Illuminated floor panel

• US 5,095,412 A
• Filed: 03/25/1991
• Issued: 03/10/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: William Leith
• Original Assignee: William Leith
• Inventors: French, Stephen
• Primary Examiner(s): Husar, Stephen F.
• Application Number:
  US07/675,077
• Time in Patent Office: 351 Days
• Field of Search: 362/153, 362/153.1, 362/234, 362/252, 362/364, 362/800, 362/240
• US Class Current: 362/153
• CPC Class Codes: E04C 2/521 serving for locating conduits; for ventilating, heating or cooling
• CPC Class Codes: E04C 2/54 Slab-like translucent elements floors for transmitting light E04B5/46; translucent or open-work ceilings E04B9/32, E04B9/34; translucent roof coverings E04D3/06, E04D3/28
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 15/04 only of wood or with a top layer of wood, e.g. with wooden or metal connecting members rollable parquet E04F15/16
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 2201/0107 by moving the sheets, plates or panels substantially in their own plane, perpendicular to the abutting edges
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 2201/023 with a continuous tongue or groove
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 8/022 intended to be recessed in a floor or like ground surface, e.g. pavement or false floor
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 33/006 General building constructions or finishing work for buildings, e.g. roofs, gutters, stairs or floors; Garden equipment; Sunshades or parasols
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/285 in modular floors, e.g. access floors
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 362/80 Light emitting diode

Abstract

A floor panel, suitable for assembly with similar panels into an illuminated portable floor, takes the form of a rectangular wooden panel having a number of first apertures in its lower face and a number of second apertures in its upper face, each second aperture intersecting one of the first apertures, a number of illumination devices such as light-emitting diodes or incandescent lamps located in the first apertures, one or more transparent or translucent covers over the second apertures, and electrical connectors such as electric wires to convey power to the illumination devices from the underside of the panel.

Claims

1. A panel for assembly into a portable floor, comprising a generally rectangular wooden panel having a plurality of first apertures extending into the panel from a first face of said panel and a plurality of second apertures extending into the panel from a second face of said panel opposed to said first face, said second apertures being located to each intersect a corresponding first aperture, a plurality of illumination devices each located in one of said first apertures so as to be visible through the corresponding second aperture, at least one transparent or translucent cover covering the second apertures on the second face of the panel, and electrical connection means to convey electrical power to the illumination devices from the direction of the first face of the panel.

2. A floor panel according to claim 1, in the form of a wooden laminate.

3. A floor panel according to claim 1, wherein said first apertures are of generally circular cross-section.

4. A floor panel according to claim 3, wherein said illumination devices are each a close fit within a said first aperture.

5. A panel for assembly into a portable floor, which panel comprises

(a) a generally rectangular wooden panel having a plurality of first apertures extending thereinto from a first face thereof and a plurality of second apertures extending thereinto from a second face thereof;

(b) said second apertures being of greater cross-sectional area than said first apertures;

(c) said first and second apertures being aligned in mutually intersecting relationship in pairs, each comprising one of said first apertures and one of said second apertures;

(d) a plurality of illumination devices each located in one of said first apertures;

(e) at least one transparent or translucent cover closing said second apertures; and

(f) electrical connection means connected to said illumination devices in the region of said first face of said panel.

6. A floor panel according to claim 5, wherein said first apertures are of generally circular cross-section.

7. A floor panel according to claim 6, wherein said second apertures are of generally circular cross-section and of greater diameter than said first apertures.

8. A floor panel according to claim 7, wherein said first and second apertures in said pairs are coaxially aligned.

9. A floor panel according to claim 5, wherein said illumination devices are light-emitting diodes or incandescent lamps.

10. A floor panel according to claim 5, wherein said electrical connection means are electric wires.

11. A panel for assembly into a portable floor, which panel comprises

(a) a generally rectangular wooden panel having first and second faces;

(b) a plurality of first generally circular apertures in said first face;

(c) a plurality of second generally circular apertures in said second face;

(d) said first and second apertures being in coaxially aligned pairs;

(e) said second apertures being of greater diameter than said first apertures;

(f) an illumination device located in each of said first apertures;

(g) a transparent or translucent cover in each of said second apertures; and

(h) electric wires extending into said first apertures and electrically connected to said illumination devices.

12. A floor panel according to claim 11, wherein said covers are of glass or an acrylic plastics material.

13. A floor panel according to claim 11, having at least one rectilinear channel on said first face, from which said first apertures extend.

14. A floor panel according to claim 13, wherein said channel is filled with an encapsulating resin.