(19)
(11) EP 2 907 937 B1

(12) EUROPEAN PATENT SPECIFICATION

(45) Mention of the grant of the patent:
30.08.2017 Bulletin 2017/35

(21) Application number: 15460004.3

(22) Date of filing: 05.02.2015
(51) International Patent Classification (IPC): 
E04F 21/00(2006.01)

(54)

DEVICE FOR TILES LEVELLING

VORRICHTUNG ZUM RICHTEN VON FLIESEN

DISPOSITIF DE NIVELLEMENT DE CARREAUX


(84) Designated Contracting States:
AL AT BE BG CH CY CZ DE DK EE ES FI FR GB GR HR HU IE IS IT LI LT LU LV MC MK MT NL NO PL PT RO RS SE SI SK SM TR

(30) Priority: 14.02.2014 PL 40717914

(43) Date of publication of application:
19.08.2015 Bulletin 2015/34

(73) Proprietor: Duraj, Antoni
34-382 Bystra (PL)

(72) Inventor:
  • Duraj, Antoni
    34-382 Bystra (PL)

(74) Representative: Rygiel, Andrzej 
Kancelaria Rzecznika Patentowego ul. Bohaterow Warszawy 26, Lok. F
43-300 Bielsko-Biala
43-300 Bielsko-Biala (PL)


(56) References cited: : 
DE-A1- 2 301 169
US-A1- 2006 260 243
JP-A- H0 821 077
   
       
    Note: Within nine months from the publication of the mention of the grant of the European patent, any person may give notice to the European Patent Office of opposition to the European patent granted. Notice of opposition shall be filed in a written reasoned statement. It shall not be deemed to have been filed until the opposition fee has been paid. (Art. 99(1) European Patent Convention).


    Description


    [0001] The subject of the invention is a device for tiles levelling, in particular for adhesive-fixed cladding tiles, which allows the tiles to be positioned in one plane by levelling the neighbouring tiles.

    [0002] Up to now, tile cross spacers have been used during laying ceramic tiles or other materials on walls, floors and other surfaces on which distance between contact surfaces of tiles is fixed. Tile cross spacers are provided with a pin of fixed diameter resting on four arms positioned in one plane which is perpendicular to the pin axis, whereby each spacer arm is located at an angle of 90° in relation to the next one. During tiles mounting tile cross spacers are positioned between contact surfaces of the tiles or in their corners, and the tiles are pressed to each other - in this way obtaining a fixed-width joint after the adhesive sets is ensured. Pins which protrude above the tiles surface are removed through mechanical destruction, and then this cavity is filled in with grout.

    [0003] By using the previously known tile cross spacers, surfaces of high aesthetic qualities as regards joints appearance can be obtained; however, obtaining a level surface of the laid tiles is not ensured since the cross spacers cannot compensate for height differences between the neighbouring tiles.

    [0004] From the German publication of the Patent Description No. DE 2 301 169 A1 there are known clips for laying wall tiles with the back and front base plate, held at a specified distance from each other with break-away connecting parts, and with protruding from the back plate stops of tiles edges for their installation in a specified spacing intended for the joint, which are characterised by that the connecting elements consist of the centrally positioned pin, which during moving of the front plate in relation to the back plate can be broken off as a result of the torsional break.

    [0005] JP07305494 discloses a further device for tiles levelling and represents the closest prior art. A mounting and distancing element, owing to which a fixed width of the slit between the neighbouring tiles and positioning of top surfaces of all laid tiles in one plane can be obtained, is known from the Polish patent application P. 403536. The mounting and distancing element is in the form of a monolithic, spatial solid equipped with a base connected to a pin which is perpendicular to it, whereby on one edge of the pin base a cradle provided with a flat stand connected with two arc-convex surfaces is located, and on the other edge of the base a cradle provided preferably in its central part with a flat stand connected with two arc-convex surfaces is located, which cradles are inseparably attached to each other through a connector, whereby in the top part of the cradle a cuboidal base of the first pin with a rounded necking at the top is located, whereas on the other end of the base above the cradle the other cuboidal pin, which in its top part has a ridge whose bottom surface is inclined at an angle not greater than 20° and is tilted by not more than 20°, is located, whereas the base surface and the pin surface are located in one plane, like the surfaces opposite to them.

    [0006] The purpose of the invention is to construct a device for cladding tiles levelling that allows the tiles to be positioned in one plane through levelling of two to four neighbouring tiles.

