Abstract:
A lattice of support surfaces are used to support substantially the perimeter of a construction tile. The support surface is made integral with a decorative border. Linear railways attach orthogonally to other railways to form the lattice. Tiles are set into the lattice providing a warmer installation relative to installation over concrete tile foundation.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    This invention relates generally to tile and masonry installation; and specifically to a method and framework for installing tiles.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    The building industry has long used various types of tiles in construction projects. Tiles come in many forms and are manufactured from various types of materials, in a wide variety of colors and surface textures. For example, ceramic tile is often used in bathroom applications. Marble tile is often used for flooring and other decorative applications.  
           [0003]    Better techniques for installation of tiles have evolved over time. In fact, many patents that describe installation techniques have been granted. Most of these evolutions in tile installation techniques have been developed in response to the inadequacy of former installation methods. One common problem with installation of any tile is the fact that individual tiles need to be aligned relative one to another. In response to this problem, prior art methods for installation of tile include methods where spacers are introducing between individual tiles in order to ensure uniform tile installation. In fact, all of the known art addresses this major problem. Various techniques for the installation of tile spacers have been devised including the use of a pre-fabricated lattice that can be placed on an installation surface. Once the pre-fabricated lattice is installed, individual tiles may be secured into the lattice resulting in a clean, uniform installation. Of course, all of these prior art methods require the use of a mortar in order to secure an individual tile to the installation surface. Additional mortar (i.e. “grout”) is then used to fill the interspatial gap in between individual tiles.  
           [0004]    These prior art methods fail to address some other major problems associated with the installation of tile in typical construction applications. One such problem is the need to easily replace an individual tile if it where to be inadvertently damaged. Yet another problem is that all known tile installation techniques apply an individual tile to a installation surface that is, in many cases, a cold concrete slab. Hence, a tile floor constructed according to conventional wisdom results in a cold, heat-sunk surface.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0005]    The present invention comprises a method for installing tiles that results in much warmer floor when compared to tile floors constructed according to prior art techniques. According to one example method, a support is provided substantially around the outer perimeter of a tile. This support is typically provided within the footprint of the tile. According to this method, a border is also provided around the tile. This border eliminates the need for tile grout. According to the method, the support holds the tile up off of an installation surface (e.g. a concrete slab). Because the tile is supported off from the installation surface, it is easily replaced in the event of damage. Also, heat is retained by the tile because it does not come in contact with the installation surface. This results in a “warmer” tile floor.  
           [0006]    According to one variation of the present method, a support may be provided for a tile by placing a first railing that has a first end. A second railing may be attached orthogonally to the first railing. The position of the second railing is adjusted along the length of the first railing so as to accommodate a tile of a particular dimension. According to yet another alternative method, a third railing is also orthogonally attached to the first railing. The position of the third railing relative to the second railing is then adjusted to accommodate a tile of a particular dimension. According to yet another variation of the present method, the second railing may be attached to the first railing by mating a slide bushing on the second railing with a linear trackway on the first railing.  
           [0007]    In one variation of the present method, support proximate to the outer perimeter of the tile is provided by a ledge along the first railing. According to yet another variation of the present method, a border may be provided by providing a raised surface along the first railing that is an opposition to a support ledge. According to yet another variation of the present method, drainage is provided across the border and the support. Yet another variation of this method, airflow is provided across the border and the support.  
           [0008]    The present invention further comprises a an alternative method for installing tiles the comprises the provision of a plurality of railings each having end connectors and the provision of a plurality of railing ties each of which has at least two railing connectors. The railings, according to this alternative method, a been attached to the railing ties in order to form a receptacle. Tiles may then be installed in the receptacle.  
           [0009]    The present invention further comprises a tile installation fixture. According to one embodiment of the invention, a tile installation fixture comprises a linear support having top and bottom surfaces and a border also having top and bottom surfaces. The border is a collinear with the linear support. According to one alternative example embodiment of the invention, the tile installation picture further comprises a linear attachment trackway disposed in a collinear manner to the linear support. According to one illustrative embodiment of invention, the linear attachment trackway is formed by a notch that is set collinearly in the top surface of the linear support. According to yet another alternative embodiment of the invention, the tile installation picture further comprises the orifice that leads for the top surface to the bottom surface of the linear support. This orifice may serve as a drainage for any moisture that may collect at the surface of the linear support or in any notch that may form a linear trackway is said linear support.  
           [0010]    According to one alternative embodiment of the invention, the tile installation fixture further comprises a slide bushing data substantially perpendicular to the linear support. Generally, this slide bushing is disposed at one end of the tile installation fixture in may be embodied as a finger set orthogonal to the linear support and oriented downward from the top surface of the border. According to yet another alternative embodiment of the invention, the tile installation fixture further comprises an airflow pathway that is notch into the bottom surfaces of the linear support and the border. This pathway is set orthogonal to the linear support.  
