Abstract
A thinset floor drain comprises a saucer shaped mounting flange with a central lowermost circular perforated receptacle, and a perforated cup of smaller diameter that sits in the receptacle. The cup bears upward features including a grate support that threads into the inner thread of the cup, a grate that sits atop the upmost flange of the grate support, and grate tilting mechanisms. This structure serves not only as a flanged floor drain to drain surface water through the cylindrical core of the drain, it binds to a membrane beneath tiling and collects weeping water. The horizontal, vertical, and tilt adjustability of the upmost grate provide a safe grate surface that aligns with and is coplanar with the tile surface surrounding it. Because the receptacle sits below the subfloor, the grate will present a low profile above the surface of the subfloor.
Claims
1. A wet room surface drain assembly comprising: a saucer shaped membrane adapter configured to be mounted to a subfloor, the saucer shaped membrane adapter comprising an upstream flange, and downstream of the upstream flange a central perforated receptacle for downward penetration of a hole in the subfloor, and a perforated grate support cup configured to support a grate support, wherein: the perforated grate support cup is configured to rest upon a radial flange interior to a downstream end of the central perforated receptacle of the saucer shaped membrane adapter, and the upstream flange of the saucer shaped membrane adapter is configured to adhere to a liquid or solid membrane disposed on a wet room floor to provide a waterproof connection from the membrane to a drain provided in the wet room floor.
2. The drain assembly of claim 1, wherein: the grate support can be threaded into the perforated grate support cup to provide a grate surface coplanar with an upper surface of tiles disposed on a surface of the subfloor.
3. The drain assembly of claim 1, wherein: the central perforated receptacle of the saucer shaped membrane adapter is circular, and comprises a circumference larger than circumference of the perforated grate support cup, allowing the grate support cup and a grate supported by the grate support cup to be moved in any horizontal direction within the confines of the circular receptacle.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
(1) FIG. 1 is vertical section of the entire drain assembly relative to the subfloor in which the drain is mounted.
(2) FIG. 2 is an isometric view of the membrane adapter saucer mounted to the subfloor, a drainage pipe suspended from its lowermost hub.
(3) FIG. 3 is an isometric view of the membrane adapter saucer mounted to the subfloor, fitted with membrane adhered to the upper flange of the saucer, a drainage pipe suspended from a lowermost hub of the saucer. An internally threaded cup is placed in the central receptacle of the membrane adapter saucer.
(4) FIG. 4 is an isometric view of the membrane adapter saucer mounted to the subfloor. A flanged externally threaded pipe is threaded into the internally threaded cup.
(5) FIG. 5 is an isometric view of the membrane adapter saucer mounted to the subfloor. A flanged externally threaded pipe is threaded upward from the cup into which it is threaded to match the eventual tile surface height.
(6) FIG. 6 is an isometric view of the membrane adapter saucer mounted to the subfloor. In this iteration, a shim is attached to the upper surface of the flanged externally thread pipe to allow for tilting of the tile in case the flange surface is not coplanar with the tile surface.
(7) FIG. 7 is an isometric view of the membrane adapter saucer mounted to the subfloor. A grate is fastened to the upper surface of the flange of the grate support subassembly cup.
(8) FIG. 8 is an isometric view of the membrane adapter saucer mounted to the subfloor. The entire cup subassembly has been shifted in the horizontal plane to line up the grate with the rows and columns of tiles.
(9) FIG. 9 is an isometric view of the membrane adapter saucer mounted to the subfloor. In this instance the grate is replaced with a grate subassembly with a bordered grate assembly.
(10) FIG. 10 is an isometric view of the membrane adapter saucer mounted to the subfloor. In this instance the grate is replaced with a grate subassembly with grate borders. The tilt of the grate can be micro-adjusted with set screws.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
(11) FIG. 1 presents a vertical cross section of an instance of a full cup and saucer drain assembly. The membrane 9 lies above and upstream of the membrane adapter saucer 1, and is adhered to it at a broad interface band 91. The membrane adapter saucer 1 itself is positioned in an appropriately sized hole 22 in the subfloor 2, and can either be fastened to the subfloor by fasteners 21 through screw holes 15 in the membrane adapter saucer 1, or spaced off the subfloor 2 by the same fasteners 21 by positioning the head of the fastener beneath the membrane adapter saucer 1. The membrane adapter saucer bears other features, including a perforated centered receptacle 18 suspending a lowermost downstream hub 11 in which pipe 8 can be inserted to connect the drainage passage 81 to downstream piping at the downstream end 82 of the pipe 8. Alternatively, an external threadmate 11 connection may be used for a threaded connection. In the internal downstream center of the membrane adapter saucer a drainage perforation 14 is provided, surrounded by a flange 15 with weeping features 16. Flange 15 provides a stable horizontal base for a flat bottomed cup 3 to rest. Cup 3 bears an internal downstream center drainage perforation 34. Cup 3 bears an internal thread 35 into which threads a grate support 4 with an external thread 42. The grate support 4 bears an upper grate support flange 43. Atop the flange 43 a grate 6 may be fastened using a plurality of means. An optional shim 5 can be placed between the grate 6 and the grate support upper flange 43.
