Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02568978 2007-09-06
FLOOR TILE
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a floor tile that can be installed on a
floor base without being bonded to the floor base, and more particularly, to a
flexible floor tile that is securable to similar adjacent floor tiles on a
floor
base and is conformable to surface contours and surface irregularities of the
floor base. The invention also relates to a packaging system for the floor
tile.
2. Related Prior Art
U.S. patent 1,978,075 to Butterworth discloses a wood block
flooring with a tongue and groove engagement system for securement of
similar blocks in side-by-side relationship. Since the blocks are formed of
wood they are generally rigid and inflexible, and do not easily conform to
surface contours and surface irregularities of a floor base. The woodblocks
are also secured to a floor base using mastic or nailing.
U.S. patent 2,914,815 to Alexander shows an interlocked
flooring system wherein individual blocks have offset base members formed
of plywood. The plywood base members are laminated to the blocks and
permit securement of similar blocks in side-by-side arrangement. The
plywood base members are also generally rigid and inflexible. Thus the
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blocks do not easily conform to surface contours and surface irregularities of
a floor base.
U.S. patent 3,554,850 to Kuhle shows parquet flooring with
projecting parts for side-by-side securement of similar parquet sections. The
parquet flooring is generally rigid and inflexible and thus cannot easily
conform to surface contours and surface irregularities of a floor base.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
In the accompanying drawings,
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a floor tile incorporating one
embodiment of the present invention;
Fig. 2 is a perspective view of an assembly pattern thereof;
Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;
Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2;
Fig. 5 is a sectional view thereof on a floor base;
Fig. 6 is a perspective view showing the flexibility
characteristics of the floor tile;
Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a floor tile incorporating another
embodiment of the invention;
Fig. 8 is a perspective view of an assembly pattern thereof;
Fig. 9 is a sectional view taken on the line 9-9 of Fig. 8;
Fig. 10 is a sectional view taken on the line 10-10 of Fig. 8;
Fig. 11 is a sectional view thereof on a floor base;
Figs. 12-14 are perspective views of a packaging system for
the floor tile incorporating another embodiment of the invention, before,
during and after installation in a floor tile;
Fig. 15 is a plan view of the packaging system packaging device; and,
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Fig. 16 is a perspective view of a floor tile incorporating a
further embodiment of the invention.
Corresponding reference numbers indicate corresponding parts
throughout the several views of the drawings.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Referring to the drawings, a floor tile incorporating a preferred
embodiment of the invention is generally indicated by the reference number
10 in Fig. 1.
The floor tile 10 is a laminate of a top layer 14 of flexible
plastic sheet material, a middle layer 16 of flexible plastic sheet material
and
a bottom layer 18 of flexible foam material. All of the layers 14, 16 and 18
are of identical square size and shape.
The top layer 14 and the middle layer 16 are preferably formed
of a synthetic plastic material, preferably a vinyl plastic material such as
polyvinyl chloride sheeting material. An upper surface 24 of the top layer
14 is provided with a design such as a synthetic wood grain design (Fig. 6)
that resembles natural wood. The bottom layer 18 is formed of a soft
flexible foam material such as polyurethane foam.
The middle plastic layer 16 and bottom foam layer 18 are
laminated together such that they are coextensive and have a common
periphery. However the top plastic layer 14 is laminated to the middle
plastic layer 16 such that the top layer 14 is offset from the middle layer
16.
In the offset layer arrangement a side edge 26 (Fig. 1) of the
top layer 14 extends an offset amount "a" beyond a corresponding side edge
32 of the middle layer 16 and another side edge 34 of the top layer 14,
perpendicular to the side edge 26, extends an offset amount "a" beyond a
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corresponding side edge 40 of the middle layer 16 to define an offset L-
shaped marginal section 42 of the top layer 14.
Also in the offset layer arrangement a side edge 46 (Fig. 1) of
the middle layer 16 extends an offset amount "a" beyond a corresponding
side edge 48 of the top layer 14, and another side edge 50 of the middle layer
16 perpendicular to the side edge 46, extends an offset amount "a" beyond a
corresponding side edge 56 of the top layer 14 to define an offset L-shaped
marginal section 58 of the middle layer 16.
