Classifications

• • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
  • E04—BUILDING
  • E04F—FINISHING WORK ON BUILDINGS, e.g. STAIRS, FLOORS
  • E04F13/00—Coverings or linings, e.g. for walls or ceilings
  • E04F13/07—Coverings or linings, e.g. for walls or ceilings composed of covering or lining elements; Sub-structures therefor; Fastening means therefor
  • E04F13/08—Coverings or linings, e.g. for walls or ceilings composed of covering or lining elements; Sub-structures therefor; Fastening means therefor composed of a plurality of similar covering or lining elements
  • E04F13/14—Coverings or linings, e.g. for walls or ceilings composed of covering or lining elements; Sub-structures therefor; Fastening means therefor composed of a plurality of similar covering or lining elements stone or stone-like materials, e.g. ceramics concrete; of glass or with an outer layer of stone or stone-like materials or glass
• • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
  • E04—BUILDING
  • E04F—FINISHING WORK ON BUILDINGS, e.g. STAIRS, FLOORS
  • E04F15/00—Flooring
  • E04F15/02—Flooring or floor layers composed of a number of similar elements
  • E04F15/02194—Flooring consisting of a number of elements carried by a non-rollable common support plate or grid
• • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
  • E04—BUILDING
  • E04F—FINISHING WORK ON BUILDINGS, e.g. STAIRS, FLOORS
  • E04F15/00—Flooring
  • E04F15/02—Flooring or floor layers composed of a number of similar elements
  • E04F15/08—Flooring or floor layers composed of a number of similar elements only of stone or stone-like material, e.g. ceramics, concrete; of glass or with a top layer of stone or stone-like material, e.g. ceramics, concrete or glass
  • E04F15/082—Flooring or floor layers composed of a number of similar elements only of stone or stone-like material, e.g. ceramics, concrete; of glass or with a top layer of stone or stone-like material, e.g. ceramics, concrete or glass with a top layer of stone or stone-like material, e.g. ceramics, concrete or glass in combination with a lower layer of other material
  • E04F15/087—The lower layer being of organic plastic with or without reinforcements or filling materials
• • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
  • E04—BUILDING
  • E04F—FINISHING WORK ON BUILDINGS, e.g. STAIRS, FLOORS
  • E04F15/00—Flooring
  • E04F15/02—Flooring or floor layers composed of a number of similar elements
  • E04F15/10—Flooring or floor layers composed of a number of similar elements of other materials, e.g. fibrous or chipped materials, organic plastics, magnesite tiles, hardboard, or with a top layer of other materials
  • E04F15/105—Flooring or floor layers composed of a number of similar elements of other materials, e.g. fibrous or chipped materials, organic plastics, magnesite tiles, hardboard, or with a top layer of other materials of organic plastics with or without reinforcements or filling materials

