EP1584770A1 - Flexible false tongue for parquet floor panels or boards - Google Patents

Abstract

The spline is constituted of single flexible part with two lateral arms (101, 102) and a leg (100) that allows to maintain a gap between strips (L1, L2) and constitutes an expansion joint. The arms constitute projections engaged in grooves (R1, R2) formed on edges of the strips. The edges and a substrate define a recess (E) permitting deformation of the joint when the spline is subjected to compression caused by expansion of the strips. An independent claim is also included for a utilization of a spline for assembling two panels or strips to form a covering of a substrate.

Description

The invention relates to the production of a false tongue having at least one flexible part for the assembly of panels and blades for forming floor coverings, walls and / or ceilings, and more particularly a false tongue for the assembly of coatings exposed to significant ambient hygrometric variations, such as as parquet floors for bathrooms or pool edges.

By "flexible part" is meant here a part made in one hardness material Shore A between 20 and 70, and preferably between 35 and 55.

• selon une première méthode, les deux chants de chaque panneau ou lame sont rainurés et l'assemblage s'effectue à l'aide d'une « fausse languette », ou « languette rapportée », qui est une longue baguette servant de tenon, on parle alors de panneaux ou lames doublement rainurés ; et
• selon une seconde méthode, chaque panneau ou lame comporte un chant rainuré et un chant formant une languette (dite « vraie languette ») destinée à s'insérer dans la rainure d'un panneau ou lame adjacent, on parle alors de panneaux ou lames rainurés-bouffetés.

Generally wood coatings are made in the form of panels or machined blades, which are assembled by a system of grooves and tongues. There are two main methods of assembly:

• according to a first method, the two edges of each panel or blade are grooved and the assembly is carried out using a "false tongue" or "tongue attached", which is a long rod used as tenon, then speaks of doubly grooved boards or boards; and
• according to a second method, each panel or blade has a grooved edge and a song forming a tongue (called "true tongue") intended to fit into the groove of an adjacent panel or blade, so-called panels or grooved blades -bouffetés.

In the following we will refer mainly to blades, but it must be understood that the case of a panel covering is also taken into account.

Whatever the method of assembly used, one of the major obstacles to the use of wood coatings in environments subject to significant variations in moisture content is the the tendency of the wood to swell or shrink as a result of these variations. Swelling due to an increase in the hygrometric rate may induce a tiling effect of the blades, which can lead to breakage of assembly tongues (true or false). On the contrary, a drying out important air (and therefore wood) can cause the formation undesirable interstices between the blades.

A solution to this problem is known from the document WO 97/34064 which describes a laminar structure, in particular for coating of floor, with expansion joints made of flexible material (elastomer), but the disadvantage of this solution is that it requires the use of blades specially designed, incorporating from their manufacture such expansion.

Since there is a wide variety of wood coatings, the idea behind the present invention is that it would better to leave the end user the freedom to choose what is most adapted to its requirements, and to provide it separately with expansion joints in the form of false assembly tongues comprising at least one flexible part.

These false tongues can also have a function seal, preventing water from flowing between the blades.

Incidentally, when they are apparent, what is the case in the examples described below, the false tongues of the invention can also have a non-slip function, particularly useful for bathroom floors, pool borders and coverings exterior, and a decorative function. Other advantages of using false soft tongues, independent of their use in environments wet, are the fact that they allow the coating to marry concave or convex surfaces, and reduce the spread of sound on the completed surface.

An object of the present invention is a false tongue usable to assemble two panels or blades, especially two panels or boards of wood, for forming a coating of a substrate, said false tongue including at least one protrusion intended to engage in a groove made on the edge of one of said panels or blades, which is characterized in that it comprises at least one flexible part which can to deform under the effect of a dilation or withdrawal of one of said panels or blades.

The flexible part of a tongue according to the invention can be made of an elastomeric material, and is manufactured by extrusion, by example.

Optionally, the false tongue may comprise also at least one element made of rigid or semi-rigid material, mainly intended to facilitate the bonding of said tongue to said panels or boards made of wood, this element made of rigid or semi-rigid material may constitute a sheath covering a portion of the surface of the flexible portion which is in contact with said panels or blades.

