Patent ID: 7185466

Claim:
A flooring system, comprising: first and second sub-floor panels having complimentary, opposed sides disposed in integral overlapping relation; resilient material disposed under the first and second sub-floor panels; and a channel section engaging the complimentary, opposed side of the second sub-floor panel, the channel section positioned intermediate the first sub-floor panel and the second sub-floor panel and limiting movement of the complimentary, opposed side of the second sub-floor panel in a vertical upward direction while permitting movement of the second sub-floor panel in a vertical downward direction against the resilient force of the resilient material; wherein a the complimentary, opposed side of the first sub-floor panel has a pocket in which the channel section is positioned, the pocket being sized and arranged such that the first sub-floor panel avoids overlapping contact with at least a portion of the channel section that engages with the complimentary, opposed side of the second sub-floor panel to thereby permit movement of the first sub-floor panel in a vertical downward direction against the resilient force of the resilient material, when the second sub-floor panel moves in a vertical downward direction.