Definitions

• the present invention generally relates to surface covering panels for covering floors, walls or ceilings. It relates more specifically to such panels comprising a ceramic facing.
• the mortar thus has the dual function of keeping the tile in position relative to its neighbors and strengthening the ceramic so as to make it more resistant to impact and bending.
• the effectiveness of such glue-cements has become such that in recent years the thickness of ceramic tiles has decreased while their surface area has increased.
• WO 2004/097141 proposes for example a floor covering panel comprising a wooden support layer of generally rectangular shape, on the front face of which are fixed by gluing, two ceramic tiles. The edges of the wooden support are machined to obtain profiles allowing their interlocking according to the well-known principles of so-called "floating" parquet.
• the present invention results from the observation of the disadvantages of the solutions of the state of the art in the field of flooring panels, especially those with ceramic facing, and aims to provide an advantageous alternative particularly designed for this type of products.
• a method of manufacturing a surface coating panel comprising an outer (or decorative) layer on a support layer.
• the support layer has a front face facing the outer layer and an opposite rear face, and presents coupling means.
• the support layer is manufactured by polymer injection molding.
• the choice of the polymer injection molding technique for producing the support layer has many advantages. This makes it possible to produce a support with the chosen dimensions and to simultaneously form the coupling means. In this way, a "finished" support is obtained in a much simpler, faster and more economical way than with MDF or HDF support layers which require, in addition to the initial manufacture of the boards, a cut to size and a machining of the fields.
• injection molding allows great flexibility in the choice of shapes, whether the general shape of the panel itself, or the shape of the coupling means.
• the method according to the invention is particularly well suited, but not limited, to the manufacture of surface coating panels of the type comprising a decorative outer layer (or facing) of hard material such as ceramic, rock or stone. , especially in the form of tile (x). Such panels thus allow a floating installation of tiles.
• the use of polymer for the support layer makes it possible to take advantage of the range of mechanical properties of the polymers for reinforcing the ceramic outer layer, and thus to improve the flexural strength and impact resistance of ceramic tile.
• injection molding advantageously provides a rear face of the backing layer with a backing structure for increasing flexural and impact strength.
• a reinforcing structure comprises for example reinforcing ribs and / or recessed areas.
• the rear face of the support layer is molded so as to have a network of ribs forming a wall structure.
• the process according to the invention was initially developed for the production of panels with a decorative layer made of tile (x) of ceramics or stones, various types of materials can nevertheless be envisaged for the top layer: wood, polymers, glass , enamel, melamine decorations or even metal sheets.
• the outer layer itself may consist of several superimposed and / or adjacent layers. It will thus be possible to produce floor coverings, walls or ceilings with various aspects.
• the outer layer is preferably securely bonded to the support layer.
• the outer layer is placed in place on the latter, preferably by means of an adhesive (film or glue).
• an adhesive film or glue
• the outer layer consists for example of a single ceramic tile, it is sufficient to apply the adhesive (on the front face of the support and / or the rear face of the tile), then to put them in contact . If the outer layer consists of several tiles, we can:
• the connection between the outer layer and the support layer is during the injection molding of the latter.
• the outer layer e.g. one (or more) ceramic tile, in the bottom of the injection mold before the introduction of the polymer.
• the support layer is then molded in direct contact with the rear face of the outer layer.
• a thermoplastic or hot-melt adhesive film at the decor / support interface eg placed on the back side of the decorative outer layer in the injection mold
• the injected material is advantageously formulated to be made compatible with the ceramic and cause a slight shrinkage.
• the tensions generated by this low shrinkage will be collected by the ceramics (work essentially compres- sion so easily bearable) which will allow the respect of the dimensions of the reinforcement piece.
• Polypropylene is particularly preferred for the support layer.
• the coupling means may be designed to allow a tongue and groove type interlocking.
• the grooves and tongues may comprise a mechanical locking system in the transverse direction, and / or be designed for angular interlocking (with or without "click").
• the coupling means may be designed to cooperate with separate coupling elements.
• a surface coating panel particularly of floor, comprising an outer layer on a support layer, the support layer having a front face facing said outer layer and an opposite rear face, and having coupling means adapted to cooperate with the coupling means of a panel of the same type.
• the support layer is injection molded polymer.
• the injection molding technique makes it possible to manufacture the support layer simply and quickly, including with complex shapes of the panel and coupling means.
• the outer layer is placed in the mold to be joined to the support layer during the molding thereof, there is obtained in a single step of manufacture a ready-to-use panel, thus comprising a decorative outer layer, a support layer with its coupling means, and preferably a reinforcing structure.
