Classifications

• • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
  • E04—BUILDING
  • E04F—FINISHING WORK ON BUILDINGS, e.g. STAIRS, FLOORS
  • E04F15/00—Flooring
  • E04F15/02—Flooring or floor layers composed of a number of similar elements
• • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
  • E04—BUILDING
  • E04F—FINISHING WORK ON BUILDINGS, e.g. STAIRS, FLOORS
  • E04F15/00—Flooring
  • E04F15/02—Flooring or floor layers composed of a number of similar elements
  • E04F15/04—Flooring or floor layers composed of a number of similar elements only of wood or with a top layer of wood, e.g. with wooden or metal connecting members
• • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
  • E04—BUILDING
  • E04F—FINISHING WORK ON BUILDINGS, e.g. STAIRS, FLOORS
  • E04F2201/00—Joining sheets or plates or panels
  • E04F2201/01—Joining sheets, plates or panels with edges in abutting relationship
  • E04F2201/0138—Joining sheets, plates or panels with edges in abutting relationship by moving the sheets, plates or panels perpendicular to the main plane
• • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
  • E04—BUILDING
  • E04F—FINISHING WORK ON BUILDINGS, e.g. STAIRS, FLOORS
  • E04F2201/00—Joining sheets or plates or panels
  • E04F2201/02—Non-undercut connections, e.g. tongue and groove connections
  • E04F2201/023—Non-undercut connections, e.g. tongue and groove connections with a continuous tongue or groove
• • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
  • E04—BUILDING
  • E04F—FINISHING WORK ON BUILDINGS, e.g. STAIRS, FLOORS
  • E04F2201/00—Joining sheets or plates or panels
  • E04F2201/02—Non-undercut connections, e.g. tongue and groove connections
  • E04F2201/025—Non-undercut connections, e.g. tongue and groove connections with tongue and grooves alternating transversally in the direction of the thickness of the panel, e.g. multiple tongue and grooves oriented parallel to each other
• • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
  • E04—BUILDING
  • E04F—FINISHING WORK ON BUILDINGS, e.g. STAIRS, FLOORS
  • E04F2201/00—Joining sheets or plates or panels
  • E04F2201/02—Non-undercut connections, e.g. tongue and groove connections
  • E04F2201/027—Non-undercut connections, e.g. tongue and groove connections connected by tongues and grooves, the centerline of the connection being inclined to the top surface

