FR2848234A1 - Socket for joining profile for floor seams, has two vertical ribs or webs defining space for screw used to secure cover profile - Google Patents

Abstract

Two vertical ribs or webs (14, 15) in the socket define a space for locating a screw (30) used to secure a cover profile (20) on top of the socket. The space comprises a throat (16) leading into a wider cavity (17) for locating the free end of the screw. An Independent claim is also included for a joining profile comprising the socket and a cover profile with two covering wings or arms (21, 22) on each side of an approximately vertical tongue (23) extending in the profile length direction.

Description

BASE FOR THRESHOLD BAR

  The present invention relates to the field of threshold bars. Threshold bars are elements intended to hide a joint between two floor coverings or to form a clean border between a floor covering and a wall. The invention more particularly relates to a threshold bar capable of adapting to different heights of floor coverings and / or to make up for a difference in height between two floor coverings. A sill bar serves not only to protect the edges of the adjacent floorings (for example, to prevent a carpeting from fading) and to mask their irregularities, but also to improve the aesthetics of the partition especially in constituting a clear and straight separation zone.

  The present invention more particularly relates to the realization of a threshold bar formed of two parts. A first part, constituting a base, is intended to be fixed to the ground (for example, by screwing or gluing), and a second part, constituting a covering element, is intended to be fixed to the base by enclosing the edges of or coatings. This second part carries the apparent surface of the threshold bar. The two constituent parts of the threshold bar are profiled elements generally manufactured in great length and cross-cut on demand.

  DE-U-29711389 discloses a two-element threshold bar of the type to which the present invention relates. The profiled base of this threshold bar comprises two longitudinal grooves respectively intended to receive, without play, a longitudinal tongue of a profiled covering element and screws for holding this covering element. The base has a horizontal portion extending laterally with respect to the two parallel vertical grooves. This horizontal part is intended to receive screws for fixing the profiled base in the ground. The cover element comprises, in addition to the vertical tongue intended to engage without play in one of the grooves of the base, a central portion in which are intended to be engaged fixing screws of the cover member to the base , and two wings intended to rest on the floor covering on either side of the central portion. The connection between each wing or side portion and the central portion of the cover member is performed in a thinning of the profile so as to allow a slight folding of the wings relative to the central portion. This folding makes it possible to make up a slight difference in level in the coatings that separates the threshold bar.

  A disadvantage of such a threshold bar is that the presence of thinned areas between the central portion and the wings of the cover member weakens the threshold bar. In particular, once a wing has been positioned in a certain configuration by folding at the level of the thinned zone to adapt it to the thickness of a given floor covering, a new folding of this wing risks cause breaks or cracks in the covering element. Therefore, a cover element of such a threshold bar is disposable, i.e. it must be replaced in the case where at least one of the floor coverings is replaced by a other coating of different thickness.

  In an attempt to solve this drawback, it has already been proposed a covering profile which is devoid of folding thinning thus eliminating the weakening zones. Such a cover profile is described, for example, in WO-A-0019037. The cover profile comprises, in section, two wings on either side of a longitudinal tongue. The cover profile has, overall, a convex shape to avoid the need for folding its wings.

  The longitudinal tab engages, as for the previous document, in one of the grooves of a base with two grooves.

  If this solution improves the resistance of the threshold bar, it is limited in its ability to adapt in height and more particularly in inclination of the longitudinal tongue in the groove of the associated base. Indeed, except to provide a tongue very thin relative to the width of the groove that receives it, which would cause excessive embrittlement of the tongue, its movement is limited by the walls of the groove. The same problem arises on the fixing screw.

  The present invention aims at providing a new threshold bar and more particularly a new base for two-part threshold bar, which overcomes the disadvantages of conventional threshold bars and, in particular, those of the threshold bars described above.

  The invention aims in particular to improve the tilting adaptation capacity of a rigid wing covering profile. The object of the invention is to propose a solution that does not require increasing the width of the pedestal of the threshold bar.

  The invention also aims to propose a solution that allows reuse of the cover profile, even when replacing at least one of the floor covering with another coating of different thickness.

