Methods for installing modular tiles on a flooring surface

• US 9,085,902 B2
• Filed: 06/06/2013
• Issued: 07/21/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/15/2002
• 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., Cochran, Craig
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Chi Q
• Application Number:
  US13/911,264
• Publication Number:
  US 20130263553A1
• Time in Patent Office: 775 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: 1/1
• 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. 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.

Claims

1. A method for installing modular tiles on a flooring surface comprising:

providing a connector comprising a film with adhesive on a first side;

placing a first tile in or near a desired installation position for the first tile on the flooring surface with an underside of the first tile resting on the flooring surface;

lifting a portion of the first tile using a first hand;

attaching the connector to the underside of the portion of the first tile using a second hand, wherein a first portion of the adhesive on the first side of the film of the connector adheres to the underside of the portion of the first tile and an exposed portion of the connector extends beyond at least one edge of the tile, wherein each side of the connector has a surface area that is no more than approximately 5% of the surface area of the first tile; and

placing a second tile having an underside in or near a desired installation position for the second tile on the flooring surface adjacent to the first tile and on top of at least a part of the exposed portion of the connector so that a second portion of the adhesive on the first side of the film of the connector adheres to the underside of the second tile; and

wherein the connector extends along less than entire adjacent edges between the first tile and the second tile without abutting another connector, and wherein the adhesive forms a bond between the film and the undersides of the first tile and the second tile and has a sufficient shear strength to prevent the first tile and the second tile from moving relative to the connector or each other thereby creating gaps between the first tile and the second tile after installation.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the lifted portion of the first tile is a corner.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the connector does not adhere the first and second tiles to the flooring surface on which the first and second tiles are positioned.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the surface area of each side of the connector is approximately 9 inches square.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the film comprises a plastic material sufficiently stiff for the connector to project beyond the at least one edge of the first tile in roughly the same plane as the underside of the first tile.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the plastic material comprises a polyolefin, a polyamide, or a polyester.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the adhesive comprises a releasable adhesive.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the adhesive is plasticizer resistant.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the first and second tiles are carpet tiles.

10. A method for installing modular tiles on a flooring surface comprising:

placing a first carpet tile in or near its desired installation position on the flooring surface with an underside of the carpet tile resting on the flooring surface;

lifting a portion of the carpet tile at an edge of the carpet tile;

attaching a carpet tile connector adhesive side up to the lifted portion of the carpet tile such that an exposed portion of the connector extends beyond the edge of the tile, wherein each side of the carpet tile connector has a surface area that is no more than approximately 5% of the surface area of the first tile; and

placing a second carpet tile adjacent the first carpet tile to attach an underside of the second carpet tile to the exposed portion of the connector; and

wherein the carpet tile connector extends along less than entire adjacent edges between the first carpet tile and the second carpet tile without abutting another connector, and wherein a layer of adhesive on the carpet tile connector forms a bond between the film and the undersides of the first carpet tile and the second carpet tile and has a sufficient shear strength to prevent the first carpet tile and the second carpet tile from moving relative to the connector or each other thereby creating gaps between the first carpet tile and the second carpet tile after installation.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the lifted portion is a corner.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein the carpet tile connector does not adhere the first and second carpet tiles to the flooring surface on which the first and second carpet tiles are positioned.

13. The method of claim 10 wherein the surface area of each side of the carpet tile connector is approximately 9 inches square.

14. The method of claim 10 wherein the film comprises a plastic material sufficiently stiff for the carpet tile connector to project beyond the edge of the first carpet tile in roughly the same plane as the underside of the first carpet tile.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the plastic material comprises a polyolefin, a polyamide, or a polyester.

16. The method of claim 10 wherein the layer of adhesive comprises a releasable adhesive.

17. The method of claim 10 wherein the adhesive is plasticizer resistant.