Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
Attorney Docket No. 5094-000023-US-CPD
UNIVERSAL MEMBRANE CONFIGURED TO BE DIVIDED TO FORM A BASE
MEMBRANE AND A COVER MEMBRANE THAT IS COUPLABLE TO THE BASE
MEMBRANE TO FORM AN UNCOUPLING MEMBRANE FOR INSTALLATION
BETWEEN A SUBFLOOR AND FLOOR TILES
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] The present disclosure is a continuation-in-part of United States
Patent
Application No. 17/365,180, filed on July 1, 2021, which is a continuation of
United
States Patent Application No. 17/093,610 (now U.S. Patent No. 11,054,147),
filed on
November 9, 2020, which is a continuation of United States Patent Application
No.
16/885,782 (now U.S. Patent No. 10,928,075), filed on May 28, 2020. The entire
disclosures of the applications referenced above are incorporated herein by
reference.
FIELD
[0002] The present disclosure relates to universal membranes configured to be
divided to form a base membrane and a cover membrane that is couplable to the
base
membrane to form an uncoupling membrane for installation between a subfloor
and
floor tiles.
BACKGROUND
[0003] This section provides background information related to the present
disclosure
which is not necessarily prior art.
[0004] Floor heating systems are placed between a subfloor and a floor
covering,
such as a tile floor, to heat the floor covering to a desired temperature.
Floor heating
systems typically include a heating cable and an uncoupling membrane. The
heating
cable generates heat when electrical current is passed through the heating
cable. The
uncoupling membrane holds the heating cable in a desired routing pattern as
the floor
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Attorney Docket No. 5094-000023-US-CPD
covering is installed over the heating cable. In addition, the uncoupling
membrane
uncouples the floor covering and the subfloor from one another to allow the
floor
covering and the subfloor to move in a horizontal plane relative to one
another.
SUMMARY
[0005] The present disclosure describes a universal membrane configured to be
installed between a subfloor and floor tiles to allow movement of the floor
tiles relative
to the subfloor. In one example, the universal membrane includes a base layer,
a
plurality of studs projecting from the base layer, and a plurality of
sidewalls projecting
from the base layer and disposed between adjacent ones of the plurality of
studs. Each
sidewall of the plurality of sidewalls forming a perimeter of a pocket. The
base layer
forming a bottom wall of the pocket.
[0006] In one aspect, each stud of the plurality of studs is configured to fit
within the
pocket defined by one of the plurality of sidewalls and the base layer.
[0007] In one aspect, each stud of the plurality of studs has a perimeter with
the same
shape as the perimeter of formed by each sidewall of the plurality of
sidewalls.
[0008] In one aspect, the perimeter formed by each sidewall of the plurality
of
sidewalls is in the shape of a pentagon.
[0009] In one aspect, the plurality of studs are aligned in a first set of
rows, the
plurality of sidewalls are arranged in a second set of rows, and the first and
second
sets of rows are arranged in an alternating pattern with rows of the first set
disposed
between rows of the second set, and rows of the second set disposed between
rows
of the first set.
[0010] In one aspect, a first portion of the universal membrane is configured
to be
separated from a second portion of the universal membrane, and the first and
second
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Attorney Docket No. 5094-000023-US-CPD
portions of the universal membrane are configured to be coupled to one another
by
inserting the plurality of studs on one of the first and second portions of
the universal
membrane into the pockets formed by the plurality of sidewalls on the other
one of the
first and second portions of the universal membrane.
[0011] In one aspect, the base layer is configured to be cut to separate the
first
portion of the universal membrane from the second portion of the universal
membrane.
[0012] In one aspect, one of the plurality of sidewalls on the first portion
of the
universal membrane and one of the plurality of sidewalls on the second portion
of the
universal membrane are configured to hold a heating cable therebetween.
[0013] The present disclosure also describes a floor structure including the
universal
membrane, the subfloor, and the floor tiles. The first portion of the
universal membrane
forms a base membrane configured to be placed on the subfloor, and the second
portion of the universal membrane forms a cover membrane configured to cover
the
base membrane to prevent tile adhesive from reaching the base membrane and to
form a flat surface for supporting the floor tiles.
[0014] The present disclosure also describes a floor structure including a
subfloor,
floor tiles, a base membrane configured to be placed onto the subfloor, and a
cover
membrane configured to be coupled to the base membrane to form a support
surface
for supporting the floor tiles. The base and cover membranes collectively form
an
uncoupling membrane configured to allow movement of the floor tiles relative
to the
subfloor. The floor structure is free of any heating element.
[0015] In one aspect, the base membrane includes a base layer and a plurality
of
protrusions projecting from the base layer and defining a plurality of pockets
therein,
and the cover membrane includes a cover layer and a plurality of studs
projecting from
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Attorney Docket No. 5094-000023-US-CPD
the cover layer. The plurality of studs on the cover membrane are configured
to fit
within the plurality of pockets in the base membrane to couple the cover
membrane to
the base membrane.
[0016] In one aspect, the base membrane further includes a plurality of studs
projecting from the base layer, and the cover membrane further includes a
plurality of
protrusions projecting from the cover layer and defining a plurality of
pockets therein.
The plurality of studs on the base membrane are configured to fit within the
plurality of
pockets in the cover membrane to couple the cover membrane to the base
membrane.
[0017] In one aspect, the plurality of protrusions of the base membrane form
sidewalls of the plurality of pockets, and the base layer of the base membrane
forms
bottom walls of the plurality of pockets.
[0018] In one aspect, the base and cover membranes are made of a material
having
the flexibility of rubber.
[0019] The present disclosure also describes a method of installing a floor
structure.
The method includes separating a universal membrane into a base membrane and a
cover membrane. Each of the base and cover membranes including a base layer, a
plurality of studs projecting from the base layer, and a plurality of
sidewalls projecting
from the base layer and disposed between adjacent ones of the plurality of
studs. The
plurality of sidewalls defining a plurality of pockets with each sidewall of
the plurality
of sidewalls forming a perimeter of one of the plurality of pockets. The
method further
includes placing the base membrane onto a subfloor, coupling the cover
membrane
to the base membrane by inserting the plurality of studs on the cover membrane
into
the plurality of pockets in the base membrane and inserting the plurality of
studs on
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Attorney Docket No. 5094-000023-US-CPD
the base membrane into the plurality of pockets in the cover membrane, and
installing
floor tiles on the cover membrane.
[0020] In one aspect, separating the universal membrane into the base and
cover
membranes includes cutting the universal membrane.
[0021] In one aspect, the method further includes positioning a heating cable
between one sidewall of the plurality of sidewalls on the base membrane and
one
sidewall of the plurality of sidewalls on the cover membrane such that the
heating
cable is held between the two sidewalls.
[0022] In one aspect, positioning the heating cable between the two sidewalls
includes placing the heating cable onto the base layer of the base membrane
between
the one sidewall of the base membrane and one of the plurality of studs on the
base
membrane adjacent to the one sidewall of the base membrane, and placing the
cover
membrane onto the base membrane such that the pocket defined by the one
sidewall
of the cover membrane receives the adjacent stud on the base membrane.
[0023] In one aspect, the method further includes applying a first layer of
tile adhesive
between the subfloor and the base membrane, and applying a second layer of
tile
adhesive between the cover membrane and the floor tiles.
[0024] The present disclosure also describes a method of replacing the floor
tiles
after installing the floor structure as described above. The method of
replacing the
floor tiles includes pulling up on the cover membrane by hand to remove the
cover
membrane and the floor tiles, reinstalling the cover membrane or installing a
new one
of the cover membrane, and installing new ones of the floor tiles.
[0025] Further areas of applicability of the present disclosure will become
apparent
from the detailed description, the claims and the drawings. The detailed
description
Date Recue/Date Received 2023-07-04
Attorney Docket No. 5094-000023-US-CPD
and specific examples are intended for purposes of illustration only and are
not
intended to limit the scope of the disclosure.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0026] The present disclosure will become more fully understood from the
detailed
description and the accompanying drawings, wherein:
[0027] FIG. 1 is a sectioned perspective view of a floor heating system
according to
the principles of the present disclosure, the floor heating system including a
base
membrane and a cover membrane encapsulating a heating cable having a
rectangular
cross-section;
[0028] FIG. 2 is a section view of the heating cable positioned within the
base
membrane while the cover membrane is disassembled from the base membrane;
[0029] FIG. 3 is a section view of the heating cable positioned within the
base
membrane while the cover membrane is assembled to the base membrane to
encapsulate the heating cable;
[0030] FIG. 4 is a section view a heating cable having a circular cross-
section
positioned within the base membrane while the cover membrane is disassembled
from
the base membrane;
[0031] FIG. 5 is a section view of the heating cable of FIG. 4 positioned
within the
base membrane while the cover membrane is disassembled from the base membrane;
[0032] FIG. 6 is a planar view of the cover membrane with a conversion clip
installed
between studs on the cover membrane, and the heating cable of FIG. 4
positioned
within the conversion clip;
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Attorney Docket No. 5094-000023-US-CPD
[0033] FIG. 7 is a section view of the floor heating system taken along a line
7-7
shown in FIG. 6, the section view illustrating two embodiments of the
conversion clip;
[0034] FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the base membrane;
[0035] FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the cover membrane;
[0036] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the conversion clip;
[0037] FIG. 11 is a section view illustrating the base membrane being applied
to a
subfloor using thinset;
[0038] FIG. 12 is a section view illustrating the heating cable being embedded
between suds on the base membrane at locations along a desired routing
pattern;
[0039] FIG. 13 is a section view illustrating the cover membrane being
assembled to
the base membrane to encapsulate the heating cable and to form a flat top
surface;
[0040] FIG. 14 is a section view illustrating the use of thinset to install
tile onto the flat
top surface formed by the cover membrane;
[0041] FIG. 15 is a top perspective view of a universal membrane according to
the
principles of the present disclosure;
[0042] FIG. 16 is a bottom perspective view of the universal membrane of FIG.
15;
[0043] FIG. 17 is a section view of the universal membrane of FIG. 15 divided
to form
a base membrane and a cover membrane with a heating cable positioned within
the
base membrane and the cover membrane disassembled from the base membrane;
and
[0044] FIG. 18 is a section view similar to that shown in FIG. 17 except that
the cover
membrane is assembled to the base membrane to encapsulate the heating cable.
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[0045] In the drawings, reference numbers may be reused to identify similar
and/or
identical elements.
DETAI LED DESCRI PTION
[0046] To install a typical floor heating system, an uncoupling membrane is
secured
to a subfloor using a first layer of thinset, a heating cable is embedded in
the
uncoupling membrane along a desired routing pattern, and a second layer of
thinset
is applied directly to the uncoupling membrane and the heating cable to
encapsulate
the heating cable. The second layer of thinset is leveled to form a flat
surface, allowed
to cure for 24 hours, and then floor tiles are installed on the flat surface
formed by the
second layer of thinset and secured to the second layer of thinset using a
third layer
of thinset. The third layer of thinset is allowed to cure for 24 hours, and
then grout is
inserted in spaces between floor tiles to form tile joints. Excess grout is
then removed,
and the tile floor is cleaned for use.
