Patent Application
20060130413
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a baseboard, and more particularly, but not by way of limitation, to a lightweight baseboard with improved venting for a floor assembly.
2. Brief Description of the Related Art
Certain types of sports floors, such as would be found in a gymnasium, are constructed so that the floor absorbs impact forces. As such, the floors are often made of wood and supported above a concrete slab with a plurality of shock absorbers. The shock absorbers function as spacers thereby creating a space between the floor and the concrete slab. While the space allows the floor to flex and absorb impact forces, the space is also an ideal location for moisture to collect. The moisture may then be absorbed by the wood floor and cause the floor to swell which can affect the performance of the floor and shorten its life. Therefore, it is desirable to provide ventilation to the space between the floor and the concrete slab to eliminate the accumulation of moisture.
Baseboards for covering expansion gaps at the intersection of a vertical wall and a floor are well known. Many baseboards are designed to be adhered to the wall so as not to provide any ventilation between the baseboard and the wall. However, baseboard units have been suggested which have included small, round vents in the backside of the baseboard for air circulation beneath the floor. While such baseboards have been met with success, they nevertheless often provide inadequate ventilation beneath the floor, are expensive to transport, and difficult to handle.
To this end, a need exists for a baseboard that provides adequate ventilation beneath the floor, is contoured to facilitate the application of adhesive thereby preventing excess adhesive from smearing or bleeding onto exposed surfaces of the wall, is mar-resistant and/or mar-masking, and lightweight. It is to such an improved baseboard that the present invention is directed.
Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to
A plurality of spacers or shock absorbers 34 are illustrated supporting the sub-flooring 16 in a spaced apart relation with respect to the base 14. The shock absorbers 34 are connected to the bottom surface of the first layer of plywood 22 at an equal center-to-center distance. By way of example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,742,312, which is expressly incorporated herein by reference, discloses a type of shock absorber 34 used in conjunction with the present invention. However, it will be appreciated that any configuration of spacer or shock absorber may be used to support the sub-flooring 16.
The baseboard 19 is illustrated positioned over at least a portion of the floor 18 and the wall 12 to cover the expansion gap 30 while providing sufficient air-flow (represented by arrows 36a and 36b) to and from the floor gap 20 to prevent the accumulation of moisture on the underside of the floor 18. The baseboard 19 is a substantially L-shaped body characterized as having a toe portion 38 and a wall portion 40. The wall portion 40 includes a front side 42, a back side 44, an upper end 46, and a lower end 48. The baseboard 19 further includes an outer beveled edge 50 (
Shown in
A wall contact surface 56 extends between each ventilation channel 52 for engaging the wall 12 upon the application of a suitable adhesive to the wall contact surfaces 56. Each wall contact surface 56 is substantially rectangular in shape. As a result of the increase in flow area created by the ventilation channels 52, the area of the wall contact surface 56 is reduced. To compensate for the reduction in the area of the wall contact surface 56, each wall contact surface 56 includes a plurality of adhesive gripping grooves 58 formed therethrough for receiving adhesive. Shown in
The baseboard 19 is formed into a one piece unit using conventional manufacturing processes, such as, injection molding and is preferably constructed of thermoplastic elastomer injected with a foaming agent to provide a durable, lightweight baseboard 19 having a tear strength of approximately 800 pounds per square inch and a weight of approximately 0.83 pounds per linear foot, whereby a case of 16 baseboards of the present invention weighs less than about 55 pounds thereby reducing shipping costs and potential injuries resulting from lifting and/or moving cases of baseboards.
During manufacturing, the material may be heated within a temperature range of about 340° F. to about 360° F., and preferably heated to a temperature of about 350° F. causing flow lines (not shown) to be created throughout the baseboard 19. The flow lines provide a marbled appearance which hides evidence of mars from a distance of up to about two feet.
From the above description it is clear that the present invention is well adapted to carry out the objects and to attain the advantages mentioned herein as well as those inherent in the invention. While a presently preferred embodiment of the invention has been described for purposes of this disclosure, it will be understood that numerous changes may be made which will readily suggest themselves to those skilled in the art and which are accomplished within the spirit of the invention disclosed and as defined in the appended claims.
