A COMPOSITE ACCESS FLOOR PANEL

Description

[0001] The present invention concerns the field of so-called access floors, as widely used at present, for exemple, in offices and public buildings. These floors comprise a system of vertical uprights set at a certain distance from one another and resting on a bed, and a horizontal floor surface consisting of panels supported by said uprights. Pipes and cables can be installed in the space between the bed and the floor surface, thus remaining easily accessible for servicing.

[0002] Floor panels of various types are used.

[0003] A first type consists of flat chipboard panels. A drawback of panels of this type is that they have little fire-resistance even if they are impregnated with fire-proofing material; they do not flare up, but they burn to ashes in a relatively short time. They do not withstand damp.

[0004] Concrete panels are also used. Though they having good fire-resistance, a drawback of these panels is that the upper surface cannot be finished as wished.

[0005] Another type of panel used for access floors consists of metal-plated chipboard panels. These present greater manufacturing and finishing problems, however, which are reflected in higher costs.

[0006] There are also panels made of anhydrite which have good fire-resistance but are difficult to cut to size and, like all flat panels, simply rest on the supports and must be held in place by side walls.

[0007] U.S. patents Nos. 4.203.268 and 4.411.121 describe access floor panels consisting of a tray-shaped bottom part and a lid-shaped top part, both of sheet metal, in which the tray-shaped part is formed with dome shapes ending in truncated cone shapes substantially extending up to and contacting the cover. Although these panels present some advantages, their acoustic properties are not satisfactory and they do not afford good thermal insulation or fire-resistance since there are some points at which the tray is welded directly to the cover. They also have to be welded during assembly, thus giving rise to high costs and making it necessary to paint the outer surface to prevent rust.

[0008] EP-A-0 171 971 discloses a panel for access floors, comprising a sheet metal base element with a substantially flat bottom surface, a core connected to the base element, said core comprising at least one sheet metal element substantially at right angles to the base and extended to be in contact therewith. The production of these sheets is very difficult since it involves several high precision works (the sheets need to be slitted, coupled, cut into modules). Such folded metal sheets define, among them, blind spaces, that is spaces which are not in communication with each other. The panels of EP-A-0 171 971 can be difficultly filled with materials; each single space must be filled from above and when the panel is open. These panels further need a cover. At last it is impossible to have cables or pipes passing inside them; cables and pipes in fact are made to pass only underneath the panels.

[0009] The aim of this application is to produce an access floor panel that overcomes the drawbacks of previous panels, i.e. that is fire-resistant, thermally insulating, has good acoustic qualities, is sturdy and have an upper surface that can be finished in any way one likes, that represents an innovation in products with simple cold assembly and that is installed by inserting it into its own seat and not simply by resting it on supports.

[0010] This aim has been achieved with the panels described in claim 1. This panel is strong, hard-wearing, could be of reduced thickness, has good acoustic and thermal properties, is fire-resistant, has space for cables and pipes to pass inside it and can be finished in any way one wishes on its upper surface. It can also be manufactured at a low cost compared to the previous panels made from metal and composite materials.

[0011] Some embodiments of the invention will be described below by way of example only, with reference to the attached drawings in which:

Figure 1

is a view of a type of panel according to this invention, along 1-1 in Figure 2;

Figure 2

is a section along 2-2 of figure 1, illustrating the three elements that make up the second type of panel, in an exploded view;

Figure 3

is a view of another type of panel according to the present invention along 3-3 in figure 4;

Figure 4

is a section along 4-4 in figure 3 which illustrates the parts making up the third type of panel, in an exploded view;

Figure 5

is a plan view of a third type of panel; part of the cover has been cut away to show the parts beneath;

Figure 6

is a view of the panel in the preceding figure, part of which is an elevational view and part a section along 6-6 in figure 5;

Figure 7

is a front view of a tab;

Figure 8

is a vertical section through the third type of panel, on a different scale from figures 5 and 6;

Figure 9

is a perspective view of a further type of panel which, without the cover, can be filled with various materials thus providing a ready-made floor surface.

[0012] The panel 20 in figures 1 and 2 comprises a tray 22 with straight channels 28, a flat cover 24 and an intermediate spacer element 26 consisting of a flat metal sheet 23 in which flaps or tabs 25 have been formed by cutting along three sides and the tabs thus obtained are folded at right angles to the metal surface of the core element. Number 27 designates the slots visible in the core plate. The folded tabs may be arranged in any fashion in plan view and will be welded, fastened, seam folded or otherwise fixed to the base 22 below, which will preferably have channels 28, shaped and arranged to correspond to the tabs. Figure 1 shows a particular arrangement of the folded tabs in the core element; this arrangement, seen in a plan view, comprises slots 27a, 27b (and relative tabs) set at right angles to each other and parallel to the diagonals of a square, slots 27c arranged along the sides of the square and further slots 27d set at right angles to the sides of the square.

