WO2009026679A1

WO2009026679A1 - Universal trowel

Info

Publication number: WO2009026679A1
Application number: PCT/CA2008/001472
Authority: WO
Inventors: Mohammed Ayub Hanif
Original assignee: Mohammed Ayub Hanif
Priority date: 2007-08-27
Filing date: 2008-08-15
Publication date: 2009-03-05
Also published as: CA2598978A1; CA2628702A1

Abstract

A universal trowel having a handle affixed to a base place to which is adhered a substrate, wherein the lower surface of the base plate and the upper surface of the substrate have complimentary engaging-engaging strips engageable and disengageable one strip with another. Disengagement of the strips allows for the substrate to be discarded when required and replaced with another substrate. This negates the need to discard the full trowel with a significant saving in monetary cost and inconvenience. Each individual universal trowel may be used for grouting, floating, sponge sanding, glue, plaster, concrete application, thin set, and scrubbing.

Description

UNIVERSAL TROWEL

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a universal trowel for manual use, having a bottom surface for generally smoothing, sanding, spreading fluid materials, and the like, particularly, grouting, glue, sanding, thin-set and the like trowels, and having a replaceable substrate.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The process of laying tiles, particularly ceramic tiles on a flat wall or floor surface typically involves the spreading of an adhesive cement, on the floor surface or wall with a trowel. One form of trowel has a handle affixed to a rectangular thin metal plate having indentations on each of the two longitudinal edges for spreading out the "thin set", to a desired thickness intermittent of the area covered to leave a roughened uneven surface.

An alternative trowel has a handle and rectangular metal plate of similar dimensions affixed to a rectangular non-abrasive, rubber foam pad of the same surface area as the metal plate and a thickness of about lcm. This pad trowel may be used in the same manner as the metal trowel in spreading thin set adhesive on the surface.

Further, once the tiles are laid out on the surface, grout is spread on and between the tiles by the trowel and the excess subsequently removed. Since the grout contains rough particulate filler, although the pad trowel is more gentle and minimize abrasion of the tile surface than the metal trowel surface, the soft pad suffers from being worn down by the grout particles. Such a prior art grout trowel with a pad, generally, only last for between 30-40 hrs. of utilization, before a replacement trowel is needed and the current trowel discarded.

Further, uneven wear of the pad particularly at its edges and corners can cause damage to a tile by a metal plate corner or edge. Similarly, glue trowels having a planar metal base with edge teeth are known for applying a layer of glue to the walls, floors and ceilings to which is, subsequently, adhered tiles, wood, wallpaper, flooring materials and the like. Also known as mentioned, hereinabove, are thin-set trowels having a base formed of metal or a plastics material for applying concrete, mortar, bonding cement and the like to which tiles and the like are subsequently adhered. The edge teeth are of different sizes for use in installing different types of flooring, such as marble, granite, ceramic and the like. Similarly are known mudding trowels for applying plaster, drywall compositions, stucco cement and the like.

Also known are "floats" used to smooth out walls, floors, and the like having a rubber, wood or foam lower layer of the trowel.

Further is known sponge sanding blocks having particulate sand grits of various sizes on the surface of the lower layer and each vertical side of the block.

Similarly, scouring pads for scrubbing surfaces of walls, floors and the like comprising abrasive metal of plastic wire mesh and the like are known.

However, invariably, after a limited time period the substrate bottom part of the trowels becomes worn in view of having a low disadvantageous operative life. This results in the whole trowel being discarded.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention is to provide a trowel having a handle affixed to a replaceable and substitutable working substrate to avoid having to discard the full trowel when the working substrate reaches its useful working life, or when a different duty of action requiring a different substrate is needed. The present invention negates disposal of the handle, and, thus, a concomitant reductions in costs, as well as a significant increase in convenience. The universal handle negates for the skilled person to possess and carry a plurality of trowels.

Thus, it is an object of the present invention to provide a universal trowel that does not require the disposal of the handles and metal plate members once a cooperable substrate is no longer satisfactory. The invention provides in a preferred aspect a universal trowel having a handle affixed to a base place to which is adhered a replaceable substrate, wherein the lower surface of the base plate and the upper surface of the substrate have complimentary fiber-engaging strips engageable and disengageable one strip with another. Disengagement of the strips allows for the substrate to be discarded when required and replaced with another substrate. This negates the need to discard the full trowel with a significant saving in monetary cost and inconvenience.

