GB2455408A

GB2455408A - A positioning device

Info

Publication number: GB2455408A
Application number: GB0821911A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Mark Sykes
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2007-12-04
Filing date: 2008-12-01
Publication date: 2009-06-10
Also published as: GB0723698D0; GB0821911D0

Abstract

A positioning device 2 is provided for positioning an item on or relative to a suitable surface in use. The positioning device includes frame means 12, 14 which defines a base wall 10 for location on the surface and a top wall 8 upon which the item is to be located in use. A plurality of apertures and /or recesses 16 are defined in at least the top wall of the frame means to allow fixing means to be located therein for fixing the item to the top wall in use. The frame means has a predetermined depth d between the base wall and the top wall to ensure the item is positioned on or relative to the surface at the predetermined depth.

Description

INTELLECTUAL

. . PROPERTY OFFICE Application No. GB082191 1.5 RTM Date:26 February 2009 The following terms are registered trademarks and should be read as such wherever they occur in this document:

VELCRO

Intellectual Property Office is an operating name of the Patent Office www.ipo.gov.uk 1 2455408 Positioning Device This invention relates to a positioning device and a method of use thereof.

Although the following description refers almost exclusively to a positioning device for use in the positioning and/or setting of tiles, it will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that the present invention can be used to position any suitable object with respect to another object and/or a surface, such as the positioning of paving slabs and/or the like.

A well known problem encountered when fixing tiles onto a floor or wall surface using tile adhesive is obtaining equal lateral spacing between adjacent tiles and to ensure the tiles are substantially level with respect to each other and/or to a floor or wall surface. In order to overcome this problem, it is known to provide lateral spacers in the shape of a cross which are placed at the corners of each tile. Adjacent tiles arc positioned with respect to the cross to ensure equal lateral spacing between the tiles so that an equal amount of grouting can be placed between the tiles. In addition, it is also known to provide depth spacers in the form of small discs or tabs in combination with the lateral spacers fixed to the top surface which are located in each corner of the rear surface of a tile using adhesive. Further adhesive is then placed onto the remaining rear surface of the tile and/or onto the surface on which the tile is to be fixed and the tile is pushed onto the fixing surface until the depth spacers contact the fixing surface. However, a problem with the depth spacers is that each tile typically requires four depth spacers which are fiddly and time consuming to fit, particularly if a large :. surface area is being tiled. As such, depth spacers are rarely used, thereby resulting in the uneven laying of tiles onto a ::::. surface.

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It is an aim of the present invention to provide an improved positioning device.

It is a further aim of the present invention to provide a method of using a positioning device.

According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a positioning device for positioning an item on or rclativc to a suitable surface in usc, said positioning device including frame means defining a base wall for location on the surface and a top wall on which the item is to be located in use, a plurality of apertures and/or recesses defined in at least the top wall of the frame means to allow fixing means to be located therein for fixing the item to the top wall in use, and wherein the frame means has a pre-determined depth between said base wall and said top wall to ensure the item is positioned on or relative to the surface at said pre-determined depth.

Preferably the positioning device is used to position an item relative to a further item in use in addition to or instead of the suitable surface. The suitable surface is preferably a wall surface or a floor surface.

Preferably the top wall defining the apertures and/or recesses therein is substantially planar or flat in form, thereby providing a substantially even surface on which to locate the item and/or further item in use. * * S S. S S...

S.'... Preferably the base wall is substantially planar in form, thereby providing a substantially even or flat surface which can be * S.. S. brought into abutting relationship with the surface on which the tiles are to be located in use. * ** * S 55..

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In one embodiment the apertures having openings defined in the top wall also each have openings in the base wall. (For example, a plurality of channels can be defined in the frame means, each channel having an opening defined in the top wall and an opening defined in the base wall). As such, in one embodiment fixing means can be located in the apertures and can be used to at least partially attach the device to the surface and the item and/or further item to the device.

