Patent Publication Number: US-8522771-B2

Title: Protective tapered member

Description:
PRIORITY DATA 
     This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/247,022, filed Oct. 11, 2005, the entirety of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a protective edge guard, and in particular to an edge guard having a stiff edge attachment with a tapered upper surface. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     Edge guards are commonly used as protective devices for covering the corners of a sharp edge such as of a fireplace hearth, a table, or a counter. These guards are utilized to protect people, especially children, from injuries caused by coming into contact with the sharp edge. A conventional guard consists of a puffy, deformable cushion piece for absorbing impact. This guard is usually fabricated from foam or rubber. Such guards are usually attached to the sharp edge using an easily removable device, such as double-sided tape. However, since the guard is both puffy and deformable, children are easily able to insert their fingers under the edge of the guard and thereby pry the guard off of the sharp edge. The ease by which such guards can be removed by a curious child renders them ineffective as a protective device. 
     One solution to this problem is to attach the guard in a more permanent manner, such as with nails or screws. However, in many situations the need for such guard is only temporary until the child reaches a certain age. Also, installation and removal of such a guard is more difficult than that of the conventional guard and requires tools. Further, the object the guard is attached to is often decorative and would be ruined upon removal of the guard by the presence of nail or screw holes. As such, this solution is not suited for temporary uses. 
     Therefore, a need exists for an improved edge guard in comparison to the prior art. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, an edge guard is provided for use adjacent an edge. The edge is disposed between a first surrounding surface and a second surrounding surface. The edge guard includes a cushion member and an edge attachment. The cushion member includes a first face, a second face, and a cushion edge portion disposed between the first face and the second face. The first face is angularly disposed with respect to the second face. The first face has a first face inner portion that extends away from the cushion edge portion towards a first face end portion. The first face inner portion is positionable adjacent the first surrounding surface. The second face has a second face inner portion that extends away from the cushion edge portion towards a second face end portion. The second face inner portion is positionable adjacent the second surrounding surface. The edge attachment includes an upper surface, a distal end, and an attached end. The attached end is attached to the first face end portion. The edge attachment is positionable adjacent the first surrounding surface with the upper surface separated a first distance from the first surrounding surface at the attached end and separated a second distance from the first surrounding surface at the distal end. The second distance is less than the first distance for tapering the upper surface with respect to the first surrounding surface. The edge attachment further has a stiffness greater than the cushion member. 
     The presence of the stiff tapered edge attachment may mitigate the possibility of children being able to get their fingers underneath the edge guard. The edge attachment is therefore believed to increase the effectiveness of the edge guard by reducing the chances of the edge guard being pried off of the edge. 
     According to various embodiments, the cushion member may be constructed from a foam material. Further, the cushion member may be constructed from a non-toxic material, a latex-free material, a fire-retardant material, or a material having any combination of these properties. The edge attachment may be constructed from a plastic material. Additionally, the attached end of the edge attachment may be detachably attached to the first face end portion of the cushion member. The edge attachment may include a lower surface that is positionable substantially in contact with the first surrounding surface, the edge attachment thus having a first thickness at the attached end, and a second thickness at the distal end, where the second thickness is less than the first thickness. Further, the upper surface and the lower surface may meet to form an edge at the distal end. The first face end portion may include a lengthwise groove extending parallel to the cushion edge, and the edge attachment may further include a lengthwise protrusion that is positionable within the groove for attaching the edge attachment to the cushion member. The edge guard may further comprise a second edge attachment attached to the second face end portion. The edge guard may also comprise a fastening mechanism for securing the edge guard to the edge. The fastening mechanism may be double-stick tape, an adhesively backed hook-and-loop tape, or other various mechanisms known within the art. The edge guard may also include a plurality of notches, wherein each notch extends from the distal end of the edge attachment through the first face end portion of the cushion member. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       These and other features and advantages of the various embodiments disclosed herein will be better understood with respect to the following description and drawings, in which like numbers refer to like parts throughout, and in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view illustrating an edge guard when mounted on a fireplace hearth; 
         FIG. 2  is an assembled cross sectional view of the edge guard illustrating stiff edge attachments with tapered upper surfaces attached to a cushion member; 
         FIG. 3  is an exploded cross sectional view showing the stiff edge attachments detached from the cushion member; and 
         FIG. 4  is an exploded perspective view of the edge guard illustrating the edge guard including a corner piece. 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view illustrating another embodiment of the edge guard comprising a plurality of notches. 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view showing an embodiment of the edge guard with a plurality of notches mounted to a rounded surface. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring now to the drawings wherein the showings are for purposes of illustrating the preferred embodiments of the present invention only and not for purposes of limiting the same,  FIG. 1  is a perspective view illustrating an edge guard  10  mounted on a fireplace hearth  11  with edge attachments  12 ,  14  attached. As illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the edge guard  10  is mounted adjacent an edge  16 . The edge  16  is disposed between a first surrounding surface  18  and a second surrounding surface  20 . 
