BACKGROUND

In a high-traffic area of a building, corners and junctions between walls are often subject to a significant amount of wear and tear. For example, in a hospital hallway, the comer junctions where walls meet can be bumped by patient beds, gurneys, wheelchairs, and mobile imaging equipment, resulting in chipping and denting of the corners. Additionally, rental properties are another example of a high-volume area that experiences significant wear on wall corners. For example, rental properties experiencing a high volume of moving furniture in and out of rooms, which exposes comers to a significant amount of wear and potential for damage. This can also be a factor for other residential buildings and dwelling spaces. In some cases, walls and corners may have brittle coatings such as stucco or tile, resulting in potential chipping and cracking of the stucco or tile due to various collisions with the corners.

For example, in congested indoor areas, such as in commercial facilities including restaurants and convention meeting facilities, wall coatings may be positioned to cover comer junctions along the baseboard of the intersection of walls. For areas experiencing a significant amount of cart traffic, the wall coatings may be bumped by wheels or other parts of a cart, resulting in damage. The damaged areas may then crack and/or separate from the wall, thereby allowing adjacent areas to separate from the wall and allowing further damage to the baseboard and corner junction of side walls until repaired.

To protect the corners, a protective, resilient material may be attached to the corner to absorb the impact and rubbing often experienced at the corners between walls. Thus, providing wall and door mounted structures to protect the door and wall from general wear and tear can be desirable, especially in high-traffic areas. For instance, such structures are commonly used in school, hospital, nursing home, and other such settings where there is a large amount of pedestrian traffic such that the walls and doors experience a relatively high amount of wear and tear. Additionally, it may be desirable to provide comer protectors in areas that commonly involve the movement of relatively large equipment in and out of hallways and doors in which areas the doors and walls experience wear and tear in connection with the movement of such equipment. Accordingly, these locations often employ wall and door guards and other such protection structures to guard against the wear and tear often associated with these uses.

One such type of wall guard is a corner guard. Comer guards may be applied to the corners of walls to absorb the impact from traffic around the corners. Comers are particularly susceptible to damage because it is often difficult to navigate corners with large equipment and the like. Accordingly, it is increasingly common for facilities to employ the use of corner guards around comers in high-traffic areas to protect the corners of the walls as well as those areas immediately adjacent.

One disadvantage of known corner guards is that their installation can be complicated. Further, installation and then subsequent removal of a comer guard can result in damage to the underlying wall. For example, if the comer guard is installed using double-sided adhesive or tape, the removal of the corner guard can also remove paint, plaster, or other layers of the wall that adhere to the adhesive or tape. Additionally, if the corner guard is installed using fasteners such as screws, there will be holes left in the wall where the fasteners were attached to the wall.

When protection of a corner is only temporarily needed, such as for a task lasting a short duration (e.g., a carpet cleaning), temporary corner protectors made of thin flexible plastic or foam rubber may be used. For example, the temporary comer protector may be propped up against a corner during a short period while cleaning or installing carpets, during which period tools, hoses, or electrical cords are likely to mb or otherwise induce wear on the corners. Because these temporary comer protectors are only used briefly for specific activities, they tend to be small, inexpensively constructed, and are not aesthetically pleasing. Further, they are lightweight and easily placed and removed, such that they can be easily moved and deployed from task-to-task.

For example, U.S. Patent Application Publication 2020/0248464 Al describes a portable comer guard for protecting walls and other structures during many cleaning services such as carpet and air duct cleaning that may involve cords, hoses, and/or other objects being drawn around corners, which would otherwise mar the corners of the wall. The portable corner guard is small, easy to place and remove, and is lightweight to be portable from one cleaning job to the next. To overcome the propensity of the guards to dislodge and tip over, small magnetic elements protrude from an inner surface of the portable comer guard to keep the guard upright. These magnets are small with a pulling force that is only sufficient to keep it from tipping over, making it easier to remove after having been temporarily deployed but sufficient to overcome the propensity of the guards to dislodge and tip over.

