Patent ID: 12201248

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The apparatus, arrangements, and methods disclosed in this document are described in detail by way of examples and with reference to the figures. It will be appreciated that modifications to disclosed and described examples, arrangements, configurations, components, elements, apparatus, methods, materials, etc. can be made and may be desired for a specific application. In this disclosure, any identification of specific techniques, arrangements, method, etc. are either related to a specific example presented or are merely a general description of such a technique, arrangement, method, etc. Identifications of specific details or examples are not intended to be and should not be construed as mandatory or limiting unless specifically designated as such. Selected examples of tools for use in customizing components, specifically shower panels, are hereinafter disclosed and described in detail with reference made toFIGS.1-24.

As will be described in detail herein, this disclosure is directed to embodiments of tools useful for customizing shower panels to accommodate the contours of a customized shower base. In particular, the tools facilitate the cutting of the bottom edges of shower panels so that such bottom edges of shower panels engage with the top edges of the shower base without any significant gaps between the shower panels and the shower base when the components are assembled into a shower.

Modular shower kits can include one or more shower bases and one or more shower panels. Shower panels are relatively thin moisture resistant panels that attached to the existing walls of a home when installing a modular shower. The shower bases and shower panels can be fabricated in a few sizes, typically larger than is needed, and subsequently cut to the precise dimensions required for each specific bathroom. An exemplary modular shower100is illustrated inFIG.3. Such a shower100includes a modular base110, a back shower panel120, a first side shower panel130, and a second side shower panel140. In the modular shower100ofFIG.3, a showerhead150extends from the first side shower panel130, which can also be referred to as a wet wall. The drain160is offset in the shower base110, with the drain160located closer to the wet wall130than the second side panel140.FIG.4schematically illustrates another exemplary modular shower200that includes a modular base210, a back shower panel,220, a first side shower panel230, a second side shower panel240, and a drain250that is centered between the first side shower panel230and second side shower panel240and further centered between the back shower panel220and a threshold260at the opening of the modular shower200. A modular base210could have been modified differently such that the drain250is not centered in the modular shower200. This would be necessary if existing plumbing is also not centered in the modular shower200. Thus, the modular base210can be customized not only in the width and length directions, but also to fit a plurality of potential existing drain locations.

When a consumer decides to remodel a bathroom to include a modular shower, there remain a number of logistical issues. For example, it will be understood that requirements for the size and shape of a modular shower for remodeling an existing bathroom are substantially more complicated than designing a bathroom for a new home. A shower may need to be relocated and sized to accommodate other features in a remodeled bathroom, including safety features installed for consumers that require a safer environment in his or her home. For example, when remodeling a bathroom for an aging person, there is often more space allotted around a toilet for ease of use, handrails, grab bars and guardrails installed throughout the bathroom, and enlarged vanities with seating are installed to facilitate aging persons fully utilizing the bathroom and its amenities. Thus, it is often necessary to select an unconventional size and shape of a shower to accommodate space limitations and the other safety features to fully take advantage of the existing footprint of a bathroom remodeled for an aging person. Additionally, when remodeling an existing bathroom, one often does not fully know the shower requirements prior to starting the remodeling project. Remodeling can occur in any age range of homes, where any number of building materials could be present, and the existing bathroom could or could not have been built to any number of different building codes. Thus, further complicating this process when compared to designing a bathroom for a new home. Only once the existing shower is removed and an installer is able to see the condition of the existing subfloor and walls behind the existing shower, they will then fully understand the requirements of the remodeling situation and the requirements of the new shower. This further exacerbates the need for custom solutions as are often required in a bathroom remodeling situation.

Disclosed herein is a set of tools that facilitate an accurate, efficient, and repeatable method for trimming shower panels to accommodate customized shower bases.FIGS.5-8schematically illustrate exemplary embodiments of such tools.FIGS.5and6illustrate a perspective view and top view, respectively, of a drain center tool300.FIGS.7and8illustrate a perspective view and top view, respectively, of one embodiment of a contour gauge tool400.FIG.8Aillustrates a detailed view of a t-shaped slot410formed in the contour gauge tool400. As will be further described, there are multiple contour gauge tools that are designed for various sizes and drain configurations for shower bases as well as whether the shower panel is a side panel (including the distinction between a wet wall and the opposing side shower panel) or back panel. The tools illustrated are used by installers to quickly identify the location and path of cuts required to trim the bottom edges of side and back shower panels to appropriately fit on top of the shower base. The method described with reference toFIGS.5-8Aare for use with the example of a shower base210with a centered drain as illustrated inFIG.9.

