CA2722160A1 - Interlocking rolled garage floor cover system - Google Patents

Interlocking rolled garage floor cover system Download PDF

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Publication number
CA2722160A1
CA2722160A1 CA2722160A CA2722160A CA2722160A1 CA 2722160 A1 CA2722160 A1 CA 2722160A1 CA 2722160 A CA2722160 A CA 2722160A CA 2722160 A CA2722160 A CA 2722160A CA 2722160 A1 CA2722160 A1 CA 2722160A1
Authority
CA
Canada
Prior art keywords
connector strip
preformed
receptacles
preformed end
cover panel
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Abandoned
Application number
CA2722160A
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Oscar Garcia
Nick Jeackjuntra
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
KRACO ENTERPRISES LLC
Original Assignee
KRACO ENTERPRISES LLC
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by KRACO ENTERPRISES LLC filed Critical KRACO ENTERPRISES LLC
Publication of CA2722160A1 publication Critical patent/CA2722160A1/en
Abandoned legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • EFIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E04BUILDING
    • E04FFINISHING WORK ON BUILDINGS, e.g. STAIRS, FLOORS
    • E04F15/00Flooring
    • E04F15/02Flooring or floor layers composed of a number of similar elements
    • E04F15/10Flooring or floor layers composed of a number of similar elements of other materials, e.g. fibrous or chipped materials, organic plastics, magnesite tiles, hardboard, or with a top layer of other materials
    • EFIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E04BUILDING
    • E04BGENERAL BUILDING CONSTRUCTIONS; WALLS, e.g. PARTITIONS; ROOFS; FLOORS; CEILINGS; INSULATION OR OTHER PROTECTION OF BUILDINGS
    • E04B1/00Constructions in general; Structures which are not restricted either to walls, e.g. partitions, or floors or ceilings or roofs
    • E04B1/38Connections for building structures in general
    • E04B1/61Connections for building structures in general of slab-shaped building elements with each other
    • E04B1/6108Connections for building structures in general of slab-shaped building elements with each other the frontal surfaces of the slabs connected together
    • E04B1/612Connections for building structures in general of slab-shaped building elements with each other the frontal surfaces of the slabs connected together by means between frontal surfaces
    • E04B1/6166Connections for building structures in general of slab-shaped building elements with each other the frontal surfaces of the slabs connected together by means between frontal surfaces with protrusions on both frontal surfaces
    • E04B1/617Connections for building structures in general of slab-shaped building elements with each other the frontal surfaces of the slabs connected together by means between frontal surfaces with protrusions on both frontal surfaces with one protrusion on each frontal surface
    • EFIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E04BUILDING
    • E04FFINISHING WORK ON BUILDINGS, e.g. STAIRS, FLOORS
    • E04F2201/00Joining sheets or plates or panels
    • E04F2201/05Separate connectors or inserts, e.g. pegs, pins, keys or strips
    • E04F2201/0511Strips or bars, e.g. nailing strips

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Architecture (AREA)
  • Civil Engineering (AREA)
  • Structural Engineering (AREA)
  • Floor Finish (AREA)
  • Sewage (AREA)

Abstract

A floor cover system includes cover panels 12, 14 having preformed ends 22, 24 and a connector strip 16 having a first and second receptacles 36, 38 adapted to receive the preformed ends 22, 24 of the cover panels 12, 14. An inner surface of the receptacles 36, 38 of the connector strip 16 has a portion that is complementary in shape to that of a surface of the preformed ends 22, 24.

Description

INTERLOCKING ROLLED GARAGE FLOOR COVER SYSTEM
RELATED APPLICATIONS
[00011 This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No.
61/263,926, entitled INTERLOCKING ROLLED GARAGE FLOOR COVER SYSTEM, filed on November 24, 2009, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

FIELD OF INVENTION

[0001 [ The present invention relates generally to cover panels and, in particular, to a method of interlocking cover panels.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

[00021 Several types of modular, interlocking floor coverings have been developed and are generally suitable for use as garage flooring or playing surfaces. Modular, interlocking floor tiles, which are connected in a grid-like configuration, have an underside that is typically configured with a cross pattern of grid surfaces and support legs. The interlocking portion comprises a laterally extending loop member which is adapted to receive a lug member on an adjacent panel to mount the adjacent panel thereto. Examples of such modular floor covering are shown in Forlenza, U.S. Patent No. 4,054,987 and Menconi et al., U.S.
Patent No.
4,436,779.

