초록

A floor tile expansion joint accommodates differential thermal expansion or contraction of modular floor tiles used in flooring applications. One or more rows of floor tile expansion joints may be connected to modular floor tiles for various floor tile applications.

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1. A floor tile expansion joint permitting the thermal expansion and contraction of a plurality of polymeric modular floor tiles disposed in relation to each other along a predetermined direction of expansion and contraction without separation or buckling, the expansion joint molded from polymeric m

1. A floor tile expansion joint permitting the thermal expansion and contraction of a plurality of polymeric modular floor tiles disposed in relation to each other along a predetermined direction of expansion and contraction without separation or buckling, the expansion joint molded from polymeric material, the expansion joint comprising: a first expansion body having a first web, the first web having a first general upper surface and a first general lower surface, a plurality of first edge surfaces including a first outer edge surface extending from the first general upper surface to the first general lower surface, at least one first connector, adaptable to connect to at least a first one of the modular floor tiles disposed to adjoin the first outer edge surface;a second expansion body having a second web, the second web having a second general upper surface and a second general lower surface, a plurality of second edge surfaces including a second outer edge surface extending from the second general upper surface to the second general lower surface, at least one second connector, adaptable to connect to at least a second one of the modular floor tiles disposed to adjoin the second outer edge surface;a first inner margin of the first expansion body opposed to the first outer edge surface, at least two spaced-apart first fingers extending below the general lower surface of the first web and extending beyond the first inner margin in a first direction in alignment with a the predetermined direction of expansion and contraction, each of the at least two first fingers having first and second sides extending below the first general lower surface and disposed to be in parallel with the predetermined direction of expansion and contraction, at least two first channels extending below the general lower surface of the first web, one of the first channels extending between the at least two spaced-apart first fingers;a second inner margin of the second expansion body opposed to the second outer edge surface, at least two spaced-apart second fingers extending below the general lower surface of the second web and extending beyond the second inner margin in a second direction opposite the first direction and in alignment with the predetermined direction of expansion and contraction, each of the at least two second fingers having first and second sides extending below the second general lower surface and disposed to be in parallel with the predetermined direction of expansion and contraction, the second fingers positioned to be slidably received by the first channels, at least two second channels extending below the general lower surface of the second web, said at least two second channels spaced apart from each other by one of the second fingers, said at least two first fingers positioned to be respectively slidably received by ones of the second channels; andeach of the first and second fingers having a general upper finger surface, the general upper finger surface being displaced downwardly from the general upper surface of the respective web. 2. The expansion joint of claim 1, further including a leading edge of at least one of the second fingers and an upstanding post disposed on the general upper finger surface of said at least one of the second fingers, the upstanding post disposed near the leading edge, a groove disposed in a respective one of the first channels in alignment with the predetermined direction of expansion and contraction, the groove formed in the general lower surface of the first web and sized and sited so as to slidably receive the upstanding post. 3. The expansion joint of claim 2, wherein the groove has a near end outwardly displaced from the first inner margin. 4. The expansion joint of claim 1, further including, for each first and second side of each of the first and second fingers, a respective rib downwardly depending from the first general lower surface of the respective web, the last said rib being in alignment with a respective one of the last said first and second sides and extending outwardly therefrom, each channel formed between a rib aligned with a first side of a finger and a rib aligned with a second side of a finger. 5. The expansion joint of claim 4, wherein each of the plurality of ribs has a general lower surface, a general lower finger surface disposed on each of the first and second fingers, the general lower finger surface being co-planar with the general lower rib surface. 6. The expansion joint of claim 1, wherein the first and second inner margins are at an acute angle relative to the horizontal. 7. The expansion joint of claim 1, wherein the first and second inner margins are curved in a vertical direction. 8. The expansion joint of claim 1, wherein the first connector of the first expansion body is a latch and the second connector of the second body is a loop, the latch adapted to be received into a loop of the first one of the modular floor tiles, the loop of the second body adapted to receive a latch of the second one of the modular floor tiles. 9. The expansion joint of claim 1, wherein the width of the channels on each of the first and second expansion bodies is constant. 10. The expansion joint of claim 9, wherein the width of the fingers is slightly less than the width of the channels. 11. The expansion joint of claim 1, wherein a plurality of support members downwardly depend from the first general lower surface, the plurality of support members being disposed near the first outer edge surface. 12. The expansion joint of claim 1, wherein a plurality of support members downwardly depend from the second general lower surface, the plurality of support members being disposed near the second outer edge surface. 