Track corner connecting device for shower door, shower door frame and shower door

This invention relates to the field of sanitary and bathing devices, and particularly to a track corner connecting device for a shower door used in a shower room, a shower door frame and a shower door. The track corner connecting device for a shower door comprises: an inserting member and a receiving member, wherein: the inserting member comprises an insert, the insert having a chamber therein and being provided with a first opening; the receiving member comprises a receiver, the receiver having a receiving chamber therein and being provided with a second opening and a third opening, the second and third openings being arranged on two adjacent walls of the receiver; the receiving member further comprises a fixture; and an exit-stopping projection is provided on a second wall of the receiving member.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is a national phase entry under 35 U.S.C §371 of International Application No. PCT/CN2015/071770 filed Jan. 28, 2015, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates to the field of sanitary and bathing devices, and particularly to a shower door installed in a shower room, a shower door frame for such a shower door and a track corner connecting device for such a shower door.

BACKGROUND ARTS

Today, people usually provide shower rooms in washing rooms when performing decoration. Existing shower rooms usually use shower doors with glass panels. Most existing shower doors can be divied into two types, namely, sliding doors with tracks and hinge doors with hinges.

A hinge door includes a metal frame within which a glass panel is provided. Usually at least one glass panel is a fixed glass panel fixed within the frame; that is, the fixed glass panel cannot move relative to the frame. In addition, at least one movable glass panel that can rotate relative to the fixed glass panel is provided within the frame, and the movable glass panel and the fixed glass panel are connected by two or more hinges. When opening or closing the shower door, it only needs to push the movable glass panel to rotate around the axes of the hinges.

A sliding door includes a metal frame including one or two tracks provided at an upper end or a lower end of the sliding door. The track(s) is/are substantially parallel with the ground. In addition, side frames are provided at both sides of the frame respectively, are perpendicular with the tracks, and are fixedly connected to the tracks. At least two glass panels are provided within the frame. Multiple glass panels may be movable ones that can slide back and forth in the tracks. In another case, at least one fixed glass panel that cannot slide relative to the tracks may be provided. If a fixed glass panel is provided, the shower door should at least include one movable glass panel that can slide back and forth in the tracks.

It is possible for both a shower door having a hinge door structure and a shower door having a sliding door structure to include a shower door with a bending structure. As show inFIG. 1, such a shower door includes a plurality of tracks, wherein the upper track includes two tracks10and11forming an included angle therebetween and the lower track includes two tracks12and13forming an included angle therebetween. The shower door is provided with side frames14and15extending in a perpendicular direction at both sides of the shower door adjacent to the walls, a glass panel16is mounted in the tracks10and12and the side frame14, and a glass panel17is mounted in the tracks11and13and the side frame15. A connecting device18is provided at a corner between the tracks10and11, and a connecting device19is also provided at a corner between the tracks12and13.

Since the included angle between the tracks10and11may be an angle such as 90° or 135°, the current connecting devices18and19are designed into required angles according to the included angles between the tracks, and are provided with screw holes thereon. When mounting the shower door, the tracks and the connecting devices are connected using screws, but such a method is time-and-labor-consuming for installation staff.

Other available connecting devices are designed to have a plurality of components, wherein one component is connected with a track while another component with another track, then a third component is used to connected the above two components, thereby achieving connection between the two tracks. Although such a method spares screws in field installation, the connecting device has a large number of components, and some connecting devices even need to be assembled in advance; therefore, mounting the shower door will take a long time, and the cost for producing and mounting the shower door will increase.

Technical Problems

To solve the above problems, the main objective of this invention is to provide a track corner connecting device for a shower door with a small number of parts and convenient assembly.

Another objective of this invention is to provide a shower door frame having a track with a corner, requiring no installation tool and no screws when installing.

A further objective of this invention is to provide a shower door with short installation time and low manufacturing cost.

