GB2566521A

GB2566521A - Tiling system

Info

Publication number: GB2566521A
Application number: GB1714957.6A
Authority: GB
Inventors: John Jarmey Michael
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2017-09-15
Filing date: 2017-09-15
Publication date: 2019-03-20
Also published as: GB201714957D0

Abstract

The tiling system comprises a number of tiles 100 laid on a supporting structure and a number of resiliently deformable clips 200 which are attached to the tiles. The tiles are interconnected by the clips with the tiles’ edges spaced apart. The spacing allows for thermal expansion and contraction of the tiles. The tiles may be made from a synthetic plastics material. The support structure may be adjustable pedestals. The clips may engage the tiles with a snap-fit. Also claimed is a tile with a planar upper surface and a number of rectilinearly arranged ribs. Also claimed is a resiliently deformable clip comprising a base and two side flanges upwardly extending from the base the side flanges including apertures for receiving laterally projecting spurs in a tile.

Description

TILING SYSTEM

This invention concerns a tiling system particularly but not necessarily exclusive for tiling decks or other pedestrian areas adjacent residential accommodation such as caravans, lodges and cabins on a leisure park.

In outdoor tiling it is important to allow for thermal expansion and contraction of the tiles as temperature varies, the temperature variation being greatest where the tiles are exposed to direct sunlight (which otherwise may be desirable in an environment like a leisure park). On roofs and vertical surfaces tiles are conventionally laid loosely in mutually overlapping courses with the lateral edges of the tiles slightly spaced apart from the proximal edges of tiles in the same course and their lower edges free. This allows for thermal expansion and contraction of the tiles. But such an arrangement is not appropriate for a pedestrian area where for reasons of safety the tiling needs to be firm and flat. In any event, to tile a pedestrian area with overlapping tiles would greatly increase the cost.

In paving it is known, of course, to lay tiles, setts or other paviours with gaps between them to receive a relatively soft grouting material such as sand that can absorb edge movements during thermal expansion or contraction. This is satisfactory as long as the paviours are heavy, but not so with lightweight tiles, which can lift or “tent” over time so that the tiles become uneven and possibly unsafe.

Rather than grouting, it has been proposed to join flooring or paving tiles together by means of resilient connectors, as described for example in Dutch patent NL1028881 (Vos Xander). This discloses square flooring sections that each sit in a kind of resilient tray with downward-facing lips on two sides and complementary upward-facing lips on the other two sides, with lips adjacent in use snapping together to hold the flooring sections in place. However, Vos Xander shows adjacent flooring sections closely abutting one another, so there is no room for thermal expansion.

It is an object of the present invention to provide resilient means for connecting tiles together in such a way as to allow for thermal expansion and contraction.

Thus according to a first aspect of the invention there is provided a tiling system comprising a plurality of tiles to be laid on a supporting structure and a plurality of resiliently deformable clips engageable with the tiles to interconnect adjacent tiles when laid, with their edges spaced apart, the spacing of the tiles and the resilience of the clips being sufficient to allow for thermal expansion and contraction of the tiles.

The invention extends to a tile for use in the tiling system, to a clip for use in the tiling system and to decking formed by the tiling system.

Other aspects of the invention will be apparent from the following description, which is made by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings which are purely schematic and in which Figure 1 is an isometric view of a tile being part of a tiling system according to the invention, as seen from above and one side;

Figure 2 is an isometric view of the underside of the tile of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a view corresponding to part of Figure 2, at a much increased scale;

Figure 4 is an isometric view of a clip for interconnecting adjacent tiles of the kind shown in Figures 1 to 3 as seen from above and one side;

Figure 5 is an isometric view of the clip of Figure 3 as seen from directly above;

Figure 6 is a view corresponding to Figure 3 showing a clip of the kind shown in Figures 4 and 5 attached to a tile of the kind shown in Figures 1 to 3;

Figure 7 is an isometric view of the underside of two tiles of the kind shown in Figures 1 to 3 interconnected by a clip of the kind shown in Figures 4 and 5;

Figure 8 is a plan view of part of a deck formed by tiles of the kind shown in Figures 1 to 3;

Figure 9 is an isometric view showing a tile of the kind shown in Figures 1 to 3 with an edging piece for a deck; and

Figure 10 is a cross-section as at X-X in Figure 9 of the edging piece shown therein.

