Patent Application
20250137206
This invention generally relates to protective padding and more particularly relates to recycled protective tiling.
The most common injuries at recreational facilities such as playgrounds and athletic or sporting arenas are attributed to falls. Such injuries include head trauma, fractures and sprains, some leaving long term disability. Children very often run on concrete slabs or loose gravel, while others play on swings, carrying them high above the ground. During incidents in which the child loses control or balance, the ground material can prove to be very unforgiving.
Conventional methods of minimizing injury from falls include padding the ground with dense material such as closed cell foam. This type of padding commonly comes in lengthy sheets that are cut to size. The sheets are placed over the ground, regardless of the composition. For example, closed cell foam pads are often placed over loose gravel in the same manner that they are placed over concrete slab. Unfortunately, the underlying ground material can affect the overall effectiveness of the protective padding.
Closed cell foam pads most typically have a planar bottom and top without any recesses. While this conventional design provides means for effectively positioning and maintaining coverage of a concrete slab, if the same foam pad is placed on loose gravel or rocks, it will not be secured and may cause further personal injury from movement of the protective covering. Additionally, when closed cell foam pads are placed on uneven surfaces such as gravel, rooftop membranes, the foam pads take the shape of the underlying surface, creating an uneven activity area that may provoke falls from tripping. Conventional closed cell foam padding also tends to become slippery when wet from inclement weather or nearby sprinklers as water commonly pools on the flat surface thereof.
There are also conventional tiles available that are made from reprocessed or recycled rubber, for example, from shredded rubber automobile tires. However, such conventional tiles do not interlock with one another and may separate, curl, peel or buckle, leaving either an exposed area of the supporting surface on which the tiles are laid, or an uneven surface, which may cause injury to a child or person playing on the tiled surface. Also, if conventional non-interlocking tiles are installed on a rooftop, they may be unsafe and may cause injury because of the potential flight characteristics of such tiles resulting from high wind conditions.
When conventional tiles are placed next to each other, even if they were somehow glued together, there may be a tendency for the tiles to separate, curl and/or peel at their edges, possibly caused by temperature fluctuations or use. Such curling may result in an uneven surface and may cause injury to a person walking or running thereon.
Viable solutions to the design flaws of conventional tiles are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 8,070,382, titled “Interlocking Rubber Tiles for Playgrounds,” and U.S. Pat. No. 9,512,623, titled “Interlocking Rubber Tiles, Mats, Blocks and Pavers for Athletic and Recreational Surfaces, Playgrounds and Rooftops”, the disclosure of each of which is incorporated herein by reference. The aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 8,070,382 discloses a tile that may be interlocked with adjacent tiles to cover an area, such as a playground or rooftop. The design utilizes a plurality of male connectors and female receptacles positioned on the lateral sides of the tile that are engageable with female receptacles and male connectors of another tile so that adjacent tiles may be interlocked. The aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 9,512,623 also discloses a tile that that may be interlocked with adjacent tiles to cover an area and includes a plurality of male connectors and female receptacles positioned on the lateral sides of the tile that are engageable with the female receptacles and male connectors of another tile so that adjacent tiles may be interlocked, but further discloses a plurality of spaced apart wedge-shaped projections and a plurality of spaced apart complementary-shaped slots. Each slot is situated on one lateral side of a tile in between either adjacent male connectors or adjacent female receptacles. Similarly, each projection is situated on another lateral side of the tile in between either adjacent female receptacles or adjacent male connectors. The male connectors of the tile are engageable with female receptacles of an adjacent tile so that the tile may interlock with the adjacent tile. Also, the projections of one tile are receivable by slots of the adjacent tile to help prevent the tiles from curling, separating and/or peeling.
The male connectors of one tile fit snuggly in the female receptacles of an adjacent tile to hold the tiles together, along with the mating lateral projections and lateral slots. Glue may be received by the female receptacles to hold the male connectors securely therein. Although the male connectors and female connectors, and the lateral projections and slots, work well to prevent the interlocked tiles from separating or curling at their edges, it would be advantageous to include another measure of securing each male connector of one tile within a corresponding receptacle of another tile, especially if glue is not used to join the two tiles together.
In addition, neither the aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 8,070,382 nor the aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 9,512,623 discloses a border or trim tile that is matable with the conventional tiles disclosed in these patents. Such conventional tiles may be one inches to two inches, or more, in height (i.e., in depth) and could present a tripping problem if a person's shoe catches an exposed lateral side of a tile. Furthermore, the relatively high height, or depth, of the tile could impede handicapped persons in a wheelchair, for example, from gaining access to a tiled recreational surface.
It is an object of the present invention to provide rubberized tiles (which also include rubberized mats, blocks and pavers) for use in covering sports and recreational areas, playgrounds or the like, as well as rooftops, which interlock with one another.
It is another object of the present invention to provide rubberized, interlocking tiles which include a plurality of male connectors and a plurality of female receptacles positioned on the lateral sides of each tile that are engageable with the female receptacles and male connectors of another tile so that adjacent tiles may be interlocked, and where each male connector includes structure, and each female receptacle includes complementary structure, which structures cooperate to minimize the separation of the male connectors of one tile when received by corresponding female receptacles of an adjacent tile to maintain the mated adjacent tiles in an interlocked relationship.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a ramp-like border tile which is adapted to mate and interlock with either the tiles disclosed in the aforementioned U.S. Pat. Nos. 8,070,382 and 9,512,623, or the tile disclosed herein.
In accordance with one form of the present invention, a tile for covering an area and which interlocks with an adjacent tile includes a main body having a top surface and a bottom surface disposed opposite the top surface. The main body has at least a first lateral side and a second lateral side.
The tile includes at least one male connector situated on at least one of the first lateral side and the second lateral side of the main body and extending outwardly therefrom. The tile further includes at least one female receptacle situated on at least one of the first lateral side and the second lateral side of the main body.
The male connector of the tile is engageable with a female receptacle of an adjacent tile so that the tile may interlock with the adjacent tile.
Preferably, the male connector and the female receptacle include structure defining a reservoir for containing an adhesive for adhesively securing the tile and an adjacent tile together.
The tile preferably further includes structure defining at least one generally wedge-shaped slot or recess situated on at least one of the first and second lateral sides of the main body. The tile also preferably includes at least one corresponding generally wedge-shaped projection situated on an opposite lateral side of the tile from where the at least one slot is located. The wedge-shaped projections of the tile are received by corresponding wedge-shaped slots of an adjacent tile.
More specifically, and in a preferred form of the tile of the present invention, each projection of one tile may include an inverted triangular or ramp-like sloped entrance surface which is received in a complementary-shaped recess of an adjacent tile. The sloped entrance surface, either triangular or ramp-like in shape, on each projection of one tile allows the tile to be forced downwardly in close side-by-side proximity to an adjacent tile without causing the projection to be sheared off or damaged when doing this. Each projection preferably includes a flat upper surface, extending outwardly from a lateral side of the tile on which it is mounting and situated opposite the sloped entrance surface. The complementary-shaped recess of an adjacent tile into which the projection is received also is defined with a flat top wall. When the two adjacent tiles are mated together using a downward force on one tile, the sloped entrance surfaces of the projections pass beyond the top surface of the adjacent tile and into their respective complementary-shaped recesses of the adjacent tile. When the flat upper surfaces of the projections pass the flat top walls of the recesses, the projections are locked into place within their respective recesses to prevent the tiles from separating, curling, peeling or lifting relative to one another along their lateral sides.
It may be desirable not to use an adhesive to hold each male connector of one tile in place within a corresponding female receptacle of an adjacent tile, or it may be desirable to use an adhesive but to further secure, in addition to the adhesive, the male connectors within the female receptacles of mated adjacent tiles. Thus, in accordance with one form of the present invention, each male connector includes a lip or flange extending outwardly from an outer surface thereof and positioned preferably at a free end of each male connector. Similarly, each female receptable includes a complementary slot formed in a wall or walls defining the female receptacle, and preferably having complementary dimensions which are similar to or slightly greater than the dimensions of the lip or flange formed on each of the male connectors so that, when the male connector of one tile is fully received by a corresponding female receptacle of an adjacent tile, the lip or flange of the male connector will be received by the slot of the corresponding female receptacle to help secure the male connector of one tile within the corresponding female receptacle of an adjacent and mating tile.
Furthermore, and in accordance with a preferred form of the present invention, a ramp-like border tile is provided and which includes one or both of male connectors and female receptacles to mate with an adjacent surface-covering tile, such as described previously, having corresponding male connectors and female receptacles. The ramp-like border tile thus provides an inclined surface which rises from a free edge thereof to the height of the surface-covering tile, such as described previously, to which it is mated.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of illustrative embodiments thereof, which is to be read in connection with the accompanying drawings.
Referring to
Each tile 2 may be formed in a plurality of shapes and sizes, but preferably is rectangular. The tile 2 includes a main body 3 residing generally in a plane and having a top surface 4 having a high coefficient of friction for providing sufficient traction to children and other users. The main body 3 of the tile 2 also includes an oppositely disposed bottom surface 6, the bottom surface 6 being laid on and resting on the ground or other supporting surface and having a recessed portion 8 formed therein. A plurality of cylindrical stanchions 10 extending downwardly and outwardly from the recessed portion 8, the end face 12 of each stanchion 10 being coplanar with the bottom surface 6 of the tile 2, provide gripping means to resist movement of the tile 2 when the ground surface consists of loose materials such as gravel, pebbles or shale. More specifically, when the tiles 2 are placed on a ground surface consisting of loose materials, the loose ground material may fill the recessed area around the stanchions 10 and the stanchions 10 may anchor the tile 2 in place. Each end face 12 of the stanchions 10 defines a flat bottom surface that is co-planarly aligned with the bottom surface 6 of the tile 2 to provide a large surface area to grip flat ground materials such as concrete slab.
Along the periphery of the main body 3 of the rubber tiles 2 are situated a plurality of interlocking mechanisms comprising a male connector 14 and a mating female receptacle 16. More specifically, along a first lateral side and neighboring second lateral side of the main body 3 of the tile 2 are extending outwardly therefrom a series of male connectors 14. Disposed oppositely of the male connectors 14, along a third lateral side and neighboring fourth lateral side of the main body 3, are extending outwardly therefrom a series of female receptacles 16. Individual rubber tiles 2 may be joined together by cooperatively mating the male connectors 14 on the first and second lateral side of a first tile 2 with the female receptacles 16 on the third or fourth lateral side of a second tile. To provide structural support, the tiles 2 are preferably joined together in a staggered manner, as shown in
Now referring to
The female receptacles 16, as illustrated in
Each of the outer wall 30 of the female receptacle 16 and the vertical second segment 20 of the male connector 14 further includes a vertically disposed slot 40, which slots 40 are aligned with one another when the connector 14 is received by the receptacle 16. The vertical slot 40 of the vertical second segment 20 of the male connector 14 is in fluid communication with the glue reservoir 24 formed in the male connector 14 to allow excess adhesive filling the reservoir to flow through the vertical slot 40 from the male connector 14. Similarly, the vertical slot 40 of the outer wall 30 of the female receptacle 16 is in fluid communication with the glue reservoir 38 formed in the female receptacle 16 to allow excess adhesive filling the reservoir 38 to flow through the vertical slot 40 from the female receptacle 16.
Each inner wall 28 of the female receptacles 16 further includes a vertically disposed channel 50 formed therein, as shown in
Prior to interlocking two neighboring tiles 2, a liquid adhesive is applied to one or both of the horizontal first segment 18 and/or glue reservoir 24 of each male connector 14 and the recess 26 and/or glue reservoir 38 of each female receptacle 16. As the aligned male connector 14 and female receptacle 16 of adjacent tiles 2 are mated and pressure is applied, the aligned vertical slots 40 in the outer wall 30 of the female receptacle 16 and the vertical second segment 20 of the male connector 14 create a path for excess adhesive to exit the glue reservoirs 24, 38 of the male connectors 14 and female receptacles 16 and the sides of the joined together tiles 2. Excess glue will also escape the female receptacle 16 through the channel 50 formed in the inner wall 28 of the female receptacle 16 and will flow downwardly towards the ground and away from the top surface of the tile when the tiles are joined together and positioned with the top surface properly facing upwardly. Thus, the channels 40, 50 will help minimize or prevent any adhesive from adhering to the top surface of the tile, which would otherwise have required its removal therefrom, which is difficult to do because of the rough surface texture of the tile. The adhesive secures the vertical second segment 20 of the male connector 14 within the recess 26 of the female receptacle 16 and preferably secures the top surface 22 of the horizontal first segment 18 of the male connector 14 to the end wall 36 of the outer wall 30 of the female receptacle 16.
The top surface 4 of each tile 2 preferably further includes a plurality of water channels 42. The water channels 42 are preferably formed as chamfers along the top peripheral edges of the tile 2. As neighboring tiles 2 are interlocked, their facing peripheral chamfered edges create such a recess or channel 42 that allows water to run off the top surface 4 of the tile 2 into the channel 42, minimizing water pooling. Additional water channels 44 may be formed as elongated recesses in the top surface 4, each being in fluid communication with an aforementioned peripheral water channel 42.
Referring to
Correspondingly, in this preferred form, the tile 2 includes a plurality of generally wedge-shaped projections 15 spaced apart from each other, each projection being positioned on a side of the tile that is preferably opposite the side having the generally wedge-shaped slots 17, as shown in
The slots 17 and projections 15 are preferably complementary in shape so that the projections may be received by the slots. However, it is envisioned to be within the scope of the present invention for the slot 17 to have any general shape that allows it to at least partially receive the generally wedge-shaped projection 15. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the projections 15 preferably include an upper portion 60 and a lower portion 62 disposed opposite the upper portion 60, and at least two opposite lateral side walls 61. Preferably, the upper portion 60 and lower portion 62 are asymmetrical to one another. More specifically, the projections 15 are preferably wedge-shaped and the slots 17 are preferably formed as complementary wedge-shaped recesses.
Referring to
When two tiles 2 are placed adjacent one another, with the side of one tile which includes projections 15 facing the side of the other tile which includes slots 17, the projections 15 and slots 17 should be positioned on their respective sides so that they are in alignment and may mate with one another, the projections 15 of one tile being received by corresponding slots 17 of the other tile, as can be seen in
When two adjacent tiles are mated together using a downward force on one tile, the sloped entrance surfaces of the projections 15 pass beyond the top surface and slot lip 63 of the adjacent tile and into their respective complementary-shaped recesses or slots 17 of the adjacent tile. When the flat top side 64 of the projections 15 passes the flat top wall 67 defining part of the upper recess portion 66 of the slots 17, the projections 15 are locked into place within their respective recesses or slots 17 by the projection top sides 64 engaging the slot top walls 67 to prevent the tiles from lifting relative to one another along their lateral sides.
Another version of the projections 15 and complementary-shaped recesses 17 formed on the tiles is shown in
In a similar manner to the projections 15 and recesses or slots 17 shown in
The sloped lateral sides 82a, 82b of the projection 15 define an inverted triangular sloped entrance surface to make it easier for the projections 15 of one tile to be received by the complementary-shaped recesses or slots 17 of an adjacent tile when the tile with the projections 15 is forced downwardly in close side-by-side proximity to the adjacent tile having slots 17 situated in alignment with the projections 15. The particular shape of the projections 15, and the resiliency of the tiles and the projections 15 and recesses or slots 17, allow the tiles to be mated closely together, with the projections 15 not being sheared off or damaged when rubbing against the lateral side of an adjacent tile having the recesses or slots 17. When two adjacent tiles are mated together using a downward force on the tile having the projections 15, the sloped entrance surfaces defined by the lateral sides 82a, 82b of the projections 15 pass beyond the top surface and the lip 63 defined by the top surface and the top of the slot 17 situated below the top surface of the adjacent tile and into the respective complementary-shaped recesses or slots 17 of the adjacent tile. When the flat top side 80 of the projections 15 passes the flat top wall 86 of the recesses or slots 17, the projections 15 are locked into place within their respective recesses or slots 17 by the projection top sides 80 engaging the slot top walls 86 to prevent the tiles from lifting relative to one another along their lateral sides.
An adhesive or glue may be used between the projections 15 and the recesses or slots 17 in each of the embodiments described previously to secure the projections 15 of one tile within their aligned recesses or slots 17 of an adjacent tile.
If the tile 2 is rectangular in shape, in that it includes two opposite shorter sides and two opposite longer sides, such as shown in
Individual rubber tiles 2 may also be joined together by cooperatively mating the male connectors 14 on the first and second lateral sides of a first tile 2 with the female receptacles 16 on the third and fourth lateral sides of a second tile. Furthermore, the projections 15 of one tile 2 also cooperatively mate with the slots 17 of a second tile 2. The mating of the projections 15 and the slots 17 strengthens the connection between the first and second tiles 2. The engagement of the projections 15 and slots 17 also reduces the tendency of the lateral sides of the tile to curl upwardly or separate and helps maintain the top surfaces 4 of the joined together tiles in a common plane.
It is also envisioned to be within the scope of the present invention to fasten the tiles 2 to a supporting surface, such as asphalt or wood, by using screws or other fasteners 54 which pass through the thickness of the male connectors 14 preferably at the horizontal first segments 18 thereof and into the supporting surface, with or without the use of liquid adhesive between mating tiles 2. For this purpose, a countersunk recess 52 may be formed in the glue reservoir 24 of the horizontal first segment 18 of one or more male connectors 14 to facilitate locating where the screw or fastener 54 should be placed, as shown in
The tiles 2 formed in accordance with the present invention may be formed from reprocessed or recycled rubber, for example, from shredded or pulverized rubber automobile tires. In another form of the present invention, a top layer or portion of each tile may be formed from EPDM (ephylene propylene diene monomer) granules or shredded or pulverized white, gray or yellow (i.e., light colored) rubber tires, such as those found on forklifts and other rubber wheeled equipment. This lighter colored top layer of the tile may be about one-half (½) inch in thickness, and the remainder bottom portion of the tile may be black and made from shredded or pulverized conventional black walled automobile tires. Tiles formed with such a lighter colored top layer may be about twenty percent (20%) cooler, or more, on its top surface than tiles formed completely from conventional black walled automobile tires.
Reference should now be had to
More specifically, preferably situated at the free end of the second segment 20 of one or more of the male connectors 14 is a lip or flange 100 that extends perpendicularly outwardly from a surface of the second segment 20. This lip or flange 100 may be situated on one or more side walls of the second segment 20 of the male connector 14. In the embodiment of the tile of the present invention shown in
The female receptacle 16 includes one or more corresponding slots 102 which are adapted to receive a respective lip or flange 100 of the second segment 20 of a male connector 14 when the male connector 14 of one tile 2 is received by a corresponding female receptable 16 of an adjacent tile 2 to help interlock the two tiles 2 together. The slot 102 is complementary in shape to that of the lip or flange 100 of the male connector 14 and may have the same or slightly greater dimensions than those of the lip or flange 100. The slot 102 may be formed in one or more of the inner wall 28, the oppositely disposed outer wall 30 and the two lateral side walls 32 and positioned thereon to receive a respective lip or flange 100 extending from one or more side walls 132, 136, 138, 140 of the second segment 20 of the male connector 14. Preferably, the slot 102 is formed in one or more of these walls 28, 30, 32 near the recessed surface 33, especially when the lip or flange 100 on the male connector 14 is located in proximity to the free end 142 of the second segment 20 thereof. In the embodiment of the tile 2 shown in
In a more preferred embodiment of the tile 2 of the present invention, the second segment 20 of the male connector 14, or connectors, not only has the lips or flanges 100 mentioned previously, but may also include one or more first rib-receiving slots 144 recessed into the surface of the inside side wall 132 or the oppositely-disposed outside side wall 136, or one or both of the lateral side walls 138, 140, of the second segment 20. One or more second rib-receiving slots 146 may be formed in the surface of the lateral side 134 of the tile 2 on which the male connector 14 is disposed and from which the male connector 14 extends.
Similarly, one or more female receptacles 16 may include one or more ribs 148 disposed on and extending outwardly and preferably perpendicularly from the surface of one or more of the inner wall 28, the oppositely disposed outer wall 30 and the two lateral side walls 32 defining the female receptacle 16, or receptacles, and on the lateral side 154 of the tile 2 where the mating female receptacles 16 are situated, and positioned thereon to align with the first and second rib-receiving slots 144, 146 and to be received therein when the male connectors 14 of one tile 2 are received by corresponding female receptacles 16 of a mating tile 2.
As can be seen in
As also shown in
Reference should now be had to
As shown in
It should be realized that the placement of the lip 100 and slot 102 respectively on the male connector 14 and the female receptacle 16 as described previously may be interchanged, that is, having the lip 100 disposed on one or more of the walls 28, 30, 32 of the female receptacle 16 and the slot 102 being formed in a surface of the second segment 20 of one or more of the male connectors 14. Similarly, the disposition of the ribs 148 on one or more of the walls 28, 30, 32 of one or more female receptacles 16 and on tile side 154 may be switched with the disposition of the first and second rib-receiving slots 144, 146 of the second segment 20 of one or more male connectors 14 and the lateral side 134 of the tile 2, respectively. Such reverse arrangements described above are also envisioned to be within the scope of the present invention.
Now referring to
A plurality of cylindrical, or more preferably, frustoconically-shaped, stanchions 10a extend downwardly and outwardly from the recessed portion 8a, the end face 12a of each stanchion 10a preferably being coplanar with the bottom surface 6a of the tile 2a or with one another, and providing gripping means to resist movement of the ramp-like border tile 2a when the ground surface consists of loose materials such as gravel, pebbles or shale, just like the stanchions 10 of the rectangular tiles 2 described previously. Thus, when the ramp-like border tiles 2a are placed on a ground surface consisting of loose material, the loose ground material may fill the recessed area 8a around the stanchions 10a, and the stanchions 10a may anchor the ramp-like border tile 2a in place. Each end face 12a of the stanchions 10a preferably defines a flat bottom surface that is co-planarly aligned with the bottom surface 6a of the ramp-like border tile 2a to provide a large surface area to grip flat ground materials such as a concrete slab.
As can be seen in
The bottom surface 6a of the ramp-like border or transition tile 2a may include a plurality of spaced apart slots 112 formed therein near a portion of the bottom surface 6a in proximity to the unraised side 106 of the tile 2a. The slots 112 are preferably parallel to one another, and provide the unraised side 106 of the ramp-like border tile 2a with greater flexibility and to ensure that it rests more closely to the supporting surface on which the ramp-like border tile 2a is placed, but also are provided to allow water collecting under the rectangular tiles 2 within the free space between the supporting stanchions 10 to drain therefrom through the slots 112.
Also, as can be seen in
In addition, at least on the raised side 108 of the ramp-like border tile 2a there is disposed a plurality of spaced apart male connectors 14 and/or female receptacles 16 in between the male connectors 14. Alternatively, the raised side 108 of the ramp-like border tile 2a may include just a plurality of male connectors 14, or just a plurality of female receptacles 16. For example,
Also, in a preferred form of the present invention, the ramp-like border tile 2a includes a plurality of generally wedge-shaped projections 15 spaced apart from each other at least partially along the raised side 108 of the border tile 2a. The projections 15 are preferably situated on the raised side 108 so that they would be in alignment with the generally wedge-shaped slots 17 formed in a lateral side of a rectangular tile 2 to which the border tile 2a is to be mated so that the projections 15 of the border tile 2a may be received by the slots 17 of the rectangular tile 2, which slots 17 are complementary in shape to the projections 15. Alternatively, the raised side 108 of the ramp-like border tile 2a may have formed therein a plurality of generally wedge-shaped slots 17 spaced apart from each other at least partially along the raised side 108 of the border tile 2a, which receive corresponding generally wedge-shaped projections 15 of the rectangular tile 2 to which the border tile 2a is mated. In a further alternative version of the ramp-like border tile 2a of the present invention, the raised side 108 of the border tile 2a may include both generally wedge-shaped projections 15 and generally wedge-shaped slots 17 to mate with corresponding generally wedge-shaped slots 17 and generally wedge-shaped projections 15 situated on a lateral side of the rectangular tile 2 to which the border tile 2a is mated.
