Field of the invention
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The present invention relates to a tile system for installation of ceiling and/or wall tiles to a structural surface of a room. The invention further relates to a method for mounting of ceiling and/or wall tiles to a structural surface of a room.
Technical background
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Interior surfaces, such as ceilings or walls, can be installed in many different types of buildings for various reasons, for example to absorb sound, to reflect light, to lower the ceiling height or to conceal installations such as cable arrangements, ventilation equipment, lighting installations and other devices arranged in the space between the suspended ceiling and the structural ceiling of a room, or to provide an aesthetically appealing surface. Such interior surfaces often are made up of tiles or panels.
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It is known to mount such panels directly to the wall or ceiling by gluing or screwing of the panel to the wall or ceiling. It is a problem with glued and screwed panels that they may be impossible to efficiently dismantle without causing damage to the panels and the wall or ceiling.
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It is further known to install suspended ceilings of tiles by using a grid system mounted to the ceiling to which grid system ceiling tiles are supported by flanges of the grids.
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There is, thus, a need for a tile system for installation of ceiling and/or wall tiles to a structural surface of a room, which systems allows for efficient demountable arrangement with minimized damage to the tiles.
Summary of the invention
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It is an object of the present invention to provide an improvement over the above described techniques and prior art.
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It is a further object of the present invention to provide a tile system for installation of ceiling and/or wall tiles to a structural surface of a room, which system provides for efficient mounting or dismantling.
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It is a yet further object of the present invention to provide a tile system for installation of ceiling and/or wall tiles to a structural surface of a room, which system provides for efficient mounting or dismantling with minimised damage to the tiles.
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According to an aspect, there is provided a tile system for installation of ceiling and/or wall tiles to a structural surface of a room. The system comprises a tile comprising a front major surface, an opposing back major surface and at least one edge surface extending along the perimeter of the tile and connecting the front and back major surfaces, a connecting member comprising a tile connector and a mounting member connector, and a mounting member adapted to be connected to the structural surface of the room, the mounting member comprises a sliding surface and a mounting member connector receiving portion, the tile connector of the connecting member being connectable to the tile, and the mounting member connector of the connecting member being adapted to be received by the mounting member connector receiving portion, wherein the sliding surface and the mounting member connector are arranged for mutual engagement under elastic deformation of at least one of the mounting member and the connecting member during installation of the tile in response to a displacement thereof in a direction towards the structural surface, such that the mounting member connector is guided to the mounting member connector receiving portion during the displacement of the tile.
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With such a system, efficient installation of ceiling and/or wall tiles to a structural surface of a room is realised. The connecting member is efficient for installation of tiles to the surface. The tile connector makes it possible to connect the connecting members to tiles. The mounting member connector makes it possible to connect the connecting member to the mounting member adapted to be connected to the structural surface of the room. Thus, the tile may be connected to the structural surface. The sliding surface and the mounting member connector being arranged for mutual engagement under elastic deformation of at least one of the connecting member and mounting member during installation of the tile allows for efficient installation of the tile. The sliding surface provides efficient guiding of the mounting member connector during installation. The elastic deformation provides efficient connection of the mounting member connector and the mounting member connector receiving portion, and thereby efficient installation of the tile to the structural surface.
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It will be understood that such a system efficiently allows the installation of tiles to a structural surface, at least in part due to the sliding surface and the mounting member connector being arranged for mutual engagement under elastic deformation of at least one of the connecting member and mounting member, which allows the tile to be efficiently maneuvered during installation and also provides the possibility of tactile and/or sonic verification of the tile being installed. Further, the elastic deformation provides for minimized risks of damaging the tiles during installation and dismantling. Yet further, the elastic deformation provides for efficient dismantling of the tiles.
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The tile may be comprised of compressed fibre material.
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The compressed fibre material may be compressed mineral fibre material. Such compressed fibre materials provides efficient properties to the tiles.
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The connecting member may be arranged for the elastic deformation during engagement of the sliding surface with the mounting member connector.
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The mounting member may be arranged for the elastic deformation during the engagement of the sliding surface with the mounting member connector.
