U.S. patent application number 11/241863 was filed with the patent office on 2006-11-23 for laminate flooring panel bevel and method of manufacturing same.
This patent application is currently assigned to QUALITY CRAFT LTD.. Invention is credited to John Nigel Brice.
Application Number | 20060260253 11/241863 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 37451601 |
Filed Date | 2006-11-23 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060260253 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Brice; John Nigel |
November 23, 2006 |
Laminate flooring panel bevel and method of manufacturing same
Abstract
A laminate panel with a beveled edge in the clear covering over
the decorative layer. The bevel in the clear covering is produced
by heating a roller and bringing it into operable contact with the
clear covering adjacent the edge of the laminate panel. The heated
roller melts the clear covering and produces the bevel as the
laminate panel is moved past the roller while the roller rotates
about its axis.
Inventors: |
Brice; John Nigel; (Surrey,
CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
John Russell Uren, P. Eng.
Suite 202
1590 Bellevue Avenue
West Vancouver
BC
V7V 1A7
CA
|
Assignee: |
QUALITY CRAFT LTD.
|
Family ID: |
37451601 |
Appl. No.: |
11/241863 |
Filed: |
September 30, 2005 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
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11136326 |
May 23, 2005 |
|
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11241863 |
Sep 30, 2005 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
52/588.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E04F 15/02033 20130101;
E04F 15/02 20130101; B24B 9/18 20130101; E04F 2201/0138 20130101;
E04F 2201/0153 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
052/588.1 |
International
Class: |
E04B 2/00 20060101
E04B002/00 |
Claims
1. A method of forming a bevel in the top surface of a panel of
laminate flooring comprising a covering over a layer of said panel
and a clear top layer over said covering, said method comprising
melting said clear top layer along an edge of said panel so as to
form a beveled edge extending upwardly and inwardly from said edge
towards said top surface of panel of laminate flooring.
2. A method according to claim 1 wherein said clear top layer is
melted using a heated roller applied to said clear top layer and
moving said panel of laminate flooring past said heated roller
while said heated roller rotates in operable contact with said
clear top layer.
3. A method according to claim 1 wherein said clear top layer is
melted by a heated roller having an axis of rotation, said roller
rotating about said axis and being in operable contact with said
clear top layer, said axis of said roller being held stationery and
said panel of laminate flooring being moved past said roller.
4. A method according to claim 1 wherein said clear top layer is
melted by a heated die brought into contact with said clear top
layer while relative movement occurs between said panel of laminate
flooring and said heated die.
5. A panel of laminate flooring which has at least one beveled edge
along an edge of said panel, said laminate flooring having a top
surface which includes a covering of a layer of said laminate
flooring and a clear top layer over said covering, said beveled
edge being formed in said clear top layer, said beveled edge
extending upwardly and inwardly from said edge of said panel to
said top surface of said panel of laminate flooring.
6. A piece of laminate flooring as in claim 5 wherein said clear
top layer is melted by a heated roller.
7. A piece of laminate flooring as in claim 5 wherein said clear
top layer is melted by a heated die.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application is a continuation-in-part of application
Ser. No. 11/136,326 entitled IMPROVED CONNECTION FOR LAMINATE
FLOORING, filed May 23, 2005 and co-pending herewith.
INTRODUCTION
[0002] This invention relates to a method for manufacturing beveled
edges for use on laminate flooring and, more particularly, to a
method of using heat treatment applied to a clear top layer
covering the decorative top layer of such laminate flooring.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] With the introduction of laminate floor tiles which can be
installed relatively easily by a non-commercial user, a number of
patents have been obtained for the various techniques used in
joining adjacent pieces of the tiles and which patents cover,
generally, different tongue and groove attachment techniques. In
joining such adjacent pieces of tiles, it is preferred to form a
small beveled edge in the top surface of each of the adjoining
tiles along the joining edges. The beveled edges, being adjacent to
each other, prevent damage to the edges or corners of the tiles
when they are assembled or disassembled and further assist in
joining adjacent tiles since, for example, any tilting or rotation
of the tiles during the joining operation will be facilitated in
using a beveled edge and the joint thereafter obtained will provide
additional assembly integrity to the joined tiles.