Similarly, U.S. Patent 5,313,754 describes corner protectors that are used during the laying of carpet, and describes various mechanism for attaching the corner protectors, including hook and loop fastener (e.g., VELCRO) strips, suction means, magnetic means, adhesive, and tethering tapes or ties. For example, U.S. Patent 5,313,754 describes the corner protectors having an injection molded, elongated resilient one-piece body and protruding from an inner surface are small multiple pole ceramic magnets. These small magnets provide sufficient force to keep the corner protectors temporarily in place during the task of carpeting laying, and then are easily removed thereafter, such that the comer protectors can be repeatedly mounted onto the structural corner or comer edge and removed.

The temporary comer protectors are not suitable for permanent use because they lack the size and durability of comer guards intended for continual use. Further, the temporary corner protectors are too easily removed. Whereas being easily removed is an asset for temporary comer protectors because it makes them easier to move from the location of one temporary task to another, being easily removed is a liability for a permanent corner guard because there is an expectation that the permanent comer guard cannot be dislodged, and a dislodged corner guard may fall on an unsuspecting child causing injury.

Further, if a temporary corner protector were to be used in a setting where permanent corner guards are typically used, such as in a busy, high-traffic hospital corridor the temporary corner protector would frequently become dislodged and eventually lost because in a traffic setting such as a hospital, gurneys and medical imaging equipment would bumping into it and hospital personnel have more important concerns than replacing the temporary corner protector. Additionally, to be lightweight and portable, temporary comer protector are intentionally made to be small, inexpensively constructed, and made from lightweight materials, which makes them incompatible for continual usage.

Corner guards that are intended for continual usage are often installed once, and thereafter the corner guards remain in place for the lifetime of the wall or building to which they are installed. Accordingly, corner guards that are intended for continual usage may be referred to as permanent corner guards. However, even nominally permanent corner guards may undergo wear and tear, and the aesthetic of the corner guard will deteriorate over time. Therefore, it may be desirable to replace the permanent corner guard to improve the aesthetic of a building. Thus, it is desirable that the comer guard can be easily installed and, if expedient, be easily replaced. At the same time, when installed, a corner guard that is a permanent fixture should be held firmly in place, to avoid risk of the corner guard accidentally being jarred loose and falling on a user of the building, resulting in potential injury. Known corner guards lack the above desirable attributes.

The subject matter claimed herein is not limited to embodiments that solve any disadvantages or that operate only in environments such as those described above. Rather, this background is only provided to illustrate one exemplary technology area where some embodiments described herein may be practiced.

BRIEF SUMMARY

One embodiment illustrated herein includes a wall trimming element for positioning at an angled section of a wall. The wall trimming element includes a comer guard member having an elongated body including planar portions joined at a corner. The planar portions are respectively configured to have an inner surface and an outer surface. The inner surface is configured to abut a wall surface of a wall. The wall trimming element includes a magnet affixed to the corner guard member, and the magnet being configured to induce a magnetic attraction to a magnetic material in the wall.

In certain implementations of the one embodiment illustrated herein, the magnet is arranged at a location of the corner guard member that overlaps the magnetic material in the wall when the comer guard member is positioned at the angled section of the wall.

In certain implementations of the one embodiment illustrated herein, the magnet is a rare earth magnet.

In certain implementations of the one embodiment illustrated herein, the magnet is a neodymium magnet.

In certain implementations of the one embodiment illustrated herein, the magnet is a plurality of magnet pieces affixed at respective locations within each of the planar portions, and the plurality of magnet pieces is configured to affix the corner guard member at an angled section of a wall by a magnetic force that is greater than or equal to 70 pounds of force.

In certain implementations of the one embodiment illustrated herein, the corner guard member comprises structural material selected from a group consisting of a thermoplastic, a metal, a polymer, a plastic, a rubber, a plant fiber, a wood, a ceramic, an organic material, a resin, a composite material, a fiber reinforce polymer, an elastomer, a synthetic fiber, and gypsum board.

In certain implementations of the one embodiment illustrated herein, the corner guard member comprises an outer surface having a decorative design.

In certain implementations of the one embodiment illustrated herein, the corner guard member includes a recessed portion in the inner surface, and the magnet is affixed within the recessed portion.

In certain implementations of the one embodiment illustrated herein, a depth of the recessed portion in the inner surface is sized according to dimensions of the magnet such that when the magnet is affixed within the recessed portion the magnet does not extend beyond a plane of the inner surface that is configured to abut a wall surface.

In certain implementations of the one embodiment illustrated herein, the inner surface of the corner guard member comprises a non-marking material that mitigates marks on an outer surface of the wall when the corner guard member is applied to and then later removed from the angled section of the wall. In certain implementations of the one embodiment illustrated herein, the magnetic material in the wall is a metal comer bead of the wall.

Another embodiment illustrated herein is a comer guard for positioning at an angled structure. The corner guard includes an elongated body including planar portions joined at a corner. The planar portions respectively being configured to have an inner surface and an outer surface. The inner surface being configured to abut an angled structure. The comer guard includes a magnet affixed to the elongated body. The magnet being configured to induce a magnetic attraction to a magnetic material in the angled structure.

A third embodiment illustrated herein is a wall trimming system for positioning a corner guard at an angled section of a wall. The wall trimming system includes a corner bead comprising a magnetic material (e.g., a ferrous metal) arranged proximate with the angled section of the wall. The wall trimming system includes a comer guard member having an elongated body including planar portions joined at a corner. The planar portions are respectively configured to have an inner surface and an outer surface. The inner surface is configured to abut a wall surface of a wall. The wall trimming system includes a magnet affixed to the corner guard member. The magnet being arranged proximate to the corner bead and inducing a magnetic attraction to a metal corner bead.

This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This Summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter.

Additional features and advantages will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by the practice of the teachings herein. Features and advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by means of the instruments and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims. Features of the present invention will become more fully apparent from the following description and appended claims, or may be learned by the practice of the invention as set forth hereinafter.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In order to describe the manner in which the above-recited and other advantages and features can be obtained, a more particular description of the subject matter briefly described above will be rendered by reference to specific embodiments which are illustrated in the appended drawings. Understanding that these drawings depict only typical embodiments and are not therefore to be considered to be limiting in scope, embodiments will be described and explained with additional specificity and detail through the use of the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 illustrates a cross section of corner guard, according to one embodiment;

Figure 2 illustrates a cross section of a wall corner, according to one embodiment;

Figure 3A illustrates a cross section of a comer guard attached to a wall comer, according to one embodiment;

Figure 3B illustrates a second example of a cross section of a comer guard attached to a wall corner, according to one embodiment;

Figure 4 illustrates an exploded perspective view of comer guard attached to a wall corner, according to one embodiment;

Figure 5 illustrates a corner guard magnetically attached to magnetic inserts in a wall corner, according to one embodiment;

Figure 6 illustrates an example of a magnetic insert, according to one embodiment;

Figure 7 illustrates a comer guard having protrusions, according to one embodiment;

Figure 8A illustrates a front, perspective view of a housing for a magnetic insert, according to one embodiment;

Figure 8B illustrates a back, perspective view of a housing for a magnetic insert, according to one embodiment;

Figure 8C illustrates a side view of a housing for a magnetic insert, according to one embodiment; and

Figure 8D illustrates a front view of a housing for a magnetic insert, according to one embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

As discussed above, known permanent corner guards have several drawbacks, and therefore improved corner guards are desired. For example, installation and/or removal of known corner guards damages the underlying wall. Further, known comer guards can be complicated and require an assortment of tools and additional hardware. Additionally, replacement of known corner guards can also be complicated and require an assortment of tools and additional hardware.

The embodiments disclosed herein overcome the above-noted drawbacks of comer guards by integrating strong magnets into novel corner guards, such that the comer guards can be installed simply by placing the corner guards at the corner of a wall that includes a magnetic material, such a metal corner bead. Then magnetic attraction to a corner bead in the wall (or to other magnetic material that has been preinstalled at the comer of the wall) causes the corner guards to remain fixed in place, and because a strong magnet is used, users will observe no difference between the magnetic corner guard and a conventional corner guard that has been installed using adhesives or fasteners. In certain embodiments, the magnetic attraction is sufficiently strong that the comer guards can only be dislodged and removed from the wall if considerable force (e.g., 70 pounds) is applied to pull the corner guards away from the wall. For example, the force required to remove the corner guard would be greater than encountered during normal usage. Thus, the corner guards will not be accidentally dislodged, but, with sufficient force applied in a particular direction (i.e., away from the corner), the comer guards can be intentionally removed and replaced. Nevertheless, when attached, the corner guard provides a look and feel that provides a visible impression of being permanently fixed to the angled section of the wall.