[0013] Panel 30 of figures 3 and 4 differs from the preceding panel only in the arrangement of the slots and relative tabs. Said panel 30, like the preceding one, comprises a base element 32, an upper cover part 34 and an intermediate core element 36.

[0014] The tabs 35 formed by cutting along three sides and folding along the fourth side, leave slots 37 which in this case are arranged in pairs, each pair being set at right angles to the pair next to it. The channels 38 in the base have an identical arrangement to that of the tabs.

[0015] Although only a few arrangements of the tabs in the core element have been illustrated, any other arrangement of these tabs is within the scope of this invention.

[0016] Each panel according to the invention also includes a filling of a per se known material with thermo-acustic properties, such as cellular concrete or expanded material. The panels are used by assembling them on uprights of a conventional type, which are therefore not described herein.

[0017] A further type of panel, indicated as a whole by number 40 in figures 5, 6 and 7 comprises a tray-shaped element 42, a cover element 44, and a core element or spacer 46. The latter has an arrangement of slots 47 and flaps 45 (obtained from the slots) similar to the arrangement in figure 3, except that the slots and tabs are arranged singly at right angles and not in pairs. Each tab is cut with one or more seaming tongues 45' which protrude from the opposite edge to the fold line.

[0018] The bottom of the tray 42 has channels 48 with slots 48' into which the tongues 45' are fitted and then folded, in a per se known manner, over the metal sheet of the channels 48. The tray has a peripheral stiffening channel 51. The core tray and the cover are preferably seam joined together by a fold along the edge of the cover that fits into a special fold along the edge of the tray. The panel 40, like the panels described above may be filled with material having thermal and acoustic properties, such as cellular concrete for example, or left empty.

[0019] Although the panels so far described have a cover, panels comprising only a tray element and a core element also come within the scope of the invention. Such a panel is illustrated in fig. 9, reference number 60. The tray is designated by 62 and the core by 66. Only for the example illustrated, the core is of the cut and folded metal type, similar to cores 36 and 46 in the preceding examples.

[0020] The empty space within the tray can be filled with concrete or expanded material so that it already forms a floor surface, or it can be left empty.

Claims

1. A panel for access floors, comprising a sheet metal base element with a substantially flat bottom surface, a core connected to the base element, said core comprising at least one sheet metal element substantially at right angles to the base and extended to be in contact therewith, characterized in that said core (26; 36; 46; 66) further comprises a second sheet metal element substantially parallel to the bottom surface of the base (22; 32; 42; 62), said at least one sheet metal element is comprised of a tab or tabs (25; 35; 45) which are cut and folded from said second sheet metal element so as to be arranged substantially at right angles to both the plane of the second metal element and the base, and are fixed by their ends to the base, said tabs, seen in a plan view, being spaced from one another so as to leave openings among them to let any possible installation or filling from the outside pass through.

2. A panel according to claim 1, characterized in that it also comprises a fixed cover element (24; 34; 44).

3. A panel according to claim 1, characterized in that said core element (26; 36; 46; 66) has fastening tongues (45') extending from the edge which is in contact with the base element, this latter having special slots (48') into which said tongues are fitted and fastened.

4. A panel (20) according to claim 1, characterized in that the tab arrangement, seen in a plan view, consists of tabs (25) arranged parallel to the diagonals of a square, tabs arranged parallel to the sides of the square and tabs perpendicular to the sides of the square.

5. A panel (30) according to claim 1, characterized in that the tab arrangement, seen in a plan view, consists of staggered pairs of tabs (35) at right angles to each other.

6. A panel according to claim 1, characterized in that the bottom surface of the base element has reference channels (28; 48) for assembly with the core element in correspondence with the right angled tabs thereof.

7. A panel (40; 60) according to claim 1, characterized in that the tab arrangement, seen in a plan view, comprises single staggered tabs (45) at right angles to each other.

