EP1980683A2 - Panel, in particular floor panel - Google Patents

Abstract

The panel has a core made of wood material or wood material-synthetic mixture. An upper side (16) and a lower side (17) have a spring at a lateral edge and a groove corresponding to the spring with a lower lip at the opposite lateral edge. The two identically formed panels (1a) are connected and locked with each other by a horizontal joining movement in horizontal direction and vertical direction. The spring element (5a) is formed one piece from the core.

Description

The invention relates to a panel, in particular floor panel, with a core of wood material or wood-plastic mixture, an upper side and a lower side having at least one side edge of a spring and on the opposite side edge corresponding to the spring groove, and two identical trained panels are interconnected and lockable by a substantially horizontal joining movement in the horizontal and vertical directions, wherein the lock in the horizontal direction by at least one vertically movable, cooperating with the spring spring element is effected, which in the joining movement behind a in a snap locking edge extending from the horizontal direction snaps.

Such a panel is for example from the WO 2004/085765 A1 known. This realized in this panel type of locking is preferably provided on the longitudinal side of floor panels. But it can also be provided on the transverse side or both on the transverse side and on the longitudinal side. The V-shaped spring element is made of plastic and is inserted in a vertical, provided in the top of the spring groove over the longitudinal side of the side edge. On the upper lip formed on the opposite side edge groove is provided an undercut, which cooperates with the spring lip of the spring element. When the two panels are pushed together horizontally, the spring lip abuts the upper lip of the groove and is compressed. Upon further insertion of the spring into the groove, the spring lip eventually comes into coincidence with the undercut formed in the upper lip, snaps back in the vertical direction and snaps into the undercut, whereby the locking is effected in the horizontal direction. In the vertical direction, the locking takes place by the spring received in the groove of the other panel.

For the production of this spring element special injection molding tools are necessary, so that the production is relatively expensive. Furthermore, a high quality plastic must be used to provide sufficient strength values, which further increases the cost of the spring element. If plastics with too low strength values are used, this leads to relatively large dimensions of the spring elements, since this is the only way to ensure that appropriate extraction forces can be generated or transmitted.

The fact that the locking element is designed as a separate component, resulting in additional expenses. The production of the locking element is technologically conditioned spatially separated from the panels, so that an integration in the continuous manufacturing process, especially for floor panels, rather not possible. Due to the different materials, wood-based material on the one hand and plastic on the other hand, the alignment of manufacturing tolerances from two separate manufacturing processes is complex and cost-intensive. Since the lock would be ineffective in the horizontal direction in the absence of locking element, this must also be secured against falling out of the introduced in the spring vertical groove in the further manufacturing process and during transport. This backup is expensive. Alternatively, the locking element could be made available to the consumer separately.

More and more frequently, the floor panels in question are moved by do-it-yourselfers, so that in principle the possibility exists due to lack of experience that the required number of locking elements is initially misjudged and they are not procured in sufficient quantity to interpret a room completely. In addition, it can not be ruled out that the handyman makes mistakes when inserting the spring element, with the result that the locking is not exactly possible and the bond dissolves over time, which is then wrongly attributed by the consumer to the quality supplied by the manufacturer.

From the WO 97/47834 Panels are known which are provided on opposite side edges with a tongue and groove profiling. On the underside of the spring, a locking projection is provided, which corresponds to a recess introduced into the lower lip. When two panels are connected horizontally, the lower lip pivots downwardly and recoils as the locking projection engages the latching recess. A disadvantage of this configuration is that the lower lip has to be led far beyond the upper lip of the groove in order to mill the locking recess can. Conventional panels have a total thickness of 6-12 mm. The remaining strength for the lower lip is therefore very low. The lower lip is particularly vulnerable to breakage during transport. If the core material of the panel breaks in the region of the lower lip, sufficient restoring forces can not be applied so that no secure locking of two panels can take place, which likewise leads to detachment of the connection, which is then rightly attributed by the consumer to the quality produced by the manufacturer ,

Based on this problem, the panel described above is to be improved.

