GB2452060A

GB2452060A - Decoration of surfaces with apertures to receive electrical boxes

Info

Publication number: GB2452060A
Application number: GB0716404A
Authority: GB
Inventors: James Gerard Mccoy
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2007-08-22
Filing date: 2007-08-22
Publication date: 2009-02-25
Also published as: WO2009024800A1; GB0716404D0

Abstract

A device for assisting in the decoration of an aperture to receive an electrical box for a plug socket or light switch has a substantially planar main body in the form of a square frame having an outer edge 3 and an inner edge 6 defining a central aperture 2. The main body has an anchoring arrangement into or around which a setting substance such as plaster may flow to allow the device to be firmly embedded. A flange protrudes inwardly from the inner edge and away from the plane of the main body at around 45 degrees to its plane. The device may be fixed to the wall by adhesive. Adhesive and/or plaster flow into and around cutout portions 4 and apertures 5 to anchor the device. Alternatively, it may be anchored by projections. It may be made from sturdy plastic, ceramic or steel. A skirt (16, figure 5) may run around its inner edge.

Description

A Device for Assisting in the Decoration of Surfaces Having Apertures This invention relates to a device for assisting in the decoration of surfaces having apertures, and in particular concerns a device to assist in the decoration of walls having apertures to accommodate one or more further components, for example electrical boxes.

Electrical boxes, to present plug sockets or light switches, are very common in modern buildings and several examples will be present in every room of a typical house. Such boxes are usually formed from a neutrally-coloured plastic, have a low profile, and will ideally sit neatly against a wall and be as unobtrusive as possible.

When constructing a wall that is to contain an electrical box, a hole will generally be left in the wall into which the electrical box is to be received. Alternatively, if a wall has already been formed and it is desired to add an electrical box, then a hole will be formed in the wall. In either event, the wall in the vicinity of the hole will not be decorated, and will generally comprise bare brickwork, breeze blocks or similar. A layer of a render may be formed on the wall.

A next step is usually the formation of a layer of plaster over the wall. It will be appreciated, however, that it is technically challenging to form a clean, square edge in the plaster at the edges of the hole. Instead, the plaster will usually over-run the edges of the hole and protrude into the hole itself. Once the plaster has set, the individual who is to fit the electrical box will generally need to scrape along the edges of the hole to remove any plaster that protrudes into the hole.

However, plaster is a brittle substance and it is not uncommon for this process to lead to cracks and breaks in the plaster, causing the plaster to break away from the wall in the region immediately around the hole.

Further, the electrical box will generally be a very close fit in the hole, and the process of fitting the electrical box into the hole can often lead to cracking or breaking of the plaster as the box or a workman's tool strikes the edge of the plaster at the periphery of the hole.

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Unfortunately this means that, once the electrical box has been fitted, cracks and gaps in the plasterwork are visible around the edge of the electrical box.

This is unsightly and can give a shoddy, unprofessional appearance to the wall as a whole.

It is an object of the present invention to seek to provide a device that ameliorates the above problems. Accordingly, one aspect of the present invention provides a device for assisting in the decoration of an aperture, the device comprising: a substantially planar main body in the form of a frame having an outer edge and an inner edge defining a central aperture, the main body having an anchoring arrangement into or around which a setting substance may flow to allow the device to be firmly embedded in the setting substance; and a flange provided on at least a part of the inner edge, the flange protruding inwardly from the inner edge and away from the plane of the main body.

Advantageously, the anchoring arrangement comprises a number of anchoring holes formed through the main body.

Preferably, the central aperture is substantially rectangular.

Another aspect of the present invention provides a method of decorating a surface having a hole formed therein, the method comprising the steps of: providing a device comprising a substantially planar main body in the form of a frame having an outer edge and an inner edge defining a central aperture, and a flange provided on at least a part of the inner edge, the flange protruding inwardly from the inner edge and away from the plane of the main body; placing the device on the surface so that the central aperture is substantially aligned with the hole and the flange protrudes away from the surface; and applying a setting substance to the surface around the hole to a depth substantially equal to the distance by which the flange protrudes from the surface.

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Conveniently, the step of applying a setting substance to the surface comprises the step of substantially embedding the device in the setting substance.

Advantageously, the method further comprises the step of inserting a further component into the hole.

Preferably, the step of inserting a further component into the hole is carried out after the step of applying the setting substance.

Conveniently, the further component is an electrical box.

In order that the present invention may be more readily understood, aspects thereof will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figures 1 and 2 are plan and perspective views respectively of a device embodying the present invention; Figures 3 and 4 show stages in the decoration of an aperture using the device of Figures 1 and 2; and Figure 5 shows a stage in the decoration of an aperture using an alternative device embodying the present invention.

