System and method for floor covering installation

• US 8,381,473 B2
• Filed: 11/13/2008
• Issued: 02/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Interface Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Interface Incorporated
• Inventors: Scott, Graham A. H., Oakey, David D., Bradford, John P., Gray, Keith N.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gilbert, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, CHI Q
• Application Number:
  US12/270,129
• Publication Number:
  US 20090094919A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,566 Days
• Field of Search: 525/060.5, 523/112, 523/85, 523/91, 527/450.5, 527/471.1, 428/86, 428/100, 428/99, 428/101, 428/356, 428/354
• US Class Current: 52/506.05
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 27/0243 Features of decorative rugs or carpets
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 27/0475 Laying carpet tiles
• 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 2201/07 with connections using a special adhesive material
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/23914 Interlaminar
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24008 including fastener for attaching to external surface
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24017 Hook or barb
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24025 Superposed movable attached layers or components
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2848 Three or more layers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2857 including metal or compound thereof or natural rubber

Abstract

Connectors for joining adjacent modular floor covering units. The connectors include a film and an adhesive layer coated on one side of the film. To install tiles using the connectors, a first tile is placed on the floor and a connector is positioned so that the adhesive layer faces upward and does not contact the floor. The connector is typically positioned so that only a portion of the adhesive layer adheres to the underside of the tile, leaving the remainder of the connector extending from the underside of the tile. Tiles are then positioned adjacent the first tile so that a portion of the connector adheres to the adjacent tiles. In this way, the connectors span adjacent tile edges. The tiles are assembled on a underlying flooring surface without the need to attach them to the floor surface. Rather, the tiles are linked to each other with the connectors, so that the tiles create a floor covering that “floats” on the underlying floor surface.

Claims

1. A floor covering installation comprising:

a. an intermediate substrate covering a flooring surface;

b. carpet tiles positioned adjacent one another above the intermediate substrate; and

c. connectors connecting the tiles, at least one of the connectors comprising a layer of adhesive located on a side of a film and at least one of the connectors positioned;

(i) above the intermediate substrate without adhering to the intermediate substrate;

(ii) without abutting other connectors; and

(iii) to span adjacent edges of adjacent tiles and extend along only a portion of the adjacent edges,

wherein the layer of adhesive contacts and forms a bond with undersides of adjacent tiles and prevents relative movement between the adjacent tiles.

2. The installation of claim 1, wherein the intermediate substrate comprises a plastic film.

3. The installation of claim 2, wherein the plastic film is a barrier to moisture.

4. The installation of claim 1, wherein the intermediate substrate comprises at least one cushion.

5. The installation of claim 1, wherein the adhesive is a releasable adhesive.

6. An installation of modular carpet tiles connected together with connectors, each connector comprising:

a. a film exhibiting a tensile strength between 160 and 270 MPa in a first direction;

b. a layer of adhesive located on a side of the film, wherein the layer of adhesive is capable of forming a bond with the undersides of the tiles and comprises a sufficient shear strength so that, when a connector spans adjacent edges of adjacent tiles so that the layer of adhesive contacts the undersides of the adjacent tiles, the connector prevents adjacent tiles from moving relative to the connector or each other and thereby creating gaps between the adjacent tiles after installation,

wherein at least one of the connectors are positioned;

i. to span adjacent edges of at least two adjacent tiles in the installation and extend along only a portion of the adjacent edges;

ii. without abutting other connectors; and

iii. so as not to adhere to an underlying surface on which the tiles are positioned.

7. The installation of claim 6, wherein the film exhibits a tensile strength between 165 and 210 MPa in a second direction different from the first direction.

8. The installation of claim 6, wherein the film comprises plastic.

9. The installation of claim 8, wherein the plastic is a polyolefin, a polyamide, or a polyester.

10. The installation of claim 8, wherein the plastic is a polyethylene terephthalate polyester.

11. The installation of claim 6, wherein the film comprises a thickness between approximately 0.0005 and 0.015 inches, inclusive.

12. The installation of claim 11, wherein the thickness is between approximately 0.003 and 0.01 inches, inclusive.

13. The installation of claim 6, wherein the adhesive layer comprises acrylic.

14. The installation of claim 6, wherein the adhesive layer comprises a thickness between approximately 0.0005 and 0.01 inches, inclusive.

