Classifications

• • 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
  • E04F15/02172—Floor elements with an anti-skid main surface, other than with grooves
• • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
  • E04—BUILDING
  • E04C—STRUCTURAL ELEMENTS; BUILDING MATERIALS
  • E04C2/00—Building elements of relatively thin form for the construction of parts of buildings, e.g. sheet materials, slabs, or panels
  • E04C2/02—Building elements of relatively thin form for the construction of parts of buildings, e.g. sheet materials, slabs, or panels characterised by specified materials
  • E04C2/10—Building elements of relatively thin form for the construction of parts of buildings, e.g. sheet materials, slabs, or panels characterised by specified materials of wood, fibres, chips, vegetable stems, or the like; of plastics; of foamed products
  • E04C2/20—Building elements of relatively thin form for the construction of parts of buildings, e.g. sheet materials, slabs, or panels characterised by specified materials of wood, fibres, chips, vegetable stems, or the like; of plastics; of foamed products of plastics
• • 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
  • E04F15/02038—Flooring or floor layers composed of a number of similar elements characterised by tongue and groove connections between neighbouring flooring elements
• • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
  • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
  • Y10T—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
  • Y10T156/00—Adhesive bonding and miscellaneous chemical manufacture
  • Y10T156/10—Methods of surface bonding and/or assembly therefor
• • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
  • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
  • Y10T—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
  • Y10T29/00—Metal working
  • Y10T29/49—Method of mechanical manufacture
  • Y10T29/49616—Structural member making
  • Y10T29/49623—Static structure, e.g., a building component
  • Y10T29/49629—Panel

