Shower base with flow enhancing covered drain
AssigneeKohler Co.
InventorKevin L Witt
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A shower enclosure base has a flow enhancing flush-mounted drain cover that conceals the drain opening and provides a flat stepping surface. Drain flow is achieved through a narrow peripheral passage between the drain cover and the drain well in which it is seated. Despite the reduced flow area of passage, flow enhancing features of the drain cover serve to improve the flow rate through the drain. These features are radially converging ribs at the underside of the drain cover that interrupt the natural tendency for drain water to form a vortex as it passes into and through a circular drain opening. The drain cover can be removably secured to the base by suction cups that attach to the drain well.
Claims18
A base and drain assembly for a shower enclosure, comprising:
- a receptor base for mounting at least one upright wall of the shower enclosure, the receptor base having a floor, a drain well and a drain opening, the drain well being recessed into the floor at the drain opening and defining a drain well perimeter extending about the drain opening;
- and
- a drain cover mounted within the drain well above the drain opening in essentially flush relation with areas of the floor adjacent the drain well perimeter, the drain cover having a drain cover perimeter spaced from the drain well perimeter so as to define a peripheral passage therebetween for peripheral flow to the drain opening beneath the drain cover, the drain cover having at least one anti-vortex rib extending along an underside of the drain cover and toward the drain opening proximate the drain opening so as to disrupt a vortex in the water passing through the drain opening;
- wherein the at least one anti-vortex rib extends to a prescribed height above the drain opening.
A base and drain assembly for a shower enclosure, comprising:
- a receptor base for mounting at least one upright wall of the shower enclosure, the receptor base having a floor, a drain well and a drain opening, the drain well being recessed into the floor at the drain opening and defining a drain well perimeter extending about the drain opening;
- and
- a drain cover mounted within the drain well above the drain opening in essentially flush relation with areas of the floor adjacent the drain well perimeter, the drain cover having a drain cover perimeter spaced from the drain well perimeter so as to define a peripheral passage therebetween for peripheral flow to the drain opening beneath the drain cover, the drain cover having a plurality of anti-vortex ribs extending along an underside of the drain cover and toward the drain opening proximate the drain opening so as to disrupt a vortex in the water passing through the drain opening;
- wherein the anti-vortex ribs are arranged in a radially converging configuration in which the anti-vortex ribs are spaced apart angularly and extend in radial directions so that a centerline of each anti-vortex rib intersects a vertical axis of the drain cover that passes through the drain opening when the drain cover is mounted in the drain well;
- and
- wherein the at least one anti-vortex rib extends to a prescribed height above the drain opening.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.