[0004] Heretofore, the technique used to create a bevel in the top
surface of the laminate flooring has used a planing operation to
remove the top edge of the laminate flooring at an angle thereby
forming the beveled top edge. However, the removal of material of
the laminate flooring thereafter required a further operation to
apply the decorative layer and the cover over the decorative layer
to the beveled edge previously planed. This operation is tedious
and time consuming. In a further operation according to the prior
art, a wedge shaped press would form a beveled edge at the desired
location in the laminate flooring and the laminate flooring was
thereafter then cut along the center line of the wedge shaped
recess. While this process facilitated the beveled edge
manufacturing operation, the pressing operation was inconsistent
with the result that adjoining pieces of laminate flooring might
not have matching beveled edges. Likewise, the position of the
subsequent cutting operation needed to be precisely determined.
[0005] U.S. Pat. No. 3,907,624 teaches a laminate flooring panel
with a shaped and beveled edge which is typically formed by a die.
A first operation supplied hardenable material to the edge of the
flooring and a hot air jet is used to dry the hardenable material
on the edge as it moves past the die. The die is not heated and the
top clear covering is not beveled by the die.
[0006] United States application serial number 2005/0025934 teaches
a bevel which includes a decorative layer provided by transfer
printing to the bevel by way of a heated pressing roll. There is no
teaching of a pressing roll used to melt the clear top overlying
the paper pattern on the edge.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided
a method of forming a bevel in the top surface of a panel of
laminate flooring comprising a covering over a layer of said panel
and a clear top layer over said covering, said method comprising
melting said clear top layer along an edge of said panel so as to
form a beveled edge extending upwardly and inwardly from said edge
towards said top surface of panel of laminate flooring.
[0008] According to a further aspect of the invention, there is
provided a panel of laminate flooring which has at least one
beveled edge along an edge of said panel, said laminate flooring
having a top surface which includes a covering of a layer of said
laminate flooring and a clear top layer over said covering, said
beveled edge being formed in said clear top layer, said beveled
edge extending upwardly and inwardly from said edge of said panel
to said top surface of said panel of laminate flooring.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEW OF THE DRAWINGS
[0009] Specific embodiments of the invention will now be described,
by way of example only, with the use of drawings in which:
[0010] FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic plan view of three adjacent pieces
of flooring which are intended to be joined together to form a
connection on both the long and short sides of the three
pieces;
[0011] FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic side view of a connection commonly
used to join the long sides of the three adjacent pieces of
flooring;
[0012] FIGS. 3A and 3B are diagrammatic side views of two
connections according to the invention used for joining the short
sides of the three adjacent pieces of flooring;
[0013] FIGS. 4A and 4B are diagrammatic isometric views of the
adjacent pieces of flooring during an assembly operation;
[0014] FIG. 5 is a bottom view of the three pieces of adjacent
flooring following assembly;
[0015] FIGS. 6A, 6B, 6C and 6D are diagrammatic side views of
alternate embodiments of the connection between the short sides of
adjacent pieces of flooring according to the invention;
[0016] FIGS. 7A is a diagrammatic side views of a first panel of
laminate flooring particularly illustrating the beveled edge on the
first panel which is intended to be adjacent a second panel joined
to the first panel;
[0017] FIG. 7B is an enlarged diagrammatic view of the area
VIIB-VIIB of FIG. 7A and further illustrates two joined panels with
adjacent beveled edges; and
[0018] FIG. 8 is a diagrammatic side view illustrating one method
of melting the clear cover of the panel to form the beveled
edge.
DESCRIPTION OF SPECIFIC EMBODIMENT
[0019] Referring now to the drawings, three(3) adjacent pieces of
laminate flooring, namely first piece 10, second piece 11 and third
piece 12 are illustrated in FIG. 1 which pieces are illustrated in
their unassembled condition and which pieces 10, 11, 12 are
intended to be joined together in an integral assembly on the top
of a floor and which pieces illustrate the connection and the
operation of the connection procedure according to the
invention.
[0020] Each of the three pieces 10, 11 12 have short and long
edges, the short edges of first piece 10 not being illustrated for
efficacy. Third piece 12 has a short edge 13 and second piece 11
has a short edge 14. First piece 10 has a long edge 20 which is
intended to be connected to long edge 21 of third piece 12 and
which long edge 20 is shown already connected to second piece 11
along long edge 22.
[0021] The connection area along the long edges 20, 21 of the first
and third pieces 10, 12 are illustrated in greater detail in FIG. 2
where the edge 20 is shown with a female receiving configuration
adapted to receive the male configuration 21 of piece 12. A
connection of this nature is illustrated and described in Terback
U.S. Pat. No. 4,426,820, the contents of which are incorporated by
reference.
[0022] The connection takes place by tilting the third piece 12
upwardly as also illustrated in FIG. 4A relative to first piece 10
until the male configuration 21 enters the female configuration 20.
