System Comprising a Skirting Board and at Least One Fixing Element - Patent application

Abstract

A system of a skirting board (1) and at least one fixing element (2) for connecting the skirting board (1) to a floor (P) and an adjacent wall (S), the fixing element (2) comprising a rigid part (3) immovably fixed to the wall (S) and a resilient assembly (4) engaging with the skirting board (1), the skirting board (1) comprising an internal shelf (7) extending towards the fixing element (2), the resilient assembly (4) comprising at least one resilient arm (6) extending parallel to the wall (S) and adapted to resiliently flex parallel to the wall (S), said at least one resilient arm protruding obliquely from the rigid part towards the floor and having a free end (6'), said shelf comprising a coupling protrusion (8) adapted to be snapped onto said free end, whereby the coupling protrusion is pressed by the at least one resilient arm in a direction different from the horizontal, in particular in a direction selected from the group comprising a vertical direction and a direction inclined relative to both the wall and the floor.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a system of a skirting board and at least one fastening element for engaging the skirting board to a floor and an adjacent wall. [Background technology]

[0002] From DE 10 200 03 133 A1 a skirting board is known having an outer element in the form of a two-arm profile with a base that rests on the floor and which is connectable to an inner element by means of a click joint, which is formed by a downwardly angled V-shaped end of the downwardly curved base of the inner element and an upward projection arranged on the base of the outer element, the shape of which corresponds to the end.

[0003] During engagement of the inner and outer elements of the skirting board described in the '162 patent, not only does the base of the elastic inner element tend to deflect from the floor, but its upright arms also partially deflect from the wall, which is disadvantageous as it reduces the pressure exerted by the outer element against the wall and can cause improper positioning / installation of the skirting board. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Polish Patent No. 214851 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] The object of the present invention is to provide a system of a skirting board and at least one fixing element that ensures a secure attachment of the skirting board, whereby the skirting board is firmly pressed against both the wall and the floor. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] According to the invention, a system of a baseboard and at least one fixing element is provided, the system being designed for connecting the baseboard to a floor and an adjacent wall, the fixing element comprising a rigid part immovably fixed to the wall and a resilient assembly engaging with the baseboard, the baseboard comprising an internal shelf extending towards the fixing element.

[0007] The system according to the invention is characterized in that the elastic assembly comprises at least one elastic arm extending parallel to the wall and adapted to elastically flex parallel to the wall, said at least one elastic arm protruding obliquely from the rigid part towards the floor and having a free end, and said shelf comprises a coupling protrusion adapted to be snapped onto said free end, whereby said coupling protrusion is pressed in a direction other than horizontal by the at least one elastic arm.

[0008] Preferably, the coupling projection is biased by at least one resilient arm in a direction selected from the group consisting of a vertical direction and a direction inclined relative to the wall.

[0009] Preferably, the resilient assembly includes two resilient arms protruding in a bifurcated manner from the rigid portion toward the floor.

[0010] Preferably, the skirting board connecting projection comprises a sloped inner surface and a sloped outer surface, so that the skirting board connecting projection has an inverted V-shaped cross-section.

[0011] In a preferred variant, the free end of at least one resilient arm comprises an inclined guide surface adapted to slide over the inclined outer surface of said coupling projection during engagement of the baseboard, and an inclined contact surface adapted to press over the inclined inner surface of the coupling projection when engaging the baseboard.

[0012] Optionally, the free end of at least one resilient arm comprises an inclined guide surface adapted to slide over the inclined outer surface of said coupling projection during engagement of the baseboard, and two inclined contact surfaces adapted to press against the inclined inner surface of said coupling projection and against the inclined outer surface of said coupling projection, respectively, during engagement of the baseboard.

[0013] In the system according to the invention, the elastic assembly of the fixing element exerts a force on the skirting board in a direction inclined or perpendicular to the wall, and since the rigid part of the fixing element is immovably fixed to the wall and the elastic arms can only bend parallel to the wall and essentially not in any other direction, there is no risk of the fixing element being deflected away from the wall during engagement of the skirting board, weakening the connection.

