RU2371554C2 - System of flooring comprising subpanels with mutually complementary edge patterns - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: construction.

SUBSTANCE: laminated floor boards contain decorative patterns; surface finishes, which are mechanically embossed with matching; deepened perimeters and fixation mechanisms. Neighboring boards that are actually evened relative to each other makes it possible to create matched impressed patterns passing actually continuously through neighboring floor panels. Separate boards in flooring system may contain at least one incomplete subpanel having decorative pattern and/or impressed surface finish (i.e. pattern), which is complementary to pattern of adjacent incomplete subpanel or board. Each board may include edge patterns located near some part of board edge, and at least one main pattern, adjacenebt with edge patterns. Edge patterns on board or boards in flooring system are actually identical to each other. Main patterns create an actually continuous pattern with adjacent edge pattern on a separate board.

EFFECT: simplified assembly of floor and prevention of its premature wear.

22 cl, 19 dwg

Description

The present invention relates to multilayer materials (laminates). In particular, it relates to a system for interlocking flooring made of multi-layer materials having decorative patterns and surface textures that are combined by mechanical embossing with said decorative patterns.

Mostly consumers prefer traditional building and finishing materials for flooring, such as valuable wood, roofing tiles, granite, stone, brick and concrete, because of their appearance and perception. However, such traditional building and finishing materials for flooring are characterized by a high cost of manufacture and installation. For example, although a solid wood floor has a highly valued and luxurious appearance, the materials and labor required to install such floors can be excessively high.

There are many alternatives available on the market for traditional building and finishing flooring materials, including laminates such as high pressure laminates (HPL), direct compression laminates (DPL) and medium pressure laminates (CPL). However, such alternative materials usually do not have a realistic appearance and texture of traditional building and finishing materials for flooring. For example, most alternative materials that have an external surface with a wood pattern look like imitation and can easily be distinguished as something different from a real tree. In addition, although high-quality boards made of HPL, DPL and CPL may look like wood, their texture shows that they are not.

One of the drawbacks for most materials, alternative to traditional building and finishing materials for flooring, is that the texture of their surface does not coincide with the decorative pattern. For example, the visible pattern of wood knots in alternative materials for flooring does not match the texture characteristics of such knots. Accordingly, the attractiveness of such alternative materials is significantly reduced.

One method used to match the surface texture of alternative materials for flooring to their decorative pattern includes a technology known as “chemical embossing”. In chemical embossing, the surface texture of an alternative material occurs during the chemical reaction of the paint, which creates a decorative pattern, with a substance added to the subsurface layer. Although this leads to some positive result, the resulting surface texture lacks the clarity and three-dimensionality of traditional materials.

To provide an alternative to traditional building and finishing materials for flooring, multilayer materials can be mechanically embossed to create a surface texture. For example, you can refer to the application for US patent No. 09/903807 and US patent No. 6401415, which are included in the text of this description by reference. Such methods make it possible to obtain multi-layered materials embossed with matching, which have a decorative pattern and a high-quality three-dimensional texture matching it. Laminated embossed materials require the exact combination of mechanical embossing and decorative patterns. The advantage of embossed with the combination of multilayer materials is that they can realistically reproduce the appearance and perception of traditional products.

Regardless of what type of flooring system is used, this system should be easily transported to the workplace and at the same time be characterized by speed and ease of installation. To this end, assembly and fixing mechanisms may be included in such systems to facilitate installation in place. One type of assembly and fixing mechanism is the tongue-groove system used to connect the panels. Note that such tongue-and-groove systems are described in US Pat. No. 2,057,135, owned by Cherry, and US Pat. No. 2046593, owned by Urbain. For example, FIG. 1 can be considered an illustration of a tongue-and-groove system 11 in which clamps 12 are used to fasten the panels together.

In addition, another type of assembly and fixing mechanism is described in US Pat. No. 3,946,529 to Chevaux, where the tongue-groove system located under the floor is used in the flooring system 13, see FIG. 2.

Another assembly and fixing mechanism is disclosed in US Pat. No. 5,295,341 to Kajiwara. Here, the laminated boards are also provided with a snap system similar to a tongue-groove connection. As a result, laminated boards can be assembled without glue. As shown in FIG. 3, the multilayer plates are provided with fixing means in the form of a groove 16 and a tongue 18. The groove 16 has forward-opening recesses 20, and the tongue 18 is provided with a pair of forward diverging side walls 22 and 24, which are separated by an elongated slot 26. Said side walls contain rear fixing surfaces 28 and 36. These side walls can be compressed together to provide fixation.

Another type of assembly and fixation mechanism is snap fastening proposed in US Pat. No. 6,101,778 to Märtensson. As shown in FIG. 4, the multilayer plates are provided with fixing means comprising a groove 6 and a tongue 7, which form a tongue-groove assembly. The groove 6 and the tongue 7 can be made of a material that provides waterproofness, and are joined together by snapping the area 9 in the groove 4.

Although the use of the assembly and fixing mechanisms mentioned above has proven effective, they are not used in systems based on laminate embossed with registration, in which decorative embossed or registration patterns or graphic images are aligned relative to each other at the joints between individual embossed and combined multilayer plates. This significantly reduces the visual and textural expressiveness of systems containing multi-layer embossed and overlapping plates. Thus, it might be advantageous to use a new embossed system with overlapping multilayer material in which visual and textured patterns intersect the joints while preserving the features of embossing with alignment. It would be even more advantageous to use an embossed and overlapping multilayer material system containing mutually embossed and overlapping overlapping plates in which visual and textured patterns intersect the joints while preserving the features of embossing with alignment.

In addition, the above flooring systems are characterized by a relatively low ability to resist wear. Not wanting to be limited to any specific theoretical explanation, let us assume that premature aging (wear) begins at the edges or near them and / or along the tongue-groove lines. The flooring systems mentioned above are characterized by a substantially even (flat) surface texture, as a result of which users (for example, pedestrians) contact the center and perimeter of each panel to the same extent. However, the perimeter of each panel is substantially weaker than the center of this panel, and therefore its quality is deteriorated in the first place.

In addition to this, flooring systems usually do not contain decorative patterns or patterns that exceed the length of the board. For example, in a flooring system designed to simulate a wooden floor containing wooden stripes, the length of the pattern of the wooden strip is usually equal to or less than the length of one board. This is desirable in known flooring systems, as it requires the installer to plan the placement of only one board after being installed.

Accordingly, there is a need for a practical method for manufacturing alternative building or finishing materials that have a realistic appearance and perception of traditional products and have increased resistance to premature wear and in which, with a minimum number of boards with an individual pattern, it is possible to create elements of a pattern or pattern with a length exceeding the length of a single board.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a flooring system having overlapping embossing that virtually eliminates one or more problems associated with the limitations and disadvantages inherent in the prior art.

An advantage of the present invention is that a flooring system having embossment with alignment is provided, which includes separate adjacent floorboards having embossed embossed decorative patterns, where at least one of the following: surface texture and decorative pattern are actually aligned between adjacent floorboards.

Another advantage of the present invention is that they propose a flooring system having embossment with alignment, which includes mutually interlocked floorboards having embossed embossed decorative patterns, where at least one of the following: surface texture and decorative pattern, in fact aligned between adjacent floorboards, resulting in virtually continuous embossed patterns at the junction of said mutually blocked boards.

A further advantage of the present invention is that a flooring system is provided that has overlapping embossing, which may, for example, include floorboards in which the perimeter surface of each individual floorboard can be removed so that the upper surface of the perimeter of the floorboards is lower that area of the upper surface of the floorboards, which is surrounded by said perimeter.

A further advantage of the present invention is that a board is provided comprising a plurality of sides defining a perimeter; a plurality of edge patterns located close to at least one first region of said perimeter, where at least two of the aforementioned set of edge patterns are substantially identical; and at least one main pattern adjacent to said set of edge patterns and located near at least one second region of said perimeter, where at least one main pattern and a border pattern adjacent to said at least at least one basic pattern, a virtually continuous pattern is created.

Another advantage of the present invention is that there is provided a flooring system comprising at least two boards adjacent to each other in a predetermined direction, where each board comprises: a plurality of sides defining a perimeter; a plurality of edge patterns located close to at least one first region of said perimeter, where at least two of the aforementioned set of edge patterns are substantially identical; and at least one main pattern adjacent to said plurality of edge patterns and located close to at least one second region of said perimeter, where at least one main pattern and a border pattern adjacent to said at least at least one basic pattern, an essentially continuous pattern is created; moreover, the edge patterns of said at least two boards create a substantially continuous pattern.

A further advantage of the present invention is that a floor panel is provided comprising a plurality of sides defining a perimeter; a surface having a decorative pattern, said decorative pattern comprising at least two edge patterns adjacent to each of said sides of the panel, and at least one main pattern located inside the panel and adjacent to said edge pattern located on each of the sides, where at least one edge pattern located along the side is substantially identical to the edge pattern having a corresponding arrangement along the opposite side; and where at least one area of the decorative pattern located along the side is essentially different from the corresponding area of the decorative pattern located along the opposite side.

