CA1222148A - Tiles - Google Patents
TilesInfo
- Publication number
- CA1222148A CA1222148A CA000452456A CA452456A CA1222148A CA 1222148 A CA1222148 A CA 1222148A CA 000452456 A CA000452456 A CA 000452456A CA 452456 A CA452456 A CA 452456A CA 1222148 A CA1222148 A CA 1222148A
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- tile
- face
- tiles
- edge
- protuberances
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired
Links
Landscapes
- Finishing Walls (AREA)
- Floor Finish (AREA)
Abstract
TILES
ABSTRACT
(Fig. 2) A ceramic tile (10) has an all eight edges a curved decorative surface (12) whose depth is less than the thickness. This enables the tiles (10) to be used as boundary tiles at the periphery of a tiled area and as outside corner tiles and as skirting tiles as well as being normal tiles.
The tile has a patterned rear face which can serve either as a key to a wall when a wall is to be tiled or as an upwardly facing grip tile for use, for example as flooring in a swimming bath or like situation.
ABSTRACT
(Fig. 2) A ceramic tile (10) has an all eight edges a curved decorative surface (12) whose depth is less than the thickness. This enables the tiles (10) to be used as boundary tiles at the periphery of a tiled area and as outside corner tiles and as skirting tiles as well as being normal tiles.
The tile has a patterned rear face which can serve either as a key to a wall when a wall is to be tiled or as an upwardly facing grip tile for use, for example as flooring in a swimming bath or like situation.
Description
~2Zi48 TILES
This invention relates to tiles for use as a floor or wall covering.
Conventionally ceramic tiles are manufactured in the form of a sheet, usually rectangular, having 5.a decorative surface on one face and a keying surface on the other face, the edges being plain or provided with spacing lugs or the like. When an area of tiling finishes at an edge on a wall or floor, it is conven-tional to provide "edging tiles" which have a pencilled lO.round or similarly treated edge to form an edge line of safe and pleasing appearance. For use at corners of a tiled area, corner tiles having two such edges have to be provided. This means, of course, that a tile manufacturer must maintain an expensive mould for l5.making each of these two "special" tiles which are only used in small quantities.
A further similar disadvantage relates to floor tiles, particularly tiles used for floors in industrial, commercial or recreational settings such as factories, 20.kitchens and swimming pools and the like. It is con-ventional to provide in connection with such tiles an upstanding tile skirting along the base of adjoining wa~ls and with conventional tiles three different sorts of tile5 are required: a tile having treated upper edge 25. for presenting a pleasing appearance; an inside corner tile; and an outside corner tile. Again, such tiles ~`
~;~2~1~8 r
This invention relates to tiles for use as a floor or wall covering.
Conventionally ceramic tiles are manufactured in the form of a sheet, usually rectangular, having 5.a decorative surface on one face and a keying surface on the other face, the edges being plain or provided with spacing lugs or the like. When an area of tiling finishes at an edge on a wall or floor, it is conven-tional to provide "edging tiles" which have a pencilled lO.round or similarly treated edge to form an edge line of safe and pleasing appearance. For use at corners of a tiled area, corner tiles having two such edges have to be provided. This means, of course, that a tile manufacturer must maintain an expensive mould for l5.making each of these two "special" tiles which are only used in small quantities.
A further similar disadvantage relates to floor tiles, particularly tiles used for floors in industrial, commercial or recreational settings such as factories, 20.kitchens and swimming pools and the like. It is con-ventional to provide in connection with such tiles an upstanding tile skirting along the base of adjoining wa~ls and with conventional tiles three different sorts of tile5 are required: a tile having treated upper edge 25. for presenting a pleasing appearance; an inside corner tile; and an outside corner tile. Again, such tiles ~`
~;~2~1~8 r
- 2 -are used in only small numbers but the manufacturer must purchase, store and maintain extra expensive moulds which are little used.
A further similar disadvantage relates to the - 5. provision of slip-resistant tiles, that is to say, tiles having a pattern of protuberances on their one face to give grip~ Such tiles are particularly used for swimming baths. Here, if matching tiles are to be laid on a floor and a wall two moulds are necessary, 10. one to produce a floor tile having a grip-giving surface on its one face and one to produce a wall tile having a smooth or shaped one face and a keying surface on its other, rear, face to enable it to be securely affixed to a wall.
15. Accordingly, the invention provides a ceramic tile for a wall or floor having a decoratively shaped surface on each of its "show" edges capable of forming a part of an edge line of pleasant appearance at an edge of a tiled area and of forming with an adjacent 20. similar tile a non-obtrusive transition between the two tiles, and having on one face a decorative surface and on the other face a surface which is textured by having upstanding protuberances, the tile being usable as a wall covering with the one face outwards and the other 25. face providing a ke~ing surface for adhesive, or as a floor covering w~th the one face downwards and the face having the textured surface upward providing a slip resistant surface.
Preferably the surface is smoothly curved and merges smoothly with at least the outer face of the tile.
Advantageously, the radius of curvature of 5. the edge surface is greatest at its junction with the outer face of the tile and decreases towards its junctionwith the edge surface. This is important, because the provision of the edge surfaces on all edges of the tiles means that there must be grooves or 10. channels formed between each pair of adjacent tiles.
This selection of the radius curvature ensures that the grooves or channels are not sharp-edged and so do not show obtrusively or present hazards when used on a floor.
15. ~s an alternative to the smooth curve each edge surface can comprise a series of planes, e.g. flat planes, meeting at lines extending parallel to the edge. In this case the angles subtended at such lines should be greatest at the innermost line and lowest 20. at the outermost line to ensure that the grooves or channels mentioned are not very obtrusive.
We have found that although floor tiles have previously 3L~Z~148 been invariably provided with an undersurface shaped to provide a key, this is not necessary. The purpose of a key surface is primarily to prevent movement in a plane parallel to the major forces of a tile and when a tile is laid flat on a floor such forces are low and can easily be borne by the strength of the adhesive and the adjacent tiles. For a wall tile, of course, different considerations apply, particularly during the fixing thereof, where gravitational forces are important.
Preferably the protuberances present only rounded edges.
Advantageously the protuberances can be in a matrix with grooves between them forming a grid on the tile.
Some or all of the protuberances can be of such a size to allow smaller protuberances to upstand therefrom.
The invention will be described further, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:
Fig. l is a plan view of a preferred tile of the invention;
Fig. 2 is a cross-section on line II-II of Fig. l;
Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional view showing a pair of the tiles arranged side-by-side;
Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view lllustrating a variation;
Fig. 5 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view showing a pair of tiles of the invention meeting at an outside corner in a skirting or step; and Fig. 6 is a side elevation of a further tile 5. of the invention.
A preferred tile 10 of the invention (Figs. 1 and 2) is made conventionally by shaping a mass of plastics clay in a mould, removing the shaped mass and firing. The tile produced ( here shown as square 10. in plan although many other shapes such as oblong, regular hexagonal and the like are possible) has on its one, front, face a flat planar decorative surface 11 and along each edge has a smoothly curved surface 12 which merges smoothly with the planar 15. front surface 11 and also with the adjacent edge surface 13. The radius of curvature of surface 12 is greatest adjacent surface 11 and least adjacent surface 13.This ensures that the channel 14 generated when two such tiles are joined side-by-side (Figs. 3) 20. is shallow so as not to be obtrusive to the eye nor to form a hazard when used on a floor.
On the illustrated reversible tile the shaped surface 12 is provided on the edges adjoining both faces. That is to say there are eight "show" surfaces 25. on a rectangular tile. On tiles of shapes other than rectangular the number of "show" surfaces will be "2n" where the tile has "n" edges. For example a reversible hexagonal tile will have twelve "show"
surfaces.
