This invention relates to floor drainage, and particularly to formwork for laying on a horizontal surface as the basis for a floor with a water drainage outlet. Such floors are useful in so-called wet rooms where there is a substantially smooth transition from the main floor to an area where a shower is located. The invention does though, have other applications, and can be used generally where floor drainage is required.
Wet rooms of the kind referred to above have become increasingly popular because they avoid disadvantages associated with conventional shower trays. By making a shower area part of the room, the room can seem larger and the effect can be aesthetically pleasing. Particularly, with no rim or edge having to be stepped over to enter the shower area, it becomes less difficult to access, and can be used by individuals in wheelchairs.
The present invention is directed at formwork which creates a grid for receiving a filler material which defines a floor or floor base. Formwork according to the invention is for laying on a horizontal surface as the basis for a floor with a water drainage outlet. The formwork comprises a plurality of first wall members extending from an outlet zone. A plurality of second wall members extend between the first wall members to define a grid with cells formed between the first and second members. Each first wall member has a progressively increasing height to define a downward slope for directing water towards the outlet zone, and the height of the second wall members will match that of the first wall members at junctions therebetween. Either or both of the first and second wall members may comprise substantially planar strips. However, it is preferred that either or both of the first and second wall members comprise strips with a three dimensional cross-section, such as a triangular cross-section to provide increased rigidity. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the strips have an inverted V-shaped cross-section with the apex located uppermost to define an edge at the upper surface of the grid.
Formwork according to the invention can be assembled as a single unit. However, it is preferred to provide it in the form of a plurality of discrete units, each unit comprising first and second wall members defining at least one cell. The units would be adapted to couple together with a suitable mechanism to form a continuous grid. This enables the formwork to be provided as a set of modules, enabling the formwork to be assembled on site, and adapted as appropriate to the surface on which it is to be installed. By providing the formwork as a set of modules, its delivery to a chosen site can be facilitated, particularly when that site does not have easy access.
Modular formwork according to the invention will normally be based on a core section comprising at least one unit defining the outlet zone, and a plurality of additional units for connecting to the periphery thereof. The core section itself will normally comprise a plurality of units, and the edges of the units in such modular formwork will usually be straight to facilitate their assembly and connection. Typically, the core section is square or rectangular, and can conveniently comprise four isosceles triangular units, of each of which unit the base of the triangle forms a straight edge of the core section and the other sides converge towards the outlet zone.
Formwork according to the invention can define a substantially continuous curved surface around and sloping inwardly towards the outlet zone. However, it can also be designed to form a plurality of inclined planar areas suitably oriented to direct water to the outlet zone. This design is particularly suited to modular formwork comprising a plurality of units. It can also facilitate the casting of a filler material in the cells of the grid to create the final surface.
Embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example, and with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:
The formwork shown in
Each first wall member has a height which steadily increases at sections further from the outlet zone 6. The second wall members 8 are each of constant height, but that height is determined relative to the distance from the outlet zone 6. In this way, when placed on a flat horizontal substrate, the upper edges of the first and second wall members 4,8 define a continuous curved surface around the outlet zone in the form of a very flat inverted cone. When the cells defined by the members are filled, a continuous surface is formed from which water will naturally drain to the outlet zone.
Whereas in the embodiment of
The discrete units 18,20 and 22 shown in
In formwork according to the invention the respective wall members can comprise simple strips of material; normally plastics or metal, which can be moulded or fabricated. In preferred embodiments however, the first or the second wall members have a little more rigidity. They could be of I- or L-shaped cross-section but most preferred is an inverted V-shaped cross-section with the apex of the āVā at the upper edge. Particularly when the formwork is provided as a number of discrete units, by having this additional rigidity in either the first wall members or second wall members or both, the units are more resilient and easier to handle. An inverted V-section for the wall members also facilitates the casting of a filler material in the cells, as the cross-section of each cell is reducing towards its base.
The inverted V-section of the second wall members 14 is clearly shown in
It will be appreciated that discrete units in modular formwork according to the invention can be combined around a core section to form a variety of different shapes. It will though, also be appreciated that formwork according to the invention provided as a single unit can be made any of a variety of shapes including square as illustrated in
When installing a floor using formwork according to the invention, the formwork is first placed and then secured on the base substrate, and in such a manner that the lower surface of the formwork is substantially horizontal. Once it is secured, a filler material such as a concrete mix is cast in the cells of the formwork using the usual techniques. Because each cell is relatively small, the filler material can cure with the required inclined surface being substantially continuous over and between adjacent cells. Where the formwork is located on a concrete screed, the screed outside the perimeter of the formwork is also brought up to the top of that perimeter to form a smooth transition with the filler material within the formwork. Once the filler material and any further screed has hardened, a flooring material can be fitted over the floor and the formwork to form a substantially continuous surface. The flooring material can be fitted substantially in the manner described in British Patent Specification No: 2 361 637.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
0427175.5 | Dec 2004 | GB | national |
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
---|---|---|---|---|
PCT/GB05/04783 | 12/13/2005 | WO | 00 | 8/31/2009 |