Shower enclosure

Abstract

 A shower screen arrangement 10 comprising a screen 12 for containment of water while showering, and a tray indicator generally at 14. The tray has a showering well 24 under a shower head 16. The showering well 24 is between two drying areas 26. The screen can move between the intermediate position (shown) and end positions which allow easy access to a selected one of the drying areas 26.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to shower enclosures and in particular, but not exclusively, to shower enclosures for installation in an alcove.

[0002] The present invention provides a shower screen arrangement comprising:

a screen for containment of water while showering; and

a tray on which a user may stand during use, the tray having a showering well between first and second drying areas, and the screen being mounted to be movable to end positions for access to the respective drying areas, and to an intermediate position for screening while a user is taking a shower standing in the well.

[0003] The drying areas preferably provide user support surfaces above the level of the well floor. The drying areas preferably drain to the well. The drying areas may have pillar formations for supporting a tread sheet and allowing water to drain away, between the pillar formations.

[0004] The screen is preferably substantially planar and may be glass. The screen is preferably movable along a track provided by the tray. The screen is preferably supported by means of wheels movable along the track. There is preferably at least one detent formation which, in use, is engaged to restrain the screen against movement. The detent formation preferably corresponds with the intermediate position. The detent formation is preferably a recess into which a screen portion or member carried by the screen enters to be thereafter restrained until removed.

[0005] Examples of the present invention will now be described in more detail, by way of example only, and with reference to the accompany drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a partly schematic perspective view of a shower screen arrangement according to the invention, installed in an alcove;

Figs. 2 and 3 are perspective views of the shower screen arrangement of Fig. 1, in isolation, in alternative positions;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view on an enlarged scale of the shower tray of the apparatus of Figs. 1 to 3;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged section along the line 5-5 of Fig. 4, showing the shower tray and additional components; and

Fig. 6 is a partial elevation of the track, illustrating a detent feature.

[0006] Fig. 1 shows a shower screen arrangement 10 which comprises a screen 12 for containment of water while showering, and a tray indicated generally at 14. A user stands on the tray 14 while showering under a shower head 16 supported on a wall 18 of a three-sided alcove 20. Controls 22 allow the user to switch the shower on or off and to control the temperature, in conventional manner. The tray 14 has a showering well 24 in which a user stands, when showering, and which is between two drying areas 26.

[0007] The screen is mounted to be movable to end positions (Figs. 2 and 3) for access to the respective drying areas 26, and to an intermediate position (Fig. 1) for screening while a user is taking a shower while standing in the well 24.

[0008] The well 24 of this example is generally square in plan, having a floor which slopes down to a waste, for drainage. The drying areas 26 are each formed with elongate pillar formations 30 to support tread sheets in the form of duckboards, to be described in more detail below. The floor of the areas 26, between the pillars 30, slopes generally down toward a gap 32 through which the area 26 drains into the well 24, as indicated by the arrows 34, thereafter running away to the waste 28.

[0009] A channel 36 extends across the front of the well 24 and the drying areas 26 to receive the lower edge of the screen 12. In front of the channel 36, there is an additional drying area 38 which extends across the whole front edge 40 of the tray 14, between the channel 36 and the front edge 40 and contains pillar formations 42, similar to the formations 30. The floor of the area 38 slopes down toward a central gap 44 through which the area 38 drains into the well 24, as indicated by the arrow 46.

[0010] Fig. 1 shows tread sheets 48 which are also shown in more detail in Fig. 5 and are in the form of duckboards, such as wooden duckboards, having a series of primary members 50 which extend parallel to one another and generally perpendicular to the length of the formations 30, 42 so that they are supported on the pillars 30, 42. Transverse members 52 connect the primary members 50 together, forming a slatted duckboard with gaps between the members 50, through which water can drip and drain into the areas 26, 38 and then drain away to the well 24.

[0011] The screen 12 is preferably of toughened glass and is supported along its top edge in a guide 54. The bottom edge of the screen 12 carries several wheels 56, rotatably mounted to the screen 12 at 58. The wheels 56 are captive in a track at 60, formed by an extrusion, such as an aluminium extrusion 62. The extrusion 62 includes a downwardly directed channel region 64 having corrugated walls for engaging fixing screws introduced from beneath, through the channel floor, at positions 66 (Fig. 4) to bind with the corrugated walls of the channel 64, to secure the extrusion 62 in the position shown in Fig. 5. The track 60 is formed by an upwardly extending lip 68 and a downwardly extending lip 70, both having beaded edges between which the wheels 56 are held by virtue of their convex circumferential form. Accordingly, the wheels 56 roll along the lip 68, being retained against rocking away from the lip 68 by engagement with the lip 70. The track 60 extends along the whole length of the extrusion 62, thus allowing the screen 12 to move between the extreme positions (Figs. 2 and 3) and the intermediate position (Fig. 1).

