SHOWER DRAIN COVER

Abstract

Provided is a shower drain cover configured to enhance the aesthetic appeal of a shower surface having a drainage opening formed therein. It is understood that shower surfaces are typically formed from a design material, such as tile or stone. Accordingly, the shower drain cover includes a design cavity sized and configured to receive a portion of the design material such that the drain cover will more effectively blend into the design surface to enhance the overall appearance of the shower.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Not Applicable

STATEMENT RE: FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH/DEVELOPMENT

Not Applicable

BACKGROUND

This invention relates in general to drain covers. More specifically, the present invention relates to a shower drain cover for a shower drain disposed within a shower surface formed from a decorative material.

Bathrooms are oftentimes designed and constructed to create an aesthetic appearance. A significant component of the overall design of the bathroom is the appearance of the shower or bathtub (collectively referred to herein as the “shower”), which may be finished with an aesthetic design material to create a desired look. For instance, design materials including tile, stone, and the like may be disposed along the walls of the shower (i.e. vertical surfaces) as well as the base of the shower (i.e., horizontal surface) to enhance the overall appearance of the shower.

Although the aesthetic appeal governs much of the design of the shower, there are certain components which are critical to the function of the shower. Along these lines, most showers include a drainage opening for allowing water to be emptied therefrom. The drainage opening is generally connected to plumbing for directing the water into a drainage system.

A cover is generally placed over the drainage opening to collect debris to mitigate clogging of the drainage system. In this regard, the cover generally includes a series of slots or holes to allow water to pass through the cover and into the plumbing. The cover also protects the bather from accidently stepping into the drainage opening formed in the shower to mitigate injury.

The cover is typically constructed from a material that differs from the material used to construct the shower or bathtub. For instance, the cover is typically constructed out of metal, while the shower is constructed from a non-metal material, such a tile or stone. This difference in material has several cosmetic disadvantages. In particular, drain covers constructed from dissimilar materials tend to be less desirable for cosmetic reasons. In many cases, a large amount of time and money is spent to make the shower surface look as aesthetically pleasing as possible. A drain cover formed from out of a different material may interrupt the appearance of the shower surface. As such, it may be more desirable to use a drain cover which matches the visual appearance of the surrounding surface of the shower.

However, it may be difficult to simply form the drain cover out of the material used to construct the shower (i.e., tile). For instance, openings may be cut within the material to allow for water to pass through to the plumbing system. Such a procedure may weaken the structural integrity of the material such that it may not be able to support a bather in the shower. Furthermore, the operation of cutting the design material may be expensive, thereby increasing the overall cost of the shower.

In view of the foregoing, there is a need in the art for a more aesthetically appealing shower drain cover which compliments the material used to construct the shower, while at the same time performing the functionality of a conventional drain cover.

BRIEF SUMMARY

Provided is a shower drain cover configured to enhance the aesthetic appeal of a shower surface having a drainage opening formed therein. It is understood that shower surfaces are typically formed from a design material, such as tile, stone, or the like. Accordingly, the shower drain cover includes a design cavity sized and configured to receive a portion of the design material such that the drain cover will more effectively blend into the design surface to enhance the overall appearance of the shower. In other words, a tile or stone may be placed within the design cavity to blend into the surface of the shower.

The drain cover includes a collection pan including a pan body defining a pan cavity. The pan body includes a pan aperture extending therethrough. A collar is connected to the collection pan and defines a collar opening disposed about the pan aperture. The collar is disposable in fluid communication with the drain pipe to communicate water from the shower to the drain pipe. The drain cover further includes a cover member having a design body and a peripheral wall. The peripheral wall is spaced from the design body to define a drainage opening therebetween. The design body defines a design cavity sized to receive a quantity of the design material, such as tile. The cover member is disposable within the pan cavity to define a nested configuration.

The pan body may include a pan base and a pan wall extending from the pan base, with the pan base and pan wall collectively defining the pan cavity. The peripheral wall may be complimentary in shape to the pan wall. The peripheral wall may be disposed in contact with the pan wall when the cover member is disposed within the pan cavity. The pan base may be sloped downwardly from the pan wall toward the pan aperture.