[00031 Despite the growing popularity of these interlocking plastic tile floor coverings, their use has been generally limited to rigid, square tile pieces. While this configuration has been acceptable for rigid tiles, it is generally not suitable for large rolled pieces of floor covering.
But large rolled pieces of flooring, which may be provided as a single sheet or mat to cover an entire garage floor, are impractical due to their large size and weight. Thus, a need exists for joining or interlocking several pieces of rolled flooring.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[00041 In one embodiment of the invention, a cover system is provided comprising a cover panel comprising a preformed end having a first surface and a second surface;
and a connector strip having a first receptacle and a second receptacle, the first and second receptacles each adapted to receive the preformed end of the cover panel, wherein at least a portion of an inner surface of the first and second receptacles is approximately complementary in shape to that of the first and/or second surface of the preformed end to facilitate interconnecting the cover panel with the connector strip.

[0005] In another embodiment of the invention, a method of constructing a cover system is provided that includes obtaining a first cover panel, the cover panel comprising at least one preformed end having a first surface and a second surface. The method further includes obtaining a connector strip having at least a first receptacle adapted to receive the at least one preformed end of the first cover panel, wherein at least a portion of an inner surface of the first receptacle is approximately complementary in shape to that of the first and/or the second surface of the at least one preformed end. The method also includes inserting the at least one preformed end of the first cover panel into the first receptacle of the connector strip.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0006] FIG. 1 is a partial perspective view of a connector strip and two cover panels according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0007] FIG. 2 is an end view of the connector strip and the cover panels shown in FIG. 1.
[0008] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a section of a cover panel according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0009] FIG. 4 is an enlarged end view of a connector strip according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0010] FIG. 5 is a top perspective view of a cover system according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0011] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a connector strip and two cover panels according to another embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0012] Reference will now be made to the various Figures wherein like numbers represent like parts. Referring to FIGS. 1-2, embodiments of the present invention are directed to a cover system 10 and to a method for connecting two or more similar cover panels 12, 14 together to form the cover system 10.
[00131 According to embodiments of the invention, a first cover panel 12 may be connected to a second cover panel 14 using a connector strip 16.

[0014] According to embodiments of the invention, the first and second cover panels 12, 14 may comprise any suitable material, such as natural or synthetic polymers, including thermosetting and thermoplastic compositions, and the like. The material may be selected based on the desired final properties, such as durability or flexibility, or the intended use, such as for use as a garage floor cover. As used herein, "flexible" is understood to allow the cover panels 12, 14 to be rolled up into a storage or shipping configuration and have sufficient weight to lie in a substantially flat condition when being installed and in use. That is, the cover panels 12, 14 may be bent, twisted, turned, or bowed and are capable of withstanding any of the aforementioned stresses without damage to the cover panels 12, 14 or any elements thereof. According to embodiments of the invention, the cover panels 12, 14 are flexible cover panels.

[0015] The cover panels 12, 14 each have at least one preformed end 22, 24, respectively, that is useful for connecting the two cover panels 12, 14 together with the connector strip 16. Each preformed end 22, 24 comprises a first surface 22a, 24a and a second surface 22b, 24b.
According to embodiments of the present invention, at least one surface of the preformed ends 22, 24 may be shaped, textured, or a combination thereof to facilitate interconnecting cover panels 12, 14 with connector strip 16. For example, at least one surface may have one or more rows of spaced apart beveled channels, or may be serrated or corrugated.
According to another embodiment, the first surfaces 22a, 24a and the second surfaces 22b, 24b may be shaped, textured, or a combination thereof to facilitate interconnecting cover panels 12, 14 with connector strip 16.

[0016] As shown in FIGS. 1-2, the preformed ends 22, 24 may be shaped on only one surface to facilitate interconnecting cover panels 12, 14 with connector strip 16. In this embodiment, the preformed ends 22, 24 may comprise first surfaces 22a, 24a having one or more beveled channels 26 and smooth second surfaces 22b, 24b. In an alternative embodiment, both the first 22a, 24a and the second 22b, 24b surfaces are shaped to facilitate interconnecting cover panels 12, 14 with connector strip 16. For example, the preformed end 22 may comprise a first surface 22a and a second surface 22b having one or more beveled channels 26.
[0017] As shown in FIG. 3, a cover panel may comprise a first preformed end 32 and a second preformed end 34, which thereby enables the joining of at least two additional cover panels with the cover panel 30 lying in the center position of three panels.
[0018] Referring again to FIGS. 1-2, and referring further to FIG. 4, the connector strip 16 comprises a first receptacle 36 and second receptacle 38 adapted to receive the preformed ends 22, 24 of the cover panels 12, 14, wherein at least a portion of the inner surface of the first and second receptacle is complementary in shape to that of the first surface 22a, 24a and/or the second surface 22b, 24b of the preformed ends. The first and second receptacles 36, 38 of the connector strip 16 may be positioned such that they are opposed to each other such that connector strip 16 has a generally H-shaped cross-section, as depicted in FIGS. 2 and 4. For example, as shown in FIG. 4, the connector strip 16 may have a first wall 40 and a second wall 42 connected by an orthogonal central beam 44. In an alternative embodiment that is not shown, the connector strip may comprise two U-shaped receptacles, which are connected at the closed end of each of the U-shaped receptacles. In yet another embodiment, the connector strip 16 is a unitary structure.
[0019] The connector strip 16 may comprise any suitable material, such as natural or synthetic polymers. For example, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), thermoplastic rubber (TPR), or a thermoplastic polymer may be used. The connector strip 16 may be rigid.
Alternatively, the connector strip 16 may be sufficiently flexible to allow elastic expansion of the receptacle walls 40, 42, thereby accommodating the insertion of the preformed ends 22, 24 into the receptacles 36, 38.

[0020] In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, each cover panel 12, 14 has a preformed end 22, 24 with beveled channels 26 running generally parallel to the preformed ends.
A connector strip 16 is configured to provide receptacles having a complementary configuration for accommodating the beveled channels 26. The complementary configuration of the preformed ends 22, 24 and the connector strip 16 facilitates a synchronized fit with the connector strip 16 when the preformed ends 22, 24are inserted, in the directions indicated by arrows A and B, into the receptacles 36, 38 of the connector strip 16. The complementary fit between the preformed ends 22, 24 and the connector strip 16 operates to ensure that the two cover panels 12, 14 stay connected by maintaining the preformed ends 22, 24 in the connecting strip 16.
Two cover panels 12, 14 and a connector strip 16 are shown fully assembled in FIG. 5.
[0021] The connector strip 16 and cover panels 12, 14 combination is suitable for covering designed or textured surfaces, and is adaptable for all surface sizes. For example, standard-sized cover panels 12, 14, having a width of about 7.5 feet or about 2.3 meters, may be connected according to the present invention. Alternatively, a wide cover panel 12, 14 may be split into smaller width cover panels 12, 14, e.g. about 3.75 feet or about 1.1 meters, and then joined through the use of a connector strip 16. Moreover, the cover panel 12 and the connecting strip 16 may be formed according to any suitable manufacturing process, such as calendaring, extrusion, injection molding, or thermoforming.
[00221 While the present invention has been illustrated by the description of one or more embodiments, and while the embodiments have been described in considerable detail, they are not intended to restrict or in any way limit the scope of the appended claims to such detail.
Additional advantages and modifications will readily appear to those skilled in the art. The invention in its broader aspects is therefore not limited to the specific details, representative product and method and illustrative examples shown and described. The various features of exemplary embodiments described herein may be used in any combination.
Accordingly, departures may be made from such details without departing from the scope of the general inventive concept.

Claims (20)

1. A floor cover system comprising:
a cover panel comprising a preformed end having a first surface and a second surface;
and a connector strip having a first receptacle and a second receptacle, the first and second receptacles each adapted to receive the preformed end of the cover panel, wherein at least a portion of an inner surface of the first and second receptacles is approximately complementary in shape to that of the first and/or second surface of the preformed end to facilitate interconnecting the cover panel with the connector strip.
2. The floor cover system of claim 1, wherein the cover panel comprises two preformed ends.
3. The floor cover system of claim 1, wherein at least the first surface of the preformed end is serrated, corrugated, or comprises one or more rows of beveled channels.
4. The floor cover system of claim 3, wherein at least the first surface of the preformed end comprises one or more rows of beveled channels.
5. The floor cover system of claim 1, wherein at least the first surface of the preformed end is shaped, textured, or a combination thereof.
6. The floor cover system of claim 1, wherein the first surface and the second surface of the preformed end are shaped, textured, or a combination thereof.
7. The floor cover system of claim 1, wherein the cover panel is flexible and comprises a thermosetting or thermoplastic polymer.
8. The floor cover system of claim 1, wherein the first and second receptacles of the connector strip are positioned on oppositely disposed ends of the connector strip.
9. The floor cover system of claim 1, wherein the connector strip comprises a first wall and a second wall connected by an orthogonal central beam thereby defining the first and second receptacles.
10. The floor cover system of claim 1, wherein the connector strip comprises two U-shaped receptacles connected at the closed end of each of the U-shaped receptacles.
11. A method of constructing a floor cover system comprising:
obtaining a first cover panel, the cover panel comprising at least one preformed end having a first surface and a second surface;
obtaining a connector strip having at least a first receptacle adapted to receive the at least one preformed end of the first cover panel, wherein at least a portion of an inner surface of the first receptacle is approximately complementary in shape to that of the first and/or the second surface of the at least one preformed end; and inserting the at least one preformed end of the first cover panel into the first receptacle of the connector strip.
12. The method of claim 11, wherein the connector strip further comprises a second receptacle, the method further comprising:
obtaining a second cover panel having at least one preformed end; and inserting the at least one preformed end of the second cover panel into the second receptacle of the connector strip.
13. The method of claim 11, wherein the cover panel comprises two preformed ends.
14. The method of claim 11, wherein at least the first surface of the at least one preformed end is serrated, corrugated, or comprises one or more rows of beveled channels.
15. The method of claim 14, wherein at least the first surface of the at least one preformed end comprises one or more rows of beveled channels.
16. The method of claim 11, wherein at least the first surface of the at least one preformed end is shaped, textured, or a combination thereof.
17. The method of claim 11, wherein the first surface and the second surface of the at least one preformed end are shaped, textured, or a combination thereof.
18. The method of claim 11, wherein the first and second receptacles of the connector strip are positioned on oppositely disposed ends of the connector strip.
19. The method of claim 11, wherein the connector strip further comprises a first wall and a second wall connected by an orthogonal central beam, thereby defining the first and second receptacles.
20. The method of claim 11, wherein the connector strip comprises two U-shaped receptacles connected at the closed end of each of the U-shaped receptacles.
CA2722160A 2009-11-24 2010-11-23 Interlocking rolled garage floor cover system Abandoned CA2722160A1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US26392609P 2009-11-24 2009-11-24
US61/263,926 2009-11-24

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
CA2722160A1 true CA2722160A1 (en) 2011-05-24

Family

ID=44061042

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
CA2722160A Abandoned CA2722160A1 (en) 2009-11-24 2010-11-23 Interlocking rolled garage floor cover system

Country Status (3)

Country Link
US (1) US20110120042A1 (en)
CN (1) CN102121304A (en)
CA (1) CA2722160A1 (en)

Family Cites Families (14)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3039232A (en) * 1959-07-06 1962-06-19 Harold S Dunn Connector for mounting roof forming panels
US3216538A (en) * 1961-10-02 1965-11-09 Alcan Aluminum Corp Joint for securing metal awning panels together
US3360896A (en) * 1964-07-24 1968-01-02 Lyle E. Wright Ceiling structure
US4054987A (en) * 1976-02-26 1977-10-25 Mateflex/Mele Corporation Construction method
USD245106S (en) * 1976-03-04 1977-07-19 Scheid Lloyd J Panel member for mounting wall and ceiling panels
US4184302A (en) * 1978-04-17 1980-01-22 Swiss Aluminium Ltd. Bonded assembly
US4557091A (en) * 1982-02-10 1985-12-10 Corflex International, Inc. Extruded structural system
US4436779A (en) * 1982-07-02 1984-03-13 Menconi K Anthony Modular surface such as for use in sports
US5237790A (en) * 1990-07-20 1993-08-24 Art Smalley Structure fabricated of plastic components
US6098354A (en) * 1998-04-07 2000-08-08 Dante Design Associates, Inc. Modular floor tile having reinforced interlocking portions
US7493731B2 (en) * 2001-05-25 2009-02-24 Changqing Zhang Insert type removable built model
US20050183370A1 (en) * 2004-02-06 2005-08-25 Cripps Milo F. Interlocking Tile
US7500713B2 (en) * 2006-02-27 2009-03-10 Wabash National, L.P. Interlocking joint for a wall or door of a trailer
AR072948A1 (en) * 2008-04-03 2010-10-06 Eucatex S A Ind E Com PROVISION INTRODUCED IN COUPLING FOR LAMINATED FLOOR TABLES

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
CN102121304A (en) 2011-07-13
US20110120042A1 (en) 2011-05-26

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Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
FZDE Discontinued

Effective date: 20141125