US20080047058A1

US20080047058A1 - Shower insert skylight

Info

Publication number: US20080047058A1
Application number: US11/510,187
Authority: US
Inventors: Alex Manzhura; Vitality Serebryanskiy
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2006-08-24
Filing date: 2006-08-24
Publication date: 2008-02-28

Abstract

A showerhead skylight insert includes a dome cover having a front face and a back face and a shelf attached to said cover and perpendicular to the back face. A showerhead skylight insert includes a dome cover having a front face and a back face, a shelf attached to said cover and perpendicular to said back face, a showerhead opening in said front face of said dome cover, a cabinet face attached to said shelf and said cover, perpendicular to said shelf and parallel to said back face, at least one cabinet door movably attached to said cabinet face, having at least one cabinet door hinge, and a cabinet door handle, a front side flange attached to said cover, planar to said front face of said dome cover, having a shower curtain rod opening, and a back side flange attached to said cover, planar to said back face of said dome cover, having a shower curtain rod opening.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to shower and bath stall covers. More particularly, the present invention relates to shower and bath stall covers that provide secure storage space for bath products.

BACKGROUND

Shower stalls and combination bath/shower stalls are three-sided enclosures with either a fourth side that opens or a removable shower curtain. The shower/bath stalls may have small, low ledges upon which bath and hygiene products can be placed. These stalls are placed in the bathroom for bathing but do not provide safe, dry storage for bath and hygiene products, are nearly all open at the top, and have large gaps between the open fourth side or the removable curtain.
Shower and bath stalls lack adequate storage space for bathroom and hygiene products. The shower and bath stalls that do in fact provide storage for bathroom and hygiene products are typically small, low ledges, causing the products to easily fall and to be accessed by children and pets. Many bathroom and hygiene products are poisonous to children and pets, and many others, such as shaving razors, are dangerous to any bather. These items often must be stored outside the shower and bath stall in an elevated cabinet and then transported back and forth from the stall to the cabinet for each use. If left out in the bath or shower stall, the items may fall, causing even an adult bather injury, or may be ingested or picked up by children and pets. Moreover, items stored on ledges may become wet, increasing their likelihood of falling. The water may have other detrimental effects upon bathroom and hygiene products such as disintegrating bars of soap and rusting metal containers. Additionally, the ledges are often too small to store a large number of bathroom and hygiene products at once or products in bulky or sizeable bottles or containers. Thus, there is a need for a shower and bath stall elevated cabinet that can store poisonous and dangerous bath and hygiene items out of the reach of children and pets, store such items securely to avoid falls, store such items to avoid water, store a large number of such items, and store such items that come in bulky or sizeable bottles or containers.
Additionally, nearly all shower/bath stalls that provide a top cover for the stall lack a showerhead opening. Consequently, such top covers must be placed on top of the bath/shower stall walls and the showerhead must come through an opening in these stall walls. If the showerhead is above the bath/shower walls, then these top covers can not function.
Furthermore, shower/bath stalls with a top cover lack space to hang a shower curtain rod. Thus, users must hang shower curtain rods from the bathroom walls, requiring an unstable spring/tension shower curtain rod, or nails or screws to secure the shower curtain rod to the bathroom walls.
A number of devices have provided a cover-like device for a bath/shower stall, but lack a secured, dry storage space for dangerous, numerous or bulky bathroom and hygiene products, a showerhead opening, or space and equipment to easily hang a secured shower curtain rod. Presently known art attempts to address these problems, but has not completely solved the problems. The following represents a list of known related art:


Reference:	Issued to:	Date of Issue:

U.S. Patent Application	Sisk	Publication Date:
Publication 2005/0210577		Sep. 29, 2005
U.S. Pat. No. 6,038,716	Burnham	Mar. 21, 2000
U.S. Pat. No. 5,142,713	Makool	Sep. 1, 1992
U.S. Pat. No. 4,365,368	Boggs	Dec. 28, 1982
U.S. Pat. No. 1,639,705	Schmiedeknecht	Aug. 23, 1927
U.S. Pat. No. 5,473,843	LaRoche	Dec. 12, 1995
U.S. Pat. No. 5,070,550	Reeves	Dec. 10, 1991
U.S. Pat. No. 4,578,832	Primucci	Apr. 1, 1986
U.S. Pat. No. 4,553,726	Paradis	Nov. 19, 1985
U.S. Pat. No. 4,267,609	Altman	May 19, 1981
U.S. Pat. No. 4,067,071	Altman	Jan. 10, 1978
U.S. Pat. No. 3,149,347	Embroden	Sep. 22, 1964
U.S. Design Patent 225,995	Alexander	Jan. 16, 1973

The teachings of each of the above-listed citations (which does not itself incorporate essential material by reference) are herein incorporated by reference. None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singularly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed.
Patent Application Publication No. 2005/0210577, to Sisk, teaches a modular tub with three sections, including a canopy section. The canopy section can be joined by two retainer assemblies forming a watertight seal.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,038,716, to Burnham, teaches a condensation trap above a bath/shower stall with a generally convex shape and openings to trap water vapor between its inner and outer walls and openings to release trapped and subsequently condensed vapor back into the shower. The invention utilizes hollow walls to trap vapor between the walls.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,142,713, to Makool, teaches a spray mist nozzle and a separate dome for the purpose of converting a traditional bath/shower into a steam shower. This invention utilizes a dome which may have a cross-sectional interior configuration, thereby concentrating the water vapor in a smaller area. The dome is attached to the top of the shower/bath stall via a variety of methods including tapered molding, silicone beading, releasable securing mechanisms, or any combination thereof, confining the water vapor to the stall. The dome of this invention sits on top of the bath/shower stall and is used in conjunction with the spray mist nozzle.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,365,368, to Boggs, teaches a shower/bath stall enclosure with a domed hood which can telescope in order to adjust to different shower/bath stall sizes. This invention utilizes a semi-circle shape to form the domed hood and sits on top of the shower/bath stall.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,639,705, to Schmiedeknecht, teaches a modular shower unit with a cap, which may include an opening for water pipes or the showerhead. This invention's cap is substantially open on at least one side, allowing vapor to escape if the door or shower curtain is not the full length of the stall and cap opening.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,473,843, to La Roche, teaches a modular tub/shower unit with three sections, including a top wall, with two recessed bands which join the sections. The recessed bands are covered with an adhesive tape to prevent the escape of water from the structure.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,070,550, to Reeves, teaches a top enclosure for a bath/shower stall, having three parallel bars running the length of the stall, the center bar set highest so that when a flexible material is placed on top of the three bars, the center is raised and the sides slope downward. The top enclosure serves as a heat/humidity barrier.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,578,832, to Primucci, teaches a modular plastic shower enclosure with three parts, including a top wall. Bands extend to cover the joints between the three pieces once assembled.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,553,726 to Paradis teaches a modular shower/tub with three parts, including a top section. Interior screws are used to tighten fastening clamps located on the modular shower/tub exterior, thus joining the three parts. The screws are removed once an adhesive is set and the resulting seam is filled with a waterproof sealant.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,267,609, to Altman, teaches a gasket assembly with a system of channels to drain condensed vapor or leaks in a shower/tub stall. A dome is included on top of the shower/bath stall which directs condensed vapor into the channels.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,067,071 to Altman teaches a shower/bath stall replacement liner for renovating an existing shower/bath stall. The replacement wall liner may be topped with a dome to match the primary replacement liner and the replacement wall liner.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,149,347, to Embroden, teaches a prefabricated bath/shower enclosure with three parts, including a top part, which is generally dome-shaped.
U.S. Design Patent 225,995, to Alexander, depicts a three-sided combination bath and shower stall with a convex top.
Still other features would be desirable in a bath/shower stall cover; for example, secured dry storage space for bath products, a showerhead opening, and space and equipment to easily hang a secured shower curtain rod, useable in bath/shower stalls with a showerhead above the stall walls, ease of entire shower insert skylight installation, permits light to shine on bathing area of stall, and can be installed and purchased separately from bath/shower stall.

