IMPROVED CURTAIN
BACKGROUND
Technical Field
The present invention relates to a curtain, a method of assembling a curtain and a method of using a curtain, and in particular although not exclusively to a curtain used in a bathroom shower.
Description of Related Art
A shower curtain is used to form an enclosure around a shower for showering. The shower curtain is attached by hooks to a rail. The rail is suspended above the enclosure.
Typically the shower curtain is attached to the hooks by studs, and the hooks are slideably attached to the rail. The shower curtain comprises a sheet of light-weight flexible material.
When using the shower, fluid flow causes a low pressure region to develop within the enclosure. Due to the low pressure the light-weight shower curtain displaces into the enclosure. The inward displacement of the shower curtain is undesirable as it reduces the size of the shower enclosure. It is also undesirable as it may contact and wrap around a user. This causes discomfort and annoyance. Furthermore, contact between the shower curtain and the user is un-hygienic, as discussed in Kelly et al., Applied Environmental Microbiology, July 2004, 41 87-41 92.
Devices to reduce the displacement of a shower curtain into an enclosure are known.
For instance, CA 2523387 discloses shower curtain support comprising a non-circular curtain rod and a plurality of non-circular sliding shower rings. Selected rings include depending rib members which hold the shower curtain away from the shower. The non circularity of the engaging curtain rod and sliding rings prevent relative rotation, so that the dependent ribs continually push the curtain out. The disadvantage of this device is that the shower curtain is pushed away from the enclosure regardless of whether the shower is in use. This is unsightly and reduces the space external the enclosure.
US 6032306 discloses a device that includes a clamp portion for releaseably engaging a shower curtain rod, and a tail portion depending from the clamp portion for impinging on the shower curtain and urging it outwardly. The disadvantage of this device is that, prior to showering, it is moved into position by a user. Then, when the shower is ended, it is released by the user.
It is an object of the present invention to attempt to overcome at least one of the above or other disadvantages.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to the present invention there is provided a curtain, and method as set forth in the appended claims. Other features of the invention will be apparent from the dependent
claims, and the description which follows.
According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a curtain comprising a sheet of flexible material and a elongate member, whereby in use the elongate member changes from a first state to a second state in response to a stimulus, thereby causing the sheet of material to change state.
In this way the curtain can alter its state is response to stimuli. Consequently it can be stimulated to a state in which displacement into a shower enclosure is reduced.
Preferably the stimulus is a change in thermal energy.
In this way the heat from the shower can stimulate the curtain against displacing into the shower enclosure. Consequently a user does not need to manually activate any devices.
The present invention includes any combination of the herein referred to features or limitations.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The present invention can be carried into practice in various ways but several embodiments will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: The present invention can be carried into practice in various ways but several embodiments will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a front view of a shower enclosure comprising a shower curtain embodying the present invention; Figure 2 is a side view of the shower enclosure and the shower curtain in a first state; Figure 3 is a view of a partially inserted elongate member; Figure 4 is a view of a seam in the shower curtain; Figure 5 is a side view of the shower enclosure and the shower curtain in a second state; Figure 6 is a front view of the shower enclosure comprising the shower curtain according to a second embodiment of the invention; Figure 7 is a side view of the shower enclosure and the shower curtain in a first state according to the second embodiment of the invention; Figure 8 is a side view of the shower enclosure and the shower curtain in a second state according to the second embodiment of the invention; Figure 9 is a plan view of the shower enclosure and the shower curtain in a second state according to the second embodiment of the invention; Figure 10 is a front view of the shower enclosure and a shower curtain according to a third embodiment comprising several elongate members; Figure 11 is a side view of a shower curtain elongate members according to a fourth embodiment in a first state; Figure 12 is a side view of a shower curtain elongate members according to the fourth embodiment in a second state; and Figure 13 is a cross-sectional view of a non-circular rail and ring.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS
Figures 1 and 2 show a shower curtain 10 comprising a sheet of flexible material 12 and a elongate member 14. The shower curtain 10 is attached to a rail 16 via hooks or rings 18.
The rings are extended along the rail which causes the curtain to form a wall of a shower area around a shower 22. When the shower is not in use the curtain is retracted by retracting the hooks along the rail.
