NZ605679B - Floor panel - Google Patents
Floor panelInfo
- Publication number
- NZ605679B NZ605679B NZ605679A NZ60567913A NZ605679B NZ 605679 B NZ605679 B NZ 605679B NZ 605679 A NZ605679 A NZ 605679A NZ 60567913 A NZ60567913 A NZ 60567913A NZ 605679 B NZ605679 B NZ 605679B
- Authority
- NZ
- New Zealand
- Prior art keywords
- floor panel
- face
- profile
- locking
- panel according
- Prior art date
Links
- 230000002787 reinforcement Effects 0.000 claims abstract description 35
- 230000000295 complement Effects 0.000 claims abstract description 6
- 239000000463 material Substances 0.000 claims description 9
- 230000003014 reinforcing Effects 0.000 claims description 7
- 229920001169 thermoplastic Polymers 0.000 claims description 4
- 239000004416 thermosoftening plastic Substances 0.000 claims description 4
- 239000000835 fiber Substances 0.000 claims description 2
- 239000003365 glass fiber Substances 0.000 claims description 2
- 239000004033 plastic Substances 0.000 claims description 2
- 235000012571 Ficus glomerata Nutrition 0.000 claims 1
- 240000000365 Ficus racemosa Species 0.000 claims 1
- 235000015125 Sterculia urens Nutrition 0.000 claims 1
- 230000000875 corresponding Effects 0.000 abstract description 4
- 239000010410 layer Substances 0.000 description 31
- 150000002500 ions Chemical class 0.000 description 4
- 230000000694 effects Effects 0.000 description 3
- 239000000306 component Substances 0.000 description 2
- 229920000136 polysorbate Polymers 0.000 description 2
- 241000282619 Hylobates lar Species 0.000 description 1
- 241000229754 Iva xanthiifolia Species 0.000 description 1
- 241000269774 Lates Species 0.000 description 1
- 238000010438 heat treatment Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000003801 milling Methods 0.000 description 1
- 239000000203 mixture Substances 0.000 description 1
- 230000002035 prolonged Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000036633 rest Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000005728 strengthening Methods 0.000 description 1
Abstract
605679 A reinforced rectangular floor panel (1) is disclosed. The panel has complementary profiles for interconnecting adjacent floor panels on at least two opposite edges (3, 4). The profiles have a frontal face (5) and a counter face (9). The corresponding profile also has a frontal face (10) and counter face (14) that cooperate to lock the panels together. The frontal faces and the counter faces are provided with locking tabs (15-18) cooperating in the interconnected position of adjacent floor panels. The floor panel further also has two reinforcement layers (19, 20) extending substantially in parallel to the upper and lower sides of the floor panel. The locking tabs are substantially positioned at the level of the reinforcement layers. counter face (14) that cooperate to lock the panels together. The frontal faces and the counter faces are provided with locking tabs (15-18) cooperating in the interconnected position of adjacent floor panels. The floor panel further also has two reinforcement layers (19, 20) extending substantially in parallel to the upper and lower sides of the floor panel. The locking tabs are substantially positioned at the level of the reinforcement layers.
Description
PATENTS FORM NO. 5 Our ref: CHW 234798NZPR
NEW ZEALAND
PATENTS ACT 1953
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION
Floor panel
We, IVC N.V. a Belgian company of heidslaan 29, B-8580 Avelgem, Belgium hereby
declare the ion, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us and the method by
which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement:
(followed by page 1a)
Floor panel
The invention relates to a rectangular floor panel
with mutually parallel, ntially planar upper and lower
sides and with two pairs of respective mutually opposite
side edges connecting the upper and lower sides, wherein the
opposite side edges of a pair are provided with complemen—
tary profiles for interconnecting adjacent floor panels,
wherein of at least one pair of opposite side edges the pro-
file of a first side edge is defined by a frontal face ex—
tending substantially vertically from the upper side and
over part of the thickness of the floor panel, a first sup—
port face extending inwardly substantially in a horizontal
direction from the lower end of said frontal face, a locking
face extending upwardly from the inner end of said first
support face to a position at some distance from the upper
side of the floor panel, a second support face extending in—
wardly again from the upper end of said locking face and fi—
nally a counter face ing downwardly from the inner end
of said second support face all the way to the lower side of
the floor panel, and wherein the profile of the correspond—
ing second side edge of the respective pair of te side
edges is d by a frontal face extending ntially
vertically from the lower side and over part of the thick—
ness of the floor panel, a first support face extending in—
wardly substantially in a horizontal direction from the up—
per end of said frontal face, a locking face extending down—
wardly from the inner end of said first support face to a
on at some distance from the lower side of the floor
panel, a second support face extending inwardly again from
the lower end of said locking face and finally a counter
face extending ly from the inner end of said second
support face all the way to the upper side of the floor pan—
el, wherein for maintaining two adjacent floor panels in an
(followed by page 2)
interconnected on a frontal face of a e cooperates
with a counter face of the other profile, the first support face
of a profile cooperates with the second support face of the
other profile and the locking faces of both profiles cooperate
with each other, and wherein the frontal faces and the counter
faces are provided with locking tabs ating in the
interconnected position of adjacent floor panels.
Such a type of floor panel is known from the US patent
application 2009/133358. The described profiles with locking
tabs in the onnected state of adjacent floor panels create
a locking between adjacent panels in the horizontal and vertical
direction. In particular, primarily the ation between the
frontal faces and the counter faces and between the locking
faces causes a horizontal locking, whereas the vertical locking
(and positioning in a common plane) primarily is caused by the
cooperation between the first and second support faces and
between the locking tabs. However, it is noted that the term
cooperating should not be construed in such a d sense that
the respective faces at all times would engage each other.
It is an object of the t invention to provide an
improved floor panel of the type referred to above.
Alternatively it is an object to at least provide the public
with a useful choice.
Thus, in accordance with the present ion the
floor panel further is provided with two reinforcement layers
extending substantially in parallel to the upper and lower sides
of the floor panel, wherein the locking tabs substantially are
positioned at the level of said reinforcement .
By virtue of the use of the reinforcing layers it
becomes possible to optimally adapt several parts of the floor
panel to demands imposed thereupon using an appropriate choice
of material, without detrimentally influencing the effect of the
operation of the locking tabs. By means of the reinforcement
layers the locking tabs at one hand may be
designed iently le, while at the other hand be—
ing sufficiently . Further it becomes possible to make
the reinforcement layers stiffer than the remainder of the
floor panel (which possible may be constructed from compo—
nents having a different modulus of elasticity).
A floor panel to which the present invention re—
lates may, in a manner known per se, be constructed from
different layers and may have different dimensions and
thicknesses. Within the scope of the present invention it is
not necessary to further elucidate these aspects. Further it
is possible that the floor panel (or components thereof)
comprise a considerable amount (for e more than 30%)
of recycled ic) material.
Using the invention a floor panel is ed
which together with corresponding floor panels may be inter—
connected in an easy manner for creating a floor ng
which during a prolonged life defines a stable assembly. The
floor panel may be machined in many, very divers manners.
In a red embodiment of the floor panel ac—
cording to the present invention, the reinforcement layers
extend into the locking tabs. As a result these locking tabs
in an optimal manner take advantage of the effect of these
reinforcement layers.
However, the above does not preclude the possibil-
ity that the reinforcement layers end near to the g
tabs without extending therein. Also in such a case a
strengthening effect on the locking tabs already may be ob-
tained.
Preferably the locking tabs and the reinforcement
layers are positioned in the immediate vicinity of the lower
side and upper side of the floor panel.
The (locking) forces acting between floor panels
in the interconnected position of such adjacent floor panels
extend inclined between pairs of cooperating locking tabs at
the upper side and at the lower side of the floor panels.
The closer such pairs of ating locking tabs are to the
upper side and lower side, respectively, of the floor pan—
els, the larger will be the part of the thickness of said
floor panels contributing to the force transmittal (and the
more strong the connection n the adjacent floor panels
will be).
In one embodiment of the floor panel the lower and
upper reinforcement layers are positioned at a level of be—
tween 8 and 14% and a level of between 93 and 96%, respec—
tively, of the total ess of the floor panel. For exam-
ple, when the floor panel has a thickness of about 4,5 mm,
the lower and upper reinforcement layers then are positioned
at a level of between 0,4 and 0,6 mm and a level of between
4,2 and 4,3 mm, respectively, above the lower side of the
floor panel.
