Static structures (e.g. – buildings) – Processes – Assembling exposed modules
Reexamination Certificate
2002-01-08
2004-01-06
Chapman, Jeanette (Department: 3635)
Static structures (e.g., buildings)
Processes
Assembling exposed modules
C052S539000, C052S591100, C052S592100, C052S592400, C052S589100, C052SDIG001
Reexamination Certificate
active
06672030
ABSTRACT:
CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application claims the priority of German Patent Application Serial No. 101 01 912.2, filed Jan. 16, 2001, the subject matter of which is incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a method of laying floor panels, in particular rectangular floor panels.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,023,907 discloses a method of laying rectangular floor panels having two long sides and two short sides, wherein one long side and one short side have projecting tongues and floor-proximal locking grooves at a lateral distance to the tongues. The other long side and other short side are formed with receiving grooves, which complement the tongues, and with projecting fins beneath the receiving grooves, terminating in upwardly open locking lips. The locking lips have a contour that substantially complements the locking grooves.
The floor panels are laid in several parallel rows by initially joining a first row of floor panels along their first and second short sides such that, after placement of a first floor panel on the floor, the subsequent floor panel is positioned in longitudinal direction at an inclination to push its tongue on the short side into the receiving groove on the confronting short side of the first floor panel, and subsequently urged downwards into a same plane as the first floor panel so that the locking lip on the second short side of the first floor panel is engaged in the locking groove on the first short side of the subsequent floor panel. When the floor panels are joined together, they can occupy a relative position that there is a play between the locking lip and the locking groove in a direction transversely to the interface. Subsequently, the first floor panel of the second row is placed by engaging the tongue at its long side in a receiving groove at the long side of at least one floor panel at an end of the first row, while being inclined in transverse direction, and at a same time a further floor panel of the second row is joined at a lateral distance to the previously laid floor panel by engaging the tongue at the short side with the first floor panel of the second row, while being inclined in longitudinal direction, and subsequently moved into the oblique plane of the previously laid floor panel of the second row. Then, both floor panels are further urged downwards until the locking lips engage along the long sides of the previously laid first row into the locking grooves of the floor panels of the second row. A play between the locking lips and the locking grooves should be provided also along the long sides after joining operation. All floor panels of the second row as well as all subsequent rows are laid thereafter in a same manner.
This method suffers shortcomings because, during placement and swinging of the floor panels of the second and each further row, the installer has to handle at least two floor panels simultaneously and angle them relative to one another in various positions. As a result, a reliable joining operation is hardly attainable. Rather, the floor panels may edge so that the locking lips may get damaged at the projecting fins. Therefore, successive floor panels in one row and/or floor panels of neighboring rows cannot be reliably joined together, unless at least two installers work together during laying of the floor panels. This, however, substantially increases the manufacturing costs. In particular, when walking on the tread or top surface of the laid flooring, the visual appearance of the top surface is marred by the presence of gaps and openings. Moreover, the longitudinal and transverse edges adjacent the top surface can get damaged, when joining the floor panels, thereby further adversely affecting the look of the flooring.
It would therefore be desirable and advantageous to provide an improved method of joining floor panels, obviating prior art shortcomings and allowing a simple and rapid laying of floor panels, without damage to the locking lips and to the longitudinal and transverse edges of the floor panels adjacent the tread surface.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to one aspect of the present invention, a method of laying floor panels includes in an initial phase placement of a floor panel of a first row of floor panels in a corner area of the floor area being covered such that the one long side and the one short side formed with the receiving grooves and the locking lips points toward the floor area to be covered. Subsequently, a next floor panel is positioned at an inclination in longitudinal direction such that the tongue on one short side is pushed upon the other short side of the first floor panel until the end face of the one short side of the next floor panel abuts against the transverse edge of the first floor panel, and is then urged downwards into the plane of the previously laid first floor panel, whereby the locking lip of the first floor panel is in engagement without play with the locking groove of the next floor panel. The remaining floor panels of the first row are joined in a same manner.
The process can be reliably carried out in a simple and rapid manner by a single installer.
According to a variation of the present invention, the initial phase of laying the first row of floor panels may also be carried out in such a way that after initial placement of a floor panel of a first row of floor panels in a corner area of the floor area being covered, each further floor panel is joined through parallel displacement with respect to the previously laid floor panel. In this manner, the tongue at the one short side of the further floor panel slides into the receiving groove of the other short side of the previously laid floor panel, and the locking lip at the other short side of the previously laid floor panel slides into the locking groove at the one short side of the further floor panel, until both floor panels are aligned in a straight line in the first row.
Once the first row of floor panels is laid by either one of the aforementioned ways, a first floor panel of the second row is positioned at an inclination in transverse direction at the end at which the laying of floor panels for the first row has started, whereby the first floor panel of the second row is placed with respect to at least one floor panel of the first row until the end face of one long side rests against the longitudinal edge on the confronting long side of the previously laid floor panel of the first row so that the tongue at the long side of the new floor panel engages in the receiving groove at the long side of the confronting floor panel of the first row. Before joining the first floor panel of the second row, an installation wedge is, however, placed in the area of the first floor panel of the second row. The wedge is positioned transversely and loosely abuts the first row of floor panels, with its beveled surface pointing toward the first row. After joining the first floor panel of the second row with floor panels of the first row, the first floor panel of the second row is lowered in the direction of the wedge so that the locking lip at the long side of the respective floor panel in the first row partially engages, without play, in the locking groove of the confronting long side of the first floor panel of the second row. Once the first floor panel of the second row rests on the wedge, this partial engagement of locking lip and locking groove is sufficient to prevent a detachment of this floor panel from the previously laid floor panel of the first row. A tension-proof connection is hereby realized of the first floor panel of the second row with the floor panels of the first row.
Before placement of a next floor panel of the second row can proceed, a further installation wedge is positioned approximately in mid length section of the next floor panel of the second row in transverse direction and loosely placed against the first row. The new floor panel of the second row can then be laid at a lateral distance to the first row at an inclination in longitudinal dir
Chapman Jeanette
Feiereisen Henry M.
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