Reusable Tile Leveling Tab with Detachable Spring Cap
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing tile aligning and leveling systems generate waste and are time-consuming, as they require breaking away vertical shafts, which can disturb tiles and are not reusable.
Innovation Solution
A reusable connecting tab system with a detachable cap that applies pressure through a spring-like mechanism, allowing for lippage reduction without disturbing tiles and minimizing material consumption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of substance
If vertical shafts are broken away from the base at the conclusion of each job, then the system can be reset for the next job, but this generates waste that is disposed in landfills and the act of breaking away can be time consuming and disturb the tiles
Solution Approach 1:
The system is divided into separate components: a reusable base and disposable vertical shafts. This segmentation allows the base to be retained and reused while only the shafts are replaced, significantly reducing waste generation and time consumption compared to replacing the entire assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention implements a strategy where the valuable base component is recovered and reused across multiple jobs, while only the less valuable shafts are discarded. This selective recovery and reuse approach minimizes both waste generation and the time required for system reset between jobs.
2Ease of operation
If vertical shafts are broken away from the base, then the system can be reset, but this act can disturb the tiles if not done properly or if the tile is not sufficiently adhering
Solution Approach 1:
The shaft is extracted as a separate, removable component from the base, allowing it to be pulled away independently without applying disruptive forces to the tile or base assembly. This extraction design enables easy resetting while maintaining tile stability.
3Loss of substance
If reusable connecting tabs are used instead of disposable shafts, then material consumption is decreased, but the system complexity increases with the addition of a cap system
Solution Approach 1:
The reusable tab system is segmented into a base component with an integrated cap, eliminating the need for separate disposable shafts. This segmentation reduces material consumption while the integrated cap design keeps the overall system complexity manageable.
Solution Approach 2:
The cap is merged with the base component to form an integrated reusable assembly. This combining of functions reduces the number of separate parts needed, thereby decreasing material consumption while maintaining system functionality.
4Reliability
If pressure is applied through a spring-like mechanism, then lippage reducing forces are maintained over a wider range of tab elongation, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The spring-like mechanism changes the physical state of the force application from rigid to elastic, allowing the system to maintain consistent lippage-reducing forces across a wider range of tab elongation. This parameter change improves reliability without requiring complex control systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The static force application is replaced with a dynamic spring-like mechanism that automatically adjusts to varying tab elongation. This dynamic approach maintains reliable lippage control while using a relatively simple elastic component rather than a complex active control system.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system reduces waste, simplifies the process, and maintains lippage control across varying tab elongation, enabling efficient and cost-effective tile alignment and leveling with reduced tile displacement.
Implementation Method 1
change how pressure is applied to the surface of the tile and the connecting tab... maintain lippage reducing forces over a wider range of tab or shaft elongation
Data Source
AI summary
A tile aligning and leveling method and system that uses an under tile base re-usable upright connecting tab, which is detachably connected to said under tile base, a re-usable flexible edge slotted cap, configured to slip over the connecting tab and latch thereto as the cap is slid further down the connecting tab. The cap has an edge slot so that the connecting tab can be separated from the cap by merely sliding the cap, so that the connecting tab passes through the slot. A flexible, spring-like portion of the cap provides increased force on the tile, even if undesired elongation of the connecting tab occurs.