           [0011]    The present invention further comprises a tile installation railing tie. Such tile installation railing tie comprises at least two railing connectors and a border disposed between said two railing connectors. Generally, railing ties may be used to hold railings together to form a receptacle capable of receiving a tile.  
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0012]    The foregoing aspects are better understood from the following detailed description of one embodiment of the invention with reference to the drawings, in which:  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 1 is a flow diagrams that depicts one example method for installing tiles according to the present invention;  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 2 is a flow diagram that depicts one alternative example method for providing a support proximate to the outer perimeter of a tile;  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 3 is a flow diagram that depicts one alternative method for installing tiles;  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 4 is a pictorial diagram that illustrates the installation of tiles in a lattice of tile receptacles according to the present invention;  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 5 is a pictorial diagram that illustrates the installation of a tile into a receptacle according to method of the present invention;  
         [0018]    [0018]FIGS. 6 through 9 are pictorial diagrams that illustrate one example embodiment of an attachment means for orthogonally attaching one railing to another according to the present invention;  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 10 is a pictorial diagram that depicts a rail tie that can be used to tie rails together according to the method of the present invention; and  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 11 is a pictorial diagram of a tile installation fixture comprising drainage and airflow paths according to the present invention.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0021]    [0021]FIG. 1 is a flow diagrams that depicts one example method for installing tiles according to the present invention. According to this example method, tiles may be installed in a lattice of receptacles wherein each receptacle is formed by providing a support proximate to the outer perimeter of the tile (step  5 ). Each of said tiles typically have a top and bottom surface and an outer perimeter. According to one example embodiment, the support is provided within the footprint of the tile. According to this method, a border is provided around the tile (step  10 ). This border may be of any width and typically eliminates the need for tile grout. The support generally provides an offset for an installed tile and prevents the bottom surface of the tile from contacting a substrate (e.g. a concrete slab). Hence, the support is generally disposed in between the bottom surface of the tile and an installation substrate. Since the tile is not adhered to the installation substrate, it may be easily removed in the event that an individual tile is damaged through either ordinary or extraordinary use. According to one alternative method, adhesive may be introduced between the top surface of the support and the bottom of the tile placed thereon. This precludes inadvertent movement of the tile or accidental discharge from the receptacle.  
         [0022]    According to one variation of this method, airflow is provided between receptacles by providing an airflow pathway across the support and the border (step  15 ). According to yet another variation of this method, a drainage path is provided through the support (step  20 ). This drainage path allows moisture that may accumulate at the top surface of the support to drain downward.  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 2 is a flow diagram that depicts one alternative example method for providing a support proximate to the outer perimeter of a tile. According to this alternative method, a support is provided by placing a first rail (step  25 ) onto an installation substrate. A second rail is orthogonally attached to the first rail (step  30 ). The position of the second rail along the first rail is then adjusted. This may be accomplished in order to accommodate a tile of a particular dimension. According to one alternative variation of this illustrative method, a third rail is orthogonally attached to the first rail (step  40 ). The position of the third rail along the first rail is then adjusted to accommodate a tile of a particular dimension (step  45 ).  
         [0024]    According to one variation of this illustrative method, attachment of the second railing to the first railing may be a cottage by mating a slide bushing on the second railing with a linear trackway on the first railing. According to yet another variation of this illustrative method, a support proximate to be outer brother of the tile may be provided by means of a ledge running along the first rail. According to yet another variation of this method, a border may be provided by means of a raised surface that also runs along the railing alongside the ledge comprising the support.  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 3 is a flow diagram that depicts one alternative method for installing tiles. According to this example method, a lattice of tile receptacles is established by providing a plurality of railings (step  50 ) and a plurality of railing ties (step  55 ). The railings are then attached to the railing ties to form a lattice (step  60 ). Individual tiles may then be installed into resulting lattice of tile receptacles.  
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 4 is a pictorial diagram that illustrates the installation of tiles in a lattice of tile receptacles according to the present invention. Railings  70 , which are also known as tile installation fixtures, are attached to other railings to form receptacles capable of receiving a tile  75 . According to this example embodiment, the railings form a herringbone pattern where one of railing  80  is orthogonally attached approximately mid-span to a first railing  85 .  
         [0027]    [0027]FIG. 5 is a pictorial diagram that illustrates the installation of a tile into a receptacle according to method of the present invention. According to this example embodiment, a tile  75  is installed into a receptacle  90 . The receptacle  90  is generally formed by railings  70  substantially about the outer perimeter of the tile  75 . Note that the railings typically comprise a tile support  95  and a border  100 .  
