초록 ▼

A modular flooring system that includes a plurality of interlocking floor panels arrangeable into a variety of configurations. In one embodiment, each interlocking floor panel includes tongues and grooves that allow adjacent ones of the panels to connect with one another by the mating of tongues and

A modular flooring system that includes a plurality of interlocking floor panels arrangeable into a variety of configurations. In one embodiment, each interlocking floor panel includes tongues and grooves that allow adjacent ones of the panels to connect with one another by the mating of tongues and grooves. A locking mechanism can be provided to one or more of the floor panels for locking the connected panels together. In other embodiments, the modular flooring system includes either integrally formed conduit chases or separately formed conduit chases, or a combination of both.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. A floor panel for a modular flooring system, comprising: a platelike body having a plurality of first treading surfaces together generally defining a treading surface plane, first and second sides spaced from one another, and third and fourth sides spaced from one another; a

What is claimed is: 1. A floor panel for a modular flooring system, comprising: a platelike body having a plurality of first treading surfaces together generally defining a treading surface plane, first and second sides spaced from one another, and third and fourth sides spaced from one another; a first conduit chase segment having a longitudinal axis, a first longitudinal side parallel with said longitudinal axis, and a second longitudinal side parallel with said longitudinal axis and spaced from said first longitudinal side, said first conduit chase segment formed integrally with said platelike body; a plurality of slotted apertures formed in said platelilke body and spaced from one another along each of said first and second longitudinal sides, each of said plurality of slotted apertures having a total length in a direction parallel to each of said first and second longitudinal sides; and at least one first removable cover that each include a tread plate defining a second treading surface and having third and fourth longitudinal sides, said at least one first removable cover engageable with said platelike body so as to substantially cover said first conduit chase segment and so that each of said second treading surfaces is substantially flush with each of said plurality of first treading surfaces along each of said first and second longitudinal sides of said at least one conduit chase segment, said at least one first removable cover comprising a plurality of tabs engageable with corresponding respective ones of said plurality of slotted apertures when said at least one cover is moved in a direction substantially perpendicular to said treading surface plane, each of said plurality of tabs including: a base securing that one of said plurality of tabs to said tread plate and having: a longitudinal axis extending parallel to each of said third and fourth longitudinal sides; and a total length, extending in a direction parallel to each of said third and fourth longitudinal sides, substantially equal to said total length of the corresponding one of said plurality of slotted apertures; a free edge opposite said base and spaced from said base, said free edge having a total length, extending in a direction parallel to each of said third and fourth longitudinal sides, less than said total length of the corresponding one of said plurality of slotted apertures; and first and second ends spaced from one another and extending between said base and said free edge so as to form converging tapers for guiding, in conjunction with the corresponding one of said plurality of slotted apertures, said at least one first removable cover into proper position during engagement of said at least one first removable cover with said platelike body. 2. A floor panel according to claim 1, wherein said first conduit chase segment comprising two parallel spaced first troughs relative to said plurality of first treading surfaces, said two parallel spaced troughs extending from said first side to said second side parallel to said longitudinal axis, each of said two parallel spaced troughs being concave upward toward said treading surface plane when the floor panel is supported on a surface in its use position. 3. A floor panel according to claim 2, wherein said two parallel spaced first troughs are each substantially semicylindrical in shape. 4. A floor panel according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of tabs are configured so that each of said at least one first removable cover engages said platelike body with a snap fit. 5. A floor panel according to claim 4, wherein at least a first tab of said plurality of tabs is located on a first longitudinal side of said at least one first removable cover and at least a second tab of said plurality of tabs is located on a second longitudinal side of said at least one first removable cover and said at least first tab and said at least second tab are splayed out relative to one another when said at least one first removable cover is spaced from said platelike body such that said at least first tab and said at least second tab must be moved toward one another to insert said at least first tab and said at least second tab in corresponding respective ones of said plurality of slotted apertures so as to properly seat said at least one first removable cover with said platelike body. 6. A floor panel according to claim 1, further comprising: a second conduit chase segment formed integrally with said platelike body so as to form at least one second trough relative to said plurality of first treading surfaces, said at least one second trough extending from said third side to said fourth side; and at least one second removable cover that each include a third treading surface, said at least one second removable cover engageable with said platelike body so as to substantially cover said second conduit chase segment and so that each said third treading surface is substantially flush with each of said plurality of first treading surfaces. 