FLOOR MAT AND FLOOR CONSTRUCTION

The invention relates to a floor which is constructed from floor tiles which are supported by supports resting on a substructure, wherein the floor tiles are provided on their longitudinal edges with bent flanges which are received in the upper ends of grooves arranged in the supports such that a flange of a first floor tile and a flange of an adjacent floor tile lie in one groove.

The invention has for its object to obtain a floor of the above stated type wherein, while maintaining an effective clamping of the flanges of the floor tiles in the grooves of the support, the floor can follow possible unevenness in the surface of the ground on which the support rest, while in addition the floor tiles can be arranged and removed in simple manner.

This can be achieved according to the invention in that at least some measure of interspacing is present between flanges lying opposite each other in the groove.

When a floor according to the invention is applied the tiles can follow a sloping floor surface, since the parts of the flanges lying in the grooves can, within certain limits, pivot relative to each other. Movements between the floor tiles occurring for instance as a result of temperature changes and/or stresses in the floor can further be absorbed by the space present between the floor tiles.

The interspacing is preferably in the order of 0.4 to 1 mm, this space being found adequate for a sufficient pivoting to make it possible to follow slopes in the ground surface occurring in (office) buildings, as well as to absorb expansion of commonly occurring materials, wherein deforming of the tiles is prevented since they are always arranged without mutual contact.

The flanges can be connected continuously along their whole length to the remaining parts of the floor tiles, so that a reliable connection is obtained between flanges and floor plates, which will prevent undesirable deformation of the flanges.

In a preferred embodiment the floor tiles are electrically conductive and the supports are provided with electrical conducting means which make contact with the floor tiles for electrical interconnection thereof. In addition to the above stated advantages, an electrical earthing of the floor tiles is thus obtained for the purpose of greater safety.

The electrical conducting means preferably comprise a conductive profile, such as a metal sleeve or extrusion profile, in which the grooves are arranged.

In a further preferred embodiment the flanges on the side of the floor tile are provided with scraping protrusions which are in contact with the electrical conducting means. In addition to an electrical connection for earthing of the tiles, the scraping protrusions also provide a clamping for a more robust fixing of the tiles in the supports.

The supports are preferably provided with damping means, whereby vibrations from footsteps and the like are absorbed.

In yet another preferred embodiment the floor tiles are provided on the underside with centring protrusions which drop into centring openings in the top side of the supports. This construction is found to provide a more robust and precise fixing and positioning.

The invention will be further elucidated hereinbelow with reference to the accompanying figures, in which:

• Figure 1 shows a top view of an assembly of support and floor tiles according to a first preferred embodiment of the present invention;
• Figure 2 shows a side view in cross-section of the assembly of figure 1;
• Figure 3 shows a top view of an assembly of support and floor tiles according to a second preferred embodiment of the present invention;
• Figure 4 shows a side view in cross-section of the assembly of figure 3;
• Figure 5A is a perspective view of a third preferred embodiment of a floor according to the present invention;
• Figure 5B is a side view in cross-section of a stop of the floor tile of figure 5A against a projection of a support;
• Figure 6 is a perspective view of a fourth preferred embodiment according to the present invention;
• Figure 7 shows a side view in cross-section of a groove having therein two adjacent flanges in a fifth preferred embodiment;

Figure 8 shows a side view in cross-section of a groove having therein two flanges in a sixth preferred embodiment; and

Figures 9 to 12 show further preferred embodiments of floor tiles according to the present invention.

Figures 1 and 2 show a first preferred embodiment of an assembly 1 according to the present invention, comprising rectangular or square floor tiles 2 having bent flanges 4 on the edges. In the assembled situation the flanges drop into grooves 6 which are arranged for this purpose in an upper outer end of support 8, with which the assembly rests on a ground surface which is further not shown.

In the exemplary embodiment shown in the figures floor tile 2 has a square form with four flanges 4 on the edges of floor tile 2 and bent at right angles relative thereto. Flanges 4 are arranged connecting to floor tile 2 along their whole length and end close to the corner points of floor tile 2.

Arranged in the upper outer end of support 8 at equal distances from each other are four centring holes 10 into which drop centring protrusions (not shown) arranged on the underside of floor tiles 2 for the purpose of positioning floor tile 2 in correct manner relative to support 8.

In a side view are shown electrical conducting means, in a first preferred embodiment a contact ring 12 which is pressed by means of a spring construction 14 against flanges 4 for electrical interconnection thereof. A floor constructed from floor tiles 2 and supports 8 of assembly 1 are earthed electrically on at least one floor tile. Owing to the interconnection provided by the electrical conducting means the whole floor is thus earthed for greater safety.

A further provision is an interspace 16 which in the assembled situation is present between the edges and flanges 4 of adjacent floor tiles 2. This gap is preferably larger than 0.2 mm and up to for instance 2 mm, and most preferably in the order of 0.5 mm. In order to fix floor tiles 2 with sufficient clamping so as to prevent vibrations and loosening by vibration, flanges 4 are preferably provided on the side directed toward floor tile 2 with protrusions 18 with which the flanges are arranged clampingly in the groove 6 which in side view is diabolo-shaped.

The gap 16 is advantageous in making the upper surfaces of floor tiles 2 sufficiently pivotable relative to each other to be able to follow slopes and other unevenness in the ground surface. Gap 16 also ensures that possible expansion of floor tiles 2, as a consequence of for instance temperature, is absorbed without deformation of the floor tiles occurring, this due to the absence of contact between the floor tiles. This pivotability is also made possible by the diabolo shape of the side walls of grooves 6 (Fig. 2).

In a second preferred embodiment according to the present invention a floor is constructed from an assembly 28 comprising floor tiles 30 with bent flanges 32 on the side edges thereof as according to the above described first embodiment. The flanges drop into grooves 34 of supports 36. In the assembled situation a gap 38 is present between floor tiles 30 and between flanges 32 which has the advantages and features in accordance with the above described gap 16. The flanges are further fixed clampingly by protrusions 40 into the groove 34 which in side view is diabolo-shaped (Fig. 4).

The electrical conducting means are formed in this second variant by a peripheral contact wire 42 which is arranged running around the top end of support 36 and touches the centring holes 44 therein. Floor tiles 30 are herein provided with threaded pins 46 which fall into centring holes 44 for the purpose of positioning the floor tiles relative to the supports and which also contact the contact wire 42 for electrical interconnection of the floor tiles. The floor tiles are herein manufactured from an electrically conductive material, for instance a metal or preferably galvanized steel.

A third embodiment variant relates to a floor constructed from an assembly 50 as shown in figure 5A. The assembly comprises floor tiles 52 having bent flanges 54 on the side edges thereof, which flanges are arranged connecting along practically the whole length to floor tiles 52. The bent flanges 54 drop into grooves 56 arranged in supports 58 for the purpose of supporting the floor tiles at a height relative to a ground surface 60.

At both outer ends the flanges of the floor tiles are interrupted at some distance before the end of floor tile 52. A standing cylindrical projection 59 is arranged in the middle of support 58. The projection takes a form corresponding to the outer ends 55 of flanges 54, so that it acts as a stop against which the flanges of the floor tiles come to rest (fig. 5B). The projection thus also provides the correct gap between the floor tiles, preferably about 0.4 - 1 mm.

A support 58 in this third variant comprises a bottom mat 62 of a suitable material. In the shown variant these bottom mats 62 are approximately round and mutually connected by a grid of strips 64, which enables quicker laying of the floor. A support preferably comprises a roughly cylindrical steel sleeve 66 which provides the electrical interconnection of floor tiles 52 arranged therein, so that these tiles are earthed electrically despite the gap present between them. A cup-shaped damper 68 of an appropriate material such as plastic is arranged inside sleeve 66 for the purpose of damping shocks caused by for instance footsteps on the floor. Grooves 56 are arranged continuously in both sleeve 66 and damper 68.

