Floor system

• US 6,202,374 B1
• Filed: 06/09/1998
• Issued: 03/20/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Steelcase Development Inc.
• Original Assignee: Steelcase Development Inc.
• Inventors: Branc, Joseph R., Feldpausch, Thomas G., Cooper, Robert V.
• Primary Examiner(s): Canfield, Robert
• Application Number:
  US09/093,996
• Time in Patent Office: 1,015 Days
• Field of Search: 521/262, 521/265, 521/266, 522/63, 522/201, 522/202, 522/203, 522/208, 522/39
• US Class Current: 52/220.3
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 5/48 Special adaptations of floors for incorporating ducts, e.g. for heating or ventilating in block-shaped elements E04C1/39; in slab- or sheet-shaped elements E04C2/52
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 15/02405 Floor panels
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/285 in modular floors, e.g. access floors

Abstract

The floor system for a work environment providing for access to utilities to be associated with articles such as articles of furniture is disclosed. The floor system includes a plurality of floor tiles. At least one of the floor tiles provides an access pattern. A floor is formed by selective arrangement of the plurality of floor tiles with at least one access point for utilities provided by the access pattern of at least one of the plurality of floor tiles. At least one article of furniture is selectively positioned on the floor. At least one access point can be selectively located within the floor. The position of at least one article of furniture on the floor and location of the access point of the floor are at least partially coincident and access to utilities can be provided through the floor to the article of furniture regardless of the position of the article of furniture on the floor.

Claims

1. A floor system for installation and use in a work environment with at least one article of furniture which comprises:

a plurality of floor tiles, at least one of the floor tiles having at least one compartment with a plurality of projections configured to support at least one subtile;

a first tile of the floor tiles providing a first access pattern for access and routing of utilities and a second tile of the floor tiles providing a second access pattern for access and routing of utilities different from the first access pattern;

a floor formed by selective arrangement of the plurality of floor tiles, the floor having at least one access point for utilities provided by the access pattern of at least one of the plurality of floor tiles; and

wherein the one article of furniture is selectively positionable at a position on the floor; and

wherein at least one access point can be selectively located at a location within the floor by selection and orientation of at least one of the first tile or the second tile;

so that the position of the one article of furniture on the floor and location of the access point of the floor can be made at least partially coincident and access to utilities can be provided through the access point from beneath the floor to the article of furniture regardless of the position of the article of furniture on the floor.

2. The floor system of claim 1 wherein the plurality of projections are spaced apart to allow utilities to pass through the floor system.

3. The floor system of claim 2 wherein the utilities are selected from the group consisting of cables, conduits, pipes, ducts, layers, levels, channels, paths, passages, raceways and combinations thereof.

4. The floor system of claim 1 wherein the first access pattern comprises a plurality of holes.

5. The floor system of claim 1 wherein the first access pattern comprises a rectangle.

6. The floor system of claim 1 wherein the first access pattern comprises a circle.

7. The floor system of claim 1 wherein the first access pattern comprises an edge cutout.

8. The floor system of claim 1 wherein the first access pattern comprises a plurality of apertures.

9. The floor system of claim 1 wherein the first access pattern comprises an offset circular aperture.

10. The floor system of claim 1 wherein the first access pattern comprises an offset rectangle.

11. The floor system of claim 1 wherein the plurality of floor tiles further comprises a second tile having a second access pattern, the first tile being interchangeable with the second tile during formation of the floor.

12. The floor system of claim 1 wherein at least one article of furniture includes a panel wall system.

13. The floor system of claim 12 wherein the panel wall system includes a primary panel wall and a secondary panel wall and access to utilities is provided to the secondary panel wall.

14. The floor system of claim 1 wherein utilities are configured for routing through at least one access point into a passage of at least one article of furniture.

15. The floor system of claim 1 wherein the first access pattern provides for distribution of utilities.

16. The floor system of claim 1 wherein the first access pattern is offset relative to the periphery of the first tile.

17. The floor system of claim 1 wherein the first access pattern of the first tile is asymmetrical.

18. The floor system of claim 1 wherein the first access pattern of the first tile is handed.

28. The floor system of claim 11 wherein at least one of the plurality of projections to support at least one subtile is a vertical member.

19. A floor system for providing for access to utilities in a work environment including at least one article of furniture, which comprises:

a plurality of floor tiles, at least one of the floor tiles having at least one compartment with a plurality of projections configured to support at least one subtile;

at least one subtile having an access pattern and configured to be installed in at least one compartment of at least one of the plurality of floor tiles;

a floor formed by selective arrangement of the plurality of floor tiles, the floor having at least one access point for utilities provided by the access pattern of at least one of the plurality of floor tiles,

wherein at least one article of furniture is selectively positionable at a position on the floor;

wherein at least one access point can be selectively located at a location within the floor;

so that the position of the article of furniture on the floor and location of the access point of the floor are at least partially coincident and access to utilities can be provided through the floor to the article of furniture regardless of the position of the article of furniture on the floor.

20. The floor system of claim 19 wherein the at least one compartment of the floor tile comprises an aperture.

21. The floor system of claim 20 wherein at least one subtile comprises a plurality of at least partially interchangeable subtiles.

22. The floor system of claim 20 wherein at least one subtile comprises a first subtile having a first access pattern.

23. The floor system of claim 22 wherein the first access pattern comprises a plurality of holes.

24. The floor system of claim 22 wherein the first subtile is a sheet into which the first access pattern may be selectively formed at a time that at least one article of furniture is selectively positioned on the floor.

25. The floor system of claim 22 wherein the first access pattern comprises a rectangular cutout.

26. The floor system of claim 22 wherein the first access pattern comprises a plurality of apertures.

27. The floor system of claim 19 wherein the plurality of floor tiles is at least partially interchangeable.

29. The floor system of claim 19 wherein the base of at least one compartment includes a plurality of apertures.

30. The floor system of claim 19 wherein at least one of the plurality of floor tiles is a carrier tile.

31. The floor system of claim 19 wherein at least one of the plurality of floor tiles is a tray tile.

32. The floor system of claim 19 wherein the plurality of floor tiles comprises at least two individual floor tiles.

33. The floor system of claim 19 wherein at least one subtile is secured within the compartment.

34. The floor system of claim 19 wherein the plurality of projections are spaced apart to allow utilities to pass through the floor system.

35. The floor system of claim 19 wherein the plurality of projections are arranged in a pattern for providing structural support for at least one subtile.

36. The floor system of claim 19 wherein the plurality of projections are configured for management of utilities.

37. The floor system of claim 19 wherein at least one of the plurality of projections is a cylindrical member.

38. A floor system for installation in a work environment providing for distribution of utilities to be associated with articles such as articles of furniture, which comprises:

a plurality of floor tiles, at least one of the floor tiles having at least one compartment with a plurality of projections configured to support at least one subtile;

at least one set of the floor tiles providing a first utility access pattern and at least one set of the floor tiles providing a second utility access pattern different from the first access pattern, configured to form a floor with an effective access pattern and at least one access point by arrangement of each of the floor tiles in at least one potential location and at least one potential orientation;

a floor formed by selective arrangement of the plurality of floor tiles, the floor having at least one access point for utilities provided by the access pattern of at least one of the plurality of floor tiles within the effective access pattern of the floor;

wherein at least one article is selectively positionable at a position on the floor; and

wherein at least one access point of at least one of the plurality of the floor tiles can be selectively located at a location within the floor within the effective access pattern;

so that the position of at least one article on the floor and the location of the access point of the floor are at least partially coincident and whereby access to utilities can be provided through the access point from beneath the floor to the article regardless of the position of the article on the floor.

39. The floor system of claim 38 wherein at least one of the plurality of floor tiles providing the access pattern includes a compartment configured for installation of at least one subtile providing the access pattern.

40. The floor system of claim 39 wherein the first access pattern comprises a plurality of apertures.

41. The floor system of claim 39 wherein at least one of the subtiles is selectively rotatable within the compartment.

42. The floor system of claim 39 wherein the subtile includes a selectively formed aperture.

43. The floor system of claim 38 wherein the plurality of floor tiles comprises a first tile having a first access pattern.

44. The floor system of claim 43 wherein the first access pattern comprises a rectangular cutout.

45. The floor system of claim 38 further comprising a plug configured to fit at least partially within the first access pattern.

46. The floor system of claim 38 further comprising a mounting guide installed on the floor for at least one article.

47. The floor system of claim 46 wherein at least one article comprises a panel wall system.

48. The floor system of claim 38 wherein at least one of the floor tiles is selectively rotatable when the floor is formed.

49. The floor system of claim 38 wherein at least one of the plurality of floor tiles is a carrier tile.

50. The floor system of claim 49 wherein the carrier tile is configured for installation in at least two rotational positions and one of the set of floor tiles is configured for installation in the carrier tile in at least two rotational positions.

51. The floor system of claim 38 wherein at least one of the plurality of floor tiles is a tray tile.

52. The floor system of claim 38 wherein at least one of the plurality of floor tiles is a frame tile.

53. The floor system of claim 38 wherein the first access pattern is formed before installation of the floor system.

54. The floor system of claim 38 wherein the effective access pattern may be modified during installation of the floor system.

55. The floor system of claim 38 wherein the effective access pattern is determined by the selective selection and rotational position of the utility access pattern of the plurality of floor tiles.