Abstract:
A construction protective covering for covering and protecting delicate finishes on previously installed bathroom components on a construction job site from damage due to dropped tools and construction workers working in the vicinity of the installed component includes a double skinned, sheeted material protective covering having a center material between the double skins, the protective covering being sized to install within and cover either a bathtub or a shower stall enclosure including its front face and floor, the sheeted material having a thickness of from about ⅛″ to about 5″ thick, such that the sheeted material covering protects the shower stall enclosure and its floor. The double skinned protective covering is capable of holding the weight of a heavy construction worker, such that when the construction worker stands on the protective covering over the shower stall enclosure floor to do more work, the worker will be supported by the protective covering so that the worker can work without having to be careful of the delicate finish.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
   This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/296,348 filed on Jun. 6, 2001. 

   TECHNICAL FIELD 
   This invention relates to protective coverings for construction sites and more particularly relates to protective coverings for bathroom fixtures to prevent damage. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   Conventional construction of commercial and residential buildings and repairs tend to require a very exacting sequence of events. Among others, one reason for the critical timing of events in the construction process is because certain objects are easily blemished and costly to correct in terms of time and money. Often when a structure is constructed, the finished surface of the structure is subjected to dropped tools, paint, adhesive and other objectionable contact. Objects which are especially sensitive to scratches, nicks and marring during the construction process are often composed of relatively delicate materials, such as molded fiberglass, steel, marble and precious woods, used in sinks, bathtubs, basins, toilets, bidets, shower stalls, counter tops and fireplace areas, and the like. Such items are often scratched, nicked or marred after their installation in, and during the construction or repair of, houses, buildings, boats, swimming pools, aircrafts and similar structures. 
   Currently construction workers often protect precious finished surfaces by utilizing techniques that are ineffective. In the past, construction workers have tried using protective materials including drop clothes, towels, bed linen and plywood to protect precious finished surfaces, although they have met with limited effectiveness. While these devices may fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, as protective coverings they can pose dangers to the appearance and value of the precious finished surfaces and may compromise the safety of the construction workers. 
   The present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of current products on the market, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of covering precious finished surfaces during construction or repair. This present invention serves as a shield to prevent objects from coming in contact with the precious finished surface and a platform from which contractors may work. The protective covering of the present invention is reusable, durable and helps to minimize cleaning and repair expenses during and after construction. 
   It is an object of the present invention to provide a new, more protective temporary bathroom fixture protective covering that can either be disposable or reused. It is also an object of the present invention to utilize modern double-skinned materials which are more lightweight than prior art coverings, and ones that are capable of holding at least 500 pounds so that heavy weight construction workers can be supported on a platform. 
   It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a novel shower stall protective covering that will be capable of being disposable and lightweight. Further still, the shower stall protective covering would be most advantageous if it could be made of a double skinned material which is lightweight and is capable of protecting the delicate finish of the shower stall material from nicks and scratches made by careless use of construction tools, boots, and the like. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a new construction protective covering which meets and/or exceeds the objects and advantages discussed above. Disclosed is a construction protective covering for covering and protecting delicate finishes on previously installed bathroom components on a construction job site from damage due to dropped tools and construction workers working in the vicinity of the installed components. In addition, a protective covering for shower stall installations is also disclosed. The present protective covering includes a double skinned, sheeted material protective covering with a center material between the double skins. To best protect the bathroom components, the protective covering is sized to cover a standard sized bathtub and wall enclosure area or shower stall. As the bathtub will have a bathtub recess, a front face, and a walled-in enclosure, the protective covering will include a support platform to be supported by the upper lip of the tub and a protective apron to cover the front face of the tub. A protective covering for the wall enclosure above the tub may be included as an integral piece, or may be a separate piece for ease of shipping and handling. The shower stall embodiment will be sized to fit into the shower stall, and may also include a covering for the floor as an integral die cut piece, or the floor may be an individual piece. Slippage is minimized due to the size and configuration of the protective covering as it fits into the bathtub enclosure area. 