Referring now to FIGs. 1, 2, and 3(A-B), a non-limiting example of a magnetic corner guard 100 is illustrated being attached to a wall corner 200 via magnetic attraction. FIG. 1 illustrates a non-limiting example of a magnetic corner guard 100. In FIG. 1, the magnetic corner guard 100 is illustrated as having a first layer 110 (or “outer layer”), a second layer 112 (or “middle layer”), and a third layer 114 (or “inner layer”) with a recess cut into the third layer 114 to hold the magnets 120. The first layer 110, second layer 112, and third layer 114 may be the same material or different materials. For example, the various layers may be a thermoplastic, a metal, a polymer, a plastic, a rubber, a plant fiber, a wood, a ceramic, an organic material, a resin, a composite material, a fiber reinforce polymer, an elastomer, a synthetic fiber, or a gypsum board.

In certain embodiments, a decorative design may be cut in the first layer 110. The second layer 112 (or “middle layer”) can function as backstop to prevent the recessed cut outs in the third layer 114 (i.e., the recesses for the magnets 120) from being visible through the decorative pattern cut into the first layer 110. When the layers are metal, the layers can be spot welded together. Alternatively, the layers can be brazed or soldered together. In certain embodiments the layers can be combined using an adhesive (i.e., VHB “Very High Bond” Double Stick Tape). Depending on the materials of the layers, any known process for combining the layers may be used.

When the first layer 110 and second layer 112 are metal, these two layers may be combined by welding the layers together at respective points, for example. The recesses in the third layer 114 may cut or stamped out of the third layer 114, or the third layer 114 may be a molded material and the recesses may be created by the mold, for example. The layers may be combined using an adhesive. The exterior layers may be harder than the interior layers. For example, the outer/exterior layer (e.g., the first layer 110) may be metal to avoid dents when impacted, and the inner/interior layer (e.g., the third layer 114) may be elastomeric to absorb and dissipate the force of an impact across a broader area of the wall. In certain embodiments, the magnetic corner guard 100 may be painted. Alternatively, a powder coating may be applied. The powder coating may be applied using a finishing process in which dry, free-flowing, thermoplastic or thermoset powder material is applied to a surface, melted, and hardened into an even coating. This finishing process can be performed using electrostatic spray deposition (ESD). For example, powder coating may include a preparation stage, an application stage, and curing stage, which are variously performed using a spray gun, spray booth, and curing oven. During the process, the powder is applied to a substrate’s pretreated surface, melted, and then dried and hardened into a protective/decorative coating.

In the surface-preparation stage, the surface of the substrate can be cleaned and treated to ensure that the part is free of dust, dirt, and debris. For example, this surface prepare may include cleaning, rinsing, etching, blasting, and drying, which steps may be variously performed using a wash station, a blast room, and a dry-off oven.

In the coating-application stage, when the substrate is metal, the coating material may be applied via electrostatic spray deposition, which is performed using a powder spray booth, a powder feeder, and an electrostatic spray gun. Electrically-charged particles adhere to the electrically grounded surface of the substrate to be coated and will remain adhered as long as they maintain some of their charge.

In the heat-curing stage, the part that has previously been coated via ESD is then cured in a powder curing oven. The curing schedule for a part is dependent on its size, shape, and thickness. For example, smaller powder coated parts require less curing time and lower volumes of heated air to cure fully, and larger parts require more. However, generally, a curing oven that is being operated between 325 to 450 degrees Fahrenheit will cure the powder coating in a period ranging between ten minutes to over an hour. As the ESD coated part reaches the optimum curing temperature within the oven, the powder particles melt and flow together to form a continuous film over the part’s surface.

Powder coating me be performed using a thermoset powder coating (i.e., short polymer molecules). During the curing process, the p thermoset powder coating undergoes an irreversible chemical cross-linking reaction, which bonds together long chains of polymer molecules. This reaction changes the physical properties and chemistry of the material and allows it to harden into a thin, even, hard finish.

