Shower curtain containment apparatus

Abstract

Shower curtains and shower curtain liners routinely get sucked into the occupant of a showering space due to the “shower-curtain effect,” which is the phenomenon in which a shower curtain or shower curtain liner gets drawn inward with a running shower. The present invention counteracts the shower curtain effect. In certain an embodiments of the invention, an outside unit and inside unit incorporate attachment mechanisms to draw both units into each other while trapping the shower curtain between both units. Attached to the outside unit of certain embodiments of the invention is a connector that also attaches a bottom unit. The bottom unit of certain embodiments of the present invention incorporates weight sufficient to utilize gravity to pull the attached shower curtain downward. The bottom unit places pressure on the external side of a bathtub to additionally force the entire apparatus and shower curtain outward.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A shower curtain apparatus for a water containment vessel, the shower curtain apparatus comprising:
 a shower curtain having an exterior side; and   an elongated apparatus;
 wherein an upper portion of the elongated apparatus connects through a mold or weld connection to the shower curtain at a point on the exterior side and a lower portion of the elongated apparatus encloses a weight and is not connected to the shower curtain; 
 whereby once the shower curtain is hung and in use, the lower portion of the elongated apparatus extends beyond the rim substantially perpendicular to an exterior edge of the water containment vessel; 
 wherein a downward force created by the weight enclosed within the elongated apparatus pulls the shower curtain outwards at the point of connection to the upper portion; 
 wherein a resistive force created as a result of a contact established between a lower portion of the elongated apparatus and the exterior edge of the water containment vessel resists upward movement of the elongated apparatus; and 
 wherein simultaneous action of the downward force and the resistive force guide the shower curtain away from a shower area. 
   
     
     
         2 . The shower curtain containment apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the elongated apparatus is integrated during fabrication of the shower curtain. 
     
     
         3 . The shower curtain apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the weight comprises a rod or a bar. 
     
     
         4 . The shower curtain apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the elongated apparatus comprises a plastic strip.