GB2289302A

GB2289302A - Splash screen

Info

Publication number: GB2289302A
Application number: GB9409621A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Christopher Guy Howsam; Ross Oliver Nixon
Original assignee: MATKI PLC
Current assignee: MATKI PLC
Priority date: 1994-05-14
Filing date: 1994-05-14
Publication date: 1995-11-15
Anticipated expiration: 2014-05-14
Also published as: EP0682905A1; GB2289302B; GB9409621D0

Description

2289302 SHOWER ENCLOSURES

TECHNICAL FIELD OF INVENTION

This invention relates to rigid shower screen enclosures and in particular those which hinge from one or more fixed point in such away as to allow entry and exit from the shower area.

BACKGROUND

Rigid shower units are necessarily manufactured with as many ninety degree comers as is possible. However in most installation instances the floors and walls of the buildings to which the shower units will be located against are not horizontal or vertical and indeed in some instances the variations out of square can be so great that an installer will find it necessary to manufacture and place appropriate sealer and packing pieces in between gaps to enable the correct squareness to be achieved.

Another problem with rigid showers is achieving a satisfactory water seal between static elements and moving panels when in the closed position. In particular many shower users now demand high pressure shower heads and indeed in some instance water distribution into the shower units from side positions as well as overhead. These conditions coupled with movable panels that may not be sufficiently square to adjacent static elements may lead to leakage when showers are in use.

An aim of the present invention may be viewed as an improvement over current shower unit designs in that installations may be made easier by virtue of inbuilt adjustments into the shower assembly to enable perfect squareness on installation. A further aim of the present invention may be viewed as an improvement over current shower sealing designs in that under most conditions leakage in use will not occur.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention proposes a shower door hinging arrangement and door assembly and removably attachable fixing which may locate the said door hinging arrangement and door assembly to a static and maybe permanent structure such as but not exclusively a wall or the like.

Supported within the said door assembly may be a flexible elastomer seal which may extend toward the said hinging arrangement beyond the structure of the said door assembly and said elastomer seal may be located in or adjacent to the said hinging arrangement and or the said removably attachable fixing.

In a further aspect to the invention the said hinging arrangement may comprise two or more sections which may locate together in such away as to substantially conceal the internal mechanism of the said hinging arrangement. The said hinging arrangement may include internal stops to control the closed and open positions of the said door assembly.

1 C_ In a further aspect to the invention the said hinging arrangement and the said removably fixing sections may adjustably clamp together in such away as to allow equal or unequal distance settings from one end to the other.

In an alternative layout a shower enclosure may partly comprise a main section so shaped to support an elastomer seal onto which a shower door may close. Said main section may be adjustably located to a removably attachable section which may in turn be affixed to a substantially static structure such as but not limited to a wall of a building or the like.

In a further aspect to the invention the said main section may be so formed as to enable the location of one or more cover plates which may be removably affixed to the said main section so as to largely conceal the internal fixtures of the said main section and if appropriate elements of the said removably attachable section.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The following description and the accompanying drawing referred to therein are included by way of non-limiting example in order to illustrate how the invention may be put into practise. In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a partly exploded view of a shower door attached to a hinging arrangement which in turn is located to an adjustable section which will in turn be attached to a wall.

k Figures 2 is a cutaway view of the base part or a shower door and hinging arrangement and adjustable section affixed to a wall.

1 Figure 3 is an assembled shower door closure.

Fieure 4 is a cross section of a shower door and section supporting a seal and section to be affixed to a wall.

Figure 5 is a cross section of Figure 4 above with the addition of two cover plates.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In figure 1 a shower door hinging arrangement 1 comprises pivoting extrusion 2 and fixed extrusion 3. Extrusions 2 and 3 are located together by means of centre pivot 4. An elastomer seal 5 is conveniently located into extrusion 3 such that a given portion 6 is exposed for the purpose of sealing onto flat area 7 of extrusion 2 when shower door 8 is in the closed position.

Extrusion 2 comprises parts 9 and 10. Sandwiched and clamped in between parts 9 and 10 is glass 11 of door 8. Parts 9 and 10 are clamped together by means of nuts and bolts (not shown) ranged down the length of door 8 in area 12.

Door extrusion 13 is held to the bottom of glass 11 of door 8 by adhesive (not shown). Door extrusion 13 is conveniently shaped to support elastomer seal 14 by means of shape 15. When door 8 is closed seal 14 seals to the ridge of a bath or shower base or the like. Seal 14 spans the length of door 8 and extends beyond the length of extrusion 13 through the centre of parts 9 and 10 of 2 and locates onto extrusion 3 by means of pin 16. The head 17 of pin 16 is so shaped to locate into slot 18 of extrusion 3.

