초록 ▼

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

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.

대표청구항 ▼

1. 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; andat least one clip assembl

1. 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; andat 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. 2. The unit of claim 1, wherein the at least one clip assembly comprises a series of clip assemblies. 3. The unit of claim 2, wherein the clip assembly further comprises a base having a first face, a second face, and an aperture extending therethrough and wherein the female member configured as the tubular receiving member extends through the aperture and has a front portion positioned adjacent to a first surface of the base and a second portion extending through the aperture and adjacent the second surface of the base. 4. The unit of claim 3, wherein the female member configured as the tubular receiving member includes a threaded outer portion, and, wherein said threaded outer portion is configured for receiving a mounting ring thereon at a location that is adjacent said second surface of the base. 5. The unit of claim 3, wherein the front portion of the female member configured as the tubular receiving member includes a flat stop portion configured for cooperation with the back panel to prevent said back panel section from rotating with respect to said clip assembly after mating of said male member with said female member configured as the tubular receiving member. 6. The unit of claim 1, wherein the clip assembly comprises the male member associated with one of the side panel and the back panel and the female member configured as the tubular receiving member associated with the other of the back panel and the side panel, wherein the female member configured as the tubular receiving member is configured for receiving the male member to secure the side panel to the back panel. 7. The unit of claim 1, wherein the side panel section has a predetermined thickness and the back panel includes a recessed portion configured to receive said predetermined thickness of said side panel such that a front face of said side panel section forms a flush surface with an outer surface of the water enclosing unit. 8. The unit of claim 1, wherein at least one edge portion of said side panel includes at least one recessed passageway configured to receive an opening member to allow for removal of the side panel from the back panel. 9. The unit of claim 1, including at least one access opening extending through a portion of the unit to allow for access to any plumbing and/or electrical equipment contained therein and wherein said unit includes at least one skirt to cover at least a portion of said plumbing equipment and said at least one access opening. 10. The unit of claim 9, wherein the skirt includes at least one clip assembly. 11. 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. 12. The unit of claim 11, wherein the at least one clip assembly comprises a series of clip assemblies. 13. The unit of claim 11, wherein the clip assembly comprises the male member associated with one of the planar member and the support member and the female member configured as the tubular receiving member associated with the other of support member and the planar member and wherein the female member configured as the tubular receiving member is configured for receiving the male member to secure the planar member to the support member. 14. The unit of claim 13, wherein the clip assembly further comprises a base having a first face, a second face, and an aperture extending therethrough and wherein the female member configured as the tubular receiving member extends through the aperture and has a front portion positioned adjacent to the first face of the base and a second portion extending through the aperture and adjacent the second face of the base. 15. The unit of claim 14, wherein the female member configured as the tubular receiving member includes a threaded outer portion, and, wherein said threaded outer portion is configured for receiving a mounting ring thereon at a location that is adjacent said second face of the base. 16. The unit of claim 14, wherein the front portion of the female member configured as the tubular receiving member includes a flat stop portion configured for cooperation with the panel to prevent said panel section from rotating with respect to said clip assembly after mating of said male member with said female member configured as the tubular receiving member. 17. The unit of claim 13, wherein the support member includes at least one support side edge portion. 18. The unit of claim 11, wherein the male member is associated with the at least one side edge portion of the panel and the female member configured as the tubular receiving member is associated with the at least one side edge portion of the support member. 19. The unit of claim 11, wherein the at least one clip assembly includes a flat stop portion configured for cooperation with the planar member to prevent said planar member from rotating with respect to said clip assembly after attachment of said planar member to said support member. 20. The unit of claim 11, wherein the clip assembly further includes a cap or slot, wherein the cap or slot is provided proximate to the resilient sleeve that is threadably engaged with the threaded inner portion of said female member configured as the tubular receiving member. 21. The unit of claim 11, wherein the support member is a tub frame and the planar member is a panel section. 22. 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. 23. The method of claim 22, further comprising the step of providing the at least one clip assembly with a flat stop portion configured for cooperation with the panel section to prevent said panel section from rotating with respect to said clip assembly after attachment of said panel section to said support member. 24. 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; andat 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. 25. The kit of claim 24, wherein the clip assembly comprises the male member associated with one of the at least one panel section and the at least one portion of the water containing unit and the female member configured as the tubular receiving member associated with the other of the at least one portion of the water enclosing unit and the at least one panel section, wherein the female member configured as the tubular receiving member is configured for receiving the male member to secure the at least one panel section to the at least one portion of the water enclosing unit. 26. The kit of claim 24, wherein the at least one panel comprises a back wall panel and at least one side wall panel, each configured to cooperate with the at least one portion of the enclosing unit, wherein the at least one portion of the enclosing unit comprises a back wall portion and a side wall portion, and wherein the back wall panel is attachable to the at least one side wall panel by means of the clip assembly. 27. The kit of claim 24, wherein the at least one panel comprises a back wall panel, a first side wall panel, and a second side wall panel each configured to cooperate with the at least one portion of the enclosing unit, wherein the at least one portion of the enclosing unit comprises a back wall portion, a first side wall portion, and a second side wall portion and wherein the back wall panel is attachable to the first side wall panel and the second side wall panel by means of the at least one clip assembly. 28. The kit of claim 24, further comprising a basin associated with the water enclosing unit. 29. 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.