GB2414491A - Cove corner - Google Patents

Abstract

A cove corner has an inner surface which, in use, faces a wall surface to which the cove corner is affixed. The inner surface is recessed and has a first upstanding wall <B>5</B> along its border which, in use, lies in contact with the wall surface. A second upstanding wall <B>6</B> is provided spaced from the border wall to define a channel <B>7</B> to receive adhesive, the height of the second wall <B>6</B> is no greater than that of the first wall <B>5</B>. Preferably the height of the second wall <B>6</B> is less than that of the first wall <B>5</B>. The second wall <B>6</B> may be reduced in height at one or more locations <B>9</B> along its length to define, in use, openings for the passage of adhesive. The cove corner may be of plastics material and its surfaces may be lined with a coating material.

Description

COVING

This invention relates to coving used inter alla to provide a decorative border between a ceiling and a wall of a room. More particularly, the invention concerns internal and external cove corners which provide smooth transitions between lengths of coving positioned to each side of wall corners.

The term "cove corners" as used herein incorporates overlay cove corners and cove corner sections.

Coving and cove corners are typically produced from wood, plaster, plastics or polystyrene. This invention is primarily concerned with cove corners produced from plastics but has application to cove corners produced from a variety of materials including those listed above.

Cove corners are generally attached to prepared wall surfaces by adhesive applied to the rear face (i.e. that face which lies in contact with a wall surface in use) of the cove corner, or to the wall surface to which the cove corner is to be adhered. The cove corner is then retained in place by hand or otherwise until the adhesive sets. Whereas it is important to ensure that sufficient adhesive is used to provide effective and long term adherence of the cove corner to the wall, the use of an excessive quantity of adhesive increases the overall weight of the cove corner and can lead to adhesive being extruded between the walls of the cove corner onto the wall surfaces. Any such excessive adhesive must then be removed.

The present invention sets out to provide an internal or external cove corner which does not suffer from, or at least alleviates, the problems discussed above.

In one aspect, the invention provides a cove corner whose inner surface is recessed and includes along its border an upstanding wall which, in use, lies in contact with the wall surface to which the cove corner is to be attached and a second upstanding wall spaced from the border wall to define a channel to receive adhesive, the height of the channel wall being no greater than that of the border wall.

In a preferred embodiment, the height of the channel wall is equal to or slightly less than that of the border wall over its entire length or one or more sections thereof. The channel wall may be continuous or may include one or more openings for the passage of air and/or adhesive.

The invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings in which: Figures 1 and 2 are respectively front and rear views of an external cove corner in accordance with the invention.

The cove corner illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 comprises a relatively plain front face 1 which, in use, is positioned around an outwardly projecting corner of a room and an upper ledge section 2 which, in use, lies in contact with the celling of that room. Side edges 3 of the cove corner are shaped to adjoin the ends of adjacent horizontally extending elongate coving. The illustrated cove corner includes a foot 4 dimensioned to fit snugly about the wall corner to which the cove corner is to be secured. Whereas the front face 1 is shown as being plain, it may be embellished.

Externally the outer face of the illustrated cove corner is conventional. Internally, however, the cove corner is recessed whereby, in use, the inner face of the cove corner is spaced from the external wall surface to which it is to be attached. Internal recessing of the cove corner reduces its weight. Savings in material and manufacture costs are also achieved. Typically, for a plastics cove corner the thickness of the recessed part is between approximately 1/3 and 2/3 of the thickness of a conventional cove corner. Typically, the thickness of the recessed part varies between 1.5 mm and 3.5 mm.

As shown in figure 2, the inner face of the cove corner is bordered by a wall 5 which projects outwardly from the inner face of the cove corner. A second wall 6 is secured to the cove corner inner face to define a discrete channel 7 between it and the border wall 5. The height of the channel wall 6 is no greater than that of the border wall 5. Preferably, the height of the channel wall is equal to or slightly less than that of the wall 5. The channel wall 6 provides bracing and added strength to the cove corner when fixed to an adjoining wall surface. At certain locations along its length, cut-outs 9 are provided in the channel wall 6. Alternatively, and/or additionally, the height of one or more discrete lengths of the channel wall 6 may be reduced to a height below that of the border wall 5.

The presence of the channel wall 6 provides added strength and rigidity to the cove corner.

For fixing to an external corner of a wall, adhesive is applied into the channel 7 defined between the border and channel walls and to the edge surfaces of the border wall which lie in contact with the wall surface on assembly. The cove corner is then placed in position and held there by hand or other means. Once the adhesive Is set, the cove corner is located firmly in place.

The channel 7 ensures that adhesive is applied accurately and not excessively to the cove corner for fixing purposes. The cut-outs 9 or the discrete or overall reductions in height of the channel wall 6 enables any excess adhesive or air present In the adhesive to pass to the recessed centre 10 of the cove corner rather than to the side edges of the cove corner. This prevents adhesive being extruded to the wall surface to which the cove corner is to be secured. Furthermore, the presence of the channel 7 not only assists the person seeking to position the cove corner by providing guidance as to the quantity and location of the adhesive to be applied but also ensures that the amount of adhesive employed is not excessive. Where excessive adhesive is used, this can lead to increased setting times and increased weight thereby making the cove corner less stable and exhibiting extrusion of adhesive between the sides of the cove corner and the wall surface. As mentioned previously, savings in weight of the cove corner per se are achieved by recessing its inner surface.

Whereas an external cove corner is illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, the features of the invention can equally be applied to an internal cove corner.

Preferably cove corners in accordance with the invention are produced by extruding a plastics material having the external appearance of plaster. Other materials may, however, be employed. Typically, the adhesive is of a wet plaster-like consistency and is a conventional adhesive used for this purpose.

It Will be appreciated that the foregoing is merely exemplary of cove corners in accordance with the invention and that various modifications can readily be made thereto without departing from the true scope of the invention as set out in the appended claims.

Claims (1)

1. A cove corner whose inner surface is recessed and includes along its border an upstanding wall which, in use, lies in contact with the wall surface to which the cove corner is to be attached and a second upstanding wall spaced from the border wall to define a channel to receive adhesive, the height of the channel wall being no greater than that of the border wall.

2. A cove corner as claimed in claim 1 wherein the height of the channel wall is equal to or substantially equal to that of the border wall.

A cove corner as claimed in claim 1 wherein the height of the channel wall is less than that of the border wall.

A cove corner as claimed in claim 2 or claim 3 wherein the height of the channel wall is reduced at one or more locations along its length to define, in use, one or more openings for the passage of adhesive.

5. A cove corner as claimed in claim 3 wherein the height of the channel is substantially equal throughout its length.

6. A cove corner as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5 produced from a plastics material.

7. A cove corner as claimed in claim 6 whose internal and/or external surface is/are lined with a coating material.

8. A cove corner substantially as herein described and as described with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings.