U.S. patent application number 11/395009 was filed with the patent office on 2006-08-17 for modular stone surfacing system with field adjustable components for different applications.
Invention is credited to Gregory Carl Gerstein, Steve Shaw.
Application Number | 20060179792 11/395009 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 46324199 |
Filed Date | 2006-08-17 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060179792 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Shaw; Steve ; et
al. |
August 17, 2006 |
Modular stone surfacing system with field adjustable components for
different applications
Abstract
A modular surfacing system has edge pieces with skirts attached
using a break away adhesive material allowing separation of the
pieces without damage. The edge rail pieces may be used alone or
with the skirt piece attached at any of a variety of overhanging
heights to cover different substrate edge thicknesses. Skirts may
be interchanged. The modular surfacing pieces may be solid seamless
cut natural stone modular pieces, laminated natural stone modular
pieces, composite material or synthetic material shaped into
modular pieces. The pieces are cut into any desired sizes with wide
edging of any desirable thickness and solid piece corners as well
as mating modular surface tiles and mating modular backsplash
tiles.
Inventors: |
Shaw; Steve; (Irvine,
CA) ; Gerstein; Gregory Carl; (Lakeforest,
CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Donald W. Meeker;Patent Agent
# E
924 East Ocean Front
Newport Beach
CA
92661
US
|
Family ID: |
46324199 |
Appl. No.: |
11/395009 |
Filed: |
March 31, 2006 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
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11056993 |
Feb 11, 2005 |
|
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11395009 |
Mar 31, 2006 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
52/782.2 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E04F 11/116 20130101;
E04F 19/00 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
052/782.2 |
International
Class: |
E04C 2/00 20060101
E04C002/00 |
Claims
1. An adjustable skirt edging surfacing system for a variety of
surfacing applications on a variety of types of structures having
at least one edge, the system comprising: a series of edge rail
pieces, each of the series of edge rail pieces comprising a flat
horizontal surface covering portion and a vertical edge overhang
portion extending orthogonally down from the horizontal surface
covering portion, the edge overhang portion extending down a
sufficient distance to cover an edge of a substrate used on a
horizontal surface of a structure requiring surfacing, the flat
horizontal surface covering portion positioned above the substrate,
the vertical edge overhang portion comprising an outer edge front
shaped surface and an inner vertical surface facing the structure;
a skirt piece comprising an elongated element comprising an inner
skirt surface facing the structure and an outer skirt surface
adjustably attachable to the inner vertical surface of the vertical
edge overhang portion of each of the edge rail pieces by a means
for attaching the outer skirt surface at any desired height so that
the skirt piece extends below the vertical edge overhang portion by
an adjustable desired height to cover an edge of a substrate of any
of a variety of thicknesses.
2. The system of claim 1 wherein the outer skirt surface of the
skirt piece is removably attachable to the inner vertical surface
of the vertical edge overhang portion of the edge rail piece by a
break away adhesive substance, the break away adhesive substance
fracturing before the pieces so that the skirt piece may be removed
by a user from the edge rail piece without damage to either of the
pieces, so that the skirt piece is removable from the inner
vertical surface of the edge overhang portion of the edge rail
piece and re-attachable at an adjustable height on the inner
surface of the edge overhang portion of the edge rail piece.
3. The system of claim 2 wherein the edge rail piece is alternately
installed on a structure in a first position with the skirt piece
attached to the inner flat vertical surface with a top edge of the
skirt piece adjacent to the flat horizontal surface covering
portion but not attached to the horizontal surface covering portion
in a standard position as originally assembled with a standard
lower extension portion of the skirt piece extending below the edge
overhang portion to cover an edge of an typical height substrate on
the structure, and alternately installed by a user in a second
application with the skirt piece removed, the edge rail piece alone
attached to a second structure having a minimum height substrate on
the structure, the vertical edge overhang portion covering an
outside edge of the minimum height substrate, and alternately
installed by a user in a third application on any of a number of
other structures with the skirt piece removed and re-attached to
the inner flat vertical surface of the edge overhang portion at any
desired position on the inner flat vertical surface so that the
skirt piece is vertically adjustable relative to the edge overhang
portion to create a desired height of the lower extension portion
of the skirt piece to cover a substrate of any of a variety of
thicknesses.
4. The system of claim 2 wherein the break away adhesive substance
comprises a chemical adhesive material.
5. The system of claim 1 wherein the outer skirt surface of the
skirt piece is removably attachable to the inner vertical surface
of the vertical edge overhang portion of the edge rail piece by a
break away adhesive substance, the break away adhesive substance
fracturing before the pieces so that the skirt piece may be removed
by a user from the edge rail piece without damage to either of the
pieces, so that the skirt piece is removable and re-attachable so
the skirt piece is interchangeable by the user with any of a number
of other skirt pieces of a variety of heights, types, colors and
patterns.
6. The system of claim 1 wherein the means for attaching the outer
skirt surface at any desired height comprises an adhesive applied
between the outer skirt surface and the inner vertical surface of
the edge overhang portion of the edge rail piece with the skirt
piece positioned at any of a variety of vertical positions relative
to the edge overhang portion of the edge rail piece.
