Floor covering transition device

Abstract

The present invention provides a transition device assembly for transitioning between a first floor covering and a second floor covering that includes an elongated T-shaped member, a covering and an elongated base. The elongated T-shaped member has an upper portion and a base portion. The covering is attached to the elongated T-shaped member and covers a top and each side of the upper portion of the T-shaped member. The elongated base has a substantially flat portion and a longitudinally extending upwardly opening channel for receiving the base portion of the elongated T-shaped member. There may also be a notch in each end of the covering and the elongated T-shaped member to accommodate a doorstop. Alternatively, the covering also extends beyond the ends of the elongated T-shaped member and has a notch in each end of the extended covering to accommodate a doorstop.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation-in-part of and claims priority based on U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/684,984 filed Oct. 14, 2003, which is a continuation of and claims priority to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/202,231 filed Jul. 24, 2002 that issued as U.S. Pat. No. 6,662,518 B1 on Dec. 16, 2003, all of which are incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to the field of wall to wall carpeting techniques, and more particularly to floor covering transition device for use between a section of carpet and another floor covering.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Carpet installation and replacement in dwellings, such as homes and apartment units can be a very expensive proposition. This is primarily due to the fact that adjoining pieces of carpet within a room or between rooms must match. In other words, all the pieces of carpet must come from the same dye lot. Otherwise, a person will be able to visually detect that the pieces of carpet do not match. This problem drastically increases the cost of carpet replacement because all the carpet has to be replaced rather than only those pieces or rooms that need new carpet. One attempt to solve this problem has been the replacement of a section of carpet with a wood floor looking laminate product (or sheet vinyl). For example, the carpet in a hallway is replaced with the wood floor looking laminate product. As a result, the carpet in the rooms adjoining the hallway, such as bedrooms, does not have to match each other. The biggest drawback of this type of installation is that it is substantially more expensive than a conventional installation. Moreover, this approach also does not allow the possibility of installing carpet in a living room and dining room independent of one another.

There is, therefore, a need for a transition device that can be installed between two floor coverings to separate areas and allows the use of different carpet dye lots or the installation of new carpet next to old carpet.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a transition device that can be installed between two pieces of flooring material or floor covering to separate areas, such as rooms, closets and hallways, in a typical dwelling. The present invention is particularly applicable for use in apartment units to provide eye-appealing, fashionable accents to the finished appearance of the apartment unit. By separating the different rooms and isolatable floor areas, different dye-lots and even different colors can be combined in the same unit, a practice that has previously been impractical. The ability to mix colors, dye-lots and new carpet with old carpet allows the installer to use a much lower priced segment of the carpet mills inventory stock known as “short-rolls” or remnants. Typically, this carpet was difficult for the mills to get rid of and is priced at less than half the normal cost of full rolls of carpet.

The finished initial installation also gives the management companies the option of replacing partial units or isolated rooms or areas in an apartment unit. This has been impractical previous to the development of the present invention due to the fact that carpeting is manufactured in dye lot increments and generally carpets that come from different dye lots cannot be combined. Consequently, if a single room needs to be replaced in a unit, normally replacement of the carpet within the entire unit is ordered so that all the carpet will match. As a result, management companies are able to save money and time as compared to a conventional carpet installation. This is possible due to the fact that the present invention allows the use of short rolls and remnants for these installations, which can be bought at significant discounts from standard carpet at full-roll pricing. Even if short rolls and/or remnants are not used, the savings of doing only part of a unit, versus a complete unit are significant. Moreover, the transition devices of the present invention provide a new visual appearance for apartment units in a business where there is very little opportunity to differentiate product, namely the unoccupied apartment unit that is being marketed. The apartment units all look very much the same, especially when it comes to the flooring products.

More specifically, the present invention provides a transition device assembly that includes an elongated T-shaped member, a covering and an elongated base that have a combined height to provide a transition between a first floor covering and a second floor covering. The elongated T-shaped member has an upper portion and a base portion. The covering is attached to the elongated T-shaped member and covers a top and each side of the upper portion of the T-shaped member. The elongated base has a substantially flat portion and a longitudinally extending upwardly opening channel for receiving the base portion of the elongated T-shaped member. In one case, there is also a notch in each end of the covering and the elongated T-shaped member to accommodate a doorstop. In another case, the covering also extends beyond the ends of the elongated T-shaped member and has a notch in each end of the extended covering to accommodate a doorstop. In another case, there are no notches and the bottom of the doorstop is removed as part of the installation.

In addition, the present invention provides a system for transitioning between a first floor covering and a second floor covering that includes an elongated T-shaped member, a covering and an elongated base. The elongated T-shaped member has an upper portion and a base portion. The covering is attached to the elongated T-shaped member and covers a top and each side of the upper portion of the T-shaped member. The elongated base is attached to a floor having a substantially flat portion and a longitudinally extending upwardly opening channel for receiving the base portion of the elongated T-shaped member. The first floor covering is attached to the floor and extends underneath one side of the upper portion of the elongated T-shaped member. The second floor covering is attached to the floor and extends underneath the other side of the upper portion of the elongated T-shaped member. The elongated base, elongated T-shaped member and the covering have a combined height to provide a transition between the first floor covering and the second floor covering. In one case, there is also a notch in each end of the covering and the elongated T-shaped member to accommodate a doorstop. In another case, the covering also extends beyond the ends of the elongated T-shaped member and has a notch in each end of the extended covering to accommodate a doorstop. In another case, there are no notches and the bottom of the doorstop is removed as part of the installation.

