BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
The drawing illustrates embodiments of the invention. In the drawing
FIG. 1 shows a covering device in accordance with the invention in a simplified cross-section,
FIG. 2 shows an extruded profile for the combined manufacture of the profiled cover and two compensating strips for a covering device in accordance with the FIG. 1 in cross-section,
FIG. 3 shows the profiled cover with the compensating strips in cross-section after the lands have been severed,
FIG. 4 shows a representation corresponding to FIG. 1 of a design variation for a covering device in accordance with the invention,
FIG. 5 shows an extruded profile for the combined manufacture of the profiled cover and two compensating strips for the covering device in accordance with FIG. 4 in cross-section, the
FIGS. 6 to 9 show representations of extruded profiles corresponding to FIG. 2 and 5 for differing profiled covers and compensating strips, and
FIG. 10 shows a profiled cover with a compensating strip in accordance with FIG. 9 in an interim installation position in cross-section.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
In accordance with the embodiment in FIG. 1, a difference in height between a floor surface 1, for instance a floor covering 2, and a floor surface 3 requires bridging, the latter surface in accordance with the embodiment being formed by the substrate for the floor covering 2. The floor surface 3 can of course also be formed by another floor covering. To bridge the difference in height between the floor surfaces 1 and 3, a covering device is used, comprising a profiled cover 4 and a compensating strip 5. The profiled cover 4 is provided with a covering flange 6 and two clamping webs 7 projecting from the covering flange 6, the clamping webs 7 being retained between two clamp-like retaining legs 8 of a fixture 9.
The fixture 9 is fastened to the substrate 3 by means of a floor mounting plate 10, with the floor mounting plate 10 being extended past the retaining legs 8 toward the compensating strip 5 and having an additional retaining leg 11 for the compensating strip 5. The extended section of the floor mounting plate with the retaining leg 11 could, if required, be separated by means of a predetermined breaking point, if there is no provision made for a compensating strip 5 or the compensating strip 5 does not require additional anchoring in the vicinity of the fixture 9.
The compensating strip 5, also developed from an extruded profile in the same manner as the profiled cover 4, displays the basic shape of a angle section with two legs 12 and 13. Of these legs, one rests against the underside of the covering flange 6 and the other flange [sic!] 13 forms a downward projecting extension of the profiled cover 4. In order to connect the compensating strip 5 to the profiled cover 4 provision is made for a tongue and groove joint comprising at least one longitudinal groove 14 in the covering flange 6 and at least one retaining lug 15 on the compensating strip 5. In addition, the compensating strip 5 is provided with a coupling projection 16 extending downward from the leg 12, which together with the retaining leg 11 of the fixture 9 provides for a clamping mount for the compensating strip 5. This means that the compensating strip 5 is not only connected to the profiled cover 4 by means of the tongue and groove joint 14, 15, but also to the fixture 9. The coupling projection 16 can serve in this case as a supporting leg 17 to help support the profiled cover 4 on the side of the lower floor surface 3 such that it is not only supported by the downward projecting leg 13 on the side of the lower floor surface 3. Accordingly, the difference in height between two floor surfaces 1 and 3 is bridged in an advantageous manner with the assistance of the compensating strip 5 in conjunction with a profiled cover 4 that is symmetrical with respect to a longitudinal middle plane, without impinging upon the use of the profiled cover 4 as a cover for an expansion joint in the vicinity of a floor covering that does not differ in height around the expansion joint.
As can be seen in FIG. 2, the profiled cover 4 can be manufactured from a common extruded profile 18 together with two optionally utilised and differently designed compensating strips 5. The cross-section of the extruded profile 18 is constituted by the cross-sections of the profiled cover 4 and the compensating strips 5 that are connected to the subsequent profiled cover 4 by means of a connecting land 19 serving as a spacer. If the visible surfaces of the profiled cover 4 and the compensating strips 3 [sic!] are coated, the common extruded profile 18 is provided with a coating 20 indicated by the dash-dotted line, with the connecting lands 19 forming transition surfaces between the visible surfaces of the profiled cover 4 and the compensating strips 5 for the coating 20. After the extruded profile 18 has been coated, the connecting lands 19 are severed with a single cut each, preferably with the width of the kerf corresponding to the gap between the covering flange 6 of the profiled cover 4 and the compensating strips 5. The compensating strips 5 separated from the profiled cover 4 can be seen in FIG. 3 with a bilateral arrangement corresponding to the extruded profile 18 used as the basis for the workpiece.
The covering device in accordance with FIG. 4 differs from the one in FIG. 1 essentially with respect to the differing shape of the profiled cover 4 and the compensating strip 5, which, without connection to the fixture 9, is only fastened to the underside of the covering flange 6 of the profiled cover 4 by means of a tongue and groove joint consisting of a plurality of longitudinal grooves 14 and retaining lugs 15. The compensating strip 5 is provided with a supporting leg 17 for additional support on the lower floor surface 3.
FIG. 5 shows that the profiled cover 4 with the corresponding compensating strips 5 in accordance with the covering device in FIG. 4 can also be manufactured from a common profiled section 18, with provision being made for connecting lands 19 as spacers between the profiled cover 4 and the compensating strips 5. By severing these connecting lands 19, the extruded profile 18 separates into the profiled cover 4 and the two compensating strips 5 which can be utilised if required.
FIG. 6 to 8 show further embodiments of profiled covers 4 and compensating strips 5. In contrast with FIG. 5, the compensating strips 5 in FIG. 6 are developed without supporting legs 17.
According to FIGS. 7 and 8, the compensating strips 5 have peripheral projections 21 on the legs 12 to serve as retaining lugs, which in accordance with FIG. 7 engage in longitudinal grooves 22 serving as retaining recesses on the underside of the covering flange 6, but which in accordance with FIG. 8 engage in longitudinal grooves 22 provided on the side of the clamping webs 7 facing each of the compensating strips 5. This means that one or two retaining legs 8 of the fixture 9 must encompass the clamping webs 7 to ensure free access to the retaining recesses 22. The peripheral projections 21 engaging in the retaining recesses 22 form pivot axes for the compensating strips 5, which are pivoted around the peripheral projections 21 until the retaining lugs 15 engage in the longitudinal grooves 14 and the leg 12 of the compensating strips 5 lies flat on the underside of the covering leg [sic!] 6. This engagement of the compensating strips 5 with the profiled cover 4 creates a joint between the covering strips 5 [sic!] and the profiled covers 4 by means of which the resultant torque loads to which the compensating strips 5 supported on the floor surface 3 by the leg 13 or the supporting leg 17 are subjected are transferred without the risk of the tongue and groove joint releasing.
The compensating strips 5 in accordance with FIGS. 9 and 10 correspond in essence to those in FIG. 7. However, in contrast with the compensating strips 5 in FIG. 7, the compensating strips 5 in FIGS. 9 and 10 do not have a retaining lug 15 on the side of the leg 12 facing the covering flange 6 of the profiled cover 4. In fact, the leg 12 has a recess 23 for accommodating an adhesive strip 24, the adhesive surface of which firmly holds the compensating strip 5 to the underside of the covering flange 6 when the compensating strip 5 is pivoted around the pivot point provided by peripheral projection 21 against the underside of the covering flange 6 after the peripheral projection 21 is inserted into the longitudinal groove 22 as indicated in FIG. 10 by the arrow 25.
Patent Application
20080034696
