Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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DECORATIVE PANELING SYSTEM FOR WALL
AND METHOD OF INSTALLATION
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
This patent application claims priority on United
States Provisional Patent Application No. 60/558,984, filed
on April 5, 2004, by the present Applicant.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates tc
paneling for walls and, more particularly, to a wainscot
paneling system and a method of installation.
2. Background Art
Wainscot is a popular decorative paneling system,
by which wood planks of various sizes and shapes are
installed on a wall from the floor upwardly, to bring wooden
ornamentation to the wall of a room. Wainscot brings the
rich look of wood to a wall.
The installation of wainscot to a wall involves a
substantial amount of craftsmanship. More specifically,
wainscot is an expensive decorative solution, as it is
typically customized to a consumer's taste by a craftsman.
Various pieces and manpower are required in order to install
wainscot on a wall. Permanent fasteners are also used in
wainscoting, whereby the wainscot becomes a permanent
decorative item.
SiJMMARY OF INVENTION
It is an aim of the present invention to provide a
novel decorative wall paneling system.
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It is a further aim of the present invention to
provide a decorative paneling system that addresses issues
of the prior art.
It is a still further aim of the present invention
to provide a method for selling panels of a decorative wall
paneling system adapted to a purchaser's personalized needs.
Therefore, in accordance with the present
invention, there is provided a decorative paneling system
for walls, comprising a lower crosspiece adapted to be
positioned at a bottom of a wall, the lower crosspiece
defining a longitudinal channel on a top edge surface
thereof; main panels each having a bottom portion shaped so
as to be received in the longitudinal channel of the
crosspieces, so as to be slidable with respect to the lower
crosspiece; and posts each having a bottom portion shaped so
as to be received in the longitudinal channel of the
crosspiece, so as to be slidable with respect to the lower
crosspiece, and lateral edge portions connectable to lateral
edges portions of the main panels in a decorative
configuration of the decorative paneling system; whereby a
sequence of main panels and posts is received in the
longitudinal channel of the lower crosspiece and adjusted in
position to the decorative configurat~.on by a translation
with respect to the lower crosspiece, so as to form a
decorative paneling for the wall.
Further in accordance with the present invention,
there is provided a method for determining a number of
crosspiece, post and panel elements of a decorative paneling
system required to cover a wall section, comprising the
steps of: calculating a number of crosspiece elements as a
function of the width of wall section to cover; determining
a number of panel elements by dividing the width of the wall
section by an assembly constant associated to a width of the
panel elements; and obtaining a number of post elements
required as a function of the number of panels.
Still further in accordance with the present
invention, there is provided an adjustable post for a
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decorative paneling system for walls of the type having
crosspieces, main panels and posts, comprising a panel body
cuttable vertically to a required width; a bottom connector
portion on a full width of the bottom edge of the panel body
adapted to be connected to a lower crosspiece; a first
lateral connector portion on a first lateral edge of the
panel body for connection with an adjacent main panel/post;
and a second lateral connector portion on a second lateral
edge of the main panel body, for connection with another
adjacent main panel/post in the event that the panel body is
cut to define a pair of adjustable subposts of required
width.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
A preferred embodiment of the present invention
will now be described with reference to the accompanying
drawings in which:
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of walls having a
decorative paneling system in accordance with the present
invention;
Fig. 2 is a front elevation view of the decorative
paneling system of Fig. 1, as assembled;
Fig. 3A is a side elevation view, enlarged, of a
female connector edge of a lower crosspiece of the
decorative paneling system of Fig. 2;
Fig. 3B is a perspective view, fragmented, of the
lower crosspiece;
Fig. 4A is a side elevation view, enlarged, of a
male connector end of a central post of the decorative
paneling system of Fig. 2;
Fig. 4B is a perspective view of the central post;
Fig. 4C is a side elevation view of the central
post;
Fig . 4D is a top plan view, enlarged, of a f emale
connector edge of the central post;
Fig. 5A is a side elevation view, enlarged, of an
edge of a main panel of the decorative paneling system;
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Fig. 5B is a perspective view of the main panel;
Fig. 5C is a side elevation view of the main
panel;
Fig. 6A is a side elevation view of a male
connector edge of an adjustable post of the decorative
paneling system of Fig. 2;
Fig. 6B is a perspective view of the adjustable
post;
Fig. 6C is a front elevation view of the
to adjustable post;
Fig. 6D is a top plan view of a female connector
edge of the adjustable post;
Fig. 7A is a side elevation view, enlarged, of a
female connector edge of an upper crosspiece of the
decorative paneling system of Fig. 2;
Fig. 7B is a perspective view, fragmented, of the
upper crosspiece in accordance with a first configuration;
Fig. 7C is a perspective view, fragmented, of the
upper crosspiece in accordance with a second configuration;
Fig. 8A is a perspective view illustrating a step
of installing the lower crosspiece of the decorative
paneling system to a wall;
Fig. 8B is a perspective view illustrating a step
of installing. an alternating sequence of the central post
and the main panel;
Fig. 8C is a perspective view illustrating a step
of installing the adjustable post to the decorative paneling
system of Fig. 2;
Fig. 8D is a perspective view illustrating a step
of installing,a plinth and an upper crosspiece cover;
Fig. 8E is a perspective view illustrating steps
of installing outer and inner corner covers;
Fig. 8F is a perspective view illustrating a step
of installing a top trim to the decorative paneling system
of Fig. 2; and
Fig. 9 is a layout installation chart for
installation of the decorative paneling system of Fig. 1.
