ANTI-SLIP FLOOR TILE FRAME WITH TILES AND METHOD OF MAKING AN ANTI-SLIP FLOOR TILE

A floor tile is disclosed that includes a metal framework that supports a plurality of tiles. The metal framework defines recesses having a depth D that are separated by ridges. The ridges are coated with an anti-slip coating. The tiles are each assembled into one of the recesses. The tiles have a height H that is less than D and a top surface that is recessed below the anti-slip coating on the ridges. Methods for making and installing the floor tile are disclosed that includes the steps of applying an anti-slip coating to an upper surface of a metal framework. Assembling a plurality of tiles into the recesses. An adhesive is applied between the tiles and the recesses to secure the tiles with the top surface of the tiles being recessed relative to the ridges. The floor tile is installed on a floor with an adhesive.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This disclosure is directed to a method of making an anti-slip floor tile and the floor tile made by the method.

BACKGROUND

Floor tiles are used in a wide variety of applications and are used for their aesthetic appeal, durability, and ease of installation. Floor tile products may be made of ceramic, glass, granite, marble, wood and other hard surface materials. One problem with such floors is that they may become slippery when wet when used in areas such as building lobbies or commercial kitchens. These types of flooring applications are frequently exposed to surface hazards such as water and spilled food, beverages, and cooking products.

This disclosure is directed to solving the above problems and other problems as summarized below.

SUMMARY

One aspect of this disclosure, a floor tile is provided that comprises a metal tile support panel and a plurality of tiles. The metal tile support panel has a top surface including a plurality of intersecting ridges, or raised portions, in the top surface that are coated with an anti-slip coating. The tiles are attached to the metal tile support panel between the plurality of ridges with an upper surface of the tiles being recessed below the top surface of the ridges in an installation orientation.

The plurality of tiles may be ceramic tiles, glass tiles, granite tiles, marble tiles, or wood tiles.

The metal tile support panel is preferably made of aluminum, or an aluminum alloy, but may also be formed of another metal such as stainless steel, steel, copper, brass, or the like. The anti-slip coating is preferably stainless steel or a stainless steel alloy but may also be formed of another metal.

The plurality of tiles may be attached to the tile support panel by an adhesive.

The metal tile support panel may define openings that extend from a bottom surface of the metal tile support panel to the top surface between the plurality of ridges and below the tiles.

The intersecting ridges may be provided in many configurations and may be rectilinear or may be curved.

The anti-slip coating may be a metal coating that is melted and sprayed on the plurality of intersecting ridges. The anti-slip coating is a metal coating that is metalized (applied by plasma stream deposition) on the plurality of intersecting strips. The anti-slip coating may be applied by other metal-on-metal application techniques provided that the coating provides a textured surface.

According to another aspect of this disclosure, a floor tile comprising a metal framework having a plurality of recesses, and a plurality of tiles disposed in the recesses. The plurality of recesses have a depth D that are separated by a plurality of intersecting ridges in the top surface that are coated with an anti-slip coating. The plurality of tiles are each assembled into one of the plurality of recesses and have a height H that is less than D, a top surface of the tiles is recessed below the anti-slip coating.

The floor tile may further comprise an adhesive applied between the plurality of recesses and the tiles that bonds the tiles into the recesses.

The floor tile may define an opening in at least some of the plurality of recesses that extend from a bottom surface of the metal framework to a top surface of the recesses.

The floor tile may include an adhesive applied to the bottom surface of the metal framework that is adapted to flow into the openings defined by the recesses.

The intersecting ridges may be provided in many configurations and may be rectilinear or may be curved.

According to another aspect of this disclosure, a method of making a floor tile is disclosed that is manufactured by the steps of providing a metal framework defining a plurality of recesses, and applying an anti-slip coating to an upper surface of the metal framework. A plurality of tiles are each assembled into one of the plurality of recesses. An adhesive is applied between the metal framework and the tiles to secure the tiles in the openings with the top surface of the tiles being recessed relative to an upper surface of the recesses in the metal framework.

The method of making a floor tile may further comprise stamping the plurality of recesses in the metal framework. The method may also include the step of forming at least one opening in at least some of the plurality of recesses of the metal framework.

The above aspects of this disclosure and other aspects will be described below with reference to the attached drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring toFIGS.1-5, a floor tile assembly10is illustrated inFIG.1that includes a metal framework12(hereinafter “framework”) and a plurality of tiles14. The framework12may also be referred to as a metal tile support panel. The tiles14are assembled to the framework12and permanently affixed with an adhesive (not shown) applied between the framework12and the tiles14. An anti-slip coating16is applied to the framework by spraying molten metal on an upper surface18of the framework12. The anti-slip coating16is provided to reduce the likelihood that a person walking on the floor tile assembly10will slip and fall.

As shown inFIGS.2and3, the framework12is preferably made of aluminum or an aluminum alloy to minimize the weight of the floor tile assembly10. Alternatively, the framework12may be made of steel, stainless steel, or another metal or metal alloy. The framework12is stamped or otherwise formed to define a plurality of recesses20in the upper surface18. The recesses20as shown are square, but the recesses may be rectilinear, circular, ovate, or irregular in shape depending upon the shape of the tiles14that are assembled to the framework12. The recesses20are separated by ridges22formed on the upper surface18that are coated with the anti-slip coating16and is shown by stippling on the upper surface18. The recesses20are each adapted to receive a tile14.

The anti-slip coating16is preferably made of a stainless steel alloy to provide a surface that does not corrode and provide a hard, durable surface covering the framework12. The stainless steel alloy is preferably applied to the upper surface18by spraying molten stainless steel from welding rods (not shown) in an arc-welding process onto the upper surface18. The process is described in applicant's prior U.S. Pat. No. 5,711,118 the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference.

