US 2015/0082732 A1Published application

Floor covering

AssigneeFlooring Industries Limited, Sarl

InventorsBernard THIERS, Mark CAPPELLE

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Abstract

Hard panels formed from a wood-based material and having a decorative layer for floor coverings are provided, at least on two opposite edges, with coupling devices made in one piece with the panels wherein similar panels may be coupled together to form a floor covering, wherein these coupling devices provide for an interlocking in a direction perpendicular to the plane of coupled panels, as well as in a direction perpendicular to the edges concerned and parallel to the plane of coupled panels. These coupling devices are constituted of a tongue and a groove. The top side of the tongue has a protrusion that cooperates with a meshing recess located in the lower side of the upper lip of the groove of the coupling devices, and a portion extending generally parallel with the plane of the panel to form a contact surface cooperating with the lower side of the upper lip of the groove.

Claims30

Dependent claims

A floor panel, for forming a floor covering, wherein this floor panel is generally made of synthetic material;

wherein this floor panel comprises two pairs of opposite edges;
wherein the first pair of opposite edges comprises first coupling means, as a result of which several of such floor panels can be mutually coupled to one another, whereby these first coupling means provide for an interlocking in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the coupled floor panels, as well as in a direction perpendicular to the edges concerned, and parallel to the plane of the floor panel;
wherein the second pair of opposite edges comprises second coupling means, as a result of which several of such floor panels can be mutually coupled to one another, whereby these second coupling means provide for an interlocking in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the coupled floor panels, as well as in a direction perpendicular to the edges concerned, and parallel to the plane of the floor panel;
wherein said second coupling means are made in one piece with the floor panel;
wherein said second coupling means are configured for allowing assembly of two of such floor panels by means of a movement of rotation of one panel in respect to the other;
wherein said second coupling means comprise a tongue and a groove, said groove being bordered by an upper lip and a lower lip;
wherein said upper lip has a distal end and said lower lip extends beyond the distal end of the upper lip;
wherein an interlocking part is situated on the lower lip, with a contact surface which, when coupled, works in conjunction with a contact surface which is provided on the other floor panel so as to provide said interlocking in a direction perpendicular to the edges concerned, and parallel to the plane of the floor panel;
wherein the edge comprising said tongue comprises a lower surface being substantially horizontal;
wherein said lower surface is located distally from said contact surface working in conjunction with the contact surface of the interlocking part when coupled;
wherein said substantially horizontal lower surface in a distal direction connects to an upwardly inclined surface;
wherein the top side of said interlocking part defines a horizontal level;
wherein said second coupling means comprise coupling parts formed of contact surfaces working in conjunction with one another, on the top side of the tongue and the bottom side of the upper lip respectively, said contact surfaces defining a contact zone which is situated above said horizontal level;
wherein the distal end of the upper lip defines a vertical plane;
and
wherein said vertical plane intersects the upper side of the lower lip at an intersection point which is situated beneath said horizontal level.

13 more elements

A floor panel, for forming a floor covering, wherein this floor panel is generally made of synthetic material;

wherein this floor panel comprises two pairs of opposite edges;
wherein the first pair of opposite edges comprises first coupling means, as a result of which several of such floor panels can be mutually coupled to one another, whereby these first coupling means provide for an interlocking in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the coupled floor panels, as well as in a direction perpendicular to the edges concerned, and parallel to the plane of the floor panel;
wherein the second pair of opposite edges comprises second coupling means, as a result of which several of such floor panels can be mutually coupled to one another, whereby these second coupling means provide for an interlocking in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the coupled floor panels, as well as in a direction perpendicular to the edges concerned, and parallel to the plane of the floor panel;
wherein said second coupling means are made in one piece with the floor panel;
wherein said second coupling means are configured for allowing assembly of two of such floor panels by means of a movement of rotation of one panel in respect to the other;
wherein said second coupling means comprise a tongue and a groove, said groove being bordered by an upper lip and a lower lip;
wherein said upper lip has a distal end and said lower lip extends beyond the distal end of the upper lip;
wherein said second coupling means consist at least of first coupling parts formed of contact surfaces that in a coupled condition of two of such floor panels work in conjunction with one another, on the top side of the tongue and the bottom side of the upper lip respectively, second coupling parts formed of contact surfaces, on the top side of the lower lip and an opposite part of the other coupled floor panel respectively, and third coupling parts which provide for the horizontal interlocking, comprising an interlocking part on the lower lip, said interlocking part having a contact surface which, when coupled, works in conjunction with a contact surface which is provided on the other floor panel;
wherein the top side of said interlocking part defines a horizontal level;
wherein the contact surfaces of the second coupling parts are situated beneath said horizontal level;
and
wherein, in the coupled condition of two of such floor panels, a free space is situated above the upper side of the lower lip and between the second and third coupling parts.

