FELT TILES AND TILE KITS

A tile for decorating a substantially flat surface can comprise a rigid body made of fibers. In one implementation, the body has a top surface and a bottom surface that are parallel to each other. The bottom surface can be configured to be attached to a substantially flat surface. An area of the top surface can be smaller than an area of the bottom surface. In one implementation, the distance between the top surface and the bottom surface is a thickness of the tile, which is no greater than 1 inch. A tile kit can include a plurality of the tiles. Each of the plurality of the tiles has a color selected from a plurality of predetermined colors, a shape selected from a plurality of predetermined shapes, or a pattern selected from a plurality of predetermined patterns. The plurality of tiles can be configured to form one or more designs.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

BACKGROUND

People often decorate their walls with canvas art, framed art, photo frames, decorative tiles, and more. However, most wall décor is not customizable. Further, most wall décor requires tools to install and is not child-friendly. In particular, making and installing decorative tiles requires a significant amount of work and skill. For example, spacers, nails, and/or tapes may be required to keep tiles in place during installation because the weight of tiles tends to pull them down during installation. Further, various tools (e.g., knife, drill, wet saw, hammer, trowel, tile adhesive, caulking) may be required to apply tile adhesives, cut tiles, place the tiles, and fill gaps between the tiles.

BRIEF SUMMARY

For example, a tile can comprise a rigid body made of fibers, wherein the body has a top surface and a bottom surface that are parallel to each other; the bottom surface is configured to be attached to a substantially flat surface; an area of the top surface is smaller than an area of the bottom surface; a distance between the top surface and the bottom surface is a thickness of the tile; and the thickness is no greater than 1 inch.

Similarly, a tile kit can comprise a plurality of the aforementioned tiles, wherein each of the plurality of tiles has a color selected from the plurality of predetermined colors and a shape selected from the plurality of predetermined shapes; and the plurality of tiles is configured to form one or more designs.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The embodiments described herein are related to tiles made of fibers (such as felt tiles) and tile kits. Each tile can have a rigid body. The tiles described herein (also referred to as felt tiles) can be used to cover a portion of a wall surface as decorative wall décor and/or visually appealing bulletin boards. Alternatively, or in addition, the tiles described herein can be used to cover a whole wall surface or floor surface completely to build an acoustic room with custom designs.

In some embodiments, the body can be made with at least 50% recycled content. The body has a top surface and a bottom surface that are parallel to each other. A distance between the top surface and the bottom surface is a thickness of the tile. In some embodiments, the thickness can be no greater than 1 inch. In some embodiments, the thickness of the body is about 1/10 of an inch to about 2/1 of an inch, preferably about ⅓ of an inch. An area of the top surface is smaller than an area of the bottom surface. In some embodiments, the body of the tile can have at least one chamfered edge.

The chamfered edges or other designed edges give the tiles an aesthetic appeal. Especially, each tile may be made slightly different in thickness or dimension. The chamfered edges or other designed edges mitigates such imperfections and improve appearance of the overall design.

In some embodiments, the body of the tile can have a plurality of side surfaces connecting the top surface and the bottom surface. At least one of the plurality of side surfaces (which may be flat or not flat) and the top surface or the bottom surface form an acute angle.

In some embodiments, the top surface and the bottom surface can be geometrically similar, but the top surface is smaller than the bottom surface. In some embodiments, the plurality of side surfaces can include a first set of side surfaces and a second set of side surfaces. The first set of side surfaces are directly connected to the top surface, and the second set of side surfaces are directly connected to the bottom surface.

In some embodiments, the first set of side surfaces and the top surface can form an acute angle (i.e., the first set of side surfaces are not perpendicular to the top surface or the bottom surface), and the second set of side surfaces can be perpendicular to the top surface or the bottom surface. In some embodiments, the first set of side surfaces and the second set of side surfaces can be directly connected to each other to form chamfered edges. In some embodiments, each of the first set of side surfaces and the top surface form an angle of about 30 degrees to about 60 degrees, preferably about 45 degrees. In some embodiments, each of the second set of side surfaces has a width that is about 30% to about 70%, preferably about 50% of the thickness of the body.

In some embodiments, the top surface further can include one or more grooves that form a pattern. The grooved pattern is configured to divide the top surface into a plurality of sections, causing the tile to appear to be a plurality of smaller tiles when viewed from a side of the top surface.

In some embodiments, the body of the tile has a particular color, a particular shape, and/or a particular pattern. The particular color is selected from a plurality of predetermined colors, the particular shape is selected from a plurality of predetermined shapes, and the particular pattern is selected from a plurality of predetermined patterns.

In some embodiments, a plurality of tiles can be assembled into a tile kit. Each of the plurality of tiles has a color selected from the plurality of predetermined colors, a shape selected from the plurality of predetermined shapes, and a pattern selected from the plurality of predetermined patterns. The plurality of tiles is configured to form one or more designs.

In some embodiments, the tile kit can further include one or more adhesive devices configured to attach the plurality of tiles onto a substantially flat surface (e.g., a wall or a floor). In some embodiments, the one or more adhesive devices can include a plurality of double-sided adhesive tabs. One side of the double-sided adhesive tabs is configured to be attached on the bottom surface of each of the plurality of tiles, and another side of the double-sided adhesive tabs is configured to be attached onto the substantially flat surface. In some embodiments, the one or more adhesive devices can include glue.

In some embodiments, the tile kit can further include an instruction document having instructions for installing the tile kit. In some embodiments, the instruction document can show an arrangement of the design formed by the plurality of tiles in the tile kit. In some embodiments, the instruction document can show an instruction for applying the one or more adhesive devices. For example, for each of the plurality of shapes, the instruction document can show one or more locations on a tile having the shape, where the adhesive devices should be applied.

FIGS.1A and1Billustrate perspective views of a rectangular-shaped felt tile having a rigid body100. The rigid body100includes a top surface110and a bottom surface120that are parallel to each other. A distance between the top surface110and the bottom surface is a thickness150of the felt tile. In some embodiments, the thickness150is no greater than 1 inch. In some embodiments, the thickness150of the body is about 1/10 to about ½ inch, preferably about ⅓ inches. An area of the top surface110is smaller than an area of the bottom surface120. In some embodiments, the body100has at least one chamfered edge130,140. In some embodiments, each edge of the body100is chamfered. For example, all four edges of the body100of the rectangular-shaped felt tile is chamfered.

The chamfered edges or other designed edges give the felt tiles an aesthetic appeal. Especially, each felt tile may be made slightly different in thickness or dimension. The chamfered edges or other designed edges mitigates such imperfections and improve appearance of the overall design.

In some embodiments, the body100of the felt tile has multiple side surfaces130,140connecting the top surface110and the bottom surface120. At least one of the multiple side surfaces130,140is not perpendicular to the top surface110or the bottom surface120.

In some embodiments, the top surface110and the bottom surface120are geometrically similar, but the top surface110is smaller than the bottom surface120. For example, in some embodiments, the top surface110and the bottom surface120are both square-shaped, rectangular-shaped, or triangular-shaped; however, the top surface110is smaller than the bottom surface120.

In some embodiments, the multiple sides surfaces130,140include a first set of side surfaces130and a second set of side surfaces140. The first set of side surfaces130are directly connected to the top surface110, and the second set of side surfaces140are directly connected to the bottom surface120.

In some embodiments, the first set of side surfaces130forms an acute angle with the top surface110, and the second set of side surface140are perpendicular to the top surface110or the bottom surface120. In some embodiments, the first set of side surfaces and the second set of side surfaces are directly connected to each other to form chamfered edges or fillet edges. In some embodiments, each of the first set of side surfaces130and the top surface110form an angle of about 30 degrees to about 60 degrees, preferably about 45 degrees. In some embodiments, each of the second set of side surfaces has a width160that is about 30% to about 70%, preferably about 50%, of the thickness150of the body.

FIG.2illustrates a perspective view of a felt tile having a triangular-shaped body200. The triangular-shaped body includes a top surface210, a bottom surface220, and multiple side surfaces230,240. As illustrated, similar to the rectangular-shaped body100inFIGS.1A and1B, the side surfaces230,240of the triangular-shaped body200also form chamfered edges. The top surface210and the bottom surface220are also geometrically similar, but the top surface210is a smaller triangle compared to the bottom surface220. In some embodiments, each of the top surface210and the bottom surface220is a right triangle and/or an isosceles triangle having two equal sides. In some embodiments, each of the top surface210and the bottom surface220is an equilateral triangle having all three sides equal to each other.

FIG.3Aillustrates a side view of a chamfered edge300A which may be formed at an edge of a felt tile (e.g., felt tile100or200). The chamfered edge300A is formed by a top surface310A, a bottom surface320A, a first side surface330A, and a second side surface340A. The side surfaces330A and340A may correspond to side surfaces130,140, or230,240. As illustrated inFIG.3A, the first side surface330A forms an acute angle α with the top surface310A. In some embodiments, the angle α is about 45 degrees. The second side surface340A is perpendicular to the bottom surface320A. In some embodiments, a ratio between a width360A of the second side surface340A and the thickness350A of the body of the felt tile is predetermined. For example, in some embodiments, the width360A is about 30% to about 70%, preferably about 50%, of the thickness350A of the body of the felt tile.