Referring firstly to Figures 1 and 2, a device 1 embodying the present invention takes the form of a generally square, substantially planar frame, forming a border around a generally square aperture 2 in its centre. An outer edge 3 of the device 1 has an outwardly protruding lip 3a, which is coplanar with, but of a lesser thickness than, the main part of the frame and has a number of semicircular cut-out portions 4 formed at the edge thereof. The cut-out portions 4 are separated from one another by a distance which is around the same as the radius of each one of the cut-out portions 4. There may be around 30-60 cut-out portions 4 around the lip 3a of the device 1.

A number of circular holes 5 are also formed through the device 1, the holes 5 being formed along a line which is substantially equidistant between the inner and outer edges 6, 3, and again being separated from one another by a distance roughly equal to the radius of one of the holes 5. In preferred embodiments, the number of the holes 5 is approximately the same as the number of the cut-out portions 4, and the radii of the holes 5 and the cut-out portions 4 are same or nearly the same as each other.

The majority of the device 1 is preferably formed in a single plane. However, in embodiments of the invention a flange 7 is formed at the inner edge 6 of the device 1, the flange 7 extending inwardly from the inner edge 6 but also extending away from the plane of the device 1. The flange 7 runs continuously around the inner edge 6, and in preferred embodiments is disposed at around 450 to the plane of the device 1.

The device 1 is advantageously formed from a single piece of material, and may be formed by moulding or stamping. In view of the fact that the device 1 is intended for use with electrical boxes, it is envisaged that the device 1 will be formed from a substantially non-conducting material such as sturdy plastic or ceramic. Metals such as steel may also be used, although consideration may need to be given to ensuring that the device 1 is appropriately earthed.

Use of the device 1 to assist in the decoration of a surface having an aperture will now be described.

With reference to Figure 3, as explained above a wall 8 to be decorated will often have a hole 9 formed therein which is intended to accommodate an electrical box. A layer of a render 10 is formed on the wall 8. A first step is to place the device 1 against the wall 8 so that the central aperture 2 surrounds the hole 9. Preferably the central aperture 2 is exactly or nearly exactly the same shape and size as the hole 9 in the wall 8. The device 1 is placed against the wall 8 so that the flange 7 which runs around the inner edge 6 thereof protrudes outwards from the wall 8. The device 1 is fixed to the wall 8, for instance by a

suitable adhesive.

As a next step, a layer of plaster 11 or another setting material, which will usually be decorative, is applied to the wall 8, to a depth which is substantially equal to the distance from the wall 8 by which the tip 12 of the flange 7 protrudes from the surface of the wall 8. It will be understood that the presence of the flange 7 will greatly facilitate the application of the plaster 11 to the edge of the hole 8, as the individual applying the plaster 11 will be able to scrape an application tool up to and against the flange 7, ensuring that the plaster 11 may be applied to a consistent depth right up to the edge of the hole 8, but that the plaster 11 does not over-run this edge and protrude into the hole 8.

Once the plastering is complete, an electrical box 13 may be fitted into the hole 8 as shown in Figure 3, so that an outwardly protruding lip 14 at the front end of the electrical box 13 lies over the plaster 11 immediately around the hole 8. As discussed above, in the course of fitting an electrical box 13 into a hole 8 it is likely that the edge of the layer of plaster 11 will receive several knocks or blows.

However, the tip 12 of the flange 7 of the device 1 lies at the edge of the plaster layer at the edges of the hole 9, and so any impact at these edges will strike the tip 12 of the flange 7 and is far less likely to damage the plaster 11. The likelihood of there being breaks or cracks in the plaster 11 that might be visible around the electrical box 13 is greatly reduced. It will be understood that, once the electrical box 13 has been fitted, the device 1 is embedded in the plaster 11, although the device 1 will not be visible.

The cut-out portions 4 and the apertures 5 in the device provide an anchoring function, in ensuring that adhesive and/or plaster may flow into and around these cut-out portions 4 and holes 5 and thus secure the device 1 firmly to the wall 8 and embed the device 1 firmly in the plaster 11. It will be appreciated that any appropriate alternative anchoring arrangement may be provided, for instance cut-out portions or apertures of alternative shape, or projections from the plane of the device 1.

Turning to figure 5, a side-view of an alternative device 15 embodying the present invention is shown. The alternative device 15 is similar in structure to the device 1 described above. However, the alternative device 15, has a skirt portion which takes the form of a wall 16 which protrudes from the inner edge 6 of the alternative device 15, extending substantially at right angles to the plane of the alternative device 15. The skirt portion protrudes from the opposite side of the plane of the alternative device 15 to the direction in which the flange thereof protrudes. In other words, in use of the alternative device 15 the skirt portion extends towards the surface that is to be decorated, while the flange 17 extends away from it.

In embodiments of the invention, the skirt portion may run all the way around the inner edge 6 of the alternative device 15. However, in preferred embodiments, the skirt portion takes the form of four individual walls 16, each of which protrudes from one edge of the substantially rectangular aperture, with spaces being provided between the walls 16 near the corners of the aperture. This configuration is easier to achieve in a single stamping operation than a continuous wall which runs all the way around the inner edge 6. The skirt portion is preferably integral with the remainder of the alternative device 15.

The flange 17 of the alternative device 16 also protrudes in a direction which is substantially perpendicular to the plane of the alternative device 15, rather than protruding towards the centre of the aperture. In preferred embodiments of the invention, the flange 17 protrudes from the plane of the device slightly further back from the inner edge 6 than the skirt portion, and once again this is generally easier to achieve using a single stamping operation than a flange which protrudes from the plane of the alternative device 15 directly opposite the skirt portion.

Finally, the outer edge 3 of the alternative device 15 is of the same thickness as the main part of the device, rather than being of a lesser thickness, as is the case with the device 1 described above.

In use of the alternative device 15, the alternative device 15 is placed against a wall so that the skirt portion fits into the aperture that has been formed. In preferred embodiments, the dimension of the skirt portion is such that the skirt portion fits snugly into the aperture, and presses outwardly against the inner edges of the walls thereof. It will be appreciated that providing this skirt portion will greatly facilitate a user in locating the alternative device swiftly and accurately around the aperture, and the alternative device 15 is also far less likely to move or "drift" during use.

Any of the features of the of the alternative device 15 which differ from those of the device 1 described above may be incorporated into the device 1, individually or in any combination, and the device and alternative device are not presented as having any features which are incompatible with each other.

Electrical boxes are generally provided in a limited number of standard sizes, and it is envisaged that a device of an appropriate size may be produced for use with each standard size of electrical box. The device illustrated in the figures is substantially square and is therefore suitable for a "single" plug or light switch.

It is also common to have "double" plugs or light switches, and the skilled reader will readily appreciate that a rectangular device may be provided to assist in the installation of electrical boxes of this type.

A skilled reader will appreciate that embodiments of the present invention provide a device which is simple to produce and cost-effective, and which will greatly facilitate the decoration of walls having apertures into which electrical boxes are to be fitted.

It is envisaged that the present invention will find utility in other applications where a surface must be decorated but also has an aperture into which a further component must be fitted, for instance door handles, anchoring points and holders for kitchen appliances.

When used in this specification and claims, the terms "comprises" and "comprising" and variations thereof mean that the specified features, steps or integers are included. The terms are not to be interpreted to exclude the presence of other features, steps or components.

The features disclosed in the foregoing description, or the following claims, or the accompanying drawings, expressed in their specific forms or in terms of a means for performing the disclosed function, or a method or process for attaining the disclosed result, as appropriate, may, separately, or in any combination of such features, be utilised for realising the invention in diverse forms thereof.

Claims

Claims 1. A device for assisting in the decoration of an aperture, the device comprising: a substantially planar main body in the form of a frame having an outer edge and an inner edge defining a central aperture, the main body having an anchoring arrangement into or around which a setting substance may flow to allow the device to be firmly embedded in the setting substance; and a flange provided on at least a part of the inner edge, the flange protruding away from the plane of the main body.
2. A device according to claim 1, wherein the flange protrudes inwardly from the inner edge of the main body.
3. A device according to claim 1, wherein the anchoring arrangement comprises a number of anchoring holes formed through the main body.
4. A device according to any preceding claim, further comprising at least one locator protrusion extending away from the other side of the plane of the main body from the side on which the flange protrudes, the locator protrusion being arranged to be positioned against an inner surface of an aperture formed in a surface against which the device is placed.
5. A device according to claim 4, wherein the locator protrusion comprises a substantially planar surface protruding from a length of the inner edge of the frame.
6. A device according to claim 4 or 5, wherein a plurality of locator protrusions extend from different parts of the inner edge of the frame.
7. A device according to claim 4 or 5, wherein the locator protrusion extends substantially all the way around the inner edge of the frame.
8. A method of decorating a surface having a hole formed therein, the method comprising the steps of: providing a device comprising a substantially planar main body in the form of a frame having an outer edge and an inner edge defining a central aperture, and a flange provided on at least a part of the inner edge, the flange protruding away from the plane of the main body; placing the device on the surface so that the central aperture is substantially aligned with the hole and the flange protrudes away from the surface; and applying a setting substance to the surface around the hole to a depth substantially equal to the distance by which the flange protrudes from the surface.
9. A method according to claim 8, wherein the step of applying a setting substance to the surface comprises the step of substantially embedding the device in the setting substance.
10. A method according to claim 8 or 9, further comprising the step of inserting a further component into the hole.
11. A method according to claim 10, wherein the step of inserting a further component into the hole is carried out after the step of applying the setting substance.
12. A method according to claim 10 or 11, wherein the further component is an electrical box.
13. A device substantially as hereinbefore described, with reference to the accompanying drawings.
14. A method substantially as hereinbefore described, with reference to the accompanying drawings.
15. Any novel feature or combination of features disclosed herein.