Decorative moulding assembly

Abstract

A decorative moulding assembly for a wall or ceiling in an interior space. The decorative moulding assembly may include a first moulding piece and a second moulding piece each having an ornamental front surface, a rear surface, and a channel in the rear surface and a connector for connecting the first and second moulding pieces together. The connector may include a first portion that nests within the channel of the first moulding piece and a second portion that nests within the channel of the second moulding piece. The first and second moulding pieces may have engagement features that differ from one another, and the first and second portions of the connector may have engagement features that differ from one another.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A decorative moulding assembly comprising:
 a first moulding piece comprising an ornamental front surface and a rear surface, a first channel formed into the rear surface, the first channel comprising a first engagement feature;   a second moulding piece comprising an ornamental front surface and a rear surface, a second channel formed into the rear surface, the second channel comprising a second engagement feature;   a connector comprising:
 a first portion that nests within the first channel of the first moulding piece, the first portion having a third engagement feature that mates with the first engagement feature of the first channel to couple the connector to the first moulding piece; and 
 a second portion that nests within the second channel of the second moulding piece, the second portion having a fourth engagement feature that mates with the second engagement feature of the second channel to couple the connector to the second moulding piece; and 
   wherein the first and second engagement features are different from one another, and wherein the third and fourth engagement features are different from one another.   
     
     
         2 . The decorative moulding assembly according to  claim 1  wherein the first portion of the connector couples to the first moulding piece via a snap-fit connection and the second portion of the connector couples to the second moulding piece via a press-fit connection. 
     
     
         3 . The decorative moulding assembly according to  claim 1  wherein the first moulding piece comprises an inner surface that defines the first channel and wherein the first engagement feature comprises one or more protuberances or grooves formed into the inner surface of the first moulding piece, and wherein the third engagement feature comprises one or more protuberances or grooves located along an outer surface of the first portion of the connector that mate with the one or more protuberances or grooves of the first moulding piece to couple the connector to the first moulding piece. 
     
     
         4 . The decorative moulding assembly according to  claim 1  wherein the second moulding piece comprises an inner surface that defines the second channel, the second engagement feature of the second moulding piece comprising one or more posts protruding from the inner surface of the second moulding piece, and wherein the fourth engagement feature of the second portion of the connector comprises one or more bores that receive the one or more posts of the second moulding piece to couple the connector to the second moulding piece. 
     
     
         5 . The decorative moulding assembly according to  claim 1  wherein the connector is a monolithic component comprising the first and second portions, and wherein the connector is L-shaped such that the first and second portions of the connector are oriented generally perpendicular relative to one another. 
     
     
         6 . The decorative moulding assembly according to  claim 1  wherein the connector is a monolithic component comprising the first and second portions, and wherein the connector is linear such that the first and second portions of the connector are oriented coaxially relative to one another. 
     
     
         7 . The decorative moulding assembly according to  claim 1  wherein the first moulding piece is extruded, and wherein the second moulding piece and the connector are injection molded. 
     
     
         8 . The decorative moulding assembly according to  claim 1  wherein the first and second portions of the connector have different shapes from one another. 
     
     
         9 . The decorative moulding assembly according to  claim 1  wherein the first portion of the connector comprises a U-shaped body and wherein the second portion of the connector comprises an oval-shaped body. 
     
     
         10 . The decorative moulding assembly according to  claim 9  wherein the third engagement feature comprises at least one protuberance extending from an outer surface of the U-shaped body and wherein the fourth engagement feature comprises at least one bore formed at least partially through the oval-shaped body. 
     
     
         11 . The decorative moulding assembly according to  claim 1  wherein each of the first and second moulding pieces has two mitered end surfaces such that abutting end surfaces of the first and second moulding pieces form a miter joint when the connector is coupled to each of the first and second moulding pieces. 
     
     
         12 . The decorative moulding assembly according to  claim 1  wherein one of the first and third engagement features comprises a groove and the other one of the first and third engagement features comprises a protuberance that nests within the groove, and wherein one of the second and fourth engagement features comprises a bore and the other one of the second and fourth engagement features comprises a post that nests within the bore. 
     
     
         13 . A decorative moulding assembly comprising:
 a first moulding piece comprising an ornamental front surface and a rear surface, a first channel formed into the rear surface;   a second moulding piece comprising an ornamental front surface and a rear surface, a second channel formed into the rear surface;   a connector comprising:
 a first portion that nests within the first channel of the first moulding piece, the first portion having a first shape; and 
 a second portion that nests within the second channel of the second moulding piece, the second portion having a second shape that is different than the first shape. 
   
     
     
         14 . The decorative moulding assembly according to  claim 13  wherein the first portion of the connector comprises a third engagement feature for engaging a first engagement feature of the first moulding piece to couple the connector to the first moulding piece, and wherein the second portion of the connector comprises a fourth engagement feature for engaging a second engagement feature of the second moulding piece to couple the connector to the second moulding piece, the third engagement feature being different than the fourth engagement feature. 
     
     
         15 . The decorative moulding assembly according to  claim 13  wherein the first portion of the connector comprises a U-shaped body and wherein the second portion of the connector comprises an oval-shaped body. 
     
     
         16 . The decorative moulding assembly according to  claim 15  wherein the first portion of the connector comprises at least one protuberance extending from an outer surface of the U-shaped body for engaging a groove in the first channel of the first moulding piece to couple the connector to the first moulding piece, and wherein the second portion of the connector comprises at least one bore configured to receive a post of the second moulding piece to couple the connector to the second moulding piece. 
     
     
         17 . The decorative moulding assembly according to  claim 13  wherein the first portion of the connector couples to the first moulding piece via a snap-fit connection and the second portion of the connector couples to the second moulding piece via a press-fit connection. 
     
     
         18 . The decorative moulding assembly according to  claim 13  wherein the first moulding piece is formed by extrusion and the second moulding piece is formed by injection molding, wherein the first moulding piece is linear and has a constant cross-sectional profile and wherein the second moulding piece is non-linear and has a non-constant cross-sectional profile. 
     
     
         19 . The decorative moulding assembly according to  claim 13  wherein the ornamental front surface of the first and second moulding pieces are identical and wherein the first and second channels are not identical. 
     
     
         20 . A decorative moulding assembly comprising:
 a first moulding piece comprising an ornamental front surface and a rear surface, a first channel formed into the rear surface, the channel comprising a first engagement feature;   a second moulding piece comprising an ornamental front surface and a rear surface, and a second channel formed into the rear surface that extends along a second channel axis, the second moulding piece comprising a first wall and a second wall that extend transversely across the second channel, the first and second walls being spaced apart by a gap;   a connector comprising:
 a first portion that nests within the first channel of the first moulding piece, the first portion having a second engagement feature that mates with the first engagement feature to couple the connector to the first moulding piece; and 
 a second portion that nests within the gap between the first and second walls to couple the connector to the second moulding piece.