The present invention concerns a stable floor element.

A known type of stable floor element mainly consists of a grid made of concrete, composed of beams arranged at a distance from one another and which are mutually connected by means of crossbeams, also made of concrete.

From EP 1,563,728 is known a stable floor element whereby openings are provided between the beams designed for the removal of excrements to a pit which is usually provided under such a stable floor element.

A stable floor which is formed of such known stable floor elements is cleaned by regularly scraping the floor, either manually or automatically by means of a manure robot or a scraper, whereby the scraped-off excrements are also carried off via the openings between the beams into the underlying pit.

Another type of stable floor has a mainly closed and flat upper surface. In other words, such a stable floor is not formed of beams with intermediate openings. With these types of stable floors, the excrements are carried off by frequently scraping the floor and carrying off the excrements via a restricted number of discharge openings, and further via underlying pipes, for example to a remote collector. In view of the animals' welfare it is known to provide these stable floor elements, which are generally made of concrete, with rubber mats on the upper surface. If the stable floor elements are provided with openings or grooves via which the excrements fall in an underlying pit, said mats will be provided with corresponding recesses, in line with said openings or grooves, such that the passage for the excrements is not obstructed.

Disadvantages of this embodiment consist in that the mats lie loose on the stable floor, such that these mats can shift while in use or while being scraped, and that fixing these mats to the concrete subfloor is laborious and that the use of fixing means, such as for example screws, may even cause injuries to the animals.

There are also stable floor elements made of concrete whereby rubber strips or rubber mat parts have been worked into the upper surface during its manufacturing.

A disadvantage of such stable floor elements is that said rubber strips or rubber mat parts cannot be replaced, which strongly reduces the life of such stable floor elements.

According to another known embodiment, starting from a concrete floor grid formed of beams and cross beams, the top side of every beam is covered with a rubber strip. This strip is then usually fixed to the beam that it covers. Such rubber strips are described for example in WO 2006/103534 and in IE 2001/0006. Fixing these strips is a major problem. Fixing can be done on the top side or on the side walls of the beam which is covered by the strip. Fixing such strips is time-consuming, which makes it more difficult to replace them.

A stable floor element designed as described in WO 2009/136376 is also known, which stable floor element comprises a supporting element, with a service face situated on top when in use and a bottom face situated on the bottom side, whereby the service face is provided with one or several levels, recesses or openings, whereby a comfort element has been provided in at least one of said levels, recesses or openings made of rubber or an elastic synthetic material, which comfort element has been provided at least partly in the inner space in the level, the recess or the opening.

This results in a very economical stable floor whose comfort elements can moreover be easily replaced, for example when they are to be replaced due to wear, or when the stable floor is to be used by other animals.

In this manner is also obtained a base of concrete alternated with rubber or another elastic material. This promotes the animals' welfare, since the contact with the concrete service face enables the animals to wear off their hooves or claws.

The present invention concerns further improvements to stable floor elements. To this end, the invention concerns a stable floor element comprising a supporting element, with a service face situated on top when in use and a bottom face situated on the bottom side, whereby the service face is provided with one or several levels, recesses or openings, whereby a comfort element has been provided in at least one of said levels, recesses or openings made of rubber or an elastic synthetic material, and whereby, according to the specific characteristic of the invention, at least one of the aforesaid levels, recesses or openings is at least partly confined by two opposite side walls and at least one bearing wall directed parallel or practically parallel to the aforesaid service face, such that an aforesaid comfort element rests at least partly on this bearing wall.

An advantage of a stable floor element according to the invention is that the aforesaid comfort element is supported well thanks to the presence of a bearing wall which is parallel or almost parallel to the aforesaid service face and/or the aforesaid bottom face, or in other words is directed crosswise or almost crosswise in relation to the aforesaid side walls, or yet in other words, as this bearing wall extends horizontally or almost horizontally while the stable floor element is in use.

Thanks to this excellent support of the comfort element, it is made sure that there is little risk for this comfort element to undergo an unwanted deformation, thus reducing the risk of premature wear and accumulation of unwanted impurities. On the other hand is made sure in this manner that the comfort element cannot sink too deeply in the level, recess or opening under the weight of animals moving over the stable floor element, thus reducing the risk of injuries caused by sharp edges of the supporting element being laid bare .

According to a preferred characteristic of the invention, the aforesaid bearing wall is formed of a stepped narrowing of the level, recess or opening between the service face and the bottom face, whereby this narrowing occurs as of the service face towards the bottom face.

