Classifications

• • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
  • E04—BUILDING
  • E04F—FINISHING WORK ON BUILDINGS, e.g. STAIRS, FLOORS
  • E04F15/00—Flooring
  • E04F15/02—Flooring or floor layers composed of a number of similar elements
• • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
  • E04—BUILDING
  • E04F—FINISHING WORK ON BUILDINGS, e.g. STAIRS, FLOORS
  • E04F13/00—Coverings or linings, e.g. for walls or ceilings
  • E04F13/07—Coverings or linings, e.g. for walls or ceilings composed of covering or lining elements; Sub-structures therefor; Fastening means therefor
  • E04F13/08—Coverings or linings, e.g. for walls or ceilings composed of covering or lining elements; Sub-structures therefor; Fastening means therefor composed of a plurality of similar covering or lining elements
  • E04F13/14—Coverings or linings, e.g. for walls or ceilings composed of covering or lining elements; Sub-structures therefor; Fastening means therefor composed of a plurality of similar covering or lining elements stone or stone-like materials, e.g. ceramics concrete; of glass or with an outer layer of stone or stone-like materials or glass
  • E04F13/142—Coverings or linings, e.g. for walls or ceilings composed of covering or lining elements; Sub-structures therefor; Fastening means therefor composed of a plurality of similar covering or lining elements stone or stone-like materials, e.g. ceramics concrete; of glass or with an outer layer of stone or stone-like materials or glass with an outer layer of ceramics or clays
• • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
  • E04—BUILDING
  • E04F—FINISHING WORK ON BUILDINGS, e.g. STAIRS, FLOORS
  • E04F2201/00—Joining sheets or plates or panels
  • E04F2201/09—Puzzle-type connections for interlocking male and female panel edge-parts
  • E04F2201/091—Puzzle-type connections for interlocking male and female panel edge-parts with the edge-parts forming part of the panel body
• • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
  • E04—BUILDING
  • E04F—FINISHING WORK ON BUILDINGS, e.g. STAIRS, FLOORS
  • E04F2201/00—Joining sheets or plates or panels
  • E04F2201/09—Puzzle-type connections for interlocking male and female panel edge-parts
  • E04F2201/095—Puzzle-type connections for interlocking male and female panel edge-parts with both connection parts, i.e. male and female connection parts alternating on one edge
• • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
  • E04—BUILDING
  • E04F—FINISHING WORK ON BUILDINGS, e.g. STAIRS, FLOORS
  • E04F2203/00—Specially structured or shaped covering, lining or flooring elements not otherwise provided for
  • E04F2203/06—Specially structured or shaped covering, lining or flooring elements not otherwise provided for comprising two layers fixedly secured to one another, in offset relationship in order to form a rebate

