Abstract:
A quick-assembly corner protector including an extruded aluminum retainer adapted to be attached to the corner to be protected; decorative wooden panels laterally, slidingly engaged in the retainer adjacent the corner; and a co-extruded vinyl locking member adapted to hold the panels in place and provide a cushion at the corner.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Corner protectors are well known to the art. Essentially they are protective structures or bumpers adhered or mechanically fastened to walls of high traffic areas to protect walls from being damaged by impacts from rolling carts, wheeled equipment, and the like. Exemplary prior art corner protector assemblies are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,363,617; 4,903,449; 4,706,426; and 4,196,552. 
     SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION 
     The present invention is directed to improvements in existing designs. The new corner protector assembly provides for the use of decorative wood panels as a major component of the corner protector assembly. In addition, the design of the invention provides a flush appearance and uniquely combines the aesthetics of wood with impact absorbing characteristics of vinyl. The entire new assembly may be easily and efficiently manufactured employing simple aluminum extrusion techniques, simple vinyl co-extrusion techniques, and simple woodworking techniques. Importantly, installation of the entire new assembly, including wall-mounted aluminum extruded retaining member and wood bumper panels which are slidingly assembled at the corner into the retaining member, is quickly and easily completed by snapping a vinyl cushioning member into the retaining member between the wood bumper panels. Should repair or replacement of the wood panels become necessary, the new design permits quick and easy removal of the panels by simply removing the snap-in cushioning member and sliding the panels out. 
     More specifically, the new and improved decorative corner guard assembly includes decorative wood panels secured within an elongated extruded aluminum retaining member which is mounted in a recess formed in intersecting walls at a high traffic corner to be protected from impacts by carts or other wheeled equipment. The retaining member is anchored to the intersecting walls of the corner by a suitable adhesive or mechanical fasteners. 
     In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the retaining member includes locating projections and end wall portions which locate and receive decorative wood bumper panels by lateral sliding engagement and support the panels proximate to the corner. A projecting locking bar is formed at the apex of the retaining member between the bumper panel retaining sections. A resilient co-extruded vinyl locking rail having a hard inner locking clip portion and a softer outer cushioning portion is quickly and easily snapped over the locking bar to complete the assembly. The vinyl locking rail includes biasing wings which engage the inner side walls of the wood bumper panels and contribute to the integrity, rigidity, and stability of the entire assembly. Additionally, the locking rail is contoured to mate with corresponding contoured surfaces on the inner side walls of the bumper panels. 
     For a better appreciation of the new quick-assembly corner protector, reference should be made to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a preferred embodiment of the corner protector of the present invention; and 
     FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of an alternative embodiment. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring now to FIG. 1, the quick-assembly corner guard protector  9  of the present invention is adapted to be mounted at the corner intersection of walls  10 ,  11  which may be comprised in part of superimposed layers of ⅝ inch gypsum board. At the corner intersection, the outer layer of gypsum board is removed to form a recess  12  into which the corner guard protector assembly may be quickly and easily mounted. 
     The new and improved corner protector includes an extruded aluminum retainer member  13 , a pair of decorative wooden bumper panels  14 , and a locking rail  15  which snaps onto the retainer member to complete the entire assembly. 
     Specifically, the extruded aluminum retainer  13  is secured in a flush relationship with the recess  12  by mechanical fasteners such as screws  16  which pass through holes in inner leg portions  17  which extend for the full length of the recess. Retainer end wall portions  18  project outwardly from the ends of the inner leg portions for the full depth of the recess  12 . Advantageously, flanges  19  extend laterally from outermost portions of the retainer and overlap the exposed faces of the gypsum wall portions adjacent the retainer. 
     In a preferred embodiment of the invention, linear locating projections  20  are formed integrally with the end wall portions  18 , and they cooperate with the inner leg portions  17  to define U-shaped grooves  21 . Similar U-shaped grooves  21 A are formed by L-shaped locating projections  22  formed integrally with inner leg portions  17 . 
     At the right-angled intersection of the inner wall portions  17  a locking bar  23  having a bayonet-like head portion  24  extends outwardly. 
     As an important aspect of the invention, the decorative bumper panels  14 , advantageously fabricated from wood, are milled, sawn, or otherwise shaped and sized to provide recesses  26 ,  27  which permit the panels  14  to be laterally slid into the retainer  13 . Specifically, the creation of the recesses establishes tongue portions  28 ,  29  which mate with the grooves  21 ,  21 A to mount the panels  14  in the retainer  13 . 
     In a preferred embodiment the invention, the decorative panels  14  are securely locked in place and the corner protector assembly may be quickly and easily completed by snapping the cushioned, locking rail  15  onto the locking bar  23 . The rail  15  is formed by a dual durometer co-extruded vinyl having a spine portion  31 . A pair of inwardly projecting resilient clip feet  32  having tangs  33  form a clip which is adapted to slide over the locking bar and to lockingly engage shoulders  34  formed thereon. A pair of resilient biasing wings  35  also project inwardly from the spine  31 . The wings serve to urge the bumper panels  14  laterally outward against the retainer end walls  18 . The locking rail elements  31 - 35  are all of hard vinyl; however the co-extruded impact cushion  36  supported on the spine  31  is of softer vinyl. As shown the cushion  36  has an arcuate profile  37  and advantageously has a cylindrical hollow interior portion  38  which enhances the deformation and shock absorption characteristics. 
     The inner edge contours  40  of the locking rail are shaped to correspond precisely with the shaped contours  41  of the bumper panels  14 . Thus it will be appreciated that the snapping connection of the locking rail  15  to the locking bar  23  will firmly secure the panels  14  in place in the retainer  13 . 
     As a further important aspect of the invention, should the bumper panels  14  require replacement, the locking rail  15  can be unsnapped from the locking bar  23 ; the panels can be removed by sliding them laterally out of the retainer  13 ; substitute panels  14  can be slid in place; and the corner protector  9  can be completely re-assembled by snapping the locking rail  15  back in place over the locking bar  23  in the retainer  13 . 
     It should be understood that the foregoing description of a preferred embodiment has been exemplary only. The reversal of the male and female locking elements is contemplated, as well as modification of their specific geometries. Thus the male locking bar on the retainer may be alternatively formed as a female clip structure, while the female clip on the locking rail may be alternatively formed as a male locking bar. In addition, it may be desirable or advantageous in certain applications to offset and lengthen the flanges  19  as shown in FIG. 2 where alternate flanges  19   a  are designed to be hidden from view by the application of dry wall paste compound after the retainer  13  is installed in the recess  12 . The flanges  19 ( a ) are tapered and serrated at surface  25  as shown. In addition, integral spacers  50  may be included on the inner leg portions  17  to mount bumper panels  51  of less than the thickness of the panels  14  and made from materials other than wood. 
     Although the foregoing description has been given by way of preferred embodiment, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that other forms of the invention falling within the ambit of the following claims is contemplated. Accordingly, reference should be made to the following claims in determining the full scope of the invention.