Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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1 FIELD OF INVENTION
The present invention relates to shower stall
structures for such as bath tubs and shower basins, having
at least one opening closed by more than one closure member
spanning across the at least one opening.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Shower stalls per se are known in the art. Some
shower stalls are structured for bathtubs or shower basins
using conventional sliding doors, wherein the supporting
means for each door are retained within separate parallel
guide channels allowing the doors to co-operate in use.
However, sliding door assemblies are limited and not readily
applicable to tight installations such as corner stalls
or tubs in that they generally require a minimum opening
when the doors are overlapped, this opening of sufficient
size to allow access or egress of an individual. Pivoting
shower doors overcome this restriction as disclosed in
United States Patents 2,698,677, 3,390,486 and 4,035,957.
Further, United States Patent 4,375,736 (Equivalent Canadian
Patent 1,147,600) as well as 3,390,486 disclose pivot members
which are adjustable in position. Shower stalls of the
type referenced are generally monolithic in nature providing
a functional use but generally aside from the porcelain,
chrome or etched glass contained thereon offer little in
the way of design to enhance and not detract from or blend
in with the general surroundings. German Patent Application
3,401,135 discloses a shower stall having a square basin
upon which is assembled a closure member having two doors,
but generally dealing with the novel hinging and sealing
3~ components of the doors. German Patent Specification
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1 3,507,264 discloses a hinge arrangement upon which double
doors (as illustrated in Figure 2) may be hung. Further,
German Patent Application 3,310,139 (now abandoned) discloses
a shower partition for bath tubs or shower basins having
double doors but not extending the full length of the stall
to the sill of the shower basin. The aforementioned German
references, however, do not allow for the variation in
dimensions normally confronting an installer. Panels must
be cut to size and more or less made to measure with no
provision for adjustment during installation.
Notwithstanding, it is Applicant's intention
to overcome the monolithic appearance of shower stalls
disclosed in some of the prior art while allowing for
flexibility, ease of installation and hence economy.
It is therefore an object of this invention to
provide functional yet attractive shower stalls having
a multiplicity of embodiments.
It is a further object of the invention to provide
a shower stall having at least one opening defined by a
multiplicity of stiles closed by more than one closure
member spanning across the said at least one opening.
It is still a further object of the invention
to provide a shower stall having at least one opening closed
by more than one closure member having adjustable pivot
members thereby providing for ease of installation and
on site adjustment.
It is a further object of the invention to provide
in kit form readily assembled by an installer a shower
stall which is functional yet attractive having a
multiplicity of embodiments when assembled and yet
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1 economical.
It is still a further object of the invention
to provide a shower stall which can be fit dimensionally
on the job site allowing installers to minimize their
inventories of pre-cut panels.
It is a further object of the invention to
eliminate in a preferred embodiment all vertical joints
on the jamb which support the stile panels.
It is a further object of the invention in a
preferred embodiment to minimize the number of vertical
and horizontal extrusions such as the header.
It is a further object of the invention to provide
a U-shaped channelled jamb which allows for alignment of
all panels if such as a supporting wall is not plumb.
Further and other objects of this invention will
become apparent to a man skilled in the art when considering
the following summary of invention and the more detailed
embodiments of the invention illustrated herein.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
According to one aspect of the invention a new
shower stall structure for bathtubs and shower basins having
a top and bottom is provided comprising, in a preferred
embodiment, at least one opening extending from top to
bottom defined by a multiplicity of stiles each stile
extending in both a horizontal and vertical direction
abutting an adjacent wall or stile, wherein said at least
one opening is closed by more than one closure member
spanning across said at least one opening having pivot
mechanisms carried by both said multiplicity of stiles
3¢ and said more than one closure member, at the peripheral
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1 extremities thereof wherein said pivot mechanisms are
adjustable in position along the respective peripheral
edges of at least one of said multiplicity of stiles and
said more than one closure member, allowing for dimensional
variation of said at least one opening, with respect to
the dimensions of the corner in which the shower stall
is installed.
