# US 10,246,106 B2 · Flooring incorporating open and enclosed air ducts > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,246,106 B2 - Document ID: US10246106B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/811,624 - Filed: 2015-07-28 - Published: 2017-02-02 - Granted: 2019-04-02 - Earliest claimed: 2015-07-28 - Assignees: Union Pacific Railroad Company - Applicants: Union Pacific Railroad Company - Inventors: Brian Lester Davis; John Patrick Birkmann; Mark Russell Horne - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10246106B2 ## CPC - B61D 17/10: Floors - B61D: BODY DETAILS OR KINDS OF RAILWAY VEHICLES (vehicles in general B60; adaptation of vehicles to special systems B61B; underframes B61F) ## Abstract Herein described are at least an elongated flooring unit and a floor. In one embodiment, an elongated flooring unit includes a left web, a right web, a top flange, and a bottom flange, in which the top flange is positioned parallel to the bottom flange. The left and right webs, and the top and bottom flanges, enclose an air space configured for use as an air duct. In one embodiment, a floor includes a plurality of alternating enclosed air ducts and open air ducts formed by interconnecting a plurality of flooring units, in which each enclosed air duct of the enclosed air ducts is formed by two webs and two flanges of each flooring unit of the plurality of flooring units, and in which the two flanges include a bottom flange and a top flange. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A floor comprising: a plurality of interconnected elongated flooring units; wherein each of said elongated flooring units comprises an enclosed air duct, said enclosed air duct formed by a left web, a right web, a top flange, and a bottom flange; wherein a cross-section of said enclosed air duct comprises a trapezoid, said top flange and said bottom flange comprising parallel sides of said trapezoid; and wherein a material used to construct said flooring unit comprises aluminum. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The floor of claim 1, wherein said trapezoid comprises an isosceles trapezoid. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The floor of claim 2, wherein said bottom flange and one of said left and right webs form an interior angle of said trapezoid, wherein said interior angle is an obtuse angle. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The floor of claim 3 wherein said obtuse angle is in a range from about 100 degrees to about 135 degrees. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The floor of claim 4 wherein said obtuse angle is 105 degrees. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The floor of claim 1 wherein interconnecting two of said flooring units forms an open air duct. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The floor of claim 1 wherein said plurality of interconnected elongated flooring units are positioned longitudinally in a railcar. ### Claim 8 A floor comprising: a plurality of alternating enclosed air ducts and open air ducts formed by interconnecting a plurality of flooring units, wherein each enclosed air duct of said enclosed air ducts is formed by two webs and two flanges of each flooring unit of said plurality of flooring units, said two flanges comprising a bottom flange and a top flange, wherein each open air duct of said open air ducts comprises: a web of a first flooring unit; a web of a second flooring unit; an open air duct flange, wherein a first distance between said web of said first flooring unit and said web of said second flooring unit decreases as a function of a second distance, said second distance measured in a direction of a vector that is normal to the surface of said open air duct flange, said vector pointing upwards from said surface, said first distance measured along a line parallel to said surface of said open air duct flange. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The floor of claim 8 wherein a cross-section of said each enclosed air duct comprises a trapezoid, said two flanges comprising parallel sides of said trapezoid. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The floor of claim 8 wherein the airflow of at least one of said enclosed air ducts is regulated by way of varying the size of an opening at an end of said at least one of said enclosed air ducts. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The floor of claim 8 wherein said open air duct flange comprises: a first side extension of said first flooring unit of said flooring units, and a second side extension of said second flooring unit of said flooring units; and wherein said first side extension is connected to said second side extension by way of forming one of: a butt joint and a lap joint. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) The floor of claim 8 wherein each of said enclosed air ducts is divided into a plurality of secondary enclosed air ducts using one or more interior webs, wherein the airflow of each of said secondary enclosed air ducts is independently regulated. ### Claim 13 (depends on 8) The floor of claim 8 wherein said floor is used in a railcar. ### Claim 14 A floor comprising: a plurality of interconnected elongated flooring units, wherein each of said elongated flooring units comprises: a left web; a right web; a top flange; and a bottom flange, said top and bottom flanges parallel to each other, wherein said webs and said flanges are configured to form an enclosed air duct facilitating airflow from a first end of said enclosed air duct to a second end, wherein said each of said elongated flooring units is configured for connecting to two adjacent flooring units by way of connecting to side extensions extending from said bottom flange; wherein the horizontal distance between said left web and said right web increases as a function of the distance in an upward direction normal to the surface of said bottom flange; and wherein said each of said flooring units further comprises a web that is connected to a midpoint of said top flange and a midpoint of said bottom flange, and wherein said web divides said enclosed air duct into two equally sized enclosed air ducts. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The floor of claim 14 wherein said plurality of interconnected elongated flooring units comprises a plurality of open air ducts. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The floor of claim 14 wherein said connecting to said side extensions is performed by way of applying an adhesive. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The floor of claim 14 wherein said connecting to said side extensions is performed by way of welding. ### Claim 18 (depends on 14) The floor of claim 14 wherein said connecting to said side extensions is performed by way of using mechanical fasteners. ### Claim 19 (depends on 14) The floor of claim 14 wherein said airflow is regulated by way of varying the size of an opening at said one of said ends of said enclosed air duct. ### Claim 20 (depends on 14) The floor of claim 14 wherein said airflow is regulated by way of varying the size of an opening at each of said two equally sized enclosed air ducts. ### Claim 21 (depends on 14) The floor of claim 14 wherein each of said flooring units comprises a plurality of secondary webs which divide said enclosed air duct into a plurality of secondary enclosed air ducts. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The floor of claim 21 wherein said plurality of secondary enclosed air ducts comprises five equally sized secondary enclosed air ducts. ### Claim 23 (depends on 21) The floor of claim 21 wherein said plurality of enclosed air ducts comprises three secondary enclosed air ducts. ### Claim 24 (depends on 21) The floor of claim 21 wherein said airflow is regulated by way of varying the size of an opening at each of said plurality of secondary enclosed air ducts. ### Claim 25 (depends on 14) The floor of claim 14 wherein said floor is used in a railcar. ### Claim 26 (depends on 25) The floor of claim 25 wherein said railcar comprises a refrigerated insulated box car. ### Claim 27 An elongated flooring unit comprising: a left web; a right web; a top flange; a bottom flange, said top flange positioned parallel to said bottom flange; and wherein said left and right webs, and said top and bottom flanges, enclose an air space configured for use as an air duct; and wherein said elongated flooring unit comprises one or more interior webs that divides said air duct into a plurality of secondary air ducts. ### Claim 28 (depends on 27) The elongated flooring unit of claim 27, wherein a cross-section of said elongated flooring unit comprises a trapezoid. ### Claim 29 (depends on 27) The elongated flooring unit of claim 27 wherein airflow within said air duct is regulated by way of varying the size of an opening to said air duct at one or both ends of said air duct. ### Claim 30 (depends on 27) The elongated flooring unit of claim 27 wherein each of said plurality of secondary air ducts may be independently regulated by way of varying the size of an opening at one or both ends of each of said plurality of secondary air ducts. ### Claim 31 (depends on 27) The elongated flooring unit of claim 27 wherein said plurality of secondary air ducts comprises three air ducts. ### Claim 32 (depends on 31) The elongated flooring unit of claim 31 wherein a cross-section of at least one of said plurality of secondary air ducts comprises an equilateral triangle. ### Claim 33 (depends on 27) The elongated flooring unit of claim 27 wherein said elongated flooring unit is used to implement a railcar floor. ### Claim 34 (depends on 33) The elongated flooring unit of claim 33 wherein said railcar comprises a refrigerated insulated box car. ### Claim 35 A floor comprising: a plurality of alternating enclosed air ducts and open air ducts formed by interconnecting a plurality of flooring units, wherein each enclosed air duct of said enclosed air ducts is formed by two webs and two flanges of each flooring unit of said plurality of flooring units, said two flanges comprising a bottom flange and a top flange, wherein each of said enclosed air ducts is divided into a plurality of secondary enclosed air ducts using one or more interior webs, wherein the airflow of each of said secondary enclosed air ducts is independently regulated. ### Claim 36 (depends on 35) The floor of claim 35 wherein a cross-section of said each enclosed air duct comprises a plurality of triangles. ### Claim 37 (depends on 35) The floor of claim 35 wherein each open air duct of said open air ducts comprises: a web of a first flooring unit; a web of a second flooring unit; and an open air duct flange. ### Claim 38 (depends on 37) The floor of claim 37 wherein a first distance between said web of said first flooring unit and said web of said second flooring unit decreases as a function of a second distance, said second distance measured in a direction of a vector that is normal to the surface of said open air duct flange, said vector pointing upwards from said surface, said first distance measured along a line parallel to said surface of said open air duct flange. ### Claim 39 (depends on 37) The floor of claim 37 wherein said open air duct flange comprises: a first side extension of a first flooring unit of said flooring units, and a second side extension of a second flooring unit of said flooring units; and wherein said first side extension is connected to said second side extension by way of forming one of: a butt joint and a lap joint. ### Claim 40 (depends on 35) The floor of claim 35 wherein said floor is used in a railcar.