EP4051848A1 - Tile apparatus with selectively collapsible non-adhesive support system and method of use - Google Patents
Tile apparatus with selectively collapsible non-adhesive support system and method of useInfo
- Publication number
- EP4051848A1 EP4051848A1 EP19951088.4A EP19951088A EP4051848A1 EP 4051848 A1 EP4051848 A1 EP 4051848A1 EP 19951088 A EP19951088 A EP 19951088A EP 4051848 A1 EP4051848 A1 EP 4051848A1
- Authority
- EP
- European Patent Office
- Prior art keywords
- adhesive
- tile body
- standoff
- array
- underside
- 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.)
- Withdrawn
Links
- 239000000853 adhesive Substances 0.000 title claims abstract description 126
- 230000001070 adhesive effect Effects 0.000 title claims abstract description 122
- 238000000034 method Methods 0.000 title claims description 24
- 239000000758 substrate Substances 0.000 claims abstract description 76
- 239000004821 Contact adhesive Substances 0.000 claims abstract description 69
- 238000009434 installation Methods 0.000 claims abstract description 23
- 239000011324 bead Substances 0.000 claims description 46
- 239000000463 material Substances 0.000 claims description 33
- 239000004820 Pressure-sensitive adhesive Substances 0.000 claims description 19
- 238000004519 manufacturing process Methods 0.000 claims description 19
- 239000004570 mortar (masonry) Substances 0.000 claims description 12
- 239000006260 foam Substances 0.000 claims description 7
- 229920001084 poly(chloroprene) Polymers 0.000 claims description 7
- 229920002725 thermoplastic elastomer Polymers 0.000 claims description 7
- 229920002397 thermoplastic olefin Polymers 0.000 claims description 7
- 229920002943 EPDM rubber Polymers 0.000 claims description 6
- 230000000845 anti-microbial effect Effects 0.000 claims description 5
- 239000003242 anti bacterial agent Substances 0.000 claims description 4
- 239000004599 antimicrobial Substances 0.000 claims description 4
- 239000000919 ceramic Substances 0.000 claims description 4
- 229910052573 porcelain Inorganic materials 0.000 claims description 4
- 239000004575 stone Substances 0.000 claims description 4
- NIXOWILDQLNWCW-UHFFFAOYSA-M Acrylate Chemical compound [O-]C(=O)C=C NIXOWILDQLNWCW-UHFFFAOYSA-M 0.000 claims description 3
- 239000010426 asphalt Substances 0.000 claims description 3
- 239000012943 hotmelt Substances 0.000 claims description 3
- 229920002994 synthetic fiber Polymers 0.000 claims description 3
- 239000002023 wood Substances 0.000 claims description 3
- 238000010276 construction Methods 0.000 description 5
- 229920001971 elastomer Polymers 0.000 description 5
- 239000010410 layer Substances 0.000 description 5
- 239000012790 adhesive layer Substances 0.000 description 4
- 238000012986 modification Methods 0.000 description 4
- 230000004048 modification Effects 0.000 description 4
- 239000005060 rubber Substances 0.000 description 4
- 239000000203 mixture Substances 0.000 description 3
- XLYOFNOQVPJJNP-UHFFFAOYSA-N water Substances O XLYOFNOQVPJJNP-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 3
- 239000000945 filler Substances 0.000 description 2
- 238000000465 moulding Methods 0.000 description 2
- 239000007787 solid Substances 0.000 description 2
- 229920000079 Memory foam Polymers 0.000 description 1
- 230000000844 anti-bacterial effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000003466 anti-cipated effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 239000007767 bonding agent Substances 0.000 description 1
- 230000001413 cellular effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 239000004568 cement Substances 0.000 description 1
- 230000003749 cleanliness Effects 0.000 description 1
- 239000004567 concrete Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000012217 deletion Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000037430 deletion Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000000151 deposition Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000001035 drying Methods 0.000 description 1
- 239000000806 elastomer Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000009408 flooring Methods 0.000 description 1
- 229920001821 foam rubber Polymers 0.000 description 1
- 238000009472 formulation Methods 0.000 description 1
- 239000003292 glue Substances 0.000 description 1
- 239000011440 grout Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000010348 incorporation Methods 0.000 description 1
- 239000004615 ingredient Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000009413 insulation Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000005259 measurement Methods 0.000 description 1
- 239000008210 memory foam Substances 0.000 description 1
- 229920000642 polymer Polymers 0.000 description 1
- 239000000843 powder Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000009877 rendering Methods 0.000 description 1
- 125000006850 spacer group Chemical group 0.000 description 1
- 239000000126 substance Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000004381 surface treatment Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000012360 testing method Methods 0.000 description 1
- 229920001169 thermoplastic Polymers 0.000 description 1
- 239000004416 thermosoftening plastic Substances 0.000 description 1
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
- E04F15/0215—Flooring or floor layers composed of a number of similar elements specially adapted for being adhesively fixed to an underlayer; Fastening means therefor; Fixing by means of plastics materials hardening after application
- E04F15/02155—Adhesive means specially adapted therefor, e.g. adhesive foils or strips
-
- 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
- E04F15/0215—Flooring or floor layers composed of a number of similar elements specially adapted for being adhesively fixed to an underlayer; Fastening means therefor; Fixing by means of plastics materials hardening after application
-
- 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
- E04F13/0885—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 specially adapted for being adhesively fixed to the wall; Fastening means therefor; Fixing by means of plastics materials hardening after application
-
- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E04—BUILDING
- E04F—FINISHING WORK ON BUILDINGS, e.g. STAIRS, FLOORS
- E04F2290/00—Specially adapted covering, lining or flooring elements not otherwise provided for
Definitions
- the subject of this patent application relates generally to tile, and more particularly to selectively collapsible non-adhesive tile supports configured for supporting and allowing repositioning of tiles before permanent installation.
- tile products of a variety of kinds are ubiquitous in the art.
- Such tiles may traditionally be ceramic, porcelain, stone, or other such material formed in square pieces and adhered in place on an underlying substrate such as concrete or backer board employing mortar, a form of cement that begins as a powder and once mixed with water in the right proportion becomes a paste-like bonding agent that can be applied between the substrate and tile and then harden to affix the tile in place.
- Such mortars can be messy and inconvenient and generally difficult to work with when both mixing and then troweling in position at a relatively uniform desired thickness to properly install the tile, taking care to not mix or spread too much mortar at once so as to allow sufficient time for tile placement before the mortar begins to set and becomes less workable or able to bond to the tile.
- Even quick-drying or -setting mortars may take on the order of four (4) hours to set, while standard mortars require twenty-four (24) hours or more. And only once the mortar has set and the tile has been sufficiently bonded to the substrate should any spacers between the tiles be removed and grout applied in the gaps between tiles, rendering the entire process quite time-consuming and labor-intensive. As such, the traditional process of installing tile has numerous drawbacks.
- U.S. Patent No. 8,302,366 dated November 6, 2012 to Taylor et al. and assigned to Custom Building Products, Inc. directed to a mortarless tile installation system and method for installing tiles to a substrate surface utilizing an adhesive mat having layers of adhesive and release layers arranged to allow the covering material to be initially positioned, and later repositioned to be permanently set.
- the adhesive mat includes a planar carrier member, one or more adhesive layers on at least one planar side of the planar carrier member, and at least one release layer of material removably covering the one or more adhesive layers.
- the adhesive mat includes a carrier sheet, first and second adhesive layers on opposing planar sides of the carrier sheet, and first and second release layers of material removably covering the two adhesive layers.
- the tile apparatus comprises a tile body having a top side and an opposite underside, a contact adhesive array affixed to the underside of the tile body, the contact adhesive array comprising at least one adhesive feature extending from the underside and defining an array height relative to the underside, and a support system affixed to the underside of the tile body offset from the contact adhesive array, the support system comprising at least one non-adhesive standoff positioned adjacent to the at least one adhesive feature and extending from the underside and having a standoff contact surface and defining a standoff height relative to the underside that is greater than the array height, the at least one non-adhesive standoff of the support system supporting the tile body and being selectively slidable relative to the substrate upon application of a lateral force to the tile body and selectively collapsible upon application of
- Figure 1 is a perspective view of an exemplary tile apparatus, in accordance with at least one embodiment
- Figure 2 is a perspective view of an alternative exemplary tile apparatus, in accordance with at least one embodiment
- Figure 3A is an end cross-sectional view of the exemplary tile apparatus of Fig. 1 taken along line 3A-3A thereof, in accordance with at least one embodiment
- Figure 3B is an enlarged partial end cross-sectional view thereof, in accordance with at least one embodiment;
- Figure 4 is a further end cross-sectional view thereof in a first operational mode, in accordance with at least one embodiment;
- Figure 5 is a reduced scale perspective view thereof in the first operational mode, in accordance with at least one embodiment
- Figure 6 is a reduced scale perspective view thereof now in a first operational mode, in accordance with at least one embodiment
- Figure 7A is a further end cross-sectional view thereof in the second operational mode, in accordance with at least one embodiment.
