Patent Publication Number: US-2021172181-A1

Title: Dimpled tile trim

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This Application takes priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/946,265, filed on Dec. 10, 2019, the contents of which are expressly incorporated herein by this reference, and to which priority is claimed. 
    
    
     FIELD OF USE 
     The present disclosure relates generally to tile trim. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to a dimpled tile trim comprising one or more cutout dimples which allow the tile trim to deform or bend to accommodate a range of tile sizes and installation spaces. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Tile trim is commonly used to finish the appearance of many types of tile installations, providing a protective covering for the edges and corners of the tiled surface which is both protective and visually pleasing. Depending on the installation location, the shape of a tile trim can vary widely, such as “J-trim” for edges, divider trim for intersections of different panel types (such as an on-floor to divide two rooms), and inside/outside corner trim for inside and outside corners of tiled surfaces, respectively. The tile trim shape may be further modified for aesthetic reasons, such as those used for edging, t-molding, or nosing. The tile trim installation method used for a particular installation may vary somewhat depending on the shape of the tile trim and its installation location. 
     Importantly, the tile trim must be able to match the size, or thickness, of the tile used to cover the surfaces to be trimmed. In order to provide an effective seal and protective layer, the outer surface of the installed tile should either be flush with, or slightly covered by, an edge of the tile trim. If, however the surrounding tile abuts further from the surface than the tile trim, the exposed tile surface is prone to chipping or cracking. Additionally, an overly abutting tile provides an uneven, unpleasant visual appearance. 
     Because of this, the installation of conventional tile trim requires careful selection of both the tile trim and the installation tiles, so that they are complementary to each other. If the tiles are thicker than the receiving gap of the tile trim, the tiles will abut past the trim and be at risk of chipping or cracking. If, on the other hand, the tiles are substantially thinner than the receiving gap of the tile trim, then the tile trim will overhang the tiles without coming in contact with the tile surface. In this scenario, the tile trim provides little protection to the nearby tiles, while the overhanging gap allows for dirt and moisture to accumulate that may cause long-term damage to the tile installation. 
     Existing tile trim is generally rigid and inflexible, and therefore unable to accommodate more than a very narrow range of tile sizes due to the close fitting requirements between trim and tile described above. This results in a burden on tile installers, who must carefully track the sizes of their respective tile trim and installation tiles prior to purchase and installation, or else they risk having a poor fit. Additionally, a rigid tile trim is limited in its installation space options, often requiring that the tile trim be cut in order to fit within a certain space, such as an inside corner. 
     Prior to the tile trim of the present disclosure, it was not possible to deform, flex, crimp, or bend the tile trim to be able to accommodate a wide range of installation tile sizes, which, if successfully done, might greatly simplify the tile installation process and reduce the likelihood of user measurement error. However, current tile trims do not bend or deform in a uniform manner and forcing this deformation leads to either a very craggy and unattractive tile trim or, more likely, a broken tile trim. Being able to deform tile trim would open up a wider range of tile trim installation spaces by reducing the need for the trim to be cut in order to fit a particular installation space. Taken together, this allows for a wider range of “trim +tile +installation space” combinations, allowing users greater customizability with their tile installation setups. 
     Therefore, what is needed is a tile trim that can be bent, deformed, crimped, or flexed so as to be able to accommodate a wide array of tile sizes and installation spaces (such as edges, inside corners, and outside corners). 
     SUMMARY 
     To minimize the limitations in the cited references, and to minimize other limitations that will become apparent upon reading and understanding the present specification, the present disclosure relates to a deformable (or bendable, or poseable) tile trim comprising one or more cutout dimples. 
     In one embodiment, the dimpled tile trim may comprise an anchoring leg, a support brace, and a profile. The dimpled tile trim of the present disclosure may be used with standard tile and flooring types popularly in use, including luxury vinyl tile (LVT), luxury vinyl plank (LVP), ceramic, and the like. The dimpled tile trim may comprise one or more dimples, cutouts, or indentations, which allow the dimpled tile trim to be bent or deformed in a poseable manner to securely fit a wide range of tile installation sizes. 
