GB2459665A

GB2459665A - A sealing system comprising a longitudinal strip profile

Info

Publication number: GB2459665A
Application number: GB0807763A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Shaun Gadsby
Original assignee: MERMAID PANELS Ltd; NORSKE INTERIORS U K Ltd
Current assignee: MERMAID PANELS Ltd; NORSKE INTERIORS U K Ltd
Priority date: 2008-04-29
Filing date: 2008-04-29
Publication date: 2009-11-04
Also published as: GB0807763D0

Abstract

A sealing system comprising a longitudinal strip profile 10 and a first sealing material 28, the longitudinal strip profile 10 and the first sealing material 28 both being adapted in combination to form and maintain a seal between relatively vertical 12 and horizontal 14 surfaces. The strip profile 10 comprises: a first upper limb 16 defining an inner face and an outer face, the inner face of which is adapted to be fixed and/or sealed to the relatively vertical surface 12, and from which outer face there extends a second lower limb 18 defining an upper face and lower face, the lower face of which is adapted to be sealed to the relatively horizontal surface 14 by the sealing material 28; and a second flexible seal 30 extending from the upper face of the second lower limb 18.

Description

DESCRIPTION

"A SEALING SYSTEM" The present invention relates to a sealing system for sealing the joint between two contiguous surfaces disposed at an angle to each other, such as, but not limited to the horizontal joint between a tiled wall or wall panels and a bath or shower tray.

When wall panels or tiles are fixed to a wall adjacent to the top of a bath or shower tray there is a gap at the junction between the adjacent vertical and horizontal surfaces through which water can leak. Over time water leaking into this gap can cause damage to the wall and this can cause the wall panels or tiles to loosen and detach themselves.

It is known to seal the gap at the junction between adjacent vertical and horizontal surfaces by the application of sealants and grouts into the gap. The most common and frequent limitations to this known method are that sealants and grouts, particularly, under the rigours of shower and bath activity, are not elastic enough to maintain a water tight bond in the event of relative movement between the adjacent vertical and horizontal surfaces. Movement can occur due to timber stud partition shrinkage, timber floor joist shrinkage, and movement under weight, especially in the case of acrylic baths and shower trays.

EP-11l2418 discloses a sealing member for sealing the joint between a tiled wall and a shower or bath tray which seeks to provide a solution to the problem of movement between the tiled wall and the shower or bath tray. The sealing member takes the form of a semi-flexible longitudinal strip having an essentially h-shaped profile and a sealing material. The longer vertical limb of the h-shaped profile is adapted to be fixed and/or sealed to the wall with the shorter curved limb extending outwardly and downwardly therefrom towards the horizontal surface to define a cavity which accommodates and retains the sealing material in contact with the horizontal surface. The inner face of the sealant cavity is wholly or in part covered with an anti-adherent material to form a releasable shuttcring for the sealing material contained therein. In this way the sealing material is constrained by the sealant cavity to form a boundary wall bonded to the horizontal surface, yet remains wholly or partially independent and/or releasable from the sealing member to which it is initially attached.

In this way the sealing material, which is typically silicone, operates as an elastic band between the horizontal surface and sealing member, and is able to accommodate movement between the tiled wall and the horizontal surface of the show or bath tray.

The main disadvantage of the sealing member disclosed in EP-1112418 is that it relies on a sealing material, typically silicone, which is difficult and messy to use.

For effective installation the sealant cavity must be filled with sealant afler the sealing member has been cut to length. A bead of sealant is then applied to the vertical surface midway behind the proposed location of the sealing member. The sealant-filled sealing member is then offered up to its proposed location and simultaneously pressed against both the vertical surface and the horizontal surface, squeezing out any surplus sealant.

The surplus sealant is then removed.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a sealing system which eliminates the need for silicone sealant.

It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a sealing system which is simple to use.

According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided a sealing system comprising a longitudinal strip profile and a sealing material both adapted in combination to form and maintain a seal between relatively vertical and horizontal surfaces, the strip profile comprising a first upper limb defining an inner face and an outer face, the inner face of which is adapted to be fixed a.ndlor sealed to the relatively vertical surface, and from which outer face there extends a second lower limb defining an upper face and a lower face, the lower face of which is adapted to be sealed to the relatively horizontal surface by the sealing material, wherein upper face of the second lower limb comprises a flexible seal.

The flexible seal is preferably adapted for sealing the upper face of the second lower limb to the lower edge of a covering material, such as a tile. The flexible seal may be manufactured of flexible PVC. Preferably, the flexible seal is integrally formed with the longitudinal strip profile, e.g. by co-extrusion, although it could be sealingly andlor continuously affixed thereto e.g. using adhesive or a weld.

Is The flexible seal may have a crescent-shaped cross-section and it may be inclined towards the first upper limb of the longitudinal strip profile.

