US 5,310,435 AGranted

Method for making corners for laminate and veneer countertops

OwnerBasil T. Kellyinventor

Life of this patent

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Abstract

A countertop having a laminate or veneer horizontal upper surface and a laminate or veneer vertical face, has a corner element with an arcuate surface that smoothly fairs into both the upper surface and the face The countertop is made by leaving the vertical edge of the deck unfinished and placing the vertical veneer strip on an edge piece which then is attached to the edge of the deck. The edge piece is made from a block having the vertical veneer strip attached to one of its sides. Notches are formed at the top and bottom of this side of the block and rectangularly cross section strips, from which the corner elements will be formed, are glued in the notches. These strips are then machined to form the smooth arcuate surfaces that will fair into the laminate strip. The back of the block and the top edge of the upper strip are then machined to create the end piece which mates with the countertop deck.

Claims2

Dependent claims

A method for forming a countertop comprising:

(a) placing a laminate sheet on the upper surface of a horizontal deck having an elongate exposed vertical edge;
(b) placing a laminate strip on the face side of a vertical edge piece having a length substantially equal to the length of said exposed vertical edge;
(c) cutting a first rectangular notch along the horizontal upper corner of the face side of said edge piece, said notch extending along the entire length of said edge piece;
(d) adhesively joining in said first notch a first rectangularly cross-sectioned elongate corner element having transverse dimensions that are larger than the dimensions of said first notch and a length substantially equal to the length of said edge piece;
(e) forming an arcuate surface on said first corner element that smoothly fairs into said laminate strip after said corner element has been attached to said edge piece;
(f) forming tongue and groove joint elements in the edge of said deck and the back side of said edge piece that interfit so that said edge piece covers the exposed vertical edge of said deck and said arcuate surface smoothly fairs onto said laminate sheet;
and
(g) adhesively attaching said edge piece to said deck with said tongue and groove elements interfitting, after said corner element has been attached thereto and said arcuate surface has been formed.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 08/067,338Filed 24 May 1993 · continuation
Priority: 13 Nov 1989
Granted: 10 May 1994
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification7 codes

A47B 13/083
Table tops; Rims therefor: rims for table tops
A47B 2013/085
Rims for table tops: having a mounting web
Y10T 156/1028
With permanent bending or reshaping or surface deformation of self sustaining lamina: by bending, drawing or stretch forming sheet to assume shape…
Y10T 156/1064
Prior to assembly: partial cutting [e.g., grooving or incising]