Abstract:
A novel clip for spacing wall panels above a floor during the construction of a partition comprises a clip with a clip portion with a radius, with a long leg and a short leg emanating in substantial parallel relation from each end of the radius. The short leg further includes a clip flange that projects transversely from the plane of the short leg and away from the long leg. The clip portion is compatibly sized to fit onto a floor plate flange. The clip flange is capable of retaining a load when the bottom of a wall panel is mounted thereon, holding the lower edge of the wall panel at a predetermined height above the floor.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    Not applicable. 
       STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
       [0002]    Not applicable. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    The present invention relates an article used for spacing during wall panel installation. More particularly, the present invention relates to a clip for holding drywall panels in a spaced position during the attachment of the drywall panel onto a stud frame for a wall. 
         [0004]    The present invention is primarily drawn towards usage on metal stud wall partition, although, as will be discussed in more detail below, the clip of the present invention may also be used on conventional wood stud wall type framing applications as well. The circumstances that affect both the metal stud and wood stud walls where both are sheathed with drywall panels are essentially common to each type of framing method. Thus the discussion regarding the benefits and attributes of the present invention applies to both methods. 
         [0005]    The usage of drywall panels has been the conventional method for finishing interior walls for many decades. Originally it replaced plastered walls owing to the fact that drywall panels can be handled with more ease and they produce a result that is considered to be cosmetically equivalent to a fully plastered wall. The walls themselves have typically comprised a frame, made up of a series of spaced studs that are tied into a wood floor plate at the bottom and a top plate at the top. The finishing of a stud wall with drywall panels requires that the drywall panels be trimmed to the desired size and then attached to the studs. At this point, the installation of the panels result is a wall surface that is flat and ready for a final finishing treatment that may be as modest as finishing the joints with a plaster type compound, or in some cases, it may entail the usage of a thin coating of plaster. In any event, the completed wall presents a surface that appears seamless and smooth and is readily accepted as an interior wall surface. 
         [0006]    The mounting of drywall panels onto the stud walls is not a precision process. The panels are comprised of a gypsum core with a paper exterior. This means the panels can be cut very easily with utility knives or “sawzit” type of tools which greatly expedites the fitting and mounting process. Typically though, the drywaller will optimize the fit at the top of the wall knowing that the joint formed between the wall and the ceiling will in most cases be entirely visible. Conversely, the fit on the bottom edge of the drywall panels is usually deemed less critical, but many times the drywall panel will sit directly on, or close to the floor as it is at the time of the drywall installation. The exact nature of this fit is usually of little concern to the drywaller since a perfect fit has not been required, nor has it been easily obtained owing to variations in the floor level. Lastly, the drywall is usually installed well before the floor is finished. Depending on the type of floor material that is selected for a particular job, the spacing between the fully finished floor and the lower edge of the drywall panel will have changed greatly and the two may be in contact. Sometimes the lower edge of the drywall may actually be below the top of the finished floor where the finished floor material has been trimmed to fit the wall. 
         [0007]    Problems associated with the contact of the drywall panel with the floor are something that can occur during the balance of the period of time the wall or house is under construction, or, problems may occur afterwards well after the walls and/or house construction activities have ceased. Of main concern and a situation that is very relevant to the present invention, occurs when moisture or water comes into contact with the lower edge of the drywall panels. Inasmuch as they are constructed of gypsum and paper, the drywall remains capable of absorbing fluids and wicking these well above the lower edge where they can spread into the central field of the drywall panel. The result is that delamination of the panel may occur which will appear as blisters on the finished surface and it may include some discoloration as well. In some cases the contact between the drywall and the floor is such that only small amount of moisture are wicked into the drywall panel however when this occurs over a long period of time this becomes fertile ground for the growth of molds and mildew. 
         [0008]    The appearance of “black mold” has received much attention in recent years since it has been linked to allergy problem and in some cases, the type of mold that may be involved can represent a serious health issue. These black molds are very tenacious and aggressive once established and become so difficult to eradicate that they may require the wholesale deconstruction of the drywall panels and a decontamination of the flooring and wall frame with chlorine based cleaning solutions. In some cases it has been reported that rehabilitation has not been possible and where the offending mold is of a dangerous type, the house has been intentionally burned down as the most feasible means of dealing with the problem. 
         [0009]    The avoidance of such problems is of concern not only to the unlucky homeowner who has purchased the potential tragedy, but also to the contractor who may be hailed into litigation as a result of the manner in which the house has been constructed. This has become an increasingly likely event especially in the Southern climes of the United States where persistent humidity levels increase the potential for encouraging mold and fungal growth. In addition, many states have experienced rain damage and flood damage as a result of hurricanes, tomados and other natural disasters. Another occurrence that results in drywall panel damage is the activation of fire sprinklers. These are only a few of the circumstances that may promote the types of damage to drywall panels. It should also be noted that panels other than drywall may also be subject to the same types of damage. For instance, wood paneling may also be affected adversely under the same types of influences. 
