EP1887162A1

EP1887162A1 - Cladding and paving tile

Info

Publication number: EP1887162A1
Application number: EP06755321A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Enrique Carceller Aguilella
Original assignee: Bestile SL
Current assignee: Bestile SL
Priority date: 2005-05-06
Filing date: 2006-04-28
Publication date: 2008-02-13
Also published as: ES1060522U; CN101238262A; ES1060522Y; WO2006120262A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a cladding and paving tile which is intended to be mounted on the wall or ground in order to give the appearance of natural paving, the surface of the tile comprising the corresponding ornamental pattern (2). The peripheral contour of the inventive tile (1) corresponds to the contour formed by seven identical tiles which each have a regular hexagonal shape and which are disposed in such a way that the six sides of a central piece are positioned adjacent to the six remaining tiles.

Description

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

As stated in the title of this descriptive specification, the present invention relates to a cladding and paving tile whose essential purpose is to facilitate the creation of claddings preferably intended for the wall and ground which imitate natural paving and in which the corresponding decorative pattern has an irregularity giving it the appearance of natural stones of various sizes, the tile having a geometry such that helps to make it difficult to appreciate the patterns that are being repeated. Nevertheless, the inventive tile will also be valid for decorative patterns in which it is wished to appreciate the patterns that are being repeated. To achieve this, the inventive tile has a very characteristic geometric contour and perimetric recess which permits the inclusion of a filler that reduces or increases the visibility of the corresponding joints in the union of several tiles.

PRIOR ART OF THE INVENTION

Different cladding and paving tiles are known with contours that have very diverse inlets and outlets in order to combine the corresponding decorative patterns in different ways, such as for example Industrial Model 156.274 or Utility Model 200101861.
Some of the known types of tile present a star shape though their sides do not have the regularity necessary for being able to be combined and achieve multiple finishes.
Other known types of tile facilitate the concealment of the corresponding joints by virtue of their design, though these have limitations due to not having a regular perimeter in all their inlets and outlets, which, moreover, creates restrictive conditions at positioning.
We do not know of any tile in the current state of the art whose contour presents the shape facilitated by the tile of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In order to achieve the objectives and avoid the drawbacks stated in the above sections, the invention consists of a cladding and paving tile preferably intended for a wall and ground which imitates natural paving and whose surface includes the corresponding ornamental or decorative pattern.
As a novelty, according to the invention, the tile thereof presents a peripheral contour corresponding to the one that would be generated with seven equal pieces, each of which has a regular hexagonal shape and which are laid in such a way that the six sides of a central piece are positioned adjacent to the six remaining pieces.
In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the tile has a perimetric recess in which the corresponding ornamental or decorative patterns are interrupted and which is intended to house a filler which reduces or increases, as wished, the visibility of the joints in the unions between various tiles. Moreover, in that preferred embodiment of the invention the ornamental or decorative pattern consists of an imitation of irregular paving, such that when an array of tiles is laid it becomes very difficult to distinguish the arrangements of regularity.
With the configuration that has been described, the inventive tile is ideal for creating floors and walls in which it is wished to imitate natural and irregular paving, with very broad possibilities of combination among tiles, since each tile can be laid next to another in six different positions and with six different orientations in each of those positions. With some appropriate ornamental patterns, it becomes very difficult to distinguish any arrangement of regularity in the ornamental pattern, though for cases in which this is desired, the inventive tile also permits the design of ornamental patterns with arrangements that repeat themselves as wished.
Below, in order to facilitate a better understanding of this specification and forming an integral part thereof, some figures are attached in which, on an illustrative but in no way limiting basis, the object of the invention has been represented.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

Figure 1.- Represents an upper plan view of a cladding and paving tile embodied according to the present invention, showing an enlarged detail of one of its edges.
Figure 2.- Represents an upper plan view with several tiles similar to that of the previous figure 1 and laid fitting into each other in order to form the corresponding cladding.
Figure 3.- Represents a partial view in sectioned profile of the joint of two tiles similar to those of the previous figures, showing a filler that is used to reduce or increase the visibility of the corresponding joints.

DESCRIPTION OF AN EXAMPLE OF EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

A description is now going to be made of an example of the invention, making reference to the numbering adopted in the figures.
So, the cladding and paving tile of this example of the invention is a tile 1 whose contour 18 presents equal sides as shown in figure 1, in other words, a contour whose geometry coincides with that which would be generated with 7 equal pieces which each have a regular hexagonal shape and which are laid in such a way that the 6 sides of a central piece are positioned adjacent to the 6 remaining pieces, as represented by the imaginary dashed lines of figure 1.
The upper surface of the tile 1 has an ornamental or decorative pattern 2 which imitates natural and irregular paving, in such a way that when several tiles 1 are laid adjacent to each other it becomes difficult to distinguish an arrangement of regularity, as appreciated in figure 2.
Moreover, in order to contribute to the joints between the tiles 1 being less visible, each tile has a perimetric recess 3, as can be seen in the detail of figure 1, so that, when several tiles 1 are joined together there remains a kind of channel in which a filler 4 will be applied, as shown in figure 3, this filler 4 having an appearance similar to the ornamental or decorative pattern 2 so that the join between tiles 1 becomes indistinguishable. Nevertheless, in other embodiments, it might be of interest to distinguish some kind of pattern or the joints between tiles, in which case the filler 4 would have an appearance that contrasts with the ornamental pattern 2 so that the corresponding joint can be appreciated, though the normal thing would be to wish to conceal the joint between tiles.
In the present example, the ornamental or decorative pattern 2 consists of an imitation of irregular paving, in such a way that, when an array of tiles 1 is laid, it becomes very difficult to distinguish the arrangements of regularity, as can be seen in figure 2.

Claims

CLADDING AND PAVING TILE, preferably intended for walls and floors which imitate natural paving, the surface of the tile comprising the corresponding ornamental or decorative pattern (2); characterised in that the tile (1) presents a contour corresponding to that which would be generated with 7 equal pieces, each of which of a regular hexagonal shape and laid in such a way that the 6 sides of a central piece are positioned adjacent to the 6 remaining pieces.
CLADDING AND PAVING TILE, according to claim 1, characterised in that it presents a perimetric recess (3) in which the ornamental or decorative patterns (2) are interrupted and intended to house a filler (4) which reduces or increases, as wished, the visibility of the joints in the unions between several tiles (1).
CLADDING AND PAVING TILE, according to claim 1, characterised in that said ornamental or decorative pattern (2) consists of an imitation of irregular paving, in such a way that, when an array of tiles (1) is laid, it becomes very difficult to distinguish the arrangements of regularity.