Reinforced porcelain panel magnetic assemblies, systems, and methods for shower installations

Abstract

The present disclosure provides embodiments of a magnetic accessory assembly such as for positioning a movable magnetic accessory attachment on shower enclosure surface. In an embodiment, the assembly includes a magnetic panel configured to be affixed to a mounting surface and a cover panel positioned to conceal the magnetic panel when installed. A bottom surface of the cover panel is to be in abutting contact with the magnetic panel and affixed to the mounting surface when installed. The cover panel includes a rigid material that has a thickness less than a magnetic attractive force between a magnetic accessory attachment positioned on the top surface of the cover panel and the magnetic panel. The magnetic accessory attachment is movable such that the magnetic accessory attachment is positionable within a surface area of a top surface of the magnetic panel.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A magnetic accessory assembly to position a movable magnetic accessory attachment on a shower enclosure surface, the assembly comprising:
 a magnetic panel positionable to be affixed to a mounting surface associated with the shower enclosure surface, the magnetic panel having a surface and a magnetic attractive force;   a cover panel having a surface and including:
 (a) a rigid material, and 
 (b) a structural core board connected to the rigid material, the structural core board at least partially defining a recess, and the cover panel positionable to conceal the magnetic panel when the magnetic panel is affixed to the mounting surface and the cover panel is positioned to conceal the magnetic panel, such that the magnetic panel is at least partially received in the recess; and 
   a magnetic accessory attachment positionable to contact the surface of the cover panel and be magnetically attracted to the surface of the magnetic panel via the magnetic attractive force, such that the magnetic attractive force has a strength sufficient to magnetically affix the magnetic accessory attachment in contact with the cover panel, the magnetic accessory attachment being movable, such that the magnetic accessory attachment is positionable within an area of overlap between the cover panel and the magnetic panel.   
     
     
         2 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the rigid material comprises one of porcelain, granite, quartz, ceramic, concrete, limestone, vinyl, marble, laminate, glass, or fiberglass, and   a surface area of the magnetic panel is less than a surface area of the surface of the cover panel.   
     
     
         3 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the magnetic accessory attachment comprises one or more of a shelf, a shower caddy, a footrest, a towel rack, a handle, or a shower arm for a handheld shower hose. 
     
     
         4 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the cover panel comprises a reinforced porcelain panel product comprising:
 the rigid material, the rigid material including a porcelain slab having a first surface and a second surface, the first surface of the porcelain slab having a surface area and at least partially defining the surface of the cover panel; and   the structural core board, the structural core board including a foam-core material and having a first surface and a second surface, the first surface of the structural core board having a surface area greater than the surface area of the porcelain slab and affixed to the second surface of the porcelain slab via adhesive, such that a region of the first surface of the structural core board extends beyond an outer periphery of the surface area of the porcelain slab, thereby to enhance protection of the reinforced porcelain panel product, and the second surface of the structural core board at least partially defining a second surface of the cover panel.   
     
     
         5 . The assembly of  claim 4 , wherein:
 (a) the reinforced porcelain panel product has:
 an impact resistance of at least 30% greater than an impact resistance of porcelain having a thickness of at least 6 millimeters (mm), and 
 a breaking strength of at least 40% greater than a breaking strength of porcelain having a thickness of at least 6 mm; and 
   (b) the structural core board has:
 a fracture toughness greater than a fracture toughness of the porcelain slab, and 
 a Young's modulus value less than a Young's modulus value of the porcelain slab and ranging from about 2.0 GPa to about 14.6 GPa. 
   
     
     
         6 . The assembly of  claim 4 , wherein the structural core board extends beyond the outer periphery of the first surface area of the porcelain slab by an amount ranging from about 0.125 inches to about 0.750 inches. 
     
     
         7 . The assembly of  claim 4 , wherein the region of the first surface of the structural core board comprises:
 a first pair of peripheral opposite side portions, and   a second pair of peripheral opposite side portions extending transverse to the first pair of peripheral opposite side portions.   
     
     
         8 . The assembly of  claim 4 , wherein:
 the structural core board comprises two or more interlocking segments, a first one of the two or more interlocking segments positioned to interlock with a second one of the two or more interlocking segments of another structural core board, and   the two or more interlocking segments comprise one of a finger joint, a shiplap joint, or a dovetail joint.   
     
     
         9 . The assembly of  claim 8 , wherein the two or more interlocking segments are configured to interlock with a structural core board of another reinforced porcelain panel product, such that two or more reinforced porcelain panel products are interlockable and positionable adjacent one another. 
     
     
         10 . The assembly of  claim 4 , wherein one or more of:
 the foam-core material comprises one or more of a thermoplastic or a thermoset, the thermoplastic comprising one or more of polyurethane, polycarbonate, polyphenylene oxide, polybutylene terephthalate, polyethylene terephthalate, or acrylonitrile butadiene styrene; or   the foam-core material has a Young's modulus value lower than a Young's modulus value of the porcelain slab, the Young's modulus value of the foam-core material ranging from about 2.0 GPa to about 14.6 GPa.   
     
     
         11 . A magnetic accessory system for positioning a movable magnetic accessory attachment on a shower enclosure surface, the system comprising:
 a mounting surface;   a magnetic panel affixed to the mounting surface, the magnetic panel having a surface and a magnetic attractive force;   a reinforced porcelain panel product at least partially defining a recess, the reinforced porcelain panel product connected to the mounting surface and positioned to conceal the magnetic panel with the magnetic panel at least partially received in the recess, the reinforced porcelain panel product including:
 (a) a porcelain slab having a first surface and a second surface, the first surface of the porcelain slab having a surface area; and 
 (b) a structural core board having:
 a thickness greater than a thickness of the porcelain slab, 
 a Young's modulus value less than a Young's modulus value of the porcelain slab, and 
 a first surface and a second surface, the first surface of the structural core board having a surface area greater than the surface area of the porcelain slab and connected to the second surface of the porcelain slab via adhesive, such that a region of the first surface of the structural core board extends beyond an outer periphery of the surface area of the porcelain slab, thereby to enhance an impact resistance of the porcelain slab; and 
 
   a magnetic accessory attachment positionable to contact the first surface of the porcelain slab and be magnetically attracted to the surface of the magnetic panel via the magnetic attractive force, such that the magnetic attractive force has a strength sufficient to magnetically affix the magnetic accessory attachment in contact with the reinforced porcelain panel product, the magnetic accessory attachment being movable, such that the magnetic accessory attachment is positionable within an area of overlap between the reinforced porcelain panel product and the magnetic panel.   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein:
 the reinforced porcelain panel product has a breaking strength at least 30% greater than a breaking strength of porcelain having a thickness of at least 6 millimeters (mm), and   the structural core board has a fracture toughness greater than a fracture toughness of the porcelain slab.   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein:
 a Young's modulus value of the structural core board ranges from about 2.0 GPa to about 14.6 GPa, and   the structural core board extends beyond the outer periphery of the surface area of the porcelain slab by an amount ranging from about 0.125 inches to about 0.750 inches.   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the region of the first surface of the structural core board comprises a first pair of peripheral opposite side portions and a second pair of opposite side portions extending transverse to the first pair of peripheral opposite side portions. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein:
 the structural core board comprises two or more interlocking segments, a first one of the two or more interlocking segments positioned to interlock with a second one of the two or more interlocking segments of another structural core board of another reinforced porcelain panel product, and   the two or more interlocking segments include one of a finger joint, a shiplap joint, or a dovetail joint.   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the two or more interlocking segments are configured to interlock with a structural core board of another reinforced porcelain panel product, such that two or more reinforced porcelain panel products are interlockable and positionable adjacent one another. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the magnetic accessory attachment comprises one of a shelf, a shower caddy, a footrest, a towel rack, a handle, or a shower arm for a handheld shower hose. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 11 , further comprising a non-metallic sheet having a thickness substantially equal to a thickness of the magnetic panel, the non-metallic sheet affixed to the mounting surface adjacent the magnetic panel, such that the non-metallic sheet and the magnetic panel provide a substantially level surface over which the reinforced panel product is affixed, thereby to conceal the magnetic panel and the non-metallic sheet. 
     
     
         19 . A magnetic accessory system to position a movable magnetic accessory attachment on a shower enclosure surface, the system comprising:
 a mounting surface;   a magnetic panel affixed to the mounting surface, the magnetic panel having:
 (a) a surface with a surface area, and 
 (b) a magnetic attractive force; 
   a reinforced porcelain panel product at least partially defining a recess, the reinforced porcelain panel product connected to the mounting surface and positioned to conceal the magnetic panel with the magnetic panel at least partially received in the recess, the reinforced porcelain panel product including:
 (a) a porcelain slab having a first surface and a second surface, the first surface of the porcelain slab having a surface area, and 
 (b) a structural core board including a foam-core material, the structural core board having:
 (1) a first surface and a second surface, the first surface of the structural core board affixed to the second surface of the porcelain slab via adhesive, thereby to protect the porcelain slab, the second surface of the structural core board at least partially defining a first surface plane substantially parallel to the first surface of the porcelain slab, and 
 (2) a thickness greater than a thickness of the porcelain slab; and 
 
   a magnetic accessory attachment positionable to contact the first surface of the reinforced porcelain panel product and to be magnetically attracted to the first surface of the magnetic panel via the magnetic attractive force, such that the magnetic attractive force has a strength sufficient to magnetically affix the magnetic accessory attachment in contact with the first surface of the reinforced porcelain panel product, the magnetic accessory attachment being positionable within an area of overlap between the magnetic panel and the first surface of the porcelain slab.   
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 19 , further comprising a non-metallic sheet having a thickness substantially equal to a thickness of the magnetic panel, the non-metallic sheet affixed to the mounting surface adjacent the magnetic panel, such that the non-metallic sheet and the magnetic panel provide a substantially level surface over which the reinforced porcelain panel product is affixed, thereby to conceal the magnetic panel and the non-metallic sheet. 
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein the magnetic accessory attachment comprises one of a shelf, a shower caddy, a footrest, a towel rack, a handle, or a shower arm for a handheld shower hose. 
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein a surface area of the first surface of the structural core board is substantially equal to the surface area of the first surface of the porcelain slab, such that an outer periphery of the surface area of the structural core board substantially aligns with an outer periphery of the first surface area of the porcelain slab. 
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein:
 the reinforced porcelain panel product has one or more of:
 (a) an impact resistance at least 30% greater than an impact resistance of porcelain having a thickness of at least 6 millimeters (mm), or 
 (b) a breaking strength at least 40% greater than a breaking strength of porcelain having a thickness of at least 6 mm; and 
   the structural core board has one or more of:
 a fracture toughness greater than a fracture toughness of the porcelain slab, or 
 a Young's modulus value less than a Young's modulus value of the porcelain slab. 
   
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein:
 the foam-core material comprises one or more of a thermoplastic or a thermoset, the thermoplastic comprising one or more of polyurethane, polycarbonate, polyphenylene oxide, polybutylene terephthalate, polyethylene terephthalate, or acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, and   the foam-core material has a Young's modulus value ranging from about 2.0 GPa to about 14.6 GPa.   
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein:
 the structural core board comprises two or more interlocking segments, a first one of the two or more interlocking segments positioned to interlock with a second one of the two or more interlocking segments of another structural core board of another reinforced porcelain panel product,   the two or more interlocking segments include one of a finger joint, a shiplap joint, or a dovetail joint, and   the two or more interlocking segments are configured to be secured to one another via adhesive, the adhesive comprising a silyl-terminated polyether base resin.   
     
     
         26 . A method for mounting a magnetic accessory attachment in a bathroom setting, the method comprising:
 affixing a magnetic panel to a mounting surface associated with the bathroom setting, the magnetic panel having a magnetic attractive force;   positioning a cover panel over the magnetic panel, the cover panel having:
 (a) a rigid material having a first surface and a second surface, and 
 (b) a structural core board connected to the rigid material, the structural core board at least partially defining a recess, and the positioning of the cover panel concealing the magnetic panel, such that the magnetic panel is at least partially received in the recess; 
   affixing the cover panel to the mounting surface, such that the second surface of the rigid material faces the magnetic panel; and   affixing the magnetic accessory attachment to the first surface of the rigid material, the magnetic attractive force having a strength sufficient to magnetically affix the magnetic accessory attachment in contact with the cover panel, the magnetic accessory attachment being movable, such that the magnetic accessory attachment is positionable within an area of overlap between the cover panel and the magnetic panel.   
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the affixing of the cover panel to the mounting surface includes applying adhesive to a surface of the structural core board and affixing the surface of the structural core board to the mounting surface via the adhesive. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the positioning of the cover panel comprises covering a surface area of a side of the magnetic panel. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the cover panel comprises a reinforced porcelain panel product defined by:
 (a) the rigid material, the rigid material including a porcelain slab having a surface with a surface area, the surface of the porcelain slab at least partially defining the second surface of the rigid material; and   (b) a structural core board including a foam-core material, the structural core board having a surface positioned in contact with and connected to the surface of the porcelain slab, thereby to enhance protection of porcelain slab, the structural core board having a thickness greater than a thickness of the porcelain slab.   
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 26 , further comprising separating the magnetic accessory attachment from a first location of the first surface of the rigid material. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30 , further comprising contacting the magnetic accessory attachment with a second location of the first surface of the rigid material, the magnetic attractive force between the magnetic accessory attachment and the magnetic panel having a strength sufficient to magnetically affix the magnetic accessory attachment at the second location. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the magnetic accessory attachment comprises one of a shelf, a shower caddy, a footrest, a towel rack, a handle, or a shower arm for a handheld shower hose. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein:
 (a) the reinforced porcelain panel product has:
 an impact resistance at least 30% greater than an impact resistance of porcelain having a thickness of 6 millimeters (mm) or greater, and 
 a breaking strength at least 40% greater than a breaking strength of porcelain having a thickness of at least 6 mm; 
   (b) the structural core board has:
 a fracture toughness greater than a fracture toughness of the porcelain slab, and 
 a Young's modulus value less than a Young's modulus value of the porcelain slab, the Young's modulus value of the structural core board ranging from about 2.0 GPa to about 14.6 GPa; and 
   (c) the structural core board extends beyond an outer periphery of the surface area of the porcelain slab by an amount ranging from about 0.125 inches to about 0.750 inches.