Static structures (e.g. – buildings) – Intersection of wall to floor – ceiling – roof – or another wall – Sustainer coextensive with junction of panels or modules
Reexamination Certificate
1999-02-26
2001-07-10
Friedman, Carl D. (Department: 3635)
Static structures (e.g., buildings)
Intersection of wall to floor, ceiling, roof, or another wall
Sustainer coextensive with junction of panels or modules
C052S282100, C052S311100, C052S312000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06256953
ABSTRACT:
The present invention relates to a finishing profile device or “molding” comprising at least a first support strip designed to be fixed on a support structure, and a “visible” strip designed to be visible when the molding is in place on said support structure. Said visible strip comprises first and second side portions of strip shape, at least the first side portion extending over the first support strip being held spaced apart therefrom by first spacer means once the molding has been put into place on said support structure so as to define at least a first side housing suitable for receiving the side margin of an element such as a panel for covering the support structure.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
A finishing device of that type is known from the French patent published in the name of the Applicant under the No. 2 700 568. The support structure on which the molding is to be fixed can be a wall or a ceiling, for example. For covering this type of structure, it is known to use covering panels, e.g. made of flat shaped pieces that are assembled to one another by means of a tongue and groove system. The finishing device serves to provide the transition between panels, in particular along edges or in corners formed by the support structure.
The above-specified French patent proposes a device which in fact comprises three molding structures: two support moldings and one covering molding. The support moldings are fixed to the structure, while the covering molding is designed to cover the support moldings while holding captive the edge corresponding to at least one covering panel. The molding device can be disposed so as to present a plane surface or a surface shaped to have a concave angle or a convex angle. The device disclosed in French patent No. 2 700 568 gives satisfaction, but it suffers from the drawback of leaving its user with no freedom in selecting the decoration of the visible strip.
Naturally, the manufacturer can propose in its range of products finishing moldings that are of different colors or, more generally, that are of different appearances, in general with matching covering panels also being proposed. Nevertheless, the user may desire to use the molding to obtain an appearance effect that is set off from that of the covering panel, e.g. to make a contrasting cornice or a finishing frieze of a color that contrasts with that of the covering panels.
OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide an improved finishing molding which, while remaining simple from the points of view of manufacture and laying on a support, provides the user with a much wider range of options concerning the final appearance that can be obtained by putting the molding into place.
According to the invention:
at least the visible strip is made of transparent plastics material;
the first spacer means comprise a first spacer flank which extends substantially perpendicularly relative to said first side portion in a region of the device which is situated between said side portion and the first support strip;
the device has a first link strip and a closure element, said first link strip extending between the free margin of the first side portion of the visible strip and the margin of the first spacer flank which is adjacent to said first side portion, while the closure element has a strip which is connected to the free margin of the second side portion of the visible strip;
once the device has been put into place on the support structure, the first side portion and the first link strip form two substantially parallel portions of a first fold extending over the first support strip, while the second side portion and the strip of the closure element form two substantially parallel portions of a second fold;
the device has a housing for decoration formed beneath the visible face and extending over substantially the entire width thereof between the first and second folds, said housing for decoration being suitable for containing a decorative insert in the form of a strip such that the side margin portions of said insert are respectively inserted in the first and second folds; and
the first and second folds form respective first and second holding means suitable for holding said side margin portions of such a decorative insert in place.
It will be understood that the molding of the invention and of the above structure makes it possible to achieve the above-specified object. For a given application, the manufacturer can propose a single range of finishing moldings, leaving the user free to choose any type of decorative insert to achieve a desired visual effect. While being of a structure that is simple to manufacture, the molding is suitable for containing and holding a decorative insert in the form of strip such that the insert is visible at the visible face since this face, at least, is transparent. Insofar as the first link strip and the strip of the closure element extend beneath the visible strip, the housing for decoration is closed once the device has been put into place on the support structure (the ends of the device are closed, for example, respectively by the floor and by the ceiling when the molding is put into place vertically on a wall). The decorative insert can thus be removed only if the device itself is removed from the support structure, and that prevents any unwanted handling, e.g. by a child. The particular construction of the device (in particular the presence and the disposition of the first and second folds) makes its possible to form means that hold the decorative insert and thus to ensure that the insert is properly positioned against the inside face of the visible strip, regardless of whether the molding is placed in a situation where its visible face is plane or is shaped to have a concave angle or a convex angle.
Thus, with a small range of moldings, the manufacturer can offer a very wide variety of decorative inserts for the user to choose. The inserts can be constituted, for example, by strips of paper or by thin strips of plastic, on which it is much easier to provide decoration in the form of drawings and of given colors than it is on moldings of the type disclosed in French patent No. 2 700 568.
Advantageously, the first link strip and/or the strip of the closure element is connected to the corresponding side portion by a local zone of reduced thickness forming a hinge.
This hinge makes it possible to open the housing for the decoration, at least in part, so as to facilitate inserting the decorative insert into the molding.
It is extremely advantageous to provide two hinges, respectively connecting the first link strip and the strip of the closure element to the side portions of the visible strip, thereby making it possible to open both folds together, thereby making it even easier to position the decorative insert. It then suffices to press it against the inside face of the visible strip before folding down the first link strip and the strip of the closure element against the rear face of the insert in order to hold it in place against said inside face.
It should also be observed that these hinges can be useful during manufacture of the molding. The first link strip and the strip of the closure element normally extend a very small distance (about 1 mm to 3 mm) away from the side portions of the visible strip (the folds are almost flattened). If the molding is extruded while it is in this “normal” position, and if this distance is indeed very small, then there is a risk that the folds will tend to stick together before the structure of the molding has finally stabilized and cooled down. By having hinges present, it is possible to extrude the molding in a situation where it is “open”, i.e. in which the link strip and the strip of the closure element are further away from the side portions of the visible strip than they will be in their “normal” in-use position.
The invention can be embodied in two preferred variants. Thus, in the first variant, the closure element comprises a second link strip, a second support strip, and a second
A Phi Dieu Tran
Friedman Carl D.
Grosfillex S.A.R.L.
Wolf Greenfield & Sacks P.C.
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