Patent Publication Number: US-9402476-B2

Title: Shower shelf

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates to a kit and method for installing a shower shelf into a shower. The kit and method work to install a shower shelf system, after the shower has been built and tiled or while the shower is being tiled. The kit includes parts connected via a tenon and mortise system, also potentially called a rail and channel system. The method and kit may be useful, for example, in the field of construction, renovation, maintenance, repair, furnishing, home improvement, and in Do it Yourself (DIY) applications. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     In the fields of construction, bathroom updating, and tiling there is often a need to install shower support structures, or shelf, on which a person taking a shower or bath can place items such as shampoo, soap, or other personal hygienic items. 
     Shower shelves are often installed when a shower is being constructed. However, these shower shelves can often be laborious to install. The shower shelf may break or a home owner may desire to update their bathroom and install a new shower shelf. It can be difficult for a DIYer to easily replace the shelf and/or to make the shelf appear as though a professional has installed it. What is needed is a system by which a professional or a DIYer can easily install a shower shelf either while the person is originally tiling a shower or after the shower has already been installed, as the shelf as an aftermarket product. 
     SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     The purpose of the Summary is to enable the public, and especially the scientists, engineers, and practitioners in the art who are not familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a cursory inspection, the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of the application. The Summary is neither intended to define the inventive concept(s) of the application, which is measured by the claims, nor is it intended to be limiting as to the scope of the inventive concept(s) in any way. 
     What is disclosed is a kit having a series of parts for installing a shelf into a shower. The kit has a first piece and a second piece. The first piece is a shelf for installing in a shower (or other location having a corner). The first piece and the second piece are configured to connect via a mortise and tenon configuration. The second piece is configured to attach to a wall, preferably by an adhesive. 
     The kit in includes a jig by which a user guides the second piece into attachment with the shower wall. The jig, in a preferred embodiment, has an opening slightly larger than said second piece such that said second piece is capable of passing though said jig. The jig has two sections configured in a corner shape. The jig is configured to fold generally along an axis such that the jig can fold thus increasing or decreasing the angle between the two sections of the jig such that the jig can fit into corners. This allows the jig to be placed into a square corner, or to be folded (or bent) inward or outward to compensate for corners that are not square. The jig can be made to be removably attached to a shower corner (such as by an adhesive or a double sided tape). This allows an installer/user to position the jig and have it stay in position with a “hands free” operation. 
     The jig and said second piece are configured such that when said jig is placed in a corner, the opening(s) of the jig is configured to position the second piece through the opening. This guides the second piece into proper location on the wall such that when the shelf is attached to the second piece(s) the shelf is located level in the corner and in proper position to be permanently attached to the second piece and to function as a corner. The second piece can be multiple tenons that are installed on adjacent walls of the shower or the tenon (or mortise in an alternate embodiment) can be a single piece. 
     The kit can be made such that either the first piece or the second piece include or are a tenon, whereas the second piece can be the mortise. When the second piece is configured as the tenon, the jig is configured such that when said jig is placed in a corner, the opening(s) of the jig is aligned such that the tenon (or first piece) is guided by an installer through the opening of the jig and positioned on the corner of the wall of a shower such that when said shelf is attached to said mortise said shelf is in a generally horizontal position. In a preferred embodiment, the kit includes an adhesive for attaching the second piece to a wall and/or an adhesive for attaching the first piece to the second piece. 
     It is thought that the invention can be useful in installing a variety of shelves made of a variety of materials. These materials can include stone, such as granite or marble, or the shelf can be made to be tiled to match the remainder of a tiled shower. 
     A method of using the kit and/or in installing a shower shelf (or other shelf) is also disclosed. The method, in a preferred embodiment, includes providing a shelf having a mortise on two adjacent edges. A second piece is provided that has a tenon that fits in the mortise. A jig is also provided that has an opening approximately the size of the tenon such that the tenon can pass through the opening of the jig. The opening in the jig is located such that when the jig is positioned in a corner of a wall, the opening is aligned such that the tenon is positioned such that when said shelf is attached to said tenon said shelf is in a generally level and useable position. 
     A user locates the jig on a wall corner such that the jig is flush with said wall corner. The user then attaches the tenon (or first piece in this embodiment) to the shower corner by passing the tenon through the opening in the jig and attaching the first piece to the corner. The user the removes the jig and attaches the shelf to the first piece by connecting the edge and mortise of the shelf to the tenon. 
