Static structures (e.g. – buildings) – Module or panel having discrete edgewise or face-to-face... – Having integral key
Reexamination Certificate
2000-09-29
2003-03-25
Mai, Lanna (Department: 3635)
Static structures (e.g., buildings)
Module or panel having discrete edgewise or face-to-face...
Having integral key
C052S590200, C052S592300, C052S392000, C052S588100
Reexamination Certificate
active
06536178
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a flooring material comprising a combination of floor elements which are joined.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Prefabricated floor boards which are provided with tongue and groove at the edges are well known today. As these are rather easy to install, this can be achieved by the average handy man. Such floors can be made of solid wood, particle board or fibre board. These floor boards are most often provided with a top surface, such as lacquer or some kind of laminate. The board are most often joined by being glued together via their tongue and groove. The most common types of floor boards are, however, burdened with the disadvantage to form gaps of varying width between the floor boards if the installer is not thorough enough. Dirt will accumulate in such gaps. Moisture will furthermore enter the joints which will cause the core to expand in cases where it is made of solid wood, fibre board or particle board which usually is the case. This expansion will cause the top surface to rise, closest to the joint, which radically decreases the useful life of the floor due to increased wear on the protruding edges of the floor board. In order to avoid this type of gaps it is known to use different type of tensioning devices used for forcing the floor boards together during installation. This operation is, however, rather awkward and it is desirable to achieve a floor board with a joint which is self-orienting and thereby automatically will find its correct position. It would also be possible to use such a joint without having to use glue.
One such floor is known through WO 93/13280 wherein a form of clips is intended to keep floor boards together. The floor boards are, besides being provided with traditional tongue and groove, also provided with a single longitudinal groove on the side facing downwards. The floor boards are resting on the clips why a great number of such clips will have to be used to avoid resilient movements in the floor. Such movements will cause noise. The distance between the floor boards and the surface below will also cause acoustic resonance which will give the floor a “noisy” character. This is not desirable. The disadvantage with a groove and tongue solution is foremost that the tongue will have to be milled from the board which will cause a loss of the expensive top surface. It will furthermore be possible to assemble the floor boards, oriented in one direction only. The tongue is also a delicate part which is easily damaged during transport and handling which makes assembly difficult or causes impaired fitting.
Another such floor is known through Swedish patent application No. 8202375-5 in which floor boards are provided with grooves at the opposite edges. A separate profile, in which a tongue is included, is used for guiding the boards horizontally. The lower part of the profile is also provided with girders protruding upwards. These girders are intended to interact with grooves on the lower side of the floor boards. A floor according to Se application No. 8202375-5 will however have to be assembled in a way that makes it necessary for the installer to stand on his knees since the floor will have to be turned into, or slided sideways, into the desired position.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It has, through the present invention been possible to solve the above mentioned problems, whereby a floor that can withstand handling, demands a minimum of milling of the decorative top surface and is easy to install has been achieved. Accordingly, the invention relates to a vertically joined flooring material comprising floor elements with a mainly triangular, square, rectangular, rhomboidal or polygonal shape, as seen from above. The floor elements are provided with edges which are provided with joining members. The floor elements are further provided with a lower side and a decorative top surface.
The invention is characterised in that the flooring material comprises a combination of at least two different types of floor elements, which types comprises female floor elements and male floor elements, whereby;
a) The female floor element is provided with a female joining member on at least half of the number of its edges and a male joining member on less than half of the number of its edges.
b) The male floor element is provided with a male joining member on at least two thirds of the number of its edges and a female joining member on less than one third of the number of its edges.
c) An optional joining profile possibly constitutes a junction between two adjacent male joining members of two adjacent floor elements.
The joining members are preferably designed as follows;
a) The female joining member comprises an upwards protruding lip, being parallel to the edge. The upwards protruding lip is provided with a guiding surface, the guiding surface facing the edge. The female joining member further comprises a locking groove, being parallel to the edge. The locking groove has a locking surface, facing downwards, which locking surface terminates in a locking edge. An angle &agr;I between the guiding surface and a vertical plane is in the range 0-30° while an angle &agr;II between the locking surface and a horizontal plane is in the range 0-30° as seen in a perpendicular cross-section.
b) The male joining member comprises a groove, being parallel to the edge, on the lower side. The groove is provided with a guiding face, the guiding face which is facing away from the edge. The male joining member further comprises a locking heel, being parallel to the edge. The locking heel has a locking face, facing upwards. An angle &bgr;I between the guiding face and the vertical plane is in the range 0-30°, while an angle &bgr;II between the locking face and a horizontal plane is in the range 0-30° as seen in a perpendicular cross-section.
The angles &agr;I and &bgr;I are preferably mainly the same and the angles &agr;II and &bgr;II are also preferably mainly the same.
It is, according to the invention, possible to utilise a joining profile, between two adjacent male joining members. This joining alternative has shown to be particularly advantageous in certain embodiments of the invention.
The joining profile comprises two upwards protruding rims, being parallel to each other and distanced from each other by a centre section. The two upwards protruding rims are provided with guiding areas, which guiding areas, are facing inwards. The joining profile is furthermore provided with two locking cheeks placed on an extension. The locking cheeks is provided with locking areas facing downwards, which locking areas terminates in a locking edge. An angle &psgr;I between the guiding area and a vertical plane is in the range 0-30° while the angle &psgr;II between the locking area and a horizontal plane is in the range 0-30° as seen in a perpendicular cross-section.
The angles &agr;I, &bgr;I and &psgr;I are preferably mainly the same and the angles &agr;II, &bgr;II and &psgr;II are preferably also mainly the same. The part of the floor element located between each edge and its respective groove is preferably thinner than the maximum thickness of the floor board by means of a recess located on the lower side. The lower side of the floor element will hereby be flat when installed and will rest more securely on the supporting surface below. The lower side of the female joining member is preferably also provided with a recess on the lower side. Such a recess will make the assembly more smooth since the female joining member will be allowed to move downwards during the assembly without being obstructed by the surface below.
The distance between the upwards protruding rims of the joining profile is preferably somewhat smaller than the distance between the grooves of the male joining members placed on each side of and closest to the edge of two adjacent floor elements.
The joining profiles are suitably manufactured in long sections which may be cut into a desired length. The length of the joining profiles then suitably exceeds the length of a floor element b
Pålsson Jörgen
Sylegård Ingvar
Mai Lanna
Pergo (Europe) AB
Stevens Davis Miller & Mosher L.L.P.
Yip Winnie
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