# US 8,782,990 B2 · Narrow lined modular flooring assemblies

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- Number: US 8,782,990 B2
- Document ID: US8782990B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 13/376,753
- Filed: 2010-06-09
- Published: 2012-03-29
- Granted: 2014-07-22
- Earliest claimed: 2009-06-11
- Assignees: CoMc, LLC
- Applicants: Yu Lin Tang
- Inventors: Yu Lin Tang
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8782990B2

## CPC

- E04F 15/02044: {Separate elements for fastening to an underlayer (E04F15/02133, E04F15/0215 take precedence)}
- E04F 15/02005: {Construction of joints, e.g. dividing strips (E04F15/024, E04F15/04, E04F15/06, E04F15/10 and E04F15/14 take precedence; separate provisional spacers E04F21/0092)}
- E04F 15/02011: {with joint fillings integrated in the flooring elements}
- E04F 15/02038: {characterised by tongue and groove connections between neighbouring flooring elements}
- E04F 15/0215: {specially adapted for being adhesively fixed to an underlayer; Fastening means therefor; Fixing by means of plastics materials hardening after application}
- E04F 15/02194: {Flooring consisting of a number of elements carried by a non-rollable common support plate or grid (E04F15/022 takes precedence)}
- E04F 15/022: Flooring consisting of parquetry tiles on a non-rollable sub-layer of other material, e.g. board, concrete, cork
- E04F 15/02458: {Framework supporting the panels}
- E04F 15/04: only of wood {or with a top layer of wood}, e.g. with wooden {or metal} connecting members (rollable parquet E04F15/16)
- E04F 15/041: {with a top layer of wood in combination with a lower layer of other material}
- E04F 15/08: only of stone or stone-like material, e.g. {ceramics}, concrete; of glass {or with a top layer of stone or stone-like material, e.g. ceramics, concrete or glass (E04F15/02005 takes precedence)}
- E04F 15/082: {with a top layer of stone or stone-like material, e.g. ceramics, concrete or glass in combination with a lower layer of other material}
- E04F 15/087: {The lower layer being of organic plastic with or without reinforcements or filling materials}
- E04F 15/182: {Underlayers coated with adhesive or mortar to receive the flooring}
- E04F 15/187: {Underlayers specially adapted to be laid with overlapping edges}
- E04F 15/225: {Shock absorber members therefor}
- E04F 2015/02105: {without load-supporting elongated furring elements between the flooring elements and the underlayer}
- E04F 2201/0115: with snap action of the edge connectors
- E04F 2201/022: with tongue or grooves alternating longitudinally along the edge
- E04F 2201/095: with both connection parts, i.e. male and female connection parts alternating on one edge
- E04F: FINISHING WORK ON BUILDINGS, e.g. STAIRS, FLOORS (windows, doors E06B)

## Abstract

This specification describes a tray substrate for tile flooring that can be used in narrow grout line modular floating tile assemblies. The tray is preferably made of plastic and has vertical tray edges around the top of the tray substrate with upward and downward tabs protruding from the sides of the tray substrate wherein some of the tabs are at least partially recessed under the surface of the tray.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A component of a flooring system comprising:
(A) a flooring component,
(B) an adhesive,
(C) a tray substrate comprising:
(i) a tray substrate surface which is an upward facing horizontal surface having a tray substrate surface perimeter,
(ii) a tray substrate bottom with a padding attached to the tray substrate bottom,
(iii) a plurality of tray substrate vertical tray edges which protrude upward and extend along the entire tray substrate surface perimeter,
(iv) a plurality of tray substrate edges defining an outside perimeter of the tray substrate, each tray substrate edge of the plurality of tray substrate edges having a plurality of upward tabs comprising a convex surface and a valley and a plurality of downward tabs comprising a concave surface and a lip wherein a portion of the surface of the plurality of downward tabs is recessed under the upward facing horizontal tray surface and wherein a portion of the lip lies directly under one of the plurality of tray substrate vertical tray edges, and
(v) said flooring component is adhered to the tray substrate surface with the adhesive.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The component of a flooring system of claim 1 wherein the flooring component is selected from the group consisting of tile, stone, marble, wood, ceramic tile, porcelain tile, and granite.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The component of claim 2, wherein the flooring component is smaller than the tray substrate surface.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The component of claim 1, wherein the flooring component is smaller than the tray substrate surface.