U.S. patent application number 12/901331 was filed with the patent office on 2012-04-12 for removable floor tile.
Invention is credited to Arnon Rosan.
Application Number | 20120085059 12/901331 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 45924022 |
Filed Date | 2012-04-12 |
United States Patent
Application |
20120085059 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Rosan; Arnon |
April 12, 2012 |
REMOVABLE FLOOR TILE
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. 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.
Inventors: |
Rosan; Arnon; (New York,
NY) |
Family ID: |
45924022 |
Appl. No.: |
12/901331 |
Filed: |
October 8, 2010 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
52/392 ;
52/745.05; 52/745.21 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E04F 2203/023 20130101;
E04F 15/10 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
52/392 ;
52/745.05; 52/745.21 |
International
Class: |
E04F 15/16 20060101
E04F015/16; E04B 1/38 20060101 E04B001/38; E04B 5/00 20060101
E04B005/00 |
Claims
1. A floor tile comprising: a background piece comprising a shaped
cavity therein; and an inlay piece comprising an identical shape as
said shaped cavity, wherein said inlay piece is disposed within
said shaped cavity and wherein at least one of said background
piece and said inlay piece are selectively removable from a
flooring surface.
2. The floor tile of claim 1, wherein said background piece is
permanently or semi-permanently affixed to the flooring
surface.
3. The floor tile of claim 1, wherein said inlay piece is
permanently or semi-permanently affixed to the flooring
surface.
4. The floor tile of claim 1, wherein said background piece is
permanently or semi-permanently affixed to a support piece.
5. The floor tile of claim 1, wherein said inlay piece is
permanently or semi-permanently affixed to a support piece.
6. The floor tile of claim 1, wherein said background piece and
said inlay piece comprise a vinyl material.
7. The floor tile of claim 1, wherein said background piece and
said inlay piece are visually contrasting.
8. A method of installation of a multipart floor tile comprising
the steps of: selecting a floor tile having ant inlay piece
constructed from a first material and a background piece having a
cavity into which said inlay piece may be mounted, wherein said
inlay piece is identical in shape to said cavity of said background
piece; and mounting at least one of said background piece and said
inlay piece to a flooring surface and mounting the other of said
inlay and background pieces to flooring surface to form a
continuous surface, wherein at least one of said inlay and
background pieces is selectively removable from said flooring
surface.
9. The floor tile of claim 8, wherein said background piece is
permanently or semi-permanently affixed to the flooring
surface.
10. The floor tile of claim 8, wherein said inlay piece is
permanently or semi-permanently affixed to the flooring
surface.
11. The floor tile of claim 8, wherein said background piece is
permanently or semi-permanently affixed to a support piece.
12. The floor tile of claim 8, wherein said inlay piece is
permanently or semi-permanently affixed to a support piece.
13. The floor tile of claim 8, wherein said background piece and
said inlay piece comprise a vinyl material.
14. The floor tile of claim 8, wherein said background piece and
said inlay piece are visually contrasting.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The invention relates to floor coverings. More particularly,
the invention relates to selectively removable floor tiles with
interchangeable inlays which produce an aesthetically pleasing
pattern.
[0003] 2. Description of the Prior Art
[0004] Decorative floor tiles are well known in the art and may be
used as floor covering in commercial environments or residential
settings. Such tiles often comprise a solid material with an inlaid
cut-out pattern. The inlays may be interchanged with an inlay
comprising an identical pattern. These tiles allow for the
production of an aesthetically pleasing floor covering.
[0005] Examples of prior art floor tiles include Stedman, U.S. Pat.
No. 1,595,581, which describes reinforced rubber tiles with a
background portion and patterned rubber inlaid portion. The two
tile portions are heated to a predetermined temperature so that the
rubber pieces are permanently fused. In addition, Sorko-Ram, U.S.
Pat. Nos. 4,842,921 and 4,851,061, describe a multi-patterned
mirror floor covering made of a thermoplastic material. The
background and inlay shapes are coated with a reflective material
and fused together to form a unitary piece. Schilling et al., U.S.
Pat. No. 5,656,109, describes a method of making floor coverings or
tiles manufactured from a textile substrate, such as fiber, yarn,
thread, sliver, woven or non-woven fabric, upholstery fabric or
tufted or piled carpet. A background piece and an inlay piece are
permanently fused to a common backing by a thermoplastic resin
composition. Jaurengui et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,905,751, describes
floor tiles made from materials such as filaments, spun yarns
(polyester, polyolefin, polylactic acid or nylon) or fibers.