The above does not preclude that the floor panel
also may have a different thickness, for example between 4
and 8 mm.
In another embodiment of the floor panel according
to the present ion the upper reinforcement layer is
positioned above the second support face of the profile of
the first side edge and wherein the lower reinforcement lay—
er is positioned below the second support face of the pro—
file of the second side edge.
Basically this means that both reinforcement lay—
ers extend uninterrupted along the entire length (and/or
width) of the floor panel t being interrupted by the
profiles defined at the respective side edges, such that
their reinforcing effect may be used in an optimal manner.
3O The reinforcement layers may comprise a woven or
ven fibre material, for example a glass fibre materi—
al. They may have a thickness of 0,2 — 0,4 mm.
In another embodiment of the floor panel according
to the present invention the locking face of the profile of
the first side edge is inclined upwardly and inwardly with a
first angle of 14—21° with respect to the al, whereas
the locking face of the profile of the second side edge is
ed downwardly and inwardly with a second angle of 15—
22° with respect to the vertical and wherein the second an—
gle is at most 1° larger than the first angle.
As a result of such a shape, interconnecting two
adjacent floor panels may be carried out with ease, while
the said locking faces slide along each other and the lock—
ing gradually get engaged. The l angles depend from
the shape and material properties of the locking tabs.
Interconnecting adjacent floor panels at said
first and second side edges primarily occurs through a mutu—
al al (translating) connecting movement. When both
pairs of opposite side edges are provided with said comple—
mentary profiles with frontal faces, first and second sup—
port faces, locking faces and counter faces, such a vertical
motion occurs here.
However, it is conceivable too that laying floor
panels is a combination of (primarily) a rotation around one
of the side edges, whereas at the two side edges perpendicu—
lar to said side edge primarily a vertical motion occurs. In
such a case the respective shape will differ among pairs of
opposite side edges, as is known per se.
The floor panel substantially may comprise a num-
ber of stacked plastic—based layers, such as for example a
top layer comprising a first reinforcing layer, and a core
layer positioned there below comprising a second reinforcing
layer. Further it is possible that the top layer successive—
ly comprises a arent finishing layer, a decorative
3O layer and a thermoplastic support layer. The core layer may
comprise a thermoplastic al.
In another embodiment the floor panel comprises
bevels at the connection of the frontal face of the profile
of the first side edge and the connection of the counter
face of the profile of the second edge, respectively, with
the upper side of the floor panel. Such bevels may be
manufactured in different ways, for example by locally heating
and next displacing material and/or by milling off material.
Unless the context clearly requires otherwise,
throughout the ption and claims the terms “comprise”,
“comprising” and the like are to be construed in an inclusive
sense, as opposed to an ive or tive sense. That is,
in the sense of “including, but not limited to”.
Hereinafter the invention is elucidated by means of
the drawing, in which:
Figure 1 illustrates a cross section of two adjacent,
not yet interconnected, floor panels according to the invention;
Figure 2 illustrates a cross section of two adjacent
floor panels according to the invention during interconnecting,
Figure 3 illustrates a cross section of two nt,
onnected, floor panels according to the invention.
It is noted that indications of directions and
positions always relate to floor panels which assume a
horizontal, planar position. In the respective figures a cross
section is illustrated of (in a top plan view) substantially
rectangular floor panels. Each floor panel ses a planar
upper side 1 and a substantially planar lower side 2 in parallel
therewith. r, each panel comprises two pairs of respective
mutually opposite side edges 3,4 connecting the upper and lower
sides. In the figures always only the side edges belonging to
one pair are shown.
The opposite side edges of a pair are provided with
complementary es for interconnecting nt floor
panels. In the illustrated embodiment the profile of a first
side edge 3 of the illustrated pair of opposite side edges is
defined by a frontal face 5 extending substantially vertically
from the upper side 1 and over part of the thickness of the
floor panel, a first support face 6 extending inwardly
substantially in a horizontal direction from the lower end of
said frontal face 5, a locking face 7 extending upwardly from
the inner end of said first support face 6 to a position at some
distance from the upper side 1 of the
floor panel, a second support face 8 extending inwardly
again from the upper end of said locking face 7 and finally
a counter face 9 extending downwardly from the inner end of
said second support face 8 all the way to the lower side 2
of the floor panel.
In a ponding manner the e of the cor—
responding second side edge 4 of the respective pair of op—
posite side edges is defined by a frontal face 10 extending
substantially vertically from the lower side 2 and over part
of the ess of the floor panel, a first support face 11
extending inwardly substantially in a horizontal direction
from the upper end of said frontal face 10, a locking face
12 extending downwardly from the inner end of said first
support face 11 to a position at some distance from the low—
er side 2 of the floor panel, a second t face 13 ex—
tending inwardly again from the lower end of said locking
face 12 and finally a counter face 14 extending upwardly
from the inner end of said second support face 13 all the
way to the upper side 1 of the floor panel.
For in an onnected position maintaining the
relative position of two adjacent floor panels (see figure
3) a frontal face 5 and 10, respectively, of a profile coop—
erates with a counter face 14 and 9, respectively, of the
other profile. Further, the first support face 6 and 11, re-
spectively, of a e ates with the second support
face 13 and 8, respectively, of the other profile. Finally
the locking faces 7 and 12 of both profiles cooperate with
each other.
The frontal faces 5,10 and the counter faces 9,14
3O are provided with locking tabs 15—18 ating in the in—
terconnected position of adjacent floor panels. In the in—
terconnected position (figure 3) the tabs 15 and 17 engage
behind the tabs 18 and 16, such that basically a good mutual
vertical locking between adjacent floor panels is obtained.
The floor panel further is provided with two re—
inforcement layers 19,20 extending substantially in parallel
to the upper and lower sides of the floor panel, wherein the
locking tabs 15—18 substantially are positioned at the level
of said reinforcement . The reinforcement layers 19,20
may extend into the locking tabs 15—18 (for example all the
way to the most protruding part thereof) but may also end
close thereto.
The locking tabs 15-18 and the reinforcement lay—
ers 19,20 are positioned in the immediate vicinity of the
lower side 2 and upper side 1 of the floor panel. As a re—
sult, when one tries to move the floor panels apart (force
21) in the interconnected position of adjacent floor panels
(figure 3), a connecting force (arrow 22) is created which
extends inclined over a large part of the total ess of
the floor panels, thus in an l manner using the
strength of the floor panels.
For example it is possible that the lower and up-
per reinforcement layers 20 and 19, respectively, are posi—
tioned at a level of between 8 and 14% and a level of be—
tween 93 and 96%, tively, of the total thickness of
the floor panel (counted from the lower side 2 of the floor
panel).
The upper reinforcement layer 19 is positioned
above the second support face 8 of the profile of the first
side edge 3, whereas the lower reinforcement layer 20 is po-
sitioned below the second support face 13 of the profile of
the second side edge 4. As a result these reinforcing layers
are not interrupted by these profiles.
3O AS illustrated in figure 2, the locking face 7 of
the profile of the first side edge 3 is inclined upwardly
and ly with a first angle A of 14—21° with respect to
the vertical, whereas the locking face 12 of the profile of
the second side edge 4 is inclined rdly and ly
with a second angle B of 15—22° with respect to the verti—
cal. The second angle B is at most 1° larger than the first
angle A. As a result of such an inclined orientation of the
locking faces 7,12 the locking movement, during which the
locking faces slide along each other, may occur in an opti—
mal manner while bringing the cooperating locking tabs 15,18
and 17,16, respectively, into engagement with each other.
Such a movement occurs by (according to arrow 23) pressing
down a floor panel while the adjacent floor panel rests on a
floor 26 with its lower side.
Finally the floor panel ing to the present
invention may comprise bevels 24,25 at the connection of the
frontal face 5 of the profile of the first side edge 3 and
the connection of the counter face 14 of the profile of the
second edge 4, respectively, with the upper side 1 of the
floor panel. This may contribute to ing a decorative
appearance in the assembled position.
The ion is not d to the embodiments
described before which may be varied widely within the scope
of the invention as defined by the appending claims.
