# US 9,518,396 B2 · Support plate for installing tile > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,518,396 B2 - Document ID: US9518396B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/670,827 - Filed: 2015-03-27 - Published: 2015-07-16 - Granted: 2016-12-13 - Earliest claimed: 2013-01-22 - Assignees: Laticrete International, Inc. - Applicants: Laticrete International, Inc. - Inventors: Sean P. Boyle - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9518396B2 ## CPC - E04F 15/185: {Underlayers in the form of studded or ribbed plates} - B32B 3/30: characterised by a layer formed with recesses or projections, e.g. {hollows, grooves, protuberances, ribs (apertured layer B32B3/266; layer with cavities or internal voids B32B3/26)} - B32B 37/18: involving the assembly of discrete sheets or panels only - B32B 38/0004: {Cutting, tearing or severing, e.g. bursting; Cutter details (cutting in general B26D; laminating combined with punching or perforating B32B38/04; removing all or part of the layers B32B38/10; cutting in combination with laying up and registration B32B38/185 takes precedence)} - B32B 38/04: Punching, slitting or perforating - E04F 15/02044: {Separate elements for fastening to an underlayer (E04F15/02133, E04F15/0215 take precedence)} - E04F 15/087: {The lower layer being of organic plastic with or without reinforcements or filling materials} - E04F 15/182: {Underlayers coated with adhesive or mortar to receive the flooring} - B32B 2038/045: {Slitting} - B32B 2471/00: Floor coverings (B32B2419/04 takes precedence) - E04B 5/19: the filling members acting as self-supporting permanent forms (E04B5/21 takes precedence) - E04B 5/32: Floor structures wholly cast in situ with or without form units or reinforcements - E04B 5/326: {with hollow filling elements} - Y10T 156/1064: Partial cutting [e.g., grooving or incising] - Y10T 428/24273: including aperture - Y10T 428/24331: including nonapertured component - Y10T 428/24479: including variation in thickness - Y10T 428/24612: Composite web or sheet - E04F: FINISHING WORK ON BUILDINGS, e.g. STAIRS, FLOORS (windows, doors E06B) - B32B: LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT OR NON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM - E04B: GENERAL BUILDING CONSTRUCTIONS; WALLS, e.g. PARTITIONS; ROOFS; FLOORS; CEILINGS; INSULATION OR OTHER PROTECTION OF BUILDINGS (border constructions of opening in walls, floors or ceilings E06B1/00; {electromagnetic shielding H05K9/0001}) - Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION ## Abstract A support for installing facing materials such as ceramic tiles on a substrate such as floors, walls and ceilings wherein the support plate has a plurality of spaced apart recesses in the plate material, with the recesses being open at the top surface and have solid sidewalls and a base, and a plurality of slots in the non-recessed portions of the plate material extending through the top surface and bottom surface, the slots joining one or more adjacent recesses. The support plate of the invention is used for tile installations between the substrate and such tile. Thin-set mortar that is used to secure the tile to the support plate flows into the recesses and into the slots forming a continuous bond between the mortar and the adjacent slots providing for a strong bond between the support plate, mortar and the tiles. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A support plate for installing facing materials on a substrate comprising: a sheet material having a top surface and a bottom surface; a plurality of spaced apart adjacent recesses residing across the sheet material with each recess open at the top and having a bottom and sidewalls comprising the sheet material; a plurality of slots in the sheet material extending from a top surface of the sheet material to at least a portion of a depth of the sidewalls, said slots connecting at least two of the spaced apart adjacent recesses to each other, and an underlay mat attached to the bottom surface of the plate, whereby together the sheet material and the recesses define a plate having a thickness extending from a top surface to a bottom surface thereof. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The support plate of claim 1 wherein the sheet material comprises a plastic material. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The support plate of claim 1 wherein the spaced apart recesses have a single shape. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The support plate of claim 1 wherein the spaced apart recesses comprise a pattern of two or more different shaped recesses of alternating patterns. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The support plate of claim 1 wherein the adjacent recesses reside along a plurality of X-planes and a plurality of Y-planes, the slots joining said adjacent recesses in a direction selected from the group consisting of along a plurality of the X-planes, along a plurality of the Y-planes, along a plurality of diagonal adjacent X-planes, along a plurality of diagonal adjacent Y-planes, and any combination thereof. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The support plate of claim 1 further including a plurality of recessed slots open at their tops and having sidewalls comprising the sheet material. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The support plate of claim 6 wherein the recessed slots each have a bottom slot surface and the slot sidewalls comprising the sheet material. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The support plate of claim 6 wherein the recessed slots each have a slot thickness extending from the top surface of the plate to the bottom surface of the plate. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The support plate of claim 1 wherein the plurality of slots comprise open slots extending through the sheet material at the top surface of the plate and exposing a top surface of the underlay mat that is attached to the bottom of the plate. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The support plate of claim 1 wherein the plurality of slots contact and join two or more of the adjacent recesses to each other. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The support plate of claim 1 wherein the plurality of slots extend partially into the sidewalls of the recesses from the top surface to the bottom surface of the plate. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The support plate of claim 11 wherein the plurality of slots extend partially into the recesses leaving about 50% sidewall height of the sidewalls within the recesses. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The support plate of claim 1 further including additional slots extending through the sheet material that reside between and do not contact or join any of the adjacent recesses. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The support plate of claim 1 further including each of the plurality of spaced apart adjacent recesses having a centrally located raised portion comprising the sheet material. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The support plate of claim 14 wherein the centrally located raised portion is a centrally located circular portion of the sheet material. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The support plate of claim 1 wherein the plurality of adjacent recesses comprise an alternating pattern of circular recesses in combination with flared-square recesses, wherein adjacent ones of the circular and flared-square recesses are joined together by the plurality of open slots along one or more directional planes. ### Claim 17 A method of fabricating a support plate for installing facing materials comprising: providing a sheet material having a top surface and a bottom surface; forming a plurality of spaced apart adjacent recesses within the sheet material with each recess being open at the top and having a bottom and sidewalls comprising the sheet material; connecting two or more adjacent recesses within said sheet material to each other by forming a plurality of slots in the sheet material between said adjacent recesses, said slots extending from a top surface of the sheet material to at least a portion of a depth of the sidewalls; and attaching an underlay mat to the bottom surface of the sheet material, portions of said underlay mat being exposed in locations corresponding to said plurality of slots in the sheet material. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17 wherein said plurality of slots comprise open slots extending through the sheet material. ### Claim 19 A method of installing facing materials comprising: providing a substrate; depositing a first mortar over said substrate; attaching a support plate to the substrate via the first mortar, the support plate at least comprising, a sheet material having a top surface and a bottom surface; a plurality of spaced apart adjacent recesses residing across the sheet material with each recess open at the top and having a bottom and sidewalls comprising the sheet material; and a plurality of slots in the sheet material extending from a top surface of the sheet material to at least a portion of a depth of the sidewalls, said slots connecting at least two of the spaced apart adjacent recesses to each other; depositing a second mortar over said support plate to fill both said plurality of recesses and said plurality of slots, said second mortar residing within said plurality of slots contacting said second mortar residing within said plurality of recesses; and providing a facing material over said second mortar.