The present disclosure relates to modular floor systems and impact and shock-absorbing floors.
A sprung floor is a floor that is designed to absorb impact or vibration. Such floors are used for dance and indoor sports, martial arts and physical education to enhance performance and reduce injury. Impact injuries and repetitive stress injuries are mitigated by sprung floors.
Sprung-floor requirements are similar for dance or sports. Aspects of sprung floors include: stability; balance; flatness; flexion to prevent injuries without being so soft as to cause fatigue; sufficient traction to avoid slipping without causing one's foot to twist due to excessive grip.
Common construction methods include woven slats of wood or wood with high-durometer rubber pads between the wood and sub-floor, or a combination of the woven slats with rubber pads. Some sprung floors are constructed as permanent structures while others are composed of modules that slot together and can be disassembled for transportation. When constructed, a gap is left between the sprung floor and walls to allow for expansion and contraction of the sprung-floor materials.
The surface of a sprung floor is referred to as the performance surface and may be constructed of either a natural material such as solid or engineered wood or may be synthetic such as vinyl, linoleum or other polymeric construction. The surface upon which a sprung floor is installed is referred to as the sub-floor.
Some pads or shock absorbers used in sprung-floor construction are made of rubber or elastic polymers. The term elastic polymer is commonly referred to as rubber. Elastomers are amorphous polymers having viscosity and elasticity with a high failure strain compared to other polymers. Rubber is a naturally occurring substance that is converted into a durable material through the process of vulcanization. Elastomers or elastomeric materials may be thermosets or thermoplastic. A thermoset material is formed and set with a heating process. Thermoset materials do not return to their liquid state upon re-heating. Thermoplastic materials return to a liquid state when subject to sufficient heat. Thermoplastic materials may be injection-molded while thermoset materials are commonly molded in low-pressure, foam-assisted molds or are formed in stock material that may be die-cut or machined.
Bending stiffness, also referred to as flexural rigidity, may be understood to be the result of a material's elastic modulus (E) multiplied by the area moment of inertia (I) of a beam cross-section, E*I. Bending stiffness or flexural rigidity may be measured in Newton millimeters squared (N*mm{circumflex over ( )}2) A beam is also referred to as an elongate member.
In accordance with example embodiments of the present disclosure, a method, system and apparatus for a modular sprung-floor is disclosed. An example embodiment is a sprung floor module having interchangeable components. Interchangeable components make up standardized assemblies. An example embodiment has a frame module that may be installed in a series to cover a given area along with an edge module that provides a finished edge to the frame modules. The frame and edge modules comprise a frame that supports a performance surface.
Standardized components include linear structural members combined with elastomeric joints and support members. Linear structural members may be hollow rectangular tubes.
One skilled in the art is familiar with hollow rectangular structural members made of steel, aluminum, fiber-reinforced polymers and the like. Manufacturing methods include casting, extruding, pultrusion, laminate molding and the like. Material properties vary as to cost of materials and are dependent on specific aspects of applications. For example, fiber-reinforced structural members may be appropriate for a modular system that must be rapidly assembled, disassembled and moved, whereas a permanent installation may utilize wood, composite, polymer, aluminum or steel structural members for reasons of durability and cost.
Frame modules are made up of linear-structural members arranged in a grid pattern having X-axis members and Y-axis members. Vertical joints are standardized components of an elastomeric material that join linear-structural members at right angles where X-axis members meet Y-axis members. These joints join structural members to form a frame while damping vibration and impact.
Other elastomeric members engage with X-axis or Y-axis members and further join together lateral channels that support a performance surface. The performance surface is made up of flat panels that are keyed together. These lateral channels join together frame modules while aligning and connecting performance surface panels, and in some embodiments have a U-shaped cross section. In some embodiments, performance-surface panel joints do not align with frame-module joints. Lateral channels provide a way of joining together performance-surface panels across frame module seams. Elastomeric supports between frame modules and linear channels damp vibrations between performance surface panels and frame modules.
