Break-away multi-purpose flooring transition

Abstract

The invention is a joint cover assembly for covering a gap adjacent an edge of a panel that covers a sub-surface, and a method of covering such a gap. The assembly can be manipulated to form an end molding, a T-molding, a hard surface reducer, a carpet reducer, and/or a stair nose molding. A kit can include the joint cover assembly an a tool for forming a flooring transition from a generic element having break-away sections.

1 . A method for forming an integral multi-purpose structure for forming flooring transitions comprising: 
 providing a unitary core having an outer surface;    imparting to the outer surface of the core at least one cuts thereby defining a plurality of break-away sections in the core, wherein the cuts are sized, shaped and positioned such that removal of a break-away section of the core transforms the structure into a flooring transition; and    covering at least a portion of outer surface of the core having the at least one cut therein with a decorative material.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the providing comprises placing the cuts such that removal of a break-away section transform the core into a flooring transition selected from the group consisting of a hard surface reducer, carpet reducer, T-molding, end molding, quarter-round, shoe molding, wall base and stair nose.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the decorative material at least partially covers a cut in the core.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the imparting step comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of milling and cutting.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the cutting comprises using a blade or a laser.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising inserting a supporting material into a cut before the covering step.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the core comprises an interlayer positioned between the plurality of break-away sections.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the core comprises a material selected from the group consisting of fiber board, particle board, oriented strandboard, plywood, plastic, wood, engineered wood, metal, composites, gypsum, high-density reinforced plaster, and cork.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the decorative material is printed at least partially directly on the core to provide a decorative pattern.  
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the decorative material comprises a patterned paper sheet.  
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the decorative material comprises a wear layer comprising hard particles having a Moh's hardness of at least approximately 6.  
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the decorative material comprises a wear layer comprising particles selected from the group consisting of silica, alumina, diamond, silicon nitride, aluminum oxide, silicon carbide, cerium oxide and glass beads.  
   
   
       13 . A method of forming a flooring transition comprising: 
 providing an integral multi-purpose structure, the structure comprising: 
 a unitary core;  
 cuts in the core, defining a plurality of break-away sections in the core; and  
 a decorative material covering at least a portion of the core and the cuts; and  
   severing the decorative material over the cuts in the core; and    removing at least one break-away section.    
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the flooring transition is selected from the group consisting of hard surface reducer, carpet reducer, T-molding, end molding, quarter-round, shoe molding, wall base and stair nose.  
   
   
       15 . A tool for severing a multi-purpose structure into a flooring transition comprising: 
 a housing defining an interior space for receiving the structure;    a first blade position along a first side of the tool for severing the structure along a first axis;    a second blade position along a surface of the tool different from the first side for severing the structure along a second axis; and    a blade located in the first blade position.    
   
   
       16 . The tool of  claim 15 , further comprising a second blade located in the second blade position.  
   
   
       17 . The tool of  claim 17 , further comprising a third blade located in a third blade position for cutting the structure along a third axis, wherein the third blade position is substantially perpendicular to the first blade position and substantially parallel to the second blade position.  
   
   
       18 . The tool of  claim 15 , wherein the first blade position is substantially perpendicular to the second blade position.  
   
   
       19 . The tool of  claim 15 , further comprising means for moving the blade from the first blade position to the second blade position.  
   
   
       20 . The tool of  claim 15 , further comprising means for moving the blade from an operative position to an inoperative position,  
   
   
       21 . A kit comprising: 
 the tool of  claim 15  and    an integral multi-purpose structure, the structure comprising: 
 a unitary core;  
 cuts in the core, defining a plurality of break-away sections in the core; and  
 a decorative material coving at least a portion of the core and the cuts;  
   wherein at least one of the blade positions corresponds to the locations of a cut when the structure is moved through the interior space.    
   
   
       22 . The kit of  claim 21 , further comprising a clamp or track.  
   
   
       23 . A flooring transition formed according to the method of  claim 1 .  
   
   
       24 . A unitary structure for forming a flooring transition comprising: 
 a unitary core having an outer surface and cuts penetrating the outer surface, and    a decorative material covering a portion of the outer surface and the cuts,    wherein the cuts are sized, shaped and positioned to define a plurality of break-away sections in the core, such that removal of a break-away section of the core transforms the structure into a flooring transition.    
   
   
       25 . The structure of  claim 24 , wherein the core comprises a top face and two opposite lateral faces, and wherein each of lateral faces and the top face comprise a cut.  
   
   
       26 . The structure of  claim 25 , wherein at least one of the lateral faces comprises a plurality of cuts.  
   
   
       27 . The structure of  claim 24 , wherein the core comprises a material selected from the group consisting of fiber board, plastic, wood, engineered wood, metal, composites, gypsum, high-density reinforced plaster, and cork  
   
   
       28 . The structure of  claim 27 , wherein the core comprises fiber board.  
   
   
       29 . The structure of  claim 24 , wherein the decorative material comprises one selected from the group consisting of a foil, laminate, wood, wood veneer, ceramic, tiles, metal, vinyl, stone, paper, composite, and plastic.  
   
   
       30 . The structure of  claim 24 , wherein the decorative material comprises: 
 a patterned paper sheet impregnated with a thermosetting resin; and    a wear layer, the wear layer comprising hard particles having a Moh's hardness of at least approximately 6.    
   
   
       31 . The structure of  claim 24 , wherein the decorative material comprises a wear layer comprising particles selected from the group consisting of silica, alumina, diamond, silicon nitride, aluminum oxide, silicon carbide, cerium oxide and glass beads.  
   
   
       32 . The structure of  claim 24 , wherein: 
 the core comprises fiber board and    the decorative material comprises: 
 a patterned paper sheet impregnated with a thermosetting resin; and  
 a wear layer, the wear layer comprising hard particles selected from the group consisting of silica, alumina, diamond, silicon nitride, aluminum oxide, silicon carbide, cerium oxide and glass beads.