Abstract:
A carpet in the form of a substrate formed with a beveled leading edge and including means to form the beveled edge at the point of use and to securely lock adjacent pieces together along an adjacent side edge in a manner which permits the accommodation of different sized and configured areas and assembling and disassembling of the carpet pad to be readily accomplished.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims priority of United States Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/028,006 filed on Feb. 12, 2008. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    This invention relates generally to a carpet for use in high traffic walking areas. More specifically, the invention relates to a carpet having means to provide for readily assembling pieces together to fit a given size area and including such a carpet with a leading beveled edge that can be safely used in high traffic areas such as a trade show exhibit or the like and to a method of forming the beveled edge. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    Trade shows typically are conducted in large areas such as conference centers, with a plurality of businesses exhibiting products, services and the like. Within the trade show exhibit area, individual booths can be set up by the exhibitors with each exhibitor having or renting their own set of equipment for a booth, station, etc. In some instances, the floor of the trade show exhibit area will have carpet, cushioned tiles and the like already in place before the trade show exhibitors arrive. In other instances, a base floor, e.g. a concrete floor is present and the trade show exhibitors themselves are responsible for placing any secondary flooring on top of the concrete if so desired. In any event, the use of carpet on top of a base floor in a trade show exhibit area is known to those skilled in the art, the carpet being laid down either from rolls of material or as a plurality of tiles. However, at the location where the base floor meets the carpet, an elevated edge resulting from the leading edge of the carpet can be present, with the edge requiring a transition such that a tripping hazard is not present. Heretofore edge transitions have been in the form of tape to attempt to bridge the elevated edge with the floor underneath. However, the use of tape can be messy and in fact can become a tripping hazard in high traffic areas in itself if not applied properly or if it becomes loose. Therefore, an improved mat or tile that transitions the elevated edge to the floor underneath using a beveled edge as part of the tile would be desirable. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    Disclosed is a carpet for covering a base floor in heavy traffic areas such as trade show exhibit areas, the carpet having a beveled edge in order to transition the area or location where the base floor meets the carpet. A method of forming the beveled edge is disclosed which permits the beveled edge to be formed on the spot. This is especially important where the carpet is to be used in trade show exhibits or the like because it is difficult to determine the configuration of the exhibit space beforehand and to know which edges will required to be beveled edge. 
         [0005]    The carpet includes a substrate with carpeting or the like attached to an upper surface and/or an interlocking tab-and-notch structure that is operable to interlock one piece of the substrate to an adjacent piece of substrate. 
         [0006]    The substrate of the present invention is an elastomeric foam material having an interlocking tab-and-notch structure around at least part of the perimeter of the substrate, the substrate also having a beveled edge for edges that will transition between a base floor and the substrate. The beveled edge transitions the substrate to the base floor by decreasing in thickness as a function of distance away from the full thickness substrate. The result is a smooth surface that rises from the base floor to the full thickness substrate. 
         [0007]    Also included in the present invention is a method to produce the beveled edge, the method including cutting a V-notch out of the substrate on the lower side of the substrate and then folding the leading end of the substrate upwardly such that the V-notch portion closes upon itself. Once the end is folded such that the V-notch has been closed, the surfaces forming the V-notch are attached to each other by an adhesive or the like to form a beveled edge of the substrate when the substrate is turned over. This of course can be accomplished at the point of use. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]      FIG. 1  is a fragmentary perspective view of an embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  is a fragmentary perspective view of an embodiment of the present invention illustrating the method of forming the beveled edge for the substrate; 
           [0010]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view similar to  FIG. 2  but illustrating a step in the forming of the beveled edge of the substrate; 
           [0011]      FIG. 4  is another perspective view similar to  FIG. 2  but illustrating another step in the forming of the beveled edge of the substrate; and 
           [0012]      FIG. 5  is another perspective view similar to  FIG. 2  but illustrating the final step in forming a beveled edge of the substrate. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0013]    Turning now to  FIG. 1 , a carpet of the present invention is shown generally at reference numeral  10 . The carpet  10  includes a substrate  100  having a top surface  110  and a bottom surface  115 . As shown in  FIG. 1 , a leading edge of the substrate  100  is provided with a beveled edge  120  such that a transition is provided between a base floor  117  and the top surface  110 . 
         [0014]    Turning now to  FIGS. 2-5 , an illustration of making the beveled edge  120  is shown. The substrate  100  is shown in a turned over position with the bottom surface  115  on top. In particular,  FIG. 2  illustrates that the top surface  110  and the bottom surface  115  terminate at a leading edge  116 . A V-notch  121  is formed within the substrate  100  as shown in  FIG. 3 , the V-notch  121  being formed by any method known to those skilled in the art, illustratively including the use of razor blades, hot wire cutters, lasers, carpet knives, torches and the like. It is appreciated that the notch extends from the edge of the surface  115  at the leading edge  116  and the notch  121  needs to be wide enough at the surface  115  to create an inclined surface  110   a  ( FIG. 5 ) from a portion of the surface  110  when the notch  121  is closed. 
