Versatile Modular Flooring Device and System

Abstract

A modular flooring system is disclosed to accommodate non-planar configurations of modular floor mats. Modular mats each have a main central portion and overhanging and underhanging flanges extending therefrom. The outer surfaces of the mats have treads formed thereon, which may be of different grades, such as industrial or pedestrian grade. Each flange contains a plurality of bores, each comprising a recess at opposing mat surfaces connected by a central portion. The recess depth at one mat surface differs from the recess depth at the opposing surface, creating an offset spacing to account for surface tread regardless of mat overlay and configuration. A fastener, having a head and opposite foot, is inserted through aligned bores in adjacent mats and rotated to lock or unlock mats in each configuration. The modular flooring system provides increased utility through enabling planar, stacked, and stepped configurations of the system.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A modular mat comprising:
 a first surface on one side and an opposite second surface, at least one of said first and second surfaces having tread extending therefrom by a height t;   at least one bore formed in and extending through said mat from said first surface to said second surface, said at least one bore being correspondingly configured to accommodate a fastener therein and having a first recess at said first surface, a second recess at said second surface, and a central portion connecting said first and second recesses;   wherein each of said first surface and said first recess are one of: (i) said first surface having said tread extending therefrom and said first recess being a tread surface recess having a height of tr, and (ii) said first surface being substantially planar and said first recess being a planar surface recess having a height of nr;   wherein each of said second surface and said second recess are one of: (iii) said second surface having said tread extending therefrom and said second recess being a tread surface recess having a height of tr, and (iv) said second surface being substantially planar and said second recess being a planar surface recess having a height of nr; and   wherein nr is greater than tr.   
     
     
         2 . The modular mat of  claim 1 , wherein nr is one of: (i) within 1/16 inch of the sum of tr and t, or (ii) equal to the sum of tr and t. 
     
     
         3 . The modular mat of  claim 1 , wherein nr≤tr+t. 
     
     
         4 . The modular mat of  claim 1 , wherein one of: (i) nr is equal to 0.450 inch, tr is equal to 0.300 inch, and t is equal to 0.150 inch, and (ii) nr is equal to tr+t, tr is equal to 0.300 inch, and t is between 0.100 and 0.200 inch. 
     
     
         5 . The modular mat of  claim 1 , wherein said first surface has said tread extending therefrom and said first recess is a tread surface recess having a height of tr, and wherein said second surface is substantially planar and said second recess is a planar surface recess having a height of nr. 
     
     
         6 . The modular mat of  claim 1 , wherein said modular mat measures one of: (i) in the range of 6 to 8 feet from end to end, (ii) in the range of 7 to 8 feet from end to end, and (iii) 89.5625 inches from end to end. 
     
     
         7 . The modular mat of  claim 1 , wherein said modular mat has a thickness of one of: (i) in the range of 3 to 6 inches, (ii) in the range of 4 to 5 inches, and (iii) 4 inches. 
     
     
         8 . The modular mat of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one flange formed on and extending from at least one edge of said modular mat, said flange being (i) co-planar with one of said first surface and said second surface and (ii) recessed from the other of said first surface and said second surface; and wherein said at least one bore extends through said mat at said flange. 
     
     
         9 . A ground covering system comprising:
 a plurality of modular mats each as recited in  claim 1 ; and   at least one fastener, each having:
 (i) a head correspondingly sized and dimensioned to be received and retained within either of said first or second recess of said at least one bore of said modular mats; 
 (ii) a foot opposite of said head, said foot correspondingly sized and dimensioned to be received within either of said first or second recess of said at least one bore of said modular mats; and 
 (iii) a length sufficient to extend through said at least one bore of a first one of said modular mats and said at least one bore of a second one of said modular mats when said first and second ones of said modular mats are overlapped. 
   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein each of said modular mats further comprises at least one flange extending from at least one edge, said at least one flange being (i) co-planar with one of said first surface and said second surface of each corresponding one of said modular mats and (ii) recessed from the other of said first surface and said second surface of each corresponding one of said modular mats, forming an intermediate surface; and wherein said at least one bore extends through said at least one flange. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein said length of said at least one fastener is sufficient to extend through said at least one bore in at least one flange of a first one of said modular mats and said at least one bore in at least one flange of a second one of said modular mats when said at least one flange of a first one of said modular mats is overlapped with said at least one flange of a second one of said modular mats. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein said at least one flange of said first mat is one of an underhanging flange and an overhanging flange; wherein said at least one flange of said second mat is one of an underhanging flange and an overhanging flange; and wherein one of:
 (i) said underhanging flange of said first mat overlaps said overhanging flange of said second mat to form either:
 a. said stacked configuration when said first mat overlaps the entirety of said second mat, or 
 b. a high stepped configuration when only said at least one flange of said first and second mats overlap; 
   (ii) said overhanging flange of said first mat overlaps said overhanging flange of said second mat to form a first low stepped configuration;   (iii) said underhanging flange of said first mat overlaps said underhanging flange of said second mat to form a second low stepped configuration; and   (iv) said overhanging flange of said first mat overlaps said underhanging flange of said second mat to form said planar configuration.   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein said intermediate surface features an intermediate surface recess thereon; further comprising a first one of said mats and a second one of said mats, wherein said flange of said first mat and said flange of said second mat are overlapped such that one of: (i) said tread surface recess of said first mat is adjacent to said tread surface recess of said second mat, (ii) said tread surface recess of said first mat is adjacent to said intermediate surface recess of said flange of said second mat, (iii) said planar surface recess of said first mat is adjacent to said intermediate surface recess of said flange of said second mat, and (iv) said intermediate surface recess of said first mat is adjacent to said intermediate surface recess of said second mat. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 9 , further comprising a first one of said mats and a second one of said mats, wherein said first mat and said second mat are overlapped such that one of: (i) said tread surface recess of said first mat is adjacent to said tread surface recess of said second mat, (ii) said tread surface recess of said first mat is adjacent to said planar surface recess of said second mat, (iii) said planar surface recess of said first mat is adjacent to said tread surface recess of said second mat, and (iv) said planar surface recess of said first mat is adjacent to said planar surface recess of said second mat. 
     
     
         15 . A method of assembling modular mats, comprising:
 providing a ground covering system as recited in  claim 9 ;   arranging said modular mats in at least one of:
 i. a planar configuration wherein at least one of said modular mats is placed adjacent to another of said modular mats such that said modular mats together form a substantially planar surface; 
 ii. a stacked configuration wherein at least one of said modular mats is placed overlapping the entirety of another of said modular mats such that a collective height of said stacked configuration is equal to a sum of said heights of each of said modular mats; 
 iii. a stepped configuration wherein at least one of said modular mats is placed partially overlapping another of said modular mats such that a collective height of said stepped configuration at the point of overlap is equal to a sum of said heights of said modular mats; 
   inserting said at least one fastener in an unlocked position through adjacent ones of said at least one bore in overlapping ones of said modular mats; and   securing said modular mats together by manipulating said at least one fastener to a locked position.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising manipulating said fastener such that said fastener reverts to said unlocked position, removing said fastener from said at least one bore, and disassembling said modular mats. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein inserting said at least one fastener further comprises inserting said foot of one of said at least one fastener through one of said at least one bore of a first one of said modular mats, and through an adjacent one of said at least one bore of a second one of said modular mats, until said foot of said fastener is positioned in said second recess at said second surface of said second mat and said head of said fastener is positioned in said first recess at said first surface of said first mat, wherein said second surface of said first mat is adjacent to said first surface of said second mat. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein at least one flange extends from at least one edge of each of said modular mats, said at least one flange being (i) co-planar with one of said first surface and said second surface and (ii) recessed from the other of said first surface and said second surface; wherein said at least one bore extends through said at least one flange of each of said modular mats; and wherein said at least one flange is one of: (a) an underhanging flange and (b) an overhanging flange. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein arranging said modular mats includes positioning a first one of said modular mats adjacent to a second one of said modular mats with one of:
 (v) said underhanging flange of said first mat overlapping said overhanging flange of said second mat to form either:
 a. said stacked configuration when said first mat overlaps the entirety of said second mat, or 
 b. a high stepped configuration when only said at least one flange of said first and second mats overlap; 
   (vi) said overhanging flange of said first mat overlapping said overhanging flange of said second mat to form a first low stepped configuration;   (vii) said underhanging flange of said first mat overlapping said underhanging flange of said second mat to form a second low stepped configuration; and   (viii) said overhanging flange of said first mat overlapping said underhanging flange of said second mat to form said planar configuration.