Retractable shower expander assembly

Abstract

A retractable shower expander assembly for a shower stall or tub enclosure having an access opening includes a shower expander rod, two expander ports and a tension rod. The shower expander rod is formed with right angles on each end and is selectively adjustable in the middle to fit various access opening widths. The retractable shower expander assembly, being portable, is held in place by means of an adjustable tension rod, that, when enjoined inside the cavities of the two expander ports, holds the retractable shower expander assembly horizontally and fixedly in use against the two end walls of a shower stall or tub enclosure at the top of the access opening. A shower curtain is attached to the shower expander rod by hooks or rings that can slide along the shower expander rod to selectively close or open the access opening of a shower stall or tub enclosure. When outwardly force is applied to the shower expander rod the two right-angle ends extend or telescope through the apertures in the center of the expander ports and move the shower expander rod with the attached shower curtain outwardly away from the access opening to provide the maximum amount of increased area inside the shower stall or tub enclosure. When inwardly force is applied to the shower expander rod the opposite retracting or telescoping effect moves the shower curtain toward the access opening and returns it to a straight hanging position within the shower stall or tub enclosure access opening to be more aesthetically pleasing and conserve space in the bathroom.

1 . A retractable shower expander assembly for a shower stall or tub enclosure having three walls and an access opening for the ingress and egress of the user as the fourth wall and comprising; 
 a shower expander rod; and    two expander ports, one each affixed at opposite ends of a shower expander rod; and    a tension rod; and    a shower curtain located in the access opening, attached to the shower expander rod by rings or hooks.    
   
   
       2 . The retractable shower expander assembly of  claim 1  comprising a shower expander rod for holding a shower curtain and expanding the shower area simultaneously by means of a pushing force, outwardly, on the shower expander rod through the access opening of the shower stall or tub enclosure.  
   
   
       3 . The retractable shower expander of  claim 2  wherein the shower expander rod is formed with right-angles at both ends for telescoping and retracting the ends of the shower expander rod through the apertures of the two expander ports, parallel to the end shower walls, by means of a pushing force.  
   
   
       4 . The retractable shower expander of  claim 2  comprising a means for selectively adjusting and maintaining the length of the shower expander rod so as to fit various sizes of access openings within the shower stall or tub enclosure.  
   
   
       5 . The retractable shower expander assembly of  claim 2  comprising a means for selectively maintaining the shower expander rod and the attached shower curtain at a set distance outward from the access opening when the retractable shower expander assembly is in the expanded or operable position.  
   
   
       6 . The retractable shower expander assembly of  claim 5  wherein the selective means for maintaining the shower expander rod and the attached shower curtain at a set distance outward from the access opening is the right-angle ends of the shower expander rod extended through the apertures of the expander ports.  
   
   
       7 . The retractable shower expander assembly of  claim 5  further wherein the selective means for maintaining the shower expander rod and the attached shower curtain at a set distance outward from the access opening includes a spring-loaded ball bearing assembly set within each expander port and engaging a planar surface on each right-angle end of the shower expander rod when the shower expander rod is telescoped outwardly.  
   
   
       8 . The retractable shower expander assembly of  claim 7  comprising a means for selectively retracting the shower expander rod and overcoming the spring-loaded ball bearing assembly by a pushing force on the shower expander rod in an inwardly manner toward the access opening.  
   
   
       9 . The retractable shower expander assembly of  claim 2  comprising a retaining stop for the outward movement of the shower expander rod.  
   
   
       10 . The retractable shower assembly of  claim 9  wherein the retaining stop for the outward movement of the shower expander rod is a cap or cover at each end of the shower expander rod.  
   
   
       11 . The retractable shower expander assembly of  claim 1  comprising two expander ports having through apertures usably corresponding to the diameter of the shower expander rod and for the purpose of holding and transporting the shower expander rod in a telescoping and retracting manner at the right-angle ends.  
   
   
       12 . The retractable shower expander assembly of  claim 11  comprising a means for gripping or holding the two expander ports against the end walls of the shower stall or tub enclosure.  
   
   
       13 . The retractable shower expander assembly of  claim 12  wherein the means for gripping or holding the two expander ports against the end walls of a shower stall or tub enclosure includes a removably adjustable tension rod with rubber or other similar material covering the ends of the tension rod.  
   
   
       14 . The retractable shower expander assembly of  claim 12  further comprising means for securing the two expander ports against the shower wall ends by tension or outward force from the tension rod.  
   
   
       15 . The retractable shower expander assembly of  claim 12  further wherein the means for gripping or holding the expander ports against the shower stall or tub enclosure walls includes a rubber backing or other similar material adhered to one side of the expander ports that is in contact with the shower walls.  
   
   
       16 . The retractable shower expander assembly of  claim 13  wherein the removable attachment means for the tension rod includes corresponding round cavities within the expander ports so as to contain the ends of the tension rod.  
   
   
       17 . The retractable shower expander assembly of  claim 16  further wherein the ends of the tension rod within the cavities of the expander ports are able to tension or adjust outwardly on rotable flat washers so as to secure but not displace the expander ports out of position.  
   
