EP3894643A1

EP3894643A1 - Device for assisting the smoothing of a coating

Info

Publication number: EP3894643A1
Application number: EP19839367.0A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Antoine GIRET; Zahia TOUTOU-MELINGE
Original assignee: Saint Gobain Weber SA
Current assignee: Saint Gobain Weber SA
Priority date: 2018-12-11
Filing date: 2019-12-09
Publication date: 2021-10-20
Also published as: FR3089536B1; WO2020120883A1; FR3089536A1

Abstract

The present invention relates to a device for assisting the smoothing of a coating or mortar which is lightweight and thermally insulates on a wall comprising at least one attachment flange (101a) for attaching it to a wall and a smoothing flange (101b) intersecting each other and forming a profile (100), characterized in that at least said smoothing flange is provided with openings (102) so as to be partially recessed.

Description

DESCRIPTION

Title: DEVICE FOR AIDING THE SMOOTHING OF A PLASTER

PRIOR ART

Currently, it is known to cover a vertical wall with a coating or mortar or concrete using a projection method. This coating is projected onto the wall to be coated. The properties of this coating allow it to cling to the wall.

Once this coating is projected, it is necessary to smooth it in order to have a uniform aesthetic and to control its thickness. This smoothing must take place when the coating is still formable, that is to say before it begins to set and harden.

In the case of a projection of a coating in a thick layer, generally greater than a centimeter, the known solution consists in using wooden battens 1 as visible in FIGS. 1a and 1b. These wooden battens are calibrated according to the thickness of the desired plaster and are fixed to the wall directly (nail, dowel, etc.) or indirectly via a layer of plaster. These wooden cleats serve as smoothing rails. Indeed, the smoothing is carried out via a large flat rule that the operator places on at least two cleats arranged, preferably, parallel to each other. By manipulating the ruler, preferably from the bottom up, the operator manages to level the surface of the plaster to obtain a uniform and smooth thickness.

However, this method has several drawbacks. A first drawback of this method is that it requires leaving the wooden cleats in the plaster when the latter is drying. However, plaster is generally a wet material and wood is a material that absorbs moisture. Thus, leaving the cleats in the coating, they will become waterlogged and swell, that is to say see their volume increase. This increase in the volume of the cleats causes the appearance of stresses applied to the hardening coating. These constraints are likely to weaken the coating so that there is a risk of see cracks appear in the battens. This can lead to detachment or even complete failure of the coating layer.

A second drawback is that these wooden battens do not have the same properties as the sprayed coating, particularly in terms of thermal insulation. Consequently, the presence of these wooden battens constitutes a weakness of the thermal insulation in the case of a projection of a mortar intended to ensure thermal insulation of the coated wall.

To avoid the stresses due to the absorption of water from the cleats, one solution is to remove them. This removal step is followed by a step of filling the empty areas left after the removal of the cleats. This operation constitutes, on the one hand, an additional step which increases the time necessary for laying the plaster. On the other hand, this step is often very delicate to perform on a plaster still fresh because it can cause the plaster to slide over the entire projected surface.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention aims to remedy the drawbacks of the prior art by providing a device for smoothing a coating sprayed in a thick layer, ie greater than a centimeter, on a vertical wall, which must be simple in its mode of use, to control the thickness applied and ensure the stability of said coating.

To this end, the present invention relates to a device for assisting in the smoothing of a coating on a wall comprising at least one wing, known as a fixing, for its attachment to a wall and a wing, known as a smoothing, for smoothing, both intersecting each other and forming a profile, characterized in that at least said smoothing wing is provided with openings to be partially hollowed out.

The openings arranged on the wings advantageously make it possible to avoid creating spaces filled with air which causes the appearance of less efficient areas, for example, thermally in the case of projection of a thermal insulating coating, while limiting the amount of material forming said device. This lower quantity of material makes it possible to limit its impact on the thermal performance of said coating. In one example, the device comprises two smoothing wings arranged to form a U-shaped or triangle profile.

According to one example, the device comprises three smoothing wings arranged to form a profile of square section.

According to one example, the smoothing wings have identical but different dimensions to the fixing wing.

According to one example, the smoothing wings have dimensions identical to those of the fixing wing.