Additional features and advantages of the invention will be discussed in the description below, and in part will become apparent from this description, or may be understood by the practice of the invention. These and other advantages of the invention will be realized and achieved by using the structure specifically indicated in the description and claims attached to the claims, as well as in the accompanying drawings.

You must understand that, as the above General description, and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory and are intended to further explain the invention, the essence of which is indicated in the paragraphs of the attached claims.

The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a deeper understanding of the present invention, and are an integral part of this application, illustrate embodiments of the present invention and together with the description serve to explain its principles.

Figure 1 shows the assembly and fixing mechanism corresponding to the prior art.

Figure 2 shows another assembly and fixing mechanism corresponding to the prior art.

Figure 3 shows another assembly and fixing mechanism corresponding to the prior art.

Figure 4 shows the following assembly and fixing mechanism, corresponding to the prior art.

5 is a General view of the components embossed with the combination of the floorboard, corresponding to the principles of the present invention.

Figure 6 shows a press for the manufacture of embossed with combining floorboards, consistent with the principles of the present invention.

FIG. 7 shows an embossed and overlapped floorboard in accordance with one aspect of the present invention.

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of an embossed and floorboard system in accordance with another aspect of the present invention.

In Fig.9 shows a cross section along line 9-9 shown in Fig.8.

Figure 10 is a top view of a system of embossed with combining floorboards, corresponding to another aspect of the present invention.

Figure 11 shows a cross section along the line 11-11 shown in Figure 10.

12A and 12B are schematic views including a surface area of a perimeter of a floorboard according to the present invention.

13A and 13B show a flooring system in accordance with a further aspect of the present invention.

On Figa-figs shows an exemplary board system flooring, corresponding to another aspect of the present invention.

Figa-Fig.15E illustrate an exemplary method of creating drawings on the floorboard according to the principles of the present invention.

Figa-Fig.16E illustrate an alternative example method of creating drawings on the floorboard according to the principles of the present invention.

FIG. 17 illustrates an alternative exemplary method for creating floor patterns according to the principles of the present invention.

FIG. 18 illustrates an alternative exemplary method for creating patterns on a floorboard according to the principles of the present invention.

FIG. 19 illustrates an alternative exemplary method of creating patterns on a floorboard according to the principles of the present invention.

Embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below, examples of which are presented in the accompanying drawings.

Figure 5 generally shows the components of a floorboard in accordance with the principles of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 5, a flooring system having overlapping embossing may, for example, include at least one floorboard. According to one aspect of the present invention, each floorboard may include a base plate 34 made of a base material (e.g., medium or high density fiberboard, particleboard, etc.), at least one bottom sheet 36 (e.g. , kraft paper sheet) impregnated with predetermined resins and placed above and / or below the plate 34, a decorative paper sheet 38 having a thickness of about 0.15 mm, impregnated with a polymerizable resin (for example, phenols such as melamine), and size hanged over the base plate, as well as at least one protective topsheet 30, placed above the decorative paper sheet 38. According to one aspect of the present invention, each protective topsheet 30 can be made of high strength paper impregnated with a melamine solution containing corundum ( Al ₂ O ₃ ), silicon dioxide, etc. According to another aspect of the present invention, sheets of various paper may be placed between the decorative paper sheet 38 and the plate 34. According to one aspect of the present invention, said at least one protective topsheet 30 and bottomsheet 36 may be impregnated with resin. According to another aspect of the present invention, a resin impregnating said at least one protective topsheet 30 and a bottomsheet 36 may be different from the melamine resin used to impregnate the decorative paper sheet 38.

According to one aspect of the present invention, floorboards of a flooring system can be made essentially of the same paper, resin, etc. For example, flooring planks can be made using paper consisting of essentially the same paper fibers (having, for example, virtually the same ash content, color and orientation) on the same paper machine. In addition, floorboards of the flooring system can be made using paper from one section of the bobbin. All of the above restrictions on the use of paper, which can be used in the manufacture of floorboards of the flooring system, ensure that copies of impregnated paper will always have virtually the same final dimensions after pressing and hardening. According to one aspect of the present invention, storage of paper used to make floorboards of a flooring system can be controlled in such a way that the time, temperature and humidity at which the paper is stored ensure that the sizes of the floorboards are consistent. According to another aspect of the present invention, floorboards of a flooring system can be manufactured using cellulose paste obtained from a single manufacturer. According to a further aspect of the present invention, floorboards of a flooring system can be manufactured using resin obtained from one manufacturer. According to another aspect of the present invention, the resins may contain powder obtained from one source, have virtually the same chemical and physical properties, and mix in one reactor. In addition, floorboards of the flooring system can be made using resins having a substantially constant solids content. All of the above limitations on the use of resins, which can be used in the manufacture of floorboards, ensure that copies of impregnated paper will always have virtually the same final dimensions after pressing and hardening. According to a further aspect of the present invention, each floorboard of a flooring system can be manufactured using virtually one impregnation process. For example, when various sheets of paper are immersed in melamine resin, the paper should experience a constant and uniform load of resin. In addition, the tension of the strip and the vibration of the impregnation plant must be precisely controlled, since they affect the degree of resin impregnation of various sheets of paper.

In accordance with the principles of the present invention, the aforementioned sheets and substrates can be used to make a floor embossing system that has a combination embossing that includes a plurality of mutually interlocked floorboards. When creating such a system, the press, shown, for example, in FIG. 6, can be used for mechanical embossing of each floorboard to ensure that the resulting relief is combined with the decorative pattern available on the decorative sheet of paper 44.

As shown in FIG. 6, the press may, for example, comprise a base 42 and an upper portion 54 with an upper press plate 56. According to one aspect of the present invention, the top plate may comprise an extrusion relief (i.e., a surface with a three-dimensional texture). Accordingly, the extruding relief may, for example, include ridges, peaks, recesses, and the like. any design that can be combined with the decorative pattern created on the decorative paper sheet 44.

In accordance with the principles of the present invention, the impregnated decorative paper sheet 44 placed on the plate 40 must be accurately positioned relative to the extruding relief on the top plate, for the manufacture of embossed with registration of the floorboard. According to one aspect of the present invention, alignment of the extrusion relief on the top plate with respect to the decorative pattern can be achieved when the press is in a locked position and the plate is under pressure. The required level of control may vary depending on the type of decorative pattern used. For example, alignment of an embossed pattern with a wood texture on adjacent embossed combining floorboards requires a higher degree of control than alignment of an embossed pattern with a wood texture imitation without regard to the position of adjacent floorboards.

The alignment of the decorative pattern present on the decorative paper sheet 44 and the extruding relief on the top plate 56 can be achieved by removing about 2-3 millimeters of material around the perimeter of the plate 40 during the milling process, which allows to obtain several reference planes (for example, the edges of the plate) and the plate having tightly controlled dimensions. Then, an impregnated decorative paper sheet 44 is placed on the plate 40, having an external dimension of approximately 8-10 mm less than that of the plate. According to one aspect of the present invention, the impregnated decorative paper sheet 44 may be placed on the plate 40 using the edges of the plate as a leveling tool. According to one aspect of the present invention, alignment marks may be created on plate 40 that align with alignment marks created on decorative paper sheet 44.

According to one aspect of the present invention, the decorative paper sheet 44 may be attached to the plate 40 by static electricity. After fastening them, the decorative paper sheet 44 and plate 40 are mounted on a trolley moving into the press. Static electricity can actually prevent accidental displacement of the decorative paper sheet 44 when moving the plate 40 along with the trolley. According to one aspect of the present invention, the trolley can be stopped immediately before entering the press to precisely place the decorative paper sheet 44 on the plate 40 using, for example, tweezers (not shown). According to another aspect of the present invention, tweezers can be used to accurately place the decorative paper sheet 44 on a plate 40 located on a lower press plate. According to one aspect of the present invention, a decorative paper sheet 44, at least one protective top sheet 46 and an optional bottom sheet 48 may be installed on the plate 40 before being placed in the press. After mounting the decorative paper sheet 44 on the plate 40, the trolley can be moved from press. Then, the alignment system actually aligns the decorative paper sheet 44 / plate 40 system with the extruded topography in the top plate 56. According to one aspect of the present invention, the alignment system can use the edges of the plate to actually align the decorative paper sheet 44 with the extruded topography plate 56. The press may be turned on after leveling is completed.

