Connecting system for surface coverings

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 having at least one receiving tooth, 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 first and second planks each have a length and said spline has a length that differs from the length of at least one of said first and second planks, and wherein said first plank, second plank, spline, groove, or any combination thereof includes a bonding agent.

A method to connect two or more thermoplastic planks together, each of said two or more thermoplastic planks having a length, said method comprising inserting one edge of an elongated spline having a length into a groove in a side edge of a first plank and inserting an 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, wherein the length of said spline differs from the length of at least one of said planks, wherein the groove of the first plank and the groove of the second plank include at least one receiving tooth, and wherein said first plank, second plank, spline, groove, or any combination thereof includes a bonding agent.

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, wherein said groove includes at least one receiving tooth, 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 first plank, second plank, spline, groove, or any combinations thereof includes a bonding agent.

A plurality of thermoplastic planks connected together by one or more splines, wherein each plank has a groove on at least one side thereof, a) wherein said groove includes at least one receiving tooth or b) wherein said spline includes a top surface and a bottom surface, each having a soft thermoplastic material, and edge surfaces having a hard thermoplastic, or both a) and b), 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 a) wherein said groove of said first plank and said groove of said second plank include at least one receiving tooth, or b) wherein said spline includes a top surface and a bottom surface having a soft thermoplastic material and edge surfaces having a hard thermoplastic material, or both, a) and b), and wherein said first plank, second plank, groove, spline, or any combinations thereof includes a bonding agent.