Apparatus with visual-reveal feature and method of use thereof

Abstract

An apparatus including a body assembly and a protection portion is provided. The body assembly includes a wall assembly contact portion; a wall support contact portion; an encasement portion; a downward angled portion; and a flexible seal portion. When the apparatus is installed onto a wall assembly and a wall support structure, the downward angled portion in combination with the flexible seal portion close off any gaps between the wall support structure and the finished flooring and between the apparatus and the finished flooring, keeping unwanted debris from accumulating in these gaps, which are both difficult to reach and tedious to clean. Further, with the apparatus installed, an aesthetically appealing visual-reveal feature is formed between the encasement portion and the finished flooring.

Description

FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE

[0001] Some aspects are generally related to architectural or decorative components. More specifically, some aspects provide an architectural or a decorative component configured to provide a visual feature to a wall, such as an apparatus providing a visual-reveal feature.BACKGROUND

[0002] In residential, commercial, and industrial construction, achieving a clean and aesthetically pleasing interface between walls and finished flooring is a common design goal. Since finished flooring, such hardwood flooring, cannot be installed tightly against a wall assembly to leave room for expansion and contraction of the finished flooring, surface mounted baseboards are installed to hide any gap between the finished flooring and the wall assembly. For an even more minimalistic look a reveal between the finished floor and wall assembly can be installed with a drywall trim to finish the bottom edge of the drywall. However, traditional drywall trims fail to accommodate for finished flooring expansion and contraction and structural irregularities or imperfections in framing, sub-flooring, and / or the finished flooring. This may lead to exposure of the gap between the finished flooring and the wall and a gap between some portions of the reveal trim and the finished flooring. Dust and debris may also easily accumulate in these gaps.

[0003] As such, a modern and aesthetic architectural or decorative component that improves on the traditional reveal trims is required.

[0004] Provided is an apparatus, including: a body assembly, including: a wall assembly contact portion configured to be positioned adjacent to and at least partially interface with a wall assembly; a wall support contact portion configured to be positioned adjacent to and at least partially interface with a wall support structure supporting the wall assembly; an encasement portion positioned between the wall assembly contact portion and the wall support contact portion and configured to at least partially encase a protection portion; a downward angled portion extending outwardly from the wall support contact portion on a downward angle and configured to extend at least partially over a finished flooring to close at least one first gap between the finished flooring and the wall support structure; and a flexible seal portion extending outwardly from the downward angled portion and configured to be positioned on top of the finished flooring to close at least one second gap between the apparatus and the finished flooring, the at least one second gap formed due to variations in a vertical height of the finished flooring; and the protection portion; wherein: a visual-reveal feature is formed between the encasement portion and the finished flooring when the body assembly is installed onto the wall assembly; and the visual-reveal feature includes a channel with a vertical height and a horizontal depth.

[0005] Included is a method for installing a visual-reveal feature, including: providing the above-described apparatus; and installing the body assembly onto the wall assembly and the wall support structure such that: the wall assembly contact portion is positioned adjacent to and at least partially in contact with the wall assembly; the wall support contact portion is positioned adjacent to and at least partially in contact with the wall support structure; the downward angled portion at least partially extends over the finished flooring; the flexible seal portion is at least partially positioned on top of the finished flooring; and the visual-reveal feature, including a channel with a vertical height and a horizontal depth, is formed between the encasement portion and the finished flooring.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0006] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated herein and form a part of the specification, illustrate the present invention and, together with the description, further serve to explain the principles of the invention and to enable a person skilled in the pertinent art to make and use the invention.

[0007] Some embodiments of the present invention are illustrated as an example and are not limited by the figures of the accompanying drawings, in which like references may indicate similar elements.

[0008] FIG. 1A illustrates an example of an apparatus, according to some embodiments.

[0009] FIGS. 1B and 1C illustrate the apparatus of FIG. 1A installed onto a wall assembly, according to some embodiments.

[0010] FIG. 2 illustrates a flowchart depicting an example of a method for installing an apparatus onto a wall assembly, according to some embodiments.

[0011] The drawings are not necessarily to scale and may be illustrated by phantom lines, diagrammatic representations and fragmentary views. In certain instances, details not necessary for an understanding of the embodiments (and / or details that render other details difficult to perceive) may have been omitted.

[0012] Elements in the several figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements in the figures may be emphasized relative to other elements for facilitating understanding of the various presently disclosed embodiments. In addition, common, but well-understood, elements that are useful or necessary in commercially feasible embodiments are often not depicted in order to facilitate a less obstructed view of the various embodiments of the present disclosure.DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF SOME EMBODIMENTS

[0013] The present inventions will now be described in detail with reference to a few embodiments thereof as illustrated in the accompanying drawings. In the following description, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present inventions. It will be apparent, however, to one skilled in the art, that the present invention may be practiced without some or all of these specific details. In other instances, well known process steps and / or structures have not been described in detail in order to not unnecessarily obscure the present invention. Further, it should be emphasized that several inventive techniques are described, and embodiments are not limited to systems implanting all of those techniques, as various cost and engineering trade-offs may warrant systems that only afford a subset of the benefits described herein or that will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art.

[0014] In the following detailed description of exemplary embodiments of the invention, reference is made to accompanying drawings (where like numbers represent like elements), which form a part hereof, and in which is shown by way of illustration specific exemplary embodiments in which the invention may be practiced. These embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in art to practice the invention, but other embodiments may be utilized, and logical, mechanical, electrical, and other changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. The following detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense.

[0015] Embodiments provide an apparatus installable relative to a wall assembly supported by a wall support structure. The apparatus creates a visual-reveal feature when installed relative to the wall assembly and adds and / or improves aesthetic value or design interest to the wall assembly. The visual-reveal feature may include a relief, a gap, a pattern, a groove, a channel, and any equivalent thereof.