According to one example, the fixing wing is also partially hollowed out.

According to one example, at least one smoothing wing comprises a series of slots allowing the insertion of a grid.

In one example, the wings are movable relative to each other allowing said device to take a first position in which two of the wings are connected to only one adjacent wing allowing said wings to extend in the same plane and a second position in which the wings are all connected to each other to form said profile.

In one example, the wings are pivotable along the axis of their junction.

According to an example, the device further comprises attachment means for locking the wings in the second position

According to one example, the attachment means comprise a series of orifices arranged on a wing and a series of tabs, each being able to cooperate with an orifice, the series of tabs being arranged on the other free wing.

According to an example, said device is made of a material which does not absorb liquids and is rot-proof.

This material does not absorb liquids and rot-proof allows said device to keep all of its structural stability during immersion in the coating. In addition, the fact of not absorbing liquid allows said device not to see its volume increase by absorption and therefore not to create any stress, due to this increase in volume, on the coating when it is cured.

According to an example, said openings cover an area between 20 and 95% of the surface of said wing on which they are arranged.

The invention further relates to a method of laying a coating on a wall comprising the following steps: - Provide at least two devices for smoothing a plaster according to the invention;

- Attach said devices to said wall, said devices being arranged parallel to each other;

- Spray a coating on said wall on the thickness of said devices;

Use a rule (R) by pressing it on said smoothing aid devices to then execute a smoothing movement.

In one example, the wings are movable relative to each other allowing said device to take a first position in which two of the wings are connected to only one adjacent wing allowing said wings to extend in the same plane and a second position in which the wings are all connected to each other to form said profile, and in which said method comprises an initial step consisting of providing devices, each arranged in the first position and then manipulating each device for it take the second position.

According to an example, said device, its first position, is in the form of a strip folded at least once on itself along an axis perpendicular to the direction in which it extends, and in which said initial step consists in unfolding said strip and in cutting it to the desired length before handling the device to make it take the second position.

DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

Other features and advantages will emerge clearly from the description given below, by way of indication and in no way limitative, with reference to the appended drawings, in which:

FIGS. 1a and 1b are schematic representations of a device according to the prior art;

- Figs. 2 and 3 are schematic representations of a device according to the invention;

FIGS. 4a, 4b and 5 are schematic representations of different embodiments of the device according to the invention; Figs. 6 and 11 are schematic representations of a first variant of the device according to the invention;

FIGS. 7 to 10 are schematic representations of the device according to the invention on a wall;

FIGS. 12 a to 12d and 13a to 13b are schematic representations of a second variant of the device according to the invention.

FIG. 14 is a schematic representation of another variant of the device according to the invention.

FIGS. 15a to 15b are schematic representations of another variant of the device according to the invention.

FIG. 16 is a schematic representation of a variant of the device according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In Figures 2 and 3, a device 100 for smoothing a plaster or concrete or mortar, for example thermally insulating, according to the invention is shown. Such a device 100 is in the form of a profile. This device 100 comprises at least two wings 101. This device 100 is designed to be fixed to a wall, for example that of a wall M. The device or profile 100 therefore comprises a fastening or fixing wing 101 a used for its attachment to the wall and at least one smoothing wing 101 b.

These two wings 101a, 101b are arranged to be intersecting between them.

Preferably, the angle formed by these two wings is between 45 and 90 degrees, without being limiting.

The device or profile 100 comprises, in another embodiment visible in Figures 4a and 4b, at least two smoothing wings 101 b in addition to the fixing wing 101 a. These smoothing wings 101 b each extend from the fixing wing 101 a. This arrangement makes it possible to have a device or profile 100 having a U shape or a triangular shape. The triangular shape advantageously makes it possible to offer greater resistance to deformation that the user applies when smoothing the coating. In another embodiment visible in Figure 5, at least three smoothing wings 101 b in addition to the fixing wing 101 a are arranged. This arrangement makes it possible to have a device or profile 100 having a square or trapezoidal or rectangle or parallelepiped shape.

