[0002]. Prior art is represented by patent WO 98/20212 that discloses a floating floor comprising a plurality of tiles being evenly arranged substantially side by side to each other, by right angled rows.

[0003]. Each tile has four corners and four sides. The floor also comprises a plurality of support bases. Each support base has a center and four sides. The support bases are arranged below the tiles in an even and substantially staggered manner relative to the plurality of tiles, such that the center of each support base is below the corners of four adjacent tiles. The support bases are preferably made of a suitable elastomer, e. g. rubber, by moulding. Suitable fixing means are provided to removably fix the tiles to the support bases. Beneath each support base, there is positioned an anchoring plate, provided with threaded holes in which there are tighened some screws for fixing the tiles. Preferably, said anchoring plate is either housed in an embedding formed at the lower face or drowned in the thickness of

the support base. The plate is generally made of metal.

However, this type of floor raises some problems when one desires to anchor pieces of furniture to the floor. In fact, normally the pieces of furniture merely rest on the floor or are locked in a makeshift manner.

[0004]. The disadvantages of simply resting the pieces of furniture are unsteadiness, for example a bookshelf accordingly requiring to be anchored to a bottom wall, or yet the possibility that customers may steal part of the furniture in a public place, or the bulk of a table support base that may be uncomfortable for a user.

[0005]. The disadvantages of locking the pieces of furniture in a makeshift manner are the impossibility of ensuring quality, and accordingly safety, i. e. compliance to the current standards in a predetermined manner with reference to, for example, the static stability of the piece of furniture or the grounding of any metal frame thereof, as well as, more simply, the assembly accuracy and order upon dislocation. Again, the fact that the floor element to which the piece of furniture has been anchored in a makeshift manner, by gluing, screwing or other method, is disadvantageous because the, same will be irreversibly damaged when the piece of furniture is displaced.

[0006]. Therefore, the problem at the heart of the

present invention is to provide a floating floor overcoming the drawbacks discussed above with reference to the fixing of pieces of furniture.

[0007]. At the same time, there is provided a further embodiment of the present invention, wherein the floor of the invention also comprises a plurality of panelboards placed between the tiles and the support bases, in contact with the lower face of said tiles and the upper face of four support bases being placed side by side and staggered relative to the tiles.

[0008]. Further characteristics and further advantages of the floor according to the present invention will be understood from the description below of the preferred exemplary embodiments thereof, which are given by way of non-limiting illustration, with reference to the annexed figures, in which: [0009]. Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view of the support base, a tile and an anchoring plate, according to the invention; [0010]. Figure 2 is a perspective view of an anchoring plate according to a particular embodiment; [0011]. Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view of the support base, a tile, an anchoring plate and a table as an example of a piece of furniture that can be fixed to the floor;

[0012]. Figure 4 is a plan schematic view of a floor according to a particular embodiment; [0013]. Figure 5 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the invention ; [0014]. Figure 6 is a partially sectional and cut-away view of a detail of the floor from figure 1; [0015]. Figure 7 is an exploded perspective view of the support base, a tile, a panelboard and an anchoring plate according to the invention; [0016]. Figure 8 is a top view of the panelboards and the anchoring plates being connected according to an embodiment of the invention; [0017]. Figure 9 is a partially sectional and cut-away view of a detail of the floor from figure 7 ; [0018]. Figure 10 is an anchoring plate according to a particular embodiment of the invention; [0019]. Figure 11 is an exploded perspective view of the support base, a tile, a panelboard, an anchoring plate and a table as an example of a piece of furniture that can be fixed to the floor; [0020]. Figures. 12a, 12b, 12c, 12d and 12e are anchoring plates according to various embodiments of the invention; [0021]. Figure 13 is a perspective view of the inlet and/or outlet of the system according to the invention.

[0022]. With reference to the annexed figures, with 1 is globally indicated a floor according to the present invention.

[0023]. The floor 1 comprises a plurality of tiles, all being indicated with 2, squared in the example, evenly arranged substantially side by side to each other, by right angled rows. Each tile 2 has four corners 3 and four sides 4. Substantially at the four vertexes of the tile 2 there are arranged threaded holes 3'.

[0024]. The floor 1 also comprises a plurality of support bases, all being indicated with 5, squared in the example. Each support base 5 has a center 6 and four sides 7.

