Dimensional tile backing

• US 8,950,140 B1
• Filed: 12/18/2013
• Issued: 02/10/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/12/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dimensional Tile Backer, LLC
• Original Assignee: Dimensional Tile Backer, LLC
• Inventors: Katwyk, Rodney James
• Primary Examiner(s): Ference, James
• Application Number:
  US14/133,164
• Publication Number:
  US 20150040501A1
• Time in Patent Office: 419 Days
• Field of Search: 523/094, 523/098, 523/099, 525/60, 525/35, 525/18, 523/111, 523/112, 523/113, 523/14, 52/64, 52/71, 523/84, 523/85, 523/86
• US Class Current: 52/385
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 13/0862 composed of a number of elements which are identical or not, e.g. carried by a common web, support plate or grid
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 13/0871 having an ornamental or specially shaped visible surface E04F13/0867 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 13/0875 having a basic insulating layer and at least one covering layer
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 2203/02 having particular shapes, other than square or rectangular, e.g. triangular, hexagonal, circular, irregular

Abstract

A system for mounting tile relative to a flat surface may include a plurality of tiles and support structure to be mounted to the flat surface. The support structure may have a plurality of support surfaces on which the tiles are mounted such that the tiles are at different angles and/or heights relative to the flat surface. The support surfaces may be arranged in a wide variety of patterns, and may have shapes that correspond to those of the tiles. The tiles and support surfaces may have a wide variety of shapes. The support structure may be a single piece on which all of the support surfaces are formed, or may be created through the assembly of multiple support blocks, each of which has one or more of the support surfaces thereon.

Claims

1. A system for mounting a plurality of tiles on a flat surface, the system comprising:

a plurality of tiles, each of which comprises a mounting surface, an exterior surface, and peripheral edges; and

a plurality of support structures mountable on the flat surface;

wherein the plurality of support structures are shaped such that when the plurality of support structures are mounted on the flat surface, the exterior surfaces of the plurality of tiles have a plurality of angled orientations, relative to the flat surface, wherein at least one junction is formed between two joining peripheral edges of the peripheral edges of adjacent tiles of the plurality of tiles, wherein the two joining peripheral edges are at different depths, wherein depth is measured as distance from the flat surface;

wherein the plurality of support structures comprises at least a first support structure adjacent to a second support structure, wherein the first support structure comprises a first planar support surface that is coupled to and shaped to support the mounting surface of at least one of the plurality of tiles and the second support structure comprises a second planar support surface that is adjacent to and nonparallel to the first planar support surface, and is coupled to and shaped to support the mounting surface of at least one of the plurality of tiles;

wherein the second planar support surface is oriented and positioned such that, across a plane perpendicular to the flat surface, the second planar support surface is substantially a mirror image of the first planar support surface.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of support surfaces further comprises:

a third support surface adjacent to the first support surface; and

a fourth support surface adjacent to the second support surface and the third support surface;

wherein the fourth support surface is oriented and positioned such that, across the plane, the fourth support surface is substantially a minor image of the third support surface, wherein the third support surface is substantially parallel to the second support surface and the fourth support surface is substantially parallel to the first support surface.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein each of the first and second support surfaces comprises a parallelogram shape such that, combined, the first and second support surfaces define a chevron shape.