A receiving element for a screw-type shower tray valve, for insertion into a continuous outlet opening of a shower floor panel, having a first flat side and a second flat side directed away from the first one, an annular body that can be inserted from the first flat side into the outlet opening and that bears with its bearing collar on the first flat side of the shower floor panel, the bearing collar merging into an inclined profiled wall of the annular body and running out into a cylindrical inner wall, and a support flange that can be inserted from the second flat side of the shower floor panel into the outlet opening and that bears with its bearing collar on the second flat side of the shower floor panel. The wall of the annular body and the support flange each has at least one circumferential rib.

Described is a multi-piece shower pan. The multi-piece shower pan includes a shower pan piece and a seat piece. The seat piece is formed to overlap a portion of the show pan piece during installation. The shower pan piece includes a drain hole designed to fit a drain pipe such that when the drain pipe is fastened to the shower pan piece, the drain pipe extends ½ to 2 inches above the bottom of the shower pan piece. Thus, when cement or other adhesive is floated on the interior surface of the shower pan, tiles of varying thickness can be installed in such a manner that the top surface of the tiles are flush with the top portion of the drain pipe. The shower pan piece also has a water dam with a fin as added protection against water migration outside the shower pan.

Described is a multi-piece shower pan. The multi-piece shower pan includes a shower pan piece and a seat piece. The seat piece is formed to overlap a portion of the show pan piece during installation. The shower pan piece includes a drain hole designed to fit a drain pipe such that when the drain pipe is fastened to the shower pan piece, the drain pipe extends ½ to 2 inches above the bottom of the shower pan piece. Thus, when cement or other adhesive is floated on the interior surface of the shower pan, tiles of varying thickness can be installed in such a manner that the top surface of the tiles are flush with the top portion of the drain pipe. The shower pan piece also has a water dam with a fin as added protection against water migration outside the shower pan.

A one piece shower drain pan, encapsulated in a water proof membrane, and the method of fabricating the one piece open drain shower pan, the method which includes providing extruded polystyrene (XPS) foam of the type which absorbs very little water; shaping the section of extruded polystyrene foam with a CNC router to obtain the desired slope in the floor; cutting a hole in the foam to produce the drain hole; cutting a curb from the XPS foam and gluing the foam to a pan base on the open sides. Splash walls are then cut from concrete wall board and glued to the sides having no curb, so that the glue serves as a bonding agent and provides a waterproof seal between the parts; after the glue has cured, spraying the entire pan assembly with a polyurethane or polyurea coating to completely encapsulate the entire pan with a waterproof membrane, which provides strength and rigidity and defines a one piece drain pan ready for installation.

A one piece shower drain pan, encapsulated in a water proof membrane, and the method of fabricating the one piece open drain shower pan, the method which includes providing extruded polystyrene (XPS) foam of the type which absorbs very little water; shaping the section of extruded polystyrene foam with a CNC router to obtain the desired slope in the floor; cutting a hole in the foam to produce the drain hole; cutting a curb from the XPS foam and gluing the foam to a pan base on the open sides. Splash walls are then cut from concrete wall board and glued to the sides having no curb, so that the glue serves as a bonding agent and provides a waterproof seal between the parts; after the glue has cured, spraying the entire pan assembly with a polyurethane or polyurea coating to completely encapsulate the entire pan with a waterproof membrane, which provides strength and rigidity and defines a one piece drain pan ready for installation.

A first aspect of the invention relates to the manufacture of disparate workpieces by the process of injection molding using a single base tool. The tool is made up of cavity and core halves, and each half is made up of separate, removable/interchangeable, inserts which, when combined in a particular order, form the workpiece-forming surface. All or any number of the inserts may be replaced with other inserts to alter the workpiece-forming surface and allow a large number of differently shaped workpieces (i.e. having different surface features and shapes) to be formed from a single base tool. In another aspect of the invention, the inserts are connected to respective thermally conductive cavity and core mounting plates, which are in turn connected to respective cavity and core heating/cooling plates so that insert-mounting holes need not be made in the heating/cooling plates.

A drain assembly that is installed at and against the wall of a shower stall providing an inlet along the intersection of the wall with the floor, and the methodology of installing the drain assembly are described. In at least some embodiments of an installed configuration, only a thin slit along the wall/floor intersection is visible in a finished shower enclosure.

A drain assembly that is installed at and against the wall of a shower stall providing an inlet along the intersection of the wall with the floor, and the methodology of installing the drain assembly are described. In at least some embodiments of an installed configuration, only a thin slit along the wall/floor intersection is visible in a finished shower enclosure.

A one-piece shower base includes a pitched bottom surface, a plurality of vertical flanges extending upward from a plurality of outer edges of the one-piece shower base, a drain integrated within the one-piece shower base, and a pitched foam support base having an upper surface and a lower surface. The pitched bottom surface is pitched downward in at least one direction toward the drain. The upper surface of the pitched foam support base is adhered to an underside of the pitched bottom surface. The pitched foam support base fills in a hollow space below the underside of the pitched bottom surface created by the pitch of the pitched bottom surface.

A one-piece shower base includes a pitched bottom surface, a plurality of vertical flanges extending upward from a plurality of outer edges of the one-piece shower base, a drain integrated within the one-piece shower base, and a pitched foam support base having an upper surface and a lower surface. The pitched bottom surface is pitched downward in at least one direction toward the drain. The upper surface of the pitched foam support base is adhered to an underside of the pitched bottom surface. The pitched foam support base fills in a hollow space below the underside of the pitched bottom surface created by the pitch of the pitched bottom surface.