[0025]. The support bases 5 are evenly arranged below the tiles 2 substantially staggered relative to the plurality of tiles, such that the center 6 of each support base 5 is below the corners 3 of four adjacent tiles 2.

[0026]. In the example, the support bases are made of a suitable elastomer, such as rubber, by moulding.

[0027]. Fixing means 8, that will be described below, are provided to removably fix the tiles 2 to the support bases 5.

[0028]. The support bases 5 are placed side by side, their sides being in mutual contact. At the mutually

contacting sides there is provided a joint 9, which firmly holds together the support bases placed side by side. The joint 9 comprises a hammer-shaped projection 10, which is formed at half the length of a side 7 of a support base, and a hammer-shaped recess 11 conjugated to the projection 10, which is formed at half the length of a side 7 of the flanked support base.

[0029i. Each support base 5 has the same number of projections and recesses, and precisely two projections and two recesses, one on each side; all support bases being equal to each other.

[0030]. At a lower face 5a thereof, each support base 5 carries a plurality of channels 12 that are distributed according to two groups of channels parallel on the sides and intersecting at right angles, which are advantageously sized for cables, tubes and the like to pass therethrough.

[0031]. At an upper face 5b thereof, each support base carries, in the example, a Greek cross-shaped relief 14 with arms 15 converging in the center 6 and having a substantially rectangular section.

[0032]. The relief 14 is a joint or rabbet between adjacent tiles.

[0033]. Preferably, the relief 14 of each support base is mutually in contact with the relieves of the flanking

support bases. In other words, the arms 15 have free ends 16 opposite to center 6 touching the free ends of the arms of the flanking support base.

[0034]. There can be provided a covering globally designated with 17, which is fitted on the relief 14. It is preferably made of a thin metal sheet, for example brass, it has a reverse U-shaped section and is embodied by a cross 18 having short arms 19 and covering the relief 14 in its area located in the center 6 and by four . strips 20, each having a sufficient length to extend between the arms 20 of adjacent crosses, head to head with the ends of the arms 19 of the crosses 18.

[0035]. The tiles 2 have a reinforcement core 22, which is embodied by a plate made of a ferrous material, for example common steel, and have at an upper face 2a a covering 23, which is embodied by a sheet made of a valuable material, for example a stainless steel sheet, being rimmed on the reinforcement core, thereby forming an edge 24 encompassing the reinforcement core all along the periphery thereof, at a lower face 2b of the tile.

[0036]. The tile 2 rests, with the lower face thereof 2b, on the upper face 5b of four support bases 5 placed side by side, which are below the tile 2.

[0037]. The edge 24 rests in a subsidence 25 being formed in the support bases along the arms 15 of the

relieves.

[0038]. The floor acording to the invention further comprises anchoring plates 29 being arranged below said support bases 5, at the center 6 of the bases. Said anchoring plates 29 are placed in a notch 30 being obtained on the lower face 5a of the support'base 5. Each of said anchoring plates 29 has four threaded holes 27, from which there protrude preferably upwards several internally threaded sleeves 28. Said holes 27 are substantially arranged at the vertexes of a square such as to be aligned, with the floor being assembled, with the holes 3'of the tiles.

[0039]. The anchoring plate 29 further has at least one hole 31 that, similarly to the holes 27, comprises an internally threaded sleeve 32. Said at least one hole 31 can be advantageously arranged in the center of the anchoring plate 29. Other holes 31 may also be provided in such a position as to be, with the floor being assembled, below the joints 14 formed between the tiles 2 by the support base 5.

[0040]. The support base 5 may have prearranged holes 33 in alignment with the holes 3'of the tiles and 27 of the anchoring plate 29 and/or with the holes 31 of the anchoring plate; alternatively, said holes 33 may be provided upon installing the floor and/or pieces of

furniture on the floor since the support base is made of a material that can be easily drilled.

[0041]. The fixing means 8 comprise a screw 26 extending between the holes 3'of tiles 2, the holes 33 and the holes 27 such that said three elements can be connected and removably fixed.