Ordinarily and according to the prior art, third piece 12 would
then be tilted down to its normal horizontally assembled condition
and the piece 12 would then be tapped manually by hand or with a
mallet until it reached contact with the short edge 14 of second
piece 11 while relative movement between first and third pieces 10,
12, respectively, occurs with third piece 12 moving towards second
piece 11 while first piece 10 remains stationary. However, the
connection between the two short sides 13, 14 according to the
invention is illustrated in FIGS. 3A, 4A and 4B. It will be
appreciated that the two sides 13, 14 are also a male and female
connection with edge 14 being a female connection 15 which receives
male connection 23. Male connection 23 has a rounded edge or
protuberance 24 which the receptacle 30 of connection 15 is
designed to squeeze while it enters the connection 15. It will be
appreciated that sliding the two short edges 13, 14 towards each
other will result in interference between the two edges 13, 14 and
that unless the piece 12 is tilted upwardly relative to the piece
11 and then tilted downwardly to the horizontal position as
illustrated in FIG. 4B, the connections on the short edges 13, 14
will not be joined.
[0023] Referring to FIG. 4A, when piece 12 is tilted upwardly and
the protuberance 23 is initially positioned into receptacle 15, the
subsequent tilt of piece 12 downwardly as illustrated by the arrows
in FIG. 4A results in the protuberance or male connection 23 being
received along the length of the female receptacle 15. While the
piece 12 is being tilted downwardly to assume its generally
horizontal position as shown in FIG. 4B, the protuberance 24 will
press on the receptacle 30 and draw the adjacent pieces closer
together so that the final connection between the two adjacent
pieces 11, 12 has considerable integrity.
[0024] A small cutaway portion 31 on the edge 14 (FIGS. 4A and 5)
allows the initial entry of the male protuberance 23 without
interference with the edge 14. Thus, piece 12 can be positioned
with male protuberance 23 within the groove 15 of edge 14.
Operation
[0025] In operation, it will be assumed that the first and second
pieces 10, 11 illustrated in FIG. 1 have already been joined
together and are existing horizontally on the floor on which they
are laid. It is now desired to connect a third piece 12 to both of
the previously laid pieces 10, 11.
[0026] The long edge 21 of third piece 12 will be brought into
proximity with the long edge 20 of first piece 10. Third piece 12
will be tilted upwardly to the position generally illustrated in
FIG. 4A and the male connection 21 will be inserted into the female
connection 20 (FIG. 2). At the same time, the third piece 12 will
be moved relative to first piece 10 until male protuberance 23
passes by the outside of edge 14 due to the cutaway area 31 (FIGS.
4A and 5) and is positioned directly above the female receiving
area or groove 15 of edge 14 (FIG. 4A).
[0027] Third piece 12 will then be tilted downwardly to the
horizontal position with the male connection 21 rotating relative
to the female connection 20 and the male protuberance 23 being
acted upon by the edge 30 of groove 15 (FIG. 3A) as the third piece
12 moves downwardly as indicated by the arrows in FIG. 4A until a
position resembling that illustrated in FIG. 4B is reached with the
male protuberance being entirely received by female groove 15.
Third piece 12 is then moved into the horizontal position and the
connection is complete.
[0028] Various embodiments of the tongue and groove connections on
the short edges of third piece 12 and second piece 11 are readily
contemplated. Referring initially to FIG. 3B, it will be seen that
the rounded edge shown at 24 in FIG. 3A may instead appear as a
rounded edge 33 on the female groove 15 as illustrated in FIG. 3B.
This rounded edge 33 will serve the same function as rounded edge
24, namely creating a force between the male and female connections
23, 15 which will ensure integrity of the final connection between
third piece 12 and second piece 11.
[0029] A further embodiment is illustrated in FIG. 6A. Rather than
a single female groove 40 in second piece 11, there is a second
female groove 41 in third piece 12. As the second piece 12 is
tilted downwardly relative to first piece 10 and second piece 11,
protuberance 42 will enter into female groove 40 in second piece 11
and protuberance 43 will enter into female groove 41 in third piece
12. An interaction will occur between the rounded edge 44 of
protuberance 43 and the inside of female groove 41 in third piece
12. Indeed, as the rounded edge 44 proceeds into groove 41, an
interaction will occur between rounded edge 44 and rounded edge 50
of second piece 12 thus, again, ensuring joint integrity when the
connection process is complete.
[0030] Yet a further embodiment of the connection between the short
edges of second and third pieces 11, 12 is illustrated in FIG. 6B.