In one embodiment attachment means arc provided on or associated with the positioning device or frame means for attaching the device or frame means to the surface. The attachment means can include any or any combination of one or screws, nuts and bolts, clips, VELCRO (hook and loop fastening), ties, teeth, spikes, inter-engaging members, apertures for the location of any of the above therethrough and/or the like. The attachment means are preferably located on or adjacent the base or side walls of the device.

Preferably the fixing means is a substantially fluid or flowable material when first applied. The fixing means can dry or be cured in a set or substantially rigid manner after a pre-determined period of time.

The fixing means preferably includes adhesive, welding material, cement, resin, and/or the like.

In one embodiment the fixing means is used to fix the S...

positioning device to the surface. The fixing means can be applied to the surface first and the positioning device can be located in the applied fixing means. Alternatively the fixing *5*.SS, means and the positioning device can be applied to the surface S..

: *. substantially simultaneously. Alternatively still, the positioning S...

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device can be attached to the surface and the fixing means can be located in the recesses and/or apertures of the frame means.

The frame means preferably includes a plurality of frame members arranged a spaced distance apart, with the apertures and/or recesses defined between the frame members. Preferably the frame members, apertures and/or recesses are arranged in the form of a grid or lattice like arrangement.

In one embodiment first and second sets of frame members are provided, the members in each set being arranged substantially parallel and a spaced distance apart to each other. The members of the first set are preferably substantially perpendicular to the members of the second set.

The apertures and/or recesses can be any or any combination of suitable shape(s), such as square, rectangular, circular and/or the like.

The apertures and/or recesses can be of substantially uniform shape or can bc of different shapes.

The dimensions of the apertures and/or recesses are such that a sufficient quantity or volume of fixing means can be located therein to allow the item and/or further item to be attached thereto in use.

In one embodiment the frame means and/or one or more frame members at or adjacent the top wall and/or base wall have a narrowing taper, thereby increasing the size of the opening of the aperture and/or recess to present the largest surface area for :. the fixing means to contact the item and/or further item. For example, the thickness of the frame members decreases adjacent ::. the top and/or base walls.

In one embodiment the frame means and/or one or more frame members are substantially elliptical, curved, diamond shaped, rectangular, tapered and/or any other suitable shape or combination thereof and preferably adjacent a top and/or base vall) to provide an increased surface area for the aperture defined between the frame members. This allows maximum exposure of the item, tile and/or wall surface to the fixing means or tile adhesive in use.

The frame members can be integrally formed, can be attached or detachably attached to each other.

The apertures defined in the base and top of the device allow the fixing means to move out of the device and/or from one compartment of the device to an adjacent compartment (the compartments defined by the frame members forming the grid or lattice of the device).

Preferably each compartment within the grid or lattice of the positioning device has an aperture defined therein so that no compartment of the grid or lattice has a continuous top and/or base surface, since this would prevent the fixing means from spreading/moving when an item to be secured is placed on the fixing means in use and render the device ineffective for the purposes of laying the item or tile evenly.

: The positioning device or a plurality of positioning devices of the present invention is/are typically laid over substantially the entire or part of the surface to be tiled. If a number of * positioning devices are used, the devices do not have to be * adjacent or in butting relationship with any other positioning * *..* device being used, but they can be if required.

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In one embodiment one or more further apertures, gaps slots and/or spaces can be defined in the walls of the frame members or side walls of the frame means forming the positioning device to allow the fixing means to move to form an even layer when an item is located on an upper surface of the fixing means in use. Thus, in one example, apertures can be defined in the base and top of the positioning device and in one or more of the side walls of the frame members forming the positioning device.

In one embodiment the frame means can be attached or detachably attached together. The attachment means include one or more clips, inter-engaging members, ties, straps, VELCRO, screws, nuts and bolts, adhesive, welding and/or the like. For example, a male component on one part of the frame means can engage with a complementary female component on a part of an adjacent frame means.

Preferably the positioning device is relatively thin in a sheet like form.

In one embodiment the positioning device is substantially flexible, thereby allowing the device to substantially follow the contours of the surface on which the device is placed in use.

In one embodiment the positioning device is substantially rigid.

In this embodiment the positioning device may need to be levelled with respect to the surface on which it is to be located

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. in use prior to location of the item and/or further item thereon. S... * S *.SS

Preferably the positioning device is formed from a material that *5*SIS can be easily cut or trimmed with a conventional knife or *S. -. --- * scissors to allow the positioning device to be cut to a required : *. size for use. * *. *

Frangible or weakened means could be provided on the positioning device to increase the ease with which the device can be cut, broken down or trimmed to a required size.

Preferably the item and/or further item is in the form of a tile, paving slab and/or the like. The item is preferably of a form having a substantially planar surface or having at least a top edge which is to be arranged substantially flush with a top edge of an adjacent item.

In one embodiment the tile has an upper surface and a lower surface. The lower surface is typically defined with one or more recesses thereon. The adhesive used with the positioning device typically moves into the recesses when a force is applied on the upper surface on the tile in a direction towards the positioning device.

According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of using a positioning device for positioning an item on or relative to a suitable surface in use, said positioning device having frame means defining a base wall and a top wall and a plurality of apertures and/or recesses defined in at least the top wall of the frame means, said method including the steps of attaching the base wall to the surface, locating fixing means in one or more of the apertures and/or recesses to a sufficient depth such that when the item is positioned on the top wall of the device, the fixing means fixes the item thereto,

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. : the frame means has a pre-determined depth between said base S... . . . wall and said top wall to ensure the item is positioned on or relative to the surface at said pre-determined depth.

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S.. . . * An amount of fixing means is used such that an upper surface of : **.* the fixing means is at least substantially flush with a top wall of S...

* the positioning device. In a preferred embodiment the fixing **

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means is used in an amount such that an upper surface of the fixing means protrudes above the top wall of the positioning device. As such, when the item is located on the upper surface of the fixing means, the weight of the item and/or a force applied to the item in the direction of the positioning device lowers the item to be substantially flush or engage with the top wall of the positioning device.

Preferably a user applies a force to a top surface of the item in a direction towards the base of the positioning device when fixing the item to the positioning device or surface.

In one embodiment when the item is a tile and the lower surface of the tile is located on an upper surface of the tile adhesive, application of force to an upper surface of the tile by a user causes the tile adhesive to move into one or more recesses provided on the lower surface of the tile and to spread, thereby allowing the tile to be moved towards and into engagement with the upper surface of the positioning device to provide the even setting of the tile.

Preferably the positioning device is used on a surface which already has a pre-formed mortar bed/surface, plaster surface and/or the like provided thereon. The pre-formed mortar bed/surface etc is typically substantially dried prior to use the positioning device of the present invention. The positioning device is then used on top of the mortar bed/surface, plaster * **S surface etc to allow an even surface of tiles to be laid on the S...

pre-formed surface.

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* The thickness or depth of the positioning device is typically substantially thinner or of less depth than the depth or thickness : *.. of the surface on which the depth of the positioning device is *..

* used. 5.

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The amount of fixing means or tile adhesive used with the positioning device has a greater depth than the positioning device.

According to a further aspect of the present invention there is provided a tile positioning or setting method.

The base wall can be attached to the surface prior to location of fixing means in the one or more apertures and/or recesses, substantially at the same time as location of the fixing means or after location of the fixing means. Thus, for example, fixing means could be located in the one or more recesses and the device could then be attached to a wall. Alternatively, the fixing means could be used to attach the device to the wall and the item and/or further item to the device.

According to a further aspect of the present invention there is provided a tile positioning device. The term "tile" can be used to cover any tile like object, such as a paving slab, building unit, decoration unit and/or the like. The tile can be used for functional and/or decorative purposes in either internal and/or external applications.

The positioning device of the present invention can be any suitable size and/or shape. For example, the positioning device could be of substantially larger dimensions (i.e. such as top *.. : surface area) compared to the dimensions of the item and/or * further item to be located thereon. Thus, for example, the positioning device could be attached to the surface and a * .S...

* plurality of similar shaped items could be located thereon. ***

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: **. Thus, it can be seen that the present invention provides an S...

improved depth spacing device for ensuring an item is a pre-determined depth from a surface on which it is located and/or is a pre-determined depth relative to a further item to be placed adjacent thereto. Lateral spacing means may still need to be used to ensure correct lateral spacing between items located on the positioning device. In one embodiment lateral spacing means could be incorporated with or attachable to the depth positioning device.

In addition, the device can provide additional support to the one or more items located thereon in the event there is no or insufficient fixing means present. The present invention eliminates the time required to even or level each tile with respect to each other and/or the surface as is the case with the prior art. Furthermore, the device allows a consistent and substantially even surface on which to lay the one or more items thereon.

The amount of fixing means used with the positioning device does not have to be provided with an even upper surface as with

prior art devices.

The fixing means does not have to be provided in a complete and continuous layer but sufficient fixing means needs to be used to allow adherence with the item which is to be attached to it.

Thus, a mortar bed or plaster surface is typically prepared on a *.. : wall or floor surface first. This is allowed to substantially dry or S.., . . . . set before the positioning device of the present invention is used to fix one or more items, such as tiles to the surface.

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Embodiments of the present invention will now be described : **.* with reference to the accompanying figures, wherein: *S.. a a..

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Figures Ia and lb illustrate a perspective view and a plan view of the positioning device according to one embodiment of the present invention respectively; Figures Ic-le illustrate plan views of positioning devices according to further embodiments of the present invention; Figure 2 is a cross sectional view taken through the positioning device in one embodiment; and Figures 3a-3c illustrate examples of different cross sectional profiles of frame members for use with a positioning device of the present invention.

Referring firstly to figures Ia-lb and 2, there is illustrated a positioning device 2 for positioning one or more tiles at a required depth relative to a surface or substrate 4.

Device 2 has frame means defining outer side walls 6, a top wall 8 and a base wall 10. More particularly, the frame means includes a plurality of frame members; a first set of frame members 12 arranged substantially parallel and a spaced distance apart from each other, and a second set of frame members 14 also arranged substantially parallel and a spaced distance apart from each other. The first set of frame members 12 are substantially perpendicular to the second set of frame members 14 to provide a grid like arrangement with a plurality of .. : apertures 16 defined between said frame members 12, 14. Each S...

aperture has an opening defined in both the top wall 8 and base wall 10.

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* The depth d' of the frame members 12, 14 are substantially : *. equal to each other and are of a pie-determined height so as to S...

* ensure that any tile located on top wall 8 will be a pre-S..

determined depth above surface 4. As such, the top edge of the frame members 12, 14 are substantially flush with each other.

The bottom edge of the frame members 12, 14 are also substantially flush with each other to provide substantially planar top and base walls.

The dimensions and spacing of the frame members 12, 14 are also substantially equal so as to provide apertures with substantially equal dimensions, thereby ensuring substantially equal volumes of fixing adhesive is used to fix the tiles to device 2.

In use, the positioning device 2 is attached to surface 4 using tile adhesive, with the base wall 10 adjacent to and substantially parallel to surface 4. Tile adhesive is also located in apertures 16, such that tile adhesive substantially fills the apertures and protrudes above a top edge of the frame members 12, 14. A tile is then located on device 2 and light pressure is applied to an upper surface of the tile in a direction towards surface 4, such that a lower surface of the tile is brought into engagement with top wall 8 of the device. The tile adhesive moves into recesses provided on the lower surface of the tile and spreads, thereby moving the lower surface of the tile into engagement with the top wall of the positioning device. The upper edges of frame members 12, 14 limit the depth to which the tile can be spaced from surface 4 and the adhesive in apertures 16 adheres to the lower surface of the tile. It will be appreciated that the present invention ensures that each tile will be substantially equal * *** distance with respect to surface 4. Lateral spacing means can be used to ensure correct lateral spacing between adjacent tiles * *,..S * located on device 2 in a conventional manner. ***

