Structural flooring panel and floor structure incorporating the same

Abstract

A structural flooring panel comprises an upper sheet, a lower sheet and a plurality of longitudinally extending ribs between the sheets. The ribs are laterally spaced to define at least one longitudinally extending, internal channel within the panel.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A load-bearing structural flooring panel comprising:
 an upper, generally horizontal rectangular sheet;   a lower, generally horizontal rectangular sheet spaced from said upper sheet;   at least two longitudinally extending ribs between the sheets, the at least two ribs being laterally spaced and positioned adjacent lateral opposite side edges of the sheets; and   at least one longitudinally extending intermediate rib between the sheets and laterally spaced from the ribs adjacent the opposite side edges of the sheets, wherein said longitudinally extending ribs and said at least one longitudinally extending intermediate rib define at least two longitudinally extending, internal service channels within the flooring panel, wherein opposite longitudinal ends of said flooring panel are open, and wherein each of said longitudinally extending ribs and said at least one longitudinally extending intermediate rib comprises a unitary slab of insulation and at least one high in-plane strength rib sheet bonded to a respective side of the slab of insulation, wherein upper and lower surfaces of said slab of insulation and at least one rib sheet abut said sheets and wherein the major surfaces of said at least one rib sheet are generally perpendicular to the major surfaces of said upper and lower sheets so that said longitudinally extending ribs and said at least one longitudinally extending intermediate rib provide said flooring panel with structural support and resistivity against vertical loads imposed thereon.   
     
     
         2 . A load-bearing structural flooring panel according to  claim 1 , wherein said internal service channels are generally parallel. 
     
     
         3 . A load-bearing structural flooring panel according to  claim 2 , wherein said internal service channels extend generally the length of said flooring panel. 
     
     
         4 . A load-bearing structural flooring panel according to  claim 3 , further comprising a plurality of longitudinally extending, laterally spaced intermediate ribs and at least one passage through at least one of said intermediate ribs to bring adjacent internal service channels into fluid communication. 
     
     
         5 . A load-bearing structural flooring panel according to  claim 4 , comprising at least one passage through a plurality of intermediate ribs. 
     
     
         6 . A load-bearing structural flooring panel according to  claim 5 , wherein the passages provided through the intermediate ribs are staggered. 
     
     
         7 . A load-bearing structural flooring panel according to  claim 3 , further comprising at least one passage through at least one of said upper and lower sheets, said at least one passage being in fluid communication with an internal service channel. 
     
     
         8 . A load-bearing structural flooring panel according to  claim 7 , comprising passages through at least one of said upper and lower sheets, each passage being in fluid communication with a respective one of said internal service channels. 
     
     
         9 . A load-bearing structural flooring panel according to  claim 2 , wherein each of said upper and lower sheets is formed of one of oriented strand board, plywood, fiberboard, particle-board, concrete sheet and magnesium-based sheet. 
     
     
         10 . A load-bearing structural flooring panel according to  claim 2 , wherein each of said ribs comprises:
 a pair of rib sheets, each of the rib sheets being bonded to an opposite side of the slab of insulation.   
     
     
         11 . A load-bearing structural flooring panel according to  claim 2 , wherein each of said ribs and at least one intermediate rib comprises:
 a pair of rib sheets, each of the rib sheets being bonded to an opposite side of the slab of insulation.   
     
     
         12 . A load-bearing structural flooring panel according to  claim 11 , wherein each of said rib sheets is formed of one of oriented strand board, particle-board, plywood and fiberboard. 
     
     
         13 . A load-bearing structural flooring panel according to  claim 12 , wherein said slab of insulation is formed of one of expanded polystyrene, honeycomb cardboard, extruded polystyrene and polyurethane. 
     
     
         14 . A load-bearing structural flooring panel according to  claim 1 , wherein each rib sheet is formed of one of oriented strand board, particle-board, plywood and fiberboard. 
     
     
         15 . A load-bearing structural flooring panel according to  claim 14 , wherein said slab of insulation is formed of one of expanded polystyrene, honeycomb cardboard, extruded polystyrene and polyurethane. 
     
     
         16 . A floor structure comprising a plurality of abutting load-bearing structural flooring panels according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
         17 . A floor structure according to  claim 16 , wherein said abutting load-bearing structural flooring panels are arranged side-by-side and end-to-end. 
     
     
         18 . A floor structure according to  claim 17 , wherein the internal service channels of end-to-end load-bearing structural flooring panels are axially aligned. 
     
     
         19 . A floor structure according to  claim 17 , wherein the internal service channels of end-to-end load-bearing structural flooring panels are axially offset. 
     
     
         20 . A floor structure according to  claim 17 , wherein abutting loadbearing structural flooring panels carry mating formations. 
     
     
         21 . A floor structure according to  claim 20 , wherein said mating formations are tongues and grooves.