GB2609705A

GB2609705A - Shower caddy

Info

Publication number: GB2609705A
Application number: GB2206696.3A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Hamlyn Jason
Original assignee: BIKEAWAY Ltd
Current assignee: BIKEAWAY Ltd
Priority date: 2021-05-07
Filing date: 2022-05-06
Publication date: 2023-02-15

Abstract

A shower enclosure shelving unit which comprises a plurality of separate, elongate linear parts. One part has a hanging means towards one end and a cut-out at the other end. It also has one or more elongate linear parts which comprise: i) a shelf at one end and a cut-out at the other; ii) a shelf towards both ends; or iii) a cut-out at both ends. The cut-outs may fit over shelves when placed at right angles, to enable interconnection of parts in a linear array and they may be triangular. The shelves may have a teardrop shape in plan view and the hanging means may be a hook. Each shelf may have a neck which allows the part to rotate and lock the parts together. A shower enclosure comprising one or more of the units is also claimed.

Description

SHOWER CADDY

The present invention relates generally to a storage unit and particularly, although not exclusively, to a shower shelving unit Some embodiments of the present invention provide or relate to a shelving unit comprising one or more shelves (e.g. two, three, four or five) to put personal care products (e.g. bottles) on.

Some embodiments provide a set of shelves for hanging over a shower screen at the point it meets the (e.g. tiled) wall of a shower.

The shelf unit may comprise a plurality (e.g. four or five) parts; each part may hang off each other. There are many ways that each unit could hang from each other.

In some embodiments the unit is designed/adapted to go into the corner of a shower cubical, for example where a shower screen meets a wall. The shelves themselves may be shaped to allow this, for example being generally circular or teardrop shaped plates; some shapes include one or more a flats.

The shelves may have a shape in plan which is the same or substantially the same as shown in the drawings.

The set of shelves may hook over the top of a shower screen so it can easily be attached/detached for cleaning. For this purpose the "top" of the shelving unit may comprise a hook or the like.

The unit may be modular, with it being possible to add/remove shelves to increase/decrease capacity/length.

Each shelf may be of a size to hold one bottle of product For example shelf diameter may be about 65mm and the vertical spacing between shelves may be about 240mm.

In some embodiments each shelf is generally flat, making it easy to remove and replace the shower products, and as they are situated in the corner of the shower cubicle bottles are unlikely to be accidently knocked off the shelf.

The shelves could, for example, be made from either steel or plastics material or other petroleum-based products.

In some embodiments the shelves can easily be dismantled and put in a dishwasher for cleaning, for example.

An aspect of the present invention provides a shower enclosure shelving unit, comprising a plurality of separate, elongate linear parts, a part comprises hanging means at or towards one end thereof and a cut-out at or towards the other end thereof, and one or more elongate linear parts which comprise: i) a shelf at or towards one end thereof and a cut-out at or towards the other end thereof: ii) a shelf at or towards both ends thereof; or iii) a cut-out at or towards both ends thereof, in which cut-outs can fit over shelves to enable interconnection of parts in a linear array with the part comprising hanging means at an upper end thereof.

Cut-outs may be configured to fit over shelves when placed generally at right angles thereto.

Cut-outs may be generally triangular, for example an isosceles triangle.

In some embodiments shelves are asymmetric in plan.

Shelves may have a generally tear drop shape in plan.

In some embodiments shelves can be oriented for right-or left-hand shower corners.

The hanging means may comprise a hook. Other embodiments may, for example, use a sucker.

Each shelf may have a neck on its profile which allows a part with a cut out to rotate and such that when inline this locks the two parts together.

One embodiment is configured as a four shelf unit made from four separate parts with each shelf being a generally bevelled asymmetric tear drop shape, one part is a hanging bracket which has a hook at one end for hooking over the top of a shower screen and at the other end has a triangular cut out that will fit over a shelf on another part, a second part includes a shelf at one end and a triangular cut out at the other end, a third part comprises a shelf at each end and having the same orientation, and a fourth and final part is a mirror image of the second part, being a triangle cut out at one end and a shelf at the other end, this allows for each of the four shelves to hang down with the asymmetric tear shapes being in the same orientation.