15. The installation of claim 14, wherein the thickness is between approximately 0.002 and 0.008 inches, inclusive.

16. An installation of modular flooring tiles connected together with connectors, each connector comprising:

a. a film;

b. a layer of adhesive located on a side of the film, wherein the layer of adhesive is capable of forming a bond with the undersides of the tiles so that, when a connector spans adjacent edges of adjacent tiles so that the layer of adhesive contacts the undersides of the adjacent tiles, adjacent edges of modular tiles remain in place under a 200 pound-based rolling chair test;

wherein at least one of the connectors are positioned;

i. to span adjacent edges of at least two adjacent tiles in the installation and extend along only a portion of the adjacent edges;

ii. so as not to abut other connectors; and

iii. so as not to adhere to an underlying surface on which the tiles are positioned.

17. The installation of claim 16, wherein the film exhibits sufficient strength so that adjacent edges of modular tiles remain in place under a 200 pound-based rolling chair test without sides.

18. The installation of claim 16, wherein the film exhibits sufficient strength so that adjacent edges of modular tiles remain in place under a 200 pound-based rolling chair test with small wheels.

19. A floor covering installation comprising:

a. an intermediate substrate covering a flooring surface;

b. floor covering tiles positioned adjacent one another above the intermediate substrate; and

c. between the substrate and tiles, connectors, each;

i. comprising adhesive on a side of a film and

ii. connecting at least two of the tiles by adhering to undersides of the tiles along only a portion of abutting tile edges and without adhering to the intermediate substrate or abutting another connector.

20. An installation of modular carpet tiles connected together with connectors, each connector comprising:

a. a sheet having two sides; and

b. a layer of adhesive located on one side of the sheet, wherein the layer of adhesive is capable of forming a bond between the sheet and the undersides of the tiles and comprises a sufficient shear strength so that, when a connector spans adjacent edges of adjacent tiles so that the layer of adhesive contacts the undersides of the adjacent tiles, the connector prevents adjacent tiles from moving relative to the connector or each other and thereby creating gaps between the adjacent tiles after installation; and

wherein the sheet comprises material sufficiently stiff for a connector positioned partly in contact with an underside of a tile to project beyond the edge of the tile in roughly the same plane as the underside of the tile.

21. The installation of claim 20, wherein at least one of the connectors are positioned:

i. to span adjacent edges of at least two adjacent tiles in the installation and extend along only a portion of the adjacent edges;

ii. so as not to abut other connectors; and

iii. so as not to adhere to an underlying surface on which the tiles are positioned.

22. The installation of claim 20 wherein each tile comprises a surface area and each connector comprises a surface area, wherein the surface area of a connector is no more than approximately 5% of the surface area of a tile.

23. The installation of claim 20, wherein at least some of the connectors comprise a surface area of approximately 9 square inches.

24. The installation of claim 20, wherein the adjacent edges of the adjacent tiles in the installation comprise a total length and wherein the connectors in the installation span up to approximately 10% of the total length of the adjacent tiles.

25. The installation of claim 20, wherein the material comprises a tensile strength of at least 160 MPa in at least one direction.

26. The installation of claim 25, wherein the material comprises a tensile strength of 160 to 270 MPa, inclusive, in the at least one direction.

27. The installation of claim 26, wherein the material comprises a tensile strength of 165 to 210 MPa, inclusive, in the at least one direction.

28. The installation of claim 20, wherein the material comprises a tensile strength of 165 to 210 MPa, inclusive, in at least one direction and of 160 to 270 MPa, inclusive, in at least one other direction.

29. The installation of claim 20, wherein the layer of adhesive comprises a releasable adhesive.

30. The installation of claim 20, wherein the bond comprises a bond strength that permits removal and repositioning of a tile relative to a connector.

31. The installation of claim 30, wherein the bond strength is approximately 5-100 ounces/inch, inclusive.

32. The installation of claim 20, wherein the sheet comprises a dimension and wherein the sheet is capable of being stretched at least 120% of the dimension before breaking.

33. The installation of claim 32, wherein the sheet is capable of being stretched 120% to 200%, inclusive, of the dimension before breaking.

