US7114298B2
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Roll-up floor tile system and method
Assignee: Snap Lock Industries Inc
•
Filing: 2004-09-01
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Granted: 2006-10-03
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Expires: 2024-09-01
Abstract
Abstract A plurality of interlocking tile pieces form a generally flat traffic-carrying surface. The tile are locked together in a manner to form a plurality of non-bendable tile joints. The tile includes a hinge or fold line along a first axis and a hinge or fold line along a second axis. The hinges allow the multi-tile traffic carrying surface to be rolled up into a hollow tube from any direction along one of the axes, beginning at any edge of the traffic carrying surface. The rolled-up floor covering is made up of a plurality of tile panels.
Inventors
- 👤 Daniel Kotler
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-06 02:55
CPC Classifications
E; E01; E01C; E01C5/00; E01C5/20; E04; E04F; E04F15/00; E04F15/02; E04F15/02194; E04F15/10; E04F15/105; E01C2201/00; E01C2201/12; E04F2201/00; E04F2201/05; E04F2201/0594
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 26
Claim 1
Independent Claim
66 words
A floor apparatus, comprising: a modular tile system, the modular tile system comprising: a plurality of interlocking tile bodies, each of the plurality of tile bodies having first and second substantially perpendicular axes; a first hinge aligned with the first axis; a second hinge aligned with the second axis; the first and second hinges comprising part of the same unit and material as the tile bodies.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
66 words
A floor apparatus, comprising: a modular tile system, the modular tile system comprising: a plurality of interlocking tile bodies, each of the plurality of tile bodies having first and second substantially perpendicular axes; a first hinge aligned with the first axis; a second hinge aligned with the second axis; the first and second hinges comprising part of the same unit and material as the tile bodies.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
29 words
A floor apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the first and second hinges comprise line detents in a top surface of each of the plurality of interlocking tile bodies.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
34 words
A floor apparatus according to claim 1 wherein each of the plurality of interlocking tile bodies comprises upstanding walls, the upstanding walls comprising notches vertically aligned with the line detents in the top surface.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
44 words
A floor apparatus according to claim 1 wherein each of the plurality of interlocking tile bodies comprises upstanding walls, the upstanding walls comprising notches vertically aligned with the line detents in the top surface and spaced therefrom by a thickness of tile body material.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
50 words
A floor apparatus according to claim 1 wherein each of the plurality of interlocking tile bodies comprises upstanding walls, the upstanding walls comprising notches vertically aligned with the line detents in the top surface, wherein a width of the line detents is substantially equal to a width of the notches.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
25 words
A floor apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising: a third hinge parallel to first axis; a fourth hinge parallel to the second axis.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
25 words
A floor apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of geometric shapes protruding from a top surface of the interlocking tile bodies.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
25 words
A floor apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of equally-spaced circles protruding from a top surface of the interlocking tile bodies.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
60 words
A floor apparatus, comprising: a single-piece injection molded plastic tile; the single-piece injection molded plastic a tile having an exposed top surface and first and second substantially perpendicular axes; a first hinge aligned with the first axis; a second hinge aligned with the second axis; wherein the first and second hinges comprise fold lines disposed in the exposed top surface.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
60 words
A floor apparatus, comprising: a single-piece injection molded plastic tile; the single-piece injection molded plastic a tile having an exposed top surface and first and second substantially perpendicular axes; a first hinge aligned with the first axis; a second hinge aligned with the second axis; wherein the first and second hinges comprise fold lines disposed in the exposed top surface.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
14 words
A floor apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the tile comprises a square.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
18 words
A floor apparatus according to claim 9 wherein the tile comprises an interlocking modular component of a floor.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
42 words
A floor apparatus according to claim 9 , further comprising a plurality of additional tiles interlocked with the tile, each of the plurality of additional tiles having first and second substantially perpendicular hinges comprising fold lines disposed in exposed top surfaces thereof.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
19 words
A floor apparatus according to claim 9 wherein the exposed top surface further comprises a plurality of raised circles.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
38 words
A floor apparatus according to claim 9 wherein the tile comprises upstanding side walls having notches aligned with the fold lines of the exposed top surface and spaced vertically therefrom by a thickness of the exposed top surface.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
42 words
A floor apparatus according to claim 9 wherein the tile comprises upstanding side walls having notches aligned with the fold lines of the exposed top surface, wherein a width of the fold lines is substantially equal to a width of the notches.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
