Source: https://patents.google.com/patent/US8434282B2/en
Timestamp: 2018-05-26 00:01:09
Document Index: 481948837

Matched Legal Cases: ['Application No. 60', 'Application No. 60', 'Application No. 60', 'Application No. 10', 'Application No. 10180426', 'Application No. 019771260', 'Application No. 05812737', 'Application No. 05812737', 'Application No. 08744428', 'Application No. 10180426', 'Application No. 101804938', 'Application No. 11172028', 'Application No. 11172031', 'Application No. 01977126', 'Application No. 10180426', 'Application No. 11172031', 'Application No. 11172028', 'Application No. 11172023', 'Application No. 01977126', 'Application No. 03788382', 'Application No. 05812737', 'Application No. 08744428', 'Application No. 05812737', 'Application No. 2007537027', 'Application No. 058127374', 'Application No. 11172031', 'Application No. 107147282', 'Application No. 2', 'Application No. 2005295322', 'Application No. 10180493', 'Application No. 10180426', 'Application No. 11172023', 'Application No. 11172028', 'Application No. 2009101646335', 'Application No. 2007537027', 'Application No. 2', 'Application No. 2005800426107', 'Application No. 200880010206', 'Application No. 2009101646335', 'Application No. 2007537027', 'Application No. 2010', 'Application No. 2011', 'Application No. 2009101646335', 'Application No. 2005295322', 'Application No. 2', 'Application No. 2005800426107', 'Application No. 10', 'Application No. 08104813', 'Application No. 200910164633', '§ 1', '§ 1', '§ 1', 'Application No. 058127374', 'Application No. 03788382', 'Application No. 2', 'Application No. 2', 'Application No. 2005800426107', 'Application No. 2007', 'Application No. 11172028', 'Application No. 11172031', 'Application No. 10714728', 'Application No. 20050295322', 'Application No. 11172028', 'Application No. 11172031', 'Application No. 2009101646335', 'Application No. 200880010206', 'Application No. 2', 'Application No. 019771260', 'Application No. 05812737', 'Application No. 10180493', 'Application No. 058127374', 'Application No. 101804268', 'Application No. 05812737', 'Application No. 05812737', 'Application No. 2007537027', 'Application No. 08744428', 'Application No. 10180426', 'Application No. 2009101646335', 'Application No. 2', 'Application No. 200880010206', 'Application No. 200880010206', 'Application No. 2009101646335', 'Application No. 10180426', 'Application No. 10180493', 'Application No. 058127374', '§ 1', '§ 1', 'Application No. 01977126', 'Application No. 2', 'Application No. 2009101646335', 'Application No. 2003265409', 'Application No. 2', 'Application No. 2005800426107', 'Application No. 2004', 'Application No. 1020077008403']

US8434282B2 - System for carpet tile installation - Google Patents
System for carpet tile installation Download PDF
US8434282B2
US8434282B2 US13595487 US201213595487A US8434282B2 US 8434282 B2 US8434282 B2 US 8434282B2 US 13595487 US13595487 US 13595487 US 201213595487 A US201213595487 A US 201213595487A US 8434282 B2 US8434282 B2 US 8434282B2
US13595487
US20130014460A1 (en )
Graham A. H. Scott
Keith N. Gray
Connectors for joining adjacent modular floor covering units. The connectors include a film and an adhesive layer coated on one side of the film. To install tiles using the connectors, a first tile is placed on the floor and a connector is positioned so that the adhesive layer faces upward and does not contact the floor. The connector is typically positioned so that only a portion of the adhesive layer adheres to the underside of the tile, leaving the remainder of the connector extending from the underside of the tile. Tiles are then positioned adjacent the first tile so that a portion of the connector adheres to the adjacent tiles. In this way, the connectors span adjacent tile edges. The tiles are assembled on a underlying flooring surface without the need to attach them to the floor surface.
This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/270,129 filed Nov. 13, 2008, allowed, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/018,947 filed Dec. 21, 2004, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,464,510, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/619,340, filed Oct. 15, 2004, and is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/638,878, filed Aug. 11, 2003, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/403,790, filed Aug. 15, 2002, which and is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/381,025, filed Dec. 8, 2003, which is a 35 U.S.C. 371 national phase of PCT/US01/29313, filed Sep. 19, 2001, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/233,680, filed Sep. 18, 2000, all of which applications are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.
Later, modular floor coverings utilized smaller, uniform size modules or tiles in both solid surface floor coverings such as vinyl tiles and in textile-faced floor coverings, usually called carpet tiles. As explained in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/638,878 for “Re-Configurable Modular Floor Covering,” filed Aug. 11, 2003, tiles may be installed, as area rugs that do not cover the entire flooring surface. However, the vast majority of tiles are used in wall-to-wall installations. Tiles have traditionally been installed in aligned rows and columns, with the edges of each tile aligned with the edges of adjacent tiles (“conventional carpet tile installation method”). Conventional carpet tile has historically been a product that sought to mimic the appearance of broadloom carpet and to hide or at least de-emphasize the fact that the product was modular. Achieving this result has required, at minimum, that carpet tiles or modules be placed in a flooring installation with the same orientation that the modules had at the time they were produced (i.e., monolithically). However, textile face modular flooring designers have recently begun to design flooring and flooring installations that do not seek to mask, but rather celebrate, the modularity of the flooring. For instance, while still installed in aligned rows and columns, modules are installed “quarter-turned” with each tile position rotated 90° relative to each adjacent tile.
