CN102535810A

CN102535810A - Floor covering system

Info

Publication number: CN102535810A
Application number: CN2011100683315A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 戈登·安德森
Original assignee: Unika Australia Pty Ltd
Current assignee: Unika Australia Pty Ltd
Priority date: 2010-12-21
Filing date: 2011-03-17
Publication date: 2012-07-04
Also published as: WO2012083362A1

Abstract

The invention discloses a floor covering system including: at least two floor tiles, each floor tile having a first layer and a second layer in laminated engagement; and a planar discrete joining member for joining said floor tiles, wherein said joining member and second layer each include at least one generally complementary locating formation such that upon respective locking engagement, an aligned relationship is defined between said floor tiles. The floor covering system is relatively easy to install because exact alignment between the adjacent components occurs automatically upon assembly. The components are formed from standard materials, and accordingly are relatively inexpensive to manufacture.

Description

Floor covering system

Technical field

The present invention relates to floor covering system.

The present invention is developed as the floating floor covering system, and will describe with reference to the application hereinafter.Yet should be appreciated that, the invention is not restricted to this specific application area.

Background technology

Below be intended to the present invention is placed the suitable technique background and makes that relevant advantage is understood fully about the argumentation of prior art.Yet any argumentation about prior art in whole manual should not be considered to admit that this technology is known or the part of formation this area general knowledge.

The floor system that does not have parts to be fixed to building structure or subfloor has been known.The floor system of these types is freely floating to be built on subfloor and is commonly referred to as " floating floor ".Advantageously, floating floor is relatively easily installed and can be expanded and contraction along with humidity and variation of temperature, and therefore, floating floor is wear-resisting during use and slit that produce is little.

The floating floor system generally includes the laying of being processed by the elasticity barrier material, and is laid on the laying and interconnects to limit a series of floor boards of floor surface.Floor board is made up of the cork or the hardwood thin layer that are bonded on the high-density fiber base board usually.Usually it is carried out precoating to strengthen its abrasion resistance (polyurethane commonly used), still also can after installing, apply.

In the floating floor system of alternative type, floor board is mainly formed by polyvinyl chloride (PVC), is printed on layout above that on the surface to imitate the final form in required surface.The advantage of the floating floor of this alternative type is, compares with aforementioned wooden type floating floor, and it is more wear-resisting, and it is more soft to walk in the above more peace and quiet, and is more suitable for being installed in the humid area.Such floor system is disclosed in Tru Woods Co., Ltd (TruWoods Limited) United States Patent(USP) No. 7,155,871 under one's name.

In this system, range upon range of floor tile is formed by two sheets of flexible PVC material, and wherein lower floor carries out padding function, and has required pattern on the upper surface on upper strata.This is two-layer stacked together so that along edge limited two edge parts of each floor tile with the lateral shift arrangement mode.These edge parts comprise adhesive coatings, so that adjacent floor tile is connected to bridging arrangement, progressively make up floating floor thus.

Yet the problem of this system is, in installation process, needs a large amount of technology and patience that adjacent floor tile is alignd.And a little in installation process do not line up all may be exaggerated manyfold after the floor installs.This periphery that possibly cause on the floor of accomplishing that do not line up produces inaesthetic slit.In addition, owing to do not have mechanical engagement (adhesive coatings is only arranged) between the adjacent floor tile, therefore well-known, perk is understood afterwards long-time use the (particularly using repeatedly) in the bight at floor tile edge.

The objective of the invention is to overcome or improve at least one defective that exists in the prior art, a kind of useful replacement scheme perhaps is provided.

In addition, the purpose of optimal way of the present invention provides a kind of floating floor system of aliging between each parts of in installation process, can relatively easily keeping.Preferably, the floor of being assembled be durable, thereby can use lastingly.

Summary of the invention

According to a first aspect of the invention, a kind of floor covering system is provided, comprises:

At least two ground furring tiles, each ground furring tile all has the first floor and the second layer of range upon range of joint; And

Flat independently connector is used to connect said ground furring tile,

The said connector and the second layer all comprise at least one complementary location structure, thereby limit the alignment relation between the said ground furring tile during each comfortable engagement.

In one embodiment, said connector comprises a plurality of locator protrusionss of diagonally extending.

In one embodiment, said a plurality of locator protrusions extends laterally from the side edge of said connector.

In one embodiment, the said second layer comprises a plurality of locating notches of diagonally extending, and said a plurality of locating notches are used for and the complementary engagement of said locator protrusions.

In one embodiment, said a plurality of locating notch extends laterally from the side edge of the said second layer.

