JP7794522B2 - Washing area floor panel - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a floor structure for a washing area, and in particular to a washing area floor panel.

Bathroom washing areas are sometimes constructed by dividing them into a main floor unit and a surface sheet to facilitate renovations and provide comfort such as cushioning (see, for example, Patent Document 1). Having separate surfaces for the surface sheet and main floor unit increases convenience, allowing for renovations when the surface sheet becomes damaged or deteriorated, or for redecorating. Furthermore, because the design of the main floor unit is determined by the surface sheet, the main floor unit can be standardized even when multiple colors and patterns are available, resulting in high productivity.

The surface sheet is generally formed into a sheet using a material such as polyvinyl chloride. Therefore, when using the surface sheet in combination with a drainage outlet component or the like, it is necessary to form the shape using a drawing process or other method to improve assembly efficiency and reduce residual stress after assembly (see, for example, Patent Document 2).

The basic performance of a washing area includes its ability to resist dirt and good drainage. Drainage is particularly important for quickly washing away dirt. It has long been known that providing grooves on the surface of the washing area is an effective way to improve drainage, and the shape of the grooves, especially near the drain, has a significant impact on drainage (see, for example, Patent Document 3).

Since surface sheets are generally obtained by cutting a long molded product, the groove shape near the drain ends up being the same as the groove shape of the washing area other than the drain. Furthermore, the cross section exposed by the cutting process can cause problems with dirt adhesion and appearance. Therefore, a method has been proposed that achieves both dirt adhesion and drainage by concealing the cross section of the surface sheet up to the bottom of the groove (see, for example, Patent Document 4). However, because the cross section of the surface sheet above the bottom of the groove is exposed, it is prone to dirt adhesion. Furthermore, if a gap occurs at the engagement point between the cross section of the surface sheet and the drainage port member, dirt and other contaminants can accumulate.

When joining the surface sheet and the drain outlet member, high bonding strength is also required to increase durability against water leaks and other issues. To achieve high bonding strength, a structure has been proposed in which the drain outlet member is melted by thermal fusion to join the surface sheet and the drain outlet member (see, for example, Patent Document 5). However, with this structure, the cut surface of the surface sheet needs to be exposed at the drain outlet in order to continue the groove shape of the surface sheet all the way to the drain outlet. For this reason, a separate cover for the drain outlet is used to block the user's view of the exposed cross section.

Surface sheets for bathroom washing areas are obtained by cutting long, molded sheets. The surface layer of the surface sheet must meet certain requirements, such as chemical resistance and abrasion resistance, which are necessary in bathrooms, while the inner layer must meet certain requirements, such as strength and adhesion to the floor itself. Therefore, materials used for the inner layer of the surface sheet generally have inferior chemical resistance and other qualities compared to the materials used for the surface layer of the surface sheet, and are prone to deterioration due to wastewater discharge when the washing area is used for washing, etc.

Furthermore, when joining a surface sheet formed into a flat sheet to a drainage outlet, it is desirable to form a drainage gradient that takes drainage into consideration before joining. However, to form a drainage gradient in the surface sheet, it is necessary to either form the drainage gradient in advance using thermal processing or to forcibly form the drainage gradient by joining to a separate component that already has a drainage gradient. The former method increases the number of processes, which has a negative impact on productivity, while the latter method forcibly deforming the surface sheet creates residual stress within the surface sheet, which has a negative impact on durability.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2019-094758 Patent No. 6828975 Patent No. 4551126 Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2019-085768 Patent No. 5696977

In light of these circumstances, the present invention aims to provide a washing area floor panel that improves drainage and cleanability near the drain, while also offering chemical resistance and durability.