Definitions

• the present invention relates to flooring products, including laminate flooring panels such as floor tiles, adapted so that adjacent units of flooring products are capable of interlocking with one another.
• flooring products e.g., a floor panel
• flooring products may contain an edge profile on at least two opposite edges with a tongue element on one edge and a groove element on the other.
• panels are interconnected via a tongue-and-groove joint with the tongue on one edge of a first panel inserted into the groove on an associated edge of a second panel.
• interlocking connections are sturdy, effective and convenient.
• securing panels by means of interlocking connection can also lead to a stability shortfall. This is especially so if the interlocking connection is, as customary, effected only on two opposite sides of a rectangular product, a common approach, since to interlock on all four sides introduces undesirable difficulty. This erodes the performance profile of interlocking flooring products because product units interconnected on only two sides as aforesaid can shift when not anchored to the surface thereunder.
• Laminate flooring has become particularly popular because it provides several advantages over natural floor materials, such as lower cost, ease of replacement, and lighter weight, and also advantages over synthetic materials, such as improved durability, wear-resistance and sound-damping capacity.
• a particularly appealing aspect of laminate flooring is its potential for reduced thickness vis-a-vis other types of floor panel. That is to say thicker panels have two important drawbacks, they require more material to produce, and they weigh more. These factors increase production and transportation costs, which are then passed on to the consumer in the form of higher floor panel prices.
• the present invention is directed to an article of manufacture suitable for flooring utilization, which comprises a flooring panel adapted for interlocking connection with another correspondingly adapted flooring panel, such article having at least one edge with one or more elements formed such that they are operative to mate with one or more reciprocal elements associated with said other correspondingly adapted flooring panel, which article further comprises a frictional backing material that is non-adhesive in respect of, but exhibits resistance to movement with respect to, a surface underlying the article when in contact with the surface.
• the present invention is directed to a method of making an article of manufacture suitable for flooring utilization, said article including a flooring panel adapted for interlocking connection with another correspondingly adapted flooring panel, by reason of said article's having at least one edge with one or more elements formed such that they are operative to mate with one or more reciprocal elements associated with said other
• a flooring panel can for instance be fashioned using a mold which accommodates the panel's precursor materials, such mold including portions that allow for production of the desired interlocking elements as an undivided extension of the flooring panel at one or more of its edges.
• the interlocking elements can be produced in a separate operation and then appended to the panel after production but before use. Accordingly, the flooring products and methods of the invention are not in their broadest embodiments exclusive of either version of such interlocking elements.
• the present invention has significant benefits over the current state of the art.
• the desirable efficiencies, aesthetics and convenience attendant upon installation, use and removal of interlocking flooring products non-adhesively applied are preserved, but without the instability - and especially movement - that ordinarily accompany such non-adhesively applied interlocking products.
• the damaging effects on flooring product of exposure to moisture and alkalinity may likewise be mitigated by the invention, as the frictional backing material can be resistant to passage thereof.
• practice of the invention confers substantial advantages.
• the invention not only are the undesirable effects of interlocking connections - e.g., movement of the panels and cumulative stacking - reduced but also the attractive performance
• Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view of an article of manufacture in accordance with the invention.
• Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of an article of manufacture comprising a laminate flooring panel in accordance with the invention.
• Figure 3 is a schematic view in perspective of an article of manufacture illustrating the interlocking feature in accordance with the invention.
• a central aspect of the invention is the discovery that provision, on an interlocking flooring product such as a panel, of frictional backing material resistant to movement against a surface on which the panel is to be laid is effective to mitigate undesired instability of the panel during and after installation.
• the invention extends to all manner of flooring products, whether of natural or synthetic material or a combination thereof, including laminate panels and especially such panels having a reduced thickness in accordance with the invention disclosed in U.S. Patent Application No. 13/114,873, filed May 24, 2011, the subject matter of which is incorporated herein by reference.
• panels are provided with a frictional backing material that exhibits a coefficient of friction, typically a coefficient of static or kinetic friction, vis-a-vis the constituent material making up the surface on which the panel is laid.
• That coefficient is typically greater than a coefficient between an underlying surface and a panel not backed in accordance with our invention.
• the coefficient is therefore indicative of an amount of friction sufficient to accomplish the objectives of our invention, including effecting the mitigation of movement, preferably by at least 50 percent, especially by at least 75 percent, in comparison with movement that would otherwise occur absent practice of the invention.
• the friction relevant to our invention is dry friction which resists relative lateral motion of two solid surfaces in contact.
• the two regimes of dry friction are 'static friction' between non-moving surfaces, and kinetic friction (sometimes called sliding friction or dynamic friction) between moving surfaces.
• the coefficient of friction (“COF") is a dimensionless scalar value which describes the ratio of the force of friction between two bodies and the force pressing them together.
• the COF depends on the materials used; for example, ice on steel has a low COF, while rubber on pavement has a high COF.
• the relevant parameter is the coefficient of kinetic friction.
• the COF is an empirical measurement - it has to be measured
• the dimensionless coefficient is usefully (though not necessarily) defined as being at least 0.3 (static), 0.2 (kinetic), preferably at least 0.5 (static), 0.3 (kinetic). More specifically, the coefficient can be defined as lying within the range of 0.3 to 1.3 (static) and 0.2 to 1.2 (kinetic) irrespective of the particular combination of frictional backing material and underlying surface material. The range is preferably 0.5 to 1.3 (static) and 0.3 to 1.1 (kinetic). It follows that the frictional backing material for flooring products must be selected with a view toward their respective interactions with the particular underlying surface.
• the frictional backing material can be natural or synthetic substance(s), or a combination of natural and synthetic substances. It is typically of a polymeric nature.
• frictional backing materials are polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyethylene, polypropylene, polyurethane, epoxy resin, acrylic, latex, rubber, neoprene, and coated or natural textiles.
• PVC polyvinyl chloride
• polyethylene polyethylene
• polypropylene polypropylene
• polyurethane polyurethane
• epoxy resin acrylic
• latex latex
• rubber neoprene
• coated or natural textiles coated or natural textiles.
• the frictional backing material is selected in view of the substance on which the flooring product will be laid. That substance is typically concrete, but it can be other substances such as wood, rubber, plastic, asphalt, etc.