Preferably, at least in the aforesaid level, recess or opening in which a bearing wall is provided, on the aforesaid two opposite side walls of the level, recess or opening, is provided such a bearing wall, resulting in an even better support of the comfort element. Preferably, the stable floor element is provided with locking means preventing the comfort element from rotating in the aforesaid level, recess or opening, which locking means are made for example in the shape of two meshing coupling elements provided on the comfort element and on the supporting element respectively.

The presence of such locking means prevents the comfort element from rotating in the level, recess or opening. If the aforesaid comfort element is of the type which is provided with a through opening for carrying off manure and the like, the alignment of the through opening in the comfort element and an opening in the supporting element must be provided for, so that the possibility for manure to be removed is always guaranteed.

The present invention also concerns a supporting element which is part of a stable floor element according to the invention .

The present invention also concerns a comfort element which is used when manufacturing a stable floor element according to the invention.

In order to better explain the characteristics of the present invention, the following preferred embodiments of a stable floor element according to the invention are described by way of example only without being limitative in any way, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which : figure 1 schematically represents a part supporting element of a stable floor element according to the invention, seen in perspective;

figure 2 is a section according to line II-II in figure 1 ;

figure 3 schematically represents a comfort element which is used in a stable floor element according invention, seen in perspective;

figure 4 represents the comfort element of figure 3, but in another position;

figure 5 represents the supporting element of figure

1, in which have been provided a few comfort elements according to figures 3 and 4; figure 6 schematically represents two stable floor elements according to the invention placed next to one another, seen in perspective;

figure 7 is a section according to line VII-VII in figure 5;

figure 8 shows a variant of a comfort element according to figure 3;

figure 9 represents a view according to figure 7, but with comfort elements according to figure 8 ;

figure 10 represents the part which is indicated by arrow F10 in figure 9, to a larger scale.

Figure 1 represents a part of a stable floor element according to the invention, in particular a concrete supporting element 1, in this case in the shape of a floor grid .

The floor grid mainly consists of some beams, in this case six, provided parallel and at a distance from one another.

These beams 2 are mutually connected here by means of a number of crossbeams 3, in the present example one crossbeam 3 at each of the far ends of the beams 2 and two crossbeams 3 in between.

The openings 4 between the beams 2 narrow as of the face of the supporting element 1 which is situated on top when in use, hereafter called the upper surface or the service face 5 of the supporting element 1, towards the opposite bottom face 6 thereof. The beams 2 widen in other words as of the service face 5 towards the bottom face 6 of the supporting element 1.

In the given embodiment, the section of the beams 2 from the service face 5 to the bottom face 6 first has a mainly constant width so as to form two side walls 7, up to some four to five centimetres under the service face 5, and then the section widens as a crosswise directed wall part is provided, in this case on either side of the beams 2, after which the beams 2 with a predominantly constant width reach up to the bottom face 6. The aforesaid crosswise directed wall parts will be hereafter referred to as the bearing walls 8. The aforesaid bearing walls 8 are parallel or almost parallel to the aforesaid service face 5 and/or to the aforesaid bottom face 6, or in other words they are directed crosswise to the aforesaid side walls 7, or yet in other words, the bearing walls 8 extend horizontally or practically horizontally while the stable floor element is in use. In the given example, these bearing walls 8 are created by providing a stepped narrowing of the level, recess or opening between the service face 5 and the bottom face 6.

In the given example from figures 1 and 2, the aforesaid side walls 7 are directed somewhat slantingly in relation to the direction which is at right angles to the service face 5 and the bottom face 6, at least over a part of their length. The invention is not restricted as such, since the aforesaid one or several side walls 7 can also extend entirely or partly in a direction at right angles to the aforesaid service face 5 and/or bottom face 6.

Thus, the aforesaid openings 4 are at least partly confined by two opposite side walls 7 and, in this case, by two bearing walls 8. According to the invention, however, it is already sufficient if at least one of the aforesaid openings 4 is at least partly confined by merely one bearing wall 8 which is parallel or almost parallel to the aforesaid service face 5.

According to a special characteristic of the invention, the supporting element 1 is provided with one or several coupling elements 9, in this case each in the form of a groove extending mainly at right angles or almost at right angles to the service face 5 and/or the bottom face 5, whereby each of these grooves is provided in an aforesaid crossbeam 3 at an aforesaid opening 4.

