CN107023142B

CN107023142B - Improved synthetic floor device

Info

Publication number: CN107023142B
Application number: CN201710211176.5A
Authority: CN
Inventors: R·N·塞尔尼; M·T·布拉德菲尔德; U·H·埃斯皮诺萨
Original assignee: Connor Sport Court International LLC
Current assignee: Connor Sport Court International LLC
Priority date: 2016-02-01
Filing date: 2017-02-03
Publication date: 2021-06-22
Anticipated expiration: 2037-02-03
Also published as: CN107023142A; EP3199721A1

Abstract

A modular floor tile has a top surface. A plurality of edge surfaces define a perimeter around the top surface, and a support system is at least partially disposed below the top surface. The locking system allows the flexible movement of the laterally extending protrusion with the flexible wall while placing the downward facing protrusion in the laterally extending protrusion and/or allows the flexible wall of the downward facing protrusion to move flexibly while placing the downward facing protrusion in the laterally extending protrusion.

Description

Improved synthetic floor device

Priority of request

This application is a partial continuation of and claims priority to U.S. application U.S. 14/196,830 entitled "synthetic flooring apparatus" filed 3, 4, 2014, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

Technical Field

The present invention relates to synthetic flooring and, in particular, to an apparatus and method for joining adjacent modular synthetic floor tiles.

Background

Suspended floors and modular floor tiles associated with improved safety, appearance and function have been in use for many years. In recent years, synthetic modular flooring products have been used for this purpose, and more frequently in connection with sports situations. However, many such floor products have little impact absorbing properties, which results in increased fatigue or injury from walking, running, jumping or other activities on the floor. That is, to ensure that the top surface of the floor is sufficiently rigid to provide "ball bounce" characteristics and to provide sufficient frictional forces, the synthetic floor tiles are made of a rigid or semi-rigid material that produces little impact absorbing characteristics under normal use conditions.

Attempts have been made to improve the impact absorption characteristics of synthetic flooring products. For example, including, but not limited to, U.S. patent nos.7,587,865, 7,748,177, and 8,505,256, each of the described techniques includes disadvantages in these cases. Also, attempts have been made to improve devices that connect adjacent modular floor members together, but these attempts also include disadvantages. What is desired, therefore, is a synthetic flooring product having improved impact absorption characteristics and improved locking devices.

Disclosure of Invention

A modular floor tile having a top surface is disclosed. A plurality of edge surfaces define a perimeter around the top surface, and a support system is at least partially disposed below the top surface. The locking system allows the laterally extending protrusion with the flexible wall to be flexibly moved while the downward facing protrusion is seated in the laterally extending protrusion and/or allows the flexible wall of the downward facing protrusion to be flexibly moved when the downward facing protrusion is placed in the laterally extending protrusion.

Drawings

The invention will become more apparent from the following description and appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. It is appreciated that such drawings depict only typical aspects of the invention and are therefore not to be considered limiting of its scope. It will be readily understood that the components of the present invention, as generally described and illustrated in the figures herein, could be arranged and designed in a wide variety of different configurations. The invention may, however, be described and explained with additional specificity and detail through the use of the accompanying drawings in which:

fig. 1 is a top view of a composite modular floor tile according to one aspect of the present invention;

fig. 2 is a bottom view of the synthetic modular floor tile of fig. 1;

FIG. 3 is a top perspective view of the synthetic modular floor tile of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a bottom view of two modular tiles coupled together;

FIG. 5 is a bottom perspective view of two modular floor tiles coupled together;

FIG. 6 is a top perspective view of an opening and support system for a portion of a composite modular floor tile according to one aspect of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a bottom perspective view of FIG. 6;

fig. 8 is a side view of fig. 6 without a load placed on a portion of the composite modular floor tile;

FIG. 9 is a side view of FIG. 6 illustrating a load placed upon a portion of the composite modular floor tile and the bending action of the arm created in accordance with an aspect of the present invention;

fig. 10 is a top perspective view of an opening and support system for a portion of a composite modular floor tile according to one aspect of the present invention;

FIG. 11 is a bottom perspective view of FIG. 10;

fig. 12 is a top perspective view of an opening and support system for a portion of a composite modular floor tile according to one aspect of the present invention;

FIG. 13 is a bottom perspective view of FIG. 12;

fig. 14 is a top perspective view of an opening and support system for a portion of a composite modular floor tile according to one aspect of the present invention;

FIG. 15 is a bottom perspective view of FIG. 14;

fig. 16 is a top perspective view of an opening and support system for a portion of a composite modular floor tile according to one aspect of the present invention;

FIG. 17 is a bottom perspective view of FIG. 16;

fig. 18 is a perspective view of a modular floor tile according to one aspect of the present invention;

FIG. 19 is a bottom perspective view of a portion of the floor tile of FIG. 18;

FIG. 20 is a bottom view of a portion of the floor tile of FIG. 18;

FIG. 21 is a bottom perspective view of a portion of the floor tile of FIG. 18;

fig. 22 is a top view of a floor tile according to one aspect of the present invention;

FIG. 23 is a bottom view of a portion of the floor tile of FIG. 22;

FIG. 24 is a bottom perspective view of a portion of the floor tile of FIG. 22;

FIG. 25 is a top perspective view of a portion of the floor tile of FIG. 22; and

fig. 26 is a cross-sectional side view of a portion of the floor tile of fig. 22.

Detailed Description

Exemplary aspects of the present invention are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof, and in which are shown by way of illustration typical aspects in which the invention may be practiced. While the exemplary aspects are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention, it is to be understood that other aspects may be realized and that various changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Thus, the following more detailed description of aspects of the invention is not intended to limit the scope of the technology, as claimed, but is presented for purposes of illustration only and not limitation to describe features and characteristics of the invention, and to sufficiently enable one skilled in the art to practice the invention. Accordingly, the scope of the invention is to be limited only by the following claims.

The following detailed description and exemplary aspects of the invention are better understood with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which elements and features of the invention are designated by reference numerals throughout.

