[0022]The entire contents of Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/864,862, entitled: “SANITARY COVE MOLDING” filed on Nov. 8, 2006, including appendices, are incorporated herein by reference for all purposes.
[0023]In the following discussion, numerous specific details are set forth to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. However, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the present invention may be practiced without such specific details. In other instances, well-known elements have been illustrated in schematic or block diagram form in order not to obscure the present invention in unnecessary detail. Additionally, for the most part, details concerning installation procedures, materials, and the like, have been omitted to the extent that such details are not considered necessary to obtain a complete understanding of the present invention, and are considered to be within the understanding of persons of ordinary skill in the relevant art.
[0024]Turning now to FIG. 1, the reference numeral 100 generally indicates a sanitary cove molding system comprising a sanitary cove molding straight piece 102, a sanitary inside cove inside corner piece 104, and a sanitary outside cove outside corner piece 106. Straight pieces 102 can be used to cover the straight-edge transitions between floors and walls, and to cover the straight-edge transitions between two walls. Corner pieces 104, 106 can be used to cover 90-degree corners and 270-degree corners, respectively. Straight pieces 102 can be extruded in the desired shape, while corner pieces 104, 106 can be pressed into their desired shapes. Straight and corner pieces 102, 104, 106 are shaped to have edges of substantially the same thickness as adjacent floor and wall tile pieces, and are curved to provide a substantially seamless transition between a tile-covered floor and an adjacent tile-covered wall or between two adjacent tile-covered walls. The pieces of the sanitary cove molding system fit so as to provide a substantially continuous, flush surface extending between a tile-covered floor and an adjacent tile-covered wall, or between two adjacent tile-covered walls, with substantially no sharp corners or edges upon which dirt and microbes can accumulate. The resulting corners are easily cleaned with a wet mop, reducing the need for certain cleaning agents.
[0025]FIG. 1 illustrates straight piece 102 installed in a corner adjacent a first edge 204 of floor tile piece 202. Inside corner piece 104 is shown installed at one end of straight piece 102 and at one corner 205 of floor tile piece 202. Outside corner piece 106 is shown installed adjacent corner piece 104 and adjacent a second edge 206 of floor tile piece 202. Turning now to FIG. 1A, straight piece 102 is shown installed in a corner and adjacent a surface tile 202 along a first planar surface such as a floor, and adjacent a surface tile 210 installed along a second planar surface such as a wall. The view representing a corner between two adjacent walls would be substantially the same as shown in FIG. 1A, as the same technique applies. The customary gaps between the pieces can be filled with grout 208A, 208B, forming a substantially continuous, flush surface extending between a tile covered floor and an adjacent tile-covered wall, or between two adjacent tile-covered walls.
[0026]The pieces of the sanitary cove molding system can be fabricated from suitable materials such as ceramic, porcelain, synthetic stone, or other rigid, stone-like materials. The pieces of the sanitary cove molding system can be finished with a coat or glaze, as required, to obtain or further enhance certain desired properties of the sanitary cove molding pieces. One desired property of the sanitary cove molding pieces is imperviousness to microbial life. The substantially impervious sanitary cove molding pieces tend not to support microbial life, in part because the water absorption rate of the pieces is too low to permit introduction of microbes into the material of the cove molding pieces. The pieces meet the ASTM standard for impervious materials in which the rate of water absorption is less than 0.5 percent. This can be accomplished by utilizing an appropriate process for forming the body of each piece, and by careful selection of the material and or finish applied to each of the sanitary cove molding pieces. The pieces can be fired in such a way as to remove substantially all porosity from the material, thereby reducing the water absorption rate of the material and making the body of each piece substantially impervious to microbial life. The surface of each piece can be coated or glazed to impart a desired color to the piece and to seal the exposed surfaces of the pieces, thereby reducing the water absorption rate at the exposed surface of each piece and making the exposed surface of each piece substantially impervious to microbial life.
[0027]The pieces of the sanitary cove molding system can be used with a flooring system such as described in the attached Appendix A, describing a Porcelain Flooring System delivering a high performance, anti-microbial and easily maintained surface.
[0028]Turning now to FIG. 2, the straight piece 102 has length L and width W, and has edges 108A, 108B of substantially the same thickness as an adjacent floor or wall tile piece (not shown). A curved surface 110 extends transversely to the length L, and across width W, thereby interconnecting edge 108A and 108B. The exposed curved surface 110 and the edges 108A, 108B can be finished with a coating or glazing as described above to impart a color to the piece and to seal the surface against water absorption. End surfaces 112A, 112B and rear surface 114 need not be coated or glazed if these surfaces are generally not exposed when the piece 102 is installed in a tile flooring system. Similarly, corner pieces 104, 106 have exposed outer surfaces that can be coated or glazed to seal the surfaces against water absorption, and also have end surfaces and rear surfaces that need not be glazed if those surfaces are generally not exposed when the pieces 104, 106 are installed in a tile flooring system.
