Elevated flooring system locking key

Abstract

A locking key is releasably securable to one or more support trays upon a pedestal of an elevated flooring system. The locking key includes a lateral head having a through hole and an axially extending, columnar body coupled with the lateral head. The columnar body defines an internal channel, continuous and in axial registry with the through hole. At least one locking tab is coupled with the columnar body proximate a base end of the columnar body, the at least one locking tab extending laterally inwardly into the internal channel. The at least one locking tab is configured to selectively engage and disengage the locking key to a locking head of the pedestal, via a twist and lock type connection, to releasably secure the one or more support trays upon the pedestal.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

[0001] This application claims priority from similarly titled U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 746,037, filed Jan. 16, 2025, the entire contents of which are incorporated by reference herein.BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE

[0002] This disclosure generally relates to elevated flooring systems, and, more particularly, to a locking mechanism for an elevated flooring system.

[0003] Often, it is desirable to establish a modular, walking or aesthetic surface overlying a subsurface, e.g., a ground surface, a decking surface, a rooftop surface or the like. Such overlying modular panels may be installed to change the aesthetic and / or physical properties of the subsurface. Commonly, such a modular surface is established via elevating an array of pavers over the subsurface. “Pavers” encompass, without limitation, tiles, stones, bricks, molded concrete, a combination thereof or the like. Pavers may be constructed of stone, concrete, wood, ceramic, other polymers or the like. Other overlying modular surfaces may include deck tiling, e.g., real or faux wood panels.

[0004] Conventional elevated flooring systems include the selected modular surface and a plurality of underlying pedestal assemblies which support and raise the modular surface a predetermined distance above the subsurface. One prospective challenge such systems may encounter are windy conditions which have the propensity to dislodge, or up-lift, certain of the modular panels and / or the underlying pedestal assemblies.

[0005] It would, therefore, be advantageous to manufacture and employ an elevated flooring system which addresses the aforementioned challenges.BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

[0006] Briefly stated, one aspect of the present disclosure is directed to a locking key for releasably securing one or more support trays upon a pedestal of an elevated flooring system. The locking key includes a lateral head having a through hole and an axially extending, columnar body coupled with the lateral head. The columnar body defines an internal channel, continuous and in axial registry with the through hole. At least one locking tab is coupled with the columnar body proximate a base end of the columnar body, the at least one locking tab extending laterally inwardly into the internal channel. The at least one locking tab is configured to selectively engage and disengage the locking key to a locking head of the pedestal, via a twist and lock type connection, to releasably secure the one or more support trays upon the pedestal.

[0007] In one configuration, the lateral head includes an opening extending radially inwardly from an external periphery of the lateral head, the opening being dimensioned to permit axial passage of a corner of a support tray therethrough when the opening is angularly aligned with the corner. In one such configuration, an external periphery of the lateral head spans approximately 270°, whereby the opening spans approximately 90°.

[0008] In any of the previous configurations, the at least one locking tab includes a plurality of locking tabs angularly spaced from one another about a periphery of the internal channel.

[0009] In any of the previous configurations, the locking key may further include a key seat fixed within the internal channel of the columnar body, wherein the key seat is configured to receive an extension key in a rotationally locked manner to transmit torque from the extension key to the locking key. In one such configuration, the key seat includes a plurality of discrete partitions projecting radially inwardly into the internal channel to define intervening spaces configured to receive the extension key. In one such configuration, the key seat further includes a ring that connects the plurality of partitions together.

[0010] In any of the previous configurations, the locking key may be a monolithic structure.

[0011] In any of the previous configurations, each locking tab of the at least one locking tab may define an annular sector shape.

[0012] Briefly stated, another aspect of the present disclosure is directed to an elevated flooring system. The elevated flooring system includes a locking key according to any one of the previous configurations. A pedestal including a headpiece defines a blind void, the blind void including a locking head positioned therein, the locking head having a central body and at least one laterally outwardly projecting latch. At least one support tray is elevationally supported by the pedestal, wherein the columnar body of the locking key is receivable within the blind void and the locking head is receivable within the internal channel. The locking key is selectively rotatable relative to the locking head between (i) a first rotational position, wherein the at least one locking tab is unimpeded by the at least one laterally outwardly projecting latch, whereby the at least one locking tab is advanceable into the blind void beyond an elevational position of the at least one laterally outwardly projecting latch, and (ii) a second rotational position, wherein the at least one locking tab at least partially axially overlaps with the at least one laterally outwardly projecting latch to releasably secure the locking key to the pedestal, the at least one support tray being secured between the headpiece of the pedestal and the lateral head of the locking key.