         [0010]    There have been clips in the prior art that have been used as tools for installing panels of various types. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,700,515 (Menchetti, et al) teaches the use of a clip that is used to level a wall panel when the installer is confronting an uneven floor. While the clip used by Menchetti bears some visual resemblance to the clip of the present invention, it does not provide a specific spacing of the lower edge of the drywall from a floor. In U.S. Pat. No. 6,0067,691 (Feltman) a clip is used to attach panels to structural beams. The clip provides an interface between the panel and the structural beam and allows the panel to be fastened directly to the clip. In U.S. Pat. No. 3,232,018 (Mac Kean) a clip similar to Feltman is disclosed for the attachment of panels to spaced studs. 
         [0011]    Two more patents show clips that can be used for fastening panels to support structures, such as U.S. Pat. No. 3,748,815 (Parker) which covers a clip similar to Feltman for the attachment of panels to structural columns. In U.S. Pat. No. 3,962,840 (Nelsson) also reveals a clip for attaching panels to a structure, which in this instance is a metal stud. The clips are oriented for attaching the panels in corners. Finally, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,073,068 (Slowinski) teaches the use of a bracket for receiving a panel where the bracket forms a baseboard for metal stud wall constructions. 
         [0012]    None of the prior art clips or brackets have been directed for use in maintaining a drywall panel (or other panel that might benefit from the present invention) at a select height above the floor in an installation. In the case of the present invention, the clip is self-aligning and provides service as a mount for holding the panel in place. These and other attributes and features of the present invention will be discussed in more detail below. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0013]    A novel clip for spacing the lower edge of a panel during the installation of the panel onto a stud wall or partition frame, the clip comprising an elongate metal plate of gauge thickness suitable for bending or forming into a clip, where the clip of the present invention includes a “U” shaped clip portion that includes a radius portion, with a short leg and a long leg emanating from the radius portion and where the short legs and the long leg are in substantially parallel alignment. The short leg further includes a clip flange that projects outwardly and transverse to the plane of the short leg. The clip flange is capable of retaining the lower edge of a panel and supporting a load. 
         [0014]    In addition, the clip of the present invention may include in an alternate embodiment, a hole disposed centrally on the long leg of the clip and compatible with the fastening of the clip to a wood stud. 
         [0015]    These and other features and attributes of the present invention are discussed in more detail below. 
     
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0016]      FIG. 1  is an isometric view of a portion of a stud wall, showing the floor and the lower portion of a wall panel, where the wall panel is positioned to rest on the clip flange extending from the clip of the present invention. 
           [0017]      FIG. 2  is a front view of the stud wall, wall panel, floor and clip of the present invention as depicted in  FIG. 1 . 
           [0018]      FIG. 3  is a side cross sectional view of a portion of the stud wall and the clip of the present invention taken along Section Lines  3 - 3 . 
           [0019]      FIG. 4  is an isometric view of a clip of the present invention. 
           [0020]      FIG. 5  is an isometric view of a clip of the present invention with a hole for mounting. 
           [0021]      FIG. 6  is an isometric view of an upper portion of the stud wall, showing the top plate and a panel placed in position to be mounted to the frame. 
           [0022]      FIG. 7  is a side cross section of the top of a stud and top plate, with the clip of the present invention installed in the upper orientation. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0023]    A novel clip for spacing wall panels above a floor is shown both in the drawings and is discussed in detail within this specification. The usage of the clip is shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , where a stud wall  10  is shown with stud(s)  12 , floor plate  14 , the floor  16 , the wall panel  18 , and the clip  20  of the present invention. The lower edge  22  of the wall panel  18  is also shown in the drawings. 
         [0024]    In  FIGS. 3 ,  4  and  5 , more details of the clip  20  can be realized, along with its application in a metal stud wall. Specifically, in  FIG. 3 , the floor plate  14  of a stud wall is shown as being comprised of floor plate flanges  30  and the floor plate base  32 . The clip  20  is installed onto one of the floor plate flanges  30  and includes the clip flange  40 , the clip portion  42 , the short leg  44 , the long leg  46  and the radius  48 . Also shown is the outer radius  50 . In  FIGS. 4 and 5 , the clip  20  is viewable from a perspective angle and in particular, in  FIG. 5  the clip is shown with a mounting hole  60  which may be used to augment the functional attributes of the clip  20  as will be explained below. 
         [0025]    As may now be appreciated, the clip of the present invention is used on a metal stud wall type of partition construction. As seen in  FIGS. 1 ,  2  and  3 , the metal stud meets a floor plate which has an inverted “U” shaped profile. The metal stud fits into the floor plate and is typically secured to it using metal screws. The floor plate is itself mounted to the floor, typically by screwing through the floor plate base and directly into the floor. The upwardly directed flanges of the floor plate offer a mounting point to place the clip, which as can be seen with particularity in  FIG. 3 , the clip fits onto the flange by inserting the clip over the flange and into the space defined in between the short leg and the long leg of the clip and which terminates at the radius at the top of the clip. This fit is preferably snug although it need not be so snug as to cause it to be wedge into place. The fit has to be tight enough to prevent the clip from tilting when a load is placed on the clip flange. 
