阅读说明：本技术 易于安装的陶瓷或石材瓷砖产品 (Ceramic or stone tile product easy to install ) 是由 桑达·莫汉·拉奥 于 2018-04-17 设计创作，主要内容包括：本发明提供了一种用于覆盖地板、墙壁和其它表面的硬质瓷砖产品和系统,该硬质瓷砖产品和系统均易于安装和移除。(The present invention provides a hard tile product and system for covering floors, walls and other surfaces that is easy to install and remove.)

1. An engineered board material comprising:

a) a hard tile having a top and a bottom, the hard tile comprising a mineral or metal having a mohs scale of 4 or greater;

b) a composite core having a top and a bottom, the composite core having a mohs scale rating of less than 4;

c) an attachment system that attaches (a) to (b); and

d) a connecting system for connecting adjacent engineered boards.

2. The engineered board of claim 1, wherein the hard ceramic tiles comprise ceramic, porcelain, natural stone, glass, metal, or metal alloy.

3. The engineered board of claim 1, wherein the hard ceramic tile is 3mm to 30mm thick.

4. The engineered board of claim 1, wherein the hard ceramic tile is 3mm to 25mm thick.

5. The engineered board of claim 1, wherein the hard ceramic tile is 3mm to 15mm thick.

6. The engineered sheet material of claim 1, wherein the attachment system is a removable attachment system.

7. The engineered sheet material of claim 6, wherein the removable attachment system comprises a removable adhesive.

8. The engineered board of claim 7, wherein the removable adhesive is selected from the group consisting of removable hot melt adhesives, pressure sensitive adhesives, moisture resistant adhesives, and combinations thereof.

9. The engineered board of claim 8, wherein the removable adhesive is a removable hot melt adhesive selected from the group consisting of: ethylene vinyl acetate copolymers, ethylene acrylate copolymers, acrylic acid copolymer emulsions, ethylene n-butyl acrylate, ethylene acrylic acid, ethylene ethyl acetate, polyurethanes, and amorphous polyolefins.

10. The engineered board of claim 8, wherein the removable adhesive is a removable pressure sensitive adhesive selected from the group consisting of: vinyl acrylic copolymer emulsions, acrylic acid, modified acrylic acid, styrene ethylene/propylene, Styrene Isoprene Styrene (SIS), acrylate polymers, biobased acrylates, thermoplastic elastomers, natural rubber, and silicone rubber.

11. The engineered board of claim 8, wherein the removable adhesive is a removable moisture resistant adhesive selected from the group consisting of: polyvinyl acetate, epoxy, resorcinol formaldehyde, polyacrylic polymers, acrylic, modified acrylic and polyurethane.

12. The engineered sheet material of claim 1, wherein the attachment system is magnetic.

13. An engineered board material according to claim 12, wherein the magnetic attachment system comprises magnetic properties built into the hard ceramic tiles and the composite core and/or underlayment.

14. The engineered board of claim 12, wherein the magnetic attachment system comprises a peel and stick polymer sheet material attached to the bottom of the rigid ceramic tile and the top of the composite core, the bottom of the composite core, or a underlayment.

15. The engineered board of claim 1, wherein the composite core is a waterproof high or medium density fiberboard.

16. The engineered board of claim 1, wherein the composite core has a density in the range of 1.0 to 2.4 gm/cc.

17. The engineered board of claim 1, wherein the composite core has a density in the range of 1.3 to 2.1 gm/cc.

18. The engineered board of claim 1, wherein the composite core has a thickness of between 5 x 10^-6To 30X 10^-6A core material coefficient of expansion in the range of inches/inch/degree fahrenheit.

19. The engineered board of claim 1, wherein the composite core has a dent resistance such that a long term dent according to ASTM F970 is less than 0.005 inches.

20. The engineered board of claim 1, wherein the composite core has dent resistance such that short term dent according to ASTM F1914 is less than 0.005 inches.

21. The engineered board of claim 1, wherein the composite core has dent resistance such that long term dent according to ASTM F970 is less than 0.005 inch and short term dent according to ASTM F1914 is less than 0.005 inch.

22. The engineered board of claim 1, wherein the composite core comprises a polymer selected from high density polyethylene, polypropylene, polyethylene, low density polyethylene, polyamide, polyester, polyvinyl chloride, polylactic acid or any copolymer thereof, recycled polymer or blend thereof.

23. The engineered board of claim 22, wherein the composite core further comprises a filler.

24. The engineered board of claim 23, wherein the filler is selected from limestone, talc, calcium carbonate, wood chips, bamboo chips, cork, perlite, glass fibers, polyamide fibers, cellulosic fibers, wood fibers, polymeric fibers, glass, sand, synthetic fibers, fly ash, flax fibers, hemp fibers, kaolin clay, cloudWollastonite (CaSiO)₃) Carbon black, or any combination thereof.

25. The engineered board of claim 23, the ratio of filler to polymer ranging from 5: 95 to 95: 5 by weight.

26. The engineered board of claim 22, wherein the composite core further comprises an additive.

27. The engineered board of claim 26, wherein the additive is selected from colorants, uv-resistant agents, uv-absorbers, flame retardants, antifungal agents, antimicrobial agents, coupling agents, reinforcing agents, interfacial adhesion promoters, stabilizers, antioxidants, lubricants, plasticizers, and recycling additives, or any combination thereof.

28. An engineered board according to claim 1, wherein the hard ceramic tiles are embedded from the edges of the composite core b) to provide a gap when connected to an adjacent engineered board.

29. The engineered board of claim 1, wherein the connection system for connecting to adjacent engineered boards comprises a clip-on locking bar technique or a click-to-lock technique.

30. The engineered board of claim 1, further comprising a second attachment system located below the composite core of the board for adhering a mat layer.

31. The engineered board of claim 30, wherein the second attachment system is magnetic or comprises an adhesive.

32. The engineered board of claim 30, further comprising a backing layer adhered to the additional adhesive layer.

33. The engineered board of claim 32, wherein the cushion layer comprises cork, rubber, foam, or paper.

34. The engineered board of claim 1, wherein the hard tiles comprise uncorrected ceramic or porcelain or stone tiles.

35. The engineered board of claim 1, wherein the hard ceramic tiles have beveled edges.

36. A system for covering floors, walls and other surfaces, comprising two or more engineered boards according to any one of claims 1 to 35 adjacently connected via a connection system for connecting to adjacent engineered boards.

37. The system of claim 36, wherein the hard ceramic tiles of the engineered board are embedded from an edge of the composite core to provide a gap when connected to an adjacent engineered board.

38. The system of claim 36 or 37, wherein the joined engineered boards are caulked or sealed.

39. The system of claim 38, wherein the caulk or sealant is selected from the group consisting of: acrylic, urethane, epoxy, acrylic latex, silicone, butyl rubber, oil-based asphalt filler, polyurethane, and caulk lines.

Background

Ceramic tiles are one of the most widely installed floors in the world. However, installing ceramic tiles requires a significant amount of work and is very costly per square foot of installation compared to vinyl or wood panels that can be installed using the click technique.

Various thermoplastic sheet materials, including core materials, print layers, and optional laminates, are disclosed, for example, in U.S. patents 6,617,009, 6,986,934, 7,211,310, 7,419,717, 7,763,345, and 8,021,741. In these panels, the core material consists of at least one thermoplastic material and the printed layer is preferably a printed paper impregnated with an aminoplast resin. Optionally, the edges of the thermoplastic sheets may have a tongue and groove design for attachment to each other in a floating floor system.

For example, various alternative configurations for attaching the panels of the panel flooring system are disclosed in U.S. patents 7,770,350, 7,866,115, 8,099,919 and 8,875,465 and published U.S. patent applications nos. 2003/0024199, 2004/0016196 and 2005/0097860.

Further, U.S. Pat. nos. 8,234,829 and 8,171,691 disclose floor boards having a core modified to include a sound absorbing layer or a cork layer to provide sound and heat insulation, respectively.

U.S. Pat. No. 7,155,871 discloses a floor sheet having two layers of flexible plastic sheet material laminated together in offset relation to define offset edge portions of each layer.

Us patent 7,544,423 and 7,261,947 disclose layered wood composites for laying flooring.

Further, published U.S. patent application No. 2002/0025446 discloses a floor covering having protective alumina in the outermost surface, while U.S. patent No. 8,431,054 discloses a building panel having a decorative surface with a wear layer comprising fibers, binder, and wear resistant particles.

