Patent ID: 9670626
Date: 2017-06-06
CPC Classifications: A01K,B08B,E01C,E04B,E04F

Claim:
1. A floor constructed to support animals and human beings thereon, the floor comprising: a floor base including an impermeable liner being in fixed position relative to ground, said liner being impermeable to waste materials received thereon, the waste materials from animals on said floor including urine; an artificial grass surfacing having a backing and blades extending upwardly from said backing, said artificial grass surfacing having an upper facing surface upon which the animals and human beings walking thereon will be in contact, said artificial grass surfacing being spaced above and in fixed relationship to said floor base, said backing of said artificial grass surfacing having a plurality of openings therethrough so that the urine of the waste materials can pass therethrough, said backing of said artificial grass surfacing being one of a knitted fabric and a unitary piece of polymeric material; a substrate positioned between said floor base and said artificial grass surfacing, said substrate having a first side oriented toward and at least in part contacting said floor base and a second side contacting said artificial grass surfacing and a maximum height between said first side and said second side, said substrate supporting said artificial grass surfacing above said floor base and having a plurality of openings extending from said first side to said second side for passing the waste materials passing through said artificial grass surfacing to said floor base, a majority of said plurality of openings of said substrate being larger than said plurality of openings through said backing of said artificial grass surfacing, said first side of said substrate having channels therein to permit the waste materials on said floor base to move along said floor base and between said floor base and said substrate, said second side of said substrate contacting said artificial grass surfacing having a surface area and said first side of said substrate contacting said floor base having a surface area less than the surface area of said second side, said substrate having an outer perimeter, said second side of said substrate extending under a middle portion of said artificial grass surfacing, said artificial grass surfacing being configured to block from view said floor base, said substrate, and the waste materials that have passed through said artificial grass surfacing, each of said plurality of openings at said second side of said substrate having a cross section in a plane parallel to said backing of said artificial grass surfacing, said each of said plurality of said openings of said substrate having a maximum dimension measured across said cross section in said plane, said surface area of said first side and said second side each having a minimum width between adjacent openings of said plurality of openings, said maximum dimension of one of said plurality of said openings being greater than said minimum width on said first side of said surface area surrounding said one of said plurality of said openings, said maximum height of said substrate being greater than said minimum width on said second side; a barrier adjacent an edge of said floor base, said barrier being secured to said floor base, said barrier inhibiting passage of liquid cleaning fluid and the waste materials thereby, said artificial grass surfacing being secured to said barrier to maintain said artificial grass surfacing in position relative to said floor base; at least one fluid-carrying structure comprising a length of pipe having a plurality of spaced apart outlet apertures and at least one inlet connector, said at least one inlet connector configured for attaching said at least one fluid-carrying structure to a liquid cleaning fluid supply source and an air supply source such that said fluid carrying structure is adapted to provide either the liquid cleaning fluid to said floor base to rinse the waste materials received thereon or the air across said floor base to dry said floor base through said plurality of spaced apart outlet apertures to spaced locations along said floor base, wherein the liquid cleaning fluid and the waste materials flow along said floor base under said artificial grass surfacing to facilitate drainage thereof, said length of pipe being positioned between said floor base and said artificial grass surfacing, said artificial grass surfacing being configured to block from view said plurality of spaced apart outlet apertures; a controller configured for controlling at least one of the flow of the liquid cleaning fluid, an amount of the liquid cleaning fluid, a specific time to begin the flow of the liquid cleaning fluid, and duration of flow of the liquid cleaning fluid from the liquid cleaning fluid supply source adapted to provide the liquid cleaning fluid to said floor base to rinse the waste materials received thereon; and at least one of a drainage trench and a drain passage for receiving the liquid cleaning fluid provided from said at least one fluid-carrying structure mixed with the waste materials.