Flexible interlocking tile system

• US 20040226241A1
• Filed: 05/09/2003
• Published: 11/18/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/16/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Connor Sport Court International (Gerflor SAS)
• Original Assignee: Connor Sport Court International (Gerflor SAS)
• Inventors: Carling, Jason D., Jugler, Frank A., Forster, Cheryl M., Shapiro, Jeremiah, Jenkins, Mark L., Andes, Brad
• Application Number:
  US10/436,449
• Publication Number:
  US 20040226241A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 52/384
• CPC Class Codes: A63C 19/10 Ice-skating or roller-skating rinks; Slopes or trails for skiing, ski-jumping or tobogganing chutes A63G21/00; ski-lifts B61B11/00; making or maintaining surfaces of snow or ice suitable for traffic or sporting purposes E01H4/00; removing snow or ice E01H5/00; production of ice or snow F25C3/00
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 15/02 Flooring or floor layers composed of a number of similar elements of webs E04F15/16
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 15/10 of other materials, e.g. fibrous or chipped materials, organic plastics, magnesite tiles, hardboard , or with a top layer of other materials
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 15/16 Flooring, e.g. parquet on flexible web, laid as flexible webs; Webs specially adapted for use as flooring; Parquet on flexible webresiliently-mounted floors, e.g. sprung floors, E04F15/22; linoleum D06N; carpets A47G27/00
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 2201/0594 Hinge-like connectors

Abstract

A floor tile system for placing on an ice surface includes a plurality of flexibly interconnected tiles. Each tile includes a tile body that is integrally formed of thermally insulative material, including upstanding supports having a height selected to provide a temperature gradient between the ice surface and the top surface of the tile sufficient to substantially prevent condensation on the top surface when surrounded by typical ice rink ambient conditions of temperature and humidity.

Claims

1. A floor tile, comprising:

a) a tile body, having a top surface and a bottom support structure;

b) a flexible hinge portion, disposed along a first side of the tile body and configured to bend along a bending axis that is parallel to the first side; and

c) a receiving slot, disposed along a second side of the tile body, opposite the first side, configured to receive the flexible hinge portion of an adjacent floor tile; and

d) an interlocking mechanism, configured to interlock the flexible hinge portion of another tile within the receiving slot;

e) wherein the bottom support structure is configured to support the tile body on an ice surface, the tile body being integrally formed of thermally insulative material, and the bottom support structure comprising upstanding supports of the insulative material, the upstanding supports having a height selected so as to provide a temperature gradient between the ice surface and the top surface sufficient to substantially prevent condensation on the top surface due to contact with the ice surface.

2. A floor tile in accordance with claim 1, wherein the tile includes four sides, the flexible hinge portion comprises two hinge parts disposed on two adjacent sides of the tile, each hinge part being configured to bend along a bending axis that is parallel to the respective side, and wherein the receiving slot is disposed on the remaining two adjacent sides, and

3. A floor tile in accordance with claim 1, wherein

a) the flexible hinge portion comprises a downwardly projecting member;

b) the receiving slot comprises a sidewall; and

c) the interlocking mechanism comprises;

a. protruding resilient tabs, disposed on one of the downwardly projecting member and the sidewall; and

b. slots, configured to receive the resilient tabs, disposed on the other of the downwardly projecting member and the sidewall.

4. A floor tile in accordance with claim 1, wherein the height of the upstanding supports is selected so as to substantially prevent condensation on the top surface in typical ice rink ambient conditions of temperature and humidity of more than about 20°

F. above freezing, and between about 20% and 80% relative humidity.

5. A floor tile in accordance with claim 4, wherein the typical ice rink ambient conditions of temperature and humidity are about 25°

F. above freezing and at least about 30% relative humidity.

6. A floor tile in accordance with claim 1, wherein the insulative material of the upstanding supports has a coefficient of thermal conductivity greater than about 1.75.

7. A floor tile in accordance with claim 1, wherein the upstanding supports have a height of from about ¾

inch to about 1-¾

inches.

8. A floor tile in accordance with claim 7, wherein the upstanding supports have a height of about 1.5 inches.

9. A floor tile in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a plurality of gripping teeth, downwardly extending from a bottom side of the bottom support structure, configured to dig into the ice surface to help prevent sliding of the floor tile.