Referring first to Figure 1, the tile 100 shown therein is 400mm square and 60mm thick. It is moulded from acrylonitrile styrene acrylate (ASA) and its upper surface 102 has a non-slip finish formed during the moulding process.

As shown in Figure 2, the underside of the tile 100 is formed with a plurality of ribs indicated at 104. The ribs 104 extend laterally across the tile 100 between its opposed edges and are spaced at 50mm centres to form a rectilinear grid. Each rib 104 is formed near each end with a recess 106. (For simplicity of illustration, not all of these recesses are numbered in Figure 2.

As shown in Figure 3, each rib 105 is formed, near its root and above (as laid) each recess 106 thereof, a laterally projecting spur 108.

The purpose of the recesses 106 and the spurs 108 is to accommodate the attachment to the tile 100 of connecting clips of the kind shown in Figures 4 and 5, as will now be described.

Referring then to Figures 4 and 5 the clip 200 shown therein has a base comprising a central stem with limbs 202 extending diagonally from its ends to join two upright side flanges 204a and 204b respectively formed with apertures 206a and 206b. The height h of the side flanges 206a and 206b is marginally less than the height of the ribs 104 on the tile 100 and the thickness t of the diagonal limbs 204 is marginally less than the depth of the recesses 106 of the tile 100, so that a tile 100 can sit on a clip 200 with their bottom surfaces substantially coplanar. Further, the apertures 206a and 206b in the side flanges 204a and 204b of a clip 200 are so disposed at to receive laterally projecting spurs 108 of a tile 100 when attached thereto. Raised shoulders 210 near the ends of the central stem 202 of the clip 200 engage adjacent ribs of a tile 100 so that the attachment between the clip 200 and the tile 100 is secure And the clip 200 is formed of a polycarbonate material which is sufficiently resilient to enable spurs 108 on a tile 100 to snap into the apertures 206a and 206b of a clip 200.

Figure 6 shows a clip 200 attached to a tile 100 with a spur 108 of the tile 100 snapped into an aperture 206a of the clip 200.

Figure 7 shows two adjacent tiles 100 interconnected by a clip 200. It will be noted that the interconnection provides a small space s between the adjacent tiles 100 to allow room for thermal expansion if the temperature increases, without adjacent edges coming together at the risk of buckling, tenting or other deformation. If the temperature falls, the resilience of the clips 200 coupled with the diagonal orientation of their limbs 204 allows for thermal contraction without adjacent tiles becoming disconnected.

Figure 8 shows a plurality of tiles 100 being laid to form a deck, the tiles 100 being interconnected by clips 200 and mutually spaced apart thereby. (For simplicity of illustration only the components at the top left of Figure 8 are numbered; and it should be noted that the dimensions of the clips 200 and of the spaces s between the tiles 100 are exaggerated in Figure 8). It will be understood that a deck so formed may be extended as far as required, and it may be secured in place by means of screws or other fixings driven through holes 212 in the clips 200 (see Figures 4 and 5) and into the underlying structure. The tiles 100 may be laid on a decking substructure. (Such a substructure may have a modular pitch equal to the lateral dimensions of the tiles and may comprise adjustable pedestals such as those supplied by Castle Composites Limited of Lanark, Scotland. Otherwise an existing deck may be covered (eg for weather protection) by tiles 100 laid thereon.

To finish off a deck and to protect its outer edges, edging pieces 300 may be laid, as shown in Figure 9. The edging piece 300 has a curved profile with a projecting tongue cut away at 304 to sit under a recess 106 of a tile 100 so that in use the edging piece 300 is held in place.

One more feature of the invention may now be mentioned. Having the tiles 100 made from synthetic plastics material means that they are easily cut to a required size, for instance in constructing a deck of predetermined dimensions. However, it is necessary for such cut-down tiles to interconnect with others as described above. Accordingly tiles 100 are configured and arranged to be engageable with a said clip at additional points (eg through 5 additional spurs 110 visible in Figures 3 and 6, although other arrangements may be possible) whereby a tile 100 may be cut adjacent said points and remain connectable to an adjacent tile.

