Barrier Devices and Related Methods

Abstract

A barrier device includes a horizontal portion formed of a polymer, the horizontal portion having a largest substantially planar surface and a thickness perpendicular to its largest substantially planar surface. The barrier device includes a vertical portion formed of a polymer and coupled with the horizontal portion, the vertical portion forming a substantially ninety-degree angle relative to the horizontal portion, the vertical portion having a largest substantially planar surface and a thickness perpendicular to its largest substantially planar surface. In implementations the thickness of the vertical portion is substantially equal to the thickness of the horizontal portion. A width of the horizontal portion, perpendicular to the vertical portion, is shorter than a height of the vertical portion perpendicular to the horizontal portion—in some cases no more than one third or one fifth its size. In implementations the barrier device may be used to protect an installed baseboard.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A barrier device, comprising:
 a horizontal portion formed of a polymer, the horizontal portion having a largest substantially planar surface and a thickness perpendicular to its largest substantially planar surface; and   a vertical portion formed of a polymer and coupled with the horizontal portion, the vertical portion forming a substantially 90-degree angle relative to the horizontal portion, the vertical portion having a largest substantially planar surface and a thickness perpendicular to its largest substantially planar surface;   wherein the thickness of the vertical portion is substantially equal to the thickness of the horizontal portion; and   wherein a width of the horizontal portion, perpendicular to the vertical portion, is shorter than a height of the vertical portion perpendicular to the horizontal portion.   
     
     
         2 . The barrier device of  claim 1 , wherein the vertical portion further comprises at least two slits at least partially defining a tab. 
     
     
         3 . The barrier device of  claim 2 , wherein the tab is configured to allow the barrier device to attach to a second barrier device. 
     
     
         4 . The barrier device of  claim 3 , wherein the tab is configured to interlock with a tab of the second barrier device. 
     
     
         5 . The barrier device of  claim 2 , wherein the at least two slits each have a length no greater than two inches. 
     
     
         6 . The barrier device of  claim 2 , wherein all slits formed in the vertical portion, including the at least two slits, are of equal length. 
     
     
         7 . The barrier device of  claim 2 , wherein the vertical portion comprises at least four slits including the at least two slits, wherein two of the at least four slits are on a first side of the barrier device and two of the at least four slits are on a second side of the barrier device opposite the first side. 
     
     
         8 . The barrier device of  claim 2 , wherein each of the at least two slits comprises a longest length substantially parallel with a longest length of the vertical portion. 
     
     
         9 . The barrier device of  claim 1 , wherein the vertical portion further comprises an opening therein sized sufficiently large to receive a user's hand and configured to be used as a handle. 
     
     
         10 . The barrier device of  claim 1 , wherein the horizontal portion is configured to fit between an installed baseboard and a surface beneath a bottom of the installed baseboard, while the vertical portion covers a front of the installed baseboard, to protect the installed baseboard. 
     
     
         11 . The barrier device of  claim 1 , wherein the barrier device is flexible enough to allow elastic deformation such that the formed angle can be manually adjusted from 60 degrees to 120 degrees and wherein, after such manual adjustment, the formed angle will automatically revert back to a resting position of substantially 90 degrees. 
     
     
         12 . The barrier device of  claim 1 , wherein the width of the horizontal portion is no more than one third the height of the vertical portion. 
     
     
         13 . The barrier device of  claim 12 , wherein the width of the horizontal portion is no more than one fifth the height of the vertical portion. 
     
     
         14 . The barrier device of  claim 1 , wherein a surface area of the largest substantially planar surface of the horizontal portion is smaller than a surface area of the largest substantially planar surface of the vertical portion. 
     
     
         15 . The barrier device of  claim 14 , wherein the surface area of the largest substantially planar surface of the horizontal portion is no more than one third the surface area of the largest substantially planar surface of the vertical portion. 
     
     
         16 . The barrier device of  claim 15 , wherein the surface area of the largest substantially planar surface of the horizontal portion is no more than one fifth the surface area of the largest substantially planar surface of the vertical portion. 
     
     
         17 . The barrier device of  claim 1 , wherein the vertical portion comprises a substantially rectangular shape and the horizontal portion comprises a substantially rectangular shape. 
     
     
         18 . A barrier device, consisting of:
 a polymer having a horizontal portion and a vertical portion, the horizontal portion being substantially rectangular and the vertical portion being substantially rectangular;   one or more slits formed in the vertical portion and at last partially defining at least one tab; and   an opening through the vertical portion sized large enough to receive a user's hand and to be used as a handle;   wherein the vertical portion forms an 80-degree to 100-degree angle relative to the horizontal portion;   wherein the horizontal portion comprises a largest substantially planar surface and a thickness perpendicular to its largest substantially planar surface;   wherein the vertical portion comprises a largest substantially planar surface and a thickness perpendicular to its largest substantially planar surface;   wherein the thickness of the vertical portion is substantially equal to the thickness of the horizontal portion;   wherein a width of the horizontal portion, perpendicular to the vertical portion, is shorter than a height of the vertical portion perpendicular to the horizontal portion; and   wherein the horizontal portion is configured to fit between an installed baseboard and a surface beneath a bottom of the installed baseboard, while the vertical portion covers a front of the installed baseboard, to protect the installed baseboard.   
     
     
         19 . A method of barrier device use, comprising:
 placing a horizontal portion of a first barrier device between an installed baseboard and a surface beneath a bottom of the installed baseboard such that a vertical portion of the first barrier device, coupled with the horizontal portion at an angle between 80-100 degrees, covers a front of the installed baseboard;   installing a floor covering on the surface, such that a portion of the floor covering resides between the surface and the horizontal portion, while the vertical portion covers the front of the installed baseboard; and   after installing the floor covering, removing the horizontal portion from between the installed baseboard and the floor covering;   wherein the horizontal portion and the vertical portion are each formed of a polymer; and   wherein the horizontal portion and the vertical portion are each substantially rectangular.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising interlocking the first barrier device with a second barrier device, at least partially by using a tab of the first barrier device, the tab at least partially formed by a plurality of slits in the vertical portion.