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US4457553A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Portable shower for van or camper vehicle

Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1982-12-06
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Granted: 1984-07-03
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Expires: 2002-12-06
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Abstract

Abstract A portable shower mountable on a van or similar vehicle wherein a shower curtain is hung from a U-shaped frame which is adjustable in width and telescopes inwardly into parallel tubes mounted near opposite lengthwise rain gutters of a van roof. The parallel tubes are held in place by cross-tensioned straps, pulling against brackets secured to the rain gutters. An opaque shower curtain is suspended from the U-shaped frame by snap fasteners and has a lengthwise slide fastener near one end of the curtain for ingress and egress into the room formed by the curtain. A removable shelf is supported in the room from the rain gutter and supports a water bottle in proximity to the gutter for showering. A fabric self-supporting shower pan is provided over the ground beneath the shelf with the forward end of the pan hung by hooks from the rear bumper of the vehicle for draining the pan into a receptacle.

Inventors

  • 👤 William G. Larkin

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-07 10:50
CPC Classifications
B; B60; B60R; B60R15/00; B60P; B60P3/00; B60P3/32; B60P3/34

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 7
Claim 1
Independent Claim 192 words
A shower enclosure for a van or the like of the type having rain gutters about the roof periphery comprising, a pair of spaced apart, parallel tubes mounted near opposite lengthwise rain gutters of a van roof, said tubes supporting, in telescopic relation, a lightweight, U-shaped frame which, when telescoped outwardly, is supported in cantilever manner, a shower curtain of tent-like material having dimensions adapted to hang on said U-shaped frame and closing a space extending downwardly from said U-shaped frame at least several feet and extending laterally around said U-shaped frame, and bracket means for mounting said parallel tubes with respect to opposite lengthwise rain gutters of the van roof, said bracket means comprising a plurality of brackets having a lower C-shaped region disposed about the outside rim of said rain gutters and an upper C-shaped region connected to the lower C-shaped region but facing in the opposite direction, the upper C-shaped region disposed about a tube, and a pair of adjustable tensioning straps laterally spanning said roof having ends connected to opposite tubes, said straps tensioned to hold the tubes in the brackets and the brackets in the rain gutters.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 192 words
A shower enclosure for a van or the like of the type having rain gutters about the roof periphery comprising, a pair of spaced apart, parallel tubes mounted near opposite lengthwise rain gutters of a van roof, said tubes supporting, in telescopic relation, a lightweight, U-shaped frame which, when telescoped outwardly, is supported in cantilever manner, a shower curtain of tent-like material having dimensions adapted to hang on said U-shaped frame and closing a space extending downwardly from said U-shaped frame at least several feet and extending laterally around said U-shaped frame, and bracket means for mounting said parallel tubes with respect to opposite lengthwise rain gutters of the van roof, said bracket means comprising a plurality of brackets having a lower C-shaped region disposed about the outside rim of said rain gutters and an upper C-shaped region connected to the lower C-shaped region but facing in the opposite direction, the upper C-shaped region disposed about a tube, and a pair of adjustable tensioning straps laterally spanning said roof having ends connected to opposite tubes, said straps tensioned to hold the tubes in the brackets and the brackets in the rain gutters.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 34 words
The shower enclosure of claim 1 further comprising a fabric shower pan having a generally flat central portion, a side and rearward upturned edge for forming a water basin and a flat forward edge.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 41 words
The shower enclosure of claim 1 wherein said U-shaped member comprises two parallel L-shaped members facing each other connected to a base member, the base member being telescopically extendable relative to the parallel member for use on vehicles of differing widths.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 19 words
The shower enclosure of claim 2 wherein said shower pan has hook means for attachement to a van bumper.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 215 words
A shower enclosure for a van or the like of the type having rain gutters about the roof periphery comprising, a pair of spaced apart, parallel tubes mounted near opposite lengthwise rain gutters of a van roof, said tubes supporting, in telescopic relation, a lightweight, U-shaped frame which, when telescoped outwardly, is supported in cantilever manner, a shower curtain of tent-like material having dimensions adapted to hang on said U-shaped frame and closing a space extending downwardly from said U-shaped frame at least several feet and extending laterally around said U-shaped frame, and bracket means for mounting said parallel tubes with respect to edges of the van roof, the bracket means comprising two bracket pairs, each pair including a first mass of material having a bore therethrough, said bore having first and second diameter bore portions, one axially aligned and adjacent the other, the larger bore portion seating an end of one of said tubes, the smaller bore portion allowing part of said U-shaped frame to pass therethrough and a second mass of material having a bore of the first diameter only extending partially therethrough, the two first diameter bore portions facing each other in axial alignment for holding opposite ends of said tube, said brackets having fastener means for mounting on a van roof.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 215 words
A shower enclosure for a van or the like of the type having rain gutters about the roof periphery comprising, a pair of spaced apart, parallel tubes mounted near opposite lengthwise rain gutters of a van roof, said tubes supporting, in telescopic relation, a lightweight, U-shaped frame which, when telescoped outwardly, is supported in cantilever manner, a shower curtain of tent-like material having dimensions adapted to hang on said U-shaped frame and closing a space extending downwardly from said U-shaped frame at least several feet and extending laterally around said U-shaped frame, and bracket means for mounting said parallel tubes with respect to edges of the van roof, the bracket means comprising two bracket pairs, each pair including a first mass of material having a bore therethrough, said bore having first and second diameter bore portions, one axially aligned and adjacent the other, the larger bore portion seating an end of one of said tubes, the smaller bore portion allowing part of said U-shaped frame to pass therethrough and a second mass of material having a bore of the first diameter only extending partially therethrough, the two first diameter bore portions facing each other in axial alignment for holding opposite ends of said tube, said brackets having fastener means for mounting on a van roof.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1987-07-03 1988-01-02 1988-07-03 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1991-07-03 1992-01-02 1992-07-03 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1995-07-03 1996-01-02 1996-07-03 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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