CZ20002623A3 - Anchor plate and anchor plate module - Google Patents

Abstract

A thin, flexible anchor plate (1, 3) for installation under carpets (15) or other decorative coverings and a covering module consisting of a pre-attached carpet (15) or decorative covering and an anchor plate (1, 3), which can be assembled by attaching a hook (7) and eye (18) to another covering module to create a complete floor covering with carpet, tiles, stone or other material, practically without attachment to the floor.

Description

Anchor plate and anchor plate module

Technical field

The present invention relates to a relatively thin, flexible but relatively rigid anchor sheet for use under carpets or other decorative coverings. When installed in practice, the anchor sheet acts to tie the decorative covering together as a functional unit and to add mass and stability to such a unit, particularly a unit having a flexible decorative covering such as a carpet. The anchor sheet may be substantially covered on one side with hooks for anchoring the decorative covering together by engaging complementary loops on the underside of the covering. The anchor sheet itself may be attached to a supporting material such as a floor or wall, or may be free-standing on the floor, where the sheet, with or without the covering, has sufficient weight or is positioned to prevent movement. The anchor sheet may be supplied as a small or large module with the decorative covering pre-attached, as will be explained later. It is also possible to supply the anchor plate as a smaller modular unit which can be made to form a continuous unit using an overlapping non-decorative material such as hook tape, or using modular anchor plates or cover units to form a larger unit, as will be explained later.

State of the art

It is common to attach decorative flexible coverings, such as carpets, to a rigid underlying base material, such as a floor made of wood or concrete. It is often desirable or even necessary to attach a carpet to the floor it covers, and a number of attachment methods have been developed over the years.

The carpet can stick directly to the floor. Frequent access • · ftftftft • ftftft

used in basic installation is where the subfloor is concrete and a liquid adhesive is applied over the entire concrete surface to be covered. This approach has the advantage that the carpet cannot wrinkle as long as the adhesive bond formed between the carpet and the floor remains intact. Of course, leveling or repositioning such a carpet can be difficult in that it may be necessary to remove the previously applied adhesive from the floor and apply new adhesive. Furthermore, such adhesives often contain volatile organic compounds which are prohibited in some places or are required to be vented in some places.

Another approach taken when installing wall-to-wall carpet involves the use of tack strips, which are wooden strips that have angle brackets driven up through them. These strips are secured around the perimeter of the area to be covered, often by nailing them into the wood floor, and the carpet is stretched over the brackets. This approach has the advantage that the carpet can be re-stretched to remove any wrinkles that have developed, and the carpet and backing pad, which are not permanently bonded to the floor, can be removed without damage. However, stretching is a labor-intensive technique that makes installing wall-to-wall carpet by this method relatively expensive. This approach also avoids the use of volatile organic compounds, but some difficulties may arise when installing tack strips on concrete.

More recent approaches involving the use of Velcro-type fasteners have been described in the patent literature, e.g., Germany, 7,029,524 (August 8, 1970, Velcro, France); US 3,574,019 (April 6, 1971, Girard); UK 1,546,901 (May 31, 1979, Allied Chemical Corporation); US 4,822,658 (April 18, 1989, Pacione); US 5,191,692 (March 9, 1993, Pacione); US 5,382,462 (January 17, 1995, Pacione) and US 5,479,755 (January 2, 1996, Pacione).

- 3 US '658 by the same inventor describes a wall-to-wall installation in which hook strips are attached with pressure-sensitive adhesive around the perimeter of a room and at the carpet joints. The carpet, which has eyelets on its underside, is cut to fit the room and the eyelets engage the hook strip. US '692 describes a method of joining the seams of a carpet, such as the carpet described in US '658. Both of these patent specifications also disclose the advantages to be gained from the use of a coating for the hook strip, the primary advantage being that such a coating prevents premature engagement of the hooks and eyes and thus permits proper positioning and alignment of the carpet without the need to release the premature engagement of the hooks and eyes during installation. This known approach provides the advantages of installing strips around the perimeter and joints of a carpeted area, in particular that the carpet can be lifted without being damaged, and avoids the use of mixtures containing volatile adhesives.

Sacred to carpet and other decorative coverings would be a system that, when laid, would have such weight and stability that it would require little or no attachment to the underlying material, and that could be installed over existing underlying materials without the need to remove the existing covering. However, for transportation on trucks and for physical adaptation on site, such a system must either provide sufficient flexibility to be collapsible, or if rigid, some means of assembling the modules to form a continuous unit on site with sufficient mass and stability to provide a separable attachment, especially when used with existing floors or floor surfaces to be covered.

stays in place with or even without treats with various minimal attachments,

The essence of the invention

As previously mentioned, there are advantages to allowing a carpet or other decorative covering to be attached to the underlying subsurface at only a few discrete attachment points, or in some cases, not at all, so that it is easily removable. Attachment to the subsurface at discrete attachment points provides minimal damage to the subsurface, facilitates removal from the subsurface, and facilitates installation. However, a product, method, and system are needed to transform these discrete attachment points into a structurally integrated attachment over the entire subsurface of the carpet or decorative covering to allow for a carpet or other decorative covering that is designed to provide atmospheric stability, flatness, and planar horizontal stability when the subsurface is subjected to forces created by human movement, cart movement, furniture movement, or changes in humidity or temperature.

Moreover, such a system ensures that pieces of carpet or other decorative covering such as hardwood, ceramic or stone can be incorporated at the same time using an underlying removable anchor plate. Individual modules consisting of a decorative covering and an anchor plate attached to each other can then be fabricated in advance before installation in a remote location. Such modules can be easily removed and reattached as required for repairs or replacement or for decorative purposes. Furthermore, such individual modules can be interlocked by overlapping the anchor plate or decorative covering of adjacent modules, thus giving the complete structure sufficient weight and stability and minimizing or eliminating the need for attachment to the underlying material.

Additionally, the anchor plate can be installed on the floor separately using individual anchor plate modules to create a complete anchor plate underlayment • · φφφφ

covered with hooks prepared to accept overlapping decorative pieces provided with eyelets.

The present invention, in one aspect, features an anchor sheet, preferably made of plastic or other polymer, for removably attaching a decorative covering, such as carpet, ceramic, tile, hardwood, marble, or wall covering, to an underlying rigid supporting substrate material, such as a floor or wall surface.

By providing an anchor sheet, preferably in the form of one or multiple relatively thin, flexible, relatively stiff sheets, integrity can be given to covering materials such as flexible carpets, which can be assembled in advance or in situ on the surface of the sheet using complementary hooks on the upper surface of the flexible sheet matching complementary eyelets on the lower surface of the carpet or carpet pieces. The sheet can then be installed on a base material such as concrete or wood in only a few points. This anchor sheet allows the installation of decorative covering even on stone or tiles without appreciable destruction of the stone or tile floor. It also allows decorative patterns to be assembled in advance in a factory or other location, or to be assembled on site by cutting and fitting different colors 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 coverings and for certain types of wall-to-wall carpets and area rugs or even tiles it may not be necessary to attach the anchor sheet to the backing material itself. Where the carpet is cut to fit the walls or boundaries of a room, the anchor sheet may give the carpet sufficient integrity to allow it to sit in place under the constraints of perimeter walls or other boundaries, or where, for example, a sufficient amount of furniture has been placed on the surface. It should be emphasized, however, that the anchor sheet is not a structural support in the usual sense, as is the case for example with

- 6 disclosed in the anchor plate, Pacione 5,060,443, because it does not support the floor or wall on which it is placed. It is a tool for stabilizing a carpet or other decorative covering that is laid thereon and for tying individual pieces of carpet or decorative covering to each other, but not necessarily to the floor. Normally, in fact, the anchor plate provides a certain level of flexibility, which allows the anchor plate to rest on imperfections in the floor.

Normally the anchor plate is relatively thin compared to the covering decorative coating, however in some cases, for example where there is a thin layer of marble cladding, then the anchor plate could be thicker and stiffer than the covering material and could be made of materials other than plastic, such as metal (aluminum or steel) or wood.

We have described the anchor plate as both flexible and rigid. Flexible in the sense that it can bend to a reasonable length and, under most circumstances, can even be rolled up to a radius of curvature of, say, 3 to 4 inches. Rigid in the sense that, when held at one end, it can support itself for, say, 12 to 24 inches without sagging like cloth, fabric, or ribbon.

In one aspect, the invention comprises a detachable anchor sheet for removably attaching a decorative covering, such as a carpet, to a rigid substrate, such as a floor, wherein the decorative covering has a perfect top surface and an opposing surface substantially covered with eyelets. The anchor sheet may comprise a relatively thin, flexible, relatively rigid sheet, preferably of a plastic such as polycarbonate, polyester, polyethylene or polypropylene, coated liberally with hooks on its upper surface facing the eyelet surface of the decorative covering and positioned midway between the decorative covering and the substrate. This flexible anchor sheet or sheets may be, but normally is not, of exactly the same

size as combined pieces covering the textile floor covering. Normally overlapping areas of the anchor sheet or decorative covering are used to enable the anchor sheets used in a particular location to be tied together. The anchor sheet may be larger than the area under the textile floor covering, or may be smaller in those cases where it is desired to adjust the overlying carpet to a wall or other boundary. Such anchor sheet and decorative covering shall, in combination or in combination with other flooring materials placed adjacent to or intermediate to the anchor sheet, have sufficient rigidity to support the decorative covering against the shearing of horizontal forces exerted on the textile floor covering on the floor or other substrate when such combination is laid on a rigid support material. In some cases, the anchor plate will be attached to the underlying material at a limited number of discrete points, or in some cases, it may have sufficient rigidity and mass, together with the covering, to float freely within the confines of the room, or even on its own.

In another aspect of the invention, it is therefore possible to install the anchor plates so that they touch each other and use either a hook cover of the anchor plate or an overhanging piece or an overhanging decorative covering, such as carpet, to bind the adjacent anchor plates together using complementary hook and eye technology. In some cases, the overhanging covering will overlap the joints of the anchor plates and the anchor plates will overlap the joints of the covering to bind the anchor plates and the covering together. In some cases, the anchor plates may first be manufactured to form a continuous unit using an overhanging hook strip or strip covering installed at the joints of the anchor plate using either hook and eye or pressure sensitive adhesive. This anchor plate unit may then form a base material for the installation of the decorative covering, or in some cases a frame for supporting or embedding other decorative

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It is preferred, but not required in all cases, that the decorative cover be removable from the anchor plate. In the case of smaller modules, the decorative cover would normally be installed, and perhaps even permanently installed, on the non-decorative anchor plate in advance, leaving some area of the anchor plate or decorative cover exposed for removable attachment by overlapping with adjacent modules. It is desired that this overhanging area provide a removable attachment as well as a means for preventing attachment during installation and thus allow the modules to be arranged in the correct alignment during installation. The removable attachment system is preferably a hook and loop attachment system, but could also be an adhesive which would provide multiple opening and closing while providing tackiness. In the case where hooks and eyes are used to attach the modules, the covering could be a kind of slip covering of hand-smoothed plastic that does not bond to the hooks and eyes, or a textile or paper covering of the hooks could be used not unlike the hook covering of the original Pacione '658 patent. For parquet, tile, hardwood, ceramic or other rigid decorative covering, a covering of flexible strip could be used on the overlapping surface, which is provided with a pull cord that can be pulled from under the pre-assembled covering. This entire process could be duplicated using only glue or partly glue and partly hooks and eyes.

In this way, the individual modules of the anchor plate and the individual modules of the covering are assembled into a supporting unit that can float freely on the floor or can be connected only at very few isolated points.

In another aspect, the invention consists of an anchor plate or plates and pieces of covering in an overlapping, scattered or

unbalanced relative state, so they create a continuous floor covering that has sufficient rigidity, atmospheric

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- 9 stability, horizontal plane stability (shear strength) and flexibility, so that such floor coverings may not require attachment to the underlying floor in general use. Attachment may be required for small-sized underlays on smooth marble floors or on sloping surfaces or on stairs or where the end use involves heavy traffic or where the sheet underlay could be installed in a frame of an anchoring blank, where such underlay may be inserted into the frame and attached to the anchoring plate only around the perimeter or not at all.

Another aspect of the present invention resides in anchor sheet modules connected in an overlapping, misaligned relationship to form a continuous anchor sheet covering having an upper surface substantially covered with hooks, so as to be prepared to receive pieces of covering to be attached by additional eyelets, and to bind the pieces of covering together into a rigid, weather-stable covering.

According to another aspect of the present invention, decorative modules comprising an anchor plate and a decorative cover may be pre-assembled off-site by removably attaching some of the hooks on the upper surface of the anchor plate to some of the eyes on the underside of the decorative cover, such that the decorative cover on the anchor plate extends beyond the anchor plate by a predetermined amount.

Alternatively, the decorative covering may be assembled on a first supporting anchor plate and then mounted on a second anchor plate. The pre-assembled decorative modules (or anchor plate modules) may then be taken into place and individually placed on the underlying substrate in an interlocking arrangement to allow mutual interlocking between the eyelets on the underside of the decorative covering (or on the underside of the top layer of the anchor plate module) of one unit and the hooks on the top surface of the anchor plate of the adjacent decorative module (or on the top surface of the bottom layer • · • fc

- 10 ·· fcfcfcfc • · fc fcfcfcfc fc · fc · • · anchor layer module). Each decorative module (or anchor layer module) added to the growing modular surface covering can be guided into its appropriate position by placing thin, rigid pieces of plastic over the exposed hooks of the anchor plate of the installed decorative module (or anchor plate module). After the decorative module (or anchor plate module) to be added to the installed module has been suitably aligned, the thin, rigid pieces of plastic are pulled out and away from the two modules parallel to the horizontal plane, thus allowing the adjacent module to be engaged via the hook and loop system. Thin, rigid pieces of plastic can also be used to separate the individual modules of the modular surface covering. This thin, rigid plastic is inserted between the mechanically connected portions of the hook and eye fastener of adjacent modules parallel to the horizontal plane, thereby breaking the mechanical connection and securing the hooks and eyes out of contact with each other, allowing the units to be released and removed from the module surface covering.

In another aspect, the invention consists of a covering module for transport to a surface to be coated and for attachment to other modules to form a finished decorative surface comprising at least one decorative covering having an upper decorative surface and an opposing lower surface, a non-decorative anchor plate having an upper surface, the decorative covering attached at a substantial portion of its lower surface to a non-decorative anchor plate, the anchor plate being dimensioned such that after attachment of the decorative covering to the anchor plate, an overhanging surface of the upper surface of the anchor plate is provided exposed along at least one edge of the module, said overhanging surface being provided with means for detachably attaching such a module to an adjacent module by attachment to an overhanging surface of the lower surface of the decorative covering attached to an adjacent module.

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Cover modules of unlimited shapes and sizes can be constructed, and decorative patterns can be assembled on site by combining different colors or patterns of the same type of decorative covering, such as alternating between red and blue carpet units, 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 a continuous covering would have sufficient rigidity and mass to not require attachment to an underlying surface. In some cases, attachment of the anchor plate at individual points may be required, such as when the surface to be covered is a wall, but such attachment is more to hold the unit in place than to provide stability to the structure.

As mentioned previously, the principles described for the cover modules are equally applicable to the anchor sheet modules, which may be units having an upper layer of hooks and a lower layer and which may provide an overlap between the upper and lower layers such that the anchor layer modules interlock to form a finished base layer covered in particular with hooks for receiving decorative pieces in the next step.

Overview of images in drawings

Embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 shows anchor plates of a first embodiment of the invention laid side by side on the floor with a temporary coating of hooks bridging adjacent joints to bind the plates together.

Figure 2 shows a section of the anchor plate laid on the floor with the plate covered with separate, separated pieces of hook covering A-A at the border.

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Figure 3 shows a section along line 3-3 of Figure 1 with the hook cover connecting piece.

Figure 4 shows the carpet covering laid on the anchor plate according to Figure 1.

Figure 5 shows a section taken along line 5-5 of Figure 4.

Figure 6 shows a pre-assembled carpet covering and anchor plate, which is placed on the floor in a mutually abutting and overlapping state.

Figure 7 shows a section along line 7-7 of Figure 6.

Figure 8 shows one alternative embodiment with a separate piece of carpet bridging adjacent anchor plates.

Figure 9 is a section taken along line 9-9 of Figure 8.

Figure 10 shows another arrangement of the anchor plate and the carpet with a decorative pattern.