Background and inlay pieces are permanently attached to a
polypropylene backing. Zheng, U.S. Pat. No. 7,374,472 describes a
method of making decorative stone pieces comprising cutting and
removing shapes from the stone. Inlays are affixed with adhesives
within cut-out portions and then the entire stone tile is
polished.
[0006] One drawback to the prior art decorative floor coverings
described above is that the units comprise a cutout inlay and a
surrounding pattern which are permanently or semi-permanently
affixed to each other and/or the floor. The laying of the tiles
generally requires affixing the tiles to the flooring material with
a permanent or semi-permanent adhesive. The use of these types of
adhesives to affix the pieces is time consuming and results in
increased manufacturing and installation costs.
[0007] In addition, it is often desirable to change the floor tile
or inlay, for instance when changing the interior design of a home
or retail space. The presently available floor tiles do not permit
a user to make changes to or replace the floor tiles with the
frequency they might wish. Removing the prior art floor tiles is an
extremely labor intensive process. Ceramic tiles are first broken
apart with a heavy instrument, such as a sledge-hammer. Vinyl tiles
are pried loose from the existing sub-floor with a scraper or other
sharp instrument. Current flooring adhesives harden over time and
become more difficult to remove, often requiring the use of heat
guns or chemical adhesive removers. The sub-floor must then be
smoothed and leveled before the new tiles are installed. Installing
new floor tiles over an existing tile surface requires coating the
tile surface with material to fill any cracks. Adding an additional
layer of tiles may also change the height of the floor or damage
the floor integrity. Attempts to remove individual inlays or tiles,
for instance because of markings or breakage, will often result in
additional damage to surrounding tiles. As a result, it is often
necessary to replace entire sections of the tiled flooring.
[0008] There remains a need, therefore, in the art of decorative
flooring for a decorative tile comprising interchangeable inlays
and background sections which are selectively removable from each
other and/or from the floor surface. Specifically, there is a need
for a tile which allows for inlays and/or background pieces that
may be easily removed without causing damage to the surrounding
tiles. The removable floor tile decreases installation costs
because adhesives or other attachment methods are unnecessary. The
tiles also allow a user to easily change the design of the floor.
The consumer may choose any combination of colors and textures that
provide an aesthetically pleasing appearance.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0009] The present invention discloses a decorative floor tile that
comprises visually contrasting background and inlay portions. The
background and/or inlay portions are not permanently or
semi-permanently adhered to the flooring material during
installation. The tiles are easily installed on the flooring
surface because the use of permanent or semi-permanent adhesives is
unnecessary. As a result, the user may easily replace either
portion of the tile to provide an aesthetically pleasing
appearance. The removable floor tile decreases installation costs
because adhesives or other attachment methods are unnecessary.
[0010] In one aspect, the invention comprises a decorative floor
tile with a background piece comprising a shaped cavity and an
inlay piece comprising an identical shape as the shaped cavity. The
inlay piece fits within the cavity to form a continuous upper
surface. 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 two tile sections
may be visually contrasting in that they vary by having a different
color, texture, pattern or some other physical quality. The tiles
may comprise any well known flooring material, such as textile,
stone, ceramic or vinyl.
[0011] In an additional aspect, the present invention provides a
method of manufacturing a decorative floor tile where two
identically shaped inlay pieces are cut from two different pieces
of tile material. In one aspect, the two materials are visually
contrasting in that they vary by having a different color, texture,
pattern or some other physical quality. 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. 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.