Moreover, the present invention provides a method for manufacturing a device for transitioning between a first floor covering and a second floor covering. An elongated T-shaped member having an upper portion and a base portion is fabricated and a covering is attached to the elongated T-shaped member such that the covering covers a top and each side of the upper portion of the T-shaped member. An elongated base is also fabricated and has a substantially flat portion and a longitudinally extending upwardly opening channel for receiving the base portion of the elongated T-shaped member. The elongated base, elongated T-shaped member and the covering have a combined height to provide a transition between a first floor covering and a second floor covering. In one case, a notch is also cut in each end of the covering and the elongated T-shaped member to accommodate a doorstop. In another case, the covering also extends beyond the ends of the elongated T-shaped member and a notch is cut in each end of the extended covering to accommodate a doorstop.

In addition, the present invention provides a transition device assembly that includes an elongated T-shaped semi-flexible member and two or more bases. The elongated T-shaped semi-flexible member has an upper portion and a base portion. The two or more bases have a substantially flat portion and an upwardly extending opening channel for receiving the base portion of the elongated T-shaped member. The two or more bases and elongated T-shaped semi-flexible member provide a transition between a non-linear first floor covering and a corresponding second floor covering.

Other features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon reference to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and further advantages of the invention may be better understood by referring to the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1A illustrates a transition between two floor coverings in a doorway in accordance with the prior art;

FIG. 1B is a cross-sectional view of FIG. 1A;

FIG. 2A illustrates a transition device between two floor coverings in a doorway in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2B is a cross-sectional view of FIG. 2A;

FIGS. 3A, 3B and 3C are isometric cross sectional views of a transition device in accordance with various embodiments of the present invention;

FIGS. 3D and 3E are isometric end views of a transition device in accordance with various embodiments of the present invention;

FIGS. 4A and 4B illustrate the installation process for a transition device in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a transition member for a transition device assembly in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of a transition member for a transition device assembly showing illustrative dimensions in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 7A, 7B and 7C are cross-sectional views of various embodiments of a base for a transition device assembly in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a cross-section view of an installed transition device assembly between two pieces of carpet in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 9 is a cross-section view of another installed transition device assembly between two pieces of carpet in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 10 is a cross-section view of an installed transition device assembly between a carpet floor and a vinyl floor in accordance with the present invention;

FIGS. 11A and 11B are isometric end views of a transition member and cover for a transition device assembly in accordance with various embodiments of the present invention;

FIGS. 12A, 12B, 12C and 12D illustrate the installation process for a transition device assembly in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 13 illustrates the use of transition devices/assemblies between rooms within a dwelling in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 14 illustrates the use of transition devices/assemblies between rooms and within a room within a dwelling in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 15 illustrates the use of transition devices/assemblies between rooms and within a room within a dwelling in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

While the making and using of various embodiments of the present invention are discussed in detail below, it should be appreciated that the present invention provides many applicable inventive concepts, which can be embodied in a wide variety of specific contexts. The specific embodiments discussed herein are merely illustrative of specific ways to make and use the invention and do not limit the scope of the invention.

The present invention provides a transition device that can be installed between two pieces of flooring material or floor covering to separate areas, such as rooms, closets and hallways, in a typical dwelling. The present invention is particularly applicable for use in apartment units to provide eye-appealing, fashionable accents to the finished appearance of the apartment unit. By separating the different rooms and isolatable floor areas, different dye-lots and even different colors can be combined in the same unit, a practice that has never been viewed favorably by apartment owners or managers previously. The ability to mix colors and dye-lots allows the installer to use a much lower priced segment of the carpet mills inventory stock known as “short-rolls” or remnants. Typically, this carpet was difficult for the mills to get rid of and is priced at less than half the normal cost of full rolls of carpet.

The finished initial installation also gives the management companies the option of replacing partial units or isolated rooms or areas in an apartment unit. This has been impractical previous to the development of the present invention due to the fact that carpeting is manufactured in dye lot increments and generally carpets that come from different dye lots cannot be combined. Consequently, if a single room needs to be replaced in a unit, normally replacement of the carpet within the entire unit is ordered so that all the carpet will match. As a result, management companies are able to save money and time as compared to a conventional carpet installation. This is possible due to the fact that the present invention allows the use of short rolls and remnants for these installations, which can be bought at significant discounts from standard carpet at full-roll pricing. Even if short rolls and/or remnants are not used, the savings of doing only part of a unit, versus a compete unit are significant. Moreover, the transition devices of the present invention provide a new visual appearance for apartment units in a business where there is very little opportunity to differentiate product, namely the unoccupied apartment unit that is being marketed. The apartment units all look very much the same, especially when it comes to the flooring products.

For example, FIG. 1A illustrates a transition 100 between two floor coverings 102 (first floor covering) and 104 (second floor covering) in a doorway in accordance with the prior art. The doorway includes a doorframe 114, which has a doorstop 122, located between walls 110 and 112. Molding 116 is installed at the base of wall 110 and 112 around the perimeter of the rooms. Carpet in the different rooms and hallways, such as 102 and 104 are seamed together with hot seaming tape 106. The glue on the tape 106 is activated by an electric seaming iron, which is run across the tape 106. Both pieces of carpet 102 and 104 are set together across the seaming tape 106, pushed together tightly and left to bond as the glue hardens (as it cools). The carpet 102 and 104 in the rooms is secured to the floor by stretching it over tack strips 108, which are installed around the perimeter of the rooms. The tack strips 108 are typically strips of wood or synthetic material about ¼ inch thick, 1 inch wide and 3 feet long that have metal pins embedded in them. The pins stick up out of the wood about ⅛ of an inch and hold the carpet in place after the carpet is stretched over it. Tackless strips may also be used.

Seaming the two pieces of carpet together 102 and 104 is a labor intensive and “tricky” proposition. More specifically, two pieces of carpet 102 and 104 are seamed together by overlapping the edges of the carpet 102 and 104 leaving about 2 inches of excess carpet at the middle of the doorway. A chalk line is then snapped on the back of the overlapped carpet edges and a straight edge is trimmed to ensure a straight seam. The straight edges are overlapped and a row cutter is used to cut the bottom piece. The edge of the top piece is used as a guide in cutting the seam to fit. A length of seaming tape 106 is cut and centered under the seam. The adhesive side of the tape 106 must be facing up and the carpet seams must butt up against each other. A seaming iron is then used to melt the adhesive by slowly pulling the iron down the tape 106. Once the adhesive is melted, the carpet edges are immediately pressed together over the tape 106. The seam should then be rolled over with a seam rolling tool.

Now referring to FIG. 1B, a cross sectional view of FIG. 1A is shown. First floor covering 102 and second floor covering 104, both of which are carpet in this example, are installed on padding 118, which is placed on top of the floor 120. The seam or transition 100 is located between the doorframes 114 and is created, as described above, using seaming tape 106.

Referring now to the present invention as illustrated in FIG. 2A, a transition device 200 between two floor coverings 202 (first floor covering) and 204 (second floor covering) in a doorway in accordance with the present invention is shown. As previously discussed, the first and second floor coverings can be the same type (e.g., new versus old, different dye lots, etc.) or different types (e.g., carpet, tile, wood, vinyl, laminate, etc.). The doorway includes a doorframe 114, which has a doorstop 122, located between walls 110 and 112. Molding 116 is installed at the base of wall 110 and 112 around the perimeter of the rooms. The carpet 202 and 204 in the rooms is secured to the floor by stretching it over tack strips 108, which are installed around the perimeter of the rooms. As previously described, the tack strips 108 are typically strips of wood or synthetic material about ¼ inch thick, 1 inch wide and 3 feet long that have metal pins embedded in them. The pins stick up out of the wood about ⅛ of an inch and hold the carpet in place after the carpet is stretched over it. Tackless strips may also be used. The edges of carpet 202 and 204 are pushed between the wall and the tack strips 108 and the transition device 200 and the tack strips 108.

Transition devices 200, which may be simulated wood-plank insert pieces, are glued down throughout the entire unit after the old carpet is removed. Note that the transition devices 200 may also be used in new installations. The normal locations for the transition devices 200 are usually identical to those where regular seams go in a conventional installation. That would usually include all standard doors leading from one carpeted area to another and other strategic spots that create practical separation of carpets. These spots would include the beginning of a hallway leading to bedrooms and a prominent transition piece between the living room and dining room whenever possible. Note that the transition devices 200 can be used with other floor coverings, such as tile, wood or vinyl.

Now referring to FIG. 2B, a cross sectional view of FIG. 2A is shown. Carpet 202 or the first floor covering is installed on padding 206 and carpet 204 or the second floor covering is installed on padding 208, both of which are placed on top of the floor 120. The transition device 200 is located between the doorframes 114 and between tack strips 108a and 108b. The transition device 200 is secured to the floor 120 with glue, masonry nails, screws or other fasteners. Note that the transition device 200 may include a notch in each end of the transition device 200 to accommodate the doorstop 122.

Referring now to FIGS. 3A, 3B and 3C, isometric cross sectional views of a transition device in accordance with various embodiments of the present invention are shown. FIG. 3A shows a transition device 300 having an elongated core 302 having a top 304, a bottom 306, opposing sides 308 and opposing ends 310, and a covering 312 attached to the elongated core 302 and covering the top 304 and opposing sides 308 of the elongated core 302. The covering 312 is preferably both decorative and wear-resistant. The covering 312 may be attached to the elongated core 302 using glue and/or staples, nails or screws so that there are no bubbles or slackness in the covering 312. The staples, nails or screws should be positioned so that the floor covering can hide them. The transition device 300 is typically secured to the floor using glue.

Similarly, FIG. 3B shows a transition device 320 having an elongated core 322 having a top 324, a bottom 326, opposing sides 328 and opposing ends 330, and a covering 332 attached to the elongated core 322 and covering the top 324, opposing sides 328 and portions of the bottom 326 of the elongated core 322. The covering 332 is preferably both decorative and wear-resistant. The covering 332 may be attached to the elongated core 302 using glue and/or staples 334, nails or screws so that there are no bubbles or slackness in the covering 332. The staples, nails or screws should be positioned so that the floor covering can hide them. The transition device 300 is typically secured to the floor using glue.

FIG. 3C also shows a transition device 340 having an elongated core 342 having a top 344, a bottom 346, opposing sides 348 and opposing ends 350, and a covering 352 attached to the elongated core 342 and covering the top 344 and opposing sides 348 of the elongated core 342. The covering 352 is preferably both decorative and wear-resistant. The covering 352 may be attached to the elongated core 342 using glue and/or staples, nails or screws so that there are no bubbles or slackness in the covering 352. The staples, nails or screws should be positioned so that the floor covering can hide them. The transition device 340 is secured to the floor using nails 354 and/or glue.

The elongated core 320, 322 and 342 can be made from wood, plywood, compressed fiberboard, pressboard, fiberglass, foam, metal or other suitable material. The elongated core 320, 322 and 342 are typically ⅜″ thick and either 5″ wide or 7″ wide depending on where they are installed. In addition, the edges between the top 304, 324 and 344 and the opposing sides 308, 328 and 348 of the elongated core 302, 322 and 342 can be square or rounded. Likewise, the elongated core's 302, 322 and 342 cross section can be substantially rectangular or trapezoidal.

