GB2270093A - Trim components, e.g. for tile corners - Google Patents

Abstract

A component (10) for forming a corner between two trim strips (1) such as are used to finish the edge of a tiled surface. The component (10) comprises an external corner piece portion (12) and an internal corner piece portion (11) formed integrally and separable for use as, respectively, external and internal corner pieces. A frangible web (13) interconnects the internal and external corner piece portions (11, 12), being readily frangible for use but strong enough to remain intact during normal handling. <IMAGE>

Description

TRIM COMPONENTS The present invention relates to trim components such as might typically be used for finishing an edge of a tiled surface.

It is common in kitchens, bathrooms and other places where a water-resistant surface is required to provide such a surface by adhering a layer of ceramic tiles to a supporting, typically wooden, base. When such a surface is constructed, some measure must be taken to provide a finished edge to the surface, otherwise the sides of the outermost tiles (the sides usually being unglazed and unsightly) would be exposed.

It is well known to finish the edge of a tiled surface by means of an elongate trim strip. Such a trim strip typically has an attachment portion which passes between the outermost tiles and the supporting base and a decorative portion which is fast with the attachment portion and extends to cover the sides of the outermost tiles and, optionally, an exposed part of the supporting base as well.

Special steps must be taken at corners of a tiled surface finished with trim strips as described above, to produce a smooth, neat joint between trim strips meeting at each corner. The most basic solution is to mitre the meeting ends of the trim strips to form a neat mitred junction at the corner. However, if the mitring operation is not performed skillfully and accurately the corner will not be neatly formed.

An alternative approach is to provide a corner piece to form a junction between two or more trim strips which meet at a corner. Such a corner piece typically has two short, integrally-formed arms which each have a decorative portion of substantially the same cross-section as a trim strip. The arms are disposed at right angles to one another and a neat corner is formed at the meeting of the two arms. Thus, a corner of a surface is formed by abutting the ends of trim components against the ends of the arms, the arms being typically formed such that a transverse cut across the trim strip is required for correct interengagement with the arms. This simplifies installation.

A disadvantage with such corner pieces is that at least two different types of corner piece must be provided - one for internal corners and one for external corners. This is inconvenient for manufacturers of trim components because it increases the amount of capital which must be invested in tooling, and it is inconvenient for users, especially trade users, who must decide on their stock levels of each type of corner piece so increasing the risk of running out of one or other type of corner piece and increasing the amount of money tied up in stock, and storage space.

The present invention provides in a first aspect a trim component comprising integrally-formed internal and external corner piece portions, said corner piece portions being separable from one another for use as, respectively, an internal corner piece and an external corner piece.

Thus, provision of a single trim component according to the invention obviates the need to manufacture and stock distinct internal and external corner pieces and avoids, or at least ameliorates, the disadvantages of doing so.

The trim component is preferably manufactured as a unitary plastics moulding. The conjunction between the internal and external corner piece portions may conveniently be formed as a thin frangible web of plastics material. The web is preferably formed to be strong enough to resist accidental separation of the corner piece portions in storage and transit but not so strong as to inhibit manual separation of the corner piece portions when required.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described in detail by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawing in which the sole figure is a perspective view of a trim component embodying the invention, and a portion of trim strip.

The trim component embodying the invention serves to form a right-angled junction between two trim strips, the end portion of one such trim strip being shown at 1 in the figure.

The trim strip 1 has an attachment portion 2 in the form of a generally flat elongate flange which is secured by adhesive between the edge portions of the outermost tiles of a tiled surface and the base on which the tiles are supported. The trim strip 1 also has a decorative portion 3, secured to the attachment portion, in the form of an upstanding flange. The decorative portion 3, in use, projects upwardly from the supporting base, covering the outer sides of the outermost tiles, to provide a finished edge to the tiled surface. The decorative portion 3 has a curved profile, primarily for aesthetic reasons. An example of such a trim strip is described fully in published UK patent application No. 2231067.

The trim component embodying the invention is shown at 10. The trim component 10 comprises an internal corner piece portion 11 and an external corner piece portion 12, and is, in this example, an integral plastics moulding.

