GB2453133A

GB2453133A - Shower screen

Info

Publication number: GB2453133A
Application number: GB0718791A
Authority: GB
Inventors: John Christopher King
Original assignee: MAJESTIC SHOWER Co Ltd
Current assignee: MAJESTIC SHOWER Co Ltd
Priority date: 2007-09-26
Filing date: 2007-09-26
Publication date: 2009-04-01
Also published as: EP2042070A2; GB0718791D0

Abstract

The shower screen comprises at least one glass panel (10) having a mounting edge (14) for location along a surface of a wall and first and second opposing major faces (18, 20) extending away from the mounting edge (14); and at least one clamping means (16) for positioning the mounting edge (14) with respect to the wall, the clamping means comprising a fixing means for fixing the clamping means to the wall and having opposing members (24, 26) being adapted to bear upon the first and second faces (18, 20) of the glass panel (10) to position the glass panel with respect to the wall. The clamping means (16) includes at least one double sided self-adhesive membrane (35, 37) interposed between at least one of the opposing members (24, 26) and the glass panel (10) in order to secure the glass panel against slippage after the opposing members have been clamped to position the mounting edge with respect to the wall.

Description

Shower Screen

BACKGROUND

a. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to shower screens for mounting on walls, particularly to shower screens having little or no supporting framework.

b. Related Art In bathrooms that include a shower it is usually necessary to include a shower screen to avoid water from a shower area splashing onto an adjacent floor area. If too much water reaches the floor of the bathroom it is possible that damage will be caused to the surface of the bathroom floor. It is also possible that the water will leak through the floor and cause damage to the ceiling of a room below.

A shower screen often comprises one or more glass panels which are wholly or partially surrounded and supported by a metal or plastic framework attached to the glass. The panels are installed to define a shower area around the shower so that water from the shower cannot easily reach the adjacent floor area. Shower areas may be fully enclosed by walls and panels, or may be open at one end, particularly if the shower is located above a bath.

Shower screens usually include at least one panel that is mounted so that it extends from a wall so that the panel and wall together form one corner of the shower area. When installing such a panel it is important to achieve a good fit between the wall and panel so that the joint is watertight. Unfortunately walls are rarely straight and vertical and this can lead to a poor fit between the wall and panel which may result in water leaking through gaps.

To overcome this problem it is possible to include an adjustable mounting portion.

This may include a deep channel that is mounted to the wall and into which an edge of the panel fits. The depth of the channel allows for adjustment of the way in which the panel fits to the wall. It is also known to provide a channel comprising two parts.

It has recently become desirable in home and hotel bathrooms to have semi frameless or frameless shower screens. For such products a thick gauge of the glass required to meet safety standards and this means that simply bonding the panel into a channel in the wall may not be strong enough to support the weight of the panel or cope with the panel being knocked. The panel may also be used to support a door or other panel and the mounting to the wall must therefore be strong enough to cope with such additional weight. Such support can be provided by a particularly wide and deep channel, but such channels would be costly to manufacture and unsightly. With such products it has been common practice for an installation engineer to measure the bathroom walls in the installation site and order custom panels to ensure a correct fit when using fixed brackets.

Patent document GB 2417677 A therefore proposes the use of a bracket securely fixed to the wall and which engages with one face of the glass panel and which is coupled, for example by means of a bolt, to a securing member that engages with the opposite face of the glass panel. A relatively narrow channel, sufficiently wide to allow some adjustment of the edge of the glass panel with respect to the wall, then conceals the gap between the glass panel and the wall. The bracket and the securing member can be fashioned to permit the channel to extend continuously along the edge of the glass including in the region of the bracket and securing member.

The main function of the bracket and securing member is to secure the glass panel in the correct orientation with respect to the wall, which may not be exactly vertical or straight. The bracket will also bear at least some of the weight of the glass panel, depending on how tightly the bracket and securing member are held together. There is, however, a risk that over-tightening of the means used to hold the securing member and bracket together can cause the glass to crack. This is a particular concern because the glass may have a channel leading from the edge, or alternatively a hole, through which a bolt or other coupling means passes between the bracket and securing member, and such a feature can result in a weakness in the glass where a break can be initiated.

To reduce the possibility of accidental breakage, and also to provide a water-tight seal, it is usual to introduce a silicone sealant into the channel so that this closes any gaps between the channel and the glass panel. The channel can be securely fitted to the wall, for example by means of screws or bolts concealed within the channel and extending in a suitable mounting point in the wall. The silicone when fully cured secures the glass panel to the channel against slippage under the weight of the glass, as well as providing a good water seal between the channel and the glass panel.

