WALLBOARD FASTENING DEVICE WITH GUIDE FLANGE

Abstract

A method for installing first and second wallboards uses a wallboard fastening device that secures the wallboards to a framing member without fasteners passing through the wallboards. The device includes first and second framing panels joined along lengthwise edges at a frame seam to form a two-sided frame that fits around the framing member. The device includes first and second flat-spring flanges joined along lengthwise edges at a front seam. The device includes a channel-dividing panel joined lengthwise to the front seam and to the second framing panel to form first and second channels that are sized to receive edges of the wallboards. The device includes a guide flange joined lengthwise to the frame seam. A corner edge of the second wallboard may be pushed against the guide flange such that the corner edge slides along the guide flange, thereby guiding the second wallboard into the second channel.

Claims

1. A method for installing first and second wallboards, comprising: inserting a first wallboard into a first channel of a wallboard fastening device, the wallboard fastening device comprising: first and second framing panels joined lengthwise to each other to form a frame; first and second flat-spring flanges joined lengthwise to each other; a channel-dividing panel having first and second channel-dividing-panel edges, the first channel-dividing-panel edge being joined lengthwise to one or both of the first and second flat-spring flanges, the second channel-dividing-panel edge being joined lengthwise to the second framing panel to divide the second framing panel into first and second portions; and a guide flange joined lengthwise to the second framing panel; wherein (i) the channel-dividing panel, first flat-spring flange, and first portion of the second framing panel form the first channel and (ii) the channel-dividing panel, second flat-spring flange, and second portion of the second framing panel form a second channel; affixing the wallboard fastening device to a side face of a framing member by passing one or more fasteners through the first framing panel and the side face; and inserting a second wallboard into the second channel of the wallboard fastening device, wherein said inserting the second wallboard comprises: applying a force to the second flat-spring flange to open the second channel; and pushing the second wallboard such that a corner of the second wallboard glides along the guide flange to enter the second channel.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein: the method further comprises releasing the second flat-spring flange after the second wallboard is in the second channel; and the second flat-spring flange flexes to exert a restoring force that pushes the second wallboard against the second portion of the second framing panel to secure the second wallboard relative to the framing member.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the second flat-spring flange secures the second wallboard without any fastener passing through the second wallboard.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said applying the force and said pushing the second wallboard occur simultaneously.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said inserting the first wallboard comprises: applying a force to the first flat-spring flange to open the first channel; and pushing the wallboard fastening device onto the first wallboard such that the first wallboard enters the first channel.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein: the method further comprises releasing the first flat-spring flange after the first wallboard is in the first channel; and the first flat-spring flange flexes to exert a restoring force that pushes the first wallboard against the first portion of the second framing panel to secure the first wallboard relative to the framing member.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the first flat-spring flange secures the first wallboard without any fastener passing through the first wallboard.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein said applying the force to the first flat-spring flange and said pushing the wallboard fastening device occur simultaneously.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising applying mud over outward-facing surfaces of the first and second flat-spring flanges.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said affixing comprises piercing the first framing panel with each fastener, of the one or more fasteners, such that said each fastener creates a hole in the first framing panel.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein said affixing comprises passing each fastener, of the one or more fasteners, through a pre-formed hole in the first framing panel.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein said affixing occurs after said inserting the first wallboard.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein said inserting the second wallboard occurs after said affixing.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein said affixing comprises positioning the frame against a corner of the framing member such that (i) the first framing panel lies against the side face of the framing member and (ii) the second framing panel lies against an outward face of the framing member.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising contacting the corner of the second wallboard against the guide flange such that the second wallboard forms an installation angle relative to a plane of the first wallboard when the first wallboard is in the first channel.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the installation angle is between 25 and 30 degrees.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second wallboards, when inserted into the respective first and second channels, form an edge-joint configuration.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein: said inserting the first wallboard comprises inserting a first tapered edge of the first wallboard into the first channel; and said inserting the second wallboard comprises inserting a second tapered edge of the second wallboard into the second channel.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein: said inserting the first wallboard comprises inserting a first untapered edge of the first wallboard into the first channel; and said inserting the second wallboard comprises inserting a second untapered edge of the second wallboard into the second channel.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein: the framing member extends vertically; and the wallboard fastening device, when affixed to the framing member, extends vertically.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0010] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a wallboard fastening device that secures wallboards to a framing member in an edge-joint configuration, in an embodiment.

