Tool for forming in situ decorative patterns in a floor covering and method of forming patterns

#The present invention generally relates to the field of floor coverings and more particularly to a tool for forming a decorative pattern in a floor covering and a method for forming the pattern in the floor covering in situ.

#Interior designers and architects often require the installation of decorative floor coverings in commercial and residential buildings. Furthermore, homeowners often prefer a decorative floor covering to a more traditional floor covering in a home. The decorative patterns of floor coverings frequently vary from installation to installation in order to complement the decor of the space. For instance, the color and patterns of wall coverings, the layout of the room, the type of furniture, etc. may influence the design of the floor covering. Further, organizations and corporations may enjoy company logos patterned into the floor covering of a building lobby or other area. To achieve these custom designs required by the flooring industry, decorative floor coverings are formed by cutting shapes from one piece of floor covering and inserting a corresponding shape of another color or pattern of floor covering. Two known methods prevalent in the flooring industry for cutting decorative pieces for assimilation into a pattern require either extremely high craftsmanship or complicated site machinery. One known method requires the use of a top knife such as a Roberts top knife to free form a pattern into a carpet floor covering. Pattern designs requiring high quality and extensive marks or cuts by such knives require tedious and meticulous attention to the job and high craftsmanship to produce cuts at an acceptable level. Even under the skill of a highly trained artisan, the finished decorative pattern is often sloppy and of inadequate quality. The labor cost of a highly skilled artisan, coupled with the time and patience of using a top knife are undesirable disadvantages of present methods for forming patterns. The second existing method for marking or cutting decorative patterns into floor coverings employs Computer Aided Design (CAD) software and an electric cutting machine. The cutting machine makes exact and precise cuts in the floor covering per the CAD software's instructions. However, due to the generally large nature of these machines, marks and cuts must be performed off the job-site and therefore prohibits on-site modifications of the design during the installation process. The machines are expensive and the added costs and time associated with shipping the finished materials to the job site add undesirable overhead to the finished project.

#An object of the present invention is to provide a method and tool for minimizing the above-identified drawbacks and disadvantages experienced in connection with cutting complex, decorative patterns into floor coverings and assimilation into a final pattern.

#FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the marking or cutting tool.

#FIG. 2 is a front, profile view of the tool during operation.

#FIG. 3, comprising views 3A, 3B, 3C, and 3D illustrates the various steps or stages of the method by which a decorative pattern is formed in a carpet floor covering.

#Referring to FIG. 1, the present invention comprises a body member 2 with an ergonomic design having a depression 4 at one end of body member 2 and a rise 6 at the other end. Slope 8 spans the body member 2 between depression 4 and rise 6. In accordance with a preferred method of operation, depression 4 receives the heel of a hand while the palm lay on slope 8 and the fingers extend to grasp over the top of and around rise 6. The ergonomic design of body member 2 concentrates the pressure applied by the palm of the hand downward and towards rise 6 as indicated by the arrow in FIG. 1. The design of body member 2 thus positions the pressure so as to minimize the effort required by the operator to accomplish the desired result. Body member 2 may be composed of metal, hard plastic, or other material sufficient for receiving the pressure applied by the palm of the operator. A grip pad, cushion, or handle may be fit to the top of body member 2 for increased comfort. Body member 2 may embody other shapes as well in alternative embodiments.

#Affixed to the bottom of body member 2 is a slide member 10 which may be affixed by a weld seam or other suitable manner at a position that maintains the balance of body member 2 when in operation. The slide member has an underside 11 which preferably is a low friction surface and may be coated with a suitable lubricant to enhance its gliding and sliding ability.

#The slide member 10 comprises a foot 12 and a guide 14. Foot 12 and guide 14 are separated by a gap 16, best viewed in FIG. 2, defined by a face 24 of guide 14 and a face 26 of foot 12, to assume parallel, lengthwise positions. Gap 16 is preferably about ⅛ in. wide.