A problem has been noted with this arrangement. The worker fitting the shower screen will naturally only want to tighten the bracket sufficiently to hold the glass panel in place while the silicone sealant cures. It does, however, take up to 12 hours for the silicone to cure fully. It can therefore happen that the worker leaves before the silicone has fully cured, and it has been known that glass panel can slowly slip under its own weight over a period of hours. There is a significant risk of this happening when a door is hung on the glass panel owing to the increased weight on the glass panel. The glass panel then slips and the silicone sealant sets with the glass panel misaligned.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a shower screen that is easier and more convenient to fit.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to the invention, there is provided a shower screen for mounting on a wall, the shower screen comprising: at least one glass panel having a mounting edge for location along a surface of a wall and first and second opposing major faces extending away from the mounting edge; at least one clamping means for positioning the mounting edge with respect to the wall, the clamping means comprising a fixing means for fixing the clamping means to the wall and having opposing members being adapted to bear upon the first and second faces of the glass panel to position the glass panel with respect to the wall; wherein the clamping means includes at least one adhering layer interposed between at least one of said opposing members and the glass panel in order to secure the glass panel against slippage after the opposing members have been clamped to position the mounting edge with respect to the wall.

The adhering layer may be either adhesive or simply tacky, as long as this provides a sufficient degree of grip between a surface of the glass panel and an adjacent opposing member to prevent slippage after the opposing members have been clamped to position the mounting edge with respect to the wall, particularly after a door or other panel enclosure member has been hung from or supported by, or otherwise connected to, the glass panel.

By providing a degree of adhesion between the glass panel and the opposing members, the adhering layer therefore prevents slippage of the shower screen without the need to risk over-tightening the clamping means.

The clamping means may extend substantially fully along the mounting edge, for example in the form of a clampable channel, but in a preferred embodiment of the invention is provided by local clamping means at one or more locations along the glass panel mounting edge.

The adhering layer may be substantially an elastomeric layer, for example being formed substantially from a rubber or a silicone compound, but may in any event have a degree of compliance so that forces are even'y spread on the glass panel.

The adhering layer may consist of or comprise an adhesive layer. In the case of an adhering layer with a core, the adhesive layer may be an outer adhesive layer for adhering to the glass panel and/or at least one of said opposing members.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the adhering layer is a double sided self-adhesive membrane. The self-adhesive membrane may include between opposite self-adhesive layers a compliant core.

Preferably, the clamping means includes an adjustable member that extends between the opposing members. The adjustable member may be arranged such that adjusting the adjustable member alters the distance between the opposing members to clamp the glass panel. The glass panel preferably includes proximate the mounting edge a cut-out feature through which the adjustable member passes between the opposing members and which permits adjustment of the position of the clamping means relative to the mounting edge by altering the position of the adjustable member within the cut-out feature.

The cut-out feature may be an aperture through the glass panel or a slot extending to the mounting edge. The adhering layer may be shaped to extend around the cut-out feature.

In general, the mounting edge will be separated from the wall by a gap which is sealed by sealing means including a curable sealant.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the shower screen further comprises an elongate U-shaped channel member for attachment to a wall and into which at least a portion of the mounting edge of the glass panel is bonded.

The channel member may extend continuously along the mounting edge both above and below the clamping means, with a portion of the channel extending between the fixing means and the mounting edge. In this case, the adhering layer is not interposed between the fixing means and this portion of the channel. In this way, the adhering layer does not interfere with the positioning of the fixing means and the channel.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the clamping means comprises: a bracket that includes the fixing means and a first one of said opposing members adapted to bear upon the first face of the glass panel; and a securing member that includes a second one of said opposing members adapted to bear upon the second faces of the glass panel. The adhering layer is then preferably interposed between the first opposing member and the first face of the glass panel.

The adhering layer optionally includes between opposite self-adhesive layers a compliant core. This is in order to accommodate variations in the orientation between the clamping means and the glass panel.

Also according to the invention, there is provided a method of mounting a shower screen to a wall, the shower screen comprising at least one clamping means and at least one glass panel having a mounting edge for location along a surface of a wall and first and second opposing major faces extending away from the mounting edge, said clamping means comprising a fixing means for fixing the clamping means to the wall and having opposing members, wherein the method comprises the steps of: - using the fixing means to fix one of the opposing members to the wall; -positioning the mounting edge with respect to the wall and between the opposing members; -clamping the opposing faces of the glass panel between the opposing members in the presence of at least one adhering layer interposed between at least one of said opposing members and the glass panel in order to secure the glass panel against slippage after the opposing members have been clamped to position the mounting edge with respect to the wall.

When the shower screen further comprises sealing means having a curable sealant, and with the mounting edge being separated from the wall by a gap, the method preferably comprises the steps of using the sealing means including the curable sealant to seal the gap, and using the adhering layer to restrain the movement of the glass panel with respect to the wall during a period of time during which the sealant cures.

The sealing means may further comprise an elongate U-shaped channel member, in which case the method comprises the steps of: affixing the channel member to the wall; inserting the mounting edge into the channel; and applying the curable sealant between the glass panel and the U-shaped member.

The adhering layer then holds the glass panel in place relative to the wall until such time as the sealant has cured, thereby further holding the glass panel in place along the bond between the glass panel and the channel.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will now be further described, by way of example only, and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a simplified shower area including a shower screen according to a preferred embodiment of the invention when mounted to a wall; Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of a clamping means and a sealing channel for use in the shower screen of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a perspective view of a portion of the assembled shower screen according to the invention; and Figure 4 is a horizontal cross-section through the assembled shower screen of Figure 3, using a second type of sealing channel.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Figure 1 shows a simplified shower area I including a shower screen 2 mounted on a waIl 4. The shower area 1 includes a shower head 6 mounted on the wall 4 and directed to spray water within the shower area 1. A drain 8 is located on a floor of the shower area 1 to allow shower water to drain away. The figure has been considerably simplified and does not show items such as a shower tray, a shower door or other shower fittings. This is so that the concept of the invention can be more readily understood.

The shower screen 2 comprises a glass panel 10 fabricated from 10 mm thick toughened safety glass. The shower screen 2 further comprises a U-shaped sealing channel 12 (shown in more detail in Figure 2) fixed to the wall by screws (not shown) concealed within the channel and into which a mounting edge 14 of the glass panel 10 is bonded in order to provide a water-tight seal along the mounting edge of the glass panel. A pair of clamping means 16 (shown in more detail in Figure 2) is secured to the wall 4 and upper and lower portions of the glass panel 10. In this case, the U-shaped channel 12 is slightly embedded into the wall 4 such that any effect of imperfections in the wall is minimised. It should be understood that the U-shaped channel may be fully embedded within the wall 4, or mounted on the surface of the wall 4.

The glass panel 2 includes a first major face 18 and a second major face 20 opposite the first face 18.

Figure 2 shows an exploded perspective view of the clamping means 16 and sealing channel 12. The clamping means 16 includes on opposite sides of the glass panel 10 an L-shaped bracket 17 and a securing member 26. One arm portion 22 of the L-shaped bracket 17 comprises an anchor portion 22 for attachment to the wall 4 and the other arm portion 24 extends from the anchor portion 22 to provide a first opposing member 24 for securing to the first major face 18 of the glass panel 10. The first opposing member 24 of the bracket 17 has a first planar surface 27 that faces towards the first major face 18 of the glass panel 10 and is coupled to the securing member 26 by an adjustable member 28, in this case a bolt 28. The securing member 26 therefore serves as a second opposing member 26. The second opposing member 26 has a threaded cylindrical sleeve 29 that extends at right angles from a planar inwardly facing surface 31 of the second opposing member 26 towards a circular aperture 33 in the first opposing member 24 for receiving the bolt 28.

It should be noted from this figure that the first opposing member 24 of the bracket 17 includes a recessed portion 36 to fit over the U-shaped channel 12 so that this may extend continuously along the mounting edge 14 of the glass panel 10.

Figure 2 also shows the U-shaped channel 12 in more detail. The U-shaped channel 12 includes two parallel rails 30 and 32 that extend perpendicularly from the wall 4 coupled together by a web 34 that is parallel with the wall. The U-shaped channel 12 is an aluminium extrusion in this case.

The adjustable member 28 is adjusted to pull the second opposing member 26 towards the first opposing member 24 so that the glass panel 10 is clamped between the first and second opposing members 24, 26. The first and second opposing members therefore bear upon the opposite first and second faces 18, 20 of the glass panel 10 to position and hold the glass panel correctly with respect to the wall 4.

