Floor panel

Abstract

In a floor panel provided with upper and lower members which have concave spaces and side surfaces having heights and are formed as a box shape, and structured such that the upper and lower members are combined up and down so as to communicate the respective concave spaces so as to form an internal space in an inner portion, the floor panel has a joint portion in which height leading end portions of the side surfaces of the upper and lower members are folded so as to enwrap each other so as to be connected, and the joint portion is arranged in a height midstream portion of the side surface of the floor panel, and is arranged at a position which is retreated to an inner side of the floor panel in relation to the side surface in both height end sides of the floor panel.

Claims

1. A floor panel comprising: an upper member which has an upper surface and a side surface and is formed as a box shape with a concave space; shape with a concave shape; and said upper member and said lower member being combined at a lower end of the side surface of said upper member and an upper end of the side surface of said lower member so as to communicate the respective concave spaces so as to form an internal space in an inner portion, said side surfaces of the upper member and the lower member defining a side surface of the floor panel, wherein a part of said lower end of the side surface of said upper member and a part of said upper end of the side surface of said lower member are bent toward an inner side of said floor panel to provide an upper concave portion and a lower concave portion formed on the inner side of the floor panel in relation to the side surface of the floor panel, said upper and lower concave portions forming a single indented portion therebetween, wherein said floor panel has a joint portion in which leading end portions of peripheral edge portions of the side surfaces of the upper member and the lower member are folded back on each other so as to enwrap each other so as to be connected, and to form said internal space; wherein said joint portion is arranged in a midstream portion of the side surface of said floor panel, and arranged in said single indented portion of said floor panel.

2. The floor panel according to claim 1, wherein an upper peripheral edge portion formed in the lower end portion side of said upper concave portion and a lower peripheral edge portion formed in the upper end portion side of said lower concave portion are folded back on each other so as to enwrap each other, whereby said joint portion is formed.

3. The floor panel according to claim 2, wherein said upper member and said lower member are connected in a center portion of the side surface of said floor panel.

4. The floor panel according to claim 2, wherein a reinforcing member is provided in said inner space which is formed between said upper member and said lower member.

5. The floor panel according to claim 3, wherein a reinforcing member is provided in said inner space which is formed between said upper member and said lower member.

6. The floor panel according to claim 1, wherein said upper member and said lower member are connected in a center portion of the side surface of said floor panel.

7. The floor panel according to claim 6, wherein a reinforcing member is provided in said inner space which is formed between said upper member and said lower member.

8. The floor panel according to claim 1, wherein a reinforcing member is provided in said inner space which is formed between said upper member and said lower member.

Description

BRIEF EXPLANATION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is a top elevational view of a floor panel 40 according to an embodiment of the present invention;

(2) FIG. 2 is a bottom elevational view of the floor panel 40 shown in FIG. 1;

(3) FIG. 3 is a side elevational view showing an outline of the floor panel 40 shown in FIG. 1;

(4) FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view of the floor panel 40 shown in FIG. 1 as seen from an arrow A-A;

(5) FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view of the floor panel 40 shown in FIG. 1 as seen from an arrow B-B;

(6) FIG. 6 is a cross sectional view of the floor panel 40 shown in FIG. 1 as seen from an arrow C-C;

(7) FIG. 7 is a partly side elevational view showing a free access floor 41 which is constructed by the floor panel 40 shown in FIG. 1, and support legs 42 supporting the floor panel 40;

(8) FIG. 8 is a partly perspective view showing a conventional free access floor 1 which is constructed by a conventional floor panel 2, and support legs 4 supporting the floor panel 2;

(9) FIG. 9 is a top elevational view of the conventional floor panel 2 or 20;

(10) FIG. 10 is a side elevational view showing an outline of the floor panel 2 shown in FIG. 9;

(11) FIG. 11 is a cross sectional view of the floor panel 2 shown in FIG. 9 as seen from an arrow D-D;

(12) FIG. 12 is a side elevational view showing an outline of the floor panel 20 shown in FIG. 9;

(13) FIG. 13 is a cross sectional view of the floor panel 20 shown in FIG. 9 as seen from the arrow D-D; and

(14) FIG. 14 is a cross sectional view of the floor panel 20 shown in FIG. 9 as seen from the arrow D-D, and is a view showing a state in which a joint portion 25 protrudes to an outer side in a horizontal direction of the floor panel 20 after a state in FIG. 13.

DESCRIPTION OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

(15) 1 free access floor 2 floor panel 2a opening portion 3 foundation floor surface 4 support leg 5 joint portion 6 top plate 6a top plate portion 6b U-shaped portion 6c upper surface 6d concave space 8 bottom plate 8a bottom plate portion 8b side plate portion 8c bottom surface 8d concave space 8f peripheral edge portion 10 internal space 12 reinforcing member 15 male thread member 17 flat head bolt 17a flat head portion 17b male thread portion 18 lid member 20 floor panel 20a opening portion 25 joint portion 26 top plate 26a top plate portion 26b side plate portion 26c upper surface 26d concave space 26j peripheral edge portion 28 bottom plate 28a bottom plate portion 28b side plate portion 28c bottom surface 28d concave space 28j peripheral edge portion 30 internal space 32 reinforcing member 40 floor panel 40a opening portion 41 free access floor 44 top plate 42 support leg 44a top plate portion 44b side plate portion 44c upper surface 44d concave space 44e step receiving surface 44f connection portion 44g step receiving surface 44h connection portion 44j peripheral edge portion 44m connection portion 44k concave portion 45 joint portion 46 bottom plate 46a bottom plate portion 46b side plate portion 46c bottom plate 46d concave space 46j peripheral edge portion 46m connection portion 46k concave portion 50 reinforcing member 56 panel adjusting table 56a support surface 56b female thread hole 58 leg portion 58a male thread portion

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

(16) A description will be specifically given below of a mode for carrying out a floor panel according to the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings.

(17) FIGS. 1 to 7 are views which are referred for describing a floor panel 40 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

(18) The floor panel 40 according to the present embodiment is constructed, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, mainly by combining a top plate 44 (an upper member) in which an upper surface 44c is formed approximately as a square shape, and a bottom plate 46 (a lower member) in which a bottom surface 46c corresponding to the upper surface 44c is formed approximately as a square shape, from up and down as shown in FIG. 3.

(19) The top plate 44 and bottom plate 46 are formed, for example, by a press drawing process while using a steel plate member such as SGCC. Further, the top plate 44 and the bottom plate 46 are combined vertically as shown in FIG. 4, and are connected in a joint portion 45 in a height center portion of a side surface of the floor panel 40.

(20) As shown in FIG. 4, a side plate portion 44b is formed in the top plate 44 of the floor panel 40 by folding a top plate portion 44a of the top plate 44 approximately vertically from a peripheral edge portion toward a lower side in the drawing, and a connection portion 44m having an inclined surface inclined at a predetermined angle is formed from a lower end portion of the side plate portion 44b toward an inner direction (a leftward direction in the drawing) of the floor panel 40.

(21) Further, a concave portion 44k (an upper concave portion) is formed in the top plate 44 so as to extend from a lower end portion of the connection portion 44m toward a lower side in FIG. 4 approximately in parallel to the side plate portion 44b, and a peripheral edge portion 44j (an upper peripheral edge portion) is formed so as to be folded at plural times like a U-shaped form from a leading end portion below the concave portion 44k.

(22) Further, a side plate portion 46b is formed in the bottom plate 46 of the floor panel 40, as shown in FIG. 4, by folding a bottom plate portion 46a approximately vertically from a peripheral edge portion of the bottom plate portion 46a toward an upper side in the drawing, and a connection portion 46m having an inclined surface in which the side plate portion 46b is inclined at a predetermined angle from an upper end portion of the side plate portion 46b toward an inner direction (a leftward direction in the drawing) of the floor panel 40.

(23) Further, a concave portion 46k (a lower concave portion) is formed in the bottom plate 46, the concave portion 46k extending from an upper end portion of the connection portion 46m toward an upper side in the drawing so as to be approximately parallel to the side plate portion 46b, and a peripheral edge portion 46j (a lower peripheral edge portion) is formed by being folded as a U-shaped form from a leading end portion above the concave portion 46k, as shown in FIG. 4.

(24) As a result, the top plate 44 is formed as a box shape having a concave space 44d which is formed in an inner side in a horizontal direction of the side plate portion 44b, the connection portion 44m, the concave portion 44k and the peripheral edge portion 44j and over a height direction. Further, the bottom plate 46 is formed in the same manner as a box shape having a concave space 46d which is formed in an inner side in a horizontal direction of the side plate portion 46b, the connection portion 46m, the concave portion 46k and the peripheral edge portion 46j and over a height direction.

(25) Further, the top plate 44 and the bottom plate 46 are arranged so as to communicate the concave spaces 44d and 46d of the top plate 44 and the bottom plate 46 with each other, as shown in FIG. 4.

(26) Further, as shown in FIG. 4, since the peripheral edge portion 44j of the top plate 44 and the peripheral edge portion 46j of the bottom plate 46 are folded like the U-shaped form so as to enwrap each other and be approximately in parallel to the side plate portions 44b and 46b, the top plate 44 and the bottom plate 46 are connected by the joint portion 45 approximately in the center portion in the vertical direction in FIG. 4 of the floor panel 40.

(27) As mentioned above, since it is possible to make the depth of the concave space 44d of the top plate 44 and the concave space 46d of the bottom plate 46 approximately half of the depth of the concave space 8d of the bottom plate 8 in the conventional floor panel 2, it is possible to make a height with which the side plate portions 44b and 46b are extended by a deep drawing process smaller than a height with which the side plate portion 8b of the bottom plate 8 in the floor panel 2 is extended by a deep drawing process, at that degree.

(28) Therefore, since it is possible to reduce a tension force which is applied in the case of the deep drawing process of the top plate 44 and the bottom plate 46, it is possible to prevent the crack or the breaking from being easily generated at the time of forming process even in the case that the thicknesses of the top plate 44 and the bottom plate 46 are reduced.

(29) Further, the joint portion 45 formed by folding the peripheral edge portion 44j of the top plate 44 and the peripheral edge portion 46j of the bottom plate 46 is pressed toward the inner side of the floor panel 40 (the left side in FIG. 4) so as to come into contact with the concave portion 44k (refer to FIG. 4) of the top plate 44.

(30) The concave portion 44k of the top plate 44 is formed at a position which is retreated to the inner side of the floor panel 40 in relation to the side plate portion 44b, and the concave portion 46k of the bottom plate 46 is formed at a position which is retreated to the inner side of the floor panel 40 in relation to the side plate portion 46b.

(31) As a result, the joint portion 25 pressed toward the inner side of the floor panel 40 is housed at a position which is retreated to the left side in FIG. 4 in relation to an outer peripheral surface of the side plate portion 44b and the side plate portion 46b (the right end surface in FIG. 4 of the floor panel 40).

(32) In other words, the joint portion 45 is arranged in a height center portion of the side surface of the floor panel 40, and is arranged at a position which is retreated to the inner side of the floor panel 40 in relation to the side surfaces in both height end sides of the floor panel 40 (the outer peripheral surfaces of the side plate portions 44b and 46b), such that a single indented portion is formed between the upper and lower concave portions.

(33) As a result, even in the case that the joint portion 45 deforms so as to return toward the outer side in the horizontal direction of the floor panel 40 (the right side in FIG. 4) due to a thereafter elastic deformation of the peripheral edge portions 44j and 46j, the joint portion 45 can be prevented from protruding to the outer side in the horizontal direction (the right side in FIG. 4) in relation to the outer peripheral surfaces of the side plate portions 44b and 46b (the right end surface in FIG. 4 of the floor panel 40).

(34) Therefore, since the joint portion 45 connecting the top plate 44 and the bottom plate 46 does not protrude to the outer side in the horizontal direction in relation to the outer peripheral surfaces of the side plate portions 44b and 46b, it is possible to improve a dimensional precision of the side surface portion of the floor panel 40, and it is possible to prevent the joint portion 45 from interfering with the other floor panel 40 which is arranged adjacently.

(35) Further, since the joint portion 45 does not protrude to the outer side in the horizontal direction in relation to the outer peripheral surfaces of the side plate portions 44b and 46b, the joint portion 45 can be prevented from catching on the other member or the worker at the time of installing the floor panel 40 or the time of the maintenance work after the installation, and it is possible to improve a workability.

(36) Since the top plate 44 and the bottom plate 46 are integrally connected by the joint portion 45 (refer to FIGS. 4 to 6), the floor panel 40 can be formed as a hollow shape having an internal space 48, and a plate-like reinforcing member 50 having a thickness is housed in the internal space 48 in order to improve a strength of the floor panel 40.

