Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02853828 2014-06-03
TILE SPONGE
Background
100011 The present invention relates to a sponge for cleaning the space
between tiles
during the installation of all tile applications such as floors, walls,
counter, and the like, and,
more particularly, to a tile sponge having a flexible flange extending
outwardly from the
sponge along an edge thereof that is specially adapted to enter the spaces
between tiles in
preparation for grouting.
[0002] It is common with the installation of tile to apply a coat of an
adhesive
material, such as quick-set, on the surface to which the tile is to be
installed, in preparation
for the tile. After the adhesive material has been so laid, the tiles are
applied over the
adhesive that is allowed to set so as to adhere the tiles to the supporting
surface. During the
laying of the tiles, however, there is an accumulation of adhesive that enters
into and remains
in the space between adjacent tiles.
[0003] It is, therefore, important to remove any accumulation of the
adhesive that is
present in the space between the tiles before it dries so that the grout can
be later applied to
entirely fill that space.
[0004] A sponge is normally used to clean out the space between tiles,
however, since
the space between the tiles is a very narrow, fairly deep space, it is
difficult to get the sponge
to enter into and clean out that space between the adjacent tiles so the task
of removing all of
the adhesive becomes an arduous, time-consuming task.
[0005] It would therefore be advantageous to have a specially designed and
constructed
sponge having a means to enter into the space between adjacent tiles and more
fully and easily
remove the adhesive that has accumulated in that space in order to later fill
that space with
grout.
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Summary of the Invention
[0006] Accordingly, the present invention relates to a tile sponge that is
specially
designed and constructed so as to allow the user better and more complete
access to the space
between the tiles to clean that area for the later application of grout.
[0007] The tile sponge of the present invention is used in cleaning the
space between
adjacent tiles of all tile applications. While one application for which the
present invention is
applicable is in the laying of tile for a floor, as can be seen, the present
tile sponge may be used
for any tile applications, including, but not limited to as counters, walls
and the like.
[0008] The tile sponge is, in the exemplary embodiment, generally
rectilinear, or having
a lateral cross section of a parallelogram with its internal angles other than
90 degrees, and has
at least two generally planar sides. At least one flange is comprised of a
flexible material such
as hard rubber, and extends outwardly from the junction of two planar sides.
[0009] The tile sponge is comprised of an absorbent sponge material with
the exception
of the one or more flanges and, in each instance, the sponge material is flush
up against and
abuts the flange so that the absorbent material is present immediately
proximate to each lateral
side of the flange.
[0010] There have been other sponges that are used for different purposes,
that is, other
than the cleaning and removal of material from between adjacent tiles of a
tile application. For
example, in U.S. Patent 2,715,745 of Jacobsen, there is a sponge that is used
for washing
windows and a squeegee edge is incorporated into the sponge. The squeegee edge
is triangular
in shape and, in Fig. 3, includes a bead that extends outwardly from the
triangular shaped edge
that is a closed cell, non-absorbent material. As such, the sponge of Jacobsen
is probably useful
as a squeegee for cleaning windows but is not suitably for the removal of
material from the
space between adjacent tiles where it is important that the absorbent material
of the sponge
contact the edges of the tiles while the flange is interposed into the space.
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[0011] In another instance, in Fany, U.S. Patent 5,429,567, there is a
sponge for ridding
the painted surface of a car of soapy water. Fany illustrates a plurality of V-
shaped ribs,
however, again, the material just proximate to the ribs is a non-absorbent
material and the
geometry of V-shape ribs is not suitable for use in the removal of material
from the space
between adjacent tiles of a tile application.
[0012] These and other features and advantages of the present invention
will become
more readily apparent during the following detailed description taken in
conjunction with the
drawings herein.
Brief Description of the Drawings
[0013] Fig. 1 is an end view of the tile sponge of the present invention;
[0014] Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the tile sponge of Fig. 1; and
[0015] Fig. 3 is a side view illustrating the method of using the tile
sponge of Figs. 1
and 2 to clean the space between adjacent tiles.
