Integral Edge Engaging Spacing Feature On Tile Patents (Class 52/392)
  • Patent number: 11891816
    Abstract: A panel having the shape of a plank or a tile for the production of a floor covering, comprising two pairs of opposed sides defining: a first two opposed edges for inclined assembly a second two opposed edges for vertical assembly—the male coupling of the edges for the vertical assembly comprise a male groove extending along the edge and opening onto the lower face of the panel—the female coupling of the edges for the vertical assembly comprise a female groove extending along the edge and opening onto the upper face of the panel—the male coupling of the edges for the vertical assembly comprise a lug or a notch and the female coupling means of the edges for the vertical assembly comprise a complementary notch or lug.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignee: Gerflor
    Inventor: Olivier Ceysson
  • Patent number: 11634912
    Abstract: A floor panel for forming a floor covering comprises a substrate consisting of at least two substrate layers differing in density and, on at least one pair of opposite edges, is provided with coupling parts of the so-called push-lock type. Vertically active locking surfaces, where they cooperate in the coupled condition of two of such floor panels, define a tangent line which is horizontal or does not deviate more than 50 degrees from the horizontal. The locking surfaces are situated closer to the upper side of the first substrate layer than to the lower side of the first substrate layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2023
    Assignee: FLOORING INDUSTRIES LIMITED, SARL
    Inventor: Pieter Devos
  • Patent number: 11408174
    Abstract: A voided floor panel is provided. The voided floor panel includes a pre-cast dome, strands, reinforcing bars, and a slab. The pre-cast dome includes a flange portion, stem portions, and joint portions. The strands are pre-tensioned. The reinforcing bars are inserted through rebar block-outs of the pre-cast dome. The joint portions, the strands, and the reinforcing bars are cast within the slab. The strands improve a resistance of the slab to flexure. The joint portions improve a vertical shear resistance between the slab and the pre-cast dome. The joint portions may include corrugated dovetails for further improving a horizontal shear resistance between the slab and the pre-cast dome.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignees: E.CONSTRUCT.USA, LLC, TINDALL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Maher K. Tadros, David Michael Gee, Kevin Kirkley, Bryant Zavitz
  • Patent number: 10487517
    Abstract: An insulating underlay element for arranging between a subfloor and floor coverings laid thereon. The underlay element comprises a push-in connection on at least two sides of the insulating underlay element for connecting the insulating underlay elements to form an extensive insulating underlay in a gap-free and extensive manner, wherein an adhesive strip is arranged on the underside of the insulating underlay element in the region of the push-in connection, such that the adhesive surface is facing upward in the receptacles of the push-in connections and is in contact with the undersides of the pushed-in protrusions. The adhesive strip comprises a backing material coated with a release adhesive, and the insulating underlay elements being coated on their underside with a permanent adhesive in the region of the arrangement of the adhesive strips to establish a permanent adhesive connection between the adhesive strips and the underside of the insulating underlay element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2019
    Assignee: SELIT NA-HOLDING GMBH
    Inventor: Marco Seitner
  • Patent number: 10343297
    Abstract: A die cutter blanket for a counter-die of a rotary die cutting machine has a cover that surrounds the counter-die forming a cylindrical sleeve around the counter-die. The cover is made from a first material having a first hardness value. The cover has a key adapted to fit into a slot of the counter-die in order to fix the cover around the counter-die. The die cutter blanket also includes a bar made from a second material having a hardness value greater than the first hardness value, which is disposed entirely inside the key, axially along the length of the key. The bar is peripherally coated by the first material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2019
    Assignee: RODICUT INDUSTRY S.A.U.