According to one aspect of the present invention, after installing the components shown in FIG. 5 in a press and aligning with respect to the extrusion relief, the different sheets and the base plate can be pressed and cured for a predetermined time before the resin hardens, resulting in extremely hard and wearproof flooring. For example, after installation in the press and alignment with respect to the extrusion relief, the plate 40, the decorative paper sheet 44, the protective top sheet 46 and the optional bottom sheet 48 may be heated to a temperature of about 160-220 ° C and subjected to compression under a pressure of about 20-40 kg / cm ² for about 20-60 seconds. Accordingly, the upper part 54 presses the extrusion relief of the upper plate 56 against the structure of the decorative paper sheet 44 and the plate 40. The combination of applied heat and pressure fuses the decorative paper sheet 44 and the plate 40. The alignment system ensures that the decorative paper sheet 44 is actually aligned with the extrusion the relief in the top plate 56. Accordingly, the melamine resin in the various sheets can be cured and an embossed board can be made.

According to one aspect of the present invention, the porosity in the fused article can be minimized by slowly curing the resins (e.g., melamine). Accordingly, with decreasing temperature, the time increases during which different sheets are pressed in the press. According to another aspect of the present invention, as the top plate 56 heats up to about 160-220 ° C., the extrusion relief present in the top plate may expand. Accordingly, in the manufacture of this relief, compensation for its expansion may be provided. In this way, extrusion relief dimensions are ensured that actually correspond to the structure of the decorative pattern when the resins in the components shown in FIG. 5 solidify.

In accordance with the principles of the present invention, a mechanical embossed surface texture can be imparted to a separate floorboard having a decorative pattern. According to one aspect of the present invention, a mechanical embossed surface texture can be combined with a decorative pattern. Accordingly, a floorboard embossed with registration can be made. According to another aspect of the present invention, a plurality of multi-embossed floorboards can be coupled together with the creation of a flooring system having multi-embossment. According to a further aspect of the present invention, at least a part of the embossed embossed patterns on adjacent floorboards can be virtually aligned with each other to create substantially continuous embossed embossed patterns on adjacent boards in the flooring system.

Although the overlapping embossing process described above is suitable for embossing surface textures that have a relief depth of less than about 0.2 mm, obtaining a texture with a deeper relief may be problematic. For example, extruding reliefs to create a texture with greater depth require the presence of relatively large protrusions on the upper plate, which can disrupt the uniform distribution of pressure over the surface of the plate 40. This violation of uniformity can cause distortions in the final product. According to one aspect of the present invention, embossed surface textures with a depth of more than about 0.2 mm can be obtained by removing plate material 40 in those places where a deep texture is required. According to one aspect of the present invention, material removal can be performed before, during, or after the above milling of the perimeter of the plate 40. According to another aspect of the present invention, the edges of the plate can be used to define the boundaries of the remote sections of the plate 40.

As shown in Fig. 7, the embossed overlapping floorboard 60 made in accordance with the process described above may alternatively comprise a protective soft layer 50 on one side. The mechanical texture of the embossed surface texture is aligned with the decorative pattern 68 of the decorative paper sheet 44. By combination, it is understood that the embossed surface texture is actually aligned with the decorative pattern of the decorative paper sheet 44. As a result of creating an embossed and combined floorboard, individual floorboards can have a realistic appearance of natural material. Although the decorative pattern shown in Fig. 7 realistically reproduces the pattern and texture of the wood texture, it is obvious that other embossed structures can be created, such as ceramic, concrete, marble, etc.

In accordance with the principles of the present invention, each of the individual floorboards may, for example, comprise at least one fixing mechanism.

According to one aspect of the present invention, the locking mechanisms may be included in the plate 40 until the extruding relief on its surface creates a texture combined with a decorative pattern. Accordingly, the locking mechanisms can be manufactured in separate plates 40. Then, the said locking mechanisms can be used to connect the individual plates together with the creation of the structure of the boards. After that, the structure of the boards can be placed in the press 54. After creating an extruding relief texture on the structure of the boards and fusion together of the molten components together, the structure of the boards can be removed from the press 54. Then, the embossed and combined floorboards 60 included in the fused structure of boards, separated by unlocking locking mechanisms. According to one aspect of the present invention, a cutting tool may be used to effect separation and prevent damage to the decorative pattern.

According to another aspect of the present invention, the locking mechanisms may be included in the plate 40 after creating an extruding relief texture on the surface of the plate 40, combined with a decorative pattern. Accordingly, a plate 40 having a relatively large size, for example 4 × 8 feet, can be embossed in the press 54. Then, the resulting slab embossed with alignment can be cut into a plurality of individual embossed with alignment of the floorboards 60. According to one aspect of the present invention, the individual embossed with alignment of the floorboards 60 may have even edges and exact dimensions. According to one aspect of the present invention, slicing can be performed by tools for shaping, milling, cutting, disconnecting, etc. According to one aspect of the present invention, the plate can be cut by a press. Accordingly, the plate can be cut into elements (for example, strips) with dimensions, for example, 300 × 300 mm, 400 × 400 mm, 600 × 600 mm, 1200 × 300 mm, 1200 × 400 mm, etc. Then, fixing mechanisms may be included in the individual embossed with the combination of the floorboards 60. According to one aspect of the present invention, the fixation mechanisms may be hidden below the surface of the floorboards or may be visible.

In accordance with the principles of the present invention, fixing mechanisms may be included in individual embossed and aligned floorboards 60 by orienting said at least one of the following: board edges, alignment marks, decorative patterns, and surface textures of the floorboard relative to the milling tool. When orienting the milling tool with respect to any of the above-mentioned orientable elements, fixing mechanisms can be created by milling on the sides of the plates 40 so that when connecting the floorboards 60 together, at least one section of decorative patterns creates a continuous pattern, and the aforementioned, at least one patch of embossed and overlapping patterns created a virtually continuous surface texture on adjacent floorboards.

In accordance with the principles of the present invention, the embossed and aligned embossed floorboard 60 may include a locking mechanism 64 (for example, at least one of the following: tongue-groove system, locking system by latching, etc.) extending along all four the sides of this board 60, which is a multilayer product. For example, a snap-lock system can be added to all four sides of an embossed and aligned floorboard 60 and used to connect a plurality of embossed and aligned floorboards 60 to a flooring system 300 having an embossment with registration (as shown in FIG. 8). The number and location of the locking mechanisms may depend on the desired configuration of said flooring system. For example, if during installation this system is adjacent to a corner, then only two locking mechanisms are needed (along the sides).

As shown in Fig. 8, embossed and overlapped floorboards A and B may, for example, include locking mechanisms located along four lateral sides (for example, along joints J1, J2, J3 and J4). Embossed and overlapped floorboards C and D can, for example, include locking mechanisms located along four sides (for example, along joints J1, J2 and J3, the remaining joint is not shown).

Embossed flooring boards incorporating the aforementioned locking mechanisms can be fixedly bonded together with or without glue to create a multilayer system 300 having overlapping embossing. A plurality of embossed floorboards can be joined together to form any desired shape for a floor covering, flooring, or the like. Combined embossed floorboards can be connected to each other in such a way that at least portions of adjacent embossed embossed floorboards are virtually aligned with each other and create a virtually continuous image and embossed surface texture on adjacent floorboards in the flooring system .

FIGS. 8 and 9 show an exemplary overlapping flooring system 300 having an embossment that includes one type of locking mechanism on each of the individual embossed flooring boards 60. FIG. 9 shows an exemplary overlapping embossing system, which contains floorboards, which include a latch-tongue-type locking mechanism. According to one aspect of the present invention, the latch-type tongue-and-groove fixation mechanism may be an integral part of the embossed side walls with the alignment of the multilayer floorboard 60 to align the embossed and alignment patterns of adjacent floorboards with each other and were substantially continuous in the system flooring.

Fig.9 shows a cross section along the line 9-9 shown in Fig.8. As shown in the drawing, the locking mechanism can be made by creating a groove 230, a tongue 200, a channel 210 and a protrusion 220 extending along the edges of the embossed floorboards 60. The locking mechanisms on the embossed floorboards 60 can be joined by inserting a tab 200 into the groove 230 of the adjacent embossed with the alignment of the floorboard 60. After that, the protrusion 220 is fixed inside the channel 210, as a result, the neighboring embossed with the alignment of the floorboards 60 are connected to the flooring system 300 having embossing with registration. According to one aspect of the present invention, the embossed overlapping floorboards 60, designated A, B, C, and D, can be joined together with or without glue. It must be understood that an integral part of the sides of individual embossed with the combination of floorboards may be fixing mechanisms of other types.

Referring again to FIG. 8, it is shown that each of the floorboards 60 embossed with alignment may, for example, have a ceramic embossed embossment G1. A ceramic pattern on a board can contain many elements in the form of squares, rectangles, triangles, circles, ovals, or in any other shape and design that are separated by lines of cement mortar. According to one aspect of the present invention, the width W _h , W _v of the cement slurry lines and the width W of the inner lines can be substantially equal. When the locking tongue-and-groove locking mechanism is engaged in the embossed with the combination of the floorboards 60, the width of the lines of cement at the joints J1, J2, J3 and J4 on each embossed with the combination of a board A, B, C and D of the laminate is approximately half from the width W of the cement mortar lines inside the boards. For example, the width W _{v of the} vertical line of cement, measured across the joint J1, is the sum of the width of the lines of cement on the laminated laminate boards A, B, C and D, so when these boards are joined at the junction J1, the width W _{v of the} vertical the mortar line is approximately equal to W. Accordingly, the width of the cement mortar line on any single embossed and aligned floorboard 60 at the junction is half of the width W of the inner cement mortar line. According to another aspect of the present invention, the width W _h and W _{v of the} horizontal and vertical lines of the cement slurry can be controlled so that they are actually equal to the width W of the inner lines of the cement slurry. It must be understood, however, that the values of the width of the lines of cement in embossed with combined floorboards depend on the type of fixing mechanism used and the created decorative pattern.

