U.S. patent application number 12/378843 was filed with the patent office on 2009-09-03 for random installation carpet tiles.
Invention is credited to Sydney D. Daniel, David D. Oakey.
Application Number | 20090220727 12/378843 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 25128975 |
Filed Date | 2009-09-03 |
United States Patent
Application |
20090220727 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Daniel; Sydney D. ; et
al. |
September 3, 2009 |
Random installation carpet tiles
Abstract
Carpet tiles having patterns and color schemes that obviate the
need to orient the tiles relative to each other. The tiles exhibit
orthogonal ambiguity, meaning that they may be laid in any
side-by-side orientation with respect to adjacent tiles without
looking out of place to the ordinary viewer and thereby still
achieving an appearance of continuity like broadloom carpet. Each
tile has patterns of shapes having some straight sides and that
appear to be randomly positioned but oriented with some straight
sides parallel to carpet tile sides. The shapes are formed from a
color or combination of colors so that adjacent shapes on each tile
have at least one color in common. Furthermore, each tile has at
least one color in common with every other tile, so that when the
tiles are laid, the colors on adjacent tiles coordinate. All of the
colors have similar intensities so that no one color will
significantly stand out from the other colors. Moreover, because
the pattern on each tile appears random, placement of the tiles on
the floor in any side-by-side orientation simply creates a larger,
apparently random pattern, rendering it impossible for any tile to
look out of place.
Inventors: |
Daniel; Sydney D.;
(LaGrange, GA) ; Oakey; David D.; (LaGrange,
GA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
JOHN S. PRATT, ESQ;KILPATRICK STOCKTON, LLP
1100 PEACHTREE STREET, SUITE 2800
ATLANTA
GA
30309
US
|
Family ID: |
25128975 |
Appl. No.: |
12/378843 |
Filed: |
February 19, 2009 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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11433977 |
May 15, 2006 |
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12378843 |
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10417630 |
Apr 16, 2003 |
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11433977 |
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09783354 |
Feb 14, 2001 |
6908656 |
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10417630 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
428/88 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E04F 15/02 20130101;
Y10T 428/23929 20150401; B44F 5/00 20130101; A47G 27/0275 20130101;
Y10T 428/164 20150115; Y10T 428/23936 20150401; A47G 27/0475
20130101; B44C 1/28 20130101; Y10T 428/16 20150115; B44F 1/08
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
428/88 |
International
Class: |
B32B 33/00 20060101
B32B033/00 |
Claims
1.-26. (canceled)
27. Carpet tiles comprising tile edges and textile faces, each face
having a pattern comprising a plurality of shapes having shape
edges, wherein the pattern on each tile face is formed by at least
three colors and comprises: a. a plurality of shapes, at least two
of which are adjacent to each other and comprise at least one
common color; b. a shape comprising at least one shape edge
parallel to a first pair of opposed edges of the tile on which the
shape appears and at least one shape edge parallel to a second pair
of opposed edges of the tile on which the shape appears; wherein:
c. the tiles comprise at least two common colors; and d. when the
tiles are assembled on a flooring surface so that each tile is
adjacent to and abuts at least one other tile, the tiles exhibit
orthogonal ambiguity without pattern alignment between adjacent
tiles.
28. The carpet tiles of claim 27, wherein each tile comprises a
color of intensity similar to the intensity of a color on another
tile.
29. The carpet tiles of claim 27, wherein at least one of the
carpet tiles comprises a color not present on at least another of
the tiles.
30. The carpet tiles of claim 27, wherein the plurality of shapes
comprises a first shape and a second shape.
31. The carpet tile of claim 30, wherein the first shape is larger
than the second shape.
32. The carpet tiles of claim 30, wherein the first shape has a
different shape than the second shape.
33. The carpet tiles of claim 30, wherein the plurality of shapes
further comprises a third shape.
34. The carpet tiles of claim 33, wherein the first shape is larger
than the second shape and the second shape is larger than the third
shape.
35. The carpet tiles of claim 33, wherein the first shape has a
different shape than the second shape and the third shape, and the
second shape has a different shape than the third shape.
36. The carpet tiles of claim 33, wherein the plurality of shapes
further comprises a fourth shape.
