Random installation carpet tiles
US7601413B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | May 15, 2006 |
| Grant date | Oct 13, 2009 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jan 23, 2027 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10T428/23936
- WIPO fieldOther consumer goods
- WIPO sectorOther fields
Abstract
Carpet tiles having patterns and color schemes that obviate the need to orient the tiles relative to each other. The tiles exhibit orthogonal ambiguity, meaning that they may be laid in any side-by-side orientation with respect to adjacent tiles without looking out of place to the ordinary viewer and thereby still achieving an appearance of continuity like broadloom carpet. Each tile has patterns of shapes having some straight sides and that appear to be randomly positioned but oriented with some straight sides parallel to carpet tile sides. The shapes are formed from a color or combination of colors so that adjacent shapes on each tile have at least one color in common. Furthermore, each tile has at least one color in common with every other tile, so that when the tiles are laid, the colors on adjacent tiles coordinate. All of the colors have similar intensities so that no one color will significantly stand out from the other colors. Moreover, because the pattern on each tile appears random, placement of the tiles on the floor in any side-by-side orientation simply creates a larger, apparently random pattern, rendering it impossible for any tile to look out of place.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.