SHOWER ENCLOSURE

ENCEINTE DE DOUCHE

English Abstract

A shower enclosure (1) is provided having at least one frame
member (9,10,13,14) formed with a recess (26,28) therealong in which is
located a decorative three-dimensional insert (27.30). The or each frame
member may form part of an enclosing panel or door of the shower
enclosure, or may form part of a frame (4,6) by which such a panel or
door of the shower enclosure (1) is supported. The or each insert (27,30)
may be of unitary or composite form, and may comprise a strip, or a set
of components which assemble together in the form of a strip, or be made
up of ceramic tile pieces. The or each insert (27,30) may be made of
metal, plastics material, wood or ceramics, or a combination of materials,
and may be located in the, or the respective recess, by adhesive,
self-adhesive tape or fastenings. Alternatively. the or each recess (26,28)
may be adapted for its respective insert to be a snap-in or sliding fit in it.

Claims

CLAIMS
1. A shower enclosure having at least one frame member formed with
a recess therealong in which is located a decorative three-dimensional
insert.
2. A shower enclosure according to claim 1, in which the or each
frame member forms part of an enclosing panel or door of the shower
enclosure.
3. A shower enclosure according to claim 1, in which the or each
frame member forms part of a frame by which an enclosing panel or door
of the shower enclosure is supported.
4. A shower enclosure according to claim 3, having several frame
members in the form of transverse head and base rails provided at the top
and bottom of an enclosing panel and/or door frame, each rail being
formed with a recess for the location of a decorative three-dimensional
insert.
5. A shower enclosure according to claim 2 or claim 3, in which the
or each frame member is upright. and has a recess for the decorative
insert.
6. A shower enclosure according to any preceding claim, in which the
or each frame member is made of metal or a rigid plastics material.
7. A shower enclosure according to claim 6, in which the or each
frame member is formed as an extrusion containing the recess.

8. A shower enclosure according to any preceding claim, which has an
enclosing part at the front thereof.
9. A shower enclosure according to claim 8, in which the enclosing
part comprises a door.
10. A shower enclosure according to any of claims 1 to 7, which has
two or more enclosing parts.
11. A shower enclosure according to claim 10, in which one of the
enclosing parts comprises a door.
12. A shower enclosure according to any preceding claim, in which the
or each insert is replaceable.
13. A shower enclosure according to any preceding claim, in which the
or each insert is of unitary form.
14. A shower enclosure according to claim 13, in which the or each
insert comprises a strip.
15. A shower enclosure according to claim 13 or claim 14, in which
the or each insert is made of metal, plastics material, wood or ceramics.
16. A shower enclosure according to any of claims 1 to 12. in which
the or each insert is of composite form.
17. A shower enclosure according to claim 16, in which the or each
insert comprises a set of components which assemble together in the form
of a strip in the, or a respective, recess.

18. A shower enclosure according to claim 16, in which the or each
insert is made up of ceramic tile pieces.
19. A shower enclosure according to any of claim 16 or claim 17, in
which the or each insert is made of metal, plastics material, wood or
ceramics, or a combination of materials.
20. A shower enclosure according to any preceding claim, in which the
or each insert has a three-dimensional decoration formed by moulding,
casting, pressing, stamping, or machining.
21. A shower enclosure according to any preceding claim, in which the
or each insert is located in the, or the respective recess, by adhesive,
self-adhesive tape or fastenings.
22. A shower enclosure according to any of claims 1 to 21, in which
each recess is adapted for its respective insert to be a snap-in or sliding fit
in it.
23. A shower enclosure according to any preceding claim, having a
hinged, pivoted, sliding or folding door, or a door having a swinging arm
system.

Description

CA 02255431 1998-12-11
SHO~JER ENCLOSURI~
This invention relates to a shower enclosure.
According to the present invention a shower enclosure is provided
having at least one frame member fonned with a recess ~herealong in
which is located a decorative three-dimensional insert.
The or ~;~ch frame member may form part of an enclosing panel or
door of the sho~er enclosure or of a frame by which an enclosing panel
or door of the shower enclosure is supported. There may be several of
the frame members. For example, if transverse head and base rails are
provided at the top and bottom of an enclosing panel and/or door frame
those rails may each be formed ~ith a recess for the location of a
decorati~e thre~-dimensional insert. An upright frame member or
members may, or may each, have the recess for the decorative insert.
The or each frame member may be ~ade of metal, for e~ample
aluminium, or a rigid plastics material and be formed, for example, as an
e~trusion containing the recess.
The shower enclosure may have an ~nrlo~ing part, which may
comprise a door. just at the front, as for example when the shower
enclosure is to be installed in a niche between two walls, or it may have
two or more enclosing pa~ts, one of which may comprise a door,
according to its shape and as appropriate to suit different installations.
A range of decorative three-dimensional inserts of various designs
may be provided adapted to be located in the recess of the or each frame

