U.S. patent application number 11/133699 was filed with the patent office on 2005-11-24 for removable tile mural.
Invention is credited to Vanderpol, Sheryl.
Application Number | 20050257436 11/133699 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 35373814 |
Filed Date | 2005-11-24 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050257436 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Vanderpol, Sheryl |
November 24, 2005 |
Removable tile mural
Abstract
A removable tile mural assembly constructed in such a manner so
as to appear to be a part of, or set into, a backsplash or tiled
wall, but which is actually removable from the wall surface. The
removable tile mural assembly comprises a substantially rigid base
member to which is fixed on the front outer peripheral edge thereof
a tile frame which defines a framed surface area. A tile mural
comprising at least one tile is fixed to the front side of the base
member within the defined framed surface area. Mounting means is
provided for removably mounting the assembly to a wall surface. The
tile mural may include rope lighting and/or the tile mural may be
back-lighted.
Inventors: |
Vanderpol, Sheryl;
(Plymouth, MN) |
Correspondence
Address: |
PATENT DEPARTMENT
LARKIN, HOFFMAN, DALY & LINDGREN, LTD.
1500 WELLS FARGO PLAZA
7900 XERXES AVENUE SOUTH
BLOOMINGTON
MN
55431
US
|
Family ID: |
35373814 |
Appl. No.: |
11/133699 |
Filed: |
May 20, 2005 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
60573976 |
May 24, 2004 |
|
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Current U.S.
Class: |
52/28 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E04F 19/086 20130101;
F21S 8/02 20130101; F21V 33/006 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
052/028 |
International
Class: |
E04H 014/00 |
Claims
1. A removable tile mural assembly, comprising: a substantially
rigid base member having a front side, a back side and an outer
peripheral edge, a frame comprising at least one frame tile, said
frame tile fixed to said front side of said base member around said
outer peripheral edge of said base member thereby defining a framed
surface area; a tile mural comprising at least one mural tile, said
mural tile having an outer peripheral edge defining a mural surface
area less than said framed surface area, said mural tile fixed to
said front side of said base member within said framed surface
area; mounting means for removably mounting said assembly to a wall
surface.
2. The removable tile mural assembly of claim 1 further including
rope lighting disposed at least partially around said at least one
tile.
3. The removable tile mural assembly of claim 1 wherein at least a
portion of said base member is translucent.
4. The removable tile mural assembly of claim 3 further including
back-lighting means for back-lighting at least a portion of the
assembly.
5. The removable tile mural assembly of claim 4 wherein at least
one of said at least one mural tiles and said frame tiles is
translucent.
6. The removable tile mural assembly of claim 4 wherein said
back-lighting means comprises a lighting element disposed between a
first translucent plate and a second reflective plate.
7. The removable tile mural assembly of claim 4 wherein said
back-lighting means comprises a light fixture recessed in a wall
surface over which the assembly is removably disposed.
8. The removable tile mural assembly of claim 4 wherein said
back-lighting means comprises a light box removably secured to said
back side of said base member.
9. The removable tile mural assembly of claim 4 wherein said
back-lighting means includes a lighting element disposed behind at
least one of said at least one of said mural tiles and said frame
tiles.
10. A method of making a removable tile mural assembly, said method
comprising: providing a substantially rigid base member having a
front side, a back side and an outer peripheral edge, fixing a
frame comprising at least one frame tile to said front side of said
base member around said outer peripheral edge of said base member
thereby defining a framed surface area; providing a tile mural
comprising at least one mural tile, said tile having an outer
peripheral edge defining a mural surface area less than said framed
surface area; fixing said at least one mural tile to said front
side of said base member within said framed surface area.
11. The method of claim 10 further including providing mounting
means for removably mounting the assembly to a wall surface.
12. The method of claim 11 further including disposing rope
lighting around at least a portion of said at least one mural
tile.
13. The method of claim 11 wherein at least a portion of said base
member is translucent.
14. The method of claim 13 further including back-lighting at least
a portion of the assembly.
15. The method of claim 13 wherein at least one of said at least
one mural tiles and said frame tiles is translucent.
16. The method of claim 15 wherein said step of back lighting at
least a portion of the assembly includes disposing a lighting
element between a first translucent plate and a second reflective
plate.
17. The method of claim 15 wherein said step of back lighting at
least a portion of the assembly includes disposing a recessed light
fixture in said wall surface over which the assembly is removably
disposed.
18. The method of claim 15 wherein said step of back lighting at
least a portion of the assembly includes removably securing a light
box to said back side of said base member.
19. The method of claim 15 wherein said step of backlighting at
least a portion of the assembly includes disposing a lighting
element behind at least one of said at least one of said mural
tiles and said frame tiles.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. .sctn.
119(e) of earlier filed provisional application Ser. No. 60/573,976
filed May 24, 2004 entitled "Removable Tile Mural" which is
incorporated herein in its entirety by reference, including any
appendices or other attachments filed therewith.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Tile murals in kitchen backsplashes is becoming increasingly
popular among homeowners. These tile murals may comprise artwork
painted onto the tile or the artwork may be fired into the tile
itself. Alternatively, rather than painted artwork, the tile murals
may simply be a design or shape comprising various colored tiles
arranged in a unique artistic pattern.
[0003] The cost of custom tile murals can be considerable.
Unfortunately, when homeowners desire to remodel their kitchens,
these costly custom murals may be damaged or destroyed, sometimes
accidentally, but often intentionally because the mural has become
outdated or no longer fits in with the new, remodeled kitchen
design. Additionally, some murals are seasonal and homeowners may
desire to change the mural to reflect the present season. The
ability to change-out one seasonal tile mural for another is not
practical if the tiled mural is constructed in the conventional
manner by being grouted or otherwise bonded or adhered to the wall
surface.
[0004] Accordingly, there is a need for an invention that will
allow homeowners to remove or change-out tile murals on their walls
as desired, whether seasonally, or during a remodel or design
change, or when the homeowner moves.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] The present invention is a removable tile mural assembly
that is constructed in such a manner so as to appear to be a part
of, or set into, a backsplash or tiled wall, but which is actually
removable from the wall surface. The removable tile mural assembly
comprises a substantially rigid base member to which is fixed on
the front outer peripheral edge thereof a tile frame, which thereby
defines a framed surface area. A tile mural comprising at least one
tile is fixed to the front side of the base member within the
defined framed surface area. Mounting means is provided for
removably mounting the assembly to a wall surface. The tile mural
may include rope lighting and/or the tile mural may be
back-lighted.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0006] FIG. 1 is an elevation view showing one embodiment of the
present invention mounted to a wall surface.
[0007] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the invention of FIG. 1
as viewed along lines 2-2 of FIG. 1.
[0008] FIG. 3 is an elevation view showing another embodiment of
the present invention incorporating rope lighting as part of the
mural.
[0009] FIG. 4 is a detailed cross-sectional view of another
embodiment of the present invention in which a lighting element is
disposed between two plates comprising the base member to achieve a
back-lighted effect for the assembly.
[0010] FIG. 5 is a side elevation view showing yet another
embodiment of the present invention incorporating a recessed light
fixture disposed in a wall behind the assembly to achieve a
back-lighted effect for the assembly.
[0011] FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of yet another
embodiment of the present invention incorporating a light box to
achieve a back-lighted effect for the assembly.
[0012] FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of yet another embodiment
of the present invention incorporating a lighting element to
back-light at least a portion of the frame and at least a portion
of the mural.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0013] A preferred embodiment of the assembly 10 comprising the
present invention is illustrated in FIG. 1. The assembly 10
includes a tiled mural 12 bordered by a tiled frame 16 fixed to a
base member 18. The assembly 10 is removably mountable to a wall
14, such as, for example, a ceramic tiled backsplash of a kitchen
as depicted in FIG. 1. The assembly 10, may be any desired size and
shape and the tiled mural 12 may comprise multiple tiles or a
single tile. In the embodiment of the invention depicted in FIG. 1,
the tiled mural 12 comprises six tiles. Around the per meter of the
tiled mural 12 is the frame 16 which may be comprised of any
desired type of border tile. Preferably, the frame 16 is
constructed using V-cap tiles for the reasons discussed in detail
later.
[0014] The tiles comprising the tiled mural 12 and the frame 16 may
be of any suitable or desired material, including, without
limitation, ceramic, marble, clay, glass, plastic, concrete,
plaster, wood, metal and composite materials or any combination of
any of the foregoing materials. Apart from artistic or design
considerations, other factors may effect the suitability of the
materials used for the tiles, including, the particular location
where the assembly 10 is to be located (i.e., humid or wet
environments, exposure to high heat, etc.). Further, depending on
the materials, the tiles comprising the mural and/or frame may be
translucent, transparent, or opaque or have any combination of
these characteristics. The tiles comprising the mural and/or frame
may also include artwork painted onto the tile or the artwork may
be fired into the tiles or the artwork may be sublimated onto the
tiles. Rather than applied artwork, the tiled mural 12 may simply
be a design or shape comprising an arrangement of colored tiles or
tiles of different textures or materials or characteristics
arranged in a unique artistic pattern or design.
