IP Library Granted Patent US 11,149,429
Granted Patent B2
US 11,149,429 · App. 17/125,736 · Granted Oct 19, 2021

Modular drain assembly for pod constructed room

Inventors: David Michael Gomo (Lake City, PA); Robert Anthony DiPlacido (Erie, PA); Michael Thomas Benesh (Erie, PA); Christopher J. Say (Erie, PA); John Matthew Lawrence (Erie, PA)
Assignee: ZURN INDUSTRIES, LLC
E03F5/0407E03C1/122E03F5/0409E03F5/06E04B1/34869
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,149,429
App. No.
17/125,736
Granted
Oct 19, 2021
Kind
B2
Abstract

A modular room includes a floor having an upper surface, and a lower surface. The floor defines a floor height between the upper surface and the lower surface, and the floor defines a through aperture. At least three walls have a lower end connected to the floor and an upper end extend away from the floor, a ceiling is connected to the upper end of the walls, and a drain body is positioned in the floor aperture. The drain body has an upper surface and a lower surface and defines a drain body height between the upper and lower surfaces. The drain body height is less than the floor height, such that the drain body does not extend above the upper surface of the floor or below the lower surface of the flow while the drain body is positioned in the aperture in the floor.

Claims (37)

1. A method of installing the modular room in a building, the modular room including a floor, at least three walls extending upward from the floor and a ceiling coupled to an upper end of the walls, the modular room defining an aperture in the floor, a drain body being positioned in the aperture in the floor of the modular room such that the drain body does not extend beyond a lower surface of the floor of the modular room, the method comprising:

positioning the modular room on a floor of the building, such that the drain body is spaced above the floor of the building, the drain body having an overall height of less than about two and one half inches;

aligning the installed drain body with a plumbing pipe of the building;

coupling the modular room to the building to inhibit movement of the modular room with respect to the building; and

inserting an outlet through an opening of the drain body such that a flange of the outlet forms a water-tight seal with the drain body, and such that the outlet extends beyond the lower surface of the floor to mate with the plumbing pipe of the building after the drain body is aligned with the plumbing pipe of the building.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising positioning a gasket on the drain body prior to inserting the outlet; and

compressing the gasket between the drain body and the outlet to form a water-tight seal between the drain body and the outlet after inserting the outlet.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the installed drain body is configured to permit a fluid flow rate of at least 10 gallons per minute therethrough, and wherein the lower surface of the floor of the modular room is substantially flush with an upper surface of the floor in the building structure.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the lower surface of the floor of the modular room rests against the floor of the building, and wherein the overall height of the drain body is less than about three quarters of one inch.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising coupling a frame to an upper surface of the drain body after inserting the outlet.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising coupling a grate to the frame such that an upper surface of the grate is positioned substantially flush with an upper surface of the floor of the modular room.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the drain body includes an open end, the method further comprising securing the outlet to the drain body with one or more connecting members accessible via the open end.

8. A drain assembly for installation in a floor of a modular room, the drain assembly comprising:

a drain body including a drain body upper surface and a drain body lower surface, the drain body defining a drain body aperture extending along an axis through the drain body between the drain body upper surface and the drain body lower surface, and wherein the drain body at least partially forms a trench;

an outlet including a flange and an elongated body, the elongated body removably insertable through the aperture in a downward direction along the axis such that the flange forms a water-tight seal with the drain body upper surface, the elongated body configured to extend below the drain body lower surface when the flange forms a water-tight seal with the drain body upper surface, the outlet being configured to receive fluid flow from the trench of the drain body and direct the fluid flow away from the drain body, and

wherein the drain body defines a height measured along the axis, the height of the drain body being less than two and one half inches.

9. The drain assembly of claim 8 , further comprising a gasket positioned between the drain body and the outlet, the gasket configured to form a water-tight seal between the drain body and the outlet while the gasket is compressed between the drain body and the outlet, wherein the height of the drain body is less than about one inch.

10. The drain assembly of claim 9 , further comprising a frame coupled to the upper surface of the drain body, and a grate removably coupled to the frame above the drain body, the grate configured to be positioned substantially flush with the floor of the modular room, wherein the drain body is configured to drain at least 10 gallons of fluid per minute.

11. The drain assembly of claim 9 , further comprising at least one fastener configured to connect the outlet flange to the drain body and to compress the gasket between the outlet flange and the drain body.

12. The drain assembly of claim 8 , further comprising a frame coupled to the upper surface of the drain body, and a grate removably coupled to the frame above the drain body, the grate configured to be positioned substantially flush with the floor of the modular room, wherein the drain body is configured to drain at least 10 gallons of fluid per minute.

13. The drain assembly of claim 8 , wherein the drain body is configured to drain at least 10 gallons of fluid per minute, and wherein the height of the drain body is less than about one inch.

