CA2011350A1

CA2011350A1 - Shower enclosure

Info

Publication number: CA2011350A1
Application number: CA002011350A
Authority: CA
Inventors: Heinz G. Baus
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Altura Leiden Holding BV
Priority date: 1989-03-04
Filing date: 1990-03-02
Publication date: 1990-09-04
Also published as: EP0386559B1; AU5063990A; DE59003916D1; DE3906968C1; ATE98849T1; EP0386559A1; FI901082A0; ZA901539B; JPH02269271A; DD292371A5; IL93553A0

Abstract

Abstract A shower enclosure comprising at least one fixed wall element (6, 8) and having an entrance doorway (20) without doors. The shower enclosure is designed such that it can be constructed with only a few components, and nevertheless achieves a high stability. A central column (18) with an internal cavity (40) is disposed on one side of an entrance doorway (20); a shower valve assembly (26) and water pipes (34, 35) connected thereto are disposed in the internal cavity; and a stationary wall element (6) is sealingly connected to this central column (18). The central column (18) is configured as a separate, prefabricated unit with a removable cover (38) and enables both easy installation of the shower valve assembly and secure attachment of the wall element (6).

Description

^ 20~1350 SHOWER ENCLOSURE
' :' Backqround of the Invention The present invention relates to a shower enclosure comprising at least one stationary wall element and a vertically disposed element which has a cavity especially 5 for accommodating a water supply and at least part of a shower valve assembly, and having an entrance doorway arranged laterally alongside the vertically disposed element.
U.S. Patent No. 3,060,453 discloses a shower enclosure 10 of this kind having a vertical element which is disposed ~beside an entrance and spaced apart from the fixed walls of ithe bathroom or shower room. This vertical element contains 3a cavity for a water pipe and at least partially also for a shower valve assembly connected to the water pipe. The 15 vertical element has two side parts disposed at an acute angle to one another, which are a component of a wall unit lspirally surrounding the shower interior. The portion of ¦the spiral-like wall unit that is beside the entrance is covered and closed off by an additional panel or wall ~20 structure. The wall structure furthermore completes the i element and forms a front face behind which the shower interior and substantial areas of the fixed wall element are concealed from an outside observer or user of the shower enclosure~ The front face and the entrance are 25 substantially in the same vertical plane. The vertical .
.
.
.

20113~0 element of approximately triangular shape in cross section contains in the interior a supporting structure which surrounds the entrance in the manner of a door frame. The spirally configured wall element contains both side parts of the vertical element as integral components. The wall element with the side parts has a large total volume, causing considerable problems during transport and/or storage. Furthermore, the assembly of this shower enclosure is complex, inasmuch as not only the spiral wall element but also the supporting structure acting as a frame has to be assembled, and also the wall structure has to be mounted on the front face. After assembly, the interior of the vertical element is no longer easily accessible. The water pipes and the shower valve assembly of the vertical element must be installed before the shower enclosure is assembled, and any servicing or repair work that may be necessary afterwards requires a considerable amount of trouble.
Furthermore, special measures are necessary for connecting together the supporting frame, the wall structure, and the sides of the vertical element.
Also known from French Patent 25 62 409-Al is a shower enclosure with a number of stationary wall elements, which are joined together to form a spiral-like or volute-like plan of the shower enclosure. A frame of structural members is provided in the vicinity of the entrance for stabilizing and attaching the wall elements. This frame has a horizontal member over the entrance, which is fastened to one of the walls of the bathroom or shower room for support.
The shower valve assembly and the water pipes are mounted in a conventional manner on a wall of the room. It is not ` readily possible to fasten the shower valve assembly to the frame, which is made of a thin extruded tubing.

, ~. , .

