LU101676B1 - Covering element of a surface - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to an element for covering a surface, in particular a covering element for a ground and more particularly a covering element for a ground for forming a path, comprising a plate having an upper face and a lower face, said lower face being designed to be at least partially in contact with said surface, and said lower face comprising a reception zone being arranged to allow at least part of another covering element to be there at least partially accepted.

Description

The present invention relates to a covering element of a surface, in particular to a covering element of a ground and more particularly to a covering element of a ground to form a path.

Covering (covering) soil or parts of soil is a common practice, especially in gardens and parks, in order to limit the growth of weeds in certain areas, for example in areas where it is necessary to develop. other plants such as ornamental plants or in areas forming / delimiting paths. Ground cover is also common when forming a path for example in a garden or in a park.

A type of roofing widely used today consists of placing a layer of wood chips, pieces of bark or even pebbles or gravel either directly on the ground, or on a tarpaulin or on a canvas beforehand. affixed to the ground.

As regards more particularly the formation of paths, in addition to the placement of wood chips, pieces of bark or even pebbles or gravel, paving is also possible but this technique is relatively restrictive since it requires digging the floor, to put in place a screed and then only to lay the pavers. In addition, pavers do not prevent the development of weeds, especially in gaps and joints between pavers, which also promote the development of moss.

Unfortunately, it therefore appears that with the roofing elements currently used, several problems are encountered. Indeed, whether a canvas or a tarp is present or not, it is not uncommon for weeds to still manage to develop by making their way between the roofing elements. Moreover, such roofing elements (wood chips, pieces of bark or pebbles for example) promote the development of mosses but also the accumulation of debris (for example leaves) which, by decomposing, gradually damage roofing elements and make them unsightly. In addition, with the exception of paving, such roofing elements can be torn off in the event of heavy rains, this being all the more marked as they initially cover sloping areas. Likewise, it is particularly difficult to carry out cleaning of such roofing elements since brushing or the application of a water jet would inevitably cause them to move, adequate ground coverage therefore no longer being ensured. Finally, and in particular when it comes to covering a ground with cobblestones or slabs to form a path, current techniques require the implementation of substantial work such as digging the ground, the installation of a screed then only the laying of slabs or pavers.

There is therefore currently a real need to provide cover (covering) elements which prevent any development of weeds, which are durable, which do not give rise to an accumulation of debris and which are able to remain in place for so long. heavy rain than when cleaning by brushing or applying a water jet. At the same time, it is advisable to provide covering elements (covering) which are easy to install, for example without having to dig the ground, this in particular when forming a path, ensuring that these elements of cover (covering) are sufficiently fixed so that they cannot constitute, by displacement, areas of stumbling block against which a walker could come up against and injure himself.

To at least partially solve these problems, there is provided, according to the invention, an element for covering a surface, in particular a covering element for a ground and more particularly a covering element for a ground to form a path, comprising a plate having an upper face and a lower face, said lower face being provided to be at least partially in contact with said surface, and said lower face comprising a reception area being arranged to allow at least a part of another cover element to be accommodated there at least partially.

Such an element for covering a surface according to the invention, in particular such an element for covering a ground according to the invention, makes it possible to prevent the development of weeds, the latter colliding against the underside of the plate. and failing to get through it.

Furthermore, since a covering element of a surface according to the invention comprises at its lower face a reception zone being arranged to allow at least part of another covering element to be accommodated therein at least partially, two covering elements of a surface according to the invention can cooperate and form an assembly (removable or not) ensuring that each of the covering elements is sufficiently fixed, remains in place and does not move, for example typically when a walker exerts pressure on it while walking on it.