This invention addresses the problems of previous modular flooring installation methods by providing systems and methods that reduce the time and material costs required to install a floor covering. Connectors are used to join adjacent floor covering units. The connectors are particularly useful in installing modular floor covering units (“tiles”). Each connector includes a film and an adhesive layer coated on one side of the film. To install tiles using the connectors, a first tile is placed on the floor at a position determined by conventional tile installation methods. A connector is positioned so that the adhesive layer faces upward and does not contact the floor. The connector is typically positioned so that only a portion of the adhesive layer adheres to the underside of the tile, leaving the remainder of the connector extending from the underside of the tile. Tiles are then positioned adjacent the first tile so that a portion of the connector adheres to the adjacent tiles. In this way, the connectors span the adjacent edges of the adjacent tiles. The tiles are assembled on a underlying floor surface without the need to attach them to the floor surface. Rather, the tiles are linked to each other with the connectors, so that the tiles create a floor covering that “floats” on the underlying floor surface.
The size and relatively minimal number of connectors needed to stabilize a tile installation can result in a significant reduction in material costs from prior tile installation methods. Moreover, use of the connectors significantly reduces tile installation time by obviating the need to prep a floor prior to installation instead of the installer applying a layer of adhesive to the floor and then retracing his steps to position the tiles on the adhesive layer, with the connectors, the installer positions and secures as he goes. Moreover, given the releasable adhesive used on the connectors and the limited surface area of the tiles that contacts the connectors, the tiles can easily be re-positioned if necessary. Furthermore, because the tiles do not interact with the underlying floor, they are easily removable from the floor and leave the underlying floor pristine upon such removal. Consequently, the floor does not require refinishing before it is recovered with another floorcovering.
FIG. 4 is a schematic view of one embodiment of a connector dispenser of this invention,
This invention relates to systems and methods for installing floor covering. One of skill in the art will understand that the systems and methods described herein may be used in a variety of floor covering installations. However, applicants have found the connectors described herein particularly useful in any type installation (including wall-to-wall and area rug installations) of modular floor covering units (hereinafter referred to as “tiles”). The tiles may be of various colors and textures in a range of sizes and shapes. For example, individual tiles may be in a shape that simulates wood planking or shapes of ceramic and other tiles, including, but not limited (o, hexagons, squares, rectangles, triangles and other shapes. In addition, the tiles may be provided in a variety of textures. Tiles of this invention may typically be conventional carpet tile with textile faces (including, but not limited to, tufted, bonded, and printed faces), but could also be other modular materials, including woven and nonwoven textile flooring, solid vinyl, ceramics, leather, or any other suitable material. The tiles are preferably installed on a generally smooth surface, including, but not limited to plywood, laminates, linoleum, vinyl tile, hardwoods, and concrete. However, as discussed below, the tiles may be installed on an intermediate substrate, including pad and broad loom carpet, located between the tiles and the underlying floor.
The film 22 may be any shape, including, hut not limited to, a circular shape or any rectilinear shape such as a square or triangular. A square shape is suitable for most installations. Moreover, the size of the film 22 can depend on the size of the tiles being installed. However, as a general e, the surface area of the film 22 can be as little as 1%, and preferably between 2-5%, of the surface area of the tiles for which the connectors are intended to be installed. It has been found that a connect surface area over nine square inches does not meaningfully contribute to the stability of an installation of 18 inch square or 50 centimeter square tiles. Thus, connectors 20 desirably should be, but do not have to be, no larger than about three inches by three inches square to conserve materials and limit expense.
While the adhesive layer 24 can be any adhesive that exhibits certain attributes desirable for use in this invention, the specific type or amount of adhesive used in the connector may often depend on the tile with which the connector 20 is intended for use. With all tiles, however, it is preferable to use a releasable adhesive. Water-based adhesives rather than solvent based adhesives) with little or no volatile organic content (“VOC”) are also preferable. Acrylic adhesives, including those sold by 3M under the identification numbers 9465, 6032, 6035, and 6038, and in particular 9465 (which is primarily an acrylate terpolymer) and 6032 (a tackified acrylate copolymer), are suitable. Moreover, the adhesive 24 preferably, but not necessarily, is resistant to water and typical carpet cleaning detergents.
The adhesive layer 24 in all connectors 20 should adhere well to the back of the tiles. However, the adhesion to the tile should not be so strong as to prevent removal and repositioning of the tile relative to the connector 20, if necessary. If the bond strength between the tile and the adhesive (i.e., the amount of force required to separate the adhesive layer 24 from the tile hacking, which can be measured using the ASTM D-3330 test (commonly referred to as the “90 degree peel test”)) is too strong, the adhesive layer 24 will peel from the film and remain with the tile, thereby destroying the connector. Thus, the bond strength between the adhesive layer 24 and the tile should not be stronger than that between the adhesive layer 24 and the film 24.
