Abstract:
A mirror is framed with a molding system which includes a plurality of moldings covering the border of the mirror. Each molding has an adhesive backing covered with a removable pull-and-peel cover strip. The moldings can be accurately held in place on the mirror as the cover strips are removed. Comer caps are similarly adhesively set in place over the gaps formed between adjoining moldings.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0002]    The present invention relates in general to molding applied to the borders of a mirror, and in particular to a molding system which eliminates the need for fasteners and other hardware by attaching the moldings to a mirror with doubled-sided adhesive.  
           [0003]    2. Description of Prior Developments  
           [0004]    Decorative strips of molding are mounted around the borders of mirrors to cover the underlying fasteners and clips which hold the mirrors to walls, doors and other support surfaces. The molding strips are typically held to the mirror with fasteners.  
           [0005]    It is a difficult and cumbersome task to hold the molding accurately in place while nailing, screwing or otherwise fastening the molding to the wall surrounding the mirror. It is particularly difficult to apply comer pieces to the molding. That is, it is difficult to accurately align the comer pieces squarely with the adjacent molding pieces while at the same time keeping the comer pieces level.  
           [0006]    Accordingly, a need exists for a mirror trim and molding system which is easy to apply and which eliminates the need for fasteners such as screws, nails and bolts. A further need exists for a mirror trim and molding system which includes its own pre-assembled attachment members as an integral part of the trim moldings in order to prevent the loss of loose fasteners.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0007]    The present invention has been developed to meet the needs noted above and therefore has as an object the provision of a decorative trim and molding system for mirrors which is easy to apply, eliminates the need for separate fasteners and provides integral fastener members which cannot be lost during assembly.  
           [0008]    These and other objects are met in accordance with the present invention which is directed to a molding system for providing a decorative trim or frame around a mirror. One example of the molding system includes a set of four molding pieces and four matching comer pieces. Both the molding pieces and comer pieces are held in place with an adhesive member such as double-sided adhesive tape.  
           [0009]    The adhesive is provided with a removable covering which can be easily peeled off when the molding and comer pieces are set in place. The adhesive is pre-applied to the molding and comer pieces at a manufacturing facility so that the molding and comer pieces with the attached adhesive members are supplied to an assembler as an integral unit. In this manner, loose fasteners are eliminated. This integral molding and fastener member assembly thereby prevents the loss of loose fasteners at a job site.  
           [0010]    A particular advantage of the present invention is the ability to simultaneously level a trim or corner piece while checking the proper alignment of the trim or comer piece with a level. That is, an assembler can hold both the trim molding piece or comer piece and a level with one hand and permanently set the piece in position with the other hand. This advantage is made possible with peel-away coverings which, when removed from the adhesive members, cause the respective pieces to be securely adhesively fixed in position.  
           [0011]    The aforementioned objects, features and advantages of the invention will, in part, be pointed out with particularity, and will, in part, become obvious from the following more detailed description of the invention, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which form an integral part thereof 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0012]    In the drawings:  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 1 is a front elevation view of a mirror fixed to a support surface;  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 2 is a view of FIG. 1 with a molding piece constructed in accordance with the invention and positioned in place prior to attachment;  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 3 is a rear elevation view of the molding piece of FIG. 2;  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 4 is a left side view of FIG. 3 taken along line  4 - 4  thereof;  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 5 is a view of the mirror of FIG. 1, with four molding pieces adhesively attached in accordance with the invention;  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 6 is a front elevation view of the mirror of FIG. 5, showing the attachment of a comer piece;  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 7 is an enlarged front elevation view of the left top comer piece of FIG. 6;  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 8 is a rear elevation view of FIG. 7;  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 9 is a view in section taken through line  9 - 9  of FIG. 8;  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 10 is a view in section taken through line  10 - 10  of FIG. 8; and  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 11 is a right side view of FIG. 7 taken along line  11 - 11  thereof  
         [0024]    In the various views of the drawings, like reference characters designate like or similar parts. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0025]    The present invention will now be described in conjunction with the drawings, beginning with FIG. 1, which shows a conventional mirror  10  attached to a wall, or other support surface  12 , with conventional clips  14 . The clips  14  are secured to the wall  12  with conventional fasteners  16 , such as screws or nails.  
