Methods and devices relating to grouting

• US 10,640,992 B2
• Filed: 06/08/2015
• Issued: 05/05/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: A&A Grout Pushers, Inc.
• Original Assignee: A&A Grout Pushers, Inc.
• Inventors: Awad, Alexander Elias, Habib, Amin Tayseer
• Primary Examiner(s): Walczak, David J
• Application Number:
  US14/732,950
• Publication Number:
  US 20190226216A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,793 Days
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 21/165 for finishing joints, e.g. implements for raking or filling joints, jointers bricklayers' tools E04G21/16; repairing, e.g. filling cracks, E04G23/02 ; wallpaper scrapers or the like B44C7/02; implements for cleaning joints A47L13/10
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 21/245 Rotary power trowels, i.e. helicopter trowels
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 21/248 used by an operator walking behind the trowel, i.e. walk-behind power trowels

Abstract

Grouting tiles and/or mosaics today even for large areas such as commercial environments, offices, shopping malls, etc. is achieved using professionals who work through the entire process on their hands and knees. It would be beneficial to provide building contractors, individuals, etc. with a machine to implement some or all of these steps thereby allowing a wider range of tiles and tile effects to be implemented. Equally a handheld unit may be employed by amateurs such as when decorating residential environments in order to improve the quality of their work and reduce the time taken. Such devices according to embodiments of the invention allowing use of smaller tiles, tiling mosaics, etc. without the costs of these visually effective and attractive designs being prohibitive.

Claims

1. A device comprising:

a first motor;

a drive assembly for coupling a drive shaft of the first motor to a first grouter assembly and a second grouter assembly;

the first grouter assembly coupled to the drive assembly to distribute and direct a predetermined material into a surface with which the first grouter assembly is in contact;

the second grouter assembly coupled to the drive assembly to distribute and direct the predetermined material into the surface with which the second grouter assembly is in contact; and

an auger for feeding the predetermined material from a hopper to be dispensed in predetermined position relative to the first grouter assembly, the auger coupled to at least one of the first motor and a second motor via an auger drive assembly;

wherein

the second grouter assembly rotates in the opposite direction to the first grouter assembly.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the first grouter assembly comprises:

a spinner assembly comprising at least a plate and a shaft coupling the first grouter assembly to the drive assembly on a first side of the plate;

a plurality of float brackets attached in a predetermined manner to the other side of the plate from the shaft; and

a plurality of floats, each float mounted to a float bracket and formed from a compliant material.

3. The device according to claim 2, wherein

each float has a profile upon a leading edge of the float to push the predetermined material forward and downward as the float moves across the surface.

4. The device according to claim 2, wherein

the plurality of floats are rigidly attached to the plurality of float brackets;

and

the plate with the plurality of float brackets and the plurality of floats is demountable from the device.

5. The device according to claim 2, wherein each float of the plurality of floats can be demountably attached to its respective float bracket of the plurality of float brackets.

6. The device according to claim 1, wherein

the first grouter assembly may be removed from the device and replaced with a pad;

and

the pad is one or more of formed from a manmade material, formed from a natural material, has a surface for scouring, a surface for polishing and a surface for buffing.

7. The device according to claim 1, further comprising

the hopper for storing the predetermined material, the hopper connected to at least one of the auger and an auger housing comprising the auger.

8. The device according to claim 7, wherein

the hopper may be removed and replaced with a fluid reservoir and a fluid spray nozzle.

9. The device according to claim 1, further comprising a pad;

a fluid reservoir; and

a fluid dispensing mechanism spray nozzle;

wherein

in a first change of configuration of the device;

the first grouter assembly attached to the device is replaced with the pad by demounting the first grouter assembly and mounting the pad; and

the hopper attached to the device is replaced with the fluid reservoir and fluid spray nozzle; and

in a second change of configuration of the device;

the pad when attached to the device is replaced with the first grouter assembly by demounting the pad and mounting the first grouter assembly; and

the fluid reservoir and fluid spray nozzle attached to the device are replaced with the hopper.

10. The device according to claim 1, further comprising

a pad;

and

a fluid spray nozzle;

wherein

in a first change of configuration of the device;

the first grouter assembly attached to the device is replaced with the pad by demounting the first grouter assembly and mounting the pad;

in a second change of configuration of the device;

the pad when attached to the device is replaced with the first grouter assembly by demounting the pad and mounting the first grouter assembly; and

the hopper acts as a reservoir for the predetermined material when the first grouter assembly is attached to the device and as a reservoir for a fluid to be dispensed from the fluid spray nozzle when the fluid spray nozzle is attached to the device.

11. The device according to claim 1, further comprising:

one or more floats disposed relative to the first grouter assembly;

wherein

each float has a profile on a leading edge of the load such that as the first grouter assembly rotates any predetermined material is, pushed forwards and down by the one or more floats; and

each float is formed from at least one of a porous material and a compliant material.