In some embodiments the hanging means part can be attached at either end of a column of shelves to allow for right-and left-hand shower corners e.g. with asymmetric shelves the column of parts can be fitted in either of two alternative vertical orientations.

The shape of the shelves may be generally circular in plan, including a generally scalene triangle shape at one side, providing first and second flats, one of the flats being longer than other, the shorter flat joins/forms part of the linear part and the longer side is free, extending along the wall or screen in use, the longer flat extends smoothly from the circle, and the shorter flat extends along a line which starts slightly radially outward of the notional circle.

Some embodiments are formed so as to be modular, with it being possible to add/remove shelves to increase/decrease capacity/length.

In some embodiments parts are formed with a laminar bacic strip.

In some embodiments a shelf is formed separately from and is attached or attachable to a linear panel.

The present invention also provides a shower enclosure provided with one or more units as described herein.

Different aspects and embodiments of the invention may be used separately or together.

Further particular and preferred aspects of the present invention are set out in the accompanying independent and dependent claims. Features of the dependent claims may be combined with the features of the independent claims as appropriate, and in combinations other than those explicitly set out in the claims.

The present invention will now be more particularly described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings.

The example embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those of ordinary skill in the art to embody and implement the systems and processes herein described. It is important to understand that embodiments can be provided in many alternate forms and should not be construed as limited to the examples set forth herein.

Accordingly, while embodiment can be modified in various ways and take on various alternative forms, specific embodiments thereof are shown in the drawings and described in detail below as examples. There is no intent to limit to the particular forms disclosed. On the contrary, all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the scope of the appended claims should be included. Elements of the example embodiments are consistently denoted by the same reference numerals throughout the drawings and detailed description where appropriate.

Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used herein are to be interpreted as is customary in the art It will be further understood that terms in common usage should also be interpreted as is customary in the relevant art and not in an idealized or overly formal sense unless expressly so defined herein.

In the following description, all orientational terms, such as upper, lower, radially and axially, are used in relation to the drawings and should not be interpreted as limiting on the invention.

Figure I shows an empty shelf unit made in five sections which the customer or supplier can assemble. Each section has the back strip and one shelf.

The shelf can be fixed either way when assembling; this will depend if the unit is being hung with the shelves on the left hand or right hand corner of a shower cubicle.

In Figure 2 the unit is shown hung over the top of the shower at the point where the shower screen meets the wall.

To allow each shelf to be large enough to support a bottle of shower products the shelf is shaped away from the wall (Figure 3). When assembling, the shelves can be placed in the other way for the other end or corner if required.

In this embodiment the unit is made from stainless steel.

Figures 4 to 8 show a shower shelf unit / shower caddy formed according to a further 5 embodiment The Figures show a unit assembled for a shower screen hanging on the right as it meets the wall.

A set of four shelves which are designed to hang off a shower screen in the corner of a shower cubicle where the screen meets the wall (Figure 4).

Each shelf is flat and big enough to hold one bottle of shower product. There is no lip to the shelf as it is situated in the corner where there is no chance of a bottle being pushed off accidently by anyone while they are having a shower.

The four shelves hang one above each other and are spaced at around 245mm which will accommodate the height of most bottle products (Figure 6).

The back of the shelf unit is about 44mm wide which hangs down the frame of the shower screen without encroaching onto the glass panel (Figure 5).

The shelf's profile comes away from the back in a straight line parallel with the wall however the shelf widens to about 65mm so each shelf has a tear shape design to accommodate product bottles (Figure 5).

In this embodiment the four shelf unit is made from four separate parts. One part is the "Hanging Bracket" which has two bends at one end which hook over the top of the shower screen (Figure 4) and the other end has a triangular cut out that will fit over the shelf when placed at right angles to the shelf (Figure 7A).

