EP2813636B1 - A flooring material of sheet-shaped floor elements joined with joining members. - Google Patents

A flooring material of sheet-shaped floor elements joined with joining members. Download PDF

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Publication number
EP2813636B1
EP2813636B1 EP14169330.9A EP14169330A EP2813636B1 EP 2813636 B1 EP2813636 B1 EP 2813636B1 EP 14169330 A EP14169330 A EP 14169330A EP 2813636 B1 EP2813636 B1 EP 2813636B1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
floor
edge
floor elements
elements
joined
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
EP14169330.9A
Other languages
German (de)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP2813636A3 (en
EP2813636A2 (en
Inventor
Jörgen PALSSON
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Unilin Nordic AB
Original Assignee
Pergo Europe AB
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Priority claimed from SE0001149A external-priority patent/SE518184C2/en
Application filed by Pergo Europe AB filed Critical Pergo Europe AB
Publication of EP2813636A2 publication Critical patent/EP2813636A2/en
Publication of EP2813636A3 publication Critical patent/EP2813636A3/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP2813636B1 publication Critical patent/EP2813636B1/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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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
    • E04F15/02038—Flooring or floor layers composed of a number of similar elements characterised by tongue and groove connections between neighbouring flooring 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
    • 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
    • E04F2201/0107—Joining sheets, plates or panels with edges in abutting relationship by moving the sheets, plates or panels substantially in their own plane, perpendicular to the abutting edges
    • E04F2201/0115—Joining sheets, plates or panels with edges in abutting relationship by moving the sheets, plates or panels substantially in their own plane, perpendicular to the abutting edges with snap action of the edge connectors
    • 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
    • E04F2201/01—Joining sheets, plates or panels with edges in abutting relationship
    • E04F2201/0153—Joining sheets, plates or panels with edges in abutting relationship by rotating the sheets, plates or panels around an axis which is parallel to the abutting edges, possibly combined with a sliding movement
    • 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
    • E04F2201/026—Non-undercut connections, e.g. tongue and groove connections with rabbets, e.g. being stepped
    • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E04—BUILDING
    • E04F—FINISHING WORK ON BUILDINGS, e.g. STAIRS, FLOORS
    • E04F2201/00—Joining sheets or plates or panels
    • E04F2201/05—Separate connectors or inserts, e.g. pegs, pins, keys or strips
    • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E04—BUILDING
    • E04F—FINISHING WORK ON BUILDINGS, e.g. STAIRS, FLOORS
    • E04F2201/00—Joining sheets or plates or panels
    • E04F2201/05—Separate connectors or inserts, e.g. pegs, pins, keys or strips
    • E04F2201/0517—U- or C-shaped brackets and clamps
    • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E04—BUILDING
    • E04F—FINISHING WORK ON BUILDINGS, e.g. STAIRS, FLOORS
    • E04F2201/00—Joining sheets or plates or panels
    • E04F2201/05—Separate connectors or inserts, e.g. pegs, pins, keys or strips
    • E04F2201/0523—Separate tongues; Interlocking keys, e.g. joining mouldings of circular, square or rectangular shape