In one embodiment, said complementary engagement comprises: the direction along being roughly parallel to the central axis of each locator protrusions moves to said ground furring tile together, thereby said locator protrusions is engaged with said locating notch.Preferably, when contacting between the relative said first floor, said complementary engagement further comprises: the direction along being parallel to the longitudinal axis of said ground furring tile moves to said ground furring tile together, thereby with said ground of said alignment relation locking furring tile.

In one embodiment, the thickness of said connector equates with the thickness of the said second layer basically.

In one embodiment, said floor covering system comprises the adhesive construct that is used for said ground furring tile is bonded to said connector.Preferably, said adhesive construct comprises the adhesive tape that is placed in periphery.More preferably, said adhesive tape is placed in the periphery at the back side of said first floor.

In one embodiment, has layout on the upper surface of said first floor.

In one embodiment, the general size of said ground furring tile is corresponding to the size of pottery, slabstone, marble tile or the wood-based planet of standard.

In one embodiment, said ground furring tile is formed by the elastic plastic material such as polyvinyl chloride basically.

In one embodiment, said connector is formed by the elastic plastic material such as polyvinyl chloride basically.

According to a further aspect in the invention, a kind of ground furring tile is provided, said floor floor tile is used for like the described floor covering system of first aspect.

According to a further aspect in the invention, a kind of connector is provided, said connector is used for like the described floor covering system of first aspect.

The special characteristic, structure or the characteristics that run through this manual alleged " embodiment ", the said embodiment description of " some embodiment " or " embodiment " expression combination are included among at least one embodiment of the present invention.Therefore, needn't all represent identical embodiment, but can represent identical embodiment at the statement " in one embodiment ", " in certain embodiments " or " in an embodiment " that occur everywhere that run through manual.In addition, in one or more embodiments, said special characteristic, structure or characteristics can be according to the form combinations that is fit to arbitrarily, as those of ordinary skills through the disclosure can be obvious.

Description of drawings

To the preferred embodiments of the present invention only exemplarily be described with reference to accompanying drawing now, in the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 a is by the reverse side plan view before range upon range of according to the first floor of ground of the present invention furring tile and the second layer;

Fig. 1 b is the reverse side plan view according to ground of the present invention furring tile and connector;

Fig. 1 c is the obverse and reverse plan view of partially transparent of engagement separately of ground furring tile and the connector of Fig. 1 b;

Fig. 2 a is the local transparent flat figure of two ground furring tiles of part joint;

Fig. 2 b is the local transparent flat figure of two ground furring tiles of part joint;

Fig. 2 c is the local transparent flat figure of engage fully two ground furring tiles; With

Fig. 3 is the local transparent phantom drawing of a plurality of ground furring tile of engaging of aliging respectively.

The specific embodiment

With reference to accompanying drawing, provide a kind of according to floor covering system 10 of the present invention.In case assembled, the floor of then being accomplished are exactly generally well-known floating floor type, it does not prepare for good and all to be fixed on the substrate floor, thereby floating building on the substrate floor.

Floor covering system 10 comprises at least two ground furring tiles 12 that adopt alignment structures.In the embodiment shown in Fig. 3, a plurality of ground furring tile is shown as all aligned with each other.Get back to Fig. 2 b, each ground furring tile all adopts first floor 14 and the second layer 16 range upon range of forms that engage.One flat independently connector 18 is set for and connects the various places furring tile.Connector 18 comprises at least one complementary location structure 20 separately with the second layer 16, thereby limits the alignment relation between the ground furring tile through engagement separately.

Say that more specifically connector 18 comprises a plurality of locator protrusionss 22, each locator protrusions 22 extends laterally on the edge from a side 24 of connector 18 obliquely.A plurality of locating notches 26 that locator protrusions 22 is suitable for extending with the ground from a side 28 of the second layer 16 along lateral tilt are engagement complementally.

For locator protrusions 22 easily with is engaged with breach 26 with confirming, each projection all becomes the angle of 22 to 28 degree to extend obliquely with the longitudinal axis with respect to connector and ground furring tile respectively with breach.Each projection also has substantially inwardly tapered shape, thereby can bootstrap when it gets into outwards tapered substantially locating notch 26.

The opposite side of connector comprises straight basically edge 38, and when engagement, edge 38 contacts with corresponding flattened edge 39 on the opposite side of the second layer.Connector 18 also comprises swallow-tail form breach 32, and swallow-tail form breach 32 can engage with the swallow-tail form projection 34 at the second layer 16 1 ends.Other latch-up structure 36 is set on the said connector and the second layer, to accomplish peripheral engagement.