- Figure 7B is an enlarged partial end cross-sectional view thereof in the second operational mode, in accordance with at least one embodiment.
- inventive subject matter provides many exemplary embodiments of the inventive subject matter. Although each embodiment represents a single combination of inventive elements, the inventive subject matter is considered to include all possible combinations of the disclosed elements. Thus, if one embodiment comprises elements A, B, and C, and a second embodiment comprises elements B and D, then the inventive subject matter is also considered to include other remaining combinations of A, B, C, or D, even if not explicitly disclosed.
- Fig. 1 a perspective view of a first exemplary embodiment of a tile apparatus 20 according to aspects of the present invention.
- the apparatus 20 comprises, in the exemplary embodiment, a tile body 30 having a contact adhesive array 50 and a spaced apart support system 70 formed or installed on the underside 34 thereof, the contact adhesive array 50 having at least one adhesive feature 52 and the support system 70 having at least one non-adhesive standoff 72 configured to temporarily space the contact adhesive array 50 and its one or more adhesive features 52 from an underlying substrate S (Fig.
- tile body 30 while allowing the tile body 30 to be slidably repositioned relative to the substrate S until the tile body 30 is in the desired position for installation on the substrate S, at which point a force applied to the top side 32 (Fig. 4) of the tile body 30 serves to collapse the at least one non-adhesive standoff 72 and allow the adhesive feature(s) 52 of the contact adhesive array 50 to make contact with the underlying substrate S.
- the tile apparatus 20, and particularly the tile body 30, may comprise or be formed of or as any suitable architectural covering or material now known or later developed, of any appropriate material or geometry for a particular application, such that the tile apparatus 20 of the present invention is expressly not limited to any particular tile or other building, construction, architectural, or other such material or product, again, whether now known or later developed.
- the tile body 30 may be ceramic, porcelain, or stone tile, wood, laminate, or synthetic material, again, formed in virtually any geometry, including but not limited to square or rectangular, hexagonal, or planks or strips.
- the size, shape, thickness, etc. of the exemplary tile body 30 shown in the figures is to be understood as merely illustrative of features and aspects of the present invention and non-limiting.
- the contact adhesive array 50 is again shown as comprising one or more adhesive feature(s) 52 installed on or affixed to or otherwise formed on the underside 34 of the tile body 30 so as to extend therefrom.
- the adhesive features 52 comprise a series or arrangement of substantially parallel and offset lengthwise beads 54 with opposite substantially parallel and offset widthwise beads 56 at essentially opposite ends of the lengthwise beads 54.
- the widthwise beads 56 and the outermost lengthwise beads 54 together form effectively a perimeter portion of the contact adhesive array 50 that substantially corresponds to the perimeter of the tile body 30, the outermost two lengthwise beads 54 corresponding to the respective lengthwise edges 36 of the tile body 30 and the widthwise beads 56 corresponding to the respective widthwise edges 38 of the tile body 30. Wthin such perimeter arrangement, the remaining offset lengthwise beads 54 run from one widthwise bead 56 to the other in completing the illustrated contact adhesive array 50.
- array 50, and each adhesive feature 52 thereof can take on a virtually infinite number or variety of configurations, such that the exemplary contact adhesive array 50 is to be understood as merely illustrative and non-limiting.
- the contact adhesive array 50 and any adhesive feature 52 thereof may be any one or a combination of a number of cured or pressure sensitive adhesives (PSAs) now known or later developed in the art, including but not limited to hot melt PSAs (“HMPSA”), asphalt-based PSAs (rubberized or otherwise), and acrylate-based PSAs, once more any such array 50 or feature 52 being in any appropriate geometry or pattern as needed or desired.
