Patent Publication Number: US-2007094998-A1

Title: Wall transition molding

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      1. Field of the Invention  
      The present invention relates to wall molding for covering a gap between two wall surfaces or for joining together wall surfaces with floor or ceiling surfaces.  
      2. Discussion of the Related Art  
      The variety of wall coverings and surface choices has increased dramatically as new and alternative materials are becoming more common. For example, wall panels made of composite materials such as fiber board and particle board paneling is becoming a popular alternative to drywall or wallpaper for residential and commercial construction. These panels are lightweight, modular, and easy to assemble and install. In addition, technologies used to produce laminate surfaces may be applied to these wall panels to produce wall panels that are laminated or wrapped with a wide variety of dëcor papers.  
      In particular, when wall paneling is installed, it is often necessary to leave an air gap between the wall panel and the wall itself. To accomplish this, small strips of wood or other material are placed between the panel and the wall to maintain the space.  
      With such a wide variety of wall panels available, it is also necessary to have moldings that are as easy to use, install and assemble as the wall panels themselves. In particular, related art moldings, such as crown moldings, chair rails, and baseboards often require nailing through the wall surface. In addition, because the wall paneling is spaced away from the wall, it becomes complicated to install a related art molding on top of the wall panel. What is needed in the art is a molding that covers the gap between walls and other surfaces without requiring nailing or otherwise damaging the wall panel.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      Accordingly, the present invention is directed to wall transition molding that substantially obviates one or more of the problems due to limitations and disadvantages of the related art.  
      An advantage of the present invention is to provide a wall molding that can transition between a variety of wall surfaces of varying thicknesses.  
      Another advantage of the present invention is to provide a wall molding system including attachments that may be interchanged to suit construction or decorative requirements.  
      A further advantage of the present invention is to provide a wall molding that also serves to maintain the space, or air gap, between the wall and the paneling.  
      Additional features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objectives and other advantages of the invention will be realized and attained by the structure particularly pointed out in the written description and claims hereof as well as the appended drawings.  
      To achieve these and other advantages and in accordance with the purpose of the present invention, as embodied and broadly described, a molding for transitioning between building surfaces includes a body having a first side and a second side, the first and second sides being opposite one another; a first groove formed into the first side and extending into the body; a second groove formed into the second side and extending into the body; and said first groove receiving a wall panel therein, wherein the grooves may extend into the molding to the same or to different depths.  
      In another aspect of the present invention, a wall covering system, includes a track attached fixedly to a wall; a molding body having at least a front decorative surface opposite a rear surface, a first side opposite a second side, and said first and second sides being adjacent to and between the front and rear surfaces; at least one support groove in the rear surface to receive said track; a first groove formed in the first side extending into the interior of the molding body; a second groove formed in the second side extending into the interior of the molding body; and a wall panel inserted into one of the first groove or the second groove.  
      It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention as claimed. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
      The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and together with the description serve to explain the principles of the invention.  
      In the drawings:  
       FIG. 1A  is a cross-sectional view of a molding according to a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention.  
       FIG. 1B  is a perspective view of a molding according to a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention.  
       FIGS. 1C and 1D  illustrate alternative embodiments of the present invention.  
       FIG. 2A-2C  are cross-sectional views of moldings according to further embodiments of the present invention.  
       FIG. 3A-3B  are cross-sectional views of molding attachments according to further embodiments of the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENTS  
      Reference will now be made in detail to an embodiment of the present invention, example of which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings.  
       FIGS. 1A and 1B  illustrate a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Referring to  FIG. 1A , in this embodiment, molding  100  includes a front surface  102  that is wrapped or laminated with a dëcor paper intended to match or otherwise complement the design of the wall surface. In various aspects of this and the below embodiments, the front surface  102  can be shaped to have a variety of relieved surfaces or textures.  
      The body of molding  100  includes a first or upper groove  103  and a second or lower groove  104  formed into opposite first and second sides, respectively. In this exemplary embodiment, both of the grooves  103  and  104  are wide enough to accommodate the thickness of the wall panels  110  and  111 , respectively. In alternative embodiments, the grooves may have different widths than each other, depending on the application or the environment in which the molding is to be used. In addition, both of the grooves  103  and  104  extend deeply into the interior of the molding to accommodate variations in the depths to which the wall panel  110  above and the wall panel  111  below may extend into the molding  100 .  
