Baths – closets – sinks – and spittoons – Tubs – With movable closure
Patent
1996-08-15
1998-03-31
Walczak, David J.
Baths, closets, sinks, and spittoons
Tubs
With movable closure
4557, 4607, 4608, 4610, A47K 308
Patent
active
057324190
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to the field of retractable shower screens and in particular shower screens of the type comprising a screen retractably mounted on a roller housed in an elongate casing.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
U.S. Pat. No. 4,122,559 which issued Oct. 31, 1978 to David Kelly for "Shower Screen" describes a shower screen unit having a horizontal roller shaft to which an end region of an elongate sheet of material is attached. The roller shaft is supported in a substantially horizontal position above the edge of a bath, for example, and is rotatable about its' longitudinal axis so that the elongate sheet of material can be rolled up on the roller shaft: when not in use, or unrolled from the roller shaft to close off the shower area. Kelly teaches a further element in combination comprising at least one freely rotatable water-absorbent roller, parallel to the roller shaft, the absorbent roller pressing against the screen material so as to absorb water from the screen material as the screen material is rolled up on the roller shaft. Kelly also discloses that the roller screen operates in an identical manner to a retractable window blind or alternatively that the roller shaft may be connected to an electric motor to roll up or unroll the screen.
Meaden, U.S. Pat. No. 4,916,764, which issued Apr. 17, 1990 for a Bathtub Shower Curtain Assembly, also teaches a retractable shower curtain. Meaden differs from Kelly in that the shower curtain retracts horizontally.
Massey, U.S. Pat. No. 3,965,960, which issued Jun. 29, 1976, for a Retractable Shower Shade with Adjustable Extensibility, discloses a shower roller-blind shade which retracts onto and depends from a roller for adjustably limited extension. The mountings for the roller are combined with a housing which carries a wiper for stripping water from the inside wetted surface of the shade when the shade is extended or retracted. Opposed end plates act as anchors to anchor the housing and roller to a shower stall. As the shade is extended, a nut is rotated on an elongate feed screw within the roller. The nut rotates along the feed screw until its travel is ended against a stop at which point the roller can be rotated no further, the extension of the shade being thereby limited. A releasable latch engages the nut once the nut reaches the stop. A pull rod releases the latch to allow the spring biased roller to retract the shade into the housing.
This invention relates to shower screen units of which the Kelly, Meaden and Massey devices are examples. It is an object of this invention to provide an improvement in the means by which the shower screen material, that is, the elongate sheet, may be attached to the roller shaft and the means for controlling the rolling and unrolling of the screen from the roller shaft.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an improved roller shower screen unit in which the shower screen material is guided vertically within wall tracks or rails and the shower curtain material has along its' lower-most edge a seal bar for mating with the edge of a bathtub or shower stall basin, the ends of the seal bar releasably engageable with the base of the wall tracks so as to inhibit the egress of water from the tub or shower stall.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a ratchet mechanism for controlled unrolling of the shower screen from the roller shaft, so as to facilitate locking the shower screen in the unrolled position so that the screen may be removed from the roller shaft for cleaning.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The retractable shower screen of the present invention has a spring-biased roller having first and second ends, the ends of the roller fitting into first and second brackets mounted to opposed walls in a shower stall. The roller ends releasably mate with the first and second brackets. A first sheet of flexible material having first and second longitudinal edges may be provided so that the first longitudinal edge of the first flexible sheet may be releasably attache
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patent: D334682 (1993-04-01), Weeks
patent: 2509398 (1950-05-01), Peremi et al.
patent: 2840827 (1958-07-01), Calvano
patent: 3965960 (1976-06-01), Massey
patent: 4122559 (1978-10-01), Kelly
patent: 4286343 (1981-09-01), Lampka
patent: 4777673 (1988-10-01), Patteson et al.
patent: 4916764 (1990-04-01), Meaden et al.
patent: 5033132 (1991-07-01), Greenblatt
patent: 5231708 (1993-08-01), Hansen
patent: 5332021 (1994-07-01), Todd et al.
patent: 5333664 (1994-08-01), Sirianni et al.
Edwards Antony C.
Voltiguer Holdings Ltd.
Walczak David J.
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