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a flooring material according to the preamble of claim 1, comprising sheet-shaped floor elements which are joined by means of joining members.
  • Such flooring material is known from WO 01/02669 .
  • Prefabricated floor boards provided with tongue and groove at the edges are quite common nowadays. These can be installed by the average handy man as they are very easy to install.
  • Such floors can, for example, be constituted of solid wood, fibre board or particle board. These are most often provided with a surface layer such as lacquer, or some kind of laminate.
  • the boards are most often installed by being glued via tongue and groove.
  • the most common types of tongue and groove are however burdened with the disadvantage to form gaps of varying width between the floor boards in cases where the installer hasn't been thorough enough. Dirt will easily collect in such gaps. Moisture will furthermore enter the gaps which will cause the core to expand in cases where it is made of wood, fiber board or particle board, which usually is the case.
  • the floor boards are provided with a locking device at the rear sides.
  • the floor boards are provided with profiles on the lower side at a first long side and short side. These profiles, which extends outside the floor board itself, is provided with an upwards directed lip which fits into grooves on the lower side of a corresponding floor board. These grooves are arranged on the second short side and long side of this floor board.
  • the floor boards are furthermore provided with a traditional tongue and groove on the edges. The intentions are that the profiles shall bend downwards and then to snap back into the groove when assembled.
  • the profiles are integrated with the floor boards through folding or alternatively, through gluing.
  • the floor boards may be joined by turning or prizing it into position with the long side edge as a pivot point. It is then necessary to slide the floor board longitudinally so that it snaps into the floor board previously installed in the same row. A play is essential in order to achieve that. This play seems to be marked A in the figures. A tolerance of 0. 2mm is mentioned in the application. Such a play will naturally cause undesired gaps between the floor boards. Dirt and moisture can penetrate into these gaps.
  • WO 00/47841 describes floor boards that are joined by being pressed downwards.
  • the floor boards are provided with lower joining lips at two adjacent edges while the two remaining edges are provided with upper joining lips.
  • the lower joining lips are provided with essentially vertical lower lip surfaces arranged parallel to the closest edge.
  • the lower lip surfaces are intended to interact with mainly vertical upper lip surfaces arranged on the upper joining lips.
  • Two joined adjacent floor boards are hereby locked together in the horizontal direction.
  • the joining lips are furthermore provided with one or more heels intended to snap join with recesses adapted thereto which, by being provided with essentially horizontal locking surfaces, limits vertical movement between two joined adjacent floor boards.
  • WO 97/47834 does also show how the tongue and groove with heels and recesses according to the invention is tooled by means of cutting machining.
  • This invention does also have the disadvantage that the best mode of joining floor boards includes longitudinal sliding for joining the short sides of the floor boards, which also here will require a play which will cause unwanted gaps between the floor boards. Dirt and moisture can penetrate into these gaps.
  • the invention relates to a flooring material comprising sheet-shaped floor elements with a mainly square or rectangular shape, which floor elements are provided with edges, a lower side and an upper decorative layer, whereby the floor elements are intended to be joined by means of joining members.
  • the floor elements are provided with male joining members on a first edge, while a second edge of the floor elements is provided with a female joining member, whereby the male joining member is provided with a tongue and a lower side groove while the female joining member is provided with a groove and a cheek, the cheek being provided with a lip.
  • the floor elements are intended to mainly be joined together by tilting the floor element to be joined with an already installed floor element or a row of already installed floor elements, with the male joining member of the floor element angled downwards, and the first edge is allowed to be mainly parallel to the second edge of the already installed floor element or elements.
  • the tongue of the tilted floor element is inserted into the groove of the female joining member of the already installed floor element or elements, whereby the tilted floor element is turned downwards, with its lower edge as a pivot axis, so that the lip eventually snaps or falls into the lower side groove where the decorative upper layer of the floor elements are mainly parallel.
  • the floor elements, on a third edge, are provided with a male vertical assembly joining member, while a fourth edge is provided with female vertical assembly joining member, the fourth edge being arranged on a side opposite to the third edge.
  • the male vertical assembly joining members are provided with mainly vertical lower cheek surfaces arranged parallel to the closest edge, which lower cheek surfaces are intended to interact with mainly vertical upper cheek surfaces arranged on the female vertical assembly joining members so that two joined adjacent floor elements are locked against each other in a horizontal direction.
  • Two adjacent edges of a floor element, at the same time, and in the same turning motion, can be joined with a floor element adjacent to the first edge and a floor element adjacent to the third or fourth edge.
  • the male vertical assembly joining member is provided with a plurality of hooks intended to interact with matching undercuts arranged on the female vertical assembly joining member, and the snapping hooks and matching undercuts, by being provided with mainly horizontal locking surfaces, limit the vertical movement between two joined adjacent floor elements.
  • the force needed to overcome the static friction along the joint between two completely assembled male and female joining members is preferably larger than 10N per meter of joint length, suitably larger than 100N per meter of joint length.
  • the joint between a third and a fourth edge of two joined floor elements preferably comprises contact surfaces which are constituted by the horizontal locking surfaces of the under cuts and hooks, the mainly vertical upper cheek surfaces and lower cheek surfaces as well as upper mating surfaces.
  • the joint between two joined floor elements suitably also comprises cavities.
  • the flooring material including the floor boards above is most suited when installing floors where it isn't desired to use glue. It is, however, possible to use glue or twin-faced adhesive tape in order to make the installation irreversibly permanent.
  • the glue or tape is then suitably applied on, or in connection to, possible cavities or faces below the upper mating surfaces.

