Quad spacer for installation of flooring systems
AssigneeQ.E.P. Co. Inc.
InventorsBradley Scott Miller, Joseph Deguglimo
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A spacer (10) for creating a properly dimensioned gap during the installation of a flooring system, the spacer providing four non-adjustable portions to be selectively placed on a subfloor, each non-adjustable portion having a different width corresponding to an intended gap width.
Claims18
A spacer for creating a properly dimensioned gap during the installation of a flooring system, the spacer being a generally rectangular base and having opposed sides, opposed ends, a bottom and a top, the improvement characterized by:
- the spacer for creating at least three different sized expansion gaps;
- the spacer top comprising first, second and third parts each part being a different height above the bottom of the base and each part extending in the same direction above the bottom of the base;
- the distance between each of said first, second and third parts and the bottom of the base thus respectively providing first, second and third projections for three different sized expansion gaps, and
- the distance between the opposed ends providing a fourth projection and being a different distance when compared to each of the distances between the three parts of the top and the bottom of the base respectively.
A spacer for creating one of at least three different sized gaps during the installation of a flooring system, comprising:
- a generally rectangular base having first and second opposed sides, first and second opposed ends, a bottom and a top;
- the top of the base having an upper surface and a lower surface with a vertical wall therebetween, the upper and lower surfaces being generally parallel to each other and generally parallel to the bottom of the base;
- a projection extending upwardly from the base upper surface in a direction opposite to said base lower surface, the projection including a generally flat surface parallel to the upper surface of the base and having a vertical wall between the projection flat surface and the base upper surface;
- a first gap width (W1) defined as the distance of the base between two opposed ends;
- a second gap width (W2) defined as the distance between the generally flat surface of the projection and the bottom of the base;
- a third gap width (W3) defined as the distance between the upper surface of the top of the base and the bottom of the base;
- a fourth gap width (W4) defined as the distance between the lower surface of the top of the base and the bottom of the base;
- wherein at least two gap widths differ from each other and
- wherein one of said gap widths extends transverse to at least one of said second, third and fourth gap widths.
A method of installing a floor using flooring planks, each flooring plank having a plank edge, comprising placing at least one spacer of any preceding claim on a subfloor in an abutting relationship with the plank edge to provide a gap between the plank edge and an adjacent structure.
The spacer according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the spacer comprises a single moulded body.
The spacer according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the spacer comprises a single moulded body comprised of a rigid suitable thermoplastic.
The spacer according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the spacer is removable and reusable.
A method of installing a flooring system with an expansion gap having a non-adjustable width, comprising selecting a spacer according to any of the preceding claims, inserting the spacer on a subfloor adjacent to a vertical surface, and placing a flooring plank in an abutting relationship to the spacer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.