Abstract:
A carpet web and a method of forming a carpet web having a striped pattern and color scheme that permits carpet tiles cut from the web to be installed without regard to relative tile positions and without visibly disrupting the pattern, but rather maintaining the appearance of a broadloom web. The web pattern includes parallel stripes having varying widths and longitudinal discontinuities. The stripes are formed with at least two colors or two shades of a color. The tiles are positionally ambiguous in that they need not be located on the floor in the same position they occupied in the web for the flooring installation to exhibit the desired uniform appearance. Instead, the tiles may be shuffled and laid in any side-by-side or top-to-bottom orientation (provided that uniform rotational orientation is maintained among the tiles) with respect to adjacent tiles without looking out of place to the ordinary viewer and without emphasizing the modularity of the flooring.
Abstract:
Textile fiber face modular flooring having edges treated to mimic the appearance of grout between installed modules or otherwise provide visual demarcation between modules and methods and apparatus for producing such modules.
Abstract:
Embodiments of the invention provide carpet tile patterns and techniques for making carpet tile patterns that provide diversity of color, texture, and/or other pattern attributes. In some embodiments, a color attribute changes along a dimension of a web from which the carpet tiles are cut. In other embodiments, a yarn pile height changes along a dimension of a web from which the carpet tiles are cut. In some embodiments, carpet tiles mimic in some respects the appearance of wood flooring having natural variations in the appearance of the wood elements.
Abstract:
Embodiments of the invention provide carpet tile patterns and techniques for making carpet tile patterns that provide diversity of color, texture, and/or other pattern attributes. In some embodiments, a color attribute changes along a dimension of a web from which the carpet tiles are cut. In other embodiments, a yarn pile height changes along a dimension of a web from which the carpet tiles are cut. In some embodiments, carpet tiles mimic in some respects the appearance of wood flooring having natural variations in the appearance of the wood elements.
Abstract:
A re-configurable floor covering and method of assembly that includes modular units (1, 2, 3) that may be easily assembled in a variety of designs and that may be easily disassemble. This modular design provides flexibility in use and maintenance, as well as in removal and re-use. The modular units (1, 2, 3) may be assembled so that adjacent units are linked.
Abstract:
A flooring system (10) including a modular frame (12) surrounding modular floor covering units (14). Frame members (16) attach easily to one another, providing stability to the flooring system (10) and ease of installation.
Abstract:
Embodiments of the invention provide carpet tile patterns and techniques for making carpet tile patterns that provide diversity of color, texture, and/or other pattern attributes. In some embodiments, a color attribute changes along a dimension of a web from which the carpet tiles are cut. In other embodiments, a yarn pile height changes along a dimension of a web from which the carpet tiles are cut. In some embodiments, carpet tiles mimic in some respects the appearance of wood flooring having natural variations in the appearance of the wood elements.
Abstract:
Textile fiber face modular flooring having edges (70) treated to mimic the appearance of grout between installed modules (42) and methods and apparatus for producing such modules (42).
Abstract:
Flooring that utilizes inverted, tufted top cloth or sewn top cloth to produce flat, durable carpet that is bonded to engineered backing structures. Urethane modified bitumen may be used as a backing layer, and an optional latex precoat may be used on the top cloth layer, together with an optional antimicrobial in the precoat.
Abstract:
Carpet tiles of varying sizes and/or shapes that are connected together using connectors to form a carpet tile installation. The carpet tiles used in the carpet tile installation have different colors, patterns, shapes, and/or styles. Carpet tiles of a standard size and shape, such as one-half square meter carpet tiles, are partitioned into carpet tile fractions. These carpet tile fractions are used in conjunction with larger carpet tiles in a carpet tile installation. These carpet tile fractions may be connected to other carpet tile fractions to form a combination carpet tile that is then used in a carpet tile installation. The use of different sized and/or shaped carpet tiles increases the randomness or diversity and/or improves other aspects of the appearance of the floor coverings formed by the carpet tile installations.