7. The system of claim 1 wherein the means for attaching the outer
skirt surface at any desired height comprises the inner vertical
surface of the edge overhang portion having at least two vertically
spaced horizontal grooves cut therein and the skirt piece having a
mating horizontal protrusion extending from the outer skirt surface
so that the horizontal protrusion fits alternately within the at
least two horizontal grooves to hold the skirt piece in place
without an adhesive when the edge rail piece is attached to the
structure.
8. The system of claim 1 further comprising a second skirt piece
adhered to the inner skirt surface of the attached skirt piece on
each of the edge rail pieces, the second skirt piece extending
downwardly below the attached skirt piece.
9. The system of claim 1 wherein the edge overhang portion has at
least one horizontal groove cut therein and the skirt piece has a
mating horizontal protrusion extending from the outer skirt surface
so that the horizontal protrusion fits within the at least one
horizontal groove to hold the skirt piece in place without an
adhesive when the edge rail piece is attached to the structure.
10. The system of claim 1 wherein the edge rail piece further
comprises a stepped extension down from the bottom of the
horizontal covering surface adjacent to the edge overhang portion,
the stepped extension having a rear vertical surface spaced from
the edge overhang portion equal to a thickness of a skirt piece so
that the skirt piece adhered to the inner vertical surface of the
edge overhang below the stepped extension extends below the edge
rail an additional amount equal to the height of the stepped
extension to cover an edge of a substrate of greater thickness than
the height of the skirt piece.
11. The system of claim 1 further comprising a series of flat
modular surface pieces used in conjunction with the series of the
edge rail pieces for covering flat portions of the horizontal
surface on the structure.
12. The system of claim 11 the edge pieces, skirt pieces, and
surface pieces comprise a series of natural stone modular surfacing
pieces, the modular surfacing pieces securable to the structure in
a surface and edge covering array to form a modular surfacing
system, each of the modular surfacing pieces cut into any desired
vertical dimensions, any desired horizontal dimensions, any desired
depth dimensions, and any desired shapes, each of the pieces
comprising a modular piece cut to mate with the other modular
pieces to fit within the surface covering array including modular
surface tile pieces, modular edge rail pieces each having a surface
covering portion to mate with the modular surface tile pieces and
an edge overhang portion having the outer edge front of any desired
dimension and shape, and rail corner pieces, each having a surface
covering portion to mate with the modular surface tile pieces and
two orthogonal edge overhang portions of any desired dimension and
shape to mate with the modular edge rail pieces.
13. The system of claim 12 further comprising modular backsplash
pieces comprising vertical pieces matching the tile pieces, the
surface tile pieces each have at least one side equal in length to
a length of a backsplash piece.
14. The system of claim 12 wherein the surface covering portion of
each of the edge rail pieces comprises a horizontal surface
matching the surface tile pieces in thickness and length and the
surface tile pieces each have at least one side equal in length to
a length of an edge rail piece.
15. The system of claim 12 wherein the rail corner pieces each
comprise a horizontal surface matching the surface tile pieces in
thickness and each of the two edge overhang portion having an outer
edge front configured to mate with an outer edge front of an edge
overhang portion of an adjacent edge rail piece.
16. The system of claim 11 wherein the edge pieces, skirt pieces,
and surface pieces comprise a series of modular surfacing pieces
fabricated of composite material, the modular surfacing pieces
securable to the structure in a surface and edge covering array to
form a modular surfacing system, each of the modular surfacing
pieces shaped into any desired vertical dimensions, any desired
horizontal dimensions, any desired depth dimensions, and any
desired shapes, each of the pieces comprising a solid modular piece
shaped to mate with the other modular pieces to fit within the
surface covering array including solid modular surface tile pieces,
solid modular edge rail pieces each having a surface covering
portion to mate with the modular surface tile pieces and an edge
overhang portion having the outer edge front of any desired
dimension and shape, and solid rail corner pieces, each having a
surface covering portion to mate with the modular surface tile
pieces and two orthogonal edge overhang portions of any desired
dimension and shape to mate with the modular edge rail pieces.
17. The system of claim 11 wherein the edge pieces, skirt pieces,
and surface pieces comprise a series of modular surfacing pieces
fabricated of synthetic material, the modular surfacing pieces
securable to the structure in a surface and edge covering array to
form a modular surfacing system, each of the modular surfacing
pieces shaped into any desired vertical dimensions, any desired
horizontal dimensions, any desired depth dimensions, and any
desired shapes, each of the pieces comprising a solid modular piece
shaped to mate with the other modular pieces to fit within the
surface covering array including solid modular surface tile pieces,
solid modular edge rail pieces each having a surface covering
portion to mate with the modular surface tile pieces and an edge
overhang portion having the outer edge front of any desired
dimension and shape, and solid or laminated rail corner pieces,
each having a surface covering portion to mate with the modular
surface tile pieces and two orthogonal edge overhang portions of
any desired dimension and shape to mate with the modular edge rail
pieces.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a continuation-in-part application of
U.S. utility patent application Ser. No. 11/056,993 filed on Feb.
11, 2005.
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT
[0002] Not Applicable.
[0003] THE NAMES OF THE PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH OR
DEVELOPMENT
[0004] Not Applicable.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0005] 1. Field of the Invention
[0006] The present invention relates to surface coverings for
structures requiring horizontal surfacing and edging and in
particular to a modular system of tile surfacing having edge rail
pieces with skirt pieces that are removable and re-attachable at
adjustable heights for covering different thicknesses of substrate
and replaceable by other skirt pieces which may be formed composite
or synthetic man made pieces or modular seamless pieces cut from
granite or other natural stone for a durable finishing surface that
is adjustable by a user to meet the user's requirements.
[0007] 2. Description of Related Art Including Information
Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98
[0008] Countertops made of natural stone have become quite popular
in kitchens, bathrooms, and offices. The growing popularity of
stone countertops is due to the material having high durability,
ease of cleaning and sterilization, and natural beauty. The high
cost of granite slab installation, downtime for slab fabrication
and limited availability of quality fabricators deters most
homeowners from installing a granite countertop.
[0009] New materials and new methods for stronger and less labor
intensive countertop substrates of variable heights. One which is
not limited to the simulation of a slab appearance edge, and one
which is not restricted to the typical slab thickness dimensions
for making a countertop edging component.
[0010] As stone products have become more popular as a countertop
material, it has been difficult to find a stone edging component
which will satisfy the need for countertops and the like with
varying substrates. For example, it is typical for some
installation methods to "float" a countertop. Floating is the
making of a strong countertop substrate which allows for the
reliable installation of the final countertop material (i.e ceramic
tile or stone). Floating is a typical 2'' height. This two inch
height is achieved with a wood base laid on top of cabinets and a
mixture of sand and cement placed on top of the wood base.
[0011] For other installation methods it is more typical to not
"float", but rather to install a layer of plywood on top of the
cabinets followed by a cementous underlayment nailed to the
plywood. This is an equally acceptable and strong practice as a
substrate for ceramic tile and stone. This method is typically a
more economical and less timely preparations for ceramic tile and
stone. This type of substrate yields a base much less in height
than from floating. Typically about one inch in height is the net
of this type of substrate.
[0012] Another common substrate height is greater than the typical
"floating" height of two inches. It is common for BBQ island
manufacturers and heavy countertop bases usually made of steel or
cement to exceed the two inch height substrate common to standard
floating.
[0013] All the various types of substrates require different
materials, skill levels, and hence preferences. All are acceptable
and common substrates, but unfortunately vary in height. It is
unfortunate because previous edging inventions made of ceramic tile
and stone can't accommodate substrates of varying heights. Either
the edging product isn't tall enough to cover the substrate, or it
is too tall and interferes with the underlying structure (cabinet
doors and drawers). For example, if a two inch edging component
were placed over a one inch substrate, the edging component could
interfere with the drawers and cabinet doors. This is common,
because full face or "European" style cabinets have doors and
drawers which sit near the top of the cabinet structure.
[0014] Prior inventions require a bond on the upper edge of the
vertical facing member to the lower surface of the upper member,
thus restricting adjustability adequate to cover substrates of
varying heights. Previous inventions are restricted by limiting
front facing height by a limiting bonding location, thus limiting
the overall usefulness of those inventions.
[0015] If the skirt of the stone edging component could be easily
removed to prevent the interference, but still provide a nice
aesthetic edge, it would prove to be novel and useful. Furthermore,
an edging component which could adjust to cover tall substrates
would be additionally useful.
[0016] Still common are cabinet doors which sit lower on the
cabinet structure.
[0017] Contractors, homeowners, and manufacturers have different
skill levels and different requirements for a countertop or surface
edge component. It would be useful to have a single edge component
which could easily be useful for the functional and aesthetic needs
of different installation methods with different substrate
heights.
[0018] A common countertop substrate height is 2'' and is in fact a
standard for ceramic tile V-cap. It is standard practice to "float"
a countertop to this two inch height, which is considered a
professionally or artisan installed substrate.
[0019] However with the advent of new materials such as
"hardibackerboard" and "wonderboard" a two inch fixed substrate
height is no longer a necessity, but rather a chosen professional
or artisan standard.
[0020] A typical substrate height common to current installation
practices is one inch. The installation of a piece of plywood with
a layer of cementous underlayment board on top of the plywood
yields a one inch substrate height (suitable for countertop
strength). Another use for an edging system of varying height is
for BBQ islands or stair risers. While it is typical to have a 2''
floated or 1'' substrate for some countertops, it would also be
useful to have an edging component, which covers a substrate of
greater than the artisan or professionally installed substrate of
2'' for other applications. Manufacturers of BBQ islands typically
steel frame their tops or cast a concrete formed top which often
yields a substrate greater then two inches.
[0021] It is conceivable that substrates of varying thicknesses
arise in the construction and preparation of countertop and other
surfaces. What is missing in the prior art is an edging component
which is flexible enough to be useful for the covering substrates
of varying heights. Prior art systems have not adequately solved
the problem of providing the skirt of the stone edging component
which could be easily removed to prevent the interference with
cabinet drawers and doors, but still provide a nice aesthetic edge
or an edging component which could adjust to cover tall substrates
would be additionally useful.
[0022] U.S. Pat. No. 6,258,190, issued Jul. 10, 2001 and U.S. Pat.