[0029]Turning now to FIG. 3A, a straight piece 102 is shown viewed from one end thereof, illustrating the edges 108A, 108B and the concave curved surface 110 extending therebetween. The piece 102 as shown rests on the rear, unexposed surface 114 of the straight piece 102, which can be shaped with small protruding areas 115A, 115B along rear surface 114 to enhance adhesion to a subsurface of a wall or floor during installation. The straight piece 102 has a cross-sectional profile that lends itself to extrusion fabrication techniques, having substantially the same cross section along the entire length of the piece 102.
[0030]Turning now to FIG. 3B, a straight piece 102′ is shown viewed from one end thereof, illustrating the edges 108A′, 108B′ and the concave curved surface 110′ extending therebetween. The piece 102′ as shown rests on the rear, unexposed surface 114′ of the straight piece 102′, which can be extruded with serrated longitudinal grooves 115′ to substantially increase adhesiveness important in securing the strait piece to a subsurface of a wall or floor during installation.
[0031]Turning now to FIG. 4A, the straight piece 102 is shown viewed from one end thereof, illustrating the edges 108A, 108B and the concave curved surface 110 extending therebetween. The piece 102 rests on corners between the edges 108A, 108B and exposed curved surface 110 of the straight piece 102. The profile of rear surface 114 can be seen to have generally planar surfaces 116A, 116B, which contain small protruding areas 115A, 115B, adjacent the edges 108A and 108B, respectively. The piece 102 can also have a substantially planar surface 118 interconnecting generally planar surfaces 116A, 116B.
[0032]Turning now to FIG. 4B, the straight piece 102′ is shown viewed from one end thereof, illustrating the edges 108A′, 108B′ and the concave curved surface 110′ extending therebetween. The piece 102 rests on corners between the edges 108A′, 108B′ and exposed curved surface 110′ of the straight piece 102′. The profile of rear surface 114′ can be seen to have a generally planar surfaces 116A′, 116B′ adjacent the edges 108A′ and 108B′, respectively. The piece 102′ can also have a substantially planar surface 118′ interconnecting generally planar surfaces 116A′, 116B′. The straight piece can be manufactured to include serrated longitudinal grooves 115A′, 115B′, 115C′ on the surfaces of 116A′, 116B′, 118′ to enhance adhesion to subsurface wall or floor during installation. A hollow center 111 can also be incorporated to reduce weight and amount of material used in manufacturing.
[0033]Turning now to FIG. 5, the straight piece 102 is shown standing vertically upon on an end surface 112 and in a corner between two adjacent walls, illustrating the fit of the piece in a vertical configuration.
[0034]Turning now to FIG. 6, an extended interior corner piece 300 is shown from the front with a view of exposed surfaces. Flange portions 302A and 302B extend outward for a substantial, non-trivial, distance from a central portion 303 and move edges 308A and 308B away from the corner between two walls behind the sanitary cove molding system. The flange portions 302A and 302B can serve several purposes. First, flange portions 302A and 302B may extend far enough from the central portion 303 to alter a center of gravity 320 of the extended interior corner piece 300 in such a way that a vertical axis 322, as shown in FIG. 6, through the center of gravity 320 is substantially normal to a plane 324 of the bottom surface. The axis 322 and the plane 324 can form a substantially 90-degree right angle. This may be true no matter how the extended corner piece 300 is situated. This structure can also provide additional stability to the extended interior corner piece 300, and this stability may make installation easier by allowing the corner piece 300 to lie flush against the floor and the walls without additional support. Second, by moving the edges 308A and 308B farther from the central portion 303, the extended interior corner piece 300 can become easier to clean during and after installation because the seams and edges 308A and 308B are not crowded within a small corner area where dirt and microbes may accumulate. Flange portion 302A may extend away from central portion 303 in a first direction along a first horizontal axis 326. Flange portion 302B may extend away from central portion 303 in a second direction along a second horizontal axis 328. The concave surfaces 310A, 310B and 310C may provide a smoother, continuous transition from floor to wall and wall to wall permitting cleaning utensils to reach previously tight areas. Finally, the extended interior corner piece 300 may allow for better planning in the installation process because, due to its improved stability, the corner molding piece 300 can be placed before the adjacent straight molding pieces. This can reduce the number of grout seams and gaps in the molding system altogether and improve the aesthetic value of the finished system. The exposed concave surfaces 310A, 310B, 310C, and upper edge 304A, 304B, 304C, and inner edge 306A, 306B of the extended corner piece 300 can be finished with a coat or glaze as described above to attain the desired coloring and to seal the surface against water absorption.