In addition to cement slurry lines in a flooring system having an embossment with registration that is in accordance with the present invention, many other decorative patterns can be used. As shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, it is possible to create a decorative pattern in the form of a surface G2 with a wood texture, which is actually aligned at the joints J5 and J6 of adjacent floorboards. In accordance with the principles of the present invention, wood grain patterns generally include, in comparison with the ceramic pattern, a larger number of elements (for example, texture lines, knot 423, etc.) extending to the perimeter of the floorboards that need to be aligned. Accordingly, alignment of wood texture patterns is generally more difficult compared to alignment of sections of cement mortar lines for a ceramic pattern on boards. For example, the alignment of the first section of wood knot 423 on the embossed with the combination of the floorboard E with the second section of the wood knot 423 on the embossed with the combination of the floorboard F is generally more complicated than the alignment of the lines of cement at the joints of adjacent floorboards. Accordingly, in the manufacture of the fixing mechanism, all graphic elements (e.g., wood texture lines and wood knots 423) must be taken into account to provide a realistic look for the flooring system 400 having embossed and aligned. According to one aspect of the present invention, at least one portion of the decorative pattern can be used as alignment marks, providing appropriate alignment of adjacent floorboards.

According to another aspect of the present invention, the individual floorboards in the overlapping embossed flooring system 400 can be joined together using the mechanical snapping system shown in FIG. 11, which shows a cross section along line 11-11 shown in FIG. 10. Again, the alignment technologies used in the manufacture of the locking mechanism are such that the multi-layer board system 400 having embossing and alignment is characterized by a surface 423 with a texture that is virtually continuous at joints J5 and J6. Alternatively, laminated boards 60 embossed with alignment have a protective soft layer 70 under the bottom sheet 48.

12A and 12B show a floorboard in accordance with the principles of the present invention.

As shown in FIGS. 12A and 12B, the upper surface of the perimeter P of each embossed and aligned floorboard can be removed to a level below the upper surface in portions of the floorboard within said perimeter. An object O (for example, a user's boot, wheel, etc.) in contact with the main surface M _{S of the} floorboard generally does not contact the surface of the perimeter P _S due to its deepening. According to one aspect of the present invention, the perimeter may include a portion of the floorboard extending from its edge by approximately 3.175 mm toward the center of the floorboard. According to another aspect of the present invention, the depth to which the surface of the perimeter of the floorboard is removed is approximately 0.794 mm. According to another aspect of the present invention, the surface of at least one portion of the perimeter of the floorboard may not be removed, as will be discussed in more detail below with reference to FIG. 13.

Accordingly, a pattern embossed with registration can be created at the edges of the floorboard, which can be aligned with embossed patterns with matching created on adjacent floorboards, while premature wear of the edges of each individual floorboard can be prevented.

Although FIGS. 8 and 10 show that the individual floorboards in the flooring system actually have the same size and shape and are connected to each other so that each side of each floorboard is connected to only one adjacent floorboard, it should be understood that the individual floorboards in a flooring system can vary in size (e.g., width and / or length) and shape (e.g., rectangular, square, triangular, hexagonal, etc.). According to one aspect of the present invention, individual floorboards may be complementary in shape with the ability to assemble like a puzzle or mosaic. In addition, one aspect of the present invention contemplates that the sides of individual floorboards may contact more than one adjacent floorboard.

In accordance with the principles of the present invention, floorboards in a flooring system can be installed in such a way that at least one side of each floorboard includes at least one subpanel adjacent to at least two other subpanels. According to another aspect of the present invention, each board may include, in whole or in part, at least one subpanel, as will be discussed in more detail below.

For example, as shown in FIG. 13A, the incomplete subpanel 134A of the board 130A may be a complementary subpanel with respect to the adjacent incomplete subpanel 136B of the board 130B adjacent to the board 130A. With this design, incomplete subpanels 134A and 136B can be designed to look like a single subpanel.

In addition, as shown in FIG. 13A, each of the boards 130A-130F may comprise at least three sub-panels, where at least one sub-panel is a single sub-panel and at least two sub-panels are incomplete sub-panels. For example, 132A is an entire subpanel, while 134A and 136A are incomplete subpanels.

According to one aspect of the present invention, the whole subpanel 132A may have a finished decorative pattern with or without embossed surface texture, which may or may not be combined with said decorative pattern. According to another aspect of the present invention, partial board sub-panels 134A and 136A may have separate unfinished decorative patterns with or without embossed surface textures, which may or may not be combined with said decorative patterns. According to one aspect of the present invention, adjacent incomplete sub-panels of adjacent boards can complement each other so that they create a virtually finished decorative pattern and / or surface texture and look like a virtually continuous whole sub-panel. According to one aspect of the present invention, complementary partial panels may have complementary decorative patterns and / or embossed surface textures. Accordingly, when the complementary incomplete subpanels of adjacent boards are properly aligned, virtually continuous (i.e., finished) decorative pattern and / or embossed surface texture can be created on adjacent complementary incomplete subpanels. According to one aspect of the present invention, the sub-panels within the board may or may not contain virtually the same decorative pattern and / or embossed surface texture.

FIG. 13B schematically shows an example board 130 similar to that shown in FIG. 13A.

According to one aspect of the present invention, the surface areas of the perimeter of each board can be recessed in those places where adjacent subpanels are not complementary. According to another aspect of the present invention, the surface areas of the perimeter of each board may not be recessed in those places where adjacent sub-panels are complementary. Referring to FIG. 13B, portions of the upper surface of the perimeter P of each of the boards 130, indicated by 138a, can be slightly recessed compared to the main surface of each of these boards (see also FIG. 12B) to prevent premature wear of these boards. In addition, portions of the upper surface of the perimeter of each of the boards 130, indicated by the reference number 138b, may be not deepened and may actually be in the same plane with the main surface of the subpanels. Removing only sections of the perimeter surface of each board in places unoccupied with decorative patterns and / or embossed surface textures of incomplete subpanels of the board allows complementary incomplete subpanels to look like part of a whole subpanel, while their durability decreases slightly compared to the total durability of each of the boards. According to another aspect of the present invention, surface areas of each board can be removed at those places where the subpanels of the board are adjacent to each other. As shown in FIG. 13B, portions of the upper surface of each of the boards 130, denoted by 138c, can be slightly recessed compared to the main surface of each of the boards (see also FIG. 12B) to provide a visual and textured effect, demonstrating that each of the subpanels of the board is not part of the same board.

On Figa-14C depicts an exemplary board system flooring, corresponding to another aspect of the present invention.

As shown in FIGS. 14A-14C, similarly to the board shown in FIGS. 13A and 13B, portions of the upper surface of the perimeter P of each of the boards 130, indicated by 138a, can be tapered to prevent premature wear of each of the boards. In addition, portions of the upper surface of the perimeter P of each of the boards 130, indicated by the reference number 138b, can be skewed, as a result of which they are actually in the same plane with the main surface of the subpanels. Milling the perimeter surface of each of the boards in places corresponding to the decorative patterns and / or embossed surface textures of the incomplete subpanels of the board allows the complementary incomplete subpanels to look like part of a single subpanel, while their durability decreases slightly compared to the total durability of each of the boards. According to yet another aspect of the present invention, surface areas of each board may be grooved at locations where subpanels of the board are adjacent to each other.

FIGS. 14B and 14C show cross sections of board 130 along lines I-I ′ and II-II ′, respectively. As shown in FIGS. 14B and 14C, portions of the upper surface of each of the boards 130, indicated by 138c, may be chamfered to create a groove. As a result, the groove provides a visual and textured effect that the subpanels of the board are separate. According to one aspect of the present invention, the bevel in section 138c may create a groove having a substantially V-shape. However, it is understood that the bevel may result in other grooves (for example, U-shaped, etc.). According to one aspect of the present invention, making bevels on each board 130 at a perimeter surface portion 138a creates a groove between adjacent boards. Accordingly, a groove formed between adjacent planks by creating a bevel in section 138a has substantially the same width and shape as grooves formed inside the boards by creating a bevel in section 138c.

The pattern and / or surface texture available on the recessed surface of the perimeter of each board may correspond to the pattern / surface texture available on the main surface of the corresponding board, but may not match. As a result, a virtually continuous pattern and / or surface texture may or may not be present on the perimeter surfaces and inside any individual board, respectively. Alignment marks or markings (not shown) can be used to automatically align the decorative pattern on the boards. According to one aspect of the present invention, the embossed alignment pattern may be of any shape or custom design. You must understand that any embossed with a combination of pattern and any decorative pattern can be implemented using the principles of the present invention. According to one aspect of the present invention, the alignment of the boards can be carried out visually after joining them together. Accordingly, the alignment of the boards 130 can be performed using a decorative pattern and / or embossed surface texture of each of the boards.

Although it is shown that the boards in FIGS. 13A, 13B and 14A-14C are substantially rectangular, the principles of the present invention allow the use of planks in a flooring system with other shapes and sizes (e.g., geometric, arbitrary, etc.) or with different or similar sizes, as a result of which floorboards can be assembled into a mosaic-like structure or other geometrically correct, partially repeating or arbitrary panel construction. In addition, although it is shown that each board contains subpanels of the same kind, the principles of the present invention allow boards in the flooring system to have subpanels of a different kind (for example, a different shape, size, etc.). Individual boards in the flooring system can be cut from the slab so that the joints between the floor panels in this system are not visible. In addition, the boards of the flooring system shown in FIGS. 13 and 14 can be joined together with or without glue. Further, although it is indicated that the embossed surface texture is actually aligned with the underlying decorative pattern, it should be understood that virtually any embossed surface texture can be created on the boards of the present invention without taking into account the underlying decorative pattern. In addition, the decorative patterns and / or embossed surface texture of one board may not align or even differ sufficiently in appearance and / or texture from decorative patterns and / or embossed surface textures of adjacent boards.

In accordance with the principles of the present invention, any of the aforementioned decorative patterns and / or embossed surface textures that can be extruded to match the decorative patterns (collectively referred to as “patterns”) can be implemented on the above boards to create a virtually continuous pattern on neighboring boards installed along a predetermined direction, by creating each of the drawings using at least one main drawing and at least one edge wow drawing.

According to one aspect of the present invention, each edge pattern may be present on a portion of a board perimeter extending along at least one portion of at least one edge of each board. According to another aspect of the present invention, each edge pattern can extend a predetermined distance (for example, approximately one millimeter, one inch, etc.) into the board from its perimeter. According to another aspect of the present invention, at least one main pattern can be placed adjacent to at least one edge pattern, and a region on the edge of the main pattern adjacent to the edge pattern can form a substantially continuous visual / textured pattern with the area of the edge pattern adjacent to the main pattern.

According to one aspect of the present invention, the drawings on separate boards installed next to each other in a predetermined direction in the flooring system can mutually complement the drawings on adjacent boards (i.e., create virtually continuous patterns on adjacent boards) when the edge patterns of adjacent boards form a virtually continuous pattern. If the flooring system described above contains a plurality of adjacent boards installed in a predetermined direction, and if the edges of each board adjoin the edge patterns of other boards in a predetermined direction, the edge patterns of adjacent boards are identical or practically identical. Identical or virtually identical edge patterns of adjacent boards allow you to create a continuous pattern on adjacent boards.

For example, referring to Fig. 15A, an exemplary pattern on a board 150 may comprise two substantially identical edge patterns 152 and a main pattern 154. As shown in Fig. 15A, two substantially identical edge patterns 152 are located in peripheral portions of the board 150 along a portion of opposite edges boards and go a given distance inside this board. As shown in the drawing, the region at the edges of the main pattern 154 adjacent to the marginal patterns 152 creates a substantially continuous pattern with the region of the marginal patterns 152 adjacent to the main pattern.

Referring now to FIG. 15B, a plurality of boards 150A, 150B, 150C, etc., similar to those shown in FIG. 15A, can be installed next to each other in the flooring system in a predetermined direction so that the edges of each board are adjacent to the edges of other boards in a predetermined direction (for example, the edge of the board 150A is adjacent to the edge of the board 150B, the edge of the board 150C is adjacent to the edge of the board 150D, etc.). As mentioned above, a virtually continuous pattern can be created on a separate board 150, since the main pattern 154 is actually aligned with the edge patterns 152.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the predetermined direction in which the boards are installed is determined based on adjacent edge patterns 152 on the boards, as a result of which only when the boards are installed in a predetermined direction will the created patterns be continuous and natural looking. In this embodiment, flipping the board 180 ° C or back will result in an intermittent pattern. However, it is understood that in another embodiment of the present invention, edge patterns located along a portion of the perimeter can be selected in such a way that 180 ° rotation to the back side or otherwise will not disturb the pattern, i.e. drawing will be continuous.

In another embodiment of the present invention, a predetermined direction is set based on a mutual locking mechanism that connects adjacent planks, as a result of which these planks will not be mounted together properly if they are installed in a direction different from said predetermined direction. One example of such a mutual fixation mechanism is a glueless tongue-groove system in which a tongue is formed along at least one edge of the board and a groove is formed along the opposite edge. In a further embodiment of the present invention, a predetermined direction is determined based on both the edge patterns 152 and the glueless fixing mechanism.

In accordance with the principles of the present invention, the main figures 154A-154F may or may not be the same. According to one aspect of the present invention, each of the basic figures 154 in the flooring system may be unique. Furthermore, in accordance with the principles of the present invention, the edge patterns of the individual planks can be virtually identical. Thus, the edge patterns of adjacent boards in the flooring system, on which a substantially continuous pattern is created along a given direction, are also virtually identical. In fact, a continuous pattern can occur on the board 150A, since the main pattern 154A and the edge patterns 152A are aligned with each other to create a virtually continuous pattern. In fact, continuous patterns can occur individually on boards 150B, 150C, etc., since their respective main patterns are 154B, 154C, etc., as well as edge patterns 152B, 152C, etc. similarly aligned relative to each other with the creation of a virtually continuous pattern.

Since the edge patterns of the boards 150A-150F in the flooring system shown in Fig. 15B are identical, the edge pattern 152A creates a virtually continuous pattern with the edge pattern 152B, the edge pattern 152C creates a virtually continuous pattern with the edge pattern 152D, etc. Accordingly, a virtually continuous edge pattern can be created on the boards 150A and 150B, on the boards 150C and 150D, etc. The boundary or junction between the edge pattern 152A and the edge pattern 152B is virtually invisible, or the presence of a border or joint is reduced to a minimum. Similarly, the border or joint between the border pattern 152C and the border pattern 152D is virtually not visible, or the presence of the border or joint is reduced to a minimum. The boundary or junction between the edge pattern 152E and the edge pattern 152F is practically not visible, or the presence of the border or joint is reduced to a minimum.

In one embodiment of the present invention, in which virtually all of the edge patterns 152 are identical, any of the boards 150A-150F can replace any other board in the flooring system while maintaining a substantially continuous pattern between the boards installed next to each other in a predetermined direction . This is due to the fact that all the main drawings of the board are practically aligned with their edge patterns with the creation of virtually continuous patterns on the board, as well as the fact that all edge patterns of the boards adjacent to each other in the flooring system are identical, forming virtually continuous patterns for the boards adjacent to each other in a predetermined direction.

In another embodiment of the present invention, the boards may have substantially identical edge patterns 152 on adjacent right and left edges, while the patterns 152 of the opposite left and right edges are not identical.

For example, in FIG. 15C, the whole subpanel 132 of the board 150 may have a pattern formed by the main pattern 154G, the incomplete subpanel 134 may have the pattern formed by the main pattern 154I and the edge pattern 152, and the incomplete subpanel 136 may have the pattern formed by the main pattern 154H and the edge figure 152, while the main figures 154G-154I may or may not be the same. However, as mentioned above, the edge patterns 152 present on the perimeter portions 134 and 136 of the incomplete sub-panels of the board 150 and extending along a portion of the edges of the board 150 are identical to each other. Accordingly, in FIG. 13A, if, for example, boards 130A and 130B are mounted adjacent to each other in a predetermined direction, edge patterns 152 of complementary incomplete sub-panels 134A and 136B are virtually identical to each other, and a virtually continuous pattern can be created on adjacent boards, in this case, the main drawings of complementary incomplete subpanels become part of a virtually continuous pattern and look visually and / or textured as a single subpanel.

In addition, FIGS. 15C and 15D show flooring systems comprising boards similar to those shown in FIGS. 13A-14C, which may have substantially continuous patterns on boards adjacent to each other in predetermined directions by using the techniques described above. with reference to Fig.15A and 15B. FIG. 15D shows boards having a wood texture design and installed as shown in FIG. 15B. Since the edge pattern 152A is virtually identical to the neighboring edge pattern 152B, the boards 150A and 150B have a virtually continuous wood texture pattern passing without interruption through the border or joint between the edge pattern 152A and the edge pattern 152B of the adjacent board.

