Patent revoked Patent revoked, The patent has been granted, Grant of patent is intended, Request for examination was made, The application has been published EP Register Verified

FLOOR COVERING

Publication No. EP3190243

•

App No. EP17151647

•

Filed by Interface, Inc.

•

Filed on 2005-10-17

•

Issued/Published on 2019-09-11

Official EPO Register

Publication No. EP3190243 A1

Application No. EP17151647 Filed: 2005-10-17

Grant Date 2005-10-17 Mention of grant

Active Oppositions 1 Active EPO Oppositions

Patent Abstract / Summary

[0001] Connectors for joining adjacent modular floor covering units. The connectors include a film and an adhesive layer coated on one side of the film. To install tiles using the connectors, a first tile is placed on the floor and a connector is positioned so that the adhesive layer faces upward and does not contact the floor. The connector is typically positioned so that only a portion of the adhesive layer adheres to the underside of the tile, leaving the remainder of the connector extending from the underside of the tile. Tiles are then positioned adjacent the first tile so that a portion of the connector adheres to the adjacent tiles. In this way, the connectors span adjacent tile edges. The tiles are assembled on a underlying flooring surface without the need to attach them to the floor surface. Rather, the tiles are linked to each other with the connectors, so that the tiles create a floor covering that "floats" on the underlying floor surface.

IPC Classifications

E04F15/02, B65H37/00, A47G27/04 E04F15/02, C09J7/02, B65H37/00, A47G27/04

Priority Claims

US 20040619340P Date: 2004-10-15

US 20040018947 Date: 2004-12-21

US 20050690762P Date: 2005-06-15

Designated Contracting States (31 EPC States)

AT BE BG CH CY CZ DE DK EE ES FI FR GB GR HU IE IS IT LI LT LU LV MC NL PL PT RO SE SI SK TR

Parties & Representation

Applicants

Interface, Inc.

2859 Paces Ferry Road Suite 2000, Atlanta, Georgia 30339

Inventors (2)

BRADFORD, John

122 Morgan Dr, LaGrange GA - 30240

GRAY, Keith N.

3150 Palisades Court, Marietta, GA 30067

Representatives / Agents

Phillips & Leigh LLP

Temple Chambers, 3-7 Temple Avenue

HGF

HGF Limited, 4th Floor, 1 City Square

Key Procedural Dates

Request-For-Examination 2017-11-30

Mention Of Grant Published 2005-10-17

First-Examination-Report-Despatched 2019-03-26

Patent Oppositions

Official opposition proceedings filed against European Patent EP3190243 under EPC Article 99.

1 ACTIVE OPPONENT

Opponent Company

Illinois Tool Works, Inc.

155 Harlem Avenue, US

Representative

HGF

Filing Date

2020-06-10

Opposition in Progress

Legal Status & Event History

Official European Patent Office legal and procedural status changes recorded for this file.

