Tile cladding system and method for mounting tile elements on a building surface

Abstract

The tile cladding system having a mounting plate and a number of tile elements. Each tile element has a front side adapted to face away from a building surface and a back side adapted to be connected to a front side of the mounting plate. The front side of the mounting plate and the back side of each tile element are provided with a number of protrusions and/or indentations in such a way that protrusions may fit into indentations in order to form a snap-fit or friction fit connection. The mounting plate have such a configuration that the mounting plate is able to bend.

1 . A tile cladding system for mounting tile elements on a building surface, including a mounting plate and a number of tile elements, the mounting plate having a longitudinal direction, a transverse direction, a front side adapted to carry the tile elements and a back side adapted to be attached on the building surface, each tile element having a front side adapted to face away from the building surface and a back side adapted to be connected to the front side of the mounting plate, the front side of the mounting plate being provided with a number of protrusions and/or indentations and the back side of each tile element being provided with a number of protrusions and/or indentations corresponding to respective protrusions and/or indentations of the mounting plate in such a way that protrusions may fit into indentations in order to form a snap-fit or friction fit connection, wherein the mounting plate is bendable. 
     
     
         2 . The tile cladding system according to  claim 1 , wherein the mounting plate comprises a material and/or has physical dimensions configured to make the mounting plate bendable. 
     
     
         3 . The tile cladding system according to  claim 1 , wherein the mounting plate is provided with a number of lines or tracks of transverse perforations, each line or track extending in the transverse direction and being mutually spaced in the longitudinal direction and wherein the transverse perforations have such a configuration that the mounting plate is able to bend. 
     
     
         4 . The tile cladding system according to  claim 1 , wherein the mounting plate is provided with a number of transverse portions being of a bendable material. 
     
     
         5 . The tile cladding system according to  claim 1 , wherein the mounting plate is provided with a number of transverse grooves extending in the transverse direction and being mutually spaced in the longitudinal direction, and wherein the transverse grooves have such a configuration that the mounting plate is able to bend. 
     
     
         6 . The tile cladding system according to  claim 5 , wherein the transverse grooves are formed in the front side of the mounting plate. 
     
     
         7 . The tile cladding system according to  claim 1 , wherein the back side of the mounting plate is provided with a number of grooves, preferably in the form of longitudinal grooves extending in the longitudinal direction. 
     
     
         8 . The tile cladding system according to  claim 1 , wherein the mounting plate has two opposed edge areas extending in the longitudinal direction at either side of a central area of the mounting plate, and wherein a general material thickness of the mounting plate in each of said opposed edge areas is smaller than a general material thickness of the mounting plate in the central area. 
     
     
         9 . The tile cladding system according to  claim 8 , wherein a first of said opposed edge areas is provided with some of said protrusions and/or indentations and a second of said opposed edge areas is not provided with protrusions and/or indentations. 
     
     
         10 . The tile cladding system according to  claim 1 , wherein the tile cladding system includes a fixation tool having at least two, preferably four, protrusions and/or indentations corresponding to respective protrusions and/or indentations of the mounting plate and so that the fixation tool may form a fitting connection with two adjacent mounting plates at the same time. 
     
     
         11 . The tile cladding system according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one, preferably some or all, of the protrusions each is an at least substantially square stud with rounded corners and/or wherein a first end, being furthest away from the front side of the mounting plate, of the at least one protrusion is angled or slanted at least partly so the protrusion is smaller closer to first end of the protrusion than at a second end, opposite the first end. 
     
     
         12 . The tile cladding system according to  claim 1 , wherein the mounting plate comprises at least one groove, cut-out, or opening in the front side of the mounting plate configured to receive a part of one or more signal wires and/or power cables, and/or wherein at least one tile element comprises at least one groove, cut-out, or opening in a side wall of the tile element configured to receive a part of one or more signal wires and/or power cables. 
     
     
         13 . A method of mounting tile elements on a building surface by means of a mounting plate having a longitudinal direction and a transverse direction, whereby a back side of the mounting plate is attached on the building surface, preferably by gluing, and whereby a back side of each tile element is connected to a front side of the mounting plate by fitting protrusions on the front side of the mounting plate and/or on the back side of each tile element into corresponding indentations on the front side of the mounting plate and/or on the back side of each tile element, thereby forming a snap-fit or friction fit connection between the respective tile elements and the mounting plate, characterised in that the mounting plate is bendable, in that, before attaching the mounting plate to the building surface, the mounting plate is supplied in rolled up form, and in that, upon attachment of the mounting plate on the building surface, the mounting plate is unrolled. 
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 13 , wherein the mounting plate comprises a material and/or has physical dimensions configured to make the mounting plate bendable. 
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 13 , wherein the mounting plate is provided with a number of transverse perforations/each line or track extending in the transverse direction and being mutually spaced in the
 longitudinal direction and wherein the transverse perforations have such a configuration that the mounting plate is able to bend.   
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 13 , wherein the mounting plate is provided with a number of transverse portions being of a bendable material. 
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 13 , wherein the mounting plate is provided with a number of transverse grooves extending in the transverse direction and being mutually spaced in the longitudinal direction, wherein the transverse grooves have such a configuration that the mounting plate is able to bend, and wherein, upon attachment of the mounting plate on the building surface, the cross-sectional area of the transverse grooves generally changes. 
     
     
         18 . The method of mounting according to  claim 17 , whereby, upon attachment of the mounting plate on the building surface, the cross-sectional area of the transverse grooves generally increases. 
     
     
         19 . A method of mounting according to  claim 13 , whereby a first length of mounting plate is attached to the building surface, whereby, subsequently, a second length of mounting plate is attached to the building surface so that an edge area of the second length of mounting plate overlaps an edge area of the first length of mounting plate, and whereby, possibly, a number of tile elements are connected to both the first and the second length of mounting plate, said number of tile elements thereby bridging said first and second length of mounting plate. 
     
     
         20 . A method of mounting according to  claim 19 , whereby, before finally fixing the second length of mounting plate to the building surface, a fixation tool is brought into fitting engagement with protrusions and/or indentations on both said first and second length of mounting plate, thereby positioning the second length of mounting plate in relation to the first length of mounting plate, and whereby, preferably, the fixation tool is removed from said first and second length of mounting plate before the attachment of tile elements on said first and second length of mounting plate is finished.