37. The carpet tiles of claim 36, wherein the first shape is larger
than the second shape, the second shape is larger than the third
shape, and the third shape is larger than the fourth shape.
38. The carpet tiles of claim 36, wherein the first shape has a
different shape than the second shape, the third shape, and the
fourth shape, the second shape has a different shape than the third
shape and fourth shape, and the third shape has a different shape
than the fourth shape.
39. The carpet tiles of claim 27, wherein the pattern on at least
one but not all of the tile faces comprises a first color.
40. The carpet tiles of claim 39, wherein the pattern on at least
one but not all of the tile faces comprises a second color.
41. The carpet tiles of claim 40, wherein the pattern on at least
one but not all of the tile faces comprises a third color.
42. Floorcovering comprising at least two carpet tiles of claim 27
positioned adjacent to each other and in abutment on a flooring
surface.
43. The floorcovering of claim 42, wherein the at least two carpet
tiles comprise yarn and wherein one of the at least two carpet
tiles comprises yarn dyed in a different dye lot than yarn of the
other of the at least two carpet tiles.
44. The floorcovering of claim 42, wherein the at least two carpet
tiles comprises a first carpet tile adjacent to a second carpet
tile, wherein the first and second carpet tiles comprise at least
three common colors.
45. The floorcovering of claim 42, wherein the at least two carpet
tiles comprises a first carpet tile adjacent to a second carpet
tile, wherein the first carpet tile comprises a color not present
on the second carpet tile.
46. The floorcovering of claim 42, wherein the at least two carpet
tiles comprises a first carpet tile adjacent to a second carpet
tile, wherein: a. the first and second carpet tiles comprise at
least three common colors; and b. the first carpet tile comprises a
color not present on the second carpet tile.
47. The floorcovering of claim 42, wherein the at least two carpet
tiles comprises a first carpet tile adjacent to a second carpet
tile and a third carpet tile, wherein: a. the first and second
carpet tiles comprise at least three common colors; and b. at least
one of the at least three common colors is not present on the third
carpet tile.
48. The floorcovering of claim 42, wherein the at least two carpet
tiles comprises a first carpet tile adjacent to a second carpet
tile and a third carpet tile, wherein: a. a first color is common
to the first carpet tile and second carpet tile but not the third
carpet tile; and b. a second color is common to the first carpet
tile and third carpet tile but not the second carpet tile.
49. A floorcovering comprising carpet tiles positioned adjacent to
each other and in abutment on a flooring surface, wherein the
carpet tiles comprise tile edges and textile faces, each face
having a pattern comprising a plurality of shapes having shape
edges, wherein the pattern on each tile face is formed by at least
three colors and comprises: a. a plurality of shapes, at least two
of which are adjacent to each other and comprise at least one
common color; b. a shape comprising at least one shape edge
parallel to a first pair of opposed edges of the tile on which the
shape appears and at least one shape edge parallel to a second pair
of opposed edges of the tile on which the shape appears; wherein:
c. the tiles comprise at least two common colors; and d. wherein,
when the tiles are positioned adjacent to each other and in
abutment on a flooring surface: i. the tiles exhibit orthogonal
ambiguity without pattern alignment between adjacent tiles; ii. a
first carpet tile is adjacent to a second carpet tile and a third
carpet tile; iii. the first and second carpet tiles comprise a
color not present on the third carpet tile; and iv. the first and
third carpet tiles comprise a color not present on the second
carpet tile.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application is a continuation of U.S. patent
application Ser. No. 11/433,977 filed May 15, 2006, now pending,
which is a continuation application of U.S. patent application Ser.
No. 10/417,630, filed Apr. 16, 2003, now abandoned, which is a
continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/783,354, filed
Feb. 14, 2001, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,908,656, all of which are
incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] This invention relates generally to carpet tiles and a
method of designing carpet tiles having patterns and color schemes
that allow for placement of the carpet tiles in any orientation
with respect to adjacent carpet tiles while still achieving the
appearance of broadloom carpet.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] Traditionally, proper placement of carpet tiles has been
necessary to give the appearance of seamless broadloom carpet or at
least the appearance of a carpet tile installation in which tiles
are not out of place or misplaced. Conventional carpet tiles,
particularly including tufted, fusion bonded, or woven face carpet
tiles, normally have a "direction" as a result of (1) the pattern
on the tiles and/or (2) the manufacturing process.
