GB2502123A

GB2502123A - Shower enclosure

Info

Publication number: GB2502123A
Application number: GB1208697.1A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Timothy Powell
Original assignee: BATHROOM BRANDS IP HOLDINGS Ltd
Current assignee: BATHROOM BRANDS IP HOLDINGS Ltd
Priority date: 2012-05-17
Filing date: 2012-05-17
Publication date: 2013-11-20
Also published as: GB201208697D0

Abstract

The invention relates to an enclosure arrangement, i.e. a shower enclosure 20 that is made up of partition walls 30. The enclosure frame 40 is an integrally formed frame having a base, an upwardly extending portion (42 figure 3) and an overhanging portion (44 figure 3) which extends from an upper region of the upwardly extending portion. The frame is preferably made from glass with either sliding or hinged doors 50 and which may be either flat or curved. The overhang of a door frame helps to stabilise the enclosure.

Description

AN ENCLOSURE ARRANGEMENT

The present invention relates to an enclosure arrangement. The present invention s particularly, although not exclusivey applicable to shower enclosure arrangements.

Two examples of conventional door frames for short partition walls are shown in Figure 1, which s for a shower enclosure 2. The shower enclosure 2 includes short partibon walls or uprights made of gass or acrylic including a short partition wal 4, a door mounting panel 6 and a door 8. Two hinges 10 are attached to the door mounting panel 6 and connected to the door 8 so that the door 8 can be pivoted about a hinge axis A to allow access to the interior of the shower enclosure 2. The hinges 10 are offset from a fixed upright structural wall 14.

The door mounting panel 6 is fixed at the base and atfached along ifs upright fo the structural wall 14. The weight of the door 8 tends to pull the door mounting panel 6 away from the structural wall 14. Consequently, bracing bars 12 are used to maintain the door mounting panel 6 and the short partition wall 4 in place. In Figure 1, the bracing bars 12 nclude a connection between the door mounting panel 6 and a structural wall 14 and another connection between the short partition wat 4 and another sfructural wall 16.

It is an objective of the present invention to provide sufficient stability for door frames for short partition walls without the need for bracing bars.

It is a further objective of the present invention to reduce the number of components required fo provide stable door frames for short partition walls.

According to one aspect of the present invention an enclosure arrangement comprises an enclosure arrangement including an integraly formed frame havng a base, an upwardy extending portion and an overhanging portion extending from an upper regon of the upwardy extending portion over at least part of an opening, the end region of the overhanging portion being connected to a support.

According to a further aspect of the present invention, a method of providing an enclosure arrangement a method or providing an enclosure arrangement, the enclosure arrangement including an infegrally formed frame having a base, an upwardly extending portion and an overhanging portion extending from an upper region of the upwardly extending portion over at least part of an opening comprising connecting the end region of the overhanging portion to a support.

The present invention may be carried nto practice in various ways and embodiments will now be described by way cf example only.

Brief Description of Drawings

Figure 2 shows a perspective view of an embodiment of an overhanging door frame for short partition walls; Figure 3 shows a front vew of the embodiment in Figure 2; Figure 4 shows a perspective view of another embodiment of two overhanging door frames for short partition walls wherein the single door has at least one hinge to allow access to the interior of the enclosure; Figure 5 shows a perspective view of another embodiment of two overhanging door frames for short partition walls wherein the two doors have at least one hinge to allow access to the interior of the enclosure; Figure 6 shows a perspective view of a further embodment of an overhanging door frame for short partition walls wherein the door has a sliding mechanism to allow access the interior ol the enclosure.

Detailed Description of Drawings

A preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown in Figure 2. A shower enclosure 20 comprises a partition waN 30. a door frame 40, a door 50 and at least one hinge which connects the door frame 40 to the door 50 allowing access to the interior of the shower enclosure 20.

As shown in Figure 3, the door frame 40 extends upwardly from a base to form an upright portion 42. At the uppermost region of the upright portion 42, the door frame 40 then extends outwardly from the longitudinal edge of the upright portion 42 to form an overhanging portion 44. The door frame 40 is attached to an external upright member for stability such as a structural waN. The free end of the overhanging portion 44 is connected to the short partition wall 30. The partition wall 30 may also be connected to an external upright member such as a structural wall. A hinge or hinges 60 connect the upright portion 42 to the door 50 to allow the door to be opened by pulling a handle 52.