[0016] In embodiments, the apparatus includes a body assembly configured for installation onto the wall assembly. In some embodiments, the body assembly includes: a wall assembly contact portion configured to be positioned adjacent to and at least partially interface with the wall assembly; a wall support contact portion configured to be positioned adjacent to and at least partially interface with the wall support structure; an encasement portion positioned between the wall assembly contact portion and the wall support contact portion and configured to at least partially encase a protection portion; a downward angled portion extending outwardly from the wall support contact portion on a downward angle and configured to extend at least partially over a finished flooring to close a gap between the finished flooring and the wall support structure; and a flexible seal portion extending outwardly from the downward angled portion and configured to be positioned on top of the finished flooring to close gaps between the apparatus and the finished flooring caused by irregularities or imperfections in framing, a sub-floor, and / or the finished flooring, leading to variation in a vertical height of the finished flooring. In some embodiments, the apparatus further includes the protection portion. In some embodiments, the visual-reveal feature is formed between the encasement portion and the finished flooring when the body assembly is installed onto the wall assembly. In some embodiments, there is no material inserted or extending into or extending out from the visual-reveal feature. In some embodiments, the visual-reveal feature includes a channel with a vertical height and a horizontal depth.

[0017] In some embodiments, the wall assembly includes a side of a room, a side of a building, or an equivalent thereof. The wall assembly may generally extend vertically and connect a floor component, such as a foundation or sub-floor, with a ceiling component, such as a roof. In one example, the wall assembly includes drywall, plasterboard, wallboard, gypsum board, or gyprock, used for forming interior walls and ceilings of residential and commercial dwellings. In some embodiments, the wall assembly is attached to the wall support structure. In some embodiments, the wall support structure includes a structure configured to abut against the wall assembly  and / or to support, at least in part, the weight of the wall assembly. In one example, the wall support structure includes a load-bearing structure, such as structures of concrete, block, brick and / or wood, configured to bear a load resting upon it by transmitting the received weight to a foundation structure and / or to other walls. For instance, the wall support structure may include a stud wall. In another example, the wall support structure includes a non-load bearing structure.

[0018] In some embodiments, the wall assembly contact portion includes a plurality of perforations or holes. After installing the body assembly onto the wall assembly, a compound material (i.e., a mud compound) and wall tape (i.e., compound tape) may be applied onto an outer wall surface of the wall assembly and an exposed surface of the wall assembly contact portion. This is done in such a way that the compound material may be spread over the wall assembly contact portion and into the plurality of perforations. The plurality of perforations allows the compound material to become infused, at least in part, with the wall assembly contact portion, so that the plurality of perforations assist with improving the strength of the compound material placed over the wall assembly contact portion. In some embodiments, the plurality of perforations pass through the wall assembly contact portion.

[0019] In some embodiments, the wall assembly contact portion includes a tapered portion or a flared portion. In such embodiments, the wall assembly contact portion is configured such that it is positioned at an angle relative to the wall assembly when the body assembly is installed, whereby only a top portion of the wall assembly contact portion interfaces with the wall assembly. Such embodiments may be beneficial for the case where the wall assembly includes drywall and / or any equivalent thereof, in which a compound material and wall tape are to be applied over the wall assembly and the wall assembly contact portion.

[0020] In some embodiments, the wall support contact portion includes a protrusion and the protrusion in particular is adjacent to and interfaces with the wall support. In some embodiments, the protrusion may include one or more sets of perforations. Each set of perforations may be used to manually tear or cut a different portion of the protrusion off to adjust the depth of the protrusion. The depth of the protrusion may be adjusted to accommodate for different depths of the wall assembly.

[0021] In some embodiments, the encasement portion includes a vertical portion and two horizontal portions, an upper horizontal portion and a lower horizontal portion connected by the vertical portion. In some embodiments, the protection portion is at least partially encased by the two horizontal portions and the vertical portion of the encasement portion. In some embodiments, the encasement portion  is configured to conform to at least a portion of an outer surface of the protection portion. In some embodiments, the encasement portion is configured to facilitate a snap fit of the protection portion to the encasement portion, such that the protection portion is at least partially encased by the encasement portion. In some embodiments, the protection portion is press fit and / or interference fit to the encasement portion. In some embodiments, the encasement portion includes jogs to provide a firm hold of the protection portion when encased by the encasement portion. In some embodiments, an adhesive may be applied onto surfaces of the encasement portion and the protection portion interfacing with one another to adhere the encasement portion and the protection portion together. In such embodiments, the jogs may be useful in holding the protection portion in position while the adhesive applied onto surfaces of the encasement portion and the protection portion interfacing with one another dries.

[0022] In some embodiments, the protection portion includes a wood component or any equivalent thereof. The protection portion is configured to reduce the possibility of inadvertent damage to a face of the body assembly, such as the encasement portion. In some embodiments, the protection portion is attached to the encasement portion, along a longitudinal length of the encasement portion. For instance, vacuums may be pushed up against the wall assembly and / or the wall support structure during vacuuming and cause damage or furniture may be bumped up against the wall assembly and / or the wall support structure when rearranging furniture and cause damage.

[0023] In some embodiments, an exposed portion of a top surface of the upper horizontal portion of the  encasement portion forms a ledge portion. The ledge portion is particularly useful in cases in which a compound material and wall tape are to be applied over the wall assembly and the wall assembly contact portion. The ledge portion allows for a clean finish after application of the compound material where the edge portion meets up with the wall assembly contact portion. That way, when a skilled trades person applies the mud compound. The encasement portion may be modified in size and shape in different embodiments to achieve a desired size or shape of the ledge portion.

[0024] When the apparatus is installed onto the wall assembly, the downward angled portion in combination with the flexible seal portion are configured to cover the gap between the wall support structure and the finished flooring by at least partially extending over the finished flooring. The flexible seal portion further provides a tight seal against the finished flooring, even in cases where the finished flooring has an uneven surface (e.g., due to irregularities or imperfections in the framing, a sub-floor, and / or the finished flooring leading to vertical height variations in the finished flooring) as the flexibility of the flexible seal portion allows for a compliant point of contact against the finished flooring. This seals the gap between the wall support structure and the finished flooring and prevents any gaps between the apparatus and the finished flooring from forming. Closing off any gaps between the wall support structure and the finished flooring and between the apparatus and the finished flooring is important as it keeps unwanted debris from accumulating in the gaps, which are both difficult to reach and tedious to clean.