Description

  • The present invention relates to a flooring material according to the preamble of claim 1, comprising sheet-shaped floor elements which are joined by means of joining members. Such flooring material is known from WO 01/02669 .
  • Prefabricated floor boards provided with tongue and groove at the edges are quite common nowadays. These can be installed by the average handy man as they are very easy to install. Such floors can, for example, be constituted of solid wood, fibre board or particle board. These are most often provided with a surface layer such as lacquer, or some kind of laminate. The boards are most often installed by being glued via tongue and groove. The most common types of tongue and groove are however burdened with the disadvantage to form gaps of varying width between the floor boards in cases where the installer hasn't been thorough enough. Dirt will easily collect in such gaps. Moisture will furthermore enter the gaps which will cause the core to expand in cases where it is made of wood, fiber board or particle board, which usually is the case. The expansion will cause the surface layer to rise closest to the edges of the joint which radically reduces the useful life of the floor since the surface layer will be exposed to an exceptional wear. Different types of tensioning devices, forcing the floor boards together during installation can be used to avoid such gaps. This operation is however more or less awkward. It is therefore desirable to achieve a joint which is self-guiding and thereby automatically finds the correct position. Such a joint would also be possible to utilize in floors where no glue is to be used.
  • Such a joint is known through WO 94/26999 which deals with a system to join two floor boards. The floor boards are provided with a locking device at the rear sides. In one embodiment the floor boards are provided with profiles on the lower side at a first long side and short side. These profiles, which extends outside the floor board itself, is provided with an upwards directed lip which fits into grooves on the lower side of a corresponding floor board. These grooves are arranged on the second short side and long side of this floor board. The floor boards are furthermore provided with a traditional tongue and groove on the edges. The intentions are that the profiles shall bend downwards and then to snap back into the groove when assembled. The profiles are integrated with the floor boards through folding or alternatively, through gluing.
  • According to WO 94/26999 , the floor boards may be joined by turning or prizing it into position with the long side edge as a pivot point. It is then necessary to slide the floor board longitudinally so that it snaps into the floor board previously installed in the same row. A play is essential in order to achieve that. This play seems to be marked A in the figures. A tolerance of 0. 2mm is mentioned in the application. Such a play will naturally cause undesired gaps between the floor boards. Dirt and moisture can penetrate into these gaps.
  • WO 00/47841 describes floor boards that are joined by being pressed downwards. According to its abstract, the floor boards are provided with lower joining lips at two adjacent edges while the two remaining edges are provided with upper joining lips. The lower joining lips are provided with essentially vertical lower lip surfaces arranged parallel to the closest edge. The lower lip surfaces are intended to interact with mainly vertical upper lip surfaces arranged on the upper joining lips. Two joined adjacent floor boards are hereby locked together in the horizontal direction. The joining lips are furthermore provided with one or more heels intended to snap join with recesses adapted thereto which, by being provided with essentially horizontal locking surfaces, limits vertical movement between two joined adjacent floor boards.
  • It is also known through WO 97/47834 to manufacture a joint where the floor boards are joined by turning or prizing it into position with the long side edge as a pivot point. According to this invention a traditional tongue has been provided with heel on the lower side. The heel has a counterpart in a recess in the groove of the opposite side of the floor board. The lower cheek of the groove will be bent away during the assembly and will then snap back when the floor board is in the correct position. The snap-joining parts, i. e. the tongue and groove, is in opposite to the invention according to WO 94/26999 above, where they are constituted by separate parts, seems to be manufactured monolithically from the core of the floor board. WO 97/47834 does also show how the tongue and groove with heels and recesses according to the invention is tooled by means of cutting machining. This invention does also have the disadvantage that the best mode of joining floor boards includes longitudinal sliding for joining the short sides of the floor boards, which also here will require a play which will cause unwanted gaps between the floor boards. Dirt and moisture can penetrate into these gaps.
  • It is, through the present invention, made possible to solve the above mentioned problems whereby a floor element which can be assembled without having to be slid along already assembled floor elements has been achieved. It is thereby made possible to achieve tighter joints.
  • The invention is defined in the appended claims.
