention. The curb  200  comprises a polystyrene curb  102  and defines an angled groove  104 . The curb  200  further comprises an upward surface  202 , an inward surface  204 , and an upward rise  206 . 
     The inward surface  204  is planar, as is a bottom surface of the curb  200 . In various embodiments, the groove  104  is sawed, carved, or cut into the curb  102 . The curb  102  may be fabricated from a mold as one integrated piece with the groove  104  defined. 
     In various embodiments, the groove  104  rises upwardly from the parallel to the bottom surface between 10 and 80 degrees off horizontal. The width of the groove  104  may vary from only a millimeter to seven or more centimeters. In some embodiments of the present invention, the groove  104  curves upward, and is convex in shape rather than linear. 
     The upward rise  206  is the distance between the bottom surface of the curb  102  and the beginning of the groove  104 . This distance is calculated to match or correspond to the thickness of a panel  108  or the tray  106 . 
       FIG. 2B  is a side perspective view of a the curb of a shower pan installation kit in accordance with the present invention. 
     This figure further illustrates the same teachings shown in  FIGS. 1-2A  above. 
       FIG. 3A  is a side elevational perspective view of a panel  300  of a shower pan installation kit in accordance with the present invention. 
     The panel  108  is presloped from a higher thickness to narrower thickness. In various embodiments of the present invention, the panel  108  is cut by installers to contour other panels  108  in the kit  100 , or irregular surfaces defining a shower. The panel  108  may be cut diagonally across both it lateral and longitudinal axes to coordinate with other panels  108 . In various embodiments, the panels  108   a - d  are adhered together using means known to those of skill in the art. The panel  108  may circular, ovoid, or polygonal, and may be concave across its top surface to direct water to a centrally located point for a drain. 
       FIG. 3B  is a side perspective view of a panel  320  of a shower pan installation kit in accordance with the present invention. 
     In various embodiments, the panels  108  and/or the tray come prefabricated with the membrane  112  and/or mortar and/or tile affixed to their top surfaces. The membrane  112  may be specially designed to bond to the curb  102  or an adhesive disposed within the groove  104 . 
     The panel  108  is presloped to decline from a thickness matching the upward rise  206  to a more diminished thickness. 
       FIG. 3C  is an elevational perspective view of the tray  340  of a shower pan installation kit in accordance with the present invention. The tray  340  comprises four panels  108   a - d.    
     In the shown embodiment, the panels  108   a - d  have been cut diagonally to fit together in x-shape. The panels  108   a - d  have also been cut to define a recess for a drain. A membrane  112  is laid over the panels  108   a - d  and the shower pan is built atop the tray  340 . 
       FIG. 4  is a flow chart of the steps of a method  400  for constructing a shower pan in accordance with the present invention. 
     The method begins  402  with an upwardly rising groove  104  being cut into a curb  102  at an incline. Next a panel  108  is abutted to the inward surface of the curb  102  such that the top outer surface of the panel  108  matches the upward rise  206  of the curb  102 . 
     A waterproof membrane  112  is laid  406  over the panel  108  such that all or a portion of the membrane  112  overlapping the panel  108  laterally is inserted into the groove  104 . The groove  104  receives the membrane  112  and the membrane  112  is adhered to the curb  102  within the groove  104 . 
     Finally, the shower pan is constructed  408  over the top of the panel  108  and the membrane  112 . 
     The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from its spirit or essential characteristics. The described embodiments are to be considered in all respects only as illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the invention is, therefore, indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description. All changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are to be embraced within their scope.

Technology Classification (CPC): 0