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US 11,590,038 B2Granted
Floor panel system for vehicles
OwnerAnjani Kumarinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A vehicle flooring system for converting regular vehicles into wheelchair accessible vehicles. The flooring system is made up of individual flooring panels connected via a snap fit type tongue and lip connection. Each individual panel contains an integral track. The integral track forms a positive lock with the track channels. The flooring system is able to satisfy government regulations concerning seat and wheelchair location pull testing.
Claims29
A vehicle flooring system, comprising:
- a first floor panel having a connector receptacle side;
- wherein the first floor panel has a snap-fit connector receptacle on the connector receptacle side;
- wherein the snap-fit connector receptacle has a connector guide;
- wherein the snap-fit connector receptacle includes a pair of receptacle arms oriented in an opposing manner;
- wherein the receptacle arms and the connector guide define a pair of receptacle channels;
- a second floor panel having a connector protrusion side;
- wherein the second floor panel has a snap-fit connector protrusion on the connector protrusion side;
- wherein the snap-fit connector protrusion has a pair of connector tongues oriented in an opposing manner;
- wherein the connector tongues are connected with the receptacle arms of the snap-fit connector receptacle;
- wherein the connector protrusion side defines a guide cavity;
- wherein the connector guide is received in the guide cavity;
- wherein, the connector protrusion side has opposing guide side walls defining the guide cavity;
- wherein the guide side walls are configured to inhibit rotational movement of the connector guide;
- wherein the connector tongues are configured to flex in an inwards direction towards one another during connecting to the receptacle arms;
- and
- wherein the connector tongues are spaced away from contact with the connector guide when the connector tongues are connected with the receptable arms of the snap-fit connector receptacle.
13 more elements
A system, comprising:
- a plurality of vehicle floor panels with a snap-fit connection between the floor panels;
- wherein the floor panels have a general uniform wall thickness with one or more reduced wall thickness portions at the snap fit connection;
- wherein the snap-fit connection includes a snap-fit connector receptacle and a snap-fit connector protrusion;
- wherein the snap-fit connector receptacle includes a pair of receptacle arms oriented in an opposing manner;
- wherein the snap-fit receptacle has a connector guide disposed between the receptacle arms;
- wherein the snap-fit connector protrusion includes a pair of connector tongues oriented in an opposing manner;
- wherein the snap-fit connector protrusion defines a guide cavity;
- wherein the guide cavity is located between the connector tongues;
- wherein the connector tongues are connected with the receptacle arms;
- wherein the connector guide is received in the guide cavity;
- wherein the reduced wall thickness portions are located at the connector tongues to facilitate bending of the connector tongues;
- wherein the reduced well thickness portions of the connector tongues are configured to allow the connector tongues to flex inwardly when connecting to the receptacle arms;
- wherein each of the receptacle arms define snap-fit notches;
- wherein the receptacle arms have receptacle lips at the snap-fit notches;
- wherein the snap-fit notches face the connector tongues;
- wherein the receptacle lips of the receptacle arms are interlocked with the connector tongues;
- and
- wherein the connector tongues are spaced away from contact with the connector guide when the connector tongues are connected with the receptacle arms of the snap-fit connector receptacle.
15 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.