12. The device according to claim 1, further comprising

two or more wheels disposed upon a lower surface of the device in predetermined relationship with the first grouter assembly;

wherein

the two of more wheels provide stabilization of the device in use.

13. The device according to claim 1, wherein the device is handheld device.

14. The device according to claim 1, further comprising

a handle demountably attachable to the device;

wherein

the device is a handheld device.

15. The device according to claim 1, wherein

the first motor and the drive assembly form part of an item of floor cleaning equipment to which the first grouter assembly, the hopper and the auger can be demountably attached.

16. The device according to claim 1, further comprising

a pad;

wherein

the first grouter assembly comprises;

a spinner assembly comprising at least a plate and a shaft coupling the spinner assembly to the drive assembly on a first side of the plate;

a plurality of float brackets attached in a predetermined manner to the other side of the plate from the shaft; and

a plurality of floats, each float mounted to a float bracket and formed from a compliant material;

the first grouter assembly is demountably attachable to the device; and

the pad is demountably attachable to the device when the first grouter assembly is demountably detached from the device; and

the pad has a surface disposed towards the surface when attached to the device which provides one of scouring, buffing and polishing.

17. The device according to claim 1, further comprising

a second grouter assembly coupled to the drive assembly to distribute and direct the predetermined material into the surface with which the second grouter assembly is in contact;

a third grouter assembly coupled to the drive assembly to distribute and direct the predetermined material into the surface with which the third grouter assembly is in contact;

a fourth grouter assembly coupled to the drive assembly to distribute and direct the predetermined material into the surface with which the fourth grouter assembly is in contact;

another auger for feeding the predetemined material from a second hopper to be dispensed in predetermined position relative to the third grouter assembly and fourth grouter assembly, the another auger coupled to at least one of the first motor and the second motor via another auger drive assembly;

wherein

the auger feeds the predetermined material from the hopper to the second grouter assembly;

the second grouter assembly rotates in the opposite direction to the first grouter assembly; and

the third grouter assembly rotates in the opposite direction to the fourth grouter assembly.

18. A device comprising:

a first motor;

a drive assembly for coupling a drive shaft of the first motor to a first grouter assembly;

the first grouter assembly coupled to the motor via the drive assembly to distribute and direct a predetermined material into a surface with which the first grouter assembly is in contact;

an auger for feeding the predetermined material from a hopper to be dispensed in predetermined position relative to the first grouter assembly, the auger coupled to at least one of the first motor and a second motor via an auger drive assembly;

a pad;

a fluid reservoir; and

a fluid spray nozzle;

wherein

in a first change of configuration of the device;

the first grouter assembly attached to the device is replaced with the pad by demounting the first grouter assembly and mounting the pad; and

the hopper attached to the device is replaced with the fluid reservoir and fluid spray nozzle; and

in a second change of configuration of the device;

the pad when attached to the device is replaced with the first grouter assembly by demounting the pad and mounting the first grouter assembly; and

the fluid reservoir and fluid spray nozzle attached to the device are replaced with the hopper.

19. A device comprising:

a first motor;

a drive assembly for coupling a drive shaft of the first motor to a first grouter assembly;

the first grouter assembly coupled to the motor via the drive assembly to distribute and direct a predetermined material into a surface with which the first grouter assembly is in contact;

an auger for feeding the predetermined material from a hopper to be dispensed in predetermined position relative to the first grouter assembly, the auger coupled to at least one of the first motor and a second motor via an auger drive assembly;

a pad; and

a fluid spray nozzle;

wherein

in a first change of configuration of the device;

the first grouter assembly attached to the device is replaced with the pad by demounting the first grouter assembly and mounting the pad;

in a second change of configuration of the device;

the pad when attached to the device is replaced with the first grouter assembly by demounting the pad and mounting the first grouter assembly; and

the hopper acts as a reservoir for the predetermined material when the first grouter assembly is attached to the device and as a reservoir for a fluid to be dispensed from the fluid spray nozzle when the fluid spray nozzle is attached to the device.

20. A device comprising:

a first motor;

a drive assembly for coupling a drive shaft of the first motor to a first grouter assembly;

the first grouter assembly coupled to the motor via the drive assembly to distribute and direct a predetermined material into a surface with which the first grouter assembly is in contact;

an auger for feeding the predetermined material from a hopper to be dispensed in predetermined position relative to the first grouter assembly, the auger coupled to at least one of the first motor and a second motor via an auger drive assembly;

a pad;

wherein

the first grouter assembly comprises;

a spinner assembly comprising at least a plate and a shaft coupling the spinner assembly to the drive assembly on a first side of the plate;

a plurality of float brackets attached in a predetermined manner to the other side of the plate from the shaft; and

a plurality of floats, each float mounted to a float bracket and formed from a compliant material;

the first grouter assembly is demountably attachable to the device;

the pad is demountably attachable to the device when the first grouter assembly is demountably detached from the device; and

the pad has a surface disposed towards the surface when attached to the device which provides one of scouring, buffing and polishing.