In this embodiment, a series of serrated edges 51, 52, 53, 54 are
appropriately formed in the male and female connections. Such
serrations 51, 52, 53, 54 may be formed between only one pair of
surfaces such as those surfaces 60, 61 or, alternatively, on
surfaces 62, 63 or, alternatively, on both sets of surfaces as
illustrated. The serrated surfaces allow the entry of the male
protuberance into the female groove but resist separation and
thereby increase joint integrity.
[0031] Yet a further embodiment of the invention is illustrated in
FIG. 6C. In this embodiment, a pair of serrated edges 71, 72 act
against each other during assembly while, simultaneously, a rounded
edge 73 acts on the inside of the female groove 74. Again, the
function of the interference between the serrated edges 71, 72 and
the rounded edge 73 with groove 74 is intended to tighten the joint
during assembly and ensure joint integrity.
[0032] Yet a further embodiment of the invention is illustrated in
FIG. 6D. In this embodiment, the two rounded edges 80, 81 act
against each other during assembly and when assembled, provide an
interference and, therefore a locking integrity to maintain the
boards in their assembled position.
[0033] It will also be appreciated that while the female groove is
generally described as being formed in the short edge of the second
piece of flooring with the male protuberance extending from the
short edge of the third piece of flooring, the positions could, of
course, be reversed with the female connection being formed in the
third piece and the male protuberance being formed in the edge of
the second piece.
[0034] Although the invention has been described as being
particularly useful in association with laminate flooring, it is
apparent that it would also have value for connecting solid wood
flooring and engineering wood flooring as well as virtually any
flooring made from wood based materials.
[0035] With reference now to FIGS. 7 and 8, a typical laminate
floor panel is generally illustrated at 100. The laminate floor
panel 100 has a high density fiberboard (HDF) core 106 which
provides the strength and durability of the panel 100. A joint
generally illustrated at 101 can take the form of any of the joints
illustrated and described in this application as well as additional
joints not set forth in the present application. The joint between
the panels forms no part of the present invention.
[0036] The laminate floor panel 100 has a covering or "decor layer"
102 which is typically decorative and can take the form of a design
or decorative color which may be impregnated with a melamine resin
to give color-fastness and color clarity. The HDF core 106 is
typically composed of cellulose fibers combined with synthetic
resins or other suitable materials which are subjected to bonding
under heat and pressure. The HDF fiberboard layer 106 typically has
a density grater than 50 pounds per cubic foot or 800 kg per cubic
meter.
[0037] A clear wear layer or covering 103 is provided to protect
the decor layer 102. The wear layer 103 is transparent and made
from an alpha cellulose paper impregnated with a
melamine/formaldehyde resin. The combination is highly durable and
provides resistance to the stains, heat, scratches and abrasion to
which a floor panel is typically subjected after installation. A
backing or balancing layer 107 (FIG. 8) on the bottom of the panel
100 may also be used to provide dimensional stability and such a
backing layer 107 will typically use a melamine moisture barrier
which allows added protection of the panel 100.
[0038] A bevel 104 is provided on each of the joined panels 100 in
the decorative or wear layer 103 as is seen more clearly in FIG.
7B. The bevel 104 allows for the panels 100 to be more easily
joined and also prevents damage to the ends 110 and top surface of
the joined panels 100 both when the panels 100 are joined in the
assembly process and when the panels 100 are assembled and under
operating and wear conditions.
[0039] Referring now to FIG. 8, a method of manufacturing the panel
100 and, more particularly, the bevel 104 uses a hot roller 111
which is brought into contact with the wear layer 103 when the
layer 103 has a squared end as illustrated in broken lines 105 in
FIG. 7A and 7B. The hot roller 111 rotates about its axis 112 and
the panel member 100 is moved relative to the roller 111 while the
pressure and temperature applied to the clear wear layer 103 by the
roller 111 melts the layer 103 and provides the bevel 104. The hot
roller 111 maintains its temperature during the rolling process
until the entire edge of the panel 100 is provided with the desired
bevel 104.
[0040] Many modifications may readily be envisioned to the process
just described. The roller 111 may move relative to the panel 100
while the panel member 100 is maintained in its stationary
position. Indeed, rather than a heated roller 111, a heated die and
shoe could likewise be used to provide the necessary bevel 104
while relative movement takes place between the heated die and shoe
and the panel member 100. However, it is the wear layer 103 which
is intended to be melted and formed into the required bevel
104.
[0041] Many further embodiments will readily occur to those skilled
in the art to which the invention relates and the specific
embodiments described should be considered as illustrative of the
invention only and not as limiting its scope as defined in
accordance with the accompanying claims.
* * * * *