Abstract
A tile system has been devised that includes novel, integral self-aligning and self-spacing features on the side walls of the tiles to provide uniform self-alignment continuously during installation in all directions, both on vertical and horizontal surfaces. Border and corner tiles with similar self-alignment features are shown. The self-alignment features will align the tiles in either a straight-laid or running bond (or brick) pattern. The self-alignment features define regular, parallel gaps between adjacent tiles, without the need for separate spacers, in which waterproof grout is applied. The self-alignment features have application with bonded and non-bonded tiles, driveway/walkway/deck pavers and mortared interior and exterior brick, which can be manufactured in a variety of materials and processes. This Invention pays particular attention to plastic injection molded tiles that are to be bonded to a surface and subsequently grouted.
Claims
1. A self-aligning and self-spacing tile system that includes tiles of any shape and size, including border and corner tiles, and allows said tiles to be aligned in either a straight-laid or running bond tile pattern, said tiles comprising: a cosmetic face and, for said border and corner tiles, one or more cosmetic edges; side walls around the perimeter of said cosmetic face except where said cosmetic edges are present; where said cosmetic edges are not present, at least one alignment and spacing means projecting from said side walls, said means is to be closely positioned with single or multiple similar means on the side walls of adjacent tiles to provide uniform alignment with and spacing between said sides walls; said alignment and spacing means has a top surface below said cosmetic face which projects outward to a squared or filleted front edge from which a short front face extends below to meet an inward front curvature that originates at the bottom of said side wall, said top surface projects laterally in two directions to a side edge from which an inward side curvature extends below, intersecting said inward front curvature as it extends down to the bottom of said side wall.
2. The claims as in claim 1, further in which the height of said top surface is limited by the highest point of the side wall on an adjacent tile that has been inclined and butted up prior to final installation.
3. The claims as in claim 1, further in which said inward side curvature is a sweeping curvature that ensures, when a tile is positioned or rotated into place along any axis, that the clearance with respect to the top edge, side face, and inward side curvature of the alignment features on an adjacent installed tile is limited and controlled.
4. The claims as in claim 1, further in which said inward front curvature is adequately curved to allow a tile being installed to rotate against one installed tile and correct its spacing with another installed tile.
5. A self-aligning and self-spacing tile system that includes tiles of any shape and size, including border and corner tiles, and allows said tiles to be aligned in either a straight-laid or running bond tile pattern, said tiles comprising: a cosmetic face and, for said border and corner tiles, one or more cosmetic edges; side walls around the perimeter of said cosmetic face except where said cosmetic edges are present; where said cosmetic edges are not present, at least one alignment and spacing means projecting from said side walls, said means is to be closely positioned with single or multiple similar means on the side walls of adjacent tiles to provide uniform alignment with and spacing between said sides walls; said alignment and spacing means has a top surface below said cosmetic face which projects outward to a squared or filleted front edge that meets an inward front curvature that originates at the bottom of said side wall, said top surface projects laterally in two directions to a side edge from which an inward side curvature extends below, intersecting said inward front curvature as it extends down to the bottom of said side wall.
6. The claims as in claim 5, further in which the height of said top surface is limited by the highest point of the side wall on an adjacent tile that has been inclined and butted up prior to final installation.
7. The claims as in claim 5, further in which said inward side curvature is a sweeping curvature that ensures, when a tile is positioned or rotated into place along any axis, that the clearance with respect to the top edge, side face, and inward side curvature of the alignment features on an adjacent installed tile is limited and controlled.
8. The claims as in claim 5, further in which said inward front curvature is adequately curved to allow a tile being installed to rotate against one installed tile and correct its spacing with another installed tile.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
(1) In the drawings, which illustrate embodiments of the invention:
(2) FIG. 1 is a front, side and rear view of a square tile, with detail views of the self-aligning and self-spacing feature
(3) FIG. 2 is a front and side view of a border and a corner tile
(4) FIG. 3 is a front view of a straight-laid installation of multiple square tiles, border tiles and a corner tile, with a detail view of the self-alignment features of two adjacent tiles.
(5) FIG. 4 is a front view of a running bond installation of multiple square tiles and a border tile, with detail views of the alignment features of three adjacent tiles.
(6) FIG. 5 is an isometric view of four squares tiles being laid in a straight-laid pattern, showing the 4.sup.th tile being initially aligned with the 3.sup.rd tile. A section view, along with a detail view, shows details of the contacting surfaces during the initial alignment.
(7) FIG. 6 is an isometric view of four squares tiles being laid in a straight-laid pattern, showing the 4.sup.th tile almost in its final position. A section view longitudinally through three sets of self-alignment features, further elaborated in three detail views, shows three stages of the self-alignment features laterally aligning with each other. A second section view, further elaborated by a detail view, shows how the projected profile of the self-alignment feature aids with the alignment and spacing of the tiles.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
(8) A self-aligning and self-spacing square tile in the preferred embodiment of this Invention is shown in front view in FIG. 1(a). The tile can be produced using a variety of materials and processes. Furthermore, the tile can be rectangular or other multi-sided or rounded shapes. Cosmetic face 1, which can include shapes, textures, graphics and coatings, provides the aesthetic appearance of the tile. The four side walls 2 each support three integral self-alignment features, for which the top surface 6 for each is indicated. The quantity, relative position and shape of these self-alignment features are critical to their functionality and form the basis of this Invention. For the square tiles, two self-alignment features are grouped near one end of each side wall 2 and a single self-alignment feature is positioned near the other end, the relevance of which will be more evident in subsequent views.
(9) In FIG. 1(b), the side view of the square tile shows the self-alignment features originating from the bottom edge of side wall 2. All grouted tiles should be of sufficient thickness to ensure that the grout between them has adequate depth to create a water-resistant seal. This raises an important consideration about whether it is detrimental to the grout to have the self-alignment features left between the tiles. Most tile installers will argue that the commonly used separate spacers should be removed prior to grouting. This is partly because the separate spacers can, in some cases, be almost the height of the tiles, leaving little depth for the grout. But, more importantly, they are generally molded in a plastic material that cannot be bonded using tile adhesives (and grouts), thus ensuring that they can be easily removed prior to grouting. By leaving them between the tiles, they can become dislodged over time and create weaknesses in the grout. Integral self-alignment features, on the other hand, cannot become dislodged from the tiles and are made of the same material as the tile to which the grout will adhere. Furthermore, the relative height of the self-alignment features to the height of the tile itself is such that a sufficient grout depth can be ensured.
(10) In FIG. 1(c), the rear view of the square tile shows the underside 4 of the cosmetic face 1. Ceramic tiles are typically quite thick to ensure they have sufficient strength for their relatively brittle composition. Shallow ribs are typically included on the underside of a ceramic tile to limit the thickness of the tile adhesive when the tile is pressed into position. A solid tile of uniform thickness reduces the likelihood of the solvents in the tile adhesive being trapped under the tile, which can inhibit the curing of some adhesives. A plastic tile also needs to be relatively thick to provide sufficient depth for the grout. However, thick sections in plastic molded parts are undesirable, as they increase material and processing costs and potentially contribute to cosmetic defects and warp. Thus, for a plastic tile, it is desirable to have a wall thickness under the cosmetic face 1 that is considerably less than the height of side wall 2, thus creating a hollow underside of the tile. Adhesives that readily bond to plastic, which chemically react or require a solvent (or water) to flash off prior to bonding, are suited to bonding the hollow plastic tiles. The side wall underside 3 provides a bonding surface around the entire perimeter of the tile. Ribs 5, extending from underside 4 flush to the bottom of the tile, provide support for cosmetic face 1 and additional bonding surfaces. The particular deck plate pattern shown allows for optimum support of a cut edge of the tile should a partial tile be needed for an installation. Additionally, ribs 5 are discontinuous to reduce the likelihood of causing warp in the plastic tile, yet allow the installer to slightly bend the tile when installing it on curved surfaces, something not possible with rigid ceramic tiles.
(11) In FIG. 1(d), the side view of the self-alignment feature depicted in Detail A shows that it is a projection off side wall 2, originating at the bottom of the tile. The top surface 6 is substantially below the cosmetic face 1 to allow for adequate grout coverage and it projects outward to top edge 7 which can be filleted. Front face 8 extends downward from top edge 7 to join inward front curvature 9, which originates at the bottom of the side wall 2. The two sides of the self-alignment feature consist of side face 10 and, below it, inward side curvature 11, both of which are illustrated in Detail B in FIG. 1(e). The relevance of these details is more evident in the subsequent assembly views. Having front curvature 9 and side curvature 11 extend fully up to top face 6, thereby eliminating front face 8 and side face 10, is included in the preferred embodiment of this Invention.
