Floor Panel for Forming a Floor Covering

• US 20160333595A1
• Filed: 01/09/2015
• Published: 11/17/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/09/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Flooring Industries Limited Sarl (Mohawk Industries Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Flooring Industries Limited Sarl (Mohawk Industries Incorporated)
• Inventors: CAPPELLE, Mark, DEVOS, Pieter
• Granted Patent: US 10,060,140 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 15/02038 characterised by tongue and groove connections between neighbouring flooring elements
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 15/102 of fibrous or chipped materials, e.g. bonded with synthetic resins
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 15/105 of organic plastics with or without reinforcements or filling materials
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 15/107 composed of several layers, e.g. sandwich panels layered products in general B32B; producing decorative panels or veneers B44C5/04
• 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

Abstract

A floor panel for forming a floor covering wherein the floor panel is substantially realized on the basis of synthetic material. The floor panel is rectangular and comprises a first pair of opposite edges and a second pair of opposite edges such that both pairs of opposite edges comprise coupling parts allowing for mutually coupling a plurality of such floor panels to each other. The coupling parts of at least the first pair of opposite edges are configured such that two of such panels can be coupled to each other at these edges by means of a turning movement and the coupling parts to this aim consist of a tongue and a groove as well as locking parts, which, in the coupled condition, prevent the shifting apart of tongue and groove. The floor panel has a global thickness which is smaller than or equal to 4.5 millimeters.

Claims

1-45. -45. (canceled)

46. A floor panel for forming a floor covering, wherein this floor panel is realized substantially on the basis of synthetic material as a layer-shaped substrate;

wherein this floor panel is of the supple type and is rectangular, either oblong or square, and thus comprises a first pair of opposite edges and a second pair of opposite edges;

wherein both pairs of opposite edges comprise coupling parts which allow mutually coupling a plurality of such floor panels to each other;

wherein said coupling parts, on both pairs of edges, form a first locking system which, in a coupled condition of two of such floor panels, effects a locking in the plane of the floor panels and perpendicular to the respective edges, as well as form a second locking system, which, in a coupled condition of two of such floor panels, effects a locking transverse to the plane of the floor panels;

wherein these coupling parts on the first pair of opposite edges substantially are realized in the material of the floor panel itself and in said substrate;

wherein the coupling parts of at least the first pair of opposite edges are configured such that two of such panels can be coupled to each other at these edges by means of a turning movement, and to this aim these coupling parts on the first pair of opposite edges consist of a tongue and a groove as well as of locking parts which, in the coupled condition, prevent the shifting apart of the tongue and groove;

wherein, on the first pair of opposite edges, the groove is bordered by a lower lip and an upper lip, of which the lower lip extends laterally to beyond the distal end of the upper lip;

wherein the floor panel has a global thickness (T) which is smaller than or equal to 4.5 millimeters;

wherein the locking parts of the first pair of opposite edges have a locking distance (A) which is greater than 0.6 times the value of the overall thickness (T) of the floor panel, the locking distance (A) being formed by the horizontal distance between the vertical closing plane (S) of two coupled floor panels and a vertical plane (VS) through the middle of the zone over which the locking surfaces of the locking parts, in coupled condition, make contact with each other, as measured in horizontal direction, and the closing plane (S) being defined as a vertical plane through the most distal end of the upper lip; and

wherein the upper side of the lower lip at the height of this closing plane, in the coupled condition of two of such panels, is located on a level (N1) which is situated higher than the level (N2) which is determined by the lowermost point of the locking part located on the underside of the tongue, wherein the height difference between the two levels (N1 and N2) is at least 0.05 times the overall thickness (T).

47. The floor panel of claim 46, wherein the floor panel substantially is composed of a soft thermoplastic material, or that at least one or more base layers of the floor panel consist of such a material.

48. The floor panel of claim 46, wherein the floor panel substantially is realized on the basis of polyvinyl chloride, on the basis of soft polyvinyl chloride, or anyhow comprises at least one or more base layers which are realized on the basis of polyvinyl chloride, soft polyvinyl chloride.

49. The floor panel of claim 46, wherein the floor panel is a vinyl panel including a LVT type (“

Luxury Vinyl Tile”

) or VCT type (“

Vinyl Composite Tile”

).

50. The floor panel of claim 46, wherein the floor panel, or at least one or more base layers thereof, substantially is/are formed on the basis of polyurethane or polypropylene.

51. The floor panel of claim 46, wherein the substrate, in one or more base layers thereof, comprises plasticizers.

52. The floor panel of claim 46, wherein the substrate, in one or more layers thereof, is provided with fillers, such as chalk.

53. The floor panel of claim 46, wherein it is provided with at least one reinforcement layer of glass fiber.

54. The floor panel of claim 46, wherein the floor panel comprises a locking groove and that the floor panel, at the location of the locking groove, has a minimum thickness which is greater than 0.4 times the overall thickness of the floor panel.

55. The floor panel of claim 46, wherein on the first pair of opposite edges the underside of the upper lip is provided with a contact surface for the upper side of the tongue and that this contact surface is horizontal or, according to an alternative, is running slightly inclined at an angle with the plane of the floor panel, which angle is less than 7 degrees.

56. The floor panel of claim 46, wherein on the first pair of edges locking surfaces are formed which there, where they work in conjunction in coupled condition, define a tangent line which extends at an angle of more than 50 degrees and still better more than 60 degrees to the horizontal.

