System for modular tile installation

摘要

Connectors for joining adjacent modular floor covering units. The connectors include a film and an adhesive layer coated on one side of the film. To install tiles using the connectors, a first tile is placed on the floor and a connector is positioned so that the adhesive layer faces upward and does not contact the floor. The connector is typically positioned so that only a portion of the adhesive layer adheres to the underside of the tile, leaving the remainder of the connector extending from the underside of the tile. Tiles are then positioned adjacent the first tile so that a portion of the connector adheres to the adjacent tiles. In this way, the connectors span adjacent tile edges. The tiles are assembled on a underlying flooring surface without the need to attach them to the floor surface. Rather, the tiles are linked to each other with the connectors, so that the tiles create a floor covering that “floats” on the underlying floor surface.

主权项

1. A floorcovering system for installation on an underlying surface, the floorcovering system comprising:
a plurality of modular tiles, wherein each modular tile comprises an underside; and a plurality of connectors for connecting the plurality of modular tiles without extending along entire adjacent edges of adjacent modular tiles, wherein each of the plurality of connectors is sized to extend along less than entire adjacent edges between adjacent modular tiles, each connector comprising:
a film having two sides; anda layer of adhesive located on a side of the film, wherein the adhesive on a portion of a connector is capable of forming a bond between the film and the undersides of adjacent modular tiles and has a sufficient shear strength to prevent the adjacent modular tiles from moving relative to the connector or each other thereby creating gaps between the adjacent modular tiles after installation when the connector spans adjacent edges of the adjacent modular tiles and extends along less than the entire adjacent edges without abutting another connector and when the portion has a surface area that is no more than approximately 5% of the modular tile surface area of each of the adjacent modular tiles.