(12) In FIG. 2(a), a self-aligning and self-spacing border tile, of typical rectangular profile, is shown in front view. Cosmetic face 12 is supported on one longitudinal edge by side wall 2, and on the two lateral edges by end walls 15. A cosmetic edge 14 transitions cosmetic face 12 into the bottom of the tile, as shown in FIG. 2(b). Three self-alignment features are provided on side wall 2, as indicated by their top face 6, and are similarly positioned to those on the four side walls 2 of the square tile depicted in FIG. 1. On one end wall 15, one self-alignment feature is provided. And on the other end wall 15, two self-alignment features are provided. In FIG. 2(c), a self-aligning and self-spacing corner tile is shown in front view. Cosmetic face 13 is supported on two sides by end walls 15, which are of similar length as the end walls 15 on the border tile. One or two self-alignment features are provided on end walls 15, as indicated by their top face 6. Cosmetic edge 14 transitions cosmetic face 13 on two sides to the bottom edge of the tile, as shown in FIG. 2(d). The underside of both the border tile and the corner tile are of similar design as that of the square tile in FIG. 1. The geometry of the self-alignment features in FIG. 2 is identical to the geometry depicted in Details A and B of FIG. 1. The relevance of the positioning of these self-alignment features will become more evident in the subsequent assembly views.
(13) In FIG. 3, the front view of square tiles, border tiles and a corner tile installed in a straight-laid pattern is shown. The cosmetic faces of representative examples have been identified by their respective cosmetic faces, 1a and 1b, 12, and 13. The relevance of the positioning and width of the self-alignment features on the side walls and end walls of the tiles is now more evident. Two square tiles 1a and 1b are butted up against each other. In the detail view in FIG. 3(b), the single self-alignment feature, identified as its top face 6b, near one end of the side wall 2b on tile 1b, fits closely between the dual self-alignment features, identified twice as 6a, on the side wall 2a of tile 1a. For the second set of three self-alignment features between tiles 1a and 1b immediately above those in Detail C, the single self-alignment feature on tile 1a fits closely between the dual self-alignment features on tile 1b. Similarly, for the border tile 12 and the corner tile 13, the single self-alignment feature on one end wall fits closely between the dual self-alignment features of the end wall of the adjacent tile. Thus, all the tiles are perfectly aligned with each other. Having additional sets of self-alignment features on each side wall or having more than single or dual self-alignment features is part of the preferred embodiment of this Invention. With the tiles butted up against each other, the specific distance that the self-alignment features project off the side walls then limits the spacing between the tiles and controls the grout gap. This is the self-spacing aspect of this Invention. Because plastic injection molded tiles can be molded very accurately, it is possible to size the tiles, along with their self-alignment features, such that they will be uniformly positioned in a standard dimension. Thus, 6-inch tiles could be positioned exactly every 6 inches. This makes it very easy for an installer to determine exactly how many full tiles are needed and what the width of any partial tiles will be. If the installer wants a slightly larger grout gap than is provided by the projected distance of the self-alignment features, separate spacers could be used to control the grout gap while the self-alignment features still provide lateral alignment of the tiles, as long as they remain in contact with one another.
(14) In FIG. 4, the front view of square tiles and a border tile installed in a running bond (or brick) pattern is shown. Once again, the positioning and shape of the self-alignment features on the side walls of each tile play a critical role. In a running bond pattern, two sides of the tiles are aligned in the same way as those of the straight-laid pattern shown in FIG. 4 on the vertical sides of the tiles. On the horizontal sides in FIG. 4, the tiles are offset by half their width to create a running bond pattern. To clarify how the self-alignment features work for the horizontal sides, three square tiles are identified by their cosmetic faces 1a, 1b, and 1c in FIG. 4(a). In the detail view in FIG. 4(b), four self-alignment features appear nested together between tiles 1a and 1c. The dual self-alignment features, indicated twice as 6a, and the dual self-alignment features indicated twice as 6c, are integral to tiles 1a and 1c, respectively. The dual self-alignment features 6c are positioned to the left of the dual self-alignment features 6a. In FIG. 4(c), single self-alignment features 6b and 6c are integral to tiles 1b and 1c, respectively. The two self-alignment features appear next to each other between tiles 1b and 1c in the running bond pattern, with the single self-alignment feature 6c to the right of the single self-alignment feature 6b. Although it is possible to offset the dual self-alignment features 6c to the right of dual alignment features 6a, an obvious gap would appear between the single self-alignment features 6b and 6c. The effect would be an offset running bond pattern, which may appeal to some installers. The self-alignment features on the longitudinal side of the border tile, identified by its cosmetic face 12, are positioned in the same way as they appear on the square tiles to achieve the running bond pattern.
