Device for Leveling and Aligning Tiles and Method for Leveling and Aligning Tiles
AssigneeAcufloor, LLC
InventorsClinton D. Bunch, Joshua A. Bunch
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A device for leveling and aligning tiles and method for leveling and aligning tiles are disclosed. In one embodiment, the leveling device includes a body and two spaced and parallel strip members extending transversely from the body. Each of the spaced and parallel strip members extend to the front and rear of the body. Two opposing lateral open windows are formed in the body. A breakaway section is defined along the body. A wedge device is provided for penetrating one or more of the two opposing lateral open windows and exerting a force on the tiles for leveling them relative to each other.
Claims16
A tile-leveling device comprising:
- an integrated spacing body having a thickness selected from a plurality of predetermined thicknesses so that the integrated spacing body sets a corresponding predetermined joint distance, eliminating a requirement for any non-tile-leveling-device spacing components;
- a base orthogonally coupled to the integrated spacing body, the base extending to a front of the integrated spacing body and to a rear of the integrated spacing body;
- and
- an integrated spacing body-to-base coupling including a frangible breakaway section, the base and the integrated spacing body being integral prior to frangible separation such that, upon breaking, the frangible breakaway section frangibly separates the integrated spacing body from the base.
A tile-leveling device comprising:
- an integrated spacing body having a thickness that varies in predetermined increments depending on the application so that the integrated spacing body sets a corresponding predetermined joint distance, eliminating a requirement for any non-tile-leveling-device spacing components;
- a base orthogonally coupled to the integrated spacing body, the base extending to a front of the integrated spacing body and to a rear of the integrated spacing body;
- and
- an integrated spacing body-to-base coupling including a frangible breakaway section, the base and the integrated spacing body being integral prior to frangible separation such that, upon breaking, the frangible breakaway section frangibly separates the integrated spacing body from the base.
A tile-leveling device comprising:
- a built-in variable tile joint spacing body portion having a variable thickness selected from a plurality of predetermined values, the selected thickness being greater than necessary to achieve leveling-only such that the spacing portion establishes a corresponding predetermined joint distance that eliminates any need for non-tile-leveling-device spacing components;
- a base orthogonally coupled to the integrated spacing body, the base extending to the front and rear of the integrated spacing body;
- and
- an integrated-spacing-body-to-base coupling that includes a frangible breakaway section, the base and the built-in variable tile joint spacing body portion being integral prior to frangible separation such that, upon breaking, the frangible breakaway section frangibly separates the built-in variable tile joint spacing body portion from the base.
A tile-leveling device comprising:
- an integrated spacing body configured in variable spacing thickness increments selectable from multiple predetermined values, each predetermined value establishing a different joint distance to suit a particular installation, the selected thickness being provided in the integrated body portion such that the joint distance is set within a single product and no additional spacing elements are required;
- a base orthogonally coupled to the integrated spacing body, the base extending forwardly and rearwardly of the integrated spacing body;
- and
- an integrated-spacing-body-to-base coupling having a frangible breakaway section that maintains the base and the integrated spacing body as an integral unit prior to installation and that, when broken, frangibly separates the integrated spacing body from the base.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.