EXISTING CHANNEL RETROFIT FLOOR AND METHOD

Abstract

A new athletic floor resiliently retrofit to a worn athletic floor. The worn floor includes a plurality of elongated raised channels spaced from one another and connected to a ground substrate. The new athletic floor includes at least two elongated subfloor panels. At least two elongated raised channels are spaced from one another and have a first set of adjoined elongated subfloor panels located therebetween. At least one elongated raised channel is spaced therefrom and has a second set of adjoined elongated subfloor panels located therebetween. A resilient pad is positioned between each elongated subfloor panel and the ground substrate. A new flooring is located on the first and second sets of elongated subfloor panels, covering at least one elongated raised channel, and a bottom surface of the new flooring is spaced from a top surface of the elongated raised channel by a gap.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates to an economical and efficient manner for replacement of existing athletic floors that have exhausted wear life or experienced issues requiring replacement. More particularly, the invention relates to a worn athletic flooring system having “clip in channel” or “channel and clip” components, the channels being left in place and then resiliently retrofit with a new athletic floor, and preferably using a new method, to have new wear life as taught herein.

BACKGROUND

Numerous forms of what are referred to as clip in channel (or channel and clip, and these terms are used interchangeably herein and denote an elongated raised channel secured to a ground substrate like concrete and flooring secured thereto by a clip that adjoins between the channel and the flooring) floor systems date back nearly 90 years ago beginning in the 1930's. An original design is described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,116,737 by LF Urban, with channels and clips. Such floors were known to serve very well in heavy use applications such as factories and warehouses became prominent in massive post office facilities in major US cities. Clip in channel type floors were also frequently chosen for athletic facilities such as school gymnasiums and sports arenas well into the 1980's, with especially limited inclusion in new construction today. Clip in channel floors have included three flooring thickness options of 25/32 inch, or 27/32 inch, or 33/32 inch. The 33/32 inch thickness is by far the most common flooring thickness profile selected for clip in channel installations, resulting in overall floor surface nominal profile of 1 and ½ inches when placed on the elongated raised channel sections.

Installation of clip in channel type floors greatly diminished in the past 30 years as preference for resilient shock absorbing athletic floors have increased to become normally specified for gymnasiums and recreational facilities. Numerous replacements of clip in channel floors occur frequently each year as wood flooring surfaces have exhausted wear life due to multiple sanding's, or replaced as related to catastrophic moisture infiltration, or specifically to provide a resilient shock absorbing athletic floor instead of the hard non-resilience associated with clip in channel floors.

Replacing such floors requires removal of the wood flooring surface and 96-inch-long metal (often steel) channel sections arranged end to end, commonly spaced 12 inches on center. Each channel section often includes eight anchorage pins driven nominally 1 and ¾ inches into the concrete substrate requiring considerable manual or machine applied force to dislodge. Removal of channel anchorage pins routinely results in fragmented craters in the surface of the ground substrate (most often concrete or the like) commonly referred to as spalling. Aside from the damage and cost to remove the channels and cost of cementitious patching material and labor to perform remedial work to address spalled concrete, an average size high school gymnasium floor requires disposal of 8,000 linear feet of detached metal channels.

In addition to challenges associated with removal and preparation work for installation of a new athletic floor system, resilient floors which are now desired frequently have profile heights differing from the original floor height. Solutions commonly require additional components to elevate floor system options or undesired ramps at doorways and/or adjacent surfaces to address uneven transitions.

SUMMARY

To address one or more of the deficiencies discussed above, there is a need for a new athletic floor that improves current technology or techniques for replacing worn athletic floors having existing channels still in place on the ground substrate. For example, this can help meet performance values associated with athletic floor standards while maintaining a profile height that eliminates special transition ramping at doorways without requiring removal of certain of the existing infrastructure. And, considering that clip in channel floors were often selected for facilities frequently used for heavy load impacts such as exhibits and non-athletic gatherings, the new athletic floor here can accept such load pressure while protecting the integrity of the floor system components.