Accordingly, the invention provides in one aspect a universal trowel comprising

(a) a handle means;

(b) a planar base plate having an upper face and a lower face, and affixed to said handle at said upper face;

(c) a substrate having a top surface and a bottom surface;

(d) retaining means affixing said top surface to said base plate lower face; characterized in that said retaining means comprises engageable and disengageable adhering member means. Preferably, the adhering means comprises fiber-engaging member means, which are repeatably engageable and disengageable one member to another member.

In one aspect, the invention provides a trowel as hereinabove defined wherein said adhering means comprises

(i) a first retainer member having a first surface and a second surface, wherein (a) said first surface is adhered to and covers in whole or in part said lower face of said base plate, and (b) said second surface comprises a fiber-engageable face; and

(ii) a second retainer member having (a) a first surface adhered to said substrate top surface, and (b) a fiber-covered second surface, whereby said fiber-engageable surface of said first retainer member and said fiber-covered second surface of said second retainer member are each adherably engageable with and disengageable from the other.

In an alternative aspect, the invention provides a trowel as hereinabove defined wherein said adhering means comprises (i) a first retainer member having a first surface and a second surface, wherein (a) said first surface is adhered to and covers in whole or in part said lower face of said base plate, and (b) said second surface comprises a fiber-covered second surface; and

(ii) a second retainer member having (a) a first surface adhered to said substrate top surface, and (b) a fiber-engageable second surface; whereby said fiber-engageable second surface of said second retainer member and said fiber-covered second surface of said first retainer member are each adherably engageable with and disengageable from the other.

The first and second retainer members are preferably planar.

Preferably, in a further embodiment the invention provides a trowel wherein said lower face of said base plate is adhered to a plurality of said first retainer members. In preferred embodiments, the substrate top surface is adhered to a plurality of said second retainer members.

In alternative embodiments, the substrate of the trowel is of a size and shape as to overlap all or a part of at least one edge of said planar base plate.

The replaceable substrate may be selected from, but is not so limited, to units for use as grouting, sponge sanding, glue, plaster, "thin set", concrete and scrubbing trowels.

In a preferred aspect, the invention provides a grout trowel assembly wherein the substrate is a replaceable soft pad unit, comprising in combination

(A) a handle; a planar base plate having an upper face and a lower face and affixed to said handle at said upper face; a base plate retainer member having (i) a first surface adhered to and covering in whole or in part said lower face of said base plate, and (ii) a second surface; and

(B) a replaceable soft pad unit comprising a soft pad member having a pad top surface and a pad bottom surface; and a pad retainer member having (i) a first surface adhered to and covering in whole or in part said pad top surface, and (ii) a second surface comprising adhering means. Preferably, an assembly as hereinabove defined has said base place retainer member second surface adhering means and said pad retainer member second surface adhering means adapted to cooperate in operable engagement and disengagement.

Preferably, the assembly as hereinabove defined has said base plate retainer member second surface adhering means comprising fiber-engaging means.

The base plate preferably has the retainer member second surface adhering means comprising fiber-covered surface.

In further embodiments, the assembly has said substrate second surface adhering means comprising a fibered-covered surface. In preferred embodiments, the assembly has said substrate second surface adhering means comprising fiber-engaging means.

In a further aspect, the invention provides a replaceable substrate unit adapted to cooperate in operable engagement and disengagement with said base plate retainer member second surface adhering means. Preferably, the replaceable substrate unit as hereinabove defined has said second surface adhering means adapted to cooperate in operable engagement and disengagement with complementary adhering means.

Preferably, the replaceable substrate unit as hereinabove defined has said second surface adhering means comprising fiber-engaging means. Preferably, the replaceable substrate unit as hereinabove defined has said second surface adhering means comprising fiber-engaging means.

The replaceable substrate unit as hereinabove defined is preferably planar, which may cover in whole or in part said pad top surface; and comprise a plurality of said substrate retainer members.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In order that the invention may be better understood, preferred embodiments will now be described, by way of example only, wherein: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a grouting pad trowel according to the prior art;

Figs. 2 and 3 are perspective views of a grouting pad trowel, in an engaged and disengaged assembly combination, respectively, according to the invention; Figs. 4 - 9 are perspective views of alternative embodiments of a universal trowel according to the invention; and wherein the same numerals denote like parts.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Fig. 1 shows generally as 10, a trowel having a rectangular metal planar base place 12 having an upper face 14 and a lower face 16 affixed to a handle 18 at upper face 14 by screws (not shown). Lower face 16 is permanently affixed by an adhesive layer (not shown) to the upper face 20 of a soft pad member 22. Figs. 2 and 3 show generally as 30 and 40, respectively, a grout trowel assembly in an engaged and a disengaged combination, respectively.

