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Shower trim kitShower trim kit description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20060196549, Shower trim kit. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
FIELD AND BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001] The present invention relates to the field of plumbing. Specifically, the present invention is of an improved shower trim kit that is not only easy to install but also allows for greater freedom in providing a shower with a desired appearance than heretofore known. The present invention is also of a method for installing a shower trim kit and methods for making the shower trim kit. [0002] In the art it is known to install the lion's share of the components of a shower fixture within a wall 10 in proximity of a shower head 12, FIG. 1. Generally the water supply connections and valves are substantially found within wall 10 while only the necessary functional components such as shower heads (e.g., 12), spouts (e.g. 14), hose fed hand showers (not depicted) and control handles (valve handle 18, diverter knob 20) are found on the outside of wall 10. [0003] Many different types of shower fixtures exist having different types and numbers of control handles. [0004] For example, different shower fixtures have a different number (e.g., 1, 2, 3 or more) and arrangement of outlet ports. Diversion of water to one or more of the outlet ports is performed using a diverter knob. In FIG. 1, diverter knob 20 allows diversion of water to one of two different outlet ports, associated with shower head 12 or spout 14. [0005] For example, different fixtures have a different number (e.g., 1, 2, 3 or more) and arrangement of valve handles. Many shower fixtures include two stem valves, a first stem valve for regulating hot water flow and a second stem valve for regulating cold water flow to a mixer. Rotation of one or the other valve handle protruding from the wall and functionally associated with a respective stem valve stem allows selection of a desired water temperature and water flow rate. Many such showers fixtures include a third stem valve located at the output port of the mixer. Rotation of the valve handle protruding from the wall and functionally associated with the third stem valve allows selection of the water flow rate. Valve handles that are fit over a stem of a stem valve are known to be made of many different types of material including glass, ceramic, metals, plastics or combinations thereof. As a stem valve is made of a plumbing-compatible metal such as brass, a valve handle is generally provided with a brass adapter to engage features on the stem (e.g., serrations, flat sides, discontinuities) to allow effective rotation of the stem. As the only motion required from such a valve handle is rotation, attachment of a brass adapter to a valve handle of a given material is not technically challenging. An additional advantage of such a construction is that valve handles of various styles, shapes, materials and forms can be fitted onto standard stems and changed when desired. This allows an interior designer, esthetic freedom when designing a shower. Further, replacement of an undesired valve handle is simple and cheap to perform even by an unskilled person. [0006] A preferred shower fixture, such as depicted in FIG. 1, includes a pressure balancing valve. In a pressure balancing valve a single valve handle 18 controls the showering conditions. Pulling or pushing handle 18 determines the water flow rate while rotation of handle 18 determines the water temperature. Pressure balancing valves are preferred over other types of valves as the necessity for only one valve handle renders such fixtures exceptionally esthetic and easily useable. A disadvantage of pressure balancing valves is that the valve handle must be longer than required in stem valves so that the structural stress on such a handle is much higher than in a stem valve handle. Further, stress-inducing forces applied during use are not exclusively rotational as in stem valves. As a result, pressure balancing valve handles are, unitary structures made of a single piece of material. Such a structure does not give an interior designer much freedom in selecting a desired esthetic form. Further, once a handle is installed a skilled plumber is required to replace the handle. [0007] As a shower walls such as 10 are generally covered with water-resistant tiles, the locations from whence the exterior parts of a shower fixture protrude include gaps formed by breaking or cutting the tiles. Not only are the edges of the gaps unesthetic, but the view through the gaps to the inside of wall 10 gives the whole an unhygienic, unfinished and unsophisticated "construction site" look. If the gap is not sealed, water condensing on the tiles flows down and through the gap into the interior of wall 10, defeating the purpose of the tiling and generating conditions conducive for the formation of mold and mildew in wall 10. [0008] To overcome the problems caused by the presence of gaps in a shower wall 10, shower trim kits are used. Shower trim kits generally include a number of different components such as flanges (e.g. 26 and 28), valve trim (e.g., 30) and escutcheons (e.g., 32). As is known to one skilled in the art, shower trim kits are not only decorative features but are functional, providing protection for the inner part of a wall and the shower fixture itself. Further, factors such as the esthetic appearance and ease of installation of a given shower trim kit are determinants of the value of a shower trim kit kit. [0009] Although effective in preventing water from passing into a wall 10 and effective in concealing gaps so that a shower is given an esthetic finished look, prior art shower trim kits fail in a number of aspects as the various components are made of stamped metals made of or treated so as to look like chrome, brass, nickel, copper or stainless steel. Although generally attractive, cheap and simple to manufacture, stamped metal has only limited esthetic and design possibilities. Thus a manufacturer of shower trim kits is able to offer only a limited selection of flanges and escutcheons to an interior designer from which to choose. Thus, even though valve handles for stem valves are available in many different esthetic forms and made of many different materials, an interior designer is limited to stamped metal flanges and escutcheons. [0010] It would be advantageous to have a shower trim kit devoid of at least some of the disadvantages of the prior art. It would be most advantageous that a shower trim kit be available in many materials and shapes. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0011] The present invention successfully addresses at least some of the shortcomings of the prior art by providing an improved shower trim kit, an improved method for installing an escutcheon or pressure balancing valve handle and an improved method for producing an escutcheon. [0012] According to the teachings of the present invention there is provided a shower trim kit for installation with a shower fixture comprising a substantially non-metal escutcheon, preferably a molded or carved escutcheon. Embodiments of an escutcheon of the present invention comprise materials such as acrylic, cement, ceramics, clay, elastomers, enamels, epoxies, foams, glasses, glass-ceramics, gravel, gypsum, marble, mortar, paper, recycled paper, plaster, plastics, polyacrylates, polycarbonates, polyester, polymers, polystyrene, polyurethane, polyvinyl chloride, rubber, silicon rubber, silicon oxide, sponge, stone, styrofoam, terra cotta, rubber, wood, plywood and wood products, although epoxies/polyesters and combinations thereof are preferred. Also preferred are wood, clay and clay-like materials. [0013] In embodiments of the present invention, the escutcheon comprises at least two layers of material, for example an inner polyester layer covered with an outer epoxy layer, preferably a transparent epoxy layer. [0014] In embodiments of the present invention the escutcheon is coated with a coating. A specific coating is selected to be suitable for coating the material from which the escutcheon is made and includes, but is not limited to, enamel, epoxy, glass, lacquer, paints, plastic, polymer, shellac and stains. Preferably the coating is water-resistant. [0015] In embodiments of the present invention the escutcheon comprises a material (including when the material makes up part of the coating) having a property selected from the group consisting of fluorescence, phosphorescence and/or reflectivity. [0016] In an embodiment of the present invention at least part of the escutcheon is transparent. In a preferred embodiment the escutcheon comprises at least two layers, wherein an upper of the at least two layers is transparent. In an embodiment of the present invention, there is a solid object suspended inside a transparent part of the escutcheon. Any suitable solid object is appropriate, including but not limited to animal products, coral, feathers, insects, leather, shells, skeletons, spines, teeth, plant products, bark, fruit, leaves, pits, roots, twigs, sawdust, seeds, cloth, fabric, flakes, grains, gravel, metal, paper, particles, pebbles, sand, stones, strips and wires. [0017] In an embodiment of the present invention, the shower trim kit further comprises a switch embedded within the escutcheon. In an embodiment of the present invention, the shower trim kit further comprises a temperature sensor functionally associated With the switch wherein the switch is configured to toggle between an activated and deactivated state dependent on output from the temperature sensor, e.g., when the temperature in the shower cabin is above a certain predetermined level. In an embodiment of the present invention, the shower trim kit further comprises a component functionally associated with the switch. Suitable components include light-emitting components (lamps, light emitting diodes), motion-producing components (electrical motors) and sound-producing components (music synthesizers, music players). [0018] In a preferred embodiment, the shower trim kit includes, in addition to an escutcheon, at least one outer valve handle configured to fit over a valve handle of a shower fixture. Preferably the at least one outer valve handle matches the escutcheon, for example having the same color, a contrasting color or being made of substantially the same material as the escutcheon. [0019] According to the teachings of the present invention there is also provided a shower trim kit comprising an outer valve handle configured to fit over the valve handle of a pressure balancing valve. Embodiments of an outer valve handle of the present invention comprise materials such as acrylic, cement, ceramics, clay, elastomers, enamels, epoxies, glasses, glass-ceramics, gravel, gypsum marble, metals, mortar, paper, recycled paper, plaster, plastics, polyacrylates, polycarbonates, polyesters, polymers, polystyrenes, polyurethanes, polyvinyl chlorides, rubber, silicon rubber, silicon oxide, stone, terra cotta, rubber, wood, plywood and wood products, although epoxies/polyesters and combinations thereof are preferred. Also preferred are wood, clay and clay-like materials. [0020] In embodiments of the present invention, the outer valve handles comprises at least two layers of material, for example an inner polyester layer covered with an outer epoxy layer, preferably a transparent epoxy layer. [0021] In embodiments of the present invention the outer valve handle is coated with a coating. A specific coating is selected to be suitable for coating the material from which the outer valve handle is made and includes, but is not limited to, enamel, epoxy, glass, lacquer, paint, physical vapor deposit, plastic, polymer, powder coating, shellac and stains. Preferred is that the coating be water-resistant. [0022] In embodiments of the present invention the outer valve handle comprises a material (including when the material makes up part of the coating) having a property selected from the group consisting of fluorescence, phosphorescence and/or reflectivity. Continue reading about Shower trim kit... Full patent description for Shower trim kit Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Shower trim kit patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. Start now! - Receive info on patent apps like Shower trim kit or other areas of interest. ### Previous Patent Application: Transport system for tanks Next Patent Application: Toilet fill valve lock and method Industry Class: Fluid handling ### FreshPatents.com Support Thank you for viewing the Shower trim kit patent info. IP-related news and info Results in 0.1192 seconds Other interesting Feshpatents.com categories: Electronics: Semiconductor , Audio , Illumination , Connectors , Crypto , 174 |
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