Modular shower pan

Abstract

A modular shower pan is formed as a body having a floor with a drain hole and a support surface formed from raised portions extending upward from the floor and defining a level plane above the floor and over the drain hole, that is configured to support a slab shower floor thereon concealing the drain hole. The upper surfaces of the raised portions and the slab positioned thereon pitch downward toward a rear of the pan. Perimeter drainage passages along a perimeter of the shower pan are connected to drainage channels that pitch downward to the drain hole. The slab is dimensioned to cover the drain hole but to allow water to flow over its edges into the perimeter passages. In use, water falling onto the slab flows preferentially rearward on the pitched slab, spilling over the edges, into perimeter drainage passages and down the channels to the drain hole.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A modular shower pan, the modular shower pan comprising:
 a body having a floor with a drain hole therethrough and a support surface formed from raised portions extending upward from the floor, the support surface defining a level plane above the floor that extends from a front side to a rear side of the floor and over the drain hole, and that is configured to support a slab thereon to form a shower floor.   
     
     
         2 . The modular shower pan of  claim 1 , wherein the support surface is pitched downward from the front side toward the rear side of the floor. 
     
     
         3 . The modular shower pan of  claim 1 , wherein the raised portions include perimeter rails aligned parallel to and extending along at least a portion of a perimeter of the floor including along at least a portion of the rear side of the floor. 
     
     
         4 . The modular shower pan of  claim 3 , wherein the raised portions further include raised pads positioned between the perimeter rails and the drain hole. 
     
     
         5 . The modular shower pan of  claim 4 , wherein the support surface formed from an upper surface of the raised portions is pitched downward from the front side toward the rear side of the floor. 
     
     
         6 . The modular shower pan of  claim 3 , wherein the body further comprises an inner perimeter wall surrounding the floor, and perimeter drain passages formed between the inner perimeter wall and the perimeter rails. 
     
     
         7 . The modular shower pan of  claim 6 , further comprising a plurality of drainage channels in the floor, each of the plurality of drainage channels connecting one of the perimeter drain passages to the drain hole, wherein each of the drainage channels is pitched downward toward the drain hole. 
     
     
         8 . The modular shower pan of  claim 7 , wherein the floor extending interior to the perimeter rails and outside of the drainage channels is also pitched downward along a radial path to the drain hole. 
     
     
         9 . The modular shower pan of  claim 8 , wherein a pitch of the drainage channels and of the floor outside of the drainage channels to the drain hole is about ¼ inch to about ½ inch per foot. 
     
     
         10 . The modular shower pan of  claim 7 , wherein each of the drainage channels is formed between a pair of channel rails, the raised portions including the channel rails, a portion of the support surface being formed from upper surfaces of the channel rails. 
     
     
         11 . The modular shower pain of  claim 2 , wherein the pitch of the support surface from the front side to the rear side is between about ⅛ inch to about ¼ inch per foot. 
     
     
         12 . The modular shower pan of  claim 6 , the body further comprising a raised curb that borders the front side of the floor and is configured to form an entrance threshold of the shower enclosure upon installation, the raised curb also forming a portion of the inner perimeter wall surrounding the floor. 
     
     
         13 . A shower floor assembly for a shower enclosure, the assembly comprising:
 a slab configured to form a shower floor; and   a modular shower pan configured to install in a shower enclosure, the modular shower pan comprising a body having a floor with a drain hole therethrough and a support surface formed from raised portions extending upward from the floor, the support surface defining a level plane above the floor that extends from a front side to a rear side of the floor and over the drain hole, and that is configured to support the slab thereon, the slab configured to cover and conceal the drain hole upon installation on the support surface of the modular shower pan.   
     
     
         14 . The assembly of  claim 13 , wherein the raised portions include perimeter rails aligned parallel to and extending peripherally along at least a portion of each side of the floor, the body further comprising an inner perimeter wall surrounding the floor and perimeter drain passages formed between the inner perimeter wall and the perimeter rails, the support surface being formed at least in part by the perimeter rails, and wherein the slab is configured to extend onto the perimeter rails and to leave at least a portion of each of the perimeter drain passages uncovered when installed, thereby allowing water falling onto the slab to spill over its edges and into the perimeter drain passages. 
     
     
         15 . The assembly of  claim 14 , the modular shower pan further comprising a plurality of drainage channels in the floor, each of the plurality of drainage channels connecting one of the perimeter drain passages to the drain hole, wherein each of the drainage channels is pitched downward toward the drain hole. 
     
     
         16 . The assembly of  claim 15 , wherein each of the drainage channels is formed between a pair of channel rails, the raised portions including the channel rails, a portion of the support surface being formed from upper surfaces of the channel rails. 
     
     
         17 . The assembly of  claim 16 , wherein the support surface formed from an upper surface of the raised portions is pitched downward from the front side toward the rear side of the floor. 
     
     
         18 . The assembly of  claim 16 , wherein the support surface formed from an upper surface of the raised portions is configured to be leveled to a horizontal plane upon installation, and an upper surface of the slab is pitched downward from the front side toward the rear side of the floor. 
     
     
         19 . The assembly of  claim 16 , wherein the raised portions further include raised pads positioned between the perimeter rails and the drain hole. 
     
     
         20 . The assembly of  claim 13 , wherein the slab is a stone slab.