Patent Application
20250064249
Not Applicable
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The disclosure relates to curtain drawing devices and more particularly pertains to a new curtain drawing device for automatically closing a shower curtain.
The prior art relates to curtain drawing devices. The prior art discloses various devices that can clamp onto a shower curtain, curving the curtain inward toward the shower to eliminate the gap between the curtain and the wall. Such devices seal the curtain to the wall, thereby directing water downwardly into the shower and reducing the amount of water that splashes out of the shower into other areas in the bathroom. Other prior art references disclose collapsible shower curtains or partitions that can be easily transported and deployed to create a movable shower area. Such collapsible curtains may be used to facilitate showering while camping or travelling. Other references disclose electric curtain-drawing devices, typically for use with window curtains or large stage curtains. Such electric curtain-drawing devices can mechanically open and close large or heavy curtains that are inconvenient to open and close manually. However, the prior art lacks disclosure of an automated or mechanical shower curtain closure device that automatically closes a shower curtain. For example, such devices are helpful when a user forgets to close the shower curtain manually.
An embodiment of the disclosure meets the needs presented above by generally comprising a housing having a front side, a back side, and a peripheral wall extending between the front side and the back side to define an interior space between the front side and the back side. The front side has a shower rod recess therein that is configured to receive a portion of a shower curtain rod. A cord is coupled to the housing, the cord having a spool end and a clip end. A spool is positioned within the interior space. The spool end is attached to the spool and the cord is wrapped around the spool. The spool rotates in a first direction to unwrap the cord for extension of the cord from the spool. The spool rotates in a second direction to wrap the cord around the spool for retraction of the cord onto the spool. A curtain clip is attached to the clip end. The curtain clip is configured to removably engage a shower curtain ring. A central processing unit is positioned within the interior space. A motor is positioned within the interior space and is in communication with the central processing unit. The motor is coupled to the spool, such that the motor rotates the spool in the second direction to retract the cord into the housing and onto the spool. A power source is positioned within the interior space and is electronically coupled to the central processing unit. A retracting button is positioned on the housing. The retracting button is electronically coupled to the central processing unit. The retracting button actuates the motor to retract the cord.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the disclosure in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the disclosure that will be described hereinafter, and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.
The objects of the disclosure, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the disclosure, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure.
The disclosure will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein:
With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to
As best illustrated in
The front side 14 has a shower rod recess 22 therein. The shower rod recess 22 is configured to receive a portion of a shower curtain rod 100. The shower rod recess 22 may extend partially across the front side 14, as shown in
A cord 26 is coupled to the housing. In some embodiments, the cord 26 may be coupled to the front side 14, while in other embodiments the cord 26 may be coupled to the peripheral wall 18. The cord 26 extends outwardly from the front side 14. The cord 26 has a spool end 28 and a clip end 30.
A spool 32 is positioned within the interior space 20. The spool end 28 is attached to the spool 32. The cord 26 is coiled around the spool 32. The spool 32 rotates in a first direction to uncoil the cord 26 for extension of the cord 26 from the spool 32. The spool 32 rotates in a second direction to coil the cord 26 around the spool 32 for retraction of the cord 26 onto the spool 32. In some embodiments, the first direction may be counterclockwise, and the second direction may be clockwise. In other embodiments, the first direction may be clockwise, and the second direction may be counterclockwise. The spool 32 should rotate relatively freely and easily in both the first and the second direction so that the shower curtain 104 can move smoothly along the shower curtain rod 100 to open and close. The shower curtain 104 should be able to open and close manually in the same manner as if the shower curtain closure device 10 were not coupled to the shower curtain 104 or the shower curtain rod 100.
A curtain clip 34 is attached to the clip end 30. The curtain clip 34 is configured to removably engage a shower curtain ring 102. As shown in
A central processing unit 36 is positioned within the interior space 20. In some embodiments, a clock 38 is electronically coupled to the central processing unit 36. The clock 38 may be able to measure or monitor the time of day, in minutes and hours. The clock 38 may also have an alarm that can be scheduled for a particular time of day and a timer that can measure the passage of minutes or hours.
A motor 40 is positioned within the interior space 20. The motor 40 is electronically coupled to the central processing unit 36. The motor 40 is coupled to the spool 32. The central processing unit 36 can actuate the motor 40 such that the motor 40 rotates the spool 32 in the second direction, thereby retracting the cord 26 into the housing 12 and onto the spool 32. The motor 40 actively turns the spool 32 in the second direction but does not prevent the spool 32 from turning in the first direction, for example when the user manually pulls the shower curtain 104 open. In embodiments, the motor 40 may have an output shaft 60 that is coupled to a gear 62. The gear 62 may be coupled to the spool 32. For example, the teeth of the gear 62 may engage the complementary teeth of the spool 32. In such embodiments, the motor 40 turns the output shaft 60 in the second direction, which rotates the gear 62, thereby rotating the spool 32 and retracting the cord 26. To extend the cord 26, the user can simply pull the shower curtain 104 open or pull on the cord 26 directly. When the cord 26 is pulled outwardly from the housing 12, the spool 32 will rotate in the first direction, which will rotate the gear 62 in the first direction. The motor 40 and output shaft 60 will not impede movement of the gear 62 or the spool 32 in the first direction.
