Modular building structure

Claim 2

A modular building structure having a floor assembly, comprising: a grid adapted to be supported on, and situated above, and in spaced relationship to, a preexisting floor; and a plurality of substantially rectangular floor panels supported on said grid; wherein said grid comprises a first set of straight, rigid elements extending horizontally in parallel, uniformly spaced relationship to each other, and a second set of straight, rigid elements extending horizontally in parallel, uniformly spaced relationship to each other, the elements of the second set extending orthogonally to the elements of the first set, and being supported by the elements of the first set; and wherein each of said floor panels has a first pair of opposite edges, and a second pair of opposite edges, and said panels are supported in edge-to-edge relationship with one another, with the edges of the first pair supported by adjacent elements of the first set, and with the edges of the second pair supported by adjacent elements of the second set.

Claim 3

A modular building structure according to claim 1 wherein each of said floor panels has a depending, grid-engaging means extending along the edges of said first pair, with said depending, grid-engaging means resting on adjacent elements of the first set.

Claim 4

A modular building structure according to claim 1, further comprising clip means, located at intersections of the rigid elements of the first and second sets, for securing said floor panels against horizontal movement relative to one another and relative to said grid.

Claim 5

A modular building structure according to claim 3 wherein each of said clip means has a first channel for receiving one of the elements of said first set of straight, rigid elements and a second channel for receiving one of the elements of said second set of straight, rigid elements, whereby the clip means is prevented from moving horizontally relative to the elements received thereby.

Claim 6

A modular building structure according to claim 4, wherein each of said floor panels has means depending from the edges of said first pair; wherein the means depending from each edge has a downwardly open slot adjacent to a first end of the edge from which it depends, and a downwardly open slot adjacent to an opposite end of the edge from which it depends; and wherein each of said clip means comprises means for engaging downwardly open slots of four of said floor panels.

Claim 7

A modular building structure according to claim 4 wherein each of said floor panels has means depending from the edges of said first pair; and wherein each of said clip means comprises slot means for receiving depending means on four of said floor panels.

Claim 8

A modular building structure according to claim 4, wherein each of said floor panels has a depending, grid-engaging means extending along the edges of said first pair, with said depending, grid-engaging means resting on adjacent elements of the first set; wherein said depending, grid-engaging means extending along each edge of said first pair of edges comprises an apron having first and second ends, with a downwardly open slot adjacent to said first end, and a downwardly open slot adjacent to said second end; and wherein each of said clip means comprises means for engaging downwardly open slots in aprons of four of said floor panels.

Claim 9

A modular building structure according to claim 4 wherein each of said floor panels has a depending, grid-engaging means extending along the edges of said first pair, with said depending, grid-engaging means resting on adjacent elements of the first set; wherein said depending, grid-engaging means extending along each edge of said first pair of edges comprises an apron; and wherein each of said clip means comprises slot means for receiving aprons of four of said floor panels.

Claim 10

A modular building structure according to claim 1, further comprising means attached to the elements of said first set of straight, rigid elements, for adjustably leveling said grid.

Claim 11

A modular building structure comprising: a grid adapted to be supported on, and situated above, and in spaced relationship to, a preexisting floor; and a plurality of substantially rectangular floor panels supported on said grid; wherein said grid comprises a first set of straight, rigid elements extending horizontally in parallel, uniformly spaced relationship to each other, and a second set of straight, rigid elements extending horizontally in parallel, uniformly spaced relationship to each other, the elements of the second set being located at a level above the elements of the first set and extending orthogonally to the elements of the first set, and the elements of the first and second sets having ends; and wall means comprising a first wall including a plurality of upright posts attached to ends of the straight, rigid elements of the first set, and a second wall including a plurality of upright posts attached to ends of the straight, rigid elements of the second set wherein each of the upright posts of said first plurality of upright posts has a foot extending laterally from the first wall, each said foot having a channel receiving an end of one of the straight, rigid elements of the first set, and each of the upright posts of said second plurality of upright posts has a foot extending laterally from the second wall, each said foot of the upright posts of said first plurality having a channel receiving one of said ends of the straight, rigid elements of the second set.

Claim 12

A modular building structure comprising: a grid adapted to be supported on, and situated above, and in spaced relationship to, a preexisting floor; and a plurality of substantially rectangular floor panels supported on said grid; wherein said grid comprises a first set of straight, rigid elements extending horizontally in parallel, uniformly spaced relationship to each other, and a second set of straight, rigid elements extending horizontally in parallel, uniformly spaced relationship to each other, the elements of the second set being located at a level above the elements of the first set and extending orthogonally to the elements of the first set, and the elements of the first and second sets having ends; and wall means comprising a first wall including a plurality of upright posts attached to ends of the straight, rigid elements of the first set, and a second wall including a plurality of upright posts attached to ends of the straight, rigid elements of the second set wherein each of the upright posts of said first plurality of upright posts has a foot extending laterally from the first wall, each said foot having a channel receiving an end of one of the straight, rigid elements of the first set, and each of the upright posts of said second plurality of upright posts has a foot extending laterally from the second wall, each said foot of the upright posts of said first plurality having a channel receiving one of said ends of the straight, rigid elements of the second set.

Claim 13

A modular building structure according to claim 10, wherein all of the upright posts of said first and second pluralities of upright posts have substantially identical feet, each of said identical feet having first channel means capable of receiving and supporting an end of a straight, rigid element of the first set, and second channel means capable of receiving and supporting an end of a straight rigid element of the second set, and wherein the ends of the straight, rigid elements of the first set are supported in first channels of a group of said identical feet on said posts of said first plurality of upright posts, and the ends of the straight, rigid elements of the second set are supported in second channels of a group of said identical feet on said posts of said second plurality of upright posts.

Claim 14

A modular building structure according to claim 10, further comprising a plurality of wall modules secured to the upright posts of said first and second plurality of upright posts for structurally supporting said upright posts and forming walls defining a perimeter of said modular building structure.

Claim 15

A modular building structure according to claim 12, further comprising shelves having shelf brackets, and wherein said plurality of upright posts have slot means for engaging said brackets to support said shelves.

Claim 16

A modular building structure according to claim 12 wherein said wall modules have sheet metal frames.

Claim 17

A modular building structure according to claim 14, wherein at least one of said wall modules includes a window.

Claim 18

A modular building structure according to claim 14, wherein at least one of said wall modules includes a door.

Claim 19

A modular building structure having a floor assembly and a wall; wherein the floor assembly comprises: a grid adapted to be supported on, and situated above, and in spaced relationship to, a preexisting floor; and a plurality of substantially rectangular floor panels supported on said grid; wherein said grid comprises a first set of straight, rigid elements extending horizontally in parallel, uniformly spaced relationship to each other, and a second set of straight, rigid elements extending horizontally in parallel, uniformly spaced relationship to each other, the elements of the second set extending orthogonally to the elements of the first set, and being supported by the elements of the first set; and wherein each of said floor panels has a first pair of opposite edges, and a second pair of opposite edges, and said panels are supported in edge-to-edge relationship with one another, with the edges of the first pair supported by adjacent elements of the first set, and with the edges of the second pair supported by adjacent elements of the second set; and wherein the wall comprises: a first plurality of upright posts attached to ends of the straight, rigid elements of the first set, and a second plurality of upright posts attached to ends of the straight, rigid elements of the second set.

Claim 20

A modular building structure having a floor assembly and a wall; wherein the floor assembly comprises: a grid adapted to be supported on, and situated above, and in spaced relationship to, a preexisting floor; and a plurality of substantially rectangular floor panels supported on said grid; wherein said grid comprises a first set of straight, rigid elements extending horizontally in parallel, uniformly spaced relationship to each other, and a second set of straight, rigid elements extending horizontally in parallel, uniformly spaced relationship to each other, the elements of the second set extending orthogonally to the elements of the first set, and being supported by the elements of the first set; and wherein each of said floor panels has a first pair of opposite edges, and a second pair of opposite edges, and said panels are supported in edge-to-edge relationship with one another, with the edges of the first pair supported by adjacent elements of the first set, and with the edges of the second pair supported by adjacent elements of the second set; and wherein the wall comprises: a first plurality of upright posts attached to ends of the straight, rigid elements of the first set, and a second plurality of upright posts attached to ends of the straight, rigid elements of the second set.