[0011] FIG. 2 illustrates the wallboard fastening device of FIG. 1 securing first and second wallboards to a wall stud.

[0012] FIG. 3 illustrates how the second wallboard may be installed using the wallboard fastening device of FIG. 1, in an embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0013] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a wallboard fastening device 100 that secures wallboards to a framing member in an edge-joint configuration without fasteners passing through the wallboards. FIG. 2 illustrates the wallboard fastening device 100 of FIG. 1 securing a first wallboard 210(1) and a second wallboard 210(2) to a wall stud 206 in the edge-joint configuration. FIGS. 1 and 2 are best viewed together with the following description.

[0014] The wallboard fastening device 100 includes a first planar framing panel 116 and a second planar framing panel 118 that are joined along lengthwise edges (i.e., along z; see the right-handed coordinate system 102) to form a two-sided frame 104 that fits around a corner of the wall stud 206. Herein, two components are described as joined when they directly connect to each other without any intervening component (e.g., another planar panel). The first framing panel 116 is joined perpendicularly to the second framing panel 118 at a frame seam 122 to form a frame angle 137 therebetween. In FIG. 2, the frame angle 137 is shown as a right angle (i.e., equal to) 90?. However, the frame angle 137 need not be a right angle, provided that the two-sided frame 104 fits around the corner of the wall stud 206.

[0015] As shown in FIG. 2, the second framing panel 118 has a width along x that matches a corresponding width of the wall stud 206. However, the second framing panel 118 may alternatively have a width that is greater than, or less than, the width of the wall stud 206 without departing from the scope hereof. Also shown in FIG. 2, a width of the first framing panel 116 in the y direction is less than a depth of the wall stud 206. However, the first framing panel 116 may alternatively have a width that is greater than, or less than, the depth of the wall stud 206 without departing from the scope hereof. Each of the first framing panel 116 and second framing panel 118 may be a solid uniform planar panel free from holes. Alternatively, the first framing panel 116 may form one or more fastener holes 124 through which one or more corresponding fasteners 204 may be inserted to secure the wallboard fastening device 100 to the wall stud 206.

[0016] The wallboard fastening device 100 also includes a guide flange 120 the guides the second wallboard 210(2) during installation (see FIG. 3). The guide flange 120 may be a solid uniform planar panel free from holes. A lengthwise edge of the guide flange 120 is joined to the frame seam 122 such that the guide flange 120 forms a guide angle 136 with respect to the first frame panel 116. In FIGS. 1 and 2, the guide angle 136 is shown as 85?. However, the guide angle 136 may have a different value without departing from the scope hereof. Specifically, the guide angle 136 may be right (i.e., equal to 90?), acute (i.e., less than 90?), or obtuse (i.e., greater than 90?).

[0017] The wallboard fastening device 100 also includes first and second flat-spring flanges 112(1), 112(2) that are joined along lengthwise edges at a front scam 128. A planar channel-dividing panel 114 is joined lengthwise to the front seam 128 and the second framing panel 118 to form first and second channels 110(1), 110(2). In FIGS. 1 and 2, the channel-dividing panel 114 directly connects to a midline 130 of the second framing panel 118 that is located at a middle of the second framing panel 118 along y. However, the channel-dividing panel 114 may directly connect to the second framing panel 118 at another location (i.e., a different y coordinate). As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the channel-dividing panel 114 perpendicularly intersects the second framing panel 118 to form two 90? angles with the second framing panel 118. However, the channel-dividing panel 114 may alternatively intersect the second framing panel 118 to form two complementary angles that are not 90?.

[0018] Also shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a width of the first flat-spring flange 112(1) in the x direction is less than one-half of the width of the second framing panel 118. Similarly, a width of the second flat-spring flange 112(2) in the x direction is less than one-half of the width of the second framing panel 118. However, one or both of the flat-spring flanges 112(1) and 112(2) may have a different width than shown (e.g., greater than one-half of the width of second framing panel 118) without departing from the scope hereof.

[0019] The flat-spring flanges 112(1) and 112(2) and the channel-dividing panel 114 are joined along lengthwise edges such that the channel-dividing panel 114 forms, with each flat-spring flange 112, a nominal angle 132 that is less than 90?. For example, the nominal angle 132 may be 85? or 88?. Thus, the flat-spring flanges 112(1) and 112(2) are not parallel to the second framing panel 118 when the wallboards 210(1) and 210(2) are absent (i.e., not inserted into the channels 110(1) and 110(2)). Furthermore, a width of each of the channels 110(1) and 110(2) in the y direction is greatest near the channel-dividing panel 114, and decreases with increasing distance from the channel-dividing panel 114. A width of the channel-dividing panel 114 along y may be selected to match a thickness of the wallboards 210(1) and 210(2) (i.e., in the y direction, as shown in FIG. 2). While FIG. 2 shows the wallboards 210(1) and 210(2) as being untapered, one or both of the wallboards 210(1) and 210(2) may alternatively be tapered.

[0020] The first flat-spring flange 112(1) may be flexed to increase the nominal angle 132, thereby opening the first channel 110(1) to facilitate insertion of the first wallboard 210(1) therein. After insertion, the first flat-spring flange 112(1) may be released (i.e., no longer actively flexed by an external force), in which case the first flat-spring flange 112(1) comes to rest against the first wallboard 210(1), exerting a first force 212(1) of sufficient magnitude to push and secure the first wallboard 210(1) against the second framing panel 118. As shown in FIG. 2, the first flat-spring flange 112(1) comes to rest forming a rest angle 132 of approximately 90?. The second flat-spring flange 112(2) behaves similarly to the first flat-spring flange 112(1). At rest, the flat-spring flanges 112(1) and 112(2) are co-planar to each other and parallel to the second framing panel 118, thereby ensuring that the wallboards 210(1) and 210(2) are co-planar with each other.

[0021] While FIG. 2 shows each force 212 applied at a mid-point (in the y direction) of the corresponding flat-spring flange 112, it should be appreciated that the forces 212 are distributed along the x direction where the flat-spring flanges 112 physically contact the corresponding wallboards 210. Furthermore, the forces 212 are also distributed along a length (in the z direction) of the wallboard fastening device 100. Therefore, each force 212 is distributed over an area of the corresponding wallboard 210, resulting in a pressure exerted on the corresponding wallboard 210. Similarly, each wallboard 210, due to its corresponding force 212, pushes against the second framing panel 118 over an area, thereby exerting a pressure on the second framing panel 118.

[0022] Each flat-spring flange 112 may be considered a spring with a spring constant, wherein each force 212 is a spring restoring force. The spring constant, and thus the magnitude of the spring restoring forces 212, is determined by the geometry of the flat-spring flanges 112 (e.g., thickness and width), the nominal angle 132, and properties (e.g., Young's modulus) of the material forming the wallboard fastening device 100. In the small-angle approximation and assuming the flat-spring flanges 112 are not flexed beyond their elastic limit, the magnitude of the spring restoring forces 212 scales linearly with an angular deviation from the nominal angle. The material may be plastic, such as PVC plastic, vinyl or another material with which the wallboard fastening device 100 may be manufactured via extrusion. Thus, for a given material, the spring-restoring forces 212 may be selected by choosing an appropriate thickness of the flat-spring flanges 112(1) and 112(2) and an appropriate nominal angle 132.

[0023] The selection of the thickness of the flat-spring flanges 112(1) and 112(2) introduces a tradeoff between the magnitude of the spring-restoring forces 212(1) and 212(2) and a distance in the ?y direction that outward-facing surfaces 214 of the flat-spring flanges 112(1) and 112(2) protrude relative to the wallboards 210(1) and 210(2). The more that the flat-spring flanges 112(1) and 112(2) protrude away from the wallboards 210(1) and 210(2), the larger the size of a step in the y-direction occurring at a distal lengthwise edge of each flat-spring flange 112. Here, the distal lengthwise edge of each flat-spring flange 112 is the lengthwise edge located opposite to the lengthwise edge forming the front seam 128. The distal lengthwise edge of each flat-spring flange 112 may be tapered to provide a more gradual transition between the outward-facing surface 214 of each flat-spring flange 112 and the corresponding wallboard 210.