No. 6,413,337, issued Jul. 2, 2002 both to Sciarrino, claim a
natural stone edging tile having a top portion and a generally
perpendicular facing portion can be mounted on the forward edge of
a countertop substrate and has a portion extending rearward of the
forward edge that is approximately half as thick as the forward
edge and the same thickness as conventional stone tiles that can be
mounted rearward of the edging tile. The conventional tiles have a
thickness that is approximately half as thick as a typical stone
slab countertop, but to a person viewing the countertop, the entire
appears to have the substantial thickness of a typical slab
countertop because the forward edge of the edging tile has such a
thickness. These pieces are cut from stone slabs and are therefore
limited in size of components, such as edging, and also less likely
to form mating pieces because of cutting from a thin slab rather
than cutting from a large block enabling both vertical and
horizontal cuts of any desired dimensions. The present invention
does not require a skirt piece adhered to the edge and corner
pieces since the actual edge overhang of the edge pieces and corner
pieces of the present invention can be cut to any desired dimension
to cover what a skirt normally covers, although a skirt may be used
with the present invention if desired. The Sciarrino patents show
corner pieces which are adhered together from two separate pieces
thereby having a seam between the pieces. In the present invention
the corner pieces as well as the edge pieces and all the others are
each solid seamless pieces cut from solid stone.
[0023] U.S. Pat. No. 5,253,932, issued Oct. 19, 1993 to Nesovic,
provides a modular countertop structure. It is supported by an
underlying base and has a flat unedged surface-providing sheet
supported by the base and having an edge including a peripheral
recess, a preformed elongated edge facing with a rearward extending
tongue which fits into the recess, and adhesive for directly
bonding the sheet to the edge facing through their adjacent
surfaces in the recess. The countertop sheet and the edge facing
are made of materials which are impervious to moisture penetration,
impact and scratching, including natural stone, synthetic
stone-like material, ceramic, concrete, glass-like sheets,
agglomerated stone, cement materials, metal or terrazzo. They may
be made of the same or contrasting materials, so that the edge
facing and the countertop present appearances which are the same or
consistent with each other. In some embodiments, an underlying
substrate will also be used to support the countertop sheets. The
modular countertop structure or system of this invention has
numerous advantages over the prior systems, such as ceramic tile
systems. Components of the system can be pre-fabricated by mass
production methods for delivery and simple assembly at the job site
and can be manufactured using automated procedures and specialized
machinery, thus eliminating the need for the current hand grinding
and shaping used to finish such materials, thus reducing the costs
of manufacture and installation and insuring uniform fit and finish
of the countertops. The Nesovic patent is for slab installments
rather than a tile and edging system. Nesovic has a single slab
with an indented edge to which a flat (not overhanging) indented
edge piece is interlocked to simulate a flat slab with no overhang.
Nesovic intentionally provides a variety of different colors or
patterns of slab and edging. The present invention claims a tiling
type of modular surfacing system including edge rail pieces
sufficient in height to cover minimal thickness substrates and with
removable and adjustable height skirts to provide an adjustable
overhang to cover edges of any of a variety of substrate
thicknesses.
[0024] The prior art systems are limited in a number of ways
including restriction to a fixed height of covering a substrate of
2'', not have the flexibility of a "skirt" or "no skirt" option,
not being able to interchange different materials, interchange
different colors of the same materials, not being able to slide a
longer or shorter or different skirt onto the base, not being able
to interchange a different design or etched skirt, and in fact not
being able to interchange anything for its existing skirt.
[0025] What is needed is a skirt of the stone edging component
which could be easily removed to prevent the interference with
cabinet drawers and doors, but still provide a nice aesthetic edge
or an edging component with a flexible and/or adjustable skirt
which could adjust to cover different substrate heights and also a
modular surfacing system of solid natural stone modular pieces cut
for matching coloration and pattern and cut into any desired sizes
with wide edging of any desirable thickness and outside corners as
well as mating modular surface tiles.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0026] A primary object of the present invention is to provide a
modular stone countertop comprising edge rail pieces formed from
composites or synthetic man made materials or cut from thick blocks
of natural stone to produce edge overhang portions extending down a
sufficient distance to cover the edge of common substrates and
further provide skirt pieces attached by a break away bonding
material, such as a chemically based adhesive material, to an inner
vertical surface of the overhang portion so that the skirt piece
may be removed from the edge overhang portion of the edge rail
piece by fracturing only the adhesive material and not damaging the
skirt piece or the edge rail piece by the user installing the tile
pieces, and the edge rail piece used alone to cover edges of
minimum thickness substrates or with the skirt piece re-attached to
the inner vertical surface of the edge overhang portion at any
desired height relative to the edge overhang portion to adjust the
height of the skirt piece extending below the edge overhang portion
forming an adjustable height skirt piece to cover an edge of a any
of a variety of thicknesses of substrates in a variety of different
applications. The non-standard and exaggerated dimensions of the
facing member in addition to the weak adhesion to the backside of
the edge overhang portion allow for the present flexible stone
edging invention to be useful by meeting the need of edging
countertops and the like with varying substrate heights.
[0027] The purpose of the present invention is to provide a new and
novel solution for solving the problem of capping off countertops,
tables, barbeque islands, stair edges and other structures having a
variety of different substrate thicknesses requiring surfacing with
one adjustable skirt height edge overhang product that is
modifiable by the user during installation.
[0028] A further object of the present invention is to provide an
edge overhang portion of the edge rail piece which covers the
substrate height and does not extend below the substrate,
especially necessary for full face or "European style cabinets"
with doors that extend nearly to the top of the cabinet which would
interfere with an edging component that extended below the
substrate.