(15) In FIG. 5(a), four square tiles being laid in a straight-laid pattern are identified by their respective cosmetic faces 1a through 1d. With tile 1a installed first, tile 1b was then installed to its right and tile 1c above it. The installation process described for tile 1d is instructive as to how tiles 1b and 1c were installed with tile 1a. As would have been the case when tiles 1b and 1c were being installed with tile 1a, tile 1d is initially tilted on an angle and pushed up against the self-alignment features on tile 1c. Initially tilting tile 1d, as it is being positioned, avoids having its underside prematurely come in contact with the adhesive on the wall. In FIG. 5(b), the section view is through the self-alignment features of tiles 1c and 1d, which are shown in detail in FIG. 5(c) below it. Tile 1d slides on radius 9d as it is being pushed on an incline toward tile 1c. It comes to a stop as top edge 7c contacts side wall 2d. The projected distance of 6c, which controls the grout gap, also ensures that the tops of side walls 2c and 2d do not touch each other as tile 1d is inclined at a reasonable angle. While tile 1d is still being pushed against tile 1c, it is rotated downward into its final position in full contact with the installation surface with adhesive. (Final alignment of tile 1d with tile 1b is described separately in FIG. 6.) During this process, radius 9d slides in an angular motion against the installation surface, while side wall 2d pivots against top edge 7c. Top edge 7d rises up such that front face 8d comes in contact with side wall 2c when tile 1d is fully down. At this point, the front face 8c (not shown) would also be in contact with side wall 2d.
(16) The views within FIG. 6 focus on the final alignment of tile 1d with tile 1b from FIG. 5, just before it contacts the installation surface. The right side of tile 1d is still slightly raised. In FIG. 6(b), the section view is taken between tiles 1a and 1c and tiles 1b and 1d, such that the self-alignment features on each of the tiles are sectioned. In the detail view in FIG. 6(c), the dual self-alignment features on tile 1a are identified twice by the top surfaces 6a, and the single self-alignment feature on tile 1c is identified as 6c. The side faces 10a and 10c are closely fitted with each other to provide lateral alignment of the two tiles in their final position. In the two detail views in FIG. 6(d) and FIG. 6(e), the dual and single self-alignment features on tiles 1b and 1d are identified by their respective top surfaces 6b and 6d. In FIG. 6(d), inward side curvature 11d is shown guiding side face 10d into position next to side face 10b. In FIG. 6(e), the two inward side curvatures 11d are shown just above the two side walls 10b to highlight how inward side curvatures 11d provide both guidance and clearance with side faces 10b to ensure a close lateral fit of the self-alignment features.
(17) In FIG. 6(f), the section view is taken through tiles 1b and 1d at the self-alignment feature identified as 6d in FIG. 6(e), in order to show how tile 1d is angularly positioned with tiles 1c and 1b. The installer may not have fully pushed the top left corner of tile 1d against tile 1c, which would result in tile 1d being angularly rotated over top of tile 1b. In FIG. 6(g), the detail view shows how this is corrected. If front curvature 9d had initially been overtop side wall 2b, front curvature 9d would have contacted the corner between cosmetic face 1b and side wall 2b. As tile 1d is pushed down, front curvature 9d guides front face 8d up against side wall 2b, thereby rotating tile 1d into the correct position. While this is occurring, the self-alignment features on 1d that are adjacent to those on tile 1c are also being angularly positioned. Thus, when installed, tile 1d is both laterally and angularly locked into position with the adjacent tiles 1b and 1c. The true extent of this Invention is now defined.
