Abstract:
A unit for filling an area having a floor, a first side wall, a second side wall and a back wall has a pan, a shower area, a zero threshold drain, a frame, a space created by the frame and the second side wall and a storage unit disposed in the space. A shower area is defined by a first panel, a second panel and a third panel and has an opening through which a user may enter, the opening also being defined by the panels. The first panel is adapted to be disposed against the first side wall and the pan and the second panel is adapted to be disposed against the second side wall and the pan. The zero threshold drain is disposed across the opening. The frame is adapted to support the third panel and create the space between the second side wall and the frame.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    This application relates to shower enclosures and more particularly to shower enclosures that replace existing bath units with a shower enclosure and storage. 
         [0002]    As people age, existing bath and shower enclosures may no longer meet their bathing needs. People may wish to have grab bars and easy access to shower enclosures and water controls to enhance their bathing experience. 
         [0003]    Typical bath and shower enclosures are 60 inches wide from side to side and 30 inches from front to back. Such a bath and shower enclosure may be placed in a recess in a bathroom, the recess being formed by a bathroom back wall and two sidewalls of the room. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    According to an exemplar, a unit for filling an area having a floor, a first side wall, a second side wall and a back wall has a pan, a shower area, a zero threshold drain, a frame, a space created by the frame and the second side wall and a storage unit disposed in the space. The shower area is defined by a first panel, a second panel and a third panel and has an opening through which a user may enter, the opening also being defined by the panels. The first panel is adapted to be disposed against the first side wall and the pan and the second panel is adapted to be disposed against the second side wall and the pan. The zero threshold drain is disposed across the opening. The frame is adapted to support the third panel and create a space between the second side wall and the frame. 
         [0005]    A kit for replacing an enclosure having bathtub, shower or other space disposed in an area having a first side wall, a second side wall and a back wall, has a pan, a first panel, a second panel and a third panel for creating a shower area and an opening through which a user may enter, the opening to being defined by the panels, the first panel is adapted to be disposed against the first side wall and the pan and the second panel is adapted to be disposed against the second side wall and the pan, a zero threshold drain for being disposed across the opening, a frame and abutting the pan, the frame being adapted to support the third panel and create an opening between the second side wall and the frame, and a storage unit adapted to be disposed in the space. 
         [0006]    A unit for replacing an enclosure disposed in an area having a floor, a first side wall, a second side wall and a back wall, has a shower area having a first panel, a second panel and a third panel and an opening through which a user may enter, the opening being defined by the panels, the first panel is disposed against the first side wall and the second panel is disposed against the second side wall, a frame, the frame supporting the third panel and creating an opening between the second side wall and the frame, and a storage unit disposed in the space. 
         [0007]    These and other features of the present invention can be best understood from the following specification and drawings, the following of which is a brief description. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]      FIG. 1  relates to a shower pan disposed in a recess in which a bath shower has been removed. 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  shows a shower enclosure that cooperates with the pan of  FIG. 1  and a frame. 
           [0010]      FIG. 2A  shows a telescoping frame of  FIG. 2 . 
           [0011]      FIG. 2B  shows an attachment of the frame of  FIG. 2 . 
           [0012]      FIG. 2C  shows an attachment of the frame of  FIG. 2 . 
           [0013]      FIG. 2D  shows an attachment of a seat to the frame of  FIG. 2 . 
           [0014]      FIG. 3  shows a storage cabinet installed in a space created by the installation of the shower enclosure and frame of  FIG. 2 . 
           [0015]      FIG. 4  shows another embodiment of a storage cabinet including a shower door. 
           [0016]      FIG. 5  shows another embodiment of a storage cabinet including a shower door. 
           [0017]      FIG. 6  shows another embodiment of a storage cabinet including a shower door. 
           [0018]      FIG. 7  shows another embodiment of a storage cabinet including a shower door. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0019]    Referring now to  FIG. 1 , an opening  10  for use with a shower and storage unit  15  described herein is partially shown in a bathroom  20 . The bathroom has a floor  25 , a pair of front walls  30 , a pair of side walls  35  and a back wall  40 . 
