CN105780911B - Method for installing pipeline flange and movable base - Google Patents

Abstract

A method for installing a pipe flange in a portable base having a slab supporting a drainage surface, the method comprising the steps of: surface treating the drainage surface on the slab to form a drainage floor extending adjacent a drain opening in the slab, wherein the drain opening has a seat and opens into the drain opening; inserting a pipe flange through the drain opening and positioning the pipe flange on the seat; and sealing the duct flange against the moveable base.

Description

Method for installing pipeline flange and movable base

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a portable base and a method of installing a duct flange in a portable base.

Background

The construction industry is an ever-improving process and its material use is moving towards more efficient construction processes based on lower costs. Pre-manufacturing is a method of reducing on-site assembly time by assembling components off-site. Generally, the more construction work that can be done off-site, the more efficient the construction process will be due to the time and cost inefficiencies associated with shutdowns and access difficulties, for example due to weather, being avoided in off-site warehouses.

In recent years, the pre-manufacture of fully modular rooms and dwellings has become increasingly common. The pre-manufacture of surface treated rooms or parts thereof has its own problems. Surface treated surfaces, and particularly those having protruding portions, may be damaged during transport. Such damage can be cost-prohibitive and time-consuming, as it requires the merchant to redo the work previously performed and completed during the pre-manufacturing stage.

Disclosure of Invention

The present invention provides a method for installing a pipe flange in a portable base having a slab supporting a drainage surface, the method comprising: surface treating the drainage surface on the slab to form a drainage floor extending adjacent a drain opening in the slab, wherein the drain opening has a seat and opens into the drain opening; inserting a pipe flange through the drain opening and positioning the pipe flange on the seat; and sealing the duct flange to the moveable base.

An advantage of the present invention is that it allows the transport of surface treated portable bases prior to field installation without damaging the fittings installed in the factory. Indeed, the invention allows the entire module, i.e. the modular room with the base, to be transported to the site without damaging the piping components including the piping flanges protruding from the base. This allows the surface of the base that provides the drainage area (i.e., drainage surface) to be surface treated by laying tiles, pouring, etc., to form a surface treated drainage floor. The advantage is that the surface treatment process can be done off-site in a factory, whereby as complete a product as possible is transported for on-site installation, where the pipe flanges can be installed and the pipeline connected without replacing or modifying the surface treated surfaces. Standard duct flanges are designed with tiles laid on top of their flange portions and therefore must be installed before the surface treated surface, which may cause problems of damage and displacement during transport (in the case of flanges installed in portable structures) as the duct flange will protrude from the structure.

It is understood that the invention need not be applied only to floor slabs, but may also be applied to wall slabs, in which case the entrance to the pipeline line passing through the wall slab is required and the drain opening is arranged to have a partially vertical orientation. Thus, the term "drainage floor" is broadly applied to mean a surface treated surface that may be vertical, or inclined, and generally horizontal.

Allowing the pipe flange to be inserted through the drain opening after the drain surface has been surface treated on top of the slab means that the drain surface can be finished before the pipe flange is installed. This allows the surface to be finished off-site without having to install the pipe flange off-site. Thus, the pipeline flanges can be prevented from being damaged during transportation.

The method may include surface treating the drain surface adjacent the drain opening to define a grid opening through which the pipe flange is inserted and in which the grid is located.

The grate serves to prevent larger items from passing through the grate openings and continuing to the drain holes and the rest of the ductwork. It will be understood that the term grid includes both standard metal, plastic, ceramic and mesh grids, and also grids that appear as solid tiles with thin channels to the drain holes.

In another embodiment, the method may include surface treating the drain surface adjacent the drain opening and providing the following cover after field installation of the portable base: the cap is removably inserted into the drain opening, thereby entering the drain hole, and the conduit flange is inserted through the drain opening.

The cap serves to prevent larger items from passing from the drainage surface into the drain opening and into the remainder of the ductwork while providing a gap around the periphery of the cap that serves as a drainage channel. The cover can be partially removed to maintain the entrance to the drain hole. The cover may be configured to receive floor tiles or decorative elements to visually conceal the drain opening below.

The method may further comprise applying a water repellent layer to the drainage surface prior to surface treating the drainage surface. The provision of a water barrier between the drainage surface and the drainage floor means that the mat is protected from any moisture penetrating the drainage floor, for example by seeping through mud between the tiles and into the underlying layer of tiles.

