Patent Publication Number: US-2009229212-A1

Title: Modular apparatus for  realisation of easily removable horizontal or vertical tiling

Description:
The present patent application relates to a modular apparatus for realisation of easily removable horizontal or vertical tiling. 
     A common building practice consists in covering floors or vertical walls with a surface coating composed of multiple tiles glued one next to the other in ordered lines and rows with intermediate junction lines. 
     The main limit of the traditional technology is represented by the fact that the said coating is not removable. 
     A similar condition makes it impossible to inspect the back of the coating or remove a sanitary fitting or pipe incorporated into the coating, without destructively removing a certain number of tiles. 
     The aforementioned critical examination of the prior technique has led to the development of the modular apparatus of the invention, which is designed to ensure quick, reliable mounting of horizontal or vertical tiling, and at the same time quick, non-destructive total or partial removal of the same tiling, in order to carry out inspections, replace a sanitary fitting, repair a pipe, etc. 
     To that end, the applicant has devised a type of coating that does not use the traditional glues that prevent the non-destructive removal of tiling. 
     According to the present inventive idea, tiles are fit in place by means of suitable connection means that create a removable type of coupling. 
     More precisely, the means that allow for stable fitting in place of the tiles consist in a first rectilinear section provided with basically U-shaped transversal cross-section and modelled sides. 
     The said first section is screwed to the floor or wall to be coated, in intermediate position between two contiguous rows of tiles. 
     Each tile is provided with suitably modelled perimeter borders that are prismatically coupled with the modelled sides of the U-shaped section. 
     In view of the above, the two rows of tiles on the right and left-hand side of the U-shaped section are perfectly engaged from opposite sides against the modelled sides of the U-shaped section. 
     Once this operation has been carried out, the position of the two rows of tiles can be stabilised with respect to the first section provided between them. 
     This is obtained by using a second rectilinear section provided with basically T-shaped transversal cross-section, which provides for snap-in fitting inside the cavity of the first U-shaped section. 
     As illustrated in more detail below, the presence of the second section stabilises the position of the two rows of tiles on the right and left-hand side of the first U-shaped section, preventing the borders of the said tiles from losing the prismatic coupling with the sides of the first section. 
     It appears evident that the said tiling can be quickly and practically removed by following the opposite sequence of operations. 
     In such a case, it will only be necessary to uncouple the T-shaped profile from the U-shaped profile, thus removing the only constraint that holds the contiguous rows of tiles that can now be easily removed, one by one. 
     The two cooperating sections must be used to fix all the rows and lines of tiles of an entire removable floor. 
     This means that the installation of a similar floor requires the laying of a sort of grid obtained with a plurality of U-shaped sections and a corresponding quantity of T-shaped sections. 
     It can be said that the T-shaped sections that are visible on the upper side of the floor basically reproduce the external effect produced by the junction lines found between rows and lines of contiguous tiles in traditionally glued floors. 
    
    
     
       For major clarity the description of the invention continues with reference to the enclosed drawings, which are supplied only as an explanatory and not limiting example, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is an axonometric view of a section of tiling obtained with the modular apparatus of the invention; 
         FIGS. 2 ,  3  and  4  are front views that illustrate the sequence of operations used to mount the various components of the said apparatus. 
     
    
    
     With reference to the enclosed figures, the modular apparatus of the invention is composed of three different elements (or modules) used in combination, with quantities and modes determined by the specific coating to be obtained. 
     The first module of the said apparatus is composed of the aforementioned rectilinear section ( 1 ) with basically U-shaped transversal cross-section, provided with a bottom wall ( 10 ) and two borders ( 11 ) in symmetrically opposite position and capable of elastic divarication. 
     In particular, each border ( 11 ) is internally provided with a small longitudinal groove ( 11   a ) at approximately three-quarters of its height; each of them is externally provided with a tooth ( 11   b ) connected with an inclined section ( 11   c ) directed towards the opening of the section ( 1 ). 
     As shown in  FIG. 2 , the first section ( 1 ) incorporates a laterally protruding strip ( 12 ) in parallel position on the back of the bottom wall ( 10 ). 
     The additional module of the apparatus of the invention consists in a second section ( 2 ) with basically T-shaped cross-section, provided with a first wing ( 20 ) capable of being fitted inside the cavity of the first U-shaped section ( 1 ) and with a second perpendicular wing ( 21 ); it being provided that the first wing ( 20 ) has corresponding longitudinal ribs ( 20   a ) on opposite sides. 
     The last module of the apparatus of the invention consists in a tile ( 3 ) provided with a special irregular shape on the perimeter borders, which allows for perfect cooperation with the two sections ( 1 ,  2 ) to achieve prismatic coupling. 
     From the external face (FE) to the internal face (FI), the said shape includes a step ( 30 ), a basically L-shaped niche ( 31 ) with decreasing depth towards the external face (FE) of the tile, and a deep cavity ( 32 ). 
     After illustrating the three modules ( 1 ,  2 ,  3 ) of the apparatus of the invention, this description continues by describing the cooperation modes used to obtain a removable modular tiling. 
     The first operation consists in fixing the U-shaped section ( 1 ) against the wall or floor to be coated. 
     Fixing can be obtained by screwing the lateral strip ( 12 ) provided on the bottom wall of the U-shaped section ( 1 ), which is suitably provided with a regularly spaced series of through holes ( 12   a ), against the wall or floor. 
     The second operation consists in exactly engaging a tile ( 3 ) against each side of the first section ( 1 ), as shown in  FIG. 2 . 
     As mentioned above, prismatic coupling is obtained between the border of each tile ( 3 ) and the side of the U-shaped section ( 1 ). 
     With reference to  FIG. 2 , the tooth ( 11   b ) externally provided on each border ( 11 ) of the U-shaped section ( 1 ) is exactly engaged into the corresponding L-shaped tapering niche ( 31 ) provided on the border of the tile ( 3 ) and the lateral strip ( 12 ) provided on the back of the U-shaped section ( 1 ) is engaged into the cavity ( 32 ) provided on the internal face (FI) of the tile ( 3 ). 
     Then the T-shaped section ( 2 ) is mounted to stabilise the cooperation of the previously coupled modules ( 1 ,  3 ), as shown in sequence in  FIGS. 3 and 4 . 
     To that end, the first wing ( 20 ) of the second section ( 2 ) is energetically engaged into the cavity of the U-shaped section ( 1 ). 
     In view of the intrinsic deformability of the borders ( 11 ) of the first section ( 1 ), the energetic coupling determines the snap-in fitting of the two lateral ribs ( 20   a ) of the second section ( 2 ) inside the grooves ( 11   a ) internally provided on the first section ( 1 ). 
     Because of their interference, the two ribs ( 20   a ) of the second section ( 2 ) determine the divarication of the borders ( 11 ) of the first section; as soon as they penetrate the corresponding grooves ( 11   a ), the two borders ( 11 ) of the first section ( 1 ) spontaneously tend to get closer, thus achieving “automatic” tightening. 
     The additional effect produced by the said coupling is the engagement of the second wing ( 21 ) of the T-shaped section ( 2 ) from opposite sides into the two steps ( 30 ) provided on the two tiles ( 3 ) fitted against the sides of the first section ( 1 ). 
     In this position, the second wing ( 21 ) of the T-shaped section ( 2 ) prevents the uncoupling of the two contiguous tiles ( 3 ), having the same aspect as traditional junction lines. 
     The total or partial removal of the floor obtained with the modular apparatus of the invention can be easily achieved through the reverse sequence of operations: the first operation being the uncoupling of the T-shaped section ( 2 ) from the corresponding U-shaped section ( 1 ) by means of external traction. 
     The force of traction must be sufficiently energetic to extract the ribs ( 20   a ) of the T-shaped section ( 2 ) from the corresponding grooves ( 11   a ) of the U-shaped section ( 1 ), following to the new forced divarication of the borders ( 11 ). 
     After uncoupling the two sections ( 1 ,  2 ), the tiles ( 3 ) can be easily removed, moving them away from the sides of the U-shaped section ( 1 ). 
     Moreover, the U-shaped section ( 1 ) can be removed from the floor or wall by loosening the fixing screws that were previously tightened in the holes provided on the lateral strip ( 12 ). 
     It must be noted that the first section ( 1 ) may be realised with a different constructive version, without the lateral strip ( 12 ). 
     In such an alternative embodiment, the holes for the fixing screws must be provided on the bottom wall ( 10 ) of the section ( 1 ), which must be directly fixed against the floor or wall surface.