14. The drain assembly of claim 8 , wherein the height of the drain body is less than one and one half inches.

15. The drain assembly of claim 8 , wherein the height of the drain body is less than about one inch.

16. The drain assembly of claim 8 , wherein the drain body includes an open end, and wherein the outlet is secured to the drain body with one or more connecting members accessible via the open end.

17. The drain assembly of claim 7 , further comprising a frame having a frame upper surface and a frame lower surface, the frame defining a frame aperture extending along the axis through the frame between the frame upper surface and the frame lower surface, the lower surface of the frame facing the drain body upper surface.

18. A modular room configured to be assembled prior to being installed in a building, the modular room comprising:

a floor having an upper surface, and a lower surface, the floor defining a floor height between the upper surface and the lower surface, and the floor defining an aperture extending therethrough;

at least three walls having a lower end coupled to the floor and an upper end extending away from the floor;

a ceiling coupled to the upper end of the walls;

a drain body positioned in the aperture in the floor, the drain body having an upper surface and a lower surface, the drain body defining a drain body height between the upper surface and the lower surface, the drain body height is less than the floor height, such that the drain body does not extend above the upper surface of the floor or below the lower surface of the floor while the drain body is positioned in the aperture in the floor;

a frame coupled to the upper surface of the drain body; and

a grate coupled to the frame, the grate having an upper surface extending away from the drain body, the upper surface of the grate being substantially flush with the upper surface of the floor.

19. The modular room of claim 18 , further comprising an outlet including a flange and an elongated body, wherein the elongated body is configured to extend through the aperture in the floor after the assembled modular room is aligned with a plumbing pipe in the building, such that the elongated body is configured to connect to a plumbing pipe in the building to permit fluid to drain from the modular room to the plumbing pipe through the elongated body.

20. The modular room of claim 19 , wherein the modular room is configured to be transported to the building with the drain body positioned in the aperture in the floor and is configured to be coupled to the floor of the building prior to inserting the outlet through the aperture in the floor of the modular room.

21. The modular room of claim 18 , wherein the drain body is configured to drain at least 10 gallons of fluid per minute.

22. The modular room of claim 21 , wherein the drain body has an overall height of less than two inches.

23. The modular room of claim 18 , wherein the drain body has an overall height of less than about one inch.

Assignments (9)
NOTICE OF SUCCESSION OF AGENCY OF REEL/FRAME 066293/0879 Recorded Feb 20, 2026
From: UBS AG, STAMFORD BRANCH, AS PRIOR AGENT (F/K/A CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH)
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS SUCCESSOR AGENT
Reel/Frame 074947/0479 →
NOTICE OF SUCCESSION OF AGENCY OF REEL/FRAME 057893/0121 Recorded Feb 20, 2026
From: UBS AG, STAMFORD BRANCH, AS PRIOR AGENT (F/K/A CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH)
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS SUCCESSOR AGENT
Reel/Frame 074945/0935 →
CONVERSION Recorded Jan 16, 2024
From: ZURN INDUSTRIES, LLC
To: ZURN INDUSTRIES, LLC
Reel/Frame 066336/0603 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 16, 2024
From: ZURN INDUSTRIES, LLC
To: ZURN WATER, LLC
Reel/Frame 066337/0918 →
RELEASE OF INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS AT REEL 057893, FRAME 0121 Recorded Dec 19, 2023
From: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH, AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT AND COLLATERAL AGENT
To: ZURN INDUSTRIES, LLC (F/K/A ZURN INDUSTRIES, INC.)
Reel/Frame 066067/0937 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Dec 18, 2023
From: ZURN WATER, LLC
To: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH, AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT AND COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 066293/0879 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Oct 8, 2021
From: AMERICAN DRYER LLC; GREEN TURTLE AMERICAS LTD.; WORLD DRYER CORPORATION; ZURN PEX, INC.; ZURN INDUSTRIES, LLC
To: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH, AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT AND COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 057893/0121 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 17, 2021
From: GOMO, DAVID MICHAEL; DIPLACIDO, ROBERT ANTHONY; BENESH, MICHAEL THOMAS
To: ZURN INDUSTRIES, LLC
Reel/Frame 056260/0909 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 17, 2021
From: GOMO, DAVID MICHAEL; DIPLACIDO, ROBERT ANTHONY; BENESH, MICHAEL THOMAS; SAY, CHRISTOPHER J.; LAWRENCE, JOHN MATTHEW
To: ZURN INDUSTRIES, LLC
Reel/Frame 056261/0145 →
Continuity (3)
Provisional Application 63070720 · Aug 26, 2020
Provisional Application 62949031 · Dec 17, 2019
Related Publication 20210180308A1 · Jun 17, 2021
Cited By (4)
US 1,142,872 US 12,320,112 US 12,534,899 US 12,546,102