Detailed Description of the Invention
[0016] Referring now to Figs. 1 and 2, there is shown, an end view and a
perspective
view, respectively, of a tile sponge 10 constructed in accordance with the
present invention. As
can be seen, in the exemplary embodiment, the tile sponge 10 has a shape that
has a lateral
cross-section of a parallelogram where none of the internal angles are 90
degrees, that is, not a
rectangle, although other shapes may be used consistent with the present
invention.
[0017] As such, the shape in Fig. 2 has an upper surface 12, a lower
surface 14, end
surfaces 16, 18 and side surfaces 20, 22. The tile sponge 10 is comprised of a
sponge material
that is absorbent to liquid and the reasons for the absorbance will become
clear. The internal
acute angles A may be about 30 degrees to about 60 degrees and the obtuse
angles B may be
between about 120 degrees to about 150 degrees.
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[0018] There can also be seen a pair of flanges 24 that extend outwardly
from an edge
of the tile sponge 10. In the embodiment of Figs 1 and 2, two flanges 24 are
illustrated,
however, there may be only one flange 24 or there may be more than two flanges
24 with the
present invention. In the embodiment of Figs 1 and 2, the flanges 24 are
located at diagonal
edges of the tile sponge 10.
[0019] In Fig 1 it can be seen that the flanges 24 extend outwardly from
the intersection
of planes of the upper surface 12 and a side surface 20 and extend at least
substantially along the
intersection of those planes. It is important that the remaining material of
the tile sponge 10 be
the absorbent sponge material so that the sponge material touches upon and
directly abuts
against each of the sides of the flanges 24.
[0020] The flange 24 is a flexible material and may be rubber with
sufficient stiffness to
enter into the space between adjacent tiles to rid that space of unwanted
material. The flanges
24 are rectangular with a rounded tip 25 similar to a tile spacer to help the
flanges 24 travel
along the spaces between adjacent tiles efficiently. The width W of the flange
24 is specially
designed to fit into the normal spaces between tiles, that is, the widths of
the flange 24 may be
1/16, 1/8, 3/16, 1/4, 5/16 and 3/8 of an inch and the configuration or shape
of each flange 24 is
designed to allow the flanges 24 to be inserted snugly into the space between
adjacent tiles. The
depth D of the flange 24 is about 3/16 inch to assure that the flange 24 will
sufficiently penetrate
into the spaces between adjacent spaces to remove the material therein.
[0021] Turning then to Fig 3, there is a side view of the tile sponge 10
being used to
remove material from the space 26 located in between the adjacent tiles 28. As
can be seen, the
flange 24 is inserted into the space 26 so that it can clean out the material
within the space 26 as
the tile sponge 10 and flange 24 move along the longitudinal axis of the space
26. The adjacent
tiles 28 are secured to the floor by means of an adhesive 30, such as thin-
set.
[0022] At the same time, since the sponge material surrounds and abuts up
against the
flange 24, the tile sponge 10 can absorb any liquid along the facing edges of
the tiles 28
simultaneously as the flange 24 is moving within the space 26. As shown in
Fig. 3, the sponge
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material is not directly contacting the tiles 28 in order to better see the
location of the flange 24
within the space 26, however in practice, the user will normally push
downwardly on the tile
sponge 10 so that the flange 24 moves within the space 26 while the sponge
material is
simultaneously contacting the facing edges of the adjacent tiles 28.
[0023] Further, in Fig. 3, there can be seen the rectangular geometry of
the flange 24
that fits snugly into the rectangular space 26 between the two adjacent tiles
28. As such, with
the dimensions of the flange 24 predetermined to be close to the dimensions of
the space 26, the
flange 24 can effectively remove the unwanted adhesive from that space 26 by
sliding the
longitudinal axis of the flange 24 within the space 26 along its longitudinal
axis.
100241 Those skilled in the art will readily recognize numerous
adaptations and
modifications which can be made to the tile sponge of the present invention
which will result
in a tile sponge and method of using the tile sponge, yet all of which will
fall within the scope
and spirit of the present invention as defined in the following claims
Accordingly, the
invention is to be limited only by the following claims and their equivalents.