In some embodiments, a body of a felt tile has a beveled edge.FIG.3Billustrates a beveled edge300B, which may be formed at an edge of a body of a felt tile. The beveled edge300B is formed by a top surface310B, a bottom surface320B, and a side surface330B. The bottom surface320B and the side surface330B form an acute angle α′. In some embodiments, the angle α′ is about 30 degrees to about 60 degrees, preferably about 45 degrees.

In some embodiments, a body of a felt tile has a fillet edge.FIG.3Cillustrates a fillet edge300C which may be formed at an edge of a body of a felt tile. The fillet edge300C is formed by a top surface310C, a bottom surface320C, a curved side surface330C, and a flat side surface340C. In some embodiments, a width360C of the flat side surface bout 30% to about 70%, preferably about 50%, of the thickness350C of the felt tile. In some embodiments, the curved side surface330C is an arc of a circle. In some embodiments, an angle α″ of the arc is about 60 degrees to about 120 degrees, preferably 90 degrees of a circle having a radius r, where r substantially equals the thickness350C minus the width360C of the flat side surface340C. As illustrated, the flat surface340C is perpendicular to the bottom surface320C, i.e., the flat side surface340C and the bottom surface320C form a right angle α′″. Even though α″ and α′″ illustrated inFIG.3Care both right angles (i.e., 90 degrees), it is not necessary that α″ and α′″ are both 90 degrees. In some embodiments, neither a″ nor α′″ is 90 degrees. In some embodiments, only one of α″ or α′″ is 90 degrees.

In some embodiments, a body of a felt tile has a stepped edge.FIG.3Dillustrates a stepped edge that may be formed at an edge of a felt tile. The stepped edge300D is formed by a top surface310D, a bottom surface320D, a first side surface330D, a second side surface340D, and a third side surface350D. As illustrated, the first side surface330D and the third side surface350D are perpendicular to the top surface310D or the bottom surface320D. The second side surface340D is parallel to the top surface310D and the bottom surface320D. As such, a stepped edge is formed at an edge of the body of the felt tile. In some embodiments, a width360D of the first side surface330D and a width370D of the third side surface350D are substantially same, or have a particular ratio.

Even though the first side surface330D and the third side surface350D illustrated inFIG.3Dare perpendicular to the top surface310D or320D, and the second side surface340D illustrated inFIG.3Dis parallel to the top surface310D or the bottom surface320D, these limitations are not necessary. In some embodiments, the first side surface330D or the third side surface350D can form an acute angle with the top surface310D or the bottom surface320D. Alternatively, or in addition, in some embodiments, the second side surface340D can intersect the top surface310D or the bottom surface320D.

In some embodiments, a body of a felt tile has a double-beveled edge.FIG.3Eillustrates a double-beveled edge that may be formed at an edge of a felt tile. The double-beveled edge300E is formed by a top surface310E, a bottom surface320E, a first side surface330E, and a second side surface340E. As illustrated, the first side surface330E or the second side surface340E forms an acute angle with the top surface310E or the bottom surface320E. The top surface310E and the first side surface330E form a first acute angle β, and the bottom surface320E and the second side surface340E form a second acute angle β′. In some embodiments, β is a smaller angle than β′; in some embodiments, β is a greater angle than β′. Further, the first side surface330E has a first thickness360E, and the second side surface340E has a second thickness370E. In some embodiments, the first thickness360E and the second thickness370E have a predetermined ratio. In some embodiments, the first thickness360E and the second thickness are about the same.

In some embodiments, a top surface of a body of a felt tile has one or more grooves that form a pattern. The pattern is configured to divide the top surface into a plurality of sections, causing the felt tile to appear to be multiple smaller felt tiles when viewed from a side of the top surface.FIG.4illustrates an example of a top surface of a felt tile400, including a first groove410and a second groove420that divide the top surface into four equal sections430,440,450, and460. The grooves420(also referred to as a grooved pattern) cause the felt tile to appear to be 4 smaller felt tiles when viewed from the top surface.

In some embodiments, each felt tile has a particular shape selected from a set of predetermined shapes and a pattern selected from a set of predetermined groove patterns.FIG.5illustrates an example of a set500of predetermined shapes and patterns. The multiple predetermined shapes may include (but are not limited to) a 12×12-inch square (also referred to as “square”), a 6×6-inch square (also referred to as “quarter”), a 3×3-inch square (also referred to as “pixel”), a 12×6 rectangle (also referred to as “half”), a 12×12 triangle (also referred to as “triangle”), and a 24×6 rectangle (also referred to as “shiplap”). The multiple patterns include a square with no groove (also referred to as “blank”), a square having a single diagonal groove (also referred to as “slash”), a square having two diagonal grooves (also referred to as “cross”), a square having two center cross grooves (also referred to as “4-square”), and a square having three parallel grooves (also referred to as “parallel”).