  To achieve these objects and others, the present invention provides a profiled threshold bar base comprising at least a substantially horizontal base adapted to rest on a floor, and two parallel vertical ribs defined and 5 between them a housing for screws of fixing a cover profile attached to the base, said housing comprising a screw insertion groove relatively narrow with respect to a receiving cavity of the free ends of the screws. According to an embodiment of the present invention, the respective heights and widths of the groove and the underlying cavity are determined as a function of the diameter and the length of the fastening screws of the cover profile and the inclination capacity. desired for this one.

  According to one embodiment of the present invention, said groove and said cavity are delimited by changes in sections of said vertical ribs.

  According to one embodiment of the present invention, said section changes are located, with respect to the bottom of the cavity, at a distance of between about 20 and 50%, preferably about 30%, of the height of the housing.

  According to one embodiment of the present invention, the width of the cavity corresponds to between one and a half times and three times, preferably about two times, the width of the groove.

  According to one embodiment of the present invention, the bottom of the cavity coincides with the base.

  According to one embodiment of the present invention, the bottom of the cavity is raised relative to the base.

  According to one embodiment of the present invention, an outer face of one of said ribs, opposite to the housing, serves as a stop for a longitudinal tongue of the covering profile comprising two overlapping wings on either side of this longitudinal tongue, one of said wings being provided with orifices for passing the fastening screws to the base. According to one embodiment of the present invention, the base comprises screw head housing holes for fixing the base to the ground.

  According to one embodiment of the present invention, the base comprises streaks of attachment of an adhesive or equivalent of fixing to the ground.

  The invention also provides a threshold bar 10 comprising a profiled base and a covering profile comprising two overlapping wings on either side of an approximately vertical longitudinal tab.

  These and other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will be set forth in detail in the following description of particular embodiments in a non-limiting manner with reference to the accompanying figures in which: FIG. by a cross-sectional view, an embodiment of a threshold bar according to the present invention; FIGS. 2A and 2B illustrate, by schematic cross-sectional views of the base according to the invention, the improved inclination capacity; Figure 3 shows, in a cross sectional view dirty, an alternative embodiment of the base according to the present invention; and Figure 4 shows, in a cross-sectional view, another example of application of the invention to a wall-end coating stop bar.

  The same elements have been designated by the same references to the different figures that have been drawn without respect of scale. In addition, references to the vertical and horizontal arrangements are purely arbitrary and are made to illustrate respective overall orientations of the elements in a position of use of the threshold bar on a horizontal plane as illustrated in the figures.

  However, these indications will of course have to be adapted to the particular case, for example, for a threshold on inclined ground.

  FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of a threshold bar according to the invention in a first example of application to a level catch between two floor coverings 1 and 2. The threshold bar comprises a characteristic profiled base 10 of the invention and a rigid-wing covering profile 20, for example, of the type described in the aforementioned WO-A-0019037.

  The base 10 comprises a horizontal base 11 intended to rest on the ground s, preferably directly without interposition of one of the floor coverings. The base 10 is intended to be fixed to the ground, for example, by gluing or screwing. To allow both modes of attachment, the base 11 has ridges 12 in its face intended to rest on the ground to facilitate bonding and also includes threads (dashed 13) regularly distributed in the length of the base 11 for a fastening by screwing.

  In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the base 10 also comprises, in section, two (and preferably only two) parallel vertical branches or ribs 14 and 15, one (here, 14) of the two ribs being preferably disposed at one end of the base 11 so as to present therewith an L-shaped. The rib 14 then defines, by its external face to the base 10, a possible stop for one of the coatings of floor (for example, parquet 1).

  The faces of the ribs 14 and 15 opposite one another each comprise a section change 141, 151 so as to define a groove 16 in the upper part of the base and a wider cavity 17 in the lower part of the base. As will be seen later in connection with FIGS. 2A and 2B, the groove 16 and the cavity 17 cooperate to adapt the inclination of the covering element 20.

  The covering profile 20 comprises, in section, substantially two wings 21 and 22 on either side of a vertical tongue 23. The wings 21 and 22 are preferably curved so as to give the entire covering element a curved shape. One of the wings (for example, the wing 21) has orifices 24 for the passage of fixing screws 30 in the base section 10. These orifices 24 preferably by their shape to house the head of the screw 30 and are regularly distributed in the length of the profile. If necessary, a finishing strip (not shown) that conceals the screw heads after fixing can be attached to the visible face of the covering profile 20.

  The example of FIG. 1 refers to a threshold bar separating a parquet 1 or any other rigid covering from a carpet-type flexible covering 2. The external face of the rib 14 of the base profile 10 is placed against the floor 1 (or at least parquet floor 1). The base 11 is glued or screwed to the ground s and the edge of the flexible floor covering is placed on the part of the base 11 extending obliquely opposite the rib 14. The covering profile 20 is then reported on the set. Preferably, the free end of the longitudinal tongue 23 is placed in abutment against the angle 18 between the vertical rib 15 and the base 11.

  Alternatively, if the height of the coating 2 and the inclination of the profile 20 do not allow it, the outer face of the rib serves as a positioning stop at least temporary cover profile, the tongue 23 coming, at least by its free end, bear against the outer face of the rib 15. This ensures that the hole 24 for the passage of the fastening screw 30 is in line with the groove 16 of the housing defined by the groove 16 and the cavity 17 of the base 10.

  Once the covering profile 20 is positioned, the screws 30 are engaged in the corresponding holes. The screws then take into the groove 16 which can, in a preferred embodiment, be ribbed on its internal faces, the end of the screw 30 coming into the cavity 17.

  FIGS. 2A and 2B illustrate, by partial representations of the base profile 10 and a fastening screw 30 of a covering profile (not shown), the inclination possibilities authorized by the base of the invention.

  As illustrated in FIG. 2A, the base profile can be inclined at the rib end 15 as far as possible until the screw bears respectively on the upper left corner and on the lower right corner of the groove 16. The cavity 17 more wide formed in the lower part of the base 10 can accommodate the tip of the screw 30 allowing this movement. Figure 2B illustrates the opposite extreme case where the screw 30 bears against the right upper end and the lower left end of the groove 16.

  In addition to the large lateral clearance allowed by the cavity 17, an additional travel is, if necessary, possible by the play of the head of the screw 30 in the orifice 24 of the covering profile.

  Preferably, the changes of section 141 and 151 of the vertical ribs 14 and 15 of the base profile are located at a distance from the bottom of the cavity 17 between 20 and 50% of the height of the housing (groove + cavity), preferably about 30 %. The choice of the position of these changes of sec25 tion depends on several parameters among which the length and the diameter of the screws 30 may be used, the width of the groove 16 and the desired potential inclination capacity. For example, the width of the cavity 17 is between one and a half times and three times the width of the groove 16. Preferably, the width of the cavity 17 is about twice the width of the groove 16.

  According to a particular example of the embodiment of an aluminum base according to Figure 1, each rib has, inside the housing, a height of the order of 6.3 mm. The gap between the internal faces of the ribs at the groove is about 2.8 mm. The height of the cavity is about 2 mm (32% of the height of the housing) and its width in section is about 5.2 mm (1.9 times the width of the groove).

  Preferably, the base profile is made of a metal material, preferably aluminum.

  Figure 3 shows an alternative embodiment of the base according to the invention.

  In this embodiment, the bottom 171 of the cavity 17 is raised relative to the base 11 while it is coincident with it in the embodiment of the previous figures.

  The gap between the bottom of the cavity and the ground may be solid or, as shown, empty, in which case the outer rib 14 preferably bears on the ground. The height of the bearing of the housing depends on the height of the covering for which the base is intended.

  Figure 3 illustrates another variant which is that the cavity 17 'has a generally circular shape in section and not square or rectangle as in the previous figures. This variant can of course also be provided in the preceding embodiments and has the advantage of being generally easier to achieve.

  The dimensional ratios given above then apply to the largest dimensions of the circular or oval section. According to a particular example of the embodiment of an aluminum base according to FIG. 3, each rib has, inside the housing, a height of the order of 8 mm, the total height of the base being of order of 18 mm. The gap between the inner faces of the ribs at the groove is about 2.8 mm. The height of the cavity is about 4 mm (50% of the height of the housing) and its sectional width (at the largest) is about 5.2 mm (1.9 times the width of the groove). FIG. 4 shows a second example of the embodiment of a threshold bar according to the invention intended to serve as a stop rod against a wall m. In the example of Figure 4, it is assumed that the wall m already has a wall covering 3 (not mandatory). The base 10 is then positioned by coming, by the external face of the rib 14, bearing against the wall covering 3. It is, as before, screwed or glued to the ground s and the end of the floor covering 2 (here , for example a carpet) rests on the horizontal extension of the base 11, out of the ribs 14 and 15.