Figure 11 shows a large-sized washer installed on an anchor plate that has a kind of edge.

Figure 12 is a section taken along line 12-12 of Figure 11.

Figure 13 is yet another embodiment of the anchor plate and overlapping decorative covering pieces that were formed from modular units.

Figure 13a is yet another embodiment of the anchor plate and pieces of overlapping decorative covering pre-assembled as individual modular units and stored in abutting and overlapping manner.

Figure 14 shows an anchor plate having a bottom surface substantially covered with hooks and an optional filler on the bottom surface of the anchor plate.

Figure 15 shows a decorative cover module having a decorative finished top surface and a bottom side substantially covered with eyelets.

Figure 16 shows one cover module of a modular surface covering having a decorative cover detachably precisely connected in an overlapping manner to an anchoring

- 13 ftft ftftft· • ft ft ft ftft • ft · • ftftft • ft · • ftftft · ftft· • ft *· • ftft · • ftft ft ftft ftft · ft ftft · •« ·* plate using hook and eye technology.

Figure 17 (which is on the same page as Figure 19) shows a section along line 17-17 of Figure 16.

Figure 18 shows two pre-assembled cover modules that are laid in abutting and overlapping condition on the substrate material.

Figure 18a shows three pre-assembled cover modules laid in an adjacent, overlapping condition on the base material and four cover modules installed.

Figure 19 shows a portion of the completed module surface coating.

Figure 20 shows a cross-section of two cover modules connected together.

Figure 21 shows another arrangement of a modular surface covering composed of cover modules of rectangular size and shape.

Figure 22 shows another arrangement of a modular surface covering representing a decorative pattern with artificial cement mortar separating carpet tiles.

Figure 23 shows a decorative pattern divider element for use in the arrangement of Figure 22.

Figure 24 shows one way in which cover modules assembled as shown in Figure 22 can be delivered on site.

Figure 25 shows another arrangement of cover modules as an alternative to the arrangement shown in Figure 22.

Figure 26 shows one arrangement of anchor plate modules connected by a hook band.

Figure 27 shows the completed anchor plate ready to receive pieces of decorative covering.

Figure 28 shows another arrangement of the anchor plate and decorative pieces during installation using a sliding cover.

Figure 29 shows the surface coating assembly on

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Φ Φ Φ Φ • Φ «Φ anchor plate of the first carrier and then on the second anchor plate for the module assembly.

Figure 30 shows a combination of wide pieces of cover layer and individual decorative pieces over the anchor plate.

Figure 31 shows the anchor layer module.

Figure 32 shows a template for assembling the cover pieces.

Figure 33 shows the completed anchor plate ready to receive decorative covering pieces using a template.

Figure 34 shows the use of a different template.

Figure 35 shows an integrated anchor plate arrangement with hardwood and carpet roll fabrics and a hardwood edge.

Examples of embodiments of the invention

ANCHOR SHEETS

Working with the drawings, Figure 1 shows a first embodiment of an anchor plate 1 having adjacent anchor plates 3 and 5. Each anchor plate is covered with plastic or fiber hooks 7, which are better seen in Figures 2 and 3 and are similar to the hooks currently used on conventional hook and eye fastening systems. Cover pieces 9, preferably of fabric, cover the hooks 7. This coating could also be a foil. This coating could be better seen in Figures 2 and

3. In order to keep the hooks 7 clean and to prevent premature attachment of the covering to be installed and lying over them, this form of anchor sheet is completely covered with some covering. Preferably there is a separate covering strip 11 of width A as shown in Figure 2 which forms a pre-cut gap 12 along the boundary of each anchor sheet in the covering of width A. While the anchor sheet may be provided in rolls as described below, in the embodiment of Figure 1 it is simply a thin sheet, for example a four foot by eight foot rectangle. This can be laid on the floor in a continuous adjacent position in the case of a wall-to-wall installation to • ·

additional anchor plates to cover the entire surface of the floor or other rigid substrate. When covered with the covers 9 and strips 11, it is possible to lay and install carpet thereon without prior attachment of hooks Ί_ and additional eyelets. Carpet constructed, for example, as disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 4,822,658 (Pacione) can be installed on this anchor plate.

However, when working on a carpeted anchor plate, it may be advantageous if the anchor plates are at least anchored to each other and optionally pre-attached at isolated points to the floor. Anchor Plates The anchor plates can be attached to each other by removing the pre-cut strips 11 of hook coverings on each piece of adjacent anchor plates, for example 1 and 3, and replacing such hook covering with a bridging piece of hook covering, for example 13, which covers the joint between adjacent anchor plates and connects them together. Strip 13 can cover the joint between several anchor plates. For example, according to Figure 1, it also covers the adjacent joint between anchor plates 8 and also 10.

Anchor plates can also be attached to the floor at individual points, such as at point 14 in Figure 1. The anchor plate can be glued, attached with a hook-and-loop strip fixed to the floor and attachable to additional eyelets on the back of the anchor plate, or attached with double-sided adhesive tape, but in most cases the simplest form of attaching the anchor plate to a rigid substrate, especially when the substrate is, for example, a wooden floor, is to attach the anchor plate at individual points using nails or tacks. In this case, it is convenient to have perforations, cuts or holes in the hook covering layer 9 to allow anchor plates such as 1, 3, 5 etc. to be nailed to the floor through the hook covering layers 9 without the head of the nail or tack attaching the hook covering layer 9 to the anchor plate 1, 3, 5 etc. permanently, so that • · · ♦ · · • · · · ·

- 16 such a sheet can be removed after the covering carpet has been cut and fitted in place to attach the covering carpet to the anchor plate. In addition, depending on the thickness and fragility of the anchor plates, it may be appropriate to have pre-drilled holes in the anchor plates.

Depending on the form of attachment of the anchor plate to the floor, if any, it may not be necessary to attach the anchor plates together using the bridging hook cover 13 during carpet installation.

Depending on where the joints of the underlayment carpet occur, it may also be possible to omit the bridging hook cover 13 attached to the anchor plates, as it will normally be sufficient to attach the carpet to the anchor plate over a large area of the underside of the hook cover 9. It is not necessary to attach the anchor plates to the underlayment floor material in every situation. An overlying carpet, not shown in Figures 1, 2 or 3, will provide additional weight and rigidity to the anchor plates, which will be solidly attached to each other by such overlying carpet. In this case, depending on the mass of the carpet and the rigidity of the anchor plates, this combination may be held in place quite solidly by being pressed into the surrounding boundaries of the walls or other perimeter of the room or area in which the anchor plate and carpet have been installed.

In some cases where the carpet area is large enough, and depending on the structure of the subfloor, it may not even be necessary to attach the underlayment to the subfloor as it may have enough weight to stay in place without significant movement on its own. This will also depend, for example, in the case of underlayment and wall-to-wall carpet, on whether furniture or other heavy objects are installed on the carpet and underlayment combination.

In some cases, adjacent anchor plates will be as • ··· · · · · · · · · · · · · · ·»·· • ·

- 17 * is shown in Figure 1 installed under a carpet of greater width than the anchor plate, so that the carpet 15 extends beyond the anchor plate, as shown in Figure 4. The eyelets 18 on the back of the carpet are capable of engaging the hooks 7 when the cover 9 is removed. For installation, the carpet 15 is rolled out away from the anchor plates, which are completely covered by the hook cover 9. The carpet can now be cut and fitted and stored in place and butted against the next carpet roll before any attachment is made to the underlying anchor plate 1. Figure 5 shows a cross-section through the anchor plate and carpet before the hook cover 9 or 13 has been removed. Thus, the carpet 15 overlaps the joint 17 between adjacent anchor plates 1 and 3. The anchor plates 1 and 3 are optionally attached to floors, as described above, and are also attached to each other by a hook covering 13 bridging the joint 17. Once the covering 9 is removed, at least a portion of the anchor plate 1 and at least a portion of the anchor plate 3 are now both attached to the carpet 15, so that the carpet 15 now also bridges the joint 17 between the anchor plates 1 and 3 and welds these anchor plates together. It is possible and in some situations even advantageous to also remove the bridging hook covering 13. However, this is not always necessary. Once at least the hook covering 9 is removed, the carpet and the anchor plate, whether attached to the underlying material or not, form a continuous rigid floor covering of relatively high strength, mass and rigidity, which does not wrinkle in normal use, even though there is no attachment directly to the floor.