As demonstrated in the following description, my new athletic floor provides a manner to economically and efficiently replace common athletic floor systems that have exhausted wear life or are desired to be replaced by a resilient athletic floor as much as possible without completely having to remove the entire existing worn athletic floor structure. This can take advantage of allowing existing channels secured in the ground substrate to remain in place. Thereby, eliminating associated labor costs required for removal of channels or the like and grout or asphalt filler, as well as fastening components or anchors embedded into the ground substrate, like concrete. Furthermore, the invention can eliminate the necessity of addressing hazardous materials such as asbestos included in hot poured asphalt commonly used in construction prior to understanding associated health risks. This can also help in eliminating significant labor costs, as well as added delays in construction schedules and disposal of hazardous material. For example, eliminating labor and patching material required to address fractures following removal of embedded concrete anchors, and/or leveling the original concrete base that is commonly found to be especially uneven and undulated.

I also provide a new athletic floor method to introduce resiliency and provide a newly completed floor which is equal or within an acceptable profile height tolerance equivalent to the original floor and new floor standards. That is, providing an equivalent profile height can also maintain desired flush transition to bordering surfaces without requiring special ramping at doorways or other adjacent floor surfaces, if desired. Still further, this can also help to protect resilient components and related assemblies from excessive compression when the floor surface is pressured under non-athletic loads.

In view of the foregoing, described herein is a new athletic floor resiliently retrofit to a worn athletic floor including a plurality of elongated raised channels spaced from one another and connected to a ground substrate. The new athletic floor includes at least two elongated subfloor panels. Each elongated subfloor panel is connected to the ground substrate, including opposite shiplap ends, and adjoined to at least one other elongated subfloor panel at the opposite shiplap ends to form a first set of adjoined elongated subfloor panels. The new athletic floor also includes at least two elongated raised channels spaced from one another and having the first set of adjoined elongated subfloor panels located between the two elongated raised channels spaced from one another. The floor further includes at least one elongated raised channel spaced from the at least two elongated raised channels and a second set of adjoined elongated subfloor panels located between two elongated raised channels spaced from one another. Still further, the floor includes a resilient pad positioned between a bottom surface of each elongated subfloor panel and the ground substrate. And, yet further, the floor includes a new flooring located on the first set and the second set of elongated subfloor panels and covering at least one elongated raised channel. Finally, importantly, a bottom surface of the new flooring is spaced from a top surface of the elongated raised channel by a distance of between about 2.3 millimeters and about 5 millimeters when the new flooring is in an unloaded condition.

In another embodiment there is a method to retrofit the worn athletic floor to have new wear life, the worn athletic floor including the plurality of elongated raised channels spaced from one another and connected to the ground substrate. The method has various steps, including adjoining at least two elongated subfloor panels to each other at opposite shiplap ends to form the first set of adjoined elongated subfloor panels. Another step is connecting the first set of adjoined elongated subfloor panels to the ground substrate between two elongated raised channels spaced from one another. And, also the step connecting the second set of adjoined elongated subfloor panels to the ground substrate and between a third elongated raised channel spaced from the two elongated raised channels. Further, is a step positioning the resilient pad between the bottom surface of each elongated subfloor panel and the ground substrate. And, a couple final steps there is locating the new flooring on the first set and the second set plurality of elongated subfloor panels and covering at least one elongated raised channel; and, spacing the bottom surface of the new flooring from the top surface of the elongated raised channel by the distance of between about 2.3 millimeters and about 5 millimeters when the new flooring is in an unloaded condition.

Other embodiments are directed to the relationship between various components and their level of connectedness and/or configuration relative to one another, as well as preferred features for the components and the steps of the method.

As used herein, “adjacent” means next to or adjoining the stated structure or object and there may be intervening material between the referenced structures or objects as long as it does not significantly negate the stated relationship of the referenced structures or objects.

As used herein, “adjoin” (and formatives thereof, including adjoined and adjoining) means next to or joined with.

As used herein, “connect” (and formatives thereof, including connected and connecting) means the components or parts are attached to each other and would require a force to separate them.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention may be more completely understood in consideration of the following detailed description of various embodiments of the invention in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is an end view of a prior art worn athletic floor section having common multiple clip in channel floor connections;

FIG. 1A is an enlarged end view of the clip in channel connection, as taken from the circled area indicated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 2 is a side cut away view of channel and clip connections;

FIG. 3 is a cut away end view of typical destructive concrete fracturing following removal of the channel where concrete anchors were/are located;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an elongated subfloor panel of the new athletic floor;

FIG. 4A is a cross-section view of the subfloor panel in FIG. 4, taken along line a-a;

FIG. 5 is an end view of at least two elongated subfloor panels shown positioned between at least two elongated raised channels;

