Patent Application
20190127991
The present invention relates generally to laying tile, and more specifically, to a grid plate for laying tile, which facilitates the flush and level laying of the tile in a cavity.
Mosaic tiles, mosaic medallions, decorative tiles and the like are used as accents between lesser attractive tiles and other flooring objects. However, a height of the adjacent tile or objects is usually greater, which results in excessive or a lack of thinset being applied. More experienced tiling professionals may be able to lay the mosaic tiles flush and level with the existing tiles. However, it will be more work for a less experienced tiling professional to lay the mosaic tiles flush and level. The prior art does not disclose a grid plate for laying mosaic tile.
Accordingly, there is a clearly felt need in the art for a grid plate for laying tile, which facilitates the flush and level laying of the tile between existing tile or flooring objects, and which allows experienced tile professional to save time laying the tile.
The present invention provides a grid plate for laying tile, which facilitates the flush and level laying of the tile between existing tile and other objects which may be uneven. The grid plate for laying tile preferably includes a grid plate member and detachable tiling tools such as tile trowels. The grid plate member includes a plurality of transverse strips, a plurality of lengthwise strips, and a plurality of retention elements or rings built therein. The plurality of transverse and lengthwise cross strips form a grid pattern. It is preferable that a top of the plurality of transverse and lengthwise strips be brought to an edge to facilitate the distribution of thinset. The plurality of retention elements or rings are integrally molded into the grid pattern. It is understood that other shaped retention members may also be used such as squares or rectangles.
Accordingly it is an object of the present invention to apply a grid plate without sliding or movement of the grid plate once the grid plate is placed within the mosaic tile cavity.
The present invention provides a grid plate for laying tile having a plurality of transverse strips; a plurality of lengthwise strips joined to said plurality of transverse strips to form a grid pattern; and a plurality of retention members formed as an integral portion of said grid pattern.
The plurality of retention members may extend from a side wall of said plurality of transverse and lengthwise strips. The plurality of retention members may be located in substantially a center of a height of said grid pattern.
The plurality of retention members may be rings. The rings may be equally spaced throughout the grid pattern. The spacing between the rings may be greater than a diameter of the rings. The diameter of the rings may be approximately ½ inch. A thickness of the rings may be approximately ⅛ inch.
At least one detachable trowel tool may be molded as an integral portion of said grid plate. A first tile trowel may include a plurality of ¼ inch end notches. A second tile trowel may include a plurality of 1/16 inch notches. Alternatively, the plurality of ¼ inch end notches and plurality of 1/16 inch notches may be arranged on the same tile trowel element. A body of each tile trowel may be molded as an integral, detachable portion of the grid plate member.
At least one detachable depth measurement tool may be molded as an integral portion of said grid plate.
A bottom edge of said plurality of transverse strips and lengthwise strips may support a screw hole receiving a securing screw securing the grid plate to a tile cavity.
The grid pattern may be a series of squares.
A bottom edge may be formed on a bottom of said plurality of transverse strips and lengthwise strips and the plurality of retention members may be an inwardly extending frame framing the outer square.
The present invention also provides a method of laying mosaic tile, comprising the steps of: providing a grid plate member forming a grid pattern having a plurality of retention members in said grid plate member; applying a tile bonding substance to a bottom of a tile cavity; inserting said grid plate member to said plurality of dollops of tile bonding substance; spreading said tile bonding substance over a top of said grid plate member; and pressing the tile into said tile bonding substance.
The plurality of retention members may be rings extending from internal sidewalls forming the grid pattern. The rings may extend from substantially a center of a height of said grid pattern.
The plurality of retention members may be inwardly extending frames extending from a bottom edge of said grid pattern.
The method may further comprising the step of: utilizing a tile trowel to spread said tile bonding substance on a bottom of the mosaic tile cavity, applying dollops of said tile bonding substance to a bottom of the mosaic tile cavity, and utilizing a tile trowel to spread said tile bonding substance over said top of said grid plate member.
In use, a mosaic tile cavity is prepared by applying a plurality of dollops or lines of thinset (tile bonding substance). A suitable piece of grid plate member is cut from the grid plate and pressed into the mosaic tile cavity. The dollops of thinset ooze through and around the plurality of retention rings to retain the piece of grid plate member in place. The trowel tool is broken-off from an edge of the grid plate. Thinset is then spread over a top of the grid plate member with the detached trowel tool.
