Flooring system and method for installing involving a corrugated member and a panel flooring member

Abstract

A first description of a flooring system includes; a corrugated member containing metal and having ribs and valleys; a panel flooring member positioned over the ribs; and a fastener attaching the flooring member to one of the ribs. Each rib has a maximum transverse width of three inches, and each valley has a maximum top transverse width of three inches with such valley-to-rib width ratio having a range from 1.0 to 3.5. A second description of a flooring system includes a panel flooring member and a corrugated member similar to those of the first flooring system, but without the dimensional specifications of the ribs and valleys of the first flooring system, and includes a screw attaching the flooring member to the rib, wherein the screw has a pair of upper wings and a pair of lesser-protruding lower wings. Methods are disclosed for installing the described flooring systems.

1 . A method for installing a flooring system comprising the steps of:
 a) obtaining a corrugated member having a plurality of substantially parallel and longitudinally extending ribs and valleys, wherein the corrugated member contains metal, wherein each rib has a transverse width of up to three inches, wherein each valley has a top transverse width of up to three inches, wherein a ratio of the transverse top width of each valley to the transverse width of each adjoining rib has a range from 1.0 to 3.5, wherein each valley has a bottom, and wherein each rib has a substantially equal height above the bottom of each adjoining valley;   b) obtaining a panel flooring member having top and bottom sides;   c) disposing the panel flooring member over and in contact with the corrugated member with the bottom side of the panel flooring member contacting a multiplicity of the ribs of the corrugated member;   d) obtaining a fastener; and   e) attaching the panel flooring member to one of the ribs of the corrugated member using the fastener.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , also including, after step e), exposing the top side of the panel flooring member to at least one of walking floor traffic and rolling floor traffic. 
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the ribs are substantially identical and the valleys are substantially identical, and wherein the corrugated member has a substantially constant thickness and the panel flooring member has a substantially constant thickness. 
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the corrugated member consists essentially of steel, has a thickness of substantially 24 gage, and has a yield strength of substantially 80 ksi, and including, after step e), exposing the top side of the panel flooring member to rolling floor traffic having a dynamic rolling load of at least 350 psi. 
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the corrugated member is a monolithic member, and wherein each rib has a plurality of undulations. 
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the corrugated member is a monolithic member, and wherein each rib has a plurality of top indentations. 
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the corrugated member is a monolithic member having a curved edge joining each rib to each adjoining valley. 
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the fastener obtained in step d) is a screw, and wherein step e) inserts the screw first into the top side of the panel flooring member, then out through the bottom side of the panel flooring member, and then into the one rib of the corrugated member. 
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the screw includes in serial flow relationship a counter-sinkable head, a pair of opposing upper wings, a threaded portion, a pair of opposing lower wings, and a drill bit, wherein the threaded portion radially extends more than the drill bit, wherein the lower wings radially extend more than the drill bit, at least as much as the threaded portion, and less than the upper wings, wherein the upper wings radially extend more than the threaded portion and less than the head, and wherein the lower wings are adapted to remain intact while passing through the panel flooring member and to break off upon encountering the one rib allowing the threaded portion to threadably engage the one rib during step e). 
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the screw has a length which is less than the thickness of the panel flooring member plus the height of the one rib. 
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the screw includes in serial flow relationship a counter-sinkable head, a pair of opposing upper wings, a threaded portion, a pair of opposing lower wings, and a drill bit, wherein the threaded portion radially extends more than the drill bit, wherein the lower wings radially extend more than the drill bit, at least as much as the threaded portion, and less than the upper wings, wherein the upper wings radially extend more than the threaded portion and less than the head, and wherein the lower wings are adapted to remain intact while passing through only a portion of the panel flooring member and to break off in the panel flooring member before encountering the one rib allowing the threaded portion to threadably engage the one rib during step e). 
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the screw has a length which is less than the thickness of the panel flooring member plus the height of the one rib. 
   
   
       13 . A flooring system comprising:
 a) a corrugated member having a plurality of substantially parallel and longitudinally extending ribs and valleys, wherein the corrugated member contains metal, wherein each rib has a transverse width of up to three inches, wherein each valley has a top transverse width of up to three inches, wherein a ratio of the transverse top width of each valley to the transverse width of each adjoining rib has a range from 1.0 to 3.5, wherein each valley has a bottom, and wherein each rib has a substantially equal height above the bottom of each adjoining valley;   b) a panel flooring member having top and bottom sides, wherein the panel flooring member is disposed over and in contact with the corrugated member with the bottom side of the panel flooring member contacting a multiplicity of the ribs of the corrugated member; and   c) a fastener attaching the panel flooring member to one of the ribs of the corrugated member.   
   
   
       14 . The flooring system of  claim 13 , wherein the top side of the flooring panel member is exposed to at least one of walking floor traffic and rolling floor traffic. 
   
   
       15 . The flooring system of  claim 13 , wherein the ribs are substantially identical and the valleys are substantially identical, and wherein the corrugated member has a substantially constant thickness and the panel flooring member has a substantially constant thickness. 
   
