Patent Abstract:
An exemplary stair nosing assembly comprises an elongated base, a plate adhered to the base, and a cover temporarily covering the base and the plate. The base has at least one anchor portion extending downwardly from the upper portion for attaching to a lip of a tread pan and/or embedding in a concrete tread. The plate can have various features to enhance traction and visibility. The cover has front and rear lips that engage with front and rear edges of the base, and a weakened region adjacent the rear lip. When the assembly is embedded in a concrete tread, the cover is configured to fracture at the weakened region when the front lip of the cover is lifted upward from the base, leaving the rear lip remaining embedded in the concrete and allowing the rest of the cover to be removed to expose upper surfaces of the base and plate.

Full Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/441,504, filed Feb. 10, 2011, which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     A staircase is typically one of the first parts of a building to be constructed. After the stairs are constructed, they are often used by construction workers while the remainder of the building is constructed and finished. This period of time after the stairs are constructed and before the building is finished can expose stairs, and particularly front nosings of the stairs, to significant damage, wear, contamination, etc. For example, the exposed features of the stair nosings can be scratched, dented or splashed with paint or other material while the building is being finished. 
     To protect the stair nosings after they are constructed, construction works often place a layer of tape over the upper surfaces of the nosings and then remove the tape after construction of the building is complete. 
     SUMMARY 
     Embodiments of stair nosing assemblies are disclosed herein that come pre-assembled with a protective cover layer that can remain covering the nosing after construction of the stairs while the remainder of the building is constructed and finished. The cover can then be quickly, easily, and accurately removed by lifting a front lip and thereby breaking the front and upper portions of the cover apart from an embedded rear lip. 
     One exemplary stair nosing assembly can comprise an elongated polymeric base, an elongated metal plate adhered to the base, and an elongated polymeric cover temporarily covering the base and the plate. The base can comprise at least one anchor portion extending downwardly from the upper portion for attaching the assembly to a rearward projecting lip of a tread pan and/or for embedding in a concrete tread. The plate can have various features to enhance traction and visibility. The cover can comprise front and rear lips that engage with front and rear edges of the base to temporarily secure the cover over upper surfaces of the base and the plate. The cover can further comprise a horizontally extending weakened region adjacent to or in the rear lip. When lower portions of the assembly are embedded in a concrete tread, the cover is configured to fracture along the weakened region when the front lip of the cover is lifted upward from the base, leaving the rear lip of the cover remaining embedded in the concrete and allowing the rest of the cover to be removed to expose upper surfaces of the base and plate. 
     The foregoing and other objects, features, and advantages of the disclosure will become more apparent from the following detailed description, which proceeds with reference to the accompanying figures. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is an exploded cross-sectional end view of an exemplary stair nosing assembly, shown in the context of other portions of a stair. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the assembly of  FIG. 1 , with various components of the assembly cut away at different lengths for illustrative purposes. 
         FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional perspective view of another exemplary stair nosing assembly shown coupled to a metal tread pan, with various components of the assembly cut away at different lengths for illustrative purposes. 
         FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional perspective view of a finished concrete and metal stair with the stair nosing assembly of  FIGS. 1 and 2  installed, after a cover layer has been removed. 
         FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional end view of a finished concrete stair with an alternative embodiment of the nosing assembly installed, prior to the cover layer being removed. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Described herein are embodiments of a nosing assembly, components thereof, and methods related thereto. The following description is exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the scope, applicability, or configuration of the invention in any way. Various changes to the described embodiment may be made in the function and arrangement of the elements described herein without departing from the scope of the invention. 
     The nosing assembly and components described herein are primarily intended for use with stair construction, but can also be used to form a nosing for other similar structures or objects, such as curbs, sidewalks, ledges, edges, and the like. Thus, although this disclosure proceeds with reference mainly to stairs, one of ordinary skill will understand that the inventive features disclosed herein can similarly be applied to these analogous fields of endeavor. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , a nosing assembly  10  can comprise a plurality of components. These components can include a base  12 , a plate  14 , an adhesive  16 , a cover  18 , and/or other optional components. The nosing assembly can be pre-assembled and installed as a unit during the construction of a stair or a stair case. The base  12  can couple the nosing assembly  10  to a stair. The adhesive  16  can couple the plate  14  to the base  12 . The cover  18  can cover and protect the base  12  and plate  14  from damage and/or contamination, such as during transportation and construction, and can be removed to expose the base  12  and plate  14  (see  FIG. 4 ), such as after construction of the stair case is complete. 