The method may further include applying a waterproof layer to the drain opening and sealing the pipe flange to the waterproof layer. Sealing the pipe flange against the water barrier provides a continuous flow surface so that any moisture that penetrates the drainage surface will be able to drain through the drainage holes even if the moisture has bypassed the grid openings. Using the above example of a floor tile base layer, sealing the pipe flanges against the waterproof layer will avoid the base layer becoming saturated with water.

The method may further include surface treating the drainage surface while the portable base is in the first position and transporting the portable base to the second position and sealing the pipe flange from the drainage floor. In addition, the conduit flange may be inserted through the drain opening and positioned on the seat when the portable base is in the second position. The drainage surface can be accomplished off-site to install the pipe flange on-site by surface treating the drainage surface at a first location and then sealing the pipe flange to the moveable base at a second location. The ability to do so may help reduce the likelihood that the pipeline flanges will be damaged during transport.

The present invention also provides a movable base, comprising: a slab having a drain hole leading to a drain opening; and a drainage surface on the slab, the drainage surface being surface treated up to a drainage opening to form a drainage floor; wherein the drain opening includes a seat portion for positioning the pipe flange in the drain opening after surface treatment of the drain surface.

The drainage surface may be surface treated up to the edge of the drain opening so that the drainage surface is in a surface treated state with the drainage floor applied prior to transport so that no further modification of the drainage surface or the drainage floor will be required after installation.

The seat may be positioned at a lower point in the drain opening than the drain floor. Positioning the seat lower than the drainage floor allows gravity to assist in draining fluid from the drainage surface.

The ability to locate the pipe flange on the seat of the drain opening after the drain surface has been surface treated means that the drain surface can be surface treated at a first location and the pipe flange installed at a second location. For example, the drainage surface can be completed off-site while the pipe flange is installed on-site. The ability to do so helps reduce the likelihood that the duct flange will be damaged during transport of the portable base.

The drainage surface of the moveable base may also have a grid opening. The grill may be positioned in the grill opening and on the grill seat in the grill opening. The grate serves to prevent larger items from passing through the grate openings and continuing to the drain holes and the rest of the ductwork.

The removable base may have a cover, typically a closed cover (as opposed to an open grid), to at least partially close the drain opening. The cover in this embodiment comprises: a base portion that is insertable into the drain opening and supported on a seating portion of the drain opening, and that supports the drainage surface; and a spacer member configured to position the cover in spaced relation to the seat, thereby defining a channel between an edge of the drain opening and the cover to allow fluid to pass from the drain surface into the drain opening.

The removable base may have a waterproof layer between the drainage surface and the drainage floor, such as a floor tile. The provision of a water barrier between the drainage surface and the drainage floor protects the slab from any moisture penetrating the drainage floor.

The portable base may form a floor of a modular bathroom compartment. The movable base may be made of glass reinforced concrete. The base may be a casting. Casting the base allows the angled portion to be formed when the base is cast.

The present invention also provides a modular bathroom compartment comprising the above-described portable base.

The present invention also provides a method of installing a pipe flange in the above-described portable base, the method comprising: the pipe flange is inserted through the drain opening and positioned on the seat. The method may include sealing the duct flange relative to the moveable base.

The present invention also provides a method of installing a plumbing flange in a modular bathroom compartment as described above, the method comprising: the pipe flange is inserted through the drain opening and positioned on the seat. The method may include sealing the duct flange relative to the moveable base.

Drawings

Embodiments incorporating all aspects of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a portable base;

FIG. 2 is an isometric view of a slab;

FIG. 3A is a close-up of the drain opening in the blank of FIG. 2;

FIG. 3B is a cross-sectional view of the drain opening of FIG. 3A;

FIG. 4A is an isometric view of a pipe flange;

FIG. 4B is a plan view of a pipe flange;

FIG. 4C is a side view of a pipe flange;

FIG. 5A is an isometric view of a modular bathroom compartment;

FIG. 5B is a second isometric view of the modular bathroom compartment of FIG. 5A;

FIG. 5C is a plan view of the modular bathroom compartment of FIGS. 5A and 5B;

FIG. 6 is a plan view of an alternative floor arrangement for a modular bathroom compartment without fixtures and accessories;

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view at D1 of the modular bathroom compartment of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a cross section of a removable base with a waterproof membrane;

FIG. 9 is a plan view of a cover for shielding a duct flange in a modular bathroom compartment;

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of the lid of FIG. 9 taken along line AA;

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the base of the cover of FIG. 9 showing four outwardly extending feet;