In this example, the modular shower requires one back shower panel, a wet wall, and a side shower panel opposite the wet wall. Once the shower base210has been selected and trimmed to the appropriate size that accommodates the specific bathroom and a drain hole255drilled or otherwise formed through the shower base210to match the drain in the floor of the bathroom, the installer selects an appropriate back shower panel and two appropriate side shower panels (one that will serve as a wet wall and one that will be installed opposite the wet wall). The back shower panel is selected to best match the length (LB) of the back edge270of the shower base210(as illustrated inFIG.9). The wet wall is selected to best match the length (LLs) of the left side edge280of the shower base210. The side shower panel is selected to best match the length (LRS) of the right side edge290of the shower base210. If the width of the selected back, wet wall, and side shower panels do not match the respective lengths (LB, LLS, LRS) of the shower base210, the back and side shower panels are trimmed to match the respective lengths using a method described herein.

The installer measures the location of the drain hole255relative to the back270and side280,290edges of the shower base210using any conventional measuring method. The drain center tool300can be used by the installer to facilitate such measurements. As illustrated inFIG.10, the drain center tool300can be inserted into the drain hole255. The drain center tool300includes crosshair grooves310that are perpendicular to each other and intersect to indicate the center of the drain center tool300, which in turn indicates the center of the drain hole255and the center of the drain250once the shower base210is installed. During placement of the drain center tool300into the drain hole225, the installer can rotate the drain center tool300until one of the grooves is parallel to the back edge260of the shower base210and the other groove is parallel to the side edges270,280of the shower base210. To facilitate such manual placement of the drain center tool300, the drain centering tool300includes a pair of tabs320that the installer can use to rotate the drain center tool300within the drain hole255until it reaches its desired position and orientation. The drain center tool300can be fabricated from transparent or translucent material so that the installer can see through the drain center tool300to make sure that it is positioned correctly relative to the drain hole225. In other embodiments, the drain center tool300can be fabricated from opaque materials as well.

Once the drain center tool300is positioned in the drain hole255and rotated to the installer's preferred position and orientation, the installer can place the hook of the tape measure in the appropriate groove and extend the tape measure in order to the back edge270and the side edges280,290and record the three measurements. The crosshair grooves310are sufficiently deep so that the hook of a tape measure can be captured in the groove310for ease and accuracy of measurements. Once the distances of the drain hole255to the edges270,280,290of the shower base210are recorded, the measurements are then used as a point of reference for accurately marking and trimming the back panel, wet wall, and side panel.

The recorded measurements can be used in a variety of methods for marking and trimming the shower panels to accommodate the particular shower base. Generally, the installer uses the recorded measurements to apply a vertical mark on the wet wall, side shower panel, and back shower panel that correspond to the location of the drain hole255prior to the wet wall, back shower panel, and side shower panel being installed onto the shower base210. As will be understood, the distance of the drain hole255to the back edge270of the shower base210is used to mark the wet wall and side shower panel, and the distance of the drain hole255to the side edges280,290of the shower base210are used to mark the back shower panel. The installer optionally can only record and use one of the distances from the drain hole255to the side edges280,290. However, for accuracy and redundancy, the installer typically measures the distance to both side edges280,290of the shower base210.

