Shower pan having no visible drainage means

Abstract

Shower pans are provided with a perimeter wall defining a perimeter of the shower pan and a plurality of generally triangular support wall sections. One wall of the support wall sections is opposed to the perimeter wall and defines therebetween a perimeter channel of the shower pan. Other pairs of walls of the support wall sections are opposed to one another and define drain channels which fluid-connect the perimeter channel to the drain port. The other walls of the support wall sections have upper edges which establish an apex of the shower pan near the central drain port and slope downwardly and outwardly from the apex to the perimeter channel. The drain channels are sloped downwardly and inwardly from the perimeter channel to the central drain port. In such a manner, water may be shed by gravity from the finished floor supported on the upper edges of the other pairs of walls downwardly and outwardly into the perimeter channel whereby it then flows downwardly and inwardly through the drain channels to the drain port.

1 . A shower pan comprising:
 a perimeter channel;   central drain port; and   a plurality of paired support walls having upper support edges for supporting a finished flooring material; wherein   the upper edges of the support walls establish an apex of the shower pan near the central drain port and slope downwardly and outwardly from the apex to the perimeter channel; and wherein   the paired support walls define respective drain channels therebetween which are sloped downwardly and inwardly from the perimeter channel to the central drain port.   
   
   
       2 . The shower pan as in  claim 1 , further comprising a perimeter wall defining the perimeter channel. 
   
   
       3 . The shower pan as in  claim 1 , wherein the drain port is positioned in a geometric center of the shower pan. 
   
   
       4 . The shower pan as in  claim 3 , wherein the drain channels radiate from the drain port and extend to the perimeter channel. 
   
   
       5 . A shower pan comprising:
 a perimeter wall defining a perimeter of the shower pan; and   a plurality of generally triangular support wall sections wherein   one wall of the support wall sections is opposed to the perimeter wall and defines therebetween a perimeter channel of the shower pan; and wherein   other pairs of walls of the support wall sections are opposed to one another and define drain channels which fluid-connect the perimeter channel to the drain port.   
   
   
       6 . The shower pan as in  claim 5 , wherein the other walls of the support wall sections have upper edges which establish an apex of the shower pan near the central drain port and slope downwardly and outwardly from the apex to the perimeter channel. 
   
   
       7 . The shower pan as in  claim 6 , wherein the drain channels are sloped downwardly and inwardly from the perimeter channel to the central drain port. 
   
   
       8 . The shower pan as in  claim 5 , wherein the drain channels are sloped downwardly and inwardly from the perimeter channel to the central drain port. 
   
   
       9 . A shower stall which comprises a shower pan as in  claim 1  or  5 . 
   
   
       10 . A shower stall as in  claim 9 , further comprising a finished floor system installed on the upper edges of the support walls. 
   
   
       11 . A shower stall as in  claim 10 , wherein the finished floor system comprises a removable plug aligned with the drain port. 
   
   
       12 . A shower stall as in  claim 10 , wherein the finished floor system comprises a subfloor panel attached rigidly to the support edges and a finished floor layer installed on the subfloor panel. 
   
   
       13 . A method of constructing a shower stall comprising:
 installing a shower pan as in  claim 1  or  5  in a floor region of a shower stall; and thereafter   installing a flooring system onto the support edges of the shower pan.