[0013] In one configuration of the elevated flooring system, the central body includes a ring, and the at least one laterally outwardly projecting latch includes four latches projecting radially outwardly beyond an external periphery of the ring. In one such configuration, the four latches are angularly spaced from one another about the external periphery of the ring. In one such configuration, the angular spacing between two successive latches is greater than an angular extent of a locking tab.

[0014] In any of the previous configurations of the elevated flooring system, the at least one laterally outwardly projecting latch may define a trapezoidal shape. In one such configuration, a short base of the trapezoidal latch interfaces with the central body and extends radially outwardly from the central body to a long base of trapezoidal latch.

[0015] In any of the previous configurations of the elevated flooring system, each support tray of the at least one support tray may define stepped corners, wherein an upper corner surface of a stepped corner is recessed relative to a main upper surface of the support tray. In one such configuration, each stepped corner defines an arcuate interior riser wall.

[0016] Briefly stated, another aspect of the present disclosure is directed to a method of releasably securing a support tray upon a pedestal of the elevated flooring system of any of the previous configurations. The method includes the steps of: positioning one of the stepped corners of the support tray upon the headpiece of the pedestal such that the blind void of the pedestal remains accessible; inserting at least a portion of the columnar body of the locking key into the blind void with the locking head in the first rotational position; advancing the locking key beyond the elevational position of the at least one laterally outwardly projecting latch; and rotating the locking key into the second rotational position.

[0017] In one such configuration, the lateral head of the locking key includes an opening extending radially inwardly from an external periphery of the lateral head, the opening being dimensioned to permit axial passage of one of the stepped corners of the support tray therethrough when the opening is angularly aligned with one of the stepped corners, and the method further include a step of rotating the lateral head of the locking key such that the opening of the lateral head is angularly misaligned with the stepped corner to inhibit removal of the support tray.

[0018] In any of the previous method configurations, the lateral head of the locking key may includes an opening extending radially inwardly from an external periphery of the lateral head, the opening being dimensioned to permit axial passage of one of the stepped corners of the support tray therethrough when the opening is angularly aligned with one of the stepped corners, and the method may further include a step of rotating the lateral head of the locking key such that the opening of the lateral head is angularly aligned with the stepped corner to enable removal of the support tray.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

[0019] The following description of the disclosure will be better understood when read in conjunction with the appended drawings. It should be understood, however, that the disclosure is not limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown. In the drawings:

[0020] FIG. 1 is a partial perspective view of an elevated flooring system in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure, having modular top panels supported thereon;

[0021] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a pedestal of the elevated flooring system of FIG. 1;

[0022] FIG. 3 is another partial perspective view of the elevated flooring system of FIG. 1, with a locking key thereof positioned in an aligned position;

[0023] FIG. 4A is a partial, top plan view of the elevated flooring system of FIG. 1, with the locking key in the aligned position;

[0024] FIG. 4B is a partial, top plan view of the elevated flooring system of FIG. 1, with the locking key in a misaligned position;

[0025] FIG. 5 is a partial perspective view of as support tray of the elevated flooring system of FIG. 1;

[0026] FIG. 6 is a partial perspective view of a locking head of the pedestal of the elevated flooring system of FIG. 1;

[0027] FIG. 7A is a top perspective view of a locking key of the elevated flooring system of FIG. 1; and

[0028] FIG. 7B is a bottom perspective view of the locking key of FIG. 7A.DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DISCLOSURE

[0029] Certain terminology is used in the following description for convenience only and is not limiting. The terms “lower,”“bottom,”“upper”, “top”“above” and “below” describe the orientation, or relative orientation, of various elements as they appear in the drawings to which reference is made. The terms “inwardly,”“outwardly,”“upwardly” and “downwardly” refer to directions toward and away from, respectively, the geometric center of the elevated flooring system, and designated parts thereof, in accordance with the present disclosure. Unless specifically set forth herein, the terms “a,”“an” and “the” are not limited to one element, but instead should be read as meaning “at least one.” The terminology includes the terms noted above, derivatives thereof and terms of similar import.

