CORNER-FITTING DROP CLOTH

Abstract

A corner-fitting drop cloth adapted to extend along interior and, alternatively, exterior wall corners as needed. The drop cloth may include two sections joined together to extend parallel to both intersecting wall portions with minimal folding or bunching. In some embodiments, the drop cloth comprises a 45-degree seam between the two sections that permits easy unfolding and folding. A distal side of one or both sections may include indicia to assist a user in identifying the drop cloth when folded.

Description

Embodiments of the present disclosure relate generally to wall-working (e.g., painting, drywall repair, etc.) equipment and, more specifically, to drop cloths adapted for use with exterior and interior wall corners.

BACKGROUND

Drop cloths are commonly used to protect floors and other ground surfaces from paint, stain, and drywall materials applied to vertical walls adjacent to the floor. While materials may vary, drop cloths are often made of a dense fabric material (e.g., canvas). In use, drop cloths are laid along the floor against the wall surface, thereby at least partially protecting the floor from materials (e.g., paints, stains, etc.) that drip or fall from the wall surface. Moreover, drop cloths are also used to protects floors from materials associated with other types of construction/carpentry and cleaning work (e.g., sawdust), and from materials (e.g., dirt, construction debris) on shoes that could otherwise transfer directly to the floor.

While providing a temporary barrier for the floor, the heavy construction of canvas drop cloths presents some drawbacks. For example, when working in and around corners (either interior or exterior), it is typical to lay down two “runner” drop cloths: one along the first wall and one along the intersecting second wall. Runner drop cloths are typically rectangular such that, when laid down along the two walls, the two cloths overlap one another (i.e., form an “L” shape) near the corner to ensure complete floor coverage.

While generally effective, the overlap of the two drop cloths often produces bunching or stacking near the corner, especially if one or both drop cloths is folded over on top of itself two or more times (e.g., as may be required when one is longer than the wall to which it is aligned). In addition to stacking, folding of one or both drop cloths produces a flap formed by an end of the top drop cloth. Such flaps, in conjunction with the stacked arrangement of the separate cloths, may present potential catch points for the painter's feet, as well as to the legs and feet of various tools (e.g., ladders and paint roller trays).

Moreover, it is not uncommon for an entry door to be near a corner of a room. As one can appreciate, drop cloths stacked within the path of the door can make opening the door difficult, often requiring the cloths to first be removed from the door area. Still further, falling material such as paint captured on the flap of a drop cloth may inadvertently be placed in contact with the floor if the drop cloth is subsequently moved to a new position.

SUMMARY

Embodiments described herein may provide a drop cloth including a first section having elongate parallel first and second sides. The first and second sides terminate at a proximal side of the first section, wherein the proximal side intersects the first and second sides at a first angle. A second section may also be provided and have elongate parallel first and second sides. The first and second sides of the second section terminate at a proximal side of the second section, wherein the proximal side of the second section intersects the first and second sides of the second section at a second angle. The proximal sides of the first and second sections are joined such that the first side of the second section extends orthogonally from the first side of the first section.

In another embodiment, a drop cloth is provided that includes a trapezoidal first fabric section having longitudinal first and second sides. Each of the first and second sides is adapted to be positioned adjacent a first wall. The first and second sides both terminate at a proximal side of the first section, wherein the proximal side intersects the first and second sides at a first oblique angle. A trapezoidal second fabric section may also be provided and includes longitudinal first and second sides, wherein each of the first and second sides of the second fabric section is adapted to be positioned adjacent a second wall orthogonal to the first wall. The first and second sides of the second fabric section both terminate at a proximal side of the second section, and the proximal side of the second section intersects the first and second sides of the second section at a second oblique angle. The proximal sides of the first and second sections are also joined such that the first side of the second section extends orthogonally from the first side of the first section.

In yet another embodiment, a corner-fitting drop cloth is provided that includes: a first section having parallel elongate first and second sides; and a second section joined to the first section, the second section having parallel elongate first and second sides. The first and second sides of the second section extend orthogonally from the first and second sides, respectively, of the first section.

The above summary is not intended to describe each embodiment or every implementation. Rather, a more complete understanding of illustrative embodiments will become apparent and appreciated by reference to the following Detailed Description of Exemplary Embodiments and claims in view of the accompanying figures of the drawing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE VIEWS OF THE DRAWING

Exemplary embodiments will be further described with reference to the figures of the drawing, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a single-piece, corner-fitting drop cloth in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure, the drop cloth shown located along intersecting first and second interior walls (solid lines) and, alternatively, first and second exterior walls (broken lines);

FIG. 2 illustrates two exemplary, independent drop cloth sections used to produce the single-piece drop cloth of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 illustrates an exemplary method of folding the drop cloth of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a cross section taken along lines 4-4 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 5 is a cross section taken along lines 5-5 of FIG. 1.