[0029] One more object of the present invention is to provide a
tile edging component which allows for the mixing of different
materials and different colors of the same material.
[0030] A yet further object of the present invention is to provide
an attractive and cost effective modular surfacing system which may
be fabricated from composite or synthetic man made materials or cut
into solid seamless or laminated natural stone modular pieces cut
into any desired sizes with wide edging of any desirable thickness
and outside corners as well as mating modular surface tiles and
mating modular backsplash pieces which may be installed with
minimal tile setting skills to produce an attractive all matching
and lasting surface.
[0031] The present invention serves both a functional purpose of
edging countertops and other surfaces with substrates of varying
thicknesses, and the aesthetic purpose of easily mixing different
materials and different colors of materials using the same base
component. For the functional purpose, what is required is an edge
rail piece with a skirt piece of adjustable height to allow for
adjustment to cover the substrate in a wide array of stone or tile
installations.
[0032] In brief, the present invention incorporates a modular tile
system which includes edge rail pieces having edge overhang
portions extending down a sufficient height to cover edges of
minimal substrate thicknesses and having removable and replaceable
skirt pieces which are re-attachable by a user at any desired
height on the edge overhang portion of the edge rail piece to
provide an adjustable overhang portion of the skirt piece to cover
substrates of varying heights. This flexible edging invention is
achieved by using a break away chemical adhesive material or other
easily fractured initial bonding material to attach a front surface
of a skirt piece to a back vertical surface of the edge overhang
portion of the edge rail piece which allows for the removal and
discarding of the skirt piece or removal and reattachment of skirt
piece lower down relative to the edge element by the end user. The
skirt piece may be broken away, without damage to either component,
to use just the edge rail for minimal substrate heights so that the
edge overhang of the edge rail does not affect the opening of
cabinet doors or drawers below. For typical height substrates the
integrated edging component is used as is. For thicker substrates,
the skirt may be broken away and re-attached at lower positions on
the edge overhang of the edge rail so that the skirt covers a range
of substrate thicknesses including the very thick substrates.
[0033] This is not obvious in the prior art because prior
inventions require the upper edge of the vertical facing member
permanently bonded to lower said surface of top member. This
bonding does not allow for adjustability of the skirt along the
back surface of the facing edge.
Furthermore, it is apparent in the art, embodiment and claims of
the Scarrino invention that the intent is to simulate the look of
slab, and make its edging system from defacto 3/4'' slab material,
which is limiting in appearance and function.
[0034] The present invention uses a break away bonding method to
allow the skirt member to be used in various positions or not used.
The bonding agent is not a typical epoxy used in the tile
fabrication industry.
[0035] The primary advantage of the present invention is that it
provides a modular edging system which provides flexibility in
applications and allows in-the-field adjustment of the invention to
adapt to a wide variety of counter situations including a wide
range of substrate height and various matching combinations of
components.
[0036] An advantage of the present invention is that it provides
attractive and cost effective modular tile pieces.
[0037] Another advantage of the present invention is that the skirt
pieces are removable and re-attachable to the inner vertical
surface of the edge overhang portion of the edge rail piece so that
the skirt pieces are adjustable in height relative to the edge
overhang portion and interchangeable with other skirt pieces of
various heights, types, colors, and patterns.
[0038] A further advantage of the present invention is the use of
edge rail overhangs extending downward a sufficient distance to
cover edges of substrates of minimal thickness, the extra height of
downward extension enabled by cutting them from thick blocks of
stone or forming them from composites or man made synthetic
material, thereby enabling the edge rail to be used with no skirt
and also enabling a skirt when used to attach to any desired
vertical position on the edge overhang to adjust for different
height substrates and to enable a 2'' typical skirt or a
longer(adjusted) skirt for full tile BBQ island applications with
interchangeable skirts to change to any different color, size,
material, etc.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS
[0039] These and other details of my invention will be described in
connection with the accompanying drawings, which are furnished only
by way of illustration and not in limitation of the invention, and
in which drawings:
[0040] FIG. 1A is a perspective view of a solid seamless stone or
composite or synthetic material edge rail piece having a bull nose
shaped outer surface on an edge overhang portion which extends
downward a sufficient height to cover an edge of a minimal
substrate height and an optional removable and re-attachable skirt
piece (shown dashed) attached to the inner vertical surface of the
edge overhang portion;
[0041] FIG. 1B is a perspective view of a solid seamless stone or
composite or synthetic material edge rail piece having an ogee
shaped outer surface on an edge overhang portion which extends
downward a sufficient height to cover an edge of a minimal
substrate height and an optional removable and re-attachable skirt
piece (shown dashed) attached to the inner vertical surface of the
edge overhang portion;
[0042] FIG. 1C is a perspective view of a solid seamless stone or
composite or synthetic material edge rail piece having a square
shaped outer surface on an edge overhang portion which extends
downward a sufficient height to cover an edge of a minimal
substrate height and an optional removable and re-attachable skirt
piece (shown dashed) attached to the inner vertical surface of the
edge overhang portion;
