Orthogonally ambiguous carpet tiles having curved elements

• US 7,083,841 B2
• Filed: 06/07/2002
• Issued: 08/01/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/14/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Interface Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Interface Incorporated
• Inventors: Oakey, David D., Daniel, Sydney D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Juska, Cheryl A.
• Application Number:
  US10/165,842
• Publication Number:
  US 20030031821A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,516 Days
• Field of Search: 428/88, 428/89, 428/44, 428/48, D06/582, D06/588, D05/62, D25/157, D25/158, D25/136, D25/163
• US Class Current: 428/88
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 27/0275 Surface patterning of carpet modules, e.g. of carpet tiles
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 27/0293 Mat modules for interlocking engagement
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 27/0475 Laying carpet tiles
• CPC Class Codes: B44C 1/28 Uniting ornamental elements on a support, e.g. mosaics B44C3/123 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B44F 1/08 characterised by colour effects
• CPC Class Codes: B44F 5/00 Designs characterised by irregular areas, e.g. mottled patterns imitating natural patterns or artistic work B44F9/00, B44F11/00
• CPC Class Codes: D06N 2209/083 Multi-coloured
• CPC Class Codes: D06N 7/0065 characterised by the pile
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 15/02 Flooring or floor layers composed of a number of similar elements of webs E04F15/16
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/16 Two dimensionally sectional layer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/164 Continuous two dimensionally sectional layer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/23929 Edge feature or configured or discontinuous surface
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/23936 Differential pile length or surface

Abstract

Carpet tiles having patterns and color schemes that obviate the need to orient the tiles in a particular positional or rotational relationship relative to each other. The tiles exhibit orthogonal ambiguity, meaning that they may be laid in any side-by-side orientation with respect to adjacent tiles without looking out of place to the ordinary viewer and thereby still achieving an appearance of continuity like broadloom carpet. Each tile has patterns of shapes having some straight and curved elements. At least some of the straight elements on each tile preferably parallel a tile edge. The shapes are formed from a color or combination of colors so that adjacent shapes on each tile have at least one color in common. Furthermore, each tile has at least one color in common with every other tile, so that when the tiles are laid, the colors on adjacent tiles coordinate. Moreover, because the pattern on each tile appears random, placement of the tiles on the floor in any side-by-side orientation simply creates a larger, apparently random pattern, rendering it impossible for any tile to look out of place.

Claims

1. Carpet dies comprising tile edges and textile faces, each face having a pattern comprising a plurality of shapes having shape edges, wherein:

a. at least one of the shapes comprises at least one curved shape edge;

b. at least one of the shapes comprises a first straight shape edge that is parallel to at least one edge of the carpet tile on which the first straight shape edge appears;

c. the pattern comprises at least one background color and at least one color different from the at least one background color and of similar intensity to the as least one background color;

d. at least some adjacent shapes on each tile comprise as least one common color; and

e. when the tiles are assembled on a flooring surface so that each tile is adjacent to and abuts at least one other tile the tiles exhibit orthogonal ambiguity without pattern alignment between adjacent tiles.

2. The carpet tiles of claim 1, wherein the tiles are formed by tufting a carpet web and cutting the web into tiles.

3. The carpet tiles of claim 2, wherein the at least one background color and the at least one color different from the background color each comprises a plurality of colors and wherein the carpet web is formed by rows of tufts across the web, each of which rows comprises tufts of a first gauge and a second gauge, the first gauge comprising tufts of the at least one background color formed by a series of yarns AB, followed by a series of yarns ABAC, followed by a series of yarns AC, followed by a series of yarns ABAC, followed by a series of yarns AB, and the second gauge comprising tufts of the at least one color different from she background color formed by a series of yarns DE, followed by a series of yarns FE, followed by a series of yarns FG, followed by a series of yarns FE, followed by a series of yarns DE, wherein each of yarns A-F comprises a different color or shade of a color from each of the other yarns.

4. The carpet tiles of claim 1, wherein the tiles are formed by printing at least a portion of the pattern on each tile.

5. The carpet tiles of claim 1, wherein the faces are tufted.

6. The carpet tiles of claim 1, wherein the faces are woven.

7. The carpet tiles of claim 1, wherein the faces are bonded.

8. The carpet tiles of claim 1, wherein at least one of the shapes comprises a second straight shape edge that is not parallel to the tile edges on which the second straight shape edge appears.

9. Floorcovering comprising at least two carpet tiles of claim 1 positioned abutting on a flooring surface.

10. A method of producing the carpet tiles of claim 1 comprising designing a pattern for a carpet web having a longitudinal axis, producing the carpet web with the pattern, and cutting the carpet web into the tiles, wherein the pattern for the carpet web is designed by a method comprising:

a. selecting at least one background color for the carpet web;

b. using a plurality of colors, including the background color, to form primary shapes on the carpet web, wherein at least some of the primary shapes comprise at least one curved side and are at least partially partitioned by at least one line to form secondary shapes comprising at least one curved element; and

c. positioning the primary and secondary shapes on the carpet web so that at least some adjacent shapes have at least one common color.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the pattern is further designed by forming, with the plurality of colors, at least one straight line at an acute angle to the longitudinal axis of the web and at least one other straight line at the same angle to a line orthogonal to the longitudinal axis of the web.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the carpet web is produced using a tufting machine.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the tufting machine comprises needles, at least some of which are shifted laterally relative to the web during tufting.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein yarns of the plurality of colors are used to tuft the carpet web.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein at least some of the yarns are space dyed yarns.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein at least some of the yarns are single color yarns.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein at least some of the yarns are barber pole yarns.

18. Carpet tiles cut from a carpet web comprising a web face having a web pattern comprising a plurality of primary shapes formed by a plurality of colors, wherein at least some of the plurality of primary shapes each comprises at least one curved side and is at least partially partitioned by at least one line to form secondary shapes comprising at least one curved element, the tiles cut from the web comprising a common color and each having a tile pattern, wherein the tile pattern of at least some tiles cut from the web comprises:

a. at least a portion of a curved element;

b. a first straight element that is parallel to at least one edge of the carpet tile on which the first straight element appears;

c. at least one background color and at least one color different from the at least one background color and of similar intensity to the at least one background color; and

d. at least some adjacent shapes having at least one common color, wherein the tiles cut from the web can be positioned adjacent and abutting on a flooring surface in any of at least sixteen rotational and positional orientations relative to each other without any tile appearing to be out of place when the tile patterns of adjacent tiles do not align.

19. The carpet tiles of claim 18, wherein the tiles are square.

20. The carpet tiles of claim 18, wherein at least some of the tile patterns comprise a second straight element that is not parallel to at least one edge of the carpet tile on which the second straight element appears.

21. The carpet tiles of claim 18, wherein at least one of the tile patterns comprises more than one background color.

22. The carpet tiles of claim 18, wherein at least one of the tile patterns comprises more than one color different from the at least one background color.

23. Floorcovering comprising a plurality of carpet tiles of claim 18, positioned on a flooring surface so that each tile is adjacent to and abuts at least one other tile.