Cap

Abstract

A cap for a pedestal adapted to support adjacent floor panels defining a raised floor said cap comprising a bottom surface for contacting said pedestal, said bottom surface including means to capture the pedestal; and a top surface presenting a plurality of ribs for locating said floor panels.

1 . A cap for a pedestal adapted to support adjacent floor panels defining a raised floor said cap comprising: 
 (a) a bottom surface for contacting said pedestal, said bottom surface including means to capture said pedestal;    (b) a top surface presenting a plurality of ribs for locating said floor panels.    
   
   
       2 . A cap as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said capturing means comprises snap on tabs.  
   
   
       3 . A cap as claimed in  claim 1  wherein a corner of one floor panel is disposed between adjacent ribs.  
   
   
       4 . A cap as claimed in  claim 3  wherein said top surface is substantially rectangular to present four corners, each of said corners including adjacent ribs for locating a corner of said floor panel.  
   
   
       5 . A cap as claimed in  claim 4  wherein each said corner includes a hole co-axially disposed with a threaded hole presented by said pedestal for receiving a fastener adapted to fasten a corner of said floor panel to said pedestal.  
   
   
       6 . A cap as claimed in  claim 5  wherein said adjacent ribs are disposed substantially perpendicular to one another.  
   
   
       7 . A cap as claimed in  claim 6  wherein each said adjacent rib at said corner are spaced apart relative to one another so as to define centrally disposed spaced apart ribs for locating stringers therebetween.  
   
   
       8 . A cap as claimed in  claim 7  wherein said cap is comprised of plastic.  
   
   
       9 . A raised access floor system comprising of a plurality of floor panels arranged in side by side relation, said panel supported at their edges by stringers and at their corners by pedestals, said pedestal having an upper pedestal plate, and a cap adapted to snap onto said pedestal plate, wherein: 
 (a) said cap presents a substantially rectangular top and bottom surface defining four corners, said bottom surface supported by said upper pedestal plate;    (b) said top surface including a plurality of ribs for: 
 (i) locating corners of adjacent floor panels;  
 (ii) locating ends of said stringer.  
   
   
   
       10 . A raised access floor system as claimed in  claim 9  wherein said plurality of ribs comprise: 
 (a) adjacent ribs for locating said corners of said floor panel;    (b) spaced apart ribs for locating said stringers.    
   
   
       11 . A raised access floor system as claimed in  claim 10  wherein said top and bottom surfaces include a plurality of holes co-axially disposed with threaded holes presented by said pedestal plate for receiving fasteners for fastening said floor panels to said pedestal plate.  
   
   
       12 . A raised access floor system as claimed in  claim 11  wherein said top and bottom surfaces include a plurality of stringer holds co-axially disposed with threaded holes presented by said pedestal plate for receiving fasteners for fastening said stringers to said pedestal plate.  
   
   
       13 . A raised access floor system as claimed in  claim 12  wherein said cap comprises of plastic.  
   
   
       14 . A raised access floor system as claimed in  claim 13  wherein said ribs locates said corners of said floor panels and stringers.  
   
   
       15 . A method of locating corners of a floor panel for support by a pedestal comprising the steps of: 
 (a) placing a cap over said pedestal, said cap having: 
 (i) capturing means for capturing said pedestal  
 (ii) a plurality of upstanding ribs for locating and stabilizing stringers between spaced apart ribs and for locating and stabilizing said corners of said floor panels between adjacent ribs.  
   
   
   
       16 . A method as claimed in  claim 15  including a step of fastening said stringers to said pedestal.  
   
   
       17 . A method as claimed in  claim 16  including of fastening corners of said panel to said pedestals.  
   
   
       18 . A method as claimed in  claim 17  wherein said cap comprises of plastic so as to minimize noise generated between said stringers and pedestal and said floor panels and said pedestal.