Carpet planks

Abstract

Rectangular carpet modules or “planks” and installation of such planks having the continuous appearance of broadloom carpet or a wide variety of other effective, human scale designs. “Planks” sized approximately ¼ meter (25 cm) by 1 meter (100 cm) (or approximately 9 inches by 36 inches) are particularly effective.

1 . A rectangular carpet module having edges, comprising:
 carpet face fabric bonded to carpet tile secondary backing sized approximately ¼ meter by 1 meter, the face fabric comprising carpet yarn tufted in a design having relatively narrow stripes or striations parallel to the 1 meter edges.   
     
     
         2 . The rectangular carpet module of  claim 1 , wherein the carpet yarn comprises only one yarn comprising only one color. 
     
     
         3 . The rectangular carpet module of  claim 1 , wherein the carpet yarn comprises at least two different yarns. 
     
     
         4 . The rectangular carpet module of  claim 3 , wherein the at least two different yarns comprise two different colors. 
     
     
         5 . An assembly of carpet modules on a floor, comprising a plurality of the carpet modules of  claim 1  in an ashlar arrangement. 
     
     
         6 . An assembly of carpet modules on a floor, comprising a plurality of the carpet modules of  claim 1 , wherein at least two of the carpet modules have different tufted yarn patterns. 
     
     
         7 . An assembly of carpet modules on a floor, comprising a plurality of the carpet modules of  claim 1 , wherein at least two of the carpet modules have different yarn colors or types. 
     
     
         8 . Flooring exhibiting the relatively continuous appearance of broadloom carpet, the flooring comprising a plurality of rectangular carpet modules having edges approximately ¼ meter by 1 meter and corners at the intersections of the edges, the modules assembled with aligned 1 meter edges and staggered ¼ meter edges, the modules comprising tufted carpet yarn faces comprising narrow stripes or striations parallel to the 1 meter edges and carpet tile secondary backing bonded to the yarn faces. 
     
     
         9 . The flooring of  claim 8  further comprising adhesive-bearing connectors attached to the secondary backing of the carpet modules proximate at least approximately one-half of the module corners. 
     
     
         10 . The flooring of  claim 8  further comprising adhesive-bearing connectors attached to secondary backing of the carpet modules proximate approximately all of the module corners. 
     
     
         11 . An assembly of rectangular carpet modules, wherein each module is approximately four times as long as it is wide. 
     
     
         12 . The assembly of rectangular carpet tiles of  claim 11 , wherein the modules are approximately one-fourth meter wide and one meter long. 
     
     
         13 . The assembly of rectangular carpet tiles of  claim 11 , wherein the modules are approximately 9 inches wide and 36 inches long. 
     
     
         14 . An assembly of rectangular carpet modules, wherein each module is approximately four times as long as it is wide, and the modules are aligned end to end and staggered side to side. 
     
     
         15 . A method of installing rectangular carpet modules comprising:
 a. positioning a first module on the floor,   b. lifting a corner of the first module and inserting approximately one-fourth of a first adhesive-bearing connector under the lifted module corner,   c. pressing the lifted module corner down on the first connector,   d. laying a second module abutting and aligned end to end with the first module and pressing a corner of the second module onto the first connector,   e. laying a third module abutting and side to side with the first and second modules and on top of the uncovered portion of the first connector,   f. lifting a corner of the second module and inserting approximately one-fourth of a second connector under the lifted module corner,   g. pressing the second tile lifted module corner down on the second connector,   h. repeating steps (d) and (e) with fourth and fifth modules as needed until two side-by-side lines of modules are positioned on the floor,   i. lifting the adjacent corners of the third and fifth modules remote from the second module, inserting approximately one-half of a third connector under the third and fifth modules and pressing those lifted corners down on the third connector,   j. on the side of the row remote from the first row of modules, lifting the adjacent corners of each pair of modules in the second row of modules and inserting approximately one-half of a connector and pressing the module corners down on the connector until all second line module pairs are so connected,   k. repeating step (i) until a third line of modules has been installed, and   l. positioning a fourth line of modules adjacent to the third line of modules abutting and staggered relative to the third line of modules and repeating steps (i), (j) and (k) until all modules required have been installed.   
     
     
         16 . A method of installing rectangular carpet modules comprising:
 a. positioning a first module on the floor,   b. lifting a corner of the first module and inserting approximately one-fourth of a first connector under the lifted module corner,   c. pressing the lifted module corner down on the first connector,   d. laying a second module abutting and aligned end to end with the first module and pressing a corner of the second module onto the first connector,   e. laying a third module abutting and side to side with the first and second modules and on top of the uncovered portion of the first connector,   f. lifting a corner of the second module and inserting approximately one-fourth of a second connector under the lifted module corner,   g. laying a fourth module abutting and aligned end to end with the second module and pressing and pressing fourth module onto the second connector,   h. lifting a corner of the third module remote from the first module and inserting approximately one-fourth of a third connector under the lifted module corner,   i. pressing the third tile lifted module corner down on the third connector,   j. laying a fifth module abutting and aligned end to end with the third module and on top of portions of the second and third connectors, and   k. repeating appropriate ones of the preceding steps with additional modules and connectors until all modules needed have been laid.