# US 2013/0280680 A1 · Kit Of Pre-Construction Samples For Replicating Construction Products > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2013/0280680 A1 - Document ID: US20130280680A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/917,496 - Filed: 2013-06-13 - Published: 2013-10-24 - Earliest claimed: 2009-08-21 - Inventors: James J. Bender; David J. Bender - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20130280680A1 ## CPC - A47F 7/163: {in the form of flat shaped samples (G09F5/02; sample cards G09F5/04)} - G09B 25/00: Models for purposes not provided for in G09B23/00, e.g. full-sized devices for demonstration purposes (model vehicles, tracks therefor, models in the nature of toys A63H) - G09B 25/04: of buildings - A47F: SPECIAL FURNITURE, FITTINGS, OR ACCESSORIES FOR SHOPS, STOREHOUSES, BARS, RESTAURANTS OR THE LIKE; PAYING COUNTERS - G09B: EDUCATIONAL OR DEMONSTRATION APPLIANCES; APPLIANCES FOR TEACHING, OR COMMUNICATING WITH, THE BLIND, DEAF OR MUTE; MODELS; PLANETARIA; GLOBES; MAPS; DIAGRAMS (devices for psychotechnics or for testing reaction times A61B5/16; games, sports, amusements A63; projectors, projector screens G03B) ## Abstract The present invention is a pre-construction sample that is made of a flexible material and has a product image corresponding to an actual construction product. The pre-construction sample is preferably at least 18 inches in one dimension. The pre-construction sample is preferably produced by a printing process having at least 200 dpi, and more preferably 300 dpi. Kits of pre-construction samples are provided to assist the consumer choosing from among various construction products, such as flooring, decking, countertops, cabinets, windows, shingles, among others. ## Claims ### Claim at position 1 1-20. (canceled) ### Claim 21 A method of assisting a consumer with a selection of a wood-flooring product, comprising: allowing the consumer to access at least one web page, the at least one web page including a plurality of icons corresponding to a plurality of wood-flooring samples, each of the wood-flooring samples being made of a flexible material and having a substantially flat primary surface that includes a wood-flooring image replicating a wood-flooring product, the primary surface having a width and a length, at least one of the length and the width of each wood-flooring sample being at least 18 inches, the wood-flooring image for each wood-flooring sample being an image of only a single wood-floor product and having multiple wood plank images with width dimensions that substantially correspond to width dimensions of wood planks of the wood-flooring product being replicated, the wood-flooring products being replicated by the plurality of wood-flooring samples having different characteristics; based on the interaction of the consumer with the at least one webpage, receiving selections of at least one of the plurality of wood-flooring samples; rolling the at least one selected wood-flooring sample into a generally cylindrical shape such that the primary surface containing the wood-flooring image is facing outwardly; and while in the generally cylindrical shape, placing the at least one selected wood-flooring sample into a tubular package for transportation to the consumer. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The method of claim 21, wherein the at least one web page includes a plurality of icons corresponding to a plurality of countertop samples associated with a plurality of different countertop products, and further including: receiving, from the consumer, selections of at least one of the plurality of countertop samples; rolling the at least one selected countertop sample into a generally cylindrical shape such that the primary surface containing a countertop image is facing outwardly; and while in the generally cylindrical shape, placing the at least one selected countertop sample into the tubular package for transportation to the consumer. ### Claim 23 (depends on 21) The method of claim 21, further including, acquiring photographic images of the wood-flooring products and manipulating the photographic images to provide the wood-flooring images having characteristics that are of substantially the same scale as the characteristics of the actual wood-flooring product when printed on the flexible material. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) The method of claim 23, wherein the wood-flooring images are printed onto the flexible material at a resolution of at least 300 dpi. ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) The method of claim 24, further including manipulation of the photographic image to provide color matching such that the wood-flooring image better matches a stain of the actual wood-flooring product. ### Claim 26 (depends on 21) The method of claim 21, wherein each of the wood-flooring samples includes a coating over the wood-flooring image so that the wood-flooring sample better matches the reflectivity of the corresponding wood-flooring product than the flexible material on which the wood-flooring image has been printed. ### Claim 27 (depends on 26) The method of claim 26, wherein the flexible material is paper and the coating increases the glossiness of the wood-flooring sample to better match the reflectivity of the corresponding wood-flooring product. ### Claim 28 (depends on 21) The method of claim 21, wherein the at least one selected wood-flooring sample includes first and second wood-flooring samples, and further including the following acts by the consumer: unrolling the first and second wood-flooring samples after removal from the tubular package; laying the first wood-flooring sample over an existing floor; after the laying of the first wood-flooring sample, comparing the first wood-flooring sample with at least one structure adjacent to the existing floor; laying the second wood-flooring sample over the existing floor; and after the laying of the second wood-flooring sample, comparing the second wood-flooring sample with the at least one structure adjacent to the existing floor. ### Claim 29 (depends on 21) The method of claim 21, wherein each of the wood-flooring samples has a surface opposing the primary surface, and wherein the opposing surface of each of the wood-flooring samples includes an additional wood-flooring image such that each of the wood-flooring samples includes wood-flooring images on both sides. ### Claim 30 A kit of wood-flooring samples to assist a user with selecting among wood-flooring products with different stain colors, comprising: a plurality of wood-flooring samples, each of the wood-flooring samples being made of a flexible material and having a primary surface that includes a wood-flooring image replicating a wood-floor product, the wood-flooring products including wood-flooring products having different stain colors, the primary surface having a width and a length and being substantially flat across the wood-flooring image, at least one of the length and the width of each wood-flooring sample being at least 18 inches, the wood-flooring image being an image of only a single wood-floor product and including multiple wood planks having width dimensions that are substantially on a 1:1 scale with corresponding width dimensions of wood planks of the wood-floor product being replicated, each of the wood-flooring samples includes a coating over the wood-flooring image so that the wood-flooring sample better matches the reflectivity of the corresponding wood-flooring product than the flexible material on which the wood-flooring image has been printed; wherein a user can independently place each of the wood-flooring samples on an existing wood floor in a manner that permits the different stain colors to be visualized by the user. ### Claim 31 (depends on 30) The kit of wood-flooring samples of claim 30, wherein the wood-flooring products include wood-flooring products having different types of wood such that the plurality of wood-flooring samples include wood-flooring samples of different types of wood. ### Claim 32 (depends on 30) The kit of wood-flooring samples of claim 30, wherein each of the wood-flooring samples has a surface opposing the primary surface, and wherein the opposing surface of each of the wood-flooring samples includes an additional wood-flooring image such that each of the wood-flooring samples includes wood-flooring images on both sides. ### Claim 33 (depends on 30) The kit of wood-flooring samples of claim 30, wherein both the length and width dimensions are at least 24 inches. ### Claim 34 (depends on 30) The kit of wood-flooring samples of claim 30, wherein a width dimension of each of the wood planks of the wood-flooring image is in the range from 2.25 inches to 7 inches. ### Claim 35 (depends on 30) The kit of wood-flooring samples of claim 30, wherein each of the wood-flooring images on the flexible materials are produced by a printing process having at least 300 dpi. ### Claim 36 (depends on 30) The kit of wood-flooring samples of claim 30, wherein the kit is a custom kit produced through a consumer's selection of wood-flooring samples via interaction on a website. ### Claim 37 (depends on 30) The kit of wood-flooring samples of claim 30, wherein the kit is a custom kit produced through a consumer's selection of pre-construction samples at a retail outlet. ### Claim 38 (depends on 30) The kit of wood-flooring samples of claim 30, further including a tubular container for transporting the kit, and wherein each of the wood-flooring samples are rolled so as to fit in the tubular container, the wood-flooring images on the wood-flooring samples facing outwardly.