TILED WALL ASSEMBLY

Abstract: A support structure for a tiled wall assembly supports tiles (14) hanging on a board (10). The tile hanging board (10) such as a cement board can constitute a wall and is provided with a plurality of protrusions (12) each of which has an upwardly directed hook portion (121) at an upper end. The tile (14) has an engaging groove (16) on the inside. The groove (16) terminates at a downwardly directed hook portion (141) at an upper end. The downward hook (141) of the tile (14) is hung on the upward hook (121) of the protrusion (12). The lower inside of the tile (14) is secured to the board (10) by an adhesive (30).

Description: The present invention relates to a tiled wall assembly. Heretofore, in a support structure for a tiled wall assembly, tiles have been secured to a board such as a cement board. In this construction, when water enters from the outside of the tiles to the inside of the tiles, the water collects on the board, and penetrates the board and enters into the inside of the building. The soaked board is also caused to warp, as it is affected by changes when the board dries out. Also the water entering between the inside of the tile and the outside of the board stays therebetween, and causes further damage upon freezing. In another example of a prior art construction for a tiled wall assembly, a plate made for example of aluminium is securely applied by nails to a board which constitutes a wall of a building. A wall assembly is constructed by hanging tiles on protrusions formed on the plate by projecting protrusions from the plate. This construction requires the steps of fixing the plate on the board, and fixing the tiles upon the plate, thus, producing the problem of many work processes. In Patent specification DE-U-8 806 379 (Schroter) there is disclosed a panel assembly 1 provided with protrusions 2 and cladding elements 7 mounted on the panel 1. Each protrusion 2 has an upper portion having the shape of an upwardly directed hook and each cladding element 7 has an upper portion having the shape of a downwardly directed hook. Each cladding element 7 has on the inside thereof an engaging groove terminating at its upper side in the said downwardly directed hook. The cladding elements 7 are mounted on the protrusion 2 by sliding the elements 7 along the protrusion 2. In Patent specification US-A-4 803 821 (Motokatsu Funaki) a tiled wall structure comprises a mounting plate 30 adapted to be fixed on a wall base of a building, and a holding plate 32 having engagement elements 52 on which are mounted tile blocks 34. The holding plate 32 has protrusions 54 having the shape of an upwardly directed hook. Each tile block 34 has two recesses 78, each terminating at its upper side in a downwardly directed hook. Each tile block 34 is mounted on the upwardly directed hook of a protrusion 54, and is secured at its lower end by a press pawl 56. It is an object of the present invention to provide a tiled wall assembly which permits of easier and more satisfactory assembly than the prior art. Another object of this invention in one aspect is to provide a support structure for a tiled wall assembly in which water entering into the inside of the tiles can flow out readily, making the work easy. According to the present invention there is provided a tiled wall assembly comprising a tile-hanging board provided with a plurality of protrusions, and a plurality of tiles mounted on the board, each protrusion having an upper portion having the shape of an upwardly directed hook, and each tile having on the inside of the tile an engaging groove terminating at its upper side in a downwardly directed hook, each tile being hung by its downwardly directed hook on the upwardly directed hook of a protrusion, characterized in that each protrusion on the board and each engaging groove on a tile are shaped to co-operate so that the tile can be hung on the protrusion by movement of the tile towards the board, and in that a lower inside portion of each tile is secured to the board by adhesive. In accordance with one preferred feature of the invention, the protrusions engage the inside of the tiles in such a manner as to support each tile so that the inside of it is spaced from the surface of the board. In such arrangements, preferably the adhesive is positioned in the said spacing between the tile and the board. In accordance with another preferred feature, the surface of the board is indented between the protrusions to form drain slots. The board may have a plurality of vertical and lateral drain slots formed on the surface of the board. In accordance with yet another preferred feature, each protrusion maybe formed by a part separate from the board and secured to the board to form the said protrusion. In some arrangement, tiles adjacent vertically to each other may be coupled to each other in a scarf connection in which a lower edge of an upper tile engages an upper edge of a lower tile. In accordance with another feature, a plurality of vertical slots maybe formed on the surface of said board in a given pitch corresponding to a space between abutting ends of said tiles adjacent laterally to each other, said slots facing to the insides of the said tiles, so that water which enters into the insides of said tiles through their abutting ends flows out of said slots. Preferably, said abutting ends of said tiles adjacent laterally to each other are positioned in a staggered arrangement. Also preferably, said abutting ends of said tiles adjacent laterally to each other are offset by a given distance out of the entire length of said tiles. In accordance with one particular feature of the invention, the board has a plurality of drain slots formed in the surface of the board. Preferably the drain slots comprise vertical drain slots, most preferably vertical and horizontal drain slots, formed in the surface of the board and positioned between the protrusions. In accordance with another feature of the invention, it may be arranged that tiles adjacent to each other vertically are coupled to each other in a connection in which a lower edge of an upper tile engages an upper edge of a lower tile. In accordance with another feature it may be arranged that tiles adjacent to each other horizontally are spaced apart, and the board is provided with a plurality of vertical drain slots in the surface of the board, the gaps between horizontally adjacent tiles being positioned in register with vertical drain slots. It is to be appreciated that the terms horizontal and vertical are intended to describe the orientation of the drain slots when the tiled wall assembly is placed vertically as a wall assembly. The vertical and horizontal slots may be strictly vertical or horizontal, or approximately so. Moreover where an assembly is itself inclined to the vertical for example when used as a roof panel, the vertical slots will of course be slots lying in vertical planes, but inclined to the vertical with the inclination of the panel assembly. The abutting ends of the said tiles adjacent laterally to each other may be positioned in a staggered arrangement or off-set by a given proportion of the length of said tile. Preferably, the inside of the said tile may be secured to the surface of said board by an adhesive in a close contact or in a little space. The surface of said board may be engraved among said protrusions to form said drain slots. In a tiled wall assembly (also referred to as a tiled wall body) in accordance with preferred aspects of the invention, since the tile-hanging board, which can also constitute a wall, is provided with protrusions having an upward hook when the board is disposed in place, a facing wall of a building may be formed by the board. It is possible to obtain the wall body merely by hanging the tiles in juxtaposition on the hooks of the board without using the plates as carried out in conventional working. Since the downward hook of the tile is hung on the upward hook of the protrusion on the board, the lower inside of the tile can be secured to the board by adhesive, and thus the tile can be easily engaged with the protrusions of the board for firmly fixing the tiles to the board using the adhesive. This will dispense with sliding laterally the tile into the engaging portion of the plate as has conventionally been required, and the operation of hanging the tiles becomes easier. Further, in a preferred working construction of this invention, since the tile has particularly shaped portions for scarf connection at the upper and lower edges thereof, and tiles adjacent vertically to each other are coupled to each other through the scarf connection, it is possible to prevent water from entering into the inside of the tile through the abutting edges of the tiles. On the other hand, if water enters into the inside of the tiles through the abutting ends of the tiles adjacent laterally to each other, the water can readily flow out through the slots formed on the surface of the board. Accordingly, the water does not flow along the lateral space between the surface of the board and the inside of the tiles. In other words, the water does not stay in the space. Consequently, this invention can overcome or reduce the conventional problems with the board in soaking and bending with water, allowing water into a building, or freezing damage caused by the collection of water. In addition, in a preferred working construction of this invention, since the plurality of the protrusions provided on the board engage the insides of the tiles to support the tiles so that the insides of the tiles are spaced away from the surface of the board, when water enters into the insides of the tiles, the water can readily flow out through the space between the insides of the tiles and the surface of the the board. That is, the space can serve as a drain space for preventing the board from being soaked in water, preventing the side of the building from being penetrated by water coming through the board. At the same time, the problem of deformation of the board by bending etc. is removed, along with the problem of the harm caused by freezing of the penetrating water. Preferred constructions of this invention can form an air layer in the space between the insides of the tiles and the surface of the board. Such air layer serves as a heat-insulation layer and thus inhibits transmission of heat from the tiles to the boards and vice versa. Embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:- Figure 1 and Figures 2(A) and 2(B) are perspective views and cross sections, respectively of the main parts of a tiled wall assembly embodying the invention; Figure 3 and Figures 4(A) and 4(B) are perspective views and cross sections of the main parts of another embodiment of this invention respectively; Figures 5 and 6 are front views and perspective views of the main part of still another embodiment of this invention, respectively; Figures 7 and 8 are front views of still another embodiment of this invention, respectively; Figures 9 is a perspective view of still another embodiment of this invention; Figures 10(A) and 10(B) are cross sections of the main parts of still another embodiment of this invention, respectively; and Figure 11 and Figures 12(A) and 12(B) are perspective views and cross sections of the main parts of still another embodiment of this invention, respectively. Referring now to the drawings, embodiments of this invention will be explained. Figure 1 is a perspective view of the main part of an embodiment of a board 10 of a base member on which tiles 14 are hung directly in juxtaposition. The board 10 is made of hardwood piece cement plate formed by mixing wood pieces and cement for pressing after kneeding, cement plate formed by extruding cement, wood plate, plywood plate, asbestos plate,calcium silicate plate, gypsum board, plastic board, or metal composite plate etc. When the board 10 is attached to a building, the board per se constitutes a facing wall of the building. The outside of the board 10 is provided with protrusions 12 spaced away from each other laterally and vertically. The protrusions 12 are formed integrally with the board 10 when the board 10 is manufactured in a factory. As shown in Figure 2(A), the protrusion 12 has an upward hook 121 at its upper end. An engaging groove 16 formed on the inside of the tile 14 can engage the upword hook 121 at an upper end of the groove 16. The groove 16 terminates at a downward hook 141 at its upper end. The downward hook 141 has the opposing slant to that of the upward hook 121. Accordingly, it is possible to hang the downward hook 141 on the upward hook 121. The tile 14 can be readily hung on the protrusion from the outside of the board 10, since there is a clearance between the hooks 121 and 141 so that the tile 14 can fall to press on the protrusion 12 so that the protrusion 12 can be readily engaged. An adhesives 30 may be applied on the surface of the board 10 opposite to the inside of a lower portion 142 of the tile 14 so that the lower portion 142 may be securely fixed on the board 10 by adhesive 30. The adhesive 30 may be applied to the inside of the lower portion 142. In this construction, after the board 10 is attached to a building to form a wall body, it is possible to obtain a tiled wall body by hanging directly the tile 14 on the protrusion 12 and securing the inside of the lower portion 142 to the surface of the board 10 by the adhesives 30 thereby making the work simple. Figure 2(B) shows an alternative of the protrusion 12 which is made as a part separated from the board 10 and is previously secured to the board 10 by means of a nail 11 in a factory. The tile 14 can be easily hung on the protrusion 12 after the board 10 is attached to the building. Thus, the protrusions 12 are formed beforehand on the board 10, the board 10 is then attached to the building on the spot, the tiles 14 are hung on the protrusions 12, and the tile wall body is formed. Since this construction requires no step for securing a plate on the board as has been carried out in the prior art, the construction according to this invention can decrease the cost of the tile wall body and make the working simple. When the board 10 is used for an individual house, the thickness of the board is preferably 6 to 25 mm, while for a building, the thickness thereof is preferably 30 to 100 mm. When the board 10 is made of pottery material such as cement, the wall body has a great strength and good protection against fire. The protrusion 12 may be formed continuously in a lateral direction so that the tiles 14 can be hung in series. Figure 3 and Figures 4(A) and 4(B) show another embodiment of this invention. A plurality of vertical and lateral drain slots 26 and 27 are formed on the surface of the board 10. The drain slots comprise the longitudinal drain slots 26 and the lateral drain slots 27. In this embodiment, since the drain slots 26 and 27 cross perpendicularly to each other on the surface of the board 10, even if water enters into the inside of the tiles 14, the water will flow out readily through the slots 26 and 27. Accordingly, the board 10 can not be soaked or deformed by the water, which will not penetrate into the room. Figure 4(A) illustrates a cross section of the main part of Figure 3. In this embodiment, the protrusion 12 substantially occupies the engaging groove 16. Figure 4(B) shows an alternation of the protrusion 12. The protrusion 12 is made separately from the board 12. It may be previously secured to the board 10 by the nail 11 in a factory. Figures 5 and 6 show another embodiment of this invention. The oblong tile 14 has the engaging groove 16 on the inside. The protrusion 12 of the board 10 engages the groove 16. In this embodiment, the tiles 14 are laterally disposed apart by a small space (at adjacent ends 18). The tiles 14 are longitudinally (or vertically for illustration) disposed in a scarf connection. The tiles 14 adjacent vertically to each other are coupled to each other at the upper and lower edges. In other words, the tile 14 has a shoulder 20 at the upper end portion 141 and a recess 22 at the lower end portion 142. The shoulders 20 and the recess 22 are engaged with the recess 22 and the shoulder 20 of the upper tile 14 and the lower tile 14 respectively. In this embodiment, the abutting ends 18 of the tiles adjacent laterally to each other are positioned in a staggered arrangement so that the ends 18 are at the center of the longitudinal (or lateral) side of the tile 14. A number of protrusions 12 are disposed so as to be juxtaposed vertically. Vertical slots 24 with a given width are defined between rows of the adjacent protrusions 12. The vertical slots 24 are defined on the surface of the board 10 in a given pitch corresponding to a space between the abutting ends 18 of the tiles 14 adjacent laterally to each other (in the embodiment shown in Figure 6, the pitch is a half of the distance between the ends 18). The slots 24 are aligned to the inside of the ends 18 of the tiles 14. In this embodiment, since the tiles 14 adjacent vertically to each other are coupled to each other in the scarf connection, it is possible to prevent water from entering from the coupled edges. On the other hand, as there is a small space in the abutting ends 18, there is a possibility that water might enter into the insides of the tiles 14 through the abutting ends 18. However, since the vertical slots 24 are defined between the protrusions 12 on the surface of the board 10, even if water enters into the insides of the tiles 14 through the ends 18, the water will flow out to the outside through the vertical slots 24, and thus the water does not move laterally along the space between the surface of the board 10 and the insides of the tiles 14. Consequently, according to the working construction of this embodiment, water will not stay in the space between the surface of the board 10 and the insides of the tiles 14, and troubles of freezing damage due to the collection of water and others will not be caused. It should be noted from the above embodiment that further alternatives may be possible in accordance with the present invention. For example, various arrangement of the tiles 14 may be made other than the arrangement mentioned above. Figures 7 and 8 show other arrangements. In Figure 7, the abutting ends 18 of the tile 14 are off-set in a lateral direction by the amount of one-third of the length of the tiles 14 from the position of the ends 18 of the upper or lower tiles 14. In Figure 8, the abutting ends 18 are aligned vertically. In the present invention, the inside of the tile 14 may be secured to the surface of the board 10 either in close contact or with a small space provided therebetween. As shown in Figure 9, the vertical slots 26 may be formed to provide recesses between the protrusions 12. As shown in Figures 10(A) and 10(B) the adhesive 30 may be applied laterally on the surface of the board 10 opposite to the inside of the lower portion 142 of the tile 14, the lower portion 142 being secured to the board 10 through the adhesives 30 to fix the tile 14 on the surface of the board 10. The adhesive 30 may be applied on the inside of the lower portion 142. In this construction, after the board 10 is attached to a building to form a wall body, it is possible to obtain a tiled wall body by hanging directly the tile 14 on the protrusion 12 and securing the inside of the lower portion 142 to the surface of the board 10 by the adhesives 30, thereby making the work simple. Figure 10(B) shows an alternative of the protrusion 12 which is made of a part separated from the board 10 and is previously secured to the board 10 by means of a nail 11 in a factory. The tile 14 can be easily hung on the protrusion 12 after the board 10 is attached to the building. This embodiment can be applied to the case in which the tiles 14 adjacent laterally to each other are abutted with each other. Further, this embodiment can be applied to another working construction for the tile wall body such as a slant wall and a substantially horizontal wall as well as a vertical wall. Figures 11 and 12 show still another embodiment of this invention. The oblong tile 14 has the engaging groove 16 in the inside. The protrusion 12 engages the groove 16. That is, a number of tiles 14 are hung on the surface of the board 10 to form the tile wall body. The board 10 is provided on the surface with numerous protrusions 13 which are in contact with the inside of the tiles. That is, the tile 14 is mounted on the board 10 with the inside of the tile being spaced away by a certain distance from the surface of the board 10 to form a space between the inside of the tile 14 and the surface 10 of the board. Figure 12(A) illustrates a cross section of the main part of Figure 11. The inside of the tile 14 contacts with the protrusion 13 and is secured to the protrusion by the adhesive 30. Figure 12(B) shows an alternative of the protrusion 12. The protrusion 12 is made as a part separated from the board 10. It may be previously secured to the board 10 by the nail 11 in a factory. In this working construction, since the space defined between the surface of the board 10 and the insides of the tiles 14 functions as a drain space, even if water may enter into the insides of the tiles 14, the water will flow out through the drain space, and thus the water does not move laterally along the space between the surface of the board 10 and the insides of the tiles 14. Consequently, according to the working construction of this embodiment, water will not stay in the space between the surface of the board 10 and the insides of the tiles 14, and no trouble such as freezing damage due to the retention of water will be caused. In addition, the space between the surface of the board 10 and the inside of the tiles 14 may also function as a heat-insulation layer and thus heat-insulation of the tile wall body will be extremely improved.

Claims: A tiled wall assembly comprising a tile-hanging board (10) provided with a plurality of protrusions (12), and a plurality of tiles (14) mounted on the board, each protrusion (12) having an upper portion having the shape of an upwardly directed hook (121), and each tile (14) having on the inside of the tile an engaging groove (16) terminating at its upper side in a downwardly directed hook (141), each tile (14) being hung by its downwardly directed hook on the upwardly directed hook of a protrusion (12), characterized in that each protrusion (12) on the board (10) and each engaging groove (16) on a tile (14) are shaped to co-operate so that the tile can be hung on the protrusion by movement of the tile towards the board, and in that a lower inside portion (142) of each tile is secured to the board by adhesive (30). An assembly according to Claim 1, wherein the protrusions (12) engage the inside of the tiles (14) in such a manner as to support each tile (14) so that the inside of it is spaced from the surface of the board (10). An assembly according to Claim 2, wherein the adhesive (30) is positioned in the said spacing between the tile (14) and the board (10). An assembly according to any preceding claim, wherein the surface of the board (10) is indented between the protrusions to form drain slots (26, 27). An assembly according to any preceding claim, wherein the board (10) has a plurality of vertical and lateral drain slots (26, 27) formed on the surface of the board. An assembly according to any preceding claim, wherein each protrusion (12) is formed by a part separate from the board (10) and secured to the board to form the said protrusion. An assembly according to any preceding claim, wherein tiles adjacent vertically to each other are coupled to each other in a scarf connection in which a lower edge (142) of an upper tile (14) engages an upper edge (141) of a lower tile (14). An assembly according to any preceding claim, in which a plurality of vertical slots (26) is formed on the surface of said board (10) in a given pitch corresponding to a space between abutting ends of said tiles (14) adjacent laterally to each other, said slots (26) facing to the insides of the said tiles, so that water which enters into the insides of said tiles through their abutting ends flows out of said slots. An assembly according to Claim 8, wherein said abutting ends of said tiles (14) adjacent laterally to each other are positioned in a staggered arrangement. An assembly according to Claim 8 or 9, wherein said abutting ends of said tiles (14) adjacent laterally to each other are offset by a given proportion of the length of said tiles.

Inventors: ITO, TETSUYA, SAKAI, MASAKI, TAKADA, TOSHIHIRO, TAKEUCHI, MICHIYUKI
Applicants: INAX CORPORATION
Application year: 1990
Main classification: E04F13
IPC codes: E04C2, E04F13