Arch-ribbed tile system

Abstract

A tile for forming a floor covering includes a perimeter support wall, a top surface, interconnecting structure for releasably connecting with adjacent tiles, and intermediate upstanding grid structure. The intermediate upstanding grid structure comprises a repeating pattern of polygonal units, such as hexagons, having sidewalls extending from a bottom of the tile to the underside of the top surface. An arched support structure is disposed within each polygonal unit, connecting an upper portion of the sidewalls of each polygonal unit with the underside of the top surface. The arched configuration reduces stress concentrations at the junction of the arched support structure and the sidewalls.

1 . A polymer tile for forming a floor covering, comprising: 
 a top surface;    a perimeter wall supporting the top surface and enclosing a perimeter boundary for the tile;    a honeycomb support structure, interconnected between inner portions of the perimeter wall and supporting the top surface, comprising recurring polygonal cells divided by upright support walls of common dimension, the support walls having a height common with a height of the perimeter wall for providing support for a load imposed on the top surface; and    a top surface support structure connecting an upper portion of the polygonal cells to an underside of the top surface, the top surface support structure having an arch configuration so as to reduce stress concentrations at the connection of the top surface support structure to the support walls of the honeycomb support structure.    
   
   
       2 . A floor tile in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the arch configuration comprises a plurality of continuously curved arched ribs disposed in traversing orientation between opposing support walls of the polygonal cells.  
   
   
       3 . A floor tile in accordance with  claim 2 , wherein the arched ribs define a circular curve.  
   
   
       4 . A floor tile in accordance with  claim 3 , wherein the circular curve has a radius at least as great as one half the distance between opposing support walls of the polygonal cell.  
   
   
       5 . A floor tile in accordance with  claim 2 , wherein the arched ribs include a first arch base at the bottom of one wall of a polygonal cell, and a second arch base at the bottom of an opposing wall of the polygonal cell.  
   
   
       6 . A floor tile in accordance with  claim 2 , wherein the arched ribs define a non-circular curve.  
   
   
       7 . A floor tile in accordance with  claim 6 , wherein the arched ribs have a minimum radius that is at least about 60% of a maximum radius thereof.  
   
   
       8 . A floor tile in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the support structure comprises a substantially solid dome structure disposed within the upper portion of each polygonal cell, having a downwardly open concave surface, the dome extending between all opposing portions of the polygonal cell.  
   
   
       9 . A floor tile in accordance with  claim 8 , wherein the dome structure comprises an insert configured to be inserted into a polygonal cell.  
   
   
       10 . A floor tile in accordance with  claim 8 , wherein the dome structure is integrally formed with the material of the floor tile.  
   
   
       11 . A tile for forming a floor covering, comprising: 
 a perimeter support wall defining an outer boundary of the tile and including interconnecting structure for releasably connecting with interconnecting structure of adjacent tiles to form a continuous floor surface;    a top surface connected atop the perimeter support wall, the top surface having an underside; and    intermediate upstanding grid structure internally coupled to the perimeter support wall and within the outer boundary, said grid structure comprising: 
 (i) a repeating pattern of polygonal units extending in parallel orientation substantially across an entire area of the tile within the outer boundary, the polygonal units having sidewalls extending from a bottom of the tile to the underside of the top surface; and  
 (ii) a support structure, connecting an upper portion of the sidewalls of each polygonal unit with the underside of the top surface, the support structure having an arched configuration so as to reduce stress concentrations at the junction of the support structure and the sidewalls.  
   
   
   
       12 . A floor tile in accordance with  claim 11 , wherein the support structure comprises continuously curved, arched ribs extending transversely between opposing sidewalls of a respective polygonal unit.  
   
   
       13 . A floor tile in accordance with  claim 12 , wherein the arched ribs define a circular curve.  
   
   
       14 . A floor tile in accordance with  claim 13 , wherein the circular arch has a radius greater than one half the distance between opposing sidewalls of the polygonal unit.  
   
   
       15 . A floor tile in accordance with  claim 12 , wherein the arched ribs include a first arch base at the bottom of one wall of a polygonal unit, and a second arch base at the bottom of an opposing wall of the polygonal unit.  
   
   
       16 . A floor tile in accordance with  claim 12 , wherein the arched ribs define a non-circular curve.  
   
   
       17 . A floor tile in accordance with  claim 16 , wherein the arched ribs have a minimum radius that is at least about 60% of a maximum radius thereof.  
   
   
       18 . A floor tile in accordance with  claim 16 , wherein the curvature of the arched ribs defines at least a portion of a shape selected from the group consisting of a parabola, a hyperbola, and an ellipse.  
   
   
       19 . A floor tile system in accordance with  claim 11 , wherein the support structure comprises continuously curved, arched ribs extending transversely between opposing vertices of a respective polygonal unit.  
   
   
       20 . A floor tile system in accordance with  claim 11 , wherein the support structure comprises a substantially solid dome structure disposed within the upper portion of each polygonal unit, having a downwardly open concave surface, the dome extending between all opposing portions of the polygonal unit.  
   
   
       21 . A floor tile system in accordance with  claim 20 , wherein the dome structure comprises an insert configured to be inserted into a polygonal unit.  
   
   
       22 . A floor tile system in accordance with  claim 20 , wherein the dome comprises base portions that extend to the bottom of the polygonal unit.  
   
   
       23 . A floor tile system in accordance with  claim 20 , wherein the dome structure is integrally formed with the material of the floor tile.  
   
   
       24 . A floor tile system in accordance with  claim 20 , wherein the concave surface is non-circularly curved.