Quad spacer for installation of flooring systems

A spacer (10) for creating a properly dimensioned gap during the installation of a flooring system, the spacer providing four non-adjustable portions to be selectively placed on a subfloor, each non-adjustable portion having a different width corresponding to an intended gap width.

BACKGROUND

A flooring system comprises a series of interlocking panels installed above and in contact with a subfloor. The panels may be formed of natural wood, engineered flooring, laminate flooring or vinyl, vinyl tile, wood plastic composite, stone polymer composite, etc.

It is desirable to provide a horizontal gap or space or “offset” between the edge of the panel and an adjacent vertical wall. The space or “offset” from the wall accommodates expansion and shrinkage of the flooring normally attributable to factors such as changes in ambient temperature and humidity. In addition, when installing flooring, the vertical walls (typically drywall) do not always extend down to the level of the subfloor. There is frequently a vertical gap of one inch (2.54 cm) or more from the subfloor level to the bottom of the vertical drywall. Most of the flooring to be installed does not have a height (thickness) above the subfloor sufficient to cover this gap. The gap or space is normally covered by moulding for aesthetic purposes.

In addition, when installing a flooring above a subfloor where there is an opening, such as for a doorway into a closet or an adjacent room, or even for a doorway between the interior and exterior of a house, it is desirable to provide a horizontal gap or space between the edge of the flooring panels to accommodate expansion. The gap or space is subsequently covered by a threshold rather than covered by a moulding for aesthetic purposes.

When installing the flooring, each successive panel (wooden or laminate planks or strips, etc.,) is forced against the previously positioned panel to make the flooring joints secure. This results in pushing the flooring under the vertical gap between the bottom of the drywall and the subfloor. This creates a problem during installation of the floor and creates a problem in not accommodating normal expansion of the flooring after the installation has been completed.

In the past, installers would utilize wedges or shims placed vertically between the wall and the floor. However, any movement of the flooring toward the wall, such as when successive flooring members are pushed up against already-installed flooring members frequently forced the bottom of the wedges into the vertical space or gap at which point the wedges could rotate or pivot out of position and no longer be useful. Furthermore, since there was no standard in the construction industry for the size of the vertical gap and/or for any desired horizontal gap between the vertical wall and the flooring, while installers frequently had to use multiple wedges as spacers to accommodate a horizontal gap, there was no spacer to accommodate the larger vertical gap.

U.S. Pat. No. 8,881,418 (Funk) illustrates a spacer to provide a fixed horizontal gap between the edge of the flooring panels and an adjacent vertical wall. PCT Application No. PCT/US2019/056860 illustrates and describes a T-shaped spacer that provides three different spacings. Publication WO 02/06609 discloses a spacer for laying flooring. U.S. Patent Publication 2016/0244975 discloses a spacer assembly. U.S. Pat. No. 5,657,598 discloses a joint-making device.

SUMMARY

The present description relates to spacers that provide four alternate non-adjustable dimensions so that the installer may select the appropriately-dimensioned spacer without the need to maintain an excessive inventory, i.e., without the need to maintain four different inventories. The spacer may be used to provide spacing between the edge of the flooring and an associated wall and may be used to provide a suitable space between the flooring being installed and an adjacent flooring for a doorway or the like to accommodate a threshold device.

Significantly, the quad or four-dimensioned spacer is adapted for removal after use so that the spacer may be reused in subsequent installations.

In one embodiment, the present description relates to a spacer for creating a properly dimensioned gap during the installation of a flooring system, the spacer including three top surfaces each a different distance from the spacer bottom, each distance corresponding to a different intended floor spacing gaps.

In another embodiment the spacer for creating a properly dimensioned gap during the installation of a flooring system, includes three top surfaces each a different distance from the spacer bottom, each distance corresponding to a different intended floor spacing gap, and a width having a dimension different from the three different distances between the top surfaces and the bottom, to provide four different floor spacing gaps.