[0015] Referring now to FIG. 2, which is a cross-sectional view of
the assembly 10 as viewed along lines 2-2 of FIG. 1, in the
preferred embodiment, the assembly 10 comprises a base member 18
that is sufficiently rigid to support the tiled mural 12 but is
also preferably light weight to minimize the overall weight of the
assembly 10. In addition to weight considerations, other factors
that should be considered when selecting a suitable base member 18
including, the type material used for the tiles, the particular
location where the assembly 10 is to be located (i.e., humid or wet
environments, exposure to high heat, etc.) and other potential uses
for the assembly 10 when not disposed on the wall (i.e., use as a
serving tray, etc.). Accordingly, with the foregoing factors taken
into consideration, suitable material for the base member 18 may
include, without limitation, Plexiglas.RTM., wood, steel, aluminum,
plastic, fiber board, and cement board. Hardiboard.RTM. cement
board has been found to be a suitable base member 18 for most
applications.
[0016] The base member 18, includes a front surface 20 and a back
surface 22 and an outer peripheral edge 24. The dimensions of the
outer peripheral edge 24 of the base member 18 are preferably
larger than the outside dimensions of the completed tiled mural 12
such that sufficient surface area projects beyond the outside edge
of the tiled mural 12 to receive the frame tiles 16. The tiles
comprising the mural 12 are positioned onto and fixed to the front
surface 20 of the base member 18 by a suitable bonding material,
such as an adhesive, grout, mortar, etc. The tiles comprising the
frame 16 are also cut and positioned around the perimeter of the
tiled mural 12 and fixed in like manner to the front surface 20 of
the base member 18. It should be appreciated that the material and
manner used to fix the mural tiles and frame tiles to the front
surface 20 of the base member 18 may depend on the material used
for the tiles, the base member 18, the desired appearance (i.e.,
whether the mural and/or frame is to be back lighted as discussed
later), the anticipated environmental conditions for the assembly
10 when mounted on the wall and expected uses for the assembly as
previously identified.
[0017] As previously identified, the preferred border tiles for the
frame 16 are V-cap tiles, the general cross-section of which is
illustrated in FIG. 2. As shown, the V-cap tile includes a lip or
rim 30 that projects below the bottom surface 32 of the border tile
that is adhered to the front surface 20 of the base member 18. As
illustrated in FIG. 2, the rim 30 preferably covers the outer
peripheral edge 24 of the base member 18 thereby providing a more
finished appearance to the assembly 10 and providing the illusion
that the entire assembly 10 is part of the actual tiled backsplash
or other wall surface 14.
[0018] In the preferred embodiment, the assembly 10 is removably
mounted on the wall surface 14 by a hook-and-loop fastener
connection 34, commonly known as Velcro.RTM.. Preferably secured on
the back side 24 and around the perimeter of the base member 18 is
a strip of felt 36 or the loop-side of the hook-and-loop fastener.
Secured to the wall surface 14 are mating strips 38 of the
hook-side of the hook-and-loop fastener connection 34. Those
skilled in the art will recognize that the greater the weight of
the assembly 10, the more surface area will be required for the
hook-and-loop fasteners to securely support the assembly 10. It has
been determined that two inch wide strips of industrial strength
Velcro.RTM. around the outer periphery and in the middle of the
base member 18 will support a 16.times.22 ceramic tiled mural. It
should be appreciated that by placing the felt or loop-side 36 of
the Velcro.RTM. on the back side 24 of the base member 18, the felt
36 prevents scratching of surfaces when the assembly 10 is removed
from the wall surface 14, thereby allowing the assembly 10 to also
function as a serving tray or the like.
[0019] Rather than using Velcro.RTM., magnet strips may also be
used to secure the assembly 10 to the wall surface 14. In which
event, the base member 18 may be made of steel or other
magnetizable material to which magnets will magnetically bond or
attach. Alternatively, the strip magnets may be adhered to the base
member and the wall surface 14 may be steel or other material to
which magnets will magnetically attach. In yet another alternative
embodiment, the assembly 10 may simply be secured to the wall by
hooks, brackets, anchors, or any other conventional or well known
means of removably mounting an assembly to a wall surface.
[0020] Accordingly, it should be appreciated that the invention 10
allows homeowners to remove or change-out tile murals on their
walls as desired, whether seasonally, or during a remodel or design
change, or when the homeowner moves.
[0021] The assembly 10 may also incorporate a lighting
element--whether for better viewing of the mural 12 or as part of
the design or artwork comprising the mural 12. For example, in an
embodiment of the invention 10 as illustrated in FIG. 3, rope
lighting 40 such as, for example, miniature incandescent rope
lights or fluorescent rope lights, or light emitting diode (LED)
rope lights and/or "glow sticks" which utilize chemiluminescence,
may be incorporated into the mural 12 around its border and/or
disposed along the seems or grout lines between adjacent individual
tiles comprising the mural 12. Where electrical power is required
for the rope lighting 40, such as, for example, with miniature
incandescent rope lights, fluorescent rope lights or LED rope
lights, an electrical outlet 42 may be disposed behind or in
proximity to the assembly 10 for receiving the rope light's
electrical plug end 44. To improve the aesthetic appearance of the
assembly 10 with the rope light 40, the electrical plug end 44
preferably extends from the back side of the assembly through an
opening (not shown) in the base member 18. If the electrical outlet
42 is not disposed behind the assembly, a small notch (not shown)
may be required in the edge of one of the frame tiles to allow the
power cord 44 to pass through such that the assembly remains flat
against the wall.
