GB2339581A

GB2339581A - Raised floor panel support system

Info

Publication number: GB2339581A
Application number: GB9815109A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Chien-Teh Huang
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1998-07-14
Filing date: 1998-07-14
Publication date: 2000-02-02
Anticipated expiration: 2018-07-14
Also published as: GB2339581B; GB9815109D0

Description

2339581 RAISED FLOOR PANEL SUPPORT SYSTEM The invention relates to a

raised floor panel support system for use as flooring in a computer room or the like. More particularly, the present invention relates to a raised floor panel support system that provides the benefit of a lower construction cost without signif icantly reducing the load capacity of the floor.

A raised floor, such as that shown in Figure 1, is generally laid on a base floor for use in a computer room or the like to provide a space for accommodating computer cables and ventilation ducts underneath a plurality of floor panels. In the conventional raised floor arrangement, the floor panels 13 are supported at a height from the base floor by a plurality of supporting legs 11 and stringers 12 that extend between the legs 11.

As shown in Figure 1, there are four supporting legs 11 under each floor panel 13. If four floor panels 13 constitute a floor panel unit, nine supporting legs 11 are required to support the floor panel unit. Although the conventional arrangement has proven to be quite stable, a relatively high material cost per unit area and a relatively long assembly time are involved due to the large number of supporting legs 11 that is in use.

2 Therefore, the main object of the present invention is to provide a raised floor panel support system having a simple yet reliable structure.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a raised floor panel support system that is economical to fabricate.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a raised floor panel support system that involves less manpower and time during assembly.

to Accordingly, the raised floor panel support system of the present invention comprises a rectangular frame, four pedestals mounted on four corners of the rectangular frame and adapted to support the rectangular frame at a height with respect to a base floor, and a cross-shaped frame mounted on the rectangular frame to divide the rectangular frame into four smaller rectangular units adapted for supporting four floor panels thereon. The rectangular frame includes four one-piece side beams, each of which has opposite ends connected to an adjacent pair of the side beams by two of the pedestals. Each of the side beams further has an intermediate section provided with a f irst edge connecting member. The f irst edge connecting member has an inverted U-shaped straddling portion for straddling on the intermediate section of the side beam, and a pair of edge supporting portions that are disposed on opposite sides of the straddling portion and that 3 extend transversely from the side beam. The crossshaped frame includes a one-piece main cross beam extending between two of the side beams and having opposite ends mounted respectively on one of the edge supporting portions of the first edge connecting members on said two of the side beams. The main cross beam further has an intermediate section provided with a second edge connecting member. The second edge connecting member has an inverted U-shaped straddling portion for straddling on the intermediate section of the main cross beam, and a pair of edge supporting portions that are disposed on opposite sides of the straddling portion and that extend transversely from the main cross beam. The cross-shaped frame further includes two secondary cross beams, each of which extends between the main cross beam and one of the other two of the side beams. Each of the secondary cross beams has opposite ends mounted respectively on one of the edge supporting portions of the second edge connecting member and on one of the edge supporting portions on the first edge connecting members on the other two of the side beams.

Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent in the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which:

4 Figure 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a conventional raised floor panel structure; Figure 2 is a perspective view showing a plurality of raised floor panel support systems according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3 is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment; Figure 4 is a fragmentary schematic side view of the preferred embodiment; Figure 5 is a perspective view of a side beam of the preferred embodiment; Figure 6 is a perspective view of an edge connecting member of the preferred embodiment; Figure 7 is a perspective view of a main cross beam of the preferred embodiment; and Figure 8 is a perspective view of a secondary cross beam of the preferred embodiment.

Referring to Figures 2, 3 and 4, a preferred embodiment of a raised floor panel support system 20 according to the present invention is shown to comprise a rectangular frame, four pedestals 3 mounted on four corners of the rectangular frame to support the rectangular frame at a height with respect to a base floor, and a cross-shaped frame mounted on the rectangular frame to divide the latter into four smaller rectangular units for supporting four floor panels 8 thereon (only one floor panel 8 is shown in Figure 3). The rectangular frame includes four one piece side beams 4. The-cross-shaped frame includes a one-piece main cross beam 9 and two secondary cross beams 7. Four first edge connecting members 5 mount the cross-shaped frame on the side beams 4. A second edge connecting member 6 mounts the secondary cross beams 7 on the main cross beam 9. A plurality of the support systems 20 are interconnected to support a greater number of the floor panels 8, as shown in Figure 2.

Referring to Figures 3 and 4, each pedestal 3 includes an upright leg 30 with upper and lower ends, base 300 mounted on the lower end of the leg 30, and corner clamp device 31 mounted on the upper end of the leg 30. The base 300 is secured to the base floor.

The corner clamp device 31 includes an upper clamping plate 310, a lower clamping plate 311, a threaded shaft 312, and a nut 313. The threaded shaft 312 extends from the upper clamping plate 310, through the lower clamping plate 311, and into the leg 30. The nut 313 is coupled threadedly with the shaft 312, and is seated on top of the leg 30.

Since the specific construction and variations of the corner clamp device 31 are known to a person skilled in the art, further detailed descriptions with respect to the same are considered unnecessary and will be omitted herein.

6 Each side beam 4 has opposite ends connected to an adjacent pair of the side beams 4 by two of the pedestals 3. As shown in Figures 3, 4 and 5, each end of the side beam 4 is secured between the upper and lower clamping plates 310, 311 of the corresponding pedestal 3 bymeans of screw fasteners. Each screw fastener includes a screw 32 extending through aligned holes 3100, 3110 in the upper and lower clamping plates 310, 311 and through a fastener hole 41 in the side beam 4, and a nut 33 coupled threadedly to the screw 32. Each pedestal 3 has two of the side beams 4 attached thereto such that the two side beams 4 are at right angles with each other.