- 20~13~

Summar~ of the Invention It is therefore the object of the invention to provide a shower enclosure which will have fewer components and which will nevertheless give the user great comfort in showering.
It is also an object of the invention to provide a shower enclosure which is easily assembled, either in a corner, or in a recess between room walls, or in a free-standing arrangement in a shower room or bathroom.
These and other objects of the invention are achieved by providing a shower enclosure comprising a vertically disposed element which defines an interior cavity for accommodating water supply conduits and at least part of a shower valve assembly, the vertical element being configured as a central column and including a mounting rail for mounting the shower valve assembly; at least one stationary wall element having a vertical lateral edge sealingly connected to the central column; means defining an entrance doorway laterally alongside the vertical element; and a removable cover at least in the vicinity of the valve assembly for concealing the interior cavity in the column.
-~ The shower enclosure proposed in accordance with the invention is distinguished by great functionality, while requiring only stationary wall elements; doors being entirely unnecessary. A central column is provided which is disposed on one side of the entrance. The central column is a prefabricated component and has a substantially greater cross-sectional area than the conventional framing, wall-connecting moldings or the like, of shower enclosures. The column has a hollow interior in which the connecting water pipes and the mixer unit or the like are disposed in an `especially desirable manner. The cross-sectional area of the column is at least twice as great as the cross section of any connecting and/or terminal upright of the wall i 35 element. The central column, itself, has a high stability, .,., ~
., ...

~- 2~11350 so that no special frame construction or girder spanning the entrance are necessary. The central column is stably anchored at its bottom end in the floor of the shower room and/or in an appropriately configured recess in a shower basin and forms a good support for the stationary wall element whose lateral edge is attached to the column. The central column extends at its upper end past the top edge of the stationary wall element. This upper end preferably extends to the ceiling of the shower room or bathroom and thus forms a ceiling support. This is Gf special importance particularly in the case where the shower enclosure is erected free-standing in the shower room or bathroom.
The stationary wall element adjoins the entrance doorway approximately at right angles. The central column carries the mixing valve assembly and, if desired, hangers for a hand sprayer, massage brush, and the like. The central column is spaced apart from the fixed room walls, ; and the water pipes are passed in accordance with the invention beneath the bottom of the shower basin to the central column. The central column is preferably composed of at least two parts, namely of rolled or extruded shapes, the one serving as a mounting rail and being fixedly installed, while the other part, which is a mask or cover, is removable to permit access to the shower valve assembly.
Further improvements and advantageous embodiments are set forth in the dependent claims.
:
Brief Descri~tion of the Drawinas The invention will be described in further detail hereinafter with reference to representative embodiments illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:
Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic top plan view a shower enclosure according to the invention;
Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken in a horizontal plane 35 through the central column of the enclosure of Fig. l; ~;~

~':' .

~-~ 2~113~

Fig. 3 is a mirror-image detail of portion III of Fig.

Fig. 4 is a mirror-image detail of portion IV of Fig.

2; and Fig. 5 is a perspective representation of a free-standing shower enclosure.
~: ' Detailed DescriPtion of Preferred Embodiments Figure 1 is a diagrammatic top plan view of the shower enclosure, which is disposed between two room walls 2 and 4, of a bathroom or shower room, which are at right angles to one another. Two curved wall elements 6 and 8 are provided, which are made from silicate safety glass, and which are attached to associated room walls 2 and 4 by means of identically configured wall-connecting uprights 10. The wall elements 6 and 8 have a material thickness of about 6 mm and their bottom ends are supported on the margin of a shower basin 12. The shower basin 12 does not have the otherwise common rectangular-shaped, semicircular or similar plan but contains a portion 16 extending far into the bathroom and forming the entrance area. The one wall element 6 terminates at a central column 18 which defines the one side of the entrance doorway 20, and it is sealingly joined thereto. The other wall element 8, like portion 16 of the shower basin 2, extends far into the open area of the bathroom and terminates at an corner post or rail 22 which defines the other side of the entrance 20. The broken line i 24 indicates approximately the margin of a conventional shower basin. As can be seen, portion 16 lies in front of this line 24 as viewed from in front of the shower enclosure.
The central column 18 and the corner rail 22 are -extended beyond the top edges of the wall elements 6 and 8 and are fastened to the ceiling of the bathroom or shower room. The extended portions of the central column and/or - 5 ~

