UNIVERSAL CLAMPING RING

Abstract

A clamping ring having a clamping ring flange for use with at least first and second different configurations of drain bases to permit the rotation of the clamping ring flange relative to the drain flange of both type “A” and type “B” drain bases. The clamping ring flange includes a plurality of first aperture portions, each of which has a second elongated arcuate slot portion extending in a counterclockwise direction from the first aperture portion and a third elongated arcuate slot portion extending in a clockwise direction from the first aperture portion, at different distances from the center of a central flange aperture with one corresponding to the positions of threaded apertures in the type “A” drain base and the other corresponding to the positions of the threaded apertures in the type “B” drain base.

Description

Floor drain assemblies are installed into the floor of a structure at a location where there will be or is the potential for water to be present. Floor drain assemblies connect such flooring area to a waste removal system that is typically a storm or sanitary sewer. Floor drain assemblies are often provided in a substratum, such as concrete that is poured around components of the floor drain assemblies. Floor drain assemblies have many applications, including garage floors, basement floors, building roofs, and shower floors. In shower floors, one popular floor drain assembly includes a linear shower drain.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an exploded view of a typical prior art shower drain installation.

FIG. 2 is a typical prior art drain flange having a clamping ring attached, without the membrane being illustrated.

FIG. 3 is an exploded view of a typical prior art linear shower drain and attachment assembly, without a removable grate attached.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a typical prior art linear shower drain with the removable grate attached.

FIG. 5 is a side view of the typical prior art linear shower drain of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a top perspective view of a universal clamping ring according to the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a bottom perspective view of the universal clamping ring of FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is a top plan view of the universal clamping ring of FIG. 6.

FIG. 9 is a side elevational view of the universal clamping ring of FIG. 6.

FIG. 10 is a bottom view of the universal clamping ring of FIG. 6.

FIG. 11 is a side elevational view of the universal clamping ring of FIG. 6 showing the dimensions of a preferred embodiment.

FIG. 12A is a top plan view and a side elevational view of the universal clamping ring of FIG. 6 showing the dimensions of the preferred embodiment.

FIG. 12B is a partial cross-sectional view of the universal clamping ring of FIG. 12A.

FIG. 13 is a photograph showing a top perspective view of a universal clamping ring according to FIG. 6.

FIG. 14 is a photograph showing a top perspective view of four universal clamping ring according to FIG. 6 after removed from a mold.

FIG. 15 is a photograph showing a top perspective view of a universal clamping ring according to FIG. 6 attached to a typical prior art drain base with a membrane positioned between.

FIG. 16 is a photograph showing a top perspective view of a linear shower drain positioned above the universal clamping ring of FIG. 15.

FIG. 17 is a photograph showing a side elevational view of the linear shower drain positioned above the universal clamping ring of FIG. 16.

FIG. 18 is a photograph showing an enlarged side elevational view of the linear shower drain positioned above the universal clamping ring of FIG. 16.

FIG. 19 is an exploded view of a universal clamping ring according to FIG. 6 use with an alternative linear shower drain assembly.

DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART

FIG. 1 illustrates an exploded view of a typical prior art shower drain installation 10. The shower drain installation includes a drain base 12 having a drain flange 14 and a drain base portion 16 located below the drain flange. The drain flange 14 has a central drain flange aperture 14A and a plurality of threaded apertures 14B positioned outward of the central aperture. The drain base portion 16 is mounted on a drain pipe 18. The drain base portion 16 and the drain pipe 18 are typically positioned within a concrete substratum. Typically, a membrane (not shown in FIG. 1) is placed on top of the substratum and extends across the top of the drain flange 14. The membrane may take a wide variety of different forms, including a sheet of material, such as rubber or plastic, that is impermeable by water.

The membrane is often attached/clamped to the drain flange 14 using a clamping ring 20. The clamping ring 20 has a clamping ring flange 22 and a clamping ring base portion 24 located below the clamping ring flange. The clamping ring 20 has a central clamping ring flange aperture 20A. The portion of the membrane extending across the top of the drain flange 14 typically has a hole cut therein sized sufficiently large to receive the clamping ring base portion 24 therethrough when the clamping ring flange 22 is positioned atop the drain flange 14, with the membrane positioned therebetween. The clamping ring 20 is securely attached/clamped to the drain base 12 using a plurality of threaded fasteners 26, in the illustrated drain base four collar bolts are used. Each of the fasteners 26 has a threaded shaft portion 26A and a head portion 26B.

