Groutless tile system and method for making the same

1. A groutless tile comprising:

a substrate;

a durable surface disposed within a groove defined by the substrate, the durable surface having a bottom surface and comprising a material different than the substrate;

a first coupling member disposed on an edge of the substrate, wherein the first coupling member comprises a first bendable portion and a groove, the groove of the first coupling member having an upper surface and a lower surface; and

a second coupling member disposed on another edge of the substrate, wherein the second coupling member comprises a tongue and body portion,

wherein the bottom surface of the durable surface is substantially coplanar with a mid-point between the upper and lower surfaces of the groove of the first coupling member;

wherein the first coupling member and the second coupling member of the substrate extend beyond the durable surface,

wherein the tongue is located at a distal end of the second coupling member and extends outwardly and substantially horizontally from the other edge of the substrate,

wherein the first coupling member or the second coupling member of the groutless tile are operable for coupling the groutless tile to an adjacent groutless tile,

wherein the groove of the first coupling member of the groutless tile is configured to receive a body portion and a tongue of a second coupling member of the adjacent groutless tile,

wherein, upon coupling the groutless tile with the adjacent groutless tile, the groove of the first coupling member of the groutless tile and the tongue of the second coupling member of the adjacent groutless tile engage under a portion of the substrate of the groutless tile where the first coupling member extends beyond the durable surface of the groutless tile,

wherein, upon coupling the groutless tile with the adjacent groutless tile, a gap remains between a distal end of the tongue of the second coupling member of the adjacent groutless tile and a proximal end of the groove of the first coupling member of the groutless tile, and

wherein, upon coupling the groutless tile with the adjacent groutless tile, a contact surface between the groove of the first coupling member of the groutless tile and the tongue of the second coupling member of the adjacent groutless tile is formed at a top side of the tongue, such that the contact surface limits vertical motion of the coupled groutless tiles.

2. The groutless tile of claim 1 , wherein the first coupling member, the durable surface, and the second coupling member of the groutless tile form a continuous surface.

3. The groutless tile of claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the substrate is designed to have a texture and color similar to that of grout.

4. A groutless tile system comprising:

a plurality of groutless tiles, wherein each groutless tile comprises:

a substrate;

a durable surface disposed within a groove defined by the substrate, the durable surface having a bottom surface and comprising a material different than the substrate; and

a first coupling member disposed on an edge of the substrate, wherein the first coupling member comprises a first bendable portion and a groove, the groove of the first coupling member having an upper surface and a lower surface;

wherein the bottom surface of the durable surface is substantially coplanar with a mid-point between the upper and lower surfaces of the groove of the first coupling member;

wherein at least a portion of the substrate extends beyond the durable surface,

wherein the first coupling member and a second coupling member of an adjacent groutless tile comprising a tongue and a body portion are operable for coupling adjacent groutless tiles,

wherein the tongue is located at a distal end of the second coupling member and extends outwardly and substantially horizontally from an edge of a substrate of the adjacent groutless tile,

wherein the groove of the first coupling member is configured to receive the body portion and the tongue of the second coupling member,

wherein, upon coupling the adjacent tiles, the tongue of the second coupling member and the groove of the first coupling member engage under the portion of the substrate that extends beyond the durable surface,

wherein, upon coupling of the adjacent tiles, a gap remains between a distal end of the tongue and a proximal end of the groove of the first coupling member,

wherein, upon coupling the adjacent tiles, a contact surface between the tongue of the second coupling member and the groove of the first coupling member is formed at a top side of the tongue, such that the contact surface limits vertical motion of the coupled adjacent tiles, and

wherein at least a portion of the first bendable portion is disposed below the durable surface of the adjacent tile when coupled to the adjacent tile.

5. The groutless tile system of claim 4 , wherein the first coupling member, the durable surface, and the second coupling member of the groutless tile form a continuous surface.

6. The groutless tile system of claim 4 , wherein at least a portion of the substrate is designed to have a texture and color similar to that of grout.

7. The groutless tile system of claim 4 , wherein the durable surface is partially encapsulated in the substrate thru a RIM process.

8. The groutless tile system of claim 4 , wherein the plurality of groutless tiles further comprise a layment layer disposed on a surface of the substrate opposite of the durable surface.

9. The groutless tile system of claim 4 , wherein a lateral force is used to couple the first coupling member and the second coupling member of an adjacent tile.

10. A groutless tile system comprising:

a plurality of groutless tiles, wherein each groutless tile comprises:

a substrate;

a durable surface disposed within a groove defined by the substrate, the durable surface having a bottom surface and comprising a material different than the substrate;

a first coupling member disposed on at least one edge of the substrate, the first coupling member comprising a first bendable portion and a groove, the groove of the first coupling member having an upper surface and a lower surface; and

a second coupling member disposed on at least one edge of the substrate, the second coupling member comprising a tongue and a body portion,

wherein the bottom surface of the durable surface is substantially coplanar with a mid-point between the upper and lower surfaces of the groove of the first coupling member;

wherein at least a portion of the substrate extends beyond the durable surface,

wherein the tongue of the second coupling member is located at a distal end of the second coupling member and extends outwardly and substantially horizontally from the at least one edge of the substrate,

wherein the first coupling member and the second coupling member of an adjacent groutless tile are operable for coupling adjacent groutless tiles,

wherein the groove of the first coupling member is configured to receive the body portion and the tongue of the second coupling member of the adjacent groutless tile,

wherein, upon coupling of the adjacent groutless tiles, a contact surface between the tongue of the second coupling member of the adjacent groutless tile and the groove of the first coupling member is formed at a top side of the tongue of the second coupling member of the adjacent groutless tile,

wherein, upon coupling of the adjacent groutless tiles, a gap remains between a distal end of the tongue of the second coupling member of the adjacent groutless tile and a proximal end of the groove of the first coupling member,

wherein, upon coupling of the adjacent groutless tiles, the groove of the first coupling member and the tongue of the second coupling member of the adjacent groutless tile engage under the portion of the substrate that extends beyond the durable surface, and

wherein at least a portion of the first bendable portion of the first coupling member is disposed below the durable surface of the adjacent tile when coupled to the adjacent tile.

11. The groutless tile system of claim 10 , wherein the first coupling member and the second coupling member couple adjacent groutless tiles and prevent both horizontal and vertical movement of the groutless tiles.

12. The groutless tile system of claim 10 , wherein the first coupling member and the second coupling member extend an entire length of the edge of the substrate.