IT202000009466A1 - MECHANICAL COUPLING MEANS FOR FLOORING OR COVERING PANELS AND FLOORING OR COVERING PANEL EQUIPPED WITH SUCH MEANS - Google Patents

Description

Description of the patent for an industrial invention entitled:

?MEANS OF MECHANICAL COUPLING FOR PANELS OF PAVING OR OF

COATING AND PANEL OF FLOORING OR COVER

EQUIPPED WITH SUCH MEANS?

DESCRIPTION

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[001] The present invention relates to mechanical hooking means, in particular for coupling a pair of modular flooring or covering panels, and a modular flooring or covering panel equipped with such means.

BASIC TECHNIQUE OF THE INVENTION

[002] Among the various alternatives that can be used to floor an environment, whether for residential or commercial use, flooring with prefinished parquet enjoys great appreciation.

[003] Generally, prefinished parquet floors are made by laying, in different ways, and according to a desired geometry, a plurality? of modular panels, up to cover a supporting surface, commonly called the ?subfloor?, of the environment to be paved.

[004] For convenience? these panels, also called ?planks?, generally have a rectangular parallelepiped shape, of variable dimensions and thicknesses, and are substantially formed by at least one support layer, often made of birch plywood with a thickness of between 7 and 10 mm, to which applied on the top a "noble" layer, forming the walking surface, made of precious wood, generally having a thickness between 2.5 and 4 mm, but sometimes even less. In addition, a layer of ?counter-balance? can? possibly be provided below the support layer.

[005] Currently, floors with prefinished parquet are made by freely installing the modular panels in the substrate, coupling them one to the other with a tongue-and-groove joint.

[006] For this purpose, the mechanical coupling means of the ?click? type have proved to be very effective. which allow the floor to be laid floating, completely dry, without the aid of adhesive agents: these hooking means provide for an appropriate shaping of the male-female couplings so that the coupling of two modular panels takes place by means of a roto-translation.

[007] This shaping is generally obtained on the longitudinal edges of the panel, and sometimes also on the transversal edges, or ?top? of the same. However, in the latter case, the coupling between panels becomes much more? how complicated? it is necessary to proceed by initially connecting the transverse edges, so as to form a column of mutually abutting panels, and subsequently to move the entire column to allow coupling of the hooking means provided along the longitudinal edges with those of a column of adjacent panels.

[008] As an alternative, hooking means have been proposed which are particularly suitable for abutting adjacent panels as they allow their coupling by means of a simple horizontal translation; in this case, the stable coupling is obtained thanks to the presence of a longitudinal insert, generally made of polymeric or metallic material, and housed in the female portion. This insert comprises an elastically deformable sealing portion which, by flexing, allows the insertion of the male portion, to then return elastically to its initial position, abutting against an abutment provided in the male portion to prevent its subsequent exit.

[009] However, this solution requires the construction and application of the longitudinal insert, with a consequent increase in production costs. Furthermore, once the coupling of the male portion with the female portion is completed, it does not work. It is possible to verify the effective springback of the sealing portion in the initial position and therefore the tightness of the coupling could not be guaranteed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0010] Main task of what is the object of the present invention ? therefore that of realizing mechanical hooking means for flooring or covering panels which guarantee a stable coupling thereof, which can be implemented through a simple horizontal translational movement, without requiring an insert to perform the retaining function.

[0011] Within the scope of the aim set out above, an object of the present invention is that of realizing mechanical coupling means for modular flooring or covering panels which are robust and capable of effectively counteracting any movements due to expansion or contraction caused by thermo-hygrometric variations of the environment in which the panels are laid.

[0012] A further object of the present invention consists in realizing mechanical hooking means which can be made with commonly used and low-cost machinery and tools, without requiring particular or complex machining.

[0013] Another object of the present invention consists in providing mechanical hooking means for flooring or cladding panels which allow a quick and easy installation of the panels.

