FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The invention relates to renovation of a waterproofed wet area. In particular, the invention relates to formation of a connecting profile to be used in connection with a wet seal.

PRIOR ART

[0002] Prior art waterproofing of a floor drain requires many work steps which have to be performed very meticulously so that the wet seal will be reliably waterproof. Particularly, when a wet seal is replaced in an existing floor drain, for instance in connection with renovation, the old wet seal has to be removed carefully from the floor drain so that a new wet seal could provide a tight joint. A prior art solution is to replace the floor drain, but the method is costly and time consuming. To strip the old wet seal off the floor drain is also slow, and it is difficult to assess the achieved result and it remains uncertain, how tight the new wet seal joint will be.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

[0003] The object of the present invention is to provide means for forming a groove in a structure at an edge of a surface to be waterproofed so as to receive a wet sealant, whereby the structure is tightly and simply con- nectable to the wet seal in connection with renovation.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0004] A first aspect of the invention is a guiding device for guiding a tool. The guiding device is characterized by comprising a base arranged connectable to a fixed structure, and a guide in connection with the base and arranged movable in relation to the base, the guide being arranged to guide a tool for forming in the structure one or more grooves arranged to receive a wet sealant.

[0005] In an embodiment the guide comprises connecting means for connecting the tool to the guide. [0006] In an embodiment the groove to be formed comprises a wider portion and a narrower portion, of which the narrower portion is closer to the upper surface of the structure than the wider portion.

[0007] In an embodiment the structure is a floor drain block or a part thereof.

[0008] In an embodiment the structure comprises a floor drain arrangement or a part thereof.

[0009] In an embodiment the guide is arranged rotatable in relation to the base.

[0010] A second aspect of the invention is an arrangement for forming a groove in a structure. The arrangement is characterized by comprising a tool for forming in the structure a groove arranged to receive a wet sealant and a guiding device comprising a base arranged connectable to a fixed structure, and a guide in connection with the base and arranged movable in relation to the base, the guide being arranged to guide the tool, and connecting means for connecting the tool to the guide.

[0011] In an embodiment the guiding device is the guiding device in accordance with the first aspect of the invention.

[0012] In an embodiment the tool is arranged to remove material from the structure so as to provide a groove in the structure.

[0013] In an embodiment the material to be removed from the structure comprises wet sealant.

[0014] In an embodiment the material to be removed from the structure comprises polymer.

[0015] A third aspect of the invention is the use of the guiding device in accordance with the first aspect of the invention for forming a groove in a structure so as to receive a wet sealant.

[0016] A fourth aspect of the invention is the use of the arrangement in accordance with the second aspect of the invention for forming a groove in a structure so as to receive a wet sealant.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0017] In the following the invention is described in more detail with reference to preferred embodiments presented by way of example and to the attached figures, wherein:

Figure 1 shows a connecting profile, Figures 2a and 2b illustrate use of a connecting profile as part of a floor drain arrangement,

Figures 3a and 3b show a guiding device in accordance with an embodiment of the invention,

Figures 4a and 4b show a guiding device in accordance with an embodiment of the invention in connection with a floor drain arrangement, and

Figures 5a and 5b show a guiding device in accordance with an embodiment of the invention in connection with a floor drain arrangement, a tool being connected to the guiding device.

[0018] Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view and a partial enlargement 110 of a connecting profile 100 for connecting a wet sealant to a structure locating at an edge of an area to be waterproofed, to a floor drain, for instance. The connecting profile 100 comprises a groove 101 that widens towards the inside of the profile, forming a wider portion 02 inside the groove. The shape of the connecting profile 100 is such that it may be mounted fixedly and tightly onto the structure, for instance, onto a floor drain block of a cylindrical or rectangular shape. In the example of the figure, zones 103 and 104 in the connecting profile form a second groove widening inwardly in the connecting profile, when the element 100 is connected to the structure. When wet sealant is applied onto the profile element, the sealant paste penetrates into the grooves 101 , 103 in the profile, and in particular into the wider portions 102, 104 of the grooves. The air in the grooves exits through openings 105, 106 in the profile. Having settled, the wet sealant adheres tightly to the groove walls as an inwardly thickening sealing profile. Thanks to the paste adhering to the surface of the connecting profile and particularly to the grooves in said profile, the edge of the wet seal is made watertight and reliably firm. The connecting profile is arranged for tight attachment to a structure, e.g. a floor drain block (200 in Figures 2a and 2b), for instance, by welding or gluing the surface 07 and/or surface 108 to the structure.

