Insulated Tile Flooring

Abstract

Insulated tile flooring may comprise an outer surface used to support temperature sensitive goods and machinery typically used to move such goods into a shipping container or other means of transport. The outer surface may comprise a shell and be composed of injection molded high density polyethylene (HDPE). A shell may define a plurality of void areas conducive to being filled via injection in a top to bottom manner to form an inner fill that may comprise CFC-free foamed-in-place or formed elsewhere, polyisocyanurate foam. A bottom most layer of a tile piece may comprise heavy gauge, reflective, double-sided, reinforced pure aluminum foil. Tiles may be manufactured via tile shells temporally attached and defining an inner void used for forming center insulation. The tile shells may then be separated with the inner foam cut to comport to each shell and foil placed over the exposed insulation.

Claims

1. An insulated floor tile comprising: a) an outer shell having an back solid surface and the solid surface having vertical interior fill walls defining honeycomb voids; b) insultation disposed withing the honeycomb voids; c) foil attached to an inferior side of the insulation.

2. The insulated floor tile of claim 1 wherein the outer shell defines a plurality of fill voids to comport with injection of insulation into the plurality of honeycomb voids.

3. The insulated floor tile of claim 2 wherein the back solid surface of the outer shell is further defined by surface creases.

4. The insulated floor tile of claim 3 wherein the surface creases define a plurality of honeycomb shapes upon the back sold surface of the outer shell.

5. The insulated floor tile of claim 1 wherein the outer shell is comprised of high density polyethylene.

6. The insulated floor tile of claim 1 wherein the insulation comprises polyisocyanurate foam.

7. The insulated floor tile of claim 1 wherein the foil comprises reflective, double-sided reinforced aluminum foil.

8. A method of manufacturing insulated floor tile, the method comprising the steps of: a) attaching a first outer shell to a second outer shell, with the first and second outer shells each comprising a back side, an inner open side, with the inner open side comprising a plurality of interior honeycomb walls with the honeycomb defining a plurality of honeycomb fill voids; b) using insulation material to fill the honeycomb fill voids; c) cutting the insulation at a junction where the first and second outer shells are in contact; d) placing foil over the exposed insulation contained in each outer shell.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising the step of using of high density polyethylene in the construction of each outer shell.

10. The method of claim 8 further comprising the step of using polyisocyanurate foam as the insulation material.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] FIG. 1 depicts a perspective view of two shells

[0022] FIG. 2 depicts a detailed view of two shells

[0023] FIG. 3 depicts a perspective view of two shell attached to each other

[0024] FIG. 4 depicts two shells spaced apart

[0025] FIG. 5 depicts an interior side of a shell

[0026] FIG. 6 depicts an expanded view of an interior side of a shell

[0027] FIG. 7 depicts an interior view of a shell

[0028] FIG. 8 depicts insulation slightly pulled out of shell

[0029] FIG. 9 depicts insulation fully pulled out of a shell

[0030] FIG. 10 depicts two shells on either side of a formed piece of insulation

[0031] FIG. 11 depicts a formed piece of insulation split in two

[0032] FIG. 12 depicts two shell attached together

[0033] FIG. 13 depicts two shells split apart with formed insulation on the interior sides of the shells

[0034] FIG. 14 depicts two split shells with formed insulation facing upwardly

[0035] FIG. 15 is an expanded view of FIG. 14 showing formed insulation within a shell

[0036] FIG. 16 depicts FIG. 15 flipped over with the closed surface of the shell facing upwardly

[0037] FIG. 17 depicts a bottom side of a shell with fasters

[0038] FIG. 18 depicts foil being disposed on the underside of a shell filled with insulation

[0039] FIG. 19 depicts a plurality of disclosed embodiments disposed on the floor of a shipping container or other means of transport

[0040] FIG. 20 depicts an expanded view of FIG. 19

REFERENCE NUMERALS IN THE DRAWINGS

[0041] 100 a disclosed system in general

[0042] 200 floor tile or shell

[0043] 205 inner open side of shell

[0044] 210 closed outer surface of shell

[0045] 211 back side of shell surface

[0046] 212 raised outer surface of shell

[0047] 213 surface creases defined by raised outer surfaces 212 of shell

[0048] 215 void for fastening shells together, defined by outer surface 210 of shell

[0049] 217 fastener channel

[0050] 220 upper edge of shell

[0051] 233 vertical interior fill voids, defined by interior honeycomb walls

[0052] 225 upper edge fill voids, defined with upper edge 220 of shell

[0053] 227 interior honeycomb walls

[0054] 229 interior honeycomb structure, defined by interior honeycomb walls

[0055] 260 vertical side edge of shell

[0056] 270 lower or bottom horizontal edge of shell

[0057] 280 fasteners

[0058] 300 insulating material

[0059] 400 reflective and/or insulating element

[0060] 500 shipping container

[0061] 550 interior walls of shipping container

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

[0062] The following detailed description is directed to certain specific embodiments of the invention. However, the invention can be embodied in a multitude of different ways as defined and covered by the claims and their equivalents. In this description, reference is made to the drawings wherein like parts are designated with like numerals throughout.

[0063] Unless otherwise noted in this specification or in the claims, all of the terms used in the specification and the claims will have the meanings normally ascribed to these terms by workers in the art.

[0064] Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, throughout the description and the claims, the words “comprise,” “comprising” and the like are to be construed in an inclusive sense as opposed to an exclusive or exhaustive sense; that is to say, in a sense of “including, but not limited to.” Words using the singular or plural number also include the plural or singular number, respectively. Additionally, the words “herein,” “above,” “below,” and words of similar import, when used in this application, shall refer to this application as a whole and not to any particular portions of this application.

[0065] The above detailed description of embodiments of the invention is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed above. While specific embodiments of, and examples for, the invention are described above for illustrative purposes, various equivalent modifications are possible within the scope of the invention, as those skilled in the relevant art will recognize. For example, while steps are presented in a given order, alternative embodiments may perform routines having steps in a different order. The teachings of the invention provided herein can be applied to other systems, not only the systems described herein. The various embodiments described herein can be combined to provide further embodiments. These and other changes can be made to the invention in light of the detailed description.

[0066] Any and all the above references and U.S. patents and applications are incorporated herein by reference. Aspects of the invention can be modified, if necessary, to employ the systems, functions and concepts of the various patents and applications described above to provide yet further embodiments of the invention.

[0067] FIG. 1 depicts an underside of a first shell 200 or frame unit on the left and a second shell 200 on the right. The second shell has an outer covered surface 210 shown in the foreground. A shell may comprise an upper edge 220 and two vertical side edges 260.

[0068] FIG. 2 depicts a perspective view of a first shell on the left and a second shell on the right. The first shell on the left is shown with an interior honeycomb side with interior honeycomb mold sections defined by a plurality of interior honeycomb walls 227. The top member of each honeycomb mold section may comprise a vertical upper edge fill void 225. Each upper edge fill void may accept insulation and pass insulation to a lower void. The bottom most honeycomb mold sections have flat and solid bottom members, with said bottom members sometimes being lower edges 270 has shown in FIG. 5.

[0069] Referring back to FIG. 2, the second shell on the right shows a plurality of raised outer surfaces 212 that may be defined by a plurality of surface creases 213.

[0070] FIG. 3 depicts two shells in attachment ready to be filled with insulation. Each shell may define on or more attachment voids 215 such as the attachment void shown in the center of a shell. The center void may be congruent with or be further defined by a fastener channel 217 as shown in FIG. 5.

[0071] Referring to FIG. 4, two shell are spaced apart revealing top edges 220 that may define a plurality of fill voids 225. The shell on the left exposes honeycomb mold structures that may be defined by a plurality of interior honeycomb walls 227.

[0072] FIG. 5 depicts the honeycomb side of a shell, showing a fastener channel 217, a bottom horizontal edge 270, two vertical side edges 260 and a upper edge 220. The bottom horizontal edge defines the lower boundaries of the lower honeycomb chambers, with the bottom horizontal edge not having vertical interior fill voids as found in the upper chambers.

[0073] FIG. 6 presents an expanded view of honeycomb chambers sometimes used to distribute and contain poured or injected insulation. The back side of each honeycomb chamber may be further defined by a back side 211 of the shell surface. Hatch lines are used to show the solid back side of some parts of the outer shell surface.

[0074] FIG. 7 presents another view of the honeycomb side of a shell.

[0075] FIG. 8 depicts formed insulation 300 slightly pulled out of a shell in order to show properties and shapes of formed insulation. The vertical fill voids are apparent in the insulation by the gaps in the upper boundaries of each honeycomb chamber.

[0076] FIG. 9 depicts a formed piece of insulation 300 fully removed from a shell.

[0077] FIG. 10 depicts a formed piece of insulation 300 disposed between the two shells 200 used to form the insulation.

[0078] FIG. 11 depicts formed insulation split in two to demonstrate a disclosed method of manufacture wherein two shells are placed together and insulation is poured or injected into the interior chambers defined by the two inner sides of the shells. After formation of the insultation, the shells may be removed, the formed insulation may be cut or otherwise split as shown. Each split piece of insulation may then be placed back into a shell. The insulation side of each shell may be covered with foil or other coverings before use. The cutting or splitting of the insulation may also occur when the shells are attached, with the saw or other cutting implement disposed at the joint where the two shells meet.

[0079] FIG. 12 depicts two shells in attachment.

[0080] FIG. 13 depicts two shells in a cut or separated condition with each shell filled with insulation.

[0081] FIG. 14 depicts two shells face down, with the insulation exposed.

[0082] FIG. 15 depicts an expanded view of FIG. 14 showing the shell chambers filled with insulation. The upper side shows insulation disposed within the honeycomb walls defined by the shell.

[0083] FIG. 16 depicts a flip side of FIG. 15 showing the closed outer surface of the shell.

[0084] FIG. 17 depicts a plurality of fasteners sometimes 280 sometimes used to secure two shells together.

[0085] FIG. 18 depicts a disclosed embodiment 100 wherein foil 400 or other material is disposed over insulation 300, with the insulation further contained within a shell 300.

[0086] FIG. 19 depicts a shipping container 600 which may take the form of any other means of transport and a plurality of disclosed floor tile components 100 interlocked and disposed upon the floor.

[0087] FIG. 20 depicts a plurality of disclosed embodiments on the floor of a shipping container and abutted against the walls 550.

[0088] In alternative embodiments, an insulation piece 300 may be manufactured without the use of a shell or floor tile and may be formed with other molds, 3D printing or by use of routers and other cutting tools with such cutting tools sometime controlled by CNC machinery. In a further alternative embodiment, the underside of a shell may be attached to a sheet of foil and then the insulation may be injected into the shell with the foil preventing the insulation from breaching the interior honeycomb molds.