In order to ensure an electrical contact between the floor tiles and the conductive sleeve or the conductive part of the support, the flanges 72 arranged on floor tiles 70 are provided in a preferred embodiment with protrusions 74 which make a scraping contact with edges 76 of a groove arranged in the support (Fig. 7).

It remains possible here to arrange a gap 78 between the floor tiles, wherein an electric contact is still ensured and sufficient clamping is obtained.In a further preferred embodiment grooves are arranged in a support, with in each case a groove 80 and a second groove 82 separated by a dividing wall 84 with a width preferably lying between about 0.4 and 1 mm (Fig. 8). Floor tiles 86 once again have bent flanges 88 provided with protrusions 90 which come into scraping contact with walls 92, 94 of grooves 80, 82 respectively. Electrical interconnection is obtained in that floor tiles 86 and protrusions 90, as well as a part of the supports, are electrically conductive. Sufficient space is present here in grooves 80, 82 to ensure that floor tiles 86 are at least slightly pivotable relative to the support, and that (thermal) expansion of the floor tiles can also be absorbed (Fig. 8).

The embodiments described with reference to figures 7 and 8 can also be combined with a further variant shown in Fig. 6. A floor 100 herein comprises floor tiles 102, only a fourth part of which is shown here, which floor tiles comprise on the edges bent flanges 104 which rest in groove-like recesses 106 in supports 108. Close to the corner points of floor tiles 102 centring protrusion 110 are arranged by being pressed through which drop into openings 112 arranged in the top side of supports 108.

The supports comprise an extrusion form 114 of a suitable material such as plastic, aluminium or zamak. In the shown form the extrusion form 114 has a practically cylindrical outer surface, and continuous openings 116 are arranged therein along the whole length which correspond with centring openings 112. A damper 118 is arranged on top of extrusion form 114. The damper is roughly cylindrical and grooves 106 are arranged therein at angles of 90° to each other, and a centring opening 112 is arranged in each case between the grooves. In the middle of damper 118 is arranged a cylindrical projection 120 against which the corner points of floor tiles 102 come to rest for the purpose of better positioning thereof. Damper 118 serves to damp shocks and is preferably manufactured from a conductive plastic which provides a correct damping and also for electrical interconnection of floor tiles 102 (Fig. 6).

Figures 9 to 12 show further possible preferred embodiments of floor tiles. Fig. 9 thus shows a practical embodiment of a floor tile 140, which in practice has sides in the order of 200 to 300 mm. In the shown embodiment the supports 142 are arranged with a mutual spacing in the order of 125 mm and are optionally provided with a reinforcement. Also shown are connecting pieces 114 for mutual connection of supports 142.

Fig. 10 shows a tile 140 as in Fig. 9 provided with supports 142, wherein a foot connecter 144 is also shown which on the upper side has four square recesses in which the square supports 142 come to rest. A further foot connecter 146 is also shown wherein an earth clip 148 is arranged in the middle thereof for electrical interconnection of the supports resting on foot connecter 146 for the purpose of earthing thereof.

Fig. 11 shows a larger floor tile 160 with sides of for instance 450 mm. Supports 162 are arranged at a mutual spacing of 150 mm.

A larger tile 170 has for instance sides in the order of 600 mm and is arranged on a plurality of supports 172 which are arranged not only at the corner points of tile 170 but also therebetween, at a mutual distance of for instance 133 mm. The height of the foot is in this case the same as that of the above stated feet, but can also amount to about 55 mm. Such larger tiles have in the middle of the tile a support (not shown) arranged on the underside. The thickness of the tile is further in the order of 2 mm, just as the above mentioned tiles.

The present invention is not limited to the above described preferred embodiments thereof, in which many modifications can be envisaged within the scope of the appended claims.