Flow Restrictor for protecting weep holes in Shower drains

Abstract

A flow protector which protects drain weep holes. The flow protector is a cover, which maintains a space on top of the drain assembly that includes the weep holes which receive under-floor moisture, the flow protector cover including a top surface forming an angled surface, surrounded by an outer perimeter edge which is spaced from the top surface of the clamping ring, and forms an opening to the space only around the outer perimieter edge, This protects against mortar and other materials spilling into the weep holes.

Description

BACKGROUND

Weep holes in a shower drain drain away underfloor moisture that has seeped through the grout and other porous surfaces of a shower floor. When the water penetrates through the tile grout and joints, the weep holes route this water to the drainage system. If the weep holes become blocked, the underfloor water builds up, and is forced into the walls and flooring. Therefore, it is very important that these weep holes not become blocked.

However, during the construction, mortar and tile grout is being placed in many locations, and can unintentionally block the weep holes.

Contractors often put rocks or other materials over the weep holes to prevent them from getting clogged with mortar or cement. However, this is an inefficient way of doing it, and contractors often forget to remove those rocks after completion.

FIG. 1 shows the conventional parts of a shower drain assembly. A drain base 50 is located on a drain pipe 49. The drain base has threaded holes such as 51 that receive collar bolts 52 that are held into the clamping ring 55 that is held into the drain base.

There are a number of weep holes shown as 56, 57 in the edges of the drain base. These weep holes receive the underfloor floor moisture, and allow it to drain through the drain base into the main drain pipe 49.

The clamping ring itself receives a drain barrel 60 which screws into internal surfaces of the clamping ring 55. A strainer device 65 sits on top of the drain barrel, and receives the water that is draining from the shower.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The inventor recognized that there are a number of drawbacks with the current systems which allow mortar to weep holes during construction.

The present application describes techniques including a flow restrictor cover, which maintains a space on top of the drain assembly that includes the weep holes which receive under-floor moisture, and where the flow restrictor allows air and moisture to reach the weep holes but that protects against mortar spilling into the weep holes.

The flow protector as described herein fits directly over the drain flan and prevents mortar from making its way into clogging the weep holes.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the Drawings:

the figures show aspects of the invention, and specifically:

FIG. 1 shows the parts of a conventional shower drain;

FIG. 2 illustrates an embodiment, showing the improved weep hole protection;

FIGS. 3A, 3B, 3C and 3D show different sections of the flow protector;

FIGS. 4A and 4B show two different parts of the flow protector and the way that they interact;

FIG. 5 shows an assembled version of the flow protector; and

FIG. 6 shows a cross-section of the assembled flow protector.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present application describes a flow protector system which protects and maintains the openings in weep holes in a drain system, e.g., a shower drain.

An embodiment, shown in FIG. 2, adapts the drain assembly 100 by adding a special flow protector device that sits on the drain assembly bolt heads, e.g., the collar bolts. The structure maintains a spacing over the weep holes that resists mortar entering into the weep holes during construction, but allows water and moisture to seep into the weep holes after the construction has been finished.

The drain assembly 100 has a drain base 101 covered by clamping ring 103, screwed in by collar bolts 102, 104. The heads of the collar bolts 102, 104 extend from the top of the drain assembly. The drain assembly is doughnut shaped, with its central part open and leading to a drain, and has multiple weep holes surrounding the central part, the weep holes adapted to receive moisture and direct the moisture towards the drain.

A flow protector device 110 is placed on top of the clamping ring of the drain assembly, and held spaced from the clamping ring using the spacing of the heads of the collar bolts. The flow protector device includes a top surface 112 forming an angled surface, surrounded by an outer perimeter edge 115. The edge 115 is spaced from the top surface of the clamping ring, and forms an opening or space 116 which is kept clear of mortar during construction, but.

In one embodiment, the flow protector can have a flattened edge.

An alternative embodiment, shown in FIGS. 3A-3D, 4A and 4B, shows the flow protector as having a “scalloped” shape, with ribbed edges and having cutouts between the ribs. A chamber is formed underneath the ribbed edges, for even further protection of the space between the bottom surface of the flow protector and the top surface of the drain base of the drain assembly.

The flow protector is in the shape of a doughnut, having an internal perimeter 300, which is an open perimeter allowing pipes to pass through that internal perimeter to conduct water toward the drain. There is also an external perimeter 302 forming the outer edge. The external perimeter 302 has th scalloped ribs 320 as shown in FIG. 3B.

The ribs 320 have a bottom most surface 322, which is flat, and also has a plurality of upwardly extending surfaces 323. Each of the upwardly extending surfaces 323 forms an opening between each two adjacent flat surfaces. This forms a number of separated open spaces between the flat surfaces. Preferably, these open spaces are small enough that they will discourage or prevent mortar or other viscous substances from infiltrating into the area between the ribs, but will allow less viscous liquid to infiltrate between the ribs.

