Portable floor

• US 7,621,091 B2
• Filed: 11/10/2005
• Issued: 11/24/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SICO Incorporated (Nouryon BV)
• Original Assignee: SICO Incorporated (Nouryon BV)
• Inventors: Schilling, Todd A., Dickey, Christopher C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Canfield; Robert J
• Assistant Examiner(s): Herring; Brent W
• Application Number:
  US11/271,513
• Publication Number:
  US 20070113492A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,475 Days
• Field of Search: 525/841, 525/822, 525/92, 521/77, 522/63, 522/205, 525/821, 521/277, 521/271.1, 521/278, 521/279, 523/13, 525/861, 525/921, 52/36, 404/35, 404/36, 404/40, 403/253, 403/252, 403/257, 403/259, 312/265.5
• US Class Current: 52/582.2
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 15/02 Flooring or floor layers composed of a number of similar elements of webs 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 2201/05 Separate connectors or inserts, e.g. pegs, pins, keys or strips
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 2200/20 Connections with hook-like parts gripping behind a blind side of an element to be connected

Abstract

A portable floor system having a plurality of floor panels configured for connection along abutting edges to form an extended floor surface. Each panel has a planar portion including a top surface, a core, and a bottom surface. Extruded edge portions include tongues along two edges and complementary tongues along the other two edges. Each edge also includes a panel connecting assembly along each edge, having a lock device extending from an edge into the core. The lock device mounts directly against an anchor element. The anchor element extends through the bottom surface and having a connector receiving portion.

Claims

1. A portable floor panel, comprising:

a planar portion including a top surface, a core, and a bottom surface, complementary edge portions;

a panel locking assembly along each edge, the locking assembly having a lock device extending from an edge into the core, connectors, and an anchor element abutting the lock device, the anchor element extending through the bottom surface and having an uppermost portion flush or below the top surface, the anchor element a defining a first connector receiving portion and a second connector receiving portion spaced apart from the first connector portion, each connector receiving portion defining at least two orifices, wherein the connectors engage the lock device and the anchor element to attach the anchor element to the lock device.

2. A floor panel according to claim 1, wherein the anchor element defines voids within the anchor element when inserted in the planar portion.

3. A floor panel according to claim 1, wherein the panel comprises an extruded edge member and wherein the edge member defines an orifice receiving the lock device.

4. A floor panel according to claim 1, wherein the top surface of the panel has a natural wood grain appearance and wherein the wood grain appearance of the top surface defines an indexing spot for aligning the locking device.

5. A floor panel according to claim 1, wherein the anchor element includes a flange with a portion extending over a portion of the bottom surface.

6. A floor panel according to claim 1, wherein the planar portion defines a slot formed through the bottom surface and the core for receiving the anchor element.

7. A floor panel according to claim 6, wherein the panel comprises an extruded edge member and wherein the edge member defines an orifice receiving the lock device.

8. A floor panel according to claim 6, wherein the planar portion defines a recess formed in a side thereof receiving the lock device.

9. A floor panel according to claim 8, wherein the panel comprises an extruded edge member and wherein the edge member defines an orifice aligned with the orifice formed in the side of the planar portion and receiving the lock device.

10. A floor panel according to claim 1, wherein the anchor element comprises nylon.

11. A portable floor panel, comprising:

a planar portion including a top surface, a core, and a bottom surface,

complementary edge portions;

a panel locking assembly along each edge, the locking assembly having a lock device extending from an edge into the core, connectors, and an anchor element abutting the lock device and embedded in a recess in the panel and comprises integral intersecting vertical and horizontal ribs, the anchor element extending through the bottom surface and having an uppermost portion flush or below the top surface, the anchor element having a connector receiving portion, wherein the connectors engage the lock device and the anchor element to attach the anchor element to the lock device.