Moisture-resistant cover floor system for concrete floors

Abstract

A cover floor system for covering a sub floor is provided. The cover floor system has a plurality of interlocking floor tiles. The tiles have a cover floor surface and a grid of supporting legs adapted to elevate the cover floor surface over the sub floor and form a gap between the cover floor surface and the sub floor. At least two tiles are coupled together with a lap joint. The lap joint is formed by a first lap portion, disposed on one of the two tiles, and a mating second lap portion on the other tile. The first lap portion has a lower lap seating surface offset from the cover floor surface. The mating second lap portion has an upper lap surface seating against the lower lap seating surface and defining a substantially continuous lap scene along interfacing sides of the two tiles when the tiles are coupled.

1 . A cover floor system for covering a floor, the system comprising:
 a plurality of interlocking floor tiles, the tiles having a cover floor surface and a grid of supporting legs adapted to elevate the cover floor surface over the floor and form a gap between the cover floor surface and floor;   at least two of the tiles being coupled together with a lap joint formed by a first lap portion, disposed on one of the at least two tiles, and a mating second lap portion disposed on another of the at least two tiles;   the first lap portion having a lower lap seating surface offset from the cover floor surface, and   the mating second lap portion having an upper lap surface seating against the lower lap seating surface and defining a substantially continuous lap seam along interfacing sides of the at least two tiles when the at least two tiles are coupled together.   
   
   
       2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the cover floor surface extends over the lap seam. 
   
   
       3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the lower lap seating surface has a hoop formed therein, and the upper lap surface has a pin projecting therefrom and wherein, when the lower lap seating surface and the upper lap surface are mated one to the other, the pin is engaged through the hoop. 
   
   
       4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the cover floor surface and the lap joint substantially prevent water vapor and moisture from passing through the floor cover floor surface, formed by the interlocking tiles, to a space above the cover floor surface. 
   
   
       5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the floor is a basement concrete floor, and the gap between cover floor surface and basement floor is arranged to allow water vapor and gasses to pass between the cover floor surface and the concrete floor. 
   
   
       6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first lap portion comprises a retaining surface, and wherein, the mating second lap portion comprises a retaining tab, and wherein the retaining tab engages the retaining surface preventing lifting of the cover floor surface between the at least two interlocking tiles. 
   
   
       7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the interlocking tiles is anchored to the floor anchoring the system to the floor, and at least another of the interlocking tiles unanchored to the floor and is capable of movement relative to the floor. 
   
   
       8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein free play is built into interlocking joints of the interlocking tiles allowing for relative movement between interlocking tiles and floor. 
   
   
       9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the pin extends to the floor and supports the floor covering supporting surface. 
   
   
       10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the interlocking floor tiles comprise molded polypropylene. 
   
   
       11 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein each of the interlocking tiles is a substantial square tile having four sides, and wherein two of the four sides comprise have the first lap portion disposed thereon, and wherein another two of the four sides have the mating second lap portion disposed thereon. 
   
   
       12 . A cover floor system for covering a floor, the system comprising:
 a plurality of interlocking floor tiles, the tiles having a cover floor surface and a grid of supporting legs adapted to elevate the cover floor surface over the floor and form a gap between the cover floor surface and floor;   the interlocking floor tiles coupled together with lap joints capable of sealing interfacing edges of adjoining tiles against infiltration of water vapor and moisture between the interfacing edges;   wherein at least one of the interlocking tiles is anchored to the floor anchoring the cover floor surface defined by interlocked tiles to the floor.   
   
   
       13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the lap joints provides relative play between the interlocking tiles allowing unanchored interlocking floor tiles to move relative to the floor. 
   
   
       14 . The system of  claim 12 , further comprising a surface layer superposed over the cover floor surface of the interlocking tiles. 
   
   
       15 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the superposed layer is a carpeting or vinyl layer. 
   
   
       16 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein each interlocking floor tile comprises a plurality of pins and a plurality of hoops for interlocking the tiles. 
   
   
       17 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the interlocking floor tiles are made of molded polypropylene. 
   
   
       18 . A floor covering for covering a basement concrete floor, the floor covering comprising:
 a super floor adapted to be superposed over and supported by the concrete floor;   a carpet or other floor covering supported by the super floor;   the super floor having a plurality of interlocking floor tiles, the floor tiles having a cover floor surface, upon which the carpet or other floor covering is disposed;   the interlocking floor tiles coupled together with a floating interlocking joint providing relative play between the interlocking floor tiles allowing the interlocking floor tiles to move relative to each other;   wherein, the floating interlocking joint substantially prevents water vapor and moisture from passing from the concrete floor through the cover floor surface to the carpet or other floor covering.   
   
   
       19 . The floor covering of  claim 18 , wherein the floating interlocking joint is a floating lap joint, and is adapted to accommodate relative movement between interlocking floor tiles due to thermal expansion or contraction of the tiles. 
   
   
       20 . The floor covering of  claim 18 , wherein at least one of the interlocking floor tiles is fastened to the concrete floor, and wherein, the interlocking floor tiles have a grid of supporting legs adapted to allow water vapor and moisture to pass between the cover floor surface and the concrete floor.