2~11350 corner rail 22 form so-called ceiling standards which assure good strength and stability without restricting the height of the open entrance by cross-members or the like. Free passage through the entrance is also unencumbered by doors.
By arranging a valve unit and the like on the inner side or surface 19 of the central column 18, water is prevented from - splashing out when the shower is in use.
The central column 18 stands in the vertical plane of bisector 17 of the corner, between the two room walls 2, 4.
The central column has a substantially semicircular cross section, while the inner side 19 facing the interior of the shower enclosure is substantially flat. On the other hand, the outside 25 facing the entrance doorway 20 is substantially semicylindrical in shape. The corner rail 22 of the second wall element 8 is also in the vertical plane of the corner bisector 17, so that the entrance 20 is situated substantially in this plane. The cross-sectional area of the central column 18 is substantially greater than the cross-sectional area of the corner rail 22 and/or of the wall connecting rail 10. Thus, the radius 21 of the semicylindrically curved outside 25 of column 18 is of the order of 90 millimeters, while the radius 23 of the substantially cylindrical corner rail 22 andJor of the at least partially cylindrical wall connecting rail 10 is of the order of 20 millimeters. The substantially greater cross-sectional area of the central column 18 in comparison with the outer dimensions of the conventional type of corner or wall rails make possible a stable and functionally ` reliable structure.
The central column 18 carries on its inner side 19 a shower valve assembly 26, which here is indicated only i schematically, and has a shower head 28 and the like in a ~..
known manner. This shower head can be adjusted to the ` desired vertical height on a rod indicated at 30 and can be removed by a user as customary in showering~ The shower . ., ' ~:

~ .

valve assembly parts 32 required for the mixing of hot and cold water are disposed in accordance with the invention within the central column 18. The valve parts with adjusting knobs 33 are further mounted on inner side 19.
The shower valve assembly can also be configured as an electronically controlled assembly, the appropriate adjusting switches or push buttons being provided on column inner side 19. Furthermore, an apparatus can be incorporated into the column by means of which showering lotion, soap or the like can be admixed with the water or dispensed through separate conduits. The central column is delivered together with the shower valve assembly, the water valves and the rod 30 and the like, as a preassembled unit.
Expensive assembly work such as has been necessary heretofore for connecting a shower valve assembly behind the pl~ster in a room wall is unnecessary. In the interior of the central column 18 are the hot and cold water lines 34 and 35, which are passed underneath the shower basin 12 to the central column area, installed, and connected to the shower valve assembly 26. So that the installation and any necessary service can be performed without difficulty, the central column 18 preferably consists of two parts, which are fastened together in an appropriate manner, and which can be disassembled again, if necessary, to permit access to the interior of the central column.
For the reasons set forth above, the central column 18 is provided with a mounting rail 36 which faces the interior ; of the shower enclosure and to which the shower valve , assembly 26 and the above-named parts are fastened. Also, - 30 a cover 38 is provided, which is normally affixed to the mounting rail 36, but can be removed therefrom if necessary, to permit access to the parts of the valve assembly inside .! the inner cavity 40. The cover 38 preferably extends ; vertically over substantially the entire height of the mounting rail 36. In the case of alternative embodiments, - 7 ~
', ~