The sealing material may further comprise a doubled sided adhesive strip, one side of which is adhered to the lower face of the second lower limb and the other side of which is covered with a removable protective film which is removed on use to expose the adhesive strip and allow attachment to the relatively horizontal surface.

According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided a sealing system comprising a longitudinal strip profile and a sealing material both adapted in combination to form and maintain a seal between relatively vertical and horizontal surfaces, the strip profile comprising a first upper limb defining an inner face and an outer face, the inner face of which is adapted to be fixed and/or sealed to the relatively vertical surface, and from which outer face there extends a second lower limb defining an upper face and a lower face, the lower face of which is adapted to be sealed to the relatively horizontal surface by the sealing material, wherein the sealing material s comprises a doubled sided adhesive strip, one side of which is adhered to the lower face of the second lower limb and the other side of which is covered with a removable protective film which is removed on use to expose the adhesive strip and allow attachment to the relatively horizontal surface.

The sealing material may be flexible, deformable and/or resiliently deformable. By making the sealing material flexible, deformable and/or resiliently dcformable, it can form an adaptive seal between the second lower limb and the relatively horizontal surface, which can accommodate relative movement of relatively horizontal and vertical surfaces whilst maintaining sealing contact with both. The sealing material may comprise a thick strip of self-adhesive, closed-cell, polymer foam or a thick strip of a self-adhesive, elastomerie material.

In use, the sealing strip is cut to length as required. The protective film covering the adhesive strip is removed to expose the adhesive strip and the sealing system is then presented to the wall and to the top of the bath or shower tray. The sealing system is then placed against the wall and against the top of the bath or shower tray. A bead of sealant or adhesive may be applied to the wall midway behind the proposed location of the sealing system to facilitate location of the sealing strip prior to securing it in place, but this is optional.

The wall may then be covered with wall cladding or tiles down to the level of the upper surface of the second lower limb. In this instance, the sealing strip may further comprise a second double sided adhesive strip adhered on one side to the upper surface of the second lower limb and covered on the other side with a removable protective film which is removed on use to expose the adhesive strip and allow attached to the bottom of the wall covering.

Preferably, the end of the second lower limb remote from the end connected to the first upper limb comprises a flexible lip and is adapted to engage with the relatively horizontal surface. To this end the second lower limb also extends downwardly relative to the point of connection to the first upper limb to conceal the double sided adhesive strip.

Preferably, the second lower limb defines a first section which extends horizontally outwardly from the first upper limb and a second section which extends from the end of the first section downwardly towards the relatively horizontal surface.

Preferred embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a cross-section through a first embodiment of sealing system according to the first aspect of the invention; Figure 2 is a cross-section showing a first type of wall covering partially overlying the sealing system of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a cross-section showing a second type of wall covering partially overlying the sealing system of Figure 1; and Figure 4 is a cross-section through a second embodiment of sealing system according to the second aspect of the invention.

In Figures 1 to 3, a flexible longitudinal strip profile 10 has a generally step-shaped cross-section and is adapted to cover, and form a seal over, the junction between a substantially vertical wall 12 and a substantially horizontal surface 14, such as the rim ofabath tub.

The longitudinal strip profile comprises a first upper limb 16 and a second lower limb 18 which extends outwardly and downwardly from the bottom of the first upper limb 16.

The rear surface of the first upper limb 16 is provided with a series of longitudinal parallel grooves 17 that help key the limb 16 to a wall 12 using a sealant or an adhesive. The second lower limb 18 is adapted to engage with a horizontal surface 14, typically the top of a bath tub or shower tray. In use, the rear face of the upper limb 16 is placed against the lowermost edge of the wall to be covered and is secured in a position with sealant or adhesive. The wall 12 is covered with a wall covering 20, such as wall panels, tiles or the like over the front face of the upper limb 16 and down to the level of the second lower limb 18.

The second lower limb 18 comprises a first section 22 which extends perpendicularly outwardly from the first upper limb 16 and a second section 24 which extends downwardly from the end of the horizontal section 22 at an angle of about 1000. The remote end of the second section 24 comprises an outwardly curved lip portion 26 which engages, in use, with the horizontal surface 14 (e.g. the rim of a bath tub). The purpose of the lip portion 26 is twofold, namely to direct water away from the wall-bath junction and to impart flexibility to the end 26 of the second section 24.

Making the remote end 26 of the downwardly extending section 24 flexible facilitates its engagement with the horizontal surface 14, particularly where this is irregular.

A resiliently deformable, double-sided adhesive strip or block 28 is attached to the inner surface of the horizontal section 22. Typically, the strip or block 28 is manufactured of closed-cell polymer foam, although this is not essential.