The present invention describes an improved modular floor tile having a top surface that includes a plurality of ribs or structural members defining openings between rib members. "opening" refers to a hole, gap, or space through which a fluid or other object may pass. The periphery of the tile is defined by the outer edge surface. The support system is integrally formed from the top surface and is at least partially disposed below the top surface. In general, the support system is capable of keeping the top surface elevated above the ground. The support system includes a primary support member disposed within the opening between the rib members. The primary support member is operatively connected to a plurality of arms extending outwardly from the primary support member. The primary support member is configured to move vertically within the opening when a load is applied to the top surface causing the arm to flex. The plurality of secondary support members elevated above the ground when the tile is in an unbiased condition limit vertical movement of the primary support members within the opening, thereby limiting downward movement of the tile when placed under a load. In this way, loads placed on top of the tile are absorbed by the bent arms and further by the secondary support members. In another aspect of the invention, modular floor tiles are disclosed having a top surface in general. The plurality of edge surfaces define a perimeter around the top surface, and the support system is at least partially disposed below the top surface. The locking system allows flexible movement of the laterally extending protrusion with the flexible wall when placing the downward facing protrusion and/or allows flexible movement of the flexible wall of the downward facing protrusion when placing said downward facing protrusion into the laterally extending protrusion.

Referring now specifically to fig. 1-5, there is shown a modular tile 10 configured to be coupled with an adjoining modular tile to form a floor covering for sports or any other desired purpose. The modular tiles provide enhanced impact absorption characteristics to reduce fatigue and minimize injury caused by activities on rigid surfaces such as concrete, asphalt, and the like. The tiles may be formed of any suitable rigid or semi-rigid material, such as a polymeric material, and may be formed using molding techniques known in the art, such as injection molding, compression molding, and the like, and formed or molded as individual, integrated tiles. In preferred embodiments, the tiles are not made of a substantially compressible material (e.g., soft rubber) because they do not provide sufficient ball rebound characteristics or are undesirable for sports or other activities.

The modular tile 10 includes a top surface 15 having an opposing bottom side 20. The top surface 15 may be smooth, perforated, grated, raised, textured, or have any other configuration suitable for the particular purpose of the synthetic floor covering. The top surface 15 includes a periphery having a square or rectangular shape that defines a front side 25, a rear side 26, and opposing first and

second sides

27, 28. Other suitable peripheral shapes for the tiles are also contemplated herein, such as triangular, hexagonal, etc. The front side 25, the rear side 26 and the first and

second sides

27, 28 each comprise a side wall 30 having one or more male or

female coupling members

35, 36 for abutting an adjacent tile. The male part 35 includes a downward post structure 37 having laterally extending lugs 38. Female component 36 includes a collar 39 configured to receive therein a post structure 37 having a tab component 38 positioned below a sidewall 40.

Additional male and female coupling members are disposed around the sides of the tile and are configured to provide additional connections for the tile. The male post component 41 is disposed about the underside 20 of the tile 10 and is configured to be positioned within the opening 42 of the female component 43. Female component 43 is configured for placement within aperture 44 of sidewall 30. The male post component 41 includes a generally I-shape having a longitudinal axis that is substantially equal in length to the longitudinal length of the opening 42 in the female component 43. The height of the aperture 44 is equal to the height of the female part 43.

Referring to fig. 1-5 in general and to fig. 6 and 7 in particular, the underside 20 of the tile 10 includes a support grid configured to support the top surface 15 about the ground. According to one aspect of the invention, the top surface 15 includes a plurality of openings 16 defined by structural members 51. In one aspect, the structural members 51 comprise intersecting rib members. The upper plane of the opening 16 is defined by the upper surfaces 52 of the intersecting rib members 51. The bottom plane of the opening 16 is defined by the bottom surfaces 53 of the intersecting rib members 51. The opening 16 is also defined by the side walls 56 of the rib member 51. The support grid includes a plurality of primary post structures 60 arranged around the bottom 20 of the tile 10. The term "column" as used herein refers to a generally vertical structure that tends to be vertical and has a height greater than its width. When the tile 10 is placed on the ground and in an unbiased condition (i.e., no load is placed on top of the tile), the primary support columns 60 are the only portions of the tile 10 that are in contact with the ground. The top 62 of the support post 60 is in the center of the opening 16 and in the area defined by the upper and lower planes of the opening.

In one aspect of the invention, the post structure is generally cruciform. However, it is contemplated that different shapes and configurations (cylindrical, rectangular, triangular, etc.) may be used herein, so long as the support function is achieved. The primary support columns 60 are formed of the same material as used for the top surface 15 and arms 61 of the tile 10. In one aspect of the invention, the support columns 60 are formed from the same molding as used to form the entire tile 10. The primary support columns 60 are coupled to the tile 10 by a plurality of arms 61 extending outwardly from the primary support columns 60. A primary support post 60 is disposed within the center of the opening 16, the opening 16 having an arm 61 extending laterally away from the post 60 and connected to the rib 51 at the apex 55 of the intersecting rib member. The arms 61 are generally rectangular, but may also be triangular, circular, or diamond-like in shape or other desired shapes. In one aspect of the invention, the arms 61 have substantially parallel top and bottom surfaces. The top surface is narrower than the bottom surface and is substantially centered on the top surface. The side surfaces taper outwardly from the top surface to the bottom surface.

When moving on a conventional floor, the forces associated with jumping, walking or running on the floor are transmitted directly between the floor and the person's foot. This leads to fatigue and may lead to damage. Advantageously, in aspects of the invention, when a load is placed on the top surface 15 of the tile 10, the arms 61 flex, allowing the tile 10 to move downward. Because the top 62 of the primary support post 60 is located within the opening 16 and is not obstructed by the rigid material above the structure, the rib 51 can move downwardly over the primary support post 60 as the arm 61 flexes. The action of the bending of the arms 61 absorbs some of the shock associated with the load placed on the top 15 of the tile 10 and thereby reduces the transmission of force from the ground to the person's foot.

In one aspect of the invention, the top 62 of the primary post structure 60 is below the upper plane of the opening 16 but above the bottom plane of the opening 16. The arm 61 is connected to the primary column 60 near the top 62 of each section of the cross 64 forming the primary support column 60. A taper is formed on the top portion 65 and the bottom portion 66 of each arm 61 to act as a transition between the arm 61 and the main support column 60. The base 66 of the arm 61 is coplanar with the base 53 of the rib 51. In another aspect, however, the top 65 of the arm 61 is coplanar with the top 52 of the rib 51. In one aspect of the invention, the arm 61 extends outwardly from the primary support column 60 near the top 62, or directly from the top 62, however the arm 61 may be attached to the primary support column 60 at any location along the support column 60 as appropriate for the particular design.

