FIBER ENFORCED THIN BRICK SHEET AND PROCESS

Abstract

A fiber enforced sheet for use as a wall or floor covering which comprises of adhered thin bricks bonded to a fiber-reinforced, backing layer. Thin brick is adhered to the fiber enforced sheet. The fiber enforced backing increases strength and rigidity to the thin brick during handling, and installation permits the thin bricks to be adhered to proper specification and spacing to be cut using ordinary tile or thin brick tools.

Claims

1. A fiber enforced thin brick sheet comprising: an anti-adhesive layer; a fiber-reinforced backing layer, wherein the fiber-reinforced backing layer is flexible and substantially non-stretchable, and wherein the anti-adhesive layer is removably positioned on a back side of the fiber-reinforced backing layer to inhibit adhering of the fiber enforced thin brick sheet to an external surface; a thin brick layer comprising, a plurality of thin bricks positioned in a staggered orientation with a fixed horizontal spacing between each of the plurality of thin bricks, wherein the staggered orientation comprises. a first row of thin bricks aligned with a first edge and a second edge of the fiber-reinforced backing layer, the second edge opposite the first edge; and a second row of thin bricks underneath the first row of thin bricks, the second row of thin bricks laterally staggered relative to the first row of thin bricks; and an adhesive layer adhering the plurality of thin bricks to the fiber-reinforced backing layer.

2. The fiber enforced thin brick sheet of claim 1, wherein the plurality of thin bricks comprises of multiple types of bricks, including at least one of clay brick, cast brick, or wire cut brick.

3. The fiber enforced thin brick sheet of claim 1, wherein the a staggered orientation comprises at least one of a running bond, stack bond, or English bond orientation.

4. The fiber enforced thin brick sheet of claim 1, wherein the fiber-reinforced backing layer is a fiber-reinforced sheet.

5. The fiber enforced thin brick sheet of claim 4, wherein the adhesive layer comprises at least one of bonding adhesive, epoxy adhesive, and silicone adhesive.

6. The fiber enforced thin brick sheet of claim 4, wherein the fiber-reinforced sheet comprises of at least one of graphite fibers, aramid fibers, carbon fibers, and fiberglass fibers.

7. The fiber enforced thin brick sheet of claim 6, wherein the fiber-reinforced sheet is woven into a grid.

8. The fiber enforced thin brick sheet of claim 1 wherein the fiber-reinforced backing layer is poly fiber.

9. The fiber enforced thin brick sheet of claim 1, wherein the fiber-reinforced backing layer comprises spun bonded glass filaments. 10-29. (canceled)

30. The fiber enforced thin brick sheet of claim 1, wherein the plurality of thin bricks are rectangular, and wherein the fiber-reinforced backing layer is rectangular.

31-41. (canceled)

42. The fiber enforced thin brick sheet of claim 1, wherein a first brick of the second row of thin bricks overhangs the second edge of the fiber-reinforced backing layer.

43. The fiber enforced thin brick sheet of claim 42, wherein the first edge of the fiber-reinforced backing layer extends beyond the second row of thin bricks defining a vacant area configured to receive a thin brick of another fiber enforced thin brick sheet.

44. The fiber enforced thin brick sheet of claim 43, wherein the fiber-reinforced backing layer extends beyond the second row of thin bricks a distance equal to a distance the first brick overhangs the second edge of the fiber-reinforced backing layer.

45. The fiber enforced thin brick sheet of claim 1, wherein the adhesive layer comprises a first strip of adhesive adhering the first row of thin bricks to the fiber-reinforced backing layer, and a second strip of adhesive adhering the second row of thin bricks to the fiber-reinforced backing layer.

46. The fiber enforced thin brick sheet of claim 1, wherein the fiber-reinforced backing layer comprises a first portion and a second portion, the second portion angled approximately orthogonal to the first portion, and wherein the second row of thin bricks is aligned with the second edge of the fiber-reinforced backing layer.

47. The fiber enforced thin brick sheet of claim 46, wherein the first row of thin bricks comprises a first thin brick on the first portion of the fiber-reinforced backing layer and a second thin brick on the second portion of the fiber-reinforced backing layer, the second thin brick comprising a length less than a length of the first thin brick.

48. The fiber enforced thin brick sheet of claim 47, wherein the first edge of the fiber-reinforced backing layer extends beyond the second row of thin bricks defining a vacant area configured to receive a thin brick of another fiber enforced thin brick sheet.

49. The fiber enforced thin brick sheet of claim 48, wherein the second row of thin bricks comprises a first thin brick on the first portion of the fiber-reinforced backing layer and a second thin brick on the second portion of the fiber-reinforced backing layer, the first thin brick comprising a length less than a length of the second thin brick, the vacant area of the fiber-reinforced backing layer defined between the first thin brick and the first edge of the fiber-reinforced backing layer.

