U.S. patent application number 11/533634 was filed with the patent office on 2007-05-03 for connecting element.
This patent application is currently assigned to FLOORING TECHNOLOGIES, LTD.. Invention is credited to Thomas GRAFENAUER.
Application Number | 20070094985 11/533634 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 37496618 |
Filed Date | 2007-05-03 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070094985 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
GRAFENAUER; Thomas |
May 3, 2007 |
CONNECTING ELEMENT
Abstract
A connecting element for connecting flooring panels with a core
of wooden material, in particular MDF or HDF, which is provided
with a tongue on one side edge and with a groove on the opposite
side edge, and the tongue corresponds to the groove of the panel
and the groove corresponds to the tongue of the panel, whereby two
lips lying opposite one another are embodied on the top side
projecting beyond the side edges.
Inventors: |
GRAFENAUER; Thomas;
(Ouzouer-sur-Loire, FR) |
Correspondence
Address: |
GREENBLUM & BERNSTEIN, P.L.C.
1950 ROLAND CLARKE PLACE
RESTON
VA
20191
US
|
Assignee: |
FLOORING TECHNOLOGIES, LTD.
Portico Building Marina Street
Pieta
MT
|
Family ID: |
37496618 |
Appl. No.: |
11/533634 |
Filed: |
September 20, 2006 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
52/582.1 ;
403/300 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E04F 15/02 20130101;
E04F 15/02022 20130101; Y10T 403/57 20150115; E04F 2201/0115
20130101; E04F 2201/023 20130101; E04F 2201/05 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
052/582.1 ;
403/300 |
International
Class: |
E04B 5/00 20060101
E04B005/00; E04F 15/10 20060101 E04F015/10 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Sep 22, 2005 |
DE |
10 2005 045 261.2 |
Claims
1. A connecting element for connecting flooring panels with a core
of wooden material, comprising a tongue on one side edge and a
groove on an opposite side edge, wherein the tongue corresponds to
a groove of a panel and the groove corresponds to a tongue of the
panel, and two lips lying opposite one another embodied on a top
side projecting beyond the one side edge and the opposite side
edge.
2. The connecting element according to claim 1, wherein the lips
are elastically resilient.
3. The connecting element according to claim 1, wherein in the
connection of two panels the lips are structured and arranged to
bear on a top side of the panels in a sealing manner.
4. The connecting element according to claim 3, wherein the lips
have a flocking on an underside.
5. The connecting element according to claim 1, wherein the
connecting element comprises a mixture of wood fibers and
plastic.
6. The connecting element according to claim 1, wherein the
connecting element comprises plastic.
7. The connecting element according to claim 1, further comprising
locking means in an area of the groove and the tongue of the
connecting element that correspond to locking means of the tongue
and the groove of the panel.
8. The connecting element according to claim 1, further comprising
an inserted clamp.
9. The connecting element according to claim 8, wherein the clamp
is curved and extends over an entire length of the connecting
element.
10. The connecting element according to claim 9, wherein the clamp
essentially corresponds to an enlarged circumferential contour of
the groove of the connecting element.
11. The connecting element according to claim 8, wherein the clamp
is of metal.
12. The connecting element according to claim 1, wherein the core
of wood material is one of MDF and HDF.
13. The connecting element according to claim 1, further comprising
a flocking comprising flock fibers arranged vertically on an
underside of the lips.
14. The connecting element of claim 8, wherein the clamp is
integrated into the connecting element.
15. A system, comprising: at least one flooring panels with a
decorative layer top layer, the at least one flooring panels
comprising a tongue and a groove on side edges lying opposite one
another; and a connecting element comprising a groove and a tongue
on side edges corresponding to the tongue and the groove of the at
least one flooring panels, the connecting element further
comprising, in an area of the side edges, lips configured to bear
on a top side of the at least one panels and overlap a butt joint
between the panels and the connecting element.