[0047] In contrast, a floor heating system according to the present disclosure
includes
a second uncoupling membrane that is used in place of the second layer of
thinset to
encapsulate the heating cable and to form a flat surface on which the floor
tiles are
installed. Thus, a floor heating system according to the present disclosure
avoids the
cost, time, and effort associated with applying the second layer of thinset,
leveling the
second layer of thinset, and allowing the second layer of thinset to cure. In
addition, a
floor heating system according to the present disclosure reduces the cost,
time, and
effort associated with repairing damage to the heating cable, as discussed in
more
detail below. Further, the second uncoupling membrane is significantly lighter
than the
second layer of thinset, and therefore the weight of a floor heating system
according
to the present disclosure is significantly (e.g., approximately 30%) less than
the weight
of a typical floor heating system. In the discussion that follows, the
uncoupling
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Attorney Docket No. 5094-000023-US-CPD
membrane in which the heating cable is embedded is referred to as a base
membrane,
the second uncoupling membrane is referred to as a cover membrane, and the
layer
of thinset used to secure the floor tiles is referred to as the second layer
instead of the
third layer since the second layer of thinset discussed above is omitted.
[0048] The base and cover membranes uncouple the subfloor and the floor tiles
from
one another to allow the subfloor and the floor tiles to move relative to one
another in
a horizontal plane. The base and cover membranes may be used to uncouple the
subfloor and the floor tiles from one another even when a heating cable is not
embedded in the base membrane or encapsulated between the base and cover
membranes. For example, the base and cover membranes may be included in or
comprise a flooring underlayment that uncouples a subfloor and floor tiles
from one
another, but does not include a heating cable and is not operable to heat the
floor tiles.
[0049] A flooring underlayment may include a single uncoupling membrane that
uncouples the subfloor and the floor tiles from one another. To install such a
flooring
underlayment, the uncoupling membrane is secured to the subfloor using a first
layer
of thinset, and a second layer of thinset is applied directly to the
uncoupling membrane.
The second layer of thinset is leveled to form a flat surface, allowed to cure
for 24
hours, and then floor tiles are installed on the flat surface formed by the
second layer
of thinset and secured to the second layer of thinset using a third layer of
thinset. The
third layer of thinset is allowed to cure for 24 hours, and then grout is
inserted in spaces
between floor tiles to form tile joints. Excess grout is then removed, and the
tile floor
is cleaned for use.
[0050] In contrast, a flooring underlayment according to the present
disclosure
includes both the uncoupling membrane that is secured to the subfloor (the
base
membrane) and the second uncoupling membrane (the cover membrane). The second
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Attorney Docket No. 5094-000023-US-CPD
uncoupling membrane is used in place of the second layer of thinset to form a
flat
surface on which the floor tiles are installed. Thus, a flooring underlayment
according
to the present disclosure avoids the cost, time, and effort associated with
applying the
second layer of thinset, leveling the second layer of thinset, and allowing
the second
layer of thinset to cure. In addition, a flooring underlayment according to
the present
disclosure reduces the cost, time, and effort associated with replacing the
floor tiles
since the floor tiles may be removed by breaking out only one or some of the
floor tiles
individually to gain access to the second uncoupling membrane, and then simply
pulling up the second uncoupling membrane by hand to remove the rest of the
floor
tiles. Further, the second uncoupling membrane is significantly lighter than
the second
layer of thinset, and therefore the weight of a flooring underlayment
according to the
present disclosure is significantly (e.g., approximately 30%) less than a
flooring
underlayment that includes a single uncoupling membrane.
[0051] Referring now to FIGS. 1-3, 8, and 9, a floor heating system 10 is
configured
to be installed between a subfloor 12 and a plurality of floor tiles 14 and is
operable to
heat the floor tiles 14. The subfloor 12 may be any type of subfloor that is
suitable for
use with floor tile such as plywood or oriented stranded board (OSB). The
floor tiles
14 may be made of ceramic, porcelain, or stone. The spaces between the floor
tiles
14 are filled with grout to form joints 16 between the floor tiles 14.
[0052] The floor heating system 10 includes a base membrane 18, a cover
membrane 20, and a heating cable 22. The floor heating system 10, the subfloor
12,
and the floor tiles 14 may be collectively referred to as a floor structure.
In various
implementations, the heating cable 22 may be omitted from the floor heating
system
10, in which case the floor heating system 10 may be referred to as a flooring
underlayment 10, and the floor structure may be free of any heating element. A
first
Date Recue/Date Received 2023-07-04
Attorney Docket No. 5094-000023-US-CPD
layer 24 of thinset is applied between the subfloor 12 and the base membrane
18 to
provide a level surface on which the base membrane 18 may be installed and/or
to
adhere the base membrane 18 to the subfloor 12. A second layer 26 of thinset
is
applied between the cover membrane 20 and the floor tiles 14 to provide a
level
surface on which the floor tiles 14 may be installed and/or to adhere the
floor tiles 14
to the cover membrane 20.
[0053] The base and cover membranes 18 and 20 uncouple the subfloor 12 and the
floor tiles 14 from one another to allow movement of the floor tiles 14
relative to the
subfloor 12 in a horizontal plane and to allow movement of the subfloor 12
relative to
the floor tiles 14 in a horizontal plane. In this regard, the base and cover
membranes
18 and 20 may be referred to as uncoupling membranes. By uncoupling the
subfloor
12 and the floor tiles 14 from one another and allowing such movement to
occur, the
base and cover membranes 18 and 20 reduce stress in the floor tiles 14 and the
joints
16 therebetween, which inhibits cracking of the floor tiles 14 and the joints
16. The
base and cover membranes 18 and 20 may be made (e.g., extruded) from a
flexible
material such as plastic (polyethylene or polypropylene) or rubber.
[0054] The base membrane 18 also creates an air space 28 between the subfloor
12
and the floor tiles 14 in which the heating cable 22 may be installed, and
holds the
heating cable 22 in place once the heating cable 22 is installed in the air
space 28.
The air space 28 may provide insulation by inhibiting heat transfer between
the
subfloor 12 and the floor tiles 14. The base membrane 18 includes a base layer
30
and a plurality of studs 32 that project upward from the base layer 30. The
base layer
30 and the studs 32 may be formed together as a unitary body. The base layer
30 is
a flat sheet of material. Each stud 32 has a right octagonal prism shape with
a first end
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Attorney Docket No. 5094-000023-US-CPD
34 attached to the base layer 30, a second, free end 36 opposite of the first
end 34,
and a depression or pocket 38 extending into the free end 36.
[0055] In addition, each stud 32 has outer side surfaces 40, a top surface 42,
and an
outer perimeter 44, and each pocket 38 has inner side surfaces 46, a bottom
surface
48, and an inner perimeter 50. In the example shown, the outer perimeter 44 of
each
stud 32 has an octagonal shape with eight sides, and the inner perimeter 50 of
each
pocket 38 has an octagonal shape with eight sides. In addition, the inner side
surfaces
46 of each pocket 38 taper outward at a first angle Al from the bottom surface
48 to
the top surface 42. In other examples, the outer perimeter 44 of each stud 32
and/or
the inner perimeter 50 of each pocket 38 may have a polygonal shape with a
number
of sides other than eight, and/or the inner side surfaces 46 of each pocket 38
may not
be tapered. In one example, the outer perimeter 44 of each stud 32 may have a
polygonal shape with four, five, or six sides, in which the overall or three-
dimensional
shape of each stud 32 may be a right rectangular prism, a right pentagonal
prism, or
right hexagonal prism, respectively. In another example, the outer perimeter
44 of
each stud 32 may have a circular shape, in which case the overall or three-
dimensional
shape of each stud 32 may be a right cylinder.
[0056] The heating cable 22 is operable to generate heat when electrical
current is
passed through the heating cable 22. The heating cable 22 is positioned
between
adjacent ones of the studs 32 at locations along a desired routing pattern of
the heating
cable 22. The desired routing pattern of the heating cable 22 may ensure that
the floor
tiles 14 are heated to a desired temperature within a desired response time
after
electrical current is first passed through the heating cable 22, while
minimizing the
length of the heating cable 22 that is required to do so. The heating cable 22
may be
a standard heating cable such as a metal (e.g., aluminum or copper) wire
housed in
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Attorney Docket No. 5094-000023-US-CPD
an outer sheath made of plastic or rubber. Alternatively, the heating cable 22
may be
a fiber optic cable.
[0057] The studs 32 are arranged in a matrix on the base layer 30, and
adjacent ones
of the studs 32 are spaced apart from one another by a gap 52. The gap 52 has
a
width W1 that is approximately equal to a thickness T1 of the heating cable
22. In
addition, the cross-sectional shape of the gap 52 matches the cross-sectional
shape
of the heating cable 22 so that the heating cable 22 is held within the gap 52
using a
snug or snap fit. Further, in the example shown, the studs 32 include lips 54
that
extends over the gap 52 to hold the heating cable 22 in the gap 52. The lips
54 flex to
allow the heating cable 22 to be inserted into the gap 52, and then return to
their
original state (shown) to retain the heating cable 22 in the gap 52.
[0058] In the example shown in FIGS. 1 through 3, the heating cable 22 has a
rectangular cross-section, and therefore the gaps 52 between adjacent studs 32
on
the base membrane 18 have a rectangular cross section. In other
implementations,
the heating cable 22 may have a cross-sectional shape other than rectangular,
and
the gaps 52 between adjacent studs 32 on the base membrane 18 may have the
same
cross sectional shape. For example, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the heating
cable 22
may have a circular cross-sectional shape, and therefore the gaps 52 between
adjacent studs 32 on the base membrane 18 also have a circular cross-section.
[0059] Referring again to FIGS. 1 through 3, 8, and 9, the cover membrane 20
is
configured to be coupled to the base membrane 18 to encapsulate the heating
cable
22 between the base and cover membranes 18 and 20. In addition, the cover
membrane 20 is configured to form a flat top surface 56 on which the floor
tiles 14 may
be installed regardless of whether the heating cable 22 is included in the
floor heating
system 10 (or the flooring underlayment 10). Thus, the cover membrane 20 may
be
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Attorney Docket No. 5094-000023-US-CPD
used in place of applying thinset directly to the base membrane 18 to
encapsulate the
heating cable 22 and/or to form a flat top surface on which the floor tiles 14
may be
installed. Using the cover membrane 20 in place of thinset may reduce the
weight of
the floor heating system or flooring underlayment by a significant amount
(e.g., up to
approximately 30 percent). In addition, using the cover membrane 20 in place
of
thinset reduces the amount of time and effort required to install the floor
heating
system or flooring underlayment 10, as there is no need to mix thinset, apply
it to the
base membrane 18, and wait 24 hours for it to harden.
