U.S. patent application number 09/859132 was filed with the patent office on 2002-11-21 for decorative wood surfaces.
Invention is credited to McLain, Darren Andrew, Poffen, Roger C..
Application Number | 20020170257 09/859132 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 25330126 |
Filed Date | 2002-11-21 |
United States Patent
Application |
20020170257 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
McLain, Darren Andrew ; et
al. |
November 21, 2002 |
Decorative wood surfaces
Abstract
A decorative wood surface system having permanent decorative
marking wherein the marking is made with a decorative strip
inserted between pieces of interlocking wood surface such that the
decorative strip conforms to the interlocking pieces and engages
with them. Typically, the interlocking wood surface system is
tongue and groove hardwood, and the decorative strip is a brass,
steel, aluminum, plastic or resin strip adapted such that is
conforms to the tongue and groove, and engages with it to provide a
permanent decorative wood surface.
Inventors: |
McLain, Darren Andrew;
(Broken Arrow, OK) ; Poffen, Roger C.; (Broken
Arrow, OK) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Linda L. Lewis
Suite 2000
10 South Broadway
St. Louis
MO
63102
US
|
Family ID: |
25330126 |
Appl. No.: |
09/859132 |
Filed: |
May 16, 2001 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
52/539 ; 52/233;
52/391; 52/403.1; 52/480; 52/541 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E04F 2201/023 20130101;
E04F 15/04 20130101; E04F 15/02005 20130101; B44C 5/043
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
52/539 ; 52/541;
52/403.1; 52/233; 52/391; 52/480 |
International
Class: |
E04B 005/00 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A permanent decorative wood surface system comprising
interlocking wood surfaces with a decorative strip, wherein the
decorative strip is inserted into and engaged with the interlocking
surfaces to provide a permanent decorative wood surface system.
2. The decorative wood surface system of claim 1, wherein the
interlocking wood surface is hardwood floorboard.
3. The decorative wood surface system of claim 2, wherein the
hardwood floorboard is tongue and groove floorboard.
4. The decorative wood surface system of claim 3, wherein the
hardwood floorboard is made of hickory, oak, maple or pine.
5. The decorative wood surface system of claim 4, wherein the
decorative strip is metallic.
6. The decorative wood surface system of claim 1, wherein the
decorative strip is selected from the group consisting of brass,
steel, aluminum, plastic or resin.
7. A decorative flooring system comprising tongue and groove
hardwood floorboards with a decorative brass strip inserted into
and engaged with the tongue and groove of the floorboards to
provide a decorative flooring system.
8. The flooring system of claim 1, wherein the decorative strip is
a contrasting color strip, suitable for marking flooring for
sporting events.
9. The flooring system of claim 8, wherein the interlocking
flooring is hardwood floorboard.
10. The flooring system of claim 9, wherein the hardwood floorboard
is tongue and groove floorboard.
11. A method of preparing decorative wood surface comprising
placing a decorative strip between two pieces of interlocking wood
pieces so as to engage the strip in the interlocking pieces thereby
providing a permanent decorative surface.
12. The method of claim 11, wherein the interlocking wood pieces
are tongue and groove floorboards.
13. The method of claim 11, wherein the decorative strip is
selected from the group consisting of steel, aluminum, brass,
plastic or resin.
14. The method of claim 11, wherein the wood is selected from the
group consisting of hickory, oak, maple or pine.
15. The method of claim 11, wherein the two pieces of wood are a
first strip of hardwood floorboard and a second strip of hardwood
floorboard, wherein when the second strip of boarding is installed,
the decorative strip is engaged between the first strip and the
second strip to provide a permanent decorative hardwood floor.
16. The method of claim 15, wherein the interlocking floorboard is
tongue and groove floorboard
17. The method of claim 15, wherein the hardwood floorboard is
selected from the group consisting of hickory, oak, maple or
pine.
18. The method of claim 15, wherein the decorative strip is
selected from the group consisting of steel, aluminum, brass,
plastic and resin.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The field of the present invention is wood surfaces, more
particularly, interlocking wood surfaces, such as hardwood
flooring. The hardwood flooring of the present invention is
decorative, in that strips are installed with the flooring that
provide a permanent decorative effect. Alternatively, the strips
are applied to the hardwood flooring for the permanent marking of a
playing surface, such as for sports activities. A further
application of the present invention is the wood surface on
countertops, walls, ceilings, decks and tabletops. The decorative
strips are installed in such a manner to provide durable decoration
or marking that is easily maintained.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Hardwood floors have enjoyed widespread acceptance and use
in modern times. Such floors are commonly found in quality houses,
auditorium stages and ballrooms. Decorative accents have been added
to floors by painting or attaching decoration to the surface of the
floor, but such decoration wears off with use or becomes insecure.
