Method and Assembly for Repairing Plasterboard Walls and Ceilings

Abstract

A plasterboard wall or ceiling repair assembly for repairing a hole in a plasterboard wall or ceiling panel, the assembly comprising: a sheet adapted to be deformed and passed through the hole of the plasterboard wall to be positioned for engagement with an inner or non-exposed surface of the plasterboard wall surrounding said hole; and an inflatable balloon coupled with the sheet for retaining the sheet in engagement with the inner non-exposed surface of the plasterboard wall.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A plasterboard wall or ceiling repair assembly for repairing a hole in a plasterboard wall or ceiling panel, the assembly comprising:
 a sheet adapted to be positioned for engagement with an inner or non-exposed surface of the plasterboard wall or ceiling panel surrounding said hole, said sheet being configured to receive a curable compound on an outwardly facing surface;   an inflatable balloon coupled with the sheet such that, upon being inflated, outer walls of the inflated balloon abut an inner surface of the sheet for retaining the sheet in engagement with the inner non-exposed surface of the plasterboard wall or ceiling panel,   wherein the inflatable balloon comprises an inflation lumen attached to the sheet in a deflated configuration to prevent uncoupling of the deflated balloon relative to the sheet and allow inflation of the balloon after positioning the sheet in engagement with the inner surface of the plasterboard wall or ceiling.   
     
     
         2 . A plasterboard wall or ceiling repair assembly in accordance with  claim 1  wherein the sheet is a flexible sheet adapted to be deformed and passed through the hole of the plasterboard wall or ceiling panel to be positioned for engagement with the inner or nonexposed surface of the plasterboard wall or ceiling panel surrounding said hole. 
     
     
         3 . A plasterboard wall repair assembly in accordance with  claim 1  wherein the balloon defines an inflation cavity such that fluid conveyed through the inflation lumen into the inflation cavity inflates or deflates the balloon. 
     
     
         4 . A plasterboard wall repair assembly in accordance with  claim 3  wherein the inflation cavity is sufficiently large such that, upon being inflated, outer walls of the inflated balloon abut the inner surface of the sheet and one or more panels and/or one or more structural members positioned behind the plasterboard wall. 
     
     
         5 . A plasterboard wall repair assembly in accordance with  claim 1  wherein the sheet comprises an opening for receiving and retaining the inflation lumen of the balloon. 
     
     
         6 . A plasterboard wall repair assembly in accordance with  claim 1  wherein in an inflated configuration, the balloon is adapted to be attached to the sheet during use. 
     
     
         7 . A plasterboard wall or ceiling repair assembly in accordance with  claim 1  wherein the sheet is perforated and formed from a plastically deformable polymeric material. 
     
     
         8 . A plasterboard wall or ceiling repair assembly in accordance with  claim 7  wherein the perforations are sized for receiving and supporting a curable compound thereon. 
     
     
         9 . A plasterboard wall or ceiling repair assembly in accordance with  claim 1  wherein the sheet comprises a relatively thickened portion flanked by relatively thinner portions of the sheet for allowing said thinner portions to flex relative to the thickened portion. 
     
     
         10 . A plasterboard wall or ceiling repair assembly in accordance with  claim 9  wherein the thickened portion extends diagonally across the sheet to allow the thinner portions to flex relative to the diagonally oriented thickened portion. 
     
     
         11 . A plasterboard wall or ceiling repair assembly in accordance with  claim 1  wherein the sheet is substantially rectangular. 
     
     
         12 . A plasterboard wall or ceiling repair assembly in accordance with  claim 1  wherein surface area of the sheet is sufficiently large to cover the hole upon being placed in engagement with the inner surface of the plasterboard wall or ceiling surrounding the hole. 
     
     
         13 . A plasterboard wall or ceiling repair assembly in accordance with  claim 1  wherein the sheet is deformable to conform to a contour of the inner surface of the plasterboard wall or ceiling panel. 
     
     
         14 . A plasterboard wall or ceiling repair assembly in accordance with  claim 1  further comprising a curable compound for being applied on the sheet and covering the hole when the sheet is retained against the inner surface of the plasterboard wall or ceiling panel by the inflated balloon. 
     
     
         15 . A plasterboard wall or ceiling repair assembly in accordance with  claim 1  further comprising a flexible cradle, the cradle comprising one or more body members having end portions for being attached to the inner surface of the plasterboard wall or ceiling panel surrounding the hole with the one or more body members being structured to be positioned relative to the sheet to accommodate the inflated balloon therebetween and apply a pushing force on the inflated balloon to push the sheet into engagement with the inner surface of said wall or ceiling panel. 
     
     
         16 . A plasterboard wall or ceiling repair assembly in accordance with  claim 15  wherein the end portions of the cradle body members are attached to the inner surface of the wall or ceiling panel surrounding the hole. 
     
     
         17 . A plasterboard wall or ceiling repair assembly in accordance with  claim 15  wherein the cradle body members comprises one or more elongate flexible members that intersect each other and extend across the hole to receive and support the inflated balloon. 
     
     
         18 . A plasterboard wall or ceiling repair assembly in accordance with  claim 15  wherein the cradle body members comprise substantially thin and flexible polymeric materials. 
     
     
         19 . A method of repairing a hole in a plasterboard wall panel, the method comprising the steps of:
 passing a sheet through the hole and positioning said sheet for engagement with an inner and/or non-exposed surface of the plasterboard wall surrounding said hole and positioning the sheet across the hole to cover the hole;   inflating a balloon attached to said sheet by supplying fluid into said balloon such that outer walls of the inflated balloon abut an inner surface of the sheet and one or more panels and/or one or more structural members positioned behind the plasterboard wall thereby retaining the sheet across the hole; and   applying a curable compound on an outer exposed surface of the sheet and covering said exposed surface with the curable compound;   contouring the curable compound to the shape of the outer surface of the plasterboard; and   allowing the curable compound to cure.   
     
     
         20 . A method of repairing a hole in a plasterboard ceiling panel, the method comprising the steps of:
 passing a flexible cradle through the hole and positioning the cradle across the hole with end portions of the cradle being attached to an inner/non-exposed surface of the ceiling panel surrounding the hole;   passing a sheet through the hole and positioning said sheet for engagement with the inner and/or non-exposed surface of the plasterboard ceiling panel surrounding said hole and positioning the sheet across the hole to cover the hole;   inflating a balloon attached to said sheet by supplying fluid into said balloon such that outer walls of the inflated balloon abut an inner surface of the sheet and the cradle positioned behind said sheet thereby retaining the sheet across the hole;   applying a curable compound on an outer exposed surface of the sheet and covering said exposed surface with the curable compound;   contouring the curable compound to the shape of the outer surface of the plasterboard; and   allowing the curable compound to cure.