It will now be understood that the invention delivers a substantial benefit to decking construction (and possibly other tiling installations) in 10 allowing thermal expansion and contraction without deleterious effects. It should also be noted, however, that the invention offers another substantial benefit of particular value to do-it-yourself (DIY) builders. At present decking is almost universally made using boards that are long (up to 4800mm) and heavy and therefore not easily carried home by many domestic users. By 15 contrast, tiles as proposed herein are merely 400mm square and weigh about 1kg so several boxes of say ten tiles each, plus clips, can readily be accommodated in a family car after purchase at a DIY store.

Claims

CLAIMS The invention claimed is:

1. A tiling system for forming or covering a deck, which system comprises a plurality of tiles to be laid on a supporting structure and a plurality of resiliently deformable clips engageable with the tiles to interconnect adjacent tiles when laid, with their edges spaced apart, the spacing of the tiles and the resilience of the clips being sufficient to allow for thermal expansion and contraction of the tiles.

2. A tiling system as claimed in Claim 1 characterised in that the tiles and the clips are each formed from synthetic plastics material.

3. A tiling system as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2 characterised in that said tiles are laid on said supporting structure to form a deck thereon.

4. A tiling system as claimed in Claim 3 characterised in that said supporting structure has support points equally spaced apart and the tiles have a lateral dimension equal to the spacing of the support points.

5. A tiling system as claimed in Claim 4 characterised in that said support points are provided by vertically adjustable pedestals.

6. A tiling system as claimed in Claim 1 characterised in that said tiles are laid on an existing deck to cover the same.

7. A tiling system as claimed in any preceding claim characterised in that the engagement of the clips with the tiles is of snap-fit form.

8. A tile for a tiling system as claimed in any preceding claim, which tile has a substantially planar upper surface in use and an undersurface formed with a plurality of rectilinearly-arranged ribs configured to receive said clips around edges thereof.

5

9. A tile as claimed in Claim 8 characterised in that the upper surface of the tile in use has a non-slip finish.

10. A tile as claimed in Claim 8 or Claim 9 characterised in that the tile is moulded from ASA.

11. A tile as claimed in any of Claims 8 to 10 characterised in that said tile is configured and arranged to be engageable with a said clip at additional points, whereby the tile may be cut adjacent said points and remain connectable to an adjacent tile.

12. A resiliently deformable clip for a tiling system as claimed in any of Claims 8 to 11 characterised in that said clip comprises a base and two side flanges upwardly extending therefrom in use, each of said side flanges being formed with apertures configured and arranged to receive laterally

20 projecting spurs formed on the undersurface of a said tile.

13. A clip as claimed in Claim 12 characterised in that side flanges of the clip are so configured and arranged that the spurs have snap-fit engagement in the apertures.

14. A clip as claimed in Claim 12 or Claim 13 characterised in that the base of the clip is dimensioned to fit into a said recess in a rib of the tile.

15. A clip as claimed in any of Claims 12 to 14 characterised in that 30 the side flanges of the clip are dimensioned to extend up the side of a said rib.

16. A clip as claimed in any of Claims 12 to 15 characterised in that the base of the clip comprises diagonal limbs locating the side flanges so as to permit limited movement of the side flanges towards one another when there is thermal expansion of tile and away from one another when there is thermal contraction of tiles.

17. A clip as claimed in any of Claims 12 to 16 characterised in that the clip is formed from polycarbonate material.

18. A clip as claimed in any of Claims 12 to 17 characterised in that the base of the clip is formed with a hole whereby the clip may be secured to a supporting surface.

19. Decking formed from a tiling system as claimed in any of Claims 1 to 7 characterised in that tiles of the tiling system are connected together by clips of the tiling system and are supported on a substructure.

20. Decking formed from a tiling system as claimed in Claim 19 characterised in that said substructure comprises supporting points regularly spaced apart at a pitch equal to the lateral dimension of the tiles.

21. Decking formed from a tiling system as claimed in Claim 20 characterised in that the supporting points are provided on vertically adjustable pedestals.

22. A method of making a deck, which method comprises providing a tiling system as claimed in any of Claims 1 to 7 and laying the tiles thereof on a supporting substructure and interconnecting them by the clips of the system.

23. A method of covering a deck, which method comprises providing a tiling system as claimed in any of Claims 1 to 7 and laying the tiles thereof on a the deck and interconnecting them by the clips of the system.