  • Accordingly, the invention relates to a flooring material comprising sheet-shaped floor elements with a mainly square or rectangular shape, which floor elements are provided with edges, a lower side and an upper decorative layer, whereby the floor elements are intended to be joined by means of joining members. The floor elements are provided with male joining members on a first edge, while a second edge of the floor elements is provided with a female joining member, whereby the male joining member is provided with a tongue and a lower side groove while the female joining member is provided with a groove and a cheek, the cheek being provided with a lip. The floor elements are intended to mainly be joined together by tilting the floor element to be joined with an already installed floor element or a row of already installed floor elements, with the male joining member of the floor element angled downwards, and the first edge is allowed to be mainly parallel to the second edge of the already installed floor element or elements. The tongue of the tilted floor element is inserted into the groove of the female joining member of the already installed floor element or elements, whereby the tilted floor element is turned downwards, with its lower edge as a pivot axis, so that the lip eventually snaps or falls into the lower side groove where the decorative upper layer of the floor elements are mainly parallel.
  • The floor elements, on a third edge, are provided with a male vertical assembly joining member, while a fourth edge is provided with female vertical assembly joining member, the fourth edge being arranged on a side opposite to the third edge. The male vertical assembly joining members are provided with mainly vertical lower cheek surfaces arranged parallel to the closest edge, which lower cheek surfaces are intended to interact with mainly vertical upper cheek surfaces arranged on the female vertical assembly joining members so that two joined adjacent floor elements are locked against each other in a horizontal direction. Two adjacent edges of a floor element, at the same time, and in the same turning motion, can be joined with a floor element adjacent to the first edge and a floor element adjacent to the third or fourth edge. The male vertical assembly joining member is provided with a plurality of hooks intended to interact with matching undercuts arranged on the female vertical assembly joining member, and the snapping hooks and matching undercuts, by being provided with mainly horizontal locking surfaces, limit the vertical movement between two joined adjacent floor elements.
  • The force needed to overcome the static friction along the joint between two completely assembled male and female joining members is preferably larger than 10N per meter of joint length, suitably larger than 100N per meter of joint length.
  • The joint between a third and a fourth edge of two joined floor elements preferably comprises contact surfaces which are constituted by the horizontal locking surfaces of the under cuts and hooks, the mainly vertical upper cheek surfaces and lower cheek surfaces as well as upper mating surfaces.
  • The joint between two joined floor elements suitably also comprises cavities.
  • The flooring material including the floor boards above is most suited when installing floors where it isn't desired to use glue. It is, however, possible to use glue or twin-faced adhesive tape in order to make the installation irreversibly permanent. The glue or tape is then suitably applied on, or in connection to, possible cavities or faces below the upper mating surfaces.
  • The invention is described further in connection to enclosed figures showing different embodiments of a flooring material whereby,
    • figure 1 shows, in cross-section, a first and a second edge 2I and 2II respectively, during joining;
    • figure 2 shows, in cross-section, a second embodiment of a first and a second edge 2I and 2II respectively, during joining;
    • figure 3 shows, in cross-section, a third embodiment of a first and a second edge 2I and 2II respectively, during joining;
    • figure 4 shows, in cross-section, a fourth embodiment of a first and a second edge 2I and 2II respectively, during joining;
    • figure 5 shows, in cross-section, a third and a fourth edge 2III and 2IV respectively, during joining;
    • figure 6 shows, in cross-section, a second embodiment of a third and a fourth edge 2III and 2IV respectively, during joining;
    • figure 7 shows, in cross-section, a third embodiment of a third and a fourth edge 2III and 2IV respectively, during joining; and
    • figure 8 shows, in cross-section, a fourth embodiment of a third and a fourth edge 2III and 2IV respectively and a vertical assembly joining profile 30, during joining.
    The flooring material of Figs. 6, 7 and 8 is not in accordance with the presently claimed invention.
    Accordingly figure 1 shows, in cross-section, a first and a second edge 2I and 2II respectively, during assembly. The figure shows parts of a flooring material comprising sheet-shaped floor elements 1 with a mainly square or rectangular shape. The floor elements 1 are provided with edges 2, a lower side 5 and an upper decorative layer 3. The floor elements 1 are intended to be joined by means of joining members 10. The floor elements 1 are provided with male joining members 10I on a first edge 2I while a second edge 2II of the floor elements 1 are provided with a female joining member 10II. The second edge 2" is arranged on a side opposite to the first edge 2I. The male joining member 10I is provided with a tongue 11 and a lower side 5 groove 12. The female joining member 10II is provided with a groove 13 and a cheek 14, the cheek 14 being provided with a lip 15. The floor elements 1 are intended to mainly be joined together by tilting the floor element 1 to be joined with an already installed floor element 1 or a row of already installed floor elements 1, with the male joining member 10I of the floor element 1 angled downwards and that the first edge 2I is allowed to be mainly parallel to the second edge 2II of the already installed floor element 1 or elements 1. The tongue 11 of the tilted floor element 1 is then inserted into the groove 13 of the female joining member 10II of the already installed floor element 1 or elements 1, whereby the tilted floor element 1 is turned downwards, with its lower edge as a pivot axis, so that the lip 15 eventually falls into the lower side 5 groove 12 where the decorative upper layer 3 of the floor elements 1 are mainly parallel.