Definitions

• the invention relates to a ceramic element for floors and/or coverings.
• the element is usefully applied in the field of laying floors or coverings made of large-size and slim slabs.
• Background Art With this type of slab, large but slim, with a thin depth in comparison to the other dimensions thereof, there is a certain degree of flexional elastic deformability, and laying is not easy due to difficulties in levelling.
• the reciprocal nearing of the slabs for composition of any decorations present requires a certain ability and special attention on the part of the layer.
• elements In the field of wooden floors the prior art teaches elements, generally small blocks, the sides of which exhibit projecting parts in the form of tabs, regularly alternated with recessed parts which are predisposed so that at the sides the
• a further aim of the present invention is to provide a ceramic element for floors and/or coverings which is characterised in that it has large dimensions with respect to its depth, and which can be laid very easily and precisely without requiring any special ability on the part of the layer.
• An advantage of the invention is that the slabs are automatically levelled during laying.
• a further advantage of the invention is that a floating floor can be laid simply and precisely.
• figure 1 shows a schematic plan view of the invention
• figure 2 is a schematic section made according to line I-I of figure 1
• figure 3 is a schematic plan view of a portion of flooring made by coupling the elements of the invention
• figure 4 is a schematic plan view of a portion of flooring during a laying operation
• figure 5 is a schematic plan view of a portion of flooring during a laying operation, in a further embodiment.
• 1 denotes a ceramic element for floors and/or coverings which is composed of a top layer 2, delimited by edges 20 which define a visible border, and a bottom layer 3 , delimited by shaped edges
• the top layer 2 and the bottom layer 3 are, in the illustrated embodiment, constituted by a first and a second thin slabs of ceramic material which are glued together by a layer of glue 4.
• the top layer 2 is formed by a first thin layer of high-quality ceramic material which is destined to be the in-view surface of the element, and which can be variously decorated.
• the bottom layer 3 is normally formed by a second thin layer of ceramic material, which is of poorer aesthetic quality as it is simply a support and is therefore not in view. Reinforcing fibres can be inserted into the glue layer, which fibres have the aim of increasing the overall mechanical characteristics of the element 1.
• the proj ecting tabs 31 are predisposed so that each side of the element 1 can be coupled with a side or a portion of a side of another of the elements 1, by a snug coupling in which a single projecting tab 31 of the element 1 is inserted snugly in a corresponding recess 32 of another and adjacent element 1.
• the projecting tabs 31 are predisposed to contact with the recesses 32 at least at the relative sides thereof.
• the shaped edges 30 defining the shaped border also define a line which, for each side, is flat and comprised within a strip made up of two borders which strip is arranged parallel to the corresponding edge 20.
• the geometrical tangents at each point of the borders form, with the longitudinal axis of the strip arranged parallel to the edge 20 of the elements 1, angles of 45° or less.
• each shaped edge 30 delimiting the back side 3, constituted by a succession of projecting tabs 31 which are regularly alternated with recesses 32, has a curved sinusoid shape which is geometrically determined by a period- amplitude parameter ratio defining the curve itself.
• the curve, on each side of the element 1, is comprised in a strip made up of a union of two elements 1 which strip is arranged parallel to the corresponding edge 20 and is characterised by parameters defined so that the geometrical tangents of the curve in the points of change of concavity thereof form, with the longitudinal axis of the strip arranged parallel to the corresponding edge 20, angles of 45° or less.
• This geometrical detail is very important because it determines the play available and necessary during the mounting operation in order to couple the elements 1 with no difficulty. This situation is illustrated in figure 4, which shows how a fourth element 1 can be coupled to three elements 1 already assembled with no obligation of rigorously respecting the direction of introduction indicated by arrow A.
• the inclination of the tangents at less than 45° means that the union-contact between the sides of the projecting tabs 31 and the recesses 32 of the fourth element 1 with the sides of the recesses 32 and the tabs 31 of the elements 1 already assembled is made only when the introduction of the fourth element 1 has been completed.
• the elements 1 which in the illustrated embodiment are square, can be coupled using a simple process, which is rapid and which enables an exact centring and positioning of the elements to one another without any need for external auxiliary means.
• the coupling can be achieved with absolute precision because the coupling of the shaped edges 30 of the bottom layers 3 produces an automatic and precise positioning of the edges 20 of the top layers 2.
• each edge 20 (of the top layer 2) can be positioned with respect to the corresponding shaped edge 30 (of the bottom layer 3) so that following the coupling of the back edge 3 with the shaped edge 30 of a further element 1, a predetermined distance is identified between the two reciprocally-facing edges 20 of the two elements 1.
• This distance defines what in normal ceramic tile laying are the spaces between the tiles. In the present invention this space is created automatically by effect of the tile laying without the need for any external auxiliary means (spacers and so on).
• the shaped edges 30 identifying the shaped edge define not a sinusoid wave shape but a simple broken line which, for each side of the element 1, is constantly flat and comprised in a strip which is arranged parallel to the corresponding edge 20.
• it is the straight sides of the proj ecting tabs 31 and the corresponding recesses 32 which form, with the longitudinal axis of the strip arranged parallel to the edge 20, angles of 45° or less.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Architecture (AREA)
• Civil Engineering (AREA)
• Structural Engineering (AREA)
• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Ceramic Engineering (AREA)
• Dispersion Chemistry (AREA)
• Floor Finish (AREA)
• Road Paving Structures (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=29765363

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (4)

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Citations (1)

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• 2003
  • 2003-04-11 IT IT000103A patent/ITMO20030103A1/it unknown
• 2004
  • 2004-03-31 TW TW093108860A patent/TWI276726B/zh not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 2004-03-31 EP EP04724708A patent/EP1613820A1/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 2004-03-31 WO PCT/IT2004/000166 patent/WO2004090257A1/en active Application Filing

Patent Citations (1)

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