In addition to this, since the edge patterns 152A and 152B do not extend along the entire border or joint between the boards 150A and 150B, but only along the part corresponding to the height of the lower half of the boards, the pattern is not continuous at the border between the boards 150A and 150B and differs in that part that corresponds to the upper half of these boards.

As mentioned above, in a flooring system including boards shown in FIGS. 13A-14C and 15C, the main drawings on sub-panels of these boards may or may not be the same. According to one aspect of the present invention, each of the basic patterns in a flooring system may be unique.

FIG. 15E shows an embodiment of the present invention in which edge patterns are identical (or virtually identical) to all boards. More specifically, FIG. 15E depicts four boards 150A, 150B, 150C, and 150D mounted so that board 150A is adjacent to the left edge of board 150B and to the upper edge of board 150C. Board 150D is adjacent to the right edge of the board 150C and to the lower edge of the board 150B.

In this embodiment, the decorative paper of each board has the appearance of wood. It is understood, however, that this invention also contemplates the use of the appearance of other natural materials. The wood pattern on board 150A includes, for example, a finished plank or strip 155A in the upper half of the plank, a short unfinished plank 151A, and a long unfinished plank 153A. Each of these planks has a wood grain pattern. In addition to this, the short and long unfinished planks 151A and 153A have an edge pattern 152 extending along a portion of the board perimeter corresponding to the width of said planks, this pattern can extend a small distance (e.g., one centimeter) inside these planks. The edge patterns 152 of the unfinished trims 151A and 153A are identical. In addition, the edge patterns 152 may not extend inside said slats.

Similarly, boards 150B, 150C, and 150D comprise respectively finished strips 155B, 155C, and 155D extending along the length of the board, and short strips 151B, 151C, and 151D adjacent to the long strips 153B, 153C, and 153D, respectively. Each of the short and long planks may have an identical edge pattern 152 along a portion of the perimeter of the board corresponding to the width of the short and long planks.

All short planks 151A-151D, long planks 153A-153D, and finished planks 155A-155D have wood grain patterns that differ from one another or are somewhat similar. In this particular example, only the edge patterns 152 in the unfinished trims are identical. In addition, the edge pattern and the inner wood grain pattern of each unfinished plank create a continuous pattern. In other words, there is a continuous overall pattern in the form of wood texture on each of the short and long planks, all of which are different from each other, despite the fact that the edge patterns 152 are the same.

When the boards 150A and 150B are installed side by side, as shown in FIG. 15E, the finished strips 155A and 155B will be adjacent to each other, the long strip 153A and the short strip 151B will also be adjacent to each other. Finished planks 155A and 155B look like separate planks, and the wood grain pattern on one of them is not a continuation of the pattern on the other, since the adjacent edges of the finished planks are different. But because the edge patterns 152 on the long strip 153A and the short strip 151B are the same, the mentioned strips with unique patterns look like one continuous strip with a unique pattern in the form of a wood texture passing through the boards 150A and 150B. In addition, the appearance of a finished and continuous plank with a unique pattern in the form of a wood texture passing along planks 153A and 151B through the boards minimizes the visibility or visibility of the joint or border between the boards. Likewise, a wood grain pattern running through slats 153C and 151D is continuous.

In a further embodiment of the present invention, boards 150A, 150B, 150C and 150D may have an embossed surface texture combined with a wood pattern on decorative paper. Since the edge patterns 152 are part of this pattern and can be the same or virtually identical on each board, the embossed surface texture will look continuous along the unfinished planks of adjacent planks, as described above. In another embodiment of the present invention, the embossed and aligned surface texture may include bevels to simulate seams between the strips, for example, on board 150A, the finished strip 155A will have a bevel running along its perimeter, including the boundary between said strip and unfinished strips 151A and 153A. Unfinished planks 151A and 153A will have a bevel at the point of contact, but unfinished planks will not have a bevel along the portion of the perimeter of the board 150A, where the edge patterns 152 are located. In this case, a continuous pattern in the form of a wood texture and the corresponding surface texture embossed with combination may pass continuously through the boards 150A and 150B, not interrupted by beveling. This will further reduce the noticeability of the border between the boards.

Given the identity of all edge patterns 152, the present invention makes it possible for any boards to be mounted together in a predetermined direction in which the long bar 153 is adjacent to the short bar 151 of the other board, since the edge patterns 152 will always be in line, forming the appearance continuous drawing in the form of wood texture passing through the adjacent long and short plank of two boards. For example, if the position of the boards 150A and 150B is reversed (as a result of which the board 150B will adjoin the upper edge of the board 150C), then the edge pattern 152 of the long strip 153B will complement or align with the edge pattern of the short strip 151A, forming a continuous pattern in the form wood textures on strips 153B and 151A through boards 150B and 150A.

The present invention reduces the complexity of installing a laminate floor, since it does not matter which boards are installed adjacent to each other in a given direction. Drawings will be aligned. In a further embodiment of the present invention, the boards 150 are provided with a glueless tongue-groove mutual fixation system in which the tongue is created on two adjacent sides of the board and the groove is created on the opposite two adjacent sides of the board, as a result of which the boards can only be mounted together in the direction when the long strips 153 will line up with the short strips 151, for example, when edge patterns 152 adjoin.

In the above exemplary embodiment of the present invention, decorative patterns and design elements, for example wooden stripes, pass through separate adjacent boards. At the same time, the pattern in the form of strips of wood has a length equal to the length of the board to make interchangeability of boards possible, thus providing easy installation.

On Fig shows another exemplary embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the flooring system, comprising at least two separate boards 160 and 161, has a pattern in the form of a wood texture, including patterns imitating wood stripes. The flooring system has patterns in the form of strips of wood that pass through adjacent boards and can have a total length equal to the double length of one board. In particular, the flooring system shown in FIG. 16 includes a first board 160 and a second board 161. The first board 160 includes an upper wooden strip 164 and a lower wooden strip 165. At the first edge of the upper wooden strip 164 there is an edge pattern 162 selected so so as to continue the wood grain pattern, continuing from the wood strip 164 to the adjacent board. The lower wood strip 165 includes an edge pattern 163 located at the edge of the strip on the side of the board, which is opposite to the edge of the board where the edge pattern 162 is located on the top strip 164. The edge pattern (also called the “continuity pattern”) 163 continues the pattern in the same way. in the form of wood texture, continuing from the bottom strip 165 to the adjacent board. In alternative cases of this embodiment of the present invention, edge patterns 162 and 163 may differ or may be identical.

As noted previously, a variety of materials can be used to make the boards of the present invention. These materials may include real wood, composite materials made of wood or plastic, such as chipboard or laminates. The boards may also include decorative paper or hardwood veneer containing decorative patterns. In alternative embodiments of the present invention, the boards can be made from one variety of solid wood with veneers of another variety of dense wood on the surface that are finely cut so that the edge patterns are aligned as previously discussed.

Wooden stripes have a basic pattern in areas other than the edges. The basic design matches the underlying design. In other words, the main pattern can be a wood texture, stone, marbled finish or some other pattern. The edge patterns 162 and 163 are a continuation of the main pattern, with the result that the edge and main patterns form a continuous pattern. Patterns 168 and 169 of the seams are not a continuation of the main pattern, in order to enhance the noticeability of the lack of continuity between adjacent main patterns.

The second board 161 includes an upper strip 166 and a lower strip 167. The upper strip 166 includes an edge pattern 162 on the edge of the board opposite the edge where the edge pattern 162 is located on the upper strip 164 of the first board 160. Similarly, the lower strip 167 includes the edge pattern 163. extending along the edge of the board 161 opposite the edge where the edge pattern 163 is located on the first board 160. Other embodiments of the present invention involve a greater number of bands in addition to the top and bottom.

The first wooden strip 160 includes a decorative pattern, which is a seam between the decorative patterns of wooden stripes. On the upper strip 164, there is a seam pattern 168 on the edge of the board opposite the edge where the edge pattern 162 is located, and there is a finished seam pattern 169 between the upper strip 164 and the lower strip 165. In addition, there is a seam pattern 168 on the edge of the lower strip 165, opposite to the edge of the lower strip where the edge pattern 163 is located.

Similarly, on the second plank 161, there is a seam pattern 168 on the edge of the plank opposite the edge where the edge pattern 162 is located, and there is a seam pattern 168 on the edge of the plank opposite the edge where the edge pattern 163 is located. In addition, between the upper strip 166 and the bottom strip 167 is a seam pattern 169.

Seam patterns 168 may have a full width, i.e. their width may be equal to the thickness of the seam pattern 169, or alternatively, the width of the seam pattern 168 may be half the width of the seam pattern 169, as a result of which, when two adjacent seam patterns 168 are placed next to each other, they form a seam with a thickness equal to the thickness of the pattern is 169 seams.