- PSAs cured or pressure sensitive adhesives
- a release or peel-off liner may be provided over the contact adhesive array 50 to protect it until it is ready to be used, or activated for use - such release liner may cover the entire underside 34 of the tile body 30 and so temporarily adhere at least or primarily to the support system 70 standoffs 72 or may cover the adhesive array 50 only as a single release liner sheet with cut-outs for the standoffs 72 or as release liner strips over each adhesive feature 52 that are to be individually removed to activate the contact adhesive array 50.
- the exemplary support system 70 formed on the underside 34 of the tile body 30 of the tile apparatus 20 is again shown as having at least one non-adhesive standoff 72 configured to temporarily space the contact adhesive array 50 and its one or more adhesive features 52 from an underlying substrate S (Fig. 4).
- each non-adhesive standoff 72 is formed as a square member or column, one in each corner of the underside 34 of the tile body 30 and one somewhat in the center of the underside 34 of the tile body 30, or five standoffs 72 total comprising the support system 70, so as to somewhat uniformly or evenly support the tile body 30 when it is placed on the substrate S.
- each non-adhesive standoff 72 is formed as a rectangular member or rail, each placed lengthwise between adjacent lengthwise beads 54 of the illustrated contact adhesive array 50 substantially spanning from one widthwise bead 56 to the other.
- the contact adhesive array 50 comprises eight lengthwise beads 54 forming seven lengthwise gaps therebetween, such that with the exemplary rectangular or strip standoff 72 being placed in every other such gap, a total of four such standoffs 72 are shown as employed as comprising the support system 70, with three of the lengthwise gaps empty, so as to again somewhat uniformly or evenly support the tile body 30 when it is placed on the substrate S.
- support system 70 configurations or standoff 72 patterns or arrangements are possible according to aspects of the present invention without departing from its spirit and scope.
- a greater or fewer number of the column-type standoffs 72 may be employed, and the standoffs 72 themselves may be circular or other shapes rather than the square shape shown, and in the exemplary embodiment of Fig.
- a greater or fewer number of the strip-type standoffs 72 may be employed, such as three instead of four, with the third standoff 72 centered width-wise on the underside 34 of the tile body 30, between the fourth and fifth lengthwise beads 54, or instead a strip-type standoff 72 may be placed in each gap between lengthwise beads 54, or seven standoffs 72 total in this example, so as to substantially cover the underside 34 of the tile body 30, more about which is said below in connection with Figs. 7 A and 7B.
- Various means of applying both the contact adhesive array 50 and the support system 70 to the underside 34 of the tile body 30 may be employed, whether during production of the tile apparatus 20 or post-production (e.g., in the field) and whether now known or later developed.
- the support system 70 When applied on-site the support system 70, or the individual non adhesive standoffs 72, may be provided in a variety of pre-cut, self-adhesive shapes, strips, or tape formats.
- the non-adhesive standoffs 72 may be affixed to the underside 34 of the tile body 30 using any appropriate fastening method or fastener now known or later developed, including but not limited to adhesive, but at all times the standoff contact surface 74, or the surface of the standoff 72 opposite the underside surface 34, would be substantially non adhesive, again, to aid in repositioning the tile apparatus 20 in use, as explained further below in connection with Figs. 4-6.
- both the contact adhesive array 50 and the support system 70 may be applied at the factory as part of the manufacturing process.
- Fig. 3A there is shown a cross-sectional view of a tile apparatus 20 according to aspects of the present invention substantially as shown in Fig. 1.
- the widthwise adhesive bead 56 (Figs. 1 and 2) is not shown in the end cross-sectional views of Figs. 3A, 3B, 4, 7A and 7B for simplicity and clarity.
- the lengthwise beads 54 of the contact adhesive array 50 are depicted as having a somewhat curved or semi-circular profile, though it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that such is merely illustrative and not necessary.
- the non-adhesive standoff 72 of the support system 70 is depicted as having a somewhat planar or square profile, which again is merely illustrative.
- the adhesive beads 54 are shown as being substantially solid or non-porous, though it will be appreciated that such are effectively semi-solid and in any case need not necessarily be homogeneous throughout or without any voids, the standoffs 72 are shown as being porous or having voids, as in the case of a foam or other such material.
