FLOOR COVERING SYSTEM COMPRISING A LIGHTING SYSTEM

• US 20150369470A1
• Filed: 09/02/2015
• Published: 12/24/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Signify Holding B.V. (Signify N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
• Inventors: KRIJN, MARCELLINUS PETRUS CAROLUS MICHAEL, VAN HERPEN, MAARTEN MARINUS JOHANNES WILHELMUS, WILLEMSEN, OSCAR HENDRIKUS
• Granted Patent: US 10,309,640 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 5/46 Special adaptation of floors for transmission of light, e.g. by inserts of glass of ceilings E04B9/32, block-shaped elements E04C1/42; slab- or sheet-shaped elements E04C2/54; for roof covering E04D3/06
• 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 15/10 of other materials, e.g. fibrous or chipped materials, organic plastics, magnesite tiles, hardboard , or with a top layer of other materials
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 2290/026 for lighting
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/0442 activated by means of a sensor, e.g. motion or photodetectors
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/0471 the sensor detecting the proximity, the presence or the movement of an object or a person
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/0485 the sensor sensing the physical interaction between a user and certain areas located on the lighting device, e.g. a touch sensor
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 33/006 General building constructions or finishing work for buildings, e.g. roofs, gutters, stairs or floors; Garden equipment; Sunshades or parasols

Abstract

The invention provides a floor covering system (10) with (a) a PVC-based floor covering (100) and (b) a lighting system (200) arranged to generate light (210). The PVC-based floor covering (100) has a user side (101) and an opposite back side (102). The lighting system (200) is arranged at the back side (102) of the PVC-based floor covering (100). The PVC-based floor covering (100) has a light transmission for light (210) generated by the lighting system (200) in the range of 0.5% to 30%, especially in the range of 1% to 20%.

Claims

1. A floor covering system comprising:

a PVC flooring having a user side and an opposite back side; and

a lighting system for generating light, the lighting system provided at the back side of the PVC flooring;

wherein the PVC flooring has a light transmission for light generated by the lighting system in the range of 0.5% to 30% such that the lighting system is not visible through the user side of the PVC flooring, and further wherein the PVC flooring is configured to protect the lighting system from damage when a user walks on the floor covering system.

2. The floor covering system of claim 1, wherein the PVC flooring has a light transmission in the range of 1% to 20%.

3. The floor covering system of claim 1, further comprising:

a sensor configured to detect an object on or near the floor covering; and

a controller in communication with the sensor and configured to adjust a parameter of the lighting system in response to detection by the sensor of the object.

4. The floor covering system of claim 1, wherein the opposite back side of the PVC flooring defines a plurality of recesses, each of the plurality of recesses configured to host at least one light source of the lighting system.

5. The floor covering system of claim 1, wherein the system comprises a plurality of tiles.

6. The floor covering system of claim 1, further comprising an auxiliary layer arranged between at least part of the lighting system and at least part of the PVC flooring, wherein the auxiliary layer is selected from the group consisting of levelling layers and adhesive layers.

7. The floor covering system of claim 1, wherein the floor covering system is configured to provide way guiding to the user.

8. The floor covering system of claim 1, wherein the PVC flooring comprises a filler material selected from the group consisting of calcium carbonate, aluminium trihydrate, polycarbonate, glass, and mixtures thereof.

9. The floor covering system of claim 1, wherein the PVC flooring comprises a filler material having a refractive index in the range of 1.45 to 1.65.

10. A floor covering system comprising a plurality of interconnected flooring tiles and a lighting system, each of the flooring tiles comprising:

a PVC flooring layer having a user side and an opposite back side; and

a lighting unit of the lighting system, the lighting unit provided at the back side of the PVC flooring layer;

wherein the PVC flooring layer has a light transmission for light generated by the lighting unit in the range of 0.5% to 30% such that the lighting system is not visible through the user side of the PVC flooring when no light is emitted by the lighting system, and further wherein the PVC flooring layer is configured to protect the lighting unit from damage when a user walks on the floor covering system.

11. The floor covering system of claim 10, wherein the PVC flooring layer has a light transmission in the range of 1% to 20%.

12. The floor covering system of claim 10, further comprising:

a sensor configured to detect an object on or near the floor covering; and

a controller in communication with the sensor and configured to adjust a parameter of the lighting system in response to detection by the sensor of the object.

13. The floor covering system of claim 10, wherein each of the flooring tiles defines a plurality of recesses, each of the plurality of recesses configured to host at least one light source of the lighting system.

14. The floor covering system of claim 10, further comprising an auxiliary layer arranged between at least part of the lighting unit and at least part of the PVC flooring layer, wherein the auxiliary layer is selected from the group consisting of levelling layers and adhesive layers.

15. A flooring tile comprising:

a PVC flooring layer having a user side and an opposite back side; and

a lighting unit provided at the back side of the PVC flooring layer;

wherein the PVC flooring layer has a light transmission for light generated by the lighting unit in the range of 0.5% to 30% such that the lighting unit is not visible through the user side of the PVC flooring when no light is emitted by the lighting unit, and further wherein the PVC flooring layer is configured to protect the lighting unit from damage when a user walks on the floor covering system.

16. The flooring tile of claim 15, wherein the PVC flooring layer has a light transmission in the range of 1% to 20%.

17. The flooring tile of claim 15, wherein the flooring tile is configured to connect to a neighboring flooring tile.

18. The flooring tile of claim 15, wherein the flooring tile defines a plurality of recesses, each of the plurality of recesses configured to host at least one light source of the lighting unit.

19. The flooring tile of claim 15, wherein the flooring tile is configured to provide way guiding to the user.

20. The flooring tile of claim 15, further comprising a filler material selected from the group consisting of calcium carbonate, aluminium trihydrate, polycarbonate, glass, and mixtures thereof.