[0014] Another object of the present invention consists in providing a flooring or covering panel equipped with hooking means which is functional, durable and economical to produce.

[0015] The aim and objects indicated above, and others which will become clearer in the following description, are achieved by hooking means for flooring or covering panels as defined in claim 1 and by a flooring or covering panel provided with such means according to claim 4. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0016] Advantages and characteristics of the present invention will become apparent from the following description, by way of non-limiting example, with reference to the attached figures, in which:

- figure 1 shows, according to a plan view, a portion of flooring made with a plurality of? of modular flooring panels according to the present invention;

figure 2 shows, in a plan view, a modular flooring panel equipped with mechanical hooking means according to the present invention;

- figure 3 shows the modular flooring panel of figure 2 sectioned along the longitudinal axis X-X;

- figures 4A, 4B and 4C show, in sectional view, the coupling means according to the present invention of two different modular panels to be butted, respectively in an initial coupling phase, in an intermediate phase and in the final phase; And

- figure 5 shows a manufacturing step of a portion of the hooking means according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION [0017] With reference to Figure 2, there is shown is a flooring panel 1, suitable for constituting the basic module for making a floor 100, such as for example a parquet floor of the prefinished type and suitable for dry laying. It is clearly understood that the present invention also refers to a modular covering panel for covering any surface.

[0018] In the following description, terms such as ?above?, ?below?, ?upper?, ?lower?, ?top?, ?bottom? or the like refer to a panel 1 in its normal working condition, ie in use, as shown in the accompanying figures.

[0019] In figure 1 ? illustrated is a portion of the floor 100 directly laid on a flat support surface, called the substrate, made up of a plurality of of modular flooring panels 1 arranged side by side for example according to a checkerboard geometry.

[0020] For practical reasons, each modular flooring panel 1 according to the present invention preferably has a substantially parallelepiped shape, and is also advantageously provided with suitable hooking means 8 by which ? mechanically connectable to adjacent modular panels 1 for the formation of said floor 100.

[0021] As shown in figure 2, said modular panel 1 ? advantageously delimited perimetrically by a pair of longitudinal side edges 2, 3 and by a pair of transverse edges 4, 5 with respect to the longitudinal development direction X-X of the panel 1, and has an upper surface 70 for walking or aesthetics and a lower surface 60 for support, preferably flat and parallel to each other.

[0022] Preferably, a flooring panel 1 comprises a body layer 6, for example made of birch plywood, MDF, HDF or other suitable material, which defines said lower surface 60 at the bottom, and to which ? coupled above a surface covering layer 7 preferably made of wood, for example of precious essence, able to form said upper surface 70.

[0023] The body layer 6 has a thickness S1 preferably between 6 and 10 mm, and the cover layer 7 has a thickness S2 lower than the thickness S1 and preferably between 2.5 and 4 mm, but sometimes even lower.

[0024] If said panel 1 were a cladding panel, it can be formed solely of a body layer 6 made of a suitable material, and defining the upper 70 and lower 60 surfaces.

[0025] Preferably, as shown in figure 3, at least on one pair of opposite edges of said panel 1 hooking means 8 are provided according to the present invention, suitable for allowing dry mechanical hooking between two adjacent panels, said fastening means hook 8 being advantageously made in a single piece with the material forming the body layer 6 of said panel 1.

[0026] According to an advantageous feature of the present invention, said hooking means 8 are particularly suitable for abutting a pair of adjacent panels 1 and are therefore preferably obtained at least on said pair of transverse edges 4, 5, and possibly also on said longitudinal edges 2, 3 to connect modular panels 1 side by side. Alternatively, on said longitudinal edges 2, 3 it is possible to obtain hooking means of another type, such as for example means which allow the removable coupling between adjacent panels through a roto-translation movement.

[0027] In particular, advantageously, said hooking means 8 comprise a protrusion 8A, extending at least along a portion of a first transversal edge 4 of the panel 1, and preferably for its entire length, and a groove 8B extending at least along a portion of a second transversal edge 5 of the panel 1, and preferably for its entire extension.