The L-shaped marginal section 42 of the top layer 14 and the
L-shaped marginal section 58 of the middle layer 16 are of identical size and
shape.
A suitable bonding or adhesive composition for laminating the
top plastic layer 14 and middle plastic layer 16 together has the following
components, the amounts of which are approximate:
a) 35% SIS (styrene-isoprene-styrene elastomer)
b) 54.5% petroleum resin
c) 10% mineral oil
d) 0.05% oxidation resistant BHT (2,6-di-tert-butyl-p-cresol)
The bonding material for the layers 14 and 16 is provided on a
lower surface 64 (Fig. 3) of the top plastic layer 14 and on an upper surface
66 of the middle plastic layer 16.
The same bonding material applied to the lower surface 64 and
the upper surface 66 for laminating top plastic layer 14 and the middle
plastic layer 16 can also be used for laminating the bottom foam layer 18 to
the middle plastic layer 16.
The L-shaped marginal section 42 has a downwardly directed
adhesive surface 72 (Fig. 1) that is part of the lower surface 64 (Fig. 3) of
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the top layer 14 and the L-shaped marginal section 58 has an upwardly
directed adhesive surface 74 (Fig. 1) that is part of the upper surface 66
(Fig.
3) of the middle layer 16. The adhesive on the exposed adhesive surfaces 72
and 74 is the bonding material used for laminating the top plastic layer 14
and the middle plastic layer 16 together.
Although the dimensions of the floor tile 10 are a matter of
choice, a suitable size for the top layer 14, the middle layer 16 and the
bottom
layer 18 can be for example, 12 inches by 12 inches. Smaller or larger size
square tiles are a matter of choice. The thickness of the top layer 14 can be,
for example, approximately 2.0 mm and the thickness of the middle layer 16
can be, for example, approximately 2.5 mm. The thickness of the bottom
foam layer 18 can be, for example, approximately 3 mm. The marginal offset
"a" can be, for example, approximately 3/4 of an inch. Larger offsets can be
provided for larger tiles.
The floor tile 10 is sufficiently flexible, as schematically
indicated in Fig. 6, to conform to typical variations in surface contour of a
floor base 102 (Fig. 5) upon which the floor tile 10 is laid. In addition, the
flexible foam material of the bottom layer 18 is yieldable to small bumps
and other imperfections in the floor base 102 generally referred to as surface
irregularities. The bottom foam layer 18 thus enables the floor tile 10 to
conform to such surface irregularities and lie flat on the floor base 102.
During installation of the floor tiles 10 in side-by-side and end-
to-end relationship, the downwardly directed adhesive surface 72
(Fig. 1) of the L-shaped marginal section 42 of the top layer 14 is positioned
to engage the upwardly directed adhesive surface 74 of the L-shaped
marginal section 58 of the middle layer 16 to form the assembly 80 of the
floor tiles 10 as shown in Fig. 2. When placing two of the tiles 10 together,
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one of the tiles 10 can be angled at approximately 45 degrees (not shown)
with respect to the floor base 102 and onto the corresponding upwardly
facing adhesive surface 74 (Fig. 1) of an adjacent floor tile 10.
The floor tile assembly pattern 80 (Fig. 2) is but one example
of numerous possible tile patterns known in the art.
The floor tiles 10 can be installed on the floor base 102 (Fig. 5)
without mastic or an adhesive coating on the floor base 102, and without
mastic or adhesive on an undersurface 88 (Fig. 3) of the bottom foam layer
18. Thus during installation, the floor tiles 10 can be placed on a dry floor
base surface 102 for easy shifting to any selected position, thereby
facilitating installation of the floor tiles 10 in any desired pattern.
Preferably the installation of floor tiles 10 should start in a
corner of a room (not shown) and proceed outwardly therefrom. An
expansion gap of '/a inch for example, from each wall is generally suitable
for most installations. The expansion gap is usually covered by molding. It
has also been found helpful to provide double faced tape on the first row of
floor tiles 10 to help maintain the first row in place during the positioning
of
adjacent floor tiles 10.
The top layer 14, the middle layer 16 and the bottom layer 18
of the floor tile 10 are provided with an overall thickness that enables the
floor tile 10 to be easily cut with a utility knife, if trimming is needed.
Ease
of trimming the floor tile 10 and the mastic free placement of the tiles 10 on
a floor base 102 make it convenient for a do-it-yourselfer to install the
floor
tiles 10.
Another embodiment of the floor tile is generally indicated by
the reference number 100 in Fig. 7.
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The floor tile 100 is a laminate of the top layer 14 and the
middle layer 16 of the floor tile 10, with the bottom foam layer 18 being
omitted. The layers 14 and 16 are laminated together with marginal offsets
"a" as previously described with respect to the floor tile 10.
The floor tile 100 thus includes identical L-shaped marginal
sections 42 and 58 with identical offsets "a".
In installing the floor tile 100 on a floor base 102 (Fig. 11), a
lower surface 104 of the layer 16 can be free of any mastic or adhesive
covering and placed in direct contact with the floor base 102. The floor base
102 can also remain free of any mastic or adhesive covering. Installation of
the floor tiles 100 in a tile assembly pattern I 10 (Fig. 8) is accomplished
in a
manner similar to that previously described for the installation of the floor
tile 10 in the tile assembly pattern 80 (Fig. 2).
The lower surface 104 (Figs. 9 and 10) of the layer 16 which
contacts the floor base 102 (Fig. 11) is yieldable to surface irregularities
of
the floor base 102 and thus enables the floor tile 100 to conform to such
surface irregularities and lie flat on the floor base 102, as shown in Fig.
11.
A packaging system for the floor tile is generally indicated by
the reference number 120 in Fig. 12.
The packaging system 120 will be described in connection
with the floor tile 10 but is equally applicable to the floor tile 100.
The packaging system 120 includes a one-piece packaging
device 122 (Fig. 15) preferably of generally square shape and formed of any
suitable known flexible release material such as release paper or releasable
plastic that is of a paper thin gauge. A suitable release material is silicone
coated paper or equivalent release material.
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The packaging device 122 (Fig. 15) has a square outer
periphery defined by opposite side portions 128, 130 and 136 and 138. The
packaging device 122 also has a square inner periphery defined by opposite
side portions 144, 146 and 152 and 154. The distance between the outer
peripheral side portions 128, 130, 136 and 138 and the corresponding inner
peripheral side portions 144, 146, 152 and 154 is approximately equivalent
to the marginal offset "a" of the L-shaped marginal sections 42 and 58.
The length of the outer sides 128, 130, 136 and 138 of the
device 122 (Fig. 15) is at least equal to the length of any of the side edges
26, 34, 48, 56 and 32, 40, 46, 50 (Fig. 1) of the layers 14 and 16 plus the
marginal offset "a" of the L-shaped marginal sections 42 and 58.
The length of the inner sides 144, 146, 152 and 154 of the
device 122 (Fig. 15) is approximately equivalent to the length of any of the
side edges 26, 34, 48, 56, and 32, 40, 46, 50 (Fig. 1) of the layers 14 and 16
minus the marginal offset "a".
The following reference identifications can be made for the tile
10 and the packaging device 122;
A = the length of any of the side edges 26, 34, 48, 58
and 32, 40, 46, 50 of the layers 14 and 16
C = the length of any of the outer sides 128, 130, 136
and 138 of the device 122
E = the length of any of the inner sides 144, 146 152 and
154 of the device 122
a = the marginal offset of the L-shaped marginal
portions 42 and 58
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The following relationships between the tile 10 and the
packaging device 122 can be expressed in terms of the previous reference
identifications as follows,
C=A+a
E=A-a
The packaging device 122 is assembled to the floor tile 10 in
the manner shown in Figs. 12, 13 and 14. Thus two intersecting sides 160
and 162 (Figs. 12 and 15) of the device 122 are placed against the
downwardly exposed adhesive surface 72 (Figs. 1 and 12) of the L-shaped
marginal section 42 as shown in Fig. 13, and the remaining two intersecting
sides 168, 170 (Figs. 12 and 15) of the packaging device 122 are placed
against the upward exposed adhesive surface 74 (Fig. 1) of the L-shaped
marginal section 58.