Before the opposing members 24, 26 are clamped together, an adhering layer in the form of a first double sided self-adhesive membrane 35 is applied to at least one of the opposing members 24, 26. Most preferably at least to the first inwardly facing flat surface 27 of the first opposing member 24, and in this case optionally a -10-second double sided self-adhesive membrane 37 is applied to the second inwardly facing flat surface 31 of the second opposing member 26. The initially non-adhered side(s) 39, 41 of the, or each, self-adhesive membrane 35, 37 may initially be covered over with a peel-off layer (not shown) so that no objects are stuck inadvertently to the self-adhesive membrane(s) prior to use with the invention.

Each of the inwardly directed flat surfaces 27, 31 has the same profile around its periphery, and when assembled are aligned so these profiles are registered with respect to each other by means of the connected bolt 28 and threaded sleeve 29.

The, or each, of the self-adhesive membranes 35, 37 has the same shape around its periphery, and includes first and second circular cut-outs 43, 45 so that each self-adhesive membrane substantially completely covers the surface area of the first and second flat faces 27, 31 of the opposing members 24, 26, without interfering with the joining of the bolt 28 and cylindrical sleeve 29.

For strength and durability, the bracket 17 and securing member 26 are formed from a metal material, for example chromed brass The intervening self-adhesive membranes 35, 37 preferably have some compliance so that these can be compressed and take up any deviation from parallel between the glass panel 10 and opposing members 24, 26, or help to relieve pressure points that could otherwise develop along the interface between these components.

Optionally, the clamping means 16 includes a plastic tube 47 which during assembly slips over the cylindrical sleeve 29 to separate this from a cut-out 49 in the glass panel 10 through the bolt 28 and cylindrical sleeve 29 pass. In this example, the cut-out is a circular hole 49 in the glass panel 10, but could alternatively be a slot (not shown) that extends to the mounting edge 14 of the glass panel 10. The tube 47 provides a degree of protection to guard against the possibility of the glass panel 10 being chipped or broken as a result of contact between the metallic surfaces of the clamping means 16 the glass panel cut-out 49. Clearance is provided between the tube 47 and adjacent glass surfaces of the hole 49 or slot to allow for up/down and in/out adjustment relative to the wall 4 during mounting of the glass panel 10 to the U-shaped channel 12.

The clamping means 16 therefore includes, interposed between at least one of the opposing members 24, 26 and the glass panel 10, at least one self-adhesive membrane 35, 37 in order to secure the glass panel against slippage after the opposing members have been clamped to position the mounting edge 14 with respect to the wall 4.

The first step in assembling the shower screen, after affixing the channel to the wall, is to correctly locate and mount the brackets 17 on the wall 4. The silicone sealant 51 is then applied inside the channel 12 in order to provide a water-tight seal. The silicone sealant 51 may, as illustrated, substantially fill any gaps between the rails 30, 32 and the first and second major faces 18, 20 of the glass panel 10. The mounting edge 14 of the glass panel 10 is then inserted into the channel 12 until the cut-outs 49 are aligned with the bolt hole 33 of the first opposing member 27. Optionally, a peel off covering (not shown) may be maintained over one or both of the brackets 17 until such time as the glass panel 10 is correctly aligned with the bracket, after which the glass panel and the inwardly directed surface 39 of the first self-adhesive membrane 35 are pressed together to hold the glass panel in place.

The second opposing member 26 and tube 47 are then assembled on the opposite second major face 20 of the glass panel 10 so that the bolt 28 can be screwed into the threaded sleeve 29 in order to clamp the glass panel securely to the clamping means 16. In do this, the optional second self-adhesive membrane 37, which for convenience can be previously adhered to the second flat surface 31 of the second opposing member 26, may be securely adhered to the second major face 20 of the glass panel, thereby further enhancing the bond between the glass panel 10 and the clamping means 16. -12-

In this way, the slippage of the glass panel is prevented during curing of the liquid adhesive 51. Once the adhesive is cured, the glass panel is further secured in place by this bond between the channel 12 and the glass panel 10.

Figure 4 shows a horizontal cross-section through the shower screen I when assembled. The first opposing means 24 of the bracket 17 includes the aperture 33 through which the bolt 28 extends, but through which a head 53 of the bolt 28 will not pass. A disc-shaped plug 55 is used to conceal the bolt head 53. Although not shown, screws pass horizontally through similar apertures 57 in the anchor portion 22 of the bracket 17 by which the bracket 17 is secured to the wall 4.

Figure 4 differs from the previous embodiments in that the channel 112 has on the second rail 32 an integral radiused bead 59 where the channel 112 joins the wall 4.

