Shower Drain Assembly

Abstract

An apparatus and method for plumbing a conventional bathtub drain to a conventional shower drain. A wooden framework is used wherein a pipe is placed that has one end connected to a pre-existing bathtub drain and the other end connected to a shower stall drain. The framework requires a minimal height because the pipe is oval shaped, thus providing a large enough volume for fluid flow while limiting the height required for such a pipe.

Claims

1. A plumbing drain system for converting a conventional bathtub drain to a conventional shower drain, comprising in combination: a framework having a drain opening; a pipe having a first end fluidly connected to a first elbow and a second end fluidly connected to a second elbow, said pipe and elbows placed within said framework; and said first elbow fluidly connected relative to said framework opening, said second elbow fluidly connected relative to a pre-existing drain opening.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said pipe is composed of polyvinyl chloride.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein said framework is composed of wood.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein said first and second elbows are configured to have an angle greater than 90 degrees.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein said pipe is configured to have an oval cross section.

6. A method of converting a conventional bathtub drain into a conventional shower drain, comprising the steps of: constructing a framework on a surface, the framework having an opening; configuring a pipe to be placed within the framework, the pipe having a first end fluidly connected to a first elbow and a second end fluidly connected to a second elbow; and fluidly connecting the first elbow relative to the framework opening and fluidly connecting the second elbow relative to a pre-existing drain opening.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the pipe is composed of polyvinyl chloride.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein the framework is composed of wood.

9. The method of claim 6 wherein the first and second elbows are configured to have an angle greater than 90 degrees.

10. The method of claim 6 wherein the pipe is configured to have an oval cross section.

11. A plumbing apparatus for converting a conventional bathtub drain to a conventional shower drain, comprising: a pipe having a first end fluidly connected to a first elbow and a second end fluidly connected to a second elbow, said pipe further having an oval cross section; and said first elbow oriented in a direction opposite to said second elbow and further having a support member extending downwardly.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said pipe is composed of polyvinyl chloride.

13. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said support member is composed of polyvinyl chloride.

14. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said first and second elbows are configured to have an angle greater than 90 degrees.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0020] For a more succinct understanding of the nature and objects of the invention, reference should be directed to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

[0021] FIG. 1 is side elevational view of a prior art plumbing assembly showing the placement of the raised framework 10;

[0022] FIG. 2 is a top perspective view of the plumbing assembly of the invention;

[0023] FIG. 3 is a bottom perspective view of the plumbing assembly of the invention;

[0024] FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the plumbing assembly of the invention;

[0025] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of FIG. 4 along lines 5-5;

[0026] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of FIG. 4 along lines 6-6; and

[0027] FIG. 7 is a partial cross-sectional view showing the retrofit replacement of a bathtub with a shower stall utilizing the plumbing assembly of the invention.

[0028] Similar reference numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several figures.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0029] As shown in FIGS. 1-7, the plumbing assembly 50 of the invention comprises a bathtub drain elbow 52 having a downwardly-extending bathtub drain end 52B sized to fluidly couple to an existing conventional bathtub drain 54, a shower stall drain elbow 56 having an upwardly-extending shower stall drain end 56S sized to fluidly couple to a center drain 58 of a conventional shower stall 60 via a pipe flange 56F and a length of pipe 62 sized to fluidly extend between the pipe ends 52P and 56P of the respective elbows 52 and 56.

[0030] As best shown in FIG. 6, the length of pipe 62 comprises a low-profile oval cross-sectional configuration (e.g., 1.68 high compared to 2.98 wide). Correspondingly, the pipe ends 52P and 56P of the respective elbows 52 and 56 have the same low-profile oval cross-sectional configuration of the pipe 62 allowing the ends of the pipe 62 to be inserted into and solvent-welded to the respective elbows 52 and 56 to establish a fluid-tight connection.

[0031] Each of the respective elbows 52 and 56 is preferably injected molded at an angle slightly greater than 90 degrees (e.g., 92 degrees) to define an upward slope (e.g., 1.2 inches per foot) in the pipe 62 extending from the conventional bathtub drain 54 to the center drain 58 of the shower stall 60. Further, the shower stall drain elbow 56 preferably comprises an integrally-formed support standoff 64 depending therefrom and having a flat planar configuration and a length sufficient to be seated onto the concrete slab 66 of the house to provide support the shower stall drain elbow 56 due to the upward slope of the pipe 62.

[0032] Referring now to FIG. 7, the method of the invention comprises constructing the wooden framework 10 on the concrete slab 66, the framework 10 comprising a plurality of joists 10 at a level substantially equal to the height of the pipe flange 56F. After trimming the length of the pipe 62, the respective ends of the pipe 62 are solvent-welded into the pipe ends 52P and 56P of the respective elbows 52 and 56. The downwardly-extending bathtub drain end 52B of the bathtub drain elbow 52 is solvent-welded into the existing conventional bathtub drain 54 in an orientation directed to the intended location of the center drain 58 of a conventional shower stall 60. The pipe flange 56F is likewise solvent-welded onto the upwardly-extending shower stall drain end 56S of the shower stall drain elbow 56.

[0033] The conventional shower stall 60 is installed onto the wooden framework 10 and affixed in place according to its installation instructions. With the pipe flange 56F of the upwardly-extending shower stall drain end 56S of the shower stall drain elbow 56 in alignment, the shower stall's drain grill 68 and gasket 70 may be installed onto the pipe flange 56F to create a water-tight connection between the floor of the shower stall 60 and the pipe flange 56F.

[0034] It should be appreciated that the plumbing assembly 50 of the invention appreciably reduces the height of the wooden framework 10 by as much as one-half or more, thereby significantly reducing the height of the step for ingress or egress from the shower stall 60.

[0035] The present invention includes that contained in the appended claims as well as that of the foregoing description. Although this description has been described in its preferred form with a certain degree of particularity, it should be understood that the present disclosure of the preferred form has been made only by way of example and that numerous changes in the details of construction, combination, or arrangement of parts thereof may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

[0036] Now that the invention has been described,