[0025] It will be appreciated that the size (e.g., vertical height and horizontal depth) of the visual-reveal feature may be adjusted as desired to, for example, accommodate for different thickness of the wall assembly. For example, a thickness of the wall assembly may vary between 0.5 inches to 0.625 inches, the wall assembly may include a single layer or a double layer, etc. Further, the size of the visual-reveal feature may be adjusted as desired to, for example, accommodate for a thickness of the protection portion, which itself may vary depending on the geometry of the wall assembly.

[0026] In some embodiments, the body assembly has a predetermined depth. In some embodiments, the apparatus includes a depth-extension section having a predetermined depth. The depth-extension section is attachable (such as glued, connected or snap fit) to the body assembly. In some embodiments, the depth-extension is attachable to the wall support contact section to make up for a shortfall in the depth of the wall assembly. The depth-extension section is configured to make up for a variation in the depth of the wall assembly. In one example, the wall assembly includes drywall panels. For the case where the installed drywall panels have a 0.5 inch depth, the depth-extension section is not required. For the case where the installed drywall panels have a ⅝ inch depth, the depth-extension section provides an additional ⅛ inch to the body assembly. This is done in order to make up for the shortfall.

[0027] In some embodiments, the body assembly is configured to include a strength component. The strength component may resist flexing for the case where a nail or screw is used to attach the body assembly to the wall assembly. Alternatively, the strength component includes channels configured to permit passage of a nail or screw without imparting stress to the body assembly for the case where nails or screws are used to fasten the body assembly to the wall assembly.

[0028] In some embodiments, the body assembly includes an extruded body assembly formed by an extrusion machine by using an extrusion process. The extrusion formed by the extrusion machine may be continuous, producing the body assembly in larger lengths, or semi-continuous, producing the body assembly in shorter lengths. In embodiments, the body assembly is fabricated from any material suitable for the extrusion process. In some embodiments, the body assembly is fabricated from polyvinyl chloride or any equivalent thereof. In some embodiments, the flexible seal portion is fabricated of a material that differs from the material from which the remaining body assembly is fabricated. In such embodiments, the flexible seal portion and the remaining body assembly are co-extruded. In some embodiments, the flexible seal portion is fabricated from malleable rubber material. The flexible seal portion may also be fabricated from another material in other embodiments, such as metal, plastic (e.g., polyvinyl chloride, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene), wood, or another material.

[0029] Embodiments include a method for installing the apparatus to obtain the visual-reveal feature, including installing the body assembly onto the wall assembly and the wall support structure. When the body assembly is installed, the wall assembly contact portion is positioned adjacent to and at least partially in contact with the wall assembly and the wall support contact portion is positioned adjacent to and at least partially in contact with the wall support structure. Further, the downward angled portion at least partially extends over the finished flooring and the flexible seal portion is at least partially positioned on top of the finished flooring. Additionally, a visual-reveal feature with substantially consistent depth and height is formed between the encasement portion and the finished flooring. In some embodiments, the body assembly is fastened to at least one of the wall assembly and the wall support structure. Examples of fastening means include screws, nails, adhesive, etc. In some embodiments, the body assembly includes a plurality of pass throughs (e.g., through which screws of nails may pass) for fastening the body assembly to at least one of the wall assembly and the wall support structure. In some embodiments, the wall assembly contact portion is fastened to the wall assembly. In some embodiments, the wall assembly contact portion includes a plurality of pass throughs for fastening the wall assembly contact portion to the wall assembly.

[0030] In some embodiments, the method further includes applying at least one of compound material and wall tape onto the outer wall surface of the wall assembly and the exposed surface of the wall assembly contact portion to create a seamless transition between the body assembly and the wall assembly. In some embodiments, the method further includes installing the wall support structure (e.g., a stud wall). In some embodiments, the method further includes installing the sub-floor.  In some embodiments, the method further includes installing the wall assembly (e.g., drywall) onto the wall support structure. In some embodiments, the method further includes installing the finished flooring over the sub-floor, whereby a gap may be purposefully left between the finished flooring and the wall support structure to allow for expansion and contraction of the finished flooring.

[0031] It will be appreciated that a profile of the apparatus or portions thereof may be modified in size and / or shape without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, a shape or a size of at least one of the wall assembly contact portion, the wall support contact portion, the encasement portion, the protection portion, the downward angled portion, and the flexible seal portion may vary in different embodiments so long as a functionality of each is maintained. It will be further appreciated that the apparatus may be configured for installation near or at the intersection between a wall assembly and a ceiling in such a way so as to provide the visual-reveal feature near or at the intersection between the wall assembly and the ceiling.

[0032] FIG. 1A illustrates a side profile of an example of an apparatus 100 and FIGS. 1B and 1C illustrate the apparatus 100 installed onto a wall assembly 101 supported by a wall support structure 102. The apparatus 100 includes a body assembly 103 including: a wall assembly contact portion 104 positioned adjacent to and partially interfacing with the wall assembly 101; a wall support contact portion 105 positioned adjacent to and at least partially interfacing with the wall support structure 102; an encasement portion 106 positioned between the wall assembly contact portion 104 and the wall support contact portion 105 and configured to at least partially encase a protection portion 107; a downward angled portion 108 extending outwardly from the wall support contact portion 105 on a downward angle and extending partially over a finished flooring 109 to close a gap 110 between the finished flooring 109 and the wall support structure 102; and a flexible seal portion 111 extending outwardly from the downward angled portion 108 and positioned on top of the finished flooring 109 to close gaps caused by imperfections or irregularities in framing, a sub-floor 112, and / or the finished flooring 109. A protrusion 105a of the wall support contact portion particularly interfaces with the wall support structure 102. The apparatus 100 further includes the protection portion 107. A visual-reveal feature (i.e., a channel) 113 is formed between the encasement portion 106 and the finished flooring 109, providing aesthetic appeal.

[0033] The wall assembly contact portion 104 is configured such that it is positioned at an angle relative to the wall assembly 101 when the apparatus 100 is installed, whereby only a top portion 114 of the wall assembly contact portion 104 interfaces with the wall assembly 101. The wall assembly contact portion 104 further includes a plurality of perforations 115. The angled wall assembly contact portion 104 and the plurality of perforations 115 are beneficial for the case where a compound material and wall tape are to be applied over the wall assembly 101 and the wall assembly contact portion 104, as described above. The plurality of perforations 115 may also be used as pass throughs for fastening the wall assembly contact portion 104 to the wall assembly 101, as described above.