[0028] Advantageously, as explained below in greater detail, the coupling between the hooking means 8 of two adjacent modular panels 1 can be obtained by means of a translation movement essentially coplanar to the main plane of said panels 1.

[0029] Furthermore, said mechanical hooking means 8 are advantageously shaped in such a way that the protrusion 8A obtained on a first transversal edge 4 of a first panel 1 is suitable for snap-engaging, as explained below in greater detail, in the groove 8B obtained on a second transversal edge 5 of a second panel 1, in such a way as to firmly couple the two adjacent modular panels, abutting them.

[0030] Advantageously, as shown in figure 3, said protrusion 8A comprises at least one first engagement tab 9A, elastically deformable and cantilevered in an essentially orthogonal manner, in rest condition, with respect to the first transversal edge 4 of panel 1. Said first engagement flap 9A ? equipped with a? extremity? free 91 at or near? of which ? obtained a swelling 91A, preferably located on the upper surface of the flap 9A, configured in such a way as to snap-engage a corresponding first cavity? 19A defined by said groove 8B, set back with respect to the mouth 80 of the latter provided on a second transversal edge 5 of an adjacent panel 1.

[0031] For this purpose, according to a characteristic advantage of the invention, the mouth of the groove 8B is configured in such a way that, upon sliding coupling between the two panels 1, it cooperates with said first engagement flap 9A causing it to deform elastically, ie to flex; said flap 9A then returns elastically to the initial rest position when the swelling 91A provided on its end? free 91 reaches said first cavity? 19A, thus engaging with a snap action inside the same and consequently preventing the extraction movement of the engagement flap 9A from the groove 8B in the opposite direction.

[0032] In particular, preferably, said hooking means 8 are configured in such a way that the top part of the mouth 80 of the groove 8B is positioned at a slightly lower level L1 than the level L of the swelling 91A obtained on the end? free 91 of the first flap 9A, both measured from the lower surface 60 of the panel 1, in such a way that, when the? free 91 of the first flap 9A is brought closer to the groove 8B, the swelling 91A interferes with said mouth 80, inducing the downward bending of the flap 9A, so as to allow its insertion in the groove 8B.

[0033] Furthermore, preferably, the protrusion distance M of the end? free 91 of said first flap 9A with respect to its attachment base to the body of the panel 1 substantially corresponds to a distance M1 of which the bottom of the first cavity? 19A retracts with respect to the relative edge 5 of the panel 1, in such a way that when said swelling 91A is received in the first cavity? 19A, the edges 4, 5 of two adjacent modular panels 1 abut and are firmly coupled.

[0034] According to the preferred embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figure 3, said protrusion 8A also comprises a second engagement tab 9B, which also projects in cantilever essentially orthogonally with respect to the profile of the first transversal edge 4, and therefore substantially parallel to said first engagement flap 9A, from which ? advantageously separated by a central notch 10.

[0035] In particular, first flap 9A ? placed preferably above said second flap 9B with respect to said lower surface 60 of panel 1 and, thanks to the presence of said central notch 10, at least said first flap 9A? elastically deformable, thus being able to flex downwards following a stress with respect to the initial rest position.

[0036] The attachment base of said first flap 9A? preferably connected directly to the upper surface 70 of panel 1 by means of a first edge portion 11, rectilinear and lying on a first plane P1 essentially perpendicular to the plane on which said panel 1 lies.

[0037] Said second flap 9B ? connected to the attachment base of said first flap 9A by means of an intermediate edge portion 13, which defines the bottom of the notch 10, essentially flat and lying preferably on the same first plane P1, and ? connected below to said lower surface 60 through a second edge portion 12, preferably rectilinear and lying on a second plane P2 advantageously parallel to said first plane P1 and preferably placed more? advanced compared to the latter.

