AU2020100232A4 - An Accessory for Tiling - Google Patents

Abstract

An accessory for tiling includes a locating member having a first portion and a second portion, the first and second portions being angularly oriented with respect to each other, and each portion being configured to present a distal bearing surface that can bear, respectively, against both proximal surfaces of pairs of consecutive corner tiles, of a row of corner tiles, adhered to respective sides of a substrate that define a corner of a structure. The accessory includes two tile spacers. Each tile spacer includes a flange having opposed ends and opposed sides. A web extends from the flange, intermediate the opposed ends, the flange and the web being configured so that adjacent edge portions of each of the pairs of consecutive tiles can be positioned on the flange on respective sides of the web, with the web extending between the adjacent edge portions. Each portion of the locating member has two prongs that are spaced so that the web can extend between the prongs, the web being configured to engage a levelling member having a bearing surface, the levelling member and the web being configured so that relative displacement of the levelling member and the web results in the bearing surface of the levelling member bearing against the portion to retain the pairs of consecutive corner tiles in position while an adhesive sets. 26.1 22.2 40.1 10 Il *1 j I,--3362 I - N2.2 Figre

Description

AN ACCESSORY FOR TILING

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to an accessory for tiling. More particularly, this invention relates to an accessory used for retaining or holding tiles in position while an adhesive, which adheres the tiles to a substrate, is allowed to set.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In International patent application number PCT/EP92/00262, published as WO 92/14012, there is described a device for laying rigid flooring modules, such as tiles. The device includes a disposable element and a wedge, preferably of a plastics material. The disposable element has a T-shaped cross-section with a “central portion” and at least two “arms” that extend from the central portion. The central portion has a hole. A “wedge” with a flat levelling surface can be inserted into the hole. In use, the disposable element is positioned with its arms under two consecutive “flooring modules” and immersed in adhesive for fixing the modules to a floor foundation. The central portion extends above upper faces of the modules through a gap between the modules. One edge of the hole is above the upper faces of the modules. The wedge is inserted into the hole between that edge and the upper faces of the modules with the flat levelling service in engagement with the upper faces to clamp the two modules between the wedge and the arms. The central portion includes a weakened zone or breakaway line that is intended to permit the central portion to be broken away from the remainder of the device once the adhesive has set.

There have been various improvements or developments on this device since the filing of the above international application. For example, Australian patent number 2011203224 identifies a problem with the adhesive filling the breakaway line. That may make it difficult to break the central portion or web away from the arms or flange. Also, in some cases, the adhesive might not extend over the arms or the flange (also referred to as horizontal members) such that portions of the tiles that extend over the horizontal members are not adhered to the undersurface of the tiles. This problem is approached by locating the breakaway line at or above the highest points of the horizontal member sections such that the breakaway line is not exposed to the adhesive. Furthermore, the central portion may define cutouts at the ends of the breakaway line.

2020100232 18 Feb 2020

Australian patent application 2019216645 filed on 14 August 2019 describes a tile laying accessory that includes a flange that has opposed ends and opposed sides. A web extends from the flange, intermediate the opposed sides. The flange and the web are configured so that edge portions of two adjacent tiles can be positioned on the flange on respective sides of the web, with the web extending between the adjacent tiles. The web is configured to engage a levelling member having a bearing surface. A levelling member and the web are configured so that relative displacement of the levelling member and the web results in the bearing surface of the levelling member bearing against the edge portions of the adjacent tiles. At least one spacing formation is arranged on at least one of the flange and the web, the, or each, spacing formation being configured so that the adjacent tile edge portions can bear against the, or each, spacing formation with the web being spaced from the adjacent tile edge portions.

In this specification, an accessory such as that described in the above international and Australian applications is referred to as a “tile spacer”, solely for convenience.