Lower face 16 of base place 12 has a plurality of planar, rectangular fiber-engaging fiber strips 32 suitably located at peripheral portions of face 16. A preferred strip 32 is formed of VELCRO® fiber-engaging material, permanently affixed to face 16 by a suitable bonding adhesive.

Upper face 20 of pad 22 also has a similar plurality of planar, rectangular strips 42 of VELCRO® material suitably located on and bonded to face 20 as to be operably engageable and disengageable with strips 32.

The shapes, thicknesses, sizes, numbers and locations of strips 32 and cooperable opposing strips 42 may be suitably varied, if desired. The shapes, sizes and numbers of fibers per unit area of strips 32, 42 are such as to effect sufficient engagement with opposing fibers of the opposing strip as to permit manual use of the assembly for its rubbing and cleaning duty on and between the tiles to be cleaned. However, the engagement between strips 32, 42 should not be too strong as to prevent disengagement of strips 32, 42 by vertically manually pressing base plate 12 from pad member 22. Aforesaid VELCRO® fiber material of strips

32, 42 is most satisfactory in providing the desired and required engagement-disengagement physical properties.

In operation, when pad 22 has been sufficiently worn as to be replaced, disengagement from base plate 12 is effected and a new pad 22 engaged. Analogous embodiments are constructed as described below. Fig. 4 shows generally as 50 a trowel having metal planar base 12 with upper face 14 affixed to handle 18. Lower face 16 of base plate 12 has the plurality of fiber strips 32 bonded to face 16 as described with reference to Fig. 2.

However, in this embodiment Fig. 4 has soft pad member 22 of Fig. 2 substituted with rectangular shaped float substrate 52 of a thermoplastic foam in the embodiment shown.

Alternative materials for float member 52 are wood and rubber. Upper face 54 of member 52 has a plurality of planar, rectangular strips 42 of VELCRO® material suitably located on and bonded to face 20 as to be operably engageable and disengageable with strips 32.

Fig. 5 describes generally as 60 a sponge sanding trowel having a replaceable sponge substrate 62 impregnated on its lower face 64 and sides 66 with particulate grit 68.

Fig. 6 describes generally as 70 a glue trowel having a rectangular planar metal substrate 72 having an array of horizontal co-planar teeth 74, by which glue may be suitably spread on a floor, ceiling, wall and the like.

Fig. 7 describes generally as 80, a trowel having a plastics or wood rectangular planar substrate 82 for spreading and smoothing plaster, drywall, stucco or cement compounds.

Fig. 8 describes generally as 90, a trowel for use with thin-set mortar, i.e. bonding cement having a rectangular planar metal or plastics substrate 92 having an array of horizontally aligned co-planar rectangular teeth 94 by which the bonding cement is applied and suitably spread. Fig. 9 describes generally as 100, a scrubbing trowel having a rectangular planar abrasive substrate 102 formed of a scouring wire or plastics fibre for scrubbing walls, floors, countertops and the like.

Although this disclosure has described and illustrated certain preferred embodiments of the invention, it is to be understood that the invention is not restricted to those particular embodiments. Rather, the invention includes all embodiments, which are functional or mechanical equivalence of the specific embodiments and features that have been described and illustrated.

Claims

Claims:

1. A universal trowel comprising

(a) a handle means; (b) a planar base plate having an upper face and a lower face, and affixed to said handle at said upper face;

(c) a substrate having a top surface and a bottom surface;

(d) retaining means affixing said top surface of said substrate to said base plate lower face; characterized in that said retaining means comprises engageable and disengageable adhering member means.

2. A trowel as claimed in claim 1 wherein the adhering means comprises fiber-engaging member means, which are repeatably engageable and disengageable one member to another member.

3. A trowel as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein said substrate comprises a grouting member adapted to cooperate in operable engagement and disengagement by said retaining means with said base plate lower face.