[0034] The encasement portion 106 includes an upper horizontal portion 116, a lower horizontal portion 117, and a vertical portion 118. The protection portion 107 is partially encased by the two horizontal portions 116, 117 and the vertical portion 118 of the encasement portion 106. The encasement portion 106 further includes jogs 119 to provide a firm hold of the protection portion 107 when encased by the encasement portion 106. An exposed portion of a top surface of the upper horizontal portion 116 of the encasement portion 106 forms a ledge portion 120. The ledge portion 120 is particularly useful in cases in which a compound material and wall tape are to be applied over the wall assembly 101 and the wall assembly contact portion 104, as described above.

[0035] The downward angled portion 108 in combination with the flexible seal portion 111 cover the gap 110 between the wall support structure 102 and the finished flooring 109 by at least partially extending over the finished flooring 109. The flexible seal portion 111 further provides a tight seal against the finished flooring 109 to account for imperfection or irregularities in the framing, the sub-floor 112, and / or the finished flooring 109, causing variations in a vertical height 121 of the finished flooring 109. The flexibility of the flexible seal portion 111 allows for a compliant point of contact against the finished flooring 109. Closing off any gaps between the wall support structure 102 and the finished flooring 109 and between the apparatus 100 and the finished flooring 109 is important as it keeps unwanted debris from accumulating in gaps that are both difficult to reach and tedious to clean.

[0036] FIG. 2 illustrates a flowchart depicting an example of a method for installing the apparatus described herein to a wall assembly including fastening the wall assembly contact portion of the apparatus to the wall assembly such that: the wall assembly contact portion is positioned adjacent to and at least partially in contact with the wall assembly, the wall support contact portion is positioned adjacent to and at least partially in contact with the wall support structure, the downward angled portion at least partially extends over the finished flooring, the flexible seal portion is at least partially positioned on top of the finished flooring, and a visual-reveal feature is formed between the encasement portion and the finished flooring; and applying at least one of compound material and wall tape onto the outer wall surface of the wall assembly and the exposed surface of the wall assembly contact portion to create a seamless transition between the body assembly and the wall assembly.

[0037] It should be understood that the various embodiments described herein are presented by way of example, and that numerous variations, modifications, or combinations of the described embodiments may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. In some instances, certain features of one embodiment may be used in combination with features of another embodiment, or multiple embodiments may be integrated together to achieve a desired result. Additionally, certain elements or steps of the described embodiments may be omitted, substituted, or altered depending on the specific implementation or application.

[0038] In various embodiments, certain components, methods, or functionalities described herein may be modified or adapted to fit specific use cases or design constraints. These modifications may be made in view of particular user requirements, environmental conditions, or regulatory considerations.

[0039] Alternative configurations of the embodiments described herein are also possible. In some cases, a particular feature described with reference to one embodiment may be utilized in other embodiments, even if not explicitly mentioned. Similarly, the order of steps in a process / method or the arrangement of components in a system or apparatus may be altered, provided that the underlying principles of the invention are maintained.

[0040] While particular embodiments have been described, it is to be understood that alternative embodiments may be employed in place of the specifically described forms. In some cases, specific components may be replaced with functionally equivalent alternatives, and in others, operational steps may be rearranged or omitted, all without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Examples

Embodiment Construction

[0013] The present inventions will now be described in detail with reference to a few embodiments thereof as illustrated in the accompanying drawings. In the following description, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present inventions. It will be apparent, however, to one skilled in the art, that the present invention may be practiced without some or all of these specific details. In other instances, well known process steps and / or structures have not been described in detail in order to not unnecessarily obscure the present invention. Further, it should be emphasized that several inventive techniques are described, and embodiments are not limited to systems implanting all of those techniques, as various cost and engineering trade-offs may warrant systems that only afford a subset of the benefits described herein or that will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art.

[0014] In the fo...

FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE

[0001] Some aspects are generally related to architectural or decorative components. More specifically, some aspects provide an architectural or a decorative component configured to provide a visual feature to a wall, such as an apparatus providing a visual-reveal feature.BACKGROUND

[0002] In residential, commercial, and industrial construction, achieving a clean and aesthetically pleasing interface between walls and finished flooring is a common design goal. Since finished flooring, such hardwood flooring, cannot be installed tightly against a wall assembly to leave room for expansion and contraction of the finished flooring, surface mounted baseboards are installed to hide any gap between the finished flooring and the wall assembly. For an even more minimalistic look a reveal between the finished floor and wall assembly can be installed with a drywall trim to finish the bottom edge of the drywall. However, traditional drywall trims fail to accommodate for finished flooring expansion and contraction and structural irregularities or imperfections in framing, sub-flooring, and / or the finished flooring. This may lead to exposure of the gap between the finished flooring and the wall and a gap between some portions of the reveal trim and the finished flooring. Dust and debris may also easily accumulate in these gaps.

[0003] As such, a modern and aesthetic architectural or decorative component that improves on the traditional reveal trims is required.

[0004] Provided is an apparatus, including: a body assembly, including: a wall assembly contact portion configured to be positioned adjacent to and at least partially interface with a wall assembly; a wall support contact portion configured to be positioned adjacent to and at least partially interface with a wall support structure supporting the wall assembly; an encasement portion positioned between the wall assembly contact portion and the wall support contact portion and configured to at least partially encase a protection portion; a downward angled portion extending outwardly from the wall support contact portion on a downward angle and configured to extend at least partially over a finished flooring to close at least one first gap between the finished flooring and the wall support structure; and a flexible seal portion extending outwardly from the downward angled portion and configured to be positioned on top of the finished flooring to close at least one second gap between the apparatus and the finished flooring, the at least one second gap formed due to variations in a vertical height of the finished flooring; and the protection portion; wherein: a visual-reveal feature is formed between the encasement portion and the finished flooring when the body assembly is installed onto the wall assembly; and the visual-reveal feature includes a channel with a vertical height and a horizontal depth.

