KR20080098653A - Modular Floor - Google Patents

Abstract

The floor system comprises a plurality of tiles 1 and at least one hinge, each hinge 5 joining two tiles together and allowing the tiles to be pivoted relative to each other. Are releasably connected along the proximal edges of the teeth.

Description

Modular flooring

The present invention relates to a modular floor system and to tiles and hinges used in such floor systems.

Modular floors are often used for temporary public displays and displays, and are also useful for semi-permanent displays in stores, for example. Two types of existing modular floors are platform floors and low level floors.

The platform floors are composed entirely of heavy timber tiles about 50 square cm and 8 to 10 cm high. The tiles rest on adjustable feet, providing a cavity bottom for cable management. However, the platform bottom is quite heavy overall and requires skilled labor and tools to install and is inconvenient to transport. Once assembled, the platform bottom is too high for some types of public displays, and there is a risk of tripping over even when the inclined edge is used. In addition, it is not possible to easily remove and replace the tiles in the center of the floor.

The lower height floors consist of square tiles, which are again 50 square centimeters in total and are placed directly on the ground and there is no space for cables. They may be made of steel, foam, wood, plastic or any other suitable material. The tiles used here are much flatter than the tiles used on the platform floor. Some types of low height floors use other snap fit mechanisms that connect protrusions and grooves or adjacent tiles. This provides additional stiffness and stability to the floor when installed, but makes it difficult to remove the tiles, in particular to remove the tiles in the center of the floor.

An example of a low height floor system is "TempoTile", which is manufactured by Signature Flooring. This flooring system uses solid tiles, or tiles formed of grids or meshes that allow for drainage of water. The tiles are connected using a hook and eye type device, with hooks provided along two adjacent edges of the tiles and hook eyes along the remaining two edges.

Both sides of this type of floor can be combined with inclined edges, which avoids large steps when going from a conventional floor or ground to a modular floor.

However, these existing floor systems are inconvenient to transport, waste of time in installation and lack flexibility.

Floor systems are known which can be rolled up for storage and can be simply unwound when needed. This simplifies the process of installing and removing the floor. These floor systems utilize a hinge mechanism formed by the protruding pivot and the recess, which protruding pivot and recess are formed on the sides of adjacent tiles and are considered to be similar to the "hook" and "hook eyes" of the floor system described above. But it has the ability to pivotally connect the tiles. Examples of such floor systems are "EvenDeck" and Rola-Trac Ltd., provided by Signautre Flooring ™. Provided by "Rola-Trac". In these two examples, the pivots are T-shaped protrusions, and the recesses are shaped to allow the cylindrical T-shaped transverse member to rotate therein. In this way, when multiple tiles are joined in series, the tiles can be rotated relative to each other along the hinged joint and thus rolled up.

The disadvantage of these floor systems is that they do not allow easy removal and replacement of tiles at the center of the floor, and the method used to join the tiles together limits the freedom of tile design and limits the flexibility of floor installation. to be.

In view of the first feature, the present invention provides a flooring system comprising a plurality of tiles and at least one hinge, wherein each hinge combines two tiles together and allows two tiles to be pivoted relative to each other. It is adapted to be releasably connected along adjacent edges of the tiles.

By using a releasably connectable hinge separated from the tiles, great flexibility is provided in the way the tiles are installed and the design of the tiles, while still maintaining the ability to roll the floor system. The tiles do not require "hook" (or protruding pivot) sides and "hook eyes" (or recesses) sides as in the prior art, but instead each side of the tile may be the same. It simply needs to be able to be connected to the hinge. Moreover, since each side of the tiles is similar, any edge strip used may only be a single type of tile edge or rather than need to be able to be connected to both the "hook" and "hookeye" edges of the tiles as in the prior art. It needs to be able to be connected to the hinge.

Preferably, the hinge can be connected and released without the use of a tool. This facilitates the assembly and disassembly of the floor.

The tiles may be of any mosaic shape, but are preferably shapes having straight edges so that they avoid too complex hinge structures and facilitate the curling of the floor. In preferred embodiments, the tiles are square or rectangular, but it will be appreciated that other shapes, such as, for example, hexagonal tiles, can be used effectively.

Preferably, the hinge is releaseable even when connected to the tiles in the center of the large floor. This allows individual tiles to be easily removed and replaced from the center of the floor. Thus, damaged or contaminated tiles can be replaced and easy access to the cable space or other items beneath the floor without having to remove or end up large parts of the floor.

In preferred embodiments, the hinge is made of a flexible material and the tiles can be pivoted relative to each other through the bending of the flexible hinge. This avoids the need to move the parts as in conventional flooring systems, thus avoiding the problems caused by blockage or stiffness due to wear of the hinge parts and the ingress of contaminants and the like.

Floor tiles may include recesses or cavities on the underside of the tile. Preferably the cavities extend along the width and length of the tile and may comprise two intersecting channels across the lower center of the tile. These cavities provide space for something such as a cable to extend along it, so that the cabling can extend under the floor system, or to a point in the center of the floor that can provide power, network, or other connections. To be extended. Advantageously, the floor system allows single tiles to be removed to allow access to the cavities below.

The hinge can take a number of forms, which will be described in more detail later.

The hinge may be a single long element, for example a flexible strip of material having a formation releasably connected to adjacent edges of the tiles, the long element extending along between the adjacent edges of the tiles, or It may comprise two or more hinge elements spanning between the adjacent edges of the two tiles, the hinge elements being spaced apart from each other along the adjacent edges of the tiles and they span the gap between the tiles. Preferably in the latter embodiment, the hinge elements are separate items, but it is conceivable that the hinge elements can be joined along one side or both sides, thus for example making a structure such as a ladder or comb. The hinge elements form the rails of the ladder or the teeth of the comb. Hinge elements can also be joined along the central spine to form a structure such as an 'H' or a skeleton. In all arrangements, the hinge, whether made up of a single long flexible member or made up of a plurality of hinge elements, to benefit from the optimization of the material properties, and more importantly, even in the center of the floor, for example It is formed separately from the tiles to allow the tiles to be easily removed for access or replacement of the cable passing under the tiles without having to separate the other tiles.

In an implementation where the hinge includes two (or more) hinge elements, the hinge elements can be received in slots provided at the edges of the tiles. These slots preferably extend substantially vertically, ie extend upwards from the opening in the base of the tile. This allows the tile to be removed and back to the slot in place without disturbing the hinge elements. It also allows a certain amount of non-uniformity in the underlying surface to be accommodated by the floor system.

The hinge preferably comprises a support for retaining the hinge elements in the raised position between the adjacent edges of the two tiles. This allows the hinge elements to be located at or near the top of the tiles, allowing the tiles to pivot more freely about the hinge without the material of the hinge elements having to be stretched excessively. The support may be provided with slots for receiving the hinge elements, which preferably extend substantially horizontally from the side of the edge. In this way, the pair of hinge members can preferably be fed laterally into opposing slots of a plate-like support, the assembly being located between the adjacent edges of the pair of tiles and acting as a hinge, the hinge being two Adapted to be releasably connected along adjacent edges of the two tiles. When the tile needs to be removed from the center of the floor, the tile can be lifted out without displacing the hinge members. In another arrangement, the slot in the support can be replaced with an opening, such as a key-hole, which positions the hinge element in a position to prepare a connection of tiles and large hole portions into which one end of the hinge element can be inserted. It has a small hole to make it.

The support preferably has a recess in the contour of the lower edge of the support to allow the cable to pass down. If desired, the support may take some load applied to the tiles, but in practice it has been found that the tiles adequately accept the load applied to the tiles during normal use where the support does not need to bear any load.

Preferably, each of the hinge elements has a neck extending between a pair of positioning portions, which positioning portions are adjacent edges of the two tiles when used to join the two tiles together. It is located behind the field. The hinge elements preferably have a pair of positioning portions, preferably in the form of toggles, for example joined by a neck portion, preferably a pair of cylinders. The neck portion may be contoured to force the positioning portions relative to the individual edges of the tiles, and may include a recess that positions the hinge elements symmetrically with respect to the support and grips the sides of the slot. Memory rubber can be used to make the necks of the hinge elements very thin, for example less than 3 mm in diameter, preferably about 1-2 mm in diameter. The arrangement of this preferred embodiment optimizes material costs and functions, and the cylindrical positioning portions can be made to 'nest' the recesses provided in the back of the tile edge, so that the hinge element is proximate to the top surface of the tile. It helps to position them and provides the installer with positive feedback that the tiles have been pushed down into place reliably. However, the neck portion and the positioning portions can be made variously in different shapes and sizes. As mentioned above, embodiments are also made in which the hinge elements are fixed together, for example by means of central projections or positioning parts, but this requires more material to form the hinge elements and is therefore expensive. It seems to incur manufacturing cost.

The tiles may be formed with holes or gratings for drainage of liquid between the top and bottom of the tiles. This feature is particularly useful in outdoor applications or in any other situation where large marquees or liquid or water may collect and collect at the top of the floor system.

The flooring system may include tiles with grooves or holes formed in the tiles, so that cables can be easily passed from the bottom of the floor to the top of the floor as needed. Since the tiles of the present invention are easily removed from the center of the floor, such grommet tiles can be easily inserted and repositioned as needed.

The floor system may comprise edge strips arranged to be releasably connected to the tiles by hinges or directly. Such edge strips preferably provide a slope that forms a boundary between the floor system and the existing floor or ground. Edge strips form channels or cavities on their underside to allow the cable to extend below it.

In some arrangements, the hinge is adapted to provide an area that does not slip on the floor surface in use. This feature is believed to be novel and progressive in its own right and, therefore, in view of the second feature, the invention provides a plurality of tiles and at least one adapted to pivotally connect the adjacent edges of the two tiles together. A floor system is provided that includes a hinge, the hinge providing a non-slip surface on the floor surface when in use.

Not slipping means that at least the vertex of the hinge, which is substantially flush with the floor surface, is formed from a material that provides sufficient friction to grip the user's shoes walking on the floor. In general, tiles are desired to be strong and tough, and are often chosen for aesthetic quality, which often results in slippery surfaces, especially when wet. By using a hinge that provides a non-slip surface, the safety of the floor system is improved. Thus, to provide a non-slip surface, the vertex of the hinge, or the exposed surface of the hinge, may be made of a non-slip material, may be exposed to the height of the floor, or may protrude above the height of the floor.

The hinge of this embodiment can be formed integrally with the tile, or is permanently fitted to the tile. However, it is preferably formed separately from the tile, as it allows for great flexibility when using the floor system as described above.

Preferably, the hinge is made of an elastic material, such as rubber or elastically deformable plastic. Since the elastic material generally provides a higher degree of friction than the hard material preferred for the floor surface, the elastic material allows a non-slip surface to be easily achieved. The use of elastic materials also means that the hinge is flexible.

In the case where the hinge is an elastic material, the releasable connection to the tiles can be achieved by elastically deforming the hinge to engage and release the protrusion of the hinge with the recess of the tile, or vice versa. In a preferred embodiment, this is accomplished by stretching the hinge along the length of the hinge so that the hinge engages the tile.

This feature is believed to be new and progressive in its own right.

The tiles can be made of any suitable material and can be used to provide the actual floor surface. Preferably, however, a removable overlay is provided which forms the floor surface on the tiles. It is believed that this feature is novel and progressive in itself, and in view of the third feature, the present invention provides a flooring system comprising a plurality of tiles connected by hinges, each tile having a removable cover. Is provided.

The removable cover forming the top exposed surface of the floor allows the appearance, texture and other properties of the floor system to be easily changed by simply changing the cover. It is not necessary to provide a wide range of different tiles, but instead a single tile can be used as the base, and the desired cover is fitted on the base to provide the desired bottom surface. In addition, the cover on the assembled floor system can be replaced or changed if necessary without having to re-cover the entire floor. This makes it possible to replace damaged or contaminated cover parts, or to change the appearance of the floor. Moreover, because the floor system is used to wear out the floor surface, only the cover needs to be replaced, since the cover is the exposed floor surface, which results in the most wear. Thus, the base tile itself will last longer and the cost of maintaining the floor is saved.