[0043] FIG. 2A is a perspective view of a solid seamless stone or
composite or synthetic material corner piece having bull nose
shaped outer surfaces on orthogonal edge overhang portions which
extend downward a sufficient height to cover a corner edge of a
minimal substrate height and an optional removable and
re-attachable skirt pieces (shown dashed) attached to the inner
vertical surfaces of the edge overhang portions;
[0044] FIG. 2B is a perspective view of a solid seamless stone or
composite or synthetic material corner piece having ogee shaped
outer surfaces on orthogonal edge overhang portions which extend
downward a sufficient height to cover a corner edge of a minimal
substrate height and an optional removable and re-attachable skirt
pieces (shown dashed) attached to the inner vertical surfaces of
the edge overhang portions;
[0045] FIG. 2C is a perspective view of a solid seamless stone or
composite or synthetic material corner piece having square shaped
outer surfaces on orthogonal edge overhang portions which extend
downward a sufficient height to cover a corner edge of a minimal
substrate height and an optional removable and re-attachable skirt
pieces (shown dashed) attached to the inner vertical surfaces of
the edge overhang portions;
[0046] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a solid tile piece;
[0047] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a solid backsplash
piece;
[0048] FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the modular
surfacing pieces of the invention aligned for mounting on a
cabinet:
[0049] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the modular surfacing pieces
of the invention mounted on a cabinet to form a stone surface
thereon;
[0050] FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a block of natural stone
showing how the modular surfacing pieces of the invention are cut
from the block;
[0051] FIG. 8 is an elevational end view of a preferred embodiment
of an integrated edging component comprising an edge rail piece and
a skirt piece adhered together with a break-away chemical adhesive
material, or other adhesive material that breaks away without
damaging the pieces, between a back vertical surface of an edge
overhang portion of the edge rail piece and a front face of the
skirt piece to cover a substrate edge of a standard height for a
countertop as shown;
[0052] FIG. 9 is an elevational end view of a preferred embodiment
of the integrated edging component of FIG. 8 with member the skirt
piece removed to allow the edge overhang of the edge rail piece to
cover a substrate of minimal height without interfering with a
cabinet door immediately below the substrate as shown;
[0053] FIG. 10 is an elevational end view of a preferred embodiment
of the integrated edging component of FIG. 8 with the skirt piece
removed and re-attached to the inner vertical surface of the edge
overhang portion at a different location further down the edge
overhang portion to adjust the amount of overhang of the skirt
piece below the edge rail piece for an adjustable height skirt to
cover substrate edges of a variety of thicknesses, including a
maximum thickness substrate as shown;
[0054] FIG. 11 is an elevational end view of the preferred
embodiment of the edge rail piece of FIG. 8 showing an additional
taller skirt adhered to a back vertical surface of the adjustable
skirt piece for a double overlapping skirt piece extending a
greater distance below the edge rail for covering substrates of
greater thickness;
[0055] FIG. 12 is an elevational end view of another alternate
embodiment of the edge rail piece having a stepped extension down
from the bottom of the horizontal covering surface adjacent to the
edge overhang portion, the stepped extension having a rear vertical
surface spaced from the edge overhang portion equal to a thickness
of a skirt piece and a skirt piece adhered to the back vertical
surface of the edge overhang below the stepped extension so that
the skirt piece extends below the edge rail an additional amount
equal to the height of the stepped extension to cover the edge of a
substrate of greater thickness;
[0056] FIG. 13 is an elevational end view of an alternate
embodiment of an edge rail having a horizontal groove in the inner
vertical surface of the edge overhang portion and a skirt piece
having a horizontal protruding ridge to fit within the horizontal
groove to hold the skirt piece in place when the edge rail is
attached to a countertop to cover a substrate edge of a standard
height for a countertop similar to FIG. 8;
[0057] FIG. 14 is an elevational end view of another alternate
embodiment of an edge rail piece having a pair of spaced horizontal
grooves in the back surface of the edge overhang portion and a
skirt piece having a horizontal protruding ridge to fit within one
of the horizontal grooves to adjust the amount of overhang of the
skirt piece below the edge rail for an adjustable height skirt
piece with ridges and grooves rather than adhesive to hold the
skirt piece in place when the edge rail is attached to a countertop
to cover to cover substrate edges of a variety of thicknesses,
including a standard thickness substrate similar to FIG. 8 with the
skirt ridge in the top groove;
[0058] FIG. 15 is an elevational end view of the alternate
embodiment of an edge rail piece of FIG. 14 showing the skirt piece
horizontal protruding ridge inserted within one the lowest
horizontal groove to adjust the amount of overhang of the skirt
piece below the edge rail piece to cover a maximum thickness
substrate as shown.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0059] In FIGS. 1-15, a modular surfacing system comprises a series
of modular surfacing pieces all cut from a stone block or formed
from composite or man made synthetic material and cut or formed
into any desired mating vertical, horizontal, and depth dimensions
with edge rail pieces 20A of any desirable thickness having edge
overhang portions 21A, 21B, and 21C extending downwardly a
sufficient height to cover an edge of a minimal height substrate,
removable and re-attachable skirt pieces 23 attachable at an
adjustable height to an inner vertical surface 25 of the edge
overhang portions, mating solid or laminated rail corner pieces
20B, mating modular surface tile pieces 20C and optional mating
modular backsplash pieces 20D as needed, the modular pieces all
interchangeable to match or mix styles, colors, and patterns.
