AU2576392A

AU2576392A - A screening assembly

Info

Publication number: AU2576392A
Application number: AU25763/92A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Mario Grech; Timothy John McKinnon; Donald William Sinclair
Original assignee: Jw International Holdings Inc
Current assignee: Jw International Holdings Inc
Priority date: 1991-09-06
Filing date: 1992-09-07
Publication date: 1993-04-05
Anticipated expiration: 2012-09-07
Also published as: AU656024B2

Description

"A SCREENING ASSEMBLY"

Technical field

This invention relates to a screening assembly.

This invention has particular but not exclusive application to a shower or bath screen assembly adapted for positioning in a corner of a bathroom which has a corner entry sliding door and for illustrative purposes reference will be made to such application. However, this invention can also be used in bathroom screens with a side entry or where the screen itself is not positioned in the corner of a room.

The invention can also be used in screening assemblies other than bathroom screens such as display cabinets, partitioning, cupboards and in other applications requiring panels, doors, screens or the like to be slideably mounted.

Background art

Known shower screens are assembled by fixedly or slidingly mounting glazed panels in a screening frame. The glazed panels comprise a glass panel supported by a gasket and mounted in a panel frame. The screening frame has a head, sill and jambs each made from different aluminium extrusions. The head of known screening frames is usually of sufficient width to independently support a pair of sliding panels. The glazed panel is pop riveted to the screening frame. The large number of different aluminium or other metal extrusions required contribute to the complexity and expense of manufacture because of relatively high labour and material costs. The design of known shower screens is such that their installation requires a skilled tradesmen and is usually unsuited to a home handy-man. Known shower screens are not readily available in "do-it-yourself" packs which can be easily assembled by the home handy-man or by an unskilled person.

When shower screens are located in a corner of the room it is usually desirable that entry to the cubicle is by an entrance at a corner diagonally opposite the room corner. Such access is facilitated if both sides of the shower screen contain a sliding panel so that a greater effective door width is obtained. Many known sealing arrangements for such dual sliding door panels do not prevent water exiting the cubicle during use. In some arrangements if the doors are not slid in a pre-determined sequence an ineffective seal can result. Alternatively a butt joint is made and water can splash through a gap if the door moves. Latches and magnetic catches and strips can be provided to overcome these difficulties however they hamper ease of operation and collect dirt, scum and soap.

Furthermore the sliding mechanism on known shower screens is mounted directly to the head of the glazed panel. The head is prone to become bent with extended use and can cause the sliding panel to jump off the tracks. Such arrangements require frequent adjustment to maintain correct operation.

Known shower screens are assembled by using a mitre or butt joint at the corners of the wall assemblies of the screen. These joints lack structural rigidity and do not enhance the appearance of the screen.

The design of known aluminium extrusions for use in head and sill sections also allows soap and other waste materials to accumulate within the tracks. This is undesirable because of the unsightly appearance of the material, the potential health problems and the difficultly of removal. This is also a problem with the relatively wide sills of the prior art. Furthermore, when positioned on bath tub rims these known sills extend substantially across the entire width of bath tub rims and a hand support or storage platform potentially provided by the bath rim is unavailable.

Disclosure of the Invention

The present invention aims to alleviate at least one of the above disadvantages and to provide a screening assembly which will be reliable and efficient in use.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will hereinafter become apparent.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, this invention in one aspect resides broadly in a screening assembly including :- a fixed wall assembly; a moveable wall assembly; the fixed wall assembly including a panel supported in a fixed frame; the fixed frame including a head, a sill and jambs connecting the head and sill, and the head and/or the sill extending beyond one of the jambs and forming a support along which the moveable wall assembly is adapted to move.

The moveable wall assembly may have a structure dissimilar to that of the fixed wall assembly and could for example be a unitary panel having support means for supporting the wall assembly for movement along the head and/or sill extension. However it is preferred that the moveable wall assembly includes a panel supported in a moveable frame, and the moveable frame includes a head, a sill and jambs connecting the head and sill.

The heads, sills and jambs can be formed from a range of materials having a variety of cross-sectional configurations, but preferably each head, sill and jamb are frame members having a selected first or a selected second cross-sectional configuration.

The screening assembly may comprise only one fixed wall assembly such as is suitable for screening an alcove or the like. However it is preferred that the screening assembly includes a plurality of fixed wall assemblies and at least one moveable wall assembly.

In one preferred embodiment the jambs of the fixed frames and the head, sill and trailing jamb of the moveable frame or frames have the first cross-sectional configuration, and the head and sill of the fixed frames and the leading jamb of the moveable frame or frames have the second cross sectional configuration.

The moveable frame may interact with another fixed or moveable frame to form a close connection therebetween. Thus suitably the leading jamb of the moveable frame has a leading portion engageable with a jamb of another wall assembly. The frame members can have various cross-sectional configurations, but preferably each frame member includes a channel adapted to receive the panel and a box section having the channel web as one wall thereof, and one frame member further includes a flange and an angled section extending from opposite edges of the one wall in a direction away from the channel. Suitably each moveable wall assembly includes a plurality of support members for supporting the moveable wall assembly in a fixed wall assembly for movement therein, each support member including sliding means or rolling means. The sliding means may be adapted to engage the head flange and/or the sill flange to support the moveable wall assembly for sliding movement, and the rolling means may be adapted to engage* the one wall and/or the sill flange to support the moveable wall assembly for rolling movement.

The moveable wall assemblies may be supported for movement in the fixed wall assemblies in many ways. Thus U-shaped brackets can be utilised for mounting over the head by screwing through the legs of the bracket, with a supporting stem on the U-bracket carrying the sliding or rolling means. Alternatively the jambs can extend above the head and carry the sliding or rolling means at their upper ends. Preferably however, each support member includes a spigot adapted to be received within the box section in a jamb, the spigot having an aperture for receiving a screw therethrough for fastening a jamb to a head or sill and fastening the support member within the box section.

The screening assembly may also include connecting means for connecting a pair of fixed wall assemblies at the ends of the extensions of the heads and sills. A range of connecting means are suitable. The connecting means could for instance be an angle bracket adapted to conceal the open ends of the heads and sills. However it is preferred that the connector means includes a plurality of spigots adapted to be closely received within respective angle, box and channel sections of the heads and sills.

Suitably the extensions of the sills include cover means adapted to snap fit in the sill channel. As previously described, the screening assembly may have many uses but in a preferred embodiment the screening assembly constitutes a shower screen assembly for location in a corner of a room wherein the moveable wall assembly constitutes a sliding door, and the leading jamb of the moveable frame engages with a jamb in another wall assembly to prevent the splashing of water from the shower enclosure when the door is closed.

In another aspect this invention resides broadly in a screening assembly for location in a corner of a bathroom, the assembly including :- a pair of fixed wall assemblies; at least one moveable wall assembly; each fixed wall assembly including a panel supported in a fixed frame, the fixed frame including a head, a sill and jambs connecting the head and sill, and the head and/or the sill extending beyond one of the jambs and forming a support along which the moveable wall assembly is adapted to move; each moveable wall assembly including a panel supported in a moveable frame, and the moveable frame including a head, a sill and jambs connecting the head and sill, and connecting means for connecting a pair of fixed wall assemblies at the ends of the extensions of the heads and sills.

In a further aspect this invention resides broadly in a method of assembling a bathroom screen including:- providing a pair of fixed wall assemblies and at least one moveable wall assembly, each fixed wall assembly including a panel supported in a fixed frame having a head, a sill and jambs connecting the head and sill, the head and/or the sill extending beyond one of the jambs and forming a support along which the moveable wall assembly is adapted to move, each moveable wall assembly including a panel supported in a moveable frame having a head, a sill and jambs connecting the head and sill; mounting each fixed wall assembly to a wall of the bathroom, and joining the respective ends of the extensions of the heads and sills by connecting means.

Description of preferred embodiment

In order that this invention may be more easily understood and put into practical effect, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention, wherein:-

FIG 1 is a perspective view of the shower screen assembly with the sliding doors removed from the wall assemblies;

FIGS 2 and 3 are perspective views of extrusions used in the wall assemblies;

FIG 4 is a perspective view of the fixed wall assembly;

FIG 5 is a perspective view of the sliding wall assembly;

FIGS 6 and 7 show cross sectional views of the wall assemblies of FIGS 4 and 5, with FIG 6 corresponding to section BB and FIG 7 corresponding to section AA;

FIGS 8 and 9 are plan views illustrating alternative closing arrangements of the corner opening shower screen; FIGS 10 and 11 are perspective views of a slider support bracket;

FIGS 12 and 13 are perspective views of a wheel runner support bracket;

FIGS 14 and 15 are perspective views of a corner connecting element;

FIG 16 illustrates the assembly of the sliding wall assembly and the mounting thereof in the head and sill;

FIG 17 illustrates the fixing of a slider support bracket in the frame;

FIGS 18 and 19 are cross-section views through the sliding wall assembly of FIG 16, with FIG 18 corresponding to section CC and FIG 19 corresponding to section DD;

FIG 20 is similar to FIG 16 and illustrates the sliding wall assembly being wheel mounted rather than slide mounted;

FIG 21 illustrates the fixing of a wheel runner support bracket in the frame;

FIGS 22 and 23 are cross-section views through the sliding wall assembly of FIG 20, with FIG 22 corresponding to section FF and FIG 23 corresponding to section EE;

FIG 24 is a sectional view of a cover strip;

FIG 25 is a perspective view of a cover strip mounted in an extrusion;

FIG 26 is an exploded perspective view illustrating installation of a shower screen;

FIG 27 is a perspective view of an installed shower screen;

FIG 28 is a perspective view of an installed bath screen;

FIG 29 illustrates the fixing in the frame of an extended wheel mounting support bracket for use in an assembly having dual sliding doors in a wall assembly, and

FIG 30 is a cross-section view through an assembly having dual sliding doors in a wall assembly.

As is seen best in FIG 1 the corner shower screen assembly 11 includes a left hand wall assembly 12 and a right hand wall assembly 13 joined along the head and sill by connecting elements 14. Each wall assembly 12 and 13 comprises respective fixed panels 15 and 16 and respective sliding panels 17 and 18.

As can be seen in FIG 5 each sliding panel 17, 18 includes a glass panel 19 mounted within a frame 20 made up of head 21, sill 22 and jambs 23 and 24. As illustrated in FIGS 6 and 7 the head 21, sill 22 and trailing jamb 23 are all formed from an identical extrusion 25 illustrated in greater detail in FIG 2. The leading jamb 24 is formed from another extrusion 26 illustrated in greater detail in FIG 3.

As can be seen in FIG 4 each fixed panel 15, 16 includes a glass panel 19 mounted within a frame 27 made up of head 28, sill 29 and jambs 30 and 31. The head 28 and sill 29 extend beyond the jamb 30 to form extensions adapted to support the sliding panels 17,18. As illustrated in FIGS 6 and 7 the jambs 30 and 31 are formed from the extrusion 25 and the head 28 and sill 29 are formed from the other extrusion 26.

As illustrated in FIGS 2 and 3 and in FIGS 6 and 7, both extrusions 25 and 26 include a channel section 32 for receiving the glass panel 19 and a glazing gasket 33. The web 34 of channel 32 forms one wall of a box section 35 having a wall surface 36 opposite the channel web wall 34. A pair of curved lips 37 form a slot to receive a self tapping screw 38 as seen in detail in FIG 21. The frames 20 and 27 are held about the glass 19 by screws (not shown in FIGS 4 and 5 but indicated by lines 39) .

With further reference to FIG 3, the extrusion 26 further includes a lip 40 formed as an extension of a wall comprising one sidewall of the box section 35 and one flange of the channel 32. The extrusion 26 also includes a right angle bracket 41,42 having a flange 41 and a web 42 formed as an extension of another wall comprising the other sidewall of the box section 35 and the other flange of the channel 32. The lip 40 and the right angle bracket 41,42 define a channel 43 which in use receives a slider lip 53 or a wheel runner 45 as seen in FIGS 18, 19, 22 and 23.

The channel 43 of a jamb formed from extrusion 26 can receive therein the angle bracket 42,41 of another jamb formed from extrusion 26 to facilitate door operation and sealing as now described with reference to FIGS 8 and 9. These FIGS show how a water tight splash proof seal is effected at the corner when closing the dual sliding door panels s 17 and 18 irrespective of whether the left hand slider 17 is closed first as illustrated in FIG 8 or the right hand slider 18 is closed first as illustrated in FIG 9.

As can best be seen in FIGS 16 and 20, support brackets 46 and 47 mount the sliding doors relative to the fixed panels. As seen in FIGS 10 to 13, support brackets 46 and 47 have a number of features in common. Both have depending flanges 48 forming a channel adapted to fit over the outer wall 36 of extrusions 25 and 26 as best seen in FIGS 18, 19, 22 and 23. Support brackets 46 and 47 also have a post or spigot 49 having an aperture 50 therein. The spigot 49 fits snugly in the box sections 35 of extrusions 25 and 26 as seen in FIGS 17, 19, 21 and 22. The support brackets 46 and 47 also have a U-shaped projection 51 adapted to snugly fit in the channel sections 32 of the extrusions 25 and 26. During assembly screws 38 pass through U bracket 51 and aperture 50 before tapping into the receiving slot formed by curved lips 37.

Support bracket 46 is adapted to slide along the head rail by means of a slot 52 and slider lip 53 in the headpiece 54. The slot and slider lip arrangement 52,53 is complimentary with the sill or head lip 40 as can be seen in FIGS 18 and 19.

Instead of the support bracket carrying a slider it can carry a wheel and axle assembly 55 (not shown in FIGS 12 and 13, but illustrated in FIGS 22 and 23) by bolting the wheel and axle assembly 55 in an aperture 56 formed in leg 57.

FIGS 20 to 23 illustrate a wheel mounted sliding door having wheel runner support brackets 47 at both head and sill. Alternatively slider support brackets 46 can be utilised at the sill with the door wheel mounted at the head.

FIGS 29 and 30 illustrate an extended support bracket for supporting a second sliding door, ie a wall assembly having one fixed and two sliding panels. As can be seen in

FIG 30, support bracket 78 extends over a middle frame with panel 17,18 and supports an outer frame with panel 79. The connector element 14 illustrated in FIGS 14 and 15 has a central quarter cylindrical post 58 having pairs of mutually orthogonal projecting spigots 59, 60 and 61. Spigots 59 are adapted to fit snugly in channel 32 in extrusion 26, spigots 60 are adapted to fit snugly in box section 35 in extrusion 26 and spigots 61 are adapted to fit snugly in channel 43 in extrusion 26. As can be seen in FIG 1 a pair of connector elements 14 act as corner stakes to brace and join the two fixed panels 15 and 16 at the ends of extensions of sills 29 and heads 28.

As can be seen in FIG 24, a cover strip 62 made from suitable plastic material or from aluminium or other suitable metal, has a curved cap or head portion 63 adapted to seal the channel section 32 when the cover strip snap fits in the channel as seen in FIG 25. The cover strip 62 is retained within the channel section 32 by the resilient biasing action of a pair of flanges 64 depending from the head portion 63. The flanges 64 carry an outwardly extending bead 65 at their extremities adapted to retain the cover strip 62 within the channel section 32.

As seen in FIGS 26 and 27, the shower screen is simply assembled by vertically fixing a support channel 66 to two walls 67 and 68 of a bathroom, fixing each wall assembly 12 and 13 within respective support channels 66 by pop-riveting or screwing the jamb 31 to the flanges of the support channel. The sliding panels 17 and 18 can be mounted in the heads 28 and sills 29 by sliding the panels in at the open end of the sill and head extensions. The. two wall assemblies 12 and 13 are then braced by fixing the connecting elements 14 as a pair of corner stakes. The connecting elements 14 can be fixed by screwing through the angle flange 41 of extrusion 26 into spigots 59, 60 and 61. Because the metal channel into which the glass and glazing rubber is seated itself constitutes the shower screen frame, substantial savings of both material and labour result. The strength of the unit is also enhanced. Furthermore, because the head, sill and handle are identical the number of extrusions necessary to complete the shower screen is minimised.

The extrusion used as a sash handle ie the leading jamb of the sliding door, enhances door operation and sealing as outlined above. This extrusion provides a screening system in which the two panels interlock to close the shower cubicle and provide a waterproof seal regardless of which door is closed first.

In operation the slider support bracket 46 has two points of contact, one within the slot 52 running on lip 40 of extrusion 26, and another as slider lip 53 slides on the surface 36 of extrusion 26. After a period of initial wear against the most prominent surface, both surfaces will effectively support the door thereby extending the operational life of the support brackets.

Both wheel and slide support brackets mount the sliding doors to be effectively locked against accidental removal or against jumping from the channel 43 by virtue of top and bottom retention about head and sill lips 40.

The utilization of the corner stake connecting elements 14 eliminates the need for mitre or butt joints at the corner of the screen, improves the appearance of the screen and enhances the structural strength of the screen.

The use of the snap bead 62 in both the head and sill improves the finished appearance of the screen and prevents accumulation of soap and other materials within the tracks. Furthermore because the doors slide on the inside of the two fixed panels and overlap the bottom sill, the tendency for waste materials to accumulate in the bottom tracks is reduced. As can be seen in FIG 28, a bath screen assembly can be located on the rim 68 of a bath tub 67. A fixed panel 73 is mounted to the wall 81 and another fixed panel 71 is mounted to wall 80. Panel 71 has extending head and sill members 74 and 75 respectively connected to the head and sill members of panel 73 by connector elements 76 and 77. Sliding panel 72 is mounted in head member 74 as previously described. It will be realised that the configuration of the bath screen assembly is such that a supporting frame is not required. Consequently the relatively narrow sill provides a slim-line support adapted to readily fit on the rim of conventional bath tubs.

