Rabbet On Two Perpendicular Faces Or Edge And Face (e.g., Ship Lap) For Key Patents (Class 52/591.4)
  • Patent number: 12084859
    Abstract: An insulated block includes two sides and a self-adhering foam core joined to the two sides during the curing of the foam core. The foam core includes protrusions and recessions to facilitate joining of each insulated block with another insulated block. The insulated block is configured to be joined to other insulated blocks to create a structure or foundation which does not require mortar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2024
    Inventor: Charles H. Leahy
  • Patent number: 11920346
    Abstract: A module, in particular for a building, includes a wall having at least two, preferably parallel, wall outer sides, which are spaced apart from one another. At least one channel is disposed between the two wall outer sides and is filled with a self-curing material. A building including at least one module, a method for producing a module, a method for producing a building wall and a method for producing a building, are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Inventor: Franz-Axel Kohlschein
  • Patent number: 11649642
    Abstract: Building panels provided with a locking system for vertical and horizontal locking of a first edge and a second edge of adjacent panels. The locking system includes a displaceable tongue at least partly arranged in a displacement groove, a tongue groove, a cavity provided in a strip at the first edge, and a protrusion extending downwards at the second edge. The displaceable tongue is arranged to be displaced at least partly into the tongue groove during locking, and wherein the protrusion is arranged to be located in least a portion of the cavity when the panels are locked vertically and horizontally.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignee: CERALOC INNOVATION AB
    Inventor: Darko Pervan
  • Patent number: 11408169
    Abstract: A z-shaped bracket includes a first flange surface, a second flange surface and a connecting web surface. The first flange surface has a plurality of holes therethrough. The connecting web surface connects the first flange surface and the second flange surface at an offset distance. Where the second flange surface is parallel with the first flange surface and is offset the offset distance from the first flange surface. Wherein, the bracket is configured for installing wood blocking between metal studs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Inventor: Cretice Benefield
  • Patent number: 10655326
    Abstract: A wood blocking blank for creating wood blocking for placement between metal studs includes a panel of a blocking material. The panel of blocking material has an original length and a standard width. The standard width is sized to a nominal stud width configured to fit between the metal studs. A groove is cut down the entire original length of the panel of blocking material approximate a first side of the panel of blocking material. The groove is configured for orienting the first side of the panel of blocking material in a soft side of a first metal stud and a second side of the panel of blocking material against the hard side of an adjacent metal stud. The groove is sized to receive the lip of the soft side of the metal stud.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2020
    Inventor: Cretice Benefield
  • Patent number: 8950147
    Abstract: A floor panel and a floating floor system include a top surface and a bottom surface. The top surface has a visible decorative pattern and the bottom surface has a recess which extends about the periphery of the bottom surface. The recess has a recess surface. The floor panel includes a joining member with a top surface and a bottom surface. The top surface of the joining member is adhered to the recess surface of the recess. The bottom surface of the joining member and the bottom surface of the floor panel are essentially flush which each other. The use of the joining member does not create any imprints on the top surface of the floor panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: AWI Licensing Company
    Inventors: Dung V. Dao, Richard H. Balmer
  • Patent number: 8925264
    Abstract: A floor tile system for protecting a substrate is described. The system includes two tiles or mats that interlock with one another along numerous axes to provide a tight, high-strength seam. Specifically, the tiles include teeth that interlock with teeth of the other tile in a side-by-side manner. The tiles also include male and female portions that interlock when the tile edges overlap with one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignee: Parallax Group International, LLC
    Inventors: Bruce Thrush, John Grimm
  • Patent number: 8875465
    Abstract: Flooring panel or wall panel and a use thereof in a wet room. The panel is provided with a locking means in the form of groove and tongue forming a tongue/groove joint for assembling of the panels. The groove and the tongue are preferably made of water tight material and formed with a snap-together joint.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: Pergo (Europe) AB
    Inventor: Göran Mårtensson
  • Patent number: 8806832
    Abstract: A vertical joint system for substrates is formed with joints Jm and Jf which engaged by relative motion in a direction perpendicular to major surfaces and of the substrate. The joints are configured to enable relative rotation of up to 3 degrees (i.e. clockwise or anticlockwise) while maintaining engagement of the joints. The joints Jm and Jf are further configured to form two locking planes, one on each of the inner and outer most sides of the joint. Engagement about the locking planes is provided by transverse outward extending surfaces Cm1, Cm2, Cf1 and Cf2. The surface Cf1 and Cf2 overhang the surfaces Cm1 and Cm2. At least one surface in each pair of engaging surfaces: Cf1 and Cm1; and, Cf2 and Cm2 is smoothly curved. The joints Jm and Jf can be further arranged to provide a third locking plane parallel to and between the locking planes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: Inotec Global Limited
    Inventor: Richard William Kell
  • Patent number: 8720684
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: AWI Licensing Company
    Inventors: 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.