52 Events Recorded

Date	Code	Event Description	Auth
2017-07-12	AC	DIVISIONAL APPLICATION: REFERENCE TO EARLIER APPLICATION	EP
2017-07-12	AK	DESIGNATED CONTRACTING STATES	EP
2018-01-10	17P	REQUEST FOR EXAMINATION FILED	EP
2018-01-10	RBV	DESIGNATED CONTRACTING STATES (CORRECTED)	EP
2019-04-03	RIC1	INFORMATION PROVIDED ON IPC CODE ASSIGNED BEFORE GRANT	EP
2019-04-24	INTG	INTENTION TO GRANT ANNOUNCED	EP
2019-08-28	INTG	INTENTION TO GRANT ANNOUNCED	EP
2019-09-11	AK	DESIGNATED CONTRACTING STATES	EP
2019-09-11	AC	DIVISIONAL APPLICATION: REFERENCE TO EARLIER APPLICATION	EP
2019-09-11	REG	REFERENCE TO A NATIONAL CODE	EP
2019-09-15	REG	REFERENCE TO A NATIONAL CODE	EP
2019-09-13	REG	REFERENCE TO A NATIONAL CODE	EP
2019-10-02	REG	REFERENCE TO A NATIONAL CODE	EP
2020-01-15	REG	REFERENCE TO A NATIONAL CODE	EP
2020-01-27	REG	REFERENCE TO A NATIONAL CODE	EP
2020-01-31	PG25	LAPSED IN A CONTRACTING STATE [ANNOUNCED VIA POSTGRANT INFORMATION FROM NATIONAL OFFICE TO EPO]	EP
2020-02-28	PG25	LAPSED IN A CONTRACTING STATE [ANNOUNCED VIA POSTGRANT INFORMATION FROM NATIONAL OFFICE TO EPO]	EP
2020-04-15	REG	REFERENCE TO A NATIONAL CODE	EP
2020-05-01	PG25	LAPSED IN A CONTRACTING STATE [ANNOUNCED VIA POSTGRANT INFORMATION FROM NATIONAL OFFICE TO EPO]	EP
2020-05-29	PG25	LAPSED IN A CONTRACTING STATE [ANNOUNCED VIA POSTGRANT INFORMATION FROM NATIONAL OFFICE TO EPO]	EP
2020-05-29	REG	REFERENCE TO A NATIONAL CODE	EP
2020-05-01	REG	REFERENCE TO A NATIONAL CODE	EP
2020-07-22	26	OPPOSITION FILED	EP
2020-07-31	PG25	LAPSED IN A CONTRACTING STATE [ANNOUNCED VIA POSTGRANT INFORMATION FROM NATIONAL OFFICE TO EPO]	EP
2020-08-13	REG	REFERENCE TO A NATIONAL CODE	EP
2020-07-30	PG2D	INFORMATION ON LAPSE IN CONTRACTING STATE DELETED	EP
2020-09-02	GBPC	GB: EUROPEAN PATENT CEASED THROUGH NON-PAYMENT OF RENEWAL FEE	EP
2020-08-31	PG25	LAPSED IN A CONTRACTING STATE [ANNOUNCED VIA POSTGRANT INFORMATION FROM NATIONAL OFFICE TO EPO]	EP
2019-07-31	GRAP	DESPATCH OF COMMUNICATION OF INTENTION TO GRANT A PATENT	EP
2019-03-25	GRAP	DESPATCH OF COMMUNICATION OF INTENTION TO GRANT A PATENT	EP
2019-07-23	GRAJ	INFORMATION RELATED TO DISAPPROVAL OF COMMUNICATION OF INTENTION TO GRANT BY THE APPLICANT OR RESUMPTION OF EXAMINATION PROCEEDINGS BY THE EPO DELETED	EP
2019-07-24	GRAS	GRANT FEE PAID	EP
2019-08-09	GRAA	(EXPECTED) GRANT	EP
2020-10-30	PG25	LAPSED IN A CONTRACTING STATE [ANNOUNCED VIA POSTGRANT INFORMATION FROM NATIONAL OFFICE TO EPO]	EP
2020-12-23	27W	PATENT REVOKED	EP
2020-12-22	REG	REFERENCE TO A NATIONAL CODE	EP
2017-06-15	PUAI	PUBLIC REFERENCE MADE UNDER ARTICLE 153(3) EPC TO A PUBLISHED INTERNATIONAL APPLICATION THAT HAS ENTERED THE EUROPEAN PHASE	EP
2020-11-20	STAA	INFORMATION ON THE STATUS OF AN EP PATENT APPLICATION OR GRANTED EP PATENT	EP
2019-08-09	STAA	INFORMATION ON THE STATUS OF AN EP PATENT APPLICATION OR GRANTED EP PATENT	EP
2019-07-24	STAA	INFORMATION ON THE STATUS OF AN EP PATENT APPLICATION OR GRANTED EP PATENT	EP
2019-07-23	STAA	INFORMATION ON THE STATUS OF AN EP PATENT APPLICATION OR GRANTED EP PATENT	EP
2019-03-25	STAA	INFORMATION ON THE STATUS OF AN EP PATENT APPLICATION OR GRANTED EP PATENT	EP
2017-12-08	STAA	INFORMATION ON THE STATUS OF AN EP PATENT APPLICATION OR GRANTED EP PATENT	EP
2017-06-15	STAA	INFORMATION ON THE STATUS OF AN EP PATENT APPLICATION OR GRANTED EP PATENT	EP
2021-07-30	PG25	LAPSED IN A CONTRACTING STATE [ANNOUNCED VIA POSTGRANT INFORMATION FROM NATIONAL OFFICE TO EPO]	EP
2020-11-20	RDAG	PATENT REVOKED	EP
2020-08-04	RDAF	COMMUNICATION DESPATCHED THAT PATENT IS REVOKED	EP
2020-07-30	PLBB	REPLY OF PATENT PROPRIETOR TO NOTICE(S) OF OPPOSITION RECEIVED	EP
2020-06-30	PLAX	NOTICE OF OPPOSITION AND REQUEST TO FILE OBSERVATION + TIME LIMIT SENT	EP
2020-06-19	PLBI	OPPOSITION FILED	EP
2022-06-01	PG25	LAPSED IN A CONTRACTING STATE [ANNOUNCED VIA POSTGRANT INFORMATION FROM NATIONAL OFFICE TO EPO]	EP
2024-04-30	PG25	LAPSED IN A CONTRACTING STATE [ANNOUNCED VIA POSTGRANT INFORMATION FROM NATIONAL OFFICE TO EPO]	EP

