Roll-up Interchangeable Tile System with Flexible Frame
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for installing backsplashes and shower or bath walls require skilled labor, are difficult to change or clean, and offer limited design and color options, with prefabricated panels being large, rigid, and costly to transport and replace.
Innovation Solution
A tile system featuring a flexible frame made of materials like rubber, silicon, or cork that can be rolled up for easy transportation and used as a template for tile spacing, allowing for customizable and interchangeable tile designs without the need for skilled labor, easy cleaning, and reduced shipping costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If tile and grout method is used, then durable and customizable backsplash is achieved, but skilled labor is required and design cannot easily be changed
Solution Approach 1:
The backsplash is divided into individual interchangeable tiles that can be independently selected and arranged, allowing customization without requiring skilled labor for traditional tile installation with grout
Solution Approach 2:
The tile system allows dynamic reconfiguration where tiles can be easily removed, added, and rearranged by the homeowner without professional help, transforming a static installation into a dynamic, user-modifiable system
2Ease of operation
If peel and stick tiles are used, then easy installation is achieved, but adhesive backing prevents easy detachment and reuse
Solution Approach 1:
The tile system transitions from a static adhesive bond to a dynamic, reversible connection mechanism that allows tiles to be easily attached and detached multiple times without damage, enabling both easy installation and easy removal/reuse
Solution Approach 2:
Tiles can be detached, cleaned, and reused without waste or damage, transforming the traditional single-use adhesive tile into a recoverable and reusable component
3Ease of repair
If detachable panel is used, then easy replacement is achieved, but panel must be made to fit exact wall depression size
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of a single large custom-fit panel, the system uses multiple standardized-size tiles that can be combined in various configurations to fit different wall spaces, providing both ease of replacement and size adaptability
Solution Approach 2:
Standardized tiles serve multiple wall sizes and configurations through combinatorial arrangement, making the same tile components universally applicable to different spaces without custom manufacturing
4Ease of operation
If prefabricated wall panels are used, then less skilled labor is required, but design options are limited and panels are large and expensive to ship
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides large prefabricated panels into smaller modular tiles that are easier and cheaper to ship, while maintaining simple installation through the modular design
Solution Approach 2:
Individual tiles can have different designs, colors, and textures applied to specific locations within the backsplash, allowing customized design patterns while keeping each tile component simple and standardized for easy installation
5Stability of the object's composition
If grout is used between tiles, then tile spacing is maintained, but grout is porous and difficult to clean requiring periodic regrouting
Solution Approach 1:
A flexible membrane or film is used instead of porous grout to maintain tile spacing, providing a non-porous, easy-to-clean surface that eliminates the harmful porosity of traditional grout while maintaining stable tile positioning
Data Source
AI summary
A tile system includes: a container; and a flexible frame within the container, the flexible frame having a plurality of windows configured to removably hold a plurality of tiles, wherein the flexible frame has a first length and a second length, wherein the first length is a length of a longest axis of the flexible frame in a planar configuration, the second length is the first length within the container, and the second length is less than the first length.