Shower splash shield

• US 5,274,859 A
• Filed: 12/17/1992
• Issued: 01/04/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Brass Craft Manufacturing Co (Masco Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Brass Craft Manufacturing Co (Masco Corporation)
• Inventors: Murphy, Roger W., Redman, Leon E., Higgins, Bruce W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Recla, Henry J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Fetsuga, Robert M.
• Application Number:
  US07/992,218
• Time in Patent Office: 383 Days
• Field of Search: 4/558, 4/559, 4/605, 4/608, 4/609, 160/349.1, 160/349.2, 160/DIG. 6, 24/458, 24/555, 24/530, 24/67.11
• US Class Current: 4/608
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 3/30 Screens or collapsible cabinets for showers or baths A47K3/283 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 3/302 splash guards
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/44026 for cooperating with aperture in supporting structure or structure-to-be-secured

Abstract

A bathtub shower splash shield member which includes a shower curtain holding structure adapted for use with a bathtub for preventing water from a shower head from splashing between a wall and the adjacent side of a suspended shower curtain, member comprised of a generally triangular shaped unitary body containing two general orthogonally arranged mounting legs that intersect at a vertex and a web extending between and joining mounting legs. The two mounting legs include a vertically extending leg adapted to be mounted on a wall structure and a horizontally extending leg adapted to be mounted on the flat horizontal surface of a side wall of the bathtub. The shower curtain holding structure includes an opening extending through vertically extending leg and a finger clamp disposed in this opening. The finger clamp includes a clamping portion extending in a direction away from first leg. The clamping portion cooperates with the web to grip a portion of the curtain between the clamping portion and the web.

Claims

1. A shower splash shield adapted for use with a bathtub for preventing water from a shower head from splashing between a wall and the adjacent side of a suspended shower curtain comprising:

a first vertically extending mounting leg;

a second horizontally extending mounting leg joined to said first leg;

a web extending between and joining said first and second legs, said first leg provided with at least one vertically extending section disposed on at least one side of said web;

said second leg adapted to overlie and be attached to a portion of a horizontal top surface of a side wall of a bathtub;

said first leg adapted to overlie and be attached to an upright wall adjacent which one end of the bathtub is located;

an opening extending through said at least one vertically extending section of said first leg; and

a clamping finger comprising a base and a clamping section, said base being disposed in said opening with said clamping section extending from said base in a direction away from said first leg and cooperating with said web to grip a portion of the shower curtain between said clamping section and said web with said portion of said shower curtain sandwiched between and in intimate contact with said web and said clamping section.

2. The shield of claim 1 wherein said opening extending through said at least one vertically extending section of said first leg is spaced away from said web.

3. The shield of claim 1 wherein said clamping section includes a curved portion which is in intimate contact with said web.

4. The shield of claim 1 wherein said web divides said first leg into two vertically extending sections with a second opening extending through the second of said two vertically extending sections.

5. The shield of claim 1 wherein said opening is tapered, being wider at the wall attachment side than at the finger extending side.

6. The shield of claim 5 wherein said base is in a dovetail relationship with said opening.

7. The shield of claim 6 wherein said web is solid.

8. The shield of claim 1 wherein said first and second mounting legs are joined at a vertex defined by the junction of adjacent ends of said first and second mounting legs.

9. The shield of claim 8 wherein said web is shaped to provide a pleat section that extends from said vertex to a portion of the free edge of the web to provide and expansion joint which accommodates variations in the angular altitude of the wall to which said first mounting leg attaches.

10. The shield of claim 9 wherein said pleat extends from said vertex to a portion of the free edge of the web that is closest to and opposite from said vertex.

11. The shield of claim 1 wherein an adhesive strip is secured along substantially the entire lengths of said first and second mounting legs so as to provide the attachment of said first mounting leg to said wall and said second mounting leg to the horizontal top surface of a side wall of said bathtub.

12. The shield of claim 1 wherein said web is solid.