  • Patent number: 8539733
    Abstract: The present invention concerns an insulation panel for fitting between profiles in a framework of an insulating building system for an external building structure, such as a wall or a roof, or an internal building structure, such as a partitioning wall or a ceiling or floor structure, said panel comprising substantially parallel first and second main surfaces with substantially parallel, oppositely situated first and second profile contact sides and substantially parallel, oppositely situated third and fourth sides between said main surfaces. In addition, the invention concerns a method of producing insulation panels and an apparatus for producing insulation panels according to the method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2013
    Assignee: Rockwool International A/S
    Inventors: Henrik Bogeskov, Peter Hesselholt, Michael A. Thorsted
  • Publication number: 20130180198
    Abstract: A building panel having improved shiplap joints to provide complete coverage with while providing for panel expansion and contraction. The building panel includes an overlap adapted to overlie a back portion of the backface of one or more panels laid up in the next higher course. Alternate corners of the building panels have centerlaps portions formed at a plane central to the thickness of the building panel that fit between the space defined by the front overlap and the backunderlap. The centerlaps mate to fill gaps that would otherwise open when the building panels expand and contract.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 13, 2012
    Publication date: July 18, 2013
    Applicant: E I DU PONT DE NEMOURS AND COMPANY
    Inventors: Barry D. Olson, Barton Panagian
  • Patent number: 8402709
    Abstract: A building panel, such as a flooring panel or wall panel and a method of assembling the same into a floor, wall cladding, etc. The panel is provided with a locking means in the form of groove (6) and tongue (7) forming a tongue/groove joint for assembling of the panels. In a preferred embodiment, the groove (6) and the tongue (7) are made of water resistant material and formed with a snap-together joint.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2013
    Assignee: Pergo (Europe) AB
    Inventors: Goran Martensson, Magnus Kulik
  • Patent number: 8276342
    Abstract: Flooring panel or wall panel and a use thereof in a wet room. The panel is provided with a locking means in the form of groove (6) and tongue (7) forming a tongue/groove joint for assembling of the panels. The groove (6) and the tongue (7) are preferably made of water tight material and formed with a snap-together joint.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2012
    Assignee: Pergo (Europe) AB
    Inventor: Göran Mårtensson
  • Patent number: 8268110
    Abstract: A method comprising the steps of putting together a first piece including a wear layer, a pattern layer, and a base layer, arranged in a sandwich manner, such that the wear layer is on top of the pattern layer, the pattern layer is on top of the base layer, and the pattern layer is in between the wear layer and the base layer. The method may also include removing portions of the first piece to form a first floor plank, such as by removing a first substantially L-shaped portion of the wear layer, removing a second substantially L-shaped portion of the pattern layer, and removing a third substantially L-shaped portion of the base layer. Adhesive may be applied to locations on the first floor plank where substantially L-shaped portions have been removed to adhere the first floor plank to one or more substantially identical floor planks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignee: Advance Vinyl Floor Manufacturing Corp.
    Inventor: Chao Kang Pien
  • 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: 8191324
    Abstract: A multilayer flooring panel for flooring and the like has a cementitious top surface, a lower density intermediate layer preferably incorporating expanded polymeric beads mixed with cement, and a lower layer reinforced by tension-bearing fibers embedded therein. The interface between the top and middle layers may be upwardly domed to reduce the tendency for cracks to form in the bottom surface of the top layer. Channels formed along the edges of such tiles allow insertion of heat transfer tubing to provide a hydronic floor surface. A flooring panel may have cementitious top and bottom surfaces with an intermediate lower density layer there between. Such intermediate layer may be divided into two portions by a water impervious layer that serves as a binder and vapor barrier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2012
    Inventor: Arne Wallin
  • Patent number: 8171691
    Abstract: The floor member is a laminated structure of flexible compressible cork sheet material and flexible plastic sheet material in the form of a floor tile or a floor plank. The cork sheet material and plastic sheet material are offset, from each other and have respective predetermined thicknesses to enable the floor member to be bendable to facilitate assembly of a plurality of the floor members into a floor covering. The compressible cork sheet material provides sound and heat insulation and the flexible plastic sheet material is yieldable to surface irregularities of a floor base. The cork sheet material is sandwiched between two layers of clear plastic material to provide a distinct sight of the structural presence and thickness of the cork sheet at an edge of the floor member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: Tower IPCO Company Limited
    Inventor: Norman Stone
  • Patent number: 8161690
    Abstract: An interlocking portable rollout attic flooring having a plurality of planks laid in a mutual abutting relationship of side edges of the planks, to define a common longitudinally extensive top and bottom surfaces, the common bottom surface having longitudinally directed notches oriented orthogonal to the side edges. The longitudinally directed notches engaged with spaced apart beams for support and stability of the flooring. The side edges of the planks configured in a mutually overlapping relationship wherein each plank supports a portion of weight applied to each adjacent plank. At least one longitudinally directed flexible strap fixed to the top surface of the flooring to secure the planks in the abutting relationship while allowing the planks to be rolled into a cylindrical configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Inventors: Lynn Eric Borne, Lynn Charles Borne
  • Patent number: 8146319
    Abstract: A modular flooring assembly including a flooring component adhered to a tray substrate is described. The modular flooring assembly may be interconnected with additional modular flooring assemblies to form a modular floor suitable for most flooring applications. The flooring component may be tile or wood or other materials commonly used in flooring applications. Convention fill-in grout or a snap-in grout may be used with the modular flooring assemblies. One suitable snap-in grout is a right angle grout member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2012
    Assignee: CoMc LLC
    Inventors: Jonathan McIntosh, Nicole C. Sperling
  • Patent number: 8141313
    Abstract: A roofing system includes a plurality of roofing panel assemblies. Each roofing panel assembly includes a base having a substantially planar surface, a plurality of I-joists having an upper flange and a lower flange, wherein the base is attached to the lower flanges of the plurality of I-joists, and a cap having a substantially planar surface, wherein the cap is attached to the upper flanges of the plurality of I-joists. The plurality of I-joists includes a first edge most I-joist and a second edge most I-joist. A first edge of the cap is attached to the upper flange of the first edge most I-joist such that a portion of the upper flange of the first edge most I-joist is not covered by the cap. A second edge of the cap extends beyond an edge of the second edge most I-joist for a distance less than a width of the upper flange of the second edge most I-joist.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2012
    Inventors: Habib J. Dagher, William G. Davids
  • Patent number: 8118345
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to an improved wooden flooring system for use with flatbed trailers used in the commercial trucking industry. More specifically, the present invention is directed to a plurality of reinforced, domestically grown, wooden floorboards that are affixed together in an end-to-end manner using top and bottom joiner plates and fasteners to create a plurality of integrated floor planks to replace costly and increasingly hard to find tropical hardwood flooring for flatbed trailers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2012
    Inventor: Thomas David Hootman
  • Patent number: 8091289
    Abstract: A modular enclosure, such as a shed, may include a floor constructed from one or more floor panels. The floor panels, which may be constructed from blow-molded plastic, may include a pattern disposed on the upper surface. The floor panels may also include depressions that are formed in the lower surface and extend towards the upper surface. If desired, the depressions may be generally aligned with a portion of the pattern in the upper surface and the depressions may have a length that is less than the distance separating the upper surface and the lower surface. Advantageously, the depressions may be sized and configured to increase the strength of the floor panels. In addition, the floor panels may include a pattern disposed on the lower surface and the depressions may be at least partially disposed in the pattern. The patterns on the opposing sides of the panels may be generally offset and/or have different orientations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2012