It is desirable that the advantages associated with Australian patent application 2019216645 are extended to locating and adhering adjacent tiles that define a corner. Such tiles are usually at right angles to each other.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided an accessory for tiling, the accessory including:

a locating member having a first portion and a second portion, the first and second portions being angularly oriented with respect to each other, and each portion being configured to present a distal bearing surface that can bear, respectively, against both proximal surfaces of pairs of consecutive corner tiles, of a row of corner tiles, adhered to respective surfaces of a substrate that define a corner of a structure, each portion having two prongs that are spaced so that a web of a tile spacer can be received between the prongs, and a levelling member can engage the web, the levelling member and the web being configured so that relative displacement of the levelling member and the web results in a bearing surface of the levelling member bearing against the prongs, so that the use of two tile spacers can retain the pairs of consecutive corner tiles in position while an adhesive sets.

The first and second portions of the locating member may be oriented at substantially 90° relative to each other.

2020100232 18 Feb 2020

Each tile spacer may include a flange having opposed ends and opposed sides. A web may extend from the flange, intermediate the opposed ends, and the flange and the web may be configured so that adjacent edge portions of the tiles can be positioned on the flange, on respective sides of the web with the web extending between the adjacent edge portions and between the prongs of the portions of the locating member.

According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided an accessory for tiling, the accessory including:

a locating member having a first portion and a second portion, the first and second portions being angularly oriented with respect to each other, and each portion being configured to present a distal bearing surface that can bear, respectively, against both proximal surfaces of pairs of consecutive corner tiles, of a row of corner tiles, adhered to respective sides of a substrate that define a corner of a structure;

two tile spacers, each tile spacer including:

a flange having opposed ends and opposed sides; and a web that extends from the flange, intermediate the opposed ends, the flange and the web being configured so that adjacent edge portions of each of the pairs of consecutive tiles can be positioned on the flange on respective sides of the web, with the web extending between the adjacent edge portions; and each portion of the locating member has two prongs that are spaced so that the web can extend between the prongs, the web being configured to engage a levelling member having a bearing surface, the levelling member and the web being configured so that relative displacement of the levelling member and the web results in the bearing surface of the levelling member bearing against the portion to retain the pairs of consecutive corner tiles in position while an adhesive sets.

According to a third aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of tiling using the accessory of the second aspect of the invention, the method including the steps of:

positioning two rows of tiles on adhesive on a corner of the structure, with one row on one side of the corner and another row of the other side of the corner, with adjacent edge portions of each pair of consecutive tiles positioned on respective flanges of tile spacers such that webs of the tile spacers extend between consecutive tiles in each row and between the prongs of respective portions of the locating members of the accessory; and

2020100232 18 Feb 2020 engaging levelling members with respective webs such that the levelling members can bear against respective portions of the locators to retain the rows of tiles in position while the adhesive sets.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Figure 1 shows a three-dimensional view of an embodiment of an accessory, according to the invention, for tiling, in a configuration suitable for an external corner of a structure.

Figure 2 shows a cross-sectional view of the accessory of figure 1, in the configuration for the external corner.

Figure 3 shows a three-dimensional view of the accessory of figure 1, in a configuration suitable for an internal corner of a structure.

Figure 4 shows a cross-sectional view of the accessory of figure 1, in the configuration for the internal corner.

Figure 5 shows a three-dimensional view of an embodiment of a locating member, according to the invention, for use with the accessory of figure 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the drawings, reference numeral 10 generally indicates an embodiment of an accessory for tiling, in accordance with the invention.

When laying corner tiles, it is important to locate respective rows 11, 13 of tiles 22, 24, two of which are indicated by reference numerals 11, 13 in the drawings, on sides of a corner such that each tile 22.1,22.2 on one side of the corner is aligned with a corresponding tile 24.1,24.2 on the other side of the corner. Furthermore, the spacing of the tiles 22.1,22.2 on one side of the corner needs to correspond as accurately as possible with the spacing of the tiles 24.1,24.2 on the other side of the corner.

The accessory 10 is used to assist in achieving such correspondence and also to retain the tiles on each side of the corner in position while an adhesive that adheres the tiles to each side sets.