It will of course be realised that whilst the above has been given by way of an illustrative example of this invention, all such and other modifications and variations hereto, as would be apparent to persons skilled in the art, are deemed to fall within the broad scope and ambit of this invention as is herein set forth.

Claims

1. A screening assembly including :- a fixed wall assembly; a moveable wall assembly; said fixed wall assembly including a panel supported in a fixed frame; said fixed frame including a head, a sill and jambs connecting said head and sill, and said head and/or said sill extending beyond one of said jambs and forming a support along which said moveable wall assembly is adapted to move.

2. A screening assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said moveable wall assembly includes a panel supported in a moveable frame, and said moveable frame includes a head, a sill and jambs connecting said head and sill.

3. A screening assembly as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein each said head, sill and jamb are frame members having a selected first or a selected second cross- sectional configuration.

4. A screening assembly as claimed in claim 3, wherein:- said screening assembly includes a plurality of fixed wall assemblies and at least one moveable wall assembly; said jambs of said fixed frames and said head, sill and trailing jamb of said moveable frame or frames have said first cross-sectional configuration, and said head and sill of said fixed frames and said leading jamb of said moveable frame or frames have said second cross sectional configuration.

5. A screening assembly as claimed in claim 4, wherein said leading jamb of said moveable frame has a leading portion engageable with a jamb of another wall assembly.

6. A screening assembly as claimed in claim 5, wherein each said frame member includes a channel adapted to receive said panel and a box section having the channel web as one wall thereof, and one frame member further includes a flange and an angled section extending from opposite edges of said one wall in a direction away from said channel.

7. A screening assembly as claimed in claim 6, wherein each said moveable wall assembly includes a plurality of support members for supporting the moveable wall assembly in a fixed wall assembly for movement therein, each said support member including sliding means or rolling means.

8. A screening assembly as claimed in claim 7, wherein said sliding means is adapted to engage said head flange and/or said sill flange to support said moveable wall assembly for sliding movement, and said rolling means is adapted to engage said one wall and/or said sill flange to support said moveable wall assembly for rolling movement.

9. A screening assembly as claimed in claim 7 or claim 8, wherein each said support member includes a spigot adapted to be received within said box section in a jamb, said spigot having an aperture for receiving a screw therethrough for fastening a jamb to a head or sill and fastening said support member within said box section.

10. A screening assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, and including connecting means for connecting a pair of fixed wall assemblies at the ends of the extensions of said heads and sills.

11. A screening assembly as claimed in claim 10, wherein said connector means include a plurality of spigots adapted to be closely received within respective angle, box and channel sections of said heads and sills.

12. A screening assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the extensions of said sills include cover means adapted to snap fit in said sill channel.

13. A screening assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, said screening assembly constituting a shower screen assembly for location in a corner of a room wherein said moveable wall assembly constitutes a sliding door, and said leading jamb of said moveable frame engages with a jamb in another wall assembly to prevent the splashing of water from the shower enclosure when said door is closed.

14. A screening assembly for location in a corner of a bathroom, said assembly including :- a pair of fixed wall assemblies; at least one moveable wall assembly; each said fixed wall assembly including a panel supported in a fixed frame, said fixed frame including a head, a sill and jambs connecting said head and sill, and said head and/or said sill extending beyond one of said jambs and forming a support along which said moveable wall assembly is adapted to move; each said moveable wall assembly including a panel supported in a moveable frame, and said moveable frame including a head, a sill and jambs connecting said head and sill, and connecting means for connecting a pair of fixed wall assemblies at the ends of the extensions of said heads and sills.

15. A method of assembling a bathroom screen including:- providing a pair of fixed wall assemblies and at least one moveable wall assembly, each said fixed wall assembly including a panel supported in a fixed frame having a head, a sill and jambs connecting said head and sill, said head and/or said sill extending beyond one of said jambs and forming a support along which said moveable wall assembly is adapted to move, each said moveable wall assembly including a panel supported in a moveable frame having a head, a sill and jambs connecting said head and sill; mounting each fixed wall assembly to a wall of the bathroom, and joining the respective ends of the extensions of said heads and sills by connecting means.