APPARATUS FOR TILE LEVELING AND SPACING

Abstract

A leveling spacer may include a base, a connecting piece having a breakage portion, a threaded shaft and a pressure applicator. In one embodiment, the breakage portion of the connecting piece is disposed at right angles to the base, and the other end thereof is connected with the threaded shaft. The pressure applicator is configured to engage and remove the threaded shaft, and more specifically, the pressure applicator may include a female threaded chamber to correspondingly engage with the threaded shaft. When the pressure applicator is rotated down the shaft, it can also apply pressure to level and immobilize the substrate.

Claims

1. A leveling spacer comprising: a base to be inserted underneath one or more substrates; a connecting piece having one end, which is a breakage portion, extending from the base at right angle; a threaded shaft vertically connected to the other end of the connecting piece; and a pressure applicator configured to engage with the threaded shaft through a corresponding female threaded chamber to rotate and apply pressure to level and immobilize the substrates; wherein the pressure applicator can be further rotated at the end of the threaded shaft to provide an external force to cause the breakage of the connecting piece on the base, so the connecting piece along with the threaded shaft are removed from the leveling spacer.

2. The leveling spacer of claim 1, wherein the pressure applicator includes one or more guiding channels to guide different types of connecting pieces along with the threaded shafts out of the pressure applicator after being removed from the base.

3. The leveling spacer of claim 1, wherein threaded shaft includes a top edge having a predetermined angle to allow the pressure applicator to easily insert and remove from the shaft, and the pressure applicator has a guiding surface configured to guide the top edge into the female threaded chamber.

4. The leveling spacer of claim 2, wherein threaded shaft includes a top edge having a predetermined angle to allow the pressure applicator to easily insert and remove from the shaft, and the pressure applicator has a guiding surface configured to guide the top edge into the female threaded chamber.

5. The leveling spacer of claim 1, wherein the pressure applicator is made of Nylon and glass fiber.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015] FIG. 1 is a schematic view of the leveling spacer in the present invention.

[0016] FIG. 2 illustrates a schematic view of the leveling spacer in the present invention when the pressure applicator rotates down.

[0017] FIG. 3 illustrates a cross-sectional view of the leveling spacer in the present invention.

[0018] FIG. 4 is a schematic view after the connecting piece and the threaded shaft are removed from the base in the present invention.

[0019] FIG. 5 illustrates different types of connecting pieces in the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0020] The detailed description set forth below is intended as a description of the presently exemplary device provided in accordance with aspects of the present invention and is not intended to represent the only forms in which the present invention may be prepared or utilized. It is to be understood, rather, that the same or equivalent functions and components may be accomplished by different embodiments that are also intended to be encompassed within the spirit and scope of the invention.

[0021] Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood to one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. Although any methods, devices and materials similar or equivalent to those described can be used in the practice or testing of the invention, the exemplary methods, devices and materials are now described.

[0022] All publications mentioned are incorporated by reference for the purpose of describing and disclosing, for example, the designs and methodologies that are described in the publications that might be used in connection with the presently described invention. The publications listed or discussed above, below and throughout the text are provided solely for their disclosure prior to the filing date of the present application. Nothing herein is to be construed as an admission that the inventors are not entitled to antedate such disclosure by virtue of prior invention.

[0023] As used in the description herein and throughout the claims that follow, the meaning of a, an, and the includes reference to the plural unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Also, as used in the description herein and throughout the claims that follow, the terms comprise or comprising, include or including, have or having, contain or containing and the like are to be understood to be open-ended, i.e., to mean including but not limited to. As used in the description herein and throughout the claims that follow, the meaning of in includes in and on unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.

[0024] It will be understood that, although the terms first, second, etc. may be used herein to describe various elements, these elements should not be limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish one element from another. For example, a first element could be termed a second element, and, similarly, a second element could be termed a first element, without departing from the scope of the embodiments. As used herein, the term and/or includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

[0025] In one aspect, as shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, a leveling spacer 100 may include a base 110, a connecting piece 120 having a breakage portion 121, a threaded shaft 130, and a pressure applicator 140. In one embodiment, the breakage portion 121 of the connecting piece 120 is disposed at right angles to the base 110, and the other end thereof is connected with the threaded shaft 130. The pressure applicator 140 is configured to engage and remove the threaded shaft 130, and more specifically, the pressure applicator 140 may include a female threaded chamber 142 to correspondingly engage with the threaded shaft 130 to allow easy and quick insertion or removal of the pressure applicator 140. It is noted that the breakage portion 121 can be relatively weaker with reduced thickness for instance, so it is breakable following an external force of a minor extent.

[0026] In one embodiment, the pressure applicator 140 can be made by Nylon and glass fiber, and is configured to engage with and rotate on the threaded shaft 130 to apply pressure to immobilize and level different types of substrate surfaces including, but not limited to porcelain, ceramics and nature stone. In another embodiment, the pressure applicator 140 can be made by pure plastic materials.

[0027] When in use, one or more leveling spacers 100 can be arranged below the tiles (not shown) through the base 110. The pressure applicator 140 can then be disposed on each leveling spacer 100 as shown in FIG. 1, and engage with the threaded shaft 130 with the female threaded chamber 142, so the pressure applicator 140 can rotate on the threaded shaft 130 to apply pressure to immobilize and level the tiles as shown in FIG. 2.

[0028] The pressure applicator 140 can be further rotated at the end of the threaded shaft 130 in the same direction to remove the threaded shaft 130 from the base 110. More specifically, as discussed above, the breakage portion 121 is relatively weaker, so the external force of continuing to rotate the pressure applicator 140 on the threaded shaft 130 would likely cause the breakage of the connecting piece 120 from the breakage portion 121. Namely, the threaded shaft 130 along with the connecting piece 120 can be both removed from the base 110 as shown in FIG. 4.

[0029] In one embodiment, the pressure applicator 140 may further include one or more guiding channels 141 that can be used after the removal of the connecting piece 120 and the threaded shaft 130. More specifically, the guiding channels 141 can be used to guide different types of connecting pieces (X-shaped, T-shaped and standard as 120) as shown in FIG. 5 out of the pressure applicator 140 after the removal process. It is noted that after the removal of the connecting piece 120 and the threaded shaft 130 out from the pressure applicator 140, the pressure applicator 140 should be reusable.

[0030] In another embodiment, the threaded shaft 130 may have a top edge 131 that has a predetermined angle to allow the pressure applicator 140 to easily insert and remove from the shaft 130. The pressure applicator 140 may have a guiding surface 143 that is configured to guide the top edge 131 into the female threaded chamber 142.

[0031] Having described the invention by the description and illustrations above, it should be understood that these are exemplary of the invention and are not to be considered as limiting. Accordingly, the invention is not to be considered as limited by the foregoing description, but includes any equivalent.