13. The expansion joint of claim 12, wherein each finger has a length in the direction of expansion and contraction and each support member has a width in the predetermined direction of expansion and contraction, a width in the last said direction of the respective expansion body being greater than the sum of the general finger length and the support member width. 14. A floor tile expansion joint permitting the thermal expansion and contraction of a plurality of polymeric modular floor tiles disposed in relation to each other along a predetermined direction of expansion and contraction without separation or buckling, the expansion joint molded from polymeric material, the expansion joint comprising: a first expansion body having a first web, the first web having a first general upper surface and a first general lower surface, a plurality of first edge surfaces including a first outer edge surface extending from the first general upper surface to the first general lower surface, at least one first connector, adaptable to connect to at least one first modular floor tile, formed adjacent the first outer edge surface;a second expansion body having a second web, the second web having a second general upper surface and a second general lower surface, a plurality of second edge surfaces including a second outer edge surface extending from the second general upper surface to the second general lower surface, at least one second connector, adaptable to connect to at least one second modular floor tile, formed adjacent the second outer edge surface;a first inner margin of the first expansion body opposed to the first outer edge surface, at least two spaced-apart first fingers extending below the general lower surface of the first web and extending beyond the first inner margin in a first direction in alignment with the predetermined direction of expansion and contraction, at least one first channel extending below the general lower surface of the first web, the first channel extending between the at least two spaced-apart first fingers;a second inner margin of the second expansion body opposed to the second outer edge surface, at least one second finger extending below the general lower surface of the second web and extending beyond the second inner margin in a second direction opposite the first direction and in alignment with the predetermined direction of expansion and contraction, the said at least one second finger positioned to be slidably received by the first channel defined by the first fingers, at least two second channels extending below the general lower surface of the second web, said at least two second channels spaced apart from each other by said at least one second finger, said at least two first fingers positioned to be respectively slidably received by ones of the second channels; andeach of the first and second fingers having a general upper finger surface, the general upper finger surface being displaced downwardly from the general upper surface of the respective web;wherein each of the first and second fingers has a length in the predetermined direction of expansion and contraction and a width perpendicular to the predetermined direction of expansion and contraction, the length of each of the first and second fingers being greater than its width. 15. The expansion joint of claim 14, further including a leading edge of at least the second finger and an upstanding post disposed on the general upper finger surface of at least the second finger, the upstanding post disposed near the leading edge, a groove disposed in the channel in alignment with the predetermined direction of expansion and contraction, the groove formed in the general lower surface of the first web and sized and sited so as to slidably receive the upstanding post. 16. The expansion joint of claim 15, wherein the groove has a near end outwardly displaced from the first inner margin. 17. The expansion joint of claim 14, wherein each of the first and second fingers has a first side and a second side, the first side and second side being parallel to the predetermined direction of expansion and contraction, for each last said side, a rib downwardly depending from the first general lower surface of the respective web, the last said rib being in alignment with the last said side and extending outwardly therefrom, the channel formed between the ribs aligned with the first and second sides. 18. The expansion joint of claim 17, wherein each of the plurality of ribs has a general lower surface, a general lower finger surface disposed on each of the first and second fingers, the general lower finger surface being co-planar with the general lower rib surface. 19. The expansion joint of claim 14, wherein the first and second inner margins are at an acute angle relative to the horizontal. 20. The expansion joint of claim 14, wherein the first and second inner margins are curved in a vertical direction. 21. The expansion joint of claim 14, wherein the first connector of the first expansion body is a latch and the second connector of the second body is a loop, the latch adapted to be received into a loop of the first one of the modular floor tiles, the loop adapted to receive a latch, of the second one of the modular floor tiles. 22. The expansion joint of claim 14, wherein the width of the channels on each of the first and second expansion bodies is constant. 23. The expansion joint of claim 22, wherein the width of the fingers is slightly less than the width of the channels. 24. The expansion joint of claim 14, wherein a plurality of support members downwardly depend from the first general lower surface, the plurality of support members being disposed near the first outer edge surface. 25. The expansion joint of claim 14, wherein a plurality of support members downwardly depend from the second general lower surface, the plurality of support members being disposed near the second outer edge surface. 26. The expansion joint of claim 25, wherein each finger has a length in the predetermined direction of expansion and contraction and each support member has a width in the direction of expansion and contraction, a width in the last said predetermined direction of the respective expansion body being greater than the sum of the general finger length and the support member width. 27. A floor tile expansion joint permitting the thermal expansion and contraction of a plurality of polymeric modular floor tiles disposed in relation to each other along a predetermined direction of expansion and contraction without separation or buckling, the expansion joint molded from polymeric material, the expansion joint comprising: a first expansion body having a first web, the first web having a first general upper surface and a first general lower surface, a plurality of first edge surfaces including a first outer edge surface extending from the first general upper surface to the first general lower surface, at least one first connector adaptable to connect to at least a first one of the modular floor tile disposed to adjoin adjacent the first outer edge surface;a second expansion body having a second web, the second web having a second general upper surface and a second general lower surface, a plurality of second edge surfaces including a second outer edge surface extending from the second general upper surface to the second general lower surface, at least one second connector adaptable to connect to at least a second one of the modular floor tiles disposed to adjoin the second outer edge surface;a first inner margin of the first expansion body opposed to the first outer edge surface, at least two spaced-apart first fingers extending below the general lower surface of the first web and extending beyond the first inner margin in a first direction in alignment with the predetermined direction of expansion and contraction, each of the at least two first fingers having first and second sides extending below the general lower surface of the first web and disposed in parallel with the predetermined direction of expansion and contraction, at least one first channel extending below the general lower surface of the first web, the first channel extending between the at least two spaced-apart first fingers;a second inner margin of the second expansion body opposed to the second outer edge surface, at least one second finger extending below the general lower surface of the second web and extending beyond the second inner margin in a second direction opposite the first direction and in alignment with the predetermined direction of expansion and contraction, each of the at least two second fingers having first and second sides extending below the general lower surface of the second web and disposed in parallel with the predetermined direction of expansion and contraction, the said at least one second finger positioned to be slidably received by the first channel defined by the first fingers, at least two second channels extending below the general lower surface of the second web, said at least two second channels spaced apart from each other by said at least one second finger, said at least two first fingers positioned to be respectively slidably received by ones of the second channels; andeach of the first and second fingers having a general upper finger surface, the general upper finger surface being displaced downwardly from the general upper surface of the respective web;wherein each of the first and second fingers has a length in the predetermined direction of expansion and contraction and a width perpendicular to the predetermined direction of expansion and contraction, the length of each of the first and second fingers being equal, the width of each of the first and second fingers being equal. 28. The expansion joint of claim 27, further including a leading edge of at least the second finger and an upstanding post disposed on the general upper finger surface of at least the second finger, the upstanding post disposed near the leading edge, a groove disposed in the channel in alignment with the predetermined direction of expansion and contraction, the groove formed in the general lower surface of the first web and sized and sited so as to slidably receive the upstanding post. 29. The expansion joint of claim 28, wherein the groove has a near end outwardly displaced from the first inner margin. 30. The expansion joint of claim 27, further including, for each first and second side of each of the first and second fingers, a respective rib downwardly depending from the first general lower surface of the respective web, the last said rib being in alignment with a respective one of the last said first and second sides and extending outwardly therefrom, each channel formed between a rib aligned with a first side of a finger and a rib aligned with second side of a finger. 31. The expansion joint of claim 30, wherein each of the plurality of ribs has a general lower surface, a general lower finger surface disposed on each of the first and second fingers, the general lower finger surface being co-planar with the general lower rib surface. 32. The expansion joint of claim 27, wherein the first and second inner margins are at an acute angle relative to the horizontal. 33. The expansion joint of claim 27, wherein the first and second inner margins are curved in a vertical direction. 34. The expansion joint of claim 27, wherein the first connector of the first expansion body is a latch and the second connector of the second body is a loop, the latch adapted to be received into a loop of the first one of the modular floor tiles, the loop adapted to receive a latch of the second one of the modular floor tiles. 35. The expansion joint of claim 27, wherein the width of the channels on each of the first and second expansion bodies is constant. 36. The expansion joint of claim 35, wherein the width of the fingers is slightly less than the width of the channels. 37. The expansion joint of claim 27, wherein a plurality of support members downwardly depend from the first general lower surface, the plurality of support members being disposed near the first outer edge surface. 38. The expansion joint of claim 27, wherein a plurality of support members downwardly depend from the second general lower surface, the plurality of support members being disposed near the second outer edge surface. 39. The expansion joint of claim 38, wherein each finger has a length in the predetermined direction of expansion and contraction and each support member has a width in the direction of expansion and contraction, a width in the last said direction of the respective expansion body being greater than the sum of the general finger length and the support member width.