An edge assembly provides a finished edge to the modular floor assembly. In one embodiment, an edge assembly is a long, linear structural member that resides along the Y axis of an assembled frame. Relatively short structural members along the X axis are joined perpendicularly to the long Y-axis members. Their distal ends are further joined to frame members coaxially (i.e., continuing along the X axis). A lateral support structure is affixed to the edge assembly by an array of elastomeric joint-members that join linear-structural members at right angles while also supporting the lateral channel and damping vibrations between the lateral channel, and hence the performance surface, and the edge-assembly structure.
To join grid modules together, elastomeric pads and brackets are installed to abutting elongate members, forming a lateral joint. The elastomeric pads transmit load from a performance surface perpendicularly to these joints.
The perpendicular force transmits a compressive force on the top of the elongate members, and a tensile force on the bottom of the elongate members. The tops of the abutting elongate members push into each other, supporting the compressive load.
Similarly, perpendicular force transmits a compressive force on the top of the elastomeric pads, which hold the elongate members together from the top, and a tensile force to the brackets, which hold the elongate members together from the bottom.
One skilled in the art understands that there are various methods for manufacturing elastomeric forms. In some embodiments the joint and support components are injection-molded. In other embodiments, elastomeric components may be manufactured by a low-pressure molding process using foamed urethane. In still other embodiments elastomeric components may be die-cut from stock material. One skilled in the art also understands that elastomeric components may be placed between frame members and a sub-floor.
Other objects and features will become apparent from the following detailed description considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. It is to be understood, however, that the drawings are designed as an illustration and not as a definition of the limits of the invention.
To assist those of skill in the art in making and using the disclosed floor system and associated methods, reference is made to the accompanying figures, wherein:
An edge assembly 114 attaches to the frame assembly 112 on at least two sides. The edge assembly comprises relatively long Y-axis members 122 co-linear with Y-axis frame members 128. Perpendicularly affixed to the edge assembly's Y-axis members 122 are relatively short X-axis members 120, which are co-linear with X-axis frame members 126.
The edge assembly's X- and Y-axis members 120, 122 are joined by edge-assembly joints 124. Edge-assembly joints are elastomeric in form and serve to absorb shock and damp vibrations between members. These edge-assembly joints further affix the X- and Y-axis members to an above lateral channel 118. Lateral channels 118 fasten together the above performance-surface panels 116.
Fastener-holes 176 are configured to affix the frame joint 130 with X-axis members 126 (
Frame joints
In
In
In
Fastener holes 276 are configured to affix the frame joint 230 to X-axis members 226 with the use of any generic fastener. Fastener holes 278 are configured to allow fasteners to affix the frame joint 230 with Y-axis members 228 or to butt-join two Y-axis members 228, 228′ with the use of a pin 234. When a set of frame assemblies are joined, they are finished with a final X-member assembly 213 that has the same components as other X members in the assembly. One skilled in the art understands how the entire assembly can be completed with members 232 attached to open-ended members 226. One skilled in the art understands that in a similar manner X-axis members may be joined with pads 232.
Fastener holes 276 are configured to affix the frame joint 230 to X-axis members 226 (
A bracket 335 has an inverted U-shaped cross-section. It serves to join the x-axis frame members end to end. At least one pin 334 may be used to fasten the bracket 335 to a frame member 326.
Fastener holes 376 are configured to affix the frame joint 330 to X-axis members 326 with the use of common fasteners. Fastener holes 378 are configured to affix the frame joint 330 to Y-axis members 328.
A bracket 335 has an inverted U-shaped cross-section. It serves to join the x-axis frame members 326 end to end. Fastener holes 337 through the bracket 335 match those 376 of the frame members 326. At least one pin 334 may be used to fasten the bracket 335 to a frame member 326. Fastener holes 337 in the pad 332 match those 376 of the frame members and may be used to fortify this joint. Perpendicular force transmits a tensile force to the brackets, which hold the elongate members together from the bottom.
This application is a continuation-in-part application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/967,519 filed 2018 Apr. 30.
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Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | 15967519 | Apr 2018 | US |
Child | 16407348 | US |