BATHING AREA ACCESSORIES

• US 20150366408A1
• Filed: 06/18/2015
• Published: 12/24/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/2014
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Kohler Company
• Original Assignee: Kohler Company
• Inventors: Cohen, Ben, Knowles, Greta, Lilly, Erin, Lilly, Thomas, McDonald, Alan, Tempas, Jeff, Zimbric, Luke
• Application Number:
  US14/743,753
• Publication Number:
  US 20150366408A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 47/0075 Flat or flat-like panels connected without frames for panels mainly made of wood or plastic A47B47/042
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 5/00 Suspended or hinged panels forming a table; Wall tables bed tables A47B23/00; adapted for use in vehicles A47B31/06; in combination with other furniture A47B83/00; arm-rest tables for chairs A47C
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 5/02 detachable
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 5/04 foldable
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 57/00 Cabinets, racks or shelf units, characterised by features for adjusting shelves or partitions shelf units with stackable uprights A47B87/00; details of cabinets, racks or shelf units in general A47B96/00; brackets adjustable in themselves A47B96/07
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 57/34 the grooved or notched parts being the side walls or uprights themselves
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 81/00 Cabinets or racks specially adapted for other particular purposes, e.g. for storing guns or skis
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 81/002 Corner cabinets; Cabinets designed for being placed in a corner or a niche corner cabinets provided with trays revolving on a vertical axis A47B49/006
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 96/02 Shelves movable shelves coupled to doors A47B96/16
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 96/021 Structural features of shelf bases
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 96/027 Cantilever shelves
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 96/06 Brackets or similar supporting means for cabinets, racks or shelves A47B96/022 takes precedence; aspects of adjusting height or inclination A47B57/00 ; brackets for the display of articles A47F5/08
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 96/061 Cantilever brackets
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 5/00 Show stands, hangers, or shelves characterised by their constructional features
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 5/08 secured to the wall, ceiling, or the like; Wall-bracket display devices
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 3/281 Accessories for showers or bathing douches, e.g. cleaning devices for walls or floors of showers A47K3/30, A47K3/38, A47K3/40 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 3/282 Seats specially adapted for showers
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 57/12 specially adapted for attachment to walls, ceilings, stoves, or other structures or objects

Abstract

A bathing area accessory may be used within a bathing area. The bathing area accessory may be a bathing area shelving assembly, a bathing area bar assembly, a storage assembly, a bathing area seat assembly, or a shaving ledge assembly. The shelving assembly for use within a bathing area may include a niche and at least one shelf that is attachable to, removable from, and reattachable to the attachment portions of the niche. The niche may include attachment portions that receive and secure the at least one shelf. The niche may include two sidewalls that extend substantially vertically along a vertical length of the niche. The attachment portions may be on the two sidewalls and the at least one shelf may attach with a pair of the attachment portions that are vertically aligned with each other.

Claims

1. A bar assembly for a wall of a bathing area comprising:

a bar including a channel extending along a length of the bar; and

at least one bracket configured to rigidly attach to the wall of the bathing area and to be selectively fixed in position relative to the bar,

wherein the at least one bracket includes an extension slidable within the channel to enable selective positioning of the at least one bracket prior to the at least one bracket being fixed in position relative to the bar.

2. The bar assembly of claim 1, wherein the extension enters into the channel through at least one longitudinal end of the bar.

3. The bar assembly of claim 2, further comprising at least one plug attachable to the at least one longitudinal end of the bar, wherein the at least one plug is configured to prevent the at least one bracket from detaching from the bar before the bracket is fixed in position relative to the bar.

4. The bar assembly of claim 1, wherein the at least one bracket is boltable to the wall of the bathing area.

5. The bar assembly of claim 1, further comprising a shelf positionable along the length of the bar and rigidly securable to the bar.

6. The bar assembly of claim 5, wherein the shelf includes an aperture extending through the shelf.

7. The bar assembly of claim 5, wherein the shelf snaps onto the bar.

8. The bar assembly of claim 5, wherein the shelf includes a recessed region along a bottom surface of the shelf that has complementary geometry to a top surface of the bar, wherein the bar fits at least partially within the recessed region when the shelf is rigidly secured to the bar.

9. The bar assembly of claim 5, further comprising an attachment member configured to extend around a bottom surface of the bar and to attach to at least two portions of a bottom surface of the shelf.

10. A storage assembly for a wall of a bathing area comprising:

a storage device;

a storage device attachment unit on a back side of the storage device; and

a wall attachment unit attachable to a front surface of the wall of the bathing area,

wherein one of the storage device attachment unit and the wall attachment unit is a male attachment unit with a protrusion and the other of the storage device attachment unit and the wall attachment unit is a female attachment unit with a slot, wherein the protrusion fits within and secures to the slot,

wherein the storage device attachment unit is attachable to, removable from, and reattachable to the wall attachment unit.

11. The storage assembly of claim 10, wherein the wall attachment unit is attachable to any location on the wall of the bathing area.

12. The storage assembly of claim 10, further comprising multiple wall attachment units attached to the wall, wherein the storage device attachment unit with the storage device is attachable to any of the multiple wall attachment units.

13. The storage assembly of claim 10, wherein at least one of the storage device attachment unit and the wall attachment unit has at least one ball bearing configured to roll between the storage device attachment unit and the wall attachment unit during attachment.

14. The storage assembly of claim 10, wherein the storage device attachment unit and the wall attachment unit attach together such that there is a gap for drainage between the storage device and the wall of the bathing area.

15. The storage assembly of claim 10, wherein the storage device is a peg, wherein a front side of the peg is angled upward.

16. The storage assembly of claim 10, wherein the storage device is a shelf with a substantially flat storage surface, wherein a front edge of the shelf is angled upward.

17. The storage assembly of claim 16, wherein the shelf includes at least one of a removable soap tray, an aperture, and a slot.

18. The storage assembly of claim 10, wherein the storage device is a frame with at least one removable storage feature that is attachable to the frame.

19. The storage assembly of claim 18, wherein the storage feature includes at least one of a flat surface, a recessed surface, a slot, a basket, a hook, a container, a hole, and a lower shelf connected to an upper shelf.

20. The storage assembly of claim 18, wherein the frame is configured to hold at least two removable storage features.