For example, referring generally to fig. 10 and 11, an arm 61 connects the primary support column 60 at a location near the center of the primary support column 60. In another example, the arm 61 may connect the primary support column 60 near the bottom of the primary support column 60. In either such instance, the arms 61 may extend upwardly and laterally to couple with the rib members 51 at the apexes 55 of the intersecting ribs 51. Additionally, although the arm 61 is shown as a plurality of elongated members, the arm 61 may also include a plurality of different members of different shapes and configurations, including but not limited to an L-shaped or arc-shaped arm. Different arm configurations may be used to absorb the load placed on the tile 10, so long as the arms 61 are able to flex to absorb the load. Advantageously, no separate inserts or secondary materials are required to absorb the loads placed on the tile 10.

Referring now to fig. 12 and 13, in another aspect of the invention, an arm 61 connects the primary support column 60 proximate a middle of the primary support column 60 and extends laterally outward to couple (i.e., connect) the secondary support column 70. In this respect, it is not necessary for the arms 61 to be coupled to the tile 10 at the apexes 55 of the intersecting ribs 51. In other aspects, the arms 61 can extend outwardly from the primary support column 60 and connect to the rib 51 along an inner sidewall 56 (see, e.g., fig. 14 and 15) of the rib 51. In addition, the arms 61 need not necessarily connect the ribs 51 near the bottom 53 of the ribs 51. Conversely, the arm 61 may be coupled with the rib 51 near the upper surface 52 of the rib 51.

Referring generally to fig. 5 to 9, a plurality of secondary support columns 70 are arranged around the bottom 20 of the tile 10 and are aligned around the primary support columns 60. In accordance with one aspect of the invention, the secondary support posts 70 have a longitudinal length that is less than the length of the primary support posts 60. Thus, when the tile 10 is in an unbiased (i.e., unloaded) state, the primary support columns 60 function to hold the secondary support columns 70 a distance 71 above the ground. When a load "L" is placed on top of the tile 10, the arms 61 flex to allow the tile 10, including the secondary support posts 70, to move downward. The secondary support posts 70 limit downward movement of the brick 10 and prevent over-bending of the arms 61, which could result in plastic deformation of the arms 61. In one aspect of the invention, the distance from the top 62 of the primary support column 60 and the distance 71 between the ground and the bottom of the support column 70 are substantially the same. That is, the lengths of the secondary support posts 70 and the primary support posts 60 are uniform so that when a load L is placed on the tile 10, the secondary support posts 70 contact the ground and the tops 62 of the primary support posts 60 are substantially in the same plane as the tops 52 of the ribs 51. Thus, the total surface area available for frictional contact between a person's foot and the tile 10 is temporarily increased during activity on the tile 10. Advantageously, because the secondary support posts 70 limit upward movement of the primary support posts 60 through the upper plane of the opening 16, the tops 62 of the primary support posts 60 do not become raised surfaces that may increase wear during dropping, and also serve to increase the overall surface area of the playing surface. Because the arm 61 raises the tile 10 above the ground when it is in an unloaded state, the arm 61 acts as a spring containing a certain amount of potential energy when loaded. In this manner, the biased arms 61 create an upward force (or resiliency) to help provide additional mobility for a person running, jumping, walking, etc. on the floor tile 10.

In another aspect of the invention, the top 62 of the primary support column 60 may be below the opening 16 when the tile 10 is in an unbiased condition. When a load "L" is placed on the top 15 of the tile, the top 62 of the primary support columns 60 may advance upwardly below the upper surface 52 of the ribs 51, coplanar with the upper surface 52 (as shown in fig. 7), or above the upper surface 52 of the ribs 51 as appropriate for the particular application. The side walls 40 around the perimeter of the tile 10 are also configured to have a length similar to the length of the secondary support posts 70. In this way, the side walls 40 also limit the vertical travel of the primary support columns 60. Also, although the top 62 of the primary support post 60 is shown as flat, it may also have a dome-like configuration. In this way, if it is desired that the top 62 of the primary support post 60 terminate its vertical travel slightly above the top surface 52 of the rib member 51, additional traction can be generated without undesirable wear.

In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, and by way of example only, the rib members 51 have a width ranging from about 0.05 inches to 0.25 inches and a height ranging from 0.05 inches to 0.5 inches. The primary post structures 60 have a height ranging from 0.25 inches to 1 inch and the secondary post structures 70 have a height ranging from 0.25 inches to 1 inch. The area within opening 16 may be from 0.15 square inches to 3.25 square inches and may be rectangular as shown in fig. 6-14, triangular as shown in fig. 16 and 17, circular or any other shape suitable for the particular design. Referring to the triangular opening shown in fig. 16 and 17, the primary support post 60 is located in the center of the opening 16, similar to the arrangement within a rectangular opening. A plurality of arms 61 extend outwardly from the primary support post 60 and connect the apexes 55 of the intersecting rib members 51. As with the rectangular opening, the arms 61 do not necessarily connect the rib members 51 at the apexes 55 of the intersecting rib members 51. Conversely, the arm 61 may connect the rib member 51 at the inner side wall. In one aspect, the arm 61 is not connected to the rib member 51. Conversely, the arms 61 extend outwardly from the primary support columns 60 and connect the secondary support columns 70. A plurality of sets of three secondary support posts 70 are arranged around the primary support post 60. Secondary support posts 70 extend downwardly from the bottom 20 of the tile 10 adjacent the apex 55 of the intersecting rib members 51. Similar improvements to the triangular opening embodiment can be proposed as discussed above for the rectangular opening. For example, the arm 61 need not be a separate elongated member, and the arm 61 need not be coupled with the primary support column 60 proximate the top 62 of the support column 60. Moreover, the shape of the primary support columns 60 and the secondary support columns 70 may vary as appropriate for a particular application and design.