16. The system according to claim 15, wherein the connecting
element comprising a flocking on an underside thereof.
17. The system according to claim 16, wherein the flocking
comprises flock fibers that are arranged vertically on the
underside of the lips.
18. The system according to claim 16, further comprising a clamp
integrated with the connecting element.
19. The system according to claim 16, wherein the clamp is metal
and the connecting element is plastic.
20. The system according to claim 18, wherein the clamp is curved
such that it essentially corresponds to an enlarged circumferential
contour of the groove or the tongue of the connecting element.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The invention relates to a connecting element for connecting
flooring panels with a core of wooden material, in particular MDF
or HDF, which is provided with a tongue on one side edge and with a
groove on the opposite side edge, and the tongue corresponds to the
groove of the panel and the groove corresponds to the tongue of the
panel, whereby two lips lying opposite one another are embodied on
the top side projecting beyond the side edges.
[0003] 2. Discussion of Background Information
[0004] A connecting element for connecting flooring panels is
known, e.g., from DE 101 62 275 C1. The connecting element is
embodied in a strip-like manner and is connected to the groove of
the panel via a tongue or to the tongue of the panel via a
groove.
[0005] The top side of the connecting element is flush with the top
side of the panel. It can be shaped differently and in cross
section can have convex, concave or V-shaped surface contours. In
the connection of connecting element and flooring panel, a butt
joint results between the panel edge and the edge of the connecting
element. Through these butt joints, very narrow vertically directed
gaps invisible to the naked eye form between the panel edges and
the edges of the connecting element. This fact is a particular
drawback, particularly with damp mopping of a floor, since the butt
joint acts like a capillary that draws in the moisture between the
panel and the connecting element.
[0006] Flooring panels are mainly composed of wooden materials,
such as, e.g., HDF/MDF or OSB. Since moisture can penetrate into
the wooden material core of the flooring panels due to the
capillary effect, the side edges affected of the panels swell and
form an overhang visible in the surface, a so-called "projection".
The quality of the floor is considerable impaired by this
projection.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] On the basis of this problem, the connecting element
described at the outset is to be improved such that the swelling of
the side edges of connected flooring panels is prevented.
[0008] To solve the problem a generic connecting element includes
two lips lying opposite one another on the top side projecting
beyond the side edges are formed.
[0009] Through this embodiment the butt joints forming in the
connection of connecting element and flooring panel are overlapped,
whereby a waterproof cover is advantageously formed between the
adjacent side edges of connecting element and panel. To ensure the
waterproofness, the overlapping lips have sufficient inherent
elasticity that forces the outer lip end against the top side of
the panel or the top side of the pattern. The top side of the
flooring panel is thereby provided with a decorative surface that
can imitate a natural material and protects the core material from
damage, e.g., by moisture or abrasion.
[0010] A flocking can be advantageously provided on the underside
of the overlapping lips in order to further increase the sealing
effect of the lips. Advantageously, the flock fibers are arranged
vertically on the support surface, i.e., the underside of the
overlapping lips, in order to ensure an improved protection from
the penetration of moisture into the connection from above via a
correspondingly dense arrangement of fibers per unit area.
[0011] The connecting elements can be produced from a material
mixture of wood fibers and plastic. In this manner, cost-effective
connecting elements can be produced that have wood-like properties
due to the proportion of wood fibers. The connecting elements can
be produced as an extrusion profile in a continuous operation,
whereby expediently the flocking of the underside of the
overlapping lips likewise takes place in a continuous operation,
utilizing the thermal energy inherent in the connecting element at
the end of the extrusion. A separate adhesive layer for the deep
connection of the connecting element and flocking fiber can thus be
omitted. Preferably the connecting elements can also be made
entirely of plastic. Color pigments can be added to the material of
the connecting elements in order to color the connecting element
and thus to adapt it accordingly to different requirements
regarding the pattern of the panels.