    [0007] A device for tiles levelling and having a device body wherein the device body is provided in its central part with a passage opening inside of which there is a slidingly fitted core of a body provided with a positioning element and a main knob which has a threaded opening whose flange is fixed inside a seat of a holder, characterized in that in corners of the device body there are threaded passage openings for spacer knobs arranged on a square plan, wherein by turning the main knob, the slidingly fitted core moves, which results in the movement of the tiles towards the spacer knobs, whereas in a cross section transversal to their longitudinal axis the passage opening and the core which has a threaded end are in a shape of a polygon or an irregular geometric figure of a contour in a shape of arcs. The core is provided with a blind hole for a guide bar of the positioning element. The positioning element is in a shape of a four-bar cross. The positioning element is in a shape of a three-bar cross. The positioning element is in a shape of a coaxial double-arm lever. The device body is preferably in the shape of a four-arm rosette. In hhe cross section transversal to their longitudinal axis the passage opening and the core are preferably in the shape of a regular polygon. In the cross section transversal to their longitudinal axis the passage opening and the core are preferably in the shape of an irregular polygon. In the cross section transversal to their longitudinal axis the passage opening and the core are preferably in the shape of a geometric figure of the contour in the shape of arcs, different from a circle.

    [0008] The subject of the invention in the form of a device for tiles levelling is presented in the embodiment on the drawing, where in Fig. 1 individual components of the device for tiles levelling are presented in the axonometric view from the front part of the body, Fig. 2 presents individual components of the device for tiles levelling in the axonometric view from the bottom part of the body, Fig. 3 presents individual components of the device for tiles levelling in side view, Fig. 4 presents the body of the device in the shape of a four-arm rosette in the bottom view, Fig. 5 presents the body of the device in the shape of a four-arm rosette in the axonometric view from the bottom side, Fig. 6 presents the components of the device core, Fig. 7 presents the spacer knob in the axonometric view, Fig. 8 presents the main knob in the axonometric view, Fig. 9 presents the positioning element in the form of a four-bar cross in the axonometric view, Fig. 10 presents the positioning element in the form of a three-bar cross in the axonometric view, Fig. 11 presents the positioning element in the form of a double-arm lever in the axonometric view, Fig. 12 presents the device for tiles levelling provided with a positioning element in the form of a double-arm lever in the axonometric view from the bottom part, Fig. 13 presents the device for tiles levelling provided with a positioning element in the form of a double-arm lever in the axonometric view from the front part, Fig. 14 presents the device for tiles levelling positioned between two cladding tiles in the axonometric view, and Fig. 15 presents six devices for tiles levelling positioned between four cladding tiles in the front view.

    [0009] As it is presented in the drawing, the device for tiles levelling has a body 1, preferably in the shape of a four-arm rosette. In the central part of the body 1 there is a passage opening 2 inside of which there is a slidingly fitted core 4 of the body 3 preferably in the shape of a cuboid, for the cuboidal body 3 of the core 4 provided with a main knob 5. The main knob 5 is provided on the circumference with a flange 27, which is fixed inside the seat 28 located in the holder 29, which is inseparably attached to the body 1. In the branches 6, 6', 6", 6'" there are threaded passage openings 7, 7', 7", 7'" for spacer knobs 8, 8', 8", 8"'. The core 4 is provided with a blind hole 9 for the guide bar 10, whose one end is positioned inside the hole 9, and for its clamping inside the hole 9 the screw 11 screwed into opening 12 is responsible. The other end of the guide bar 10 is provided with a threaded end 13 and is used to mount on it the positioning element 14 through screwing it into the threaded opening 15. The positioning element 14 can be in the shape of a four-bar cross 16 or in the shape of a three-bar cross 17 or in the shape of a coaxial double-arm lever 18. Operation of the device for tiles levelling consists in that tiles 19, 20 laid on an adhesive substrate are laid with the joint 21 retained or tiles 22, 23, 24, 25 are laid with the joint 21 retained. Then, before the adhesive sets, in case of tiles 19, 20 the end of the positioning element 14 in the form of a double-arm lever 18 is inserted into the joint 21 or in case of tiles 22, 23, 24, 25 the end of the positioning element 14 in the form of a four-bar cross 16 is inserted. Insertion of the positioning element 14 into the joint 21 is possible owing to the axial shift of the cuboidal body 3, whose axial movement along the passage opening 2 forces the turn of the knob 5. The knob 5 has a threaded opening 30 into which a threaded end of the core 4 is screwed. Then, when the body 1 is turned by an angle of approximately 45°, the arms 16 or 17 or 18 move under the tiles and in turn, through turning back the main knob 5, the core 4 moves, which results in the movement of the tiles towards the stands 26, 26', 26", 26''' of the spacer knobs 8, 8', 8", 8"', and thus their positioning in one plane is obtained. After the adhesive sets, the body 1 is turned by an angle of approximately 45° and it removes the arms 16 or 17 or 18 from the joint.


