Shower enclosures

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing shower enclosures require assembly from within the showering area, which can cause water ingress and damage to the tray during installation, necessitating the use of silicon sealant for sealing.

Innovation Solution

A mounting structure with a channel on an arm for receiving fixings from outside the enclosure, featuring a seal at the distal end to prevent water ingress and a recess for additional sealing, allowing assembly without standing in the shower and eliminating the need for silicon sealant.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If assembly is performed from within the showering area, then the frame portions can be attached to the mounting structure, but water ingress occurs and the tray is damaged during installation

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveassembly processVSAvoidwater ingress

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent inverts the conventional assembly approach by providing fixings that engage with the mounting structure from the external side rather than from within the showering area. The channel on the inner face of the arm receives a fixing that attaches the frame portion to the mounting structure without requiring access from inside the shower enclosure, thereby preventing water ingress during installation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent extracts the fixing mechanism from the internal shower space and relocates it to the external mounting structure. The channel and fixing arrangement is positioned on the mounting structure's arm so that assembly operations can be performed from outside the enclosure, separating the assembly process from the water-containing environment.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Device complexity

If conventional mounting structures are used without seals, then the structure is simpler, but water ingress occurs during and after installation

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemounting structureVSAvoidwater sealing

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent incorporates a seal at the distal end of the arm before the frame portion is attached. This preliminary sealing action ensures that water ingress is prevented from the outset, eliminating the need for subsequent sealing operations with silicon sealant and ensuring reliable water tightness throughout the product lifecycle.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Reliability

If silicon sealant is used for sealing, then water ingress is prevented, but the installation process becomes more complex and time-consuming

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvewater sealingVSAvoidinstallation time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the chemical sealing method (silicon sealant application) with a mechanical sealing solution (integrated seal at the distal end of the arm). This mechanical seal is built into the mounting structure and frame portion assembly, providing water tightness through physical means rather than requiring manual application of sealant, thereby reducing installation time and complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Data Source

PatentEP3682777B1Shower enclosures

Publication Date: 2025.08.27 CORAM UK HLDG LTD

Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3

AI summary

In an example there is provided a mounting structure for use in a shower enclosure, the mounting structure comprising a first portion comprising a back plate and an arm depending from the back plate, the arm comprising a channel on an inner face thereof to receive a fixing for attaching a frame portion of the enclosure to the mounting structure.