[0038] The end? free 92 of said second flap 9B is preferably essentially aligned with the end? free 91 of the engagement flap 9A, and ? advantageously shaped in such a way as to be pointed, or defined by two inclined surfaces converging at the end vertex.

[0039] As explained further on in greater detail, advantageously said second tab 9B acts as a reference for inserting the protrusion 8A into the groove 8B.

[0040] As regards said groove 8B, it ? reentrant with respect to said second transversal edge 5 and ? advantageously bilobed, i.e. shaped in such a way as to define, in addition to said first cavity? 19A, also a second cavity? 19B, both preferably obtained in the body layer 6 of the modular panel 1.

[0041] Said first cavity? 19A ? suitable for receiving a portion close to the end? free 91 of said first fin 9A and said swelling 91A, while said second cavity? 19B ? suitable for accommodating a portion close to the end? free 92 of said second flap 9B. A dividing portion 20 separates said first cavity? 19A from said second cavity? 19B.

[0042] The mouth 80 of the groove 8B ? connected to the upper surface 70 of said panel 1 through a third edge portion 21 lying on a third plane P3, preferably inclined outwards by an angle ?, equal to approximately 2?, and to the lower surface 60 through a fourth portion of edge 22, essentially orthogonal to the latter and lying on a fourth plane P4 set back from said third plane P3.

[0043] Said first cavity? 19A ? recessed with respect to said third edge portion 21 of a section defined by the first guide edge 23, while said second cavity? 19B ? connected to the fourth edge portion 22 by means of a second guide edge 24, parallel to and facing said first guide edge 23.

[0044] According to an advantageous feature of the present invention, the width D1 of the mouth 80 of the groove 8B, defined as the distance between the first guide edge 23 and the second guide edge 24, is? smaller than the distance D between the upper surface of said first flap 9A, in correspondence with the swelling 91A, and the lower surface of the second flap 9B.

[0045] Preferably, a first and a second inclined lead-in surface 25, 26 respectively connect said first guide edge 23 to the third edge portion 21 and said second guide edge 24 to said fourth edge portion 22, so as to facilitate the insertion of said protrusion 8A inside the groove 8B.

[0046] Figures 4A, 4B and 4C illustrate some operating steps for obtaining stable coupling between a pair of modular panels to be arranged adjacent through the mutual engagement of said hooking means 8 with a dry mechanical joint.

[0047] In particular, one initially proceeds by placing a first modular panel 1, in such a way that its lower surface 60 rests on a support surface and then the protrusion 8A of a second panel approaches the groove 8B of the latter modular 1, by means of a translation movement indicated by the arrow T in figure 4A, advantageously parallel to the arrangement plane of the two panels 1 to be abutted.

[0048] Since? the mouth 80 of said groove 8B has a width D1 smaller than the distance D between the two fins 9A and 9B, and the first guide edge 23 ? positioned at a height L1 slightly lower than the height L of the swelling 91A obtained on the end? free 91 of the first flap 9A, when inserting said protrusion 8A into the groove 8B said first flap 9A is induced to deform elastically, i.e. bend, with respect to the rest position, with a downward bending as shown in figure 4B , triggered by the interference between the swelling 91A provided at its end? free 91 with the top part of the mouth 80 and then with the surface of the first guide edge 23.

[0049] Said second guide edge 24 of the groove 8B is instead preferably aligned with the lower face of the second flap 9B, so that? the latter forms an advantageous guide reference for the engagement of the hooking means 8, even up to the completion of the coupling between the two modular panels.

[0050] Advantageously, the engagement of said hooking means 8 is furthermore favored by the presence of the lead-in surfaces 25, 26, which cooperate respectively with said swelling 91A and with the end? free 92 shaped by said second flap 9B. The subsequent insertion movement of the flaps 9A, 9B of said protrusion 8A inside the groove 8B is advantageously guided by the sliding of the swelling 91A against said first guide edge 23, and of the lower face of the second flap 9B against said second guide edge 24.