    Claims

    1. A device for tiles (19, 20, 22, 23, 24, 25) levelling and having a device body (1) wherein the device body (1) is provided in its central part with a passage opening (2) inside of which there is a slidingly fitted core (4) of a body (3) provided with a positioning element (14) and a main knob (5) which has a threaded opening (30) whose flange (27) is fixed inside a seat (28) of a holder (29), characterized in that in corners (6), (6'), (6"), (6''') of the device body (1) there are threaded passage openings (7), (7'), (7"), (7''') for spacer knobs (8), (8'), (8"), (8''') arranged on a square plan, wherein by turning the main knob (5), the slidingly fitted core (4) moves, which results in the movement of the tiles towards the spacer knobs (8), (8'), (8"), (8'''), whereas in a cross section transversal to their longitudinal axis the passage opening (2) and the core (4) which has a threaded end are in a shape of a polygon or an irregular geometric figure of a contour in a shape of arcs.
     
    2. The device according to Claim 1, characterised by that the core (4) is provided with a blind hole (9) for a guide bar (10) of the positioning element (14).
     
    3. The device according to Claim 2, characterised by that the positioning element (14) is in a shape of a four-bar cross (16).
     
    4. The device according to Claim 2, characterised by that the positioning element (14) is in a shape of a three-bar cross (17).
     
    5. The device according to Claim 2, characterised by that the positioning element (14) is in a shape of a coaxial double-arm lever (18).
     
    6. The device according to Claim 1 or 2 or 3 or 4 or 5, characterised by that the device body (1) is preferably in the shape of a four-arm rosette.
     
    7. The device according to Claim 1, characterised by that in the cross section transversal to their longitudinal axis the passage opening (2) and the core (4) are preferably in the shape of a regular polygon.
     
    8. The device according to Claim 1, characterised by that in the cross section transversal to their longitudinal axis the passage opening (2) and the core (4) are preferably in the shape of an irregular polygon.
     
    9. The device according to Claim 1, characterised by that in the cross section transversal to their longitudinal axis the passage opening (2) and the core (4) are in the shape of a geometric figure of the contour in the shape of arcs, different from a circle.
     


    Ansprüche

    1. Eine Vorrichtung zum Nivellieren von Fliesen (19, 20, 22, 23, 24, 25), die einen Vorrichtungskörper (1) hat, worin der Vorrichtungskörper (1) in der Mitte mit einer Durchgangsöffnung (2) ausgestattet ist, in der ein Kern (4) des Körpers (3) verschiebbar angeordnet ist, der mit einem Positionierungselement (14) und einem Haupt-Knopf (5) ausgestattet ist, der eine Gewindeöffnung (30) hat, dessen Lasche (27) im Sitz (28) des Halters (29) fixiert ist, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass sich an den Ecken (6), (6'), (6"), (6''') des Vorrichtungskörpers (1) Durchgangsöffnungen mit Gewinden (7), (7'), (7"), (7''') für Distanz-Knöpfe (8), (8'), (8"), (8''') befinden, die quadratisch angeordnet sind, wobei sich der verschiebbar angeordnete Kern (4) durch das Drehen des Haupt-Knopfes (5) bewegt, woraus sich die Bewegung der Fliesen in Richtung der Distanz-Knöpfe (8), (8'), (8"), (8''') ergibt, wobei die Durchgangsöffnung (2) und der Kern (4), der ein Gewindeende hat, im Querschnitt quer zur Längsachse die Form eines Polygons oder einer unregelmäßigen geometrischen Figur mit bogenförmiger Kontur haben.
     
    2. Eine Vorrichtung nach Anspruch 1, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass der Kern (4) mit einem blinden Loch (9) für die Führungsschiene (10) des Positionierungselementes (14) ausgestattet ist.
     