This device or profile 100 is designed so that the different wings 101 are identical or not. For example, it is conceivable that only the smoothing wings 101 b are identical to each other, or that all the wings 101 are identical to each other or, in the case of a device or section 100 with 4 wings, that the wings 101 are identical two by two. It is also possible that the wings 101 are all different from each other. In the case of a profile 100 provided with three wings 101, the fact of having the wings 101 all different from each other allows greater freedom of use. In this configuration, the assembled wings form a triangle, each side of which is different. This triangle can be rectangle or not. Such a profile can be used such that each wing 101 can serve as a fixing wing. Thus, depending on the side used as a fixing wing, the height of the profile varies. It becomes possible for the user to choose the side of the triangle used as a fixing wing to adapt the height of the profile to his needs.

The material used for the production of this device or profile 100 is a plastic, for example of the polyethylene terephthalate (PET) type, or

polypropylene (PP) or a metal or one of its alloys the material used can be in solid or structured form, for example cellular or corrugated. Such a structured material consists of two smooth sheets separated from each other by a corrugated sheet or a honeycomb structure. Each material, the volume of which does not increase in the presence of water, and preferably having thermal insulation properties, can be used. The material used for the profile has a resistance such that it is possible to carry out smoothing by resting on said profile without it deforming.

Cleverly according to the invention, the device or profile 100 is designed so that at least one or one of the smoothing wings 101 b have at least one opening 102 as shown in Figure 6.

These openings 102 are arranged to allow the coating to fit into the space formed by said wings 101 and to fill them. This filling allows avoid air pockets which would lower the performance of said coating. In addition, the configuration associating wings 101 forming a device or profile 100 and openings 102 makes it possible to limit the impact of the material constituting said device 100 on the performance of the layer of plaster / mortar deposited. These openings 102 have a length of between 5mm and 100mm, preferably at least 25mm. These openings 102 will cover an area between 20 and 95% of the area of said wing on which they are arranged. The shape of these openings 102 can be varied.

Preferably, these openings 102 are combined with a device or profile 100 made of a neutral material in the presence of water. We understand by this that the material is rot-proof and that it does not see its volume increase by absorption of water. This combination makes it possible to limit the impact of the presence of these devices or profiles 100 in the plaster or mortar as much as possible.

The use of such a device or profile 100 consists, in a first step, of providing devices or profiles 100.

Once provided with the device or profile 100, the operator performs a second step consisting in placing devices or profiles 100. These devices or profiles 100 are fixed to the wall M to be coated as shown in FIG. 7. This wall can be vertical or horizontal or tilted. The devices or profiles 100 are fixed directly to the wall M via screws or nails or by gluing. Holes can be provided on the fixing wing 101a for the screws. The adjustment of the fixing distances of the devices or profiles 100 to the wall makes it possible to ensure the flatness of said coated wall M. At least two devices or profiles 100 are arranged on the wall M. Preferably, the devices or profiles 100 are arranged to extend parallel to each other.

The devices or profiles 100 can nevertheless be mounted so that certain devices or profiles 100 are perpendicular to the others, these devices or profiles 100 mounted perpendicularly making it possible to improve the mechanical strength of the coating / mortar on the wall M.

In a third step, the operator covers the wall M with said coating.

For this, the operator advantageously uses a coating / mortar to be sprayed. This coating is introduced into a machine using a pump and a hose so that this coating is sent under pressure into the pipe to then be sent to the wall M. This method makes it possible to more quickly coat a wall M. During this third step, the openings 102 made in at least one smoothing wing 101 b of the devices or profiles 100 allow the coating to fit well into the space formed by the wings. Thus, the devices or profiles 100 do not generate the creation of air bubbles in the coating as visible in FIG. 8 showing a section view of said devices or profiles 100 mounted on a wall M.

In a fourth step, the plaster / mortar is smoothed when the desired amount of plaster is sprayed onto the wall. This amount of coating is determined by the height of the profile. Indeed, it has been mentioned that the coating, beyond a certain thickness which is proper to it, sags under its own weight. The device or profile 100 according to the invention therefore has a height, once mounted on the wall, such that it is smaller than the height from which the coating collapses under the effect of its own weight.

