US20110072578A1

US20110072578A1 - Rod Structure for Shower Curtain

Info

Publication number: US20110072578A1
Application number: US12/568,973
Authority: US
Inventors: Teh-Ching Chiao
Original assignee: NATIONAL CRAFT INDUSTRIES Inc
Current assignee: NATIONAL CRAFT INDUSTRIES Inc
Priority date: 2009-09-29
Filing date: 2009-09-29
Publication date: 2011-03-31

Abstract

A rod structure for shower curtain is suspended to a ceiling by using ceiling supports and comprises a plurality of roller ball curtain rings to slide freely thereon so as to hang a shower curtain by using bores on a top end of the shower curtain. Each ceiling support comprises of a coupling member, a post, and a fixing mount. Each roller ball curtain ring is twisted from an elongated strap and including a fitting segment and a fastening portion. The fitting segment includes a plurality of balls attached thereon, characterized in that: the coupling member includes a C-shaped piece, a receiving seat extending upward from one end thereof, and a semicircular holder disposed on another end thereof, and the roller ball curtain ring including an opening to keep away from the C-shape piece of the coupling member.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a shower equipment, and more particularly to a rod structure for shower curtain that can be slid by moving its hooks freely along the rod. The shower curtain is a single piece which can be slid open or slid close. Thereby, it reduces the installation cost and enhances an easy operation.
2. Description of the Prior Art
To prevent the ground of bath room from getting wet during taking a shower, a shower curtain is suspended along a shower area to prevent water from spraying on the ground, keeping bath room dry and clean.
As shown in FIG. 1, a conventional rod structure for shower curtain is a rod 10 which is formed in a round, or rectangle shape, or other shape. One end of the rod is connected with a riser tube 201 of a shower hose 20, the other three sides thereof are suspended to a ceiling by using a ceiling support 30 respectively, the rod 10 includes a plurality of annular hooks 40 to hang a number of bores on a top end of the shower curtain so that as pulling the shower curtain, the hooks 40 slide along the rod 10.
Also, the rod 10 is formed in a circular, oval, trapezoid, rectangular, L-shape, towel rack shape, or other shapes and is suspended to the ceiling by using the ceiling support 30.
However, such hooks 40 can not slide freely along the rod 10 because they are limited by the riser tube 201 of the showering equipment and by the ceiling supports 30, thereby having an inconvenient operation. Besides, to pull the shower curtain completely along the rod 10, it needs at least two shower curtains to be installed to the rod, increasing installation cost.
The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the afore-described disadvantages.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a rod structure for shower curtain that can slide the hooks freely on the rod, and the shower curtain is a single piece which can be slid open and close, thereby lowering installation cost and enhancing an easy operation.
A rod for shower curtain in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, is formed in a closed rectangular shape with rounded corners or formed in other shapes, and one side thereof includes a connector to connect or not to connect with a riser tube of a showering equipment, the other three sides thereof are suspended to the ceiling by using three ceiling supports respectively, the rod also includes a plurality of roller ball curtain rings to slide freely thereon, and each ceiling support is comprised of a coupling member, a post, and a fixing mount. The coupling member includes a C-shaped piece, a receiving seat extending upward from one end thereof, and a semicircular holder disposed on another end thereof and having an opening facing upward, and an arcuate length of the semicircular holder is more than a semicircle, the semicircular holder includes a screw hole disposed on the middle section thereof to drive a screw, such that the semicircular holder is fitted and locked to the rod by using this screw. One end of the post is inserted to the receiving seat of the coupling member so as to be fixed by a bolt, or a pin, or a screw; another end thereof is inserted to a fitting pipe of the fixing mount to be fixed to the ceiling. Each roller ball curtain ring is twisted from an elongate strap and includes a fitting segment and a fastening portion, the fitting segment includes a number of balls attached thereon, an opening mounted on a connection of the fastening portion and the fitting segment, and two semicircular flat members to prevent the balls from rolling downward, such that the roller ball curtain ring is fitted to the rod to slide the hooks freely.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the exploded components of a conventional rod structure for shower curtain;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the operation of a rod structure of shower curtain according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the exploded components of the rod structure for the shower curtain according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the assembly of the rod structure for shower curtain according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view showing the assembly of the rod structure for the shower curtain according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing the roller ball curtain ring sliding across the coupling member.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The present invention will be clearer from the following description when viewed together with the accompanying drawings, which show, for purpose of illustrations only, the preferred embodiment in accordance with the present invention.