    Assignee: Lifetime Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Barry D. Mower, Brent Steed, Jay Calkin, Neil Watson, Robert A. Astle, L. Curtis Strong, Rich Howe, David C. Winter, Kent Ashby
  • Patent number: 8056295
    Abstract: Floor covering, consisting of floor panels (2), which, at least at two opposite sides (3-4), comprise coupling parts (5-6), which, in the coupled condition of two of such floor panels (2), provide for a vertical as well as for a horizontal locking, characterized in that in coupled condition, at least at the location of the aforementioned two sides (3-4) of at least two mutually coupled floor panels (2), a strip (11), more particularly a prefabricated strip (11), is present in the floor covering (1), said strip extending up to the visible side of the floor covering (1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2011
    Assignee: Flooring Industries Limited, SARL
    Inventors: Mark Cappelle, Bernard Thiers, Luc Vanhastel
  • Patent number: 8046969
    Abstract: A roofing panel assembly is made of a base and a cap as well as a plurality of I-joists having an upper flange, a lower flange and a web. The base is attached to the lower flanges of one or more of the plurality of I-joists and the cap is attached to the upper flanges of one or more of the plurality of I-joists.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2011
    Assignee: University of Maine
    Inventors: Habib J. Dagher, William G. Davids
  • Patent number: 8037648
    Abstract: A polymeric interlocking tile for an adhesive-free assemblage with adjacent tiles having substantially similar, but inverted, edge interlocks thereon. The interlocks on each edge of a tile include a row of first and second sets of male-female types of alternating interlocks. The first interlock set includes a male lug projection having sidewalls forming one sidewall of a channel of U-shaped cross-section. The channel forms a female interlock cavity for the first set. The second interlock set is contiguous to the first set and includes a male projecting rib having two parallel sidewalls, one sidewall faces the edge and forms an opposite sidewall of the channel and an opposite, inwardly facing sidewall forms an enclosure for a second female cavity of the next set. At the opposite ends of each interlock row, the U-shaped channel sidewalls are wider to facilitate an initial interlock meshing between contiguous tiles of the assemblage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2011
    Assignee: SelecTech, Inc.
    Inventor: John P Vanderhoef
  • Patent number: 8037654
    Abstract: A floor structure includes a plurality of structural metal components that each have: a plate-shaped supporting portion that is laid either perpendicular or oblique to an installation surface; a plate-shaped top flange that extends from a top end portion of the supporting portion in parallel with the installation surface; a plate-shaped bottom flange that extends from a bottom end portion of the supporting portion in parallel with the installation surface and in the opposite direction from the top flange, wherein the structural metal components are laid on a flat surface in parallel with each other such that the top flange of one of the mutually adjacent structural metal components covers the bottom flange of the other of the mutually adjacent structural metal material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2011
    Assignee: Nippon Steel Corporation
    Inventors: Koji Hanya, Nariaki Nakayasu
  • Patent number: 8037656
    Abstract: A hardwood floor system with press down locking mechanism. Each floor board is equipped with both male and female locking mechanisms. The male locking mechanism of a floor board can be locked into the female locking mechanism of an adjacent floor board by simply exerting downward force on the floor board. The female locking mechanism is equipped with a spring slot that enables easy engagement of male and female locking mechanisms. The invention may be applied not only floor boards, but also to wall tiles and roof tiles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2011
    Inventors: David C. Liu, Jun Liu
  • Patent number: 8037655
    Abstract: A floor structure includes a plurality of structural metal components that each have: a plate-shaped supporting portion that is laid either perpendicular or oblique to an installation surface; a plate-shaped top flange that extends from a top end portion of the supporting portion in parallel with the installation surface; a plate-shaped bottom flange that extends from a bottom end portion of the supporting portion in parallel with the installation surface and in the opposite direction from the top flange, wherein the structural metal components are laid on a flat surface in parallel with each other such that the top flange of one of the mutually adjacent structural metal components covers the bottom flange of the other of the mutually adjacent structural metal material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2011
    Assignee: Nippon Steel Corporation
    Inventors: Koji Hanya, Nariaki Nakayasu
  • Patent number: 7913464