[0014] An embodiment of the system according to the invention is shown in the drawings. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0015] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a system according to a first embodiment of the invention prior to engagement of a skirting board. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a partial cross-sectional view of the system of FIG. 1 taken along a wall. [Diagram 3] 1A-1D are front views of a fixation element of a system according to a first embodiment of the invention in a relaxed and tensioned state. [Figure 4] FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a fixing element of a system according to a second embodiment of the invention. [Figure 5a] FIG. 11 is a front view of a fixing element of a system according to a third embodiment of the invention. [Figure 5b] FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a fixing element of a system according to a third embodiment of the invention. [Figure 6a] FIG. 3 is a partial cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 2 with a fixation element according to a fourth embodiment of the system of the invention. [Figure 6b] FIG. 6b is a perspective view of the fixing element of FIG. 6a. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0016] In the embodiment shown in figures 1 and 2, the system according to the invention comprises a skirting board 1 (part of which can be seen in figure 1) and one fixing element 2. Depending on the length of the skirting board, the number of fixing elements 2 can be any. The fixing element 2 comprises a rigid part 3 which is immovably fixed to the wall S, and an elastic assembly 4. The rigid part 3 can have any suitable shape, as long as it is suitable for attachment to the wall S. The rigid part 3 has an opening 5 which allows the fixing element 2 to be attached to the wall S, for example by means of a screw. In this embodiment, the elastic assembly 4 comprises two elastic arms 6 with a longitudinal axis X (shown in figure 3), which project in a bifurcated manner from the rigid part 3 towards the floor P and have free ends 6'. The elastic arms 6 extend parallel to the wall S and can be elastically deflected parallel to the wall S, essentially without being moved in any other direction. This means in particular that the longitudinal axis X of the elastic arms 6 forms a substantially obtuse angle in a plane parallel to the wall, whereby the elastic arms 6 can only be deflected parallel to the wall. As a result, the elastic arm 6 cannot deflect "towards" or "away from" the wall.

[0017] The skirting board 1 can have virtually any external shape suitable for this type of product, as long as it comprises a fixing element 2 and an internal shelf 7 extending towards the wall S, which shelf 7 forms an integral part of the skirting board 1 or is fixedly connected to the skirting board 1 and is designed to engage with the fixing element 2. The shelf 7 has a coupling lug 8 which is snapped onto the free end 6' by pressing the skirting board 1 against the wall S.

[0018] As shown in Figure 2, the coupling projection 8 of the shelf 7 has an inclined inner surface 9 and an inclined outer surface 10, so that the coupling projection 8 has an inverted V-shaped cross section, while each free end 6' comprises an inclined contact surface 11 and an inclined guide surface 12. The inclined guide surface 12 facilitates the sliding of the free end 6' on the coupling projection 8 along the inclined outer surface 10 during engagement of the skirting board 1, and the inclined contact surface 11 presses against the inclined inner surface 9 of the coupling projection 8 with a force F having a direction inclined with respect to the wall S.

[0019] In Fig. 3 the elastic arm 6 is shown in a relaxed state with a solid line and in a tensioned state with a dotted line. During the engagement of the skirting board 1, the elastic arm 6 is deflected in a plane parallel to the wall S so that its free end 6' is raised and can pass over the coupling lug 8 of the skirting board 1. In the coupling position of the skirting board 1, the elastic arm 6 presses with its free end 6' against the coupling lug 8 and thus against the entire skirting board 1 via the shelf 7 with a force F (indicated by an arrow in Fig. 2) having a direction inclined both to the wall S and to the floor P. By "inclined direction" it is meant that said force is neither perpendicular nor parallel to the wall S and to the floor P. This effect is achieved by the fact that the elastic arm 6 can be elastically deflected parallel to the wall and by the particular shape of the free end 6' and of the coupling lug 8.

[0020] In figure 4 a fixing element of a system according to a second embodiment of the invention is shown in a perspective view. In this embodiment the fixing element 2 also has two oblique elastic arms 6, which, however, project in a bifurcated manner from the rigid part 3 towards the floor P. The arms have, as in the first embodiment, free ends 6' which extend parallel to the wall S and can be elastically deflected parallel to the wall S, essentially without being displaced in any other direction. The free ends 6' have the shape described with reference to the first embodiment.