The sheet of flexible material 12 can be a woven fabric or a thin film. The fabric or film can be composed of water resilient materials such as vinyl, plastic or polyester.
The elongate member 14 comprises a Shaped Memory Alloy (herein referred to as SMA) wire 24. SMA alloy may have one-way or two-way memory properties.
In one-way SMA, when the alloy is in a cold state it can be bent or stretched and may hold those shapes until heated above a transaction temperature (referred to herein as T9).
When above the Tg it assumes a hot shape. When the one-way SMA cools from above the Tg it will remain in the hot shape until deformed.
In two-way SMA the alloy remembers two different shapes, one below the T9, and one above the Tg.
The three main types of SMA are copper-zinc-aluminium-nickel, copper-aluminium-nickel and nickel-titanium. All may be used in this application. The Tg and hot and cold shapes may be trained to a desired value and shape using heating and quenching. The SMA wire may also be coated with a layer of rubber, for visual appeal or to reduce corrosion. The wire may be approximately 0.2mm to 5mm gauge and may also be of a non-circular cross-section having possibly the same cross-sectional area limits.
The elongate member 14 is located in an upper plastic tube 30 and a lower plastic tube 40. A distal end 26 of the elongate member is inserted into to the plastic tube 30, and a proximal end 28 of the SMA wire is inserted into the plastic tube 40, as shown in Figure 1. The elongate member is held into the plastic tube by friction or is bonded to the plastic tube. The upper end 32 of the plastic tube 30 may be fixed to a ring 34. The fixing is made by inserting the ring through an aperture in the tubing. Alternatively the ring is bonded to the tube, or is formed integrally with the tube.
Alternatively, the elongate member 14 is located within a portion of material (not shown).
The portion may further comprise several layers of material which the elongate member is sandwiched between. Alternatively a hole is made into the portion of material and the elongate member is inserted into the hole.
The elongate member 14 is inserted throughout the length of the plastic tubes 30 and 40, as shown in Figure 1. Alternatively, the elongate member 15 is partially inserted, as shown in Figure 3. By partially inserting the elongate member less SMA wire is used.
The upper and lower plastic tubes may be composed of more than one plastic tube (not shown). The tubes are connected by an elongate member which comprise a single piece of SMA wire or multiple pieces. The multiple pieces may be spaced from each other, for instance with the wires extending over the ends of adjacent tubes. By using more than one plastic tube, the shape of the plastic tubes can be varied.
When installing the shower curtain the rings 18 and 34 are threaded onto the shower rail 26. The elongate member 14 is thus suspended vertically. The elongate member may be located on either side of the material 12.
The elongate member may also be fixed, for instance by an adhesive, directly to or via the plastic tubes 30, 40, to the flexible material 12. Either both or one of the plastic tubes may be fixed to the flexible material. In this instance the elongate member may be fixed to the interior surface of the flexible sheet between the flexible material and shower area or the exterior surface.
Alternatively, the elongate member may be woven through the flexible material 12.
Alternatively, the flexible material may be composed of two or more sheets. The elongate member may be positioned between the sheets. The elongate member may be held in place by a connection between the sheets, or the elongate member may be attached to one or more of the sheets.
Alternatively, using one or more sheets of flexible material, the flexible material is folded to create a pocket 50 held by a seam 52. The elongate member 14 is then inserted into the pocket 50, as shown in Figure 4.
When using two-way SMA wire, the 1 is trained to be above ambient temperature, and to be less than or equal to the temperature of a hot water shower. This is approximately 25°C.
Therefore, the SMA wire has a first state, shown in Figure 2, which corresponds to ambient temperature and a second state, shown in Figure 5, which corresponds to above Tg.
Prior to using the shower, the SMA wire assumes the first state in which the shape of the SMA wire is straight and vertically aligned. In this state the SMA wire may be chosen to be comparatively flexible or rigid with respect to the flexibility of the flexible material.
