EP2884023A1 - Laying element with connection means - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a mat or plate-shaped laying element made of plastic or of a plastic-containing composite material. The laying element has at least two of its outer edges on a connecting means, by means of which it is connectable with similar laying elements for forming a surface covering. The connecting means are formed by a combination of a stepped rebate (1) and at least one with a complementary part (3) to be engaged part (2) of a tongue and groove system (2, 3).

Description

The invention relates to a mat or plate-shaped laying element made of plastic or of a plastic-containing composite material, which has connecting means by means of which the laying element can be connected to similar laying elements to form a surface covering. It preferably relates to an elastic floor tile or a fall protection plate, but without being limited thereto. Insofar as the term surface covering is used in particular in the patent claims, this also expresses that the use of the laying element according to the invention is not limited to a laying for the realization of a floor covering, but of course also other surfaces can be covered with a combination of corresponding laying elements. However, the use for floor coverings forms a preferred application, so that the following explanations usually refer to this.

Both indoors and outdoors (outdoor area) are often used floor coverings made of plastic or composite materials, which contain plastic. Depending on the place of use and / or intended use corresponding floor coverings have more or less elastic or possibly also thermoplastic properties. Especially in the outdoor area, it is widely used to lay appropriate floor coverings, which have elastic properties in this case, for the purpose of fall protection on children's playgrounds.

With regard to the laying of such, consisting of a plastic or plastic composite material floor coverings different techniques have become known and in use. One possibility is to lay the floor covering as a whole. Here, the flooring material forming material is brought as a flowable mass to the installation site and there a corresponding to occupy and this with a suitable Enclosed surface area with the material in question. However, this approach requires a relatively high effort on the site. In particular, in outdoor areas, it is therefore more common to produce the flooring by laying similar matte or plate-shaped laying elements. Depending on the shape and size of the laying elements on the one hand and the surface area to be provided with the floor covering on the other hand, the laying elements to be laid in the edge area must, if appropriate, still be cut to size. In addition, in this case too, the area to be provided with the floor covering is generally provided with a border.

As regards the nature of the laying elements and the consequent manner of their installation, different possibilities have become known. According to one of these possibilities, a plurality mattenbeziehungsweise plate-like or tile-like laying elements, for example, each offset by half or half the length of each other and laid without interconnection in the X and Y directions. Otherwise, there is a risk that the individual elements move inadvertently against each other, such a type of installation is basically only considered if the area to be provided with the floor covering is enclosed accordingly. However, it should be noted that, especially when used outdoors, where the laying elements are exposed to changing weather conditions, shrinkage processes occur over time, which disadvantageously increase the joints between the laying elements. However, this is undesirable in terms of both appearance and safety.

For the aforementioned reasons, it has become common to provide laying elements of the generic type for the formation of surface or floor coverings with connecting means, with the aid of a positive connection between the laying elements can be generated. According to a particular for floor coverings for the purpose of fall protection on children's playgrounds For example, the laying elements are designed in the form of oversized puzzle pieces. For laying the flooring, recesses formed at the edges of the laying elements are brought into engagement with corresponding complementary bulges or lugs of similar laying elements to form a composite of laying elements. In combination with different colors for a floor covering forming laying elements this is achieved for use on children's playgrounds in particular the children appealing look for the flooring. However, regardless of outdoor or indoor installation, there are a variety of applications in which such optics are found to be rather annoying. Alternatively, therefore, find laying elements use in which at the edges alternately trained teeth or teeth and recesses engage in a manner similar to a zipper. But even with a use of laying elements according to the two last-described forms of training, a pointing in the course of time enlargement of the joints between the laying elements can not be excluded.

Other forms of training have become known laying elements, which are equipped with a tongue and groove system, as they are known, for example, provided for paneling wood panels. In the case of the connecting elements which have become known so far, the positive locking produced by the tongue and groove system during laying runs orthogonally or perpendicular to the surface of the surface covering formed with the laying elements. Finally, it has become known to connect the laying elements by means of appropriate in their outer edges provided recesses pin, preferably round cross-section with each other. Even with the two last-mentioned variants, an enlargement of the joints caused by shrinkage processes is basically not excluded. In addition, working with pins for connection training variant of the installation elements when laying possibly again leads to a somewhat increased workload.

The object of the invention is to avoid the aforementioned disadvantages. For this purpose, an alternative solution for the formation of a laying element is to specify, by which a long-term reliable and permanently visually appealing composite of laying elements for forming a surface covering can be realized.

The object is achieved by a laying element having the features of patent claim 1. Advantageous embodiments or further developments of the invention are given by the subclaims.

The above-described laying element is, as stated above, a mat or plate-shaped laying element made of plastic or of a plastic-containing composite material. With regard to the mat or plate-shaped design of the laying element is to be based on the underlying understanding of a mat-shaped installation element, if this consists of a rather elastic plastic. In contrast, a plate-shaped laying element according to this understanding relates to a laying element, which consists of a less elastic, preferably thermoplastic plastic and therefore is stiffer. Both mat and plate-shaped embodiments include those which are due to their shape, according to which length and width of the laying element are the same or have a ratio of about 2: 1, referred to as tiles. Depending on whether the laying element is matte or plate-shaped with respect to the material, these are therefore elastic or less elastic tiles.

The proposed for solving the task laying element has in any case at least two of its outer edges on a connecting means by means of which the laying element in question with similar laying elements for forming a surface covering is connectable. Typically, the laying element will have a corresponding connecting means on all four edges of its large surfaces, ie on all four side edges. However, it is also conceivable, for example, provided for the edge region laying elements Form connecting means on only three of its side edges or laying elements for the corner region of a surface covering with connecting means on only two adjacent side edges. The above-mentioned large surfaces of a laying element are those surfaces which, after laying the laying element in combination with other laying elements, on the one hand form the surface of the surface covering, ie the visible surface, and on the other hand, the underside applied to the underside to be occupied or occupied area surface covering. Accordingly, the laying element has two such large areas. In this case, the surface of the surface covering forming large surface of the laying element, ie its visible surface, optionally provided with a printed or relief-like decor in conjunction with other laying elements.

According to the invention, the connecting means of the laying element proposed for achieving the object, irrespective of whether the laying element has two or more connecting means, are formed as a combination of a stepped rabbet and at least one part of a tongue-and-groove system to be engaged with a complementary part. In view of the fact that the shiplap is combined with at least one part of a tongue and groove system, that is possibly also with a complete tongue and groove system, this at least one part is thus a groove or a spring or but both a groove and a spring. Preferably, each in the manner described above or designed according to the aforementioned combination connecting means both a groove and a spring.

The design of the connecting means is also preferably such that the at least one part of the tongue and groove system, namely the groove, the spring or the groove and the spring, is or are formed on the leg of the Stufenfalzes, which is substantially parallel to the surface a formed by the laying element surface covering, that is substantially parallel to the large surfaces of the laying element runs. The surface of the surface covering - That is, in the case of the floor covering the surface of the floor - is, as already stated, formed by the designed as a visible surfaces large areas of several laying next to each other mat or plate-shaped laying elements.

By forming the connecting means as a combination of a shiplap and at least one element, but preferably both elements, ie tongue and groove, a tongue and groove system is achieved when connecting the laying elements during the laying process between these a particularly reliable connection. The in combination with the at least one part of the tongue and groove system forming a connecting means shiplap leads to a very attractive appearance in the transition region between the individual laying elements. Due to the fact that the groove or the spring or both the groove and the spring are formed on the leg extending parallel to the large surfaces of the laying element, when the laying elements are joined between their connecting means, a parallel direction also results for the large surfaces of the laying elements or to the surface of the finished surface covering acting positive locking. In this way, the tendency of an enlargement of the joints between the laying elements, which is caused by occurring over time shrinkage phenomena, counteracted in an advantageous manner.

A stepped fold is known to be a shoulder formed on the edge or on the edges of such a large area of a laying element. This shoulder has an angle, preferably orthogonal (thus substantially orthogonal) to the large surface of the laying element extending leg and one of its large surface substantially parallel leg. By analogy with the designation (substantially) orthogonal to the large surface of the laying element, it would also be possible to apply the designations used in connection with stairs to the "riser" and to the (essentially) parallel to the large surface of the laying element Legs of the stepped rebate speak of the "step". In general, the leg of the stepped rebate to be compared with the riser of a step is formed exactly orthogonal to the large surfaces of the laying element and the leg to be compared with the step exactly parallel to the large surfaces of the laying element. However, due to tolerance or even intentionally, one leg can also be at a slight angle (of up to 5 °) with respect to the orthogonal and / or the other leg at a small angle (also up to 5 °) with respect to a parallel to the large surfaces of the Have laying element extending plane. In that regard, in the claims of a substantially orthogonal or substantially parallel course of the legs of the Stufenfalzes spoken. In connection with the further explanations given by the description, an orthogonal or parallel progression is mentioned for the sake of simplification, whereby in each case also embodiments with a (deliberately or unintentionally) slightly, that is to say at a slight angle, deviating course should be included. In the case of a desired inclined course of the legs, the legs of a similar laying element to be connected to a respective laying element must, of course, be designed in a corresponding manner, that is to say in a complementary manner.

As already stated, the at least one part of the tongue and groove system, ie the groove, the spring or the groove and the tongue, is parallel to the large surfaces of the laying element or parallel to the surface of a surface covering formed by means of the laying element formed the Stufenfalzes. Preference is given to an embodiment in which the connecting means each have both tongue and groove and they are so formed that their total width (ie the sum of the width of the groove and the width of the spring) of the length of the parallel to the large surfaces of the Laying element extending leg of Stufenfalzes corresponds.

According to a particularly preferred embodiment, the groove and the spring of the combination of a stepped rabbet and a groove and a Spring formed connecting means on a square or rectangular cross-section. They are arranged on the parallel to the large surface of the laying element legs of the Stufenfalzes so that one of the opposite inner sides of the groove corresponds to a portion of the leg of the same Stufenfalzes orthogonal (in the sense of a riser) to the large surfaces of the laying element.

The proposed or inventive laying element may be, for example, a floor tile for the formation of a floor covering in the interior and / or exterior. According to a particularly practice-relevant form of training, which is intended in particular for use as a fall protection plate, for example, on children's playgrounds, the corresponding floor tile consists of rubber granules connected by polyurethane.

• Fig. 1: die räumliche Darstellung einer möglichen Ausbildungsform des erfindungsgemäßen Verlegeelements,
• Fig. 2: eine vereinfachte Schnittdarstellung des Verlegeelements nach Fig. 1.

An embodiment of the invention will be explained below with reference to drawings. In the accompanying drawings show:

• Fig. 1 : the spatial representation of a possible embodiment of the laying element according to the invention,
• Fig. 2 : a simplified sectional view of the laying element after Fig. 1 ,