34. The installation of claim 20, wherein the layer of adhesive comprises a thickness of approximately 0.0005 to 0.01 inches, inclusive.

35. The installation of claim 34, wherein the thickness is approximately 0.002 to 0.008 inches, inclusive.

36. The installation of claim 20, wherein the sheet comprises a thickness of approximately 0.0005 to 0.015 inches, inclusive.

37. The installation of claim 20, wherein the connectors are adapted to connect the modular carpet tiles together without attaching the tiles to an underlying surface on which the tiles are positioned.

38. The installation of claim 20 wherein the sheet comprises a plastic.

39. The installation of claim 38 wherein the plastic comprises a polyolefin, a polyamide, or a polyester.

40. An installation of modular carpet, comprising:

a. rectangular carpet tiles having four corners; and

b. tile connectors positioned at only two diagonally opposed corners of at least one of the tiles, each connector comprising;

i.. a film; and

ii. a layer of adhesive located on a side of the film, wherein the layer of adhesive is capable of forming a bond with the undersides of the tiles and comprises a sufficient shear strength so that, when a connector spans adjacent edges of adjacent tiles so that the layer of adhesive contacts the undersides of the adjacent tiles, the connector prevents adjacent tiles from moving relative to the connector or each other and thereby creating gaps between the adjacent tiles after installation.

41. The installation of claim 40 wherein the film comprises a plastic.

42. The installation of claim 41 wherein the plastic is a polyolefin, a polyamide, or a polyester.

43. An installation of modular carpet tiles coupled with connectors, each connector comprising:

a. a film exhibiting a tensile strength between 160 and 270 MPa in a first direction; and

b. a layer of adhesive located on at least one side of the film, wherein the layer of adhesive is capable of bonding the film to the undersides of adjacent tiles and comprises a sufficient shear strength so that the connectors prevent adjacent tiles from moving relative to the connectors or each other and thereby creating gaps between the adjacent tiles after installation, and

wherein at least one of the connectors are positioned to span and extend along only a portion of the adjacent tile edges without abutting other connectors.

44. The installation of claim 43 wherein the film comprises material sufficiently stiff for a connector positioned partly in contact with an underside of a tile to project without support beyond the edge of the tile in roughly the same plane as the underside of the tile.

45. The installation of claim 43 wherein the film comprises material sufficiently stiff for a connector positioned with one half in contact with an underside of a tile to project without support beyond the edge of the tile in roughly the same plane as the underside of the tile.

46. The installation of claim 43, wherein each tile comprises a surface area and each connector comprises a surface area, wherein the surface area of a connector is no more than approximately 5% of the surface area of a tile.

47. The installation of claim 43, wherein at least some of the connectors comprise a surface area of approximately 9 square inches.

48. The installation of claim 43, wherein the adjacent edges of the adjacent tiles in the installation comprise a total length and wherein the connectors in the installation span up to approximately 10% of the total length of the adjacent tiles.

49. The installation of claim 43, wherein the film comprises a tensile strength of 165 to 210 MPa, inclusive, in a second direction.

50. The installation of claim 43, wherein the layer of adhesive comprises a releasable adhesive.

51. The installation of claim 43, wherein the layer of adhesive forms a bond with the undersides of the tiles, wherein the bond comprises a bond strength that permits removal and repositioning of a tile relative to a connector.

52. The installation of claim 51, wherein the bond strength is approximately 5-100 ounces/inch, inclusive.

53. The installation of claim 43, wherein the film comprises a dimension and wherein the film is capable of being stretched at least 120% of the dimension before breaking.

54. The installation of claim 53, wherein the film is capable of being stretched 120% to 200%, inclusive, of the dimension before breaking.

55. The installation of claim 43, wherein the layer of adhesive comprises a thickness of approximately 0.0005 to 0.01 inches, inclusive.

56. The installation of claim 55, wherein the thickness is approximately 0.002 to 0.008 inches, inclusive.

57. The installation of claim 43, wherein the film comprises a thickness of approximately 0.0005 to 0.015 inches, inclusive.

58. The installation of claim 43, wherein the connectors are adapted to connect the modular carpet tiles together without attaching the tiles to an underlying surface on which the tiles are positioned.