Ansprüche

1. Bodenplatte als Zutritt zu Fußböden, umfassend ein Basiselement aus Metall-Blech mit im wesentlichen ebener Basisfläche, ein mit dem Basiselement verbundener Kernteil mit mindestens einem Element aus Metall-Blech, im wesentlichen rechtwinklig zur Basis und bis zum Kontakt mit dieser sich erstreckend, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß der Kern (26, 36, 46, 66) ausserdem ein zweites Element aus Metall-Blech umfasst, welches im wesentlichen zur Grundfläche der Basis (22, 32, 42, 62) parallel ist, wobei zumindest dieses eine Element aus Metall-Blech einen Lappen oder Lappen (25, 35, 45) aufweist, die aus diesem zweiten Element aus Metall-Blech herausgeschnitten und umgebogen sind, um damit im wesentlichen im rechten Winkel zu beiden, der Fläche des zweiten Elements aus Metall und der Basis, vorzuliegen, und mit deren Enden mit der Basis fest verbunden sind, wobei diese Lappen, in Draufsicht gesehen, gegenseitig distanziert sind, um damit zwischen diesen Öffnungen freizustellen, für den Durchgang irgendwelcher Installation oder zur Auffüllung von aussen.

2. Bodenplatte nach Anspruch 1, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass diese ausserdem ein befestigtes Teil in Form eines Deck-Elementes (24, 34, 44) aufweist.

3. Bodenplatte nach Anspruch 1, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass das Kernteil (26, 36, 46, 66) Befestigungslappen (45') besitzt, ausgehend vom Rand der mit dem Basiselement in Kontakt steht, wobei letzteres spezielle Schlitze (48') aufweist, in welche diese Lappen hineingeschoben und befestigt sind.

4. Bodenplatte (20) nach Anspruch 1, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die Anordnung der Lappen, in Draufsicht gesehen, aus Lappen (25) besteht welche parallel zu den Diagonalen eines Quadrates angeordnet sind, Lappen die parallel zu den Seiten des Quadrates und Lappen die senkrecht zu den Seiten des Quadrates angeordnet sind.

5. Bodenplatte (30) nach Anspruch 1, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die Anordnung der Lappen, in Draufsicht gesehen, aus versetzt angeordneten Lappenpaaren (35) besteht, die rechtwinklig zueinander angeordnet sind.

6. Bodenplatte nach Anspruch 1, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die Grundfläche des Basiselementes Bezugkanäle (28, 48) aufweist für den Zusammenbau mit dem Kernteil in Übereinstimmung mit dessen rechtwinkligen Lappen.

7. Bodenplatte (40, 60) nach Anspruch 1, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die Anordnung der Lappen in Draufsicht gesehen einzeln vesetzt angeordnete Lappen (45) im rechten Winkel zueinander umfasst.

Revendications

1. Panneau de plancher d'accès, comprenant un élément de base, en tôle, avec une surface de fond pratiquement plate, un élément de noyau relié à l'élément de base, ledit élément de noyau comprenant au moins une partie en tôle pratiquement orthogonale par rapport à la base et s'étendant jusq'à la toucher, caractérisé en ce que ledit élément de noyau (26; 36; 46; 66) comprend en outre une seconde partie en tôle pratiquement parallèle à la surface de fond de la base (22; 32; 42; 62), au moins ladite première partie en tôle comprenant des volets (25; 35; 45) qui sont coupés dans ladite seconde partie en tôle, et pliés de façon à être disposés pratiquement de façon orthogonale par rapport au plan de la seconde partie en tôle et à la base, et qu'ils sont fixés avec l'extrémité à la base, lesdits volets vus sur plan étant distancés les uns des autres de façon à laisser entre eux des passages pour des installations éventuelles ou pour un remplissage de l'extérieur.

2. Panneau selon la revendication 1 caractérisé en ce qu'il comprend en outre un élément à couvercle fixé (24; 34; 44).

3. Panneau selon la revendication 1, caractérisé en ce que ledit élément de noyau (26; 36; 46; 66) présente des languettes d'agrafage (45') étendues du bord en contact avec l'élément de base, ce dernier présentant des fissures expressément faites (48') à l'intérieur desquelles lesdites languettes sont introduites et fixées.

4. Panneau (20) selon la revendication 1, caractérisé en ce que la disposition des volets comprend, vue sur plan, des volets (25) disposés parallèlement aux diagonales d'un carré, des volets parallèles aux côtés du carré et des volets perpendiculaires aux côtés du carré.

5. Panneau (30) selon la revendication 1, caractérisé en ce que la disposition des volets comprend, vue sur plan, des couples de volets (35) disposés décalés et orthogonaux les uns par rapport aux autres.

6. Panneau selon la revendication 1, caractérisé en ce que la surface de fond de l'élément de base présente des canaux de repère (28; 48) pour l'assemblage avec l'élément de noyau en correspondance des volets orthogonaux de ce dernier.

7. Panneau (40; 60) selon la revendication 1, caractérisé en ce que la disposition des volets comprend, vue en plan, des volets isolés (45) décalés et orthogonaux les uns par rapport aux autres.

Drawing