Abstract:
Masking to protect flooring when a baluster on the floor is being painted includes a masking sheet preformed with an opening therein inwardly of the sheet edges conforming in shape and size to the base of the baluster to be painted and having an adhesive coating on its bottom in turn covered by a release sheet that is removed before the masking sheet is applied. The masking sheet is slit from the opening to an edge so that it may be mounted on the floor about the baluster base.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/834,934, entitled “BALUSTER MASK,” filed on Aug. 1, 2006, which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
     
     FIELD OF INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention relates to masks principally used to protect floors and other surfaces when balusters extending upwardly from their surfaces are being painted, stained or otherwise coated with a protective or decorative coating. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    Traditionally, painters mask stairs and flooring around balusters with tape. Sometimes masking paper is used together with the tape to cover the floor. If paper is used, it is often supplied in rolls, and the paper is applied to the floor and subsequently secured in place by tape from a tape gun. The present invention enables the worker to apply and secure the mask about the baluster as a single operation, in a precise location to afford maximum protection to the floor. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    In accordance with the present invention, the mask is preformed as a sheet that includes an opening inwardly of its edge that precisely corresponds to the shape and size of the baluster base. The sheet has a slit extending inwardly from the sheet edge to the opening enabling the mask to be placed in position on the floor and entirely surrounding the baluster base. The mask carries an adhesive coating to removably attach the mask in position on the floor. In one embodiment of the invention, the coating is covered by a film that may be peeled from the mask when the mask is to be mounted in position about the baluster base. 
     
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         [0005]    The accompanying drawings are not intended to be drawn to scale. In the drawings, each identical or nearly identical component that is illustrated in various figures is represented by a like numeral. For purposes of clarity, not every component may be labeled in every drawing. In the drawings: 
           [0006]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a floor surface from which two railing balusters extend, with the masking of the present invention shown applied about the base of one baluster and a second mask in the process of being applied about the base of the other. 
           [0007]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view similar to  FIG. 1  showing masks in different stages of application about the base of two balusters; 
           [0008]      FIG. 3  is a top plan view of one mask constructed in accordance with this invention; 
           [0009]      FIG. 4  is a plan view of another embodiment of mask constructed in accordance with the present invention; 
           [0010]      FIG. 5  is a bottom view of the mask shown in  FIG. 3  with the lower ply or release paper of the mask partially peeled from the masking or upper layer; and 
           [0011]      FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional view of a mask taken along section line  6 - 6  of  FIG. 5 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0012]    This invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangement of components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or of being carried out in various ways. Also, the phraseology and terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. The use of “including,” “comprising,” or “having,” “containing,” “involving,” and variations thereof herein, is meant to encompass the items listed thereafter and equivalents thereof as well as additional items. 
         [0013]    In  FIGS. 1 and 2  flooring  10  is shown that may typically be an open floor, a stair landing or stair, on which two balusters  12  are also shown typical of the type used to support a hand rail. Obviously, additional balusters of any number may be present. The balusters  12  shown have a base  14  that is square in cross-section. There are four common sizes of baluster bases most widely used, two round and two square, and the present invention typically may be employed with those four sizes but may also be made to accommodate other sizes as well. The standard baluster base sizes are 1.250 and 1.750 inches square and 1.125 and 1.5625 inches in diameter. The function of the present invention is to provide a mask for the surface  16  for the floor, step or landing when the balusters are being stained, painted or otherwise coated with a decorative and/or protective coating. The invention, however, is not limited for use only with the four common sizes, but rather may be used with balusters of all sizes and shapes. 
         [0014]    In accordance with one embodiment of this invention, the flooring is protected by separate masks  18  that are adhered to the flooring immediately adjacent the surfaces of the baluster bases. In  FIG. 3 , one such mask  18  is shown specifically designed for use with a baluster having a square base. The mask  18  has an opening  20  that is precisely cut to the baluster base dimension, i.e. typically 1.25 or 1.75 inches square. In  FIG. 4  a different mask  18   a  is shown with a circular opening  22  to be used with the balusters having a round base. The diameter of the opening complements the baluster base diameter with which it is to be used, i.e. 1.125 or 1.5625 inches in diameter for standard balusters, but again may be otherwise sized for use with balusters having round bases of different diameter. 