    Inventors: David Borges Fernandez, Joaquin Cabaleiro Cabaleiro, Marcelino Alvarez Alvarez
  • Patent number: 10106989
    Abstract: In at least one embodiment, a panel comprises a body portion comprising a front side, a back side and a plurality of cavities. The front side comprises a plurality of face portions and cavity openings arranged on a first plane, and a plurality of guide members. Each guide member comprises a front edge arranged on a second plane, wherein the second plane is offset from the first plane. The guide members define a plurality of spaces of predetermined volume between said first plane and said second plane. A method comprises providing the panel, applying mortar to the panel in the predetermined volumes, skimming the mortar using the guide members to guide an edge to form metered mortar pans, and pressing objects into the mortar pans.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2018
    Assignee: Advanced Formliners, LLC
    Inventor: Shane Calmes
  • Patent number: 9995045
    Abstract: A panel, which, at two opposite edges, is provided with coupling parts that allow joining by a downward movement, said coupling parts including a male part that fits in a female part, wherein vertically active locking portions are provided at opposite sides of the male part and female part, wherein these locking portions are located at different distances from an upper side of the panels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2018
    Assignee: PERGO (EUROPE) AB
    Inventor: Charles Edward Stevens, Jr.
  • Patent number: 9932741
    Abstract: Floor panel, which, at least at two opposite sides, includes coupling parts with which two of such floor panels can be coupled to each other; wherein these coupling parts form a horizontally active locking system and a vertically active locking system; wherein the horizontally active locking system comprises a male part in the form of a downwardly directed projection and a female part with a seat open towards the top, which have horizontally active locking surfaces; and wherein the vertically active locking system comprises a vertically active locking element, which forms part of an insertion piece provided in the female part; wherein the insertion piece is formed at least of the combination of a bottom part; a back part adjoining thereto and an elastically movable lock-up body directed downward with a free extremity, which lock-up body, by means of a hinge portion, is connected directly or indirectly to the back part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: FLOORING INDUSTRIES LIMITED, SARL
    Inventors: Mark Cappelle, Guy Van Hooydonck
  • Patent number: 9890539
    Abstract: A wall panel system is provided that includes a series of interlocking wall panels with a pressure-adherent backing. The wall panels are configured to be placed on a wall in interlocking fashion, with the interlocking attributes contributing to the overall appearance of the panel. In one aspect, surface features are provided on the wood panels that add surface texture to the panel by laser burning into the surface of the wood panel. The width of the surface features can be changed by adjusting the properties of the laser, such as beam focus. The wood panels are conveniently sized so that they can be easily manipulated for interlocking placement on the wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Inventor: Michael T. Tuttle
  • Patent number: 9010068
    Abstract: A kit for fixing tiles to a wall comprising: a tile having a protrusion extending from an edge thereof; and a fixing element arranged to be fastened to the wall and to accommodate the protrusion so as to secure the tile in position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: MATCLAD Limited
    Inventors: Paul Neil Sullivan, Neil Anthony Sullivan
  • Patent number: 8978335
    Abstract: The invention relates to a panel designed for mechanical connection with at least one further, identical panel by means of pivoting, with a tongue and groove profile (6, 8) for fastening the panels (2, 4) at the same height with respect to one another, comprising a groove profile (6) with a short groove cheek (14), a groove bottom (16) and a long groove cheek (18) on at least one side of the panel and a tongue profile (8) corresponding to the groove profile (6) on at least one side of the panel, wherein the long groove cheek (18) has a greater thickness (M) at its free end (20) than in the region under the free end of the short groove cheek (14), and wherein in the assembled state the tongue and groove each have upper bearing faces (24a, 24b), which are inclined with respect to the surface (10) of the panel (2, 4), and lower bearing faces (26a, 26b) which are rounded, and with locking means (28a, 28b) for fastening the panels (2, 4) in the same plane with respect to one another, comprising a locking face (28b
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: tilo GmbH
    Inventors: Heinz Kiefel, Franz Schrattenecker
  • Patent number: 8966844
    Abstract: The present invention concerns a masonry wall system consisting of a plurality of panels and artificial masonry units. The panels are provided with channels sized to receive the artificial masonry units and delimited by protruding ribs. The protruding ribs have a predetermined width w and also have notches uniformly spaced along the ribs. The artificial masonry units have protuberances devised and positioned on the masonry units to be fitted in the notches of the protruding ribs so that the masonry units are equally spaced-apart from each other by a predetermined gap (g).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: Oldcastle Building Products Canada, Inc.