         [0020]    The opening  10  is sized to fit a standard size tub (not shown), which may have shower equipment such as a shower head or a hand shower (not shown). The opening  10  usually has a width W of 60 inches and a depth D of 30 inches or more, i.e. the dimensions of a standard tub (not shown). The depth D is typically more than the 30 inches to allow a tub (not shown) to be recessed from front walls for decorative or other purposes. The depth D shown herein is 39″ inches though other depths are contemplated herein. 
         [0021]    A pan  45  having two sidewalls  50  and a back wall  55  and a bottom  60  is disposed on the floor  25  of the opening  10 . The pan has a zero threshold drain  65 . The zero threshold drain is flush with the floor  25 . Such zero threshold drain is disclosed in the assignee&#39;s patent application entitled BATH SYSTEM, Ser. No. 12/533,046, filed Jul. 31, 2009, which is incorporated herein by reference. The zero threshold drain  65  allows a user to access the pan  45  without having to step over an edge (not shown) so that tripping is minimized The zero threshold drain  65  is typically as wide as the pan  45  and about 3 inches deep, though other depths are contemplated herein. 
         [0022]    Referring now to  FIG. 2 , a shower left side wall  70  and a shower back wall  75  are installed against the left side wall  35  and back wall  40  of the opening  10  as is known in the art. The shower left side wall  70  and shower back side wall  75  are sealed against the left wall  50  of the pan  45  and the back wall  55  of the pan  45  respectively and against each other as is known in the art to minimize any leakage therefrom. A pair of grab bars  80  is installed against studs (not shown) or otherwise in the respective side wall and back wall as is known in the art. The shower left side wall  70  typically has a plurality of openings  85  for allowing plumbing fixtures such as a temperature and volume regulator and a stub out for a shower head (not shown) as is known in the art. 
         [0023]    Next, a frame  90 , which may be prefabricated, is attached to the floor  25  of the opening  10  and the right side wall  35  in the opening  10  to provide support for the installed shower and storage unit  15  as will be described herein. The frame  90  has a pair of side portions  95  that are connected by welding or the like by a plurality of stiles  100 . Each side portion has a vertical portion  105 , an upper portion  110  that cants slightly from horizontal and a shorter downwardly extending portion  115 . Referring to  FIG. 2A , the upper portion  110  may be split into a smaller section  110 B that telescopes into larger section  110 A so that the upper portion can fit by telescoping to attach to the right side wall  35  if irregular widths W (see  FIG. 1 ) are encountered, e.g., other than 60 inches. The frame is recessed from a front of the shower enclosure and storage unit  15 . 
         [0024]    As shown in  FIG. 2B , bolts  120  are used to extend through holes  125  in a bottom stile  130  into the floor  25 . Similarly as shown in  FIG. 2C , bolts  135  are used to extend through holes  140  in stile  145  extending between downwardly extending portion  115  into the right side wall  35 . Other securement means are also contemplated herein. 
         [0025]    Referring now back to  FIG. 2 , a shower right side wall  150  is sealingly installed against the back wall  40  or the shower back wall  75 , the pan  45  and against the frame  90 . The attachment may be by glue, clips or screws or the like as is known in the art. The shower right side wall includes a hidden storage portion  155  that is designed to hold soap and shampoo or the like (not shown) in the shower enclosure. 
         [0026]    A space  160  is created between the wall  90  and the right side wall  35 . The space has a depth D (see  FIG. 1 ) that is the same as the depth D′ of the pan  45  and the width of the zero threshold drain though other depths are contemplated. As will be shown hereinbelow, the space  160  will be advantageously used. 
         [0027]    Referring again to  FIG. 2 , a top portion  162  is secured to the upper portion  110  of the frame  90 . The top portion has a flange  165  depending downwardly therefrom that fits over the shower right side wall  150 . As stated above, the upper portion  110  is canted slightly from horizontal and the top portion  162 , which conforms to the upper portion so that if any is water splashed up on the top portion  162 , it will flow downwardly towards the shower enclosure, over the flange  165  and into the shower enclosure thereby minimizing any water flow outside the shower enclosure. The top portion  162  also provides a solid surface for additional storage. 
         [0028]    Referring now to  FIGS. 2 and 2D , a shower seat  170  is installed. The shower seat  170  has a bracket  175  that attaches conventionally to the bottom  180  of the shower seat  170 , to the shower right side wall  150  via faceplate  185  and through the shower right side wall  150  into the frame  90 . As can be seen in  FIG. 2D , bolt  190  and a nut  195  are used to secure the shower seat  170  to the frame  90  via faceplate  185  and bracket  175 . 
         [0029]    Referring now to  FIGS. 3-7 , storage units  200  are shown that may be placed within the space  160 . The storage units  200  have a width that fits within the space and a depth that is generally just short of the width of a hidden storage unit  155  placed in the shower right side wall  150 . The hidden storage unit  155  will not interfere with objects that are placed in the opening that have a depth less than the width of the right side wall and the width of the hidden storage. 
         [0030]    Referring specifically to  FIG. 3 , a storage unit  205  shows a floor  207 , two side walls  210 , molding  215 , back wall  220  and three shelves  225  that extend inwardly and outwardly on guides  230 . The storage unit may also have a door  235  to maintain a neat appearance. The storage unit may be mounted on casters  240  so that the storage unit  205  may be slid easily into and out of the space  160  if a different storage unit is desired. The door  235  may show decor that matches the room&#39;s design. 
         [0031]    Referring to  FIG. 4 , another storage unit  245  is shown. The storage unit has an upper drawer  250  and a lower drawer  255 . The upper drawer a front wall  260 , a back wall  265  and a pair of shelves  270  extending from the front wall to the back wall thereof. A set of partitions  275  prevent items from falling off the shelves. The upper shelf is mounted on guides (see  230  in  FIG. 3 ). 
         [0032]    The lower drawer  255  is a sliding box that can function as a laundry basket or the like. 
         [0033]    This storage unit  245  has a solid right side wall  277  if the storage unit is installed where there is not a side wall  35 . In this case, the stile  145  attaches directly to the solid right side wall  277 . 
         [0034]    Referring to  FIG. 5 , a shower door  280 , which may be a double panel  285  or a single panel (see  FIG. 6 ), may be installed on the shower left side wall  35  and the shower right side wall  150  as is known in the art. However, other styles of shower doors are also contemplated herein. The storage unit  290  has a pair of sides  295  having molded slides  300  to hold shelves  305 . A sliding bench  310  having a comfortable seat  315  fits under the bottom shelf  307  within the storage unit  290 . The bench may have a hidden storage area  320  under the seat  315 . 
         [0035]    Referring to  FIG. 6 , another storage unit  325  is shown having a fixed top shelf  330 , a lower drawer  335  mounted on casters  340 , and a slidable drawer  350  having four storage areas  355  extending along a length of the drawer  350 , two on either side thereof, separated by partition  360  and another open storage area  365  having a shelf  370  on the front  375  thereof. 
         [0036]    Referring finally to  FIG. 7 , another embodiment of a storage unit  380  is shown having three fixed shelves  385  and a laundry hamper  390  mounted on casters  395 . 
         [0037]    Although a combination of features is shown in the illustrated examples, not all of them need to be combined to realize the benefits of various embodiments of this disclosure. In other words, a system designed according to an embodiment of this disclosure will not necessarily include all of the features shown in any one of the Figures or all of the portions schematically shown in the Figures. Moreover, selected features of one example embodiment may be combined with selected features of other example embodiments. 
         [0038]    The preceding description is exemplary rather than limiting in nature. Variations and modifications to the disclosed examples may become apparent to those skilled in the art that do not necessarily depart from the essence of this disclosure. The scope of legal protection given to this disclosure can only be determined by studying the following claims.