RUG HOLD DOWN CORNER

Abstract

A rug hold down corner has a planar plate connecting to a base beneath. The plate and base have triangular forms, preferably a right triangle and alternatively an isosceles right triangle. The triangular forms include two edges intersecting at a common point and a hypotenuse opposite the common point. The plate connects to the base using mechanical fasteners preferably upon the edges and alternatively upon the interior of the plate and the base. The plate may have various geometric patterns formed therein while the base generally remains solid and includes at least one felt pad, generally opposite the plate. The felt pad contacts a floor surface or other carpet beneath the rug. In a further alternate embodiment, the edges of the plate extend outwardly and downwardly so the edges extend over and down the periphery of a rug's corner.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The rug hold down corner generally relates to housewares and more specifically to area rug accessories. The invention relates to area rugs placed upon floors generally away from walls. An area rug, or mat, generally has a defined size and finished edges that remain visible when the area rug, or mat, is upon a floor.

Over the centuries, various forms of rugs and floor coverings have sought to protect floors from abrasion, to decorate homes, to muffle sounds, and to protect the inhabitants of a home. Additionally, rugs see use in offices to reflect a certain status. Persian rugs with their intricate woven patterns have been desired for decades. The earliest Persian rug dates to 500 B.C. Rugs have been made from wool, cotton, polyester, and various other materials to suit the tastes of a buyer and the uses imposed upon the rug. Some buyers seek a rug with extensive decoration for a living room or other formal place while use in a hallway calls for a rug of durable construction. Other buyers seek rugs with a smooth, or velvety, surface such as chenille pile. Such pile becomes smooth as an extra filling layer of yarns extends from cores during manufacturing into piles, exposing the soft ends of the yarn.

Most area rugs have a generally rectangular shape to fit rectangular rooms. As such, the rugs and mats have corners. Being at the end of an edge of a rug, a corner has a free end in two directions. The remainder of the carpet weighs down a corner from two directions but leaves other directions free. Depending on humidity, cleaning practices, footfalls of people, and type of material, a corner of a rug may curl slightly upwardly, that is, away from the floor surface. A small curl generally escapes notice by people, however a large curl may cause tripping of people and appear unsightly. A large curl exposes the backing or underside of the carpet, generally less desirable to view than the finished side of a rug.

Rugs and mats also appear in commercial and industrial settings. Those settings also provide opportunity for workers and guests to catch their feet and shoes upon the edges of carpet that leads to curling of the corners. Curled corners, in presenting a tripping hazard, also increase the risk of liability for an injury that the property owner may have to bear.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART

Over the years, various devices have sought to keep corners of rugs flat and adjacent to the floor surface below. The devices include crude methods of securing a carpet using adhesive tape beneath the corners and nailing the corners to the floor surface. These methods though tend to damage the floor beneath a carpet and perform poorly when one rug is placed upon another as some people desire and some decors require.

The U.S. patent to Leander, U.S. Pat. No. 2,728,451 has a triangular shaped paper with an adhesive folded in half. The resulting triangular shaped protector is then placed upon the corners of planar sheets of metal for transportation and handling. The triangular protector guards the corners of sheet metal from bending and other damage. This patent though does not encase a carpet within a pocket. Rather, one side of the protector adheres to the metal and the other side becomes compressed beneath adjacent sheets of metal.

The patents to Lee, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,533,758 and 5,626,366 provide a book cover corner guard. These guards have a generally planar shape with adhesive applied upon one side. The guards adhere to the corners of a book and stiffen the corners as a result. However, the guards only attach to an exterior surface of a cover using adhesive.

The present invention overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art and provides a rug hold down corner that eliminates curling of rug corners without adhering or damaging the rug and the floor beneath. The present invention also provides a decorative touch to the corners of a rug compatible with the floor beneath. The present invention also installs readily by slipping upon the rug corners, with hand tools at most used to connect components of the invention.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Generally, the rug hold down corner has a planar plate connected to a corresponding base. The plate and base have generally three sided forms, often triangular, preferably a right triangle and alternatively an isosceles right triangle. The triangular forms include two edges intersecting at a common point and a hypotenuse opposite the common point. The plate connects to the base using mechanical fasteners preferably upon the edges and alternatively upon the interior of the plate and the base. The plate may have various geometric patterns formed therein while the base generally remains solid and includes at least one felt pad, generally opposite the plate. The felt pad contacts the floor or other carpet beneath the rug having the invention. In a further alternate embodiment, the edges of the plate extend outwardly and downwardly so that upon installation, the edges extend over and down the periphery of a rug's corner.

There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood and that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. The present invention also includes patterns of openings in the plate such as geometric, such as circular, circle, and incomplete shapes, a shell or scallop, a heart or cardioid with flourishes, a butterfly or lepidopterous pattern, welding of the base to the plate, and beveled edges of the plate. Additional features of the invention will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims attached.

Numerous objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon a reading of the following detailed description of the presently preferred, but nonetheless illustrative, embodiment of the present invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Before explaining the current 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 and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.

One object of the present invention is to provide a rug hold down corner that provides a removable weight that slips upon the corner of a rug.

Another object is to provide such a rug hold down corner that resists scratching any surface below the rug hold down corner.

Another object is to provide such a rug hold down corner that has a minimum of components for ready manufacturing and later installation by unskilled labor.

Another object is to provide such a rug hold down corner that has a low cost of manufacturing so the purchasing homeowners, decorators, business establishments, and organizations can readily buy the rug hold down corner through stores and supply sources.

These together with other objects of the invention, along with the various features of novelty that characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there is illustrated a preferred embodiment of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In referring to the drawings,

FIG. 1 shows a top view of a rug with the present invention installed;

FIG. 2 describes an exploded view of the invention away from a rug;

FIG. 3 provides a top view of an embodiment of the plate;

FIG. 4 provides a top view of another embodiment of the plate;

FIG. 5 provides a top view of another embodiment of the plate;

FIG. 5 a provides a top view of another embodiment of the plate;

FIG. 6 illustrates a bottom view of the plate;

FIG. 7 shows a side view of the plate;

FIG. 8 describes a side view of the plate from its corner;

FIG. 9 shows a top view of the base;

FIG. 10 has a bottom view of the base; and,

FIG. 11 shows a perspective view of an alternate embodiment for installation upon a Persian rug.

The same reference numerals refer to the same parts throughout the various figures.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The present art overcomes the prior art limitations by providing a rug hold down corner, as in FIG. 1, generally part of a kit of four, that overcomes the limitations of prior devices and methods for weighting corners of rugs and mats. The present invention shown in FIG. 1 begins with the invention 1 shown placed upon the four corners of an area rug R. Though rugs R are described, the applicant foresees usage of the invention upon mats. Here the rug has a generally rectangular shape with four of its own corners at the intersection of two edges E. The edges generally intersect at a right angle and have the tip of the intersection, or corner, reinforced using existing rug making methods. Sometimes, the tip of the intersection rises up or curls because of various conditions including humidity, temperature, hygiene, and objects. The curled tip often catches a person's foot, leading to further curling of the rug and disturbance of the gait of a person. To prevent a person catching the corner of a rug or even a raised edge between corners, the present invention has a three sided form where two sides parallel the edges of a rug and a third side spans between the two other sides. The invention has a generally triangular shape for placement at the rug's corners as shown.

Preferably, the rug hold down corner has three components as shown in FIG. 2. The rug hold down corner has a plate 2 that rests upon the surface of a rug, a base 3 that connects to the plate from the backing of a rug, a scratch resistant layer upon the base, and a plurality of fasteners as at 4 that secure the base to the plate outside of the edges of the rug. The fasteners gently clamp the rug between the plate and the base. Alternatively, the plate joins to the base using welding in place of the fasteners. The plate has a generally triangular shape, preferably an isosceles right triangle, when viewed from above. The plate has a generally planar shape and alternatively, a bevel upon two edges as later shown. Cooperating with the plate, the base also has a triangular shape, generally similar to that of the plate. The base is also preferably an isosceles right triangle and does not scratch a surface below the base when installed.

The plate 2, generally having three sides, such as two radial sides joined by a partial arc but preferably having a triangular shape, may have various surface patterns as shown in FIGS. 3-5a. Two sides join at a common intersection while the third side spans between the other two sides. FIG. 3 shows the plate with its longest edge, or hypotenuse, with complete and incomplete geometric shapes such as incomplete circular openings as at 2a and a circular opening opposite the longest edge. FIG. 3 provides a circle type pattern for the openings in the plate. FIG. 4 has a curvi-linear form, or a scallop like treatment, of the longest edge as at 2b with the other edges having frame like appearance. FIG. 4 provides a shell like pattern for the surface of the plate. FIG. 5 provides a plate with a more ornate appearance. This embodiment of the plate has a cardioid shape, as at 2c, generally upon the midline of the plate with subordinate shapes flanking the cardioid. FIG. 5 provides a heart shaped pattern—or cardioid shaped pattern—for the openings in the plate. And FIG. 5a provides a plate with a simple yet ornate appearance. This embodiment of the plate has a butterfly, or lepidopterous, shape along the longest edge as at 2d. This butterfly like shape provides the plate into two wings, generally symmetric as at 2d. FIG. 5a provides a butterfly pattern for the surface of the plate. In an alternate embodiment, the lepidopterous shape has its two symmetric wings that fold along the midline showing their hinged joint. Though these figures show four forms of the plate, the applicant foresees additional forms for the plate as desired by decorators and other end users of the invention that may utilize French curves. The plate has the forms made into it or cut into it using existing manufacturing and patterning techniques.

Turning the plate 2 over, FIG. 6 shows a lower surface view of the plate, generally the plate of FIG. 2. Other embodiments of the plate also have a similar lower surface with their surface pattern showing through the plate. The plate has lower surface 6 having a generally triangular, planar, shape as the device as a whole. The lower surface generally has a smooth texture as the lower surface 6 abuts the rug surface when installed. The plate as shown in this view has two sides 9 that intersect at a common point, that is, join at a corner 8 forming a right isosceles triangular shape. In an alternate embodiment, the lower surface includes a relief, or bevel, that angles the sides 9 away from the plane of the lower surface.

With the plate shown on edge in FIG. 7, the plate has its side 9 in the foreground with an upper surface 5 above the lower surface 6. The upper surface has a parallel orientation to the lower surface and the upper surface has a pattern therein as desired. In this embodiment, the sides 9 are perpendicular to the upper surface and the lower surface while extending away from the common corner 8 here shown towards the right. Opposite the corner, the plate has a beveled longest edge as at 7. Preferably the bevel has a 45° angle though the applicant foresees other slopes for the bevel depending upon aesthetics. The bevel also permits nesting of the base beneath the plate for storage and shipping of the device to end users.

In an alternate embodiment, the two sides 9 also have a bevel, as at 7, as displayed in FIG. 8. FIG. 8 shows the plate upon edge with the corner 8 in the center and both sides extending radially outward from the corner. The plate has its upper surface 5 generally slightly lesser in planar dimension, that is, width and length, than the lower surface 6 because of the bevel. This view shows the plate as it would appear when installed upon a rug where the rug occupies the background behind the plate. The edges E of the rug would extend beyond the sides 9 of the plate. Further, the upper surface remains visible while the lower surface remains within or internal to the device.

Moving from the plate 2 to the base 3, FIG. 9 shows an upper surface 13 of the base. The upper surface abuts the backing of a rug when installed, or connected to the plate as shown in FIG. 2. The base has a thickness and a generally triangular shape with two sides 10 that extend outwardly from their intersection, or a common corner 11. The corner generally extends outwardly from the rug when installed as shown in FIG. 1. Opposite the corner, the base has its inner edge 12 that spans between the two sides, similar to a hypotenuse. Along each side 10, the base has a plurality of openings 15, at least two in number and preferably equally spaced. The openings pass through the thickness of the base and admit fasteners for connecting the base to the plate as shown in FIG. 2. Though this figure shows openings along each side, the applicant foresees variations in the number and spacing of the openings to suit aesthetic tastes. The upper surface has a generally smooth texture that minimizes the risk of damage to the backing of an adjacent rug.

