Drain assembly with adjustable spherical frame

• US 10,167,622 B2
• Filed: 11/01/2016
• Issued: 01/01/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/11/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ZURN Water LLC (Zurn Elkay Water Solutions Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Zurn Industries LLC (Zilco Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Brooks, Seth A., Morris, Jason E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Upton, Christopher
• Application Number:
  US15/340,676
• Publication Number:
  US 20170130442A1
• Time in Patent Office: 791 Days
• Field of Search: 210163, 210164, 4286, 4288, 4679, 4695, 523021, 523027
• CPC Class Codes: E03F 2005/0413 for height adjustment
• CPC Class Codes: E03F 2005/0414 for inclination adjustment
• CPC Class Codes: E03F 5/0407 Floor drains for indoor use
• CPC Class Codes: E03F 5/0411 Devices for temporarily blocking inflow into a gully
• CPC Class Codes: E03F 5/06 Gully gratings
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 15/12 Flooring or floor layers made of masses in situ, e.g. seamless magnesite floors, terrazzo gypsum floorsinorganic or bituminous masses C04B; organic plastic masses C08L

Abstract

A floor drain assembly including a collar, a shank coupled to the collar, a frame, an insert coupled to the shank and capturing the frame between the insert and the shank, a strainer coupled to the frame, a protective cover coupled to the strainer, and a sleeve surrounding the collar, the shank, the frame, the insert, the strainer, and the protective cover. The shank is moveable relative to the collar and includes a spherically shaped shank surface. The frame includes a lower frame surface shaped to engage the shank surface and an upper frame surface. The insert is moveable relative to the shank and includes a spherically shape insert surface engaged with the upper frame surface such that the frame is captured between the insert and the shank.

Claims

1. A floor drain assembly comprising:

a collar;

a shank coupled to the collar and moveable relative to the collar, the shank including a spherically shaped shank surface;

a frame including a lower frame surface shaped to engage the shank surface and an upper frame surface;

an insert coupled to the shank and moveable relative to the shank, the insert including a spherically shaped insert surface engaged with the upper frame surface such that the frame is captured between the insert and the shank;

a strainer coupled to the frame;

a protective cover coupled to the strainer; and

a sleeve surrounding the collar, the shank, the frame, the insert, the strainer, and the protective cover.

2. The floor drain assembly of claim 1, wherein the collar includes internal threads and the shank includes external threads, the internal threads of the collar engaged with the external threads of the shank.

3. The floor drain assembly of claim 1, wherein the shank moves relative to the collar along a central axis.

4. The floor drain assembly of claim 1, wherein the shank includes internal threads and the insert includes external threads, the internal threads of the shank engaged with the external threads of the insert.

5. The floor drain assembly of claim 1, wherein the insert moves relative to the shank along a central axis.

6. The floor drain assembly of claim 1, wherein the insert and the shank can be moved apart from one another to allow the frame to be tilted and rotated relative to a central axis.

7. The floor drain assembly of claim 1, wherein the insert and the shank can be moved together to inhibit the frame from moving.

8. The floor drain assembly of claim 1, wherein the spherically shaped shank surface and the spherically shaped insert surface allow the frame to be tilted in any direction by about three degrees relative to a central axis.

9. The floor drain assembly of claim 1, wherein the sleeve includes a cylindrical portion sized to engage the collar.

10. The floor drain assembly of claim 1, wherein the sleeve includes a lip sized to engage the shank.

11. The floor drain assembly of claim 1, wherein the sleeve includes a head area sized to surround the frame and strainer.

12. The floor drain assembly of claim 1, wherein the sleeve includes a removable retaining ring.

13. The floor drain assembly of claim 12, wherein the retaining ring includes a central aperture.

14. The floor drain assembly of claim 12, wherein the retaining ring engages a head area of the sleeve with tabs.

15. The floor drain assembly of claim 12, wherein the retaining ring is rotatably removable from the sleeve.

16. The floor drain assembly of claim 1, wherein the sleeve includes a pull strip.

17. The floor drain assembly of claim 16, wherein the pull strip is removable from the sleeve by a grasping and pulling action.

18. The floor drain assembly of claim 1, wherein the sleeve includes a base coupled to the collar.

19. The floor drain assembly of claim 18, wherein the sleeve further includes a cover that is slidably coupled to the base and is configured for different height installations.

20. The floor drain assembly of claim 1, wherein the protective cover is coupled to the sleeve with a pull strip.

21. The floor drain assembly of claim 20, wherein the pull strip is removable from the sleeve and the protective cover, and when removed detaches the protective cover from the sleeve.

22. The floor drain assembly of claim 1, wherein the protective cover is an adhesive backed sticker.

23. The floor drain assembly of claim 1, wherein the shank and the insert provide height and tilt adjustment of the frame and strainer before and during installation.

24. A method for installing a floor drain assembly, the method comprising:

coupling a floor drain assembly with a drain body, the floor drain assembly comprising a collar, a shank coupled to the collar and moveable relative to the collar, the shank including a spherically shaped shank surface, a frame including a lower frame surface shaped to engage the shank surface and an upper frame surface, an insert coupled to the shank and moveable relative to the shank, the insert including a spherically shaped insert surface engaged with the upper frame surface such that the frame is captured between the insert and the shank, a strainer coupled to the frame, a protective cover coupled to the strainer, and a sleeve surrounding the collar, the shank, the frame, the insert, the strainer, and the protective cover;

coupling the drain body with a drain pipe;

making a rough pour of concrete around a portion of the drain assembly;

adjusting a height of the strainer;

making a finish pour;

removing a portion of a retaining ring coupled to the sleeve; and

removing the protective cover from the strainer.