[0060] Further, using the cover membrane 20 in place of thinset makes it
quicker,
easier, and less costly to repair damage to the heating cable 22. To repair
damage to
the heating cable 22 in a floor heating system that uses thinset to
encapsulate the
heating cable 22, one must break out the floor tiles 14 and the thinset
beneath the
floor tiles 14, chip away the thinset encapsulating the heating cable 22 while
trying not
to further damage the heating cable 22, and fix the heating cable 22. Then,
the base
membrane 18 must be replaced, thinset must be reapplied to the base membrane
18
to encapsulate the heating cable 22, and the floor tiles 14 must be replaced.
In
contrast, to repair damage to the heating cable 22 in the floor heating system
10, one
may simply dermal out the grout in the joints 16, pop the floor tiles 14 loose
from the
cover membrane 20, cut the cover membrane 20 and decouple it from the base
membrane 18, fix the heating cable 22, and reinstall/reuse all parts. Thus,
the floor
heating system 10 avoids the need to reapply thinset to the base membrane 18
to
encapsulate the heating cable 22 before proceeding with the repair, and the
floor
heating system 10 reduces the number of parts that must be replaced in the
repair.
[0061] Moreover, regardless of whether the heating cable 22 is included in the
floor
heating system 10 (or the flooring underlayment 10), using the cover membrane
20 in
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place of thinset makes it quicker, easier, and less costly to replace the
floor tiles 14.
To replace the floor tiles 14 in a floor structure that uses thinset to form a
flat surface
on which the floor tiles 14 are installed, one must break out all the floor
tiles 14
individually (or one at a time) using one or more tools (e.g., a chisel and a
hammer).
In contrast, to replace the floor tiles 14 in a floor structure that uses the
cover
membrane 20, one must only break out only one or some of the floor tiles 14
individually to gain access to the cover membrane 20, and the rest of the
floor tiles 14
may be removed by simply pulling up on the cover membrane 20 by hand. When
this
is done, the cover membrane 20 is decoupled from the base membrane 18. The
cover
membrane 20 may then be separated from the floor tiles 14 and coupled to the
base
membrane 18, or a new cover membrane 20 may be coupled to the base membrane
18, before installing a new second layer 26 of thinset and new floor tiles 14.
[0062] The cover membrane 20 includes a cover layer 58 and a plurality of
studs 60
that project downward from the cover layer 58. The cover layer 58 and the
studs 60
may be formed together as a unitary body. The cover layer 58 is a flat sheet
of material.
The studs 60 on the cover membrane 20 are configured to fit within the pockets
38 in
the studs 32 on the base membrane 18 to couple the cover membrane 20 to the
base
membrane 18.
[0063] The overall or three-dimensional shape of each stud 60 on the cover
membrane 20 may match the overall or three-dimensional shape of each pocket 38
in
the base membrane 18. In addition, the dimensions of each stud 60 on the cover
membrane 20 may be equal to, or slightly greater than, the dimensions of each
pocket
38 in the base membrane 18 to yield a snug or snap fit between the studs 60
and the
pockets 38. The studs 60 are arranged in a matrix on the cover layer 58 and
are
spaced apart from one another in a horizontal plane to enable a plurality
(e.g., all) of
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Attorney Docket No. 5094-000023-US-CPD
the studs 60 to be positioned within corresponding ones of the pockets 38 in
the base
membrane 18 at the same time.
[0064] In the example shown, each stud 60 has a right octagonal prism shape.
In
addition, each stud 60 has outer side surfaces 62, a bottom surface 64, and an
outer
perimeter 66. In the example shown, the outer perimeter 66 of each stud 60 has
an
octagonal shape with eight sides, and the outer side surfaces 62 of each stud
60 taper
inward at a second angle A2 from the cover layer 58 to the bottom surface 64.
In other
examples, the outer perimeter 66 of each stud 60 may have a polygonal shape
with a
number of sides other than eight, and/or the outer side surfaces 62 of each
stud 60
may not be tapered. In one example, the outer perimeter 66 of each stud 60 may
have
a polygonal shape with four, five, or six sides, in which the overall or three-
dimensional
shape of each stud 60 may be a right rectangular prism, a right pentagonal
prism, or
right hexagonal prism, respectively. In another example, the outer perimeter
66 of
each stud 60 may have a circular shape, in which case the overall or three-
dimensional
shape of each stud 60 may be a right cylinder.
[0065] The outer side surfaces 62 of each stud 60 on the cover membrane 20 may
match the inner side surfaces 46 of each pocket 38 in the base membrane 18.
For
example, the second angle A2 at which the outer side surfaces 62 of each stud
60
taper inward may be equal to the first angle Al at which the inner side
surfaces 46 of
each pocket 38 taper outward. In addition, the outer perimeter 66 of each stud
60 on
the cover membrane 20 may match the inner perimeter 50 of each pocket 38 in
the
base membrane 18. For example, the outer perimeter 66 of each stud 60 on the
cover
membrane 20 may have the same shape and the same number of sides as the inner
perimeter 50 of each pocket 38 in the base membrane 18.
16
Date Recue/Date Received 2023-07-04
Attorney Docket No. 5094-000023-US-CPD
[0066] In addition to or instead of sizing and shaping the pockets 38 in the
base
membrane 18 and the studs 60 on the cover membrane 20 to yield a snug or snap
fit
therebetween, a detent mechanism may be used to retain the studs 60 in the
pockets
38. For example, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the base membrane 18 may define a
groove 68 that extends around the inner perimeter 50 of each pocket 38 near
the
bottom surface 48 thereof, and each stud 60 may include a lip 70 that extends
around
the outer perimeter 66 of each stud 60 near the bottom surface 64 thereof. The
lips 70
on the studs 60 of the cover membrane 20 may engage the grooves 68 in the
pockets
38 of the base membrane 18 to couple the cover membrane 20 to the base
membrane
18 using a snap fit.
[0067] Referring now to FIGS. 6, 7, and 10, the cover membrane 20 may be
fitted
with a conversion clip 72 to convert the cover membrane 20 into a base
membrane
when, for example, it is not desirable to encapsulate the heating cable 22
using the
cover membrane 20. Assuming that the area of the cover membrane 20 is equal to
the
area of the base membrane 18, converting the cover membrane 20 into a base
membrane and placing the cover membrane 20 alongside the base membrane 18
doubles the area of the uncoupling membrane. The conversion clip 72 is
configured
to be positioned between adjacent ones of the studs 60 on the cover membrane
20 to
hold the heating cable 22 in place. Although FIG. 6 only shows one of the
conversion
clip 72, the conversion clip 72 may be installed at multiple locations along a
desired
routing pattern of the heating cable 22 through the cover membrane 20.
[0068] The conversion clip 72 has a top surface 74, a bottom surface 76,
opposite
side surfaces 78, opposite end surfaces 80, and a channel 82 that extends into
the top
surface 74 and through the end surfaces 80. The side surfaces 78 are
configured to
17
Date Recue/Date Received 2023-07-04
Attorney Docket No. 5094-000023-US-CPD
conform to the outer side surfaces 40 of adjacent ones of the studs 60 on the
cover
membrane 20. The channel 82 is configured to conform to the heating cable 22.
[0069] In the example shown on the right in FIGS. 6 and 7 and shown in FIG.
10, the
channel 82 includes a first portion 84 having a rectangular cross-section and
a second
portion 86 having a circular cross-section. The first portion 84 of the
channel 82 has a
width W2 that is slightly less than a diameter D1 of the heating cable 22. The
second
portion 86 of the channel 82 has a radius R that is approximately equal to one-
half of
the diameter D1 of the heating cable 22. Thus, the heating cable 22 may be
compressed as the heating cable 22 is inserted through the first portion 84 of
the
channel 82, and then the heating cable 22 may return to its original,
uncompressed
state once the heating cable 22 is in the second portion 86 of the channel 82.
In this
manner, the conversion clip 72 may retain the heating cable 22 using a snap
fit.
[0070] In the example shown on the left in FIG. 7, the heating cable 22 has a
diameter
D2 that is greater than the diameter D1, and the entire channel 82 has a
rectangular
cross-section with a width W3 that is equal to or slightly less than the
diameter D2.
Thus, the heating cable 22 may be compressed as the heating cable 22 is
inserted
into the channel 82, and the heating cable 22 may remain compressed until the
heating
cable 22 is withdrawn from the channel 82. In this manner, the conversion clip
72 may
retain the heating cable 22 using a snug fit.
[0071] Referring now to FIGS. 11 through 14, a method of installing the floor
heating
system 10 (or the flooring underlayment 10) will now be described. First, the
first layer
24 of thinset is applied to the subfloor 12, and the base membrane 18 is
placed onto
the subfloor 12 over the first layer 24 of thinset as shown in FIG. 11.
Instead of or in
addition to using thinset, the base membrane 18 may be secured to the subfloor
using
fasteners (e.g., screws) and/or adhesive (e.g., peel-and-stick adhesive).
Then, if the
18
Date Recue/Date Received 2023-07-04
Attorney Docket No. 5094-000023-US-CPD
floor heating system 10 includes the heating cable 22, the heating cable 22 is
positioned at locations between the studs 32 on the base membrane 18 along a
desired routing pattern of the heating cable 22 as shown in FIG. 12. The
heating cable
22 may be embedded between the studs 32 on the base membrane 18 using a trowel
88.
[0072] Then, the cover membrane 20 is coupled to the base membrane 18 by
inserting the studs 60 on the cover membrane 20 into the pockets 38 in the
base
membrane 18 as shown in FIG. 13. In turn, the cover membrane 20 forms the flat
top
surface 56 on which the floor tiles 14 are installed, and the heating cable 22
(if
included) is encapsulated between the base and cover membranes 18 and 20. The
studs 60 may be secured within the pockets 38 using a snap fit as discussed
above.
Finally, the second layer 26 of thinset is applied to the flat top surface 56
formed by
the cover membrane 20, and the floor tiles 14 are installed on the flat top
surface 56
over the second layer 26 of thinset as shown in FIG. 14. Since the cover
membrane
20 is used in place of thinset to encapsulate the heating cable 22 and/or to
form the
flat top surface 56, the floor tiles 14 are installed without applying thinset
directly to the
top surface of the base membrane 18.
[0073] The second layer 26 of thinset may be troweled (i.e., leveled using the
trowel
88) before the floor tiles 14 are placed on the second layer 26 of thinset.