FIGS. 3A and 3B illustrate how the flow protector has an internal surface 300 and an external surface 302. The bottom 310 of the flow protector ring includes a number of ribbed areas including a first round ribbed area 312 and another concentric ribbed area 314. These ribbed areas sit on top of the top surface of the bolt heads such as 102, 104; thus maintaining a spacing between the bottom surface 310 of the flow protector and a top surface of the drain assembly. This protects the drain assembly and keeps the space clear of mortar by discouraging viscous.

FIG. 4A illustrates a perspective view of the drain assembly 100, showing the bolt heads 102, 104, and also showing that there are other bolt heads such as 106, 108. These form the top surface of the drain assembly. The ribs such as 312, 314 sit on top of these bolt heads. The ribbed exterior perimeter of the flow protector forms side walls 250, with the opening s 252 in between each two adjacent downwardly extending sidewalls. These side walls form openings along the perimeter. These side walls create a chamber that keeps the debris out of the chamber; however, the openings in the perimeter let water in.

FIG. 3B shows a side view of the flow protector embodiment, and FIG. 3D shows a cross-section along the line AA in FIG. 3B. This shows how the openings are equally spaced around the perimeter, each having a spacing of 0.375 inches. The top surface of the flow 350 of the flow protector, forms a 4° angle shown as 352 between the topmost surface of the flow protector and the outer edge.

The flow protector itself can be 1 inch thick between the bottom of the perimeter elements, and the top of the flow protector, shown as dimension 324 in FIG. 3B. The openings in the side wall can be spaced by 0.375 inches, and the sidewall itself can have a length 354 of 0.35 inches, in an embodiment. In another embodiment, the edge surface can be ⅜ of an inch. The top wall of the flow protector can form an angle 352 of 4°.

FIG. 5 illustrates the assembled flow protector 299 in place, between the drain assembly 100, and the drain closure mechanism 400. As described above, the openings in the perimeter keep the weep holes clear around the edge of the drain and prevent mortar and other items from entering these weep holes around the edge of the drain.

FIG. 6 illustrates a cross-section of the device shown in FIG. 4, showing how the openings lead to the drain and allow liquid into the drain, but discourage high viscosity liquids from entering, thus keeping these high viscosity liquids, like mortar, out of the weepholes

The previous description of the disclosed exemplary embodiments is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to make or use the present invention. Various modifications to these exemplary embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the generic principles defined herein may be applied to other embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Thus, the present invention is not intended to be limited to the embodiments shown herein but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.

Claims

1. A flow protector cover assembly, for protecting weep holes in a drain assembly, comprising: a flow protector cover, which maintains a space on top of the drain assembly that includes the weep holes which receive under-floor moisture, the flow protector cover including a top surface forming an angled surface, surrounded by an outer perimeter edge which is spaced from the top surface of the drain assembly, and forms an opening to the space only around an outer perimieter edge of the cover, and has no opening to the space from above the cover,to protect against mortar spilling into the weep holes.

2. The assembly as in claim 1, further comprising the drain assembly, having a central part leading to a drain, having multiple weep holes surrounding the central part, the weep holes adapted to receive moisture and direct the moisture towards the drain.

3. The assembly as in claim 2, wherein a top of the flow protector cover is solid and does not allow liquid to pass through, and a side edge of the flow protector cover is spaced from a top surface of the drain assembly.

4. The assembly as in claim 2, where the drain assembly includes bolts on a top surface thereof, and where a bottom surface of the flow protector cover sits on a top surface of the bolts.

5. The assembly as in claim 1, where the flow protector cover is cylindrical in its outer perimeter and has an inner circular perimeter that is open to allow drainage through a center of the circular perimeter.

6. The assembly as in claim 4, where a bottom surface of the flow protector cover includes ribs thereon, the ribs adapted to sit on the bolts.

7. The assembly as in claim 1, Wherein edge surface of the flow protector cover is flat.

8. The assembly as in claim 1, wherein an edge surface of the flow protector cover includes scalloped edges, having a bottommost surface which extends towards the drain assembly, and cutouts which form larger parts of the openings.

9. A shower drain system, comprising: a drain assembly, having a central part leading to a drain, having multiple weep holes surrounding the central part, the weep holes adapted to receive moisture and direct the moisture from the weep holes towards the drain;a flow protector cover, which maintains a space on top of the drain assembly, surrounded by an outer perimeter edge which is spaced from the top surface of the drain assembly, and forms an opening to the space from only around an outer perimieter edge of the cover, to allow liquid flow into the weep holes only around the perimeter edge.