Tile Spacer with Window for Visual Alignment

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing tile spacers are difficult to handle, obscure visual confirmation of tile alignment, and lack a guide for uniform tile laying, making it challenging for users to ensure accurate spacing and alignment during installation.

Innovation Solution

A tile spacing device with a base and spacers that include a window allowing users to visually confirm the engagement of tiles with spacers, providing a guide for uniform tile placement and easy handling, while preventing the device from toppling or slipping.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If traditional flat cross-shaped spacers are used, then spacing function is provided, but visual confirmation of tile alignment is obscured

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvespacing functionVSAvoidvisual confirmation of tile alignment

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The spacer is segmented into a base portion and a spacer portion, with the base portion containing a window that segments the visual field to allow viewing of tile alignment through the spacer structure

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The window in the base portion provides optical transparency, allowing light to pass through and enabling visual confirmation of tile alignment by viewing through the spacer structure

Inventive Principle:

Principle #32Color changes

2Manufacturing precision

If spacers are made small for precise spacing, then spacing precision is improved, but ease of handling deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvespacing precisionVSAvoidease of handling

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The spacer design extends in multiple dimensions with a base portion providing handling surface and a spacer portion providing precise spacing, allowing the user to grip the base while the spacer portion maintains accurate spacing dimensions

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Ease of operation

If spacers are made large for easy handling, then ease of handling is improved, but visual confirmation of tile alignment is further obscured

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of handlingVSAvoidvisual confirmation of tile alignment

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The base portion is segmented to include a window that allows viewing through the spacer, so the larger base provides handling comfort while the window maintains visual access to tile alignment

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The window acts as an intermediary optical element that allows light and visual information to pass through the base portion, enabling simultaneous handling and visual confirmation

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

4Device complexity

If spacers lack depth guidance, then simplicity is maintained, but uniformity of tile laying deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovesimplicityVSAvoiduniformity of tile laying

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The spacer portion extends from the base portion to provide depth guidance, allowing the spacer to dynamically indicate the correct laying depth of tiles while maintaining overall structural simplicity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentUS7536802B1Low-obscuring tile installation spacer

Publication Date: 2009.05.26 TAVY ENTERPRISES

AI summary

The disclosure relates to tile-spacing devices for spacing tiles apart from one another during their installation, so as to create a space between the tiles, such as a space into which a grout, mortar, sealant, or other material can be inserted. Like previous tile-spacing devices, the devices described herein include one or more spacers disposed on a base. However, unlike previous devices, the devices described herein have a window that extends through the base, through which engagement of at least one of the tiles with the edge of a spacer can be visually observed.