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The mounting member may comprise a profile having a base portion and at least one leg portion, wherein the sliding surface is a section of the at least one leg portion, and the receiving portion is a recess or orifice of the at least one leg portion, and the base portion is adapted to be connected to the structural surface. Thereby, the elastic deformation is efficiently provided. Further, the mounting member connector receiving portion efficiently may receive the mounting member connector. Thus, efficient installation of the tile is realized.
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The mounting member connector may comprise a protruding tongue or lip arranged to engage with the sliding surface during installation of the tile, wherein the elastic deformation occurs as a elastical displacement of the leg portion. Thereby, the mounting member connector may efficiently be received by the mounting member connector receiving portion.
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The profile may further comprise a second leg portion arranged for cooperation with a tile connector of a connecting member associated with an adjacent tile. Thereby, a plurality of tiles may be efficiently installed be means of one mounting member.
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The mounting member may further be arranged for cooperation with connecting members arranged in corner portions of the tiles. Hereby, a single connecting member may be arranged for cooperation with connecting members of several tiles. In case the tiles are rectangular, the connecting means may be arranged in an intersection point where four corners of the tiles meet and thus be arranged for cooperation with connecting members of four tiles.
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The connecting member may be made of a wire structure, such as a metal wire or plastic wire. Thus, efficient provision of the connecting member is realised.
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The mounting member may comprises a base portion and an adjacent portion forming the sliding surface and being tapered in a direction from the base portion, wherein the mounting member connector receiving portion is a groove arrangement of the base portion, and the base portion is adapted to be connected to the structural surface. Thus, efficient mutual engagement between the sliding surface and and the mounting member connector of a connecting member being made of a wire structure is realised. Further, the mounting member connector may efficiently be received by the mounting member connector receiving portion
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The tile connector may be insertable into a slit or groove of the at least one edge surface of the tile, or attachable to a major surface of the tile. Thus, tiles may be installed in an efficient and predetermined manner.
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The mounting member may be directly connectable to the structural surface. Thus, the tiles may be installed close to or in contact with the structural surface.
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The tile system may be arranged for compensation of surface irregularities of the structural surface. Thus, the mounting members may be connected to the structural surface while taking the surface irregularities into account, for instance by adapting a mounting depth of each mounting member, such that the tiles when installed become flush independent of the surface irregularities.
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The tile system may further comprise a grid system, wherein the mounting member is indirectly connectable to the structural surface via the grid system. Thus, grids may be used for installation of the tiles. Further, a distance or space may efficiently be provided between the tiles and the structural surface. Further, the tiles may be installed arranged in an efficient and predetermined manner.
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The grid system may be directly connectable to the structural surface, or indirectly connectable to the structural surface via hangers.
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According to another aspect, there is provided a method for mounting of ceiling and/or wall tiles to a structural surface of a room, the method comprises attaching a mounting member to the structural surface, the mounting member comprising a sliding surface and a mounting member connector receiving portion, connecting a tile connector of a connecting member to a tile, the connecting member further comprising a mounting member connector, and connecting the mounting member connector of the connecting member to the mounting member receiving portion of the mounting member by displacing the tile in a direction towards the structural surface such that the mounting member connector engages the sliding surface and is guided under elastic deformation of the connecting member and/or the mounting member to the mounting member connector receiving portion. Thus, efficient mounting of ceiling and/or wall tiles to a structural surface of a room is provided.
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The method may further comprise attaching an additional mounting member to the structural surface, connecting a tile connector of an additional connecting member to the tile, and connecting a mounting member connector of the additional connecting member connected to the tile, to a mounting member receiving portion of the additional mounting member. Thus, a surface comprising a plurality of tiles may efficiently be formed.
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The method may further comprise mounting of a grid system to the structural surface, wherein the attaching the mounting member to the structural surface comprises attaching the mounting member to the grid system.
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Further features of, and advantages with, the present invention will become apparent when studying the appended claims and the following description. The skilled person will realise that different features of the present invention may be combined to create embodiments other than those described in the following, without departing from the scope of the present invention. Features of one aspect may be relevant to anyone of the other aspects, references to these features are hereby made.
Brief description of the drawings
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The present invention will by way of example be described in more detail with reference to the appended schematic drawings, which show embodiments of the present invention.
