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US 8,006,460 B2Granted
Floor covering with interlocking design
AssigneesMannington Mills, Inc., Novalis Holdings Limited
InventorsHao A. Chen, John M. Whispell, Ji-Min Wan
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Surface coverings, such as floor coverings, with an interlocking design are described. Methods of making the surface coverings are further described.
Claims34
A floor plank comprising:
- a) a first sheet having four sides, the first sheet having an upper surface and a lower surface and said first sheet comprising at least one base layer, a print design located above said base layer, and at least one wear layer located above said print design;
- and
- b) a second sheet having multiple sides and having an upper surface and a lower surface, the upper surface of the second sheet being adhered to the lower surface of the first sheet;
- wherein two adjacent sides of the second sheet has multiple projections to interlock with recesses from at least one adjacent floor plank and two other adjacent sides have recesses to interlock with projections from at least one adjacent floor plank;
- wherein said projections and recesses have a complementary shape to each other to be interlockingly engageable with corresponding recesses or projections on an adjacent floor plank;
- wherein the multiple projections of said two adjacent sides of the second sheet extend beyond two adjacent sides of the first sheet and the recesses of said two other adjacent sides of the second sheet do not extend beyond said first sheet and are concealed by said first sheet;
- wherein at least a portion of the lower surface of the first sheet that is located directly above said recesses have at least one adhesive coating that permits adhesion of an upper surface of a projection from an adjacent floor plank or the upper surfaces of the projections have an adhesive coating or both, wherein said floor plank having one or more of the following mechanical properties:
- i. Tensile strength (psi)—ASTM D638:
- 750 psi +/−55 psi;
- ii. Elongation (%)—ASTM D638:
- 34+/−9;
- iii. Break Load (lbf)—ASTM D638:
- 31+/−1.5;
- iv. Flexural Force @ 0.3″ (lbf)—Modified ASTM D790:
- 1+/−0.35;
- v. Pneumatic Indentation at 3000 psi (inch)—<0.005;
- and/or
- vi. Residual Indentation at 750 psi (inch)—ASTM F-970:
- <0.002.
16 more elements
A floor plank comprising:
- a) a first sheet having four sides, the first sheet having an upper surface and a lower surface and said first sheet comprising at least one base layer, a print design located above said base layer, and at least one wear layer located above said print design;
- and
- b) a second sheet having multiple sides and having an upper surface and a lower surface, the upper surface of the second sheet being adhered to the lower surface of the first sheet;
- wherein two adjacent sides of the second sheet has multiple projections to interlock with recesses from at least one adjacent floor plank and two other adjacent sides have recesses to interlock with projections from at least one adjacent floor plank;
- wherein said projections and recesses have a complementary shape to each other to be interlockingly engageable with corresponding recesses or projections on an adjacent floor plank;
- wherein the multiple projections of said two adjacent sides of the second sheet extend beyond two adjacent sides of the first sheet and the recesses of said two other adjacent sides of the second sheet do not extend beyond said first sheet and are concealed by said first sheet;
- wherein at least a portion of the lower surface of the first sheet that is located directly above said recesses have at least one adhesive coating that permits adhesion of an upper surface of a projection from an adjacent floor plank or the upper surfaces of the projections have an adhesive coating or both,
- wherein the floor plank having a joint strength when two floor planks are interlocked together based on modified ASTM D3164, of:
- a. Adhesive bond (1″ sample—lbf):
- 11+/−4;
- b. Mechanical & adhesive bond (full side Lock—lbf):
- 50+/−18;
- c. Mechanical & adhesive bond (full end Lock—lbf):
- 33+/−15;
- and/or
- d. Partial mechanical & adhesive Bond (1″ sample—lbf):
- 7+/−2.
14 more elements
A floor plank comprising:
- a first sheet having four sides, the first sheet having an upper surface and a lower surface and said first sheet comprising at least one base layer, a print design located above said base layer, and at least one wear layer located above said print design;
- and
- a second sheet having multiple sides and having an upper surface and a lower surface, the upper surface of the second sheet being adhered to the lower surface of the first sheet;
- wherein two adjacent sides of the second sheet has multiple projections to interlock with recesses from at least one adjacent floor plank and two other adjacent sides have recesses to interlock with projections from at least one adjacent floor plank;
- wherein said projections and recesses have a complementary shape to each other to be interlockingly engageable with corresponding recesses or projections on an adjacent floor plank;
- wherein the multiple projections of said two adjacent sides of the second sheet extend beyond two adjacent sides of the first sheet and the recesses of said two other adjacent sides of the second sheet do not extend beyond said first sheet and are concealed by said first sheet;
- wherein at least a portion of the lower surface of the first sheet that is located directly above said recesses have at least one adhesive coating that permits adhesion of an upper surface of a projection from an adjacent floor plank or the upper surfaces of the projections have an adhesive coating or both;
- wherein the floor plank has the following mechanical properties:
- a. Tensile strength (psi)—ASTM D638:
- 750 psi +/−55 psi;
- b. Elongation (%)—ASTM D638:
- 34+/−9;
- c. Break Load (lbf)—ASTM D638:
- 31+/−1.5;
- d. Flexural Force @ 0.3″ (lbf)—Modified ASTM D790:
- 1+/−0.35;
- e. Pneumatic Indentation at 3000 psi (inch)—<0.005;
- and/or
- f. Residual Indentation at 750 psi (inch)—ASTM F-970:
- <0.002;
- and wherein the floor plank the following de-lamination properties:
- a de-lamination force between the first sheet and second sheet based on modified ASTM D3164 having a shear bond (lbf):
- 30+/−6 and/or a peel bond (lbf):
- 4.5+/−0.5;
- and wherein the floor plank has a joint strength when two floor planks are interlocked together based on modified ASTM D3164, of:
- g. Adhesive bond (1″ sample—lbf):
- 11+/−4;
- h. Mechanical & adhesive bond (full side Lock—lbf):
- 50+/−18;
- i. Mechanical & adhesive bond (full end Lock—lbf):
- 33+/−15;
- and/or
- j. Partial mechanical & adhesive Bond (1″ sample—lbf):
- 7+/−2;
- and
- wherein the floor plank has one or more of the following surface properties:
- k. Taber Abrasion-NAFLA 33.13 LF01-2003-Wear 3.7:
- >350 cycles;
- l. Scratch resistance by fine steel wool—not visible;
- m. Scuff by sneaker sole—no scuff mark;
- n. Stain property—Modified ASTM 925:
- 0-3 (no stain-strong stain):
- i. Food stains:
- 0
- ii. Asphalt sealer:
- 0
- iii. Oil dye:
- 1
- iv. Shoe Polish:
- 1
- v. Blue Sharpie Marker:
- 1
- vi. Fertilizer:
- 0
- vii. Iodine:
- 3;
- o. Heat & light stability—ASTM 1514 & 1515:
- Delta E<3;
- and/or
- p. C.O.F (dry neolite sole)—ASTM C1028:
- >0.6.
58 more elements
A floor plank comprising:
- a) a first sheet having four sides, the first sheet having an upper surface and a lower surface and said first sheet comprising at least one base layer, a print design located above said base layer, and at least one wear layer located above said print design;
- and
- b) a second sheet having multiple sides and having an upper surface and a lower surface, the upper surface of the second sheet being adhered to the lower surface of the first sheet;
- wherein two adjacent sides of the second sheet has multiple projections to interlock with recesses from at least one adjacent floor plank and two other adjacent sides have recesses to interlock with projections from at least one adjacent floor plank;
- wherein said projections and recesses have a complementary shape to each other to be interlockingly engageable with corresponding recesses or projections on an adjacent floor plank;
- wherein the multiple projections of said two adjacent sides of the second sheet extend beyond two adjacent sides of the first sheet and the recesses of said two other adjacent sides of the second sheet do not extend beyond said first sheet and are concealed by said first sheet;
- wherein at least a portion of the lower surface of the first sheet that is located directly above said recesses have at least one adhesive coating that permits adhesion of an upper surface of a projection from an adjacent floor plank or the upper surfaces of the projections have an adhesive coating or both,
- wherein said base layer comprising from 15 wt % to 30 wt % polyvinyl chloride, from 4 wt % to 10 wt % plasticizer, from 50 wt % to 80 wt % filler, and from about 1 wt % to 5 wt % stabilizer.
5 more elements
A floor plank comprising:
- a) a first sheet having four sides, the first sheet having an upper surface and a lower surface and said first sheet comprising at least one base layer, a print design located above said base layer, and at least one wear layer located above said print design;
- and
- b) a second sheet having multiple sides and having an upper surface and a lower surface, the upper surface of the second sheet being adhered to the lower surface of the first sheet;
- wherein two adjacent sides of the second sheet has multiple projections to interlock with recesses from at least one adjacent floor plank and two other adjacent sides have recesses to interlock with projections from at least one adjacent floor plank;
- wherein said projections and recesses have a complementary shape to each other to be interlockingly engageable with corresponding recesses or projections on an adjacent floor plank;
- wherein the multiple projections of said two adjacent sides of the second sheet extend beyond two adjacent sides of the first sheet and the recesses of said two other adjacent sides of the second sheet do not extend beyond said first sheet and are concealed by said first sheet;
- wherein at least a portion of the lower surface of the first sheet that is located directly above said recesses have at least one adhesive coating that permits adhesion of an upper surface of a projection from an adjacent floor plank or the upper surfaces of the projections have an adhesive coating or both,
- wherein said first sheet further comprising a second base layer located below and adhered to said base layer, and
- wherein said base layer has a lower wt % polyvinyl chloride than said second base layer;
- said base layer has a lower wt % plasticizer than said second base layer;
- second base layer has a higher wt % filler than said second base layer;
- and said base layer has a lower wt % stabilizer than said second base layer.
9 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.