The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and the gist of the present invention is as follows.
[1] A washing area floor panel to be installed in a bathroom washing area, comprising: a floor body having an opening leading to a drain outlet and a drainage slope toward the opening; a drain outlet member to be placed in the opening; and a surface sheet having a through hole corresponding to the opening and covering the floor body, wherein the drain outlet member and the surface sheet are joined together, and the glass transition temperature (Tg) of the drain outlet member is made of a material that is higher than the glass transition temperature (Tg) of the surface sheet.
[2] The drain outlet member has a protrusion that contacts the cross section of the through hole of the surface sheet, and the protrusion is joined to the cross section of the through hole. A washing area floor panel as described in [1].
[3] The surface sheet has a plurality of convex portions on its surface, and the height of the convex portions at the joint between the drain outlet member and the surface sheet is lower than the height of the convex portions other than the joint between the drain outlet member and the surface sheet. A washing area floor panel as described in [1] or [2].
[4] A washing area floor panel described in any of [1] to [3], in which the drainage gradient provided in the surface sheet at the joint between the drain outlet member and the surface sheet is greater than the drainage gradient provided in the surface sheet other than the joint between the drain outlet member and the surface sheet.
[5] The washing area floor panel according to any one of [1] to [4], wherein the joining is welding.

This invention provides a washing area floor panel that improves drainage and cleaning around the drain, while also providing chemical resistance and durability.

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a bathroom washing area floor panel according to one embodiment of the present invention. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the end of the washing area floor panel on the drain outlet side taken along line AA in FIG. FIG. 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the drain port enclosed by the dotted line in FIG. Fig. 4(a) is a cross-sectional view showing the joining of the surface sheet and the drain outlet member, Fig. 4(b) is a cross-sectional view showing the state before the surface sheet and the drain outlet member are welded, and Fig. 4(c) is a cross-sectional view showing the state after the surface sheet and the drain outlet member are welded. Figure 5(a) is a cross-sectional view showing the joining of the surface sheet and the drain outlet member with a slope, Figure 5(b) is a cross-sectional view showing the state before the surface sheet and the drain outlet member are welded with a slope, and Figure 5(c) is a cross-sectional view showing the state after the surface sheet and the drain outlet member are welded with a slope. 6(a) is a cross-sectional view of the surface sheet taken along line BB in FIG. 5(c), and FIG. 6(b) is a cross-sectional view of the surface sheet taken along line CC in FIG. 5(c).

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described, but the present invention is not limited to these.
A washing area floor panel 3 according to an embodiment of the present invention is provided in a bathroom washing area 1b, as shown in Figure 1. The washing area floor panel 3 includes a floor body 10, a surface sheet 20, and a drain outlet member 30. Although the washing area floor panel 3 has a rectangular (quadrilateral) shape in plan view in Figure 1, there is no particular limitation and it can have various shapes.

As shown in FIG. 2, the floor body 10 comprises a floor body member 11, an upper reinforcing panel member 12 provided on the upper surface of the floor body member 11, and a lower reinforcing panel member 13 provided on the lower surface.
The floor body member 11 is a member formed into a plate shape from foamed resin such as expanded polystyrene (EPS), expanded polypropylene (EPP), and expanded polyethylene (EPE).
The expansion ratio of the foamed resin that is the floor body member 11 is preferably 15 to 30 times, and more preferably 18 to 22 times.

The lower reinforcing panel member 13 has a bottom plate portion 13a and side plate portions 13b. The lower reinforcing panel member 13 is formed by shaping a metal plate such as a steel plate by shearing, punching, bending, or the like.
The thickness of the lower reinforcing panel member 13 is preferably 0.5 mm to 1.2 mm, and more preferably 0.5 mm to 0.8 mm, but is not necessarily limited to the above numerical range.

As shown in Fig. 2, the bottom plate portion 13a of the lower reinforcing panel member 13 is arranged so as to cover the underside of the floor main body member 11. In the rectangular bottom plate portion 13a in this embodiment, side plate portions 13b rise integrally from the ends of the four outer periphery sides. The side plate portions 13b are arranged so as to cover the end faces of the floor main body member 11. Adjacent side plate portions 13b are separated from each other by edge separation slits (not shown).
The lower reinforcing panel member 13 is bonded to the floor body member 11 by, for example, a thermosetting adhesive (not shown).

As shown in Figure 2, the rising portion 14 on the bathtub side of the bathroom washing area 1b is covered by a rising reinforcement member 15 made of extruded resin material on the side and top of the bathtub. Also, as shown in Figure 2, the upper surface of the main floor member 11, excluding the rising portion 14 on the bathroom washing area 1b, is covered by an upper reinforcement panel member 12. The upper reinforcement panel member 12 is bonded to the main floor member 11 by, for example, a thermosetting adhesive (not shown).
The upper reinforcing panel member 12 is formed by shaping a metal plate such as a steel plate by shearing, punching, or the like.
The thickness of the upper reinforcing panel member 12 is preferably 0.5 mm to 1.2 mm, and more preferably 0.6 mm to 1.0 mm, but is not necessarily limited to the above numerical range.

An opening (not shown) is provided in one location on the floor body 10, at a location corresponding to the location of the drain outlet member 30 shown in Figure 1. The opening is located, for example, on the side of the rising portion 14 of the washing area 1b, in the center of the width direction (vertical in Figure 1) of the end on the bathtub 1a side. The floor body 10 has a drainage slope toward the opening. Since the floor body 10 has a drainage slope toward the opening, the washing area floor panel 3 also has a drainage slope toward the opening (drain outlet member 30).
The drainage gradient provided on the floor body 10 is preferably 0.5 to 3 degrees, and more preferably 1 to 2.5 degrees, relative to the horizontal plane.

As shown in Fig. 2, the surface sheet 20 is disposed so as to cover the upper surface of the floor body 10. The surface sheet 20 is waterproof and prevents water from seeping into the floor body member 11. Furthermore, the surface sheet 20 is flexible and ensures the thermal sensitivity and cushioning properties of the washing area floor panel 3. The surface sheet 20 is made of, for example, soft polyvinyl chloride resin (PVC) and silicone rubber.
The thickness of the surface sheet 20 is preferably 2 mm to 4 mm, but is not necessarily limited to this numerical range.

The surface sheet 20 is joined to the floor body 10 via, for example, double-sided adhesive tape (not shown). The surface sheet 20 rises along the rising portion 14 on the side of the bathtub (the left side in FIG. 2 ) and is arranged so as to cover the side of the rising portion 14 on the side of the washing area.
The surface sheet 20 has through holes 23 formed in locations corresponding to the openings of the floor body 10. The through holes 23 are connected to the upper end of the openings of the floor body 10.

As shown in Figure 2, the drain outlet member 30 is disposed in the opening of the floor body 10. A drain outlet 30a is formed in the center of the drain outlet member 30, as shown in Figures 2 and 3. In addition, an upwardly protruding protrusion 30b and a horizontally extending welded portion 30c are formed on the top of the drain outlet member 30, as shown in Figures 2 and 3.
The material constituting the drain outlet member 30 is preferably a material that is harder than the surface sheet 20, and examples thereof include hard resins such as acrylonitrile/butadiene/styrene (ABS) and acrylonitrile styrene acrylate (ASA).

Welding can be used as a means for joining the drain outlet member 30 and the surface sheet 20. The method for welding the drain outlet member 30 and the surface sheet 20 will be described below.
First, as shown in FIG. 4( a ), the projection 30 b of the drain port member 30 is positioned and placed so as to be in contact with the cross section of the through-hole 23 of the surface sheet 20 .
Thereafter, as shown in Figure 4(b), the protrusions 30b of the drain outlet member 30 and the cross sections of the through holes 23 of the surface sheet 20 are heated and pressurized to perform a welding process. At this time, the surface sheet 20 melts preferentially because the glass transition temperature of the drain outlet member 30 is higher than that of the surface sheet 20. As a result, even if a gap occurs between the protrusions 30b and the through holes 23, as shown in Figure 4(c), the gap is filled by the surface cross section molten part 24 that melts and flows out when the through holes 23 are heated, and the protrusions 30b and the through holes 23 are welded together without any gaps.

The glass transition temperature (Tg) of the drain outlet member 30 and the surface sheet 20 in the present invention can be measured by the following method.
A portion of the drain outlet member 30 and the surface sheet 20 can be cut out from the finished washing area floor panel 3 to a size of 1 cm length x 1 cm width x 0.1 cm height, and measured using a differential scanning calorimeter (DSC measurement device).

Because the surface cross-section fused portion 24 is made of the same material as the surface sheet 20, it is possible to eliminate the gap between the protrusion 30b and the through-hole 23 without compromising the appearance, such as color, or strength, such as chemical resistance. If adhesive or caulking were used to fill the gap instead of the surface cross-section fused portion 24, there is a risk that the appearance will be marred by excess adhesive or that durability will be lower than that of the surface sheet 20.

The surface sheet 20 can be welded and joined to the drain outlet member 30 to form a drainage slope surface 22 at the joint between the drain outlet member 30 and the surface sheet 20. Specifically, as shown in Figure 5(a), a welded portion 30c is provided at the joint between the drain outlet member 30 and the surface sheet 20, and a protrusion 30b at the welded portion 30c, which has a slope greater than that of the upper reinforcing panel member 12, is positioned so as to contact the end of the through hole 23 in the surface sheet 20.
5(b), the drain outlet member 30 and the surface sheet 20 are sandwiched and welded together by an upper welding mold 50 and a lower welding mold 51. The upper welding mold slope surface 50a is formed to engage with the surface of the welded portion 30c to form an approximate shape. Therefore, by welding while being sandwiched between the upper welding mold 50 and the lower welding mold 51, the drainage slope α1 of the drain outlet portion drainage slope surface 22 is formed to have the same slope as the drainage slope α2 of the welded portion 30c. Meanwhile, the washing area central drainage slope surface 21, which has a drainage slope toward the opening, is attached to the upper reinforcing panel member 12 via double-sided adhesive tape or the like, and the drainage slope β of the washing area central drainage slope surface 21 is approximately the same as the drainage slope of the upper reinforcing panel member 12.
By making the drainage slope α2 of the welded portion 30c larger than the drainage slope β of the upper reinforcement panel member 12, the drainage slope of the drainage slope surface 22 of the drain outlet portion can be made larger than the drainage slope of the drainage slope surface 21 in the center of the washing area, thereby improving the drainage properties of the drainage slope surface 22 of the drain outlet portion.

The surface sheet 20 is welded and joined to the drain outlet member 30 to form a drain outlet portion drainage slope surface 22 at the joint between the drain outlet member 30 and the surface sheet 20. As shown in Figure 3, this makes it possible to make the drainage slope α1 provided on the surface sheet 20 at the joint between the drain outlet member 30 and the surface sheet 20 larger than the drainage slope β provided on the surface sheet 20 other than the joint between the drain outlet member 30 and the surface sheet 20. Because the drainage slope α1 is larger than the drainage slope β, drainage near the drain outlet can be improved. Improved drainage near the drain outlet also makes it easier to clean the area near the drain outlet.
The drainage gradient α1 is preferably 0.5 to 3 degrees larger than the drainage gradient β, and more preferably 1 to 2 degrees larger.

As shown in FIG. 6( a ), the surface sheet 20 can have a configuration having a plurality of protrusions 26 on the surface.
By configuring the surface of the top sheet 20 to have a plurality of protrusions 26, capillary action due to gaps formed between the protrusions 26 contributes to improving drainage in the washing area. The distance D1 of the gaps formed between the protrusions 26 is preferably 0.2 mm to 4 mm, and more preferably 0.5 mm to 3 mm.
On the other hand, if the height H1 of the plurality of protrusions 26 on the surface of the surface sheet 20 is too high, dirt will easily accumulate and cleaning will be impaired. The height H1 of the protrusions 26 provided on the surface of the surface sheet 20 is preferably 0.3 mm to 2 mm, and more preferably 0.5 mm to 1.5 mm.