- the standoffs 72 of the support system 70 may utilize or be formed from a variety of chemically formulated memory foams and foamable glues, whether now known or later developed, whether alone or in any combination, and whether applied during production or post-production.
- the construction of a particular standoff 72 will depend on the type and size and weight of the intended tile or finish and the intended installation conditions, such as the materials to be bonded and the substrates that the finishes will be applied over.
- the support system 70 will consist of what is commonly described as water- resistant, closed-cell foam or rubber.
- Exemplary materials include neoprene (polychloroprene or pc-rubber), EPDM (ethylene propylene diene monomer) cellular rubber foam, TPE (thermoplastic elastomer) thermoplastic rubbers, and TPO (thermoplastic olefin or polyolefin) polymer/filler blends usually consisting of thermoplastic, an elastomer or rubber, and a filler.
- neoprene polychloroprene or pc-rubber
- EPDM ethylene propylene diene monomer
- TPE thermoplastic elastomer
- TPO thermoplastic olefin or polyolefin
- the chemical formulation of the foam or rubber will determine its “memory” and structural resistance “crushability.”
- the structural resistance or crushability of the foam or rubber is to be sufficient to support the weight of the material to be installed while the foam’s ability to return to its original shape and size will not be sufficient to overcome the adhered bond of the contact adhesive array 50 between the bonded material or tile body 30 and the substrate S (Fig. 4).
- the support system 70 and specifically the one or more non-adhesive standoffs 72 are configured to have sufficient mechanical strength or integrity to support the weight of the tile body 30 itself while then being capable of collapsing when additional force is applied, as explained further below in connection with Figs. 6 and 7A and 7B.
- any process for forming, assembling with, adhering to, incorporating on or in, or otherwise operably arranging the at least one adhesive feature 52 and the at least one non-adhesive standoff 72 on the underside 34 of a particular tile body 30 are possible, including but not limited to depositing, molding or over-molding, extruding or co-extruding, and bonding; while any such assembly technique would inherently or typically be substantially permanent, in some embodiments it may be possible or desirable, for example, to have the one or more adhesive feature 52 and/or non-adhesive standoff 72 be removably or non-permanently engaged with the tile underside 34, such as
- either or both the adhesive feature 52 and the non-adhesive standoff 72 may be further formed from or treated with a material having antimicrobial and/or antibacterial and other such properties to aid in maintaining the cleanliness of the installation over time, particular in damp environments such as bathrooms, laundry rooms, or kitchens.
- the selected materials of the adhesive feature 52 and the non-adhesive standoff 72 are substantially water-resistant to further maintain the tile apparatus 20 for safe and effective installation over time.
- the standoff height 78, or the perpendicular distance from the underside 34 of the tile body 30 to the standoff contact surface 74 in the initial “non-crushed” state of the standoff 72 is greater than the array height 58, or the perpendicular distance from the underside 34 of the tile body 30 to the top or apex of the array adhesive feature 52, such that the support system 70 spaces the contact adhesive array 50 from the underlying substrate S (Fig. 4) as the tile body 30 is positioned on the substrate S prior to its final installation, more about which is said below in connection with Figs. 4-6.
- the nominal array height 58 prior to assembly or “at rest” is approximately two to three millimeters (2-3 mm), with the nominal standoff height 78 preferably being at least approximately one to two millimeters (1-2 mm) higher than the array height 58, or here in the range of approximately three to five millimeters (3-5 mm).
- both the contact adhesive array 50 and the support system 70 may be squeezed or crushed down to a height or thickness of approximately one to two millimeters (1-2 mm) in effectively bonding the tile body 30 to the underlying substrate S.
- the tile apparatus 20 may be inverted or oriented such that the underside 34 of the tile body 30 is facing down toward the substrate S and the apparatus 20 is then placed thereon.
- the support system 70, and the non-adhesive standoffs 72 specifically, once again spaces the contact adhesive array 50 from the substrate S.
- any release liner (not shown) that is initially installed over all or part of the tile underside 34, particularly over the contact adhesive array 50, is first removed so as to activate the array 50 prior to placement of the tile 20.
- the installer I wishing to not yet contact the substrate S with the adhesive array 50 as the tile body 30 is initially placed, it will be appreciated that the increased height of the support system 70 enables this, which in turn enables the installer I to initially place and then reposition the tile 20 as by sliding or rotating the tile body 30 until the tile 20 is in the desired position as illustrated in Fig.
