WO2007081254A1

WO2007081254A1 - Floor light

Info

Publication number: WO2007081254A1
Application number: PCT/SE2006/001402
Authority: WO
Inventors: Jan Jacobsson
Original assignee: Välinge Innovation AB
Priority date: 2006-01-10
Filing date: 2006-12-08
Publication date: 2007-07-19
Also published as: CN101356329A; CN101356329B; EP1971731A4; EP1971731A1; SE0600034L

Abstract

The present invention relates to a floor panel (1) and a flooring with a continuous and unbroken front face (2), which is at least partially light transmitting and which has a light pattern/sign (9) at the front face (2) .

Description

Floor Light

AREA OF INVENTION

The present invention relates to a flooring and a floor panel with a continuous and unbroken front surface, which is at least partially light transmitting, providing for a light sign or pattern at the front face.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

In particular, yet not in a restrictive manner, the invention concerns a laminate floor panel comprising a mechanical locking system, formed at least at two opposite edges and with a continuous and unbroken front surface, which is at least partially light transmitting. The following description of prior-art technique, problems of known systems and objects and features of the invention will above all, as a non-restrictive example, be aimed as the field of the application. It should be emphasised that the invention can be used in any floor panel and it could be combined with all types of known locking system, where the floor panels are intended to be joined using a mecha- nical locking system connecting the panels in the horizontal and vertical directions on at least two adjacent sides. The invention can thus also be applicable to, for instance, solid wooden floors, parquet floors with a core of wood or wood-fibre-based material and a surface of wood or wood veneer and the like, floors with a printed and preferably also varnished surface, floors with a surface layer of plastic or cork, linoleum, rubber. Even floors with hard surfaces such as stone, tile and similar are included and floorings with soft wear layer, for instance needle felt glued to a board. The invention can also be used for building panels, which preferably contain a board material, for instance wall panels, ceilings, furniture components and similar.

It is known that an illuminated floor can be assembled of wooden panels comprising illumination devices mounted into through holes of the wooden panels, for example as described in US 5,095,412.

It is also known that an illuminated floor can be achieved by panels of glass or plastic assembled above illumination devices, for example as described in DE 200 04 992 Ul.

The illuminated floor panels known up to now have several disadvantages. There are apertures and notches at the front surface, due to the broken surface, which collect dust and moisture, and which apertures also lower the impact strength and the wear resistance. Alternatively, the panels comprising a surface of plastic or glass, which is a poor material for a floor panel with low strength and wear resistance. The known floor panels are also not aesthetical since they do not look like a normal panel and therefore do not blend in to a normal floor. Another disadvantage is that the known panels are difficult to assemble and disassemble if it is necessary or desirable, which is of great importance for a floor panel with a lighting means, since the lighting device must be possible to repair or exchange .

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention aims a floor panel or flooring with a light means, in particular a laminate floor panel, which provides for new embodiments according to different aspects offering respective advantages. A useful area for the floor panels are public flooring, e.g. in stores, restaurants,- ships, hotels and airports, for information signs or decoration.

According to a first aspect, the invention provides for a laminate floor panel, which is at least partly light transmitting, comprising a front face a rear face, a surface layer of resin-impregnated sheets and a wood-based core. The light transmitting is preferably obtained by removing parts of the core or even parts of the surface layer to such an extent that a light source located under the floor surface is visible at the front face .

According to a preferred embodiment of this first aspect there is an aperture at the rear face of the floor panel and a transmitting layer between the bottom of the aperture and the front face. The aperture is preferably formed by mechanical working, e.g. drilling and chipping.

Laminate flooring usually consists of a core of a 6-9 mm fibreboard, a 0.2-0.8 mm thick upper decorative surface layer of laminate, preferably comprising sheet material impregnated with thermosetting resins and a 0.1-0.6 mm thick lower balancing layer of laminate, plastic, paper or like material. The surface layer provides appearance and durability to the floorboards, and preferably contains at least one layer imprinted with a pattern, for example a wood pattern printed on a paper layer. The core provides stability, and the balancing layer keeps the board plane when the relative humidity (RH) varies during the year. The floorboards are generally laid floating, i.e. without gluing, on an existing subfloor. As the front surface of the floor panel according to the first aspect of the invention is of a wear resistant material, which covers any object under the panel, and is continuous and also a natural floor material this offers several advantages- A first advantage consists in that there are no dust or moisture collecting apertures or notches at the front surface. A second advantage is that when the lighting means is turned of, the floor panel looks just like a normal floor. A third advantage is that floor panel has a high wear and impact resistance.

