Removable mid-section production floorboard
A removable flooring system includes modular floorboard panels having one or more latches, placed on longitudinal support structures having mating locking disks, so that the floorboard panels can be readily secured to the longitudinal support structure. In one embodiment, the floorboard panel comprises a top skin, a frame, and a bottom skin. Two latches may be located in the panel, where each latches comprise a latch handle, a moveable cam, and a board disk. The locking disk is affixed to the longitudinal support structure, and is designed to receive the board disk. The latch can be rotated so the cam readily engages and disengages with the locking disk. To use the system, a plurality of longitudinal support structures are placed in a plane, and a plurality of floorboard panels are placed over the longitudinal support structure, and affixed by rotating the cam in the latch.
1. A locking floorboard panel comprising:
a panel suitable for supporting the weight of a person, the panel comprising:
a top skin forming the top surface of the panel,
a bottom skin forming a bottom surface of the panel,
a frame defining a perimeter edge of the panel, the frame having a first side joined with a perimeter edge of the top skin and a second side joined with a perimeter edge of the bottom skin, and
a board disk positioned between the top skin and the bottom skin and configured to have a circular recess accessed through a hole in the bottom skin, wherein the circular recess is tapered to receive a locking disk attached to a longitudinal support structure; and
a plurality of latches, wherein each latch is flush mounted with respect to a top surface of the panel, and each latch comprises a rotary operated cam lock configured to attach the floorboard panel to the longitudinal support structure.
2. The locking floorboard panel of claim 1 , wherein the panel is a rectangular shaped panel having a length and a width, wherein the length is nominally twice the width.
3. The locking floorboard panel of claim 1 , further comprising a baffle structure between the top skin and bottom skin.
4. The locking floorboard panel of claim 1 , wherein the floorboard panel comprises a single piece injection molded plastic board.
5. The locking floorboard panel of claim 1 , wherein the panel has rounded edges.
6. The locking floorboard panel of claim 2 , wherein the length is nominally four feet and the width is nominally two feet.
7. The locking floorboard panel of claim 6 , wherein the panel has a thickness that is less than two inches.
8. A flooring system with readily attachable flooring panels, comprising:
a plurality of longitudinal support structures, wherein each longitudinal support structure comprises a circular locking disk affixed to the longitudinal support structure; and
a plurality of attachable flooring panels, each flooring panel comprising:
a rectangular shaped panel having a length and a width, wherein the length is nominally twice the width, each panel having at least two receptacles wherein each receptacle is configured to mate with the circular locking disk,
a top skin forming a top surface of the panel,
a bottom skin form a bottom surface of the panel,
a frame defining a perimeter edge of the panel, the frame having a first side joined with a perimeter edge of the top skin and a second side joined with a perimeter edge of the bottom skin, and
at least two latch assemblies, each latch assembly comprising a flush mounted rotary cam latch and a board disk and is positioned between the top skin and the bottom skin within a receptacle along the center line of the panel, wherein the center line runs parallel to the length of the panel, and wherein the board disk is configured to have a circular recess accessed through a hole in the bottom skin, the circular recess being tapered to receive the locking disk.
9. The flooring system of claim 8 , wherein each flooring panel comprises a single piece injection molded plastic board.
10. The flooring system of claim of claim 8 , wherein the length is nominally four feet and the width is nominally two feet.
11. The flooring system of claim 8 , wherein the latch is configured to be rotated 90° to engage a cam with the locking disk.
12. The flooring system of claim of claim 11 further comprising:
at least two cross-bar support structures for supporting the plurality of longitudinal support structures.
13. A method for providing a removable flooring system in a workspace comprising the operations of:
providing for a plurality of longitudinal support structures in a parallel manner in the workspace, wherein each longitudinal support structure has a plurality of locking disks affixed thereto;
placing a removable flooring panel having a length and a width, on one or more of the longitudinal support structures, wherein the removable flooring panel comprises a plurality of flush mounted rotary cam latch assemblies along a center line parallel to the length, such that each latch assembly is placed over a corresponding locking disk, wherein each latch assembly comprises a board disk positioned between a top skin and a bottom skin of the removable flooring panel, the board disk comprising a circular recess with tapered walls for receiving the locking disk; and
rotating each of the plurality of flush mounted rotary cam latch assemblies to lock each the latch assembly with the locking disk.
14. The method of claim 13 further comprising:
placing a plurality of crossbar support structures in a parallel manner in a planar arrangement in the workspace prior to placing the plurality of longitudinal support structures.
15. The method of claim 13 further comprising at least one longitudinal support structure positioned such that a top surface on which the removable flooring panel is to be placed thereon does not having locking disks on the top surface, and wherein the one longitudinal support structure is positioned below an edge of the removable flooring panel.
16. A flooring system with readily attachable flooring panels, comprising:
a plurality of longitudinal support structures, wherein each longitudinal support structure comprises a circular locking disk affixed to the longitudinal support structure; and
a plurality of attachable flooring panels, each flooring panel comprising:
a rectangular shaped panel having a length and a width, wherein the length is nominally twice the width, each panel having at least two receptacles wherein each receptacle is configured to mate with the circular locking disk,
a top skin forming a top surface of the panel,
a bottom skin form a bottom surface of the panel,
a frame defining a perimeter edge of the panel, the frame having a first side joined with a perimeter edge of the top skin and a second side joined with a perimeter edge of the bottom skin, and
at least two latch assemblies, each latch assembly comprising a flush mounted rotary cam latch and a board disk and is positioned between the top skin and the bottom skin within a receptacle along the center line of the panel, wherein the center line runs parallel to the length of the panel, and wherein the board disk comprises a circular recess with tapered walls for receiving the disk lock.