Figure 4 also indicates the dimensions of various components which are: A anchor portion thickness 6.5 mm B first opposing member length 61 mm C first opposing member thickness 6.0 mm D anchor portion length 40 mm E glass panel thickness 10 mm In addition to this, the height of the bracket 17 and securing member is 40 mm.

It should be understood that the invention has been described above by way of example only and that modifications in detail may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as set out in the claims. -13-

Claims

1. A shower screen for mounting on a wall, the shower screen comprising: at least one glass panel having a mounting edge for location along a surface of a wall and first and second opposing major faces extending away from the mounting edge; at least one clamping means for positioning the mounting edge with respect to the wall, the clamping means comprising a fixing means for fixing the clamping means to the wall and having opposing members being adapted to bear upon the first and second faces of the glass panel to position the glass panel with respect to the wall; wherein the clamping means includes at least one adhering layer interposed between at least one of said opposing members and the glass panel in order to secure the glass panel against slippage after the opposing members have been clamped to position the mounting edge with respect to the wall.

2. A shower screen as claimed in Claim 1, in which the adhering layer is substantially an elastomeric layer.

3. A shower screen as claimed in Claim 2, in which the elastomeric layer is formed substantially from a rubber or a silicone compound.

4. A shower screen as claimed in Claim 1, in which the adhering layer includes an adhesive layer.

5. A shower screen as claimed in Claim 4, in which the adhering layer is a double sided self-adhesive membrane.

6. A shower screen as claimed in Claim 5, in which the self-adhesive membrane includes between opposite self-adhesive layers a compliant core.

7. A shower screen as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the adhering -14 -layer is compliant.

8. A shower screen as claimed in any preceding claim, the clamping means including an adjustable member that extends between the opposing members, said adjustable member being arranged such that adjusting the adjustable member alters the distance between the opposing members to clamp the glass panel, in which the glass panel includes proximate the mounting edge a cut-out feature through which the adjustable member passes between the opposing members and which permits adjustment of the position of the clamping means relative to the mounting edge by altering the position of the adjustable member within the cut-out feature.

9. A shower screen as claimed in Claim 8, in which the cut-out feature is an aperture through the glass panel or a slot extending to mounting edge.

10. A shower screen as claimed in Claim 8 or Claim 9, in which the adhering layer is shaped to extend around the cut-out feature.

11. A shower screen as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the mounting edge is separated from the wall by a gap, said gap being sealed by sealing means including a curable sealant.

12. A shower screen as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the shower screen further comprises an elongate U-shaped channel member for attachment to a wall and into which at least a portion of the mounting edge of the glass panel is bonded.

13. A shower screen as claimed in Claim 12, in which the channel member extends continuously along the mounting edge both above and below the clamping means, a portion of the channel extending between the fixing means and the mounting edge and the adhering layer not being interposed between the fixing means and said portion of the channel.

14. A shower screen as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the clamping means comprises: a bracket that includes the fixing means and a first one of said opposing members adapted to bear upon the first face of the glass panel; and a securing member that includes a second one of said opposing members adapted to bear upon the second faces of the glass panel; wherein said adhering layer is interposed between the first opposing member and the first face of the glass panel.

15. A method of mounting a shower screen to a wall, the shower screen comprising at least one clamping means and at least one glass panel having a mounting edge for location along a surface of a wall and first and second opposing major faces extending away from the mounting edge, said clamping means comprising a fixing means for fixing the clamping means to the wall and having opposing members, wherein the method comprises the steps of: -using the fixing means to fix one of the opposing members to the wall; -positioning the mounting edge with respect to the wall and between the opposing members; -clamping the opposing faces of the glass panel between the opposing members in the presence of at least one adhering layer interposed between at least one of said opposing members and the glass panel in order to secure the glass panel against slippage after the opposing members have been clamped to position the mounting edge with respect to the wall.

16. A method as claimed in Claim 15, in which the shower screen further comprises sealing means, the sealing means comprising a curable sealant, the mounting edge being separated from the wall by a gap, the method comprising the steps of: -using the sealing means including the curable sealant to seal the gap; and -using the adhering layer to restrain the movement of the glass panel with respect to the wall during a period of time during which the sealant cures. -16-

16. A method as claimed in Claim 15, in which the sealing means further comprises an elongate U-shaped channel member, the method comprising the steps of: -affixing the channel member to the wall; -inserting the mounting edge into the channel; and -applying the curable sealant between the glass panel and the U-shaped member.

17. A shower screen, substantially as herein described, with reference to or as shown in the accompanying drawings.

18. A method of mounting a shower screen to a wall, substantially as herein described, with reference to or as shown in the accompanying drawings.