Suicide Deterrent Shower Curtain

Abstract

A suicide-deterring shower curtain for use in a shower stall is disclosed. An optional outer web has a plurality of apertures therethrough, and an inner web includes a plurality of flaps. Each flap corresponds to and substantially covers one of the apertures of the outer web. In use, with the shower curtain suspended proximate the top side thereof in the shower stall, water impacting the inner web rolls off each flap and is prevented from traversing the apertures of the outer web. Yet air may traverse freely through the apertures of the outer web and around the flaps of the inner web. As such, a person wrapped in the shower curtain is unlikely to asphyxiate since air may freely flow through the shower curtain.

1 . A shower curtain for a shower stall comprising:
 an inner web having a proximal side, a distal side, a top side, and a plurality of flaps, each flap defined by at least one traversing slit in the web;   whereby with the web suspended proximate the top side thereof in the shower stall, water impacting the proximal side of the inner web rolls off each flap and is prevented from traversing slits thereof, yet air may traverse freely through the slits thereof.   
     
     
         2 . The shower curtain of  claim 1  further including an outer web having a proximal side, a distal side, a top side, and a plurality of apertures therethrough, each flap of the inner web corresponding to and substantially covering one of the apertures in the outer web, the distal side of the inner web fixed with the proximal side of the outer web;
 whereby with each web suspended proximate the top side thereof in the shower stall, water impacting the proximal side of the inner web rolls off each flap and is prevented from traversing the apertures of the outer web, yet air may traverse freely through the apertures of the outer web and around the flaps of the inner web.   
     
     
         3 . The shower curtain of  claim 1  wherein the flaps of the inner web are each defined by a horizontal slit in the inner web. 
     
     
         4 . The shower curtain of  claim 1  wherein the flaps of the inner web are each defined by a U-shaped slit in the inner web. 
     
     
         5 . The shower curtain of  claim 2  wherein the top sides of the inner and outer webs define a top side of the shower curtain, and further including a plurality of fastening straps fixed proximate the top side of the shower curtain, each fastening strap having a selectively removable fastener. 
     
     
         6 . The shower curtain of  claim 5  wherein the selectively removable fastener is a two-part hook-and-loop type fastener, whereby if excess weight is applied to the shower curtain each removable fastener releases. 
     
     
         7 . The shower curtain of  claim 2  further including a strengthening grid disposed between the inner and outer webs. 
     
     
         8 . The shower curtain of  claim 7  wherein the strengthening grid is taken from the list of materials consisting of nylon fibers, plastic mesh, and rubber filaments. 
     
     
         9 . The shower curtain of  claim 2  wherein the inner and outer webs are each made from a polyvinyl chloride web. 
     
     
         10 . The shower curtain of  claim 2  wherein the inner and outer webs are each made from vinyl material. 
     
     
         11 . The shower curtain of  claim 2  wherein the webs are mutually bonded by ultrasonic welding. 
     
     
         12 . The shower curtain of  claim 2  wherein the webs are mutually bonded with an adhesive layer. 
     
     
         13 . A shower curtain for a shower stall comprising:
 an outer web having a proximal side, a distal side, a top side, and a plurality of apertures therethrough;   a plurality of flaps, each flap bonded around and substantially covering one of the apertures in the outer web, a lower side of each flap open at a bottom side thereof to the aperture;   whereby with the outer web suspended proximate the top side thereof in the shower stall, water impacting the proximal sides of the outer web rolls off each flap and is prevented from traversing the apertures of the outer web, yet air may traverse freely through the apertures of the outer web and around the bottom side of the flaps.   
     
     
         14 . The shower curtain of  claim 13  wherein the top side of the outer web defines a top side of the shower curtain, and further including a plurality of fastening straps fixed proximate the top side of the shower curtain, each fastening strap having a selectively removable fastener. 
     
     
         15 . The shower curtain of  claim 14  wherein the selectively removable fastener is a two-part hook-and-loop type fastener, whereby if excess weight is applied to the shower curtain each removable fastener releases.