    Inventor: Michel Bouchard
  • Patent number: 8955268
    Abstract: A modular tile configured to interlock with multiple tiles to form a modular floor covering over a floor. The tile includes a top surface having a periphery defining side walls extending downward from the top surface, the side walls having a coupling portion configured to couple with other tiles adjacent thereto to form the modular floor covering. The tile also includes a bottom side, opposite the top surface, having a support grid including an array of downward extending polymeric post structures, at least some of the post structures including at least one resilient end portion configured to be positioned against the floor to facilitate controlled deflection of the post structures. The post structures may comprise primary and secondary post structures, with the secondary post structures limiting the deflection of the primary post structures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2015
    Assignee: Connor Sport Court International, LLC
    Inventors: Mark L. Jenkins, Jeremiah Shapiro, Cheryl Forster, Vaughn W. North, David L. Stott
  • Publication number: 20140360117
    Abstract: The present invention relates to PVC resin flooring in which a tile is molded out of PVC, that is, vinyl chloride resin, and the four-sided edges of the tile are molded into curved surfaces. The PVC resin flooring constructed in a floor includes a resin tile configured to include a base layer and a surface layer, wherein the surface layer comprises a dimension stabilization layer, a balance layer, a printing layer, a transparent layer, and a protection layer sequentially stacked on a top surface of the base layer, the base layer and the surface layer are made of PVC resin and jointed, and the four-sided edges of the resin tile are molded into curved surfaces; and a grouting constructed in a gap between the resin tiles, wherein the resin tile is constructed by coating an adhesive on a construction floor, the resin tiles are spaced apart from one another at intervals, and construction is finished by filling the gap between the resin tiles with the grouting.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 4, 2013
    Publication date: December 11, 2014
    Applicant: LG Hausys, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hae Seung Ko, Jun Hyuk Kwon, Sang Sun Park
  • Patent number: 8793956
    Abstract: The invention relates to a panel which is suitable for use as wall and/or ceiling paneling, in addition to an associated method for laying said panels and a method for the production thereof. The inventive panel for a wall or ceiling comprises coupling means. The coupling means are embodied in such a way that the panel can be joined to other panels in various positions. Said positions can, for example, involve various distances between the longitudinal edges of two panels that are arranged in parallel. According to the inventive laying method, a first panel is engaged with a second panel in a first step, whereupon the panels assume an angular position in relation to each other. At least one of the panels, particularly the first panel, is pivoted in a second step on a common plane, whereupon the panels become locked in relation to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2014
    Assignee: Kronoplus Technical AG
    Inventors: Christian Leopolder, Maik Moebus
  • Patent number: 8671628
    Abstract: An intake manifold (2) of comburent air is presented for an internal combustion engine (1) provided with a recirculating conduit (60) of exhaust gases. The intake manifold (2) includes a first inlet mouth (213) of the comburent air, a second inlet mouth (214) in communication with the recirculating conduit (60) of the exhaust gases, and a plurality of outlet mouths (201), having a wall (7) positioned in front of each of the outlet mouths (201) and configured for dividing the internal volume of the intake manifold (2) into two chambers (215, 204), the first chamber (215) being placed in communication with the first inlet mouth (213) and the second inlet mouth (214) and the second chamber (204) being placed in communication with the outlet mouths (201), the wall (7) defining an opening (70) adapted for placing the first chamber (215) and the second chamber (204) in communication.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: Raimondi S.p.A.
    Inventor: Giorgio Sighinolfi
  • Patent number: 8647749
    Abstract: The object of the present invention is to provide multi-ply platforms suitable for the manufacture of decorative panels and decorative panels incorporating such multi-ply platforms, which multi-ply platforms improve the resistance to deformation caused by changes in relative humidity and/or temperature of, or around, such decorative panels. This object is achieved by providing multi-ply platforms comprising a plurality of plies which are arranged so that the platform is substantially unbalanced around its central plane. The unbalanced platform is achieved by, arranging the plies such that at least two adjacent plies have substantially the same main grain direction and/or that two plies having substantially the same main grain direction are separated only by one or more neutral plies. These unbalanced platforms are intended to be bonded to a further ply to form a substantially balanced decorative panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2014
    Assignee: Perennial Brazil Comercio de Madeiras LTDA
    Inventors: Hakan Norling, Martin Kemmsies
  • Patent number: 8635815
    Abstract: A leveling spacer for laying wall tiles, paving tiles and the like with the interposition of gaps, which comprises a base with spacing protrusions for the abutment of the edges of corresponding tiles so as to define the width of the gaps, a threaded stem, which is fixed at right angles to the base in at least one easily breakable point, a knob for clamping and removing the threaded stem, which comprises a female threaded portion adapted to be screwed to the threaded stem.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2014
    Assignee: Progress Profiles SpA
    Inventor: Lino Bordin
  • Patent number: 8621801
    Abstract: The present invention concerns a masonry wall system consisting of a plurality of panels and artificial masonry units. The panels are provided with channels sized to receive the artificial masonry units and delimited by protruding ribs. The protruding ribs have a predetermined width w and also have notches uniformly spaced along the ribs. The artificial masonry units have protuberances devised and positioned on the masonry units to be fitted in the notches of the protruding ribs so that the masonry units are equally spaced-apart from each other by a predetermined gap (g).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2014
    Assignee: Oldcastle Building Products Canada, Inc.