In addition, it is particularly easy to form a path with elements for covering a surface according to the invention since they are placed directly on the ground without having to dig the latter and without having to put in place a screed and then pavers or slabs. The formation of a path with cover elements of a surface according to the invention therefore relies on easy installation. Indeed, according to the invention, each of the covering elements is placed directly on the ground, two successive covering elements cooperating with each other thanks to the presence of a reception area on the underside of at least one of the elements. two cover elements. As indicated above, this reception area of a covering element is arranged to allow at least part of another covering element to be accommodated there at least partially. Two covering elements of a surface according to the invention can therefore cooperate and form an assembly (removable or not) ensuring that each of the covering elements is sufficiently fixed, remains in place and does not move, for example typically when 'a walker exerts pressure on it while walking on it.

Note that the covering elements of a surface according to the invention are able to follow changes in the relief of the surface on which they are placed, for example when the ground settles.

Finally, an element for covering a surface according to the invention, in particular a covering element for a ground according to the invention, is durable and does not give rise to an accumulation of debris.

Preferably, said receiving zone is a substantially L-shaped structure composed of two elements that are substantially perpendicular to one another, a first element being connected to the lower surface of said plate and extending in a direction that is substantially perpendicular. relative to said lower surface of said plate and a second element being connected to said first element and extending in a direction substantially perpendicular to said first element but also in a direction substantially parallel with respect to said lower surface of said plate of such so as to form a nesting zone (permanent or not) or a slide in which can fit / slide at least a part of another cover element in order to be accommodated at least partially.

According to the invention, the plate forming a covering element has an area of between 50 cm? and 2 m ° and a thickness between 1 mm and 50 mm.

Advantageously, according to the invention, said reception area is a nesting area being arranged to allow another cover element to fit into it at least partially. Such an interlocking in a nesting zone can be carried out by sliding part of a first covering element into a nesting zone located on the underside of a second covering element. For example, the interlocking zone can be in the form of a slide in which part of the first cover element slides.

Preferably, the covering element of a surface according to the invention further comprises at least one removable anchoring element or not.

Preferably, according to the invention, said at least one anchoring element is located at a lateral end of said plate.

Advantageously, according to the invention, said at least one anchoring element is in the form of a tooth or of a plurality of teeth or in the form of a rod or of a plurality of rods, optionally in the form of a rod or a plurality of rods. in the form of a tooth or of a plurality of teeth comprising recesses or in the form of a rod or a plurality of rods comprising recesses.

Such an anchoring element ensures anchoring in the ground of the covering element of a surface. Since the plate is anchored in the ground by the anchoring element connected to it, even if weeds exert pressure on the underside of the plate, the latter remains in place. Such anchoring in the ground also makes it possible to ensure that the cover element is held in place, for example in the event of heavy rains or during its cleaning (by brushing and / or by applying a jet of water). water) or when a walker is walking on the cover element.

Preferably, the anchoring element of a surface covering element, in particular of a ground covering element according to the invention, is removable. For example, according to the invention, provision is made for the anchoring element to cooperate with the underside of the plate by being aimed therein, clipped or even nested. Of course, any other means / system making it possible to connect the anchoring element to the plate falls under the cover of the present invention, typically any male-female system making it possible to removably connect two separate elements falls under the cover of the present invention. present invention.

For example, the anchoring element may consist of an element passing through the plate and which is secured to the latter once the covering element is in place. In this sense, the anchoring element can be a nail which is engaged in a hole present in the plate, this nail being arranged in such a way that it becomes integral with the plate when the latter is anchored in a surface (by example in a soil).

The fact that the anchoring element is removable makes it possible to have on the one hand a plate and, on the other hand, an anchoring element. This is advantageous for storage reasons since it is indeed much easier to store the plate and the anchoring element separately rather than having to store a covering element consisting of a plate to which is attached definitively the anchoring element.

Preferably, an element for covering a surface, in particular a covering element for a ground according to the invention is formed from a material chosen from the group consisting of steel, self-patinated corrosion-resistant steel. forced surface (Corten®), stainless steel, zinc, copper, galvanized steel, synthetic materials such as PVC or any other suitable material such as wood. Such materials are durable, do not degrade over time and are easy to clean.

Advantageously, an element for covering a surface, in particular a covering element for a ground according to the invention, has a flat surface. The fact that a roofing element of a floor according to the invention has a flat surface makes it easier to clean it, makes it possible to avoid the retention of debris and also allows different roofing elements to be placed close to each other. overlapping at least partially. Such an overlap of the covering elements of a ground according to the invention makes it possible to form an optimum ground cover by eliminating the presence of interstices between neighboring covering elements, which ensures all the better that weeds do not arrive. not on the surface.

According to one embodiment of an element for covering a surface, in particular a covering element for a ground according to the invention, said plate comprises a gutter at at least one of its ends, the opening of the gutter facing downwards. This embodiment is particularly suitable for forming borders or delimiting paths. This embodiment also makes it possible to perform the recovery of areas near a border or the recovery of an area framed by existing borders and delimiting for example a path.

Preferably, according to the invention, each of the gutters is arranged such that it can be supported and preferably that it can match the shapes (contours) of existing borders (or any other similar element), this, in addition to aesthetic reasons, making it possible to ensure even better the maintenance in place of a covering element according to the invention.

Advantageously, according to the invention, the covering element of a surface further comprises, at the level of the upper face of said plate, markings or indexes arranged to define a positioning of a covering element with respect to a other.

Optionally, according to the invention, the element for covering a surface can be coated with a paint and / or a material that does not accumulate heat and / or a non-slip material. Optionally, the covering element of a surface can be stamped so that its surface has protuberances acting as non-slip elements.

The present invention also relates to a kit for covering a surface, in particular to a kit for covering a ground, and more particularly to a kit for forming a path, comprising a plurality of covering elements according to l 'invention having an upper face and a lower face, said lower face being intended to be at least partially in contact with said surface, and said lower face comprising a receiving zone being arranged to allow at least part of another cover element to be accommodated there at least partially, and possibly a plurality of anchoring elements when they are removable.

Advantageously, according to the invention, said kit also comprises a template or a canvas intended to be affixed to the surface to be used and comprising an impression of the locations of the plates. This allows an operator, that is to say the person placing a covering element within the meaning of the present invention, to properly place each plate so that there is no offset and that the the entire surface to be covered is effectively well covered.

The present invention also relates to a use of at least one element for covering a surface according to the invention or to a use of a kit according to the invention for covering a surface, in particular for covering a floor and more particularly. to form a path.

Other characteristics, details and advantages of the invention will emerge from the examples given below, without limitation and with reference to the appended figures. In the figures, similar elements bear the same references.

Figure 1 illustrates a path formed with a series of elements covering a surface according to the invention.

Figure 2 is a sectional view along the axis A-A in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a side view of a covering element according to the invention, this covering element comprising an anchoring means.

FIG. 4 is a front view of a covering element according to the invention, this covering element comprising a gutter, the opening of which faces downwards.

The path shown in Figure 1 is formed with cover elements 1, 2 of a surface according to the invention.

As illustrated, the cover element 1 comprises a reception area 5 in the form of a nesting area in which a part 4 of the cover element 2 can slip and / or fit together.

The cover element 2 also includes a reception area 6 in the form of a nesting zone which could accommodate a part of another cover element (not shown). The reception areas 5, 6 are located on the underside of the covering elements 1, 2, the underside of these covering elements 1, 2 being designed to be at least partially in contact with said surface.

The interlocking made between the covering elements 1, 2 makes it possible to obtain an assembly (removable or not) of the two covering elements 1, 2 ensuring that each of the covering elements 1, 2 is sufficiently fixed, remains in place and does not move, typically when a walker exerts pressure on it while walking on it.

As illustrated in Figure 1, the upper face of the plates may include markings or indexes arranged to define a positioning of a cover element relative to another.

