Resilient floor tile and method of making same

Abstract

A resilient floor tile is described that comprises a base; a protective film layer; and a decorative layer disposed between the base and the protective film layer; wherein the resilient floor tile has a top surface and a convex edge along a perimeter of the top surface. In another embodiment, the resilient floor tile comprises a decorative layer comprising a printed ink forming a decorative pattern disposed between a base and a protective film layer; wherein the decorative pattern extends over at least a portion of a contoured edge of the tile such that the decorative pattern is substantially undistorted. The process for making a resilient floor tile comprises preheating a printed tile blank; cutting and molding the printed tile blank concurrently to form a resilient floor tile having a convex edge along a top, outer perimeter of the resilient floor tile.

1 - 45 . (canceled) 
     
     
         46 . A resilient floor tile, comprising:
 a base comprising a binder present at a level less than 34% by weight of the base, so that the tile has rigidity;   and   a decorative layer,   
       wherein the base, and the decorative layer together form a resilient floor tile having:
 a top surface with a contoured edge along its perimeter, which contoured edge has an outermost contoured surface, and 
 a bottom surface, 
 
       and further wherein the decorative layer extends over at least a portion of the contoured edge. 
     
     
         47 . The resilient floor tile of  claim 46 , wherein the contoured edge comprises a convex edge. 
     
     
         48 . The resilient floor tile of  claim 46 , wherein the contoured edge comprises a beveled edge. 
     
     
         49 . The resilient floor tile of  claim 46 , wherein the contoured edge and the top surface are substantially free of micro cracks. 
     
     
         50 . The resilient floor tile of  claim 46 , wherein the decorative layer extends over the entire outermost contoured surface. 
     
     
         51 . The resilient floor tile of  claim 46 , wherein the decorative layer extends over the entire contoured edge. 
     
     
         52 . The resilient floor tile of  claim 46 , further comprising:
 a vertical side wall extending from the bottom surface of the tile to the outermost contoured surface so that the tile, when positioned adjacent another tile, can be grouted.   
     
     
         53 . The resilient floor tile of  claim 52 , wherein the vertical side wall is substantially solid in that it does not have preformed openings or openings of predetermined shapes or sizes. 
     
     
         54 . The resilient floor tile of  claim 46  wherein:
 the base further comprises one or more plasticizers.   
     
     
         55 . The resilient floor tile of  claim 46  or  claim 54 , wherein:
 the base further comprises one or more pigments.   
     
     
         56 . The resilient floor tile of  claim 46 , wherein the binder is present at a level less than 28% of the base. 
     
     
         57 . The resilient floor tile of  claim 46 , wherein the binder is present at a level less than 26% of the base. 
     
     
         58 . The resilient floor tile of  claim 46 , wherein the binder is present at a level less than 20% of the base. 
     
     
         59 . The resilient floor tile of  claim 46 , wherein the binder is present at a level less than 18% of the base. 
     
     
         60 . The resilient floor tile of  claim 46 , wherein the binder is present at a level less than 17% of the base. 
     
     
         61 . The resilient floor tile of  claim 46 , wherein the base is approximately 50-200 mils thick. 
     
     
         62 . The resilient floor tile of  claim 46 , wherein the tile has a thickness of approximately 4 mm. 
     
     
         63 . The resilient floor tile of  claim 56 , wherein:
 the vertical side wall is substantially solid in that it does not have preformed openings or openings of predetermined shapes or sizes.   
     
     
         64 . The resilient floor tile of  claim 46 , which resilient floor tile is square in shape. 
     
     
         65 . The resilient floor tile of  claim 46 , which resilient floor tile has a size selected from the group consisting of
 9″×9″;   12″×12″;   14″×14″;   16″×16″; and   18″×18″.   
     
     
         66 . The resilient floor tile of  claim 46 , which resilient floor tile is round in shape. 
     
     
         67 . The resilient floor tile of  claim 46 , which resilient floor tile is oval in shape. 
     
     
         68 . The resilient floor tile of  claim 46 , which resilient floor tile is rectangular in shape. 
     
     
         69 . The resilient floor tile of  claim 46 , which resilient floor tile is a polygon in shape. 
     
     
         70 . A resilient floor tile, comprising:
 a base comprised of about 80% inorganic material and about 20% organic binder;   a protective film layer; and   a decorative layer disposed between the base and the protective film layer,   
       wherein the base, the protective film layer, and the decorative layer together form a resilient floor tile having:
 a top surface with a contoured edge along its perimeter, which contoured edge has an outermost contoured surface, and 
 a bottom surface, 
 
       and further wherein the decorative layer extends over at least a portion of the contoured edge.