         [0015]    The mask  18  as shown in  FIG. 6  comprises an upper masking ply  26  typically made of a PVC material that preferably is translucent or transparent and has an approximate thickness of 0.01 inch. The thickness may vary depending upon the specific application. For example, the nature of the coating material to be applied to the balusters may dictate the use of a different weight and thickness for the mask. Furthermore, while the use of light pervious material is preferred with certain applications, it should be appreciated that opaque material may also be used and materials other than PVC such as paper or different plastics in different applications may also be employed. In certain applications the mask may be prefabricated with two or more openings to accommodate two or more balusters. 
         [0016]    In addition to the primary sheet or masking layer  26 , the mask  18  in accordance with one embodiment of the invention includes an adhesive layer  28  and a peelable sheet  30 . The bottom surface  27  of the mask sheet  26  preferably is entirely coated with the adhesive layer  28  such as an acrylic pressure sensitive adhesive. Other adhesives may be used as well, although acrylic based adhesives are preferred. The adhesive should possess sufficient strength to adhere to the surface of the floor without marring the floor surface or leaving a sticky deposit on the floor when the upper masking ply  26  is removed. The adhesive layer  28  in turn is covered by the peelable sheet  30  commonly termed a release paper, that is removed before the masking layer is placed about the baluster. 
         [0017]    The mask  18  preferably including both the top ply  26  and peelable sheet  30  is provided with a slit or perforated tear line  31  that extends from the cutout portion  20 ,  22  to the nearest side edge  32  of the sheet. The slit in the embodiment of  FIGS. 1-3  preferably extends at an angle of approximately 45° to the edge  32  that it intersects so as to create a narrower portion  34  at the edge, which will enable the user to more easily peel the release paper  30  from the masking ply  26  and bend the masking ply  26  to open a passage  36  formed by the slit to mount the mask about the base  14  of the baluster. The slit  20  in one embodiment, extends through the top ply  26 , adhesive layer  28 , and the release paper  30  but may be confined to the top ply with or without the adhesive in other embodiments of the invention. 
         [0018]    In the embodiment of  FIG. 4  the slit  31  preferably extends from the side of circular opening  22  to the closest side edge  32  of the sheet also to effectively decrease the length and increase the width of the passage through which the round baluster base must pass to reach the opening  22 . The slit or perforated tear line  31  preferably may extend at an angle other than 90° to the edge  32  so as to make it easier to separate the masking sheet from the flooring when the masking sheet is to be removed. 
         [0019]    To assist in removing the masking ply  26  from the flooring after the painting or other coating of the baluster is completed, a notch or cut out  40  may be provided in the edge  41  of the masking sheet most remote from the opening  20 ,  22 . The notch or cut out  40  will assist the user in separating the edge of the mask from the flooring and is located on the side of the baluster nearer to the floor area normally occupied by the person performing the task. 
         [0020]    When masks are to be applied about the balusters the release paper is removed from the masking ply for each baluster as suggested in  FIG. 5 . The masking ply is then separated at the slit or perforated tear line as shown adjacent the left baluster in  FIG. 2  to create the passage  36 , and slipped about the baluster as shown at the right balusters as viewed in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . Thereafter the masking ply is pressed firmly against the flooring so as to adhere the mask in place as shown about the left baluster in  FIG. 1 . The masks are applied one at a time until the flooring about all the balusters is covered. After the paint or other coating has dried, the masks are removed by peeling them off the flooring and this may be assisted by the presence of the notch  40  as shown in  FIG. 4 . 
         [0021]    Having thus described several aspects of at least one embodiment of this invention, it is to be appreciated various alterations, modifications, and improvements will readily occur to those skilled in the art. Such alterations, modifications, and improvements are intended to be part of this disclosure, and are intended to be within the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the foregoing description and drawings are by way of example only.