Densified Foam Core Tile with Textured Grout Imitation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing flooring products lack a realistic imitation of grout lines, requiring tedious installation processes and additional labor, and do not offer the look and feel of actual grout lines, nor can they be easily manufactured in various colors and designs.
Innovation Solution
A tile composed of a top layer made from polyvinyl chloride (PVC) with a densified foam core, featuring an exposed portion with a textured surface to simulate a grout line, which can be manufactured in different colors and designs, and includes an interconnecting mechanism for easy installation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If traditional tile installation with cement mixture and spacers is used, then uniform alignment and separation are achieved, but installation time and labor cost increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The grout line imitation structure is pre-formed during tile manufacturing by removing material along the edges to create exposed portions with textured surfaces. This preliminary action eliminates the need for post-installation grouting work, significantly reducing installation time while maintaining uniform appearance through factory precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a visual copy of traditional grout lines by forming exposed portions with textured surfaces that mimic the appearance and feel of actual grout. This copying approach allows the tile to achieve the aesthetic effect of traditional installation without requiring the actual grouting process, thereby reducing labor and time.
2Reliability
If traditional grout line creation with separation and grout mixture is used, then realistic grout line appearance is achieved, but installation complexity and labor requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the grout line creation function into the tile structure itself by forming exposed portions during manufacturing. The textured surface and colorant integration combine multiple functions (structural definition, aesthetic appearance, and material separation) into a single integrated feature, eliminating the need for separate grouting operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The tile structure provides its own grout line definition through the exposed portions with textured surfaces. The tile essentially serves its own installation needs by incorporating the grout line imitation directly into its construction, eliminating dependency on external grouting materials and processes.
3Ease of operation
If synthetic flooring products are installed with slight separation, then installation on uneven surfaces is facilitated, but realistic grout line look and feel is not achieved
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different properties to different parts of the tile: the main tile body maintains a smooth surface for aesthetic purposes, while the exposed portions along the edges are specifically textured to mimic grout lines. This local differentiation allows the tile to provide both ease of installation and realistic grout appearance simultaneously.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent adds a dimensional element to the tile edge by creating exposed portions that extend outwardly from the main surface. This third-dimensional feature provides physical depth and texture that mimics real grout lines, transforming a two-dimensional surface into a three-dimensional structure that captures light and shadow similarly to actual grout.
4Ease of manufacture
If existing imitation tiles with drawn grout lines are used, then manufacturing simplicity is maintained, but the grout lines lack depth and realistic appearance
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of adding material to create grout lines, the patent extracts or removes material from the tile edges during manufacturing to form exposed portions. This extraction process creates genuine depth and three-dimensional structure in the grout line imitation, providing realistic appearance while remaining compatible with standard manufacturing processes.
Data Source
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AI summary
A flooring tile having a plurality of sides and comprising at least a top layer, a core layer and an exposed portion that extends outwardly along one side of the tile with a textured surface that imitates a grout line. The top layer of the tile can include a top surface defined by a wear layer, a polyvinyl chloride (PVC) layer having an optimal density and a dye or colorant (s), and a decorative layer. The core layer is made of a densified foam material. The exposed portion and textured surface may be formed on the PVC layer below the top surface of the tile at a depth of between about 0.9 to 2 millimeters, or more, so as to extend into the core layer, and will have a width of generally between 2 millimeters to 5 millimeters. The overall thickness of the tile preferably ranges from 4 to 8 millimeters.