     The nosing assembly  10  can be elongated and have a generally constant cross-section transverse to the elongated direction, or length. The length of the nosing assembly  10  can be selected to correspond to the width of the stair on which it is installed. The base  12 , plate  14 , adhesive  16  and cover  18  can each have the same or similar length. The nosing assembly  10  can be any width (measured from the front edge to the rear edge), and in some embodiments is approximately two inches wide. 
     The base, or tread portion,  12  can be comprised of a durable polymeric material, such as PVC. As shown in  FIG. 1 , the base  12  can comprise a tread portion  20  that forms a generally horizontal upper portion  22  and curves downwardly at a front side to form a generally vertical front lip  24 . The tread portion  20  can further comprise a recessed area between a front rib  28  and a rear rib  26 . This recessed area can be sized and shaped to receive the adhesive  16  and the plate  14  between the ribs  26  and  28 . 
     The rear of the upper portion  22  can terminate in a rear edge  30  and the bottom of the front lip  24  can terminate in a bottom edge  32 . The rear edge  30  and bottom edge  32  can engage with the cover  18 , as described below. 
     The base  12  can comprise a downwardly projecting rear flange  34  extending from the rear of the upper portion  22 . The rear flange  34  can comprise a rearwardly opening recess, or cavity,  35  adjacent the upper portion  22  and an expanded bottom end portion  38 . The cavity  35  can extend horizontally along the base and can be configured to receive another component in a snap-fit connection. The cavity  35  can alternatively be filled with concrete during installation and help retain the nosing  10  to the step. 
     The base  12  can further comprise a downwardly projecting anchor portion  36  extending from the lower surface of the upper portion  22  between the rear flange  34  and the front lip  24 . The anchor portion  36  of the base  12  can comprise a forwardly extending lip  40  and/or a downwardly extending flange  42  that terminates in an expanded bottom end portion  44 . The lip  40  can be used to couple the base  12  to a rearwardly projecting lip of a tread pan, as shown in  FIG. 4 , or to an anchor  80  mounted in the concrete, as shown in  FIG. 5 . 
     The plate  14  can be comprised of durable material, such as a suitable metal (e.g., aluminum or steel) and/or polymeric material. The plate  14  can comprise a variety of upper surface features designed to provide foot traction, illumination, aesthetic appearance, and/or other functions. For example, the plate  14  can comprise one or more ribs  50  extending lengthwise of the plate, as shown in  FIGS. 1-4 . The plate  14  can further comprise a friction-enhancing material and/or a textured pattern  52  on the upper surface, such as knurling, to provide grip and/or an aesthetic appearance. One or more surfaces of the plate  14  can further comprise a photoluminescent, or “glow-in-the-dark,” material, such as the photoluminescent strips  54  shown in  FIGS. 1 and 4 . One or more surfaces of the plate  14  can also comprise a friction-enhancing material, such as the strips  56  shown in  FIGS. 1 and 4 . The photoluminescent material and/or the friction-enhancing material can comprise strips of material inserted into mating receptacles in the plate  14  between the ribs  50 . These materials can comprise a spray-on substance, adhesive strips, or other materials coupled to the plate. In addition, various surfaces of the plate  14  can be coated or painted to provide desirable properties, such as aesthetic appearance. 
     On some exemplary embodiments, the upper and/or lower surfaces of the plate  14  are painted, such as black or yellow. Yellow paint, for example, can provide a visual alert and/or contrast with other materials to signify the edge of a step. In one example, an aluminum plate is first painted black, and then portions of the black paint are removed, such as the top edges of the ribs  50  and/or the front and rear edges of the plate, to expose the shiny, silvery color of the metal, creating a contrasting silver and black contrast. In this example, the black can be replaced with any other color, such as yellow, to provide a similar effect. 
     The plate  14  can be coupled to the base  12  using an adhesive  16 , such as a double-sided tape, a layer of adhesive applied in fluid form, or the like. The adhesive  16  can be releasable in order to allow removal and replacement of the plate  14 , such as if the plate is worn or damaged or if a plate with different surface features is desired. To remove and replace the plate  14 , the plate can simply be peeled off, the adhesive  16  can be removed, and a plate can be attached with a new adhesive. 
