Interlocking Rubber Tiles with Segmented Connectors for Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional protective padding and rubber tiles for recreational areas are ineffective on uneven surfaces, prone to separation, curling, and peeling, and do not securely interlock, leading to safety issues and injuries, especially on rooftops where wind uplift is a concern.
Innovation Solution
The development of interlocking rubber tiles with male and female connectors, wedge-shaped slots and projections, and adhesive reservoirs that allow for secure locking and excess glue removal, preventing separation and curling, and providing a stable, non-slip surface.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If conventional non-interlocking rubber tiles are used, then the tiles are simple to manufacture and install, but the tiles separate, curl, and peel at edges due to temperature fluctuations and use, creating an uneven surface that may cause injury
Solution Approach 1:
The tile is divided into multiple segments including a main body, male connectors, female receptacles, and elongated projections with slots. This segmentation allows each component to perform a specific function: male connectors and female receptacles provide interlocking capability, while elongated projections with slots prevent curling at edges. The segmented design resolves the contradiction by creating a stable composite structure from simpler individual elements.
Solution Approach 2:
The elongated slots are positioned to receive the elongated projections of adjacent tiles, creating a nested interlocking system. The projections fit within the slots like nested elements, providing mechanical interlocking that prevents separation and curling. This nesting principle allows the tile assembly to achieve high stability through the integration of multiple interlocking components.
2Area of stationary object
If conventional tiles are tightly arranged with little or no gap between adjacent tiles, then the surface coverage is maximized, but the projections may be sheared off or damaged when applying downward force to cause interlocking
Solution Approach 1:
The elongated slots are pre-positioned on the tile edges before installation, aligned with the corresponding projections of adjacent tiles. This preliminary positioning ensures that when tiles are pressed together during installation, the projections naturally engage with the pre-aligned slots without requiring excessive force. The pre-aligned configuration prevents shear damage while achieving tight surface coverage.
3Area of stationary object
If closed cell foam pads are placed on loose gravel or rocks, then the pads can cover the ground surface, but the pads are not secured and may cause further personal injury from movement of the protective covering
Solution Approach 1:
The protective surface is segmented into multiple interlocking tiles rather than using a single continuous foam pad. Each tile is a discrete unit with interlocking features that allow individual tiles to be stable on loose gravel while collectively providing continuous ground coverage. The modular segmented design prevents the instability issues of large continuous pads.
Solution Approach 2:
The bottom surface of each tile includes a recessed portion that can adapt to uneven ground surfaces like gravel or rocks. This recessed curvature allows the tile to conform to the underlying terrain while maintaining stability, preventing the pad from shifting or moving on loose surfaces.
4Ease of manufacture
If conventional closed cell foam pads are used on uneven surfaces, then the pads can be placed over the surface, but the pads take the shape of the underlying surface, creating an uneven activity area that may provoke falls from tripping
Solution Approach 1:
The protective surface is divided into multiple rigid tiles with flat top surfaces rather than a single flexible foam pad. Each tile maintains its own flat shape independent of the underlying surface, and the collective assembly of multiple flat tiles creates a uniformly flat walking surface even when installed over uneven ground. The recessed bottom portions of individual tiles adapt to terrain while the top surfaces remain uniformly flat.
Data Source
AI summary
A tile for covering an area which interlocks with an adjacent tile includes a main body having a top surface and a bottom surface disposed opposite the top surface. The main body has at least a first lateral side and a second lateral side. The tile includes a plurality of spaced apart male connectors situated on the first lateral side, and a plurality of spaced apart female receptacles situated on the second lateral side. The tile further includes a plurality of spaced apart wedge-shaped projections and a plurality of spaced apart complementary-shaped slots. Each slot is situated on either the first lateral side or the second lateral side of the main body in between either adjacent male connectors or adjacent female receptacles. Similarly, each projection is situated either on the first lateral side or the second lateral side of the main body in between either adjacent female receptacles or adjacent male connectors. The male connectors of the tile are engageable with female receptacles of an adjacent tile so that the tile may interlock with the adjacent tile. Also, the projections of the tile are receivable by slots of the adjacent tile to help prevent the tiles from curling, separating and/or peeling.