GB2463874A

GB2463874A - Surface repair device

Info

Publication number: GB2463874A
Application number: GB0817544A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Alan Pearcy
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2008-09-25
Filing date: 2008-09-25
Publication date: 2010-03-31
Also published as: GB0817544D0

Abstract

A device for repairing a surface 100, such as a plasterboard wall, including a collapsible member 20, which has one diameter when collapsed and a larger diameter when expanded, and a holding system to maintain the collapsible member when expanded against the surface to be repaired. Preferably the device shall have a grip member 30 that extends through an aperture in the collapsible member which is moveable through the aperture and has one or more elements to maintain it at one or more positions. It is also preferable that the collapsible member is biased towards an open state and has fastening elements, such as adhesive, to provide a bond between the collapsible member and the surface to be repaired. This, combined with the grip member, provides the holding system. A method for using the device is also claimed.

Description

Repair Device The present invention relates to devices for repairing surfaces such as building walls and ceilings.

Plasterboard is now a common standard material for interior walls and ceilings in modern buildings. Typically, two layers of plasterboard are spaced apart to form a cavity. Often, holes have to be made in the plasterboard for wiring and pipes.

Also, plasterboard walls are not as durable or as structurally strong as plaster walls and an accidental knock can damage the plasterboard.

Repairing plasterboard typically involves plugging the holes using a joint compound. However, since plasterboard walls generally have a substantially hollow interior, there is no support or foundation for the compound being used to make the repair. Larger holes require cutting even edges around the hole and fastening therein a suitably cut-out plasterboard piece to act as a foundation for plastering over the hole. However, this can be awkward to achieve.

Adhesive strips, wire meshes and the like have been proposed to act as the foundation when plastering over the hole. While these can be sufficient for small holes, the strips do not have adequate rigidity for larger holes, and the compound can seep through the wire mesh.

It is desirable to have an improved and easily fastened foundation for repairing holes in plasterboard.

According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a device for repairing a surface comprising: a collapsible member which has a first diameter when collapsed and a second larger diameter when expanded; and holding means for maintaining the collapsible member when expanded against the surface to be repaired.

The device may include a grip member. The grip member may comprise a shaft having an axis which is normal to the plane of the collapsible member when expanded. The grip member may extend through an aperture provided at the collapsible member. The grip member may be movable through the aperture relative to the collapsible member. The grip member may include one or more positioning members for maintaining the grip member at one or more positions relative to the collapsible member. The or each positioning member may comprise a stop or a notch.

The grip member may be adapted to at least partially provide the holding means.

The grip member may be movable through the aperture of the collapsible member until an end of the grip member contacts a second surface spaced apart from the surface to be repaired. At least one of the positioning members may be adapted to maintain the grip member in contact with the second surface thereby maintaining the collapsible member when expanded against the surface to be repaired. The grip member may be adapted to provide a central support for the device. * **

The device may include biasing means for urging the collapsible member towards the expanded state. The biasing means may be adapted to urge the *: collapsible member to a partially expanded state. The collapsible member may :. 25 be adapted to be movable from the partially expanded state to the expanded : state when a pulling force is applied to the grip member. *S..

Fastening means may be provided at the collapsible member for fastening the collapsible member when expanded to the surface to be repaired. The fastening means may be adapted to at least partially provide the holding means. The fastening means may comprise an adhesive. The fastening means may be adapted to provide an outer circumferential fastening of the device to the surface.

Both of the grip member and the fastening means may provide the holding means.

According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of repairing a surface comprising the steps of: inserting into a hole in the surface a collapsible member which has a first diameter when collapsed which is smaller than the diameter of the hole and a second diameter when expanded which is larger than the diameter of the hole; and maintaining the collapsible member when expanded against the surface to be repaired.

The method may include providing a grip member. The grip member may comprise a shaft having an axis which is normal to the plane of the collapsible member when expanded.

The method may include moving the grip member relative to the collapsible member until an end of the grip member contacts a second surface spaced apart from the surface to be repaired.

The grip member may include one or more positioning members for maintaining :. 25 the grip member at one or more positions relative to the collapsible member. At least one of the positioning members may be adapted to maintain the grip member in contact with the second surface thereby maintaining the collapsible member when expanded against the surface to be repaired.