    Abstract: An assembly device for at least two laminated glazing elements each including plural individual glazing elements that are rigid and assembled to one another at the surface by bonding layers, which succeed one another in a direction of extension, partially overlapping in contiguous edge regions in perpendicular projection on faces of the glazing elements, and are assembled to one another in this limited overlap region on the edge side. Only one portion of the rigid glazing elements, at least one individual glazing element of each laminated glazing element, extends into the overlap region. This allows a smooth continuous transition from one laminated glazing element to the next with a visual effect of an extremely transparent glazing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2011
    Assignee: Saint-Gobain Glass France
    Inventors: Christian Eckelt, Roland Leopoldseder
  • Patent number: 7856784
    Abstract: Flooring panel or wall panel and a use thereof in a wet room. The panel is provided with a locking means in the form of groove (6) and tongue (7) forming a tongue/groove joint for assembling of the panels. The groove (6) and the tongue (7) are preferably made of water tight material and formed with a snap-together joint.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2010
    Assignee: Pergo AG
    Inventor: Goram Martensson
  • Publication number: 20100319294
    Abstract: A tile structure and a tile assembly comprising a plurality of substantially equivalent, interconnected tile structures disposable in covering relation to a floor or other surface area. Each tile structure comprises outer and under layers fixedly secured in longitudinally and transversely offset relation to define a connecting groove and a connecting tongue extending along opposite longitudinal and transverse peripheral portions thereof. The connecting tongue on each of the plurality of tile structures is cooperatively dimensioned and configured to fit within the connecting groove on a next adjacently disposed tile structure. Secure interconnection between the tile structures is facilitated by a pressure sensitive or dry adhesive composition disposed on one surface at least partially within the connecting groove, while the remaining surfaces of the connecting tongue and groove are initially adhesive-free.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2009
    Publication date: December 23, 2010
    Inventors: Stephen P. Courey, Shan Chiang
  • Patent number: 7849655
    Abstract: A system and method for joining floor planks includes two or more planks wherein each plank includes a tongue, a groove, and optionally a shoulder, and optionally a protruding lip, that provide a mechanism for connecting two or more planks together. The tongue can be on the opposing side of each plank from the groove. The groove can be defined between a first flange extending along a first edge of the plank and from one side of the plank, and a second flange extending distally beyond a distal edge of the first flange from the first edge of the plank and from a second side of the plank opposite from the first side. The tongue can be S-shaped to form an interlocking relationship with the groove.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2010
    Assignee: Mannington Mills, Inc.
    Inventors: Hao A. Chen, John Whispell
  • Patent number: 7748176
    Abstract: A flooring system comprising a plurality of elongate members (1) secured together along adjacent longitudinal side edges by means of co-operating male and female formations (2, 3). The female formation (3) is a channel with relatively convergent sidewalls and the male formation comprises a hollow rail of complementary shape. An outer sidewall of the channel is resilient to allow the rail to be snapped into the channel in a direction transverse to the length of the members (1) and to return to its original shape to resist removal of the rail. The formations (2, 3) are arranged so that upper surfaces of adjacent members (1) form a panel having a planar support surface (21) and relative rotation of the members (1) about an axis parallel to the longitudinal side edges is resisted. Two panels may be joined together to provide upper and lower planar support surfaces (21, 22).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2010
    Assignee: Floor 2 Wall Limited
    Inventors: Miceal John Peter Harding, Oliver Charles Harding, Iain Mackenzie Macleod
  • 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: 7685790
    Abstract: The floor member is a laminated structure in the form a floor tile or a floor plank. A bottom portion of the floor member is 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: May 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2010
    Assignee: Tru Woods Limited
    Inventor: Norman Stone
  • Patent number: 7676995
    Abstract: A polymeric interlocking tile for an adhesive-free assemblage with adjacent tiles having substantially similar, but inverted, edge interlocks thereon. The interlocks on each edge of a tile include a row of first and second sets of male-female types of alternating interlocks. The first interlock set includes a male lug projection having sidewalls forming one sidewall of a channel of U-shaped cross-section. The channel forms a female interlock cavity for the first set. The second interlock set is contiguous to the first set and includes a male projecting rib having two parallel sidewalls, one sidewall faces the edge and forms an opposite sidewall of the channel and an opposite, inwardly facing sidewall forms an enclosure for a second female cavity of the next set. At the opposite ends of each interlock row, the U-shaped channel sidewalls are wider to facilitate an initial interlock meshing between contiguous tiles of the assemblage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2010
    Assignee: Selectech Inc.
