Method of manufacturing and installation of prefabricated shower bench and associated shower bench

• US 9,167,940 B2
• Filed: 02/22/2012
• Issued: 10/27/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tile Redi LLC
• Original Assignee: Joseph R. Cook
• Inventors: Cook, Joseph R.
• Primary Examiner(s): BAKER, LORI LYNN
• Application Number:
  US13/402,704
• Publication Number:
  US 20120278989A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,343 Days
• Field of Search: 4596-614
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 3/282 Seats specially adapted for showers
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 3/40 Pans or trays
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 4/00 Combinations of baths, douches, sinks, wash-basins, closets, or urinals, not covered by a single other group of this subclass such combinations when connected to water supply or waste pipe E03C1/01
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

A prefabricated shower bench for installation in a tiled shower includes an upper surface having a plurality of peripheral edges, and at least three sidewalls. Each sidewall has an upper edge and a lower edge. Each upper edge is connected along a corresponding peripheral edge of the upper surface. The lower edge of each sidewall terminates in a common plane. One sidewall includes a setback area along the entire lower edge which has a height greater than the height of a sidewall of a prefabricated shower module. The upper surface is horizontal or pitched downwards toward the shower module when the shower bench is installed adjacent to the sidewall of the shower module such that the sidewall of the shower module resides within the setback area, thereby preventing the weight of the shower bench from resting on the sidewall of the shower module.

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing a prefabricated shower bench for installation in a tiled shower, the method comprising:

providing a tool for creating the prefabricated shower bench, the tool including a cavity portion and a core portion which define a shape corresponding to a shape of the prefabricated shower bench;

placing at least one insert into a voided area of the tool corresponding to at least one of a portion of each sidewall, an upper surface, and a bottom panel of the prefabricated shower bench, thereby preventing the polymeric material from filling the voided area and reducing at least one of the height, width, and length of the prefabricated shower bench;

injecting a polymeric material into the tool to produce the prefabricated shower bench; and

removing the prefabricated shower bench from the tool.