Advantageously, using thermosets has the benefit that the finished surface can withstand high temperatures and has a high scratch and mar resistance. Thermoset powder coating are primarily applied to a metal surface, such as steel, stainless steel, and aluminum. However, they can also be applied to non-metal substrates, such as glass, wood, or medium density fiberboard. The range of suitable materials for the powder coating process is limited to materials that can withstand the temperatures required to melt and cure the coating powder without melting, deforming, or burning itself. They can be applied in a wide range of colors, finishes, textures, and thicknesses that are not readily achievable through conventional liquid coating methods.

Powder coating offers several advantages over conventional liquid coating methods, including increased durability, capabilities for more specialized finishes, less environmental impact, faster turnaround time, and lower material costs. They demonstrate higher resistance to impact, moisture, chemicals, and wear, and offer greater protection from scratches, abrasion, corrosion, fading, and general wear. These characteristics make them well-suited for high use and high traffic applications.

Alternatively, when the magnetic comer guard 100 is a metal, the outer face of the magnetic corner guard 100 may have a burnished metal appearance, an anodized aluminum appearance, a matte appearance, a polished appearance, a distressed antique appearance, a distressed statuary appearance, a textured appearance, a sand blasted appearance, or any other known finish or appearance. In certain embodiments, the magnetic comer guard 100 may have a rubber coating or an outer paint coating.

In certain embodiments, the magnetic corner guard 100 may have more or fewer than three layers. For example, the magnetic corner guard 100 may be a single layer, such as a molded thermoplastic having recesses molded into the thermoplastic to accommodate the magnets 120, which are held in place via an adhesive or fasteners such as screws. Alternatively or additionally, the recesses may be shaped with a lip that holds the magnets 120 in place, after the magnets 120 are clipped into place. In certain embodiments, the magnetic corner guard 100 will include a magnetic material, and the magnets 120 may be held in place by a magnetic force.

In certain embodiments, the magnets 120 are bar magnets that are dimensioned 6 inches by 0.5 inches by 0.125 inches. Alternatively, the magnets 120 are bar magnets that are dimensioned 6 inches by 0.5 inches by 0.0625 inches. The magnets 120 are arranged between 1.25 inches and 0.5 inches from the corner of the of the corner guard 100. In certain embodiments, the corner guard 100 is an elongated body that is 16 inches or 48 inches long. In certain embodiments, the corner guard 100 is an extruded L-shape, and the L-shape is symmetric with each leg of the L-shape being between 2 inches and 5 inches. In certain embodiments, the thickness of each leg (i.e., the combined thickness of the layers in FIG. 1) is between 0.15 inches and 0.25 inches. In certain embodiments, the thickness of each leg is between 0.25 inches and 0.5 inches.

FIG. 2 illustrates a non-limiting example of a wall comer 200. In FIG. 2, the wall corner 200 is illustrated as having a wall stud 240 surrounded by two pieces of wall board 250 forming a comer. At this comer, a metal corner bead 220 is arranged and covered by respective layers of a plaster coat 213, a prime coat 212, and a finish coat 210. Significantly, the comer bead 220 may be a magnetic material, such as a ferrous metal. For example, the corner bead 220 may be vertical molding used to protect the external angle of the intersecting surfaces. In certain embodiments, the corner bead 220 may be a strip of formed galvanized iron, and may have an outer surface and an inside surface that directly abuts the wall corner. In certain embodiments, the strip of formed galvanized iron may be combined with a strip of metal lath, placed on comers to reinforce them before plastering. The corner bead 220 may include attachment points, such as holes through which fasteners (e.g., screws) may be driven to attach the comer bead 220 to a wall board or wall stud 240. The corner bead 220 may be flexible, such that it can have an angle of 90 degrees, or may have an angle greater than or less than 90 degrees, and, when bent the desired angle, the metal corner bead 220 may maintain its shape at the desired angle.