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of a frame associated with the cover of FIG. 9;

FIG. 13 is a plan view of the cover showing the location of the four feet and the peripheral drainage channels formed between the cover and the frame;

fig. 14 is a sectional view taken along line BB of fig. 13;

FIG. 15 is an enlarged view of area C encircled from FIG. 13 showing the foot of the cover extending beyond the outer periphery of the base within the confines of the frame;

FIG. 16 is a plan view of the base and four feet;

FIG. 17 is a cross-sectional view taken along line CC of FIG. 16 showing the peripheral wall of the base;

FIG. 18 is a plan view of the frame showing four peripheral flanges;

FIG. 19 is a cross-sectional view taken along line DD of FIG. 18, the cross-sectional view showing a side profile of the frame;

FIG. 20A is an isometric view of a pipe flange according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 20B is a plan view of the duct flange of FIG. 20A;

FIG. 20C is a side view of the duct flange of FIG. 20A; and

FIG. 21 is a cross-sectional view of the cover of FIG. 9 as installed adjacent to the duct flange of FIG. 20A.

Detailed Description

Fig. 1 to 8 show a first embodiment of a portable base 10 and a method of installing a duct flange into the portable base, while fig. 9 to 21 show a second embodiment.

Starting with the first embodiment, fig. 1 shows the portable base 10 with the pipe flange 20 already installed. The portable base has a blank 30, the blank 30 having a drain hole 32. The drain opening 45 opens into the drain hole 32, and the drain opening 45 is shown as an open channel 33 in the first embodiment. The open channel 33 includes a seat 34 for locating the pipe flange. The drainage surface 40 on top of the blank 30 is surface treated to have a drainage floor 12, the drainage floor 12 shown in the embodiment being a floor tile. The drainage floor 12 is surface-treated up to the open channel 33 and adjacent to the open channel 33. The open channel 33 is adapted to allow positioning of the pipe flange 20 on the seat 34 of the open channel 33 after the drainage floor 12 has been laid.

It will be understood that the final surface on the drainage surface need not be a floor tile. The drainage floor may be a polished concrete surface, in which case the drainage surface itself is polished or the flooring material is cast in place and subsequently polished; or may be any other surface suitable for wet areas that provides a drainage floor. It will be appreciated that the drainage surface may thus be laid, cast or coated by other known techniques.

The portable base 10 is used in a bathroom. However, it is understood that the portable base 10 may be used for other purposes, particularly those having wet areas, such as kitchens, laundry rooms, outdoor areas, or any other base that is portable and has a drain opening in which a plumbing flange is required to be installed. The embodiment shown in the figures is a portable base 10 for a modular bathroom compartment 1 for installation into a building. The portable base 10 may be a floor structure that supports the walls of a modular bathroom compartment.

Referring to fig. 2, 3A, 3B and 5, the slab 30 has a generally rectangular configuration. The drainage surface 40 of the slab 30 has a flat portion 36 and an angled portion 37. Angled portion 37 is angled toward open channel 33. The open channel 33 extends substantially the entire length of the slab 30. The slab 30 has a shelf 31 extending peripherally around the periphery of the slab except at the entrance 38.

The open channel 33 has a recessed grill seat 60 on which the grill 65 can be seated on. Floor tiles laid adjacent to the open channel 33 and up to the walls 33a, 33b of the channel define grid openings 35. As shown in fig. 8, the walls 33a, 33b of the open channel may be defined by brick corners 70. The corner fitting 70 is a generally straight multi-segment angled trim piece that provides a surface treated edge. The corner tiles 70 are extruded and may be made of aluminum, plastic such as PVC, stainless steel or any other suitable material.

The open channel 33 also has a drainage channel 39, the drainage channel 39 being below the underside of the floor tile 12 and angled towards the drainage aperture 32. Drain holes 32 extend through the blank 30. The diameter of the drain hole 32 is smaller than the distance between the walls 33a and 33b of the open passage 33.

The open channel 33 also has a seat 34 for locating the pipe flange 20. The seating portion 34 is located at a point lower than the underside of the floor tile 12. The seat portion 34 is also located at a lower point than the drain passage 39.

It will be understood that although the drain 39 is shown below the grill seat 60, the drain 39 may be flush with at least a portion of the grill seat 60. Additionally, it will be understood that the grid seating may be flush with the flat portion 36 and/or the angled portion 37 of the slab 30. It will also be appreciated that the drain passages 39 need not be angled toward the drain holes 32, however, the drain passages 39 should not be angled away from the drain holes.

