U.S. patent application number 10/730253 was filed with the patent office on 2004-11-11 for flooring panel or wall panel and use thereof.
Invention is credited to Martensson, Goran.
Application Number | 20040221537 10/730253 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 31950856 |
Filed Date | 2004-11-11 |
United States Patent
Application |
20040221537 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Martensson, Goran |
November 11, 2004 |
Flooring panel or wall panel and use thereof
Abstract
Flooring panel or wall panel and a use thereof in a wet room.
The panel is provided with a locking means in the form of groove
(6) and tongue (7) forming a tongue/groove joint for assembling of
the panels. The groove (6) and the tongue (7) are made of water
tight material and formed with a snap-together joint.
Inventors: |
Martensson, Goran;
(Klagstorp, SE) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Thomas P. Pavelko, Esquire
STEVENS, DAVIS, MILLER & MOSHER, L.L.P.
Suite 850
1615 L. Street, N.W.
Washington
DC
20036
US
|
Family ID: |
31950856 |
Appl. No.: |
10/730253 |
Filed: |
December 9, 2003 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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10730253 |
Dec 9, 2003 |
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10642139 |
Aug 18, 2003 |
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10642139 |
Aug 18, 2003 |
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10195408 |
Jul 16, 2002 |
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6606834 |
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10195408 |
Jul 16, 2002 |
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09705916 |
Nov 6, 2000 |
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6421970 |
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09705916 |
Nov 6, 2000 |
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09637114 |
Aug 11, 2000 |
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6418683 |
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09637114 |
Aug 11, 2000 |
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08894966 |
Sep 28, 1997 |
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6101778 |
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08894966 |
Sep 28, 1997 |
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PCT/SE96/00256 |
Feb 29, 1996 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
52/578 ;
52/589.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E04F 2201/023 20130101;
E04F 2201/0115 20130101; E04F 13/0878 20130101; E04F 2201/0107
20130101; E04B 1/6129 20130101; E04F 2201/0123 20130101; E04F 15/02
20130101; E04F 2201/049 20130101; E04F 15/10 20130101; E04F 2201/07
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
052/578 ;
052/589.1 |
International
Class: |
E04C 003/30 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Mar 7, 1995 |
SE |
9500810-8 |
Claims
1-12. Cancelled
13. A floor covering comprising a hard floor panel having a
substantially planar underside and at least two opposed side edges,
said side edges including complementary coupling parts configured
to cooperate with identical cooperative complementary coupling
parts of another one of said panel, said coupling parts comprising
substantially a tongue and a groove extending along panel side
edges generally parallel to the panel underside and including
integrated mechanical locking elements, said tongue, groove and
locking elements formed in one piece with the panel, said tongue,
groove and locking elements arranged to prevent drifting apart of
the floor panel when coupled by said coupling parts to another one
of said floor panel in a direction perpendicular to the adjacent
side edges of the coupled panels, and parallel to the underside of
the panel; a coupling part of said panel, when engaged with a
complementary coupling part of another one of said panel,
configured and arranged to produce a biasing force between such
coupled panels tending to urge the panels towards each other; at
least one of said coupling parts including an elastically bendable
portion having a relaxed unbent position, and which, when in a
coupled condition, is at least partially bent out of its normal
relaxed position and thereby provides said biasing force; wherein
the elastically bendable portion of said one of said coupling part
comprises a lower lip defined at least in part by a lower side of
the groove of said coupling parts, said lower lip cooperating with
a mating portion of a tongue of a cooperating coupling part;
wherein said lip when bent extends in a downward direction relative
to the panel underside when the panel is coupled by cooperative
complementary coupling parts to another one of said panel; wherein
the panel comprises a core comprising wood particles bound together
with a binder; one of said locking elements comprises a recess in
said lower lip, said recess having a lowermost bottom area; said
groove having a deepest point within the panel; and wherein said
elastically bendable portion of the lower lip comprises a portion
of said lower lip located between the deepest point of said groove
and the lowermost bottom area of said recess; wherein the bendable
portion of the lower lip includes a side wall of said recess that
slopes downwardly in a direction extending from a distally outer
area of said lip towards a proximally inner area of said lip.