Combinations of collars and materials of the cover can be used to make a mosaic or a patterned floor. The cover may be, for example, transparent or colorized and / or woven plastic, wood veneer or laminate, metal or any other material necessary to achieve the desired effect.

By using the cover, some restrictions on the material used for the tile are removed, because the cover can be selected for durability or can be worn as a sacrificial layer, the tile being easy to manufacture and durable Rather than being limited to durable or durable materials, they are chosen to be light for ease of transport and assembly.

In one preferred embodiment, Velcro tabs are used to releasably connect the lid to the tiles. As such an apparatus, the tiles are preferably provided with recesses for the velcro tabs so that the lid is supported by the tile surface rather than on the velcro tabs.

In another preferred embodiment, the lid is held on the tile by retaining means formed on the hinge.

Preferably, the retaining means has flanges formed on the longitudinal edge of the hinge, the flanges overlapping the lid when fitted and extending outwardly on the tile in use to push down the lid. The flanges can extend over the entire length of the hinge and have an end that allows the flanges on the hinge to engage properly when joining the edges of the tiles. With this arrangement, when the tile has hinges at all its edges, the flanges define a border around the outer edge of the lid, for example in the manner of a picture frame.

The flanges or the cover may comprise recesses or gaps to remove the cover by inserting a tool, for example a screwdriver blade, between the hinge, cover and / or tile to act as a lever. For example, a gap of the flap may be provided in which the flap does not overlap the edge of the cover to allow access to the edge of the cover. Alternatively, the cover can be removed by having a hinge that is releasably connected, so that one or more hinges on the tile can be disconnected to allow access to one or more edges of the cover.

The hinge can be arranged such that the lid can be fitted and removed by deformation of the hinges that fit into place on the tile. This can be accomplished by using an elastic or stretchable material that allows the flanges to be deformed, thereby allowing the cover to fit through the tile surface. The tile surface may be provided with recesses in which the cover is fitted.

In view of the fourth aspect, the present invention provides a floor system comprising a plurality of tiles pivotally connected by hinges, wherein the tiles can rotate in both upward and downward directions from a flat shape with respect to each other.

In total, the rotatable floorings are arranged as the tiles can only rotate upward relative to adjacent tiles. However, this means that the floor system is only suitable for floors that are generally flat or concave. By allowing downward rotation and upward rotation, the floor system can be disposed on convex or undulating floors as well as flat or concave floors.

Preferably, upward and downward rotation is achieved by positioning the hinge pivot axis towards the top surface of the tile and angle the side edges of the tile inwardly downward from the hinge pivot axis. The hinge is arranged to pivot around the upper edge of the tile so that upward rotation is not hindered. In existing floor systems, rotating the tile downwards is prevented by the bottom edges of adjacent tiles coming into contact. By angling the side edges, the tiles can rotate relative to each other before being contacted, thus allowing downward rotation. Preferably the hinge is about the same height as the top surface of the tile.

It will be appreciated that the same effect can be achieved by placing the hinge towards the lower edge of the tile, and by angled the side edges from the hinge to the top inside. However, it is desirable that the greatest degree of rotation be in the upward direction so that the floor system can be easily rolled up from the floor or the ground, and with this arrangement some limitation of the upward rotation due to the contact of the tile side edges necessarily occurs. Will be. Limited downward rotation, such as may occur in a preferred embodiment, is not a problem, since the floor or ground on which the floor system is placed will not have a large radius of curvature such as the curvature required when rolling the floor for storage. Because. In addition, having a hinge at the top surface allows the exposed surface of the bottom to be smoothed entirely without gaps.

In a preferred embodiment, the side edges of the tiles are angled at 15 °.

From the point of view of the fifth feature, the invention provides a hinge for use in a flooring system, which can be connected to two tiles so that they can be pivoted relative to one another when the tiles are fitted.

This hinge can be used in the floor systems described above and has the same advantages.

Preferably the hinge is made of flexible stretchable material. For example, the hinge can be rubber. The hinge can be integrally formed by, for example, molding.

In a preferred embodiment, the hinge comprises a strip of flexible material having a means of joining the hinge to the tiles. Ideally, the hinge is releasably connected to the tiles during use. The releasable connection can be made using the flexibility of the material to stretch the hinge into tiles so that the hinge is retained when attempted to return to its original length. This provides a stable bond between the hinge and the tile (s). However, the hinge does not have an extended length so that the hinge cannot be disengaged from the tile without the need to apply a force to increase the hinge and when the hinge is engaged when it is restored to its original length (and therefore not under tension). As will be appreciated, the hinge can remain on the tile even when not in tension.

The means for connection to the tile may be in the form of engaging members extending under the strip, which are arranged to engage in recesses provided in the tiles. Preferably, there are engaging members at both ends of the strip, and the hinge is connected to the first tile using engaging members at both ends of the strip on one side of the strip, and the amount of strip on the opposite side of the strip. It is arranged to connect to the second tile using the engagement member at the end. The shape of the hinge is preferably symmetric about a line along the center of the strip and / or about a line perpendicular to the strip and in the middle of the strip. The symmetrical shape allows the tiles connected to the hinge to have the same shape on each side connected to the hinge.

In a preferred embodiment, the engagement members comprise a first portion extending downwardly from the strip and a second portion at the distal end of the first portion, the second portion extending perpendicular to the first portion. Thus, the engagement members comprise a T- or L-shaped cross section. These engagement members engage the engagement members at each side at one end of the hinge with the corresponding recesses provided in the adjacent tiles, and then stretch the strip to engage the engagement members at the other end of the hinge with the corresponding recesses. The hinge can be connected to the tile, with the hinge maintained when the strip is about to be restored to its unextended length.

As an alternative, the engagement members can be arranged to be engaged by the deformable parts so that they can be pressed through the holes in the tiles and then elastically restored to their original shape in the recess.

The hinge may have flanges formed on the side edges of the strip to maintain an overlay on the tile as described above. Preferably, the flanges are formed at the upper edge of the strip so that the hinge exhibits a flat or smoothly curved surface on the tile / cover in use.

