A device for levelling tiles includes a traction member having a base which can be inserted below two or more of the tiles which are adjacent at mutual edges, and a C-shaped element extending from the base, the free ends of its wings being associated with the base. The device further includes a wedge having a surface with a serrated profile for interaction with the traction member at an edge of the core of the C-shaped element. The wedge is insertable inside the C-shaped element of the traction member between the wings thereof.

A first floor panel is provided that is connectable to a second floor panel in an array having a contiguous channel for retainably housing a cable. The array includes repeating units, each including one or more floor panels. The contiguous channel is formed through, between or through and between respective units. The first floor panel includes a body having a generally planar top surface, a bottom surface defining a bottom plane, and a first side. The first side includes an upper cable-retaining lip and a lower interlocking support. The interlocking support includes an interlocking support that is shaped to interlock with a corresponding side of the second floor panel to form a channel segment between the first side and the corresponding side of the second floor panel. The channel segment is adapted to retainably house the cable, spaced apart from the bottom plane. A modular flooring system is also provided involving a plurality of interconnectable floor panels.

A fastener unit and related method for securing a board to a support is provided. The fastener unit includes a spacer block, a grip element extending from the spacer block and configured to fit in and engage a groove of the board, and one or more resilient compression elements joined with the spacer block. The resilient compression elements can be vertically compressible so at least a portion of it can move from an open mode to a compression mode and fit within, then forcibly expand within, the groove, thereby securing the spacer block in a position adjacent the groove to establish a gap between the board and another board. Related methods of use also are provided.

A flooring system including floor panels and a connecting system for connecting the floor panels is provided. The flooring system includes a first and a second floor panel, and a connecting device that includes a first and a second connecting element. The first connecting element is configured to cooperate with the first and second floor panel for horizontally connecting the first and second floor panel. The second connecting element is configured to cooperate with the first connecting element for vertically connecting the first and the second floor panel. A connecting device for connecting a first and a second floor panel is also provided.

A tile-securing system having a polymeric one-piece bracket having a first flange, a second flange, and a central raised-wall portion, the first flange and the second flange opposing each other and being in the same plane, the central raised-wall portion being orthogonal to both the first flange and the second flange; a slot opening located on an exterior edge of the raised-wall portion; the slot opening having a first width and a first length, wherein the first width is less than the first length, and the slot opening configured to receive a wedge that upon insertion into the slot opening expands the first width to a greater second width.

A floor panel has a rectangular and oblong shape, and includes a substrate and a top layer provided on the substrate and forming a decorative side of the floor panel. The top layer is composed of a print provided on a carrier sheet and a transparent thermoplastic layer situated above the print. The substrate has a thickness from 2 to 10 millimeter and forms at least half of the thickness of the floor panel. The substrate is a polyurethane-based substrate and the transparent thermoplastic layer is polyurethane-based. The floor panel has a length of more than 1.1 meters and has a plurality of reinforcing layers situated outside the center line of the substrate. A reinforcing layer may be provided in combination with the substrate and the top layer.

Improved stripper solutions for removing photoresists from substrates are provided that typically have freezing points below about 0° C. and high loading capacities. The stripper solutions comprise dimethyl sulfoxide, quaternary ammonium hydroxide, and an alkanolamine having at least two carbon atoms, at least one amino substituent and at least one hydroxyl substituent, the amino and hydroxyl substituents attached to two different carbon atoms. Some formulations can additionally contain a secondary solvent. The formulations do not contain tetramethylammonium hydroxide. Methods for use of the stripping solutions are additionally provided.

A fastener unit and related method for securing a board to a support is provided. The fastener unit includes a spacer block, a grip element extending from the spacer block and configured to fit in and engage a groove of the board, and one or more board engagement elements. The board engagement elements can engage the groove of the board, thereby securing the spacer block in a position adjacent the groove to establish a gap between the board and another board. Related methods of use also are provided.

A method of installing a porcelain tile installation for vehicular use is provided. The method can include covering a compacted aggregate surface with a tile bed composition; compacting the tile bed; installing a plurality of porcelain tiles and spacers on the compacted tile bed surface in a predetermined pattern, such that each respective porcelain tile includes a thickness of about 3 cm to about 5 cm; such that one or more spacers includes a base component positioned under adjacent tiles and a vertical component positioned between a sidewall of the adjacent tiles, such that the vertical component provides a joint defined by a spaced distance between the adjacent tiles; adding a polymeric sand composition to each respective joint to obtain a joint-filled porcelain tile surface; compacting the joint-filled porcelain tile surface with a compactor; and activating the polymeric sand composition to obtain the porcelain tile installation for vehicular use.

A knob (1), for correctly laying tiles, comprises a first jaw (10) and a second jaw (20) which are connected to each other in such a way that said knob (1) can adopt a clamped configuration, in which the first and the second jaw (10,20) are in contact with each other, and a wide apart configuration, in which the first and the second jaw (10,20) are not in contact with each other.