14. A floor covering comprising a hard floor panel having a
substantially planar underside and at least two opposed side edges,
said side edges including complementary coupling parts configured
to cooperate with identical cooperative complementary coupling
parts of another one of said panel, said coupling parts comprising
substantially a tongue and a groove extending along panel side
edges generally parallel to the panel underside and including
integrated mechanical locking elements, said tongue, groove and
locking elements formed in one piece with the panel, said tongue,
groove and locking elements arranged to prevent drifting apart of
the floor panel when coupled by said coupling parts to another one
of said floor panel in a direction perpendicular to the adjacent
side edges of the coupled panels, and parallel to the underside of
the panel; a coupling part of said panel, when engaged with a
complementary coupling part of another one of said panel,
configured and arranged to produce a biasing force between such
coupled panels tending to urge the panels towards each other; at
least one of said coupling parts including an elastically bendable
portion having a relaxed unbent position, and which, when in a
coupled condition, is at least partially bent out of its normal
relaxed position and thereby provides said biasing force; wherein
said floor panel is rectangular and includes two pairs of opposed
side edges; said coupling parts and locking elements are provided
on all side edges of the panel; and wherein said locking elements
are provided on at least two side edges that are perpendicular to
and meet each other whereby, when the panel is coupled with
complementary coupling parts of identical ones of said panel at all
opposed edges, the panels are locked together by said locking
elements at all coupled side edges; wherein said coupling parts are
configured and arranged to enable coupling of complementary
coupling parts of identical ones of said panel to each other by
rotation of one panel relative to the other, said coupling parts
configured such that upon rotation of one panel relative to the
other panel the elastically bendable portion of one coupling part
is bent; and wherein at coupled side edges of the coupled panels
the coupling parts are configured such that one panel is movable
relative to the other by shifting the one relative to the other in
a direction parallel to the coupled side edges; said shifting of
one panel relative to the other maintaining the bent condition of
the elastically bendable portion of the lower lip while the panels
are coupled.
15. A method of assembling a floor covering comprising cooperating
rectangular hard floor panels each having a substantially planar
underside and at least two opposed side edges including
complementary coupling parts arranged to cooperate with identical
complementary coupling parts of another one of said panels, said
complementary coupling parts substantially comprising a tongue and
a groove extending generally parallel to said underside, said
coupling parts further including integrated mechanical locking
elements which prevent the drifting apart of coupled ones of said
panels away from each other in directions perpendicular to the
respective coupled side edges and parallel to the undersides of the
panels, said coupling parts defining at least in part a lower lip
which defines at least a portion of a lower side of each groove of
the coupling parts and an upper lip located above each groove area
adjacent the upper surface of the panel; said lower lip extending
distally beyond the upper lip; said locking elements including a
portion of said lower lip which slopes downwardly in a direction
extending from a distally outer location towards a proximally inner
location, said portion located at least in part on a part of the
lower lip extending beyond said upper lip, a lower side of said
tongue that is inclined downwardly in a direction extending from
proximal inner location of said tongue to a distally outer location
thereof; said portion of said lower lip that slopes downwardly
cooperating with said lower side of the tongue that is inclined,
said lower lip including an elastically bendable portion that must
be elastically bent downwardly to enable coupling of a
complementary pair of tongue and groove coupling parts; comprising
the steps of: laying a first one of said panels on a support
surface; coupling a second one of said panels to said first one
panel along first and second complementary side edges of the panels
by fitting a tongue of one panel into a complementary groove of the
other panel until said downwardly sloping portion of said lower lip
engages said downwardly inclined lower side of said tongue while
bending the lower lip elastically in a downward direction; and
maintaining said lower lip in a bent condition after such coupling
to effectively bias the sloped and inclined portions of the lower
lip and tongue together and to produce a resultant biasing force
maintaining the panels compressed against each other at the coupled
side edges.