The fourth step therefore consists, for the operator, of providing a smoothing rule R. This smoothing rule R consists of a rigid and flat strip, whether or not provided with gripping means as visible in FIG. 9 This smoothing rule R is dimensioned so as to be able to bear on two sections 100 simultaneously. This smoothing rule rests directly on the smoothing wing or wings 101b of the profiles 100 forming a smoothing support surface. The operator can thus, by pressing the smoothing rule R on the smoothing support surface of two devices or profiles 100 as visible in FIG. 10, carry out a movement consisting, preferably, of moving said rule R from bottom to top following a specific kinematics to level the coating. Since several devices or profiles 100 are arranged on the wall, it is possible to smooth a large surface, that is to say a large part of the coating on said wall.

According to a first variant, the fixing wing 101a also comprises openings 102 as shown in Figure 11. These openings 102 allow, at this fixing wing 101a, to have the coating coming into contact of the wall M. This causes the appearance of a mechanical link between the said wall M and the coating located in the space between the wings. This mechanical link strengthens the fixation of the device or profile 100 as well as the projected layer of said coating. These openings 102 will cover an area between 20 and 95% of the area of said fixing wing. The shape of these openings 102 can be varied.

According to a second variant visible in Figures 12a and 12b, the device or profile 100 is arranged to allow the fixing of a reinforcement grid G (as visible in Figure 12d). For this, the profile 100 includes slots 103. These slots 103 are arranged on the smoothing flange or wings 101 b at the level of the smoothing support surface.

In the case of a device or profile 100 provided with a fastening wing 101 a and two smoothing wings 101 b forming a triangular profile, the two smoothing wings 101 b comprise slots 103 as visible at Figure 12c. These slots 103 are positioned so that the slots of one smoothing wing 101b are opposite the slots 103 of the other smoothing wing 101b.

These slots 103 are dimensioned to allow a grid G, that is to say a metallic or plastic or glass fiber lattice composed of meshes, to be inserted there as visible in FIG. 12d. This grid G advantageously makes it possible to provide mechanical resistance to the plaster / mortar. Indeed, this grid G is doomed to be embedded in said plaster / mortar once the third step is completed.

The reinforcement grid G of a wall is composed of a single piece whose surface is similar to that of the wall covered with plaster or composed of several pieces. In the case of several pieces, two pieces of contiguous grid G are fixed on the same device or profile 100. These two pieces of grid G can be inserted in the same slots 103 in the case of a triangular profile 100 visible in the figure 13a or be inserted into different slots 103 in the case of a U-shaped profile 100 visible in FIG. 13b. In fact, in this case, the smoothing wings 101 b are parallel to each other and each include slots 103. Thus, a piece of grid G can be inserted into the slots 103 of a wing 101 b and a piece of grid G can be inserted into the slots 103 of the other wing 101 b.

In another variant, the device or profile 100 may be directly in its final form or, alternatively, in a non-final form and require an additional shaping step. For example, in the case of a device or profile 100 made of plastic of the PET type, this is designed to be foldable, that is to say that the wings 101 are movable with respect to each other and more particularly mounted pivotally along the axis of their junction, that is to say in the direction of the length. This allows, horn visible in Figure 14, the device or profile 100 to take a first position (1) called rest in which it is flat, that is to say that the wings are in the same plane. The device or profile 100 can also take a second position (3) called working in which the wings 101 are such that the profile is able to fulfill its function. An intermediate position (2) is a position in which the wings 101 are rotated.

In this alternative, the profile 100 includes attachment means 200 for locking the device or profile 100 in its working position as shown in Figures 15a and 15b. These attachment means 200 may include a series of tabs 201 arranged on one of the wings 101 fitting into a series of orifices 202 arranged on another wing 101. The arrangement of the attachment means 200 depends on the device geometry.

The tongues 201 may include teeth allowing clipping and therefore locking of said tongues in the orifices 202.

Thus, in the case of a device 100 having a square or triangular profile, it is in the form of wings 101 fixed together. One of the wings 101 located at the end comprises the series of orifices 202 while the wing situated at the other end comprises a series of tabs 201 cooperating with said orifices.

In an alternative to the variant seeing the device or profile 100 is in a non-final form and requiring an additional shaping step, said device or profile 100 is in the form of a strip extending along the length of the wings. This strip has a length of at least 50cm, preferably at least 1m, even more preferably at least 1.5m.

