SLIMLINE SHOWER WASTE DEVICE

Abstract

A slimline shower waste device (10) for an integral waste water outlet (14) of a shower tray or shower former (16), comprises a hollow waste body (38) having a flattened portion (40) which defines a waste water cavity (42): a waste water inlet (44) for waste water now into the cavity (42) and which is provided on the flattened portion (40): and a circular wastewater outlet (46) for waste water flow out of the device (10). The circular waste water outlet (46) has a maximum internal diameter which is greater than a depth of the flattened portion (40).

Description

The present invention relates to a slimline shower waste device for a shower trap adapter provided or locatable in a waste water outlet of a shower tray or shower former, and more particularly, but not exclusively, to a slimline shower waste device which drains under gravity only.

Trap adapters are now well known. They are provided in a waste water outlet of a shower tray or shower former, and allow a shower waste trap to be connected therebelow. The trap adapter enables clamping of a flexible plastics waterproof floor covering material, such as Altro®, thereto, or abutment of floor tiles, when used with the shower former, or simply supporting of a waste grid cover when used with a shower tray.

However, in the case of gravity-assisted non-pumped drainage, the shower waste trap which is connectable to the trap adapter is large, and thus hangs a significant distance below the trap adapter. This causes problems for installation, since not only space for the trap needs to be provided, but also for drain pipes which are significantly spaced from the shower tray or former. Such a prior art arrangement is diagrammatically shown in cross-section in FIG. 1. This arrangement is provided by Impey UK Limited of Conquest Business Park, Ilton, Somerset, United Kingdom, and shows a shower former 1, a trap adapter 2 provided in the waste outlet 3 of the shower former, flexible plastics waterproof floor covering material 4 clamped to the trap adapter 2, a separate waste trap 5 connected to the bottom of the trap adapter 2, and a drainage pipe 6 connected to the trap 5.

This problem of size has been addressed by utilising non-gravity electric pump-assisted drainage, thereby allowing a very shallow waste, typically without a trap. However, the additional cost of such a pumped system and the additional requirement for a skilled electrician to complete the electrical connections prior to the commissioning of such a system can be a significant issue, particularly when many such installations are the responsibility of public or charitable bodies caring for the elderly or infirm with limited resources.

A low-level or level entry shower tray or shower former can have a depth or thickness as little as 22 millimetres, and when installed on a cement screed, minimal additional space below the tray or former—typically 25 mm or less—may be available, making the installation of a conventional gravity drainage waste pipe capable of taking the waste water flowing from the shower impossible or very time consuming.

The present invention seeks to provide a solution to the above-mentioned problem.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a slimline shower waste device for an integral waste water outlet of a shower tray or shower former, the slimline waste device comprising a hollow waste body having a flattened portion which defines a waste water cavity; a waste water inlet for waste water flow into the cavity and which is provided on the flattened portion; and a circular waste water outlet for waste water flow out of the device, the waste water outlet having a maximum internal diameter which is greater than a depth of the flattened portion.

Preferable and/or optional features of the first aspect of the invention are set forth in claims 2 to 23, inclusive.

According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a slimline shower waste device in accordance with the first aspect of the invention, in combination with a trap adapter for a waste outlet of a shower tray or shower former, the waste device cooperatively shaped to permit assembly to the base of the trap adapter.

Preferably, the said assembly is by solvent or adhesive bonding or any permanent process.

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

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic side elevational view of a prior art arrangement of a shower former having a trap adapter positioned in a waste outlet of the former, a separate trap attached to a base of the trap adapter, and a drain pipe attached to a waste water outlet of the trap;

FIG. 2 is an elevational side view of a shower former having a waste water outlet in which a trap adapter is provided, a first embodiment of a slimline shower waste device, in accordance with the first aspect of the invention, being attached to a base of the trap adapter;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the shower former, trap adapter and slimline shower waste device, shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the shower former, trap adapter and slimline shower waste device, in cross-section;

FIG. 5 is an elevational side view of the slimline shower waste device;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the slimline shower waste device;

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the slimline shower waste device;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a shower former, trap adapter, and a second embodiment of a slimline shower waste device, in accordance with the first aspect of the invention;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a third embodiment of a slimline shower waste device formed as one-piece with the trap adapter, in accordance with the second aspect of the invention;

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional perspective view of the combined one-piece trap adapter and slimline shower waste device; and

FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional perspective view of a shower former, and the one-piece trap adapter and slimline shower waste device located in a waste water outlet of the former.

