Anchor sheet and anchor sheet module

Abstract

This application discloses a relatively thin flexible anchor sheet for instalation under carpets or other decorative coverings and a covering module composed of a pre-attached decorative covering and anchor sheet which can be assembled by overlapping hook and loop attachment to an additional covering module to create a complete floor covering of carpet, tile, stone or other material and without substantial attachment to a floor.

Description

RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application is a continuation of prior U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09 / 617,229, filed Jul. 14, 2002, U.S. Pat. No. 6,460,303 having an issue date of Oct. 8, 2002, which application is a continuation of prior international patent application No. PCT / CA 99 / 00015, filed Jan. 11, 1999, which is a continuation-in-part application of prior co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09 / 008,565, filed Jan. 16, 1998, which issued as U.S. Pat. No. 6,298,624 on Oct. 9, 2001, which application is a continuation-in-part application of prior co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08 / 1850,726, filed May 2, 1997, which issued as U.S. Pat. No. 6,306,477 on Oct. 23. 2001, which application is a continuation-in-part application of prior U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08 / 684,004, filed Jul. 19, 1996, now abandoned, the specifications of all of which prior applications are incorporated herein by reference.INTRODUCTION TO THE INVENTION [0002] This invention co...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0009] As previously mentioned, there are advantages to allow the carpet or other decorative covering to be attached to an underlying undersurface at only a few discrete attachment points or even in some cases not attached at all so as to be easily removable. Attachment to the underlying substrate at discrete attachment points provides for minimal damage to the underlying substrate, ease of removal from the substrate and ease of installation. However, a product, method and system is needed to convert these individual attachment points to structurally integrated attachment across the undersurface of a carpet or other decorative covering to enable overlaying carpet or other decorative covering to be engineered to maintain atmospheric stability, flatness and horizontal plane stability when stressed with forces produced by human traffic, rolling vehicles, moving furniture or moisture or temperature changes.

[0010] In addition, the system provides that the pieces of carpet or other decorative covering such as hardwood, ceramics or stone can be integrated together by use of the underlying detachable anchor sheet. Then individual modules can be made consisting of a decorative covering and an anchor sheet attached together in advance of installation at a remote site. Such modules can be easily removed and re-attached as required for repair or replacement or for design reasons. In addition such individual modules can be locked together by overlapping the anchor sheet or decorative covering of adjacent modules so as to give the complete structure sufficient mass and stability to minimize or remove the need for attachment to the substrate.

[0013] By providing an anchor sheet preferably in the form of one or a multiple of relatively thin flexible relatively rigid sheets, integrity can be given to covering materials, such as flexible carpets which can be pre-assembled or assembled on site onto the surface of the sheet by the use of a complementary hook on the upper surface of the flexible sheet matching a complementary loop on the undersurface of the carpet or carpet pieces. The sheet can then be installed onto an underlying substrate such as concrete or wood at only a discrete number of points. The anchor sheet enables the installation of decorative covering even onto stone or tile, without significant destruction of the stone or tile floor. It also enables decorative patterns to be preassembled at a factory or other location or to be assembled on she by cutting and fitting different colours or pieces of decorative covering together on the anchor sheet to form decorative patterns. Such a system is suitable for either area rugs or wall-to-wall covering and in certain types of wall-to-wall and area rugs, or even tile, it may not be necessary to attach the anchor sheet to the underlying substrate at all. If the carpet is cut to fit the walls or boundaries of a room the anchor sheet may give sufficient integrity to the carpet to allow it to simply sit in the location under constraint of the perimeter walls or other boundaries or if enough furniture, for example, was placed on top. It should be emphasized that the anchor sheet, however, is not structural support in the conventional sense as disclosed for example, in the anchor board of Pacione 5,060,443 since it does not support the floor or wall on which a is placed. It is a vehicle for stabilizing the carpet or other decorative covering which is overlaid and for tying individual pieces of carpet or decorative covering together with each other but not necessarily to the floor. Normally in fact the anchor sheet maintains a certain level of flexibility to enable the anchor sheet to “ride” over imperfections in the floor.

[0020] In another aspect the invention consists of an anchor sheet or sheets and pieces of covering in an overlapping staggered relationship to form a contiguous floor covering having sufficient rigidity, atmospheric stability, horizontal plane stability (shear force stability) and flexibility so that in general use such floor covering may not require attachment to the underlying foor. Attachment may be required for a small area rug over a slick marble floor or at a ramp or stairs or where the end use involves heavy traffic or where an area rug might be installed within an anchor sheet framework where such rug may be inserted into the framework and attached to the anchor sheet at only the perimeter or not at all.

[0025] Covering modules of an unlimited variety of shapes and sizes can be constructed and decorative patterns may be assembled on site by combining different colours or patterns of the same type of decorative covering, such as alternating between units of red and blue carpet or by combining different types of decorative covering such as carpet and hardwood in a hotel, restaurant or ballroom setting or carpet, hardwood, ceramic or stone in a home setting. In general use, such contiguous covering could have sufficient rigidity and mass so as not to require attachment to the underlying surface. In some cases, attachment of the anchor sheet at discrete points may be required as for example, when the surface to be covered is a wall, but such attachment is merely to hold the unit in place not to provide stability to the structure.

Problems solved by technology

Of course, adjustment or replacement of such carpet can be difficult in the sense that previously applied glue might be required to be stripped from the flooring and new glue applied.

In addition, such glues often contain volatile organic components that are banned in some places or are required to be ventilated, in other places.

However, stretching is a labour intensive art which makes installing wall-to-wall carpet by this method relatively expensive.

This approach also avoids the use of volatile organics, but some difficulties can arise in installing tackless strips to concrete.

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