FIG. 6 is a side view of opposing elongated subfloor panel ends about to be adjoined to each other;

FIG. 7 is a side view of the elongated subfloor panels in FIG. 6, now with overlapping shiplap ends and adjoining each other;

FIG. 8 is a side view of that seen in FIG. 7, now with new flooring located on the elongated subfloor panels;

FIG. 9 is an end view of the plurality of elongated subfloor panels with new flooring connected to the plurality of elongated subfloor panels;

FIG. 10 is a top view of the plurality of elongated raised channels connected to the ground substrate, with the plurality of elongated subfloor panels located between each pair of elongated raised channels, and the new flooring resting on and connected to the plurality of elongated subfloor panels and covering each of the elongated raised channel;

FIG. 11 is an enlarged end view showing a portion of the new athletic floor without surface impacts or loads;

FIG. 12 is an enlarged end view showing the same portion as in FIG. 11, but now with the new athletic floor reacting to aggressive impacts or loads;

FIG. 13 is a transition between the new athletic floor and an adjacent existing floor surface and showing the low profile of the new athletic floor to comfortably adjoin therewith.

The drawings show some but not all embodiments. The elements depicted in the drawings are illustrative and not necessarily to scale, and the same (or similar) reference numbers denote the same (or similar) features throughout the drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

My new athletic floor offers an economical resilient athletic performance solution for replacement of previous, worn athletic floors in which existing elongated raised channels are connected to the ground substrate and remain in place. This can be better understood in reference, first, to the prior art existing floor system and its components, as now described.

FIG. 1 illustrates a worn athletic floor 2 to be retrofit, which is a typical clip in channel type floor in which specially milled wood flooring 4 is attached to elongated raised channels 12 (often made of metal and the metal often steel) by metal (often steel also) clips 10. The raised channels 12 are fixed to the ground substrate 20 (often concrete) with ground substrate anchors or pins 22 (often made of metal and the metal often steel) securely embedded into the substrate.

As further detailed in the FIG. 1A, wood flooring 4 of such construction has a common profile of 33/32 inches, resting on ⅜ inch high elongate raised channels 12, placed over ⅛ inch of common fiberboard panels 6 slotted for channel placement. The total combination of most typical clip in channel floor systems as described provide a nominal height 8, of 1 and ½ inches. Anchors or pins 22 are typically 2 inches in length with 1 and ⅞ inches of penetration into the concrete ground substrate, requiring significant force to dislodge and remove.

FIG. 2 presents a side view of clips 10 in elongated raised channels 12 connected showing penetration of the horizontal flange inserted into machined slots directly below the underside of the protruding tongues of specially milled wood flooring 4. Clip connections 10 allow removal of flooring boards while leaving the elongate raised channels 12 in place when disengaging the clips from flooring 4 and dislodging the clips 10 from the elongated raised channels.

FIG. 3 illustrates destructive concrete ground substrate fracturing following, typical, removal of elongated raised channels where concrete anchors were/are located. Removal of the channel sections manually and laboriously with large pry bars, or with mechanized equipment regularly results in what is commonly referred to as spalling. The term spalling describes large, fractured cavities in the concrete surface, measuring upwards of 4 to 5 square inches at the surface and up to 2 and ½ inches deep requiring a considerable amount of suitable cementitious filling prior to installation of common floor replacements. A typical high school gymnasium requires filling and patching in seven to eight thousand locations. As also shown in FIG. 3 the undisturbed anchored steel channel includes ⅛ inch of supporting fiberboard 6 remaining after simple removal of adjacent fiberboard material.

In accordance with practice of my new athletic floor, as seen in FIGS. 4-13 inclusive, for example, there is a new athletic floor 30 (FIGS. 9-10) resiliently retrofit to the worn athletic floor comprising the plurality of elongated raised channels 12 spaced from one another and connected to the ground substrate 20. The new athletic floor includes at least two elongated subfloor panels 32, 34, and often many more than that, of the same type end to end. Each elongated subfloor panel is connectable to the ground substrate, has opposite shiplap ends 38, 39, and is adjoined to at least one other elongated subfloor panel at the opposite shiplap ends to form a first set 40 of adjoined elongated subfloor panels, e.g., panels 32, 34. Floor 30 also includes at least two elongated raised channels 12 spaced from one another and having the first set 40 of adjoined elongated subfloor panels located between the two elongated raised channels 12 spaced from one another. Floor 30 further includes at least one elongated raised channel 12 spaced from the at least two elongated raised channels 12 and a second set 42 of adjoined elongated subfloor panels located between two elongated raised channels 12 spaced from one another. And, floor 30 includes at least one resilient pad, preferably two pads 44, 46, positioned between a bottom surface 36 of each elongated subfloor panel and the ground substrate 20. Further, the floor 30 includes a new flooring 48 located on the first set 40 and the second set 42 of elongated subfloor panels and covering at least one elongated raised channel 12. And, importantly, a bottom surface 49 of the new flooring is also spaced from a top surface 14 of the elongated raised channel by a distance 16 of between about 2.3 millimeters and about 5 millimeters when the new flooring 48 is in an unloaded condition (as in FIG. 11 for example).

Without being limited to a theory of understanding, and helpful to reference to FIGS. 9, 11 and 12 for example, the inventor has discovered that a significant aspect to the innovative floor 30 is distance 16, and how that enables the new flooring of the overall system to more easily be retrofit to the worn athletic floor without the old floor system being completely replaced. Still further, such also aids in the new floor 30 being able to incorporate current day desired resilient in-use characteristics, and preferably, also have a low profile. Further in this regard, even more preferably, the distance 16 is between about 2.5 millimeters and about 4 millimeters; and, still more preferably, distance 16 is between about 2.7 millimeters and about 3.5 millimeters. Yet further in this regard, floor 30 is preferably installed with raised channels 12 where the top surface 14 of the elongated raised channel is spaced from the ground substrate by a distance 17 of about ten to fifteen millimeters.

Turning to FIG. 4, I discuss some preferred features in which upper and lower subfloor panel boards, nominally ⅜ inch thick, are combined and pre-assembled as held together, for example with ⅝ inch long staples, nails, screws, adhesive or the like. Panels 32, 34 are preferably nominally 9 and ½ inches wide and 96 inches long with upper and lower ends offset by 6 inches to create shiplap joints when adjoining the ends of adjacent subfloor panels. Each panel 32, 34 preferably includes three anchor pockets, and those are aligned down the center of the subfloor panel, with one anchor pocket 16 inches in from each end and one anchor at 48 inches in from the ends of the upper subfloor panel board. The subfloor panel can include recessed slots on the underside of the lower subfloor panel board to assist with placement of resilient pads 44, 46. Whereas plywood is the preferred subfloor panel material, the use of other construction type panels such as oriented strand board or dimensioned lumber can be used also for the new athletic floor 30.

As shown in FIG. 4A, the cross section taken along the line a-a in FIG. 4 has upper subfloor panel board 32a and lower subfloor panel board 32b, and an anchor pocket 24 centered through the boards, along with recessed slots 47 on the underside of panel board 32b for inclusion of spaced apart resilient components 44, 46. Preferably the pocket in the upper subfloor panel board 32a measures 1 and ½ inches in diameter with the pocket in the lower subfloor panel board 32b having a ⅝ inch diameter resulting in a 7/16 inch shoulder at the upper surface of the lower subfloor panel board. Preferably a ¼ inch diameter ground substrate anchor 22 (e.g., of a concrete anchor material) that has a length to allow for at least 1 inch penetration into the ground substrate, such as concrete, can be inserted into the anchor pocket. When desired, at least one ground substrate anchor 22 connects the elongated subfloor panel to the ground substrate 20, more preferably three such anchors are located as noted earlier, and yet more preferably each elongated subfloor panel is connected to the ground substrate, such as with an anchor 22. The anchor 22 can include a washer (of steel or other rigid material) having a ¾ inch outside diameter and ¼ inch inside diameter to assure sound contact over the lower subfloor panel board pocket. Preferably the anchor is inserted through a ½ inch long anti-squeak rubber bushing measuring 5/16 inch inside diameter and ½ inch outside diameter. The top of the anchor is nominally ¼ inch below the upper surface of the upper subfloor panel board.