• the respective constituents of the frictional backing material and underlying surface are coordinated to obtain the desired coefficient.
• the product and method of our invention are such that the underside of the flooring panel and the frictional backing layer are adjoined. If the panel is non-laminate, the cross-section is as depicted in Figure 1. On the other hand, if the panel is of laminate structure, there are multiple layers above the frictional backing material, as depicted in Figure 2. Generally speaking, the multiple layers of a laminate can include one or more of a balance layer, an embossing layer, and first and second stabilizing layers.
• a wear layer is adjoined directly to a surface of the design layer, with a protective layer on the surface of the wear layer opposite that adjoined to the design layer, and the structural backing layer is adjoined to an opposite surface of the design layer through intermediate layers comprising said second stabilizing layer, said balance layer, said first stabilizing layer, and said embossing layer, either in that order or a different one, its being understood that the intermediate layers are optional and that any one or more of them can be omitted.
• Uni-layer panel 10 a surface upon which the panel rests (typically below the panel) 20, and a frictional backing material 30 interposed between them.
• Uni-layer panel 10 comprises an interlocking mechanism including reciprocal components 10A and 10B.
• interlocking component 10A of a first panel 10 is configured to lock with interlocking component 10B of a second panel 10.
• Figure 2 there are shown five layers (not shown to scale) within the panel. From top to bottom, they are: a protective coat layer, a wear layer, a design layer, an embossing layer, and a structural backing layer. These layers are respectively elements 110, 120, 130, 140 and 150 in Figure 2.
• the panel includes an interlocking mechanism (not shown for purposes of simplicity); for example, like that of components 10A and 10B of Figure 1.
• the underlying surface is element 160 and the frictional backing material is element 170.
• the frictional backing material 170 may be adhered to the structural backing layer 150.
• Protective coat layer 110 functions as the primary mechanism for creating sheen along with acting as a first-line barrier against wear.
• the protective coat layer may be adjusted to provide for different sheens, such as high gloss or low gloss.
• the protective coat has a pre-production thickness of approximately 0.085-0.115 mm. In another embodiment, the protective coat has a pre-production thickness of less than 0.144 mm.
• Design layer 130 provides the primary visual component of the floor tile.
• the layer is polyvinyl chloride or other flooring design polymer, and is typically in the form of imprinted film or otherwise decorated with suitable adornment to give the flooring a desired
• the design layer has a pre-production thickness of approximately 0.05-0.13 mm. In another embodiment, the design layer has a pre-production thickness of less than 0.16 mm.
• Wear layer 120 is the primary protective layer and is located above the design layer 130. Although the protective coat layer initially provides shielding, it generally wears away after use. The wear layer provides long-term wear-resistance that guards against damage to the design layer. In a preferred embodiment, the wear layer has a post-production thickness of approximately 0.45-0.55 mm. In another embodiment, the wear layer has a post- production thickness of less than 0.688 mm.
• Embossing layer 140 helps provide a more realistic visual, for example, by adding the appearance of texture.
• embossing layer 140 has a pre-production thickness of approximately 0.95- 1.05 mm.
• embossing layer 140 has a pre-production thickness of less than 1.31 mm.
• embossing layer 140 has a pre-production thickness of approximately 2.25-2.35 mm.
• embossing layer 140 has a pre-production thickness of less than 2.94 mm.
• Structural backing layer 150 underlies the design layer and provides balance for deformations or pressure to the wear layer.
• the structural backing layer 150 is the least porous layer, and this decreased permeability retards liquids from entering the flooring from below.
• structural backing layer 150 has a pre-production thickness of approximately 0.95-1.05 mm. In another embodiment, the structural backing layer 150 has a pre-production thickness of less than 1.31 mm.
• the frictional backing material 170 is adhered or attached to the structural backing layer 150.
• a further and important function of both frictional backing material 30 (Fig. 1) and frictional backing material 170 (Fig. 2) is that in good embodiments of the invention they are composed of material that is resistant to the passage of aqueous fluid.
• the flooring is protected by the backing material to a helpful degree from the potentially damaging effects of moisture entrapped thereunder; and, in those instances where the flooring panel is a laminate comprising a backing layer that is of relatively low permeability, the frictional backing material augments an already existing resistance to liquid.
• the backing material is virtually unreactive with alkaline species, any alkaline content in seepage or any other incursion by an alkaline substance is impeded. In such manner, flooring can be more effectively protected from the destructive influences of alkaline presence as well.
• a “layer” is “proximate” one surface or another of the "design layer” of our laminate floor panel if it is close or near to - though not necessarily immediately adjacent - the design layer.
• a layer "proximate” one surface of the design layer is closer to that surface of the design layer than it is to the opposite surface of the design layer.
• the wear layer and the structural backing layer are each "proximate" its corresponding surface of the design layer.
• the flooring product of our invention can be made by a method involving location of the frictional backing material on all or part of the underside (i.e., the side of the flooring panel intended to be in contact with the surface to be covered). Location can be implemented by affixing the backing material through applying heat and pressure to the assemblage of the panel and frictional backing material. Because the thickness and character of the panel can vary from one embodiment to another, differing amounts of heat and pressure will need to be applied respectively to the combinations of different embodiments.
• the frictional backing material can also be affixed to the underside of the flooring panel with adhesive.
• location can be implemented by covering all or part of the flooring panel's underside with backing material that can be for instance deposited and cured on the underside.
• heat and pressure or other curing conditions are preferably effective to secure the frictional backing material to the panel, but sufficiently controlled so that the heat and/or pressure (optionally in combination with one or more other prevailing conditions) or other curing conditions are not of an extent or a duration so as to damage any of the constituent materials whereby the flooring product or any of its properties sought is materially compromised.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Architecture (AREA)
• Civil Engineering (AREA)
• Structural Engineering (AREA)
• Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Wood Science & Technology (AREA)
• Floor Finish (AREA)
• Laminated Bodies (AREA)

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Applications Claiming Priority (4)

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• 2013
  • 2013-09-18 US US14/030,580 patent/US20140083034A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2013-09-19 CN CN201380060041.3A patent/CN104919120A/zh active Pending
  • 2013-09-19 KR KR1020157010021A patent/KR20150135191A/ko not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 2013-09-19 EP EP13838447.4A patent/EP2917433A4/en not_active Withdrawn
  • 2013-09-19 WO PCT/US2013/060605 patent/WO2014047277A2/en active Application Filing
  • 2013-09-19 KR KR1020197013383A patent/KR20190067213A/ko not_active Application Discontinuation

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