Flooring system especially designed for facilities which house data processing equipment

Abstract

This invention is directed to a flooring system especially designed for facilities which house data processing equipment such as data processing centers, computer rooms and offices having a false floor raised above an existing floor. This false floor is comprised of removable panels laid side-by-side upon raised support members forming channels through which cables, hoses, wires and other computer interconnections can be routed.

We claim: 
     
       1. Floor structure comprising: a base plate having a plurality of apertures;   each of said base plate apertures including at least one keyway;   a floor tile having an interlocking element;   a plurality of load bearing stand-offs for insertion through said base plate apertures, said stand-offs being removably secured to said base plate to support said floor tile in spaced relation to said base plate;   said stand-offs forming a plurality of channels beneath said floor tile;   said stand-offs including means for removably engaging said floor tile locking element for removably interlocking said base plate to said floor tile; and   each of said stand-offs having a base portion including at least one radially located locking tab formed to pass through said base plate aperture keyways such that upon insertion of said stand-offs through said base plate apertures said stand-offs are removably secured to said base plate.   
     
     
       2. Floor structure according to claim 1 wherein said base plate is formed of a flexible material such that the bottom surface of said base plate substantially conforms to variations in the surface of an existing floor. 
     
     
       3. Floor structure according to claim 1 wherein said base plate is formed of plastic. 
     
     
       4. Floor structure according to claim 1 wherein said base plate is formed of sheet steel. 
     
     
       5. Floor structure according to claim 1 wherein said floor tile is formed of a rigid material with sufficient flexibility to allow the bottom surface of said floor tile to be in contacting relation with substantially all stand-off top surfaces. 
     
     
       6. Floor structure according to claim 1 further including a floor tile covering layer. 
     
     
       7. Floor structure according to claim 1 further including a sound proofing layer. 
     
     
       8. Floor structure according to claim 1 further including a fire proofing layer. 
     
     
       9. Floor structure according to claim 1 wherein each said stand-off is placed in locked engagement with said base plate by rotation of said stand-off about its vertical axis such that said stand-off locking tab is slidably secured against the bottom surface of said base plate. 
     
     
       10. Floor structure according to claim 1 wherein said stand-off base portion further includes at least one second radially located tab in axial alignment with and separated from said locking tab, said second tab forming a depth stop to limit axial movement of said stand-off through said base plate aperture. 
     
     
       11. Floor structure according to claim 10 wherein said the distance separating said stand-off locking tab and second tab slightly exceeds the thickness of said base plate. 
     
     
       12. Floor structure according to claim 1 wherein each said stand-off has side portions including axial slots. 
     
     
       13. Floor structure according to claim 12 wherein said axial slots are formed by two parallel radial projections. 
     
     
       14. Floor structure according to claim 12 further including webs mounted upon said stand-off axial slots, said webs including means for removably attaching an electrical junction block. 
     
     
       15. Floor structure according to claim 12 further including filler blocks removably mounted upon said stand-off axial slots, said filler blocks forming a continuous separating wall between adjacent stand-offs. .Iadd. 
     
     
       16.  A removable flooring system comprising: (a) a floor panel having a top surface and a bottom surface and having a first interlocking element; and   (b) a support member comprising a base plate and a plurality of hollow stand-offs, each stand-off having a top surface and extending from the base plate to support the removable floor panel, wherein the top surface of at least one of the hollow stand-offs includes a second interlocking element for engaging the first interlocking element of the removable floor panel. .Iaddend..Iadd.   
     
     
       17.  The flooring system according to claim 16, wherein at least one of the plurality of hollow stand-offs comprises a hollow truncated cone. .Iaddend..Iadd.18. The flooring system according to claim 16, wherein at least one of the plurality of hollow stand-offs is integrally formed with the base plate. .Iaddend..Iadd.19. The flooring system according to claim 17, wherein the diameter of each of the plurality of hollow stand-offs is greatest at that portion of each hollow stand-off adjacent the base plate. .Iaddend..Iadd.20. The flooring system according to claim 16, wherein the second interlocking element comprises a cruciform groove structure arranged to engage the first interlocking element of the removable floor panel and thereby resist movement of the removable floor panel relative to the base plate. .Iaddend..Iadd.21. A flooring system according to claim 16 in which: (a) the first interlocking element is a lip having a thickness;   (b) the stand-off including the second interlocking element defines an upper diameter greater than 40 mm; and   (c) the second interlocking element comprises a groove having a width at least one-fourth the upper diameter and at least twice the thickness of the lip. .Iaddend..Iadd.22. The flooring system according to claim 16, wherein the top surface of at least one of the plurality of hollow stand-offs abuts the bottom surface of the removable floor panel. .Iaddend..Iadd.23. The flooring system according to claim 16, wherein the base plate is formed of a flexible material such that the bottom surface of the base plate substantially conforms to variations in the surface of   
     
     
        an existing floor. .Iaddend..Iadd.24.  The flooring system according to claim 16, wherein at least one of the base plate and the plurality of hollow standoffs is formed of plastic. .Iaddend..Iadd.25. The flooring system according to claim 24, wherein said plastic consists of a plastic from the following group: polystyrene, polyethylene, polypropylene or ABS. .Iaddend..Iadd.26. The flooring system according to claim 16, wherein the removable floor panel is formed of a rigid material with sufficient flexibility to allow the bottom surface of the removable floor panel to be in contacting relation with the top surfaces of substantially all of the plurality of hollow stand-offs. .Iaddend..Iadd.27. The flooring system according to claim 16, further comprising a floor tile covering layer. .Iaddend..Iadd.28. A flooring system adapted to support a removable floor panel, the flooring system comprising: (a) a base plate; and   (b) a plurality of hollow stand-offs, each stand-off having a top surface and extending from the base plate to support the removable floor panel, wherein the removable floor panel has a top surface and a bottom surface and a first interlocking element for engaging a second interlocking element included in the top surface of at least one of the hollow stand-offs. .Iaddend..Iadd.29. The flooring system according to claim 28, wherein at least one of the plurality of hollow stand-offs comprises a hollow truncated cone. .Iaddend..Iadd.30. The flooring system according to claim 28, wherein at least one of the plurality of hollow stand-offs is integrally formed with the base plate. .Iaddend..Iadd.31. The flooring system according to claim 29, wherein the diameter of each of the plurality of hollow stand-offs is greatest at that portion of each hollow stand-off adjacent the base plate. .Iaddend..Iadd.32. The flooring system according to claim 28, wherein the second interlocking element comprises a cruciform groove structure arranged to engage the first interlocking element of the removable floor panel and thereby resist movement of the   
     
     
        removable floor panel relative to the base plate. .Iaddend..Iadd.33.  The flooring system according to claim 28, wherein the top surface of at least one of the plurality of hollow stand-offs abuts the bottom surface of the removable floor panel. .Iaddend..Iadd.34. The flooring system according to claim 28, wherein the base plate is formed of a flexible material such that the bottom surface of the base plate substantially conforms to variations in the surface of an existing floor. .Iaddend..Iadd.35. The flooring system according to claim 28, wherein at least one of the base plate and the plurality of hollow stand-offs is formed of plastic. .Iaddend..Iadd.36. The flooring system according to claim 35, wherein said plastic consists of a plastic from the following group: polystyrene, polyethylene, polypropylene or ABS. .Iaddend..Iadd.37. The flooring system according to claim 28, wherein the removable floor panel is formed of a rigid material with sufficient flexibility to allow the bottom surface of the removable floor panel to be in contacting relation with the top surfaces of substantially all of the plurality of hollow stand-offs. 
     
     
        .Iaddend..Iadd.38.  The flooring system according to claim 28, further comprising a floor tile covering layer. .Iaddend..Iadd.39. A flooring system comprising: (a) a floor panel having a first interlocking element;   (b) a first support member comprising: i. a first base plate having an edge; and   ii. a first stand-off extending from the first base plate and having a top surface, which top surface includes a groove, symmetric about a first axis parallel to the edge of the first base plate, for engaging the first interlocking element of the floor panel; and     (c) a second support member adapted to be positioned adjacent the first support member, comprising: i. a second base plate having an edge adapted to abut the edge of the first base plate; and   ii. a second stand-off extending from the second base plate and having a top surface, which top surface includes a groove, symmetric about a second axis parallel to the edge of the second base plate, for engaging the first interlocking element of the floor panel; and in which the distance from the first axis to the second axis is (1) twice the distance from the first axis to the edge of the first base plate and (2) twice the distance from the second axis to the edge of the second base plate when the edge of the second base plate abuts the edge of the first base plate.     
     
     
        .Iaddend..Iadd.  .  The flooring system according to claim 28 in which the top surface of at least one stand-off spans that stand-off. .Iaddend..Iadd.41. A flooring system adapted to support a floor panel, the flooring system comprising: (a) a base plate; and   (b) a plurality of hollow stand-offs shaped as truncated cones, each stand-off having a top surface and extending from the base plate to support the floor panel, wherein the floor panel has a top surface and a bottom surface and a first interlocking element for engaging a second interlocking element included in the top surface of at least one of the hollow stand-offs. .Iaddend..Iadd.42. A flooring system adapted to support a floor panel, the flooring system comprising:   (a) a base plate; and   (b) a plurality of hollow stand-offs at least one of which is integrally formed with the base plate, each stand-off having a top surface and extending from the base plate to support the floor panel, wherein the floor panel has a top surface and a bottom surface and a first interlocking element for engaging a second interlocking element included in the top surface of at least one of the hollow stand-offs.