GB2304039A

GB2304039A - Adjustable cover panel assembly

Info

Publication number: GB2304039A
Application number: GB9615165A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Neil Tallentire
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1995-08-04
Filing date: 1996-07-19
Publication date: 1997-03-12
Anticipated expiration: 2016-07-19
Also published as: GB2304039B; GB9615165D0

Abstract

A cover panel assembly comprises a cover panel 1, first and second supports 3 each adapted to be mounted in an upright position and a rail 7 adapted to be mounted in a substantially horizontal position generally between the top ends of the supports, the cover panel having first and second ends and a top edge, wherein in use the first and second supports are adapted to engage the first and second ends, respectively, and the rail is adapted to receive the top edge of the cover panel so that the combination of the first and second supports and the rail secures the cover panel in position, and wherein the cover panel can be adjusted laterally and/or vertically prior to being secured by the first and second supports and the rail in such a way that the cover panel assembly still provides a complete screen preventing the viewing of any object present on the opposite side of the cover panel from the side of the viewer. Preferably the means allowing adjustment is in the form of rebates provided in the first and second supports and in the rail, each rebate defining a flanged portion having a surface which is in contact with the panel and which ray be moved relative to the panel.

Description

IMPROVEMENTS RELATING TO COVER PANELS The present invention relates to assemblies suitable for enclosing unsightly objects or other objects whose appearance is to be concealed, such as the undersides of a bath tub. Specifically the invention relates to adjustable cover panels.

Generally, bath tubs are sited in the corner of a room so that one side and one end of the bath are exposed to the room and it is therefore conventional to cover the exposed undersides of the bath tub using panels since the undersides of the tub and the associated plumbing are often unsightly. Such panels are thus aesthetically more pleasing than a view of the underside of a bath tub.

Baths are manufactured in various sizes and shapes and there is presently no standard size for a conventional type bath. However, bath panels are generally manufactured in fixed sizes and thus often require cutting in order to fit a specific installation. In view of the large size of bath panels such fitting must generally be carried out by a skilled joiner since the size of the panel makes it easy for one not skilled in the art of joinery to make a mistake in cutting. In addition, the size and regular shape of bath panels renders such mistakes quite obvious to the eye and such mistakes are not easily rectified.

GB 1227893 discloses a method of fixing bath panels adjacent to one side and one end of a bath placed in the corner of a room without the fixing means being visible from the exterior. This citation uses spring clips to secure the side and end panels to upright supporting posts which are located at the corner of and at the ends of the bath where the exposed side and end meet the walls of the room. There is, however, no means for adjusting the positions of the bath panels in this arrangement and the panels disclosed in this citation therefore suffer the disadvantage that they must be cut to size prior to fixing in situ with the hidden spring clips.

GB 2256796 relates to an adaptor strip which enables the fitting of a bath panel around a bath tub in the case in which the bath panel has a thickness greater than the space available between the rim of the bath tub and the supporting structure for the bath tub.

This citation seeks to address the problem that the supporting structure of a bath tub leaves only sufficient room for a thin bath panel to be installed.

Consequently, there is little choice in the selection of a suitable material for the bath panel in conventional arrangements since the material must have sufficient strength and rigidity. The adaptor strip is intended to provide a waterproof seal which serves to retain a bath panel which is thicker than those conventionally known and hence which has the required strength and rigidity. However, there is no scope for adjustment of the fitting of the bath panel to compensate for different sized bath tubs; it is therefore necessary to cut the bath panel to size prior to installation.

GB 1370993 relates to corner-fitting bath tubs which have a rounded corner projecting into the room instead of the usual square-edged corner. The bath panel of this citation is a single curved piece of material concealing the underside of a bath and is therefore manufactured to a specific size in order to fit a particular application. The bath panel is selfsupporting in view of its curved shape and sits on top of a correspondingly-shaped skirting board, and is fixed to vertical wall-connecting plates. Although adjustment of play using the wall-connecting plates is suggested, there is no indication as to how much adjustment could be achieved. Furthermore, since the bath panel is curved there is little scope for adjustment towards either wall without creating unsightly gaps in the cover assembly. There is also no provision for heightwise adjustment of the panel.

