Static structures (e.g. – buildings) – Module or panel having discrete edgewise or face-to-face... – With joining means of dissimilar material and separate from...
Reexamination Certificate
1999-11-08
2002-10-08
Stephan, Beth A. (Department: 3635)
Static structures (e.g., buildings)
Module or panel having discrete edgewise or face-to-face...
With joining means of dissimilar material and separate from...
C052S570000, C052S581000, C052S588100, C052S586200
Reexamination Certificate
active
06460306
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to flooring surfaces, preferably decorative flooring surfaces. In addition, the present invention relates to a system for constructing a flooring surface, e.g., a decorative flooring surface. More specifically, the present invention relates to thin laminate flooring surfaces comprising a top wear surface, preferably decorative in nature, a substrate reinforcing material or layer, and optionally, a backing material or layer. The present invention also relates to components, systems, and methods for constructing a disengageable decorative laminate flooring surface from individual flooring panels. In addition, the present invention relates to decorative laminate flooring products or components, e.g., panels and elements for connecting the panels.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Various systems have been proposed in an attempt to provide a means for easily constructing a flooring surface; however, none to date have found overwhelming acceptance in the market place, especially in relation to disengageable thin laminate “floating floor” surfaces. A number of the known proposed systems are discussed to provide a background for the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,310,919 titled “Portable Floor,” discloses a floor comprising a plurality of like panels having straight sides, coupling elements at said sides for coupling arrangement with cooperating coupling elements on adjacent panels, and means operatively associated with said coupling elements for releasably locking adjacent panels in a side-by-side contiguous relationship. As illustrated in FIG. 2, the panels are coupled together using locking screws 19 and nails 15.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,657,852 titled “Floor Tiles,” discloses a floor or tile consisting either of a single piece composed of any one of a range of different materials or a plurality of superimposed laminations each composed of any one of a range materials. The floor tiles are formed with a plurality of identical, laterally projecting tongues and, in their underside, with an equal number of identical pockets which open to the periphery of the tiles and alternate around the periphery with the tongues. The tongues and pockets being so shaped that any tongue of any one of the tiles is adapted to engage and fit within any pocket of any one of the other tiles and when so engaged, it is held against endwise withdrawal from the pocket so that, when the two tiles are located in a common plane, relative movement there between in said plane is prevented.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,449,346 titled “Panel Assembly,” discloses a panel assembly including at least two panels and a connector member for mounting the panels to a support surface, the panels being positioned edge-to-edge in coplanar relationship with the respective confronting edges thereof spaced apart, and the connector member between the confronting panel edges and interlocking the panels together by being fixedly secured to the support surface. Each panel has first and second surfaces in first and second parallel planes and each has on its respective edge a tongue and a groove. The tongue and groove extend along the panel edge in between the first and second planes, and respectively project an opening outwardly angularly towards the first plane. The connector member comprises an elongated body filing the space between the confronting panel edges and having on each side thereof a tongue and a groove respectively projecting an opening outwardly angularly towards the second plane. The tongue and groove on either side are complimentary to lockingly engage with the respective groove and tongue on the adjacent respective confronting edges of the panel. The connector member cooperates with the panels to urge the panels toward one another in a tight locking engagement as a result of a compressive force being exerted on the member in the direction toward the support surface when the member is secured to the support surface. The patent states that the provision of such a connector member does away with the heretofore known practice of driving nails or screws in the panel edges to fix the panels to the support surface, while still providing a tight locking engagement between the panels. As shown in FIG. 2, the connecting member is fixedly secured to the support surface using screw 86. In addition, “the top surface 56 of the connector member 14 is coplanar with the top planar surfaces 16 and 18 of panels 10 and 12” and therefore, forms a part of the top wear surface—which is readily visible.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,135,339 titled “Slatted Floor System,” discloses a slatted floor system which is said to be easily assembled, provides film footing and comfort to confined animals, resists corrosion, discourages accumulation of animal waste, is easily cleaned, and can be used to span significantly greater distances than prior art slats. The slatted floor system is stated to comprise a plurality of elongated, spaced, generally parallel slats. Each slat has a top, load-carrying surface with spaced apart, opposite outer edges. Each slat also has a bottom surface substantially parallel to the top surface and a pair of side surfaces integral with the top surface and the bottom surface. The side surfaces are joined with the top surface along lines recessed from the outer edges of the top surface. The side surfaces are said to further taper toward each other in first positions, adjacent to the top surface, then extend substantially parallel to each other and vertically relative to the bottom surface in second portions. It is stated that this forms with the top and bottom surfaces a generally Y-shaped, enclosed main compartment. The patent discloses that each slat also includes a first pair of projection receiving means extending longitudinally along the tapered first portion of its side surfaces and a second pair of projection receiving means extending longitudinally along the second portion of the side surfaces. Adjacent slats are said to be connected and locked in spaced-apart relationship in a plurality of connectors. Each connector has a pair of projections, with each projection being receivable by one of the first pair of projection receiving means on each of two adjacent slats, and the second pair of projection receiving means on each of two adjacent slats. At least one of the first and second pairs of projections on the connectors are adapted to interlock with its corresponding projection receiving means on adjacent slats. As stated above, and shown in
FIGS. 1 and 4
, the upper wear surface of the slats are spaced apart to provide a gap to facilitate the object of the invention, ie., for discouraging the accumulation of animal waste. In addition, as shown in the same figures, the projections and connector means can only be assembled by sliding the edges of the slats and connector together when held in parallel coplanar relationship to one another. And as shown, the connector member does not extend the entire length of the slat members.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,461,131 titled “Panel Interconnection System,” discloses an assembly of panels of rectangular shape, as for example, a floor, in which the panels comprise upper and lower ridged sheets separated by a core, elongated fittings extending along adjacent edges of adjacent panels and having lateral extension receipt means between edge portions of the sheets of the panels. Each fitting has an upwardly open channel located beyond the edge of the associated panel. Adjacent fittings and adjacent panels are secured together by elongated connector strips which have parallel elongated lugs received in the channels of the adjacent fittings. As shown in
FIG. 3
, strips 40 form a portion of the top wear surface and are thus, visibly distinct from the upper surface 10 of flooring panels P.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,796,402 titled “Step Silencing Parquet Floor,” discloses a step silencing parquet board, in which the sound of steps which are perceivable from one room to another are silenced by using a surface-press non-homogeneous fiber board in the supporting construction layers provided u
Baker & Botts L.L.P.
Dorsey Dennis L.
Premark RWP Holdings Inc.
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