Self Aligning Plastic Wall Tile System

Abstract

A system of self-aligning tiles has been devised with novel geometries of connectors and notches in the edges of these tiles to provide for assembly in all directions, both on vertical and horizontal surfaces. These connector mates define regular, parallel, gaps between adjacent tiles in which waterproof grout may be applied to protect the supporting wall. Decorative edge and corner tiles are supplied to enable flush edges; otherwise, gaps of width less than the width of the standard self-aligning tile are filled with partial tiles that are easily sawn with conventional saws to the required size from standard tiles. The tiles are manufactured using injection of thermoplastics into molds, and as such can bear patterns in relief on their cosmetic face. Secondary coatings can be applied to enhance the appearance and hardness of the cosmetic face. Repair of the tile wall after installation is enabled by the unique geometry of the tile connection couplings, allowing individual tiles to be removed and replaced without damaging the adjacent tile

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

No cross reference is made to other applications.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OF DEVELOPMENT

No Federal Government support was received in the development of this Invention.

SEQUENCE LISTING, TABLE, OR COMPUTER PROGRAM LISTING

No sequence listing, table, or computer program is attached or accompanies this Application.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This Invention relates generally to wall coverings and more particularly to self-aligning plastic tiles made by injection molding.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Tiles are an ancient invention and the grouting necessary between them hardly younger. In a bathroom or other wet environment, planar tiles adhered to a wall using adhesive are then sealed by a pliable, water resistant grout, to prevent ingress of water beyond the tiles into the supporting wall and structure. Further, tiles are arranged in symmetrical patterns.

The material of choice for millennia of tile fabrication has been ceramic, owing to its low material cost, water resistance and acceptance of colorful, hard surface finishes. Disadvantages of ceramic tiles include those inefficiencies arising from the weight of the tiles, their brittleness and their thru-hardness. Heavy ceramic tiles are difficult and expensive to transport. Ceramic tiles require specialized equipment to cut, and in the process are prone to break and create hazardous airborne silica dust. In contrast, the fabrication of plastic tiles by injection molding allows for a tile that is light and is easily cut with conventional saws that would not cause it to crack. Further, plastic tiles can include integral aligning and spacing features that replace the T spacers used with ceramic tiles. For a plurality of reasons, tiling with injection mold tiles is desirable.

Design flaws have hindered the adoption of plastic tiles, both in fabrication and installation. Fabrication limitations include the inability to finish tiles, life cycle limitations of resins used, and maintenance of planarity of tiles. Technological advances in materials and processing since the first plastic tiles were introduced, have largely solved these challenges; indeed, the ability to introduce relief into the generally planar cosmetic face of the tiles provides texture and finishing opportunities not easily achievable in ceramic tiles.

Installation limitations arise from insufficient attention paid to the geometry of the tiling system, leading to sealing, assembly, and repair difficulties. Brown (U.S. Pat. No. 2,490,577: Dec. 6, 1949 and U.S. Pat. No. 2,490,577: Nov. 2, 1954) elaborated a system of either tongue and groove or pin and eye connectors for plastic tiles. These designs, widely installed, led to many problems. It was assumed that a tight fit between tiles was sufficiently waterproof to avoid water infiltration to the supporting wall. It was not. Unidirectional assembly for the tongue and groove design meant that traditional symmetries of tiling could not be achieved. This lead to tiling jobs that looked unbalanced. And repair of damaged tiles was not possible without damaging adjacent tiles in the pin and eye method of attachment, owing to a failure to foresee that a closed loop captured flush to the wall cannot be reversibly removed from a pin mate. The resulting failures destroyed the market for plastic wall tiles for decades. Masanek (U.S. Pat. App. No. 2013/0086861, Apr. 11, 2013) is essentially the same patent as Brown's U.S. Pat. No. 2,490,577. However, in the meantime, considerable development and commercialization of interlocking floor tiling systems has occurred. In all cases, the desired result of the interlocking connection was to have the tiles secured tightly together. With the exception of a dovetail interlock, which could not be rendered into a practical design for wall tiles within a narrow grout joint, no prior art disclosed a connection that allowed tiles to be assembled in all four directions from one fixed tile and ensured the tiles were tightly secured. Shirakawa (U.S. Pat. No. 5,972,655) disclosed a two-stage connection of which the first stage includes features that could appear to address this issue, but was not his stated intention, nor would it be possible in order to complete the second stage. His invention disclosed a hook feature on the side of a first decking that inserted into a receptacle on the underside of a second decking, by first passing through an opening in its lower side wall. He disclosed that the inclined upper surface of the hook facilitated insertion of the hook into the receptacle by having it remain in contact with a series of mating curved ribs on the inside wall above the opening in the second decking so as to guide it into the receptacle. Once fully assembled, the mating ribs increased the contact area with the inclined upper surface, which facilitated a tight engagement, and thus a tight and reliable connection between the two deckings. His full disclosure, including the secondary fixture to secure the deckings together, is consistent with having the second decking lifted slightly to allow the tip of the hook on the first decking to pass through the opening and then having the second decking pressed down lightly to allow the ribs to guide the hook into the receptacle. If one attempted to assemble the deckings by keeping the second decking fixed and angling the first decking to insert the tip of the hook into the opening in the second decking so as to rotate the first decking into position, the side walls of the two deckings would interfere with each other. Only by extending the length of the hook considerably could this be overcome. However, this extended hook would result in the undesirable outcome of the deckings being very loosely connected, confirming that his invention is not suitable for the assembly of deckings in all four directions from a fixed decking.

