[0001] The present invention relates to a flooring material comprising sheet-shaped floor
elements which are joined by means of joining members.
[0002] Prefabricated floor boards provided with tongue and groove at the edges are quite
common nowadays. These can be installed by the average handy man as they are very
easy to install. Such floors can, for example, be constituted of solid wood, fibre
board or particle board. These are most often provided with a surface layer such as
lacquer, or some kind of laminate. The boards are most often installed by being glued
via tongue and groove. The most common types of tongue and groove are however burdened
with the disadvantage to form gaps of varying width between the floor boards in cases
where the installer hasn't been thorough enough. Dirt will easily collect in such
gaps. Moisture will furthermore enter the gaps which will cause the core to expand
in cases where it is made of wood, fiber board or particle board, which usually is
the case. The expansion will cause the surface layer to rise closest to the edges
of the joint which radically reduces the useful life of the floor since the surface
layer will be exposed to an exceptional wear. Different types of tensioning devices,
forcing the floor boards together during installation can be used to avoid such gaps.
This operation is however more or less awkward. It is therefore desirable to achieve
a joint which is self-guiding and thereby automatically finds the correct position.
Such a joint would also be possible to utilize in floors where no glue is to be used.
[0003] Such a joint is known through
WO 94/26999 which deals with a system to join two floor boards. The floor boards are provided
with a locking device at the rear sides. In one embodiment the floor boards are provided
with profiles on the lower side at a first long side and short side. These profiles,
which extends outside the floor board itself, is provided with an upwards directed
lip which fits into grooves on the lower side of a corresponding floor board. These
grooves are arranged on the second short side and long side of this floor board. The
floor boards are furthermore provided with a traditional tongue and groove on the
edges. The intentions are that the profiles shall bend downwards and then to snap
back into the groove when assembled. The profiles are integrated with the floor boards
through folding or alternatively, through gluing.
[0004] According to
WO 94/26999, the floor boards may be joined by turning or prizing it into position with the long
side edge as a pivot point. It is then necessary to slide the floor board longitudinally
so that it snaps into the floor board previously installed in the same row. A play
is essential in order to achieve that. This play seems to be marked A in the figures.
A tolerance of 0. 2mm is mentioned in the application. Such a play will naturally
cause undesired gaps between the floor boards. Dirt and moisture can penetrate into
these gaps.
[0005] It is also known through
WO 97/47834 to manufacture a joint where the floor boards are joined by turning or prizing it
into position with the long side edge as a pivot point. According to this invention
a traditional tongue has been provided with heel on the lower side. The heel has a
counterpart in a recess in the groove of the opposite side of the floor board. The
lower cheek of the groove will be bent away during the assembly and will then snap
back when the floor board is in the correct position. The snap-joining parts, i. e.
the tongue and groove, is in opposite to the invention according to
WO 94/26999 above, where they are constituted by separate parts, seems to be manufactured monolithically
from the core of the floor board.
WO 97/47834 does also show how the tongue and groove with heels and recesses according to the
invention is tooled by means of cutting machining. This invention does also have the
disadvantage that the best mode of joining floor boards includes longitudinal sliding
for joining the short sides of the floor boards, which also here will require a play
which will cause unwanted gaps between the floor boards. Dirt and moisture can penetrate
into these gaps.
[0006] It is, through the present invention, made possible to solve the above mentioned
problems whereby a floor element which can be assembled without having to be slid
along already assembled floor elements has been achieved. It is thereby made possible
to achieve tighter joints.
[0007] The invention is defined in the appended claims.
[0008] Accordingly, the invention relates to a flooring material comprising sheet-shaped
floor elements with a mainly square or rectangular shape. The floor elements are provided
with edges, a lower side and an upper decorative layer. The floor elements are intended
to be joined by means of joining members. A preferred embodiment is characterized
in that;
- a) The floor elements are provided with male joining members on a first edge while
a second, opposite, edge of the floor elements are provided with a female joining
member. The male joining member is provided with a tongue and a lower side groove.
