Patent Application
20150289724
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a shower stall, and more particularly, a shower stall that is door-less and open yet prevents shower water from exiting therefrom during use.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Numerous innovations for shower enclosure related devices have been provided in the prior art that will be described. Even though these innovations may be suitable for the specific individual purposes to which they address, however, they differ from the present invention.
A FIRST EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 3,418,665, Issued on Dec. 31, 1968, to Long teaches a shower space extending installation including a space-extending generally U-shaped curtain rod including an elongated portion and legs extending substantially at right angles thereto, attachment apparatus carried by each of the legs in proximity to the elongated portion, and friction bumpers mounted at the end of each leg. The space-extending generally U-shaped curtain rod is connectable to a conventional curtain mounting rod by the attachment apparatus so that the ends of the legs abut against the opposite shower stall wall, and the elongated portion projects laterally outwardly of the conventional curtain rod and shower space.
A SECOND EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 6,061,846, Issued on May 16, 2000, to Peterson teaches a bathtub walk-through insert to be positioned and bonded into a cut-out opening in a sidewall of a bathtub. The insert is generally U-shaped, with a web that rests on a bottom of the cut-out opening and legs that fit against the opposite ends of the cut-out opening.
A THIRD EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 6,178,571, Issued on Jan. 30, 2001, to McAllister teaches a barrier-free shower system having a combined configuration of a drain sump, a drain, and a continuously weighted shower curtain. A series of channels is formed into a threshold of a barrier-free shower enclosure. The series of channels trap water within the shower enclosure and channel the water toward the drain sump. Water is directed to the channels from the base of the shower enclosure and from the continuously weighted shower curtain that hangs directly over the threshold. There is no lip or barrier in the base of the shower at the threshold to keep the continuously weighted shower curtain from billowing out as heat escapes the shower enclosure, so a continuous weight is provided near a lower edge of the continuously weighted shower curtain to keep it positioned over the channels in the threshold.
A FOURTH EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 8,069,507, Issued on Dec. 6, 2011, to Didehvar, et al. teaches a shower curtain support system including a first rod having a first arcuate portion and a first end portion, and a second rod having a second arcuate portion and a second end portion. The second arcuate portion is telescopically mounted within the first arcuate portion. A first end support is removably and pivotably mounted to the first end portion, and a second end support is removably and pivotably mounted to the second end portion.
A FIFTH EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 8,341,775, Issued on Jan. 1, 2013, to Didehvar teaches an adjustable curved double curtain rod shower assembly for hanging and supporting the weight of two shower curtains, attached to the walls of a shower area, and forms a shower enclosure area. The adjustable curved double curtain rod shower assembly includes two adjustable curved curtain rods in a horizontal plane an inner rod and an outer rod. Each rod includes a first and a second tubular section. The first section fits into the second section thereby providing for telescopic adjustment of each of the rods and two end pieces that join the ends of each of the two adjustable rods together, and two end hanging apparatus having pivotably positioned therein the two end pieces. Each of the hanging apparatus is attached to the walls of the shower enclosure, and when shower curtains are attached to each of the rods, an enclosed shower area is formed.
A SIXTH EXAMPLE, U.S. Patent No. 2013/0025044, Published on Jan. 31, 2013, to Moyer teaches a door-less shower enclosure system that is a water handling system for human showering. The door-less shower enclosure system is configured in such a way as to fit into an alcove in a bathroom of approximate size as that of a bathtub, and contains and discharges water from a shower head without the use of a physical door. The door-less shower enclosure system includes a prefabricated base with a drain, a glass partition, and a metal crossbar support. The glass partition rests upon the base and is supported at the top by the metal crossbar support that is mounted to the side walls of the alcove. Access to the shower compartment is through a walk-in opening, as opposed to an operable door.
A SEVENTH EXAMPLE, U.S. Patent No. 2013/0264240, Published on Oct. 10, 2013, to Wallis teaches an enclosure including a base and a wall assembly. The wall assembly includes a first wall that is selectively movable from a disassembled configuration to an assembled configuration. The first wall is disconnected from the base when in the unassembled configuration, and is coupled to the base when in the assembled configuration, so that the first wall is in a substantially upright configuration. Additionally, the first wall has a first substrate including a plurality of first substrate edges, and a plurality of first ornamental features that are individually affixed to the first substrate, while the first wall is in the disassembled configuration. Further, at least one of the first ornamental features is positioned substantially adjacent to two of the first substrate edges, while the first wall is in the disassembled configuration.