Referring firstly to FIGS. 2 to 7 of the drawings, there is shown a first embodiment of a slimline shower waste device 10 connected to a trap adapter 12, which itself is located in a waste outlet 14 of a shower former 16. The trap adapter 12 has a stepped base 18 which has an upper continuous flange portion 20 for overlapping onto and connection with the shower former 16 adjacent to the waste outlet 14. The stepped base 18 also has a flat plateaux portion 22 for supporting a clamping ring 24 of the trap adapter 12, and finally a lower sump portion 26. Flexible plastics waterproof floor covering material 28 is fed over the flange portion 20 and down into the stepped base 18 until it approaches the plateaux portion 22. The clamping ring 24 is then seated directly on and fixed, via screw threaded fasteners 30, only to the plateaux portion 22, such that the floor covering material 28 is clamped without being perforated between an uprising wall 32 of the clamping ring 24 and an adjacent wall 34 of the stepped base 18 which extends between the plateaux portion 22 and the upper flange portion 20.

The bottom of the stepped base 18 of the trap adapter 12 includes an aperture 36 for receiving the slimline shower waste device 10.

The slimline shower waste device 10 is typically formed as one-piece from moulded plastics and comprises a hollow elongate waste body 38 which includes an elongate flattened portion 40 defining a waste water cavity 42, a waste water inlet 44 for waste water flow into the cavity 42, and a waste water outlet 46 for waste water flow out of the cavity 42.

The waste water inlet 44 is provided on an upper surface of the flattened portion 40, such that the flattened portion 40 extends therearound, and includes a cylindrical waste water conduit 48 which projects upwardly therefrom. The conduit 48 is dimensioned to be a close fit in and to project through the base aperture 36 of the trap adapter 12.

The waste water outlet 46 is provided to one side of the flattened portion 40, at right angles to the waste water inlet 44. The waste water outlet 46 is dimensioned for connection to a waste water discharge pipe, typically having a diametric dimension in the range of 32 mm to 50 mm, conventionally specified as 1¼ inches to 2 inches. The flattened portion 40 of the waste body 38 includes a first taper 50 which extends in a converging direction from the waste water outlet 46 to or adjacent to the waste water inlet 44. This converging taper 50 is in a first plane which is normal to both the waste water inlet 44 and the waste water outlet 46. As appreciated from FIG. 4, this plane is parallel to the longitudinal extent of the waste device.

The flattened portion 40 also includes a second taper 52 which extends in a diverging direction from the waste water outlet 46 to or adjacent to the waste water inlet 44. This diverging taper 52 is in a second plane which includes or is parallel to the waste water inlet 44. The second plane is normal to the first plane. The diverging taper is best appreciated in FIG. 6.

Due to the converging taper 50, a diameter of the circular waste water outlet 46 is greater than a depth of the flattened portion 40, and in particular, the diameter of the waste water outlet 46 is greater than a depth of the flattened portion 40 at the waste water inlet 44.

Due to the diverging taper 52, a width of the flattened portion 40, in particular at the waste water inlet 44, is greater than a diameter of the circular waste water outlet 46.

Advantageously, the slimline shower waste device 10 also includes a waste water trap 54 which defines a tortuous flow path (arrows referenced by 56) from the trap adapter 12 to the waste water cavity 42 within the flattened portion 40. The trap 54 is external and separate of the flattened portion 40, and includes a solid cap-like body 58 which extends across and overlaps the waste water conduit 48 of the waste water inlet 44. The cap-like body 58 includes a depending skirt 60 which hangs down and around the conduit 48. The skirt 60 may extend to contact the surface of the lower sump portion 26. In this case, a lowermost edge of the skirt 60 includes notches, openings or castellations to allow for the passage of water.