Alternatively, the element made of rigid or semi-rigid material is a profile which is, at least partially, a projection intended for engage in a groove of one of said panels or blades, and it can be made of wood, metal or plastic, but more advantageously made of wood-polymer composite, and is manufactured by extrusion, for example.

Moreover, the flexible part and the element made of rigid material or semi-rigid can be coextruded, or can be formed separately and glued together.

In a first preferred embodiment, provided for the assembly of panels or double-grooved blades, the false tongue may have a "T" section and include: a leg vertical made of flexible material, which is oriented in the direction opposite to the substrate on which said panels or blades are laid and maintains a gap between said two panels or blades, and two arms lateral projections constituting two projections intended to engage in two grooves in vis-à-vis practiced in the songs of two panels or blades.

In this first embodiment, on the side opposite to said vertical leg, the surface of the false tongue, the edges of the panels or blades and the substrate define a recess for deformation of the flexible part of said tongue when subjected to a compression caused by expansion of said panels or blades.

Alternatively the side arms have a tail form dovetail to engage in grooves having a shape complementary.

As a variant, the lateral arms are provided with at least one cavity intended for an expansion foam, for example, to be injected therein after assembly, so as to cause a dilation of said arms side.

In a second preferred embodiment, also intended for the assembly of doubly grooved blades, the false tongue has a rectangular section and has two lateral protrusions intended to engage in two grooves vis-à-vis, practiced in the edges of two panels or blades, and a flexible element having substantially the same thickness of said two lateral projections and connecting the latter with to maintain a gap between said two panels or grooved blades.

In a third preferred embodiment, provided for the assembly of grooved-grooved boards or boards, each having a groove and a real tongue, the false tongue has an element flexible material, maintaining a gap between said first and second panel or blade, a first lateral projection departing from said vertical element, which fills the volume between said vertical part, the true tongue of said first panel or blade and the upper surface of the coating, and a second lateral projection departing from said element vertically in a direction opposite to said first projection, which is intended engaging in the groove of said second panel or blade.

In this third embodiment, the surface of the false tongue, edges of panels or blades and substrate define a recess for deformation of the flexible portion of said tongue when subjected to compression caused by a dilation of said panels or blades.

In the embodiments considered above, the projections may be of flexible material and / or material rigid or semi-rigid.

Another object of the invention is the use of such a false tongue for joining panels or blades to form a coating, in which said false tongue also has a seal function of expansion.

les figures 1A - 1F montrent six modes de réalisation de la fausse languette selon l'invention, montée entre deux lames doublement rainurées ;

les figures 2A - 2C montrent quatre modes de réalisation de la fausse languette selon l'invention, montée entre deux lames rainurées-bouffetées;

les figures 3A et 3B montrent deux modes de réalisation de l'invention, prévus pour l'utilisation en conjonction avec des lames à double rainure en queue d'aronde ; et

les figures 4A et 4B montrent respectivement une vue en perspective d'une fausse languette entièrement souple, correspondante au mode de réalisation de l'invention représenté sur la figure 1A, et d'une fausse languette partiellement rigide ou semi-rigide, correspondante au mode de réalisation de la figure 1 D.

Other characteristics, details and advantages of the invention will emerge on reading the description given with reference to the appended drawings, given by way of example and in which:

FIGS. 1A-1F show six embodiments of the false tongue according to the invention, mounted between two doubly grooved blades;

FIGS. 2A-2C show four embodiments of the false tongue according to the invention, mounted between two grooved-puffed blades;

Figures 3A and 3B show two embodiments of the invention, intended for use in conjunction with dovetail double groove blades; and

FIGS. 4A and 4B respectively show a perspective view of a fully flexible false tongue, corresponding to the embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 1A, and of a partially rigid or semi-rigid false tongue corresponding to the mode of embodiment of Figure 1 D.

The false tongue of Figure 1A consists of a single piece of flexible elastomeric material, in cross-section in the shape of a "T" reversed, which can be made by extrusion, with one leg 100 and two side arms 101 and 102. In this context, the term "material a material having a Shore A hardness of between 20 and 70, and preferably between 35 and 55.

