System and method for floor covering installation

• US 7,757,457 B2
• Filed: 03/27/2008
• Issued: 07/20/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/15/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Interface Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Interface Incorporated
• Inventors: Bradley, Horace Eddie Jr., Gray, Keith N., Zah, Chung-Hsien, Hensler, Connie D., Fezer, Susan F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chilcot, Jr.; Richard E
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen; Chi Q
• Application Number:
  US12/056,916
• Publication Number:
  US 20080213529A1
• Time in Patent Office: 845 Days
• Field of Search: 525/15, 525/16, 523/85, 523/91, 527/450.5, 527/471.1, 156/298, 428/97, 340/944, 340/539
• US Class Current: 52/747.11
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 27/0475 Laying carpet tiles
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 27/0481 Connecting means therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2401/21 Electrical or magnetic properties, e.g. conductivity or resistance
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2701/1922 for covering surfaces such as carpets, roads, roofs or walls
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 37/005 Hand-held apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: C09J 2203/314 for carpets
• CPC Class Codes: C09J 7/22 Plastics; Metallised plastics
• CPC Class Codes: C09J 7/38 Pressure-sensitive adhesives [PSA]
• 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: G01S 1/68 Marker, boundary, call-sign, or like beacons transmitting signals not carrying directional information
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0027 of actual mobile position, i.e. position determined on mobile
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/109 Embedding of laminae within face of additional laminae
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/16 Two dimensionally sectional layer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/23993 Composition of pile or adhesive
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2848 Three or more layers

Abstract

Connectors for joining adjacent modular floor covering units. Embodiments of the connectors include a film and an adhesive layer coated on one side of the film. The connectors can have a conductive component that allows electrical continuity to be maintained between adjacent tiles. In yet another embodiment, the connectors can be equipped as radio frequency identification tags by including radio frequency transponders. 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. One or more 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 an 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. Additionally, the tiles need not be installed directly on the floor surface. Rather, an underlayment, such as a film or cushion or cushion composite, may be positioned on the floor surface prior to the installation of tiles.

Claims

1. A connector for connecting modular tiles, each tile having an underside, the connector comprising:

a. a film;

b. a radio frequency transponder attached to the film; and

c. an adhesive on a side of said film, wherein the 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 adhesive contacts the undersides of the adjacent tiles, the adhesive prevents relative movement between the adjacent tiles.

2. The connector of claim 1, wherein the radio frequency transponder is imprinted on the film.

3. The connector of claim 1, wherein the radio frequency transponder is inlayed in the film.

4. A floorcovering installation comprising:

a. a plurality of tiles, each tile having an underside and edges, positioned on a flooring surface; and

b. connectors positioned to span adjacent edges of at least some adjacent tiles, the connectors comprising;

i. a film;

ii. a radio frequency transponder attached to the film; and

iii. an adhesive on a side of said film, wherein the adhesive contacts the undersides of the at least some adjacent tiles.

5. The floorcovering installation of claim 4, wherein one of the connectors spans adjacent corners of two or more tiles.

6. The floorcovering installation of claim 4, wherein one of the connectors spans adjacent corners of four tiles.

7. The floorcovering installation of claim 4, wherein one of the connectors spans less than all intersections at which corners of four adjacent tiles meet.

8. The floorcovering installation of claim 4, wherein one of the connectors spans each intersection at which corners of four adjacent tiles meet.

9. The floorcovering installation of claim 4, wherein the connectors positioned to span adjacent edges of at least some adjacent tiles are spaced from one another to form a regularly spaced array.

10. A method of covering a floor, the method comprising:

a. positioning a plurality of tiles adjacent to one another on a flooring surface, each tile having an underside and edges; and

b. positioning connectors to span adjacent edges of at least some adjacent tiles, the connectors comprising;

(i) a film;

(ii) and a radio frequency transponder adjacent to the film, and (iii) an adhesive on a side of said film;

wherein the adhesive contacts the undersides of the at least some adjacent tiles.

11. The method of covering a floor of claim 10 wherein positioning connectors to span adjacent edges of at least some adjacent tiles further comprises positioning at least some of the connectors to span adjacent corners of two or more tiles.

12. The method of covering a floor of claim 10 wherein positioning connectors to span adjacent edges of at least some adjacent tiles further comprises positioning at least some of the connectors to span adjacent corners of four tiles.

13. The method of covering a floor of claim 10 wherein positioning connectors to span adjacent edges of at least some adjacent tiles further comprises positioning at least some of the connectors to span each of some intersections at which corners of four adjacent tiles meet.

14. The method of covering a floor of claim 10 wherein positioning connectors to span adjacent edges of at least some adjacent tiles further comprises positioning at least some of the connectors to span each intersection at which corners of four adjacent tiles meet.

15. The method of covering a floor of claim 10 wherein positioning connectors to span adjacent edges of at least some adjacent tiles further comprises spacing at least some of the connectors from one another to form a grid.

16. The method claim 10 wherein a radio frequency transponder of one of the connectors operates using a different frequency than a radio frequency transponder on another of the connectors.

17. The method claim 10 wherein each of the connectors comprises multiple radio frequency transponders operating at different frequencies.

18. A method for installing radio frequency transponders in a building, the method comprising:

(a) positioning a plurality of floorcovering tiles adjacent to one another on a floor surface in the building, each tile having an underside, edges and corners; and

(b) positioning, under juxtaposed tile corners of the tiles, radio frequency transponder assemblies comprising;

(i) a film;

(ii) a radio frequency transponder adjacent to the film; and

(iii) an adhesive on a side of said film,

wherein the adhesive contacts the undersides of the at least some adjacent tiles.

19. A method for installing a planar array of regularly spaced radio frequency transponders in a building, the method comprising:

(a) positioning a plurality of floorcovering tiles adjacent to one another on a floor surface in the building, each tile having an underside, edges and corners; and

(b) positioning, under and proximate regularly spaced, juxtaposed tile corners of the tiles, radio frequency transponder assemblies comprising;

(i) a film;

(ii) a radio frequency transponder attached to the film; and

(iii) an adhesive on a side of said film,

wherein the adhesive contacts the undersides of the at least some adjacent tiles.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the radio frequency transponder assemblies are positioned proximate all locations having four juxtaposed corners.

21. The method of claim 19 wherein the radio frequency transponder assemblies are positioned proximate fewer than all locations having four juxtaposed corners.