U.S. patent application number 10/431934 was filed with the patent office on 2004-11-11 for decorative tile with graphic design pattern hollow.
Invention is credited to Winberry, Richard Edward.
Application Number | 20040221530 10/431934 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 33416578 |
Filed Date | 2004-11-11 |
United States Patent
Application |
20040221530 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Winberry, Richard Edward |
November 11, 2004 |
Decorative tile with graphic design pattern hollow
Abstract
Decorative design hollows in tiles composed of two affixed
layers, a faceplate with a graphic design pattern hallow and solid
backing plate. Layers are assembled with adhesive flexible to
minimize stress due to substrate flex and temperature changes.
Added bonding strength is provided by the mounting cement flowing
through chamfered holes in backing plate creating a dove tail type
bond. Hollow is filled upon tile installation with grout of similar
color as abutting tiles or a contrasting colored grout for unique
effects giving the end user unlimited graphic design and color
scheme opportunities. The decorative tile is installed using common
practice techniques as used with abutting non-decorative design
tiles, i.e. cement and grout.
Inventors: |
Winberry, Richard Edward;
(La Habra Heights, CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
RICHARD WINBERRY
195 ARO VISTA CIRCLE
BREA
CA
92821
US
|
Family ID: |
33416578 |
Appl. No.: |
10/431934 |
Filed: |
May 8, 2003 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
52/311.1 ;
52/311.3 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B44F 3/00 20130101; B44C
5/0446 20130101; E04F 13/0871 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
052/311.1 ;
052/311.3 |
International
Class: |
E04F 015/00 |
Claims
1. Decorative tile with graphic design pattern hollow comprising:
a) a graphic design pattern, and b) a graphic design pattern hollow
within the faceplate perimeter, c) whereby the graphic design
hollow may be filled with grout and become a substantial component
of the graphic design, and d) a backing plate affixed to faceplate,
or e) mounted studs affixed to faceplate.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] Not Applicable
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH
[0002] Not Applicable
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] This invention pertains to tile designs in general, and more
particularly to a method of utilizing a tile with a graphic design
pattern hollow to be grout filled as an integral component of said
design. Tiles have been used to produce graphic designs and art
forms for long periods of time. Mosaic designs are made from a
collection of stones and tiles laid out into a graphic pattern and
held together by means of cement and grout. Steel tiles are
normally of an embossed design repeated across the tile face or an
embossed design embedded into a solid thin steel sheet which is
then adhered to a backing plate. Tiles of these design are
manufactured by mass production techniques so that they may be
purchased inexpensively for everyday use. Tiles of these design are
initially positioned into a wet cement or grout. After placement
additional cement or grout is then placed over the entire tile
surface and forced into the open areas and spaces of said abutting
tiles. The surface is then wiped and excess cement and grout
removed from the tile front surfaces allowing the tile face to
extend beyond the cement or grout coating, leaving the remaining
cement or grout to secure the entire tile in place. The grout
material being used to facilitate holding tiles permanently in
place. Current tiles commercially available to the end user have
limited said end users to designs set forth by various tile
manufacturers who have created embossing and cast mold tools to
reduce production costs. Grout used for tile installations, while
now available in a variety of colors is used only to fill abutting
spaces between the tiles in the installation and finishing
processes. Thus the individual stones and individual tile pieces
create the graphic design. Graphic designs of these type require
additional skills for installation and the use of complicated
patterns for the multi-piece construction of such. Users are
limited to commercially available stone sizes and colors or have
must incur additional expense to have special sizes cut. Intricate
designs with fine detail are not easily achieved as the stones and
tiles can not be readily formed to match such intricate shapes.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0004] In accordance with the invention, a tile with a graphic
design pattern hollow(s) cutout whereby the graphic design
hollow(s) is filled with grout and the grout becomes a substantial
component of the graphic design. The graphic design pattern being a
single or plurality of hollows cutout of the tile allowing the tile
to remain intact as a single structure.
[0005] Accordingly, several objects and advantages of my invention
are;
[0006] a) use of unlimited designs from simple shapes to the most
intricate including old and new art from a variety of sources
readily available to the public including but not limited to; clip
art, photographs, sketches and the like,
[0007] b) use of many off the shelf colored grout materials
allowing for color matching and contrasting, with both the setting
decor and surrounding grout material used for non-decorative tile
installations,
[0008] c) intricate graphic designs in a single piece tile allowing
the most novice tile setter and do it yourself home owner the
opportunity to incorporate unique designs into any tile
installation with the end result looking completely
professional,
[0009] d) sizes and shapes are limited only by the designers
imagination as the manufacturing process, laser cutting and water
jet cutting are capable of the most intricate of designs and are
not limited to predetermined sizes or shapes and require no
expensive hard tooling to be cost effective to the consumer.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0010] FIG. 1 is a drawing 8 sample for demonstration purposes of
this invention showing a star shaped graphic design pattern 9.
[0011] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a tile faceplate 10, a
plurality of graphic design hollows 12 and a tile face plate
thickness 11.
[0012] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a tile backing plate 14, a
plurality of chamfered holes 16 and a tile backing plate thickness
15.
[0013] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an assembled decorative tile
20, tile faceplate 10 affixed to backing plate 14, a plurality of
hollow floors 18 and assembled decorative tile thickness 21.
[0014] FIG. 5 is a side view of the tile faceplate 10 and plurality
of affixed studs 30.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0015] The process for manufacturing a decorative tile in
accordance with the invention starts with the selection of a design
to be produced within the decorative tile piece. This design can be
a pre-existing design in any form, i.e. drawing, clip art,
photograph or newly created design. Such as drawing 8 of a star
graphic design pattern 9 illustrated in FIG. 1. The design,
pre-existing or new can be scaled to any size however practical
purposes of common tiles are in the 4" square through 12" square
range being the most common. Decorative tile shapes can be of any
outside configuration, however square tends to be the norm. The
main embodiment of my invention is a tile faceplate 10 as
illustrated in FIG. 2. Upon selecting said star graphic design
pattern 9, a computer generated path program for laser or water jet
cutting is completed creating a single or plurality of hollows 12
which are checked to be certain that all said hollows 12 are nested
within said tile faceplate 10 perimeter and that all said hollows
12, when removed from tile faceplate 10 leave the tile faceplate 10
intact as a single structure. A tile faceplate thickness 11 is to
be of sufficient thickness to ensure an ample surface for bonding
of grout when so filled at time of installation. Tile faceplate 10
is to be of sufficient strength to remain structurally rigid
following the removal of hollows 12. The tile faceplate 10
substrate must be compatible with tile setting cements and must be
adaptable to tile installation environments including wet areas
such as kitchen and bathroom applications. Such substrates would
include but not be limited to; ceramic and porcelain tiles and
stainless steel sheet of sufficient rust resistance performance as
deemed necessary for each particular installation.
[0016] Another embodiment of my invention is to affix a backing
plate 14 as shown in FIG. 3 to the faceplate 10 as shown in FIG. 4.
Said backing plate 14 contains a plurality of chamfered holes 16 to
allow mounting cement to fill the holes 16 and provide a dove tail
like bond to the bonding material through each filled hole 16. Said
backing plate offers other advantages for ease of installation for
the novice as well as the professional tile setter. The backing
plate 14 is affixed to the faceplate 10 using an adhesive flexible
enough to allow for a difference in the coefficients of contraction
and expansion between the two mating substrates. This will lessen
the chance of loosening following final installation. The backing
plate 14 thickness 15 is to be of sufficient thickness 15 that a
combination of the backing plate 14 thickness 15 and tile faceplate
10 thickness 11 equals an assembled tile 20 thickness 21 as shown
in FIG. 4 as closely as possible to the tile thickness of other
tiles used in the tile installation, be they decorative tiles or
non. Another feature of backing plate 14 is when affixed to tile
faceplate 10, as shown in FIG. 4, the backing plate 14 creates a
uniform floor(s) 18 to each hollow(s) 12 of the tile faceplate 10.
Said floor(s) 18 enable a much easier application of the fill grout
material during the installation process. This is the preferred
method of installation and the easiest to perform.
[0017] Another embodiment of my invention is to weld a plurality of
studs 30 onto the back of the tile face plate 10 as shown in FIG.
5. This alternative method is normally in lieu of using backing
plate 14 but could be combined with the backing plate 14 at an
additional cost which may not be appropriate for common uses. Said
studs 30 are of sufficient length that when combined with faceplate
10 thickness 11 the total length equals as closely as possible the
tile thickness of other tiles used within the tile installation be
they decorative tiles or non. Studs 30 are welded onto steel
substrates and glued with appropriate adhesive to non-steel
substrates.
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