Traction Synthetic Flooring Apparatus

Abstract

A modular floor tile is disclosed having a top surface including a plurality of upper rib members intersecting to form apertures. Lower rib members forming a downward trending curvilinear shape traverse the apertures. Rib protrusions extend from the lower rib members through the aperture toward the top surface, and may terminate below, at or above the top surface to provide added traction.

1 . A modular floor tile comprising:
 a top surface comprising intersecting upper rib members defining a plurality of apertures;   a plurality of lower rib members connecting the upper rib members and traversing the plurality of apertures, each of the lower rib members comprising a first end and a second end; and   one or more rib protrusions extending from the lower rib members through the aperture toward the top surface;   wherein the one or more rib protrusions extends above the top surface;   wherein each of the plurality of lower rib members connects to the upper rib member at each end of the lower rib member, is attached only to the upper rib members and is not configured to contact a flooring surface below the modular floor tile.   
     
     
         2 . The modular tile of  claim 1 , wherein each aperture comprising one lower rib member of the plurality of rib members. 
     
     
         3 . The modular tile of  claim 1 , wherein the rib protrusion comprises a rectangular blade. 
     
     
         4 . The modular tile of  claim 3 , wherein the rectangular blade is collinear with the lower rib member. 
     
     
         5 . The modular tile of  claim 3 , wherein a gap is formed between each end of the rectangular blade and the upper rib members. 
     
     
         6 . The modular tile of  claim 1 , wherein the rib protrusion comprises one or more posts. 
     
     
         7 . The modular tile of  claim 6 , wherein the one or more posts comprise three posts. 
     
     
         8 . The modular tile of  claim 7 , wherein the three posts extend the same height above the top surface. 
     
     
         9 . The modular tile of  claim 8 , wherein two outer posts of the three posts extend a greater height above the top surface than a center post of the three posts. 
     
     
         10 . The modular tile of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more rib protrusions extends between 0.005 and 0.02 inches above the top surface. 
     
     
         11 . A modular flooring system, comprising:
 at least two adjacent flooring components positioned adjacent one another, each flooring component comprising:
 a top surface comprising a plurality of upper rib members defining a plurality of apertures; 
 a plurality of lower rib members connecting the upper rib members and intersecting the apertures, at least one of the plurality of lower rib members forming a downward trending curvilinear shape within the aperture; 
 a plurality of rib extrusions extending from the plurality of lower rib members through the apertures toward the top surface; 
 a gap formed between each rib extrusion and the plurality of upper rib members; 
 wherein the rib extrusion extends to a height above the top surface; and 
   a locking system disposed between the at least two adjacent floor tiles.   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein each of the plurality of rib extrusions comprises a rectangular blade. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein each of the rectangular blades extends between 0.005 and 0.02 inches above the top surface. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein each of the plurality of rib extrusions comprises one or more posts. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein each of the plurality of rib extrusions comprises three posts. 
     
     
         16 . A method of improving the traction of a synthetic floor tile, comprising:
 providing one or more synthetic floor tiles having an upper surface and a plurality of apertures formed therein; and   providing a rib protrusion that extends above the upper surface through the aperture to provide traction;   wherein the one or more synthetic floor tiles comprises a plurality of lower rib members forming a downward trending curvilinear shape within the aperture, and wherein the rib protrusion extend from the plurality of lower rib members.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the rib protrusion comprises a rectangular blade. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein a gap is formed between the rectangular blade and the upper surface. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the rib protrusion comprises a plurality of posts. 
     
     
         20 . The modular flooring system of  claim 11 , wherein the plurality of lower rib members is not configured to contact a flooring surface below the flooring component. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the plurality of lower rib members is not configured to contact a flooring surface below the one or more synthetic floor tiles.