7. A floor panel according to claim 6, wherein said platelike body is rectangular, said first conduit chase segment has a first length between said first side and said second side and has a width and said second conduit chase has a second length substantially equal to said width of said first conduit chase segment plus twice said first length of said first conduit segment. 8. A floor panel according to claim 7, including exactly three removable covers each having a length equal to said first length of said first conduit chase. 9. A floor panel according to claim 1, wherein the tread plate of each of said at least one first removable cover includes a longitudinal central axis, a first end, and a second end spaced from said first end along said longitudinal central axis, said tread plate including a notch at each of said first and second ends for receiving one or more conduits therethrough from above said treading surface plane during use. 10. A floor panel for a modular flooring system, comprising: a platelike body having a first length and a first width and including: a plurality of rectangular first treading surfaces generally defining a treading surface plane; first and second sides spaced from one another by said first width; and third and fourth sides spaced from one another by said first length; a first conduit chase formed integrally with said platelike body so as to form at least one first trough relative to said plurality of first treading surfaces, said at least one first trough extending longitudinally from said first side to said second side; a second conduit chase formed integrally with said platelike body so as to form at least one second trough relative to said plurality of first treading surfaces, said at least one second trough extending longitudinally from said fourth side to said second side and intersecting said at least one first trough; and exactly three removable covers that each include a second treading surface, a longitudinal axis, a second length extending along said longitudinal axis, and a second width transverse to said longitudinal axis, each of said exactly three removable covers engageable with said platelike body so that each of said second treading surfaces is substantially flush with each of said plurality of first treading surfaces; wherein said first width of said platelike body is equal to said second length of each of said exactly three covers and said first length of said platelike body is equal to twice said second length of each of said exactly three covers plus said second width of each of said exactly three covers so that when said exactly three covers are properly engaged with said platelike body, said exactly three covers cover all of said first and second conduit chases. 11. A floor panel according to claim 10, wherein each of said first and second conduit chases comprises two parallel spaced troughs relative to said plurality of rectangular first treading surfaces, each of said two parallel spaced troughs being concave upward toward said treading surface plane when the floor panel is supported on a surface in its use position. 12. A floor panel according to claim 11, wherein said two parallel spaced first troughs are each substantially semicylindrical in shape. 13. A floor panel according to claim 11, further comprising a plurality of slotted apertures formed in said platelike body along each side of each of said first and second troughs, each of said exactly three removable covers including: a tread plate defining said second treading surface; and a plurality of tabs each including: a base securing that one of said plurality of tabs to said tread plate and having: a longitudinal axis extending parallel to each of said third and fourth longitudinal sides; and a total length, extending in a direction parallel to each of said third and fourth longitudinal sides, substantially equal to said total length of the corresponding one of said plurality of slotted apertures; a free edge opposite said base and spaced from said base, said free edge having a total length, extending in a direction parallel to each of said third and fourth longitudinal sides, less than said total length of the corresponding one of said plurality of slotted apertures; and first and second ends spaced from one another and extending between said base and said free edge so as to form converging tapers for guiding, in conjunction with the corresponding one of said plurality of slotted apertures, said at least one first removable cover into proper position during engagement of said at least one first removable cover with said platelike body. 14. A floor panel according to claim 13, wherein said plurality of tabs are configured so that each of said at least one first removable cover engages said platelike body with a snap fit. 15. A floor panel according to claim 13, wherein at least a first tab of said plurality of tabs is located on a first longitudinal side of each of said exactly three removable covers and at least a second tab of said plurality of tabs is located on a second longitudinal side of each of said exactly three removable covers and said at least first tab and said at least second tab on the same one of said exactly three removable covers are splayed out relative to one another when that one of said exactly three removable covers is spaced from said platelike body such that said at least first tab and said at least second tab must be moved toward one another to insert said at least first tab and said at least second tab in corresponding respective ones of said plurality of slotted apertures so as to properly seat that one of said exactly three removable covers with said platelike body. 16. A floor panel according to claim 10, wherein each of said exactly three removable covers includes a tread plate having a longitudinal central axis, a first end, and a second end spaced from said first end along said longitudinal central axis, said tread plate including a notch at each of said first and second ends for receiving one or more conduits therethrough from above said treading surface plane during use.