[0022] In another alternative embodiment, as illustrated in FIG. 4,
a lighting member 50, such as a rope lighting, or the like, as
previously described, may be placed between a first plate 52,
preferably a transparent or translucent plastic or Plexiglas
diffuser plate, and second plate 54, preferably having a reflective
surface, such as, for example a mirrored glass plate. In this
example, the first and second plates 52, 54, which together
comprise the base member 18, are preferably removably connected, so
that the plates 52, 54 may be separated to permit access for
replacing or exchange the lighting member 50 if the lighting member
burns out, is damaged, or if a different colored lighting is
desired, for example. It should be appreciated that with this
embodiment, a thicker v-cap tile for the frame 16 may be required
to accommodate the increased depth of the base member 18 that may
required by this embodiment. The tiles comprising the mural 12
and/or the frame 16 may be opaque such that the back-light is only
visible between spaced adjacent tiles. Alternatively, and/or in
addition, the mural 12 and/or frame 16 may incorporate translucent
and/or transparent tiles or tile portions alone or in combination
with opaque tiles or opaque tile portions whereby the back-light is
visible through all the translucent and/or transparent portions of
the mural 12 and/or frame 16.
[0023] In still another alternative embodiment, as illustrated in
FIG. 5, the mural 12 and/or frame may be back-lighted, much like a
light box used by artists for tracing. In this embodiment, a
conventional recessed incandescent light fixture 60 is mounted in
the wall 14 in a conventional manner in a predetermined area over
which the assembly 10 is desired to be placed. In the preferred
embodiment the base member 18 is translucent such that it acts as a
diffuser of the light from the incandescent lamp 62 of the recessed
light 60, thereby providing more uniform lighting over the entire
surface area of the base member 18. As in the embodiment of FIG. 4,
the tiles comprising the mural 12 and/or frame 16 may be opaque
such that the back-light is only visible between spaced adjacent
tiles. Alternatively, and/or in addition, the mural 12 and/or frame
16 may incorporate translucent and/or transparent tiles or tile
portions alone or in combination with opaque tiles or opaque tile
portions whereby the back-light is visible through all the
translucent and/or transparent portions of the mural 12 and/or
frame.
[0024] In still yet another alternative back-lighted embodiment,
FIG. 6 illustrates an embodiment where the assembly 10 is disposed
over a shallow light-box 70 such as the type contemplated in U.S.
Pat. No. 5,899,012 issued to Crum, which is incorporated herein in
its entirety by reference. In the preferred embodiment, the shallow
light-box 70 includes a lamp 72, such as a florescent tube lamp, a
socket 74 for receiving the lamp 72 and any other necessary
electrical components for proper operation and compliance with
electrical codes, such as, for example, a ballast 76 for the
florescent lamp. The back surface 78 of the light box 70 is
preferably reflective as is common in light boxes to provide a more
uniform light over the entirety of the surface area of the diffuser
plate 80, which, in this embodiment is also the base member 18 of
the assembly 10. As with the previous back-lighted embodiments of
FIGS. 4-5, the tiles comprising the mural 12 and/or frame 16 may be
opaque such that the back-light is only visible between spaced
adjacent tiles. Alternatively, and/or in addition, the mural 12
and/or frame 16 may incorporate translucent and/or transparent
tiles or tile portions alone or in combination with opaque tiles or
opaque tile portions whereby the back-light is visible through all
the translucent and/or transparent portions of the mural 12 and/or
frame 16. Again, a thicker v-cap tile for the frame 16 may be
required to accommodate the increased depth of the assembly 10 in
order to cover the edges of the light box 70 if desired.
[0025] In yet still another embodiment as illustrated in FIG. 7, if
it is desired to back light only the tiles comprising the frame 16,
a lighting element 50, such as a rope light, may be disposed under
the border tiles comprising the frame 16. It should also be
appreciated that, apertures 80 may be provided through the base
member 18 to receive a lamp 82 so as to backlight only those areas
of the mural or to provide brighter backlighted areas of the mural
12 than other areas of the mural 12.
[0026] Although only certain exemplary embodiments of the invention
have been described in detail above, those skilled in the art will
readily appreciate that many modifications are possible without
materially departing from the novel teachings and advantages of
this invention. Accordingly, all such modifications are intended to
be included within the scope of this invention.
* * * * *