Floor panel with a plastic backing

• US 8,726,604 B2
• Filed: 03/03/2011
• Issued: 05/20/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/09/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Akzenta Paneele + Profile GmbH
• Original Assignee: Akzenta Paneele + Profile GmbH
• Inventors: Hannig, Hans-Juergen
• Primary Examiner(s): PAINTER, BRANON C
• Application Number:
  US13/039,375
• Publication Number:
  US 20110146177A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,174 Days
• Field of Search: 523/093, 525/16, 525/921
• US Class Current: 52/592.1
• 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 2201/026 with rabbets, e.g. being stepped
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 2201/043 with tongues and grooves being formed by projecting or recessed parts of the panel layers
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 2201/07 with connections using a special adhesive material

Abstract

A floor panel having a backing of a plastics material that is pliable and flexible at the temperature at which a floor is used. A decorative layer disposed above the backing. Complementary mechanical locking profiles are provided on at least two edges of the panel and interact in the locked state of two floor panels. The locking profiles counteract movement apart of the floor panels. At least one of the locking profiles is provided, at least in certain regions, with at least one adhesive.

Claims

1. A floor panel for mechanically locking with another floor panel, the floor panel and the another floor panel each having four panel edges and each having complementary mechanical locking means on mutually opposite edges such that one of the locking means on the floor panel interacts with one of the locking means on the another floor panel and forms a locked state to counteract movement apart of the floor panel and the another floor panel, the floor panel comprising:

a backing comprising a plastics material that is pliable and flexible, the backing being a split backing further comprising one or more intermediate layers;

a reinforcement layer arranged as at least one intermediate layer in the split backing, the reinforcement layer comprising a fiber-reinforced material;

a decorative layer different from the reinforcement layer, the decorative layer being disposed above the backing;

a first complementary mechanical locking means on a first pair of mutually opposite edges of the floor panel being complementary hook elements that lock in a direction vertical to the plane of the floor panel;

each of the complementary hook elements having a vertical, recess defined by a horizontal protruding part which is a horizontal extension of one horizontal surface of the floor panel and a vertical protruding part at a distal end of the horizontal protruding part, each vertical protruding part having an undercut surface that is transverse to a horizontal plane of the floor panel and abuts an other undercut surface of the vertical protruding part of the complementary hook element of the another floor panel in the locked state, and counteracts movement apart of the floor panel from the another floor panel in the plane of the floor panel;

an optionally activatable adhesive provided at least in certain regions of the complementary hook elements, the adhesive being optionally activatable when the floor panel is in the locked state,

the adhesive is not provided on the undercut surface of the complementary hook elements,

a second complimentary mechanical locking means on a second pair of mutually opposite edges being a complementary tongue and groove, one of mutually opposite panel edges is provided with the groove and the opposite panel edge is provided with the tongue formed complementary to the groove, the tongue and the groove each include an undercut, the undercut of the tongue and the undercut of the groove are designed in such a manner to counteract movement apart in the locked state in the plane of the floor panel, the undercut of the tongue and the undercut of the groove each having the adhesive.

2. The floor panel according to claim 1, wherein the adhesive comprises two components.

3. The floor panel according to claim 2, wherein the components are factory-provided on a first one of the looking means.

4. The floor panel, according to claim 2, wherein the components are factory-provided on a second one of the locking means.

5. The floor panel according to claim 1, wherein the plastics material of the backing is a thermoplastic elastomer.

6. The floor panel according to claim 1, wherein the plastics material of the backing is an amorphous elastomer.

7. The floor panel according to claim 6, wherein the plastics material is polyvinylchloride.

8. The floor panel according to claim 1, wherein the floor panel has a thickness of 1.5 mm to 6 mm.

9. Two locking floor panels, each of the panels comprising:

four panel edges;

a backing comprising a plastics material that is pliable and flexible, the backing being a split backing further comprising one or more intermediate layers;

a reinforcement layer arranged as at least one intermediate layer in the split backing, the reinforcement layer comprising a fiber-reinforced material;

a decorative layer different from the reinforcement layer, the decorative layer being disposed above the backing;

complementary mechanical locking hook elements provided on a first pair of mutually opposite edges of each of the panels, one of the hook elements of one of the panels capable of interacting with an other hook element of the other of the panels in a locked state of the two floor panels and counteract movement apart of the two floor panels, the complementary mechanical locking hook elements locking in a direction vertical to a horizontal plane of the panels;

each of the hook elements having a vertical, recess defined by a horizontal protruding part which is a horizontal extension of one horizontal surface of the floor panel and a vertical protruding part at a distal end of the horizontal protruding part, each vertical protruding part having an undercut surface that is vertical, to the horizontal, plane of the panels, an undercut surface of one of the hook elements of one of the panels abutting an undercut surface of an other of the hook elements of an other of the panels when the panels are in the locked state so as to counteract movement apart of the panels in the horizontal, plane of the panels;

an optionally activatable adhesive provided at least in certain regions of both the one and the other hook elements, the adhesive is optionally activatable when the two floor panels are in a locked state; and

the undercut surface of each of the hook elements having no adhesive,

complementary mechanical locking tongue and groove provided on a second pair of mutually opposite edges of each of the panels, the tongue on one of the mutually opposite edges and the groove on an other of the mutually opposite edges, the tongue and the groove each include an undercut, the undercut of the tongue and the undercut of the groove are designed in such a manner to counteract movement apart in the locked state in the plane of the floor panel, the undercut of the tongue and the undercut of the groove each having the adhesive.