Claims (15)
1. gular floor panel with ly parallel, substantially planar upper and lower sides and with two pairs of respective mutually opposite side edges connecting the upper and lower sides, wherein the te side edges of a pair are provided with complementary profiles for interconnecting adjacent floor panels, wherein of at least one pair of opposite side edges the profile of a first side edge is defined by a frontal face extending substantially vertically from the upper side and over part of the thickness of the floor panel, a first support face extending inwardly substantially in a horizontal direction from the lower end of said frontal face, a locking face extending upwardly from the inner end of said first support face to a position at some distance from the upper side of the floor panel, a second support face extending inwardly again from the upper end of said locking face and finally a counter face extending downwardly from the inner end of said second support face all the way to the lower side of the floor panel, and wherein the profile of the ponding second side edge of the respective pair of opposite side edges is defined by a frontal face extending substantially vertically from the lower side and over part of the thickness of the floor panel, a first support face extending inwardly substantially in a horizontal direction from the upper end of said frontal face, a locking face extending downwardly from the inner end of said first support face to a position at some distance from the lower side of the floor panel, a second support face extending inwardly again from the lower end of said locking face and finally a counter face extending upwardly from the inner end of said second support face all the way to the upper side of the floor panel, wherein for maintaining two adjacent floor panels in an interconnected position a l face of a profile cooperates with a counter face of the other profile, the first support face of a e cooperates with the second t face of the other profile and the g faces of both es cooperate with each other, and n the frontal faces and the counter faces are provided with locking tabs cooperating in the interconnected position of adjacent floor panels, wherein the floor panel further is provided with two reinforcement layers extending substantially in parallel to the upper and lower sides of the floor panel, wherein the locking tabs substantially are positioned at the level of said reinforcement layers.
2. Floor panel according to claim 1, wherein the reinforcement layers extend into the locking tabs.
3. Floor panel according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the locking tabs and the reinforcement layers are oned in the immediate vicinity of the lower side and upper side of the floor panel, that is, wherein at least part of the lower and upper reinforcement layers are positioned at a level of between 8 and 14% and a level of between 93 and 96%, respectively, of the total thickness of the floor panel.
4. Floor panel according to claim 3 having a thickness of about 4,5 mm, wherein the lower and upper reinforcement layers are positioned at a level of between 0,4 and 0,6 mm and a level of between 4,2 and 4,3 mm, respectively, above the lower side of the floor panel.
5. Floor panel according to any one of the previous claims, n the upper reinforcement layer is positioned above the second support face of the profile of the first side edge and wherein the lower reinforcement layer is positioned below the second support face of the profile of the second side edge.
6. Floor panel according to any one of the previous claims, n the reinforcement layers comprise a woven or non-woven fibre material.
7. Floor panel according to claim 6, wherein the reinforcement layers comprise a glass fibre material.
8. Floor panel according to any one of the previous claims, n the reinforcement layers have a thickness of 0,2 - 0,4 mm.
9. Floor panel according to any one of the previous claims, n the locking face of the profile of the first side edge is inclined upwardly and inwardly with a first angle of 14-21° with respect to the vertical, s the locking face of the e of the second side edge is inclined downwardly and inwardly with a second angle of 15-22° with respect to the vertical and wherein the second angle is at most 1° larger than the first angle.
10. Floor panel according to any one of the previous claims, wherein both pairs of opposite side edges are ed with said complementary es with l faces, first and second support faces, g faces and counter faces.
11. Floor panel according to any one of the previous , and substantially comprising a number of stacked plastic-based layers, such as for example a top layer comprising a first reinforcing layer, and a core layer positioned there below comprising a second reinforcing layer.
12. Floor panel according to claim 11, wherein the top layer successively comprises a transparent finishing layer, a decorative layer and a thermoplastic support layer.
13. Floor panel according to claim 11 or 12, wherein the core layer comprises a thermoplastic material.
14. Floor panel according to any one of the previous claims and comprising bevels at the connection of the frontal face of the profile of the first side edge and the connection of the r face of the profile of the second edge, respectively, with the upper side of the floor panel.
15. A rectangular panel substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings. 21:15 20 9876 2 01112132? Fi 11125 119 220169876
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
BEBE2012/0027 | 2012-01-12 |
Publications (1)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
NZ605679B true NZ605679B (en) | 2014-01-28 |
Family
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