The rear face 15 of the tile 10 is formed with 5. a pattern consisting of twenty-five square protu-berances separated by a grid of eight grooves 16.
The protuberances are divided into plane surfaced protuberances 17 and protuberances 18 which have smaller protuberances or pips 19 upstanding therefrom.
10. The tops of pips 19 lie below the level of the tops of protuberances 17. All the edges and corners of protuberances 17 and 18 are smoothly rounded to provide grip, but to avoid sharp edges which could cause discomfort or injury to the feet of injury to the 15. feet of users when the tiles are installed as slip-resistant tiles in a swimming baths, washroom or the like.
When used on a wall or floor the "textured"
face of a tile is traditionally placed towards the 20. adhesi~e where it is said to form a key. Such a key is unnecessary. The fact that the tile has all its edges and corners rounded means that it can present a safe and pleasant appearance without the need for special edging and/or corner tiles. Also, when used 2~. as a s~irting the appropriate edge forms a pleasing and effective top to the skirting. At o~tside skirting corners (Fig. 5) asimilarpleasantly rounded corner is also formed.
lZ~
( Fig. 4 shows a possible variation wherein the edge surface is formed by four flat plane surfaces 20 meeting at lines 21 parallel to the edge 22 of the tile 19. The angle at the innermost line 21 is greatest and at the 5. outer-most line 21 is least. This means that the edge surface moves downwardly first shallowly and then more steeply in the same way and for the same reason as the smoothly curved surface.
Fig. 6 shows a futher tile 22 of the invention which 10. is also reversible and has a flange 23 along one edge which extends at 45 to the major plane of the tile. This tile 22 can be used as an outside or inside corner tile, eg as a step nosing or at the junction between, say a floor and a vertical sur~ace.
15. The depth of the surface 12 is equal to or less than 50% of the maximum tile thickness advantageously equal to or less than one third of such thickness, and preferably from 20~ to 30~ of the tile thickness. This is in contrast to conventional edge tiles where the curved surface is over 20. 50% and usually approaching 100% of the tile thickness.
As mentioned, the tile can have shapes other than square, indeed any shape which will tassellate with itself, and a range of sizes and colours can be provided. The main decorative surface of the tile need not be a flat plane but 25. can be decoratively textured if desired.
The number of protuberances and channels on the rear of the tile can, ~f course, vary with the size of the tile. Also the sizes of the protuberances and channels can be varied. The number of pips on the protuberances, and/or their size, can also be varied as desired.
A further similar disadvantage relates to the - 5. provision of slip-resistant tiles, that is to say, tiles having a pattern of protuberances on their one face to give grip~ Such tiles are particularly used for swimming baths. Here, if matching tiles are to be laid on a floor and a wall two moulds are necessary, 10. one to produce a floor tile having a grip-giving surface on its one face and one to produce a wall tile having a smooth or shaped one face and a keying surface on its other, rear, face to enable it to be securely affixed to a wall.
15. Accordingly, the invention provides a ceramic tile for a wall or floor having a decoratively shaped surface on each of its "show" edges capable of forming a part of an edge line of pleasant appearance at an edge of a tiled area and of forming with an adjacent 20. similar tile a non-obtrusive transition between the two tiles, and having on one face a decorative surface and on the other face a surface which is textured by having upstanding protuberances, the tile being usable as a wall covering with the one face outwards and the other 25. face providing a ke~ing surface for adhesive, or as a floor covering w~th the one face downwards and the face having the textured surface upward providing a slip resistant surface.
Preferably the surface is smoothly curved and merges smoothly with at least the outer face of the tile.
Advantageously, the radius of curvature of 5. the edge surface is greatest at its junction with the outer face of the tile and decreases towards its junctionwith the edge surface. This is important, because the provision of the edge surfaces on all edges of the tiles means that there must be grooves or 10. channels formed between each pair of adjacent tiles.
This selection of the radius curvature ensures that the grooves or channels are not sharp-edged and so do not show obtrusively or present hazards when used on a floor.
