Countertop-Spanning Tile Support for Fastener-Free Wall Tiling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Tile installers face the challenge of supporting tiles over gaps between countertops without damaging the wall surface, as conventional methods often require attaching support pieces with fasteners or adhesives, leading to damage and additional repair costs when these are removed.
Innovation Solution
A horizontal tile support device with an elongated body, comprising an upper section with a sloping back surface and a lower section with a support ledge, designed to span the gap between countertops, allowing the device to support drying tiles without attachment to the wall, enabling easy installation and removal without damaging the wall surface.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional support pieces are fastened to the wall using screws or nails, then the tile can be supported during drying, but the wall surface is damaged when the support piece is removed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a removable support device that spans the gap between countertops as an intermediary element. This device provides the necessary support during tile drying without requiring attachment to the wall surface, thus eliminating wall damage while maintaining tile support stability
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts the support function from wall-attached elements and relocates it to a standalone device that spans the gap between countertops. This separation allows the support function to be performed without any attachment to the wall, preventing damage while maintaining reliability
2Reliability
If conventional support pieces are glued to the wall, then the tile can be supported during drying, but the wall surface must be repaired and repainted after removal
Solution Approach 1:
The removable support device acts as a mediator that provides tile support without creating permanent attachments to the wall. This eliminates the need for repair and repainting operations, saving significant time and effort while maintaining adequate support stability during the drying process
Solution Approach 2:
The support device is designed as a temporary, non-permanent element that serves its purpose during tile drying and is then removed without causing damage. This approach trades the use of a simple, disposable support mechanism against the time and cost of wall repairs required by permanent attachment methods
3Ease of manufacture
If crude support pieces are used, then tile support is achieved, but additional repair costs and time are incurred
Solution Approach 1:
The removable support device serves as a sophisticated intermediary solution that replaces crude, wall-attached support pieces. It maintains the simplicity of being a straightforward support element while eliminating the complex repair processes that would otherwise be required, achieving both ease of manufacture and ease of repair
Data Source
AI summary
A tool for supporting tiles on a wall being applied to the wall while drying between two countertops. The tile support device includes an elongated body and two longer side pieces that can balance on each countertop. The tile support device includes a ledge or ridge that couples to an angled surface or sloped surface. The tile support device can be positioned beneath a last level or row of drying tiles without having to fasten the tool to a wall surface or other surface therefore preventing damage to the wall surface or other surface from fasteners. The tile support device can be easily positioned and removed from beneath the last level or row of drying tiles that are drying on the wall.