The figures are rendered primarily for clarity and, as a result, are not necessarily drawn to scale. Moreover, various aspects, including but not limited to stitching threads and the like, may be shown diagrammatically or removed from some or all of the views to better illustrate the depicted embodiments, or where inclusion of such aspects is not necessary to an understanding of the various exemplary embodiments described herein. The lack of illustration/description of such aspects in a particular figure is, however, not to be interpreted as limiting the scope of the various embodiments in any way. Still further, the terms “Figure” and “FIG.” may be used interchangeably herein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

In the following detailed description of illustrative embodiments, reference is made to the accompanying figures of the drawing which form a part hereof. It is to be understood that other embodiments, which may not be described and/or illustrated herein, are certainly contemplated.

All headings provided herein are for the convenience of the reader and should not be used to limit the meaning of any text that follows the heading, unless so specified. Moreover, unless otherwise indicated, all numbers expressing quantities, and all terms expressing direction/orientation (e.g., vertical, horizontal, parallel, perpendicular, etc.) in the specification and claims are to be understood as being modified in all instances by the term “about.” The term “and/or” (if used) means one or all of the listed elements or a combination of any two or more of the listed elements. “I.e.” is used as an abbreviation for id est, and means “that is.” “E.g.” is used as an abbreviation for exempli gratia, and means “for example.”

It is noted that the terms “comprises” and variations thereof do not have a limiting meaning where these terms appear in the accompanying description and claims. Further, “a,” “an,” “the,” “at least one,” and “one or more” are used interchangeably herein. Moreover, relative terms such as “left,” “right,” “front,” “fore,” “forward,” “rear,” “aft,” “rearward,” “top,” “bottom,” “side,” “upper,” “lower,” “above,” “below,” “horizontal,” “vertical,” and the like may be used herein and, if so, are from the perspective described and/or referred to in the identified figure. These terms are used only to simplify the description, however, and not to limit the interpretation of any embodiment described.

Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to single-piece drop cloths that may be used in and around walls forming both interior or exterior corners. Unlike conventional drop cloths, drop cloths in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure may lay congruent to the two walls forming the corner without bunching and stacking common when two separate elongate “runner” drop cloths are overlaid in the corner. That is, corner-fitting drop cloths like those described herein lay relatively flat, in and around the corner, minimizing or even eliminating catch points that may interfere with movement of people and tools (e.g., ladders, paint roller trays, etc.) upon the drop cloth.

As used herein drop “cloth” may refer to any material suitable as a floor barrier. For example, cloths may include conventional fabrics such as single- and multiple-weight canvas, materials such as plastic and heavy-weight paper, and other materials such as high-density polyethylene fibers (e.g., such as “Tyvek” sold by E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company of Wilmington, Del., USA). Any other materials, now known or later developed, that may provide the desired floor barrier are also considered herein to be within the definition of “cloth.”

With reference to the figures of the drawing, wherein like reference numerals designate like parts and assemblies throughout the several views, FIG. 1 illustrates a corner-fitting drop cloth 100 in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure. As shown in this view, the exemplary drop cloth may include a first section 102 and a second section 104 that are ultimately joined (e.g., sewed) to create the single-piece drop cloth 100. The drop cloth 100 may be used along interior corners (as illustrated, for example, by intersecting first and second walls 201, 202) and, alternatively, along exterior corners (as illustrated, for example, by broken-line first and second walls 203, 204).

While described and illustrated herein for use with orthogonally-intersecting walls (i.e., walls that form 90-degree corners), such a configuration is not limiting as drop cloths adapted to suit oblique corners (e.g., corners intersecting at angles other than 90 degrees) are also contemplated within the scope of this disclosure.

FIG. 2 illustrates the first and second sections 102, 104 before being joined to form the drop cloth 100. As shown in this view, each section 102, 104 may include a longitudinal elongate first side 106 and a longitudinal elongate second side 108 that both terminate at a proximal side 110. While other embodiments may vary, the sections 102, 104 may each form a trapezoidal shape (a quadrilateral wherein one pair of sides (sides 106, 108) is parallel) having a first side 106 longer than its second side 108.