Although specific reference is made herein to an open-topped brick construction, a closed-topped brick construction is also contemplated. In one aspect of the invention, the intersecting rib members 51 may not necessarily serve as the upper contact surface for the end user of the tile 10. Rather, a substantially flat moving surface may be placed on the rib structure described herein to improve the placement and design of the primary support posts 60 within the openings 16. In this regard, the distance between the top 62 of the primary support column 60 and the bottom of the flat surface is greater than the distance 71 between the bottom of the secondary support column 70 and the ground. In this way, the bending action of the arms 61 absorbs the impact on the top surface of the tile 10. The vertical travel of the primary support posts 60 is limited by the secondary support posts 70 rather than by any obstruction between the top 62 of the primary support posts 60 and the bottom of the flat moving surface.

Although specific reference is made herein to the top surface 15 including the intersecting ribs 51, it is understood and contemplated herein that many surface configurations may be used. For example, a substantially solid top surface may be used, having a plurality of openings 16 disposed therein. The opening 16 may be circular, rectangular, or triangular, or any other desired shape, and may be molded as part of the tile 10. Importantly, regardless of the shape of the opening 16 and the configuration of the top surface (being a cross rib or otherwise), the primary support post 60 is disposed substantially within the center of the opening 16. The primary support column 60 has at least two arms 61 extending outwardly from the support column 60 and is in some form coupled with the tile 10. As described above, the arms 61 may couple the side walls of the opening 16, the corners of the opening 16, the secondary supports 70 (also discussed above), or the bottom portion 20 of the tile 10 and flex in response to a load placed on the top 15 of the tile 10 to allow vertical travel of the primary support columns 60.

In one aspect of the invention, a flexible or compressible material (e.g., rubber, etc.) may be placed under tile 10 to further absorb the load. In this regard, the secondary support 70 is significantly shorter than the primary support 60 and a flexible material is placed around the bottom 20 of the tile 10 to further absorb the load placed on the top 15 of the tile 10 and limit the bending action of the arms 61. The secondary support posts 70 contact the ground only after the flexible material is compressed.

In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, more than one primary support column 60 can be placed within any one opening of the tile 10. For example, two primary support posts may be placed within the center of a rectangular opening. The two primary support columns may be connected by a single arm. Two arms may extend from each primary support column and are coupled with the two closest vertices of the rectangular opening.

Methods of absorbing at least a portion of a load applied to the top of the floor surface are also contemplated herein. The method includes providing modular floor tiles arranged around a floor. The floor tile includes a generally planar upper playing surface having a plurality of ribs with spaces between the ribs, a bottom surface, and side surfaces forming a perimeter around the tile. A plurality of secondary support posts are formed at the bottom of the tiles and extend downwardly therefrom. A plurality of vertically movable primary support columns are disposed within the openings between the ribs and are coupled with the ribs by a plurality of flexible arms extending laterally outward from the primary support columns and integrally formed with the ribs. The flexible arms are biased to a position in which the vertical supports are downward, whereby the base of the secondary support column is a distance above the ground when the tile is in an unloaded state. A load is placed on the upper playing surface causing the plurality of arms to flex to facilitate upward movement of the vertically movable primary support post within the opening of the rib and simultaneous downward movement of the floor tile until the bottom of the secondary support contacts the ground. The method further includes releasing the load on the upper moving surface such that the plurality of arms return to the biased state, positioning the primary support downwardly and raising the secondary support column above the ground.

Referring now to fig. 18-21 in general, in one aspect of the invention, a floor member or modular floor tile 100 is shown. Tile 100 includes a top surface 101 and a plurality of side surfaces 102 defining a perimeter around top surface 101. The top surface 101 has a plurality of intersecting rib members 103 that define apertures 104. However, it is understood that in certain aspects of the invention, the top surface 101 may comprise a continuous surface without apertures as appropriate for a particular application. The support system, including a plurality of post structures 105, is disposed at least partially below the top surface 101. In one aspect of the invention, the post structure 105 includes a primary support structure 105a and a secondary support structure 105 b. The secondary support structure 105b extends downwardly from the top surface 101 a distance greater than the primary support structure 105a and has a rounded tip 106 to facilitate lateral deflection of the secondary support 105b when a load is placed on the top surface 101.

In one aspect of the invention, male and

female coupling members

110 and 140 are disposed about tile 100 and provide a locking system for adjacent tiles. According to one aspect of the invention, female coupling member 110 includes a protrusion 111 extending outwardly from side 102 of tile 100. The projection 111 comprises a through opening 112 and a side wall 113, which are coupled with the side 102 of the tile 100. In one aspect of the invention, the sidewalls 113 of the protrusions 111 are joined together at the distal end 114 of the protrusions 111 to form a loop. It will be appreciated, however, that many shapes (e.g., rectangular, triangular, etc.) may be used to form the protrusions 111, as appropriate for a particular purpose. In one aspect of the invention, the sidewall 113 and distal end 114 have a cutout 115 disposed therein. Cutouts 115 in sidewall 113 are configured to mate with tabs 142, and cutouts 115 in distal end 114 of projection 111 are configured to facilitate the discharge of fluids that may accumulate in through-opening 112 and the ground. The male coupling member 140 includes a pair of parallel transverse flexible plates 141 extending downwardly from the top surface 101 of the modular floor tile 100. Side lugs 142 are disposed on the outer surface of each pair of flexible plates 141. Lug 142 includes a flange 143 configured to fit over lower edge 116 of outwardly extending projection 111 when male coupling member 140 is placed through-opening 112 of a corresponding female coupling member 110 of an adjacent modular floor tile 100. Central plate 144 is disposed between a pair of flexible plates 141 and is configured to limit inward lateral movement of flexible plates 141 during placement of male coupling member 140 into female coupling member 110. That is, when male coupling member 140 is placed through opening 112, plates 141 are bent together to facilitate passage of member 140 through opening 112.

Flexible plates 141 have spaces 145 therebetween to facilitate inward lateral bending of plates 141 during insertion of male coupling member 140 into female coupling member 110. A space 145 also exists between flexible plate 141 and central plate 144. An edge tab 146 extends downwardly and outwardly from at least one of the plurality of edge surfaces 102 of the tile 100. The edge tab 146 has first and

second sides

147, 148. A first one 141a of the pair of parallel flexible plates 141 has an outer surface 149 that is coplanar with a first side 147 of the edge tab 146, and a second one 141b of the pair of parallel flexible plates 141 has an outer surface 150 that is coplanar with a second side 148 of the edge tab 146.