FIGS. 5-8 illustrate a few of only countless connector placement possibilities for installing tiles. Connectors 20 may be positioned at arty location between adjacent tiles, and thus an given tile in the installation may contact a portion of as few as one connector and as many as feasible given the size of the tile and of the connectors 20. In addition to placement at the corners of intersecting tiles, connectors 20 may be positioned to span the adjacent edges of only two tiles. Moreover, different shaped or sized connectors 20 may be useful in a single installation. For example, in addition to the rectangular connectors shown in FIG. 5, triangular-shaped connectors may be useful at the border of an installation, such as where the tiles abut a wall.
The connectors of this invention improve upon current tile installation systems and methods. The connectors use both less material and cheaper materials, than traditional installation systems. Moreover, use of the connectors significantly reduces tile installation time (by as much as 60% of the time for adhesive systems) by obviating the need to prep a floor prior to installation. Rather than applying a layer of adhesive to the floor and then retracing his steps to position the tiles on the adhesive layer, with the connectors, the installer positions and secures as he goes. Moreover, given the releasable adhesive used on the connectors and the limited surface area of the tiles that contacts the connectors, the tiles can easily be re-positioned if necessary. Furthermore, because the tiles do not interact with the underlying floor, they are easily removable from the floor and leave the underlying floor pristine upon such removal. Consequently, the floor does not requires refinishing before it is recovered with another floorcovering.
1. A system for installing carpet tiles on an underlying surface, the system comprising:
a plurality of carpet tiles, wherein each carpet tile comprises an underside; and
a plurality of carpet tile connectors for connecting the plurality of carpet tiles, each carpet tile connector comprising:
a film having two sides; and
a layer of adhesive located on a side of the film, wherein the layer of adhesive is capable of forming a bond between the film and the undersides of adjacent carpet tiles and comprises a sufficient shear strength so that, when a connector spans adjacent edges of the adjacent carpet tiles so that the layer of adhesive contacts the undersides of the adjacent carpet tiles, the connector prevents adjacent tiles from moving relative to the connector or each other thereby creating gaps between the adjacent tiles after installation,
wherein the film comprises a plastic material sufficiently stiff for a connector positioned partly in contact with an underside of a carpet tile to project beyond the edge of the carpet tile in roughly the same plane as the underside of the carpet tile.
2. The system of claim 1 wherein the plastic material comprises a polyolefin, a polyamide, or a polyester.
3. The system of claim 1 wherein the film exhibits a tensile strength between 160 and 270 MPa, inclusive, in at least one direction.
4. The system of claim 1 wherein at least one of the plurality of connectors has a surface area of approximately 9 inches square.
5. The system of claim 1 wherein at least one of the plurality of connectors has a film that comprises a thickness between approximately 0.0005 and 0.015 inches, inclusive.
6. The system of claim 1 wherein at least one of the plurality of connectors has a film that comprises a thickness between approximately 0.003 and 0.01 inches, inclusive.
7. The system of claim 1 wherein the layer of adhesive comprises a releasable adhesive.
8. The system of claim 1 wherein the film comprises a dimension and wherein the film is capable of being stretched at least 120% of the dimension before breaking.
9. The system of claim 1 wherein the connector is adapted to connect the adjacent carpet tiles together without attaching the carpet tiles to the underlying surface on which the tiles are positioned.
10. The system of claim 1 wherein the plurality of connectors are provided in a roll.
11. The system of claim 10 wherein the plurality of connectors are provided on release material.
12. The system of claim 1 wherein the plurality of connectors are provided on a strip of release material folded into an accordion shape.
13. The system of claim 1 wherein the plurality of connectors are provided in a stack.
14. The system of claim 1 wherein the system further identifies that, to install the carpet tiles using the connectors, a first carpet tile is placed on the underlying surface; a connector is then positioned so that only a first portion of the connector adheres to the underside of the first carpet tile leaving a second portion of the connector extending from the underside of the first carpet tile, and an adjacent carpet tile is then positioned adjacent to the first carpet tile on the underlying surface so that the second portion of the connector adheres to the adjacent tile.
US13595487 2000-09-19 2012-08-27 System for carpet tile installation Expired - Fee Related US8434282B2 (en)
US23368000 true 2000-09-19 2000-09-19
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US12270129 Continuation US8381473B2 (en) 2000-09-19 2008-11-13 System and method for floor covering installation
US13872576 Continuation US9402496B2 (en) 2000-09-19 2013-04-29 System for modular tile installation
US20130014460A1 true US20130014460A1 (en) 2013-01-17
US8434282B2 true US8434282B2 (en) 2013-05-07
ID=46303555
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Free format text: INTER PARTES REVIEW CERTIFICATE; TRIAL NO. IPR2013-00527, AUG. 23, 2013INTER PARTES REVIEW CERTIFICATE FOR PATENT 8,434,282, ISSUED MAY 7, 2013, APPL. NO. 13/595,487, AUG. 27, 2012INTER PARTES REVIEW CERTIFICATE ISSUED FEB. 23, 2018