In view of the sixth aspect, the invention provides a tile for use in a floor system, wherein the tile is arranged to be connectable to the hinge at at least two opposing edges, when connected to the other tile by the hinge at one edge. In turn, the tiles may be pivoted relative to one another about the edge to which they are connected.

By providing connectivity to the hinge at two opposite edges, the tile can be assembled into a rollable floor system. Preferably the tile can be releasably connected to the hinge. This has the advantage as described above.

In a preferred embodiment, the tile is square or square and can be connected to the hinges on all four sides. This allows the floor to dry parallel to both sets of tile edges.

The tile may have side edges angled inwardly downward from the pivot axis of the hinge, providing the advantages as described above.

Preferably the tile comprises connecting means for connecting to the hinged engagement members. The connecting means may comprise a recess, which may be formed at each end of the edge of the tile for engagement with the corresponding engagement members at each end of the hinge. Preferably, each edge of the tile has recesses formed in the same shape at the same position. This avoids the need for the tiles connected to the hinges to have any particular orientation, and ensures that a single hinge design can be connected to each side of the tiles.

In a preferred embodiment, the tile is arranged to be connected to a toggle, T-shaped or L-shaped engagement means of the preferred hinges described above.

The tile may be provided with a slot that fits the first portion of each engagement member and a retaining hole or shoulder below the slot that holds the second portion of each angular member. There may be a cut-away portion at the end of the slot so that the engaging portion can be inserted so that the engaging portion can slide along the slot with the second portion in the retaining hole. Slots and ablation portions can be positioned so that the hinge needs to stretch to fit within the ablation portions, and the engagement members retain the hinge in the slots when the hinge is about to be restored to its original length.

The ablation portions can extend to the corner of the tile so that the ablation portions at the adjacent edges of the tile are joined together. This allows easy access to the slots and retaining holes, and also simplifies the shape of the tiles, simplifying the manufacture of the tiles.

Various aspects of the invention described above may, in preferred embodiments, be included in the features and / or preferred features of other aspects as described above.

Certain preferred embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1 is a side view of a tile according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the tile of FIG. 1. FIG.

3 is an exploded perspective view from above of the tile of FIG. 1;

4 is a perspective view from below of the tile of FIG. 1;

5 is a side view of the hinge according to the first embodiment of the invention.

6 is a perspective view of the hinge of FIG. 5.

7 is a cross sectional view of the hinge of FIG. 5 securing two tiles of the type shown in FIG. 1 together;

8 is a cross sectional view in the use of multiple tiles and hinges.

9 is a plan view when using multiple tiles and hinges.

10 is a plan view of the edge portion of the modular floor.

FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line XI-XI of FIG. 10.

12 is a plan view of a floor system according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

13 is a view of the bottom tile floor according to the second embodiment of the invention.

14 is an exploded perspective view of a floor tile having a cover and a foot according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

15 is a perspective view from below of a tile according to a second embodiment of the invention;

16 is a side view of two floor tiles attached together in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention.

17 shows a side view of a single tile according to a second embodiment with hinges fitted along an edge.

18 is a plan view of a hinge according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

19 shows the hinge of FIG. 18 from below.

20 shows the hinge of FIG. 18 from the side.

21 is a perspective view of the hinge of FIG. 18.

FIG. 22 is a schematic view of the hinge of FIG. 18 in engagement with two tiles.

23 is a side view of an edge strip for use with a floor tile according to a second embodiment of the invention.

24A and 24B show plan and side views, respectively, of a tile according to a third embodiment.

25A and 25B show a bottom view of the tile of FIG. 24 and a cross section along line A-A of the bottom view, respectively.

26 to 28 show top, side and bottom views, respectively, of the hinge according to the third embodiment.

29 is a perspective view of the site of the assembled floor;

30 is a plan view of the connector used with the edge strip.

FIG. 31 is a cross-sectional view of the connector of FIG. 30.

FIG. 32 shows a partial view of two edge strip portions joined by the connector of FIG. 30. FIG.

33 shows a cross-sectional view of the edge strip portion shown in FIG. 32.

34 shows a portion of a tile as a side view illustrating an embodiment of a lid retention system.

35 shows a schematic view of a floor system rotatable up and down.

36 to 39 are side, sectional, top and bottom views of the tile according to the fourth embodiment, and FIG. 37 is a cross sectional view through line A-A of FIG. 39.

40 is a perspective view of the tile of FIGS. 36 to 39.

41 is a perspective view of the hinge element used in the fourth embodiment.

42 is a perspective view of a hinge support used in the fourth embodiment.

FIG. 43 illustrates the assembly of the tiles, hinge support and hinge elements of FIGS. 36 to 42.

44 and 45 illustrate edge strips that may be used with the fourth embodiment.

FIG. 46 shows the connection of the two edge strips of FIGS. 44 and 45.

47 shows an implementation of a central support for a rolled floor system.

48 illustrates a wrap for storage of a rolled floor system.

FIG. 49 illustrates a floor system wrapped around a central support as shown in FIG. 47 and wrapped by the sheath of FIG. 48.

1 to 11 show a first embodiment of the invention. The floor system is provided with a number of tiles 1, a cover 3 and a connecting means 4, each with a tile base 2. As shown in the figures, in particular in FIGS. 1 to 4, the connecting means 4 of the first embodiment are in the form of flange shaped protrusions. The tile base 2 is formed of molded plastic and has a substantially square cross section.

The protrusions 4 are located on the side of the tile base 1, with two protrusions 4 on each side. The protrusions may be formed integrally with the rest of the tile, or may be formed separately from the tile and attached to the tile. The protrusions function as connecting means in the tile and engage with the engagement means 6 on the hinge 5, which is shown in FIGS. 5 to 8. In this embodiment, the engagement means 6 are cutting parts of the keyhole shape, which can be pushed onto the projections 4, which are held in the round hole part of the keyhole shape.

The tile 1 comprises a supporting bottom part 7, the supporting bottom part comprising four hollow legs as an integral part of the tile, one leg at each corner of the tile. The legs are hollow to reduce weight, and open at the base so that the tile 1 can be easily molded as one member. The four legs of the support structure 7 form two mutually intersecting channels 8 through the tile 1.