57. The floor panel of claim 46, wherein the first pair of opposite edges is configured such that, when two of such floor panels are coupled to each other, a contact, herein below named first contact (C1), is present between the underside of the tongue and the upper side of the lower lip, wherein the contact point or contact zone defined by such first contact (C1), seen in cross-section, is situated entirely within two planes (V1 and V2) which are located parallel to the closing plane (S), this respectively on both sides of this closing plane, each time one millimeter remote from this closing plane (S), or still better each time half a millimeter remote therefrom;

such that, in other words, the first contact (C1) is locally present between said planes (V1 and V2) and thus does not continue beyond these borders.

58. The floor panel of claim 46, wherein in the coupled condition of two of such panels, on said first pair of edges, a space is present underneath the tongue, which space extends from the tip of the tongue at least to beyond a vertical center plane (M) through the zone over which the contact between the upper side of the tongue and the underside of the upper lip extends;

wherein this space ends at a contact, herein after named first contact (C1), formed by a contact point or a contact zone, between the underside of the tongue and the upper side of the lower lip; and

that this contact (C1), in distal direction of the groove, ends and thus again merges into a space, wherein this transition, in respect to the groove side, is situated proximally to a theoretical vertical plane (V3) which, in respect to the groove side, is situated distally at a distance (E) from the closing plane (S) of the floor panel, which distance is smaller than 0.5 times the overall thickness (T) and still better is smaller than 0.25 times the overall thickness (T); and

wherein the closing plane is defined as being a vertical plane through the most distal end of the upper lip.

59. The floor panel of claim 57, wherein the respective coupling means are configured such that in coupled condition there is a second contact (C2) which, in respect to the groove side, is located proximally from the locking surfaces, however, is separated from the first contact by a space.

60. The floor panel of claim 59, wherein the second contact (C2), in proximal direction of the groove, ends in a point (P1) which is located within the distal half (H=A/2) of the locking distance (A).

61. The floor panel of claim 46, wherein in the coupled condition of two of such floor panels, a space is present on the aforementioned first pair of edges underneath the tongue, which space extends from the tip of the tongue at least to beyond a vertical center plane (M) through the zone over which the contact between the upper side of the tongue and the underside of the upper lip extends.

62. The floor panel of claim 46, wherein the coupling parts on the second pair of edges are configured such that two of such floor panels at these edges can be coupled to each other by means of a downward movement of one panel in respect to the other, in such a manner that a plurality of such panels can be coupled to each other by means of the so-called “

fold-down”

technique.

63. The floor panel of claim 62, wherein the coupling parts on the second pair of edges comprise a separate locking element in the form of a movable and/or deformable insertion piece, which provides for the vertical locking.

64. The floor panel of claim 46, wherein on the first pair of edges the underside of the tongue comprises a step-shaped portion which, in the coupled condition of two of such panels, in respect to the groove side is situated mainly proximal from said vertical closing plane.

65. A floor panel for forming a floor covering, wherein this floor panel is rectangular, either oblong, or square, and thus comprises a first pair of opposite edges and a second pair of opposite edges;

wherein both pairs of opposite edges comprise coupling parts which allow mutually coupling a plurality of such floor panels to each other;

wherein these coupling parts on both pairs of edges form a first locking system, which, in a coupled condition of two of such floor panels, effects a locking in the plane of the floor panels and perpendicular to the respective edges, as well as form a second locking system, which, in a coupled condition of two of such floor panels, effects a locking transverse to the plane of the floor panels;

wherein these coupling parts on the first pair of opposite edges substantially are realized in the material of the floor panel itself;

wherein the coupling parts of at least the first pair of opposite edges are configured such that two of such panels can be coupled to each other at these edges by means of a turning movement and these coupling parts on the first pair of opposite edges to this aim consist of a tongue and a groove as well as of locking parts which, in the coupled condition, prevent the shifting apart of the tongue and groove;

wherein, on the first pair of opposite edges, the groove is bordered by a lower lip and an upper lip, of which the lower lip extends laterally to beyond the distal end of the upper lip; and

wherein on the first pair of edges the underside of the tongue comprises a step-shaped portion which, in the coupled condition of two of such panels, in respect to the groove side is situated mainly proximal from a vertical closing plane (S), wherein this vertical closing plane (S) is defined as a vertical plane through the most distal end of the upper lip.

66. The floor panel of claim 65, wherein said step-shaped portion of the tongue is at least formed by a first surface on the underside of the tongue, which first surface, in the coupled condition of two of such panels, in respect to the groove side is situated entirely proximal from said vertical closing plane, wherein this first surface, in distal direction in respect to the groove side, merges into a second surface, which is more inclined than said first surface, and wherein the second surface in respect to the groove side is situated at least partially proximal from the vertical closing plane.

67. The floor panel of claim 66, wherein said second surface, in distal direction in respect to the groove side, merges into a third surface, which, in respect to the horizontal, is less inclined than the second surface, wherein this third surface, in the coupled condition of two of such panels, in respect to the groove side is situated at least partially distal from said vertical closing plane.

68. The floor panel of claim 65, wherein on the first pair of edges, the lower lip comprises a downward-directed recess including a depression, wherein this downward-directed recess, in the coupled condition of two of such panels, in respect to the groove side is situated mainly or entirely proximal from said vertical closing plane.

69. The floor panel of claim 65, wherein the coupling parts on the second pair of edges are configured such that two of such floor panels can be coupled to each other at these edges by means of a downward movement of one panel in respect to the other, in such a manner that a plurality of such panels can be coupled to each other by means of the so-called “

fold-down”

technique.

70. The floor panel of claim 65, wherein the floor panel substantially is made on the basis of a synthetic material of the supple type.