15. ~s an alternative to the smooth curve each edge surface can comprise a series of planes, e.g. flat planes, meeting at lines extending parallel to the edge. In this case the angles subtended at such lines should be greatest at the innermost line and lowest 20. at the outermost line to ensure that the grooves or channels mentioned are not very obtrusive.
We have found that although floor tiles have previously 3L~Z~148 been invariably provided with an undersurface shaped to provide a key, this is not necessary. The purpose of a key surface is primarily to prevent movement in a plane parallel to the major forces of a tile and when a tile is laid flat on a floor such forces are low and can easily be borne by the strength of the adhesive and the adjacent tiles. For a wall tile, of course, different considerations apply, particularly during the fixing thereof, where gravitational forces are important.
Preferably the protuberances present only rounded edges.
Advantageously the protuberances can be in a matrix with grooves between them forming a grid on the tile.
Some or all of the protuberances can be of such a size to allow smaller protuberances to upstand therefrom.
The invention will be described further, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:
Fig. l is a plan view of a preferred tile of the invention;
Fig. 2 is a cross-section on line II-II of Fig. l;
Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional view showing a pair of the tiles arranged side-by-side;
Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view lllustrating a variation;
Fig. 5 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view showing a pair of tiles of the invention meeting at an outside corner in a skirting or step; and Fig. 6 is a side elevation of a further tile 5. of the invention.
A preferred tile 10 of the invention (Figs. 1 and 2) is made conventionally by shaping a mass of plastics clay in a mould, removing the shaped mass and firing. The tile produced ( here shown as square 10. in plan although many other shapes such as oblong, regular hexagonal and the like are possible) has on its one, front, face a flat planar decorative surface 11 and along each edge has a smoothly curved surface 12 which merges smoothly with the planar 15. front surface 11 and also with the adjacent edge surface 13. The radius of curvature of surface 12 is greatest adjacent surface 11 and least adjacent surface 13.This ensures that the channel 14 generated when two such tiles are joined side-by-side (Figs. 3) 20. is shallow so as not to be obtrusive to the eye nor to form a hazard when used on a floor.
On the illustrated reversible tile the shaped surface 12 is provided on the edges adjoining both faces. That is to say there are eight "show" surfaces 25. on a rectangular tile. On tiles of shapes other than rectangular the number of "show" surfaces will be "2n" where the tile has "n" edges. For example a reversible hexagonal tile will have twelve "show"
surfaces.
The rear face 15 of the tile 10 is formed with 5. a pattern consisting of twenty-five square protu-berances separated by a grid of eight grooves 16.
The protuberances are divided into plane surfaced protuberances 17 and protuberances 18 which have smaller protuberances or pips 19 upstanding therefrom.
10. The tops of pips 19 lie below the level of the tops of protuberances 17. All the edges and corners of protuberances 17 and 18 are smoothly rounded to provide grip, but to avoid sharp edges which could cause discomfort or injury to the feet of injury to the 15. feet of users when the tiles are installed as slip-resistant tiles in a swimming baths, washroom or the like.
When used on a wall or floor the "textured"
face of a tile is traditionally placed towards the 20. adhesi~e where it is said to form a key. Such a key is unnecessary. The fact that the tile has all its edges and corners rounded means that it can present a safe and pleasant appearance without the need for special edging and/or corner tiles. Also, when used 2~. as a s~irting the appropriate edge forms a pleasing and effective top to the skirting. At o~tside skirting corners (Fig. 5) asimilarpleasantly rounded corner is also formed.
lZ~
( Fig. 4 shows a possible variation wherein the edge surface is formed by four flat plane surfaces 20 meeting at lines 21 parallel to the edge 22 of the tile 19. The angle at the innermost line 21 is greatest and at the 5. outer-most line 21 is least. This means that the edge surface moves downwardly first shallowly and then more steeply in the same way and for the same reason as the smoothly curved surface.
