Floor Leveling Device
A floor leveling device for leveling tiles includes a base having a plate and a stem. The plate has a planar upper surface configured to engage the tiles and an angled lower surface opposite the planar upper surface. The stem extends generally perpendicularly from the planar upper surface. The floor leveling device also includes a cap coupled to the stem for movement along the stem.
The present invention relates to leveling devices, such as devices for leveling floor tiles.
When installing tiles on a floor, it is typically desirable to keep the tiles flat with respect to each other. Some prior art devices have been used to facilitate leveling tiles. One example of such a device includes a knob that threads onto a shaft positioned between two tiles. With this device, however, grout has a tendency to get between the device and the underside of the tiles, resulting in improper seating. In addition, as the knob is tightened, grout may squeeze out between the tiles and accumulate in the area under the knob without the user's knowledge. The grout then needs to be chipped off of the tiles after the knob is removed. Furthermore, the knob may not seat properly on top of the tiles if a granular piece of grout becomes trapped between the tiles and the knob.
SUMMARYIn one embodiment, the invention provides a floor leveling device for leveling tiles. The floor leveling device includes a base having a plate and a stem. The plate has a planar upper surface configured to engage the tiles and an angled lower surface opposite the planar upper surface. The stem extends generally perpendicularly from the planar upper surface. The floor leveling device also includes a cap coupled to the stem for movement along the stem.
In another embodiment, the invention provides a floor leveling device for leveling tiles. The floor leveling device includes a base having a plate and a stem extending generally perpendicularly from the plate. The stem has a threaded portion. The floor leveling device also includes a cap threadably coupled to the threaded portion of the stem for movement along the stem. The cap includes an aperture for viewing portions of the tiles beneath the cap.
In yet another embodiment, the invention provides a floor leveling device for leveling tiles. The floor leveling device includes a base having a plate with a planar upper surface configured to engage the tiles, a first angled lower surface opposite the planar upper surface and adjacent a first edge of the plate, a second angled lower surface opposite the planar upper surface and adjacent a second edge of the plate, a first notch formed through the planar upper surface and the first angled lower surface at the first edge, and a second notch formed through the planar upper surface and the second angled lower surface at the second edge. The base also has a stem extending generally perpendicularly from the planar upper surface of the plate. The stem includes a threaded portion and a flattened portion positioned between the plate and the threaded portion. The floor leveling device also includes a cap threadably coupled to the threaded portion of the stem for movement along the stem. The cap includes a plurality of flanges extending radially outward from the cap, a plurality of apertures positioned between the plurality of flanges for viewing portions of the tiles beneath the cap, and a ridge formed on a bottom surface of the cap and configured to engage the tiles.
Other aspects of the invention will become apparent by consideration of the detailed description and accompanying drawings.
Before any embodiments of the invention are explained in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangement of components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the following drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or of being carried out in various ways.
As shown in
Referring back to
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The flattened portion 80 is positioned between the plate 32 and the threaded portion 76. The flattened portion 80 is shaped and sized to create and maintain a desired spacing between adjacent tiles. The illustrated flattened portion 80 includes two vertically-extending, planar surfaces 84 that are configured to engage and space apart edges of two tiles. The planar surfaces 84 provide the flattened portion 80 with a generally rectangular cross-section to fit between the tiles. In other embodiments, the flattened portion 80 may have an X- or cross-shaped cross-section to fit between and space apart four tiles at their corners.
As shown in
The illustrated cap 28 includes a body 92, a plurality of flanges 96, and a plurality of apertures 100. In the illustrated embodiment, the body 92 is a frustoconically-shaped body having a larger diameter end 104 near the plate 32 of the base 24, and a smaller diameter end 108 opposite from the plate 32 of the base 24. The body 92 includes a threaded bore 112 (
The flanges 96 extend radially outward from the body 92. In the illustrated embodiment, the cap 28 includes five flanges 96 that are circumferentially spaced around the body 92. Each flange 96 provides a handle or grip to facilitate turning the cap 28 on the stem 36 of the base 24. In other embodiments, the cap 28 may include fewer or more flanges. Additionally or alternatively, the flanges 96 may be spaced in different arrangements around the cap 28. In some embodiments, the flanges 96 may be omitted so that a user directly grasps the body 92 of the cap 28 to turn the cap 28.
The apertures 100 are formed through the body 92. In the illustrated embodiment, the cap 28 includes five apertures 100 that are circumferentially spaced around the body 92 of the cap 28. The illustrated apertures 100 are equally spaced apart such that each aperture 100 is positioned between two adjacent flanges 96. In other embodiments, the cap 100 may include fewer or more apertures. Additionally or alternatively, the apertures 100 may be spaced in different arrangements around the cap 28. The illustrated apertures 100 extend in a direction generally parallel to an axis of rotation of the cap 28 (and, thereby, a longitudinal axis of the stem 36). Orienting the apertures 100 in this manner provides a view through the cap 28 so that a user can see areas beneath the cap. More specifically, the apertures 100 allow a user to view portions of the tiles beneath the cap 28 to see, for example, if grout is squeezing out between the tiles underneath the cap 28.