- Figure 1 is a schematic side view of an embodiment of a tile system according to the present invention.
- Figure 2 is a schematic side view of the tile system of figure 1 in an installed state.
- Figures 3a and 3b are schematic illustrations of an another embodiment of the inventive tile system.
- Figures 4a and 4b are schematic persepctive views of compnents comprised in an alternative embodiment of an inventive tile system.
- Figures 5a and b are schematic illustrations of the tile system of figures 4a, b in an installed state.
- Figure 6 is a schematic illustration of the inventive tile system of figures 4a, b in an installed state.
Detailed description
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With the tile system it is made possible to install ceiling or wall tiles in a room in an efficient manner by simple steps including attaching a mounting member to a structural surface, connecting a connecting member to a tile, and installing the tile by displacement of the tile towards the structural surface. The completion of installation of a tile is confirmed to installer, for example, by a tactile and sonic sensation, at least in part provided by the elastically deformable properties of the system. Demounting of a tile of the system is efficient with minimized risk of damaging the tile by the elastic deformation of parts of the system.
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It will be understood from the embodiments discussed herein that the elastic deformation, of the at least one of the mounting member and the connecting member during installation of the tile, should be interpreted as that at least one of the sliding surface and the mounting member connector gives way for the other, but not as that the sliding surface or mounting member connector themselves are elastically deformed.
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With reference to figure 1, a tile system 1 for installation of ceiling and/or wall tiles 2 to a structural surface of a room will now be discussed. The system 1 comprises a tile 2 comprising a front major surface 8, an opposing back major surface 10 and at least one edge surface 12 extending along the perimeter of the tile 2 and connecting the front and back major surfaces 8, 10. The system further comprises a connecting member 14 comprising a tile connector 16 and a mounting member connector 18, and a mounting member 20 adapted to be connected to the structural surface of the room, the mounting member 20 comprises a sliding surface 22 and a mounting member connector receiving portion 24. The tile connector 16 of the connecting member 14 is connectable to the tile 2, and the mounting member connector 18 of the connecting member 14 is adapted to be received by the mounting member connector receiving portion 24, wherein the sliding surface 22 and the mounting member connector 18 are arranged for mutual engagement under elastic deformation of at least one of the connecting member 14 and mounting member 20 during installation of the tile 2 in response to a displacement thereof in a direction 26 towards the structural surface 4, such that the mounting member connector 18 is guided to the mounting member connector receiving portion 24 during the displacement of the tile 2.
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With reference to figure 2, a system 1 identical with that discussed above with reference to figure 1 will now be discussed and it will be described how the system 1 is used for installation of a ceiling and/or wall tile 2 to a structural surface 4 of a room 6. One difference of figure 2 as compared to figure 1, is that the system 1 of figure 2 is illustrated with the tile 2 installed to the structural surface 4 of a room 6. The mounting member 20 is illustrated attached to the structural surface 4 of the room 6, the tile connector 16 of the connecting member 14 is illustrated connected to the tile 2, and the mounting member connector 18 of the connecting member 14 is illustrated received by the mounting member connector receiving portion 24. Thereby, the tile 2 is installed to the structural surface 4 of the room 6. During the installation of the tile 2, the sliding surface 22 and the mounting member connector 18 were mutually engaged under elastic deformation of at least one of the connecting member 14 and mounting member 20 during installation of the tile 2 in response to a displacement thereof in a direction towards the structural surface 4, which direction is indicated by arrow 26, such that the mounting member connector 18 was guided to the mounting member connector receiving portion 24 during the displacement of the tile.
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It is realized that one example of such elastic deformation may be that, for example, the connecting member 14 is made of a material which would allow the mounting member connector 18 to be elastically pressed in a direction being left in figure 2 (as indicated by dotted lines) as it slides in contact with sliding surface 22. Although figure 2 illustrates that the installed tile 2 only is attached to the structural surface 4 by means of one connecting member 14 and one mounting member 20, it is realized that more than one connecting member 14 and more than one mounting member 20 may be used per tile. In fact, it will be beneficial for the tile 2 to be installed with two or more connecting members 14 and two or more mounting members 20, since, thus, one of the connecting members 14 may be abutted against one of the mounting members 20 during installation of the tile. In a case with only one connecting member 14 (as illustrated) an additional free edge of the tile 2 must be supported by other means.
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Figures 3a and 3b illustrate one example of how the connecting member 14 and the mounting member 20 of the system 1 may be provided. Fig 3a is a side view and figure 3b is a top view of a connecting member 14 and a mounting member 20 as they would look when part of the system. In an attempt to improve the clarity, the tile 2 is not illustrated. The tile connector 16 may be connectable to the tile 2 by being insertable in a slit of an edge surface of the tile 2, such that the front major surface 8 and/or the back major surface 10 of the tile 2 would be essentially parallel to the area defined by the tile connector 16, or the tile connector 16 may be connectable to the tile 2 by being connected to the front major surface or the back major surface of the tile 2 by suitable fastening means. The portion 33 of the connecting member being illustrated vertical in figure 3a may be arranged abutted in contact with the tile 2. The connecting member 14 is being made of bent metal wire, and is arranged for the elastic deformation during engagement of the mounting member connector 18 with the sliding surface 22, at least in part by the bent metal wire, which provides the elastically deformable properties. It will be realized that the elastic deformation with such a connecting member 14, mainly takes place in the area of the bend 50, under which elastic deformation the mounting member connector 18 would be displaced in a direction to the left in the figure, as it slides across the sliding surface 22 as the tile 2 is installed. The connecting member 14 comprises a tile connector 16, in addition to the mounting member connector 18. The mounting member 20 comprises a base portion 28 adapted to be connected to the structural surface and an adjacent portion 29 forming the sliding surface 22 and being tapered in a direction from the base portion 22, wherein the mounting member connector receiving portion 24 is a groove arrangement of the base portion. Although not illustrated, the mounting member 20 in this example is suitably indirectly connectble to a structural surface 4 via a grid system, not illustrated. The base portion 28 of mounting member 20 may be connected to the grid system 30 by means of clips 32. It will be understood from figure 3a that the adjacent portion 29, optionally, forms a second sliding surface 22b, which may be useful for example during installation of a second tile, adjacent to the tile 2. The mounting member may, as one alternative, be connected directly to the structural surface. The installation may further benefit from the adjacent portion being pivotable in relation to the structural surface, such as by the mounting member 20 being pivotably or rotationally connected to the clip 32, wherein, after installation of the tile 2 as illustrated in figure 3a, the adjacent portion 29 may be pivoted for example 90° as indicated by the dotted line of figure 3b. Thereby, the tile 2 may be even more securly installed. For such a purpose, the adjacent portion 29 may have a geometri providing a distance d, as illustrate in figure 3b, being longer than the depth of the groove arrangement of the base portion 28. To facilitate the pivoting movement, for example a slot 31, or other suitable means, may be provided in the adjacent portion 29 which slot 31 provides for efficient pivoting by a tool such as a screw driver.
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With reference to figures 4a, b and 5a, b another example of how the connecting member 14 and the mounting member 20 of the system 1 may be provided is illustrated.
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Fig 4a illustrates the connecting member 14 being formed from sheet metal. The tile connector 16 is arc shaped and comprises ridges. The arc shape may facilitate insertion of the tile connector 16 into a groove or slot of the tile 2 and the ridges may provide an improved frictional engagement between the tile connector 16 and the slot, thereby providing a more secure connection between the tile 2 and the connection member 14.
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The mounting member connector 18 of the connecting member 14 is formed by a cut out protruding tongue of lip.
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The mounting member 20 illustrated in figure 4b comprises a profile having a base portion 28 and at least one leg portion 38 (in the shown embodiment the mounting member 20 has two leg portions 38), wherein the sliding surface 22 is a section of the leg portion 38, and the receiving portion 24 is a recess or orifice in the leg portion 38
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Fig 5a is a side view and figure 5b is a top view, as viewed in a direction from the structural surface 4, of a connecting member 14 and a mounting member 20 as they would look when part of the system 1. In an attempt to improve the clarity, only a part of the tile 2, which is connected to the connecting member 14 by the connecting member 14 being inserted into a slot of the tile 2, is illustrated in figures 4a and 4b as indicated by dotted lines. It will be understood that according to this example, the mounting member is arranged for the elastic deformation during engagement of the sliding surface with the mounting member connector. It will be realized that the elastic deformation with such a connecting member 14 and mounting member 20, mainly takes place in the area of the bend 36 under displacement of the sliding surface 22.