CA 02255431 1998-12-11
member. A user may, therefore, select from the range a design of insert
to suit his or her requirements.
The invention has the advantage of enabling a decorative insert to
S be applied to the or each frame member to blend, complement or contrast
~ith the decor of the space, or other items in the space, in which the
shower enclosure is installed for use, at the user's wish. The insert may
be replaced subsequently by snother of a different design, if desired.
The or each insert may be of unitary or composite form. It may
comprise. for example, a strip or a set of components which assemble
together in the form of a strip in the, or a respective, recess. The or each
insert may be made, for example, of metal, plas~ics material, wood or
ceramics, or a combination of rnaterials. The three-dimensional
15 decoration may take any form which it is practicable to produce. It may
be formed by moulding, casting, pressing, stamping, m~rhining or other
suitable production method. The insert can be made up of ceramic tile
pieces, which may correspond to designs available for wall tiles for
covering bath or shower room surfaces.
The or each insert may be located in the, or the respective, recess
in various wa~s. For example, it may be located by adhesive,
self-adhesive tape or fastenings, or the recess may be adapted for the
insert to b~ a snap-in or sliding fit in it.
A shower enclosure in accordance with the present in~ention may
have a hinged, pivoted, sliding or folding, for example bi-fold, door, or a
door having a swinging arm system.

CA 02255431 1998-12-11
An embodirnent of the invention will now be described by way of
exarnple only with reference to the accompanying drawings in ~7hich:
Figure l is a plan view of a shower enclosure in accordance with
the present invention;
~igures 2 and 3 are side and front Yiews respectively of the
shower enclosure;
Figurcs 4 and ~ are enlarged fragmentary sections on lines 4-4 and
5-5 respective1y of Figure 2, and
~igure 6 is an enlarged fragmentary section on line 6-6 of
Figure 3.
In this embodiment a shower enclosure 1 comprises a side panel 2
and a door 3 in a door frame 4 which mount on two adjacent sides of a
square shower tray 5 for fitting in a corner of a room. The side panel 2
and door 3 are both made of single rectangular sheets of safety glass. The
side panel 2 is supported in a rectangular side panel frame 6 made up of
connected upright members 7, 8, a head rail 9 and a base rail lO. The
door frame 4 is similarly rectangular made up of connected upright
members 1l, 12 a head rail 13 and a base rail 14. Adjacent upright
members 8, ll of the side panel frame 6 and the door frame are connecled
to a corner post 15. The other upright members 7, 12 of the two frames
fix to l:he walls of the corner of the room in ~hich the shower enclosure is
installed for use. Top and bottom hinges 16, 17 pivot the door 3 to the
head rail 13 and base rail 14 r~spectively of th~ door frame. Back-to-baclc
horizontal push bar handles 18 are centrally mounted on the door.

CA 02255431 1998-12-11
The upright members and the head and base rails of the side panel
frame 6 and door frame 4, and the corner post 15, Figure 4. are all made
as hollow aluminium extrusions. Their cross-sections are of modified
generally rectangular forms.
The head rail 9 and base rail 10 of the side panel frame ~ are of
similar, channelled, cross-sections, Figure ~, each with box~ e opposite
sides 20 and a forwardly facing channel 21. Opposed ledges 22 are
formed in the channel 21, on facing walls 23 of the sides 20 at half the
l0 depth of the channel. Projecting into the channel 21 from a back wall 24
of the rail a~e two spaced T-section stiffening ribs 25 which extend
parallel to the sides 20 and project to the level of the led~es 22. The part
of the channel from the ledges 22 and the ribs 25 defines a shallow
recess 26. A decorative three-dimensional infill strip 27 is located in the
15 recess 26.
In the case of the head rail 13 and the base rail 14 of the door
frarne 4, which are similar to one another, they are each of a box-like
cross-section, as sho-vn in Figure 6. A recess 28 is formed in a front
20 wall 29 of the rail which extends centrally along the length of the rail and
is of a width and depth corresponding to those of the recesses 26 in the
head and base rails of the side panel frame 6. The recess 28 also has a
decorative three-dimensional infill strip 30 located in it.
;~5 The infill strips 27, 30 are similar. They are pressed from metal
sheet, but may be plastics mouldings, and, in this embodiment, are
forwardly bowed with a rope twist relief design. Each infill strip is of a
wid~h to extend across and be sprung into the vidth of the respective
recess 26, 28, so as to be securely located in the recess.
. .

CA 02255431 1998-12-11
By virtue of their three-dimensional forms and location in the
recesses 26, 28 the infill strips break up the gcnerally rectilinear forms of
the head rails 9, 13 and base rails 20, 14 so that the rails are rnade to look
more decorative. Furthermore. the rails look less like e~ctrusions.
It will be understood that the infill strips may take other decorative
three-dimensional forms. Simply by having different designs of infill
strips the appearance of shower enclosures otherwise ~imilar to that of the
described embodiment can be significantly varied to suit users'
10 requirements.

Representative Drawing