The wall 19 of slot 18 acts as a stop for door 8 when it is open by means of end point 20 of part 9 resting against wall 19 of slot 18 being part of extrusion 3.

When door 8 is closed such that flat area 7 of part 10 is abutted to seal 5 end point 22 of part 10 will be resting against wall 21 of slot 18 being part of extrusion 3.

Extension 23 of wall 19 is party to centre pivot 4 the exact location means not being shown.

Removably attachable fixing 24 is attached to a wall (not shown by means of screws ranged down the length of fixing 24 in area 25. A seal (not shown) is attached to the back of fixing 24 and is sandwiched between fixing 24 and the wall (not shown).

Fixing 24 is substantially channel shaped in that it has two sidewalls 26 and 27. Sidewall has protrusion 28 through which fixing screw 29 travels. Screw 29 then threads into a fastener (not shown) in small channel protrusion 30.

The face area of protrusion channel 30 and protrusion 28 of fixing 24 fits snugly to the face of extensions 31 of extrusion 3. On the inner face of extension 31 are serrations 32. Screw 29 has a spacer 33 in place between extensions 31 such that when screws 29 are tightened channel 24 is clamped firmly to extensions without any inward collapse.

End cap component 35 is frictionally located in channel 24 by means of ears 36 and end cap component 34 is located onto extrusion 3 by means of a screw 37 threading into slot 38 in extension 23. Tab 38 of cap 34 fits into lowered area 39 and rests there such that should channel 24 be further away from extrusion 3 due to adjustment necessity the appearance will remain good.

Figure 2 shows shower door 8 attached to hinging arrangement 1 which is in turn attached to channel 24. Channel 24 is affixed to wall 40 and the appropriate quantities of water sealer material 41 is distributed accordingly.

In use channel 24 is affixed to a wall. Extrusion 3 is positioned into channel 24 with screws 29 and spacers 33 and fastener 29 a in place. Once extrusion 3 is in the vertical screws 29 are locked off. When door 8 is opened seal 14 bends in arrangement 1. Due to seal 14 functioning in this fashion there is no need for static scaling which is difficult to maintain with shower doors in the closed position.

Figure 3 shows a shower door 42 comprising glass 43 mounted into bottom frame 44 in slot 45 by means of adhesive (not shown). Bottom frame 44 has an end cap 46 to create a finish. At the opposite end of door 42 is a door pivot (not shown).

Glass 43 closes onto elastomer seal 47 which is located into upright 48 at conveniently shaped points 49. Attached to upright 48 at its base is cross member 49a, which is affixed to upright 48 by means of screws (not shown) threading into holes 50 in member 49a.

k 7 - Located toward the top of member 49a in conveniently shaped slot 51 is seal 52 which abuts bottom frame 44 to create a seal when door 42 is closed. Member 49a is sealed to a shower base (not shown) by means of seal 53.

Figure 4 shows upright 48 with seal 47 in position at points 49 with glass 43 in the closed position. Removably attachable section 54 affixes to upright 48 by means of screws 55 passing through slot 56 (shown on figure 3) and threading into appropriately spaced holes (not shown) in section 54.

Section 54 is affixed to a wall (not shown) by screws (not shown) passing through holes (not shown) in section 54 in area 55. On the back of section 54 is an elastomer seal 56a.

Figure 5 shows a full closure assembly with cover plate 58 attached to upright 48. Cover plate 57 is shown during positioning to upright 48. Both cover plates 57 and 58 have a spring leaf 59a attached at points 59. On installation cover plates 57 and 58 are offered up to upright 48 in such away that leafs 59a locate onto protrusions 60 of upright 48. Cover plates 57 and 58 have suitably shaped end pieces 61 to clip round ledges 62 to hold covers neatly in place on upright 48 by cooperating with leafs 59a.

In use section 54 is affixed to a wall in the desired position. Upright 48 is then attached to section 54 by means of fixing screws 55 which are tightened firmly once section 48 is positioned into the vertical position by means of the adjustment provided for by slots 56. Once this assembly procedure is complete cover plates 57 and 58 are clipped into place. ENDS 8

Claims

CLAIMS f 1. A splash screen comprising a fixed portion and a door hinged

at one upright edge to the fixed portion, the fixed portion including a surface disposed beneath the door, in which a bottom edge of the door is provided with a flexible sealing strip secured to the door and which makes sealing contact with said surface along its length, and the sealing strip extends beyond said hinged edge of the door and is secured to said fixed portion of the cubicle.
2. A splash screen according to Claim 1, in which the sealing strip comprises an extruded hollow elastomeric section.
A splash screen according to Claim 1 or 2, in which the sealing strip is retained in a downwardly-directed channel extending along the bottom of the door.
4. A splash screen according to any preceding claim, in which the portion of the sealing strip that extended beyond the hinged edge of the door is secured inside a hollow door post.
5. A splash screen according to Claim 4, in which a headed pin is inserted into a hollow end of the sealing strip, and the head of the pin is retained in an internal channel of the door post.

