U.S. patent application number 11/387072 was filed with the patent office on 2007-01-04 for decorative corner guard.
This patent application is currently assigned to Scott B. Schulman. Invention is credited to Robert Depaul.
Application Number | 20070000196 11/387072 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 37587899 |
Filed Date | 2007-01-04 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070000196 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Depaul; Robert |
January 4, 2007 |
Decorative corner guard
Abstract
A decorative corner moulding and guard for protecting an edge of
intersecting surfaces including a pair of elongated segments joined
at an angle, each of the joined segments having an inner surface
and an outer surface. Each inner surface is substantially flat to
contact one of the intersecting surfaces. Each outer surface is
contiguous. A decorative pattern is formed on the contiguous outer
surface of the segments, such that the pattern wraps around the
outer surface corner formed by the segments.
Inventors: |
Depaul; Robert; (Staten
Island, NY) |
Correspondence
Address: |
NIXON PEABODY, LLP
401 9TH STREET, NW
SUITE 900
WASHINGTON
DC
20004-2128
US
|
Assignee: |
Scott B. Schulman
Holmdel
NJ
|
Family ID: |
37587899 |
Appl. No.: |
11/387072 |
Filed: |
March 23, 2006 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
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60664174 |
Mar 23, 2005 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
52/287.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B44C 5/0453 20130101;
E04F 19/028 20130101; B44C 5/0461 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
052/287.1 |
International
Class: |
E04B 2/00 20060101
E04B002/00 |
Claims
1. A decorative corner guard for protecting an edge of intersecting
surfaces, comprising: a pair of elongated segments joined at an
angle, each of said joined segments having an inner surface and an
outer surface, each said inner surface being substantially flat to
contact one of the intersecting surfaces, and each said outer
surface being contiguous; and a decorative pattern formed on said
contiguous outer surface of said segments, such that said pattern
wraps around said contiguous outer surface corner formed by said
segments.
2. The decorative corner guard of claim 1, wherein the joined
segments form a unitary member.
3. The decorative corner guard of claim 2, wherein said member is
made of a flexible material.
4. The decorative guard of claim 1, wherein said segments are
joined at an angle of and about 90.degree..
5. The decorative guard of claim 1, wherein said pattern is
three-dimensional.
6. A method of forming a decorative corner moulding, comprising the
steps of: providing a pair of intersecting segments having an inner
surface and an outer surface; wherein said inner surface is
substantially flat; and forming a three-dimensional pattern on said
outer surface.
7. The method of claim 6, further comprising the step of joining
the intersecting segments an angle of 90.degree..
8. The method of claim 7, wherein the three-dimensional pattern
contiguously extends about joined segments to form the decorative
corner guard.
9. The method of claim 8, further comprising the step of preparing
a mold from the based on the decorative corner guard.
10. The method of claim 9, further comprising the step of molding a
plurality of decorative corner guards.
11. A method of protecting an edge of intersecting surfaces with a
decorative corner guard, comprising the steps of: providing a pair
of intersecting segments having an inner surface and an outer
surface; wherein said inner surface is substantially flat; forming
a decorative three-dimensional pattern on the outer surface of said
segments such that said pattern is contiguous and wraps around the
segments; and attaching the inner surface of one of said segments
to one of the intersecting surfaces and the inner surface of the
other segment to another one of the intersecting surfaces.
12. A decorative corner moulding comprising: a pair of elongated
segments joined at an angle, each of said joined segments having an
inner surface and an outer surface, each said inner surface being
substantially flat to contact one of the intersecting surfaces, and
each said outer surface being contiguous; and a decorative pattern
formed on said contiguous outer surface of said segments, such that
said pattern wraps around said contiguous outer surface corner
formed by said segments.
13. The decorative corner moulding of claim 12, wherein the joined
segments form a unitary member.
14. The decorative corner moulding of claim 12, wherein said member
is made of a flexible material.
15. The decorative corner moulding of claim 12, wherein said
segments are joined at an angle of and about 90.degree..
16. The decorative corner moulding of claim 12, wherein said
decorative pattern is three-dimensional.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED DOCUMENTS
[0001] This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. .sctn. 119
to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/664,174, filed
Mar. 23, 2005, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated by
reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention relates to a decorative moulding and
guard for protecting the corner of a wall, and more particularly,
to a decorative moulding for protecting an outside corner formed by
two intersecting walls.
