Patent Application
20240247503
The present invention relates to a levelling piece for cladding panels, such as wall tiles, floor tiles, or paving tiles, intended for facilitating the installation of constructive elements of this type. The levelling piece has an inverted T-shaped profile configuration with a flat base from which an inverted U-shaped element which has a thickening of variable thickness emerges perpendicularly.
The object of the invention is to provide use in addition to that commonly envisaged for the levelling piece. In this sense, instead of being disposed of after levelling the panels, the inverted U-shaped element, which is part of the levelling piece, is used for a second use as a result of its novel configuration.
Levelling pieces which, when used in combination with a wedge, facilitate the placement of cladding panels and their uniform arrangement on floors, walls, or other surfaces, are known in the state of the art. To that end, there is provided a bonding material, such as mortar or an adhesive, on which the panels which will clad the surface are placed. Said operation involves as many levelling pieces as necessary for the perfect separation and levelling of the cladding panels.
As shown in patent document number ES2598702T3, known levelling pieces have an inverted T-shaped configuration with a flat base from which an inverted U-shaped element, commonly known as a horseshoe spacer, emerges perpendicularly, and wherein the inverted U-shaped element is provided with an opening. These levelling pieces are supported at their base on the bonding material.
Cladding panels are then arranged such that there are at least two levelling pieces on each side.
The wedge is introduced through the opening of each levelling piece which separates two cladding panels. Upon hitting the wedge, a force is generated on the inverted U-shaped element tending to separate the levelling piece and the surface to be clad, which will also cause the separation of the cladding panels, with the panels being levelled out.
When the bonding material is dry, an impact is applied on the inverted U-shaped element which causes the breakage and separation thereof with respect to the base, with said inverted U-shaped element being disposable and the base being buried under the cladding panels and concealed when grout is applied to seal the joints.
The described operation requires the use and breakage of a large number of levelling pieces which causes the removal of a large amount of polymer material to be disposed of without any additional application envisaged for same. Therefore, the applicant of the present utility model detects the need to provide an invention which offers an environmentally friendly solution which involves reusing the inverted U-shaped element after its separation from the levelling piece.
The configuration of the proposed levelling piece enables a second function of that part which is unusable once the levelling of cladding panels has been performed and the bonding material is dry, specifically a wedge-like separating function.
In this sense, the levelling piece for cladding panels has an inverted T-shaped profile with a flat base from which an inverted U-shaped element of the known types emerges perpendicularly. The inverted U-shaped element is joined to the base by respective arms defining an opening.
The arms optionally have notches at the ends which are joined to the base. These notches are what allow the arms of the inverted U-shaped element to break once the cladding panels have been properly installed and levelled as a result of the levelling piece.
The levelling piece has in the upper middle region of the inverted U-shaped element a thickening of variable thickness. It is precisely said thickening of variable thickness that generates a separating or spacing function in any of the preferred embodiments of the invention that are described in detail below.
In this sense, said thickening of variable thickness is defined by a perimeter of variable thickness in the upper middle region of the inverted U-shaped element or by a projection extending from one side to the opposite side of the inverted U-shaped element, generating a thickening in a plane parallel to the base the thickness of which decreases gradually as it approaches the end opposite the base, defining a pointed termination.
In any case, the thickening in a perimeter of variable thickness or at a pointed termination defines a spacing wedge shape which allows the introduction thereof between the cladding panels to keep them separated during installation.
In this sense, once the inverted U-shaped element is separated from of the rest of the levelling piece, it can be used as a spacing wedge for other elements for cladding installation. In other words, part of the levelling piece is utilized for another function, in contrast to the known levelling pieces in which the inverted U-shaped element is disposed of once separated from the rest of the levelling piece, with the subsequent material wastage and environmental impact.
Based on the foregoing, the use of the inverted U-shaped element, which includes the mentioned thickening of variable thickness, offers a versatile and environmentally friendly levelling piece.
To complete the description that will be made below and in order to help to better understand the features of the invention according to a preferred practical embodiment thereof, a set of drawings is attached as an integral part of said description in which the following is depicted in an illustrative and non-limiting manner:
In any of the preferred embodiments of the invention, the levelling piece has an inverted T-shaped profile with a flat base (2) from which an inverted U-shaped element (3) emerges perpendicularly, and wherein the inverted U-shaped element (3) is joined to the base (2) by respective arms (4) defining an opening (5). Likewise, the levelling pieces of the present invention have in the preferred embodiment thereof notches (6) arranged at the ends of the arms (4) which are joined to the base (2), in order to facilitate the weakening and breakage of the inverted U-shaped element with respect to the base (2).
As can be seen in the figures of any preferred embodiment of the levelling piece of the invention, the ends of the base (2) farthest away from the inverted U-shaped element (3) preferably have a reduction in thickness and/or bevelled corners (2′) in the base (2), included for the purpose of minimising the amount of material used per levelling piece manufactured, always maintaining the mechanical strength necessary for performing its function.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, this section illustrates up to four preferred embodiments of the invention having in the upper middle region of the inverted U-shaped element (3) a thickening of variable thickness in order to serve as a spacing wedge for use once it has been separated from the base (2) after the levelling of the cladding panels and the drying of the bonding material.
In this sense, a first preferred embodiment of the invention can be seen in the indicated
Moreover,
To generate the spacing wedge in the second preferred embodiment of the invention, the thickness of the inverted U-shaped element decreases gradually as it approaches the end opposite the base (2), in this sense
In a third preferred embodiment of the levelling piece (20), the thickening is defined by a projection (21) as can be seen in
Unlike what has been described in detail for the second preferred embodiment, the thickness of the thickening in the third preferred embodiment decreases by way of steps (23) as it approaches the end opposite the base (2), defining a pointed termination (22). As can be seen in
In this sense, the levelling piece can have more than one step (23) in order to decrease the thickness of the thickening.
Moreover, the fourth preferred embodiment of the invention depicted in
As can be seen in
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| U202131155 | Jun 2021 | ES | national |
This application claims priority to PCT/ES2022/070343, filed Jun. 2, 2022, which claims priority to ES202131155U, filed Jun. 3, 2021. Each of these applications is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference thereto.
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/ES2022/070343 | 6/2/2022 | WO |