The two corner piece portions 11, 12 are interconnected by a thin, frangible web 13.

The external corner piece portion 12 comprises a decorative part 14. The decorative part 14 is formed as a pair of integrally formed arms meeting at a corner and extending at right angles to one another. Each arm has a flat inner wall 15, the inner walls of the two arms meeting at a right angle, and a curved outer wall 16. In section, the outer walls 16 are shaped to conform to the decorative portion 3 of the trim strip 1, being curved upwardly and inwardly to meet the inner wall 15 at its uppermost extremity. The outer walls 16 are preferably shaped and dimensioned to be a universal fit with any quadrant trim strip of the same depth dimension (typically 6mm and 9mm). The outer walls 16 of the two arms are radiussed at their conjunction to provide a rounded outer corner.

The space between the inner and outer walls 15, 16 of the arms may be solid plastics material or may be a void to reduce the material required to make the arm.

In the latter case, an end face 17 is provided for each arm such that the free end of each arm is closed.

On each of the end faces 17 there is provided a projecting peg 18. Each peg 18 is shaped and dimensioned to conform closely to the shape of the trim strip such that by pushing the peg 18 into the end portion of a trim strip 1, the strip 1 is positively located with respedt to the trim component 10.

A triangular web 19 extends between the lower extremities of the inner walls 15 of the arms.The hypotenuse of the triangular web extends between the inner walls 15 meeting them close to their free ends, and at 450 to the axis of each arm.

The internal corner piece portion 11 comprises a decorative portion 20. The decorative portion 20 takes the form of a five-sided, three-dimensionally curved surface. Two of the sides of the surface are coplanar and at right-angles to one another, and are disposed parallel to and slightly below the upper extremities of the inner walls 15 of the external corner piece portion 12. The frangible web 13 extends between the said sides and the inner walls 15 to interconnect the internal and external corner piece portions 11, 12.

Two further sides of the decorative portion 20 are shaped and dimensioned to conform to the shape of the decorative portion 3 of the trim strip. These further sides each extend normally relative to a respective inner wall 15. The fifth side, being convex and curved through 90 degrees, interconnects the said two further sides.

The decorative portion 20 serves to form a continuous, smooth surface between the decorative portions of two trim strips meeting at an internal corner.

The internal corner piece portion 11 has a pair of end faces 21 which extend from the curved sides of the decorative portion 20 directed inwardly of the curve of the sides and normal to the inner walls 15 of the external corner piece portion. A peg 22 projects normally from each of the faces 21 to engage with the trim strips as described above in relation to the external corner piece portion 12.

In use, the internal and external corner piece portions 11, 12 are first separated by bending the internal corner piece portion 11 upwardly to break the frangible web 13. This produces separate internal and external corner pieces which can be used conventionally. (The triangular web 19 is used to secure the external corner piece in place, e.g. by adhesive.)

Claims (9)

1. CLAIMS 1. A tile edge trim component comprising integrally-formed internal and external corner piece portions, said corner piece portions being separable from one another for use as, respectively, an internal corner piece and an external corner piece.
2. 2. A tile edge trim component according to Claim 1 formed as a unitary plastics moulding.
3. 3. A tile edge trim component according to Claim 1 or Claim 2 in which the internal and external corner piece portions are conjoined by a frangible web.
4. 4. A tile edge trim component according to Claim 3 in which the frangible web is of strength to allow manual separation of the internal and external corner piece portions.
5. 5. A tile edge trim component according to any preceding claim in which the external corner piece part has a decorative portion comprising a pair of arms meeting at a corner and extending at right-angles from one another.
6. 6. A tile edge trim component according to Claim 5 further comprising a triangular web.
7. 7. A tile edge trim component according to any preceding claim in which the internal corner piece part has a decorative portions comprising a three-dimensional curved surface shaped to form a continuous, smooth surface between decorative portions of trim strips meeting at an internal corner.
8. 8. A tile edge trim component according to any preceding claim in which each corner piece component carries projecting pegs for engagement with a trim strip.
9. 9. A tile edge trim component substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawing.