초록 ▼

A modular synthetic floor tile comprising: (a) an upper contact surface; (b) a plurality of openings formed in the upper contact surface, each of the openings having a geometry defined by structural members configured to intersect with one another at various intersection points to form at least one

A modular synthetic floor tile comprising: (a) an upper contact surface; (b) a plurality of openings formed in the upper contact surface, each of the openings having a geometry defined by structural members configured to intersect with one another at various intersection points to form at least one acute angle as measured between imaginary axes extending through the intersection points, the structural members having a smooth, planar top surface forming the contact surface, and a face oriented transverse to the top surface; (c) a transition surface extending between the top surface and the face of the structural members configured to provide a blunt edge between the top surface and the face, and to reduce abrasiveness of the floor tile; and (d) means for coupling the floor tile to at least one other floor tile.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A modular synthetic floor tile comprising: an upper contact surface;a plurality of openings formed in said upper contact surface, each of said openings having a geometry defined by structural members configured to intersect with one another at various intersection points to form at least one acut

1. A modular synthetic floor tile comprising: an upper contact surface;a plurality of openings formed in said upper contact surface, each of said openings having a geometry defined by structural members configured to intersect with one another at various intersection points to form at least one acute angle as measured between imaginary axes extending through said intersection points, said structural members having a smooth, planar top surface forming said contact surface, and a face oriented transverse to said top surface; anda transition surface extending between said top surface and said face of said structural members comprising a blunt edge between said top surface and said face. 2. The modular synthetic floor tile of claim 1, wherein said structural members are configured to form a wedge in said openings that is configured to receive and at least partially wedge a portion of an object acting on the contact surface, and to induce a compression force on said portion of said object, to further increase traction about said contact surface. 3. The modular synthetic floor tile of claim 1, wherein each of said openings comprise a geometry further defined by structural members configured to intersect with one another at various intersection points to form at least one obtuse angle as measured between imaginary axes extending through said intersection points. 4. The modular synthetic floor tile of claim 3, wherein said obtuse angle is configured to be between 95 and 175 degrees. 5. The modular synthetic floor tile of claim 1, wherein said acute angle is configured to be between 5 and 85 degrees. 6. The modular synthetic floor tile of claim 1, wherein each of said plurality of openings individually comprise a geometry selected from the group consisting of a diamond configuration, a diamond configuration having curved sides, a triangular configuration, a triangular configuration having curved sides, a rectangular configuration, and a rectangular configuration having curved sides. 7. The modular synthetic floor tile of claim 6, wherein said openings, in said diamond configuration and said diamond configuration having curved sides, comprise opposing acute angles and opposing obtuse angles as formed and defined by said structural members configured to intersect with one another at various intersection points, said opposing obtuse and acute angles being measured between imaginary axes extending through said intersection points. 8. The modular synthetic floor tile of claim 1, wherein each of said plurality of openings individually comprise a diamond shaped geometry. 9. The modular synthetic floor tile of claim 1, wherein said acute angle of said openings is defined by curved structural members, wherein said curved structural members function to increase the rate of change of an increase in compression forces acting on an object as it is being wedged into said acute angle. 10. The modular synthetic floor tile of claim 1, wherein said top surface of said structural members comprises a width between 0.03 and 0.1 inches, taken along a cross-section of said structural members. 11. The modular synthetic floor tile of claim 1, wherein said top surface of said structural members comprises a smooth, flat surface configuration. 12. The modular synthetic floor tile of claim 1, wherein said transition surface comprises a curved configuration having a radius of curvature between 0.01 and 0.03 inches. 13. The modular synthetic floor tile of claim 1, wherein said transition surface comprises a linear configuration oriented on an incline between 5 and 85 degrees, as measured from a horizontal axis. 14. The modular synthetic floor tile of claim 1, wherein said openings comprise a perimeter defined by said structural members, and wherein said openings are sized so that said perimeter, taken along all sides, measures between 1.5 and 3 inches. 15. The modular synthetic floor tile of claim 1, wherein said openings are sized such that their width, as measured from the two furthest points existing along an x-axis coordinate, measures between 0.25 and 0.75 inches. 16. The modular synthetic floor tile of claim 1, wherein said openings are sized such that their length, as measured from the two furthest points existing along a y-axis coordinate, measures between 0.25 and 0.75 inches. 17. The modular synthetic floor tile of claim 1, wherein said openings are sized to comprise an opening between 50 and 625 mm2. 18. The modular synthetic floor tile of claim 1, further comprising a perimeter defining the various sides of said floor tile, said perimeter comprising a blunt edge. 19. A modular synthetic floor tile comprising: a perimeter;an upper contact surface contained, at least partially, within said perimeter;a first series of structural members extending between said perimeter;a second series of structural members extending between said perimeter, and intersecting said first series of structural members in a manner so as to form a plurality of openings in said upper contact surface, each of said openings having a configuration selected from a diamond geometry having at least one acute angle within the diamond geometry or a diamond geometry having curved sides defined by said intersection of said first and second series of structural members;wherein said first and second series of structural members comprise a smooth, planar top surface, a face oriented transverse to said top surface, and a transition surface extending between said top surface and said face to provide said structural members with a blunt edge configured to reduce abrasiveness of said floor tile; anda device configured to couple said floor tile to at least one other floor tile. 20. The modular synthetic floor tile of claim 19, wherein said openings, having said diamond geometries or said diamond geometry having curved sides, comprise opposing acute angles and opposing obtuse angles as formed and defined by said structural members configured to intersect with one another at various intersection points, said opposing obtuse and acute angles being measured between imaginary axes extending through said intersection points. 21. The modular synthetic floor tile of claim 20, wherein said acute angles are configured to receive and at least partially wedge a portion of an object acting on said contact surface, and to induce a compression force on said portion of said object, to further increase traction about said contact surface. 22. A modular synthetic floor tile comprising: an upper contact surface having a smooth, planar configuration; anda plurality of diamond shaped openings formed in said contact surface, each of said openings comprising at least two opposing acute angles, a perimeter, a face extending down from said perimeter and said upper contact surface, and a blunt edge extending between said face and said perimeter and about said perimeter. 23. A method for enhancing the performance characteristics of a modular synthetic floor tile, said method comprising: providing a plurality of structural members to form an upper contact surface;configuring said structural members to intersect one another at intersection points and to define a plurality of openings each having at least one acute angle as measured between imaginary axes extending through said intersection points, said openings configured to receive and wedge at least a portion of an object acting on said contact surface to provide increased traction about said contact surface,said structural members having a top surface forming said contact surface, and a face oriented transverse to said top surface; andconfiguring said structural members with a transition surface extending between said top surface and said face to provide each of the openings formed by said structural members with a blunt edge configured to reduce abrasiveness of said floor tile. 24. The method of claim 23, further comprising configuring said structural members to define a plurality of openings having a configuration selected from a diamond geometry with opposing acute angles and opposing obtuse angles as formed and defined by said structural members configured to intersect with one another at said intersection points, said opposing obtuse and acute angles being measured between imaginary axes extending through said intersection points. 25. The method of claim 23, further comprising causing said structural members to exert a compression force on at least a portion of an object as it is wedged into a portion of said opening formed on said acute angle. 26. The method of claim 23, further comprising sizing said openings such that their opening has an area between 50 and 625 mm2. 27. The method of claim 23, wherein said top surface of said structural members comprises a width between 0.03 and 0.1 inches, taken along a cross-section of said structural members.