As shown in Figure 6(b), the height H2 of the convex portion 26 at the joint between the drain outlet member 30 and the surface sheet 20 is preferably lower than the height H1 of the convex portion 26 at other than the joint between the drain outlet member 30 and the surface sheet 20 as shown in Figure 6(a). By making the height H2 of the convex portion 26 at the joint between the drain outlet member 30 and the surface sheet 20 lower than the height H1 of the convex portion 26 at other than the joint between the drain outlet member 30 and the surface sheet 20, it becomes easier to clean the drainage slope surface 22 of the drain outlet portion, where dirt from drainage tends to accumulate.
The height H2 of the protrusion 26 at the joint is preferably 0.3 mm to 2 mm lower than the height H1 of the protrusion 26 at other than the joint, and more preferably 0.5 mm to 1 mm lower.

According to the washing area floor panel of the embodiment of the present invention, by joining the drain outlet member 30 and the surface sheet 20 in the above-mentioned manner, the cross section of the surface sheet 20 can be concealed, and therefore exposure of the cross section can be prevented even if the surface sheet 20 is obtained by cutting a long sheet-like molded product. By preventing exposure of the cross section of the surface sheet 20, adhesion of chemicals, dirt, etc. to the cross section of the surface sheet 20 can be prevented, and a decrease in chemical resistance and durability can be suppressed.
In addition, by welding and joining the drain outlet member 30 and the surface sheet 20, the gap between the drain outlet member 30 and the surface sheet 20 can be filled, improving chemical resistance and durability, and also improving the bonding strength between the drain outlet member 30 and the surface sheet 20.
In addition, by appropriately designing the drainage gradient and convex portion at the joint between the surface sheet 20 and the drain outlet member 30, it is possible to improve the drainage and cleaning properties around the drain outlet.

The present invention will be further explained below based on experimental examples of the present invention, but the present invention is not limited to these.
The methods for measuring and evaluating the various physical properties in the present invention are as follows.

(Method for measuring Tg)
The glass transition temperature (Tg) of the sample in this example was determined by differential scanning calorimetry using a differential scanning calorimeter ("DSC7020" manufactured by Hitachi High-Tech Science Corporation) under the following conditions.
Measurement range: 20°C to 200°C (single temperature rise)
・Temperature increase/decrease rate: 10℃/min
Atmosphere: Nitrogen flow 50 ml/min
・Sample container: Aluminum pan crimp ・Sample collection: Whole thickness 10.0±0.5 mg

(Presence or absence of cross-section joints)
The bonding state of the cross section of the sample of this example was visually confirmed.
◯: The entire cross section of the surface sheet is bonded to the drain outlet member. △: A part of the cross section of the surface sheet is bonded to the drain outlet member. ×: The cross section of the surface sheet is not bonded to the drain outlet member.

(Method for measuring the height of convex parts at joints and other parts than joints)
The height of the convex parts at the joints on the surface of the top sheet and the height of the convex parts other than the joints were measured using an electronic depth gauge (Mitutoyo Corporation's "ABS Digimatic Depth Gauge VS-AX") and a surface roughness meter (Mitutoyo Corporation's "Surftest Product Number SJ-210 0.75MN"). The height was measured at 10 locations and was taken as the average value.
The measured height of the protrusions at the bonded portion was compared with the height of the protrusions other than the bonded portion, and the results were evaluated according to the following criteria.
◯: The height of the convex part at the joint is lower than the height of the convex part at the other parts. △: The height of the convex part at the joint is the same as the height of the convex part at the other parts. ×: The height of the convex part at the joint is higher than the height of the convex part at the other parts.

(Method of measuring drainage gradient at joints and other than joints)
The gradient of the drainage slope surface of the drainage outlet at the joint of the surface sheet and the gradient of the drainage slope other than the joint were measured using an electronic angle meter ("Digital Angle Meter II Dustproof and Waterproof" manufactured by Shinwa Measurement Co., Ltd.) with the horizontal plane as the reference. The gradient is the average value of measurements at three locations.
The measured drainage gradients at the joints and other than the joints were compared and evaluated according to the following criteria.
〇: The drainage slope at the joint is larger than the drainage slope at other parts. △: The drainage slope at the joint is the same as the drainage slope at other parts. ×: The drainage slope at the joint is smaller than the drainage slope at other parts.

