GB2445612A

GB2445612A - Shower tray with integral pump

Info

Publication number: GB2445612A
Application number: GB0700391A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Terence Luther Cundick
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2007-01-10
Filing date: 2007-01-10
Publication date: 2008-07-16
Anticipated expiration: 2027-01-10
Also published as: GB2445612B; GB0700391D0

Abstract

A shower tray for installation supported in or on a floor (3) comprises a tray base (5) with an upstanding peripheral wall (7), the tray being adapted for installation with the tray base elevated from the floor. An integral well (9) is formed in the tray base and has a bottom wall (11) and a side wall (13) incorporating a region contiguous with the upstanding peripheral wall. A waste water outlet (15) is provided in and extends through the peripheral wall of the tray. An electric pump (19) is positioned in the well and has an inlet in a region of the bottom wall of the well and an outlet connecting with the waste water outlet.

Description

SHOWER TRAY WITH INTEGRAL PUMP

This invention relates to a shower tray with an integral pump.

Shower trays are well known, provided with a waste water outlet in a base thereof. A well-known form of water trap of generally U-shaped construction is connected to the waste water outlet and to a waste pipe. Such a water trap arrangement takes up a significant space beneath the shower tray and requires the removal of floorboards and/or excavation of floor, at least beneath the tray, in order to accommodate it and its associated pipework. As a consequence, such shower trays are expensive and difficult to install.

Showers are often used, for example by elderly and/or disabled persons, to replace baths. Removing a bath and replacing it with a shower tray can be difficult, not only for the reasons given above, but also because the arrangements for draining waste water are often at a level above those that would be suitable for a bath, for example by some 10 to 15 cm, and additionally because in many instances it is difficult or impossible to lower the drainage arrangements without, for example, excavating a floor.

It is known to provide an independent pump arrangement, externally of the shower tray However, such external pumps take up space that is not always available, require electrical connections which generally have to be actuated separately, and often allow an amount of stagnant water to remain in the shower tray after use.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a shower tray with an integral pump which overcomes, or at least ameliorates, the problems outlined above.

According to the present invention there is provided a shower tray for installation supported in or on a floor, which shower tray comprises: a tray base with an upstanding peripheral wall, the tray being adapted for installation with the tray base elevated from the floor; integral well means formed in the tray base and having a bottom wall and side wall means incorporating a region contiguous with the upstanding peripheral wall, waste water outlet means provided in and extending through the peripheral wall of the tray; and an electric pump positioned in the well means and having an inlet in a region of the bottom wall of the well and an outlet connecting with the waste water outlet means.

The well means may be provided, for example, in a corner of the shower tray or substantially mid-way along a side wall of the tray.

The waste water outlet may be at a level above the tray base. The outlet may be sealed to the peripheral wall of the tray, for example by means of a gasket.

A non-return valve may be provided in the waste water outlet to prevent water flow back to the well.

A sensor may be provided to detect when the pump should be energised. The sensor may sense the level of water within the well or may sense the flow of water into the shower tray.

A cover may be provided overlying the well and the electric pump therein. The cover may include perforations to facilitate the passage of water into the well.

The cover may be removable.

For a better understanding of the present invention and to show more clearly how it may be carried into effect reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a diagrammatic perspective view of one embodiment of a shower tray according to the present invention, with a cover for a well removed; and Figure 2 is a partial cross-sectional view of part of the shower tray shown in Figure 1 and including a cover, The figures show a shower tray 1 arranged for installation on a floor 3 and which comprises a tray base 5 with an upstanding peripheral wall 7. The tray 1 is constructed such that, when installed on the floor 3, the tray base 5 is elevated above the level of the floor 3. The tray base 5 has an integral well 9 formed in a corner region thereof The well 9 has a bottom wall 11 and a side wail 13 which joins the bottom wall 11 with the tray base 5 and the peripheral wall 7 to form an enclosed integral well It is not essential that the well 9 is provided in a corner region of the shower tray I and the well could, for example, be provided substantially mid-way along a side wall if desired.

A waste water outlet 15, for example a 22 mm diameter pipe, is provided in and extends through the peripheral wall 7 of the shower tray 1 in the region of the well 9 at a level above the tray base 5. The waste water outlet 15 is sealed to the peripheral wall 7 of the shower tray by any suitable means, such as a gasket 16. The waste water outlet 15 is conveniently made of plastics material and is suitably of a type commonly provided for use in baths, showers and washbasins.

