Shock absorber for sports floor

Abstract

A shock absorber for a sports floor assembly. The shock absorber is formed of an elastomeric material and has a base with a first side and an opposing second side. The shock absorber has a plurality of teeth extending from the first side of the base. The base is connectable to a sub-flooring of the floor assembly with the second side positioned adjacent to the sub-flooring.

1 . A shock absorber for a floor assembly, comprising:
 a solid base having a first side an opposing second side, the base formed of an elastomeric material and being connectable to a sub-flooring of the floor assembly with the second side of the base positioned adjacent to the sub-flooring; and   a plurality of solid teeth extending from the first side of the base, the teeth formed of an elastomeric material.   
     
     
         2 . The shock absorber of  claim 1 , wherein each of the teeth has a base portion and a tapered portion, the tapered portion having a first face and a second face with the first face being angled relative to the second face such that the intersection of the first face and the second face defines a linear contact edge. 
     
     
         3 . The shock absorber of  claim 2 , wherein the teeth are in a spaced apart relationship with respect to one another. 
     
     
         4 . The shock absorber of  claim 3 , wherein the teeth are in a parallel relationship with respect to one another. 
     
     
         5 . The shock absorber of  claim 4 , wherein each of the teeth traverses the base from a first edge of the base to an opposing second edge. 
     
     
         6 . The shock absorber of  claim 5 , wherein one of the teeth is coextensive with a third edge of the base and wherein another one of the teeth is coextensive with an opposing fourth edge of the base. 
     
     
         7 . The shock absorber of  claim 5 , wherein the base has a substantially rectangular configuration with a length and a width, and wherein each of the teeth traverses the base along the width of the base. 
     
     
         8 . The shock absorber of  claim 7 , wherein the width of the base is about two inches and the length is about two and one half inches, and wherein the shock absorber has six teeth. 
     
     
         9 . The shock absorber of  claim 2 , wherein each of the teeth has a width and a height and wherein each of the teeth has a width to height ratio of about 0.75. 
     
     
         10 . The shock absorber of  claim 2 , wherein the base and the teeth are formed as a single piece, and wherein the durometer Shore hardness of the base and the teeth is in a range from about 50 to about 100. 
     
     
         11 . A floor assembly, comprising:
 a plurality of strips of material cooperating to form a floor surface;   a sub-flooring positioned beneath the strips of material to support the strips of material; and   a plurality of shock absorbers connected to one side of the sub-flooring in such a way that the shock absorbers support the sub-flooring in a spaced apart relation with respect to a rigid support base when the sub-flooring and the strips of material are positioned on the rigid support base, the shock absorbers comprising:
 a solid base having a first side and an opposing second side, the base formed of an elastomeric material and connected to the sub-flooring of the floor assembly with the second side of the base positioned adjacent to the sub-flooring; and 
 a plurality of solid teeth extending from the first side of the base, the teeth formed of an elastomeric material. 
   
     
     
         12 . The floor assembly of  claim 11 , wherein each of the teeth has a base portion and a tapered portion, the tapered portion having a first face and a second face with the first face being angled relative to the second face such that the intersection of the first face and the second face defines a linear contact edge. 
     
     
         13 . The floor assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the teeth are in a spaced apart relationship with respect to one another. 
     
     
         14 . The floor assembly of  claim 13 , wherein the teeth are in a parallel relationship with respect to one another. 
     
     
         15 . The floor assembly of  claim 12 , wherein each of the teeth has a width and a height and wherein each of the teeth has a width to height ratio of about 0.75. 
     
     
         16 . The floor assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the base and the teeth are formed as a single piece, and wherein the durometer Shore hardness of the base and the teeth is in a range from about 50 to about 100. 
     
     
         17 . The floor assembly of  claim 12 , wherein each of the teeth traverses the base from a first edge of the base to an opposing second edge. 
     
     
         18 . The floor assembly of  claim 17 , wherein one of the teeth is coextensive with a third edge of the base and wherein another one of the teeth is coextensive with an opposing fourth edge of the base. 
     
     
         19 . The floor assembly of  claim 17 , wherein the base has a substantially rectangular configuration with a length and a width, and wherein each of the teeth traverses the base along the width of the base. 
     
     
         20 . The floor assembly of  claim 19 , wherein the width of the base is about two inches and the length is about two and one half inches, and wherein the shock absorbers have six teeth. 
     
     
         21 . A floor assembly, comprising:
 a plurality of strips of material cooperating to form a floor surface;   a sub-flooring positioned beneath the strips of material to support the strips of material; and   a plurality of shock absorbers connected to one side of the sub-flooring in such a way that the shock absorbers support the sub-flooring in a spaced apart relation with respect to a rigid support base when the sub-flooring and the strips of material are positioned on the rigid support base, the shock absorbers comprising:
 a solid base having a first side and an opposing second side, the base formed of an elastomeric material and connected to the sub-flooring of the floor assembly with the second side of the base positioned adjacent to the sub-flooring; and 
 a plurality of solid teeth extending from the first side of the base, the teeth formed of an elastomeric material, 
   wherein the shock absorbers have a thickness extending from the second side of the base to a distal end of the teeth of about ⅜th inch, and wherein the strips of material, the sub-flooring, and the shock absorbers cooperate to provide the floor assembly with shock absorbing characteristics that enable the floor assembly to absorb between about twenty-five and seventy-five percent of an impact force applied to the floor surface while maintaining a firmness that limits vertical deflection of the floor surface to be at most about 5.0 mm and produces a ball response off the floor surface of at least about ninety percent.   
     
     
         22 . The floor assembly of  claim 21 , wherein each of the teeth has a base portion and a tapered portion, the tapered portion having a first face and a second face with the first face being angled relative to the second face such that the intersection of the first face and the second face defines a linear contact edge. 
     
     
         23 . The floor assembly of  claim 22 , wherein the teeth are in a spaced apart relationship with respect to one another. 
     
     
         24 . The floor assembly of  claim 23 , wherein the teeth are in a parallel relationship with respect to one another. 
     
     
         25 . The floor assembly of  claim 24 , wherein one of the teeth is coextensive with a third edge of the base and wherein another one of the teeth is coextensive with an opposing fourth edge of the base. 
     
     
         26 . The floor assembly of  claim 22 , wherein each of the teeth has a width and a height and wherein each of the teeth has a width to height ratio of about 0.75. 
     
     
         27 . The floor assembly of  claim 22 , wherein the base and the teeth are formed as a single piece, and wherein the durometer Shore hardness of the base and the teeth is in a range from about 50 to about 100. 
     
     
         28 . The floor assembly of  claim 22 , wherein each of the teeth traverses the base from a first edge of the base to an opposing second edge. 
     
     
         29 . The floor assembly of  claim 28 , wherein the base has a substantially rectangular configuration with a length and a width, and wherein each of the teeth traverses the base along the width of the base. 
     
     
         30 . The floor assembly of  claim 29 , wherein the width of the base is about two inches and the length is about two and one half inches, and wherein the shock absorbers have six teeth.