Access floor assembly with access floor panels having interlocking edges

Abstract

An access floor panel assembly including (1) a plurality of access floor panels arranged edge-to-edge and (2) a plurality of spaced pedestals. The plurality of access floor panels are positioned above a subfloor by the plurality of pedestals. Each of the plurality of access floor panels includes (1) a support layer and a floor finish layer on top of the support layer and (2) four edges. At least one of the four edges has a tongue connector or a groove connector, which are configured to form a tongue and groove connection when joined. Each of the tongue connector and each of the groove connector is formed by the support layer and the floor finish layer.

1 . An access floor assembly comprising:
 a plurality of access floor panels arranged edge-to-edge; and   a plurality of pedestals;   wherein:   each of the plurality of access floor panels includes (1) a support layer and a floor finish layer on top of the support layer and (2) four edges;   at least one of the four edges has a tongue connector or a groove connector;   the tongue connector and the groove connector are configured to form a tongue and groove connection when joined;   each of the tongue connector and each of the groove connector is formed by the support layer and the floor finish layer; and   the plurality of access floor panels are positioned above a subfloor by the plurality of pedestals.   
     
     
         2 . The access floor assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the floor finish layer is a top layer of the each of the plurality of access floor panels. 
     
     
         3 . The access floor assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 a first set of the plurality of access floor panels has the groove connector on the four edges; and   a second set of the plurality of access floor panels has the tongue connector on the four edges.   
     
     
         4 . The access floor assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of access floor panels has two edges with the tongue connector and two edges with the groove connector. 
     
     
         5 . The access floor assembly according to  claim 4 , wherein:
 the two edges with the tongue connector are perpendicular and form a first corner of the each of the plurality of access floor panels; and   the two edges with the groove connector are perpendicular and form a second corner of the each of the plurality of access floor panels.   
     
     
         6 . The access floor assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the tongue connector includes a side wall and a tongue that extends outwardly from the side wall; and   the tongue includes part of the support layer and part of the floor finish layer.   
     
     
         7 . The access floor assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the tongue connector includes a side wall and a tongue that extends outwardly from the side wall;   the tongue is formed by only the support layer; and   the side wall is formed by the support layer and the floor finish layer.   
     
     
         8 . The access floor assembly according to  claim 7 , wherein:
 a top surface of the tongue is formed by a top surface of the support layer.   
     
     
         9 . The access floor assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the groove connector includes a side wall and a groove recessed inwardly from the side wall;   the groove has a top surface, a back wall and a bottom surface; and   the back wall of the groove is formed in part of the support layer and in part of the floor finish layer.   
     
     
         10 . The access floor assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the groove connector includes a side wall and a groove recessed inwardly from the side wall;   the groove has a top surface, a back wall and a bottom surface; and   the back wall and the bottom surface of the groove are formed by only the support layer; and   the top surface of the groove is formed by a bottom surface of the floor finish layer.   
     
     
         11 . The access floor assembly according to  claim 1 , further comprising understructure positioned between the plurality of access floor panels and the pedestals; wherein the understructure extends between and is supported by the pedestals and the four edges of the each of the plurality of access floor panels rest on the understructure. 
     
     
         12 . A method of forming an access floor assembly comprising the steps of:
 placing spaced supporting pedestals on a subfloor in an array of perpendicular rows;   placing understructure members on the pedestals such that the understructure members extend between and are supported by the pedestals in perpendicular rows;   placing a plurality of access floor panels on the understructure members edge-to-edge, each of the plurality of access floor panels includes (1) a support layer and a floor finish layer on top of the support layer and (2) four edges, at least one of the four edges has a tongue connector or a groove connector, the tongue connector and the groove connector are configured to form a tongue and groove connection when joined, each of the tongue connector and each of the groove connector is formed by the support layer and the floor finish layer, wherein the plurality of access floor panels are positioned such that the groove connectors of a first set of the plurality of access floor panels face the tongue connectors of a second set of the plurality of access floor panels; and   inserting the tongue connectors into the groove connectors.   
     
     
         13 . The method of forming an access floor assembly according to  claim 12 , further comprising the step of applying an adhesive to the groove connectors of the first set of the plurality of access floor panels and/or to the tongue connectors of the second set of the plurality of access floor panels before the inserting step. 
     
     
         14 . The method of forming an access floor assembly according to  claim 13 , further comprising the step of honing top surfaces of the floor finish layers to remove any excess adhesive after the inserting step. 
     
     
         15 . The method of forming an access floor assembly according to  claim 12 , wherein the plurality of access floor panels are placed on the understructure members such that the four edges are directly supported by the understructure members.