Tile with wide coupling configuration and method for the same

• US 20050223666A1
• Filed: 03/11/2005
• Published: 10/13/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Connor Sport Court International (Gerflor SAS)
• Original Assignee: Connor Sport Court International (Gerflor SAS)
• Inventors: Jenkins, Mark, Forster, Cheryl, Laitinen, Tyler
• Granted Patent: US 7,849,642 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 52/392
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 2201/12 vertically interlocking
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 5/20 made of units of plastics, e.g. concrete with plastics, linoleumE01C5/18 takes precedence; of textiles made of synthetic fibres E01C5/008
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 9/086 made of concrete, wood, bitumen, rubber or synthetic material or a combination thereof
• 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 2201/0138 by moving the sheets, plates or panels perpendicular to the main plane
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 2201/0153 by rotating the sheets, plates or panels around an axis which is parallel to the abutting edges, possibly combined with a sliding movement
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 2201/0594 Hinge-like connectors
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 2201/091 with the edge-parts forming part of the panel body
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 2201/096 with only one type of connection parts, i.e. with male or female on one edge

Abstract

A method and apparatus providing a tile configured to form a modular floor covering including an array of substantially identical tiles. The tile includes a top surface, bottom side, front and rear sides and first and second lateral sides. The top surface includes an elongated shape and the bottom side includes a support grid. The front and rear sides are defined along a longitudinal length of the elongated shape. The front side includes at least one first hinge member and the rear side includes at least one complementary second hinge member configured to be engageable with the at least one first hinge member of an adjacently positioned tile. The first and second lateral sides define a width of the elongated shape with the first and second lateral sides including a respective tab and slot coupling portion each having a coupling length at least one-third the width of the elongated shape.

Claims

1. A tile configured to form a modular floor covering including an array of substantially identical tiles, the tile comprising:

a top surface having an elongated shape and a bottom side including a support grid;

front and rear sides defined along a longitudinal length of the elongated shape, the front side including at least one first hinge member and the rear side including at least one complementary second hinge member configured to be engageable with an at least one first hinge member of an adjacently positioned tile; and

first and second lateral sides defining a width of the elongated shape, the first and second lateral sides including a respective tab and slot coupling portion each having a coupling length at least one-third the width of the elongated shape.

2. The tile of claim 1, wherein the tab and slot coupling portion are each configured to removably couple with the respective slot and tab coupling portions of other tiles positioned adjacent the first and second lateral sides, respectively.

3. The tile of claim 2, wherein the tab coupling portion comprises an upper surface substantially flush with the top surface of the tile.

4. The tile of claim 3, wherein the tab coupling portion comprises a downward tab extension configured to rigidly nest in a slot of the second coupling portion of an adjacently positioned tile.

5. The tile of claim 1, wherein the support grid comprises a wave configuration configured to stabilize the top surface of the tile.

6. The tile of claim 1, wherein the top surface comprises a raised portion operable to substantially mimic a configuration of the support grid to conceal an impression of the support grid and provide a gripable surface to the top surface.

7. The tile of claim 1, wherein the top surface comprises perforations defined therethrough to extend to the bottom side configured to allow liquid to pass through the perforations.

8. The tile of claim 1, wherein the at least one first and second hinge members formed on the respective front and rear sides are each configured to mate with respective complementary second and first hinge members of another tile positioned adjacent the front and rear sides, respectively.

9. The tile of claim 8, wherein the at least one first and second hinge members are configured to rotate with the respective complementary second and first hinge members of the other tiles positioned adjacent the front and rear sides, respectively.

10. The tile of claim 1, wherein the first hinge member comprises a hinge configuration protruding outward from the front side of the tile, wherein the hinge configuration comprises a post attaching portion defining a post channel therein.

11. The tile of claim 10, wherein the post attaching portion comprises a rounded corner on at least a portion of its outermost edge to facilitate clearance between the first and second hinge members during rotation, and to provide a closer fit between adjacent coupled tiles.