Opposite the upper surface, the base has its lower surface 14 as shown in FIG. 10. The lower surface has the generally triangular shape of the base with the two sides 10, common corner 11, and inner edge 12. Along each side 10, the plurality of openings 15 remains ready to accept fasteners 4. While the upper surface 13 remains smooth, the lower surface 14 has a slip resistant layer, or texture, that prevents ready movement of the base when installed. The slip resistant layer though has its texture that does resists scratching a floor surface. The upper surface remains internal, or within the device, while the lower surface, particularly the scratch resistant layer, abuts a floor or a rug beneath. The texture allows the base to grip a floor surface yet not scratch the surface. Preferably, the lower surface includes a layer of felt 16 adhered to it. The felt layer extends over the lower surface and terminates slightly inward from the sides and the inner edge. The felt provides friction between the lower surface and an adjacent floor while not scratching the floor during installation of the invention or if a person bumps the invention later. Alternatively, the lower surface has a plurality of felt pads spaced upon it to similarly provide friction between the two surfaces and scratch resistance as described.

And FIG. 11 shows a further alternate embodiment of the invention suitable for Persian or Oriental rugs. This embodiment has plate 2, shown triangular in form, with two intersecting sides 9 and an opposite longest edge having a scalloped form as at 2b. The sides include a beveled condition as at 7 while the upper surface 5 has a tasteful surface condition coordinated with the scalloped longest edge 2b. Where the two sides intersect as shown, generally a corner opposite the longest edge, this embodiment has a corner foot 18 attached to the lower surface 6. The corner foot has a thickness 18a that raises and offsets the plate 2 above the Persian rug R. The thickness more particularly accommodates the fringes and fringe strip, of flatweave or kilim, upon the lateral, or short end, of a Persian rug. In raising the plate, the corner foot allows the fringes to pass beneath the plate as shown. Outwardly from the corner foot 18, each side has a foot 17 at the ends of the longest edge. Each foot has its thickness that of the thickness of the corner foot so that the plate has a generally level appearance and the fringes may extend beneath either side 9.

From the aforementioned description, a rug hold down corner has been described. The rug hold down corner is uniquely capable of slipping upon a corner of a rug or a mat and weighing down the corner to prevent it from curling upwards and catching the feet of persons. The rug hold down corner and its various components may be manufactured from many materials, including but not limited to, wood, steel, aluminum, polymers, nylon, polyvinyl chloride, high density polyethylene, polypropylene, ferrous and non-ferrous metals, their alloys, and composites. In an alternate embodiment, the plate joins to the base by welding along the edges in place of fasteners.

Various aspects of the illustrative embodiments have been described using terms commonly employed by those skilled in the art to convey the substance of their work to others skilled in the art. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced with only some of the described aspects. For purposes of explanation, specific numbers, materials and configurations have been set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the illustrative embodiments. However, it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced without the specific details. In other instances, well known features are omitted or simplified in order not to obscure the illustrative embodiments.

Various operations have been described as multiple discrete operations, in a manner that is most helpful in understanding the present invention, however, the order of description should not be construed as to imply that these operations are necessarily order dependent. In particular, these operations need not be performed in the order of presentation.

Moreover, in the specification and the following claims, the terms “first,” “second,” “third” and the like are used merely as labels, and are not intended to impose numerical requirements on their objects.

The above description is intended to be illustrative, and not restrictive. For example, the above-described examples (or one or more aspects thereof) may be used in combination with each other. Other embodiments can be used, such as by one of ordinary skill in the art upon reviewing the above description. The Abstract is provided to comply with 37 C.F.R. §1.72(b), to allow the reader to ascertain the nature of the technical disclosure. Also, in the above Detailed Description, various features may be grouped together to streamline the disclosure. This should not be interpreted as intending that an unclaimed disclosed feature is essential to any claim. Rather, inventive subject matter may lie in less than all features of a particular disclosed embodiment. Thus, the following claims are hereby incorporated into the Detailed Description, with each claim standing on its own as a separate embodiment. The scope of the invention should be determined with reference to the appended claims, along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled.