[0021] Figures 5a and 5b show views of a fixing element 2 according to a third embodiment of the invention. In this embodiment, the fixing element 2 has one elastic arm 6 extending obliquely from the rigid part 3 towards the floor P. The one elastic arm 6 is substantially centrally located below the rigid part 3 and also has a free end 6' having the shape described with reference to the first embodiment. As in the other embodiments, the elastic arm 6 extends parallel to the wall S and can be elastically deflected parallel to the wall S essentially without being moved in any other direction.

[0022] Fig. 6a shows an inventive system with a fastening element 2 according to a fourth embodiment of the invention. In this embodiment, the elastic arm 6 (optionally two elastic arms 6) has a free end 6' with three inclined surfaces, namely an inclined guide surface 12 and two inclined contact surfaces 11, 11' which together form an inverted V-shaped cross-sectional profile corresponding to the profile of the coupling projection 8. The inclined guide surface 12 facilitates the sliding of the free end 6' on the coupling projection 8 along the inclined outer surface 10 during engagement of the skirting board 1, and the two inclined contact surfaces 11, 11' press against the inclined inner surface 9 and the inclined outer surface 10 of the coupling projection 8 with a resulting vertical downward force F (shown by arrows in Fig. 6a).

[0023] FIG. 6b shows the fixing element 2 in a perspective view.

[0024] A person skilled in the art will understand that other configurations of the shape of the coupling projection 8 and the free end 6' are possible. For example, the cross-sectional shape of one element may be a semicircular / arc cross-section cooperating with an opposing element that is an inclined surface, or a pair of two opposing semicircular / arc cross-sections. The fixing elements presented with reference to the first, second and third embodiments (Figures 1 to 5) can obviously have a free end 6' of the elastic arm 6 as described with reference to the fourth embodiment (Figures 6a and 6b).

[0025] The fixation element 2 can be made of any suitable material, such as for example a plastic material or metal. If the entire fixation element 2 is made of one material, the local stiffness / elasticity of its particular parts is given by its shape.

[0026] It is also possible for certain parts of the fixing element 2 to be made of different materials, in particular materials having different elasticity. For example, the elastic assembly 4, i.e. the elastic arm 6, can be made of a material having a higher elasticity than the rigid part 3 of the fixing element 2.

Claims

1. A system comprising a baseboard (1) and at least one fixing element (2) for connecting the baseboard (1) to a floor (P) and an adjacent wall (S), wherein the fixing element (2) comprises a rigid portion (3) fixed immovably to the wall (S) and an elastic assembly (4) that engages with the baseboard (1), the baseboard (1) comprises an internal shelf (7) extending toward the fixing element (2), and the elastic assembly (4) extends parallel to the wall (S) and flexes elastically parallel to the wall (S). A system comprising at least one elastic arm (6) adapted to such effect, the at least one elastic arm (6) projecting obliquely from the rigid portion (3) toward the floor (P) and having a free end (6'), the shelf (7) comprising a coupling projection (8) adapted to snap onto the free end (6'), thereby the coupling projection (8) being pressed by the at least one elastic arm (6) in a direction other than horizontal.

2. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that the connecting projection (8) is pressed by the at least one elastic arm (6) in a direction selected from the group including the vertical direction and a direction inclined with respect to the wall (S).

3. The system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the elastic assembly (4) includes two elastic arms (6) that branch out from the rigid portion (3) toward the floor (P).

4. The system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the connecting projection (8) includes an inclined inner surface (9) and an inclined outer surface (10), thereby having an inverted V-shaped cross-section.

5. The system according to claim 4, characterized in that the free end (6') of the elastic arm (6) comprises an inclined guide surface (12) adapted to slide on the inclined outer surface (10) of the coupling projection (8) during engagement with the baseboard (1), and an inclined contact surface (11) adapted to press against the inclined inner surface (9) of the coupling projection (8) when the baseboard (1) is engaged.

6. The system according to claim 4, characterized in that the free end (6') of the elastic arm (6) comprises an inclined guide surface (12) adapted to slide on the inclined outer surface (10) of the connecting projection (8) during engagement with the baseboard, and two inclined contact surfaces (11, 11') adapted to press against the inclined inner surface (9) of the connecting projection (8) and the inclined outer surface (10) of the connecting projection (8), respectively, when the baseboard (1) is engaged.

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