Patent ID: 6823636
Filing Date: 2004-11-30
Classification: E01C

Abstract:
A tile and backing assembly comprising:a backing member formed from a single sheet and having transversely oriented elongated tile support members positioned side by side one to another, each said tile support member being defined by spaced apart transverse slits through said backing member each having complete and incomplete segments and extending in zigzag fashion across a width of said backing member; each of said incomplete segments defined by overlapping spaced slit segments to define a slender elongated expansion link which connects adjacent tile support members together; each of said tile support members having evenly spaced tile attachment areas; a plurality of tiles each one of which is attached to one said tile attachment area in a desired design array with adjacent said tiles abutting one another; said backing member with said tiles attached thereto being deployable atop a substrate from a contracted orientation to an expanded orientation by pulling end margins thereof apart to expand said backing mat in length up to a limit of length and elasticity of said expansion links whereby said tiles form a desired spaced apart expanded array atop the substrate.