Static structures (e.g. – buildings) – In situ attached-type channel or trim strip
Reexamination Certificate
1999-10-19
2001-09-11
Cuomo, Peter M. (Department: 3636)
Static structures (e.g., buildings)
In situ attached-type channel or trim strip
C052S287100, C052S288100, C052S718050
Reexamination Certificate
active
06286286
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for mounting architectural moldings.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Architectural moldings are used in the construction of all residential and commercial buildings. They are used to cover gaps in construction associated with the joining of walls with ceilings, floors, doors, and windows; and are also used for decorative purposes.
There are various existing methods of attaching molding to flat surfaces with the most common being, nailing, stapling, screwing and gluing. In all of the common methods of attaching molding, the desired result is a semi-permanent installation. With the exception of gluing on molding, most of the methods of installing molding involve penetration by nails, staples, screws or other fasteners through the front face of the molding. As a result, the surface of the molding is blemished. In order to hide the blemish, the nail, staple or screw is covered by a filler material and the front face of the molding is refinished.
Once molding is attached with the above methods, and it needs to be removed, there is normally some form of damage sustained by the molding during removal. Since the molding has to be pried and pulled from the flat surface there is commonly cracking, breaking or disfiguring of the molding material. When the molding is replaced the same process as was originally used to put the molding on must be employed.
The attaching of molding by gluing does not involve penetration that would blemish the front face of the molding. However, as with the above described methods of attachment, the glued molding is hard to remove. During removal of the molding damage is invariably sustained to both the molding and the surface to which the molding was glued.
The above described difficulties in removing moldings arise every time renovations are undertaken that involve painting, wallpapering, or refinishing walls, or modifying floor coverings. In order to avoid removing moldings, people will apply masking or shielding on the molding when jobs such as painting of walls are undertaken. This procedure dramatically increases the amount of labor, and consequently the cost, associated with the renovation. Even with masking, care is required in order to avoid getting paint on the molding.
In order to avoid the above described problems some removable molding systems have been developed. U.S. Pat. No. is 5,467,571 granted to Khatibi describes the use of a round headed screw which engages with a female snap component. The design was meant to be reversible in roles where the round headed screw could be fastened to the back face of the molding or to the face of the flat mounting surface. In either case the female snap component would be attached to the opposite piece. The main problem with Khatibi's design is that most molding is so thin that whether the round headed screw is screwed into the molding or the female component is set into the molding it would adversely affect the strength characteristics of the molding. In order for the female component to be imbedded completely into the molding, the molding must be sufficiently thick that the integrity of the molding is not compromised. There will be a similar problem with installation of the round headed screw, due to the depth that the shank of the screw must penetrate the molding. The screw tends to promote splitting or splintering of thin molding. There are other problems also associated with the Khatibi design. A number of different tools are required to complete the installation. The craftsman installing the female component has to be very exact while drilling holes into the mounting surfaces, so as to allow proper mating of the male and female components. U.S. Pat. No. 5,711,123 granted to Lamont et al is characterized by an elongate channel recessed into the front face of the moulding. The channel is adapted to releasably retain an elongate strip-like panel. The channel is defined by upper and lower side walls and a recessed floor. The side walls partly occlude the mouth of the channel and serve to retain the panel within the channel. This design is both expensive to make and expensive to install. There are a limited number of moldings that can be manufactured in
1
accordance with the teachings of Lamont et al. The main reason for this is that most of the existing molding available is so thin that its integrity will be severely compromised.
Canadian Patent Application 2,142,384 by David M. Simonar entitled “Molding Fastener System” disclosed a molding fastener system that utilized snap fasteners. The system addressed a number of problems in the prior art in that it had a compact profile that could be used with thinner styles of molding. The problem with the system was that it involved too many component pieces and, as such, was labour intensive to install.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
What is required is an alternative form of architectural molding fastener system.
According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a method for mounting architectural moldings. A molding is provided with a retaining groove. A two part fastener is provided having a female portion and a male portion. The female portion is asymmetrical with a first width in a first direction that is less than a narrowest width of the retaining groove and a second width in a second direction larger than the narrowest width of the retaining groove. The female portion is inserted into the retaining groove when oriented in the first direction. The female portion is then rotated within the retaining groove until the female portion is wedged in the retaining groove in the second direction and thereby precluded from removal. The male portion is mounted to a surface prior to mating with the female portion.
The method, as described above, provides a simple and unobtrusive mode of attachment for the molding that can easily be detached when required to facilitate household maintenance. Unlike the previous system by Simonar the insertion of the female portions of the two part fasteners into the retaining groove can be performed rapidly.
Although beneficial results may be obtained through the use of the method, as described above, manually exerting a force to rotate the female portions can be awkward. Even more beneficial results may, therefore, be obtained when the female portion has a surface profile that accommodates a tool and permits the female portion to be rotated by the tool like a rotatable fastener. This saves wear and tear on the installers fingers and permits more torque to be applied.
Although beneficial results may be obtained through the use of the method, as described above, if a force of sufficient magnitude acted upon the female portion of the two part fastener, it would be dislodged from the retaining groove. Even more beneficial results may, therefore, be obtained when the retaining groove is a dovetail groove having a base portion that defines a maximum width and a terminus of converging sidewalls that define a narrowest width. It is much more difficult to dislodge the female portion from such a dove-tail groove.
Although beneficial results may be obtained through the use of the method, as described above, the holding effect of the dovetail groove can be even further enhanced when the female portion of the two part fastener has sidewalls which converge inwardly from a first face toward a second face. The first face has a width substantially corresponding to the maximum width of the dovetail retaining groove. The second face has a width substantially corresponding to the narrowest width of the dovetail retaining groove.
Although beneficial results may be obtained through the use of the method, as described above, there is a need to fasten moldings securely where they abut. Even more beneficial results may, therefore, be obtained when the moldings are connected by inserting a connecting member into the retaining grooves at a first end of a first molding and at a second end of a second molding. It will be appreciated that the connecting member can be lin
Christensen O'Connor Johnson & Kindness PLLC
Cuomo Peter M.
Vu Stephen
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