Patent Application
20060260248
The present invention relates to paneling, and, more particularly, to a system and method of installing trim paneling with corner joints formed without miter cuts.
Generally, paneling systems employ sequentially joined individual paneling elements, which may be used in conjunction with a surface, or are freestanding. For example, casing around a doorjamb includes a number of paneling elements that cover an underlying wall surface. As another example, decorative barriers, e.g. surrounding flowerbeds, typically consist of freestanding panel elements. Further, paneling systems may be employed in a functional manner or as decorative accents.
Decorative panel elements having complex non-rectangular profiles and designed to cover a surface are often referred to as molding panels or simply moldings. Examples of molding panels include crown molding, base molding, chair molding, and cove molding. Moldings are often employed to visually soften edges and to mask imperfections. For instance, a common use of moldings entails disposing them at a base of a wall that intersects a carpeted floor, such that the edge of carpet adjoining the wall is concealed and the intersection of the floor and the wall is visually softened. As another example, stone or ceramic tiles are a popular medium for surfacing or resurfacing generally flat surfaces on both the interior and exterior of buildings. In order to achieve a visually pleasing appearance after tile installation, it is often desirable to cover imperfections and gaps that are sometimes present when two or more surfaces meet at a boundary by employing moldings.
Both do-it-yourselfers and professional installers often face difficulties when installing paneling elements around edges, boundaries, corners and joints, because the elements preferably have to be configured to fit snugly in place while forming corners. Various configuring techniques commonly entail cutting paneling elements.
Various methods exist for configuring paneling elements in and around corners. One known method for forming corners includes making a beveled or mitered cut in the end portions of each of two paneling elements that are to be joined to form a corner, with these two miter cuts forming complements of an approximately right angle. An abutment between elements occurs along the plane of the cut. Referring to
In another known technique, in order to form a corner joint, an end portion of only one of two paneling elements that are to be joined is configured to mate with the other element without customizing that other element. Referring to
Yet another category of known techniques for forming corners in a paneling system employs prefabricated corner-turning elements, thereby eliminating the need for mitered cuts or coping profiles. Butt ends of the corner-turning element are configured to match the lateral cross-sectional profiles of the abutting paneling elements. This approach, however, affords limited flexibility to the installer of molding panels because it relies on walls of a building intersecting at exactly a right angle for a snug fit. Even slight deviation from the right angle between the adjoining walls, for example, due to surface imperfections or construction defects, results in flawed fit and poor visual appearance of a corner joint. In addition, many examples of this design require three separate elements to form a corner (see, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 5,802,790).
As shown above, some of known methods of forming corner joints in a paneling system require the end user to configure the mass-produced paneling elements prior to installation. Techniques that exist to cut the paneling elements, however, require specialized equipment and often risk cracking or otherwise damaging the elements, particularly if manufactured from brittle materials, such as ceramic. Further, pre-installation adjustments to achieve proper fit are often prone to human errors and associated waste. For these reasons, it is desirable to simplify pre-installation adjustments and minimize the number of angled or profile cuts made in the paneling elements. On the other hand, it is also desirable to avoid excessive customization of the paneling systems by mass manufacturers to allow for certain degree of flexibility during installation and reduce manufacturing costs.
Hence, there exists a need in the art for a cost-effective paneling system that is easy to install with limited amount of customization of paneling elements, as compared to paneling systems known in the art.
Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a paneling set employing two types of paneling elements, span elements, and at least one transition element. A key feature of the invention involves the transition element having two prefabricated coping profiles configured to mate with a span element at each end of the transition element, i.e. a single prefabricated transition element can be used to form two corners. Depending upon the configuration of the prefabricated coping profile, outside or inside corners, or inside turns may be formed between the transition element and the adjoining span element without any customization of the ends of the paneling elements by the installer.
