Prefabricated floor panel, construction and method therefor

Abstract

There is provided a prefabricated floor panel (101) for use with a supporting structure (103) including a floor member (105) the floor member (105) defining a floor surface (107) and being adapted to engage with an adjacent similar floor panel (101) and at least one or more strengthening beams (109) configured to engage with the supporting structure (103) in use to support the prefabricated floor panel (101).

1 - 33 . (canceled) 
     
     
         34 . A flooring system that comprises:
 a support structure including:
 two support beams, each support beam having a supporting formation; and 
 a prefabricated floor panel, that is moulded from a settable material, arranged on the support structure and including:
 a floor member, the floor member having an upper major face, in the form of a floor surface, and a lower major face; 
 one or more strengthening beams disposed on the lower major face of the floor member; 
 a first overlapping formation that is adapted to engage with an adjacent floor panel such that the floor member is seated on top of a strengthening beam of a floor member of the adjacent floor panel, the floor member being adapted so that the floor surface is flush with the floor surface of the adjacent floor panel; and 
 two second overlapping formations at respective opposite ends of the floor panels, the second overlapping formations being substantially perpendicular to the one or more strengthening beams and being supported, respectively, by the supporting formations of the support beams. 
 
   
     
     
         35 . The flooring system as claimed in  claim 34 , which includes support pillars that are mounted on the support beams to support further support beams, mounted on the support pillars, and a prefabricated floor panel supported by the further support beams. 
     
     
         36 . The flooring system as claimed in  claim 35 , in which the support pillars include an end plate at at least one end of each support pillar. 
     
     
         37 . The flooring system as claimed in  claim 34 , in which the one or more strengthening beams is in the form of a number of strengthening beams that are substantially parallel to each other. 
     
     
         38 . The flooring system as claimed in  claim 34 , in which one of the strengthening beams extends at least partly outside a periphery of the lower major face to support the first overlapping formation of the adjacent floor panel in an overlapping manner. 
     
     
         39 . The flooring system as claimed in  claim 38 , in which the one of the strengthening beams of the floor panel, that extends at least partly outside the periphery of the lower major face, and the first overlapping formation of the adjacent floor panel form a lap joint that is adapted to receive a fireproofing sealant. 
     
     
         40 . The flooring system as claimed in  claim 34 , in which the supporting formations of the support beams are adapted for supporting the strengthening beams of the prefabricated floor panels. 
     
     
         41 . The flooring system as claimed in  claim 34 , in which the strengthening beams are an integral part of the floor panel. 
     
     
         42 . The flooring system as claimed in  claim 34 , in which the floor panels are of reinforced, aerated concrete. 
     
     
         43 . A prefabricated floor panel for use with a flooring system, the flooring system including a support structure, which includes two support beams, each support beam having a supporting formation, the prefabricated floor panel being moulded from a settable material and comprising:
 a floor member, the floor member having an upper major face, in the form of a floor surface, and a lower major face;   one or more strengthening beams disposed on the lower major face of the floor member;   a first overlapping formation that is adapted to engage with an adjacent floor panel such that the floor member is seated on top of a strengthening beam of the adjacent floor member, the floor member being adapted so that the floor surface is flush with the floor surface of the adjacent floor panel; and   two second overlapping formations at respective ends of the floor panels, the overlapping formations being substantially perpendicular to the at least one or more strengthening beams, and being supported, respectively, in use, by the supporting formations of the support beams.   
     
     
         44 . The prefabricated floor panel as claimed in  claim 43 , in which the one or more strengthening beams is in the form of a number of strengthening beams that are substantially parallel to each other. 
     
     
         45 . The prefabricated floor panel as claimed in  claim 43 , in which one of the strengthening beams extends at least partly outside a periphery of the lower major face to support the first overlapping formation of the adjacent floor panel in an overlapping manner. 
     
     
         46 . The prefabricated floor panel as claimed in  claim 45 , in which the one of the strengthening beams of the floor panel, that extends at least partly outside a periphery of the lower major face, and the first overlapping formation are configured to form a lap joint that is adapted to receive a fireproofing sealant. 
     
     
         47 . The prefabricated floor panel as claimed in  claim 44 , in which the strengthening beams are an integral part of the floor panel. 
     
     
         48 . The prefabricated floor panel as claimed in  claim 44 , which is moulded of reinforced, aerated concrete. 
     
     
         49 . A method of constructing a flooring system that comprises a support structure including two support beams that each have a supporting formation, and a prefabricated floor panel that is moulded from a settable material arranged on the support structure, the floor panel including a floor member that has an upper major face, in the form of a floor surface, and a lower major face, with one or more strengthening beams disposed on the lower major face, the floor panel including a first overlapping formation that is adapted to engage with an adjacent floor panel such that the floor member is seated on top of a strengthening beam of a floor member of the adjacent floor panel, the floor member being adapted so that the floor surface is flush with the floor surface of the adjacent floor panel, and including two second overlapping formations at respective opposite ends of the floor panels, the second overlapping formations being substantially perpendicular to the at least one or more strengthening beams and being supported, respectively, by the supporting formations of the support beams, the method comprising the step of:
 supporting a plurality of the prefabricated floor panels on the supporting formations of the two support beams so that the floor member of one floor panel is seated on top of a strengthening beam of the adjacent floor panel.   
     
     
         50 . The method as claimed in  claim 49 , in which the flooring system includes support pillars, the method including the step of mounting the support pillars on the support beams, supporting further support beams on the support pillars, and supporting a further floor panel on the further support beams.