The thickness of the adhesive strip 28 is slightly greater than that of the S downwardly extending section 24, and connects the strip profile 10 to the horizontal surface 14. In use, the longitudinal strip profile 10 is pressed downwardly and the adhesive strip 28 compressed until the strip 10 reaches a position in which the remote end 26 of the downwardly extending section 24 engages the horizontal surface 14.

Thus, a first seal is formed where the remote end 26 of the downwardly extending portion 24 engages the horizontal surface 14 and a second seal is formed by the strip or block 28.

A flexible PVC sealing strip 30 extends upwardly from, the outer surface of the horizontal section 22. The flexible PVC sealing strip 30 has a crescent-shaped cross-section and is directed towards the first upper limb 16. In use, the flexible PVC sealing strip 30 engages with the bottom of the wall covering 20 and forms a seal thereagainst. The flexible PVC sealing strip 30 is conveniently integrally formed with the longitudinal strip profile 10 by co-extrusion. However it could be a separate item that is affixed to the longitudinal strip profile 10 using adhesive or a weld.

The horizontal section 22 additionally comprises a generally upward integrally formed elongate protrusion 32 for engaging the wall covering 20. The protrusion 32 comprises a rear surface 34 that extends upwardly at right angles to the outer surface of the horizontal section 22, an inclined upper surface 36 that slopes downwardly away from the first upper limb 16, and a curved front surface 38. One function of the inclined upper surface 36 is to direct water away from the wall-bath junction.

The protrusion helps the longitudinal strip profile 10 engage the wall covering 20. Specifically, as can be seen in Figure 2, the inclined upper surface 36 of the protrusion 32 engages the complementarily inclined lower surface 40 of the wall covering 20. Alternatively, as can be seen in Figure 3, the lower edge of certain types of wall covering 20 comprise a longitudinally extending recess 42 and the protrusion is complementarily shaped with the recess and is adapted to be received in, and engage with, the recess. Tn this way, forward movement of the lower edge of the wall covering 20 is inhibited by the lip's engagement with the recess 42.

The outer surface of the double sided strip 28 is covered with a removable protective film which protects the adhesive until the sealing system is required for use to seal the junction between the wall 12 and the horizontal surface 14 which may be the top of a bath or a shower tray. The scaling system TO is first cut to length as required.

A bead of sealant or adhesive is then applied to the wall 12 midway behind the proposed location of the sealing system. The protective film covering the adhesive strip 28 aftached to the inner surface of the second lower limb 22 is removed to expose the adhesive strip and the sealing system is then presented to the wall 12 and to the top of the bath or shower tray. The sealing system is then pressed into place against the wall 12 and against the top of the bath or shower tray.

The wall covering is applied down to the level of the adhesive flexible PVC strip 30 which seals off and protects the bottom of the wall covering 20.

In Figure 4, an alternative semi-flexible longitudinal strip profile 44 is shown fitted in place at the junction between a wall covering 20 and a bath or shower tray.

The semi-flexible longitudinal strip profile 44 is similar to that described previously and the same reference signs that were used in relation to Figures 1 to 3 have been used to indicate identical features in Figure 4.

The only differences between the embodiments shown in Figures 1 to 3 and Figure 4 are the absence in the Figure 4 embodiment of: a curved portion at the remote end 26 of the second section 24; and a flexible PVC sealing strip 30.

In the Figure 4 embodiment, the remote end 26 of the second section 24 comprises a straight second section 24 which can flex about the first-second section interface 46 to facilitate engagement with the horizontal surface 14, particularly where this is irregular.

Also shown in Figure 4 is a second double sided adhesive strip or block 48 attached to the outer surface of the horizontal section 22, which engages with the bottom edge 40 of the wall covering 20.

The outer surface of each double sided strip 28 and 48 is covered with a removable protective film which protects the adhesive until the sealing system is required for use to seal the junction between the wall 12 and the horizontal surface 14 which may be the top of a bath or a shower tray. The sealing system 44 is first cut to length as required. A bead of sealant or adhesive is then applied to the wall 12 midway behind the proposed location of the sealing system 44. The protective film covering the adhesive strip 28 attached to the inner surface of the second lower limb 22 is removed to expose the adhesive strip and the sealing system is then presented to the wall 12 and to the top of the bath or shower tray. The sealing system 44 is then pressed into place against the wall 12 and against the top of the bath or shower tray.

When the wall covering 20 is ready to be applied above the sealing system 44 the protective film covering the adhesive strip 48 attached to the outer surface of the second lower limb 22 is removed. The wall covering 20 is applied down to the level of the adhesive strip 48 which seals off, and protects, the bottom of the wall covering 20.

Claims

ICLAIMS: 1. A sealing system comprising: a longitudinal strip profile and a first sealing material the longitudinal strip profile and the first sealing material both being adapted in combination to form and maintain a seal between relatively vertical and horizontal surfaces, the strip profile comprising: a first upper limb defining an inner face and an outer face, the inner face of which is adapted to be fixed and/or sealed to the relatively vertical surface, and from which outer face there extends a second lower limb defining an upper face and a lower face, the lower face of which is adapted to be sealed to the relatively horizontal surface by the sealing material, and a second flexible seal extending from the upper face of the second lower limb.
2. A sealing system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second flexible seal comprises flexible PVC.
3. A sealing system as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the second flexible seal is integrally formed with the longitudinal strip profile.
4. A sealing system as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the second flexible seal is sealingly and/or continuously affixed to the longitudinal strip profile.
5. A sealing system as claimed in claim 4, wherein the second flexible seal is sealingly and/or continuously affixed to the longitudinal strip profile using adhesive or a weld.
6. A sealing system as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the second flexible seal comprises a crescent-shaped cross-section.
7. A sealing system as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the second flexible seal is inclined towards the first upper limb of the longitudinal strip profile.
8. A sealing system as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the first sealing material comprises a doubled sided adhesive strip, one side of which is adhered to the lower face of the second lower limb and the other side of which is covered with a removable protective film which is removed on use to expose the adhesive strip and allow attachment to the relatively horizontal surface.
9. A sealing system as claimed in claim 8, wherein the first sealing material is flexible, deformable and/or resiliently deformable.
10. A sealing material as claimed in claim 8 or claim 9, wherein the sealing material comprises a strip of closed-cell polymer foam or elastomer.
11. A sealing system comprising: a longitudinal strip profile; and a first sealing material the longitudinal strip profile and the first sealing material both being adapted in combination to form and maintain a seal between relatively vertical and horizontal surfaces; the strip profile comprising: a first upper limb defining an inner face and an outer face, the inner face of which is adapted to be fixed andlor sealed to the relatively vertical surface, and from which outer face there extends: a second lower limb defining an upper face and a lower face, the lower face of which is adapted to be sealed to the relatively horizontal surface by the scaling material; wherein the first sealing material comprises a doubled-sided adhesive strip, one side of which is adhered to the lower face of the second lower limb and the other side of which is covered with a removable protective film which is removed on use to expose the adhesive strip and allow attachment to the relatively horizontal surface.
12. A sealing system as claimed in any preceding claim, comprising a one-piece longitudinal strip profile.
13. A sealing system as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the outer face of the first upper limb is adapted, in use, to abut the inner face of a wall covering.
14. A sealing system as claimed in claim 13, wherein the wall covering comprises a tile.
15. A sealing system as claimed in any of claims 1 to 14, wherein the first upper limb is adapted, in use, to be attached to the relatively vertical surface using a sealant andlor an adhesive.
16. A sealing system as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the second lower limb extends downwardly relative to the point of connection to the first upper limb.
17. A sealing system as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the second lower limb comprises a first section which extends outwardly from the first upper limb and a second portion that extends from the end of the first portion downwardly towards the relatively horizontal surface.
18. A sealing system as claimed in claim 17, wherein the first section extends horizontally outwardly from the first upper limb.
19. A sealing system as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the end of the second lower limb remote from the end connected to the first upper limb comprises a flexible lip.
20. A sealing system as claimed in claim 19, wherein the flexible lip is adapted to engage with the relatively horizontal surface.
21. A sealing system as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the second S lower limb is tapered in cross-section such that it is thinner at or towards its end remote from the end connected to the first upper limb.
22. A sealing system as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the thickness of the first sealing material is approximately equal to that of the downwardly extending portion of the second lower limb, and is arranged to connect the strip profile to the relatively horizontal surface.
23. A sealing system as claimed in any of claims 1 to 21, wherein the first sealing material is deformable, and the thickness of the adhesive strip is greater than that of the downwardly extending portion of the second lower limb, and is arranged to compress to bring the remote end of the downwardly extending section into contact with the relatively horizontal surface.
24. A sealing system as claimed in claim 23, wherein the first sealing material is resiliently deformable.
25. A sealing system as claimed in any preceding claim, further comprising a second-double sided adhesive strip or block.
26. A sealing system as claimed in claim 25, wherein the second double-sided adhesive strip or block is attached to the outer surface of the first outwardly extending section of the second lower limb.
27. A sealing system as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the or each double-sided adhesive strip or block comprises a removable protective film.
28+ A scaling system as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the longitudinal strip is semi-flexible.
29. A sealing system as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the longitudinal strip is flexible.
30. A sealing system as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the first iS upper limb is tapered such that it is thicker towards its intended lower end.
31. A sealing system as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the upper edge of the first upper limb is chamfered or radiused.

32+ A sealing system substantially as hereinbefore described, with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawing.