EP3721027B1

EP3721027B1 - Leveler for tiles

Info

Publication number: EP3721027B1
Application number: EP18842828.8A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Zeno Cipriani
Original assignee: Dakota Group SAS di Zeno Cipriani e C
Current assignee: Dakota Group SAS di Zeno Cipriani e C
Priority date: 2017-12-05
Filing date: 2018-12-04
Publication date: 2023-02-15
Anticipated expiration: 2038-12-04
Also published as: EP3721027A1; ES2944932T3; FI3721027T3; PL3721027T3; CN111655951B; CA3116162A1; CN111655951A; US20210363765A1; PT3721027T; HUE062589T2; WO2019111150A1

Description

The present invention refers to a leveler for tiles. In particular, it refers to a wedge leveler that allows you to place the respective upper faces of two adjacent tiles on the same plane in a simple and convenient way.
As known, there are wedge levelers on the market that include a disposable element and a wedge with a knurled ramp. The disposable element includes a flat base from which two arms protrude vertically, spaced laterally and joined at the top to a lamella, so as to create an opening.
The disposable element is placed between two tiles so that its flat base is locked below the tiles.
Subsequently, the wedge is inserted above the two tiles, between the two arms of the disposable element, below the lamella, inside the opening.
The same wedge is then pushed so that its lower base makes the respective faces of the two tiles coplanar.
Once this coplanarity is obtained, the wedge is left in the position reached, blocked there thanks to a tongue protruding from the lamella towards the bottom that interferes with the knurling present on the ramp of the wedge.
While the cooperation between the knurling and the protruding tongue allows the wedge to be locked in the chosen position, at the same time it makes it difficult to push the wedge into the opening.
A problem with wedge levelers according to the known technique is, therefore, related to the impossibility of using them without the aid of additional tools.
It is necessary, in fact, to have a clamp to push the wedge into the opening in the disposable element; this clamp leverages on the lamella of the disposable ele ment to push on the vertical face of the wedge.
This operation is therefore not so simple that, if the clamp is not used properly, there is a risk of damaging the wedge and/or the disposable element.
Levelers for tiles are disclosed by patent documents US 2016/222679 A1 , WO 2008/118418 A1 , US 2014/033640 A1 and EP 2 728 088 A1 .
The object of this invention is to create a tile leveler that solves these and other problems of known systems.
Another aim of the invention is to obtain a leveler for tiles that can be used in a simple and not tiring way.
A further purpose of the invention is to provide a wedge leveler that can be used without the aid of additional tools.
These and other objects are all achieved, according to the invention, by a leveler for tiles, suitable for being used by a user to make coplanar the faces of two adjacent tiles, and comprising a disposable element and a wedge.
The disposable element, being adapted to be arranged between the two tiles, comprises a base from which a first arm and a second arm rise perpendicularly and are joined at the top to a lamella, so as to form an opening among the base, the first arm, the second arm and the lamella.
The wedge comprises a ramp body with a flat lower face and an inclined upper face and is adapted to be inserted into the opening over the tiles P so as to abut against the lower edge of the lamella with the inclined upper face, and push downwards the two tiles with the flat lower face.
In particular a tongue protrudes downwards from the lamella and has a free end with a lower face on one side and is fixed to the lamella on the other side so as to be flexible and inclinable.
Besides, a sawtooth portion is formed on the inclined upper face and has teeth with which the free end of the tongue can come into contact.
In this way, when the wedge is pushed inside the opening, the tongue slides on the sawtooth portion which teeth have an inclined face in accordance with the inclination reached by the tongue.
While, when the wedge tries to get out, the free end of the tongue abuts on one of the teeth, in particular on its perpendicular face, and prevents the wedge from leaving the opening.
Besides, the leveler is characterized by the fact that the tongue is fixed to the lamella through a thinned portion so as to be easily flexed.
Thanks to this conformation, the user is able to push the wedge into the opening without using pliers or other devices, as there are no knurls on the wedge that tend to block the movement of the same wedge with respect to the disposable element both at the inlet and outlet.
Advantageously, the teeth may comprise a first face which is perpendicular to the inclined upper face and a second face which is inclined as the inclined upper face. These inclinations guarantee a locking function of the tongue by the teeth in the direction of the wedge coming out of the opening.
Advantageously, an arched element may be joined to the end of the ramp body having maximum height; said arched element allows the operator to push the wedge comfortably with one finger.
A first cylindrical body may protrude from the lamella downwards in the opening, the main axis of the cylindrical body being parallel to the faces of the tiles P and a first smooth lateral portion may be formed on the inclined upper face and the first cylindrical body can slide on said smooth lateral portion.
In this way, the movement of the wedge into the opening of the disposable element is facilitated.
Advantageously, a first cylindrical body and a second cylindrical body may protrude from the lamella downwards in the opening and the main axis of both cylindrical bodies is parallel to the faces of the tiles P, and the tongue is arranged between said cylindrical bodies.
Besides, a first smooth lateral portion and a second smooth lateral portion are formed on the inclined upper surface, the sawtooth portion being arranged between said smooth lateral portions, the first cylindrical body and the second cylindrical body being slidable on said smooth lateral portions, respectively.
In order to strengthen the disposable element, the first cylindrical body and the second cylindrical body may be connected to each other through an arched body.
The lamella may include a frame that develops around a lamina with a thickness lower than that of the frame itself. In this way, during the pushing phase, the user can push more comfortably on the lamella, being his finger, for example, accommodated inside the or resting on the frame so as to push on the lamina.
Advantageously, at least one recess may be formed in the base of the disposable element, so that the same base is drowned in the adhesive underneath the tiles.
Besides, the first arm and the second arm may be connected through a section with a reduced thickness to the base so as to facilitate the detachment from the base when the upper part of the disposable element has to be detached.
Further features and details of the invention can be better understood from the following specification which is provided by way of a non-restricting example, as well as from the annexed drawing, wherein:

