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US 11,766,821 B2Granted
Shower pan
OwnerJosef Erlebachinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A shower pan and method of manufacture are described. Embodiments of the shower pan can include, but are not limited to, a solid surface top layer and a PET second layer that can be thermoformed, molded, and laminated in a single step. The solid surface top layer can be approximately ⅛″ to ¼″ thick and the PET second layer can be approximately ⅞″ to 1⅛″ thick. The shower pan may further include a third layer being fiberglass.
Claims19
A process for manufacturing a shower pan, the process including:
- providing a solid surface sheet having a thickness of approximately ⅛ inches to ¼ inches;
- providing a polyethylene terephthalate (PET) board having a thickness of approximately ⅞ inches to 1 ⅛ inches, the PET board including a thermally activated adhesive on one side;
- using a dye sublimation printing process to print an image on the solid surface sheet, the dye sublimation printing process including heating the solid surface sheet;
- placing the heated solid surface sheet and the PET board in a vacuum press, the vacuum press including a mold;
- and
- thermoforming, molding, and laminating the solid surface sheet and the PET board together to form the shower pan;
- wherein the heated solid surface sheet is the only source of heat during the step of thermoforming, molding, and laminating the solid surface sheet and the PET board.
4 more elements
A process for manufacturing a shower pan, the process including:
- providing a solid surface sheet having a thickness of approximately ⅛ inches to ¼ inches and a hole for receiving a drain therethrough;
- providing a polyethylene terephthalate (PET) board having a thickness of approximately ⅞ inches to 1 ⅛ inches and a hole for receiving a drain therethrough, the PET board including a thermally activated adhesive on one side;
- providing a fiberglass sheet;
- using a dye sublimation printing process to print an image on the solid surface sheet, the dye sublimation printing process including heating the solid surface sheet;
- placing the heated solid surface sheet and the PET board in a vacuum press, the vacuum press including a mold;
- indexing the PET board with the solid surface sheet by aligning the drain holes;
- thermoforming, molding, and laminating the solid surface sheet and the PET board together to form the shower pan, the heat from the solid surface sheet being the only source of heat;
- removing the shower pan from the vacuum press;
- and
- laminating the fiberglass sheet to a bottom of the shower pan.
7 more elements
A process for manufacturing a shower pan, the process including:
- using a dye sublimation printing process to print an image on a solid surface sheet, the dye sublimation printing process including heating the solid surface sheet in an oven;
- removing the heated solid surface sheet from the oven;
- placing the heated solid surface sheet face down on a mold in a vacuum press;
- indexing a polyethylene terephthalate (PET) board on top of the heated solid surface sheet in the vacuum press, the PET board including a thermally activated adhesive that is activated from the heat of the solid surface sheet;
- and
- thermoforming, molding, and laminating the solid surface sheet and PET board together, the heat from the solid surface sheet being the only source of heat.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.