The method may include providing biasing means for urging the collapsible member towards the expanded state. The biasing means may be adapted to urge the collapsible member to a partially expanded state. The method may include moving the collapsible member from the partially expanded state to the expanded state by applying a pulling force to the grip member.

The method may include providing fastening means at the collapsible member for fastening the collapsible member when expanded to the surface to be repaired.

The fastening means may comprise an adhesive.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a sectional side view of a device inserted through the hole of a surface to be repaired with the collapsible member in a collapsed state; Figure 2 is a sectional side view of the device of Figure 1 with the collapsible member in an extended state and the grip member at a first position; and Figure 3 is a sectional side view of the device of Figure 1 with the collapsible member in an extended state and the grip member at a second position.

* *. Figure 1 shows a device 10 for repairing a surface such as a plasterboard wall :;;:;: 100.

The device 10 includes a collapsible member 20 which has a collapsed state as :. 25 shown in Figure 1 and an expanded state as shown in Figures 2 and 3. In this embodiment, the collapsible member 20 is folded a number of times to form a number of longitudinal strips 22. The device 10 is therefore umbrella-like in that the collapsible member 20 can unfold and open out when expanding, although, unlike an umbrella, the collapsible member 20 is substantially planar when fully expanded.

The collapsible member 20 has a first diameter when collapsed which is smaller than the diameter of a hole 102 in the wall 100 to be repaired, and a second diameter when expanded which is larger than the diameter of the hole 102.

The device 10 includes biasing means in the form of a resilience of the longitudinal strips 22. When inserting the device 10 into the hole 102 in the wall 100, the hole 102 will maintain the collapsible member 20 in the collapsed state, but when the collapsible member 20 is fully inserted, the collapsible member 20 is free to expand. I0

The device also includes a grip member which comprises a shaft 30. The shaft has an axis which is normal to the plane of the collapsible member 20 when expanded. The grip member extends, and is movable through, an aperture 24 provided at the centre of the collapsible member 20. A washer 32 is provided on either side of the collapsible member 20 and coaxial with the shaft 30 for improved rigidity.

The shaft 30 includes a number of positioning members in the form of notches (not shown) which maintain the shaft 30 at particular positions relative to the collapsible member 20. The shaft 30 can be moved through the aperture 24 of the collapsible member 20 until an end 26 of the shaft 30 contacts a second surface or second wall 110 which is spaced apart from the first wall 100. One of the notches then maintains the shaft 30 in contact with the second wall 110, *: thereby maintaining the expanded collapsible member 20 against the wall 100.

:. 25 This is shown in Figure 3.

The resilience of the longitudinal strips 22 can be adapted to urge the collapsible member 20 to a partially expanded state. The device 10 can be adapted such that the collapsible member 20 can be moved from the partially expanded state to the fully expanded state by applying a pulling force to the shaft 30.

Fastening means in the form of an adhesive 40 is provided on one surface, and annularly at the outer circumference of the collapsible member 20. When the expanded collapsible member 20 is brought into contact with the wall 100, the adhesive 40 fastens the collapsible member 20 to the wall 100.

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It is to be appreciated that, in this embodiment, both of the shaft arrangement and the adhesive 40 provide the holding mean for maintaining the collapsible member 20 when expanded against the wall 100. However, only one of these, or alternative holding means, could be used. I0

In use, a user inserts the collapsible member 20 in a collapsed state into the hole 102 in the wall 100. When the collapsible member 20 is fully inserted, the collapsible member 20 expands to the partially expanded position. The user then pulls the shaft 30 so that the outer circumference of the collapsible member 20 abuts against the wall 100, and further pulling by the user causes the collapsible member 20 to move from the partially expanded state to the expanded state.

The collapsible member 20 is adapted to remain in this state when the pulling force is removed. This is assisted by the adhesive 40 which fastens the collapsible member 20 to the wall 100.

* ,. The user then moves the shaft 30 through the aperture 24 of the collapsible member 20 until the end 26 of the shaft 30 contacts the second wall 110. A positioning member maintains the shaft 30 at this position. Any length of shaft 30 *: extending out from the wall 100 can simply be trimmed off. *

The device 10 can now provide a sturdy foundation for applying a compound. It is to be noted that the adhesive 40 provides an outer circumferential fastening of *..: the device 10 to the waIl 100 while the shaft 30 provides a central support.

Whilst specific embodiments of the present invention have been described above, it will be appreciated that departures from the described embodiments may still fall within the scope of the present invention. * ** * S S * ** S... * . *S.* * S S S. 5 * S. * . S * S..

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Claims

CLAIMS1. A device for repairing a surface comprising: a collapsible member which has a first diameter when collapsed and a second larger diameter when expanded; and holding means for maintaining the collapsible member when expanded against the surface to be repaired.
2. A device as claimed in Claim 1, including a grip member.
3. A device as claimed in Claim 2, wherein the grip member comprises a shaft having an axis which is normal to the plane of the collapsible member when expanded.
4. A device as claimed in Claim 2 or 3, wherein the grip member extends through an aperture provided at the collapsible member, and wherein the grip member is movable through the aperture relative to the collapsible member.
5. A device as claimed in any of Claims 2 to 4, wherein the grip member includes one or more positioning members for maintaining the grip member at one or more positions relative to the collapsible member. * 0*
6. A device as claimed in any of Claims 2 to 5, wherein the grip member is adapted to at least partially provide the holding means. *** * * S. *

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7. A device as claimed in Claim 4 or Claim 5 or 6 when dependent on Claim 4, wherein the grip member is movable through the aperture of the collapsible member :: until an end of the grip member contacts a second surface spaced apart from the : surfacetoberepaired.
8. A device as claimed in Claim 7 when dependent on Claim 5, wherein at least one of the positioning members is adapted to maintain the grip member in contact with the second surface thereby maintaining the collapsible member when expanded against the surface to be repaired.
9. A device as claimed in any of Claims 2 to 8, wherein the grip member is adapted to provide a central support for the device.
10. A device as claimed in any preceding claim, including biasing means for urging the collapsible member towards the expanded state.
11. A device as claimed in Claim 10, wherein the biasing means is adapted to urge the collapsible member to a partially expanded state.
12. A device as claimed in Claim 11 when dependent on Claim 2, wherein the collapsible member is adapted to be movable from the partially expanded state to the expanded state when a pulling force is applied to the grip member.
13. A device as claimed in any preceding claim, including fastening means provided at the collapsible member for fastening the collapsible member when expanded to the surface to be repaired.
14. A device as claimed in Claim 13, wherein the fastening means is adapted to at least partially provide the holding means.

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15. A device as claimed in Claim 13 or 14, wherein the fastening means comprises an adhesive. *.** * * * ***

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16. A device as claimed in any of Claims 13 to 15, wherein the fastening means is *:. adapted to provide an outer circumferential fastening of the device to the surface.

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17. A device as claimed in any of Claims l3to 16, wherein both of the grip : member and the fastening means provide the holding means.
18. A method of repairing a surface comprising the steps of: inserting into a hole in the surface a collapsible member which has a first diameter when collapsed which is smaller than the diameter of the hole and a second diameter when expanded which is larger than the diameter of the hole; and maintaining the collapsible member when expanded against the surface to be repaired.
19. A method as claimed in Claim 18, including providing a grip member.
20. A method as claimed in Claim 19, wherein the grip member comprises a shaft having an axis which is normal to the plane of the collapsible member when expanded.
21. A method as claimed in Claim 19 or 20, including moving the grip member relative to the collapsible member until an end of the grip member contacts a second surface spaced apart from the surface to be repaired.
22. A method as claimed in any of Claims 19 to 21, wherein the grip member includes one or more positioning members for maintaining the grip member at one or more positions relative to the collapsible member, and wherein at least one of the positioning members is adapted to maintain the grip member in contact with the second surface thereby maintaining the collapsible member when expanded against the surface to be repaired.
23. A method as claimed in any of Claims 18 to 22, including providing biasing means for urging the collapsible member towards the expanded state. S...
24. A method as claimed in Claim 23, wherein the biasing means is adapted to urge the collapsible member to a partially expanded state.
25. A method as claimed in Claim 24, including moving the collapsible member ... from the partially expanded state to the expanded state by applying a pulling force to : the grip member.
26. A method as claimed in any of Claims 18 to 25, including providing fastening means at the collapsible member for fastening the collapsible member when expanded to the surface to be repaired.
27. A device substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
28. A method substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings. * I. * . * * ** S... * . *SS. * * S S. * *.. * 00 * . * ** S. SSS S *0