         [0015]    After the V-notch  121  has been formed, two opposing surfaces  123  and  124  and a leading edge section  116   a  are created defining the notch  121 . Folding of the leading edge section  116   a  of the substrate  100  in a generally upward direction  1  ( FIG. 5 ) causes the opposing surfaces  123  and  124  to be brought into physical contact with each other to the position shown in  FIG. 5 . When the opposing surfaces  123  and  124  are in contact, the surface  116  originally at the end of the substrate  100  is brought to a position aligned with the top surface  110  as illustrated in  FIG. 5 . As such, the beveled edge  120  as shown in  FIG. 1  is provided. It is appreciated that the opposing surfaces  123  and  124  can be at least partially attached to each other using any method or mechanism known to those skilled in the art, illustratively including adhesives, heat, ultrasonic welding and the like. In this manner, the beveled edge  120  formed upon bringing the opposing surfaces  123  and  124  in contact with each other can be maintained. 
         [0016]    The substrate  100  is turned over and it is ready for use. It is appreciated that a carpeting  170  ( FIG. 1 ) can be placed adjacent to the top surface  110  and permanently attached thereto such that an aesthetically pleasing carpet  10  is provided for trade show exhibit areas. It is also appreciated that the embodiment shown can be placed on the base floor  117  ( FIG. 1 ) from a roll or in the form of tiles instead of in the form of rolled carpet. If this is the case, then only certain tiles will have the beveled edge  120 , these tiles being ones that transition from the base floor  117  to the elevated carpet  10 . 
         [0017]    As best seen in  FIG. 1  the perimeter of the substrate  100  is provided with an interlocking tab-and-notch structure to permit adjacent substrates  100  and carpeting  170  to be locked together to cover the area to be carpeted. The interlocking tab-and-notch structure includes an interlocking tab  150  with an interlocking notch  152  adjacent thereto. The interlocking tab  150  extends from a sidewall  112  of the substrate  100  in a generally outward direction. As illustrated in  FIG. 1 , the tab  150  has a shape that fits within the interlocking notch  152  of an adjacent substrate  100 . Given that the interlocking notch  152  is adjacent to the interlocking tab  150 , the outline of the notch  152  mirrors the shape of the tab  150 . In this manner, the interlocking structure having interlocking notches  152  that fit securely around interlocking tabs  150 , and/or vice-versa, is provided. An example of how two adjacent pieces of the base pad  100  interlock together is best illustrated in  FIG. 1 . Once the interlocking tab  150  is placed within the interlocking notch  152 , the wider outer portion  153  of the tab  150  within the wider inner portion  155  of the notch  152  prevents the tab  150  from being removed when the substrate  100  is pulled upon in a coplanar direction with respect to the adjacent substrate  100 . In this manner, a plurality of substrates  100  can be easily interlocked to each other by inserting the interlocking tabs  150  within the interlocking notches  152  from a generally vertical direction. In addition, it is appreciated that once the substrates  100  have been laid upon the floor and adjacent rolls or tiles of substrates  100  have been locked together, they are securely attached to one another to cover an area as a secure unitary pad. 
         [0018]    Although  FIGS. 1-3  illustrate a particular shape for the interlocking tab  150  and interlocking notch  152 , other shapes and types of interlocking tabs and notches are within the scope of the present invention. In fact, within the scope of the present invention are interlocking tabs and interlocking notches of various sizes and shapes, so long as the combination provides a secure interlocking engagement between adjacent substrates. 
         [0019]    In this manner, a carpet with a beveled leading edge having special utility for use in trade show exhibit areas is provided. The beveled edge can be readily formed at the point of use. In addition, the carpet is provided with an interlocking attachment to join adjacent pieces. This permits carpet even for large exhibit areas to be easily transported to the point of use and to be formed there with a beveled edge where needed and put in place. Once at the point of use the necessary size to cover the particular area can be readily achieved and the carpet can be laid and taken up with ease. Yet a carpet which is secure and which avoids hazards caused by loose carpeting in high traffic areas is provided 
         [0020]    In addition, the foregoing drawings, discussion and description are illustrative of specific embodiments of the present invention, but they are not meant to be limitations upon the practice thereof. Numerous modifications and variations of the invention will be readily apparent to those of skill in the art in view of the teachings presented herein. It is the following claims, including all equivalents, which define the scope of the invention.