Technical Solutions

To realize the main objective of this invention, this invention provides a track corner connecting device for a shower door, comprising: an inserting member and a receiving member, the inserting member being fixedly connected to a first track of the shower door, the receiving member being fixedly connected to a second track of the shower door, wherein: the inserting member comprises an insert, the insert having a chamber therein and being provided with a first opening; the receiving member comprises a receiver, the receiver having a receiving chamber therein and being provided with a second opening and a third opening, the second and third openings being arranged on two adjacent walls of the receiver, and the inserting member being capable of passing through the second opening so as to be mounted in the receiving chamber; the receiving member further comprises a fixture which is arranged at one side of the third opening, is connected to a first wall of the receiver, and is capable of rotating around a side of the first wall of the receiver and being snap-fitted in the chamber of the inserting member; and an exit-stopping projection is provided on a second wall of the receiving member opposite the first wall, an end of the fixture abutting against the exit-stopping projection.

According to a preferred solution, the end of the fixture is provided with an unlocking member which is connected to the end of the fixture through a first sheet and is capable of rotating around the first sheet.

According to a further solution, the unlocking member is provided with an unlocking projection which is capable of abutting against the exit-stopping projection of the receiving member.

According to a yet further solution, the fixture comprises a first connecting piece and a second connecting piece that are interconnected, at least one side of the first and second connecting pieces is connected to an elastic piece, and the elastic piece is provided with at least one cut.

According to a yet further solution, at least one first position limiting projection is provided on a surface of the inserting member adjoining the first track, and at least one second position limiting projection is provided on a surface of the receiving member adjoining the second track.

According to a yet further solution, the connecting device further comprises a decorating cover encapsulating the receiving member, the decorating cover is provided with a latch therein; the inserting member and/or the receiving member is/are provided with an open slot/open slots into which the latch is inserted.

According to a yet further solution, a lower end of the decorating cover is provided with an exit-stopper, and a lower end of the receiving member is provided with a step portion to which the exit-stopper is snap-fitted.

To realize another objective of this invention, this invention provides a shower door frame, comprising: a track extending in a horizontal direction and a side frame arranged to be perpendicular with the track, the track comprising a first track and a second track with an included angle formed therebetween, the first and second tracks being connected by a connecting device; wherein: the connecting device comprises an inserting member and a receiving member, the inserting member being fixedly connected to the first track, the receiving member being fixedly connected to the second track; the inserting member comprises an insert, the insert having a chamber therein and being provided with a first opening; the receiving member comprises a receiver, the receiver having a receiving chamber therein and being provided with a second opening and a third opening, the second and third openings being arranged on two adjacent walls of the receiver, and the inserting member being capable of passing through the second opening so as to be mounted in the receiving chamber; the receiving member further comprises a fixture which is arranged at one side of the third opening, is connected to a first wall of the receiver, and is capable of rotating around a side of the first wall of the receiver and being snap-fitted in the chamber of the inserting member; and an exit-stopping projection is provided on a second wall of the receiving member opposite the first wall, an end of the fixture abutting against the exit-stopping projection.

To realize another objective of this invention, this invention provides a shower door, comprising: a track extending in a horizontal direction and a side frame arranged to be perpendicular with the track, a glass panel being mounted within the side frame, the track comprising a first track and a second track with an included angle formed therebetween, and the first and second tracks being connected by a connecting device; wherein: the connecting device comprises an inserting member and a receiving member, the inserting member being fixedly connected to the first track, the receiving member being fixedly connected to the second track; the inserting member comprises an insert, the insert having a chamber therein and being provided with a first opening; the receiving member comprises a receiver, the receiver having a receiving chamber therein and being provided with a second opening and a third opening, the second and third openings being arranged on two adjacent walls of the receiver, and the inserting member being capable of passing through the second opening so as to be mounted in the receiving chamber; the receiving member further comprises a fixture which is arranged at one side of the third opening, is connected to a first wall of the receiver, and is capable of rotating around a side of the first wall of the receiver and being snap-fitted in the chamber of the inserting member; and an exit-stopping projection is provided on a second wall of the receiving member opposite the first wall, an end of the fixture abutting against the exit-stopping projection.

Advantageous Effects

The connecting device for use in a shower door provided in this invention has an inserting member and a receiving member, wherein the inserting member can be inserted into the receiving member, a fixture of the receiving member can rotate around one side and can be snap-fitted in the chamber of the inserting member to fix the inserting member in the receiving member. Since the inserting member is fixedly connected with the first track, and the receiving member is fixedly connected with the second track, connection between the first track and the second track of the shower door can be realized simply by way of connection between the inserting member and the receiving member.

Thus, when assembling the shower door frame, first, the inserting member is fixed at one end of the first track, and the receiving member at one end of the second track; then, the inserting member is inserted into the receiving chamber of the receiving member; finally, the fixture of the receiving member is snap-fitted downwards in the chamber of the inserting member, so that assembling of the two tracks is realized simply. As no screw and tool will be required for the installation between the two tracks, the installation of the shower door frame consumes less time, and the assembling operation is simple, so that the costs for the production and installation of the shower door can be reduced.

Besides, since the track corner connecting device only includes one inserting member and one receiving member, it requires fewer components, and can further reduce the production cost of the shower door.

Further, as an end of the fixture is provided with an unlocking member, when detaching the connecting device, the unlocking member can be released from the receiving chamber by only rotating the unlocking member, so that the fixture can be released from the chamber of the inserting member, and the inserting member can be taken out of the receiving chamber easily. Therefore, the detaching of the connecting device is simple and convenient.

In addition, by providing a decorating cover outside the inserting member and the receiving member, the inserting member and the receiving member can be encapsulated for decoration purposes, and the latch can be inserted into the open slots of the inserting member and the receiving member, so that the inserting member and the receiving member are fixed, and relative movement between the inserting member and the receiving member is prevented, thereby providing secure fixing of the connecting device.

This invention will be further explained in combination with the figures and the embodiments.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The shower door of this invention is mounted in a shower room, is in a bent shape and has a shower door frame and a glass panel mounted in the shower door frame. The shower door frame includes a track extending in a horizontal direction and a side frame arranged to be perpendicular to the track. The track includes an upper track mounted at an upper side of the glass panel and a lower track mounted at a lower side of the glass panel, wherein the upper track includes a first track and a second track forming an included angle therebetween, the included angle is 90° or 135°, and the first and second tracks are connected by a connecting device. The lower track also includes a first track and a second track forming an included angle therebetween, the included angle is 90° or 135°, and the first and second tracks are also connected by a connecting device. This invention mainly improves the connecting device that connects the first track with the second track, and the structure of the connecting device will be described in detail in the followings.

First Embodiment

Referring toFIG. 2, the connecting device20of this embodiment is used to connect the first track12and the second track13, and comprises an inserting member21, a receiving member40and a decorating cover80encapsulating the inserting member21and the receiving member40. An end of the first track12is provided with a threaded hole18. The inserting member21is fixed to the end of the first track12by a screw35, which may be screwed in the threaded hole18. An end of the second track13may be provided with a threaded hole19too. The receiving member40is fixed to the end of the second track13by a screw58.

Of course, the inserting member21may be fixed to an end of the first track12by a rivet or welding, may be fixed to the end of the first track12at the installation site of the shower door or may be fixed to the end of the first track12in advance. The receiving member40may be fixed to an end of the second track13by a rivet or welding, may be fixed to the end of the second track13at the installation site of the shower door or may be fixed to the end of the second track13in advance.

Referring toFIGS. 3-5, the inserting member21may have a sheet-like body22and an insert26provided at one side of the body22. Three position-limiting projections24are provided at an end face23of the body22close to the first track12. After the inserting member21is mounted to the end of the first track12, the three position-limiting projections24can restrict movement of the inserting member21relative to the first track12, thereby preventing the inserting member21from rotating. The body22also includes a through hole25. The screw35may pass through the through hole25and may be screwed in the threaded hole18.

The insert26extends outwards from a side of the body22opposite the end face23, is enclosed by a top wall27, a bottom wall28opposite the top wall27, side walls29,30and the body22, and encloses a chamber31that has an opening. Specifically, the chamber31has the opening at its end opposite the side wall30. Thus, the insert26has an opening, which is said opening. Of course, the side wall30may not be necessary and may be omitted in application.

A screw dodging hole32is provided to the side wall29, and a screw dodging hole34is also provided to the side wall30, so that the screw35can smoothly pass through the insert26and can be screwed in the threaded hole18during installation. In addition, an open slot33is provided to the top wall27, so that the decorating cover80can fix the inserting member21.

When assembling the shower door frame, the inserting member21needs to be fixed at the end of the first track12by the screw35first, as shown inFIG. 6, before other members of the shower door frame are installed.

Referring toFIGS. 7-10, the receiving member40has a body41and a receiver44at one side of the body41. The body41is a sheet-like body. Three position-limiting projections55are provided at a surface42of the body41close to the second track13. After the receiving member40is mounted to the second track13, the three position-limiting projections55can limit movement of the receiving member40relative to the second track13, thereby preventing the receiving member40from rotating relative to the second track13. In addition, the body41further includes a through hole43. The screw58may pass through the through hole43and may be screwed in the threaded hole19so as to fix the receiving member40to the second track13.

A receiver44is provided at a side of the body41away from the second track13, includes a top wall46, a bottom wall47opposite the top wall46, side walls48,49and the body41, and encloses a receiving chamber45. No side wall is provided at a surface opposite the body41, so the receiving chamber45has an opening50opposite the body41. In addition, the side wall49is also provided with an opening52. As shown inFIG. 9, the openings50,52are provided at two adjacent side walls. The inserting member21may be inserted into the receiving chamber45. In this embodiment, the inserting member21can pass through the opening52and is inserted into the receiving chamber45.

A fixture60is provided above the receiver44. The fixture60in this embodiment is generally triangular prismatical, and includes interconnected first and second connecting pieces61,62. The first connecting piece61is connected to the top wall46by a sheet63, which is flexible, so that the fixture60can rotate about one side wall of the top wall46. In other words, the sheet63is rotatable. Of course, the fixture60may be designed to have a cuboid shape, a cylindrical shape or the like.

An elastic piece64is provided at a side of the first and second connecting pieces61,62, includes a cut65, and is connected to the first and second connecting pieces61,62so as to limit positions of the first and second connecting pieces61,62. Another elastic piece69is provided at a side opposite to the elastic piece64, is connected to the first and second connecting pieces61,62, and also includes a cut70.

The fixture60may rotate downwards around one side wall of the top wall46and may be snap-fitted to the receiving chamber45. The fixture60passes through the opening50and extends into the receiving chamber45. When the fixture60is snap-fitted to the receiving chamber45, the first connecting piece61may move relative to the second connecting piece62. As the elastic piece64includes a cut65and the elastic piece69includes a cut70, a length A of the fixture60can vary in a certain range, so that the first connecting piece61can move relative to the second connecting piece62.

In addition, the length A of the fixture60is substantially the same as a length B of the receiving chamber45. A width C of the fixture60is substantially the same as a width D of the receiving chamber45. An exit-stopping projection54is provided at an inner surface of the bottom wall47. When the fixture60is snap-fitted to the receiving chamber45, the end of the fixture60abuts against the exit-stopping projection54, so that the fixture60can be fixed in the receiving chamber45.

An end of the fixture60is provided with an unlocking member66, which is connected to an end of the second connecting piece62through a sheet68, is provided with an unlocking projection67and is capable of rotating around the sheet68.

Preferably, guiding portions are provided to the sides of the openings50and52, and the guiding portions are inclined surfaces to facilitate entry of the inserting member21and the fixture60into the receiving chamber45. In addition, an open slot59is provided to the top wall46, and a position-limiting step57to the bottom wall47.

In this embodiment, the fixture60is provided to the top wall46of the receiving member40, and the position-limiting projection54to the bottom wall47. In application, the fixture60may be provided to the side wall, and the position-limiting projection54may be provided to another side wall opposite to the side wall to which the fixture60is provided. Alternatively, the fixture60may be provided to the bottom wall47, and the position-limiting projection54to an inner surface of the top wall46, so long as the fixture60and the position-limiting projection54are provided to two opposite surfaces, respectively.

When assembling the shower door frame, the receiving member40may be fixed at the end of the second track13through the screw58. An assembled structure is shown inFIG. 11. As the inserting member21needs to be inserted into the receiving member40, the receiving member40needs to be elastically deformed to guarantee smooth insertion of the inserting member21. Preferably, the receiving member40is made of an elastic material, such as a material having certain elasticity, strength and tenacity, such as PVC and PA66.

A decorating cover80encapsulates the inserting member21and the receiving member40. As shown inFIG. 12, the decorating cover80includes an inner decorating piece81and an outer decorating piece82, an area of the inner decorating piece81being smaller than that of the outer decorating piece82. In addition, a latch83is provided at a side of the inner decorating piece81, and may be inserted into the open slot33of the inserting member21and the open slot59of the receiving member40so as to fix the decorating cover80outside the inserting member21and the receiving member40.