50. A system of thin brick sheets comprising: a first thin brick sheet comprising a first fiber-reinforced backing layer and a first plurality of thin bricks adhered to the first fiber-reinforced backing layer using a first adhesive layer, wherein the plurality of thin bricks are positioned in a staggered configuration; and a second thin brick sheet comprising a second fiber-reinforced backing layer and a second plurality of thin bricks adhered to the second backing layer using a second adhesive layer; wherein at least one thin brick of the first plurality of bricks of the first thin brick sheet overhangs the first fiber-reinforced backing layer, the at least one thin brick overhanging the first fiber-reinforced backing layer configured to extend onto the second fiber-reinforced backing layer of the second thin brick sheet.

51. The system of claim 50, wherein the second plurality of thin bricks are positioned in a staggered configuration substantially identical to the staggered configuration of the first plurality of thin bricks, and wherein the second fiber-reinforced backing layer extends beyond at least one thin brick of the second plurality of thin bricks defining a vacant area of the second fiber-reinforced backing layer, the at least one thin brick of the first fiber-reinforced backing layer overhanging the first fiber-reinforced backing layer and configured to extend into the vacant area of the second fiber-reinforced backing layer.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015] FIG. 1 Is a cross-sectional view of fiber enforced thin brick sheets of the said invention.

[0016] FIG. 2 Cut thru order of fiber enforced thin brick process.

[0017] FIG. 3 Is a cross-sectional view of corner thin brick using fiber enforced thin brick sheets in the process of the said invention.

[0018] FIG. 4 View of an example layout of the corner thin brick sheets of said invention showing application arrangement and edges of such a sheet.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0019] The invention will best be understood by referring to the drawings.

[0020] FIG. 1 shows a portion of a thin brick sheet in cross section. Individual thin brick elements (5) are supported by adhesive (6) on a fiber-reinforced backing layer (7). Anti-adhesive paper on back of thin brick sheets for separation and adhesive release (8).

[0021] FIG. 2 schematically illustrates a cut thru fabricated thin brick sheets. Thin layer of anti-adhesive paper to prevent bonding of the backing layer adhesive (9). Reinforcing fabric (10) for the backing layer. Adhesive at a high temperature is then impregnated or applied to either brick or fiber-reinforced backing layer (11). Individual thin brick elements (12).

[0022] FIG. 3 schematically illustrates corner thin brick sheets. Thin layer of anti-adhesive paper to prevent bonding of the backing layer adhesive that is curved in the same position of a typical thin brick corner (13). Reinforced fabric sheet that is curved in the same position of a typical thin brick corner (14). Adhesive at a high temperature is then impregnated or applied to either corner brick or fiber-reinforced backing layer (15). Thin corner brick positioner (16) helps in the proper spacing and alignment process.

[0023] FIG. 4 shows in detail the layout of an optional embodiment of the thin brick sheets and corner sheets of the present invention. Corner sheets are typically applied first (17) were brick are placed opposite of each other. The thin bricks are staggered in typical brick patterns (18) and fiber-reinforced backing layer extends beyond the thin brick elements on one edge of the sheet (19), while on the opposite edge the thin brick elements overhang the fiber-reinforced backing layer by an equal distance (20). This permits abutting thin brick sheets to be joined together in such a way that the joint between bricks are the proper space to adjacent thin brick sheets.

SUMMARY

[0024] Alternatively, the sheets of the present invention may be manufactured individually in multiple sizes. Thin bricks are placed face down or face up within the confines of a frame designed to hold the loose thin bricks in a rectangular array. Gaps are left between the edges of adjacent thin bricks to permit the subsequent insertion of grout as is well known in the art.

[0025] Reinforcing fabric for the backing layer is then placed over the exposed rear surfaces of the thin brick elements in the array. A adhesive is then applied to the fabric first or brick first, saturating it and extending through it to contact the thin bricks or sheets. As the adhesive cures it bonds the backing layer to the thin bricks. This process may be accelerated by the application of heat to raise the temperature of the adhesive/catalyst mixture thereby increasing its cure rate.

[0026] When the adhesive of the backing layer has substantially cured, the backing layer with the thin brick elements bonded to it is inverted, exposing the front face of the thin brick elements. Grout or mortar other suitable or alike material is applied to the spaces between the thin bricks.

[0027] In use, the thin brick sheets are mounted to conventional floor or wall surfaces using construction adhesives of the type previously mentioned.

[0028] While one specific embodiment of the invention has been disclosed herein, it should be understood that this disclosure is made by way of illustration rather than limitation. Numerous changes may be made by those skilled in the art, particularly with reference to the dimensions, materials and configuration disclosed herein. Changes of this nature would not depart from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.