Patent Publication Number: US-10758092-B2

Title: Water barrier for shower door bottom

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention relates to shower door components and hardware, and more specifically to an improved water barrier mechanism for the underside of a shower door. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Shower enclosures, including hinged shower doors, are known in the art and typically include a mechanism on the bottom side of the door to prevent or at least reduce water escaping out of the enclosed shower. 
     EP 2078482 discloses a shower screen with a water barrier beneath a lower edge. The water barrier includes a first barrier mounted to the floor and a second barrier, or tongue, mounted to a lower edge of the door and projecting downward. The second barrier is mounted towards the outside edge of the door and interacts with the first barrier to block water. Given the attachment position of the second barrier, its maximum length and ability to flex are limited. 
     DE 10207024 discloses another seal for a shower door. As shown in  FIG. 1 , this reference teaches the use of a sealing strip mounted on the threshold of the door. This design requires a significant raised element on the threshold that, in addition to be aesthetically displeasing, can be a hazard for people entering and exiting the shower. 
     What is desired is an improved water barrier mechanism which provides for greater flex and better water prevention. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved water barrier assembly with an elongated, flexible sweep or blade. 
     These and other objectives are achieved by providing a water barrier assembly for a shower door, including first and second sidewalls, a bottom wall joining the first and second sidewalls, interior surfaces of the bottom wall and the first and second sidewalls defining a channel adapted to receive a bottom portion of a shower door, a deflector extending outward from a top portion of the first sidewall, and a flexible blade extending from a bottom surface of the deflector and adjacent to an exterior surface of the first sidewall terminating with a distal end beyond a bottom surface of the bottom wall. 
     In some embodiments, at least a portion of the blade is curved between a proximal end and the distal of the blade in a direction toward the second sidewall. In some embodiments, less than half of a length of the blade extends beyond the bottom surface of the bottom wall. In some embodiments, the blade has a length greater than a length of the deflector. 
     The water barrier assembly may be a single extruded piece. In some embodiments, the first and second sidewalls, the bottom wall, and the blade are made of the same material. However, the blade may be made of a different material from the first and second sidewalls and the bottom wall, such as a flexible vinyl material. In some embodiments, the assembly is manufactured as a single integrated part using dual durometer extrusion. 
     Other objects of the present invention are achieved by provision of a shower door, including a door panel and a water barrier assembly mounted to a bottom edge of the door panel. The water barrier assembly includes first and second sidewalls and a bottom wall defining a channel receiving the bottom edge of the door panel. The water barrier assembly further including a flexible blade extending adjacent to an exterior surface of the first sidewall, the blade terminating below a bottom surface of the bottom wall. 
     Further provided is a water barrier assembly for a shower door including first and second sidewalls and a bottom wall joining the first and second sidewalls. Interior surfaces of the bottom wall and the first and second sidewalls define a channel adapted to receive a bottom portion of a shower door. A deflector extends outward from a top portion of the first sidewall, and a flexible blade extends from a bottom surface of the deflector and adjacent to an exterior surface of the first sidewall terminating with a distal end beyond a bottom surface of the bottom wall. At least a portion of the blade is curved between a proximal end and the distal of the blade in a direction toward the second sidewall. The proximal end of the blade has a thickness greater than the distal end of the blade. The blade also has a length greater than a length of the deflector. 
     Other objects of the invention and its particular features and advantages will become more apparent from consideration of the following drawings and accompanying detailed description. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a shower including a shower door enclosure according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a water barrier assembly according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  is a water barrier assembly according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  is a water barrier assembly according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention mounted on a shower door. 
         FIG. 5  is a water barrier assembly according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention mounted on a shower door. 
         FIG. 6  is a cutaway view of a shower door enclosure according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 7  is a cutaway view of a shower door enclosure according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       FIG. 1  illustrates a shower with a shower door enclosure  100  according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. The shower door  100  includes a glass panel  110  attached to the shower with two or more hinges  112 . The shower door  100  further includes a handle  114 . Below the shower door  100  is a threshold  116  over which the shower door  100  swings. The bottom of the glass panel  110  includes a water barrier assembly  200 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the water barrier assembly  200  includes a first sidewall  202 , a second sidewall  204 , and a bottom wall  206 . A bottom surface of the bottom wall  226  may be substantially flat. Interior surfaces of the first and second sidewalls  202 / 204  and the bottom wall  206  define a channel  208  adapted to receive a bottom portion of a shower door  100 . In some embodiments, the second sidewall  204  (or both the first and second sidewalls  202 / 204 ) is angled inward. In particular, the interior surface of the second sidewall  204  may be manufactured at an angle less than 90 degrees with respect to the bottom wall  206  (e.g., about 85 or 86 degrees). When attaching the assembly  200  to the bottom of the glass panel  110  of the shower door  100 , the sidewall  204  provides a clamping force around the panel  110  due to its inward bias. 
     The water barrier assembly  200  further includes a deflector  210  extending outward (e.g., at a 45 degree angle) from a top portion of the first sidewall  202 , and a flexible sweep  220  or blade. The deflector  210  deflects water spray  300  on the inside of the shower away from the door opening. The deflector  210  includes, or is connected to, a part extending substantially perpendicular to the top portion of the first sidewall  202 . The sweep  220  extending, at its proximal end  222 , from a bottom surface of the angled portion of the deflector  210  (as shown in  FIG. 3 ) or from the horizontal portion of the deflector  210  (as shown in  FIG. 2 ). The deflector  210  continues adjacent to an exterior surface of the first sidewall  202 . At least a portion of the sweep  220  is curved between the proximal end  222  and a distal end  224  of the sweep  220  in a direction toward the first sidewall  202 . There is also a gap  226  between the sweep  220  and the exterior surface of the first sidewall  202 . The gap may extend at least half way up the first sidewall  202 , and preferably at least two-thirds of the length of the first sidewall  202  or along substantially all of the length of the first sidewall  202 . 
     In some embodiments, the sweep  202  has a length of approximately one inch or greater. The proximal end  222  of the sweep  220  may have a thickness greater than the distal end  224  of the sweep  220  (e.g., at least 0.025 inches at the proximal end  222  and 0.015 inches at the distal end  224 ). This provides for increased flexibility towards the distal end  224 . The sweep  220  terminates with a distal end  224  beyond a bottom surface of the bottom wall  206  (e.g., about 0.5 inches below in some embodiments). Due to the curvature of the sweep  220 , the distal end  224  may reside in line with or even inboard of the exterior surface of the first sidewall  202  in a non-deflected state. 
     The assembly  200  is generally extruded, though it can be manufactured by other means. In some embodiments, the first and second sidewalls  202 / 204 , the bottom wall  206 , and the blade  220  are comprised of a same material. However, the blade  220  is preferably made of a different softer material, such as a flexible vinyl, while the remaining portions of the assembly are made of a more rigid polycarbonate or other material. In such embodiments, the assembly  220  may be manufactured using dual durometer extrusion to co-extrude two materials having different physical properties. 
       FIG. 4  illustrates the water barrier assembly  200  mounted on the glass panel  110  of the shower door  100 . The assembly  200  may be mounted with adhesive or glue (e.g., on the bottom wall  206  and/or sidewalls  202 / 204 ), with mechanical attachments (e.g., screws through the bottom wall), or simply with the clamping force of the first and/or second sidewalls  202 / 204 . The deflector  210  is positioned on the inside of the shower door  100  to deflect water  300  from the showerhead away from the bottom of the door  100 . The sweep  220  provides a seal against the threshold  116  of the door. As the door opens and closes, the sweep  220  may bend as necessary to maintain contact and maintain a seal against the threshold to keep water from exiting the shower. 
     As shown in  FIG. 4 , the top edges of the first and second sidewalls  202 / 204  may be beveled or curved towards the glass panel  110 . These edges, together with the tight fit of the assembly  200  due to the inward bias of the sidewall(s), assist with preventing water and debris from penetrating between the panel  110  and the assembly  200 . 
     In some embodiments, the sweep  220  is in contact with and sweeps against the threshold directly as shown in  FIG. 4 . However, in some embodiments, a curb dam  118  is mounted to the threshold  116  to provide an additional water barrier as shown in  FIG. 5 . However, due the advantageous design of the present invention, a curb dam  118  is not necessary. The curb dam  118  may include a flat portion for attachment to the threshold and raised portion, such as a cylindrical rail. 
       FIG. 6  is a cutaway view of a shower door enclosure  100  according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. The door  100  swings through an opening above the threshold  116 . In some embodiments, the door  100  may swing both inside the shower and outside. However, in other embodiments, the door  100  (or hinges  112  thereof) includes a stop to limit the range of the door  100 . In the illustrated embodiment, the door is shown partially open over the interior floor  120  of the shower. The deflector  210  is on the inside of the shower door  100  to deflect water  300  from the showerhead away from the bottom of the door  100 . As the door  110  is pushed closed, the sweep  220  comes into contact with the threshold  116  and creates a water barrier or seal. 
       FIG. 7  is another cutaway view of a shower door enclosure according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. As shown, the assembly  200  may be provided without the angled deflector  210  in some embodiments. The sweep  220 , which is attached via a horizontal extender from the sidewall  202 , creates the water barrier or seal as in the previous embodiments. 
     Although the invention has been described with reference to a particular arrangement of parts, features and the like, these are not intended to exhaust all possible arrangements or features, and indeed many modifications and variations will be ascertainable to those of skill in the art.