As illustrated, the slash pattern divides a square felt tile into two triangle sections, causing the square felt tile to appear to be two triangle felt tiles. The cross pattern divides a square felt tile into four small triangle sections, causing the square felt tile to appear to be four small triangle felt tiles. The 4-square pattern divides a square felt tile into four square sections, causing the square felt tile to appear to be four quarter felt tiles. The parallel pattern divides a square felt tile into four small rectangle sections, causing the square felt tile to appear to be four small rectangular felt tiles.

In some embodiments, each felt tile has a color selected from a set of predetermined colors.FIG.6illustrates an example of a set of predetermined colors600. The set of predetermined colors may include (but are not limited to) colors zinc, nickel, moon, armor, mineral, cast, ebony, citrine, arles, ruby, raspberry, lavender, baby blue, sky, cayman, admiral, oxford, kiwi, fresh lime, emerald, aqua, coral, porcelain, latte, cashmere, and timber.

In some embodiments, a set of felt tiles are assembled in a felt tile kit. Each of the set of titles has a color selected from a set of predetermined colors (e.g., the set of predetermined colors600ofFIG.6), a shape selected from a set of predetermined shapes (e.g., the set of predetermined shapes shown inFIG.5), and a pattern selected from a set of predetermined patterns (e.g., the set of predetermined patterns shown inFIG.5). The set of felt tiles are configured to form one or more designs.

FIG.7illustrates a mountain design700formed by multiple 6×6-inch triangle felt tiles, 6×3-inch rectangular felt tiles, and 3×3-inch square felt tiles.FIG.8illustrates a colored image of a mountain design800(corresponding to the mountain design700ofFIG.7), showing the colors of the different felt tiles. The mountain design700is merely an example of a design. With all the different colors, shapes, and patterns, unlimited designs may be arranged for different settings. For example, a user can make his/her own design or customize an existing design based on the color of the paint of their wall or furniture.

In some embodiments, the felt tile kit also includes one or more adhesive devices. In some embodiments, the one or more adhesive devices include one or more double-sided adhesive tabs. One side of the double-sided adhesive tabs is configured to attach to a back surface of a felt tile. Another side of the double-sided adhesive tabs is configured to attached to a substantially flat surface (e.g., a wall or a floor). Because the felt tiles described herein are made of fibers (e.g., felt), they are very light compared to ceramic felt tiles. The adhesive used for the felt tiles described herein does not need to be permanent. In some embodiments, the one or more double-sided adhesive tabs can be easily applied and removed from a wall surface without damaging the wall surface. In some embodiments, the one or more adhesive devices include glue for more permanent attachment.

In some embodiments, each felt tile has a predetermined price, and the kit is charged based on the felt tiles included in the kit. As illustrated, each triangle felt tile can be manufactured and provided at relatively low cost, affordable for nearly any given budget. In some embodiments, a receipt including a list of all the felt tiles and their respective price and a total price is included in the felt tile kit.

In some embodiments, the tile kit also includes an instruction document having instructions for installing the tile kit. In some embodiments, the instruction document shows an arrangement of the design formed by the set of felt tiles in the tile kit (e.g., the design700ofFIG.7or800ofFIG.8). In some embodiments, the instruction document also shows an instruction for applying the one or more adhesive devices. In some embodiments, for each of the predetermined shapes, the instruction document shows one or more locations on a felt tile having the shape, where the adhesive devices (e.g., double-sided adhesive tabs) should be applied.

FIG.10illustrates an example of a portion of the instruction document1000that shows one or more locations on a felt tile having the shape where the adhesive tabs are applied. As illustrated, two adhesive tabs should be applied on a triangle-shaped felt tile1010, four adhesive tabs should be applied on a square-shaped felt tile1020, three adhesive tabs should be applied on a shiplap-shaped felt tile1030, two adhesive tabs should be applied on a quarter-shaped felt tile1040, one adhesive tab should be applied on a pixel-shaped felt tile1060, and two adhesive tabs should be applied on a half-shaped felt tile1050. The triangle-shaped felt tile1010, the square-shaped felt tile1020, the shiplap-shaped felt tile1030, the quarter-shaped felt tile1040, the pixel-shaped felt tile1060, and the half-shaped felt tile1050may correspond to those respective shaped felt tiles illustrated inFIG.5.