[0004] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0005] The use of decorative mouldings, for example, crown,
baseboard and chair rails, adds elegance and style to home and
commercial construction. The use of decorative mouldings in home
and commercial buildings has increased drastically upon the
development of polyurethane mouldings.
[0006] There are numerous architectural moulding patterns available
in the marketplace, duplicating numerous periods in history.
However, these available mouldings have the pattern only on one
side, with the opposite side being relatively smooth to enable the
installer to get the moulding flush against the wall or
surface.
[0007] It is also well known to protect the corner and edges of a
room's wall by attaching a wall guard to the corner of the
intersecting walls. However, typically such corner guards are
unsightly strips of clear plastic that are adhered to the wall.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,839,250 discloses attaching a strip of adhesive to
a portion of an edge formed by intersecting walls. Moreover, the
available corner guards are smooth and do not have any pattern or
architectural detail on the outer surface.
[0008] Thus, there is the need for a decorative corner guard that
can wrap around the corner of two intersecting walls and have
simple to ornate architectural detail or pattern on the outer
surface thereof.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0009] One aspect of the present invention is to provide a
decorative corner guard that can protect the edges of two
intersecting painted or wallpapered walls.
[0010] Another aspect of the present invention is to provide a
decorative corner guard that includes an ornate or simple
three-dimensional architectural pattern that wraps and extends
around the corner guard to form an uninterrupted pattern.
[0011] Still another aspect of the present invention is to provide
a method for producing a custom decorative corner guard that can be
matched to existing architectural mouldings.
[0012] According to these and other aspects there is provided a
decorative corner guard for protecting an edge of intersecting
surfaces including a pair of elongated segments joined at an angle,
each of the joined segments having an inner surface and an outer
surface. Each inner surface is substantially flat to contact one of
the intersecting surfaces. Each outer surface is contiguous. A
decorative pattern is formed on the contiguous outer surface of the
segments, such that the pattern wraps around the outer surface
corner formed by the segments.
[0013] According to these and other aspects there is also provided
a method of forming a decorative corner guard, comprising the steps
of providing a pair of intersecting segments having an inner
surface and an outer surface, wherein the inner surface is
substantially flat; and forming a three-dimensional decorative
pattern on the outer surface.
[0014] According to these and other aspects of the present
invention there is further provided a method of protecting an edge
of intersecting surfaces with a decorative corner guard, including
the steps of providing a pair of intersecting segments having an
inner surface and an outer surface, wherein the inner surface is
substantially flat. A decorative three-dimensional pattern is
formed on the outer surface of the segments such that said pattern
is contiguous and wraps around the segments. The inner surface of
one of the segments is attached to one of the intersecting surfaces
and the inner surface of the other segment is attached to another
one of the intersecting surfaces.
[0015] These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the
present invention will become more apparent from the following
detailed description of the preferred embodiment relative to the
accompanied drawings, in which:
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0016] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a decorative corner guard
according to the present invention.
[0017] FIG. 2 is a top view of the decorative corner guard of FIG.
1.
[0018] FIGS. 3 (a)-(d) illustrate the steps for making a prototype
decorative corner guard.
[0019] Fig.4 is a flow diagram of a first method for producing the
decorative corner guard according to the present invention.
[0020] FIG. 5 is a flow diagram of another method for producing the
decorative corner guard according to the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0021] Referring to FIG. 1, the decorative corner guard moulding 10
of the present invention is designed to wrap around and cover the
corner 12 of two intersecting walls or surfaces 14, 16. Guard 10
not only protects the corner from everyday damage and tear, but can
also act as a transition between two different wall surfaces. For
example, wall 14 could be painted and wall 16 covered with
wallpaper, or walls 14 and 16 could be painted with different
colors. By placing guard 10 on the corner between the two different
surfaces/colors, guard 10 provides an aesthetic transfer.
[0022] Guard 10 comes in strips which can be cut to fit a variety
of wall heights. As will be described further herein, guard 10
includes a pattern 20, which extends about the entire outside
surface 22 of the guard. Referring to FIG. 2, guard 10 includes two
intersecting segments 24, 26, which intersect at an angle. Although
shown as a 90.degree. angle of intersection, it should be
appreciated that segments 24, 26 can intersect at a variety of
different angles depending on the corner to be protected.