[0012] The lips are preferably embodied to be elastically resilient
so that the best possible seal of the butt joints between the
connecting element and panels can be achieved. To this end, it is
necessary in the connection of two panels for the lips to bear on
the top side of the panels in a sealing manner. In this manner,
water can be prevented from penetrating into the butt joints
between the connecting element and panels during the damp mopping
of the floor thus leading to a swelling of the floor and to
projections.
[0013] Mechanical locking mechanisms can be provided in the area of
the groove and the tongue of the connecting element and in the
corresponding areas of the groove and the tongues of the panels,
which locking mechanisms lock connected panels in the transverse
direction without it being necessary to add glue to the grooves or
tongues. In this manner, a particularly easy and quick laying of
the floor panels and the connecting elements can be achieved.
[0014] A clamp, preferably of metal, can be extruded into the
connecting element to increase the spring force, which clamp can be
curved such that it essentially corresponds to the circumferential
contour of the groove.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0015] Exemplary embodiments of the invention are explained below
in more detail with the aid of a drawing. They show:
[0016] FIG. 1 shows two flooring panels connected to one another
via a connecting element at the joint in partial view;
[0017] FIG. 2 shows a sectional enlargement from FIG. 1 with a
projecting lip; and
[0018] FIG. 3 shows two flooring panels connected to one another
via another connection element at the joint in partial view.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENT INVENTION
[0019] The flooring panels 1, 2 comprise a medium-density or highly
compacted fiber board, e.g., MDF or HDF. On their top side 8 they
are provided with a decorative layer 11 that can be formed, e.g.,
by a paper layer imitating a wood grain or a natural stone surface
or a corresponding direct printing that is covered with a synthetic
resin layer serving as wear protection. Each panel 1, 2 is provided
with a tongue 3 and a groove 4 on the side edges I, II, lying
opposite one another. The tongue 3 corresponds to the groove 4 in
the opposite side. In the area of the groove 4, the panel 2 is
provided with a locking mechanism 6 that interacts with a locking
mechanism 5 provided on the underside of the tongue 3 of the panel
1, and the connected panels 1, 2 can engage with one another so
that the connected panels 1, 2 are locked crosswise to the
connection direction.
[0020] If a visible joint, e.g., a face joint, is to be produced on
the top side 8 of the flooring panels between two panels 1, 2, the
connecting element 7 is provided, that is embodied in a strip-like
manner and has a groove 4a or a tongue 3a on the side edges Ia,
IIa. The tongue 3a is provided on its underside with a locking
mechanism 5a. The groove 4a has a locking mechanism 6a in the lower
area. The embodiment of the tongue 3a with its locking mechanism 5a
and the embodiment of the groove 4a with its locking mechanism 6a
of the connecting element 7 corresponds to the embodiment of the
tongue 3 with its locking mechanism 5 or the groove 4 with its
locking mechanism 6 of the panels 1, 2. The connecting element 7
thus adapts seamlessly to the connection of two panels 1, 2.
[0021] One lip 9 each is embodied on the top side 10 of the
connecting element 7 in the area of the side edges Ia, IIa, which
lips bear on the top side 8 of the panels 1, 2 and overlap the butt
joint between the panels 1, 2 and the connecting element 7, in
order to thus prevent the penetration of moisture into the butt
joint between flooring panel 2 and connecting element 7. On the
underside 9a, the lips 9 have a flocking with flock fibers that are
arranged vertically on the underside 9a of the overlapping lips 9
and form a dense arrangement of fibers per unit area and thus
provide an improved protection against the penetration of moisture
from above into the wooden material core of the flooring panel 1 or
2.
[0022] FIG. 3 shows another exemplary embodiment of a connecting
element 7 that is provided with an integrated metal clamp 12. This
metal clamp 12 is embedded in the plastic during extrusion and is
used to increase the spring force of the connecting element 7. The
clamp 12 is curved such that it essentially corresponds to the
enlarged circumferential contour of the groove 4a or the tongue
3.
* * * * *