Padded raised flooring panels and coverings

Abstract

Panels ( 16 ) for use with access flooring ( 10 ) having a thick, resilient pad ( 20 ) bonded directly to and covering the entire surface of the panel ( 16 ). The pad ( 20 ) acts like the backing layer of a conventional floor treatment by absorbing impact and attenuation sound. A reinforced face cloth module ( 22 ) having only a face layer ( 24 ) and a stabilizing layer ( 26 ) is used to cover the pad ( 20 ) to protect the pad from wear and to provide an attractive floor treatment. The reinforced face cloth module ( 22 ) can be detachable or bonded directly to the pad. Alternatively, hook and loop fasteners can affix the pad to the face cloth module.

1 . A raised flooring structure comprising: 
 a) a panel having a substantially rigid substructure and a resilient pad bonded to the panel; and    b) a topcloth layer detachably affixed to the resilient pad, whereby the top cloth layer can be detached from the resilient pad without destroying the resilient pad.    
     
     
         2 . The raised flooring structure of  claim 1  further comprising a stabilizing layer bonded to the top cloth layer.  
     
     
         3 . The raised flooring structure of  claim 2  further comprising an adhesive for bonding the topcloth layer to the stabilizing layer.  
     
     
         4 . The raised flooring structure of  claim 2  wherein the stabilizing layer further comprises nonwoven fiberglass.  
     
     
         5 . The raised flooring structure of  claim 2  wherein the stabilizing layer further comprises nonwoven fiberglass encased in an adhesive.  
     
     
         6 . The raised flooring structure of  claim 2  wherein the stabilizing layer further comprises nonwoven fiberglass encased in plastic.  
     
     
         7 . The topcloth layer of  claim 1  further comprising a pressure sensitive adhesive to detachably affix the topcloth layer to the resilient pad.  
     
     
         8 . The panel of  claim 1  wherein the resilient pad is bonded to the panel utilizing an adhesive.  
     
     
         9 . The panel of  claim 1  in which the resilient pad is made of solid, flexible polyvinyl chloride.  
     
     
         10 . The panel of  claim 9  in which the polyvinyl chloride is derived from recycled materials.  
     
     
         11 . The panel of  claim 1  in which the resilient pad is made of foamed polyvinyl chloride.  
     
     
         12 . The panel of  claim 11  in which the polyvinyl chloride is derived from recycled materials.  
     
     
         13 . The panel of  claim 1  in which the resilient pad is made of solid urethane modified bitumen.  
     
     
         14 . The panel of  claim 1  in which the resilient pad is made of foamed urethane modified bitumen.  
     
     
         15 . The panel of  claim 1  in which the topcloth layer further comprises a solid vinyl tile.  
     
     
         16 . The panel of  claim 2  in which the stabilizing layer further comprises fiberglass.  
     
     
         17 . The panel of  claim 4  in which the stabilizing layer further comprises a layer of urethane modified bitumen surrounding the layer of non-woven fiberglass.  
     
     
         18 . The panel of  claim 2  further comprising a means for affixing the topcloth layer to the resilient pad.  
     
     
         19 . The panel of  claim 18  in which the affixing means comprises a hook and loop fastener interposed between the resilient pad and the topcloth layer.  
     
     
         20 . The panel of  claim 18  in which the affixing means comprises pressure sensitive adhesive.  
     
     
         21 . The panel of  claim 1  in which the resilient pad is made of urethane.  
     
     
         22 . The panel of  claim 21  in which the urethane is foamed.  
     
     
         23 . A panel for use with access flooring comprising: 
 a) a rigid panel having a top surface;    b) a resilient pad having a bottom surface affixed to the top surface of the panel; and    c) a detachable reinforced face cloth module having a top surface and a bottom surface which further comprises:    i) a topcloth layer in which a top surface of the topcloth layer defines the top surface of the detachable reinforced face cloth module; and    ii) a stabilizing layer comprising a non-woven fiberglass layer embedded in an adhesive in which a top surface of the stabilizing layer is affixed to a bottom surface of the topcloth layer and a bottom surface of the stabilizing layer defines the bottom surface of the detachable reinforced face cloth module.    
     
     
         24 . The panel of  claim 23  in which the adhesive is urethane modified bitumen.  
     
     
         25 . The panel of  claim 23  in which the resilient pad is made of polyvinyl chloride.  
     
     
         26 . The panel of  claim 25  in which the polyvinyl chloride is derived from recycled materials.  
     
     
         27 . The panel of  claim 23  in which the resilient pad is made of urethane modified bitumen.