     One embodiment may be a dimpled tile trim comprising an anchoring leg, a support brace, a profile, a deformable portion, and a dimple (or cut out). The profile and the anchoring leg may be substantially parallel to each other, with the support brace forming a connection between the profile and the anchoring leg. A space, or gap, may exist between the profile and the anchoring leg, which may comprise a tile installation gap. To provide a secure fit for long-term installation stability, preferably the tile installation gap as perfectly as possible matches the size of the installed tile, such that the profile and the anchoring leg are in direct contact with the installed tile after tile and tile trim installation. 
     If the tile to be installed is thinner than the tile installation gap existing between the profile and the anchoring leg, the dimple allows the tile trim to be bent, such that the tile installation gap may be narrowed to securely fit the narrow tile within the tile installation gap. This bending may be accomplished by applying a moderate force (such as by tapping with a mallet) to a portion of the dimpled tile trim near the dimple (the deformable portion), such that the deformable portion bends in the direction of the applied force. Once bent at the dimple a deformable portion may hold its position in a poseable manner. 
     The dimpled tile trim of the present disclosure may comprise one or more dimples, such that there may be one or more deformable portions, depending on the particulars of a given arrangement of tile trim. Various arrangements are provided as illustrative examples in the Figures and detailed description below. 
     One embodiment may be a dimpled tile trim, comprising: one or more anchoring legs; a support brace; a profile; one or more profile dimples; one or more anchoring leg dimples, and; one or more tile installation gaps; wherein said support brace may connect said profile to said one or more anchoring legs, such that a first end of said support brace may connect to said one or more anchoring legs and a second end of said support brace may connect to said profile; wherein said profile may further comprise one or more deformable portions; wherein said one or more deformable portions may be substantially parallel to said one or more anchoring legs; wherein said one or more tile installation gaps may comprise a space between an outermost edge of said one or more deformable portions and said one or more anchoring legs; wherein said one or more profile dimples and said one or more anchoring leg dimples may comprise an indented portion of said dimpled tile trim; wherein said one or more profile dimples may be located near an intersection of said profile and said support brace; wherein applying a first force to said outermost said of said one or more deformable portions in the direction of said one or more anchoring legs may cause said one or more deformable portions to bend toward said one or more anchoring legs are said one or more profile dimples, such that at least one of said tile installation gaps may be reduced; wherein said one or more anchoring leg dimples may be located near an intersection of said support brace and said one or more anchoring legs; wherein applying a second force to said one or more anchoring legs in the direction of said one or more deformable portions may cause said one or more anchoring legs to bend at said one or more anchoring leg dimples, such that said one or more tile installation gaps may be reduced. 
     Other features and advantages inherent in the disclosed dimpled tile trim of the present disclosure, besides those which are claimed and disclosed, will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description and its accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The drawings are of illustrative embodiments. They do not illustrate all embodiments. Other embodiments may be used in addition or instead. Details which may be apparent or unnecessary may be omitted to save space or for more effective illustration. Some embodiments may be practiced with additional components or steps and/or without all of the components or steps, which are illustrated. When the same numeral appears in different drawings, it refers to the same or like components or steps. 
         FIG. 1  is an illustration of a dimpled tile trim, demonstrating how the tile trim may be bent at a dimple. 
         FIG. 2  is an illustration of a dimpled tile trim being adjusted to securely fit with a thin tile. 
         FIG. 3  is a top perspective view of one embodiment of a dimpled tile trim. 
         FIG. 4  is a top perspective view of another embodiment of a dimpled tile trim. 
         FIG. 5  is a side view of another embodiment of a dimpled tile trim. 
         FIG. 6  is a top perspective view of one embodiment of a dimpled tile trim, showing an alternative dimple position placement. 
         FIG. 7  is a side view of one embodiment of a dimpled tile trim. 