         [0026]    In  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the wall panel is shown as installed on a clip of the present invention. The lower edge of the wall panel rests directly on the clip flange and transfers some of the weight or load of the wall panel onto each clip in this fashion, whereby all of the clips are taking up the total load of the wall panel until the wall panel is secured to the stud wall. The clip flange projects from the short leg at approximately a ninety degree angle. In practice the angle does not have to be exactly ninety degrees and it may actually be formed as a slight acute angle as referenced between the short leg and the clip flange which would tend to offer a little holding bias when a wall panel is mounted thereon. As may be presumed, a number of clips are typically deployed along the floor plate such that the lower edge of the wall panel is supported by the clip flanges of such clips at a plurality of points. The wall panels are typically attached to the studs through the use of screws. In the case where the wall panel is drywall, there are drywall fasteners that are made specially for attaching drywall to studs. If the wall panel is a wood or a composite construction, then the fastener that is appropriate for that product would preferentially be used. 
         [0027]    The clips of the present invention can be placed into position by hand and left that way until the wall panel is mounted onto the clips flanges. If it is desired, however, the installer can drill holes in the front side (the side on which the wall panel is mounted) and fix the clip to the floor plate using a screw. One advantage of using the clip of the present invention is in the height that is established for the clip flange from the floor that is adjacent to the bottom of the floor plate. As can be seen from  FIG. 3 , the height of the clip flange will never be less than the difference of the height between the bottom of the clip flange and the bottom of the long leg. Variations in the height of the flanges of the floor plate will be of no consequence using the clip of the present invention, thus ensuring that the lower edge of the wall panel will remain at a minimum height above the floor level. 
         [0028]    The determination of the appropriate height for the clip flange relative to the floor level is a matter of selection. Typically when walls are being fitted with wall panels, such as drywall, this is still at a construction stage where the floor has not been installed. The floor tends to be one of the last items to be completed since it avoids the potential for damage to the floor while the rest of the work is ongoing. There are different types of floors which can result in different floor heights. For instance, tile and wood floors may require underlayments that will add to the end height of the floor when the tile or wood flooring is added on top. Carpet may vary as well. The contractor will know beforehand what type of flooring is specified for a particular job and can make a selection as to whether a clip with one height or another would be appropriate. In the alternate, one size clip may be provided for all situations where the height of the clip flange is optimized for the tallest floor system, thus making the clip a “one size fits all” design. 
         [0029]    The clip is preferably fabricated from metal, typically a light gage steel that can be formed in a sheet brake, or a press. To increase the strength of the part, ribs or gussets can be struck into the clip as it is formed in order to impart additional stiffness. The clip does not necessarily need to be finished although if the clip does get exposed to any moisture there is a risk that it will rust and this will leach into the wall panel, possibly causing stains, and thereby frustrating the objectives of the invention. For this reason, the clip is preferably protected with a galvanic coating such as zinc or it may be finished with a powder coating. 
         [0030]    The clip of the present invention is primarily directed towards usage in metal stud walls although with a slight modification it may be used on wood stud wall partitions. For instance, as shown in  FIG. 5 , a mounting hole  60  is pre-drilled in the long leg which allows the clip to be installed onto a wood stud or a wood floor plate in the inverted mode as shown in the drawing, or it can be reversed and mounted as shown in  FIG. 4 . In  FIG. 5 , the clip top  52  is the end of the long leg  46 . In either event the clip is secured to the wood stud or wood plate by a screw. For additional strength, more than one mounting hole may be provided such that two or more screws will be used to secure the clip to the wood stud or wood plate. Lastly, as alluded to above, it is possible for the user to drill a hole through the long leg on the job and mount the clip in the manner described in this paragraph. 
         [0031]    Turning now to  FIGS. 6 and 7 , an alternate use of the clip of the present invention is shown where the clip  20  is placed onto the upper part of the stud wall  10 . The stud wall  10  includes a top plate  72  that is supported by and connected to the studs  12 . In  FIG. 7 , the stud  12  fits within the top plate  72  where the top plate  72  includes the top plate top  74 , the top plate flanges  76 . The fit of the mounting clip onto the top plate flange is sufficiently tight to retain the clip to the top plate flange while in this inverted position. 
         [0032]    When used on the upper part of the stud wall, the clip assists in the placement of the panel and keeps it in close proximity to the point where the ceiling meets the top plate. Often this junction is a problem when finishing the room and large gaps require some sort of trim to cover the situation. With the present invention, the clip keeps the gaps consistently the same size which means that it is not such a cosmetic detriment. In addition, if the installer wishes to trim the junction it becomes a much neater and easier job since the gap is now consistent and can be covered with nominally sized trim moldings. Lastly, the installer may elect to caulk the gap which is a procedure that is also facilitated through the use of the present invention. 
         [0033]    The benefits of the present invention lie in the fact that it will allow the wall panels to be maintained at a height above a level, relative to the floor, where the potential for the wall panel to come into contact with water or moisture is minimized. The clip of the present invention provides this protection in a surprisingly compact and economical way, one that is unexpected especially in view of the prevalence of the problems associated with the damage to wall panels. 
         [0034]    The teachings of the present invention are meant to illustrate the ways in which it can be used. The examples and discussions above are therefore not intended to be limiting and it is understood that variations on the concepts taught herein may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.