The connection of the door frame 40 to the partition waI 30 acts to nhibit the door frame parting from the structural wall to which it is connected under the weight of the door and/or under the weight of the overhang. Accordingly a stable structure is provided which may allow there to be a gap between the top of the shower enclosure and the ceiling of a room.

In another preferred embodiment of the present invention as shown in Figure 4, two door frames 40 connected to each other may be provided that are both curved towards the interior of the enclosure 20. The door 50 may also be curved to be accommodated by the curved door frames 40.

In a further preferred embodiment of the present invention as shown in Figure 5, when two curved door franes 40 connected to each other are used, two curved doors 50 may be used in conjunction. A wider opening may be provided whilst limiting the space taken up by the doors when open.

In a final preferred embodiment of the present invention as shown in Figure 6, the enclosure 20 may comprise a door Irame 40 which is modified to accommodate a sliding mechanism 70. Similarly to the preferred embodiment in Figures 2 and 3, the door frame 40 s fixed to a partiton wall 30 usng the overhanging portion 44. This may allow the door frame 40 and the wall 30 to be stable ever if the frame 40 does not support all or indeed any of the weight ol the door without there necessarily being a frame or bracing bar. Channels (not shown) may be provided at the top and bottom to allow sliding of the door.

Whilst embodiments described above all include a door in an alternative embodment the door or doors may be absent to provide a walk in shower.

Although preferred embiment(s) of the present invention have been shown and described, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes may be made wthout departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the caims.

Claims

Claims 1 An enclosure arrangement includng an integraly formed frame having a base, an upwardly extending portion and an overhanging portion extending from an upper region of the upwardly extending portion over at least part of an openng, an end region of the overhanging portion being connected to a support.
2 An enclosure arrangement as claimed in caim 1 incuding a door extending over at least part of the opening.
3 An enclosure as claimed n claim 2 in whch the door is bingedly connected to the frame.
4 An enclosure arrangement as claimed in claim 2 in which the door is slidaby mounted between an open and a closed position.
An enclosure arrangement as claimed in any preceding claim in which the frame is of constant tftckness.
6 An enclosure mounting arrangement as claimed in any preceding claim in which the support is of the same material as the frame.
7 An enclosure arrangement as claimed in claim 5 or 6 in which the support extends at right angles to the frame.
8 An enclosure arrangement as caimed in any preceding claim in which the support includes a second integrally formed frame having a base and an upwardy extending portion and an overhanging portion extending from an upper region of the upwardly extending portion over at least part of an opening.
S An enclosure arrangement as clamed in claim 7 in which overhanging portions of the frame and the second frame extend at least partially over a common opening.
ID An enclosure arrangement as claimed in claim 7 in which the overhanging portions extend at least partially over different doors.
11 An enclosure arrangement as claimed in any preceding claim in whch at least part of an overhanging portion is curved.
12 An enclosure arrangement as claimed in any of claims i to 9 in which the frame or frames are planar.
13 An enclosure arrangement as claimed in any preceding claim in which the erclosure arrangement includes at east one wall of a room.
14 An enclosure arrangement as claimed to claim 13 in which the enclosure arrangement includes two wals of a room.
15 An enclosure arrangement as claimed in claim 13 or 14 including a space above the enclosure beneath the ceiling of the room.
16 An enclosure arrangement as claimed in any preceding claim in which the enclosure comprises a shower enclosure.
17 An enclosure arrangement as claimed in any preceding claim in wftch at least one ol the frame or support is made of at least partialy transparent material.
IS An enclosure arrangement as shown in any preceding claim in which at least one of the frame or support is made of glass.
19 An enclosure arrangement as clamed in any preceding claim in which the doors made of the same material as the frame.
20 A method or providing an enclosure arrangement, the enclosure arrangement includng an integrally formed frame having a base, an upwardly extending portion and an overhanging portion extending from an upper region of the upwardy extending portion over at least part ci an opening comprising connecting an end region of the overhanging portion to a support.
21 A method as claimed in clarr 20 comprising providing an enclosure arrangement as clamed in any of claims 1 to 1 9.