US 6,607,809 B2 · Glass tile decorated on rear viewed from front

Abstract

A tile with a transparent glass body having a smooth front face and a three-dimensional design impressed on the rear face that is viewed through the front face. The impressed design is further defined by a layer of decorative glass materials fused to the impressed design as well as some or all of the rear face. An overlay of glass material is fused to and follows the topography of, the decorative glass materials layer and/or the rear face of the glass tile body, sandwiching the decorative glass materials layer between the glass tile body and the glass material overlay. Once fused; the glass material overlay, the decorative glass materials layer and the glass tile body meld to become one homogenous glass layer, comprising the tile, that cannot delaminate. The resulting glass tile is similar in use and durability to ceramic tile while adding the ability to carry a protected, three-dimensional design. The overlay is an interface glass matrix that provides a point of attachment that can support the glass tile module of this invention when the glass tile is attached to a surface to be covered.

Claims15

Dependent claims

A modular surface covering consisting of:

a. a translucent glass body that is smooth on a front face with a raised three dimensional pattern on a rear face and
b. a decorative layer consisting of at least one glass material fused to said raised three dimensional pattern and said rear face of said translucent glass body, that is viewed through said front face of said translucent glass body and
c. an overlay, fused to and sandwiching said decorative layer between said overlay and said translucent glass body and consisting of at least one glass material, that comprises a rear surface of said modular surface covering which follows a topography of said rear face and said decorative layer wherein said overlay protects said modular surface covering and is an interface of said rear surface and a way of affixing a module of said modular surface covering to a surface to be covered, wherein each said module of said modular surface covering is one homogenous layer of glass, providing a smooth surface covering with a visible said raised three dimensional pattern.

A method for covering a surface with modules of a modular surface covering so that a resulting exterior surface appears to have a raised three dimensional pattern but said resulting exterior surface is actually smooth comprising the steps of:

a. affixing a first said module of said modular surface covering to a surface to be covered, wherein said first module of said modular surface covering is of a thickness, shape and durability to be compatible with ceramic tile modular surface covering, approximates a topography of a surface to be covered, and consists of:
i. a translucent glass body that is smooth on a front face with a raised three dimensional pattern on a rear face;
ii. a decorative layer consisting of at least one glass material fused to said raised three dimensional pattern and said rear face of said translucent glass body, that is viewed through said front face of said translucent glass body;
and
iii. an overlay, fused to and sandwiching said decorative layer between said overlay and said translucent glass body and consisting of at least one glass material, that comprises a rear surface of said modular surface covering which follows a topography of said rear face and said decorative layer wherein said overlay protects said modular surface covering and is an interface of said rear surface and a way of affixing said modules of said modular surface covering to a surface to be covered, wherein each said module of said modular surface covering is one homogenous layer of glass, providing a smooth surface covering with a visible said raised three dimensional pattern;
and
b. affixing a second module of said modular surface covering in close proximity to said first module wherein each said module is used to cover said surface to be covered.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Glass tile decorated on rear viewed from front

Life of this patent

Glass tile decorated on rear viewed from front

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims15