US3030728A - Cushioning corner pieces - Google Patents

Description

April 1962 v. A. WESMAN 3,030,728

CUSHIONING CORNER PIECES Filed April 19, 1961 Fl 7 INV EN TOR.

VERNE A. WESMAN W$ Kw,

ATTORNEYS United States Patent f 3,030,728 CUSHIONING CORNER PIECES Verne A. Wesman, 32111 Anita Drive, Garden City, Mich.

Filed Apr. 19, 1%1, Ser. No. 104,045 9 Claims. ((Jl. 45-684) This invention relates to resilient cushioning corner pieces and more particularly to corner pieces applied over the sharp corners and edges of furniture for the protection of children and adults against frequent injuries occasioned by accidental contact.

The invention involves a corner piece having four planes making engagement with a corner of furniture, the planes being the horizontal top, the two adjacent vertical sides, and the lower adjacent horizontal bottom edges of the vertical sides. The corner piece is adjustable to various heights of the sides so that a single corner piece can be adapted to fit a' particular height of side. The corner piece is fabricated by molding from resilient rubber or plastic material, and is provided with spaced closed internal grooves that improve the cushioning function of the resilient material employed. The corner piece is easily fitted to the furniture corner and presents a pleasing appearance. No adhesives are used to secure the corner piece to the furniture, temporary securement being obtained by means of resilient physical gripping upon the furniture and by a measure of suction, or negative pressure, produced by squeezing air from the spaced closed internal grooves when the corner piece is firmly applied to the furniture surfaces.

It is an object of the invention to provide a resilient cushioning corner piece to the sharp corners of furniture for the safety and protection of children and adults. Another object is to provide a corner piece made of resilient material such as rubber or plastics. Yet another object is to provide a corner piece having a configuration adaptable to cover a furniture corner having a substantially horizontal top, adjacent vertical sides meeting at an edge, sharp or rounded, and a bottom edge for the sides adjacent the vertical edge, by firmly gripping. the corner. Still a further object is to provide top, side and bottom gripping surfaces in the corner piece. A further object is to provide spaced closed grooves in the under side of the gripping surfaces, whereby air may be squeezed from the grooves when the surfaces are firmly pressed upon the furniture corner surfaces to create a suction and negative pressure to hold the corner piece thereto. Yet another object is to provide planar gripping surfaces in the corner piece making close fitting and mechanical gripping contact with the furniture corner. A further object is to provide a corner piece having adjustability in respect to the height of vertical sides of the furniture corner. And a further object is to provide a molded corner piece having cushioning and person-protecting characteristics embodyingthe above described advantages.

These and additional objects of the invention and features of construction will become more apparent from the description set forth below, and in which the terms employed are used for purposes of description and not of limitation.

Reference is made to the drawing annexed hereto and made an integral part hereof, the embodiment set forth being an illustration of an exemplary form of the invention, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an article of furniture embodying a corner piece of this invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the corner piece of FIG. 1 as applied.

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the corner shown in FIG. 2.

3,30,728 Patented Apr. 24-, 1962 FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially on the line 44 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view taken inwardly of the corner piece.

FIG. 6 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially on the line 6-6 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary vertical view, partially in section, showing the inclination of the bottom elements conjoined to one of the side elements of the corner piece.

As illustrated in the several views of the drawings, the integrally formed corner piece 10 comprises a top element 12, side elements 14, 14-, and a series of vertically spaced bottom elements 16, 1S and 26. The corner pieces 10 generally conform to the corner of a piece of furniture 24 having a top surface 26, side surfaces 28, 28 and bottom edges 30, 30 below the side surfaces.

The corner piece 10 is molded from a resilient material such as rubber, a polyvinyl plastic, a foam-type plastic, or other similar and suitable material.

The top element 12 is formed with arcuate grooves 32, generally conforming to the peripheral contour of the edge 34. The side elements 14, 14. embody grooves 36 vertically disposed and generally conforming to the peripheral contour of side edges 33. The bottom elements 16, 18 and 20 are planar in configuration and designed to be disposed below the bottom edges 30 of a piece of furniture. In order to apply a mechanical grip upon the furniture, the corner piece bottom elements are inclined at an angle to the top element so that the vertical distance between the top element 12, which is substantially horizontal, to the outer edge of any of the bottom elements 16, 18 or 2i) is less than the distance to the inner corner of any of the bottom elements. Thus, the bottom elements are inclined upwardly outwardly. The medial groove 40 is located at the juncture lines of the top element 12 and the side elements 14, 14, to provide a recess for the corner meeting edges of the furniture top and side surfaces, 26 and 28.

The bottom element 20 is shown provided with ar'cuate grooves 42; however, any one of the superposed bottom elements 16 and 18 may also embody such grooves. The bottom grooves 42 do not generally function as suction cups gripping a planar surface, but rather apply a mechanical friction grip to the bottom edges 30, and therefore the surface edges of the bottom grooves 42 play a principal part in gripping the edges 30.

The several bottom elements 16, 18 and 20 are provided in the unitary corner piece 10 to permit its application to furniture corners of varying heights. In some cases the furniture piece may be merely a fiat slab top on legs, or it may have side panels as shown. In order to reduce the number of sizes in which the corner piece 10 would have to be made, and to increase its scope of application, a number of bottom elements are integrally formed in the corner piece 10 at varying vertical distances from the top element. Being inclined upwardly out- Wardly, any one of the bottom elements apply a compressive grip upon the bottom edges 30 forcing the top element 12 and the side elements 14, 14 into close bearing contact upon the furniture top and side surfaces, 26 and 28.

When a lower bottom element will serve more satisfactorily than a higher bottom element, the user merely cuts the higher bottom element away With a knife or other suitable instrument, thus lengthening the free open area between the top element 12 and the effective bottom element. To satisfy ones feelings and desire for neatness, a depending tail piece, shown in broken lines in FIG. 2, can be trimmed away with a knife or blade.

In operation, the corner piece 10 is first applied to a furniture corner with the top element 12 closely overlying the top surface 26, and the side elements 14, 14

upon the surfaces 28, 28, the sharp corner edges lying in the groove 40. The bottom element which most closely meets the bottom edges 30, 30 is then selected for retention, and the bottom elements thereabove, if any, are cut away with a knife or blade. The corner piece is then reapplied to the furniture corner, and the retained bottom element drawn inwardly under the bottom edges 30, 30 to closely grip them. Hand pressure upon the top and side elements, 12 and 14, will squeeze out the air trapped withinthe grooves 32 and 34, creat ing a slight suction effect and improving the securement and cushioning effect of the corner piece to the furniture corner. If desired, the portion of the corner piece depending below the eifective bottom element is then trimmed away, leaving a closely fitting protective corner piece. It will be understood that the top and side elements 12 and 14, 14 of the corner piece It) generally and substantially conform to the contour of the surfaces 26 and 28, but do not always exactly do so. Variation in tit and gripping function is dependent upon a number of factors, not the least of which is the resiliency and stretch of the corner piece material. In addition, the surfaces are not always square or parallel, so that a certain amount of gap or play between the corner piece and certain of the surfaces may occur.

Although the corner piece 10 here disclosed is described as a unitary molded piece, it is to be understood that the inventive corner piece can also be produced of several elements, such as resilient foam rubber or plastic coated or overlaid with leather, fabric or other rubber or plastic, and in the several other forms which persons skilled in the art may desire and fashion.

Having described the invention in its simplest terms, it is to be understood that the features of construction may be changed and varied in greater or lesser degree without departing from the essence of the invention.

I claim: 1. In a unitary integrally formed corner piece of resilient cushioning material for a furniture corner,

a top element adapted to extend upon and substantially conform to the top surface of said furniture corner,

side elements conjoined to said top element and to each other and adapted to extend upon and substantially conform to the side surfaces of said furniture corner, and

a plurality of severable spaced bottom elements conjoined to said side elements and inclined upwardly outwardly at an angle to the plane of said top element,

said bottom elements being spaced below said top element at varying distances therefrom, whereby when said corner piece is applied to said furniture corner said top element overlies the top surface of said corner, said side elements overly the side surfaces of said corner, and one of said bottom elements is disposed in a plane making close gripping engagement with the bottom edges of said side surfaces at said corner, the bottom elements above said one bottom element being severable from said side elements to provide a free and open area between said top element and said one effective bottom element.

2. The structure defined in claim 1, and in which said corner piece is fabricated of a resilient material by moldmg.

3. The structure defined in claim 1, and in which the inner surfaces of said top and side elements are provided with closed grooves forming concavities in close association with said corner surfaces.

4. The structure defined in claim 3, and in which said grooves generally conform to the peripheral configuration of the outer edges of said top and side elements.

5. In a corner piece formed of resilient cushioning material for a furniture corner,

a top element adapted to extend upon and to substantially conform to the top surface of said furniture corner,

side elements conjoined to said top element and to each other and adapted to extend upon and to substantially conform to the side surfaces of said furniture corner, and

a plurality of severable spaced bottom elements conjoined to said side elements and inclined upwardly outwardly at an angle to the plane of said top element.

said bottom elements being spaced below said top element at varying distances therefrom,

whereby when said corner piece is applied to said furniture corner said top element overlies the top surface of said corner, said side elements overly the side surfaces of said corner, and one of said bottom elements is disposed in a plane making close gripping engagement with the bottom edges of said side surfaces at said corner, the bottom elements above said one bottom element being severable from said side elements to provide a free and open area between said top element and said one effective bottom element.

6. The structure defined in claim 5, and in which a portion of said corner piece is fabricated of a resilient material by molding.

7. The structure defined in claim 6, and in which said molded resilient portion is overlaid with a resilient coating material.

8. The structure defined in claim 6, and in which said molded resilient portion is provided at the inner surface of said top and side elements with closed grooves forming concavities in close association with said corner surfaces.

9. The structure defined in claim 8, and in which said grooves generally conform to the peripheral configuration of the outer edges of said top and side elements.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,874,955 Fulton Aug. 30, 1932 2,059,679 Burton Nov. 3, 1936 FOREIGN PATENTS 983,168 France June 20, 1951

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