Patents by Inventor Michael E. Buckwalter
Michael E. Buckwalter has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Patent number: 10024065Abstract: A floor panel and a floating floor system incorporating the floor panel include a floor panel having a top layer and a bottom layer. The top layer has a top surface and a bottom surface. The top surface has a visible decorative pattern. The bottom layer has a top surface and a bottom surface. The top surface of the bottom layer is adhered to the bottom surface of the top layer such that the bottom layer is offset from the top layer in a direction of length and width and a marginal end portion of the top surface of the bottom layer and a marginal end portion of the bottom surface of the top layer is exposed. At least one of the marginal end portions has an adhesive, and a ratio of a thickness of the top layer to a thickness of the bottom layer is about 5 or greater.Type: GrantFiled: March 27, 2009Date of Patent: July 17, 2018Assignee: AFI Licensing LLCInventors: Richard H. Balmer, John R. Eshbach, Jr., Kean M. Anspach, Heath Harrington, Michael E. Buckwalter, Brent L. Stoll
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Publication number: 20160123018Abstract: Described herein is a method of installing a flooring system overlying a subfloor comprising laying a plurality of liners having a grid pattern printed thereon on the subfloor such that longitudinal edge portions of adjacent liners are adjacent or overlapping; and adhering a plurality of tiles to the liners with an adhesive such that the tiles are substantially aligned with the grid pattern, and edges of adjacent tiles substantially abut, whereby some of the tiles overlie the longitudinal edge portions of at least two of the adjacent liners and are adhered thereto.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 13, 2016Publication date: May 5, 2016Inventors: LYNN M. WISE, JAMES F. MATHIS, KEAN M. ANSPACH, JOHN R. ESHBACH, MICHAEL E. BUCKWALTER, CHARLES H. HINES
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Patent number: 9290952Abstract: A transition strip is used to install, replace, and repair a floor panel in a floating floor system in accordance with the invention. The transition strip may be a film or tape that may comprise plastic, vinyl, polyvinyl chloride, polyester, polyolefin, or nylon.Type: GrantFiled: June 27, 2014Date of Patent: March 22, 2016Assignee: AWI Licensing CompanyInventors: Michael E. Buckwalter, Michael T. Pham
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Patent number: 9249583Abstract: An easy-to-install and remove flooring system comprises three components: 1) a plurality of rolled-out liners, 2) a plurality of tiles, particularly resilient tiles, and 3) an adhesive adhering the tile to the liner. A grid pattern matching the size of the tiles is printed on the liner to enable easy centering and balancing of the tile in the room. The edge portions of adjacent liners are adjacent or overlapped. At least some of the tiles are adhered to two of the liners.Type: GrantFiled: November 16, 2012Date of Patent: February 2, 2016Assignee: AWI Licensing CompanyInventors: Lynn M. Wise, James F. Mathis, Kean M. Anspach, John R. Eshbach, Jr., Michael E. Buckwalter, Charles H. Hines
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Publication number: 20150082741Abstract: A method of making a floor panel includes the steps of: providing an adhesive on a release member; laminating or marrying the release member to a bottom layer such that the adhesive is between the release member and the bottom layer; removing a portion of the release member to expose an area of the adhesive; and adhering a top layer to the area such that the top layer is offset with respect to the bottom layer in a direction of length and width and a marginal end portion of a top surface of the bottom layer and a marginal end portion of the bottom surface of the top layer is exposed.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 25, 2014Publication date: March 26, 2015Inventors: Richard H. Balmer, Shih Chung Lee, Dung V. Dao, John R. Eshbach, JR., Heath E. Harrington, Michael E. Buckwalter, Kean M. Anspach
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Patent number: 8894794Abstract: A method of making a floor panel includes the steps of: providing an adhesive on a release member; laminating or marrying the release member to a bottom layer such that the adhesive is between the release member and the bottom layer; removing a portion of the release member to expose an area of the adhesive; and adhering a top layer to the area such that the top layer is offset with respect to the bottom layer in a direction of length and width and a marginal end portion of a top surface of the bottom layer and a marginal end portion of the bottom surface of the top layer is exposed.Type: GrantFiled: August 19, 2010Date of Patent: November 25, 2014Assignee: AWI Licensing CompanyInventors: Richard H. Balmer, Shih Chung Lee, Dung V. Dao, John R. Eshbach, Jr., Heath E. Harrington, Michael E. Buckwalter, Kean M. Anspach
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Publication number: 20140305058Abstract: A transition strip is used to install, replace, and repair a floor panel in a floating floor system in accordance with the invention. The transition strip may be a film or tape that may comprise plastic, vinyl, polyvinyl chloride, polyester, polyolefin, or nylon.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 27, 2014Publication date: October 16, 2014Inventors: Michael E. BUCKWALTER, Michael T. PHAM
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Patent number: 8763337Abstract: A transition strip is used to install, replace, and repair a floor panel in a floating floor system. The transition strip is a film or tape that comprises plastic, vinyl, polyvinyl chloride, polyester, polyolefin, or nylon. The transition strip can be used to repair a floor panel by removing at least one of the floor panels in the floating floor system to form an opening therein. The transition strip is positioned in the opening such that a portion of a top side of the transition strip adheres to a bottom surface of a bottom layer of at least one floor panel adjacent the opening and a portion of a top side of the transition strip extends into the opening. A bottom surface of a bottom layer of a replacement floor panel is then adhered to the portion of the transition strip extending into the opening.Type: GrantFiled: August 20, 2010Date of Patent: July 1, 2014Assignee: AWI Licensing CompanyInventors: Michael E. Buckwalter, Michael T. Pham
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Patent number: 8720684Abstract: A packaging system and a method of packaging a plurality of floor panels in a box includes floor panels having a top layer and a bottom layer. The top layer has a top surface with a visible decorative pattern and a bottom surface adhered to a top surface of the bottom layer such that the bottom layer is offset from the top layer in a direction of length and width and a marginal end portion of the top surface of the bottom layer and a marginal end portion of the bottom surface of the top layer is exposed. At least one of the marginal end portions has an adhesive. The floor panels are stacked in the box in pairs. Each of the pairs is stacked such that the top surfaces of the top layers of each of the pairs of the floor panels are facing each other.Type: GrantFiled: August 19, 2010Date of Patent: May 13, 2014Assignee: AWI Licensing CompanyInventors: Richard H. Balmer, Shih Chung Lee, Dung V. Dao, Christopher R. Knafelc, Heath E. Harrington, Kean M. Anspach, Michael E. Buckwalter, John R. Eshbach, Jr.