(37) The reinforcing member 50 is sandwiched between the top plate portion 44a of the top plate 44 and the bottom plate portion 46a of the bottom plate 46, and is provided so as to be along the side plate portions 44b and 46b and the concave portions 44k and 46k. Further, the reinforcing member 50 employs a particle board which is formed by breaking a wood into small wood pieces so as to dry, and molding under a high temperature and high pressure while adding an adhesive agent.

(38) The top plate 44 of the floor panel 40 is formed, as shown in FIG. 1, in its four corner portions circular arc shaped connection portions 44f each of which is formed in its plane shape as a circular arc shape obtained by dividing a circle into four sections, and circular arc shaped step receiving surfaces 44e each of which is formed in its plane shape as a circular arc shape obtained by dividing a circle into four sections, in a radially inner side of the connection portion 44f.

(39) In other words, the connection portion 44f and the step receiving surfaces 44e are formed in each of four corner portions of the top plate 44, the connection portion 44f being formed as a taper shape which is inclined in its vertical cross section at a predetermined angle, and the step receiving surface 44e extending in parallel to the upper surface 44c of the top plate 44 (horizontally) from the lower end portion of the connection portion 44f and in a radial direction, and having a low step in relation to the upper surface 44c, as shown in FIG. 5.

(40) Further, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, an opening portion 40a is formed in the floor panel 40 so as to intrude approximately like a rectangular shape into an inner side of a side edge portion of a lower edge (a lower side edge extending in a lateral direction of the drawing) which is one edge of the approximately square shape. The opening portion 40a is used for attaching a wall socket used for connecting an underfloor wiring to an office automation equipment installed on the floor panel 40.

(41) Further, as shown in FIG. 6, a connection portion 44h and a step receiving surface 44g are formed in three edge portions which construct the opening portion 40a of the floor panel 40 and are formed approximately as a C-shaped form, the connection portion 44h being formed in its vertical cross section as a taper shape which is inclined at a predetermined angle, and the step receiving surface 44g extending from a lower end portion of the connection portion 44h in parallel to the upper surface 44c of the top plate 44 (horizontally) and in a width direction, and having a low step in relation to the upper surface 44c. The step receiving surface 44g is formed along three edge portions which construct the opening portion 40a of the floor panel 40 and are formed approximately as a C-shaped form.

(42) Further, the opening portion 40a of the floor panel 40 is structured such as to be closed by brining a lower surface of a plate-like lid member 18 (refer to FIG. 8) into contact with the step receiving surface 44g of the top plate 44, the lid member 18 being formed so that its upper surface approximately forms the same plane shape as the upper surface 44c of the top plate 44.

(43) Since the floor panel 40 is structured, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, such that the reinforcing member 50 is sandwiched between the step receiving surfaces 44e and 44g of the top plate 44, and the bottom plate portion 46a of the bottom plate 46 below the step receiving surfaces, the step receiving surfaces 44e and 44g can be improved its strength, and are hard to be deflected. As a result, it is possible to prevent the step receiving surfaces 44e and 44g from being deformed in the case that the load is applied from the upper side of the step receiving surfaces 44e and 44g.

(44) Further, since the lid member 18 (refer to FIG. 8) mounted on the step receiving surface 44g of the top plate 44 can support the load applied from the upper side thereof with the step receiving surface 44g, it is possible to prevent the lid member 18 from being deformed.

(45) The floor panel 40 is structured, as shown in FIG. 7, such as to construct a free access floor 41 together with support legs 42 which are provided in a rising manner on the foundation floor surface 3. Further, the support leg 42 supporting the floor panel 40 is constructed by a panel adjusting table 56 and a leg portion 58.

(46) The panel adjusting table 56 of the support leg 42 adjusts a height position of the panel adjusting table 56 from the foundation floor surface 3 by relatively rotating the panel adjusting table 56 along a spiral track of a male thread portion 58a in a state in which the male thread portion 58a formed in an outer peripheral portion of the leg portion 58 is threadably joined to a female thread portion formed in a lower end side of an axial portion of the panel adjusting table 56.

(47) Further, the panel adjusting table 56 is fixed to a desired height position from the foundation floor surface 3 by fastening a male thread member 15 to a female thread hole which is formed in a lower end portion of the panel adjusting table 56 and extends its axis in a radial direction.