Definitions

• the invention relates to a floor element, in particular a wooden floor element, comprising a top and a bottom surface as well as a first and a second side, said first side being provided with a tooth integrally formed with said floor element, said second side being provided with a groove, said tooth and said groove being dimensioned in such a manner that for adjacently placed floor elements the tooth of the one floor element and the groove of the other floor element mutually engage for providing a toothed engagement.
• Such a floor element is known for use as parquet floor from DE - PS - 101 01 427.
• the toothed engagement provided on the transversal side of the floor element enables to connect successive floor elements in order to build up the floor.
• a drawback of the known floor element is that the tooth is applied approximately in the middle of the side. On both sides of the tooth extends a side part of the floor element, in order to provide an alignment of adjacently placed floor elements.
• a floor element according to the invention is characterised in that said groove and said tooth extend substantially over a whole length of lateral sides of said floor element, and wherein said tooth starts from said top surface and is inclined over an angle situated between 20 and 70°, preferably between 35 and 55° with respect to said top surface, said tooth having a length measured as from said top surface of at least one third of the thickness of said floor element.
• a first preferred embodiment of a floor element according to the invention is characterised in that said second lateral side is provided with an inclined edge located on said top surface. Since this inclined edge is located on the lateral side where the groove is situated, its inclined profile will fit with the one of the tooth when two elements are adjacently assembled.
• a second preferred embodiment of a floor element according to the invention is characterised in that said first lateral side extends substantially perpendicular with respect to said top surface over that part of this first lateral side situated underneath said tooth. This enables to form an alignment reference for a subsequent floor element.
• said first lateral side is provided with an inclined edge located on said bottom surface. In such a manner some space is created for collecting dust or excess glue which would otherwise form an obstacle to a correct alignment.
• a third preferred embodiment of a floor element according to the invention is characterised in that said second lateral side has an offset part extending as from said bottom surface. Sufficient strength is thereby given to the groove.
• a fourth preferred embodiment of a floor element according to the invention is characterised in that said floor element further comprises a first and a second transversal side, said first transversal side being with a first hook, made integrally with said element, and extending as from said top surface, said second transversal side being with a second hook, made integrally with said element, and extending as from said bottom surface, said first and second hook being dimensioned in such a manner that for adjacently placed floor elements the first hook of the one floor element and the second hook of the other floor element mutually engage for providing a toothed engagement.
• the use of hooks makes an engagement on the transversal side possible which is also compatible with the toothed engagement on the lateral sides.
• figure 1 shows a cross section, in transversal direction, through two adjacently mounted floor elements
• figure 2 shows a cross section, in transversal direction through a floor element
• figure 3 shows a cross section, in longitudinal direction, through two adjacently mounted floor elements
• figure 4 respectively 5 show a first respectively a second transversal side of a floor element
• figure 6 illustrates what would happen if two adjacent floor elements would shift with respect to each other.
• FIG. 1 illustrates two adjacently placed floor elements 1 engaged by means of a toothed engagement.
• Each floor element has a top surface 10 and a bottom surface 9 as well as a first 1 1 and a second I 2 lateral side.
• the first lateral side I 1 is provided with a tooth 3 integrally formed with the material of the floor element.
• the second lateral side I 2 is provided with a groove 2. The groove and the tooth being dimensioned in such a manner that for adjacently placed floor elements the tooth of the one floor element and the groove of the other floor element mutually engage for providing a toothed engagement.
• the tooth 3 has an inclined face 4 starting from the top surface 10. As illustrated in figure 2, the face 4 of tooth 3 is inclined over an angle ⁇ situated between 20 and 70°, preferably between 35 and 55 °, and more particular 45°, with respect to the top surface. This inclination enables a reliable toothed engagement and prevents that an upward pressure, which could be caused by the engagement itself, leads to damages.
• the tooth 3 there is a side face 12 of the floor element which extends substantially perpendicular with respect to the bottom surface 9, enabling in such a manner an alignment for subsequent floor elements.
• the side face 12 is also provided with an inclined edge 8 located at the bottom surface.
• the edge 8 preferably has an angle ⁇ with a bottom surface of for example 45°.
• the edge 8 creates some space under the floor element in order to collect excess of glue, when the floor element would be glued on the floor, or to collect dust.
• the second lateral side of the floor element is also provided with an edge 7 comparable with edge 8.
• the groove 2 provided on the second lateral side extends over an angle which corresponds with the one of the tooth in order to provide a toothed engagement.
• the floor element further comprises in its second lateral side I 2 an inclined edge 5 located at the top surface.
• the edge preferably has an angle ⁇ situated between 20 and 70°, preferably between 35 and 55 °, in particular 45°, with respect to the top surface.
• the edge 5 makes the transition between the top surface 10 and the entrance of the groove 2.
• the angles ⁇ and ⁇ preferably have corresponding values in such a manner that when two elements are engaged a symmetrical groove profile 11 is obtained on the top surface.
• the edge 5 preferably has a width of 2,5 mm.
• the edge 5 not only provides an esthetical aspect to the floor element, but also enables the natural working of the floor element without creating a visual open gap between successive floor elements. Indeed if the tooth would move with respect to the groove, as illustrated in figure 6, the groove shaped profile 11 will allow this movement by the space created by the groove profile. Since the edges are inclined, the overall view will not be affected by this movement.
• the second lateral side has furthermore an offset part 6 extending as from the bottom surface. By mounting two floor elements adjacent to each other in longitudinal direction, the offset part 6 will contact the side face 12 of the first lateral side.
• the tooth When placing the floor elements, the tooth can easily be engaged by a hinge movement into the groove. The engagement is achieved when the side face 12 contacts the offset part 6. An easy and quick placement of the floor, even by a non-professional, is thus achieved.
• hooks are provided on the first 13 and second 14 transversal sides of the floor element as illustrated in the figures 3, 4 and 5.
• the first transversal side 13 is provided with a first hook 15, whereas the second transversal side 14 is provided with a second hook 16.
• the hooks are integrally made of the material of the floor element.
• the first hook 15 extends as from the top surface (figure 5 ) whereas the second hook 16 extends as from the bottom surface.
• the hooks being dimensioned in such a manner that for adjacently placed floor elements, they mutually engage for providing a toothed engagement as illustrated in figure 3.
• Both hooks have a substantially U-shaped inner contour having one upstanding 17, 19 leg, substantially perpendicular to the top or bottom surface respectively, and another upstanding leg 18, 20 formed by a rib.
• An opening 21 is provided in the ribs 18 and 20 in order to enable the passage of the tooth.
• the rib extends over substantially 3/5 of the thickness of the floor element.
• the hooks are necessary as the hinge movement of the lateral side could not be combined with another hinge movement on the transversal sides.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Architecture (AREA)
• Civil Engineering (AREA)
• Structural Engineering (AREA)
• Floor Finish (AREA)
• Amplifiers (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Publications (2)

Family

ID=27671626

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (13)

Families Citing this family (3)

Family Cites Families (19)

• 2002
  • 2002-02-14 BE BE2002/0095A patent/BE1014640A6/nl not_active IP Right Cessation
• 2003
  • 2003-02-14 AT AT03702229T patent/ATE481538T1/de not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 2003-02-14 WO PCT/BE2003/000026 patent/WO2003069093A1/en active Application Filing
  • 2003-02-14 CN CNB038039273A patent/CN100346044C/zh not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2003-02-14 US US10/504,571 patent/US20050166512A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2003-02-14 EP EP03702229A patent/EP1476616B1/de not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 2003-02-14 DE DE60334191T patent/DE60334191D1/de not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 2003-02-14 JP JP2003568190A patent/JP2005517837A/ja active Pending
  • 2003-02-14 CA CA002476391A patent/CA2476391A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2003-02-14 PL PL03370150A patent/PL370150A1/xx not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 2003-02-14 AU AU2003205459A patent/AU2003205459A1/en not_active Abandoned
• 2004
  • 2004-08-31 NO NO20043627A patent/NO20043627L/no not_active Application Discontinuation
• 2005
  • 2005-05-17 HK HK05104137.1A patent/HK1078627A1/xx not_active IP Right Cessation

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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