    Inventor: Michel Bouchard
  • Patent number: 8596023
    Abstract: A modular tile configured to interlock with multiple tiles to form a modular floor covering over a floor. The tile includes a top surface having a periphery defining side walls extending downward from the top surface, the side walls having a coupling portion configured to couple with other tiles adjacent thereto to form the modular floor covering. The tile also includes a bottom side, opposite the top surface, having a support grid including an array of downward extending polymeric post structures, at least some of the post structures including at least one resilient end portion with a radial end surface configured to be positioned against the floor to facilitate controlled deflection of the post structures. The post structures may comprise primary and secondary post structures, with the secondary post structures limiting the deflection of the primary post structures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
    Assignee: Connor Sport Court International, LLC
    Inventors: Mark L. Jenkins, Jeremiah Shapiro, Cheryl Forster, Vaughn W. North, David L. Stott
  • Patent number: 8499519
    Abstract: Floor panel, more particularly a laminate floor panel, wherein this floor panel comprises a decor, a top layer on the basis of synthetic material, and an underlying substrate (13), whether or not composed of several layers or parts, wherein the floor panel (1), in the surface over which the decor (10) extends, is provided with embossed portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: Flooring Industries Ltd
    Inventors: Laurent Meersseman, Christian Vandevoorde, Bernard Thiers
  • Patent number: 8484924
    Abstract: A panel, in particular a floor panel, with a core consists of a wood material or a wood material-plastic mixture. A top side and a bottom side are provided. The panel has on a first lateral edge a lower locking element, which includes a first arm that is arranged on the bottom side of the panel and that projects over the first lateral edge. A first hook element with an undercut is arranged on an outer end of the first arm. The panel has on a second lateral edge that is opposite to the first lateral edge an upper locking element with a second arm that is arranged on the top side of the panel and that projects over the second lateral edge. A second hook element, which has at least one locking nose, is arranged on an outer end of the second arm, such that two identically designed panels can be connected and locked to one another in the horizontal direction and in the vertical direction after the locking nose of one panel is snapped into the undercut of a second panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignee: Flooring Technologies Ltd.
    Inventor: Roger Braun
  • Patent number: 8474209
    Abstract: A laminate flooring system includes planks with tile patterns thereon, the tiles of a plank being separated by a precisely formed and positioned interior bevel. The edges of the plank have a bevel as well. The width of the edge bevel is precisely determined and selected such that when two planks are placed adjacent to each other, the adjacent edge patterns combine to form a bevel whose with and appearance is the same as the interior bevels between the tiles of a single plank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2013
    Assignee: Faus Group, Inc.
    Inventor: Eugenio Cruz Garcia
  • Publication number: 20130086862
    Abstract: The floor member, in one embodiment of the invention, is a floor member unit having a surface declination at the periphery of a top surface and extending downwardly to a peripheral beveled edge, and intersecting with the beveled edge between the top surface and a bottom surface. The surface declination can be curved or uncurved. In another embodiment of the invention the floor member unit is laminated in offset relationship to an underlayer of the same size and shape as the floor member unit. In either embodiment, the floor member can be formed as a floor tile or a floor plank.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 12, 2012
    Publication date: April 11, 2013
    Applicant: Tower IPCO Company Limited
    Inventors: Jincheng SONG, Zhiming WANG, Qingfeng LU
  • Patent number: 8359807
    Abstract: A plate product for finishing a floor or wall is disclosed. The plate product includes a natural-stone surface plate which has a predetermined thickness and is cut to have a predetermined length and width. A reinforcing plate is cut to have a length and width corresponding to those of the natural-stone surface plate and attached to the lower surface of the surface plate. A base plate is cut to have a length and width which are larger than those of the natural-stone surface plate and attached to the lower surface of the reinforcing plate. The upper layer part of the base plate having a predetermined thickness is pushed horizontally at one lengthwise side surface and one widthwise end surface, and the lower layer part having a remaining thickness is pushed horizontally at the other lengthwise side surface and the other widthwise end surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2013
    Assignee: EasyTech Inc.
    Inventor: Kyoung-Taek Kang
  • Patent number: 8291661
    Abstract: A modular floor includes a plurality of interconnected, uniform and elongated floor sections. Each floor section includes a wear layer, an upper subfloor panel, a lower subfloor panel and a plurality of parallel spacers sandwiched between the upper and lower subfloor panels. The spacers extend horizontally outwardly from three sides of the sections, including both longitudinal sides and one transverse side, but are recessed on the remaining transverse side. The parallel spacers extend into the recesses of adjacently located floor sections, alongside the corresponding spacers of those floor sections, along the longitudinal sides. At the transverse sides, each section has a spacer that extends into an adjacently located section in the same row and also receives a spacer from an adjacently located section in the same row. The sections have hardware connections that are concealed from view, and connecting each subsequent section requires two fasteners.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: Robbins, Inc.
    Inventors: Jay Frederick Bengry, Michael W Niese
  • Patent number: 8250824
    Abstract: The floor member, in the form of a floor tile or a floor plank, that is formed of a flexible, non-rigid material, has a bottom portion formed with a plurality of moisture dispersal pathways that lead toward peripheral side edges of the bottom portion. The moisture dispersal pathways permit any moisture that develops between a floor base and the bottom portion of the floor member that is installed on the floor base to flow in the moisture dispersal pathways toward at least one of the peripheral side edges of the bottom portion, for passage beyond the one peripheral side edge of the bottom portion. Adjacent tiles of a floor tile installation have communicable moisture dispersal pathways such that moisture is not entrapped below the floor member and can migrate through the communicable pathways to an outermost peripheral side edge of the floor tile installation for dissipation of moisture into the ambient air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: Tower IPCO Company
    Inventor: Norman Stone
  • Patent number: 8234829
    Abstract: Floor panel of the type comprising a hard top layer forming a decorative surface, from which, together with other identical or similar floor panels, a floor covering can be formed, wherein this floor panel includes at least one sound-absorbing layer which is integrated into the floor panel and is located between other layers of this floor panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2012
    Assignee: Unilin Beheer B.V., Besloten Vennootschap
    Inventors: Bernard Paul Joseph Thiers, Peter Jozef Hochepied
  • Patent number: 8225566
    Abstract: A tile for a synthetic grass system having a top surface with a plurality of trusses, a bottom surface with a plurality of legs extending therefrom. The trusses intersect and form apertures. The top surface has a plurality of sections which are hingedly attached to adjacent sections with expansion members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Assignee: Fieldturf Tarkett Inc.