To solve the problem, a generic floor panel is characterized in that the spring element is integrally formed out of the core.

This design drastically simplifies production. The adjustment of the tolerances of different components is eliminated. Manufacturing times and costs are reduced because it is not necessary to bring different components together and hold them together. The end user is also ensured that no components are missing and in such a case then could not be further worked. This profiling is preferably provided on the transverse side of panels, which have already been connected to the longitudinal side, for example by angling and then connected by displacement along the longitudinal side to each other at the transverse side.

The spring element may be formed on the spring or on the lower lip of the groove.

Preferably, the at least one spring element in the direction of its side edge and in the direction of the opposite side edge opposite the core is free and connected to at least one, in particular preferably at its two ends to the core. Due to the size of the effective connection of the spring element with the core, the spring elasticity can be adjusted.

The exposure of the spring element is preferably carried out by means of two substantially vertical slots, which may extend parallel to each other. The width of the slots not only determines the strength of the connection of the spring element to the core material, but by choosing the width of the vertical slot, which is closest to the middle of the panel, the position of a stop in the horizontal direction for the spring element can be created so that it is safely protected against overstretching.

When a plurality of spaced-apart spring elements is provided over the length of the side edge, the stability of the connection is increased by limiting the free path in the longitudinal direction of the spring element. The distance between the individual spring elements can be chosen more or less large. The smaller the distance, the larger the effective area is, of course, with the is locked so that the transferable forces in the vertical direction are correspondingly high.

At the other two opposite side edges also mutually corresponding profilings may be provided so that two identically formed panels are connected and locked together by a substantially vertical joining movement in the horizontal and vertical directions, wherein the locking in the vertical direction by at least one in the horizontal direction movable spring element is effected, which snaps in the joining movement behind a substantially horizontally extending locking edge. Also, this spring element can be integrally formed out of the core.

The last-described type of locking is preferably then provided on the transverse side of the panels, if the connection on the longitudinal side by the first described profiling, which is provided instead of the transverse sides on the longitudinal sides, not by a pure horizontal joining movement, but the Panels are swung into each other by the new panel to create angled at an already laid panel, the spring inserted into the groove and then the new panel is lowered to the subfloor.

In this case, the at least one spring element in the direction of the top and in the direction of the opposite side edge with respect to the core will be free and connected in the direction of its side edge at least one of its two ends to the core. The spring element is particularly preferably exposed by means of a substantially horizontal slot and a substantially vertical slot with respect to the core.

With the help of a drawing, embodiments of the invention will be described in more detail below.

Figur 1

die Draufsicht auf ein erstes Paneel in Teildarstellung;

Figur 1a

die Draufsicht auf ein weiteres Paneel in Teildarstellung;

Figur 2

die Ansicht gemäß Sichtpfeil II nach Figur 1 zweier Paneele an der Verbindungsstelle;

Figur 2a

die Ansicht gemäß Sichtpfeil IIa nach Figur 1a zweier Paneele an der Verbindungsstelle;

Figur 3

den Schnitt entlang der Linie III-III nach Figur 1 zweier Paneele an der Verbindungsstelle;

Figur 3a

den Schnitt entlang der Linie IIIa-IIIa nach Figur 1a;

Figur 4

die perspektivische Teilschnittdarstellung des Paneels nach Figur 1;

Figur 4a

die perspektivische Teilschnittdarstellung des Paneels nach Figur 1a;

Figur 5

die Draufsicht auf eine dritte Ausführungsform eines Paneels in Teildarstellung;

Figur 6

die Ansicht gemäß Sichtpfeil VI nach Figur 5 zweier Paneele an der Verbindungsstelle;

Figur 7

den Schnitt entlang der Linie VII-VII nach Figur 5 zweier Paneele an der Verbindungsstelle;

Figur 8

eine perspektivische Teilschnittdarstellung des Paneels nach Figur 5;

Figur 9

die Darstellung zweier miteinander an der Querseite verbundener Paneele einer weiteren Ausführungsform im Teilschnitt;

Figur 10

die Ansicht zweier an den Querseiten miteinander verbundener Paneele in Teilansicht gemäß der Schnittdarstellung in Figur 9;

Figur 11

die perspektivische Teilschnittdarstellung des Paneels nach Figur 9.

It shows:

FIG. 1

the plan view of a first panel in partial view;

FIG. 1a

the plan view of another panel in partial view;

FIG. 2

the view according to arrow II after FIG. 1 two panels at the junction;

FIG. 2a

the view according to arrow IIa after FIG. 1a two panels at the junction;

FIG. 3

the section along the line III-III after FIG. 1 two panels at the junction;

FIG. 3a

the section along the line IIIa-IIIa after FIG. 1a ;

FIG. 4

the perspective partial sectional view of the panel after FIG. 1 ;

FIG. 4a

the perspective partial sectional view of the panel after FIG. 1a ;

FIG. 5

the plan view of a third embodiment of a panel in partial view;

FIG. 6

the view according to arrow VI after FIG. 5 two panels at the junction;

FIG. 7

the section along the line VII-VII according to FIG. 5 two panels at the junction;

FIG. 8

a perspective partial sectional view of the panel after FIG. 5 ;

FIG. 9

the representation of two connected to each other on the transverse side panels of another embodiment in partial section;

FIG. 10

the view of two interconnected on the transverse sides panels in partial view according to the sectional view in FIG. 9 ;

FIG. 11

the perspective partial sectional view of the panel after FIG. 9 ,

The panels 1, 2 and 1a, 2a are identical. On one side edge I, la they are formed with a spring 6, 6a and on the opposite side edge II, IIa with a groove 3, 3a. The groove 3, 3a has a lower lip 4, 4a and an unspecified upper lip. The core 37 is made of wood material or a wood material-plastic mixture.

The in the FIGS. 2 to 4 and 2a to 4a illustrated embodiments essentially correspond. The panels 1a, 2a have opposite the panels 1, 2 on a projecting beyond the upper lip 4 lower lip 4a. Otherwise, the panels are similarly formed. The position numbers therefore only receive the suffix a.

On the lower lip 4, 4a, the outstanding in the direction of the top 16 spring element 5, 5a is arranged, via its two ends 12, 13 with the core 37 of the panels 1, 2; 1a, 2a is connected. Compared to the core 37, the spring element 5, 5a separated by the vertical slot 8, 8a. With its upper edge 18, the spring element ends with the groove bottom. Since the spring element 5, 5 a is connected to the core 37 only at its two ends 12, 13, it is movable in the vertical direction V. The inner wall 8 ', which forms on the core 37 as a result of the slot 8, 8a, serves as a stop in the horizontal direction for the spring element 5, 5a, so that it is protected in the horizontal direction against overstretching. As FIGS. 4 and 4a show, the top 18 of the spring element 5, 5a is chamfered and increases in the direction of the groove bottom 3 '. At the bottom of the spring 6, 6 a, an undercut 6 'is provided, whose inner contour is substantially to the outer contour of the Spring element 5, 5a corresponds. If two panels 1, 2a; 1a, 2a interconnected by shifting in the horizontal direction H, the spring 6, 6a of the panel 1, 1a dives into the groove 3, 3a of the panel 2, 2a. The spring element 5, 5a comes with its oblique upper side to the underside of the spring 6, 6a and is spring-down in the vertical direction V. If the spring element 5, 5a on further joining movement at the level of the undercut 6, 6a it springs back in the opposite vertical direction V and snaps behind the spring 6, 6a, whereby the panels 1, 1a; 2, 2a in the horizontal direction H are locked together. The locking in the vertical direction V via the spring 6, 6a and the groove 3, 3a.

In the in the FIGS. 5 to 8 illustrated embodiment, the spring element 5 is formed on the spring 6 by two substantially extending in the vertical direction V slots 7, 8 and a running in the horizontal direction H slot 9 are introduced, so that the spring element 5 is exposed to the core and only with its two ends 14, 15 is connected to the core material. As FIG. 8 can recognize the running in the horizontal direction slot 9 over the length L of the side edge I can be performed continuously. The parallel slots 7, 8 terminate in a plane below the upper side 16. The lower edge 5 'of the spring element 5 is chamfered and falls, as FIG. 8 indicates in the direction of the middle of the panel. On the opposite side edge II, the lower lip 4 is provided with an undercut 4 ', the inner contour of which substantially corresponds to the outer contour of the spring element 5. If two panels 1, 2 joined together by joining in the horizontal direction H, the spring 6 engages the panel 1 in the groove 3 on the panel 2, the oblique edge 10 comes to rest against the lower lip 4, is in the further joining movement of this pushed upward in the vertical direction V and springs back in the opposite direction when the spring element 5 comes to cover with the undercut 4 ', so that the lock in the horizontal direction H is then made.

FIGS. 9 and 10 show the connection of two panels 21, 22 on the transverse side. As already mentioned, the core 37 consists of wood-based material or a wood-plastic mixture. At their opposite side edges III, IV are the panels 21, 22 profiled, wherein the side edge IV of the top 16 and the side edge III was machined from the bottom 17. On the side edge IV, the spring element 23 is formed, which was produced by milling the core 37 by milling a horizontal slot 31 and a substantially vertical slot 30 was milled. The side edges III, IV have the length I. In the longitudinal direction of the side edge III, the spring element 23 is connected at its ends to the core material. The exposure of the spring element 23 from the core 37 takes place exclusively through the slots 30, 31. The outer edge 23 c of the spring element 23 is inclined relative to the top 16 of the panel 22 at an angle. The vertical surfaces of the side edges III, IV are processed so that in the region of the top 16 contact surfaces 35, 36 form.

At the side edge IV opposite the spring element 30, the panel 21 is provided with a groove 29 extending substantially in the horizontal direction H, the upper side wall of which forms a substantially horizontally extending locking edge 24. The groove bottom of the groove 29 extends parallel to the outer edge 23 c of the spring element 23, which facilitates the production of the groove 29. However, it could be designed strictly in the vertical direction V or with an angle deviating from the angle of the outer edge 23c of the spring element 23.

The locking of the two panels 21, 22 in the horizontal direction H via the milled by a step profiling hook elements 40, 41 and in the vertical direction V via the spring element 23 in conjunction with the locking edge 24 of the groove 29. At downwardly extending paragraph 25th of the hook element 41 is an at least partially planar head surface 32 is formed, which cooperates with a trained on the hook member 40 on the opposite side edge IV contact surface 33, which projects behind the shoulder 26. The top surface 12 and the support surface 13 end in the same horizontal plane E, so that interconnected panels 21, 22 are supported on each other. The profiling of the hook elements 40, 41 is selected so that a bias voltage is generated in the joint and the vertical contact surfaces 35, 36 of the panels 21, 22 are pressed against each other, so that no visible at the top 16 of two interconnected panels 21, 22 Gap arises. To the joining of the panels 21, 22, the upwardly projecting shoulder 26 of the hook element 40 and the downwardly projecting shoulder 25 of the hook element 41 are chamfered or rounded at their edges. In order to simplify the production of the formation of the spring element 23, either the horizontally extending slot 31 or the substantially vertically extending slot 30 may be continuous, so extend over the full length I of the side edge III.

In all the embodiments described above, determines the surface, so the height and the width at which the ends 12, 13 of the spring element 5, 5a and 23a, 23b of the spring element 23 are connected to the core 37, the spring rate of the spring element. Over the length L, I of the side edge I, II, III, a plurality of spring elements 23 may be formed.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

Paneel

1a

Paneel

2

Paneel

2a

Paneel

3

Nut

3a

Nut

4

Unterlippe

4a

Unterlippe

4'

Hinterschnitt/Hinterschneidung

5

Federelement

5a

Federelement

5'

Unterkante

6

Feder

6a

Feder

6'