      Furthermore, the grooves  103  and  104  of the molding  100  also serve to maintain a space or air gap  112  between the panels  110  and  111  and the wall  113 , respectively. Because the molding  100  maintains the space  112  between the panels  110 ,  111  and the wall  113  via the grooves  103 ,  104 , respectively, there is no need to use a wood strip or shim to separate the panels from the wall.  
      When used in a setting such as that illustrated in  FIG. 1A , the molding functions as a chair rail. As is clearly illustrated, the molding not only provides a wall transition, it also serves to maintain the space between the panel and the wall without requiring additional materials. Other applications are contemplated as well.  
      For example, in a further embodiment, the molding  100  includes grooves  106  formed into the rear surface designed to engage a support member, in this case a track  105 , attached to the wall. In alternative embodiments, the track  105  may snap, click, slide or otherwise grip the groove  106  to hold the molding in place, and it may require only one groove  106 , or more than two grooves  106 . Because the track  105  holds the wall molding  100  in place, the use of nails or other fasteners to attach the molding to the wall that would penetrate through the molding and the wall panels is avoided. Further embodiments include attaching the molding to the wall with screws or glue, as illustrated in  FIGS. 1C and 1D . The present invention contemplates using any of a variety of fastening or attaching means to hold the molding to the wall, and is not limited to those embodiments illustrated.  
      A further embodiment of the invention is illustrated in  FIG. 2A . In this embodiment, rather than the wall panel  111  being placed in the groove  104 , an interchangeable molding attachment  200  is fitted snugly into the groove  104  to finish off the decorative surface on the front of the molding. A wall panel  110  is inserted into the upper groove  103  as in the first exemplary embodiment. In this setting, the molding  100  with the attachment  200  inserted into groove  104  serves as a chair rail between walls above and below that molding  100  that have different depths.  
      Specifically, this arrangement, with the attachment  200  includes a tongue  201  that fits snugly into the groove  104  and is held in place by friction or, in the alternative, glue or other adhesive. The attachment  200  inserted into groove  104 , may be used as a chair rail in settings where the wall surface above the molding extends further out from the wall as with a wall panel, for example, while the wall surface below the molding is a painted or wallpapered surface, thereby transitioning smoothly and elegantly between wall surfaces of varying thickness or distance from the underlying wall. In various aspects of this embodiment, the attachment  200  may be wrapped or laminated with a dëcor paper that matches or complements the wall panel.  
      In an alternative embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 2B , the molding  100  may function as a ceiling molding to transition from the wall to the ceiling. In this embodiment, the tongue  201  of attachment  200  fits into the upper groove  103 . A wall panel  110  is inserted into the upper groove  103  as discussed in the first exemplary embodiment. Used in this manner, the molding  100  with the attachment  200  may function as a ceiling molding. In addition, this arrangement may also be used for a chair rail in setting where the wall surface below the molding extends further out than the wall surface above the molding, thus transitioning smoothly and elegantly between wall surfaces of varying thickness.  
      In a further embodiment, illustrated in  FIG. 2C , the molding is used without the attachment as a baseboard, positioned at the bottom of the wall near the floor. It is also understood, though not illustrated, that an attachment with an appropriate shape may also be included in the lower groove  104  when the molding  100  is used as a baseboard.  
       FIGS. 3A and 3B  illustrate alternate shapes for the attachment. In  FIG. 3A , when the tongue  201  of the attachment  202  is inserted into groove  103  of the molding  100 , the attachment  202  has a portion  204  which extends generally diagonally beyond the front surface  102  of the molding  100 , thereby providing a crown molding shape to transition from a wall surface inserted into the groove  104  to the ceiling  205 .  
       FIG. 3B  illustrates an attachment  206 , which is intended to continue the angle on the front or decorative surface  102  of the molding  100 . It is understood that any attachment shape that has a tongue that can be inserted into the grooves  103  or  104  of the molding  100  is contemplated by this invention.  
      It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variation can be made in the present invention without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Thus, it is intended that the present invention cover the modifications and variations of this invention provided they come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.