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DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring to the drawings, and more particularly
to Figs. 1 and 2, a decorative paneling system in accordance
with the present invention is generally shown at 10. The
decorative paneling system 10 is also referred to as
"wainscot." The decorative paneling system 10 has lower
crosspieces 13, central posts 14, main panels 15, adjustable
posts 16, and upper crosspiece 17. As best seen in Fig. 1,
the decorative paneling system 10 may be provided with
various sizes of main panel 15 (e.g. , height, width) . More
specifically, in Fig. 1, there is illustrated the main panel
15, as well as main panels 15A and 15B, of smaller width.
The decorative paneling system 10 will initially
be described, followed by a description of these components
for the assembly of the system 10 into a decorative
configuration. A contemplated method for selling the
decorative paneling system 10 will also be described.
Referring to Fig. 3A and 3B, the lower crosspiece
13 is shown having an elongated vertically positioned
rectangularly shaped body 30. The body 30 has an exposed
surface 31 and a hidden surface 32. The exposed surface 31
and the hidden surface 32 are separated by vertical edge
surfaces 33 (only one of which is shown in Fig. 3B), and by
a bottom edge surface 34 and a female connector edge 35
facing upwardly. The illustrated vertical edge surface 33
and the bottom edge surface 34 are generally flat. The
female connector edge 35 defines a longitudinal channel 36,
of rectangular cross section.
Holes 37 are provided in the illustrated vertical
edge surface. 33, so as to receive connectors (e. g.,
connector pegs) for interconnecting lower crosspieces 13 end
to end. An opposed vertical edge surface (not visible) is
provided with a complementary connector configuration, such
as a channel or corresponding peg holes.
Referring to Figs. 4A to 4D, the central post 14
is shown having an upstanding elongated rectangularly shaped
body 40. The body 40 has an exposed surface 41 and a hidden
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surface 42. The exposed surface 41 and the hidden surface
42 are separated from one another by edge surfaces 43 at top
and bottom ends of the body 40, and female connector edges
44 at the sides of the body 40. As best seen in Figs. 4A
and 4B; the edge surfaces 43 define a generally flat surface
from which protrude connectors, such as connector pegs 45.
As best seen in Figs. 4B and 4D, the female connector edges
44 each have a longitudinal channel 46. It is pointed out
that the connector pegs 45 of the central post 14 have a
shape complementary to the longitudinal channel 36 (Fig. 3A)
of the lower crosspiece 13 so as to be received therein.
Moreover, the longitudinal channel 46 of the central post 14
generally has the same cross-sectional shape as the longitu-
dinal channel 36 of the lower crosspiece 13.
Referring to Figs . 5A to 5C, the main panel 15 is
shown having a rectangularly shaped body 50. The body 50
has an exposed surface 51 and a hidden surface 52. The
exposed surface 51 typically has some ornamentation, molding
and/or shaping. For instance, in Figs. 5A to 5C, the
exposed surface 51 has a protruding surface portion 53 with
sloping periphery 54. The exposed surface 51 is separated
from the hidden surface 52 by flat edge surfaces 55 of the
body 50. The flat edge surfaces 55 form a square edge
portion to be received in the longitudinal channel 36 of the
lower crosspiece 13 (Figs. 3A and 3B) and in the longitu-
dinal channels 46 of the central post 14 (Figs. 4A to 4D).