The leg 100 maintains a gap between blades L1 and L2 and constitutes the expansion joint itself; the side arms 101 and 102 are projections engaging in the grooves R1 and R2 of the blades, as in a false tongue known from the prior art. Advantageously, the false tongue is glued to the blades L1 and L2, but a pressure mounting can make the assembly sufficiently strong even in the absence of glue.

When the blades L1 and L2 swell, in particular because an increase in ambient humidity, the false tongue is compressed in the plane of the blades and, therefore, it undergoes a expansion in a perpendicular direction, as represented by the dotted lines P1 and P2. Upward expansion (P1) has the advantage to increase the anti-slip effect of the false tongue in elastomer, precisely when this is more useful, ie in high humidity conditions. The downward expansion (P2) is made possible by a recess E provided between the lower surface of the false tongue, the edges of the blades L1 and L2 and the substrate S on which said slides are laid, preferably floating.

In the case of wood removal from the L1 and L2 blades due to reducing the ambient humidity, for example, the false tongue is subjected to tensile stresses and its upper and lower surfaces take a substantially concave shape (not shown). This possibility of tensile stress makes it generally desirable to sticking of the false tongue to the blades.

Figure 1B shows a cruciform cross section variant the false tongue of Figure 1A with the presence of a lower arm 103 which axially extends the leg 100 beyond the lateral arms 101 and 102. It is advantageous, but not essential, that the lower arm 103 does not extend to the substrate S, so as not to fill the recess E, which the function has been explained with reference to FIG. 1A. The false tongue of FIG. 1B also includes a through channel C which may for example allow the passage of son, especially electrical or telephone.

False tongues entirely made of a single flexible material have a low manufacturing cost (simple extrusion) and can be easily rolled up to be sold as rolls, as shown in Figure 4A. However, to facilitate engagement by pressure of the flexible arms 101 and 102 in the grooves R1 and R2, it can be interesting to use false tongues with, in addition to some flexible, at least one rigid or semi-rigid element. Preferably this element rigid or semi-rigid can consist of a wood-polymer composite, which is compatible with wood glues commonly used in assembly of wooden coverings, in particular by parquet floorers. The parts flexible and rigid or semi-rigid which constitute a false tongue of this type can be co-extruded, or be made separately and glued together together. In the latter case, it must be considered that the need to use a special glue when producing false tongues, in a industrial context, is clearly less troublesome than the use of this even glue by a craftsman, such as a parqueter. Rigid elements or semi-rigid can also be made of wood, although this technique is usually more expensive. The use of a plastic material or a metal is also conceivable, at least in some cases.

False partially rigid or semi-rigid tongues can not usually be rolled up and are, therefore, delivered in the form of rods, as shown in FIG. 4B.

An intermediate solution between these two modes of realization (false tongues fully flexible or partially rigid or semi-rigid) consists in producing false tongues consisting of a only extruded polymeric material but having a soft core, example in the form of foam, and an outer "skin" more dense and rigid. In this way we can maintain the advantages of false tabs flexible - simplicity of realization and possibility of winding - while simplifying assembly as in the case of false tongues partially rigid or semi-rigid.

A first example of a partially rigid false tongue or semi-rigid is illustrated in Figure 1C: it is essentially the same false "T" shaped tongue of Figure 1A, but the part of its surface which is intended to come into contact with the blades L1 and L2 is coated with a wood-polymer sheath 104. The parts of the surface upper and lower which are intended to deform should not be coated with rigid or semi-rigid material. For aesthetic reasons, he can it is desirable that the rigid or semi-rigid sheath 104 is not apparent and that the upper end of the leg 100 has a rim for the hide. In some other cases, on the other hand, we can choose to make flush with the end of said sheath 104. Only part of the surface contact between the false tongue and the blades L1 and L2 can be coated of polymer wood, or other suitable rigid or semi-rigid material.