The second
layer 26 of thinset may be allowed to cure (i.e., harden) for 24 hours after
the floor tiles
14 are placed on the second layer 26 of thinset. Once the second layer 26 of
thinset
is cured, the spaces between the floor tiles 14 may be filled with grout to
form the joints
16 between the floor tiles 14. Then, a final clean may be performed to remove
excess
material (e.g., excess grout) on the tile floor.
19
Date Recue/Date Received 2023-07-04
Attorney Docket No. 5094-000023-US-CPD
[0074] Referring now to FIGS. 15 through 18, a universal membrane 90 may be
divided (e.g., cut) along a dividing line 92 into a first portion or base
membrane 94 and
a second portion or cover membrane 96. The cover membrane 96 may then be
flipped
over and coupled to the base membrane 94 so that the base and cover membranes
94 and 96 collectively form an uncoupling membrane that allows a subfloor and
floor
tiles to move relative to one another in a horizontal plane. In addition, the
heating cable
22 may be placed onto the base membrane 94 so that when the cover membrane 96
is coupled to the base membrane 94, the base and cover membranes 94 and 96
encapsulate the heating cable 22. Alternatively, the base and cover membranes
94
and 96 may be coupled to one another to form an uncoupling membrane without
inserting the heating cable 22 therebetween. In addition, a single portion of
the
universal membrane 90 may be used as an uncoupling membrane and/or used to
position the heating cable 22 without coupling another portion of the
universal
membrane 90 thereto. The universal membrane 90 may be made (e.g., extruded)
from
a flexible material such as plastic (polyethylene or polypropylene) or rubber.
The
[0075] Although FIG. 15 only shows the first portion 94 of the universal
membrane
90 on one side of the dividing line 92, it should be understood that the
second portion
96 of the universal membrane 90 may be similar or identical to the first
portion 94
thereof. In addition, while the dividing line 92 is a curved or wavy line in
the example
shown, the dividing line 92 may be a straight line. Furthermore, the universal
membrane 90 may have a reduced thickness, perforations, and/or markings (e.g.,
a
dashed line) along the dividing line 92 to facilitate dividing the universal
membrane 90.
Moreover, multiple dividing lines 92 may be disposed at regular intervals
across the
width and/or length of the universal membrane 90.
Date Recue/Date Received 2023-07-04
Attorney Docket No. 5094-000023-US-CPD
[0076] Each of the base and cover membranes 94 and 96 includes a cover or base
layer 98, studs 100 projecting from the base layer 98, and protrusions or
sidewalls 102
projecting from the base layer 98. Each sidewall 102 forms a perimeter of a
pocket
104, and the base layer 98 forms a bottom wall 106 of the pocket 104. While
the
perimeter formed by each sidewall 102 is in the shape of a pentagon in the
example
shown, the perimeter formed by each sidewall 102 may have other shapes such as
an
octagon or a circle. In addition, the base and cover membranes 94 and 96 may
include
a greater or lesser number of the studs 100 and/or the sidewalls 102 than
shown. Each
of the base and cover membranes 94 and 96 has a thickness T2, which may be
within
a range of 1 millimeters (mm) to 3 mm. When the cover membrane 96 is coupled
to
the base membrane 94 to form an uncoupling membrane as shown in FIG. 18, the
uncoupling membrane has a thickness T3, which may be within a range of 6 mm to
10
mm.
[0077] Each stud 100 on the base membrane 94 fits within one of the pockets
104 of
the cover membrane 96, and each stud 100 on the cover membrane 96 fits within
one
of the pockets 104 of the base membrane 94. The perimeter of each stud 100 on
the
base and cover membranes 94 and 96 may have the same shape as the perimeter of
each pocket 104 of the base and cover membranes 94 and 96. In addition, the
size of
each pocket 104 of the base and cover membranes 94 and 96 may be slightly
greater
or less than the size of each stud 100 on the base and cover membranes 94 and
96
to yield a transition fit therebetween. For example, each stud 100 on the base
and
cover membranes 94 and 96 may have a width W1 of approximately 12 mm, and each
pocket 104 on the base and cover membranes 94 and 96 may have a width W2 that
is slightly greater than the width W1. In another example, each stud 100 on
the base
and cover membranes 94 and 96 may have height H1 of approximately 5.5 mm, and
21
Date Recue/Date Received 2023-07-04
Attorney Docket No. 5094-000023-US-CPD
each sidewall 102 on the base and cover membranes 94 and 96 may have a height
H2 that is slightly less than the height H1. A distance D between the studs
100 and
the sidewalls 102 may be equal to the height H1 and/or may be large enough to
enable
inserting the heating cable 22 therebetween. For example, the distance D
between the
studs 100 and the sidewalls 102 may be greater than the thickness T1 of the
heating
cable 22.
[0078] As best shown in FIG. 15, the studs 100 are aligned in a first set of
rows
extending diagonally across the universal membrane 90, and the sidewalls 102
are
aligned in a second set of rows extending diagonally across the universal
membrane
90. The first and second sets of rows are arranged in an alternating pattern
with rows
of the first set disposed between rows of the second set, and rows of the
second set
disposed between rows of the first set. In various implementations, the first
and second
rows may extend parallel to edges of the universal membrane 90, or the studs
100
and the sidewalls 102 may not be aligned in rows.
[0079] In the example shown, a nonwoven fabric layer 108 is attached to a back
side
110 of the base layer 98 opposite of a front side 112 of the base layer 98
from which
the studs 100 and the sidewalls 102 project. The nonwoven fabric layer 108
reduces
sound transmission through the floor structure and prevents tile adhesive
(e.g., thinset)
from entering an interior cavity 114 (FIGS. 17 and 18) of the studs 100. In
various
implementations, the nonwoven fabric layer 108 may be omitted.
