Textured laminate flooring

• US 20020100231A1
• Filed: 01/26/2001
• Published: 08/01/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/26/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Columbia Insurance Company (Berkshire Hathaway Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Columbia Insurance Company (Berkshire Hathaway Incorporated)
• Inventors: Thompson, Kevin Allen, Miller, Robert J., Brownlee, David M.
• Application Number:
  US09/770,581
• Publication Number:
  US 20020100231A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 52/177
• 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 2419/00 Buildings or parts thereof walls, panels B32B2607/00
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 3/30 characterised by a layer formed with recesses or projections, e.g. hollows, grooves, protuberances, ribs apertured layer B32B3/266; layer with cavities or internal voids B32B3/26
• CPC Class Codes: B44C 5/0469 comprising a decorative sheet and a core formed by one or more resin impregnated sheets of paper
• CPC Class Codes: B44C 5/0476 with abrasion resistant properties
• CPC Class Codes: B44F 11/06 Imitation of ceramic patterns
• CPC Class Codes: B44F 9/02 wood grain effects
• CPC Class Codes: D21H 27/28 treated to obtain specific resistance properties, e.g. against wear or weather water-repelling agents D21H21/16
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 15/02 Flooring or floor layers composed of a number of similar elements of webs E04F15/16
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24355 Continuous and nonuniform or irregular surface on layer or component [e.g., roofing, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24777 Edge feature

Abstract

A decorated floor panel having a core with a top surface and an opposite bottom surface; a decorative layer coupled to the top surface of the core, the decorative layer having a desired aesthetic appearance; and a wear layer coupled to and substantially covering the decorative layer for protecting the decorative layer. The wear layer has an exposed wear surface with depressions therein of a variable depth below the wear surface, the depressions being arranged to display a desired texture pattern. It is noted that this abstract is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract that will allow a searcher or other reader to ascertain quickly the subject matter of the technical disclosure. The abstract is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims pursuant to 37 C.F.R. § 1.72(b).

Claims

1. A decorated floor panel comprising:

a. a core having a top surface and an opposite bottom surface;

b. a decorative layer coupled to the top surface of the core, the decorative layer having a desired aesthetic appearance; and

c. a wear layer coupled to and substantially covering the decorative layer for protecting the decorative layer,

the wear layer having an exposed wear surface with depressions therein of a variable depth below the wear surface, the depressions being arranged to display a desired texture pattern.

4. The decorated floor panel of claim 1, wherein the panel includes a first pair of parallel sides, wherein the parallel sides have tongue and groove cuts along the parallel sides to provide interlocking engagement.

5. The decorated floor panel of claim 4, wherein the panel includes a second pair of parallel sides, the second pair of parallel sides being perpendicular to each of the first pair of parallel sides and wherein the second pair of parallel sides have tongue and groove cuts to provide interlocking engagement.

6. The decorated floor panel of claim 1, wherein the core comprises fiber board.

7. The decorated floor panel of claim 1, wherein the decorative layer comprises paper and substantially covers the top surface of the core.

8. The decorated floor panel of claim 1, wherein the wear layer comprises melamine reinforced with aluminum oxide.

9. The decorated floor panel of claim 1, further comprising a backing layer coupled to and substantially covering the bottom surface of the core as a reinforcing element.

10. The decorated floor panel of claim 9, wherein the backing layer comprises melamine reinforced with aluminum oxide.

11. The decorated floor panel of claim 1, wherein the aesthetic appearance of the decorative layer is a hardwood flooring design.

12. The decorated floor panel of claim 1, wherein the aesthetic appearance of the decorative layer is a ceramic flooring tile design.

13. The decorated floor panel of claim 1, wherein at least one depression in the wear surface reaches a depth of at least 0.50 millimeters.

14. The decorated floor panel of claim 1, wherein at least one depression in the wear surface reaches a depth of at least 1.0 millimeters.

15. The decorated floor panel of claim 1, wherein at least one depression in the wear surface reaches a depth of at least 1.50 millimeters.

16. The decorated floor panel of claim 1, wherein at least one depression in the wear surface reaches a depth of at least 2.0 millimeters.

17. The decorated floor panel of claim 1, wherein at least one depression in the wear surface reaches a depth of at least 2.50 millimeters.

18. The decorated floor panel of claim 1, wherein at least one depression in the wear surface reaches a depth of at least 3.0 millimeters.

19. The decorated floor panel of claim 11, wherein the hard wood flooring design includes the visual appearance of at least one knothole, and wherein the wear surface has at least one depression therein in registration with the knothole.

20. The decorated floor panel of claim 19, wherein the knothole is substantially circular and wherein the corresponding depression in registration with the knothole is also substantially circular in top plan view.

21. The decorated floor panel of claim 12, wherein the ceramic flooring tile design includes the visual appearance of at least one groutline, and wherein the wear surface has at least one depression therein in registration with the groutline.

22. The decorated floor panel of claim 21, wherein the groutline is substantially square and wherein the corresponding depression in registration with the groutline is also substantially square in top plan view.

23. The decorated floor panel of claim 21, wherein the corresponding depression in registration with the groutline has a non-smooth and rough texture.

26. The decorated floor panel of claim 25 wherein the aesthetic appearance of the decorative layer is a hardwood flooring design.

27. The decorated floor panel of claim 25 wherein the aesthetic appearance of the decorative layer is a ceramic flooring tile design.

30. The decorated floor panel of claim 29, wherein at least one depression in the wear surface extends at least 0.50 millimeters below the wear surface and to a depth up to 0.50 millimeters less than the thickness of the wear layer.

2. A decorated floor panel comprising:

a. a core having a top surface and an opposite bottom surface;

b. a decorative layer coupled to the top surface of the core, the decorative layer having a desired aesthetic appearance; and

c. a wear layer coupled to and substantially covering the decorative layer for protecting the decorative layer,

the wear layer having an exposed wear surface with depressions therein, at least one depression reaching a depth of at least 0.50 millimeters below the wear surface, the depressions being arranged to display a desired texture pattern.

3. A decorated floor panel comprising:

a. a core having a top surface and an opposite bottom surface;

b. a decorative layer coupled to the top surface of the core, the decorative layer having a desired aesthetic appearance; and

c. a wear layer coupled to and substantially covering the decorative layer for protecting the decorative layer,

the wear layer having an exposed wear surface with depressions therein, at least one depression reaching a depth of at least 1.0 millimeters below the wear surface, the depressions being arranged to display a desired texture pattern.

24. A decorated floor panel comprising:

a. a core having a top surface and an opposite bottom surface;

b. a decorative layer coupled to the top surface of the core, the decorative layer having an appearance of a hardwood flooring design including at least one knothole; and

c. a wear layer coupled to and substantially covering the decorative layer for protecting the decorative layer,

the wear layer having an exposed wear surface with depressions therein of a variable depth below the wear surface, the depressions being arranged to display a desired texture pattern including at least one depression in registration with the knothole.

25. A decorated floor panel comprising:

a. a core having a top surface and an opposite bottom surface;

b. a decorative layer coupled to the top surface of the core, the decorative layer having a desired aesthetic appearance forming a decorative pattern; and

c. a wear layer coupled to and substantially covering the decorative layer for protecting the decorative layer,

the wear layer having an exposed wear surface having a desired texture pattern thereon, the texture pattern comprising a plurality of depressions imparted to the wear layer, the relative orientation of the texture pattern and the decorative pattern being controlled such that the decorative pattern and the texture pattern are substantially in registration.

28. A floor system including at least two interlocking panels, each panel comprising:

a. a core having a top surface, an opposite bottom surface, a first pair of parallel sides having tongue and groove cuts and a second pair of parallel sides having tongue and groove cuts, each of the second pair of parallel sides being perpendicular to each of the first pair of parallel sides;

b. a decorative layer coupled to the top surface of the core, the decorative layer having a desired aesthetic appearance; and

c. a wear layer coupled to and substantially covering the decorative layer for protecting the decorative layer,

the wear layer having an exposed wear surface with depressions therein of a variable depth below the wear surface, the depressions being arranged to display a desired texture pattern.

29. A decorated floor panel comprising:

a. a core having a top surface and an opposite bottom surface;

b. a decorative layer coupled to the top surface of the core, the decorative layer having a desired aesthetic appearance; and

c. a wear layer having a thickness and being coupled to and substantially covering the decorative layer for protecting the decorative layer,

the wear layer having an exposed wear surface with at least one depression that extends at least 0.50 millimeters below the wear surface and to a depth up to 0.25 millimeters less than the thickness of the wear layer.