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The base portion 28 of the mounting member 20 is adapted to be connected to the structural surface 4, in this example directly to the structural surface, for example by fastening means 35 illustrated in figure 4a. The mounting member connector 18 in the form of a protruding tongue or lip is arranged to engage with the sliding surface 22 during installation of the tile, wherein the elastic deformation occurs as an elastical displacement of the leg portion 38. In the illustration, the profile further and optionally comprises a second leg portion 38b arranged for cooperation with a tile connector of a connecting member associated with an adjacent tile (not illustrated). The mounting member 20, alternatively, may be indirectly connected to a structural surface 4 via a grid system.
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Figure 6 illustrates the system 1, as viewed towards a front major surface 8 of the tile 2 according to one embodiment, which exemplifies how the connecting member 14 and the mounting member 20 discussed with reference to figures 3a and 3b may be provided, and how the sliding surface 22 and the mounting member connector 18 may be arranged for mutual engagement under elastic deformation of the connecting member during installation of the tile 2. The tile 2 of the example is a rectangularly shaped flat tile comprising of compressed fibre material, having one connecting member 14 and one mounting member 20 associated with two opposing edge surfaces 12 of the tile 2. Thus, in the illustrated example, the tile 2 is installed by means of two connecting members 14 and corresponding mounting members 20. Dotted lines indicate objects or details obscured from view in the illustrated view. As discussed above, the connecting members 14 are arranged for the elastic deformation during engagement of the mounting member connector 18 with the sliding surface 22, at least in part by the connecting members 14 being made of bent metal wire. The mounting members 20 in this example are indirectly connected to the structural surface 4 via a grid system 30a, b being part of the tile system 1. The base portions 28 of mounting member 20 are connected to the grid system 30a, b by means of clips 32. In this example, the sliding surfaces 22 are essentially rigid, and cannot easily be moved sideways. With this tile system described with reference to figure 5, the installation of the tile 2 is very efficient. For example, the tile 2 may be installed to an existing grid systems if avaliable, by connecting the base portion 28 to the grids, for example by means of clips 32. If a grid system is not in place, the grid system may suitably be installed followed by connection of the base portions 28, and installation of the tile 2. The tile is connected to the connecting members 14 by the tile connectors 16 being inserted into slits of the edge surfaces 12 of the tile 2. The installation of the tile 2 is for example completed by placing the tile slightly tilted but essentially parallell to the structural surface 4 with one of the mounting member connectors 18 in contact with and abutted against the corresponding mounting member connector receiving portion 24. The other one of the mounting member connectors 18 is placed in contact with the sliding surface 22 of the corresponding mounting member 20 and tile 2 is displaced towards the structural surface 4, wherein the sliding surface 22 and the mounting member connector 18 are engaged under elastic deformation of the connecting member, which is displaced sideways towards a centre of the tile 2 and guided to the mounting member connector receiving portion 24 being the groove where, due to the elastic deformation, the mounting member connector will spring into the groove, thus locking the position of the connecting member 14 and mounting member 20. The tile 2 may alternatively be installed, for example, by placing both mounting member connectors 18 in contact with the sliding surfaces 22 of the corresponding mounting members 20 followed by displacing tile 2 towards the structural surface 4, wherein under the elastic deformation, the mounting member connectors 18 will spring into the corresponding grooves. It will be understood that the grid system may comprise additional grids orthogonal to the parallel grids 30a, b, and with such a system, each tile may be installed with mounting membes connected to those additional grids. With such a grid system, a rectangular tile may be installed with 2, 3, 4, or more connecting members and corresponding mounting members.
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It is realised that the elastic deformability of at least one of the connecting member 14 and mounting member 20 in addition to providing efficient installation of tiles 2, provides for efficient dismantling of installed tiles 2.
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It will be appreciated that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments shown. Several modifications and variations are thus conceivable within the scope of the invention which thus is exclusively defined by the appended claims.