    Inventors: Jean Prevost, Stephen Murphy
  • Patent number: 8191328
    Abstract: A hardwood floor with a flexible locking mechanism is disclosed. The floor board has a male locking apparatus on one end and a female locking apparatus on the opposite end. Two adjacent floor boards are engaged by sliding the male locking apparatus of one floor board into the female locking apparatus of an adjacent floor board. The female locking apparatus includes a flexible lower lip that moves downward when the male locking apparatus engages the female locking apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2012
    Inventor: David C. Liu
  • Patent number: 8186116
    Abstract: A tile tray (1) including a generally planar base (2) and two or more retaining members (5) adapted to locate and retain a tile (7) to the base. The tile tray (1) further includes a coupling means for connecting two or more of the tile trays in a substantially aligned configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2012
    Assignee: Unika (Australia) Pty Limited
    Inventor: Gordon Anderson
  • Patent number: 8161701
    Abstract: Method for manufacturing floor panels, wherein is started from panels (1), these panels (1), at their lower side (9), are provided with at least one guiding groove (22) and these panels (1), at least at two opposite sides (3A-3B/4A-4B), are provided with profiled edge regions (5A-5B) that comprise coupling parts (17A-17B), characterized in that at least one of the aforementioned two profiled edge regions (5A-5B) is formed such that this region, seen in a cross-section of the panel (1), transverse to the guiding groove (22), extends at the lower side (9) of the panel (1) at least up to the guiding groove (22). Further, the invention also relates to still other methods, for manufacturing as well as packaging of floor panels, and also relates to devices used therewith, as well as to floor panels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: Flooring Industries Limited, SARL
    Inventors: Mark Cappelle, Lode De Boe
  • Publication number: 20120085059
    Abstract: A floor tile is disclosed which comprises visually contrasting background and inlay portions that are not permanently or semi-permanently adhered to the flooring material during installation. The floor tile comprises a background piece comprising a shaped cavity and an identically shaped inlay which fits inside the shaped cavity. The two pieces are selectively removable from a flooring surface. Alternatively, either the background piece or the inlay piece may be permanently or semi-permanently affixed to the flooring surface, or to a support surface. The present invention also provides a method of manufacturing a decorative floor tile where two identically shaped inlay pieces are cut from two different pieces of tile material. The inlays are removed from the materials, forming cavities. The inlay from the first material is placed within the inlay cavity of the second material, and vice versa. The two pieces are selectively removable from a flooring surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 8, 2010
    Publication date: April 12, 2012
    Inventor: Arnon Rosan
  • Patent number: 8099919
    Abstract: Laminated flooring panels include decorative motifs, mechanically embossed-in-registration surface textures, recessed perimeters, and locking mechanisms. The locking mechanisms facilitate the alignment of adjacent flooring panels. Adjacent flooring panels substantially aligned allow embossed-in-registration patterns to be substantially continuous across adjacent flooring panels. The recessed perimeter prevents the edges of the flooring panel from prematurely wearing. Individual flooring panels within the flooring system may comprise at least one partial sub-panel having a decorative motif and/or embossed surface texture that is complementary with a decorative motif and/or embossed surface texture of a neighboring partial sub-panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2012
    Assignee: Faus Group
    Inventor: Eugenio Cruz Garcia
  • Patent number: 7993731
    Abstract: A modular tile assembly having a substantially rigid substrate, at least one sealant layer, and at least one stone, ceramic, or porcelain tile. A bottom surface of a first sealant layer being bonded to an upper surface of the substrate and a top surface of a second sealant layer being bonded to a lower surface of the substrate. The tile being bonded to at least a portion of the top surface of the first sealant layer. In one example, the substrate is provided with a tongue or a groove defined in any one, combination, or each of the respective side edges of the substrate, as desired.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2011
    Assignee: Shaw Industries Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert J. Miller, Jean Briere
  • Patent number: 7849642
    Abstract: A method and apparatus providing a tile configured to form a modular floor covering including an array of substantially identical tiles. The tile includes a top surface, bottom side, front and rear sides and first and second lateral sides. The top surface includes an elongated shape and the bottom side includes a support grid. The front and rear sides are defined along a longitudinal length of the elongated shape. The front side includes at least one first hinge member and the rear side includes at least one complementary second hinge member configured to be engageable with the at least one first hinge member of an adjacently positioned tile. The first and second lateral sides define a width of the elongated shape with the first and second lateral sides including a respective tab and slot coupling portion each having a coupling length at least one-third the width of the elongated shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2010
    Assignee: Connor Sport Court International, Inc.