A power source 42 is positioned within the interior space 20. The power source 42 is electronically coupled to the central processing unit 36. In some embodiments, the power source 42 is a rechargeable battery. In other embodiments, the power source 42 is a non-rechargeable battery. An access door 44 is positioned on the back side 16. The access door 44 permits access to the power source 42 within the interior space 20. For example, the access door 44 may be positioned in a midsection of the back side 16, as shown in
An adhesive material 46 may be positioned on the back side 16. The adhesive material 46 helps secure the shower curtain closure device 10 onto a wall 106. For example, the adhesive material 46 may extend across an outer circumference of the back side 16, such that the adhesive material 46 encircles the access door 44. Alternatively, the adhesive material 46 may only cover a portion of the outer circumference of the back side 16. In other embodiments, there is no adhesive material 46. In such embodiments, the tension from the shower curtain rod 100 against the wall 106 provides enough force to keep the shower curtain closure device 10 in place against the wall 106. In other embodiments, the adhesive material 46 is the same material as the padding material 24, for example when the padding material 42 includes a textured silicone material that is configured to increase friction between the wall 106 and the padding material 42 so that the shower curtain closure device 10 is more likely to stick to the wall 106. For example, the textured silicone material may comprise a resiliently compressible padding material with raised silicone bumps or ridges that increase the friction between the shower curtain closure device 10 and the wall 106.
Some embodiments may also include the padding material 24 positioned on the back side 16. For example, the padding material 24 may be positioned within the outer circumference, encircled by the adhesive material 46. In such embodiments, the padding material 24 may cover at least a portion of the area between the outer circumference and the access door 44. The padding material 24 may be included to provide an anti-slip grip to the surface of the wall 106. The padding material 24 may also provide a protective barrier between the shower curtain closure device 10 and the wall 106, helping reduce the risk that the shower curtain closure device 10 will damage the wall 106. Other embodiments may not include the padding material 24 on the back side 16, or within the shower rod recess 22.
A plurality of lights 48 may be affixed to the peripheral wall 18. The plurality of lights 48 is electronically coupled to the central processing unit 36. For example, each of the plurality of lights 48 may be a light emitting diode.
A light control dial 50 may be rotatably positioned on the peripheral wall 18. The light control dial 50 may alternatively be rotatably positioned on the front side 14. The light control dial 50 is electronically coupled to the central processing unit 36. The light control dial 50 is actuatable to adjust a light setting of the plurality of lights 48. In exemplary embodiments, the light setting includes a brightness, a color, or an illumination pattern of the plurality of lights 48. In some embodiments, the clock 38 may communicate with the central processing unit 36 such that the plurality of lights 48 is actuated at a specific time of day or upon expiration of the timer.
A light control button 52 may be positioned on the front side 14. Alternatively, the light control button 52 may be positioned on the peripheral wall 18. The light control button 52 is electronically coupled to the central processing unit 36. The light control button 52 is actuatable to turn the plurality of lights 48 on or off.
A timer dial 54 may be rotatably positioned on the peripheral wall 18. Alternatively, the timer dial 54 may be rotatably positioned on the front side 14. The timer dial 54 is electronically coupled to the central processing unit 36. The timer dial 54 is actuatable to adjust a clock setting of the clock 38, such as the time of day, the alarm, or the timer. For example, the clock setting may include an hourly timer lasting at least 1.0 hour, a minute timer lasting at least 1.0 minute, or a second timer lasting at least 1.0 second. The central processing unit 36 is configured to actuate the motor 40 to retract the cord 26 based on the clock setting. For example, the central processing unit 36 may actuate the motor 40 upon expiration of the timer, as set by the timer dial 54, or at the time of day set by the timer dial 54.
A timer set button 56 may be coupled to the housing 12. For example, the timer set button 56 may be positioned on the peripheral wall 18 or on the front side 14. The timer set button 56 is electronically coupled to the central processing unit 36. The timer set button 56 is actuatable to adjust the timer. The central processing unit 36 is configured to actuate the motor 40 to retract the cord 26 upon expiration of the timer.
A retracting button 58 may be positioned on the front side 14. The retracting button 58 is electronically coupled to the central processing unit 36. Actuation of the retracting button 58 sends a signal to the central processing unit 36 to actuate the motor 40 to retract the cord 26.
In use, the shower curtain closure device 10 is installed on the wall 106, such that the shower rod recess 22 can receive one end of the shower curtain rod 100. The curtain clip 34 engages one shower curtain ring 102. The shower curtain is able to open and close manually as normal, by sliding along the shower curtain rod 100. Opening the shower curtain 104 pulls on the cord 26, which causes the cord 26 to unwrap from the spool 32 and extend outwardly from the housing 12, as shown in
With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of an embodiment enabled by the disclosure, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by an embodiment of the disclosure.
Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the disclosure. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the disclosure to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the disclosure. In this patent document, the word “comprising” is used in its non-limiting sense to mean that items following the word are included, but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded. A reference to an element by the indefinite article “a” does not exclude the possibility that more than one of the elements is present, unless the context clearly requires that there be only one of the elements.