A lower edge of the outer decorating piece82of the decorating cover80is provided with an exit-stopper84, which is in the shape of a barb and may be snap-fitted to the step portion57of the receiving member40so as to prevent releasing of the decorating cover80from the receiving member40.

When assembling the shower door, first, the inserting member21is mounted to the end of the first track12, and the receiving member40to the end of the second track13; then, the inserting member21is inserted into the receiving chamber45of the receiving member40; as shown inFIG. 13, the inserting member21may pass through the opening52of the receiving chamber45and may be inserted into the receiving chamber45, and the opening of the inserting member21should face the opening50of the receiving chamber45.

Afterwards, the fixture60is rotated and snap-fitted into the chamber31of the inserting member21. As shown inFIG. 14, the length of the fixture60is changed at that time, an end of the fixture60abuts against the position-limiting projection54, and the fixture60cannot be released from the chamber31, thereby fixing the inserting member21in the receiving member40. Finally, the decorating cover80is mounted to the receiving chamber45, the latch83of the decorating cover80is inserted into the open slot33of the inserting member21and the open slot59of the receiving member40, and the exit-stopper84of the decorating cover80is snap-fitted to the step portion57of the receiving member40.

When detaching the connecting device, first, the decorating cover80is dismounted; then, the unlocking member66of the fixture60is caused to rotate around the sheet68; using a leverage principle, the unlocking member66forces the fixture60to release from the chamber31due to connection of the sheet68; finally, the inserting member21is taken out of the receiving chamber45, thereby detaching the connecting device.

Second Embodiment

Referring toFIG. 15, an upper track of the shower door frame of this embodiment includes a first track91and a second track92with an included angle of 135° formed therebetween. An inserting member95is mounted to an end of the first track91, a receiving member100to an end of the second track92, and the inserting member95and the receiving member100are encapsulated by a decorating cover93.

The inserting member95includes a body96and an insert at a side of the body96. The insert is formed with a chamber97therein and includes an opening. The receiving member100has a body101and a receiving chamber102at a side of the body101. The inserting member95may be inserted into the receiving chamber102. The receiving chamber102includes openings103,107provided at two adjacent side walls. The inserting member95may pass through the opening103and may be inserted into the receiving chamber102. A fixture104is provided at a top wall of the insert. An end of the fixture104is provided with an unlocking member105including an unlocking projection106. A position-limiting projection108is provided at a bottom wall of the receiver. The end of the fixture104may abut against the position-limiting projection108so as to fix the fixture104in the chamber97of the inserting member95.

When assembling the shower door frame, the inserting member95is fixed to the first track91, the receiving member100to the second track92, and the inserting member95is inserted into the receiving chamber102. By rotating the fixture104and snap-fitting the fixture104in the chamber97, the inserting member95is fixed in the receiving member100, thereby realizing connection between the first and second tracks91,92.

As the connecting device of the present invention only includes three parts, namely, the inserting member, the receiving member and the decorating cover, and no screw and tool are required for the assembling of the inserting member and the receiving member, the assembling of the shower door frame is simple and convenient. As the manufacturing cost of the connecting device is low, the manufacturing cost of the shower door can be reduced.

In the above embodiments, the fixture is fixed to the top wall of the receiver by a sheet. In application, the fixture may be fixed to the top wall of the receiver by a pin, a hinge or the like.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

The shower door of this invention is installed in a toilet, and acts as an important part of a shower room, which may be an integral shower room having a chassis or a shower room enclosed by the shower door and walls with the shower door installed between two adjacent walls with an included angle therebetween. The shower door of this invention may only include an upper track, or may include both upper and lower tracks. The tracks of the shower door are connected by the above described connecting device.

The shower door of this invention is applicable for on-site assembling in customers' toilets. By applying the product of this invention, installation operations of the shower door are simple, and it does not need screws to fix and connect the two tracks with an included angle therebetween. Therefore, assembling of the shower door requires less time, thereby realizing quick and easy installation of the shower door and reducing the manufacturing and assembling costs of the shower door.