    The embodiment shown in figure 2 corresponds mainly with the one shown in figure 1. The lip 15 and lower side 5 groove 12 are, however, provided with a cam 16 and a cam groove 17 which provides a snap action locking.
    The embodiment shown in figure 3 corresponds mainly with the one shown in figure 1 and 2 above. The lip 15 and lower side 5 groove 12 are, however, provided with a cam 16 and a cam groove 17 which provides a snap action locking.
    The embodiment shown in figure 4 corresponds mainly with the one shown in figure 1 above. The lip 15 and cheek 14 is however shaped as a thin resilient section which provides a snap action locking.
    Figure 5 shows, in cross-section, a third and a fourth edge 2III and 2IV respectively, of a floor element 1 according to any of the figures 1 to 4. The floor elements 1 are provided with a male vertical assembly joining member 10III on a third edge 2III while a fourth edge 2IV is provided with a female vertical assembly joining member 10II. The fourth edge 2IV is placed on a side opposite to the third edge 2III.
    The male vertical assembly joining members 10III are provided with mainly vertical lower cheek surfaces 21 arranged parallel to the closest edge 2. The lower cheek surfaces 21 are intended to interact with mainly vertical upper cheek surfaces 22 arranged on the female vertical assembly joining members 10IV so that two joined adjacent floor elements 1 are locked against each other in a horizontal direction. The male vertical assembly joining members 10III are moreover provided with two snapping hooks 23 while the female vertical assembly joining members 10IV are provided with matching undercuts 24, which by being provided with mainly horizontal locking surfaces limits the vertical movement between two joined adjacent floor elements 1.
    The joint between a third and a fourth edge 2III and 2IV respectively of two joined floor elements 1 further comprises contact surfaces which are constituted by the horizontal locking surfaces of the undercuts 24 and hooks 23, the mainly vertical upper cheek surfaces 22 lower cheek surfaces as well as upper mating surfaces 25.
    The joint between two joined floor elements 1 also comprises cavities 6.
    The embodiment shown in figure 6 corresponds in the main with the one shown in figure 5. The male vertical assembly joining members 10III are, however, provided with only one snapping hook 23 while the female vertical assembly joining members 10IV are provided with a matching undercut 24, which by being provided with mainly horizontal locking surfaces limits vertical movement between to joined adjacent floor boards 1.
    The embodiment shown in figure 7 corresponds in the main with the one shown in figure 6. The snapping hook 23 on the male vertical assembly joining member 10III is, however, moved somewhat inwards in the floor element 1 whereby a guiding angle is formed above the undercut 24 of the female vertical joining member 10IV.
    The embodiment shown in figure 8 corresponds mainly with the one shown in figure 7. Both the third and the fourth edges 2III and 2IV respectively are, however, provided with male vertical assembly joining members 10III. A vertical assembly joining profile 30, provided with a female vertical assembly joining profile 10IV on both sides of a vertical symmetry line, is used for joining the two floor elements 1.
    The female vertical assembly joining members 10IV of the vertical assembly joining profile 30 are equipped similar to the female vertical assembly joining members 10IV in figure 7 above.
    Two adjacent edges 2 of a floor element 1 can at the same time, and in the same turning motion, be joined with a floor element 1 adjacent to the first edge 2I and a floor element 1 adjacent to the third or fourth edge 2III and 2IV respectively, when assembling floor elements 1 according to the above described embodiments.
    The floor elements 1 according to the present invention most often comprises a core. The core is most often comprised of particles or fiber of wood bonded with resin or glue. It is advantageous to coat the surface closest to the joint in cases where the floor will be exposed to high levels of moisture since the cellulose based material is sensitive to moisture. This coating may suitably incorporate resin, wax or some kind of lacquer. It is not necessary to coat the joint when it is to be glued since the glue itself will protect from moisture penetration. The upper decorative layer 3 is constituted of a decorative paper impregnated with melamine-formaldehyde resin. One or more so called overlay sheets of a-cellulose, impregnated with melamine-formaldehyde resin may possibly be placed on top of the decorative layer. The abrasion resistance may be improved by sprinkling one or more of the sheets with hard particles of for example alpha-aluminum oxide, silicon carbide or silicon oxide. The lower side 5 may suitably be coated with lacquer or a layer of paper and resin.
    The invention is not limited by the embodiments shown since they can be varied within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Claims (7)