FIG. 2 illustrates a non-limiting example of a wall corner 200, and other variations of a wall comer may be used. For example, the wall may have a textured surface, may be stucco, may be tiled, or may have a bullnose configuration. In certain embodiments, such as for certain bullnose comers, a metal corner bead 220 may be absent from the wall corner 200, and another magnetic component may be added to provide magnetic attraction between the magnet in the corner guard 100 and the wall corner 200. For example, a different magnetic component may be arranged near the wall comer 200, and the comer guard 100 may be fixed to the wall using magnetic attraction may be between the magnets 120 and this different magnetic component. For example, in a stucco wall a metal lath may be used, which may be the different magnetic component within the wall comer 200. In certain embodiments, as illustrated in FIGs. 5 and 6, magnetic inserts 280 may be integrated in the wall corner 200, as discussed below.

FIGs. 3 A and 3B illustrate a non-limiting example of fixing the corner guard 100 to the wall comer 200 via magnetic attraction. The comer guard 100 is arranged on the wall comer 200 with the magnets 120 in proximity to the metal corner bead 220, such that magnetic fields between magnets 120 and the corner bead 220 creates an attractive force.

In certain embodiments, the magnets 120 are neodymium bar magnets with dimensions 6 inches by 0.5 inches by 0.125 inches and 17.8 pounds of pull force each. The corner guard 100 may be held to the wall comer 200 with of force of more than 70 pounds of force.

FIG. 4 illustrates an exploded perspective view of the corner guard 100 and the wall corner 200. The magnets are fixed in the recessed cavities in the corner guard 100, and the corner guard 100 is placed on the wall corner 200 with the magnets 120 in proximity to the corner bead 220 or some other magnetic material within the wall corner 200. FIGs. 5 and 6 illustrates an embodiment in which magnetic inserts 280 have been arranged within the wall corner 200. See also Figures 8A, 8B, 8C, and 8D. For example, Figure 8A illustrates a front, perspective view of a housing for the magnetic insert. Figure 8B illustrates a back, perspective view of the housing for the magnetic insert. In addition, Figure 8C illustrates a side view of a housing for a magnetic insert, according to one embodiment. Furthermore, Figure 8D illustrates a front view of the housing for the magnetic insert.

Referring again to Figs. 5 and 6 (or FIGs 8A-8D, as may be applicable), the magnetic inserts 280 are arranged within the wall corner 200 such that they align with the magnets 120 when the corner guard 100 is placed on the wall corner 200. As illustrated in FIG. 5 the magnetic inserts 280 may include a housing 282, which may be plastic and have attachment points to connect the be magnetic inserts 280 to the wall board 250 using fasteners (e.g., screws). The housing 282 partial encloses a magnetic material 284. The magnetic material 284 may be a magnet, or may be a ferrous metal, or may be some other material that exhibits magnetic attraction. In embodiments in which the magnetic material 284 is a magnet, the magnets 120 may be omitted from the comer guard 100, if the corner guard 100 includes magnetic material, which experiences magnetic attraction when in proximity to a magnet.

FIG. 7 illustrates an embodiment in which protrusions 190 are arranged at the end of the comer guard 100. In the event that the comer angle of the wall corner 200 deviates slight from 90 degrees, the protrusions 190 allow the ends of the corner guard 100 to contact the walls and avoid gaps between the ends of the corner guard 100 and the walls. Additionally or alternatively, the corner guard 100 may be bendable at the corner and may be deformed to have an angle greater than or less than 90 degrees.

In certain embodiments the recesses in the corner guard 100 to accommodate the magnets 120 may be dimensioned to have the same dimensions as the magnets 120. Generally, the closer the proximity of the magnets 120 to the metal corner bead 220, the greater the magnetic force adhering the corner guard 100 to the wall corner 200. Thus, making the surface of the magnets 120 flush with the surface of the corner guard 100 ensures that the magnetic force is not diminished due to a large distance between the magnets 120 and the magnetic material in the wall corner 200.

In certain embodiments the surface of the magnets 120 will be recessed from the surface of the corner guard 100. For example, the magnets 120 may be marking, such that when touching the wall marks will be left on the wall after the comer guard 100 is removed. In contrast the primary material of the corner guard 100 may be non-marking. Accordingly, when the surface of the magnets 120 is recessed from the surface of the comer guard 100, marks on the wall may be advantageously avoided. In certain embodiments, the magnets 120 may be entirely enclosed within the layers of the corner guard 100. Notably, the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 7 uses two layers for the corner guard 100, in contrast to the three layers of the comer guard 100 in the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1.

