ES2685603T3 - Curved tile - Google Patents

Abstract

Ceramic tile (12, 13, 14, 15; 22; 41; 50) manufactured according to a procedure comprising the steps of: - forming a tile (12, 13, 14, 15; 22; 41; 50) of clay, in where the upper surface of the tile comprises at least two zones (12, 13, 14, 15; 23, 24, 25; 51, 52), said two zones being (12, 13, 14, 15; 23, 24, 25 , 51, 52) flat and where the normal vectors of the two surfaces (12, 13, 14, 15; 23, 24, 25; 51, 52) form an angle greater than 0 ° to each other; - subsequently baking the tile (12, 13, 14, 15; 22; 41; 50) formed of clay, characterized in that the ceramic tile (12, 13, 14, 15; 22; 41; 50) comprises an opening, in where at least one of the two zones (12, 13, 14, 15; 23, 24, 25; 51, 52) of the upper surface has a decline in the direction of the opening, and where the ceramic tile (12, 13, 14, 15; 22; 41; 50) is a porcelain stoneware tile.

Description

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DESCRIPTION

Curved tile

This description refers to a ceramic, glass or porcelain tile. GB 2113271 describes a ceramic tile comprising the features of the preamble of claim 1.

The tiles are used as a wall covering and as a floor covering. The tiles are used, among other purposes, for bathrooms and showers. In such a sanitary application, a floor drain is normally available to allow, for example, the drainage of the shower water. To allow water to run into the drain, a decline must be placed on the tile floor.

These tiles are, therefore, wall and floor tiles that normally comply with European standard number 14411. These tiles are generally clay pressed and are not provided with glazing. Due to their high density, the water absorption of these tiles is less than 1%. The invention does not include so-called ceramic sanitary ware. It is understood that it refers to ceramic pieces, such as a toilet, sink or shower tray. Said ceramic sanitary article is generally manufactured by casting it in a mold. After curing, the casting object is provided with glazing.

It is known to provide shower floors with an elongated drain. The advantage is that the soil needs a one-way decline because water can be collected along the entire drain. The length of said elongated drain is often the same as the width of the shower floor.

There is an additional trend towards the use of large ceramic tiles. Tiles with dimensions of 50 centimeters by 50 centimeters are already common, while tiles with dimensions of 1 meter by 1 meter are also increasingly common. During the tiling of a floor, in the case of such large tiles, it is preferred that the smallest possible amount of tiles be cut.

When a decline is arranged on a tiled floor for a shower space, it is usual for the decline to start just behind the shower door. Therefore, the shower water will always flow into the shower space. In the case of the large tiles mentioned above, this may mean that a tile should be cut to allow the decline to begin directly behind the shower door or that the decline will extend beyond the shower door substantially 1 meter or more. This is also desirable.

Document FI 87824 describes a concrete tile mold, with different surfaces that meet at an angle. The concrete tile molds must have a certain thickness to have sufficient strength, so that the tiles can be handled without problems. However, the thickness required in the case of larger dimensions will be several centimeters, so that the weight of such concrete tiles becomes prohibitive.

Document DE 102007056472 describes the manufacture of a shower plate with inclined surfaces, wherein the shower tray is manufactured from a solid plate of material, in which the desired profile is subsequently molded. It is an expensive and slow procedure.

Therefore, it is an object of the invention to provide a ceramic tile where the aforementioned drawbacks are reduced or even obviated.

This object is achieved with a ceramic tile according to claim 1.

The tile formed from clay is preferably baked at a temperature greater than 1000 ° C.

By manufacturing the tiles from clay and then cooking them at high temperature, a strong ceramic tile is obtained, while the thickness of the tile can remain limited.

Unlike the prior art tiles, ceramic tiles manufactured in this way according to the invention have a curvature in the present description. With this curvature, it is possible to make the decline begin, for example, halfway along a tile, without having to cut the tile. This avoids an additional seal, preventing the risk of possible leaks. In addition, a smaller number of joints is more hygienic, since there is less area of joint surface to which dirt, soap residue and the like can adhere.

The use of a shaped tile as a slope towards a drain has the additional advantage that the structure and color of the shaped tile can be the same as those of the surrounding floor tiles, since the shaped tile can be manufactured with the same materials premiums and through the same process. Because the structure is the same, the same R value or roughness is also obtained. An embodiment of the tile according to the invention comprises an opening, in which at least one of the two areas of the upper surface has a slope in the direction of the opening. The opening in the tile can be used to place a drain. Because the dimensions of the tiles are getting larger and larger, it is increasingly common for the dimensions of the drain to be smaller than the dimensions of the tile. In prior art tiles, this would mean that a tile would have to be cut into several pieces to fit properly against the drain.