When using the shower, the SMA wire assumes the second state because it is heated to above the Tg. This is achieved by transmission of thermal energy by conduction from a direct stream of shower water, or by convection from heat in the shower area. In the second state, the elongate member displaces the flexible material about point 60 towards the exterior 62 of the shower area, as shown in Figure 5. In this state the plastic tube 30 remains straight and coextensive with the flexible material 12. Further, the flexible material bends at point 64 where the plastic tube 40 terminates. Hence the flexible material is held taught parallel to the elongate member and prevented from displacing into the shower area. Furthermore, the size of the shower area is increased. Further, in the second state the plastic tube 40 maintains the flexible material against the walls of a bath 64, or base of a shower bed. Hence the lower edge of the curtain remains over the bath 64 to prevent water leaking away from the bath.
The flexible material may have a pocket 42, preferably on the interior surface in an upper region, as shown in Figure 5. A ballast, such as a shampoo bottle, is inserted into the pocket. The weight of the ballast is used to bias the plastic tube 30 upwardly. Consequently, any displacement of the plastic tube 30, into the shower enclosure can be minim ised.
After using the shower, the SMA wire cools to below the T9 and assumes the first state.
When using one-way SMA wire the 1 is trained as for the two-way wire. When using the shower the SMA wire is heated to above Tg and assumes the second state shown in Figure 5. When the shower is not in use the weight of the curtain straightens the SMA wire from the second state to the first state shown in Figure 2.
The curtain may also comprise more than one elongate member of SMA wire. This to provide more force to displace the flexible material, and to displace the flexible material over a larger area.
In a second embodiment of the invention, as shown in Figure 6, one or more elongate members 70, 72 of SMA wire are fixed to the flexible material 74 and they extend in a horizontal direction. In Figure 6 and 7, the shape of the elongate member in a first state is shown. In figure 8 and 9 the shape in the second shape is shown. In the second state, in addition to the curtain being held away from the shower area, it is held taut along the rail.
The second and first embodiments may be combined in a third embodiment in which multiple elongate members are arranged in the horizontal, vertical and or diagonal directions.
For instance, the elongate members 80, 82 may be horizontal at their end regions with their middle regions crossing over each other at point 84 as shown in Figure 10. In this way the curtain can be held away from the enclosure in several locations in a range of directions.
In a fourth embodiment the elongate members are arranged such that, when transitioning to the second state, the curtain is extended along the rails thus forming the enclosure. In this embodiment, when in the first state, the elongate member 90 is attached to the flexible material and is folded at several points such as 92, 94, 96, 98 and 1 00 as shown in Figure 11. In the second state the angle of the folds in the elongate member 90 is reduced, as shown in Figure 12 to cause the rings to slide along the rail.
The SMA wire may be a fine gauge such as 0.2mm. In this way in the first state, when the shower is not in use, the elongate member is flexible and the curtain can be retracted.
Furthermore, it is sufficiently flexible to be washed in a washing machine. Alternatively, the elongate members are removeably attached to the flexible material. They are therefore removed prior to washing, and reattached following washing.
The elongate members may be supplied separately and may be retro fitted to existing curtain arrangements.
To increase the extent the curtain displaces away from the enclosure the curtain may be attached to the bathroom wall and/or bath. The attachment may comprise hooks or be magnetic. When using a magnetic connection a first magnetic strip can be adhered to the curtain. This can connect with a metallic bath or fixture on the wall, or a second magnetic strip adhered to the bath or wall.
To further increase the extent the curtain displaces away from the enclosure, the rail 60 and ring 50 may be non-circular, as shown in Figure 13. In this way the elongate member and rail are rotationally constrained. In this instance the elongate member is rigidly fixed to the ring 50.
In the above embodiments, when the elongate member is in the second state the elongate member causes the sheet of flexible material to be held in a shape suitable for showering.
All of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), and/or all of the steps of any method or process so disclosed, may be combined in any combination, except combinations where at least some of such features and/or steps are mutually exclusive.
Each feature disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings) may be replaced by alternative features serving the same, equivalent or similar purpose, unless expressly stated otherwise. Thus, unless expressly stated otherwise, each feature disclosed is one example only of a generic series of equivalent or similar features.
The invention is not restricted to the details of the foregoing embodiment(s). The invention extends to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), or to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the steps of any method or process so disclosed.