According to another aspect of the invention
a new shower stall structure for bathtubs and shower basins
is provided having a top and bottom comprising in a preferred
embodiment at least one opening extending from top to bottom
defined by a multiplicity of stiles each stile extending
in both a horizontal and vertical direction abutting an
adjacent wall or stile, wherein said at least one opening
is closed by more than one closure member spanning across
said at least one opening in inward overlapped relation
with said multiplicity of stiles, having pivot mechanisms
carried by both said multiplicity of stiles and said more
than one closure member at the top and bottom extremities
thereof wherein said pivot mechanisms are adjustable in
position and in an alternative embodiment, having locking
means disposed therein along the respective upper and lower
edges of at least one of said multiplicity of stiles and
said more than one closure member allowing for dimensional
variation of said at least one opening with respect to
the dimensions of the corner in which the shower stall
is installed, according to the amount of overlap desired.
According to another aspect of the invention,
in alternative embodiments a multiplicity of shower stalls
3C having compatible geometry with the specific shower basins
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1 and bathtubs enclosed is provided comprising such shapes
as square, rectangular, quarter round, and right-angled
pentagonal, triangular, circular, and elliptical
cross-section configurations (as best illustrated in Figure
S 4).
According to another aspect of the invention,
a disassembled kit for a shower stall structure for bath
tubs and shower basins is provided comprising in a preferred
embodiment once assembled at least one opening defined
by a multiplicity of stiles each stile extending in both
a horizontal and vertical direction abutting an adjacent
wall or stile, wherein said at least one opening is closed
by more than one closure member spanning across said at
least one opening in inward overlapped relation with said
multiplicity of stiles, having pivot mechanisms carried
by both said multiplicity of stiles and said more than
one closure member at the top and bottom extremities thereof,
wherein said pivot mechanisms are adjustable in position
and in an alternative embodiment, having locking means
disposed therein along the respective upper and lower edges
of at least one of said multiplicity of stiles and said
more than one closure member allowing for dimensional
variation for said at least one opening according to the
amount of overlap desired, wherein said kit allows on site
dimensional adjustment of the assembled shower.
According to another aspect of the invention,
in a preferred embodiment, a new shower stall structure
for bathtubs and shower basins is provided wherein the
number of vertical extrusions is minimized and wherein
such as silicone sealant is used to fasten abutting vertical
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1 edges further secured by such as tape.
According to another aspect of the invention,
in a preferred embodiment, a new shower stall structure
for bathtubs and shower basins is provided comprising a
U-shaped channelled jamb having sufficient depth to permit
sufficient adjustment of a stile to properly finish said
shower stall even though the supporting wall is not plumb.
According to another aspect of the invention,
a latch means is provided and in a preferred embodiment,
said latch means comprises magnetic strips to seal the
doors.
According to another aspect of the invention,
a pivot block is incorporated within the extruded horizontal
glazing section of the stile framing members.
According to another aspect of the invention,
in an alternative embodiment thereof, the panels of various
materials forming the stall are transparent, translucent,
or opaque and of a multiplicity of colours.
According to another aspect of the invention,
in a preferred embodiment thereof, the pivot mechanism
carried by both said multiplicity of stiles and said more
than one closure member at the upper and lower extremities
thereof are provided comprising a pivot block or pivot
pin disposed upon the inner and outer extremities of the
panel framing extrusion of said shower stall, wherein at
least one of said block and pin are adjustable in position
such as telescopically or by an adjustment defined by a
rotatable threaded pin in communication with said pivot
mechanism.
According to another aspect of the invention,
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1 in an alternative embodiment thereof, the panel frame
extrusions are fabricated from a multiplicity of materials
including aluminum, plastic, compounded resins, metal and
other miscellaneous extrudable materials.