In fact, the carpet and anchor plate would only need to be attached to the floor at isolated points to prevent movement of the entire unit. While individually flexible, the carpet and anchor plate together form a relatively rigid mass that is often greater than the sum of its parts, as even a light weight carpet attached by hooks and eyes to a properly designed thin, relatively rigid

- 18 plastic or polymer anchor plate has significant atmospheric and structural stability.

The anchor sheet itself is preferably made of thin polycarbonate, polyethylene, polypropylene or polyester, preferably with a thickness of from 10/1000 to 30/1000, but with regard to thick covering materials such as stone or ceramic, it could be as high as 50/1000 or even higher. The thickness can vary depending on the covering material and the stability requirements of the carpet. It is also possible for the anchor sheet to be made of a thin sheet of metal, carbon fiber or some form of polymer. The anchor sheet may include a foam backing to provide flexibility. The hooks may be attached to the sheet by any conventional means, but preferred methods are extrusion or co-extrusion. It may be advisable for the hook material to be of a different plastic or polymer material and even applied as a film with an adhesive, as the hooks may need to be relatively more durable and flexible than the anchor sheet itself. In this case, a layered anchor plate may be used rather than a single structure.

The anchor sheets and carpet together are in many situations thin and flexible enough to roll up as a single unit. This allows the carpet to be pre-installed on the anchor sheet in some embodiments, and in this case it can be installed more easily, as shown in Figure 6. As discussed previously, the anchor sheet is also relatively rigid in the sense that it is not like a tadpole or a cloth.

In this case, the carpet 19 installed on the anchor plate 21, as seen in Figure 7, is unrolled on the floor and cut to fit the adjacent walls 23 and 24.

The carpet piece 19 and the anchor plate 21 are delivered to the site in the same form as the carpet piece 29 and the anchor plate 31, but in the case of the part adjacent to the wall 23, the extra wide carpet can be cut off or omitted, since it is not • ·

- 19 it is necessary that the anchor plate is adjacent to the wall.

As can be better seen from Figure 7, the carpet piece 19 came pre-installed on the anchor plate 21, which in this case is larger than the carpet piece 19, to leave the exposed area of the hooks 25 covered by the hook cover 27. Most carpets rolled in this manner will be installed on the anchor plate with an overlap as shown in carpet piece 29, so that on one side the carpet extends over the anchor plate 31 and on the other side the anchor plate 31 itself extends beyond the carpet piece 29: The carpet and anchor plate combination 29 and 31 is then unrolled to contact the carpet piece 19 and can be cut and fitted in place, whereupon the hook cover 27 can be removed by pulling the hook cover and thereby re-rolling the carpet piece 29, or in some cases by pulling the cover 27 and over the joint 33. The carpet piece 29 is now firmly attached to both anchor plates 21 and 31, as it bridges the joint 35 between them and joins the two anchor plates together. It is now possible to repeat this process by placing another similar carpet roll on the hook cover 37 and removing such hook cover to attach another adjacent carpet piece to the anchor plate 31 and this process is repeated over and over until the room is covered with carpet and anchor plate as a continuous piece.

When it is necessary to attach the anchor plates to the floor, this can be done in an exposed area where the anchor layer hooks and hook cover are not covered by a previously installed roll of carpet, as at 39 or 41, as shown in Figure 6. In this case, the hook cover 27 or 37 may have perforations, cuts or holes so that a nail or tack fastened through the hook cover will not attach the hook cover to the underlying anchor plate, so that the latter can be removed as previously described. Attaching the anchor plate to the floor, for example at strips 39 and 41, should be sufficient attachment in many, if not most, cases, especially • · • · ti ti • ·

- 20 • ti ti · · when combined with the fact that the decorative carpet covering also binds the anchor plates together as a single unit.

In some situations, it is advantageous to install the carpet on the anchor sheet at the factory. The factory can cut and fit a number of different carpet pieces onto the anchor sheet both for decorative purposes and for shipping the carpet pieces together as one piece. Thus, as shown in Figure 6, it is possible to have an insert, for example 43, repeated with some decoration or pattern at intervals on the carpet roll and with smaller geometric inserts 45. These inserts would typically be of different colors or of different designs or patterns to create a pleasing carpet pattern.

Figure 8 shows another form of carpet installation. In this case, the carpet and anchor sheet will be delivered from the factory attached, but the carpet, for example 47, is narrower than the anchor sheet 48 to leave an exposed area of anchor sheet hooks 49 and hook cover 50 of approximately width C along both longitudinal edges, as shown in Figure 9. In this case, the carpet is unrolled and, if desired, attached to the subfloor. Another similar anchor plate 51, having carpet 52 installed thereon, is unrolled and adjacent to anchor plate 48, as seen in Figure 9. Anchor plate 53 is also unrolled and adjacent to anchor plate 51. The anchor plates may be secured to the floor, for example by nailing through strip areas 55, 57, 59 and 61, since in this state of installation these areas do not contain carpet covering. A bridging carpet strip 63 can be fitted to this area not covered by carpet 55 and 57, where this area is marked D in Figure 9. After fitting, the underlying hook covers 50 and 54 can be removed so that a carpet piece 63 can be installed on the anchor plate to bridge and securely attach the anchor plate 48 to the anchor plate 51. A similar procedure can then be followed for the anchor plates • 0 0 00 0 ·· < 00 00 4···

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- 21 sheets 53.

Normally this form of installation would be used where it is desired to have a carpet strip 63 of a different colour or pattern from the carpet pieces 47 and 52 so as to form a decorative border around the individual carpet areas 47 and 52. In this case it is likely that the pattern or border will also be included along the edges 65 and this can be easily accommodated by installing a carpet piece 47 of a smaller size than the anchor plate 48 to form a strip 65 of any desired thickness. This form of installation can also provide for room variations as the carpet framing at the edge is installed and cut last.

Again, it is possible for the anchor plates 48 and 51 to be attached to the floor either by tacking or nailing or also by an additional hook and eye attachment system or (although this is not usually preferred) by gluing or pressure sensitive double sided tape.

In Figure 10, another form or pattern 67 is shown comprising a central medallion 69 and corner pieces 71 installed on an anchor plate 73. In this case, the anchor plates and carpet pieces simply abut and are secured to the floor by small pieces of hook tape 75, which will normally have a hook coating (not shown), hooks on the upper surface and a pressure sensitive adhesive 77 on the lower surface for attachment to the floor. This pressure sensitive adhesive will normally have a peelable dry release coating.

In this case, the carpet 67 and the anchor plate 73 may be attached by individual pieces 75 at the corners which may overlap with adjacent carpet pieces. Strips may also be used along the joints, for example between carpet pieces 67 and 79, but when multiple pieces are used, an overlapping modular system is normally used as shown in Figure 19, as this helps to hold the seams in place and to mitigate the various problems which may exist between different carpets, which • 0· «

- 22 may cause damage to the joints. When a modular system is used, connection points to the subfloor may not be required.

The same model could be used, as described below, without being attached to the floor by an overlapping piece 79, for example to an adjacent anchor plate 73. In this case, of course, the piece 67 must be made shorter.

One advantage of the anchor plate system is that the carpet inserts 69 and 71 can, for example, be removed, replaced or exchanged when different colors or patterns are desired, and similarly, as shown in Figure 6, the inserts 43 and pieces 45 can also be removed and exchanged. Any pattern can be inserted, and if standard sizes are used, these patterns can be interchangeable, such as changing the carpet piece from a boy's pattern to a girl's pattern or from a living room pattern to a bedroom or bathroom pattern.

Another major advantage is that the anchor sheet only needs to be attached at a single corner area, such as the pad 75 shown in Figure 10, but nevertheless, for example, the carpet pieces 67, 69, 71 and 72 are all attached to the anchor sheet 73 over their entire bottom surface, so that the pattern can be inserted or replaced at any point.