The covering 312, 332 and 352 can be patterned vinyl, vinyl pieces, laminate, ceramic, plastic, synthetic imitation material or other decorative and wear-resistant material. The covering 312, 332 and 352 is preferably at least 1/16 inch thick to provide durability. In the case of transition device 320, the covering 332 should extend at least ½ inch underneath the elongated core 322. For example, the covering 312, 332 and 352 can be made from the same durable sheet vinyl that typically goes into the kitchens and bathrooms of many standard apartment units. The wood plank styles of the sheet vinyl look surprisingly like real wood plank.

The transition devices 300, 320 and 340 that are to be used in doorways can be cut to the exact width of the door casings (universal standard sizes most often found are 24, 30 and 32 inches). The short side dimension of these transition devices 300, 320 and 340 is usually 5 inches. The transition devices 300, 320 and 340 that are used to separate living rooms from dining rooms usually have short side dimensions of 7 inches and are specially manufactured to whatever lengths are required. Special alterations can be easily made on site, as the material is easily cut with a small hand held saw.

The present invention allows installers to be issued the correct amount of the pre-manufactured transition devices 300, 320 and 340 when they pick up the carpet for the installation. Large inventories of the most common sized transition devices 300, 320 and 340 can be maintained at the carpet warehouse. For example, there are three common door sizes that occur more often than any others. A variety of other common sized transition devices 300, 320 and 340 that are used in non-door applications can also be stocked.

The transition device 300, 320 and 340 are also very inexpensive (under one dollar including labor) to manufacture. Moreover, installation of the transition devices 300, 320 and 340 may be faster than seaming two pieces of carpet together.

In door applications, the doorstop 122 (FIG. 1) of the doorframe or casing 114 (FIG. 1) can be accommodated in several ways as illustrated in FIGS. 3D and 3E, which are isometric end views of a transition device 360 and 380 in accordance with various embodiments of the present invention. In the transition device 360 shown in FIG. 3D, the covering 362 can be oversized such that it extends approximately one-half inch beyond the ends 364 of the elongated core 366. Notches 368 may then be precut or cut at the time of installation in the oversized covering 362 to accommodate the doorstop. In the transition device 380 shown in FIG. 3E, notches 388 may also be precut or cut at the time of installation in each end 384 of the covering 382 and the elongated core 386 to accommodate the doorstop. Alternatively, the bottom of the doorstop can be cut such that the transition device fits under the doorstop.

Now referring to FIGS. 4A and 4B, the installation process for a transition device 400 in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention is illustrated. In this particular example, the first and second floor coverings are carpet 414 and 416. In addition, this example is equally applicable to both doorway and non-doorway installations. The transition device 400 is attached to the floor 404 using glue and/or masonry nails, screws or other fasteners. Tack strips or tackless strips 402 are cut into lengths to fit each wall and the transition device 400. The strips 402 are then nailed to the floor 404 around the perimeter of the room using masonry nails 406 or other fastening device. The strips 402 should be spaced away from the wall and the transition device 400 by approximately ⅔ of the thickness of the carpet. Moreover, the strips 402 should join together at the comers and the pointed pins 408 in each strip should face the wall or transition device 400. The padding 410 and 412 are then cut to fit the rooms, attached to the floor 404 and trimmed so that the padding abuts or is in close proximity to the strips 402. The carpet 414 is then cut and laid on top of the padding 410. Likewise, carpet 416 is then cut and laid on top of the padding 412. The carpet 414 and 416 are then systematically hooked to the strips 402 and stretched until the edge of the carpet 414 and 416 is attached to the all the strips 402 around the room. Excess carpet 414 and 416 at each wall is then trimmed. The edges of the carpet 414 and 416 are pushed between the wall and the strips 402. Similarly, the edges of the carpet 414 and 416 are pushed between the transition device 400 and the strips 402.

A transition device assembly in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention will now be discussed in reference to FIGS. 5-12. More specifically, the transition device assembly includes an elongated T-shaped member (FIGS. 5 and 6), a covering and an elongated base (FIGS. 7A, 7B and 7C) that have a combined height to provide a transition between a first floor covering and a second floor covering. The transition device assemblies can be used in floor replacements or new installations. The normal locations for the transition device assemblies are usually identical to those where regular seams go in a conventional installation. That would usually include all standard doors leading from one carpeted area to another and other strategic spots that create practical separation of carpets. These spots would include the beginning of a hallway leading to bedrooms and a prominent transition piece between the living room and dining room whenever possible. Note that the transition device assemblies can be used with other floor coverings, such as carpet, tile, wood, vinyl and laminate.

Referring now to FIG. 5, a cross-sectional view of a transition member 500 for a transition device assembly in accordance with the present invention is shown. The elongated T-shaped member 500 has an upper portion 502 and a base portion 504. The elongated T-shaped member 500 can be made from plastic, rubber, fiberglass, composite materials, wood or metal. The upper portion 502 of the elongated T-shaped member 500 preferably forms a downwardly shaped arc and is semi-flexible. The arced shape combined with a semi-flexible material allows the assembly to provide transitions between floor coverings having similar (e.g., FIGS. 8 and 9) or disparate heights (e.g., FIG. 10). As a result, the transition between the two floor coverings can be made to be substantially level, smooth or gradual. Moreover, these characteristics reduce potential gaps between the elongated T-shaped member 500 and the floor coverings. In addition, the base portion 504 preferably has one or more longitudinally extending ridges or ribs 506 along each side of the base portion 504 that provide a more secure fit with the channel of the elongated base. A variety of designs and shapes can be used to form the base portion 504 depending on the mechanism (e.g., friction fit, glue, a combination of glue and friction, etc.) used to secure the base portion 504 in the channel of the elongated base. Note that a friction fit allows the invention to be reused (e.g., snap in, pull out when new carpet is installed and snap back in).

As will be described below in reference to FIGS. 8-12, the transition device assembly also includes a covering attached to the elongated T-shaped member 500 and tightly covering a top 508 and each side 510 of the upper portion 502. Note that the covering may also cover portions of a bottom 512 of the upper portion 502 of the elongated T-shaped member 500. The covering can be made from sheet vinyl, laminate, plastic, ceramic and one or more vinyl pieces. In addition, the covering is typically decorative (e.g., wood-grain, slate, etc.) and wear-resistant. The covering is typically attached to the elongated T-shaped member 502 with double face tape, glue, staples, nails, screws, tacks or a combination thereof. In other cases, such as FIG. 15, where the elongated T-shaped member 500 is semi-flexible and will be used to provide a transition between a non-linear first floor covering and a corresponding second floor covering, the elongated T-shaped member 500 will be colored, imprinted, painted or stained and a covering will not be used. A covering can be used if it has sufficient flex and physical characteristics to allow the elongated T-shaped member and cover to be bent into the correct shape.

Now referring to FIG. 6, a cross-sectional view of a transition member 600 for a transition device assembly showing illustrative dimensions in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention is shown. Note that the present invention is not limited to the specific measurements show in FIG. 6. For example, some installations will require a 5 inch or 7 inch width. Moreover, the height of the base portion will vary depending on the height of the floor coverings (e.g., thin carpet versus thick carpet, thin pad versus thick pad, vinyl versus carpet, vinyl versus wood, wood versus carpet, etc.).

Referring now to FIGS. 7A, 7B and 7C, cross-sectional views of various embodiments of a base for a transition device assembly in accordance with the present invention are shown. Basically, the elongated base 700, 720, 740 has a substantially flat portion 702 and a longitudinally extending upwardly opening channel 704 for receiving the base portion 504 (FIG. 5) of the elongated T-shaped member 500 (FIG. 5). A variety of designs and shapes can be used to form the longitudinally extending upwardly opening channel 704 depending on the mechanism (e.g., friction fit, glue, a combination of glue and friction, etc.) used to secure the base portion 504 (FIG. 5) in the channel 704. Note that a friction fit allows the invention to be reused (e.g., snap in, pull out when new carpet is installed and snap back in). As shown in FIG. 7A, the longitudinally extending upwardly opening channel 704 can be disposed between a longitudinal center line 706 and a longitudinal edge 708 of the substantially flat portion 702. As shown in FIG. 7B, the longitudinally extending upwardly opening channel 704 can be disposed substantially along a longitudinal edge 708 of the substantially flat portion 702. As shown in FIG. 7C, the longitudinally extending upwardly opening channel 704 can be disposed substantially along a longitudinal center line 706 of the substantially flat portion 702.

Now referring to FIG. 8, a cross-section view of an installed transition device assembly 800 between two pieces of carpet 802, 806 in accordance with the present invention is shown. The transition device assembly 800 is located between the two pieces of carpet 802, 804 and can be in a doorframe or a room. Carpet 802 or the first floor covering is installed on padding 804 and carpet 806 or the second floor covering is installed on padding 808, both of which are placed on top of the floor 810. The transition device assembly 800 includes an elongated T-shaped member 812, a covering 814 and an elongated base 816.

The elongated T-shaped member 812 has an upper portion 818 and a base portion 820. The elongated T-shaped member 812 can be made from vinyl, plastic, rubber, composite materials, wood or metal. The upper portion 818 forms a downwardly shaped arc and is semi-flexible. The arced shape combined with a semi-flexible material allows the transition device assembly 800 to provide a substantially level, smooth or gradual transition between the two pieces of carpet 802, 804 with minimal or no gaps. In addition, the base portion 820 may have one or more longitudinally extending ridges or ribs (not shown) along each side of the base portion 820 that provide a more secure fit with the channel 832 of the elongated base 816. A friction fit, glue, a combination of glue and friction can be used to secure the base portion 820 in the channel 832 of the elongated base 816. Note that a friction fit allows the invention to be reused (e.g., snap in, pull out when new carpet is installed and snap back in).

The covering 814 is attached to the elongated T-shaped member 812 and tightly covers a top 822 and each side 824 of the upper portion 818 of the elongated T-shaped member 812. As shown, the covering 814 also covers portions of a bottom 826 of the upper portion 818 of the elongated T-shaped member 812. The covering 814 can be made from sheet vinyl, laminate and one or more vinyl pieces. In addition, the covering is typically decorative (e.g., wood-grain, slate, etc.) and wear-resistant. The covering is typically attached to the elongated T-shaped member 812 with double face tape, glue, staples, nails, screws, tacks or a combination thereof. In one case, there is also a notch (not shown) in each end of the covering 814 and the elongated T-shaped member 812 to accommodate a doorstop (not shown). In another case, the covering 814 also extends beyond the ends of the elongated T-shaped member 812 and has a notch (not shown) in each end of the extended covering (not shown) to accommodate a doorstop (not shown). Alternatively, there are no notches and the bottom of the doorstop (not shown) is removed as part of the installation.

The elongated base 816 is attached to the floor 810 with glue, masonry nails, screws or other fasteners (e.g., masonry nail 828). The elongated base 816 has a substantially flat portion 830 and a longitudinally extending upwardly opening channel 832 for receiving the base portion 820 of the elongated T-shaped member 812. Tack strip 834 is attached to the floor 810 via masonry nails 836. Tack strip 838 is attached to the base portion 820 via masonry nails 828. Note that the base portion 820 may also extend underneath tack strip 834 and padding 804. Carpet 802 is attached to the floor 810 via tack strip 834 and extends underneath one side of the upper portion 818 of the elongated T-shaped member 812. Similarly, carpet 806 is attached to the floor 810 via tack strip 838 and extends underneath one side of the upper portion 818 of the elongated T-shaped member 812. The elongated base 816, elongated T-shaped member 812 and the covering 814 have a combined height to provide a transition between the two pieces of carpet 802 and 806.

Referring now to FIG. 9, a cross-section view of another installed transition device assembly 900 between two pieces of carpet 902 and 906 in accordance with the present invention is shown. The transition device assembly 900 is basically the same as that shown in FIG. 8, except that the height of the base portion 920 of the elongated T-shaped member 912 is reduced to provide a more level transition between carpet 902 and 906. As a result, the upper portion 918 of the elongated T-shaped member 912 compresses carpet 902, pad 904, carpet 906 and pad 908.

Now referring to FIG. 10, a cross-section view of an installed transition device assembly 1000 between a carpet floor 1002 and a vinyl floor 1006 in accordance with the present invention is shown. The transition device assembly 1000 is basically the same as that shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, except that the upper portion 1018 of the elongated T-shaped member 1012 height contacts the vinyl floor 1006 with a greater arc than that of the carpet floor 1002. As a result, the transition device assembly 1000 provides a smooth and gradual transition between carpet floor 1002 and vinyl floor 1006. Note that the base portion 1020 may also extend between tack strip 1034 and the floor 1010 in addition to or instead of under vinyl floor 1006. Furthermore a similar arrangement could be used for tile, wood or laminate floors.

In door applications, the doorstop 122 (FIG. 1) of the doorframe or casing 114 (FIG. 1) can be accommodated in several ways as illustrated in FIGS. 11A and 11B, which are isometric end views of a transition device assembly 1100 and 1120 in accordance with various embodiments of the present invention. Note that the elongated base is not shown in order to simplify the FIGURES. In the transition device assembly 1100 shown in FIG. 11A, notches 1106 may be precut or cut at the time of installation in each end 1108 of the covering 1102 and the elongated T-shaped member 1104 to accommodate the doorstop. In the transition device assembly 1120 shown in FIG. 11B, the covering 1122 can be oversized such that it extends approximately one-half inch beyond the ends 1128 of the elongated T-shaped member 1124. Notches 1126 may then be precut or cut at the time of installation in the oversized covering 1122 to accommodate the doorstop. Alternatively, the bottom of the doorstop can be cut such that the transition device assembly 1100 and 1120 fit under the doorstop.

Referring now to FIGS. 12A, 12B, 12C and 12D, the installation process for a for a transition device assembly 1200 in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention is shown. In this particular example, the first and second floor coverings are carpet 1214 and 1216. In addition, this example is equally applicable to both doorway and non-doorway installations. The elongated base 1220 is attached to the floor 1204 using glue and/or masonry nails, screws or other fasteners. Tack strips or tackless strips 1202 are cut into lengths to fit each wall and the transition device 1200. The strips 1202 are then nailed to the floor 1204 around the perimeter of the room using masonry nails 1206 or other fastening device. The strips 1202 should be spaced away from the wall and the transition device 1200 by approximately ⅔ of the thickness of the carpet. Note that one of the strips 1202 is installed on the substantially flat portion 1222 of the elongated base 1220. Moreover, the strips 1202 should join together at the comers and the pointed pins 1208 in each strip should face the wall or transition device assembly 1200. The padding 1210 and 1212 are then cut to fit the rooms, attached to the floor 1204 and trimmed so that the padding abuts the strips 1202. The carpet 1214 is then cut and laid on top of the padding 1210. Likewise, carpet 1216 is then cut and laid on top of the padding 1212. The carpet 1214 and 1216 are then systematically hooked to the pointed pins 1208 of the strips 1202 and stretched until the edge of the carpet 1214 and 1216 is attached to the all the strips 1202 around the room. Excess carpet 1214 and 1216 at each wall is then trimmed. The edges of the carpet 1214 and 1216 are pushed between the wall and the strips 1202. Similarly, the edges of the carpet 1214 and 1216 are pushed between the longitudinally extending upwardly opening channel 1224 of the elongated base 1220 and the strips 1202. The combined elongated T-shaped member and covering 1226 is then installed by inserting the base portion of the elongated T-shaped member 1228 into the longitudinally extending upwardly opening channel 1224 of the elongated base 1220 and is secured via a friction fit, glue or combination thereof. Note that a friction fit allows the invention to be reused (e.g., snap in, pull out when new carpet is installed and snap back in). p The manufacturing process for the transition device assembly will now be briefly discussed. Moreover, the present invention provides a method for manufacturing a device for transitioning between a first floor covering and a second floor covering. An elongated T-shaped member having an upper portion and a base portion is fabricated and a covering is attached to the elongated T-shaped member such that the covering tightly covers a top and each side of the upper portion of the T-shaped member. An elongated base is also fabricated and has a substantially flat portion and a longitudinally extending upwardly opening channel for receiving the base portion of the elongated T-shaped member. The elongated base, elongated T-shaped member and the covering have a combined height to provide a transition between a first floor covering and a second floor covering. In one case, a notch is cut in each end of the covering and the elongated T-shaped member to accommodate a doorstop. In another case, the covering also extends beyond the ends of the elongated T-shaped member and a notch is cut in each end of the extended covering to accommodate a doorstop.

Now referring to FIG. 13, the use of transition devices/assemblies between rooms 1300, 1302 and 1304 within a dwelling in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention is illustrated. Rooms 1300, 1302 and 1304 are separated by walls 1320, 1322 and 1324. Room 1300 has a first floor covering 1306, room 1302 has a second floor covering 1308 and room 1304 has a third floor covering 1310. Transition device/assembly 1312 is installed in the opening between rooms 1300 and 1302, and provides a decorative and wear resistant transition between the first floor covering 1306 and the second floor covering 1308. Similarly, transition device/assembly 1314 is installed in the doorway between rooms 1300 and 1304, and provides a decorative and wear resistant transition between the first floor covering 1306 and the third floor covering 1310. The first floor covering 1306, second floor covering 1308 and third floor covering 1310 can be any combination of carpets, tile, wood or vinyl flooring.

The standard door transition devices/assemblies are produced and installed so that they appear to be cut around the doorstop pieces. Slots are cut into the elongated core before the covering is attached so that the installer can easily cut to the shape of the doorstop piece at the job site. The width of the door jam pieces is 5 inches, which corresponds to the normal width of standard door jams. After installation, the transition device/assembly should appear as if it was custom fitted to the door jam it is secured to. As for the ⅜ inch thickness, this elevation from the floor that the transition devices is glued to provide an edge that tack strip can be installed along. Once the tack strip is down, the carpet in the room can be stretched over the pins and the resulting edge can be tucked into the slot between the tack-strip and the transition piece. The finished transition piece and the carpet on either side of it will end up creating a level surface with no dip or raised edge that could create a tripping hazard.

Referring now to FIG. 14, the use of transition devices/assemblies between rooms and within a room within a dwelling in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention is illustrated. Rooms 1400, 1402a, 1402b and 1404 are separated by walls 1420, 1422 and 1424. Room 1400 has a first floor covering 1406, room 1402a has a second floor covering 1408, room 1402b has a third floor covering 1410 and room 1404 has a fourth floor covering 1412. In this example, room 1400 could be an entry hall, room 1402a could be a dining room, room 1402b could be a living room, and room 1404 could be a kitchen. Transition device/assembly 1414 is installed in the doorway between rooms 1400 and 1402a, and provides a decorative and wear resistant transition between the first floor covering 1406 and the second floor covering 1408. Similarly, transition device/assembly 1416 is installed in the opening between rooms 1400 and 1404, and provides a decorative and wear resistant transition between the second floor covering 1408 and the fourth floor covering 1412. Transition device/assembly 1418 is installed to separate room 1402a and room 1402b, and provides a decorative and wear resistant transition between the second floor covering 1408 and the third floor covering 1410. The first floor covering 1406, second floor covering 1408, third floor covering 1410 and fourth floor covering can be any combination of carpets, tile, wood or vinyl flooring.

For example, living room/dining room transition pieces can be enhanced by creating “L” combinations or installing angled transition devices/assemblies. The separation between the living room and dining room is where the most creativity can be used on the transition devices/assemblies. These transition devices/assemblies are usually in excess of 8 to 10 feet long and are preferably 7 inch wide if possible. Additionally, these transition devices/assemblies are usually in close proximity to the kitchen. When a new kitchen floor is installed with the identical wood plank patterned sheet vinyl that is used to wrap the transition devices/assemblies, the total effect is enhanced.

Non-doorway transition devices/assemblies are normally cut to final size at the job site. When the transition device/assembly is not located at a conventional doorway, its width and length are determined by the opening it is being installed into. Normally 7 inch pieces are more dramatic, but the wall space that the transition device/assembly abuts to may not be sufficient to accept a full 7 inch piece. In that case, a 5 inch transition device/assembly would have to be used instead.

Now referring to FIG. 15, the use of transition device assemblies between rooms and within a room within a dwelling in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention is illustrated. Rooms 1500, 1502a, 1502b and 1504 are separated by walls 1520, 1522 and 1524. Room 1500 has a first floor covering 1506, room 1502a has a second floor covering 1508, room 1502b has a third floor covering 1510 and room 1504 has a fourth floor covering 1512. In this example, room 1500 could be an entry hall, room 1502a could be a dining room, room 1502b could be a living room, and room 1504 could be a kitchen. Transition device assembly 1514 is installed in the doorway between rooms 1500 and 1502a, and provides a decorative and wear resistant transition between the first floor covering 1516 and the second floor covering 1508. Similarly, transition device assembly 1516 is installed in the opening between rooms 1500 and 1504, and provides a decorative and wear resistant transition between the second floor covering 1508 and the fourth floor covering 1512. Transition device assembly 1518 is installed to separate room 1502a and room 1502b, and provides a decorative and wear resistant transition between the second floor covering 1508 and the third floor covering 1510. The first floor covering 1506, second floor covering 1508, third floor covering 1510 and fourth floor covering can be any combination of carpets, tile, wood or vinyl flooring.

Transition device assembly 1518 includes an elongated T-shaped semi-flexible member (between end points 1542 and 1544) and two or more bases 1520-1540 (indicated by the dashed lineds). The elongated T-shaped semi-flexible member (between end points 1542 and 1544) has an upper portion and a base portion as previously described. The two or more bases 1520-1540 have a substantially flat portion and an upwardly extending opening channel for receiving the base portion of the elongated T-shaped member (between end points 1542 and 1544). The two or more bases 1520-1540 and elongated T-shaped semi-flexible member (between end points 1542 and 1544) provide a transition between a non-linear first floor covering and a corresponding second floor covering. In other words, transition device assembly 1518 can be used to create arcs, circles and other non-linear floor patterns.

The embodiments and examples set forth herein are presented to best explain the present invention and its practical application and to thereby enable those skilled in the art to make and utilize the invention. However, those skilled in the art will recognize that the foregoing description and examples have been presented for the purpose of illustration and example only. The description as set forth is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed. Many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching without departing from the spirit and scope of the following claims.

Claims

1. A transition device assembly comprising:

an elongated T-shaped member having an upper portion and a base portion;

a covering attached to the elongated T-shaped member and covering a top and each side of the upper portion of the T-shaped member;

an elongated base having a substantially flat portion and a longitudinally extending upwardly opening channel for receiving the base portion of the elongated T-shaped member; and

wherein the elongated base, elongated T-shaped member and the covering have a combined height to provide a transition between a first floor covering and a second floor covering.

2. The transition device assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein the elongated T-shaped member is semi-flexible.

3. The transition device assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein the upper portion of the elongated T-shaped member comprises a downwardly shaped arc.

4. The transition device assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein the base portion has one or more longitudinally extending ridges along each side of the base portion.

5. The transition device assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein the elongated T-shaped member has a cross section substantially as shown in FIG. 5.

6. The transition device assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein the elongated T-shaped member comprises vinyl, plastic, rubber, fiberglass, composite materials, wood and metal.

7. The transition device assembly as recited in claim 1, further comprising a notch in each end of the elongated T-shaped member, the covering and the elongated base to accommodate a doorstop.

8. The transition device assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein the covering is decorative and wear-resistant.

9. The transition device assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein the covering also covers portions of a bottom of the upper portion of the elongated T-shaped member.

10. The transition device assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein the covering comprises sheet vinyl, laminate, plastic, ceramic or one or more vinyl pieces.

11. The transition device assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein the covering is attached to the elongated member with double face tape, glue, staples, nails, screws, tacks or a combination thereof.

12. The transition device assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein the longitudinally extending upwardly opening channel is disposed substantially along a longitudinal center line of the substantially flat portion.

13. The transition device assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein the longitudinally extending upwardly opening channel is disposed between a longitudinal center line and a longitudinal edge of the substantially flat portion.

14. The transition device assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein the longitudinally extending upwardly opening channel is disposed substantially along a longitudinal edge of the substantially flat portion.

15. The transition device assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein the base portion of the elongated T-shaped member is secured within the channel of the elongated base with a friction fit, glue or a combination thereof.

16. The transition device assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein the first and second floor coverings comprise carpet, tile, wood, vinyl or laminate.

17. The transition device assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein the transition is substantially level, smooth or gradual.

18. The transition device assembly as recited in claim 1, further comprising a notch in each end of the elongated T-shaped member and the covering to accommodate a doorstop.

19. The transition device assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein the covering extends beyond the ends of the elongated T-shaped member.

20. The transition device assembly as recited in claim 19, further comprising a notch in each end of the extended covering to accommodate a doorstop.

21. A system comprising:

an elongated T-shaped member having an upper portion and a base portion;

a covering attached to the elongated T-shaped member and covering a top and each side of the upper portion of the T-shaped member;

an elongated base attached to a floor having a substantially flat portion and a longitudinally extending upwardly opening channel for receiving the base portion of the elongated T-shaped member;

a first floor covering attached to the floor and extending underneath one side of the upper portion of the elongated T-shaped member;

a second floor covering attached to the floor and extending underneath the other side of the upper portion of the elongated T-shaped member; and

wherein the elongated base, elongated T-shaped member and the covering have a combined height to provide a transition between the first floor covering and the second floor covering.

22. The system as recited in claim 21, wherein the first and second floor coverings are carpet and further comprising a first pad disposed between the first floor covering and the floor and a second pad disposed between the second floor covering and the floor.

23. The system as recited in claim 21, wherein the first and second floor coverings are attached to the floor using strips.

24. The system as recited in claim 21, wherein the first or second floor coverings extend over the substantially flat portion of the elongated base.

25. The system as recited in claim 21, further comprising a notch in each end of the elongated T-shaped member and the covering to accommodate a doorstop.

26. The system as recited in claim 21, wherein the covering extends beyond the ends of the elongated T-shaped member.

27. The system as recited in claim 26, further comprising a notch in each end of the extended covering to accommodate a doorstop.

28. A method for manufacturing a device for transitioning between a first floor covering and a second floor covering comprising the steps of:

fabricating an elongated T-shaped member having an upper portion and a base portion;

attaching a covering to the elongated T-shaped member such that the covering covers a top and each side of the upper portion of the T-shaped member;

fabricating an elongated base having a substantially flat portion and a longitudinally extending upwardly opening channel for receiving the base portion of the elongated T-shaped member; and

wherein the elongated base, elongated T-shaped member and the covering have a combined height to provide a transition between a first floor covering and a second floor covering.

29. The method as recited in claim 28, further comprising the step of cutting a notch in each end of the elongated T-shaped member and the covering to accommodate a doorstop.

30. The method as recited in claim 28, wherein the covering extends beyond the ends of the elongated T-shaped member.

31. The method as recited in claim 30, further comprising the step of cutting a notch in each end of the extended covering to accommodate a doorstop.

32. A transition device assembly comprising:

an elongated T-shaped semi-flexible member having an upper portion and a base portion;

two or more bases having a substantially flat portion and an upwardly extending opening channel for receiving the base portion of the elongated T-shaped member; and

wherein the two or more bases and elongated T-shaped semi-flexible member provide a transition between a non-linear first floor covering and a corresponding second floor covering.