Paneled Floating Floor Repair and Methods for Same

Abstract

A floor panel having a heating element disposed therein, the floor panel having at least two abutments for operationally coupling the panel to adjacent panels. Electrical contacts are disposed on complementary abutments or abutment walls and busbars electrically couple between complementary contacts of opposing abutments such that, when adjacent floor panels are laid together to form a floor or a portion thereof, the busbars are able to feed power to heating elements disposed in the panel. The panel have sealants and/or adhesives which protect at least one contact from fluids. Also disclosed are connector bars, adapters, and switching and protection arrangements, and optional constructions for inter-panel connectors.

I claim: 
     
         1 ) A repair kit for a floor panel in a floor comprising a plurality of floor panels, each having an upper surface, and at least one panel abutment, the repair kit comprising:
 at least one repair adapters each adaptor comprising an adaptor abutment region having a abutment shaped to operationally interlock with a corresponding panel abutment, and an adapter flange region extending away from the adapter abutment region, the adapter flange region having a flange having an upper extremity dimensioned such that upon locking engagement between the adapter abutment and an adjacent panel abutment, the upper extremity is disposed substantially level with, or lower than, the upper surface of the adjacent panel.   
     
     
         2 ) A repair kit as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein
 at least one of the plurality of floor panels having a plurality of panel electrical contacts disposed in or on its panel abutment;   wherein the repair adapter further comprising a plurality of abutment electrical contacts disposed in or on the adapter abutment region, each of the abutment contacts disposed in a matching fashion to at least one corresponding panel electrical contact, such that upon locking engagement between the adapter abutment and the respective panel abutment, the corresponding panel contact cooperate with the corresponding abutment contact to form electrical communication therebetween; and   a plurality of flange contacts disposed in or on the adapter flange region, each of the plurality of flange contacts being in electrical communication with at least one abutment contact.   
     
     
         3 ) A repair kit as claimed in  claim 2 , further comprising sealant disposed about at least one of the contacts to operationally form at least one sealant zone adjacent to the at least one of the contacts, the sealant zone being disposed so as to limit fluids from reaching either any of the respective panel contact, the adapter contact, a combination thereof, or the flange contact. 
     
     
         4 ) A repair adapter as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the adapter abutment comprises a protrusion dimensioned to be received in a matching socket in the panel abutment, or wherein the adapter abutment comprises a socket dimensioned to receive a protrusion in the panel abutment. 
     
     
         5 ) A repair kit as claimed in  claim 1 , the kit comprising a plurality of repair adapters, a first of the plurality of adapters having a male abutment shaped to operationally interlock with a female panel abutment, and a second of the plurality of adapters having a female abutment shaped to operationally interlock with a male panel abutment. 
     
     
         6 ) A repair kit as claimed in  claim 5 , further comprising a plug having a body, an upper surface and a first and a second opposing edge regions, each of the first and second edge regions having respectively a first and second plug flanges shaped to interface with the respective first and second adapter flanges, the edge regions are dimensioned such that operationally upon engagement between the respective plug flanges and the adapter flanges, the upper surface of the plug is substantially level with the upper surface of an adjacent floor panel. 
     
     
         7 ) A repair kit as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein:
 at least the first adapter further comprises a plurality of adapter flange electrical contacts disposed in the first adapter flange regions;   the plug further comprising a first plurality of plug electrical contacts disposed in or on the region of first of the plug flanges, each of the plurality of plug electrical contacts disposed in a matching fashion to at least one corresponding adapter flange electrical contact, such that upon engagement between the plug flange and the respective adapter flange, the corresponding plug contact cooperate with the corresponding adapter flange contact to form electrical communication therebetween.   
     
     
         8 ) A repair kit as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein the plug further comprising a second plurality of plug contacts disposed in or on the second plug flange, each of the first plurality of plug contacts being in electrical communication with at least one corresponding contact in the second plurality of contacts. 
     
     
         9 ) A repair kit as claimed in  claim 7 , further comprising sealant disposed about at least one of the contacts to operationally form a sealant zone adjacent to the at least one of the contacts, the sealant zone being disposed so as to limit fluids from reaching either any of the respective panel contact, the adapter contact, the adapter flange contact, the panel flange contact, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         10 ) A repair kit as claimed in  claim 7 , further comprising at least one electrical heating element disposed within the plug and being energized from at least two of the first plurality of plug contacts. 
     
     
         11 ) A repair adapter for a floor panel in a floor comprising a plurality of floor panels, each having an upper surface, and at least one panel abutment, the repair adaptor comprises:
 an adaptor abutment region having a abutment dimensioned and formed to operationally engage a matching panel abutment of a floor panel of the plurality of panels; and,   a flange region coupled to the adapter abutment region and extending away therefrom, the flange region having flange having an upper extremity dimensioned such that upon locking engagement between the adapter abutment and an adjacent panel abutment, the upper extremity is disposed substantially level with, or lower than, the upper surface of the adjacent panel.   
     
     
         12 ) A repair adaptor as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein the floor panel abutment having a plurality of panel electrical contacts disposed in or on the panel abutment, the adapter further comprising:
 a plurality of abutment electrical contacts in or on the adapter abutment region, each of the abutment contacts disposed in a matching fashion to at least one corresponding panel electrical contact, such that upon locking engagement between the adapter abutment and respective panel abutment, the panel contact cooperate to form electrical communication with the corresponding abutment contact; and   a plurality of flange contacts disposed in the adapter flange region, each flange contact being in electrical communication with a corresponding abutment contact.   
     
     
         13 ) A repair adapter as claimed in  claim 12 , further comprising sealant disposed about at least one of the contacts to operationally form at least one sealant zone adjacent to the at least one of the contacts, the sealant zone being disposed so as to limit fluids from reaching either any of the respective panel contact, the adapter contact, a combination thereof, or the flange contact. 
     
     
         14 ) A repair plug for a floor panel in a floor comprising a plurality of floor panels, each having an upper surface, and at least one panel abutment, the repair plug comprises:
 a body having an upper surface;   a first and a second opposing edge regions, each of the first and second edge regions having respectively a first and second plug flanges shaped to interface with the respective first and second adapter flanges of a respective first and second repair adapters, each of the adapters having an abutment region coupled to the adapter flange, the abutment region being shaped to interface with a panel abutment;   the edge regions are dimensioned such that operationally upon engagement between the respective plug flanges and the adapter flanges, the upper surface of the plug is substantially level with the upper surface of an adjacent floor panel.   
     
     
         15 ) A repair plug as claimed in  claim 14 , wherein:
 at least the first adapter further comprises a plurality of adapter flange electrical contacts disposed in the first adapter flange regions;   the plug further comprising a first plurality of plug electrical contacts disposed in or on the region of first of the plug flanges, each of the plurality of plug electrical contacts disposed in a matching fashion to at least one corresponding adapter flange electrical contact, such that upon engagement between the plug flange and the respective adapter flange, the corresponding plug contact cooperate with the corresponding adapter flange contact to form electrical communication therebetween.   
     
     
         16 ) A repair plug as claimed in  claim 15 , further comprising at least one electrical heating element disposed within the plug and being energized from at least two of the first plurality of plug contacts. 
     
     
         17 ) A repair plug as claimed in  claim 15 , further comprising sealant disposed about at least one of the contacts to operationally form at least one sealant zone adjacent to the at least one of the contacts, the sealant zone being disposed so as to limit fluids from reaching the flange contact.