WO2012007800A1

WO2012007800A1 - System for covering a surface

Info

Publication number: WO2012007800A1
Application number: PCT/IB2011/000027
Authority: WO
Inventors: Otello Dalla Rosa
Original assignee: Coatex Srl
Priority date: 2010-07-13
Filing date: 2011-01-04
Publication date: 2012-01-19
Also published as: IT1401019B1; ITVI20100192A1

Abstract

The present invention concerns a system (1) for covering a surface (3) comprising a covering element (2; 20) suited to be applied to the surface (3); said covering system comprises means suited to generate a mutual magnetic adhesion force between the surface (3) and the covering element (2; 20).

Description

SYSTEM FOR COVERING A SURFACE.

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention concerns the technical field of covering and/or facing elements for surfaces.

In particular, the present invention refers to the production of coverings for surfaces like floors, ceilings and external faces, for example for making technical surfaces for sports activities, like those used for athletics tracks, indoor stadiums, gyms, much frequented places like dance halls, airports, shopping centres etc. More particularly, the present invention refers to the production of coverings and/or facing surfaces that frequently need to be replaced or removed.

DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF THE ART

In the production of walking surfaces, and in particular for finishing walking surfaces in outdoor and indoor sports structures, for example athletics tracks, floors of gyms or indoor stadiums, it is common to use covering materials arranged over an underlying base usually consisting of a more or less smooth surface made of concrete or screed.

More generally, in civil building or industrial building construction, the use of covering elements is known, which are applied in the form of a walking layer, like a floor, or of covering elements used for decorative purposes, like tiles laid on the inner or outer walls of a building.

Said covering elements can be of various types, like for example ceramic tiles, wooden elements used for parquet or plank floorings, elements made of plastic materials like linoleum or materials comprising fibres, like moquette, which are applied to the base surface through suitable glueing methods in order to obtain the most effective bonding results.

Thus, for example, when tiles are going to be laid, the use of a concrete layer is widespread, while when a parquet, linoleum or moquette flooring is going to be laid, a layer of a suitable bonding agent is used.

In some cases the covering surfaces must be replaced due to wear or to the need to adapt them to different uses, as it happens for example in sports structures where the floor is periodically replaced due to wear or more frequently due to the need to prepare the surface for different sports activities. Thus, for example, at short intervals it may be necessary to lay a smooth parquet flooring for a volleyball match and successively a flooring made of a compound known as tartan or another type of flooring for a basketball match. When said surfaces are replaced because they have worn out, it is necessary to lift the surface layer in order to break the bonding agent layer and detach it from the surface to which it adheres, then to remove the glue residues from said surface and then to glue the new replacement surface on it.

When, on the other hand, said surfaces are periodically replaced in order to prepare the correct flooring for the different sports activities mentioned above, it is preferred to lay panels bearing the desired surface from time to time, in order to be able to remove them at the end of the activity and replace them with other panels bearing a surface that is suitable for the successive activity.

Said operations require special attention, in order to ensure that said adjacent panels adhere perfectly to each other. Furthermore, large spaces must be available for storing said panels when they are not in use, and considerable physical efforts are required to lay and remove them.

The main object of the present invention is to overcome the drawbacks described above.

In particular, it is one object of the present invention to make a surface covering system that allows quicker laying operations compared to the covering systems of known type.

In particular, it is another object of the present invention to make a surface covering system that allows quicker removal operations compared to the covering systems of known type.

It is a further object of the present invention to make a surface covering system that makes it possible to speed up the operations needed to replace the coverings, in particular the floors of sports structures, compared to the covering systems of known type.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a covering system that makes it possible to reduce the efforts required of the operator for the removal operations, in particular for removing the floors of sports structures, compared to the covering systems of known type.

SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

The present invention is based on the general consideration that it is possible to simplify the operations required to lay and remove surface coverings using magnetic material.

According to a first embodiment, the present invention concerns a surface covering system according to claim 1, that is, a surface covering system comprising a covering element that can be applied to said surface, said covering system comprising means suited to generate a mutual magnetic adhesion force between said surface and said covering element.

Advantageously, the covering element can be easily applied to the surface by exploiting the magnetic adhesion force and easily removed with no need to perform operations that may modify the elements of the system.