Once the wet wall, back shower panel, and side shower panel have been marked, the installer uses the contour gauge tool400to trim the bottom edge of the shower panels. As noted above, the contour gauge tool400includes a t-shaped slot410. The t-shaped slot410is cut through the contour gauge tool400so that when positioned on a shower panel, the installer can see through the t-shaped slot410. The installer places the contour gauge tool400onto the shower panel to be trimmed and adjusts the position of the contour gauge tool400until the drain location mark on the shower panel is located at the intersection of the two slots that comprise the t-shaped slot410. Once properly positioned, the installer can either trace along the bottom edge410of the contour gauge tool400or clamp the contour gauge tool400to the shower panel, as depicted inFIG.11. If the installer elects to trace along the bottom edge410of the contour gauge tool400, the installer then trims the shower panel with a saw following the traced path. If the installer elects to clamp the contour gauge tool400to the shower panel, the installer can use the edge of the contour gauge tool400as a physical guide and use a saw to trim the shower panel (as depicted inFIG.11). Once the bottom edge of the shower panel is trimmed, the installer can, using the measurements for the location of the drain hole255relative to the shower panel, mark and cut the vertical sides of the shower panel and the top of the shower panel to properly fit into the space selected for the modular shower. It will be understood that the walls, floor and ceilings of many homes, particularly older homes, are not straight or “plumb.” Thus, the cuts made by installer to trim the sides and top of the shower panel may need to be adjusted to accommodate the specific geometric contours of the intersection of the walls, floor, and ceiling of the bathroom.

In one specific embodiment of the method of using the tools described herein to trim shower panels, each shower panel includes a finished vertical edge with the other edges generally unfinished. The installer begins by installing the shower base. The installer inserts the drain center tool into the drain hole, appropriately positions and orients the drain center tool, makes measurements to three top edges of the shower base, and records such measurements. The installer then prepares the back shower panel by marking the drain hole location on the back shower panel relative to the finished edge of the back shower panel. The installer uses the contour gauge tool400to trim the bottom edge of the back shower panel. The installer then measures, marks, and trims the unfinished vertical edge opposite the finished edge and the top of the back shower panel. The installer then installs the back shower panel so that it interfaces with the applicable top edge of the shower base. The installer next prepares the wet wall by marking the drain hole location on the wet wall relative to the finished edge of the wet wall. The installer uses the contour gauge tool400to trim the bottom edge of the wet wall. The installer then measures, marks, and trims the unfinished vertical edge opposite the finished edge and the top of the wet wall. The installer then cuts appropriate holes to accommodate the showerhead and shower trim passing through the wet wall. The installer then installs the wet wall so that it interfaces with the applicable top edge of the shower base and the back shower panel. Finally the installer prepares the side shower panel by marking the drain hole location on the side shower panel relative to the finished edge of the side shower panel. The installer uses the contour gauge tool400to trim the bottom edge of the side shower panel. The installer then measures, marks, and trims the unfinished vertical edge opposite the finished edge and the top of the side shower panel. The installer then installs the side shower panel so that it interfaces with the applicable top edge of the shower base and the back shower panel. Once the shower base and all shower panels are installed, the modular shower is properly installed without any significant gaps between the shower base and shower panels. The use of the contour gauge tools significantly reduces the number of steps required to trace and trim all shower panels that interface with the sloped top surface of the shower base. By reducing the number of steps required to trace and trim all shower panels that interface with the sloped top surface of the shower base, this also significantly reduces the chance for error when performing these methods which are required for finishing a shower installation to the degree that it will be accepted both functionally and aesthetically by the home owner.

As best illustrated inFIG.8, the bottom edge420of the contour gauge tool400is rounded. The contour of the bottom edge420of the contour gauge tool400is designed to match the contour of the applicable edge of the shower base as determined by the drain position relative to the wall being cut. The shower bases are fabricated with a few standard sizes but are routinely customized to accommodate a specific bathroom. However, the position of the drain to the contours of any possible edge of the shower base remains constant. Therefore, as long as the drain is used as the main point of reference, regardless of what final dimensions the shower base is customized for, contour gauge tools can be made so that they properly replicate the contours of the edges of the shower base.

The contour gauge tool400includes a few additional convenient features. For example, the contour gauge tool400includes graduated distance markings along the bottom edge420so that the contour gauge tool400can also be used to measure distances for marking, etc. In this example, the markings are centered around the t-shaped slot410. The contour gauge tool400includes an opening430that can be used by the installer to control the contour gauge tool400while positioning it on the shower panel. Additionally, the opening430can be used to conveniently carry around the contour gauge tool400. Additional holes440can be formed in the contour gauge tool400to conveniently hang and store the tool400when not in use.