As illustrated in the figures herein, in certain embodiments, the comer guard 100 may be a wall trimming element that is to be arranged/positioned at an angled section of a wall (or “wall corner”), a desk, furniture, or other comer that one wants to protect from wear and tear. The angle can be 90 degrees, 120 degrees, or some other angle. Generally, the angle will be between 0 degrees and 180 degrees. The comer guard 100 may include a corner guard member having an elongated body (e.g., an extruded L-shape) that includes planar portions joined at a corner. The planar portions may respectively have an inner surface and an outer surface. The inner surface may be configured to abut a wall surface of a wall. The corner guard 100 may include a magnet affixed to the corner guard member. The magnet may be arranged to induce a magnetic attraction to a corner bead of the wall or another magnetic object within the wall.

In certain embodiments of the corner guard 100, the magnet is arranged at a location of the comer guard member that overlaps the comer bead of the wall, when the corner of the comer guard member is positioned at the angled section of the wall.

In certain embodiments of the corner guard 100, the magnet is a rare earth magnet, such as a neodymium magnet (e.g., Nd^FeuB) or a samarium-cobalt magnet. Rare-earth magnets are strong permanent magnets made from alloys of rare-earth element.

In certain embodiments of the corner guard 100, the magnets 120 are magnet pieces affixed at respective locations within each of the planar portions, and the magnet pieces is configured to affix the corner guard member at an angled section of a wall by a magnetic force that is greater than or equal to 70 pounds of force.

In certain embodiments of the corner guard 100, the corner guard member is made using one or more structural materials including, e.g., a thermoplastic, a metal, a polymer, a plastic, a rubber, a plant fiber, a wood, a ceramic, an organic material, a resin, a composite material, a fiber reinforce polymer, an elastomer, a synthetic fiber, and/or gypsum board.

In certain embodiments of the corner guard 100, the corner guard member comprises an outer surface having a decorative design. As illustrated in FIG. 4, the comer guard 100 can include a decoration 150 on it outward facing portion. For example, the comer guard 100 can have a customized or seasonal decoration 150, and the comer guard 100 can be changed such that the seasonal decoration 150 matches a current season or holiday. In certain embodiments of the corner guard 100, the corner guard member includes a recessed portion in the inner surface, and the magnet is affixed within the recessed portion.

In certain embodiments of the corner guard 100, a depth of the recessed portion in the inner surface is sized according to dimensions of the magnet such that when the magnet is affixed within the recessed portion the magnet does not extend beyond a plane of the inner surface that is configured to abut a wall surface.

In certain embodiments of the corner guard 100, the inner surface of the corner guard member comprises a non-marking material that mitigates marks on an outer surface of the wall when the corner guard member is applied to and then later removed from the angled section of the wall.

In certain embodiments, the corner guard 100 is part of a wall-trimming system, and the wall trimming system is used for positioning the comer guard 100 at an angled section of a wall (or “wall corner”). The wall-trimming element includes a corner bead comprising a magnetic (ferrous) material arranged proximate with the angled section of the wall. The wall-trimming element includes a corner guard member having an elongated body including planar portions joined at a corner. The planar portions respectively being configured to have an inner surface and an outer surface, the inner surface being configured to abut a wall surface of a wall. The walltrimming element includes a magnet affixed to the corner guard member. The magnet being arranged proximate to the comer bead and inducing a magnetic attraction to a comer bead.

In the examples above it should be noted that although not shown various alternatives can be implemented. For example, in any of the embodiments illustrated, a backside fill (i.e. foam, rubber or plastic) may be used or may be omitted. Alternatively, or additionally, while the active areas have been shown as being substantially square in nature, it should be appreciated that the active areas may be rectangular or other appropriate shapes.

The discussion above refers to a number of methods and method acts that may be performed. Although the method acts may be discussed in a certain order or illustrated in a flow chart as occurring in a particular order, no particular ordering is required unless specifically stated, or required because an act is dependent on another act being completed prior to the act being performed.

