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US 7,442,423 B2Granted
Hard surface-veneer engineered surfacing tiles
AssigneeShaw Industries Group, Inc.
InventorRobert J Miller
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Engineered tile panels incorporating a hard surface veneer formed from ceramic, glass, and stone layer affixed to the core or substrate which may be assembled gluelessly and which provide uniform grouting gaps upon assembly, is disclosed along with methods therefore.
Claims11
An engineered tile, comprising:
- a generally planar base of selected dimensions and configuration, said base including an upper surface, a lower surface, a first edge incorporating a first cooperating element of an interlocking member, and a second edge incorporating a second cooperating element of said interlocking number;
- a veneer layer having a Mohs hardness of greater than 3 and a thickness of between 2 and 8 mm affixed to said upper surface of said base, said veneer layer being dimensioned so as not to overlie said first cooperating member.
A flooring tile, comprising:
- A stable, substantially rigid, generally planar substructure sheet having a thickness of between 4 and 10 mm and defining an upper and lower surface of a select geometric configuration, said sheet defining at least a first and second edges where the first edge features a profiled tongue structure projecting therefrom in a plane generally parallel to the upper core surface and said second edge including a groove recess corresponding in shape and dimension to the profiled tongue of the first edge, where inserting said tongue structure of said first edge into the groove structure of said second edge interconnects abutting tiles;
- a veneer layer affixed to said upper surface of said sheet, said veneer layer being composed of a material selected from the group consisting of sliceable natural stone, marble, granite, slate, glass, and ceramics, where said veneer has a thickness of 3-10 mm and possesses a Mohs hardness of at least 3.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.