Baths – closets – sinks – and spittoons – Tubs – With movable closure
Reexamination Certificate
2002-07-25
2004-04-06
Phillips, Charles E. (Department: 3751)
Baths, closets, sinks, and spittoons
Tubs
With movable closure
Reexamination Certificate
active
06715163
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a new type of shower curtain rod that is designed to prevent water from splashing out of the shower area and onto the wall and floor of the bathroom adjacent the shower where the constant wetting can cause damage to the wall and floor. More specifically, the present invention is a shower curtain rod that employs a u-shaped bar that follows the contours of the shower area and with which standard ring type clamps can be used to movably secure a shower curtain to the rod. The u-shape of the bar allows the side edges of the shower curtain to curve around the opposing sides of the bath enclosure so that the side edges of the shower curtain are adjacent the opposing sides of the bath enclosure and the full width of the curtain hangs straight downward within a bath tub provided in the shower area, thus providing an effective barrier to prevent water from exiting the shower area around the side edges or at the bottom of the shower curtain.
2. Description of the Related Art
One problem with having a shower in combination with a bathtub is that the shower curtain rods traditionally used are straight and are secured to opposite side walls of the shower enclosure. Because the traditional shower curtain rods are straight, the shower curtain that hangs on the rod can not be pulled around to overlap the side walls and therefore water can easily be splashed between the side edges of the curtain and the opposing side walls of the shower enclosure and onto the wall of the bathroom adjacent the shower area. Repeated wetting of the wall of the bathroom will result in damage to the wall, and water will run onto the floor from the wall, resulting in damage to the floor, also.
Also, because the user often attempts to pull the side edges of the shower curtain around to overlap the side walls, this makes the shower curtain hang sideways at the side edges and the bottom of the shower curtain is often pulled up so that the bottom of the shower curtain drapes outside the bath tub. This results in water running down the shower curtain onto the floor of the bathroom adjacent the bath tub. Repeated wetting of the floor of the bathroom will result in damage to the floor.
The present invention addresses this problem by providing a shower curtain rod that employs a unshaped bar that follows the contours of the shower area. The rod of the present invention is continuous so that standard ring type clamps can be used to movably secure a shower curtain to the rod. Because the rod is continuous, the side edges of the shower curtain are free to follow the u-shape of the bar as they are pulled by the user to close the shower curtain. Flexible ears are provided on each end of the u-shaped bar as a means to hold the side edges of the shower curtain shut once the shower curtain has been pulled shut by the user, i.e. pulled so that the opposite side edges of the shower curtain curve around the opposing sides of the bath enclosure so that the side edges of the shower curtain are adjacent the opposing sides of the bath enclosure and the full width of the curtain hangs straight downward within the bath tub provided in the shower area. With the curtain shut in this manner, it provides an effective barrier to prevent water from exiting the shower area around the side edges or at the bottom of the shower curtain.
The present invention allows the shower curtain to be opened from either side edge of the curtain by pulling the ring type clamp on one side edge of the curtain past the flexible ear provided on the u-shaped rod to release the clamp from the ear. The shower curtain is then pulled to the opposite side wall of the enclosure. This ability to open the shower curtain at either side edge differs from prior art curtain rods that permanently hold one side edge of the shower curtain so that the shower curtain can only be opened at one side edge.
Several embodiments of the present invention are illustrated and described hereafter. Each of these embodiments attaches to the opposing side walls of the shower area in a different way. One embodiment of the invention is provided with adjustable tension feet on one end of the one piece u-shaped bar as a means of expanding the length of the device to secure it between opposing side walls. A second embodiment of the invention is provided with a two piece telescoping u-shaped rod that is provided with brackets from permanently attaching the device to opposing side walls by means of screws or other similar fastenings. Another embodiment of the invention is provided with non-adjustable feet that hold the device via tension between the opposing side walls and the u-shaped rod is adjusted in length by means of either a screw mechanism provided within the rod, or alternately, by a spring mechanism provided within the rod.
Although several embodiments of the present invention are illustrated and described hereafter, the invention is not so limited and other embodiments of the invention could be made with different means of attaching the device to opposing side walls of the shower area.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is a shower curtain rod that employs a u-shaped bar that follows the curvature of a bath tub provided in the shower area. The rod of the present invention is continuous so that standard ring type clamps can be used to movably secure a shower curtain to the rod. Because the rod is continuous, i.e. not attached to a wall or other object along the entire u-shaped portion of the bar, the side edges of the shower curtain are free to follow the u-shape of the bar as they are pulled by the user to close the shower curtain.
Flexible ears are provided on each end of the u-shaped bar as a means to hold the side edges of the shower curtain shut once the shower curtain has been pulled shut by the user, i.e. pulled so that the opposite side edges of the shower curtain curve around the opposing sides of the bath enclosure and so that the side edges of the shower curtain are held adjacent the opposing sides of the bath enclosure. In this closed position, the curtain hangs straight downward within the bath tub provided in the shower area along the entire width of the curtain. With the curtain shut in this manner, it provides an effective barrier to prevent water from exiting the shower area around the side edges of the curtain and at the bottom of the shower curtain.
The present invention allows the shower curtain to be opened from either end of the rod. This is accomplished by simply pulling the curtain so that the ring type clamps on one side edge of the curtain slide past the flexible ear provided on the u-shaped rod on that end of the rod, and then continuing to pull the curtain along the rod to fully open the curtain so that it hangs adjacent the opposite side wall of the enclosure. This ability to open the shower curtain at either side edge differs from prior art curtain rods and attachments that permanently hold one side edge of the shower curtain so that the shower curtain can only be opened at an opposite side edge.
Several embodiments of the present invention are illustrated and described hereafter. Each of these embodiments attaches to the opposing side walls of the shower area in a different way. One embodiment of the invention is provided with adjustable tension feet on one end of a one piece u-shaped bar as a means of expanding the length of the device for the purpose of secure it via tension between opposing side walls.
A second embodiment of the invention is provided with a two piece telescoping u-shaped rod that is provided with brackets on each end of the rod for permanently attaching the device to opposing side walls by means of screws or other similar fastenings.
Two further embodiments of the invention are each provided with non-adjustable feet that hold the device via tension between the opposing side walls. Tension is supplied in each of these two embodiments by a u-shaped rod that is adjustable in length. One of these embodiments employs a u-shaped rod that is adjusted in
McKay Molly D.
Phillips Charles E.
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