Cleverly, the device 100, in its non-final or rest form, is arranged to be foldable in an accordion when the length exceeds 1 m. By this is meant that said device 100, in the so-called rest form, can be folded at least once on itself along the axis of its width, that is to say an axis perpendicular to the direction in which it extends as shown in Figure 16. he

This alternative makes the device, in its rest form, more compact and therefore easier storage and transport.

Then, this alternative advantageously makes it possible to improve the process of laying a coating on a wall by making it more flexible. Indeed, the operator can thus, during a prior step, adapt the length of the device or profile

100 by folding it out and then cutting it as desired. He can then fold the wings

101 in order to form said profile. This advantageously avoids having to join several profiles of predefined length.

Of course, the present invention is not limited to the illustrated example but is susceptible to various variants and modifications which will appear to those skilled in the art.

Indeed, the device according to the invention may include a number of smoothing wings 101 b greater than three, for example five to form a hexagonal profile.

Claims

[Claim 1] Device for smoothing a plaster or mortar on a wall comprising at least one fixing wing (101 a) for fixing to a wall and a smoothing wing (101 b) intersecting between them and forming a profile

(100), characterized in that at least said smoothing wing is provided with openings (102) to be partially hollowed out.

[Claim 2] Device according to claim 1, in which it comprises at least two smoothing wings (101 b) arranged to form a U or triangle profile.

[Claim s] Device according to claim 1, wherein it comprises at least three smoothing wings (101 b) arranged to form a section of square section.

[Claim 4] Device according to claims 2 or 3, wherein the smoothing wings (101 b) have identical dimensions but different from the fixing wing (101 a).

[Claim 5] Device according to claims 2 or 3, in which the smoothing wings (101 b) have dimensions identical to those of the fixing wing (101a).

[Claim 6] Device according to one of the preceding claims, in which the fixing wing is also partially hollowed out.

[Claim 7] Device according to one of the preceding claims, in which at least one smoothing wing comprises a series of slots (103) allowing the insertion of a grid (G).

[Claim 8] Device according to one of claims 2 to 7, wherein the wings (101 a, 101 b) are movable relative to each other allowing said device (100) to take a first position in which two of the wings (101) are connected to only one adjacent wing allowing said wings to extend in the same plane and a second position in which the wings (101 a, 101 b) are all connected to each other to form said profile .

[Claim 9] Device according to the preceding claim, wherein the wings are pivotable along the axis of their junction. [Claim 10] Device according to claims 8 or 9, in which it further comprises attachment means (200) for locking the wings in the second position.

[Claim 11] Device according to the preceding claim, according to which the attachment means comprise a series of orifices (202) arranged on a wing and a series of tongue (201), each being capable of cooperating with an orifice, the series tongue being arranged on the other free wing.

[Claim 12] Device according to the preceding claim, according to which it is made of a material which does not absorb liquids and is rot-proof.

[Claim 13] Device according to one of the preceding claims, according to which said openings cover an area between 20 and 95% of the area of said wing on which they are arranged.

[Claim 14] Method for laying a coating on a wall comprising the following steps:

-Equire at least two devices (100) according to one of the preceding claims;

-Fixing said devices (100) on said wall (M), said devices being arranged parallel to each other;

-Project a coating on said wall on the thickness of said devices;

-Use a rule (R) by pressing it on said devices to then execute a smoothing movement.

[Claim 15] Method according to the preceding claim, according to which the wings (101a, 101 b) are movable with respect to each other allowing said device (100) to assume a first position in which two of the wings (101) are not connected that a single adjacent wing allowing said wings to extend in the same plane and a second position in which the wings (101 a, 101 b) are all connected to each other to form said profile, and in which said method comprises an initial step consisting of providing devices (100), each arranged in the first position and then manipulating each device to make it take the second position. [Claim 16] Method according to the preceding claim, wherein said device (100), in its first position, is in the form of a strip folded at least once on itself along an axis perpendicular to the direction in which it extends, and in which said initial step consists in unfolding said strip and in cutting it to the desired length before handling the device to make it take the second position.