Furthermore, the present invention can be described in terms of several additive or alternative configurations. For example, one configuration includes a wall trimming element for positioning at an angled section of a wall, with the wall trimming element including a corner guard member having an elongated body including planar portions joined at a comer, the planar portions respectively being configured to have an inner surface and an outer surface, the inner surface being configured to abut a wall surface of a wall, and a magnet affixed to the corner guard member, the magnet being configured to induce a magnetic attraction to a magnetic material in the wall, wherein a combined pull force of the wall trimming element is 10 pounds or greater. In an additional or alternative configuration, the magnet is arranged at a location of the comer guard member that overlaps a comer bead of the wall when the corner guard member is positioned at the angled section of the wall. In an additional or alternative configuration, the magnet is a rare earth magnet. In an additional or alternative configuration, the magnet comprises neodymium. In an additional or alternative configuration, the magnet is a plurality of magnet pieces affixed at respective locations within each of the planar portions, and the plurality of magnet pieces is configured to affix the comer guard member at an angled section of a wall by the combined pull force greater than or equal to 70 pounds.

Still further, in an additional or alternative configuration, the corner guard member comprises structural material selected from a group consisting of a thermoplastic, a metal, a polymer, a plastic, a rubber, a plant fiber, a wood, a ceramic, an organic material, a resin, a composite material, a fiber reinforce polymer, an elastomer, a synthetic fiber, and gypsum board In an additional or alternative configuration, the corner guard member comprises an outer surface having a decorative design. In an additional or alternative configuration, the comer guard member includes a recessed portion in the inner surface, and the magnet is affixed within the recessed portion. In an additional or alternative configuration, a depth of the recessed portion in the inner surface is sized according to dimensions of the magnet such that when the magnet is affixed within the recessed portion the magnet does not extend beyond a plane of the inner surface that is configured to abut a wall surface. In an additional or alternative configuration, the elongated body includes a plurality of layers, each layer having respective planar portions that are joined at a wall corner, the plurality of layers includes an outer layer and an inner layer, the outer layer facing away from the wall corner, and the inner layer facing toward the wall comer.

In still further additional or alternative configurations, the inner layer includes a recessed portion in the inner surface, and the magnet is affixed within the recessed portion. In an additional or alternative configuration, the elongated body has a length of between 16 inches and 48 inches. In an additional or alternative configuration, the plurality of layers includes a middle layer configured to prevent recesses cut into the inner layer from being visible through a cut in the outer layer. In an additional or alternative configuration, the outer layer is fixed to a next layer of the plurality of layers using an adhesive. In an additional or alternative configuration, when positioned at the angled section of the wall, the wall trimming element is configured to provide an impression of being permanently fixed to the angled section of the wall. Another set of one or more configurations of the present invention may include a wall trimming system for positioning a comer guard at an angled section of a wall, the wall trimming system comprising: a magnetic material fixed within a wall and arranged proximate with an angled section of the wall, wherein the magnetic material is a metal corner bead, a metal lath, or a magnetic insert; a comer guard member having an elongated body including planar portions joined at a wall corner, the planar portions respectively being configured to have an inner surface and an outer surface, the inner surface being configured to abut a wall surface of a wall, and a magnet affixed to the comer guard member, the magnet being arranged such that, when the corner guard member is positioned at the angled section of the wall, the magnet will be proximate to the magnetic material fixed within the wall and inducing a magnetic attraction of 10 pounds or greater.

In an additional or alternative configuration, the magnet is a plurality of magnet pieces affixed at respective locations within each of the planar portions, and the plurality of magnet pieces is configured to affix the comer guard member at the angled section of a wall by a pull force greater than or equal to 70 pounds. In an additional or alternative configuration, the elongated body includes a plurality of layers, each layer having respective planar portions that are joined at a corner, the plurality of layers includes an outer layer and an inner layer, the outer layer facing away from the wall corner, and the inner layer facing toward the wall corner. In an additional or alternative configuration, the comer guard member includes a recessed portion in the inner surface, and the magnet is affixed within the recessed portion. In an additional or alternative configuration, a depth of the recessed portion in the inner surface is sized according to dimensions of the magnet such that when the magnet is affixed within the recessed portion the magnet does not extend beyond a plane of the inner surface that is configured to abut a wall surface.

The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from its spirit or characteristics. The described embodiments are to be considered in all respects only as illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the invention is, therefore, indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description. All changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are to be embraced within their scope.