[0060] In FIGS. 1A, 1B, and 1C, the seamless solid or laminated
edge rail pieces 20A each comprise a horizontal surface 22 matching
the surface tile pieces 20C in thickness "b" and an edge
overhanging portion 21A, 21B, and 21C of any desired vertical and
horizontal dimension and any desired shape outer surface.
[0061] In FIGS. 2A, 2B, and 2C, the seamless solid or laminated
rail corner pieces 20B each comprise a horizontal surface 22
matching the surface tile pieces 20C in thickness "b" and two
overhanging edge surfaces 21A, 21B, and 21C each of any desired
vertical and horizontal dimension and shape.
[0062] In FIG. 3, the surface tile pieces 20C each have at least
one side equal in length "a" to a length "a" of an edge rail piece
20A, in FIGS. 1A, 1B, and 1C.
[0063] In FIG. 3, the surface tile pieces 20C each have at least
one side equal in length "a" to a length "a" of a backsplash piece
20D, in FIG. 4. The backsplash piece may be cut or formed to any
desired height, such as the height of the dashed line or the full
height of the backsplash piece shown.
[0064] In FIGS. 1A and 2A, the edge rail pieces 20A and the corner
pieces 20B each having mating overhangs 21A in an ogee
configuration.
[0065] In FIGS. 1B and 2B, the edge rail pieces 20A and the corner
pieces 20B each have mating overhangs 21B in a bull nose
configuration.
[0066] In FIGS. 1C and 2C, the edge rail pieces 20A and the corner
pieces 20B each have mating overhangs 21C in a square corner
configuration.
[0067] In FIGS. 1A, 1B, and 1C, optional matching stone skirt piece
24 (shown dashed) of any desired height may be positioned between
the overhang 21A, 21B, and 21C of an edge rail piece 20A and an
external vertical surface, the stone skirt piece adhered to a back
vertical surface of the edge overhang portion.
[0068] In FIGS. 2A, 2B, and 2C, a pair of matching orthogonal stone
skirt pieces 24 (shown dashed) of any of a variety of matching
heights are removable and re-attachable at any desired height to
the inner vertical surfaces of the edge overhang portions 21A, 21B,
and 21C of the corner piece to cover any of a variety of corner
edges of substrates of various thicknesses.
[0069] In FIG. 7, a solid block 50 of solid natural stone, such as
marble or granite, is cut along the straight lines to form the
modular pieces 20A, 20B, 20C, and 20D of the modular surfacing
system of the present invention. Some of the pieces, such as the
edge rail pieces 20A and the rail corner pieces 20B require further
shaping to create the edge overhang portion 21A, 21B, and 21C and
the surface contact space 23 (as seen in FIGS. 1A, 1B, 1C, 2A, 2B,
and 2C) underneath the piece for receiving the edge of the exterior
surface and for adhering to the exterior surface.
[0070] The modular pieces 20A, 20B, 20C, and 20D may be all cut
from the same stone block 50 larger in each dimension than a
corresponding dimension of the modular piece or formed from
composite or man made synthetic material so that the modular pieces
may be cut or formed into any desired vertical dimensions, any
desired horizontal dimensions, any desired depth dimensions, and
any desired shapes. The modular pieces 20A, 20B, 20C, and 20D are
preferably cut side by side from the stone block 50 in the same
configuration that they will be arrayed to form a surfacing system
covering an external surface, such the top 34 with the standard
built-up siding and layers 31, 32, and 33 of a cabinet 30 to form a
natural stone countertop, as shown with the modular surfacing
pieces 20A, 20B, 20C, an 20D aligned for covering in FIG. 5 and in
place forming the covering surface in FIG. 6.
[0071] In FIGS. 5 and 6, the modular pieces 20A, 20B, 20C, and 20D
are secured to an external surface in a surface covering array to
form a modular surfacing system. Adjacent modular pieces bear
matching natural colorations and patterns 51 (in FIG. 6) of the
natural stone block 50 from which all of the modular pieces were
cut (as seen in FIG. 7), each of the pieces comprising a solid
seamless modular piece cut to mate with the other modular pieces to
fit within the surface covering array.
[0072] All of the modular surfacing pieces in each system may be
cut from the same block of solid stone, such as granite or marble
or other finishing type of stone. The modular surfacing pieces may
be applied to countertops, fire places, stairs, treads, barbeques
or any other desired places where an attractive durable natural
surface finish is desired. Since all pieces of the system are cut
from a thick block of stone both horizontal and vertical cuts may
be made of any desired length to create truly matching modular
pieces of any desired dimensions.
[0073] In FIGS. 8-10, a preferred embodiment of the invention
comprises a modular multi-application stone surfacing system
comprising an rail edging piece 20A having a removable skirt piece
23 which is adjustable in height relative to the edge rail piece 10
to create extensions of the skirt piece below the edge rail of a
variety of heights to cover substrate edges of various heights.
[0074] The edge rail piece 10, comprises a piece with a flat
horizontal surface covering portion 22 and a vertical edge overhang
portion 23 extending orthogonally down from the horizontal surface
covering portion and extending down a sufficient distance to cover
an edge of a substrate of minimal thickness, such as a piece of
plywood 32 topped by a piece of cementous underlayment 36, as shown
in FIG. 9, on a countertop 30 below the flat horizontal surface
covering portion 22. The vertical edge overhang portion comprising
an outer edge front shaped surface, such as a bull nose shaped
outer front shaped surface 21A and an inner flat vertical surface
25.
