Bathing area accessories

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9629457-B2
Application number	US-201514743751-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 18, 2015
Priority date	Jun 20, 2014
Publication date	Apr 25, 2017
Grant date	Apr 25, 2017

Abstract

A bathing area accessory may be used within a bathing area. The bathing area accessory may be a bathing area shelving assembly, a bathing area bar assembly, a storage assembly, a bathing area seat assembly, or a shaving ledge assembly. The shelving assembly for use within a bathing area may include a niche and at least one shelf that is attachable to, removable from, and reattachable to the attachment portions of the niche. The niche may include attachment portions that receive and secure the at least one shelf. The niche may include two sidewalls that extend substantially vertically along a vertical length of the niche. The attachment portions may be on the two sidewalls and the at least one shelf may attach with a pair of the attachment portions that are vertically aligned with each other.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A seat assembly configured to be attached to a wall of a bathing area comprising:
a bench movable between a seated position and a folded position, wherein the bench includes an outer covering and an internal support plate; and
a support bracket configured to be statically attached to the wall of the bathing area and hingably attached to the bench such that the bench rotates relative to the support bracket between the seated position and the folded position;
wherein the bench is substantially perpendicular to the wall of the bathing area in the seated position and is substantially parallel to the wall of the bathing area in the folded position, and
wherein the outer covering substantially conceals a seating portion of the internal support plate.

2. The shower seat assembly of claim 1 , wherein a top seating surface of the outer covering of the bench is exposed in the seated position and the top seating surface is substantially concealed and the bench is folded toward the support bracket in the folded position.

3. The shower seat assembly of claim 1 , wherein the outer covering has internal ribs that are concealed within the bench.

4. The shower seat assembly of claim 3 , wherein the internal ribs are arranged in longitudinal and lateral lines within the bench.

5. The shower seat assembly of claim 1 , wherein the outer covering includes a top layer and a bottom layer that cover a top surface and a bottom surface, respectively, of the seating portion of the internal support plate.

6. The shower seat assembly of claim 5 , wherein the top layer and the bottom layer of the outer covering are welded together.

7. The shower seat assembly of claim 1 , wherein the internal support plate has an inner region and an outer region, wherein the bench is hingably attached to the support bracket through the inner region of the internal support plate.

8. The shower seat assembly of claim 7 , wherein a pin extends through an aperture on the support bracket and an aperture in the inner region of the internal support plate such that the internal support plate is movable relative to the support bracket.

9. The shower seat assembly of claim 7 , wherein the inner region of the internal support plate is thicker than the outer region of the internal support plate.

10. The shower seat assembly of claim 7 , wherein the inner region comprises a movement limiter that is configured to prevent the bench from rotating past the seated position.

11. The shower seat assembly of claim 10 , wherein the movement limiter abuts the support bracket in the seated position.

12. The shower seat assembly of claim 10 , wherein the movement limiter is angled relative to a seating portion of the internal support plate.

13. The shower seat assembly of claim 10 , wherein the movement limiter extends below the seating portion of the internal support plate in the seated position.

14. The shower seat assembly of claim 1 , wherein the internal support plate is a single piece of material.

15. The shower seat assembly of claim 1 , wherein the support bracket comprises a cleat that attaches to the wall of the bathing area and a cover that attaches to the cleat.

16. The shower seat assembly of claim 1 , wherein the bench is recessed within the wall of the bathing area in the folded position.

17. The shower seat assembly of claim 16 , wherein a portion the wall of the bathing area is recessed such that the bench can move into the recessed portion of the wall in the folded position.

18. A shaving ledge assembly configured to be attached to a wall of a bathing area comprising:
a footrest movable between a use position and a folded position, wherein the footrest includes an outer covering and an internal support plate; and
a support bracket configured to be statically attached to the wall of the bathing area and hingably attached to the footrest such that the footrest rotates relative to the support bracket between the use position and the folded position;
wherein the footrest is substantially perpendicular to the wall of the bathing area in the use position and is substantially parallel to the wall of the bathing area in the folded position, and
wherein the outer covering substantially conceals a footrest portion of the internal support plate.

19. The shaving ledge assembly of claim 18 , wherein a top surface of the outer covering of the footrest is exposed in the use position and the top surface is substantially concealed and the footrest is folded toward the support bracket in the folded position.

20. The shaving ledge assembly of claim 18 , wherein a top edge of the footrest is angled downward from a middle portion of the footrest.

Assignees

• Kohler Co

Inventors

• Cohen Ben
• Knowles Greta
• Lilly Erin
• Lilly Thomas
• Mcdonald Alan
• Tempas Jeff
• Zimbric Luke

Classifications

• A47B96/027

  Cantilever shelves · CPC title

• A47B57/00

  Cabinets, racks or shelf units, characterised by features for adjusting shelves or partitions ({shelf units with stackable uprights A47B87/00}; details of cabinets, racks or shelf units in general A47B96/00; brackets adjustable in themselves A47B96/07) · CPC title

• A47K3/282 Primary

  Seats specially adapted for showers · CPC title

• A47B96/061

  Cantilever brackets · CPC title

• A47B96/02

  Shelves (movable shelves coupled to doors A47B96/16) · CPC title