Floor drain

• US 9,175,464 B2
• Filed: 05/02/2010
• Issued: 11/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/10/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lawrence G. Meyers
• Original Assignee: Lawrence G. Meyers
• Inventors: Meyers, Lawrence G.
• Primary Examiner(s): BAKER, LORI LYNN
• Application Number:
  US12/772,220
• Publication Number:
  US 20100288685A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,011 Days
• Field of Search: 461/3, 429/0, 440/4, 210163-164
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: E03F 5/0408 specially adapted for showers

Abstract

A floor drain system includes a generally rectangular drain grate having a plurality of drain apertures, and a drain body, having a circular lower portion defining an outlet and configured to mate with an underdrain structure, and an upper portion defining an inlet configured to receive the drain grate in a frictional fit. The drain body includes an integral grout rim surrounding the inlet, having a knife-tapered top edge, configured to reduce the visibility of the grout rim between the surrounding material and the grate. The drain body further includes an undercut rim around an outer perimeter of the inlet, the undercut rim having a bottom surface angled upward toward the drain body. The drain body can also include dovetail-shaped buttresses extending outward from the drain body, having tapered surfaces angled toward the drain body, thereby to mechanically interlock the drain body with hardened grout therearound.

Claims

1. A floor drain system, comprising:

a generally rectangular drain grate having a plurality of drain apertures; and

a drain body, having a circular lower portion defining an outlet and configured to mate with an underdrain structure, and an upper portion defining an inlet, configured to receive the drain grate in a frictional fit, the drain body including an integral grout rim surrounding the inlet, having a knife-tapered top edge, and further including an undercut rim around an outer perimeter of the inlet, the undercut rim having a bottom surface angled radially outward and downwardly from the drain body.

2. A floor drain system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the lower portion includes helical threads configured to threadedly interconnect with the underdrain structure, whereby a height of the inlet can be adjusted by rotating the drain body about a vertical axis.

3. A floor drain system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the drain grate is selected from the group consisting of a solid metal grate, and a metal-clad polymer grate.

4. A floor drain system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the drain body comprises a thin-set tray, configured to overlie a circular drain structure therebeneath, and including undercut grout locking features disposed on an outer perimeter of the upper portion, configured to mechanically interlock the drain body with surrounding grout material.

5. A floor drain system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the bottom surface of the undercut rim has an upward angle of about 20 degrees.

6. A floor drain system in accordance with claim 1, further comprising substantially vertically oriented dovetail-shaped buttresses extending outward from the drain body, having upright tapered surfaces angled toward the drain body, thereby to mechanically interlock the drain body with hardened grout therearound.

7. A floor drain system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the knife-tapered top edge of the grout rim has a top edge with a minimum thickness of from about from about 0.015″

to about 0.005″

.

8. A floor drain system in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a plug, configured to removably fit into the inlet to support the drain body and the grout rim during installation of the floor drain.

9. A floor drain system in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a handle, configured to rotationally interlock with a selected aperture of the drain grate, to allow removal of the grate from the drain body.

10. A floor drain system in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a substantially flat land in an interior of the drain body, the flat land being positioned below a location of a threaded hole in a drain grate, whereby extraction of the grate can be made by inserting and rotating a threaded handle in the threaded holes in opposite corners of the grate, and causing the threaded handles to push against the flat spots or lands to lift and extract the grate.

11. A floor drain, comprising:

a height-adjustable drain body, having a circular lower portion defining an outlet, the lower portion being configured to interconnect to an underdrain structure, and a generally rectangular upper portion defining an inlet, the upper portion including an integral grout rim surrounding the inlet and having a knife-tapered top edge, and further including an undercut rim around an outer perimeter of the inlet, the undercut rim having a bottom surface angled radially outward and downwardly from the drain body, and dovetail-shaped buttresses extending outward from the drain body, having tapered surfaces angled toward the drain body, thereby to mechanically interlock the drain body with hardened grout there around; and

a generally rectangular drain grate, supported by the drain body, having a plurality of drain openings, configured to insert into the inlet with an interference fit, whereby the drain grate is removably secured to the drain body.

12. A floor drain in accordance with claim 11, wherein the drain grate is selected from the group consisting of a solid metal grate, and a metal-clad polymer grate.

13. A floor drain in accordance with claim 11, wherein the grout rim includes a knife-tapered top edge with a minimum thickness of from about from about 0.015″

to about 0.005″ and

an outer face having a taper of about 20°

relative to vertical.

14. A floor drain in accordance with claim 11, further comprising a plug, configured to removably fit into the inlet to support the drain body and the grout rim during installation of the floor drain.

15. A floor drain assembly, comprising:

a drain body, having a generally rectangular upper portion defining an inlet aperture, and a circular lower portion defining an outlet in fluid communication with the inlet aperture, the lower portion having helical threads configured to threadedly interconnect with an underdrain, whereby a height of the inlet can be adjusted by rotating the drain body about a central axis, and the upper portion including an integral grout rim surrounding the inlet and having a knife-tapered top edge, and further including an undercut rim around an outer perimeter of the inlet, the undercut rim having a bottom surface angled radially outward and downwardly from the drain body, and dovetail-shaped buttresses extending outward from the drain body, having tapered surfaces angled toward the drain body, thereby to mechanically interlock the drain body with hardened grout there around;

a generally rectangular drain grate, having a plurality of drain openings, surrounded by the grout rim and supported by the drain body; and

an underdrain attached to the outlet of the drain body.

16. A floor drain in accordance with claim 15, wherein the bottom surface of the undercut rim has an angel of about 20 degrees relative to horizontal.

17. A floor drain in accordance with claim 15, wherein the knife-tapered top edge of the grout rim has a top edge with a minimum thickness of from about 0.015″

to about 0.005″

.

18. A floor drain in accordance with claim 15, wherein the drain grate is selected from the group consisting of a solid metal grate, and a metal-clad polymer grate.

19. A floor drain in accordance with claim 15, further comprising a T-handle grate removal tool, configured to insert through a selected opening in the drain grate, to facilitate removal of the drain grate from the drain body.