Referring to FIGS. 2-5, a rod 1, for shower curtain in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, is formed in a closed rounded rectangular shape or other shapes. One side thereof includes a connector 11 to connect or not to connect with a riser tube 21 of a showering equipment 2, the other three sides thereof are suspended to a ceiling by using three ceiling supports 3 respectively. The rod 1 also includes a plurality of roller ball curtain rings 4 to slide freely thereon, and each ceiling support 3 is comprised of a coupling member 31 and a ceiling post 32, and a fixing mount (not shown). The coupling member 31 includes a C-shaped piece 311, a receiving seat 312 extends upward from one end thereof, and a semicircular holder 313 disposed on another end thereof and having a mouth facing upward, and an arcuate length of the semicircular holder 313 is more then a semicircle, the semicircular holder 313 includes a screw hole 3131 disposed on a middle section thereof to drive a screw 3132, such that the semicircular holder 313 is fitted and locked to the rod 1 by driving the screw 3132. One end of the ceiling post 32 is inserted to the receiving seat 312 of the coupling member 31 so as to be fixed by a bolt, or by a pin, or by a screw; another end of post thereof (not shown) is to be fixed to the ceiling. Each roller ball curtain ring 4 is twisted from an elongate strap and includes a big hook segment 41 and a small hook portion42, the big hook segment 41 includes a number of balls 43 installed thereon, an opening 411 on one side of the top of the small hook portion 42 and under the big hook segment 41, and two semicircular flat members to prevent the balls 43 from rolling downward, such that the big hook segment 41 is fitted to the rod 1 to slide the roller ball curtain rings 4 freely.
In operation, the small hook portions 42 of the roller ball curtain rings 4 are used to hang the shower curtain 5 by using bores on a top end of the shower curtain 5 so that when pulling the shower curtain 5, the roller ball curtain rings 4 slide on the rod 1, and as the roller ball curtain rings 4 slide to the coupling member 31 of the ceiling support 3, as shown in FIG. 6, the opening 411 of the big hook segment 41 keeps away from the C-shaped piece 311 of the coupling member 31 to slide across the coupling member 31, hence the roller ball curtain rings 4 slide freely on the rod 1 without being stopped by the ceiling supports 3 when pulling the shower curtain 5. Also, the rod 1 is formed in a circular, oval, trapezoid, rectangular, L-shape, towel rack shape, or other shape and is suspended and fixed to the ceiling by using the ceiling supports 3.
The coupling member 31 is comprised of an one-piece element or a plurality of assembled parts.
From above description, the coupling member 31 includes the C-shaped piece 311, the receiving seat 312, and the semicircular holder 313, and the roller ball curtain ring 4 includes the big hook segment 41 having the opening 411 so as to keep away from the C-shape piece 311 of the coupling member 31 to slide the roller ball curtain rings 4 on the rod 1 freely. It is to be noted that the shower curtain 5 is a single piece to be opened and closed, thereby lowering installation cost and enhancing easy operation.
While we have shown and described various embodiments in accordance with the present invention, it is clear to those skilled in the art that further embodiments may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A rod structure for shower curtain being suspended to a ceiling by using ceiling supports and comprises a plurality of roller ball curtain rings to slide freely; thereon so as to hang a shower curtain by using bores on a top end of the shower curtain; each ceiling support comprises of a coupling member, a post, and a fixing mount; each roller ball curtain ring is twisted from an elongated strap including a fitting segment and a fastening portion; the roller ball curtain ring segment includes a plurality of balls attached thereon, characterized in that:

the coupling member includes a C-shaped piece, a receiving seat extends upward from one end thereof, and a holder disposed on another end thereof, and the roller ball curtain ring including an opening to keep away from the C-shape piece of the coupling member when sliding.

2. The rod structure for the shower curtain as claimed in claim 1, wherein the holder of the coupling member is formed in a semicircle shape.

3. The rod structure for the shower curtain as claimed in claim 1, wherein the holder of the coupling member includes a screw hole disposed on a middle section thereof to drive a screw, such that the holder is fitted and locked to the rod by using a screw.

4. The rod structure for the shower curtain as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fitting segment includes an opening mounted on a connection of the fastening portion and the fitting segment.