   The material to be preferably used is a double skinned sheeted material having a center material between the two skins, with a thickness of from about ⅛″ to about 5″ thick, and may be made of any double skinned sheet material including corrugated plastic, cardboard, paper, foamed skinned materials or lightweight composites. The corrugated plastic embodiment may be made of polypropylene, polyethylene, or any other commercially available corrugated plastic, so long as it is lightweight and will not mar the bathroom fixture surface. Further, the double skinned sheet material may be a honeycomb construction having individual honeycomb cell sizes of from about ¼″ to about 1″ diameter. In addition, double skinned sheet material may be used that has two outer skins and foamed materials thereinbetween. Reinforcement materials may be incorporated into the center foam to aid the rigidity of the unit, thereby enhancing the weight bearing capacity of the protective covering. As the reinforcement will not contact the bathroom fixture surface, it may be of any high strength, yet lightweight material, such as a metal mesh or metallic spun web, both of which are very lightweight and inexpensive. 
   In the bathtub embodiment, the sheeted material covering is adapted to be level with the top of the bathtub when installed, and is capable of holding the weight of a heavy construction worker, such that when the construction worker stands on the protective covering over the bathtub to do more work on the walls and vicinity of the already installed bathtub, the worker will be supported by the protective covering, and he can work without having to be careful of the delicate finish. In addition, the support platform acts as a mini-scaffold for him so that he can reach the wall up to the ceiling over the bathtub, without having to fit a ladder into the bathtub recess, possibly damaging the installed tub fixture. 
   For the shower stall embodiment, the sheeted material may be made of all the materials listed above for the bathtub embodiment, although it may be made of an even lighter material as the weight bearing support platform over the bathtub recess is not necessary in this application. 
   Various embodiments for other bathroom fixtures, such as hot tubs, bidets, water jet tubs, toilets, and any other conventional bathroom fixture which needs protection from workers, can be made from the above described double skinned materials without any undue experimentation, and is contemplated by the present inventors within the scope of this invention. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a bathtub enclosure embodiment of the present invention, shown as two pieces, with a support platform, a front apron, and a separate wall enclosure covering; 
       FIG. 2  is a top plan view of a die cut wall enclosure honeycomb configuration protective covering, showing cut out portions for a bathtub wall shelf; 
       FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the shower stall embodiment of the present invention, shown in two pieces; and 
       FIG. 4  is a side elevational view of the bathtub embodiment, illustrating the relative placement of the support platform, front apron and wall enclosure protective covering in accordance with the present invention. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   In order that the present invention may be more fully understood, it is described herein with reference to the accompanying figures in which  FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a bathtub with a front wall and surrounding walls and a multiple protective assembly  10  of the present invention having a support frame and a wall frame generally denoted by numerals  20  and  40 , respectively. The perspective view of  FIG. 1  discloses that when the support platform  26  of the support frame  20  is positioned over the bathtub, the skirt  28  of the support frame  20  extends below the support platform  26  to protect the front wall of the bathtub, and the wall frame  40  can be positioned over the bathtub surrounding walls to protect the surrounding walls.  FIG. 2  is a two dimensional view of the wall frame  40  of a multiple protective assembly  10  of the present invention covering a finished wall surface. 
     FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a wall frame  50  of the present invention and a shower enclosed by surrounding walls, suggesting the placement of the wall frame  50  within a shower unit, while  FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a support frame  20  of the present invention having a support platform  26  and a skirt  28 . The support platform  26  is positioned to support weight and protect an interior and a rail section of a bathtub. The skirt  28  of the support frame  20  of the present invention is shown connected to and extending in a perpendicular manner from the support platform  26  in order to protect a front wall of the bathtub. 
   The invention is not limited in its application to the details of its construction or to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrations in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. 
   In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of protective coverings, the present invention provides a new protective covering for precious finished surfaces. To attain this,  FIG. 1  illustrates one embodiment of the present invention which includes a support frame generally denoted by numeral  20 . The support frame  20  is formed from a protective sheet  22  that is scratch-resistant and a rigid sheet  24  having an upperside  24   a  and an underside  24   b  and being capable of maintaining its structure and sufficiently laminatable in order to support a weight of at least 250 kilograms. 