  1. Flooring material comprising sheet-shaped floor elements (1) with a mainly square or rectangular shape, which floor elements (1) are provided with edges (2), a lower side (5) and an upper decorative layer (3), whereby the floor elements (1) are intended to be joined by means of joining members (10), wherein
    - the floor elements (1) are provided with male joining members (10I) on a first edge (2I), while a second edge (2II) of the floor elements (1) is provided with a female joining member (10II), whereby the male joining member (10I) is provided with a tongue (11) and a lower side (5) groove (12) while the female joining member (10II) is provided with a groove (13) and a cheek (14), the cheek (14) being provided with a lip (15), whereby the floor elements (1) are intended to mainly be joined together by tilting the floor element (1) to be joined with an already installed floor element (1) or a row of already installed floor elements (1), with the male joining member (10I) of the floor element (1) angled downwards, and that the first edge (2I) is allowed to be mainly parallel to the second edge (2II) of the already installed floor element (1) or elements (1), whereby the tongue (11) of the tilted floor element (1) is inserted into the groove (13) of the female joining member (10II) of the already installed floor element (1) or elements (1), whereby the tilted floor element (1) is turned downwards, with its lower edge as a pivot axis, so that the lip (15) eventually snaps or falls into the lower side (5) groove (12) where the decorative upper layer (3) of the floor elements (1) are mainly parallel;
    - the floor elements (1), on a third edge (2III), are provided with a male vertical assembly joining member (10III), while a fourth edge (2IV) is provided with female vertical assembly joining member (10IV), the fourth edge (2IV) being arranged on a side opposite to the third edge (2III), wherein the male vertical assembly joining members (10III) are provided with mainly vertical lower cheek surfaces (21) arranged parallel to the closest edge (2), which lower cheek surfaces (21) are intended to interact with mainly vertical upper cheek surfaces (22) arranged on the female vertical assembly joining members so that two joined adjacent floor elements (1) are locked against each other in a horizontal direction, and
    - two adjacent edges (2) of a floor element (1), at the same time, and in the same turning motion, can be joined with a floor element (1) adjacent to the first edge (2I) and a floor element adjacent to the third or fourth edge (2III and 2IV, respectively), characterized in that the male vertical assembly joining member (10III) is provided with a plurality of snapping hooks (23) intended to interact with matching undercuts (24) arranged on the female vertical assembly joining member, (10IV) and in that said snapping hooks (23) and matching undercuts (24), by being provided with mainly horizontal locking surfaces, limit the vertical movement between two joined adjacent floor elements (1).
  2. Floor material according to claim 1, characterized in that the joint between a third and a fourth edge (2III and 2IV respectively) of two joined floor elements (1) comprises contact surfaces which are constituted by the mainly horizontal locking surfaces of the undercuts (24) and hooks (23), the mainly vertical upper cheek surfaces (22) and lower cheek surfaces as well as upper mating surfaces (25).
  3. Floor material according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that said floor elements comprise a core material and that said hooks (23) and undercuts (24) are formed in the material of the core.
  4. Floor material according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that a lower side (5) recess is formed at said fourth edge (2IV) so that the bottom side of said lower cheek (21) is recessed from said lower side (5).
  5. Flooring material according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the force needed to overcome the static friction along the joint between two completely assembled male and female joining members (10I and 10II respectively) is larger than 10N per meter of joint length, preferably larger than 100N per meter of joint length.
  6. Flooring material according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the joint between two joined floor elements (1) also comprises cavities (6).
  7. Flooring material according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the floor elements (1) have a core comprised of particles or fiber of wood bonded with resin or glue.
EP14169330.9A 2000-03-31 2001-02-14 A flooring material of sheet-shaped floor elements joined with joining members. Expired - Lifetime EP2813636B1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
SE0001149A SE518184C2 (en) 2000-03-31 2000-03-31 Floor covering material comprising disc-shaped floor elements which are joined together by means of interconnecting means
EP08166656.2A EP2009195B1 (en) 2000-03-31 2001-02-14 A flooring material comprising sheet-shaped floor elements which are joined by means of joining members
EP01906461A EP1276941B1 (en) 2000-03-31 2001-02-14 A flooring material comprising sheet-shaped floor elements which are joinable by means of joining members

