Integrally fabricated tile-leveling base and wedge

Abstract

A tile-leveling base and wedge are integrally fabricated. The base includes a tile-supporting platform. A base post including post proximal and distal ends has its proximal end attached to the tile-supporting platform at a first breakaway joint. A cross member perpendicularly depends from the post distal end and includes a cross-member distal edge facing away from the tile-supporting platform and at least one wedge-engaging surface that is at least one of (i) spaced apart by a predetermined distance from, and facing, the platform and (ii) pivotable at the first breakaway joint into a position in which it is spaced apart from, and facing, the platform. The wedge includes a wedge tip, which tip, at the time of contemporaneous fabrication with the base, is attached to the base at a second breakaway joint so that the wedge can be separated from the base for use in combination with the base.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A tile-leveling base and wedge integrally fabricated and comprising:
 a tile-leveling base including a tile-supporting platform with opposed platform top and bottom sides bounded by a platform periphery;   a base post including post proximal and distal ends, the post proximal end being attached to the tile-supporting platform by and at a first breakaway joint;   at least one cross member depending from, and extending perpendicularly to, the post distal end and including a cross-member distal edge facing away from the tile-supporting platform and at least one wedge-engaging surface that is at least one of (i) spaced apart by a predetermined distance from, and facing, the platform top side and (ii) movable into a position in which it is spaced apart by a predetermined distance from, and facing, the platform top side; and   a wedge extending longitudinally along a wedge axis between a wedge heel and a wedge tip, the wedge including a wedge bottom surface and a wedge top surface that coextend longitudinally along the wedge axis and mutually converge to define the wedge tip; wherein,   (i) the wedge tip is attached to the cross-member distal edge at a second breakaway joint in order to facilitate selective separation of the wedge from the tile-leveling base without function-defeating damage to either one of the wedge and tile-leveling base; and   (ii) the second breakaway joint is weaker than the first breakaway joint such that the wedge separates more easily from the cross-member distal edge than the base post separates from the tile-supporting platform.   
     
     
         2 . The tile-leveling base and wedge of  claim 1  integrally fabricating by injection molding. 
     
     
         3 . The tile-leveling base and wedge of  claim 1  wherein the first breakaway joint by which the base post is attached to the tile-supporting platform is a living hinge such that the base post is pivotable relative to the tile-supporting platform between a post first attitude in which the base post is substantially coplanar with the tile-supporting platform and a post second attitude in which the base post extends perpendicularly to the tile-supporting platform in a direction upwardly of the platform top side. 
     
     
         4 . The tile-leveling base and wedge of  claim 3  wherein the base post and tile-supporting platform are formed at the time of fabrication with the base post in the post first attitude. 
     
     
         5 . A tile-leveling base and wedge integrally fabricated and comprising:
 a tile-leveling base including a tile-supporting platform with opposed platform top and bottom sides bounded by a platform periphery;   a base post including post proximal and distal ends, the post proximal end being attached to the tile-supporting platform by and at a first breakaway joint;   at least one cross member depending from, and extending perpendicularly to, the post distal end and including a cross-member distal edge facing away from the tile-supporting platform and at least one wedge-engaging surface that is at least one of (i) spaced apart by a predetermined distance from, and facing, the platform top side and (ii) movable into a position in which it is spaced apart by a predetermined distance from, and facing, the platform top side; and   a wedge extending longitudinally along a wedge axis between a wedge heel and a wedge tip, the wedge including a wedge bottom surface and a wedge top surface that coextend longitudinally along the wedge axis and mutually converge to define the wedge tip; wherein,   the wedge tip is attached to the tile-leveling base at a second breakaway joint in order to facilitate selective separation of the wedge from the tile-leveling base without function-defeating damage to either one of the wedge and tile-leveling base.   
     
     
         6 . The tile-leveling base and wedge of  claim 5  wherein the base post and tile-supporting platform are formed at the time of fabrication with the wedge tip attached to the cross-member distal edge by the second breakaway joint. 
     
     
         7 . The tile-leveling base and wedge of  claim 6  wherein
 (i) the first breakaway joint by which the base post is attached to the tile-supporting platform is a living hinge such that the base post is pivotable relative to the tile-supporting platform between a post first attitude in which the base post extends substantially along the tile-supporting platform and a post second attitude in which the base post extends perpendicularly to the tile-supporting platform in a direction upwardly of the platform top side; and 
 (ii) the second breakaway joint is weaker than the first breakaway joint such that the wedge separates more easily from the cross-member distal edge than the base post separates from the tile-supporting platform when there is applied to the wedge at least one of (a) tensile force and (b) shear force of sufficient magnitude to cause failure of the second breakaway joint at which the wedge tip and cross-member distal edge. 
 
     
     
         8 . The tile-leveling base and wedge of  claim 7  wherein the base post and tile-supporting platform are formed at the time of fabrication with the base post in the post first attitude. 
     
     
         9 . The tile-leveling base and wedge of  claim 8  integrally fabricating by injection molding. 
     
     
         10 . The tile-leveling base and wedge of  claim 7  integrally fabricating by injection molding. 
     
     
         11 . The tile-leveling base and wedge of  claim 6  integrally fabricating by injection molding. 
     
     
         12 . A tile-leveling base and wedge integrally fabricated and comprising:
 a tile-leveling base including a tile-supporting platform with opposed platform top and bottom sides bounded by a platform periphery;   a base post extending perpendicularly to the tile-supporting platform and including post proximal and distal ends, the post proximal end being attached to the tile-supporting platform by and at a first breakaway joint possessing a predetermined first tensile strength and a predetermined first shear strength;   at least one cross member depending from, and extending perpendicularly to, the post distal end and including a cross-member distal edge facing away from the tile-supporting platform and at least one wedge-engaging surface that is spaced apart by a predetermined distance from, and facing, the platform top side; and   a wedge extending longitudinally along a wedge axis between a wedge heel and a wedge tip, the wedge including a wedge bottom surface and a wedge top surface that coextend longitudinally along the wedge axis and mutually converge to define the wedge tip; wherein,   (i) the wedge is attached to the cross-member distal edge of the tile-leveling base at a second breakaway joint in order to facilitate selective separation of the wedge from the tile-leveling base without function-defeating damage to either one of the wedge and tile-leveling base;   (ii) the second breakaway joint possesses a predetermined second tensile strength and a predetermined second shear strength; and   (iii) at least one of (a) the first tensile strength is greater than the second tensile strength and (b) the first shear strength is greater than the second shear strength such that the wedge separates more easily from the cross-member distal edge than the base post separates from the tile-supporting platform.   
     
     
         13 . The tile-leveling base and wedge of  claim 12  integrally fabricating by injection molding.