   In the broadest embodiment, the support frame  20  is contoured to fit the dimensions of a finished surface of any bathroom-type appliance, including bathtubs, showers, hot tubs, waterjet-type tubs, and the like. The support frame  20  can cover multiple dimensions of the finished surface and support at least 250 kilograms in order to protect the surface. 
   In a preferred embodiment as shown in  FIG. 1 , the protective sheet  22  is a die cut honeycomb material and is bonded to the underside  24   b  of the rigid sheet  24 . The rigid sheet  24  and the protective sheet  22  together form the support frame  20 . The support frame  20  is pre-scored to fit snugly around any interior walls and plumbing fixtures, as well as to form a support platform  26  adequate for supporting substantial weight. Preferably, the die cut dimensions are adapted for fitting in a standard sized bathtub enclosure, although it is envisioned by the present inventors that any particular size may be specified and cut without any undue experimentation. In addition, apron  28  drapes over a front wall of the finished surface, such as a front wall of a bathtub, in a manner relatively perpendicular to the support platform  26 . The support platform  26  rests horizontally on opposing longitudinal side rails of the bathtub. 
     FIG. 2  illustrates the back curtain  40  for protecting the walls of the bathtub enclosure, as well as the cut-out portion  42  for being directed around a short handrail  44  as seen in  FIG. 1 . The back curtain  40  is also made out of a corrugated cardboard, and acts to protect the tub enclosure material from damage. Cut-out portion  42  may be adapted to accommodate anything that projects from the wall, such as shelves, razor hangers, and the like. Additional protective covering material may be placed over such obstacles to protect them as well. 
   For all the embodiments, there are a variety of materials from which the protective sheet  22  and the rigid sheet  24  may be manufactured, including, but not limited to, the following materials. The protection sheet  22  includes a double skinned sheet material that may be constructed from, or has an outer layer (or layers) constructed from, a scratch-resistant material such as polyurethane, cloth, cotton, smooth synthetic materials or other scratch-resistant materials. The rigid sheet  24  may be constructed from a large number of weight bearing plastic or paper products such as molded pulp, cardboard and corrugated cardboard, with or without reinforcing materials therebetween. Rigid sheet  24  may be an integral piece with apron  28 , or may be a separate piece, which can be constructed of materials such as plastic, corrugated plastic, rigid thermoplastic sheet, high-density foam or rigid urethane foam, corrugated cardboard or paper. In another preferred embodiment, the protective sheet  22  may be sandwiched between two rigid sheets  24  when the rigid sheet  24  has a scratch-resistant finish. 
   The double skinned material is generally a sheeted material having a center material between the two skins, with a thickness of from about ⅛″ to about 5″ thick, and may be made of any double skinned sheet material including corrugated plastic, cardboard, paper, foamed skinned materials or lightweight plastic composites utilizing more rigid portions over the bathtub recess and less rigid portions for the wall curtain and the apron. The two skins of the sheet material may either be the same material, or may be different materials. For example, a plastic honeycomb configuration may use a flexible sheet of plastic to be used as a living hinge, while the other skin may be a rigid plastic to protect the finish of the bathroom fixture, having the honeycomb cell structure between the flexible and the rigid plastic sheets. The corrugated plastic embodiment may be made of polypropylene, polyethylene, or any other commercially available corrugated plastic, so long as it is lightweight and will not mar the bathroom fixture surface. Further, the double skinned sheet material may be a plastic or paper honeycomb construction having individual honeycomb cell sizes of from about ¼″ to about 1″ diameter. In addition, a double skinned sheet material may be used that has two outer skins and foamed materials  23  thereinbetween. Reinforcement materials  25  may be incorporated into and surrounded by the center foam, either open cell, closed cell or foamed-in-place or pre-foamed, to add to the rigidity of the unit especially over the bathtub recess, thereby enhancing the weight bearing capacity of the protective covering. As the reinforcement will be suspended within the foam core, and will not contact the bathroom fixture surface, it may be of any high strength, yet lightweight material, such as a metal mesh or metallic spun web, both of which are very lightweight and inexpensive. Further contemplated reinforcements may include carbon fabrics, fibers of any type, sheet metals and plastics, lightweight reconstituted stone structures, or any other rigid reconstituted sheet material, as well as foraminous materials. 
   Furthermore, the sheeted material utilized may be made of multiple layers in each skin, or may be ribbed or textured over the entire area of the sheet material, or over merely portions of the area. For example, under the support platform, a ribbed structure would add strength, without adding much additional weight to the protective covering device. The present inventors have contemplated the use of a textured surface on the support platform to aid in sure-footedness for any worker that might be standing thereon. 
   The protective covering  10  can be manufactured solely as a support frame  20  or as a multiple protective assembly to protect multiple finished areas. By way of example, a multiple protective assembly  10  protects a bathtub/shower with the support frame  20  and the wall frame  40  for protecting any walls surrounding the bathtub/shower. 
   Most preferably, for the preferred embodiment of a bathtub enclosure, the present invention includes a two-piece heavy double skinned sheet material preferably made of honeycombed or corrugated cardboard or polypropylene protective device. The first piece  40  as shown in  FIG. 1  includes a first thickness of sheet material for protecting the wall covering portion of the bathtub enclosure protector against nicks and paint, and is preferably from about ¼ inch thick to about 1 inch thick. The second piece  20  as shown in  FIG. 1  includes a second, thicker piece of sheet material for horizontally covering the bathtub itself to hold a worker weighing up to 500 pounds. This second piece of sheet material preferably has a thickness of at least one inch, and most preferably having a thickness of about two to five inches. This second piece of sheet material should be thick enough to hold at least 500 pounds, to allow a drywalling contractor to stand on the support platform of the bathtub protecting device, after it is in place over the installed bathtub, so that he can reach the drywall application above the tub. 
   As the tub must be installed before the drywall, the construction protective covering of the present invention permits the drywall workers to carry out their jobs after the bathtub has been installed, without harming or marring the surface of the bathtub. Previously, in many cases, the bathtub would be installed, and then the drywall installers would stand on the edge of the tub to install the drywall, mud and tape the seams, and then the painting/wallpapering contractors would stand on the edge of the tub to do their jobs. Each one of the later contractors could damage the bathtub itself by dropping tools, spilling paint, etc. This would involve clean up at the very least, repair in the majority of the cases, usually averaging a cost of around $300. The present invention allows them to do their jobs without worrying about harming the bathtub. 
   Needless to say, other embodiments may include the protective device being made of a single piece of the double skinned sheet material, and then being reinforced with a thicker piece of sheet material over the portion which rides horizontally over the bathtub, in order to be able to support more weight. Alternatively, for ease of shipping, handling and construction, the construction protective device of the present invention may be made in a multitude of pieces. In addition, one piece can be replaced in the event of extreme damage during a previous job. 
   A protective covering, as described in the present invention in the form of a support frame  20  or a multiple protective assembly  10 , may be custom cut and shaped, i.e., post-formed, for easy installation. It may be made of any suitable number of pieces, as needed, for shipping and assembly. Needless to say, a one piece assembly is also contemplated by these inventors.  FIG. 3  shows another embodiment for a shower stall protective assembly. Shown is a two piece assembly, although a one piece unit is also feasible, by forming a die cut piece with the floor extension extending from the bottom of the wall curtain protective covering device, ready to be folded into place. Connections for the various pieces may include living hinges, sturdy duct-type tapes, plastic sheet hinges with adhesives to secure both pieces together, and any other conventional means of securing two pieces of sheet material together. 
   Therefore, the advantages and objects enumerated above have been met or exceeded by the present invention, in which a protective covering for construction items is provided. The protective covering shall be strong enough to support the weight of a full grown man, and is designed to protect bathroom appliances after they have been installed, but before the remainder of the bathroom has been finished off with drywall and other finishes.