The cover 3 comprises a substantially flat and square member of the bottom, which may for example be laminate, steel or the like.

As shown in Figures 5-8, the hinge consists of two long strips folded along the center, with two keyhole shaped cut-outs 6 on each side. The hinge 5 is about the same length as one side of the tile 1. Hinge 5 is U-shaped and flexible.

The hinge 5 is made of co-extruded rubber and plastic. The apex 9 of the hinge is rubber and the sides 10 of the hinge are plastic. The rubber vertices allow the hinges to bend and the plastic sides allow the hinges to snap-fit with the protrusions 4. The rubber vertices represent an anti-slip area on the floor surface, providing ground for people walking on the floor.

The hinge 5 can be connected to the tiles 1 simply by pushing the hinge into place without using a tool. The hinge can be easily disconnected by pulling up one or both ends to cause the keyhole shaped recess 6 to be lifted out of the protrusion 4. 7 shows a hinge 5 connecting two tiles 1 together. 8 shows a series of tiles 1 connected together. The rubber foot 10 of the U-section can be attached to the tile 1 to prevent the tile from slipping across the floor or the ground.

9 is a plan view of four tiles 1 connected with a hinge 5. When assembled to form the floor, the tiles are connected by hinges 5 with other tiles (except the perimeter of the floor) at each side.

Around the bottom, the edge unit 11 can be employed. These units are formed from rubber or other suitable plastic materials and provide a slope from the surface of the modular floor to the modular bottomed surface. These comprise connecting means 12 in the form of internal cutouts, which are connected to the connecting means 4 around the periphery of the tiles 1 in the same way as the hinges 5. In alternative embodiments, the edge units can be connected to the tiles using a hinge 5, in which case the edge units will be provided with a connecting means 12 of the same type as in the tile 1. . Ribs 13 are provided on the surface of the edge unit to provide ground to the person using the floor. The edge unit reduces the risk of wasting caused by raised edges of the floor and creates a better finished appearance.

12 to 23 show a second embodiment of the invention, which consists of a tile 1, each tile having a lid 3, by a hinge 5 as in the first embodiment. Connected. The lower part of the tile 1 of the second embodiment also has a similar structure with supporting parts 7, which have ribs 7a and tubular legs 7b. The ribs 7a form the cable channels 8 across the tile base 1.

In this embodiment, the connecting means 4 on the tile 1 have different engagement elements 6 on the hinge 5 than those of the first embodiment. The connecting means are holes 4 provided along each edge of the tiles 1, which correspond to projecting engagement members 6 provided along the two longitudinal sides of the hinge 5. The hinge 5 of this embodiment is shown in detail in FIGS. 18 to 21, and is shown as connecting the tiles 1 together in each of the top, sectional and side views in FIGS. 12, 16 and 17. The hinge 5 is formed of a rubber material or of another similar elastic material. The hinge 5 is an elongated strip having a U-shaped cross section with engaging members 6 at both ends of the U-shape. The engagement members 6 have wedge shaped lower ends, the upper ends of the wedges being larger than the size of the holes 4. The wedge shaped end is pushed into the recess, deformed so that the upper end is barely passed, and is held by the shoulder at the base of the hole 4.

The rubber feet 10 shown in FIGS. 14, 16 and 18 are attached to the base of the tile 1 by inserting it into the tubular leg 7b.

The hinge's design allows a single tile to be removed from any location on the floor, giving the user access to any cable that extends below the floor at any location on the floor, and facilitates broken or dirty tiles. To be replaced.

In conjunction with the first embodiment, the edge unit 11 can be employed around the floor. These edge units 11 are joined to the tiles 1 by means of connecting means 12 in the form of projections similar to the engaging members 6 on the hinge 5.

24 to 28 show a third embodiment. The third embodiment is similar to the embodiments described above, but uses a different hinge mechanism 5.

In this embodiment, the tile 1 has a connection comprising a slot 14, connecting means 4 at each corner of the upper surface, as shown in FIGS. 24 and 25 and described in more detail later. Means 4, retaining holes or shoulders 15 and cut-away portions 16 are provided. The tile also has a recess 19, in which Velcro tabs are placed, which is used to connect the lid 3 (not shown) to the tile.

The hinge 5 is shown in FIGS. 26-28 and is made of a flexible elastic material such as rubber. The hinge 5 is integrally formed by molding and has an elongated strip, which has engaging members 6 for joining the hinge 5 to the tiles 1. The hinge 5 takes advantage of the flexibility of the material pulling the hinge 5 so that the engagement members 6 are retained by the tiled connecting means 4 when the hinge 5 attempts to return to its original length. Are releasably connected to the tiles 1. In order to ensure that the engaging members 6 on the hinge 5 are reliably retained by the connecting means 4 on the tile 1, the hinge 5 is held in tension when it is connected to the tile 1. It has a length to make it possible.

The engagement member 6 extends under the strip and is arranged to engage the recess 4 provided in the tiles 1. At both ends of the strip there are two engaging members 6. Each of the engaging members 6 comprises a first portion 6a extending downward from the strip and a second portion of the distal end of the first portion 6a, the second portion 6b being the first portion. It extends at right angles to 6a. In this embodiment, the engagement members 6 have an L-shaped cross section.

Each edge of the tile 1 has two connecting means 4 provided at both ends of the tile edge on the upper surface proximate the edge of the tile. In each connecting means 4, the slot 14 extends parallel to the edge of the tile 1 and extends downward below the tile surface to connect to the retaining hole or shoulder 15, the shoulder being the slot Wider than (14) The ablation portion 16 is at the end of the slot 14 and the shoulder 15 closest to the edge of the tile and is a recess extending below the depth of the slot that allows the engagement portion 6 to be inserted. The ablation portions 16 of the two connecting means 4 at each corner of the tile 1 extend along the individual edges to the edges of the tiles so that the ablation portions 16 on the adjacent edges of the tile 1 are brought together. Combined. The slot 16 is fitted to the first part 6a of the corresponding engagement member 6, and the retaining shoulder 15 below the slot 14 is the second part 6b of the corresponding engagement member 6. Keep). The hinge 5 can slide along the slot 14 into the slot 14 with the second part 6b held by the retaining shoulder 15. The slot 14 and ablation portion 16 are arranged so that the engagement member 6 is inserted at the outer ends of the edge of the tile 1 and slides toward the middle of the edge of the tile 1. The slot 14 and the ablation portion 16 are positioned so that when the engagement members 6 at one end are inserted, the hinge 5 needs to extend to fit into the corresponding ablation portion 16 at the other end. The engaging members 6 thus retain the hinge 5 in the slot 14 when the hinge 5 is attempted to be restored to its original length.