When the floorboard 160 is installed next to the floorboard 161, the lower strips 165 and 167 are located next to each other and the edge patterns 163, located at the edges of the board at opposite ends of the wooden strips 165 and 167, adjoin each other with the creation of a continuous pattern of a wooden strip, passing through a wooden board 160 and a wooden board 161, forming a strip of wood, the length of which is twice the length of the floorboards 160 or 161. The wooden strip runs from one end of the floorboard 160 to the remote end of the second board 161. If On the other side of the second floorboard 161, an additional first floorboard 160 is installed, then the upper wooden strip 166 of the second floorboard 161 will be adjacent to the upper wooden strip 164 of the first floorboard 160, as a result of which the edge patterns 162 and the upper strips 166 and 164 will adjoin each other to a friend, forming a wooden strip extending over the top of adjacent floorboards 161 and 160, which is the double length of the individual floorboards. As a result, using only two separate boards, the flooring system according to the present invention can reproduce a pattern of wooden strips in which the length of the pattern on the strip is two lengths of the board.

In alternative cases of this embodiment, the patterns of 168 seams at the edges of the board are replaced with a pattern that is not a continuation of the main pattern located in the center of the strip, but aligned with the corresponding pattern on the adjacent board, which also does not serve as a continuation.

The present invention is not limited to wood grain patterns, but also involves the use of stone and marble patterns, as well as artificial or artistic patterns. In another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, using a marble pattern instead of a wood grain pattern, the edge patterns 162 and 163 may be parts of a marble finish that are aligned with the corresponding edge pattern of an adjacent board to create a continuous marble finish on the boards, resulting in the appearance of a marble strip or tile longer than the physical length of the board.

In further embodiments, the present invention includes the use of beveled and embossed edges with a combination of surface textures in addition to decorative patterns. In particular, the bevel can be extruded or cut over the seam patterns 168 and 169 so that the bevel has the same width as the seam pattern, resulting in further enhancing the optical effect of the individual planks. In addition, boards 160 and 161 may have an embossed surface texture that is combined with a decorative pattern, while the embossed and combined texture includes the corresponding surface textures for edge patterns 162 and 163. In this case, the embossed and aligned surface textures pass continuously from one board to next. In addition to this, the installation of boards is simplified, since the flooring system has only two different boards. The boards are interlaced in such a way that the floorboard 160 is alternated with the floorboard 161 in a horizontal direction to create wooden strips whose length is two lengths of the floorboard, as a result of which the wooden strips above and below the planks are staggered.

The present invention contemplates additional options, such as the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 16B, according to which the flooring system includes four different floorboards. These four floorboards include the first and second floorboards 160 and 161 shown in FIG. 16A, as well as two additional floorboards 171 and 172. The third floorboard 171 includes an upper strip 173 and a lower strip 174. In this case, the upper strip 173 has a seam pattern 168 at both edges of the board, and the bottom strip 174 has a border pattern 163 at both ends of the board. In addition, the fourth board 172 has an upper strip 175 and a lower strip 176, where the upper strip 175 has an edge pattern 162 at both ends of the board, and the lower strip 176 is limited to seam patterns 168. In this flooring system, boards can be installed next to each other, provided that they have seam patterns 168 that will adjoin each other in the same strip, as well as edge patterns 162 or 163 that will adjoin each other on two adjoining boards. As noted earlier, seam patterns 168 may be replaced with other patterns that are not a continuation of the main pattern located in the center of the strip.

In this exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 16B, the board 160 may be placed adjacent to the floorboards 171 and 161 on the first side of these boards (the left side in FIG. 16B) or may be placed adjacent to the floorboards 161 and 172 on the second side of these boards (right side in FIG. 16B). Similarly, the floorboard 171 can be installed next to the boards 160 or 161 on the first or left side or can be installed next to another board 171 either on the first (left) or second (right) side. Board 161 can be installed to the right of board 160 or board 171 or to the left of board 172 and board 160. Finally, board 172 can be installed to the right of board 161 or to the right of another board 172 or to the left of board 160 or to the left of another board 172. This provides a number of combinations or designs of four floorboards, which leads to the creation of a number of wooden strips in the overall floor pattern, having different lengths greater than or equal to the length of one floorboard. For example, if the boards 160, 171, 161 and 172 are installed next to each other, as shown in Fig. 16B, then the resulting floor pattern will include wooden strips whose length is equal to the length of one board in the upper part of the board 171 and the lower part of the board 172. In this case, the floor pattern will also include wooden strips whose length is three lengths of the floorboard, for example, a wooden strip extending from the lower strip of the plank 160 through the lower strip of the plank 171 to the edge of the lower strip of the plank 161 at the distal end of the plank. In addition to this, boards 171 or 172 can be duplicated next to each other as many times as necessary to further increase the length of the wooden strip in the floor pattern to several lengths of one board. This is possible, since the boards 171 and 172 have wooden strips 174 and 172, respectively, which are not limited on both sides by seam patterns 168 or 169, which disrupt continuity, but have edge pattern 163 or 162 on both sides. In this case, the flooring system depicted in Figv and containing floorboards 160, 161, 171 and 172, is able to provide wooden strips of variable considerable length without increasing the overall complexity of this system.

More specifically, the installer can install any floorboard next to any other floorboard in such a way that there will be an edge pattern or a disruption pattern (for example, seam pattern 168) adjacent to the corresponding pattern on the corresponding strip of the adjacent boards. Thus, the installer is able to create a floor pattern using four different boards of this system, knowing that the installation complexity will not increase beyond the requirement that the seam pattern 168 be installed next to another seam pattern 168 and / or that the seam pattern 169 should be installed next to another pattern 169.

The flooring system can be further simplified to the necessity of using only three different boards: boards 160, 161 and any of the boards 171 or 172. For example, in the version with boards 160, 161 and 171, any number of boards 171 can be placed between the boards 160, 161 as shown in Fig. 16B, to create a very long wooden strip formed by adjacent lower strips 165, a plurality of strips 174 and strips 167. In addition, boards 160 and 161 can be mounted next to each other to create patterns of wooden strips with a length of equal to two lengths of boards Formed by the two upper and two lower wooden strips. Further, since in this embodiment it is necessary that only the edge patterns are identical, the inner patterns of the finished, long and short planks on the boards can vary, providing a more natural appearance of the floor.

The number of boards in the flooring system can be further reduced to two. FIG. 16C depicts another embodiment of the present invention using two boards 181 and 182. The first board 181 includes a discontinuous seam pattern 183, an upper edge pattern 184 corresponding to the upper wood strip of the board 181, and lower edge patterns 185 on opposite sides bottom wooden strip. The second board 182 includes an edge pattern 184 on the upper strip of the board from the edge opposite to the position of the edge pattern 184 on the first board 181. The disruptive pattern 183 is located on the edge of the board opposite to the edge where the edge pattern 184 is located. The lower strip of the board 182 includes edge patterns 185 on the opposite edges of this board, while between the edge patterns 185 inside the lower strip are two adjacent patterns that violate the continuity.

When the first and second boards are installed next to each other in the horizontal direction so that the edge patterns 184 or 185 of different stripes are adjacent to each other, the result is a checkerboard pattern of wooden stripes, the length of which is equal to two lengths of the board.

In another embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 16D, two boards 186 and 187 comprise a set of edge patterns 184 and 185 and disruptive patterns 183 that are different from similar patterns on the two boards shown in FIG. 16C. In particular, the first board 186 has edge patterns 184 at both ends of the upper strip with a discontinuity pattern between them 18, and edge patterns 185 at both ends of the lower stripe also with a discontinuity pattern between them. The second board 187 has an upper strip with edge patterns 184 at both ends and a lower strip with edge patterns 185 at both ends. The second board 187 does not include any patterns that violate the continuity. When placing the boards 186 and 187 next to each other and alternating as a result, a floor pattern appears with wooden stripes, the length of which is equal to two lengths of the board. In addition, since in this embodiment, the board 187 does not contain disruptive patterns, a plurality of such boards can be installed next to each other to increase the length of the wooden strips to any length that is a multiple of the length of the board.

It is understood that in the embodiments of the present invention shown in FIGS. 16C and 16D, edge patterns 184 and 185 may be the same or different. In addition, it is understood that the boards are not required to contain more than one strip as part of their pattern. For example, FIG. 16E depicts an embodiment using two boards 188 and 189, each of which contains only a portion of one strip. Board 188 has a disruptive pattern 183 at the first end and a continuity edge pattern 184 at the opposite second end. Board 189 has a disruptive pattern 183 at the second end and a continuity edge pattern 184 at the first end. As a result, boards 188 and 189 can be mounted side by side in the horizontal direction to create a single strip pattern in which the strip length is two lengths of the board and the strip width is equal to the width of the board.

Another exemplary embodiment of the present invention depicted in FIG. 17 includes boards 188 and 189 shown in FIG. 16E, but in addition to them includes a third board 190 and a fourth board 191. The third board 190 contains continuity patterns 183 on both the ends, and the fourth board 191 contains continuity edge patterns 184 at both ends.