[0042]. Said at least one hole 31 of the anchoring plate 29 has the function of anchoring means for pieces of furniture. In the example shown in figure 3, the piece of furniture consists of a table 34 having a shelf 34' and a leg 35 protruding downwards. The leg 35 has, internally at its base 35', a blind coaxial hole 36 having a threading. Means 8'for fixing said table 34 to the inventive floor consist of a screw having a threading matching the threading of the coaxial hole 36 of the table and a head 37 having a diameter that is sufficiently wide to provide the fixing means 8'with an effective hold. The length of screw 8'is suitable for screwing in the hole 36 of the piece of furniture, which substantially corresponds to the sum of the thickness of the assembled floor and the depth of the hole 36 of table 34. In other words, the fixing means 8'removably join the fixing plate 29 and the piece of furniture by passing through the hole 31 of the anchoring plate 29 and at least one support base 5.

[0043]. Generally, the anchoring means comprise the anchoring plate 29 and the fixing means 8'between the anchoring plate 29 and the piece of furniture.

Preferably, the fixing means 8'pass through at least one support base 5 at joints 14 between the tiles 2.

[0044]. The pieces of furniture are installed on the inventive floor as follows.

[0045]. The screw 8'is passed from below through the hole 31 of the anchoring plate 29 and through the corresponding hole 33 made in the support base 5 such that it projects from the floor. The table 34 is then screwed to the screw 8'. As shown in figure 2 the anchoring plate 29 can comprise a plurality of holes 31.

Due to the presence of these holes, the piece of furniture can be placed in various positions, as desired by the user, or can allow an improved anchorage of a piece of furniture by means of a plurality of screws 8'.

In the latter case, the piece of furniture will have a base prepared to receive a plurality of screws.

[0046]. Figure 4 shows a top view of the floor according to said particular embodiment of the invention.

As already said, providing the covering 17 is optional, and when used, it can be provided with one to five holes corresponding to the holes 33 of the underlying support base.

[0047]. Figure 5 is a further particular embodiment of the invention. The tile 2'has a side 4 that is folded by about 90° such as to form a vertically protruding tab 38.

Otherwise, the tile 2'has all the characteristics described above for tile 2.

[0048]. The chair 39 is made as one piece, the lower edge thereof having a housing 40 that matches the tab 38.

The tab 38 is engagingly inserted into the housing 40.

There can be provided removable fixing arrangements, for example a male/female-screw arrangement, a snap arrangement, etc. Optionally, the tile 2'may have two sides or three sides or all four'sides 4 folded by about 90°, each being tab-shaped either for coupling up to four pieces of furniture or improving the anchorage of a piece of furniture. According to a variant embodiment, said tile 2'and said piece of furniture, the chair 39 in the example, can be of a single preformed piece. In this case, the removable anchoring means advantageously consist of means for anchoring the tile 2'to at least one support base 5 and/or at least one anchoring plate 29. These pieces of furniture are made. of the same materials as the covering of the tiles.

[0049]. The pieces of furniture being fixed to the floor can be tables, chairs, armchairs, sofas and furniture of different shape, size and intended use. The

anchorage of said items to the floor has a very innovative and elegant design, for example thought for offices, business concerns, hotels, bars, restaurants, congress centers, representative rooms as well as any place, either public or private, where one requires to t set up a very modern, elegant and refined ambience.

[0050]. The floor according to the invention further allows the piece of furniture to be firmly anchored to the floor preventing that the tile may be damaged and thereby allowing, in case of removal, to restore the original floor by replacing only the support base 5 that is made of a non-valuable material.

[0051]. In the second embodiment of the invention, with the tile being prearranged with the tab for fixing the piece of furniture, the invention also allows to move said piece of furniture to the desired position in the room by simply replacing the prearranged tile with a standard tile.

[0052]. Obviously, to the floor described above, those skilled in the art, aiming at satisfying contingent and particular requirements, may carry out a number of alterations and variations, all being however contemplated within the scope of the invention, such as defined in the annexed claims.

[0053]. For example, the piece of furniture may have a

base having through holes for inserting a screw 8'that will protrude below the anchoring plate 29 and be tightened by means of a suitable nut.