         FIG. 8  is a top perspective view of another embodiment of a dimpled tile trim, including multiple dimples. 
         FIG. 9  is a side view of another embodiment of a dimpled tile trim. 
         FIG. 10  is a side view of one embodiment of a dimpled tile trim, showing an alternative arrangement with multiple dimples. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS 
     In the following detailed description of various embodiments, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of various aspects of the embodiments. However, these embodiments may be practiced without some or all of these specific details. In other instances, well-known methods, procedures, and/or components have not been described in detail so as not to unnecessarily obscure aspects of the embodiments. 
     While multiple embodiments are disclosed, still others will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description. As will be realized, these embodiments are capable of modifications in various obvious aspects, all without departing from the spirit and scope of protection. Accordingly, the figures and the detailed descriptions thereof are to be regarded as illustrative in nature and not restrictive. Also, the reference or non-reference to a particular embodiment shall not be interpreted to limit the scope of protection. 
     In the following description, certain terminology is used to describe certain features of one or more embodiments. For purposes of the specification, unless otherwise specified, the term “substantially” refers to the complete or nearly complete extent or degree of an action, characteristic, property, state, structure, item, or result. For example, in one embodiment, an object that is “substantially” located within a housing would mean that the object is either completely within a housing or nearly completely within a housing. The exact allowable degree of deviation from absolute completeness may in some cases depend on the specific context. However, generally speaking, the nearness of completion will be so as to have the same overall result as if absolute and total completion were obtained. The use of “substantially” is also equally applicable when used in a negative connotation to refer to the complete or near complete lack of an action, characteristic, property, state, structure, item, or result. 
     As used herein, the terms “approximately” and “about” generally refer to a deviance of within 5% of the indicated number or range of numbers. In one embodiment, the term “approximately” and “about,” may refer to a deviance of between 0.0001-10% from the indicated number or range of numbers. 
     As used in the specification and the appended claims, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Ranges may be expressed herein as from “about” one particular value, and/or to “about” another particular value. When such a range is expressed, another embodiment includes from the one particular value and/or to the other particular value. Similarly, when values are expressed as approximations, by use of the antecedent “about,” it will be understood that the particular value forms another embodiment. It will be further understood that the endpoints of each of the ranges are signify both in relation to the other endpoint, and independently of the other endpoint. 
     “Optional” or “optionally” means that the subsequently described event or circumstance may or may not occur, and that the description includes instances where said event or circumstance occurs and instances where it does not. 
     Throughout the description and claims of this specification, the word “comprise” and variations of the word, such as “comprising” and “comprises,” means “including but not limited to,” and is not intended to exclude, for example, other components, integers or steps. “Exemplary” means “an example of” and is not intended to convey an indication of a preferred or ideal embodiment. “Such as” is not used in a restrictive sense, but for explanatory purposes. 
     Disclosed are components that may be used to perform the disclosed methods and systems. These and other components are disclosed herein, and it is understood that when combinations, subsets, interactions, groups, etc. of these components are disclosed that while specific reference of each various individual and collective combinations and permutations of these may not be explicitly disclosed, each is specifically contemplated and described herein, for all methods and systems. This applies to all embodiments of this application including, but not limited to, steps in disclosed methods. Thus, if there are a variety of additional steps that may be performed it is understood that each of these additional steps may be performed with any specific embodiment or combination of embodiments of the disclosed methods. 
     The present methods and systems may be understood more readily by reference to the following detailed description of preferred embodiments and the examples included therein and to the Figures and their previous and following description. 
     Various embodiments are now described with reference to the drawings. In the following description, for purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of one or more embodiments. It may be evident, however, that the various embodiments may be practiced without these specific details. It is to be understood that the methods and systems are not limited to specific methods, specific components, or to particular implementations. It is also to be understood that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting. 
     In the following description, certain terminology is used to describe certain features of one or more embodiments. For purposes of the specification, unless otherwise specified, the term “tile trim” generally refers to any sort of trim placed along the edges of a tiled surface, including, but not limited to, vinyl tile trim, luxury vinyl tile trim, edging, t-molding, or nosing. 
     Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to the tile trim. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to a tile trim comprising one or more dimples that provide enhanced flexibility and compatibility with a wider range of tile sizes than conventional tile trim. The dimple allows for additional bendability, poseability, and adjustability of the tile trim as compared to prior tile trims. This allows the tile trim of the present disclosure to accommodate a wider range of tile sizes while still ensuring an appropriate fit. The tile trim may be made from any material, but preferably it is made from a rigid, yet malleable metal material, such as aluminum. The tile trim may be painted, coated, or finished in any color or style. 
     The dimple may be part of the original design of the tile trim, or it may be added to an existing non-dimpled tile trim. The dimple may be created by a protrusion in a mold, carved out or gouged out with a tool, or it may be machined by a rotary tool. 
     For purposes of this disclosure the term “tile” or “flooring tile” may refer to any type of wall or flooring tile, including, but not limited to luxury vinyl tile (LVT), luxury vinyl plank (LVP), ceramic tile, porcelain tile, glass tile, cement tile, marble tile, mosaic tile, granite tile, travertine tile, limestone tile, quarry tile, resin tile, metal tile, wood flooring, wood planks, engineered wood, vinyl sheets, vinyl tile, vinyl planks, and the like. 
       FIG. 1  is an illustration of a first embodiment of a dimpled tile trim. As shown in  FIG. 1 , the dimpled tile trim  100  may comprise one or more anchoring legs  110 , a support brace  120 , and a profile  130 . The profile  130  may comprise one or more deformable portions  140 ,  141  which may extend outward from an uppermost portion of the support brace  120 . In one embodiment, the dimpled tile trim  100  may preferably be configured such that the deformable portions  140 ,  141  are substantially parallel to the anchoring legs  110 . By applying moderate and even downward pressure on the deformable portions  140 ,  141 , the deformable portions  140 ,  141  may be angled downward toward the anchoring legs  110 , bending in an even and controlled manner at the one or more dimples  150 ,  151 . The dimples  150 ,  151  preferably may run the length of the tile trim. In other embodiments the dimples may be intermittently along the length, similar to a perforation, so long as the deformable portions  140 ,  141  may be bent in an even and poseable manner. 
     The dimples  150 ,  151  may be cutouts and may comprise a thinner portion of the profile  130 , and may be located anywhere along the profile, including, as shown, near an intersection of the profile  130  and the support brace  120 . The thinner nature of the dimples  150 ,  151 , which are thinner than the rest of the profile  130 , may allow the deformable portions  140 ,  141  to bend when downward force is applied, as shown. The position of the dimples  150 ,  151  near the intersection of the intersection of the profile  130  and the support brace  120  allows the deformable portion  140  to bend, without breaking, in an even manner, due to the support provided by the support brace  120 . Bending the deformable portion  140  downward towards the anchoring legs  110  reduces the size of the tile installation gap  160 , allowing the dimpled tile trim  100  to accommodate a range of tiles, as shown in more detail in  FIG. 2 . In other words, the tile abutting the dimpled tile trim  100  does not have to fit into and fill exactly the tile installation gap  160 . 
     The tile trim  100  may have a textured grip portion  111  that may engage with an edge of an installed tile for a tighter fit. 
       FIG. 2  is an illustration of a dimpled tile trim with tile installation. As shown in  FIG. 2 , the deformable portion  142  may be bent downward towards the anchoring legs until an end of the deformable portion  142  comes in contact with a top surface of a tile  180 . By bending the deformable portion  142  at a dimple  198 , the dimpled tile trim may accommodate any tile  180  having a width that is equal to or less than the size of the tile installation gap  161 . If the tile  180  is equal in width to the size of the tile installation gap  180 , then the dimpled tile trim  100  may simply be installed according to conventional tile trim techniques, without bending the deformable portion  142 . To the extent that the tile  180  is less thick than the size of the tile installation gap  161 , however, the dimple  198  may allow the deformable portion  142  to be adjusted appropriately, ensuring a secure, complementary fit between the tile  180  and the tile installation gap  161 .  FIG. 2  shows that the deformable portion  142  may be tapped into place with a force, such as may be applied by a mallet or hammer  199 . The deformable portion  142  may be configured to be bent at the dimple  198 , such that an outer edge of the deformable portion  142  is rendered substantially flush with said tile. 