[0023] As shown in FIG. 2, the inside surface 28 of segments 24,26
is relatively flat and smooth, which enables the guard to be
mounted flush against corner 12 and walls 14, 16. During
installation inside surface 28 can be hot glued, nailed, screwed or
attached with liquid nail to adhere it to corner 12, and walls 14,
16. When installing from floor to ceiling the top of the guard can
be hot glued to the corner to hold the strip in place while the
glue dries.
[0024] Decorative guard 10 can be made from a variety of materials,
for example, resin. The material is impact and weather resistant
Moreover, the material can include an insect or animal retardant.
The guard can also be produced in limitless colors and stains or
painted or stained before or after installation. The material is
designed to withstand impact and resist chipping and breakage.
Further, the material can be fiber enforced to provide strength.
The material is flexible so that it can be installed on curved
corners or arches.
[0025] Decorative guard 10 can be made in a plurality of existing
patterns. Referring to FIG. 3, a prototype corner guard is made for
each desired pattern. As will be discussed further herein, this
prototype can then be used to produce molds for mass production. In
step (a) two strips of identically patterned mouldings 30 are
removably attached to wood blocks 32. The moulding strips 30 should
be as flat as possible with a thickness of 1/2 in or less. A
variety of widths of the strips can be used to make the prototype.
Strips 30 can be free of a three-dimensional pattern or include an
existing moulding pattern. The strips can be glued to the boards
and allowed to dry.
[0026] Next, as shown in step (b), the edges of the resin strips
and wood block are mitered, for example, to an angle of 45.degree..
Thereafter, the strips are removed from the blocks. Additional
blocks can be cut at a corresponding angle and joined together to
make a frame. Moulding strips 30 can be attached to the frame and
the strips can be glued along the angled edges, as shown in step
(c). Blocks can be placed at the end of the resin strips to provide
pressure at the seam and facilitate bonding. In step (d) the
pattern 20 is made by carving wood putty such that the pattern
flows from one resin strip to another. In other words, the pattern
on each segment or strip is matched and putty is used to bridge the
pattern form one side to another about the intersection point 34.
Once the pattern is carved, it is sanded and the prototype is
complete.
[0027] The present invention contemplates a plurality of different
methods for producing the decorative corner guard of the present
invention. Referring to FIG. 4, as discussed above a prototype is
made for a particular pattern. That prototype can be used to make a
flexible mold in step 42. The material, i.e., resin can be poured
into the mold in step 44. After the material has cured, the length
of decorative corner guard can be removed from the mold at 46.
Thereafter, the strip of corner guard can be packaged and/or
installed in new or existing structure.
[0028] Referring to FIG. 5, another method of producing the
decorative corner guard of the present invention is shown. In this
method, the decorative guard can be injection molded. Initially, a
mold can be made at 52 using the prototype previously made. A steel
mold can be made using aluminum cast inserts. In this manner a
plurality of different patterns can be built in a single mold. At
step 54, the resin or other material is injected into the mold(s).
Upon curing, the corner guards can be removed at 56 and packaged or
installed.
[0029] Although not illustrated, the present invention also
incorporates another method of producing the decorative corner
moulding according to the present invention. An injection molding
unit in communication with an extruder can extrude a length of
corner guard which is fed beneath an impression wheel. The
impression wheel can form pattern 20 on outside surface 22 whilst
inner surface 28 of attached segments 28 remains relatively flat
and smooth. An impression wheel for each particular pattern can be
removably attached to the manufacturing line to enable a plurality
of different patterns to be produced.
[0030] Additionally, the present invention contemplates other known
moulding production methods. For example, the moulding can be
advanced through a coating chamber or hopper having a template
conforming to the desired decorative profile established by the
prototype moulding. See U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,794,502 and 6,253,510
[0031] In summary, the corner guard of the present invention can be
used as: i) decoration at corners of intersecting walls; ii) as a
guard to protect the corners from wear and damage; and iii) as a
transition from one wall to the others at intersecting wall edges,
such as, from one wall to another, or from wallpaper on one wall to
paint on another, or from a faux finish on one wall to a solid
color or wallpaper on the other.
[0032] The corner guard of the present invention can also be
produced in a non-flexible form using wood, polyester, plaster, and
other non-flexible materials.
[0033] It should be appreciated that other conventional molding and
extruding techniques to form the decorative guard of the present
invention are contemplated.
[0034] Although the present invention has been described in
relation to particular embodiments thereof, many other variations
and modifications and other uses will become apparent to those
skilled in the art. It is preferred therefore, that the present
invention be limited not by the specific disclosure herein, but
only by the appended claims.
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