ANTI-SLIP FLOOR TILE AND METHOD OF MAKING AN ANTI-SLIP FLOOR TILE

Abstract

A floor tile is disclosed that comprises a plate having an anti-slip metal coating. The metal plate has an upper surface, a bottom surface and a plurality of edges provided on all sides of the metal plate that extend between the upper surface and the bottom surface. The anti-slip coating is applied to a central portion of the upper surface, wherein the anti-slip coating is not applied to the upper surface between the central portion and the plurality of edges. At least one recess is formed in the bottom surface that is adapted to receive a portion of an adhesive applied between the bottom surface and a floor. A method is also disclosed for making the anti-slip floor tile, wherein a metal plate is masked at a border provided around the edges of the plate and molten metal is sprayed on a central portion but not on the border.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

This disclosure is directed to a method of making an anti-slip floor tile and the floor tile made by the method.

BACKGROUND

Floor tiles are used in a wide variety of applications and are used for their aesthetic appeal, durability, and ease of installation. Floor tile products may be made of ceramic, glass, granite, marble, wood and other hard surface materials. One problem with such floors is that they may become slippery when wet when used in areas such as building lobbies or commercial kitchens. These types of flooring applications are frequently exposed to surface hazards such as water and spilled food, beverages, and cooking products.

This disclosure is directed to solving the above problems and other problems as summarized below.

SUMMARY

According to one aspect of this disclosure, a floor tile is disclosed that comprises a metal plate with an anti-slip coating applied to a central portion of the plate. The metal plate has an upper surface, a bottom surface and a plurality of edges provided on all sides of the metal plate that extend between the upper surface and the bottom surface. The anti-slip coating is applied to a central portion of the upper surface. The anti-slip coating is not applied to the upper surface between the central portion and the plurality of edges.

According to other aspects of this disclosure, the floor tile may include a recess formed in the bottom surface that is adapted to receive a portion of an adhesive applied between the bottom surface and a supporting structure, or floor. In addition to the recess formed in the bottom surface of the tile, a plurality of recesses may be formed in the bottom surface. The recesses may be cut into the bottom surface or embossed into the bottom surface.

The metal tile support panel is preferably made of aluminum, or an aluminum alloy, but may also be formed of another metal such as stainless steel, steel, copper, brass, or the like. The anti-slip coating is preferably stainless steel or a stainless steel alloy but may also be formed of another metal.

The anti-slip coating is a metal coating that is metalized (applied by plasma stream deposition) on the plurality of intersecting strips. The anti-slip coating may be applied by other metal-on-metal application technique provided that the coating provides a textured surface.

According to another aspect of this disclosure, a method is disclosed for making a floor tile. The method begins with the step of providing a metal plate having an upper surface, a bottom surface and a plurality of edges provided on all sides of the metal plate that extend between the upper surface and the bottom surface. Next, a border is masked on the metal plate on the upper surface between the central portion and the edges. Molten metal is then sprayed on the central portion of the metal plate to form an anti-slip coating on the central portion but not on the border.

According to other aspects of the method, the central portion of the metal plate is subjected to grit blasting after the masking step and before spraying molten metal on the central portion.

One or more grooves may be cut or embossed in the bottom surface of the metal plate. The groove or grooves are configured to receive a portion of an adhesive applied to the bottom surface and a supporting structure or floor.

The step of applying the anti-slip coating may be performed by spraying a molten metal coating on the top surface of the metal framework.

The metal framework is preferably aluminum or stainless steel and the anti-slip coating is preferably stainless steel.

According to another aspect of this disclosure, a floor tile is disclosed that includes a metal plate having an upper surface, a bottom surface and a plurality of edges provided on all sides of the metal plate that extend between the upper surface and the bottom surface. An anti-slip coating applied to the upper surface of the metal plate, and a plurality of grooves are provided in the bottom surface.

The plurality of grooves extend across the bottom surface and the grooves may intersect with each other. Alternatively, a plurality of recesses may be provided in the bottom surface in place of or in combination with the plurality of grooves.

The anti-slip coating may be applied to the upper surface at a location spaced from the plurality of edges.

The above aspects of this disclosure and other aspects will be described below with reference to the attached drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a top perspective view of a top of a floor tile made according to one embodiment of this disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a bottom perspective view of a floor tile.

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the floor tile.

FIG. 4 is a bottom plan view of the floor tile.

FIG. 5 is a cross-section view taken along the line 5-5 in FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a flow chart illustrating the steps of a method of making and installing the floor tile shown in FIGS. 1-5.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The illustrated embodiments are disclosed with reference to the drawings. However, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are intended to be merely examples that may be embodied in various and alternative forms. The figures are not necessarily to scale and some features may be exaggerated or minimized to show details of particular components. The specific structural and functional details disclosed are not to be interpreted as limiting, but as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art how to practice the disclosed concepts.

Referring to FIG. 1, a metal floor tile 10 is illustrated that is a planar member having a top surface 12 and a bottom surface 14 and is bounded on all sides by edges 16. The floor tile 10 has a central portion 18 and a border 20 between the central portion 18 and the edges 16. An anti-slip coating 22 is applied to the central portion 18 by spraying molten metal on the central portion 18. The process used to spray the molten metal on the floor tile is disclosed in applicant's prior U.S. Pat. No. 5,711,118, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference.

The metal floor tile 10 preferably includes an aluminum blank that is partially coated with the anti-slip coating 22 on the central portion 18. The anti-slip coating 22 is preferably a stainless steel coating. The aluminum blank may be an aluminum alloy or may be another metal such as steel, stainless steel, copper, brass, or the like. The anti-slip coating 22 is a stainless steel alloy or may be another type of metal that can be heated to its melting point and sprayed on the central portion 18 of the floor tile 10.

Referring to FIG. 2, the floor tile 10 is illustrated from the bottom. The bottom surface 14 of the floor tile 10 defines at least one groove 24. As illustrated six grooves 24 are formed on the bottom surface 14 that extend between opposite edges 16 in a direction normal to the edges 16. The grooves 24 may be formed by a machining process or by embossing the grooves 24 in the bottom surface with a press forming process, as will be described in more detail with reference to FIG. 6.

Referring to FIG. 3, the metal floor tile 10 is illustrated and is shown to include the central portion 18 and the border 20. The border 20 is provided around the central portion to facilitate installing the floor tile 10 on a floor with floor tile adhesive (not shown). When installing the floor tile some adhesive may accumulate on the top surface 12 of the tile that would be difficult to remove from the top surface 12 if the floor tile adhesive is applied to the portion of the floor tile 10 that is coated with the anti-slip coating 22. The border 20 of the floor tile 10 is not coated with the anti-slip coating 22 and provides a smooth surface from which it is easy to remove any floor tile adhesive from after installation.

Referring to FIG. 4, the bottom surface 14 of the floor tile 10 is shown to include three grooves 24 extending between the top and the bottom of the view and three grooves 24 extending between the right side to the left side of the view. The grooves 24 are formed in the bottom surface 14 to improve adhesion by receiving floor tile adhesive in the grooves 24 in addition to the adhesive applied to the bottom surface 14 when the tile 10 is installed on a floor.

Referring to FIG. 5, the floor tile 10 is shown in cross-section. The anti-slip coating 22 is provided on the top surface 12 in the central portion 18 thereof. The grooves 24 as illustrated are semi-circular as would be formed by an embossing process but it should be understood that the grooves 24 may also be formed as slots having a base and sidewalls as would be formed in a machining process.

Referring to FIG. 6, a flowchart is provided that illustrates the steps of a process of making and installing the floor tile 10. The process begins by providing a metal blank at 30. At 32, a groove 24, or set of grooves, is machined or embossed on the bottom surface 14 of the floor tile 10. At 34, the border 20 is masked by applying a masking compound, a physical masking member, or the like to the top surface 12 of the floor tile between the central portion 18 and the edges 16. The top surface 12 is then abraded at 36 to form a rough surface on the central portion 18 of the floor tile 10. At 38, molten metal is sprayed on the central portion 18 to form the anti-slip coating on the central portion 18 of the floor tile 10. After the floor tile 10 is manufactured it is transported to an installation site, at 40 and is attached to a floor with floor tile adhesive. The adhesive fills the grooves 24 and coats the bottom surface 14 of the floor tile 10. After installation, any adhesive deposited on the top surface 12 of the floor tile 10 is expected to be on the border 20. The border 20 is provided to facilitate removal of the adhesive from the border 20, at 42.

The embodiments described above are specific examples that do not describe all possible forms of the disclosure. The features of the illustrated embodiments may be combined to form further embodiments of the disclosed concepts. The words used in the specification are words of description rather than limitation. The scope of the following claims is broader than the specifically disclosed embodiments and also includes modifications of the illustrated embodiments. In addition, the features of various implementing embodiments may be combined to form further embodiments of the invention.

Claims

1. A floor tile comprising: a metal plate having an upper surface, a bottom surface and a plurality of edges provided on all sides of the metal plate that extend between the upper surface and the bottom surface; andan anti-slip coating applied to a central portion of the upper surface, wherein the anti-slip coating is not applied to the upper surface between the central portion and the plurality of edges.

2. The floor tile of claim 1 further comprising: a recess formed in the bottom surface that is adapted to receive a portion of an adhesive applied between the bottom surface and a supporting structure.

3. The floor tile of claim 2 wherein the recess is one of a plurality recesses formed in the lower surface.

4. The floor tile of claim 3 wherein the recesses are cut into the bottom surface.

5. The floor tile of claim 3 wherein the recesses are embossed into the bottom surface.

6. The floor tile of claim 1 wherein the metal plate is aluminum and the anti-slip coating is stainless steel.

7. A method of making a floor tile comprising: providing a metal plate having an upper surface, a bottom surface and a plurality of edges provided on all sides of the metal plate that extend between the upper surface and the bottom surface;masking a border on the metal plate the upper surface between the central portion and the plurality of edges; andspraying molten metal on the central portion of the metal plate to form an anti-slip coating on the central portion but not on the border.

8. The method of making a floor tile of claim 7 further comprising: grit blasting the central portion of the metal plate after the masking step and before the step spraying molten metal.

9. The method of making a floor tile of claim 7 further comprising: cutting at least one groove in the bottom surface of the metal plate that is configured to receive a portion of an adhesive applied to the bottom surface and a supporting structure.

10. A floor tile comprising: a metal plate having an upper surface, a bottom surface and a plurality of edges provided on all sides of the metal plate that extend between the upper surface and the bottom surface;an anti-slip coating applied to the upper surface; anda plurality of grooves provided in the bottom surface.

11. The floor tile of claim 10 wherein the plurality of grooves extend across the bottom surface.

12. The floor tile of claim 10 wherein the plurality of grooves extend across the bottom surface of the metal plate and intersect with others of the plurality of grooves.

13. The floor tile of claim 10 wherein a plurality of recesses are formed on the bottom surface of the floor tile.

14. The floor tile of claim 10 wherein the anti-slip coating is applied to the upper surface at a location spaced from the plurality of edges.