• the outer layer comprises one or more tiles (x) of hard material, such as for example ceramic, rock or stone. Rectangular tiles are in practice the easiest to use for reasons of symmetry, one can nevertheless consider a variety of forms.
• a plastic support is particularly advantageous in this application with an outer layer of ceramic tiles or other hard materials, because the use of a plastic support layer to which the (or the) tile is firmly bonded (x) strengthens the ceramic to achieve sufficient values of flexural strength and impact resistance compatible with domestic use.
• Increased reinforcement can be advantageously obtained by playing on the design of the rear face of the support layer, and in particular by realizing a structure of reinforcement with ribs and recesses.
• Such a panel with ceramic outer layer thus makes it possible to produce tiled surfaces in floating laying, and constitutes a very interesting alternative for the realization of tiled surfaces: - the laying is easy for a particular and no longer requires the use of cement glue nor the use of a professional;
• the coating can be completely disassembled and the new coating installed, without changing the level;
• the installation can be performed over a wooden screed (or derivative) and on old coatings difficult to remove such floors or textile glued, or even directly on concrete.
• An important aspect in making a tile is the presence of joints between adjacent tiles to seal the surface.
• the present invention provides the use of resilient seals designed to fill the gap separating two adjacent panels. Where appropriate, these elastic seals may comprise recessed portions for the coupling means connecting the adjacent panels.
• the panel according to the invention comprises at least one peripheral seal (in a softer polymer, eg in flexible pvc) which is injected in contact with the support layer, for example using the technique bi-injection.
• a separate coupling means in the form of a plastic profile comprises at least two coupling portions to be able to join two panels of this type.
• the coupling means then comprise corresponding housings intended to cooperate with the shaped coupling portions. These housings are preferably located in the rear face of the support layer.
• each separate coupling element is advantageously provided with first locking means which cooperate with second locking means in the walls of the corresponding housings in the support layer.
• first locking means which cooperate with second locking means in the walls of the corresponding housings in the support layer.
• a construction kit comprising panels as defined above, separate coupling elements adapted to cooperate with the coupling means of at least two of these panels to couple them in a assembly plan. If the panels are not provided with peripheral seals, the kit advantageously comprises separate seals able to be inserted between the gap separating two adjacent panels.
• FIG. 1 a simplified perspective view of a preferred embodiment of a panel according to the invention
• FIG. 2 a view from below of the panel of FIG.
• FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a coupling element for coupling the panel of FIG. 1 to adjacent panels;
• FIG. 4 a bottom view of a panel assembly;
• FiG.5 and 6 views of details A and B respectively illustrating a lug on the inner wall of a wall defining a housing and a corresponding notch in the coupling section; and
• FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a separate seal.
• the same reference signs designate identical or similar elements.
• the present invention relates to a surface coating panel comprising a decorative outer layer associated with an injection molded support, and a method of manufacturing such a panel.
• a floor covering panel 10 comprising a lower layer called a support layer 12 and an upper or outer layer 14, comprising a front face 16 facing the outer layer 14 and a face rear 18 opposite.
• the outer layer which is the decorative layer of the panel, is a ceramic tile (or other hard material type stone or rock).
• the support layer 12 which includes coupling means (not shown in Fig.1) for joining the panel 10 to other panels of the same type, is obtained by polymer injection molding. Injection molding makes it possible to directly obtain a support 12 of the desired dimensions and with coupling means; subsequent operations of cutting the support and machining of the coupling means are no longer necessary. In addition, the molding allows a wide variety of forms of the support (and therefore the panel) and the coupling means.
• the rear face 18 of the support 12 advantageously has a reinforcing structure which is intended to strengthen the ceramic to achieve shock resistance to shocks compatible with domestic use.
• a reinforcement structure typically comprises ribs 20 and recessed areas 22, and allows for example the realization of a wall structure as shown in Fig.2.
• the ceramic tile to its support: a) By gluing. An adhesive adapted to the polymer used is deposited for example by "coating" on the support. This mode makes it possible to overcome the dimensional problems related either to the ceramic itself or to the support which can undergo a random withdrawal after cooling. b) During the injection itself by direct contact between the ceramic and the molten polymer introduced under pressure. In this case, the calibrated ceramic tile can be introduced into the bottom of the mold before the start of the injection cycle. The injected material is advantageously formulated to be made compatible with the ceramic and cause a slight shrinkage.