As noted above, there are multiple contour gauge tools that are designed for various sizes and drain configurations for shower bases as well as whether the shower panel is a wet wall, the opposing side shower panel, or back shower panel. For example, the contour gauge tool400ofFIGS.7and8is designed to measure the distance from the drain to the edge of the shower base that will engage with the wet wall. The contour gauge tool400includes the t-shaped slot410at the mid-point of the contour gauge tool400because this tool is designed for a pre-fabricated shower base, to be later customized for a specific application, which has a pre-fabricated drain location centered between the back shower panel and the shower opening and shower threshold location. In contrast,FIG.12illustrates a contour gauge tool500for measurements to the edge of the shower base that engages with the back shower panel. The contour gauge tool500includes a t-shaped slot510offset to the right (relative toFIG.12). This arrangement is for use with a shower base with an offset drain. The drain position is offset with respect the wet wall side panel and the second side panel. It is further noted that the bottom edge520of the contour gauge tool500is not rounded like contour gauge tool400, but instead, the bottom edge520continues to slant downward toward the t-shaped slot510. This is because the shower base slopes downward toward to drain to efficiently channel water out of the shower. For all contour gauge tools, the t-shaped slot represents the drain location which is always the lowest point on the shower base.

Additionally, different contour gauge tools can be arranged for use based on the distance of the drain from an edge of the shower base.FIG.13illustrates a number of different possibilities for the distance of an offset drain to the edges of the shower base. Referring again toFIG.12, the contour gauge tool500is designed for a modular offset drain shower base and a back shower panel that will be 12 inches to 15 inches away from the drain center (see range540engraved on tool). InFIG.14, the contour gauge tool600is designed for a modular centered drain shower base and a side shower panel that will be between 6 inches to 8 inches away from the drain center. InFIG.15, the contour gauge tool700is designed for a modular centered drain shower base and a side shower panel that will be more than 8 inches and up to 11 inches away from the drain. It is noted the “greater than” sign is used to indicate the distance should be greater than 8 inches because if the distance is 8 inches, the contour gauge tool600ofFIG.14should be used. InFIG.16, the contour gauge tool800is designed for a modular centered drain shower base and a side shower panel that will be more than 11 inches and up to 16 inches away from the drain center. InFIG.17, the contour gauge tool900is designed for a modular centered drain shower base and a side shower panel that will be more than 16 inches and up to 24 inches away from the drain center. InFIG.18, the contour gauge tool1000is designed for a modular offset drain shower base and a second side shower panel that will be between 20 inches to 30 inches away from the drain center. InFIG.19, the contour gauge tool1100is designed for a modular offset drain shower base and a second side shower panel that will be more than 30 inches and up to 52 inches away from the drain center. InFIG.20, the contour gauge tool1200is designed for a modular offset drain shower base and a back shower panel that will be 12 inches to 15 inches away from the drain center. InFIG.21, the contour gauge tool1300is designed for a modular offset drain shower base and a back shower panel that will be more than 15 inches and up to 18 inches away from the drain center.

It is useful for an installer to have access to all the contour gauge tools when installing a modular shower. As illustrated inFIGS.22-24, carrying cases can be designed to store and carry contour gauge tools. In the example ofFIGS.22-24, there is a first carrying case1400for the contour gauge tools for center drain shower bases, and a second carrying case1500for contour gauge tools for offset drain shower bases. The contour gauge tools can be tucked into slots or pockets in the carrying cases1400,1500, and the carrying cases1400,1500can be rolled up for ease to transport and storage.

The contour gauge tools provided herein are only examples of contour gauge tools that accommodate shower bases. It will be understood that the ideas and arrangements disclosed herein can be applied to any number of contour gauge tools for various styles and sizes of shower bases.

The foregoing description of examples has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or limiting to the forms described. Numerous modifications are possible in light of the above teachings. Some of those modifications have been discussed, and others will be understood by those skilled in the art. The examples were chosen and described in order to best illustrate principles of various examples as are suited to particular uses contemplated. The scope is, of course, not limited to the examples set forth herein, but can be employed in any number of applications and equivalent devices by those of ordinary skill in the art.