DE102012102380A1 - Floor covering structure e.g. tile has top layer that is formed in floor elements and is provided with tactile detectable guideline portion for visually challenged person - Google Patents

Abstract

The floor covering structure has several floor elements (1) that are made of wooden material or elastic material. The front side and lengthwise of the profile portion is provided with vertical and horizontal connection portions. The top layer (12) is formed in the floor elements and is provided with a tactile detectable guideline portion (20) for visually challenged person.

Description

The invention relates to a floor covering according to the preamble of claim 1 and a floor element set.

Generic floor coverings are for example from the DE 20 2007 018 998 U1 the applicant and the prior art described therein.

Such floor coverings have a plurality of floor elements or panels - called planks below - along their longitudinal and front edges with complementary connecting elements of adjacent planks, such as a nut- / spring-like profiling along the longitudinal edges to be joined and a so-called hook or push-button connection along the front edges, are connectable.

In the case in which these fasteners are designed with a horizontal and vertical locking, can be dispensed gluing the planks. Often, however, especially in highly stressed areas, a bonding of the floorboards with the subfloor is provided.

The floor elements may, as mentioned above, be made of wood, wood substitutes. In principle, the invention is also in soft floors, for example, tiles can be made of PVC or other wear-resistant plastic, which floor elements can also be designed with a carrier layer of wood, plastic or wood-plastic composite material. In principle, it is possible to provide this carrier layer to increase the strength with suitable additives, for example with stone powder.

In order to increase the mobility of visually impaired or blind persons, so-called tactile guidance systems are provided in public areas, which provide largely accessible access for this group of people. These guidance systems are installed, for example, in railway stations or outdoor areas for better orientation of visually impaired or blind fellow citizens. The requirements in the public sector are, for example, in the DIN standards DIN 18040 part 1 and DIN 32984 described.

In the DE 20 2008 014 140 U1 Such a tactile control system is described in which this is carried out with soil indicators, which consists of stone or concrete slabs. In this case, plates are provided, which are provided to improve the orientation with a surface structure formed by longitudinal grooves or transverse grooves.

Such concrete slabs are laid only in outdoor areas, which due to the heavy weight a considerable installation effort is required. Another problem is that such concrete slabs when scanning with a long stick due to their high density only develop a low noise, so that only a tactile orientation based on the surface structure is possible.

Another disadvantage of such concrete slabs is that these panels are not misplaced in the interior, especially in government agencies or in hotels due to their low attractiveness, although there is an increasing demand for this, which will continue to rise with the corresponding legal regulations in the future.

In contrast, the invention has for its object to provide a floor covering and a floorboard that allows visually impaired or blind people easy orientation.

This object is achieved by a floor covering with the features of claim 1 and by a floor element set with the features of the independent claim 16.

Advantageous developments of the invention are the subject of the dependent claims.

The floor covering according to the invention has a multiplicity of floorboards or floor elements which at least partially consist of a wood material, for example of real wood layers and / or of HDF / MDF material or of a soft plastic. The real wood layers can be applied to an HDF / MDF core. The floor elements may be longitudinally and frontally provided with a profile for vertical and / or horizontal connection and have a walk-on wear layer, which may consist of real wood or laminated flooring of a provided with a top layer decor paper according to the above. Alternatively, the invention can also be used in so-called soft floors, which consist for example of PVC or as an environmentally sound solution, from a permitted in the food industry material, such as PP, PET. Such soft layers may also be formed on a base layer similar to that of a laminate floor. In principle, the support layer can also be produced from plastic or from a wood-plastic composite material.

According to the invention, at least some of the floor elements are factory-made with a plurality of depressions and elevations in the region of the wear layer, which can be detected tactually Training guidance for a visually impaired person. Such a floor covering with a tactile orientation aid by introducing a surface structure is unprecedented in the prior art. Conventional parquet or laminate floors or soft floors have at best a chamfer or an unavoidable in real wood restructuring or copying this real wood character embossing (laminate) - but these are not used as a guide for barrier-free access to a range.

In one embodiment of the invention, the structure formed by depressions or elevations is formed parallel to a longitudinal or end edge, this orientation being selected such that the person is guided in the predetermined direction. An advantage of floor coverings consisting of wood material or wood substitute materials is that when keyed with a long pole due to the resonance of such floor elements an additional acoustic orientation is possible, which is significantly better than in the conventional solutions described above, so that a two-sense orientation is possible.

