Anti-slip floor tile assembly with inlaid tiles and method of making an anti-slip floor tile

Abstract

A floor tile is disclosed that includes a metal frame, a backing plate, and a plurality of tiles assembled to the metal frame and the backing plate. The metal frame defines a plurality of openings, and has a thickness T. The openings are separated by a plurality of connected strips that are coated with an anti-slip coating. The backing plate is attached to a bottom side of the metal frame. The plurality of tiles are each assembled into one of the plurality of openings with the backing plate supporting the tiles. The tiles have a height H that is less than T and have a top surface that is recessed below the anti-slip coating on the connected strips.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A floor tile comprising:
 a metal frame defining a plurality of openings, the metal frame having a thickness T, wherein the openings are separated by a plurality of connected strips, and wherein the plurality of connected strips are coated with an anti-slip coating;   a backing plate attached to a bottom side of the metal frame; and   a plurality of tiles each assembled into one of the plurality of openings with the backing plate supporting the tiles, wherein the tiles have a height H that is less than T, and wherein the tiles have a top surface that is recessed below the anti-slip coating on the connected strips.   
     
     
         2 . The floor tile of  claim 1  further comprising:
 an adhesive applied between the tiles and both the plurality of openings and the backing plate, wherein the adhesive bonds the tiles into the openings. 
 
     
     
         3 . The floor tile of  claim 1  wherein the metal framework is aluminum and the anti-slip coating is a stainless steel coating. 
     
     
         4 . The floor tile of  claim 1  wherein the connected strips extend in a linear array. 
     
     
         5 . The floor tile of  claim 1  wherein the connected strips are curved and intersect with each other to define the openings. 
     
     
         6 . The floor tile of  claim 1  wherein the anti-slip coating is a metal coating that is flame sprayed on the plurality of intersecting strips. 
     
     
         7 . A method of making a floor tile comprising:
 providing a metal frame defining a plurality of openings;   applying an anti-slip coating to an upper surface of the metal frame;   attaching a base plate to a bottom surface of the metal frame;   applying an adhesive to the tiles; and   assembling a plurality of tiles each into one of the plurality of openings and securing the tiles in the openings and on the base plate with an adhesive, wherein a top surface of the tiles is recessed relative the upper surface of the metal frame.   
     
     
         8 . The method of making a floor tile of  claim 7  further comprising:
 punching the plurality of openings to form the metal frame. 
 
     
     
         9 . The method of making a floor tile of  claim 7  wherein the step of applying the anti-slip coating is performed by spraying a molten metal coating on the top surface of the metal frame. 
     
     
         10 . The method of making a floor tile of  claim 7  wherein the metal framework is aluminum. 
     
     
         11 . The method of making a floor tile of  claim 7  wherein the anti-slip coating is stainless steel. 
     
     
         12 . A floor tile comprising:
 a metal tile including a plurality of connected strips defining a plurality of openings, the connected strips having a top surface, wherein the top surfaces of the plurality of connected strips are coated with an anti-slip coating; and   a plurality of tiles disposed each in one of the openings in the metal tile between the plurality of connected strips, wherein the tiles have an upper surface that is recessed below the top surface of the connected strips in an installation orientation.   
     
     
         13 . The floor tile of  claim 12  wherein the plurality of tiles are selected from the group consisting of:
 ceramic tiles; 
 glass tiles; 
 marble tiles; 
 wood tiles; and 
 granite tiles. 
 
     
     
         14 . The floor tile of  claim 12  wherein the metal tile is aluminum and the anti-slip coating is stainless steel. 
     
     
         15 . The floor tile of  claim 12  wherein the plurality of tiles are attached to the metal tile and the base plate by an adhesive. 
     
     
         16 . The floor tile of  claim 12  wherein the openings defined by the connected strips extend from a bottom surface of the metal tile to the top surface of the metal tile.