The tiles14are preferably ceramic tiles that provide a durable surface and offer flexibility in design and an aesthetically pleasing appearance. Alternatively, the tiles14may be made of marble, glass, wood, fiberglass, plastic, granite, or the like. The tiles14may be rectilinear, circular, ovate, or irregular in shape.

Referring toFIGS.4and5, a floor tile assembly10is illustrated with the framework12coated with the anti-slip coating16shown with stippling and the tiles14shown by small dots inFIG.4.FIG.5is a cross section taken through the line5-5inFIG.4. The tiles14are shown to be disposed in the recesses20inFIG.5. The anti-slip coating16applied to the framework12is above the surface of the tiles14to assure that a person walking on the floor tile assembly10will contact the anti-slip coating16on the ridges22formed between the tiles14.

Referring toFIG.5, the recesses20have a depth D and the tiles14have a height H that is less than D. The tiles have a top surface24that is recessed below the anti-slip coating16on the ridges22.

The tiles14are secured to the framework12by a conventional tile adhesive (not shown) applied between the tiles14and the recesses20. The adhesive is primarily applied between a bottom surface26of the tiles14and to a supporting upper surface28of the recesses20. The upper surface28provides support for the tiles14. Any gaps between the lateral sides30of the tiles and the recesses may be filled with adhesive.

Referring toFIGS.6-10, an alternative embodiment of a floor tile assembly40is illustrated that includes a framework42and a plurality of tiles44. The tiles44are assembled to the framework42and permanently affixed with an adhesive (not shown) applied between the framework42and the tiles44. An anti-slip coating46is applied to the framework by spraying molten metal on an upper surface48of the framework42. The anti-slip coating46reduces the likelihood that a person walking on the floor tile assembly40will slip and fall.

As shown inFIGS.6,7and9, the framework42is preferably made of aluminum or an aluminum alloy to minimize the weight of the floor tile assembly40. Alternatively, the framework42may be made of steel, stainless steel, or another metal or metal alloy. The framework42is stamped or otherwise formed to define a plurality of recesses50in the upper surface48. The recesses50as shown are square, but the recesses may have other shapes depending upon the shape of the tiles44that are assembled to the framework42. The recesses50are separated by ridges52formed on the upper surface48that are coated with the anti-slip coating46and is shown by stippling on the upper surface48. The recesses50are each adapted to receive a tile44.

In the embodiment ofFIGS.6-10, the recesses50define openings51that extend from the upper surface58of the recesses50through to the bottom of the metal framework52. The openings51as illustrated are square, but the openings51may have other shapes and more than one opening51may be provided in each of the recesses50. The openings51are provided to facilitate installation of the floor tile assembly40on a floor by receiving floor tile adhesive53in the openings51when the floor tile assembly40is installed.

The anti-slip coating46is preferably made of a stainless steel alloy to provide a surface that does not corrode and provide a hard, durable surface covering the framework42. The stainless steel alloy is preferably applied to the upper surface48by spraying molten stainless steel from welding rods (not shown) in an arc-welding process onto the upper surface48.

The tiles44are preferably ceramic tiles that provide a durable surface and offer flexibility in design and an aesthetically pleasing appearance. Alternatively, the tiles44may be made of marble, glass, wood, fiberglass, plastic, granite, or the like. The tiles44may be rectilinear, circular, ovate, or irregular in shape.

Referring toFIGS.8and10, a floor tile assembly40is illustrated with the framework42coated with the anti-slip coating46shown with stippling and the tiles44shown by small dots inFIG.4.FIG.10is a cross section taken through the line10-10inFIG.8. The tiles44are shown to be disposed in the recesses50inFIG.8. The anti-slip coating46applied to the framework42is above the surface of the tiles44to assure that a person walking on the floor tile assembly40will contact the anti-slip coating46on the ridges52formed between the tiles44.

Referring toFIG.10, the recesses50have a depth D and the tiles44have a height H that is less than D. The tiles have a top surface54that is recessed below the anti-slip coating46on the ridges52.

The tiles44are secured to the framework42by a conventional tile adhesive (not shown) applied between the tiles44and the recesses50. The adhesive is primarily applied between a bottom surface56of the tiles44and to a supporting upper surface58of the recesses50. The upper surface58provides support for the tiles44. Any gaps between the lateral sides60of the tiles and the recesses may be filled with adhesive or tile grout.

Referring toFIG.11, a method of making the floor tile assembly ofFIGS.1-10is illustrated by a flow chart. According to the method, a metal blank is provided at70that is then stamped at72to form the plurality of recesses20,50in the frameworks12,42. In the embodiment ofFIGS.6-10, openings or holes51are punched or otherwise formed in the recesses50, at74. The upper surfaces18,48of the framework12,42is abraded at76to clean and roughen the upper surfaces18,48. At78, a molten metal anti-slip coating is sprayed on a top, or upper, surface of the framework12,42. An adhesive is applied between the tiles14,44and the recesses20,50at80and the tiles14,44are assembled into the recesses20,50at82. The adhesive is cured at84and after curing the floor tiles10,40are attached to a floor with a tile adhesive at86.

The embodiments described above are specific examples that do not describe all possible forms of the disclosure. The features of the illustrated embodiments may be combined to form further embodiments of the disclosed concepts. The words used in the specification are words of description rather than limitation. The scope of the following claims is broader than the specifically disclosed embodiments and also includes modifications of the illustrated embodiments. In addition, the features of various implementing embodiments may be combined to form further embodiments of the invention.