Ceramic Tile Panel Backing for Mortar-Free Installation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional ceramic tiles are difficult to install and remove due to their reliance on mortar, which creates a permanent bond, and when combined with polymer-, mineral-, or wood-based core layers, they are prone to fracturing and breakage from thermal stresses and adhesive expansion.
Innovation Solution
A ceramic tile with an integrally formed protective layer on its bottom surface, which seals off pores and increases surface energy, combined with a core layer featuring complementary coupling parts for easy installation, eliminating the need for mortar and reducing thermal stresses.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If conventional ceramic tiles are installed on mortar with cavities on the back surface, then bonding strength is improved, but installation difficulty and removal difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The tile back surface is segmented into multiple cavities rather than a continuous flat surface. These cavities allow mortar to penetrate and create mechanical interlocking, significantly improving bonding strength while the modular cavity structure actually simplifies the installation process by providing natural alignment and spacing features
Solution Approach 2:
The back surface of the tile incorporates a porous cavity structure that allows mortar to infiltrate and bond mechanically. This porous design increases the effective bonding area and creates a keying effect, enhancing adhesion strength without requiring complex installation procedures
2Strength
If adhesive is applied on the back surface of ceramic tile, then bonding with core layer is achieved, but adhesive expansion creates stresses leading to breakage
Solution Approach 1:
The protective layer is applied locally at specific positions on the tile, creating areas of different properties. The protective layer acts as a stress-dissipating interface that locally absorbs expansion stresses from the adhesive, preventing these stresses from propagating through the entire tile structure and causing breakage
Solution Approach 2:
The protective layer is positioned between the adhesive and the tile body to cushion against thermal expansion stresses before they can cause damage. This pre-positioned protective element absorbs and distributes the expansion forces, preventing hairline fractures and breakage that would otherwise occur during temperature fluctuations
3Ease of operation
If conventional ceramic tiles are combined with polymer-, mineral- or wood-based core layer, then ease of installation is improved, but tiles are prone to fracturing from thermal stresses
Solution Approach 1:
The tile assembly becomes a composite structure combining the ceramic tile with a polymer-, mineral- or wood-based core layer. This composite construction provides both the ease of installation from the core layer and improved thermal stress resistance through the protective layer that accommodates differential thermal expansion between the ceramic and core materials
4Strength
If cavities are provided on back surface of conventional tiles, then bonding with mortar is improved, but tiles are prone to breakage when combined with substrate without support
Solution Approach 1:
The protective layer is positioned in advance at the back surface of the tile to cushion and distribute stresses that would otherwise concentrate at the cavity locations. This pre-positioned protection prevents deformation, surface crazing, and breakage by providing structural reinforcement at the vulnerable cavity areas before loads are applied
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enhances durability by preventing adhesive ingress and thermal stresses, allowing easy installation and removal, and reducing breakage risks, while maintaining strong adhesion.
Implementation Method 1
the protective layer which is configured to protect at least a part of the ceramic tile, in particular at least a part of the bottom surface of the ceramic tile
Implementation Method 2
When the adhesive layer is applied on the back surface of the ceramic tile, it is able to ingress into the tile prior to solidifying or curing due to its relatively high liquidity
Implementation Method 3
The expansion rate of said adhesive when exposed to extreme temperatures, can create unwanted stresses in the core body of the tile
Data Source
Figure 1~2
AI summary
The invention relates to a panel, in particular a floor panel or a wall panel configured for forming a floor or wall covering, the panel comprising at least one core layer, the core layer comprising at least one pair of opposite side edges which are provided with complementary coupling parts configured for interconnecting adjacent panels, the core layer comprising an upper core surface and a bottom core surface, and at least one ceramic tile, the ceramic tile comprising an upper surface and a bottom surface and the panel further comprising at least one further layer.