   
       18 . The retractable shower expander assembly of  claim 1  comprising an alternate method of telescoping and retracting the shower expander rod ends by means of sleeves that are connectively attached and that telescope and become rigid when expanded and alternately retract and nest one inside of another so as not to extend into the shower area.  
   
   
       19 . The retractable shower expander assembly of  claim 18  wherein the alternate method of telescoping and retracting the shower expander rod ends includes expander ports which are enlarged so as to accommodate the increased diameter of the sleeves.  
   
   
       20 . The retractable shower expander assembly of  claim 18  wherein there is an alternate means of selectively stopping and maintaining the shower expander rod ends at a set distance within the expander ports when the shower expander rod is in the expanded position.  
   
   
       21 . A retractable shower expander assembly for a shower stall or tub enclosure having three walls and an access opening for the ingress and egress of the user as the fourth wall and comprising: 
 an alternate embodiment of a shower expander rod, having an oval shape, yet being the same in function as the round shower expander rod of  claim 1;     an alternate embodiment of two expander ports affixed at opposite ends of an oval shower expander rod, yet being the same in function as the expander ports of  claim 1;  and    a tension rod as claimed in  claim 1;  and    a shower curtain as claimed in  claim 1 .    
   
   
       22 . The retractable shower expander assembly of  claim 21  comprising a shower expander rod that is hollow and having an oval shape with slots on the two ends of the oval shower expander rod facing outward.  
   
   
       23 . The retractable shower expander assembly of  claim 22  having an alternate means of selectively adjusting and maintaining the length of the oval shower expander rod so as to fit various sizes of access openings within the shower stall or tub enclosure.  
   
   
       24 . The retractable shower expander assembly of  claim 21  comprising an alternate expander port assembly having a through rectangular aperture or cavity and open on one end facing the shower stall or tub enclosure.  
   
   
       25 . The retractable shower expander assembly of  claim 24  wherein the two planar surfaces facing each other inside the expander port cavity have opposing slots for the purpose of fixedly holding in place a roller assembly insert near the center of the expander port.  
   
   
       26 . The retractable shower expander assembly of  claim 24  further wherein a roller assembly insert is comprised of a rectangular plate on which there are two oval rollers and spacers riveted together through apertures in the rectangular plates and spaced apart so that the oval rollers may communicate with the oval insides of the right-angle ends of the shower expander rod. The outward facing slots on the telescoping ends of the oval shower expander rod glide over the spacers, so that the rollers may serve as guides to contain the oval shower expander rod and keep it from touching the shower wall, and for the purpose of supporting, telescoping, and retracting the shower expander rod through the expander ports.  
   
   
       27 . The retractable shower expander assembly of  claim 24  comprising a gripper or backing made of rubber or other similar material that is affixed to the two smaller planar surfaces on opposite sides of the rectangular cavity housing the roller plate assembly and which are in contact with the shower walls so as to more securely hold the expander ports against the shower walls.  
   
   
       28 . The retractable shower expander assembly of  claim 27  wherein the means for gripping or holding the two expander ports against the end walls of a shower stall or tub enclosure includes a removably adjustable tension rod with rubber or other similar material covering the ends of the tension rod and communicating with a round cavity and rotable washer within each expander port.  
   
   
       29 . A retractable shower expander assembly for a shower stall or tub enclosure having three walls and an access opening for the ingress and egress of the user as the fourth wall and comprising: 
 an alternate embodiment of a shower expander rod, having an oval shape yet being the same in function as claimed in  claim 1;     an alternate embodiment of two expander ports, herein called roller bracket assemblies, being permanently affixed at opposite ends of an oval shower expander rod, yet being the same in function as the expander ports as claimed in  claim 1;  and    a shower curtain as claimed in  claim 1 .    
   
   
       30 . The retractable shower expander assembly of  claim 29  comprising an alternate embodiment of the expander ports, herein called roller bracket assemblies, which are permanently affixed outside of the shower stall or tub enclosure on the bathroom walls and hold the retractable shower expander assembly usably in place in the access opening of the shower stall or tub enclosure.  
   
   
       31 . The retractable shower expander assembly of  claim 30  further wherein the roller bracket assemblies consists first of brackets that are formed with holes so as to permanently mount the brackets on the walls outside of the shower stall or tub by means of screws or other fasteners and decorative covers so as to conceal the heads of the screws or fasteners. The bracket is bent or configured outwardly at a right angle so as to extend past the tile or other protective covering on the inside of the shower area and then again bent or configured inwardly so as to be offset and project through the access opening, parallel to the shower wall. There are two oval rollers and spacers riveted together through apertures in the roller brackets and spaced apart so that the oval rollers may communicate with the oval insides of the right-angle ends of the shower expander rod. The outward facing slots on the telescoping ends of the oval shower expander rod glide over the spacers, so that the rollers may serve as guides to contain the oval shower expander rod and keep it from touching the shower wall, and for the purpose of supporting, expanding, and retracting the shower expander rod through the roller bracket assemblies.  
   
   
       32 . The retractable shower expander assembly of  claim 31  further wherein the permanent means in which the roller bracket assemblies are mounted or affixed on the walls outside of the shower stall or tub enclosure does not require that a tension rod be included as part of the retractable shower expander assembly.