Preferably, a mechanical locking system is formed at least at two opposite edges of the floor panel, which facilitates the joining of a similar floor panel or a normal floor panel, which is not partly light-transmitting. Mechanical locking system joined by angling are for instance known from WO 94/26999, which is especially advantageous at the long sides of a rectangular floor, and another locking system especially advantageous at the short sides, particularly when combined with an angling locking system like the one descibed in WO 94/26999, are described in PCT/SE2005/001586, owner Valinge Innovation AB. Other shapes of floor panels are also possible. One advantage in providing an illuminated floor panel with a mechanical locking system is that when you want or need to change an illuminated floor panel, due to failure of lighting means or a desire to have another light sign/symbol, it is simple to disassemble such floor panels and to change the illuminated panels. The above mentioned combination of locking systems make it possible to join floorpanels by several methods preferably with a single action method, where the long edge is installed with angling and the short edge, which is provided with a flexible tongue, with vertical folding.,. This combination is also very easy to disassemble. Other mechanical locking system are also known, and possible to use, which are joined by Angling- Angling, Angling-Snapping or Snapping-Snapping. Floorboards with a mechnical locking system are generally laid floating, i.e. without gluing, on an existing subfloor.

Evidently it is also possible to use a tongue and a groove joint, usually combined with gluing or nailing or other fastening means.

According to an embodiment of the first aspect the wood based core is made of MDF or HDF. According to another embodiment lighting means is mounted into the aperture. It is also possible to connect a conductor to the lighting means and in the same or another aperture a battery cell and/or a receiver and/or a control unit. The aperture is preferably filled with a filling material, preferably light transmitting.

The thickness of the transmitting layer is adapted to the power of the lighting means, with the aim of facilitating light to transmit through the transmitting layer. The transmitting layer preferably comprising substantially the surface layer or the surface layer and a part of the core under the surface layer.

According to a second aspect, the invention provides for a floor panel comprising a light-transmitting core of plastic or glass and a surface layer of resin-impregnated sheets, which is also at least partly light transmitting. It is feasible to mount a light means under the floor panel, preferably in a subfloor or into an aperture. An advantage with this system is that it is easier to mount, connect and control the lighting means; the draw back is that the subfloor normally has to be worked or changed. It is also possible to combine a floor according to the first aspect with such a sub-floor comprising a lighting means, provided that if there is a filler, the filler is light transmitting .

According to a first embodiment of the second aspect only a part is light transmitting. Before attaching the surface layer to the light-transmitting core the rear side of the surface layer is worked, chemically or mechanically, forming a thinner part, with a light-transmitting layer.

Preferably, the space between the transmitting layer and the core is filled with a light transmitting filler, e.g. resin- An advantage of this embodiment is that it is possible to create a light pattern with only one lighting means .

According to second embodiment of the second aspect, the whole surface layer is light transmitting and the light pattern at the front surface is formed by the lighting means solely. Another possibility is that there is a second layer between the surface layer and the core, which is partly light transmitting, or the attaching means has various light transmitting properties_t forming the light pattern at the front surface.

In both embodiments the attaching means also has to be light transmitting, at least at the transmitting layer. The thickness of the transmitting layer respectively in the first embodiment and of the surface layer in the second embodiment is adapted to the power of the lighting means, wii;h the aim of facilitating light to transmit .

Preferably, a mechanical locking system is formed at the edges, alike as in the first aspect, resulting in the same advantages. In the first and second aspect of the invention the resin impregnated sheets could be replaced with a wood veneer, preferably treated with oil or varnish.

According to a third aspect, the invention provides for a floor panel comprising a solid wood body, an aperture at the rear face of the floor panel and a transmitting layer between the bottom of the aperture and the front face. The aperture is preferably formed by mechanical working, e.g. drilling and chipping and the front surface preferably treated with oil or varnish.

Preferably, a mechanical locking system is formed at the edges, alike as described in the first aspect, resulting in the same advantages.

According to another embodiment of the third aspect a lighting means is mounted into the aperture. It is also possible connect a conductor to the lighting means and in the same or another aperture a battery cell and/or a receiver and/or a control unit. The aperture is preferably filled with a filling material, preferably light transmitting- Another solution is to mount a light means under the floor panel, alike as in described in the second aspect, resulting in the same advantages.