In use, the waste water outlet 15 is connected directly to a waste pipe 18 without the intervention of a waste water trap. However, a non-return valve 17, shown diagrammatically in Figure 2, is provided in the waste water outlet 15 to prevent waste water flowing back into the well 9.

An eectnc pump 19 is positioned in the well 9 and has an inlet in the region of the base of the well, at a level below the tray base 5, and an outlet connected to the waste water outlet 15. If required, the pump may be provided with a transformer (not shown)which may be positioned at any convenient location, for example beneath the peripheral wall 7 of the shower tray 1. As shown in Figure 2, the top of the pump 19 may extend above the level of the tray base 5 The level of the top of the pump 19 is not important for operation.

The pump 19 is energised at all times the shower may be used, but incorporates a sensor 21 which detects the level of water within the well 9 and switches the pump 19 on until such time as the water level within the well falls back to a predetermined level The sensor 21 may be, for example, a float switch or a water-sensitive sensor.

As an alternative to a sensor 21 in the well 9, a flow sensor, or other suitable sensor, may be provided remotely from the shower tray 1 and adapted to sense the flow of water into the shower tray.

A cover 23 (not shown in Figure 1) of any suitable design to allow the passage of water into the well 9 while covering the pump 19, is positioned over the pump.

For example, as illustrated the cover 23 may be provided with a region 25 which is perforated to allow the passage of water. The cover 23 is conveniently removable to provide access to the pump 19 for example for servicing. The cover may be provided with a sealing gasket, for example of closed-cell foamed plastics material, which bears against the peripheral wall 7 of the shower tray 1 in order to provide a substantially odour-proof seal.

In use of the shower, once the shower unit (not shown) has been activated waste waterfalls into the shower tray 1, passes through the perforated region 25 of the cover 23 and into the well 9 As the level of waste water in the well rises above a predetermined level the sensor 21 automatically turns the pump 19 on and, when the shower is in use, the pump 19 will generally be operating continuously. When the user has finish with the shower, the water level in the well 9 faIls and the pump 19 is turned off. The non-return valve 17 prevents water in the waste water outlet 15 flowing back into the well 9 and re-activating the pump 19. A small amount of water will inevitably return to the well 9 once the pump is turned off, but the amount is sufficiently small that the pump is not re-activated. The amount of waste water remaining in the well 9 is therefore minimal.

Claims

1 A shower tray for installation supported in or on a floor, which shower tray corn p rises: a tray base with an upstanding peripheral wall, the tray being adapted for installation with the tray base elevated from the floor; integral well means formed in the tray base and having a bottom wall and side wall means incorporating a region contiguous with the upstanding peripheral wall; waste water outlet means provided in and extending through the peripheral wall of the tray; and an electric pump positioned in the well means and having an inlet in a region of the bottom wall of the well and an outlet connecting with the waste water outlet means. * * * ***

*...** 20

2. A shower tray as claimed in claim 1, wherein the well means is provided **** *... in a corner of the shower tray. **** *

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3 A shower tray as claimed in claim 1, wherein the well means is provided S. S**5

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substantially mid-way along a side wall of the tray.

4. A shower tray as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the waste water outlet is at a level above the tray base.

5. A shower tray as claimed in claim 4, wherein the outlet is sealed to the peripheral wall of the tray.

6. A shower tray as claimed in claim 5, wherein the outlet is sealed by means of a gasket.

7. A shower tray as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein a non-return valve is provided in the waste water outlet to prevent water flow back to the well.

8. A shower tray as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein a sensor is provided to detect when the pump should be energised.

9. A shower tray as claimed in claim 8, wherein the sensor senses the level of water within the well.

10. A shower tray as claimed in claim 8, wherein the sensor senses the flow . 20 of water into the shower tray. * S S...

11 A shower tray as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein a cover is provided overlying the well and the electric pump therein.

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12. A shower tray as claimed in claim 11, wherein the cover includes perforations to facilitate the passage of water into the well.

13 A shower tray as claimed in claim 11 or 12, wherein the cover is removable.

14 A shower tray substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as shown in, the accompanying drawings. I. * * * *** **** * S **. **** * S S...

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