[0051] The coupling between the two panels 1? completed when the? extremity? free 92 of the second engagement flap 9B reaches the bottom of the second cavity? 19B, determining the limit switch of the translation movement; contextually, the? extremity? free 91 of the first fin 9A penetrates inside the first cavity? 19A which provides sufficient space to accommodate the locking swelling 91A, thus allowing said engagement flap 9A to resiliently ?snap? in the rest position (figure 4C).

[0052] At this point, is the swelling 91A housed and engaged inside the first cavity? 19A, thus preventing the extraction movement in the opposite direction of said first tab 9A and therefore the uncoupling of the panels 1

[0053] Advantageously, once the insertion has been completed, the second edge portion 12 of the second modular panel 1? positioned substantially in abutment against the fourth edge portion 22 of the first modular panel 1. Similarly, said third edge portion 21 is arranged partially in abutment against the first edge portion 11 of the adjacent panel but, thanks to its slight inclination towards the? exterior of an angle ?, ? Is it possible to recover the play between the two panels, keeping them firmly in contact with each other, in such a way as to give continuity? to the walking surface defined by the corresponding upper surfaces 70, limiting the width of the gap between the two panels.

[0054] Preferably, said protrusion 8A and said groove 8B are obtained by removing the material forming said body layer 6 using suitable tools, such as in particular milling cutters or suitably arranged knives.

[0055] In particular, as can be seen in figure 5, thanks to the set back position of said fourth edge portion 22 with respect to the third edge portion 21, the first seat 19A of the groove 8B? easily obtainable by inserting a U drill obliquely.

[0056] In conclusion, from the foregoing it is evident that the hooking means 8 for the dry mechanical coupling of covering or flooring panels according to the present invention achieves the aims and advantages initially foreseen.

[0057] In fact, mechanical hooking means 8 have been provided which guarantee a stable coupling between adjacent flooring or cladding panels; thanks to the shape of the protrusion 8A and of the groove 8B, when two adjacent modular panels are coupled, the bulge 91A provided on the first engagement flap 9A of a first panel 1? certainly in engagement in the first cavity? 19A of a second panel 1, without the possibility? of error, and also prevents the subsequent backward movement and therefore the uncoupling of the panels.

[0058] Advantageously, this retention function ? carried out without the need for an external insert, thus allowing production costs to be contained.

[0059] Furthermore, advantageously, said mechanical hooking means 8 can be engaged through a simple horizontal translational movement, thus making them particularly suitable for abutting a pair of adjacent panels, i.e. by joining them through their respective transversal or "head" edges. There? allows you to facilitate the laying of a flooring, and to speed up the timing.

[0060] Clearly, mechanical coupling means 8 according to the present invention can also be used to couple modular panels side by side if obtained on opposite longitudinal edges.

[0061] Some advantageous manufacturing details of the invention, including the second tab 9B which acts as a reference pin for coupling between adjacent panels, also make it possible to make the hooking means 8 very functional, facilitating and making their coupling fluid .

[0062] With particular reference to the detail illustrated in figure 5, it will result moreover, it is clear to an expert in the field that the mechanical hooking means 8 according to the present invention are shaped in such a way as to be realizable with commonly used and low-cost machinery and tools, without requiring particular or complex machining.

[0063] Finally, the hooking means 8 according to the present invention are particularly robust and capable of effectively counteracting any movements caused by thermo-hygrometric variations of the environment in which the panels are laid. In fact, the expansions or contractions to which the fin 9A, the swelling 91A and the first cavity are possibly subject? 19A are very limited and comparable to the machining tolerances, and therefore easily compensated for by hooking.

[0064] Finally, advantageously, it is evident to an expert in the field how the shapes of the hooking means 8 according to the present invention allow the lateral translation of two panels hooked along the edges in mutual engagement, further facilitating the coupling of the same.

[0065] Naturally the present invention ? susceptible to numerous applications, modifications or variations without with what? exit the scope of protection, as defined by the attached claims. Furthermore, the materials and equipment used for the realization of the present invention, as well as the shapes and dimensions of the individual components, may be the most? suitable according to specific needs.