It is apparent now that numerous innovations for shower enclosure related devices have been provided in the prior art that adequate for various purposes. Furthermore, even though these innovations may be suitable for the specific individual purposes to which they address, accordingly, they would not be suitable for the purposes of the present invention as heretofore described.
AN OBJECT of the present invention is to provide a doorless spiral shower enclosure that avoids the disadvantages of the prior art.
ANOTHER OBJECT of the present invention is to provide a doorless spiral shower enclosure that is simple and inexpensive to manufacture.
STILL ANOTHER OBJECT of the present invention is to provide a doorless spiral shower enclosure that is simple to use.
BRIEFLY STATED, STILL YET ANOTHER OBJECT of the present invention is to provide a shower stall that is door-less and open yet prevents shower water from exiting therefrom during use. The shower stall includes an enclosure. The enclosure has a door-less and open ingress and egress portion, and a shape that prevents the shower water from exiting through the door-less and open ingress and egress portion of the enclosure during use.
The novel features which are considered characteristic of the present invention are set forth in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of the specific embodiments when read and understood in connection with the accompanying drawing.
The figures of the drawings are briefly described as follows:
A MARSHALING OF REFERENCE NUMERALS UTILIZED IN THE DRAWING
Referring now to the figures, in which like numerals indicate like parts, and particularly to
The configuration of the shower stall 10 can best be seen in
The shower stall 10 comprises an enclosure 14. The enclosure 14 has a door-less and open ingress and egress portion 16, and a shape that is for preventing the shower water 12 from exiting through the door-less and open ingress and egress portion 16 of the enclosure 14 during use.
The shape of the enclosure 14 is a substantially Archimedean spiral 17 in plan view, and as such, has an inner portion 18 and an outer portion 20.
The substantially Archimedean spiral 17 of the shape of the enclosure 14 further has a free inner terminal edge 22 and a free outer terminal edge 24.
The inner portion 18 of the substantially Archimedean spiral 17 of the shape of the enclosure 14 originates at the free inner terminal edge 22 of the substantially Archimedean spiral 17 of the shape of the enclosure 14, and continues therefrom in a substantially circular-shape to a terminal edge 26, with an open space 28 being defined by the free inner terminal edge 22 of the substantially Archimedean spiral 17 of the shape of the enclosure 14 and the terminal edge 26 of the inner portion 18 of the substantially Archimedean spiral 17 of the shape of the enclosure 14, and with the open space 28 of the inner portion 18 of the substantially Archimedean spiral 17 of the shape of the enclosure 14 being a substantially % circle.
The inner portion 18 of the substantially Archimedean spiral 17 of the shape of the enclosure 14 further has a substantial center 30. The substantial center 30 of the inner portion 18 of the substantially Archimedean spiral 17 of the shape of the enclosure 14 is for being coincident with a drain 32.
The outer portion 20 of the substantially Archimedean spiral 17 of the shape of the enclosure 14 originates at the free outer terminal edge 24 of the substantially Archimedean spiral 17 of the shape of the enclosure 14, and continues therefrom in a substantially ½ circle-shape to an intermediate point 34, with an open space 36 being defined by the free outer terminal edge 24 of the substantially Archimedean spiral 17 of the shape of the enclosure 14 and the intermediate point 34 of the outer portion 20 of the substantially Archimedean spiral 17 of the shape of the enclosure 14, and with the open space 36 of the outer portion 20 of the substantially Archimedean spiral 17 of the shape of the enclosure 14 being a substantially % circle.
The inner portion 18 of the substantially Archimedean spiral 17 of the shape of the enclosure 14 then extends straightly from the intermediate point 34 of the outer portion 20 of the substantially Archimedean spiral 17 of the shape of the enclosure 14 to the terminal edge 26 of the inner portion 18 of the substantially Archimedean spiral 17 of the shape of the enclosure 14.
The door-less and open ingress and egress portion 16 of the enclosure 14, the open space 36 of the outer portion 20 of the substantially Archimedean spiral 17 of the shape of the enclosure 14, and the open space 28 of the inner portion 18 of the substantially Archimedean spiral 17 of the shape of the enclosure 14 communicate with each other forming an open pathway 39. The open pathway 39 is for allowing a user to enter through the door-less and open ingress and egress portion 16, pass through the open space 36 of the outer portion 20 of the substantially Archimedean spiral 17 of the shape of the enclosure 14 and the open space 28 of the inner portion 18 of the substantially Archimedean spiral 17 of the shape of the enclosure 14, and ultimately end up in the inner portion 18 of the substantially Archimedean spiral 17 of the shape of the enclosure 14 where a showerhead 38 is disposed at the terminal edge 26 of the inner portion 18 of the substantially Archimedean spiral 17 of the shape of the enclosure 14.