The principal difference between this invention and the prior art shown in Figure 1 resides in the number of pedestals 3. More particularly, the number of pedestals 3 required to support four floor panels 8 is only four, instead of nine, in this invention, thereby reducing construction costs and facilitating assembly.

To this end, four first edge connecting members 5 are mounted on the intermediate sections of the side beams 4 for connecting the main cross beam 9 and the secondary cross beams 7 of the cross-shaped frame to the rectangular frame, as will be apparent in the following.

The first edge connecting member 5, as best shown in Figure 6, includes an inverted U-shaped straddling portion 50 for straddling on the side beam 4, and a pair 7 of edge supporting portions 51 respectively def ined by two side wall sections 510 and a bottom wall section 511 that interconnects bottom edges of the side wall sections 510. The edge supporting portions 51 are disposed on opposite sides of the straddling portion 50 and extend transversely from the side beam 4.

Referring to Figures 3 and 7, the main cross beam 9 has two ends mounted snugly and respectively on one of the edge supporting portions 51 of the first edge connecting members 5 on two of the side beams 4. In order to connect securely the main cross beam 9 with the f irst edge connecting members 5, fastener holes 90 are formed through the main cross beam 9 at the end portions thereof to register with corresponding holes 5100 formed in the side wall sections 510 of the edge supporting portions 51 of the first edge connecting members 5 for passage of screw fasteners (not shown).

The second edge connecting member 6 is identical in structure with the first edge connecting member 5, and functions as a cross joint of the secondary cross beams 7 with the main cross beam 9. The second edge connecting member 6 includes an inverted U- shaped straddling portion 60 for straddling on the main cross beam 9, and a pair of edge supporting portions 61 respectively defined by two side wall sections 610 and a bottom wall section 611 that interconnects bottom edges of the side wall sections 610. The edge supporting portions 61 are 8 disposed on opposite sides of the straddling portion 60, and extend transversely from the main cross beam 9.

Referring to Figures 3 and 8, the secondary cross beam 7 has two ends mounted snugly and respectively on one of the edge supporting portions 61 of the second edge connecting member 6 and on one of the edge supporting portions 51 on the first connecting members 5 on the other two of the side beams 4. In order to connect securely the secondary cross beams 7 with the edge connecting members 5, 6, fastener holes 70 are formed through the secondary cross beams 7 at the end portions thereof to register with corresponding holes 5100, 6100 formed in the side wall sections 510, 610 of the edge supporting portions 51, 61 of the edge connecting members 5, 6 for passage of screw fasteners (not shown).

The side beams 4, the main cross beam 9 and the secondary cross beams 7 are generally similar in construction except for differences in length and in the positions of the fastener holes, as shown in Figures 5, 7 and 8. Each of the beams 4, 9 and 7 is formed as a hollow channel beam having an upper wall and opposite side walls with upper ends connected to the upper wall, and lower ends formed with an inwardly bent portion 42, 91, 71, preferably at an angle of less than 90 degrees with the side walls to provide an upwardly opening 9 \: recess for accommodating electrical cables, power cords and the like.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A raised floor panel support system comprising a rectangular frame, four pedestals mounted on four corners of the rectangular frame and adapted to support the rectangular frame at a height with respect to a base floor, and a cross-shaped frame mounted on the rectangular frame to divide the rectangular frame into four smaller rectangular units adapted for supporting four floor panels thereon, wherein:

the rectangular frame includes four one-piece side beams, each of which has opposite ends connected to an adjacent pair of the side beams by two of the pedestals, each of the side beams further having an intermediate section provided with a first edge connecting member, the first edge connecting member having an inverted U-shaped straddling portion for st raddling on the intermediate section of the side beam, and a pair of edge supporting portions that are disposed on opposite sides of the straddling portion and that extend transversely from the side beam; and the cross-shaped frame includes a one-piece main cross beam extending between two of the side beams and having opposite ends mounted respectively on one of the edge supporting portions of the first edge connecting members on said two of the side beams, the main cross beam further having an intermediate section provided with a second edge connecting member, the second edge connecting member having an inverted U-shaped straddling portion for straddling on the intermediate section of the main cross beam, and a pair of edge supporting portions that are disposed on opposite sides of the straddling portion and that extend transversely from the main cross beam, the cross-shaped frame further including two secondary cross beams, each of which extends between the main cross beam and one of the other two of the side beams, each of the secondary I0 cross beams having opposite ends mounted respectively on one of the edge supporting portions of the second edge connecting member and on one of the edge supporting portions on the first edge connecting members on the other two of the side beams.

2. A raised floor panel support system according to Claim 1, wherein each of the pedestals includes an upright leg with upper and lower ends, a base on the lower end of the upright leg, and a corner clamp device on the upper end of the upright leg, the corner clamp device having two of the side beams attached thereto such that said two of the side beams are at right angles with each other.

3. A raised floor panel support system according to Claim 2, wherein the corner clamp device includes upper and lower clamping plates, and screw fasteners for fastening said two of the side beams between the upper and lower clamping plates.

1 2

4. A raised floor panel support system according to Claim 1, wherein at least one of the side beams, the main cross beam and the secondary cross beams is formed as a hollow channel beam which has an upper wall and S two opposite side walls with upper ends connected to the upper wall and lower ends formed with an inwardly bent portion.

5. A raised floor panel support system substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in Figures 2 to 8 of the accompanying drawings.