SUMMARY AND ADVANTAGES

A showerhead skylight insert is presented and includes a dome cover having a front face and a back face and a shelf attached to said cover perpendicular to the back face. A showerhead skylight insert includes a dome cover having a front face and a back face, a shelf attached to said cover perpendicular to said back face, a showerhead opening in said front face of said dome cover, a cabinet face attached to said shelf and said cover, perpendicular to said shelf and parallel to said back face, at least one cabinet door movably attached to said cabinet face, having at least one cabinet door hinge, and a cabinet door handle, a front side flange attached to said cover, planar to said front face of said dome cover, having a shower curtain rod opening, and a back side flange attached to said cover, planar to said back face of said dome cover, having a shower curtain rod opening.
The shower insert skylight of the present invention presents numerous advantages, including: (1) secured dry storage space for bath products; (2) storage of numerous bathroom and hygiene products; (3) storage of bulky or sizeable bathroom and hygiene products; (4) dry storage of bathroom and hygiene products; (5) a showerhead opening; (6) space and equipment to easily hang a secured shower curtain rod; (7) use in bath/shower stalls with a showerhead above the stall walls; (8) ease of entire shower insert skylight installation; (9) ease of shower curtain rod installation; (10) permits light to shine on bathing area of stall; and (11) and can be installed and purchased separately from bath/shower stall, to name a few.
Additional advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The advantages of the invention may be realized and attained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims. Further benefits and advantages of the embodiments of the invention will become apparent from consideration of the following detailed description given with reference to the accompanying drawings, which specify and show preferred embodiments of the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated into and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate one or more embodiments of the present invention and, together with the detailed description, serve to explain the principles and implementations of the invention.

FIG. 1 shows a side view of an embodiment of a shower skylight insert in use.

FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of an embodiment of a shower skylight insert.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Before beginning a detailed description of the subject invention, mention of the following is in order. When appropriate, like reference materials and characters are used to designate identical, corresponding, or similar components in differing figure drawings. The figure drawings associated with this disclosure typically are not drawn with dimensional accuracy to scale, i.e., such drawings have been drafted with a focus on clarity of viewing and understanding rather than dimensional accuracy.
In the interest of clarity, not all of the routine features of the implementations described herein are shown and described. It will, of course, be appreciated that in the development of any such actual implementation, numerous implementation-specific decisions must be made in order to achieve the developer's specific goals, such as compliance with application- and business-related constraints, and that these specific goals will vary from one implementation to another and from one developer to another. Moreover, it will be appreciated that such a development effort might be complex and time-consuming, but would nevertheless be a routine undertaking of engineering for those of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of this disclosure.
A showerhead skylight insert 10 includes a dome cover 12 having a front face 14 and a back face 16 and a shelf 28 attached to said cover 12 and perpendicular to the back face 16. In another embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 1-2, a showerhead skylight insert 10 includes a dome cover 12 having a front face 14 and a back face 16, a shelf 28 attached to said cover 12 and perpendicular to said back face 16, a showerhead opening 18 in said front face 14 of said dome cover 12, a cabinet face 30 attached to said shelf 28 and said cover 12 and perpendicular to said shelf 28 and parallel to said back face 16, at least one cabinet door 32 movably attached to said cabinet face 30, having at least one cabinet door hinge 34 and a cabinet door handle 36, a front side flange 20 attached to said cover 12 and planar to said front face 14 of said dome cover 12, having a shower curtain rod opening 22, and a back side flange 24 attached to said cover 12 and planar to said back face 16 of said dome cover 12, having a shower curtain rod opening 26.
In alternate embodiments, a showerhead skylight insert 10 can further comprise any one or combination of the following: a showerhead opening 18, located in the front face 14 of the dome cover 12; a front side flange 20, planar to the front face 14 of the dome cover 12, with a shower curtain rod opening 22 and a back side flange 24, planar to the back face 16 of the dome cover 12, with a shower curtain rod opening 26; a front cabinet face 30 perpendicular to the shelf 28 and parallel to the back face 16; at least one cabinet door 32; each cabinet door 32 may have at least one cabinet door hinge 34 and a cabinet door handle 36.
The dome cover 12 is preferably made of a lightweight plastic to allow for ease of installation. Additionally, the dome cover 12 is preferably transparent to allow for light to shine down on the bath/shower stall B bathing area.
Numerous methods are known to those skilled in the art for attaching the showerhead skylight insert 10 to the bathroom walls or the walls of the bath/shower stall B, including adhesives, screws, nails, channels, hooks, joints and pins. Preferably, the showerhead skylight insert 10 is secure when in place because, preferably, the showerhead skylight insert 10 fits over the showerhead S, the dome cover 12 sides are thick, the showerhead skylight insert 10 is of similar proportions to the bath/shower stall B, and the front and back side flanges 20, 24 and the corresponding shower curtain rod R, when present, stabilize the dome cover 12 against the bathroom walls or the bath/shower stall B walls, as shown in FIG. 1. Consequently, the showerhead skylight insert 10 is secured by the showerhead S, the thick dome cover 12 sides may rest on top of the bath/shower stall B walls, the showerhead skylight insert 10 fits snugly against the bathroom walls or the bath/shower stall B walls, and the front and back side flanges 20, 24, along with the curtain rod R, secure the showerhead skylight insert 10.
The shelf 28 is preferably a flat surface the width of the dome cover 12 and rigid enough to support a large number of bathroom and hygiene products. The user can securely place numerous bathroom and hygiene products, such as soap, shampoo, conditioner, razors, shaving cream, lotion and other similar items upon the shelf 28. The shelf 28 can hold several bathroom and hygiene products at once and, because of its large flat surface, the products are secure from falling. The shelf 28 is also high enough to be out of the reach of young children and pets. Furthermore, the shelf 28 preferably has a front cabinet face 30 with a front cabinet door 32 having a cabinet door hinge 34 and a cabinet door handle 36, thereby storing bathroom and hygiene products even more securely out of the reach of children and pets, decreasing the products' likelihood of getting wet, decreasing the products' likelihood of falling and keeping the products out of sight.
The showerhead opening 18 is large enough to allow the showerhead pipe to slide through, as shown in FIG. 1, in order to secure the showerhead skylight insert 10 in place and permit use of the showerhead skylight insert 10 when the showerhead is located high on the bathroom or bath/shower stall B wall. The user can then connect a larger showerhead S to the portion of the showerhead pipe extending through the showerhead skylight insert 10.
The front cabinet face 30 is preferably of similar dimensions as the width and radius of the dome cover 12, such that the front cabinet face 30 encloses an entire section of the space inside the dome cover 12 extending from the back face 16 towards the front face 14.
The cabinet door 32 is preferably planar to the cabinet face 30, taking up a substantial portion of the cabinet face 30 to ease access to bathroom and hygiene products stored within the enclosed space. In the preferred embodiment, the shelf 28, cabinet face 30 and cabinet door 32 are opaque to hide the contents enclosed therein. Preferably, the cabinet door 32 is fixed to the cabinet face 30 by two hinges 34, as shown in FIG. 2. When the showerhead skylight insert 10 comprises two cabinet doors 32, each cabinet door 32 preferably has its own handle 36.
Numerous methods are known to those skilled in the art for attaching cabinet doors 32, including channels that permit sliding doors in which a hinge would not be necessary. Furthermore, numerous mechanisms of opening cabinet doors 32 are known to those skilled in the art, other than handles 36, including knobs, recesses, apertures, ridges, strings/pulls, magnets, springs, and hooks.
Those of skill in the art understand that the standard American combination bath/shower stall B is 60 in.×32 in.×20 in. (152.4 cm×81.28 cm×50.8 cm) and the showerhead skylight insert 10 preferably matches those dimensions. However, bath/shower stalls B can be different sizes to fit different spaces as well as to suit the user. As a result, the showerhead skylight insert 10 can be of various dimensions to fit a range of bath/shower stalls B.
In operation in one embodiment, the showerhead skylight insert 10 is secured on three sides to the front, back, and a side wall of either the shower/bath stall B or to the bathroom walls at a point above the shower/bath stall B walls. The arch of the dome cover 12 is high enough from the bottom of the shower/bath stall B to allow a user to stand upright. The showerhead S can be fitted through a showerhead opening 18. Thus, when the showerhead skylight insert 10 is in place, the user enters the shower/bath stall B, turns on the water; heat vapor rises to the dome cover 12 but remains within the shower/bath stall B, warming and humidifying the bathing area; the dome cover 12 also permits light from above to reach the bathing area. The user turns off the water when finished bathing and can either exit the bath/shower stall B or remain within the shower/bath stall B to enjoy the trapped steam.
In operation in an alternate embodiment, the showerhead skylight insert 10 also has front and back side flanges 20, 24, each with a shower curtain rod opening 22, 26 in which the user can place a shower curtain rod R. The ends of the curtain rod R are secured in the shower curtain rod openings 22, 26, as shown in FIGS. 1-2. The user can then hang a shower curtain on the shower curtain rod R to prevent water splashing outside the shower/bath stall B and for privacy. The user pulls the shower curtain back, steps into the bath/shower stall B, pulls the curtain across the open side of the bath/shower stall B, and turns on the water. The heat vapor from the water will rise but will remain in the bathing area covered by the dome cover 12, causing the temperature within the stall B to rise and stay warm, even after the water is turned off. The dome cover 12 keeps the steam from leaving the shower/bath stall B, creating a steam bath or a steam room type atmosphere within the stall B.
In operation in another embodiment, the user need only open the cabinet door 32, reach in and take out the necessary bathroom or hygiene product and replace it when finished. A handle 36 may be provided on the cabinet door 32 to aid the user in pulling the cabinet door 32 away from the cabinet face 30. The cabinet door 32 can then be closed, with the assistance of a handle 36 if present, thus securing the contents from children and pets, securing the contents from falling, and keeping them dry from water spray.
Those skilled in the art will recognize that numerous modifications and changes may be made to the preferred embodiment without departing from the scope of the claimed invention. It will, of course, be understood that modifications of the invention, in its various aspects, will be apparent to those skilled in the art, some being apparent only after study, others being matters of routine mechanical, chemical and electronic design. No single feature, function or property of the preferred embodiment is essential. Other embodiments are possible, their specific designs depending upon the particular application. As such, the scope of the invention should not be limited by the particular embodiments herein described but should be defined only by the appended claims and equivalents thereof.