16. A method according to claim 15, wherein said second panel is
coupled to the first panel by first fitting the tongue and groove
into each other with the second panel angled upwardly with respect
to the first panel and then subsequently angling down the second
panel to bring the two panels into a coplanar relationship, and
causing by said angling down that the bendable portion of the lower
lip of the first panel is resiliently bent downwardly over a small
distance.
17. The method according to claim 15, wherein the second panel is
coupled to the first panel by first fitting the tongue and groove
into each other, said fitting being carried out by shifting the
second panel relative to the first panel with both panels in a
substantially coplanar relationship, and causing by said shifting
that the bendable portion of the lower lip of the first panel is
deflected downwardly over a small distance.
18. The method according to claim 15, wherein said tongue, groove,
lips and locking elements are provided on coupling parts located at
opposed pairs of opposite side edges, said method comprising the
additional step of: coupling a third one of said panels to the
first and second ones of said panels respectively along
complementary third and fourth side edges of the panels that extend
perpendicular to each other; and causing by said coupling that an
elastically bendable portion of a lower lip of the last recited
side edges is elastically deflected in a downward direction, the
return force of the deflected portion of the lip providing the
resultant biasing force maintaining the panels compressed against
each other along said third and fourth side edges.
19. The method according to claim 18, wherein the coupling of the
panels is created by the steps of: coupling the third panel to the
first panel by first fully coupling together a tongue and groove of
the third and first panels by shifting the third panel relative to
first panel with both panels in a coplanar relationship, said
shiffing causing a bendable portion of the lower lip of the first
panel to become and remain deflected downwardly over a small
distance while the panels are coupled; and coupling the third panel
to the second panel by coupling the tongue and groove of the
respective third and second panels, said coupling being carried out
by shifting the third panel relative to the second panel with the
panels in a substantially coplanar relationship; causing the
bendable portion of the lower lip of the second panel to become and
remain deflected downwardly over a small distance while the third
and second panels are coupled.
20. A floor covering comprising a laminated hard floor panel having
a wood-based core material comprising wood particles bound together
with a binder said panel comprising a first pair and a second pair
of opposed side edges, said panel further comprising generally
complementary coupling parts located at both of the pairs of said
side edges, said coupling parts comprising a tongue and a groove,
said tongue and groove when coupled along adjacent side edges of
two ones of said panel comprising integral mechanical locking
elements, said coupling parts as well as said mechanical locking
elements being integral with said core material, said coupling
parts together with said locking elements arranged so as to enable
a locking in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the floor
covering as well as in a direction perpendicular to the coupled
side edges and parallel to a plane including the panels that are
coupled; wherein said coupling parts and the mechanical locking
elements of at least said second pair of opposite side edges are
configured such that two identical ones of said floor panel are
coupled by shifting them laterally towards each other in a
substantial planar fashion, and wherein the locking elements of
said second pair of opposite side edges provide a snap-together
coupling providing a snap-action during the coupling of two panels
by shifting them laterally towards each other; wherein said locking
elements comprise a recess located in a lower lip extending at
least to a side edge and defining at least in part a lower side of
said groove; and a protrusion provided at a lower side of said
tongue; wherein the-panels at the side edge comprising the groove,
of at least one of the side edge of both pairs of the side edges,
include an upper lip above the groove, said upper lip defining at
least in part an upper side of said groove, and said upper lip
terminating at a distal outer end, wherein said lower lip extends
distally beyond the distal outer end of the upper lip, and further
wherein the recess is located in the lower lip in an area of the
lower lip that is located at least partly beyond the distal outer
end of the upper lip.
21. The floor covering according to claim 20, wherein the
configuration of the tongue and the lower lip are such that a
tongue of said panel becomes automatically lodged in the groove of
another identical one of said panels by laterally moving the panels
towards each other in approximately a plane including the panels
during which the tongue is partially inserted into the groove
before the lower lip is deformed.
22. The floor covering according to claim 21, wherein said panel
becomes automatically lodged in the groove of another identical one
of said panels by laterally moving the panels towards each other in
approximately a plane including the panels starting from positions
at which the panels are completely separated from each other.
23. The floor covering according to claim 20, wherein the first
pair of side edges as well as the second pair of the side edges
comprise coupling parts and locking elements including a lower lip
extending beyond the upper lip.
