Interlocking Tile

Abstract

An interlocking tile is used to form a floor with adjacent tiles each tile preferably has four sides with first interlocks on the first and second sides and second interlocks on the third and fourth side. The tile can interlock with adjacent tiles as long as the interlocking sides are parallel. The tiles can interlock even when they are aligned with one another in only one direction.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to interlocking tile used to form a floor and, more particularly, to interlocking tile having an interlocks that are sized and shaped to interlock with tiles that are aligned with each other in one direction or two directions.

2. Description of the Prior Art

It is known to have floor tiles that interlock with one another. However, previous floor tiles can only interlock when two interlocking tiles are aligned with one another in two directions. Previous interlocking tiles can only interlock when the two tiles that are to interlock with one another are precisely positioned in alignment relative to one another in two directions or an upper surface of the interlocked tiles does not lie in one horizontal plane, or the tiles are too expensive, or the tiles are too difficult to lock or interlock, or the interlocks break easily or too much labour input is required to install the tiles.

Some previous tiles can slip out of the interlocking relationship too easily. When tiles must be aligned with one another in two directions in order to be interlocked to one another, a great deal of time is required in order to lay the tiles to form a floor as very precise work is required in order to align the tiles in two directions. Also, when the tiles must be aligned in two directions in order to interlock properly, when the alignment is slightly off, the tiles can become progressively more misaligned as each tile is laid. Sometimes, tiles previously laid must be taken apart from one another and reinstalled in order to improve the alignment.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide a tile of at least three sides, and preferably four sides, that interlocks with adjacent tiles to form a floor. It is a further object of the present invention to provide a tile that interlocks with adjacent tiles to provide a floor with a continuous horizontal upper surface except for narrow cracks between tiles. It is still a further object of the present invention to provide an interlocking tile that interlocks with adjacent tiles as long as the tile is aligned with adjacent tiles in at least one direction.

An interlocking tile is used in forming a floor with other interlocking tiles. The tile comprises at least three sides and has an upper surface. A first side has a first interlock extending downward therefrom from the upper surface. The first side and the second side of the at least three sides are adjacent to one another. A second side has a second interlock extending outward beyond a footprint of the upper surface. The second interlock extends upward, the first interlock and the second interlock each having a contact face that lies in a vertical plane parallel to the first and second sides respectively.

An interlocking tile is used in a floor with other interlocking tiles. The tile comprises an upper surface, bottom and four sides. Two adjacent sides of the four sides have first interlocks thereon and two adjacent sides of the four sides have second interlocks thereon. The first interlocks are sized and shaped to interlock with second interlocks on adjacent tiles of the other interlocking tiles. The interlocks extend substantially along a length of one side. The interlocks are capable of interlocking with one another when the tiles are aligned in one direction.

A plurality of interlocking tiles are used in forming a floor, the tiles being sized and shaped to interlock with one another. Each tile has four sides and an upper surface. The first side and the second side of the four sides are adjacent to one another and each has a first interlock thereon. The first interlock extends downward from the upper surface. A third side and fourth side is adjacent to one another and opposite to the first and second side respectively. The third and fourth side each has a second interlock thereon. There are two second interlocks, the second interlocks extending outward beyond a footprint of the upper surface. The second interlocks extend upward. There are two first interlocks and two second interlocks, the interlocks each having a contact face that lies in a vertical plane parallel to that side where each interlock is located. The first and second interlocks correspond to one another so that the first interlock of one tile interlocks with the second interlock of another tile and so on to form a floor.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an interlocking tile when viewed from a top;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an interlocking tile when viewed from a bottom;

FIG. 3 is a top view of an interlocking tile;

FIG. 4 is a bottom view of an interlocking tile;

FIG. 5 is a side view of an interlocking tile showing a first interlock;

FIG. 6 is a side view of an interlocking tile showing a second interlock;

FIG. 7 is a schematic top view of part of a floor formed from a plurality of tiles in which the tiles are aligned with one another in two directions; and

FIG. 8 is a schematic top view of part of a floor formed from a plurality of tiles where the tiles are aligned with one another in one direction.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

In FIG. 1, an interlocking tile 2 has an upper surface 4 and four sides, being a first side 6, a second side 8, a third side 10 and fourth side 12. A first interlock 14 extends from each of the first and second sides 6, 8. A second interlock 16 extends from each of the third and fourth sides 10, 12. The first interlock 14 extends downward from the sides 6, 8. The second interlock 16 extends outward from the sides 10, 12 and upward, the second interlock being affixed to the third and fourth sides 10, 12 by a plurality of tabs 18.

