RS59587B1 - The plane leveling rack - Google Patents

Abstract

The support for leveling flat surfaces according to the invention enables the installation of tiles consisting of floor, wall or ceiling coverings so that the surface covered by the tiles is flat, whereby works on their installation can be performed in a simpler and faster way than before, with greater precision. The bracket (1) for leveling the planes comprises a base plate (2) on which there is an upright column (3) with a rectangular opening (4) and with two oppositely arranged longitudinal channels (5) with a V-shaped cross section, which are located below the rectangular opening (4) on the pillar (3). The upper surface (6) of the base plate (2) is flat. The support (1) is characterized in that the lower surface (7) of the base plate (2) has mutually parallel protrusions (8). These protrusions (8) form channels with each other which enable better adhesion of the adhesive or aggregate to the base plate itself (2), thus achieving greater strength of the entire structure.

Description

Technical field

The subject invention relates to a support for leveling flat surfaces, which belongs to the field of accessories for finishing works on buildings, and especially for installing wall or ceiling panels or panels, whose MKP designation is E04F 21/18 (2015.01).

Technical problem

The technical problem that is solved by the subject invention is how to implement a support for leveling flat surfaces, which would enable the installation of tiles that make up floor, wall or ceiling coverings in such a way that the formed surface covered by the tiles is flat, while the work on their installation could be done in a simpler and faster way than before, with greater precision, regardless of the experience of the workers who work on laying the tiles.

State of the art

Tiles as floor, wall or ceiling coverings are widely used today in commercial and residential buildings. Thanks to a number of advantages, such as the durability and ease of maintenance of floor coverings made from them, tiles are usually the first choice for areas such as kitchens and bathrooms in apartments, apartments for rent, numerous commercial facilities, such as bakeries and dairies, and more. Various shapes, sizes and colors of the tiles that can be found in the offer enable architects and decorators to create very effective combinations for interior decoration. However, the use of special types of tiles in the exterior should not be overlooked either.

For these reasons, it is necessary to ensure the possibility of covering as large areas with tiles as possible in the shortest possible time and with the least possible costs, but no less important is the need to place them aligned with each other, so that the resulting covering gets a monolithic appearance. Starting from the fact that the base on which the tiles are placed is often not perfectly flat, the result is that even the finished covering is not completely flat, but is slightly wavy or uneven in some other way, because the adhesive layer still cannot compensate for too large deviations of the base. More experienced workers can somewhat overcome this problem when laying tiles by careful manual adjustment, but the work then proceeds more slowly, especially in the case when larger areas need to be covered with tiles, which reduces the productivity of the process and prolongs the deadline for completing the work. In addition, if the tiles are not aligned with each other, then some may stick out from the others and over time may loosen and fall out or, in the case of floor coverings, a person walking on them may trip. In addition, there is another problem when laying tiles, which is the problem of maintaining compositions between tiles, or. joints, of equal width, as well as leveler height adjustment. Also, during installation, pliers and additional insertion devices are used, which affects the time that the tiling worker needs to spend during the installation of the tiles. One of the problems is the sliding of the leveler when placing the tiles vertically, as well as its fragility, where it breaks when bent. The problem is also the tightening of the leveler, where due to the exposure to the forces applied by the worker and which are unevenly distributed, the leveler breaks in the points of greatest stress, i.e. on the edges.

In order to overcome these problems, the use of so-called tile supports (levellers) began, which support two adjacent tiles from the bottom side and thus bring them into an aligned position. Several solutions of such tile supports are known from the prior art, such as those described in the following patent documents: WO 2013149166 A1, WO 2015051768 A1, CN 204510756 U, TWM 456396 U, US 2008236094 A1, EP 2728088 A1, WO 2011121476 A1, WO 2008118418 A1, RS 1478 U1, US 9487959 B2, EP 2565346 B1, WO 9214012 A2. However, none of the carriers described in these documents have fully resolved the problems defined above.

Thus, for example, the alignment and leveling support described in WO 2013149166 A1 comprises a flexible element, a bottom plate and a distance element. The spacer element holds the flexible element and the bottom plate at a predetermined vertical distance. The flexible element has a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is pivotally connected to the distance element, which enables the flexible element to be rotated between the first position and the second position in which the flexible element presses the tile from above, allowing it to be aligned and leveled when attached to the base. However, despite certain advantages, which include the possibility of installing tiles faster using this support, it has a very complex construction, which significantly complicates the process of its production, and thus increases its cost. Also, this type of carrier can be easily damaged during storage and transportation, which makes it unusable.

The tile leveling support described in US 2008236094 A1, which represents the closest state of the art for the subject invention, contains a base body, then a first part that extends transversely from the base body for receiving the first tile, as well as a second part that extends transversely from the base body in the direction opposite to the first part for receiving the second tile. A wedge-shaped element is also provided for penetrating through the opening on the base body and transmitting force to the tiles for their mutual alignment. Despite the simpler construction compared to the previously described bracket, this bracket also has certain disadvantages. This is first of all reflected in the shape of the first and second parts on which the tiles should rest, and which have a curved shape, which does not ensure adequate resting of the tiles. The same applies to the shape of the vertical part of the base body, which is not ergonomically designed, due to which the tiling worker cannot hold it firmly without exerting considerable effort, which quickly leads to his fatigue and a decrease in the productivity of the process.

However, the main difference for all the mentioned documents from the state of the art in relation to the subject of the invention is that the installation procedure from the state of the art consists of: 1) placing the leveler in glue; 2) installation of the tile; 3) placing the wedge in the leveler by hand; 4) taking pliers; 5) placing the pliers on the leveler and wedge; 6) leveling and 7) occasional adjustment of the pliers depending on the tiles being worked with. Whereas with the subject invention, the procedure consists of only 3 steps, namely: 1) placing the leveler in the glue, 2) placing the tile and 3) placing the wedge in the leveler by hand and at that moment leveling.

Because of all this, there is still a need for the realization of a support for leveling flat surfaces, which would enable solving the technical problem defined above.

The essence of the invention

The above-defined technical problem is solved by a support for leveling flat surfaces, which contains a base plate on which there is a vertically placed column with a rectangular opening and with two opposite longitudinal channels with a V-shaped cross-section, which are located under the rectangular opening on the column. With this carrier, the upper surface of the base plate is flat, as with the carriers from the state of the art, but unlike them, here, on the lower surface of the base plate, mutually parallel protrusions are made. Between them, these protrusions form channels that enable better adhesion of the glue or aggregate to the base plate itself, thus achieving greater strength of the entire construction. With this construction, the effect of far less deformation of the base plate is achieved compared to the existing supports. In the case of incomplete drying of the glue or aggregate, this support is better attached to it due to the larger adhesion surface, as well as the geometry of the channel itself. Due to the above-mentioned characteristics, this support ensures faster installation of flat surfaces, as the time required for installation is reduced by 20%, while achieving the same strength as existing supports, but with a shorter drying time.

Another advantage of the channel on the underside of the base plate is reflected in the pressure force that is created between the adhesive and the surface of the plate. Namely, due to this geometry of the base tile, the support "floats" on the fresh glue or aggregate and the possibility of controlled immersion in it, which is why it is easier for the worker who works on the installation of the tiles to handle the installation of the supports and tiles compared to the existing ones.

The third advantage is that the contact surface between the adhesive and the support is increased on the underside of the support, which is why we have the effect of a stronger bond between the support and the adhesive. Thus, during vertical installation, this increased surface area of contact between the glue and the support prevents the leveler from sliding down under the force of gravity, while remaining fixed in place when it is pushed into the glue.

The fourth advantage is that the channels on the underside allow the glue to flow. The advantages mentioned above are even more pronounced when the protrusions on the lower surface of the base plate in the cross-section have a semicircular shape. It is desirable that at least 2 protrusions are made on the lower surface of the base plate, but the best results are achieved when 15 protrusions are made. Likewise, it has been found convenient that the protrusions on the lower surface of the base plate extend transversely to the support column. It is these protrusions in a semi-circular shape that enable horizontal screeding during vertical installation because it allows the tiling worker to change the width of the joint even after placing the leveler and the tile.

In the following example, it is desirable that the upper part of the support column has an oval part, and especially that this oval part has a greater thickness than the part of the support column that is located below it. In the following example, each of the opposite sides of the oval part is made with a shallow recess. It is even more desirable that the oval part on the support column above the rectangular opening should have two opposite longitudinal protrusions. It is particularly suitable that the two opposite longitudinal protrusions have a rounded (for example, semicircular) cross-section, and that the front ends of the longitudinal protrusions are notched.

The upper surface of the support, i.e. the support column, made in this way differs from the existing supports, among other things, by the aforementioned rounded (for example, semicircular) protrusions that allow the worker working on the installation of the tiles to more easily drive the corresponding wedge. Namely, with most solutions known from the state of the art, it is necessary to use an additional tool (e.g. in TWM 456396 U), which is not the case with the subject invention, where it is possible to drive a wedge manually using an additional surface on the support. In the case of the support according to the invention, it is possible to use the fingers as a support, which is not possible with existing supports (eg in US 2008236094 A1). Also, the very upper surface of the support, i.e. the column of the support, is constructed according to the anatomy of the hand, so the worker working on the installation of the tiles is easier to handle the support, and at the same time with the help of the effect of flexion, i.e. it works according to the principle of elastic deformation, it presses the tile and due to the elastic force combined with the moment of force, it effectively increases the strength of the hand on the required segment, thus eliminating the need for pliers, which enables manual installation without tiring.

In addition, with the present invention, the geometry of the support column, which is thinner in relation to the upper surface of the support, has been improved, and therefore it is possible to place a larger number of supports per unit area compared to the existing supports.

Also due to its construction, this leveler is the lightest and with the smallest volume and therefore can be called eco-friendly, and due to the grooves on the bottom, which fit into each other and prevent movement, and the ability to bend without breaking, it can be packed the most compactly, which allows for easier transport.

Brief description of the draft images

One example of the implementation of the support for leveling flat surfaces according to the invention is described in detail below and is shown in the attached drawings. In doing so, they show:

Figure 1 is a front view of the carrier according to the invention,

Fig. 2 view of the carrier according to the invention in section A-A from Fig. 1,

Figure 3 enlarged detail B from Figure 2,

Figure 4 enlarged detail C from Figure 1,

Figure 5 enlarged detail D from Figure 2,

Figure 6 shows the horizontal projection of the support according to the invention,

Fig. 7 is an axonometric view of an upside-down support according to the invention and Fig. 8 is an axonometric view of the support according to the invention with a mounting pin.

Detailed description of the invention

As can be seen from the drawing pictures, and especially from pictures 6 and 7, the support 1 for leveling flat surfaces contains a base plate 2 on which there is a vertically placed column 3. A rectangular opening 4 is made on the column 3 for inserting a pin 14 for installation. Likewise, on the column 3, there are two opposite longitudinal channels 5. By creating this channel 5 between the conical notch, the effect of swirling the plastic and tearing of the polymer threads during the pouring procedure is eliminated. These longitudinal channels 5 represent a weakened place, which should facilitate the breaking of the pillar 3 when necessary, and on the pillar 3 they are located under the rectangular opening 4.

In addition, the longitudinal channels 5 on the column 3 are offset from the upper surface 6 of the base plate 2 so that they will be within the thickness of the tiles when they are placed on the support 1. This means that the longitudinal channels 5 are located above the underside of the tiles when they are placed on the support 1 and when the pin 14 is inserted into the hole 4, thus pressing the tiles on the upper surfaces 6 of the support 1 aligning them. Then the longitudinal channels 5 are located above the glue or the aggregate, which ensures a clean separation of the column 3 from the base plate 2.

As can be seen from the drawing pictures, viewed from above, the base plate 2 generally has an octagonal shape with two opposite U-shaped cuts, the axis of symmetry of which is perpendicular to the plane in which the pillar 3 extends. As follows, the upper surface 6 of the base plate 2 is flat, which is similar to solutions known from the prior art. However, what is characteristic of the present invention is that the lower surface 7 of the base plate 2 is not flat, but has mutually parallel protrusions 8, the function of which is described in detail above.

From the point of view of production and reliability during use, it has been shown that it is most favorable that the protrusions 8 on the lower surface 7 of the base plate 2 have a semicircular shape in cross-section. In order to achieve an adequate desired function, at least 2 protrusions 8 must be made on the lower surface 7 of the base plate 2, and it is most preferable when 15 protrusions are made. It is also suitable when the protrusions 8 on the lower surface 7 of the base plate 2 extend transversely in relation to the pillar 3 of the support 1. The protrusions 8 themselves have three effects: adjusting the depth of penetration into the glue; anti-slip on vertical surfaces and spring effect.

For easier holding of the support 1 according to the invention, an oval part 9 is formed on the upper part of the column 3 of the support 1, whereby the mentioned oval part 9 has a greater thickness than the part of the column 3 of the support 1 located below it. In addition, each of the lateral opposite sides 10 of the oval part 9 is made with a shallow depression 11, which enables a better holding of the support 1 during use. An even better holding of the support 1 is achieved when there are two opposite longitudinal protrusions 12 on the oval part 9 on the column 3 of the support 1, and above the rectangular opening 4. It is most suitable when those two opposite longitudinal protrusions 12 have a rounded cross-section, especially semicircular. It is also preferable when the front ends 13 of the longitudinal protrusions 12 are notched.

Placing the tiles using the carrier 1 for leveling flat surfaces according to the invention is performed as follows: a layer of glue or aggregate is applied to the base, that is, the substrate, and then the carrier 1 according to the invention is placed. On the lower surface 7 of the support, one tile is placed on both its left and right sides, and then the support 1 is fixed with a plastic wedge 14 with the help of a hand or a tool designed for this work.

At the same time, the longitudinal protrusions 12 enable faster installation, because by holding the support 1 with our fingers for the semicircular longitudinal protrusions 12, we can push the pin 14 into the support 1. This procedure is repeated until the entire floor is leveled on the same plane. This allows the entire floor to act as one slab and makes tiling easier, and in particular allows fine adjustments to be made to the angles of the floor.

Claims (10)

Patent claims 1. A support for leveling flat surfaces that contains a base plate (2) on which there is a vertically placed column (3) with a rectangular opening (4) and with two opposite longitudinal channels (5), which are located below the rectangular opening (4) on the column (3), whereby the upper surface (6) of the base plate (2) is flat, indicated by the fact that the base plates (2) are parallel to each other on the lower surface (7) protrusions (8). 2. Bracket for leveling flat surfaces according to claim 1, characterized in that the protrusions (8) on the lower surface (7) of the base plate (2) have a semicircular cross-section. 3. Bracket for leveling flat surfaces according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that 15 protrusions are made on the lower surface (7) of the base plate (2). 4. A support for leveling flat surfaces according to one of the previous claims, characterized in that the protrusions (8) on the lower surface (7) of the base plate (2) extend transversely in relation to the pillar (3) of the support (1). 5. A support for leveling flat surfaces according to one of the previous requirements, indicated by the fact that an oval part (9) is made on the upper part of the column (3) of the support (1). 6. Support for leveling flat surfaces according to one of the previous claims, characterized in that the oval part (9) has a greater thickness than the part of the column (3) of the support (1) located below it. 7. Bracket for leveling flat surfaces according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that each of the lateral opposite sides (10) of the oval part (9) is made with a shallow depression (11). 8. Support for leveling flat surfaces according to one of the claims 5 to 7, indicating that on the oval part (9) on the pillar (3) of the support (1) above the rectangular opening (4) two opposite longitudinal projections (12) are made. 9. Support for leveling flat surfaces according to one of claims 5 to 8, characterized in that the two opposite longitudinal protrusions (12) have a rounded cross-section. 10. Bracket for leveling flat surfaces according to one of claims 8 or 9, characterized in that the front ends (13) of the longitudinal protrusions (12) are bevelled.