Under this arrangement the inner side portion 144 of the
device 122 is placed against the side edge 32 of the middle layer 16 and the
inner side portion 154 of the device 122 is placed against the edge 40 of the
middle layer 16. The sides 160 and 162 of the device 122 can thus contact
and cover the downwardly exposed adhesive surface 72 of the L-shaped
marginal portion 42, as shown in Fig. 13.
After the sides 160 and 162 of the device 122 have been
positioned against the downwardly exposed adhesive surface 72 of the L-
shaped marginal section 42 the intersecting sides 168 and 170 of the device
122 are moved forward and against the upwardly exposed adhesive surface
74 of the L-shaped marginal section 58 as shown in Figs. 13 and 14. The
inner side portion 146 of the device 122 (Fig. 12) is thus placed against the
side edge portion 48 of the top layer 14 and the inner side portion 152 of the
device 122 is placed against the side edge portion 56 of the top layer 14.
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The device 122 can be stretched slightly, if needed, to
accomplish the positioning of the sides 160 and 162 of the device 122
against the downwardly exposed adhesive surface 72 and the positioning of
the sides 168 and 170 of the device 122 against the upwardly exposed
adhesive surface 74.
In this manner the one piece packaging device 122, preferably
of closed square periphery, covers all the exposed adhesive surfaces of both
L-shaped marginal sections 42 and 58 even though the panel 10 includes one
L-shaped marginal section 42 with a downwardly exposed adhesive surface
72 (Fig. 1) and the other L-shaped marginal section 58 has an upwardly
exposed adhesive surface 74.
Thus all exposed adhesive surfaces of the floor tile 10, even
though they face in opposite directions at different peripheral sections of
the
tile 10 can be covered and protected with a one piece packaging device 122
until such tiles are ready for installation. The packaging device 122 when
installed on each of the tiles 10 before such tiles are ready for use permits
the floor tiles 10 to be stacked one on top of another (not shown) without
one tile 10 adhering to another tile 10. The tiles 10 can be stacked for
packaging or for display purposes.
A further and preferred embodiment of the floor tile is
generally indicated by the reference number 180 in Fig. 16.
The floor tile 180 includes all components of the floor tile 10,
with the same marginal offsets as previously described, plus an underlayer
182 of flexible fibrous sheet material sandwiched between the top layer 14
and the middle layer 16. The underlayer 182 provides enhanced
dimensional stability to the floor tile 180.
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The top layer 14 and the underlayer 182 are coextensive and
have a common periphery. Preferably the underlayer 182 is formed of a
non-woven glass fiber material such as fiberglass, having a thickness of
approximately 0.2 mm.
The top layer 14 and the underlayer 182 are bonded to the
middle layer 16 in offset relationship such that floor tile 180 includes the
identical L-shaped marginal sections 42 and 58 with identical offsets "a" as
previously described for the floor tile 10. The marginal section 42 has the
downwardly exposed adhesive surface 72 on the underlayer 182 and the
marginal section 58 has the upwardly exposed adhesive surface 74 on the
middle layer 16.
The adhesive on the exposed surfaces 72 and 74 is the same
adhesive used in the floor tile 10 to bond the top layer 14 to the middle
layer
16. Thus the same adhesive is used to bond the underlayer 182 to the top
layer 14 and to the middle layer 16, and to bond the middle layer 16 to the
bottom layer 18.
The floor tile 180 is installed on a floor in a manner similar to
that previously described for the floor tile 10.
As various changes can be made in the above constructions
and methods without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended
that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the
accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a
limiting sense.
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