Floor Tile
A floor tile comprising: a first section having a finished surface and an opposing unfinished sectional surface; a second section having a finished surface and an opposing unfinished sectional surface; the first sectional surface being attached to the second sectional surface and offset from the second sectional surface, the offset defining a connecting edge along the first and second sectional surfaces, wherein the first finished surface and the second finished surface are opposing and outward facing, and wherein the floor tile is connectable to an adjacent floor tile via the connecting edge.
1. Technical Field
Embodiments of the present invention relate generally to floor tiles and, more particularly, but not exclusively, to a floor tile that attaches to adjacent floor tiles rather than to the underlying surface.
2. Description of Related Art
Floor tiles are a universally popular type of floor covering, and are commonly found in personal residences, business offices, and industrial locations. They are available in a myriad of styles, sizes, colors, and patterns. Floor tiles are used in almost every interior location, including garages, as well as in outdoor locations such as balconies and patios.
Most floor tiles have a finished surface that faces up, or outwards from the floor. This surface will generally have a color or pattern attractive to the user, and be sufficiently durable to be walked upon or to have furniture placed on it, while resisting wear and discoloration for an extended period of time. The tiles attach to the ground by an adhesive spread on their bottom surface.
Another type of tile attaches to adjacent tiles rather than to the ground, and creates a tile surface known as a “floating floor”. Some tiles of this type use a tongue and groove system to connect to one another. In this system, one side or edge of a tile will have a flange or tongue, and another side will have a groove. The tongue from one tile is pressed or fit into the groove of an adjacent tile, securing their connection. A floating floor tile has an advantage of being relatively easily to install, since the floor being covered does not receive an adhesive and accordingly requires less preparation.
BRIEF SUMMARYAccording to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a floor tile comprising:
a first section having a finished surface and an opposing unfinished sectional surface;
a second section having a finished surface and an opposing unfinished sectional surface;
the first sectional surface being attached to the second sectional surface and offset from the second sectional surface, the offset defining a connecting edge along the first and second sectional surfaces,
wherein the first finished surface and the second finished surface are opposing and outward facing, and
wherein the floor tile is connectable to an adjacent floor tile via the connecting edge.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a tile, comprising:
a first section having first and second opposing sides, the first side being finished, the second side being unfinished and attachable to an unfinished side of another tile section, in an offset manner; and
a second section having first and second opposing sides, the first side being finished, the second side being unfinished and attachable to an unfinished side of another tile section, in an offset manner,
wherein, when the second sides are attached to each other via the unfinished sides, the offsets define a inter-tile connection section around a perimeter of the tile.
According to yet another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a floor tiling system, comprising:
two reversible tiles, each tile having a first layer element offset from a second layer element, the layer elements having (i) a rectangular shape, (ii) a finished side and (iii) an opposing, unfinished side, the layer elements attachable by the unfinished sides, the offset resulting a strip of the first layer element extending beyond two sides of the second layer element and a strip of the second layer element extending beyond two sides of the first layer element,
wherein strips of the first layer elements are dimensioned and configured to cooperate with strips of the second layer elements and strips of the second layer elements are dimensioned and configured to cooperate with strips of the first layer elements, and
wherein the cooperation between strips yields selective interconnection of the reversible tiles, the selected interconnection permitting selective relative orientation of the tiles and selection of the finished sides facing away from the floor.
According to yet another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of making a floating floor tile, comprising:
providing a first section having a finished surface and an opposing unfinished sectional surface;
providing a second section having a finished surface and an opposing unfinished sectional surface; and
adhering the sectional surfaces together in an offset manner by the unfinished surfaces so that the sectional surface of the first section is offset from the sectional surface of the second section by a first predetermined distance along a length of the second sectional surface and by a second predetermined distance along a width of the second sectional surface.
These, additional, and/or other aspects and/or advantages of the present invention are: set forth in the detailed description which follows; possibly inferable from the detailed description; and/or learnable by practice of the present invention.
The present invention will be further understood and appreciated from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the drawings in which:
Reference will now be made in detail to embodiment(s) of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to the like elements throughout. The embodiment(s) is/are described below to explain the present invention by referring to the figures.
Referring now to
Floor tile 10 has two sections 12, each of which has a finished surface 14 and a sectional surface 16. The finished surfaces 14 and sectional surfaces 16 occupy opposing sides of their respective sections. To enhance clarity and ease of explanation, the letter suffixes “p” and “q” will be used to distinguish the two sections. Accordingly, floor tile 10 has a first section 12p having a finished surface 14p and a sectional surface 16p, and has a second section 12q having a finished surface 14q and a sectional surface 16q. In the view of
By way of non-limiting example, first finished surface 14p, visible in
As shown in
It can further be seen that the offset positioning of sections 12 defines a connective edge or strip 18 around the perimeter of floor tile 10. Connective edge 18 is half on one section and half on the other, as it is the portion of each sectional surface 16 that is not covered by the opposing section. Accordingly, in
For greater clarity, a dashed line 20 is drawn on the figures to indicate the hidden edge of the bottom section in that figure. It is to be appreciated that the hidden part of connective edge 18 in each figure, designated 18′, can be represented or visualized as the strip between dashed line 20 and the outer edge of the top section. In this way, the portion of connective edge 18 on sectional surface 16p may be seen as hidden connective edge 18′ in
Floor tiles 10 can be connected to each other by first turning each tile so that the desired finished surface 14 is facing up. The tiles are placed side-by-side so that an overhanging connective edge 18 on one tile faces an underhanging connective edge 18 of the adjacent tile. The tiles are pushed together so that the connective edges 18 are flush with each other. Connective edges 18 may then be attached using an adhesive or glue as is known in the art. In some embodiments the adhesive is already placed on connective edge 18, and is shipped with a protective cover or sheet. In such cases the sheet is removed just prior to attachment of connective edges 18. In other embodiments the adhesive may be applied at the time of installation. The connected tiles 10 will form a smooth and uninterrupted floor surface.
Examples of connected tiles are shown in
The figures also show several dashed tile outlines to show where a subsequent tile might be installed, to indicate the manner in which tiles 10 may be connected. Accordingly, tiles may be connected long side to long side, as shown by tile outline 22, short side to short side, as shown by tile outline 23, or long and short sides together, as shown by tile outline 24. Tile outline 25 also shows that a tile may be placed long side to short side.
It is to be appreciated that the dimensions of floor tile 10 may vary over a wide range while still retaining the characteristics of the present invention. The width of connective edge 18 along either dx or dy should be sufficiently large so that there is enough surface area to establish a strong and secure connection between tiles, when the adhesive is applied and the tiles are joined. The appropriate size may depend on the application. For example, a tile floor placed in a garage would have to withstand the pressure of an automobile upon it. In such a case a relatively wider connective edge may be appropriate, in order to obtain a stronger connection. By way of a non-limiting example, a tile found to be adequate in a garage floor has the dimensions of 36 inches long, 12 inches wide, and 1¼ inch wide for both dx and dy, i.e. all portions of connective edge 18. In other embodiments, dx and dy may be slightly smaller or larger, for example, 1 inch or 1½ inches in width.
The distances dy may equal dx, so that connective edge 18 is uniform all around floor tile 10. Alternatively, dy may differ from dx. By way of a non-limiting example, one may be 1¼ inches and the other 1 inch or 1½ inches. In designing a finished floor using floor tiles 10, for any two tiles that are joined, the respective overhanging and underhanging connective edges 18 preferably are substantially the same in width.
When a tile is connected long side to long side, as shown in tile outlines 22 and 24 in
Preferably, connected tiles have the same offset along the common joining edge so that when the tiles are attached, the respective connective edges 18 will fit over one another precisely, and the joined tiles will abut one another, leaving no gap between them. If there is a discrepancy in width there is a likelihood that a gap will occur between the tiles. For example, if one tile has connective edge 18 that is 1¼ inches wide and the adjoining tile has a connective edge that is 1⅛ inches wide, there will be a ⅛ inch gap formed.
