Shower base or bathtub
A shower or tub assembly comprising a shower base or bathtub having a floor comprising an upper surface and a lower surface; and a support structure coupled to the floor lower surface, wherein when the shower or tub is in use, the floor upper surface is exposed and configured for a person to sit or stand on, and the lower surface is at least partially concealed, the support structure comprises a plurality of ribs, the ribs being substantially perpendicular to the floor, and the plurality of ribs at least partially form a repeating hexagonal pattern or at least partially form a repeating triangular pattern.
1 . A shower base or tub assembly comprising a shower base or bathtub having a floor comprising an upper surface and a lower surface; and a support structure coupled to the floor lower surface, wherein when the shower or tub is in use, the floor upper surface is exposed and configured for a person to sit or stand on, and the lower surface is at least partially concealed, the support structure comprises a plurality of ribs, the ribs being substantially perpendicular to the floor, and the plurality of ribs defining a repeating hexagonal pattern, and the support structure further comprises a plurality of floor support posts, each floor support post being located at an intersection node of the repeating hexagonal pattern; wherein each floor support post is positioned at a junction of three ribs of the repeating hexagonal pattern.
2 . The shower base or tub assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of ribs and the plurality of floor support posts cooperate to distribute a load applied to the floor across multiple adjacent hexagonal cells of the repeating hexagonal pattern.
3 . The shower base or tub assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the support structure comprises a plurality of floor support posts.
4 . The shower base or tub assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the support structure comprises a plurality of floor support posts, the support posts having a varying height to adjust for a pitch of the shower base or bathtub floor.
5 . The shower base or tub assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the floor comprises a drain opening, and wherein the support structure comprises a plurality of ribs positioned about the drain opening.
6 . The shower base or tub assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the ribs comprise a height of from about 8 mm to about 28 mm.
7 . The shower base or tub assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of ribs and the plurality of floor support posts are integrally formed as a unitary structure.
8 . The shower base or tub assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the ribs comprise a thickness of from about 1.9 mm to about 6.1 mm.
9 . The shower base or tub assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the ribs comprise a thickness that gradually decreases from a rib top towards a rib bottom.
10 . The shower base or tub assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the support structure is a unitary construct.
11 . The shower base or tub assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the shower base or bathtub is a unitary construct.
12 . The shower base or tub assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the support structure is a unitary construct, the shower base or bathtub is a unitary construct, and the support structure is coupled to the shower base or bathtub.
13 . The shower base or tub assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the shower base or bathtub and the support structure is a unitary construct.
14 . The shower base or tub assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the shower base or bathtub and the support structure comprise substantially the same materials.
15 . The shower base or tub assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the shower base or bathtub and the support structure comprise different materials.
16 . The shower base or tub assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the shower base or bathtub and/or the support structure comprises fiberglass or sheet molding compound.
17 . The shower base or tub assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the shower base or bathtub and/or the support structure comprise a thermoplastic.
18 . The shower base or tub assembly according to claim 17 , wherein the thermoplastic comprises acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene, a polyolefin, a poly(meth)acrylate, a polyurethane, a polyester, a polyamide, a polystyrene, mixtures thereof, or copolymers thereof.
19 . A support structure according to claim 1 .