In addition to solving differentiations in depth of adjacent tile where a mosaic tile cavity is present, the grid plate may also be used on an even floors or walls to create a level or plumb surface for tile applications. Examples of this may include showers where a wall does not extend to the edge of a tub, or applying the plate over damaged drywall to avoid a tear-out above a countertop. The application functions in the same manner as the cavity, but can be customized to the desired depth or lack thereof by the installer by using the desired trowel to create a surface distance appropriate for the installation.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a grid plate for laying tile, which facilitates the flush and level laying of the mosaic tile between existing tiles.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a grid plate for laying mosaic tile, which allows an experienced tile professional to save time laying mosaic tile.
Finally, it is another object of the present invention to provide an alternative to a self-leveler, thus avoiding the need for multiple bags of leveler which can be costly.
These particular objects and advantages may apply to only some embodiments falling within the claims and thus do not define the scope of the invention.
With reference now to the drawings, and particularly to
While the grid plate assembly 1 includes multiple attached and detachable elements, it is understood that the grid plate assembly 1 may only include the grid plate member 10 without the detachable tile trowels 12, 14 or other attachments. In alternative embodiments, the grid plate assembly 1 may include other or additional tiling tools, such as multi-sized tile trowels and depth measurement tools, as further described below.
In one embodiment the grid plate member 10 may be a rectangular sheet of material, in one embodiment having dimensions of 2 feet by 3 feet and in another embodiment having dimensions of 4 feet by 6 feet. The grid plate member 10 may have an area of approximately 6 ft.2 to 24 ft.2 which provides enough material so that the sheet may be cut down to size as desired by the size of the mosaic tile cavity 100 or the area to be leveled. It is understood that many variations in the shape or size of grid plate member 10 may be provided by the present invention allowing for a piece of smaller material to be cut from the sheet as desired. It is also understood that the grid plate member 10 may be used for additional subsequent projects depending on the amount of remaining good plate material.
The grid plate member 10 is defined by a plurality of transverse strips 16, a plurality of lengthwise strips 18, and a plurality of retention elements, shown in
With reference to
The plurality of retention rings 20 are integrally molded into the grid pattern 22. The plurality of rings 20 may comprise a ring having a thickness of approximately ⅛ inch. The plurality of retention rings 20 extend from a side wall of the plurality of transverse and lengthwise strips 16, 18. The plurality of rings 20 are shown as being molded into substantially a middle of a height of said plurality of transverse and lengthwise strips 16, 18, but could be molded at a bottom or top of the plurality of transverse and lengthwise strips 16, 18. In an alternative embodiment the plurality of retention rings 20 may have a height substantially similar to the height of the transverse and lengthwise strips 16, 18. In this respect the plurality of retention rings 20 may be, for example, approximately ½ inch to 2 inches in height which is substantially the same height as the transverse and lengthwise strips 16, 18.
It is understood that other shapes of retention members 20 may also be used. For example, the retention members 20 may be outlines of various shapes including a rectangle, square, triangle, diamond, oval, and the like. A retention member 20 having a square shape is further described below.
The plurality of retention rings 20 may be arranged within the grid pattern 22 such that the retention rings 20 are spaced equally from one another and disposed equally from any one edge of the grid plate member 10. The plurality of retention rings 20 may be spaced apart a distance greater than a diameter of the plurality of retention rings 20. For example, each of the plurality of retention rings 20 may have a diameter of approximately ½ inch and may be spaced apart approximately 1 inch to 3 inches. The plurality of retention rings 20 may also be disposed in every square formed by the grid pattern, or in a repeating pattern, such as every other ring formed by the grid pattern. In this respect, the retention rings 20 may only be spaced apart ⅛ inch commensurate with the thickness of transverse and lengthwise strips 16, 18. In alternative embodiments, the plurality of retention rings 20 may be arranged in repeating symmetric patterns. For example the retention rings 20 may be arranged in zigzag or alternating formations, concentric circles, or scattered formations.
It is understood that the plurality of retention rings 20 are disposed within the grid pattern 22 so that any smaller sized piece cut from the sheet of material will include at least one retention ring 20, but preferably, multiple retention rings 20. It is understood that the retention rings 20 provide additional surface area to which the underlying surface and the applied thinset 102 may adhere to the grid plate member 10 thus preventing the grid plate member 10 from sliding or moving from position within the mosaic tile cavity 100.
With reference again to
The detachable small groove tile trowel 14 preferably includes a plurality of 1/16 inch notches and corresponding teeth 28 extending on an outer edge 15 of the detachable small groove tile trowel 14. In the embodiment shown, the notches and teeth 28 are triangular in shape. However, other appropriate notch sizes and shapes may also be used.
