Patent Publication Number: US-7722287-B2

Title: Resilient athletic flooring surface

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
   This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/847,053, filed Sep. 25, 2006; the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. 

   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   This invention relates in general to athletic running and playing surfaces. 
   Athletic running and playing surfaces have long been known in the art. Because the conventional athletic flooring surfaces are often installed outdoors, they are exposed to the natural elements, including rain. Accordingly, adequate drainage of water off of the surface is important. 
   Conventional resilient running tracks (such as shown in  FIG. 1 ) have edges that have butt joints (or straight edges), and when the tracks are laid down, a series of tracks are abutted together to form a continuous surface. Adhesives of known kinds typically used to bind resilient materials have been contemplated to assist in securing the straight edges together. However, the use of adhesive has not proved satisfactory since, among other things, a portion of the adhesive tends to squeeze out of the seam and onto the exposed surfaces of the running track. 
   Additionally, since the conventional running tracks have straight edges, problems have occurred as a result of water seeping between the edges and ultimately under and below the bottom surfaces of the running track. Such water seepage then results in a buckling, or splitting apart of the butted joints of adjacent sections of the running track. 
   Moreover, such conventional synthetic running tracks are constructed with a top surface having a plurality of generally parallel grooves extending in a relatively longitudinal direction (the direction in which a user of such a surface would normally be running). These grooves serve a dual purpose; to help reduce slippage while running thereon, and, to add some resiliency to the top surface. Unfortunately, since most running tracks are installed to have a slight slope extending side-to-side (transversely), and because such synthetic running tracks are substantially impervious to water, the longitudinal grooves actually maintain water between them when, for example, it has rained, or after cleaning (rinsing off). This “trapped” water then dissipates only after an evaporation process has occurred. 
   To overcome the above-identified drawbacks, an object of the present invention is to provide an athletic flooring surface having a plurality of substantially parallel grooves configured in a transverse direction (as opposed to a longitudinal direction) of play. Such transverse grooves take advantage of the installed slope of the running track to facilitate drainage of water off of the entire running surface of the track. 
   Another object of the invention is to avoid splitting, or buckling of adjacent track sections by fabricating the track sections so that they have an overlapping configuration where they are joined together. In addition, because of such a configuration, adhesive can effectively be used between the joints without oozing of adhesive to the top surface, thereby maintaining a solid attachment therebetween. 
   Additional objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from an examination of the drawings and the ensuing description. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention is directed to an athletic flooring system for use on a supporting base structure comprising a resilient layer operatively positioned on the supporting structure, wherein the resilient layer includes a top playing surface and a bottom surface associated with the supporting base structure. 
   In one aspect of the present invention, the bottom surface includes a first side surface and a second side surface, wherein said sides extend in the longitudinal direction of the layer. The bottom surface also includes a first end surface and a second end surface, wherein said ends extend in the transverse direction of the layer. 
   According to another aspect of the present invention, the top playing surface of the athletic flooring system includes a drainage facilitating means associated with the top surface. 
   According to another aspect of the present invention, the resilient layer of the athletic flooring system is adhesively interconnected by a tongue and a groove with an adjacent resilient layer, wherein said layers are laid so as to form a continuous surface for running or playing. 
   According to another aspect of the present invention, the drainage facilitating means of the athletic flooring system have a plurality of substantially parallel spaced grooves, wherein said grooves extend in the transverse direction of the layer. 
   According to another aspect of the present invention, the drainage facilitating means of the athletic flooring system may have a dimple-like configuration associated with the top surface. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The presently preferred embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawings and in which: 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective sectional view of the prior art; and 
       FIG. 2  is a perspective sectional view of the present resilient flooring system with parallel spaced grooves on the top surface extending in the transverse direction of play. 
       FIG. 3  is another perspective sectional view of the present resilient flooring system with a dimple-like configuration on the top surface of the running track. 
   

   DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   While this invention is susceptible of embodiment in many different forms, there is shown in the drawings and will herein be described in detail one or more embodiments with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the invention to the embodiments illustrated. 
   As shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the present invention is directed to an athletic flooring system for use on a supporting base structure ( 10 ) comprising a resilient layer ( 20 ) laid on the base surface ( 10 ) in side-by-side and end-to end fashion. The resilient layer ( 20 ) extends in the longitudinal direction of play. The resilient layer ( 20 ) includes a top playing surface ( 30 ), a bottom surface ( 32 ) associated with the supporting base structure ( 10 ), a first side surface ( 42 ) and a second side surface ( 44 ). Both sides are extended in the longitudinal direction of play. A first end surface ( 46 ) and a second end surface ( 48 ) are extended in the transverse direction of play. 
   As shown in  FIG. 2 , the top playing surface ( 30 ) is capable of having a plurality of substantially parallel spaced grooves ( 40 ) embossed, or otherwise formed on the top surface ( 30 ). The grooves ( 40 ) are ideally extended continuously in the transverse direction of play. Because running tracks are generally sloped or inclined in the transverse direction of play, the grooves ( 40 ) act as channels to facilitate drainage of water off of the top surface ( 30 ). 
   While transverse grooves, or channels, as shown in  FIG. 2 , have been identified as a preferred structure to facilitate water run-off in a transverse direction, other types of drainage facilitating means are also contemplated, such as a dimple-like configuration ( 40 ) on the top surface of the running track in  FIG. 3 . The number, size and configuration of such dimples would be readily apparent to one having ordinary skill in the art, and recognizing the advantages of the teaching of the present disclosure. 
   Moreover, as shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the resilient layer ( 20 ) is adhesively interconnected by a tongue ( 34 ) and a groove ( 36 ) connection with an adjacent resilient layer ( 20 ′). In this configuration, adhesives can be applied on selective surfaces on the tongue and the groove such as sections ( 50 ), ( 52 ) and ( 54 ). Thus, the present invention allows for easy application of adhesives without the disadvantage of excessive adhesives oozing out as mentioned above. As will be apparent to those skilled in the art, while tongue and groove configurations are contemplated in a preferred embodiment of the invention, other types of attachment could be used, providing these types still permit the application of adhesives and attain the objectives of this application. Furthermore, it is also contemplated that conventional track attachment methods be employed (without adhesive) provided means are provided to allow for the run-off of water transversely. 
   It should be emphasized that the above-described embodiments of the present invention, particularly, any “preferred” embodiments, are possible examples of implementations merely set forth for a clear understanding of the principles of the invention. Many variations and modification may be made to the above-described embodiment(s) of the invention without substantially departing from the spirit and principles of the invention. All such modifications are intended to be included herein within the scope of this disclosure and the present invention, and protected by the following claims.