Patent & Non-Patent Citations

Cited documents and prior art referenced in search and examination reports.

13 Citations

Cited Patent Documents

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Espacenet

US6908656 2005-06-21

Espacenet

WO2004016848 2004-02-26

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Espacenet

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Espacenet

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Espacenet

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Espacenet

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Espacenet

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Espacenet

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Espacenet

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Espacenet

Non-Patent Scientific Literature (NPL)

- WERNER KARMANN, KUMMER, ANDREAS: "Tapes, Adhesive", ULLMANN'S ENCYCLOPEDIA OF INDUSTRIAL CHEMISTRY, pages 612 - 631, XP055751922, Retrieved from the Internet <URL:https://doi.org/10.1002/14356007.a26_085> [retrieved on 20201118]

Worldwide Patent Family

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119 Family Members

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EP	EP3190243A1	A1	2017-07-12	Espacenet
EP	EP3190243B1	B1	2019-09-11	Espacenet
AU	AU2003265409A1	A1	2004-03-03	Espacenet
AU	AU2005295322A1	A1	2006-04-27	Espacenet
AU	AU2005295322B2	B2	2010-12-02	Espacenet
AU	AU2008230828A1	A1	2008-10-02	Espacenet
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BR	BR0313495A	A	2005-07-05	Espacenet
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EP	EP1325202A2	A2	2003-07-09	Espacenet
EP	EP1325202A4	A4	2006-06-21	Espacenet
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EP	EP1799935B1	B1	2017-02-22	Espacenet
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EP	EP2258908A2	A2	2010-12-08	Espacenet
EP	EP2258908A3	A3	2010-12-15	Espacenet
EP	EP2258909A2	A2	2010-12-08	Espacenet
EP	EP2258909A3	A3	2010-12-15	Espacenet
EP	EP2258909B1	B1	2014-04-16	Espacenet
EP	EP2374855A2	A2	2011-10-12	Espacenet
EP	EP2374855A3	A3	2011-10-26	Espacenet
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EP	EP2374856A3	A3	2011-11-02	Espacenet
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Official File Inspection EPC Art. 128 Public Dossier

Complete European Patent Register Dossier (148 Total Documents)

The full inspection file for Application EP17151647 contains 148 total documents, including all notices of opposition, proprietor counter-statements, examination communications, third-party observations, and procedural forms. Below are all major recorded procedural filings and publication specifications.

Open 148-Doc Register Dossier

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Date: 2020-08-07 Procedure: Examination 0009250

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FLOOR COVERING

Patent Abstract / Summary

IPC Classifications

Priority Claims

Designated Contracting States (31 EPC States)

Parties & Representation

Applicants

Inventors (2)

Representatives / Agents

Key Procedural Dates

Patent Oppositions

Illinois Tool Works, Inc.

Legal Status & Event History

Patent & Non-Patent Citations

Cited Patent Documents

Non-Patent Scientific Literature (NPL)

Worldwide Patent Family

Complete European Patent Register Dossier (148 Total Documents)

Recorded Filings & Patent Specifications

European Patent Specification - Granted Patent (B1)

Official European Patent Register Full Dossier

European Patent Application with Search Report (A1)

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