24. The floor covering according to claim 20, wherein one pair of
the side edges comprises coupling parts in the form of a tongue and
a groove and wherein the locking elements of this pair of side
edges are located completely inside the groove.
25. The floor covering according to claim 24, wherein the groove is
formed by upper and lower lips, the upper lip and the lower lip
bordering the groove are of equal length.
26. The floor covering according to claim 25, wherein said floor
panels are elongated and the side edges having the upper lip and
the lower lip of equal length is located at one of the short sides
of the panels.
27. The floor covering according to claim 20, wherein the lower lip
extends beyond the upper lip over a distance which is smaller than
the thickness of the panel.
28. The floor covering according to claim 20, wherein at at least
one pair of the edges, the locking elements comprise inclined
contact surfaces.
29. The floor covering according to claim 28, wherein the contact
surfaces define a tangent line which in respect to the plane of the
floor covering shows an inclination which is comprised between
30.degree. and 70.degree.
30. A floor covering comprising a laminated hard floor panel having
a core material, said panel comprising a first pair and a second
pair of opposed side edges, said panel further comprising generally
complementary coupling parts located at both or the pairs of said
side edges, said coupling parts comprising a tongue and a groove,
said tongue and groove when coupled along adjacent side edges of
two ones of said panel comprising integral mechanical locking
elements, said coupling parts as well as said mechanical locking
elements being integral and made in one piece with said core
material, said coupling parts together with said locking elements
arranged so as to enable a locking in a direction perpendicular to
the plane of the floor covering as well as in a direction
perpendicular to the coupled side edges and parallel to a plane
including the panels that are coupled, wherein said coupling parts
and the mechanical locking elements of at least said second pair of
opposite side edges are configured such that two identical ones of
said floor panel are coupled by shifting them laterally towards
each other in a substantial planar fashion, and wherein the locking
elements of said second pair of opposite side edges provide a
snap-together coupling providing a snap-action during the coupling
of two panels by shifting them laterally towards each other, said
snap action being delivered substantially by said core material;
wherein said locking elements comprise a recess located in a lower
lip extending at least to a side edge and defining at least in part
a lower side of said groove; and a protrusion provided at a lower
side of said tongue; wherein the panels at the side edge comprising
the groove, of at least one of the side edge of both pairs of the
side edges, include an upper lip above the groove, said upper lip
defining at least in part an upper side of said groove, and said
upper lip terminating at a distal outer end, wherein said lower lip
extends distally beyond the distal outer end of the upper lip, and
further wherein the recess is located in the lower lip in an area
of the lower lip that is located at least partly beyond the distal
outer end of the upper lip.
31. A floor covering comprising a laminated hard floor panel having
a wood-based core material comprising wood particles bound together
with a binder, said panel comprising a first pair and a second pair
of opposed side edges, said panel further comprising generally
complementary coupling parts located at both of the pairs of said
side edges, said coupling parts comprising a tongue and a groove,
said tongue and groove when coupled along adjacent side edges of
two ones of said panel comprising integral mechanical locking
elements, said coupling parts as well as said mechanical locking
elements being integral with said core material, said coupling
parts together with said locking elements arranged so as to enable
a locking in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the floor
covering as well as in a direction perpendicular to the coupled
side edges and parallel to a plane including the panels that are
coupled, wherein said coupling parts and the mechanical locking
elements of at least said second pair of opposite side edges are
configured such that two identical ones of said floor panel are
coupled by shifting them laterally towards each other in a
substantial planar fashion, and wherein the locking elements of
said second pair of opposite side edges provide a snap-together
coupling providing a snap-action during the coupling of two panels
by shifting them laterally towards each other, at least one of said
pairs of edges comprising a lower lip defining at least in part a
bottom side of a groove of said coupling parts and extending
distally beyond a respective groove opening, and wherein said
locking elements comprise a protrusion extending from the lower
side of a tongue of said pairs of edges and a cooperating recess in
said lower lip, said protrusion and recess fitting together when
ones of said panel are coupled by said tongue and groove; wherein,
when a complementary tongue and groove are coupled, said protrusion
and recess meet each other at contiguous contact surfaces at a
common plane of tangency that with respect to a common plane of the
coupled panels is inclined inwardly from a distally outer area
towards a distally inner area at an angle less than 90.degree..
32. The floor panel according to claim 31, wherein the angle is
between 30-70.degree..
33. A floor covering comprising a laminated hard floor panel having
a, said panel comprising a first pair and a second pair of opposed
side edges, said panel further comprising generally complementary
coupling parts located at both of the pairs of said side edges,
said coupling parts comprising a tongue and a groove, said tongue
and groove when coupled along adjacent side edges of two ones of
said panel comprising integral mechanical locking elements, said
coupling parts as well as said mechanical locking elements being
integral and made in one piece with said core material, said
coupling parts together with said locking elements arranged so as
to enable a locking in a direction perpendicular to the plane of
the floor covering as well as in a direction perpendicular to the
coupled side edges and parallel to a plane including the panels
that are coupled, wherein said coupling parts and the mechanical
locking elements of at least said second pair of opposite side
edges are configured such that two identical ones of said floor
panel are coupled by shifting them laterally towards each other in
a substantial planar fashion, and wherein the locking elements of
said second pair of opposite side edges provide a snap-together
coupling providing a snap-action during the coupling of two panels
by shifting them laterally towards each other, said snap action
being delivered substantially by said core material; at least one
of said pairs of edges comprising a lower lip defining at least in
part a bottom side of a groove of said coupling parts and extending
distally beyond a respective groove opening, and wherein said
locking elements comprise a protrusion extending from the lower
side of a tongue of said pairs of edges and a cooperating recess in
said lower lip, said protrusion and recess fitting together when
ones of said panel are coupled by said tongue and groove; wherein,
when a complementary tongue and groove are coupled, said protrusion
and recess meet each other at contiguous contact surfaces at a
common plane of tangency that with respect to a common plane of the
coupled panels is inclined inwardly from a distally outer area
towards a distally inner area at an angle less than 90.degree..
34. A method of assembling a floor covering comprising hard floor
panels of rectangular shape, said panels each including
complementary coupling parts at opposed side edges of the panels,
said coupling parts arranged to cooperate with complementary
coupling parts of another one of said panel, said coupling parts
comprising substantially a tongue, a groove, and integrated locking
elements collectively arranged to prevent the drifting apart of two
coupled ones of said floor panel in a direction parallel to the
edges along which the panels are coupled and parallel to a plane
including the floor panels, said panels each including distally
extending upper and lower lips on opposite sides of said groove,
said lower lip including an elastically flexible portion and
defining at least in part a lower side of the groove and extending
distally beyond the upper lip, and wherein one of said locking
elements comprises at least in part a portion of the elastically
flexible portion of the lower lip that extends beyond the upper lip
and which is inclined downwardly in a direction extending inwardly
from the distal end area of said lip, said locking element
cooperating with a surface of the lower side of the tongue which
slopes downwardly in a direction extending outwardly from a
proximal area of the tongue toward a distal area thereof, said
method comprising the steps of: laying a first one of said hard
floor panel on a support surface; placing a second one of said
panel next to a side edge of the first one of said panel, such that
a tongue of one of said panel side edges lies next to a groove of
the other one of said panel side edges; shifting the panels towards
each other to move a tongue into a groove and to bend a flexible
portion of a lower lip downwardly, said shifting causing the
inclined and sloped surfaces of the tongue and groove respectively
to engage each other in coupled relationship with the panels biased
towards each other by the returning force of the downwardly bent
lower lip; wherein a third panel is coupled to a previously laid
one or more of said first and second ones of said panel by placing
the tongue of the third panel in a complementary groove of one or
more of the previously laid panels, and wherein the second one of
said panel, before being coupled with the first one of said panel,
is coupled to an already previously laid one or more of said panel
using the steps of: directing a tongue of the third one of said
panel towards a groove of an already laid panel or panels and
inserting a tongue of the third one of said panel at least
partially into the groove of an already laid panel or panels while
the third one panel is angled upwardly relative to the already laid
panel or panels; angling down the third one of said panel so that
the inclined locking elements are brought adjacent each other;
after such angling down of the third one of said panel, laterally
moving the third one of said panel towards the previously laid one
or more panels with the panels in a common plane to completely
engage the tongue, groove and locking elements of the third one of
said panel with a complementary tongue, groove and locking element
of the previously laid panel or panels.