[0004] After the carpet web is cut into the tiles, the tiles must
be oriented on the floor so that their pattern aligns with the
patterns on adjacent tiles or with the appearance of adjacent
tiles. Most carpet tiles are square. If a first carpet tile is
placed on the floor, a second tile may be placed in four different
positions relative to each side of the first tile by placing the
second tile adjacent to each of the four sides of the first tile
and in four different orientations and by rotating the second tile
in 90 degree increments relative to the first carpet tile. In only
one of the second tile's four rotational positions is the second
tile oriented in the same "direction" as the first tile, so that
both tiles are in the same rotational orientation as they were
relative to each other in the carpet web from which they were cut
or as they came off of the carpet producing machine. Moreover, some
patterns used on carpet tiles require that the second tile be
placed only adjacent to a particular side or sides of the first
tile, rather than adjacent to any of the four sides of the first
tile.
[0005] Furthermore, because of the manufacturing process, even
solid color tiles without any pattern usually have a nap
orientation or "direction." Additionally, minor variations in color
require that carpet tiles in a particular installation all use yarn
dyed in the same dye lot to avoid visually discernable differences
between adjacent carpet tiles resulting from variations in
dying.
[0006] Therefore, not only must the patterns of adjacent tiles be
aligned, adjacent tiles must be placed so that the nap is oriented
in the same direction, and it is frequently necessary to insure
that adjacent tiles, and sometimes all tiles in a particular
installation, were dyed or have fiber dyed at the same time. If one
carpet tile in an installation is oriented improperly with respect
to adjacent carpet tiles, it is usually readily apparent that the
tile has been misplaced, thereby destroying the appearance of
continuity of pattern, nap, and color of the entire carpet tile
installation. The carpet installer, therefore, must spend valuable
time during installation ensuring proper orientation of the
tiles.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] This invention addresses the above-described problems by
providing carpet tiles and a method of making carpet tiles having
patterns and color schemes that obviate the need to orient the
tiles (with respect to pattern or nap) relative to each other and
that generally eliminate the need to match tiles as to dye lot.
Instead, the tiles exhibit orthogonal ambiguity, meaning that tiles
may be laid in any side-by-side orientation with respect to
adjacent tiles without looking out of place to the ordinary viewer
and thereby still achieving an appearance of continuity across the
entire installation as if the tiles were part of a broadloom
web.
[0008] "Orthogonally ambiguous" tiles must be positioned in one of
sixteen positions relative to each other tile. Such positioning is
achieved by rotating adjacent tiles in ninety degree increments
relative to each other. A "rotational position indeterminate"
carpet web pattern can be imaged in which any tile can be cut from
the web in any rotational position relative to any other tile cut
from the web, including a rotational position displaced by other
than ninety degree increments (e.g. forty-five degrees). However,
cutting tiles from a web at such orientations would generally
produce substantial waste and be impractical.
[0009] The orthogonally ambiguous tiles of this invention are
produced by first producing a carpet web having a pattern
exhibiting the characteristics described herein and then cutting
the web into tiles in the conventional ways that tiles are
typically cut from a carpet web produced for that purpose. The web
has a pattern of shapes having at least some straight edges that
will parallel the tile edges but that appear to be randomly
oriented and positioned within the pattern. The shapes are formed
from a color or combination of colors so that adjacent shapes on
each tile have at least one color in common. Furthermore, each tile
always has at least one color in common with every other tile, so
that when the tiles are laid, the colors on adjacent tiles
coordinate. All of the colors typically should have similar
intensities so that no one color significantly stands out from the
other colors.