10. A flexible interlocking tile system for placing over an ice surface, comprising:

a) a plurality of flexible interlocking tiles, each tile including;

a. a tile body, having a top surface and a bottom support structure;

b. a flexible hinge portion, disposed along a first side of the tile body, having an interlocking mechanism; and

c. a receiving slot, disposed along a second side of the tile body, opposite the first side, configured to receive the flexible hinge portion of an adjacent floor tile, and having an interlocking mechanism configured to interlock with the interlocking mechanism of the hinge portion; and

d. wherein the bottom support structure is configured to support the tile body on an ice surface, the tile body being integrally formed of thermally insulative material, and the bottom support structure comprising upstanding supports of the insulative material, the upstanding supports having a height selected so as to provide a temperature gradient between the ice surface and the top surface sufficient to substantially prevent condensation on the top surface when surrounded by ambient conditions of more than about 20°

F. above freezing and between about 20% and 80% relative humidity; and

b) the flexible hinge portion of each of the plurality of interlocking tiles being removably received within the receiving slot of an adjacent tile, so as to form a flexible mat of interlocked tiles which can be rolled into a roll for storage.

11. A tile system in accordance with claim 10, wherein

a) the flexible hinge portion includes a downwardly projecting member, the flexible hinge portion being oriented parallel to the receiving slot and configured to bend along a bending axis that is parallel to the first side of the tile;

b) the receiving slot includes a sidewall; and

c) the interlocking mechanism comprises;

a. protruding resilient tabs, disposed on one of the downwardly projecting member and the sidewall; and

b. slots, configured to receive the resilient tabs, disposed on the other of the downwardly projecting member and the sidewall.

12. A tile system in accordance with claim 10, wherein the insulative material of the upstanding supports has a coefficient of thermal conductivity greater than about 1.75, and the upstanding supports have a height of from about ¾

inch to about 1-¾

inches.

13. A tile system in accordance with claim 10, wherein the upstanding supports of the bottom support structure comprise a plurality of vertical ribs forming a pattern of air pockets between the surface of the ice and an underside of the top surface.

14. A tile system in accordance with claim 13, wherein the air pockets are of shapes selected from the group consisting of triangular and hexagonal.

15. A tile system in accordance with claim 10, further comprising a plurality of gripping teeth, downwardly extending from a bottom side of the bottom support structure of at least some of the interlocking tiles, configured to dig into the ice surface to help prevent sliding of the tile system.

16. A floor tile, comprising:

a) a tile body, integrally formed of thermally insulative material, having

a. a first side,

b. a second side opposite the first side,

c. a top surface, and

d. a bottom support structure, configured to support the tile body on an ice surface, and comprising upstanding supports having a height selected so as to provide a temperature gradient between the ice surface and the top surface sufficient to substantially prevent condensation on the top surface when surrounded by ambient conditions of more than about 20°

F. above freezing and between about 20% and 80% relative humidity;

b) a flexible hinge portion, having a downwardly extending member with a resilient interlocking tab, disposed along the first side of the tile body and configured to bend along a bending axis that is parallel to the first side;

c) a receiving slot, disposed along the second side of the tile body, having a sidewall with an interlocking slot configured to receive the interlocking tab of the downwardly extending member of an adjacent floor tile so as to interlock two adjacent tiles together; and

d) a tab release recess, disposed in the bottom support structure and surrounding the interlocking slot, having a size sufficient to allow a user to insert a finger into the tab release recess to disengage the two adjacent tiles.

17. A floor tile in accordance with claim 16, wherein the tab release recess is accessible from below the top surface.

18. A floor tile in accordance with claim 16, further comprising an opening in the top surface, whereby the tab release recess is accessible by inserting a tool through the opening.

19. A floor tile in accordance with claim 16, wherein the upstanding supports of the bottom support structure comprise a plurality of vertical ribs forming a pattern of air pockets between the surface of the ice and an underside of the top surface.

20. A floor tile in accordance with claim 19, wherein the tab release recess comprises at least a portion of one air pocket.

21. A floor tile in accordance with claim 20, wherein the air pockets are of shapes selected from the group consisting of triangular and hexagonal.

22. A floor tile in accordance with claim 16, further comprising a plurality of gripping teeth, downwardly extending from a bottom side of the bottom support structure, configured to dig into the ice surface to help prevent sliding of the floor tile.