초록 ▼

A multilayer flooring panel for flooring and the like has a cementitious top surface, a lower density intermediate layer preferably incorporating expanded polymeric beads mixed with cement, and a lower layer reinforced by tension-bearing fibers embedded therein. The interface between the top and mid

A multilayer flooring panel for flooring and the like has a cementitious top surface, a lower density intermediate layer preferably incorporating expanded polymeric beads mixed with cement, and a lower layer reinforced by tension-bearing fibers embedded therein. The interface between the top and middle layers may be upwardly domed to reduce the tendency for cracks to form in the bottom surface of the top layer. Channels formed along the edges of such tiles allow insertion of heat transfer tubing to provide a hydronic floor surface. A flooring panel may have cementitious top and bottom surfaces with an intermediate lower density layer there between. Such intermediate layer may be divided into two portions by a water impervious layer that serves as a binder and vapor barrier. Flooring panels provided with shiplap joints along the edges are laid-out on a prepared surface on mortar pads positioned along edges and corners of the tiles to provide flooring, leaving a continuous under air space which may be ventilated to remove moisture; soil gases and radon gas.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A floor overlying an underlying support surface in the form of a prepared earth base or layer of aggregate or gravel, the floor comprising rigid flooring panels, the flooring panels each comprising: 1) a cementitious upper layer providing a durable upper surface of a given density suitable for us

1. A floor overlying an underlying support surface in the form of a prepared earth base or layer of aggregate or gravel, the floor comprising rigid flooring panels, the flooring panels each comprising: 1) a cementitious upper layer providing a durable upper surface of a given density suitable for use as part of a floor surface;2) an intermediate lower density layer beneath the upper layer containing lower density particulate material bonded together by a higher density binder that forms a binder matrix around the low density particulate material containing and fixing the position of the low density particulate material, the overall average density of the intermediate layer being less than the average density of the upper layer, and3) a tensile constraining lower layer located beneath and on the underside of the intermediate layer to cover and contain the intermediate layer, there being present between the flooring panels and the support surface localized deposits of supporting cementitious mortar placed on the underlying and in contact with an underside surface of the flooring panels so as to that provide an interconnected airspace there between for the containment of under-floor vapors and gases wherein the flooring panels are provided with interfitting edges in the form of a shiplap joint having ledges to permit a plurality of such flooring panels to be assembled contiguously to each other with the overlapping ledges providing over-lapping interfaces along such joints by lowering such panels into place. 2. The floor as in claim 1 wherein the flooring panels have edges and the flooring panels are laid so that the edges of individual flooring panels are contiguous to the edges of other adjacent flooring panels, at least some of such edges meeting to form corners at the junctions of four flooring panels wherein the deposits of cementitious mortar are located beneath the corners of the flooring panels present at such junctions providing shared support to the corners present at such junctions. 3. The floor as in claim 2 within a structure in combination with a gas venting system connected to the airspace to vent vapor and gases contained therein outside the structure. 4. A floor as in claim 1, the flooring panels further comprising an indentation along at least one of the interfitting edges, such indentation being dimensioned so that, when the flooring panels are laid to form a floor with flooring panel edges adjacent to each other, an upwardly directed channel with at least one under-cut sidewall is formed adjacent to the boundary between adjacent flooring panels, the channel being dimensioned to accommodate thermal radiant tubing installed therein for circulation of a heat-exchange fluid, such tubing being covered by a grout, thereby allowing the floor to function in the manner of a hydronic floor to provide radiant heating or cooling. 5. A floor as in claim 2 wherein the basement flooring panels range from 2 5/16 inches up to 5¼ inches in thickness. 6. A floor as in claim 1 wherein the binder for the intermediate layer is a cementitious binder and the low density particulate material comprises pellets of expanded polymeric resin. 7. A floor as in claim 6 wherein the pellets of expanded polymeric resin comprise expanded polystyrene beads and the lower layer includes a cementitious binder. 8. A floor surface as in claim 7 wherein the airspace is between ⅜ inch to 1 inch in thickness. 9. A floor as in claim 7 wherein the lower layer is reinforced by tension-bearing reinforcing fibers embedded therein. 10. A floor as in claim 1 wherein the density ratio of the intermediate layer based on its average density with respect to the average density of the upper layer is in the range of between 25% to 55%. 11. A floor as in claim 10 wherein the density ratio of the intermediate layer with respect to the average density of the upper layer is in the range of between 35% to 45%. 12. A floor as in claim 1 wherein the interface between the upper layer and the intermediate layer is upwardly domed towards the upper layer to reduce the tendency for cracks to form in the upper layer when a load is applied to the upper surface of the flooring panel. 13. A floor as in claim 1 wherein: 1) the lower layer of the flooring panels is a cementitious layer providing a durable surface of a given density;2) the upper and lower layers of the flooring panels both contain tension-bearing reinforcing fibers embedded therein to reinforce such layers;3) the intermediate lower density layer of the flooring panels is divided between upper and lower portions by a water impervious central binder layer in the form of a continuous sheet interface of non-cementitious adhesive material coupling the upper on lower portions together. 14. A floor as in claim 1 wherein the interface between the intermediate layer and the lower layer of the flooring panels is upwardly domed towards the upper layer to reduce the tendency for cracks to form in the intermediate layer when a load is applied to the upper surface of the flooring panel. 15. A floor as in claim 7 wherein the cementitious upper layer and the cementitious binder for the intermediate layer of the flooring panels both comprise Portland cement. 16. A floor as in claim 15 wherein the lower surface of the lower layer of the flooring panels is covered by a vapor barrier. 17. A method of preparing a floor overlying an underlying support surface in the form of a prepared earth base or a layer of aggregate or gravel, by laying an array of flooring panels on said support surface, each of said flooring panels having edges and corners and shaped to provide, when finally laid, contiguously positioned flooring panels, the flooring panels comprising: 1) a cementitious upper layer providing a durable upper surface of a given density suitable for use as part of a floor surface;2) an intermediate lower density layer beneath the upper layer containing lower density particulate material bonded together by a higher density binder forms a binder matrix around the low density particulate material containing and fixing the position of the low density particulate material, the overall average density of the intermediate layer being less than the average density of the upper layer,3) a tensile constraining lower layer located beneath and on the underside of the intermediate layer to cover and contain the intermediate layer, and4) the edges being interfitting edges in the form of a shiplap joint having ledges to permit a plurality of such flooring panels to be assembled contiguously to each other with the overlapping ledges providing over-lapping interfaces along such joints the method comprising the steps of: a) depositing on the support surface localized deposits of cementitious mortar at locations corresponding to corners on said flooring panels, the deposits being dimensioned and located to provide an airspace between such deposits,b) laying one first line of flooring panels in a series with corners of each of the flooring panels supported on at least some of the localized deposits of mortar,c) positioning a second line of further flooring panels above and in alignment with said first line of flooring panels with the corners of the further panels located above and positioned to be laid over at least some of the previously deposited localized deposits of mortar, wherein edges of the second line of flooring panels are oriented to be aligned with the underneath edges of the flooring panels of the first line of flooring panels, andd) lowering the second line of flooring panels onto the deposits of mortar to form the floor of contiguously positioned flooring panels with the overlapping ledges of the respective flooring panels engaged along their shiplap joints to provide the over-lapping interfaces along such joints. 18. A method as in claim 17 wherein at least some of the flooring panels further comprise an indentation along at least one of their respective interfitting edges, such indentation being dimensioned so that, when the flooring panels are laid to form a floor with flooring panel edges adjacent to each other, an upwardly directed channel with at least one under-cut sidewall is formed adjacent to the boundary between adjacent flooring panels, the channel being dimensioned to accommodate thermal radiant tubing installed in the channel for circulation of a heat-exchange fluid therein, such method comprising the further steps of: 1. positioning the flooring panels comprising an indentation to form such channel,2. placing thermal radiant tubing in such channel, and3. covering such tubing by a grout to thereby allow the floor to function in the manner of a hydronic floor, providing radiant heating or cooling.