U.S. patent application number 10/473026 was filed with the patent office on 2004-07-29 for floor made from individual elements.
Invention is credited to Kellner, Peter.
Application Number | 20040144050 10/473026 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 7679164 |
Filed Date | 2004-07-29 |
United States Patent
Application |
20040144050 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Kellner, Peter |
July 29, 2004 |
Floor made from individual elements
Abstract
The aim of the invention is an embodiment of a floor with high
resistance, formed from individual elements which are light and
easily transported and also easily removed and thus may be used in
multiple applications. According to the invention, said aim is
achieved whereby the flat elements are multi-layered plates, each
with a thin pressure and wear resistant plate provided on the upper
surface thereof and a light material layer, fixed by means of an
adhesive layer arranged thereunder. The invention further relates
to a floor made from individual flat elements.
Inventors: |
Kellner, Peter;
(Philippsthal, DE) |
Correspondence
Address: |
JORDAN AND HAMBURG LLP
122 EAST 42ND STREET
SUITE 4000
NEW YORK
NY
10168
US
|
Family ID: |
7679164 |
Appl. No.: |
10/473026 |
Filed: |
March 22, 2004 |
PCT Filed: |
February 15, 2002 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/DE02/00555 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
52/506.01 ;
52/578 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E04B 1/615 20130101;
E04F 15/02016 20130101; E04F 15/082 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
052/506.01 ;
052/578 |
International
Class: |
E04B 002/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Mar 26, 2001 |
DE |
101 14 924.7 |
Claims
1. A floor, consisting of individual, two-dimensional elements,
characterized in that the two-dimensional elements are multilayer
panels, a thin, pressure-resistant and wear-resistant panel (1)
being disposed at the upper side of the multilayer panels and a
pressure-resistant layer (4) of light material being fastened by
gluing below the panel (1).
2. The floor of claim 1, characterized in that the thin
pressure-resistant and wear-resistant panel (1) consists of natural
stone.
3. The floor of claim 1, characterized in that the thin
pressure-resistant and wear-resistant panel (1) consists of
glass.
4. The floor of claim 3, characterized in that the thin
pressure-resistant and wear-resistant panel (1) consists of glass
and that a graphic design, visible from above, is mounted at its
underside.
5. The floor of one of the preceding claims, characterized in that
grooves (3) are disposed at the veridical edge surfaces of the
layer (4) of light material and connecting strips (9) are disposed
in these grooves (3) in each case between adjacently laid
multilayer panels.
6. The floor of one of the preceding claims, characterized in that
a two-dimensional sheathing (2) of high strength and, in comparison
to panel (1), of high modulus of elasticity and slight thickness is
glued between the panel (1) and the layer (4) of light material at
least in partial regions.
7. The floor of claim 6, characterized in that the two-dimensional
sheathing (2) is disposed over the whole surface or in strip form
and consists of the carbon fiber-reinforced plastic, carbon
fiber-reinforced plastic fabric, fiberglass or metal.
8. The floor of claims 6 or 7, characterized in that the sheathing
(2) is disposed within the layer (4) of light material.
9. The floor of claim 8, characterized in that the slots for
accommodating strip-shaped sheathing (2) are incorporated in the
layer (4) of light material.
10. The floor of one of the preceding claims, characterized in that
two-dimensional elements form squares with an edge length of 300 to
500 mm and a thickness of 10 to 20 mm.
11. The floor of one of the preceding claims, characterized in that
the multilayer panels are disposed on a flat substrate, which
comprises a lower sheet (8), on which a rapidly setting jointless
floor (7) is cast.
12. The floor of one of the claims 5 to 11, characterized in that
the connecting strips (9) consist of two horizontal legs (9.1) and
one upwardly directed leg (9.2), the thickness of the horizontal
legs (9.1) being slightly less than the width of the grooves (3),
the horizontal legs (9.1) engaging the grooves (3) and the upper
edge of the vertical leg (9.2) terminating approximately at surface
of the panel (1) of natural stone.
13. The floor of claim 12, characterized in that an additional part
of a different material, which has a groove engaged by the
horizontal legs (9.1) of the connecting strip (9), engages the side
surfaces of the layer (4) of light material.
14. The floor of claims 12 or 13, characterized in that the upper
side of the vertical legs (9.2) is provided with a colored strip
(11).
15. The floor of one of the claims 12 to 14, characterized in that
the horizontal legs (9.1) have thickenings for clamping the
connecting strip (9) into the grooves (3).
