Ventilating baseboard attached to intersection of floor and wall

A baseboard for covering an expansion gap located at an intersection of a vertical wall and a floor. The baseboard is formed of thermoplastic elastomer and has an L-shaped body having a toe portion and a wall portion. The back side of the wall portion has a plurality of spaced-apart ventilation channels extending from the upper end of the wall portion to the lower end thereof. Each ventilation channel has a substantially rectangular shaped cross-section. The back side of the wall portion further includes a plurality of wall contact surfaces extending between each ventilation channel and a plurality of adhesive gripping grooves formed therethrough that function as a catch element when the baseboard is adhesively secured to the wall.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to a baseboard, and more particularly, but not by way of limitation, to a lightweight baseboard with improved venting for a floor assembly.

2. Brief Description of the Related Art

Certain types of sports floors, such as would be found in a gymnasium, are constructed so that the floor absorbs impact forces. As such, the floors are often made of wood and supported above a concrete slab with a plurality of shock absorbers. The shock absorbers function as spacers thereby creating a space between the floor and the concrete slab. While the space allows the floor to flex and absorb impact forces, the space is also an ideal location for moisture to collect. The moisture may then be absorbed by the wood floor and cause the floor to swell which can affect the performance of the floor and shorten its life. Therefore, it is desirable to provide ventilation to the space between the floor and the concrete slab to eliminate the accumulation of moisture.

Baseboards for covering expansion gaps at the intersection of a vertical wall and a floor are well known. Many baseboards are designed to be adhered to the wall so as not to provide any ventilation between the baseboard and the wall. However, baseboard units have been suggested which have included small, round vents in the backside of the baseboard for air circulation beneath the floor. While such baseboards have been met with success, they nevertheless often provide inadequate ventilation beneath the floor, are expensive to transport, and difficult to handle.

To this end, a need exists for a baseboard that provides adequate ventilation beneath the floor, is contoured to facilitate the application of adhesive thereby preventing excess adhesive from smearing or bleeding onto exposed surfaces of the wall, is mar-resistant and/or mar-masking, and lightweight. It is to such an improved baseboard that the present invention is directed.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly toFIGS. 1 and 2, a floor assembly10is shown positioned adjacent a vertical wall12. The floor assembly10is the type that would typically be found in, for example, a gymnasium, arena, school, or convention hall. The floor assembly10includes a rigid support base14, a sub-flooring16, a floor18, and a baseboard19. A cement slab is generally provided as the rigid support base14for the floor18. The sub-flooring16is supported above the support base14in a spaced-apart relationship so as to define a floor gap20. The sub-flooring16typically includes a first layer of plywood22and a second layer of plywood24. The first layer of plywood22is often oriented in one direction while the second layer of plywood24is oriented in a second direction which is often 45 degrees (not shown) or 90 degrees (FIG. 1) relative to the first direction. The floor18is constructed of a plurality of strips of material26positioned on the sub-flooring16and cooperating to form the floor18. The strips of material26are typically manufactured from maple or other suitable wood. The floor18includes a peripheral edge28positioned proximate to the wall12so as to provide an expansion gap30located at a floor-wall junction32.

A plurality of spacers or shock absorbers34are illustrated supporting the sub-flooring16in a spaced apart relation with respect to the base14. The shock absorbers34are connected to the bottom surface of the first layer of plywood22at an equal center-to-center distance. By way of example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,742,312, which is expressly incorporated herein by reference, discloses a type of shock absorber34used in conjunction with the present invention. However, it will be appreciated that any configuration of spacer or shock absorber may be used to support the sub-flooring16.

The baseboard19is illustrated positioned over at least a portion of the floor18and the wall12to cover the expansion gap30while providing sufficient air-flow (represented by arrows36aand36b) to and from the floor gap20to prevent the accumulation of moisture on the underside of the floor18. The baseboard19is a substantially L-shaped body characterized as having a toe portion38and a wall portion40. The wall portion40includes a front side42, a back side44, an upper end46, and a lower end48. The baseboard19further includes an outer beveled edge50(FIG. 1) which provides an area of relief at the intersection of the toe portion38and the wall portion40to facilitate installation. It should be understood that the toe portion38may intersect the wall portion40at a substantially square edge, rounded edge, or any other edge configuration allowing the baseboard19to cover the expansion gap30. The toe portion38is positioned adjacent the floor18and the wall portion40is positioned adjacent the wall14.

Shown inFIGS. 2 and 4, the back side44of the wall portion40includes a plurality of spaced-apart, ventilation channels52extending from the upper end46of the wall portion40to the lower end48thereof to permit air-flow to and from the floor gap20. However, it will be appreciated that each ventilation channel52may be positioned at a variety of directions including, for example, diagonally so long as air is permitted to flow to and from the floor gap20. Each ventilation channel52preferably has a substantially rectangular cross-section. By way of example, each ventilation channel52may have a width of ½ inch and a depth of ⅛ inch. In addition, it is preferred that a sufficient number of ventilation channels52be formed so that the wall portion40has a flow area of at least about 0.20 square inches per linear foot when the wall portion40is secured to the wall12, but more preferably, a flow area of at least about 0.25 square inches per linear foot when the wall portion40is secured to the wall12.

A wall contact surface56extends between each ventilation channel52for engaging the wall12upon the application of a suitable adhesive to the wall contact surfaces56. Each wall contact surface56is substantially rectangular in shape. As a result of the increase in flow area created by the ventilation channels52, the area of the wall contact surface56is reduced. To compensate for the reduction in the area of the wall contact surface56, each wall contact surface56includes a plurality of adhesive gripping grooves58formed therethrough for receiving adhesive. Shown inFIGS. 2 and 3, each groove58is defined by at least one acute angled surface59that functions as a catch element for providing a mechanical bond to adhesive that flows into the grooves58upon application of the wall portion40to the wall12and thereafter hardens. Each groove58may extend in any direction or at any angle, however, each groove58is preferably extended downward at an angle of about 45 degrees. However, it will be appreciated that the plurality of grooves58may extend in any direction or at any angle so long as each groove58is capable of providing the catch element60. The wall contact surfaces56further include a fine, outwardly projecting texture62for further enhancing the grip of the adhesive to the wall contact surfaces56.

The baseboard19is formed into a one piece unit using conventional manufacturing processes, such as, injection molding and is preferably constructed of thermoplastic elastomer injected with a foaming agent to provide a durable, lightweight baseboard19having a tear strength of approximately 800 pounds per square inch and a weight of approximately 0.83 pounds per linear foot, whereby a case of 16 baseboards of the present invention weighs less than about 55 pounds thereby reducing shipping costs and potential injuries resulting from lifting and/or moving cases of baseboards.

During manufacturing, the material may be heated within a temperature range of about 340° F. to about 360° F., and preferably heated to a temperature of about 350° F. causing flow lines (not shown) to be created throughout the baseboard19. The flow lines provide a marbled appearance which hides evidence of mars from a distance of up to about two feet.

From the above description it is clear that the present invention is well adapted to carry out the objects and to attain the advantages mentioned herein as well as those inherent in the invention. While a presently preferred embodiment of the invention has been described for purposes of this disclosure, it will be understood that numerous changes may be made which will readily suggest themselves to those skilled in the art and which are accomplished within the spirit of the invention disclosed and as defined in the appended claims.