Towel Access Shower Door

Abstract

An apparatus is adapted to function as a towel rack access door set within a shower door. The apparatus is operatively mounted within the shower door on at least one hinge and has at least one towel rack on at least one (1) side such that the towel rack is generally kept on the outside of the shower door. The apparatus offers the user the ability open the towel rack access door to retrieve the towel without stepping out of the shower itself.

1 . An access door, comprising:
 a main door having an interior face and an exterior face, said main door adapted to provide a barrier to an enclosure opening providing an insert aperture;   a panel having an interior surface and an exterior surface, said panel adapted to provide a barrier to said insert aperture; and,   at least one pivot adapted to rotatingly affix said panel to said main door within said insert aperture, said pivot configured to permit rotation of said panel about each of said pivot;   wherein said panel is rotated about said pivots to selectively obstruct access through said insert aperture.   
     
     
         2 . The access door recited in  claim 1 , wherein said main door and said panel are provided with a plurality of fastener apertures. 
     
     
         3 . The access door recited in  claim 2 , wherein said pivot comprises:
 a pivot knuckle adapted to affix to said main door near a perimeter edge of said insert aperture;   a pivot receiver adapted to affix to said panel near a perimeter edge thereof;   a pivot pin rotatingly engaged with said pivot knuckle and said pivot receiver and configured to enable rotation of said pivot receiver about an axis defined by said pivot pin.   
     
     
         4 . The access door recited in  claim 3 , further comprising:
 at least one first pivot fastener having a first pivot stabilizer and a first pivot gasket to fasten said pivot knuckle to said main door; and,   at least one second pivot fastener having a second pivot stabilizer and a second pivot gasket to fasten each pivot receiver to said panel;   wherein said first and second pivot stabilizers are configured to spread stress of a clamping load induced by each first and second pivot fastener; and,   wherein said first and second pivot gaskets are configured to form a seal against water leakage.   
     
     
         5 . The access door recited in  claim 1 , further comprising an aperture seal disposed along at least one perimeter edge of said insert aperture. 
     
     
         6 . The access door recited in  claim 5 , wherein said aperture seal has a general “U”-shaped cross-section and configured to have a web in contact with said perimeter edge of said insert aperture and sides in contact with said interior and exterior faces. 
     
     
         7 . The access door recited in  claim 5 , wherein said aperture seal is provided with a lip to maintain contact with said exterior surface and said interior surface when said panel is rotated to fully obstruct access through said insert aperture. 
     
     
         8 . The access door recited in  claim 2 , further comprising at least one handle adapted to affix to at least one of said interior surface and said exterior surface via said fastener apertures. 
     
     
         9 . The access door recited in  claim 8 , wherein said handle is configured to enable three-hundred sixty degree rotation of said panel without obstructing said rotation. 
     
     
         10 . The access door recited in  claim 9 , further comprising:
 at least one handle fastener having a handle stabilizer and a handle gasket to fasten each handle to said panel;   wherein said handle stabilizers are configured to spread stress of a clamping load induced by each handle fastener; and,   wherein said handle gaskets are configured to form a seal against water leakage.   
     
     
         11 . The access door recited in  claim 2 , further comprising at least one towel bar adapted to affix to at least one of said interior surface and said exterior surface via said fastener apertures. 
     
     
         12 . The access door recited in  claim 11 , wherein said towel bar is configured to enable three-hundred sixty degree rotation of said panel without obstructing said rotation. 
     
     
         13 . The access door recited in  claim 12 , wherein each towel bar comprises:
 a bar;   a first towel bar bracket;   a second towel bar bracket;   at least one first bracket fastener having a first bracket stabilizer and a first bracket gasket to fasten each first towel bar bracket to said panel; and,   at least one second bracket fastener having a second bracket stabilizer and a second bracket gasket to fasten each second towel bar bracket to said panel;   wherein said first and second bracket stabilizers are configured to spread stress of a clamping load induced by each first and second bracket fastener;   wherein said first and second bracket gaskets are configured to form a seal against water leakage; and,   wherein said first and second towel bar brackets are configured to receive and retain said bar in a substantially horizontal manner.   
     
     
         14 . The access door recited in  claim 1 , wherein said insert aperture is approximately twenty four inches square. 
     
     
         15 . The access door recited in  claim 1 , wherein said main door is tempered glass. 
     
     
         16 . The access door recited in  claim 1 , wherein said panel is tempered glass. 
     
     
         17 . The access door recited in  claim 11 , wherein said towel bars are noncorrosive metal. 
     
     
         18 . The access door recited in  claim 11 , wherein said towel bars are plastic. 
     
     
         19 . The access door recited in  claim 8 , wherein said handles are noncorrosive metal. 
     
     
         20 . The access door recited in  claim 8 , wherein said handles are plastic.