The tabs 20 at each end of the hinge 5 allow it to be easily gripped to remove it and fit to the tile 1.

In the above embodiments, the lid 3 can be Rimex® rigidized steel, Amtico® floor or inkjet print, or any other material that provides the desired appearance or durability. The cover may be secured to the tile with double sided tape or may be secured by Velcro tabs. Other ways of securing the cover are described later. The cover can be removed and replaced, allowing the user the ability to change the appearance of the floor or to change the hardness or toughness of the cover for other purposes. The cover may be between about 1.5 mm and 2 mm thick, which means that even if a steel cover is used, the bottom remains light.

Channels 8 allow cables and other installations to extend under the floor system, for example electrical cables. This avoids the need for the cable to extend long around the floor system and allows the cable to extend from below the floor to any point on the floor, allowing easy access to the cable by simply removing the tiles. Tiles with holes or grommets formed in the top surface are provided so that the cable routing can be easily passed from the top of the floor to the bottom of the floor, and these gutter tiles can be replaced as needed. Can be tailored.

The tile base 1 can be molded from a plastic material, the tiles having a cover of approximately 2 cm in height and 2 mm in thickness. The tiles are about 10 cm from each edge. The support structure 7 has a wall approximately 3 mm thick. The channel 8 provided between the supporting structural parts is approximately 3 cm in width and 1 cm in height. Of course, it will be appreciated that these dimensions are merely examples and that the various parts may be different dimensions from those given herein.

FIG. 29 shows a part of a modular bottom assembled from tiles 1 and hinges 5 as in the embodiments described above, with an edge strip 11 along one side. The floor can be rolled parallel to both sides of the tiles. The small size of the individual tiles (approximately 10 cm on one side) allows the floor to lie in relatively accurate areas. The size and hinge of the tiles also allow the modular floor to dry easily. The floor is designed for repeated use by the owner and can easily be adapted to be displayed in any shape or size.

The bottom may be stored in rolls, bags and / or flight cases 1000 mm wide. When laying down the floor, it only needs to be released into place. The rolls are then joined together using a hinge 5 to connect the tiles to form the required width and / or length. Since each tile 1 is only about 10 cm on each side, by simply removing the tiles the floor can thus be adapted to specific sizes and shapes. Obstacles such as pillars can be dealt with quickly and easily. The tiles can also be removed so that the cable can come anywhere on the floor.

In total, the edge strip 11 will be several tiles long. For example, one edge strip 11 may be five tiles long. However, for greater flexibility, weakened portions may be formed in the edge strip 11 so as to be separated into portions of the same length as a single tile, or may form a joint 23 of the edge strip 11. Broken lines may be formed. The connector 21 shown in FIGS. 30 and 31 can be used to connect the portions of the edge strip 11. For this purpose, as shown in FIGS. 32 and 33, the engagement portion 23 between the two parts of the edge strip 11 has a recess 22 formed across it, and the connector 21 therein. ) Can be tailored in use. The connector 21 has protrusions formed thereon, which engage with the holes formed in the recess 22 at both sides of the coupling 23 between the two portions of the edge strip 11. The use of this type of edge strip 11 and the connector 21 allow the bottom, which is the length of any number of tiles, to be surrounded by the edge.

34 shows how to hold the lid 3 on the tile 1. The lid 3 and the tile 1 are shown in the figure cut at the joint of the two tiles. In this embodiment, the lid 3 is held in the tile 1 by flanges 17 on the longitudinal edge of the hinge 5, the hinge 1 being overlapped with the lid 3 when fitted. Extends from the top to the outside. The lid 3 can be removed by lifting one or more hinges 5 on the tile to allow access to one or more edges of the lid 3. As an alternative, the lid can be fitted and removed by the deformation of the flanges 17 while the hinges 5 are in place in the tile 1. The hinges 5 are made of elastic or stretchable material, which allows the flanges 17 to be deformed so that the cover can be fitted over the tile surface. The tile surface has recesses 18 into which the lid is fitted.

These retaining flanges can be applied to any of the hinges 5 described above.

35 shows a tile 1 capable of both upward and downward rotation as indicated by the arrow in the leftmost tile. Hinge 5 is a flexible hinge 5 as described in the above embodiments. The tile 1 is deformed to have side edges angled inwardly downward, with an angle α of about 15 °. The angled sides allow the floor system to fit into the convex surface.

36-46 show a fourth embodiment of the floor system.

In this embodiment the tiles 1 are generally similar to the tile base in the previous embodiments, as shown in FIGS. 36-40, with the support structure 7 and the channel 8 on the lower side. ) In this embodiment the upper surface of the tile 1 has a patterned and / or contoured surface 41, forming the exposed surface of the floor system. Thus, in this embodiment the floor system is assembled without the use of a cover. The tile 1 can of course be adapted to use a cover if desired. The tile 1 is molded from recycled flopropylene.

The connecting means 4 on this tile 1 have a slot 14 extending upwards from the base of the tile 1 and a contour inner surface tapered outwardly from the base of the tile to the recess 30 at the top of the slot 14. It includes. The edges of the slot 14 at the base of the tile are curved outwards. The slot 14 and the tapered surface engage the hinge elements 5 as shown in FIG. 41. The outward curvature can be conspicuous as shown in FIGS. 36 to 40, and serves to guide the hinge elements 5 in place. However, for ease of manufacture, less pronounced curvature may be used, as shown in FIG. 43.

