Floor covering, floor element and method for manufacturing floor elements

A floor element comprising a substrate and a top layer;

• wherein the floor element comprises first coupling parts at a first pair of opposite sides and second coupling parts at a second pair of opposite sides;
• wherein the second coupling parts are made as a male coupling part and a female coupling part, the second coupling parts are provided with vertically active locking portions effecting a locking in vertical direction as the second coupling parts of two of such floor elements cooperate with each other, and also with horizontally active locking portions effecting a locking in horizontal direction as the second coupling parts of two of such floor elements cooperate with each other;
• wherein the second coupling parts are configured so as to allow interconnecting two of such floor elements at the second pair of sides by providing one of these floor elements with the male coupling part, by means of a turning movement, in the female coupling part of the other floor element;
• wherein the first coupling parts are performed as another male coupling part and another female coupling part, the first coupling parts are provided with vertically active locking portions effecting a locking in vertical direction as the first coupling parts of two of such floor elements cooperate with each other, and also with horizontally active locking portions effecting a locking in horizontal direction as the first coupling parts of two of such floor elements cooperate with each other;
• wherein the male coupling part of the first coupling parts is provided by a downward-directed upper hook-shaped part;
• wherein the downward-directed upper hook-shaped part comprises a lip with a downward-directed locking element forming a male part;
• wherein the female coupling part of the first coupling parts is provided by an upward-directed lower hook-shaped part;
• wherein the upward-directed lower hook-shaped part comprises a lip with an upward-directed locking element, located proximally thereof, defines a female part as a recess;
• wherein the first coupling parts are configured so as to allow connecting two of such floor elements to each other at the first pair of sides by moving the male coupling part in a downward direction towards and home into the recess of the female coupling part of the first coupling parts;
• wherein the proximal end of the upward-directed hook-shaped element comprises a protrusion;
• wherein the distal end of the downward-directed locking element comprises a locking recess;
• wherein the floor element is arranged such that as two of such floor elements are coupled to one another, the male coupling part of the first coupling parts of the floor element with the female coupling part of the first coupling parts of the coupled floor element, the protrusion extends into the locking recess thereby providing a locking in vertical direction;
• wherein the floor element is arranged such that as two of such floor elements are coupled to one another, a bottom section of the downward-directed locking element contacts the lip of the upward-directed lower hook-shaped part;
• wherein the floor element is arranged such that as two of such floor elements are coupled to one another, the male coupling part of the first coupling parts of the floor element with the female coupling part of the first coupling parts of the coupled floor element, no locking in vertical direction is provided at the distal end of the upward-directed locking element;
• wherein the proximal end of the upward-directed hook-shaped element comprises a first closing plane substantially perpendicular to the surface of the floor element;
• wherein the distal end of the downward-directed hook-shaped element comprises a second closing plane substantially perpendicular to the surface of the floor element;
• wherein the floor element is arranged such that as two of such floor elements are coupled to one another, the male coupling part of the first coupling parts of the floor element with the female coupling part of the first coupling parts of the coupled floor element, the first closing plane engages with or contacts the second closing plane;
• wherein below the locking recess the downward-directed locking element does not extend distally beyond the second closing plane;
• wherein the length of the upward-directed hook-shaped element as measured from the first closing plane in the direction perpendicular to the first pair of opposite edges is less than the thickness of the floor element.