Stock material or miscellaneous articles – Hollow or container type article
Reexamination Certificate
2000-07-24
2001-11-20
Thomas, Alexander S. (Department: 1772)
Stock material or miscellaneous articles
Hollow or container type article
C428S038000, C428S067000, C428S138000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06319572
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to decorative structural members, including panels, such as stained glass windows, mosaic walls, and the like, and is more particularly concerned with a novel arrangement of glass beads such as marbles or similar spheroids arranged in a matrix or framework to provide an attractive visual effect. As the term is used here, a decorative structural panel would be understood to mean a marble wall, mosaic panel, or a sturdy member of the type suitable for use in construction or for ornamentation in architecture. An embodiment of the invention is more specifically directed to a curved marble wall or curved decorative structural panel, e.g., for use as a corner or as an S-profile wall, for example. According to other aspects, the curved member can have a more complex curved shape, and can be incorporated into a bowl, vase, lamp shade, or basket, for example.
Stained glass windows and walls are traditionally constructed of colored glass sections that are joined together to one another by lead strips. These stained glass constructions consume a large quantity of skilled labor and expensive colored glass to construct, and it is difficult to effect repairs if any of the glass breaks. Other panels, such as those constructed of transparent or translucent colored plastic, have to be constructed in large quantities to obtain manufacturing economies. Further, if these plastic panels are needed as structural architectural panels, e.g., for outdoor use or as part of a wall, they require significant modifications to make them sufficiently durable and rigid.
The term “structural panel” generally applies to building panels that are suitable for use as a component of a building structure, such as a wall formed of marbles. Structural panels and structural wall panels are designed to maintain their structural integrity in use as a building wall or similar structure, and to have rugged features such as ability to withstand wind and weather, cleaning, and handling. Decorative structural panels and architectural panels are intended to be used, for example, where a builder or building contractor would otherwise incorporate into the building a stained-glass window, sand-blasted plate glass, mosaic wall, or other architectural ornamentation. The panels should also be able to be installed like plate glass as a building wall or as a part of the building. The structural architectural panels of this invention can be made as custom architectural panels that are considerably less expensive than traditional stained glass, and can be considered as “contemporary stained glass windows.”
A flat screen or panel of this general type, in which an array of colored marbles are sandwiched between front and back apertured grids, is described in my earlier U.S. Pat. No. 5,441,777, the contents of which are incorporated by reference herein.
To date, no practical means have been proposed for constructing a marble wall or other similar transparent or translucent structural panel that is curved about some axis so as to have a finite radius of curvature. That is, no marble wall or the like has been constructed as a corner piece in which the shape curves gently around a corner. It is not possible simply to bend a flat marble wall into a cylindrical shape or a shape having a C- or S-shaped profile. Similarly, no complex curved shape has been accomplished using an array of marbles sandwiched between front and back apertured grids, such as a spherical shape (i.e., dome), or a conic shape.
OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of this invention to provide a structural member that achieves a visual effect that was not possible in the prior art.
It is a more specific object of this invention to structural or architectural panel or member which incorporates transparent or translucent elements that play on the aesthetic effects of light in the environment.
It is a more particular object to provide a curved structural panel that carries the visual effect of the panel continuously around a curve about at least one axis of curvature.
In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, a curved decorative structural member, such as a panel is constructed of an array of bead members (e.g., glass marbles) that are sandwiched between front and rear grids. The front and rear grids have openings in register with the corresponding openings of the other grid and retain respective ones of the bead members. Spacer members are situated between the front and rear grids to hold the grids in position. The spacer members each have a predetermined length to define a spacing distance between the grids so to accommodate the bead members. The front and rear grids are each curved about an axis of curvature, such that there is a first radius of curvature for the front grid and a second radius of curvature for the rear grid. The spacer members generally define the difference between the first and second radii of curvature. The geometry of the grids is such that respective separations between the openings in each of said front and rear grids vary relative one to the other in an inverse relation with radius of curvature. This keeps the bead members, e. g., marbles, in the proper relationship to one another over the curved portions of the panel. There can be more than one axis of curvature, e.g., for an S-shaped profile, and these can be changing axes of curvature, or axes of curvature in different planes, if it is desired to create a more complex curved shape, such as spheric, ovoid, toroidal, or conic.
In a preferred embodiment, the marbles or glass spheroids are translucent and of assorted colors, and are arranged in a representational or non-representational design in the manner of a mosaic. This can be illuminated from the back side for a dramatic effect.
The grid openings can be rectangular, either square or oblong, circular, or a polygonal shape, such as a pentagon, a hexagon or an octagon. In a preferred embodiment there are corresponding lands situated between successive openings in each of the front and rear grids, and the widths of the lands are selected to align the grid openings with respect to the curve. For a given axis of curvature, these lands for the front and rear grids have widths in an approximate ratio of (1+s/r
1
) where s is the spacing distance of the spacer member and r
1
is the radius of curvature for the front grid.
The spacer members can include a tubular member having a bore to accept a threaded fastener. The threaded fastener can be a screw or bolt that passes through the spacer member and receives a nut, or can itself be threaded to receive screws through each of the grids.
In other embodiments, the decorative structural panel can take the shape of a cone or a portion of a cone, in which case there are outer and inner conic grids, with spacer elements and an array of glass spheroids sandwiched between the outer and inner grids. The outer and inner grids can have the same axis, and may have the same or different conic angles.
The grid members are favorably sheets of aluminum, brass, steel, or another durable metal. However, the invention is not limited to metal grids, and grids made of other materials, for example, plastics, could be employed.
The above and many other objects, features, and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the ensuing description of several preferred embodiments, which should be read in conjunction with the accompanying Drawing.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2429379 (1947-10-01), Swain
patent: 5441777 (1995-08-01), Howell
Molldrem, Jr. Bernhard P.
Thomas Alexander S.
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