The first and second sides 106, 108 of each section 102, 104 may also terminate at a distal side 112 (opposite its respective proximal side) of their respective section. While the distal sides 112 may intersect their respective first and second sides orthogonally (i.e., the distal sides may be square with their respective first and second sides), each proximal side 110 may, at least in some embodiments, intersect its respective first and second sides at an oblique angle. For example, the proximal side 110 of the first section 102 may intersect adjacent first and second sides 106, 108 at an oblique first angle 114, while the proximal side 110 of the second section 104 may intersect its adjacent first and second sides 106, 108 at an oblique second angle 116.

In some embodiments, the first and second angles 114, 116 are equal to one another and may be in a range of 40-50 degrees, e.g., 45 degrees, for reasons further described below. As a result, when the two sections 102, 104 are joined (e.g., along their respective proximal sides 110) as shown in FIG. 1, the first side 106 of the second section 104 extends orthogonally from the first side 106 of the first section 102 (similarly, the second side 108 of the second section 104 extends orthogonally from the second side 108 of the first section 102).

While illustrated as being generally equal, the first and second angles 114, 116 may vary. For example, they may be complementary (sum to 90 degrees) to one another (e.g., first angle of 40 degrees and second angle of 50 degrees) and still provide the corner-fitting benefits describe herein.

However, one benefit of the angles 114 and 116 being equal (45 degrees) becomes apparent when folding the drop cloth 100 as illustrated in FIG. 3. For example, as shown in this view, the distal side 112 of the first section 102 may be folded to overlie the distal side 112 of the second section 104. When this occurs, the drop cloth 100 will fold along the seam formed by the joined proximal side 110. That is to say, by using a 45-degree seam as shown in the figures, the drop cloth 100 may fold neatly without any bunching, simplifying, setup, cleanup, and storage of the drop cloth.

While the size the drop cloth 100 may vary without departing from the scope of this disclosure, it is contemplated that the first side 106 of each section may have a length 111 (see FIG. 1) of 6-10 feet (of which both may be of equal length), while the distal sides may each be of a width 113 of 3-4 feet (both of which again may be of equal length). Again, while such sizes are considered suitable for many conventional painting jobs, drop cloths of most any dimensions are possible.

Each section 102, 104 may be hemmed along its periphery (e.g., along sides 106, 108, 110, and 112). For example, FIG. 4 is a cross section taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 2. As shown in this view, an edge of the section 104 (or 102) may be folded over upon itself to produce a hem 118. The hem 118 is then sewn in place with stitching 120 as is known in the art. While shown at a particular location on the section 104, the hem 118/stitch 120 may be formed around the entire periphery of each section 102, 104 as shown in FIG. 2. While the size of the hem 118 may vary depending on the thickness and material of the sections 102, 104, a hem width 122 (see FIG. 4) of 0.3 inches to 0.8 inches may be common. In addition to reducing fraying of the edges of the drop cloth, the hem 118 may also make each section 102, 104 somewhat stiffer. Accordingly, the hem 118 may be more easily tucked up along and/or beneath a room baseboard.

FIG. 5 is an exemplary cross section taken along line 5-5 of FIG. 1 illustrating the proximal sides 110 of each of the sections 102, 104 having a hem 118 and stitch 120. In some embodiments, the hem 118 along the proximal sides 110 may be of a hem width 124 that is the same or different than the hem width 122 (see FIG. 4). For example, the hem width 124 along the proximal sides 110 may be smaller than the hem width 122 at the other sides, e.g., to reduce the overall width of the seam 128. For example, the hem width 122 may be 0.5 inches, while the hem width 124 may be 0.38 inches (yielding a seam 128 that is 0.75 inches wide). Again, the hem widths may be selected based upon the material of the sections and other factors.

To assemble the drop cloth 100, the two sections 102, 104 may be cut and hemmed as described above and shown in FIG. 2. Once the two sections are complete, the hem 118 of the proximal side 110 of the section 104 may be overlaid on the hem 118 of the proximal side of the section 102 as shown in FIG. 5. In the illustrated embodiment, one of the sections (e.g., the first section 102) is inverted such that the folded end of its hem 118 is on the upper surface. In this way, the folded edges of the hems 118 may abut one another as shown. Alternatively, the hems 118 could be spaced-apart. The two sections may then be joined (e.g., sewn) together. For example, a connecting stitch, such as a zig-zag stitch 126, may then be made along the adjoining sides 110 to form the seam 128. The two sections 102, 104 could alternatively be joined in other ways, e.g., using adhesives, fasteners, heat, etc.

As described above, the drop cloth 100 may be easily folded by first folding the cloth along the seam 128 as shown in FIG. 3. To allow users to identify the drop cloth when folded and stored with others, one or both distal sides 112 may include indicia 130 indicating that the drop cloth is a corner-fitting cloth (as opposed to a standard runner). Other information (e.g., length 111, width 113, etc.) may also be included with the indicia 130. In some embodiments, the indicia 130 may be provided on both faces (top and bottom) of one or both sections 102, 104.

Embodiments of the present disclosure may provide various advantages over separate drop cloth runs as described elsewhere herein (e.g., less stacking, less interference with people, tools, doors, etc.). Moreover, four corner-fitting drop cloths could potentially adequately cover an entire room (e.g., a 20-foot by 20-foot room could be covered by four drops cloths having lengths 111 (see FIG. 1) of 10 feet). Even if the room is smaller, any overlap of lengths of two adjacent drop cloths would be near their distal sides 112 and not near the corners.

Illustrative embodiments are described and reference has been made to possible variations of the same. These and other variations, combinations, and modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art, and it should be understood that the claims are not limited to the illustrative embodiments set forth herein.

Claims

1. A drop cloth comprising: a first section having elongate parallel first and second sides, wherein the first and second sides terminate at a proximal side of the first section, the proximal side intersecting the first and second sides at a first angle; anda second section also having elongate parallel first and second sides, wherein the first and second sides of the second section terminate at a proximal side of the second section, the proximal side of the second section intersecting the first and second sides of the second section at a second angle;wherein the proximal sides of the first and second sections are joined such that the first side of the second section extends orthogonally from the first side of the first section.

2. The drop cloth of claim 1, wherein the first and second angles are each 40-50 degrees.

3. The drop cloth of claim 1, wherein the first and second angles are equal.

4. The drop cloth of claim 1, wherein the first section and the second section comprise canvas fabric.

5. The drop cloth of claim 1, wherein the proximal sides of the first and second sections are hemmed.

6. The drop cloth of claim 1, wherein the proximal sides of the first and second sections are sewn together.

7. The drop cloth of claim 1, wherein the first and second sections each terminate at a distal side opposite their respective proximal sides, and wherein the distal side of the first and second sections is orthogonal to the first side of the first and second sections, respectively.

8. The drop cloth of claim 7, further comprising indicia located at or near the distal side of one or both of the first and second sections.

9. The drop cloth of claim 1, wherein the first side of the first and second sections is longer that the second side of the first and second sections, respectively.

10. The drop cloth of claim 9, wherein the first side of the first section and the first side of the second section are of equal length.

11. The drop cloth of claim 1, wherein the first and second sections comprise a material selected from the group consisting of fabric, plastic, paper, and polyethylene.

12. A drop cloth comprising: a trapezoidal first fabric section comprising longitudinal first and second sides, wherein each of the first and second sides is adapted to be positioned adjacent a first wall, and wherein the first and second sides both terminate at a proximal side of the first section, the proximal side intersecting the first and second sides at a first oblique angle; anda trapezoidal second fabric section also comprising longitudinal first and second sides, wherein each of the first and second sides of the second fabric section is adapted to be positioned adjacent a second wall orthogonal to the first wall, and wherein the first and second sides of the second fabric section both terminate at a proximal side of the second section, the proximal side of the second section intersecting the first and second sides of the second section at a second oblique angle;wherein the proximal sides of the first and second sections are joined such that the first side of the second section extends orthogonally from the first side of the first section.

13. The drop cloth of claim 12, wherein the first oblique angle is equal to the second oblique angle.

14. The drop cloth of claim 13, wherein the first and second oblique angles are each equal to 45 degrees.

15. A corner-fitting drop cloth comprising: a first section having parallel elongate first and second sides; anda second section joined to the first section, the second section having parallel elongate first and second sides, wherein the first and second sides of the second section extend orthogonally from the first and second sides, respectively, of the first section.

16. The drop cloth of claim 15, wherein the first side of each of the first and second sections has a length of 6-10 feet.

17. The drop cloth of claim 15, wherein the first sides of the first and second sections are of equal length.

18. The drop cloth of claim 15, wherein the second sides of the first and second sections are of equal length.

19. The drop cloth of claim 15, wherein the first section is sewn to the second section.