12. A modular floor covering, comprising:

multiple tiles configured to be removably coupled to form a tile array including columns and rows of the multiple tiles, at least one of the multiple tiles including;

a top surface having an elongated shape and a bottom side including a support grid;

front and rear sides defined along a longitudinal length of the elongated shape, the front side including at least one first hinge member and the rear side including at least one second hinge member; and

first and second lateral sides defining a width of the elongated shape, the first and second lateral sides including a respective tab and slot coupling portion each having a coupling length at least one-third the width of the elongated shape;

wherein the at least one first and second hinge members formed on the respective front and rear sides are each configured to mate with respective complementary second and first hinge members of other tiles positioned adjacent the front and rear sides, respectively; and

wherein the tab and slot coupling portion of the respective first and second lateral sides are each configured to rigidly mate with respective slot and tab coupling portions of the tiles positioned adjacent the first and second lateral sides, respectively.

13. The modular floor covering of claim 12, wherein the tab and slot coupling portions are configured to substantially prevent transverse movement between adjacent columns of the multiple tiles.

14. The modular floor covering of claim 12, wherein the top surface comprises a raised portion operable to at least partially and substantially mimic a configuration of the support grid to conceal an impression of the support grid and provide a gripable surface to the top surface of the tile array.

15. The modular floor covering of claim 12, wherein the support grid of each of the tiles comprises a wave configuration operable to stabilize the top surface of each of the tiles.

16. The modular floor covering of claim 12, wherein the top surface comprises perforations defined therethrough to extend to the bottom side and configured to allow liquid to pass through the perforations.

17. The modular floor covering of claim 12, wherein the at least one first and second hinge members are configured to rotate with respective complementary second and first hinge members of other tiles to form a column of tiles operable to be rolled-into and rolled-out from a tile roll.

18. The tile of claim 12, wherein the first hinge member comprises a hinge configuration protruding outward from the front side of the tile, wherein the hinge configuration comprises a post attaching portion defining a post channel therein.

19. The tile of claim 18, wherein the post attaching portion comprises a rounded corner on at least a portion of its outermost edge to facilitate clearance between the first and second hinge members during rotation, and to provide a closer fit between adjacent coupled tiles.

20. A method of installing a modular flooring onto a floor surface, the method comprising:

unrolling multiple tile rolls, each having at least one column of tiles, onto a floor surface with a top surface facing upward and a bottom side having a support grid facing the floor surface, the tiles coupled together along a longitudinal length of front and rear sides of the tiles with at least one combination of first and second hinge members integrally formed in the respective front and rear sides of the tiles; and

coupling adjacently positioned columns by interconnecting a tab and slot coupling portion formed in respective first and second lateral sides of each of the tiles to form a tile array of the tiles, wherein each of the tab and slot coupling portions include a coupling length at least one-third a width of each of the tiles.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the coupling comprises nesting the first coupling portion with a downward extension disposed in a coupling opening with a removable rigid fit.

22. A tile configured to form a modular floor covering including an array of substantially identical tiles, the tile comprising:

a top surface having a periphery and an under-side including a support configuration; and

at least two opposing sides of the periphery each defining a length and each including a coupling portion, the coupling portion having a continuous coupling length at least one-third the length of the at least one side.

23. A modular floor covering, comprising:

multiple tiles configured to be removably coupled to form a tile array, each of the multiple tiles including;

a top surface having a periphery and an under-side including a support configuration; and

at least two opposing sides of the periphery each defining a length and each including a coupling portion, the coupling portion having a continuous coupling length at least one-third the length of the at least one side;

wherein the coupling portions of the at least two opposing sides are configured to couple with complementary coupling portions formed with adjacently positioned tiles.

24. A tile configured to form a modular floor covering including an array of substantially identical tiles, the tile comprising:

a top surface having a periphery and an under-side including a support configuration; and

at least one side of the periphery defining a length and including a coupling portion, the coupling portion having a coupling length at least one-third the length of the at least one side.

25. A modular floor covering, comprising:

multiple tiles configured to be removably coupled to form a tile array, each of the multiple tiles including;

a top surface having a periphery and an under-side including a support configuration; and

at least one side of the periphery defining a length and including a coupling portion, the coupling portion having a coupling length at least one-third the length of the at least one side;

wherein the coupling portion of the at least one side is configured to couple with a complementary coupling portion formed on an adjacently positioned tile.