Abstract:
A floor panel assembly (used as replacement floor panel or in a new installation) includes universal quick-attach corners that mates with support stands and stringers of an existing raised floor system to provide leveling. The panel assembly includes a top plate (apertured or not) with corner structures including a post retainer and interconnected down flanges that support the top plate inboard of its perimeter. In one form, the universal quick corners each includes an arrow-shaped extension plate attached to the post retainer and extending toward the top plate&#39;s perimeter, and includes a body with multiple thickness pads selectable to support the extension plate at selected height. Thus, the quick corner holds an upper surface of the top plate level with an upper surface of adjacent existing floor panels of the existing raised floor system. In another aspect, only the body is used at each corner (without the extension plate).

Description:
This application claims benefit under 35 USC §119(e) of provisional Application No. 61/620,680 filed Apr. 5, 2012, entitled UNIVERSAL QUICK CORNER FOR RAISED FLOOR SYSTEMS, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein. 
     BACKGROUND 
     The present invention relates to a raised floor panel for a raised floor system such as for a data center (computer room), the floor panels being adapted to mate with various existing raised floor systems either as a new or retrofit installation. 
     Raised floor systems include support stands for supporting floor panels above a building&#39;s structural floor, with a top of each support stand typically supporting the mating corners of four adjacent floor panels to create a raised floor over the building&#39;s structural floor. This allows flexible installation and distribution of cabling and wires, and also allows air conditioning to be funneled under the raised floor and into the room through apertured panels (also called “air grates”) at selected strategic locations in the room. However, raised floor systems provided by different vendors are not standardized. Therefore, replacement panels must be purchased from the original manufacturer of the raised floor system, or a replacement panel with customized corners must be made, since the corners of the replacement panel must matingly stably engage the configured top of the support stand in the existing raised floor system. Improvements are desired to allow replacement floor panels (including air-passing air grates) to mate with a wide variety of support stands of different existing raised floor panel systems, yet without the need for customized corners. Alternatively, improvements are desired that allow corners of replacement floor panels (including air grates) to be easily customized without numerous specialized parts and expensive components. 
     SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION 
     In one aspect of the present invention, a floor panel assembly is provided for use in an existing raised floor system, where the existing raised floor system includes existing floor panels with existing support stands and existing stringers connected between the existing support stands for supporting floor panels. The floor panel assembly comprises a floor panel with a top and corner structures, each corner structure including a first retainer and down flanges that support the top inward from a perimeter of the top, and a universal quick corner at each corner structure. Each universal quick corner includes an extension plate attached to the first retainer and extending outboard of the down flanges at least partially toward the perimeter, and includes a body with at least one thickness pad supporting the extension plate so that the extension plate engages one or both of the associated stringer and support stand to hold an upper surface of the top level with an upper surface of existing floor panels of the raised floor system. 
     In a narrower form, the first retainer includes a post retainer. 
     In a narrower form, the body includes four pads of different thicknesses, the body being selectively engaged with the associated extension plate to support the top at a level condition with adjacent raised floor panels of the existing raised floor system. 
     In another aspect of the present invention, a method of constructing a floor panel assembly is provided for use in an existing raised floor system, where the existing raised floor system includes existing floor panels and existing support stands for supporting corners of the existing floor panels. The floor panel assembly comprises steps of: providing a floor panel with a top and corner structures, each corner structure including a post retainer and down flanges that support corners of the top inward from a perimeter of the top, and attaching a universal quick corner to each corner structure, the quick corners each having and a body with at least one thickness pad, the body engaging the associated corner structure on the floor panel and the quick corner engaging an associated portion of the existing raised floor system to hold an upper surface of the top level with an upper surface of the existing floor panels of the existing raised floor system. 