The covering system preferably comprises magnetic material associated with one between said surface and said covering element, and comprises magnetic or ferromagnetic material associated with the other one between said surface and said covering element.

The covering element preferably comprises said magnetic material.

Even more preferably, the covering element comprises a first layer facing towards the surface and comprises one between the magnetic material and the ferromagnetic material, a second exposed layer opposite the first layer and an intermediate layer comprising an adhesive substance.

The first and the second layer preferably comprise non breathablematerials.

The adhesive substance preferably comprises a solvent, even more preferably said solvent comprises water.

The magnetic material preferably comprises a magnetic film.

Even more preferably, the magnetic material is flexible.

Advantageously, the magnetic material is easy to apply.

The ferromagnetic material preferably comprises a plasto ferrite film.

According to another preferred embodiment of the invention, the ferromagnetic material may comprise metallic components.

According to another preferred embodiment of the invention, the ferromagnetic material comprises a metallic paint.

Advantageously, the ferromagnetic material is easy to apply.

According to another embodiment, the subject of the present invention is a covering element according to claim 9, that is, a covering element that can be applied to a surface comprising magnetic or ferromagnetic material.

Advantageously, the covering element is easy to apply and even more advantageously easy to remove with no need to break it.

The covering element preferably comprises a first layer suited to be placed in contact with the surface and comprising the magnetic material or the ferromagnetic material, a second exposed layer opposite the first layer and an intermediate layer comprising an adhesive substance.

The first and the second layer preferably comprise non breathablematerials.

More preferably, the adhesive substance comprises a solvent, and even more preferably said solvent comprises water.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the magnetic material comprises a magnetic film.

Furthermore, the magnetic material is preferably flexible.

The ferromagnetic material preferably comprises a plasto ferrite film.

Alternatively, the ferromagnetic material comprises metallic components.

According to another embodiment, the subject of the present invention is a surface according to claim 14, that is, a surface suited to be covered and comprising magnetic or ferromagnetic material.

Advantageously, a covering element can be easily applied to said surface, and even more advantageously easily removed with no need to break it.

The magnetic material preferably comprises a ferromagnetic film.

Even more preferably, the ferromagnetic material is flexible.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the ferromagnetic material consists of plasto ferrite.

Alternatively, the ferromagnetic material comprises metallic components.

Again alternatively, the ferromagnetic material may comprise a metallic paint. Advantageously, the material can be easily applied to the surface.

Alternatively, furthermore, the magnetic material may comprise a flexible magnetic film.

According to a further embodiment, the present invention concerns a kit for covering a surface according to claim 16, that is, a kit for covering a surface comprising a covering element of the type described above that can be applied to said surface and comprising magnetic or ferromagnetic material that can be associated with said surface.

Advantageously, the surface to be covered is such that the covering element can be easily applied by exploiting the magnetic adhesion force and easily removed with no need to break it.

The magnetic or ferromagnetic material that can be associated with the surface preferably comprises a flexible film.

The ferromagnetic material that can be associated with the surface more preferably comprises a plasto ferrite film. Alternatively, the ferromagnetic material that can be associated with the surface comprises a metallic paint.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further advantages, objects and characteristics, as well as further embodiments of the present invention, are defined in the claims and will be illustrated in the following description, with reference to the enclosed drawings; in the drawings, corresponding or equivalent characteristics and/or components are identified by the same reference numbers. In particular:

- Figure 1 shows a possible application of the covering system according to a first embodiment of the invention;

- Figure 2 shows a detail of the covering system according to the invention;

- Figure 3 shows an enlarged detail of the covering system of the invention shown in Figure 1 ;

- Figure 4 shows the cross section of Figure 3 according to section plane III-III; - Figure 5 shows a detail of Figure 3;

- Figure 6 shows the cross section of Figure 5 according to section plane V-V;

- Figure 7 shows another detail of Figure 3;

- Figure 8 shows the cross section of Figure 7 according to section plane VII- VII;

- Figure 9 shows a variant embodiment of the element of Figure 5;

- Figure 10 shows a view from below of Figure 9.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

Although the present invention is described below with reference to its embodiments illustrated in the drawings, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described below and illustrated in the drawings. On the contrary, the embodiments described and illustrated herein clarify some aspects of the present invention, the scope of which is defined in the claims.

The present invention has proven to be particularly advantageous when applied to systems for covering walking surfaces, and even more advantageous when applied to covering systems that need frequent removals and replacements for varied reasons, for example in the case of athletics tracks or indoor stadiums. It should however be noted that the possible applications of the present invention are not limited to covering walking surfaces. On the contrary, the present invention can be conveniently applied whenever it is necessary to cover surfaces, and therefore not only walking surfaces like floors but also different types of surfaces like walls or ceilings, or in the cases where it is necessary to cover ftirnishing elements or to apply fmishing and decorative elements, or again to apply sound-absorbing elements. The application of the present invention is particularly useful in all the cases where it is frequently necessary to replace the covering part, as is evident also from the following description.

Figure 1 shows a first possible application of a first preferred embodiment of the covering system 1 of the invention.

In particular, the covering system 1 is used to cover the floor of a room S by means of covering elements 2 in the form of adjacent strips.

The shape of said covering elements 2 is not to be considered binding in any way, on the contrary, in variant embodiments of the invention said covering elements can assume any other desired shape, for example they can form a tiling surface with substantially square or rectangular elements, or come in different shapes and colours when a more or less decorative appearance is required.

The covering system 1 includes, therefore, a plurality of covering elements 2 resting on a base surface indicated by 3 and better visible in Figure 2, in which one edge of a covering element 2 is shown in raised position.

The covering element 2, as explained later on in the description, is actually flexible and can be deformed if not even advantageously rolled up.

However, in variant embodiments of the invention the covering element may be of a rigid type and therefore not deformable, as shown instead in Figure 2.

The covering element 2, shown in particular in Figures 5 and 6, comprises a first layer 4 suited to be placed in contact with the base surface 3, a second exposed layer 5 that constitutes the walking surface of the floor, and an intermediate layer

6 consisting of an adhesive substance.

It should be noted that the figures are provided only by way of example and the dimensions of the various layers shown therein are not to scale for the sake of clarity.

The first layer 4 of the covering element 2 consists of a magnetic film and is therefore characterized by a given adhesion force and a given intrinsic magnetic attraction force. Said parameters are proportional to the thickness of the film 4 and therefore the value of said thickness will be selected from time to time based on the application in question and the desired degree of adhesion. Besides having magnetic adhesion and traction properties, said magnetic film 4 is advantageously flexible and therefore easy to handle when it forms an integral part of the covering element 2. Said magnetic film 4 comprises, in fact, a rubber component and a ferritic component that are suited to grant said physical characteristic of flexibility, in addition to the above mentioned magnetic properties.

The second layer 5 of the covering element 2 makes up the walking surface of the floor and in the case described herein consists of a linoleum sheet. Said material is widely used for making resilient floors that are very common in hospitals, schools and public buildings.

In variant embodiments of the invention it is possible to use sheets of other types of resilient materials suitable for the purpose, like for example regenerated leather, leather, imitation leather, rubber, PVC, moquette, tartan, polyurethane resins or other rigid or flexible materials normally used for floors.

Said linoleum layer 5 is advantageously flexible, too, and therefore is easy to handle when it forms an integral part of the covering element 2.

The intermediate layer 6 of adhesive material joining the first layer 4 and the second walking layer 5 preferably consists of a polyurethane-based adhesive substance comprising a solvent, more particularly a solvent comprising water.

More preferably, the solvent consists of water only.

In alternative embodiments of the invention the adhesive substance may be of a different type, both with and without a solvent. For example, said adhesive substance may consist of an acrylic glue, a vinyl glue or a polyvinyl glue, wherein said glues preferably comprise a solvent, and said solvent more preferably consists of water.

The covering element 2 as a whole is flexible and can be rolled up exceeding a minimum radius that is determined, in particular, by the physical characteristics of the magnetic film 4 that comprise, among others, a minimum bending radius. Said flexibility allows said covering element 2 to be advantageously rolled up on itself, as is explained in greater detail here below.

