# US 12,000,155 B2 · Floor or wall covering

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- Number: US 12,000,155 B2
- Document ID: US12000155B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/641,003
- Filed: 2020-09-08
- Published: 2022-10-27
- Granted: 2024-06-04
- Earliest claimed: 2019-09-23
- Assignees: Unilin BV
- Applicants: Flooring Industries Limited, Sarl
- Inventors: Jan De Rick; Bryan Rollier
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12000155B2

## CPC

- E04F 15/02016: {with sealing elements between flooring elements (sealings of joints between building constructions in general E04B1/68)}
- E04F 13/0891: {with joint fillings}
- E04F 15/02: Flooring or floor layers composed of a number of similar elements (of webs E04F15/16)
- E04F 15/02033: {Joints with beveled or recessed upper edges}
- 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 2201/0161: with snap action of the edge connectors
- E04F: FINISHING WORK ON BUILDINGS, e.g. STAIRS, FLOORS (windows, doors E06B)

## Abstract

A recess is provided at the surface of a floor or wall covering between two panels mechanically coupled to each other by a male coupling part and a female coupling part. The recess may include a first recess cut out or otherwise provided at the female edge through the top layer and extending into the substrate. The recess may have a second recess cut out or otherwise provided at the male edge through the top layer and extending into the substrate. The recess includes a grouting material.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A floor or wall covering comprising floor or wall panels;
the panels comprise a substrate and a top layer;
the top layer comprises a decor layer;
the panels are provided at least at edges of two opposite sides with coupling parts, cooperating which each other, substantially in a form of male coupling parts and female coupling parts, for coupling the panels to each other in the floor or wall covering;
the male coupling part is provided at a male edge of the panels;
the female coupling part is provided at a female edge of the panels;
a recess is provided at a surface of the floor or wall covering between two panels mechanically coupled to each other by the male coupling part and the female coupling part;
wherein the recess comprises a grouting material;
wherein the male coupling parts comprise a tongue;
wherein the female coupling parts comprise a groove;
wherein the groove comprises a bottom lip and an upper lip, wherein the bottom lip extends over a longer distance from the edge of the panel than the upper lip;
wherein the recess comprises a bottom, wherein the bottom is completely provided by part of the upper surface of the tongue;
wherein the part of the upper surface of the tongue provides a complete bottom of the recess, the complete bottom is provided as an inclined plane declining towards a distal end of the tongue;
wherein the female edge comprises a rounded nose above the groove; and
wherein the grouting material contacts and adheres to an upper section of the nose and also at least partially to a bottom section of the nose.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The floor or wall covering as in claim 1, wherein the recess comprises a first recess provided at the female edge and a second recess provided at the male edge; wherein the second recess comprises a first undercut in the male edge; and
wherein the first recess comprises a second undercut in the female edge.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The floor or wall covering as in claim 2, wherein the second recess comprises a third undercut in the male edge and/or
wherein the first recess comprises a fourth undercut in the female edge.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The floor or wall covering as in claim 1, wherein a largest thickness of the tongue is less than 70% of a largest opening of the groove.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The floor or wall covering, as in claim 1, wherein the panels are rectangular, square or oblong, wherein a shortest of the sides is larger than 250 millimeters; and,
wherein the grouting material is provided around a full circumference of the decor layer of the panels.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The floor or wall covering as in claim 1,
wherein the top layers of the panels comprise on their upper surfaces another groove;
wherein the another groove of the top layers of the panels also comprises the grouting material.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

A method for installing the floor or wall covering as in claim 1, the method comprising the steps of:
providing floor or wall panels, for use in a floor or wall covering;
installing the floor or wall panels by mechanically coupling the floor or wall panels by coupling the male coupling parts with the female coupling parts;
applying grout into the recesses provided at the surface of the floor or wall covering between the floor or wall panels mechanically coupled to each other by the male coupling part and the female coupling part.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The floor covering, as in claim 1,
wherein the floor covering comprises floor panels, an elastic strip and a flexible sealing agent,
wherein the elastic strip is provided adjacent to an edge of the floor covering,
wherein the flexible sealing agent is provided above the elastic strip,
wherein the flexible sealing agent is provided adjacent to and in contact with the edge of the floor covering.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The floor covering as in claim 8 wherein a skirting board is positioned onto the floor panels providing the edge of the floor covering,
wherein the skirting board covers the elastic strip and the flexible sealing agent.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The floor or wall covering as in claim 1, wherein the recess comprises a first recess cut out or provided at the female edge; and a second recess cut out or provided at the male edge.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The floor or wall covering as in claim 1, wherein the grouting material is provided on a surface of the male edge substantially parallel with the panel surface and on a surface of the female edge substantially parallel with the panel surface.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The floor or wall covering as in claim 1, wherein the coupling parts are configured such that when installing the covering, a panel is arranged to be coupled via a substantially horizontal sliding movement with a snap effect of the panel relative to an already installed panel, wherein the tongue of the panel is arranged to be inserted into the groove of the female edge of the already installed panel with the snap effect.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The floor or wall covering of claim 12, wherein a rounding at the bottom of the nose is arranged for the installation and coupling of the panels via the substantially horizontal sliding movement with the snap effect.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The floor or wall covering of claim 13, wherein the upper lip comprises the nose, wherein said nose forms the distal end of the upper lip.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The floor or wall covering of claim 14, wherein the recess comprises upper side edges provided by surfaces of the male edge and of the female edge, and wherein said nose extends beyond the upper side edge formed by the female edge.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The floor or wall covering of claim 15, wherein the upper side edges each have an included angle with the top surface of the panel that is substantially equal to 90°.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The floor or wall covering of claim 16, wherein the male and female edges each comprise an undercut located below the respective upper side edges, wherein the undercut at the female edge is located between the nose and the respective upper side edge.

### Claim 18

A floor or wall covering comprising floor or wall panels;
the panels comprise a substrate and a top layer;
the top layer comprises a decor layer;
the panels are provided at least at edges of two opposite sides with coupling parts, cooperating which each other, substantially in a form of male coupling parts and female coupling parts, for coupling the panels to each other in the floor or wall covering;
the male coupling part is provided at male edge of the panels;
the female coupling part is provided at female edge of the panels;
a recess is provided at a surface of the floor or wall covering between two panels mechanically coupled to each other by the male coupling part and the female coupling part;
wherein the male edge comprises a protrusion directed substantially downwards when the panel is put horizontally, the protrusion is arranged to make contact with a distal end of the other edge, and lock the panels horizontally in a flexible way; a lower end of the protrusion is provided at a same level as a bottom side of the panels;
wherein the male coupling parts comprise a tongue;
wherein the female coupling parts comprise a groove;
wherein a largest thickness of the tongue is less than 70% of a largest opening of the groove.