  The covering profile 20 'always comprises two wings 21' and 22 'on either side of a vertical tongue 23'. The example of FIG. 4 illustrates a variant in which the free end of the tongue 23 'does not rest at the wedge 18 of connection between the base 11 and the rib 15 but is raised relative to the base 11, in because of the thickness of the coating 2. The tip of the tongue 23 ', however, bears against the outer face of the rib 15.

  The mounting of the threshold bar according to this embodiment is deduced from that described above with the same possibilities of inclination according to the position of the base 10 20 with respect to the wall m. Indeed, the more the base 10 is spaced from the wall, the more the wing 21 'of the covering profile must protrude from the rib 14 to hide the gap between the base 10 and the coating 3.

  An advantage of the present invention is that it considerably improves the orientation capabilities (inclination) of a cover profile on a threshold bar base, without weakening the cover profile by folding ribs, nor require an overall enlargement of the protruding portion of the base profile.

  Of course, the present invention is susceptible of various variations and modifications which will be apparent to those skilled in the art. In particular, the dimensions to be given to the base profile and more precisely to the cavity 17 and to the groove 16 are within the abilities of those skilled in the art as a function of the application, based on the functional indications given above, the particular examples given being only illustrative. In addition, although only two cover profiles have been described and shown, it will be appreciated that the base according to the invention can be used with any form of recessed profile provided with a vertical longitudinal tongue and two wings. on both sides of this tongue.

  Finally, although the invention has been described with an exemplary embodiment in which the base has a general L shape, the invention does not exclude the realization of a T-shaped base, that is to say in which the base 11 extends on either side of the ribs 14 and 15.

Claims (11)

  1. profiled threshold bar base comprising at least a substantially horizontal base (11) adapted to rest on a floor (s), characterized in that it comprises two and only two vertical ribs (14, 15) parallel and defining between 5 a housing for screws (30) for attaching a cover profile (20) attached to the base, said housing comprising a groove (16) for introducing screws relatively narrow with respect to a cavity (17, 17 ') receiving the free ends of the screws.   2. Base according to claim 1, wherein the respective heights and widths of the groove (16) and the cavity (17, 17 ') underlying are determined according to the diameter and the length of the screws (30) of attaching the cover profile (20) and the desired inclination capacity therefor.   3. Base according to claim 1, wherein said groove (16) and said cavity (17, 17 ') are delimited by changes in sections (141 and 151) of said vertical ribs (14, 15).   4. Base according to claim 3, wherein said section changes (141, 151) are located, with respect to the bottom of the cavity (17, 17 '), at a distance of between approximately 20 and 50%, preferably approximately 30% of the height of housing. 5. Base according to claim 1, wherein the width of the cavity (17, 17 ') corresponds to between one and a half times and three times, preferably about twice, the width of the groove (16).   6. Base according to claim 1, wherein the bottom 30 of the cavity (17) coincides with the base (11).   7. Base according to claim 1, wherein the bottom (171) of the cavity (17 ') is raised relative to the base (11). 8. Base according to claim 1, wherein an outer face (15) of one of said ribs, opposite the housing, serves as a stop for a longitudinal tongue (23, 23 ') of the covering profile (20, 20') comprising two covering wings 5 (21, 21 '; 22, 22') on either side of this longitudinal tongue, one of said wings being provided with orifices (24) for the screws (30) for fixing to the base.   9. Base according to claim 1, wherein the base (11) has apertures (13) of screw head housing for fixing the base to the ground (s).   10. Base according to claim 1, wherein the base (11) comprises streaks (12) for attachment of an adhesive or equivalent of attachment to the ground (s).   11. A threshold bar comprising a profiled base (10) and a cover section (20, 20 ') comprising two flanges (21, 22; 21', 22 ') for covering each side of a tongue longitudinal axis (23, 23 ') approximately vertical, characterized in that said base conforms to one   any of claims 1 to 10.