Static structures (e.g. – buildings) – Conduit – trim – or shield member at corner – With mechanical fastener
Reexamination Certificate
2000-09-05
2001-11-20
Friedman, Carl D. (Department: 3635)
Static structures (e.g., buildings)
Conduit, trim, or shield member at corner
With mechanical fastener
C052S288100, C052S211000, C052S408000, C052S717040, C052S717050, C052S716100
Reexamination Certificate
active
06318039
ABSTRACT:
CROSS-REFERENCES
There are no applications related to this application filed in this or any foreign country.
BACKGROUND
During building and home construction, the finishing of cornice or crown moldings is a difficult, expensive and time-consuming process. The finishing process of both inside and outside cornice or crown molding corners experience similar difficulties. In both cases, two segments of molding having ends which typically meet but do not touch at the corner must be provided with a visually aesthetic finish. The area between the molding segments must be finished in a manner that results in the appearance of a smooth and unbroken molding which wraps about the inside or outside corner without a break, gap or discontinuity.
The prior art method of finishing such gaps between cornice or crown molding elements is to fill the gap area with drywall mud and to allow the mud to set-up. Once sufficiently hardened to work with, a skilled tradesman is required to carve, sand and polish the set drywall mud to conform with the appearance of the cornice or crown molding segments on either side of the gap. Due to the nature of the aesthetic pattern on the surface of many such moldings, as well as the nature of the thin and sharp corner required, it is typically the case that even the work of the best craftsman still results in noticeable imperfections.
A less labor-intensive method seen in the prior art is to use decorative molding corner caps. Such caps totally enclose the area of intersection between two cornice or crown molding segments, and thereby hide the gap area between the two segments. Unfortunately, there are several problems with this method as well. First, different decorative molding corner caps would be required for each cornice or crown molding pattern. Second, different molding corner caps would be required for inside and outside corners, and for corners of any angle other than 90 or 270 degrees. Third, unless the corner cap is made of the same material as the cornice or crown molding, the appearance is somewhat degraded. And fourth, due to the size of the corner cap, which must necessarily be larger than the molding segments, some aesthetic degradation results. This is because the smooth and continuous lines of a first molding segment do not directly continue with the second molding segment, but instead are broken by the molding cap.
For the foregoing reasons, there is a need for a cornice or crown molding accessory that is economical to use, that allows rapid formation of the finish between two segments of cornice or crown molding and that results in a level of finish that is aesthetically pleasing and superior to that which is achieved by prior art methods.
SUMMARY
The present invention is directed to an apparatus that satisfies the above needs. A novel cornice or crown molding finishing accessory is disclosed that is economical to use, that allows rapid formation of the finish between two segments of cornice or crown molding by relatively unskilled workers and that results in a level of finish that is aesthetically pleasing and superior to that which is achieved by prior art methods.
The cornice or crown molding accessory
10
of the present invention provides some or all of the following elements.
(A) Mirror-image first and second facade-creating flanges
20
,
40
are made of a thin, yet rigid film, and are joined at a vertex
60
. The flanges have a surface configuration defining a molding-conforming curve that is keyed to the cornice or crown molding being used. That is, a lengthwise cross-sectional view of the facade-creating flanges has the same appearance as the outer surface of the molding segment.
(B) In one embodiment of the cornice or crown molding accessory, an anchor element
80
extends from the vertex, along a line of symmetry between the first and second flanges, where it may be inserted into the gap formed between the first and second molding segments. A first embodiment of the anchor element is made of substantially flat sheet material.
A second embodiment of the anchor element is formed by sheet material bent into a wave configuration, i.e. a cross-sectional view of the anchor element resembles a sine wave. The first and second molding segments should be installed in a manner that results in less distance between their respective cut ends than is present between the upper and lower portions of the wave. As a result, when the wave shaped anchor element is inserted between the molding segments, the wave is somewhat compressed. Due to the compression, the wave crests are biased against the cut end surfaces of the first and second molding segments, thereby holding the anchor element and therefore the entire cornice or crown molding accessory
10
in place.
The method of using the cornice or crown molding accessory
10
of the present invention includes some or all of the following steps.
(A) First and second cornice or crown molding segments are installed on adjacent walls at the ceiling of a room. The cut end surfaces of the segments are oriented at approximately 45 degrees to the length of each segment, and are separated from each other by a small gap.
(B) Where the molding segments form an inside corner, an inside corner accessory
11
is selected, and where the molding segments form an outside corner an outside corner accessory
12
is selected.
(C) When used, an anchor element
80
is inserted into the gap between the end surfaces of the molding segments. Where the anchor element is of the type having a wave configuration, the wave elements are pressed against the end surfaces of the molding segments, thereby maintaining the position of the entire molding accessory.
(D) A very thin layer of drywall “mud” is brushed over the first and second facade-creating flanges of the molding accessory. Due to the tapered end portions of the flanges, the thin layer of mud results in an attractive, uniform and continuous appearance.
(E) The molding segments and drywall mud covered molding accessory may then be painted or otherwise finished, as desired.
It is therefore a primary advantage of the present invention to provide a novel cornice or crown molding accessory that allows rapid formation of the finish between two segments of cornice or crown molding by relatively unskilled workers.
Another advantage of the present invention is to provide a novel cornice or crown molding accessory is disclosed that is economical to use.
A still further advantage of the present invention is to provide a novel cornice or crown molding accessory is disclosed that results in a level of finish that is aesthetically pleasing and superior to that which is achieved by prior art methods.
Other objectives, advantages and novel features of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon examination of the specification and the accompanying drawings.
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patent: 3707061 (1972-12-01), Collette et al.
patent: 3956861 (1976-05-01), Rasmussen
patent: 5001877 (1991-03-01), Edwards
patent: 5199237 (1993-04-01), Juntunen
patent: 5544463 (1996-08-01), Bergin
patent: 5592797 (1997-01-01), Logan et al.
patent: 5651224 (1997-07-01), Brabant
patent: 5802790 (1998-09-01), Lamont et al.
patent: 5809718 (1998-09-01), Wicks
Thompson Scott
Watson Tom
Friedman Carl D.
Nguyen Chi
Thompson David S.
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