16. The floor of one of the claims 12 to 15, characterized in that
the connecting strips (9) are disposed both joint directions of the
overall arrangement of the multilayer panel and are connected with
one another at the crossing points of joints.
17. The floor of one of the preceding claims, characterized in that
the undersurface of the layer (4) of light material has grooves,
which enable water to drain.
18. The floor of one of the preceding claims, characterized in that
the edges of the whole arrangement, which is formed by a plurality
of multilayer panels, are bounded by an angle profile (5), the
horizontal leg of which is fixed bellow the multilayer panels and
the vertical leg of which is provided at its side, facing the
floor, with a compressible sealing tape.
Description
[0001] The invention relates to a floor consisting of individual
two-dimensional elements.
[0002] The invention is intended, in particular, for floors, which
can be removed once again and therefore are usable repeatedly. For
floors, which can be removed once again and used repeatedly and are
required, for example, for exhibitions, it was previously not
possible to configure level and high-grade floor surfaces with a
high load-carrying capability, especially when thin and therefore
light natural stone panels are used.
[0003] In the state of the art, floors for textile coverings, which
can be removed once again, are known. In this connection, it shall
be possible to remove the covering from the floor once again
without leaving a residue and without damaging the floor
covering.
[0004] According to DE 36 00 807 C2, a method is given for this
purpose, for which a plastic layer is disposed on both sides of a
backing material, at least one side of which being glueable,
impermeable to the adhesive and resistant to water.
[0005] For use under high loads and for external use, it is known
that stone, concrete or ceramic elements may be laid in mortar or
on corner supports. According to DE 197 37 097 C2, a system is
known, for which panels are used, which are laid individually next
to one another or with the help or with the help of connecting
plates and on which the floor covering is applied.
[0006] When used in the usual manner for achieving the strength
required, natural stone panels are thick and heavy and therefore
cumbersome to transport. For this reason, they are not suitable for
repeated use. Because of the danger of breakage, thin natural stone
panels, which are therefore easily transported, must be glued onto
a level substrate or laid in a bed of mortar and are therefore also
not suitable for repeated use.
[0007] It is an object of the invention, to indicate a floor
configuration of high strength with individual elements, which are
light and easily transported as well as easily removable once again
and, accordingly, can be used repeatedly.
[0008] Pursuant to the invention, this objective is accomplished
with the distinguishing features given in claim 1
[0009] Advantageous developments are given in the dependent
claims.
[0010] The invention has a series of advantages.
[0011] Due to the multilayer construction of the individual panels,
with, in each case, a thin panel on the upper side and, below this,
a pressure-resistant light material layer, which preferably
consists of a foamed material, a light floor element with a
high-grade surface and sufficient strength is realized.
[0012] Due the arrangement of the peripheral grooves at the edges
of the layer of light material and of connecting strips in the
grooves between adjacently placed multilayer panels, the securing
of the floor elements against shifting in the joint direction as
well as avoidance of offsets between adjacently laid multilayer
panels is accomplished in an easy manner. Because thin,
two-dimensional sheathing of high strength and high modulus of
elasticity is glued between the upper panel and the light material
layer, a very high strength of the floor elements is realized even
when very thin panels and therefore very light floor elements are
used. Such a high strength of the floor elements ensures a
sufficient safety against fracture even in the case of localized
stresses, which occur, for example, when shelves or cabinets, which
are supported at points, are set up. Moreover, the floor elements
do not need to be laid in a bed of mortar or glued to a
substrate.
[0013] The invention is explained in greater detail in the
following by means of an example. In the associated drawings,
[0014] FIG. 1 shows a section through an inventive, multilayer
panel,
[0015] FIG. 2 shows an inventive connecting strip,
[0016] FIG. 3 shows a section of a total arrangement of a floor
and
[0017] FIG. 4 shows a detail of the connecting site.
