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US 12,618,244 B2Granted
Floor element for forming a floor covering and a floor covering
AssigneeUnilin BV
InventorsRahul Patki, Laurent Meersseman, Claudio Beneventi, Claudio Caselli
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A floor element for forming a floor covering, wherein the floor element comprises a decorative layer made of a ceramic material; a support layer arranged below the decorative layer; and a reinforcing layer arranged in between the decorative layer and the support layer, wherein the support layer comprises edges provided with coupling elements configured to realize a mechanical coupling with coupling elements of an adjacent floor element.
Claims16
A floor element for forming a floor covering, the floor element comprising:
- a decorative layer made of a ceramic material;
- a support layer arranged below the decorative layer, the support layer comprising a rigid polyvinylchloride (PVC), wherein the rigid PVC comprises less than 15 phr of plasticizer;
- and
- a reinforcing layer located between the decorative layer and the support layer,
- wherein the support layer comprises edges provided with coupling elements configured to realize a mechanical coupling with coupling elements of an adjacent floor element,
- wherein the coupling elements comprise at least one male part and at least one female part,
- wherein in a coupled condition of adjacent floor elements, locking surfaces are formed limiting the mutual movement of the adjacent floor elements in at least in a vertical direction,
- wherein the male part protrudes outwardly beyond an upper edge of the decorative layer and the female part extends inwardly beyond an upper edge of the decorative layer to thereby form an undercut underneath the decorative layer so that the locking surfaces limiting the movement in the vertical direction are at least formed by a top surface of the male part and an upper surface of the undercut formed by the female part,
- wherein the upper surface of the undercut is a bottom surface of the decorative layer delimiting the undercut in an upward direction,
- wherein the floor element has an impact strength greater than 1.91 Newton-meter (Nm),
- wherein in a coupled condition of the adjacent floor elements, the locking surfaces are formed, limiting the mutual movement of the adjacent floor elements in at least one horizontal direction,
- wherein in a coupled condition of the adjacent floor elements, first locking surfaces are formed limiting the mutual movement of the adjacent floor elements in a horizontal direction along the coupled edges, as well as second locking surfaces limiting the mutual movement of the adjacent floor elements in a direction that is substantially horizontal and perpendicular to the coupled edges, and
- wherein the locking surfaces comprise portions positioned on resilient arms.
10 more elements
A floor covering comprising a plurality of adjacent floor elements, wherein at least one floor element of the plurality of floor elements comprises:
- a decorative layer of ceramic;
- a support layer arranged below the decorative layer, the support layer comprising a rigid polyvinylchloride (PVC), wherein the rigid PVC comprises less than 15 phr of plasticizer,
- wherein the at least one floor element of the plurality of floor elements has an impact strength greater than 1.91 Newton-meter (Nm),
- wherein the floor covering comprises the combination of the following features:
- coupling elements configured to realize a coupling with coupling elements of adjacent floor elements;
- and
- a grout filling an intermediate distance separating the decorative layers of the floor elements,
- wherein the coupling elements comprise at least one male part and at least one female part,
- wherein in a coupled condition of adjacent floor elements, locking surfaces are formed limiting the mutual movement of the adjacent floor elements in at least in a vertical direction,
- wherein the male part protrudes outwardly beyond an upper edge of the decorative layer and the female part extends inwardly beyond an upper edge of the decorative layer to thereby form an undercut underneath the decorative layer so that the locking surfaces limiting the movement in the vertical direction are at least formed by a top surface of the male part and an upper surface of the undercut formed by the female part,
- wherein the upper surface of the undercut is a bottom surface of the decorative layer delimiting the undercut in an upward direction,
- wherein the floor element has an impact strength greater than 1.91 Newton-meter (Nm),
- wherein in a coupled condition of the adjacent floor elements, the locking surfaces are formed, limiting the mutual movement of the adjacent floor elements in at least one horizontal direction,
- wherein in a coupled condition of the adjacent floor elements, first locking surfaces are formed limiting the mutual movement of the adjacent floor elements in a horizontal direction along the coupled edges, as well as second locking surfaces limiting the mutual movement of the adjacent floor elements in a direction that is substantially horizontal and perpendicular to the coupled edges, and
- wherein the locking surfaces comprise portions positioned on resilient arms.
12 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.