Tile, in particular carpet tile, and covering of such tiles

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12065778-B2
Application number	US-201916960596-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 9, 2019
Priority date	Jan 9, 2018
Publication date	Aug 20, 2024
Grant date	Aug 20, 2024

Abstract

The invention relates to a tile, in particular a carpet tile. The invention also relates to the use a tile according to the invention as floor tile, wall tile, or ceiling tile. The invention further relates to a tile covering consisting of a plurality of tiles according to the invention. The invention additionally relates to a carpet covering consisting of at least one carpet tile according to the invention.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A tile, comprising:
a base having pile yarns projecting upwardly therefrom,
a backing structure attached to a lower side of said base, said backing structure comprising an elastic layer, made from an anisotropic material, defining a lower surface of the tile, wherein a plurality of superficial suction holes is formed in at least a lower surface of said elastic layer, wherein the plurality of superficial suction holes are open in a direction facing away from the base and substantially closed in a direction facing the base, wherein the plurality of superficial suction holes together define a void footprint, wherein material at the lower surface of the elastic layer in between said plurality of superficial suction holes define a material footprint, wherein a ratio of the void footprint to the material footprint is at least 4, thereby allowing the tile to be attached to a support surface and removed therefrom, wherein the lower surface of the elastic layer is provided with a sealing coating.

2. The tile according to claim 1 , wherein the substantially entire lower surface of the elastic layer is provided with suction holes.

3. The tile according to claim 1 , wherein the size of the suction holes varies throughout the entire lower surface of the elastic layer.

4. The tile according to claim 1 , wherein the elastic layer is made from a foam material.

5. The tile according to claim 1 , wherein the elastic layer comprises a foaming agent.

6. The tile according to claim 1 , wherein the elastic layer is at least partially composed of at least one material selected from the group consisting of: ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA), polyurethane (PU), polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polystyrene (PS), poly vinyl chloride (PVC), rubber, or mixtures thereof.

7. The tile according to claim 1 , wherein the elastic layer comprises at least one cross-linking agent.

8. The tile according to claim 1 , wherein the elastic layer comprises a filler.

9. The tile according to claim 1 , wherein a number or substantially all of the plurality of superficial suction holes have a diameter situated in between 5 μm to approximately 1 mm.

10. The tile according to claim 1 , wherein the density of the elastic layer varies along the thickness of the elastic layer.

11. The tile according to claim 1 , wherein the elastic layer has a thickness situated in between 0.1 and 6 mm.

12. The tile according to claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of superficial suction holes, and the entire lower surface of the elastic layer, is free of glue.

13. The tile according to claim 1 , wherein the lower surface of the elastic layer has a sealing effect.

14. The tile according to claim 1 , wherein initially, before use, a removable protective film is attached to the lower surface of the elastic layer.

15. The tile according to claim 1 , wherein the backing structure comprises a pre-coat layer disposed on a primary carpet base, and at least one hot melt adhesive layer disposed on the pre-coat.

16. The tile according to claim 1 , wherein the tile comprises a thermoplastic material securing a primary carpet base to said backing structure, wherein said thermoplastic material is provided with at least one stabilizing material embedded therein.

17. The tile according to claim 1 , wherein a primary carpet base comprises a fibrous face wear surface secured to a primary backing sheet, wherein the primary backing sheet has a fibrous back surface.

18. The tile according to claim 1 , wherein the backing structure comprises at least one intermediate layer situated in between the base and the elastic layer, wherein the intermediate layer either rigid or flexible, and wherein said intermediate layer comprises at least one material of a group of materials consisting of: wood; a polymer; mineral, or mixtures thereof.

19. The tile according to claim 1 , wherein the tile comprises at least one pair of opposite tile edges, wherein said pair of opposite tile edges is provided with a pair of complementary coupling parts allowing a plurality of such tiles to be connected.

20. The tile according to claim 19 , wherein the complementary coupling parts are configured to couple at least two tiles, such that a locking of the tiles in a first direction, perpendicular to a plane of the tile, and also a locking of the tiles in a second direction, parallel to the plane of the tile, is realized.

21. The tile according to claim 1 , wherein the base comprises a decorative layer and a transparent wear layer covering said decorative layer.

22. The tile according to claim 1 , wherein the superficial suction holes are substantially hemispherically shaped.

23. The tile according to claim 1 , wherein elastic layer material defining said superficial suction holes is provided with an impermeable coating.

24. The tile according to claim 1 , wherein elastic layer material comprises a plurality of interconnected, open cells.

25. A tile covering consisting of a plurality of tiles according to claim 1 .

26. The tile covering according to claim 25 , wherein the tiles are mutually coupled.

Assignees

• I4F Licensing Nv

Inventors

• Boucké Eddy Alberic

Classifications

• Y10T428/23979

  Particular backing structure or composition · CPC title

• D06N2209/1664

  Releasability · CPC title

• D06N7/0071 Primary

  characterised by their backing, e.g. pre-coat, back coating, secondary backing, cushion backing · CPC title

• D06N2205/04

  Foam · CPC title

• E04F2201/0153

  by rotating the sheets, plates or panels around an axis which is parallel to the abutting edges, possibly combined with a sliding movement · CPC title