An engineered waterproof plastic composite floor and wall covering panel having a veneer layer, an extruded plastic composite core, a click-to-lock edge fastening system, and an optional underlayment is disclosed in U.S. patent 9,234,357. Various veneer layers are disclosed, including stone veneers or tile veneers. However, according to industry standards, the thickness of such veneers is less than 3 mm. The wikipedia.org/wiki/Wood mover extension to the world wide web, please see the english definition of the tile. Stone or tile veneers with a thickness of less than 3mm may easily break and fail to provide for a strong floor. In addition, the adhesive layer that bonds the veneer to the core is described as a waterproof hot melt adhesive and is applied during the manufacture of the engineered flooring at temperatures above 200 ° F. Thus, when needed, the tiles will be very difficult to remove from the substrate. Furthermore, even if the tiles are removed, the tiles or substrate may be damaged, preventing reuse.

Furthermore, commercially available polymeric cores may easily sag and fail to provide adequate support for the rigid ceramic tiles on top. Furthermore, the coefficient of thermal expansion of the polymeric core is significantly higher than that of ceramic tiles, which can lead to damage to the joint, cracking of the core and warping of the floor itself.

Us patent 7,993,731 discloses a modular tile assembly having a substantially rigid substrate, at least one sealing layer and at least one stone, ceramic or porcelain tile. The sealing layer that bonds the stone, ceramic or porcelain tile to the underlying substrate is described as a thermal glue or a polyurethane resin adhesive. Conventional adhesives, such as a one-component thermoplastic polyurethane adhesive, are described. The use of these adhesives makes removal of the tile from the substrate very difficult. Furthermore, even if the tiles are removed, the tiles or substrate may be damaged, preventing reuse.

The floating floor system using real porcelain tiles is SnapStone. This system uses real porcelain tiles permanently adhered to trays that are engineered by clicking together tabs that are then snapped together to form grout lines. The system is described as being mountable on most existing hard surfaces without the need for thin packs, pads and mortar. However, the plastic frame is specific to the size of the tile and the number of stock keeping units of the system is large. Furthermore, the tiles must be corrected because the tolerances can be very tight. This limits supply and increases the cost of the product.

Accordingly, there is a need for a cost effective, easy to install, rigid tile product in which each component of the assembly can be easily removed, replaced, or reused when desired. This will enable the homeowner to replace damaged tiles or to renew their floor with newly designed tiles.

Disclosure of Invention

The present disclosure relates to an easy-to-install hard tile product that significantly reduces the effort and time of installation and is easy to remove and replace when needed, creating value for the consumer.

One aspect of the present disclosure relates to engineered boards. The sheet material comprises: a hard tile comprising a mineral or metal having a mohs scale rating of 4 or greater, a composite core having a mohs scale rating of less than 4, an attachment system for attaching the hard tile to the composite core, and a connection system for connecting to an adjacent engineered board. In some non-limiting embodiments, the attachment system is a removable attachment system such that the rigid tiles are not permanently attached to the composite core. Non-limiting examples of hard ceramic tiles that may be used for these engineered boards include ceramics, porcelain, natural stone, glass, metals, or metal alloys (such as steel). The present disclosure enables such hard tiles to be easily assembled through a composite core, an attachment system, and a connection system. Further, embodiments that include a removable attachment system can be easily disassembled without damaging the rigid tile or composite core.

In one non-limiting embodiment of the engineered board of the present disclosure, the thickness of the hard ceramic tile is greater than 3 mm.

In one non-limiting embodiment of the engineered board of the present disclosure, the attachment system attaching the rigid ceramic tile to the composite core comprises an adhesive. Non-limiting examples of adhesives include removable hot melt adhesives, pressure sensitive adhesives, moisture resistant adhesives, and combinations thereof.

In another non-limiting embodiment of the engineered board of the present disclosure, the attachment system attaching the hard ceramic tiles to the composite core is magnetic.

In one non-limiting embodiment, the composite core of the engineered board has a thickness in the range of 5 x 10^-6To 30X 10^-6A core material coefficient of expansion in the range of inches/inch/degree fahrenheit.

In one non-limiting embodiment, the composite core of the engineered board has dent resistance such that the long term dent according to ASTM F970 is less than 0.005 inch and/or the short term dent according to ASTM F1914 is less than 0.005 inch.

In one non-limiting embodiment, the composite core of the engineered board comprises a polymer selected from high density polyethylene, polypropylene, polyethylene, low density polyethylene, polyamide, polyester, polyvinyl chloride, polylactic acid or copolymers thereof, recycled polymers or blends. In one non-limiting embodiment, the composite core may further include fillers and/or additives.

In some non-limiting embodiments, the engineered board may further include a second attachment system on the composite core to which the mat layer may be adhered. In some non-limiting embodiments, the engineered sheet material may further comprise a cushion layer adhered to the composite core.

Another aspect of the present disclosure relates to a system for covering floors, walls and other hard surfaces with these engineered boards. The system includes two or more engineered boards adjacently connected by a connecting system.

In one non-limiting embodiment, hard tiles are embedded from the edges of the composite core to provide clearance when connected to adjacent engineered boards. In this embodiment, when the gap is filled with mortar, caulk or sealant, any water on the hard tile can be prevented from reaching the click joint, potentially penetrating the joint and reaching the subfloor, thereby preventing mold/mildew and odor problems.

In one non-limiting embodiment, the gap between the hard tiles of the joined panels is grouted using, for example, acrylic, urethane, epoxy or grout. In one non-limiting embodiment, any gaps between the rigid tiles of the joined panels are filled with a removable caulk or sealant, such as acrylic latex, silicone, or butyl rubber. This embodiment, in addition to preventing water penetration, also allows for the removal of caulk or sealant from the grout line, thereby enabling the removal and replacement of the board as needed.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a photograph showing a cross-sectional view of the results of a short-term dent test on a commercially available product having a composite core with a PVC print layer and an abrasion resistant layer on top. The polymer core material showed significant dishing within 15 minutes of the applied load.

Fig. 2 is a photograph showing a cross-sectional view of the results of a short term dent test on a commercially available product having a composite core with a PVC print layer and an abrasion resistant layer on top. Significant dishing of the polymer core material still occurred five days after the initial dishing (shown in fig. 1). In fig. 2, the core material is not recovered, although the top PVC layer has been recovered.

Fig. 3 is a photograph of a non-limiting embodiment of the present disclosure having ceramic tiles adhered to a thick vinyl sheet.

FIG. 4 is a photograph of a non-limiting embodiment of the present disclosure, wherein the two sheets of FIG. 3 are joined together using a click joint connection system of composite cores to form a two-sheet assembly.

FIG. 5 is a photograph of a non-limiting embodiment of the present disclosure, wherein two such assemblies of FIG. 4 are joined together using a connection system of click joints to form a four-sheet assembly. As shown in fig. 5, the space between the click joints may be filled with a sealant/caulk.

Fig. 6 is a photograph of a non-limiting embodiment of the present disclosure showing a composite core with a magnetic attachment system for adhering a hard tile to the composite core.

Fig. 7 is a photograph of a non-limiting embodiment of the present disclosure showing an engineered board of ceramic tiles magnetically attached to a composite core.

Detailed Description

A system of engineered boards and joined engineered boards for use as a covering for floors, walls and other hard surfaces is disclosed.

The engineered board of the present disclosure comprises a hard ceramic tile having a mohs hardness of 4.0 or greater. Such hard materials are not easily joined using, for example, tongue and groove type fittings because they are not flexible enough to form a water tight seal when the fitting is assembled during installation. Traditionally, such hard tiles, such as ceramic, porcelain and natural stone tiles, are installed with mortar, which involves a large amount of work and installation costs.

In the engineered board of the present disclosure, hard tiles having a mohs hardness of 4.0 or higher are assembled on a composite core having a mohs hardness of less than 4, while the connection system enables easy joining during installation.

The hard ceramic tiles used in the engineered boards of the present disclosure comprise minerals or metals having a mohs scale of 4 or greater. Non-limiting examples include hard tiles comprising ceramics, porcelain, natural stone, glass, metals and/or metal alloys (such as steel), with mohs' hardnesses ranging from 4.5 for normal steel to 5.5 for glass, 7.0 for ceramics, and 7.5 to 8.0 for hardened steel. Preferably, the thickness of the hard tile is 3mm or greater. In one non-limiting embodiment, the thickness of the rigid tiles can range from 3mm to 30 mm. In another embodiment, the thickness of the rigid tiles may range from 3mm to 25 mm. In another embodiment, the thickness of the rigid tiles may range from 3mm to 15mm, or from 3mm to 12mm, or from 3mm to 10mm, or from 3mm to 8mm, or from 3mm to 6 mm. Non-limiting examples of such hard tiles are commercially available and include Crossville and Laminam tiles both manufactured by Crossville corporation (Crossville, tennessee), dall tiles (dallas, texas), Crossville corporation (Crossville, tennessee), and Marazzi (senneville, texas), among others.

