Tiles backed with patterns of pressure sensitive adhesive
AssigneeEngineered Floors LLC
InventorsJohn Joseph Matthews REES, Anthony DANIELL, Stephen TSIARKEZOS, Dimitri ZAFIROGLU
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A surface covering tile has a plurality of edges extending between the face and the back surface. A pressure sensitive adhesive is disposed on the back surface and covers less than 40% of the back along each one of the plurality of edges where the back surface intersects the plurality of edges. For highly porous back surfaces, the pressure sensitive adhesive is selected and applied in a manner limiting penetration into the back surface. The amount of pressure sensitive adhesive required to affix the tile is reduced, and the tile can be optionally constructed in a manner that facilitates lateral movement of the tile during installation.
Claims28
A surface covering tile comprising:
- a face;
- a back opposite the face;
- a plurality of edges extending between the face and the back, each edge intersecting the back along a back cut edge;
- and
- a pressure sensitive adhesive disposed on the back, the pressure sensitive adhesive covering less than 40% of the back along each back cut edge.
A method for creating a surface covering tile comprising a porous and recoverably compressible back, the method comprising:
- applying a pressure sensitive adhesive to only a portion of a surface area of the back;
- applying a release sheet to the back;
- compressing the surface covering tile to a uniform thickness across the surface area of the back;
- and
- removing the release sheet and allowing the surface covering tile to expand to create a first thickness in the surface covering tile in the portion of the back containing the pressure sensitive adhesive and a second thickness in the surface covering tile outside the portion of the back containing the pressure sensitive adhesive, the second thickness greater than the first thickness.
A method for applying an open pattern of pressure sensitive adhesive to a back of a surface covering tile, the method comprising:
- depositing the open pattern of pressure sensitive adhesive on a release sheet;
- placing the release sheet on the back of the surface covering tile such that the pattern of pressure sensitive adhesive engages the back;
- pressing the release sheet onto the back;
- and
- removing the release sheet from the surface covering tile while leaving the pattern of pressure sensitive adhesive on the surface covering tile.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.