Ceramic Tile Panel with Protective Glazing Layer
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional ceramic tiles are difficult to install and remove due to their design requiring mortar, which leads to issues like breakage, uneven installation, and staining, and are not suitable for combination with polymer-, mineral-, or wood-based core layers.
Innovation Solution
A panel design featuring a ceramic tile with a protective layer on its bottom surface, integrated with a core layer having complementary coupling parts for easy installation and removal, and a method involving a firing process to create an impermeable glazing layer for enhanced durability and adhesion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If conventional ceramic tiles with cavities on the back surface are installed on mortar, then bonding strength with mortar is improved, but installation difficulty and removal difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The tile back surface is segmented into cavities and flat areas, allowing the mortar to bond to multiple surfaces while the flat areas provide stable contact points for installation alignment and removal
Solution Approach 2:
An adhesive layer is introduced as an intermediary between the tile back surface and the core layer, providing a flexible bonding interface that accommodates the cavities while enabling easier installation and removal compared to direct mortar bonding
2Strength
If adhesive layer is applied on the back surface of ceramic tile, then bonding with core layer is improved, but tile breakage and staining increase
Solution Approach 1:
The adhesive layer is applied selectively in the cavities on the back surface rather than uniformly across the entire surface, concentrating the bonding function where it is most needed while minimizing adhesive contact with the tile body to prevent staining and stress-related breakage
Solution Approach 2:
The adhesive is applied partially only in the cavity regions rather than covering the entire back surface, providing sufficient bonding strength for core layer attachment while reducing the total adhesive volume that could cause staining or expansion-related stresses
3Ease of operation
If conventional ceramic tiles with cavities are combined with polymer- or wood-based core layers, then ease of installation is improved, but tile fracturing and breakage increase
Solution Approach 1:
The adhesive layer acts as a flexible intermediary between the rigid ceramic tile and the more compliant polymer- or wood-based core layer, absorbing differential movement and preventing stress concentration at the cavity locations that would lead to fracturing
Solution Approach 2:
The adhesive layer provides beforehand cushioning by creating a compliant bonding interface that anticipates and absorbs thermal expansion and contraction differences between the ceramic tile and the core layer, preventing stress-related fracturing before it occurs
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
The panel offers improved durability, easy installation, and reduced risk of breakage and staining, allowing for effective bonding with adhesives and compatibility with various core layers, while maintaining aesthetic appeal.
Implementation Method 1
The protective layer according to the present invention will effectively form a boundary layer that reduces the risk of crazing and hairline fractures related to expansion and contraction of alien materials in the body of the ceramic tile caused by thermal fluctuations. The preferably integrally formed protective layer seals off the pores of the bottom layer of the ceramic tile, thereby preventing the transmission of liquids to the core body of the ceramic tile.
Implementation Method 2
The said integrally formed protective layer is obtained via heat treatment of the ceramic tile as exhibited in the glazing of at least a part of the ceramic tile. The protective layer may for example comprise 5 to 60 wt. % clay and/or fluxes... undergoes a firing process usually within the range between 20 to 1200 degrees Celsius with a firing time between 5 to 48 hours... At a preferred temperature between 950 to 1200 degrees Celsius, glazing and vitrification of the ceramic layer occurs.
Data Source
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.