SHOWER DRAINAGE SYSTEM HAVING SLIMLINE WASTE CONDUIT DEVICE

Abstract

A shower drainage system (10) comprises a shower tray or former (12), a waste water device (14) attached to a waste water outlet (16) of the shower tray or former (12), and a slimline waste conduit device (18) which extends from a waste water outlet (20) of the waste water device (14). The slimline waste conduit device (18) has a, or a total combined, hydraulic radius which is greater than the hydraulic radius of a single shower drainage pipe of circular cross-section having a diameter equivalent to the minor lateral dimension of the slimline waste conduit device.

Description

The present invention relates to a shower drainage system having a slimline waste conduit device, and also to a slimline waste conduit device specifically adapted for use with the shower drainage system.

Shower drainage pipes are, historically, circular. In order to install a shower tray, and in particular a level- or low-entry shower tray or a shower former on which a waterproof floor covering material can be overlaid, the drainage pipe or pipes have to be run therebelow. In the case of gravity-assisted drainage only, the pipes have to be of sufficient diameter to allow suitable through-flow without blocking and/or backing up, thus resulting in flooding.

When presented with limited under-tray space, which can often happen when installing low-level components, such as a level-entry shower tray or a shower former, in or on a concrete floor or within the depth of floorboards, the diameter of the drainage pipe must be considered, and it often has to be reduced in order to fit. In this instance, electric-pump-assisted drainage must then be considered in order to provide adequate through-flow from the shower tray. However, by reducing the pipe diameter, drainage efficiency inherently suffers.

The use of an electric pump itself presents problems, since a suitable supply of power needs to be present and isolated from any chance of water contact. The pump also requires maintenance, and can be prone to failure.

Consequently, gravity-assisted drainage is preferable, but only if a suitable drainage conduit having an appropriate area can be utilised.

The present invention seeks to address this problem.

According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a shower drainage system comprising a shower tray or shower former, a waste water device attached to a waste water outlet of the shower tray or former, and a slimline waste conduit device which extends from a waste water outlet of the waste water device and which has a minor lateral dimension and a major lateral dimension which is greater than the minor lateral dimension, the slimline waste conduit device having a, or a total combined, hydraulic radius which is greater than the hydraulic radius of a single shower drainage pipe of circular cross-section having a diameter equivalent to the minor lateral dimension of the slimline waste conduit device.

Preferable and/or optional features of the first aspect of the invention are set forth in claims 2 to 15, inclusive.

According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a slimline waste conduit device which is specifically adapted for connection to a waste water device of a shower drainage system in accordance with the first aspect of the invention, the slimline waste conduit device having a, or a total combined, hydraulic radius which is greater than the hydraulic radius of a single shower drainage pipe of circular cross-section having a diameter equivalent to the minor lateral dimension of the slimline waste conduit device.

Preferably, the waste conduit device includes two or more channels.

According to a third aspect of the invention, there is provided a slimline waste conduit device in accordance with the second aspect of the invention, in combination with a waste water device for location in a waste water outlet of a shower tray or shower former.

The present invention will now be more particularly described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of a shower drainage system, according to the first aspect of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross-section through a shower tray, waste water device and slimline waste conduit device of the shower drainage system, shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged elevational cross-sectional side view of part of a shower former, waste water device and slimline waste conduit device;

FIG. 4 is a non-cross-sectional elevational view of the shower drainage system, similar to that shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the waste water device in isolation from the shower former and slimline waste conduit device;

FIG. 6 is a view of the waste water device, similar to that shown in FIG. 5, but in cross-section;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view from one end of the slimline waste conduit device, and showing a transition element;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the transition element;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the transition element, when inverted;

FIG. 10 is a view from one end of the slimline waste conduit device, showing the shape of an opening;

FIG. 11 is a view of a second embodiment of a shower drainage system, according to the first aspect of the invention and showing a different slimline waste conduit device;

FIG. 12 is a view from one end of the slimline waste conduit device of the second embodiment; and

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a transition element of the slimline waste conduit device of the second embodiment.

Referring firstly to FIGS. 1 to 10, there is shown a first embodiment of a shower drainage system 10 which comprises a shower tray or shower former 12, a waste water device 14 attached to a waste water outlet 16 of the shower tray or former 12, and a, typically moulded plastics, slimline waste conduit device 18 which extends from a waste water outlet 20 of the waste water device 14.

The shower tray or former 12, in this case, is a shower former for location beneath a waterproof floor covering material, such as tiles or a continuous plastics sheet, exemplified by Altro RTM. The former creates a predetermined fall towards the waste water outlet 16 thereof, simplifying installation. In the case of the plastics sheet, the waste water device 14 includes a continuous clamping ring 22 which can clamp the plastics sheet to the base 24 of the waste water device 14. A removable grid cover 26 is supportable on the clamping ring 22 to cover a waste water inlet 28 of the waste water device 14.

However, the invention is equally applicable to a shower tray, and in particular a low-level or level-entry shower tray.

The waste water device 14 also includes a trap 30, in the form of an upwardly projecting water inlet passage 32 and a spaced cover 34 which is formed as part of the grid cover 26 and which includes a depending skirt 36 which surrounds the water inlet passage 32 in spaced relationship.

Although integrally formed as one-piece, the cover 34 of the external trap 30 can be separate of the grid cover 26.

The waste water device 14 includes a chamber 38 formed as part of the base 24 of the waste water device 14. The chamber 38 defines a waste water cavity 40 having length and width dimensions which are greater than the maximum dimension or diameter of the water inlet passage 32. The trap 30 is, in this embodiment, external of the cavity 40. However, it is feasible that the trap could be provided within or partially within the cavity 40.

The waste water outlet 20 of the waste water device 14 is elongate and non-circular. The waste water outlet 20 has a length which is greater than a depth of the waste water cavity 40.

The slimline waste conduit device 18 is elongate and uniform over all or the majority of its longitudinal extent. The waste conduit device 18 has a hollow tubular single-bore conduit body 42 defining a non-circular exterior lateral cross-section which is complementarily shaped to fit the waste water outlet 20 of the waste water device 14. Connection can be by bonding or, for example, solvent welding.

The non-circular exterior lateral cross-section of the waste conduit device 18 has a major exterior lateral dimension which, when connected to the waste water device 14, extends in parallel or substantially parallel with the shower tray or former 12, and a minor exterior lateral dimension which is less than the major exterior lateral dimension and which extends perpendicularly or substantially perpendicularly to the shower tray or former 12.

As best seen in FIG. 10, lower and upper interior surfaces 44, 46 of the slimline waste conduit device 18 include two contiguously formed concave or scalloped portions 48 which follow each other consecutively in a lateral plane. The two concave portions 48 thus form two parallel shallow channels 50 which extend along the longitudinal extent of the conduit body 42. The concave portions 48 increase the rigidity of the waste conduit device 18, and also promote self-cleaning since waste water tends to wash sideways as it travels along the channels 50. Furthermore, the concave or scalloped portions 48 increase the hydraulic radius, and thus the drainage efficiency.

Although two concave or scalloped portions 48 are suggested, one or more than two concave or scalloped portions can be provided. The concave portion or portions may only be provided on the lower interior surface 44.

The slimline waste conduit device 18 also includes a transition element 52 to allow connection of the conduit 18 to a drainage pipe of standard cross-section, being typically circular.

In this embodiment, the transition element 52 is separate of the conduit body 42 and attachable thereto, for example via solvent welding. However, the transition element 52 can be integrally formed with the conduit body 42 as one-piece.

The transition element 52 may also be conveniently made using plastics injection moulded components which are solvent or ultrasonically welded together to make a single unified body, such division of the single body 52 being taken to overcome potential re-entrant regions of a manufacturing mould tool which might otherwise make the part impossible to mould by such means.

The transition element 52 includes an elongate non-circular first end 54 which funnels to a circular second end 56. The first end 54 is complementarily shaped to fit one end of the conduit body 42, while the second end 56 is complementarily shaped to fit an end of a standard drainage pipe. By ‘standard’ it is understood to refer to national and international plumbing, waste pipe and pipe fitting standards as created by such bodies as BSI in the United Kingdom, EN within the European Union and ANSI in the United States of America, although this list is not exhaustive and by way of example only. A ‘standard’ diameter is typically a diametric dimension of or substantially of 30 millimetres. However, a drainage pipe of circular cross-section and having a diameter in the range of 32 mm to 50 mm can be considered ‘standard’.