[0054]. According to a possible embodiment of the invention, each support base 5 may entirely support one single tile 2. In this case, the width of support base 5 may be slightly greater than tile 2, such that the bases 5 of adjacent tiles, by touching each other, would form the joint between the tiles 2. On the contrary, the anchoring plate 29 will always be placed staggered relative to the tiles, such as to be located below and at a corner 3 of four adjacent tiles 2.

[0055]. Figures 7-13 show a further embodiment of the invention wherein a floor comprises a plurality of panelboards, all designated with 40. Said panels, being squared in the example, are evenly arranged substantially side by side, by right angled rows, between the plurality of support bases 5 and the plurality of tiles 2. Each panel is placed such that the lower face 41 of the panel is in contact with the upper face 5b of four support bases being placed side by side and staggered relative to the panel, and that the upper face 42 of the panel is in contact with the lower face 2b of the tile.

[0056]. Preferably, the upper face 42 of the panelboard is fixed to the lower face 2b of the tile 2 by means of

suitable fixing means that can, for example, be adhesive.

Consequently, in the preferred embodiment, the upper face 42 of the panelboard 40 is glued to the lower face 2b of tiles 2.

[0057]. Each panelboard has four corners 43 and four sides 44. Substantially proximate to the four vertexes 43 of the panelboard 40 there are arranged through holes 45. The panelboards 40 are arranged below the tiles 2 such that the through holes 45 correspond to the through holes 3'of tiles, the through holes 33 of the support bases and the through holes 27 of the anchoring plate 29.

The fixing means 8, that are represented by screw 26 in the example, will have a length substantially corresponding to the length of through holes 3', 45,33 and 27, such as to firmly fix the tile 2, the panelboard 40, the support base 5 and the anchoring plate 29 to one other.

[0058]. The panelboards 40 can be of a different nature. In the annexed figures, there are illustrated by way of example panelboards 40 of the hydraulic type comprising a channel 46, preferably folded on itself several times such as to form a serpentine having a suitable length. The channel 46 is hollow in order to allow the water to pass therethrough and ends up with two ends 47 preferably protruding downwards having two

apertures 48 for example being provided with quick couplings of the male-female type, which allow a quick connection to connecting means 49 that are advantageously provided on the upper face of anchoring plate 29. This connection is provided for example by means of a hole 50 made on the support base 5. The panelboards 40 are preferably made of aluminum.

[0059]. The connecting means 49 are suitable to define a continuous path comprising at least one channel 46 of a panelboard of the hydraulic type. Advantageously, the connecting means 49 are interposed between channels 46 of adjacent panelboards 40 of the hydraulic type such that they are fluidically connected. Preferably, the connecting means 49 are associated to an underlying anchoring plate 29.

[0060]. The connecting means 49 being positioned on the upper face of the anchoring plate 29 and illustrated in the examples comprise at least one channel 49'having an inner cavity 52 for water to pass therethrough and at least two ends 47'protruding upwards and ending with at least two apertures 48'being preferably provided with male-female couplings.

[0061]. Figures 12 a, b, c, d and e illustrate various embodiments of the anchoring plate 29 and connecting means 49.

[0062]. In Figure 12a, the connecting means 49 comprise only one channel 49'being associated with the anchoring plate 29. This channel is arranged such as to connect two panelboards 40 that are arranged side by side, i. e. with the respective sides facing each other. Said channel 49' longitudinally develops along one side of the anchoring plate 29, for example with both ends 47'being positioned near two opposite and consecutive sleeves 28 of the anchoring plate 29. Each end 47'is connected to the end 47 of channel 46 of two panelboards 40 that are arranged side by side, by means of male-female couplings. This connection is provided through a hole 50 made in the support base 5, proximate to holes 33.

[0063]. In Figure 12b, the connecting means being associated to the anchoring plate 29 comprise two parallel channels 49'placed proximate to two opposite sides. Each of the four ends 47'of both channels 49 is connected by means of quick couplings of the male-female type, through four holes 50 made in the support base, to respective ends 47 of channels 46 of four panelboards 40 arranged squared.

[0064]. In Figure 12c, the connecting means 49 associated to the anchoring plate 29 comprise a channel 49'diagonally arranged on the anchoring plate, with both ends 47'being suitable to connect respective channels 46

of two diagonally successive panelboards 40.