[0005] Included is a method for installing a visual-reveal feature, including: providing the above-described apparatus; and installing the body assembly onto the wall assembly and the wall support structure such that: the wall assembly contact portion is positioned adjacent to and at least partially in contact with the wall assembly; the wall support contact portion is positioned adjacent to and at least partially in contact with the wall support structure; the downward angled portion at least partially extends over the finished flooring; the flexible seal portion is at least partially positioned on top of the finished flooring; and the visual-reveal feature, including a channel with a vertical height and a horizontal depth, is formed between the encasement portion and the finished flooring.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0006] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated herein and form a part of the specification, illustrate the present invention and, together with the description, further serve to explain the principles of the invention and to enable a person skilled in the pertinent art to make and use the invention.

[0007] Some embodiments of the present invention are illustrated as an example and are not limited by the figures of the accompanying drawings, in which like references may indicate similar elements.

[0008] FIG. 1A illustrates an example of an apparatus, according to some embodiments.

[0009] FIGS. 1B and 1C illustrate the apparatus of FIG. 1A installed onto a wall assembly, according to some embodiments.

[0010] FIG. 2 illustrates a flowchart depicting an example of a method for installing an apparatus onto a wall assembly, according to some embodiments.

[0011] The drawings are not necessarily to scale and may be illustrated by phantom lines, diagrammatic representations and fragmentary views. In certain instances, details not necessary for an understanding of the embodiments (and / or details that render other details difficult to perceive) may have been omitted.

[0012] Elements in the several figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements in the figures may be emphasized relative to other elements for facilitating understanding of the various presently disclosed embodiments. In addition, common, but well-understood, elements that are useful or necessary in commercially feasible embodiments are often not depicted in order to facilitate a less obstructed view of the various embodiments of the present disclosure.DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF SOME EMBODIMENTS

[0013] The present inventions will now be described in detail with reference to a few embodiments thereof as illustrated in the accompanying drawings. In the following description, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present inventions. It will be apparent, however, to one skilled in the art, that the present invention may be practiced without some or all of these specific details. In other instances, well known process steps and / or structures have not been described in detail in order to not unnecessarily obscure the present invention. Further, it should be emphasized that several inventive techniques are described, and embodiments are not limited to systems implanting all of those techniques, as various cost and engineering trade-offs may warrant systems that only afford a subset of the benefits described herein or that will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art.

[0014] In the following detailed description of exemplary embodiments of the invention, reference is made to accompanying drawings (where like numbers represent like elements), which form a part hereof, and in which is shown by way of illustration specific exemplary embodiments in which the invention may be practiced. These embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in art to practice the invention, but other embodiments may be utilized, and logical, mechanical, electrical, and other changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. The following detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense.

[0015] Embodiments provide an apparatus installable relative to a wall assembly supported by a wall support structure. The apparatus creates a visual-reveal feature when installed relative to the wall assembly and adds and / or improves aesthetic value or design interest to the wall assembly. The visual-reveal feature may include a relief, a gap, a pattern, a groove, a channel, and any equivalent thereof.

[0016] In embodiments, the apparatus includes a body assembly configured for installation onto the wall assembly. In some embodiments, the body assembly includes: a wall assembly contact portion configured to be positioned adjacent to and at least partially interface with the wall assembly; a wall support contact portion configured to be positioned adjacent to and at least partially interface with the wall support structure; an encasement portion positioned between the wall assembly contact portion and the wall support contact portion and configured to at least partially encase a protection portion; a downward angled portion extending outwardly from the wall support contact portion on a downward angle and configured to extend at least partially over a finished flooring to close a gap between the finished flooring and the wall support structure; and a flexible seal portion extending outwardly from the downward angled portion and configured to be positioned on top of the finished flooring to close gaps between the apparatus and the finished flooring caused by irregularities or imperfections in framing, a sub-floor, and / or the finished flooring, leading to variation in a vertical height of the finished flooring. In some embodiments, the apparatus further includes the protection portion. In some embodiments, the visual-reveal feature is formed between the encasement portion and the finished flooring when the body assembly is installed onto the wall assembly. In some embodiments, there is no material inserted or extending into or extending out from the visual-reveal feature. In some embodiments, the visual-reveal feature includes a channel with a vertical height and a horizontal depth.

[0017] In some embodiments, the wall assembly includes a side of a room, a side of a building, or an equivalent thereof. The wall assembly may generally extend vertically and connect a floor component, such as a foundation or sub-floor, with a ceiling component, such as a roof. In one example, the wall assembly includes drywall, plasterboard, wallboard, gypsum board, or gyprock, used for forming interior walls and ceilings of residential and commercial dwellings. In some embodiments, the wall assembly is attached to the wall support structure. In some embodiments, the wall support structure includes a structure configured to abut against the wall assembly  and / or to support, at least in part, the weight of the wall assembly. In one example, the wall support structure includes a load-bearing structure, such as structures of concrete, block, brick and / or wood, configured to bear a load resting upon it by transmitting the received weight to a foundation structure and / or to other walls. For instance, the wall support structure may include a stud wall. In another example, the wall support structure includes a non-load bearing structure.

[0018] In some embodiments, the wall assembly contact portion includes a plurality of perforations or holes. After installing the body assembly onto the wall assembly, a compound material (i.e., a mud compound) and wall tape (i.e., compound tape) may be applied onto an outer wall surface of the wall assembly and an exposed surface of the wall assembly contact portion. This is done in such a way that the compound material may be spread over the wall assembly contact portion and into the plurality of perforations. The plurality of perforations allows the compound material to become infused, at least in part, with the wall assembly contact portion, so that the plurality of perforations assist with improving the strength of the compound material placed over the wall assembly contact portion. In some embodiments, the plurality of perforations pass through the wall assembly contact portion.

[0019] In some embodiments, the wall assembly contact portion includes a tapered portion or a flared portion. In such embodiments, the wall assembly contact portion is configured such that it is positioned at an angle relative to the wall assembly when the body assembly is installed, whereby only a top portion of the wall assembly contact portion interfaces with the wall assembly. Such embodiments may be beneficial for the case where the wall assembly includes drywall and / or any equivalent thereof, in which a compound material and wall tape are to be applied over the wall assembly and the wall assembly contact portion.

