Field of the Invention

[001 ] The present invention relates to a wall buffer.

Background to the Invention

[002] There are many circumstances in which objects may come into contact with a wall, thereby causing damage to the object. Garages are a common example, where opened doors will often not have sufficient clearance to avoid contact with the adjacent inner surface of the wall. Care must therefore be taken when opening doors to prevent damage.

[003] The present invention relates to a wall buffer provided for installation on vertical surfaces, such as garage walls, in order to prevent or limit any damage caused by objects such as car doors, inadvertently coming into contact with the wall. The wall buffer is provided such that it is effective in operation and simple to both construct and install.

Summary of the Invention

[004] According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a wall buffer comprising: a rigid elongate base fixable to a vertical surface, the base having opposite first and second side surfaces such that the second side surface is located adjacent the vertical surface; a resilient cover member secured to the base such that the cover member is located in front of the first side surface of the base; wherein the cover member is flexible and has a first longitudinal edge fixed along a first longitudinal edge of the base and a second longitudinal edge not fixed to the base such that the cover member can be flexed away from the base to expose the first side surface of the base.

[005] Preferably the cover member includes a first side surface on a side opposite the base being convex in shape.

[006] Preferably the cover member is arcuate in transverse cross section to define a cavity between a second side surface of the cover member and the base.

[007] Preferably the outer surface of the cover member includes a plurality of longitudinal ribs thereon.

[008] Preferably the base comprises a planar elongate member.

[009] In a preferred embodiment, the second longitudinal edge of the base includes a transverse lip along the length thereof such that the second longitudinal edge of the cover member rests on an inner surface of the lip.

[010] Preferably the second longitudinal edge of the cover member includes also a widened end portion which rests on the inner surface in use.

[011 ] Preferably the base includes a plurality of holes along the length thereof for receiving threaded fasteners.

[012] Preferably the base includes one or more flanges extending outwardly from the first side thereof.

[013] Preferably a pair of flanges are provided, being located on opposite sides of a row of the hole

Brief Description of the Drawings

[014] The invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the following drawings, in which: [015] Figure 1 is an upper perspective view of a wall buffer in accordance with the present invention;

[016] Figure 2 is a lower perspective view of the wall buffer of Figure 1 ;

[017] Figure 3 is a front view of the wall buffer of Figure 1 ;

[018] Figure 4 is a lower perspective view of the wall buffer of Figure 1 with the cover member flexed outwardly away from the base;

[019] Figure 5 is a front view of the wall buffer of Figure 4;

[020] Figure 6 is a side view of the wall buffer of Figure 4 with a fixing screw prior to engagement with the base; and

[021 ] Figure 7 is a side view of the wall buffer of Figure 4 with the fixing screw fully engaged with the base.

Detailed Description of Preferred Embodiments

[022] Referring to the Figures, there is shown a wall buffer 10 comprising generally a base 12 and a cover member 14. The base 12 includes opposed first and second side surfaces 16 and 17 and is to be fixed in use to a vertical surface such as a wall. The base 12 is to be fixed such that the second side surface 17 is located adjacent the vertical surface and the first side surface 16 faces outwardly away from the vertical surface.

[023] The base 12 comprises a planar elongate member 13 having opposed first and second longitudinal edges 18 and 19. The base 12 is expected to be fixed to the vertical surface such that the first and second longitudinal edges 18 and 19 are generally horizontal with the first longitudinal edge 18 positioned uppermost.

[024] The base 12 may be fixed to the vertical surface by suitable means such as threaded fasteners, comprising wall screws 20 in the embodiment shown. The screws 20 may be received in wall plugs 40 provided in the surface to which the base 10 is to be secured. A plurality of holes 22 are provided along the length of the base 12 such that the screws 20 may be passed through the holes [025] The base 12 may be provided with one or more flanges 24 extending outwardly from the first side surface 16 along the length of the base 12. In the embodiment shown, there are provided a pair of such flanges 24, with the holes 22 being located generally centrally between the flanges 24.

[026] The base 12 is formed from a rigid material, such as a relatively rigid plastic material. The cover member 14 comprises a resilient flexible elongate member to be secured adjacent the first side surface 16 of the base 12. The cover member 14 is formed from a suitable flexible and resilient material such as a relatively flexible rubber or plastic based material.

[027] The cover member 14 also includes first and second longitudinal edges 28 and 29 and is located such that the first longitudinal edge 28 is located adjacent the first longitudinal edge 18 of the base 12 and the second longitudinal edge 29 of the cover member 14 is located in use adjacent the second longitudinal edge 19 of the base 12.

[028] The cover member 14 includes opposed first and second side surfaces 26 and 27 such that the second side surface 27 of the cover member 14 is located facing the first side surface 16 of the base 12 and the first side surface 26 of the cover member 14 faces away from the base 12.

[029] The first side surface 26 of the cover member 14 is convex in shape. In the embodiment shown, the cover member 14 is generally arcuate in transverse cross section such that when the first longitudinal edge 28 of the cover member 14 is located adjacent the first longitudinal edge 18 of the base 12 and the second longitudinal edge 29 of the cover member 14 is located adjacent the second longitudinal edge 19 of the base 12, a cavity 30 is defined between the second side surface 27 of the cover member 14 and the first side surface 16 of the base 12 (as can be seen in Figures 6 and 7).

[030] The second longitudinal edge 29 of the cover member 14 is located adjacent the second longitudinal edge 19 of the base 12. The second longitudinal edge 19 of the base 12 includes a transverse lip 38 along the length thereof. The second longitudinal edge 29 of the cover member 14 in use rests on an inner surface 34 of the lip 38. The second longitudinal edge 29 of the cover member 14 includes also a widened end portion 36 which rests on the inner surface 34 in use.

[031 ] The first side surface 26 of the cover member 14 includes a plurality of ribs 32. The ribs 32 extend longitudinally along the first side surface 26 and are generally parallel to the first and second longitudinal edges 28 and 29.

[032] The first longitudinal edge 28 of the cover member 14 is secured to the first longitudinal edge 18 of the base 12. The first longitudinal edge 28 of the flexible cover member 14 may be connected to the relatively rigid base 12 by a suitable moulding process during construction. The second longitudinal edge 29 of the cover member 14 is not connected to the base 12. The flexible nature of the cover member 14 allows for the cover member 14 to be flexed outwardly away from the first side surface 16 of the base 12. As can be seen in Figures 4 to 6, the cover member 14 is sufficiently flexible to rotate through 90° such that the entire first side surface 16 of the cover member 14 may be exposed.

[033] In use, the cover member 14 may be flexed outwardly away from the base 12 and the base 12 positioned in an appropriate location against a wall and secured in place by passing the screws 20 through the holes 22. Once the base 12 is suitably secured in place, the cover member 14 is sufficiently resilient such that on release, it will rotate back down in front of the first side surface 16 of the base 12 (as can be seen in Figures 1 to 3).

[034] The wall buffer 10 can be placed on a wall in a location where it is required to protect against an object coming into contact with the wall. For example, the wall buffer 10 may be placed along the side wall of a garage such that when the doors of a car within the garage are opened they will come into contact with the first side surface of the cover member 14. The flexible resilient nature and the shape of the cover member 14 in conjunction with the rigid base 12 allows secure connection to the wall while allowing the cover member 14 to flex inwardly towards the base 12 and thereby protect the door from damage. The fact that the cover member 14 is connected to the base 12 only along the first longitudinal edges 18 and 28 but disconnected along the second longitudinal edges 19 and 29 provides additional resilience during impacts as the second longitudinal edge 29 of the cover member 14 is free to move relative to the base 12 when impacted.

[035] It will be readily apparent to persons skilled in the relevant arts that various modifications and improvements may be made to the foregoing embodiments, in addition to those already described, without departing from the basic inventive concepts of the present invention.