Border, edge or pattern carpet tile design, manufacture and installation

Abstract

Design and manufacture of tufted articles, carpet tile webs and carpet tiles, and installation of carpet tiles, having different color, pile height, pile texture or other characteristics that, together with similar other such tiles, may be installed to create borders, edges or other multiple-tile designs, usually without any of the tiles looking out of place or improperly oriented relative to nap or the direction the tile is “facing.”

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED 32 33 pattern. Similarly, all of the tiles cut from a web made according to the FIG. 34 pattern may look like the regions 136 and 138 of the FIG. 33 web pattern.

FIGS. 28-31 depict the appearance of carpet tile installations utilizing the three types of tiles 170, 172 and 174 produced from the three FIGS. 32, 33 and 34 web patterns, respectively. These tiles can be used to define separate regions on a floor with great flexibility. As can be seen in these FIGS. 28-31, the 170, 172 and 174 tiles can be used to create visually separate floor areas that are generally relatively rectilinear in overall shape (e.g., FIG. 28) or other areas having a generally curving shape (e.g., FIG. 29).

While other approaches are possible, carpet tiles in accordance with this invention can be produced as described above in which tiles having visually more complex images may be produced with relatively tall loops of yarn, and tiles having visually less complex images can be produced with relatively short or “low” loops of yarn. This causes the yarn depth in the more visually complex areas, as a general proposition, to have taller pile than the pile height in the visually less complex areas.

As a result, the different regions of the assemblies 50, 56, 64 and 72 may not only look different but may also feel and or sound different under foot, thereby providing further “definition” for the different regions of the assemblies.

In yet another alternative embodiment, carpet tiles in accordance with this invention can be produced as described above in which tiles can be produced with relatively tall loops of yarn and a particular pattern or no pattern, and tiles can be produced with relatively short or “low” loops of yarn in the same pattern as the taller loop pattern or with no pattern. This results in carpet times with differing pile heights that may feel or sound different underfoot while being visually alike.

Carpet tile assemblies of this invention having intended paths or corroders that feel different underfoot can provide subtle but effective guidance to the visually impaired that is visually attractive and practical in accommodating wear and soiling.

Where lower height pile areas coincide with or define higher traffic areas of a carpet tile installation in accordance with the present invention, those lower pile height areas may appear to wear less rapidly than would higher pile areas. Furthermore, because the different areas of some of the carpet tile assemblies in accordance with this invention look different by design and before wear or soiling has begun, wear and soiling during use can be less noticeable if it occurs in areas of the assembly that intentionally look different from the lower traffic areas.

Different arrangements of the components depicted in the drawings or described above, as well as components and steps not shown or described are possible. Similarly, some features and subcombinations are useful and may be employed without reference to other features and subcombinations. Embodiments of the invention have been described for illustrative and not restrictive purposes, and alternative embodiments will become apparent to readers of this patent. Accordingly, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above or depicted in the drawings, and various embodiments and modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the claims below.

Claims

1. A tufted article, comprising:

a primary backing,

yarns tufted into the primary backing to form tufts that protrude from at least one side of the primary backing, wherein:

(a) in at least a first area of a first portion of the article, tufts of a first yarn color having a maximum tuft height are present,

(b) in at least a second area of the first portion of the article, tufts of a second yarn color having a maximum tuft height are present, and

(c) in at least a third area of the first portion of the article interposed between the first area and second area, progressing from the first area to the second area intermediate tufts of the first yarn color are progressively shorter and intermediate tufts of the second yarn color are progressively taller and wherein intermediate tufts of the first yarn color alternate with intermediate tufts of the second yarn color across at least a portion of the third area.

2. The tufted article of claim 1, further comprising tufts of multiple heights of at least a third color yarn in the first portion of the article.

3. The tufted article of claim 2, further comprising tufts of multiple heights of at least a fourth color yarn in the first portion of the article.

4. The tufted article of claim 1, wherein the article is a carpet tile.

5. An installation of a plurality of the carpet tiles of claim 4.

6. The installation of claim 5, wherein each of the plurality of carpet tiles comprises a pattern and wherein at least some of the carpet tile patterns in the installation are identical.

7. The installation of claim 6, wherein at least two of the carpet tiles with identical patterns are installed in the installation in different rotational orientations.

8. The installation of claim 5, wherein at least some of the plurality of carpet tiles are installed in the installation in different rotational orientations.

9. The tufted article of claim 1, wherein, in a second portion of the article:

(a) only tufts of the first yarn color are visible adjacent one side of an imaginary boundary line, and

(b) only tufts of a second yarn color are visible adjacent the other side of the imaginary boundary line, thereby creating at the imaginary boundary line a discernible demarcation between tufts of the first and second yarn colors.

10. The tufted article of claim 9, wherein the article is a carpet tile.

11. An installation of a plurality of the carpet tiles of claim 10.

12. The installation of claim 11, wherein at least some of the plurality of carpet tiles are installed in the installation in different rotational orientations.

13. The tufted article of claim 1, wherein:

i. tufts of the first yarn color progress from the maximum tuft height in the first area to a minimum tuft height in the second area through a progression of at least three different tuft heights, and

ii. tufts of the second yarn color progress from a minimum tuft height in the first area to the maximum height in the second area through a progression of at least three different tuft heights.

14. A tufted carpet tile having a pattern and comprising:

a. a primary backing,

b. first and second yarns tufted into the primary backing to form tufts that protrude from a side of the primary backing, wherein the tufts have a tuft height and wherein:

i. the first and second yarns are different in appearance with respect to at least one characteristic;

ii. a first area of the carpet tile comprises tufts of the first yarns, wherein tufts of the first yarns in the first area comprise a maximum tuft height;

iii. a second area of the carpet tile comprises tufts of the second yarns, wherein tufts of the second yarns in the second area comprise a maximum height; and

iv. an intermediate area extends between the first and second areas and comprises tufts of the first and second yarns, wherein the tuft height of the first yarns progressively decreases in the intermediate area from the first area toward the second area and wherein the tuft height of the second yarns progressively increases in the intermediate area from the first area toward the second area and wherein tufts of the first yarn alternate with tufts of the second yarn across at least a portion of the intermediate area.

15. The tufted carpet tile of claim 14, wherein the at least one characteristic is color.

16. The tufted carpet tile of claim 14, wherein the at least one characteristic is texture.

17. The tufted carpet tile of claim 14, wherein the first area comprises no second yarns.

18. The tufted carpet tile of claim 14, wherein the first area comprises second yarns having a minimum tuft height less than the maximum tuft height of the first yarns in the first area.

19. The tufted carpet tile of claim 18, wherein the second yarns in the first area are not visible in the pattern.

20. The tufted carpet tile of claim 14, wherein the second area comprises no first yarns.

21. The tufted carpet tile of claim 14, wherein the second area comprises first yarns having a minimum tuft height less than the maximum tuft height of the second yarns in the second area.

22. The tufted carpet tile of claim 21, wherein the first yarns in the second area are not visible in the pattern.

23. The tufted carpet tile of claim 14, wherein:

i. tufts of the first yarn progress from the maximum tuft height in the first area to a minimum tuft height in the second area through a progression of at least three different tuft heights; and

ii. tufts of the second yarn progress from a minimum tuft height in the first area to the maximum height in the second area through a progression of at least three different tuft heights.

24. An installation of a plurality of the tufted carpet tiles of claim 14.

25. The installation of claim 24, wherein at least some of the carpet tile patterns in the installation are identical.

26. The installation of claim 25, wherein at least two of the carpet tiles with identical patterns are installed in the installation in different rotational orientations.

27. The installation of claim 24, wherein at least some of the plurality of carpet tiles are installed in the installation in different rotation orientations.

28. The tufted carpet tile of claim 14, wherein, in a third area of the carpet tile:

(d) only tufts of the first yarn are visible adjacent one side of an imaginary boundary line, and

(e) only tufts of the second yarn are visible adjacent the other side of the imaginary boundary line,

29. An installation of a plurality of the tufted carpet tiles of claim 28.

30. The installation of claim 29, wherein each of the plurality of carpet tiles comprises a pattern and wherein at least some of the carpet tile patterns in the installation are identical.

31. The installation of claim 30, wherein at least two of the carpet tiles with identical patterns are installed in the installation in different rotational orientations.

32. A method of making a collection of carpet tiles, each tile comprising a tile face and a first edge having a length, a second edge having a length, a third edge having a length, and a fourth edge having a length, wherein the first and third edges of each tile oppose each other and wherein the second and fourth edges of each tile oppose each other, the method comprising:

tufting a plurality of carpet webs such that each of the plurality of carpet webs bears at least one of a first visual field or a second visual field different from the first visual field; and

cutting the plurality of carpet webs into the collection of carpet tiles comprising:

a. a plurality of first carpet tiles, wherein the tile face of each of the plurality of first carpet tiles comprises a portion of the first visual field extending continuously across the entirety of the tile face of the first carpet tile; and

b. a plurality of second carpet tiles, wherein the tile face of each of the second carpet tiles comprises:

i. a first portion that comprises a portion of the first visual field, wherein the first portion of the tile face extends along at least a portion of the length of the first edge of the second carpet tile but does not extend along a portion of the length of the third edge of the second carpet tile; and

ii. a second portion that comprises a portion of the second visual field that extends along at least a portion of the length of the third edge of the second carpet tile but does not extend along a portion of the length of the first edge of the second carpet tile; and

iii. a third portion interposed between the first portion and the second portion so as to extend (a) along a portion of the length of the second edge and the fourth edge of the second carpet tile, (b) continuously between the second and fourth edges of the second carpet tile, and (c) such that at least some of the third portion extends between the second and fourth edges to distance from both the first edge and the third edge of the second carpet tile, wherein the third portion comprises a non-linear transition from the first visual field to the second visual field in a direction from the first portion towards the second portion such that portions of the first visual field and the second visual field are present within the third portion.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein the first portion of the tile face of each of the second carpet tiles extends along the entire length of the first edge of the second carpet tile and along only a portion of the length of the second and fourth edges of the second carpet tile.

34. The method of claim 32, wherein the second portion of the tile face of each of the second carpet tiles extends along the entire length of the third edge of the second carpet tile and along only a portion of the length of the second and fourth edges of the second carpet tile.

35. The method of claim 32, wherein cutting the plurality of carpet webs into the collection of carpet tiles further comprises cutting the plurality of carpet webs into the collection of carpet tiles further comprising a plurality of third carpet tiles, wherein the tile face of each of the third carpet tiles comprises a portion of the second visual field formed via tufting and extending continuously across the entirety of the tile face of the third carpet tile.

36. An installation of the collection of carpet tiles made pursuant to the method of claim 32, the first and second carpet tiles of the collection of carpet tiles positioned on a floor adjacent and abutting such that:

at least some of the first carpet tiles abut either the first, second, or fourth edge of adjacent second carpet tiles; and

at least some of the second carpet tiles abut each other.

37. The installation of claim 36, wherein the second or fourth edges of the at least some of the abutting second carpet tiles abut such that the first portions of the abutting second carpet tiles are adjacent, the second portions of the abutting second carpet tiles are adjacent and the third portions of the abutting second carpet tiles are adjacent.

38. The installation of claim 36, wherein the plurality of first carpet tiles and the plurality of second carpet tiles comprise a rotational orientation when cut from the plurality of carpet webs and wherein the rotational orientations of at least some of the abutting carpet tiles in the installation are not aligned.

39. The installation of claim 36, wherein the at least some first carpet tiles abut at least one other first carpet tile.

40. The installation of claim 36, wherein other of the first carpet tiles abut only other first carpet tiles.

41. The installation of claim 36, wherein the at least some first carpet tiles abut the first edge of an adjacent second carpet tile.

42. An installation of the collection of carpet tiles formed by the method of claim 35, the plurality of the first carpet tiles, the plurality of the second carpet tiles, and the plurality of the third carpet tiles positioned on a floor adjacent and abutting such that:

at least some of the first carpet tiles abut either the first, second, or fourth edge of an adjacent second carpet tile;

at least some second carpet tiles abut each other; and

at least some of the third carpet tiles abut either the second, third, or fourth edge of an adjacent second carpet tile.

43. The installation of claim 42, wherein the second or fourth edges of the abutting second carpet tiles abut such that the first portions of the abutting second carpet tiles are adjacent, the second portions of the abutting second carpet tiles are adjacent, and the third portions of the abutting second carpet tiles are adjacent.

44. The installation of claim 42, wherein the plurality of first carpet tiles, the plurality of second carpet tiles, and the plurality of third carpet tiles comprise a rotational orientation when cut from the plurality of carpet webs and wherein the rotational orientations of at least some of the abutting carpet tiles in the installation are not aligned.

45. The installation of claim 42, wherein the at least some of the first carpet tiles abut at least one other first carpet tile.

46. The installation of claim 42, wherein the at least some of the third carpet tiles abut at least one other third carpet tile.

47. The installation of claim 42, wherein no first carpet tile is adjacent a third carpet tile in the installation.

48. The installation of claim 42, wherein other of the first carpet tiles abut only other first carpet tiles and wherein other of the third carpet tiles abut only other third carpet tiles.

49. The installation of claim 43, wherein:

the at least some first carpet tiles abut the first edge of the adjacent second carpet tile; and

the at least some third carpet tiles abut the third edge of the adjacent second carpet tile.

50. A method of installing on a flooring surface the collection of carpet tiles made pursuant to the method of claim 32, wherein the plurality of first carpet tiles and the plurality of second carpet tiles comprise a rotational orientation when cut from the plurality of carpet webs, the method comprising positioning the plurality of second carpet tiles on the flooring surface such that some of the plurality of second carpet tiles abut at least one of a first carpet tile or another of the plurality of second carpet tiles, wherein the rotational Orientations of at least some of the abutting carpet tiles are different.

51. The method of claim 50, wherein the method comprises positioning the plurality of second carpet tiles on the flooring surface such that some of the plurality of second carpet tiles abut other of the plurality of second carpet tiles such that the first portions of the abutting second carpet tiles are adjacent, the second portions of the abutting second carpet tiles are adjacent, and the third portions of the abutting second carpet tiles are adjacent.