The first end 54 and the second end 56 are asymmetrically aligned in a plane which bisects the first end in a direction parallel to its longitudinal extent. In other words, the fall of the transition element 52 from the first end 54 to the second end 56 is steeper in one orientation and shallower when the transition element is inverted.

Referring now to FIGS. 11 to 13, a second embodiment of a shower drainage system will now be described. In this embodiment, it is only the slimline waste conduit device which differs, and therefore, in all other respects, the shower tray and the waste water device are as described above. Features of the slimline waste conduit device which are similar to those of the first embodiment have similar references, except with ‘100’ added. Further detailed description is thus omitted.

As in the first embodiment, the slimline waste conduit device 118 has a uniformly elongate conduit body 142 and a separate transition element 152. The conduit body 142 includes four hollow tubular elongate channels or bores 150 having circular lateral cross-sections. The bores 150 are independent so as to liquidly isolated from each other, but may be integrally formed together as one-piece. The conduit body 142 therefore has a non-circular exterior lateral cross-section which is complementarily shaped to fit the waste water outlet 20 of the waste water device 14.

The non-circular exterior lateral cross-section of the waste conduit device 118 has a major exterior lateral dimension which, when connected to the waste water device 14, extends in parallel or substantially parallel with the shower tray or former 12, and a minor exterior lateral dimension which is less than the major exterior lateral dimension and which extends perpendicularly or substantially perpendicularly to the shower tray or former 12.

As in the first embodiment, and due to the circular lateral cross-sections of the channels or bores 150, the upper and lower interior surfaces of the bores 150 have concave portions 148, which again promote rigidity and self-cleaning.

The transition element 152 is similar to that described in the first embodiment, and although separate of the conduit body 142, can be integrally formed as one-piece.

The first end 154 of the transition element 152 is non-circular and complementarily shaped to fit one end of the conduit body 142. The second end 156 is complementarily shaped to fit a standard drainage pipe.

Due to the two ends 154 and 156 being asymmetrically aligned, as in the first embodiment, the selectable fall is again provided.

Although bores of circular cross-section are suggested, non-circular cross-sections can be used.

In a third embodiment, being a modification to the second embodiment, the slimline waste conduit device can comprise multiple and independent conventional circular elongate waste pipes. The multiple pipes can be installed in cooperation with multiple individual receiving sockets provided in both the transition element and the waste device, similar to the second embodiment. This arrangement allows the plurality of multiple waste pipes, thus defining multiple channels, to be separately routed from the waste discharge around obstacles below the shower installation and to be recombined at the transition element.

When the multiple separate waste pipes are grouped together, and thus taken as a whole, the exterior lateral cross-section of the group as a whole is non-circular, and the slimline waste conduit device can be considered to have a minor lateral dimension and a major lateral dimension which is greater than the minor lateral dimension.

The multiple bores or channels of the second and third embodiments are independent of each other so as to be liquidly isolated. However, in a modification of the second embodiment, multiple channels which extend in parallel with each other, but which are open to enable liquid communication therebetween are possible.

Particularly with shower trays which directly support a user, as opposed to a shower former, the minor exterior lateral dimension is sufficiently small to permit the slimline waste conduit device to be received or substantially received within a depth of the shower tray.

Although preferably received beneath the shower tray or former, the slimline waste conduit device can be used in an upward discharge shower waste system. In this case, the waste water outlet of the waste water device is a the top of the waste water device, for example, through the grid cover. In this modification, the slimline waste conduit device is used in conjunction with an electric waste water pump.

Although the shower tray or former, the waste water device and the slimline waste conduit device are all formed separately, it is feasible that two or more of these elements can be formed integrally together as one-piece.

In the above embodiments, the waste conduit device has an increased hydraulic radius over a single drainage pipe of circular cross-section which is suitable for standard connection to a shower tray or shower former for drainage and which has a diameter equivalent to the minor lateral dimension of the slimline waste conduit device. Therefore the draining efficiency is significantly increased.

It is thus possible to provide a shower drainage system which is extremely low-level and compact in design, allowing fitment below the shower tray or shower former in a particularly tight and confined space, whilst still permitting flow-rates under gravity equivalent to standard circular bore drain pipes. It is also possible to provide single or multi-bore slimline waste conduit device, which is sufficiently rigid to prevent sag. It is further possible to provide a transition element which is invertible to allow a selectable fall to a standard drain pipe.

Further benefits of this system can be envisaged where shower drainage waste pipes of the type herein so described may also be beneficially turned through 90 degrees such that the major lateral dimension extends away from the shower tray, conveniently permitting the waste pipe to be attached to floor timber joists and the like and to be routed where restrictions or obstructions below the shower floor may make a conventional circular shower drain pipe unsuitable.

The embodiments described above are given by way of examples only, and various other modifications will be apparent to persons skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention, as defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1-20. (canceled)

21. A shower drainage system (10) comprising a shower tray or former (12), a waste water device (14) attached to a waste water outlet (16) of the shower tray or former (12), and a slimline waste conduit device (18; 118) extending from a waste water outlet (20) of the waste water device (14) and which has a minor lateral dimension extending substantially perpendicularly to the shower tray or former and a major lateral dimension extending substantially parallel with the tray or former, the major lateral dimension being greater than the minor lateral dimension, the slimline waste conduit device (18; 118) having a lower interior surface (44) and/or an upper interior surface (46) which include(s) at least two concave portions in a lateral plane.

22. A shower drainage system (10) as claimed in claim 21, wherein the slimline waste conduit device (18; 118) has, or when taken as a whole, a non-circular exterior lateral cross-section.

23. A shower drainage system (10) as claimed in claim 21, wherein the at least two concave portions (48) are contiguously formed with each other.

24. A shower drainage system (10) as claimed in claim 21, wherein the slimline waste conduit device (18; 118) includes a transition element (52; 152) for connection of the conduit (18; 118) to a waste water pipe.

25. A shower drainage system (10) as claimed in claim 24, wherein the transition element (52; 152) is separate of a conduit body (42) of the waste conduit device (18; 118).

26. A shower drainage system (10) as claimed in claim 24, wherein the transition element is integrally formed as one-piece with a conduit body of the waste conduit device.

27. A shower drainage system (10) as claimed in claim 24, wherein the transition element (52; 152) is invertible to alter a fall to the waste water pipe.

28. A shower drainage system (10) as claimed in claim 21, wherein the slimline waste conduit device (18; 118) includes a plurality of channels (50; 150) extending therethrough.

29. A shower drainage system as claimed in claim 28, wherein each channel (150) is an independent bore which has a circular or substantially circular interior lateral cross-section.

30. A shower drainage system (10) as claimed in claim 21, wherein the slimline waste conduit device (18; 118) extends beneath the shower tray or former (12) to a drain or a drain pipe.

31. A shower drainage system (10) as claimed in claim 21, wherein the slimline waste conduit device (18; 118) is within or substantially within a depth of the shower tray or former (12).

32. A slimline waste conduit device (18; 118) for connection to a waste water device (14) of a shower drainage system (10) as claimed in claim 21, the slimline waste conduit device (18; 118) having a lower interior surface (44) and/or an upper interior surface (46) which include at least two concave portions in a lateral plane.

33. A slimline waste conduit device (18; 118) as claimed in claim 32, wherein the waste conduit device (18; 118) includes two or more channels (50; 150).

34. A slimline waste conduit device (18; 118) as claimed in claim 32, in combination with a waste water device (14) for location in a waste water outlet (16) of a shower tray or shower former (12).

35. A shower drainage system (10) comprising a shower tray or former (12), a waste water device (14) attached to a waste water outlet (16) of the shower tray or former (12), and a slimline waste conduit device (18; 118) extending from a waste water outlet (20) of the waste water device (14) and which has a minor lateral dimension extending substantially perpendicularly to the shower tray or former and a major lateral dimension extending substantially parallel with the tray or former, the major lateral dimension being greater than the minor lateral dimension, the slimline waste conduit device (18; 118) including two or more channels (50; 150).