Interlocking Flooring Tile Joints With Hidden Thermal Expansion Clearance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Floor coverings assembled from tiles interconnected by tenons and mortises experience high stresses due to temperature variations, leading to potential disconnection of tiles from their neighbors.
Innovation Solution
The flooring tiles feature tenons and mortises with recessed bottom face portions, allowing for clearances between adjacent tiles, which accommodate expansion due to temperature changes while maintaining a tight fit in the upper regions of the joints.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If tenons and mortises are dimensioned to obtain a tight fit, then gaps between tiles are avoided and tile stability is improved, but high stresses occur at interconnections when temperature changes cause tile expansion or contraction
Solution Approach 1:
The invention applies local quality by creating a differential depth structure in the tenons and mortises. The first depth portion extends further than the second depth portion, creating a recessed region. This local variation in depth allows for thermal expansion clearance in the lower region while maintaining a tight fit in the upper region, thus reducing stress at interconnections without compromising tile stability.
2Shape
If a tight fit is provided between tiles, then apparent gaps between tiles are avoided, but tiles may disconnect from neighbors when temperature variations cause expansion or contraction
Solution Approach 1:
The recessed structure created by the differential depth portions provides local clearance in the lower region while maintaining visual seamlessness in the upper region. The first depth portion ensures tight fit for visual appearance, while the second depth portion provides expansion space, thus maintaining both reliability and aesthetic quality.
3Stress or pressure
If recesses are provided in tenons or mortises to allow tile expansion, then stress from temperature variations is reduced, but clearances between adjacent tiles are created that may be visible
Solution Approach 1:
The recesses are localized to the lower region of the joint through the differential depth structure. The first depth portion maintains the tile surface at the same level, ensuring visual seamlessness, while the second depth portion creates the necessary clearance for thermal expansion. This localizes the functional clearance without compromising the aesthetic quality.
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 recessed design reduces stress and prevents tile disconnection by providing hidden clearances, ensuring a stable and visually seamless floor covering.
Implementation Method 1
the recesses providing room for expansion of the tiles when the temperature increases
Data Source
AI summary
A flooring tile (10) comprises a tile top (12), a tile bottom (14), and a lateral border (16). The lateral border comprises tenons (18) alternating with mortises (20) for interlocking with mortises and tenons, respectively, of a neighbouring flooring tile. Each tenon has a front butting face (22) and each mortise has a rear butting face (24). The front and rear butting faces extend from the tile 2024/052006 top to the tile bottom, preferably over the entire height of the flooring tile. Each one the front butting faces and the rear butting faces has a top face portion (22a, 24a) adjacent the tile top and a bottom face portion (22b, 24b) adjacent the tile bottom. The flooring tile has tenons or mortises, the bottom face portion of which is recessed with respect to the top face portion.