[0024] In FIG. 1, the first framing panel 116 has a thickness 134 along a direction perpendicular to its width. Although not shown in FIG. 1, each of the second framing panel 118, channel-dividing panel 114, guide flange 120, and flat-spring flanges 112(1) and 112(2) has a corresponding thickness. In one embodiment, each of the first framing panel 116, second framing panel 118, channel-dividing panel 114, guide flange 120, and flat-spring flanges 112(1) and 112(2) has a similar thickness (e.g., 1 mm). However, the first framing panel 116, second framing panel 118, channel-dividing panel 114, guide flange 120, and flat-spring flanges 112(1) and 112(2) may alternatively have different thicknesses without departing from the scope hereof.

[0025] In one embodiment, the nominal angle 132 is 87.5?, the first framing panel 116 has a width of 30 mm, the second framing panel 118 has a width of 42 mm, each of the flat-spring flanges 112(1) and 112(2) has a width of 15.5 mm (such that together, they span a width of approximately 31 mm in FIG. 2), and the guide flange 120 has a width of 25 mm. Furthermore, the channel-dividing panel 114 has a width of 14.5 mm, such that the width of each channel 110 is also 14.5 mm, slightly larger than the 12.7 mm width of standard ? drywall sheets. The wallboard fastening device 100 may be made of PVC, vinyl, or another material that can be extruded. When extruded, the first framing panel 116, second framing panel 118, flat-spring flanges 112(1) and 112(2), guide flange 120, and channel-dividing panel 114 may form the wallboard fastening device 100 as a single integral manufacture.

[0026] When the first framing panel 116 forms a plurality of fastener holes 124, these fastener holes 124 may be spaced lengthwise. Along z, a length of the wallboard fastening device 100 may be selected to match a corresponding length of the wallboards 210(1) and 210(2). Each flat-spring flange 112 may be a solid uniform planar panel free from holes. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the outward-facing surface 214 may be textured or processed to accept paint and/or a skim coat of joint compound. Alternative, the outward-facing surface 214 may be smooth.

[0027] FIG. 3 illustrates how the second wallboard 210(2) may be installed using the wallboard fastening device 100 of FIGS. 1 and 2. In FIG. 3, the first wallboard 210(1) has already been inserted into the first channel 110(1) of the wallboard fastening device 100, and the wallboard fastening device 100 is affixed to the stud 206 with the one or more fasteners 204. A force 302 may be applied to the second flat-spring flange 112(2) to open the second channel 110(2) while the second wallboard 210(2) is pushed into the opened channel 110(2), as indicated by the arrow 304. Note how a corner of the second wallboard 210(2) contacts an outward-facing surface of the guide flange 120. Thus, as the second wallboard 210(2) is pushed, it will slide along the guide flange 120 into the opened channel 110(2). The second wallboard 210(2) is held at an installation angle 312 relative to the plane of the first wallboard 210(1). The installation angle 312 may be between 25 and 30 degrees. However, the installation angle 312 may have another value without departing from the scope hereof.

[0028] Although the wallboard fastening device 100 may secure the first wallboard 210(1) to the stud 206 without fasteners 204 passing through the first wallboards 210(1), it may be beneficial to use additional fasteners 204 that directly secure the first wallboard 210(1) to the stud 206 by passing through the first wallboard 210(1) (i.e., in the y direction). A similar argument holds for the second wallboard 210(2).

[0029] In other embodiments, the wallboard fastening device 100 of FIGS. 1-3 includes one or more flexible v-springs that implement a control joint. Examples of such v-springs can be found, for example, in FIG. 9 of International Publication Number WO 2020/168301. In other embodiments, the wallboard fastening device 100 of FIGS. 1-3 is sized to implement an edge joint with a double stud. An example of double-stud mounting can be found in FIGS. 11 and 12 of International Publication Number WO 2020/168301.

[0030] Changes may be made in the above methods and systems without departing from the scope hereof. It should thus be noted that the matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings should be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. The following claims are intended to cover all generic and specific features described herein, as well as all statements of the scope of the present method and system, which, as a matter of language, might be said to fall therebetween.