Waterproof shower receptor module and method of shower construction

• US 9,332,883 B1
• Filed: 09/13/2010
• Issued: 05/10/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: John Charles Angelella
• Original Assignee: John Charles Angelella
• Inventors: Angelella, John Charles
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, HUYEN D
• Application Number:
  US12/880,872
• Time in Patent Office: 2,066 Days
• Field of Search: 4612-614, 459/6
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 3/00 Baths; Douches; Appurtenances therefor for curative purposes A61H, A61M, e.g. bathing devices for special therapeutic or hygienic purposes A61H33/00; spray heads B05B; devices for suspending or supporting the supply pipe or supply hose of a shower bath E03C1/06; heated bath tubs F24H1/0072
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 3/008 Sealing between wall and bathtub or shower tray
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 3/282 Seats specially adapted for showers
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 3/40 Pans or trays
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 3/405 flush with the surrounding floor, e.g. for easy access
• CPC Class Codes: E03F 5/0408 specially adapted for showers

Abstract

There is disclosed a prefabricated shower receptor module having a floor with a drain opening and a plurality of peripheral edges. The floor is bound along at least one peripheral edge by a side flange such that an integral one-piece module is created. In one embodiment, a prefabricated seat is bonded to a peripheral edge of the floor. The module is constructed from a waterproof matrix material suitable for applying shower tile or stone directly thereon. Previously set tile or stone can be removed from the matrix material, and new tile or stone reapplied, without damaging the module.

Claims

1. An integral one-piece waterproof shower receptor module comprising:

a floor having a plurality of edges and a drain opening and being continuously and upwardly sloped from drain opening to each edge;

a plurality of flanges bonded to a plurality of the edges of the floor, said flanges having a thickness such that, when the flanges abut a surface over which wallboard will be secured, wallboard can overlap the flanges and be secured to the surface such that there is no abutment of a bottom edge of the wallboard to a top edge of a flange and only an insubstantial gap between a backside of the wallboard and the surface to which the wallboard will be secured, the flanges extending directly to the edges of the floor such that the wallboard can extend substantially to the edges of the floor;

wherein the floor comprises a cast, waterproof, non-porous and matrix tile ready substrate formed on an open mold, and has a roughened surface suitable for bonding tile or stone by means of an adhesive, and having a hardness such that removal of the tile or stone by means of an implement such as a screwdriver or chisel will not damage the substrate.

2. In combination with the shower module of claim 1, a drain assembly configured to be received into the drain opening, the drain assembly comprising a bottom portion configured to receive a drain pipe and a top portion water-tightly connectable to the top portion of the shower module, and further comprising a secondary drain system for draining water that may escape below the surface of the tile or stone, and an adjustable height strainer system.

3. The drain assembly of claim 2, wherein the drain assembly comprises a compression fitting configured to engagably receive the drain pipe.

4. The drain assembly of claim 2, wherein the drain assembly comprises a glue-in connection configured to secure the drain assembly to the drain pipe.

5. The shower module of claim 1 further comprising an open molded curb constructed from substantially the same matrix substrate as the floor, the curb being bonded to at least one edge of the floor.

6. The shower module of claim 5, wherein the plurality of flanges bonded to the plurality of the edges of the floor extend a minimum of 1½

″

above the height of the curb.

7. The shower module of claim 5, wherein the curb extends into an interior of the floor so as to define an offset between an inner vertical wall of the curb and flanges adjacent thereto, the amount of the offset substantially corresponding to a thickness of the wallboard, such that, when installed over the flanges, the wallboard is substantially planarly aligned with the inner vertical wall of the curb.

8. The shower module of claim 1 further comprising an open molded seat and a second plurality of flanges, said seat having a plurality of edges and constructed from substantially the same matrix substrate as the floor, the seat being bonded to at least one edge of the floor and the second plurality of flanges being bonded to the plurality of the edges of the seat.

9. The shower module of claim 8, wherein the plurality of flanges bonded to the plurality of the edges of the floor extend a minimum of 1½

″

above the height of the floor, and wherein the second plurality of flanges bonded to the plurality of the edges of the seat extend a minimum of 1½

″

above the height of the seat.

10. The shower module of claim 8, wherein the width of the plurality of flanges bonded to the plurality of the edges of the floor does not exceed ⅛

″ and

the width of the second plurality of flanges bonded to the plurality of the edges of the seat does not exceed ⅛

″

.

11. The shower module of claim 1, further comprising at least one trench cast into the floor and connected to the drain opening.

12. The shower module of claim 1, wherein the plurality of flanges bonded to the plurality of the edges of the floor extend a minimum of 1½

″

above the height of the floor.

13. The shower module of claim 1, wherein the width of the plurality of flanges bonded to the plurality of the edges of the floor does not exceed ⅛

″

.

14. The shower module of claim 1, wherein the floor has a minimum thickness of ½

″

at the drain opening.

15. The shower module of claim 1, wherein the floor is upwardly sloped at ¼

″

per foot from drain opening to the plurality of the edges of the floor.

16. The shower module of claim 1, wherein the matrix substrate is comprised of 50% to 55%, by weight, of unsaturated polyester resin and filled with 45% to 50% of small particles of recycled polyester resin, aluminum trihydrate and calcium carbonate, the matrix substrate further comprising approximately 1 gram of wetting agent for every 1 pound of unsaturated polyester resin, and approximately 0.8 grams of hardening initiator for every 1 pound of unsaturated polyester resin.

17. The shower module of claim 1, wherein the matrix substrate is comprised of approximately 60%, by weight, of unsaturated polyester resin, approximately 31% filler comprised of small particles of recycled polyester resin, aluminum trihydrate and calcium carbonate material and approximately 9% perlite, the matrix substrate further comprising approximately 0.8 grams of hardening initiator for every 1 pound of unsaturated polyester resin.

18. A method of building a shower comprising:

providing an integral one-piece waterproof shower receptor module comprising;

a floor having a plurality of edges and a drain opening and being continuously and upwardly sloped from the drain opening to each edge, a plurality of flanges bonded to a plurality of the edges of the floor, said flanges having a thickness such that, when the flanges abut a surface over which wallboard will be secured, the wallboard can overlap the flanges and be secured to the surface such that there is no abutment of the bottom edge of the wallboard to a top edge of a flange, and only an insubstantial gap between a backside of the wallboard and the surface to which the wallboard will be secured, the flanges extending directly to the edges of the floor such that the wallboard can extend substantially to the edges of the floor,

wherein the floor comprises a cast, waterproof, non-porous and matrix tile ready substrate formed on an open mold, and has a roughened surface suitable for bonding tile or stone by means of an adhesive, and having a hardness such that removal of the tile or stone by means of an implement such as a screwdriver or chisel will not damage the substrate;

providing, in combination with the shower receptor module, a drain assembly configured to be received into the drain opening, the drain assembly comprising a bottom portion configured to engagably receive a drain pipe and a top portion water-tightly connectable to the top portion of the shower module, and further comprising a secondary drain system for draining water that may escape below the surface of the tile and an adjustable height strainer system;

connecting the drain assembly to the drain opening of the shower module;

installing the shower module directly upon one of a plurality of floor joists, a subfloor or a floor within an area defined by framing studs or one or more existing walls and wherein a drain pipe is disposed within the so defined area;

connecting the drain assembly to the drain pipe;

securing the wallboard to the framing studs or the one or more existing walls such that the wallboard overlaps the flanges and is secured to the surface such that there is no abutment of a bottom edge of the wallboard to a top edge of a flange and only an insubstantial gap between a backside of the wallboard and the surface to which the wallboard will be secured, and such that the wallboard extends substantially to the edges of the floor;

applying adhesive directly to the shower floor and wallboard and applying tile or stone thereon.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the provided shower module further comprises an open molded seat and a second plurality of flanges, said seat having a plurality of edges and constructed from substantially the same matrix substrate as the floor, the seat being bonded to at least one edge of the floor and the second plurality of flanges being bonded to the plurality of the edges of the seat.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the shower module further comprises an open molded curb constructed from substantially the same matrix substrate as the floor, the curb being bonded to at least one edge of the floor.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein the shower module comprises at least one trench is cast into the floor and connected to the drain opening.

22. An integral one-piece tile ready waterproof shower receptor module formed by:

pouring a waterproof matrix material onto an open mold corresponding to a desired shape of a shower module, the waterproof matrix material comprised of 50% to 55%, by weight, of unsaturated polyester resin and filled with 45% to 50% of small particles of recycled polyester resin, aluminum trihydrate and calcium carbonate;

adding approximately 1 gram of wetting agent for every 1 pound of polyester resin, and approximately 0.8 grams of hardening initiator for every 1 pound of polyester resin to the waterproof matrix material;

agitating the open mold and allowing the matrix to cure for approximately 24 hours;

roughening surfaces of the module so that they are suitable for bonding tile or stone thereto by means of an adhesive;

bonding a plurality of flanges to the shower module using an adhesive agent comprised of approximately 66.5% laminating resin, approximately 33% fumed silica and approximately 0.5% hardening initiator, by volume.

23. The integral one-piece waterproof shower receptor module formed by the process of claim 22, wherein the waterproof matrix material comprises approximately 60%, by weight, of unsaturated polyester resin, approximately 31% filler comprised of small particles of recycled polyester resin, aluminum trihydrate and calcium carbonate material and approximately 9% perlite, and wherein approximately 0.8 grams of hardening initiator for every 1 pound of polyester resin is added to the waterproof matrix material.