Since the seating portion 34 is lower than the underside of the floor tile 12, it is not possible to locate a duct flange that is wider than the grill opening 35 and the open channel 33.

It will be appreciated that the slab 30 need not be rectangular. For example, fig. 6 shows a non-rectangular slab 130. The slab 130 has a shelf 131 extending peripherally around the periphery of the slab except at the entrance 138. The drain opening in the configuration of the open channel 133 is located at the outer periphery of the blank 130 and extends substantially the entire length of the portion of the blank 130 occupied by the drain opening. The slab 130 has a flat portion 136 and an angled portion 137. Angled portion 137 is angled toward open channel 133.

The slabs 30, 130 are made of a lightweight fibre-reinforced material, such as fibre-reinforced plastic or fibre-reinforced concrete. Preferably, the slabs 30, 130 are made of Glass Reinforced Concrete (GRC). The slab is preferably a casting. Casting the slab allows the angled portion 37, 137 to be formed when forming the slab 30, 130.

The angled portion 37, 137 may be designated as a shower stall in a bathroom, in which case the angled floor facilitates draining shower water into the open channel 33, 133.

It will be appreciated that the drain opening may be located at any suitable location in the blank 30, 130. For example, as shown in fig. 2, the open channel 33 may be located in a central region of the slab 30. Alternatively, as shown in fig. 6, the open channel 133 may be positioned near the outer periphery of the slab 130.

It will also be appreciated that the drain opening need not extend substantially the length of the slab. But may extend only a portion of the length of the slab with the drainage floor angled toward the drain opening to facilitate liquid flow toward the drain opening.

Fig. 4A shows the duct flange 20. The duct flange 20 has a tube 22 and a flange edge 24. The tube 22 is positioned such that the flange edge 24 extends radially outwardly from the tube 22. The flange edge 24 is perpendicular to the central axis 26 of the tube 22. The flange edge 24 is rectangular in shape having a short side 25a and a long side 25 b. The short side 25a allows the conduit flange 20 to be easily inserted into the open channel 33, while the long side 25b provides a larger surface area for sealing the conduit flange 20 to the floor tile 12.

At least one of the short side 25a and the long side 25b of the duct flange 20 is equal to or smaller than the distance between the walls 33a and 33b of the open channel 33. This allows the duct flange 20 to seat in the seating portion 34 without extending under the floor tile 12. Preferably, the width of short side 25a is slightly less than the distance between walls 33a and 33b of open channel 33. For example, the distance between the wall 33a and the wall 33b of the open channel 33 may be 89mm and the width of the short side 25a of the duct flange 20 may be 85mm, providing 2mm on average on both sides of the duct flange 20 when the duct flange 20 is positioned in the seating portion 34.

The width of the short side 25a of the duct flange 20 is equal to or less than the width 66 of the grill 65. Thus, the width of the short side 25a of the duct flange 20 is smaller than the width of the grill opening 35. The conduit flange 20 does not extend under the floor tile 12.

It will be appreciated that the diameter of the tube 22 of the duct flange 20 may be any suitable size that is smaller than the short side 25a of the duct flange 20. The diameter of the tube 22 will be determined by the diameter of the tube to which the flange is attached.

It will be appreciated that the flange need not be rectangular but may be any other suitable shape as long as the conduit flange 20 can be inserted through the drain opening. Since the seating portion 34 is designed to receive the duct flange 20, the seating portion 34 is also rectangular. However, the seating portion 34 may be any shape that allows the duct flange 20 to be seated in the seating portion 34.

The duct flange 20 may be made of any suitable material. For example, the pipe flange may be made of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) or Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS).

During construction of the portable base 10, the floor tiles 12 are laid on the drainage surface 40 on top of the slab 30 and adjacent to the open channels 33 in the slab 30. The floor tiles define a drainage floor 12 of the portable base 10. Once the tiles 12 have been laid, the pipe flange 20 is inserted through the open channel 33 and positioned on the seat 34. The conduit flange 20 is then sealed against the floor tile 12.

The floor tiles 12 are laid adjacent to the open channel 33 and up to the edge of the channel to define a grid opening 35, and the pipe flange 20 is inserted through the grid opening 35. A grill, shown as a stainless steel shower grill 65, sits in the grill opening 35 and sits on the grill seat 60. The grill 65 is substantially flush with the floor tile 12 and adjacent to the tile corner fittings 70, providing a step-free transition between the floor tile 12 and the grill 65. In the embodiment shown in fig. 2, the grate 65 will provide a step-less transition between the floor tiles 12 on the flat portion 36 and the floor tiles 12 on the angled portion 37.