The Fig. 1 shows a possible embodiment of the laying element according to the invention in a three-dimensional representation. This is a floor tile, as laid, for example, as a fall protection plate on children's playgrounds in conjunction with other installation elements of the same type. For use as a fall protection plate, the floor tile shown consists of an elastic plastic, for example, bonded by polyurethane rubber granules. It is accordingly to be regarded as a mat-shaped laying element according to the understanding explained above. The laying element shown as an example has at each edge, so at its side edges, depending on a trained according to the invention connecting means. All four lanyards are formed in basically the same way. These are each a combination of a stepped rebate 1 and a complete tongue and groove system 2, 3. At the parallel to the large surfaces of the laying element extending leg 6 of the Stufenfalzes 1 (in the transmitted from the staircase sense on the tread ), a groove 2 and a spring 3 are formed. An inner side 7 of the groove 2 formed with a rectangular cross-section coincides with a portion of that leg 5 of the stepped rebate 1 which is orthogonal to the large surfaces 4, 4 'of the laying element, thus also orthogonal to the surface of a through the visible surfaces of several such Laying elements formed surface covering runs. Further, on the outer edge of the other, that is parallel to the large surfaces 4, 4 'of the laying element extending leg 6 of the same Stufenfalzes 1 formed with a groove 2 of a similarly designed connecting means of another laying element to be engaged spring 3. This is, as shown in the figure, interrupted by the groove of the formed on the adjacent outer edge of the surface element connecting means.

From the figure is related to the Fig. 2 Furthermore, it can be seen that in each case the connecting means of two adjoining side edges of the laying element have the same orientation in that the stepped fold 1 starts from the large surface 4 or the visible surface of the laying element, ie the leg 5 which is orthogonal to the large surfaces 4, 4 ' the Stufenfalzes 1 between the other leg 6 of the Stufenfalzes 1 and the visible surface forming large area 4 extends. The connecting means of the two other side edges of the laying element are designed to be complementary. In their case, therefore, the legs of the stepped rebate running orthogonally to the large surfaces 4, 4 'extend between the leg 6 of the stepped rebate 1 parallel to the large surfaces 4, 4' and the large surface 4 ', which forms the large surface 4 forming the visible surface turned away.

The Fig. 2 shows a simplified sectional view of the laying element according to Fig. 1 in a section taken along the line AA, the figure is not to scale. Here are the details of two mutually complementary connecting means and the cross sections of the groove 2 and the spring 3 of the respective in combination with the stepped fold 1 a connecting means forming tongue and groove system 2, 3 can be seen. In the illustration are in addition to Fig. 1 Also, the reference numerals for the two different with respect to their orientation legs 5, 6 a Stufenfalzes 1 applied.

List of reference numbers

1

shiplap

2

groove

3

feather

4

large area (visible area)

4 '

big area

5

leg

6

leg

7

inside

8th

inside

Claims (7)

Mat or plate-shaped laying element made of plastic or of a plastic-containing composite material having at least two of its outer edges a connecting means by which the laying element with similar laying elements for forming a surface covering is connectable, characterized in that the connecting means as a combination of a stepped rabbet (1) and at least one with a complementary part (3) to be brought into engagement part (2) of a tongue and groove system (2, 3) are formed. Laying element according to claim 1, characterized in that the at least one part of the tongue and groove system (2, 3), namely the groove (2) and / or the spring (3), at a substantially parallel to the surface of a means of the Laying element formed surface covering extending leg (6) of the Stufenfalzes (1) of a respective connecting means is formed. Laying element according to claim 2, wherein both a groove (2) and a spring (3) are formed on the leg (6) of the stepped rebate of a connecting means extending substantially parallel to the surface of a surface covering formed by the laying element, characterized in that the overall width of groove (2) and spring (3) corresponds to the length of the relevant leg (6) of the stepped rebate (1). Laying element according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the groove (2) and the spring (3) of a combination of a stepped rabbet (1) and this groove (2) and this spring (3) of the tongue and groove system ( 2, 3) have a rectangular or square cross section and that one of the opposite inner sides (7, 8) of the groove (2) corresponds to a portion of a leg (5) of the stepped rebate (1) which is substantially orthogonal to the surface of a by means of the laying element formed surface covering, that is substantially orthogonal to large surfaces (4, 4 ') of the laying element extends. Laying element according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that it is a usable in indoor and / or outdoor floor tile. Laying element according to claim 5, characterized in that the floor tile consists of rubber granules connected by polyurethane. Laying element according to claim 1 or 6, characterized in that it is a fall protection plate in the laying element.

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