US20220186506A1

US20220186506A1 - Oscillating grout applicator

Info

Publication number: US20220186506A1
Application number: US17/547,994
Authority: US
Inventors: Randal Darren SIBBESTON
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2020-12-10
Filing date: 2021-12-10
Publication date: 2022-06-16
Also published as: CA3102187A1

Abstract

An oscillating grout applicator for applying a volume of grout to a target surface includes a grout reservoir for receiving the volume of grout, the grout reservoir having an inlet and an outlet. The outlet of the reservoir is coupled to a resilient mouth, and an oscillator is operatively coupled to the resilient mouth so as to apply or transmit an oscillating motion to the resilient mouth. Momentary liquefaction of a portion of the volume of grout located within the resilient mouth occurs when the oscillating motion is applied to the resilient mouth, thereby urging the volume of grout through the resilient mouth and onto the target surface. The resilient mouth may be manufactured of a resilient rubber, or other suitable resilient material.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional patent application No. 63/123,633 and Canadian patent application no. 3,102,187, both of which were filed on Dec. 10, 2020 and are entitled “Oscillating Grout Applicator”, and both of which are incorporated herein by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to tools for applying grout to tiles; more specifically, the present disclosure relates to an improved grout applicator.

BACKGROUND

Installing tile on a surface, such as a floor or a wall, firstly involves adhering the tiles to the surface in their desired location, positioning the tiles so that there is a narrow gap between each tile and the adjacent tiles. Grout is then applied to the narrow gaps between the tiles, so as to create a substantially smooth, tiled surface with seams between the tiles filled with grout. When properly mixed, grout is a cement-like substance, which does not pour very easily (or at all) and generally clumps together. If there is too much water introduced to a grout mixture, so as to increase the workability of the grout, such grout will be of a poorer, weaker quality once cured, thereby reducing the amount of adhesion between the grout and abutting tiles and producing an inferior seam between the adjacent tiles. On the other hand, when a grout mixture is prepared properly with the correct amount of water content, it has a reduced workability and it can thus be a difficult and laborious manual process to apply such a grout mixture to tiles in order to complete a tiling job.
One common method for applying grout to tile is to use a trowel to place a mound of grout onto the tiled surface, and then the trowel or a squeegee is used to press the grout mixture into the gaps between the tiles and thereby create a smooth seam of grout between the tiles. Because this process involves spreading grout all over the surface of the tile as well, it is necessary to then wipe clean the surface of each tile before the grout dries and hardens. Cleaning the tile after the grout has been applied is another time consuming step in the grouting process. Additionally, this traditional method for applying grout to tile often requires a worker to work on their hands and knees, which can be tiring and inconvenient.
To the applicant's knowledge, previous attempts to improve on the tools for applying grout to tile include a grout dispensing system and device disclosed in the U.S. Pat. No. 8,235,621 to Robinson (hereinafter, the '621 Patent). The grout dispensing system and device disclosed in the '621 patent provides a suction mechanism that draws grout material into an elongated tube, a dispensing channel attached to a first end of the elongated tube and a suction handle extending through the elongated tube, wherein the suction handle draws grout into the tube when moved in a first direction and dispenses grout into the dispensing channel when moved in a second direction. The suction handle is operated by the user by pulling upwardly on the suction handle when grout needs to be loaded into the dispensing system, and then the suction handle is depressed downwardly in order to move a plunger within the elongated tube so as to deposit the grout through a plurality of dispensing tips. The system described in the '621 patent also includes a grout bucket that is separate from the grout dispensing system, with the free end of the suction tube placed into the grout bucket so as to draw the grout out of the bucket.
In U.S. Pat. No. 6,152,332 issued to Funk, a grout dispensing system is disclosed which includes an injector having a number of user selectable dispensing nozzles that allow for selection of a desired dispensing opening diameter for a particular grouting job, and which includes a piston/plunger for forcing grout through the selected nozzle and into a gap between tiles to ensure a proper amount of grout is dispensed into the gap, The injector includes a handgrip assembly that is gripped by user with one hand while simultaneously pushing the plunger/piston into the injector cylinder.
In U.S. Pat. No. 1,670,677 (hereinafter, the '677 patent) issued to Brown, an apparatus for mixing and applying mortar is disclosed. The system disclosed in the '677 patent includes an apparatus for mixing and then delivering relatively dry aggregates, utilizing a plurality of agitators to mix the mortar material, and then utilizing a combination of the agitators and compressed air from a compressed air source to move the mixed mortar out of the mixing chamber and through a nozzle.
In the applicant's experience, grout applicators which rely upon a piston/plunger arrangement for pushing the grout out of a container or reservoir and through a nozzle, so as to deposit the grout onto a surface, tend to clog up with grout to the extent that the grout stops flowing out of the device after a short period of time. The issue with such systems for applying a grout mixture is that the application of a force to the volume of grout within the reservoir, such as by means of a plunger/piston, tends to compact the grout mixture, thereby causing it to solidify and then cease flowing out of the nozzle. In the applicant's experience, such applicators may only be used for a short period of time before they become clogged with grout, thereby necessitating cleaning out the applicator before the grouting process can continue. Thus, there is a need for an improved grout applicator.