figure 1 is an axonometric view of a wedge leveler, made according to the invention, used to make two tiles coplanar and comprising a disposable element and a wedge;
figure 2 is an axonometric view of the disposable element of a leveler according to the invention;
figure 3 is a lateral view of the disposable element of figures 2 viewed in section according to a transverse plane;
figure 4 is the view of a detail shown by A in figure 3;
figure 5 is an axonometric view of the wedge of a leveler according to the invention;
figure 6 is a frontal view of the wedge of figure 5;
figure 7 is a side view of the wedge of figure 5 viewed in section according to the plane B-B of figure 6;
figure 8 is the view of a detail shown as C in figure 7;
figure 9 is an axonometric view of a leveler formed by the disposable element of figure 2 and the wedge of figure 5, cooperating with each other;
figure 10 is a top view of the leveler in figure 9;
figure 11 is a lateral view of the leveler in figure 9 viewed in section according to the plane D-D in figure 10;
figure 12 is the view of a detail shown by and in figure 11.

With reference to the attached figures, in particular to figures 1 and 9, 10 indicates a leveler, comprising a disposable element 12 and a wedge 14 cooperating with each other.
In particular, the disposable element 12 is placed between two tiles P and the wedge 14 is inserted in the disposable element 12 in order to push the faces of the two tiles P and make them coplanar.
As shown in figures 2, 3, 4, the disposable element 12 comprises a base 16 having an irregular octagonal perimeter and in which two recesses 18 are obtained and are positioned symmetrically to each other.
A relief 20 with a triangular section protrudes from the base 16 in correspondence with the line of symmetry in respect of which the two recesses 18 are placed.
A first arm 22 and a second arm 24 rise from the opposite side ends of the relief 20 to which they are joined with a section of reduced thickness 26.
The first arm 22 and the second arm 24 are joined - at the top - to a lamella 28 comprising a peripheral frame 30, closed at the bottom by a crossbeam 32.
In this way the first arm 22, the second arm 24, the lamella 28 and the base 16 define a opening 33.
The frame 30 and the crossbeam 32 close a lamina 34 of reduced thickness.
The crossbeam 32 comprises a first cylindrical body 36 adjacent to the first arm 22, and a second cylindrical body 38 adjacent to the second arm 24.
A tongue 40 is placed between the first cylindrical body 36 and the second cylindrical body 38; said tongue protrudes down into the opening 33.
The first cylindrical body 36 and the second cylindrical body 38 are joined together through an arched body 42 to which the tongue 40 is fixed by a thin section 44.
As shown in the figures from 5 to 8, the wedge 14 comprises a ramp body 46 which ends with an arched element 48 having an arched profile around a vertical axis with respect to the supporting surface of the wedge 14.
II ramp body 46 haa a planar lower face 47 and an inclined upper face 50 which is divided in a first lateral portion 52, a second lateral portion 54 and a sawtooth portion 56 placed between the first lateral portion 52 and the second lateral portion 54.
The first lateral portion 52 and the second lateral portion 54 are smooth.
The sawtooth portion 56 comprises some teeth 58 (of which only one is shown in figure 8) each one having a first face 60 perpendicular to the inclined upper face 50 and a second face 62 with an inclination which is concordant - specifically greater than - with the inclination of the inclined upper face 50 itself.
As shown in the figures 1 and from 9 to 12, when an operator has to lay tiles, fix them to the screed using a glue, and place them all coplanar, he/she places a disposable element 12 between each pair of adjacent P tiles.
The base 16 is placed is placed below the two tiles P between which the disposable element 12 is placed, drowned in the adhesive also thanks to the presence of recesses 18.
The upper portions of the first arm 22 and the second arm 24 and the lamella 28 protrude from the gap between the two tiles.
The wedge 14 is inserted in the opening 33 which rises above the tiles P and it is pushed as far as possible into the same opening 33.
The insertion of the wedge 14 in the opening 33 of the disposable element 12 is rather convenient, since the operator can act simply by bringing his thumb and index finger closer together, pushing on one side the lamella 28 of the disposable element 12 and on the other side the arched element 48 of the wedge 14.
During insertion and thrust, the movement of the wedge 14 is not hindered in any way by the conformation of the disposable element 12; in fact, the first cylindrical body 36 and the second cylindrical body 38 slip respectively on the first lateral portion 52 and on the second lateral portion 54, without hindering this movement of the wedge 14.
Similarly, as can be seen in figures 11 and 12, also the tongue 40 does not resist the insertion of the wedge 14 in the opening 33 of the disposable element 12, since it bends thanks to the presence of the thin section 44, tilting in agreement with the inclination of the inclined upper face 50 of the wedge 14.
In addition, the tongue 40 also slides on the sawtooth portion 56 thanks to the shape of the teeth 58, in particular, thanks to the inclination of the second face 62, which is concordant with the inclination of the tongue 40 when in contact with the same inclined upper face 50.
Besides, the tongue 40 can tilt by a variable angle, depending on the distance of the inclined upper face 50 from the lamella 28.
Differently, when the wedge 14 has sufficiently pushed down the tiles P to make them coplanar, it may and must remain fixed in place with respect to the disposable element 12, as long as the adhesive has dried and the tiles P are fixed in their final position.
This position is always obtained thanks to the conformation of teeth 58, in particular of the first face 60 of each of them, first face which is perpendicular to the inclined upper face 50 of wedge 14.
In fact, in case the wedge 14 wants to move in the opposite direction to the insertion direction, the lower face 64 of the tongue 40 beats against the first face of one of the teeth 58, blocking in position the same wedge 14.
When the adhesive is dry and the tiles P fixed to the screed are coplanar with each other, the operator can detach the upper part of the disposable element 12, i.e. the lamella 28, the first arm 22 and the second arm 24, from the base 16, said breaking being permitted by the section 26 of reduced thickness which connects the arms 22, 24 to the same base 16.
Finally, the operator can retrieve all the used wedges so that they can be used again.
So, unlike levelers according to the known technique, the insertion of the wedge in the disposable element is easy and does not require the use of additional tools, such as pliers or more.
A technician in the field may provide for modifications or variations that are deemed to fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.
For example, a leveler according to the invention may include a disposable element with several tabs and, according to the invention, a wedge with several sawtooth portions or an enlarged saw portion.

