Abstract:
A portable flooring system has one or more edge attachment members which can be used to quickly connect and secure panels or slats of the flooring system for deployment, installation and use, in one embodiment, the edge attachment elements are ultrasonically welded or otherwise permanently affixed to the flooring panels.

Description:
REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the benefit of U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 61/442,950, filed Feb. 15, 2011 and entitled “Edge Attachments for Portable Ground Flooring Systems”, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to portable ground flooring systems, and more particularly to portable ground flooring systems having specially adapted edge attachment members to assist in assembly, installation and use. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Unmodified ground surfaces hinder the ability to set up quick, stable, level and secure environments for a variety of purposes. For example, outdoor field events such as carnivals, corporate outings, wine tastings, mountain bike races and even military deployments often require booths, tents or other structures with solid and stable flooring from which to manage the event. Particularly if computers or other equipment typically found in an indoor workplace environment are required, it becomes almost essential to provide a more stable, strong, level and secure ground flooring capable of rapid deployment and disassembly. 
     Recently, flooring systems and methods have been developed that minimize necessary storage space when not in use or when being transported and minimize pack-up time and effort, while also maintaining sufficient overall strength. Such flooring systems can be adapted to various shapes of ground surfaces and wet environments, including uneven ground. Such flooring systems are described, for example, in our U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,090,430; 7,364,383 and 7,774,991, which are incorporated by reference herein in their entireties. U.S. Pat. No. 7,090,430 shows, in  FIG. 7 , adjacent edges of separate floor slats or panels being attached using hook and loop type fasteners. However, in many cases, hook and loop connectors and extra seam cap members are not desirable. Accordingly, the present invention is directed to resolving these and other issues with portable ground flooring systems. 
     SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION 
     The present invention provides portable ground flooring system edge attachment members which can be used to quickly connect and secure panels or slats of a flooring system for deployment, while improving the ability to quickly disassemble and stack the flooring. In one embodiment, the slats or panels can be formed of high-impact plastic which largely conforms to non-level, rolling ground while maintaining bridging strength for ground discontinuities. 
     The slats can be secured in a series, and a series of slats can be secured in multiple rows to create a solid, manipulable floor readily deployable on ground areas of virtually any shape and wetness characteristics. 
     The edge attachment member(s) of the present invention can be used to secure the multiple slats or panels edge-to-edge without requiring external or peripheral items. In one embodiment, each edge attachment member is made of thermo-formed and co-extruded plastic material or other solid material suitable for the purposes of the present invention. In one embodiment of the present invention, the edge attachment members are secured to the panels or slats through ultrasonic welding. In other embodiments of the present invention, the edge attachment members can be secured to the slats through solvent welding, glue, stapling and other means. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a photograph showing a front perspective view of one embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a font elevation view of the edge of a panel member for use with the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  is a partial cross-sectional view of two panel members connected edge to edge by interlocking edge attachment members, in accordance with the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  is a partial cross-sectional view of one panel member with an edge attachment member installed at the panel edge, in accordance with the present invention. 
         FIG. 5  is a partial cross-section view of two panel Members connected edge to edge by edge attachment members in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIGS. 6 and 7  are detailed front elevation views of an edge attachment member in accordance with the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       FIG. 1  shows a front perspective view of two flooring slats employing two edge attachment members  77 ,  78  according to one embodiment of the present invention. As shown in  FIG. 1 , flooring panels  11  having side walls  16  and connector members  20  are sleeved by edge attachment members  77 ,  78 ,  FIG. 2  shows a front elevational view of a single panel with top  12 , bottom  14  and C-shaped connector members  20 ,  22  on the sides. The individual connector members  20 ,  22  can be provided in various shapes, forms and sizes, and function to secure the panel members in a side wall-to-side wall fashion, two at a time. In one embodiment, the connector members bring adjacent panels into a tight adjacent fit to give the semblance of a permanent seam, which thereby prevents “punch through” of loads which may be borne directly on a given seam. The edge attachment members of the present invention do not cover these connector members  20 ,  22 , but rather attach over the sides of the panels where there is no connector member. 
     In one embodiment of the present invention, the panels are approximately ½ to two inches in height and five to seven feet in length, but other sizes can be produced depending upon the particular implementation involved. The invention is not dimensionally constrained. Further, while  FIGS. 1 and 2  show flooring panels with a substantially rectangular shape, it will be appreciated that the present invention can be adapted to suit other shapes as desired, including without limitation, circular, polygonal or other shapes. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , for example, the panel members  11  have edges  24  which can be joined with other edges to expand the flooring as necessary for a particular application. As shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , for example, panel members  7  and  8  can be secured at respective edges  24  using interlocking edge attachment members  35  and  36 . Each edge attachment member  35 ,  36  is a single piece and can be characterized as a plurality of segments. The interlocking edge attachment members can be welded onto the respective edges  24 , such that a first sleeve segment  44  of the edge attachment  36  runs parallel to and is flush with the top surface  46  of the floor panel member  8  and a second sleeve segment  43  of the edge attachment  36  runs parallel to and is flush with the bottom surface  45  of the floor panel member  8 . In one embodiment of the present invention, as shown in  FIGS. 6 and 7 , at least one prong  42  extends perpendicularly from sleeve segments  43  and  44 . These prongs  42  are energy concentrators for the embodiment of the present invention where the edge attachment members are welded to the slats. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 3-4  and  6 , for example, the first sleeve segment  44  and the second sleeve segment  43  are connected by a connector segment  47 . The connector segment  47  comprises a first connector segment endpoint  55 , a second connector segment endpoint  56  and a clip support member  41 . The clip support member  41  extends substantially perpendicularly from the middle of the connector segment  47  that connects the two substantially parallel sleeve segments  43  and  44 . In one embodiment, as shown in  FIG. 6 , the clip support member  41  comprises a first clip support member endpoint  58 , a second support member endpoint  59  and a mid-segment  60  that is substantially U-shaped, wherein the two clip support member endpoints  58  and  59  are positioned at the top of the U, and wherein the U-shaped mid-segment extends from the connector segment  47  into the area between the first sleeve segment  44  and the second sleeve segment  43 , and in substantially parallel relation therewith. In one embodiment, as shown in  FIG. 4 , each edge attachment member is inserted onto the floor panel member  8  such that the bottom surface  61  of the U-shaped mid-segment  60  of the clip support member  41  is flush with the edge  24  of the floor panel member  8 . 
     In one embodiment of the present invention, a bottom portion  52  of the connector segment  47  is angled towards the panel member edge  24  that the edge attachment member  36  is installed on, as shown in  FIG. 4 . The bottom portion  52  is the segment between the second clip support member endpoint  59  and the second connector segment endpoint  56 . In the embodiment of the present invention where the connector segment  47  includes an angled or curved bottom portion  52 , the first sleeve segment  44  of the edge attachment is slightly longer in length than the second sleeve segment  43 . It will be appreciated that the lower half of the connector segment in the embodiment of the present invention shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4  is not a mirror image of the top half of the connector segment  47 . 
     In one embodiment, as shown in  FIGS. 3-4  and  6 , each edge attachment member further includes a substantially L-shaped extension arm  48  extending substantially horizontally from first sleeve segment  44  at or near the first connector segment endpoint  55 . Extension arm  48  has a substantially 90-degree curve formed at edge  40  that results in a downward extending portion  57 , with a curved clip pinching element  51  at the base of the downward extending portion  57 . The mid-portion  80  of the clip pinching element  51  indents inwardly of the downward extending portion  57  towards the connector segment  47 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 3 , edge attachment member  35  can be installed onto the edge  24  of the floor panel member  7  in a similar manner; however, the edge attachment member is arranged in reverse orientation to that of member  36  in order to interlock therewith. In this way, the rows of panel members can be tightly secured edge-to-edge. 
     As shown in  FIG. 5 , the clip support member  71  and clip pinching element  72  can take a different form to that shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 . For example, the clip support member  71  can extend substantially perpendicularly from the connector segment  47  into the area between the first sleeve segment  44  and the second sleeve segment  43 . In this embodiment, the edge attachment member  77  is inserted onto the floor panel member  85  such that the tip  75  of the clip support member  71  is flush with the edge  81  of the floor panel member  85 . Further, as shown in  FIG. 5 , the mid-portion  76  of the clip pinching element  72  extends further inward toward the connector segment  47  to provide greater surface area contact with the opposing clip pinching element when installed.  FIG. 1  also shows this alternative embodiment of the present invention. 
     It will be appreciated that the shapes and spatial relationships of the sleeve segments, clip support, connector segment and clip pinching element are substantially as shown in the drawings in order to meet the requirements for a tight fitting engagement with the ability to flex and give so that the edge attachments can be joined and separated at will. Representative dimensions in  FIGS. 6 and 7  can be as follows in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention: distance B can be approximately between 1.4 and 1.5 inches inclusive; distance C can be approximately between 1.4 and 1.5 inches inclusive; distance B can be approximately between 1.4 and 1.5 inches inclusive; distance C can be approximately 0.1 inches; distance D can be approximately between 0.6 and 0.8 inches inclusive; distance E can be approximately between 0.95 and 1.05 inches inclusive; distance F can be approximately between 0.50 and 0.55 inches inclusive; distance G can be approximately between 0.020 and 0.030 inches inclusive; and distance H can be approximately between 0.20 and 0.30 inches inclusive. Further, as shown in  FIG. 6 , the prong  42  can extend from the surface of the sleeve members at an angle of 45 degrees on both sides, thereby comprising a substantially 90 degree angle. 
     The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The present embodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the claims of the application rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.