Although described herein with reference to parallel plates, according to one aspect, they need not be parallel, as long as they are bent inward to accommodate placement within the through opening 112. Also, although the downwardly extending members are described as plates, other shapes may be used for the purpose of lateral and vertical locking of adjacent tiles with a single locking mechanism. The size of the downwardly extending member limits lateral movement of adjacent bricks within the through opening and the lugs limit relative vertical movement. In one aspect, the lugs may also be placed inside the plate (or downwardly extending member) to limit inward bending of the plate. Alternatively, the plate itself may be shaped in a particular manner that limits inward bending of the plate (e.g., a triangle with ends opposite each other).

According to one aspect, a pair of flexible plates 141 are not connected to edge tabs 146 and flex independently of edge tabs 146 and independently of each other. In one aspect of the invention, edge tab 146 includes a flange 151 configured to fit over the underside edge surface 108 of an adjacent tile 100. Similar to flexible plate 141, in addition to edge tabs 146 bending in a direction perpendicular to the direction of bending of flexible plate 141, edge tabs 146 are also configured to bend during placement of male coupling member 140 into female coupling member 110. The front side 153 of the flexible plate 141 is disposed behind the back side of the edge tab 146 so as to form a space 154 between the back side of the flexible plate 141 and the edge tab 146.

In one aspect of the invention, the flexible sheet 141 has a chamfered rear side 155. The central panel 144 has a rounded rear side 156, the rear side 156 having a radius of curvature approximating the radius of curvature of the loops of the projections 111 and being disposed rearwardly of the rear side 155 of the flexible panel 141. The chamfered rear side 155 and the rounded rear side 156 together approximate the curvature of the annular ring of the protrusion 111. The flexible panel 141 has a length at least greater than half the length of the side walls 113 of the projections 111 and, together with the central panel 144, is intended to approximate the shape of the projections 111. However, for the space 145 between central plate 144 and flexible plate 141, the combined central plate 144 and flexible plate 141 substantially replicate the internal shape of protrusion 111 to create a good fit between male coupling member 140 and female coupling member 110.

In accordance with one aspect of the invention, the outer dimension of the male coupling member 140 is defined by the back side of the central plate 144, the outer edge of the flange 143 on the lugs 142 disposed on the outer surface of the flexible plate 141, and the outer edge of the flange of the edge lugs 146. The male coupling member 140 is dimensioned such that the outer dimension of the male coupling member 140 is larger than the inner dimension of the through opening 112 of the projection 111. Flanges 143 on lugs 142 and flanges on edge lugs 146 are chamfered, whereby as male coupling member 140 is placed down through projection 111, flexible plates 141 and edge lugs 146 flex inwardly until the outer edge of the flange of each respective lug is within the inner periphery of projection 111. The edge tabs 146 are bent in a direction perpendicular to the bending direction of the bent plate 141. Once within the inner periphery of the protrusion 111, the male coupling member 140 is guided through the opening 112 until the flange of each respective lug is below the bottom surface of the protrusion 111 (for the flange 143 of the lug 142) or below the underside edge surface 102 of the tile 100. During deployment through the through opening 112, the lugs are biased inwardly. Once through the through opening 112, the lugs return to the unbiased condition. In one aspect of the invention, flanges 143 of tabs 142 are configured to fit within cutouts disposed about opposite sides of protrusions 111. This bent plate arrangement facilitates easier locking and unlocking of adjacent tiles and at the same time easier restriction of vertical and lateral movement.

In one aspect of the present invention, the flexible board 141 has a width of 0.5mm to 1.5mm and a distance from the outer surfaces 121a and 121b of the flexible board 141 of 7mm to 10 mm. The central plate 144 has a width of 1mm to 3mm, and the space 145 between the central plate 144 and the flexible plate 141 has a width of 1mm to 4 mm. The

outer surfaces

147 and 148 of the edge tabs 146 are likewise 7mm to 10 mm. The distance between the ends of the opposing lugs 142 is 8mm to 12mm and the distance from the back end 156 of the center plate 144 to the front end of the edge lugs 146 is 17mm to 22 mm. The width (and other dimensions provided herein) are merely non-limiting examples. By varying the width of the flexible sheet 141, the relative flexibility of the sheet 141 can be controlled as the surface area of the connection between the sheet 141 and the tile 100 increases. This may vary depending on the type of material used to construct tile 100 and the desired resistance to movement. For example, the wider the curved plate 141, the less relative lateral flexibility it has. Likewise, the variation in the width of the central panel 144 controls the amount of lateral laterally inward bending that the flexible panel 141 can experience. For example, if the central panel 144 occupies a substantial portion of the space 145 between the flexible panels 141, the lateral inward flexing of the flexible panels 141 is minimal. However, the central panel 144 may be removed and the flexible panels 141 allowed to flex inwardly without restriction. The length of the flexible plate 141 and the space 154 created between the end of the flexible plate 141 and the back side of the edge tab 146 may likewise be varied to control the relative amount of backward bending in the edge tab 146. That is, the greater the space 154 between the front side of the curved plate 141 and the back side of the edge tab 146, the greater the amount of backward bending available. The relative tapers on

flanges

143 and 151 of side lugs 142 and edge lugs 146, as well as the size of the lugs themselves, may also be varied to control the relative ease of installation of male coupling member 140 within female coupling member 110. In addition, the taper on the rear end of the flexible plate 141 and the rounded portion 156 of the central plate 144 may be varied to approximate the shape of the distal end 114 of the projection 111. Many other variations of different dimensions may be obtained from the features described herein; the above variations are provided as non-limiting examples only.