Related Parent Applications (3)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP01906461A Division EP1276941B1 (en) 2000-03-31 2001-02-14 A flooring material comprising sheet-shaped floor elements which are joinable by means of joining members
EP08166656.2A Division EP2009195B1 (en) 2000-03-31 2001-02-14 A flooring material comprising sheet-shaped floor elements which are joined by means of joining members
EP08166656.2A Division-Into EP2009195B1 (en) 2000-03-31 2001-02-14 A flooring material comprising sheet-shaped floor elements which are joined by means of joining members

Publications (3)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP2813636A2 EP2813636A2 (en) 2014-12-17
EP2813636A3 EP2813636A3 (en) 2015-03-25
EP2813636B1 true EP2813636B1 (en) 2017-12-27

Family

ID=51867945

Family Applications (8)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP14169350.7A Expired - Lifetime EP2813637B1 (en) 2000-03-31 2001-02-14 A flooring material of sheet-shaped floor elements joined with joining members.
EP14169293.9A Ceased EP2813635A3 (en) 2000-03-31 2001-02-14 A flooring material of sheet-shaped floor elements joined with joining members.
EP14169440.6A Withdrawn EP2813640A3 (en) 2000-03-31 2001-02-14 A flooring material of sheet-shaped floor elements joined with joining members
EP14169158.4A Expired - Lifetime EP2813634B1 (en) 2000-03-31 2001-02-14 A flooring material of sheet-shaped floor elements joined with joining members
EP14169472.9A Withdrawn EP2813641A3 (en) 2000-03-31 2001-02-14 Method for installing a flooring material of sheet-shaped floor elements
EP14169399.4A Expired - Lifetime EP2813638B1 (en) 2000-03-31 2001-02-14 A flooring material of sheet-shaped floor elements joined with joining members
EP14169330.9A Expired - Lifetime EP2813636B1 (en) 2000-03-31 2001-02-14 A flooring material of sheet-shaped floor elements joined with joining members.
EP14169430.7A Expired - Lifetime EP2813639B1 (en) 2000-03-31 2001-02-14 A flooring material of sheet-shaped floor elements joined with joining members

Family Applications Before (6)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP14169350.7A Expired - Lifetime EP2813637B1 (en) 2000-03-31 2001-02-14 A flooring material of sheet-shaped floor elements joined with joining members.
EP14169293.9A Ceased EP2813635A3 (en) 2000-03-31 2001-02-14 A flooring material of sheet-shaped floor elements joined with joining members.
EP14169440.6A Withdrawn EP2813640A3 (en) 2000-03-31 2001-02-14 A flooring material of sheet-shaped floor elements joined with joining members
EP14169158.4A Expired - Lifetime EP2813634B1 (en) 2000-03-31 2001-02-14 A flooring material of sheet-shaped floor elements joined with joining members
EP14169472.9A Withdrawn EP2813641A3 (en) 2000-03-31 2001-02-14 Method for installing a flooring material of sheet-shaped floor elements
EP14169399.4A Expired - Lifetime EP2813638B1 (en) 2000-03-31 2001-02-14 A flooring material of sheet-shaped floor elements joined with joining members

Family Applications After (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP14169430.7A Expired - Lifetime EP2813639B1 (en) 2000-03-31 2001-02-14 A flooring material of sheet-shaped floor elements joined with joining members

Country Status (5)

Country Link
EP (8) EP2813637B1 (en)
DE (6) DE14169132T1 (en)
DK (1) DK2009195T3 (en)
ES (5) ES2523115T1 (en)
PT (1) PT2009195E (en)

Families Citing this family (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR3089534B1 (en) * 2018-12-07 2023-03-03 Gerflor PANEL WITH VERTICAL ASSEMBLY FOR THE REALIZATION OF A CLADDING

Family Cites Families (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE2238660A1 (en) * 1972-08-05 1974-02-07 Heinrich Hebgen FORMAL JOINT CONNECTION OF PANEL-SHAPED COMPONENTS WITHOUT SEPARATE CONNECTING ELEMENTS
SE9301595L (en) * 1993-05-10 1994-10-17 Tony Pervan Grout for thin liquid hard floors
BE1010487A6 (en) 1996-06-11 1998-10-06 Unilin Beheer Bv FLOOR COATING CONSISTING OF HARD FLOOR PANELS AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING SUCH FLOOR PANELS.
SE512290C2 (en) * 1998-06-03 2000-02-28 Valinge Aluminium Ab Locking system for mechanical joining of floorboards and floorboard provided with the locking system
SE515789C2 (en) * 1999-02-10 2001-10-08 Perstorp Flooring Ab Floor covering material comprising floor elements which are intended to be joined vertically
IT1311220B1 (en) * 1999-04-20 2002-03-04 Patt Srl SLAT FLOOR AND METHOD FOR ITS INSTALLATION
EP2312087B1 (en) * 1999-06-30 2018-03-28 Akzenta Paneele + Profile GmbH Panel fastening system and panel with fastening system
DE10001076C1 (en) * 2000-01-13 2001-10-04 Huelsta Werke Huels Kg Panel element to construct floor covering; has groove and spring on opposite longitudinal sides and has groove and tongue on opposite end faces, to connect and secure adjacent panel elements

Non-Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Title
None *

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
EP2813638A3 (en) 2015-09-02
EP2813637A3 (en) 2015-09-02
DE14169472T1 (en) 2015-06-11
EP2813639A2 (en) 2014-12-17
DE14169158T1 (en) 2015-06-11
EP2813639B1 (en) 2019-11-13
EP2813638B1 (en) 2020-04-08
ES2523115T1 (en) 2014-11-21
EP2813640A3 (en) 2015-09-02
DE14169132T1 (en) 2015-06-03
DE13160294T1 (en) 2015-01-08
DE08166656T1 (en) 2015-04-02
PT2009195E (en) 2015-09-14
ES2543164T3 (en) 2015-08-17
EP2813634A3 (en) 2015-03-25
EP2813634B1 (en) 2017-08-16
EP2813635A2 (en) 2014-12-17
EP2813637B1 (en) 2020-04-08
ES2646014T3 (en) 2017-12-11
EP2813640A2 (en) 2014-12-17
EP2813637A2 (en) 2014-12-17
ES2769548T3 (en) 2020-06-26
EP2813636A3 (en) 2015-03-25
ES2660502T3 (en) 2018-03-22
EP2813641A3 (en) 2016-04-06
EP2813641A2 (en) 2014-12-17
EP2813638A2 (en) 2014-12-17
EP2813635A3 (en) 2015-03-25
DK2009195T3 (en) 2015-06-22
EP2813639A3 (en) 2015-09-02
EP2813634A2 (en) 2014-12-17
DE14169350T1 (en) 2015-06-03
EP2813636A2 (en) 2014-12-17

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