A fixing system for joints and for finishing and decorative profiles

Abstract: This invention refers to a fixing system for joints, and for finishing or decorative profiles. It can be applied in the fixing of finishing profiles, decorative profiles or joints, when they are used in wall covering, ceilings, partitions or floors with sheets of covering material, no matter whether they are stratified, ceramic, natural stone or parquet. The invention comprises two parts, which can be applied to the profiles, or are jointly manufactured with the profiles, as a complete set. The male part (see diagram no.1, no.1) made up of a head with two ridges and one furrow, or three ridges and two furrows, and it permits the oblique positioning (see diagram no.2, a or b ) of the head relative to the common axis of the two parts (see diagram no.1, no.3). The female part (see diagram no.1, no.2) is in the form of a trapezoid and its surface is composed of ridges and furrows equal in amplitude and curvature to those of the male part (see diagram no. 1, no.1).

Description: This invention refers to a fixing system for joints, and for finishing or decorative profiles. It can be applied in the fixing of finishing profiles, decorative profiles or radiation joints, when they are used in wall covering, ceilings, partitions or floors with sheets of covering material, no matter whether they are stratified, ceramic, natural stone or parquet. The fixing system that exists now on the market is always manufactured jointly with the profile as part of a complete set. This system uses a base or fixing profile, which subsequently has the decorative or finishing profile applied to it. The two profiles fit into each other in a fixed position, without any possibility of adjustments or movement. The female part is the part of the profile that is screwed or glued to the surface that is going to be covered. It is composed of an open, rectangular gutter whose internal walls or sides are covered with triangular furrows or sawlike ridges, some sharpened and others more rounded. These sawlike ridges are made up of equilateral triangles, but often they contain bent and irregular teeth. This female part is rigid, with sides that are not very elastic, or they have no elasticity at all. This means that the fitting of the upper, or male, part, which has the same width or is often even wider, has to be done with a sharp blow, often with the aid of a plastic or rubber hammer. It is often the case that, during the insertion of the male part, one of the sides of the female part cracks, due to the fact that the parts were not correctly aligned. The male part, which is an integral part of the upper profile, is a solid, rectangular section that has the whole length of both of its sides covered in the same type of irregular, sawlike ridges which cover the internal walls of the female part. This immovable fixing system is clearly incompatible with the modern, decorative profiles, which have increasingly more diverse formats with lighter and more versatile applications. Examples of fixing systems in prior art are mentioned in patents GB 2238557 and US 3667177. The GB 2238557 patent refers to sealing members that form joints between adjacent sheets of hygienic wall cladding material, and comprise first and second longitudinally extending components with means for securing them together at an adjustable spacing, so that marginal positions of one component urge the sheets against margins of the other component. A member sealing a panel against a floor/ceiling comprises spaced components and another at right angles is also described. The US 3667177 patent refers to a molding joint for thin wall paneling and molding members therefor. A retainer is positioned with a base flange behind a paneling member as it is being installed. The retainer has a receiving area formed from upstanding arms to receive and engage a tongue of a T-shaped molding cap which is applied after the work is completed. The two piece molding combination can be used for all types of panel joints including inside and outside corners, butt joints, joints between wall and ceiling and wall and floor, and joints between the edge of paneling members and the wall surfaces to which they are attached. Neither of the abovementioned patents allows the positioning and fitting together of two parts axially and obliquely in relation to each other. The fixing system of the invention is essentially characterised in that it consists of fitting the male part or element into the female part or element in such a way as to allow the two parts to be fitted together coaxially or obliquely to one another. With the existing fixing system it is almost always necessary to level the surfaces which are to be covered, so that when the sheets of covering material are applied there are no differences in level in the areas that will support the material. If there are differences in level, the use of improved wedges will be almost inevitable, which will cause cracks or opening at the edges of the decorative or technical profiles. When these openings occur, the usual solution is the applicaion of a filler or any other similar kind of putty. However, after a short period of time these fillers dry and start to crack, or they change colour, causing consequent problems in appearance, or even safety problems if the opening was situated in flooring joints. The invention that is herein presented is the result of lengthy technical studies and tests with a practical application that results from the professional knowledge of the inventor. This invention, besides solving the aesthetic and technical problem described above, is also a considerable technical innovation, which allows new application possibilities of this type of profile, due to its perfection in the finishes, versatility and ease of use. The fixing system for decorative profiles of the present invention is comprised of two parts (called the male and female part), which can be used in every type of profile, by being screwed or glued in, or by being added onto the profile during its manufacture. The female part can be applied directly onto any surface or base, including those which are uneven, or it can be manufactured as an integral part of the base profile, being joined to this in one of many possible positions (see Fig. 5, x, y and z). It is a part that can be manufactured from a raw material that is both elastic and very resistant, as well as from the raw materials that are generally used for decorative profiles or coatings, such as mild steel, aluminium, PVC or any other material with similar characteristics. The female part is composed of a gutter in the form of a trapezoid that is open at the top, this being the shortest side of the trapezoid (see Fig. 1, no. 2). The two internal sides, along the whole of their length, have an alternating sequence of rounded ridges and furrows, equal in amplitude and curvature to those of the (male) part that will fit in there. The two internal sides of the trapezoid are symmetrical. On the other hand, the male part (see Fig. 1, no. 1) can be attached to any profile of the upper position, or it can be made into an integral part of the profile during manufacture, being joined to it by a narrow, highly resistant column, which terminates in a head with its top slightly rounded. The two sides of the head each contain two ridges and one furrow, or they can have three ridges and two furrows. The ridges and furrows have exactly the same geometric aspect and amplitude as those of the internal walls of the female part. The use of this fixing system in decorative profiles does not require that the two parts be perfectly aligned along their common axis when one is to be fitted into the other. This is due to the fact that the ridges and furrows of both parts are equal in amplitude and have the same smooth, rounded surfaces, which ensures that the fiting of one piece into the other is a lot easier. One part can be inserted into the other without the need for tools, with a light blow, or the application of a small amount of pressure while simultaneously adjusting its positioning. Two of the main points of reference of this invention are: the versatility and ease of use with regard to the adjustment of profiles on uneven, irregular or undulated surfaces of the area to be covered - the possibility of shifting the decorative part to one side or the other in order to eliminate any gaps caused by an irregularity; and the regular curving of the furrows that permits various positions, in terms of depth and obliquity, of the upper part (male part) inside the lower part (female part).