• Modes b) and c) will be preferred since they avoid the additional step of bonding mode a), and thus make it possible to obtain the finished product directly.
• Modes b) and c) are easy to implement. It suffices simply to arrange in the mold of the support 12 a space for the (or) tile (x) ceramic 14.
• the coupling between the panel 10 and the adjacent panels 10 'and 10 " is preferably made by means of coupling elements in the form of a coupling section 24 as illustrated in FIG. profile form the coupling portions 26 and 28 which are adapted to cooperate with housings 30 (of corresponding shape) provided in the rear face 18 of the support layer 12.
• the housings 30 for the coupling portions are defined by the ribs 20 (walls) of the reinforcement structure.
• FIG. 4 shows a bottom view of the assembly of the panel 10 with two adjacent panels 10 'and 10 "
• the panel 10 is connected to each adjacent panel by a pair of profiles 24 whose coupling portions 26 and 28 The profiles 24 also determine the inter-panel spacing 10, 10 ', respectively 10, 10 ".
• locking means with pins and notches are provided to block the profiles 24 in the housings 30.
• the interior walls of the walls defining the housings 30 are provided with lugs 32.
• the lugs 32 on the walls engage in corresponding notches 34 of the profiles (see FIG. 6). These lugs are distributed in such a way that their engagement in the notches is made in force thanks to the flexibility of the walls.
• the coupling section 24 may also be made by polymer injection molding. A more elastic polymer than that constituting the support layer will preferably be used.
• a peripheral seal 36 extending over the entire length of the edge. It is advantageously produced by the bi-injection technique, after the injection of the support 12 and in direct contact with it.
• the seal 36 is made of flexible polymer, e.g. soft PVC.
• the seal 36 is sized to fill the inter-panel gaps
• the thickness of the seal 36 can correspond to the total distance between the panels. if the four songs have joints, we can size them so that their thickness is slightly greater than half of the gap inter-chants. Thus, the joints of each of the panels contribute to fill the interstices.
• joints can be made separately, and put in place in the interstices after assembly of the panels.
• Such a separate seal 38 is shown in Fig.7; its thickness is such that it fills the interpanneaux gap.
• the present invention therefore also relates to a building kit comprising panels 10 as described above and profiles 24. If the joints are not preformed on the panels, the kit will comprise in others a plurality of separate joints. Starting from this construction kit, it will be left to the user to fit the profiles 24 in the housing provided for this purpose in the support 12 to achieve a surface coating whose appearance will match perfectly to that a traditional tile laying.
• Any panel can be removed and / or replaced by inserting a screw-type tool between the seal and the adjacent panel and then exerting a lever effect to separate the profile of its housing under the support.
• the installation is also very simple. After assembling the panels using the profiles, the joints are pushed between the tiles above the profiles.
• a panel comprising a 20x20 cm porcelain stoneware ceramic tile was made on a polypropylene support piece having a rear face with a reinforcing structure as illustrated in FIG.
• the support piece was formed directly in contact with the placed ceramic in the mold.
• the ceramic had a Young's modulus of 3.7x10 5 Mpa and a fish coefficient of 0.22.
• Polypropylene was standard with a Young's modulus of 30 MPa and a fish coefficient of 0.4. This panel has been submitted:
• a calibrated ceramic tile between 3 mm and 6 mm thick is deposited at the bottom of the mold of a bi-injection press, the decoration face of the ceramic against the bottom of the mold.
• a first polypropylene injection at 210 ° C. containing 5% by weight of fiberglass is carried out directly on the ceramic (against the non-decorative back side thereof) using a rotating mold.
• the first imprint of this mold corresponds to the support layer.
• a second injection takes place using a second impression (after rotation of the mold) corresponding to the seal.
• This seal is positioned for example square against the support and is based on flexible PVC. The fact that this injection takes place while the support layer is still hot guarantees good adhesion between the polymers.
• the shrinkage of the polypropylene filled with fiberglass is low enough not to cause major deformation of the support (the ceramic playing as a stabilizing element.) once cooled the support will be able to play its role fully by improving the resistance to impact and bending of the ceramic while the ceramic plays the role of stabilizer support, thus ensuring its dimensions (in relation to the dimensions of the coupling profiles) during its cooling.
• it will preferably be chosen for the support a polymer whose shrinkage is not excessive ( ⁇ 0.5%), in order to limit the shear stresses that could separate the ceramic from the support layer.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Architecture (AREA)
• Civil Engineering (AREA)
• Structural Engineering (AREA)
• Ceramic Engineering (AREA)
• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Floor Finish (AREA)
• Finishing Walls (AREA)

Priority Applications (2)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=37420945

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (3)

Cited By (8)

Citations (9)

• 2006
  • 2006-10-02 EP EP06793941A patent/EP1934417B1/de not_active Not-in-force
  • 2006-10-02 ES ES06793941T patent/ES2387820T3/es active Active
  • 2006-10-02 WO PCT/EP2006/066964 patent/WO2007039593A1/fr active Application Filing

Patent Citations (9)

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