(12) FIG. 2 shows an isometric view of the early stage of installation of the cup and saucer thinset drain. A subfloor 2 is penetrated by a hole into which the membrane adapter saucer 1 is positioned concentrically. A downstream drainage pipe 8 is attached to the downstream hub of the membrane adapter saucer 1 to complete the connection to the downstream drainage system. The upper surface of the membrane adapter saucer bears a broad membrane adhesion area 17, holes 15 which can be used to either fasten the membrane adapter saucer 1 to the subfloor 2, or to space the upper flange 18 higher off the subfloor 2. A plurality of other spacers may be used. Mud grips 16 will grip drying liquid membrane when the liquid membrane is applied to the upper surface 17 instead of a sheet membrane, as well as grips for mud beneath the membrane adapter saucer, depending on the installation method.
(13) FIG. 3 shows an isometric view of the secondary stage of installation of the cup and saucer thinset drain. A subfloor 2 is perforated and bears concentrically positioned membrane adapter saucer 1. A cup 3 is placed into and hides the center receptacle of membrane adapter saucer. The cup 3 provides horizontal weeping channels 33. The membrane 9 is applied in liquid or sheet form to the upper surface of the upper flange of the membrane adapter saucer 1. A pipe 8 connects the drain to a downstream connection.
(14) FIG. 4 shows an isometric view of the first grate stage of installation of the cup and saucer thinset drain. A grate support 4 is threaded into the internal thread of the cup 3. One example of fastener mounts 41 is shown. The membrane 9 is attached to the membrane adapter saucer 1. A pipe 8 connects the drain to a downstream connection.
(15) FIG. 5 shows the same isometric view of the installation as FIG. 4, excepting the grate support has been threaded up to match the eventual height of tiles that will be installed around and sloped to the drain.
(16) FIG. 6 shows the same isometric view of the installation as FIG. 5, with the addition of a shim 10 that can be applied to the grate support flange 43 in a plurality of orientations to match a tilt in the surface of tiles eventually surrounding the drain. The shim 10 has fastener mounts 101 that match the orientation of fastening features 41 in the flange support 4.
(17) FIG. 7 shows the same isometric view of the installation as FIG. 6, with the addition of a grate 6 that attached to the uppermost horizontal flange 43 of the grate support 4. Perforations 61 in the grate 6 allow for water ingress into the interior of the drain.
(18) FIG. 8 shows an isometric view of the installation as in FIG. 6, with the important difference that the entire assembly comprising the cup 3, the grate support 4, the grate 6 with optional shim, has been shifted as indicated by the arrow in a direction in the horizontal plane. This is important when lining up with tile rows and columns.
(19) FIG. 9 shows an alternate instance of the cup and saucer thinset drain assembly in an isometric view. While components including the downstream pipe 8, the subfloor 2, the membrane adapter saucer 1, and the cup 3 are unchanged, a grate support 49 bears a bordered tiltable grate assembly 7, comprising a grate border 71, a grate insert 72, and grate perforations 73 for drainage of surface water into the interior of the drain assembly.
(20) FIG. 10 shows the same assembly as in FIG. 9 in an exploded isometric view, revealing the same parts as FIG. 9 as well as features of the grate support 49 including a square grate support flange 45 and seats 46 for tilt adjustment screws 74 allowing tilt of the grate border 71, in turn tilting the grate 72 surface because the grate rests on internal grate mounts 77 in the grate border 71 part. Grate perforations 72 drain surface water through a central perforation 76 of the grate border 71 part and downstream into the internal drainage passages of the grate support 49, the cup 3, the membrane adapter saucer 1, and the downstream piping 8.
