US20030159380A1

US20030159380A1 - Outside corner post protector and repair device for siding

Info

Publication number: US20030159380A1
Application number: US10/347,961
Authority: US
Inventors: Charles Doucet
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2002-01-25
Filing date: 2003-01-21
Publication date: 2003-08-28

Abstract

A device used to cover the breaks or holes in exterior vinyl or other type of siding on the exterior corners of buildings. The comer repair and protector is a one-piece unit usually made of metal, but can be made of other materials. It is shaped like the corner of a building and has edges formed to snap it onto the existing siding to hold it securely in place. The comer protector is made in a variety of colors matching the colors of existing siding manufacturers for the purpose of making the repaired comer visually undetectable and appearing as if the original siding were undamaged. It has tabs on the bottom, which cover any openings between the existing siding and the structure to which it is attached for purposes of keeping out wind, small animals, and birds.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

Not applicable

BACKGROUND

1. Field of Invention

This invention relates to exterior siding repair of buildings, specifically the repair of corners on buildings where vinyl siding typically breaks. The comer guard snaps into place over breaks or holes in the siding corners without removing the existing siding. Vinyl siding will be the substance of the siding to which this invention will be most often applied; however, it may also be used to repair siding formed of other substances, e.g., aluminum. Corner post protector may also be installed prior to any damage occurring to protect siding corners from future damage.

2. Description of Prior Art

The inventor has located no prior art related to this invention. Background is therefore limited to the evolution of the invention.

Inventor professionally installs exterior vinyl siding on buildings, both residential and commercial. On many buildings, the vinyl siding installed over the corners of the buildings (particularly at the bottom) breaks rips, or tears, leaving an opening in the siding. These breaks have many causes, but are most usually caused by lawn tools hitting the vinyl.

This invention covers these broken corners in the vinyl siding without the owner of the buildings having to resort to the lengthy and costly process of replacing the entire corners of vinyl. Inventor has created a device that is quickly installed and will cover the breaks in the vinyl corners. The corner protector is shaped like the exterior corner of the building; it is sized to fit over existing vinyl corners. It has rounded ‘wrap around’ edges designed to allow it to firmly snap in place over the existing vinyl break. The corner protector may be made in all colors that are available in manufactures of siding, and once it is in place is almost undetectable.

Inventor can find no other attempts or patents by anyone to address this problem.

SUMMARY

In accordance with the present invention a snap on exterior vinyl siding corner protector is shaped like the corner of a building with rounded ‘wrap around’ edges for gripping the existing siding. These rounded edges snap in place and hold the corner guard in place. Said corner protector snaps in place on the exterior of the building at the corner where the vinyl siding is broken, covering the break completely and blending into the existing color scheme so as to be virtually unnoticeable.

Objects and Advantages

Accordingly, this new invention provides the following objects and advantages where none existed before:

(a) Rounded ‘wrap around’ edges and corners are designed to fit all existing sizes of exterior vinyl and are therefore available for any size application

(b) Rounded snap on edges are designed to grip firmly and provide rigidity to vinyl once the corner protector is snapped in place on broken corner. Corner guard grips firmly, forms a tight secure fit, and stays in place.

(c) Bottom of protector is designed to cover openings in the bottom of the existing vinyl to protect against wind and small animals from entering the openings created by the spaces between the existing vinyl and the structure to which it is attached.

(d) Bottom of corner protector is also designed to add rigid support to existing vinyl that becomes weak and fragile due to breaks or holes.

(e) Corner protector is designed with rounded edges. There are no sharp edges that might cause injury to the installer, or to anyone after corner guard is in place on structure.

(f) Corner protector is made of materials which will provide extra reasonable protection against future damage from lawn tools and equipment.

(g) Corner protector is made to fit over other materials used for exterior siding than vinyl. Corner protector can be made to cover any materials from which exterior siding may be constructed without causing any damage to the siding.

(h) Corner protector's shape may be altered and manufactured to fit any shape or form of siding already installed.

(i) Corner protector can be made of any color which existing siding is made so that it will match the existing siding and be aesthetically pleasing.

Further objects and advantages are to provide an inexpensive but strong repair for vinyl siding on corners of structures that are damaged or have holes in them. The corner protector can be mass-produced and easily installed by almost anyone by snapping it in place over the damaged vinyl corner. Once in place the corner protector will match the existing siding and the repair will be almost unnoticeable. Still further objects and advantages will become apparent from a consideration of the ensuing description and drawings.

