Abstract:
The invention relates to a baseboard comprising a foam body ( 1 ); and a coating ( 2 ) thermoformed in a material different than the body.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to the field of construction and, more specifically, that of finishing accessories such as baseboard or similar, added to a wall to mask irregularities or dilatation seals between the edge of a floor coating and the wall. 
       DESCRIPTION OF PRIOR ART 
       [0002]    Rigid baseboards are known, made of sections cut into segments of a length allowing storage and handling. These baseboards are, for example, made of wood, metal or plastic and are, if need be, painted, varnished or coated with an attractive finishing sheet. Such rigid baseboards are unsuitable for following curves or varied angles in walls or for absorbing slight irregularities in wall surfaces. 
         [0003]    Moreover, adhesive baseboards made of a supple composite material to be painted or colored and coated, wall side, with a glue are known from documents FR-A-2 896 525 and JP-A-2003 129652. These baseboards are rollable, which makes installation easy. However, use of this type of baseboard is today limited to baseboards colored in the bulk or intended to be painted, which restricts the features that can be given to the baseboard. 
         [0004]    From document NL-A-84 00968 a baseboard made of a foam body coated with an adhesive on one side and a finishing coating on the other side (visible face) is known. The coating includes a flap intended to be folded against the upper edge of the foam body during installation, which is a condition for the baseboard to be rollable before installation. Such a right-angle flap is not attractive and constitutes, after installation, a dust trap. 
         [0005]    More and more often a high-end finish appearance is sought, for example wood or metal or similar, with a more rigid material than the foam of the baseboard. 
         [0006]    Moreover, on the upper portion of the baseboard, generally a domed appearance is sought that reaches the wall for reasons of hygiene and attractiveness. Such a baseboard curve in a direction perpendicular to the rolling direction causes a problem. Indeed a coating more rigid than the foam generally only supports deformations in one direction, otherwise it breaks or is marked. In a similar way, a paper or plastic film coating or similar makes folds. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0007]    An object of an embodiment of the present invention is to remedy all or part of these drawbacks of known baseboards. 
         [0008]    Another object of an embodiment of the present invention is to provide a baseboard coated with a material different than the body of the baseboard. 
         [0009]    Another object of an embodiment of the present invention is to provide a baseboard having a domed appearance in its upper portion with curvature radius directed towards the inside. 
         [0010]    Another object of an embodiment of the present invention is to provide an adhesive baseboard. 
         [0011]    Another object of an embodiment of the present invention is to provide a rollable baseboard. 
         [0012]    Another object of an embodiment of the present invention is to provide a baseboard also compatible with storage of unrolled rectilinear sections. 
         [0013]    Another object of an embodiment of the present invention is to provide a product that can easily be recut, allowing perfect finish at corners. 
         [0014]    To achieve all or part of these objects and others, a baseboard comprising the following is provided: 
         [0015]    a foam body; and 
         [0016]    a thermoformed coating made of a different material than the body. 
         [0017]    According to an embodiment of the present invention, the upper portion of coating is domed, the curvature radius of the domed section being directed towards the foam body. 
         [0018]    According to an embodiment of the present invention, the height of the foam body is at most equal to the height of a straight section of the coating, the rear of the domed section of the coating being devoid of foam. 
         [0019]    According to an embodiment of the present invention, the rear of the domed section of the coating defines a space for the passage of wires or cables. 
         [0020]    According to an embodiment of the present invention, the face of the foam body opposite the coating is coated with an adhesive layer and, before installation, a protector. 
         [0021]    According to an embodiment of the present invention, the curvature radius of the domed section of the coating is approximately equal to the sum of the thickness of the foam body and at least the thickness of the adhesive layer. 
         [0022]    According to an embodiment of the present invention, a lower end of the coating protrudes from the foam body. 
         [0023]    According to an embodiment of the present invention, the coating is made of a material chosen from plastic thermoformable films. 
         [0024]    According to an embodiment of the present invention, the foam body is made of a material chosen from extruded, crosslinked or cast foams. 
         [0025]    According to an embodiment of the present invention, the body and the coating are chosen from materials that can be cut using a box cutter or a knife. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0026]    These objects, features and benefits indicated and others will be set out in detail in the following description of specific embodiments made without limiting the scope of the invention in relation with the attached figures among which: 
           [0027]      FIGS. 1A and 1B  are schematic cross-section views, constituents of a baseboard according to an embodiment of the present invention and of its constituents once assembled respectively; 
           [0028]      FIG. 2  is a perspective schematic view of an embodiment of a thermoformed baseboard; 
           [0029]      FIG. 3  is a view from below of a roll of baseboard according to an embodiment of a thermoformed rollable baseboard; 
           [0030]      FIG. 4  is a cross-section view of an embodiment of a thermoformed baseboard; 
           [0031]      FIG. 5  illustrates the installation of a baseboard on an inside corner of a wall; and 
           [0032]      FIG. 6  illustrates an example of the installation of a baseboard on an outside corner of a wall. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0033]    Identical elements have been denoted by identical references in the various figures. For clarity&#39;s sake, only the elements useful for understanding the embodiments described have been shown and will be described. In particular, buildings and walls to which a baseboard according to the embodiments described is applied have not been described, since these embodiments are compatible with the usually uses of baseboards. 
         [0034]      FIGS. 1A and 1B  represent an embodiment of a baseboard.  FIG. 1A  is a transverse cross-section of the constituents of the baseboard.  FIG. 1B  is transverse cross-section of the baseboard once these constituents are assembled. 
         [0035]    The baseboard is constituted of a body  1  made of synthetic material, typically of foam. Body  1  is coated, on the outer surface, with a finishing sheet  2  giving the outer surface of the baseboard its final appearance. 
         [0036]    This coating  2  is added to foam body  1  by gluing, overmolding or welding coating  2  to body  1 . 
         [0037]    According to another embodiment, suited for making approximately rectilinear segments, coating  2  is more rigid and/or harder than foam body  1 . 
         [0038]    According to another embodiment, suited for making a rollable baseboard for storage before installation, coating  2  is more flexible and/or softer than foam body  1 . 
         [0039]    Coating  2  may be painted or appear uniform, wooden or have an outer surface looking like a metal, marble, tile, a mirror or any other coating. On the rear face, an adhesive layer  3  is added to foam body  1 . This adhesive layer is intended to glue the baseboard against the wall during installation. Layer  3  is temporarily protected by a protective sheet  4 . 
         [0040]    According to the embodiments that will be described, coating  2  is made of a material chosen to be thermoformable to give it a domed appearance ( FIG. 1B ) in the upper section so that its upper end  24  comes to reach the wall during installation. The curvature radius of domed section  22  of the coating is directed towards the inside, i.e. towards foam body  1  or the wall. What is more, the height of foam body  1  is less than the height of coating  2 . Accordingly, domed section  22  masks an empty space  5  devoid of foam. Due to the elasticity or flexibility of film  2 , cables (electric, digital or telecommunication) can be passed through this space  5  without having to remove the baseboard. Straight section  26  of coating  2  is plated against foam body  1 . Accordingly, coating  2  is preferably chosen to have sufficient elasticity to regain its domed shape after an operator acts to deform section  22  temporarily to place des wires or cables. 
         [0041]    The respective heights of adhesive  3  and protector  4  are, preferably, identical to the height of foam body  2 . 
         [0042]    Alternatively, the adhesive layer  3  temporarily protected by a backing sheet is not continuous but is formed of adhesive lines distributed in the height of the foam body. 
         [0043]    The foam body is, preferably, constituted of a polyethylene foam. The density of this foam is chosen to be comprised between 20 and 80 kg/m 3 . The foam is preferably chosen from extruded, crosslinked or cast foams. 
         [0044]    The nature of coating  2  is such that it cannot be folded at a right angle without being marked. Coating element  2  is also made of synthetic material, plastic film or similar, chosen for rigidity greater than that of the foam body and to be thermoformable. 
         [0045]    Preferably, the nature of the materials of body  1  and coating  2  is chosen so that they can be cut using a box cutter or a knife. 
         [0046]    Coating  2  can be the thermoformed before or after this coating has been added to the foam body. 
         [0047]    Preferably, foam body  1  and protective coating  2  are chosen to be sufficiently supple to allow the baseboard to be rolled on itself during storage. According to a preferred embodiment, thermoformed baseboard  5  is compatible with both storage in rolled form and storage in the form of long sections. 
         [0048]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of an embodiment of a section of baseboard  6  that can be stored in long rectilinear form. The rigidities and thicknesses of the various elements have been defined to store the baseboard in long rectilinear forms without damaging the shape. Protective film  4  is, preferably chosen to be able to be removed from the baseboard to release the adhesive without tearing, which makes installation easier. 
         [0049]      FIG. 3  is a view from below illustrating a roll of baseboard  6 . In this example, it is assumed that baseboard  6  is rolled, which makes installation easier by gradually unrolling the baseboard along a wall. To make rolling easier, the baseboard may, according to the capacity of deformation of foam  1 , include vertical stripes not shown (for example cutting lines distributed regularly). To simplify the representation in  FIG. 3 , the adhesive layer and the protector have not been shown but are, of course, present. 
         [0050]      FIG. 4  is a transverse cross-section view of an embodiment of a baseboard  6  illustrating examples of dimensions; foam body  1  has a thickness e1 comprised for example between 0.5 and 2 cm and a height h1 comprised for example between 3 and 10 cm. Coating  2  has, once thermoformed and in its domed definitive form, a height h2 comprised, for example, between 4 and 18 cm. Curvature radius r2 of domed section  22  is a value comprised for example between 0.6 and 1.8 cm. The thickness of coating  2  is, preferably, comprised between 0.1 and 5 mm. 
         [0051]    Preferably, the curvature radius of domed section  22  is chosen to correspond with the sum of the respective thicknesses of foam body  1 , adhesive  3  (not visible in  FIG. 4 ) and protector  4  (not visible in  FIG. 4 ). Accordingly, free upper end  24  of coating  2  extends towards the perpendicular rear of foam body  1  of a difference e3 corresponding to the sum of the respective thicknesses at least of adhesive  3  and, preferably, also protector  4 , typically between 0.1 and 0.5 cm. This extension allows free end  24  to always be in contact with the wall, which ensures a perfect finish. 
         [0052]    In the embodiment in  FIG. 4 , free lower end  28  of coating  2  protrudes from foam body  1 . This may allow adaptation for any irregularities in the floor against which the baseboard is installed. For example, the height difference d will have a value comprised between 0.1 and 1 cm. 
         [0053]    Alternatively, foam body  1  and section  28  of coating  2  have a same height, their lower respective ends being aligned. This may make installation easier by allowing the foam body to rest on the floor. 
         [0054]    The choice between one or another of the variants hereinabove may depend on the rigidity of coating  2 . 
         [0055]    The baseboard as described in the previous figures may be installed on a straight line or on a wall edge and is also particularly suited to curves and wall irregularities. Moreover, it may cover inside and outside corners to give optimal finish. 
         [0056]      FIG. 5  represents an example of installation of a baseboard in an inside corner  8  of a wall  7 . This view is a schematic perspective associated with a cross-section detail. When bringing the baseboard to the corner  8  of wall  7  during installation, body  1  of the baseboard is cut vertically for example using a box cutter or other knife and, preferably, a miter box. This cut  18  may be mitered as the cross-section detail illustrates. 
         [0057]    In a rollable version of the baseboard, only the body may be cut and coating  2  is then folded at the same time as both sections of body  1  separated by cut  18  are separated from each other during folding. This makes a vertical mark ( 28 ,  FIG. 5 ) in coating  2 . This mark is not a problem here because it is in the corner. Coating material  2  is preferably sufficiently extensible not to tear on the domed section. 
         [0058]      FIG. 6  is a schematic perspective view of a baseboard placed in an outside corner  9  of a wall  7 . Compared to the embodiment in  FIG. 5 , body  1  of the baseboard is bevel cut vertically using a miter box to cause point-shaped material to be removed (cut  19  as the cross-section detail illustrates) and allows the foam of the body to pass corner  9  of wall  3 . At coating  2 , a break or mark  29  is made at the corner of the wall. This break is not a problem either insofar as, due to the miter box, the finish is high quality. 
         [0059]    An advantage of the embodiments that have been described is that it is now possible to coat a foam baseboard with a surface coating other than simple paint while giving the coating a surface that has a perfectly smooth appearance or has a relief. These embodiments allow thicker decorations than simply painting the foam, therefore better appearances. Another advantage of the embodiments described is that the specific selection of the constituent materials of the baseboard means it can be stored in straight or rolled form. 
         [0060]    Various embodiments have been described. Various variants and modifications will be obvious to the person of skill in the art. In particular, although specific selection examples for choice of foam and coating nature  2  have been indicated hereinbefore, other equivalent materials can be used. Moreover, the choice of adhesives, whether to glue the baseboard to the wall or to glue coating  2  to foam body  5 , is also within the scope of the person skilled in the art by using known products. Any adhesives can be repositionable so as to allow the baseboard to be removed or replaced without damaging it.