[0012] At one position along the length of the track 60, the lip 68 has a depression 72 (Fig. 6). The depression 72 is shallow and long so that when one of the wheels 56 reaches the depression 72, the wheel will gently roll down into the depression 72, providing a slight feeling of resistance to the user moving the screen 12. The position of the depression 72 is chosen so that when the wheel reaches the depression 72, as just described, the screen 12 is at the intermediate position of Fig. 1, which is the preferred position of the screen when showering. Accordingly, the user is provided with a tactile indication that the screen 12 has reached the showering position.

[0013] In use, the arrangement which has been described is preferably installed within an alcove 20, as has been described. Alternatively, one or more of the three sides of the alcove may be provided by additional sheets of fixed screening material, such as glass, or by other means. Accordingly, although the arrangement 10 is particularly preferred for use within a three-sided alcove, installation in other situations is also envisaged.

[0014] After installation, a user wishing to take a shower will first move the screen 12, if necessary, to put it in one or other end position (Figs. 2 and 3). This provides the maximum width of access to one or other of the drying areas 26. The choice of drying area 26 may be one of personal preference or may be influenced by, for example, the layout of other walls or furniture within the room in which the arrangement 10 is installed. With the screen 12 at the end position, the user can step through the gap, onto the chosen drying area 26. The user can then move the screen 12 to the intermediate position (Fig. 1), which is readily achieved by feeling when one of the wheels enters the depression 72. With the screen 12 in the intermediate position, the shower can be switched on while the user is standing in the well 24. In this situation, two relatively narrow gaps exist to either side of the screen 12, but the screen 12 provides adequate screening against water jets from the shower 16 or splashes.

[0015] Once showering is finished, the user may step from the well 24 onto one of the drying areas 26. Any water running off the user will pass through the tread sheets 48 into the drying areas 26, then run through to the well 24 for drainage.

[0016] When the user wishes to leave the arrangement 10, the screen 12 is pushed across to the respective end position, to fully open the gap through which the user may leave the chosen drying area 26.

[0017] Accordingly, the arrangement affords adequate protection during showering, while also enabling convenient access, even in a three-sided alcove and without any hinge arrangements being required for the screen 12. Hinge arrangements introduce additional complexity of manufacture and installation, and additional risk of damage and sealing problems associated with joints.

[0018] Any variations and modifications can be made to the examples described above, without departing from the scope of the present invention. In particular, many different shapes and sizes of shower screen arrangement can be devised. Alternative track arrangements can be used for supporting the screen 12. Alternative materials can be used, according to performance requirements, aesthetics and other factors.

[0019] Whilst endeavouring in the foregoing specification to draw attention to those features of the invention believed to be of particular importance it should be understood that the Applicant claims protection in respect of any patentable feature or combination of features hereinbefore referred to and/or shown in the drawings whether or not particular emphasis has been placed thereon.

Claims

1. A shower screen arrangement comprising:

a screen for containment of water while showering; and

a tray on which a user may stand during use, the tray having a showering well between first and second drying areas, and the screen being mounted to be movable to end positions for access to the respective drying areas, and to an intermediate position for screening while a user is taking a shower standing in the well.

2. An arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the drying areas provide user support surfaces above the level of the well floor.

3. An arrangement according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the drying areas drain to the well.

4. An arrangement according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the drying areas have pillar formations for supporting a tread sheet and allowing water to drain away, between the pillar formations.

5. An arrangement according to any preceding claim, wherein the screen is substantially planar.

6. An arrangement according to any preceding claim, wherein the screen is glass.

7. An arrangement according to any preceding claim, wherein the screen is movable along a track provided by the tray.

8. An arrangement according to claim 7, wherein the screen is supported by means of wheels movable along the track.

9. An arrangement according to any preceding claim, wherein there is at least one detent formation which, in use, is engaged to restrain the screen against movement.

10. An arrangement according to claim 9, wherein the detent formation corresponds with the intermediate position.

11. An arrangement according to claim 9 or 10, wherein the detent formation is a recess into which a screen portion or member carried by the screen enters to be thereafter restrained until removed.

12. A shower screen arrangement, substantially as described above, with reference to the accompanying drawings.

13. Any novel subject matter or combination including novel subject matter disclosed herein, whether or not within the scope of or relating to the same invention as any of the preceding claims.

Drawing