    Inventors: Cheryl Forster, Mark Jenkins, Tyler Laitinen
  • Patent number: 7836651
    Abstract: The present invention provides a tile panel unit having a tile cap composed of at least one layer of crushed stone mixed with a resin and a catalyst and at least one layer of fiberglass strands mixed with a resin, and a base plate at least partially embedded in at least one layer of the tile cap material. The base plate provides a structure for supporting the tile cap, the structure having a matrix of supporting shapes and other reinforcing elements arranged within a peripheral support structure. The base plate further provides mounting features for securing the tile panel unit to an underlying support structure, and interlocking features for aligning and securing adjacent tile panel units in a wall and floor covering tile assembly system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2010
    Inventor: William N. Krupnick
  • Patent number: 7836649
    Abstract: Laminated flooring panels include decorative motifs, mechanically embossed-in-registration surface textures, recessed perimeters, and locking mechanisms. The locking mechanisms facilitate the alignment of adjacent flooring panels. Adjacent flooring panels substantially aligned allow embossed-in-registration patterns to be substantially continuous across adjacent flooring panels. The recessed perimeter prevents the edges of the flooring panel from prematurely wearing. Individual flooring panels within the flooring system may comprise at least one partial sub-panel having a decorative motif and/or embossed surface texture that is complementary with a decorative motif and/or embossed surface texture of a neighboring partial sub-panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2010
    Assignee: Faus Group, Inc.
    Inventor: Eugenio Cruz Garcia
  • Patent number: 7827742
    Abstract: A removable covering for surfaces includes, in principle, tiles consisting of bases made of a plastic material and top plaques joined to the bases, the bases incorporating male and female anchoring elements along their edges which fit together for attaching one tile to another. The anchoring elements are located in the joints between tiles and the anchoring elements are arranged alternatingly along the entire outer edge of the bases, at least by pairs of anchoring elements, one male and the other female, on each side of the edge of the plastic base. The anchoring elements are separated by a distance which is twice the distance between each end anchoring element and the nearest adjacent vertex of the corresponding base. It will thus be possible to place and anchor one tile assembly in relation to another in as many positions as the number of sides of the tiles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2010
    Inventor: Vicente Francisco Sansano Marti
  • Publication number: 20100180529
    Abstract: A method for installation tongue and groove material comprising steps of: insert tongue or groove of universal device for frontal or side part into groove or tongue respectively of frontal or side part of installing material respectively under a slight angle; pressing universal device for frontal or side part respectively toward installing surface; hitting metal part of universal device attaching tongue and groove. A universal device for parquet installation comprising: metal part painted in green and metal part painted in red. During installation process these metal parts are used for hitting; wooden part painted in red having word “BACK” written on; wooden part painted in green having word “FRONT” written on it; during installation process these two wooden parts are used to press cut segment of parquet material toward metal side; and two parts of the installing tongue and groove material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 18, 2008
    Publication date: July 22, 2010
    Inventor: Alexandre Drannikov
  • Patent number: 7757449
    Abstract: A removable floor includes a support piece (1) having a floor tile (15) affixed to the upper surface thereof, with the support piece being equipped to be secured to other support pieces, in order to facilitate the installation and removal of the floor by the user and to enable the supports to be installed in an aligned and/or out of phase manner such as to produce different decorative patterns.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2010
    Assignees: Taulell S.A., Industrias Alegre, S.A.
    Inventors: Javier Portoles Ibañez, Carlos Sanchis Ballester, Carlos Soler Aguilar, Mónica Alegre Olmos, Joaquín Peña Villanueba, Antonio Carbonell Balaguer, José Emilio Gil Serrano
  • Patent number: 7748177
    Abstract: A modular tile configured to interlock with multiple tiles to form a modular floor covering over a floor. The tile includes a top surface having a periphery defining side walls extending downward from the top surface, the side walls having a coupling portion configured to couple with other tiles adjacent thereto to form the modular floor covering. The tile also includes a bottom side, opposite the top surface, having a support grid including an array of downward extending polymeric post structures, at least some of the post structures including at least one resilient end portion with a radial end surface configured to be positioned against the floor to facilitate controlled deflection of the post structures. The post structures may comprise primary and secondary post structures, with the secondary post structures limiting the deflection of the primary post structures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2010
    Assignee: Connor Sport Court International, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark L. Jenkins, Jeremiah Shapiro, Cheryl Forster, Vaughn W. North, David L. Stott
  • Patent number: 7716889
