Baths – closets – sinks – and spittoons – Tubs – Convenience accessories
Reexamination Certificate
2001-05-31
2002-11-05
Huson, Gregory (Department: 3751)
Baths, closets, sinks, and spittoons
Tubs
Convenience accessories
C004S605000, C004S615000, C004S570000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06473916
ABSTRACT:
The present invention in particular relates to a shower holding device for fixating a showerhead in any given position along the longitudinal axis of a wall slide bar. Especially the invention relates to a shower holding device releasably fixated to a wall slide bar, which shower holding device in released mode allows movement of shower holding device along the wall slide bar.
The state of the art technology is described in German patent application no. DE 28 57 859 disclosing a shower holder for mounting on a wall slide bar. This shower holder is fixated to the wall slide bar through a turn knob cooperating with braking means engaging on to the wall slide bar. Fixation or release of this shower holder generally requires the use of both hands. One hand for releasing the turn knob and one hand for moving the shower holder along the wall slide bar.
Further state of the art technology is described in European patent no. EP 0 607 877 disclosing a slider for a wall bar. This slider includes a sliding element constructed as a sliding ring having a bearing face with ribs running in the longitudinal direction of the bar and limiting the forming of tracks caused by moving the slider along the wall bar.
Further state of the art technology is described in European patent application no. EP 0 731 229 disclosing a shower holder wherein the showerhead is mounted in a conical receiving section of the shower holder. The receiving section of the shower holder includes an axial slit so as to allow for easy positioning of the showerhead in the receiving section and so as to allow for easy removal of the showerhead from the receiving section. Particularly relevant in this context is the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 of the European patent application no EP 0 731 229, showing a shower holder, which is fixated to a wall slide bar and which is released from a particular position by pressing one button in one direction. This embodiment, however, does not provide for single handed operation of the shower holder since movement of the shower holder in a downward direction requires the use of both hands. One hand for pressing the button in the upwardly direction and one hand for pressing the shower holder in the downward direction.
Further state of the art technology is described in British patent no. GB 20 19 176 disclosing a shower holder fixated to a specific location along a wall bar and releasable from the specific location by means of a wing nut. The wing nut simultaneously releases the shower holder for movement along the wall bar and releases the shower holder for angular rotation of the showerhead positioned in the shower holder. Similarly to the shower holders described above this particular shower holder requires two hands for its operation.
Additional state of the art technology is described in European patent no. EP 0 504 749 disclosing a shower holder for a wall-slidebar having particular geometric dimensions ensuring that the shower holder stays in a specific location along the wall-slidebar. Particular relevant in this context is the embodiment shown in FIG. 5 of the European patent EP 0 504 749, showing a shower holder having one pushbutton engaging and disengaging a braking element.
Finally state of the art technology is described in German patent application no. DE 25 35 891 disclosing a shower holder having one button positioned extending perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of a wall bar. The positioning of the button requires that the operator of the shower holder firstly applies a force for pressing be button and secondly applies an additional force for moving of the shower holder along the wall bar.
The above referenced patents and patent applications provide a shower holder having means for fixating the shower holder to a wall bar, which means are operable through the turning of a knob or wing nut, or through pressure applied to one button. The pressure applied by an operator of any of the shower holders according to above reference patents and patent application generally is generally not utilized for moving the shower holder.
An object of the present invention is therefor to provide a shower holding device that ensures fixation of the shower holding device at a specific location on a wall slide bar by utilisation of braking means controllable through co-operating pushbuttons located on opposite sides of the shower holding device. The action or displacement of the pushbuttons is further in a direction parallel to the longitudinal direction of the wall slide bar and thus in the direction of movement along the wall slide bar.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a shower holding device, which locks angular rotation of a showerhead relative to the longitudinal axis of the wall slide bar while braking means are disengaged from the wall slide bar thus allowing for movement of the shower holding device along the wall slide bar.
A particular advantage of the present invention is the fact that the shower holding device according to the present invention allows for single handed operation of the shower holding device since an operator may single handed and in one operation release the braking means of the shower holding device and shift the position of the shower holding device.
The above objects, the above advantage and the above feature together with numerous other objects, advantages and features which will be evident from below detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the present invention is according to a first aspect of the present invention obtained by a shower holding device for fixating a showerhead in a specific position along the longitudinal direction of a wall slide bar, said shower holding device comprising:
(a) a casing defining a top surface and a bottom surface each extending transversely relative to said longitudinal direction of said wall slide bar and having an open ended cylindrical bore extending through said casing from said top surface to said bottom surface for receiving said wall slide bar,
(b) braking means engaging with said wall slide bar thereby fixating said shower holding device at said specific position along said longitudinal direction of said wall slide bar,
(c) a set of parallelly acting pushbuttons independently co-operating with said braking means and each of said set of parallelly acting pushbuttons engaging in a first position said braking means for fixating said shower holding device at said specific position along said longitudinal direction of said wall slide bar and disengaging in a second position said braking means for allowing movement of said shower holding device along said longitudinal direction of said wall slide bar, and
said set of pushbuttons being constituted by a first pushbutton located on said top surface of said casing and a second pushbutton located on said bottom surface of said casing, said first pushbutton being depressible in a first direction substantially parallel to said longitudinal direction of said wall slide bar and toward said bottom surface of said casing for obtaining said second position of said first pushbutton and said second pushbutton being depressible in a second direction substantially parallel to said longitudinal direction of said wall slide bar and toward said top surface of said casing for obtaining said second position of said second pushbutton.
In the preferred embodiment according to the first aspect of the present invention the set of parallely acting pushbuttons enable an operator to simply provide pressure on either the first or second pushbutton, which pressure subsequently may be utilised for the movement of the shower holding device when the braking means have been disengaged. This feature significantly simplifies operation of the shower holding device since the preferred embodiment of the present invention maintains a firm fixation of the shower holding device while the braking means are engaged and provides easy movement of the shower holding device having disengaged braking means accomplished with a single operation
The preferred embodiment according to the first
Huson Gregory
Huynh Khoa D.
Johs. Tandrup Metalvarefabrik ApS
Klein Howard J.
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