In general, a user may use a method of connecting adjacent floor members together, the method comprising the step of obtaining a first floor member for arrangement on a ground surface, wherein the first floor member comprises a protrusion 111 extending outwardly from an edge surface 102 of the floor member, said protrusion 111 having at least one through opening 112. A second flooring member for arrangement on the ground is obtained, wherein the second flooring member comprises a pair of parallel transverse flexible panels 141 extending downwardly from the top surface 101 of the second flooring member, lugs 142 arranged on the underside surface of each of the pair of flexible panels 141 and a centre panel 144 arranged between the pair of flexible panels 141. As the panels 141 flex inwardly toward one another, the user places the pair of parallel transverse flexible panels 141 through the through openings 112 of the projections 111, with the central panel 144 configured to limit the transverse inward flexing of the flexible panels 141. This bending reduces the size of the flexible plates 141 so that they fit within the inner dimensions of the through opening 112. After passing through opening 112, the user fits tab 142 of transverse flexible panel I41 over lower edge 116 of outwardly extending projection 111. In one aspect, the second floor member includes an edge tab 146 extending downwardly from at least one of the plurality of edge surfaces 102. The edge tabs 146 are bent in a direction perpendicular to the direction of bending of the pair of flexible plates 141. The method further includes mounting the edge tab 146 under the side 108 of the first floor member. In fact, a single floor member has both the protrusions 111 and the flexible board 141 on a single member. These members would be located on different sides of the floor tile 100 so that a single style tile 100 can be used to construct an entire floor by locating the tile 100 in a different orientation than the tiles that fit into different sides of adjacent tiles.

Referring generally to fig. 22-25, in one aspect of the invention, a floor member or modular floor tile 200 is shown. The tile 200 includes a top surface 201 and a plurality of side edge surfaces 202 defining a perimeter around the top surface 201. The top surface 201 has a plurality of intersecting rib members 203 that define apertures 204. However, it is understood that in certain aspects of the present invention, the top surface 201 may comprise a continuous surface without apertures, as is appropriate for a particular application. A support system comprising a plurality of post structures 205 is disposed at least partially below the top surface 201. In one aspect of the invention, male and

female coupling members

240 and 210 are disposed about tile 200 and provide a locking system for coupling with adjacent tiles. According to one aspect of the invention, female coupling member 210 includes a protrusion 211 extending outwardly from side 202 of tile 200. The protrusion 211 comprises a through opening 212 and an outer semi-rigid side wall 213, which is coupled to the side 202 of the tile 200. In one aspect of the invention, the outer semi-rigid sidewalls 213 of the protrusion 111 are joined together at the distal end 214 of the protrusion 211 to form a loop. However, it will be appreciated that many shapes (e.g., rectangular, triangular, etc.) may be used as appropriate for a particular purpose. Protrusion 211 further includes a flexible inner side wall 215 that is separated from a semi-rigid outer side wall 213 by an aperture 216 to allow lateral bending of inner side wall 215. The term "semi-rigid" refers herein to a structure that does not bend when a portion of the structure is in normal operation. The outer side walls 213 in this regard may be made of synthetic polymers and thus may yield to the applied pressure, but typically they do not yield to the pressure when not subjected to some plastic deformation. The term "flexible" herein refers to a structure that allows the associated member to move or bend in one or more directions without undergoing plastic deformation. In one aspect of the invention, the protrusion 211 has a cut-out 217 disposed about the distal end 214. The cut-out 217 facilitates the drainage of fluid that may otherwise accumulate within the through opening 212 of the protrusion 211.

In one aspect of the invention, the inner side wall 215 is coupled to the tile 200 on the side wall 202 and to the outer side wall 213 proximate the distal end 214 of the protrusion 211, but the inner side wall 215 may be coupled to the outer side wall 213 in many locations as appropriate for a particular design. The second protrusion 220 extends downwardly from the top surface 201 of the tile 200 and is configured to be disposed through the through opening 212 of the protrusion 211 in the inner flexible sidewall 215. The downward projection 220 includes a plurality of walls 221 that form a U-shape, although other shapes (e.g., rectangular, triangular, curvilinear, etc.) may be used. Outwardly extending side tabs 222 are disposed on the end of each of the opposing walls 221 of the second projection 220, said side tabs 222 having a bottom flange 223 configured to fit over the lower edge of the flexible inner side wall 215 of the first projection 211 of an adjacent modular floor tile 100. The side tabs 222 extend in a direction parallel to the direction of curvature 217 of the flexible sidewall 215 of the first protrusion 211. In one aspect of the invention, the wall 221 of the second protrusion 220 is a semi-rigid wall. The outer perimeter of the wall 221 of the second protrusion 220 is shaped to approximate the shape of the inner perimeter of the flexible side wall 215 of the first protrusion 211 (e.g., U-shape, rectangular, triangular, or other shape). The flexible inner side wall 215 together with the downward projection 220 improves the performance of the user to more easily lock the adjoining tiles 200 together.

In another aspect of the invention, the tile 200 further comprises an edge tab 230 extending downwardly and laterally outwardly from at least one of the plurality of edge surfaces 202 of the tile 200. The edge tabs 230 are bent in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the pair of flexible sidewalls 215 of the first protrusion 211 are bent. The edge tab 230 has first and

second sides

231, 232. A first 221a of the pair of opposing walls 221 of the second protrusion 220 has an outer surface that is coplanar with the first side 231 of the edge tab 230 and a second 221b of the pair of opposing walls 221 of the second protrusion 220 has an outer surface that is coplanar with the second side 232 of the edge tab 230. The second projection 220 is sized such that the distance from the rear side 226 of the projection 220 to the front side 234 of the edge tab 230 is longer than the longitudinal distance of the through opening 212 in the inner flexible sidewall 215. Likewise, the second protrusion 220 is sized to be spaced from the outer edge of the opposing side tab 222 by a distance greater than the width of the through opening 212 in the inner flexible sidewall 215. The top surfaces of the edge lugs 230 and the side lugs 222 have tapered surfaces. As such, when the second or downward facing protrusion 220 is placed within the opening 212 of the first protrusion 211, the edge tabs 230 flex inward and the flexible inner side wall 215 flex outward until the inner dimension of the flexible inner side wall 215 and the outer dimension of the second or downward facing protrusion 220 are altered (i.e., placed in a biased state) to allow the second protrusion 220 to pass through the through opening 212 of the protrusion 211. After passing through the through opening 212, the edge lugs 230 and the inner sidewall 215 return to their original or unbiased condition. In this state, the flange 235 of the edge lug 230 fits under the bottom side edge 208 of the tile 200, and the flange 227 of the side lug 222 fits under the bottom of the inner side wall 215.

In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, the semi-rigid outer wall 213 has a width that varies from 2 to 4mm and the flexible inner wall 215 has a width that varies from 0.5 to 2 mm. The space or aperture 216 between the outer wall 213 and the flexible inner wall 215 varies from 0.5 to 4 mm. As with the other dimensions provided herein, these dimensions are non-limiting examples and may be varied as appropriate for a particular design application. For example, the width of the flexible inner wall 215 may be varied to control the relative resistance to movement. In the case where male coupling member 240 has a rigid, semi-rigid, or flexible structure (see, for example, the arrangement of the flexible plates of coupling member 140), the flexibility of inner wall 215 may be increased to enhance bending of female coupling member 210 (i.e., the bending of male member 240 is reduced), or may be decreased to enhance bending of male coupling member 240.

Referring generally to fig. 25 and 26, according to one aspect of the invention, the top surface 201 of the tile 200 includes a plurality of interconnected rib members 203 that define a plurality of apertures 204 in the top surface 201. The top surface 201 is supported above the ground by a support system comprising support posts 205, in one aspect the support posts 205 are interconnected by additional rib members 209 disposed below the upper rib members 203. The upper rib member 203 forms a contact surface on which a user steps. The lower rib member 209 is disposed below the upper rib member 203 and traverses the aperture 204 defined by the upper rib member 203. The lower rib member 209 forms a downwardly-directed curve or saddle shape below the orifice 204. In the case where the lower rib member 209 has an upper surface that is flat and coplanar with the bottom surface of the upper rib member 203, water has a tendency to become trapped within the orifice 204. The curved or saddle shape of the lower ribs 209 advantageously improves drainage through the orifices 204. This also facilitates reducing clogging of the orifices 204 by other substances (i.e., dirt, leaves, etc.) that would otherwise be trapped in the orifices 204. In one aspect, the lower rib feature 209 has a rounded or triangular top surface to facilitate the passage of water or other material through the lower rib 209.

In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a method of connecting adjacent floor members together is disclosed. The method includes the step of obtaining a first floor member for placement on the ground, the first floor member including a projection extending outwardly from an edge surface of the floor member, the projection having at least one through opening defined by a pair of flexible sidewalls. The method further includes obtaining a second flooring member for resting on the ground, the second flooring member comprising a projection extending downwardly from the top surface, the projection comprising a pair of opposing walls and an outwardly extending lug disposed on an end of each opposing wall. The downwardly extending projection mates with a laterally extending projection of an adjacently positioned floor member when the inner side wall is flexed in a direction parallel to the length of the outwardly extending lug by placing the downwardly extending projection through the through opening. The underside of the outwardly extending lugs is mounted below the surface of the flexible inner side wall.

The present invention has been described in detail with reference to specific exemplary aspects. It will, however, be understood that various modifications and changes may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims. The specification and figures are to be regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense, and all such modifications, combinations or variations of the features, and other aspects are intended to be included within the scope of the invention described and illustrated herein. Furthermore, where specific features are shown or described as being combined with specific aspects of the invention, it is to be understood that different features may be combined and used in different aspects. By way of example only, the flexible sheet 141 of one aspect may be used in conjunction with the flexible sidewall 215 of another aspect of the present invention. Also, many of the features from the different aspects of the invention described herein can be combined into many variations, as appropriate for a particular purpose.

More specifically, although illustrative example aspects of the invention have been described herein, the invention is not limited to these aspects, but includes any and all aspects having modifications, omissions, combinations (e.g., of aspects across various embodiments), adaptations and/or alterations as would be appreciated by those in the art based on the foregoing detailed description. The limitations in the claims are to be interpreted broadly based the language employed in the claims and not limited to examples described in the foregoing detailed description or during the prosecution of the application, which examples are to be construed as non-exclusive. For example, in the present disclosure, the term "preferably" is non-exclusive and means "preferably, but not limited to. Any steps recited in any method or process claims may be executed in any order and are not limited to the order presented in the claims. Using only the definition of "device + function" or "step + function," all of the following conditions for a particular claim limitation are expressed herein as the following definitions: a) "means for" or "step for" are expressly recited; and b) the corresponding functions are explicitly recited. The structures, materials, or acts that support "means + functions" are expressly recited herein in the specification. Accordingly, the scope of the invention should be determined only by the appended claims and their legal equivalents, rather than by the descriptions and examples provided above.

Claims

1. A modular floor tile comprising:

a top surface;

a plurality of edge surfaces defining a perimeter around the top surface;

a support system disposed at least partially below the top surface;

a locking system, the locking system comprising:

(i) a protrusion extending outwardly from at least one of the plurality of edge surfaces, the protrusion having at least one through opening;

(ii) a pair of lateral flexible panels extending downwardly from the top surface of the modular tiles and configured to be disposed within the at least one through opening of the outwardly extending protrusion of an adjacent modular tile;

(iii) a tab disposed on a side of each of the pair of flexible panels, the tab comprising a flange configured to fit over a lower edge of the outwardly extending protrusion of an adjacent modular floor tile.

2. A modular tile according to claim 1, wherein the locking system comprises a central panel disposed between the pair of flexible panels, said central panel configured to limit laterally inward movement of the flexible panels.

3. A modular tile according to claim 1, wherein the locking system further comprises an edge tab extending downwardly and outwardly from at least one of the plurality of edge surfaces, the edge tab having a first side and a second side, wherein a first one of the pair of parallel flexible sheets has an outer surface coplanar with the first side of the edge tab and a second one of the pair of parallel flexible sheets has an outer surface coplanar with the second side of the edge tab.

4. A modular tile according to claim 3, wherein the pair of flexible sheets are not connected to the edge tabs and bend independently of the edge tabs and independently of each other.

5. A modular tile according to claim 1, wherein the projection comprises cutouts disposed around opposite sides of the projection.

6. A modular tile according to claim 5, wherein the lugs disposed around the flexible sheet are configured to fit within the notches disposed around the opposite sides of the projection.

7. A modular tile according to claim 1, wherein the flexible sheet has a chamfered rear side; and the back side of the central panel is disposed behind the back sides of the flexible panels.