[0010] Because the pattern on each tile appears random, placement
of the tiles on the floor in any orientation simply creates a
larger, apparently random pattern, rendering it impossible for any
tile to look out of place. Such randomness masks the visual effects
of having adjacent carpet tiles with misaligned or
differently-oriented naps and also masks slight color variations
resulting from dye lot differences. The presence, within the
pattern, of shapes with edges parallel to the edges of the tile
insures that, if the shapes are partitioned when the web is cut
into tiles, the partitioned shapes will not appear out of place,
since the shapes of the pattern already include elements, having
straight edges parallel to at least one of the tile edges, similar
to the partitioned shapes, which have a straight edge defined by
the straight edge of a panel. Given the apparent randomness of the
pattern and color scheme, worn or soiled tiles in a particular
installation may easily be replaced with an unused tile without the
new tile looking as dramatically different from the remaining tiles
as often results with tiles with conventional patterns.
[0011] It is thus an object of this invention to provide carpet
tiles that may be laid in any orientation with respect to each
other and still achieve the appearance of a continuous piece of
broadloom carpet.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0012] The file of this patent contains at least one drawing
executed in color. Copies of this patent with color drawing(s) will
be provided by the Patent and Trademark Office upon request and
payment of the necessary fee.
[0013] FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a carpet tile web produced in
accordance with one embodiment of this invention.
[0014] FIG. 2 is a top plan view of two carpet tiles produced in
accordance with this invention positioned in a first orientation
relative to each other.
[0015] FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the two carpet tiles
illustrated in FIG. 2 with one of the tiles rotated ninety degrees
from the orientation illustrated in FIG. 2.
[0016] FIG. 4 is a top plan view of an assembly of carpet tiles cut
from the web of FIG. 1.
[0017] FIG. 5 is a top plan view of an assembly of carpet tiles cut
from the web of FIG. 1.
[0018] FIG. 6 is a top plan view of an assembly of carpet tiles cut
from the web of FIG. 1.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0019] FIG. 1 illustrates a carpet web 22 having a pattern
consistent with this invention. Longitudinal partition lines 24-26
and horizontal partition lines 27-30 show how the web 22 may be
partitioned into twenty individual carpet tiles 1-20. A number of
factors contribute to the orthogonal ambiguity of each carpet tile,
including pattern shapes and arrangement and shape colors.
[0020] The pattern produced on web 22 produces tiles with shapes
that appear randomly positioned on the tile. Only shapes having
certain characteristics are usable. First, at least some of the
shapes must have straight sides parallel to the "machine" and
"cross-machine" direction of the web 22, and therefore parallel to
the tile edges. For instance, shape 32 in FIG. 1 has a straight
side 34 parallel to longitudinal partition line 24 and therefore
parallel to the edge of tile 1 that will be defined by longitudinal
partition line 24. Similarly, shape 32 has a straight side 36
parallel to horizontal partition line 27, and it, too, will
parallel the edge of tile 1 that will be defined by horizontal
partition line 27. Partition line 24 will pass through and
partition shape 32, thereby resulting in a portion of shape 32
ending up on each of tile 1 and 2. The straight edge of shape 32
that will appear on each of tile 1 and 2 will not appear to be out
of place.
[0021] Size of the shapes within the pattern is also important, as
is lateral position of the shapes within the web. The shapes must
generally be small enough so that several shapes will end up
positioned within each tile. Otherwise, the fraction or fractions
of larger shapes falling on a particular carpet tile would
potentially look odd. Shapes should be positioned laterally within
the web so that longitudinal partition lines 24, 25, and 26 do not
partition a shape so that an oddly narrow portion falls on one of
the tiles.
[0022] Each tile preferably has the same background color. At least
one color, different from the background color, is used to form the
shapes on the tile. Regardless of how many colors are used, all of
the colors should have similar intensities so that no one color
significantly stands out from the other colors. Note that multiple
shapes may be, and preferably should be, formed on each tile. It is
important, however, that each shape have at least one color in
common with adjacent shapes on the tile. Use of multiple shapes and
colors contributes to the apparent random quality of the pattern,
thereby making an installation of such tiles appear to be
continuous without regard to the orthogonal orientation of the
tiles within the installation.
[0023] While the adjacent shapes of each tile have at least one
color in common, additionally, each tile preferably has at least
one color in common (in addition to the background color) with
every other tile, so that when the tiles are laid, the colors on
adjacent tiles will coordinate.