The thickness of the transmitting layer is adapted to the power of the lighting means, with the aim of facilitating light to transmit through the transmitting layer .

According to a second object, the invention provides for a flooring comprising at least one of the floor panels above in the first object, joined to one or more similar floor panels or one or more normal floor panels, which are not partly light-transmitting. Preferably the flooring is joined on a sub-floor comprising a lighting means mounted in e.g. an aperture or recess of the sub-floor.

A preferred lighting means is a light emitting diode, due to the low heat generation and small size.

In view of the above, an objective to the invention is to solve or at least reduce the problems discussed above.

In particular, an objective of this invention is to provide a floor panel with a light pattern/sign, which when an accompanying light means is turned of looks like a normal floor panel, and due to that the front face of the floor panel is of a normal floor material the wear resistance is high. There are also no dust and moisture collecting apertures and recesses at the front face. An advantage of forming a mechanical locking system at the edges of the floor panel is that it is easy to assemble and also disassemble and change the floor panel with the light pattern/sign.

All references to "a/an/the [element, device, component, means, step, etc] " are to be interpreted openly as referring to at least one instance of said element, device, component, means, step, etc., unless explicitly stated otherwise.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS Figures 1 a-b are a schematic top plan view and a schematic bottom view respectively of a floor panel according to one embodiment of the invention,

Figure 2 shows a view whereby panels are joined by a single-action, angling at one edge and vertical folding at an adjacent edge. Figures 3a-d show in cross-section different embodiments of the invention.

Figures 4a-c show in cross-section different embodiments of a floor panel mounted on a sub-floor with a lighting means.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

As represented in figures 1 and 2, the invention relates to a floor panel and a flooring, provided with a light sign or pattern. The sign or pattern is not visible when a related lighting means is turned off, and in that state the floor panel or the flooring looks just like a normal floor and all the features related to the lighting are covered. The lighting means is mounted in the floor panel or in a sub-floor. According to a first aspect of the invention, a laminate floor panel 1, at least partly light transmitting, is concerned, comprising a front face 2 and a rear face 3 and a light sign or a decoration 9 is provided at the front face. The floor panel further comprising, as shown in figure 3a-c a, surface layer 33 of resin impregnated sheets or a wood veneer, a wood based core 35, an aperture 31 at the rear-face of the floor panel and a transmitting layer between the bottom of the aperture and the front face. The thickness of the transmitting layer is adapted to the power of an accompanying lighting means 36, aiming at facilitating light to transmit through the transmitting layer. The sign or decoration 9 is only visible when the related lighting means is turned on and the lighting means it self and the aperture is never visible from the front face. In one alternative the transmitting layer only consist of the surface layer 32 and in a second alternative the transmitting layer 32' also comprises the core. The aperture 32 is at least partly preferably filled with a filler 37, preferably light transmitting-.

Preferably a mechanical locking system 6, 6' is formed at least at two opposite edges 5a, 5b or 4a, 4b. The most preferred mechanical locking system comprising a flexible tongue, which result in a very simple assemble and disassemble operation, facilitating the change of the floor panel with the light sign. The floor panel 1 in figure 2 is joined along a first edge 5b to a to a second edge of an adjacent floor panel 1', with a mechanical locking system 6' comprising a flexible tongue 10, by vertical folding, and along a third edge 4b to the fourth edge 4a of another adjacent floor panel 1' ' , with a mechanical locking system 6, by angling. The whole panel 1 is joined in a single action. Other known mechanical locking systems for floor panels are also- possible- to use.

One alternative is to attach the lighting means into the aperture and connect it with a conductor 39 and via the conductor control the lighting means by a control unit C. A battery cell B and a receiver R is also possible to connect via the conductor. A second alternative is to mount the lighting means and a battery cell in the same aperture, together with preferably a receiver R and a control unit C. The conductor is preferably attached into a recess of the floor panel and covered with a filler, e.g. resin. One example of a lighting means is a light emitting diode and another example is fibre optic. If fibre optic is used, the conductor is a fibre optic cable.

The wood-based core is preferably a particle, MDF or HDF board.