Gaps are undesirable because they mar the appearance of the tile floor, collect dirt, and make the floor harder to clean. In some applications a gap between tiles could lead to one of the tiles becoming loose and dislodged. For example, in the case of a tile floor installed in a garage, it is common for water to fall on the floor from rain or snow coming in through an open garage door, or from a person's shoes or an automobile driven into the garage. Where the tile surface is smooth and uninterrupted by gaps, the water will eventually evaporate and be harmless. However, water that falls into a gap may present a problem to the stability of the tile floor. For example, if a car drives over the gap, the heavy weight will press the water against the side of the tile. This will place a high pressure against the tile and may weaken the tile's attachment to its adjacent tile. Alternatively, the water may be forced under the tile, where it could be prevented from evaporating and cause further problems. If the garage is in a cold environment during winter the water in the gap could freeze and turn into ice. This would cause the water to expand, which would also exert a strong force or pressure against the tiles, weakening their adhesion and potentially dislodging one or both.
Floor tile 10 of the present embodiment can be made from any material suitable for a floor tile. An example of a material that is inexpensive and in common use is vinyl. Accordingly, in some embodiments of the invention, each section 12 can be solid vinyl. The finished surfaces 14 may be, for example, a color and/or pattern applied to one surface of the section, and the opposing, non-colored surface would be the corresponding sectional surface 16.
Additionally and/or alternatively, as
An adequate thickness for pvc layer 24 has been found to be about 1.5 mm, or approximately 0.094 inches. Film layer 26 is relatively much thinner. Accordingly, floor tile 10 shown in
A benefit this two-layer construction in comparison to single layer construction, such as one using solid vinyl, is that it is easier to make a greater variety and more attractive patterns for finished surface 14, as film layer 26 is a more versatile medium than plain vinyl. Another benefit is that the pvc used in pvc layer 24 is a relatively stronger material than plain vinyl. For some applications, such as in the floor of a garage, where the floor tile may be exposed to extremes of temperature, water, snow, and the weight of an automobile, it is advantageous to have a tile formed from a stronger material like pvc.
Alternatively, the floor tile 10 can have more than two layers. It is to be appreciated that floor tile 10 can be designed to have as many layers with specially configured characteristics as appropriate for the application. For example, if it is desired to have a softer feel or more give in the floor, a middle foam layer may be inserted between pvc layer 24 and film layer 26.
Since floor tile 10 is reversible, and it is desirable for the tile characteristics to be the same regardless of which finished surface 14 is being used, it is preferred that sections 12 be symmetrical, that is, where each section has the same number of layers with the same physical qualities. However, in at least one embodiment of the present invention sections 12 having a different number of layers and/or layers with different qualities could also be used.
The method begins, as shown in
As noted, the manufacturing process is preferably sufficiently precise so that the desired widths of dx and dy for a given set of tiles is substantially uniform for the set. While dx could be either the same as dy or different from dy for a given set of tiles, the dx values of the tiles preferably substantially match one another, and the dy values preferably substantially match one another.
As the foregoing illustrates, embodiments of the present invention provide floor tiles that have, unlike conventional tiles that have only a single floor quality or finished surface, two such surfaces. For example, floor tile 10 has been shown above with a woodgrain pattern surface and a circle pattern surface. Accordingly, the same tile could be sold to users that desire either a woodgrain surface pattern or a circle surface pattern. All that would need to be done would be to turn the tile at the point of installation so that the appropriate surface faces up.
This aspect of floor tile 10 may provide cost savings for tile retailers, distributors, and installers, due to simplified logistics and improvements in inventory control. For example, a buyer may anticipate demand of about 5000 woodgrain pattern tiles and 5000 circle pattern tiles. However, the exact breakdown in any given season may be difficult, if not impossible, to know in advance. The actual demand may turn out to be, for example, 6000 woodgrain pattern tiles and 4000 circle pattern tiles. To ensure that no sales are lost, the buyer may feel compelled to order 6500 of each of the two tile types, or 13,000 tiles total. Accordingly, as a result of the inherent uncertainty in measuring demand, the buyer will incur additional costs for procurement and storage. In addition, an excess of unsold tiles of one type may result in additional carrying costs and/or heavy losses due to discounting.
By contrast, a buyer may only need to order, for example, 10,000 to 11,000 floor tiles 10 that have both types of surfaces, and be able to meet demand for both types regardless of the particular breakdown that year. Further, the risk of being stuck with a suddenly unpopular color or pattern may be reduced. Yet another benefit is that new colors or patterns could be introduced into the marketplace by placing them on the reverse side of tiles having patterns that are known to be popular. In this way, if the new tile design is unsuccessful, the tiles can still be used and not have to be returned or discarded at a loss.
