Connecting system for surface coverings
AssigneeMannington Mills, Inc.
InventorsHao A. Chen, Richard Judd
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A spline, tongue, connector, or snap connector is described and useful for connecting a variety of surface covering products together. In one embodiment the spline is a polymeric material having an elongated shape and dimensions such that the spline has a sufficient width to fit into and extend outside of a groove in a side edge of a first plank and to fit into a respective groove in a side edge of a second plank. The spline may be concealed from view when the first plank and the second plank are connected together by the spline. A surface covering system for connecting two or more planks together is also described as well as methods to connect two or more planks together using the splines of the present invention.
Claims30
A spline for connecting two or more surface covering planks together, said spline comprising a polymeric material having an elongated shape and a width and height that are perpendicular to a direction of elongation of the spline, wherein said width is sufficient to fit into and extend outside of a groove in a side edge of a first plank and fit into a respective groove in a side edge of a second plank, and wherein said spline includes a top surface and a bottom surface, each having a soft thermoplastic material, and edge surfaces having a hard thermoplastic material.
A surface covering system for connecting two or more thermoplastic planks together, said system comprising two or more thermoplastic planks including a first plank and a second plank, and at least one spline that is elongated in a direction of elongation, wherein each plank has a groove on at least one side thereof, and said spline comprises a polymeric material having a shape such that said spline has a sufficient width to fit into and extend outside of a groove in the side edge of the first plank and to fit into a respective groove in a side edge of the second plank, wherein said spline includes a top surface and a bottom surface, each having a soft thermoplastic material, and edge surfaces having a hard thermoplastic material.
A plurality of thermoplastic planks connected together by one or more splines, wherein each plank has a groove on at least one side thereof, wherein said groove includes at least one receiving tooth;
- wherein said spline includes a top surface and a bottom surface, each having a soft thermoplastic material, and edge surfaces having a hard thermoplastic material, and wherein each said spline is elongated in a direction of elongation and comprises a polymeric material having a shape such that said spline has a sufficient width to fit into and extend outside of a groove in a side edge of a first plank and to fit into a respective groove in a side edge of a second plank, and wherein said first plank, second plank, splines, grooves, or any combinations thereof includes a bonding agent.
A method to connect two or more thermoplastic planks together comprising inserting one edge of an elongated spline into a groove in a side edge of one plank and inserting the opposite edge of the spline into a groove in a side edge of a second plank, said spline comprising a polymeric material having a shape and dimensions such that said spline has a sufficient width to fit into and extend outside of the groove in the side edge of the first plank and to fit into the groove in the side edge of the second plank, and wherein said groove of said first plank and said groove of said second plank include at least one receiving tooth, and wherein said spline includes a top surface and a bottom surface having a soft thermoplastic material and edge surfaces having a hard thermoplastic material, and wherein said first plank, second plank, groove, spline, or any combinations thereof includes a bonding agent.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.