Typically, the attachment of the clamping ring 20 to the drain base 12 starts with partially threading each of the threaded shaft portions 26A of the fasteners 26 into one of the threaded apertures 14B of the drain flange 14. The illustrated clamping ring flange 22 includes four clamping ring apertures 28, each with a first aperture portion 28A sized to permit the head portion 26B of one of the fasteners 26 to pass therethrough as the clamping ring flange 22 is lowered toward the drain flange 14, with the clamping ring base portion 24 extending through the hole in the membrane and in general coaxial alignment with drain base portion 16. When the clamping ring flange 22 is sufficiently lowered such that the head portions 26B of the fasteners 26 are position above the clamping ring flange 22, the threaded shaft portions 26A are extending through the first aperture portions 28A of the clamping ring apertures 28.

Each of the clamping ring apertures 28 also includes a second elongated slot or aperture portion 28B sized to be wider than the diameter of the threaded shaft portion 26A of the fasteners 26, but narrower that the head portion 26B. The first and second aperture portions 28A and 28B of the clamping ring aperture 28 are in communication (connected together) and the second aperture portion has an arcuate shape extend to one side of the first aperture portion to permit rotation of the clamping ring flange 22 relative to the drain flange 14 (counterclockwise rotation in the illustrated shower drain installation 10 of FIG. 1), such that the threaded shaft portions 26A of the fasteners 26 move from the first aperture portion into the second aperture portion as the clamping ring is rotated. A circumferentially extending center line of the arcuate second aperture portion 28B is spaced at a substantially constant radial distance “X” from the center “C” of the central clamping ring flange aperture 20A. Similarly, the centers of the threaded apertures 14B of the drain flange 14, and hence also the centers of the threaded shaft portion 26A of the fasteners 26 when threaded therein, are space the same distance “X” from the center “D” central drain flange aperture 14A to permit the rotation of the clamping ring flange 22 relative to the drain flange.

When the clamping ring 20 is rotated sufficiently to place the threaded shaft portions 26A of the fasteners 26 within the second aperture portions 28B of the clamping ring apertures 28, the threaded shaft portions 26A of the fasteners 26 may be fully threaded into the threaded apertures 14B of the drain flange 14. This securely clamps the membrane between the clamping ring flange 22 and the drain flange 14, and thereby forms a fluid-tight seal that directs water above the membrane to pass into the central clamping ring flange aperture 20A and flow downward into the central drain flange aperture 14A and then into the drain pipe 18.

Once the clamping ring 20 is secured to the drain flange 14, installation in a shower typically has a bed of mortar applied atop the membrane and tile above the mortar. In the illustrated shower drain installation 10 of FIG. 1, the central clamping ring flange aperture 20A is interiorly threaded to threadably receive an externally threaded adjustable drain barrel 30 (also known as a “spud”) to selectively adjust the height of a strainer 32 during installation to accommodate various thickness for the bed of mortar and the tile. The drain barrel 30A has a central drain barrel aperture 30a to communicate fluid passing through the strainer 32 into the central clamping ring flange aperture 20A.

FIG. 2 illustrates a typical drain flange 14 having clamping ring 20 attached thereto, such as described above, again without the membrane illustrated.

FIGS. 3-5 illustrate a typical prior art linear shower drain 34. FIG. 3 shows an exploded view of the linear shower drain 34, without a removable grate attached atop a trench portion 36 thereof, and with the attachment assembly by which it is attached to the drain pipe 18. Much as described above, the attachment assembly includes the drain base 12, the clamping ring 20 (although an alternative style), and the adjustable drain barrel 30. As best seen in FIG. 4, the linear shower drain 34, shown without the attachment assembly, has a removable grate 38 attached to the trench portion 36 and an outpost 40 in fluid communication with the trench portion for conducting water captured by the trench downward into the attachment assembly.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

A universal clamping ring 100 according to the present invention is shown in FIGS. 6-19. The clamping ring 100 has a clamping ring flange 102 and a clamping ring base portion 104 located below the clamping ring flange. The clamping ring 100 has a central clamping ring flange aperture 100A. As with the prior art clamping ring 20 described above, the portion of the membrane extending across the top of the drain flange 14 typically has a hole cut therein sized sufficiently large to receive the clamping ring base portion 104 therethrough when the clamping ring flange 102 is positioned atop the drain flange 14, with the membrane positioned therebetween. The clamping ring 100 is securely attached/clamped to the drain base 12 using the threaded fasteners 26, as described above.