9 more elements

A floor panel, for forming a floor covering, wherein this floor panel is generally made of synthetic material;

wherein this floor panel comprises two pairs of opposite edges;
wherein the first pair of opposite edges comprises first coupling means, as a result of which several of such floor panels can be mutually coupled to one another, whereby these first coupling means provide for an interlocking in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the coupled floor panels, as well as in a direction perpendicular to the edges concerned, and parallel to the plane of the floor panel;
wherein the second pair of opposite edges comprises second coupling means, as a result of which several of such floor panels can be mutually coupled to one another, whereby these second coupling means provide for an interlocking in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the coupled floor panels, as well as in a direction perpendicular to the edges concerned, and parallel to the plane of the floor panel;
wherein said second coupling means are made in one piece with the floor panel;
wherein said second coupling means are configured for allowing assembly of two of such floor panels by means of a movement of rotation of one panel in respect to the other;
wherein said second coupling means comprise a tongue and a groove, said groove being bordered by an upper lip and a lower lip;
wherein said upper lip has a distal end and said lower lip extends beyond the distal end of the upper lip;
wherein said tongue is situated on a part which is connected to the actual panel via a zone in the shape of a local constriction or reduced cross-section, whereby said zone has a thickness which is smaller than half the thickness of the floor panel;
and
wherein said second coupling means at least comprise coupling parts formed of contact surfaces working in conjunction with one another, on the top side of the tongue and the bottom side of the upper lip respectively, said contact surfaces defining a contact zone which is situated above said horizontal level;
and
wherein a space is provided under the tongue.

9 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 14/560,704Filed 4 Dec 2014
Priority: BE 2000/039720 Jun 2000
Published: 26 Mar 2015
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification28 codes

E04F 15/02038
Flooring or floor layers composed of a number of similar elements: characterised by tongue and groove connections between neighbouring flooring…
B32B 3/06
Characterised by features of form at particular places, e.g. in edge regions: for securing layers together; for attaching the product to another…
B32B 21/02
Layered products comprising a layer of wood, e.g. wood board, veneer, wood particle board: the layer being formed of fibres, chips, or particles ,…
B32B 21/04
Layered products comprising a layer of wood, e.g. wood board, veneer, wood particle board: comprising wood as the main or only constituent of a…

Family

Application09/878,206Division · filed 12 Jun 2001
Application10/890,456Division · filed 14 Jul 2004
Application11/979,317Continuation · filed 1 Nov 2007
Application12/821,604Continuation · filed 23 Jun 2010
Application13/893,556Continuation · filed 14 May 2013
Application14/093,729Continuation · filed 2 Dec 2013
Application14/320,887Continuation · filed 1 Jul 2014
Application14/560,704Continuation
Application11/979,317Division
US 2002/0020127 A1Published application
US 2004/0244322 A1Published application
US 2008/0141610 A1Published application
US 2010/0257809 A1Published application
US 2013/0247501 A1Published application
US 2014/0090330 A1Published application
US 2014/0311079 A1Published application
US 6,772,568 B2Related patent
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US 2015/0082732 A1This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.

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