8. A modular tile according to claim 2, wherein the support system comprises a concave rib, wherein a bottom of the concave rib is disposed below an aperture formed in a top surface of the tile.

9. A modular flooring system comprising:

at least two adjacent floor members positioned adjacent to each other, each floor member comprising:

a top surface comprising a plurality of rib members;

an edge surface defining a perimeter around the tile;

a locking system, the locking system comprising:

(ii) a pair of parallel lateral flexible panels extending downwardly from the top surface of the modular tiles disposed within the at least one through opening of the outwardly extending protrusion of an adjacent modular tile;

(iii) a tab disposed on a side of each of the pair of flexible panels, wherein the tab comprises a flange configured to fit over a lower edge of the outwardly extending protrusion of an adjacent modular floor tile; and

(iv) a central plate disposed between the pair of flexible plates, the central plate configured to limit inward lateral movement of the flexible plates.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the floor member comprises a modular tile, wherein the locking system further comprises an edge tab extending downwardly and outwardly from at least one of the plurality of edge surfaces, the edge tab being curved in a direction perpendicular to a direction of curvature of the pair of flexible panels.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the edge tab has a first side and a second side, wherein a first one of the pair of parallel flexible plates has an outer surface that is coplanar with the first side of the edge tab and a second one of the pair of parallel flexible plates has an outer surface that is coplanar with the second side of the edge tab.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the protrusion includes cutouts disposed around opposite sides of the protrusion, wherein the tab disposed around the flexible plate is configured to fit within the cutouts disposed around the opposite sides of the protrusion.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein each flexible plate has a length greater than half the length of the outwardly extending protrusion.

14. A method of connecting adjacent floor members together, comprising:

(a) obtaining a first floor member for resting on a ground, the first floor member comprising a protrusion extending outwardly from an edge surface of the floor member, the protrusion having at least one through opening;

(b) obtaining a second flooring member for resting on a ground surface, the second flooring member comprising:

(i) a pair of parallel lateral flexible panels extending downwardly from the top surface of the second flooring member; and

(ii) a lug disposed on an underside surface of each of the pair of flexible plates and including a flange;

(c) placing the pair of parallel lateral flexible plates through the through openings of the protrusions by bending the pair of parallel lateral flexible plates towards each other; and

(d) the flanges of the lugs of these transverse flexible plates are fitted over the lower edges of the outwardly extending projections.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the second floor member includes an edge tab extending downwardly from at least one of the plurality of edge surfaces, the edge tab being curved in a direction perpendicular to a direction of curvature of the pair of flexible panels, wherein the method further comprises fitting the edge tab under a side of the first floor member.

16. A modular floor tile comprising:

a top surface;

a plurality of edge surfaces defining a perimeter around the top surface;

a support system disposed at least partially below the top surface;

a locking system, the locking system comprising:

(i) a first protrusion extending outwardly from at least one of the plurality of edge surfaces, the first protrusion having at least one through opening and a flexible sidewall having a direction of curvature;

(ii) a second protrusion extending downwardly from the top surface and comprising a pair of opposing walls, the second protrusion configured to be disposed through the through opening of the first protrusion of an adjacent modular tile; and

(iii) an outwardly extending tab disposed on an end of each of the opposing walls of the second protrusion, the tab comprising a flange configured to fit over a lower edge of the flexible sidewall of the first protrusion of an adjacent modular tile, the tab extending in a direction parallel to the direction of bending of the flexible sidewall of the first protrusion.

17. A modular floor tile according to claim 16 wherein the first protrusion comprises a semi-rigid outer side wall and a flexible inner side wall.

18. A modular floor tile according to claim 16 wherein the first protrusion comprises a pair of opposing semi-rigid outer side walls and a pair of opposing flexible inner side walls, said inner side walls being coupled to said outer side walls.

19. A modular floor tile according to claim 18 wherein the pair of opposing flexible inner side walls are separated from the pair of opposing semi-rigid outer side walls by a through opening disposed between the inner and outer side walls.

20. A modular floor tile according to claim 16 wherein the second protrusion comprises an outer perimeter shaped to approximate an inner perimeter of the through opening of the first protrusion.

21. A modular floor tile according to claim 16 further comprising an edge tab extending downwardly and outwardly from at least one of said plurality of edge surfaces, the edge tab being curved in a direction perpendicular to the direction of curvature of the pair of flexible sidewalls, wherein the edge tab has a first side and a second side, wherein a first one of the pair of opposing walls of the second protrusion has an outer surface that is coplanar with the first side of the edge tab and a second one of the pair of opposing walls of the second protrusion has an outer surface that is coplanar with the second side of the edge tab.

22. A modular flooring system comprising:

a top surface;

an edge surface defining a perimeter around the tile;

a locking system, the locking system comprising:

(i) a first protrusion extending outwardly from at least one of the plurality of edge surfaces, the first protrusion having at least one through opening defined by a pair of flexible sidewalls disposed within a pair of semi-rigid sidewalls;

(ii) a second protrusion extending downwardly from the top surface and including a pair of opposing walls, the second protrusion disposed through the through opening of the first protrusion of an adjacent modular tile; and

23. The modular flooring system of claim 22, wherein the pair of flexible inner side walls are coupled to the semi-rigid outer side wall, wherein the flexible inner side walls are separated from the semi-rigid outer side walls by an aperture.

24. The modular flooring system of claim 23, wherein the flexible inner side wall is coupled to an edge surface of a tile.

25. A method of connecting adjacent floor members together, comprising:

(a) obtaining a first floor member for resting on a ground, the first floor member including a protrusion extending outwardly from an edge surface thereof, the protrusion having at least one through opening defined by a pair of flexible side walls;

(b) obtaining a second flooring member for placement on the ground, the second flooring member comprising a projection extending downwardly from a top surface, the projection comprising a pair of opposing walls and an outwardly extending tab disposed on an end of each of the opposing walls, the tabs comprising flanges configured to fit over lower edges of flexible interior side walls of adjacent flooring members;

(c) bending the inner side wall in a direction parallel to the length of the outwardly extending lugs by seating a projection extending downwardly from the top surface of the second floor member through the through opening; and

(d) the surface of the outwardly extending lug is fitted around the underside of the flexible inner side wall.