Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02354097 2001-07-25
METHOD FOR INSTALLING WOOD FLOORING
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a connector and more particularly, relates to
a
connector for use in a flooring system.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
There are many different types of flooring which are used both in residential
and
commercial applications. Flooring systems range from hardwood floors to
various
composite wood products, tiles, linoleum, slate, carpets, etc. Each of the
aforementioned
types of flooring has various advantages and disadvantages, with some of the
parameters
for suitability for any particular installation being cost of the flooring
material, cost of
installation, durability, appearance, ease of maintenance, etc.
For a residential and many commercial installations, the use of wood and
notably a
hardwood is considered desirable particularly from an aesthetic viewpoint.
Historically,
some of the drawbacks associated with hardwood flooring have been the cost of
installation and maintenance. Typically, hardwood flooring comes in slats of
solid wood
which must be secured to a substrate. In most instances, the wood slats have a
tongue
and groove arrangement formed on their side walls and the slats are secured by
toenailing
a nail through the tongue portion. Although there are a number of automatic
nailing guns
which are suitable for performing this operation, thus speeding up the
installation, it is
still a time consuming operation. Still further, many of the woods used in the
flooring
have a tendency to split when the nail is driven. In order to prevent this
splitting, it then
becomes necessary to pre-drill a pilot hole for the nail. This is again very
time
consuming and thus increases the expense of installation.
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CA 02354097 2001-07-25
Still further, wood floors, in high traffic areas, are subject to a wear
factor. After a
certain period of time, it becomes necessary to refinish the floors which
typically
comprises an operation to remove the old surface coating by means of a sander
and
subsequently refinishing the floors. This operation is one which requires some
skill on
the part of the operator of the sander in order to maintain a level and smooth
surface. It is
also an extremely messy and possibly health threatening operation as fine
particles of dust
spread throughout the area. Before applying the coating to the wood, all dust
particles
must be removed; this is often a tedious process.
SUI~ZMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a flooring system for
installing a
plurality of elongated slats, the system being one wherein installation is
substantially
faster than the use of nails.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a system for the
installation of wood slats having a tongue and groove configuration.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a connector
suitable for
use in installing elongated slats having a tongue and groove arrangement.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a method for
installing
elongated hardwood slats to form a floor.
According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a floor
comprising a plurality of elongated slats, each slat having a top wall, a
bottom wall, and
first and second opposed side walls, the slats being laid in a side by side
relationship with
a first side wall of a first slat abutting a second side wall of a second
slat, a groove
formed in each of the first side walls, a side wall recessed portion formed in
one of the
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first and second side walls below the groove, a bottom recess formed in each
of the
bottom walls of each of the slats adjacent the second side wall, a plurality
of connectors,
each connector comprising a base secured to a substrate, a vertical portion
extending
upwardly from the base and fitting within the side wall recessed portion, and
a generally
horizontal portion extending into the groove formed in the first side wall to
thereby
secure the slat in position.
According to a further aspect of the present invention, there is provided a
method
of installing a wood floor comprising a plurality of elongated slats, each
slat having a top
wall, a bottom wall and first and second opposed side walls, a groove formed
in each of
the first side walls of each of the slats, a side wall recessed portion formed
in one of the
first and second side walls of each of the slats below the groove, a bottom
recess formed
in each of the bottom walls of each of the slats adjacent a respective second
side wall, a
method comprising the steps of supplying a plurality of connectors, a vertical
portion
extending upwardly from the base and a generally horizontal portion, a method
comprising the steps of securing a connector to a substrate, placing a slat on
the substrate
with the horizontal portion extending into the groove formed in the first side
wall to
thereby secure the slat in position, and continuing to place subsequent slats
in a side by
side abutting relationship with a connector holding each slat in position.
The connector used in the present invention has a first portion thereof which
is
adapted to be secured to the substrate. Typically, the substrate is of a wood
material such
as a plywood or composite wood material. Typically, the connector may be
secured to
the substrate by mechanical means such as nails or screws. Screws are a
preferred
securing mechanism for reasons which will become apparent hereinbelow.
However, it
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CA 02354097 2001-07-25
will be understood that other securement means such as adhesive or the like
may be
utilized particularly in the instance wherein the substrate is not a material
easily
penetrable by screws.
The connector will include a upwardly extending vertical portion having at its
upper end thereof at least one horizontally extending tab portion. The
horizontally
extending tab portion is designed to engage a slot or recess formed in a side
wall of a slat.
In one embodiment, the horizontally extending tab portion may engage the
groove in a
conventional tongue and groove type of flooring.
