Composed element, multi-layered board and panel-shaped element for forming this composed element

• US 10,323,670 B2
• Filed: 09/11/2017
• Issued: 06/18/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Flooring Industries Limited Sarl (Mohawk Industries Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Unilin Bvba (Mohawk Industries Incorporated)
• Inventors: Maertens, Luc, Cappelle, Mark, Vanhastel, Luc, Deman, Luc, Van Hooydonck, Guy
• Primary Examiner(s): Ford, Gisele D
• Application Number:
  US15/700,958
• Publication Number:
  US 20170370392A1
• Time in Patent Office: 645 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 2230/0081 Mortise and tenon type joints with some general male and female joints
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 2230/0096 Assembling sheet parts by male and female parts formed in the sheet thickness
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 47/042 Panels connected without frames
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 96/201 Edge features
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 96/206 with laminates comprising planar, continuous or separate layers
• CPC Class Codes: B27M 3/0026 characterised by oblong elements connected laterally B27M3/006 takes precedence; making fencing or the like comprising bars connected by wires B21F29/02; cane or similar material joined by strand or wire twisting B27J1/006
• CPC Class Codes: B27M 3/18 of furniture or of doors B27D5/003 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 21/02 the layer being formed of fibres, chips, or particles , e.g. MDF, HDF, OSB, chipboard, particle board, hardboard
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 21/04 comprising wood as the main or only constituent of a layer, which is next to another layer of the same or of a different material next to a layer of a particular substance B32B9/042; next to a bituminous or tarry layer B32B11/042; next to a water setting substance layer B32B13/10; next to a metal layer B32B15/10; next to a glass layer B32B17/062; next to a layer formed of natural mineral fibres or particles B32B19/042; next to a cellulosic plastic layer B32B23/044
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2471/00 Floor coverings B32B2419/04 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 3/06 for securing layers together; for attaching the product to another member, e.g. to a support , or to another product, e.g. groove/tongue, interlocking
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 13/08 composed of a plurality of similar covering or lining elements, E04F13/072 takes precedence; borders, skirtings E04F19/02; of webs or fabrics E04F13/002; fixing strips E04F19/06; separate provisional spacers between adjacent tiles E04F21/0092; implements or means for setting tiles E04F21/18
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 13/0894 with tongue and groove connections
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 13/10 of wood or with an outer layer of wood E04F13/0864 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 15/02 Flooring or floor layers composed of a number of similar elements of webs E04F15/16
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 15/02038 characterised by tongue and groove connections between neighbouring flooring elements
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 15/045 Layered panels only of wood
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 2201/0115 with snap action of the edge connectors
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 2201/0153 by rotating the sheets, plates or panels around an axis which is parallel to the abutting edges, possibly combined with a sliding movement
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 2201/041 Tongues or grooves with slits or cuts for expansion or flexibility
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 2201/0523 : Separate tongues; Interlocking keys, e.g. joining mouldings of circular, square or rectangular shape
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 12/125 : using mortise and tenon joints
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 12/26 : using snap-action elements
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 12/46 : Non-metal corner connections
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 2012/463 : for wooden members without additional elements
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 2012/466 : using mortise and tenon joints
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 5/0056 : by moving the sheets, plates or panels or the interlocking key perpendicular to the main plane
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/7005 : Lugged member, rotary engagement
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/13 : Hollow or container type article [e.g., tube, vase, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/19 : Sheets or webs edge spliced or joined
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24008 : including fastener for attaching to external surface
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24488 : Differential nonuniformity at margin
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24942 : including components having same physical characteristic in differing degree
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31591 : Next to cellulosic
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31982 : Wood or paper

Abstract

Composed element including at least two panel-shaped elements, which each have an edge zone in which coupling means are present in the form of a profiled part respectively extending in the longitudinal direction of the respective edge zone, as well as each including an end face extending transversely to the respective edge zone, wherein said profiled parts allow coupling the panel-shaped elements together in an interlocking manner, wherein at least one of the panel-shaped elements includes an arrangement which hides from view at least a portion of the profiled part formed at the pertaining edge zone at the location of the end face.

Claims

1. A composed element, the composed element being a wall covering having a front side, comprising at least two panel-shaped elements which are formed from a board material, wherein the panel-shaped elements are interconnectable in a plane by means of coupling means comprising a tongue and a groove made as profiled parts in the board material, wherein said coupling means also comprise locking elements including a tongue locking element and a groove locking element, which, in a coupled condition, prevent the moving apart of the tongue and groove and wherein the panel-shaped elements possess a covering at first and second opposed sides, said covering being performed in the form of a laminate, a foil or a lacquer layer wherein the panel-shaped elements have a front side and a rear side, the front side of the panel-shaped elements forming said front side of the wall covering;

wherein the coupling means and locking elements allow coupling the panel-shaped elements by means of a turning movement;

wherein the tongue locking element is only present at a first side of the tongue, whereas a second side of the tongue is free from the locking elements;

wherein the groove is bordered by first and second lips, the first lip protruding beyond the second lip;

wherein the tongue locking element at the first side of the tongue cooperates, in the coupled condition, with the groove locking element at the first lip, and wherein the second side of the tongue cooperates, in the coupled condition, with the second lip;

wherein said second lip has a distal end defining a theoretical closing plane in which the panel-shaped elements fit together, said closing plane being defined as a plane perpendicular to the front side of said wall covering and extending through said distal end of the second lip;

wherein the tongue locking element and the groove locking element have locking surfaces at which the tongue locking element and groove locking element contact each other when coupled;

wherein the locking surface of the groove locking element is positioned at a location distally beyond the distal end of the second lip;

wherein the locking surface of the groove locking element extends between a first contact point and a second contact point, the second contact point being closer to the front side of the panel-shaped elements than the first contact point;

wherein said second contact point defines a first distance between said second contact point and the closing plane, measured perpendicular to the closing plane;

wherein the tongue in the coupled condition defines a second distance as the distance between said closing plane and the most distal end of the tongue;

wherein said first distance is larger than said second distance;

wherein the tongue locking element is formed by a protrusion at said first side of the tongue, said protrusion comprising a proximal side surface, a distal side surface and a central portion, wherein the proximal side surface includes said locking surface of the tongue and wherein the central portion is formed by the portion of the protrusion that is located most distant from said front side of the wall covering, the central portion forming a portion of the tongue most distant from the front side;

wherein in the coupled condition a clearance is present distally in front of said distal side surface of the protrusion wherein said second lip has a first side bordering said groove and a second side opposite to the first side, the second side of the first lip comprising a portion that is spaced inward with respect to the rear side of the corresponding panel-shaped element, said spaced inward portion at extending up to the distal end of the first lip;

wherein a portion of the rear side of the panel lacking the spaced inward portion extends up to the closing plane.

2. The composed element of claim 1, wherein the coupling means are configured such that the panel-shaped elements match into each other with a pretension, which provides for that the panel-shaped elements in coupled condition are drawn towards each other.

3. The composed element of claim 1, wherein the covering is performed in the form of a laminate of the HPL or DPL type.

4. The composed element of claim 1, wherein the panel-shaped elements are realized from board material of pressed and consolidated wood components.

5. The composed element of claim 4, wherein the panel-shaped elements are realized from particle board.

6. The composed element of claim 4, wherein the panel-shaped elements are realized from MDF or HDF.

7. The composed element of claim 1, wherein the tongue and groove as well as the locking elements are made in one piece as profiled parts in the board material.