The clamping ring flange 102 of the clamping ring 100 is designed for use with drain bases 12 having the drain flanges 14 with the centers of the threaded apertures 14B, and hence also the centers of the threaded shaft portion 26A of the fasteners 26 when threaded therein, located at two different distances from the center “D” of the central drain flange aperture 14A. For example, type “A” drain bases 12 having the drain flanges 14 with the centers of the threaded apertures 14B, and hence also the centers of the threaded shaft portion 26A of the fasteners 26 when threaded therein, at a distance “A” from the center “D” of the central drain flange aperture 14A, and type “B” drain bases 12 having the drain flanges 14 with the centers of the threaded apertures 14B, and hence also the centers of the threaded shaft portion 26A of the fasteners 26 when threaded therein, at a distance “B” from the center “D” of the central drain flange aperture 14A, where distance “A” is larger than distance “B”. Thus, the clamping right 100 of the present invention may be used with both type “A” and type “B” drain bases, which comprises substantially all common types of drain bases.

As perhaps best illustrated in FIG. 8, this versatility is achieved by the clamping ring flange 102 having four clamping ring apertures 108, each with a first aperture portion 108A sized sufficiently large to permit the head portion 26B of one of the fasteners 26 to pass therethrough as the clamping ring flange 102 is lowered toward the drain flange 14, with the clamping ring base portion 104 extending through the hole in the membrane and in general coaxial alignment with drain base portion 16, whether the fasteners are partially threaded into threaded apertures 14B at distance “A” or at distance “B.”

To permit the rotation of the clamping ring flange 102 relative to the drain flange 14 of both type “A” and type “B” drain bases when the clamping ring flange is sufficiently lowered such that the head portions 26B of the fasteners 26 are position above the clamping ring flange, with the threaded shaft portions 26A extending through the first aperture portions 108A of the clamping ring apertures 108, each of the clamping ring apertures also includes a second elongated arcuate slot or aperture portion 108B and a third elongated arcuate slot or aperture portion 108C. Both of the second and third aperture portions 108B and 108C are sized to be wider than the diameter of the threaded shaft portion 26A of the fasteners 26 being used, but narrower that the head portion 26B. However, the third aperture portion 108C is wider than the second aperture portion 108BC to accommodate the use of fasteners 26 with a larger diameter threaded shaft portion 26A.

The second aperture portion 108B has an arcuate shape extending in a clockwise direction from one side of the first aperture portion 108A to permit counterclockwise rotation of the clamping ring flange 102 relative to the drain flange 14, such that the threaded shaft portions 26A of the fasteners 26 move from the first aperture portion 108A into the second aperture portion 108B as the clamping ring is rotated counterclockwise. The third aperture portion 108C has an arcuate shape extending in a counterclockwise direction from the other side of the first aperture portion 108A to permit clockwise rotation of the clamping ring flange 102 relative to the drain flange 14, such that the threaded shaft portions 26A of the fasteners 26 move from the first aperture portion 108A into the third aperture portion 108C as the clamping ring is rotated clockwise.

The second and third aperture portions 108B and 108C of the clamping ring aperture 28 are each in communication (connected together) with the first aperture portion 108A, A circumferentially extending center line of the arcuate second aperture portion 108B is spaced at a substantially constant radial distance “A” from the center of the center “E” of the central clamping ring flange aperture 100A, and a circumferentially extending center line of the arcuate third aperture portion 108C is spaced at a substantially constant radial distance “B” from the center of the center “E” of the central clamping ring flange aperture 100A.