A water barrier, shown in fig. 8 as a water barrier film 50 (dashed lines), may be positioned between the drainage surface 40 of the blank 30 and the floor tile 12. The waterproofing membrane 50 is applied to the drainage surface 40 prior to laying the tiles 12. In this example, once the waterproofing membrane 50 has been applied, the tile corner pieces 70 are put in place and the floor tiles 12 are laid. After this, the pipe flange 20 is inserted through the open channel 33 and positioned on the seat 34. The pipe flange 20 is then sealed against the waterproofing membrane 50 by extending the waterproofing membrane 50 over the flange edge 24 and the pipe flange 20 is also able to enter the drain channel of the pipe flange.

During the paving process, a mortar layer is typically applied prior to paving the tile; the mortar layer is applied after the waterproofing membrane is applied but before the tiles are laid.

The method for installing the duct flange 20 can occur at two different locations. When the portable base 10 is in the first position, i.e., the manufacturing facility, the floor tiles 12 are laid. Thereafter, the portable base is transported to a second position, the installation position. Although the pipe flange 20 can be installed in the open channel 33 and positioned on the seat 34 when the portable base 10 is in the first position, the system of portable base and pipe flange is itself adapted to complete installation of the pipe flange after transport and at the second position. Either way, because the conduit flange 20 does not interfere with the drainage surface, no rework or finishing of the drainage surface around the drainage hole is required.

It will be appreciated that the duct flange 20 may be glued in place on the seat 34 or attached to the seat by fasteners or any other suitable method. Alternatively, the duct flange may be held in place in the seat 34 by an outer membrane that overlies the flange edge.

Sealing the duct flange against the moveable base 10 involves applying a second waterproofing membrane 55 (dashed line) over the flange edge 24 and into the tube 22. The waterproofing membrane 55 is also applied to the remainder of the open channel 33 until the waterproofing membrane 55 contacts either the floor tile 12 or the waterproofing membrane 50, thereby sealing the conduit flange 20 from the floor tile 12. As previously discussed, the second film 55 may be a continuation of the first film 50 that is applied later.

Once the conduit flange 20 has been sealed with respect to the tiles 12, i.e., has formed a continuous sealing surface with the tiles, a grill 65 is provided to cover the grill opening 35. Although the grill is shown as a stainless steel shower grill 65, it will be understood that the grill may be any suitable cover that substantially covers the open channel 33 but still allows water to drain from the drain floor 12 into the open channel 33.

A second embodiment of the present invention is shown in fig. 9 to 21. This embodiment allows the drain to accommodate a drain outlet and pipe having larger dimensions than those of the first embodiment, and also provides a drain having a different aesthetic effect than the first embodiment.

Fig. 9-21 illustrate the cover 80 seated in the drain opening 45 and covering the drain hole 32, but allowing a drain gap 120 between the cover 80 and the drain floor 12 through which water drains from the drain floor 12 into the drain hole 32 through the drain gap 120. The cover 80 is shown in fig. 9, and the cover 80 includes a base 100 and supporting spacers, shown as four identical feet 110. The base 100 is configured to receive and support a surface treatment material, such as floor tiles, stone, poured-in-place cement mix, etc., and generally uses the same material to surface treat a drainage surface. The cover 80 is adapted to be seated within a trim member, shown as a closed frame 90.

The frame 90 is mounted on the drainage surface 40 of the portable base 10 before the drainage surface 40 is surface-treated, and the frame 90 is disposed to define an outer circumference into which the cover 80 is inserted, wherein the outer circumference of the frame 90 surrounds an area larger than that of the cover 80 to ensure that the drainage gap 120 is properly disposed. Although it is contemplated that the frame 90 provides an aesthetically better surface finish and surface against which water can drain, in some instances, the cover 80 may be inserted into the drain opening without the use or need of the frame 90.

The frame 90 is generally square with rounded corner profiles 94 when viewed in plan. The frame 90 is configured to provide a peripheral flange 92 extending outwardly from the frame 90 generally perpendicular to the sides 96 of the frame 90. Although the frame 90 is symmetrical in the illustrated embodiment, the frame 90 will be sized and shaped to correspond to the size and shape of the base 100.