In an even more preferred version of the ramp-like border tile 2a of the present invention, each male connector 14 situated on the raised side 108 of the border tile 2a includes a lip or flange 100, such as described previously with respect to the rectangular tile 2, so that the lip or flange 100 of the male connectors 14 of the border tile 2a may be received by corresponding female receptacles 16 of the rectangular tile 2 to which the ramp-like border tile 2a is mated, each female receptacle 16 of the rectangular tile 2 including a slot 102 formed therein which receives the lip or flange 100 of the male connector 14 of the border tile 2a when the border tile 2a is mated to the rectangular tile 2. If the ramp-like border tile 2a is formed with female receptacles 16 situated on the raised side 108 thereof, each female receptacle 16 preferably includes a slot 102 which is adapted to receive the lip or flange 100 of a corresponding male connector 14 of the rectangular tile 2 when the border tile 2a is mated to a rectangular tile 2.
Furthermore, the ramp-like border or transition tile 2a may include one or more first rib-receiving slots 144 recessed into the surface of the inside side wall 132 or the oppositely-disposed outside side wall 136, or one or both of the lateral side walls 138, 140, of the second segment 20 of the male connectors 14 situated on the raised side 108, such as included with the tile 2 shown in
Similarly, one or more female receptacles 16 on the raised side 108 of the ramp-like border tile 2a, if such are included, may have one or more ribs 148 disposed on and extending outwardly and preferably perpendicularly from the surface of one or more of the inner wall 28, the oppositely disposed outer wall 30 and the two lateral side walls 32 defining the female receptacle 16, or receptacles, and on the raised side 108 of the ramp-like border tile 2a where the female receptacles 16 are situated, and positioned thereon to align with the first and second rib-receiving slots 144, 146 of tile 2 and to be received therein when the male connectors 14 of one tile 2, 2a are received by corresponding female receptacles 16 of a mating tile 2, 2a, in the same manner as described previously with respect to the tile shown in
As with the tile 2 described previously, it should be realized that the placement of the lip 100 and lip-receiving slot 102 respectively on the male connector 14 and the female receptacle 16 on the ramp-like border tile 2a and/or the tile 2 may be interchanged, that is, having the lip 100 disposed on one or more of the walls 28, 30, 32 of the female receptacle 16 on the ramp-like border tile 2a or the tile 2 and the lip-receiving slot 102 being formed in a surface of the second segment 20 of one or more of the male connectors 14 of the ramp-like border tile 2a or the tile 2. Similarly, the disposition of the ribs 148 on one or more of the walls 28, 30, 32 of one or more female receptacles 16 and on the raised side 108 of the ramp-like border tile 2a or side 154 of tile 2 may be switched with the disposition of the first rib-receiving slots 144 of the second segment 20 of one or more male connectors 14 and the second rib-receiving slots 146 formed in either the surface of the raised side 108 of the border tile 2a or the surface of side 134 of the tile 2, respectively. Such reverse arrangements described above are also envisioned to be within the scope of the present invention.
It may still be desired, but not required, to use a liquid adhesive filling the glue reservoir 38 of the female receptacle 16 of the border tile 2a and/or filling the glue reservoir 24 formed in the male connector 14 of the border tile 2a to further secure the ramp-like border tile 2a to an adjacent tile 2 together in an interlocked fashion.
Accordingly, the male connectors 14 and the female receptacles 16 of the ramp-like border tiles 2a have the same structure as the male connectors 14 and female receptacles 16 of the rectangular tiles 2 described previously herein, including the glue reservoirs 24 and 38, and the projections 15 and slots 17 of the ramp-like border tile 2a may take on the structure of the various versions of the projections 15 and slots 17 of the rectangular tile 2 also described previously herein, so that the ramp-like border tile 2a of the present invention may interlock with the rectangular, surface-covering tile 2 described previously. Furthermore, the ramp-like border, or transition, tiles 2a may include the lock protrusions 158 and/or the lock recesses 156, as described previously for the rectangular tile 2, formed at least on the raised side 108 so that the lock protrusions 158 and lock recesses 156 of the ramp-like border tiles 2a may interface with corresponding lock recesses 156 and lock protrusions 158 of an adjacent rectangular tile 2 to help join and lock the two tiles 2, 2a together.
As can be seen from
The tiles 2, 2a constructed in accordance with the present invention will now be further described.