So that the cap-like body 58 is held in spaced relationship relative to the conduit 48, the cap-like body 58 is preferably integrally formed as part of the underside of a waste grid cover 62 of the trap adapter 12. In this way, water flowing through the waste grid cover 62 must first flow down to the lower sump portion 26 of the stepped base 18, before it can flow up between the skirt 60 of the cap-like body 58 and an exterior surface of the conduit 48, and then over an upper edge of the conduit 48 and down into the waste water cavity 42 of the flattened portion 40 of the waste body 38.

To provide additional support to the cap-like body 58 from the conduit 48 of the waste water inlet 44, a supporting cross-member 64 is formed internally across the conduit 48. The cap-like body 58 includes a downwardly projecting support element 66 which bears against the supporting cross-member 64. This allows the waste to beneficially support additional loads such as wheels from wheelchairs.

The waste body 38 of the waste device 10 is typically water-tightly bonded into the aperture 36 of the stepped base 18 of the trap adapter 12 during the installation of the device.

Referring to FIG. 8, a second embodiment of a slimline shower waste device 110 is shown. The waste body 138 is substantially as described above, except that the supporting cross-member is dispensed with. The only other difference resides in the trap 154. As such, similar references are used to refer to similar parts, except that ‘100’ is added, and further detailed description is thus omitted.

The trap 154 again includes a solid cap-like body 158 which extends across and overlaps the waste water conduit 148 of the waste water inlet 144 of the waste body 138. The cap-like body 158 includes a depending skirt 160 which hangs down and around the conduit 148. However, in this embodiment, the cap-like body 158 is separate of the waste grid cover 162. The lowermost edge 160 of the cap-like body 158 is provided with castellated supports and openings 159 allowing the passage of water into the cap and providing support for both the cap and the waste grid cover.

In all other respects, the cap-like body 158 of the trap 154 is as described in the first embodiment.

Referring to FIGS. 9 to 11, a third embodiment of a slimline shower waste device 210 is shown. Similar references are used to refer to similar parts, except that ‘200’ is added, and further detailed description is thus omitted.

In this embodiment, the waste body 238 of the waste device is integrally formed with an upwardly and outwardly stepped flange 218, corresponding to the stepped base 18 of the trap adapter 12 of the first embodiment. As such, the separate trap adapter of the previous embodiments can be dispensed with, and the stepped flange is seated in or on, and directly connected to, the integral waste water outlet of the shower tray or shower former to extend thereacross. The stepped flange 218 surrounds the cylindrical waste water conduit, and provides a mounting surface for a clamping ring at a position generally referenced by 212. The cap-like body 258 of the trap 254 is integrally formed with the waste grid cover 262 as one-piece. The cap-like body 258 remains separate of the waste body 238.

The supporting cross-member can be dispensed with, if necessary.

In all other respects, the shower waste device of the third embodiment is as described in the first embodiment.

The waste water cavity of flattened portion of the embodiments described above can thus be considered to have a non-circular outlet which is in liquid communication with the circular waste water outlet of the waste device. Although this arrangement is integrally formed as one-piece, it is entirely feasible that an adapter can provided which has a non-circular inlet portion for connection to the non-circular outlet of the waste water cavity, and a circular waste water outlet for connection to a standard circular drain pipe. The circular waste water outlet of the adapter is thus the circular waste water outlet of the slimline waste device, and the adapter is connected or connectable to the non-circular outlet of the flattened portion.

Although the above described slimline shower waste device is ideal for use in only gravity-assisted drainage areas, it can be utilised in a pumped drainage system having an electrically operable waste water pump.

The trap can be dispensed with, if necessary for pumped installations.

It is envisaged that a trap can be provided within the conduit of the waste water inlet, thus being external or at least partially external to the waste water cavity of the flattened portion.

To further accommodate the diameter of drainage pipe, a pipe-receiving channel may be formed through any ribbing or reinforcement formed on an underside of the shower tray or shower former.

The waste water inlet to the waste device may be non-circular.

The conduit of the waste water inlet is beneficial in locating and water-tightly sealing the waste body to the stepped base of the trap adapter. However, the conduit can be dispensed with. In this case, the cap-like body can include a plurality of radially spaced skirts or walls which define the tortuous flow path into the waste water cavity.

