This invention relates, in general, to tile installation and, in particular to a device for leveling and aligning tiles and properly spacing tiles during the installation thereof.
Tile has become a popular decorative and functional article for use in floors, walls, countertops, and the like. Both professional tile installers and do-it-yourselfers spend a great deal of time aligning and leveling tiles as they are being placed on a substrate's surface. Proper alignment and leveling of each tile is important for a number of reasons. Improper installation can cause the need for tiles to be replaced in order to prevent a spacing error from propagating across the substrate, aesthetic reasons, and in some instances, safety concerns. A need exists for a device for leveling and aligning tiles and properly spacing tiles.
It would be advantageous to achieve a device for leveling and aligning tiles and properly spacing tiles. It would also be desirable to enable a mechanical-based solution that furnishes an inexpensive tool that assists professional tile installers and do-it-yourselfers. To better address one or more of these concerns, in one aspect of the invention, a tile leveling device and a wedge device for use with tiles are disclosed. In one embodiment, the leveling device includes a body and two spaced and parallel strip members extending transversely from the body. Each of the spaced and parallel strip members extend to the front and rear of the body. Two opposing lateral open windows are formed in the body. A breakaway section is defined along the body.
In one implementation, a wedge device includes a backstop member and a pair of members extending from the backstop member. Each of pair of members includes a tapered surface configured to penetrate the lateral open windows and exerting force against tiles, thereby pressing the tiles against the first and second strip members in order to level and align.
In another embodiment, the leveling device includes an inverted U-shaped body with an I-shaped base orthogonally coupled thereto. An open window is located within the U-shaped body between stems thereof. The I-shaped base has four bars extending transversely from the inverted U-shaped body and that extend upwards toward the inverted U-shaped body in an arcuate fashion to define respective four points of contact for two, three, and four tiles. Two breakaway sections are respectively defined along the spaced stems of the inverted U-shaped body at the I-shaped bar. In another implementation, a wedge device includes an oversized backstop member and a wedge member extending from the oversized backstop member. These and other aspects of the invention will be apparent from and elucidated with reference to the embodiments described hereinafter.
For a more complete understanding of the features and advantages of the present invention, reference is now made to the detailed description of the invention along with the accompanying figures in which corresponding numerals in the different figures refer to corresponding parts and in which:
While the making and using of various embodiments of the present invention are discussed in detail below, it should be appreciated that the present invention provides many applicable inventive concepts which can be embodied in a wide variety of specific contexts. The specific embodiments discussed herein are merely illustrative of specific ways to make and use the invention, and do not delimit the scope of the present invention.
Referring initially to
The spaced and parallel strip members 16, 18 provide four points of contact 32, 34, 36, 38 for lift of tiles, while still establishing space for maximum mortar penetration between the spaced and parallel strip members 16, 18. As shown, the spaced and parallel strip members 16, 18 have an arcuate form wherein the spaced and parallel strip members 16, 18 curve upwards from the junction with the body 14 to the four points of contact 32, 34, 36, 38. That is, the spaced and parallel strip members 16, 18 define convex curvatures 40, 42 that are flexible and compressible for tile installation during a leveling and alignment of a tile. The convex curvatures 40, 42 also ensure that tiles of varying thicknesses may be leveled and aligned. In fact, in the corner embodiment, four tiles having four varying thicknesses may be leveled and aligned by way of the flexibility and compressibility of the convex curvatures 40, 42 of the strip members 16, 18.
The wedge device 12 includes a backstop member 50 and two extension members, depicted as wedge members 52, 54 extending from the backstop member 50. The backstop member provides a push area for fingers or a thumb and an enhanced sized that furnishes more leverage during use. Each of the wedge members 52, 54 include respective tapered surfaces 56, 58 configured to penetrate the lateral open windows 20, 22 and exert force against the tiles by pressing the tiles against the strip members 16, 18. Teeth 60, 62 are located along the tapered surfaces 56, 58 in order to latch onto the respective upper edges 21, 23 of the opposing lateral open windows 20, 22. In operation, the teeth 60, 62 prevent the respective wedge members 52, from slipping out of the lateral open windows 20, 22 during penetration thereof. As will be appreciated, the wedge device 12 may penetrate the leveling device from the front F or rear R.
Referring now to
Accordingly, a single leveling device 10 and wedge device 12 may be utilized to install, align, and level between two and four tiles. The use of the wedge device 12 having two extension members and the two lateral open windows 20, 22 provide for utilization at corner tiles; thereby offering improved efficiency. More particularly, using one leveling device for a corner improves efficiency and minimizes the number of leveling devices required to complete a job. Additionally, as previously discussed, the arcuate portions of the parallel strip members 16, 18 compress and flatten to accommodate different thicknesses of tiles to provide a level surface. In fact, the leveling device and wedge device presented herein may simultaneously accommodate between two and four different thicknesses of tiles.
Referring now to
In one embodiment, the wedge device 12 offers an advantage over individual wedges as the backstop member 50 provides a wider or broader surface to push. In particular, as shown in
Additionally, the design of the wedge device 12 discourages the tiles from pivoting by providing two points of contact with each tile edge. By way of example, on a 12 inch by 12 inch tile, a traditional installation system would require two spacers for each side, for a total of eight spacers, in order to stabilize the edges and prevent pivoting. Using the teachings presented herein, four leveling devices 10 may be used and the optimal eight points of contact would be maintained.