[0030] The term “coupled” and variations thereof, as used herein, means the joining of two members directly or indirectly to one another. Such joining may be stationary (e.g., permanent or fixed) or moveable (e.g., removable or releasable). Such joining may be achieved with the two members coupled directly to each other or with the two members coupled to each other using at least one intervening member, unless otherwise indicated. As one example, if the term “coupled” or variations thereof are modified by an additional term (e.g., directly coupled), the aforementioned, generic definition of “coupled” is modified by the plain language meaning of the additional term (e.g., “directly coupled” means the joining of two members without any separate intervening member) Such coupling may be mechanical, electrical, fluidic a combination thereof, or the like, unless otherwise indicated.

[0031] The term “or,” as used herein, is used in its inclusive sense (and not in its exclusive sense) so that when used to connect a list of elements, the term “or” means one, some, or all of the elements in the list. The term “and / or” when used to connect two elements A, B, means, A alone, B alone, or both of A and B. Conjunctive language such as the phrase “at least one of X, Y, and Z,” unless specifically stated otherwise, is understood to convey that an element may be either X; Y; Z; X and Y; X and Z; Y and Z; or X, Y, and Z (i.e., any combination of X, Y, and Z including just one of them). Thus, such conjunctive language is not generally intended to imply that certain embodiments require at least one of X, at least one of Y, and at least one of Z to each be present, unless otherwise indicated.

[0032] The ordinal terms “first,”“second,” etc., as used herein, are used to distinguish one element from another and do not denote any specific order or sequence, nor do they require the presence of any particular number of elements. It will, therefore, be understood that, unless otherwise indicated, the use of ordinal numbers (e.g., “first,”“second”) in the claims is not intended to limit the scope of the claims to require the presence of both elements associated with those ordinal numbers. For example, the recitation of a “first widget” does not require the presence of a “second widget.”

[0033] It should also be understood that the terms “about,”“approximately,”“generally,”“substantially” and like terms, used herein when referring to a dimension or characteristic of a component of the disclosure, indicate that the described dimension / characteristic is not a strict boundary or parameter and does not exclude insubstantial or inconsequential modifications or alterations therefrom that are functionally similar, e.g., + / −10%. At a minimum, such references that include a numerical parameter would include variations that, using mathematical and industrial principles accepted in the art (e.g., rounding, measurement or other systematic errors, manufacturing tolerances, etc.), would not vary the least significant digit.

[0034] Referring to the drawings in detail, wherein like numerals indicate like elements throughout, there is shown in FIGS. 1-7A an elevated flooring system, designated 10, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. Components of the elevated flooring system 10 include a pedestal 12 positioned upon a substrate surface (subsurface, e.g., a ground surface, a decking surface, a rooftop surface or the like), a support tray 14 overlying the pedestal 12, and a locking key 16 for securing the support tray 14 upon the pedestal(s) 12. A modular top panel 18, e.g., a paver or the like, overlies the support tray 14. Optionally, the support tray 14 may include at least one adhesive strip (not shown) along a top surface of the support tray 14 for adhering the overlying modular top panel 18 with the support tray 14. As should be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art, however, the modular top panel 18 may be secured to the support tray 14 via any suitable attachment method currently known or that later becomes known.

[0035] The pedestal 12 generally includes a laterally oriented base 20, a tower 22 projecting upwardly from the base 20, e.g., in a perpendicular manner, and a generally laterally oriented headpiece 24 removably attached with an upper end of the tower 22. In one non-limiting configuration, the base 20 and the headpiece 24 may be oriented parallel to one another. As shown, the headpiece 24 may include a plurality of upwardly projecting clips 26, which are removably engageable with the headpiece 24 as will be described below. In one configuration, the tower 22 may be length adjustable, thereby providing height adjustability to the pedestal 12. For example, in the illustrated configuration, the tower 22 includes a first tower segment 22a threadedly engaged with a second tower segment 22b, whereby rotation of the first tower segment 22a relative to the second tower segment 22b results in shortening or lengthening of the overall height of the tower 22. As should be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art, however, the height adjustability of the tower 22 is not limited to the configuration described herein, but may take other forms achieving height adjustability.

[0036] One purpose and advantage of the support trays 14 positioned upon the underlying pedestal(s) 12 is to provide additional support for the overlying modular top panel 18. The support trays 14 may advantageously also be releasably secured, i.e., releasably anchored, to the underlying pedestal(s) 12, via the locking key 16 (as will be described in further detail below) to connect and collectively weigh down the elevated flooring system 10, thereby collectively operating as a wind up-lift prevention system, i.e., reducing the propensity for wind to up-lift the system 10.

[0037] Turning to the support tray 14 in further detail, a single support tray 14 may completely overlie a pedestal 12. In such application, the clips 26 may be removed from the headpiece 24 such that the support tray 14 may directly overlie the entire headpiece 24. Alternatively, as shown in FIGS. 1, 34A and 4B, a single pedestal 12 may underlie and support more than one support tray 14, e.g., between two to four, underneath the respective corners 14a thereof. In such application, the clips 26 are mounted to the headpiece 24 to form slots 26a therebetween for receiving corners 14a of respective support trays 14 therein. In non-limiting configurations, a slot 26a may take the shape of a triangle, a flat cone, a curved trapezoid, or the like.

[0038] As shown best in FIGS. 1, 3 and 4A-5, the corners 14a of a support tray 14 are stepped corners, i.e., having recessed upper corner surfaces 14b relative to the main upper surface of the remainder of the support tray 14. The stepped corners 14a may also have one or both of an arcuate / rounded, e.g., concave, interior riser wall 14c (extending upwardly from the recessed surface 14b to the main upper surface) and an arcuate / rounded, e.g., concave, exterior peripheral wall 14d (extending downwardly from the recessed surface 14b). The stepped corner 14a may define a curved / concave trapezoid shape, e.g., an annular sector, in plan view. The recessed corners 14a are formed to assist with selective securement and releasement of a support tray 14 to / from the underlying pedestal 12 via the locking key 16.

[0039] As shown best in FIGS. 1, 3, 7A and 7B, the locking key 16 includes a lateral head 28 and a columnar body 30 axially projecting therefrom (or therethrough). In one configuration, the columnar body 30 is monolithic with the lateral head 28, but the disclosure is not so limited. In the illustrated embodiment, the lateral head 28 takes the general shape of a disk having a generally rounded external periphery to permit rotation relative to the rounded, stepped corners 14a of a support tray 14, but the disclosure is not so limited. For example, a non-rounded lateral head 28 may be dimensioned for unimpeded rotation despite the curvature of the rounded, stepped corners 14a. In the illustrated embodiment, the lateral head 28 defines a top profile of the locking key 16, i.e., laterally / radially extending from at an upper, e.g., top, axial end of the columnar body 30, but the disclosure is not so limited. In the illustrated embodiment, the columnar body 30 is generally cylindrical but may alternatively take other tubular forms. For example, the outside diameter, i.e., major outside dimension, of the columnar body 30 may be uniform along the axial length thereof, or may alternatively be non-uniform, e.g., tapering, having one portion of a first outer dimension and a second portion of a different, second outer dimension or the like.

[0040] The lateral head 28 defines an internal, e.g., central, through hole 28a in continuity and axial registry with an open-ended, internal channel 30a of the columnar body 30. In the illustrated embodiment, the lateral dimension of the internal channel 30a is substantially equal to the lateral dimension of the through hole 28a. That is, the transverse profile of the through-hole 28a is substantially the same as the transverse profile of the internal channel 30a, but the disclosure is not so limited. In the illustrated configuration, the rounded external periphery of the lateral head 28 spans approximately 270°, i.e., defining an approximately 90° opening / slot 28b in the lateral head 28. The slot 28b is shaped, sized and dimensioned to permit axial passage of the stepped corner 14a of a support tray 14 therethrough, i.e., the stepped corner 14a spans less than the approximately 90° slot 28b, whereby the stepped corner 14a is advanceable and retractable through a corresponding slot 28b of the locking key 16.

[0041] At or proximate the base end of the columnar body 30, opposite the lateral head 28 in the illustrated embodiment, the columnar body 30 includes at least one discrete locking tab 30b laterally inwardly extending from the columnar body sidewall, i.e., the periphery of the internal channel 30a. In the illustrated embodiment, the locking tab(s) 30b takes the shape of an annular sector, but the disclosure is not so limited. In the illustrated embodiment, the columnar body 30 includes four locking tabs 30b, but the disclosure is not so limited, as the columnar body 30 may have one, two, three or more than four locking tabs 30b. Where more than one locking tab 30 is employed, as in the illustrated embodiment, the locking tabs 30b are angularly spaced from one another about the internal periphery of the columnar body 30.

[0042] Turning again to the pedestal 12, and as shown best in FIGS. 2 and 5, the pedestal 12 includes a blind void 32 recessed from, and accessible through, the headpiece 24. In the illustrated embodiment, the blind void 32 is positioned generally centrally relative to the headpiece 24. The columnar body 30 of the locking key 16 and the blind void 32 of the pedestal 12 are correspondingly shaped, sized and dimensioned to permit receipt of a portion of the axial extent of the columnar body 30 within the blind void 32 and to permit rotation of the columnar body 30 within the blind void 32. The pedestal 12 further includes a locking head 34 positioned within the blind void 32. The locking head 34 is oriented to face the columnar body 30 when the locking ley 16 is inserted into the blind void 32.

[0043] The locking head 34 includes a central body 34a and at least one laterally outwardly projecting latch 34b extending therefrom. In the illustrated embodiment, the central body 34a takes the form of a ring, but the disclosure is not so limited, and the projecting latch(es) 34b extends laterally / radially outwardly from and / or beyond an external periphery thereof. In the illustrated (non-limiting) embodiment, the latch(es) 34b takes the form of a trapezoidal prism, i.e., defines the shape of a trapezoid in cross-section, with the short base of the latch 34b interfacing with the central body 34a, and extending radially outwardly from the central body 34a to the long base of latch 34b. In the illustrated embodiment, the locking head 34 includes four locking latches 34b, but the disclosure is not so limited, as the locking head 34 may have one, two, three or more than four locking latches 34b. Where more than one locking latch 34b is employed, as in the illustrated embodiment, the locking latches 34b are angularly spaced from one another about the external periphery of the central body 34a. Where more than one locking latch 34b is employed, the angular spacing X between two successive locking latches 34b is greater than the corresponding dimension, i.e., angular extent or outer arc length, of a locking tab 30b. Where more than one locking tab 30b is employed, the chordal, e.g., diametrical, spacing between opposing free terminal ends of the locking tabs 30b is dimensioned to clear the outer diameter (or cross-sectional diameter) of the central body 34a of the locking head 34.

[0044] In operation, a locking key 16 is selectively engageable with a pedestal 12 to releasably secure one or more support trays 14 upon a pedestal 12. As shown best in FIGS. 1, 3, 4A and 4B, between one and four support trays 14 may be elevationally supported at respective stepped corners 14a thereof upon a single pedestal 12. A stepped corner 14a of a support tray 14 is aligned with and placed within a slot 26a along the headpiece 24. The dimension of the slot 26a relative to the dimension of the stepped corner 14a prevents the support tray from obscuring the blind void 32 and maintains axial access to the blind void 32. At least a portion of the axial extent of the columnar body 30 of a locking key 16 may subsequently be advanced into the blind void 32 of the pedestal 12. The locking key 16 is rotationally oriented such that each locking tab 30b of the locking key 16 is axially unimpeded by the locking latch(es) 34b of the locking head 34, enabling the locking tab(s) 30b to advance into the blind void 32 beyond the locking latch(es) 34b.

[0045] The columnar body 30 is axially dimensioned in combination with the location of the lateral head 28 such that the lateral head 28 rests upon or overlies the recessed corner upper surfaces 14b of the corresponding support trays 14. Upon sufficient insertion of the locking key 16 within the blind void 32, i.e., wherein the locking tab(s) 30b are advanced beyond the locking latch(es) 34b, the locking key 16 is rotated such that the locking tab(s) 30b underlie and axially overlap with the locking latch(es) 34b, thereby preventing withdrawal of the locking key 16. The locking key 16 is thus locked to the pedestal 12 with the support tray(s) 14 secured therebetween. Stated differently, the locking tab(s) 30b of the locking key 16 and the locking lath(es) 34b of the locking head 34 are configured to selectively quick connect and disconnect with one another via a twist lock and unlock or bayonet style connection.

[0046] To secure each of the support trays 14 overlying a single pedestal 12, the locking key 16 is also rotationally oriented such that the slot 28b of the lateral head 28 is angularly misaligned with each of the underlying recessed corners 14a (FIG. 4B). Securement of the support trays 14 to the underlying pedestals 12 via the locking keys 16, whereby individual support trays 14 are less susceptible to dislodgement, collectively anchors the elevated flooring system 10 as an interconnected unit against wind up-lift.

[0047] To remove a support tray 14, e.g., for replacement thereof or for access to the underlying subsurface, e.g., for maintenance, the corresponding locking key 16 may be rotated such that the slot 28b of the lateral head 28 is aligned with the recessed corner 14a of the requisite support tray 14 (FIGS. 3, 4A), thereby enabling withdrawal, i.e., lifting, of the particular support tray 14. This process may be repeated for multiple support trays 14.

[0048] Once the modular top panels 18 are secured upon respective underlying support trays 14, e.g., adhered, bonded, or the like, the top panels 18 also overlie the corresponding locking key 16 (unlike the support trays 14), thereby rendering the locking key 16 less accessible to rotate, e.g., to unlock from the corresponding pedestal 12 or to align the slot 28b of the lateral head 28 with a recessed corner 14a of a particular support tray 14. Accordingly, the locking key 16 may further include a key seat 36 fixed within the internal channel 30a of the columnar body 30. The key seat 36 is configured to receive an extension key (not shown) in a rotationally locked manner, whereby rotation of the extension key also rotates the locking key 16. The extension key is dimensioned to be advanceable within the spacing between adjacent modular support trays 18 and the underlying support trays 14.

[0049] In the illustrated embodiment, as shown best in FIG. 7A, the key seat 36 includes a plurality of discrete (i.e., distinct from the peripheral wall of the internal channel 30a), angularly spaced partitions 36a projecting radially inwardly into the internal channel 30a from the inner wall of the columnar body 30, whereby the extension key is advanceable between the partitions 36a and rotatable to engage and rotate the partitions 36a, and, in turn, the locking key 16 as a whole, therewith. As shown best in FIG. 6, the partitions 36a are positioned within the columnar body 30 proximate the lateral head 28. In one non-limiting configuration, the partitions 36a may define an axial-extent extending toward the base end of the columnar body 30. Where more than one discrete, angularly spaced apart partition 36a is employed, a ring 36b may connect the partitions 36a together for increased structural integrity against bending when a torque is applied thereto by the extension key. Alternatively, a single discrete partition 36a may be employed, with or without the ring 36b. As should be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art, however, the key seat 36 is not limited to the illustrated embodiment, but rather may take the form of any structure capable of performing the function of the key seat 36 described herein.

[0050] It will, therefore, be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various modifications and alterations could be made to the disclosure above without departing from the broad inventive concepts thereof. Some of these have been discussed above and others will be apparent to those skilled in the art. It is understood, therefore, that this invention is not limited to the particular embodiments disclosed, but it is intended to cover modifications within the spirit and scope of the present disclosure, as set forth in the appended claims.

Claims

1. A locking key for releasably securing one or more support trays upon a pedestal of an elevated flooring system, the locking key comprising:a lateral head have a through hole;an axially extending, columnar body coupled with the lateral head, the columnar body defining an internal channel, continuous and in axial registry with the through hole; andat least one locking tab coupled with the columnar body proximate a base end of the columnar body, the at least one locking tab extending laterally inwardly into the internal channel,wherein the at least one locking tab is configured to selectively engage and disengage the locking key to a locking head of the pedestal, via a twist and lock type connection, to releasably secure the one or more support trays upon the pedestal.

2. The locking key of claim 1, wherein the lateral head includes an opening extending radially inwardly from an external periphery of the lateral head, the opening being dimensioned to permit axial passage of a corner of a support tray therethrough when the opening is angularly aligned with the corner.

3. The locking key of claim 2, wherein an external periphery of the lateral head spans approximately 270°, whereby the opening spans approximately 90°.

4. The locking key of claim 1, wherein the at least one locking tab comprises a plurality of locking tabs angularly spaced from one another about a periphery of the internal channel.

5. The locking key of claim 1, further comprising a key seat fixed within the internal channel of the columnar body, wherein the key seat is configured to receive an extension key in a rotationally locked manner to transmit torque from the extension key to the locking key.

6. The locking key of claim 5, wherein the key seat includes a plurality of discrete partitions projecting radially inwardly into the internal channel to define intervening spaces configured to receive the extension key.

7. The locking key of claim 6, wherein the key seat further includes a ring that connects the plurality of partitions together.

8. The locking key of claim 1, wherein the locking key is monolithic.

9. The locking key of claim 1, wherein each locking tab of the at least one locking tab defines an annular sector shape.

10. An elevated flooring system, comprising:the locking key of claim 1;a pedestal including a headpiece defining a blind void, the blind void including a locking head positioned therein, the locking head having a central body and at least one laterally outwardly projecting latch; andat least one support tray elevationally supported by the pedestal,wherein the columnar body of the locking key is receivable within the blind void and the locking head is receivable within the internal channel, the locking key being selectively rotatable relative to the locking head between (i) a first rotational position, wherein the at least one locking tab is unimpeded by the at least one laterally outwardly projecting latch, whereby the at least one locking tab is advanceable into the blind void beyond an elevational position of the at least one laterally outwardly projecting latch, and (ii) a second rotational position, wherein the at least one locking tab at least partially axially overlaps with the at least one laterally outwardly projecting latch to releasably secure the locking key to the pedestal, the at least one support tray being secured between the headpiece of the pedestal and the lateral head of the locking key.

11. The elevated flooring system of claim 10, wherein the central body comprises a ring, and the at least one laterally outwardly projecting latch comprises four latches projecting radially outwardly beyond an external periphery of the ring.

12. The elevated flooring system of claim 11, wherein the four latches are angularly spaced from one another about the external periphery of the ring.

13. The elevated flooring system of claim 12, wherein the angular spacing between two successive latches is greater than an angular extent of a locking tab.

14. The elevated flooring system of claim 10, wherein the at least one laterally outwardly projecting latch defines a trapezoidal shape.

15. The elevated flooring system of claim 14, wherein a short base of the trapezoidal latch interfaces with the central body and extends radially outwardly from the central body to a long base of trapezoidal latch.

16. The elevated flooring system of claim 10, wherein each support tray of the at least one support tray defines stepped corners, wherein an upper corner surface of a stepped corner is recessed relative to a main upper surface of the support tray.

17. The elevated flooring system of claim 16, wherein each stepped corner defines an arcuate interior riser wall.

18. A method of releasably securing a support tray upon a pedestal of the elevated flooring system of claim 16, the method comprising the steps of:positioning one of the stepped corners of the support tray upon the headpiece of the pedestal such that the blind void of the pedestal remains accessible;inserting at least a portion of the columnar body of the locking key into the blind void with the locking head in the first rotational position;advancing the locking key beyond the elevational position of the at least one laterally outwardly projecting latch; androtating the locking key into the second rotational position.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the lateral head of the locking key includes an opening extending radially inwardly from an external periphery of the lateral head, the opening being dimensioned to permit axial passage of one of the stepped corners of the support tray therethrough when the opening is angularly aligned with one of the stepped corners, and further comprising a step of rotating the lateral head of the locking key such that the opening of the lateral head is angularly misaligned with the stepped corner to inhibit removal of the support tray.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the lateral head of the locking key includes an opening extending radially inwardly from an external periphery of the lateral head, the opening being dimensioned to permit axial passage of one of the stepped corners of the support tray therethrough when the opening is angularly aligned with one of the stepped corners, and further comprising a step of rotating the lateral head of the locking key such that the opening of the lateral head is angularly aligned with the stepped corner to enable removal of the support tray.

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