~` 201~3~0 it may suffice within the scope of this invention to arrange the cover and/or a part thereof so as to be removable only in the vicinity of the shower valve assembly 32. The installation of the shower enclosure is performed in accordance with the invention with the cover 38 removed.
The installation of the mixing valve assembly, its connection to the water lines, and the attachment of the associated wall element 6 can be performed especially easily. Only when all of the installation work has been completed is the cover 38 placed from the outside onto the -fixedly installed mounting rail and fastened thereto. Snap fastenings have proven especially desirable for this purpose. For service or repair work, the cover can very easily be removed. It is to be especially noted that the cross section of the central column 18 is substantially greater than in conventional mounting rails, or wall or ~ corner rails which serve to mount and attach wall elements ;-~of the shower enclosure. As already mentioned, the wall connecting rails 10 and the corner rail 22 are of `20 conventional construction, but the central column 18 has a `considerably greater cross-sectional area. -The bottom end of the central column 18 is preferably 'received in a recess or depression 42 in the shower basin 12 jor on the margin thereof. If no separate shower basin is ;25 provided, and the appropriately sealed and tiled floor of the shower merely is constructed with a slight slope toward a drain opening 44, a comparable recess 42 can also be provided in the floor of the bathroom or shower room. This -;
recess 42 facilitates a functionally reliable and stable `30 mounting and anchoring of the central column 18. The central column 18, together with the wall element 6, provides a stable structure. If necessary, the central ccolumn 18 can also be extended to the ceiling and fastened ~thereto for rigidity and stability. The central column 18 -~35 is spaced away from the two fixed room walls 2 and ~. The .~., . :
~ 8 ~-., ~;

~ ~' ~ 20~13~

stationary wall elements 6 and 8 are preferably made of a transparent material, particularly of safety glass. The curved, stationary wall element 6 is not covered on the outside by a front panel or separate wall structure as is the case in the aforementioned U.S. Patent No. 3,060,453.
The central column 18 is disposed in a substantially free-standing manner between the room walls 2 and 4; connection to the one room wall 2 being made only by means of the wall element 6.
In an alternative embodiment of the shower enclosure the wall element 8 can be eliminated. As indicated by the broken line 43, the shower basin 12 is installed in a recess or niche in the bathroom or shower room. Instead of the wall element 8, a room wall is present, the margin of the shower basin being installed and sealed in the same manner as in the case of room walls 2 and 4. Also, the shower basin can have a slightly different outline in plan, as indicated by way of example by the line 45. In this case, portion 16 is enlarged accordingly.
Figure 2 is an enlarged section through the central ` column 18 in a horizontal plane. The mounting rail 36 has a substantially rectangular cross section in the form of a `I hollow chamber or box section. It is made from aluminum or aluminum alloy in the form of a shaped rail or panel with a hollow interior chamber. The cover 38 is substantially semicylindrical in cross section having a radius - corresponding substantially to one-half the width of mounting rail 36 and is attached to the mounting rail 36 by a snap fastener. For this purpose the mounting rail 36 has an outwardly pointing hook 46 behind which the cover 38 engages with its own inwardly pointing hook 48. A
comparable snap fastener is also provided on the other side, but in that case an additional clamping rail 50 is present, which is connected to the mounting rail 36. The clamping rail 50 likewise contains an outwardly pointing hook 52, -~` 201~ 35~

which again is engaged by a hook 54 on the cover 38. rrhe glass sheet of the wall element 6 is fixedly connected to the mounting rail 36 by the clamping rail 50. The clamping rail 50 thus serves two purposes, and is fastened to the 5 mounting rail 36 by means of screw fasteners, not shown here in further detail. The screw fasteners for the clamping rail also are consequently concealed from the outside by the cover 38.
The mounting rail 36 and the cover 38 are not 10 configured to be perfectly symmetrical with respect to the center plane 56. On the right side in the drawing the above-mentioned clamping rail 50 is disposed for attachment of the one fixed wall element 6. The wall element 6 is mounted with the cover 38 removed. The cover 38 therefore -15 not only conceals the mixer assemblies and water lines 34 and 35, but also the clamping rail required for attaching -~
the wall element. As can be seen, between the substantially ~-semicylindrical cover 38 and the mounting rail 36, there is a large cavity 40 of semicircular cross section, which 20 accommodates the water lines 34 and 35 introduced through the floor, as well as the above-described assembly 32 of the ~
mixer valves and the like. ~-The shower valve assembly 32 is installed at a height of approximately 70 cm to 100 cm above the shower basin.
¦ 25 The space above it can be used for storing soap, bathing j utensils and the like. As indicated by the broken line 60, -~ a storage compartment is provided above the shower valve i assembly 32; the storage compartment is open toward the inner side 19 and extends through an opening 62 in the 30 mounting rail 36. For this purpose, the fixedly installed mounting rail 36 has an opening extending all the way through the material thickness, thereby providing free ~, access to the cavity 40 from the interior of the shower 3 enclosure. ~
::':
.
- 10~