[0024] Because the pattern on each tile appears random, placement
of the tiles on the floor in any orientation simply creates a
larger, apparently random pattern, rendering it impossible for any
tile to look out of place. Such apparent randomness obviates the
need to align the nap or "direction" of adjacent tiles, as
misaligned naps further enhance the random appearance of the
carpeting. Such randomness also masks color variation resulting
from dye lot differences.
[0025] In summary, the "rules" for creating a pattern in accordance
with this invention are: [0026] 1. Utilization of a background
color for the entire web from which tiles will be cut. [0027] 2.
Utilization of a pattern of shapes on the web formed by colors of
approximately the same intensity as the background color and each
other. [0028] 3. Utilization of shapes small enough for several to
appear on each tile. [0029] 4. Utilization of shapes having
straight edges parallel to the tile edges. [0030] 5. Utilization of
a pattern causing each tile cut from the web to have at least 1
color in common with each other tile.
[0031] The carpet web 22 shown in FIG. 1 practices these rules and
may be formed by a conventional carpet tufting machine. For
example, a tufting machine having two rows of needles may be used.
One row of needles may be threaded up with a single background
color that is present across the entire carpet web 22. The second
row of needles may be threaded with yarns of other colors as
described below. The pattern of shapes is created on the carpet web
by controlling the height of the yarn. The farther the yarn is
pushed through the primary backing, the greater its height in the
finished carpet tile and the more predominant the color of the yarn
is to the ordinary observer. In the pattern shown in FIG. 1, the
background yarn A tufts have a uniform height across their entire
pattern, so that at least some background yarn A is visible in all
areas of the pattern, and some areas show only background yarn
A.
[0032] For ease of manufacture, in the embodiment shown in FIG. 1
the color scheme of the carpet web 22 is symmetrical about the
longitudinal partition line (and also longitudinal axis) 25 of the
carpet web 22. This means that the two side-by-side tiles 1 and 2
on one side of a production line can be boxed together, while the
two side-by-side tiles 3 and 4 on the other side of the production
line can be boxed together, and all boxes will have the same
proportions of tiles having a particular color combination. This
symmetry would not be necessary if tiles from the entire line were
used to fill all of the boxes or other packages of tiles produced
together.
[0033] The background color A (in this instance, yellow) is tufted
over the entirety of the carpet web 22. The patterns of the outer
portions BC of the web 22 are further formed from alternating
colors B and C (light green and dark green, respectively, in this
embodiment). Directly adjacent the outer portions BC, the patterns
of middle portions CD are further formed from alternating colors C
and D (dark green and blue, respectively, in this embodiment).
Finally, the patterns of center portion DE are further formed from
alternating colors D and E (blue and purple, respectively, in this
embodiment).
[0034] While the carpet web 22 may be divided into any number of
tiles, the carpet web 22 of FIG. 1 is divided into tiles 1-20 so
that at least part of each tile has the color schemes of at least
two of the portions--BC, CD, and DE. For example, outer portion BC
and middle portion CD make up tile 1. In this embodiment, the
shapes of tile 1 are made from: (1) the background color A only;
(2) the background color A and color B only; (3) the background
color A and color C only; (4) the background color A, color B, and
color C; (5) the background color A and color D only; and (6) the
background color A, color C, and color D. In this way, adjacent
shapes of each tile have at least one common color.
[0035] Moreover, adjacent tiles have at least one color in common
(in addition to the background color). For example, tile 1 and tile
2 have both color C and color D in common. When the tiles are
placed on the floor, therefore, the colors on these adjacent tiles
blend to facilitate the appearance of continuity.
[0036] The foregoing is provided for the purpose of illustrating,
explaining and describing embodiments of the present invention.
Further modifications and adaptations to these embodiments will be
apparent to those skilled in the art and may be made without
departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the
following claims. For instance, different shapes and sizes of
shapes than those illustrated can be used. Similarly, a wide
variety of color combinations are possible. Furthermore, while the
embodiment described above is tufted, the face fabric could also be
woven on a conventional or computer controlled Jacquard or other
loom, and the face fabric could be fusion bonded or formed in other
manners. This invention could also be used for modular flooring or
surface covering materials other than carpet tile, such as vinyl
tile.
* * * * *