Random installation carpet tiles

Abstract

Carpet tiles having patterns and color schemes that obviate the need to orient the tiles relative to each other. The tiles exhibit orthogonal ambiguity, meaning that they may be laid in any side-by-side orientation with respect to adjacent tiles without looking out of place to the ordinary viewer and thereby still achieving an appearance of continuity like broadloom carpet. Each tile has patterns of shapes having some straight sides and that appear to be randomly positioned but oriented with some straight sides parallel to carpet tile sides. The shapes are formed from a color or combination of colors so that adjacent shapes on each tile have at least one color in common. Furthermore, each tile has at least one color in common with every other tile, so that when the tiles are laid, the colors on adjacent tiles coordinate. All of the colors have similar intensities so that no one color will significantly stand out from the other colors. Moreover, because the pattern on each tile appears random, placement of the tiles on the floor in any side-by-side orientation simply creates a larger, apparently random pattern, rendering it impossible for any tile to look out of place.

1 .- 26 . (canceled) 
   
   
       27 . Carpet tiles comprising tile edges and textile faces, each face having a pattern comprising a plurality of shapes having shape edges, wherein the pattern on each tile face is formed by at least three colors and comprises:
 a. a plurality of shapes, at least two of which are adjacent to each other and comprise at least one common color;   b. a shape comprising at least one shape edge parallel to a first pair of opposed edges of the tile on which the shape appears and at least one shape edge parallel to a second pair of opposed edges of the tile on which the shape appears;   wherein:   c. the tiles comprise at least two common colors; and   d. when the tiles are assembled on a flooring surface so that each tile is adjacent to and abuts at least one other tile, the tiles exhibit orthogonal ambiguity without pattern alignment between adjacent tiles.   
   
   
       28 . The carpet tiles of  claim 27 , wherein each tile comprises a color of intensity similar to the intensity of a color on another tile. 
   
   
       29 . The carpet tiles of  claim 27 , wherein at least one of the carpet tiles comprises a color not present on at least another of the tiles. 
   
   
       30 . The carpet tiles of  claim 27 , wherein the plurality of shapes comprises a first shape and a second shape. 
   
   
       31 . The carpet tile of  claim 30 , wherein the first shape is larger than the second shape. 
   
   
       32 . The carpet tiles of  claim 30 , wherein the first shape has a different shape than the second shape. 
   
   
       33 . The carpet tiles of  claim 30 , wherein the plurality of shapes further comprises a third shape. 
   
   
       34 . The carpet tiles of  claim 33 , wherein the first shape is larger than the second shape and the second shape is larger than the third shape. 
   
   
       35 . The carpet tiles of  claim 33 , wherein the first shape has a different shape than the second shape and the third shape, and the second shape has a different shape than the third shape. 
   
   
       36 . The carpet tiles of  claim 33 , wherein the plurality of shapes further comprises a fourth shape. 
   
   
       37 . The carpet tiles of  claim 36 , wherein the first shape is larger than the second shape, the second shape is larger than the third shape, and the third shape is larger than the fourth shape. 
   
   
       38 . The carpet tiles of  claim 36 , wherein the first shape has a different shape than the second shape, the third shape, and the fourth shape, the second shape has a different shape than the third shape and fourth shape, and the third shape has a different shape than the fourth shape. 
   
   
       39 . The carpet tiles of  claim 27 , wherein the pattern on at least one but not all of the tile faces comprises a first color. 
   
   
       40 . The carpet tiles of  claim 39 , wherein the pattern on at least one but not all of the tile faces comprises a second color. 
   
   
       41 . The carpet tiles of  claim 40 , wherein the pattern on at least one but not all of the tile faces comprises a third color. 
   
   
       42 . Floorcovering comprising at least two carpet tiles of  claim 27  positioned adjacent to each other and in abutment on a flooring surface. 
   
   
       43 . The floorcovering of  claim 42 , wherein the at least two carpet tiles comprise yarn and wherein one of the at least two carpet tiles comprises yarn dyed in a different dye lot than yarn of the other of the at least two carpet tiles. 
   
   
       44 . The floorcovering of  claim 42 , wherein the at least two carpet tiles comprises a first carpet tile adjacent to a second carpet tile, wherein the first and second carpet tiles comprise at least three common colors. 
   
   
       45 . The floorcovering of  claim 42 , wherein the at least two carpet tiles comprises a first carpet tile adjacent to a second carpet tile, wherein the first carpet tile comprises a color not present on the second carpet tile. 
   
   
       46 . The floorcovering of  claim 42 , wherein the at least two carpet tiles comprises a first carpet tile adjacent to a second carpet tile, wherein:
 a. the first and second carpet tiles comprise at least three common colors; and   b. the first carpet tile comprises a color not present on the second carpet tile.   
   
   
       47 . The floorcovering of  claim 42 , wherein the at least two carpet tiles comprises a first carpet tile adjacent to a second carpet tile and a third carpet tile, wherein:
 a. the first and second carpet tiles comprise at least three common colors; and   b. at least one of the at least three common colors is not present on the third carpet tile.   
   
   
       48 . The floorcovering of  claim 42 , wherein the at least two carpet tiles comprises a first carpet tile adjacent to a second carpet tile and a third carpet tile, wherein:
 a. a first color is common to the first carpet tile and second carpet tile but not the third carpet tile; and   b. a second color is common to the first carpet tile and third carpet tile but not the second carpet tile.   
   
   
       49 . A floorcovering comprising carpet tiles positioned adjacent to each other and in abutment on a flooring surface, wherein the carpet tiles comprise tile edges and textile faces, each face having a pattern comprising a plurality of shapes having shape edges, wherein the pattern on each tile face is formed by at least three colors and comprises:
 a. a plurality of shapes, at least two of which are adjacent to each other and comprise at least one common color;   b. a shape comprising at least one shape edge parallel to a first pair of opposed edges of the tile on which the shape appears and at least one shape edge parallel to a second pair of opposed edges of the tile on which the shape appears;   wherein:   c. the tiles comprise at least two common colors; and   d. wherein, when the tiles are positioned adjacent to each other and in abutment on a flooring surface:
 i. the tiles exhibit orthogonal ambiguity without pattern alignment between adjacent tiles; 
 ii. a first carpet tile is adjacent to a second carpet tile and a third carpet tile; 
 iii. the first and second carpet tiles comprise a color not present on the third carpet tile; and 
 iv. the first and third carpet tiles comprise a color not present on the second carpet tile.