This Application overcomes the limitation of the previous patents by maintaining regular, parallel joints between the tiles in which grout may be applied, by provision of a multidirectional assembly system, and by provision for repair owing to a reversible connection system that does not involve a closed loop feature flush with the adhering wall being penetrated by a pin protruding to the adhering surface.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, it is an objective of this invention to overcome the disadvantages of the prior art.

Reference is made in the title of this Application to “self-aligning plastic tiles”. Tiles adhered to a bathroom wall are required to be able to be assembled in a regular order in a plurality of directions effecting the desired symmetry of tile placement design. To achieve symmetry, the expert tile installer may need to start at a chosen line of symmetry and build outward left to right, right to left, and upward. The integral aligning and spacing mechanism used must enable said multidirectional assembly in a regularly spaced fashion. This Application describes a self-aligning plastic tile system that enables multidirectional assembly with regular spacing. Further, mistakes are made, and reversibility of assembly, that is, repair, is a critical advantage.

Said regular spacing further require interstitial sealing with a pliable, self-hardening substance, exemplified by grout, in order to resist the incursion of water past the tiles. Failure to resist water incursion can result in wall and structural failure. Conventional tiles require various secondary T spacers that are placed upon adhesion and removed prior to grouting, the application of sealing grout to the interstices. This Application describes tiles that are equipped with a combination of integral hooked spacers for aligning with integral notches, such that secondary, removable, spacers are not required when adhering said tiles to a wall.

In a preferred embodiment, a wall is prepared for application of wall tiles using adhesive, tiles applied in the desired symmetry, and then grouting for moisture resistance is done in the regular interstitial spaces, defined by the hooking of a plurality of integral hooked spacers with integral notches along the sides of adjacent tiles. The use of edge tiles and corner tiles with specific configurations of hooked spacers and notches permit clean edged installations on walls. Depending on the installation geometry, adjacent tiles may, on rare occasion, share adjacent side walls both of which sport notches only. For such instances a non-integral hooked spacer is provided that will assemble to both adjacent notches to maintain continuity of the tile alignment and it is affixed to the mounting wall by the adhesive. Similarly, on occasion a tile may sport hooked spacers where none are needed; these can be simply clipped off. Further, said tiles are manufactured using plastic injection, allowing the installer to simply saw tiles shorter to complete the wall covering on inner corner edges or create cut-out for plumbing fittings.

In this Utility, overcoming a number of installation disadvantages encountered in prior art are achieved. Prior art required the application of secondary spacing parts to maintain alignment in all instances, or, in the case of patents describing injection molded wall or floor tiles equipped with coupling, connecting or interlocking projections, had said projections organized in such a way that tiling could only be completed in two directions, not in all four.

In this Utility, repair of damaged tiles is enabled by the geometry of the tiles, allowing them to be reversibly disengaged from the adhesive and other tiles without damaging adjacent tiles.