Fig. 6 shows a futher tile 22 of the invention which 10. is also reversible and has a flange 23 along one edge which extends at 45 to the major plane of the tile. This tile 22 can be used as an outside or inside corner tile, eg as a step nosing or at the junction between, say a floor and a vertical sur~ace.
15. The depth of the surface 12 is equal to or less than 50% of the maximum tile thickness advantageously equal to or less than one third of such thickness, and preferably from 20~ to 30~ of the tile thickness. This is in contrast to conventional edge tiles where the curved surface is over 20. 50% and usually approaching 100% of the tile thickness.
As mentioned, the tile can have shapes other than square, indeed any shape which will tassellate with itself, and a range of sizes and colours can be provided. The main decorative surface of the tile need not be a flat plane but 25. can be decoratively textured if desired.
The number of protuberances and channels on the rear of the tile can, ~f course, vary with the size of the tile. Also the sizes of the protuberances and channels can be varied. The number of pips on the protuberances, and/or their size, can also be varied as desired.
Claims (13)
PROPERTY OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:
1. A ceramic tile for a wall or floor having a decoratively shaped surface on each of its "show"
edges capable of forming a part of an edge line of pleasant appearance at an edge of a tiled area and of forming with an adjacent similar tile a non-obtrusive transition between the two tiles, and having on one face a decorative surface and on the other face a surface which is textured by having upstanding protuberances, the tile being usable as a wall covering with the one face outwards and the other face providing a keying surface for adhesive, or as a floor covering with the one face downwards and the face having the textured surface upward providing a slip resistant surface.
edges capable of forming a part of an edge line of pleasant appearance at an edge of a tiled area and of forming with an adjacent similar tile a non-obtrusive transition between the two tiles, and having on one face a decorative surface and on the other face a surface which is textured by having upstanding protuberances, the tile being usable as a wall covering with the one face outwards and the other face providing a keying surface for adhesive, or as a floor covering with the one face downwards and the face having the textured surface upward providing a slip resistant surface.
2. A tile as claimed in claim 1, wherein the shaped surface is smoothly curved and merges smoothly with at least the main outer face of the tile.
3. A tile as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the radius of curvature of the shaped surface is greatest at its junction with the main outer face of the tile and decreases towards its junction with the edge surface.
4. A tile as claimed in claim 1, wherein each said shaped surface comprises a series of planes meeting at lines extending parallel to the edge.
5. A tile as claimed in claim 4, wherein the planes are flat planes.
6. A tile as claimed in claim 5, wherein the angles sub-tended at said lines are greatest at the innermost said line which adjoins the tile major surface and lowest at the outermost said line which adjoins the tile edge surface.
7. A tile as claimed in claim 1 wherein the depth of the shaped surface is equal to or less than 50% of the maximum tile thickness.
8. A tile as claimed in claim 7 wherein the depth of the curved surface is less than one third of the tile thickness.
9. A tile as claimed in claim 8 wherein the depth of the shaped surface is from 20% to 30% of the tile thickness.
10. A tile as claimed in claim 1 wherein the shaped surfaces on the show edges adjoin the main visible face of the tile.
11. A tile as claimed in claim 1, wherein the protuberances present only rounded edges.
12. A tile as claimed in claim 11 wherein the protuberances are in a matrix with grooves between them forming a grid on the tile.
13. A tile as claimed in claim 11 or 12 wherein some of the protuberances have smaller protuburances upstanding there-from.
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA000452456A CA1222148A (en) | 1984-04-19 | 1984-04-19 | Tiles |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA000452456A CA1222148A (en) | 1984-04-19 | 1984-04-19 | Tiles |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA1222148A true CA1222148A (en) | 1987-05-26 |
Family
ID=4127701
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA000452456A Expired CA1222148A (en) | 1984-04-19 | 1984-04-19 | Tiles |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| CA (1) | CA1222148A (en) |
-
1984
- 1984-04-19 CA CA000452456A patent/CA1222148A/en not_active Expired
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| MKEX | Expiry |