20113~

Figure 3 is a mirror-image detail of portion III in Fig. 2, in which the open region of the storage compartment 60 can also be seen. For this purpose the opening 62 has been made in the mounting rail 36, as indicated by the broken lines. The installation and attachment of the storage compartment 60, which is suitably provided with a bottom and a top, is performed with the cover 38 removed.
The storage compartment 60 is also made from a shaped rail of aluminum or an alloy thereof. If desired, the storage compartment including bottom and top can also be made of ` plastic and ir.serted into the mounting rail through the opening 62. The storage compartment 60 has a narrow lip 64 on its front and is supported against the clamping rail 50 inside of the column 18 by means of a projection 66 and a 15 screw 68. The clamping rail 50 is fastened by a screw 70 to the mounting rail 36. It need not be emphasized that the clamping rail 50 extends substantially over the full vertical height of the stationary wall element 6. A tight joint is provided which prevents escape of splashes. The clamping rail 50 is provided with a number of vertically l spaced holes 72 for the screws 70. The mounting rail 36 has `d an oppositely disposed screw groove or channel 74 extending over the entire length, so that no special alignment steps ~'l are necessary in assembling the clamping rail 50. On ~i~25 account of the screw groove 74 extending over the entire length, into which the screws 70 are screwed horizontally from the side, no special preparatory work need be ,performed, such as drilling or tapping for the screws.
-lFigure 4 is a mirror-image representation of a detail 30 of portion IV in Fig. 2. The hook 48 of cover 38 can easily be seen in this figure. Hook 48 engages in a groove 76 that ~-~ is provided between the hook 46 and the inside wall of the mounting rail 36. Although no wall element is fastened on this side of the mounting rail 36, a clamping rail 50 is nevertheless provided. Thus, a wall element can optionally `~ -- 1 1 --20113~

be sealingly attached on either side of the mounting rail.
The storage compartment 60 with the projection 66 can therefore be formed symmetrically with respect to the central plane 56 and can be attached in the same manner as 5 on the other side.
Fig. 5 is a perspective view of an additional embodiment in the form of a free-standing shower enclosure.
The two wall elements 6 and 8 are not attached to room walls by wall connecting rails, but instead are connected by 10 connecting rails 80 to two additional wall elements 7 and 9.
The total of four wall elements 6 to 9 enclose the shower interior in spiral fashion, whereby this shower enclosure is totally free-standing in the bathroom or the like. The bottom edges 82 of the wall elements stand on a 15 correspondingly configured edge of the shower basin or directly on the floor, which is sealed with appropriate sealing means and contains a drain opening. At the bottom the central column 18 is extended past the bottom edges 82 by a bottom end section 84. This bottom end section 84 is 20 inserted into the above-mentioned recess 42 in the shower basin or into a corresponding recess in the floor, thereby conferring high stability on the central column 18, and s consequently on the shower enclosure as a whole. The central column 18 furthermore comprises an upper end section 25 86 which is in the form of a ceiling standard and is anchored to the ceiling of the bathroom or shower room. The upper end section 86 projects above the top edge 88 of the wall elements to such an extent that it can be fastened to the ceiling. In like manner, th~ corner rail 22 and one of 30 the connecting rails 80 are extended by an upper end section to facilitate attachment to the ceiling of the bathroom.
The wall elements 6 and 8, the central column 18 and ; the corner rail 22 provided for the free-standing embodiment of the shower enclosure are the same as those of the shower 35 enclosure embodiment described with reference to Figures 1 -` 20~1353 to 4. Considerable production and cos~ advantages are thereby achieved. Furthermore, in the case of the free-standing embodiment represented in Fig. 5, the wall element 7 is configured the same as wall element 6, and wall element 9 the same as wall element 8, thereby achieving additional advantages with regard to manufacture and warehousing.
The foregoing description and examples have been set forth merely to illustrate the invention and are not intended to be limiting. Since modifications of the described embodiments incorporating the spirit and substance of the invention may occur to persons skilled in the art, it is intended that the invention be construed to include all variations falling within the scope of the appended clairs and equivalents thereof.