The shelf has a neck on its profile which allows the hanging bracket to rotate (Figure 7B) this when inline locks the two parts together (Figure 7C). The second part consists of a shelf one end and triangle the other.

The third part consists of a shelf each end having the same orientation i.e. inline and the fourth and final part consist of a mirror image of the second part again being a shelf one end and triangle on the other. This allows for each of the four shelves to hang down with the tear shape being in the same orientation (Figure 8). What this means is the "Hanging Bracket" can be attached at either ends of the column of shelves this allows for right-and left-hand shower screen corners (Figure 8).

The shape of the shelves could be described as generally circular in plan, but including a generally scalene triangle shape (other embodiments have other generally triangular shapes such as equilateral) at one side, providing first and second flats, one of the flats being longer than other. The shorter flat joins/forms part of the bracket and the longer side is free, extending along the wall or screen in use. The longer flats extends smoothly from the circle; the shorter flat extends along a line which starts slightly radially outward of the notional circle.

Although illustrative embodiments of the invention have been disclosed in detail herein, with reference to the accompanying drawings, it is understood that the invention is not limited to the precise embodiments shown and that various changes and modifications can be effected therein by one skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims

CLAIMSI. A shower enclosure shelving unit, comprising a plurality of separate, elongate linear parts, a part comprises hanging means at or towards one end thereof and a cut-out at or towards the other end thereof, and one or more elongate linear parts which comprise: i) a shelf at or towards one end thereof and a cut-out at or towards the other end thereof; ii) a shelf at or towards both ends thereof; or iii) a cut-out at or towards both ends thereof, in which cut-outs can fit over shelves to enable interconnection of parts in a linear array with the part comprising hanging means at an upper end thereof.
2. A unit as claimed in claim I, in which the cut-out is configured to fit over the shelf when placed generally at right angles to the shelf.
3. A unit as claimed in claim I or claim 2, in which cut-outs are generally triangular.
4. A unit claimed in any preceding claim, in which the shelves are asymmetric in plan.
5. A unit as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the shelves have a generally tear drop shape in plan.
6. A unit as claimed in any preceding claim, in which shelves can be oriented for right-and left-hand shower corners.
7. A unit as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the hanging means comprise a hook.
8. A unit as claimed in any preceding claim, in which each shelf has a neck on its profile which allows a part with a cut out to rotate and such that when inline this locks the two parts together.
9. A unit as claimed in any preceding claim and configured as a four shelf unit made from four separate parts with each shelf being a generally bevelled asymmetric tear drop shape, one part is a hanging bracket which has a hook at one end for hooking over the top of a shower screen and at the other end has a triangular cut out that will fit over a shelf on another part, a second part includes a shelf at one end and a triangular cut out at the other end, a third part comprises a shelf at each end and having the same orientation, and a fourth and final part is a mirror image of the second part, being a triangle cut out at one end and a shelf at the other end, this allows for each of the four shelves to hang down with the asymmetric tear shapes being in the same orientation.
10 A unit as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the hanging means part can be attached at either ends of a column of shelves to allow for right-and left-hand shower corners.
A unit as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the shape of the shelves is generally circular in plan, including a generally scalene triangle shape at one side, providing first and second flats, one of the flats being longer than other, the shorter flat joins/forms part of the linear part and the longer side is free, extending along the wall or screen in use, the longer flat extends smoothly from the circle, and the shorter flat extends along a line which starts slightly radially outward of the notional circle.
I 2. A unit as claimed in any preceding claim and being modular, with it being possible to add/remove shelves to increase/decrease capacity/length.
13. A unit as claimed in any preceding claim, comprising a back strip.
14. A unit as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the shelf is formed separately from and is attached or attachable to a linear panel.I S. A shower enclosure provided with one or more units as claimed in any preceding claim.