   
       16 . The flooring system of  claim 15 , wherein the corrugated member consists essentially of steel, has a thickness of substantially 24 gage, and has a yield strength of substantially 80 ksi, and wherein the top side of the panel flooring member is exposed to rolling floor traffic having a dynamic rolling load of at least 350 psi. 
   
   
       17 . The flooring system of  claim 15  wherein the corrugated member is a monolithic member, and wherein each rib has a plurality of undulations. 
   
   
       18 . The flooring system of  claim 15  wherein the corrugated member is a monolithic member, and wherein each rib has a plurality of top indentations. 
   
   
       19 . The flooring system of  claim 15 , wherein the corrugated member is a monolithic member having a curved edge joining each rib to each adjoining valley. 
   
   
       20 . The flooring system of  claim 15 , wherein the fastener is a screw having an upper portion and a lower portion, wherein the upper portion is disposed in the panel flooring member and extends substantially the entire thickness of the panel flooring member, and wherein the lower portion threadably engages one of the ribs of the corrugated member. 
   
   
       21 . The flooring system of  claim 20 , wherein the panel flooring member includes a through hole extending from the top side to the bottom side, wherein the screw includes in serial flow relationship a head disposed in the through hole and countersunk in the top side of the panel flooring member, a pair of opposing upper wings disposed in the through hole, a threaded portion threadably engaged with the one rib but not threadably engaged with the panel flooring member, a pair of locations of broken-off opposing lower wings, and a drill bit disposed below the one rib, wherein the through hole has a diameter below the upper wings which radially extends more than the drill bit, at least as much as the threaded portion, and less than the upper wings, and wherein the upper wings radially extend more than the threaded portion and less than the head. 
   
   
       22 . The flooring system of  claim 21 , wherein the screw has a length which is less than the thickness of the panel flooring member plus the height of the one rib. 
   
   
       23 . A method for installing a flooring system comprising the steps of:
 a) obtaining a corrugated member having a plurality of substantially parallel and longitudinally extending ribs and valleys, wherein the corrugated member contains metal, wherein each valley has a bottom, and wherein each rib has a substantially equal height above the bottom of each adjoining valley;   b) obtaining a panel flooring member having top and bottom sides, wherein the panel flooring member has a substantially constant thickness;   c) disposing the panel flooring member over and in contact with the corrugated member with the bottom side of the panel flooring member contacting a multiplicity of the ribs of the corrugated member;   d) obtaining a screw including in serial flow relationship a counter-sinkable head, a pair of opposing upper wings, a threaded portion, a pair of opposing lower wings, and a drill bit, wherein the lower wings radially extend more than the drill bit, at least as much as the threaded portion, and less than the upper wings, and wherein the upper wings radially extend more than the threaded portion and less than the head; and   e) attaching the panel flooring member to one of the ribs of the corrugated member using the screw by inserting the screw first into the top side of the panel flooring member, then out through the bottom side of the panel flooring member, and then into the one rib of the corrugated member with the threaded portion threadably engaged with the one rib.   
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the screw has a length which is less than the thickness of the panel flooring member plus the height of the ribs. 
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 23  also including, after step e), exposing the top side of the panel flooring member to at least one of walking floor traffic and rolling floor traffic. 
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the lower wings are adapted to remain intact in the panel flooring member and to break off upon encountering the one rib of the corrugated member. 
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the lower wings are adapted to remain intact while passing through only a portion of the panel flooring member and to break off in the panel flooring member before encountering the one rib of the corrugated member. 
   
   
       28 . A flooring system comprising:
 a) a corrugated member having a plurality of substantially parallel and longitudinally extending ribs and valleys, wherein the corrugated member contains metal, wherein each valley has a bottom, and wherein each rib has a substantially equal height above the bottom of each adjoining valley;   b) a panel flooring member having top and bottom sides, wherein the panel flooring member has a substantially constant thickness, wherein the panel flooring member is disposed over and in contact with the corrugated member with the bottom side of the panel flooring member contacting a multiplicity of the ribs of the corrugated member, and wherein the panel flooring member includes a through hole extending from the top side to the bottom side; and   c) a screw including in serial flow relationship a head disposed in the through hole and countersunk in the top side of the panel flooring member, a pair of opposing upper wings disposed in the through hole, a threaded portion threadably engaged with one of the ribs of the corrugated member but not threadably engaged with the panel flooring member, a pair of locations of broken-off opposing lower wings, and a drill bit disposed below the one rib, wherein the through hole has a diameter below the upper wings which radially extends more than the drill bit, at least as much as the threaded portion, and less than the upper wings, and wherein the upper wings radially extend more than the threaded portion and less than the head.   
   
   
       29 . The flooring system of  claim 28 , wherein the screw has a length which is less than the thickness of the panel flooring member plus the height of the one rib. 
   
   
       30 . The flooring system of  claim 28 , wherein the top side of the flooring panel member is exposed to at least one of walking floor traffic and rolling floor traffic.