DRAWING FIGURES and DESCRIPTION

A preferred embodiment of the snap on corner repair and protector is illustrated in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2. FIG. 1 is a view of the corner protector with the exterior corner facing the viewer, as it would be seen when snapped in place. The left and right sides are formed with wrap around edges to snap around the existing vinyl to hold the corner guard in place. At the bottom of the corner protector are the tabs that go under the existing vinyl siding to seal off any openings, which may be present. [0022]
FIG. 2 illustrates the corner protector as it is seen from the side that makes contact with the existing siding, i.e., the ‘back side’ of the corner protector. Here once again the left and right snap on edges may be seen that are designed to securely fit onto the existing siding and hold the corner guard in place. The tabs at the bottom can also be seen which will cover any openings from beneath the siding.[0023]
This snap on corner protector can be made to fit any size siding corner that may exist. For this reason dimensions of the corner guard will vary. The corner protector can be made of vinyl, aluminum, or several other materials which will provide protection against abuse from people as well as resistance to weather induced deterioration. [0024]
However, the construction of the corner protector is just flexible enough to allow it to snap in place around the existing siding. The rounded edges will snap into place and once in place will hold firmly and not release the corner guard. The corner protector will be made of materials which provide easy installation yet keep it in strongly and rigidly in place. [0025]
This corner repair and protector application may require slight variations in shape caused by differences between manufacturers. For example, FIGS. 4 and 5 illustrate how the corner guard may require a ripple or wave in its sides to match the shape of one manufacturer's corner siding. However, corner protector is not limited to this variation. Other slight variations may be necessary for corner protector to match other manufacturer's corner siding [0026]
Advantages [0027]
From the description above, a number of advantages of the snap on siding corner repair and protector become evident: [0028]
(a) The corner protector can be made to repair breaks or holes in virtually any size siding on any size structures. The corner protector is not limited to one particular size corner or siding. [0029]
(b) The corner protector is easily installed and stays in place once it is installed. [0030]
(c) The corner protector can be made to match all colors of existing siding so as to be extremely difficult to distinguish from the original siding. [0031]
(d) The corner protector can be made of strong durable materials to provide resistance to damage from the original causes of the damaged siding needing repair. [0032]
(e) The lower tabs provide increased protection against wind or intrusion of small animals or birds. [0033]
Operation—FIG. 3 [0034]
The manner of using the snap on corner protector is illustrated in FIG. 3. The installer simply places the corner guard over the corner of the siding to be repaired, matching the two corners. The installer then locks either the left or right rounded edge behind one edge of the existing siding. Next he/she snaps the opposite rounded side over the corresponding side of the existing vinyl and the installation is complete. [0035]
Conclusion, Ramification, and Scope [0036]
Accordingly, the reader will see that the snap on corner repair and protector for exterior siding is used to repair breaks or holes occurring in exterior siding on almost any type of structure. This is a problem which has never been addressed before, and provides a simple solution to a widespread problem occurring with exterior siding, especially vinyl siding. Furthermore, the design of the corner protector provides additional advantages: [0037]
it can be made to fit almost any size of existing siding; and [0038]
it can be made of any color to match existing siding and become virtually unnoticeable as a repair; and [0039]
it is designed to protect against wind, small animal, and bird intrusion into the openings between the existing siding and the structure attached to; and [0040]
installation is safe and simple; and [0041]
it is made of materials that are strong, durable, and will last. [0042]
Although the description above contains many specifities, these should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention but as merely providing illustrations of the presently preferred embodiment of this invention. For example, the top and sides of the corner protector can assume various shapes, or the snap on edges can assume different sizes, all in accordance with the size and/or shape of the siding it attaches to. Likewise the bottom tabs can assume different sizes and shapes. [0043]
Thus the scope of the invention should be determined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents, rather than by the examples given. [0044]

Claims

1. A device to cover corners of exterior siding on structures, comprised of:

(a) a one piece unit formed as an exterior building corner designed to wrap around and permanently attach to siding on exterior corners, and(b)

(b) said one piece unit is of predetermined size and shape determined by the size and shape of the existing siding corner to which it will attach, and

(c) said unit is also formed to cover openings at the bottom of corners occurring between the corner of a building and siding which has been previously installed on said building.

Whereby said device covers all forms of previously manufactured corners of exterior siding presently installed on corners of buildings thereby covering any incongruencies in the original siding while being almost unnoticeable. Said device may also be used to reinforce undamaged siding corners and protect against any future damage.