(48) A plurality of floor panels 40 are mounted on a support surface 56a of the panel adjusting table 56 in such a manner that four corner portions of the bottom surfaces 46c of a plurality of floor panels 40 are gathered to one position and confronted. Further, the step receiving surfaces 44e in four corner portions of the top plate 44 are pressed downward by a flat head portion 17a of a flat head bolt 17, by fastening a male thread portion 17b of the flat head bolt 17 into a female thread hole 56b in an upper end side of an axial portion of the panel adjusting table 56, and the floor panel 40 is fixed onto the support surface 56a of the panel adjusting table 56.

(49) Semispherical concave portions 46e depressed to the upper surface 44c side of the top plate 44 (an upper side in FIG. 3) are formed in four corner portions of the bottom surface 46c of the bottom plate 46, as shown in FIG. 2. Further, since the concave portions 46e are fitted to semispherical convex portions provided in the support surface 56a in the case that four corner portions of the bottom surface 46c are mounted onto the support surface 56a of the panel adjusting table 56, the floor panel 40 mounted on the support legs 42 can be easily positioned.

(50) Therefore, as described above, according to the floor panel 40 on the basis of the present embodiment, it is possible to prevent the crack or the breaking from being easily generated at the forming time, and it is possible to improve a dimensional precision and a workability.

(51) The present invention is not limited only to the embodiment mentioned above, but can be variously modified in the floor panel as long as the purpose of the present invention can be achieved.

(52) For example, in the floor panel 40 according to the embodiment mentioned above, the joint portion 45 connecting the top plate 44 and the bottom plate 46 is formed in the center portion in the height direction of the side surface of the floor panel 40, however, can be formed at the other positions in the height midstream portion of the side surface of the floor panel 40 without being limited to the position mentioned above.

(53) Further, in the floor panel 40 according to the embodiment mentioned above, the connection portion 44m is formed so as to have the inclined surface which is inclined at the predetermined angle from the lower end portion of the side plate portion 44b of the top plate 44 toward the inner direction of the floor panel 40, and the connection portion 46m is formed so as to have the inclined surface which is inclined at the predetermined angle from the upper end portion of the side plate portion 46b of the bottom plate 46 toward the inner direction of the floor panel 40, however, the connection portions 44m and 46m are not limited to these shapes.

(54) For example, the connection portions 44m and 46m may be formed as a vertical plate shape which connects so that approximately perpendicular steps are respectively formed between the side plate portions 44b and 46b, and the concave portions 44k and 46k, or may be formed so that a vertical cross section of the inclined surface of each of the connection portions 44m and 46m is formed as a circular arc shape.

(55) Further, in the floor panel 40 according to the embodiment mentioned above, the peripheral edge portion 44j of the top plate 44 and the peripheral edge portion 46j of the bottom plate 46 are folded like the U-shaped form so as to enwrap each other, whereby the top plate 44 and the bottom plate 46 are connected by the joint portion 45, as shown in FIG. 4, however, the folding method is not limited to the above, but, for example, the folding number of the peripheral edge portions 44j and 46j and the lengths thereof may be different.

(56) Further, in the floor panel 40 according to the embodiment mentioned above, the plate-like reinforcing member 50 using the particle board is installed within the internal space 48, however, the other wooden material than the particle board may be installed within the internal space 48, a reinforcing member formed by the other materials than the wooden material may be installed within the internal space, or nothing may be installed within the internal space 48.

(57) In the case that the reinforcing member formed by the other material such as a mortar than the wooden material is used, a fluid material may be filled, for example, from a hole formed in the top plate portion 44a into the internal space 48 of the floor panel 40 which is formed by the upper member 44 and the lower member 46 so as to be solidified according to passage of time, in place of the member formed as the plate shape.

(58) Further, the floor panel 40 according to the embodiment mentioned above is formed by using a steel plate member, however, may be formed by using the other material such as an aluminum without being limited to the steel plate material.

(59) Further, FIG. 8 shows the case that one support leg 4 put in the center of the drawing supports three floor panels 2 while gathering the corner portions thereof as a matter of convenience for description, however, it goes without saying that one support leg 4 can support four floor panels 2 while gathering the corner portions thereof, and this is an original using way of the support leg 4 and is applied in the same manner to the floor panel 40 according to the present embodiment.