         [0028]    [0028]FIGS. 6 through 9 are pictorial diagrams that illustrate one example embodiment of an attachment means for orthogonally attaching one railing to another according to the present invention. According to one example embodiment of the present invention, a tile installation fixture  70  comprises a linear support  95  and a border  100 . Generally, both the linear support  95  and the border  100  have top and bottom surfaces. According to this example embodiment, the tile installation fixture  70  may be installed on a substrate  101  wherein the bottom surface of both the linear support  95  and the border  100  contact the substrate  101 .  
         [0029]    The linear support  95  is set collinear with the border  100 . The top surface of the linear support  95  is lower elevation relative to the top surface of the border  100 . The difference in the elevation between the top surface of the border  100  and the linear support  95  is typically set to the thickness of a particular tile. Hence, once a tile is positioned on the linear support  95 , the top surface of the tile will finish substantially flush with the top surface of the border  100 .  
         [0030]    A first tile installation fixture  125  is typically placed onto the substrate  101  and a second tile installation fixture  130  is then attached orthogonally to the first fixture  130 . According to one example embodiment of the present invention, the orthogonal attachment is accomplished by means of a linear attachment trackway. Hence, according to this example embodiment of the present invention, the first fixture  130  comprises a linear attachment trackway  105 . According to one alternative example embodiment, the linear attachment trackway  105  comprises a notch collinearly disposed into the top surface of the linear support  95 .  
         [0031]    According to this example embodiment, the second rail comprises a slide bushing oriented substantially perpendicular to the linear support  95 . The slide bushing  110  (FIG. 8), according to one alternative embodiment of the invention, comprises a finger that protrudes downward from the top surface of the border  100 . As depicted in the figure, the bottom surface of the border is itself partially notched at the end of the tile installation fixture in order to form the finger  110 . According to yet another example embodiment, the slide bushing further comprises a carriage slot  115  that is also formed by a deeper notch into the bottom surface of the border. This carriage slot  115  is disposed in between the finger  110  and the main body of the border  100 . It is important to note that the finger and the carriage slot are typically sized according to a corresponding linear trackway  105 , which, according to one embodiment, comprises a notch in the linear support  95 .  
         [0032]    In application, the finger  110  and the carrier slot  115  that form the slide bushing  110  disposed at the end of one railing  130  interlock  111  (as shown in FIG. 9) with the linear trackway  105  of a second railing  125 . Those skilled in the art will recognize that any suitable linear trackway and slide bushing structure may be utilized in order to orthogonally attach the second railing  125  to the first railing  130  and that the scope of the present invention is not intended to be limited to any particular example embodiment herein described. Once the attachment is made, the position  131  of the second railing  130  along the first railing can be adjusted to accommodate the dimension of a particular type of tile.  
         [0033]    [0033]FIG. 10 is a pictorial diagram that depicts a rail tie that can be used to tie rails together according to the method of the present invention. According to one alternative embodiment of the invention, a tile installation railing tie comprises at least two railing connectors  150  and a border  130 . Individual railings can be attached to the railing tie using the slide bushing  117  (FIG. 8) comprising one end of the railing. Hence, according to this embodiment, the railing connectors mimic a linear trackway normally found as a collinear feature of a railing, i.e. tile installation fixture of the present invention.  
         [0034]    [0034]FIG. 11 is a pictorial diagram of a tile installation fixture comprising drainage and airflow paths according to the present invention. According to one illustrative embodiment, a railing  185  comprises an airflow path  190 . This may comprise a slot cut into the lower surface of the railing  185  orthogonal to the linear support comprising the railing. According to one alternative embodiment of a tile installation railing, a drainage orifice  195  is included in the invention. Such an orifice provides for the drainage of moisture from the support surface of the railing. In one example embodiment, the drainage orifice  195  is disposed in a linear attachment trackway  105  embodied as a notch in a linear support surface. Hence, moisture accumulations in said trackway are drained downward towards the base (i.e. lower surface) of the railing.  
         [0035]    In all of the embodiments henceforth described, tile installation fixtures (i.e. railings) may be fabricated from any suitable material. For example wood or plastic may be used to fabricate the tile installation fixtures. Selection of proper material relies on the ability of the material to hold a form while supporting normal tile floor loading. This typically requires that the material exhibit a high strength when subject to compression loading.  
         [0036]    Alternative Embodiments  
         [0037]    While this invention has been described in terms of several preferred embodiments, it is contemplated that alternatives, modifications, permutations, and equivalents thereof will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon a reading of the specification and study of the drawings. It is therefore intended that the true spirit and scope of the present invention include all such alternatives, modifications, permutations, and equivalents.