72 words
A floor apparatus, comprising: a modular tile system, the modular tile system comprising: a plurality of interlocking tile bodies, each of the plurality of tile bodies having first and second substantially perpendicular axes; a first hinge aligned with the first axis; a second hinge aligned with the second axis; a plurality of open clamping loops extending laterally from at least two side walls of each of the plurality of interlocking tile bodies.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
72 words
A floor apparatus, comprising: a modular tile system, the modular tile system comprising: a plurality of interlocking tile bodies, each of the plurality of tile bodies having first and second substantially perpendicular axes; a first hinge aligned with the first axis; a second hinge aligned with the second axis; a plurality of open clamping loops extending laterally from at least two side walls of each of the plurality of interlocking tile bodies.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
113 words
A floor apparatus, comprising: a modular tile system, the modular tile system comprising: a plurality of interlocking tile bodies, each of the plurality of tile bodies having first and second substantially perpendicular axes; a first hinge aligned with the first axis; a second hinge aligned with the second axis; a plurality of clamping fingers formed in at least two side walls of each of the plurality of interlocking tile bodies, the plurality of clamping fingers cantilevered downward from a top surface of the tile bodies; a plurality of open clamping loops receptive of associated clamping fingers extending laterally from at least two side walls of each of the plurality of interlocking tile bodies.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
113 words
A floor apparatus, comprising: a modular tile system, the modular tile system comprising: a plurality of interlocking tile bodies, each of the plurality of tile bodies having first and second substantially perpendicular axes; a first hinge aligned with the first axis; a second hinge aligned with the second axis; a plurality of clamping fingers formed in at least two side walls of each of the plurality of interlocking tile bodies, the plurality of clamping fingers cantilevered downward from a top surface of the tile bodies; a plurality of open clamping loops receptive of associated clamping fingers extending laterally from at least two side walls of each of the plurality of interlocking tile bodies.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
117 words
A floor apparatus, comprising: a tile having an exposed top surface and first and second substantially perpendicular axes; a first hinge aligned with the first axis; a second hinge aligned with the second axis; wherein the first and second hinges comprise fold lines disposed in the exposed top surface; a plurality of flexible tabs formed in at least two side walls of the tile, the plurality of flexible tabs cantilevered within the at least two side walls such that the side walls are in the same plane as the associated plurality of flexible tabs; a plurality of open semi-circular loops receptive of associated flexible tabs extending laterally from at least two other side walls of the tile.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
117 words
A floor apparatus, comprising: a tile having an exposed top surface and first and second substantially perpendicular axes; a first hinge aligned with the first axis; a second hinge aligned with the second axis; wherein the first and second hinges comprise fold lines disposed in the exposed top surface; a plurality of flexible tabs formed in at least two side walls of the tile, the plurality of flexible tabs cantilevered within the at least two side walls such that the side walls are in the same plane as the associated plurality of flexible tabs; a plurality of open semi-circular loops receptive of associated flexible tabs extending laterally from at least two other side walls of the tile.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
130 words
A roll-up interlocking floor tile system, comprising: a plurality of modular tiles, each tile having: first and second non-parallel axes; a first hinge aligned with the first axis; a second hinge aligned with the second axis; the first and second hinges allowing the plurality of modular floor tiles to be rolled up and away from a support surface by bending each tile about both the first axis and the second axis after the plurality of modular floor tiles has been positioned on the support surface; the first and second hinges comprising part of the same unit and material as the modular tiles: the plurality of modular tiles being rolled up by lifting an edge of the floor tiles and moving the edge toward a top surface of the floor tiles.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
130 words
A roll-up interlocking floor tile system, comprising: a plurality of modular tiles, each tile having: first and second non-parallel axes; a first hinge aligned with the first axis; a second hinge aligned with the second axis; the first and second hinges allowing the plurality of modular floor tiles to be rolled up and away from a support surface by bending each tile about both the first axis and the second axis after the plurality of modular floor tiles has been positioned on the support surface; the first and second hinges comprising part of the same unit and material as the modular tiles: the plurality of modular tiles being rolled up by lifting an edge of the floor tiles and moving the edge toward a top surface of the floor tiles.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
31 words
A roll-up interlocking floor tile system according to claim 19 wherein the first and second hinges comprise detents in an exposed top surface of each of the plurality of modular tiles.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2009-10-02 | 2010-04-03 | 2010-10-03 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2013-10-02 | 2014-04-03 | 2014-10-03 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2017-10-02 | 2018-04-03 | 2018-10-03 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |