Shower door enclosure systems

Abstract

Systems, methods and apparatus relating to shower door enclosures are described. The systems include an elongated shower door support and a separate corresponding cover. The elongated shower door support may include one or more tracks for engaging a tread of a shower door roll wheel. After the shower doors are hung from the elongated shower door support, the cover may be readily placed over at least a portion of the elongated shower door support, thereby hiding that portion of the elongated shower door support from view. The elongated shower door support may include one or more connectors for physically connecting the cover to the elongated shower door support. The cover may be repeatedly connect to and disconnect from the connector of the elongated shower door support, thereby facilitating ease of installation of the shower door enclosure.

1 . A system comprising:
 (a) a first side support configured for mounting to a first wall;   (b) a second side support configured for mounting to a second wall;
 wherein at least one of the first and second side supports includes at least a first projection extending forward of a face of the side support; 
   (c) an elongated shower door support, the elongated shower door support having:
 (i) a body; 
 (ii) at least a first shower door track extending from the body;
 wherein the first shower door track is configured to engage a tread of a shower door roll wheel in a manner that allows the roll wheel to readily move along at least a portion of the length of the first shower door track; 
 
 (iii) a header proximal a top portion of the body, the header having:
 (A) an underside, wherein the underside is configured to engage the at least first projection;
 wherein, when the first and second side supports are mounted to the first and second walls, respectively, and when the header is engaged with the at least first projection, the elongated shower door support is maintained in a generally horizontal orientation; 
 
 
 (iv) at least one connector, wherein the at least one connector is proximal at least one of the body and the header; 
   (d) a cover;
 (i) wherein the cover is configured to repeatedly connect to and disconnect from the at least one connector of the elongated shower door support; 
 (ii) wherein, when connected to the connector of the elongated shower door support, the cover hides at least a portion of the elongated shower door support from view. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first side support includes first and second projections, wherein the second side support includes third and fourth projections;
 wherein the underside of the header is configured to engage the first, second, third and forth projections;   wherein the second wall is opposite the first wall; and   wherein, when the first and second side supports are mounted to the first and second walls, respectively, and when the header is engaged with the first, second, third and fourth projections, the elongated shower door support is maintained in a generally horizontal orientation.   
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the underside includes a first underside portion and a second underside portion, wherein the first underside portion is configured to engage the first and third projections, and wherein the second underside portion is configured to engage the second and fourth projections. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first shower door track extends from a first side of the body of the elongated shower door support;
 wherein the elongated shower door support includes a second shower door track extending from a second side of the body of the elongated shower door support; and   wherein the second shower door track is configured to engage a tread of a second shower door roll wheel in a manner that allows the second roll wheel to readily move along at least a portion of the length of the second shower door track.   
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein the body and the header of the elongated shower door support faun a generally T-shaped or I-shaped configuration, wherein the body is in a generally vertical orientation and wherein the header is in a generally horizontal orientation. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein, when the first and second roll wheels are engaged with the first and second shower door tracks, respectively, both the first and second roll wheels are proximal the body of the elongated shower door support. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first shower door track includes:
 a first tier configured to support the roll wheel, and   a second tier below the first tier, wherein, when a roll wheel is located in the first tier, a trough of the first shower door track is apart from the tread of the roll wheel.   
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein a least one connector is coupled to the header of the elongated shower door support. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein at least one connector is integral with the header of the elongated shower door support. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein at least one connector is in the form of an elongated slot. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the cover includes a tab adapted to repeatedly connect to and disconnect from the elongated slot. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the elongated slot is located in the top of the header. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the elongated slot is located proximal the intersection of the body and the header of the elongated shower door support. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein, when connected to the connector of the elongated shower door support, the cover hides substantially all of a first side of the elongated shower door support from view. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one connector comprises at least a first connector and a second connector, wherein the cover is a first cover, wherein the first cover is configured to repeatedly connect to and disconnect from the first connector of the elongated shower door support; and
 wherein the system further comprises:   a second cover, wherein the second cover is configured to repeatedly connect to and disconnect from the second connector of the elongated shower door support, and wherein, when connected to the second connector of the elongated shower door support, the second cover hides at least a portion of the elongated shower door support from view.   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein, when the first cover is connected to the first connector of the elongated shower door support, and when the second cover is connected to the second connector of the elongated shower door support, and the first and second covers hide at least the top and side portions of the elongated shower door support from view. 
     
     
         17 . A method comprising:
 (a) hanging an elongated shower door support;
 wherein, after the hanging step, the elongated shower door support is supported by at least one side support; 
   (b) placing a shower door roll wheel into a first shower door track of the elongated shower door support; and   (c) after the placing step, affixing a cover to the elongated shower door support,
 wherein, after the affixing step, the cover hides at least a portion of the elongated shower door support from view. 
   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , comprising:
 (d) coupling a shower door roll wheel assembly to a shower door mount, the shower door roll wheel assembly comprising the shower door roll wheel;   (e) attaching a shower door to the shower door mount; and   after at least one of the coupling (d) and attaching (e) steps, completing the placing (b) and affixing (c) steps.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the cover is a first cover;
 wherein, the connecting step (c) is a first connecting step; and   wherein, after the first connecting step, the first cover hides at least a first portion of the elongated shower door support from view; the method further comprising:
 (d) second connecting a second cover to the elongated shower door support,
 wherein, after the second connecting step, the second cover hides at least a second portion of the elongated shower door support from view. 
 
   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein after the first (c) and second (d) connecting steps, the first and second covers hide at least the top and side portions of the elongated shower door support from view. 
     
     
         21 . An extruded elongated shower door support comprising:
 a central body;   a header proximal the top of the central body;   at least a first shower door track extending from a first side of the central body, wherein the first shower door track is configured to engage a tread of a shower door roll wheel in a manner that allows the roll wheel to readily move along at least a portion of the length of the first shower door track.   
     
     
         22 . The extruded elongated shower door support of  claim 22  wherein the shower door track includes:
 an upper tier configured to support the roll wheel, wherein the upper tier has a width that is coincidental to the width of the shower door roll wheel; and 
 a lower tier below the upper tier, wherein, when a shower door roll wheel is located in the upper tier, a trough of the first shower door track is apart from the tread of the roll wheel. 
 
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the central body and the header form a generally T-shaped or I-shaped configuration, wherein the body is in a generally vertical orientation and wherein the header is in a generally horizontal orientation.