Baths – closets – sinks – and spittoons – Shower – Convenience accessories
Reexamination Certificate
2002-07-22
2003-09-16
Fetsuga, Robert M. (Department: 3751)
Baths, closets, sinks, and spittoons
Shower
Convenience accessories
C004S605000, C004S614000, C049S381000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06618871
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to shower (e.g. shower/tub) enclosure door systems, and in particular to adjustable hinges and accessory mounting systems for use therewith.
Shower/tub enclosures typically have a back wall, end walls, and an opening therebetween. To prevent water from splashing onto the bathroom floor when showering, the opening is ordinarily closed by a curtain or door(s). For some of these systems, two or more doors slide transversely relative to each other (by-pass door systems). See e.g. U.S. Pat. No. 4,887,394. In other systems, one or more doors pivot open via hinges along their side. See e.g. U.S. Pat. No. 5,417,272.
Premade plastic enclosures leave openings of standard dimensions. However, various other enclosures are created using room walls that are tiled or otherwise protected. Such constructions may leave a non-standard size opening, or opening with sides that are not precisely parallel to each other, or are out-of-plumb.
Some shower door systems have been developed that allow the doors to be mounted in shower enclosure openings within a range of dimensions. See e.g. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,286,343; 5,033,132 and 5,822,810. However, the systems described in these patents are most suitable for use with collapsible screens or curtains, rather than rigid door panels (either pivoting or by-pass).
U.S. Pat. No. 4,035,957 provides a shower door system with a frame that can be adjusted to support a pivoting door panel. The upper and lower cross-members have telescoping profiles that can be moved relative to each other as needed to vary the overlap between a fixed panel and the pivoting door panel. However, this system requires a relatively heavy frame.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,063,638 discloses a hinge assembly for pivotable shower door panels, providing out-of-plumb adjustment for the door panel. This assembly is rather complex, and requires the hinge to be fastened directly to the enclosure wall once in the desired position.
Another problem with door systems for shower enclosures arises with partially tiled enclosure walls or one-piece tub and shower surround units having walls that do not extend the full height of the enclosure. When the upright wall jambs of conventional shower door systems are mounted flush against such tile or surround unit walls, the upper end will extend beyond the top of the tile or surround unit. This creates an unsightly gap. In such cases, the gap has to be filled in some way, such as by building out the wall or bending the jamb.
In conventional bathrooms, robe hooks are typically mounted on the bathroom wall, thus disturbing the wall, and making repainting or changing of wall papering more difficult. Razors that are used in a shower also require a suitable place for their storage. Currently, they are either stored in a drawer or closet between uses (relatively inconvenient locations), or they are hooked on relatively unstable “shower caddies” that are hung from the shower outlet pipe. Thus, an improved shower door system, and an accessory mounting system for used therewith, is needed.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In one aspect the invention provides a shower door assembly. There is a pivotable door panel, a side enclosure panel, an upper connector hinge element, a lower connector hinge element, an upper transversely movable hinge element, and a lower transversely movable hinge element. Two of the hinge elements are mounted to the pivotable door panel, and the other two of the hinge elements are mounted to the side enclosure panel. One of the upper hinge elements is on an upper portion of one panel, the other of the upper hinge elements is on an upper portion of the other panel, and the upper hinge elements are pivotably connected to each other. Similarly, one of the lower hinge elements is on a lower portion of one panel, the other of the lower hinge elements is on a lower portion of the other panel, and the lower hinge elements are pivotably connected to each other. The shower door panel is pivotably mounted relative to the side enclosure panel so it can pivot about an essentially vertical axis relative to the side panel.
In the most preferred form, the connector hinge elements are both on the side enclosure panel and the transversely movable hinge elements are both on the shower door panel. Adjustment of the transversely movable hinge element can correct for out of plumb conditions, or variances in the size of the enclosure.
In another preferred form at least one of the transversely moveable hinge elements is in the form of a sub-assembly of a T-nut, a backing plate, and a hinge body having a pivot pin receiver and a T-cross section slot closed at one end and open at an opposite end. There can also be a cover for concealing the backing plate, and a pair of pivot pins, one of the pivot pins cooperating with the upper hinge elements, and the other of the pivot pins cooperating with the lower hinge elements. Each of the hinge elements has recesses for receiving a pivot pin.
Both of the connector hinge elements can have a vertically extending pocket for receiving an edge of the side enclosure panel. Also, preferably, the side enclosure panel and door panel at least partially overlap.
The assembly can also have an upright wall jamb mountable to a wall of a shower enclosure. The wall jamb extends to a height less than the side enclosure panel, and preferably has at least one accessory mounted adjacent an upper end of the wall jamb on the wall jamb. The accessory has an end matable with an inner profile of the wall jamb. In an especially preferred form the accessory has a robe hook extending in a first direction relative to the wall jamb, and a razor holder extending in an essentially opposed direction relative to the wall jamb.
In yet another form, the wall jamb has an upright track and the side enclosure panel has an opening in which is disposed a jamb pin slidably engaging the track.
The invention can also be viewed as providing a wall jamb for a shower door assembly. The jamb has a vertically extending main body region having an upper end, a hook mounted to the jamb adjacent its upper end so as to extend in a first direction, and a holder mounted to the jamb adjacent its upper end so as to extend in a second direction essentially opposite the first direction. The hook and holder are thus mounted in a compact back-to-back relationship to each other on the wall jamb, without the need to mount anything relating to the accessory to the shower outlet or bathroom walls outside the enclosure area.
The present invention thus provides a shower door assembly that can be mounted in enclosure openings of various widths (by modifying the amount of panel overlap). In this regard, the hinge assemblies allow for adjustment of the door panel with respect to the side panel throughout the adjustment range defined by the length of the slots in the hinge bodies and backing plates.
Another advantage of the invention is that it provides a shower door assembly that can be adjusted to correct for out-of-plumb installations. The hinge assemblies are independently adjustable.
Another advantage of the invention is to provide a shower door assembly that can be installed in enclosures with partially tiled walls or one-piece shower/tub surround modules which are shorter than the full height of the enclosure opening. The wall jamb is shorter than the panels and conventional surround units, and thus can be fastened directly to the tile or shorter surround units without creating a gap, or requiring bending of the jamb.
Still another advantage of the present invention is to provide a unique location for mounting accessories, particularly multiple accessories.
The assembly is also easy to install quickly. The door assembly can be mounted by fastening the upright wall jamb to an enclosure wall and sliding the jamb pin into the track. No tools are necessary to mount the side panel.
These and other advantages of the invention will be apparent from the detailed description and drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2698677 (1955-01-01), Tadd
patent: 2923036 (1960-02-
Genslak Kristina J.
Kobilic Michael A.
Kopacz Thomas H.
Fetsuga Robert M.
Kohler Co.
Quarles & Brady LLP
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