There is thus a need for a bath panel assembly which can be rapidly and easily assembled in situ by persons other than a skilled joiner, for example by plumbers and the like who may have just installed a bath tub and the ancillary plumbing, in order to reduce the time and cost of installation. It is also important that the bath panel assembly is aesthetically pleasing even though it may be quick to install.

According to the present invention there is provided a cover panel assembly comprising a cover panel, first and second supports each adapted to be mounted in an upright position and a rail adapted to be mounted in a substantially horizontal position generally between the top ends of the supports, the cover panel having first and second ends and a top edge, wherein in use the first and second supports are adapted to engage the first and second ends, respectively, and the rail is adapted to receive the top edge of the cover panel so that the combination of the first and second supports and the rail secures the cover panel in position, and wherein the cover panel can be adjusted laterally and/or vertically prior to being secured by the first and second supports and the rail in such a way that the cover panel assembly still provides a complete screen preventing the viewing of any object present on the opposite side of the cover panel from the side of the viewer.

In this way the panel may be moved from side to side and/or vertically without leaving a gap in the coverage provided by the panel assembly. The cover panel assembly is ideally suited to concealing bath tubs.

The means allowing adjustment is preferably in the form of rebates provided in the first and second supports and in the rail, each rebate defining a flanged portion having a surface which is in contact with the panel and which may be moved relative to the panel.

Preferably, the rebates in the first and second supports are provided in the front of the supports and the rebate in the rail is provided in the rear of the rail as seen by the viewer.

Thus, by using rebated upright supports whose flanged portions extend laterally to a significant extent and a generally flat bath panel of fixed size as the cover panel it is possible to conceal the underside and plumbing of a bath tub without the need to alter the size of the bath panel prior to installation.

The position of the bath panel (which is situated in the rebated portion of the upright supports located at either end of the bath panel) is adjusted by sliding the bath panel laterally and/or vertically over the flanged portions of the first and second supports, and if necessary by sliding the rail prior to fixing so its flanged portion slides over the bath panel.

Adjustment of a bath panel in accordance with the invention thus takes place in the plane of the panel and the first and second supports, the panel being a flat sheet of material.

The fitting of the bath panel assembly of the present invention is simple and requires only that the bath panel is located within the rebated portions of the two upright supports and is then adjusted as required to be conveniently situated in the available space. In an embodiment, the panel includes predrilled holes and is secured to the first and second supports by means of screws, bolts or the like.

The panel is then secured to the upright support by means of, for example, screws which may be attached to the bath panel from the rear through pre-drilled holes in the upright supports.

Usually, there will be an equal spacing at either end of the bath panel, such that an observer viewing the bath panel assembly from the front is presented with a view of the upright supports, the panel and a pair of equal-sized grooves or recesses at either end of the bath panel. The surfaces of the flanged portions over which the bath panel may slide to allow adjustment are revealed in the case in which the flanges of the rebated portions of the upright supports are disposed behind the bath panel. The dimensions of the grooves are determined by the length of the bath panel as compared to the length of the bath tub, the depth of the rebated portions of the upright supports and the thickness of the bath panel.

Each rebated portion is arranged so that the flanged portion is sufficiently wide to allow lateral and/or vertical adjustment over a range sufficient to compensate for the use of a standard-sized bath panel with a range of differing lengths and/or heights of bath tub. The flanged portions of the first and second supports are at least as wide as the rebate is deep, and preferably extend from 5 to 12 cm laterally. The first and second supports may be made from wood, plastics, metal or other suitable material, and are preferably each made of the same material.

The rail preferably also contains a rebated portion having a flanged portion or is constructed from two pieces of material so as to have the same general shape. The material may be wood, plastics, metal or other suitable material and is placed above the top edge of the bath panel to provide further support for the bath panel.

Ideally, the rebated portion of the rail faces the opposite way from the rebated portions of the first and second uprights; thus, the first and second supports may have the rebated portions facing outwardly and the rail would then have its rebated portion facing inwardly.

Preferably, the rail is made from the same material as the first and second supports and/or the panel. The rail is positioned so that the flange of the rebated portion abuts the bath panel on the opposite side of the bath panel to the side on which the flanges of the upright supports abut the bath panel.

It is only necessary to cut the length of the rail to size in order to complete bath panel assemblies using the present invention since differences in other dimensions may be taken up by adjustment of the bath panel in the rebated portions in the manner described.

Preferably, the top rails are cut to length at the wall ends only, in the case in which the bath tub is being sited in the corner of a room, so that a neat preformed joint is provided at the corner. In fact, ideally there is a small overhang of the rails so they extend outwardly from above the bath panels for decorative effect.

In many cases, the fixing of wooden bath panels according to the present invention can be carried out by anyone having basic woodworking skills and requires only the following tools; a hard point wood saw, a tape measure and a screwdriver.

For a better understanding of the invention, reference will now be made, by way of example only, to the following drawings in which: Figure 1 shows a bath panel assembly in accordance with the invention in component form, Figure 2 shows the relative positions of components of side and end bath panels in accordance with the invention, immediately prior to assembly, Figure 3 is a plan view of another bath panel in situ in accordance with the invention, and Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of another bath panel in accordance with the invention.

Referring now the drawings, Figure 1 shows panel 1 which is the side panel of a bath and which may contain an ornamental pattern 2, and upright supports 3 having rebated portions 4 defining flanges 5. The panel 1 and upright supports 3 may be made from wood, plastics, metal or other suitable material having the required rigidity and strength. The upright supports 3 are fixed in place at the wall end and at the free end of the bath at suitable positions. In the embodiment illustrated, panel 1 is then placed between upright supports 3 so that the back of panel 1 is located within rebated portions 4 and abuts flanges 5.

Depending upon the length of the bath, and hence the spacing of upright supports 3, panel 1 (which is of a standard size) may be moved laterally within the confines of rebated portions 4 until it is located centrally so that the gap defined by a groove between flanges 5 of upright supports 3 and ends 6 of panel 1 is the same at either end. However, there is no requirement for the panel to be located centrally and the panel could in fact be offset provided that both flanges 5 of upright supports 3 still abut panel 1.

In the embodiment shown in Figure 1, flanges 5 of upright supports 3 are placed behind panel 1 and abut the back of panel 1 so as to provide supporting surfaces for panel 1. Rail 7, containing rebated portion 8 defining flange 9, is then placed over top edge 10 of panel 1 with flange 9 protruding downwardly in front of panel 1 so that the back of panel 1 is prevented from falling away forwardly from flanges 5 due to the action of flange 9. The height at which rail 7 is fixed depends on the height of the bath and may be adjusted within a range defined by the width of flange 9.

Figure 2 illustrates the arrangement of a pair of panels 1 according to Figure 1 to conceal the side and end of a bath (not shown). In Figure 2, it can be seen that rails 7 may also be constructed from two moulded pieces of wood, plastics, metal or other suitable material fastened together so as to have the same general shape as an equivalent single piece having a rebated portion. In contrast, in Figure 1 rail 7 is formed from a single moulded piece of material.

Similarly, uprights 3 may be formed from a single piece of material, or may comprise two or more such pieces fastened together to obtain the required general shape.

Preferably, upright 3, rail 7 and panel 1 are all made from the same material so that the cover panel assembly is aesthetically pleasing and so that the grooves are not too obvious to a viewer.