       FIG. 3  is an illustration of a top perspective view of a dimpled tile trim. As shown in  FIG. 3 , in one embodiment the profile  130  may be positioned such that the deformable portions  140 ,  141  may be substantially parallel compared to the anchoring legs  110 , such that a tile may readily fit within the tile installation gap  160 .  FIG. 3  also shows that the dimples  150 ,  151  may run the length of the tile trim  100 . 
       FIG. 4  is an illustration of one embodiment of a dimpled tile trim, showing a “J-trim” shape. As shown in  FIG. 4 , the dimpled tile trim  200  may comprise an anchoring leg  210 , a support brace  220 , a profile  230 , and a dimple  250 . The profile  230  may comprise a deformable portion  240  which may be bent downward towards the anchoring leg  210  by applying a downward pressure to the deformable portion  240  such that the deformable portion  240  may bend at the dimple  250 . In some embodiments, the outer edge of the deformable portion  240  may be rounded or shaped to provide a smooth transition from trim to tile. 
       FIG. 5  is a side view of one embodiment of a dimpled tile trim, showing a “J-trim” shape. As shown in  FIG. 5 , the dimpled tile trim  200  may comprise a tile installation gap  260  between the deformable portion  240  and the anchoring leg  210 . By applying downward force to the deformable portion  240 , the deformable portion  240  may bend at the dimple  250  and thereby reduce the size of the tile installation gap  260 , allowing the dimpled tile trim  200  to accommodate tiles of any sizes up to and including the size of the tile installation gap  260 . Preferably, the outermost end of the deformable portion  240  may come into contact with a top surface of the tile installed in the tile installation gap  260 . Once tapped into place, the deformable portion  240  preferably holds its position, in a poseable manner, in contact with or, at least in close proximity to, the top of the tile. 
       FIG. 6  is a top perspective view of one embodiment of a dimpled tile trim, showing a “reducer trim” shape. As shown in  FIG. 6 , the dimpled tile trim  300  may comprise an anchoring leg  310 , a deformable portion  340 , and a dimple  350 . As shown, the deformable portion  340  may comprise a support brace  320  and a profile  330 , which are angled with respect to each other, such that the profile  330  may be substantially parallel to the anchoring leg  310 . The deformable portion  340  may be bent downward towards the anchoring leg  310  by applying a downward pressure to the profile  330  near the inner edge of the deformable portion  340 , such that the deformable portion  340  may bend at the dimple  350 . The outer edge of the deformable portion  340  may be rounded or otherwise shaped to provide a smooth transition from trim to tile. As shown in  FIG. 6 , the dimple  350  may preferably be located near the intersection of the anchoring leg  310  and the support brace  320 . 
       FIG. 7  is a side perspective view of one embodiment of a dimpled tile trim, showing a “reducer trim” shape. As shown in  FIG. 8 , the dimpled tile trim  300  may comprise a tile installation gap  360  between the deformable portion  340  and the anchoring leg  310 . By applying force to the inner end of the deformable portion  340 , the deformable portion  340  may bend at the dimple  350  and thereby reduce the size of the tile installation gap  360 , allowing the dimpled tile trim  300  to accommodate tiles of any sizes up to and including the size of the tile installation gap  360 . Preferably, the outermost end of the deformable portion  340  may come into contact with a top surface of the tile installed in the tile installation gap  360 . 