The thickness that should be noted that connector 18 equates with the thickness of the second layer basically, thereby can limit flat basically soffit through the engagement between two ground furring tiles 12.Advantageously, flat soffit makes the floor of being assembled to float to build in the substrate of floor.

In order connector 18 for good and all to be bonded on the ground furring tile 12, to provide the adhesive construct of adhesive coatings 38 forms that are placed in first floor 14 back sides periphery.Suggestion is exposed this coating through removing disposable cover strip 42.Said adhesive coatings can be an acting type when contacting with connector, makes formed bonding grow in time.Advantageously, this makes and can easily revise any laying mistake.

According to an aspect of the present invention, each ground furring tile 12 all comprises the layout 46 on the upper surface that is printed on first floor, thereby imitates for example marble, pottery or wooden grain surface.Perhaps, said layout can be printed on and be layered in augmenting on the layer on the first floor in addition.To embodiment shown in Figure 3, the ground furring tile has the shape that is essentially rectangle at Fig. 1, and therefore when accomplishing assembling, resembles floorboards of wood most.Yet in other embodiments, the ground furring tile can have square shape, to imitate the for example furring tile foursquare of marble, slabstone, pottery or other types.

As with reference to shown in Fig. 1 a,, first floor 14 forms each ground furring tile 12 on the second layer 16 best through being laminated to.This be layered in carry out in the factory and ground furring tile be supplied to the user with its laminated.In these areas, suggestion is used with the second layer 16 identical materials and is formed connector 18, to reduce material cost and to keep thickness constant when the assembled.In addition, suggestion uses the material consistent with common elasticity floating floor laying to form the second layer and connector.Like this, when assembled, the floor of being accomplished comprises two-layer basically, and wherein connector is incorporated in the second layer 16 basically.Advantageously, this provides the acoustics and the thermal property of indispensability well known in the art for the floating floor system.

More particularly, ground furring tile 12 is mainly formed by flexible polyvinyl chloride materials (or being known as PVC or vinyl) with connector 18.Therefore, the floor after the completion is wear-resisting, in the above comfort in walking and be suitable for the humid area.In addition, use the elasticity pvc material to allow plane compliance to a certain degree, the surperficial irregularity when laying in the substrate of floor with compensation.Certainly, should be appreciated that, without departing from the present invention, other materials, for example resin and/or polyurethane can be used in combination with PVC.In addition, described like preamble, augment layer and can be laminated on the upper surface of first floor, so that layout 46 to be provided.

The first ground furring tile 42 is being assembled in the assembling process of the second ground furring tile 44, and first step is that connector 18 is engaged with the flattened edge 39 of the second layer 16 of the first ground furring tile 42.Being arranged in terminal connection breach 32 also will engage at this first step with locator protrusions 36.In case accomplish this step, then can lift connector a little, and peel bonding cover strip 40 off from the side and an end at first floor 14 back sides.Then, connector is pushed away for 18 times with the contact adhesive coatings, make the connector and the first ground furring tile bonding in place thus.

With reference to Fig. 2 a to 2c, second step of assembling process is the opposite side that the second ground furring tile 44 is incorporated into connector 18.Shown in Fig. 2 a, this relates to locating notch 26 joints through the second layer of the ground furring tile being shifted onto the locator protrusions 22 of coming together to make connector and the second ground furring tile 44 along the direction of the central axis that is basically parallel to each locator protrusions 22.Shown in Fig. 2 b, said projection will get into said breach, up to relative first floor 14 adjacency.When arriving this position, second floor tile 44 moves towards the first ground furring tile 42 along the direction that is parallel to its longitudinal axis (the upwards direction among Fig. 2 b), thus, shown in Fig. 2 c, the ground furring tile is locked on their final positions separately.Should be noted that when the position that reaches shown in Fig. 2 c two ground furring tiles will automatically lock together with the relation of mutual alignment.

After this engagement and when setter is be sure of to reach the expectation final position between the first and second ground furring tiles, the second ground furring tile is bonded to connector 18.This process is accomplished with the bonding cover strip 40 that exposes below its first floor through lifting the second ground furring tile 44 a little.Then, thus peeling off cover strip makes connector 18 can be bonded to the second ground furring tile 44.

