US 2024/0326314 A1Published application

Device and methods for folding and bending laminate flooring

OwnerGregory Scottinventor

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Loading patent…

Abstract

An automated flooring system includes a square-nose device and a bull-nose device for forming square-nose and bull-nose configurations, respectively. The square-nose device features a frame with a forming panel comprising three forming plates rotatably coupled to each other to receive and accommodate a planar flooring. A plurality of actuators facilitate transverse rotation of sections of the flooring to achieve the square-nose profile. The bull-nose device comprises a frame, a rotor plate, rollers, and a clamp bar, with actuators for engaging and forming the flooring into a bull-nose configuration. A de-stacker retrieves flooring from the devices, while a conveyor system transports flooring through stations for cutting grooves, applying adhesive, and heating before discharge. The system streamlines the production of square-nose and bull-nose flooring configurations, enhancing efficiency in flooring manufacturing processes.

Claims18

Dependent claims

A device for forming square-nose flooring, the device comprising:

a frame;
a forming panel disposed and operatively connected to the frame, the forming panel includes a first forming plate, a second forming plate, a third forming plate, the first forming plate is rotatably coupled to the second forming plate using a first plate joint wherein the first plate joint is disposed between the first forming plate and the second forming plate, and the second forming plate is rotatably couple to the third forming plate using a second plate joint wherein the second plate joint is disposed between the second forming plate and the third forming plate;
the forming plates sized and configured to receive and accommodate a planar flooring thereon, wherein the first forming plate supports a first section of the flooring, the second forming plate supports a second section of the flooring and the third forming plate supports a third section of the flooring;
a clamping device including a clamp bar disposed on the frame;
a first actuator operatively connected to the first plate joint to rotate the first forming panel about the first plate joint to transversely rotate the first section of the flooring relative to the second section of the flooring;
a second actuator operatively connected to the second plate joint to rotate the third forming panel about the second plate joint to transversely rotate the third section of the flooring relative to the second section of the flooring;
and
a third actuator connected to the clamp bar and moveable to clamp the flooring to the second forming plate.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.