Reinforced porcelain panel magnetic assemblies, systems, and methods for shower installations

A magnetic accessory system for positioning a movable magnetic accessory attachment on shower enclosure surfaces, the system comprising:

• a mounting surface;
• a magnetic panel affixed to the mounting surface, the magnetic panel having a top surface opposite a bottom surface and a periphery surface connected to and extending between the top surface and the bottom surface, the top surface having a surface area greater than a surface area of the periphery surface;
• a reinforced porcelain panel product in abutting contact with and positioned to conceal the magnetic panel, the reinforced porcelain panel product having a breaking strength of at least 40% greater than porcelain having a thickness of at least 6 mm, the reinforced porcelain panel product affixed to the mounting surface, the reinforced porcelain panel product including:
• (a) a porcelain slab having a top surface with a first surface area opposite a bottom surface, the top surface equivalent to a top surface of the reinforced porcelain panel product, and
• (b) a structural core board having:
• a thickness greater than the porcelain slab,
• a Young's modulus value lower than the porcelain slab,
• a fracture toughness greater than the porcelain slab,
• a top surface opposite a bottom surface, and
• a recess, thereby to expose the bottom surface of the porcelain slab, the magnetic panel positioned within the recess and against the porcelain slab when installed, the top surface of the structural core board having a second surface area greater than the first surface area of the porcelain slab and positioned in abutting contact with the bottom surface of the porcelain slab with adhesive material therebetween such that regions of the top surface of the structural core board extend beyond outer peripheries of the first surface area of the porcelain slab to define a buffer region, thereby to allow the buffer region to be visible when viewing the reinforced porcelain panel product from a front view of the reinforced porcelain panel product and to enhance an impact resistance of at least 30% greater than porcelain having a thickness of 6 mm or higher from cracking or chipping when the reinforced porcelain panel product is handled, the bottom surface of the structural core board equivalent to a bottom surface of the reinforced porcelain panel product, and the buffer region including a first pair of peripheral opposite side portions positioned substantially parallel with each other and a second pair of opposite side portions connected to and extending transverse to the first pair of peripheral opposite side portions also positioned substantially parallel to each other;
• and
• a magnetic accessory attachment positionable to be in abutting contact with the top surface of the reinforced porcelain panel product when magnetically attracted to the top surface of the magnetic panel, the reinforced porcelain panel product having a thickness less than a magnetic attractive force between the magnetic accessory attachment positioned on the top surface of the reinforced porcelain panel product and the magnetic panel concealed by the reinforced porcelain panel product, such that the magnetic attractive force has a strength to magnetically affix the magnetic accessory attachment in abutting contact with the reinforced porcelain panel product, the magnetic accessory attachment being movable, such that the magnetic accessory attachment is positionable within the surface area of the top surface of the magnetic panel.

A magnetic accessory system to position a movable magnetic accessory attachment on shower enclosure surfaces, the system comprising:

• a mounting surface;
• a magnetic panel affixed to the mounting surface, the magnetic panel having a top surface with a surface area;
• a reinforced porcelain panel product in abutting contact with and positioned to conceal the magnetic panel, the reinforced porcelain panel product also affixed to the mounting surface, the reinforced porcelain panel product including:
• (a) a porcelain slab having a top surface with a first surface area opposite a bottom surface, the top surface equivalent to a top surface of the reinforced porcelain panel product, the porcelain slab having a total surface area defined by summating surface areas from all surfaces of the porcelain slab, and
• (b) a structural core board including a foam-core material at least partially defining a recess, the structural core board having a top surface opposite a bottom surface and a total surface area defined by summating surface areas from all surfaces of the structural core board, the top surface positioned in abutting contact with the bottom surface of the porcelain slab with adhesive material therebetween, thereby to enhance protection from cracking or chipping when the reinforced porcelain panel product is handled, the bottom surface of the structural core board (1 ) having a first surface plane substantially parallel to the top surface of the porcelain slab and (2 ) having a bottom surface defining a bottom surface of the reinforced porcelain panel product, and the structural core board having a thickness greater than the porcelain slab, such that the total surface area of the structural core board is greater than the total surface area of the porcelain slab;
• and
• a magnetic accessory attachment positionable to be in abutting contact with the top surface of the reinforced porcelain panel product when magnetically attracted to the top surface of the magnetic panel, the reinforced porcelain panel product having a thickness less than a magnetic attractive force between the magnetic accessory attachment when positioned on the top surface of the reinforced porcelain panel product and the magnetic panel received in the recess and concealed by the reinforced porcelain panel product, such that the magnetic attractive force has a strength to magnetically affix the magnetic accessory attachment in abutting contact with the reinforced porcelain panel product, the magnetic accessory attachment being movable, such that the magnetic accessory attachment is positionable within the surface area of the top surface of the magnetic panel.

A method for a magnetic accessory assembly in a shower enclosure, the method comprising:

• affixing a magnetic panel to a mounting surface in the shower enclosure, the magnetic panel having a top surface opposite a bottom surface and a periphery surface connected to and extending between the top surface and the bottom surface, the top surface having a surface area greater than a surface area of the periphery surface;
• applying adhesive to a bottom surface of a cover panel having a top surface opposite the bottom surface, the cover panel comprising a reinforced porcelain panel product defined by:
• (a) a porcelain slab having a top surface with a first surface area opposite a bottom surface, the top surface equivalent to a top surface of the reinforced porcelain panel product, the porcelain slab having a total surface area defined by summating surface areas from all surfaces of the porcelain slab, and
• (b) a structural core board including a core material, the structural core board having a top surface opposite a bottom surface and a total surface area defined by summating surface areas from all surfaces of the structural core board, the top surface positioned in abutting contact with the bottom surface of the porcelain slab with adhesive material therebetween, thereby to enhance protection from cracking or chipping when the reinforced porcelain panel product is handled, the bottom surface of the structural core board (1) having a first surface plane substantially parallel to the top surface of the porcelain slab and (2) having a bottom surface defining a bottom surface of the reinforced porcelain panel product, and the structural core board having a thickness greater than the porcelain slab, such that the total surface area of the structural core board is greater than the total surface area of the porcelain slab;
• removing a portion of the structural core board to produce a recess configured to conceal the magnetic panel therein when installed;
• aligning the bottom surface of the cover panel to cover the magnetic panel, such that the magnetic panel is concealed when installed;
• affixing the cover panel to the mounting surface, such that bottom surface of a cover panel is in abutting contact with the magnetic panel and the magnetic panel is concealed, the cover panel having a thickness less than a magnetic attractive force between a magnetic accessory attachment when positioned on the top surface of the cover panel and the magnetic panel concealed by the cover panel;
• abuttingly contacting the top surface of the cover panel at a first location with the magnetic accessory attachment within the surface area of top surface of the magnetic panel, the magnetic attractive force between the magnetic accessory attachment and the magnetic panel having a strength to magnetically affix the magnetic accessory attachment in abutting contact with the cover panel;
• and
• removing the magnetic accessory attachment from the first location within the surface area of top surface of the magnetic panel, such that the magnetic accessory attachment is spaced from the top surface of the cover panel.