Shower door assemblies and methods for installing same

US10610060B2 · US · B2

Patent metadata
FieldValue
Publication numberUS-10610060-B2
Application numberUS-201815966516-A
CountryUS
Kind codeB2
Filing dateApr 30, 2018
Priority dateJan 19, 2015
Publication dateApr 7, 2020
Grant dateApr 7, 2020

How to read this patent

A practical reading order for non-experts. Skip the full description unless you need deep technical detail.

  1. Title

    What the patent document calls the invention.

  2. Abstract

    A short plain-language summary of the technical disclosure.

  3. Assignees and inventors

    Who owns or filed the patent and who is credited as inventor.

  4. Key dates

    Filing, priority, publication, and grant dates set the timeline.

  5. First independent claim

    The legal scope of protection — read this for what is actually claimed.

  6. CPC / IPC classifications

    Technology tags used to group this patent with similar filings.

  7. Citations and related patents

    Prior art links and similar publications in this corpus.

Abstract

Official abstract text for this publication.

A guide member for a sliding shower door assembly includes a first wall and a second wall. The second wall is offset from the first wall defining a channel therebetween. The channel is configured to receive a portion of a door panel. At least one of the first wall and the second wall includes an undulating surface defined by a plurality of protrusions and valleys.

First claim

Opening claim text (preview).

What is claimed is: 1. A guide member for a sliding shower door assembly, the guide member comprising: a first wall; a second wall offset from the first wall defining a channel therebetween, wherein the channel is configured to receive a portion of a door panel; wherein at least one of the first wall or the second wall includes a wavy surface defined by a plurality of protrusions and valleys. 2. The guide member of claim 1 , wherein only the plurality of protrusions of the wavy surface are configured to be engaged by the door panel. 3. The guide member of claim 1 , wherein the channel is cooperatively defined by an inner surface of the first wall and an inner surface of the second wall, wherein the inner surfaces of the first and second walls each include the plurality of protrusions and valleys. 4. The guide member of claim 1 , wherein the first wall and the second wall are cooperatively configured to maintain the door panel in a substantially vertical direction. 5. The guide member of claim 1 , further comprising a flange extending from a bottom portion of the guide member, wherein the flange is configured to be inserted into a bottom track of a shower assembly. 6. The guide member of claim 5 , further comprising an undercut portion configured to receive a portion of the bottom track of the shower assembly. 7. A guide member for a sliding shower door assembly, the guide member comprising: a first wall; a second wall offset from the first wall defining a first channel therebetween, wherein the first channel is configured to receive a portion of a first door panel; and a third wall offset from the second wall defining a second channel therebetween, wherein the second channel is configured to receive a portion of a second door panel; wherein at least one of the first wall, the second wall, or the third wall includes a surface defined by a plurality of protrusions and valleys; wherein the plurality of protrusions and valleys collectively define a wavy surface profile. 8. The guide member of claim 7 , wherein only the plurality of protrusions of the surface are configured to be engaged by at least one of the first door panel or the second door panel. 9. The guide member of claim 7 , wherein the first channel is cooperatively defined by an inner surface of the first wall and a first inner surface of the second wall, wherein the inner surface of the first wall and the first inner surface of the second wall each include the plurality of protrusions and valleys. 10. The guide member of claim 7 , wherein the second channel is cooperatively defined by an inner surface of the third wall and a second inner surface of the second wall, wherein the inner surface of the third wall and the second inner surface of the second wall each include the plurality of protrusions and valleys. 11. The guide member of claim 7 , wherein the first wall and the second wall are cooperatively configured to maintain the first door panel in a substantially vertical direction; and wherein the third wall and the second wall are cooperatively configured to maintain the second door panel in a substantially vertical direction. 12. The guide member of claim 7 , further comprising a flange extending from a bottom portion of the third wall, wherein the flange is configured to be inserted into a bottom track of a shower assembly. 13. The guide member of claim 12 , further comprising an undercut portion configured to receive a portion of the bottom track of the shower assembly. 14. A guide member for a sliding shower door assembly, the guide member comprising: a rear wall; a middle wall offset from the rear wall defining a first channel therebetween, wherein the first channel is configured to receive a portion of a first door panel; and a front wall offset from the middle wall defining a second channel therebetween, wherein the second channel is configured to receive a portion of a second door panel; wherein at least one of the rear wall, the middle wall, or the front wall includes a surface defined by a plurality of protrusions and valleys; and wherein the plurality of protrusions and valleys collectively define a wavy surface profile. 15. The guide member of claim 14 , wherein only the plurality of protrusions of the surface are configured to be engaged by at least one of the first door panel or the second door panel. 16. The guide member of claim 14 , wherein the first channel is cooperatively defined by an inner surface of the rear wall and a first inner surface of the middle wall, wherein the inner surface of the rear wall and the first inner surface of the middle wall each include the plurality of protrusions and valleys. 17. The guide member of claim 14 , wherein the second channel is cooperatively defined by an inner surface of the front wall and a second inner surface of the middle wall, wherein the inner surface of the front wall and the second inner surface of the middle wall each include the plurality of protrusions and valleys. 18. The guide member of claim 14 , wherein the rear wall and the middle wall are cooperatively configured to maintain the first door panel in a substantially vertical direction; and wherein the front wall and the middle wall are cooperatively configured to maintain the second door panel in a substantially vertical direction. 19. The guide member of claim 14 , further comprising a flange extending from a bottom portion of the front wall, wherein the flange is configured to be inserted into a bottom track of a shower assembly.

Assignees

Inventors

Classifications

  • A47K3/34Primary

    Slidable screens (A47K3/36 takes precedence) · CPC title

Patent family

Related publications grouped by family.

External sources

Frequently asked questions

Answers are generated from the same data shown on this page.

What does patent US10610060B2 cover?
A guide member for a sliding shower door assembly includes a first wall and a second wall. The second wall is offset from the first wall defining a channel therebetween. The channel is configured to receive a portion of a door panel. At least one of the first wall and the second wall includes an undulating surface defined by a plurality of protrusions and valleys.
Who is the assignee on this patent?
Kohler Co
What technology area does this patent fall under?
Primary CPC classification A47K3/34. Mapped technology areas include Human Necessities.
When was this patent published?
Publication date Tue Apr 07 2020 00:00:00 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time) (B2). Legal status and post-grant events are not shown on this page.
What related patents are in patentsdb?
We list 8 related publications on this page (citations in our corpus or others sharing the same primary CPC).