The frame 90 may be made of sheet material such as steel or stainless steel (see fig. 12). It is also contemplated that the frame may be injection molded from a plastic material or made from a sheet molding compound of a sheet molding compound material. In use, the frame 90 will be continuously exposed to water, and therefore it is preferred to use a material that does not react (or corrode) in the event of water contact.

The frame 19 is shown in detail in the cross-sectional views of fig. 18 and 19. The profile of the side wall 96 is shown in fig. 19. The frame 90 may be formed from stamped bar when formed from sheet metal, such as stainless steel. Along each side wall 96 is a pair of U-shaped slots 98, the pair of U-shaped slots 98 defining a central tab therebetween. The tabs are bent or folded 90 degrees to extend from the side walls 96 and thereby form flanges 92 on each side of the frame 90. These flanges 92 allow the frame 90 to sit on the blank 30 of the portable base 10.

The pipe flange 20' used in the second embodiment is generally larger in size (in terms of both the diameter of the flanged pipe fitting and its flange edge) than the pipe flange mentioned in the first embodiment. Fig. 10 shows one variation of a larger duct flange 20', while fig. 20A-20C show another variation.

As shown in fig. 20A-20C, the duct flange 20 'has an approximately square flange edge 24'. Accordingly, the length l of flange edge 25A 'is substantially the same length as the width w of flange edge 25B'. In this embodiment, the length l and width w are approximately 140 mm. The diameter of the tube 22 'of the pipe flange 20' is about 80mm in this embodiment, and may also be manufactured to be 100mm in diameter or any value in between to accommodate the size of a standard drain pipe. It is understood that alternative standard sizes can be made for use in different territories. The thickness t of the flange edge 24' may be set in the range from 1.5mm to 4 mm. In a preferred embodiment, the flange edge thickness t is 2.4 mm.

The tube 22 'of the duct flange 20' extends a depth d in the drain hole 32. The depth d of the tube 22 'of the duct flange 20' of this embodiment is approximately 46mm, but may be manufactured in a variety of depths to accommodate a given portable base 10 or a given range of bases 10. Furthermore, the depth of the tube 22 ' of the pipe flange 20 ' can be simply reduced to the desired depth by cutting or sawing the tube 22 '.

The frame 90 is fitted over the drainage surface 40 at the drain opening 45 of the portable base 10 prior to shipping so that the frame 90 can be sealed relative to the portable base 10 and tiles can be laid on the frame 90 (see fig. 21, which shows tiles 12 laid over the protrusions 92 of the frame 90). The base 100 and spacer 110 of the cover 80 are seated on top of the drain port seat 34 and/or on top of the conduit flange 20 ', and the cover 80 is removable from the frame 90 and can be removed at any time to gain access to the drain hole 32 (e.g., for inserting the conduit flange 20 ' through the frame 90 to position the conduit flange 20 ' on the seat 34, or for inspecting the conduit flange 20 ' and connected piping after the conduit flange 20 ' has been installed).

The frame 90 is approximately 23mm in height and approximately 196mm in length. Each flange 92 is approximately 13mm deep and 100mm long. The frame 90 is made of a material having a thickness of about 1.2mm when made of metal. However, the thickness and dimensions of the frame 90 will vary from material to ensure that the closure 80 has sufficient strength and resiliency.

Regardless of whether the duct flange 20 'is configured to have a diameter of 80mm/100mm or some alternative standard dimension, the frame 90 has an outer dimension of 196mm x 196mm and is large enough for the duct flange 20' to be installed through the frame 90.

The base 100 is shown in plan view in fig. 9 and in cross-section taken along line AA of fig. 9 in fig. 10. The base 100 includes a flat surface or disc 102 having an outer peripheral wall 104. The base 100, through its disk portion 102 and peripheral upstanding wall 104, is configured to receive a floor tile 12 or other decorative element to cover the drain hole 32 without blocking the passage of fluid from the floor tile/drain floor 12 into the drain gap 120.

The thickness of the base 100 when made of steel is approximately 1.2 mm; however, the thickness will be adjusted accordingly to complement the material of the base 100. The base is approximately 13mm deep and has outer dimensions of 156mm by 156 mm. This provides a drainage gap 120 of approximately 5mm around the entire periphery of the cover 80 when the cover 80 is centrally positioned within the frame 90.

The base is provided with spacing members, shown in fig. 11 as four feet 110. The spacing member spaces the base above and from the drain hole 32 and the pipe flange so that water can flow from the drain floor 12 through the gap 120 and under the base 100 to enter the drain hole through the pipe flange. The foot 110 is 8.6mm deep and is made of steel, preferably grade 304 or 316 stainless steel. The foot 110 is approximately 18mm wide and 60mm long. Each foot 110 has a rectangular profile and is positioned to cooperate with the four corner profiles 94 of the frame 90. In one embodiment of the cover 80 shown in fig. 11, the distal end 110a of each foot 110 tapers to a central apex 112. The central apex 112 nests within the corner profile 94 of the frame 90 to retain the cover in a central position within the frame 90.

In fig. 15, it can be seen that a drainage gap 120 is located between the base 100 and the frame 90. In this enlarged view, the foot 110 can be seen to extend a distance 116 from the base 100 into the gap 120. The distance 116 is approximately 4 mm. A distance of 4mm is sufficient to provide stable support of the base 100 on the frame 90 without the foot 110 scraping against or damaging the frame 90.

In fig. 16, foot 110 is shown as having a rectangular configuration without central apex 112. In this manner, two distal corners 118 project from the outer periphery of the base 100 to align with the corner profiles 94 of the frame 90. Fig. 17 shows a cross section taken along line CC of fig. 16. In fig. 17, the minimum protrusion 116 of the foot 110 relative to the sidewall 104 of the base 100 is shown.

In this embodiment, as shown in fig. 11, the foot 110 is attached to the base 100 by a weld 114. It is contemplated that alternative mechanical connectors such as nails, bolts, screws, rivets, studs, adhesives, etc. may be used. The selection of fasteners will depend on the materials used to make the foot 110 and the cover 80. When the cover 80 is formed of a plastic material or a sheet-form mold compound, the foot 110 may be integrally formed with the base 100.

The base 100 is held above the drainage gap 45 at each corner when the foot 110 has a thickness of 8.6 mm. The base 100 suspended in this manner does not impede the flow of fluid from the drain floor 12 into the drain hole 32. The thickness of the foot 110 may vary in relation to the depth of the cover 100 to facilitate greater flow into the drain hole 32. Preferably, the base 100 is held at the following depths: such that the tiles 12 or decorative elements within the base 100 are located at the same level as the drainage floor 12 to prevent a trip hazard for the user.

Fig. 13 shows four equally spaced feet 110 around the base 100. However, a cross-section taken along line BB is shown in fig. 14 and serves to highlight that foot 110 has minimal effect on the flow of fluid through drain gap 120.

It is contemplated that a single geoblock 12 may be provided in the base 100. However, it is also possible to house a plurality of smaller tiles in the base 100 or metal inserts as decorative features. The base 100 is held laterally in place by the engagement between the foot 110 and the seat 34 and/or duct flange. The base 100 is held in place vertically by gravity. The base 100 can be easily removed when access to the drain opening 45 of the drain hole 32 is required. Once the plumbing flange 20' has been installed into the modular bathroom compartment 1, the feet 110 can be easily mounted to the base 100 and positioned over the drain holes 32.

Fig. 21 shows a cross-sectional view of the duct flange 20' in place in the drain hole 32 with the cover 80 installed to partially shield the drain. The drainage gap 120 bounds the cover 80 while the decorative floor tile 12 is disposed within the base 100 to hide the drainage opening 45.

The steps for mounting the duct flanges 20, 20' are:

applying the waterproofing membrane 50 on the blank 30 and into the drain opening 45, and in case of providing the open channel 33, applying the waterproofing membrane 50 into the open channel 33;

installing the tile corner fittings 70 or the frame 90 and laying flooring material (e.g., floor tiles 12) on top of the slab 30 adjacent to the open channels 33/drain openings 45 in the slab 30 and against the tile corner fittings 70 or the frame 90;

the pipe flange 20, 20' is inserted through the drain opening 45, typically after the base is shipped to the site;

positioning and fixing the pipe flanges 20, 20 'in the seats 34 by gluing the pipe flanges 20, 20' to the slab 30;

sealing the pipe flange 20, 20 'against the waterproofing membrane 50 by applying a second membrane 55 on top of the installed pipe flange 20, 20' and overlapping/engaging the second membrane with the first membrane 50; and

covering the drain opening 45 with a grid 65 or with a closed cover 80, wherein water can drain through the grid 65, leaving a drain gap between the periphery of the cover 80 and the periphery of the drain opening.

