Patent ID: 6345481
Filing Date: 2002-02-12
Classification: E04F

Abstract:
A rectilinear surfacing article comprising:a substantially planar upper surface, at least one first interlocking edge having a first profile and at least one second interlocking edge having a second profile, the second profile being complementary to the first profile, the first profile comprising a male member located between two female members wherein the male member extends upwardly and outwardly toward a plane formed by the upper surface, and the second profile comprising a female member located between a first male member and a second male member wherein the first male member extends outwardly and downwardly from a plane formed by the upper surface; the first profile further comprising a concavity on the first interlocking edge located between the upper surface and a proximal end of the male member of the first profile, and the second profile further comprising an upper male member on the second interlocking edge located between the upper surface and the female member of the second profile, the upper male member of the second interlocking edge having a convex distal end; wherein the at least one first interlocking edge and the at least one second interlocking edge can be joined to a second adjacent article of like construction by a process comprising: causing a first interlocking edge and a second interlocking edge of two adjacent articles to approach one another at an angle &agr;, wherein &agr; represents an angle formed by the planar surfaces of the two articles; engaging the complementary profiles of the articles; and causing the planar surfaces of the two articles to become coplanar; to form a substantially gapless seam having a longitudinal direction, wherein the articles cannot be separated by a tensile force applied in the plane of the articles and substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the seam without breaking at least one of the interlocking edges, wherein engagement of the complementary profiles further forms a rotatable joint comprising the convex distal end of the upper male member of the second interlocking edge being seated into the concavity of the first interlocking edge, the rotatable joint being amenable to rotation about the seam when under pressure from above; and wherein the male member of the first profile includes an upwardly and outwardly facing surface having a notched surface at a distal end thereof and the first male member of the second profile includes a downwardly and outwardly facing surface having a notched surface at a distal end thereof, the notched surface of the first profile and the notched surface of the second profile being oriented for engagement as first and second profiles of two adjacent articles approach each such that the notched surface of the second profile ramps up onto the notched surface of the first profile until such a time that the notched surface of the second profile rides over the notched surface of the first profile and the male member of the first profile enters the female member of the second profile.