Tile comprising a series of small tiles placed side by side, which hook into a support base

Description

[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.

Claims

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.

Ansprüche

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.

Revendications

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.