FLOORING SYSTEM HAVING ASSEMBLY CLIP AND RELATED METHOD

摘要

A flooring system includes a plurality of individual flooring pieces, such as floor panels, each having a wear surface, an opposing mounting surface and a retention groove disposed within the mounting surface. A floor panel connector used to interconnect at least two of the floor panels has a base, at least one mast extending from an upper surface of the base and a pair of flexible arms. Each flexible arm extends transversely from opposing sides of the at least one mast and has an extending end. Contacting portions extending from a lower surface of the base are configured to engage the support surface and create a spacing between each flexible arm and the support surface to permit each flexible arm to elastically deflect toward the support surface when pressure is exerted on a floor panel. This deflection enables the extending end of each flexible arm to engage the retention groove of a corresponding floor panel.

主权项

1. A flooring system comprising:
a pair of flooring pieces disposed above a support surface, each of the flooring pieces comprising:
an upper wear surface;an opposing lower mounting surface;an inner edge; andan outer edge, in which at least one of the flooring pieces further includes an acutely angled retention groove disposed within the mounting surface, the retention groove formed between the inner and outer edges and extending upwardly toward the inner edge; anda floor panel connector that secures the pair of flooring pieces to one another, the floor panel connector comprising:
a base having a lower surface and at least one contacting portion projecting from the lower surface, said at least one contacting portion configured for engaging a support surface; andat least one flexible cantilevered arm having an inwardly curved engagement end wherein the at least one contacting portion creates a spacing between the at least one flexible cantilevered arm and the support surface to enable the arm to be elastically deflected toward the support surface when pressure is exerted on a flooring piece and to further enable the inwardly curved engagement end of the at least one flexible arm to engage the acutely angled retention groove of the flooring piece.