This invention relates to hanging a wallpaper border. More specifically, this invention relates to an apparatus and method for hanging the wallpaper border.
Wallpaper has been used to provide decorative wall covering for centuries. A wallpaper border is a more recent variation on traditional wallpaper. The wallpaper border comes in a range of sizes from a few inches in width to around a foot in width. Wallpaper borders are applied to a portion of a smooth surface such as a wall, to carry a decorating scheme onto the walls of a room. The wallpaper border is only applied to a portion of the wall, therefore it provides a means of decorating that is quicker and easier than wallpapering the entire wall or the entire room.
Wallpaper borders are most often sold in rolls and backed with an adhesive that is activated when it is moistened much like traditional wallpaper. The wallpaper border roll is immersed in water to activate the adhesive. However, excess water dripping from the roll leads to messy application of the wallpaper border to the surface.
Most often the wallpaper border is applied to the top of the wall right where it meets the ceiling. Therefore, it is very difficult and extremely time consuming for one person to apply the wallpaper border without assistance. At least two people and two ladders are necessary to apply the border to the wall, so that one person can hold the unused portion of the wallpaper border roll while the other person positions and smoothes the wallpaper border.
Therefore, it is desirable to have an apparatus and a method to allow an individual to apply a wallpaper border without assistance and at the same time decrease time and the mess associated with hanging the wallpaper border.
The foregoing needs are met, to a great extent by the present invention, wherein in one aspect an apparatus is provided that in some embodiments allows an individual to neatly hang a wallpaper border in a brief amount of time.
In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, a border hanger to apply a pre-moistened wallpaper border to a surface is provided and can include a container having a solid bottom plate and a side wall defining a top opening. A dowel can be attached to a center point on the bottom plate and the dowel extends from the bottom plate to a point above a top edge of the side wall, at least one longitudinal slit defined by the side wall and extending from a point above the bottom plate to the top edge of the side wall. The border hanger also includes a handle attached to an outside surface of the side wall. A hook can also be included for securing the container to the surface as well as a water collection portion that receives water from the pre-moistened wallpaper border.
In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, a border hanger to apply a pre-moistened wallpaper border to a surface is provided and can include a container having a solid bottom plate and a side wall defining a top opening. A dowel can be attached to a center point on the bottom plate and extends from the bottom plate to a point above a top edge of the side wall. The border hanger also includes at least one longitudinal slit defined by the side wall and extending from a point above the bottom plate to the top edge of the side wall and a handle attached to an outside surface of the side wall. A suction cup can also be included to secure the container to the surface, as well as a water collection portion to receive water from the pre-moistened wallpaper border roll.
In accordance with yet another embodiment of the present invention, a method for applying a pre-moistened wallpaper border to a surface is provided and can include placing the pre-moistened wallpaper border into a container having a solid bottom plate, a side wall, and a dowel attached to a center point on the bottom plate, such that said wallpaper border roll is wrapped around the dowel. The method can also include threading the pre-moistened wallpaper border through a longitudinal slit defined by the side wall, adhering the pre-moistened wallpaper border to the surface and using a handle attached to an outside surface of the side wall to pull the container thereby unwrapping the pre-moistened wallpaper border. Additionally, the method can include hanging the container using a hanging device such that an individual can smooth the pre-moistened wallpaper border onto the surface.
There has thus been outlined rather broadly, certain embodiments of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof herein may be better understood, and in order that the present contributions to the art may be better appreciated. There are of course additional embodiments of the invention that will be described below and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.
In this respect before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction or arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of embodiments in addition to those described and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein, as well as in the abstract, are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.
As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception upon which this disclosure is based may be utilized readily as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods, and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important therefore that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.
An embodiment of the present invention includes an apparatus that allows an individual to apply a wallpaper border to a surface. The apparatus holds the pre-moistened wallpaper border, includes a reservoir to collect excess water, and a device to attach the border hanger to a surface so that the individual may apply the wallpaper border to the surface.
An embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in
A handle 24 is attached to an outside surface of the side wall 16, to allow an individual to easily use the border hanger 10. For example, the handle is located on the side wall 16 at a position approximately 90 degrees from the position of the longitudinal slit 22. A coupler 25 is also mounted on the side wall 16, and defines a space such that the individual using the border hanger 10 may mount the border hanger 10 on the wall using a device to hang the border hanger 10 such as a hook or a suction cup.
A roll of wallpaper border 55 is pre-moistened and then placed in the container 12. The wallpaper border roll 55 wraps around the dowel 20. An end 60 of the wallpaper border 54 is threaded through one of the longitudinal slits 22, and a side of the wallpaper border 54 backed with adhesive is applied to the wall 56. The individual may thread the wallpaper border 54 through any of the slits 22 depending on factors such as whether the individual is left or right handed or on which end of the wall she starts hanging the wallpaper border. The individual may pull the border hanger 10 along the wall using the handle 24 until she reaches the next hook 58 on the wall 56. The individual may also hang the border hanger 10 from the hook 58 using the coupler 25. With the border hanger 10 hanging from the hook 58 on the wall 56, the individual then has both hands free to smooth any bubbles from the wallpaper border applied to the wall as well as wipe off any excess water from the wallpaper border or the wall.
After the individual has finished smoothing the wallpaper border, she can remove the hook the border hanger is hanging from and repeat the process by pulling the border hanger 10 to the next hook 58. While the wallpaper border 54 is being applied to the wall 56, excess water dripping off of the pre-moistened wallpaper border roll in the container drips through the drainage holes and is contained in the reservoir.
The many features and advantages of the invention are apparent from the detailed specification, and thus, it is intended by the appended claims to cover all such features and advantages of the invention which fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and variations will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation illustrated and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.