Shower Curtain Guard Device

Abstract

A shower curtain guard for use particularly in connection with shower enclosures above conventional bath tubs, comprises a vertical bar or rail, attached by a double adhesive medium, to the wall at one or both ends of the tub. The rail is bent inwardly above the tub to hold the lower end of the curtain within the tub while affording a wider shower compartment above the tub. A spongy plastic seal prevents escape of water between the tub and the lower end of the bar or rail. Interlocking fibre patches on the curtain and on the rail which are separable secure the curtain so as to prevent water passing outside the compartment.

Description

BACKGROUND AND PRIOR ART

The use of shower curtains in connection with bath tubs to convert the space above the tub into a shower compartment is almost universal. However, many of the prior art curtain arrangements permit water to escape outside of the tub, or they hang too deeply into the tub, so as not to be pressed outside of it by the spraying water. This causes excessive soaking and damages the curtain. Other arrangements involve complicated fastenings. Most users desire a simple, readily detachable holding means which secures the curtain firmly and adequately but can be released easily. A guard is needed that can be installed in the bathroom without drilling into tiled walls or resorting to other difficult operations.

The shower curtain obviously should seal at least one corner of the compartment above the tub against leakage, i.e., at least the shower end. It should extend to the ceiling above the tub, or at least to a point high enough that the shower water will not spray outside the compartment, and it should deflect all water running down the inside of the curtain into the tub.

The present invention is designed to meet all the foregoing requirements and also to meet other requirements or preference features not specifically mentioned above.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a front view of the invention, i.e., as seen looking alongside a bath tub towards the wall at one end of the tub.

FIG. 2 is a transverse sectional view, in large scale, taken substantially along line 2--2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view, taken substantially along line 3--3 of FIG. 1, also at considerably larger scale than FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a sectional detail showing a fastening device of interlocking fiber type secured to an edge of a shower curtain; this view is analogous to a section of FIG. 3, taken substantially along line 4--4 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of a modification usable in lieu of that of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary view of the structures of FIG. 3, i.e., as seen from the back of FIG. 3.

FIG. 7 is a rear view and FIG. 8 is a front view of an interlocking fiber type tab per se which can be secured to a conventional curtain, either by adhesive (FIG. 7) or by supplemental fastenings (FIG. 8).

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

FIG. 1 shows a part of a wall 10 at the end of a conventional bath tub 11. In some cases, it is only necessary to secure a shower curtain (shown diagrammatically in section at 20) at one end, i.e., to one wall at one end of the tub. In other cases, it may be desirable or necessary to secure both ends of the curtain, i.e., at both ends of the tub one end, of course, being detachable to provide access to the tub enclosure. For purpose of describing the present invention, means for fastening at one end will be described, it being understood that the structure of FIG. 1, or part of it, may be duplicated at the other end of the tub, which is not shown in the drawings.

The principal physical element of the invention is an upstanding bar or rail 13 which, in cross-section, is an angle bar, as best shown in FIG. 2. Thus, bar or rail 13 has a flat base or leg 16 which is secured to the wall 10 by a double faced adhesive medium or seal 15. The latter may be a double coated plastic tape, i.e., a strip of tape having a strong preferably self-sealing adhesive on each face which bonds the bar or rail 13 to wall 10. This tape 15 may be a little narrower than base element 16 of bar 13, or it may be of the same width or slightly wider. It should not be very much wider; otherwise an unsightly or otherwise undesirable adhesive surface would be exposed along a side edge or edges of the base 16. The bar 13 preferably is fixed in a vertical position against wall 10 and more or less in line with the outside of tub 11. It has an inwardly bent or shaped lower part 18, which makes an angle at 19 of about 15.degree. to 30.degree. or so from the vertical. The purpose of this is to deflect the lower edge portion of curtain 20 inside the tub 11. As at D, FIG. 1, With this arrangement, the shower compartment above the tub can be made wider as at C, FIG. 1, than the inside width of the tub, which is usually or often desirable.

The angle bar 13 has another flange element or leg 17 which extends from base surface 16 more or less towards the viewer, as seen in FIG. 1. This element preferably makes an acute angle A with respect to base element 16, which of course is parallel to wall 10, to which it is secured. See FIG. 2. Angle A may be as little as 60.degree. of arc or as much as 90.degree., but preferably is somewhat less than 90.degree., so that curtain attaching means are enhanced in their holding effect and possibility of shower water escaping between the side edge of curtain 20 and this element 17 of the guard base 13 is minimized. A presently preferred value for angle A is around 70.degree. of arc.

The curtain is provided at suitable intervals, e.g., every 8 to 15 inches or so, with an interlocking fiber type tab 23 or 27. Each tab 23, FIGS. 1 and 2, or 26, FIG. 3, consists of or comprises a patch or piece of fabric 22 or 27 provided with upstanding fiber elements 28 so formed as to interlock with similar fiber elements 25 on patches 24 of similar size and material. See FIG. 4.

The patches or pieces 24 and 27, of fabric faced with upstanding pile type interlocking fibers form no part, per se, of the present invention. Materials of this type are well known in the art, one such, which is rather widely known and used, being marketed currently under the trade name "Velcro". Other materials having analogous interlocking properties obviously can be used instead of or along with "Velcro".

As shown in FIG. 2, tab 23, affixed to the edge of curtain 20, consists of a backing sheet 22 attached in any suitable manner, as by adhesive or by rivets or other fastenings, to the edge of curtain 20. This tab projects far enough from the edge of curtain 20 to bend around the projecting bar element 17 and engage its upstanding fibers 28 with similar fibers on a patch 24 secured adhesively (or otherwise) to bar element 17. These interlocking elements hold the curtain 20 securely; however, they can be pulled apart readily when desired, that is, they are readily detachable from each other although ordinarily holding securely together.

In FIG. 3 the tab 26 is shown as folded around and secured to the bar element 17. In similar fashion, as shown in FIG. 4, it may be bent U-shape and secured adhesively, or by rivets, staples or the like, to the curtain 20. Obviously, if metal fastenings are used, they should be of rustproof material.

FIG. 5 shows an arrangement where a patch 26 of "Velcro" or the like is secured to one face of the curtain 20 and backed by a patch of fabric or plastic reinforcing material 29 on the opposite side. The three layers 26, 20, 29 can be secured together by adhesive or by mechanical fastenings, as will be obvious.

In FIGS. 7 and 8, a tab 31 is shown which consists of a backing sheet 32, adapted to be folded about the edge of a curtain 20. It may also be used on bar element 17, as in FIG. 3, for example. The rear face (showing in FIG. 7) is coated with a waterproof adhesive, preferably or self-energizing or pressure sensitive type. The front face, FIG. 8, bears a patch 34 of projecting interlocking fibers similar to those mentioned above in other figures of the drawing.

The tab 31 is folded around the edge of the curtain and secured adhesively thereto; or if preferred, rivets or other fasteners, not shown, may be inserted through openings 35 to hold the tabs on the curtain or on element 17 of rail 13.

At the bottom of the bent rail 13, FIG. 1, a "dam" of plastic material 37 is placed to prevent water, running down curtain 20 or wall 10, from flowing outwardly across the top edge of the tub 11. Preferably, this is a small piece of plastic foam material; one suitable material is available in the form of a strip or "tape" about 1/2 inch thick or more. By cementing this on the top of the side of the tub 11 and snugly against wall 10, leakage under the bar 13 is prevented. Reference above to a side or end of a tub will be understood to refer to components without regard to their relative dimensions.

Obviously, the tabs on curtain 20 and those on rail 13 are located so as to match each other and are close enough together to prevent opening of the curtain between them (when the curtain is fastened) which would permit water to flow outside the tub. As indicated above, closure at one end of the tub ordinarily will be sufficient but the curtain may be secured at both ends if desired. In this case, one end would be left unfastened while the user enters or leaves the shower enclosure, but fastened while he is inside. Obviously, the bar 13 extends between the tub and the ceiling although in many cases it need not go all the way to the ceiling. The top edge of the curtain may be supported, if required, in and conventional manner, as by a rod, means for such support not being shown and not being part of the present invention.

Obviously, many modifications and variations may be made, within the scope of the invention by those skilled in the art. It is intended by the claims which follow to cover such modifications and variations as broadly as the state of the prior art properly permits.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A curtain guard device for a shower enclosure which includes a tub and a shower curtain, said device comprising, in combination, a bar attachable to a wall at an end of said tub and having a laterally extending flange, said bar extending upwardly from the top of said tub towards the ceiling of the enclosure, means between said bar and said wall for effecting a water-tight seal between said bar and wall, an additional water-tight seal means between the lower end of said bar and the top of said tub, and two matching series of spaced, detachable interlocking fibrous textile fastener elements secured respectively to said bar and to a marginal edge of said shower curtain, for releasably locking said curtain to said bar in a manner to prevent flow of water between said curtain and said bar, wherein the bar has a major length portion adapted to stand vertically and a minor lower portion deflected at an angle towards said tub to hold the shower curtain inwardly with respect to the tub.

2. A device according to claim 1 in which the bar is an angular structure having one leg element adapted to rest flat against said wall and another leg element adapted to project away from said wall.

3. A device according to claim 2 in which the angle between said leg elements is an acute angle.

4. A device according to claim 1 in which the means for preventing flow of water between the lower end of the bar and the tub is a foamy plastic tape arranged for adhesive attachment to the upper edge of the tub.

5. A device according to claim 1 in which the locking elements are tabs of sheet pile textile material having upstanding interlocking fibers adapted to be detachably engaged with each other.

6. A device according to claim 5 in which the pile textile tabs are adhesively attachable respectively to the bar and to a shower curtain.