5 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
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Figure l is a perspective view of a square shower
stall depicting the pivoting doors in a preferred embodiment
of the invention.
Figure lA is a top view of the shower stall of
Figure l illustrating the overlapping of the door and stile
members in a preferred embodiment of the invention.
Figure 2 is a perspective view of a square shower
stall depicting an alternative position of the pivoting
doors in a preferred embodiment of the invention.
Figure 2A is a top view of the shower stall of
Figure 2 illustrating the overlapping of the door and stile
members in a preferred embodiment of the invention.
Figure 3 is a perspective view of an alternative
square shower stall depicting the pivoting doors in a
preferred embodiment of the invention.
Figure 3A is a top view of the shower stall of
Figure 3 illustrating the overlapping of the door and stile
members in a preferred embodiment of the invention.
Figure 4 is a perspective view of an alternative
shower stall having as a base a right-angled pentagon basin
depicting the closed pivoting doors in a unique resultant
shape thereof in a preferred embodiment of the invention.
Figure 4A is a top view of the shower stall of
Figure 4 illustrating the overlapping of the door and stile
3~ members in a preferred embodiment of the invention.
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1 Figure 5 is a perspective view of an alternative
shower stall having as a base a quarter round basin depicting
the closed pivoting doors in a unique resultant shape thereof
in a preferred embodiment of the invention.
Figure 5A is a top view of the shower stall of
Figure 5 illustrating the overlapping of the door and stile
members in a preferred embodiment of the invention.
Figure 6 is a top view of a U-shaped channelled
jamb in a preferred embodiment of the invention.
Figure 6A is a side view of a stile secured within
a U-shaped channelled jamb compensating for walls which
are not plumb in a preferred embodiment of the invention.
Figure 7 is a perspective exploded view of a
pivot block and the positioning thereof within a compatible
extruded glazing section in a preferred embodiment of the
invention.
Figure 8 is a perspective view of a pivot pin
component contained within a compatibly-shaped extruded
glazing section in a preferred embodiment of the invention.
Figure 9 is a side view of an extruded glazing
section illustrating a threaded pin located therein for
adjusting the positioning of the pivot pin member in a
preferred embodiment of the invention.
Figure l0 is a top view or alternatively bottom
view of a pivot block and a pivot pin illustrating a secured
closure member pivoting thereon in a preferred embodiment
of the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
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Referring now to Figures l and lA, shower stall
generally referred to as 20 is illustrated in perspective
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1 and top view having a top and bottom and three sides
generally described by panels 30, 50, 60 and wall W, it
being understood that said panels may be constructed from
a multiplicity of materials and colours which may be
transparent, translucent, opaque, or any combination thereof;
wherein said shower stall has upon its bottom a square-shaped
shower basin. Fastened to wall W is U-shaped channelled
jamb member 40 was best illustrated in Figures 6 and 6A),
which receives and fastens stiles 70 having top and bottom
horizontal extrusions 70(a) and 70(b) affixed thereto and
sustaining said stiles within which pivot blocks 440 (as
best illustrated in Figure 7) are secured top and bottom
left and right with the holes 450 aligned to receive pivot
pins 500 (as best illustrated in Figure 8) secured within
horizontal extrusions 60(a) and 60(b) upon which door members
L (and R) compatibly pivot outwardly away from shower basin
lO, wherein door L comprises panels 60 secured top and
bottom by said horizontal extrusion members 60(a) and 60(b)
and upon one side by an option vertical extrusion 60(c)
having affixed to its seal surface a magnetic strip 80
compassing its height compatibly aligned with magnetic
strip 80 of door member R having an invented "L" shape
in this embodiment (it being understood that a mirror image
of this embodiment of said shower stall 20 would operate
identically) comprising panels 30 and 50, wherein panel
30 is secured top and bottom by horizontal extrusions 30(a)
and 30(b) and upon one side by a vertical extrusion 30(c)
having affixed to its sealing surface a magnetic strip
compassing its height and compatibly aligned with its
complement upon door member L providing a firm seal, wherein
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1 panel 50 is secured top and bottom by horizontal extrusions
50(a) and 50(b) with which are secured pivot pins 500 (as
best illustrated in Figure 8) said pins 500 being inserted
within the holes 450 of pivot blocks 440 disposed within
horizontal extrusions 70(a) and 70(b) of stile 70 fastened
by U-shaped channelled member 40 to wall W. Panels 50
and 30 abut upon their edges and may be sealed with silicone
or a like water-resistant sealant. Further, clear tape
may further secure the joint internally and externally.