Another advantage of floor tile 10 is that the section that contacts the underlying ground provides extra distance and insulation from the ground. This section may be thought of as being, in effect, a “second floor”. This aspect of the invention may be particularly beneficial for tiles that are used in garages, balconies, patios, or other locations subject to extremes of temperature or climate. As noted, repeated extremes of temperature over several seasons cause concrete to expand and contract, which may stress and break a tile placed too close to the ground. The ground-contacting section of floor tile 10 helps to dissipate or reduce the extent to which this shifting in the ground effects the top section and finished surface of the tile. As a result, floor tile 10 may last longer than a conventional tile used in that application, and/or may be able to resist breakdown entirely.
Although selected embodiment(s) of the present invention has/have been shown and described, it is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the described embodiment(s). Instead, it is to be appreciated that changes may be made to this/these embodiment(s) without departing from the principles and spirit of the invention, the scope of which is defined by the claims and the equivalents thereof.
Claims
1. A floor tile comprising:
- a first section having a finished surface and an opposing unfinished sectional surface;
- a second section having a finished surface and an opposing unfinished sectional surface;
- the first sectional surface being attached to the second sectional surface and offset from the second sectional surface, the offset defining a connecting edge along the first and second sectional surfaces,
- wherein the first finished surface and the second finished surface are opposing and outward facing, and
- wherein the floor tile is connectable to an adjacent floor tile via the connecting edge.
2. The floor tile according to claim 1, wherein the offset between the sectional surfaces is along a length and a width of each sectional surface.
3. The floor tile according to claim 2, wherein the offsets along the length and the width of each sectional surface are the same.
4. The floor tile according to claim 3, wherein the offset is 1.25 inches.
5. The floor tile according to claim 2, wherein the offsets along the length and width of each sectional surface differ.
6. The floor tile according to claim 2, wherein a thickness of the connecting edge is the same as the offset along either the length of each sectional surface or the width of each sectional surface.
7. The floor tile according to claim 1, wherein the connecting edge has a first portion on the first sectional surface and a second portion on the second sectional surface.
8. The floor tile according to claim 1, wherein the first and second sections are made of vinyl, and wherein the finished surfaces are at least one of a color and a pattern.
9. The floor tile according to claim 1, wherein the first and second sections are made of polyvinyl chloride (pvc), and wherein the finished surfaces are an attached plastic film.
10. A floor tiling system, comprising
- two reversible tiles, each tile having a first layer element offset from a second layer element, the layer elements having (i) a rectangular shape, (ii) a finished side and (iii) an opposing, unfinished side, the layer elements attachable by the unfinished sides, the offset resulting a strip of the first layer element extending beyond two sides of the second layer element and a strip of the second layer element extending beyond two sides of the first layer element,
- wherein strips of the first layer elements are dimensioned and configured to cooperate with strips of the second layer elements and strips of the second layer elements are dimensioned and configured to cooperate with strips of the first layer elements, and
- wherein the cooperation between strips yields selective interconnection of the reversible tiles, the selected interconnection permitting selective relative orientation of the tiles and selection of the finished sides facing away from the floor.
11. A method of making a floating floor tile, comprising:
- providing a first section having a finished surface and an opposing unfinished sectional surface;
- providing a second section having a finished surface and an opposing unfinished sectional surface; and
- adhering the sectional surfaces together in an offset manner by the unfinished surfaces so that the sectional surface of the first section is offset from the sectional surface of the second section by a first predetermined distance along a length of the second sectional surface and by a second predetermined distance along a width of the second sectional surface.
12. The method for making a floating floor tile according to claim 11, wherein the predetermined distances are the same.
13. The method for making a floating floor tile according to claim 11, wherein the predetermined distances differ.
14. The method of claim 11, further comprising applying a cover sheet to an uncovered portion of the first and second sectional surfaces.
Type: Application
Filed: Feb 26, 2010
Publication Date: Sep 1, 2011
Inventor: Blair Lawrence (Port Coquitlam)
Application Number: 12/713,953
International Classification: E04C 2/38 (20060101); E04C 2/20 (20060101); B21K 23/00 (20060101);