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: .. Whilst the device is shown to be substantially rectangular in S.., shape, it will be appreciated that the device can be any suitable size and/or shape. It is preferable that the device has a substantially larger surface area for the top wall than for the lower surface of each tile, thereby allowing a plurality of tiles to be positioned on each device, thereby reducing the time taken to fit the tiles. In addition, it will be appreciated that the apertures defined in the frame can be any suitable size and/or shape and can be provided at any suitable spaced distance apart to provide sufficient surface area to allow a tile to be adhered thereto in use. For example, figure 1 c illustrates a device 2' wherein the first and second frame members 12', 14' are angled with respect to the outer side walls 6', thereby providing a plurality of diamond shaped apertures 16' therein. Some of the peripheral apertures are of smaller dimensions than the more central apertures in this arrangement.

In the device 2" in figure id, rather than the frame members being substantially straight as in figures la-Ic, the frame members 12", 14" are curved in form to produce apertures 16" which also have curved side walls.

Device 2", as shown in figure Ic, has a plurality of substantially circular shaped apertures 16" defined in top wall 8". Other shaped apertures and devices are envisaged by the applicant.

In order to increase the size of the openings of the apertures to increase the availability of tile adhesive to the tile and to surface 4, frame members 12, 14 can be provided with a narrowing taper e...

: towards the base wall 10 and/or top wall 8, as shown in figure 2. *(. .

In order to maintain the strength and/or rigidity of the frame members, a central portion of each member can be wider w' a.* .S * than at the ends w" thereof. The side walls 18, 20 of each

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* member can be substantially straight and angled towards an end : " thereof. However, it will be appreciated that the frame members S...- * can have different cross sectional orofiles such as havin IS.

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protruding arms 22 adjacent a central portion 24 to provide greater central width w than at the ends 26 thereof which have a smaller width w', as shown in figure 3a; or have an oval shaped cross sectional profile with curved side walls 28, as shown in figure 3b. Alternatively, the central portion 24 can be narrower and can widen above and below the central portion 24 before having a diverging taper between base and top walls 10, 8 respectively.

The tapered, elliptical, or narrow rectangular edges of the frame members allows the frame to cut more easily through the adhesive if the adhesive is first laid onto a surface and the frame is then placed into the adhesive until the adhesive protrudes beyond an upper surface of the frame.

The tapered, elliptical, or narrow rectangular edges of the frame members allow the displacement of any grit on the surface being tiled and on the lower surface of the tile to ensure evenness. It also ensures that no adhesive remains between the frame and either the tile or the surface being tiled.

The tapered, elliptical, or narrow rectangular edges of the frame members allows the maximum amount of adhesive to be used to contact the surface being tiled and/or the lower surface of the **S* * * * tile to ensure maximum adhesion. *S*. * * **S.

One or more apertures can be defined in or adjacent the base, * top and/or side walls of the frame members to allow for the *** effective distribution of adhesive. Thus, an even layer of tile :.:::. adhesive does not need to be provided in the positioning device, and the tile adhesive typically protrudes over the edge of the positioning device, since any excess adhesive simply moves through the apertures when pressure is applied to the tile or item to move the same into engagement with the positioning device.

The tapered, elliptical, or narrow rectangular edges of the frame members can be provided adjacent a lower and/or upper edge of the frame as required.

The device can be formed from any suitable material, such as plastic, metal, wood, board material, corn starch and/or the like.

The advantages provided by the present invention include a reduction in time taken to lay tiles for a pre-determined surface area, reduction in the amount of adhesive required, thereby reducing the costs associated with laying the tiles and professional time taken to fit the tiles. The device requires no skill to use the same and therefore can be used by the general public and professional tile fitters. * * * ** S **S* * S **** *

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