# US 10,870,994 B2 · Floor panel

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- Number: US 10,870,994 B2
- Document ID: US10870994B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/385,737
- Filed: 2019-04-16
- Published: 2019-08-08
- Granted: 2020-12-22
- Earliest claimed: 2010-05-10
- Assignees: Flooring Industries Limited, Sarl
- Applicants: Flooring Industries Limited, Sarl
- Inventors: Laurent Meersseman; Martin Segaert; Mark Cappelle
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10870994B2

## CPC

- E04F 15/107: {composed of several layers, e.g. sandwich panels (layered products in general B32B; producing decorative panels or veneers B44C5/04)}
- B27N 7/00: After-treatment, e.g. reducing swelling or shrinkage, surfacing; Protecting the edges of boards against access of humidity
- B32B 3/06: for securing layers together; for attaching the product to another member, e.g. to a support {, or to another product, e.g. groove/tongue, interlocking}
- B32B 5/18: characterised by features of a layer {of} foamed material
- B32B 7/12: using interposed adhesives or interposed materials with bonding properties
- B32B 21/02: {the layer being formed} of fibres, chips, or particles {, e.g. MDF, HDF, OSB, chipboard, particle board, hardboard}
- B32B 21/08: of synthetic resin
- B32B 27/08: of synthetic resin
- B32B 27/30: comprising vinyl {(co)polymers; comprising acrylic (co)polymers}
- B32B 27/304: {comprising vinyl halide (co)polymers, e.g. PVC, PVDC, PVF, PVDF}
- B32B 27/32: comprising polyolefins {(comprising vinyl (co)polymers or acrylic (co)polymers B32B27/30)}
- B32B 27/40: comprising polyurethanes
- B32B 37/10: characterised by the pressing technique, e.g. using action of vacuum or fluid pressure
- B32B 37/153: {at least one layer is extruded and immediately laminated while in semi-molten state}
- B44C 1/10: Applying flat materials, e.g. leaflets, pieces of fabrics (paperhanging B44C7/00)
- B44C 5/043: {containing wooden elements}
- B44C 5/0476: {with abrasion resistant properties}
- E04B 1/541: {Joints substantially without separate connecting elements, e.g. jointing by inter-engagement}
- E04F 13/0866: {composed of several layers, e.g. sandwich panels or layered panels (layered products as such in general B32B; producing decorative panels or veneers B44C5/04; E04F13/0864, E04F13/0875 take precedence)}
- E04F 13/0894: {with tongue and groove connections}
- E04F 13/18: of organic plastics with or without reinforcements or filling materials (of plastic-bound fibres or chips E04F13/16 ){or with an outer layer of organic plastics with or without reinforcements or filling materials; plastic tiles (E04F13/0864 takes precedence)}
- E04F 15/02: Flooring or floor layers composed of a number of similar elements (of webs E04F15/16)
- E04F 15/02022: {with means for aligning the outer surfaces of the flooring elements (E04F15/02038 takes precedence)}
- E04F 15/02033: {Joints with beveled or recessed upper edges}
- E04F 15/02038: {characterised by tongue and groove connections between neighbouring flooring elements}
- E04F 15/102: {of fibrous or chipped materials, e.g. bonded with synthetic resins}
- E04F 15/105: {of organic plastics with or without reinforcements or filling materials}
- E04F 15/18: Separately-laid insulating layers; Other additional insulating measures; Floating floors (insulating of buildings in general E04B1/62)
- B32B 38/145: {Printing}
- B32B 2255/10: on synthetic resin layer or on natural or synthetic rubber layer
- B32B 2255/26: Polymeric coating
- B32B 2260/021: Fibrous or filamentary layer
- B32B 2262/067: Wood fibres
- B32B 2262/101: Glass fibres
- B32B 2266/0235: Vinyl halide, e.g. PVC, PVDC, PVF, PVDF
- B32B 2266/0278: Polyurethane
- B32B 2307/412: Transparent
- B32B 2307/414: Translucent
- B32B 2307/712: Weather resistant
- B32B 2307/718: Weight, e.g. weight per square meter
- B32B 2307/7242: Non-permeable
- B32B 2307/732: Dimensional properties
- B32B 2307/75: Printability
- B32B 2309/02: Temperature
- B32B 2309/105: Thickness
- B32B 2310/0825: using IR radiation
- B32B 2310/0831: using UV radiation
- B32B 2317/16: Wood, e.g. woodboard, fibreboard, woodchips
- B32B 2323/04: Polyethylene
- B32B 2323/10: Polypropylene
- B32B 2327/06: PVC, i.e. polyvinylchloride
- B32B 2419/04: Tiles for floors or walls
- B32B 2471/00: Floor coverings (B32B2419/04 takes precedence)
- B32B 2479/00: Furniture
- B32B 2607/00: Walls, panels
- E04F 2201/0107: by moving the sheets, plates or panels substantially in their own plane, perpendicular to the abutting edges
- E04F 2201/0115: with snap action of the edge connectors
- E04F 2201/0123: by moving the sheets, plates or panels parallel to the abutting edges
- E04F 2201/0138: by moving the sheets, plates or panels perpendicular to the main plane
- E04F 2201/0146: with snap action of the edge connectors
- E04F 2201/0153: by rotating the sheets, plates or panels around an axis which is parallel to the abutting edges, possibly combined with a sliding movement
- E04F 2201/0176: with snap action of the edge connectors
- E04F 2201/023: with a continuous tongue or groove
- E04F 2201/049: wherein the elements are made of organic plastics with or without reinforcements or filling materials
- E04F 2201/0523: Separate tongues; Interlocking keys, e.g. joining mouldings of circular, square or rectangular shape
- E04F 2201/0535: adapted for snap locking
- E04F 2201/0588: of organic plastics with or without reinforcements or filling materials
- E04F 2201/091: with the edge-parts forming part of the panel body
- E04F 2201/095: with both connection parts, i.e. male and female connection parts alternating on one edge
- E04F 2201/098: wherein the interlocking male and female edge-parts have a dovetail, mushroom or similar shape
- Y10T 428/17: Three or more coplanar interfitted sections with securing means
- Y10T 428/195: Beveled, stepped, or skived in thickness
- Y10T 428/24488: Differential nonuniformity at margin
- Y10T 428/24777: Edge feature
- E04F: FINISHING WORK ON BUILDINGS, e.g. STAIRS, FLOORS (windows, doors E06B)
- B27N: MANUFACTURE BY DRY PROCESSES OF ARTICLES, WITH OR WITHOUT ORGANIC BINDING AGENTS, MADE FROM PARTICLES OR FIBRES CONSISTING OF WOOD OR OTHER LIGNOCELLULOSIC OR LIKE ORGANIC MATERIAL (containing cementitious material B28B; shaping of substances in a plastic state B29C; fibreboards made from fibrous suspensions D21J; drying F26B17/00)
- B32B: LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT OR NON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM
- B44C: PRODUCING DECORATIVE EFFECTS (processes for applying liquids or other fluent materials to surfaces, in general B05D; shaping of plastics or substances in a plastic state B29C; printing processes to produce transfer pictures B41M3/12; thermographic duplication or marking methods B41M5/00); MOSAICS; TARSIA WORK (imitation of mosaic or tarsia work patterns B44F11/04); PAPERHANGING {(labels G09F; multi-step processes for making paper labels or tags B31D1/02)}
- 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})
- Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION

## Abstract

A floor panel has a rectangular and oblong shape, and includes a substrate and a top layer provided on the substrate and forming a decorative side of the floor panel. The top layer is composed of a print provided on a carrier sheet and a transparent thermoplastic layer situated above the print. The substrate has a thickness from 2 to 10 millimeter and forms at least half of the thickness of the floor panel. The substrate is a polyurethane-based substrate and the transparent thermoplastic layer is polyurethane-based. The floor panel has a length of more than 1.1 meters and has a plurality of reinforcing layers situated outside the center line of the substrate. A reinforcing layer may be provided in combination with the substrate and the top layer.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A floor panel including a single- or multi-layered rigid substrate having a thickness of 2 to 10 millimeters and a top layer provided on the substrate, wherein the substrate includes a layer of a thermoplastic board material having a density of more than 650 kilograms per cubic meter, wherein the top layer includes a print and a transparent or translucent synthetic material layer situated above the print; wherein the print is provided on a carrier sheet thereby forming a printed synthetic film or directly on the substrate or on an intermediate layer, wherein the floor panel includes at least at two opposite edges mechanical coupling parts configured so as to allow coupling two of such floor panels to each other such that a locking in horizontal and vertical direction is obtained and wherein the mechanical coupling parts are substantially realized in the substrate;
wherein said floor panel at said at least two opposite edges is provided with a chamfer extending exclusively in said transparent or translucent synthetic material layer and not below said carrier sheet or intermediate layer;
wherein said print extends uninterruptedly from on the surface of the floor panel over at least approximately the entire surface of the chamfer.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The floor panel of claim 1, wherein the mechanical coupling parts are configured so as to allow coupling two of such floor panels by means of a turning movement.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The floor panel of claim 1, wherein the mechanical coupling parts include a tongue and a groove being substantially responsible for the locking in vertical direction and locking parts being substantially responsible for the locking in horizontal direction.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The floor panel of claim 1, wherein the mechanical coupling parts are configured so as to allow coupling two of such floor panels by means of a downward-directed movement.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The floor panel of claim 1, wherein the thermoplastic board material includes polyvinyl chloride (PVC).

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The floor panel of claim 5, wherein the thermoplastic board material includes a layer of hard polyvinyl chloride (PVC).

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The floor panel of claim 1, wherein the print is provided on a carrier sheet thereby forming a printed synthetic film and wherein the printed synthetic film is a PVC-based film.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The floor panel of claim 1, wherein the transparent or translucent synthetic material layer includes a thermoplastic layer.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The floor panel of claim 1, wherein the transparent or translucent synthetic material layer includes a PVC layer.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The floor panel of claim 1, wherein the transparent or translucent synthetic material layer has a thickness of 1 millimeter or less.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The floor panel of claim 1, wherein the top layer includes a lacquer layer above the transparent or translucent synthetic material layer.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The floor panel of claim 11, wherein the lacquer layer includes a UV-hardening or PU lacquer layer.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The floor panel of claim 1, wherein the top layer includes a back layer situated between the print and the substrate and wherein the back layer includes a thermoplastic material and a filler material.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The floor panel of claim 13, wherein the thermoplastic material of the back layer includes PVC.

### Claim 15 (depends on 13)

The floor panel of claim 13, wherein the thermoplastic material of the back layer includes PVC and plasticizers.

### Claim 16 (depends on 13)

The floor panel of claim 13, wherein the back layer has a thickness of more than 45 percent of the overall thickness of the top layer.

### Claim 17 (depends on 1)

The floor panel of claim 1, wherein the top layer has a thickness of 0.5 to 3 millimeters.

### Claim 18 (depends on 1)

The floor panel of claim 1, wherein the floor panel includes a backing layer situated below the substrate.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The floor panel of claim 18, wherein the backing layer includes a thermoplastic material.

### Claim 20 (depends on 1)

The floor panel of claim 1, wherein the floor panel has a thickness of 5 to 15 millimeters.