Patent Publication Number: US-11641956-B2

Title: Shower door assembly display

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 17/344,050 filed Jun. 10, 2021, which is a division of U.S. application Ser. No. 16/058,244 filed Aug. 8, 2018, now U.S. Pat. No. 11,058,237 B2, which is a division of U.S. application Ser. No. 14/167,230 filed Jan. 29, 2014, now U.S. Pat. No. 10,070,739 B2, the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated in their entirety by reference herein. 
     U.S. application Ser. No. 17/344,050 filed Jun. 10, 2021, is also a division of U.S. application Ser. No. 15/950,400 filed Apr. 11, 2018, now U.S. Pat. No. 11,089,887 B2, which is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 14/167,230 filed Jan. 29, 2014, now U.S. Pat. No. 10,070,739 B2, the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated in their entirety by reference herein. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     Various embodiments relate to shower door assemblies; retail displays for displaying shower door assemblies; methods for manufacturing shower door components; and methods for installing shower door assemblies. 
     BACKGROUND 
     The prior art has provided shower door assemblies that are assembled and packaged for retail. 
     SUMMARY 
     According to at least one embodiment, a retail shower door display assembly is provided with a point-of-sale display unit sized to be received within a retail store aisle. A first array of shower door glass panes is oriented within the display unit. Each shower door glass pane of the first array has a height, a thickness and a width. A second array of shower door glass panes is oriented within the display unit. Each shower door glass pane of the second array has a height, a thickness and a width that is different than the width of the first array of shower door glass panes. An array of shower door tracks is oriented within the display unit. Each shower door track of the array has a common length. 
     According to at least one embodiment, a method of installing a shower door assembly provides at least one shower door track from an array of shower door tracks oriented within a point-of-sale display unit sized to be received within a retail store aisle of a retail shower display assembly, wherein each shower door track of the array has a common length. The at least one shower door track is installed. At least one shower door glass pane is provided from one of a first array of shower door glass panes oriented within the display unit, and a second array of shower door glass panes oriented within the display unit. Each shower door glass pane of the first array has a height, a thickness and a width. Each shower door glass pane of the second array has a height, a thickness and a width that is different than the width of the first array of shower door glass panes. The at least one shower door glass pane is installed to the at least one shower door track. 
     According to at least another embodiment, a retail shower door display assembly is provided with a point-of-sale display unit sized to be received within a retail store aisle. A first array of shower door glass panes is oriented within the display unit. Each shower door glass pane of the first array has a height, a thickness and a width. A second array of shower door glass panes is oriented within the display unit. Each shower door glass pane of the second array has a height, a thickness and a width, at least one of the height and the width is different than that of the first array of shower door glass panes. An array of towel bars is oriented within the display unit. Each towel bar of the array has a common length. 
     According to at least another embodiment, a method of installing a shower door assembly provides at least one shower door glass pane from one of a first array of shower door glass panes and a second array of shower door glass panes oriented within a point-of-sale display unit sized to be received within a retail store aisle of a retail shower door display assembly. Each shower door glass pane of the first array has a height, a thickness and a width. Each shower door glass pane of the second array has a height, a thickness and a width that is different than the width of the first array of shower door glass panes. At least one towel bar is provided from an array of towel bars oriented within the display unit. Each towel bar of the array has a common length. The at least one towel bar is installed to the at least one shower door glass pane. 
     According to at least one embodiment, a method of manufacturing shower door components is provided by forming a first plurality of shower door glass panes, each with a height, a thickness and a width. An aperture pattern is formed in each of the first plurality of shower door glass panes to mount a towel bar to the aperture pattern. Each of the first plurality of shower door glass panes is tempered after the aperture pattern is formed. A second plurality of shower door glass panes is provided, each with a height, a thickness and a width that is different than the width of the first plurality of shower door glass panes. An aperture pattern is formed in each of the second plurality of shower door glass panes, common to the aperture pattern formed in the first plurality of shower door glass panes, to mount a towel bar to the aperture pattern. Each of the second plurality of shower door glass panes is tempered after the aperture pattern is formed. A plurality of towel bars is provided, having a common mounting pattern to mount to the aperture pattern in the first plurality of shower door glass panes and the second plurality of shower door glass panes. 
     According to an embodiment, a shower door assembly is manufactured according to a method of manufacturing shower door components by forming a first plurality of shower door glass panes, each with a height, a thickness and a width. An aperture pattern is formed in each of the first plurality of shower door glass panes to mount a towel bar to the aperture pattern. Each of the first plurality of shower door glass panes is tempered after the aperture pattern is formed. A second plurality of shower door glass panes is provided, each with a height, a thickness and a width that is different than the width of the first plurality of shower door glass panes. An aperture pattern is formed in each of the second plurality of shower door glass panes, common to the aperture pattern formed in the first plurality of shower door glass panes, to mount a towel bar to the aperture pattern. Each of the second plurality of shower door glass panes is tempered after the aperture pattern is formed. A plurality of towel bars is provided, having a common mounting pattern to mount to the aperture pattern in the first plurality of shower door glass panes and the second plurality of shower door glass panes. 
     According to another embodiment, a shower door assembly is manufactured according to a method of manufacturing shower door components by forming a first plurality of shower door glass panes, each with a height, a thickness and a width. An aperture pattern is formed in each of the first plurality of shower door glass panes to mount a towel bar to the aperture pattern. Each of the first plurality of shower door glass panes is tempered after the aperture pattern is formed. A second plurality of shower door glass panes is provided, each with a height, a thickness and a width that is different than the width of the first plurality of shower door glass panes. An aperture pattern is formed in each of the second plurality of shower door glass panes, common to the aperture pattern formed in the first plurality of shower door glass panes, to mount a towel bar to the aperture pattern. Each of the second plurality of shower door glass panes is tempered after the aperture pattern is formed. A plurality of towel bars is provided, having a common mounting pattern to mount to the aperture pattern in the first plurality of shower door glass panes and the second plurality of shower door glass panes. A plurality of shower door tracks are formed each having a common length. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG.  1    is a perspective view of retail shower door display system according to an embodiment; 
         FIG.  2    is a front perspective view of a retail shower door display assembly of  FIG.  1   ; 
         FIG.  3    is an enlarged front perspective view of signage of the retail shower door display assembly of  FIG.  2   ; and 
         FIG.  4    is a front perspective view of another retail shower door display assembly of  FIG.  1   . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     As required, detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosed herein; however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention that may be embodied in various and alternative forms. The figures are not necessarily to scale; some features may be exaggerated or minimized to show details of particular components. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present invention. 
     Conventional shower door assemblies are typically retailed pre-bundled or prepackaged. Conventional shower door assemblies typically include shower door glass panes, shower door tracks, and shower hardware assemblies. The preassembled retail of these assemblies limits consumer options, while providing an overall unit that is relatively large and consequently difficult to transport from the point-of-sale to the point of installation. The preassembled unit may also be difficult to install. 
     Conventional shower door assemblies are often provided in varying sizes and styles. Therefore, for each style, shower door glass panes, shower door tracks, and towel bars are often provided specific to each standard sized for the shower door assemblies. All of the components required for the varying sizes and styles results in a large number of components to manufacture and retail. 
     Referring now to  FIG.  1   , a retail shower door display system is illustrated according to an embodiment, and referenced generally by numeral  20 . The display system  20  is provided by, for example, a pair of retail shower door display assemblies  22 ,  24 . The display system  20  is sized to be displayed within a retail store aisle, such as a home improvement store. The display system  20  is utilized for both displaying and retailing shower door components. 
     Shower door assemblies are conventionally categorized by function or type. For example, shower door assemblies include sliding shower door assemblies  26  and pivoting shower door assemblies  28 . The first decision a consumer of shower door assemblies may need to decide is which style or category  26 ,  28  of shower door assembly is desired. Once the consumer selects a category  26 ,  28 , the consumer may approach the corresponding display assembly  22 ,  24 . 
     The retail shower door display system  20  includes a pair of point-of-sale display units  30 ,  32 . Of course, any number of point-of-sale display units is contemplated; and as will be explained, it is advantageous to provide the greatest variety of products per each point-of-sale display unit  30 ,  32 . The point-of-display units  30 ,  32  are sized to be received within a retail store aisle; and may be sized the same as conventional shelving for preassembled doors for easy replacement. 
     The sliding shower door assembly  26  includes an array of shower door glass panes  34 , which may be for sliding tub doors, for example. The shower door glass panes  34  may vary in style. The shower door glass panes  34  each have a standard height, a standard thickness, and a standard width for that application. An array of shower door tracks  36  is provided in the display unit  30  with standard dimensions for the sliding tub door application. The tracks  36  may also vary in style. The separate packaging permits the customer to select from a large combination of varieties due to the interchangeability of the glass panes  34  and the tracks  36 . The tracks  36  depicted are guide tracks  36  for sliding a pair of shower door glass panes  34  within the guide tracks  36 . Alternatively to, or in addition to, the tracks  36  may be frames for the shower door glass panes  34 . 
     The sliding shower door assemblies  26  also include an array of shower door glass panes  38  for sliding shower doors. The shower door glass panes  38  include a standard height, which is typically greater than that for a sliding tub door. The shower door glass panes  38  have a standard thickness, and a standard width, for example, to span up to a forty-eight inch shower door opening. Another array of shower door glass panes  40  is provided similar to the shower door glass panes  38 , except, the second array of sliding shower doors glass panes  40  have a greater standard width, such as to span up to a sixty inch shower door opening. 
     The sliding shower door assemblies  26  include an array of shower door tracks  42  for a sliding shower doors, which according to one embodiment all have a common length only, for example the greater of the standard shower door opening size of sixty inches. According to another embodiment, the array may include sets of tracks  42  in a first length, such as forty-eight inches and sets of tracks  42  in a second length, such as sixty inches. The array of shower door tracks  42  may include shower door tracks in various finishes, such as chrome, nickel and bronze. No other tracks are provided for sliding shower doors to minimize space occupied in the display unit  30 . A customer requiring a shorter track purchases one of the tracks  42 ; and shortens the track  42  prior to installation. By providing only one track size for different size shower door glass panes  38 ,  40  manufacturing costs are lowered, providing a cost-savings to the end customer, while reducing space required in the display unit  30 . 
     Next, an array of towel bars  44  is oriented within the display unit  32 . Each towel bar  44  of the array has a common length. Additionally, each towel bar  44  has a common mounting pattern. Likewise, each of the shower door glass panes  34 ,  38 ,  40  each have a common aperture pattern that corresponds to the common mounting pattern of the towel bars  44 . By providing one standardized towel bar  44  size, various combinations with each of the shower door glass panes  34 ,  38 ,  40  can be achieved while providing a vast reduction to shelf space. In order to meet this end, the aperture patterns are formed in the glass panes  34 ,  38 ,  40  prior to tempering. By standardizing the aperture patterns, manufacturing costs are also minimized. 
     The retail shower door display system  20  also includes signage  46  for explaining the sequence for a customer to select the components for a shower door assembly  26 ,  28 . The glass panes  34 ,  38 ,  40  are provided sequentially prior to the tracks  36 ,  42  because customers typically select the glass panes  34 ,  38 ,  40  first since it is the largest aesthetic and functional component of the assembly  26 ,  28 . 
     The display unit  32  also includes a pair of arrays of shower door glass panes  48 ,  50  for pivoting shower door assemblies  28  in two standard sizes, such as thirty-one inches and thirty-six inches by way of example. A pair of arrays of shower tracks  52 ,  54  for the pivoting shower door assemblies  28  are also provided in the two standard sizes. An array of pull handles  56  is provided for use with the various shower door glass panes  48 ,  50 . Signage is provided to explain the sequence for selecting components. 
     The retail shower door display system  20  provides a large variation of shower door assemblies  26 ,  28  without limits provided in prepackaged assemblies. Interchangeability of tracks  36 ,  42 ,  52 ,  54 , towel bars  44  and pull handles  56  further saves shelf space. The pull handles  56  are provided in multiple finishes, such as chrome, nickel and bronze, and are sized to be mounted to either size glass pane  48 ,  50 . In the depicted embodiment, 183 combinations are provided in less than two display units  30 ,  32 , which if prepackaged as in the prior art, would require almost eight display units. 
     The retail shower door display system  20  allows the consumer to custom configure a shower door based on the consumer&#39;s selection. The retail shower door display system  20  enables the consumer to mix and match style, finish, and glass textures for a customized sliding-tub shower door assembly  26 , sliding shower door assembly  26  or a pivot shower door assembly  28 . The retail shower door display system  20  permits the manufacture to retail more Stock Keeping Units (SKUs) in the retail shower door display system  20  than would be practical with traditional preassembled and prepackaged shower door assemblies. The consumer can avoid having to lift, carry and transport a single total weight package due to the separation of the components. Consumers can also more readily transport components in vehicles due to an ability to place each packaged component in a vehicle interior and trunk due to separate packaging. Also, the customer can purchase replacement parts without a need to replace an entire shower door assembly in case of component repair when a specific component requires replacement, but the entire assembly does not require replacement. The customer can purchase replacement parts for new remodeling efforts where a glass or frame finish change is desired. The customer can purchase replacement parts for future product maintenance when one or more components require replacement due to wear or damage. 
     The manufacturer can also avoid steps of shipping the components to a common facility for assembling and packaging. The manufacturer can also more readily maintain inventory; easily add new products to the retail shower door display system  20 ; and regionalize the product mix. 
     While exemplary embodiments are described above, it is not intended that these embodiments describe all possible forms of the invention. Rather, the words used in the specification are words of description rather than limitation, and it is understood that various changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Additionally, the features of various implementing embodiments may be combined to form further embodiments of the invention.