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Patent number: 8322100Abstract: An easy-to-install and remove flooring system comprises three components: 1) a plurality of rolled-out liners, 2) a plurality of tiles, particularly resilient tiles, and 3) an adhesive adhering the tile to the liner. A grid pattern matching the size of the tiles is printed on the liner to enable easy centering and balancing of the tile in the room. The edge portions of adjacent liners are adjacent or overlapped. At least some of the tiles are adhered to two of the liners.Type: GrantFiled: December 21, 2006Date of Patent: December 4, 2012Assignee: Armstrong World Industries, Inc.Inventors: Lynn M. Wise, James F. Mathis, Kean M. Anspach, John R. Eshbach, Jr., Michael E. Buckwalter, Charles H. Hines
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Publication number: 20120131881Abstract: An installation tool for installing floor tiles includes a base and an arm. The base and the arm each have opposing top and bottom surfaces and opposing sides. The sides of the base extend substantially perpendicular to the sides of the arm. At least one spacer is provided on at least one of the sides of the base and at least one spacer is provided on at least one of the sides of the arm. Each of the spacers has an alignment member extending substantially perpendicular to the top and bottom surfaces of the base and the arm. Each of the alignment members has a thickness equal to a desired spacing between adjacent floor tiles.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 30, 2010Publication date: May 31, 2012Inventors: Michael T. Pham, Michael E. Buckwalter, Kean M. Anspach, Heath E. Harrington
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Publication number: 20120042602Abstract: A transition strip is used to install, replace, and repair a floor panel in a floating floor system. The transition strip is a film or tape that comprises plastic, vinyl, polyvinyl chloride, polyester, polyolefin, or nylon. The transition strip can be used to repair a floor panel by removing at least one of the floor panels in the floating floor system to form an opening therein. The transition strip is positioned in the opening such that a portion of a top side of the transition strip adheres to a bottom surface of a bottom layer of at least one floor panel adjacent the opening and a portion of a top side of the transition strip extends into the opening. A bottom surface of a bottom layer of a replacement floor panel is then adhered to the portion of the transition strip extending into the opening.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 20, 2010Publication date: February 23, 2012Inventors: Michael E. Buckwalter, Michael T. Pham
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Publication number: 20110042252Abstract: A packaging system and a method of packaging a plurality of floor panels in a box includes floor panels having a top layer and a bottom layer. The top layer has a top surface with a visible decorative pattern and a bottom surface adhered to a top surface of the bottom layer such that the bottom layer is offset from the top layer in a direction of length and width and a marginal end portion of the top surface of the bottom layer and a marginal end portion of the bottom surface of the top layer is exposed. At least one of the marginal end portions has an adhesive. The floor panels are stacked in the box in pairs. Each of the pairs is stacked such that the top surfaces of the top layers of each of the pairs of the floor panels are facing each other.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 19, 2010Publication date: February 24, 2011Inventors: Richard H. Balmer, Shih Chung Lee, Dung V. Dao, Christopher R. Knafelc, Heath E. Harrington, Kean M. Anspach, Michael E. Buckwalter, John R. Eshbach, JR.
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Publication number: 20110042003Abstract: A method of making a floor panel includes the steps of: providing an adhesive on a release member; laminating or marrying the release member to a bottom layer such that the adhesive is between the release member and the bottom layer; removing a portion of the release member to expose an area of the adhesive; and adhering a top layer to the area such that the top layer is offset with respect to the bottom layer in a direction of length and width and a marginal end portion of a top surface of the bottom layer and a marginal end portion of the bottom surface of the top layer is exposed.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 19, 2010Publication date: February 24, 2011Inventors: Richard H. Balmer, Shih Chung Lee, Dung V. Dao, John R. Eshbach, JR., Heath E. Harrington, Michael E. Buckwalter, Kean M. Anspach
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Publication number: 20100247834Abstract: A floor panel and a floating floor system incorporating the floor panel include a floor panel having a top layer and a bottom layer. The top layer has a top surface and a bottom surface. The top surface has a visible decorative pattern. The bottom layer has a top surface and a bottom surface. The top surface of the bottom layer is adhered to the bottom surface of the top layer such that the bottom layer is offset from the top layer in a direction of length and width and a marginal end portion of the top surface of the bottom layer and a marginal end portion of the bottom surface of the top layer is exposed. At least one of the marginal end portions has an adhesive, and a ratio of a thickness of the top layer to a thickness of the bottom layer is about 5 or greater.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 27, 2009Publication date: September 30, 2010Inventors: Richard H. Balmer, John R. Eshbach, JR., Kean M. Anspach, Heath Harrington, Michael E. Buckwalter, Brent L. Stoll
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Publication number: 20040129365Abstract: A preglued underlayment assembly comprises a substantially rigid underlayment having an upper and a lower surface, a pressure sensitive adhesive layer disposed on the upper surface, and a release layer disposed on the adhesive layer. Another pressure sensitive adhesive layer and another release layer optionally are provided on the lower surface of the preglued underlayment. One or more performance enhancing layers, such as foam and solid layers, can be disposed between the underlayment and the adhesive layer to modify and/or enhance various properties of the preglued underlayment. Mechanical fasteners, such as staples, penetrate the preglued underlayment assembly and engage a structural support member to attach the preglued underlayment assembly thereto.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 18, 2003Publication date: July 8, 2004Applicant: Armstrong World Industries, Inc.Inventors: Michael E. Buckwalter, William J. Kauffman
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Patent number: 6673177Abstract: A preglued underlayment assembly comprises a substantially rigid underlayment having an upper and a lower surface, a pressure sensitive adhesive layer disposed on the upper surface, and a release layer disposed on the adhesive layer. Another pressure sensitive adhesive layer and another release layer optionally are provided on the lower surface of the preglued underlayment. One or more performance enhancing layers, such as foam and solid layers, can be disposed between the underlayment and the adhesive layer to modify and/or enhance various properties of the preglued underlayment. Mechanical fasteners, such as staples, penetrate the preglued underlayment assembly and engage a structural support member to attach the preglued underlayment assembly thereto.Type: GrantFiled: February 22, 2002Date of Patent: January 6, 2004Assignee: Armstrong World Industries, Inc.Inventors: Michael E. Buckwalter, William J. Kauffman
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Patent number: 6586066Abstract: A preglued underlayment assembly comprising a substantially rigid underlayment having an upper and a lower surface, a pressure sensitive adhesive layer disposed on the upper surface, and a release layer disposed on the adhesive layer. A second pressure sensitive adhesive layer and another release layer are optionally provided on the lower surface of the preglued underlayment. One or more performance enhancing layers, such as foam and solid layers, can be disposed between the underlayment and the adhesive layer to modify and/or enhance various properties of the preglued underlayment. Mechanical fasteners, such as staples, penetrate the preglued underlayment assembly and engage a structural support member to attach the preglued underlayment assembly thereto. A method of installing a surface covering over a structural support member utilizing the preglued underlayment assembly is also disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: March 21, 2000Date of Patent: July 1, 2003Assignee: AWI Licensing CompanyInventors: Michael E. Buckwalter, William J. Kauffman
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Publication number: 20020081410Abstract: A preglued underlayment assembly comprises a substantially rigid underlayment having an upper and a lower surface, a pressure sensitive adhesive layer disposed on the upper surface, and a release layer disposed on the adhesive layer. Another pressure sensitive adhesive layer and another release layer optionally are provided on the lower surface of the preglued underlayment. One or more performance enhancing layers, such as foam and solid layers, can be disposed between the underlayment and the adhesive layer to modify and/or enhance various properties of the preglued underlayment. Mechanical fasteners, such as staples, penetrate the preglued underlayment assembly and engage a structural support member to attach the preglued underlayment assembly thereto.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 22, 2002Publication date: June 27, 2002Applicant: Armstrong World Industries, Inc.Inventors: Michael E. Buckwalter, William J. Kauffman
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Patent number: RE36458Abstract: Vinyl heat welding rod for seam sealing vinyl resilient flooring, whether in sheet or tile form, are used to obtain a homogeneous, monolithic appearing surface. This rod is specifically made to duplicate the appearance of the flooring material. For a chip-image flooring structure, a sheet of multicolored chips having a similar, but different formulation from that of the flooring material is prepared and the sheet is cut into suitable strips, heat pressed in a rod mold, end adhered or further molded to form the desired length, and used as a vinyl heat welding rod for sealing seams in flooring. Thus, the chip pattern is evident in the seam area and does not appear different when compared to the adjacent surface.Type: GrantFiled: August 15, 1997Date of Patent: December 21, 1999Assignee: Armstrong World Industries, Inc.Inventors: Edwin J. Quinn, Manuel A. Velez, Richard M. Ringer, Michael E. Buckwalter