As best seen in Figure lA, stiles 70 and panels 50 and
60 overlap when door members L and R are closed. The amount
of overlap is determined by the installer as required by
the particular installation wherein said overlap may extend
from none to the maximum amount allowed by threaded pin
600 (as best illustrated in Figure 9). The amount of overlap
is generally adjusted by the position of the pivot pins
500 in relation to the pivot block 440 secured within
horizontal extrusions 60(b), 50(b), and 70(b) (left and
right) respectively. Further, sealing surfaces may be
affixed to the underside of horizontal extrusions 60(b),
30(b) and 50(b) to abut with sill 15 of shower basin 10
in all embodiments of the invention. If the optional
vertical extrusions 60(c) and 30(c) are excluded from the
shower stall then magnetic seals 80 are installed upon
the panels 60 and 30 themselves.
Referring now to Figures 2 and 2A, shower stall
20 is illustrated in perspective and top view upon a square
shower basin as in Fisures 1 and lA with the exception
that said shower stall is enclosed on two sides by the
walls Wl and W2 describing the corner of installation. All
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1 other components defining the operation thereof are identical
to those of Figure 1, having a U-shaped channelled jamb
affixed to walls Wl and W2 within which stiles 70 are secured
upon which doors L and R are secured by pivot mechanisms
440 and 500 respectively, said pivot pins being adjustable
in position determining the amount of overlap of the panels
70 and 60, and sealing with magnetic strips extending along
vertical extrusions 60(c) and 90(c) respectively.
Referring now to Figures 3 and 3A, shower stall
20 is illustrated in an alternative embodiment having two
L~shaped doors L and R similar to door R of Figure 1 and
operating in a very similar manner to Figure 1 having a
primarily U-shaped channelled jamb 40 affixed left and
right to wall W with which are secured stiles 70 having
horizontal extrusions 70(a) and 70(b) within which is secured
pivot block 440 within which is secured pivot pins 500
secured within horizontal extrusions lOO(a), lOO(b) and
130(a) and 130(b) of panels 100 and 130 of doors L and
R respectively. Again, the amount of overlap between stiles
70 and doors L and R is determined by the installer varying
from none to the maximum allowed by pin 600 as best seen
in Figure 9. It is apparent that as many shower stalls
can be designed and assembled embodying the invention as
limited by the shape of the shower basin having double
doors which are adjustable in position and enclose the
opening defined within the design.
Referring to Figures 4 and 4A an alternative
right-angled pentagon-type of corner shower basin 140 is
provided being illustrated in perspective and top vi.ew
having disposed thereupon an attractive compatibly-shaped
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1 shower stall 20 wherein all vertical extrusions have been
eliminated providing a cleaner more attractive line and
silhouette, with the exception of primarily U-shaped
channelled jamb 40 securing within said channel stile 70
having upon its top and bottom horizontal extrusions 70(a)
and 70(b) within which is secured pivot blocks 440 top,
bottom, left and right within which is secured pivot pin
500 secured within horizontal extrusions 150(a), 150(b)
and 180(a) and 180(b) of doors L and R respectively, each
of doors L and R comprising two panels angled to each other
described by panels 150 and 160, and 170 and 180 and secured
within horizontal extrusions 150(a), 160(a), 150(b), 160(b),
170(a), 180(a), 170(b) and 180(b) respectively. Angled
panels 150, 160, and 170, 180 of doors L and R are fastened
to each other at joints 150(c) and 170(c) by conventional
sealing means such as silicone and/or transparent tape.
