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
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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:
- a body having integrated variable spacing with a thickness selected from a plurality of predetermined values depending on the application so that the integrated variable spacing sets a corresponding predetermined joint distance, thereby eliminating any requirement for non-tile-leveling-device spacing components;
- a base orthogonally coupled to the body, the base extending to a front of the body and to a rear of the body;
- and
- a body-to-base coupling including a frangible breakaway section, the base and the body being integral prior to frangible separation such that, upon breaking, the frangible breakaway section frangibly separates the body from the base.
A tile-leveling device comprising:
- a body incorporating integrated variable spacing whose thickness varies in predetermined increments depending on the application so that the integrated variable spacing sets a corresponding predetermined joint distance, eliminating any requirement for non-tile-leveling-device spacing components;
- a base orthogonally coupled to the body, the base extending to a front of the body and to a rear of the body;
- and
- a body-to-base coupling including a frangible breakaway section, the base and the body being integral prior to frangible separation such that, upon breaking, the frangible breakaway section frangibly separates the body from the base.
A tile-leveling device comprising:
- an integrated-variable-spacing body comprising:
- a body portion, and
- a spacing portion integral with the body portion, the spacing portion having a selected thickness from a plurality of predetermined values,
- wherein the selected thickness establishes a corresponding predetermined joint distance that is greater than any thickness necessary to achieve leveling-only functionality, thereby eliminating a need for any non-tile-leveling-device spacing components;
- a base orthogonally coupled to the integrated-variable-spacing body, the base extending forwardly and rearwardly relative to the integrated-variable-spacing body;
- and
- an integrated-variable-spacing-body-to-base coupling including a frangible breakaway section, the base and the integrated-variable-spacing body being integral prior to frangible separation such that, upon breaking, the frangible breakaway section frangibly separates the integrated-variable-spacing body from the base.
A tile-leveling device comprising:
- a body having integrated variable spacing incorporating a spacing portion whose thickness is selectable from multiple predetermined values, each predetermined value establishing a different joint distance to suit a particular installation, the selected thickness being greater than necessary to achieve a leveling-only function so that the joint distance is set within a single product and no additional spacing elements are required;
- a base orthogonally coupled to the body, the base extending forwardly and rearwardly of the body;
- and
- a body-to-base coupling having a frangible breakaway section that maintains the base and the body integral before installation and that, when broken, frangibly separates the body from the base.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.