Insulated Floor System for Grade or Basement Floors

Abstract

Insulating floor system including (i) a grooved base layer formed from base layer grooved portions, (ii) a transverse peripheral edge rail formed from transverse peripheral edge rail portions, (iii) a parallel peripheral edge rail formed from parallel peripheral edge rail portions, and (iv) interior rails formed from interior rail portions. The base layer includes grooves in an upper surface. Each of the transverse peripheral edge rail portions include a plurality of downwardly projecting mating protrusions that mate within the base layer grooves. Each of the parallel peripheral edge rail portions include a downwardly projecting protrusion that mates within a peripheral groove of the base layer. At least one of the interior rails can be a locking rail, where locking rail portions defining the locking rail include a plurality of downwardly projecting mating protrusions that mate within terminal grooves of adjacent base layer grooved portions, locking such portions together.

1 . An insulating floor system comprising:
 (i) a grooved base layer formed from one or more foam base layer grooved portions, the grooved base layer including grooves in an upper surface thereof;   (ii) a transverse peripheral edge rail formed from one or more foam transverse peripheral edge rail portions, wherein each of the one or more transverse peripheral edge rail portions include a plurality of downwardly projecting mating protrusions to mate within the grooves of the grooved base layer;   (ii) a parallel peripheral edge rail formed from one or more foam parallel peripheral edge rail portions, wherein each of the one or more parallel peripheral edge rail portions include a downwardly projecting mating protrusion to mate within a peripheral groove of the grooved base layer;   (iii) optionally one or more interior rails formed from one or more foam interior rail portions, wherein at least one of the interior rails is an interior locking rail, the interior locking rail including one or more interior rail portions including a plurality of downwardly projecting mating protrusions to mate within terminal grooves of adjacent base layer grooved portions, locking such adjacent base layer grooved portions together.   
     
     
         2 . The insulating floor system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the insulating floor system comprises the one or more interior rails formed from one or more foam interior rail portions, wherein at least one of the interior rails is an interior locking rail, the interior locking rail including one or more interior rail portions including a plurality of downwardly projecting mating protrusions to mate within terminal grooves of adjacent base layer grooved portions, locking such adjacent base layer grooved portions together. 
     
     
         3 . The insulating floor system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the base layer portions are positioned directly on a grade, without any concrete slab, or any underlying concrete footing. 
     
     
         4 . The insulating floor system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the base layer portions include grooves formed in an upper surface, the grooves being formed at even increments so alternating male and female protrusions and grooves are the same size, sized to mate into one another. 
     
     
         5 . The insulating floor system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the system includes at least two transverse peripheral edge rails. 
     
     
         6 . The insulating floor system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the system includes at least two parallel peripheral edge rails. 
     
     
         7 . The insulating floor system as recited in  claim 2 , wherein at least one of (i) the transverse peripheral edge rails, (ii) the parallel peripheral edge rails, or (iii) the interior locking rails include a longitudinal channel adjacent a top surface of such rails for receipt of a nailer strip for attachment of a subfloor. 
     
     
         8 . The insulating floor system as recited in  claim 2 , wherein the one or more interior rails further comprises one or more additional interior rails that do not lock adjacent base layer grooved portions together, but which include one or more interior rail portions including one or more downwardly projecting mating protrusions to mate within interior grooves of the base layer grooved portions. 
     
     
         9 . The insulating floor system as recited in  claim 8 , further comprising one or more filler rails extending between adjacent interior rails. 
     
     
         10 . The insulating floor system as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising a concrete footing poured between the parallel peripheral edge rail and an adjacent interior rail. 
     
     
         11 . The insulating floor system as recited in  claim 9 , further comprising a concrete footing poured between (i) the transverse peripheral edge rail and (ii) adjacent ends of the one or more interior rails and the filler rails extending between such interior rails. 
     
     
         12 . The insulating floor system as recited in  claim 11 , further comprising a concrete footing poured between the parallel peripheral edge rail and an adjacent interior rail, wherein the concrete footing extends around a full perimeter of the insulating floor system, wherein the concrete footing is surrounded at bottom and at sides by the base layer and the rails. 
     
     
         13 . The insulating floor system as recited in  claim 2 , wherein the interior rails each include a longitudinal channel adjacent a top surface of such rails, each such longitudinal channel housing a nailer strip, the system further comprising a subfloor attached over the interior rails, the subfloor being attached to the interior rails through nails, screws or other fasteners extending through the subfloor into the nailer strip. 
     
     
         14 . The insulating floor system as recited in  claim 13 , wherein the transverse peripheral edge rails and the parallel peripheral edge rails each include a longitudinal channel adjacent a top surface of such rails, each such longitudinal channel housing a nailer strip. 
     
     
         15 . The insulating floor system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the rails have a height ranging from about 4 inches to about 4 feet. 
     
     
         16 . The insulating floor system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the rails have a height ranging from about 4 inches to about 12 inches. 
     
     
         17 . The insulating floor system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the rails have a height ranging from about 2 feet to about 4 feet, the system further comprising a crawl space defined between a top of the grooved base layer and a subfloor attached over a top of the rails. 
     
     
         18 . The insulating floor system as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising a structural tie used to aid in securing the rails in place when secured to the underlying foam base layer. 
     
     
         19 . The insulating floor system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the foam base layer portions, or at least one of the foam rail portions are formed from expanded polystyrene beads, at least some of the beads comprising graphite or another contrast agent. 
     
     
         20 . The insulating floor system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein beads comprising graphite or another contrast agent are present in an amount of from 5% to 50% by weight or by volume of the foam base layer portion or foam rail in which they are present.