Drain installation kit

Abstract

The present invention provides a drain installation kit adapted to maintain alignment of the center of a sloping floor aperture with the center of a drain throughout the construction process. In a preferred embodiment, the kit includes an upper flange that is rigidly connectable to a drain base and multiple sloping guide bars that are rigidly connectable in a radial fashion to the upper flange. A user can use this preferred embodiment by assembling it, adding cementitious material between the guide bars, and making an upper surface of the cementitious material flush with a top edge of the guide bars. Embodiments of the present invention provide a variety of advantages over conventional drain installation kits. For example, many embodiments provide improved functionality, many embodiments are easier for do-it-yourselfers to use, and many embodiments can be manufactured more efficiently.

1 . A drain installation kit for constructing a sloped floor that is made of cementitious material and adapted to drain liquid into a drain, the kit comprising:
 a plurality of guide bars, each guide bar having a leading end and a trailing end, the leading end (a) being configured to rigidly connect to an upper flange that is rigidly connected to a drain base and (b) having a smaller height than the trailing end; and   instructions for using the drain installation kit.   
   
   
       2 . The drain installation kit of  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of members adapted to assist in rigidly connecting the guide bars to the upper flange. 
   
   
       3 . The drain installation kit of  claim 2 , wherein each guide bar has a guide bar recess, and each member is adapted to be inserted partially into the guide bar recess and partially into one of a plurality of flange recesses of the upper flange. 
   
   
       4 . The drain installation kit of  claim 2 , wherein the members are pins. 
   
   
       5 . The drain installation kit of  claim 1 , wherein each guide bar includes top and bottom edges, the bottom edge being wider than the top edge. 
   
   
       6 . The drain installation kit of  claim 1 , wherein each guide bar includes trusses that define a plurality of openings adapted to allow cementitious material to pass through the guide bar. 
   
   
       7 . The drain installation kit of  claim 1 , wherein the trailing end of a first of the plurality of guide bars is configured to connect with the leading end of a second of the plurality of guide bars. 
   
   
       8 . The drain installation kit of  claim 7 , wherein the first guide bar includes a first top edge extending at a first angular slope between the leading and trailing ends of the first guide bar and the second guide bar includes a second top edge extending at a second angular slope between the leading and trailing ends of the second guide bar, the first angular slope being substantially equal to the second angular slope. 
   
   
       9 . The drain installation kit of  claim 1 , wherein, when a drain plate housing is adjustably connected to the upper flange, the rigid connection between the guide bars and the upper flange does not obstruct adjustment of the height of the drain plate housing. 
   
   
       10 . A method of assisting a user in constructing a sloped floor that is made of cementitious material and adapted to drain liquid into a drain, comprising:
 providing a drain installation kit that includes a plurality of guide bars, each guide bar having a leading end and a trailing end, the leading end having a smaller height than the trailing end; and   instructing the user to:
 (a) install a drain base within a support area, 
 (b) rigidly connect an upper flange to the drain base, 
 (c) position at least some of the plurality of guide bars radially about the drain base, 
 (d) rigidly connect the at least some of the plurality of guide bars to the upper flange, 
 (e) add cementitious material to the support area, and 
 (f) make an upper surface of the cementitious material flush with the top edges of the plurality of guide bars. 
   
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein instructing the user to rigidly connect one of the plurality of guide bars to the upper flange comprises instructing the user to insert a member partially into a flange recess of the upper flange and partially into a guide bar recess of the guide bar. 
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising instructing a user to optionally connect the leading end of at least one guide bar to the trailing end of at least one of the guide bars that is to be rigidly connected to the upper flange. 
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising instructing a user to connect a drain plate housing to the upper flange and to adjust the height of the drain plate housing, wherein the rigid connection between the guide bars and the upper flange does not obstruct adjustment of the height of the drain plate housing. 
   
   
       14 . A drain installation kit for constructing a sloped floor that is made of cementitious material and adapted to drain liquid into a drain, the kit comprising:
 a drain base configured to be installed in a support area;   an upper flange having a plurality of attachment points, the upper flange being configured to rigidly connect to the drain base;   a drain plate housing adapted to connect to the upper flange, the height of the drain plate housing when connected to the upper flange being adjustable; and   a plurality of guide bars, each guide bar having a leading end and a trailing end, the leading end (a) being configured to rigidly connect to the upper flange at any one of the plurality of attachment points and (b) having a smaller height than the trailing end.   
   
   
       15 . The drain installation kit of  claim 14 , wherein the upper flange has a first surface and each of the plurality of attachment points includes a flange recess formed in the first surface of the upper flange. 
   
   
       16 . The drain installation kit of  claim 15 , wherein the flange recess extends partially through the upper flange. 
   
   
       17 . The drain installation kit of  claim 15 , further comprising a plurality of members, wherein each guide bar includes a guide bar recess proximate the leading end and each member is configured to be partially inserted into one of the flange recesses and partially into one of the guide bar recesses for rigidly connecting the leading end of the guide bar to the upper flange. 
   
   
       18 . The drain installation kit of  claim 17 , wherein the member is a pin. 
   
   
       19 . The drain installation kit of  claim 15 , where each guide bar includes a protrusion proximate the leading end configured to be received within one of the flange recesses for rigidly connecting the leading end of the guide bar to the upper flange. 
   
   
       20 . The drain installation kit of  claim 14 , wherein the plurality of attachment points are spaced equidistantly from the center of the upper flange. 
   
   
       21 . The drain installation kit of  claim 14 , wherein each guide bar includes top and bottom edges, the bottom edge being wider than the top edge. 
   
   
       22 . The drain installation kit of  claim 14 , wherein each guide bar defines a plurality of openings adapted to allow cementitious material to pass through the guide bar. 
   
   
       23 . The drain installation kit of  claim 22 , each guide bar includes top and bottom edges and the top edge or the bottom edge has at least one opening. 
   
   
       24 . The drain installation kit of  claim 22 , wherein each guide bar includes trusses that define at least some of the plurality of openings. 
   
   
       25 . The drain installation kit of  claim 14 , wherein the trailing end of a first guide bar is configured to connect with the leading end of a second guide bar. 
   
   
       26 . The drain installation kit of  claim 25 , wherein the first guide bar includes a first top edge extending at a first angular slope between the leading and trailing ends of the first guide bar and the second guide bar includes a second top edge extending at a second angular slope between the leading and trailing ends of the second guide bar, the first angular slope being substantially equal to the second angular slope. 
   
   
       27 . The drain installation kit of  claim 14 , wherein the rigid connection between the guide bars and the upper flange does not obstruct adjustment of the height of the drain plate housing.