SUMMARY

The applicant has discovered that applying an oscillating motion to a volume of mixed grout beneficially causes a temporary liquefaction of that grout mixture, thereby enabling the grout mixture to flow more easily through a narrow opening, allowing relatively precise depositing of the grout mixture into a narrow space or gap between two adjacent tiles. The shaking or oscillating motion breaks the surface tension between the mouth or outlet of the applicator and the tile, causing the grout to liquefy and the applicator to slide easily along the floor, the applicator lubricated by a layer of excess water between the mouth or outlet and the tile surface, the water being released from the grout mixture by the liquefaction process. Advantageously, providing for the flow of a grout mixture through a relatively narrow opening or mouth allows for more precise application of grout to the area where the grout is required, namely, in the space between two tiles. By allowing for more accurate dispensing of a line of grout into the area where it is required, it is easier and quicker to complete a grouting job because less tile surface needs to be cleaned after the grout has been dispensed into place.
A further advantage of the improvements disclosed herein is that, by providing an applicator for dispensing grout mixture into the required area, it is no longer necessary for a person to manually push the grout into the space between adjacent tiles using a trowel or similar manual tool. As such, and as will be described further below, some embodiments of the improved oscillating grout applicator disclosed herein may be used while a person stands upright, thereby avoiding having to work on hands and knees in order to complete a tiling job, which may be less physically demanding for the person who is doing the grouting job.
In one aspect of the present disclosure, an oscillating grout applicator for applying a volume of grout to a target surface includes a grout reservoir for receiving the volume of grout, the grout reservoir having an inlet and an outlet. The outlet of the reservoir is coupled to a resilient mouth, and the resilient mouth is operatively coupled to an oscillator so as to apply an oscillating motion to the resilient mouth.
Momentary liquefaction of a portion of the volume of grout located within the resilient mouth occurs when the oscillating motion is applied to the resilient mouth, thereby urging the volume of grout through the resilient mouth and onto the target surface. The resilient mouth may be manufactured of a resilient rubber, or other suitable resilient material.
In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the oscillator may be operatively coupled to the resilient mouth by a housing, the housing comprising the oscillator, a handle and a battery compartment configured to receive batteries for powering the oscillator. The housing and the handle may be integrally formed as a single unit, Additionally, the reservoir may be attached to the resilient mouth at an angle of less than 90 degrees, so as to enable flowing of the grout from the reservoir to the resilient mouth when the grout applicator is being used to grout tile on a vertical surface, such as a wall, Furthermore, in some embodiments the oscillator may be operatively coupled to the resilient mouth by a housing, the housing comprising a handle and enclosing the oscillator, and wherein the oscillator is an electrical oscillator powered by an electrical power supply.
In other embodiments, the oscillator is operatively coupled to the resilient mouth through a base, wherein the base supports the resilient mouth, the reservoir and the oscillator. The oscillator may be an electrical oscillator powered by a power source, such as batteries or an electrical power supply. The base may include at least two wheels rotationally mounted to the base so as to facilitate gliding the base across the target surface while the resilient mouth is in contact with the target surface, The grout applicator may further include an elongate handle having a proximate end coupled to the base and a distal end distal from the base, wherein a user may glide the base of the applicator across the target surface by grasping and manipulating the distal end of the handle while the user is standing upright. The proximate end of the elongate handle may be pivotally coupled to the base.
In other embodiments, the oscillator may include a handle coupled to the resilient mouth and wherein the oscillating motion is generated by a user manually applying the oscillating motion to the handle, so that the oscillating motion is transmitted through the handle to the resilient mouth. Such embodiments may further include a reservoir handle attached to the reservoir for steadying the reservoir during use of the applicator.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1A is a side profile view of an embodiment of an oscillating grout applicator in accordance with the present disclosure.

FIG. 1B is a close-up view of the oscillating grout applicator illustrated in FIG. 1A.

FIG. 2A is a partially cutaway side profile view of a further embodiment of an oscillating grout applicator in accordance with the present disclosure.