    Inventor: John P Vanderhoef
  • Patent number: 7581357
    Abstract: The present invention provides a system, or kit, of injection molded panels having integrated connectors which combine to form an enclosure, commonly in the form of a utility shed. The panels are formed of injection molded plastic to interlock with one another without the need for separate I-beam connectors. The ends of the wall panels have cavities to accept both roof and floor outwardly projecting locking bosses for interlocking cooperative engagement which serve to rigidly connect the components together. The symmetry of the wall, roof, floor and door components also minimizes component shapes and simplifies enclosure construction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2009
    Assignee: Suncast Corporation
    Inventors: Jed C. Richardson, Lyle A. Rosine, Rob Stein, Robert Kopp, Michael Uffner, Torrence Anderson
  • Patent number: 7497058
    Abstract: Flooring panel or wall panel and a use thereof in a wet room. The panel is provided with a locking means in the form of groove (6) and tongue (7) forming a tongue/groove joint for assembling of the panels. The groove (6) and the tongue (7) are preferably made of water tight material and formed with a snap-together joint.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2009
    Assignee: Pergo (Europe) AB
    Inventor: Göran Mårtensson
  • Patent number: 7487622
    Abstract: A frame for an interlocking system for floor or wall tiles has a base frame with a lid surrounding its perimeter. The lid serves to fill the gap between frames after the tiles are installed, as well as provide lateral stability to the tiles. The bottom of the base frame has an array or grid of support legs. On at least one side of the perimeter, the base frame has a plurality of bosses or slotted connectors extending outwardly from the base frame, which can be used to make connection with the support legs of another base frame. A filler, or divider, frame, of a given shape, e.g. “+” or “#”, is used to guide the placement of the tiles onto the base frame, as well as fill the gap between the tiles. Notches are formed on the base frame to securely engage the filler frame. One set of notches are formed through the surface of the base frame's planar body, white the other set of notches are formed on the inside surface of the lid of the base frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2009
    Inventor: Dennis H. Wang
  • Patent number: 7458191
    Abstract: The floor tile is a laminate of two layers of flexible plastic sheet material laminated together in offset relationship to define an offset marginal portion for each of the layers. Each of the offset marginal portions have oppositely facing adhesive coated surfaces. A foam layer and/or a fiberglass sheet can also be included in the laminate structure of the floor tile. The floor tile can conform to surface contours of a floor base. The bottom layer of the floor tile, whether it is plastic sheet or foam, is conformable to surface irregularities of the floor base. A one piece releasable packaging device covers the oppositely facing adhesive coated surfaces of the offset marginal portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2008
    Assignee: Tru Woods Limited
    Inventor: Norman Stone
  • Patent number: 7340865
    Abstract: A polymeric interlocking tile for an adhesive-free assemblage with adjacent tiles having substantially similar, but inverted, edge interlocks thereon. The interlocks on each edge of a tile include a row of first and second sets of male-female types of alternating interlocks. The first interlock set includes a male lug projection having sidewalls forming one sidewall of a channel of U-shaped cross-section. The channel forms a female interlock cavity for the first set. The second interlock set is contiguous to the first set and includes a male projecting rib having two parallel sidewalls, one sidewall faces the edge and forms an opposite sidewall of the channel and an opposite, inwardly facing sidewall forms an enclosure for a second female cavity of the next set. At the opposite ends of each interlock row, the U-shaped channel sidewalls are wider to facilitate an initial interlock meshing between contiguous tiles of the assemblage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2008
    Assignee: Selectech Inc.
