Non-magentic access floor system for use in electronic imaging rooms

Abstract

An access system is provided that employs a floor panel and pedestal assembly designed to provide a non-magnetic environment with no metal on metal contact making the system particularly suited for EMI machine room use. The access floor eliminates the difficulty in calibrating the EMI machine due to minute movement in the access floor panels that arises from metal on metal contact. Moreover, the system ensures that the floor panels themselves contain no metallic parts thereby eliminating the static white pixel noise associated with the more powerful magnets now used in the current generation of EMI machines. Thus a considerably more versatile access floor is provided that can support the need of the current generation of EMI machines to be movement free and to not generate static interference in their visual output.

1 . An access floor system for installation over a subfloor comprising:
 a pedestal assembly configured and arranged to be affixed to said subfloor including:
 a polymer pedestal base having a recess in a top surface thereof; 
 a polymer pedestal head having a recess in a bottom surface thereof; 
 a rod support having a first end configured to be received and retained in said recess in said pedestal base and a second end configured to be received and retained in said recess in said pedestal head; and 
   a floor panel formed from non-metallic materials, said floor panel being supported in spaced relation above said subfloor by a plurality of said pedestal assemblies.   
   
   
       2 . The access floor system of  claim 1 , wherein said polymer pedestal base and head are polyvinyl chloride. 
   
   
       3 . The access floor system of  claim 1 , wherein said recess in said pedestal base and head is threaded and said first and second ends of said rod support include corresponding threads thereon. 
   
   
       4 . The access floor system of  claim 1 , wherein said recess in said pedestal base and head are configured to receive and retain a non-metallic nut, said nut having threads in an opening therein, said first and second ends of said rod support include corresponding threads thereon. 
   
   
       5 . The access floor system of  claim 4 , wherein said nut is adhered in said recess. 
   
   
       6 . The access floor system of  claim 1 , wherein magnetic fields do not induce movement of said floor system. 
   
   
       7 . The access floor system of  claim 1 , wherein said floor system does not generate interference when exposed to magnetic fields. 
   
   
       8 . The access floor system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a non-metallic cap affixed to said pedestal head, said cap including alignment guides that receive and align said floor panel.   
   
   
       9 . The access floor system of  claim 8 , wherein magnetic fields do not induce movement of said floor system. 
   
   
       10 . The access floor system of  claim 8 , wherein said floor system does not generate interference when exposed to magnetic fields. 
   
   
       11 . The access floor system of  claim 1 , said floor panel further comprising:
 a non-metallic core having a top surface, a bottom surface and a perimeter edge;   a non-metallic outer layer disposed about said top surface, said bottom surface and said perimeter edge of said floor panel.   
   
   
       12 . The access floor system of  claim 11 , wherein said non-metallic core is formed from a material selected from the group consisting of: laminated wooden sheet material, structural composite material, reinforced fiberglass material and foam material. 
   
   
       13 . The access floor system of  claim 11 , wherein said non-metallic outer layer is selected from the group consisting of: wood veneer, polymer laminate, structural polymer laminate, reinforced fiberglass and combinations thereof. 
   
   
       14 . The access floor system of  claim 1 , wherein a perimeter edge of said floor panel extending between a top surface and a bottom surface thereof is tapered so that said top surface is larger than said bottom surface. 
   
   
       15 . An access floor system for installation over a subfloor comprising:
 a plurality of pedestal assemblies configured and arranged to be affixed to said subfloor including:
 a polymer pedestal base having a recess in a top surface thereof; 
 a polymer pedestal head having a recess in a bottom surface thereof; 
 a rod support having a first end configured to be received and retained in said recess in said pedestal base and a second end configured to be received and retained in said recess in said pedestal head; 
 a non metallic cap affixed to said pedestal head, said cap including alignment guides; and 
   a plurality of floor panels formed from non-metallic materials, said floor panels being received and aligned by said alignment guides such that said panels are supported in spaced relation above said subfloor by said pedestal assemblies.   
   
   
       16 . The access floor system of  claim 15 , wherein said recess in said pedestal base and head is threaded and said first and second ends of said rod support include corresponding threads thereon. 
   
   
       17 . The access floor system of  claim 15 , wherein said recess in said pedestal base and head are configured to receive and retain a non-metallic nut, said nut having threads in an opening therein, said first and second ends of said rod support include corresponding threads thereon. 
   
   
       18 . The access floor system of  claim 15 , said floor panel further comprising:
 a non-metallic core having a top surface, a bottom surface and a perimeter edge;   a non-metallic outer layer disposed about said top surface, said bottom surface and said perimeter edge of said floor panel.   
   
   
       19 . The access floor system of  claim 18 , wherein said non-metallic core is formed from a material selected from the group consisting of: laminated wooden sheet material, structural composite material, reinforced fiberglass material and foam material. 
   
   
       20 . The access floor system of  claim 18 , wherein said non-metallic outer layer is selected from the group consisting of: wood veneer, polymer laminate, structural polymer laminate, reinforced fiberglass and combinations thereof.