The hinge element 5 comprises two positioning parts in the form of a toggle 31 joined by a neck 32 to form a barbell type shape. In order to align the hinge elements 5 with the tiles 1, the neck part 32 is arranged into the slot 14, one of the toggles 32 being inside the tile 1 and at the top of the slot. Meshes with the recess 30. The curved edge outward of the slot 14 serves to guide the hinge element 5 in place in the slot 14. The neck portion 32 is tapered to bias the toggle against the edge of the tile 1. The other toggle is on the outside of the tile and can engage the second tile. With two hinge elements 5 in two slots 14 in tile 1, two adjacent tiles can be joined together and rotated relative to one another. The hinge elements 5 are made of stretchable memory rubber or a material equivalent thereto.

This embodiment also has a hinge support 33, which is arranged between the two tiles to support the hinge element 5. The hinge support 33 is shown in FIG. 42 and includes two slots 34 at right angles to the slots 14 in the tile. The hinge elements 5 are fitted in the slot 34 of the hinge support 33 in order to prevent the vertical slipping of the hinge elements 5 in the slot 14 in the tile 1. The hinge support 33 also has a recess 35, which lines up with the channel 8 of the tile to allow cable wiring and the like to pass under the floor system. The hinge support 33 need not be flexible and is made of relatively inexpensive rigid plastic, such as recycled polypropylene. The use of a two-part hinge structure with hinge elements 5 and hinge supports 33 will reduce the amount of expensive flexible rubber material since only small hinge elements 5 need to be made of this material. Hinge elements 5 are significantly smaller in size than other components of the floor system.

In the preferred embodiment shown, with the tiles 1 of size 10 cm x 10 cm square, the hinge elements 5 are 11 mm x 8 mm and the depth is 4 mm. Thus, the length of the hinge element 5 comprising the two toggles 31 and the neck portion 32 is 11 mm, comprising two toggles having a diameter of 4 mm and a length of the neck portion 3 mm, The width of the hinge element, the length of the cylindrical toggle 31, is 8 mm. The depth of 4 mm is the toggle diameter.

Overhangs are provided in the tiles 1 to accommodate the support 33 between the tiles. This locking portion is shown in FIG.

43 shows the assembly of the hinge element 5, the hinge support 33 and the tiles 1. The bottom left tile has hinge elements 5 and support 33 in place, which are prepared to be connected to the protruding toggles of the hinge element 5 which are connected with the proximity tile on the bottom right of the figure. The supports 33 and hinge elements 5 for connecting the bottom left tile to the top tile are shown in exploded view.

44 and 45 show side and back views of the edge strip 11 for use with the floor system of the fourth embodiment. The edge strip 11 has a connecting means 12 in the form of a slot corresponding in size and position to the slot 14 in the tile 1 of this embodiment. This edge strip 11 can thus be joined to the tiles in such a way that adjacent tiles are joined together. The edge strips 11 have recesses and protrusions on opposing sides, allowing the adjacent edge strips 11 to engage each other by inserting the protrusions into the recesses as shown in FIG. 46. On the angled surface of the edge strip, a patterned surface 41 is formed, which provides a grip.

These edge strips may be disposed around the tiles assembled to the site of the floor in a manner similar to that shown in FIG. 29.

47-49 illustrate a method of storing a floor system in which any of the above embodiments are rolled up. As shown in FIG. 47, the central support 36 in the form of a hexagonal prism consists of two parts 37. The two parts 37 can be separated to access the storage site in the central support 36. This storage area can be used for extra tile hinges and supports, for tools or other useful items. The hexagonal shape of the central support 36 allows the floor system to be easily rolled around, the sides of the prism corresponding to the tiles having a width, so that the hexagonal vertices of the tiles 1 curled around the hexagon To be located at the hinge point of the first layer.

48 shows a wrap 38 for curled tiles. The sheath 38 is arranged in a flat configuration, with a number of straps 39 attached thereto. The use of the sheath 38 to fix the curl of the tiles 40 is shown in FIG. 49. The sheath 38 can be used to assist in the drying of the tiles, and once the bottom system is dried, the straps 39 can be tied together or secured together by a buckle or Velcro or the like for storage and The roll is held in a dried shape for transport.

The sheath 38 can be used to allow the floor system to be rolled up and secured without the use of the central support 36.

Thus the floor system has been described as including: a plurality of tiles and at least one hinge, each hinge joining two tiles together and allowing the tiles to pivot relative to each other. And releasably connected along adjacent edges of the two tiles. In a preferred embodiment, the floor system may also include the following features:

Tiles may have holes or gratings formed for drainage of liquid between the top and bottom of the tile;

The floor system may include tiles with holes or grommet formed in the tiles for passage of cables from the bottom to the top of the floor;

The floor system may include edge strips arranged around the periphery of the floor to be releasably connected to the tiles;

Edge strips may be inclined downward from the bottom surface;

The edge strips can be separated into parts, the parts can be joined by connectors, so that the edge can be adapted to the bottom of any number of tiles in length or width;

In use, the hinge provides a non-slip surface on the bottom surface;

At least one hinge can be adapted to pivotally connect adjacent edges of two tiles together, the hinge in use providing a non-slip surface on the floor surface;

The vertex of the hinge can be formed of a non-slip material;

The hinge is formed separately from the tile;

The tiles may be provided with a removable cover;

A plurality of tiles connected by hinges, each tile may be provided with a removable cover;

The lid can be held on the tile by means of retaining means formed on the hinge;

The retaining means may comprise flanges formed on the longitudinal edge of the hinge, the flanges being overlapped with the cover when fitted and extending outwardly on the tile in use to keep the cover down;

The flange or cover may include recesses or gaps to allow the tool to be inserted to remove the cover;

The cover can be removed by disconnecting one or more hinges on the tile to allow access to the cover;

The tiles can be rotated relative to each other in both the upward and downward directions from the flat configuration;

Upward and downward rotation can be achieved by positioning the hinge pivot axis towards the top surface of the tile and angle the side edges of the tile inward and downward from the hinge pivot axis;

The side edges of the tiles can be angled at 15 °; And,

The hinge can be at about the same level as the top surface of the tile.