According to one implementation, the collar may be sized to be disposable within the pipe opening. According to another implementation, the collar may be sized to be disposable about the drain pipe such that the drain pipe is received within the collar. In that instance, the collar defines an inner wall and a collar seal may be disposed about the collar opening along the inner wall. The seal may be configured to create a fluid-tight engagement between the collar and the drain pipe when the collar is disposed about the drain pipe.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other features and advantages of the various embodiments disclosed herein will be better understood with respect to the following description and drawings, in which like numbers refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a top view of a shower drain cover disposed within a tiled shower surface, the drain cover including a design cavity sized to receive a drain tile to blend into the tiled shower surface;

FIG. 2 is an upper perspective view of the drain cover depicted in FIG. 1, the drain cover including a collection pan and a cover element shown in a disengaged configuration;

FIG. 3 is an upper perspective view of the drain cover depicted in FIG. 2, with the collection pan and cover element shown in a nested configuration;

FIG. 4 is a top view of the drain cover depicted in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a side cross sectional view of the drain cover depicted in FIG. 1, wherein the drain cover includes a collar extending into a drain pipe; and

FIG. 6 is a side cross sectional view of a drain cover having a collar configured to be disposed about the drain pipe.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The detailed description set forth below is intended as a description of the presently preferred embodiment of the invention, and is not intended to represent the only form in which the present invention may be constructed or utilized. The description sets forth the functions and sequences of steps for constructing and operating the invention. It is to be understood, however, that the same or equivalent functions and sequences may be accomplished by different embodiments and that they are also intended to be encompassed within the scope of the invention.

Referring now to the drawings, there is depicted a drain cover 10 for use in a shower, wherein the drain cover 10 is adapted to blend into the surface of the shower, while at the same time providing a drainage passage to allow water to flow to a drain pipe 12 (see FIGS. 5 and 6). In particular, the shower cover 10 includes a cavity 14 (see FIGS. 2 and 3) configured to receive a portion of the design material used to construct the shower (i.e., a cover tile 16), such that when the shower cover 10 is disposed over the drain pipe 12, the cover 10 creates a more uniform appearance with the adjacent shower surface relative to conventional drain covers. The drain cover 10 additionally provides a peripheral drainage area surrounding the design material to allow water to flow to the drain pipe 12.

In the particular embodiment depicted in FIG. 1, the shower surface is formed from a plurality of tiles 18 aligned horizontally and vertically. The cover 10 is placed among the tiles 18 to blend into the surface of the shower. In this regard, the cover 10 may define a size which is similar to the size of the tiles 18. For instance, the outer periphery (length and width) of the cover 10 may be similar to the outer periphery of the tiles 18. The cover tile 16 disposed within the cover 10 may smaller than the tiles 18 to provide space for the drainage area. Furthermore, the cover 10 may be sized and configured to dispose the exposed surface of the cover tile 16 in substantially flush relation to the adjacent shower tiles 18, as is best depicted in the cross sectional views in FIGS. 5 and 6.

According to one embodiment, and referring now to FIG. 2, the drain cover 10 includes a collection pan 28 disposable in fluid communication with the drain pipe 12. The collection pan 28 includes a pan body 30 defining a pan cavity 32. The pan body 30 includes a pan base 34 and a pan wall 36 collectively defining the pan cavity 32. The pan wall 36 may be stepped to define a pan shelf 35 extending about the periphery of the pan base 34. A pan aperture 38 is formed within the collection pan 28 and extends through the pan base 34. The pan base 34 may be sloped downwardly toward the pan aperture 38 to direct fluid toward the pan aperture 38. The collection pan 28 may additionally include a plurality of mounting flanges 44 for securing the collection pan 28 to the shower.

The drain cover 10 additionally includes a cover member 46 sized to be received within the pan cavity 32. The cover member 46 includes a design body 48 and a peripheral wall 50 disposed about the design body 48. The peripheral wall 50 is in spaced relation to the design body 48 to define a drainage opening 52 between the design body 48 and the peripheral wall 50. When the cover member 46 is disposed within the pan cavity 32, the cover member 46 may rest upon the pan shelf 35 with the design body 48 being suspended over the pan base 34 to define a flow path from the drainage opening 52 to the pan aperture 38 (see FIGS. 5 and 6).