[0018] The section through an inventive, multilayer panel,
illustrated in FIG. 1, shows a thin panel 1 of natural strength, to
the underside of which a carbon fiber-reinforced plastic fabric of
small thickness is glued two-dimensionally by means of an epoxide
resin as a two dimensional sheathing 2. The thin panel 1 may
consist of glass, wood, or metal. In comparison with the natural
stone panel, the carbon fiber-reinforced plastic fabric has a high
modulus of elasticity; the tensile strength and the compression
strength of the carbon fiber-reinforced plastic fabric are clearly
greater than the compression strength of the natural stone. Beneath
the carbon fiber-reinforced plastic fabric, a pressure-resistant
foam layer 4, which consists of an extruded and hydrophobized
Styrofoam, is glued two-dimensionally. Due to the multilayer
construction shown, a multilayer panel of low weight and high
bending strength is achieved. In the case of an appropriate
construction, the sheathing 2 is disposed within the layer 4 of
light material. The sheathing elements advantageously can also be
introduced owing to the fact that the slots for accommodating
strip-shaped sheathing 2 are incorporated in the layer 4 of
lightweight material. For example, the slots can be incorporated in
pre-manufactured lightweight panels already before the latter are
combined with the thin panel 1 and the strip-shaped sheathing 4 is
glued into these slots subsequently.
[0019] Peripheral grooves 3, which accommodate the connecting
strips 9, are disposed at all four edges of the layer 4 of light
material of the square floor panel. The panels may have edge
lengths of 200 to 2200 mm and preferably squares with a length of
300 to 500 mm and a thickness 10 to 20 mm are used.
[0020] Such a connecting strip 9 is shown in FIG. 2. The connecting
strip 9 has at least two horizontal legs 9.1. The embodiment, shown
in FIG. 2, is similar to a T-shaped profile and has two horizontal
legs 9.1 and an additional vertical leg 9.2. The thickness of the
horizontal legs 9.1 is slightly less than the width grooves 3; in
the longitudinal direction of the profile, profilings, in which the
horizontal legs 9.1 are clamped securely in the grooves 3 and which
thus serve to connect adjacently disposed multilayer panels, are
disposed at the horizontal legs 9.1. To facilitate the assembly, it
is advisably to provide the ends of the horizontal legs 9.1 with a
conically constructed chamfered edge. The vertical legs 9.2
maintain a defined vertical joint width between the multilayer
panels.
[0021] FIG. 3 shows an asymmetrically represented section of an
overall arrangement of a floor with several multilayer panels,
which are connected in each case by connecting strips 9. The
multilayer panels are laid on a level substrate; the substrate
consists of a lower sheet 8, over which a rapidly setting jointless
floor 7 is cast. An upper sheet 6 is disposed over the jointless
floor 7. The floor is bounded at the sides by an L-shaped metal,
angled profile 5, the horizontal leg of which is covered with the
jointless floor 7. The angle profile 5 is fixed in the substrate by
this covering. At the side facing the floor, the vertical leg of
the angle profile 5 is provided with a compressible sealing tape,
which prevents the mortar emerging from the frame. The mutual
connection of the connecting strips 9, which are disposed in the
two joint directions at the crossing points of joints between the
multilayer panels, is not shown in the Figure.
[0022] FIG. 4 explains a detail of a connecting site, for which
there are additional fastening rails 10, which have a groove
engaged by the horizontal legs 9.1 of the connecting strips 9, in
the side surfaces of the layer 4 of light material. Advantageously,
the horizontal legs 9.1 are formed elastically by a slot and are
provided at the end with thickenings, which engage corresponding
undercuts at the inner surfaces of the fastening rails and thus
make possible a positive, but detachable connection and, with that,
a secure and gap-free arrangement of adjacent panels.
[0023] At the same time, it is also possible that the vertical legs
9.2 are provided at their upper side with colored edge strips 11 of
an elastic plastic, which fulfill decorative tasks, as well as
improve the sealing. Aside from a flat shape, shown in FIG. 4, the
surface of the edge strip 11 can also have a raised shape, as shown
in FIG. 4b, or be constructed as a fillet, as shown in FIG. 4c.
Furthermore, it is possible to use the versions of the connecting
strip 9 without a vertical leg 9.2. These embodiments, suitable
especially for use for exterior patio panels, are shown in FIG. 4d.
The connecting strip consists here only of the two horizontal legs
9.1, which are provided with openings. By these means, it becomes
possible to discharge water from the surface of the panels, which
drains through the gap between adjacent panels and can be
discharged through the connecting strip 9.
List of Reference
[0024] 1. Panel
[0025] 2. Sheathing
[0026] 3. Groove
[0027] 4. Layer of light material
[0028] 5. Angle profile
[0029] 6. Upper sheet
[0030] 7. Jointless floor
[0031] 8. Lower sheet
[0032] 9. Connecting strip
[0033] 9.1 Horizontal leg
[0034] 9.2 Vertical leg
[0035] 10. Fastening rail
[0036] 11. Edge strip
* * * * *