The accessory 10 includes a locating member or locator 12 having a first portion 14 and a second portion 16. The first and second portions 14, 16 are angularly oriented with respect to each other. Usually, this angle is about 90°. Each portion is

2020100232 18 Feb 2020 configured to present a distal bearing surface 18, 20, that can bear, respectively, against adjacent proximal surfaces 23, 25 of the respective tiles 22, 24. Furthermore, each portion has two spaced prongs 38. It is to be appreciated that the locator can be any shape. For example, it can be formed from a round or oval disc. This means that the prongs 38 can be any corresponding shape and are not limited to being rectangular.

The accessory 10 includes two tile spacers 26.1,26.2. Each tile spacer 26 includes a flange 28 (figure 2, for example) having opposed ends 30 and opposed sides 32. A web 34 extends from the flange 28, intermediate the opposed ends 30. The flange 28 and the web 34 are configured so that adjacent edge portions 36.1,36.2 of the tiles

22, 24, respectively, can be positioned on the flange 28 on respective sides of the web 34, with the web 34 extending between the adjacent edge portions 36.1,36.2. The spacings between the prongs 38.1 and 38.2 of the first and second portions 14, 16, respectively, of the locator 12 are sufficient to allow the web 34 to extend between the prongs 38.1,38.2, with the web 34 extending between the adjacent edge portions 36.1,36.2.

The web 34 is configured to engage a levelling member or wedge 40.1,40.2 having a bearing surface 42.1,42.2. The wedge 40 and the web 34 are configured so that relative displacement of the wedge 40 and the web 34 results in the bearing surface 42 bearing against one of the portions 14, 16.

As can be seen in the drawings, when the wedges 40.1,40.2 are engaged with respective webs 34.1,34.2, the portions 14, 16 bear against the proximal surfaces

23, 25, respectively. Thus, the accessory 10 serves to retain the tiles 11, 13 in position relative to each other while an adhesive sets.

The tile spacers 26 and the associated wedges 40 can be those as described in the international patent application number PCT/EP92/00262, referred to in the background section above. In that embodiment, the tile spacers 26 are referred to as “a disposable element (10)” and the associated wedges 40 are referred to as “a wedge 12”.

Alternatively, the tile spacers 26 and the associated wedges 40 can be those as described in Australian patent number 2011203224 also referred to in the background section above. In that embodiment, the tile spacers 26 are referred to as “a levelling and spacing device 110” and the wedges 40 are referred to as “a wedge 112”.

2020100232 18 Feb 2020

In a further embodiment, the tile spacers 26 and the associated wedges 40 can be those as described in Australian patent application 2019216645 also referred to in the background section above. In that embodiment, the tile spacers 26 are referred to as “a tile laying accessory 10”. The associated wedges 40 are referred to as “a wedge 26”, which is shown in figure 12 of the drawings filed with that application.

It is thus to be appreciated that various forms of tile spacer and associated wedge could be used with the locator 12 for achieving retention of the tiles 22, 24, the requirement being that the tile spacer has a flange, or similar formation, that can be positioned beneath adjacent tiles, as described above and a web that extends between the tiles, and between the prongs 38 of the locator 12. Some form of levelling member, such as the wedge, is required to engage the web so that relative displacement of the levelling member and the spacer serves to urge the levelling member against the respective portion 14, 16 of the locator 12.

In the examples of suitable tile spacers 26 and associated wedges 40, the wedges 40 and the webs, for example the web 34, are configured so that the wedges 40 can be retained in position once urged into engagement with the web 34. For example, in the above examples, a proximal surface of the wedge 40 has a series of serrations that can clip into engagement with the web, for example the web 34. Thus, once the wedges 40 are so urged into engagement with the web 34, a tiler can leave the area of work while the adhesive sets.

In this embodiment, the tile spacer 26 can be similar to the tile spacer described in Australian patent application 2019216645. Thus, a spacer (not shown) is arranged on the flange 28 and is configured so that the adjacent edge portions 36 can bear against the spacer with the web 34 being spaced from the adjacent edge portions 36. A zone of weakness (not shown) is defined at a junction between the web 34 and the flange 28. The zone of weakness is configured so that, when the flange 28 is secured between a substrate and the edge portions 36, the web 34 can be broken off the flange 28 with a suitable tool such as a hammer or simply with a kick or by hand. Further detail of the characteristics of the web 34 and the spacer are described in Australian patent application 2019216645.

The web 34 includes two spaced stems 54 that extend from the flange 28. A bridge member or bridge 52 interconnects the stems 54 such that the flange 28, the stems 54 and the bridge 52 define an opening 56 for receiving the wedge 40. The stems 54 can be long enough so that the bridge 52 does not interfere with the tiles 22, 24.

2020100232 18 Feb 2020

Suitable dimensions for the stems 54 and possible dimensions of the tiles 22, 24 are described in Australian patent application 2019216645.

The wedge 40 has a serrated or toothed proximal surface 58 that defines a series of teeth, ridges or serrations 59 that extend transversely such that they can be aligned with a distal, internal edge 60 of the bridge 52. The distal edge 60 of the bridge 52 and the serrations 59 can be configured so that the surface 58 can clip into engagement with the bridge 52 as the wedge 40 is driven into the opening 56. As a result, the bearing surface 42 is urged against the respective portion 14, 16. It follows that when two spacers 26 are used with the locator 12, two tiles 22 of the upper row 11 are retained in position relative to two tiles 24 of the lower row 13.

In figures 1 and 2, the accessory 10 is shown in a configuration suitable for an external corner, generally indicated at 44. In figures 3 and 4, the accessory 10 is shown in configuration suitable for an internal corner, generally indicated at 46.

In use, the tile spacers 26 and the tiles 22, 24 are positioned on adhesive on respective sides of either the external or internal corner 44, 46. The tiles 22, 24 are positioned in suitable alignment with the webs 34 extending between the tiles 22, 24. The manner in which the tile spacers 26 and the tiles 22, 24 are used together is described in the documents referenced in the background of the invention. In this case, the locator 12 is manipulated so that the first and second portions 14, 16 are placed against the proximal surfaces 23, 25, as shown in figures 1 and 3. The wedges 40 are then urged into engagement with the respective webs 34, as described above. This serves to retain the tiles 22, 24 in proper alignment while the adhesive sets. The fact that the prongs 38 are spaced and a spacing between the prongs is accessible at an end of each portion 14, 16, allows the locator 12 to be manipulated so that one of the portions 14, 16 can be slid into its operative position, with the spacer positioned between the prongs 38, rather than having to align an opening with the associated spacer 26. Then, the locator 12 can be manipulated so that the prongs 38 of the other portion can be positioned on respective sides of the other spacer 26. It follows that the prongs 38 avoid the need to align openings with respective spacers 26 in order to position the locator properly.

At present, it is often necessary for tilers to retain corner tiles in position with masking tape or the like as the adhesive sets. This can be inconvenient and time consuming since it is necessary for the masking tape to be removed once the adhesive has set. It might not be possible to easily remove the masking tape resulting in the need to

2020100232 18 Feb 2020 clean the area once the masking tape has been removed. This is also time consuming. Thus, use of the accessory 10 can result in significant time-saving.

Furthermore, use of the tile spacers 26 and the locator 12 allows for the corner tiles 22, 24 to be accurately spaced and aligned with respect to each other. Thus, the advantages associated with the tile spacers or accessories of the documents referenced in the background of the invention as applied to tiling a continuous flat surface, is conveyed to internal and external corners.

The appended claims are to be considered as incorporated into the above description.

Throughout this specification, reference to any advantages, promises, objects or the like should not be regarded as cumulative, composite and/or collective and should be regarded as preferable or desirable rather than stated as a warranty.

Throughout this specification, unless otherwise indicated, comprise, comprises, and comprising, (and variants thereof) or related terms such as includes (and variants thereof), are used inclusively rather than exclusively, so that a stated integer or group of integers may include one or more other non-stated integers or groups of integers.

Throughout this specification, the word “tile” is to be understood as extending beyond the conventionally known narrow meaning of a rectangular, ceramic building element that is adhered to a substrate. Rather, it can extend to any building or architectural module that is required to be laid on a substrate together with other modules in an equally spaced manner. For example, such a module could be that refer to as a “paver” or paving tile or other modules that are used in landscaping.

When any number or range is described herein, unless clearly stated otherwise, that number or range is approximate. Recitation of ranges of values herein are intended to serve as a shorthand method of referring individually to each separate value falling within the range, unless otherwise indicated herein, and each separate value and each separate subrange defined by such separate values is incorporated into the specification as if it were individually recited herein.

Words indicating direction or orientation, such as “front”, “rear”, “back”, etc, are used for convenience. The inventor(s) envisages that various embodiments can be used in a non-operative configuration, such as when presented for sale. Thus, such words are to be regarded as illustrative in nature, and not as restrictive. Use of the word

2020100232 18 Feb 2020 “proximal” refers to a position that is relatively close to a user, in use, as opposed to the word “distal”, which has the opposite meaning.

The term “and/or”, e.g., “A and/or B” shall be understood to mean either “A and B” or “A or B” and shall be taken to provide explicit support for both meanings or for either meaning.

It is to be understood that the terminology employed above is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. The described embodiments are intended to be illustrative of the invention, without limiting the scope thereof. The invention is capable of being practised with various modifications and additions as will readily occur to those skilled in the art.

Claims (5)

1. An accessory for tiling, the accessory including:

a locating member having a first portion and a second portion, the first and second portions being angularly oriented with respect to each other, and each portion being configured to present a distal bearing surface that can bear, respectively, against both proximal surfaces of pairs of consecutive corner tiles, of a row of corner tiles, adhered to respective sides of a substrate that define a corner of a structure;

two tile spacers, each tile spacer including:

a flange having opposed ends and opposed sides; and a web that extends from the flange, intermediate the opposed ends, the flange and the web being configured so that adjacent edge portions of each of the pairs of consecutive tiles can be positioned on the flange on respective sides of the web, with the web extending between the adjacent edge portions; and each portion of the locating member has two prongs that are spaced so that the web can extend between the prongs, the web being configured to engage a levelling member having a bearing surface, the levelling member and the web being configured so that relative displacement of the levelling member and the web results in the bearing surface of the levelling member bearing against the portion to retain the pairs of consecutive corner tiles in position while an adhesive sets.

2. The accessory as claimed in claim 1, in which the first and second portions of the locating member are oriented at substantially 90° relative to each other.

3. The accessory as claimed in claim 1, in which each tile spacer includes a flange having opposed ends and opposed sides, a web extending from the flange, intermediate the opposed ends, and the flange and the web being configured so that adjacent edge portions of the tiles can be positioned on the flange, on respective sides of the web with the web extending between the adjacent edge portions and between the prongs of the portions of the locating member.

4. An accessory for tiling, the accessory including:

a locating member having a first portion and a second portion, the first and second portions being angularly oriented with respect to each other, and each portion being configured to present a distal bearing surface that can bear, respectively, against both proximal surfaces of pairs of consecutive corner tiles, of a row of corner tiles, adhered to respective surfaces of a substrate that define a corner of a structure,

2020100232 18 Feb 2020 each portion having two prongs that are spaced so that a web of a tile spacer can be received between the prongs, and a levelling member can engage the web, the levelling member and the web being configured so that relative displacement of the levelling member and the web results in a bearing surface of the levelling member bearing against the respective portion, so that the use of two tile spacers can retain the pairs of consecutive corner tiles in position while an adhesive sets.

5. A method of tiling using the accessory as claimed in claim 4, the method including the steps of:

positioning two rows of tiles on adhesive on a corner of the structure, with one row on one side of the corner and another row on the other side of the corner, with adjacent edge portions of each pair of consecutive tiles positioned on respective flanges of tile spacers such that webs of the tile spacers extend between consecutive tiles in each row and between the prongs of respective portions of the locating members of the accessory; and engaging levelling members with respective webs such that the levelling members can bear against respective portions of the locators to retain the rows of tiles in position while the adhesive sets.