35. A floor covering comprising a laminated hard floor panel having
a wood-based core material comprising wood particles bound together
with a binder, said panel comprising a first pair and a second pair
of opposed side edges, said panel further comprising generally
complementary coupling parts located at both of the pairs of said
side edges, said coupling parts comprising a tongue and a groove,
said tongue and groove when coupled along adjacent side edges of
two ones of said panel comprising integral mechanical locking
elements, said coupling parts as well as said mechanical locking
elements being integral with said core material, said coupling
parts together with said locking elements arranged so as to enable
a locking in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the floor
covering as well as in a direction perpendicular to the coupled
side edges and parallel to a plane including the panels that are
coupled, wherein said coupling parts and the mechanical locking
elements of at least said second pair of opposite side edges are
configured such that two identical ones of said floor panel are
coupled by shifting them laterally towards each other in a
substantial planar fashion, and wherein the locking elements of
said second pair of opposite side edges provide a snap-together
coupling providing a snap-action during the coupling of two panels
by shifting them laterally towards each other; wherein said
coupling parts and locking elements of the first pair of side edges
are configured and dimensioned so as to enable two identical ones
of said floor panel to be coupled at the side edges at least by
turning one of said floor panels relative to the other.
36. The floor covering according to claim 35, wherein said floor
panels are elongated and the first pair of opposed side edges is
formed by the longer side edges, whereas the second pair of opposed
side edges is formed by the shorter side edges.
37. A floor covering comprising a laminated hard floor panel having
a core material, said panel comprising a first pair and a second
pair of opposed side edges, said panel further comprising generally
complementary coupling parts located at both of the pairs of said
side edges, said coupling parts comprising a tongue and a groove,
said tongue and groove when coupled along adjacent side edges of
two ones of said panel comprising integral mechanical locking
elements, said coupling parts as well as said mechanical locking
elements being integral and made in one piece with said core
material, said coupling parts together with said locking elements
arranged so as to enable a locking in a direction perpendicular to
the plane of the floor covering as well as in a direction
perpendicular to the coupled side edges and parallel to a plane
including the panels that are coupled, wherein said coupling parts
and the mechanical locking elements of at least said second pair of
opposite side edges are configured such that two identical ones of
said floor panel are coupled by shifting them laterally towards
each other in a substantial planar fashion, and wherein the locking
elements of said second pair of opposite side edges provide a
snap-together coupling providing a snap-action during the coupling
of two panels by shifting them laterally towards each other, said
snap action being delivered substantially by said core material;
wherein said coupling parts and locking elements of the first pair
of side edges are configured and dimensioned so as to enable two
identical ones of said floor panel to be coupled at the side edges
at least by turning one of said floor panels relative to the other.
Description
[0001] The present invention relates to a flooring panel or wall
panel and the use thereof in a wet room.
[0002] During the last few years laminated floors have achieved and
increased popularity and on many markets they are beginning to
replace parquet floors and wall-to-wall carpets. At the production
of laminated floors a decorative thermosetting laminate is first
produced. This laminate usually consists of a base layer of paper
sheets impregnated with phenol-formaldehyde resin and a decorative
surface layer consisting of a decor paper sheet impregnated with
melamine-formaldehyde resin. The laminate is produced by pressing
the different layers at a high pressure and an increased
temperature.
[0003] The laminate obtained is then glued to a carrier of particle
board for instance or used as such without any carrier and it is
then called compact laminate. The laminated panel thus produced is
then sawn up to a number of floor boards which are provided with
groove and tongue at the long sides and the short sides. Often the
floor boards produced have a thickness of about 7 mm, a length of
120 cm and a width of about 20 cm. Thereby they can usually be put
on top of an existing flooring material at a renovation. According
to another alternative, instead one or more of the above decorative
sheets can be laminated directly towards a base sheet of particle
board for instance.
