Abstract:
A panel for a portable floor system comprising a rectangular core defining an upper surface and a lower surface extending parallel to the upper surface and lateral side surfaces extending from edges of the upper surface to edges of the lower surface. Frame members are connected to the lateral side surfaces and define outwardly projecting channels. The frame members have opposed spaced parallel horizontal walls defining an upper wall and a lower wall, and further have a transverse connecting end wall for connection to the lateral side surfaces. A laminated graphic layer is integrally joined to the upper surface of the rectangular core and extends over the upper walls of the frame members to conceal the frame members. The channels of the frame members have flanges for releasably securing connecting members for joining a panel to other panels in side-by-side aligned relationship.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    The present invention relates to portable floor systems for mounting on floors, and more particularly but not exclusively to a portable floor system constructed of interlocking panels and displaying a graphic surface on a top face thereof.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    Portable floor systems are known in the art and are employing interlocking panels mounted on an existing floor surface. Portable floor systems serve many purposes. For instance, a portable floor system may be used as a permanent or temporary dance floor, in order to protect the existing floor surface from the wear inherent to a dance floor. Portable floor systems have also been known to embellish or display a specific design on existing floor surfaces.  
           [0003]    U.S. Pat. No. 5,634,309, issued on Jun. 3, 1997 to Polen discloses a portable dance floor in which a plurality of identical square sections are assembled. The square sections are held together magnetically and are aligned by male/female couplers. Ramp members are attachable to the outer perimeter of the assembled square sections.  
           [0004]    U.S. Pat. No. 6,006,486, issued on Dec. 28, 1999 to Moriau et al. introduces a floor panel with edge connectors for a portable floor system. In this case, edges of two opposite sides of a panel are provided with coupling parts cooperating with each other. The coupling parts are substantially in the form of a tongue and a groove and are provided with integrated mechanical locking elements which prevent the drifting apart of joined floor panels. The coupling parts form a fixed part of the floor panels. This patent further discloses a method for milling the above mentioned coupling parts of the floor panels.  
           [0005]    The above mentioned portable floor systems have many advantages. For instance, they can be installed with ease as no tools nor mechanical fasteners, such as screws, nails or the like are required. U.S. Pat. No. 5,634,309 is advantageous in providing coupling means for all lateral side surfaces of the panels. From a top plan view, the panels of this patent are coupled in both the X and the Y axis directions. This feature ensures the integrity of the assembly.  
           [0006]    U.S. Pat. No. 6,006,486 discloses permanent floor covering made of panels that interconnect in snap-fit interlocking engagement by machine configured tongues and grooves. This provides increased resistance to prevent the drifting apart of two coupled panels in a direction perpendicular to the related edges of the coupled panels, in comparison with the magnetic forces previously disclosed. Another advantage resides in the fact that adjacent panels need not be slid one into the other to be coupled. The tongue coupling part of a panel may slightly be inserted in a groove coupling part from above an adjacent panel, to then be pressed down for full cooperating engagement with the groove coupling part. The assembly of panels is thus more easily achieved and accelerated.  
           [0007]    It would be desirable to provide a portable floor system which includes the advantages described above in addition to providing several other advantages, such as being economical to manufacture, providing durable precision graphics, lightweight, easy to expand, easy to repair, and which can be transported and stored in a limited amount of space.  
         DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION  
         [0008]    It is a feature of the present invention to provide a portable graphic floor system having panels interlocked in perpendicular directions with simple interconnecting members and providing the abovementioned desirable feature.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0009]    According to the above aim of the present invention, from a broad aspect, the present invention provides a panel for a portable floor system comprising a rectangular core defining an upper surface and a lower surface extending parallel to the upper surface and lateral side surfaces extending from edges of the upper surface to edges of the lower surface. Frame members are connected to the lateral side surfaces and define outwardly projecting channels. Each of the frame members have opposed spaced parallel horizontal walls defining an upper wall and a lower wall, and further have a transverse connecting end wall for connection to the lateral side surfaces. A top layer is integrally joined to the upper surface of the rectangular core and extends over the upper walls of the frame members to conceal the frame members. The channels of the frame members have retention means for releasably securing at least one connecting member for joining the panel to another one of the panel in side-by-side aligned relationship.  
           [0010]    According to a further broad aspect of the present invention there is provided a portable floor system adapted to be mounted on a floor and comprising a plurality of panels defining a floor surface. Each of the panels has a rectangular core defining an upper surface and a lower surface extending parallel to the upper surface and lateral side surfaces extending from edges of the upper surface to edges of the lower surface. Frame members are connected to the lateral side surfaces and define outwardly projecting channels. Each of the frame members have opposed spaced parallel horizontal walls defining an upper wall and a lower wall, and further have a transverse connecting end wall for connection to the lateral side surfaces. A top layer is integrally joined to the upper surface of the rectangular core and extends over the upper walls of the frame members to conceal the frame members. The channels of the frame members have retention means for releasably securing connecting members for joining at least two of the panels to adjacent lateral side surfaces of one of the panels in side-by-side aligned relationship.  
           [0011]    According to a still further broad aspect of the present invention there is provided a method for assembly of a portable floor system on a floor surface to provide a temporary floor of an outer perimeter of predetermined dimension. The method comprises the steps of:  
           [0012]    (i) inserting a free end portion of a channel of an inclined second panel to a connecting member releasably secured within a channel of a first panel lying flat on a floor surface;  
           [0013]    (ii) downwardly hinging the second panel to an assembled position with the first panel, wherein the first panel and the second panel are connected together, co-planar and in side-by-side relationship;  
           [0014]    (iii) slidably inserting an identical one of the connecting member in opposed adjacent channels of a third panel assembled to the first panel and a fourth panel assembled to the second panel, thereby assembling the third panel to the fourth panel;  
           [0015]    (iv) continuing assembling further panels according to steps (i), (ii), and (iii) until the floor of predetermined dimension is complete;  
           [0016]    (v) inserting a connecting portion of an inclined end connecting member to the free ends of at least two of the channels to overlap at least two of the panels defining the outer perimeter;  
           [0017]    (vi) downwardly hinging the end connecting member to an assembled position with the at least two of the panels;  
           [0018]    (vii) continuing assembling further end connecting members according to steps (v) and (vi) to immovably interlock all of the panels together.  
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0019]    A preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be described in detail having reference to the accompanying drawings in which:  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a panel of a portable graphic floor system in accordance with the present invention;  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a frame member of the panel in accordance with the present invention;  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a connector in accordance with the present invention;  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 4 is a schematic perspective view of the connector being inserted in the panel;  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 5 is a partly sectioned elevational view of a first panel being assembled to a second panel;  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional elevational view of the first panel assembled to the second panel;  
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of a ramp connector in accordance with the present invention;  
         [0027]    [0027]FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional elevational view of the ramp connector mounted to a panel;  
         [0028]    [0028]FIG. 9 is a top plan view of panels with connectors disposed for assembly;  
         [0029]    [0029]FIG. 10 is a top plan view of panels disposed for assembly to a first row of panels; and  
         [0030]    [0030]FIG. 11 is a partly sectioned top plan view of ramp connectors mounted to a floor system assembly. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0031]    According to the drawings and more particularly to FIG. 1, a panel of a portable graphic floor system of the present invention is generally shown at  10 . The panel  10  has a core section  12 , defining an upper surface  14 , a lower surface  16  and lateral sides  18 ,  20 ,  22  and  24 .  
         [0032]    The panel  10  further comprises frame members  26 ,  28 ,  30  and  32  as shown in FIG. 1, and which are identical to one another. Thus, like numerals will refer to like elements.  
         [0033]    Referring now to FIG. 2, a cross-section of one of the frame members  26 ,  28 ,  30  and  32  is shown. Each of the frame members consists of a hollow rod  34  of rectangular cross-section having an upper wall  36 , a lower wall  38  and lateral walls  40  and  42 . The upper wall  36  and the lower wall  38  outwardly project over lateral wall  42 , thereby defining channel  44 . Flanges  46  and  48  extend inwardly within the channel  44  from the upper wall  36  and the lower wall  38 , respectively.  
         [0034]    As shown in FIG. 1, the frame members  26 ,  28 ,  30  and  32  further comprise beveled ends  50  and  52 . The frame member  26  is integrally bonded, as known in the art, to the lateral side  18  of the core section  12 . The thickness of the frame member  26  is such that its upper wall  36  and its lower wall  38  are co-planar with the upper surface  14  and the lower surface  16  of the core section  12 , respectively. Furthermore, the length of the lateral wall  40  is substantially equal to the length of the lateral side  18  of the core section  12 . This is similar for the frame members  28 ,  30  and  32 , which are integrally bonded to the lateral sides  20 ,  22  and  24 , respectively. A surface defined by beveled end  52  of frame member  26  is co-planar with a surface of the beveled end  50  of the frame member  28 . The beveled ends  50  and  52  of the frame members  26 ,  28 ,  30  and  32  are similarly co-planar.  
         [0035]    The panel  10  also has a laminate layer  54 , as shown in FIG. 1. The laminate layer  54  has a graphic surface  56  and an under surface  58 . The laminate layer  54  is integrally joined to the core section  12  by the under surface  58  of the laminate layer  54  being bonded to the upper surface  14  of the core section  12 , thereby outwardly exposing graphic surface  56 . The laminate layer  54  extends over the lateral sides  18 ,  20 ,  22  and  24  of the core section  12 . Edges of the laminate layer  54  are co-linear with outer edges of the upper walls  36  of the frame members  26 ,  28 ,  30  and  32  in such a way that, from a top plan view of the panel  10 , the only visible part is the graphic surface  56  of the laminate layer  54 . Graphics on graphic surfaces  56  in each panel may form a portion of an overall floor graphic design.  
         [0036]    The panel  10  also has a back layer  60  as shown in FIG. 1. The back layer  60  is defined by a top surface  62  and an under surface  64 . The back layer  60  is integrally joined to the core section  12  by the top surface  62  being bonded to the lower surface  16  of the core section  12 . Similarly to the laminate layer  54 , the back layer  60  is dimensioned so that, from a bottom plan view of the panel  10 , only the under surface  64  is visible. The back layer balances and reinforces the panels and keeps them straight if they are subject to a lateral pull.  
         [0037]    The core section  12  consists of materials such as plywood, perforated plastic or the like. Panels may be provided in various sizes (e.g. 120×120 cm, 120×60 cm, 60×60 cm). Different combinations of panel elements may be assembled according to the needs of a user. Furthermore, the panel elements are replaceable.  
         [0038]    Referring now to FIG. 3, a cross-section of a connector  66  is shown. The cross-section of the connector  66  defines lateral faces  68  and  70 , a top face  72  and a bottom face  74 . The top face  72  has a groove  76 . A rounded edge  78  is formed adjacent the lateral face  70  and the bottom face  74 . The bottom face  74  has a groove  80 .  
         [0039]    Referring now to FIG. 4, the connector  66  is shown being slid in the channel  44  of one of the frame members  26 ,  28 ,  30  and  32  of a panel  10 . As shown in FIG. 5, the connector  66  is secured in the channel  44  by the flanges  46  and  48  of the channel  44  co-acting with a portion of the groove  76  and the groove  80 , respectively. The connector  66  is sized so that lateral face  68  is generally co-planar with lateral face  42  within the channel  44 .  
         [0040]    In order to interconnect a first panel  10  to a second panel  10 , respectively referred to as Panel A and Panel B, a connector  66  is inserted in one of the frame members  26 ,  28 ,  30  and  32  of Panel A, as described above. As shown in FIG. 5, the flange  46  of tilted Panel B is inserted in a free portion of the groove  76  of the connector  66 . The rounded edge  78  of the connector  66  allows for Panel B to be rotated about the groove  76  in a direction downward toward the channel  44  of Panel A and onto a floor surface. When Panel A and Panel B are co-planar, they are interconnected, as shown in FIG. 6. The flanges  46  of Panels A and B co-act with the groove  76  of the connector  66  to prevent the drifting apart of Panels A and B in a direction perpendicular to their co-planar lateral side surfaces.  
