Walk-in shower and temporary bath

Abstract

A walk-in shower having at least one fixed wall portion and a deployable wall portion operable in at least two configurations, namely a first shower configuration in which the deployable wall portion is located adjacent to one of the at least three wall portions leaving a walk in open entry and exit from the shower and a second bath configuration in which the deployable wall portion is located to close and seal the open entry and exit with movement of the deployable wall creating a bath enclosure to hold a volume of liquid at least temporarily.

1 . A walk-in shower without a moulded bath enclosure, the shower having at least one fixed wall portion and a deployable wall portion operable in at least two configurations, namely a first shower configuration in which the deployable wall portion is located adjacent to one of the at least three wall portions leaving an open entry and exit from the shower and a second bath configuration in which the deployable wall portion is located to close and seal the open entry and exit such that a bath is created to hold a volume of liquid at least temporarily. 
     
     
         2 . A walk-in shower having at least one fixed wall portion and a deployable wall portion operable in at least two configurations, namely a first shower configuration in which the deployable wall portion is located adjacent to one of the at least three wall portions leaving a walk in open entry and exit from the shower and a second bath configuration in which the deployable wall portion is located to close and seal the open entry and exit with movement of the deployable wall creating a bath enclosure to hold a volume of liquid at least temporarily. 
     
     
         3 - 4 . (canceled) 
     
     
         5 . A walk-in shower as claimed in  claim 1  wherein a floor level in the walk-in shower is substantially the same as a floor level outside the walk-in shower. 
     
     
         6 . A walk-in shower as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the at least one fixed wall portion of the walk-in shower include one or more full height wall portions and the deployable wall portion is a partial height wall portion. 
     
     
         7 . A walk-in shower as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the deployable wall portion hinges or pivots about a fixed axis. 
     
     
         8 . A walk-in shower as claimed in  claim 5  wherein the fixed axis is either substantially vertical allowing the deployable wall to move or rotate substantially horizontally or, substantially horizontal allowing the deployable wall to move or rotate substantially vertically. 
     
     
         9 . A walk-in shower as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the deployable wall is provided with a wheel or rolling or sliding or runner or track or cable mechanism or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         10 . A walk-in shower as claimed in  claim 7  wherein one or more tracks or guide channels are provided to guide movement of the deployable wall. 
     
     
         11 . A walk-in shower as claimed in  claim 1  wherein a catch or latch is provided in order to at least temporarily retain the deployable wall in the closed condition. 
     
     
         12 . A walk-in shower as claimed in  claim 1  wherein when in the bath configuration, water pressure due to water in the bath assists with the sealing of the deployable wall. 
     
     
         13 . A walk-in shower as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the deployable wall is detachably mounted for removal. 
     
     
         14 . A method of creating a bath enclosure from a walk-in shower, the method including the step of providing a walk-in shower having at least one wall fixed portion and a deployable wall portion, locating the deployable wall portion adjacent to one of the at least three wall portions leaving a walk in open entry and exit from the shower and deploying the deployable wall portion to close and seal the open entry and exit with movement of the deployable wall creating a bath enclosure to hold a volume of liquid at least temporarily. 
     
     
         15 . A method of creating a bath enclosure from a walk-in shower as claimed in  claim 12  wherein the shower is substantially U-shaped with three fixed walls and the deployable wall forms a fourth wall to define the bath enclosure when deployed.