     In another aspect of the present invention, a floor panel assembly is provided for use in an existing raised floor system, where the existing raised floor system includes existing floor panels and existing support stands and existing stringers connected between the existing support stands for supporting the existing floor panels. An improvement in the floor panel assembly comprises a floor panel with a top and corner structures, each corner structure including a post retainer and interconnected down flanges that support corners of the top plate inward from a perimeter of the top plate. A universal quick corner at each corner structure includes a body with at least two different thickness pads. The body is selectively orientable on an associated one of the corner structures to position a selected one of the at least two different thickness pads to engage and support the floor panel on an associated portion of the existing support stand and stringer, thus holding an upper surface of the top level with an upper surface of existing floor panels on the existing raised floor system. 
     In another aspect of the present invention, a method of assembly in an existing raised floor system is provided, where the existing raised floor system includes existing floor panels and existing support stands and existing stringers connected between the existing support stands for supporting the existing floor panels. The method comprises steps of: providing a floor panel with a top and corner structures, each corner structure including a post retainer and interconnected down flanges that support corners of the top inward from a perimeter of the top, providing a universal quick corner at each corner structure, the universal quick corner having a body with at least two different thickness pads, and selectively orienting the body on the an associated one of the corner structures to position a selected one of the at least two different thickness pads to support an extension plate; so that the extension plate supports and engages the floor panel using the selectively oriented quick corner body and extension plate to engage an associated portion corner of the existing support stand and stringer, thus holding an upper surface of the top level with an upper surface of existing floor panels in the existing raised floor system. 
     An object of the present invention is to provide a very durable and robust support for the corner structures of a floor panel which extends toward, and potentially all the way to, a perimeter of its top plate, with the assembly being sufficiently robust such that over time it does not creep, wear, migrate or shift in a manner leading to uneven support of corners of the floor panel assembly. 
     An object of the present invention is to provide a universal quick attach corner attachable to a raised floor panel, where the quick attach corner engages a portion of the support structure in an existing raised floor panel system, and support corners of the raise floor panel in a level condition with adjacent panels of the existing raised floor system. 
     These and other aspects, objects, and features of the present invention will be understood and appreciated by those skilled in the art upon studying the following specification, claims, and appended drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a side view of a raised floor system, including an innovative raised floor panel embodying the present invention installed onto existing support stands and installed between existing floor panels of an existing raised floor system. 
         FIGS. 2-3  are top and bottom perspective views of the present innovative raised floor panel in  FIG. 1 ,  FIG. 3  showing a universal quick corner installed onto a left rear (far) corner structure of the panel and showing a left front (close) corner structure of the panel with universal quick corner disassembled and positioned adjacent the corner structure. 
         FIG. 4  is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of a corner structure from  FIG. 3  with the universal quick corner installed. 
         FIG. 5  is a fragmentary perspective view similar to  FIG. 4  but illustrating the corner structure, the extension plate, and three multi-pad bodies each with different thickness (height) pads. 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view illustrating the same multi-pad bodies as  FIG. 5  but flipped upside down. 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective view showing the thinnest one of the bodies from  FIGS. 5-6  installed with the thinnest “A” pad positioned outward toward a perimeter corner of the top of the raised floor panel, and showing a friction retainer (nut) and second friction retainer (push pin). 
         FIG. 8  is a perspective view like  FIG. 7  but showing the extension plate installed on the body. 
         FIG. 9  is a perspective view showing a quick-install push-on-and-twist nut retainer in  FIG. 7 . 
         FIG. 10  is a perspective view showing the nut retainer installed, thus holding the quick corner (extension plate and body) on the corner structure of the raised floor panel. 
         FIG. 11  is a perspective view showing the body and extension plate subassembled together by using the push pin retainer and prior to installation on a raised floor panel. 
         FIG. 12  is a perspective view showing a top of  FIG. 11  after assembly. 
         FIG. 13  is an exploded perspective view showing the components of  FIG. 7  ready for assembly, and  FIG. 13A  is a side view of  FIG. 12 . 
         FIGS. 14-15  are plan and side views of the illustrated extension plate of  FIG. 13 . 
         FIGS. 16-17  are bottom perspective and side views of a thickest one of the bodies in  FIG. 5 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     A replacement floor panel assembly  20  ( FIG. 1 ) includes corner structures  24  that can be adapted to mate with the existing support stands  22  (and align with existing floor panels  22 A) in an existing raised floor system  23 . The illustrated floor panel assembly  20  is adapted to mate with various existing raised floor systems either as a new or retrofit installation. Notably, different existing raised floor systems include support stands with differently configured/shaped top members/heads, thus making it difficult to provide a single replacement floor panel assembly adapted to mate with each of those different support stands. The foot print of floor panels in most commercial raised floor panel systems is standardized, but configuration and shape of the supporting structure is not. The present assembly  20  provides a corner structure  24  and universal quick corner  25  providing the desired adaptability for a replacement floor panel assembly while maintaining manufacturability and keeping both costs and number of pieces under control for the universal floor panel assembly. As discussed below, the illustrated assembly  20  provides a very durable and robust support for the corner structures  24  which extends all the way to a perimeter of the top plate  31 . Significantly, the assembly  20  as installed is sufficiently robust such that over time it does not creep, wear, migrate or shift in a manner leading to uneven support of corners of the floor panel assembly  20 . 
     The illustrated replacement assembly  20  is a raised floor panel with top defining corners, and four corner structures  24 . The illustrated top is an aperture top plate  31  permitting air pass-through (e.g. the assembly  20  is an apertured air grate permitting air pass through), but it is contemplated that it need not be apertured. The corner structures  24  include a post retainer  32 , an apertured boss retainer  47 , and interconnected down flanges  33 ,  34  that support the top plate  31  inward of its perimeter. The illustrated top plate  31  is an apertured/slotted steel panel allowing it to be used as an air grate for controlled air flow in a raised floor system. However, a scope of the present inventive concepts also extends to non-apertured raised floor panels and panels not having a top plate per se. The assembly  20  further includes a universal quick corner  25  at each corner structure  24 . The universal quick corner  25  can be pre-assembled in pieces to the floor panel assembly  20  (see  FIGS. 6-10 , using nut retainer  50  and pin retainer  51 ) or can be pre-assembled (see  FIG. 11 , using pin retainer  51 ) and then attached to the floor panel  20  (using nut retainer  50 ). 
     The illustrated universal quick corner  25  ( FIG. 5 ) includes an arrow-shaped extension plate  36  and three different universal multi-pad bodies  41 ,  41 A, and  41 B that can be selected for use with the extension plate  36  (or used without the extension plate). The bodies  41 ,  41 A and  41 B each include four different thickness pads, and they can be attached to the floor panel  20  in four different orientations. Thus, by selecting a desired body and installing it at a desired orientation, any of twelve different height positions of the extension plate  36  can be achieved (which allows the installer to select between twelve different height positions for a top surface of the raised floor panel relative to existing floor panels of the existing floor panel system). This has proved to be very beneficial and desirable in commerce, since once the existing raised floor system is known, the replacement assemblies  20  can be quickly and easily assembled (on site or ahead of time at a staging location or a location not too far from the installation site), yet without the need for fixturing, tooling, lead times, and other problems associated with such installations. It is noted that the present assembly  20  can be used in new installations, such as for providing air conditioning air grates in the new “existing” system, even though the air grate panel assemblies ( 20 ) are from a different manufacturer. 
     The extension plate  36  is attached to the post retainer  32  by a friction retainer, such as nut  50 . The extension plate  36  is stamped from metal, such as steel plate. It includes an inner section ( FIG. 13 ) with hole  38  for engaging the post retainer  32 , and includes a V-shaped outboard section that extends outward of the down flanges  33 ,  34  to a position generally vertically aligned with (or close to vertical alignment with) the perimeter of the top plate  31  of the raised floor panel  30 . This allows the extension plate  36  to engage any load-bearing portion of the top member  40  ( FIG. 1 ) of the existing support stand  22 , even if the load-bearing portion of the top member  40  is outboard of the down flanges  33 ,  34 . 
     The illustrated universal quick corner  25  ( FIGS. 16-17 ) also includes a body  41  with thickness pads  42  selectable to support the extension plate  36  ( FIGS. 4 ,  13 - 13 A) so that the extension plate  36  engages the associated stringers and existing corner support stand  22  ( FIG. 1 ) to hold an upper surface of the top plate  31  level with an upper surface of existing floor panels  22 A, with the quick corner  25  supporting the arrangement by engaging a portion of the one existing stringer and support stand  22 . The thickness pads  42  differ in height as desired. For example, pads  42  can vary in height about 1/16″, resulting in a total range of heights that can be selected of about ¾″. For example, in the illustrated system, the extension plate  36  can be positioned at anywhere from 1″ to 1 11/16″ from the top surface of the top plate  31 . 
     It is noted that there are two distinct and different applications for the illustrated parts. One application uses a selected body  41  by itself to engage an existing support stand (or uses a selected body  41 A or  41 B). The other application uses the body  41  in combination with the extension plate  36  to engage onto a connecting stringer grid members (with each stringer grid member being bolted onto the top surface of an existing support stand and extending between adjacent support stands). 
     When both body  41  and extension plate  36  are assembled ( FIGS. 1 ,  4 ,  13 A), the selected thickness pad  42  of the body  41  is positioned so that it rests on the flanges  33 ,  34 , and the extension plate  36  rests on the selected thickness pad  42 , thus allowing stress to be transmitted directly through the assembly by compression. This provides a very durable and robust support for the corner structures  24  which extends all the way to a perimeter of the top plate  31 , with the assembly being sufficiently robust such that over time it does not creep, wear, migrate or shift in a manner leading to uneven support of corners of the floor panel assembly  20 . 
     The illustrated body  41  (see  FIG. 16 ) is injection molded of structural polymeric material (such a nylon or glass-fiber-reinforced nylon, depending on functional requirements of the raised floor system). Each body  41 ,  41 A,  41 B includes a center plate with four pads  42  (see  FIGS. 5-6 , labeled as pads A, B, C, and D on one body ( 41 ), and pads E-H on body  41 A and pads I-L on body  41 B. A star-shaped center hole  45  includes rounded points shaped to engage the post retainer  32 , depending on which pad is positioned outwardly on the corner structure  24 . Protruding pins  46  are shaped to engage the apertured boss retainer  47  located outboard of the post retainer  32 . This, in combination with the hole  45  engaging post retainer  32 , positively holds the orientation and location of the body  41  when installed on the corners structure  24 . The pads  42  can be formed to conform with optimal molding practices. For example, the illustrated pads  42  ( FIG. 16 ) include orthogonal walls and ribs to eliminate large pockets of plastic, which if present would cause cooling problems in molded parts. Also, ribs are present within and between pads  42  as needed to support stress and to provide a more rigid and robust overall structure, while minimizing total part weight and while maintaining simplicity of molding. 
     The illustrated friction retainer  50  is a push-on-and-twist-lock nut shaped to resiliently slip onto the end of the post retainer  32  for quick installation. Thereafter, the nut retainer  50  can be rotated on the threads of the post  32  (also called “post retainer” herein) to provide a desired torsional compression retention force. It is contemplated that other friction retainers can be used, such as a polymeric tube or washer frictionally engaging the post retainer  32 . 
     The push pin retainer  51  is a stud of polymeric material that extends through and frictionally engages aligned holes  53  and  54  in the extension plate  36  and body  41  ( FIG. 11 ). The retainer  51  allows the extension plate  36  to be attached to a body  41  ahead of installing on a panel assembly  20 . The push pin retainer  51  also adds stability when the extension plate  36  and body  41  are attached to the panel assembly  20 , and has been found to be useful especially when the extension plate  36  is positioned on one of the thicker pads  42  of a body  41 . 
     Thus, the retainers  50  and  51  facilitate different assembly methods, including allowing preassembly and handling of the panel assembly  20  without losing parts and without having to perform assembly at the point of installation. 
     It is to be understood that variations and modifications can be made on the aforementioned structure without departing from the concepts of the present invention, and further it is to be understood that such concepts are intended to be covered by the following claims unless these claims by their language expressly state otherwise.