    Abstract: Floorboards for mechanical joining of floors in a herringbone pattern and in parallel rows with horizontal connectors which on the short sides have cooperating locking surfaces which are designed differently from the cooperating locking surfaces on the long sides.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2010
    Assignee: Valinge Innovation AB
    Inventor: Darko Pervan
  • Patent number: 7707792
    Abstract: A flooring panel includes a decorative upper surface and a lower surface. The flooring panel further includes a plurality of edges extending between the decorative upper surface and the lower surface. The plurality of edges are shaped and dimensioned for selective coupling with adjacent flooring panels, wherein each of the plurality of edges includes an edge profile having at least a male coupling member or a female coupling member. The flooring panel also includes at least one notched transition section that extends between one of the plurality of edges of the flooring panel and the decorative upper surface of the flooring panel. When adjacent flooring panels are brought together, the at least one notched transition section of the adjacent flooring panels defines a grout receiving recess into which a material may be poured for creation of the a grout line between the adjacent flooring panels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2010
    Assignee: Premark RWP Holdings, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel P. Steele, Curt N. Thompson
  • Publication number: 20100058694
    Abstract: The present invention discloses the composition of a one-component, solvent-free water repellent for sealing joint and cut edges and tongue and groove of laminate and parquet floor elements laid without adhesive. The water repellent consists of saturated fatty acids having at least 10 carbon atoms in proportions by mass of 60 to 95%, preferably stearic acid, and plasticizers in proportions by mass of 5 to 40%, and optionally dyes, wetting agents and preservatives. Paraffinic white oils and silicone oils are used as plasticizers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2007
    Publication date: March 11, 2010
    Applicant: Bostik, S.A.
    Inventor: Franz Eiden
  • Patent number: 7571573
    Abstract: The principles described herein provide floor tiles and modular floors. The floor tiles may include small steps in a surface structure to increase traction. The floor tiles may also or alternatively include diagonal cross ribs to block the passage of debris and break liquid surface tension. The modular tiles may be injection molded. The floor tiles may also provide multiple layers of traction, providing more sure footing than previous flooring systems. The floor tiles may provide multiple layers of traction, providing more sure footing than previous flooring systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2009
    Inventor: Jorgen J. Moller, Jr.
  • Patent number: 7552568
    Abstract: Vertically joined flooring material comprising floor elements (1) with a mainly triangular, square, rectangular, rhomboidal or polygonal shape, as seen from above. The floor elements (1) are provided with edges (2) which are provided with joining members (20), a lower side (5) and a decorative top surface (3). The flooring material comprises a combination of at least two types of floor elements (1), which types comprises female floor elements (1?) and male floor elements (1?). The female floor element (1?) is provided with a female joining member (21) on at least half of the number of its edges (2) and a male joining member (22) on less than half of the number of its edges (2). The male floor element (1?) is provided with a male joining member (22) on at least two thirds of the number of its edges (2) and a female joining member (21) on less than one third of the number of its edges (2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2009
    Assignee: Pergo (Europe) AB
    Inventors: Jörgen Pålsson, Ingvar Sylegård
  • Publication number: 20090133348
    Abstract: A panelling system preferably for floors is defined by a series of panels each formed of a plurality of tongue and groove main floor plank strips arranged side edge to side edge and cut to a common length with a tongue along one cut edge and a groove along the other. At the edges are attached edge strips formed also from the flooring planks with tongue and groove and fastened together to form a common panel member for transportation and installation. The outwardly facing edge of each edge has a tongue or groove for mating with a groove or tongue of a next adjacent panel. The strips are fastened by a corrugated fastening plate bridging the junction or by pins from the rear or by a bonded sheet material on the rear.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2008
    Publication date: May 28, 2009
    Inventors: Kelly Gibson, Len Hoard
  • Publication number: 20090025324
    Abstract: This invention relates to a tile for covering surfaces in the form of one or more metallic plates and a substratum to be placed on the surface to be covered. At least one metal plate has folds forming male and female shaped elements to be connected with those of adjacent tiles to form a substantially continuous coverage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2006
    Publication date: January 29, 2009
    Applicant: INTERSIDER ACCIAI S.P.A.
    Inventor: Ferdinando Bandera
  • Patent number: 7475488
    Abstract: A dual purpose tile spacer and packing shim includes a body having a plurality of arms of equal width, wherein each arm extends radially from a common intersection, and each arm has a bottom edge and a top surface, wherein the respective bottom edges all reside in a common plane and the respective top surfaces do not all reside in a common plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2009
    Inventor: Stephen Symington