According to a second aspect of the invention, represented in figures 4b-c, the floor panel comprising a core made of a light transmitting material 40, such as plastic or glass and a surface layer 33 of resin impregnated sheets or wood veneer, which are at least partly light transmitting. The floor panels are mounted on a sub-floor 41, comprising a lighting means 36, preferably a light emitting diode, mounted into an aperture 43 of the sub-floor. One alternative is to connect the lighting means with a conductor 39 mounted into a recess 42 of the subfloor and via the conductor control the lighting means by a control unit C. A battery cell B and a receiver R is also possible to connect via the conductor. A second alternative is to mount the lighting means and a battery cell in the same aperture, together with preferably a receiver R and a control unit C. Also the floor panel according to the second aspect is preferably joined by a mechanical locking system, alike as described above.

In one embodiment, see figure 4b, the surface layer has at least one area comprising a thinner and light transmitting layer, which is mechanically or chemically worked. A space 44 between the core 40 and the transmitting layer is preferably filled with a light transmitting filler.

In a second embodiment, see figure 4c, the whole surface layer 33 is light transmitting. The pattern or sign at the font face is in this embodiment formed by the formation of the lighting means 36. Is it also possible to form the light pattern or the sign at the front face by an additional layer between the surface layer and the core or by the attaching means used for attaching the surface layer to the core. The additional layer could be punched or could have a printed pattern, which is at least partly visible from the front face. In this case, the additional layer and the attaching means has light-transmitting properties, which varies over the front surface. The design of the whole floor panel could be changed if the surface is light transmitting- The appearance of several panels in a floor could for example be varied over time by changing the light intensity in individual floor panes. This will create a new design element which could be very attractive in for example show rooms, shops etc.

A third aspect of the invention, represented in figure 3d, is a partly light transmitting floor panel, comprising a body 38 of solid wood, an aperture, a lighting means 36, and a transmitting layer 32'' between the bottom of the aperture and the front face. The aperture is preferably, at least partly, filled wit a filler. The features described above for the first aspect and related to the mechanical locking, the lighting means, the battery cell, the receiver and the control unit are applicable also to a floor panel according to the third aspect.

Figure 4a shows that it is also possible to mount a floor panel according to the first and third aspect on a sub- floor comprising a lighting means. The thickness of the transmitting layer, described above in the different aspects of the invention, is preferably in the range of 0,05 - 1 mm and most preferably in the range of 0,3-0,7 mm. The thickness depends of the power of the lighting means and the light transmitting properties of the material, and to some extent also the strength of the material. Most materials suitable for flooring could be light transmitting if they are made thin enough. Stone, tiles and a lot of different plastic and wood based materials are possible to use. In metal surfaces for example micro openings which are not visible from the surface could be made and preferably filled with a light transmitting material A second object of the invention is a flooring comprising at least one of the floor panels above, joined to one or more similar floor panels or one or more normal floor panels, which are not partly light-transmitting. The invention has mainly been described above with reference to a few embodiments. However, as is readily appreciated by a person skilled in the art, other embodiments than the ones disclosed above are equally possible within the scope of the invention, as defined by the appended patent claims.

Generally, all terms used in the claims are to be interpreted according to their ordinary meaning in the technical field, unless explicitly defined otherwise herein.

Claims

PATENT CLAIMS

1. A floor panel (1) comprising a front face (2) and a rear face (3) , the floor panel (1) is at least partly light transmitting ch a r a c t e r i s e d in that the front face (2) comprising a resin impregnated laminate paper sheet (33) or wood material (33, 38) and that the front face is continuous over the light transmitting part.

2. A floor panel as claimed in claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i s e d in that the floor panel (1) comprising a core (35) of a wood-based material.

3. A floor panel as claimed in claim 2, c h a r a c t e r i s e d in that the core comprising one of the materials; HDF, MDF or particle board.

4. A floor panel as claimed in any one of the claims 2-3, ch a r a c t e ri s e d in that floorboard comprising a surface layer (33) wood veneer.

5. A floor panel as claimed in claim 1, ch a r a c t e r i s e d in that the floor panel is substantially of solid wood (38) .

6. A floor panel as claimed in any one of the claims 1-5, ch a r a c t e r i s e d in that the floor panel comprising an aperture (31) at the rear side of the floor panel and a transmitting layer (32, 32', 32'') between the bottom of the aperture and the front face of the floor panel.

7. A floor panel as claimed in claim 6, ch a r a ct er i s e d in that the thickness of the transmitting layer is adapted to the power of a lighting means (36) under the floor panel, facilitating light to transmit through the transmitting layer (32, 32', 32'').

8. A floor panel as claimed in any one of the claims 6-7, ch a r a cte r i s e d in that the aperture is filled with a light transmitting filler (37).

