Integrated edge and corner ramp for a floor tile

Abstract

An integrated edge and corner ramp piece for a floor tile includes an elongate edge ramp section, and a corner ramp section. The edge ramp section has a high side wall, a low side, and a substantially planar edge ramp surface extending therebetween. The corner ramp section integrally extends from an end of the edge ramp section, and has an apex disposed adjacent the high side wall, a low side, and a corner ramp surface extending therebetween. Connectors are disposed along the high side wall, and are configured to releasably interconnect the edge and corner ramp piece to the floor tile.

1 . An integrated edge and corner ramp piece for a floor tile, comprising: 
 an elongate edge ramp, having a high side wall, a low side, and a substantially planar edge ramp surface extending therebetween;    a corner ramp section, integrally formed with the edge ramp to provide an edge and corner ramp piece, the corner ramp section having an apex disposed adjacent the high side wall, a low side, and a corner ramp surface extending therebetween; and    connectors, disposed along the high side wall, configured to releasably interconnect the edge and corner ramp piece to the floor tile.    
   
   
       2 . An integrated edge and corner ramp piece in accordance with  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 an edge ramp end wall, extending between the high side wall and low side of the edge ramp section at an end of the edge ramp section opposite the corner ramp section; and    a corner ramp end wall, disposed at a terminal end of the corner ramp section, and extending between the apex and the low side of corner ramp section.    
   
   
       3 . An integrated edge and corner ramp piece in accordance with  claim 2 , wherein the corner ramp end wall is substantially coplanar with and extends from the high side wall, and the edge ramp end wall is oriented substantially perpendicular to the high side wall.  
   
   
       4 . An integrated edge and corner ramp piece in accordance with  claim 2 , further comprising a connector associated with the edge ramp end wall.  
   
   
       5 . An integrated edge and corner ramp piece in accordance with  claim 2 , further comprising a connector associated with the corner ramp end wall.  
   
   
       6 . An integrated edge and corner ramp piece in accordance with  claim 2 , wherein the connectors comprise loop and pin connectors, including either a loop or a pin, integrally formed in the high side wall and in at least one of the edge ramp end wall and corner ramp end wall.  
   
   
       7 . An integrated edge and corner ramp piece in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the corner ramp section defines an approximate quarter cone, the corner ramp surface being a conically curved surface that is substantially coplanar with the edge ramp surface at a junction therewith.  
   
   
       8 . An integrated edge and corner ramp piece in accordance with  claim 7 , wherein the edge ramp section has a length substantially equal to a length of a side of the floor tile, and the corner ramp section has a radius substantially equal to a width of the edge ramp section.  
   
   
       9 . An integrated edge and corner ramp piece in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the corner ramp surface comprises at least one substantially planar ramp surface disposed at an angle to the edge ramp surface.  
   
   
       10 . An integrated edge and corner ramp piece in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the corner ramp comprises a left hand corner.  
   
   
       11 . An integrated edge and corner ramp piece in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the corner ramp comprises a right hand corner.  
   
   
       12 . An integrated edge and corner ramp piece in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein a width of the edge ramp section is at least two times a height of the high side wall.  
   
   
       13 . An integrated edge and corner ramp piece in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the high side wall has a height between about 0.3 inches and 1 inch, the low side has a height between about 0.05 and 0.1 inches, and the edge and corner ramp piece has a width between about 1 and 10 inches.  
   
   
       14 . An integrated edge and corner ramp piece in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the edge ramp comprises an L-shaped configuration with first and second edge ramp portions, wherein the corner ramp section is formed at an intersection of the first and second edge ramp portions.  
   
   
       15 . An integrated edge and corner ramp piece for a floor tile having a height, comprising: 
 an elongate edge ramp section, having a high side wall with a height substantially equal to the height of the floor tile, a low side, a substantially planar edge ramp surface extending therebetween, and an edge ramp end wall, extending between the high side wall and low side at a first end of the edge ramp section;    a corner ramp section, integrally extending from a second end of the edge ramp section, having an apex disposed adjacent the high side wall, an arcuate low side, a corner ramp surface extending therebetween, and a corner ramp end wall, disposed at a terminal end of the corner ramp section, and extending between the apex and the arcuate low side; and    loop and pin connectors, disposed along the high side wall, the edge ramp end wall, and the corner ramp end wall, configured to releasably interconnect the edge and corner ramp piece to the floor tile and to one or more other edge and corner ramp pieces.    
   
   
       16 . An integrated edge and corner ramp piece in accordance with  claim 15 , wherein the corner ramp section defines an approximate quarter cone, the corner ramp surface being a conically curved surface that is substantially coplanar with the edge ramp surface at a junction therewith.  
   
   
       17 . An integrated edge and corner ramp piece in accordance with  claim 15 , wherein the edge ramp and corner ramp surfaces are substantially solid.  
   
   
       18 . An integrated edge and corner ramp piece in accordance with  claim 15 , wherein a width of the edge ramp section is at least between about two to four times a height of the high side wall.  
   
   
       19 . A floor tile system comprising: 
 a floor tile, having a top surface, a perimeter wall having a height, a plurality of releasable connectors associated with the perimeter wall, and a plurality of upstanding supports configured to support the top surface above a support surface; and    an integrated edge and corner ramp piece, comprising:    an edge ramp, having a high side wall configured to be adjacent the perimeter wall of the floor tile, a low side, and a substantially planar ramp surface extending therebetween;    a corner ramp, integrally formed with the edge ramp, the corner ramp having an apex disposed adjacent the high side wall, a low side, and a corner ramp surface extending therebetween; and    connectors, disposed along the high side, configured to releasably interconnect the edge and corner ramp piece to the floor tile.    
   
   
       20 . A floor tile system in accordance with  claim 19 , further comprising: 
 an edge ramp end wall, extending between the high side wall and low side of the edge and corner ramp piece at an end of the edge ramp section opposite the corner ramp;    a corner ramp end wall, disposed at a terminal end of the corner ramp of the edge and corner ramp piece, and extending between the apex and the low side;    an edge ramp end connector, disposed upon the edge ramp end wall, configured to interconnect the edge ramp end wall to either an edge ramp end wall or corner ramp end wall of an adjacent edge and corner ramp piece; and    a corner ramp end connector, disposed upon the corner ramp end wall, configured to interconnect the corner ramp end wall to one of an edge ramp end wall of an adjacent edge and corner ramp piece and another floor tile.    
   
   
       21 . A floor tile system in accordance with  claim 19 , wherein the high side wall has a height between about 0.3 inches and 1 inch, the low side has a height between about 0.05 and 0.1 inches, and the edge and corner ramp piece has a width between about 1 and 10 inches.