WO2007113887A1

WO2007113887A1 - Tile floor with housing for functional or decorative elements

Info

Publication number: WO2007113887A1
Application number: PCT/IT2007/000234
Authority: WO
Inventors: Natale Quaglia
Original assignee: E.M. Marketing S.R.L.
Priority date: 2006-03-31
Filing date: 2007-03-29
Publication date: 2007-10-11
Also published as: EP2004928A1; ITMI20060643A1

Abstract

The present invention relates to a floor comprising a plurality of tiles (2), a plurality of plate-like supports (5) disposed underneath tiles 'and securing means (8) for the removable fixing of the tiles to the plate-like supports, wherein the securing means comprise a metallic insert (27), said metallic insert, different from said plate-like support, being associated with the lower face of the plate-like support, said plate-like supports (5) being offset relative to said tiles, so that each of said plate- like supports supports a corner of four adjacent tiles, characterized in that said tiles (2) comprise a depressed central portion (32) and a contour portion (33) arranged as a frame about said central portion (32), a step with a rise (35) being formed between said central portion (32) and said contour portion (33), said depressed central portion (32) forming a seat for a decorative or functional element (34).

Description

DESCRIPTION

TILE FLOOR WITH HOUSING FOR FUNCTIONAL OR DECORATIVE

ELEMENTS

The^" present invention, in its broadest terms, relates to a floor and, more particularly, to a floor of the type comprising a plurality of tiles and a plurality of support bases located underneath said tiles .

The prior art is represented by the Patent Publication WO 98/20212, which discloses a floating floor comprising a plurality of tiles being evenly located essentially side-by-side, in squared rows. Each tile has four corners and four sides. The floor also comprises a plurality of support bases. Each support base has a centre and four corners. The support bases are disposed underneath the tiles in an even and substantially offset manner relative to the plurality of tiles, so that the centre of each support base is located underneath the corners of four adjacent tiles. The support bases are preferably made of a suitable elastomer, for example rubber, by moulding. Suitable securing means are provided to removably secure the tiles to the support bases . Underneath each support base an anchor plate is positioned, which is equipped with threaded holes into which screws are tightened for fixing the tiles. Preferably, said anchor plate is housed in a recess formed at the lower face, or drowned in the thickness of the support base. The plate is generally made of metal .

However, this kind of floor has some drawbacks when a decoration of the floor with elements such as ceramic, marble, glass, etc., is desired.

The prior art as described above, in fact, using mainly mechanic securing means, mainly works for metallic tiles, therefore providing an extremely reduced range of choice among the candidate finishing.

The problem at the heart of the present invention is therefore to provide a tile and an equipped floor comprising such a tile, which solves the drawbacks of the floor of the prior art .

This problem is solved by a tile and a relative floor such as set forth in the annexed claims. The present invention allows housing any type of finishing using the aforementioned metallic tile with securing means only acting as a frame and recess support for a decorative tile of any nature and colour, both glued and removable, both having only esthetical functions and also having electrical plant functions, such as, for example, illumination.

A flooring of this type will therefore have the advantages of removability, inherent of a mechanic system, and at the same time the esthetical advantages of conventional laying, where the user needs not to use a tile of a particular nature.

The depression present on the surface of the metallic tile which is the object of the present invention, as it will be better described in the following, could be in a format which is considered standard in the decorative tiles, so that the metallic tile provided with depression can be supplied and laid as raw by the user, possibly being provided with a false decorative tile which will be able to be easily removed and replaced with a real decorative tile selected by the same user from time to time, thus taking advantage of the present invention as a universal base to removably lay the common decorative tiles for floorings, which otherwise should be grout glued, i.e. in a traditional manner, to the floor.

Further features and advantages of the present invention will be more clearly understood from the description of some exemplary embodiments thereof, given herein by way of non-limiting example, with reference to the following figures :

Fig. 1 represents an exploded perspective view of a floor portion comprising the tile of the invention; Fig. 2 represents a perspective view of the tile of the invention;

Fig. 3 represents a sectional side view of a floor portion comprising the tile of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 represents a perspective view of a detail of the tile according to a different embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 5 represents a plan top view of a detail of the floor of the invention according to the embodiment of Fig. 5; Fig. 6 represents a plan top view of a detail of the floor of the invention, according to a further embodiment;

Fig. 7 represents a sectional side view of a detail of the tile of the invention, according to a particular embodiment .

With reference to Fig. 1, the floor 1 comprises a plurality of tiles, all designated with 2, which are squared in this example, evenly located substantially side-by-side, in squared rows. Each tile 2 has four corners 3 and four sides 4. The floor 1 also comprises a plurality of plate- like supports, all designated with 5, which are squared in this example. Each plate-like support 5 has a centre 6 and four sides 7. The plate-like supports 5 are evenly, and substantially offset, arranged underneath the tiles 2 relative to the plurality of tiles, so that the centre 6 of each plate-like support 5 is located underneath the corners 3 of four adjacent tiles 2. The plate-like supports are in this example made by moulding a suitable elastomer, for example rubber.

Securing means 8, for example screws or screw and nut systems, are provided to removably secure the tiles 2 to the plate-like supports 5. The plate-like supports 5 are placed side-by- side, in mutual contact a side against the other. At the sides in mutual contact, a joint 9 is provided, which fixedly holds the side-by-side plate-like supports together. The joint 9 comprises a hammer- shaped projection 10, which is formed halfway a side 7 of a plate-like support, and a recess 11, hammer- shaped and coupled to the projection 10, which is formed halfway a side 7 of the side-by-side plate-like support . Each plate-like support 5 has an equal number of projections and recesses, and precisely two projections and two recesses, one on each side, so that all the plate-like supports are equal to each other . At one lower face 5a thereof, each plate-like support 5 has a plurality of channels 12, distributed according to two groups of channels parallel to the sides and orthogonally intersecting, advantageously sized for cables, tubing and the like to pass therethrough.

At one top surface 5b thereof, each plate-like support has a Greek-cross-shaped relief 14 with arms 15 converging at the centre 6 and having a substantially rectangular cross-section. The relief 14 represents the grout jointing or rabbet between adjacent tiles.

Preferably, the relief 14 of each plate-like support is in mutual contact with relieves of the adjacent plate-like supports. That is, the arms 15 have free ends 16, opposite to the centre 6, which contact in abutment with the free ends of the adjacent plate-like support arms.

The tile 2 rests, with its lower face 2b, on the top surface 5b of four adjacent plate-like supports 5, which are located underneath the tile 2. 4

The rim 24 rests in a depression 25 formed in the plate-like supports along the arms 15 of the relieves. The securing means 8 comprise a screw 26 which runs between each corner 3 of the four corners of respective adjacent tiles 2 which are located underneath a plate-like support, and the same plate- like support, said screw ranging through holes 26a and 26b formed in the tile and the plate-like support, respectively. Preferably, the securing means 8 comprise a metallic insert 27 associated to and located beneath the plate-like support, equipped with threadings 28 screwingly engaged by the screws 26.

The upper surface 5b of the plate-like support 5 has four depressed areas 30 at the vertex portions of the plate-like support. Such depressed areas 30 form a step with the highest areas 31 located orthogonally in a position adjacent to the relief 14.

The tile 2 has a depressed central portion 32 and a contour portion 33 arranged as a frame about said central portion 32. Between the central portion 32 and the contour portion 33, a step is formed having a rise 35. The depressed central portion 32 acts as a seat for a decorative or functional element 34, which can in turn be a conventional ceramic tile or other material commonly used in decorative tiles, or a glass or plate glass pane, or other, as it will be better defined herein below.

In turn, the depressed portion 32 of the tile 2 will be housed in the depressed area 30 of the plate- like support 5, while the contour portion 33 of the tile 2 will match the highest area 31 of the same plate-like support.

As shown in figure 3, the contour portion 33 of the tile 2 is flanged on a frame-shaped reinforcing core 22, which can be made of a ferrous material, for example common steel . The tile 2 is therefore formed by a metallic sheet moulded and flanged on the reinforcing core 22, thus forming a rim 24 embedding the reinforcing core along the periphery thereof, at a lower face of the tile.

In its embodiments shown in the figures 4, 5, and 6, the depressed portion 32 of the tile substantially covers the whole surface of the same tile, therefore the contour portion 33 is lacking. The depressed portion 32 will be therefore contoured by the rise 35, which will form the perimeter of the tile. Therefore, the tile 2 will act as a holding basin for the decorative or functional element 34 and it will be thus hidden by the latter, apart from at the grout joint.

At the four corners 3, the tile 2 comprises at least one stop tab 40.

In the embodiment of Fig. 4 and 5, two stop tabs 40 are formed by cutting the corner portions of the rise 35 and turning them back outwardly until making them co-planar with the depressed portion 32. A cross- shaped stop member 41 may be located on the grout joint at the vertexes of four tiles 2, and fixed by suitable securing means, such as screws, to the metallic insert 27 located underneath, which, if needed, will have suitable threaded holes aligned with the holes 42 of the stop member 41. Thereby, the stop member 41 will impinge on the tabs 40, thus providing to fix the floor.

In the embodiment of Fig. 6, the tab 40 is the same corner as the depressed portion 32 and it is formed by interrupting the rise 35 at the corner portion. In this case too, a stop member 43, for example a square- or polygonal-shaped small insert or taco, will provide for the fixing of the floor through a suitable fixing means (a screw or the like) which, passing through a single hole 44 at the vertexes of the tiles, will act as a coupling with the lower metallic insert 27. The embodiment of Fig. 6 will be used in particular when the grout joint is minimal.

In other embodiments, it will be also possible to drill the holes directly on the tabs 40, thus avoiding the use of the stop member 41, 43. In the Fig. 5 and 6, the plate-like support 5 has been intentionally omitted in view of the intelligibility of the drawing. It should be however understood that this plate-like support 5, during installation, will be interposed between tile 2 and stop member 41, 43, on the top side, and metallic insert 27, on the lower side, and will be thus passed through, such as in the other embodiments, by the screws 26.

The figure 7 shows an embodiment in which, on the edge of the rise 35 of the step formed between depressed central portion 32 and contour portion 33 of the tile 2, one or more holes 36 are drilled. At said one or more holes 36, lighting means 37, for example LEDs of a known type and having different power according to the needs, are disposed on the lower surface of the tile 2, as will be better described herein below.

The present invention therefore revolutionizes the concept of glue laying of the decorative tiles for flooring to the floor. It is to be noted that the depression made on the metallic tile surface will result to be underneath the decorative tile, and thereby will support the base. Thereby, once the decorative tile is glued thereto, both in a definitive manner by total gluing, and in a removable way by partial gluing or through so-called "fugitive" removable glues, or "pressure sensitive adhesive" or more simply through double-sided adhesive tape, such a depression behaves as a reinforcement for the same decorative tile.

It is in fact to be noted that the typical ceramic tiles sometimes undergo cracking. This event is due to the fact that the tiles are rigid and, when the underlying support such as cement, glue or grout is not perfectly cohesive, or due to expansions or movements of the same floor the tiles inevitably break, since by their own nature they are able to sustain a very high compressive load, but they are very brittle when subject to a transverse shear traction or tension.

In the occurrence of transverse shear tension or traction, the mechanical tile depression, having to support the decorative tile, compensates the brittleness of the latter by supporting on itself instead, such tensions, thereby preserving it from rupture .

It is clear that this invention has seismic- proof properties and allows using conventional decorative tiles in applications which otherwise could not use them.

Beside a simple decorative tile, the depression present on the surface of the metallic tile may receive, for example, a transparent or semitransparent plate glass. In such a way, the metallic finishing which composes the surface of the same metallic tile will be visible through the plate glass.

The plate glass may be glued by means of a transparent gluing agent, or using a polyvinyl butylene (PVB) film, which is generally used to mutually couple plate glass panes in order to produce bullet-proof plate glasses.

In this way the coupling between plate glass and metallic surface will occur using the stratification machinery generally used in the glassware industry.

In addition, if the metallic finishing of the mechanical tile has a surface patterned by embossing such as, for example, a orange peel, such a surface will be protected by the same plate glass, and therefore it may be more easily cleaned, while remaining visible. The esthetical effect of the metallic finishing, in fact, is particularly- valuable, because it reflects the lights and colours present in the room. Between the decorative plate glass and the mechanical tile, decorations, chromatic effects and/or generally thin objects will be able to be interposed, which will be protected by the plate glass and backlighted by the light reflected on the metallic surface of the mechanical tile .

The transparent glue, as well as the polyvinyl butylene (PVB) , may be coloured with covering or semitransparent effect so as to add possible unique chromatic effects. In fact, polyvinyl butylene sheets with customized patterns are commercially available.

In a further variation, the plate glass can be lighted.

In this regard, the Patent Publication WO 2005/068748 A2 discloses the electrical plant use of auto-laying tiles on support plates similar to those described in the abovementioned Patent Publication WO 98/20212.

By means of the present invention, a tile may be employed with a respective decorative plate glass which is lighted for example by LEDs (Light Emitting Diodes) .

This lighting technique, which is recently- growing in common applications as an alternative to the conventional incandescent bulbs, is particularly advantageously applied with the present invention, since it is miniaturizable, it uses, in contrast with the conventional lamps, low-voltage systems, i.e. not harmful for man, even following contact with metallic parts, and finally it generates extremely low thermal dispersions, and accordingly, it does not require large void spaces around the same lamp.

These characteristic, in combination with the advantages of the present invention, allow creating luminous surfaces with unique features . It is also understood that the metallic surface of the depression represents, for the light emitted by the LEDs, a real screen, similar to those which are mounted behind the conventional lamps in order to maximize the illumination effect of the same lamp. The illumination of the plate glass can occur on the plate glass side, locating the LEDS at the sides of the basin created by the depression, by lighting the plate glass through suitable holes drilled on the side of the basin. The illumination of the plate glass will otherwise occur from below, locating the LEDS underneath the planar surface of the depression, by- lighting the plate glass through suitable holes drilled on the planar surface of the same depression. Alternatively, the LEDS, since they are miniaturizable also in the electric connection filaments, may be located between the plate glass and the depression of the same metallic tile in the same manner in which, as it is known in the art, layered glasses are made with LEDS present between a plate glass and the other, coupled by the polyvinyl butylene layer.

Thereby, the floor may compose, in addition to a modulable and variable illumination system, a safety illumination, as well as horizontal signalling system to indicate pathways by means of static lights or, with a function of alternating turning on, also with the effect of moving lights .

In a particular application, the decorative plate glass could house liquid crystal or plasma displays to create any kind of multimedia and chromatic effects.

The electrical plant application as illumination is merely an example of many possible different applications of the present invention. In place of the illuminated plate glass, in fact, radiant panels can be used, i.e. panels carrying hydraulic duct sections which, being in turn mutually linked through special fittings, compose a heating or refreshing floor.

A further application system may provide for the insertion, inside the mechanical tile depression, of a detection device. Such a device could be for example of the type of those used at a shop exit with an article surveillance function: the exposed products, in fact, has a low visible, additional element, for example of a magnetic type, which is detected by the device in case it has not been previously invalided by the cashier upon payment of the same product.

Therefore the device may also be weight- sensitive, so as to be activated by something or someone's passing on the tile surface. In other terms, the decorative element embedded in the metallic tile depression will act as an operating "button" . Alternatively, the tile 2 could comprise an infrared detector alarm device.

Such an application could find clear advantages as a floor in those places where safety is required, such as, for example, banks, by activating the device out of working hours .

It is understood that the application of such devices takes advantage of the fact that the floor composed by mechanical tiles having a depression for the housing of decorative tiles and/or electrical plant devices being the object of the present invention is modular, mechanical and removable, so as to be able to add, eliminate or move the same devices . A further application could be a tile having the function of a lamp which turns on upon passage following, for example, a trampling foot. In such a case, the depressed portion 32 of the tile 2 comprises, underneath said decorative or functional element 34, a pressure switch for turning on said lighting means 37.

The assembly of mechanical tiles with decorative insert or device can be used as a complete floor which covers the whole surface, wall to wall, and by selecting the tiles on the perimeter where needed, then finishing the optional cut with a common skirting.

Due to its features of removability, such a floor can be used to cover pre-existent floorings. Since such a removable floor may have a reduced thickness (about 1 centimetre) , it can be also used simply as a carpet or Venetian carpet with the aid of sloping side edges in order to prevent stumbling in the thickness when passing from the existent floor to the removable floor.

A possible application is therefore a carpet composed even only by a single, or a few, tile elements, even just one.

A carpet of this type, if provided with devices, may be supplied by a removable tubing or cable and an energy storage device or battery, so that the tubing or supply cable does not represent a hindrance during the operation time.

In case of electrical devices, for example of the low voltage-type, some elements may be provided with devices for autonomous reception of energy such as, for example, photovoltaic cell panels so as to reduce the need of an electric system connection for powering of the same devices. These photovoltaic cell panels may be advantageously protected by a plate glass pane, the whole being embedded in the depression of the same mechanical tile.

Such a device could functionally replace a floor lamp, thus reducing the space occupied in the room to the mere basement thereof, thus allowing its positioning also in a central area of the room subject to walking. The illumination effect will be maximized by the reflex of the spot lights on the ceiling, for example of high-power LEDs. Such a lamp could be placed on a desk instead of a floor, so as it could be manually turned on by touching it .

Similarly, such a device could be put on a bedroom beside table, so as to allow, for example, to read a book when laying in bed, having a light advantageously coming from the base, by further providing the same lamp with a device turning On/Off based on the presence/absence of an object weight, such as, for example, a book being either detected or not on the surface thereof. A tired reader could therefore simply put the book on the lamp-device, in order to have the light turned off automatically, or when the reader, wakening in the darkness, would like to read, he/she would simply need to move the book from its usual resting position on the lamp-device, to cause the reading light to turn on automatically.

As may be observed from what has been set forth before, the tile being the object of the present invention lends itself to countless applications, all being contemplated within the scope of protection of the present patent application, to which the skilled in the art will be able to make all the necessary modifications for its adaptation to particular applications .

Claims

1. A floor comprising a plurality of tiles (2), a plurality of plate-like supports (5) arranged underneath the tiles, and securing means (8) for removable fixing the tiles to the plate-like supports, wherein the securing means comprise a metallic insert (27) , said metallic insert, different from said plate- like support, being linked to the lower face of the plate-like support, said plate-like supports (5) being offset compared to said tiles, so that each of said plate-like supports supports a corner of four adjacent tiles, characterized in that said tiles (2) comprise a depressed central portion (32) and a contour portion

(33) arranged as a frame about said central portion (32) , a step with a rise (35) being formed between said central portion (32) and said contour portion (33) , said depressed central portion (32) forming a seat for a decorative or functional element (34) .

2. The floor according to claim 1, wherein said contour portion (33) of the tile (2) is flanged on a reinforcing core (22) , thus forming a rim (24) embedding the reinforcing core along the periphery thereof, at a lower face of the tile.

3. The floor according to claim 1 or 2 , wherein the upper surface (5b) of the plate-like support (5) presents four depressed areas (30) at the vertex portions of the plate-like support, such depressed areas (30) forming a step with the highest areas (31) , such depressed areas (30) having such a form, size and mutual position as to receive said depressed portion (32) of the tile (2) .

4. The floor according to any claim 1 to 3 , wherein said decorative or functional element (34) is a conventional ceramic tile or other material commonly used in decorative tiles, or a glass plate or glass pane .

5. The floor according to any claim 1 to 4 , wherein, on the rise (35) edge of the step formed between the central depressed portion (32) and contour portion (33) of the tile (2) , one or more holes (36) are drilled; lighting means (37) being arranged at said one or more holes (36) , on the lower side of the tile (2) .

6. The floor according to claim 5 , wherein said lighting means (37) comprise LEDs (Light

Emitting Diodes) .

7. The floor according to any claim 1 to 6 , wherein said decorative or functional element (34) is secured in said depressed portion (32) of the tile (2) , both in a definitive manner by total gluing, and in a removable manner by partial gluing or through so-called "fugitive" removable glues, or "pressure sensitive adhesive" or through double-sided adhesive tape, or in case said element (34) is a glass or glass pane, through a polyvinyl butylene (PVB) film.

8. The floor according to any claim 1 to 7 , wherein a detection device is arranged in said depressed portion (32) of the tile (2) , such as a magnetic detection article surveillance device or a weight- or infrared-detecting alarm device.

9. The floor according to any claim 1 to 7, said depressed portion (32) of said tile (2) comprising, underneath said decorative or functional element (34) , a pressure-operating switch for turning on said lighting means (37) .

10. The floor according to any claim 1 to 7, the depressed portion (32) of said tiles (2) comprising an energy storage device or battery, or devices for autonomous reception of energy such as photovoltaic cell panels for the autonomous operation of said lighting means (37) .

11. The floor according to any claim 1 to 10, wherein said depressed portion (32) of the tile (2) covers substantially the whole surface of the tile instead of said contour portion (33) , said depressed portion (32) being surrounded by the rise (35) forming the perimeter of the tile (2) .

12. The floor according to claim 11, wherein, at the four corners (3) , the tile (2) comprises at least one stop tab (40) .

13. The floor according to claim 12 , wherein said tile (2) comprises due stop tabs (40) projecting outwardly and being co-planar with depressed portion (32) .

14. The floor according to claim 13, comprising cross-shaped stop members (41) • disposed on the grout joint at the vertexes of four tiles (2) and overlapping said stop tabs (40) , said stop members

(41) being fixed by securing means to the metallic insert (27) located underneath.

15. The floor according to claim 12, wherein said at least one stop tab (40) is the same corner of the depressed portion (32) , said rise (35) being interrupted at the corner portion.

16. The floor according to claim 15, comprising square- or polygonal-shaped stop members (43) disposed at the vertexes of four tiles and overlapping said stop tabs (40) , said stop members (43) being fixed to the metallic insert (27) through securing means.