[0035]Referring now to FIG. 7, the extended interior corner piece 300 may have several portions with different dimensions. Flange portions 302A, 302B have lengths LA, LB and widths WA, WB and edges 304A, 304B, 306A, 306B of substantially the same thickness as an adjacent floor or wall tile piece (not shown). Curved surfaces 310A, 310B extend transversely to lengths LA, LB and across widths WA, WB thereby interconnecting edge 304A, 304B and 306A, 304B. Lengths LA and LB may or may not be substantially the same and widths WA and WB may or may not be substantially the same. In an embodiment, the curved surface 310C of central portion 303 rotates about a vertex 307 defined by the converging of inner edges 306A and 306B of the flange portions 302.
[0036]Turning now to FIG. 8, the extended interior corner piece 300 is shown from the bottom rear with a view of the surfaces 314A, 314B, 314C, 312A and 312B, disposed opposite concave surfaces 310, and configured to be fixed against the floor and walls. Bottom surfaces 312A and 312B may be substantially continuous horizontal surfaces corresponding to flange portions 302A and 302B, respectively, and adjacent to bottom front edges 306A and 306B, respectively. Rear surfaces 314A, 314B and 314C may be substantially vertical contiguous surfaces corresponding to flange portions 302A and 302B, and central portion 303, respectively, and adjacent to top edges 304A, 304B and 304C, respectively. There can be a cut-back portion 316 represented by the surfaces 316A, 316B and 316C along the length of the extended corner piece. Cut-back surfaces 316 may be substantially contiguous surfaces extending between and interconnecting bottom surfaces 312 and rear surfaces 314, and can allow the extended corner piece 300 to lie flush against the walls and floor, promoting an easier install even if the inside corners are not “truly” ninety degrees. Any remaining gaps between the extended inside corner piece 300 and the walls can be filled with portland cement based mortar. Additionally, the greater surface area of the bottom side of the extended corner piece 300, shown by the surfaces 312A and 312B, may substantially contribute to the improved stability and to the benefits of such stability discussed above. No coating or glaze should be applied to this side of the extended corner piece 300, specifically surfaces 314A, 314B, 314C, surfaces 312A, 312B, and surfaces 316A, 316B, 316C, since it remains unexposed and requires a rougher texture for adhesion purposes.
[0037]Turning now to FIG. 9, the sanitary cove molding system is illustrated from a perspective view as assembled with a floor piece 202, two wall pieces 210A and 210B, a vertical straight piece 102C, horizontal straight pieces 102A and 102B, an outside corner piece 106, and an interior corner piece 300. All molding pieces installed together can provide a smooth and continuous transition from floor to wall and wall to wall, and a polished inward curve rotating about the corner portion of the molding system.
[0038]Turning now to FIG. 10, as in FIG. 9, the sanitary cove molding system is illustrated from an exploded perspective view showing the following components: a floor piece 202, two wall pieces 210A and 210B, a vertical straight piece 102C, two horizontal straight pieces 102A and 102B, an outside corner piece 106, and an extended interior corner piece 300.
[0039]Turning now to FIG. 11A-11C, a sanitary outside cove 106 may be configured as an L-Shaped unit with a top edge 120, a front edge 122, a bottom surface 124 and a back surface 126. The back surface 126 lies adjacent to the top edge 120 and the bottom surface 124 lies adjacent to the front edge 122. A concave surface 128 extends transversely from the front edge 122 to the top edge 120. A rear cut-back 130 surface may be substantially contiguous surface portions extending between and interconnecting bottom surface portions 124 and rear surface portions 126. As described above with respect to sanitary inside cove inside corner piece 300, the cut-back portions allow the outside corner piece to lie flush against a wall and a floor without obstruction. The top and front edges 120, 122 and the concave surface 128 are exposed and can be treated with a coating or glaze to achieve the desired color and to seal the surface against water absorption.
[0040]Having thus described the present invention by reference to certain of its preferred embodiments, it is noted that the embodiments disclosed are illustrative rather than limiting in nature and that a wide range of variations, modifications, changes, and substitutions are contemplated in the foregoing disclosure and, in some instances, some features of the present invention may be employed without a corresponding use of the other features. Many such variations and modifications may be considered desirable by those skilled in the art based upon a review of the foregoing description of preferred embodiments. Accordingly, it is appropriate that the appended claims be construed broadly and in a manner consistent with the scope of the invention.