In a variant, illustrated in FIG. 1D, only the leg 100 of the false tongue is made of elastomer material, the side arms 101 'and 102' being made in the form of wood-polymer composite profiles or another suitable rigid or semi-rigid material. Preferably these profiles are hollow, to allow a saving of material. The surface side of the leg 100 may also be coated with the rigid material or semi-rigid. In this embodiment, it is particularly advantageous that the lateral arms 101 'and 102' are made of an elastic material semi-rigid and that they have dimensions, slightly greater than those of grooves R1, R2. In this way, a simple assembly by pressure, without bonding, can be strong enough to support pulling forces due to drying out of the wood.

In the variant of FIG. 1E, the false tongue has a rectangular section. It consists of two arms 106 and 107 connected between they by an elastomeric element 105 which has substantially the same thickness. A false tongue of rectangular section, like that of Figure 1 E, can also be in Figure 1 F, the rigid or semi-rigid elements may also constitute internal armatures 108 to the lateral arms 101 and 102, fully coated with a flexible polymeric material.

Figures 2A-2D illustrate false tabs shaped to fit L3 and L4 blades that are equipped with a true tongue VL on one of their songs and a groove R on the other (blades bouffetées-grooved).

The embodiment of FIG. 2A corresponds to a false tongue entirely of flexible material, similar in this to the false tongue of Figure 1A. The cross section "T" is replaced here by a shape approximately in "Z", comprising a vertical element 200 of flexible material that maintains a gap between the blades L3 and L4, two projections 201 and 202 which extend horizontally in opposite directions and. The projection 201 fills the volume between said vertical member 200, the face superior of the true tongue VL of the blade L3 and the upper surface of the coating, while the protrusion 202 engages in the groove R of the blade L4, as the side arm 102 of Figure 1A.

The embodiment of Figure 2B is similar to that of FIG. 1C in that it comprises a rigid or semi-rigid coating 204, wood-polymer composite preference, on the lateral surface of the element made of flexible material. The recess E has the same function as in the modes embodiment described above.

Preferably, this type of false tongue comprises also a rigid lower edge 203 to be glued to the surface bottom of the true tongue VL to increase the strength of the assembly.

The embodiment of Figure 2C is similar to that of FIG. 1D in that only the central portion 200 is made of flexible material, the projections 201 'and 202' being sections of a material rigid or semi-rigid adapted.

The assembly of the false tongues corresponding to these embodiments illustrated in FIGS. 2A-2C is carried out exactly same way as that of the tabs described with reference to FIGS. 1A - 1 E, and their behavior in response to swelling and shrinking of the wood blades is the same.

As illustrated by Figures 3A and 3B, fake tongues adapted to the assembly of blades having grooves in dovetail fall within the scope of the present invention.

In the example of FIG. 3A, the false tongue 300 has initially a "T" shape that approximates that of the false tongue 100 of FIG. 1A, with the difference that the arms 301, 302 have cavities 303, 304 respectively. After introducing the arm 301 and 302 in the dovetail grooves RQ1 and RQ2 respectively, an expansion foam is injected, for example, which causes a dilation of said arms 301 and 302. The assembly is thus rendered very strong and resistant to traction forces, and to the final limit, even in the absence of glue. In FIG. 3A the arm 301 is shown in its state initial and the arm 302 in its expanded state.

In the case of FIG. 3B, the false tongue 310 include two "Y" protrusions, 311 and 312, each with two branches 311a and 311b, 312a and 312b respectively. Sectional projection triangular straight line 351, 352 is arranged at the bottom of a groove at the bottom of dovetail made in each of the blades L7 and L8, to provoke the spacing of the branches 311a and 311b, 312a and 312b during the insertion of the protrusions 311 and 312 in said grooves.

In view of the many examples described here, it is clear that in correspondence of the different known forms of assembly grooves and requirements related to different applications, the false tongue can take several alternative forms without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims (18)

False tongue usable to assemble two panels or blades (L1 - L8) for forming a coating of a substrate (S), said false tongue including at least one projection (101, 101 ', 102, 102', 106, 107, 202, 202 ', 301, 302, 311, 312) intended to engage in a groove (R1, R2, R) made on a edge of one of said panels or blades, characterized in that it comprises at least one flexible portion (100, 105, 200, 300) forming at least one expansion joint. False tongue according to claim 1, comprising also at least one element made of rigid or semi-rigid material (104, 101 ', 102 ', 106, 107, 201', 202 ', 204). False tongue according to claim 2, wherein the element made of rigid or semi-rigid material is a sheath (104, 204) which covers a portion of the surface of the flexible portion that is in contact with said blades. False tongue according to claim 2, wherein the element made of rigid or semi-rigid material is a profile (101 ', 102', 106, 107, 201 ', 202') which constitutes, at least partially, at least one projection intended to engage in a groove of one of said panels or blades. False tongue according to claim 2, wherein the element made of rigid or semi-rigid material is an internal frame (108). False tongue according to one of the claims in which the flexible portion (100, 105, 200, 300) is made of an elastomeric material. False tongue according to one of the claims in which the flexible portion (100, 105, 200, 300) is extruded. False tongue according to one of Claims 2 to 7, wherein the rigid or semi-rigid material is selected from a composite wood-polymer, plastic, wood and metal. False tongue according to one of Claims 2 to 8, in which the element made of rigid or semi-rigid material (104, 101 ', 102', 106, 107, 201 ', 202', 204) is extruded. False tongue according to one of Claims 2 to 9, wherein the flexible portion (100, 105, 200, 300) and the material member rigid or semi-rigid (104, 101 ', 102', 106, 107, 201 ', 202', 204) are coextruded. False tongue according to one of Claims 2 to 9, wherein the flexible portion (100, 105, 200, 300) and the material member rigid or semi-rigid (104, 101 ', 102', 106, 107, 201 ', 202', 204) are assembled by gluing. False tongue according to one of claims 1 to 11, designed to assemble grooved blades, having a cross section "T" and comprising: a vertical leg (100) made of flexible material, which is oriented in the opposite direction to the substrate (S) on which said panels or blades (L1, L2, L5, L6) are placed and maintains a gap between said two panels or blades ; and two lateral arms (101, 101 ', 102, 102', 301, 302, 311, 312) constituting two projections intended to engage in two grooves facing each other (R1, R2), practiced in the songs of two panels or blades; in which, on the opposite side of said vertical leg, the surface of the false tongue, the edges of the panels or blades and the substrate define a recess (E) allowing a deformation of the flexible portion of said tongue when subjected to a compression caused by expansion of said panels or blades. False tongue according to the preceding claim in which the lateral arms (301, 302, 311, 312) are provided with at least one cavity (303, 304) provided for an expansion foam to be injected therein after assembly, so as to cause a dilation of said arms lateral (301, 302, 311, 312). False tongue according to one of claims 1 to 11, designed to assemble panels or grooved blades, having a rectangular cross section and comprising: two lateral projections (106, 107) intended to engage in two grooves vis-à-vis, practiced in the edges of two panels or blades; and a flexible member (105) having substantially the same thickness of said two lateral projections and connecting the latter so as to maintain a gap between said two panels or grooved blades. False tongue according to one of claims 1 to 11, provided for assembling a first (L3) and a second panel or blade (L4) grooved-puffed, each having a groove (R) and a true tongue (VL), the false tongue comprising: a vertical member of flexible material (200), maintaining a gap between said first and second panels or blades; a first lateral projection (201) departing from said vertical member, which fills the volume between said vertical portion (200), the true tongue (VL) of said first panel or blade and the upper surface of the coating; and a second lateral projection (202) departing from said vertical member (200) in a direction opposite to said first projection (201), which is adapted to engage the groove (R) of said second panel or blade; in which the surface of the false tongue, the edges of the panels or blades and the substrate (S) define a recess (E) allowing a deformation of the flexible portion of said tongue when it is subjected to a compression caused by a dilation of said panels or blades. False tongue according to one of Claims 12 to 15, wherein at least one of said projections (101, 102, 201, 202, 301, 302, 311, 312) is made of flexible material. False tongue according to one of claims 12, 14, 15 or 16, wherein at least one of said side projections (101 ', 102', 106, 107, 201 ', 202') is made of rigid or semi-rigid material. Use of a false tongue (100, 105, 200, 300, 310) according to one of the preceding claims for the assembly of panels or blades (L1 - L8) to form a coating of a substrate (S), characterized in that said false tongue also performs a function of expansion joint.

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