Recessed slots 47 preferably measure ⅝ inch wide and ⅛ inch deep as measured from the bottom most portion of surface 36 of the subfloor panels. Preferably there are two slots per panel with each slot located 1 and ¾ inches on center from outer edges of the panel. More preferably, such recessed slots run the length of the subfloor panels and such can be continuous or discontinuous along that length. For example, this can include placement of ½ inch wide by ¼ inch thick by 96 inch long sections of resilient material in each slot. The dimensions of the recessed slots and resilient component(s) can be altered while remaining within the scope of the disclosure here. Recessed slots can be increased or decreased in width and depth to accommodate optional dimensions of resilient pad(s), such as 44, 46. Resilient pads can also be provided in short lengths and intermittently spaced within the continuous recessed slots, or intermittent recesses can be provided where intermittent resilient pads are placed rather than full length sections. Resilient pads are preferably manufactured from elastic or resilient material such as open cell polyurethane foam or sponge rubber, or with other elastomers that provide desired response to impacts associated with athletic activity.

FIG. 5 illustrates placement of subfloor panel sets 40, 42 in relation to existing channels 12 remaining from the previous floor installation. Each subfloor panel set 40, 42 is shown anchored to the substrate as previously illustrated in FIG. 4A with anchor 22 inserted into the anchor pocket 24 but not yet into substrate 20. The top surface 35 of the subfloor panels is nominally 5/16 inch higher than the top surface 14 of the steel channels and will be illustrated further in FIG. 12 and FIG. 13.

Referring to FIGS. 6 and 7, there is disclosed a preferred shiplap ends configuration when assembling subfloor panel rows, and forming sets of adjoined elongated subfloor panels. For example, ends of the upper subfloor panel board and lower subfloor panel board can be offset to create an overlap of a portion of each with the other, for example, a nominal 6 inch overlap or something less, as long as there is some overlap of a portion of the upper board with a portion of the lower board at adjacent ends. Preferably, overlapping panel ends are positioned to be fastened together, more preferably, with six ⅝ inch staples at each overlap, with ¼ inch spacing as commonly provided between edges of upper and lower panel board ends.

FIG. 8 illustrates a preferred inclusion of 25/32 inch thick by 2 and ¼ inch wide tongue and groove, for new flooring 48. More preferably, flooring 48 is connected to the plurality of elongated subfloor panels located there beneath. Such flooring can be mechanically attached with flooring cleats or staples applied nominally 12 inches on center. Based on the overall subfloor panel thickness of slightly less than ¾ inch, subfloor cleats or staples of 1 and ½ inch length are suitable. Flooring attachment to the plurality of elongated subfloor panels can be acceptably accomplished with suitable adhesive as well, in the alternative to cleats or staples or with them.

Referring to FIG. 10, there is seen a plurality of subfloor panels positioned between a plurality of existing elongated raised channels and with new flooring resting on and connected to the subfloor panels, and thus covering each of the elongated raise channels where so covered. The channels shown are normally spaced 12 inches on center, with subfloor panels also nominally spaced at 12 inches on center placed between channel rows. Preferably, subfloor panel sets are aligned in a staggered brick pattern with ends offset by one half panel length in each adjacent row. Anchor locations are also, preferably, offset to create what is referred to as a diamond pattern. New flooring attached to subfloor panels bridges over existing raised channels as desired.

Turning to FIG. 11, it shows a portion of a new athletic floor and is representative of how the whole floor can operate, in an unloaded condition, i.e., relaxed position, prior to reacting to surface impacts or loads. Preferably, the resilient pad extends ⅛ inch below the bottom most portion of surface 36 of the lower subfloor panel board 32b, so there is a gap 37 between surface 36 and top surface of the ground substrate 20. In this way, preferably, ⅛ inch deflection permits downward movement of over 3 mm which exceeds the 2.3 mm minimal distance required for compliance with numerous athletic floor standards.

As presented in FIG. 12, the floor 30 is shown reacting to full aggressive impacts or loads, in a fully loaded condition and no gap 37 between surface 36 and top surface of the ground substrate 20. That is, in this example, the lower subfloor panel board rests fully on the ground substrate with the resilient pad compressed to half thickness while still, preferably, allowing 3/16 inch clearance between the top surface 14 of the existing raised channel and underside surface 49 of the new flooring 48.

FIG. 13 depicts a common threshold transition as installed where hardwood athletic floors transition to adjacent surfaces. Preferably, with the most commonly installed hardwood athletic flooring 48 that has thickness of 25/32 inches, such configuration for the floor 30 can provide a profile height difference of only 1/32 inch, as compared to existing replaced clip in channel floor structures. Thereby eliminating undesired ramping at doorways and adjacent floor surfaces, due to the lower profile of my new athletic floor.

My invention is also directed to a method to resiliently retrofit the worn athletic floor 2 to have new wear life. One step is adjoining at least two elongated subfloor panels 32, 34 to each other at opposite shiplap ends to form the first set of adjoined elongated subfloor panels 40. Another step is locating the first set 40 of adjoined elongated subfloor panels on the ground substrate 20 between two elongated raised channels 12 spaced from one another. Still another step is locating the second set 42 of adjoined elongated subfloor panels on the ground substrate 20 and between a third elongated raised channel 12 spaced from the two elongated raised channels. There is a step positioning the resilient pad 44 and/or 46 between the bottom surface 36 of each elongated subfloor panel and the ground substrate. And, there is also a step locating the new flooring 48 on the first set 40 of adjoined elongated subfloor panels and the second set 42 of adjoined elongated subfloor panels and covering at least one elongated raised channel. Finally, there is a step spacing the bottom surface 49 of the new flooring from the top surface 14 of the elongated raised channel 12 by the distance 16 of between about 2.3 millimeters and about 5 millimeters when the new flooring 48 is in the unloaded condition.

In other aspects the method, preferably, is directed to the configuration of certain components. For example, the method can include removing the worn athletic floor 2, except for the channels 12, before doing the step connecting the first set 40 of adjoined elongated subfloor panels to the ground substrate 20 between two elongated raised channels 12 spaced from one another. Additionally, or alternatively, the method can include the spacing 16 is by distance of between about 2.5 millimeters and about 4 millimeters, and more preferably by distance of between about 2.7 millimeters and about 3.5 millimeters. Yet additionally, or alternatively, the method can include locating the first and/or second set of adjoined elongated subfloor panels on the ground substrate is securing the ground substrate anchor 22 and/or 23 to the respective first or second set of adjoined elongated subfloor panels and into the ground substrate.

In reference to the figures, for example FIGS. 9 and 10, the positioning of the resilient pad can be locating two resilient pad members 44, 46 spaced apart from each other between the bottom surface 36 of each elongated subfloor panel and the ground substrate 20. Further, the step locating the new flooring 48 on the first set 40 and the second set 42 of adjoined elongated subfloor panels can preferably be connecting the new flooring 84 to the first set 40 and the second set 42 of adjoined elongated subfloor panels. Yet further, the method preferably includes creating gap 18 between the first set 40 of elongated subfloor panels and the two elongated raised channels 12 that the first set of elongated subfloor panels is located between. And, yet further, preferably at least the following steps are performed in the following order relative to each other: removing the worn athletic floor portion, connecting the first set of adjoined elongated subfloor panels, connecting the second set of adjoined elongated subfloor panels, locating the new flooring on the first set and the second set of adjoined elongated subfloor panels, and spacing the bottom surface of the new flooring from the top surface of the elongated raised channel.

Each and every document cited in this present application, including any cross referenced or related patent or application, is incorporated in this present application in its entirety by this reference, unless expressly excluded or otherwise limited. The citation of any document is not an admission that it is prior art with respect to any embodiment disclosed in this present application or that it alone, or in any combination with any other reference or references, teaches, suggests, or discloses any such embodiment. Further, to the extent that any meaning or definition of a term in this present application conflicts with any meaning or definition of the same term in a document incorporated by reference, the meaning or definition assigned to that term in this present application governs.

The present invention includes the description, examples, embodiments, and drawings disclosed; but it is not limited to such description, examples, embodiments, or drawings. As briefly described above, the reader should assume that features of one disclosed embodiment can also be applied to all other disclosed embodiments, unless expressly indicated to the contrary. Unless expressly indicated to the contrary, the numerical parameters set forth in the present application are approximations that can vary depending on the desired properties sought to be obtained by a person of ordinary skill in the art without undue experimentation using the teachings disclosed in the present application. Modifications and other embodiments will be apparent to a person of ordinary skill in the art of athletic floors, and all such modifications and other embodiments are intended and deemed to be within the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A new athletic floor resiliently retrofit to a worn athletic floor comprising a plurality of elongated raised channels spaced from one another and connected to a ground substrate, the new athletic floor comprising: at least two elongated subfloor panels, each elongated subfloor panel (i) connectable to the ground substrate,(ii) comprising opposite shiplap ends, and(iii) adjoined to at least one other elongated subfloor panel at the opposite shiplap ends to form a first set of adjoined elongated subfloor panels;at least two elongated raised channels spaced from one another and having the first set of adjoined elongated subfloor panels located between the two elongated raised channels spaced from one another;at least one elongated raised channel spaced from the at least two elongated raised channels and having a second set of adjoined elongated subfloor panels located between two elongated raised channels spaced from one another;a resilient pad positioned between a bottom surface of each elongated subfloor panel and the ground substrate; and,a new flooring located on the first set and the second set of elongated subfloor panels and covering at least one elongated raised channel, wherein a bottom surface of the new flooring is spaced from a top surface of the elongated raised channel by a distance of between about 2.3 millimeters and about 5 millimeters when the new flooring is in an unloaded condition.

2. The new athletic floor of claim 1, wherein at least one ground substrate anchor connects the elongated subfloor panel to the ground substrate.

3. The new athletic floor of claim 1, wherein the resilient pad comprises two resilient pad members spaced apart from each other.

4. The new athletic floor of claim 1, wherein the top surface of the elongated raised channel is spaced from the ground substrate by a distance of about ten to fifteen millimeters.

5. The new athletic floor of claim 1, wherein the distance is between about 2.5 millimeters and about 4 millimeters.

6. The new athletic floor of claim 5, wherein the distance is between about 2.7 millimeters and about 3.5 millimeters.

7. The new athletic floor of claim 1, wherein the new flooring is connected to the plurality of elongated subfloor panels.

8. The new athletic floor of claim 1, comprising a new athletic floor system, including: the plurality of elongated raised channels connected to the ground substrate;a plurality of elongated subfloor panels located between each pair of elongated raised channels; and,the new flooring resting on and connected to the plurality of elongated subfloor panels and covering each of the elongated raised channels.

9. The new athletic floor of claim 1, wherein each elongated subfloor panel is connected to the ground substrate.

10. A method to resiliently retrofit a worn athletic floor to have new wear life, the worn athletic floor comprising a plurality of elongated raised channels spaced from one another and connected to a ground substrate, comprising the steps: adjoining at least two elongated subfloor panels to each other at opposite shiplap ends to form a first set of adjoined elongated subfloor panels;locating the first set of adjoined elongated subfloor panels on the ground substrate between two elongated raised channels spaced from one another;locating a second set of adjoined elongated subfloor panels on the ground substrate and between a third elongated raised channel spaced from the two elongated raised channels;positioning a resilient pad between a bottom surface of each elongated subfloor panel and the ground substrate;locating a new flooring on the first set of adjoined elongated subfloor panels and the second set of adjoined elongated subfloor panels and covering at least one elongated raised channel; andspacing a bottom surface of the new flooring from a top surface of the elongated raised channel by a distance of between about 2.3 millimeters and about 5 millimeters when the new flooring is in an unloaded condition.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising the step removing a worn athletic floor portion before doing the step connecting the first set of adjoined elongated subfloor panels to the ground substrate between two elongated raised channels spaced from one another.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein locating the first set of adjoined elongated subfloor panels on the ground substrate further comprises securing a ground substrate anchor to the first set of adjoined elongated subfloor panels and into the ground substrate.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein positioning the resilient pad comprises locating two resilient pad members spaced apart from each other between the bottom surface of each elongated subfloor panel and the ground substrate.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein spacing is by a distance of between about 2.5 millimeters and about 4 millimeters.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein spacing is by a distance of between about 2.7 millimeters and about 3.5 millimeters.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein locating the new flooring on the first set and the second set of elongated subfloor panels comprises connecting the new flooring to the first set and the second set of elongated subfloor panels.

17. The method of claim 10, further comprising creating a gap between the first set of elongated subfloor panels and the two elongated raised channels that the first set of elongated subfloor panels is located between.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein at least the following steps are performed in the following order relative to each other: removing the worn athletic floor portion, connecting the first set of adjoined elongated subfloor panels, connecting the second set of adjoined elongated subfloor panels, locating the new flooring on the first set and the second set of elongated subfloor panels, and spacing the bottom surface of the new flooring from the top surface of the elongated raised channel.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein locating the second set of adjoined elongated subfloor panels on the ground substrate further comprises securing a second ground substrate anchor to the second set of adjoined elongated subfloor panels and into the ground substrate.