In one non-limiting embodiment, the edges of the hard tiles are chamfered to create a grout appearance.

In one non-limiting embodiment, hard tiles may be coated for easier cleaning. In one non-limiting embodiment, the hard ceramic tile may include additives to enhance, for example, antimicrobial efficacy.

In one non-limiting embodiment, hard tiles are embedded from the edges of the composite core to provide clearance when connected to adjacent engineered boards. In this embodiment, when the gap is filled with mortar, caulk or sealant, it prevents water on the hard tile from reaching the click joint, potentially penetrating the joint and reaching the subfloor, thereby preventing mold/mildew and odor problems.

The engineered board further comprises a composite core. The composite core thickness varies from about 2mm to about 20 mm.

In one non-limiting embodiment, the composite core has a mohs scale of less than 4.0.

In one non-limiting embodiment, the composite core is a waterproof high or medium density fiberboard.

In one non-limiting embodiment, the composite core includes a polymer. Non-limiting examples of polymers that may be used in the composite core of the present disclosure include high density polyethylene, polypropylene, polyethylene, low density polyethylene, polyamide, polyester, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polylactic acid, or any copolymer or recycled polymer or blend thereof.

In one non-limiting embodiment, the composite core further comprises a filler. Non-limiting examples of fillers that may be used in the composite core include limestone, talc, calcium carbonate, wood chips, bamboo chips, cork, perlite, glass fibers, polyamide fibers, cellulose fibers, wood fibers, polymer fibers, glass, sand, synthetic fibers, fly ash, flax fibers, hemp fibers, kaolin clay, mica, wollastonite (CaSiO)₃) Carbon black, or any combination thereof.

The composite core may have a density of 1.0 to 2.4gm/cc, preferably in the range of 1.3 to 2.1 gm/cc.

In one non-limiting embodiment, the ratio of filler to polymer of the composite core ranges from about 5: 95 to about 95: 5 by weight.

In addition, the composite core may further include an additive. Non-limiting examples of additives that may be used include colorants, anti-uv agents, uv absorbers, flame retardants, antifungal agents, antimicrobial agents, coupling agents, reinforcing agents, interfacial adhesion promoters, stabilizers, antioxidants, lubricants, plasticizers, and recycling additives, and any combination thereof.

In the present disclosure, the composite core may have dent resistance such that the long term dent according to ASTM F970 is less than 0.005 inches. Additionally, or alternatively, the composite core has dent resistance such that the short term dent according to ASTM F1914 is less than 0.005 inches.

Non-limiting examples of composite cores having acceptable dent resistance (dent less than 0.005 inch according to ASTM F970) include5.74 '. times.47.74' faded oak,12 '. times.24' light brown stone, and such commercial products.

In one non-limiting embodiment, the composite core has a core coefficient of expansion that more closely approximates the expansion range of a rigid ceramic tile. For example, the ceramic tile has a size of 2 × 10^-6A coefficient of expansion of inches/inch/degree Fahrenheit, the clay tile having a 3.5 x 10^-6A coefficient of expansion in inches/inch/degree Fahrenheit, and the marble has a coefficient of expansion ranging from 3.1 x 10^-6To 7.9X 10^-6To 30X 10^-6Coefficient of expansion in inches/inch/degree fahrenheit. See the extended U.S. element of the world Wide Web, com/thermal-expansion-coe. Html, a typical luxurious vinyl core has PVC (coefficient of expansion of about 28 x 10)^-6Inches/inch/degree fahrenheit) and limestone (4.4 x 10 coefficient of expansion)^-6Inches/inch/degree fahrenheit). Increasing the filler content tends to reduce the coefficient of thermal expansion (cf. Wood Plastic composites, Anato)le A Klyosov, page 362). In one non-limiting embodiment, the composite core used in the present disclosure has a range of 5 x 10^-6To 30X 10^-6Coefficient of expansion in inches/inch/degree fahrenheit. With such a reduced coefficient of expansion, damage to the joint, cracking of the core material and/or warping of any cover layers comprising the sheet material is reduced.

The engineered board further comprises an attachment system to attach the rigid ceramic tiles to the composite core. In one non-limiting embodiment, the attachment system is a removable attachment system that allows for removal, disassembly, and/or replacement of tiles attached to the composite core without damaging the tiles or the composite core.

In one non-limiting embodiment, the attachment system of the engineered board includes an adhesive that adheres the hard ceramic tile to the composite core. Various adhesives capable of adhering hard tiles, such as stone, ceramic or porcelain tiles, to the composite core may be used. Non-limiting examples include: hot melt adhesives such as ethylene vinyl acetate copolymers, ethylene acrylate copolymers, ethylene n-butyl acrylate, ethylene acrylic acid, ethylene ethyl acetate, polyurethanes, and amorphous polyolefins; pressure sensitive adhesives such as styrene ethylene/propylene, Styrene Isoprene Styrene (SIS), acrylate polymers, biobased acrylates, thermoplastic elastomers, natural rubber, silicone rubber; and moisture barrier adhesives, such as commercially available EnviroSTIX^TMAdhesives (which are polypropylene products manufactured by Base King of daltons, georgia), polyvinyl acetate, epoxy, resorcinol formaldehyde and polyurethane. Removable adhesives made from acrylic copolymer emulsions (e.g., covina x 211-15, covina x 211-01, covina x225-00), and removable pressure sensitive adhesives (such as covina x SMA-01 manufactured by the international trademark of columbin, ohio) are suitable when removal of tiles may be required. Removable hot melt adhesives (such as 3M3798LM manufactured by 3M of saint paul, minnesota) are also suitable.

In an alternative non-limiting embodiment, the engineered board further comprises an attachment system that magnetically attaches stone, ceramic, or porcelain tiles to the composite core. See example 5 and fig. 6 for embodiments of the present disclosure, which illustrate magnetic attachment of a rigid tile and a composite core. In one non-limiting embodiment, magnetic properties are built into the tile and composite core. This enables tiles and composite cores to be attached and detached as required. In another non-limiting embodiment, the magnetic properties are part of a peel and stick polymeric sheet material, and these materials are attached to the bottom of the rigid tile and the top of the composite core to enable the attachment to be detached when needed. In another non-limiting embodiment, the magnetic property is a portion of the peel and stick polymer sheet that is attached to the bottom of the rigid tile and the bottom of the composite core. This enables the attachment of the rigid tiles to the composite core and provides the ability to be removed when required. In another non-limiting embodiment, the magnetic property is a portion of a peel and stick polymer sheet material that is attached to the bottom of the rigid ceramic tile and the composite core is placed on a underlayment with magnetic properties built-in or derived from the peel and stick polymer sheet. This enables the attachment of the rigid tiles to the composite core and provides the ability to be removed when required.

Further, the engineered boards of the present disclosure include a connection system for connecting to adjacent engineered boards. Various ways of connecting adjacent engineered boards by a core material are known and may be used in the present disclosure. In one non-limiting embodiment, the composite core edges are shaped to have tongue and groove type joints using currently available click-to-lock technology. Various designs for this click-lock technique have been described, which may be available from Unilin (wielbake, belgium), Valinge (swedish) or Classen (kesselsec, germany). Such techniques are widely used in the hard surface flooring industry. Alternatively, a locking clamping bar technique may be used. Similar ways of attachment that may be conventionally adapted for use in the present disclosure are set forth in U.S. patent nos. 7,770,350, 7,866,115, 8,099,919 and 8,875,465, and published U.S. patent application nos. 2003/0024199, 2004/0016196 and 2005/0097860, the teachings of which are incorporated herein by reference, while having an attachment system for attachment to adjacent engineered boards. In this non-limiting embodiment, the composite core is flexible and sufficiently soft to seal the joint when assembled.

The engineered board of the present disclosure may further comprise a second attachment system on the core composite on the side opposite the hard tile, with a underlayment optionally adhered thereto. The non-limiting second attachment system may be magnetic or may include an adhesive such as described herein. Non-limiting examples of underlayers include cork, rubber, foam, and paper layers. Such a backing layer may be added to provide a clamping effect on the sheet material and a sound dampening effect to the surface to which it is applied.

The panels of the present disclosure are engineered by adhering hard tiles to the core composite with an attachment system. Optionally, a second attachment system may be applied to the core composite on the side opposite the tiles to adhere to the underlayment. The sheet of the present disclosure can be engineered into various shapes and sizes. In one non-limiting embodiment, the plate is rectangular in shape, has a thickness of up to about 1.25 inches, a width of about 2 to about 12 inches, and a length of about 4 to 96 inches. Alternatively, the sheets may be square, polygonal (such as pentagonal, hexagonal), or joined together (such as, but not limited to, a herringbone pattern or a french pattern).

Two or more panels can then be easily connected by the connection system, providing an easy to install system for covering floors, walls and other hard surfaces.

Accordingly, the present disclosure also provides a system for covering floors, walls and other hard surfaces comprising two or more engineered boards adjacently connected by a connection system. The engineered board may be cut according to size and shape by a known method for cutting ceramic, porcelain or natural stone or metal. Equipment for cutting ceramic, porcelain or natural stone tiles includes wet/dry saws such as SKIL7 "wet bench saw or Ryobi 4" hand held wet tile saw, or boschmuti-X tool. The metal tiles may be cut with a table shear, power saw or hacksaw.

In one non-limiting embodiment, the system of the present disclosure can include bevel-edge hardened tiles.

In one non-limiting embodiment, hard tiles are embedded from the edges of the composite core to provide clearance when connected to adjacent engineered boards.

In one non-limiting embodiment, the joined panels are then grouted using, for example, acrylic, urethane, epoxy or grout. In one non-limiting embodiment, the grooves between the connected tiles are filled with a removable caulk or sealant such as, for example, acrylic latex, silicone, butyl rubber, oil-based asphalt caulk, polyurethane, caulk wire or grout. In this embodiment, when the gap is filled with mortar, caulk or sealant, it prevents water from reaching the click joint from above, potentially penetrating the joint and reaching the subfloor, thereby preventing mould/mildew and odor problems. If one or more panels need to be replaced or moved, the caulk/sealant can be removed by prying out of the grout line, the click joint can be disassembled, and any panel or panels that need to be replaced or moved can be removed and/or replaced or reassembled.

In the case of a magnetic assembly between the hard tile and the composite core, the replacement or movement of the hard tile of the engineered board or boards can be easily facilitated by pulling the hard tile away from the magnetic assembly and replacing it with a new hard tile. Alternatively, the entire engineered panel or panels may be removed by prying out and disassembling the connection system connected to adjacent panels from the grout line.

The engineered boards and systems of the present disclosure are as easy to install as luxurious vinyl with click or clip-lock paste technology and do not require the skilled labor normally required to install grouted ceramic and stone flooring. Components such as those shown in fig. 3-5 and 7 may be mixed and matched for greater surface coverage. It should be understood that uniform or different hard tiles may be mixed and matched to achieve a desired floor pattern or aesthetics, appearance and finish. In addition, panels and systems comprising hard ceramic tiles, as well as composite cores and joining systems, are highly water resistant, providing cost effective durable coverings for floors, walls and other surfaces.

The following test methods and examples demonstrate the present disclosure and its application capabilities. The disclosure is capable of other and different embodiments and its several details are capable of modifications in various obvious aspects all without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure. Accordingly, the examples are to be regarded as illustrative in nature and not as restrictive.

Test method

The following are standard tests well known to practitioners in the hard surface industry.

Long term sag test ASTM F970 — simulates sag that may be caused by furniture or static loads.

Short term sag test ASTM F1914 — simulation of sag caused by high loads applied on small areas (e.g., high heeled shoes, pointed objects).

Seat caster joint integrity test EN 425-simulates the stresses due to moving loads and their effect on the click joint of an assembled panel.

Water absorption test ASTM EN13329 AnnexG-measures thickness swelling due to water exposure. Any significant swelling may cause deformation and warping of the panel assembly.

Edge curl test ASTM F2199: this test method was employed to measure the ability of a floor tile to retain its original dimensions after exposure to heat simulating a long service life at a reasonable and expected temperature.

Dimensional stability test EN 434 — dimensional stability after exposure to heat.

The additional tests given below were specifically designed to evaluate certain floor properties:

and (3) temperature cycle test: the assembled small panels are installed in an environmental chamber and cycled through a temperature range of 40 degrees fahrenheit to 120 degrees fahrenheit, for example, to confirm that such assembled floor panels are able to withstand indoor temperature changes without warping and distortion.

Mohs hardness test: the mohs scale of a mineral is a qualitative ordinal scale that characterizes the scratch resistance of various minerals by the ability of harder materials to scratch softer materials. The scale ranges from 1 to 10.

And (3) mounting and testing: this test is used to determine the relative ease of installation. For the test and control samples, the time for installation of the floor by a professional installer was measured. The relative ease of cutting the control as well as the test samples was also recorded.