Particularly, both ends 47'are arranged proximate to two sleeves 28 of the anchoring plate 29 that are arranged on opposite sides relative to a center 6 of the anchoring plate. Both ends 47'are connected, by means of quick couplings of the male-female type and through two holes 50 made in the support base, to the end 47 of the channel 46 of two opposite panelboards 40.

[0065]. In figure 12d, the connecting means 49 of the anchoring plate 29 comprise two parallel channels 49' placed proximate to two opposite sides. Each of the four ends 47'of both channels 49 is connected by means of quick couplings of the male-female type, through four holes 50 made in the support base, to the end 47 of the channel 46 of four panelboards 40 being arranged squared.

Furthermore, said plate comprises a hole 31 provided with a threaded sleeve 32, which is placed in the center of the upper face of the plate at the hole 33 of the support base 5, which serves to anchor suitable pieces of furniture, such as described above.

[0066]. In figure 12e there is shown a particular embodiment of the anchoring plate 29 the function of which is better outlined in figure 13. This anchoring plate 29 comprises a channel 49'having a first end 47' provided with an aperture 48'for example placed

proximate to a sleeve 28 and extending diagonally and ending to a second end 47'provided with aperture 48'in the center of the anchoring plate 29. The first end 47', for example placed proximate to the sleeve 28, is connected, through the hole 50 of the support base 5, to the end 47 of channel 46 of the panelboard 40, by means of quick couplings of the male-female type.

[0067]. The second end 47'of the channel of the connecting means 49 is connected, through the hole 6 of the support base 5 and by means of quick couplings of the male-female type, to a tube 55 vertically protruding inside a wall 56 and being the inlet and/or outlet for water. The wall 56 is placed on the floor such that the end of tube 55 is at the center 6 of the floor 1 and through the hole 33 of support base 5 it may be connected to the end 47'of the connecting means 49 of the anchoring plate 29.

[0068]. The various embodiments of the anchoring plates 29, shown in Figures 12a, b, c, d, and e are selected according to the arrangement of the panelboards 40, which can be placed such that two, three or four ends 47 of channel 46 are arranged towards the center 6 of joints 16, and can be rotated by 90° or 180° to be adapted to the various arrangements of the panelboards.

[0069]. The support bases 5 that are normally made of

an elastomeric material can be easily adapted to any panelboard shape, by simply providing suitable housings on the upper face of support base 5.

[0070]. In the figures, said housings being designated with 51 and are concave channels obtained on the upper face 5b of the support base, having size and shape matching the size and shape of the corresponding portion of channel 46 of the panelboard 40. Said housings end with hole 50 through which there is provided the connection between the end 47 of channel 46 of the panelboard and the end 47'of the connecting means 49 of the anchoring plate 29.

[0071]. The support base also comprises, on the lower face thereof, suitable housings 53 for the connecting means 49.

[0072]. As shown in figure 11, the floor according to this further embodiment can provide pieces of furniture, a table in the example, being anchored thereto by means of anchoring means, such as described above. In this case, the anchoring plate 29 will comprise a central hole 31 provided with an internally threaded sleeve 32.

[0073]. The anchoring plate can comprise several holes 31 provided with as many internally threaded sleeves 32, that are suitably arranged to allow the anchoring of several pieces of furniture or several parts of a piece

of furniture. The panelboards according to the invention can also be suitably employed together with the tile 2' illustrated in figure 5.

[0074]. The panelboards according to the present invention may be of the hydraulic type like those shown in the drawings and described above, which are used to heat a room. They may also be of the electric type; in this case, the electric cables will be suitably fixed to the lower face of the pannel and connected,, normally by means of male-female connections, to corresponding electric cables that are fixed to the upper face of the anchoring plate. Connection is provided through the hole 50 made in the support base.

[0075]. This further embodiment has also the undoubted advantage of allowing simple and quick installation and removal of heating systems and electric systems, by simply mounting and dismounting the floor components.

This advantage may be independent from the presence of means for removable anchoring pieces of furniture even though the simultaneous presence of these aspects allows to obtain a very versatile floor and easily changeable according to the requirements.

[0076]. Obviously, to the floor described above, those skilled in the art, aiming at satisfying contingent and specific needs, will be able to carry out a number of

modifications and variations, all being however contemplated within the scope of protection of the invention, such as defined by the annexed claims.

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