In this case, a structure of a plurality of parallel elevations / depressions may be formed. Alternatively or additionally be used cross structures or in the broadest sense knob-like structures are formed on the so-called attention fields. Such fields of attention are provided, for example, at intersections of guidelines or those locations which require special attention of the persons.

The acoustic orientation aid enabling the desired two-senses principle is further improved according to the invention if the floor covering is specifically designed with resonance chambers for amplifying the noise during the key operation.

These resonance chambers preferably extend only in the intended direction of movement, so that a comparatively simple orientation is made possible when departing from this direction of movement due to the changed noise development. It is quite conceivable that the resonance chambers and the structures are formed separately from each other on different floor elements.

These resonance chambers can be formed particularly easily by defined cavities in the contact area of the planks on the underbody.

One possibility is to carry out a carrier designed with such cavities, for example of a metallic material, in particular an aluminum honeycomb profile, on which at least one wear layer or the like made of wood material or soft material is applied.

In embodiments in which the floor elements are glued to the subfloor, the resonant space can be formed in a very simple manner that the adhesive layer is interrupted defined and thus no gluing takes place in this area - the resulting, albeit executed with low volume cavity then serves as a resonance chamber.

In order to provide an additional optical orientation aid, the structures can be contrasted in color.

As already mentioned, the floor elements can be designed as parquet or laminate planks, or at least partially made of a soft material (such as PVC, PP, PET).

In a variant of the invention, the structure is formed by elevations, which are generated for example by printing. It can print technologies used, such as those used in rapid prototyping technology. In this way, virtually any structure can be formed with sufficient strength, such as can be arranged on a support plate.

The floor covering according to the invention can be produced from a conventional floor element set with the longitudinal and end-side locking profiles described above. In addition, a floor element set according to the invention is provided which is provided with the above-described orientation aid (acoustic, tactile) and is then laid only in those areas which are to be made accessible to a visually impaired person barrier-free.

Preferred embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail below with reference to schematic drawings. Show it:

1 a plan view of a floorboard of a floor covering according to the invention;

2 a schematic section along the line AA in 1 ;

3 a partial view of a structure of the embodiment according to 1 and

4 to 9 different structures of a floor covering according to the invention.

A floor covering according to the invention consists of a multiplicity of floorboards or floor elements (hard, soft), which can be designed, for example, as a laminate floor or as a floorboard. In the case of laminate planks, a decorative layer, for example of a decorative paper coated with melamine resin, and a counteracting layer are applied to a carrier layer of a highly or medium-compacted wood fiber material (HDF / MDF). With parquet planks, a distinction is made between solid parquet and multi-layer parquet, whereby in the case of a multi-layer parquet on a wood support layer of comparatively inexpensive softwood, a surface layer of the type of wood that characterizes the appearance is applied. Instead of the carrier layer of a softwood, an HDF / MDF board can also be used. The so-called soft floor elements consist at least partially of soft plastic (PET, PP), which may be applied to a support layer (wood, plastic, composite material). The floor element, then called tile, but can also consist of soft plastic throughout. All of these floor coverings can be provided with the orientation aid according to the invention.

1 shows a floorboard of a multi-layer parquet, also called parquet. Such a hallway 1 is plate-shaped and may be rectangular or square. The illustrated embodiment of a hallway 1 has a rectangular shape with two longitudinal edges 4 . 6 and two shorter front edges 8th . 10 , on each of which a profiling is formed. This profiling can be performed for example as a tongue and groove connection. In principle, compounds in which the longitudinal side and the front side a horizontal and vertical locking is formed, so that the floor covering can be laid without adhesive. In the case of heavy loads, however, bonding will also be carried out in the case of such compounds in order to ensure extensive freedom from gaps due to the seasonal changes in humidity. In principle, such a profiling could be dispensed with and the elements (rods) merely connected by gluing. Since it does not matter for the invention described below, the nature of the connection of the individual bars / planks 1 a floor covering not discussed.

According to the section AA in 2 is the hallway 1 as a prefinished parquet with a useful or surface layer 12 , a carrier layer 14 and a return layer 16 executed. To minimize the wear of the wear layer 12 can this with a seal 18 be executed. As a guide for visually impaired or blind people are at least some planks 1 a floor covering with a tactile detectable structure 20 trained, which are designed much more pronounced than the natural wood structures of a parquet. This structure 20 For example, by a variety of grooves 22 be formed, which form a tactile control system that is readily detectable with a long rod of the visually impaired person and for non-visually impaired persons is no hazard or obstruction.

3 shows a partial section along the line BB in 1 , Accordingly, these grooves 22 in the wear layer 12 educated. Of course, these grooves can 22 also in the carrier layer 14 extend into it. In training the structure 20 with a laminate floor, these grooves would have to 22 forcibly extend into the carrier layer of HDF / MDF material.

In the illustrated embodiment, the grooves 22 designed as a trapezoidal profile. Of course, these grooves in profile according to 3 rectangular, designed as a groove or the like. In principle, the formation of the grooves is preferred by a cutter, so that the groove shape is limited in principle only by the feasible cutter geometry.

At the in 1 illustrated embodiment, the grooves extend 22 in the longitudinal direction of the hallway 1 and thus provide the direction of movement of the person who can be easily felt by the long stick. Alternatively, in a group consisting of wood fibers or small chips floor element, as for example marketed by the applicant under the name ^® Celenio, the prescribed structure are generated during the pressing. In a corresponding manner, the structure in the case of the soft floor elements can be introduced by the manufacturer into the "soft cover layer". Such a soft cover layer, which is applied for example on a hard carrier layer, is supplied as a roll material and can already be designed with the structure. In principle, however, it is also possible to form the structure in the carrier layer, so that it is then covered with the soft material of the cover layer, although the structure is retained.

To wear out the edge portions of this structure 20 To minimize, the seal extends 18 also over the textured area, with this seal 18 at the one with a structure 20 provided planks 1 can be performed with a comparison with conventional planks improved, minimizing the wear layer. This wear can be minimized for example by admixing corundum or the like.

Based on 4 to 8th some variants of possible structures are explained. 4 shows an embodiment of a hallway 1 in which the structure 20 by a plurality of longitudinal grooves 22 - Also called chamfers - is formed. In the specific embodiment, five parallel spaced grooves are provided, these being spaced from the two end edges 8th . 10 end up. In principle, however, they can also on these front edges 8th . 10 leak so that they are laying in the adjacent hallway when laying 1 continue to be conducted. As explained above, these structures run 20 according to 4 in the direction of movement of the person. To widen the area to be scanned, of course, several such planks 1 with their longitudinal edges 4 . 6 be laid adjacent to each other, so that the entire width of this tactile orientation aid is increased. In the areas of the floor covering adjacent to the tactile area, conventional planks without structure then become 20 laid. These conventional planks are made with the same longitudinal and front profiling and the same material, so that the installation is very simple. In principle, the manufacturer can have his own plank set with the described structure 20 which is mixed with conventional planks to provide the tactile detectable orientation aid.

The 5 to 7 show embodiments in which a surface structure by parallel to the end faces 8th . 10 , ie transverse grooves 22 is trained. This structure according to the 5 to 7 forms a so-called field of attention 24 which is located in areas where a change of direction or other circumstances requires special attention of the visually impaired person. In this case, provided with an orientation aid set of planks may contain different planks, which differ in that the field of attention 24 to the longitudinal edge 10 ( 5 ), to the longitudinal edge 8th ( 6 ) or in the middle ( 7 ) is arranged. This field of attention 24 extends only over a small portion of the plank length and can be followed by the longitudinal grooves provided with planks 1 be moved.

The width of the grooves / fillets 22 is for example 15-20 mm. The depth can be in a parquet between 0.5 mm and 2 mm, for example, 1.7 mm. It was found that such grooves are tactile from a long rod with good reliability.

8th shows a variant in which the structure 20 is formed as a cross structure, which extends substantially over the entire length and width of a hallway 1 extends. Such a cross structure can also be used as a field of attention, for example in the area of intersections or the like. 9 finally shows a variant in which the structure 20 through a variety of blind holes 26 is formed, which may also be formed by a cutter, drill. The diameter of these holes 26 can also be about 20 mm, wherein the depth may in turn be in the range specified above (between 1 mm and 2 mm). The holes 26 lie both in the transverse direction and in the longitudinal direction of the hallway 1 spaced apart from one another, again six rows of holes can be formed in the longitudinal direction, wherein the distance a in the longitudinal direction and the distance b in the transverse direction can be formed the same or different.

The tactile orientation aid is thus predefined by the above-described structures, the geometries of which, of course, can vary according to the requirements. According to the invention, however, an optimized acoustic orientation is additionally provided, which is created by the formation of defined cavities. Such a cavity construction can be provided, for example, by the fact that, instead of a wood carrier layer, exclusively or additionally a carrier layer embodied with defined cavities, for example of a metallic material, again an aluminum profile, is formed. These defined cavities are optimized with respect to their noise emission when scanning with a long stick, so that the visually impaired person also receives an acoustic signal, as long as the long pole in the cavitated areas gropes. As soon as the long pole deviates from the orientation aid, the visually impaired person is also informed acoustically, as a result of the change in noise during scanning, that they are leaving the intended area or entering an area of attention. It is quite conceivable that the cavities are designed differently in such fields of attention as in the area of the other control system, so that an acoustic feedback occurs when such an attention area is entered.

A very simple solution is based on the 2 explained. This solution is used for bonded floor coverings. It is provided that on the bottom, for example, the Gegenzugschicht 16 applied adhesive layer 28 to interrupt and through this interruption a cavity 30 to accomplish. Through this cavity 30 the hallway sounds much louder than a full-surface bonded hallway, so that with minimal effort a clear acoustic orientation guide is created. Because the adhesive layer 28 is often applied only on site, in the area in which no adhesive is to be applied, factory or site site a release paper or release film can be applied. Of course, this separation can also be effected by other measures.

As explained above, the structures can also be formed by applying elevations by printing processes, as are known, for example, from rapid prototyping.

As explained above, the structures 20 also be colored in a suitable manner to give visually impaired people additional visual guidance.

Disclosed are a floor covering and a floor element set for such a floor covering in which a structure forming a tactile guidance system is provided on some floorboards. The planks can also be designed with an acoustic orientation aid.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

hall

4

longitudinal edge

6

longitudinal edge

8th

front edge

10

front edge

12

wear layer

14

backing

16

counteracting

18

sealing

20

structure

22

groove

24

attention field

26

drilling

28

adhesive layer

30

cavity

QUOTES INCLUDE IN THE DESCRIPTION

This list of the documents listed by the applicant has been generated automatically and is included solely for the better information of the reader. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions.

Cited patent literature

• DE 202007018998 U1 [0002]
• DE 202008014140 U1 [0007]

Cited non-patent literature

• DIN 18040 Part 1 [0006]
• DIN 32984 [0006]

Claims (16)

Flooring with a variety of floor elements, such as planks ( 1 ) or tiles, which consist at least in sections of a wood material or an elastic material and are preferably longitudinally and frontally provided with a profile for vertical and horizontal connection and a walk-through wear layer ( 12 ), characterized in that the floor elements ( 1 ) a structure ( 20 ), which forms a tactile detectable orientation aid for a visually impaired or blind person. Floor covering according to claim 1, wherein the structure by at least one parallel to a longitudinal or end edge ( 4 . 6 ; 8th . 10 ) extending depression or elevation is formed, wherein the depth / height may be in the range of 0.5 mm to 2 mm. Floor covering according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by a plurality of mutually parallel elevations or depressions. Floor covering according to claim 1 or 2, having a plurality of elevations or recesses forming a cross-structure or a plurality of recesses forming a knob-like structure. Floor covering according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the structure is provided with a seal ( 18 ) is provided. Floor covering according to one of the preceding claims, with defined resonance spaces for forming an acoustic orientation aid. Floor covering according to claim 6, wherein the resonance chambers extend in the intended direction of movement. Floor covering according to claim 6 or 7, wherein the resonance spaces comprise cavities ( 30 ) are in the support area. Floor covering according to claim 8, wherein the cavities ( 30 ) are formed on a support, preferably made of a metallic material. Floor covering according to one of the claims 7 to 9, wherein the floor element ( 1 ) an adhesive layer ( 28 ) for connection to a subfloor. Floor covering according to claim 10, wherein the adhesive layer ( 28 ) for the formation of the cavity ( 30 ) is interrupted. Floor covering according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the structure ( 20 ) is colored. Floor covering according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the floor element ( 1 ) is designed as a parquet or laminate floorboard or as a floor element with elastic / soft surface. Floor covering according to one of the preceding claims, having a multiplicity of floor elements ( 1 ), of which only some with a structure ( 20 ) are formed. Floor covering according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the structure is formed by a printing process. Floor element set to supplement a conventional floorboard set with a plurality of floor elements ( 1 ), which are designed with an orientation aid in the sense of the preceding claims.

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