As shown in
In the illustrated embodiment, the base 24 and the cap 28 are composed of plastic (e.g., polyethylene, polyvinyl chloride, nylon, etc.). More particularly, the base 24 and the cap 28 are made of molded or injection molded plastic. In other embodiments, the base 24 and the cap 28 may be made of other or differing materials. For example, the base 24 may be made of plastic, and the cap 28 may be made of metal or wood. Alternatively, the base 24 and the cap 28 may be made of different types of plastics.
After the plate 32 is installed under the tiles 128, the cap 28 is coupled to the stem 36. In the illustrated embodiment, the cap 28 is threaded (e.g., spun or rotated) onto the threaded portion 76 of the stem 36. As the cap 28 is threaded onto the stem 36, a user can see if any grout is squeezed out from between the tiles 120 using the apertures 100 (as viewed in
Once the tiles 128 are leveled and set (e.g., once the grout hardens), the cap 28 is removed (e.g., unthreaded) from the stem 36 of the base 24. Then, the stem 36 is separated from the plate 32 by, for example, snapping the stem 36 apart from the plate 32 along the perforations 88 (
Various features and advantages of the invention are set forth in the following claims.
Claims
1.-9. (canceled)
10. A floor leveling device for leveling tiles, the floor leveling device comprising:
- a base including a plate and a stem extending generally perpendicularly from the plate, the stem having a threaded portion; and
- a cap threadably coupled to the threaded portion of the stem for movement along the stem, the cap including a threaded bore for receiving the stem and an aperture spaced apart from the threaded bore for viewing portions of the tiles beneath the cap;
- wherein the cap includes a frustoconically-shaped body; and
- wherein the cap also includes a plurality of flanges extending radially outward from the frustoconically-shaped body, and wherein the plurality of flanges is circumferentially spaced around the frustoconically-shaped body.
11. The floor leveling device of claim 10, wherein the cap includes a plurality of apertures for viewing portions of the tiles beneath the cap.
12. The floor leveling device of claim 11, wherein the plurality of apertures is circumferentially spaced around the cap.
13. The floor leveling device of claim 10, wherein the cap includes a flange extending radially outward from the cap such that the flange has a generally flat surface that extends perpendicular to the plate.
14. (canceled)
15. (canceled)
16. A floor leveling device for leveling tiles, the floor leveling device comprising:
- a base including a plate and a stem extending generally perpendicularly from the plate, the stem having a threaded portion; and
- a cap threadably coupled to the threaded portion of the stem for movement along the stem, the cap including an aperture for viewing portions of the tiles beneath the cap;
- wherein the cap includes a frustoconically-shaped body;
- wherein the cap also includes a plurality of flanges extending radially outward from the frustoconically-shaped body, and wherein the plurality of flanges is circumferentially spaced around the frustoconically-shaped body; and
- wherein the cap further includes a plurality of apertures formed through the frustoconically-shaped body and positioned between the plurality of flanges.
17. The floor leveling device of claim 10, wherein the cap includes a ridge formed on a bottom surface of the cap, and wherein the ridge is configured to engage the tiles.
18. The floor leveling device of claim 17, wherein the ridge is a continuous, annular rib formed on the bottom surface of the cap.
19. The floor leveling device of claim 10, wherein the stem includes a flattened portion positioned between the plate and the threaded portion, and wherein the cap includes an inner bore that at least partially receives the flattened portion of the stem.
20. A floor leveling device for leveling tiles, the floor leveling device comprising:
- a base including a plate having a planar upper surface configured to engage the tiles, a first angled lower surface opposite the planar upper surface and adjacent a first edge of the plate, a second angled lower surface opposite the planar upper surface and adjacent a second edge of the plate, a first notch formed through the planar upper surface and the first angled lower surface at the first edge, and a second notch formed through the planar upper surface and the second angled lower surface at the second edge, and a stem extending generally perpendicularly from the planar upper surface of the plate, the stem including a threaded portion and a flattened portion positioned between the plate and the threaded portion; and
- a cap threadably coupled to the threaded portion of the stem for movement along the stem, the cap including a plurality of flanges extending radially outward from the cap, a plurality of apertures positioned between the plurality of flanges for viewing portions of the tiles beneath the cap, and a ridge formed on a bottom surface of the cap and configured to engage the tiles.
Type: Application
Filed: Jun 17, 2015
Publication Date: Dec 22, 2016
Inventors: Kissak Sarajian (Hartland, WI), Chad M. Cushman (Racine, WI), Andrew W. Oniszczuk (Pleasant Prairie, WI)
Application Number: 14/742,229