[0020] In some embodiments, the wall support contact portion includes a protrusion and the protrusion in particular is adjacent to and interfaces with the wall support. In some embodiments, the protrusion may include one or more sets of perforations. Each set of perforations may be used to manually tear or cut a different portion of the protrusion off to adjust the depth of the protrusion. The depth of the protrusion may be adjusted to accommodate for different depths of the wall assembly.

[0021] In some embodiments, the encasement portion includes a vertical portion and two horizontal portions, an upper horizontal portion and a lower horizontal portion connected by the vertical portion. In some embodiments, the protection portion is at least partially encased by the two horizontal portions and the vertical portion of the encasement portion. In some embodiments, the encasement portion  is configured to conform to at least a portion of an outer surface of the protection portion. In some embodiments, the encasement portion is configured to facilitate a snap fit of the protection portion to the encasement portion, such that the protection portion is at least partially encased by the encasement portion. In some embodiments, the protection portion is press fit and / or interference fit to the encasement portion. In some embodiments, the encasement portion includes jogs to provide a firm hold of the protection portion when encased by the encasement portion. In some embodiments, an adhesive may be applied onto surfaces of the encasement portion and the protection portion interfacing with one another to adhere the encasement portion and the protection portion together. In such embodiments, the jogs may be useful in holding the protection portion in position while the adhesive applied onto surfaces of the encasement portion and the protection portion interfacing with one another dries.

[0022] In some embodiments, the protection portion includes a wood component or any equivalent thereof. The protection portion is configured to reduce the possibility of inadvertent damage to a face of the body assembly, such as the encasement portion. In some embodiments, the protection portion is attached to the encasement portion, along a longitudinal length of the encasement portion. For instance, vacuums may be pushed up against the wall assembly and / or the wall support structure during vacuuming and cause damage or furniture may be bumped up against the wall assembly and / or the wall support structure when rearranging furniture and cause damage.

[0023] In some embodiments, an exposed portion of a top surface of the upper horizontal portion of the  encasement portion forms a ledge portion. The ledge portion is particularly useful in cases in which a compound material and wall tape are to be applied over the wall assembly and the wall assembly contact portion. The ledge portion allows for a clean finish after application of the compound material where the edge portion meets up with the wall assembly contact portion. That way, when a skilled trades person applies the mud compound. The encasement portion may be modified in size and shape in different embodiments to achieve a desired size or shape of the ledge portion.

[0024] When the apparatus is installed onto the wall assembly, the downward angled portion in combination with the flexible seal portion are configured to cover the gap between the wall support structure and the finished flooring by at least partially extending over the finished flooring. The flexible seal portion further provides a tight seal against the finished flooring, even in cases where the finished flooring has an uneven surface (e.g., due to irregularities or imperfections in the framing, a sub-floor, and / or the finished flooring leading to vertical height variations in the finished flooring) as the flexibility of the flexible seal portion allows for a compliant point of contact against the finished flooring. This seals the gap between the wall support structure and the finished flooring and prevents any gaps between the apparatus and the finished flooring from forming. Closing off any gaps between the wall support structure and the finished flooring and between the apparatus and the finished flooring is important as it keeps unwanted debris from accumulating in the gaps, which are both difficult to reach and tedious to clean.

[0025] It will be appreciated that the size (e.g., vertical height and horizontal depth) of the visual-reveal feature may be adjusted as desired to, for example, accommodate for different thickness of the wall assembly. For example, a thickness of the wall assembly may vary between 0.5 inches to 0.625 inches, the wall assembly may include a single layer or a double layer, etc. Further, the size of the visual-reveal feature may be adjusted as desired to, for example, accommodate for a thickness of the protection portion, which itself may vary depending on the geometry of the wall assembly.

[0026] In some embodiments, the body assembly has a predetermined depth. In some embodiments, the apparatus includes a depth-extension section having a predetermined depth. The depth-extension section is attachable (such as glued, connected or snap fit) to the body assembly. In some embodiments, the depth-extension is attachable to the wall support contact section to make up for a shortfall in the depth of the wall assembly. The depth-extension section is configured to make up for a variation in the depth of the wall assembly. In one example, the wall assembly includes drywall panels. For the case where the installed drywall panels have a 0.5 inch depth, the depth-extension section is not required. For the case where the installed drywall panels have a ⅝ inch depth, the depth-extension section provides an additional ⅛ inch to the body assembly. This is done in order to make up for the shortfall.

[0027] In some embodiments, the body assembly is configured to include a strength component. The strength component may resist flexing for the case where a nail or screw is used to attach the body assembly to the wall assembly. Alternatively, the strength component includes channels configured to permit passage of a nail or screw without imparting stress to the body assembly for the case where nails or screws are used to fasten the body assembly to the wall assembly.

[0028] In some embodiments, the body assembly includes an extruded body assembly formed by an extrusion machine by using an extrusion process. The extrusion formed by the extrusion machine may be continuous, producing the body assembly in larger lengths, or semi-continuous, producing the body assembly in shorter lengths. In embodiments, the body assembly is fabricated from any material suitable for the extrusion process. In some embodiments, the body assembly is fabricated from polyvinyl chloride or any equivalent thereof. In some embodiments, the flexible seal portion is fabricated of a material that differs from the material from which the remaining body assembly is fabricated. In such embodiments, the flexible seal portion and the remaining body assembly are co-extruded. In some embodiments, the flexible seal portion is fabricated from malleable rubber material. The flexible seal portion may also be fabricated from another material in other embodiments, such as metal, plastic (e.g., polyvinyl chloride, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene), wood, or another material.