Hinterschneidung

7

Schlitz

8

Schlitz

9

Schlitz

10

schräge Kante

12

Ende

13

Ende

14

Ende

15

Ende

16

Oberseite

17

Unterseite

18

Oberseite

21

Paneel

22

Paneel

23

Federelement

23a

Ende

23b

Ende

23c

äußere Kante

23d

untere Kante

24

Verriegelungskante

25

Absatz

26

Absatz

29

Nut

30

Schlitz

32

Kopffläche

33

Auflagefläche

35

vertikale Fläche

36

vertikale Fläche

37

Kern

40

Hakenelement

41

Hakenelement

E

Ebene

H

horizontale Richtung

L

Länge

I

Länge

V

vertikale Richtung

I

Seitenkante

II

Seitenkante

III

Seitenkante

IV

Seitenkante

Re/dg

1

paneling

1a

paneling

2

paneling

2a

paneling

3

groove

3a

groove

4

bottom lip

4a

bottom lip

4 '

Undercut / undercut

5

spring element

5a

spring element

5 '

lower edge

6

feather

6a

feather

6 '

undercut

7

slot

8th

slot

9

slot

10

sloping edge

12

The End

13

The End

14

The End

15

The End

16

top

17

bottom

18

top

21

paneling

22

paneling

23

spring element

23a

The End

23b

The End

23c

outer edge

23d

lower edge

24

locking edge

25

paragraph

26

paragraph

29

groove

30

slot

32

head face

33

bearing surface

35

vertical surface

36

vertical surface

37

core

40

hook element

41

hook element

e

level

H

horizontal direction

L

length

I

length

V

vertical direction

I

side edge

II

side edge

III

side edge

IV

side edge

Re / dg

Claims (11)

Panel, in particular floor panel (1, 2), having a core (37) of wood-based material or wood-plastic mixture, a top (16) and a bottom (17), the at least one side edge (I) a spring (6, 6a) and on the opposite side edge (II) to the spring (6, 6a) corresponding groove (3, 3a) having a lower lip (4, 4a) and two identically formed panels (1, 2) by a substantially horizontal Joining movement in horizontal H and vertical V direction can be connected to each other and locked, the lock in the horizontal direction H by at least one in the vertical direction V with the spring (6, 6a) cooperating spring element (5, 5a) is effected, during the joining movement snaps behind a locking edge (6 ') extending in a direction deviating from the horizontal direction H, characterized in that the spring element (5, 5a) is integrally formed out of the core (37). Panel according to claim 1, characterized in that the spring element (5) on the spring (6) is formed. Panel according to claim 1, characterized in that the spring element (5a) is formed on the lower lip (4a). Panel according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the at least one spring element (5, 5a) in the direction of its side edge (I, II) and in the direction of the opposite side edge (II, I) relative to the core (37) free and at least at one of its two ends (12, 13, 14, 15) is connected to the core (37). Panel according to claim 4, characterized in that the spring element (5, 5a) at both ends (12, 13, 14, 15) is connected to the core (37). Panel according to one of claims 4 or 5, characterized in that the spring element (5, 5a) is exposed by means of two substantially vertical slots (7, 8) relative to the core (37). Panel according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that over the length L of the side edge (I, II) a plurality of spaced-apart spring elements (5, 5a) is provided. Panel according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the two other side edges (III, IV) have such a mutually corresponding profiling that two identically formed panels (21, 23) by a substantially vertical joining movement in horizontal H and vertical V direction can be connected and locked together, wherein the locking in the vertical direction V by at least one horizontally movable H spring element (23) is effected, which snaps in the joining movement behind a substantially horizontally extending H locking edge (24) and the spring element (23) is formed in one piece from the core (37). Panel according to claim 8, characterized in that the at least one spring element (23) in the direction of the top (16) and in the direction of the opposite side edge (III) relative to the core (37) free and in the direction of its side edge (IV) at least one its two ends (23a, 23b) is connected to the core (37). Panel according to claim 9, characterized in that the spring element (23) at its two ends (23a, 23b) is connected to the core (37). Panel according to one of claims 8 to 10, characterized in that the spring element (23) by means of a substantially horizontal slot (31) and a substantially vertical slot (30) relative to the core (37) is exposed.

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