As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. Therefore, the claims include such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A device that weighs down a corner of a flexible planar covering, such as a rug or mat, upon a floor surface, comprising: a plate having a generally three sided form;a base connecting beneath said plate, having a generally three sided form cooperating with said plate;at least one scratch resistant layer beneath said base, said layer also preventing slippage of said base upon the floor surface; and,a plurality of fasteners connecting said base to said plate;wherein said device is adapted to fit upon a corner of a flexible planar covering.

2. The corner weighing device of claim 1 further comprising: said device having a generally triangular shape;said plate having two sides intersecting at a common point and an opposite longest edge; and,said base having two sides intersecting at a common point and an opposite inner edge.

3. The corner weighing device of claim 2 further comprising: said plate having a right triangle shape; and,said base having a right triangle shape of slightly less dimension that said plate wherein said base nests within said plate.

4. The corner weighing device of claim 3 wherein said plate has a right isosceles triangular shape and said base has a right isosceles triangular shape.

5. The corner weighing device of claim 2 further comprising: said plate having a pattern therein.

6. The corner weighing device of claim 5 wherein said pattern includes one of complete geometric shapes, incomplete geometric shapes, curvi-linear, cardioid, French curve, and lepidopterous.

7. The corner weighing device of claim 2 wherein said sides of said plate have a bevel and said base nests beneath said plate.

8. The corner weighing device of claim 1 further comprising: said plate having an upper surface generally visible to a user and an opposite lower surface internal to said device; and,said base having an upper surface generally inward of said device and an opposite lower surface adapted to abut a floor surface.

9. The corner weighing device of claim 8 wherein said at least one scratch resistant layer adheres to said lower surface of said base.

10. The corner weighing device of claim 9 wherein said scratch resistant layer includes at least one felt.

11. A device that weighs down a corner of a flexible planar covering, such as a rug or mat, upon a floor surface, comprising: a plate having a generally triangular form;a base connecting beneath said plate, having a generally three sided form cooperating with said plate;said plate having two sides intersecting at a common point and an opposite longest edge;said base having two sides intersecting at a common point and an opposite inner edge;at least one scratch resistant layer beneath said base, said layer also preventing slippage of said base upon the floor surface;a means to connect said base to said plate;said plate having a pattern thereon including one of complete geometric shapes, incomplete geometric shapes, curvi-linear, cardioid, French curve, and lepidopterous; and,wherein said device is adapted to fit upon a corner of a flexible planar covering.

12. The corner weighing device of claim 11 further comprising: said sides of said plate having a bevel and said base nesting beneath said plate;said plate having an upper surface generally visible to a user and an opposite lower surface generally inward of said device; and,said base having an upper surface generally inward of said device and an opposite lower surface adapted to abut a floor surface.

13. The corner weighing device of claim 11 wherein said connecting means in one of welding or a plurality of fasteners.

14. A device that weighs down a corner of a flexible planar covering that has fringes, such as a Persian rug, upon a floor surface, comprising: a plate having a generally three sided form;said plate having two sides intersecting at a common point and an opposite longest edge, an upper surface generally visible to a user and an opposite lower surface generally inward of said device;a corner foot depending from said lower surface beneath said common point;at least two feet, each depending from said lower surface spaced outwardly from said corner foot;wherein said corner foot and said at least two feet each have a scratch resistant layer opposite said plate and each have a common thickness elevating said device;wherein said device is adapted to rest upon a corner of the flexible planar covering, said corner foot and said at least two feet are adapted to abut a floor surface, and one of said feet and said corner foot allow the fringes to pass between them.

15. The corner weighing device of claim 14 further comprising: said plate having a pattern thereon including one of complete geometric shapes, incomplete geometric shapes, curvi-linear, cardioid, French curve, and lepidopterous.

16. The corner weighing device of claim 14 further comprising: said sides of said plate having a bevel.

17. The corner weighing device of claim 6 wherein said device is provided in a kit of four.

18. The corner weighing device of claim 12 wherein said device is provided in a kit of four.

19. The corner weighing device of claim 15 wherein said device is provided in a kit of four.