EP1470303A1

EP1470303A1 - A floor panel and method for manufacturing of such panel

Info

Publication number: EP1470303A1
Application number: EP03700989A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Gary Deakin; Garry Kingspan Access Floors Limited OWEN; Mark Fulford
Original assignee: Kingspan Holdings IRL Ltd
Current assignee: Kingspan Holdings IRL Ltd
Priority date: 2002-02-01
Filing date: 2003-02-03
Publication date: 2004-10-27
Also published as: WO2003064786A1; GB2399835B; IE20030060A1; GB2399835A; GB0202310D0; GB0416554D0

Abstract

A floor panel comprises a substrate consisting of a core 1 which may be encapsulated in an envelope 2 and a decorative surface covering 3 which is bonded to the upper surface of the substrate. The decorative surface covering 3 is typically of vinyl. The decorative surface covering 3 is dimensionally smaller than the substrate 1 or is rebated from the edge of the substrate 1 thereby exposing the upper surface of the substrate in a narrow strip extending around the perimeter of the floor panel. A strip or bead of hot melt adhesive 4 is applied to this narrow strip thereby forming a border around the decorative surface covering.

Description

KIN102/C

A FLOOR PANEL AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING OF SUCH PANEL

Introduction

The present invention relates to floor structures and more specifically to a floor panel for use therein.

Floor panels, particularly floor panels of the type used in raised access floors supported by pedestals, are often manufactured with a decorative surface covering bonded to the top surface thereof. The edge of this decorative surface covering is often finished with an edging strip. This edging strip serves both an aesthetic function, in that it clearly delimits and defines the decorative surface covering in much the same way as grouting does between ceramic tiles, and a practical function, in that it protects the edge of the decorative surface covering.

In known floor panels the edging strip is usually comprised of narrow strips of plastics material which are bonded to the sides of the floor panel with the uppermost edge thereof flush with the upper surface of the decorative surface covering. The narrow strip is typically l-2mm thick.

Bonding edging strips to each floor panel increases the cost of manufacture. Additionally, there is a tendency for the edging strips to delaminate from the sides of the panel, particularly if they are not handled with care during installation.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a floor panel of the type having a decorative surface covering surrounded by a border, wherein the border is not formed by adhering a strip of edging material to the sides of the floor panel, thereby improving the efficiency of manufacture and avoiding delamination of the edging material. KIN102/C

Statements of Invention

According to the present invention there is provided a floor panel comprising a planar substrate and a decorative surface covering bonded to the top surface of the substrate, wherein the edge of the decorative surface covering is rebated from the edge of the planar substrate and/or the surface covering is dimensionally smaller than the substrate to expose the upper surface of the planar substrate and a strip of self-adhesive material is applied to the exposed upper surface of the planar substrate.

Preferably, the self-adhesive material is a hot melt adhesive or sealant.

The planar substrate may be a core material which may be at least partially covered by an envelope.

In one embodiment the planar substrate is a core material encapsulated in an envelope.

The envelope may be of metal such as steel. The core may be of a material selected from one or more of wood (such as chipboard), concrete, cement and the like. The surface covering is typically of a material selected from vinyl, carpet, laminate, wood, stone, marble and combination thereof. The covering may be in the form of tiles.

In another aspect the invention provides a method for manufacturing a floor panel comprising the steps of:-

providing a substrate;

applying a decorative surface covering to the top surface of the substrate such that the edge of the decorative surface covering is spaced-apart from the edge of the substrate at an edge region of the substrate; and

applying self adhesive material to the exposed edge region of the substrate. KIN102/C - 3 -

In one embodiment the self adhesive material is applied to the exposed edge region by a gun applicator.

The method may include shaping the applied self adhesive material to define a sharp edge.

Brief Description of the Drawings

The invention will be more clearly understood from the following description thereof given by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: -

Fig. 1 is a cross sectional view through an edge of a floor panel according to one embodiment of the invention; and

Fig. 2 is a partial cross sectional view of a floor panel according to another embodiment of the invention.

Detailed Description

Referring to the drawings and initially to Fig. 1 there is shown a floor panel comprising a substrate which in this case consists of a core 1 encapsulated in an envelope 2. The core 1 may be of wood such as chipboard. The envelope 2 may be of galvanised steel. A decorative surface covering 3 is bonded to the upper surface of the substrate 1. The decorative surface covering is typically a floor tile which may be of vinyl, but other suitable materials may be employed. Other suitable materials might include carpet laminate, wood, marble etc. The decorative surface covering 3 is dimensionally smaller than the substrate and/or is rebated from the edge of the substrate thereby exposing the upper surface of the substrate in a narrow strip extending around the perimeter of the floor panel. A strip or bead of hot melt adhesive KIN102/C - 4 -

4 is applied to this narrow strip thereby forming a border around the decorative surface covering 3. It is envisaged that the hot melt adhesive can be applied to the floor panel using a hot melt glue gun suitably modified to apply the adhesive accurately around the perimeter of a floor panel. However, it should be understood that the present invention is not limited to hot melt adhesive and other self-adhesive materials which are capable of adhering to the surface of the substrate and the edge of the surface covering and which have the required wear characteristics may be employed instead.

The invention improves the efficiency of manufacture of floor panels and provides a panel with a more durable edge.

Once applied to the substrate, the strip or bead of hot melt adhesive may be shaped so to be level with the upper surface of the decorative surface covering 3 and to define a sharp edge. A scraper or knife may be employed for this purpose.

It will be understood that the present invention is not limited to fully encapsulated substrates. It may be used on> floor panels comprising substrates of chipboard, mdf , wood, concrete and the like which are not encapsulated. Such an alternative construction is illustrated in Fig. 2 in which parts similar to those of Fig. 1 are identified by the same reference numerals. In this case the decorative surface covering

3 is applied directly to the substrate core 1.

The invention is not limited to the embodiments hereinbefore described which may be varied in construction and detail.

Claims

KIN102/C - 5 -CLAIMS

1. A floor panel comprising a planar substrate and a decorative surface covering bonded to the top surface of the substrate, wherein the edge of the decorative surface covering is rebated from the edge of the planar substrate and/or the surface covering is dimensionally smaller than the substrate to expose the upper surface of the planar substrate and a self-adhesive material is applied to the exposed upper surface of the planar substrate.

2. A panel as claimed in claim 1 wherein the self-adhesive material is a hot melt adhesive.

3. A panel as claimed in claim 1 wherein the self-adhesive material is a sealant.

4. A panel as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the planar substrate is a core material.

5. A panel as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the planar substrate is a core material which is at least partially covered by an envelope.

6. A panel as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the planar substrate is a core material encapsulated in an envelope.

7. A panel as claimed in claim 5 or 6 wherein the envelope is of metal such as steel.

8. A panel as claimed in any of claims 4 to 6 wherein the core is of material selected from one or more of wood (such as chipboard), concrete and cement. KIN102/C

9. A panel as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the surface covering is of a material selected from vinyl, carpet, laminate, wood, stone and marble.

10. A floor panel substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

11. A method for manufacturing a floor panel comprising the steps of :-

providing a substrate;

applying self adhesive material to the exposed edge region of the substrate.

12. A method as claimed in claim 11 wherein the self adhesive material is applied to the exposed edge region by a gun applicator.

13. A method as claimed in claim 12 or 13 comprising shaping the applied self adhesive material to define a sharp edge.

14. A method substantially as hereinbefore described.