     An alternate method of installing a shower shelf is also disclosed. The method includes the step of providing a shelf having a tenon on adjacent edges and a second piece having a mortise. The tenon of the shelf is configured to mate with the mortise of the second piece. A jig is provided for aligning the second piece in proper position in a corner of, for example, a shower. The jig has at least one opening approximately the size of the second piece such that the second piece can pass through the opening. The opening is located such that when the jig is positioned in a corner of a wall the opening is aligned such that when a user positions the second piece through the opening and adheres the second piece(s) to a wall the second piece(s) is aligned such that when a shelf is attached to the second piece(s) the shelf is installed at a generally level and useable position. 
     The method includes the step of locating the jig on a wall corner such that the jig is flush with the wall corner. The user then attaches the second piece to the corner by passing the second piece through the opening in the jig and attaching the second piece to the corner. The jig locates the second piece in the correct position on the corner in order to properly mount the shelf to the second piece(s). The second piece is preferably mounted to the corner using an adhesive that is durable to the environment of a shower or other bathing area. After a user mounts the second piece(s), the user removes the jig. 
     The user attaches the shelf to the second piece by connecting the edge(s) of the shelf having a tenon(s) with the mortise of the second piece. Preferably the tenon of the first piece is attached to the mortise of the second piece by an adhesive. 
     While it is disclosed that preferred embodiments of the shower shelf system are directed toward installing in a shower, the system can be installed in any area that is in need of a shelf. This could include, for example, a closet, a shower, a steam room, a sauna, a kitchen, and a wide variety of other areas. 
     Still other features and advantages of the presently disclosed and claimed inventive concept(s) will become readily apparent to those skilled in this art from the following detailed description describing preferred embodiments of the inventive concept(s), simply by way of illustration of the best mode contemplated by carrying out the inventive concept(s). As will be realized, the inventive concept(s) is capable of modification in various obvious respects all without departing from the inventive concept(s). Accordingly, the drawings and description of the preferred embodiments are to be regarded as illustrative in nature, and not as restrictive in nature. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  illustrates a perspective view of a shower with an embodiment of the invention installed in the shower. 
         FIG. 2  illustrates a perspective view of an embodiment of a jig used in embodiments of the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  illustrates a perspective view of an embodiment of a jig used in embodiments of the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  illustrates a top perspective view of an embodiment of a shower shelf of an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 5  illustrates a bottom perspective view of an embodiment of a shower shelf of an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 6  illustrates an embodiment of a trim unit of an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 7  illustrates a perspective view of a step in a method of installing a shower shelf according to embodiments of the present invention. 
         FIG. 8  illustrates a perspective view of a step in a method of installing a shower shelf according to embodiments of the present invention. 
         FIG. 9  illustrates a perspective view of a step in a method of installing a shower shelf according to embodiments of the present invention. 
         FIG. 10  illustrates an embodiment of a shower shelf of the present invention installed with embodiments of installed with the shower shelf. 
         FIG. 11  illustrates a perspective view of a step in a method of installing a shower shelf according to embodiments of the present invention. 
         FIG. 12  illustrates a magnified view of an aspect of  FIG. 11 . 
         FIG. 13  illustrates a perspective view of a step in a method of installing a shower shelf according to embodiments of the present invention. 
         FIG. 14  illustrates a perspective view of a step in a method of installing a shower shelf according to embodiments of the present invention. 
         FIG. 15  illustrates a top perspective view of an embodiment of a skeleton shower shelf of an embodiment of the present invention 
         FIG. 16  illustrates pieces of embodiments of the current invention that can be included in a kit. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS 
     While the presently disclosed inventive concept(s) is susceptible of various modifications and alternative constructions, certain illustrated embodiments thereof have been shown in the drawings and will be described below in detail. It should be understood, however, that there is no intention to limit the inventive concept(s) to the specific form disclosed, but, on the contrary, the presently disclosed and claimed inventive concept(s) is to cover all modifications, alternative constructions, and equivalents falling within the spirit and scope of the inventive concept(s) as defined in the claims. 