         [0026]    In order to cover the clips  14  and fasteners  16 , as well as to provide a pleasing decorative frame or border around the mirror  10 , one or more trim strips or moldings, such as molding  18  shown in FIG. 2, are fastened around the border  20  of the mirror  10 . Molding  18  may be formed of any suitable material such as wood, metal, or preferably plastic. The molding  18  may be formed as an extrusion or die casting and may have virtually any decorative surface profile and virtually any cross section to accommodate a particular application.  
         [0027]    For example, as seen in FIGS. 2, 3 and  4 , plastic extruded molding  18  has a planar front face  22  which extends outwardly from a recessed undercut or step  24 . A rearwardly extending rim  26  leads to an inwardly extending abutment flange  28  which can abut against support surface  12 .  
         [0028]    An important feature of the invention is the provision of an adhesive member  30  on the inner surface  32  of molding  18 . The adhesive member can take the form of a layer of tacky adhesive such as a rubber cement, or preferably a strip of double-sided adhesive sponge tape, i.e., a foamed plastic tape having adhesive provided on both sides.  
         [0029]    The adhesive member  30  is preferably adhesively attached along its interior surface to the rear or inner surface  32  of molding  18  at a production facility where the molding  18  is initially assembled, i.e., preferably prior to sale or use. The outer or exterior surface of the adhesive member  30  is advantageously covered with a thin removable covering  34 . Covering  34  may be a thin flexible sheet of non-stick glossy plastic material.  
         [0030]    As seen in FIG. 2, an inch or two of the covering  34  is initially peeled off of the adhesive member  30  at a jobsite by an assembler. The molding  18  is then positioned over the border of mirror  10  with a free end portion  35  of covering  34  extending from beneath the molding  18 . If desired, a bubble level  36  may be held on the outer edge of the molding  18 , i.e. along rim  26 , as the molding is adjusted level or square.  
         [0031]    The molding  18  and level  36  can be held together against surface  12  with one hand. The assembler can then grasp the free end portion  35  of the covering  34  with the other hand and, while pressing the molding against mirror  10  and surface  12 , peel covering  34  completely off the adhesive member  18 , as indicated by the directional arrow  38 .  
         [0032]    As the covering  34  is peeled away from the molding  18 , the molding becomes instantly and permanently attached to the border of the mirror  10  without the use of loose fasteners. This procedure is repeated as many times as necessary to completely enclose and frame mirror  10  with one or more moldings  18 . As seen in FIG.  5 , four moldings  18  are arranged in a rectangle around the mirror  10 . However, a single molding  18  could be formed as a circle, oval rectangle or any other shape and provided with one or more adhesive members  18  and applied to a mirror as described above.  
         [0033]    As further seen in FIG. 5, comer gaps  40  are formed between the adjacent ends  42  of adjoining moldings  18 . In order to provide a pleasing look to the mirror frame  44  formed by the moldings  18 , one or more comer pieces  46  (FIG. 6) may be used to cover the gaps  40 . Preferably one comer piece  46  is fixed in place over each comer gap  40 .  
         [0034]    Comer piece  46  may be formed as a rigid plastic molding and may have any suitable shape which covers each respective gap  40 . In FIG. 6, the comer piece  46  is formed with a body which is shaped as rectangular plate  47  having a pair of rearwardly extending flanges or rims  48 .  
         [0035]    As further seen in FIG. 6, one comer piece  46  has been permanently fixed over the upper right comer of mirror  10 , and a second loose comer piece  46  has been placed in position over the upper left comer of mirror  10  and is ready to be fixed to frame  44 . A bubble level  26  can be held on the top rim  48  of the comer piece  46  as it is aligned squarely with the comer ends  42  which define the gap  40  over which the corner piece is to be mounted. The level  26  and comer piece  46  can be held with the same hand during alignment and permanent mounting of the comer piece.  