(Method for joining drainage outlet member and surface sheet)
The joining method of the drainage port member and the surface sheet was evaluated according to the following criteria.
〇: Welded △: Adhesion

(Cleaning evaluation)
After carrying out the stain resistance test specified in JIS A4416, the recovery rate of the Y value was measured using a colorimeter, and the results are shown in Table 1. The evaluation criteria are as follows:
〇: 25% or more ×: Less than 25%

(Chemical resistance evaluation)
After immersion in bathroom detergent at 75° C. for 6 hours, a tensile test was carried out at a tensile speed of 0.05 mm/min in a room temperature environment, and the results are shown in Table 1. The evaluation criteria are as follows:
◯: 1000 kPa or more △: 100 kPa or more but less than 1000 kPa ×: Less than 100 kPa

(Residual Water Evaluation)
After water was sprayed onto the washing area, the amount of water remaining near the drain was measured 60 minutes later, and the results are shown in Table 1. The evaluation criteria were as follows:
◯: 50 g/ ^m² or less ×: More than 50 g/ ^m²

(Cushioning evaluation)
The hardness of the surface layer sheet at the drainage port was measured using a durometer hardness tester specified in JIS K 6253, and the results are shown in Table 1. The evaluation criteria are as follows.
○: A90/S or less ×: Above A90/S

(comprehensive evaluation)
For each item, a total score was calculated with ○: 1 point, △: 0 point, ×: -1 point. The evaluation criteria for the total score are as follows:
◎: 9 points 〇: 6 points or more but less than 9 points △: 3 points or more but less than 6 points ×: Less than 3 points

[Examples 1 to 3, Comparative Example 1]
Table 1 shows the details of each sample prepared by each joining method.

Table 1 shows that the configuration of the present invention improves chemical resistance. It also shows that cleaning is easier when the height of the convex parts at the joints is lower than the height of the convex parts outside the joints. Furthermore, water retention can be improved by increasing the drainage gradient near the drain outlet.

The present invention can be applied, for example, to the floor of a bathroom sink in a bathroom unit installed in a building.

1b Washing area 3 Washing area floor panel 10 Floor body 10c Body drain opening 20 Surface sheet 21 Washing area central drainage slope surface 22 Drainage inlet portion drainage slope surface 23 Through hole 24 Surface cross section fusion portion 25 Surface back surface welding portion 26 Convex portion 30 Drainage outlet member 30a Drainage outlet 30b Protrusion 30c Welded portion 50 Welded upper mold 50a Welded upper mold slope surface 51 Welded lower mold

Claims (4)

A washing area floor panel installed in a bathroom washing area,
A floor body having an opening leading to a drain outlet and a drainage slope toward the opening;
a drainage port member disposed in the opening;
a surface layer sheet that covers the floor body and has a through hole corresponding to the opening,
The drainage port member and the surface sheet are joined together,
The drain outlet member is made of a material having a glass transition temperature (Tg) higher than the glass transition temperature (Tg) of the surface sheet,
The drain outlet member has a protrusion that contacts the cross section of the through hole of the surface sheet, and the protrusion is joined to the cross section of the through hole . A washing area floor panel installed in a bathroom washing area,
A floor body having an opening leading to a drain outlet and a drainage slope toward the opening;
a drainage port member disposed in the opening;
a surface layer sheet that covers the floor body and has a through hole corresponding to the opening,
The drainage port member and the surface sheet are joined together,
The drain outlet member is made of a material having a glass transition temperature (Tg) higher than the glass transition temperature (Tg) of the surface sheet,
The surface sheet has a plurality of convex portions on its surface, and the height of the convex portions at the joint between the drain outlet member and the surface sheet is lower than the height of the convex portions other than the joint between the drain outlet member and the surface sheet. A washing area floor panel as described in claim 1 or 2, wherein the drainage gradient provided in the surface sheet at the joint between the drain outlet member and the surface sheet is larger than the drainage gradient provided in the surface sheet other than the joint between the drain outlet member and the surface sheet. The washing area floor panel according to any one of claims 1 to 3 , wherein the joining is by welding.