Tile Leveling Device with Threaded Grip Rod
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing auxiliary devices for leveling floor and wall tiles often cause involuntary shifting due to the difficulty in coupling the pressing element to the support element, leading to unevenness in the placement of tiles.
Innovation Solution
The device features a support element with perpendicularly extended grip rods having external nut threads, allowing for easy coupling of a threaded pressing element that prevents imprecisions and shifting, and an alternative embodiment with a longitudinal opening for a wedge pressing element to ensure coplanarity without excessive effort.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the pressing element is coupled to the grip rod using two coupling projects sliding between helicoidal ramps, then the pressing element can be attached to the grip rod, but this causes impressions and requires additional efforts that produce involuntary shifting of the elements resulting in unevenness
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the problematic coupling projects and helicoidal ramps from the design. Instead, it uses a simple threaded hole in the grip rod that directly receives a threaded pressing element, eliminating the intermediate coupling mechanism that caused shifting and unevenness.
Solution Approach 2:
Rather than having the pressing element slide along complex ramps to engage with the grip rod, the invention inverts the approach by having the pressing element directly thread into the grip rod, reversing the coupling sequence and mechanism to achieve precise, shift-free attachment.
2Reliability
If the coupling mechanism requires additional efforts to attach the pressing element to the grip rod, then the pressing element can be secured, but this produces involuntary shifting of the elements resulting in unevenness
Solution Approach 1:
The threaded connection allows the pressing element to self-secure to the grip rod through simple rotational engagement, eliminating the need for complex alignment or multiple coupling steps. The thread geometry provides automatic self-centering and secure attachment without requiring additional operational effort.
3Ease of repair
If the grip rod is extracted through breakage of a weakened portion of the support element, then the base can be trapped between the floor or wall and the element, but this requires specific breakage mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The support element is pre-designed with a weakened portion at a specific location that is intended to break during removal. This preliminary structural feature ensures that the grip rod can be easily extracted by simply breaking the weakened section, while the base remains trapped between the substrate and the tile element for continued support.
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
Auxiliary device for placing elements in the form of a plate which comprises a support element (1) which in turn comprises a substantially flat base (1.1) and a grip rod (1.2) extended from said base (1.1) perpendicularly thereto, where the base (1.1) is adapted to support at least two adjacent elements in the form of a plate (2) from opposed larger faces (1.21) of said grip rod (1.2); and a pressing element (3) adapted to be coupled to the grip rod (1.2) and to fasten the elements in the form of a plate (2) between the support element (1) and said pressing element (3), to achieve coplanarity between said elements in the form of a plate (2), and wherein smaller lateral faces (1.22) of the grip rod (1.2) comprise two rows of external nut threads (1.221) which result in segments of a nut thread developed helically about an axis of rotation (R) perpendicular to the base (1.1).