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6. A splash screen according to any of Claims 4 to 6, in which the door includes a limb which extends into the door post and is pivotally mounted on a pivot rod extending axially within the door post.
7. A splash screen according to any of Claims 4 to 6, in which the door post is of part-circular transverse section.
8. A splash screen according to Claim 7, in which the door includes a part-circular closure wall which is located inside the door post disposed adjacent to the part-circular wall of the post.
9. A splash screen according to Claim 8, in which the circumferentially opposed ends of the closure wall contact respective abutments to define the range of hingeable movement of the door.
10. A splash screen according to Claim 8 or 9 as appended to Claim 6, in which the closure wall is formed in two parts which are secured together and which form two parts of said pivot limb.
11. A splash screen according to Claim 10, in which said two parts include flanges between which a glass door panel is held.
12. A splash screen according to any of Claims 4 to 11, in which the door post includes an external channel containing a sealing strip which presses against the door when the door is closed.

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13. A splash screen for installation against a fixed upright surface, comprising a first elongate member for attachment to said fixed surface, a second elongate member extending generally parallel alongside said first member such that the two members can be adjusted relative to each other in a direction which is transverse to the longitudinal directions, and fastener means arranged for connecting said first and second members together in an adjusted position.
14. A splash screen according to Claim 13, in which the fastener means are slidable in transverse slots in at least one of said elongate members.
15. A splash screen according to Claim 13 or 14, in which the first elongate member is channel-shaped.
16. A splash screen according to Claim 15, in which the channel-shaped first member receives part of the second member.
17. A splash screen according to Claim 16, in which the fastener means are arranged to pinch the channel-shaped first member to grip the second member.

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18. A splash screen according to Claim 17, in which the second member comprises a pair of substantially parallel walls, and the fastener means extend through respective compression tubes disposed between said walls of the second member.
19. A splash screen according the Claim 18, in which the said walls of the second member have roughened facing surfaces.
20. A splash screen according to any of Claims 13 to 19, in which the fastener means comprise bolts and nuts.
21. A splash screen according to any of Claims 13 to 20, in which the second member comprises a door post.
22. A splash screen according to Claim 21, including a door having a limb which extends into the door post and is pivotally mounted on a pivot rod extending axially within the door post.
23. A splash screen according to Claim 21 or 22, in which the door post of partcircular transverse section.
24. A splash screen according to Claim 23, in which the door includes a part-circular closure wall which is located inside the door post disposed adjacent to the part-circular wall of the post.

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25. A splash screen according to Claim 24, in which the circumferentially opposed ends of the closure wall contact respective abutments to define the range of hingeable movement of the door.

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26. A splash screen according to Claim 24 or 25 as appended to Claim 22, in which the closure wall is formed in two parts which are secured together and which form two -parts of said pivot limb.
27 A splash screen according the Claim 26, in which said two parts include flanges between which a glass door panel is held.
28. A splash screen according to any of Claims 21 to 27, in which the door post includes an external channel containing a sealing strip which presses against the door when the door is closed.
29. A splash screen according to any of Claims 13 to 28, in which the upper ends of the first and second members are covered by a cap.
30. A splash screen according to Claim 29 as appended to Claim 21, in which the cap also covers the upper end of the door post.
31. A splash screen according to Claim 30, in which the cap is. secured by a screw inserted into a channel provided in the door post.

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32. A splash screen according to any of Claims 13 to 15, in which the second elongate member comprises a wall which overlies a wall of the first elongate member.
33. A splash screen according to Claim 32, in which the second elongate member is shaped to receive a door seal for making sealing contact with the free edge of a door.
34. A splash screen according the Claim 32 or 33, in which the fastener means comprise screws.
35. A splash screen according to Claim 34, in which the screws are covered by snapon covers extending along the length of the first and second members.
36. A splash screen according to Claim 35, in which the snap-on covers are transversely curved to lie substantially on a common circle.
37. A splash screen substantially as described with reference to Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings.
38. A splash screen substantially as described with reference to Figures 3 to 5 of the drawings.