[0004] At the assemblage of such a flooring glue is normally
applied in the groove when the floor boards are assembled.
Therefore, it will be difficult to change a damaged board or to
remove a whole flooring and for instance install it in another
room.
[0005] To avoid the above problem efforts have been made to achieve
floor boards which can be assembled without glue. One such
construction is disclosed in the U.S. Pat. No. 5,295,341. There the
boards are provided with groove and tongue in the usual way, but
here a snap-together system is included in the groove-tongue
joint.
[0006] These floor boards can be assembled without glue. However,
they have the disadvantage that the joints between the boards will
be flexible and not rigid. This means that if the surface below the
floor boards is not completely even which is usually the case, a
gap will be formed between the boards. In these gaps dirt and water
can penetrate.
[0007] According to the present invention also the last mentioned
problem has been solved and a flooring panel or wall panel,
preferably of thermosetting laminate having two pairs of parallel
side edges has been brought about. Two of these side edges are
provided with a locking means in the form of a groove and the other
two with a tongue fitting in the groove whereby a tongue/groove
joint for assembling of the panels is formed. The groove and the
tongue are made of a water tight material and formed with a
snap-together joint including one or more snapping webs or the like
with corresponding cooperating snapping grooves. The groove in
front of the snap-together joint has an entrance opening and
continues inside the snap-together joint in a stabilizing groove.
The tongue is formed with a rear neck intended to fit in the
entrance opening and a forwardly protruding stabilizing part
situated in front of the snap-together joint and intended for a
tight fit in the stabilizing groove, whereby connecting panels when
assembled by the snap-together joints and the stabilizing parts in
the stabilizing grooves are fixed to each other and prevented from
unintentional separation while at the same time a rigid floor
covering or wall covering respectively with water tight joints and
without unintentional gaps between the panels is obtained.
[0008] According to one preferred embodiment two adjacent side
edges of the panel are provided with a groove and the other two
side edges with a tongue. At this embodiment the panel is usually
rectangular, but it can also be square.
[0009] At square panels it is also possible to provide a pair of
parallel sides with a groove and the other pair with a tongue.
However, the choice of pattern on the surface layer of the panel is
limited at this shape.
[0010] It is preferred that the groove and the tongue are made of
thermoplast, a thermosetting laminate, aluminum or a chipboard or
particle board impregnated with a thermoplast. Of course also other
water tight materials can be used.
[0011] At one embodiment, the groove as well as the tongue are
formed as a ledge fixed to the side edges of the panel. Suitably
the ledge-formed groove and tongue respectively are then fixed in a
recess along the side edges with glue for instance.
[0012] The snapping webs can be formed on the upper and/or lower
side of the tongue while fitting snapping grooves are formed in the
groove.
[0013] In one preferred embodiment one snapping web is formed on
the upper side of the tongue and one on the lower side thereof
while the groove has two fitting snap-ping grooves one at the top
and one at the bottom.
[0014] If necessary one pair of snapping webs can be formed on the
upper side of the tongue and one pair on the lower side thereof. Of
course you then need two snapping grooves at the top and two
snapping grooves at the bottom of the groove to fit with the
snapping webs. This construction will give an extremely strong
joint.
[0015] Of course the snapping webs can instead be arranged in the
groove and the snap-ping grooves on the tongue.
[0016] In one preferred embodiment the width of the stabilizing
part is 2-10 mm, preferably 4-10 mm. Generally a wider stabilizing
part with fitting stabilizing groove gives a better rigidity of the
assembled panels.
[0017] The stabilizing part will also assist in a correct
assemblage of the panels. Thus, when the stabilizing part moves
into the stabilizing groove you get a correct level of the panels
and the panels can easily be pushed into the correct position where
you do not have any gap between the panels. Of course without any
substantial gap between the panels water and dirt are prevented
from entering the assembled flooring or wall covering.
