Method and apparatus for elastic shower splash guard

• US 5,978,985 A
• Filed: 12/05/1997
• Issued: 11/09/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Michael A. Thurman
• Original Assignee: Michael A. Thurman
• Inventors: Thurman, Michael A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Eloshway, Charles R.
• Application Number:
  US08/985,567
• Time in Patent Office: 704 Days
• Field of Search: 4/559, 4/609, D23/307, 160/DIG. 6, 160/84.01, 160/84.07, 160/84.04
• US Class Current: 4/609
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 3/286 Emergency showers
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 3/38 Curtain arrangements curtains, curtain suspension devices A47H

Abstract

A splash guard for installation at the nominally orthogonal junction between a bath tub upper surface and an adjacent wall has two legs for attachment to the nominally orthogonal surfaces joined by a flexibly curved or convoluted web that flexes to adjust the angle between the legs, so as to allow them to be attached to surfaces that are set at greater or less than 90°. The flexible material required for this angular accommodation also serves to cushion impact against the body in falling accidents where the splash guard is involved.

Claims

1. A splash guard for installation in the junction of the nominally vertical shower enclosure wall to the nominally horizontal bath tub top surface of a shower bath, enclosed by a shower curtain, comprising:

a first base leg, including first inner and outer surfaces, said outer surface further including adhesive for attachment thereof to the nominally vertical wall;

a second base leg, including second inner and outer surfaces, said outer surface further including adhesive for attachment thereof to the nominally horizontal tub top surface;

an elastic web integrally joining said first inner surface along a first line and said second inner surface along a second line so as to place said first and second outer surfaces in a nominally orthogonal relationship, the cross-section of said web having a continuous, sinusoidal wave-form curvature to alternating sides of the plane defined by said first and second lines so that no portion of said flexible web is stiffened by folding into intersecting planes; and

the angle between said first and second outer surfaces being variable from greater than 90°

to less than 90°

by flexibly changing the degree of curvature of said web.

2. A splash guard according to claim 1 wherein an adhesive strip is applied to the length of said first and second outer surfaces.

3. A splash guard according to claim 1 wherein said elastic web includes an inner portion of substantially uniform thickness and a continuous, uniformly thicker outer edge portion.

4. A method for installing a splash guard in the approximately orthogonal junction of the shower enclosure wall to the bath tub top surface of a shower bath, enclosed by a shower curtain, comprising the steps of:

constructing a splash guard with approximately orthogonal first and second legs joined by a continuous, sinusoidally curved elastic web, so that no portion of said web is stiffened by folding into intersecting planes;

applying adhesive to the outer surface of the legs;

flexing the alternating concave and convex curvature so as to reduce the included angle between the legs to an acute angle, significantly less than the approximately orthogonal angle between the wall and the bath tub top surface, by pressing the legs toward each other;

fitting the apex of the acute angle into the apex of the approximately orthogonal angle;

relaxing the pressure urging the acute angle between the legs so as to allow the included angle between the legs to approach the angle between the wall and the tub surface, as the first leg approaches a position substantially perpendicular to the top surface of the tub and the second leg approaches a position substantially perpendicular to the wall; and

pressing the first leg against the wall and the second leg against the top surface of the tub.

5. A method for improving the safety of a shower splash guard installation attached to the wall surface and bath tub top surface of a shower enclosure, in the approximately orthogonal junction therebetween, comprising the steps of:

connecting the wall and tub top surface attachment portions of the splash guard with a continuously, sinusoidally curved, elastic web having a continuous deformable edge, no portion of said elastic web being stiffened by folding into intersecting planes;

deforming said deformable edge and deflecting said elastic web by the impact of a body against the splash guard; and

dispersing the body impact energy through deformation of the web and deformation of said continuous deformable edge so as to minimize the severity of personal injury incurred.