Claims

Leveler (10) for tiles, suitable for being used by a user to make coplanar the faces of two adjacent tiles (P), comprising a disposable element (12) and a wedge (14); the disposable element (12) comprising a base (16) from which a first arm (22) and a second arm (24) rise perpendicularly and are joined at the top to a lamella (28), so as to form an opening (33) among the base (16), the first arm (22), the second arm (24) and the lamella (28); the wedge (14) comprising a ramp body (46) with a flat lower face (47) and an inclined upper face (50); the disposable element (12) being adapted to be arranged between the two tiles (P); the wedge (14) being adapted to be inserted into the opening (33) over the tiles (P) so as to abut against the lamella (28) with the inclined upper face (50) and push downwards the two tiles (P) with the flat lower face (47); wherein a tongue (40) protrudes downwards from the lamella (28) in the opening (33) and has a free end with a lower face (64) on one side and is fixed to the lamella (28) on the other side so as to be flexible and inclinable, wherein a sawtooth portion (56) is formed on the inclined upper face (50) and has teeth (58) with which the free end of the tongue (40) can come into contact, so that when the wedge (14) is pushed inside the opening (33), the tongue (40) slides on the sawtooth portion (56), and that when the wedge (14) tries to get out, the free end of the tongue (40) abuts on one of the teeth (58) and prevents the wedge (14) from leaving the opening (33);
characterized by the fact that the tongue (40) is fixed to the lamella (28) through a thinned portion (44) so as to be easily flexed.
Leveler (10) according to the preceding claim, wherein the teeth (58) comprise a first face (60) which is perpendicular to the inclined upper face (50) and a second face (62) which is inclined as the inclined upper face (50).
Leveler (10) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein an arched element (48) is joined to the end of the ramp body (46) having maximum height.
Leveler (10) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein a first cylindrical body (36; 38) protrudes from the lamella (28) downwards in the opening (33), the main axis of the cylindrical body (36; 38) being parallel to the faces of the tiles (P) and wherein a first smooth lateral portion (52; 54) is formed on the inclined upper face (50) and the first cylindrical body (36; 38) can slide on said smooth lateral portion (52, 54).
Leveler (10) according to the preceding claim, wherein a first cylindrical body (36) and a second cylindrical body (38) protrude from the lamella (36) downwards in the opening (33) and the main axis of both cylindrical bodies is parallel to the faces of the tiles (P), and the tongue (40) is arranged between said cylindrical bodies, and wherein a first smooth lateral portion (52) and a second smooth lateral portion (54) are formed on the inclined upper surface (50), the sawtooth portion (56) being arranged between said smooth lateral portions (52, 54), the first cylindrical body (36) and the second cylindrical body (38) being slidable on said smooth lateral portions (52, 54), respectively.
Leveler (10) according to the preceding claim, wherein the first cylindrical body (36) and the second cylindrical body (38) are connected to each other through an arched body (42).
Leveler (10) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the lamella (28) includes a frame (30) that develops around a lamina (34) with a thickness lower than that of the frame (30).
Leveler (10) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein at least one recess (18) is formed in the base (16) of the disposable element (12).
Leveler (10) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the first arm (22) and the second arm (24) are connected through a section with a reduced thickness (26) to the base (16).