Continuing with the description of
Referring now to
Referring to
Two breakaway sections 140, 142 are defined along the respective two stems 118, 120 of the inverted U-shaped body 114. Additionally, as shown, a notch 144 is formed between the bars 124, 126 and a notch 146 is formed between the bars 128, 130. The open window 116 includes an upper edge 148. An open span 150 is proximally interposed between the breakaway sections 140, 142 and the open span 150 forms a portion of the open window 116. Spacing pads, such as spacing pad 152, may be utilized to position the tiles a predetermined distance apart, depending on the application.
The wedge device 112 includes an oversized backstop member 160. A wedge member 162 extends from the oversized backstop member 160 and includes a tapered surface 164 that is configured to penetrate the open window 116 and exert force against two, three, or four tiles pressing the tiles against the bars 124, 126, 128, 130. The breakaway sections 140, 142 are located where the ends of the stems 118, 120 of the inverted U-shaped body 114 contact the I-shaped base 122. Teeth 166 are positioned along the tapered surface 164 in order to latch onto the upper edge 148 of the open window 116.
In operation, the leveling device 110 may be used to align two, three or four tiles and operation is similar to leveling device 10 and wedge device 12, as previously presented. Similar to the leveling device presented in
Referring now to
In operation, once the tiles are properly positioned, the locking subassembly 202 is secured in its place above the tiles and prevented from moving along the shaft 204 before being driven down to compress the tiles. The shaft 204 may include a locking surface 222, such as a “zip tie” to enable movement along the shaft 204 by the locking subassembly 202 in only one direction, i.e., toward the tiles.
Referring to
As shown, the I-shaped base is intersected by a crossbar 230, which is located between the bars 124, 126 and the bars 128, 130. The crossbar 230 may take any shape or form and may be considered a bi-directional projection, for example. As illustrated, the crossbar 230 includes a bar 232 extending to the front F of the inverted U-shaped body 114 and a bar 234 extends to the rear R of the inverted U-shaped body 114. The bars 232, 234 may have outwardly extending arcuate portions 236, 238 at the respective ends that compress and flatten to accommodate the thickness. Moreover, the bars 232, 234 may be substantially equal to the length of the bars 124, 126, 128, 130. In another embodiment, the bars 232, 234 may be greater than or less than the length of the bars 124, 126, 128, 130.
Two breakaway sections 140, 142 are defined along the respective two stems 118, 120 of the inverted U-shaped body 114. Additionally, as shown, the notch 144 is formed between the bars 124, 126 and the notch 146 is formed between the bars 128, 130. The open window 116 includes an upper edge 148. The open span 150 is proximally interposed between the breakaway sections 140, 142 and the open span 150 forms a portion of the open window 116. As shown, the crossbar 230 intersects the notch 144 forming subnotches 240, 242 between the bars 124, 126 and the crossbar 230. Similarly, subnotches 244, 246 are formed between the bars 128, 130 and the crossbar 230. It should be appreciated that although the I-shaped base 122 with the crossbar 230 is depicted with a particular U-shaped body 114, it should be appreciated that the I-shaped base 122 with the crossbar 230 may be utilized with any of the leveling devices 10 presented herein, including the leveling devices 10 of
The order of execution or performance of the methods and techniques illustrated and described herein is not essential, unless otherwise specified. That is, elements of the methods and techniques may be performed in any order, unless otherwise specified, and that the methods may include more or less elements than those disclosed herein. For example, it is contemplated that executing or performing a particular element before, contemporaneously with, or after another element are all possible sequences of execution.
While this invention has been described with reference to illustrative embodiments, this description is not intended to be construed in a limiting sense. Various modifications and combinations of the illustrative embodiments as well as other embodiments of the invention, will be apparent to persons skilled in the art upon reference to the description. It is, therefore, intended that the appended claims encompass any such modifications or embodiments.
This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17/516,095, entitled “Device for Leveling and Aligning Tiles” filed Nov. 1, 2021, in the names of Clinton D. Bunch et al.; which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/685,036, entitled “Device for Leveling and Aligning Tiles and Method for Leveling and Aligning Tiles” filed Nov. 15, 2019, in the names of Clinton D. Bunch et al., issued on Nov. 2, 2021 as U.S. Pat. No. 11,162,266; which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/102,344, entitled “Device for Leveling and Aligning Tiles and Method for Leveling and Aligning Tiles” filed on Aug. 13, 2018, in the names of Clinton D. Bunch et al., issued on Jul. 7, 2020 as U.S. Pat. No. 10,704,274; which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/345,802, entitled “Device for Leveling and Aligning Tiles and Method for Leveling and Aligning Tiles” filed on Nov. 8, 2016, in the names of Clinton D. Bunch et al., issued on Aug. 14, 2018 as U.S. Pat. No. 10,047,530; which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/044,907 entitled “Device for Leveling and Aligning Tiles and Method for Leveling and Aligning Tiles” filed on Feb. 16, 2016, in the names of Clinton D. Bunch and Joshua A. Bunch, issued on Nov. 8, 2016 as U.S. Pat. No. 9,487,959; which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/859,316 entitled “Device for Leveling and Aligning Tile and Method for Leveling and Aligning Tiles” filed on Apr. 9, 2013, in the names of Clinton D. Bunch and Joshua A. Bunch and issued on Feb. 16, 2016 as U.S. Pat. No. 9,260,872; all of which are hereby incorporated by reference, in entirety, for all purposes.
Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | 17516095 | Nov 2021 | US |
Child | 17929243 | US | |
Parent | 16685036 | Nov 2019 | US |
Child | 17516095 | US | |
Parent | 16102344 | Aug 2018 | US |
Child | 16685036 | US | |
Parent | 15345802 | Nov 2016 | US |
Child | 16102344 | US | |
Parent | 15044907 | Feb 2016 | US |
Child | 15345802 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | 13859316 | Apr 2013 | US |
Child | 15044907 | US |