Alternatively, a groove is routed out in the floor and accents,
such as brass strips are inserted. Such a method of providing
decorative accents is disclosed in National Wood Flooring
Association, Technical Publication No. B200, 1998, which is hereby
incorporated by reference. The brass strips are nailed and/or glued
in place. As the floor is sanded to level and finish the floor, the
heat of the sanding can cause the brass strip to heat, expand, and
"pop out" of the flooring. As the flooring ages, the adhesive
securing the strip can age, loose adhesion, and allow the strip to
release and "pop out".
[0003] Alternatively, the decorative strip can be inserted into the
groove between two planks of tongue and groove flooring, above the
tongue and groove, but such strips would also tend to "pop out", as
they are not engaged with the tongue and groove. Further, such
strips would prevent the full engagement of the tongue and groove,
thereby causing a structural weakness in the flooring.
[0004] Hardwood floors are also utilized for sports arenas for such
games as basketball, volleyball, hand ball and squash, where the
resilience of the hardwood playing surface is an essential element
of the sports activity. However, the wear and tear on the flooring
often wears off the markings on the hardwood floor necessary to
play the games. When the floors are refinished, the markings must
be reapplied. The present invention provides a permanent decorative
accent or contrasting marking to be used with hardwood floors that
is durable.
[0005] The present invention further provides a permanent
decorative accent for a wood surface, wherein interlocking wood
pieces are assembled to provide the wood surface. Such surfaces
include, but are not limited to, countertops, walls, ceilings,
decks and tabletops.
[0006] Hardwood floors are usually formed of strips or parquet
squares of hardwood which have been precisely milled, so that when
the strips or squares are laid down in a desired arrangement, they
self-lock together to provide the desired smooth hardwood surface.
One commonly employed locking mechanism has been tongue and groove
joinery wherein the hardwood strips and squares have been precisely
milled so that opposite sidewalls define tongues and mating
grooves. Such floors are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,644,720 and
5,566,930, which are hereby incorporated by reference. Neither of
the above references disclose decorating or marking the hardwood
floors, and neither of the above references disclose the present
invention of durable and permanent decoration and marking of
hardwood flooring.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0007] FIG. 1 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the
flooring, before joining.
[0008] FIG. 2 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the
flooring, after joining.
[0009] FIG. 3 is a top elevational view of the top of the flooring
after installation.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] FIG. 1 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a
decorative floor system 20, wherein the floorboards 10 have a
tongue 14 and groove 12 that engage with the tongue and groove of
other floorboards in an interlocking manner to provide a floor
system 20. The present invention provides a decorative strip 16
which is adapted to conform to the tongue 14 and groove 12 when
installed and engaged with the tongue and groove, so as to be
permanently secured when the floorboard is installed.
[0011] FIG. 2 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the
flooring after joining and installing. The floorboards 10 are
installed on a subfloor 24, which is typically, but not limited to,
half-inch, {fraction (5/8 )} inch, or {fraction (3/4 )} inch
plywood. The floorboards 10 are installed by placing the board in
the desired position and driving a one and a half, to two inch
flooring cleat or flooring staple 22, at about a 45.degree. angle
to the subfloor 24 through the top notch of the tongue 14 and into
the subfloor, thereby securing the floorboard. The further
floorboards are installed by engaging the groove of the second
floorboard with the tongue of the installed floorboard and driving
a nail 22 through the tongue of the floorboard as subfloor, as
described above.
[0012] The decorative strip 16 is installed by placing the strip
between the tongue of an installed floorboard and the groove of the
next board to be installed (or vice versa, i.e., the groove of the
installed floorboard and the tongue of the next board to be
installed), so as to engage the strip in the tongue and groove. The
floorboard adjacent to the strip is rapped with a hammer to secure
the strip 16 by interlocking the strip with the floorboard. The
floorboard is nailed in place as described above.
[0013] Although the flooring is typically nailed into place, it is
also contemplated that other fastening means can be used such as
stapling or gluing. Although the typical subfloor is plywood, other
subsurfaces, such as concrete can be used and the floorboards
fastened with glue.
[0014] The floorboard is typically hardwood flooring of the tongue
and groove type. Typical hardwoods are hickory, oak, maple or pine.
However, other flooring materials are contemplated in this
invention, including plastics and composites. Further other types
of engaging and interlocking flooring are also contemplated in this
invention, including those that hook or snap together.
[0015] The preferred decorative strip is metallic, such as brass,
aluminum or steel. However, other materials that conform their
shape to the interlocking flooring can also be used, such as
plastics and resins. Such decorative strips of contrasting colors
are preferred for marking gym flooring for sporting events.
[0016] FIG. 3 is an elevational view of the top of the flooring
system 20 after installation. The decorative strip 16 is clearly
visible from the top, and is engaged by and surrounded by the
floorboards 10 to provide a permanent decorative marking.
[0017] While a preferred embodiment of the invention has been
described, applicant does not wish to be limited thereby, and it is
understood that various modifications could be made without
departing from the spirit of the invention. Accordingly, it is
understood that changes may be made without departing from the
scope of the invention as particularly set out and claimed.
* * * * *