The clamping ring 100 has a bolt placement cutout (i.e., clamping ring aperture 108 with its first, second and third aperture portions 108A, 108B and 108C), has a generally “Saturn” look to it versus the standard circle with a tail cutout (i.e., clamping ring aperture 28 with its first and second aperture portions 28A and 28B) of the prior art clamping ring 20. Again, this allows the user to simply rotate the clamping ring 100 right or left depending on the specific bolt placement of the drain base 12, depending on whether a type “A” or a type “B” drain base, and does not require use of a different drain base for each of the two types.

The central clamping ring flange aperture 100A of the clamping ring 100 has a smooth, threadless sidewall. Use of the typical prior art drain barrel 30 described above is unnecessary with the clamping ring 100 of the present invention. Instead, the outpost 40 of the linear shower drain 34 used with the clamping ring is sufficiently long to be slide into as necessary to leave the trench portion 36 of the linear shower drain at the desired height and then be glued in place within the central clamping ring flange aperture 100A. The clamping ring 100 may be made of ABS plastic, which also allows use of a plastic (PVC/ABS) drain barrel or other drain member to be glued or welded into it. Elimination of the prior art drain barrel 30, which tends to raise the height of the trench portion 36 and hence require a thicker bed of mortar, provides a lower profile and allows use of a thinner bed of mortar during installation and saves installation labor and material cost.

However, with a mold change, the clamping ring 100 may be molded to have a threaded central clamping ring flange aperture 100A to allow the same basic clamping ring with the clamping ring aperture 108 having first, second and third aperture portions 108A, 108B and 108C to be use with any competitor's drain base.

FIG. 15 illustrate the clamping ring 100 attached to a typical prior art drain base 12 with a membrane 110 positioned between them. FIGS. 16-18 illustrating a typical prior art linear shower drain 34 positioned above the clamping ring 100 with is outpost 40 extending into the central clamping ring flange aperture 100A and glued therein.

FIG. 19 illustrates the clamping ring 100 for use with an alternative linear shower drain assembly 35.

Claims

1. A clamping ring for use with at least first and second different configurations of drain bases, each of the configurations of drain base having a drain base flange and a drain base portion located below the drain base flange and sized for connection to a drain pipe, with the drain base flange having a central drain base flange aperture and a plurality of threaded apertures positioned outward of the central drain base flange aperture and positioned about a center of the central drain base flange aperture, the first configuration of drain base having each of the plurality of threaded apertures at a first distance from the center of the central drain base flange aperture and the second configuration of drain base having each of the plurality of threaded apertures at a second distance from the center of the central drain base flange aperture, where one of the first distance and the second distance is larger than the other, each threaded aperture being sized to receive a threaded shaft portion of a fastener having a head portion wider in at least one direction than the threaded shaft portion, comprising:

a clamping ring flange and a clamping ring base portion located below the clamping ring flange, the clamping ring flange having a central clamping ring flange aperture and a plurality of clamping ring flange attachment apertures having a first aperture portion positioned outward of the central clamping ring flange aperture and positioned about a center of the central clamping ring flange aperture, each of the first aperture portions being sized and position at a distance from the center of the central clamping ring flange aperture to permit the head portion of one of the fasteners to pass therethrough as the clamping ring flange is moved toward the drain base flange when the fasteners are at least partially threaded into the threaded apertures of the drain base flange whether at the first distance or the second distance, each of the clamping ring flange attachment apertures further including a second aperture portion having an arcuate shape extending in a clockwise direction from the first aperture portion at a distance from the center of the central clamping ring flange aperture corresponding the first distance of the first configuration of drain base and a third aperture portion having an arcuate shape extending in a counterclockwise direction from the first aperture portion at a distance from the center of the central clamping ring flange aperture corresponding the second distance of the second configuration of drain base, the second aperture portion being shaped to permit counterclockwise rotation of the clamping ring flange relative to the drain base flange to position the head portion of the fastener initially extending through the first aperture portion at a position along the second aperture portion where the head portion of the fastener may be moved into a locking engagement with the clamping ring flange when the clamping ring is used with the first configuration of drain base, and the third aperture portion being shaped to permit clockwise rotation of the clamping ring flange relative to the drain base flange to position the head portion of the fastener initially extending through the first aperture portion at a position along the third aperture portion where the head portion of the fastener may be moved into a locking engagement with the clamping ring flange when the clamping ring is used with the second configuration of drain base.