Patent Publication Number: US-6662508-B1

Title: Cover assembly

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD AND BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     This application is a national stage application, according to Chapter II of the Patent Cooperation Treaty. This application claims the priority date of Apr. 6, 1999 for Great Britain Patent Application No. 9907607.7. 
     This invention concerns a cover assembly, and particularly but not exclusively an area for covering an area of ice such as for example at an ice rink. 
     To make full use of venues such as ice rinks it is often desirable for the ice to be covered to permit activities to take place other than on ice. Such activities may comprise other sports such as boxing or basketball, or concerts or other performances. A number of arrangements have been proposed to temporarily cover ice, but in general these have not been wholly satisfactory. For example, some do not provide sufficient insulation, and others have proved quite expensive. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     According to the present invention there is provided a cover assembly, the assembly comprising a plurality of components engageable adjacent each other to cover the ground or another surface, each component comprising an upper and lower part, each component being arranged such that the upper part defines an at least generally planar upper surface upon which a person can be supported, the lower part being engageable with the ground or other surface, with a gap being provided between the lower and upper parts to provide insulation and such that the upper part is spaced from the ground or other surface. 
     A plurality of spaced formations are preferably provided on one of the upper or lower parts and supportingly engageable with the other of said parts to space said parts apart. The formations are preferably provided in a regular pattern, and/or may be substantially frusto conical. The formations are preferably provided on the lower part. The lower part is preferably at least generally planar. The lower part may be formed from a single sheet of material with the formations being provided by shaping of the sheet. 
     The gap provided between the lower and upper parts is preferably filled with insulating means. which may be a foamed material and desirably polyurethane foam. Alternatively, the gap may be filled with air. 
     One or more openings may be provided extending into the gap to permit venting thereof. 
     The support surface of the upper part may be contoured, and may be contoured to aid the grip of persons walking thereon. Preferably formations are provided on the support surface to aid the grip of persons walking thereon. 
     Each component may be of substantially rectangular shape and may be substantially square. 
     Locking means may be provided for selectively retaining together adjacent components. The locking means may be provided on some of the sides, and desirably two of the sides, of the component. A plurality of locking means may be provided along each said side. 
     The locking means may comprise a locking member mounted on the component to be movable between a locked position extending generally laterally from the component so as to be engageable with an adjacent component, and an unlocked position contained substantially wholly within the component. The locking member is preferably pivotally mounted on the component. The locking member may comprise a curved engagement part, which engagement part may be substantially arcuate. 
     Recesses or other formations may be provided on the sides of the component with which the locking means is engageable. 
     Overlapping means may be provided on at least some of the sides of the component to cover any gap between adjacent components. The overlapping means may be provided on the sides without locking means, the overlapping means may comprise flanges. 
     The components may be made of plastics material and may be made of HDPE (High Density Polyethylene). The components may be made by twin sheet thermoforming, and the upper and lower parts may be integrally formed. 
     The invention also provides a component usable in a cover assembly according to any of the preceding eleven paragraphs. 
     The invention yet further provides a temporary cover for ice, the cover being in the form of an assembly according to any of said preceding eleven paragraphs. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     An embodiment of the present invention will now be described by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a cover assembly component according to the invention in a first locked condition; 
     FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the component of FIG. 1 in a second unlocked condition; 
     FIG. 3 is a plan view of the component of FIG. 2; 
     FIG. 4 is a view from beneath of the component of FIG. 2; 
     FIG. 5 is a side view of the component of FIG. 2; 
     FIG. 6 is a more detailed view from underneath of part of the component of FIG. 2; 
     FIG. 7 is a more detailed view from beneath of a further part of the component of FIG. 1; and 
     FIG. 8 is a more detailed cross-sectional view through parts of two adjacent engaged components according to the invention. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT AND BEST MODE 
     The Drawings show a component  10  usable in a cover assembly according to the invention suitable for instance for temporarily covering an ice rink. The component  10  has a generally square configuration with an upper part  12  defining an upper surface  14  which can support people or other items thereon. The surface  14  may have any suitable formations (not shown) thereon to aid the grip of people walking on the component  10 . Such formations may be in the form of raised chevron shaped formations to create a non-slip surface. 
     The component  10  also has a lower part  16  which is generally planar apart from a plurality of spaced upwardly extending frusto conical hollow projections  18  which extend to meet and support the upper part  12 , and a number of locking recesses (see below). The upper and lower parts  12 , 18  define a gap  20  therebetween. Side walls are also provided for the component  10  such that the gap  20  is substantially sealed apart from a small number of vent holes (not shown) which are provided. The projections  18  provide a generally dimpled effect on the underside of the component  10  (see FIGS.  4  and  6 ). The gap  20  can be filled with an insulating material such as polyurethane foam, or with air. 
     Four spaced locking means  22  (not shown on FIG. 4) are provided on each of two adjacent sides of the component  10 . The locking means  22  comprises a part circular downwardly open recess  24  in which is pivotally mounted a locking member  26 . The member  26  is arranged to substantially wholly locate within the recess  24  in a closed position (FIG. 2) but have an arcuate finger  28  thereon extending from the recess  24  when in a locked position (FIG.  1 ). Recesses  30  are provided at similar spacings on the other sides of the component  10 . FIG. 8 shows two components  10  with the locking means  22  on the left hand component  10  engageable with the recess  30  on the right hand component. 
     A flange  32  is provided substantially co-planar with the upper surface  14  the two sides of the component  10  which do not have locking means  22 . The flanges  32  ensure that no gap exists between the sides of adjacent components  10  in use. 
     The components  10  are formed by twin sheet thermoforming of HDPE with the upper and lower parts  12 , 16  integrally formed. The locking members  26  are subsequently pivotally mounted thereon by fingers  34  which rotatably locate in holes in the upper part  12 . The fingers  34  are provided on their upper ends which are substantially coplanar with the surface  14 , with a recess (not shown) to permit rotation thereof by a tool, and hence locking or unlocking by a person standing on the surface  14 . 
     In use, any required number of components  10  can be mounted together to cover for instance an ice rink. The adjacent components  10  can readily be locked together by the locking means  22  by a person standing on or adjacent the components  10 , and using a tool to engage with the fingers  34 . The components  10  can be separated from each other and subsequently removed in a similar straightforward manner. The provision of the gap  20  filled with air or polyurethane foam between the upper and lower parts  12 , 16 , and also beneath the projections  18 , provides for very good insulation from the cold of the ice. Furthermore, the use of HDPE also provides good insulation. There is thus described a cover assembly which permits an ice rink or other surface to readily be covered whilst providing good insulation against the cold ice. The cover assembly is relatively strong yet can be inexpensively manufactured. 
     Various modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. For example different formations could be provided extending between the upper and lower parts. Different locking means could be used. The components could be made of different materials and/or a different shape. Insulating materials other than polyurethane foam, such as other foamed materials, could be used to fill the gap between the upper and lower parts. 
     Whilst endeavouring in the foregoing specification to draw attention to those features of the invention believed to be of particular importance it should be understood that the Applicant claims protection in respect of any patentable feature or combination of features hereinbefore referred to and/or shown in the drawings whether or not particular emphasis has been placed thereon.