    3. Eine Vorrichtung nach Anspruch 2, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass das Positionierungselement (14) die Form eines vierarmigen Kreuzes (16) hat.
     
    4. Eine Vorrichtung nach Anspruch 2, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass das Positionierungselement (14) die Form eines dreiarmigen Kreuzes (17) hat.
     
    5. Eine Vorrichtung nach Anspruch 2, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass das Positionierungselement (14) die Form eines koaxialen zweiarmigen Hebels (18) hat.
     
    6. Eine Vorrichtung nach Anspruch 1 oder 2 oder 3 oder 4 oder 5, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass der Vorrichtungskörper (1) vorzugsweise die Form einer vierarmigen Rosette hat.
     
    7. Eine Vorrichtung nach Anspruch 1, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die Durchgangsöffnung (2) und der Kern (4) im Querschnitt quer zur Längsachse vorzugsweise die Form eines Polygons haben.
     
    8. Eine Vorrichtung nach Anspruch 1, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die Durchgangsöffnung (2) und der Kern (4) im Querschnitt quer zur Längsachse vorzugsweise die Form eines unregelmäßigen Polygons haben.
     
    9. Eine Vorrichtung nach Anspruch 1, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die Durchgangsöffnung (2) und der Kern (4) im Querschnitt quer zur Längsachse die Form einer geometrischen Figur mit bogenförmiger Kontur, aber nicht eines Kreises haben.
     


    Revendications

    1. Appareil de nivellement de carreaux (19, 20, 22, 23, 24, 25) possédant un corps de l'appareil (1) où le corps de l'appareil (1) est doté en partie centrale d'un trou débouchant (2) à l'intérieur duquel est placé un noyau glissant (4) du corps (3) doté d'un élément de centrage (14) et d'un bouton principal (5) qui possède un trou taraudé (30) dont la bride (27) est fixée à l'intérieur du logemement (28) du support (29), caractérisé en ce que dans les angles (6), (6'), (6"), (6''') du corps de l'appareil (1) il y a des trous débouchants taraudés (7), (7'), (7"), (7''') pour boutons espaceurs (8), (8'), (8"), (8''') placés sur le plan carré, le tour du bouton principal (5) le noyau glissant (4) se déplaçant ce qui entraîne le mouvement des carreaux vers les boutons espaceurs (8), (8'), (8"), (8'''), par contre dans la section transversale par rapport à leur axe longitudinal le trou débouchant (2) et le noyau (4) qui a un bout taraudé ont une forme polygonale ou une forme de figure irrégulière dont le contour a une forme d'arcs.
     
    2. Appareil selon la revendication 1, caractérisé en ce que le noyau (4) est doté d'un trou non débouchant (9) pour le guidage (10) de l'élément de centrage (14).
     
    3. Appareil selon la revendication 2, caractérisé en ce que l'élément de centrage (14) a une forme de croix à quatre branches (16).
     
    4. Appareil selon la revendication 2, caractérisé en ce que l'élément de centrage (14) a une forme de croix à trois branches (17).
     
    5. Appareil selon la revendication 2, caractérisé en ce que l'élément de centrage (14) a une forme de levier coaxial à deux bras (18).
     
    6. Appareil selon la revendication 1 ou 2 ou 3 ou 4 ou 5, caractérisé en ce que le corps de l'appareil (1) a avantageusement une forme de rosace à quatre bras.
     
    7. Appareil selon la revendication 1, caractérisé en ce que dans la section transversale par rapport à leur axe longitudinal le trou débouchant (2) et le noyau (4) ont avantageusement une forme de polygone régulier.
     
    8. Appareil selon la revendication 1, caractérisé en ce que dans la section transversale par rapport à leur axe longitudinal le trou débouchant (2) et le noyau (4) ont avantageusement une forme de polygone irrégulier.
     
    9. Appareil selon la revendication 1, caractérisé en ce que dans la section transversale par rapport à leur axe longitudinal le trou débouchant (2) et le noyau. (4) ont une forme de figure géométrique dont le contour a une forme d'arcs, autre que le disque.
     




    Drawing


























    Cited references

    REFERENCES CITED IN THE DESCRIPTION



    This list of references cited by the applicant is for the reader's convenience only. It does not form part of the European patent document. Even though great care has been taken in compiling the references, errors or omissions cannot be excluded and the EPO disclaims all liability in this regard.

    Patent documents cited in the description