[0019] The wet sealant may be any paste well known to a person skilled in the art, which is used by application for waterproofing of wet areas such as bathrooms. The material of the connecting profile 100, e.g. plastic, may be suitably selected such that, on one hand, the wet sealant adheres to the surface and grooves of the profile and, on the other hand, the profile is tightly attachable to the structure (e.g. 200 in Figure 2a). [0020] Figure 2a shows, as a structure to be attached to the profile, a floor drain block 200 to which is fixedly and tightly attached a connecting profile element 100.

[0021] Figure 2b shows a cross section of the floor drain block 200 of Figure 2a in a situation, where the floor drain block 200 and the connecting profile 100 are mounted in place. The floor drain block 200 of a cylindrical shape, for instance, is fixedly attached to cast concrete 202. The floor drain block may also be of a different shape, for instance a rectangle. To the floor drain block is tightly attached a connecting profile 100 that is compatible in shape with the block, e.g. annular, for instance by gluing, welding or some other joining method well known to a person skilled in the art. On the cast concrete 202 and the connecting profile there is applied, for instance with a roll, spatula or brush, a layer of wet sealant 201. While applied, the substance penetrates into the grooves 101 , 103 of the connecting profile 100, also into the wider portions 102, 104 thereof. Air, if any, remaining in air pockets of the recesses 102, 104 exits from the grooves via openings 105 and 106. When drying, the wet sealant 201 adheres tightly both to the cast concrete 202 and to the grooves of the profile 100. As a result a waterproof joint is provided between the floor drain block 200 and the cast concrete 202 by means of the wet sealant and with few work steps.

[0022] Figure 3a shows a cross section of a guiding device 300 in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. The presented guiding device is arranged for attachment in connection with the floor drain by means of a base 306. On the base 306 there is a guide 302 that may be rotated in relation to the base. If the guiding device is to guide the tool to form a groove that is other than a circle in shape, the guide may be arranged to slide a path of desired shape by means of rails or rolls, for instance. In the case of a round floor drain, mounting on bearings 304 may be used between the base 306 and the guide 302, but the rotating movement may also be enabled by means of rolls or by using an antifriction agent or coating in surfaces placed against one another. In addition, the guide 302 includes means 310 for connecting the tool to the guide. The tool may be connected to the opening 310, which may be e.g. threaded, wedge-like, coated or otherwise arranged for tool connection. In addition to the opening, it is also possible to use other conventional ways of connection, such as clamps, screws, bolts, supports or the like. [0023] Figure 3b is a top view of a guiding device 300 in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. From above is seen only the guide 302 and the connecting means 310, 312 for the tool. In this case the connecting means are threaded openings appropriate for the tool, into which openings the tool may be connected by screwing.

[0024] Figure 4a shows a cross section of a guiding device 300 in accordance with an embodiment of the invention, connected to the floor drain. The base 306 is designed according to the inner surface of the floor drain in such a way that, when the base is inserted into the floor drain, the base is centred in the middle of the floor drain. In this case it is preferable that different floor drains have different bases, so that the base will be attached to the floor drain in a proper manner and to a correct height, and is also centred in the middle of the floor drain. The base 306 may be shaped slightly wedge-like and its edges may be coated with rubber or silicone, for instance, to increase friction between the base and the floor drain. The base may also include, for instance, separate centring means whereby the base 306 may be centred in a plurality of different floor drains. Centring may take place, for instance, by means of projections in the base, the length of which projections may be adjusted, for instance, by screwing or rotating a given part of the projection.

