Technical Field

The invention belongs to the field of construction, and refers especially to the tile spacers used in the layout of tiles.

Background Art

Many firms produce cross shaped tile spacers intended to ensure even spacing between the tiles laid on the floors or on the walls. Cross shaped tile spacers have various thickness and length, depending on the edges of the tiles, expertise of the tiling specialist and the taste of the ordering side.

Nonetheless they are all of the same structure, i.e. a winged cross with an even thickness and length. Hence, the layout of the tiles with the use of this type of spacer has one and the same shape, with an equal distance on each side and matching edges. It constrains unique manifestations of the tile layouts.

The current invention has distant resemblance to the "Lakra" brand cross shaped spacer of the Russian ZAO "BSI Instrument" firm, under EN 21825 code (see www.bsiinstrumenf). It is a four winged flat cross with even thickness and length and the four axis of its wings crossing in the center. This tile spacer has the same shortcoming as all the other types, i.e. the tile layout has only one shape with an equal distance from all the sides and with matching edges.

Disclosure of Invention

The goal of this invention is to widen the opportunities of the tile layout shapes.

The essence of the invention is in the fact that the tile spacer is an even four winged rectangular prism that has an additional rectangular prism in its center on the same level and in the case of the latter, each of the wings in the direction of their longitudinal axis are perpendicular to one of the two mutually perpendicular facets of the central prism while having a facet in common with the other facet of the prism.

A Variation is that there is a rectangular hole in the, center of the rectangular prism, having a common axis with each other, whereas its facets are parallel to the facets of the rectangular prism and the width and height of the wings are respectively equal to the width and height of the wall of the central prism.

Another variation is that the central prism is an even faceted four angled prism where each of the wings in the direction of their longitudinal axis are perpendicular to one of the two mutually perpendicular facets of the central prism while having a facet in common with the other facet of the prism.

One more variation is that in the center of the even faceted four angled prism, there is a square hole with its facets parallel to the facets of the central prism while the width and the height of the wings are respectively equal to the width and height of the wall of the central prism.

The edges of the tile spacer wings can be rectangular.

The edges of the tile spacer wings can be curve-shaped.

The upper and lower surfaces of the tile spacer can be of different colors, to ensure the direction of the layout.

The tile spacer will have different sizes, depending on the thickness, length, height and size of the central prism.

Brief Description of Drawings

The essence of the invention is illustrated by charts, where

Fig. 1 shows the perspective view of the tile spacer.

Fig. 2 shows the tile spacer from above.

Fig. 3 shows the tile spacer from the bottom.

Fig. 4 shows the shape from the front (A view).

Fig- 5 shows the tile spacer from the side (B view).

Fig. 6 is the dissected view from above.

Fig: 7 is the dissected view from bottom.

Fig, 8 is the perspective view of the tile spacer with the central rectangular prism and rectangular hole.

Fig. 9 shows the tile spacer from above.

Fig. 10 is the view from the bottom. Fig. 11 shows the shape from the front (A view).

Fig. 12 shows the tile spacer from the side (B view).

Fig. 13 is the dissected view from above.

Fig. 14 is the dissected view from bottom.

Fig. 15 shows the perspective view of the tile spacer with the even faceted four angled central prism.

Fig. 16 s the top view of the tile spacer.

Fig. 17 s the dissected view from above.

Fig. 18 s the view from the front.

Fig. 19 s the view from the bottom.

Fig. 20 s the dissected view from the bottom.

Fig. 21 s the perspective view of the tile spacer with the even faceted four angled central prism and square hole.

Fig. 22 s the view from above.

Fig. 23 s the dissected view from above.

Fig. 24 s the view from the front.

Fig ^' 25 s the view from the bottom.

Fig. 26 s the dissected view from the bottom.

Fig. 27 shows the tile layout with the use of the tile spacer.

Fig. 28 shows the tile layout with the use tile spacer with a central rectangular prism and rectangular hole.

Fig. 29 shows the tile layout with the use tile spacer with even faceted four angled prism.

Fig, 30 shows the tile layout with the use tile spacer with even faceted four angled prism and square hole. Description of Embodiments

The tile spacer (fig.1) is a four winged rectangular prism ( l)(fig.6) having a rectangular prism (2) in its center on the same level; each of the wings in the direction of their longitudinal axis are perpendicular to one of the two mutually perpendicular facets of the central prism while having a facet in common with the other facet of the prism.

As a variation (fig.8) in the center of the rectangular prism (3)(fig.l3) there is a rectangular hole (4) on the same axis, with its facets parallel to the facets of the prism and the width and height of the wings (1) are

respectively equal to the width and height of the wall of the central prism.

As another variation (fig.15), the central prism (5)(fig.17) of the tile spacer is an even faceted four angled prism; each of the wings in the direction of their longitudinal axis are perpendicular to one of the two mutually

perpendicular facets of the central prism while having a facet in common with the other facet of the prism.

Another variation is (fig. 21) that in the center of the even faceted four angled prism (6)(fig.23) there is a square hole (7) on the same axis the facets of which are parallel to the facets of the central prism, while the width and the height of the wings are respectively equal to the width and height of the wall of the central prism.

The tile (10)(fig. 27 and fig. 29) is placed where it should be, then one tile spacer is placed on each corner so the angle created by the wings of the tile spacer coincides with the angle of the tile. Next tiles are placed at the other corners of the spacer.

In the case of the spacer with the hole, (fig.28 and fig. 30) an additional insert tile (8, 9) with relevant size and shape is placed in the holes.

The tile placement is continued in this sequence until the whole required surface is tiled. When the tiles are fixed, the tile spacers are removed from the layout.

The use of the recommended tile spacer enables the user to get a very unique tile layout that is characterized with special step placement of the tiles and as a variation, having insert tiles in the corner cavities of the tiles.

The use of the suggested tile spacer will widen the opportunities to create various types of tile layouts.

Production of the tile spacer is possible with standard technology.