[0001] The object of the present application for industrial patent relates to a tile comprising
a series of small tiles placed side by side, which hook into a support base.
[0002] The present invention serves as a means for producing coloured tiles with a wide
selection of decorative patterns using a technique similar to that of the mosaic.
[0003] In fact, in accordance with this concept, the pattern on the tile is formed by placing
small coloured tiles, one by one, on a support base using a procedure that permits
with extreme precision and ease, the formation of the desired decorative motifs.
[0004] Nowadays, with the conventional procedure for making tiles in ceramic, majolica,
stoneware or such-like, the patterns and colours to be used must be established beforehand.
Production, therefore, is ruled by rigid, pre-determined parameters with two basic
drawbacks due, on the one hand, to difficulties in diversifying the product, and,
on the other, to the not infrequent possibility of making irreparable errors during
the production of individual pieces. The invention is as disclosed in claim 1 and
FR-E-88710 discloses the features of the first part of claim 1.
[0005] When the tile is made in accordance with the present invention such drawbacks are
overcome right from the beginning, in that by forming each individual tile with a
technique similar to that of the mosaic, the patterns can be varied to meet all tastes
and any errors can be rectified before the small tiles are securely fixed to the support
base.
[0006] This support base consists of a polygonal tile, its surface area being designed so
that a whole number of the aforesaid small tiles fits exactly onto it.
[0007] Its upper surface is provided with a number of apertures equal to the number of the
central small tiles that will be attached and held onto it.
[0008] These apertures are aligned vertically and horizontally and positioned in such a
way that the central small tiles, once hooked into them, and that the other small
tiles touch one another thus completely covering the underlying surface of the support
base.
[0009] The shape of the apertures is, in fact, such that it allows for a prismatic coupling
and fit, with a foot positioned exactly in the centre of the underside of each central
small tile.
[0010] The apertures in the support base and the foot of the central small tile may be of
any configuration provided, however, that there can still be an easy, secure and tight
attachment.
[0011] It can now be understood how small tiles forming many different patterns on the upper
surface, may be attached to the support base and how, only after the composition has
been certified perfect, can the small tiles be definitively fixed to the base by any
of the well-known conventional glues.
[0012] It is also apparent how the small tiles may be of varying dimensions and how, therefore,
by simply providing an appropriate number of apertures in the support base, the same
tile may comprise different numbers of small tiles.
[0013] In the same way, it is possible to envisage various polygonal shapes for the support
base, covering it, in this case, with small tiles of the same shape in order to obtain
a variety of decorative patterns, for instance, geometrical patterns.
[0014] In an embodiment of the invention, the coupling of the small tiles and the base may
be achieved by using a base with raised outer edges. The small tiles touching these
edges would vary in thickness accordingly; that is, the part fitting over the edge
would be thinner, and the part resting on the actual bottom of the support base would
be thicker.
[0015] Each of the central small tiles would have to have a projecting element in the middle
of its surface which would fit perfectly into a appropriate aperture provided in the
base.
[0016] Finally, it should be noted that the tile, in accordance with the herein described
invention, may be easily produced not only in the materials generally used in the
making of conventional tiles, in other words, ceramic, majolica, stoneware and the
like, but also in any type of suitable wood or plastic for tiling.
A tile comprising a series of smaller tiles placed side by side, which fit into a
support base provided with raised outer edges and provided with holding apertures,
each of the central smaller tiles being provided with a projecting element in the
middle of its under surface which fits exactly into a corresponding one of said apertures,
characterised in that the smaller tiles touching the raised edges vary in thickness
accordingly; that is, the part fitting over the edge is thinner than the part resting
on the actual bottom of the base.
Fliese, bestehend aus einer Serie von kleineren, aneinanderliegenden Fliesen, die
auf einer Halterungsbasis angebracht sind, deren Ränder erhöht und mit Befesttigungsöffnungen
ausgestattet sind, wobei jede kleinere Fliese in der Mitte ihrer Unterseite mit einem
herausragenden Element versehen ist, welches von einer der o.g. öffnungen aufgenommen
wird, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß die kleineren Fliesen an den erhöhten Rändern eine
andere Stärke aufweisen, womit jener Teil der kleineren Fliesen, der auf dem umlaufenden
Rand angebracht wird, dünner ist als der auf demeigentlichen Boden der Halterungsbasis.
Carreau comprenant une série de carreaux plus petits, disposés l'un à côté de l'autre
et encastrés dans une base de support munie de bords relevés et d'ouvertures de fixations
pour chacun des carreaux plus petits qui sont fournis d'un élément saillant, situé
centralement sur la surface inférieure et qui s'insère parfaitement dans la susdite
ouverture, caractérise en ce que les carreaux plus petits, qui touchent les bords
qui sont relevés, varient en fonction de ces derniers, c'est-à-dire que la partie
qui s'insère sur le bord est plus mince de celle qui touche le fond de la base de
support.