     Referring now to  FIG. 2 , an embodiment of the edge guard  10  includes a cushion member  22  and an edge attachment  12 . The cushion member  22  includes a first face  24 , a second face  26 , and a cushion edge portion  28 . The cushion edge portion  28  is disposed between the first face  24  and the second face  26 . The first face  24  is angularly disposed with respect to the second face  26 . The first face  24  has a first face inner portion  30  extending away from the cushion edge portion  28  towards a first face end portion  32 . The first face inner portion  30  is positionable adjacent the first surrounding surface  18 . The second face  26  also has a second face inner portion  34  extending away from the cushion edge portion  28  towards a second face end portion  36 . The second face inner portion  34  is positionable adjacent the second surrounding surface  20 . The edge attachment  12  includes an upper surface  38 , a distal end  40 , and an attached end  42 . The attached end  42  is attached to the first face end portion  32 . The edge attachment  12  is positionable adjacent the first surrounding surface  18  with the upper surface  38  separated a first distance  44  from the first surrounding surface  18  at the attached end  42  and separated a second distance  46  from the first surrounding surface  18  at the distal end  40 . As used herein, the term “tapering” means that the second distance  46  is less than the first distance  44 . The edge attachment  12  further has a stiffness greater than the cushion member  22 . 
     The cushion member  22  may be formed of a deformable material so as to provide a protective buffer upon impact with the edge  16 . It is contemplated that the cushion member  22  may be constructed from a variety of deformable materials, such as a foam material. In an embodiment of the invention, the cushion member  22  is constructed from a non-toxic material so as to be suitable for use in an area where children may be frequently touching the cushion member  22  or inserting it into their mouths. In another embodiment of the invention, the cushion member  22  is constructed from a latex-free material so as to be suitable for use by people allergic to latex, or those concerned with forming latex allergies due to repeated exposure to latex. In a further embodiment of the invention, the cushion member  22  is constructed from a fire-retardant material so as to be suitable for use near a fireplace or other heat producing devices. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the cushion member  22  is constructed from a non-toxic, latex-free, fire-retardant material. 
     The deformability of the cushion member  22  is beneficial in reducing injury from impact with an edge  16 ; however, this same deformability allows children to easily insert their fingers under the deformable end portions  32 ,  36  and thereby pry the edge guard  10  off of the edge  16 . The edge attachment  12  functions to lessen the ability of children to insert their fingers under the edge guard  10  by being stiffer than the cushion member  22 . The edge attachment  12  thereby remains substantially non-deformable and helps to prevent the insertion of fingers underneath the edge guard  10 . 
     Further, to effectively absorb an impact and thereby prevent injury, the cushion member  22  must be relatively thick. This thickness, however, provides a potential finger-hold at the end portions  32 ,  36  whereby children can grab hold of the edge guard  10  and pull it off of the edge  16 . The edge attachment  12  makes it more difficult for children to grab hold of the edge guard  10  by tapering to a smaller distance  46  at the distal end  40 . The tapering of upper surface  38  may be smooth, wherein the distance from the first surrounding surface  18  decreases at a constant rate from the first distance  44  at the attached end  42  to the second distance  46  at the distal end  40 . It is also contemplated that the tapering may consist of a stepped taper, a rounded taper, or an ornamental taper wherein an embossed design is present on the upper surface  38 . 
     It is believed that children would be more likely to insert their fingers underneath the first face end portion  32  due to it being located on top of the first surrounding surface  18  which children may be using as a play surface, or to hold themselves up while standing, or otherwise being more accessible. Therefore, an embodiment of the edge guard may include only one edge attachment  12  attached to the first face end portion  32 . However, a further embodiment may include a second edge attachment  14  attached to the second face end portion  36  to also prevent the insertion of fingers underneath the second face end portion  36 . 