    Inventor: John P Vanderhoef
  • Patent number: 7322159
    Abstract: The floor plank is a laminate of two layers of flexible plastic sheet material laminated together in offset relationship to define an offset marginal portion for each of the layers. Each of the offset marginal portions have oppositely facing adhesive coated surfaces. A foam layer and/or a fiberglass sheet can also be included in the laminate structure of the floor plank. The floor plank can conform to surface contours of a floor base. The bottom layer of the floor plank, whether it is plastic sheet or foam, is conformable to surface irregularities of the floor base. A one piece releasable packaging device covers the oppositely facing adhesive coated surfaces of the offset marginal portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2008
    Assignee: Tru Woods Limited
    Inventors: Norman Stone, Song Zhengxing
  • Patent number: 7270497
    Abstract: A cluster of paving elements is formed with a peripheral edge having a re-entrant formation formed between the upper supporting surface and the lower, supported surface. The formation engages a complimentary formation on an adjacent cluster to inhibit relative movement between the clusters. The re-entrant formation may be applied to individual paving elements in the cluster or to the exposed faces of the elements at the periphery of the cluster. The elements in the cluster may be shaped to inter-engage to inhibit relative movement between the elements with in the cluster.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2007
    Assignee: F. von Langsdorff Licensing Limited
    Inventor: Harald Von Langsdorff
  • Publication number: 20070163194
    Abstract: The floor tile is a laminate of two layers of flexible plastic sheet material laminated together in offset relationship to define an offset marginal portion for each of the layers. Each of the offset marginal portions have oppositely facing adhesive coated surfaces. A foam layer and/or a fiberglass sheet can also be included in the laminate structure of the floor tile. The floor tile can conform to surface contours of a floor base. The bottom layer of the floor tile, whether it is plastic sheet or foam, is conformable to surface irregularities of the floor base. A one piece releasable packaging device covers the oppositely facing adhesive coated surfaces of the offset marginal portions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 9, 2006
    Publication date: July 19, 2007
    Applicant: Tru Woods Limited
    Inventor: Norman Stone
  • Patent number: 7216461
    Abstract: Disclosed are systems and methods which provide durable and substantially smooth surfaces comprised of a number of smaller pieces of surfacing material. For example, tiles of natural materials, such as marble or granite, are formed into larger unitary structures, wherein the surfaces of the tiles are substantially dead flat and the seams therebetween are diminished in size so as to minimize their visual impact. These unitary structures are preferably adapted to interconnection to thereby allow formation of substantially larger surfaces. Jig apparatus and methods for there use are disclosed for casting unitary structures of various shapes and configurations in such a manner that a dead flat surface with very little to zero lippage is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2007
    Inventor: Clay E. Clemmer
  • Patent number: 7197855
    Abstract: The invention relates to a paving system for tiles, especially flagstones, for paving ceilings, walls, or floors, in which each tile is provided with a paving frame on which the tile rests over at least part of its area. The paving frames comprise, on each of two adjacent (intersecting) limbs, a fin for the accommodation of a rubber-elastic sealing profile that defines the width of the seam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2007
    Inventor: Tomas Della Pepa
  • Patent number: 7155865
    Abstract: A housing structure includes a first plurality of wall panels which form a lower course and a second plurality of wall panels which form an upper course. Each of the wall portions is generally rectangular and includes integrally formed interlocking portions which facilitate attachment of adjacent lateral edges of the wall portions of the first plurality to each other. Integrally formed interlocking portions facilitate attachment of the panels in the lower course to the panels in the upper course. In addition, rectangular roof panels are provided to enclose the housing structure. The interlocking portions enable the panels to slide into an interlocked engagement configuration thereby forming a rigid structure without the need for tools.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2007
    Assignee: Certified Lumber, LLC
    Inventor: Abraham Rosenberg
  • Patent number: 7155871
    Abstract: The floor plank is a laminate of two layers of flexible plastic sheet material laminated together in offset relationship to define an offset marginal portion for each of the layers. Each of the offset marginal portions have oppositely facing adhesive coated surfaces. A foam layer and/or a fiberglass sheet can also be included in the laminate structure of the floor plank. The floor plank can conform to surface contours of a floor base. The bottom layer of the floor plank, whether it is plastic sheet or foam, is conformable to surface irregularities of the floor base. A one piece releasable packaging device covers the oppositely facing adhesive coated surfaces of the offset marginal portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2007
    Assignee: Tru Woods Limited
    Inventors: Norman Stone, Song Zhengxing
  • Patent number: 7127860
    Abstract: Floorboards for installation of floors in herringbone pattern are formed with two opposite sides inverted relative to each other. The invention further comprises methods for producing and making floorings comprising such floorboards, as well as fitting pieces and sets of parts for such floorings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2006
    Assignee: Valinge Innovation AB
    Inventors: Darko Pervan, Tony Pervan