Should be appreciated that owing to have only a kind of mode that connector is engaged with the first ground furring tile 42, therefore the joint of first step all is constant in whole assembling process.But, as shown in Figure 3, can change the joint between the second ground furring tile 44 and the connector 18 through the mode of selectivity vertical misalignment.More particularly, locator protrusions 22 needn't engage with corresponding locating notch 26, but can engage with any breach.Advantageously, even when vertical misalignment, the first and second ground furring tiles also can align when engaging automatically.

Best as shown in Figure 3, in order to be assembled into complete floor, need a plurality of ground furring tile.The assembling process situation with two ground of assembling furring tile basically is identical, and its difference is, estimates that setter will carry out foregoing first step assembling to a plurality of ground furring tile, begin the assembling of second step then.

Can find out that a ground furring tile 12 is lockable to two other ground furring tile 12, forms the interlaced pattern similar with common wood floors thus.Especially and visible with reference to above-mentioned example, three breach of each in three locator protrusionss of one first ground furring tile and two the second ground furring tiles engage.As early mention, automatically aligned with each other when engaging at all three ground furring tiles under this situation.

Utilize said process to make up the floor gradually continuously, furring tile covers required substrate floor surface up to ground.When assembled, with remaining gap in the furring tile mulched ground plate surface, half-size scale ground of on-site cutting or half-size scale supply.According to required, can excise any unwanted locator protrusions 22 simply, thereby make the ground furring tile concordant with wall.In addition, as known in the field, also can carry out edge trimming or moulding to seal all less peripheral clearances.

Should be appreciated that because in the accurately alignment automatically of when assembling adjacent component, the floor covering system shown in therefore is easier to install relatively.Advantageously, said system is with complete supplied, and it comprises ground furring tile and connector, and assembling only need be such as cutter or the simple tool of cutting etc. to repair any unnecessary projection.Therefore, advantageously, floor system of the present invention must not need any skilled worker to assemble and therefore especially be fit to " self-service " house renovation person and/or builder.

Ideally, each parts is formed by the standard material that quite is suitable for high-speed automated production, so cost of production is relatively low.

Although invention has been described with reference to concrete example, those skilled in the art should understand that the present invention can be presented as a lot of other forms.

Claims

1. floor covering system comprises:

Flat independently connector is used to connect said ground furring tile,

The said connector and the second layer comprise the location structure that at least one is complementary separately, thereby limit the alignment relation between the said ground furring tile during each comfortable engagement.

2. floor covering system as claimed in claim 1, wherein, said connector comprises a plurality of locator protrusionss that extend obliquely.

3. floor covering system as claimed in claim 2, wherein, said a plurality of locator protrusionss extend laterally from the side edge of said connector.

4. like claim 2 or 3 described floor covering systems, wherein, the said second layer comprises a plurality of locating notches that extend obliquely, and said a plurality of locating notches are used for and the complementary engagement of said locator protrusions.

5. floor covering system as claimed in claim 4, wherein, said a plurality of locating notches extend laterally from the side edge of the said second layer.

6. like claim 4 or 5 described floor covering systems; Wherein, Said complementary engagement comprises: the direction along being roughly parallel to the central axis of each locator protrusions moves to said ground furring tile together, thereby said locator protrusions is engaged with said locating notch.

7. floor covering system as claimed in claim 6; Wherein, When contacting between the relative said first floor; Said complementary engagement further comprises: the direction along being parallel to the longitudinal axis of said ground furring tile moves to said ground furring tile together, thereby with said ground of said alignment relation locking furring tile.

8. like any described floor covering system in the above-mentioned claim, wherein, the thickness of said connector equates with the thickness of the said second layer basically.

9. like any described floor covering system in the above-mentioned claim, comprise the adhesive construct that is used for said ground furring tile is bonded to said connector.

10. floor covering system as claimed in claim 9, wherein, said adhesive construct comprises the adhesive tape that is placed in periphery.

11. floor covering system as claimed in claim 10, wherein, said adhesive tape is placed in the periphery at the back side of said first floor.

12., wherein, have layout on the upper surface of said first floor like any described floor covering system in the above-mentioned claim.

13. like any described floor covering system in the above-mentioned claim, wherein, the general size of said ground furring tile is corresponding to the size of pottery, slabstone, marble tile or the wood-based planet of standard.

14. like any described floor covering system in the above-mentioned claim, wherein, said ground furring tile is roughly by forming such as the such elastic plastic material of polyvinyl chloride.

15. like any described floor covering system in the above-mentioned claim, wherein, said connector is roughly by forming such as the such elastic plastic material of polyvinyl chloride.

16. a ground furring tile is used for as in any described floor covering system of above-mentioned claim.

17. a connector is used for as in any described floor covering system of above-mentioned claim.