FIG. 2B is a perspective view of the oscillating grout applicator illustrated in FIG. 2A.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a further embodiment of an oscillating grout applicator in accordance with the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The applicant observes that liquefaction of grout occurs when it is agitated. When the water trapped within a batch of grout cannot escape, it causes the grout to become more fluid and less resistant to force applied to it. A shaking or oscillating action applied to a volume of grout increases the pressure of the water trapped within the grout, thereby temporarily liquefying even a very stiff grout mixture so long as the shaking or oscillating force is transmitted to the grout. The saturated sand/cement, or grout, mixture may appear quite solid until the application of pressure or a shock, such as the application of a shaking or oscillating motion to the mixture, initiates the liquefaction by causing the sand to form a suspension with each solid grain surrounded by a thin film of water. This cushioning between the grains gives grout and other liquefied sediments a spongy, fluid-like texture.
In accordance with the present disclosure, an improved oscillating grout applicator comprises a resilient mouth, manufactured of a resilient material such as a hard rubber. fitted onto a grout reservoir or hopper. The resilient mouth may have a cylindrical or frustoconical geometry, with a hollow bore running through the resilient mouth. Thus, the resilient mouth is configured to receive grout from the hopper or reservoir. An oscillating or vibrating motion is applied to the resilient mouth, thereby concentrating the pressure transmitted from the resilient mouth to the grout within the resilient mouth so as to reduce the overall amount of energy required to shake or vibrate the grout into a liquefied state.
The resilient mouth may be advantageously sealed against the tiled surface to which the grout is being applied, as a result of the deformation of the opening of the resilient mouth against the tiled surface, combined with a thin film of water escaping from the grout mixture that forms between the resilient mouth opening and the tiled surface. Additionally, the thin film of water may facilitate sliding the opening of the resilient mouth along the tiled floor by providing some lubrication. As a result of this seal, the grout flowing through the mouth opening is deposited into the desired gap between the tiles and does not escape the circumference of the resilient mouth opening, thereby leaving only a small amount of excess grout on the edges of the tile adjacent the gap between the tiles. Advantageously, this is a much reduced amount of excess grout that needs to be subsequently wiped off the tile surface, as compared to traditional methods of grout application which may typically leave excess grout smeared across the entire surface of the tile. The applicant has also noted that the seal created between the mouth opening and the tile surface forms a vacuum, which adds to the gravitational force pulling the grout downwardly from the reservoir to the resilient mouth, taking advantage of the grout's cohesion in the reservoir above and adjacent the resilient mouth, where liquefaction of the grout occurs.
Additionally, the resilient mouth acts as a circular squeegee during the grout application process, by simultaneously depositing the grout into the gap and then levelling the grout with the tile surface as the grout mouth opening is moved along a gap between tiles.
In one aspect of the present disclosure, an oscillating grout applicator 10 includes a reservoir 12, the reservoir 12 having an inlet 12 a and an outlet 12 b. The outlet 12 b of the reservoir 12 opens into a resilient mouth 14, For example, without intending to be limiting, a resilient mouth 14 may comprise a resilient rubber sleeve or tube, wherein a first end of the tube 14 a is adapted to couple to the outlet 12 b of the reservoir 12. The coupling between the outlet 12 b of the reservoir 12 and the resilient mouth 14 may be accomplished, for example, by threaded engagement means, friction fit means, or any other suitable coupling means known to a person skilled in the art. The other end 14 b of the resilient mouth 14 may be supported on a base 16, such that the second end 14 b of the resilient mouth 14 is brought into contact with a target surface S to which the grout will be applied. Advantageously, the resilient properties of the resilient mouth 14 enable a degree of deformation of the second end 14 b of the mouth 14 when in contact with target surface S so as to snugly fit against the target surface S, thereby enabling deposit of the grout mixture in a targeted specific area, with minimal grout mixture being dispersed beyond the opening of the second end 14 b of resilient mouth 14.
As shown for example in FIG. 1B, the resilient mouth 14 may be supported on a base 16 such that the second end 14 b of the resilient mouth 14 protrudes through a lower surface 16 a of the base 16 so as to come in contact with the target surface S. In some embodiments, at least two or more wheels 16 b may be rotatably mounted to the base 16 so as to enable easier gliding of the base 16 across the target surface S during the grout application. It will be appreciated by person skilled in the art that more than two wheels may be rotatably mounted to the base 16, and that other features which are capable of reducing friction between the base 16 and the tiled surface S may also be employed to achieve the same purpose; for example, a single roller or multiple rollers may be rotatably mounted to the base 16 so as to enable rolling the base 16 across the floor. In other embodiments, wheels or other such friction-reducing features may not be used, and it is understood by person skilled in the art that such embodiments are intended to be included in the scope of the present disclosure.
The base 16 also supports an oscillator 18. In some embodiments, such as the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B, the oscillator may be an electrical device powered by a motor which causes the oscillator 18 to oscillate, shake and/or vibrate when activated. Because the oscillator 18 is mounted to the base 16, the oscillating motion generated by the oscillator 18 is transmitted through the base 16 to the resilient mouth 14, which is also supported on base 16.
Advantageously, the applicant has noted that the use of a resilient material in the manufacture of the resilient mouth 14, such as a rubber material, facilitates transmission of the oscillating motion generated by the oscillator 18 during use, which facilitates liquefaction of the grout mixture that is located in the hollow cavity formed by the resilient mouth 14 when the oscillating grout applicator is in use. While in some embodiments the resilient mouth 14 is manufactured of a hard rubber, it will be appreciated by person skilled in the art that other materials, such as plastics, which are resilient to deformation when a force is applied and which generally hold their shape under load may be suitable for the manufacture of the resilient mouth 14, and are intended to be included in the scope of the present disclosure.
In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B, the oscillator 18 is powered by a source of electricity, and receives power from an electrical outlet through the electrical cord 18 a. However, it will be appreciated that the oscillator may be powered by other means, such as by the use of batteries as will be described for further below. In other embodiments, the oscillator may also be manually operated, again as described further below.
In some embodiments, such as shown in FIG. 1B, the oscillating grout applicator may further include an elongate handle 15. The elongate handle may be sized so as to be comfortably used by a person who is standing during the grouting operation, and may optionally include a telescoping handle so as to be adjustable for persons of different heights. The handle 15 includes a grip 15 a, which grip 15 a may be sized or shaped so as to be comfortably grasped by the user, and may also include features such as padded foam or soft rubber for the comfort of the user. In some embodiments, the handle 15 may be pivotably mounted to the base 16 by a pivotal coupling 15 b, so as to enable a greater range of travel by the base 16 across the target surface S when the user of the applicator stands in one position.
The applicator 10 illustrated in FIGS. 1A and 1B is employed while the user is in a standing position, whereby the user grasps the grip 15 a in order to move and manipulate the base 16 across a target surface S during a grouting operation. Grout mixture is loaded into the reservoir 12 through an inlet opening 12 a, and then the electrically powered oscillator 18 is activated to supply the oscillating motion to the resilient mouth 14, thereby liquefying the grout mixture contained within the cavity of the mouth 14. Thus, due to the liquefaction of the grout mixture contained within the cavity of the resilient mouth 14, the grout flows through the second opening 14 b of the mouth 14 and is deposited onto the target surface S. As grout mixture exits the second end 14 b of the mouth 14, additional grout mixture flows into the resilient mouth 14 from the reservoir 12, where it is liquefied, and then flows through the second end 14 b, thereby providing a continuous dispensing of the grout mixture onto the target surface S. Thus, as the user glides the oscillating base 16 across the target surface S, a line of grout mixture is deposited into the targeted area, and simultaneously levelled with the tile surface, with the resilient mouth acting like a circular squeegee as it passes over the deposited grout. Once the line of grout has been deposited into the targeted area of the target surface S, the user may then briefly use a trowel, sponge or cloth to remove a small amount of excess grout from the target surface S, after which the grouting application is complete.
It will be appreciated that while the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B may be useful for applying grout to horizontal target surfaces S, such as floors, there may be other situations which require applying grout to a vertical surface, such as a wall. A further embodiment of the present disclosure is illustrated in FIGS. 2A and 2B. As illustrated, the grout applicator 20 comprises a resilient mouth 24 having a first end 24 a and a second end 24 b, the resilient mouth 24 comprising a tubular body with a hollow cavity between first and second ends 24 a, 24 b. The first end 24 a of the resilient mouth 24 is adapted to couple to the outlet 12 b of a reservoir 12, such as by friction fit means or any other suitable means known to a person skilled in the art. The applicator 2.0 further comprises a housing 26, the housing 26 enclosing an oscillator 28 and a battery compartment 28 a. The battery compartment 28 a is configured for receiving batteries which power the oscillator 28. In some embodiments, such as the one shown in FIGS. 2A and 28, the housing, resilient mouth 24 and handle 25 may be formed as a single, integral unit; however, it will also be appreciated that these different components may be separately manufactured and then coupled together.
Similar to the embodiment disclosed in FIGS. 1A and 1B, the resilient mouth 24 of applicator 20 is manufactured of a relatively stiff, resilient material, which slightly deforms under load so as to better conform to a target surface S that the second end 24 b of the resilient mouth 24 is contact with. The oscillator 28 a, which may be a motor mounted to an elliptical crank or weighted crank, or may be any other oscillator known to a person skilled in the art, the oscillating motion generated by the oscillator 28 is transmitted through the housing 26 of the applicator 20, the housing 26 being either coupled to the resilient mouth 24 or being integrally formed with the resilient mouth 24.
Although the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 2A and 2B is powered by batteries, it will be appreciated by person skilled in the art that the applicator 20 may also be powered by an electrical power source, and may therefore incorporate an electrical cord for plugging into an electrical outlet.
Conveniently, the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 2A and 28 may be particularly useful in applying grout to a tiled wall or other vertical tiled surface. The version shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B is a handheld unit. Optionally, the reservoir 12 may include a handle (not shown) so that the reservoir may be supported and steadied by the user in one hand while gripping the handle 25 of the applicator 20 in the other hand during use, thereby steadying the motion of the reservoir, which may be heavier and therefore require additional support when the reservoir is filled with a volume of grout mixture. The handheld embodiment shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B may also, of course, be used in applying grout to horizontal surfaces, such as a floor, a table surface, or the upper surface of a wall.
In a further embodiment of the present disclosure, as illustrated in FIG. 3, an oscillating grout applicator 30 is configured to be operated manually. The reservoir 32, having an inlet 32 a and an outlet 32 b, is adapted to be coupled to a resilient mouth 34. As in the other embodiments described herein, the resilient mouth 34 is a hollow and resilient tube or sleeve, having first and second ends 34 a, 34 b, wherein the first end 34 a is coupled to the outlet 32 b of the reservoir 32. The resilient mouth 34 is coupled to a manual oscillator 38, which in this case comprises a handle 38 having a reservoir support 38 a for coupling the oscillator to the resilient mouth 34, at one end of the oscillator 38, and a oscillator grip 38 b at the opposite end of the oscillator 38. The reservoir 32 further includes a reservoir handle 32 c.
In use, the applicator 30 is operated by grasping the reservoir handle 32 c in one hand and the oscillator grip 32 b in the other hand, and then applying an oscillating motion to the resilient mouth 24 by moving one's hands in an oscillating motion, such as in direction D, to thereby transmit the oscillating motion through the oscillator 38 the to the resilient mouth 34.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. An oscillating grout applicator for applying a volume of grout to a target surface, the applicator comprising:

a grout reservoir for receiving the volume of grout, the grout reservoir having an inlet and an outlet, the outlet coupled to a resilient mouth, the resilient mouth operatively coupled to an oscillator so as to apply an oscillating motion to the resilient mouth,

wherein momentary liquefaction of a portion of the volume of grout located within the resilient mouth occurs when the oscillating motion is applied to the resilient mouth, thereby urging the volume of grout through the resilient mouth and onto the target surface.

2. The applicator of claim 1, wherein the resilient mouth is manufactured of a resilient rubber.

3. The applicator of claim 1, wherein the oscillator is operatively coupled to the resilient mouth by a housing, the housing comprising the oscillator, a handle and a battery compartment configured to receive batteries for powering the oscillator.

4. The applicator of claim 3, wherein the resilient mouth, the housing and the handle are integrally formed as a single unit.

5. The applicator of claim 1, wherein the oscillator is operatively coupled to the resilient mouth by a housing, the housing comprising a handle and enclosing the oscillator, and wherein the oscillator is an electrical oscillator powered by an electrical power supply.

6. The applicator of claim 1, wherein the oscillator is operatively coupled to the resilient mouth through a base, the base supporting the resilient mouth, the reservoir and the oscillator.

7. The applicator of claim 6, wherein the oscillator is an electrical oscillator powered by a power source selected from a group comprising: batteries, electrical power supply.

8. The applicator of claim 7, wherein the base comprises at least two wheels rotationally mounted to the base so as to facilitate gliding the base across the target surface while the resilient mouth is in contact with the target surface.

9. The applicator of claim 6, wherein the base further comprises an elongate handle having a proximate end coupled to the base and a distal end distal from the base, wherein a user of the applicator may glide the base of the applicator across the target surface by grasping and manipulating the distal end of the handle while the user is standing upright.

10. The applicator of claim 9, wherein the proximate end of the elongate handle is pivotally coupled to the base.

11. The applicator of claim 1, wherein the oscillator comprises a handle coupled to the resilient mouth and wherein the oscillating motion is generated by a user manually applying the oscillating motion to the handle.

12. The applicator of claim 11, wherein the reservoir comprises a reservoir handle for steadying the reservoir during use of the applicator.