Flooring panel

Abstract

A flooring panel is provided which is configured for being supported by a sub-floor. The flooring panel includes a flooring material including a flooring surface configured for receiving human traffic when the flooring panel is being supported on the sub-floor, and a moisture barrier co-operatively disposed relative to the flooring material such that, when the flooring panel is being supported on the sub-floor, the moisture barrier is disposed between the sub-floor and the flooring material and an insulator interposed between, and connected to both of the flooring material and the moisture barrier. The flooring panel further defines a sub-floor opposing surface configured for co-operating with the sub-floor, when the flooring panel is being supported on the sub-floor, to define a space between the sub-floor opposing surface and the sub-floor for providing a fluid passage for receiving flow of water disposed between the sub-floor opposing surface and the sub-floor.

1 . A flooring panel configured for being supported by a sub-floor, comprising:
 a flooring material including a flooring surface configured for receiving human traffic when the flooring panel is being supported on the sub-floor; and   a moisture barrier co-operatively disposed relative to the flooring material such that, when the flooring panel is being supported on the sub-floor, the moisture barrier is disposed between the sub-floor and the flooring material; and   an insulator interposed between, and connected to both of the flooring material and the moisture barrier;   and further defining a sub-floor opposing surface configured for co-operating with the sub-floor, when the flooring panel is being supported on the sub-floor, to define a space between the sub-floor opposing surface and the sub-floor for providing a fluid passage for receiving flow of water disposed between the sub-floor opposing surface and the sub-floor.   
     
     
         2 . The flooring panel as claimed in  claim 1 ;
 wherein the sub-floor opposing surface is defined by the moisture barrier.   
     
     
         3 . The flooring panel as claimed in  claim 1 ;
 wherein the moisture barrier is defined by a material characterized by a water permeability that is less than 0.2 grams per day 100 square inches at 100° F. and 90% relative humidity as measured according to ASTM F1249-01.   
     
     
         4 . The flooring panel as claimed in  claim 3 ;
 wherein the insulator barrier is characterized by a Sound Transmission Class of at least 50.   
     
     
         5 . The flooring panel as claimed in  claim 1 ;
 wherein the insulator is characterized by an Impact Insulation Class of at least 50.   
     
     
         6 . The flooring panel as claimed in  claim 5 ;
 wherein the insulator is characterized by a R-value of at least 0.3.   
     
     
         7 . The flooring panel as claimed in  claim 1 ;
 wherein the flooring panel is a first flooring panel and is further configured for being coupled to a second flooring panel, wherein the second flooring panel includes:
 a flooring material including a flooring surface configured for receiving human traffic when the flooring panel is being supported on the sub-floor; 
 a moisture barrier co-operatively disposed relative to the flooring material such that, when the flooring panel is being supported on the sub-floor, the moisture barrier is disposed between the sub-floor and the flooring material; and 
 an insulator interposed between, and connected to each of the flooring material and the moisture barrier; 
   wherein the coupling of the flooring panels at least effects limiting of movement of the flooring panels relative to one another in a direction normal to the flooring surface of either of the coupled flooring panels.   
     
     
         8 . The flooring panel as claimed in  claim 7 ;
 further configured such that, upon coupling of the flooring panels being effected, the insulator of one of the coupled flooring panels is disposed in an abutting relationship with the insulator of the other one of the coupled flooring panels.   
     
     
         9 . The flooring panel as claimed in  claim 8 ;
 further configured such that the effecting of the coupling of the flooring panels effects elastic deformation of at least a portion of the insulator of at least one of the coupled flooring panels while effecting the abutting relationship between the insulators.   
     
     
         10 . The flooring panel as claimed in  claim 9 ;
 wherein the at least a portion of each insulator, whose elastic deformation is effected, includes elastically deformable material.   
     
     
         11 . The flooring panel as claimed in  claim 8 ;
 further configured such that, upon the effecting of the coupling of the flooring panels, the moisture barrier of one of the coupled flooring panels is disposed in abutting relationship with the moisture barrier of the other one of the coupled flooring panels.   
     
     
         12 . The flooring panel as claimed in  claim 7 ;
 wherein the coupling of the flooring panels is effected by an interlocking assembly.   
     
     
         13 . The flooring panel as claimed in  claim 12 ;
 wherein the interlocking assembly includes a respective interlocking assembly portion of each of the flooring panels.   
     
