TILE ASSEMBLY WALL

Abstract: A novel tile assembly wall is provided by mounting and installing a multiplicity of tiles 12 having mating grooves 13 on a tile support plate 10 having vertical brackets 11. More specifically, the tile support plate 10 has a multiplicity of substantially vertical brackets 11 erected substantially at right angles from the support plate, said bracket 11 being a thin vertical plate having an upwardly inclined upper edge 11b for hooking. The tile 12 has a lateral groove 13 on the backside thereof to receive the vertical bracket 11, said groove 13 having an upper engaging edge 12a to be hung on at least a pair of the vertical brackets 11.

Description: The present invention relates to a tile assembly wall (hereinafter sometimes referred to as tile assembly) comprising a tile support plate(s) and a multiplicity of tiles mounted and installed on the support plate, by means of vertical brackets of the tile support plate. FIGS. 3 and 4 show an example of conventional tile assembly in which tile 1 is mounted on a tile support plate 4 secured to a wall 2 via a waterproof sheet 3. The tile support plate 4 has a multiplicity of lateral brackets 5, each bracket having a width of W and a substantially L-shaped cross section. A pair of engaging lateral grooves 6 are provided on the backside of the tile 1 to receive a certain number of lateral brackets 5 for securing the tile 1 to the support plate 4. When the support plate 4 is to be cut along a vertical line at the end of a wall substrate, the lateral brackets 5 having a width of W can be on the vertical line, thus making the cutting operation very difficult. In addition, the angle between the lateral brackets 5 and the support plate 4 is liable to change during storage or handling, thus making it difficult to mount the tile on such deformed lateral brackets. When L-shaped profile tiles are used at an edge or corner of wall substrates, it is impossible to use such lateral brackets 5 because of the structure thereof. The lateral brackets are cut off and only adhesive can be used to install the tiles on such corners. GB-A-2125082 describes a tile assembly wall comprising a multiplicity of tiles mounted on vertical brackets by hooking mating grooves of the tiles over the brackets, the brackets being formed on vertical channel members having a multiplicity of substantially vertical brackets mounted at right angles thereto. It is an object of the present invention to provide tile assembly using an ordinary tile having an engaging groove and using a tile support plate which has sufficient supporting strength, and is easy to cut as necessary and to mount the tiles thereon. According to the present invention there is provided a tile assembly wall comprising a tile support member and a multiplicity of tiles mounted and installed on the support member by means of vertical brackets and mating grooves of the tiles, each said bracket being a thin vertical plate having an upwardly inclined upper edge for hooking and the tile having a lateral groove on the backside thereof to receive the vertical brackets, said groove having an upper engaging edge and upper surface to be hung on at least a pair of the vertical brackets: characterized in that the tile support member is a tile support plate having a multiplicity of substantially vertical brackets formed by cutting or punching from the support plate bracket portions and openings above and below said bracket portions, said bracket portions being erected by bending the bracket portions substantially at right angles to the support plate, and in that the tile has both upper and lower backside portions, to rest on the support plate. Since the vertical brackets extend in the substantially vertical direction, the support plate can be readily cut along a vertical line, unlike the case of the conventional lateral brackets. The vertical brackets are erected substantially at right angles with the support plate, and are sufficiently strong to resist against deformation and to support the weight of tiles. It is thus easy to mount the tile on the vertical brackets because of no substantial deformation of the brackets. Also, the profile L-shaped tiles for use at an edge or corner of walls can be hung on the vertical brackets without difficulty. The tile assembly wall is fabricated by mounting the above-defined tiles on the above-defined tile support plate in such a fashion that the upper engaging edges of the tiles are hung on the vertical brackets aligned in rows in the sequence of the lower row to the higher row. The tiles are very readily installed on the support plate by simply applying the groove of the tile onto the vertical brackets in the direction perpendicular to the support plate and then allowing the tile to move downwards, whereby the tiles are gravitationally hung on the brackets. Incidentally, the tile support plate is normally set in the substantially vertical (i.e. upright) direction. The present invention is further described with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a tile assembly wall according to an embodiment of the invention; Figure 2 is an enlarged side view of part of the tile assembly wall of Figure 1; Figure 3 is an enlarged side view of part of a conventional tile assembly wall; and Figure 4 is a perspective view of the conventional tile assembly wall. Figs. 1 and 2 show tile assembly according to an embodiment of the invention which includes a tile support plate 10 having a multiplicity of vertical brackets 11. The vertical bracket 11 is erected substantially at right angles to the support plate 10 and extends substantially in the vertical direction. The bracket is made preferably in the form of a parallelogram or a similar shape with a base side 11a, an opposing vertical side 11c, an upper side 11b inclined upwardly from the base side, and a lower side 11d which may extend on a parallel with the upper side. The straight upper side 11b constitutes a hook portion 11e. The vertical brackets 11 are produced by cutting or punching the support plate 10 in the form of bracket portions (with punched openings above and below the punched bracket portions as shown in Fig. 1) and bending the punched portions at right angles along the line of the base side 11a into brackets. The brackets are generally arranged in horizontal rows and vertical columns on the support plate 10. A parallel groove 13 to receive the vertical brackets is provided on the backside of a tile 12 in the lateral direction of the tile. The width (Z) of the opening of the groove 13 is defined by a pair of upper and lower edges 12a and 12b of the tile. The width of the groove is increased towards the bottom 13a of the groove, forming a trapezoidal cross section with a pair of upper and lower surfaces 13b and 13d. The inclination of the upper inclined surface 13b of the groove is made substantially equal to that of the upper side 11b (i.e. the hook portion 11e) of the bracket, so that they can readily abut each other. Upon installing the tiles 12 on the tile support plate 10, the tile 12 is mounted in such a fashion that the upper engaging edge 12a of the tile is hung on the hook portions 11e of a predetermined number of vertical brackets 11 aligned in horizontal rows, in the sequence of the lower row to the higher row. To firmly secure the tile, adhesive 14b is normally applied between at least the lower backside portion of the tile and the support plate. The adhesive 14a at the upper part of the tile may be omitted. Since the vertical brackets extend in the vertical direction, the tile support plate may be cut along any vertical line as necessary without interference of the brackets, thus providing excellent workability on the construction site. The vertical bracket erected at right angles is very suitable to resist deformation and support the weight of tiles, and allows easy mounting of tiles. It is also easy to mount L-shaped tiles at an edge or corner of wall substrates. The above mentioned tiles 12 can be indoor or outdoor tiles for walls, and can be ceramic tiles or other tile-like articles of glazed cement concrete, metal, durable plastics or the like. As to the illustrative dimensions of the tiles, the longitudinal length thereof is 30∼300mm, normally 50∼100 mm and typically 60mm; the side length thereof is 50∼2000mm, normally 50∼500mm and typically 210mm; the thickness thereof is 7∼50mm, normally 10∼20mm and typically 15mm; width of the engaging edge 12a is 7∼40mm, normally 10∼20mm and typically 16mm; width Z of the groove opening is 10∼150mm, normally 20∼60mm and typically 28mm; and depth of the groove 13 is 3∼20mm, normally 5∼10mm and typically 6mm. Incidentally, the weight of a tile 12 is generally in the range of 20∼3000 grams. The tile support plate 12 having vertical brackets 11 can be produced from a metal sheet or a strong plastic sheet. A metal sheet of aluminum, stainless steel, coated iron or the like is generally used. As to the illustrative dimensions of the vertical bracket 11, the vertical length thereof is 10∼150mm or less, normally 20∼60mm or less and typically 28mm or less according to the width Z of the groove opening; the lateral length thereof is 3∼20mm or less, normally 5∼10mm or less, typically 6mm or less according to the depth of the groove 13; thickness of the vertical bracket is 0.2∼3mm, normally 0.4∼1mm and typically 0.5mm; and the angle of the upwardly inclined upper edge of the vertical bracket is in the range of from 30 degrees to less than 90 degrees (e.g. 85 degrees), normally 40∼60 degrees and typically 45∼50 degrees with the tile support plate. As shown in Fig. 2, it is preferred that the width Z of the groove opening between the upper and lower edges of the tile is substantially the same as the vertical length of the bracket base side 11a. Incidentally, the tile support plate 10 is normally provided with a plurality of shallow depressed ribs 7 for reinforcement. It is desirable that a multiplicity of the bar-like depressed ribs 7 are provided on the tile support plate in both the vertical and horizontal directions, as shown in Fig. 1, for reinforcing the support plate and guiding the setting position of the support plate 10. The tile support plate 10 is normally set on a wall substrate in the substantially vertical direction, for example by means of nails, screws, adhesive or the like. In general, the tiles 12 are installed on the support plate 10 with substantial joint intervals (e.g. 2-10mm), and then joining paste is applied onto the joint intervals. While preferred embodiments of the invention having been described using specific terms, such description is only for illustrative purposes, and it is to be understood that changes and variations can be made without departing from the scope of the invention, as defined by the appended claims.

Claims: A tile assembly wall comprising a tile support member and a multiplicity of tiles (12) mounted and installed on the support member by means of vertical brackets (11) and mating grooves (13) of the tiles, each said bracket being a thin vertical plate having an upwardly inclined upper edge (11b) for hooking and the tile having a lateral groove (13) on the backside thereof to receive the vertical brackets, said groove having an upper engaging edge (12a) and upper surface (13b) to be hung on at least a pair of the vertical brackets; characterized in that the tile support member is a tile support plate (10) having a multiplicity of substantially vertical brackets (11) formed by cutting or punching from the support plate (10) bracket portions and openings above and below said bracket portions, said bracket portions being erected by bending the bracket portions substantially at right angles to the support plate (10), and in that the tile (12) has both upper and lower backside portions to rest on the support plate (10). The tile assembly wall according to claim 1, in which the inclination of the upper inclined surface (13b) of the groove is substantially equal to that of the upper side (11b) of the bracket. The tile assembly wall according to claim 1 or 2, in which the angle of the upwardly inclined upper edge of the vertical bracket is in the range of from 30 degrees to 85 degrees with the tile support plate. The tile assembly wall according to any one of claims 1 to 3, in which at least lower backside portions of the installed tiles are bonded with an adhesive (14b) to the tile support plate. The tile assembly wall according to any one of claims 1 to 4, in which the width Z of the groove opening between the upper and lower edges (12a, 12b) of the tile (12) is substantially the same as the vertical length of the bracket base side (11a). The tile assembly wall according to any one of claims 1 to 5, in which the vertical bracket is substantially in the form of a parallelogram.

Inventors: SHIMAZAKI, SHIGETAKA
Applicants: INAX CORPORATION
Application year: 1988
Main classification: E04F13
IPC codes: E04F13