Patent ID: 9512623
Filing Date: 2016-12-06
CPC Classification: E01C,E04F

Claim Text:
1. A tile for covering an area and which interlocks with an adjacent tile, which comprises: a main body having a top surface and a bottom surface disposed opposite the top surface, the main body having at least a first lateral side and a second lateral side, each of the at least first lateral side and the second lateral side having an outer surface; at least one male connector situated on at least one of the first lateral side and the second lateral side of the main body; at least one female receptacle situated on at least one of the first lateral side and the second lateral side of the main body; at least one projection situated on at least one of the first lateral side and the second lateral side of the main body; wherein the at least one projection includes an upper portion and a lower portion disposed opposite the upper portion, at least the lower portion of the at least one projection having a sloped entrance surface, the upper portion of the at least one projection having a flat top side extending outwardly from the at least one of the first lateral side and the second lateral side of the main body on which the at least one projection is situated and defining an outermost edge; wherein at least one of the first lateral side and the second lateral side of the main body having formed therein at least one slot, the at least one slot being defined by a flat top wall extending inwardly of the at least one of the first lateral side and the second lateral side of the main body in which the at least one slot is formed; wherein the male connector of the tile is engageable with a female receptacle of an adjacent tile so that the tile may interlock with the adjacent tile; wherein the main body of the tile has a top surface which resides generally in a plane, the sloped entrance surface of the at least one projection includes at least a portion thereof having an inverted triangular shape or defines an inverted ramp-like shape; and wherein, when a downward force is exerted on one tile having the at least one projection situated thereon, the sloped entrance surface of the at least one projection may pass beyond the top surface of an adjacent tile and into a respective at least one slot of the adjacent tile such that the flat top side of the at least one projection of the tile engages the flat top wall of the at least one slot of the adjacent tile, whereby the at least one projection of one tile is locked into place within a respective at least one slot of the adjacent tile to help prevent the tiles from lifting relative to one another along their lateral sides.