In FIG. 2, the same reference numerals are used as those used in FIG. 1 for those components that are identical. It can be seen that the interlocking tile 2 is not only upside down in FIG. 2, but is oriented differently with the first side 6 and fourth side 12 located toward a front of the drawing and the second side 8 and third side 10 oriented toward a rear of the drawing. A bottom 20 has a plurality of posts 22. The posts are interconnected by a plurality of arc shaped connectors 24. The connectors 24 extend parallel to the first and third sides 6, 10, parallel to the second and fourth sides 8, 12 as well as diagonally. The connectors 24 add strength to the tile 2 to support the upper surface 4 (not shown in FIG. 2). In addition, there are three rectangular shaped supports 25 extending diagonally through the tile 2 in one direction, approximately equidistant from one another. Numerous variations can be made to the design of the bottom of the tile. For example, more or fewer than four cylindrical supports 26 can be used. The rectangular supports 25 can extend in two directions, 90 degrees apart from one another or they can be eliminated entirely. It can be seen that there are four main cylindrical supports 26, there being one cylindrical support 26 located in each quadrant of the tile at a point of intersection of the rectangular shaped supports 25.

From FIGS. 1 and 2, it can be seen that the second interlocks 16 have a gap 28 located at a mid point thereof along each of the third and fourth sides 10, 12. The tile 2 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is preferably a twelve inch square tile. Such a tile can be designed with a different support structure on the bottom and/or can have the second interlocks extending along the third and fourth sides with the gap 28 eliminated. The support structure can vary, for example, for smaller tiles, the rectangular diagonal supports 24 can be eliminated. Smaller tiles can also have the cylindrical supports 26 eliminated in the four quadrants but can have one cylindrical support 26 located at a centre of the tile. The arc shaped supports eliminate material and make the tile lighter without significantly reducing the strength of the tile in a vertical direction.

In FIGS. 3 and 4, there is shown a top view and bottom view respectively of the tile 2. The same reference numerals are used in FIGS. 3 and 4 as those used in FIGS. 1 and 2 to describe those components that are identical. The first interlocks 14 have a contact surface 30 that extends along the first and second sides 6, 8 in a direction parallel to those sides respectively. The second interlocks 16 have a contact surface 32 that extends along the third and fourth sides 10, 12 in a direction that is parallel to each of those sides. The first interlocks correspond to the second interlocks so that a first interlock on one tile can interlock with a second interlock on another tile (only one tile is shown). The tiles interlock with one another to form a floor. One tile, with four exposed sides, can have a minimum of four adjacent tiles interlocked to that one tile. Preferably, the tiles interlock in such a manner that there is a line of contact between adjacent sides of adjacent tiles and the upper surface of two or more adjacent tiles is substantially continuous and interrupted only by the line of contact. The first and second interlocks are sized and shaped so that adjacent tiles need only be aligned with a first tile in one direction. In other words, in order for two tiles to fit together, the tiles must be parallel to one another, but one tile could have two tiles interlocked with the one tile along the same side. While the tiles fit tightly together, except for that tight fit and any obstruction caused by other tiles, two interlocked tiles can be forced to slide relative to one another along the line of contact while the two tiles remain in an interlocked position. Therefore, when laying the tiles and particularly when the tiles are all of the same colour, an installer does not have to be concerned if the tiles are not aligned in two directions, as long as the tiles are aligned in one direction.

In FIGS. 5 and 6, the same reference numerals are used as those used in FIGS. 1 to 4 for those components that are identical. In FIG. 5, the tile 2 is oriented with the first side 6 towards the front of the drawing. The second side 8 is located on the right and the fourth side 12 is located on the left. The first side 6 has the first interlock 14 located thereon and the second side 8 has the first interlock 14 located thereon. The first interlocks 14 have the contact face 30. The third side 12 has the second interlock 16 extending outward and then upward therefrom. The second interlock has the contact face 32 located therein. The first and second sides 6, 8 each have an inner wall 34 located just inside each of the sides 6, 8. The inner walls 34 have a plurality of vertical ribs 36 located thereon to add strength to the sidewalls 34. It can be seen that the first interlock 14 and the second interlock 16 each have a U-shaped cross section and are sized so that the first interlock from one tile can fit within the second interlock on an adjacent tile and vice-versa.