         [0041]    Referring now to FIG. 7, a cross-section of a ramp connector  82  is shown. The ramp connector  82  comprises a connecting portion  84  and a ramp portion  86 . The connecting portion  84  has a rounded edge  88  and a groove  90 . The ramp portion  86  is defined by a bottom surface  92  and a slanted surface  94 . A ramp connector  82  is inserted in a channel  44  of a panel  10  by locating the flange  46  of the channel  44  in the groove  90  of the ramp connector  82  and hinging the ramp connector  82  downward until the bottom surface  92  thereof is co-planar with the lower surface  16  of the panel  10 , as shown in FIG. 8, at which point the ramp connector  82  is lying on a floor surface F and is interconnected with the panel  10 . When the panel  10  and the ramp connector  82  are assembled, an edge  96  of the slanted surface  94  is generally co-linear with an edge of the laminated layer  54  of the panel  10 , as shown in FIG. 8.  
         [0042]    The assembly of the portable graphic floor system according to the present invention is now described by reference to FIG. 9. Connectors  66  are inserted in adjacent frame members of a number of panels  10 . The number of panels is predetermined according to the desired dimension of a row. FIG. 9 shows Panel A, Panel B and Panel C, each comprising a pair of adjacent connectors  66 . Frame member  26  of Panel A is assembled to frame member  30  of Panel B, following the method depicted in FIG. 5. Similarly, frame member  26  of Panel B is assembled to frame member  30  of Panel C. This is continued until the predetermined number of panels have been assembled to complete the first row. A second row is started by a Panel D being assembled to Panel A. Frame member  32  of Panel D is joined to the connector  66  within the frame member  28  of Panel D, as shown in FIG. 10. Similarly, frame member  28  of Panel B is assembled to frame member  32  of Panel E. Thus, frame member  26  of Panel D and frame member  30  of Panel E are adjacent. A connector  66  (not shown) is slid in the channel  44  of the frame member  26  of Panel D by the method depicted in FIG. 4, thereby integrally joining Panel D to Panel E. The steps are repeated until a second row is fully completed. A predetermined amount of rows are similarly mounted to form a floor surface.  
         [0043]    Once the floor surface is formed, ramp connectors  82  are added, according to the aforementioned method. Referring now to FIG. 11, the ramp connectors are positioned to overlap adjacent panels. This prevents the rows and the columns forming the floor surface to be separated in a direction parallel to the connectors  66  joining the panels. The ramp connectors are disposed on the full outer perimeter of the assembled panel floor surface to lock all the panels together. The ramp connectors also provide the portable floor system with wheelchair access.  
         [0044]    In consequence of the above described method of assembly, each panel  10  forming the floor surface will be assembled by its four frame members ( 26 ,  28 ,  30  and  32 ), thereby providing a solid assembly. The portable floor is easy to assemble and no tools nor finishing are required during installation. Furthermore, the installation is rapid (e.g. less than an hour for a 20′×20′ floor). The various pieces of the portable graphic floor system of the present invention are economical to manufacture. For instance, the frame members may consist of aluminum extrusion. Similarly, the connectors and the ramp connectors may be extruded in materials such as high density polyethylene or the like.  
         [0045]    Various processes may be used to bond the laminate and back layers to the core section. For instance, stratifier epoxy may be fused through the layers. The exposed surface of the laminate layer may be provided with graphics, as shown in FIG. 11. As the laminate layer covers the full exposed surface of the panels, the assembly of adjacent panels will be seamless, thereby allowing for a continuation of a image on the exposed surfaces. As an example, high precision digital printing may be combined with a high pressure laminate surface to provide a panel which is resistant to wear, strains, fading and cigarette burns. Another protecting surface may be glued on top of the laminate layer to add further resistance.  
         [0046]    It is within the ambit of the present invention to cover any obvious modifications of the preferred embodiment described herein, provided such modifications fall within the scope of the appended claims.