Padded raised flooring panels and coverings

• US 6,526,704 B1
• Filed: 12/22/2000
• Issued: 03/04/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Interface Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Interface Incorporated
• Inventors: Whitley, David, Berard, Raymond A, Scott, Graham A., Anderson, Ray C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Safavi, Michael
• Application Number:
  US09/720,323
• Time in Patent Office: 802 Days
• Field of Search: 521/77, 522/63, 527/961, 525/060.6, 525/08, 428/85, 428/86, 428/90, 428/91, 428/95, 428/96, 428/97, 428/100
• US Class Current: 52/177
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 27/0475 Laying carpet tiles
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 7/06 permitting easy separation
• CPC Class Codes: D06N 2201/082 Glass fibres
• CPC Class Codes: D06N 2203/048 Polyvinylchloride (co)polymers
• CPC Class Codes: D06N 2203/068 Polyurethanes
• CPC Class Codes: D06N 2203/08 Bituminous material, e.g. asphalt, tar, bitumen
• CPC Class Codes: D06N 2205/18 Scraps or recycled materials D06N2205/106 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: D06N 2209/025 Insulating, sound absorber
• CPC Class Codes: D06N 2209/1628 Dimensional stability
• CPC Class Codes: D06N 2213/066 having an adhesive on the undersurface to allow removal of the whole carpet, rug or synthetic lawn from the floor, e.g. pressure sensitive adhesive
• CPC Class Codes: D06N 7/0081 with at least one extra fibrous layer at the backing, e.g. stabilizing fibrous layer, fibrous secondary backing
• CPC Class Codes: D06N 7/0086 characterised by the cushion backing, e.g. foamed polyurethane
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 15/02405 Floor panels
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 15/22 Resiliently-mounted floors, e.g. sprung floors laid as webs E04F15/16
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 70/62 related technologies for production or treatment of textile or flexible materials or products thereof, including footwear
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24017 Hook or barb

Abstract

Raised access flooring utilizing panels having a thick, resilient pad bonded directly to and covering the entire surface of the panel. The pad acts like the backing layer of a conventional floor treatment by absorbing impact and attenuation sound. A reinforced face cloth module having only a face layer and a stabilizing layer covers the pad to protect the pad from wear and to provide an attractive floor treatment. The reinforced face cloth module can be detachable or bonded directly to the pad. Alternatively, hook and loop fasteners can removably affix the pad to the face cloth module.

Claims

1. A raised flooring structure comprising:

a) a panel having a substantially rigid substructure and a resilient pad bonded to the panel;

b) a topcloth layer detachably affixed to the resilient pad;

c) a stabilizing layer bonded to the top cloth layer; and

d) a hook and loop fastener interposed between the resilient pad and the topcloth layer for detachably affixing the topcloth layer to the resilient pad, whereby the top cloth layer can be detached from the resilient pad without destroying the resilient pad.