[0029] Embodiments include a method for installing the apparatus to obtain the visual-reveal feature, including installing the body assembly onto the wall assembly and the wall support structure. When the body assembly is installed, the wall assembly contact portion is positioned adjacent to and at least partially in contact with the wall assembly and the wall support contact portion is positioned adjacent to and at least partially in contact with the wall support structure. Further, the downward angled portion at least partially extends over the finished flooring and the flexible seal portion is at least partially positioned on top of the finished flooring. Additionally, a visual-reveal feature with substantially consistent depth and height is formed between the encasement portion and the finished flooring. In some embodiments, the body assembly is fastened to at least one of the wall assembly and the wall support structure. Examples of fastening means include screws, nails, adhesive, etc. In some embodiments, the body assembly includes a plurality of pass throughs (e.g., through which screws of nails may pass) for fastening the body assembly to at least one of the wall assembly and the wall support structure. In some embodiments, the wall assembly contact portion is fastened to the wall assembly. In some embodiments, the wall assembly contact portion includes a plurality of pass throughs for fastening the wall assembly contact portion to the wall assembly.

[0030] In some embodiments, the method further includes applying at least one of compound material and wall tape onto the outer wall surface of the wall assembly and the exposed surface of the wall assembly contact portion to create a seamless transition between the body assembly and the wall assembly. In some embodiments, the method further includes installing the wall support structure (e.g., a stud wall). In some embodiments, the method further includes installing the sub-floor.  In some embodiments, the method further includes installing the wall assembly (e.g., drywall) onto the wall support structure. In some embodiments, the method further includes installing the finished flooring over the sub-floor, whereby a gap may be purposefully left between the finished flooring and the wall support structure to allow for expansion and contraction of the finished flooring.

[0031] It will be appreciated that a profile of the apparatus or portions thereof may be modified in size and / or shape without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, a shape or a size of at least one of the wall assembly contact portion, the wall support contact portion, the encasement portion, the protection portion, the downward angled portion, and the flexible seal portion may vary in different embodiments so long as a functionality of each is maintained. It will be further appreciated that the apparatus may be configured for installation near or at the intersection between a wall assembly and a ceiling in such a way so as to provide the visual-reveal feature near or at the intersection between the wall assembly and the ceiling.

[0032] FIG. 1A illustrates a side profile of an example of an apparatus 100 and FIGS. 1B and 1C illustrate the apparatus 100 installed onto a wall assembly 101 supported by a wall support structure 102. The apparatus 100 includes a body assembly 103 including: a wall assembly contact portion 104 positioned adjacent to and partially interfacing with the wall assembly 101; a wall support contact portion 105 positioned adjacent to and at least partially interfacing with the wall support structure 102; an encasement portion 106 positioned between the wall assembly contact portion 104 and the wall support contact portion 105 and configured to at least partially encase a protection portion 107; a downward angled portion 108 extending outwardly from the wall support contact portion 105 on a downward angle and extending partially over a finished flooring 109 to close a gap 110 between the finished flooring 109 and the wall support structure 102; and a flexible seal portion 111 extending outwardly from the downward angled portion 108 and positioned on top of the finished flooring 109 to close gaps caused by imperfections or irregularities in framing, a sub-floor 112, and / or the finished flooring 109. A protrusion 105a of the wall support contact portion particularly interfaces with the wall support structure 102. The apparatus 100 further includes the protection portion 107. A visual-reveal feature (i.e., a channel) 113 is formed between the encasement portion 106 and the finished flooring 109, providing aesthetic appeal.

[0033] The wall assembly contact portion 104 is configured such that it is positioned at an angle relative to the wall assembly 101 when the apparatus 100 is installed, whereby only a top portion 114 of the wall assembly contact portion 104 interfaces with the wall assembly 101. The wall assembly contact portion 104 further includes a plurality of perforations 115. The angled wall assembly contact portion 104 and the plurality of perforations 115 are beneficial for the case where a compound material and wall tape are to be applied over the wall assembly 101 and the wall assembly contact portion 104, as described above. The plurality of perforations 115 may also be used as pass throughs for fastening the wall assembly contact portion 104 to the wall assembly 101, as described above.

[0034] The encasement portion 106 includes an upper horizontal portion 116, a lower horizontal portion 117, and a vertical portion 118. The protection portion 107 is partially encased by the two horizontal portions 116, 117 and the vertical portion 118 of the encasement portion 106. The encasement portion 106 further includes jogs 119 to provide a firm hold of the protection portion 107 when encased by the encasement portion 106. An exposed portion of a top surface of the upper horizontal portion 116 of the encasement portion 106 forms a ledge portion 120. The ledge portion 120 is particularly useful in cases in which a compound material and wall tape are to be applied over the wall assembly 101 and the wall assembly contact portion 104, as described above.

[0035] The downward angled portion 108 in combination with the flexible seal portion 111 cover the gap 110 between the wall support structure 102 and the finished flooring 109 by at least partially extending over the finished flooring 109. The flexible seal portion 111 further provides a tight seal against the finished flooring 109 to account for imperfection or irregularities in the framing, the sub-floor 112, and / or the finished flooring 109, causing variations in a vertical height 121 of the finished flooring 109. The flexibility of the flexible seal portion 111 allows for a compliant point of contact against the finished flooring 109. Closing off any gaps between the wall support structure 102 and the finished flooring 109 and between the apparatus 100 and the finished flooring 109 is important as it keeps unwanted debris from accumulating in gaps that are both difficult to reach and tedious to clean.

[0036] FIG. 2 illustrates a flowchart depicting an example of a method for installing the apparatus described herein to a wall assembly including fastening the wall assembly contact portion of the apparatus to the wall assembly such that: the wall assembly contact portion is positioned adjacent to and at least partially in contact with the wall assembly, the wall support contact portion is positioned adjacent to and at least partially in contact with the wall support structure, the downward angled portion at least partially extends over the finished flooring, the flexible seal portion is at least partially positioned on top of the finished flooring, and a visual-reveal feature is formed between the encasement portion and the finished flooring; and applying at least one of compound material and wall tape onto the outer wall surface of the wall assembly and the exposed surface of the wall assembly contact portion to create a seamless transition between the body assembly and the wall assembly.

[0037] It should be understood that the various embodiments described herein are presented by way of example, and that numerous variations, modifications, or combinations of the described embodiments may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. In some instances, certain features of one embodiment may be used in combination with features of another embodiment, or multiple embodiments may be integrated together to achieve a desired result. Additionally, certain elements or steps of the described embodiments may be omitted, substituted, or altered depending on the specific implementation or application.

[0038] In various embodiments, certain components, methods, or functionalities described herein may be modified or adapted to fit specific use cases or design constraints. These modifications may be made in view of particular user requirements, environmental conditions, or regulatory considerations.

[0039] Alternative configurations of the embodiments described herein are also possible. In some cases, a particular feature described with reference to one embodiment may be utilized in other embodiments, even if not explicitly mentioned. Similarly, the order of steps in a process / method or the arrangement of components in a system or apparatus may be altered, provided that the underlying principles of the invention are maintained.

[0040] While particular embodiments have been described, it is to be understood that alternative embodiments may be employed in place of the specifically described forms. In some cases, specific components may be replaced with functionally equivalent alternatives, and in others, operational steps may be rearranged or omitted, all without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Examples

Embodiment Construction

[0013] The present inventions will now be described in detail with reference to a few embodiments thereof as illustrated in the accompanying drawings. In the following description, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present inventions. It will be apparent, however, to one skilled in the art, that the present invention may be practiced without some or all of these specific details. In other instances, well known process steps and / or structures have not been described in detail in order to not unnecessarily obscure the present invention. Further, it should be emphasized that several inventive techniques are described, and embodiments are not limited to systems implanting all of those techniques, as various cost and engineering trade-offs may warrant systems that only afford a subset of the benefits described herein or that will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art.

[0014] In the fo...

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising: a body assembly, comprising: a wall assembly contact portion configured to be positioned adjacent to and at least partially interface with a wall assembly; a wall support contact portion configured to be positioned adjacent to and at least partially interface with a wall support structure supporting the wall assembly; an encasement portion positioned between the wall assembly contact portion and the wall support contact portion and configured to at least partially encase a protection portion; a downward angled portion extending outwardly from the wall support contact portion on a downward angle and configured to extend at least partially over a finished flooring to close at least one first gap between the finished flooring and the wall support structure; and a flexible seal portion extending outwardly from the downward angled portion and configured to be positioned on top of the finished flooring to close at least one second gap between the apparatus and the finished flooring, the at least one second gap formed due to variations in a vertical height of the finished flooring; andthe protection portion; wherein: a visual-reveal feature is formed between the encasement portion and the finished flooring when the body assembly is installed onto the wall assembly; and the visual-reveal feature comprises a channel with a vertical height and a horizontal depth.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the wall assembly contact portion comprises a plurality of perforations.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the wall assembly contact portion is configured such that it is positioned at an angle relative to the wall assembly when the body assembly is installed onto the wall assembly, whereby only a top portion of the wall assembly contact portion interfaces with the wall assembly.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the encasement portion comprises: a vertical portion; a first horizontal portion connected to a first end of the vertical portion; anda second horizontal portion connected to a second end of the vertical portion.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein an exposed portion of a top surface of the first horizontal portion forms a ledge portion of the apparatus.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein: the wall support contact portion comprises a protrusion; and the protrusion is adjacent to and interfaces with the wall support.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein: the protrusion comprises one or more sets of perforations; anda depth of the protrusion is adjusted by tearing or cutting along a set of perforations to remove a portion the protrusion.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a depth-extension section attached to the wall support contact portion.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein: the wall assembly contact portion, the wall support contact portion, the encasement portion, and the downward angled portion are fabricated of a first material;the flexible seal portion is fabricated from a second material; andthe flexible seal and the remaining components of the body assembly are co-extruded.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the second material comprises a malleable rubber material.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least one of: the protection portion comprises a wood component; andthe body assembly is extruded by an extrusion machine by using an extrusion process.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein: the wall assembly forms an interior wall of a room; andthe wall assembly comprises one of: drywall, plasterboard, wallboard, gypsum board, and gyprock.

13. A method for installing a visual-reveal feature, comprising:providing an apparatus, comprising:a body assembly, comprising: a wall assembly contact portion configured to be positioned adjacent to and at least partially interface with a wall assembly; a wall support contact portion configured to be positioned adjacent to and at least partially interface with a wall support structure supporting the wall assembly; an encasement portion positioned between the wall assembly contact portion and the wall support contact portion and configured to at least partially encase a protection portion; a downward angled portion extending outwardly from the wall support contact portion on a downward angle and configured to extend at least partially over a finished flooring to close at least one first gap between the finished flooring and the wall support structure; and a flexible seal portion extending outwardly from the downward angled portion and configured to be positioned on top of the finished flooring to close at least one second gap between the apparatus and the finished flooring, the at least one second gap formed due to variations in a vertical height of the finished flooring; andthe protection portion; andinstalling the body assembly onto the wall assembly and the wall support structure such that: the wall assembly contact portion is positioned adjacent to and at least partially in contact with the wall assembly; the wall support contact portion is positioned adjacent to and at least partially in contact with the wall support structure;the downward angled portion at least partially extends over the finished flooring;the flexible seal portion is at least partially positioned on top of the finished flooring; andthe visual-reveal feature, comprising a channel with a vertical height and a horizontal depth, is formed between the encasement portion and the finished flooring.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein installing the body assembly onto the wall assembly and the wall support structure comprises: fastening the body assembly to at least one of the wall assembly and the wall support structure.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising:applying at least one of compound material and wall tape onto an outer wall surface of the wall assembly and an exposed surface of the wall assembly contact portion to create a seamless transition between the body assembly and the wall assembly.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the wall assembly contact portion comprises a plurality of perforations.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the wall assembly contact portion is configured such that it is positioned at an angle relative to the wall assembly when the body assembly is installed onto the wall assembly, whereby only a top portion of the wall assembly contact portion interfaces with the wall assembly.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein: the encasement portion comprises: a vertical portion; a first horizontal portion connected to a first end of the vertical portion; anda second horizontal portion connected to a second end of the vertical portion; the wall support contact portion comprises a protrusion; and the protrusion is adjacent to and interfaces with the wall support.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein an exposed portion of a top surface of the first horizontal portion forms a ledge portion of the apparatus.

20. The method of claim 13, wherein the flexible seal portion is fabricated from a malleable rubber material.

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