     
         14 . The flooring panel as claimed in  claim 13 ;
 wherein the respective interlocking assembly portions are configured to co-operate to effect the coupling of the flooring panels.   
     
     
         15 . The flooring panel as claimed in  claim 14 ;
 wherein the respective interlocking assembly portion of one of the flooring panels is at least one tongue and the respective interlocking assembly portion of the other one of the flooring panels is at least one groove.   
     
     
         16 . The flooring panel as claimed in  claim 1 ;
 wherein the flooring panel is a first flooring panel and is further configured for alignment with a second flooring panel, wherein the second flooring panel includes:
 a flooring material including a flooring surface configured for receiving human traffic when the flooring panel is being supported on the sub-floor; 
 a moisture barrier co-operatively disposed relative to the flooring material such that, when the flooring panel is being supported on the sub-floor, the moisture barrier is disposed between the sub-floor and the flooring material; and 
 an insulator interposed between, and connected to each of the flooring material and the moisture barrier; 
 and wherein the alignment is such that the flooring materials of the flooring panels are disposed in an abutting relationship with one another, 
   and also further configured such that, upon effecting the alignment of the flooring panels, the insulator of one of the aligned flooring panels is disposed in abutting relationship with the insulator of the other one of the aligned flooring panels;   
     
     
         17 . The flooring panel as claimed in  claim 16 ;
 further configured such that the effecting of the alignment of the flooring panels effects elastic deformation of at least a portion of the insulator of at least one of the aligned flooring panels while effecting the abutting relationship between the insulators.   
     
     
         18 . The flooring panel as claimed in  claim 17 ;
 wherein the at least a portion of each insulator, whose elastic deformation is effected by the alignment of the flooring panels, includes elastically deformable material.   
     
     
         19 . The flooring panel as claimed in  claim 16 ;
 further configured such that, upon the effecting of the alignment of the flooring panels, the moisture barrier of one of the aligned flooring panels is disposed in abutting relationship with the moisture barrier of the other one of the aligned flooring panels.   
     
     
         20 . The flooring panel as claimed in  claim 1 ;
 wherein the flooring panel is a first flooring panel and is further configured for alignment with a second flooring panel, wherein the second flooring panel includes:
 a flooring material including a flooring surface configured for receiving human traffic when the flooring panel is being supported on the sub-floor; and 
 a moisture barrier co-operatively disposed relative to the flooring material such that, when the flooring panel is being supported on the sub-floor, the moisture barrier is disposed between the sub-floor and the flooring material; and 
 and wherein the alignment is such that the flooring materials of the flooring panels are disposed in an abutting relationship with one another, 
   and also further configured such that, upon effecting the alignment of the flooring panels, the moisture barrier of one of the aligned flooring panels is disposed in abutting relationship with the moisture barrier of the other one of the aligned flooring panels.   
     
     
         21 . A flooring surface kit comprising a plurality of flooring panels, wherein each of the flooring panels includes:
 a flooring material including a flooring surface configured for receiving human traffic when the flooring panel is being supported on a sub-floor;   a moisture barrier co-operatively disposed relative to the flooring material such that, when the flooring panel is being supported on the sub-floor, the moisture barrier is disposed between the sub-floor and the flooring material;   an insulator interposed between, and connected to each of the flooring material and the moisture barrier;   and further defining a sub-floor opposing surface configured for co-operating with the sub-floor, when the flooring panel is being supported on the sub-floor, to define a space between the sub-floor opposing surface and the sub-floor for providing a fluid passage for receiving flow of water disposed between the sub-floor opposing surface and the sub-floor;   
       wherein each of the flooring panels is further configured for alignment with at least another one of the flooring panels such that the flooring materials of the aligned flooring panels are disposed in an abutting relationship with one another. 
     
     
         22 . The kit as claimed in  claim 21 ;
 wherein the sub-floor opposing surface is defined by the moisture barrier.   
     
     
         23 . The kit as claimed in  claim 21 ;
 wherein the moisture barrier is defined by a material characterized by a water permeability that is less than 0.2 grams per day 100 square inches at 100° F. and 90% relative humidity as measured according to ASTM F1249-01.   
     
     
         24 . The kit as claimed in  claim 23 ;
 wherein the insulator barrier is characterized by a Sound Transmission Class of at least 50.   
     
     
         25 . The kit as claimed in  claim 21 ;
 wherein the insulator is characterized by an Impact Insulation Class of at least 50.   
     
     
         26 . The kit as claimed in  claim 25 ;
 wherein the insulator is characterized by a R-value of at least 0.3.   
     
     
         27 . The kit as claimed in  claim 21 ;
 wherein the configuration of each one of the flooring panels for the alignment with at least another one of the flooring panels is such that at least one pair of alignable flooring panels is defined, and wherein, for each one of the one or more pairs of alignable flooring panels, the alignment of the flooring panels of the alignable flooring panel pair is effected by coupling of the flooring panels to one another, such that the coupling at least effects limiting of movement of the coupled flooring panels relative to one another in a direction normal to the flooring surface of either of the coupled flooring panels.   
     
     
         28 . The kit as claimed in  claim 27 ;
 wherein, for each one of the one or more pairs of alignable flooring panels, each of the flooring panels of the alignable flooring panel pair is further configured such that, upon the effecting of the coupling of the flooring panels, the insulator of one of the coupled flooring panels is disposed in abutting relationship with the insulator of the other one of the coupled flooring panels.   
     
     
         29 . The kit as claimed in  claim 28 ;
 wherein, for each one of the one or more pairs of alignable flooring panels, each of the flooring panels of the alignable flooring panel pair is further configured such that the effecting of the coupling of the flooring panels effects elastic deformation of at least a portion of the insulator of at least one of the flooring panels while effecting the abutting relationship between the insulators of both of the flooring panels.   
     
     
         30 . The kit as claimed in  claim 29 ;
 wherein the at least a portion of each insulator, whose elastic deformation is effected by the effecting of the coupling of the flooring panels, includes elastically deformable material.   
     
     
         31 . The kit as claimed in  claim 28 ;
 wherein, for each one of the one or more pairs of alignable flooring panels, each of the flooring panels of the alignable flooring panel pair is further configured such that, upon the effecting of the coupling of the flooring panels, the moisture barrier of one of the coupled flooring panels is disposed in abutting relationship with the moisture barrier of the other one of the coupled flooring panels.   
     
     
         32 . The kit as claimed in  claim 27 ;
 wherein the coupling of the flooring panels is effected by an interlocking assembly.   
     
     
         33 . The kit as claimed in  claim 32 ;
 wherein the interlocking assembly includes a respective interlocking assembly portion of each of the flooring panels.   
     
     
         34 . The kit as claimed in  claim 33 ;
 wherein the respective interlocking assembly portions are configured to co-operate to effect the coupling of the flooring panels.   
     
     
         35 . The kit as claimed in  claim 34 ;
 wherein the respective interlocking assembly portion of one of the flooring panels is at least one tongue and the respective interlocking assembly portion of the other one of the flooring panels is at least one groove.   
     
     
         36 . The kit as claimed in  claim 21 ;
 wherein, for each one of the one or more pairs of alignable flooring panels, each of the flooring panels of the alignable flooring panel pair is further configured such that, upon effecting the alignment of the flooring panels, the insulator of one of the aligned flooring panels is disposed in abutting relationship with the insulator of the other one of the aligned flooring panels.   
     
     
         37 . The kit as claimed in  claim 36 ;
 wherein, for each one of the one or more pairs of alignable flooring panels, each of the flooring panels of the alignable flooring panel pair is further configured such that the effecting of the alignment of the flooring panels effects elastic deformation of at least a portion of the insulator of at least one of the flooring panels while effecting the abutting relationship between the insulators of both of the flooring panels.   
     
     
         38 . The kit as claimed in  claim 37 ;
 wherein the at least a portion of each insulator, whose elastic deformation is effected by the alignment of the flooring panels, includes elastically deformable material.   
     
     
         39 . The kit as claimed in  claim 36 ;
 wherein, for each one of the one or more pairs of alignable flooring panels, each of the flooring panels of the alignable flooring panel pair is further configured such that, upon the effecting of the alignment of the flooring panels, the moisture barrier of one of the aligned flooring panels is disposed in abutting relationship with the moisture barrier of the other one of the aligned flooring panels.   
     
     
         40 . The kit as claimed in  claim 21 ;
 wherein, for each one of the one or more pairs of alignable flooring panels, each of the flooring panels of the alignable flooring panel pair is further configured for alignment with one another, such that, upon effecting of the alignment of the flooring panels, the moisture barrier of one of the aligned flooring panels is disposed in abutting relationship with the moisture barrier of the other one of the aligned flooring panels.