Grooved decorative article

Abstract

A decorative article includes a sheet having a full thickness, a first surface, and a second surface opposite the first surface. Across at least a first region of the sheet, the second surface of the sheet defines a plurality of grooves, each groove extending along a first axis. The plurality of grooves are configured to permit the first region of the sheet to conform to an application surface. Each groove of the plurality of grooves has, along a second axis that is transverse to the first axis, an operative width of at least 1 mm across which a depth of the groove is no less than ⅓ of the full thickness of the sheet. The sheet includes, between adjacent grooves of the plurality of grooves, respective areas defined by the full thickness of the sheet, said full thickness being at least 0.5 mm along the second axis.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A decorative article comprising:
 a sheet having a full thickness, a first surface, and a second surface opposite the first surface, wherein:
 across at least a first region of the sheet, the second surface of the sheet defines a plurality of grooves, each groove of the plurality of grooves extending along a first axis; 
 the plurality of grooves are configured to permit the first region of the sheet to conform to an application surface; 
 each groove of the plurality of grooves has, along a second axis that is transverse to the first axis, an operative width of at least 1 mm across which a depth of the groove is no less than ⅓ of the full thickness of the sheet; and 
 the sheet comprises, between adjacent grooves of the plurality of grooves, respective areas defined by the full thickness of the sheet, said full thickness being at least 0.5 mm along the second axis. 
 wherein the decorative article is a LVT panel. 
   
     
     
         2 . The decorative article of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of grooves are rectangular. 
     
     
         3 . The decorative article of  claim 1 , wherein the sheet is flat. 
     
     
         4 . The decorative article of  claim 1 , wherein the first surface has a wood grain pattern, a stone pattern, an abstract pattern, a photographic image, a printed film, a tile pattern, a bast pattern, a non-woven pattern, a woven pattern, a metallic pattern, a brick pattern, or a concrete pattern. 
     
     
         5 . (canceled) 
     
     
         6 . (canceled) 
     
     
         7 . A decorative article comprising:
 a sheet having a full thickness, a first surface, and a second surface opposite the first surface, wherein:   across at least a first region of the sheet, the second surface of the sheet defines a plurality of grooves, each groove of the plurality of grooves extending along a first axis;   the plurality of grooves are configured to permit the first region of the sheet to conform to an application surface;   each groove of the plurality of grooves has, along a second axis that is transverse to the first axis, an operative width of at least 1 mm across which a depth of the groove is no less than ⅓ of the full thickness of the sheet; and   the sheet comprises, between adjacent grooves of the plurality of grooves, respective areas defined by the full thickness of the sheet, said full thickness being at least 0.5 mm along the second axis.   wherein the decorative article is a LVP panel.   
     
     
         8 . The decorative article of  claim 1 , wherein the sheet further comprises a second region across which the second surface of the sheet is free of any groove. 
     
     
         9 . The decorative article of  claim 8 , wherein the sheet further comprises a third region across which the second surface of the sheet is free of any groove, wherein the first region is positioned between the second and third regions along the second axis. 
     
     
         10 . A decorative article comprising:
 a sheet having a full thickness, a first surface, and a second surface opposite the first surface, wherein:   across at least a first region of the sheet, the second surface of the sheet defines a plurality of grooves, each groove of the plurality of grooves extending along a first axis;   the plurality of grooves are configured to permit the first region of the sheet to conform to an application surface;   each groove of the plurality of grooves has, along a second axis that is transverse to the first axis, an operative width of at least 1 mm across which a depth of the groove is no less than ⅓ of the full thickness of the sheet; and   the sheet comprises, between adjacent grooves of the plurality of grooves, respective areas defined by the full thickness of the sheet, said full thickness being at least 0.5 mm along the second axis.   wherein the sheet further comprises a second region across which the second surface of the sheet is free of any groove,   wherein the sheet further comprises a third region across which the second surface of the sheet is free of any groove, wherein the first region is positioned between the second and third regions along the second axis.   wherein the sheet further comprises at least one side region across which the second surface of the sheet defines a second plurality of grooves, each groove of the second plurality of grooves extending along an axis transverse to the first axis.   
     
     
         11 . A system comprising:
 an installation surface; and   a decorative article comprising:
 a sheet having a full thickness, a first surface, and a second surface opposite the first surface, wherein:
 across at least a first region of the sheet, the second surface of the sheet defines a plurality of grooves, each groove of the plurality of grooves extending along a first axis; 
 the plurality of grooves are configured to permit the first region of the sheet to conform to an application surface; 
 each groove of the plurality of grooves has, along a second axis that is transverse to the first axis, an operative width of at least 1 mm across which a depth of the groove is no less than ⅓ of the full thickness of the sheet; and 
 
 the sheet comprises, between adjacent grooves of the plurality of grooves, respective areas defined by the full thickness of the sheet, said full thickness being at least 0.5 mm along the second axis, 
   wherein the decorative article is positioned on the installation surface, wherein the first surface of the sheet forms a curve along at least a portion of the first region of the sheet,   wherein the installation surface is a stair tread having a stair nose, wherein the first region at least partly covers the stair nose.   
     
     
         12 . (canceled) 
     
     
         13 . A system comprising:
 an installation surface;   a decorative article comprising:
 a sheet having a full thickness, a first surface, and a second surface opposite the first surface, wherein:
 across at least a first region of the sheet, the second surface of the sheet defines a plurality of grooves, each groove of the plurality of grooves extending along a first axis; 
 the plurality of grooves are configured to permit the first region of the sheet to conform to an application surface; 
 each groove of the plurality of grooves has, along a second axis that is transverse to the first axis, an operative width of at least 1 mm across which a depth of the groove is no less than ⅓ of the full thickness of the sheet; and 
 
 the sheet comprises, between adjacent grooves of the plurality of grooves, respective areas defined by the full thickness of the sheet, said full thickness being at least 0.5 mm along the second axis; and 
 an adhesive between the installation surface and the second surface of the sheet of the decorative article, 
   wherein the decorative article is positioned on the installation surface, wherein the first surface of the sheet forms a curve along at least a portion of the first region of the sheet.   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the adhesive fills at least a portion of at least one groove of the plurality of grooves. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein at least one groove of the plurality of grooves has an increasing width in a direction from the second surface toward the first surface. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 11 , further comprising a riser, wherein a portion of the decorative article is positioned between the riser and the stair tread. 
     
     
         17 . A system comprising:
 an installation surface;   a first decorative article comprising:
 a sheet having a full thickness, a first surface, and a second surface opposite the first surface, wherein:
 across at least a first region of the sheet, the second surface of the sheet defines a plurality of grooves, each groove of the plurality of grooves extending along a first axis; 
 the plurality of grooves are configured to permit the first region of the sheet to conform to an application surface; 
 each groove of the plurality of grooves has, along a second axis that is transverse to the first axis, an operative width of at least 1 mm across which a depth of the groove is no less than ⅓ of the full thickness of the sheet; and 
 
 the sheet comprises, between adjacent grooves of the plurality of grooves, respective areas defined by the full thickness of the sheet, said full thickness being at least 0.5 mm along the second axis; and 
 at least one additional decorative article positioned adjacent the first decorative article, wherein the at least one additional decorative article is free of any groove. 
   
     
     
         18 . A method of using the decorative article as in  claim 1 , wherein the method comprises:
 applying the decorative article to an installation surface; and   bending at least a portion of the decorative article over the installation surface.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein bending the at least a portion of the decorative article over the installation surface is performed without heating the decorative article. 
     
     
         20 . (canceled)