DECORATIVE GLASS FLOOR

BRIEF DISCRETION

0001 This invention is for a decorative glass enclosed floor cavity with strip lights and planter boxes filled with artificial plants inside the cavity, built in raised floor construction. This design is purely aesthetic and gives light, beauty and originality to a raised floor room.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

0002 The present invention relates to a glass floor and is built in a partial section or partial sections of a raised floor as a decorative cavity with a glass overlay that covers the entire cavity and strip lighting and planter boxes with artificial plants inside the cavity giving an aesthetic quality to a room. This design is for a partial section of glass flooring or multiple sections creating a larger glass floor.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

0003 There is no background of this invention as it has never been introduced before. This is an original concept for a decorative glass enclosed floor cavity built in a raised floor with strip lights and artificial plants inside the cavity. There is no basic purpose other than giving an aesthetic quality to a room. The lights give flair or mood to a raised floor room and the plants and basic construction add beauty and originality to its form. BRIEF SUMMARY

0004 This decorative floor cavity is a new innovation in flooring and is designed to give flair, special lighting effects or mood to a raised floor room. The lights and plants inside the cavity give beauty and originality to the room. This design Is for a partial section or sections of a raised floor, made up of a framed, finished cavity or cavities, depending on the size of glass flooring desired, with a 3/8" non-slip or regular glass overlay covering the entire cavity, using an asymmetrical grid, made of 2x4s, attached to 4x4 posts with hex bolts, deck screws and reinforced L brackets for support, with strip lighting attached horizontally to the 4x4 posts with screws, just under the grid, and planter boxes filled with artificial plants attached to the bottom of the finished cavity with screws. Grip slots are cut in end 2x4s to aid in the removal of the glass for cleaning and to change light bulbs. 3/8" non-slip or regular glass butts up against 3/8" finish wood flooring to form a level finished floor.

0005 This design is purely aesthetic and has no other benefit. The room in which this design is used must have a ceiling height of at least 12 feet and the height of the raised floor and the depth of the cavity are determined by the contents of the cavity. Can be built with lights or plants only or lights and plants with varying raised floor levels and cavity depth. When using lights or plants only, raised floor level and cavity depth are reduced by 2 feet.

0006 This glass floor design can also be built with metal or chrome for modern design.

BRIEF DISCRETION OF THE DRAWING

(overhead perspective)

1-x 4x4 posts with counter sunk 5" x ½" hex bolts in center to attach 6 foot 2x4s.

2 5 vertical 6 foot 2x4s, with 2'7" horizontal gap between rows, attached to 4x4 posts with 5" x 1/2" hex bolts, counter sunk in center.

3 16 horizontal sections of 2x4s, 2'7" long, attached to 4x4 posts with 4" deck screws and reinforced L brackets, to butt up against 6 foot 2x4s, with 1' 6 2/3" vertical gap between rows, forming an asymmetrical grid.

4 12 foot strip lighting attached horizontally under grid to both sides of 4x4 posts.

5 12' x 7" x 9" planter boxes attached to finished floor of cavity with screws. 2' 4" artificial plants inside planter boxes.

6 3" x 1 ¼" x 1 ¼" hand grip slots to aid in removal of glass overlay.

7 3/8" regular or non-slip glass overlay to cover entire cavity

DETAILED DISCRETION

0007 Start with a framed plywood cavity built like miniature walls in a raised floor to specifications on size. I've used a 12' 3/8" x 6' 3/8" x 4' 2 3/8" unfinished cavity for my patent with a raised floor level of 4' 2

3/8". Framed cavity must measure 12' x 6' x 4' 2" exactly after being finished with 3/8" wood flooring, the same as used for the finished raised floor, before the next steps of the assembly process. 4 feet for 4x4 post height, 2 inches for grid height, 3/8 inches for cavity wood finish flooring equals 4' 2 3/8" for cavity height.

12' x 6' x 4' 2" finished cavity measurements. 3/8" wood finish flooring on bottom of cavity raises the height of cavity to 4' 2 3/8" to match raised sub-floor level. 0008 Attach twenty 4x4 posts 4 feet high, minus the height of post base, if any, placed at the perimeter of and throughout cavity, horizontally every 2'7" and vertically every 6 2/3" to form 4 parallel rows horizontally and 5 parallel rows vertically, attached to structural finished floor of the cavity with black or brown post bases. ( lx ) Perimeter posts must be attached flush with finished cavity wall.

Posts must be 4 feet in height minus the height of the post base. For example: if post base height off the floor of the finished cavity is 1 inch, take post base height off of 4x4 posts to compensate. Height of 4x4 posts would be 3' 11" with 1 inch height of post base.

0009 Asymmetrical grid built with 2x4s _ 4" side up _ , vertically 5 six foot full length 2x4s with

2'7" horizontal gap between rows. ( 2 ) Horizontally _ sixteen measured sections of 2x4s, 2'7" long with

1' 6 2/3" vertical gap between rows, ( 3 ) to butt up against 6 foot full length 2x4s, connected on each side of 4x4 posts with 4" deck screws and reinforced L brackets for added support. Full length 6 foot 2x4s must run vertically so that L bracket placement does not interfere with attached horizontal lighting strips. ( 4 ) Six foot 2x4s attached in center with 5" x 1/2 " hex bolts ( lx ) , counter sunk with wood filler or wooden dowels to conceal. At opposite corners of vertical end 2x4s, cut a hand grip slot 3" x 1 1/4" x 1 1/4" to aid in removal of glass overlay for cleaning and to change light bulbs. ( 6 ) This grid is not built perfectly symmetrical so that there is more space for glass to emphasize contents of the cavity.

An asymmetrical grid also adds design to the floor.

0010 All wood posts and grid must be sanded and stained to match wood finish flooring of raised floor and cavity lined with the same finish flooring must be trimmed out. All 4x4 posts must be exposed so as to be able to attach strip lighting. Post bases must be black or brown to match the interior of the cavity.

0011 Six 12 foot lighting strips, running just under grid, attached horizontally, one on each side of 4x4 posts ( 4 ), with wiring running to one side and under raised sub-floor to wall switch with dimmer. Total strips of lights _ six. Use clear round bulbs.

0012 Planter boxes ( metal or wood to match cavity ). Length 12', width 7", height 9", centered in horizontal space and attached to finished cavity floor with screws. Fill with artificial silk plants or silk plants and flowers. Height of plants must not exceed 2' 4" so as to avoid touching lights. ( 5 )

0013 12' x 6' x 3/8" non-slip or regular glass to cover entire cavity, laid upon asymmetrical grid. ( 7 ) 3/8" raised floor finish wood flooring to butt up against 3/8" glass overlay to form level finished floor. Removable wooden trim where glass meets flooring. Glass must be removable for cleaning and to change light bulbs.

0014 This decorative cavity can also be built with lights or plants only. Cavity depth and raised sub-floor level would be 2' 2 3/8" . 12' x 6' x 2' 2" finished cavity dimensions. 3/8" finish flooring on bottom of cavity raises the height to 2' 2 3/8" to match raised sub-floor level. Use 4x4 posts measured 2 feet in height, minus post base height, if any. Use the same basic plan as with lights and plants, just a reduced raised sub-floor level and reduced 4x4 post height. When using lights only, a lazer light projector can be attached to the bottom of the cavity in the center, for an additional lighting effect, ( wiring running under cavity finish flooring to wall switch ). Can also be built as wall borders.

0015 This decorative floor cavity can also be built with metal or chrome for modern design. Can be built in new or existing structures.

0016 Although a particular embodiment of the design has been disclosed in detail for illustrative purposes it will be recognized that variations or modifications of the disclosed decorative cavity flooring, including the size, shape and the arrangement and type of building materials, be within the scope of the present design.