4. A trowel as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein said substrate comprises a float member adapted to cooperate in operable engagement by said retaining means and disengagement with said base plate lower face.

5. A trowel as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein said substrate comprises a sponge sanding member adapted to cooperate in operable engagement and disengagement by said retaining means with said base plate lower face.

6. A trowel as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein said substrate comprises a glue application member adapted to cooperate in operable engagement and disengagement by said retaining means with said base plate lower face.

7. A trowel as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein said substrate comprises a plaster application member adapted to cooperate in operable engagement and disengagement by said retaining means with said base plate lower face.

8. A trowel as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein said substrate comprises a thin-set application member adapted to cooperate in operable engagement and disengagement by said retaining means with said base plate lower face.

9. A trowel as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein said substrate comprises a concrete application member adapted to cooperate in operable engagement and disengagement by said retaining means with said base plate lower face.

10. A trowel as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein said substrate comprises a scrubbing member adapted to cooperate in operable engagement and disengagement by said retaining means with said base plate lower face.

11. A trowel as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 comprising

(a) a handle means;

(c) a soft pad grouting member having a pad top surface and a pad bottom surface;

(d) retaining means affixing said pad top surface to said base plate lower face; characterized in that said retaining means comprises engageable and disengageable adhering member means.

12. A trowel as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 11 wherein said adhering means comprises

13. A trowel as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 11 wherein a trowel as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein said adhering means comprises

(i) a first retainer member having a first surface and a second surface, wherein (a) said first surface is adhered to and covers in whole or in part said lower face of said base plate, and (b) said second surface comprises a fiber-covered second surface; and (ii) a second retainer member having (a) a first surface adhered to said substrate top surface, and (b) a fiber-engageable second surface; whereby said fiber-engageable second surface of said second retainer member and said fiber-covered second surface of said first retainer member are each adherably engageable with and disengageable from the other.

14. A trowel as claimed in claim 12 or claim 13 wherein said first retainer member and said second retainer member are planar.

15. A trowel as claimed in claim 12 or claim 13 wherein said lower face of said base plate is adhered to a plurality of said first retainer members.

16. A trowel as claimed in claim 12 or claim 13 wherein said substrate top surface is adhered to a plurality of said second retainer members.

17. A trowel as claimed in claim 12 or claim 13 wherein said substrate member is of a size and shape as to overlap all or a part of at least one edge of said planar base plate.

18. A trowel as claimed in any one of claims 12 to 17 comprising in combination

(B) a replaceable substrate unit comprising a substrate member having a substrate top surface and a substrate bottom surface; and a substrate retainer member having (i) a first surface adhered to and covering in whole or in part said substrate top surface, and (ii) a second surface comprising adhering means.

19. A trowel as claimed in any one of claims 12 to 18 wherein said base place retainer member second surface adhering means and said substrate retainer member second surface adhering means are adapted to cooperate in operable engagement and disengagement.

20. A trowel as claimed in any one of claims 12 to 18 wherein said base plate retainer member second surface adhering means comprises fiber-engaging means.

21. A trowel as claimed in any one of claims 12 to 18 wherein said base plate retainer member second surface adhering means comprises fiber-covered surface.

22. A trowel assembly as claimed in any one of claims 12 to 18 wherein said substrate member second surface adhering means comprises a fibered-covered surface.

23. A trowel assembly as claimed in any one of claims 12 to 18 wherein said substrate member second surface adhering means comprises fiber-engaging means.

24. A trowel as claimed in any one of claims 12 to 17 wherein said replaceable substrate is adapted to cooperate in operable engagement and disengagement with said base plate retainer member second surface adhering means.

25. An assembly as claimed in any one of claims 12 to 17 wherein a replaceable substrate having said second surface adhering means is adapted to cooperate in operable engagement and disengagement with complementary adhering means.

26. A replaceable substrate as defined in any one of claims 12 to 17 wherein said second surface adhering means comprises a fiber-covered surface.

27. A replaceable substrate as defined in any one of claims 12 to 17 wherein said second surface adhering means comprises fiber-engaging means.

28. A replaceable substrate as defined in any one of claims 12 to 17 wherein said retainer member is planar.

29. A replaceable substrate as defined in any one of claims 12 to 17 wherein said retainer member covers in whole or in part said substrate top surface.

30. A replaceable substrate as claimed in any one of claims 12 to 17 comprising a plurality of said retainer members.