During installation, if necessary, the transition element can be cut between the coping profiles to effectively alter its length. Specifically, the distance between two coping profiles can be increased by making a cut between the coping profiles and positioning one or more span elements between the disjoined portions containing coping profiles. Conversely, the distance between two coping profiles can be reduced by making two parallel cuts in the transition element, removing a middle portion, and joining the portions containing coping profiles. Thus, the invention provides the user with the ability to customize the dimensions of the paneling system. As mentioned above, however, no customization is necessary in order to form corner joints themselves.
Among other benefits, various embodiments of the paneling system of the invention are easy to install with only limited amount of customization by the end user, while at the same time being easy to manufacture by limiting the number of different prefabricated elements in the paneling set.
While being directed to paneling systems in general, in various embodiments, the paneling system may be employed in conjunction with a plurality of orthogonally-joined planar elements, such as walls of a building. Specifically, the paneling elements of the invention may be used as moldings closely fitting over adjoining walls or around a desired perimeter on a wall.
Generally, in one aspect, the invention features a paneling set including first and second span elements each comprising a substantially non-rectangular lateral cross-section and at least one butt end having a surface substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the span element. The invention further features a transition element including a first end defining a first coping profile, the first end of the transition element being mateable to the first span element along at least the first coping profile at substantially a right angle, and a second end defining a second coping profile, mating of the second end of the transition element to the second span element along the second coping profile occurring at substantially a right angle. In some embodiments of this aspect of the invention, at least one of the first and second coping profiles is shaped and dimensioned to match a lateral cross-section of the respective span element. In other embodiments, at least one of the first and second coping profiles is shaped and dimensioned to complement a profile of a surface of the respective span element. In a particular embodiment, at least one of the span elements mates with the respective end of the transition element to form a paneling assembly having at least one coping joint, the assembly closely fitting over a surface of a structure comprising at least two orthogonally-joined planar elements, such as, for example, adjoining walls of a building.
In general, in another aspect, the invention is directed to a transition element for a paneling set, the transition element having a first end defining a first coping profile; and a second end defining a second coping profile, the coping profiles facilitating formation of a coping joint between the transition element and adjoining span elements of the paneling set, each span element having a substantially non-rectangular lateral cross-section. At least one of the first and second coping profiles may be shaped and dimensioned to either match the cross-section of the respective adjoining element of the paneling set, or to complement a profile of a surface of the respective adjoining element of the paneling set.
In yet another aspect, the invention is directed to a method for installing paneling that includes providing a transition element having first and second ends; providing first and second span elements each comprising a substantially non-rectangular lateral cross-section and at least one butt end having a surface substantially parallel to the cross-section; mating the first end of the transition element with the first span element at substantially a right angle to form a first coping joint there between; and mating the second end of the transition element with the second span element at substantially a right angle to form a second coping joint there between. In various embodiments, the method also includes the step of altering the length of the transition element, for example, in some embodiments, by laterally severing the transition element into at least a first portion and a second portion, the first portion including the first end and the second portion including the second end; and inserting at least one extension element between the first portion and the second portion, or, in other embodiments, by laterally severing the transition element into at least first, second, and third portions, the first portion including the first end and the second portion having the second end, removing the third portion; and linearly abutting the first portion and the second portion.
The drawings are not necessarily to scale; instead, the drawings generally place emphasis on illustrative principles of the invention. The advantages of the invention can be better understood by reference to the description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
As mentioned above, various embodiments of the invention feature a paneling set that includes a transition element having two prefabricated coping profiles configured to mate with a span element at each end of the transition element, i.e. a single prefabricated transition element can be used to form two corners.
Referring to
Generally, configuration of the transition element 202, i.e. the shape of prefabricated coping profiles 208 and 210 disposed at each end of the transition element, determines whether the particular corner formed is an inside corner or an outside corner. Similarly, configuration of the span elements 204, 206 with regards to the shape of the respective ends 220, 222 of the span elements 204, 206 determines whether the particular corner formed is an inside corner or an outside corner. The ends 220, 222 of the span elements 204, 206 are oriented in such a fashion so that an imaginary line representing the longitudinal axis of either of the span elements 204, 206 would be substantially normal to the surface defined by the respective ends 220, 222. It follows that most joints formed by the paneling set 200 of the present invention will define ninety-degree turns between the transition element 202 and the span elements 204, 206.
In one embodiment, the transition element 202 and the span elements 204, 206 combine to form inside corners, in which the decorative faces 212 of the transition element 202 and the span elements 204, 206 face inward. In another embodiment, the transition element 202 and the span elements 204, 206 combine to form outside corners, in which the decorative face 212 of the transition element 202 and the span elements 204, 206 face outward.
The paneling elements of the present invention can be manufactured from a variety of materials, including metal, wood, stone, ceramic, plastic, and composite materials according to methods known in the art. In various embodiments, the elements are manufactured by compression or injection molding, with the molds being designed to reflect the desired shape of the elements, including the decorative face and coping profiles of the transition element. In one particular embodiment, the transition element and span elements are manufactured from a ceramic material. In another embodiment, the paneling elements comprise composite material including a plastic portion, such as, for example, polyester, and a metal portion defining the decorative surface, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,177,124, incorporated herein by reference. In other embodiments, the composite paneling set may include a plastic portion and a stone portion, wherein the stone portion defines the decorative surfaces of the respective elements of the paneling set.
Specifically, referring now to
When span elements 204, 206 are mated with respective coping profiles 208, 210 of the transition element 202, a corner joint is formed that is substantially smooth. In a particular embodiment of the invention, elements of the paneling set 200 employing outside coping profiles 208, 210 form a closed perimeter with the decorative faces 212, 216, 218 of the transition element 202 and span elements 204, 206 on the exterior of the perimeter.
In one embodiment of the invention, paneling elements are merely disposed adjacent to each other to form a paneling set. In another embodiment, the paneling elements are fastened to other paneling elements. In still another embodiment, the paneling elements are fastened to generally flat planar elements, like the exterior surface of a wall that has no walls adjacent to it or the exterior perimeter of a four-sided structure. In a particular embodiment, in which paneling elements contact a generally flat surface like a wall, the elements are configured to fit snugly against the surface and against other paneling elements.
Referring to
A pair of end portions 307 and 309 of the transition element 302 has coping profiles 308, 310 that are shaped and oriented to substantially coincide with the contour of the ends 320, 322 of the span elements 304, 306 in a desired perimeter configuration. In various versions of this embodiment, contours of the coping profiles 308, 310 lie in a plane that is coplanar with the inward-oriented face of the transition element 302 and perpendicular to the orientation of at least one of the span elements 304, 306, as shown in
In a particular version of this embodiment of the invention shown in
This aspect of the present invention obviates the need for a complicated and expensive manufacturing process for making the transition element 302. That is, the transition element 302 can be manufactured into a substantially linear element and still be coupled to a pair of span elements 304, 306, which is a vast improvement over attempts to manufacture a substantially U-shaped transition element for the same purpose.
In various embodiments of the invention, an installer may customize paneling elements to fit the area to be paneled by altering the distance between coping profiles of the transition element, while still using a single transition element and at least two span elements to form two corner joints. An installer may customize paneling installation either by cutting the transition element once and inserting at least one span element between the two disjoined ends, each with a coping profile, thereby increasing the distance between coping profiles. Another technique is to remove a middle portion of a transition element and joining the coping profiles thereby reducing the distance between coping profiles.
In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the rear faces of a transition element and a plurality of span elements may be substantially flat to engage a substantially planar surface such as an interior or exterior wall of a building in the case of, for example, a molding set. In one embodiment, in which the panel elements are freestanding, the rear faces of a transition element and a plurality of span elements do not contact a generally flat planar element.
In embodiments in which panel elements contact a generally flat planar element, the paneling elements may be affixed to the planar element or to each other using attachment means including but not limited to adhesives (glue, cement, grout, etc.), driven-force joint means (nails, screws, brads, tacks, pins, staples, etc.), or support means (brackets, braces, holders, etc.).
While the invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to specific illustrative embodiments, it should be understood that those skilled in the art can envision various modifications to those embodiments described above without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.
