Patent ID: 6047663
Filing Date: 2000-04-11
Classification: A01K

Abstract:
Modular flooring apparatus for an animal housing having walls and a substrate, said apparatus comprising:(a) a plurality of interior flooring panels each comprising a rectangular frame having side, top and bottom members and a plurality of spaced horizontal and vertical members extending between said side and top and bottom members of said frame, respectively, to form a plurality of horizontal slots, each said side member comprising means for coupling said interior panel to an adjacent like panel, said top and bottom members each comprising a plurality of extensionmember horizontally spaced over the length thereof;(b) a plurality of straight-edge flooring panels each comprising a rectangular frame having side, top and bottom members and the same outer dimensions as said frames of said interior flooring panels, and a plurality of spaced horizontal and vertical members extending between said side and top and bottom members of said frame, respectively, to form a plurality of horizontal slots, each said side member comprising means for coupling said straightedge panel to an adjacent like panel, said bottom member comprising a plurality of extension members horizontally spaced over the length thereof and said top member being smooth and providing a straight-edge for abutment with a wall of said housing; and,(c) a plurality of panel support units each comprising means for fixing said unit to a substrate of said housing and means for engaging at least one of said interior flooring and straight-edge flooring panels support said at least one panel over said substrate;said panels being configured for adjacent coupling whereupon said coupling means couples horizontally adjacent panels and said extension members of vertically adjacent panels matingly interconnect, said coupling means and said extension members of said interior panels being configured to render said interior panels fully rotatable to permit each side member of one of said interior panels to couple to either side member of another one of said interior panels positioned horizontally adjacent thereto and each of said top and bottom members thereof to couple to either of said top and bottom members of another one of said interior panels positioned vertically adjacent thereto.