A body of each tile trowel 12, 14 is molded as an integral portion of the grid plate member with a break-away connection. Break-away connections are well known in the art and need not be explained in detail. However it is understood that the breakaway connections may be perforations, indents, grooves and the like which facilitate removable of the detachable element. With reference to
The grid plate member 10 comprising the plurality of transverse strips 16, plurality of lengthwise strips 18, and plurality of retention rings 20, and the large and small groove tile trowels 12, 14 may be constructed of a plastic material such as polyethylene terephthalate, polyethylene, polyvinyl chloride, polypropylene, polystyrene, and the like. The grid plate member 10 may also be constructed of a metal, wood, or synthetic material to function in a similar manner.
With respect to use of the grid plate assembly 1, and with reference to
With reference to
With reference to
With reference to
With reference to
It is understood that the grid plate assembly 1, the detachable multi-groove tile trowel 110, and detachable depth measurement tools 112, 114, may be a single integrated injection molded part to facilitate manufacturing of the separable elements 110, 112, 114 connected by injection molded runners 116 providing the breakaway connections. The separable elements may be detached from each other by cutting or snapping off the elements at the ends of the injection molded runners 116 extending between the separable elements 110, 112, 114.
With reference to
The frame 118 may be formed in every square or rectangle 23 of the grid pattern 22, or may be formed in repeating patterns, such as every other square or rectangle 23 of the grid pattern 22. The frame 118 provides additional surface area for the grid plate member 10 to contact the underlying thinset 102 as previously described above. In this respect the additional surface area of the smaller square or rectangle 118 assist with retaining the grid plate 108 in place without substantial sliding or movement.
As seen in
In use, a suitably sized piece of grid plate member 108 is cut from the grid plate 1 and screwed into the wall, cement board, or plywood, to secure the grid plate member 108 before thinset 102 is spread over a top of the grid plate member 108.
With reference to
The multi-groove tile trowel 110 may also be cut down or reduced to a desired length by breaking off or cutting off, for example, with a cutting tool or wet saw separable portions of the tile trowel 110 at breakaway connections 126 to reduce the length of the tile trowel 110 as desired. The breakaway connections 126 may be formed by grooves extending across the tile trowel 110 to detach strips of the tile trowel 110 decreasing its length.
With reference to
In use, the detachable small depth measurement tool 112 may be held with the graspable rectangular plate 128 extending vertically and the stepped ruler 130 extending downward into the thinset 102. The user may use the detachable small depth measurement tool 112 to measure a desired depth and press the grid plate member 10 into the thinset 102 within the mosaic tile cavity 100 to that desired and uniform depth.
It is understood that the larger depth measurement tool 114 is used in a similar manner with the stepped ruler 130 having equally spaced steps 131 but at larger depth increments. For example, each step 131 may be approximately 2 cm in height designating depth increments of 2 cm.
Certain terminology is used herein for purposes of reference only, and thus is not intended to be limiting. For example, terms such as “upper”, “lower”, “above”, and “below” refer to directions in the drawings to which reference is made. Terms such as “front”, “back”, “rear”, “bottom” and “side”, describe the orientation of portions of the component within a consistent but arbitrary frame of reference which is made clear by reference to the text and the associated drawings describing the component under discussion. Such terminology may include the words specifically mentioned above, derivatives thereof, and words of similar import. Similarly, the terms “first”, “second” and other such numerical terms referring to structures do not imply a sequence or order unless clearly indicated by the context.
When introducing elements or features of the present disclosure and the exemplary embodiments, the articles “a”, “an”, “the” and “said” are intended to mean that there are one or more of such elements or features. The terms “comprising”, “including” and “having” are intended to be inclusive and mean that there may be additional elements or features other than those specifically noted. It is further to be understood that the method steps, processes, and operations described herein are not to be construed as necessarily requiring their performance in the particular order discussed or illustrated, unless specifically identified as an order of performance. It is also to be understood that additional or alternative steps may be employed.
It is specifically intended that the present invention not be limited to the embodiments and illustrations contained herein and the claims should be understood to include modified forms of those embodiments including portions of the embodiments and combinations of elements of different embodiments as come within the scope of the following claims. All of the publications described herein, including patents and non-patent publications, are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/579,924, filed Nov. 1, 2017, and hereby incorporated by reference.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62579924 | Nov 2017 | US |