The design body 48 includes a design base 56 and a design wall 58 extending from the design base 56, such that the design base 56 and design wall 58 collectively define the design cavity 14. The design cavity 14 is configured to receive a portion of the design material used to construct the shower. For instance, one or more tiles 16 may be inserted within the design cavity 14 when tiles 18 are used to line the floor of the shower. It is contemplated that tile, stone, fiberglass, castable materials, and other materials known in the art may be disposed within the design cavity 14. An adhesive may be used to secure the tile 16 or stone to the design body 48. When the cover member 46 is nested within the collection pan 28, the surface material disposed within the design cavity 14 may blend in or compliment the surface material used in the rest of the shower. This creates a uniform, and more desirable appearance than conventional drain covers.

It is contemplated that the cover tile 16 may be identical to the shower tiles 18, or complimentary to the shower tiles 18. For instance, the shower tiles 18 may be blue and the cover tile 16 may be white. Furthermore, the cover tile 16 may be placed within the design cavity 14 without adhesive to allow for easy removal and replacement of the cover tile 16.

A plurality of support arms may 54 extend between the design body 48 and the peripheral wall 50. The support arms 54 may be spaced from each other with the drainage opening extending between adjacent support arms 54. The support arms 54 may be configured to filter debris from passing through the aperture 38 and into the drain pipe 12 to mitigate blockage within the drainage system.

In the embodiment depicted in the Figures, the cover member 46 is separate and detachable from the collection pan 28. In this respect, the peripheral wall 50 is complimentary in shape to the pan wall 36 and nests within the pan wall 36 when the cover member 46 is disposed within the collection pan 28. However, it is contemplated that other embodiments may include a cover member 46 which is integral with the collection pan 28. Along these lines, such an embodiment may include a peripheral wall 50 that is integral with the pan wall 36. In such an embodiment, the cover member 46 may not be removed from the collection pan 28.

The detachable nature of the cover member 46 from the collection pan 28, as shown in the embodiment depicted in the drawings, may be desirable to enable easy access to the drain pipe 12 and to filter large debris from entering the drain pipe 12. For instance, hair may be caught by the support arms 54 to prevent the hair from flowing into the drain pipe 12 and possibly causing a blockage thereof. The cover member 46 may be easily removed from the collection pan 28 to clear off any debris.

Referring now to FIG. 5, a collar 40 is connected to the collection pan 28 about the pan aperture 38 and is configured to communicate fluid from the collection pan 28 to the drain pipe 12. According to one implementation, the collar 40 is sized to be insertable within the pipe end 20 of the drain pipe 12 to drain fluid from the collection pan 28 to the drain pipe 12. In this regard, the collar 40 preferably defines an outer diameter which is smaller than the inner diameter of the drain pipe 12. Therefore, when the cover 10 is installed on the shower, the collection pan 28 is placed on the base of the shower such that the collar 40 is received within the open end of the drain pipe 12. The collar 40 may rest freely within the drain pipe 12 without any adhesive or seal disposed between the collar 40 and the drain pipe 12. Rather, the collection pan 28 may be held in place by grout extending between the collection pan 28 and the adjacent shower tiles 18.

Referring to FIG. 6, there is shown another embodiment of a collection pan 128 that is similar to the first embodiment of the collection pan 28 described above, with the primary point of distinction relating to the collar 140. In particular, the collar 140 is configured to be disposed about the drain pipe 12 to receive the pipe end 20 within the collar 140 to communicate water from the collection pan 128 to the drain pipe 12. Accordingly, the collar 140 defines an inner diameter which is larger than the outer diameter of the drain pipe 12. A fluid seal 142, such as a rubber gasket may be disposed along an inner wall of the collar 140 to create a fluid tight seal between the collar 140 and the drain pipe 12 when the collar 140 is disposed over the drain pipe 12. In this regard, when fluid drains from the collar 140 to the drain pipe 12, the fluid seal 142 mitigates fluid loss at the juncture of the collar 140 and the drain pipe 12. The fluid seal 142 may create a friction fit with the drain pipe 12 to secure the collar 140 and collection pan 128 to the drain pipe 12. Additional adhesive may be used to strengthen the engagement between the collar 140 and the drain pipe 12, as well as to enhance the fluid tight seal therebetween.

It is contemplated that the cover 10 may be formed from plastic, rubber, or other materials known by those skilled in the art capable of withstanding the shower environment. Along these lines, the cover 10 is configured to endure wetness and is strong enough to support a bather standing on the shower floor.

It is further contemplated that the cover 10 may be installed during initial construction of the shower, or during a remodel of the shower. During initial construction, the collection pan 28, 128 may be placed on the base of the shower with the collar 40, 140 in fluid communication with the drain pipe 12. The adjacent tiles 18 may then be placed upon the shower floor around the cover 10. With regard to a remodel, if the shower already includes a tiled surface, the existing conventional drain cover may be removed and space may be created for the cover 10. Once the space is created, the cover 10 may be placed on the shower floor with the collar 40, 140 in fluid communication with the drain pipe 12.

It is understood that the cover 10 may be available in various shapes and sizes. Although the cover 10 illustrated in the Figures is square, it is contemplated that the cover 10 may be also be rectangular, circular, oval shaped, triangular, etc.

The above description is given by way of example, and not limitation. Given the above disclosure, one skilled in the art could devise variations that are within the scope and spirit of the invention disclosed herein. Further, the various features of the embodiments disclosed herein can be used alone, or in varying combinations with each other and are not intended to be limited to the specific combination described herein. Thus, the scope of the claims is not to be limited by the illustrated embodiments.

Claims

1. A drain cover for a shower drain disposed within a fabricated layer formed from a design material, the shower drain including a drain pipe defining a pipe opening, the drain cover comprising:

a collection pan including a pan body defining a pan cavity, the pan body having a pan aperture extending therethrough;

a collar connected to the collection pan, the collar defining a collar opening disposed about the pan aperture, the collar being disposable in fluid communication with the drain pipe; and

a cover member including a design body and a peripheral wall, the peripheral wall being spaced from the design body to defining a drainage opening therebetween, the design body defining a design cavity sized to receive a quantity of the design material, the cover member being disposable within the pan cavity to define a nested configuration.

2. The drain cover recited in claim 1, wherein the pan body includes a pan base and a pan wall extending from the pan base, the pan base and pan wall collectively defining the pan cavity.

3. The drain cover recited in claim 2, wherein the peripheral wall is complimentary in shape to the pan wall.

4. The drain cover recited in claim 3, wherein the peripheral wall is disposed in contact with the pan wall when the cover member is disposed within the pan cavity.

5. The drain cover recited in claim 1, wherein the pan base is sloped downwardly from the pan wall toward the pan aperture.

6. The drain cover recited in claim 1, wherein the collar is sized to be disposable within the pipe opening.

7. The drain cover recited in claim 1, wherein the collar is sized to be disposable about the drain pipe such that the drain pipe is received within the collar.

8. The drain cover recited in claim 7, wherein the collar defines an inner wall, the drain cover further comprising a collar seal disposed about the collar opening along the inner wall, the seal being configured to create a fluid-tight engagement between the collar and the drain pipe when the collar is disposed about the drain pipe.

9. The drain cover recited in claim 1 further comprising a plurality of support members extending between the design body and the peripheral wall.

10. The drain cover recited in claim 1, wherein the collar is integrally connected to the collection pan.

11. The drain cover recited in claim 1, wherein the design body includes a design base and a design wall extending from the design base, the design base and design wall collectively defining the design cavity.

12. A drain cover for a shower drain disposed within a fabricated layer formed from a design material, the drain including a drain pipe defining a pipe opening, the drain cover comprising:

a collection pan including a pan base and a pan wall collectively defining a pan cavity, the pan base having a pan aperture extending therethrough;

a collar connected to the collection pan, the collar defining a collar opening disposed about the pan aperture, the collar being disposable in fluid communication with the drain pipe; and

a cover member including a design body defining a design cavity sized to receive a quantity of the design material, the cover member being disposable within the pan cavity to define a nested configuration, the design body being spaced from the pan wall to define a drainage opening therebetween.

13. The drain cover recited in claim 12, wherein the pan base is sloped downwardly from the pan wall toward the pan aperture.

14. The drain cover recited in claim 12, wherein the collar is sized to be disposable within the pipe opening.

15. The drain cover recited in claim 12, wherein the collar is sized to be disposable about the drain pipe such that the drain pipe is received within the collar.

16. The drain cover recited in claim 15, wherein the collar defines an inner wall, the drain cover further comprising a collar seal disposed about the collar opening along the inner wall, the seal being configured to create a fluid-tight engagement between the collar and the drain pipe when the collar is disposed about the drain pipe.

17. The drain cover recited in claim 12, wherein the collar is integrally connected to the collection pan.

18. The drain cover recited in claim 12, wherein the design body includes a design base and a design wall extending from the design base, the design base and design wall collectively defining the design cavity.