:"

'

Claims

1. A shower enclosure comprising:
- a vertically disposed element which defines an interior cavity (40) for accommodating water supply conduits (34, 35) and at least part of a shower valve assembly (32), said vertical element being configured as a central column (18) and including a mounting rail (36) for mounting said shower valve assembly (32);
- at least one stationary wall element (6) having a vertical lateral edge sealingly connected to said central column (18);
- means defining an entrance doorway (20) laterally alongside said vertical element; and - a removable cover (38) at least in the vicinity of said valve assembly for concealing said interior cavity (40) in said column (18).

2. A shower enclosure according to claim 1, wherein a second wall element (8) is disposed in front of said central column (18) in a bathroom or shower room, said second wall element extending to a corner rail (22), and said entrance doorway being defined between said corner rail (22) and said central column (18).

3. A shower enclosure according to Claim 1, wherein said one stationary wall element (6) joins said central column (18) substantially at a right angle to said entrance doorway (20).

4. A shower enclosure according to Claim 1, wherein said central column (18) comprises a stationary, vertically oriented mounting rail (36) and a cover (38) which is removable at least over a portion of the total height of said central column and which conceals said cavity (40).

5. A shower enclosure according to Claim 1, wherein said cover (38) is attached to said mounting rail (36) by a releasable snap fastener.

6. A shower enclosure according to Claim 1, wherein said central column (18) has an upper end section (86) projecting above the top edges (89) of said wall element(s) (6, 8) for fastening to a ceiling of a bathroom.

7. A shower enclosure according to Claim 1, wherein said central column (18) is anchored by a bottom end section (84) received in a recess (42) in an underlying shower basin (12) or floor.

8. A shower enclosure according to Claim 1, wherein said central column (18) has a flat inner surface (19) on which adjusting valves of said shower valve assembly and a shower head (32) are arranged, and wherein said cover (38) is disposed on the outside (25) of said central column (18), facing said doorway (20), and is configured as a substan-tially semicylindrical shell.

9. A shower enclosure according to claim 1, wherein said shower enclosure is erected in a corner between two fixed room walls (2,4), and said doorway (20) is disposed substantially in a vertical plane which bisects said corner, and wherein said shower valve assembly (32) and shower head (28) are disposed substantially in said vertical plane and are aimed interiorly of said shower enclosure.

10. A shower enclosure according to claim 1, wherein said vertical lateral edge of said stationary wall element (6) is connected to one side of said mounting rail (36) by means of a clamping rail (50).

11. A shower enclosure according to Claim 10, wherein said mounting rail (36) has a screw channel (74) extending over its entire height on at least one side into which screws (70) for attaching said clamping rail are screwed.

12. A shower enclosure according to Claim 2, wherein said central column (18) has a cross-sectional area which is substantially greater than that of said corner rail (22).

13. A shower enclosure according to Claim l, wherein another vertical lateral edge of said stationary wall (6) is connected to a fixed room wall (2) by a connecting rail (10), and said central column (18) has a cross-sectional area which is substantially greater than that of said connecting rail (10).

14. A shower enclosure according to Claim 1, wherein an opening (62) is provided through said mounting rail (36), and a storage compartment (60), which is accessible from inside said shower enclosure, is mounted in said opening (62) extending into the interior cavity (40) of said column (18).

15. A shower enclosure according to Claim 1, wherein said mounting rail (36) is configured as a box section having a substantially rectangular cross section, and said cover (38) is configured as a semicylindrical shell having a radius corresponding substantially to one-half the width of said mounting rail (36).

16. A shower enclosure according to Claim 15, wherein said mounting rail (36) has a flat inside surface (19) which faces interiorly of said shower enclosure, and said semicylindrical cover (38) faces said entrance doorway (20).