Claims

1. A showerhead skylight insert, comprising:

a dome cover having a front face and a back face; and

a shelf attached to said cover and perpendicular to said back face.

2. The showerhead skylight insert of claim 1, further comprising:

a showerhead opening in said front face of said dome cover.

3. The showerhead skylight insert of claim 1, further comprising:

a cabinet face attached to said cover and said shelf, perpendicular to said shelf and parallel to said back face;

at least one cabinet door planar to said cabinet face, having at least one cabinet door hinge, connecting said cabinet door to said cabinet face; and

4. a cabinet door handle on said door.

5. The showerhead skylight of claim 2, further comprising:

a cabinet door handle on said door.

6. The showerhead skylight insert of claim 1, further comprising:

a front side flange connected to said cover, planar to said front face of said cover, having a shower curtain rod opening; and

a back side flange connected to said cover, planar to said back face of said dome cover, having a shower curtain rod opening.

7. The showerhead skylight insert of claim 2, further comprising:

8. A showerhead skylight insert, comprising:

a dome cover having a front face and a back face;

a shelf attached to said cover and perpendicular to said back face;

a showerhead opening in said front face of said dome cover;

a cabinet face attached to said shelf and said cover, perpendicular to said shelf and parallel to said back face;

at least one cabinet door movably attached to said cabinet face, having at least one cabinet door hinge, and a cabinet door handle;

a front side flange attached to said cover, planar to said front face of said dome cover, having a shower curtain rod opening; and

a back side flange attached to said cover, planar to said back face of said dome cover, having a shower curtain rod opening.