Panel, covering and method for installing such panels
First Claim
1. A floor panel, for forming a floor covering, said floor panel being of the type comprising a substrate of a material on the basis of soft PVC;
- wherein the 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 allowing to mutually couple a plurality of the panels to each other;
wherein the coupling parts at both pairs of edges form a first locking system which effects a locking in the plane of the panels and perpendicular to the respective edges, as well as form a second locking system which effects a locking perpendicular to the plane of the panels;
wherein the coupling parts at the first pair of opposite edges are configured such that two of the panels can be coupled to each other at the edges by means of a turning movementwherein the coupling parts at the second pair of edges are formed by coupling parts which are of the type allowing to couple two of the panels to each other by means of a downward movement of one panel in respect to the other;
wherein the coupling parts at both pairs of edges substantially are realized from said substrate and thus from said material on the basis of soft PVC;
wherein the first locking system of the coupling parts at the second pair of edges is formed at least of an upwardly directed lower hook-shaped portion which is situated at one of the edges of the second pair of edges, as well as of a downwardly directed upper hook-shaped portion which is situated at the opposite edge, said hook-shaped portions extending laterally from a core portion of the panel;
wherein the lower hook-shaped portion consists of a lip with an upwardly directed locking element, wherein the upper hook-shaped portion consists of a lip with a downwardly directed locking element;
wherein the lip of the upper hook-shaped portion comprises a part which connects said core portion of the panel with the downwardly directed locking element, said part, seen in a cross section perpendicular to the respective edge, defining a length; and
wherein said part, seen in said cross-section perpendicular to the respective edge, has a thickness that decreases towards the downwardly directed locking element for at least part of said length.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A panel for forming a covering, more particularly a floor panel for forming a floor covering, which at least at two opposite edges, comprises coupling parts arranged to couple two of such panels to each other by means of a downward movement of one panel in respect to the other. The coupling parts form a first locking system arranged to lock in the plane of the panels and perpendicularly to the edges, as well as form a second locking system, which effects a locking perpendicularly to the plane of the panels. At least one of the coupling parts is formed at least partially in soft PVC (polyvinyl chloride), as well as at least partially formed from a milled profiled part of this soft PVC.
161 Citations
29 Claims
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1. A floor panel, for forming a floor covering, said floor panel being of the type comprising a substrate of a material on the basis of soft PVC;
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wherein the 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 allowing to mutually couple a plurality of the panels to each other; wherein the coupling parts at both pairs of edges form a first locking system which effects a locking in the plane of the panels and perpendicular to the respective edges, as well as form a second locking system which effects a locking perpendicular to the plane of the panels; wherein the coupling parts at the first pair of opposite edges are configured such that two of the panels can be coupled to each other at the edges by means of a turning movement wherein the coupling parts at the second pair of edges are formed by coupling parts which are of the type allowing to couple two of the panels to each other by means of a downward movement of one panel in respect to the other; wherein the coupling parts at both pairs of edges substantially are realized from said substrate and thus from said material on the basis of soft PVC; wherein the first locking system of the coupling parts at the second pair of edges is formed at least of an upwardly directed lower hook-shaped portion which is situated at one of the edges of the second pair of edges, as well as of a downwardly directed upper hook-shaped portion which is situated at the opposite edge, said hook-shaped portions extending laterally from a core portion of the panel; wherein the lower hook-shaped portion consists of a lip with an upwardly directed locking element, wherein the upper hook-shaped portion consists of a lip with a downwardly directed locking element; wherein the lip of the upper hook-shaped portion comprises a part which connects said core portion of the panel with the downwardly directed locking element, said part, seen in a cross section perpendicular to the respective edge, defining a length; and wherein said part, seen in said cross-section perpendicular to the respective edge, has a thickness that decreases towards the downwardly directed locking element for at least part of said length. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A floor panel for forming a floor covering,
a floor covering, comprising at least two opposite edges comprises coupling parts which allow coupling of two of the panels to each other by means of a downward movement of one panel in respect to the other; -
wherein said coupling parts are realized at least partially in soft PVC; wherein the coupling parts form a first locking system, which effects a locking in the plane of the panels and perpendicularly to said edges, as well as form a second locking system, which effects a locking perpendicularly to the plane of the panels; wherein the first locking system is formed at least of an upwardly directed lower hook-shaped portion which is situated at one of said two edges, as well as of a downwardly directed upper hook-shaped portion which is situated at the opposite edge, said hook-shaped portions extending laterally from a core portion of the panel; wherein the lower hook-shaped portion consists of a lip with an upwardly directed locking element, wherein the upper hook-shaped portion consists of a lip with a downwardly directed locking element; wherein the lip of the upper hook-shaped portion comprises a part which connects said core portion of the panel with the downwardly directed locking element, said part, seen in a cross section perpendicular to the respective edge, defining a length; and wherein said part, seen in said cross-section perpendicular to the respective edge, has a thickness that decreases towards the downwardly directed locking element for at least part of said length. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A floor panel, for forming a floor covering, said floor panel comprising a substrate of a material on the basis of soft PVC;
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wherein the 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 allowing to mutually couple a plurality of the panels to each other; wherein the coupling parts at both pairs of edges form a first locking system which effects a locking in the plane of the panels and perpendicular to the respective edges, as well as form a second locking system which effects a locking perpendicular to the plane of the panels; wherein the coupling parts at the first pair of opposite edges are configured such that two of the panels can be coupled to each other at the edges by means of a turning movement wherein the coupling parts at the second pair of edges are formed by coupling parts which are of the type allowing to couple two of the panels to each other by means of a downward movement of one panel in respect to the other; wherein the coupling parts at both pairs of edges substantially are realized from said substrate and thus from said material on the basis of soft PVC; wherein the first locking system of the coupling parts at the second pair of edges is formed at least of an upwardly directed lower hook-shaped portion which is situated at one of the edges of the second pair of edges, as well as of a downwardly directed upper hook-shaped portion which is situated at the opposite edge, said hook-shaped portions extending laterally from a core portion of the panel; wherein the lower hook-shaped portion consists of a lip with an upwardly directed locking element, wherein the upper hook-shaped portion consists of a lip with a downwardly directed locking element; wherein the lip of the lower hook-shaped portion comprises a part which connects said core portion of the panel with the upwardly directed locking element; and wherein said part, seen in a cross-section perpendicular to the respective edge, has a thickness that decreases towards the upwardly directed locking element over the majority of the length of the part. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A floor panel for forming a floor covering,
comprising at least at two opposite edges having coupling parts arranged to couple two of the panels to each other by means of a downward movement of one panel in respect to the other; -
wherein at least said coupling parts, which are of the type allowing to couple two of such panels to each other by means of a downward movement of one panel in respect to the other, are realized at least partially in soft PVC; wherein the coupling parts form a first locking system, which effects a locking in a plane of the panels and perpendicularly to said edges, as well as form a second locking system, which effects a locking perpendicularly to the plane of the panels; wherein the first locking system is formed at least of an upwardly directed lower hook-shaped portion which is situated at one of said two edges, said upwardly directed hook-shaped portion extending laterally from a core portion of the panel, as well as of a downwardly directed upper hook-shaped portion which is situated at the opposite edge; wherein the lower hook-shaped portion consists of a lip with an upwardly directed locking element, wherein the upper hook-shaped portion consists of a lip with a downwardly directed locking element; wherein the lip of the lower hook-shaped portion comprises a part which connects said core portion of the panel with the upwardly directed locking element; and wherein said part, seen in a cross-section perpendicular to the edges, has a thickness that decreases towards the upwardly directed locking element. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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Specification