AU2007100042A4 - Demountable floor tile - Google Patents

Description

DEMOUNTABLE FLOOR TILE This invention relates to a demountable floor tile and relates particularly but not exclusively to one which can be used to interlock with identical floor tiles and be used to protect ground surfaces such as grassed sporting grounds, internal floors in buildings, and the like.

Hitherto demountable floor tiles have been used to temporally protect ground/floor surface during the holding of special events, such as music concerts, exhibitions, and the like. After the event the floor tiles can be demounted from each other and the ground/ floor returned to its former status. Rectangular floor tiles are known, as are other shaped floor tiles. In the case of rectangular shaped floor tiles, the known tiles have poor structural torsional rigidity which means that the tiles as a group when laid on a floor tend to twist with respect to each other and then the whole floor assembly of interlocked tiles buckles and this looks unsightly and can result in a potential uneven flat floor surface and can give rise to the possibility of persons tripping when walking on the tiled floor surface.

There is a need for an improved floor tile.

In our invention there is provided a rectangular shaped plastics material demountable floor tile which has a tongue extending along one side and a complementary tongue receiving channel extending along the opposite side for receipt of the tongue of an adjacent floor tile and for permitting interlocking of the adjacent tile, the floor tread surface of the tile between the tongue and the channel being provided by a two rows of rectangular upstanding block parts each separated by a central longitudinally extending channel and each separated from the respective adjacent tongue or channel by respective longitudinally extending side channels, there being laterally extending strengthening flanges extending between a wall defining the tongue channel, said flanges being greater in number than two, and there being laterally strengthening further flanges extending in the channel between the two block parts, said further flanges being greater in number than two.

Most preferably the height of the flanges and the strengthening flanges is greater than of the depth of the channels.

The attached figures shown one preferred example of our invention.

Here there is provided a demountable floor tile 1 made from a suitable plastics material and made by an injection moulding process. The tile 1 has an upper tread surface 2 and an under surface 3. The tile has a rectangular footprint. A longitudinally extending tongue 4 extends along one side edge of the tile and a complementary longitudinally extending tongue receiving channel 5 extends along the opposite side.

The tread surface 2 is formed by two rows of upstanding block parts 6 and there are longitudinally extending side channels 7 and 8, which separate the tongue 4 and the tongue receiving channel 5 from the block parts 6. A central longitudinally extending channel 9 separates the two rows of the block parts 6. Strengthening flanges 10 extend laterally across the side channels 7 and 8, and further strengthening flanges 11 extend across the central channel 9. In the known tiles these flanges 10 and 11 were only two in number in each channel and their height was less the 50 of the depth of the channels 7, 8 and 9. Accordingly, in the known tiles, poor torsional rigidity resulted.

In the tile of our invention we have increased the number of flanges 9 and 10. As can be seen we now have 6 strengthening flanges in each of the channels 7, 8 and 9. On the under surface of the tile we have included 2 central strengthening flanges 12 in each of the under surface areas 13 of the block parts 6. These were not provided in the known tiles, and these new flanges 12 also assist in providing enhanced torsional rigidity to the tile 1.

In addition the known tile has poor airflow from the under surface 3 because the ventilation openings 14 are only about 50% less than the opening area now provided.

This is important for grassed areas to maintain good airflow to prevent damage to the grass, and to control the temperature under the tiles particularly in outdoor environments were the tiles may be subjected to prolonged exposure to the sun and give rise to elevated temperatures under the tiles.

We have found that by providing the greater opening areas in the openings 14 and by providing the additional strengthening flanges 10, 11 and 12 that a superior tile is provided and there is greater torsional strength than the known tile.

Claims (4)

1. A rectangular shaped plastics material demountable floor tile which has a tongue extending along one side and a complementary tongue receiving channel extending along the opposite side for receipt of the tongue of an adjacent floor tile and for permitting interlocking of the adjacent tile, the floor tread surface of the tile between the tongue and the channel being provided by a two rows of rectangular upstanding block parts each separated by a central longitudinally extending channel and each separated from the respective adjacent tongue or channel by respective longitudinally extending side channels, there being laterally extending strengthening flanges extending between a wall defining the tongue channel, said flanges being greater in number than two, and there being laterally strengthening further flanges extending in the channel between the two block parts, said further flanges being greater in number than two.

2. A tile as claimed in claim 1 wherein the height of the flanges and the strengthening flanges is greater than 50% of the depth of the channels.

3. A tile as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein under each of the central longitudinal parts of the block parts there are two strengthening flanges.

4. A tile substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.