         [0036]    A particular advantage of comer piece  46  is the provision of a layer of adhesive  50  (FIGS.  8 - 11 ) on the interior surface  51  of plate  47  on each comer piece  46 . The adhesive layer or adhesive member  50  can take the form of a layer of tacky adhesive cement, or preferably a pad of double-sided adhesive tape, such as foamed sponge tape having adhesive provided on both sides. The exterior surface  53  of the comer piece can be flat, contoured or patterned, if desired.  
         [0037]    As seen in dashed lines in FIG. 8, the adhesive member  50  is in the form of a rectangular or square pad of double-sided adhesive tape. Of course, the adhesive member  50  may be provided in virtually any shape, as long as it has sufficient surface area to securely hold the comer piece  46  in place on frame  44 .  
         [0038]    As further seen in FIGS.  6 - 11 , each comer piece  46  includes a removable, peelable covering  52  which overlies, covers and protects the adhesive member  50  until the corner piece is adjusted into proper position for permanent mounting to a comer of mirror  10 . Covering  52  can be a thin flexible sheet of non-stick plastic material which can be easily peeled from the adhesive member  50 .  
         [0039]    Although covering  52  can be provided as a single unitary sheet, it is preferable to divide covering sheet  52  into two separate pull strips,  54 ,  56 , as best seen in FIG. 8. In this example, covering  52  is formed as an L-shaped sheet, with each leg of the sheet forming a respective pull strip  54 ,  56 .  
         [0040]    An important feature of the covering  52  of FIGS.  6 - 11 , is the formation of a weakened or cut portion  60  between the pull strips  54 ,  56 . This weakened or cut portion  60  is preferably formed as a bias cut, extending diagonally from the exterior comer of the vertex  62  (FIG. 8) of the L-shaped covering  52  to the interior comer of vertex  64  of the L-shaped covering. The cut portion  60  also extends diagonally over the adhesive member  50 .  
         [0041]    The weakened or cut portion  60  may be formed as a perforated line, a partially cut score line or a totally severed through-cut. Of course, separate cover pieces or pull strips  54 ,  56  can be applied individually over the adhesive member  50 , or separate pull strips  54 ,  56  can cover separate adhesive members  50  which are spaced apart on the interior surface  51  of the comer piece  46 .  
         [0042]    Referring again to FIG. 6, an assembler can hold the comer piece  46  and level  36  with one hand while pressing the comer piece against the molding end portions  42 . Using the other hand, the assembler can grasp one of the pull strips  54 ,  56  which extend outwardly from beneath the comer piece, and then sequentially pull the pull strips away from the underlying adhesive member  50 , as indicated by the directional arrows  66 .  
         [0043]    Once one of the pull strips  54 ,  56  is pulled away and removed from the adhesive member  50 , a triangular-shaped patch of adhesive immediately attaches to and securely holds the comer piece  46  to the underlying moldings  18 . The triangular-shaped patch of adhesive is formed of sufficient size to firmly hold the comer piece in fixed position so that the assembler need not any longer hold the comer piece in position while the second pull strip is removed. That is, the assembler can release the hand hold on the comer piece  46  after one of the pull strips  54 ,  56  is removed.  
         [0044]    By arranging the pull strips  54 ,  56  at right angles to one another, they can be easily pulled away from the adhesive member  50  along the weakened or cut score line portion  60 , which bisects the angle between the pull strips. Once both pull strips are removed, the entire adhesive member forms a secure adhesive bond between the comer piece  46  and the underlying moldings  18 . Adhesive member  50  can be positioned so as to span gap  40  and bond to each adjoining comer end  42 . This provides additional strength to frame  44 .  
         [0045]    If desired, a hole or indentation  68  (FIGS. 7 and 9) can be formed on interior surface  51  of comer piece  46 . Indentation  68  can be easily pierced to receive the fastening post of a decorative rosette, as is common in the art.  
         [0046]    While the comer piece  46  is shown as a square planar cap having a pair of adjoining rims or flanges  48 , it should be noted that corner piece  46  can be contoured to cover virtually any underlying molding configuration, such as the common conventional “J-channel” flat moldings widely available for framing mirrors.  
         [0047]    There has been disclosed heretofore the best embodiment of the invention presently contemplated. However, it is to be understood that the various changes and modifications may be made thereto without departing from the spirit of the invention.