- any material chosen for the support system 70 and the standoffs 72 specifically will not necessarily be frictionless but by not being purposefully adhesive or tacky will be substantially or sufficiently friction-free or reduced-friction to facilitate relative movement between the standoff contact surface 74 and the substrate S without necessarily having to lift the tile apparatus 20 away from or off of the substrate S, or separate the standoff contact surface 74 from the substrate S.
- a surface treatment or layer may be applied on or over or otherwise formed on the standoff contact surface 74 to further facilitate such relatively frictionless movement or engagement between the non-adhesive standoff(s) 72 and the substrate S.
- Figs. 6 and 7 A and 7B once the tile apparatus 20 is in the desired position on the substrate S, the installer I may simply apply a downward force or a force toward the underlying substrate S, as indicated by arrow A2, to collapse the support system 70 and its one or more non-adhesive standoffs 72 to install the tile 20. As best seen in the enlarged view of Fig.
- such downward or collapsing force A2 overcomes the structure of the support system 70, or specifically the non-adhesive standoff(s) 72, so as to cause the standoff(s) 72 to at least partially collapse or “crush” and thereby allow the contact adhesive array 50, or specifically the adhesive feature(s) 52, to contact and bond with the substrate S.
- the standoff(s) 72 are forced to spread out laterally, filling more of the space between adjacent adhesive features 52 or in the illustrated view the offset lengthwise beads 54.
- the collapsed standoff(s) 72 become a part of the permanent tile installation and thus to the extent the material of the support system 70 has any thermal or acoustic insulation or dampening characteristics, it will be further appreciated that the overall insulative characteristics of the installed tile or other finish are improved due to the incorporation of the support system 70 as part of a tile apparatus 20 according to aspects of the present invention. Moreover, those skilled in the art will appreciate that with the present tile apparatus 20 not only is no messy and inconvenient mortar required for installation, but each tile 20 in a floor or other application can be placed and easily repositioned as desired before ever permanently installing any of the tiles 20.
- a tile apparatus 20 has a number of benefits in construction and use over other known tile and tile installation arrangements. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that other combinations and variations of features and aspects of the tile apparatus 20 of the present invention beyond those shown and described are possible without departing from its spirit and scope, such that the exemplary embodiments are expressly to be understood as illustrative and non-limiting.
- a tile apparatus for installation on a substrate comprising a tile body having a top side and an opposite underside, a contact adhesive array affixed to the underside of the tile body, the contact adhesive array comprising at least one adhesive feature extending from the underside and defining an array height relative to the underside, and a support system affixed to the underside of the tile body offset from the contact adhesive array, the support system comprising at least one non-adhesive standoff positioned adjacent to the at least one adhesive feature and extending from the underside and having a standoff contact surface and defining a standoff height relative to the underside that is greater than the array height, the at least one non-adhesive standoff of the support system supporting the tile body and being selectively slidable relative to the substrate upon application of a lateral force to the tile body and selectively collapsible upon application of a collapsing force to the top side of the tile body toward the substrate, whereby the support system in a first operational mode
- tile body comprises opposite lengthwise edges and opposite widthwise edges so as to define a tile body perimeter, and the widthwise beads and outermost lengthwise beads together form a perimeter portion of the contact adhesive array that substantially corresponds to the tile body perimeter, the outermost lengthwise beads corresponding to the respective lengthwise edges of the tile body and the widthwise beads corresponding to the respective widthwise edges of the tile body.
- the apparatus of any of embodiments 1-9 wherein the contact adhesive array and any adhesive feature thereof may be any one or a combination of a pressure sensitive adhesive (PSA) selected from the group consisting of hot melt PSA, asphalt-based PSA, and acrylate-based PSA.
- PSA pressure sensitive adhesive
- the at least one non adhesive standoff is selected from the group consisting of polychloroprene (neoprene), ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM), thermoplastic elastomer (TPE), and thermoplastic olefin (TPO).
- neoprene polychloroprene
- EPDM ethylene propylene diene monomer
- TPE thermoplastic elastomer
- TPO thermoplastic olefin
- tile body is selected from the group consisting of ceramic, porcelain, stone, wood, laminate, and synthetic material.