[0025] On top of the base 306 centred in and attached to the floor drain there is a guide 302 and therebetween a bearing 304 that enables easy rotation of the guide 302 while the base 306 remains stationary. The tool connecting means 3 0, 312 of the guide are arranged at such points that the tool to be connected to the guide is guided to a position where a groove is to be formed. The figure shows already completed grooves 101 to 104.

[0026] Figure 4b is a top view of a guiding device 300 in accordance with an embodiment of the invention, connected to a floor drain. It appears from the figure how the grooves are formed below the openings 310, 312 serving as connecting means for the tool. In this case two grooves 101 , 103 within each other are desired, so the openings serving as the tool connecting means are at different distances from the centre of the guide 302.

[0027] Figure 5a shows a cross section of a guiding device 300, connected to a floor drain, in accordance with an embodiment of the invention, a tool 500 and a tool bit 502 being connected to the guiding device. The tool is preferably a drill, a screw driver, a mini milling tool or the like, to which a rotat- able bit may be connected. Preferably the tool is battery-driven, but manual and mains-driven devices may also be used, with certain provisos. At its simplest, the bit 502 of the tool 500 may be provided by a cylindrical shaft and a ball at its end. The shaft and the ball are at least partly rough, uneven or dented, so that they enable material being removed off the structure 400.

[0028] In that case the groove is formed by introducing the tool 500 into the opening of the guide 302 while the tool bit 502 rotates, whereby the bit 502 penetrates into the structure 400. When the tool 500 is connected to the guide 302 and the bit 502 is in appropriate depth, the guide 302 is rotated one round, whereby a groove is formed in the structure, the groove being wider in the lower part 102 than in the upper part 101. Once the groove 101 , 102 is completed, the tool 500 and the bit 502 may be retracted from the groove at the same point where the bit 502 was inserted in the structure, whereby the groove will only have one point where the upper part 101 and the lower part 02 of the groove are equal in width.

[0029] The guiding device 300 may be used in renovation of a wet area comprising a floor drain connecting profile 100 as described above, and thus the earlier provided wet sealant must be removed from the groove of the existing connecting profile 100. Thus, in that case a groove is formed in the connecting profile by removing wet sealant, at least partly, from the connecting profile. In that case, in the tool 500 there is preferably used such a bit 502 that is not appropriate for removing the material constituting the structure 400 of the connecting profile 100, but it removes efficiently the wet sealant that is softer. In that case the connecting profile remains substantially unchanged, but wet sealant is removed, and the connecting profile will again have a groove for a new wet sealant treatment. In this case, the tool 500 may employ a bit 502, at the end of which there is a plane section of a sphere, instead of a ball, equal in width with the shaft, i.e. a mid-zone of a sphere. At least part of the surfaces in the spherical zone is advantageously rough, uneven or dented, so that the bit would remove wet sealant effectively. A bit of this kind may be inserted in the groove filled with wet sealant prior to bit rotation in such a manner that the part, which is a spherical zone in shape, is positioned to be in the direction of the narrower, upper part 101 , 103 of the groove before insertion into the groove. Retraction of the bit from the provided groove after removal of the wet sealant is performed by positioning the spherical zone of the bit in the same way as the bit was inserted into the groove. In that case the groove will be throughout wider in the lower part 102, 104 than in the upper part 01 , 103. [0030] The groove 01 , 102 to be formed may be of any shape, including a straight groove, into which it is possible to mount, in a waterproof manner, for instance the edge of a wall-to-wall floor drain. In that case the base 306 of the guiding device 300 may be connected to walls at the ends of the groove 101 , 102 to be formed, and the guide 302 rolls or slides on the base.

[0031] Figure 5b is a top view of a guiding device 300, connected to a floor drain, in accordance with an embodiment of the invention, a tool 500 being connected to the guiding device.

[0032] It is apparent to a person skilled in the art that the above exemplary embodiments are rather simple in structure and operation for the purposes of illustration. By following the model shown in this patent application, it is possible to construct different solutions that utilise the inventive idea disclosed in this patent application.