Transportable flooring kit and method for assembling the same

In a flooring system of the type comprising a plurality of modules wherein each of said modules includes a base layer and an activity layer overlying said base layer and said base layers are connected to said activity layers in staggered relation so that a portion of each base and activity layer extends past the edges of the activity and base layers on an adjacent module,

• each of said activity layers including first magnetic coupling means for releasably connecting it to complimentary magnetic coupling means on said the base layer of an adjacent module,
• each of said base layers including second magnetic coupling means for releasably connecting it to said magnetic coupling means on said activity layer of an adjacent module and
• wherein said first magnetic coupling means includes a first elongated member for being connected to one of said layers,
• a second elongated member,
• a pivot, said pivot connecting said first and second elongated members so that said second elongated member can pivot movement relative to said first elongated member.

A flooring kit for creating a sport, dance, or exercising activity floor from modules comprising

• a plurality of modules, each said module including
• a base layer for being placed on a permanent floor, said base layer including a plurality of sides,
• an activity layer for being placed on said base layer, said activity layer including a plurality of side edges,
• said base layer and said activity layer comprising said module and being in staggered relation to each other so that a portion of each of said base or activity layers extends past the sides of the other base or activity layer,
• each of said activity layers including first magnetic coupling means for releasably connecting it to complimentary magnetic coupling means on said base layer of another module,
• each of said base layers including second magnetic coupling means for releasably connecting it to said first magnetic coupling means on said activity layer of an adjacent module,
• one of said first or second magnetic coupling means comprises a ceramic magnet,
• the other of said first or second magnetic coupling means comprises an elongated ferrous member, said elongated ferrous member comprises first and second elongated elements which are connected to each other along their longest edges by a joint, said joint being operative to permit said first and second elements of said elongated ferrous member to pivot relative to each other around their longest edges, and
• means for connecting said elongated ferrous member to one of said base or activity layers, and means for connecting said ceramic magnet to an other of said base or activity layers.

An activity layer for flooring module of the type that comprises an activity layer and a base layer,

• said activity layer having a rectangular shape and including an upper surface and a lower surface and four sides;
• said sides extending between said upper and lower surfaces;
• said upper surface being adapted to be used for activities;
• said lower surface including first and second downwardly facing grooves, said grooves extending across the lower surface of said activity layer and being closer to two adjacent ones of said sides than the opposite ones of said sides, and
• magnetic coupling means disposed in each of said downwardly facing grooves for being connected to a complementary magnetic coupling means on an adjacent base layer,
• each of said magnetic coupling means comprises
• first and second members that are connected to each other by a pivot so that said first and second members can pivot between a first position where they can lie in substantial touching relation and a second position where they are angularly disposed relative to each other,
• connection means for connecting one of said members to the bottom of said downwardly facing groove,
• said other member having a distal edge which is remote from said pivot, and
• at least said distal edge of said second member is comprised of said ferrous material so that it can pivot around said pivot to engage a complementary magnetic coupling means on an adjacent base layer.

In a flooring system of the type comprising a plurality of modules for being adjacent each other and wherein each of said modules includes a base layer and an activity layer overlying said base layer and said base layers are connected to said activity layers in staggered relation so that a portion of each base and activity layer extends past the sides of the activity and base layers on an adjacent module,

• each of said activity layers including first magnetic coupling means for releasably connecting it to complimentary magnetic coupling means on said base layer of an adjacent module,
• each of said base layers including second magnetic coupling means for releasably connecting it to said first magnetic coupling means on said activity layer of an adjacent module
• one of said first magnetic coupling means and said second magnetic coupling means includes a first elongated member for being connected to one of said layers,
• a second elongated member,
• a pivot, said pivot connecting said first and second elongated members so that said second elongated member can pivot movement relative to said first elongated member, and
• said second elongated member is comprised of a ferrous material so that it can engage complementary magnetic coupling means on the other one of said of said layers.

In a flooring system of the type comprising a plurality of modules wherein each of said modules includes a base layer and an activity layer overlying said base layer,

• said base layers are connected to said activity layers of adjacent modules in staggered relation so that a portion of each base and activity layer extends past the edges of the activity and base layers on an adjacent module,
• each of said activity layers including a first elongated magnetic member,
• each of said base layers including second elongated magnetic member;
• said first and second elongated magnetic members being engagable with each other for releasably connecting said activity layer to a base layer of an adjacent module, and
• said first elongated member includes a pivot so that it can pivot into magnetic engagement with said second elongated member on said adjacent module.

A flooring kit for creating a sport, dance, or exercising activity floor from modules comprising

• a plurality of modules, each said module including
• a base layer for being placed on a permanent floor, said base layer including a plurality of edges,
• an activity layer for being placed on said base layer, said activity layer including a plurality of sides edges,
• means on said base layer and on said activity layer for connecting said base layer to said the activity layer of another module in staggered relation so that a portion of each layer extends past the edges of the other layer on the other,
• said means for connecting on each of said activity layers including first magnetic coupling means for releasably connecting it to complimentary magnetic coupling means on said the base layer of another module,
• said means for connecting on each of said base layers including second magnetic coupling means for releasably connecting it to said first magnetic coupling means on said activity layer of an adjacent module,
• said one of said first or second magnetic coupling means comprises a ceramic magnet,
• the other of said first or second magnetic coupling means (34) comprises an elongated ferrous member, and
• means for connecting said elongated ferrous member to one of said base or activity layers, and means for connecting said ceramic magnet to the other of said base or activity layers,
• one of said first and second magnetic coupling means comprises first and second elongated elements which are connected to each other along their longest edges by a joint, said joint being operative to permit said first and second elements to pivot relative to each other around their longest edges.

A method for making a floor for sport, dance, or exercising activity comprising the steps of

• providing a plurality of modules, each of said modules including a base layer and an activity layer, said base and activity layers of each modules overlapping each other so that a portion of each layer extends past two adjacent edges of the other layer,
• moving each of said modules into contact with another module so that said portion of each activity layer and each base layer overlies said portion of said base layer and said activity layer of the adjacent module, and
• magnetically coupling said adjacent modules to each other to create said floor,
• the step of magnetically coupling said adjacent modules to each other includes the step of providing a first magnetically coupling means on said portions of each of said base layers, and
• providing a second magnetically coupling means on said portions of each of said activity layers, and said first and second magnetically coupling means magnetically engage each other,
• providing said base layers with a lower surface, and
• providing a layer of water resistant material on the lower surface of said base layer.