As has been shown, the substantially Archimedean spiral 17 of the shape of the enclosure 14 forms a baffle 40. The baffle 40 of the substantially Archimedean spiral 17 of the shape of the enclosure 14 eliminates a need for a door, even with the open pathway 39.
The shower stall 10 further comprises a heated towel bar 42.
The heated towel bar 42 is attached to the outer portion 20 of the substantially Archimedean spiral 17 of the shape of the enclosure 14, opposite to the door-less and open ingress and egress portion 16 of the enclosure 14, and adjacent to the open space 28 of the inner portion 18 of the substantially Archimedean spiral 17 of the shape of the enclosure 14 for ease of a user grabbing a towel 43 thereon.
The shower stall 10 further comprises a seat 44.
The seat 44 is substantially kidney-shaped to match that of, so as to attach flush to, the inner portion 18 of the substantially Archimedean spiral 17 of the shape of the enclosure 14, and is disposed opposite to the open space 28 of the inner portion 18 of the substantially Archimedean spiral 17 of the shape of the enclosure 14.
The shower stall 10 further comprises an outer computerized control 46.
The outer computerized control 46 is disposed on the outer portion 20 of the substantially Archimedean spiral 17 of the shape of the enclosure 14, adjacent to the door-less and open ingress and egress portion 16 of the enclosure 14 for allowing a user to roughly set the force and the temperature of the shower water 12 before being exposed to the shower water 12.
The shower stall 10 further comprises an inner computerized control 48.
The inner computerized control 48 is disposed on the outer portion 20 of the substantially Archimedean spiral 17 of the shape of the enclosure 14, adjacent to the showerhead 38 for allowing a user to fine tune the force and the temperature of the shower water 12 while being exposed to the shower water 12.
As shown in
The keypad 52 of each of the outer computerized control 46 and the inner computerized control 48 has an ON button 54 and an OFF button 56.
The ON button 54 of the keypad 52 of each of the outer computerized control 46 and the inner computerized control 48 increases the force of the shower water 12 to a desired force determined by how long the ON button 54 of the keypad 52 of one of the outer computerized control 46 and the inner computerized control 48 is held down.
The OFF button 56 of the keypad 52 of each of the outer computerized control 46 and the inner computerized control 48 decreases the force of the shower water 12 to a desired force determined by how long the OFF button 56 of the keypad 52 of the one of the outer computerized control 46 and the inner computerized control 48 is held down.
The keypad 52 of each of the outer computerized control 46 and the inner computerized control 48 has an UP ARROW button 58 and a DOWN ARROW button 60.
The UP ARROW button 58 of the keypad 52 of each of the outer computerized control 46 and the inner computerized control 48 increases the temperature of the shower water 12 to a desired temperature determined by how long the UP ARROW button 58 of the keypad 52 of the one of the outer computerized control 46 and the inner computerized control 48 is held down, and displays the temperature on the display 50 of the one of the outer computerized control 46 and the inner computerized control 48.
The DOWN ARROW button 60 of the keypad 52 of each of the outer computerized control 46 and the inner computerized control 48 decreases the temperature of the shower water 12 to a desired temperature determined by how long the DOWN ARROW button 60 of the keypad 52 of the one of the outer computerized control 46 and the inner computerized control 48 is held down, and displays the temperature on the display 50 of the one of the outer computerized control 46 and the inner computerized control 48.
The shower stall 10 further comprises a frame 62. The frame 62 is for fitting in an alcove 64 for installing the shower stall 10 therein.
The frame 62 is generally U-shaped, and as such, has a rear wall 66 and a pair of side walls 68.
The substantially Archimedean spiral 17 of the shape of the enclosure 14 allows contact with the frame 62 at critical places requiring additional support to mount the seat 44, the outer computerized control 46, the inner computerized control 48, and the heated towel bar 42.
The seat 44 is supported by one said wall 68 of the frame 62, the outer computerized control 46 is supported by the other side wall 68 of the frame 62, the inner computerized control 48 is supported by the rear wall 66 of the frame 62, and the heated towel bar 42 is also supported by the rear wall 66 of the frame 62.
It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together, may also find a useful application in other types of constructions differing from the types described above.
While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodiments of a doorless spiral shower enclosure, accordingly it is not limited to the details shown, since it will be understood that various omissions, modifications, substitutions and changes in the forms and details of the device illustrated and its operation can be made by those skilled in the art without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.
Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can, by applying current knowledge, readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention.