While reference is made throughout this Utility to its application as wall tiles, clearly this Utility with its novel self-aligning system has applications as floor and ceiling tiles. Where reference is made to wall tiles being installed vertically in every direction, floor and ceiling tiles can be installed horizontally in every direction (left, right, forward, backward).

Finally, while reference is made throughout this Utility to tiles that are generally rectangular in shape, the injection molding process allows for a variety of tile shapes to be produced. The self-aligning system described in this Utility can be incorporated into many different tile shapes.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the drawings, which illustrate embodiments of the invention:

FIG. 1 comprises a front and rear view of a component self-aligning plastic tile;

FIG. 2 is an isometric view with a detail of a component self-aligning plastic tile;

FIG. 3 is a front view of an installation of multiple tiles showing an edge and a corner tile;

FIG. 4 is an isometric view of the process of laying self-aligning plastic tiles left to right, further cross-sectioned through the hooked spacer to yield a detail of its initial position in the notch

FIG. 5 is an isometric view of the process of laying self-aligning plastic tiles right to left, further cross-sectioned through the hooked spacer to yield a detail of its initial position in the notch

FIG. 6 is a top view of two self-aligned plastic tiles further cross-sectioned through the hooked spacer to yield a detail of it aligned in the notch;

FIG. 7 comprises a front and rear view of a component self-aligning plastic edge tile;

FIG. 8 comprises a front and rear view of a component self-aligning plastic corner tile;

FIG. 9 is a front view of a symmetrical installation of self-aligning plastic tiles in a bath vestibule;

FIG. 10 is a left isometric view of a symmetrical installation of self-aligning plastic tiles in a bath vestibule, showing a side vestibule wall being tiled inward from the left outer edge;

FIG. 11 is a right isometric view of a symmetrical installation of self-aligning plastic tiles in a bath vestibule, showing a side vestibule wall being tiled inward from the right outer edge;

FIG. 12 is a non-integral hooked spacer used in tiling geometries when a notch on the side wall of one tile is adjacent to a notch on the side wall of an adjacent tile.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The self-aligning standard tile described in this Utility is shown in front view in FIG. 1(a). A generally planar cosmetic face 2 comprises two adjacent side walls 3 that support integral hooked spacers 1, two adjacent side walls 5 that have integral notches 9, and four corners 4 In FIG. 1(b) the rear view of the tile in its simplest variant shows the reverse 7 of the generally planar cosmetic face 2, the underside 8 of the integral hooked spacer 1, the notches 9 in the side walls 5, and the bottom 10 of side walls 3 and 5. A plurality of rib features 6 may be included to provide support for the cosmetic face 2, particularly when the tile is cut. In addition to bottom 10 of side walls 3 and 5, the rib features 6 provide contact areas for the adhesive to bond the tile to the wall. The cosmetic face 2 is of critical importance. Owing to the manufacture of these tiles by injection molding of plastic, a relief design may be included in the surface. A surface coating can be applied to enhance the appearance and hardness of the cosmetic face 2.

An isometric view of the generally planar cosmetic face 2 of said tile is illustrated in FIG. 2(a) to show the hooked spacer 1 on side wall 3, corners 4, and notches 9 on side wall 5. The detail view in FIG. 2(b) shows that the tile side walls that do not support hooked spacers 1 instead include notches 9.

An assembly of self-aligning tiles is shown in FIG. 3 in front view. Edge tiles with cosmetic face 11 bear no alignment features to mar the appearance of the outward cosmetic edge. Edge tiles are as long as a standard self-aligning tile, but not as wide. A square corner tile with cosmetic face 12 is similar in construction but only as wide as an edge tile. Both corner and edge tiles perform decorative finishing functions in the assembly of the tile system. The positions of the notches allow the edge tiles to be optionally installed such that they straddle two adjacent standard tiles. Only the spacer portion of the hooked spacer 1 is visible between the tiles. The grout joint 13 is uniform between all the tiles, owing to the functionality of the self-aligning features of this invention.

The manner in which tiles are assembled left to right is shown in FIG. 4(a). An initial tile is adhered to a wall with its generally planar cosmetic face 2 orientated outward. A second tile being installed to its right is initially at an angle, ensuring that it has minimal contact with the adhesive on the wall, with the appropriate notches positioned over the recesses of the adjacent hooked spacers on the left tile. The section view in FIG. 4(b) indicates an angle at which the right tile can be initially inclined. In FIG. 4(c), the detail view depicts the detailed structure of the hooked spacer 1 and notch 9 in this orientation. The complete hooked spacer 1 is an extension of side wall 3 on the left tile and its critical features are identified as the generally rectangular spacer 26, the radius 27, and the inner side 28, bottom 29 and outer side 30 of the recess, underside 8, and the outer curved surface 23. In this view, spacer 26 ensures that there is no interference between the side wall 3 of the left tile and the cosmetic face 2 of the right tile. As the tile installer rotates the right tile down while lightly pushing it toward the left tile, lower edge 25 of the right tile slides along the mounting wall and side wall 5 slides upward on radius 27. The recess, comprising 28, 29 and 30, provides clearance for notch 9 during this rotating motion. The importance of outer curved surface 23 and inner surface 24 is described below in relation to FIGS. 5 and 6, respectively.

The manner in which tiles are assembled right to left is shown in FIG. 5(a). The tile on the right is adhered to a wall with its generally planar cosmetic face 2 orientated outward. A second tile orientated at an angle is added to the left by inserting the tip of the prominent hooked spacers 1 into the integral notches 9 of the first tile, and then rotating the tile such that the plane of its cosmetic face is coplanar with the cosmetic face 2 of the first tile, which is shown in FIG. 6. The section view in FIG. 5(b) indicates an angle at which the left tile is inclined while the hooked spacer 1 is being initially inserted into notch 9. In FIG. 5(c), the detail view depicts the same detailed structure as identified in FIG. 4 of the hooked spacer 1 and notch 9 in this orientation. In this view, once again, there is no interference between side wall 3 of the left tile and cosmetic face 2 of the right tile. As the tile installer rotates the left tile down while lightly pushing it toward the right tile, radius 27 slides smoothly down side wall 5 of the right tile and outer curved surface 23 slides in a sweeping motion against the mounting wall. The recess, comprising 28, 29 and 30, provides clearance for notch 9 during this rotating motion.

In order to better illustrate the alignment of the integral hooked spacer 1 and integral notch 9 in their final position, FIG. 6(a) shows a pair of standard tiles cross-sectioned along their length to yield FIG. 6(b), which in turn yields a detail view FIG. 6(c) showing notch 9 of the right tile in the recess of integral hooked spacer 1 of the left tile. Inner surface 24 and side wall 5 are closely fitted between inner side 28 and outer side 30 of the recess, ensuring a close alignment of the two tiles with each other. However, clearance remains between notch 9 and bottom 29 of the recess. The width of grout joint 13 is defined by the width of spacer 26 and runs the perimeter of the tile except where cosmetic edges are present. Grout joint 13 provides an anchoring place for waterproofing grouts and sealants.

The dedicated edge tile is shown in top view in FIG. 7(a) with its generally planar cosmetic face 11 orientated away from the surface to which it is adhered. Only one integral hooked spacer 1 is supplied on one end wall, two integral notches 9 are supplied on the side wall, one integral notch is supplied on the other end wall, and the remaining edge provides only a cosmetic surface. FIG. 7(b) shows the underside 8 of the integral hooked spacer 1, as well as the integral notches 9.

The dedicated corner tile is shown in top view in FIG. 8(a) with its generally planar cosmetic face 12 orientated away from the surface to which it is adhered. Only one integral hooked spacer 1 is supplied on one side wall, and only one integral notch 9 is supplied in an adjacent side wall, while the remaining pair of adjacent edges provide only cosmetic surfaces. FIG. 8(b) shows the bottom view of said tile displaying the underside 8 of the hooked spacer, as well as the notch 9.

FIG. 9 shows a vestibule installation, where tiles are added right to left 16, left to right 15, and vertically 17. This is important as tile installers draw a center line 20 on the supporting wall in preparation to tiling, and tile outward in order to maintain symmetry. Grout joints 13 are maintained in a parallel and collinear fashion both horizontally and vertically owing to the self-aligning system. At inner corners, an edge tile with its cosmetic face 11 may be used, or a standard tile may be cut down accurately with a saw and the rough edge hidden in the corner. The bath 18 provides the lower limit to this installation.

The same installation view in a left isometric view as in FIG. 10 shows the installation proceeding in an inward direction 21 from the left outer edge comprised of a column of edge tiles with their cosmetic face 114 and topped with a corner tile with cosmetic face 12, the bulk of the wall being covered by standard tiles with cosmetic face 2, maintaining parallel, regularly spaced grout joints 13. A bath 18 provides the lower limit for tiling.

The same installation view in a right isometric view as in FIG. 11 shows the installation proceeding from the right outer edge with a column of edge tiles with cosmetic face 11 in an inward direction 22, the bulk of the wall being covered by standard tiles with cosmetic face 2, maintaining parallel, regularly spaced grout joints 13. A corner tile with cosmetic face 12 fills a decorative gap created by a row of edge tiles with cosmetic face 11 along the top of the installation. A bath 18 provides the lower limit for tiling. In this view and in the proceeding views 9 and 10, the edge tile can be optionally installed to straddle two adjacent standard tiles. A foreshortened edge tile would then be required next to the corner tile.

A non-integral hooked spacer is shown in FIG. 12, comprising two symmetric hooked spacers 14 of similar structure to that of hooked spacer 1 previously described, wherein central rib 19 maintains the width of the grout joint between the two tiles being assembled. The remaining features have been described in paragraph [0019]. The non-integral hooked spacer is installed using methods similar to those depicted in FIGS. 4, 5, and 6, wherein the notch of a tile is placed into one of the recesses of the non-integral spacer, or the non-integral hooked spacer is inserted and rotated into a notch. The features of the non-integral hooked spacer function in the same way as those of hooked spacer 1.

Claims

1. A self-aligning molded tile system comprising rectangular standard tiles and rectangular edge and corner tiles that assemble to each other, both on vertical and horizontal mounting surfaces, said tiles comprising:

an outward-facing cosmetic face and, for said edge and corner tiles, additionally one or more cosmetic outer edges;

in addition to said cosmetic outer edges, vertical side walls that support said cosmetic face;

at least one horizontally-oriented rectangular notch through the lower portion of one or more said side walls, starting from the bottom edge

at least one hooked spacer to be assembled with said notch on an adjacent tile and of slightly less width than that of said notch, that is located flush with the bottom of at least one side wall that does not have said notches and projecting laterally from said side wall, said hooked spacer comprising a spacer portion of generally rectangular shape attached to said side wall that is of lesser height than that of said side wall yet of greater height than that of said notch and of a lateral dimension typical for the width of grout joints between tiles and with a fillet on the upper lateral edge; followed immediately by a lateral recessed portion of lesser height than said spacer portion and of slightly greater lateral dimension than the thickness of said side wall with said notch, such that clearance with the top of said notch is ensured at all times; followed immediately by a lateral hook portion, with a generally vertical wall projecting upwards from said recess coming to an end that is generally flush with the top of said spacer portion and with an outer surface starting flush with the bottom of said recess portion and curving upward to said end.

2. The claim in claim 1, further that said hooked spacers and said notches of adjacent tiles facilitate assembly in all directions with a fixed tile also having said hooked spacers and said notches to ensure a self-aligning utility and to ensure uniform grout joints for the effective application of grout or sealant.

3. The claim in claim 1, further that said tile system includes non-rectangular tiles, and includes tiles with vertical relief, textures, and coating treatments on said cosmetic face and edges.

4. (canceled)

5. The claim in claim 1, further that said tile system includes a non-integral self-aligning component which will assemble with the notches of two adjacent tiles to remain affixed to said mounting surface, comprising a generally rectangular spacer portion in the center, of lesser height than that of said side wall of said tile yet of greater height than that of said notch, and with fillets on the upper lateral edges; followed immediately by symmetric lateral recessed portions of lesser height than that of said spacer portion and of slightly greater lateral dimension than the thickness of said side wall with said notch, such that clearance with the top of said notch is ensured at all times; followed immediately by symmetric lateral hook portions, each with a generally vertical wall projecting upwards from said recess coming to an end that is generally flush with the top of said spacer portion and with an outer surface starting flush with the bottom of said recess portion and curving upward to said end.

6. The claim in claim 1, further that said tiles include a plurality of ribs under said cosmetic face and edges that generally extend flush to the bottom of said tile.