It is contemplated that the modular bathroom compartments 1 will be pre-manufactured in a factory in a substantially complete manner. This would involve the following steps performed at the factory: a waterproofing membrane 50 is applied to the blank 30 and the floor tiles 12 are laid on top of the blank 30 adjacent to the open channel 33 in the blank 30.

The remainder of the modular bathroom compartment 1 is also generally constructed at the factory and then transported to the job site where it is installed into the structure of the main building. As shown in fig. 7, the peripheral shelf 31 of the slab 30 is positioned outside the inner cladding 82 of the wall structure. A sealing shim 84 is positioned at the junction between the inner cladding 82 and the floor tile 12 to ensure a completely watertight construction. In the case where the open channel 33 is close to the outer periphery of the slab 30 so that there is no drainage surface between the open channel 33 and the shelf 31, a sealing shim is positioned at the junction between the inner cladding 82 and the slab 30 to ensure a completely watertight structure.

The modular bathroom compartment 1 is then transported to the job site. It will be appreciated that the modular bathroom compartment 1 is shipped in a substantially finished manner, that is, the modular bathroom compartment 1 includes most of the internal fittings, plumbing, and electrical wiring, but does not include plumbing flanges mounted at the drain.

The modular bathroom compartment 1 is installed once it arrives on site. The compartment is set in place and secured to the floor structure using suitable fasteners. The piping and wiring facilities are connected and the piping flanges 20 are installed, waterproofed and connected to the drain pipes under the slab and the piping system of the main building.

Installing the pipe flanges on site rather than at the factory has the following advantages: the plumbing flanges are protected from damage that could be easily encountered during shipping and handling of the modular bathroom compartments.

In the claims which follow and in the preceding description of the invention, except where the context requires otherwise due to express language or necessary implication, the word "comprise" or variations such as "comprises" or "comprising" is used in an inclusive sense, i.e. to specify the presence of the stated features but not to preclude the presence or addition of further features in various embodiments of the invention.

Claims (15)

1. A method for installing a duct flange in a portable modular room having a slab supporting a drainage surface and a room wall structure upstanding from the slab, the method comprising the steps of:

surface treating the drainage surface on the slab when the portable modular room is in a first position to form a surface treated drainage floor extending adjacent a drainage opening in the slab, wherein the drainage opening has a seat and opens into a drainage hole;

transporting the portable modular room to a second location;

at the second position, inserting the duct flange through the drain opening and positioning the duct flange on the seat; and

sealing the pipe flange to the slab.

2. The method of claim 1, comprising the steps of: applying a water repellent layer to the drainage surface prior to surface treating the drainage surface.

3. The method of claim 2, comprising the steps of: applying the waterproof layer into the drain opening, wherein the pipe flange is sealed against the waterproof layer.

4. The method of claim 1, comprising the steps of: a removable cap is inserted into the drain opening, wherein a gap around the periphery of the cap serves as a drain channel.

5. The method of claim 1, comprising the steps of: a trim piece is installed at an edge of the drain opening before surface-treating the drain surface.

6. The method of claim 5, comprising the steps of: a corner fitting is mounted at the edge to form the trim piece and/or a frame is mounted around the drain opening to form the trim piece.

7. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, comprising the steps of: surface treating the drainage surface by laying a flooring material on the drainage surface to form the drainage floor.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein laying the flooring material comprises pouring the flooring material in situ or laying tiles.

9. A portable modular room, comprising:

a slab and a room wall structure upstanding from the slab, the slab having a drain hole leading to a drain opening; and

a drainage surface on the slab, the drainage surface being surface treated at a first location up to the drainage opening to form a surface treated drainage floor;

wherein the drain opening includes a seat for positioning a pipe flange in the drain opening, wherein the pipe flange is positioned in the drain opening at a second location and after the drain surface is surface treated and transported from the first location.

10. The portable modular room of claim 9, wherein the drain surface is surface treated up to an edge of the drain opening.

11. The portable modular room of claim 9, wherein the drainage surface comprises a trim member mounted at the drainage opening.

12. The portable modular room of claim 11, comprising a cover adapted to seat in a spaced-apart manner from the trim member, wherein a gap between the trim member and the cover forms a gap around a periphery of the cover that serves as a drain channel.

13. The portable modular room of claim 9, comprising a waterproof layer between the drainage surface and the drainage floor.

14. The portable modular room of claim 9, wherein the portable modular room is a bathroom compartment.

15. A portable modular room as claimed in any one of claims 9 to 14, wherein the slab is made of glass reinforced concrete.

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