In a preferred embodiment, the upwardly extending vertical portion has at
least a
pair of horizontally extending tab portions, at least one tab portion
extending outwardly
in each horizontal direction such that a single connector will engage both of
a pair of
abutting slats.
The connector is designed to be used, as aforementioned, in a flooring system
comprising a plurality of slats engaged in an abutting side by side
relationship. To this
end, the slats are formed with recessed portions to receive both the base
portion of the
connector and the vertical portion thereof.
The connector may be formed of any suitable material and thus is preferably
either
of a metal or plastic material. A formed metal material would be suitable
while an
extruded plastic material could also be utilized.
In the preferred embodiment, the connector is formed of a metallic material
and
may easily be formed by a suitable mechanical means to have the desired
configuration.
In this configuration, the connector has a base which has means for securement
to the
substrate. Typically, such means may include apertures formed within the base
which
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CA 02354097 2001-07-25
lies co-planer with the substrate and may be secured thereto by a mechanical
means such
as a screw or the like.
The connector also includes a vertical portion which extends upwardly adjacent
to
at least a portion of a side wall of abutting slats. To provide space for the
upwardly
extending wall, one of the side walls of the slats has a recess formed
therein.
One or both of the side walls of each of the slats has a longitudinally
extending
groove formed therein. A corresponding tab extends outwardly from the upwardly
extending wall of the connector and is designed to engage within the
longitudinally
extending slot and thereby retain the slat in position.
The bottom end side recesses are formed of a size sufficient to accommodate
the
connector. Typically, the bottom recess would have a width of between 6 mm and
50 mm and a depth of between 3 mm and 12 mm. Similarly, the side wall recessed
portion would be sized to receive the vertical portion of the connector and
accordingly
would generally have a depth of between 3 mm and 12 mm.
In an alternative embodiment, the connector of the present invention may be
arranged to be used in conjunction with a conventional tongue and groove
flooring with
the tab portion being arranged to engage the groove formed within the slat.
Again,
proper sizing of the tongue to permit the same would be provided.
As above described, the wood slats may have different configurations. In a
particularly preferred embodiment, the side walls of the slats may also be
foamed such
that one side wall will have a upper recessed portion designed to receive a
projecting
portion of an adjacent slat.
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BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Having thus generally described the invention, reference will be made to the
accompanying drawings illustrating an embodiment thereof, in which:
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a connector according to one embodiment of
the
present invention, with the connector being shown in place with a slat in
broken lines;
Figure 2 is an end view of the connector;
Figure 3 is a side elevational view thereof;
Figure 4 is a top plan view thereof;
Figure 5 is a side sectional view illustrating placement of the connector in
conjunction with a pair of slats;
Figure 6 is a side view, partially in section, of a conventional tongue and
groove
flooring system utilizing a connector according to the present invention; and
Figure 7 is a view similar to Figure 5 showing a modified form of a slat which
may be used in the present invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring to the drawings in greater detail and by reference characters
thereto, and
referring initially to Figure 5, there are illustrated a first slat 10 and a
second slat 12 lying
in an abutting relationship. A connector generally designated by reference
numeral 14
(Figure 1) is used to secure slats 10 and 12 in position.
First slat 10 has an upper wall 18, a bottom wall 20, a first side wall 22,
and a
second side wall 24:
Second slat 12 is placed in an abutting relationship to first slat 10. Second
slat 12
includes an upper wall 28 which will be co-planer with upper wall 18 of first
slat 10; a
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' first side wall 32 which lies in an abutting relationship with second side
wall 24 of first
slat 10; a bottom wall 30 which is also substantially co-planer with bottom
wall 20 of first
slat 10; and a second side wall 34.
As may be seen in Figure 5, slat 10 has a long first side wall 22 in which
there is a
longitudinally extending slot which is generally designated by reference
numeral 3 8.
Similarly, along second side wall 24, there is provided an inwardly directed
longitudinally extending slot 40.
There is also provided a bottom wall recess generally designated by reference
numeral 42 and which is provided within bottom wall 20 and extends to first
side
wall 22. A conventional groove 44 within bottom wall 20 is provided
intermediate first
side wall 22 and second side wall 24 in a conventional fashion to provide
dimensional
stability to slat 10.
A side wall recess 46 is provided within second side wall 24 and is located at
the
point of juncture of second side wall 24 and bottom wall 20.
Slat 12 has a similar configuration to slat 10 - i.e. slat 12 includes a first
longitudinally extending slot 50 within first side wall 32 and a second
longitudinally
extending slot 52 within second side wall 34. A bottom wall recess 54 is
provided
adjacent first side wall 32 while a side wall recess 58 is provided in second
side wall 34.
A centrally located longitudinally extending groove 56 is also formed in
bottom wall 30.
As may be best seen in Figures 1 to 4, connector 14 has a base portion 64
which is
adapted to lie flat on a substrate to which it is to be secured. To this end,
an aperture 66
is provided within base portion 64.
Extending upwardly from base portion 64 is a vertical wall 68. At the distal
end
CA 02354097 2001-07-25
of vertical wall 68, there is provided a first tab member 70 which is
substantially
perpendicular with respect to vertical wall 68. A pair of tabs 72 are formed
on either side
of first tab 70, tabs 72 lie in the same horizontal plane as tab 70 but extend
in an opposite
direction.
In use, and as may be seen in Figure 5, a connector is secured by means of a
screw 76 to a substrate through aperture 66 of base 64. Vertical wall 68 fits
within side
wall recess 46 of slat 10. Tab 70 then is designed and sized to fit within
longitudinally
extending slot 40 while tabs 72 fit within slot 50 formed in side wall 32 of
slat 12.
Connector 14 thus functions to stabilize and maintain slats 10 and 12 in
position.
When installing a floor comprised of a plurality of longitudinally extending
slats
such as 10 and 12, a first slat 10 may be placed in position along a wall. In
this respect,
first side wall 22 of slat 10 could abut the wall and then a connector 14
secured as shown
in Figure 5. A second slat 12 would then be placed in position and the process
repeated.
Alternatively, a first row of connectors 14 may be provided for initial slat
10. The
first row of connectors may utilize tab 72 as a spacer from an adjacent wall
or
alternatively, a special connector not having a tab 72 may be utilized.
Utilizing the above system, the only connection required is the attachment of
connector 14 to the substrate by means of a member such as screw 76. This
could be
accomplished rapidly using automated equipment for driving screws 76.
The connectors 14 may be spaced apart by a suitable distance. Generally, the
spacers may be provided at a distance of between 10 to 15 centimeters.
Naturally, it will
be understood that a continuous connector strip could be utilized. It will
also be
understood that the slats may comprise individual slats connected in an end to
end
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CA 02354097 2001-07-25
arrangement with a connector being used where the ends abut each other.
In Figure 7, a slightly modified version of the system shown in Figures 1 to 5
is
illustrated. In this embodiment, there is provided a pair of slats 110 and 112
lying in a
side by side abutting relationship. A connector generally designated by
reference
numeral 114 is employed between slats 110, 112 and is secured to the substrate
by means
of screw 176. Connector 114 is identical to that previously described.
In the embodiment of Figure 7, slat 112 has a first side wall generally
designated
by reference numeral 132 and which includes an upper vertical portion 133 and
a lower
tapered portion 135. A recess generally designated by reference numeral 158
and which
is similar to recess 58 of the previous embodiment is formed in side wall 132.
Side wall 134 includes a vertical section 137 and an outwardly tapered wall
section 139. A bottom recess 154 is provided to receive base 164 of connector
114. In
this arrangement, a thinner slat may be utilized.
Turning to Figure 6, there are illustrated two slats 210 and 212. Referring to
slat 212, this is formed in a substantially conventional manner in that there
is provided a
tongue 220 and a groove 230 on the opposite side wall. In this arrangement, a
connector
generally designated by reference 214 has a base portion 264 with apertures
therein to
permit the passage of screws 276. A vertical portion 268 is also provided as
well as a
tab 270.
In this arrangement, groove 230 is formed to have a sufficient height to
accommodate bath tongue 220 and the thickness of tab 270. The side wall having
groove 230 has the bottom portion thereof forming a recess to accommodate
vertical
portion 268 while a bottom recess 254 is provided to accommodate base 264 and
the
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head of screw 276.
An advantage of using the above system is that the floor may be securely
attached
in a manner which permits removal of the same. Thus, in a typical residential
application, the sub-flooring or substrate would be plywood or similar
material. When it
is desired to refinish the floor, it can be rapidly lifted and the individual
slats forwarded
to a commercial facility for refinishing. The floor, after refinishing, could
then be re-
installed. For the average consumer, this would both be less time consuming
and less
expensive than performing the refinishing on site. The use of this system will
also permit
one to replace a floor and use the removed floor in another location.
It will be understood that the above described embodiments are for purposes of
illustration only and that changes or modifications may be made thereto
without
departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
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