Claims: Fixing system for joints and for finishing or decorative profiles comprising the fitting together of two profiles, a male and a female, which both have their own fixing means for fitting into each other, characterised in that : the said fixing means (3,4) allow the two elements (1,2) to be fitted together coaxially or obliquely (a,b) to each other; for which purpose, the male element (1) is formed from a profile with a shaft which terminates in a head with its top slight rounded and the laterally protruding side walls having two or three ridges separated by one or two furrows respectively, being rounded; the female element (2) consists of a profile in the form of a trapezoid that is open at the top, which is narrower than the bottom, the internal side having along the whole of its length alternating rounded ridges and furrows; said ridges and furrows being of the same dimensions as the ridges and furrows of the male part, which allows them to be fitted together coaxially or obliquely. Fixing system for joints and for finishing or decorative profiles, according to the previous claim, characterised in that both the male (1) and the female (2) element can be fitted to the joints and the finishing or decorative profiles by means of the shaft or the base respectively, by screwing or gluing, or they can be joined thereto.

Inventors: CARVALHAIS FERNANDO RODRIGUES, CARVALHAIS, FERNANDO RODRIGUES
Applicants: CARVALHAIS FERNANDO RODRIGUES, CARVALHAIS, FERNANDO RODRIGUES
Application year: 2001
Main classification: E04F13
IPC codes: E04F13, E04F19