# US 7,464,510 B2 · System and method for floor covering installation > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 7,464,510 B2 - Document ID: US7464510B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 11/018,947 - Filed: 2004-12-21 - Published: 2005-10-20 - Granted: 2008-12-16 - Earliest claimed: 2000-09-19 - Assignees: Interface, Inc. - Inventors: Graham A. H. Scott; David D. Oakey; John P. Bradford; Keith N. Gray - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7464510B2 ## CPC - A47G 27/0475: {Laying carpet tiles} - A47G 27/0243: {Features of decorative rugs or carpets} - E04F 15/02: Flooring or floor layers composed of a number of similar elements (of webs E04F15/16) - E04F 2201/07: with connections using a special adhesive material - Y10T 428/23914: Interlaminar - Y10T 428/24008: including fastener for attaching to external surface - Y10T 428/24017: Hook or barb - Y10T 428/24025: Superposed movable attached layers or components - Y10T 428/2848: Three or more layers - Y10T 428/2857: including metal or compound thereof or natural rubber - A47G: HOUSEHOLD OR TABLE EQUIPMENT (book-ends A47B5/00; knives B26B) - E04F: FINISHING WORK ON BUILDINGS, e.g. STAIRS, FLOORS (windows, doors E06B) - Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION ## Abstract 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 under lying floor surface. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system for installing modular tiles, each having an underside, on a floor surface without attaching the tiles to the floor surface, the system comprising connectors each comprising: a. a film; b. a layer of releasable adhesive located on a side of the film, wherein the layer of adhesive is capable of forming a bond with the undersides of the tiles so that, when a connector is positioned above a floor surface and spans adjacent edges of adjacent tiles so that the layer of adhesive contacts the undersides of the adjacent tiles, the layer of adhesive prevents relative movement between the adjacent tiles, the connector does not adhere to the floor surface, and the connector extends along only a portion of the adjacent edges without abutting any other connector; and c. a primer coat between the film and the adhesive layer. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the primer coat comprises acrylic. ### Claim 3 A system for installing modular tiles, each having an underside, on a floor surface without attaching the tiles to the floor surface, the system comprising connectors each comprising: a. a film comprising a side, wherein the side of the film is corona treated; and b. a layer of releasable adhesive located on a side of the film, wherein the layer of adhesive is capable of forming a bond with the undersides of the tiles so that, when a connector is positioned above a floor surface and spans adjacent edges of adjacent tiles so that the layer of adhesive contacts the undersides of the adjacent tiles, the layer of adhesive prevents relative movement between the adjacent tiles , the connector does not adhere to the floor surface, and the connector extends along only a portion of the adjacent edges and without abutting any other connector. ### Claim 4 An installation of modular tiles connected together with connectors, each connector comprising: a. a film configured to resist stretching; b. a layer of releasable adhesive located on a side of the film, wherein the layer of adhesive is capable of forming a bond with the undersides of the tiles so that, when a connector spans adjacent edges of adjacent tiles so that the layer of adhesive contacts the undersides of the adjacent tiles, the layer of adhesive prevents relative movement between the adjacent tiles, wherein each connector is positioned: i. to span adjacent edges of at least two adjacent tiles in the installation and extends along only a portion of the adjacent edges; ii. so as not to abut other connectors; and iii. so as not to adhere to an underlying surface on which the tiles are positioned. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The installation of claim 4, wherein each tile comprises a surface area and each connector comprises a surface area, wherein the surface area of a connector is no more than approximately 5% of the surface area of a tile. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The installation of claim 5, wherein at least some of the connectors comprise a surface area of approximately 9 square inches. ### Claim 7 (depends on 4) The installation of claim 4, wherein a bond strength between each of the at least two adjacent tiles and the adhesive layer is between approximately 5-100 ounces/inch, inclusive. ### Claim 8 (depends on 4) The installation of claim 4, wherein the adjacent edges formed by adjacent tiles in the floor covering installation comprise a total length and wherein the connectors in the floor covering installation span up to approximately 10% of the total length of the adjacent tiles. ### Claim 9 (depends on 4) The installation of claim 4, wherein the film comprises plastic. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The installation of claim 9, wherein the plastic is a polyolefin, a polyamide, or a polyester. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The installation of claim 9, wherein the plastic is a polyethylene terephthalate polyester. ### Claim 12 (depends on 4) The installation of claim 4, wherein the film comprises a thickness between approximately 0.0005 and 0.015 inches, inclusive. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The installation of claim 12, wherein the thickness is between approximately 0.003 and 0.01 inches, inclusive. ### Claim 14 (depends on 4) The installation of claim 4, wherein the adhesive layer comprises acrylic. ### Claim 15 (depends on 4) The installation of claim 4, wherein the adhesive layer comprises a thickness between approximately 0.0005 and 0.01 inches, inclusive. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The installation of claim 15, wherein the thickness is between approximately 0.002 and 0.008 inches, inclusive. ### Claim 17 (depends on 4) The installation of claim 4, wherein the film is configured to resist stretching by comprising a material exhibiting a tensile strength between 160 and 270 MPa in at least one direction. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The installation of claim 17, wherein the film is configured to resist stretching by comprising a material exhibiting a tensile strength between 165 and 210 MPa in at least one direction. ### Claim 19 (depends on 4) The installation of claim 4, wherein the film is configured to resist stretching by comprising a material exhibiting a tensile strength between 165 and 210 MPa in at least one direction and between 160 and 270 MPa in at least one other direction before breaking. ### Claim 20 (depends on 4) The installation of claim 4, wherein the underlying surface comprises an intermediate substrate positioned above a floor. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The installation of claim 20, wherein the intermediate substrate comprises a plastic film. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The installation of claim 21, wherein the plastic film is a barrier to moisture. ### Claim 23 (depends on 20) The installation of claim 20, wherein the intermediate substrate comprises a cushion pad.