       FIG. 8  is an illustration of a dimpled tile trim with multiple dimples, showing a rounded corner tile trim. As shown in  FIG. 8 , the dimpled tile trim  400  may comprise one or more anchoring legs  410 , a support brace  420 , a profile  430 , one or more deformable portions  440 , and one or more dimples  450 . The deformable portions  440  may be bent towards the anchoring legs  410  at the dimples  450 , similar to the other dimpled tile trim embodiments described above in the previous Figures. While the profile  430  shown in  FIG. 8  is rounded, it is to be understood that the profile  430  may also include square corners, convex curvature, and concave curvature. 
       FIG. 9  is a side view of the dimpled tile trim of  FIG. 8 . As shown in  FIG. 9 , the tile installation gaps  460  may be adjusted by bending the deformable portions  440  towards the anchoring legs  410  by applying force on the deformable portions  440 , such that the deformable portions  440  bend at the dimples  450 . 
       FIG. 10  is an illustration of another embodiment of a dimpled tile trim, comprising two dimples. Similar to  FIG. 5 ,  FIG. 10  shows a dimpled tile trim  500  comprising an anchoring leg  510 , a support brace  520 , a profile  530 , a deformable portion  540 , and a first dimple  550 , wherein the first dimple  550  may be located near the intersection of the profile  530  and the support brace  520 . However, the embodiment shown in  FIG. 10  further comprises a second dimple  551 , located within the anchoring leg  551  at a point laterally removed from the support brace  520 . The second dimple  551  may allow the anchoring leg  510  to be bent toward the deformable portion  540 , at the second dimple  551 , similar to how the first dimple  550  may allow the deformable portion  540  to be bent towards the anchoring leg  510 . Taken together, the first dimple  550  and the second dimple  551  allow the anchoring leg  510  and the deformable portion  540  of the dimpled tile trim  500  to be adjusted, allowing the tile installation gap  560  to be adjusted in either or both manners. 
     The addition of the second dimple  551  may enable the dimpled tile trim  500  to accommodate a tile that is narrower than the tile installation gap  560  without being required to bend the deformable portion  540 . This feature may be useful when, for example, it is desirable to maintain an unbent appearance on the profile  530  and deformable portion  540  of the dimpled tile trim  500  for aesthetic purposes. By allowing users to bend the dimpled tile trim  500  on either side (i.e., the profile  530  side or the anchoring leg  510  side), it becomes possible for users to customize the final appearance of their tile installation, while still retaining the ability to customize the dimpled tile trim  500  to complementarily fit with tiles smaller than the tile installation gap  560 . 
     While the figures show various embodiments of a dimpled tile trim comprising one or two dimples, it will be understood by those of skill in the art that the techniques of the present disclosure may readily be modified to include further varieties of dimpled tile trims, comprising varying combinations of anchoring legs, support braces, profiles, and deformable portions, whether such combination is expressly shown within the accompanying Figures or not. The embodiments described herein are to be understood to be exemplary, and not limiting, in nature. Unless otherwise stated, all measurements, values, ratings, positions, magnitudes, sizes, locations, and other specifications, which set forth in this specification, including in the claims that follow, are approximate, not exact. They are intended to have a reasonable range, which is consistent with the functions to which they relate and with what is customary in the art to which they pertain. 
     The foregoing description of the preferred embodiments has been presented for the purposes of illustration and description. While multiple embodiments are disclosed, still other embodiments will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the above detailed description, which shows and describes the illustrative embodiments. As will be realized, these embodiments are capable of modifications in various obvious aspects, all without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure. Accordingly, the detailed description is to be regarded as illustrative in nature and not restrictive. Also, although not explicitly recited, one or more additional embodiments may be practiced in combination or conjunction with one another. Furthermore, the reference or non-reference to a particular embodiment shall not be interpreted to limit the scope of protection. It is intended that the scope of protection not be limited by this detailed description, but by the claims and the equivalents to the claims that are appended hereto. 
     Except as stated immediately above, nothing which has been stated or illustrated is intended or should be interpreted to cause a dedication of any component, step, feature, object, benefit, advantage, or equivalent to the public, regardless of whether it is or is not recited in the claims.