Figure 3 shows a horizontal section of an end bath panel in situ (although the bath and the rail corresponding to the end bath panel have been omitted for clarity) in which end panel 1 is positioned between upright supports 3 in such a way that grooves 11 are defined by flanges 5 and ends 6. The position of rail 7, corresponding to the assembly for a side panel, is also shown for clarity. A further upright support 3' supports a side panel (not shown) and is fastened to upright support 3, located at the corner of the bath, by means of connecting block 12. Connecting block 12 is fastened, for example by means of screws, to upright supports 3 and 3'. Pre-drilled holes 13 in upright supports 3 are adapted to receive screws, bolts or the like which enable panel 1 to be fastened to upright supports 3 from the rear.Location of a rail (not shown) at the appropriate height above panel 1 completes the installation of panel 1. The position of rail 7 corresponding to a side panel (not shown) is indicated by the dotted lines.

Figure 4 shows a cross-sectional view of bath panel 1 taken in a plane perpendicular to side bath panel 1 of Figure 1 and the side of bath 14 of a bath tub in situ. In this embodiment it is clear that rail 7 is formed of two pieces of material and that rail 7 includes a curved overhanging portion 15 which is provided for ornamental reasons. Batten 16 is fastened to floor 17 and provides a further surface to which panel 1 may be affixed thereby preventing inward movement of panel 1, although the use of batten 16 is not essential to the integrity of the installation of panel 1.

It will be appreciated that a number of modifications may be made to the exact structure of the assembly of the present invention without departing from the spirit of the invention; for example, the rebated portions of the uprights may be inwardly facing and the rebated portion of the rail may be outwardly facing.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A cover panel assembly comprising a cover panel, first and second supports each adapted to be mounted in an upright position and a rail adapted to be mounted in a substantially horizontal position generally between the top ends of the supports, the cover panel having first and second ends and a top edge, wherein in use the first and second supports are adapted to engage the first and second ends, respectively, and the rail is adapted to receive the top edge of the cover panel so that the combination of the first and second supports and the rail secures the cover panel in position, and wherein the cover panel can be adjusted laterally and/or vertically prior to being secured by the first and second supports and the rail in such a way that the cover panel assembly still provides a complete screen preventing the viewing of any object present on the opposite side of the cover panel from the side of the viewer.

2. A cover panel assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the means allowing adjustment is in the form of rebates provided in the first and second supports and in the rail, each rebate defining a flanged portion having a surface which is in contact with the panel and which may be moved relative to the panel.

3. A cover panel assembly as claimed in claim 2, wherein the rebates in the first and second supports are provided in the front of the supports and the rebate in the rail is provided in the rear of the rail as seen by the viewer.

4. A cover panel assembly as claimed in claim 2 or 3, wherein the flanged portions of the first and second supports are at least as wide as the rebate is deep.

5. A cover panel assembly as claimed in claim 2, 3 or 4, wherein the rebated portion of the rail faces the opposite way from the rebated portions of the first and second uprights.

6. A cover panel assembly as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the first and second supports, the rail and the cover panel are independently formed of wood, plastics or metal.

7. A cover panel assembly as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the rail is made from the same material as the first and second supports and/or the panel.

8. A cover panel assembly as claimed in any of claims 2 to 7, wherein the rebated portions of the first and second supports and/or the rebated portion of the rail are constructed from two pieces of material.

9. A cover panel assembly as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the cover panel is a bath panel.

10. A bath fitted with the cover panel assembly of claim 9.

11. A corner assembly comprising two cover panel assemblies according to any of claims 1 to 9 adapted to be fastened so as to form a screen in two different planes.

12. A method of attaching the cover panel of any of claims 1 to 9 to provide a screen, the method comprising the steps: (a) providing first and second upright supports and situating a cover panel therebetween so that one side of the cover panel abuts the flanged portions of the upright supports, (b) moving the cover panel laterally and/or horizontally as required, (c) securing the cover panel to the upright supports, and (d) fixing a rail above the cover panel and between the first and second upright supports.

13. A cover panel assembly substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 to 4.