# US 10,309,640 B2 · Floor covering system comprising a lighting system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,309,640 B2 - Document ID: US10309640B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/843,522 - Filed: 2015-09-02 - Published: 2015-12-24 - Granted: 2019-06-04 - Earliest claimed: 2009-09-24 - Assignees: Signify Holding B.V. - Applicants: Signify Holding B.V. - Inventors: Maarten Marinus Johannes Wilhelmus Van Herpen; Oscar Hendrikus Willemsen; Marcellinus Petrus Carolus Michael Krijn - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10309640B2 ## CPC - F21V 33/006: {General building constructions or finishing work for buildings, e.g. roofs, gutters, stairs or floors; Garden equipment; Sunshades or parasols} - E04B 5/46: Special adaptation of floors for transmission of light, e.g. by inserts of glass (of ceilings E04B9/32, block-shaped elements E04C1/42; slab- or sheet-shaped elements E04C2/54; for roof covering E04D3/06) - E04F 15/02: Flooring or floor layers composed of a number of similar elements (of webs E04F15/16) - 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} - F21V 23/0471: {the sensor detecting the proximity, the presence or the movement of an object or a person} - E04F 2290/026: for lighting - F21V 23/0442: {activated by means of a sensor, e.g. motion or photodetectors} - F21V 23/0485: {the sensor sensing the physical interaction between a user and certain areas located on the lighting device, e.g. a touch sensor} - F21V: FUNCTIONAL FEATURES OR DETAILS OF LIGHTING DEVICES OR SYSTEMS THEREOF; STRUCTURAL COMBINATIONS OF LIGHTING DEVICES WITH OTHER ARTICLES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - E04B: GENERAL BUILDING CONSTRUCTIONS; WALLS, e.g. PARTITIONS; ROOFS; FLOORS; CEILINGS; INSULATION OR OTHER PROTECTION OF BUILDINGS (border constructions of opening in walls, floors or ceilings E06B1/00; {electromagnetic shielding H05K9/0001}) - E04F: FINISHING WORK ON BUILDINGS, e.g. STAIRS, FLOORS (windows, doors E06B) ## Abstract The invention provides a floor covering system (10) with (a) a PVC-based floor covering (100) and (b) a lighting system (200) arranged to generate light (210). The PVC-based floor covering (100) has a user side (101) and an opposite back side (102). The lighting system (200) is arranged at the back side (102) of the PVC-based floor covering (100). The PVC-based floor covering (100) has a light transmission for light (210) generated by the lighting system (200) in the range of 0.5% to 30%, especially in the range of 1% to 20%. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A floor covering system comprising: a polyvinyl chloride (PVC) flooring having a user side and an opposite back side; and a lighting system for generating light, the lighting system provided at the back side of the PVC flooring, the lighting system comprising a plurality of light units, each light unit having one or more light sources disposed on a common substrate; an auxiliary layer comprising a first side and an opposite second side, the first side of the auxiliary layer positioned at the back side of the PVC flooring, the auxiliary layer further comprising a plurality of openings therethrough, wherein each of the plurality of light units is positioned entirely within a respective one of the openings in the auxiliary layer; wherein the PVC flooring has a light transmission for light generated by the lighting system in the range of 0.5% to 30% such that the lighting system is not visible through the user side of the PVC flooring, and further wherein the PVC flooring is configured to protect the lighting system from damage when a user walks on the floor covering system; and wherein the PVC flooring is disposed on at least two of the light units. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The floor covering system of claim 1, wherein the PVC flooring has a light transmission in the range of 1% to 20%. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The floor covering system of claim 1, further comprising: a sensor configured to detect an object on or near the floor covering; and a controller in communication with the sensor and configured to adjust a parameter of the lighting system in response to detection by the sensor of the object. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The floor covering system of claim 1, wherein the opposite back side of the PVC flooring defines a plurality of recesses, each of the plurality of recesses configured to host at least one light source of the lighting system. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The floor covering system of claim 1, wherein the system comprises a plurality of tiles. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The floor covering system of claim 1, further comprising an auxiliary layer arranged between at least part of the lighting system and at least part of the PVC flooring, wherein the auxiliary layer is selected from the group consisting of levelling layers and adhesive layers. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The floor covering system of claim 1, wherein the floor covering system is configured to provide way guiding to the user. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The floor covering system of claim 1, wherein the PVC flooring comprises a filler material selected from the group consisting of calcium carbonate, aluminum trihydrate, polycarbonate, glass, and mixtures thereof. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The floor covering system of claim 1, wherein the PVC flooring comprises a filler material having a refractive index in the range of 1.45 to 1.65. ### Claim 10 A floor covering system comprising: a plurality of interconnected flooring tiles and a lighting system, the lighting system having a plurality of light sources disposed on a common substrate; wherein each of the flooring tiles comprises a polyvinyl chloride (PVC) flooring layer having a user side and an opposite back side; and wherein the lighting system is provided at the back side of the PVC flooring; an auxiliary layer comprising a first side and an opposite second side, the first side of the auxiliary layer positioned at the back side of the PVC flooring layer, the auxiliary layer further comprising a plurality of openings therethrough, wherein each of the plurality of light units is positioned entirely within a respective one of the openings in the auxiliary layer; wherein the PVC flooring layer has a light transmission for light generated by the lighting unit in the range of 0.5% to 30% such that the lighting system is not visible through the user side of the PVC flooring when no light is emitted by the lighting system, and further wherein the PVC flooring layer is configured to protect the lighting unit from damage when a user walks on the floor covering system; wherein at least two of the flooring tiles are disposed on the common substrate of the lighting system. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The floor covering system of claim 10, wherein the PVC flooring layer has a light transmission in the range of 1% to 20%. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The floor covering system of claim 10, further comprising: a sensor configured to detect an object on or near the floor covering; and a controller in communication with the sensor and configured to adjust a parameter of the lighting system in response to detection by the sensor of the object. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The floor covering system of claim 10, wherein each of the flooring tiles defines a plurality of recesses, each of the plurality of recesses configured to host at least one light source of the lighting system. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The floor covering system of claim 10, further comprising an auxiliary layer arranged between at least part of the lighting unit and at least part of the PVC flooring layer, wherein the auxiliary layer is selected from the group consisting of levelling layers and adhesive layers. ### Claim 15 A flooring tile comprising: a polyvinyl chloride (PVC) flooring layer having a user side and an opposite back side, and at least one recess at the back side; and a lighting system for generating light, the lighting system provided at the back side of the PVC flooring, the lighting system comprising a plurality of light units, each light unit having a plurality of light sources disposed on a common substrate, the light sources of at least one of the light units protruding in the at least one recess of the PVC flooring layer; an auxiliary layer comprising a first side and an opposite second side, the first side of the auxiliary layer positioned at the back side of the PVC flooring layer, the auxiliary layer further comprising a plurality of openings therethrough, wherein each of the plurality of light units is positioned entirely within a respective one of the openings in the auxiliary layer; wherein the PVC flooring layer has a light transmission for light generated by the lighting unit in the range of 0.5% to 30% such that the lighting unit is not visible through the user side of the PVC flooring when no light is emitted by the lighting unit, and further wherein the PVC flooring layer is configured to protect the lighting unit from damage when a user walks on the floor covering system. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The flooring tile of claim 15, wherein the PVC flooring layer has a light transmission in the range of 1% to 20%. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The flooring tile of claim 15, wherein the flooring tile is configured to connect to a neighboring flooring tile. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The flooring tile of claim 15, wherein the flooring tile defines a plurality of recesses, each of the plurality of recesses configured to host at least one light source of the lighting unit. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The flooring tile of claim 15, wherein the flooring tile is configured to provide way guiding to the user. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) The flooring tile of claim 15, further comprising a filler material selected from the group consisting of calcium carbonate, aluminum trihydrate, polycarbonate, glass, and mixtures thereof.