Referring to Figs. 6A to 6D, the adjustable post
16 is shown having an upstanding elongated rectangularly
shaped body 60. The body 60 has an exposed surface 61 and a
hidden surface 62. The exposed surface and the hidden
surface 62 are separated by male connector edge surfaces 63
at top and bottom ends thereof, and by female connector
edges 64, on opposed vertical sides thereof. It is pointed
out that the male connector edges 63 each have a plurality
of holes 66 for receiving connectors, such as connector peg
67, that are shaped so as to be received in the longitudinal
channel 36 of the lower crosspiece 13 (Figs. 3A and 3B).
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Moreover, the female connector edge 64 is shaped so as to
receive an edge of the main panel 15.
Referring to Figs. 7A and 7B, an upper crosspiece
17 is shown having an elongated horizontal rectangularly
shaped body 70 having an exposed surface 71 and a hidden
surface 72. The exposed surface 71 is separated from the
hidden surface 72 by vertical edge surfaces 73, a top edge
surface 74 and a female connector edge 75 facing downwardly.
The female connector edge 75 defines a longitudinal channel
76 of rectangular cross section. The longitudinal channel
76 is shaped so as to receive an edge 55 of the main panel
15, the lip 45 of the central post 14, and the lip 66 of the
adjustable post 16.
In Fig. 7C, another configuration of the upper
crosspiece 17 is shown, in which the top edge surface 74'
has a longitudinal channel 77, for connection of moldings or
for another row of main panels 15 and posts 14 and 16.
The lip/channel configuration is preferably used
to interconnect the main panels of the decorative paneling
system 10 to posts and crosspieces. The central posts 14
and/or the adjustable posts 16 are provided with pegs or
dowel pins. As described previously, the pegs or dowel pins
are then received in the channels of the adjacent panels.
This represents a cost-effective solution.
Now that the various components of the decorative
paneling system 10 have been described, a preferred
installation thereof on a wall will be described.
Referring to Fig. 8A, the lower crosspiece 13 is
initially installed on a wall W. For instance, an adhesive,
such as silicone, a glue or the like, is deposited on the
hidden surface 32 of the lower crosspiece 13, which is then
pressed against the wall W so as to remain in position
thereagainst. It may be required that lower crosspieces 13
be put end to end in the event that the wall W is too long
for a single lower crosspiece 13. In such a case, connector
pegs in the holes 37 (Fig. 3B) are used to connect
crosspieces end to end. Alternatively, other fasteners such
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as nails or other suitable mechanical fasteners may be used.
In the event that mechanical fasteners are used, it is
suggested to position these fasteners where they will be
hidden, for instance, by moldings (e. g., reversed ogee,
plinth) .
Thereafter, a sequence of central post 14 (with
suitable connector pegs 45) and main panel 15 are positioned
side by side with respective exposed surfaces 41 and 51
facing away from the wall W, using connectors 18 (Fig. 8A) .
l0 It is suggested to start from a central portion of the wall
W, with a main panel 15 if an odd number of panels 15 (with
respect to the sequence of central posts 14 and main panels
15) fit on the wall W, or with a central post 14 is an even
number of panels fit on the wall W (again with respect to
the sequence). It is pointed out that a method for
determining how many central posts 14 and main panels 15 are
required is described hereinafter. More specifically, it is
the connector pegs 45 of the central post 14, and one of the
edges 55 of the main panel 15, that are received in the
longitudinal channel 36 of the lower crosspiece 13.
Referring to Fig. 8B, the central posts 14 and the
main panels 15 are in a side-by-side relationship, with one
of the edges 55 of the main panel 15 being received in one
of the longitudinal channels 46 of the central post 14.
Referring to Figs. 8B and 8C, the central posts 14
and main panel 15 are typically installed on the wall W such
that the sequence of central post 14 and main panel 15 stops
at the main panel 15 adjacent to an end of the wall W, with
a gap between the main panel 15 and the adjacent intersec-
tion of walls, which gap is too small to be breached by a
central post 14. Accordingly, an adjustable post 16 is used
to finish the decorative paneling. More specifically, the
adjustable post 16 is cut to a required width so as to
coincide with the adjacent intersection of walls, and
connector pegs 67 (Fig. 6A) are received in the holes 66
(Figs. 6B and 6C) for connection of the adjustable post 16
to the lower crosspiece 13 and upper crosspiece 17.
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The, adjustable post 16 is connected to the
adjacent main panel 15 by a free edge 55 of the main panel
15 being received in the female connector edge 64 of the
adjustable post 16. Alternatively, nails and other suitable
fasteners may be used, for instance, in portions of the
panels 15 and posts 14 and 16 that will not be visible,
e.g., hidden by moldings, once the complete decorative
paneling system 10 is installed.
