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US 9,416,538 B2Granted
Skirt panel
AssigneeJacuzzi Inc.
InventorsRaymond C. Torres, Hong Charles Li
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Attachable and reattachable panels, particularly for water enclosing units, protect, enclose and/or cover an area such as a bathroom, steam room, shower, shower stall, bathtub, whirlpool bath, spa or the like. The panels include a clip assembly associated therewith for removably securing the panels in position and/or to other structural members. The clip assembly includes a male member and a female member, where the female member is configured for receiving the male member.
Claims29
A water enclosing unit comprising:
- a basin for holding water;
- a back panel;
- at least one side panel comprising a planar member having a front face, a back face, and at least one side edge portion, the at least one side panel configured to cooperate with said back panel;
- and
- at least one clip assembly associated with the back panel and the side panel, the at least one clip assembly affixed to at least one of the back panel and the side panel, said at least one clip assembly adapted to removably secure said side panel to said back panel,
- wherein the at least one clip assembly further includes a resilient sleeve located in threaded engagement with a threaded inner portion of a female member configured as a tubular receiving member,
- wherein the resilient sleeve is adapted to receive a male member and has a tubular structure with an annular projection extending radially inward at a location proximate to an end of the resilient sleeve.
4 more elements
A removable panel for attaching to a support member forming a unit, said panel comprising:
- a planar member having a front face, a back face, and at least one side edge portion;
- at least one clip assembly associated with a support member and said planar member, said at least one clip assembly configured for removably securing said planar member to said support member,
- wherein the clip assembly further includes a resilient sleeve located in threaded engagement with a threaded inner portion of a female member configured as a tubular receiving member,
- wherein the resilient sleeve is adapted to receive a male member and has a tubular structure with an annular projection extending radially inward at a location proximate to an end of the resilient sleeve.
1 more element
A method for removably attaching a panel to a support member, said method comprising the steps of:
- providing a support member;
- providing a panel section configured for attachment to said support member, the panel section comprising a planar member having a front face, a back face, and at least one side edge portion;
- associating at least one clip assembly to said support member and said panel section, said at least one clip assembly configured for removably securing said panel section to said support member,
- wherein the clip assembly comprises a male member and a female member configured as a tubular receiving member, and wherein the method includes securing the male member to one of the panel section and the support member and securing the female member configured as the tubular receiving member to the other of the support member and the panel section, wherein the female member configured as the tubular receiving member is configured for receiving the male member to secure the panel section to the support member,
- wherein the clip assembly further includes a resilient sleeve located in threaded engagement with a threaded inner portion of the female member configured as the tubular receiving member,
- wherein the resilient sleeve is adapted to receive the male member and has a tubular structure with an annular projection extending radially inward at a location proximate to an end of the resilient sleeve.
3 more elements
A kit for attaching at least one panel section to at least one portion of a water enclosing unit, said kit comprising:
- at least one panel section, the panel section comprising a planar member having a front face, a back face, and at least one side edge portion, the panel section configured to cooperate with at least one portion of a water enclosing unit;
- and
- at least one clip assembly affixed to at least one of the at least one portion of the water enclosing unit and the at least one panel section, said at least one clip assembly adapted to removably secure said at least one panel section to said at least one portion of the water enclosing unit,
- wherein the at least one clip assembly further includes a resilient sleeve located in threaded engagement with a threaded inner portion of a female member configured as a tubular receiving member,
- wherein the resilient sleeve is adapted to receive a male member and has a tubular structure with an annular projection extending radially inward at a location proximate to an end of the resilient sleeve.
2 more elements
A clip assembly comprising:
- a resilient sleeve located in threaded engagement with a threaded inner portion of a female member configured as a tubular receiving member,
- wherein the resilient sleeve is adapted to receive a male member and has a tubular structure with an annular projection extending radially inward at a location proximate to an end of the resilient sleeve,
- wherein the clip assembly is configured to removably attach a panel to a support member forming a unit.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.