A tile 2 for covering an area and which interlocks with an adjacent tile 2 comprises a main body 3 having a top surface 4 and a bottom surface 6 disposed opposite the top surface 4, the main body 3 having at least a first lateral side and a second lateral side; at least one male connector 14 situated on at least one of the first lateral side and the second lateral side of the main body 3 and extending outwardly therefrom; and at least one female receptacle 16 situated on at least one of the first lateral side and the second lateral side of the main body 3. The at least one male connector 14 of the tile 2 is engageable with a female receptacle 16 of an adjacent tile 2 so that the tile 2 may interlock with the adjacent tile 2.
The main body 3 of the tile 2 resides generally in a plane. Preferably, the at least one male connector 14 includes a first segment 18 extending outwardly from the main body 3 and co-planarly with the main body 3, and a second segment 20 joined to the first segment 18 and extending perpendicularly from the first segment 18, the second segment 20 having an exterior surface and a free end 142. Preferably, the female receptacle 16 includes an inner wall 28, an outer wall 30 disposed opposite the inner wall 28, side walls 32 interposed between the inner wall 28 and the outer wall 30, and a recessed bottom wall 33, the inner wall 28, outer wall 30, side walls 32 and bottom wall 33 of the female receptacle 16 defining a recess 26 for at least partially receiving the second segment 20 of the male connector 14 of an adjacent tile 2 to interlock the tile 2 with the adjacent tile 2.
The second segment 20 of the at least one male connector 14 includes at least one lip 100 extending outwardly from the exterior surface of the second segment 20. The at least one female receptacle 16 includes at least one corresponding slot 102 which is dimensioned to receive the at least one lip 100 of the second segment 20 of a male connector 14 of an adjacent tile 2 when the male connector 14 of one tile 2 is received by a corresponding female receptable 16 of an adjacent tile 2 to help interlock the two tiles 2 together, the at least one slot 102 being complementary in shape to that of the at least one lip 100 of the male connector 14.
In one form of the tile 2 of the present invention, the at least one slot 102 of the at least one female receptacle 16 is formed in at least one of the inner wall 28, the oppositely disposed outer wall 30 and at least one of the side walls 32 of the at least one female receptacle 16.
In another form of the tile 2 of the present invention, the at least one slot 102 formed in the at least one of the inner wall 28, the oppositely disposed outer wall 30 and the at least one of the side walls 32 of the at least one female receptacle 16 is disposed thereon near the recessed bottom wall 33 of the at least one female receptacle 16. Furthermore, the at least one lip 100 of the at least one male connector 14 is disposed near the free end 142 of the second segment 20 thereof.
In another form of the tile 2 of the present invention, the second segment 20 of the at least one male connector 14 further includes at least one rib-receiving slot 144 formed in the exterior surface of the second segment 20. Furthermore, at least one of the inner wall 28, the oppositely disposed outer wall 30 and at least one of the side walls 32 defining the at least one female receptacle 16 includes at least one rib 148 extending outwardly therefrom, the at least one rib-receiving slot 144 of the second segment 20 of the at least one male connector 14 being dimensioned to receive therein the at least one rib 148 of the at least one female receptacle 16 of an adjacent tile 2 when the male connector 14 of one tile 2 is received by a corresponding female receptable 16 of an adjacent tile 2 to help interlock the two tiles 2 together, the at least one rib-receiving slot 144 of the at least one male connector 14 being complementary in shape to that of the at least one rib 148 of the at least one female receptacle 16.
In yet another form of the present invention, the first segment 18 of the at least one male connector 14 of the tile 2 includes an underside surface 155 and a lock recess 156 formed in the underside surface 155. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the tile 2 includes an outer wall 30 which at least partially defines the at least one receptacle 16, the outer wall 30 having an end wall 36. The outer wall 30, in this preferred form of the tile 2, includes a lock protrusion 158 disposed on the end wall 36 thereof. In an even more preferred form of the tile 2 of the present invention, the lock protrusion 158 has an exposed surface 160, the exposed surface 160 of the lock protrusion 158 having a raised mid-section 162, the exposed surface 160 sloping downwardly and laterally from the raised mid-section 162.
In another form of the tile 2 of the present invention, a ramp-like transition tile 2a for covering an area and which interlocks with an adjacent tile 2 comprises a main body 3a having a top surface 4a and a bottom surface 6a disposed opposite the top surface 4a, the main body 3a having at least a first side 106 and a second side 108 situated opposite the first side 106, and opposite lateral sides 110 joined to and extending between the first side 106 and the second side 108, the height of the first side 106 being less than that of the second side 108 to provide the top surface 4a of the ramp-like transition tile 2a with an increasing slope extending from the first side 106 to the second side 108; and at least one of 1) at least one male connector 14 situated on the second side 108 of the main body 3a and extending outwardly therefrom, and 2) at least one female receptacle 16 situated on the second side 108 of the main body 3a.
Preferably, the at least one male connector 14 includes a first segment 18 extending outwardly from the main body 3a of the ramp-like transition tile 2a, and a second segment 20 joined to the first segment 18 and extending perpendicularly from the first segment 18, the second segment 20 having an exterior surface and a free end 142, the at least one male connector 14 being provided for engagement with an adjacent tile 2 and for interlocking the ramp-like transition tile 2a with the adjacent tile 2, and preferably the at least one female receptacle 16 includes an inner wall 28, an outer wall 30 disposed opposite the inner wall 28, side walls 32 interposed between the inner wall 28 and the outer wall 30, and a recessed bottom wall 33, the inner wall 28, outer wall 30, side walls 32 and bottom wall 33 of the at least one female receptacle 16 defining a recess 26, the at least one female receptacle 16 being provided for engagement with an adjacent tile 2 and for interlocking the ramp-like transition tile 2a with the adjacent tile 2.
In yet another form of the ramp-like transition tile 2a of the present invention, the second segment 20 of the at least one male connector 14 includes at least one lip 100 extending outwardly from the exterior surface of the second segment 20.
In a further form of the ramp-like transition tile 2a of the present invention, the at least one female receptacle 16 includes at least one lip-receiving slot 102 formed in at least one of the inner wall 28, the outer wall 30 and at least one of the side walls 32 defining the at least one female receptacle 16.
In yet a further form of the ramp-like transition tile 2a of the present invention, the second segment 20 of the at least one male connector 14 includes at least one lip 100 extending outwardly from the exterior surface of the second segment 20. The second segment 20 of the at least one male connector 14 includes at least one rib-receiving slot 144 formed in the exterior surface of the second segment 20. The at least one female receptacle 16 includes at least one lip-receiving slot 102 formed in at least one of the inner wall 28, the outer wall 30 and at least one of the side walls 32 defining the at least one female receptacle 16. Furthermore, the at least one female receptacle 16 includes at least one rib 148 extending outwardly from at least one of the inner wall 28, the outer wall 30 and at least one of the side walls 32 defining the at least one female receptacle 16.
In another form of the ramp-like transition tile 2a of the present invention, the ramp-like transition tile 2a includes a bottom surface 6a and a plurality of spaced apart slots 112 formed in a portion of the bottom surface 6a in proximity to the first side 106 of the ramp-like transition tile 2a. Preferably, the slots 112 are arranged parallel to one another.
In still another form of the ramp-like transition tile 2a of the present invention, the ramp-like transition tile 2a further comprises a plurality of stanchions 10a mounted on the bottom surface 6a of the main body 3a and extending downwardly and outwardly from the bottom surface 6a, the stanchions 10a being spaced apart from each other and arranged in parallel rows extending between the first side 106 and the second side 108, each stanchion 10a in each row increasing in longitudinal length and in the downward and outward extension thereof from the bottom surface 6a in a direction of increasing length from the first side 106 to the opposite second side 108.
Preferably, each stanchion 10a of the plurality of stanchions 10a is frusto-conical in shape. Even more preferably, each stanchion 10a of the plurality of stanchions 10a has an outer surface and spaced apart ribs 104 situated on the outer surface.
The second side 108 of the ramp-like transition tile 2a has an outer surface. Furthermore, in a preferred form, the ramp-like transition tile 2a further comprises at least one of 1) at least one generally wedge-shaped projection 15 situated on the outer surface of the second side 108, and 2) at least one generally wedge-shaped slot 17 formed in the outer surface of the second side 108.
In yet another form of the present invention, the first segment 18 of the at least one male connector 14 of the ramp-like transition tile 2a includes an underside surface 155 and a lock recess 156 formed in the underside surface 155. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the tile 2a includes an outer wall 30 which at least partially defines the at least one receptacle 16, the outer wall 30 having an end wall 36. The outer wall 30, in this preferred form of the tile 2a, includes a lock protrusion 158 disposed on the end wall 36 thereof. In an even more preferred form of the tile 2a of the present invention, the lock protrusion 158 has an exposed surface 160, the exposed surface 160 of the lock protrusion 158 having a raised mid-section 162, the exposed surface 160 sloping downwardly and laterally from the raised mid-section 162.
The interlocking rubber tiles 2, 2a are described herein as being particularly useful for playgrounds. However, it should be realized that the tiles 2, 2a have many different uses, including, for example, for covering rooftop surfaces and other athletic and recreational surfaces.
Although illustrative embodiments of the present invention have been described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to those precise embodiments, and that various other changes and modifications may be effected therein by one skilled in the art without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention.
This application is related to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 63/546,384, filed on Oct. 30, 2023, and titled “Interlocking Rubber Tiles, Mats, Blocks And Pavers For Athletic And Recreational Surfaces, Playgrounds And Rooftops”, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference and on which priority is hereby claimed.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63546384 | Oct 2023 | US |
