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US 11,700,974 B2Granted
Bathing wall system
AssigneeDelta Faucet Company
InventorsJeffrey David Ferris, David Michael Ringholz
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A bathing wall system including a back wall, an end wall, and a coupler connecting the back wall and the end wall. The coupler includes a U-shaped receiving slot supported by the back wall, and a male connector supported by the end wall and received within the U-shaped receiving slot.
Claims27
A bathing wall system comprising:
- a tub;
- a back wall including a first terminal side, an opposing second terminal side, each of the first terminal side and the second terminal side having a U-shaped channel;
- an end wall including an inner side having a terminal end with a snap groove connector;
- wherein the end wall is coupled to the back wall via a snap fit configuration between the snap groove connector and a first one of the U-shaped channels to create a watertight seal;
- wherein the first one of the U-shaped channels is defined by the terminal side of the back wall, a horizontal extension which extends from a rearwardmost end of the terminal side of the back wall, and a snap flange spaced apart from the terminal side of the back wall and extending forward from the horizontal extension;
- and
- wherein the snap groove connector includes a positive pressure bead, wherein the positive pressure bead is engaged with the snap flange thereby biasing a portion of the snap groove connector against the terminal side of the back wall to form a first flow restriction within the first one of the U-shaped channels.
4 more elements
A bathing wall system comprising:
- a tub having a basin, a shelf bordering and extending out from a top border of the basin, and a back splash which extends vertically up from an outer perimeter of the shelf;
- a back wall supported above the tub and including a first terminal side, an opposing second terminal side, and a first snap-mount portion on each of the first terminal side and the second terminal side;
- an end wall supported above the tub, the end wall including an inner side and a second snap-mount portion on the inner side;
- wherein the end wall is coupled to the back wall via a snap fit configuration between the second snap-mount portion of the end wall and the first snap-mount portion of the back wall;
- and
- wherein the back wall and the end wall further include a plurality of splines spaced apart along the length of a bottom surface of the back wall and along the length of a bottom surface of the end wall, the plurality of splines engaging the shelf of the tub to support the back wall and the end wall within the perimeter of the back splash and to create a first space between the bottom surface of the back wall and the shelf and a second space between the bottom surface of the end wall and the shelf and wherein the shelf is defined by an inward sloping surface whereby the first space and the second space drain into the basin.
3 more elements
A bathing wall system comprising:
- a tub which includes a basin and a shelf bordering and extending out from a top border of the basin;
- a back wall supported above the tub and including a first terminal side, an opposing second terminal side, and a first snap-mount portion on each of the first terminal side and the second terminal side;
- an end wall supported above the tub, the end wall including an inner side and a second snap-mount portion on the inner side;
- wherein the end wall is coupled to the back wall via a snap fit configuration between the second snap-mount portion of the end wall and the first snap-mount portion of the back wall;
- a corner joint including a water flow duct defined by the first snap-mount portion of the back wall and the second snap-mount portion of the end wall;
- and
- wherein the back wall and the end wall further include a plurality of splines spaced apart along the length of a bottom surface of the back wall and along the length of a bottom surface of the end wall and the plurality of splines engage the shelf of the tub to support the back wall and the end wall and to create a space between the back wall, and the tub, and the end wall and the tub wherein the space between the back wall, the end wall and the tub is in fluid communication with the duct.
4 more elements
A bathing wall system comprising:
- a back wall extending between opposing first and second side edges;
- an end wall including a rear edge;
- a coupler between the first side edge of the back wall and the rear edge of the end wall, wherein the coupler includes a first coupler portion supported by the back wall, and a second coupler portion supported by the end wall;
- wherein the first coupler portion includes a flange and a U-shaped channel defined between the first side edge of the back wall and the flange, and a protrusion spaced forwardly of the U-shaped channel;
- wherein the second coupler portion includes a snap groove receiving the protrusion of the first coupler portion, and a positive pressure bead in engagement with the flange of the first coupler portion to exert force on the snap groove against the protrusion;
- and
- a U-shaped wall extending transversely within the U-shaped channel, defining a flow restriction and providing a vertical water flow channel.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.