Also described is the hinge used in the floor system, which can be connected to two tiles so that the tiles can pivot relative to each other when fitted, and in preferred embodiments the hinge may include the following features;

The hinge can be made of flexible stretchable material;

The hinge can be integrally formed;

The hinge can be arranged to be releasably connected to the tiles in use;

The hinge can comprise a strip of flexible material, with means for joining the hinge to the tiles;

A releasable connection can be achieved using the flexibility of the material to stretch the hinge into tiles in use so that the hinge is retained when attempted to return to its original length;

The strip may be kept in tension when held on the tile in use.

The means for coupling the hinge to the tile includes engaging members extending under the strip, which are arranged to engage the recesses provided in the tile in use;

There may be engagement members at both ends of the strip, the hinge being arranged to be connected to the first tile with engagement members at both ends of the strip at one side of the strip in use, and also at the opposite side of the strip in use. Are arranged to be connected to the second tile using the engaging members at both ends of the;

The engagement members may comprise a first portion extending downward from the strip and a second portion at the distal end of the first portion, the second portion extending perpendicular to the first portion;

The hinge may comprise flanges formed on the side edges to hold the lid on the tile in use;

The flanges may be formed at the upper edge of the strip.

Also disclosed is a tile for use in a flooring system, wherein the tile is arranged to be connected to the hinge at at least two opposite edges so that when the tile is connected to the other tile by a hinge at one edge, the tiles are centered on the connected edge. Can be pivoted relative to one another, and in preferred embodiments, the tile can include the following features;

The tile may be releasably connected to the hinge;

The tile can be square or square and can be connected to the hinges on all four sides;

The tile may have side edges angled inwardly and downwardly from position in use of the pivot axis of the hinge;

May comprise connecting means adapted to be connected to the hinged engagement members in use;

The connecting means may comprise recesses formed at each end of the edge of the tile to engage corresponding mating members at each end of the hinge.

Each edge of the tile may have recesses formed in the same shape and in the same location;

The recesses may include a slot and a shoulder or retention hole below the slot;

The slot may extend parallel to the edge of the tile;

There may be a cut-away portion at the end of the slot, the cutout portion having a depth deeper than the slot depth;

The ablation portions may be proximate the corners of the tile and the slot may extend from the ablation portion toward the middle of the edge of the tile;

The ablation portions can extend to the corner of the tile so that the ablation portions on the joining edges of the tile are joined together.

The invention can be used in floor systems.

Claims (37)

A floor system comprising a plurality of tiles and at least one hinge, each hinge being released along the adjacent edges of the two tiles to join the two tiles together and allow the tiles to pivot relative to each other. Floor system, adapted to possibly connect. The method of claim 1, The hinge includes two hinge elements spanning between adjacent edges of the two tiles. The method of claim 2, The hinge elements are received in slots provided at the edges of the tiles. The method of claim 3, wherein The slots at the edges of the tiles extend substantially vertically. The method of claim 4, wherein The slots at the edges of the tiles are open at the base of the tiles. The method according to any one of claims 2 to 5, The hinge includes a support, the support holding the hinge elements in a raised position between the adjacent edges of the two tiles. The method of claim 6, The support is provided with slots for receiving hinge elements. The method of claim 7, wherein The slot system of the support is arranged to extend substantially horizontally. The method according to any one of claims 6 to 8, The support comprises a recess in the contour of the lower edge to allow passage of cables thereunder. The method according to any one of claims 2 to 9, Hinge elements have a neck extending between a pair of positioning portions, the positioning portions being located behind the adjacent edges of the two tiles to join the two tiles together. The method of claim 10, Hinge elements are in the form of toggles. The method of claim 10 or 11, The positioning system of the hinge element is the same shape. The method of claim 12, The positioning system is cylindrical in shape. The method according to any one of claims 10 to 13, The positioning portions extend at right angles to the neck portion of the hinge elements. The method according to any one of claims 10 to 14, The neck portion is contoured to force the positioning portion against the edge of the tile. The method according to any one of claims 10 to 15, Floor system with a diameter of the neck of the hinge element smaller than 3 mm. The method of claim 16, Floor system, wherein the diameter of the neck portion is between 1 mm and 2 mm. The method according to any one of claims 2 to 17, The hinge system is made of memory rubber. The method according to any one of claims 2 to 18, The tiles are provided with recesses for positioning the hinge elements proximate the top surface of the tile. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 19, The flooring system, wherein the tiles are made of recycled polypropylene. The method of claim 1, The hinge includes an elongate hinge element, extending along between adjacent edges of the two tiles. The method of claim 1, wherein The hinge is a floor system that can be connected and disconnected without the use of tools. The method of claim 1, wherein Floor system, wherein the tiles are square or square. The method of claim 1, wherein The hinge can be released even when connected to the tiles in the center of the floor. The method of claim 1, wherein The hinge comprises a flexible material and the tiles can be pivoted against each other through the bending of the flexible hinge. The method of claim 1, wherein The hinge comprises a flexible material. The method of claim 25 or 26, The releasable connection to the tiles is made by elastically deforming the hinge to engage or disengage the hinge from the tile. The method of claim 27, The hinge system is elastically deformed along its length. The method of any one of the preceding claims, Floor tiles include cavities in the bottom of the tiles. The method of claim 29, The cavities comprise two intersecting channels across the width of the bottom of the tile. The method of claim 1, wherein The plurality of tiles are connected together by hinges along adjacent edges to form a floor, the hinges allowing the floor to be rolled up around a central support. The method of claim 31, wherein The tiles are square or square, and hinges of the same type connect the adjacent edges of the tiles together. The method of claim 32, Tiles in the layer closest to the central support when curled around the central support, including the central support in the form of an elongated polygonal prism with sides corresponding to the edges of the tiles in width, are at the vertices of the elongated polygonal prism. A floor system hinged at corresponding positions. The method of claim 33, wherein An elongated polygonal prism is a hexagonal cross section, floor system. The method of claim 33 or 34, The central support is hollow and provides a case for carrying other items. The method according to any one of claims 31 to 35, When rolled around a central support, a roll of connected tiles is maintained in a storage form by a wrap formed from a sheet of flexible material corresponding to the length of the central support in width and the envelope of the connected tiles. A floor system having a strap with attachment means for securing it about a roll. Floor system substantially described with reference to FIGS. 1-11, 12-23, 24-28, 34, 35, 36-42, or 43-45.

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