Shower Door System with Gravity Hinge
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A shower door and hinge assembly comprising:
- a shower door having a weight and an upper horizontal edge and a lower horizontal edge;
an upper horizontal rail attached to the upper horizontal edge of the shower door;
a lower horizontal rail attached to the lower horizontal edge of the shower door;
an upper hinge, the upper hinge comprising an upper portion and a lower portion, wherein the upper portion of the upper hinge and lower portion of the upper hinge are pivotally connected;
a lower hinge;
the lower hinge having a fixed portion and a rotating portion, wherein the fixed portion of the lower hinge and the rotating portion of the lower hinge are pivotally connected;
wherein, the fixed portion of the lower hinge includes raised surfaces disposed about a circular hole and located at 0° and
180°
with respect to a longitudinal axis of the fixed portion of the lower hinge and includes grooves disposed about the circular hole and located at 45° and
270°
with respect to the longitudinal axis of the fixed portion of the lower hinge, wherein ramps interconnect the raised surfaces with the grooves;
wherein, the rotating portion of the lower hinge includes raised surfaces disposed about a circular hole and located at 90° and
270°
with respect to a longitudinal axis of the rotating portion of the lower hinge;
wherein, the fixed portion of the lower hinge and the rotating portion of the lower hinge are engagable;
wherein, engagement of the raised surfaces of the rotating portion of the lower hinge with the grooves of the fixed portion of the lower hinge biases the glass door to a closed position, wherein outward movement of the glass door causes the raised surfaces of the rotating portion of the lower hinge to disengage from the grooves of the fixed portion of the lower hinge and travel upwardly along the ramps of the fixed portion of the lower hinge until the raised surfaces of the rotating portion of the upper hinge contact and travel along the raised surfaces of the fixed portion of the lower hinge, whereby the door is in an open position; and
wherein, inward movement of the door from the open position causes the raised portions of the rotating portion of the lower hinge to engage the ramps of fixed portion of the lower hinge wherein upon engagement, the weight of the glass door causes the raised surfaces of rotating portion of lower hinge to travel down the ramps of the fixed portion of the lower hinge and engage the grooves in the fixed portion of the lower hinge, whereby the door is biased in a closed position.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A shower door and hinge assembly comprising a glass shower door, a sloping sill, a sill angle adapter, upper and lower horizontal door frame rails, and upper and lower shower door hinges where the lower hinge is a gravity style hinge featuring a self-closing action, is presented. The hinges of the present invention shower door and hinge assembly arch only to horizontal edge surfaces of the glass door, i.e. the hinges do not attach to any vertical surface of the door.
3 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A shower door and hinge assembly comprising:
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a shower door having a weight and an upper horizontal edge and a lower horizontal edge; an upper horizontal rail attached to the upper horizontal edge of the shower door; a lower horizontal rail attached to the lower horizontal edge of the shower door; an upper hinge, the upper hinge comprising an upper portion and a lower portion, wherein the upper portion of the upper hinge and lower portion of the upper hinge are pivotally connected; a lower hinge;
the lower hinge having a fixed portion and a rotating portion, wherein the fixed portion of the lower hinge and the rotating portion of the lower hinge are pivotally connected;wherein, the fixed portion of the lower hinge includes raised surfaces disposed about a circular hole and located at 0° and
180°
with respect to a longitudinal axis of the fixed portion of the lower hinge and includes grooves disposed about the circular hole and located at 45° and
270°
with respect to the longitudinal axis of the fixed portion of the lower hinge, wherein ramps interconnect the raised surfaces with the grooves;wherein, the rotating portion of the lower hinge includes raised surfaces disposed about a circular hole and located at 90° and
270°
with respect to a longitudinal axis of the rotating portion of the lower hinge;wherein, the fixed portion of the lower hinge and the rotating portion of the lower hinge are engagable; wherein, engagement of the raised surfaces of the rotating portion of the lower hinge with the grooves of the fixed portion of the lower hinge biases the glass door to a closed position, wherein outward movement of the glass door causes the raised surfaces of the rotating portion of the lower hinge to disengage from the grooves of the fixed portion of the lower hinge and travel upwardly along the ramps of the fixed portion of the lower hinge until the raised surfaces of the rotating portion of the upper hinge contact and travel along the raised surfaces of the fixed portion of the lower hinge, whereby the door is in an open position; and wherein, inward movement of the door from the open position causes the raised portions of the rotating portion of the lower hinge to engage the ramps of fixed portion of the lower hinge wherein upon engagement, the weight of the glass door causes the raised surfaces of rotating portion of lower hinge to travel down the ramps of the fixed portion of the lower hinge and engage the grooves in the fixed portion of the lower hinge, whereby the door is biased in a closed position. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A shower door and hinge assembly comprising:
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a shower door having a weight and an upper horizontal edge and a lower horizontal edge; an upper horizontal rail attached to the upper horizontal edge of the shower door; a lower horizontal rail attached to the lower horizontal edge of the shower door; an upper hinge, the upper hinge comprising an upper portion and a lower portion, wherein the upper portion of the upper hinge and lower portion of the upper hinge are pivotally connected; a lower hinge;
the lower hinge having a fixed portion and a rotating portion, wherein the fixed portion of the lower hinge and the rotating portion of the upper hinge are pivotally connected; andmeans located within the lower hinge for biasing the door to a closed position. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A door and hinge assembly comprising:
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a door having an upper horizontal edge and a lower horizontal edge; an upper horizontal rail attached to the upper horizontal edge of the door; a lower horizontal rail attached to the lower horizontal edge of the door; an upper hinge, the upper hinge comprising an upper portion and a lower portion, wherein the upper portion of the upper hinge and lower portion of the upper hinge are pivotally connected; a lower hinge;
the lower hinge comprising a housing configured with a spindle/cam, at least one cam follower and at least one biasing spring;wherein the spindle/cam is in the form a cylinder configured with a flat surface engagable by the cam follower; wherein the at least one biasing spring bias the at least one cam follower against the spindle/cam; wherein, when the at least one cam follower engages the flat surface of the spindle/cam the door is biased in a closed position.
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Specification