[0018] As a safe guard against water penetration a seal might be
arranged in the inner part of the stabilizing groove for
instance.
[0019] Preferably the grooves and the tongues run the full length
of the side edges of the panels.
[0020] The panels can be designed in such a manner that the under
side of the groove and the tongue are situated in the same level as
the under side of the panel.
[0021] The panels can be used for covering floors and walls in
ordinary dry rooms: However, due to the rigid and water tight
joints the panels can be used also for wet rooms. For such
applications the whole panel is preferably made of thermosetting
laminate of so-called compact laminate type. Such a laminate does
not absorb water.
[0022] Another alternative is a non water absorbing base with a
water tight surface. The surface may for instance consist of paint,
a thermoplastic foil such as polyethylene, polypropylene or
polyvinyl chloride, a paper sheet impregnated with thermosetting
resin or of a thermosetting laminate.
[0023] One suitable non water absorbing base is a board produced by
pressing wood particles or wood chips impregnated with a
thermoplastic.
[0024] The invention will be further explained in connection with
the enclosed figures of which
[0025] FIG. 1 schematically shows a panel 1 according to the
invention seen from above. The panel is drawn with a rectangular
shape but it can as well be square.
[0026] FIGS. 2 and 3 show a cross section through two adjacent
edges of two embodiments of a panel where two such panels are to be
assembled. The construction according to FIG. 2 is preferred.
[0027] The panel 1 consists of a base of wood particles impregnated
with a thermoplastic with a decorative thermosetting laminate as a
surface layer 17 glued on top.
[0028] The panel 1 has two pairs of parallel side edges 2, 3 and 4,
5 respectively (FIG. 1). Two of these side edges are provided with
locking means in the form of a groove 6 and the other two with a
tongue 7 fitting in the groove 6, whereby a tongue/groove joint for
assembling of the panels is formed.
[0029] The groove 6 and the tongue 7 are made of a water tight
material and formed with a snap-together joint. In the embodiment
shown in FIG. 2 the snap-together joint consists of two snapping
webs 9, one on the upper side of the tongue 7 and one on the lower
side of tongue, these webs 9 cooperating with two fitting snapping
grooves 10.
[0030] In front of the snap-together joint, which means the
snapping webs 9 and the snapping groove 10, the groove 6 has an
entrence opening 8. Inside the snap-together joint the groove 6
continues in a stabilizing groove 13.
[0031] The tongue 7 is formed with a rear neck 11 intended to fit
in the entrance opening 8 of the groove 6. In front of the
snap-together joint the tongue 7 has a forwardly protruding
stabilizing part 12 intended for a tight fit in the stabilizing
groove 13.
[0032] The parts 9 and 10 included in the snap-together joint are
also adapted to each other to give a tight fit and strong joint. To
increase this effect further the snapping grooves 10 are provided
with undercut edges 18 which cooperate with the backside of the
snapping webs 9 with the same undercut.
[0033] The groove 6 and the tongue 7 are made of thermosetting
laminate and formed as a ledge fixed by glue in a recess along the
side edges of the panel. The under side 14 of the groove 6 is
situated in the same level as the under side 15 of the panel and
the under side 16 of the tongue 7 is situated in the same level as
the under side 15 of the panel 1.
[0034] When connecting panels have been assembled by the
snap-together joints and the stabilizing parts 12 inserted in the
stabilizing grooves 13, the panels are fixed to each other and
prevented from unintentional separation. A rigid floor covering or
wall covering with water tight joints and without unintentional
gaps between the panels is obtained. The usual rotation of the
snapping webs 9 in the snapping grooves 10 is prevented by the
stabilizing parts 12 in the stabilizing grooves 13. Accordingly
these parts are essential for the possibility to get a rigid joint
between the panels.
[0035] The embodiment shown in FIG. 3 is very similar to that
according to FIG. 2. The difference is that only the under side of
the tongue 7 is provided with a snapping web 9. The upper side is
lacking a snapping web. Accordingly there is only one snapping
groove 10 at the bottom of the groove 6.
[0036] The invention is not limited to the embodiments shown since
these can be modified in different ways within the scope of the
invention.
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