Claims (10)

Patent claims for industrial invention entitled: ?MECHANICAL COUPLING MEANS FOR FLOORING OR COVERING PANELS AND FLOORING OR COVERING PANEL EQUIPPED WITH SUCH MEANS? CLAIMS 1. Hooking means (8) for coupling a first edge (4) of a first flooring or covering panel and a second edge (5) of a second flooring or covering panel, both suitable for being arranged adjacent on a surface of support, said hooking means (8) comprising a protrusion (8A) provided on at least a portion of said first edge (4) and a groove (8B) provided on at least a portion of said second edge (5), and being shaped in such as to retain the first and second edge (4, 5) in mutual coupling when engaged, characterized in that said groove (8B) defines at least one first cavity? (19A), set back with respect to the inlet (80) obtained on said second edge (5), said protrusion (8A) comprising at least one first engagement tab (9A) projecting from said first edge (4) and provided with a bulge ( 91A) obtained near? of? end? free (91), the mouth (80) of said groove (8B) being suitable for elastically deforming said first engagement flap (9A) during the sliding engagement so that when said end? free (91) reaches said first cavity? (19A), said engagement tab (9A) returns elastically to its initial position and said swelling (91A) snaps into said first cavity? (19A). 2. Hooking means (8) according to claim 1, wherein said swelling (91A) is arranged on the upper face of said first engagement tab (9A). 3. Hooking means (8) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said protrusion (8A) further comprises a second engagement tab (9B) projecting with respect to said first edge (4) parallel to said first engagement tab (9A ), from which ? separated by a central notch (10), said groove (8B) comprising a second cavity? (19B), suitable for accommodating the? free (92) of said second engagement tab (9B), said second cavity? being separated from said first cavity? (19A) by a septum (20). 4. Flooring or covering panel (1) comprising hooking means (8) according to any one of the preceding claims, said panel (1) being defined by a parallelepiped-shaped body provided with a lower surface (60) and an upper surface (70), opposite and parallel, said lower surface (60) being suitable for being arranged on a support surface, said hooking means (8) being obtained at least on a pair of opposite edges (4, 5) of said panel ( 1). 5. Panel (1) according to claim 4, comprising at least one body layer (6), said hooking means (8) being made in a single piece with the material forming said body layer (6). 6. Panel (1) according to claim 4 or 5, wherein the mouth (80) of said groove (8B) is? positioned at a height (L1) lower than the height (L) at which ? positioned said swelling (91A) with respect to said lower surface (60). 7. Panel (1) according to claim 6, wherein said first engagement tab (9A) is placed above said second flap (9B) with respect to said lower surface (60), the width (D1) of the mouth (80) of the groove (8B) ? smaller than the distance (D) between the upper surface of said first engagement flap (9A), in correspondence with the swelling (91A), and the lower surface of the second engagement flap (9B). 8. Panel (1) according to any one of claims from 4 to 7, wherein said first engagement tab (9A) ? connected to the upper surface (70) through a first edge portion (11) lying on a first plane (P1) orthogonal to said upper surface (70), said second engagement flap (9B) being connected to said lower surface (60) through a second edge portion (12) lying on a second plane (P2) parallel to said first plane (P1) and placed more? advanced towards the outside of the body of the panel (1) with respect to the latter. 9. Panel (1) according to any one of claims from 4 to 8, wherein said inlet (80) is connected above to the upper surface (70) through a third edge portion (21) lying on a third plane (P3), and below connected to said lower surface (60) through a fourth edge portion (22) lying on a fourth plane (P4) orthogonal to the upper surface (70) and placed more? set back towards the inside of the body of the panel (1) with respect to said third plane (P3). 10. Panel (1) according to claim 9, wherein said third plane (P3) is inclined with respect to the upper surface (70) towards the outside of the body of said panel (1) by an angle (?).