Patent ID: 6119423
Filing Date: 2000-09-19
Classification: B44C,B44F,E04F

Abstract:
A hardwood flooring system, comprising:a plurality of hardwood panels, each hardwood panel further comprising:a substrate;a plurality of hardwood segments, each hardwood segment secured to the substrate, and further secured to adjacent hardwood segments such that the hardwood segments form an extended hardwood surface; andthe hardwood segments on each hardwood panel are arranged on their substrate such that the periphery of the hardwood segments on each hardwood panel forms an irregular periphery pattern, at least a portion of the hardwood segments extending substantially past the end of the substrate and at least a portion of the substrate extending past a portion of the hardwood segments;the irregular periphery pattern on each hardwood panel is matched to the irregular pattern on the adjacent hardwood panel such that when the panels are joined together, the hardwood segments on the first panel interlock with the hardwood segments on the second panels and the seams between the hardwood segments appear to be in random locations such that a floor formed by the hardwood panels will appear to be a custom hardwood floor constructed from individual hardwood segments and not appear to be a modular floor constructed from rectangular flooring panels;the portion of the hardwood segments that extend substantially past the end of the substrate, when the hardwood panel is secured to an adjacent hardwood panel, overlay a substantial portion of the adjacent hardwood panel's substrate such that a substantial portion of the hardwood strips are securable to the substrate on the adjacent hardwood panel, and the portion of the substrate that extends substantially past the end of the hardwood segments, when the hardwood panel is secured to an adjacent hardwood panel, underlays a substantial portion of the adjacent hardwood panel's hardwood strips such that a substantial portion of the hardwood strips are securable to the substrate on the adjacent hardwood panel; andthe hardwood panel, when attached to an adjacent hardwood panel, have a substantial portion of the hardwood strips secured to the substrate of the adjacent hardwood panel, and have a substantial portion of the substrate secured to the hardwood strips of the adjacent hardwood panel;whereby hardwood flooring is installed by hardwood panels having multiple hardwood segments with irregular seam lines that give the appearance of a custom hardwood floor, and the irregular pattern provides a substantial overlap to secure the hardwood strips of one hardwood panel to the substrate of the adjacent hardwood panel.