     It is contemplated that the edge attachment  12  may be constructed from a variety of materials, so long as they are stiffer than the material used to construct the cushion member  22 . This relative stiffness is believed to help in preventing children from inserting their fingers under the relatively deformable cushion member end portions  32 ,  36 . In one embodiment the edge attachment  12  is constructed from a plastic material. Examples of materials that could be used in constructing the edge attachment  12  are wood, metal, or a foam material that is stiffer than the foam material used in constructing the cushion member  22 . 
     As illustrated in  FIGS. 2 ,  3 , and  4 , the attached end  42  of the edge attachment  12  may be detachably attached to the first face end portion  32  of the cushion member  22 . In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the first face end portion  32  includes a lengthwise groove  48  extending parallel to the cushion edge  28 . The edge attachment  12  includes a lengthwise protrusion  50  that is positionable within the groove  48  to create an interlocking mechanism for attaching the edge attachment  12  to the cushion member  22 . This mechanism can be temporary, so that the edge attachment  12  is detachably attachable to the cushion member  22 . This mechanism can also be made permanent by gluing the protrusion  50  to the groove  48 . 
     In an embodiment of the present invention, the edge attachment  12  includes a lower surface  52  that is positionable substantially in contact with the first surrounding surface  18 . The edge attachment  12  thus has a first thickness  54  at the attached end  42  and a second thickness  56  at the distal end  40 . The second thickness  56  is less than the first thickness  54 . In a further embodiment of the present invention, the upper surface  38  and the lower surface  52  meet to form an edge at the distal end  40 . 
     As can be seen in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , in another embodiment of the present invention the edge guard  10  further includes a fastening mechanism  58  for securing the edge guard  10  to the edge  16 . In a preferred embodiment, the fastening mechanism  58  consists of two strips of double-stick tape  59 ,  61 , wherein the first strip of tape  59  is attached to the lower surface  52  of the first edge attachment  12  and to the first surrounding surface  18  and the second strip of tape  61  is attached to the lower surface  52  of the second edge attachment  14  and to the second surrounding surface  20 . It is also contemplated that the first strip of tape  59  could instead be attached to the first face inner portion  30  and the second strip of tape  61  could be attached to the second face inner portion  34 . The fastening mechanism  58  may consist of a variety of other mechanisms, including, but not limited to, a liquid glue, a spray-on adhesive, an adhesively backed hook-and-loop tape, or a plurality of suction cups. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 4 , the edge guard  10  may further include a generally L-shaped corner piece  60 . The corner piece  60  is formed by inserting a bend of a certain angle, generally 90 degrees, into a cushion member  22 . In one embodiment, the corner piece  60  is positioned adjacent a cushion member  22 . In an alternative embodiment, the corner piece  60  is integrally attached to a cushion member  22 . The edge attachment  12  may extend past the cushion member  22  so as to also attach to the corner piece  60 . It is contemplated that a further embodiment of the present invention includes positioning multiple cushion members  22  adjacent to each other, with or without a corner piece  60  disposed between, so as to cover the entire edge  16 . 
       FIG. 5  illustrates a further embodiment of the invention in which the edge guard  10  includes a plurality of notches  62 . Each notch  62  extends from the distal end  40  of the edge attachment  12  through the first face end portion  32  of the cushion member  22 . The presence of these notches  62  in the edge guard  10  creates an alternating series of notches  62  and protrusions  64 . The notches  62  allow the edge guard  10  to be manipulated in such a way that the protrusions  64  may be brought together and/or moved away from each other in order for the edge guard  10  to conform to the edge of a non-linear surface.  FIG. 6  illustrates an edge guard  10  with a plurality of notches  62  mounted to such a non-linear surface, in this case a rounded table  66 . Although shown mounted to a convex surface, it is to be understood that the presence of the notches  62  allows for the edge guard  10  to be mounted to either a convex or a concave surface, or even a convoluted surface having a combination of the two. 
     The above description is given by way of example, and not limitation. Given the above disclosure, one skilled in the art could devise variations that are within the scope and spirit of the invention disclosed herein. Further, the various features of the embodiments disclosed herein can be used alone, or in varying combinations with each other and are not intended to be limited to the specific combination described herein. Thus, the scope of the claims is not to be limited by the illustrated embodiments.