Patent Publication Number: US-8112947-B2

Title: Pedestal head

Description:
This is a national stage of PCT/IE06/000008 filed Feb. 8, 2006 and published in English, claiming benefit of US provisional application No. 60/650,515, filed Feb. 8, 2005. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to pedestal heads for locating and fastening a raised floor panel thereto, and includes methods of locating and fastening an access floor panel to a pedestal. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Raised access floor panels are widely used. Generally speaking, such access floor panels are located and attached to a flat plate presented at the upper end of a pedestal as generally illustrated in the prior art drawing of  FIG. 1 . The panel in the prior art drawing generally utilizes a flat head bolt which is disposed through a hole in the panel so as to be coaxially aligned with the threaded hole in the pedestal plate. 
     Such prior art system has a number of drawbacks including:
         1. the lining up of the hole in the panel with the hole in the pedestal must be done by eye by trial and error since the panel covers up the threaded hole in the pedestal, thus malting lining up difficult, and assembly time consuming and difficult.   2. the fasteners must be disposed in the holes in order to have lateral stability, therefore the panels cannot be installed without the fasteners.   3. the load on the panel is cantilevered out past the centre axis support of the pedestal which causes a teeter-totter effect when loaded.       

     This causes movement in the system from panel to panel as loads are moved over the system. 
     Other prior art arrangements are known and include the resilient pedestal head for a raised access floor system disclosed in US Publication No. 2003/0089049A1, and a device for adjusting inclination when building on blocks is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,332,292B1. Furthermore U.S. Pat. No. 5,675,950 relates to a raised flooring system and methods of forming components which utilize thin sheet metal, typically galvanized steel. U.S. Pat. No. 5,546,717 relates to access floor trench raceways. U.S. Pat. No. 5,048,242 illustrates an access floor system which includes a plurality of floor panels, each panel having a pan and a cooperating top plate. Furthermore U.S. Pat. No. 4,835,924 illustrates a self-gridding flooring system. U.S. Pat. No. 4,438,610 relates to a clamped access floor panel assembly for mounting an access floor a spaced distance above a base floor. A plurality of panels are supported by an array of pedestals to form a floor surface. The panels are clamped to the pedestals at their corners and optionally at their side by clamping devices accessible through small access holes. U.S. Pat. No. 4,279,109 relates to an access floor mounting assembly. Another raised access floor system is illustrated in United States Publication No. 2003/0177723A1. 
     It is an object of this invention to provide an improved access floor panel system. It is also an object of this invention to provide a quick clamp access floor system. 
     STATEMENTS OF INVENTION 
     According to the invention there is provided a pedestal head for a floor panel comprising a base for a lower part of a floor panel, and an upper support for receiving an upper part of a floor panel, the pedestal head having a receiver or projection for receiving and locating a corresponding projection or receiver of the floor panel. 
     In one embodiment the pedestal head comprises a projection for receiving and locating a corresponding receiver of the floor panel. 
     The pedestal head projection may extend from the base of the head. The pedestal head projection may comprise a tab which extends to engage in a corresponding receiver in a lower part of the floor panel. 
     In one embodiment the upper part of the floor panel comprises a flange which is supported by the upper support of the pedestal head. 
     In one case the head receiver or head projection is located at a peripheral edge or corner of the base. 
     In one embodiment the pedestal head is formed from a single piece of metal. The head may be stretch formed. Preferably the head is die formed. 
     In one embodiment the length of the head between the base and the upper support is slightly greater than the depth of said panel. The difference between the length of the head and the depth of the panel is preferably less than about 50 thousands of an inch. 
     In one embodiment said panel comprises a peripheral flange which is supported by the upper surface of the head, the flange extending to substantially a central longitudinal axis of the head. 
     In one case said base includes a threaded hole, and said panel includes a hole alignable with said threaded hole for coaxially receiving a fastener. 
     In another embodiment said projection comprises a tab depending from a peripheral corner of said panel. 
     In a further embodiment said projection comprises a cone depending from a peripheral corner of said panel. 
     In one case said base supports a bottom of said panel. Said upper surface may support a peripheral flange of said panel. 
     In one embodiment said pedestal head is disposed at an upper end of a pedestal resting on a surface. Said pedestal head may include means for adjusting the height of said pedestal head relative to said surface. 
     The invention also provides a method of locating and fastening an access floor panel to a pedestal, the access floor panel having a bottom and a top with a peripheral flange extending therefrom, the panel having a hole therethrough adjacent to a corner thereof, and the pedestal comprising a pedestal head having a base with a threaded hole extending therethrough and an upper support, the method including
         disposing a corner of said panel over the pedestal head so that the flange is resting on the upper support of the pedestal head and the bottom of the panel is spaced slightly above the base of the pedestal head;   inserting a fastener through the said panel hole and said pedestal threaded hole; and   tightening the fastener so that the base of the pedestal head comes into contact with the bottom of the panel.       

     In one embodiment the panel has a receiver formed in the base thereof for engagement with a projection on the base of the pedestal head and the method comprises locating the panel relative to the pedestal head so that the receiver is aligned with the projection. 
     The invention further provides a pedestal head for a floor panel having at least one projection depending from said panel including a base, and
         an upper surface extending from said base, said upper surface including at least one aperture for receiving and locating said projection.       

     In yet another aspect the invention provides a pedestal head for a floor panel comprising a base for a lower part of a floor panel and an upper support for receiving an upper part of a floor panel, the pedestal head being die formed from a single piece of metal. 
     The invention also provides a pedestal head locator for a floor panel having a projection depending from a flange extending peripherally outwardly from a corner of said panel, and a lower panel surface including
         a base,   intersecting U-shaped supports extending upwardly from said base so as to define an upper surface having four apertures, each aperture adapted to locate said projection of said panel, and   a bolt extending through a hole disposed adjacent a corner of said panel for coaxial reception by a threaded hole disposed in said base for clamping said panel thereof. The invention, in a further aspect, provides a method of locating and fastening an access floor panel to a pedestal including   disposing a corner of said panel having a hole therethrough and a peripheral flange with a depending projection over a pedestal head having a base and a threaded hole and an upper surface extending from said base with an aperture for receiving and locating said projection, and   disposing a corner of said panel having a hole therethrough and a peripheral flange with a depending projection over a pedestal head having a base and a threaded hole and an upper surface extending from said base with an aperture for receiving and locating said projection   inserting a fastener through said panel hole and said pedestal head threaded a hole for fastening thereto.       

     It is an aspect of this invention to provide a pedestal head for a floor panel having at least one projection depending from said panel including a base; an upper surface extending from said base, said upper surface including at least one aperture for receiving and locating said projection. 
     It is another aspect of this invention to provide a pedestal head locator for a floor panel having a projection depending from a flange extending peripherally outwardly from a corner of said panel and a lower panel surface, including a base; intersecting U-shaped supports extending upwardly from said base so as to define an upper surface having four apertures, each aperture adapted to locate said projection of said panel; a bolt extending through a hole disposed adjacent a corner of said panel for coaxial reception by a threaded hole disposed in said base for clamping said panel thereto. 
     It is another aspect of this invention to provide a method of locating and fastening an access floor panel to a pedestal including disposing a corner of said panel having a hole thereto and a peripheral flange with a projection depending therefrom, over a pedestal head having a base with a threaded hole and an upper surface extending from said base with an aperture for receiving and locating said projection; inserting a fastener through said hole and through the threaded hole for fastening thereto. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
       The invention will be more clearly understood from the following description thereof given by way of example only, in which:— 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective, partially exploded view of a prior art access floor panel system; 
         FIG. 2  is an exploded perspective view of a floor panel system of the invention; 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a component of a pedestal head assembly of  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of another component of the pedestal head assembly of  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the pedestal head assembly of  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective, partially exploded view of the pedestal head and an associated panel; 
         FIG. 7  is a top plan view of  FIG. 6 ; 
         FIG. 8  is a perspective view of an alternative pedestal head of the invention; 
         FIG. 9  is a perspective view of another pedestal head according to the invention; 
         FIG. 10  is a side elevational view of the pedestal head of  FIG. 9 ; 
         FIG. 11  is a plan view of the pedestal head of  FIG. 9 ; 
         FIG. 12  is a perspective view of the pedestal head of  FIGS. 9 to 11  with a panel in position; 
         FIG. 13  is a top plan view of the pedestal head and panel of  FIG. 12 ; and 
         FIG. 14  is a cross sectional view on the line A-A of  FIG. 13 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     In the description that follows, like parts are marked in some cases with the same respective reference numerals. The drawings are not necessarily to scale and in some instances proportions may have been exaggerated in order to more clearly depict certain features of the invention. 
       FIG. 1  illustrates an example of a prior art pedestal assembly for an access floor system. Generally speaking prior devices include a floor panel  2  having a hole  4  disposed in one corner of the panel tube for receiving a fastener  6 . The panel  2  is adapted to rest on top of a flat plate  4  of a pedestal  8  which has a lower end  10  adapted to rest on a surface or sub-floor. The pedestal  8  generally includes an adjustable means which as shown comprises a nut and threaded shaft. Pedestal head base  4  includes a plurality of threaded holes  16  which must coaxially align with the hole  4  and fastener  6 . As previously described the drawbacks of the prior art device include:
         1. the difficulty in lining up the hole  4  with the threaded hole  16 .   2. the fastener  6  must be in the hole  4  and the threaded hole  16  in order to have lateral stability and therefore the panels cannot be installed without fasteners.   3. the load of the panel  2  is cantilevered generally outwardly particularly when using stringers from the centre axis  18  which causes a teeter-totter effect when loaded.       

       FIG. 2  generally describes an aspect of the invention which includes a pedestal  20  having a lower end  22  resting on a surface or subfloor, a pedestal shaft  24  carrying pedestal height adjusting means  26  which as shown comprise a rotatable nut  28  for rotational threaded movement around a threaded shaft  30  so as to adjust the height of the pedestal relative to the lower surface  22  in a manner well known to those persons skilled in the art. 
     In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 2  the base  4  of the prior art device has been replaced with a pedestal head locator generally illustrated as  32  in  FIG. 2 . The pedestal head locator is attached to the threaded shaft  30  in any number of ways including welding. 
     The pedestal head locator  32  is comprised in one embodiment of generally U-shaped cross-sectional members or supports  34  and  35  shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 . Generally speaking the U-shaped cross-sectional members  34  and  35  generally comprises spaced apart lower legs  36  adapted to rest on the base  38  as shown in  FIG. 5 . The lower base legs  36  extend generally upwardly from said base  38  so as to present an upper surface  40  having at least one aperture  42 . In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 5  four apertures  42  are shown. More specifically  FIG. 5  illustrates intersecting supports  34  and  35  so as to define the upper support surface  40 . The legs  36  are fastened to the base  38  by any number of means including spot welding, riveting, or utilizing appropriate adhesives. The legs  36  have curved or arched cutaways  44  so as to clear the threaded holes  46  disposed in the base  38  as shown. The threaded holes preferably are countersunk so as to easily locate the fastener  6 . 
     The upper surface  50  of U-shaped number  34  presents two lands  52  and  54  which present the apertures  42 . The upper surface  50  also includes a recessed upper surface  56  which is disposed slightly below the lands  52  and  54  and is sized so as to receive intermediate portion  60  of U-shaped number  35  as illustrated in  FIG. 5 . The upper surface  62  of U-shaped number  35  presents the intermediate portion  60  as well as two spaced apertures  42 . 
     The thickness of intermediate portion  60  is accommodated by the recessed portion  56  so that the assembled pedestal head locator  32  as shown in  FIG. 5  presents an upper surface which is substantially in the same plane. 
     The panel  70  includes an upper panel surface  72  and a lower panel surface  74 . The peripheral edge  76  of the panel  70  extends outwardly around the panel so as to define a flange  78  so as to present at least one depending projection  80  adapted to be received by at least one aperture  42 . 
     In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 2  two projections  80  in the form of tabs are disclosed. 
     The corner  82  of the panel  70  includes a hole  84  adapted to receive a fastener  86 . The hole  84  passes through the upper surface  72  of the panel through to the lower surface  74  of the panel and is adapted to be coaxially aligned with the threaded holes  46 . 
     More specifically the lower surface of the flange  78  of a corner of the panel  82  is adapted to rest along one quadrant of the upper surface  40  as shown. 
     The projections or tabs  80  are received within the apertures  42  so as to quickly locate the corner. The pedestal head locator  32  is capable of supporting the panel  70  without fasteners since the tabs are located and locked within the apertures  42  so as to minimize the possibility of sliding off. Thereafter since the tabs  82  are smaller than the apertures  42  the panel  70  may be easily shifted or moved so as to properly align the hole  84  with the corresponding coaxial threaded hole  46 . The tabs  80  in the apertures  42  prevent the panel  70  from sliding off the pedestal head. Thereafter the fastener  86  may be disposed into the hole  84  and threaded into threaded hole  46  in a simple and quick manner. All four corners of four adjacent panels  70  may be assembled in like fashion. 
     Furthermore the pedestal  20  may be adjusted in height by utilizing the height adjustment means  26  in the manner well known to those persons skilled in the art. 
     Any variety of projection  80  may be utilized including the tabs previously described or cones  90  as shown in  FIG. 8 . When utilizing cones it is possible to include at least two apertures  92  in each of the quadrants of the upper surface as shown in  FIG. 7 . 
       FIG. 8  illustrates the location of one corner of the panel  70  over the pedestal head locator. 
     It will be apparent that the invention described herein can be utilized so as to quickly clamp the access floor. In other words once the panel  70  is dropped into place it is located readily by the tabs or cones  90  in the appropriate apertures  42  or  92  in a manner whereby the bolt  86  may easily line up with the holes or threaded holes. In order to assist the application of the bolt  86  into the threaded hole  46  a countersink is formed. 
     Once the panel  70  is in place it is located by the tabs or projections which mechanically engage into the apertures of the pedestal head locator. Gravity now holds the panel  70  in place and the tabs  80  and cones  90  prevent the panels from sliding or moving off the pedestal head. Accordingly the panel  76  may be installed without bolts  86  and still have lateral stability. 
     Furthermore the load of the panel  70  is transferred through the top flange  78  to the centre of the pedestal, namely the central axis  99  of the pedestal  20  and inhibits the load from being cantilevered causing the prior art teeter-totter effect. 
     Moreover once the fastener  86  is in place the panel  70  is then clamped between the top portion of the pedestal, namely the upper surface  40 , and the bottom portion  38 . In other words the underside of the flange  78  rests on the upper surface  40  while the lower surface  74  rests on the base  38 . Furthermore the corner of the bottom surface  74  is adapted to lie on the base  38  outwardly and away from the threaded hole  46  and the legs  36 . The clamping effect described allows the panel  70  to be both top flange supported and bottom panel supported making this system superior to those prior art devices that are only top flange supported. 
     The panel  70  may be square, triangular or rectangular and made of steel, cement-filled steel, hollow steel, wood-filled steel, plastics, composites or the like. Furthermore the panel  70  may be a standard welded hollow steel and cement-filled. 
     The pedestal head locator may be made of steel, aluminium, composites or plastics. The upper surface of the pedestal head locator is located in each corner of the panel. 
     As is shown the invention adds a downwardly disposed projection on the underside of a perimeter lip that locates and locks into the pedestal head locator. 
     The invention describes a method of locating and fastening an access floor panel to a pedestal comprising: disposing a corner of the panel having a hole there through and a peripheral flange with projections depending therefrom, over a pedestal head having a base with a threaded hole and an upper surface extending from said base with an aperture for receiving and locating the projection; and inserting a fastener through said hole and threaded hole for fastening thereto. 
       FIG. 7  shows that the peripheral edge  76  of the panel has a setback between the peripheral edge  76  near the corner and peripheral edge  79  intermediate the corner. The edges  76  of adjacent panels abut while the intermediate edges  79  present a space between adjacent intermediate edge to make it easier to assemble and line up the adjacent panels. The setback  77  in one embodiment is in the vicinity of a few thousands of an inch. In one embodiment it can be about 5 thousands of an inch, however other dimensions are also suitable. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 9 to 14  there is illustrated another pedestal head  100  according to the invention. The pedestal head is in this case used for panels  101  of the type having a top  102  with a peripheral flange  103  and a bottom  104  having a recess  105  which forms a receiver. The pedestal head  100  is in this case die formed/stretched out from a single piece of metal. The head comprises a base  110  and an upper support  111  which presents a generally flat face for receiving a corner portion of the peripheral flange  103  of a panel  101 . The upper support  111  is of generally cruciform shape in plan view and can accommodate a peripheral flange corner portion of four panels. 
     The panel adjacent to the corner portion has a through hole  106  to accept a fastener  120  which in this case is a threaded bolt. The base  110  of the pedestal head has a threaded countersunk hole  115  adjacent each corner through which the fastener  120 , is threaded. The base  110  also has a projection in the form of an upturned lip or tab  118  at each corner. A recess  105  in the bottom  104  of the panel  101  is received and located by the upturned lip  118 . The lip  118  assists in preventing lateral movement between the panel  101  and the pedestal head  100 . 
     Referring especially to  FIG. 14  the height h of the supporting head i.e. the distance between the top of the base  110  and the face of the upper support  111  is slightly greater (typically by less than 50 thousands of an inch) than the depth h 1  of the panel  101  i.e. the distance between the outer face of the bottom  104  of the panel and the underside of the flange  103 . The panel  101  is set on top of the pedestal and the top peripheral flange  103  of the panel rests on the upper support  111  of the pedestal head  100  while the upturned tab  118  on the base of the head locates the panel  101  with respect to the fastening hole  115 . The tab  118  prevents the panel  101  from moving off the pedestal head  100 . The weight of the panel  101  (gravity) is sufficient to prevent significant lateral movement because of the upward projection of the tab  118  that mechanically locks into the bottom corner of the panel. The fact that the load is supported by the outer flange or lip  103  of the panel  101  allows load to be transferred to the centre of the pedestal stud or axis of the pedestal. This prevents the load from being cantilevered out by the bottom of the panel. Thus the teeter-totter effect caused by a less stable floor with consequent panel movement under moving loads and associated noises such as squeaks or creaks is thereby avoided. 
     The final application of the threaded fastener  120  connects the panel  101  to the pedestal. There is a small clearance between the bottom of the panel  101  and the bottom plate  110  of the pedestal to ensure the panel lip or flange  103  engages, and takes the first loads. Once the panel fastener  120  is torqued down the panel  101  is fastened to the pedestal using a clamping action which squeezes the panel  101  and pedestal head  100  together. The pedestal is clamped at right angles to the panel  101  which is desirable. Once four panels and a pedestal are connected with the fasteners it makes a rigid connection from panel to panel. 
     The other advantage to this system is that the locating tab  118  allows for the panels to be laid without the fasteners and the fasteners may be installed later, from the top while standing on the panels, with no concern of the panels slipping off the pedestal head. It also means that there is a safety factor if some fasteners  120  are removed for maintenance and people are walking on the floor, the panels  101  are still located and laterally stable because of the tabs  118  locking onto the bottom of the panels  101 . 
     The speed of installation of this system will be 15% to 20% faster, which will significantly reduce the cost of labour. 
     In the invention, the panel  101  makes contact on the top cross portion support  111  of the pedestal head  100  and when a fastener  120  is fastened into the base  110  of the head  100  the entire connection becomes extremely rigid and it is not possible to flex at the joint. This rigidity is ensured by the single piece die formed pedestal head  100 . 
     Various embodiments of the invention have now been described in detail. Since changes and/or additions to the above described best mode may be made without departing from the nature, spirit or scope of the invention, the invention is not to be limited to such details.