An overall depth of the waste body of the slimline shower waste device is less than or equal to a diameter of a drain pipe to which the waste body is connectable. As such, the flattened portion can be comfortably received beneath the stepped base of the trap adapter, and thus the waste body can be fully or largely received within the depth of the shower tray or shower former. As such, it is possible to provide a waste within a very limited depth of flooring.

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

1-27. (canceled)

28. A slimline shower waste device (10; 110; 210) for an integral waste water outlet (14) of a shower tray or shower former (16), the slimline waste device (10; 110; 210) comprising a hollow waste body (38; 138; 238) having a flattened portion (40) which defines a waste water cavity (42); a waste water inlet (44; 144) for waste water flow into the cavity (42) and which is provided on the flattened portion (40); and a circular waste water outlet (46) for waste water flow out of the device (10; 110; 210), the circular waste water outlet (46) having a maximum internal diameter which is greater than a depth of the flattened portion (40).

29. A slimline shower waste device (10; 110; 210) as claimed in claim 28, wherein the waste water outlet (46) has a maximum diameter which is greater than a depth of the flattened portion (40) at the waste water inlet (44; 144).

30. A slimline shower waste device (10; 110; 210) as claimed in claim 28, wherein the flattened portion (40) extends around the waste water inlet (44; 144).

31. A slimline shower waste device (10; 110; 210) as claimed in claim 28, wherein the waste water cavity (42) includes a non-circular outlet which is in liquid communication with the circular waste water outlet (46) of the waste device and an adapter which includes the said circular waste water outlet (46), the adapter being connected or connectable to the non-circular outlet of the waste water cavity (42).

32. A slimline shower waste device (10; 110; 210) as claimed in claim 28, wherein the waste body (38; 138; 238) is elongate, and a width of the flattened portion (40) is greater than the diameter of the waste water outlet (46) of the waste device.

33. A slimline shower waste device (10; 110; 210) as claimed in claim 28, wherein the waste water inlet (44; 144) includes a waste water conduit (48; 148) for projection into the waste water outlet (14) of the shower tray or shower former (16), the waste water conduit (48; 148) projecting from the flattened portion (40).

34. A slimline shower waste device (10; 110; 210) as claimed in claim 28, wherein the flattened portion (40) includes a taper which extends in a converging direction from the waste water outlet (46) of the waste device to or adjacent to the waste water inlet (44; 144).

35. A slimline shower waste device (10; 110; 210) as claimed in claim 34, wherein the said converging taper is in a plane which passes through both the waste water inlet (44; 144) and the waste water outlet (46) of the waste device.

36. A slimline shower waste device (10; 110; 210) as claimed in claim 28, wherein the flattened portion (40) includes a taper which extends in a diverging direction from the waste water outlet (46) of the waste device to or adjacent to the waste water inlet (44; 144).

37. A slimline shower waste device (10; 110; 210) as claimed in claim 36, wherein the said diverging taper is in a plane which includes or is in parallel to the waste water inlet (44; 144).

38. A slimline shower waste device (10; 110; 210) as claimed in claim 28, further comprising a waste water trap (54; 154) which defines a tortuous flow path, the trap (54; 154) being external of the flattened portion (40).

39. A slimline shower waste device (10; 110; 210) as claimed in claim 38, wherein the waste water trap (54; 154) includes a cap-like body (58; 158) which extends across and overlaps the waste water inlet (44; 144), the cap-like body (58; 158) having a depending skirt (60; 160) which defines at least part of the tortuous flow path, the cap-like body (58; 158) being spaced from the waste water inlet (44; 144).

40. A slimline shower waste device (10; 110; 210) as claimed in claim 28, wherein the device (10; 110; 210) is fully or substantially fully positionable within a depth of a shower tray or shower former (16).

41. A slimline shower waste device (10; 110; 210) as claimed in claim 28, further comprising an integrally formed flange (218) for seating on or in an integral waste water outlet (14) of the shower tray or shower former (16).

42. A slimline shower waste device (10; 110; 210) as claimed in claim 28, in combination with a trap adapter (12) for a waste outlet (14) of a shower tray or shower former (16), the waste device cooperatively shaped to permit assembly to the base (18) of the trap adapter (12).