Floor corner guard apparatus and method

Abstract

A floor cover guard for protection of a corner formed by a pair of adjoining walls and a floor against debris accumulation. The floor corner guard has an elongated wall portion having sufficient vertical dimensions to extend above conventional baseboard, molding, and similar architectural details. A sloping base extends from the wall portion, downwardly and forwardly at an angle of between 25 and 75 degrees in relation to a vertical axis of the wall member. The wall portion has an upper edge and the base has a tapered forward edge to facilitate sealing engagement of the wall portion and the base with the walls and the floor, respectively. Some embodiments provide for a support brace extending outwardly from the wall portion opposite the base; the support brace is designed to fit under the baseboards, moldings and the like. During cleaning, the curved protector allows for easy removal of debris.

Claims

1. A floor corner guard apparatus, comprising: an elongated flexible planar wall member having predetermined vertical dimensions configured to extend from a floor to a predetermined distance up two adjoining walls, the wall member being configured to securely engage the adjoining walls in a location where the adjoining walls meet the floor; a base member unitary connected to the wall member and extending along entire length of the wall member, the base member extending forwardly and downwardly from a bottom edge of the wall member at an angle in relation to a vertical axis of the wall member; a supporting brace member unitary connected to a bottom edge of the wall member and extending rearwardly from the wall member; and a reinforcing band unitary formed with, and extending outwardly at an intersection between the wall member and the base member.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the reinforcing band has an outwardly convex configuration.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the supporting brace member is unitary connected to the wall member and extends outwardly from the wall member in a direction opposite to the base member.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the supporting brace member extends from the wall member at a location opposite to the reinforcing band.

5. A method of preventing accumulation of debris in a room, at an intersection of two adjoining walls and a floor, the method comprising the steps: providing a floor corner guard comprising an elongated flexible planar wall member having vertical dimensions configured to extend from a floor to a pre-determined distance up two adjoining walls; providing a base member unitary connected to the wall member and extending along entire length of the wall member, the base member extending forwardly and downwardly from a bottom edge of the wall member at an angle in relation to a vertical axis of the wall member; providing a supporting brace member unitary connected to a bottom edge of the wall member and extending rearwardly from the wall member; providing an outwardly convex reinforcing band unitary formed with, and extending outwardly at an intersection between the wall member and the base member; and positioning the wall member in contact with adjoining walls at the intersection of the adjoining walls and the floor, such that an upper edge of the wall member and the base member sealingly engage the adjoining walls and the floor respectively, while forming a curved corner protector, and while the supporting base member extends rearwardly from the wall member.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the supporting brace member extends outwardly from the wall member in a direction opposite to the base member.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the supporting brace member extends from the wall member at a location opposite to the reinforcing band.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the corner guard fitted onto a corner of a wall.

(2) FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the floor guard fitted along a straight edge of a wall.

(3) FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the floor corner guard.

(4) FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the floor cover guard retrofitted into a corner over an existing floor cover.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(5) Referring to FIGS. 1, 2, and 4 generally, the figures depict a perspective view of the floor corner guard 100 of the present invention, while FIG. 3 depicts a cross-sectional view of the floor cover guard 100 of the present invention. The preferred embodiment of the sanitary floor cover guard 100 comprises three main portions: a substantially planar elongated wall member 200 which adheres to the wall 102 just above the corner formed by the wall 102 meeting the floor 104, a forwardly sloping base 300 creating a uniform slope from wall 102 to floor 104, and a rearwardly extending support brace 400 which may fit under any potential overhang to further prevent movement of the sanitary floor corner guard 100 due to cleaning. This floor corner guard 100 fits both straight portions of wall 102 and floor 102 as well as corners formed at, but not limited to, edges of the room. In one aspect of the invention, the wall member 200, the base 300, and the support brace 400 are formed as a unitary body.

(6) The elongated wall member 200 as depicted in FIGS. 1, 2, and 4 is designed to allow sufficient adherence to the wall 102 to prevent movement of the floor corner guard 100. In one aspect of the invention, the wall member 200 is made from a polymer material being smooth to enable cleanup and sturdy enough to withstand multiple cleanings. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the top of the wall member 200 has a tapered configuration so that the wall member 200 sealingly engages adjoining walls along the upper edge of the corner guard and prevents accumulation of debris on top of the corner guard. It is envisioned that in some embodiments, the upper edge will be high enough to prevent a cleaner from easily transferring dirt from the floor to the top of the wall member 200. The wall member 200 has pre-determined vertical dimensions sufficient to extend above conventional baseboards, molding, and other architectural enhancements secured to the wall 102 at the floor level.

(7) As depicted in FIG. 4, the elongated wall member 200 may be adhered to a previously installed floor corner guard, floor molding, or baseboard 220, as opposed to directly to the wall 102. When the floor corner guard 100 is installed over a previously installed floor corner guard 210, the support brace 400 may reach through the installed floor corner guard 220 to reach the wall 102. When placed in corners of rooms, the elongated wall member 200 is longer at the bottom portion of its sheet than at the top portion of its sheet as shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 4. The wall member 200 is formed from a somewhat flexible material allowing it to be slightly bet when fitting into a corner. The wall member can be secured to the wall 102 by a suitable adhesive applied to the back surface of the wall member, or by other suitable mechanical means.

(8) The sloping base 300 as depicted in FIGS. 1 through 4 generally, slopes at an acute angle downward and outward from the vertical axis of the elongated wall member 200 starting at a point at one-fourth of an inch to two inches off the floor 104 and touching the floor 104 at its front tapered edge. In one aspect of the invention the base 300 extends outwardly from the wall member 200 at an angle of between twenty-five to seventy-degrees. The base 300 extends along entire length of the bottom edge of the wall member 200.

(9) If the wall includes an overhanging portion 220, a preferred embodiment of the invention will start the slope at the height of the overhang 210. The sloping base 300 continues from its upper edge, which is unitary connected to a bottom edge of the wall member 200, until it reaches the floor 104; the tapered bottom edge of the sloping base 300 contacts the floor 104, sealing the space between the corner guard 100 and the floor 104 to prevent debris from being moved under the edge of the sloping base 300. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the slope of the sloping wall member 200 is uniform and thus does not form a friction trench. However, in alternate embodiments, the elongated sloping base 300 may be bent and of sufficiently smooth and frictionless material to allow a curve in the base 300.

(10) The supporting brace 400 as depicted in FIG. 3 is a brace 400 which typically sits under an overhang 220 such as created by drywall or over an overhang created by baseboards. The supporting brace 400 reaches rearwardly from the elongated wall member 200 to the wall 102 creating a brace 400 that takes advantage of the overhang 210 to provide structural support to the floor corner guard 100. Support is generated in two ways: support is generated in a manner preventing inward bending, and support is generated which further prevents the floor corner guard 100 from sliding up or down the wall 102. Any space created by an overhang 210 may be sealed off at the ends of the floor cover guard 100 by a continuation portion of base 300 and the support brace 400.

(11) A rounded band, or bead, 310 extends along substantially entire length of the corner guard 100, between the bottom edge of the wall member 200 and the top edge of the base 300. The band 310 is unitary formed with the wall member 200 and the base member 300; it extends outwardly and forwardly from the bottom edge of the wall member 200 at a location opposite the brace 400. The band 310 is designed to further reinforce the bottom of the wall member 200. The band 310 has an outwardly convex configuration.

(12) In alternate embodiments of the invention, the apparatus may be inverted to apply to other ledges such as those found on or created by windows, baseboards, or trim. In such cases as inversion the sloping wall member 200 will slope upwards or sideways, and as required by trim, also slope outwards or inwards. The sloping wall member 200 of the present invention will always maintain the same angles of twenty-five to seventy degrees.

(13) In use, the floor corner guard 100 is positioned in the corner and may be slightly flexed or bent to replace the angular configuration of the corner in the room with a curved line. The floor corner is thoroughly cleaned so that no debris remains behind the corner guard 100. The wall member 200 is adhesively secured to adjoining walls just above the floor 104, making sure that the upper edge of the wall member 200 and the forward edge of the base 300 seal against the adjoining walls and the floor, respectively.

(14) The base 300 is curved following the curvature of the wall member 200 and covers a sharp corner at the intersection of the floor with two angularly-meeting adjoining walls. The support brace 400 follows the curvature of the base member 300 and the wall member 200. The forward edge of the base 300 seals against the floor 104, preventing dust and debris from penetrating under the floor guard. The brace 400 extends under an existing baseboard or molding, reinforcing the base 300.

(15) Many changes and modifications can be made in the sanitary corner guard according to the present invention without departing from the spirit thereof. I, therefore, pray that my rights to the present invention be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.