     In various embodiments, the present invention is directed to a kit of parts the user may purchase as a single system, or as individual parts and assemble into a shower shelf or other shelving unit as well as to a method(s) of installing a shower shelf (or similar shelf) in a corner of the shower (or other corner or a house). The shower shelf can come in a variety of materials, including a base or skeleton unit that can be tiled by an installer or as a piece of rock such as marble or granite that has been routed to have a mortise or a tenon along its edge. In a preferred embodiment a tenon fits in the mortise such that adhesive can be placed in the mortise or on the tenon and the mortise aspect of the apparatus attached to the tenon on the wall. Alternatively, a tenon or jig can be placed into as a unit and attached to a wall, and the shelf having a mortise is then attached to the groove via adhesive. 
       FIG. 1  illustrates a shower  2  having a shelf attached. The shower has a floor  14  and adjacent walls,  16 ,  4  that connect at a corner  8 . Shower shelf  6  is attached between the two walls at corner  8 . The shower shelf depicted in this embodiment is finished with tile  12 . 
       FIGS. 2 and 3  illustrate embodiments of jigs for use in installing shower shelf embodiments disclosed herein. In  FIG. 2 , jig  18  has elongated openings  20 ,  22  into which a tenon is located when attaching the tenon to a corner. The jig  18  is foldable along the center line  23  such that the jig  18  fits into the corner of a shower or other room. The jig is adjustable in angle as illustrated by line a. This allows the angle of the fold of the jig to be increased or decreased to compensate for shower corners that are not perfectly square. Conceivably a different width shower shelf could be provided for non-traditional shower angles. 
     When the jig is aligned properly in the corner with adjacent sides  19 ,  21  of the jig adhered (via connectors  24 ) or placed against adjacent walls of a corner the elongate openings  20 ,  22  are aligned such that tenons positioned on the wall and guided by the openings are positioned such that a shelf with one or two mortises aligns with the tenons to form an aligned shelf (see  FIGS. 7-9 ). The jig  18  is removably attaches to the wall by connectors  24 . In a preferred embodiment these could be connecting adhesives such as double sided tape. 
       FIG. 3  illustrates a second embodiment of the jig  26 . In the second embodiment the channel section depicted in  FIGS. 15 and 16  is located in the elongate opening that provides a mechanism to easily make the channel section properly line up with the wall. In  FIG. 3  the channel section  28  or mortise section is attached to the wall utilizing the elongated channel as a guide or jig to the channel section. The jig is first removably adhered to the wall using adhesive patches  30 . When the jig is flush with the corner such that angle A is equivalent to angle A depicted in  FIG. 8 , the installer adheres the jig to the corner. The installer can then guide the section of the device that attaches to the wall through the jig which aligns the section for continued installation. The installer can increase or decrease angle a by rotating the first piece  32  along the center crease or break. 
       FIGS. 4 through 6  depict various embodiments of the shower shelf section.  FIGS. 4 and 5  depict a skeleton embodiment  36 ,  44  in which a user can subsequently tile the shower shelf.  FIG. 6  illustrates a solid embodiment, preferably of stone such as granite or marble for installing in the shower. A mortise  38 ,  40  has been cut or ground into the edges of the shower shelf  42  of  FIG. 4  for adhering to a tenon placed on a shower wall. Similarly,  FIG. 6  also has a mortise cut or ground into the edges to provide for a tenon. The tenon is attached to the wall and subsequently in a preferred embodiment an adhesive, for example an epoxy, is used to adhere the mortise of the shower shelf to the tenon adhered on the wall. 
       FIG. 6  illustrates a trim piece  46  that can be included in the kit that is utilized to cover the joint between the shelf and the wall. This is provided predominantly for an aesthetic appearance and is particularly useful for corners that are not perfectly square and have a gap between the shower shelf and the shower wall. The trim piece in  FIG. 6  is depicted further in  FIG. 12 . 
       FIG. 7  illustrates a shower  68  having jig  49  adhered to shower walls  58 ,  60 . The jig is located in the corner in the shower walls such that the angle A represents the angle of a shower wall. The two sides of the jig fold/bend to align with the walls at the angle A that is present in the shower corner. The jig has two sides  66 ,  64  that are adhered to the walls  58 ,  60  of the shower. A first tenon  62  has been installed on the shower wall through the elongate opening  20  of  FIG. 2 . The second elongate opening  56  is depicted such that a second tenon  50  is placed in to the jig elongate opening  56 . Adhesive  52  adheres the tenon to the wall  58  of the shower. The jig allows for ease of installation of the tenons and proper spacing and angle relative to one another and to the corner angle A to provide a base for the shower shelf. 