[0075] The skirt piece 23 comprises a flat cut stone element with a
front outer surface 26A and an inner surface 26B facing the
structure to be covered. The skirt piece is removable attached on a
front face 26A by a break away adhesive substance 27, such as a
silicone adhesive material or other chemically adhesive material
more easily fractured than the material of the pieces, to the inner
vertical surface 25 of the edge overhang portion so that the skirt
23 piece may be removed from the edge rail piece without damage to
either piece so that the edge rail piece 10 is alternately
installed with or without the skirt piece 23 in different
applications.
[0076] In a first application, as shown in FIG. 8, the skirt piece
23 is attached to the inner flat vertical surface 25 with a top
edge of the skirt piece adjacent to the flat bottom 28 of the
horizontal surface covering portion 22 in a standard position as
originally assembled with a standard lower extension portion 24 of
the skirt piece extending below the edge overhang portion with the
edge rail piece 10 and the standard position skirt piece 23
attached to a countertop 30 having an average height substrate,
comprising a bottom plywood layer 32 and a top layer of sand and
cement 33 for a standard 2 inch height substrate used on the
countertop under stone and ceramic tile, especially in western
United States. The standard lower extension 24A of a two inch skirt
piece covers an outside edge of the average height substrate, as
shown in FIG. 8.
[0077] In a second application, as shown in FIG. 9 with a minimal
substrate, such as a layer of plywood 32 with a layer of cementous
underlayment 36, such as hardibacker board for a total substrate
height of one inch, the skirt piece removed is removed by breaking
it away from the edge rail without damaging either piece and the
edge rail piece alone is attached the countertop having the minimum
height substrate. The vertical edge overhang portion with an inner
face 25 of at least one inch covers the outside edge of the minimum
height substrate without the need for a skirt.
[0078] In the third application of FIG. 10, the skirt piece 23 is
removed and re-attached to the inner flat vertical surface 25 of
the edge overhang portion at any desired position on the inner flat
vertical surface so that the skirt piece 23 is vertically
adjustable relative to the edge overhang portion to create a
desired height of the lower extension portion 24B of the skirt
piece to cover a substrate of a variety of thicknesses, including a
substrate of maximum thickness, such as a heavy countertop of steel
or cement 37, which may have a cementous underlayment 36, such as
hardibacker on top, as used in barbeque islands with a total
substrate of exaggerated thickness .
[0079] The removable and re-attachable skirt piece 23 is
interchangeable with any of a number of other skirt pieces of a
variety of heights, types, colors and patterns.
[0080] A series of the edge rail pieces 10 with or without the
skirt pieces are used with a series of flat modular surface tile
pieces for covering a horizontal surface having at least one
edge.
[0081] In FIG. 11, a second skirt piece 23A may be adhered to an
exposed back side 26B of the attached skirt piece 23 on each of the
edge rail pieces with the second skirt piece 23A extending
downwardly below the attached skirt piece 23 to cover an edge of a
substrate of a greater thickness than the height of the original
skirt piece 23, such as that of FIG. 10.
[0082] In FIG. 13, the inner flat vertical surface 25 of the edge
overhang portion has at least one horizontal groove 18 cut therein
and the skirt piece 23B has a mating horizontal protrusion 19
extending from a front face 26A of the skirt piece so that the
horizontal protrusion fits within the at least one horizontal
groove to hold the skirt piece in place without an adhesive when
the edge rail is attached to a countertop to cover a substrate edge
of a standard height for a countertop.
[0083] In FIGS. 14 and 15, the inner flat vertical surface 25 of
the edge overhang portion has at least two vertically spaced
horizontal grooves 18A and 18B cut therein and the skirt piece 23B
has a mating horizontal protrusion 19 extending from a front face
of the skirt piece so that the protrusion fits within one of the at
least two vertically spaced horizontal grooves to adjust a height
of the lower extension portion 24A and 24B of the skirt piece below
the edge overhang portion to cover substrate edges of different
heights, such as a standard substrate which would be covered with
the horizontal protrusion 19 in a top horizontal groove 18A, as
shown in FIG. 14, or cover a substrate 33 of maximum thickness with
the horizontal protrusion 19 in a bottom horizontal groove 18B, as
shown in FIG. 15.
[0084] In FIG. 12, the edge rail further comprises a stepped
extension 29 extending down from the bottom 28 of the horizontal
covering surface 22 and extending back from the rear face 25 of the
edge overhang portion a distance equal to a thickness of a skirt
piece so that the skirt piece 23 adhered to the back vertical
surface 25 of the edge overhang below the stepped extension 29 has
a lower extension portion 24B below the edge rail an additional
amount equal to the height of the stepped extension to cover an
edge of a substrate of greater thickness than the height of the
skirt piece.
[0085] The modular surfacing pieces may be solid seamless cut
natural stone modular pieces, composite material or synthetic
material shaped into modular pieces.
[0086] It is understood that the preceding description is given
merely by way of illustration and not in limitation of the
invention and that various modifications may be made thereto
without departing from the spirit of the invention as claimed.
* * * * *