[0012] The present invention provides for a floor tile with inlays
and/or background pieces that may be individually removed without
great effort and without damaging the surround tiles. The tiles
also allow a user to easily change the design of the floor. The use
of such tiles decreases installation costs as no permanent or
semi-permanent adhesives are necessary. The consumer may choose any
combination of colors and textures that provide an aesthetically
pleasing appearance.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0013] FIG. 1a illustrates the cutting of the inlay of a first
material;
[0014] FIG. 1b illustrates the cutting of the inlay of a second
material;
[0015] FIG. 2a illustrates the removal of the first cut inlay from
the first material;
[0016] FIG. 2b illustrates the removal of the second cut inlay from
the second material;
[0017] FIG. 3 illustrates the assembly of the inlay into the
cavity;
[0018] FIG. 4 illustrates the completed tile;
[0019] FIG. 4 illustrates the completed tile mounted on a
backing.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0020] Referring now to FIG. 1a, a first inlay 12 is cut from a
first material 10 using a cutting process known to one of skill in
the art. In one embodiment, first inlay 12 is prepared using a die
cutting method. One of skill in the art will readily appreciate
that other cutting methods are available, for instance laser
cutting. Referring now to FIG. 1b, a similar process is followed to
create a second, identically shaped inlay cutout 16 from a second
material 14. First inlay 12 and second inlay 16 are created with a
similar cutting apparatus (not shown) so as to create identical
patterns to provide a precise fit of the inlay into the resulting
cavity (FIGS. 2a, 2b and 3, discussed in detail below). In a
preferred embodiment, first material 10 and second material 14 are
visually contrasting in that they vary by having a different color,
texture, pattern or some other observable physical quality. The
embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1a and 1b contemplates triangular
shaped inlays 12 and 16. It will be appreciated that inlays of any
desirable shape or pattern may be created in materials 10 and
14.
[0021] First material 10 and second material 14 may comprise any
substance appropriate for use as a floor covering. In a preferred
embodiment, first material 10 and second material 14 comprise a
material appropriate for a moderate to high traffic area commonly
found in residential or commercial areas, for instance kitchen or
showroom spaces. In addition to this durability, materials 10 and
14 preferably are substances that may be manufactured in pleasing
patterns as is appropriate for residential or commercial uses.
First material 10 and second material 14 may comprise, for
instance, textiles such as cloth, fabric or linen, plastic or
rubber, acrylic, linoleum or cork substances. In one embodiment,
materials 10 and 14 are waterproof and allow for ease of
maintenance and cleaning. In a preferred embodiment, first material
10 and second material 14 comprise a vinyl material. Vinyl flooring
has many advantages including ease of installation, lower cost, and
the ability to be placed directly on top of certain other flooring
materials.
[0022] Referring now to FIGS. 2a and 2b, first inlay 12 and second
inlay 16 are removed from first material 10 and second material 14,
respectively, creating a first cavity 18 within first background 22
(FIG. 2a) and a second cavity 20 within second background 24 (FIG.
2b). Referring now to FIG. 3, first inlay 12 is inserted into
second cavity 20 within second background 24 to create completed
tile 26 (FIG. 4). Because a similarly controlled cutting apparatus
(not shown) was utilized to create first inlay 12 and second inlay
16, the fit between first inlay 12 and second cavity 20 is precise.
In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4, the resulting tile
26 comprises a continuous upper surface where first inlay 12 and
second background 24 are visually contrasting. In a preferred
embodiment, the thicknesses of first material 10 and second
material 14 are identical. However, the thicknesses of these two
materials may differ slightly, creating an additional contrasting
effect.
[0023] Tile 26 may be constructed in any dimension suitable for use
as a flooring material. In one embodiment, tile 26 is approximately
10 inches.times.10 inches square. In an additional embodiment, tile
26 is approximately 18 inches.times.18 inches square. Although FIG.
4 illustrates a tile with a square configuration, one of skill in
the art will recognize that other configurations may be suitable
for flooring applications. In an additional embodiment, tile 26 is
from about 1/16 inch to about 3/16 inch thick. In a preferred
embodiment, tile 26 is approximately 1/8 inch thick. The thickness
of tile 26 may be increased due to the use of protective coatings,
as described in more detail below.
[0024] In another preferred embodiment, both first background
material 22 and second background material 24 and first inlay 12
and second inlay 16 are utilized in construction of tile 26. For
example, in addition to tile 26 described above, a second tile (not
shown) comprising first background 22 and second inlay 16 may be
constructed. The process of manufacturing a complete tile 26
creates the materials for the complementary portion of a second
tile assembly, thus lowering production costs by minimizing
material waste. The inlays and background materials, which are
formed in identical shapes and patterns, are interchangeable with
one another to construct the final tile pattern.