The base surface 3, shown in particular in Figures 7 and 8, comprises a first layer 7 consisting of the screed, a second layer 8 made of a ferromagnetic material and an intermediate layer 9 consisting of an adhesive substance.

It should be noted that also in this case the figures are provided only by way of example and the dimensions of the various layers shown therein are not to scale for the sake of clarity.

The screed 7, as known, is constituted by a concrete layer that provides a surface that is sufficiently level to favour the laying of the floor. The second layer 8 in ferromagnetic material preferably consists of a plasto ferrite sheet.

In addition to having ferromagnetic properties, said plasto ferrite sheet 8 is advantageously flexible and therefore easy to handle while being laid on the screed 7. Said plasto ferrite sheet 8 comprises in fact a rubber component and a ferritic component that are suited to grant said physical characteristic of flexibility in addition to specific ferromagnetic characteristics.

The intermediate layer 9 of adhesive material joining the plasto ferrite sheet 8 to the screed 7 preferably consists of a polyurethane-based adhesive substance comprising a solvent, more particularly a solvent comprising water. More preferably, the solvent consists of water only.

The system 1 described above allows the covering elements 2 to be easily laid on and removed from the base surface 3 and also to be easily replaced.

In particular, once the base surface 3 and the covering element 2 have been completed, for example following the method described here below, the operations necessary to carry out the covering simply require that the covering elements 2 are placed beside each other on the base surface 3.

At the moment when the magnetic film 4 of the covering element 2 is placed in contact with the plasto ferrite film 8 of the base surface 3, a magnetic adhesion force is generated between the two parts. Said adhesion force guarantees the adhesion of the covering element 2 to the base surface 3 in such a way as to counteract the stress to which the covering element 2 is subjected, which is typical of a floor and mainly caused by treading, thus avoiding any movement of the covering element 2 with respect to the base surface 3, in particular along directions that substantially lie on the plane defined by the floor.

The selection of the thickness and of the surface extension of the magnetic film 4 is important to determine the required adhesion force.

The thicker and larger the magnetic film 4, the higher the adhesion force generated, said force being suited to prevent mutual movements between the covering element 2 and the base surface 3 on the plane defined by the floor. At the same time, if on the one hand mutual adhesion against the effects of treading and the other types of stress to which the covering element 2 is subjected is guaranteed, on the other hand it is equally easy to remove the covering element 2 from the base surface 3.

Said removal will be effectively carried out by raising one edge of the covering element 2, as shown for example in Figure 2, and pulling it upwards and away from the base surface 3.

Even more advantageously, the covering element is rolled up on itself and thus easily transported when it must be disposed of or stored for future use.

Analogously and advantageously also for the mentioned laying of the covering element 2, this may have the shape of a roll and its application may consist only in unwinding it on the base surface 3.

It is evident, however, that independently of the shape selected for the covering element 2, its removal is carried out comfortably, by moving it away along a substantially perpendicular direction with respect to the base surface 3 to which it adheres.

Figures 9 and 10 show a variant embodiment of a covering element 20 according to the present invention that differs from the covering element 2 previously described with reference to Figures 5 and 6 due to the fact that, instead of including a magnetic film 4 with extension corresponding to that of the linoleum layer 5, it has a plurality of permanent magnets 24 with high magnetic attraction and adhesion force, for example neodymium magnets, applied to the linoleum layer 5, for example through a glueing operation.

The advantages that can be obtained by means of the covering element 20 can be compared to those offered by the first embodiment described above, in particular the adhesion force generated by the permanent magnets 24 will be such as to prevent mutual movements between the base surface 3 and the covering element 20.

In the embodiments of the invention described above, the adhesion force between the parts is obtained by means of a magnetized element associated with the covering element, that is, the magnetic film 4 for the first embodiment and the permanent magnets 24 for the variant embodiment of Figures 9 and 10, and by means of a ferromagnetic element consisting of plasto ferrite and associated with the base surface 3.

However, numerous variant embodiments can be carried out. For example, instead of one magnetized element and one element made of a ferromagnetic material, as in the first embodiment of the invention described above, there can be two elements with magnetic characteristics obtained by exploiting the different polarity to obtain the desired adhesion.