Magnetic strips 80 provide sealing surfaces for doors L
and R.
Figures 5 and 5A illustrate in perspective and
top view a further alternative embodiment for a corner
shower stall having a quarter round shaped basin 200 but
functioning identically to the embodiment depicted in Figure
4 and 4A with the exception that stiles 70 are enhanced
by angled panels 210 and 240 end doors L and R are slightly
smaller in size. All other features of the invention are
identical to those embodiments already described.
Referring now to Figures 6 and 6A, wherein
primarily U-shaped channelled jamb 40 is illustrated in
top and side views being a bifurcated unit having two side
3~ members 300 joined by arcuate member 310 and separated
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1 by channel 330 wherein panel P is secured within channel
330 by serrated edges 220 upon the interior surfaces of
side members 300 encouraged by an appropriate caulking
compound or silicone sealant layered within channel 330
prior to insertion of panel P and therafter occupying the
space between edges 220 and panel P. It should be noted
that if a wall were not perfectly vertical during
installation, that it is very easy to compensate by locating
the upper or lower positions of panel P further back within
the channel 330 at an opposite complementary angle to the
amount which the wall is out of plumb with the vertical
(as is generally indicated by example as the dashed line
in Figure 6A).
Referring now to Figure 7, horizontally-extruded
glazing section 70(b) is illustrated in perspective having
a top 410, bottom 400, and plurality of sides, having upon
its top 410 a channel 410(a) enclosed by bifurcated portions
405 for securing panel P within channel 410(a) between
bifurcated portions 405 using appropriate caulking compound
or silicone sealant and the channel edge thereof is finished
by finishing member F whose extensions are inserted within
orifices disposed within the channel edge perimeter; said
glazing section 70(b) having upon its bottom 400 a channel
420 having upon its edges guides 420(a) and 420(b) into
which fastening portion 430 of pivot block 440 is inserted
having compatibly-shaped shoulders 460(a) and 460(b) which
align and abut with edge guides 420(a) in use being secured
by fasteners Sl and S2 inserted in built-up holes (not
shown) upon the bottom of said glazing section 70(b) and
3~ passing through the holes Hl and H2 within pivot block
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1 430, which has a channel 460 between shoulders 460(a) and
460(b) which allow the underside of the holes upon the
bottom of the glazing section to be materially built up
and to enhance securing of the pivot block 440 within the
glazing section 70(b). The identical arrangement would
be applicable to glazing section 70(a) of, for example,
Figure 1 with the orientation being the only fundamental
difference.
Referring now to Figures 8, 9 and 10, pivot block
440 is illustrated in perspective top and side views in
isolation from the glazing section, for example, 70(a) of
Figure 1 having a hole 450 upon its top within which a
pivot pin 500 engages in use said pin 500 embodied upon
pin carrier 501 being internally threaded to receive threaded
pin 600 (as best illustrated in Figure 9) the head thereof
510 being rotated clockwise or counterclockwise to position
the pin 500 at the desired location to compatibly align
with hole 450 of pivot block 440. Alternatively, the head
510 of pin 600 may be counter sunk any accessible distance
and locked along its housing by capturing the head thereon
in distorted metal notches disposed upon the housing
perimeter to allow for maximum adjustment on site by an
installer and hence determine the amount of overlap of
glazing section 60(a) and 70(b) and hence door L with stile
as illustrated in Figure 1 but applicable as well in
Figures 2 through 5.
As many changes can be made to the preferred
embodiments without departing from the scope of the
invention, it is intended that all matter contained herein
3~ be interpreted as illustrative of the invention and not
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in a limiting sense.
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