Method of Making A Modular Synthetic Floor Tile Configured For Enhanced Performance

Abstract

A method for enhancing the performance characteristics of a modular synthetic floor tile, which includes configuring a plurality of structural members to define an upper contact surface with a plurality of openings in the upper contact surface of the floor tile, configuring each of the structural members to comprise a thickness sufficient to support a load about the upper contact surface and with a contact flat having a smooth surface and a width between 0.03 and 0.08 inches, and configuring the upper contact surface with a dry static coefficient of friction of at least 0.6 and an abrasion index no greater than 20.

1 . A method for enhancing the performance characteristics of a modular synthetic floor tile, comprising:
 configuring a plurality of interconnecting structural members to define an upper contact surface of the floor tile having a plurality of openings;   configuring each of said structural members to comprise a thickness sufficient to support a load about said upper contact surface and having a contact flat defining a portion of said upper contact surface, said contact flat comprising a smooth surface and having a width between 0.03 and 0.08 inches; and   configuring said upper contact surface with a dry static coefficient of friction of at least 0.6 and an abrasion index no greater than 20.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising configuring said upper contact surface with a dry dynamic coefficient of friction of at least 0.65. 
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said upper contact surface further comprises a transition surface extending from said contact flat to a side surface of said structural members, said transition surface defining a portion of said upper contact surface. 
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein said transition surface further comprises a radius of curvature between 0.01 and 0.05 inches. 
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein said structural members further comprise a thickness between 0.09 and 0.13 inches at a location where said transition surface intersects with said side surface. 
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein said transition surface further comprises a linear configuration oriented on an incline between 5 degrees and 85 degrees, as measured from a horizontal plane along said contact flat. 
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said structural members further comprise a thickness between 0.03 and 0.08 inches. 
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said structural members further comprise a tapering side surface. 
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said plurality of openings further comprise a shape selected from the group consisting of a diamond, a diamond-like shape, a triangle, a quadrilateral, a hexagon, a circle, an ellipse, and any combinations of these. 
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said openings further comprise an area between 0.06 in 2  and 0.12 in 2 . 
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said openings further comprise an aperture that extends through said structural members, and that facilitates drainage of fluids from said upper contact surface. 
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said openings further comprise a recess having a solid bottom. 
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein said opening is sized and configured to receive therein at least a portion of an object acting on said upper contact surface, said structural members and said transition surface operating to exert a counter force against said portion of said object as said object moves across said upper contact surface. 
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising a perimeter defining various sides of said modular synthetic floor tile, said perimeter comprising:
 a perimeter contact flat having a smooth surface and a width between 0.03 and 0.08 inches, said perimeter flat defining a portion of said upper contact surface; and   a perimeter transition surface extending from said perimeter contact flat to a side surface of said perimeter and defining a portion of said upper contact surface.   
   
   
       15 . A method for enhancing the performance characteristics of a modular synthetic floor tile, said method comprising:
 configuring a plurality of interconnecting structural members to define an upper contact surface of the floor tile having a plurality of openings;   sizing each of said openings to comprise an area between 0.06 in 2  and 0.12 in 2 ;   configuring each of said structural members to comprise a thickness sufficient to support a load about said upper contact surface and having:
 a contact flat defining a portion of said upper contact surface, said contact flat comprising a width between 0.03 and 0.08 inches; and 
 a transition surface extending from said contact flat to a side surface of said structural member, said transition surface defining a portion of said upper contact surface and providing said structural members with a blunt edge; and 
   configuring said upper contact surface with a dry static coefficient of friction of at least 0.6 and an abrasion index no greater than 20.   
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein said transition surface comprises a linear configuration oriented on an incline between 5 degrees and 85 degrees, as measured from a horizontal plane along said contact flat. 
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein said transition surface comprises a radius of curvature between 0.01 and 0.05 inches. 
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein said contact flat comprises a smooth surface configuration. 
   
   
       19 . A modular synthetic floor tile comprising:
 a plurality of interconnecting structural members defining an upper contact surface of the floor tile having a plurality of openings,   said plurality of structural members comprising a contact flat defining a portion of said upper contact surface and having a width between 0.03 and 0.08 inches,   said openings comprising an area between 0.06 in 2  and 0.12 in 2 ,   said upper contact surface having a dry static coefficient of friction of at least 0.6, and   said upper contact surface having an abrasion index of no greater than 20.   
   
   
       20 . The modular synthetic floor tile of  claim 19 , further comprising a transition surface extending between said contact flat and a side surface of said structural member, said transition surface defining a portion of said upper contact surface. 
   
   
       21 . The modular synthetic floor tile of  claim 20 , wherein said transition surface comprises a radius of curvature between 0.01 inches and 0.05 inches. 
   
   
       22 . The modular synthetic floor tile of  claim 20 , wherein said structural members comprise a thickness between 0.09 inches and 0.13 inches at a location where said transition surface intersects with said side surface. 
   
   
       23 . The modular synthetic floor tile of  claim 20 , wherein said transition surface comprises a linear configuration oriented on an incline between 5 degrees and 85 degrees, as measured from a horizontal plane along said contact flat. 
   
   
       24 . The modular synthetic floor tile of  claim 19 , wherein said upper contact surface comprises a dry dynamic coefficient of friction of at least 0.65. 
   
   
       25 . The modular synthetic floor tile of  claim 19 , further comprising a perimeter defining various sides of said modular synthetic floor tile, said perimeter comprising:
 a perimeter contact flat having a smooth surface and a width between 0.03 and 0.08 inches, said perimeter flat further defining a portion said upper contact surface; and   a perimeter transition surface extending from said perimeter contact flat to a side surface of said perimeter and defining a portion of said upper contact surface.