       FIG. 8  illustrates two tenons  70 ,  72  installed in a shower  68  on the shower wall in a corner having angle A. Shower shelf  74  is adhered to the tenons by two mortises (not shown) cut into the edges of the shower shelf. The shower shelf  74  is adhered to the tenons and allowed to dry.  FIG. 9  illustrates a view of shower shelf  74  being attached to tenons  72 ,  70  via an adhesive (not shown). 
       FIG. 9  illustrates shower shelf  86  attached to shower walls  82 ,  84  of a shower  78 . Angle lines A illustrate the corner of the ideal shower being approximately 90 degrees. 
       FIG. 10  illustrates shower shelf  90  attached to a shower corner formed by two shower walls. Trim pieces  88  (also depicted in  FIG. 7 ) are shown for aesthetic functionality. 
       FIG. 11  illustrates the potential for utilizing the kit while the shower is being tiled or before the shower has been tiled. While the shower is being tiled, the tenon  98  is placed on top of a tile or row of tiles. Subsequently another tile layer is placed and adhered to the shower wall above the tenon. The tenon ideally has a phalange  94  that is placed on top of the lower level of tile such that the phalange is between two layers of tiles in a groove, illustrated as  96  in  FIG. 11 .  92  shows an exploded view of tenon  92  with a phalange  94  being installed in grove  96 . Tenon  98  is the same as  92 , but already installed. 
       FIG. 12  is a cutout view of circle  12  of  FIG. 11 . Circle  12  illustrates the phalange  102  attached to tenon  100  located in the groove  104  between the two layers of tile  103 ,  105 . 
       FIG. 13  illustrates an alternative embodiment of the invention. In  FIG. 13 , the mortise section is located in a channel piece  108 . This channel piece is adhered to the wall the same way as the alternative embodiment shown in prior figures. The channel piece is positioned on the wall utilizing the jig illustrated in  FIG. 3 . The channel or mortise section  108  has end pieces  110  that cap the shower shelf into the mortise. These end sections  110  (or caps) are opened and the shower shelf  106  is slid into the channel. The cap sections are subsequently closed. In an ideal mechanism these end pieces snap onto the mortise section. 
       FIG. 14  illustrates a view of the alternate embodiment of the invention in which shower shelf  116  is attached to the channel section  118 . The assembled unit  112  could then be utilized by the user to place accessories to a shower or bathing situation. End caps  114  are shown in a snapped together or closed position to retain the shower shelf  116  in the channel. In this embodiment, the shower shelf  116  functions as the tenon while the channel section  118  functions as the mortise. 
       FIG. 15  illustrates an alternative embodiment of the skeleton system. In the alternative embodiment, the skeleton can have a face plate  120  that attaches to the shower shelf  122 . The face plate has elongate holes  124  into which a connector  126 , such as a screw attaches the face plate to the shower shelf. This allows the face plate to be shifted vertically in order to provide for different angles onto which an installer can install tile onto the shelf. This allows for the face plate and overlapping tile to present different aesthetic views. 
       FIG. 16  illustrates potential components of a kit that can be sold commercially either to professionals or to DIYers. The kit can come with a variety of these pieces and does not necessarily include all of these pieces. Illustrated in the kit is skeleton shelf  128 . Skeleton shelf and alternative embodiment of rock shelf  130  are provided with accompanying tenons or keys  144 ,  146 . These tenons are installed on the shower shelf utilizing jig  142 . Accompanying trim pieces  132  can be sold with the shower shelf. A kit can also be provided with or alternatively with the shower shelf  134  and associated jig  140  and channel section  136 . This is also depicted in the alternative embodiment of  FIGS. 15 and 16 . The skeleton shelf  128  can also be provided with face plate  138  and accompanying elongated screws  139 . Various embodiments of tenons can be included in the kit including a tenon without a phalange  144  or tenons with a phalange  146 . 
     While certain exemplary embodiments are shown in the figures and described in this disclosure, it is to be distinctly understood that the presently disclosed inventive concept(s) is not limited thereto but may be variously embodied to practice within the scope of the following claims. From the foregoing description, it will be apparent that various changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure as defined by the following claims.