9. A floor panel as claimed in claim 6, ch a r a c t e r i s e d in that the floor panel comprising a lighting means (36) in the aperture (31) .

10. A floor panel as claimed in claim 9, ch a r a c t e r i s e d in that the thickness of the transmitting layer is adapted to the power of the lighting means (36) in the aperture (31) of the floor panel (1), facilitating light to transmit through the transmitting layer (32, 32', 32" ).

11. A floor panel as claimed in any one of the claims 9-10, ch a r a c t e r i s e d in that a conductor (39) is connected to the lighting means (36) .

12. A floor panel as claimed in claim 11, c h a r a c t e r i s e d in that the conductor is mounted into a recess, at the rear face of the floor panel.

13. A floor panel as claimed in claim 12, ch a r a c t e r i s e d in that the recess is filled with filler.

14. A floor panel as claimed in any one of the claims 9-13, ch a r a cte r i s e d in that a power source, e.g. a battery cell (B) , is mounted at the floor board and connected to the lighting means.

15. A floor panel as claimed in any one of the claims 9-14, ch a ra ct e r i s e d in that a control unit (C) controls the lighting means (36) , and that the control unit is mounted at the floor panel

16. A floor panel as claimed in any one of the claims 9-15, cha ra cte r i s ed in that the light means is connected to a receiver (R) mounted at the floor panel.

17. A floor panel as claimed in any one of the claims 9-16, ch a r a ct e r i s e d in that the lighting means is a light-emitting diode

18. A floor panel as claimed in any one of the claims 9-17, ch a ra ct e r i s e d in that the aperture is filled with a filler (37).

19. A floor panel as claimed in any one of the claims 6-18, ch a ra c t e r i s e d in that the transmitting layer (32) substantially consist of the surface layer.

20. A floor panel as claimed in any one of the claims 6-18, ch a r a ct e r i s e d in that the transmitting layer (32') substantially consist of the surface layer and the core .

21. A floor panel as claimed in claim 1, ch a r a c t e r i s e d in that the floor panel (1) comprising a core of light-transmitting plastic (40) and the front face comprising a surface layer (33) of the resin impregnated laminate sheet or a wood veneer,

22. A floor panel as claimed in claim 21, ch a r a c t e r i s e d in that the surface layer (33) at the front face comprising a thinner and light-transmitting part (32) .

23. A floor panel as claimed in claim 22, ch a r a c t e r i s e d in that the thinner and light- transmitting (32) part is mechanically worked by cutting or grinding.

24. A floor panel as claimed in claim 22 or 23, ch a r a c t e r i s e d the floor panel comprising a light transmitting filler between the thinner and light- transmitting part of the surface layer and the core.

25. A floor panel as claimed in any one of the claims 28-30, ch a r a ct e r i s e d in that the thickness of the thinner and light-transmitting part (32) is adapted to the power of a lighting means under the floor panel, facilitating light to transmit through the transmitting part.

26. A floor panel as claimed in claim 21, ch a r a c t e r i s e d in that the whole surface layer is light-transmitting.

27. A floor panel as claimed in claim 26, ch a r a c t e r i s e d in that the thickness of the surface layer (33) is adapted to the power of a lighting means under the floor panel, facilitating light to transmit through the floor panel.

28. A floor panel as claimed in any one of the proceeding claims, ch a r a c t e r i s e d in that a mechanical locking system (6, 6') is formed at an edge of the floor panel.

29. A floor panel as claimed in any one of the proceeding claims_t ch a r a c t e r i s e d in that an underlayer is attached to the rear face.

30. A flooring comprising of at least one floor panel according to the floor panel defined in any one of claims 1-8 and 21-27.

3 1 . A flooring as claimed in claim 30 ch a r a c t e r i s e d in that the flooring comprising a sub-floor (41) .

3 2 . A flooring as claimed in claim 31 c h a r a c t e r i s e d in that the sub-floor is provided with a lighting means (36) mounted into an aperture (43) .

3 3 . A flooring as claimed in claim 32 ch a r a c t e r i s e d in that the lighting means comprising several lighting devices mounted into a recess.

3 4 . A flooring as claimed in any one of the claims 30-33 ch a r a cter i s e d in that at least two floor panels are mechanically joined at adjacent edges.

3 5 . A flooring as claimed in any one of the claims 30-34 ch a r a c t e r i s e d in that an underlay is attached to the floor panel and that a hole in the underlay matches a light-transmitting parts of the floor panel.