Natural Stone Tile Slabs with PVC Mechanical Locking System
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The traditional installation of natural stone and porcelain tile slabs is cumbersome, requiring cement, adhesives, and grout, which is time-consuming, expensive, and difficult to maintain, and often results in misaligned corners and imperfections in subfloor preparation.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a mechanical locking system into natural stone tile slabs by cutting them horizontally on all four sides and inserting pre-milled polyvinyl chloride couplings, eliminating the need for cement, adhesives, and grout, while adding a backing layer for insulation and comfort.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional installation methods using cement, adhesives, and grout are used for natural stone tile slabs, then the tiles can be securely installed, but the installation process becomes time-consuming, expensive, and difficult to maintain
Solution Approach 1:
The tile slab is divided into a stone core and separate coupling elements. The coupling elements are inserted into grooves cut into the stone core, creating a segmented assembly that enables mechanical locking without requiring cement, adhesives, or grout for installation.
Solution Approach 2:
Coupling elements made of polyvinyl chloride or similar material act as intermediaries between adjacent tile slabs. These couplings are inserted into grooves on the stone core and provide the mechanical locking function, replacing the traditional need for cement and adhesives.
2Manufacturing precision
If traditional installation methods are used, then tiles can be installed, but misaligned corners and imperfections in subfloor preparation occur
Solution Approach 1:
The mechanical locking system with couplings inserted into grooves allows the tile slabs to self-align during installation. The coupling elements guide the tiles into proper alignment as they are clicked together, eliminating the need for specialized labor and complex subfloor preparation.
3Ease of manufacture
If grout is used between tile slabs, then the installation is complete, but stains, dirt, and grime are impregnated in the grout making it difficult to maintain clean
Solution Approach 1:
The grout layer is completely removed from the system. Instead of installing tiles with grout between them, the invention uses mechanical couplings that lock the tiles together with visible gaps, eliminating the grout that would otherwise stain and require difficult maintenance.
4Reliability
If natural stone tile slabs are installed traditionally, then the installation is complete, but the process requires specialized labor and is expensive
Solution Approach 1:
The mechanical locking system with couplings enables DIY installation by homeowners without requiring specialized labor. The tiles with integrated grooves and couplings can be easily assembled by clicking them together, making the installation process accessible to ordinary consumers.
Data Source
AI summary
Floor covering (01) material, consisting of Natural Stones, i.e. Marble, Granite, Limestone, Onyx, Travertine and Sandstone, in format of tile slabs, in which the thickness is between 4 mm and 35 mm, in which at the two opposite edges or sides are jointed together and interlocked by mechanical locking means, by connecting or inserting (A6 to A5) and connecting or pressing downward (A8 to A9) using Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) couplings, connecting in the form of a tongue and a groove which will prevent shifting of two interlocked tiles and or slabs into the opposed direction of each section tile or slab, with an integrated backing layer consisting of cork and/or syntactic foam material, The invention relates to a natural stone core tile slab, allowing for an installation without the use of cement, adhesives or grout, provided with such a mechanical locking system jointed to the core (A4) according to the invention.