[0025] In one aspect, floor tile 26 may be placed directly on the
flooring surface without the use of adhesives or other adhering
materials. In an additional embodiment, non-permanent adhesives are
used during installation. Movement of tile 26 is prevented by the
lateral force exerted by abutting tiles. Optionally, a removable
trim (not shown) may be installed at the tile edges to further
prevent movement of the tiles. Such removable trims are known to
those of skill in the art. In one embodiment, tile 26 may be
constructed with interlocking or snapping edges (not shown) to
prevent movement in the absence of the use of permanent or
semi-permanent adhesives. Because no adhesives, or non-permanent
adhesives, are used during installation, tile 26 is selectively
removable and is easily detached and replaced. As used herein, a
selectively removable tile is defined as a tile that is adhered to
the flooring material either without the use of an adhesive or with
a non-permanent adhesive. Removal of such a tile may be
accomplished without the use of heat or chemical solvents and may
be lifted from the flooring material without damage to itself or
any adjacent tile. In an additional embodiment, second background
24 may be permanently or semi-permanently adhered to the flooring
surface using common floor adhesives as are known in the art.
Examples of such adhesives include urethane-based adhesives,
water-based adhesives, acrylic-based adhesives, latex-based
adhesives flooring glue, cement slurry, mortar and grout. A
permanently or semi-permanently adhered tile requires the use of
heat or chemicals for removal from the flooring material. Removal
of such permanently or semi-permanently adhered tiles results in
the destruction of the tile and possibly other surrounding tiles.
In this embodiment, no permanent or semi-permanent adhesives are
used to attach first inlay 12 to the flooring material. The user
may easily remove first inlay 12 and replace it with an inlay with
a differing design or thickness, while leaving second background 24
in place. In an additional embodiment, first inlay 12 may be
permanently or semi-permanently adhered to the flooring surface. In
this embodiment, no permanent or semi-permanent adhesives are used
to secure second background 24 to the flooring material. As a
result, the user may easily replace second background 24 with an
alternate background while leaving first inlay 12 in place. The
fact that completed tile 26, first inlay 12 and second background
24 may be selectively removable and not permanently affixed to the
flooring surface allows the consumer to frequently change the
appearance of tile 26 and to choose any combination of colors and
textures that provide an aesthetically pleasing appearance.
[0026] In another embodiment of the invention as illustrated in
FIG. 5, second background 24 is permanently or semi-permanently
affixed to a support piece 28 through the use of adhesives which
are well known in the art as described previously. First inlay 12
is selectively removable, as described above, and is placed within
second cavity 20 (not shown) to create tile 30. First inlay 12 is
not adhered to support piece 28. The user may easily remove first
inlay 12 and replace it with an alternate inlay to create an
aesthetically pleasing tile 30. In an additional embodiment, first
inlay 12 may be permanently or semi-permanently adhered to support
piece 28 through the use of adhesives as described above. Second
background 24 is then placed around first inlay 12 to complete tile
30. Second background 24 is selectively removable and therefore not
affixed to support piece 28. In this embodiment, the user may
remove and replace second background 24 to create a different tile.
Tile 30 may then be installed in the same manner as a conventional
floor tile, such installation including adherence to the flooring
material if desired. Despite the fact that tile 30 is affixed to
the floor, the user may still change the appearance of tile 30 by
altering the component that is not adhered to support piece 28,
i.e., by changing either or both of first inlay 12 or second
background 24.
[0027] In an additional aspect, floor tiles 26 and 30 may be
covered with a protective finish or transparent coating to add to
the tile design or further protect the tile from damage. Such
coatings are well known in the art and may comprise, for example
water-base urethane, latex or waxes.
[0028] The present invention provides a durable, changeable floor
tile appropriate for use in high traffic residential or commercial
settings. The user may utilize the tile of the invention to create
a unique and aesthetically pleasing flooring designs that are
easily altered or replaced. The fact that permanent or
semi-permanent adhesives are unnecessary reduces the time and
expense involved in installation. In addition, individual tiles may
be replaced without damaging adjacent tiles.
[0029] Finally, one preferred embodiment of the invention has been
described hereinabove and those of ordinary skill in the art will
recognize that this embodiment may be modified and altered without
departing from the central spirit and scope of the invention. Thus,
the embodiment described hereinabove is to be considered in all
respects as illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the
invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than the
foregoing descriptions and all changes which come within the
meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are intended to be
embraced herein.
* * * * *