Referring to Fig. 8D, the upper crosspiece 17 is
installed thereafter. More specifically, the longitudinal
channel 76 of the upper crosspiece 17 will host the exposed
edges 55 of the main panels 15, as well as the connector
pegs 45 of the central posts 14 and the connector pegs 67 of
the adjustable post 16, which are jointly paneling the
wall W.
If desired, nails (or other suitable fasteners)
may be used to secure the upper crosspiece 17 to the panels
15 and posts 14 and 16, and to the wall W. As various
moldings will be positioned on the upper crosspiece 17, it
is contemplated to use mechanical fasteners in locations
that will be hidden by the moldings. If only connectors 18
are used to form the paneling of the wall W from the lower
crosspiece 13, the paneling system 10 may be disassembled.
Alternatively, a new row of panels 15 and posts 14/16 could
be installed from the longitudinal channel 77 (Fig. 7C).
Referring to Figs. 8D, 8E and 8F, various decora-
tive pieces may be used to cover the lower crosspiece 13
(plinth 88), the upper crosspiece 17 (upper crosspiece cover
89) and corners, such as corner covers 90 and 91, as well as
top molding 92. Such decorative pieces are secured to a
remainder of the paneling system 10 by way of an adhesive or
mechanical fasteners. Alternatively, the panels 13, 14, 16
and 17 may each be preshaped to incorporate moldings. The
panels 13 to 17, and additional decorative pieces, are
preferably veneer panels, of different varieties of wood and
of various wood grain. The panels 13 to 17 may be painted
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or varnished to provide a customized appearance to the
decorative paneling system 10.
It is contemplated to sell the panels of the
above-mentioned decorative paneling system 10 in individual
pieces. More specifically, stacks of the lower crosspiece
13, the central post 14, the main panel 15, the adjustable
post 16, the upper crosspiece 17, as well as other
components, may be available to the consumer, in addition to
connectors 18. As mentioned previously, the main panel 15
l0 preferably comes in various widths.
It is pointed out that the only information
required for a user person to know the number of crosspieces
13 and 17, panels 15 and posts 14 and 16 required, is the
width of the total layout to be covered by the decorative
paneling system.
Referring to Fig. 9, a layout installation chart
is generally shown at 100, and is typically provided in situ
(or on a take-home pamphlet) to allow a user person to
calculate the number of pieces of the decorative paneling
system are required to cover a wall.
In step A), the number of crosspieces 13 and 17
required is calculated. More specifically, the width of the
total layout is divided by the width of a single crosspiece.
As shown at A1, the quotient is preferably rounded off to
the superior value, as it is contemplated to provide only
full-length crosspieces 13 and 17.
In steps B) , C) and D) of the layout installation
chart 100, the number of central posts 14, panels 15 and
adjustable posts 16 is calculated for each section of the
layout. More specifically, if the layout has two walls to
be covered with the decorative paneling system 10, it is
suggested that both walls be considered individually.
In step B), a width of the section is divided by
an assembly constant. The assembly constant is provided as
a function of the size of the main panels used. For
instance, in the layout installation chart 100 illustrated
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in Fig. 9, main panel widths of 8, 12 and 16 inches are
provided, with associated assembly constants.
In step B), the quotient is rounded off to the
inferior value, so as to indicate the number of main panels
15 required.
In step D), the rounded-off value of step B) is
subtracted by 1, so as to provide the number of central
posts 14 required.
In step C), decimal points of the quotient of
step B) are remultiplied by the assembly constant
(associated with the main panel width). Further operations
are effected, so as to determine whether one or two
adjustable posts 17 are required.
Therefore, by way of the layout installation chart
100, a user person can calculate the number of crosspieces
13 and 17, central posts 14, main panels 15 and adjustable
posts 16 required for the assembly of the decorative
paneling system 10, as described above.
It is pointed out that the adjustable post 16 is
configured so. as to be separated into a pair of pieces in
instances where the gap between the sequence of posts
14/main panels 15 and the walls is small. As shown in
Figs. 6B and 6C, the adjustable post 16 is provided with a
pair of female connector edges 64 in view of being cut into
two adjustable posts. The holes 66 are provided on the full
male connector edges 63 in view of such a use.
It is pointed out that the width of the adjustable
posts 16 needs to be at most half of the width of the
largest main panel 15. More specifically, if the gap
between main panels 15 and the wall on both sides of the
section is greater than half of the width of a main panel
15, it means that another main panel 15 could be inserted in
the sequence of posts 14/main panels 15.
It is within the ambit of the present invention to
cover any obvious modifications of the embodiments described
herein, provided such modifications fall within the scope of
the appended claims.
