Interconnecting disengageable flooring system
First Claim
1. A disengageable interconnecting flooring system for use in forming a temporary or permanent laminate flooring surface on top of a support structure from individual flooring panels, said system comprising:
- two or more laminate flooring panels and at least one connector;
the flooring panels comprising a top wear surface, a reinforcing substrate material, and a bottom surface for contact with the support structure, said panels comprising four edges having recesses formed therein for receipt of a projection from said connector, said panels also having channels formed in their bottom surfaces shaped for receipt of protrusions from said connector;
the connector comprising a base having a projection extending vertically therefrom shaped to be received in a disengageable vertical connected fashion into the recesses in the edges of said panels, said base of said connector further comprising two protrusions extending vertically from either side of the base spaced from the projection, said protrusions shaped to be received in a disengageable horizontal connected fashion into the channels in said bottom surface of said panels, wherein when said panels are connected using the connector, the resultant visible flooring surface consists of only the top wear surface of the panels.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention relates to a disengageable interconnecting flooring system for use in forming a temporary or permanent flooring surface on top of a support structure from individual flooring panels. The system includes two or more flooring panels comprising a top wear surface and a bottom surface for contact with the support structure. The panels have at least three edges and all edges have recesses formed therein. The system further comprises a connector having a base and a projection extending vertically from the base. The projection extending from the base is shaped to be received in a disengageable vertical connected fashion into the recesses of the panels. Preferably, the connector is comprised of a base having a projection extending the entire length thereof. In a preferred embodiment, the connector and panels further comprise means for connecting the panels in a disengageable horizontal fashion.
20 Citations
62 Claims
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1. A disengageable interconnecting flooring system for use in forming a temporary or permanent laminate flooring surface on top of a support structure from individual flooring panels, said system comprising:
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two or more laminate flooring panels and at least one connector;
the flooring panels comprising a top wear surface, a reinforcing substrate material, and a bottom surface for contact with the support structure, said panels comprising four edges having recesses formed therein for receipt of a projection from said connector, said panels also having channels formed in their bottom surfaces shaped for receipt of protrusions from said connector;
the connector comprising a base having a projection extending vertically therefrom shaped to be received in a disengageable vertical connected fashion into the recesses in the edges of said panels, said base of said connector further comprising two protrusions extending vertically from either side of the base spaced from the projection, said protrusions shaped to be received in a disengageable horizontal connected fashion into the channels in said bottom surface of said panels, wherein when said panels are connected using the connector, the resultant visible flooring surface consists of only the top wear surface of the panels. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A vertically and horizontally interconnecting flooring system for use in forming a flooring surface on top of a support surface, said system comprising:
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two or more individual flooring panels having a certain thickness and at least one track;
the flooring panels comprising a top wear surface and a bottom surface for contact with the support surface, said panels having at least three edges with identical recesses formed therein, said first recesses shaped to receive a first connection projection from the track, said panels also having second recesses located along the bottom surface of each panel open in the direction away from the top surface for receipt of a second connection projection from the track;
the track comprising a base, a first connection projection, and a second connection projection, said first connection projection connected to and extending vertically a distance from the base and shaped to be received in the first recesses of the panels to form a vertical connection between the panels when two or more panels are engaged at their edges, said second connection projection connected to and extending vertically a distance from the base and shaped to be received in the second recesses of the panels to form a horizontal connection between the panels when two or more panels are engaged at their edges;
the distance from the base of the track to an uppermost vertical portion of the first projection is less than the distance between the top wear surface and the bottom surface of the panel such that said first and second connections between the panels form upon interconnection a flooring surface consisting of only the top wear surface of the panels. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A disengageable interconnecting flooring system for use in forming a temporary or permanent flooring surface on top of a support structure from individual flooring panels, said system comprising:
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two or more flooring panels and at least one connector track;
the flooring panels comprising a top wear surface and a bottom surface for contact with the support structure, the panels being multidirectional and comprising at least three edges wherein all edges have identical recesses formed therein for receipt of at least one projection from the connector track;
the connector track comprising a base and a projection extending vertically from the base, said projection shaped to be received in a disengageable vertical connected fashion into the grooves of at least two panels to form a flooring surface completely consisting of the top wear surface of the panels. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39)
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40. A disengageable interconnecting decorative laminate flooring system for application to an existing floor surface without the use of adhesives or traditional fastening devices, said system comprising:
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a plurality of individual floor panels and a plurality of individual connectors;
the individual floor panels having a top decorative wear surface, a bottom surface, and comprising edges between the top and bottom surfaces, each edge having identical receivers located therein;
the connectors comprising rails of substantially the same lengths as the edges of said panels, said rails each having a base and a vertically extending projection from said base, said projection being shaped for insertion into the receivers of the panels for disengageable vertical and horizontal interconnection of the individual flooring panels at their edges, wherein when the panels are interconnected using the connectors, the visible resultant flooring surface only consists of the top decorative wear surface, and no portion of the connector forms a part of the visible flooring surface. - View Dependent Claims (41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47)
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48. A disengageable connector for vertically and horizontally interconnecting individual flooring panels with identical edges to form a permanent or temporary laminate flooring surface on top of a support structure, said connector comprising:
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a base and a projection extending vertically from said base, said projection having top and bottom portions and consisting of identical right and left halves, the top portion of each half comprising identical extensions extending horizontally in opposite directions equal distances substantially parallel to, separate from and above said base, and optionally, two additional protrusions extending vertically from said base, said two protrusions spaced apart from said projection and being located on either side of said projection. - View Dependent Claims (49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58)
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59. A multidirectional individual laminated flooring panel for use in forming on a support surface a flooring surface comprised of at least two panels disengageably interconnected horizontally and vertically, said panels comprising:
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a top surface, a bottom surface for contact with the support structure, and edges therebetween, the top surface comprising a decorative wear surface, all edges comprising identical grooves extending substantially the entire length of the edges, and the bottom surface comprising identical channels formed therein and open away from the top surface, said channels being parallel to, spaced from, and extending substantially the entire length of said edges. - View Dependent Claims (60, 61, 62)
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Specification