Again, the covering element may comprise a layer of ferromagnetic material, for example iron strips fixed to the exposed layer, while the magnetized element may be associated with the base surface.

Again, the element in ferromagnetic material associated with the base surface may consist of a layer painted with a metallic paint.

Again, the element in ferromagnetic material associated with the base surface may consist of a metal structure, for example a cage-shaped grid, buried in concrete and making up the screed.

In the embodiments of the invention described above the covering element, as already explained, is advantageously flexible and can be conveniently rolled up. However, in variant embodiments of the invention the covering element can be of a rigid type, for example a ceramic tile instead of linoleum, or it can be made of marble or wood as in the case of parquet or plank floorings.

In the embodiments of the invention described above, again, the base surface is constituted by the screed of a floor. However, in variant embodiments the base surface may be constituted by the base of an athletics track, or by the internal or external vertical walls of a building or even by a ceiling.

In particular, in the case of side walls, the application of plasto ferrite to the cement base may include previous glueing of the plasto ferrite to the surface of a supporting paper. The plasto ferrite can then be applied to the side wall exactly like wall paper, by glueing it to the cement supporting wall.

It has thus been shown that the present invention achieves the set objects. In particular, it achieves the object to implement a surface covering system that allows quicker laying and removal operations compared to the covering systems of known type.

While the present invention has been described with reference to the particular embodiments shown in the figures, it should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments illustrated and described herein; on the contrary, further variants of the embodiments described herein fall within the scope of the present invention, which is defined in the claims.

Claims

1. System (1) for covering a surface (3), comprising a covering element (2; 20) to be applied to said surface (3), characterized in that it comprises means suited to produce a mutual magnetic adhesion force between said surface (3) and said covering element (2; 20).

2. Covering system (1) according to claim 1), characterized in that it comprises magnetic material (4; 24) associated either with said surface (3) or with said covering element (2; 20) and in that it comprises magnetic (4; 24) or ferromagnetic (8) material associated with the other one between said surface (3) and said covering element (2; 20).

3. System (1) according to claim 2), characterized in that said covering element (2; 20) comprises said magnetic material (4; 24).

4. System (1) according to claim 2) or 3), characterized in that said covering element (2; 20) comprises a first layer (4) facing towards said surface (3) comprising either said magnetic material (4; 24) or said ferromagnetic material (8), a second visible layer (5) opposite said first layer (4) and an intermediate layer (6) comprising an adhesive substance.

5. System (1) according to claim 4), characterized in that said first layer (4) and said second layer (5) comprise non-breathable materials.

6. System (1) according to claim 4), characterized in that said adhesive substance (6) comprises a solvent, said solvent preferably comprising water.

7. System (1) according to any of the claims from 2) to 6), characterized in that said magnetic material (4) comprises a magnetic film.

8. System (1) according to any of the claims from 2) to 7), characterized in that said ferromagnetic material (8) comprises a plasto ferrite film.

9. Covering element (2; 20) suited to be applied to a surface (3) , characterized in that it comprises magnetic material (4; 24) or ferromagnetic material (8).

10. Covering element (2) according to claim 9), characterized in that it comprises a first layer (4) suited to be placed in contact with said surface (3) and comprising said magnetic material (4) or said ferromagnetic material (8), a second visible layer (5) opposite said first layer (4) and an intermediate layer (6) comprising an adhesive substance.

11. Covering element (2) according to claim 10), characterized in that said first layer (4) and said second layer (5) comprise non-breathable materials.

12. Covering element (2) according to claim 9), characterized in that said adhesive substance (6) comprises a solvent, said solvent preferably comprising water.

13. Covering element (2) according to any of the claims from 9) to 12), characterized in that said magnetic material (4) comprises a magnetic film.

14. Surface (3) suited to be covered, characterized in that it comprises magnetic material (4; 24) or ferromagnetic material (8).

15. Surface (3) according to claim 14), characterized in that it comprises a plasto ferrite film (8).

16. Kit for covering a surface (3) , characterized in that it comprises a covering element (2; 20) according to any of the claims from 9) to 13), suited to be applied to said surface (3), and in that it comprises magnetic material (4; 24) or ferromagnetic material (8) that can be associated to said surface (3).