Groutless tile system and method for making the same
AssigneeMohawk Carpet Corporation
InventorsTom Alford, Mark Cappelle
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A groutless tile system including: a plurality of groutless tiles, wherein each groutless tile includes: a durable surface disposed on a substrate; and a first coupling member disposed on an edge of the substrate; wherein at least a portion of the substrate extends beyond the durable surface, wherein the first coupling member and a second coupling member of an adjacent tile are operable for coupling adjacent groutless tiles, and wherein the substrate prevents the durable surfaces of adjacent groutless tiles from contacting one another.
Claims21
A groutless tile system comprising:
- a plurality of groutless tiles, wherein each groutless tile comprises:
- a durable surface disposed on a substrate;
- and
- a first coupling member disposed on an edge of the substrate;
- wherein at least a portion of the substrate extends beyond the durable surface,
- wherein the first coupling member and a second coupling member of an adjacent tile are operable for coupling adjacent groutless tiles, and
- wherein at least at least a portion of the first coupling member is disposed below the durable surface of the adjacent tile when coupled to the adjacent tile.
A groutless tile comprising:
- a durable surface disposed on a substrate;
- a first coupling member disposed on an edge of the substrate;
- and
- a second coupling member disposed on another edge of the substrate,
- wherein the first coupling member and the second coupling member of the substrate extend beyond the durable surface,
- wherein the first coupling member and the second coupling member of the groutless tile are operable for coupling the groutless tile to an adjacent groutless tile, and
- wherein at least a portion of the substrate extends vertically to form a substantially continuous surface with the durable surface.
A method for making a groutless tile comprising:
- providing a durable surface;
- molding a substrate to receive at least a portion of the durable surface;
- affixing the durable surface to the substrate;
- and
- milling at least a portion of the substrate to create a first coupling member on an edge of the substrate and a second coupling member on another edge of the substrate.
A groutless tile system comprising:
- a plurality of groutless tiles, wherein each groutless tile comprises:
- a durable surface disposed on a substrate;
- a first coupling member disposed on at least one edge of the substrate, the first coupling member comprising a first bendable portion and a groove;
- and
- a second coupling member disposed on at least one edge of the substrate, the second coupling member comprising a tongue and a body portion,
- wherein at least a portion of the substrate extends beyond the durable surface,
- wherein the first coupling member and the second coupling member of an adjacent tile are operable for coupling adjacent groutless tiles, and
- wherein at least a portion of the first bendable portion of the second coupling member is disposed below the durable surface of the adjacent tile when coupled to the adjacent tile.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.