     The cover  18  can be comprised of a flexible, durable material, such as PVC or other polymeric material. The cover  18  can comprise an elongated sheet of material having curled or hooked front  62  and rear  60  portions that engage with the front edge  32  and rear edge  30 , respectively, of the base  12  to hold the cover  18  in place over the base  12  and plate  14 , as shown in  FIGS. 3 and 5 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 5 , the cover  18  can comprise a horizontal nick, or weakened region,  64  adjacent to the rear portion  60  that extends lengthwise of the cover  18  and allows the cover to easily fracture along the nick  64  to facilitate removal of the exposed portion of the cover  18  from the nosing assembly  10 . The nick  64  can comprise one or more slots, grooves, perforations, apertures, weakened regions, and/or other structural features that facilitate the separation of the rear portion  60  from the remainder of the cover when the cover is lifted upwardly from the stair. The structural features that comprise the nick  64  can be located at one or both of the inner and outer, or forward-facing and rear-facing, surfaces of the cover between the rear portion  60  and the remainder of the cover. The nick  64  can furthermore be pre-stressed or pre-weakened prior to assembly with the base  12  to further facilitate fracturing. 
     The nosing assembly  10  can be installed on different types of stair frames. As a first example, the nosing assembly  10  can be installed on a stair frame as shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 . This exemplary stair system can comprise a generally vertical metal plate  100  and a generally horizontal metal plate  102 . The front plate  100  can have a rearwardly extending, horizontally disposed upper lip  104  that engages with the lip  40  of the base  12 . The lip  104  can extend into a gap formed between the upper surface of the lip  40  and the lower surface of the upper portion  20 . The lip  40  can resiliently flex to expand the gap and receive the metal lip  104  in the gap. The upper surface of the lip  104  can contact the upper portion  20  while the front lip  24  of the base  12  can contact the front surface of the plate  100  to hold the nosing assembly  10  on the metal stair frame. The anchor portion  36  and rear flange  34  of the base can hang freely behind the lip  104 . Concrete can then be poured into the pan formed by the plates  100 ,  102 . The concrete can fill the pan up to the level of the top surface of the cover  18 , or slightly lower, such as up to the level of the upper surface of the plate  16 . The rear portion  60  of the cover can be submerged in the concrete and pinned between the rear edge  30  of the base  12  and the concrete. The anchor portion  36  and the rear flange  34  of the base can also be submerged in the concrete. The expanded lower end portions  38  and  44  and the cavity  35  assist in physically retaining the base  12  in the concrete. 
     After the concrete cures (see  FIG. 4 ) and/or after construction of the stair case is complete, the cover  18  can be removed. The front portion  62  of the cover can be pulled forwardly away from the lower edge  32  of the front lip  24  of the base  12  to free the front of the cover  18  from the stair. The front portion  62  can then be lifted upwardly until the rear portion  60  of the cover  18  fractures apart from the rest of the cover at the nick  64 . As the majority of the cover  18  is separated from the stair, the rear portion  60  of the cover can remain buried in the concrete beneath and behind the rear edge  30  of the base  12 . The nick  64  can be positioned in the cover  18  such that the rear portion  60  of the cover that remains in the concrete can have an upper surface that is flush with the level of the concrete and/or the rear edge  30  of the base  12 . 
     In other embodiments, such as shown in  FIG. 5 , the nosing assembly  10  can be installed with a stair system that lacks a vertical plate and rearwardly projecting metal lip for the nosing assembly for attachment. In one such stair system, a temporary mold, or framework can be constructed and concrete can be poured into the mold to form the stair tread. As the concrete cures, the nosing assembly  10  can be pressed into the concrete such that the front lip  24  rests against the front of the concrete stair and the upper surface of the cover  18  is flush with or slightly above the level of the concrete. The anchor portion  36  and the rear flange  34  of the base  12  can be submerged in the concrete such that the expanded portions  44 ,  38  fix the base  12  in the concrete. After curing, the framework can be removed, leaving the nosing assembly  10  at the upper front edge of the concrete tread. After construction, the cover  18  can be removed, as described above, exposing the front and upper portions of the base  12  and the plate  14 . 
     In some embodiments of the nosing assembly  10 , the anchor portion  36  of the base  12  can comprise a hooked lip portion  40  without a downwardly projecting flange  42 , as shown in  FIGS. 3 and 5 , for examples. The downwardly projecting flange  42  may not be needed to secure the base  12  to the concrete, such as when the lip portion  40  is clipped onto a rearwardly extending lip  104  of the stair frame, as in  FIG. 3 . 
     In an alternative embodiment, an additional component can be included in the nosing assembly  10 , as shown in  FIG. 5 , that engages the lip portion  40  and provides a downwardly projecting flange for embedding in the concrete. For example, an adapter, or anchor,  80  (see  FIG. 5 ) can be provided that comprises an upper lip  82  that engages with the lip  40  of the base  12 . The adapter  80  can further comprise a downwardly extending flange portion  84  terminating in an expanded lower edge  86  that serves the same purpose as the lower edge  44  shown in  FIG. 1 . The adapter  80  can have a cross-sectional shape generally in the form of a question mark, as shown in  FIG. 5 . The adapter  80  can comprise a single elongated strip or it can comprise a plurality of separate pieces that can be spaced apart along the length of the base  12 . The adapter  80  can be used, for example, to convert a base  12  that was designed to be used with a stair frame having metal lip  104  that engages the lip  40 , as in  FIG. 3 , to be used with a stair frame that does not have such a lip. 
     In other embodiments, an additional component can be added to the rear of the base  12 , such as adapter  90  shown in  FIG. 5 . The adapter  90  can have an upper rib  92  that engages, such as with a snap or friction fit, within the cavity  35  at the rear of the base  12 . The adapter  90  can extend below the level of the rear flange  34  and can comprise an expanded lower edge  94 . The adapter  90  can, in effect, extend the height of the rear flange  34  as desired. In some embodiments, (not shown) the lower edge  94  can contact a lower surface of the concrete stair, such as the bottom of a metal tread pan, to create a rear support for the nosing. This feature can help keep the upper surface of the nosing level and at a desired height relative to the concrete. The adapter  90  can comprise a single elongated strip or can comprise a plurality of separate pieces that can be spaced apart along the length of the base  12 . In some embodiments, both adapters  80  and  90  can be used. 
     One benefit of the nosing assemblies  10  described herein is that the cover  18  can protect the exposed surfaces of the base  12  and plate  14  during the installation of the stair and for an additional period of time after installation is complete, until the cover is removed. For example, after the installation of the nosing on a stair, the stair may be used by construction workers while the remainder of the building is constructed and finished. This period of time after the stairs are constructed and before the building is finished can expose the base  12  and plate  14  to significant damage, wear, contamination, etc. For example, the upper features of the plate can be scratched, dented or splashed with paint or other material while the building is being finished. The cover  18  can prevent and/or reduce these undesirable and unnecessary exposures. When the building is complete and ready for normal use, the covers  18  can be removed leaving a pristine nosing. The removable cover  18  described herein can obviate the alternative use of duct tape covering or other ad hoc protective devices used by construction workers to cover the stair nosing. These ad hoc attempts to protect the nosing can furthermore be less effective, less accurate, more time consuming and/or more expensive that using the nosing assemblies described herein. The cover  18  can be very tough and durable, can precisely cover the areas of the nosing that need to be protected, can come pre-installed with the rest of the nosing, and can be removed in one quick motion without leaving any residue or markings behind. The cover  18  can furthermore comprise upper surface features that provide functional benefits, such as traction and illumination, to the construction workers prior to removal. 
     The nosing assembly  10  can be pre-assembled with the base  12 , plate  14  and cover  18  engaged together. The adapter  80  and/or the adapter  90  can also be pre-engaged with the bottom of the base  12 . Thus, the installer merely needs to remove the nosing assembly  10  from its packaging and either clip it onto a flange of a stair frame, as shown in  FIG. 3 , or press the nosing assembly into wet concrete. After the concrete cures, the installer simply lifts and breaks the cover off and the stair nosing is ready for use. Later, if desirable, the plate  14  can be peeled off and replaced with another plate without removing or damaging any other portion of the nosing other than the adhesive  16 . 
     In some embodiments, the base  12  and/or the cover  18  can be made of a material that is photoluminescent and/or emits light in the dark. Portions of the base  12  can be exposed below and behind the plate  14 , such that the nosing can be easily recognized by a person moving up or down the stairs. 
     As used herein, the terms “a”, “an” and “at least one” encompass one or more of the specified element. That is, if two of a particular element are present, one of these elements is also present and thus “an” element is present. The terms “a plurality of” and “plural” mean two or more of the specified element. As used herein, the term “and/or” used between the last two of a list of elements means any one or more of the listed elements. For example, the phrase “A, B, and/or C” means “A,” “B,” “C,” “A and B,” “A and C,” “B and C” or “A, B and C.” As used herein, the term “coupled” generally means physically (e.g., mechanically, chemically, magnetically, etc.) coupled or linked and does not exclude the presence of intermediate elements between the coupled or associated items absent specific contrary language. 
     In view of the many possible embodiments to which the principles of the disclosed invention may be applied, it should be recognized that the illustrated embodiments are only preferred examples and should not be taken as limiting the scope of the disclosure. Rather, the scope of the disclosure is defined by the following claims. I therefore claim all that comes within the scope of these claims.

Technology Classification (CPC): 4