IP Library Granted Patent US 11,253,108
Granted Patent B2
US 11,253,108 · App. 16/689,470 · Granted Feb 22, 2022

Shower

Inventor: Iain Stuart Fenna (Peel, IM)
Assignee: DLP LIMITED
A47K3/30A47K3/32E04B1/344
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,253,108
App. No.
16/689,470
Granted
Feb 22, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

A shower-screen pivot device comprises a seating element mountable to a shower surface, and a screen-support element for supporting at least part of a shower screen. The seating element has a first panel-pivot element, and the screen-support element has a second panel-pivot element which is engagable with the first panel-pivot element. When interengaged, the first and second panel-pivot elements are rotatable relative to each other about a panel-pivot axis P which is parallel to a base of the seating element. This enables an installer to semi-erect a shower-screen panel with a lower edge watertightly sealed, and leave it unattended and self-supported whilst attending to other panels.

Claims (23)

1. A shower-screen pivot device comprising:

a seating element to mount to a shower surface, the seating element having a first panel-pivot element; and

a screen-support element to support at least part of a shower screen, the screen-support element having a second panel-pivot element to engage with the first panel-pivot element, so that, when interengaged, the first and second panel-pivot elements are rotatable relative to each other about a panel-pivot axis which is parallel to a base of the seating element;

wherein the screen-support element has a depending front wall having an inner surface which engages with a sealing element interposed between the first and second panel-pivot elements.

2. The shower-screen pivot device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first or second panel-pivot elements includes a part-cylindrical surface, and the other of the first or second panel-pivot elements is laterally slidable on the part-cylindrical surface.

3. The shower-screen pivot device as claimed in claim 2 , further comprising, when the part-cylindrical surface is on the first panel-pivot element, a fastener-access opening partway along the part-cylindrical surface.

4. The shower-screen pivot device as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the said other of the first or second panel-pivot elements includes a channel in which the part-cylindrical surface is received.

5. The shower-screen pivot device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the sealing element is carried by the first panel-pivot element at or adjacent to an inwardly-facing side wall thereof.

6. The shower-screen pivot device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the screen-support element further includes a depending back wall having a shorterlateral extent than the front wall.

7. The shower-screen pivot device as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the first panel-pivotelement includes a recess to accommodate the back wall of the screen-support element.

8. The shower-screen pivot device as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the back wall is canted to be spaced from the said recess of the first panel-pivot element, when the first and second panel-pivot elements are centred relative to each other.

9. The shower-screen pivot device as claimed in claim 6 , wherein, when the first and second panel-pivot elements are centred relative to each other, the front wall is at or adjacent to a plane of the base of the seating element.

10. A shower comprising:

a shower tray;

at least one shower-screen panel;

a seating element mounted to a shower surface of the shower tray, the seating element having a first pivot element; and

a screen-support element extending along a lower edge of the shower-screen panel, the screen-support element having a second pivot element, the first and second pivot elements engaged to form a pivot axis which is parallel to a base of the seating element, whereby the at least one shower-screen panel, whilst mounted to the shower tray, can tilt from the vertical when mounted to the screen-support element, the screen-support element further having a depending front wall having an inner surface which engages with a sealing element interposed between the first and second pivot elements.

11. A method of assisting installation of a shower screen using the shower-screen pivot device as claimed in claim 1 , the method comprising the steps of:

(i) providing the shower-screen pivot device having the panel-pivot axis which is parallel to the shower surface, the shower-screen pivot device being interposed between a first panel of the shower screen and the shower surface;

(ii) tilting the first panel away from vertical whilst maintaining engagement via the shower-screen pivot device, so as to rest the tilted first panel against an upright element at or adjacent to the shower surface;

(iii) mounting a second panel of the shower screen to the shower surface; and

(iv) pivoting the tilted first panel back towards vertical via the shower-screen pivot device to enable engagement with the second panel.

12. The method as claimed in claim 11 , wherein, in step (iii), the second panel of the shower screen is mounted to the shower surface via the shower-screen pivot device or an additional shower-screen pivot device, the second panel being tiltable away from the vertical whilst maintaining engagement via the shower-screen pivot device or the additional shower-screen pivot device, so as to be restable against the upright element or an additional upright element at or adjacent to the shower surface.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 7, 2020
From: FENNA, IAIN STUART
To: DLP LIMITED
Reel/Frame 053433/0849 →
Priority Claims (1)
GB 1818893 · Nov 20, 2018 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20200154952A1 · May 21, 2020