In the present example, the aforesaid grooves extend as of the aforesaid service face 5, either or not up to the aforesaid bottom face 6. According to a preferred characteristic of the invention, every aforesaid groove narrows as of the service face 5 towards the bottom face 6. According to a variant which is not represented in the figures, it is also possible that at least some of the aforesaid grooves are straight, or in other words, that these grooves do not narrow. It is by no means necessary for such a groove to be provided on either side of the supporting element 1; on the contrary, it can also be provided on one far end of the latter .

The concrete supporting element 1 preferably has grooves 10 in its top surface, in other words the surface which is on top when the supporting element 1 is in use, or yet in other words the surface of the service face 5, which grooves 10 are provided in a cross pattern in the present example, i.e. whereby these grooves 10 extend in two crossed directions. Possibly but not necessarily, the grooves 10 may lead to the aforesaid opening 4 and they may also slightly slope towards a respective opening 4.

Figures 3 and 4 represent a comfort element 11 which is used in a stable floor element according to the invention, which comfort element 11 is made of rubber or an elastic synthetic material.

The shape and dimensions of the comfort element 11 are such that it fits exactly in an opening 4 between the beams 2 of the supporting element 1. The comfort element 11, made as a moulded piece in this case, generally has a predominantly U-shaped section with a body 13 and two legs 14, apart from reinforcement ribs 12.

The legs 14 of the predominantly U-shaped section narrow towards their free ends in this case, but this is not strictly necessary according to the invention. The aforesaid body 13 is preferably provided with one or several through openings 15 which in this case mainly extend in the longitudinal direction of the comfort element 11.

On its top side, i.e. the side of the body 13 which is on top while the stable floor element is being used, the body 13 is provided with one or several grooves 16 which drain to an aforesaid through opening 15 as the depth of these grooves 16 increases towards an aforesaid opening 15.

At its respective long ends, the aforesaid comfort element 11 is provided with second coupling elements 17 which in this case are made in the shape of a rib provided on a respective end wall 18 extending crosswise or almost crosswise to the longitudinal direction of the comfort element 11. The outside dimensions of the aforesaid ribs are somewhat smaller than the interior dimensions of the aforesaid grooves in the supporting element 1.

In the present example, these ribs extend over the entire height of the comfort element 11 and they narrow as of the top side of the comfort element 11 towards the bottom side of this comfort element 11, but according to the invention is also possible that these ribs merely extend over a part of the height of the comfort element 11 and/or that they have a continuous width over their entire length.

According to the invention, such ribs must not be provided on both far ends of the comfort element 11, but they can also be provided on merely one far end thereof. Figures 5 to 7 illustrate how, when manufacturing a stable floor element 19 according to the invention, the comfort elements 11 can be easily provided on the supporting elements 1.

Indeed, thanks to the design of the comfort elements 11 which, as mentioned above, correspond to the openings 4 between the beams 2 of the supporting element 1, one only has to introduce the comfort elements 11 in these openings 4, as shown in figure 5, in such a way that these comfort elements 11 according to the invention rest at least partly on the aforesaid bearing walls 8, as a result of which a very good support of the comfort elements 11 is obtained and any unwanted deformations and related premature wear of these comfort elements 11 is prevented.

By combining a supporting element 1 according to figure 1 with a comfort element 11 according to figures 3 and 4 is thus obtained a stable floor element 19 according to the invention, as represented in figures 6 and 7.

The lack of any additional mechanical connections makes it possible to easily fit and replace the comfort elements 11. Gluing the comfort elements 11 together might be considered.

While the comfort elements are being introduced in the openings 4, the aforesaid first coupling elements 9 and second coupling elements 17 will mesh as the ribs on the end walls 18 of the comfort elements 11 slide in the respective grooves of the supporting element 1. In this manner, the aforesaid first and second coupling elements 9 and 17 so to say form locking means which prevent the comfort elements 11 from rotating in the openings 4, such that an additional provision against premature wear of the comfort elements is obtained and any accumulation of remains of excrements between the comfort elements 11 and the side walls 7 is prevented.

The use and working of such stable floor elements 18 is simple and as follows.

The stable floor elements 18 guarantee an optimal comfort for the animals. On the one hand, the comfort elements 11 provide for a soft and warm base, and on the other hand, the concrete beams 2 and 3 make sure that the animals can wear off their hooves or claws.

A possible alternation of concrete and rubber, as well as the possible presence of some grooves 10, guarantee a rougher walking surface, which improves the safety.

As opposed to stable floors which are entirely covered with a rubber mat, a stable floor built of such stable floor elements 18 according to the invention offers the advantage that the animals will not only be found in places where these mats are provided. Thus, the entire infrastructure will be used, including the cubicles.

Thanks to the presence of the draining grooves 16, urine will flow to the through openings 15 to be subsequently removed to a space or drain provided under the stable floor element 19. This speedy discharge of urine is important, for example, to reduce the methane (CH4) and ammonia (NH3) emissions. The remaining excrements are carried off by regularly scraping the floor and carrying off the excrements via the openings 15, for example.

Should the comfort elements 11 be worn-out, they can be easily replaced.

If required, the bottom face 6 of the supporting element 1 may be closed. In that case, the openings 4 are made as recesses or levels in the upper surface of the service face 5 of the supporting element 1, as opposed to the continuous openings 4 as represented in the figures.

Such a closed bottom face 6 prevents any contamination of the ground should there be a leak between the comfort elements 11 and the supporting element 1.

If required, such supporting elements can be placed directly on a flattened ground. A supporting element 1 must not necessarily have crossbeams 3. Indeed, the embodiment with a closed bottom face 6 can also be made without any crossbeams 3.

The supporting element 1 may have, but not necessarily, a predominantly rectangular peripheral edge, and the recesses 4 may also be round or hexagonal or have another shape. The supporting element 1 can also be a floor slab cast on the spot, for example, in which are provided levels or recesses .

Figure 8 represents an alternative embodiment of a comfort element 11 according to the invention which has essentially the same design as the comfort element 11 from figures 3 and 4, but whereby the comfort element 11 is in this case provided with two springy elastic strips 20, made for example of an elastic synthetic material.

The aforesaid springy elastic strips 20 hereby preferably extend over the entire or practically the entire length of the comfort element 11, each as of the free end of a respective aforesaid leg 14 towards the free end of the other leg 14 of that same comfort element 11.

The length of these springy elastic strips 20 is preferably such that the respective strips 20 of one and the same comfort element overlap at least partly.

In the present example, the aforesaid springy elastic strips 20 are fixed to a respective free end of an aforesaid leg 14 by means of a dovetail joint 21, but it is obvious that also many other joining techniques qualify, such as screwing, stapling, gluing, melting or the like.

The installation method of a stable floor element 19 according to the invention and as represented in figure 9 is simple and corresponds to the installation method of the stable floor element 18 represented in figure 7. The comfort elements 11, even when provided with springy elastic strips 20, are inserted in the openings 4 between the beams 2, as represented in figure 9, also in compliance with the installation method of the comfort elements 11 represented in figure 7, with all the corresponding advantages .

As mentioned above, alternating concrete and rubber strips is useful as far as the animal comfort is concerned, the wear of hooves or claws, a better grip and the use of the infrastructure as a whole, as there are no floor parts that are integrally covered with rubber.

The use and functioning of such stable floor elements 19 is simple and as follows.

The excrements are carried off via the groove-shaped through openings 15 in the comfort elements 9. As the floor can be scraped on a regular basis, this results in an accelerated discharge of the excrements via the groove-shaped through openings 19 to the underlying collector pit. Urine and liquid excrements are optimally discharged at an increased speed via the grooves 16 which are provided in the upper surface of the comfort elements 11, on either side of the openings 15. The elastic springy strips 20, whose free ends 22 connect when they are unloaded, as represented in figure 10, are made of a synthetic material or a rubber with low adhesive power, and they are provided with a smooth upper surface, such that excrements which end up on said strips force the latter down by their weight, after which the excrements end up in the underlying pit, and after which the strips bend up again and connect, thus sealing the collector pit.

In other words, the elastic strips 20 function as a self- closing valve. This is important as the thus screened collector pit reduces any methane (CH4) and ammonia (NH3) emissions.

Should the comfort elements 11 show signs of wear, they can be easily replaced.

The openings 15 in the comfort elements 11 can be made wider or narrower, they can be groove-shaped or have other shapes . Depending on the type of animals for which the comfort elements 11 are meant, the width and shape of the openings 15 in the comfort elements 11 can be adapted, or the material used can be adapted, for example. The grooves 16 are optional and, if provided, their dimensions can be adapted to the aimed application.

The present invention is by no means limited to embodiments whereby the bearing wall or bearing walls 8 are flat; on the contrary, this bearing wall or these bearing walls 8 can also have a bent surface. Such bearing wall or bearing walls can also be directed somewhat slantingly in relation to the aforesaid service face 5, and thus it is not necessary for this bearing wall 8 to be entirely parallel to the aforesaid service face 5. The present invention is by no means limited to the embodiments described by way of example and represented in the accompanying drawings; on the contrary, such a stable floor element according to the invention can be made in all sorts of shapes and dimensions while still remaining within the scope of the invention.