# US 10,870,313 B2 · Kit of decorative wall panels and enclosures made thereof

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- Number: US 10,870,313 B2
- Document ID: US10870313B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/388,663
- Filed: 2019-04-18
- Published: 2019-10-24
- Granted: 2020-12-22
- Earliest claimed: 2018-04-19
- Assignees: Maax Bath Inc.
- Applicants: Maax Bath, Inc.
- Inventors: Christine Lacasse-Veilleux; Steve Donnelly
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10870313B2

## CPC

- B44C 1/28: Uniting ornamental elements on a support, e.g. mosaics {(B44C3/123 takes precedence)}
- B44F 7/00: Designs imitating three-dimensional [3D] effects
- B44C 5/0461: {used as wall coverings}
- E04F 13/07: composed of covering or lining elements; Sub-structures therefor; Fastening means therefor
- E04F 13/0894: {with tongue and groove connections}
- E04F 13/185: {with an outer layer imitating natural stone, brick work, tiled surface or the like}
- E04C 2002/007: {Panels with the appearance of a brick wall}
- B44C: PRODUCING DECORATIVE EFFECTS (processes for applying liquids or other fluent materials to surfaces, in general B05D; shaping of plastics or substances in a plastic state B29C; printing processes to produce transfer pictures B41M3/12; thermographic duplication or marking methods B41M5/00); MOSAICS; TARSIA WORK (imitation of mosaic or tarsia work patterns B44F11/04); PAPERHANGING {(labels G09F; multi-step processes for making paper labels or tags B31D1/02)}
- B44F: SPECIAL DESIGNS OR PICTURES
- E04F: FINISHING WORK ON BUILDINGS, e.g. STAIRS, FLOORS (windows, doors E06B)
- E04C: STRUCTURAL ELEMENTS; BUILDING MATERIALS (for bridges E01D; specially designed for insulation or other protection E04B; elements used as building aids E04G; for mining E21; for tunnels E21D; structural elements with broader range of application than for building engineering F16, particularly F16S)

## Abstract

There is described a shower enclosure and kit of walls therefor. The kit of decorative wall panels comprise a first wall panel including a front face, the front face of the first wall panel defining a first decorative pattern and including a relief element, a second wall panel including a front face, the front face of the second wall panel defining a second decorative pattern, and a connecting assembly for connecting the first wall panel adjacent to the second wall panel. The first decorative pattern of the first wall panel and the second decorative pattern of the second wall panel are configured to counteract a visual distortion caused by the relief element of the first wall panel when the first wall panel is adjacent to the second wall panel.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A kit of decorative wall panels, comprising:
a first wall panel including:
a top end,
a bottom end,
a front face extending from the top end to the bottom end, the front face defining a first decorative pattern,
a back face disposed on the first wall panel opposite of the front face,
a relief element disposed on the front face, the relief element extending backwardly from the front face towards the back face,
and wherein the front face of the first wall panel tapers backwardly towards the back face as the front face extends from the relief element towards the bottom end of the first wall panel;
a second wall panel including a front face, the front face of the second wall panel defining a second decorative pattern;
a third wall panel including a front face, the front face of the third wall panel defining a third decorative pattern;
a first connecting assembly configured for connecting the first wall panel to the second wall panel; and
a second connecting assembly configured for connecting the third wall panel to the first wall panel or the second wall panel.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The kit of decorative wall panels of claim 1, wherein the kit is mountable to a shower base or a bathtub to define an enclosure.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The kit of decorative wall panels of claim 1, wherein the at least one relief element of the first wall panel is recessed relative to the front face of the first wall panel.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The kit of decorative wall panels of claim 3, wherein the recessed relief element comprises a niche.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The kit of decorative wall panels of claim 1, wherein the first decorative pattern of the front face of the first wall panel, the second decorative pattern of the front face of the second wall panel, and the third decorative pattern of the front face of the third wall panel define a symmetrical pattern.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The kit of decorative wall panels of claim 5, wherein the symmetrical pattern is a faux-tile pattern.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The kit of decorative wall panels of claim 1, wherein the first connecting assembly and the second connecting assembly are configured to allow removably connecting the first wall panel, the second wall panel, and the third wall panel.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The kit of decorative wall panels of claim 7, wherein the first connecting assembly and the second connecting assembly each comprises a plurality of dowels and a corresponding plurality of pockets for receiving the plurality of dowels.

### Claim 9

A kit of decorative wall panels, comprising:
a first wall panel mountable to a structure and including:
an upper end,
a lower end,
a front face extending between the upper end and the lower end,
a back face disposed on the first wall panel opposite of the front face and extending between the upper end and the lower end, and
at least one relief element disposed on the front face, the at least one relief element being recessed relative to the front face of the first wall panel and including a rear face, the first wall panel being configured for the rear face of the at least one relief element to rest against the structure,
wherein the front face tapers towards the back face as the front face extends from the at least one relief element towards the lower end of the first wall panel;
a second wall panel including a back face and a front face, the second wall panel being mountable to the structure;
a third wall panel including a back face and a front face, the third wall panel being mountable on the structure and configured for the back face of the third wall panel to abut the structure;
a first connecting assembly configured for connecting the first wall panel to the second wall panel; and
a second connecting assembly configured for connecting the third wall panel to the first wall panel or the second wall panel.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The kit of decorative wall panels of claim 9, wherein the relief element comprises a niche.

### Claim 11 (depends on 9)

The kit of decorative wall panels of claim 9, wherein the structure comprises a wall or wall studs.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The kit of decorative wall panels of claim 11, wherein the wall or the wall studs are adjacent to a shower base or a bathtub.

### Claim 13 (depends on 9)

The kit of decorative wall panels of claim 9, wherein any the first connecting assembly or the second connecting assembly is configured to allow removably connecting the first wall panel, the second wall panel, or and the third wall panel.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The kit of decorative wall panels of claim 13, wherein each of the first connecting assembly and the second connecting assembly comprises a plurality of dowels and a corresponding plurality of pockets for receiving the plurality of dowels.

### Claim 15 (depends on 9)

The kit of decorative wall panels of claim 9, wherein the front face of the first wall panel further comprises an upper portion that extends from the upper end to the at least one relief element and a lower portion that extends from the at least one relief element to the lower end of the first wall panel.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The kit of decorative wall panels of claim 15, wherein the upper portion of the front face of the first wall panel defines an upper decorative pattern and the lower portion of the front face defines a lower decorative pattern.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The kit of decorative wall panels of claim 16, wherein the upper decorative pattern and the lower decorative pattern define a faux-tile pattern comprising a series of horizontal lines extending across the front face of the first wall panel.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The kit of decorative wall panels of claim 17, wherein the horizontal lines of the lower decorative pattern are spaced a greater distance apart than the horizontal lines of the upper decorative pattern.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The kit of decorative wall panels of claim 18, wherein the second wall panel defines a second wall decorative pattern, and wherein the second wall decorative pattern has the same pattern as the upper decorative pattern of the first wall panel.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The kit of decorative wall panels of claim 19, wherein the third wall panel defines a third wall decorative pattern, and wherein the third wall decorative pattern has the same pattern as the upper decorative pattern of the first wall panel.