In FIG. 6, the tile 2 is oriented so that the third side 10 faces the front of the drawing. The second side 8 is located along the right hand side and the fourth side 12 is located along the left hand side of the drawing. The third side 10 has the second interlock 16 located thereon and the second side 8 has the first interlock 14 located thereon. The second interlock 16 is also located along the fourth side 12. The same reference numerals are used in FIG. 6 as those used in FIG. 5 to describe those components that are identical.

In FIG. 7, there is shown a schematic top view of part of a floor formed from nine tiles 2 where the first interlock 14 of one tile interlocks with the second interlock 16 of the adjacent tile. Tiles 2 in FIG. 7 are aligned with one another in two directions.

In FIG. 8, the same reference numerals are used as those used in FIG. 7 for those components that are identical. There are seven tiles shown in FIG. 8 and the tiles are aligned in one direction, but misaligned in a second direction. It can be seen that the two tiles in each of the outside rows 40 is misaligned from left to right with the center row 42.

Claims

1. An interlocking tile for use in a floor having several tiles, said tile interlocking with one or more adjacent tiles, said tile comprising an upper surface, a bottom and four sides, two adjacent sides of said four sides having first interlocks thereon and two remaining adjacent sides of said four sides having second interlocks thereon, said first interlocks being shaped to interlock with second interlocks on said adjacent tiles, said second interlocks being shaped to interlock with first interlocks on adjacent tiles, said first interlocks extending downward from said upper surface, said second interlocks extending upward beyond a footprint of said upper surface, said first and second interlocks being shaped so that said tile can interlock with one or more adjacent tiles when the adjacent tiles are aligned in one direction with said tile.

2. An interlocking tile for use in a floor with other interlocking tiles, said tile comprising an upper surface, bottom and four sides, two adjacent sides of said four sides having first interlocks thereon and two adjacent sides of said four sides having second interlocks thereon, said first interlocks being sized and shaped to interlock with second interlocks on adjacent tiles and said second interlocks being sized and shaped to interlock with first interlocks on adjacent tiles, said interlocks extending substantially along a length of one side, said interlocks being capable of interlocking with one another when said tiles are aligned in one direction.

3. An interlocking tile as claimed in claim 2 wherein a side of said tile that interlocks with an adjacent tile is parallel to said adjacent tile.

4. An interlocking tile for use in forming a floor with other interlocking tiles, said tile comprising at least three sides with the first side and the second side of said at least three sides being adjacent to one another, said tile having an upper surface, a first side having a first interlock thereon extending downward from said upper surface, a second side having a second interlock extending outward beyond a footprint of said upper surface, said second interlock extending upward, said first interlock and said second interlock each having a contact face that lies in a vertical plane parallel to said first and second sides respectively.

5. A plurality of interlocking tiles for use in forming a floor, said tiles being sized and shaped to interlock with one another, each tile having four sides and an upper surface, a first side and a second side of said four sides being adjacent to one another and each having a first interlock thereon, said first interlock extending downward from said upper surface, a third side and fourth side being adjacent to one another and opposite to said first and second side respectively, said third and fourth side each having a second interlock thereon, there being two second interlocks, said second interlocks extending outward beyond a footprint of said upper surface, said second interlocks extending upward, there being two first interlocks and two second interlocks, said interlocks each having a contact face that lies in a vertical plane parallel to that side where each interlock is located, said first and second interlocks corresponding to one another so that the first interlock of one tile interlocks with the second interlock of another tile and so on to form a floor.

6. A plurality of interlocking tiles as claimed in claim 5 wherein one first interlock of a first tile interlocks with a second interlock of a second tile and another first interlock of said first tile interlocks with a second interlock of a third tile and so on to form said floor.

7. A plurality of interlocking tiles as claimed in claim 4 wherein said tile has a bottom surface, said bottom surface having a plurality of legs thereon, with ribs extending between adjacent legs, said ribs being arc-shaped