When using these four different boards, the floor pattern may contain stripes with a length practically equal to the length of one board, two boards or three or more boards, depending on the number of duplicated third boards installed next to each other. In an example case, the boards are installed next to each other in several lines in the following order: the first board 188, the second board 189, the fourth board 191 and the third board 190.

Four boards 188-191 provide additional benefits in that the boards can be made using decorative paper, which is compressed and cut into boards, which are then packaged in cardboard boxes for transportation and sale. When using decorative paper, the width of which allows you to fit the pattern of four boards, it makes sense to place four different boards on one sheet of decorative paper. In this case, the drawings of the boards are pressed with a plate, embossed, cut into real boards and transported together in one cardboard box.

On Fig depicts an embodiment of the present invention, in which the flooring system includes four floorboards. This system includes boards 200, 202, 204 and 206, each of which has a surface pattern containing fairly long horizontal stripes. Boards 200, 204 and 206 have the same layout of the strips. At the bottom of these boards is one finished strip 205 with discontinuous edge patterns 203 on both sides of this strip at the ends of the board. A specific pattern, for example a wood grain pattern of each finished strip 205A, 205C and 205D, may be the same or different for the respective boards 200, 204 and 206.

In the upper part of the boards there are two adjacent unfinished strips 208 and 209, separated by a disruptive pattern 207, which looks like a seam or joint. A specific pattern, such as a wood grain pattern, unfinished stripes 208A, 208C, 208D and unfinished stripes 209A, 209C, 209D, may be the same or different on each of the boards 200, 204 and 206, respectively. The defined area at the edge or end of the board, where the unfinished strips 208 and 209 protrude to the edge of the board, is a continuity edge pattern 201 that is the same for all four boards 200, 202, 204 and 206. The continuity edge pattern 201 creates continuity and transition to the general or main pattern of the strips 208 and 209, while although the main patterns of the unfinished strips 208A, 208C, 208D, 209A, 209C and 209D may be different, the said border pattern is the same. In this case, when any of the boards 200, 202, 204 and 206 are installed next to each other, continuity edge patterns of adjacent unfinished strips of various boards, for example 209A, 208C, are aligned with the appearance of one finished strip that passes through the upper part for more than one board.

The disruptive pattern 207 may be identical to the disruptive pattern 203, similar to two disruptive patterns 203 installed next to each other, or may be completely different from the disruptive pattern 203. The boards 200, 204 and 206 differ in the position of the disruptive pattern 207 in horizontal direction at the top of these boards. In other words, the length of the pairs of unfinished stripes 208 and 209 may differ in each of the boards 200, 204 and 206. For example, the lengths of the unfinished stripes 208C and 209C of the board 204 are different from the lengths of the unfinished stripes 208D and 209D of the board 206. Thus, although the boards 200, 204 and 206 have the same layout for providing continuity of edge patterns 201 that violate the continuity of edge patterns 203, unfinished and finished strips 208 and 209, the length of these unfinished strips varies. In this case, the floor made of boards 200, 202, 204 and 206 will have a more arbitrary and natural appearance due to the difference in the length of the finished strips formed by placing the unfinished strips next to each other.

As shown in FIG. 18, the flooring system may also include a board 202 comprising one finished strip 205B at the bottom that is bounded at the ends of the board by a non-continuous edge pattern 203, and one unfinished strip 210 at the top that includes a continuous edge Figure 201 in the area near the edge of the board. Board 202 can be used to increase the visible length of an unfinished strip by the length of one board. For example, if the boards 200, 202 and 204 are installed next to each other, a view of three finished strips of equal length with a long finished stripe above them is formed. In addition, since the placement of the disruptive pattern 207 on the boards 200 and 204 is different, the length of said long finished strip will not be a multiple of the length of the board.

On Fig shows the following alternative implementation of the present invention, in which the flooring system includes four boards 220-223. Each of the three planks 221-223 includes a disruptive pattern 224 located in different positions in their decorative pattern, resulting in two unfinished strips 226A and 227A, 226B and 227B, 226C and 227C, respectively. The length of the unfinished strips 226 and 227 on the boards is different due to the different position that violates the continuity of the pattern 224. One of the boards, the board 220, does not include the disturbing pattern 224 and therefore contains a decorative pattern that creates only one unfinished stripe. Part of the decorative pattern near the edge of the board forms a continuous edge pattern 225, which is the same on both sides of all four boards 220-223 in the flooring system. Providing continuity, the edge pattern creates a transition to the general decorative pattern of the board and is a part of it, and when installed next to another edge pattern of another board, it continues the decorative pattern without a visible transition from one board to the next. By using a flooring system comprising four different boards shown in FIG. 19, a floor pattern can be created in which the wood strips can have many different lengths, including lengths exceeding the length of one or two boards, which will not necessarily be a multiple of the length of the board .

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that many modifications and changes can be made to the present invention without departing from its spirit or scope. Thus, it is intended that the present invention covers all modifications and changes that do not fall outside the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims (22)

1. A flooring system comprising: a plurality of different floorboards, wherein at least the first and second boards of the plurality have a first edge pattern extending along a portion of the edge of the board and a second edge pattern extending along the remaining portion of this edge of the board, wherein the first and second edge patterns are placed on the side of the first board opposite to the side on which these first and second edge patterns are placed on the second board, and the position of the first and second edge patterns on the same edge of the first board is different are taken from the positions of these figures on the opposite edge of the first board. 2. The flooring system according to claim 1, which further comprises a main pattern located in the inner region of said first board. 3. The flooring system of claim 1, wherein the first edge pattern further comprises a portion of the decorative pattern, which is a continuation of the main pattern, the second edge pattern containing a disruptive pattern. 4. The flooring system of claim 2, wherein the decorative pattern of the first regional pattern is a wood grain pattern, while the pattern that violates the continuity is a seam. 5. The flooring system according to claim 1, which further comprises a third plank having a first edge pattern running along the same part at both edges of the board, and a second edge pattern running along the same different part on both sides of the board. 6. The flooring system of claim 4, further comprising a fourth floorboard having a first edge pattern extending along a portion of both edges of the board, said part being different from those parts of the third board where the second edge pattern is located. 7. The flooring system of claim 1, wherein the first edge pattern and the second edge pattern are made different from each other. 8. The flooring system according to claim 1, in which the first edge pattern and the second edge pattern have the same height, but are located on opposite sides of the first and second floorboards. 9. A flooring system comprising a plurality of planks, each of which has a plurality of edge patterns located along its edges such that each of the edge patterns is placed along opposite edges of the floorboards, whereby the edge patterns of any of the plurality of boards are aligned with the edge drawings of at least two others from a plurality of floorboards when two boards are installed next to the first floorboard. 10. The flooring system of claim 9, wherein at least one of the plurality of different boards has such an arrangement of edge patterns such that the arrangement of a plurality of edge patterns on one side of the board corresponds to the placement of edge patterns on the opposite side of the board. 11. The flooring system of claim 9, wherein at least one of the plurality of different boards has an arrangement of edge patterns on one side of the board that is opposite to an arrangement of edge patterns on the opposite side of the board. 12. A flooring system comprising a first board; second board; the first edge pattern on the part of the first edge of the first board and on the part of the second opposite side of the second board; and a second edge pattern on a part of the second edge of the first board and on a part of the first edge of the second board. 13. The flooring system of claim 12, further comprising a second edge pattern on a portion of the first edge of the first board substantially opposite to that part of the second edge of the first board where the second edge pattern is located. 14. The flooring system of claim 13, further comprising a first edge pattern on a portion of the second edge of the first board substantially opposite to that part of the first edge of the first board where the first edge pattern is located. 15. The flooring system of claim 13, further comprising a disruptive pattern between the second edge patterns of the first board. 16. The flooring system of claim 12, wherein the first edge pattern is a disruptive pattern. 17. The flooring system of claim 15, further comprising a disruptive pattern between the first edge patterns of the first board. 18. A system of building panels comprising: a plurality of different boards having an internal decorative pattern, each of the boards having a first edge and a second edge opposite this first edge; ensuring the continuity of the edge pattern on at least part of the first edge of at least two of the many different boards; ensuring the continuity of the edge pattern on at least part of the second edge of at least two of the many different boards; a boundary pattern disrupting the continuity of at least a portion of the first edge of at least two of the plurality of different boards; and disrupting the continuity of the edge pattern on at least part of the second edge of at least two of the many different boards. 19. The system of building panels of claim 18, wherein the at least one different board of the plurality of different boards has a continuous edge pattern along the entire first and second edges of the board. 20. The system of building panels according to claim 18, wherein the different boards further comprise a third edge and a fourth edge opposite this third edge, with a continuous edge pattern extending along at least a portion of the third edge. 21. The system of building panels according to claim 20, which further comprises a continuous edge pattern extending along at least a portion of the fourth edge, and none of the edge patterns providing continuity at the first, second, third or fourth edges adjoins any another continuity edge pattern located on the other edge. 22. The system of building panels according to claim 18, which is a system of panels for flooring, and the boards are floorboards.

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