Corner and edge protective covers

Abstract

Corner and edge covers, particularly for kitchen and bathroom counter-top and cabinet edges, to protect persons, particularly small children, from injury. The counter-top corner cover comprises, generally, two right angularly disposed flanges which wrap around the corner and a connecting top flange. The corner edge cover is in the form of an angle member, comprising two right angularly disposed side flanges, cut to fit the height of the corner edge. Both covers are formed of a resilient material with a pressure sensitive adhesive backing for applying same to the counter-top and cabinet.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

Various patents have been issued on structures which are applicable to corner edges of walls. In general, these patented structures are devised to protect the corner edges from damage resulting from accidental impacting and are quite complicated, involving mounting brackets and attachment means such as screws or a combination of both.

In contrast, the present invention pertains to covers for kitchen and bathroom counter-top and cabinet edge corners which are designed primarily for the protection of persons, particularly small children, when impacting with same.

Consequently, the present invention pertains to protective corner and edge covers, particularly for kitchen and bathroom counter-tops and counter edges, which are formed of a resilient material such as a soft plastic or rubber to protect persons, particularly small children, from injury when impacting with same.

OBJECTS AND ADVANTAGES OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

One of the principal objects of the present invention is to provide resilient covers for counter-top corners and cabinet edges to protect against injury to persons impacting with same.

Another principal object of this invention is to provide counter top corner and cabinet edge covers which are very inexpensively fabricated and need no outside attachment means or tools for the installation of same.

A further object of the instant invention is to provide counter-top corner and cabinet edge covers which can be provided in a plurality of colors to adapt to any decor.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide covers of the above described nature which are supplied to the user with prssure sensitive adhesive backing, covered with peel strips, for quick and easy installation.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide protective covers of this nature which may be applied to tables or other furniture edges or corners as well as to any other edges or corners which might constitute a danger upon accidental impact therewith.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide covers of this nature which may be applied to cabinets, furniture, door and window framing, etc., for decorative purposes.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a cabinet and counter-top of a type, generally installed in a kitchen or bathroom, with the protective covers of the present invention installed thereon;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the outside of the counter-top corner cover;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the inside of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the outside of the cabinet edge cover;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the inside of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged horizontal, cross sectional view through the edge cover of FIGS. 4 and 5;

FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view of a modified form of the instant invention; and

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a typical cabinet and counter-top, illustrating the form of the invention of FIG. 7, applied thereto.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

With reference to the drawings in which like reference characters designate like or corresponding parts throughout the various views and with particular reference to FIG. 1, a typical cabinet of the type generally installed in a kitchen, bathroom or dressing room is indicated generally at 10, having a counter-top 12. Protective cabinet edge and counter-top corner covers are indicated generally at 14 and 16.

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, the counter-top corner cover 16 is in the form of a cap and includes vertical flanges 18 and 20, formed at right angles to each other. A horizontal top web 22 connects between the top edges 24 and 26 of the respective flanges 18 and 20. The inner edge 28 of the web may be outwardly or inwardly curved as shown, for decorative purposes. Applied to the inner surfaces of the vertical flanges 18 and 20 and to the top web 22 is a pressure sensitive adhesive, indicated at 30, with peel strips 32 disposed thereon. Removal of the peel strips 32, conditions the corner cover 16 for easy application to the corner of the counter-top 12 as illustrated in FIG. 1. This form of corner cover may be molded in one piece of a resilient material such as a soft plastic or rubber.

FIGS. 4 and 5 illustrate one preferred form of cover for the vertical edge of a typical cabinet 10 as seen in FIG. 1 and comprises a pair of side flanges 34 and 36 formed at right angles to each other. The inside surfaces of both flanges 34 and 36 have a pressure sensitive adhesive 38 applied thereto to provide for easy application of the edge cover 14 to a cabinet 10 as seen in FIG. 1. A peel strip 40 is provided for the pressure sensitive adhesive 38.

FIG. 6 is a horizontal sectional view through the edge cover 14 of FIGS. 4 and 5 and illustrates one preferred form of the present invention. To effectively protect a person against injury upon impact with the cabinet edge or counter-top corner, the covers of the present invention must be resilient to cushion the forces of impact.

Therefore, as seen in FIG. 6, the major inner thickness of the edge cover 14 is formed of a porous foam material 42 such as a suitable plastic or rubber with a relatively thin, non-porous skin or outside cover 44. The counter-top corner cover 16 is similarly formed and all edges 45 of both covers 14 and 16 are rounded to provide extra protection for a person impacting therewith. Various structural modifications can be provided however. For example, the entire thickness of the corner and edge covers may be of a foam or spongy material.

FIG. 7 illustrates a modified form of the present invention in which the main portion of the top protective corner cover 50 is cut from a length of angle shaped material 52 similar to FIGS. 4 and 5, being comprised of side flanges 54 and 56, the flanges of the severed corner cover portion 50 being designated 54' and 56'. A flat, top portion 58 would be provided as a separate piece and, as illustrated in FIG. 8, would cooperate with the angle portion 50 to effectively cover or cap the counter-top corner to protect a person against injury upon accidental impact therewith.

As illustrated in FIG. 8, the flat, top portion 58 may be generally of a square configuration as also illustrated in dot-dash lines in FIG. 7. Therefore, if each side dimension of the top portion 58 is consistent with the width dimension of the side flanges 54 and 56 of the edge cover 52, various proper lengths of the edge covers 52 can be applied to the exposed vertical edges of the cabinet as well as to all exposed horizontal edges of the counter-top, creating a symmetrical, decorative appearance.

If desired, the flat, top portion 58 of the corner cover could be eliminated and the vertical flange 56 of one of the horizontal counter-top edge covers 52 could be properly notched out to permit the top flange 54 thereof to extend into a covering relation with the corner-top 50. In other words, the flat, top portion 58 would comprise an extension of one of the top flanges 54.

It should be noted that the top web 22 of the corner cover 16 of FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 could be square in configuration and used to accomplish the symmetrical, decorative appearance of FIG. 8. In practice, the angular cover members would be supplied in relatively long lengths for custom cutting into desired lengths.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. Cover means for potentially dangerous, exposed corners and edges, for example, of counter-tops, tables and cabinets comprising:

A. a cap member to fixedly, protectively cover such exposed corner of a counter-top, table, or cabinet comprising

1. a vertical, angular portion, integrally formed of a pair of flanges, disposed at right angles to each other, and

2. a top horizontal flange connecting between the top edges of the vertical flanges;

B. an elongated angle member to fixedly, protectively cover each exposed edge, comprising a pair of integrally formed flanges disposed at right angles to each other,

wherein said cap and elongated angle members are formed of a soft, resilient material selected from the group consisting of plastic, a foamed plastic, a rubber and a sponged rubber, and

wherein each of said cap member and elongated angle member is adhesively fixed in place throughout the entire surface contact of said cap member with said exposed corners and edges.

2. Cover means as defined in claim 1 wherein said soft, resilient material includes a major inner thickness of a porous, foam material and a minor, relatively thin non-porous outer skin.

3. Cover means as defined in claim 1 wherein the entire thickness of said soft, resilient material comprises a porous, foam material.

4. Cover means as defined in claim 1 wherein said horizontal flange is formed integral with said vertical flanges.

5. Cover means as defined in claim 1 wherein each of said elongated angle members is custom cut to a proper length from a relatively long length thereof.

6. Cover means as defined in claim 1 wherein each of said cap members and elongated angle members is adhesively fixed in place by means of a pressure sensitive adhesive, normally covered by peel strips, on the inside surfaces thereof.

7. Cover means as defined in claim 1 wherein each of said vertical angular portions of said cap members is custom cut to a proper length from said long length and each of said top horizontal flanges is individually formed and sized to mate with the top of one of said vertical angular portions.