In yet another embodiment, the present description relates to a spacer for creating a properly dimensioned gap during the installation of a flooring system, including a first element extending in a first direction and joined to a projection element, the first direction and the projection element being generally perpendicular to each other, the first element having four different widths and/or thicknesses corresponding to four potential intended expansion gaps.

In any of the preceding embodiments, the expansion gaps may be approximately 0.636 cm, 0.953 cm, 1.27 cm and 2.54 cm, (0.25, 0.375, 0.5 and 1.0 inch) and in any of the embodiments the spacer may be moulded of a rigid suitable thermoplastic and may be moulded as a single, unitary body.

In any of the preceding embodiments, the spacer may be removable and reusable.

Yet another embodiment of the present invention is a method for installation of a flooring system according to any one or more of the preceding embodiments further including positioning the spacer on a subfloor adjacent a vertical surface to provide the desired expansion gap and positioning the flooring system to abut the spacer.

Yet another embodiment of the present invention is a method for installation of a flooring system according to any one or more of the preceding embodiments further including positioning the spacer on a subfloor adjacent a vertical edge of another horizontal surface to provide the desired expansion gap and positioning the flooring system to abut the spacer.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring to the drawings, it should be understood that terms such as top, bottom, left, right, first end, second, end, above, below, thin and thick are used as relative terms for explanatory purposes only and are not used in a limiting sense. Similarly, references to materials and shapes are intended solely as illustrative and thus are used in a non-limiting sense.

A spacer10may be formed as a unitary product or in multiple parts subsequently attached together. The spacer may be formed of one or more materials including but not limited to metal, plastic, rubber, and/or wood, and may be moulded of a rigid suitable thermoplastic material. The spacer has a generally rectangular base12having a bottom14, opposed first and second sides16,18, and opposed first and second ends20,22. For ease of explanation and not in a limiting sense, the distance between the first and second ends20,22, will be referred to as the width and the distance between the first and second sides16,18, will be referred to as the thickness.

The spacer10has a top with three different surfaces, each a different distance from the bottom of the spacer. The top with thus be referred to as a three-part top, each part being generally flat and generally parallel to the bottom14. The first top part24extends across the entire width of the spacer, i.e., between the ends20,22and extends approximately 20% of the thickness of the spacer starting at the first side16toward the second side18. The first top part24terminates at a vertical wall26extending upwardly across the entire width of the spacer from end20to end22. A projection extends upwardly from the vertical wall26and will be explained in greater detail below.

The second top part28extends from the vertical wall26across the width to the remainder of the thickness of the spacer to the second side18. The second top part28is generally parallel to the bottom14and generally parallel to the first top part24. The height of the spacer is greater between the second top part28and the bottom14than the height of the spacer between the first top part24and the bottom14, i.e., the top part28of the spacer is above the top part24of the spacer relative to the spacer bottom14.

The second top part28extends from the end20approximately 40% of the width of the spacer and terminates in an upwardly extending vertical wall30.

A projection32extends upwardly from the top of the spacer. The projection has a width approximately 60% of the width of the spacer starting from the end22and extending toward the end20. Thus, one edge of the projection is in the same plane as the end22. The projection has a thickness of approximately 20% of the thickness of the spacer and includes one or more apertures34through the thickness. The height of the projection is preferably greater than the width or thickness of the spacer. Thus, the spacer10is generally L-shaped with the projection forming the longer leg of the L. The front of the projection is in the same vertical plane as the plane of the vertical wall26.

The third top part36extends from the rear of the projection32to the second end18(length) and from the top of the vertical wall30to the end22which is approximately 60% of the width of the spacer. The height of the spacer is greater between the third top part36and the bottom14than the height of the spacer between the second top part28and the bottom14, i.e., the top part36of the spacer is above the top part28of the spacer relative to the spacer bottom14.

The relative non-adjustable dimensions of the spacer, in a non-limiting example, will now be explained. A first width W1is illustrated inFIG.1as the distance between the first and second ends20,22and is preferably 2.54 cm (1.0 inch). A second width W2is illustrated inFIG.2as the distance between the third top part36and the bottom14and is preferably 1.27 cm (0.5 inch). A third width W3is illustrated inFIG.1as the distance between the second top part28and the bottom14and is preferably 0.953 cm (0.375 inch) and a fourth width W4is illustrated inFIG.2as the distance between the first top part24and the bottom14. This fourth width is preferably 0.635 cm (0.25 inch).

Referring next toFIGS.5,6and7, various uses of the spacer will now be explained. In FIG.5, flooring planks40(only a single plank is illustrated) are to be installed above a subfloor42. The flooring plank has a leading edge44and it is necessary to establish a gap or space between the leading edge44(of each plank) and the adjacent vertical wall46. InFIG.5, the spacer is positioned with the projection32on the flooring plank, with the spacer bottom14in contact with the vertical wall46, and with the third top part36positioned to be in abutting relationship with the leading plank edge44as the planks are installed. In this exemplary arrangement, the gap or space between the leading plank edge and the vertical wall will correspond to width W2. Thus the spacer provides a deliberate gap between a plank lying in a first plane and a wall being in a second plane perpendicular to the first plane.

FIG.6is a perspective illustration of the use of the spacer as just described with respect toFIG.5.

Referring next toFIG.7, the use of the spacer to provide a gap between two planks that are in the same plane (or parallel planes) will now be described. As explained above, a gap in this situation may be desired when a threshold is to be used between flooring in adjacent rooms or even for a doorway between the interior and exterior of a building.

InFIG.7there are two flooring planks40being installed on a subfloor42. The spacer is arranged with the projection32extending upwardly, away from the subfloor, and with the opposed ends20,22, in position to abut the leading edges44of two adjacent planks40. In this arrangement, a gap is created between the adjacent planks with the gap having a width corresponding to the width of the spacer between ends20and22, which has been previously referred to as width W1.

Although not illustrated, multiple spacers should be positioned along the length of the wall (and thus along the length of the flooring planks) and one or more additional spacer should be positioned at the end of the plank adjacent a wall (not shown) perpendicular to the wall46, for example as would be typical in the corner of a room in a house. In this non-limiting illustration, an expansion gap is created and maintained between the vertical wall46and edge44of the flooring planks40. The positioning of the spacer with the projection32on top of the flooring plank40aids in maintaining the flooring plank in position during installation and also prevents the spacer10from pivoting out of position. The spacer10is easily removable after a suitable number of flooring planks40have been placed in position such that the spacer10may be reused.

If it is desired to have a different expansion gap between the flooring planks and the vertical wall, the spacer10should be oriented so that a different width (e.g., W3) is positioned between the plank edge and the vertical wall.

Depending on variations in the positioning of the vertical walls within a room or within a house, the spacer10provides the advantage that the expansion gaps need not be the same size, rather, the installer of the flooring system may use different expansion gaps. It should also be appreciated that creating a horizontal expansion gap during installation of the flooring system is not the sole benefit of the spacer10. As one example, it should be appreciated that there is a vertical gap between the bottom of the vertical wall44and the top of the subflooring50. This gap is normally concealed by moulding at the conclusion of the installation of the flooring system. The use of the spacer10prevents the flooring from being unintentionally positioned within the vertical gap. Conduits, including but not limited to electrical, plumbing and/or ventilation conduits may be placed within the vertical gap without interference from the flooring and the conduits will subsequently be concealed by moulding. Thus, the physical height of the spacer is not limited by the thickness of the flooring planks40.

Although only one spacer10is illustrated, it should be appreciated that during the installation of a flooring system, spacers may be positioned at regular intervals along the length of the floor. If, for example the floor is formed of a series of planks40of 15.24 cm width and 182.88 cm length, then spacers may be placed every 30.48 cm along the length of a flooring plank and one spacer may be placed at the end of each flooring plank where the flooring plank would otherwise contact the wall.

It should further be appreciated that the spacer10provides a reusable apparatus that provides four different size non-adjustable expansion gaps relative to the flooring system.

The foregoing is a complete but non-limiting description of the removable, reusable spacer and the method of its use to provide four different spacing gaps during installation of flooring.