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With a tile according to the invention, the drain can now be easily mounted and, however, there is a decline in the tile due to the difference in the inclination of the two zones.

In addition, in this way a better finish is obtained because the edges of the opening in the tile no longer depend on the ability of the tiler.

In a preferred embodiment of the tile according to the invention, the opening is rectangular and the upper surface comprises at least four zones, where each zone is connected to one side of the rectangular opening. By using said tile, a good decline around a rectangular drain can be easily obtained. With prior art tiles it is often not possible to obtain a good connection without unsightly edges around a rectangular drain. With a tile according to the invention, the zones are formed so that a good connection with the drain is obtained and, in addition, a decline from four directions to the drain.

Preferably, a transition zone is provided between the at least two zones, whose transition zone has a curvature. Through the transition zone a gradual progression is obtained between the two zones.

The tile according to the invention can have a uniform thickness, although the thickness of the tile can also be modified so that a flat bottom face is obtained, while the top face has the desired curvature. The advantage of this is that the tile according to the invention can be easily arranged on a flat substrate.

In another preferred embodiment, the ceramic tile is an unglazed tile.

The invention further relates to a combination of a tile according to the invention and a drain, where at least one edge of the tile is supported against the drain. When, for example, an elongated drain is used, the length of which is equal to or greater than the dimensions of the tile, a decline can be obtained, as well as a good connection to a flat surrounding floor with this combination according to the invention. Thus, the tiles are already available in the market with dimensions of 1 meter by 3 meters. One of said tiles can cover the entire surface area of the shower floor. In addition, it is desirable in this case that only a part of the total length of the tile has a decline. This is possible with a tile according to the invention.

In a preferred embodiment of the combination according to the invention, the drain is arranged in the opening of the tile. This embodiment is advantageous when the dimensions of the drain are smaller than those of the tile. Because the different areas have a decline in the direction of drainage, a smooth adjustment to the drainage can be obtained if an adequate decline is also provided.

Another preferred embodiment of the combination according to the invention comprises a foam plate arranged under the tile. The foam plate provides acoustic damping and insulation, but also provides additional resistance. Therefore, it is possible to apply a thinner tile on the foam plate without the floor losing strength. An additional advantage is that the weight of the combination is reduced, so that despite the sometimes large dimensions, the combination can be easily manipulated during installation.

In addition, a thin tile can be easily shortened, so that a combination of tile and foam plate can be modified in a simple manner, for example, by cutting the tile and the foam plate to its size.

The foam plate is preferably provided with a tongue and groove connection for coupling to surrounding combinations according to the invention. The tongue and groove connection ensures that two adjacent foam plates can be coupled to each other at the correct height and, therefore, that there is no difference in height between the tiles in the foam plates.

The tile with foam plate can also be optionally applied without drainage. In this way, the weight advantage is retained in any case. In addition, the factory manufacturing of said tile with foam plate is advantageous to minimize the risk of poor adhesion of the tile to the substrate.

In a highly preferred embodiment of the combination according to the invention, the side walls of the foam plate are aligned with the edges of the tile. In this way, a structural element is obtained that can be mounted in a single operation. Therefore, it is possible, for example, to place a full shower floor in one operation. Due to the foam plate, such a large structural element remains, however, easy to handle.

A cover profile is preferably arranged in at least one side wall of the foam plate. In this way, the side part can be finished perfectly if the surrounding floor cannot be placed at the same level as the combination according to the invention.

In yet another embodiment of the combination according to the invention, a recess is provided on the underside of the foam plate to accommodate at least a part of the drain. The siphon portion of the drain can be arranged, for example, closer against the upper face, thus reducing the total height of the combination according to the invention.

In a highly preferred embodiment of the combination according to the invention, the combination has a height and width of at least one meter per one meter and the thickness of the tile is less than five millimeters.

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With such thin tiles, the arrangement of a curve in the tile has the advantage that in this way the tile is reinforced.

Only one tile is also preferably arranged in the foam plate. It is also possible to provide the tile according to the invention with a non-slip layer, which is often formed as a structure on the upper face of the tile.

Therefore, with a tile according to the invention, it is possible to create a completely flat floor with a slope towards a drain. Both the inclined part of the ground and the surrounding part can have the same color and structure, so that the ground has the appearance of forming a whole.

The invention further relates to a shower tray comprising only one tile according to the invention, wherein the peripheral edge of the tile is in a plane.

The advantage of a shower tray according to the invention, unlike shower trays of the prior art, is that it is not necessary to use a silicone seal to seal the shower tray in relation to a surrounding floor. The shower trays of the prior art are, for example, made of steel or plastic and, therefore, have a coefficient of expansion different from that of a stone floor. In the invention, the shower tray is formed by a tile that can be made of the same material and have the same appearance as the surrounding floor. A usual adhesion of the tiles and the shower tray and a usual filling of the joints may be sufficient to obtain a good seal.

In addition, it is not necessary to cut the wall tiles connected to the shower tray, since the peripheral edge is in a plane and, therefore, can be laid horizontally.

A shower tray according to the invention can also be adhered or placed in wet cement in the usual manner. In the prior art, a shower tray must be placed in position and said shower tray rests largely without support on the floor. The adhesion of the entire shower tray according to the invention makes the unit more robust.

Because the shower tray comprises a shaped tile, it is easy to achieve that the thickness of the shower tray tile is the same as that of the surrounding floor tiles. This simplifies the placement of the surrounding soil, since height differences do not have to be covered.

The use of a tile formed as a shower tray has the additional advantage that the sizing is precise and that the shower tray can be provided at right angles. In shower trays of the prior art, the corners are rounded as a result of the production process. In addition, it is necessary in said prior art, not to have right angles to allow reliable sealing with silicone putty.

The use of a shaped tile as a shower tray has the additional advantage that the structure and color of the shaped tile can be the same as those of the surrounding floor tiles, since the shaped tile can be manufactured with the same raw materials And the same process. Because the structure is the same, the same R value or roughness is also obtained.

An embodiment of the shower tray according to the invention comprises a drain disposed within the peripheral edge.

In another embodiment of the shower tray according to the invention, a vertical flange is disposed along a part of the peripheral edge.

The vertical flange connects to the wall tiles of an adjacent wall. Because the transition to the wall is placed higher using the vertical flange, the possibility of problems in this transition is reduced.

A further embodiment of the shower tray according to the invention comprises a foam plate arranged under the tile.

In this case, a prominent membrane can be placed between the tile and the foam plate.

Foam plates are used, for example, to contribute to noise reduction. By placing a prominent membrane between the tile and the foam plate, a good connection to the surrounding floor can be obtained, on which the tiles are also preferably placed. The foam plate, tile and membrane are preferably bonded together at the factory to ensure good quality.

The technique of a shaped tile according to the invention can be used, for example, to form a washbasin.

These and other features of the invention are described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a first embodiment of a combination that is not part of the scope of the invention.

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Figure 2 shows a perspective view of a second embodiment of a combination according to the invention.

Figure 3 shows a cross-sectional view of a third embodiment of a combination according to the invention.

Figure 4 shows a perspective view of a fourth embodiment of a combination according to the invention.

Figure 5 shows a perspective view of a fifth embodiment of a tile according to the invention.

Figure 1 shows a combination 1. The combination 1 has a tile 2, 3 and an elongated drain 4. The upper surface of the tile is divided into two zones 2, 3. The first zone 2 has a slope directed towards the elongated drain 4. The second zone 3 is horizontal and connects to a surrounding tile floor 5.

A transparent shower door 6 is placed just after the transition 7 between the first zone 2 and the second zone 3. In this way, the water that runs through the shower door 6 will fall on the first zone 2 and run into the drain Four.

Figure 2 shows a second embodiment 10 that can serve as a shower tray according to the invention. It refers to a tile with a central opening 11 and four zones 12, 13, 14, 15 that slope towards the central opening 11. A drain 16 is arranged in the central opening 11. With this embodiment 10 it is possible to provide a relatively drained small 16 in a relatively large tile 10 and which also ensures a smooth transition between zones 12, 13, 14, 15 and drain 16.

Figure 3 shows a cross-sectional view of a combination 20. The combination consists of a foam plate 21 with a single tile 22 thereon. The tile 22 is thin, but with sufficient strength that is obtained thanks to the support of the foam plate 21.

The tile 22 is subdivided into three zones 23, 24, 25 and a transition zone 26. From this figure it will be apparent that the normal vector 27 of the zone 24 forms an angle greater than 0 ° with the normal vector 28 of the zone 25.

An opening is also provided in the tile 22 in which a drain 29 is arranged. The siphon portion 30 of the drain 29 is partially embedded in the foam plate 21, so that the outlet pipe 31 can rest tightly against the face bottom of the foam plate 21. This limits the total depth of the combination.