- the method comprising the steps of placing the apparatus on a substrate with the underside of the tile body facing the substrate such that the at least one non-adhesive standoff of the support system spaces the at least one adhesive feature of the contact adhesive array from the substrate, repositioning the apparatus on the substrate as needed by laterally shifting the tile body relative to the substrate as enabled by the support system, and pushing the tile body toward the substrate to collapse the at least one non-adhesive standoff of the support system and allow the at least one adhesive feature of the contact adhesive array to contact the substrate and thereby install the tile body on the substrate via the contact adhesive array.
- the step of repositioning the apparatus comprises at least one of sliding or rotating the tile body.
- a kit comprising a tile apparatus as defined in any one of embodiments 1-30.
- kit of embodiment 34 further comprising separate non-adhesive standoffs for post-production installation on the underside of the tile body.
- kits of embodiment 34 or embodiment 35 further comprising instructional material.
- the numbers expressing quantities of components or ingredients, properties such as dimensions, weight, concentration, reaction conditions, and so forth, used to describe and claim certain embodiments of the inventive subject matter are to be understood as being modified in some instances by terms such as “about,” “approximately,” or “roughly.” Accordingly, in some embodiments, the numerical parameters set forth in the written description and attached claims are approximations that can vary depending upon the desired properties sought to be obtained by a particular embodiment. In some embodiments, the numerical parameters should be construed in light of the number of reported significant digits and by applying ordinary rounding techniques.
Landscapes
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Architecture (AREA)
- Civil Engineering (AREA)
- Structural Engineering (AREA)
- Finishing Walls (AREA)
Abstract
Description
Claims
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
PCT/US2019/058344 WO2021086309A1 (en) | 2019-10-28 | 2019-10-28 | Tile apparatus with selectively collapsible non-adhesive support system and method of use |
Publications (2)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
EP4051848A1 true EP4051848A1 (en) | 2022-09-07 |
EP4051848A4 EP4051848A4 (en) | 2023-08-02 |
Family
ID=75716195
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
EP19951088.4A Withdrawn EP4051848A4 (en) | 2019-10-28 | 2019-10-28 | Tile apparatus with selectively collapsible non-adhesive support system and method of use |
Country Status (3)
Country | Link |
---|---|
US (1) | US20230031036A1 (en) |
EP (1) | EP4051848A4 (en) |
WO (1) | WO2021086309A1 (en) |
Family Cites Families (23)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US3339325A (en) * | 1964-03-23 | 1967-09-05 | Corning Glass Works | Foam plastic tiles with flexible hangers |
DE6608169U (en) * | 1967-01-18 | 1971-07-08 | Breveteam Sa | INSULATING COVERING IN THE SHAPE OF A SHEET OR PANEL |
CA1199467A (en) * | 1982-08-26 | 1986-01-21 | Tate Architectural Products, Inc. | Modular tile with positioning means for use with an access floor panel system |
US4536423A (en) * | 1984-08-16 | 1985-08-20 | Travis E Clayton | Wall ornament for shower and bathtub enclosures |
GB9005948D0 (en) * | 1990-03-16 | 1990-05-09 | Sanders Bernard | A component carrying a substance |
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BR102014020884A2 (en) * | 2014-08-25 | 2016-03-22 | Mosarte Indústria E Comércio De Mosaicos Ltda | coating piece with pre-offset travel and positioning mechanism for adhesion |
DE202014104772U1 (en) * | 2014-10-06 | 2016-01-08 | Schlüter-Systems Kg | facade construction |
US10208489B2 (en) * | 2015-03-30 | 2019-02-19 | Exploring, Inc. | Raised flooring system and assembly method with magnetically-attached flooring surface |
US20190300757A1 (en) * | 2018-03-27 | 2019-10-03 | Engineered Floors LLC | Tiles backed with patterns of pressure sensitive adhesive |
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-
2019
- 2019-10-28 US US17/772,469 patent/US20230031036A1/en not_active Abandoned
- 2019-10-28 EP EP19951088.4A patent/EP4051848A4/en not_active Withdrawn
- 2019-10-28 WO PCT/US2019/058344 patent/WO2021086309A1/en unknown
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
EP4051848A4 (en) | 2023-08-02 |
WO2021086309A1 (en) | 2021-05-06 |
US20230031036A1 (en) | 2023-02-02 |
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