Tile End Finishing Strip With Hollow Profile And Undercut Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing tile end profile rails struggle to achieve uniform and aesthetically pleasing joint widths between tiles, often requiring expensive and time-consuming wooden wedges and plastic spacers, while also failing to ensure a stable fit and secure grout hold.
Innovation Solution
A tile end profile rail with an elongated web and a closed hollow profile body, featuring a large contact surface and undercut design, which allows for a secure and uniform joint channel that eliminates the need for separate spacers, ensuring a firm connection and improved durability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If wooden wedges and plastic spacers are used to ensure uniform joint width, then joint uniformity is improved, but cost and installation time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the spacer function and joint channel formation into a single integrated profile body structure. The hollow profile body with its recessed areas forms the joint channels directly, eliminating the need for separate spacer components and simplifying installation while ensuring uniform joint widths.
Solution Approach 2:
The profile body is designed to self-determine joint widths through its geometric structure. The recessed areas and undercut design automatically create uniform joint channels when the profile is installed, without requiring external spacers or wedges to maintain consistent spacing.
2Stability of the object's composition
If a large contact surface is provided on the profile body, then fit stability is improved, but the profile body size increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the contact surface enhancement locally at critical areas where the profile interacts with tiles. The undercut design and recessed areas are positioned specifically at the contact zones to maximize stability without requiring the entire profile body to be enlarged.
3Manufacturing precision
If separate spacers are used to maintain joint width, then joint uniformity is improved, but material usage and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The spacer function is merged into the profile body structure itself. The hollow profile body with recessed areas forms the joint channels directly, eliminating the need for separate spacer components and reducing overall material usage.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the spacer function from separate components and integrates it into the profile body's geometric structure. The recessed areas and undercut design inherently provide the spacing function, removing the need for additional spacer materials.
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5~9
AI summary
The edging strip (2) for tiles (6, 7) comprises a curved profile (20). The base of the profile has an extended horizontal section (8) which fits under the horizontal tiles and partially overlaps the edge of the uppermost vertical tile. A vertical inner section (12) of the profile rests against the edge of the outer tile. Wedge-shaped gaps (28, 30) between the profile and the outer edges of the tiles can be filled with sealant.