In practice, to form a path as illustrated, a whole series of ground cover elements 1, 2 cooperate at least two by two, two successive cover elements 1, 2 being nested by means of a reception area 5, 6 located on the underside of at least one of the two successive cover elements 1, 2. Figure 2 illustrates more precisely the cooperation by interlocking the two cover elements 1, 2 according to the invention.

According to this embodiment, a part 4 of the cover element 2 is slipped into a reception zone 5 and more particularly into a slot 5 'of the reception zone 5. FIG. 3 is a side view of an embodiment of a covering element 1, 2 according to the invention, this covering element 1, 2 comprising at least on one of its lateral edges an anchoring element 7 comprising a plurality of teeth, which are provided with recesses 8 provided so that anchoring in the ground is all the more efficient.

In practice, when at least one such anchoring element 7 is present at at least one of the lateral ends of a covering element 1, 2 according to the invention, the covering elements are first fitted together as described below. above, then pressure is exerted on the entire assembly obtained after these interlocking so that the anchoring element (s) 7 sink into the ground.

Such anchoring further ensures that each of the roofing elements is sufficiently fixed, remains in place and does not move, for example typically when a walker exerts pressure on it while walking on it.

FIG. 4 illustrates another element for covering a surface according to the invention. According to this second embodiment, the plate 1 comprises, at one of its ends, a gutter 9, the opening of which faces downwards. In practice, this embodiment is particularly suitable when covering an area near a border since the gutter 9 can be supported or even follow the contours of the existing border. This embodiment is also suitable for forming / creating borders.

The present invention has been described in relation to specific embodiments, which have a purely illustrative value and should not be considered as limiting. In general, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that the present invention is not limited to the examples illustrated and / or described above.

The use of the verbs "to understand", "to include", "to include", or any other variant, as well as their conjugations, can in no way exclude the presence of elements other than those mentioned.

The use of the indefinite article "a", "a", or of the definite article "the", "the" or "I", to introduce an element does not exclude the presence of a plurality of these elements.

Claims (11)

Claims 1. Element for covering a surface, in particular element for covering a ground and more particularly element for covering a ground to form a path, comprising a plate having an upper face and a lower face, said lower face being provided to be at least partially in contact with said surface, and said lower face comprising a receiving zone being arranged to allow at least part of another cover element to be at least partially received therein. 2. A covering element of a surface according to claim 1, characterized in that said reception area is a nesting area being arranged to allow another covering element to fit into it at least partially. 3. A surface covering element according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that it further comprises at least one anchoring element which may or may not be removable. 4. A surface covering element according to claim 3, characterized in that said at least one anchoring element is located at a lateral end of said plate. 5. A surface covering element according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that said at least one anchoring element is in the form of a tooth or a plurality of teeth or in the form of. a rod or a plurality of rods, optionally in the form of a tooth or of a plurality of teeth comprising recesses or in the form of a rod or of a plurality of rods comprising recesses. 6. A covering element for a surface according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it is formed of a material 1 chosen from the group consisting of steel, self-patinated steel with forced surface corrosion. (Corten®), stainless steel, zinc, copper, galvanized steel, synthetic materials such as PVC or any other suitable material such as wood. 7. A surface covering element according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said upper face has a flat surface. 8. A surface covering element according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said plate comprises a gutter at at least one of its ends, the opening of said gutter being oriented downwards. 9. An element for covering a surface according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it further comprises, at the level of the upper face of said plate, markings or indexes arranged to define a positioning of. one element of recovery in relation to another. 10. Kit for covering a surface, in particular for covering a ground and more particularly for forming a path, comprising a plurality of covering elements according to any one of claims 1 to 9 having an upper face. and a lower face, said lower face being designed to be at least partially in contact with said surface, and said lower face comprising a reception zone being arranged to allow another cover element to be accommodated there at least partially, and possibly a plurality of anchoring elements when they are removable. 11. Use of at least one element for covering a surface according to any one of claims 1 to 9 or use of a kit according to claim 10 for covering a surface, in particular for covering a floor and more particularly for form a path.