The combination 20 according to the invention can be manufactured, for example, by providing a foam plate 21 provided with the desired slopes and an opening for drainage 29. A very thin but large tile 22 is then provided. Typical dimensions are 1 by 3 meters, with a thickness of less than 5 millimeters. This tile 22 is provided with an opening for the drain 29 and subsequently adheres to the upper surface of the foam plate 21. Because the tile is relatively thin, the tile 22 is flexible and can follow the slopes that have been arranged . The tile 22 is then pressed onto the foam plate 21 and held firm until the adhesive has dried. Finally, a drain 29 can be provided on the plate 21.

By using a thin tile with a thickness of, for example, less than 3 millimeters, it is possible to use the tile as a heat collector. The shower water that falls on the tile heats the tile. By now having a cold water supply conduit under the tile, the tile can preheat the cold water in the supply conduit, so less hot water is needed and, therefore, energy saving is achieved.

Another option for a tile with a curvature is to arrange a recessed part in the tile, on which a carpet can be arranged, for example. The advantage is that it is not required to cut the tile.

Figure 4 shows a combination 40 according to the invention, which can also serve as a shower tray. The combination 40 has a shaped tile 41 and a foam plate 42 disposed thereon. The tile 41 is provided with a circular plate-shaped recess 43 with an opening in the center where a drain 44 is arranged.

A vertical edge 45 is formed connected to the surrounding flat part of the tile 41 around the circular recess 43.

The combination 40 thus forms a shower tray in which there are no joints. The tile 41 is formed in one piece.

Figure 5 shows a shower tray according to the invention consisting of a tile 50. This tile 50 has a flat edge 51 that extends around an inclined central part 52. This central part 52 has a slope that circulates towards an elongated drain. 53. The difference in height between the edge 51 and the inclined central part 52 is covered by the edge 54.

The tile 50 thus formed forms a shower tray, the shape of which is known in the prior art.

as gutter However, the tile 50 is also formed in this case in one piece, so that the usual sealing problems of the gutters do not occur in a tile 50 according to the invention.

In this embodiment, the flat edge 51 is provided on all four sides of the shower tray. It is also possible to skip the flat edge on one side if this side is connected to a wall.

Claims (11)

5 10 fifteen twenty 25 30 35 1. Ceramic tile (12, 13, 14, 15; 22; 41; 50) manufactured according to a procedure comprising the steps of: - forming a tile (12, 13, 14, 15; 22; 41; 50) of clay, wherein the upper surface of the tile comprises at least two areas (12, 13, 14, 15; 23, 24, 25; 51, 52), said two zones (12, 13, 14, 15; 23, 24, 25, 51, 52) being flat and where the normal vectors of the two surfaces (12, 13, 14, 15; 23, 24, 25; 51, 52) form an angle greater than 0 ° to each other; - subsequently baking the tile (12, 13, 14, 15; 22; 41; 50) formed of clay, characterized in that the ceramic tile (12, 13, 14, 15; 22; 41; 50) comprises an opening, in where at least one of the two zones (12, 13, 14, 15; 23, 24, 25; 51, 52) of the upper surface has a decline in the direction of the opening, and where the ceramic tile (12, 13, 14, 15; 22; 41; 50) is a porcelain stoneware tile. 2. Ceramic tile (12, 13, 14, 15) according to claim 1, wherein the opening is rectangular and wherein the upper surface comprises at least four zones, wherein each zone is connected to one side of the rectangular opening. 3. Ceramic tile (22) according to any one of the preceding claims 1 or 2, wherein a transition zone (26) is provided between the at least two zones (24, 25), said transition zone having a suitable curvature. 4. Ceramic tile (12, 13, 14, 15; 22; 41; 50) according to any of the preceding claims 1 to 3, wherein the ceramic tile is an unglazed tile. 5. Combination of a ceramic tile (12, 13, 14, 15; 22; 41; 50) according to any one of the preceding claims 1 to 4 and a drain (16; 29; 44; 53), wherein at least one edge of the tile leans against the drain. 6. Combination according to claim 5 and any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the drain (16; 44; 53) is disposed in the opening of the tile. 7. Shower tray comprising a single ceramic tile (50) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the peripheral edge (51) of the tile is in a plane. 8. Shower tray (50) according to claim 7, comprising a drain (53) disposed within the peripheral edge. 9. Shower tray according to claim 7 or 8, wherein a vertical flange is disposed along a part of the peripheral edge. 10. Shower tray according to any of the preceding claims 7 to 9, comprising a foam plate (21) disposed under the tile. 11. Shower tray according to claim 10, wherein a prominent membrane is disposed between the tile (22) and the foam plate (21).