[0080] The base and cover membranes 94 and 96 may be used in place of the base
and cover membranes 18 and 20, respectively, in the floor heating system 10
(or
flooring underlayment 10) of FIGS. 1, 2, 3, 13, and 14. If this substitution
is made, the
method of installing the floor heating system 10 (or flooring underlayment 10)
is
substantially the same as that described above with a few exceptions. First,
the
22
Date Recue/Date Received 2023-07-04
Attorney Docket No. 5094-000023-US-CPD
heating cable 22 is positioned between the studs 100 on the base membrane 94
and
the sidewalls 102 on the base membrane 94 as shown in FIG. 17 instead of
between
adjacent ones of the studs 32 on the base membrane 18 as shown in FIG. 12.
Alternatively, the floor structure may be free of any heating element.
[0081] Second, the cover membrane 96 is coupled to the base membrane 94 by
both
inserting the studs 100 on the cover membrane 96 into the pockets 104 in the
base
membrane 94 and inserting the studs 100 on the base membrane 94 into the
pockets
104 in the cover membrane 96 as shown in FIG. 18. This contrasts with merely
inserting the studs 60 on the cover membrane 20 into the pockets 38 in the
base
membrane 18 as described above with reference to FIG. 13. When the studs 100
on
the base and cover membranes 94 and 96 are inserted into the pockets 104 in
the
other one of the base and cover membranes 94 and 96, the heating cable 22 is
held
between the sidewalls 102 on the base membrane 94 and adjacent ones of the
sidewalls 102 on the cover membrane 96.
[0082] In any of the examples described above, the membranes may be
impermeable to tile adhesive. Thus, in the floor heating system 10 (or
flooring
underlayment 10) of FIGS. 1, 2, 3, 13, and 14, the cover membrane 20 may
prevent
the second layer 26 of thinset from reaching the base membrane 18. Similarly,
if the
floor heating system 10 (or flooring underlayment 10) includes the base and
cover
membranes 94 and 96 in place of the base and cover membranes 18 and 20,
respectively, the cover membrane 96 may prevent the second layer 26 of thinset
from
reaching the base membrane 94.
[0083] Additionally or alternatively, in any of the examples described above,
the
membranes may be permeable to allow moisture (e.g., water) to pass
therethrough.
For example, perforations 116 may be formed in the base layers 98 of the base
and
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Date Recue/Date Received 2023-07-04
Attorney Docket No. 5094-000023-US-CPD
cover membranes 94 and 96. The perforations 116 may be sized to allow moisture
to
pass therethrough while preventing tile adhesive from passing therethrough.
[0084] The foregoing description is merely illustrative in nature and is in no
way
intended to limit the disclosure, its application, or uses. The broad
teachings of the
disclosure can be implemented in a variety of forms. Therefore, while this
disclosure
includes particular examples, the true scope of the disclosure should not be
so limited
since other modifications will become apparent upon a study of the drawings,
the
specification, and the following claims. It should be understood that one or
more steps
within a method may be executed in different order (or concurrently) without
altering
the principles of the present disclosure. Further, although each of the
embodiments is
described above as having certain features, any one or more of those features
described with respect to any embodiment of the disclosure can be implemented
in
and/or combined with features of any of the other embodiments, even if that
combination is not explicitly described. In other words, the described
embodiments are
not mutually exclusive, and permutations of one or more embodiments with one
another remain within the scope of this disclosure.
[0085] When an element or layer is referred to as being "on," "engaged to,"
"connected to," or "coupled to" another element or layer, it may be directly
on,
engaged, connected or coupled to the other element or layer, or intervening
elements
or layers may be present. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being
"directly
on," "directly engaged to," "directly connected to," or "directly coupled to"
another
element or layer, there may be no intervening elements or layers present.
Other words
used to describe spatial and functional relationships between elements should
be
interpreted in a like fashion (e.g., "between" versus "directly between,"
"adjacent"
24
Date Recue/Date Received 2023-07-04
Attorney Docket No. 5094-000023-US-CPD
versus "directly adjacent," etc.). As used herein, the term "and/or" includes
any and all
combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.
[0086] Although the terms first, second, third, etc. may be used herein to
describe
various elements, components, regions, layers and/or sections, these elements,
components, regions, layers and/or sections should not be limited by these
terms.
These terms may be only used to distinguish one element, component, region,
layer
or section from another region, layer or section. Terms such as "first,"
"second," and
other numerical terms when used herein do not imply a sequence or order unless
clearly indicated by the context. Thus, a first element, component, region,
layer or
section discussed below could be termed a second element, component, region,
layer
or section without departing from the teachings of the example embodiments.
[0087] Spatially relative terms, such as "inner," "outer," "beneath," "below,"
"lower,"
"above," "upper," and the like, may be used herein for ease of description to
describe
one element or feature's relationship to another element(s) or feature(s) as
illustrated
in the figures. Spatially relative terms may be intended to encompass
different
orientations of the device in use or operation in addition to the orientation
depicted in
the figures. For example, if the device in the figures is turned over,
elements described
as "below" or "beneath" other elements or features would then be oriented
"above" the
other elements or features. Thus, the example term "below" can encompass both
an
orientation of above and below. The device may be otherwise oriented (rotated
90
degrees or at other orientations) and the spatially relative descriptors used
herein
interpreted accordingly.
Date Recue/Date Received 2023-07-04