As shown in Figures 11 and 12, a flat mat can also be formed in which the carpet piece 81 is installed on an anchor plate 83, as best seen in Figure 12. The anchor plate 83 has an upside-down or

twisted edge 85, which covers the naked regions 87 carpet. Anchor sheet for such area carpet can to be attached nails or hook and eye technology (when is

the underside of the anchor plate covered with eyelets and then installed with the corresponding hook band), or any common fastening system. In most cases it would be sufficient to simply fasten the anchor plate to the underlying ·· ·<···

- 23 to the floor at isolated points by a small piece of eyelet tape attached to the underside of the anchor plate 83 with a pressure-sensitive adhesive matched to a corresponding small piece of hook tape attached to the floor with a pressure-sensitive adhesive. In some cases, the carpet may have sufficient mass and stability to not need to be attached to the subfloor at all. The need for attachment is reduced when, for example, the anchor plate 83 has a non-slip surface on its underside. With the described anchor plate, it is possible to attach the underlay to granite, marble or stone, to floors to which it has been difficult to apply underlays in the past. Additionally, the carpet 81, like the carpets 67 and 79, may have embedded patterns, and these patterns may actually be processed to allow for a relatively inexpensive patterned underlayment that can mimic, for example, even oriental carpets where a large number of carpet pieces are installed on a single anchor plate 83. It is even possible to create crazy blankets or DIY carpets using carpet pieces installed on a pre-formed anchor plate 83.

Anchor plates, whether in the form of large sheets or modules, can also be attached to each other, as shown in Figure 26, where the anchor plate 140 is formed from a laminate consisting of a hook member 142 and a base member 144 without hooks. The base member extends beyond the hook member on at least two sides and preferably on four sides. The mass of the anchor plate can then be formed using a strip 146 (which may or may not have hooks on its upper surface) installed across a seam or joint, such as at joint 148, with a pressure-sensitive adhesive (or hook and eye). The anchor plate formed in this manner can be seen in Figure 27 and presents a relatively flat surface. When a hook strip is used to form a joint joint, as shown in Figure 27, the hooks 150 will generally extend across

9 • 9

- 24 99 9999

999 9 9 the entire surface of the anchor plate. Such an anchor plate may be formed with a pad 152 attached, as shown in Figures 26 or 27. When laid on a building substrate, such as a finished or unfinished floor, the anchor plate is ready to receive any combination of decorative pieces, either carpet, fabric, ceramic, wood, etc., which may be installed with a hook and loop. Using, for example, a temporary, removable template 154 or jig, an unlimited array of patterns may be formed on top, as shown in Figures 27, 32, 33 and 34. The template may have a wall of teeth 189 extending downwardly from the frame structure 191. These teeth, such as those found on a comb or brush, such as a dog brush, are stiff, narrow, and flexible enough to precisely guide the decorative covering pieces into place in close abutment relation to each other when the template 154 is removed. Also shown in Figure 32 is a smaller template 155. A different template 193 is shown in Figure 33, which is made of a wall frame 195, typically of plastic. This also provides for the insertion of decorative pieces, such as carpet pieces 197, without gaps once the template is removed. The carpet pieces 197 have a covering on the underside of the eyelets (not shown) for attachment to hooks 199 on the anchor plate 201 or hook strip 203.

As shown in Figure 34, the additional template can provide spatial distribution so that when removed, for example, the carpet pieces 207 and the anchor plate 211 are suitably spaced apart.

The offset is provided, for example, at template wall 213, as this will be provided by the new use of the template shown in Figure 34 at another location, where, for example, template wall 215 may be adjacent to provide suitable spacing with location 217.

When the anchor plate is stabilized as shown in Figures 26 or 27, or when a relative template 209 is used on Such ·· ···« ftft ♦ ·· ·· · · · · · • · · * · 9 · · • · · · ft··»·· • · · · · · ft · · ··· ft ft·· · ··· ·· ··

- 25 extensive anchor plate, then, as shown in Figure 28, the individual surface cover pieces 156 can be more easily installed in a row using a slip coating 158, which may conveniently be provided with a handle 160 which, when angled upwardly toward the slip coating 158, allows the slip coating to be maintained at a relatively flat angle to the anchor plate 162. The cover pieces 156 are shaped to interlock with each other along surfaces 164 and 166 to guide installation.

If the anchor plate 162 is pre-attached to the adjacent anchor plate 168, particularly using a bridging hook strip 146, as shown in Figure 26, then the subsequent series of cover pieces 170 and 172 will naturally overlap the joint 174 between the anchor plates 162 and 168. While they will reinforce the joint between the plates 162 and 168, it will not be necessary for the cover pieces to form or secure this joint.

The anchor sheet may be composed of a single layer or laminated layers, and a variety of anchor sheets may be used depending on the requirements. Thus, the anchor sheet may have a cushion layer, as explained above. It may also have a separately laminated layer containing hooks, which may be provided with hook-free areas 175, as shown in Figure 27.

As shown in Figure 29, the first anchor plate can act as a carrier for surface covering pieces 176, which can be first assembled on the plate 177 by any permanent or removable means (such as adhesive or hook and loop), and such piece can then be assembled on the anchor plate 178, as shown in Variants A and B, by either permanent or removable means, to form a module for overlapping installation, as previously described.

As shown in Figure 30, a combination of surface cover pieces 184 and surface cover plates 182 may be used on anchor plates where anchor plates 180 (which are ...

- 26 ·· ·· • 9 9 9

9 9 9 • · · · · · · · · · · · · in this case provided with a cushion 181) assembled and secured in any of the previously described ways or are held together by a surface covering 182. Such sheets 180 may also be simply attached to the floor directly by weights or staples, or may be free-floating so as to rest against each other if otherwise held by the warp medium. A further decorative pattern formed from surface covering pieces 184 with inserts 186 may be added to or pre-assembled with the carpet modules, as shown in Figure 25. Figure 31 shows an anchor sheet module 219 delivered to the location to be covered. The anchor plate module 219 can be attached to other modules to form an anchor plate base for the installation of overlapping decorative covering pieces (not shown), such decorative covering pieces having additional eyelets for releasable attachment to anchor plate modules such as 219. The anchor plate module 219 has a top layer 223 coated with a series of hooks on its upper surface 224 and a bottom layer 225 attached to the top layer 223 in such a way that an overhanging surface 226 of the bottom layer 225 is formed for releasable attachment of an overhanging portion of the top layer of an adjacent module or another piece extending across the joint between the module and an adjacent module. This bottom layer may be provided with a resilient material (not shown in FIG. 31 ), such as a cushion, as shown, for example, in FIGS. 26 , 27, 30 or 35. The releasable attachment of the anchor plate module 219 shown in Figure 31 is a hook and loop attachment. However, the top layer 223 and the bottom layer 225 of the anchor plate module 219 may be joined in any conventional manner, either permanently or releasably using an adhesive or hook and loop technology. The anchor plate modules may be attached to other anchor plate modules by hook and loop technology or some other releasable method, such as a pressure sensitive adhesive.

FF FF • · F ·

F · · >

• · · F F • · · · · · FF for the first time on ·· ···· * • · · · ·· • ♦ · • · * · ··♦· · ·ϊ·

- 27 When the finished anchor plate is installed as a module, as shown in Figure 26, or as larger units, as shown for example in Figure 1, the joints may remain covered with some tape or strip covering, such as 13 in Figure 1 or 146 in Figure 26. This allows the anchor plate assembly to form a relatively moisture resistant barrier, for example for use in a kitchen or bathroom prior to the installation of a decorative covering.

A finished anchor sheet subfloor can make it easier to install decorative covering pieces and remove, replace or re-finish the look, such as when a customer wishes to change from hardwood to marble, or add a marble insert or hardwood edge. Refinishing modular pieces can be easier than dealing with roll material or modular units that combine anchor sheet and decorative covering.

COVER MODULES

As shown in Figure 13, the anchor plates 89 may be manufactured in smaller modules. The decorative covering, such as the carpet pieces 91, may be, for example, carpet textiles, and when laid in an overlapping position, as shown in Figure 13, the anchor plates 89 and the carpet pieces 91 may form a tight assembly which would be sufficient to provide a stable installation without being attached to the floor. This would be particularly the case if the piece 91 were not a carpet but parquet or other rigid decorative covering. However, if it is desired to attach the anchor plates 89 to the floor, this can easily be done by tacking or nailing or by using conventional hook and eye technology. In this case, it would again be advantageous to have notches, perforations or holes 93 in the strip cover 95 (if a strip cover is used) so that the anchor plate can be secured to the floor before any hook-and-loop fasteners are removed.

- 28 covers, but without attaching the hook cover to the floor.

Figure 35 shows an integrated floor representing the versatility of the anchor plate system. The anchor plate backing 202 is shown with a hardwood cover unit 204 to be installed using a hook and loop fastener. A hardwood trim 206 may be installed to define an area where the anchor plate 208 with attached cushion 212 and wide carpet rolls 210 may be installed. Ceramic and plastic tiles, hardwood and carpet may be added and leveled as additional decorative coverings.

Figure 13a shows an arrangement similar to Figure 13 but in which the pattern is formed modularly, so that, for example, the cover 91 and anchor plate 89 units can be formed before the entire surface covering is assembled. One form of such units, which we will call cover modules, is described below.

As shown in Figures 14 and 15, in another form of installation, cover modules are provided which include an anchor plate 96 having an upper surface covered substantially with hooks 97, with an optional cushion on its lower surface 98, and a decorative cover 99 for placement over the anchor plate having a decorative final upper surface 100 and a lower surface covered substantially with eyelets 101, previously releasably attached off-site in an overlapping manner along surface AA, as shown in Figure 17 (which is on the same page as Figure 19), such that the hook area is exposed on the left BB, while some of the eyelets on the underside of the decorative cover are also exposed on the left CC. The hooks 97 may be covered by cover pieces, preferably of fabric, but are not necessary where temporary covers 106 are used, as seen in Figures 18 and 18a. It may be advantageous to use cover pieces to prevent dirt from covering the hook surface during assembly.

These pre-assembled cover modules are then transported to

- 29 • ftftft ft · place and as shown in Figures 18 and 18a, are individually placed on the underlying substrate in an abutting arrangement to engage the exposed lugs 101 on the underside of the decorative covering of one cover module and the exposed hooks 97 on the top surface of the anchor plate of the adjacent cover module. As shown in Figure 18, each cover module 105 added to the growing cover module surface is guided into its proper position by placing thin, rigid pieces of plastic 106 over the exposed hooks of the anchor plate of the seated cover module 107. These rigid pieces of plastic allow the unit to be positioned and aligned without premature engagement of the hooks and lugs during installation. After suitably aligning the eyelets on the underside of the decorative covering of one cover module with the hooks on the top surface of the anchor plate of the adjacent cover module, thin rigid pieces of plastic are moved parallel to the horizontal plane and away from the two units, allowing the adjacent units to engage using the hook and eye technology. All pieces of hook covering (not shown) from the recently added cover module are then removed in preparation for the addition of the next cover module. This method of attaching cover units to adjacent cover units step by step by mechanical hook and eye technology is repeated to create a continuous surface covering, as shown in Figure 19. Figure 20 shows a cross-section of two cover modules attached together.

One disadvantage of using cover modules is the difficulty of aligning them over a large distance. The anchor plate should preferably be precisely positioned in relation to the adjacent anchor plate and the decorative covering should preferably be precisely positioned in relation to the decorative covering of the adjacent cover module. If the length AA, BB or CC (as shown in Figure 17) is not available by even a small margin, this small margin multiplied over many modules will result in uneven surface covering. Thus, unless the anchor plate and • · · · • · · · · · · · · · ·

9 · · 9 9 9 9

9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9

9 9 9 9 9 9 9

9999 9 999 999 99 99

- 30 decorative covering precisely aligned on the covering module, it will not be possible in practice to easily install the overlapping system as mentioned here. In practice, it is necessary to have these modules pre-attached in precise relation as shown in Figure 17, preferably by pre-assembly in the factory using a precision alignment machine. To ensure consistent alignment of the decorative covering with the anchor plate, it is also possible, but slow, to use some pattern or form at the time of installation.

As previously discussed, where the anchor plates are first installed and are either tied to each other or to the floor permanently or temporarily, a temporarily removable template or jig 154 can be used to install an unlimited number of overlapping patterns, as shown in Figures 27, 32, 33 and 34.

One advantage of this form of installation is that an unlimited number of patterns can be created. When different color or pattern combinations are desired, decorative covers or entire covering modules can be removed, repositioned, or replaced. Any pattern can be inserted and, when standard sizes are used, the patterns can be interchangeable. For example, differently colored carpet units can be installed to create a unique carpet pattern, or any combination of different types of covering modules, such as carpet and hardwood or ceramic and marble, can be combined and then removed or replaced to create yet another unique arrangement.

To facilitate this process, the aforementioned thin, rigid pieces of plastic can also be used to separate the individual units of the modular surface covering. The thin, rigid pieces of plastic are inserted between the mechanically connected hook and eye fastening parts of adjacent units parallel to the horizontal plane, thereby breaking the mechanical connection and securing the hooks and eyes out of contact with each other, allowing the units to be disassembled and removed from the modular surface covering.

• · · · · · • 99 99 94

- 31 tm ·

Another advantage is that in most cases the weight of the decorative covering and the rigidity of the anchor plate, when attached together, will allow the modular surface covering, which is the result of the hook and loop attachment of adjacent cover modules to adjacent anchor plates, to be held firmly in place without the need for attachment to the underlying material. However, when it is necessary to attach selected cover modules to the underlying material, such as in wall coverings, this can be done by sewing, nailing, gluing or using hook and loop technology. The exposed portion of the anchor plate of a cover module can be used to attach to the underlying material, which is then to be attached by hook and loop technology to the subsequently added adjacent module. Such exposed portion is then covered with the decorative covering of the adjacent cover module. Such isolated attachment points could be as shown at 108 in Figures 16, 18, 19 and 21. Attaching the anchor to the substrate at points 108 or even fewer points should be sufficient attachment in many, if not most, cases. Depending on the thickness or fragility of the anchor plates, it may be advantageous to have holes pre-drilled in the anchor plates. In this case, it would again be advantageous to have cutouts, perforations or holes (not shown) in the strip cover (not shown) so that the anchor plate could be attached to the floor before removing any hook cover, but without attaching the hook cover to the floor.

In Figures 22, 23 and 24 another pattern of carpet or ceramic tiles is shown which uses covering modules 110 as shown in Figure 24. Such covering modules consist of an anchor plate 112 and a facing plate or decorative covering 114 which may be of ceramic or carpet or any other suitable material. Normally the facing plate or decorative covering 114 and the anchor plate 112 are attached • · • · · · · • · · «« · · · « · « φφ φ φ · · · · • · · »♦»··· φ φ φ φ · · · · ••ΦΦ φ ··· ··· ·· φφ

- 32 in advance at the factory in a mutually precisely predetermined position, as shown. When the facing board or decorative covering comprises on its lower surface eyelets and the anchor plate hooks on its upper surface, then separation and reattachment in place is possible if required. For the permanent connection between the facing board 114 and the anchor plate 112, a permanent adhesive can be used, or a temporary adhesive can be used which has hook and eye properties (i.e. can be attached and reattached and has good horizontal strength. The cover module, as shown in Figure 25 for example, can have different sizes and include different numbers of cover pieces to form a large module. The cover modules shown in Figure 25 could, for example, be a single module assembled on a single anchor plate. In this case, the anchor plates 130, 134, 136 and 137 are made as one single piece of the anchor plate.

Assuming that a hook and loop is used, then the anchor plate 112 will be covered with hooks similar to hooks 97 in Figures 14 and 18 and the underside of the facing plate will be covered with eyes similar to eyes 101 in Figures 15 and 17. A cover plate or decorative covering, such as 116 in Figure 22, overlaps and connects to the anchor plates 112, 118, 120 and 122 and helps to bind these anchor plates together. If the facing plate is a carpet blank, then facing plates such as 114, 116 and others that include a center plate 124 can be formed by color cutting a larger carpet piece. In this case, some kind of filler offset pieces 126 are created, as shown in Figure 23. When other carpets of contrasting colors are also cut, these pieces can be used together with other similarly shaped patterns cut from these carpets. This piece 126 (shown in Figure 23), if obtained from the carpet used to make the facing board 114 or 124, would be ready for use in some other pattern and a new piece (not shown) of the same shape as piece 126 (from ······ · · 0 · ·· • · · 0 0 0 · · · 0 · · • · · φ · ······ • 0 0 · 0 0 0 · •000 · 000 ··· ·· ·0

- 33 colored carpet cutouts of some contrasting color) would be included here.

By using such decorative pattern separators as 126, the areas where similar colors meet can be minimized. By providing the piece 126 with a contrasting color, the eye is drawn to the pattern rather than to some imperfection where straight lines of similar but not identical colored dots meet. Thus, in the pattern of Figures 22 or 25, similar colors only meet at, for example, 125 in Figure 23 or 119 in Figure 25. In order to eliminate areas where the same colors meet, a third or even more colors can be provided, which would create difficulties for subsequent assembly. Another arrangement is shown in Figure 25, where, for example, a panel 128 is placed on an anchor plate 134. The pattern is similar, but the facing panel or decorative covering has a different orientation to the anchor plate 134. In this case, for example, the panel 128 extends over the anchor plates 130 and 134, but the anchor plates 134 and 136 are secured by a medallion 132 and also by an insert or filler 126, as shown in Figure 23, which has not yet been installed in the arrangement of Figure 25.

In the case where the tiles such as 114 or 128 are ceramic tiles, it is possible to adjust their size relative to the anchor plate so that the space between, for example, the tiles 114, 116 and the medallion 124 is smaller than shown in Figure 22, and then a flexible filler such as a rubber gasket can be pressed into the space between the tiles to mimic a real filler, or the rubber gasket could be formed as an elastic band of a size that would fit around the tile 114 or medallion 124. Such an elastic band could even be installed on the tile in advance, before the cover modules such as 110 are attached. In addition, a • ·

- 34 natural filling.

The anchor plate and cover module of the present invention, in its various embodiments, allows for improved versatility in the installation of decorative coverings or carpets that have been formed with eyelets, such as the hook and eye system disclosed in U.S. Patent 4,822,658 to Pacione. By using cover modules in which the decorative covering and anchor plate are pre-attached, it is possible to reduce the attachment area to the exposed overlapping surface and to use a peel-and-reattach adhesive or hook and eye on such exposed surface. With this anchor plate, carpets and other decorative coverings can be installed more easily on almost any surface without damaging the surface. This eliminates the need to remove the underlying material, such as carpet or hardwood, and to dispose of binders, such as adhesive, from the surface. Large volumes of decorative coverings, such as carpets, no longer have to be disposed of, as they are simply covered with new decorative covering. With this invention, it is now further possible to keep a precious floor, such as marble, intact for further use, but to temporarily cover such a floor with carpet or tiles.

While certain embodiments of the invention have been described, it is intended to cover all variations and combinations of the invention as claimed in the appended claims.

Claims (52)

PATENTOVÉ Claims essential to the anchorage A cover module for transportation to a surface to be covered and for attachment to other modules to form a final decorative surface, comprising: at least one decorative coating having a top decorative surface and an opposing bottom surface, a non-decorative anchor sheet having a top surface, a decorative coating affixed in part of its bottom surface to the non-decorative sheet, and an anchor sheet sized such that a protruding surface of the upper surface of the anchor sheet exposed to one edge of the module, the protruding surface being provided with means for detachably attaching such a module to an adjacent module by attaching it to the protruding exposed surface of the lower surface of the decorative covering attached to the adjacent module. substantial anchorage 2. A cover module for transportation to the surface to be covered and for attachment to other modules to form a final decorative surface, comprising: at least one decorative coating having a top decorative surface and an opposing bottom surface, a non-decorative anchor sheet having a top surface, a decorative coating attached at a portion of its bottom surface to the non-decorative sheet, and an anchor sheet sized such that an overhanging surface of the lower surface of the decorative coating exposed to one edge of the module, said overhanging surface being provided with means for detachably attaching such a module to an adjacent module by attaching to the overhanging surface of the top surface of the anchor sheet attached to the adjacent module. • 9 - 36 • The cover module according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the means for detachably attaching in the overlapping surfaces of the anchor sheet and the decorative coating is one part of the complementary hook and loop fastening system that substantially covers the overlapping surface of the anchor sheet to be fitted with the additional a second part of such a system hook and loop on the overlapping surface of an adjacent decorative cover. The cover module according to claim 3, wherein a temporary coating is provided in place for the overhanging surface of the attachment to prevent such a module from attaching to the adjacent module until both the module and the adjacent module are relative to each other in the desired position. The cover module according to claim 4, wherein the temporary coating is a thin smooth film substantially at least of a size of an overlapping area that cannot be joined to either an additional hook or loop portion. The cover module according to claim 5, wherein the temporary coating is sufficiently rigid and thin so that it can be inserted between the complementary hook and loop joints of the attached decorative coating and the anchor sheet to break such joints in the region of the coating and allow the decorative coating to be aligned with an anchor plate or one module relative to another. The cover module according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the decorative cover and the non-decorative anchor sheet are accurately sized and attached in alignment away from the installation site to provide a predetermined overlapping surface of the anchor sheet and the decorative sheet such that when the anchor sheet is of the first module. located in a position closest to the adjacent one of the three ti ti ti ti ti ti ti ti ti ti ti ti ti ti ti ti ti ti ti ti ti ti ti ti ti ti ti ti ti ti ti ti ti ti ti ti ti ti ti ti ti ti ti ti ti ti ti ti ti ti ti ti ti ti ti ti ti ti ti ti ti ti ti ti ti ti ti ti ti ti ti ti ti ti ti ·· ti · titi 37 of the second module, the decorative coating of the first module exceeds the second module by a predetermined size and in a predetermined relation to the decorative coating of the second module. A cover module according to claim 7, wherein the decorative cover and the non-decorative anchor sheet of each module are attached by an additional hook and loop fastening system covering the lower surface of the decorative cover and the upper surface of the anchor sheet. The cover module according to claim 1, wherein an additional overhang of the exposed anchor sheet according to the second edge of the carpet module is provided. The cover module according to claim 2, wherein an additional overhanging surface of the exposed decorative covering is provided according to the second edge of the carpet module. The cover module of claim 3, wherein the bottom surface of the anchor sheet is provided with a resilient bottom cushion. The cover module of claim 3, which is laid on the floor and attached to adjacent similar modules to provide a covering of sufficient weight and stiffness to remain in place on the floor without ripple or movement when subjected to normal operation and without attachment to the floor. floor. The cover module of claim 12, wherein the lower surface of the anchor sheet is provided with a non-slip coating. 14. A cover module for transportation to the surface to be covered and for attachment to other modules to form a final decorative surface, comprising: a decorative cover having an upper decorative surface and φ φ - 38 φ φ • prot prot φ φ φ φ φ «« «« «« «« «« «« «« «« «« «« «« «« «« «« «« attaching the decorative coating to the anchor sheet therein formed first overlapping surfaces of the top surface of the anchor sheet exposed along at least two adjacent edges of the module and a second overlapping surface of the bottom surface of the decorative covering exposed at least two edges opposite the first overlapping surfaces; detachably attaching such a module to an adjacent module by attaching it to the projecting surface of the adjacent module by means of a hook and loop attachment system. The cover module of claim 14, wherein a temporary coating of the hooks for the projecting surface is provided. The cover module of claim 15, wherein the anchor sheet is coated on its underside with a flexible cushioning layer. An anchor sheet for detachably attaching decorative coatings to a rigid carrier backing, wherein the decorative coatings have a final surface and an opposing surface substantially covered with stitches, comprising: a thin flexible film coated substantially with hooks on a surface facing the loop surface of the flexible decorative coating and positioned midway between the coating and the carrier substrate, wherein the film substantially covers the carrier substrate under the coating and has, in combination with the coating, sufficient rigidity and weight to support a coating against the undulation of the coating over the entire surface of the coating when the coating is attached to the anchor sheet and laid on the backing material. - 39 ··· · • · 9 44 44 4 4 4 · 9 9 4 4 4 9 4 5 4 4 4 4 9 9 4 4 4 9 4 9 9494 4,949,444 49,444 An anchor sheet for attaching a decorative sheet covering having a reverse outer surface substantially covered with stitches, comprising: a thin flexible anchor sheet having a top face substantially covered by hooks and positioned midway between the covering and the carrier substrate, with the hooks in releasable engagement with the tabs of the sheeting, where one or more sheets are installed side by side to substantially cover the carrier the backing material under the covering, wherein the sheet and the covering together have sufficient rigidity to support the covering against the creeping forces on the covering when laid on the backing material. The anchor sheet of claim 17, wherein the sheet is detachably attached to the support substrate at a limited number of unique points. The anchor sheet of claim 18, wherein the sheet is free floating on the floor. The anchor sheet of claim 20, wherein the sheet has sufficient mass and stiffness to remain in place without attachment to the support substrate. An anchor sheet according to claim 17, wherein the flexible layer covering the anchor sheet is on the side opposite the hook surface. 23. A cover module comprising: (a) a relatively thin flexible anchor sheet having an upper surface of the anchor sheet substantially covered with hooks; (b) a decorative coating for placement on the anchor sheet having a decorative end surface and a bottom surface substantially covered with loops and having a bottom surface. 0 000 0 00 0 00 · 0 0 0 0 · 00 0 0 0000 0 0 0 0 000000 0 0 0 0 0000 0000 0 000 000 00 00 - a decorative cover removably attached at a predetermined position relative to the top surface of the anchor sheet by at least some of the hooks and stitches so that the decorative cover on the anchor sheet overlaps the anchor sheet by a predetermined amount to allow interlocking between the decorative cover and the adjacent anchor sheet; c) a removable coating of hooks on the upper surface of the anchor sheet to prevent premature attachment of the hooks on the upper surface of the anchor sheet to the loops on the lower surface of the decorative coating lying thereon. The covering of claim 23, wherein the bottom surface of the flexible anchor sheet is covered with a padding cushion. The covering of claim 23, wherein the hook coating is placed on the hooks during installation. The covering of claim 25, wherein the hook coating is a thin, rigid piece of plastic of predetermined length and width to align the overlap area of the anchor sheet and the adjacent decorative coating. An anchor sheet for detachably attaching decorative coatings to a carrier substrate, wherein the decorative coatings have one perfect surface and one opposite surface covered substantially with half of the hook and loop system, comprising: a thin, flexible, rigid sheet covered with a substantially complementary second half of the hook and loop system, wherein the sheet is sized to substantially cover the backing substrate under the coating and, in combination with the coating, has sufficient rigidity and weight without substantial attachment to the backing substrate for stability to support the covering against wrinkling of the covering over the entire surface of the covering when the covering is attached 99,999 9 9 9 9 99 99 9 9 · 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9999 9 999 999 99 99 - 41 to the anchor plate and laid on the backing material. An anchor sheet for forming a softening substrate under a decorative covering comprising a laminate having a top layer of a relatively thin, flexible, rigid sheet material having a plurality of hooks on its top layer comprising one half of the hook and loop fastening system, and a backsheet of relatively resilient softening material adhered to the topsheet, said laminate having sufficient rigidity, weight and weight, when combined with a decorative coating lying above it and attached to the topsheet by stitches comprising an additional second half of the hook and loop fastening system , such a combination is stable against wrinkling and atmospheric forces, so that for stability it does not require substantial attachment to the underlying material. An anchor sheet according to claim 28, wherein the decorative coating is selected from all or some of the following: wood, ceramic or plastic cladding or carpet. An anchor sheet according to claim 28, wherein the top layer of the laminate is made of a flexible plastic, a hydrocarbon composite or a polymeric material. An anchor sheet according to claim 28, wherein the topsheet is comprised of a first hookless layer and a second hooked film layer positioned on the hookless layer such that at least two opposite edges of the hookless topsheet remain some seam bonding zone with the pressure sensitive adhesive with adjacent anchor plate. • 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 00 00 The anchor sheet of claim 31, wherein the sheet is a rectangle and the hook-free surface is along all four edges of the rectangle. An anchor sheet according to claim 32, wherein the hookless surface is embedded on the topsheet approximately by the thickness of the hooked film layer. A modular anchor sheet assembly having a plurality of hooks covering its top surface formed from a series of rigid plastic or polymeric film pieces adjacent to each other, wherein the joint is bridged by a relatively thin web extending across the joint and attached to adjacent pieces of pressure sensitive film glue or hook and loop fastening system. 35. An anchor sheet module for transportation to the surface to be covered and for attachment to other modules to form an anchor sheet backing covered with hooks for the installation of pieces of a decorative covering lying over it and having complementary loops comprising: a topsheet covered with a plurality of hooks, a backsheet attached to the topsheet, wherein the backsheet is sized such that upon attachment of the topsheet to the backsheet, an overlapping surface of the backsheet is provided to detachably attach the overhang portion of the topsheet of the adjacent module; and some neighboring module. An anchor sheet module according to claim 35, wherein the topsheet and the backsheet of each module are permanently attached. • φ φ φ φ φ φ φ φ φ φ φ · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · - 43 An anchor sheet module according to claim 35, wherein the top and bottom layers of each module are detachably attached. An anchor sheet module according to claim 37, wherein the top and bottom layers of each module are detachably attached by an additional hook and loop fastening system. An anchor sheet module according to claim 35, wherein both the overlapping surface of the anchor sheet module bottom layer and the top layer of the anchor sheet module are provided with means for detachably attaching such anchor sheet module to an adjacent anchor sheet module by adhering to an overlapping surface of an adjacent anchor sheet module. fastening system of additional hooks and eyes. The anchor sheet module of claim 35, wherein the underside of the bottom layer of the anchor sheet module is covered with a flexible cushion layer. 41. Slippery coating for temporary coating of hooks or stitches, which comprises a smooth, thin, hard, rigid sheet to which the hooks or stitches cannot attach. The slippery coating of claim 41, having a handle extending upwardly from the film to facilitate handling of the film. A method of installing a covering comprising the steps of: (a) selecting an anchor sheet covered on one side with hooks, (b) installing a decorative cover coated essentially on one side with additional loops on the anchor sheet in advance • - 44 stanovené stanovené stanovené stanovené stanovené stanovené stanovené stanovené stanovené stanovené stanovené stanovené stanovené stanovené stanovené stanovené stanovené stanovené stanovené stanovené stanovené stanovené stanovené stanovené stanovené stanovené stanovené stanovené stanovené stanovené stanovené stanovené stanovené stanovené stanovené stanovené stanovené stanovené stanovené stanovenéφ stanovené and a decorative coating, (c) repeating step (b) when required to form a plurality of decorative coating and anchor sheet units having both exposed anchor sheet and decorative coating surfaces, (d) temporarily coating at least a portion of the exposed anchor sheet, (e) overlapping the exposed area of the decorative coating from another unit formed during step (c) on the exposed area of the anchor sheet temporarily so covered, (f) removing the temporary coating, and (g) trimming and matching the anchor or decorative coating as required to match the area. AND The method of claim 43, wherein step (b) requires a predetermined established relationship to leave at least two edges of the unit formed in step (b) of the exposed area. The method of claim 43, wherein the temporary coating is a smooth, slippery coating of a thin, rigid sheet material. 46. A method of installing a covering comprising: (a) selecting an anchor sheet piece comprising a thin, rigid, flexible film covered on one side of the hook; (b) fitting the anchor sheet piece to the other anchor sheet piece; (c) joining the pieces in seams with a seam joint over them or a belt; (d) after each step (a), (b) or (c) adjusting the piece or pieces of anchor sheet to fit the area to be covered, (e) installing a covering having on its underside. - 45 «» · 9 9 9 · 9999 · 99 99 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 · ·· ·· Additional lugs, detachable to the anchor plate hooks. The method of claim 46, wherein at least a portion of the hooks are coated temporarily at the stage of covering installation with a removable slippery coating. The method of claim 47, wherein the removable slippery coating is a smooth, thin, hard, rigid film to which the hooks or eyelets cannot adhere. The method of claim 48, wherein, prior to step (e), a removable template is placed on the anchor sheet and the individual decoration pieces are inserted into or adjacent to the template to form a pattern on the surface of the anchor sheet. 50. A template for placing a decorative coating on an anchor sheet in relation to other pieces of decorative coating comprising: a perimeter of a predetermined shape surrounding an area for holding at least two such pieces of decorative cover. 51. An anchoring sheet for attachment to the floor to form a backing for a decorative coating that includes a topsheet of a relatively thin, flexible, rigid sheet material and a backsheet of a relatively resilient softening material. An anchor sheet according to claim 51, wherein the anchor sheet may be cut and matched within the boundaries of the room and has sufficient rigidity and mass to remain freely floating on the existing floor without sagging or wrinkling without substantial attachment to the interior floor.