The female joining member is provided with a groove and a cheek, the cheek being provided
with a lip. The floor elements are intended to mainly be joined together by tilting
the floor element to be joined with an already installed floor element or a row of
already installed floor elements, with the male joining member of the floor element
angled downwards and that the first edge is allowed to be mainly parallel to the second
edge of the already installed floor element or elements. The tongue of the tilted
floor element is then inserted into the groove of the female joining member of the
already installed floor element or elements. The tilted floor element is then turned
downwards, with its lower edge as a pivot axis, so that the lip eventually snaps into
the lower side groove where the decorative upper layer of the floor elements are mainly
parallel.
- b) The floor elements are moreover provided with a male vertical assembly joining
member on a third edge while a fourth edge is provided with female vertical assembly
joining member. The fourth edge is arranged on a side opposite to the third edge.
- c) The floor elements are alternatively provided with a male vertical assembly joining
member on a third edge, while a fourth edge also is provided with male vertical assembly
joining member. The fourth edge is arranged on a side opposite to the third edge.
Adjacent male vertical assembly joining members are thereby joined by means of a separate
vertical assembly joining profile.
[0009] Two adjacent edges of a floor element can hereby be joined with a floor element adjacent
to the first edge and a floor element adjacent to the third or fourth edge at the
same time, and in the same turning motion.
[0010] The force needed to overcome the static friction along the joint between two completely
assembled male and female joining members is preferably larger than 10N per meter
of joint length, suitably larger than 100N per meter of joint length.
[0011] According to one embodiment of the invention, the floor elements are provided with
male vertical assembly joining members on a third edge and provided with female vertical
assembly joining members on a fourth edge. The male vertical assembly joining members
are provided with mainly vertical lower cheek surfaces arranged parallel to the closest
edge. The lower cheek surfaces are intended to interact with mainly vertical upper
cheek surfaces arranged on the female vertical assembly joining members so that two
joined adjacent floor elements are locked against each other in a horizontal direction.
The male and female vertical assembly joining members are provided with one or more
snapping hooks with matching undercuts which by being provided with mainly horizontal
locking surfaces limits the vertical movement between two joined adjacent floor elements.
[0012] The floor elements may alternatively be provided with male vertical assembly joining
members on both a third and a fourth edge. These edges are then snap joined by means
of a vertical assembly profile which on both sides of a longitudinal symmetry line
is designed as a female vertical assembly joining member according to the description
above. Two joined adjacent floor elements are locked to each other in a horizontal
direction via the vertical assembly profile while, at the same time, vertical movement
between two joined adjacent floor elements is limited.
[0013] The joint between a third and a fourth edge of two joined floor elements preferably
comprises contact surfaces which are constituted by the horizontal locking surfaces
of the under cuts and hooks, the mainly vertical upper cheek surfaces and lower cheek
surfaces as well as upper mating surfaces.
[0014] The joint between two joined floor elements suitably also comprises cavities.
[0015] According to one embodiment of the invention the snapping hook is constituted by
a separate spring part which is placed in a cavity. Alternatively the undercut is
constituted by a separate spring part which is placed in a cavity. The spring part
is suitably constituted by an extruded thermoplastic profile, a profile of thermosetting
resin or an extruded metal profile.
[0016] The vertical assembly joining profiles are suitably shaped as extended profiles which
suitably are manufactured through extrusion which is a well-known and rational method.
The vertical assembly joining profiles are suitably shaped as extended lengths or
rolls which can be cut to the desired length. The length of the vertical assembly
joining profiles considerably exceeds the length of a floor element, before being
cut. The lateral joints of the floor will only need shorter pieces of vertical assembly
joining profiles which are positioned as each new floor board is introduced to a row.
Vertical assembly joining profiles according to the present invention may be manufactured
of a number of different materials and manufacturing methods. Among the most suited
can, however, be mentioned injection moulding and extrusion. Suitable materials are
thermoplastic materials such as polyolefins, polystyrene, polyvinyl chloride or acrylnitrile-butadiene-
styrene copolymer. These may suitably be filled with, for example, wood powder or
lime in order to increase the rigidity but also to increase the adhesion when glue
is used. It is also possible to mill a vertical assembly joining profile from a material
such as wood, fiber board or particle board.
[0017] The flooring material including the floor boards and joining profiles above is most
suited when installing floors where it isn't desired to use glue. It is, however,
possible to use glue or twin-faced adhesive tape in order to make the installation
irreversibly permanent. The glue or tape is then suitably applied on, or in connection
to, possible cavities or faces below the upper mating surfaces.
[0018] The invention is described further in connection to enclosed figures showing different
embodiments of a flooring material whereby,
- figure 1 shows, in cross-section, a first and a second edge 2I and 2II respectively, during joining;
- figure 2 shows, in cross-section, a second embodiment of a first and a second edge
2I and 2II respectively, during joining;
- figure 3 shows, in cross-section, a third embodiment of a first and a second edge
2I and 2II respectively, during joining;
- figure 4 shows, in cross-section, a fourth embodiment of a first and a second edge
2I and 2II respectively, during joining;
- figure 5 shows, in cross-section, a third and a fourth edge 2III and 2IV respectively, during joining;
- figure 6 shows, in cross-section, a second embodiment of a third and a fourth edge
2III and 2IV respectively, during joining;
- figure 7 shows, in cross-section, a third embodiment of a third and a fourth edge
2III and 2IV respectively, during joining; and
- figure 8 shows, in cross-section, a fourth embodiment of a third and a fourth edge
2III and 2IV respectively and a vertical assembly joining profile 30, during joining.
[0019] Accordingly figure 1 shows, in cross-section, a first and a second edge 2
I and 2
II respectively, during assembly. The figure shows parts of a flooring material comprising
sheet-shaped floor elements 1 with a mainly square or rectangular shape. The floor
elements 1 are provided with edges 2, a lower side 5 and an upper decorative layer
3. The floor elements 1 are intended to be joined by means of joining members 10.
The floor elements 1 are provided with male joining members 10
I on a first edge 2
I while a second edge 2
II of the floor elements 1 are provided with a female joining member 10
II. The second edge 2" is arranged on a side opposite to the first edge 2
I. The male joining member 10
I is provided with a tongue 11 and a lower side 5 groove 12. The female joining member
10
II is provided with a groove 13 and a cheek 14, the cheek 14 being provided with a lip
15. The floor elements 1 are intended to mainly be joined together by tilting the
floor element 1 to be joined with an already installed floor element 1 or a row of
already installed floor elements 1, with the male joining member 10
I of the floor element 1 angled downwards and that the first edge 2
I is allowed to be mainly parallel to the second edge 2
II of the already installed floor element 1 or elements 1. The tongue 11 of the tilted
floor element 1 is then inserted into the groove 13 of the female joining member 10
II of the already installed floor element 1 or elements 1, whereby the tilted floor
element 1 is turned downwards, with its lower edge as a pivot axis, so that the lip
15 eventually falls into the lower side 5 groove 12 where the decorative upper layer
3 of the floor elements 1 are mainly parallel.
[0020] The embodiment shown in figure 2 corresponds mainly with the one shown in figure
1. The lip 15 and lower side 5 groove 12 are, however, provided with a cam 16 and
a cam groove 17 which provides a snap action locking.
[0021] The embodiment shown in figure 3 corresponds mainly with the one shown in figure
1 and 2 above. The lip 15 and lower side 5 groove 12 are, however, provided with a
cam 16 and a cam groove 17 which provides a snap action locking.
[0022] The embodiment shown in figure 4 corresponds mainly with the one shown in figure
1 above. The lip 15 and cheek 14 is however shaped as a thin resilient section which
provides a snap action locking.
[0023] Figure 5 shows, in cross-section, a third and a fourth edge 2
III and 2
IV respectively, of a floor element 1 according to any of the figures 1 to 4. The floor
elements 1 are provided with a male vertical assembly joining member 10
III on a third edge 2
III while a fourth edge 2
IV is provided with a female vertical assembly joining member 10
II. The fourth edge 2
IV is placed on a side opposite to the third edge 2
III.
[0024] The male vertical assembly joining members 10
III are provided with mainly vertical lower cheek surfaces 21 arranged parallel to the
closest edge 2. The lower cheek surfaces 21 are intended to interact with mainly vertical
upper cheek surfaces 22 arranged on the female vertical assembly joining members 10
IV so that two joined adjacent floor elements 1 are locked against each other in a horizontal
direction. The male vertical assembly joining members 10
III are moreover provided with two snapping hooks 23 while the female vertical assembly
joining members 10
IV are provided with matching undercuts 24, which by being provided with mainly horizontal
locking surfaces limits the vertical movement between two joined adjacent floor elements
1.
[0025] The joint between a third and a fourth edge 2
III and 2
IV respectively of two joined floor elements 1 further comprises contact surfaces which
are constituted by the horizontal locking surfaces of the undercuts 24 and hooks 23,
the mainly vertical upper cheek surfaces 22 lower cheek surfaces as well as upper
mating surfaces 25.
[0026] The joint between two joined floor elements 1 also comprises cavities 6.
[0027] The embodiment shown in figure 6 corresponds in the main with the one shown in figure
5. The male vertical assembly joining members 10
III are, however, provided with only one snapping hook 23 while the female vertical assembly
joining members 10
IV are provided with a matching undercut 24, which by being provided with mainly horizontal
locking surfaces limits vertical movement between to joined adjacent floor boards
1.
[0028] The embodiment shown in figure 7 corresponds in the main with the one shown in figure
6. The snapping hook 23 on the male vertical assembly joining member 10
III is, however, moved somewhat inwards in the floor element 1 whereby a guiding angle
is formed above the undercut 24 of the female vertical joining member 10
IV.
[0029] The embodiment shown in figure 8 corresponds mainly with the one shown in figure
7. Both the third and the fourth edges 2
III and 2
IV respectively are, however, provided with male vertical assembly joining members 10
III. A vertical assembly joining profile 30, provided with a female vertical assembly
joining profile 10
IV on both sides of a vertical symmetry line, is used for joining the two floor elements
1.
[0030] The female vertical assembly joining members 10
IV of the vertical assembly joining profile 30 are equipped similar to the female vertical
assembly joining members 10
IV in figure 7 above.
[0031] Two adjacent edges 2 of a floor element 1 can at the same time, and in the same turning
motion, be joined with a floor element 1 adjacent to the first edge 2
I and a floor element 1 adjacent to the third or fourth edge 2
III and 2
IV respectively, when assembling floor elements 1 according to the above described embodiments.
[0032] The floor elements 1 according to the present invention most often comprises a core.
The core is most often comprised of particles or fiber of wood bonded with resin or
glue. It is advantageous to coat the surface closest to the joint in cases where the
floor will be exposed to high levels of moisture since the cellulose based material
is sensitive to moisture. This coating may suitably incorporate resin, wax or some
kind of lacquer. It is not necessary to coat the joint when it is to be glued since
the glue itself will protect from moisture penetration. The upper decorative layer
3 is constituted of a decorative paper impregnated with melamine-formaldehyde resin.
One or more so called overlay sheets of a-cellulose, impregnated with melamine-formaldehyde
resin may possibly be placed on top of the decorative layer. The abrasion resistance
may be improved by sprinkling one or more of the sheets with hard particles of for
example alpha-aluminum oxide, silicon carbide or silicon oxide. The lower side 5 may
suitably be coated with lacquer or a layer of paper and resin.
[0033] Preferred embodiments of the invention are defined in the following numbered paragraphs:
- 1. Flooring material comprising sheet-shaped floor elements (1) with a mainly square
or rectangular shape, which floor elements (1) are provided with edges (2), a lower
side (5) and an upper decorative layer (3), whereby the floor elements (1) are intended
to be joined by means of joining members (10), characterized in that, a) the floor
elements (1) are provided with male joining members (10I) on a first edge (2I) while a second edge (2II) of the floor elements (1) are provided with a female joining member (10II), whereby the male joining member (10I) is provided with a tongue (11) and a lower side (5) groove (12) while the female
joining member (10II) is provided with a groove (13) and a cheek (14), the cheek (14) being provided with
a lip (15), whereby the floor elements (1) are intended to mainly be joined together
by tilting the floor element (1) to be joined with an already installed floor element
(1) or a row of already installed floor elements (1), with the male joining member
(10I) of the floor element (1) angled downwards and that the first edge (2I) is allowed to be mainly parallel to the second edge (2II) of the already installed floor element (1) or elements (1), whereby the tongue (11)
of the tilted floor element (1) is inserted into the groove (13) of the female joining
member (10II) of the already installed floor element (1) or elements (1), whereby the tilted floor
element (1) is turned downwards, with its lower edge as a pivot axis, so that the
lip (15) eventually snaps into the lower side (5) groove (12) where the decorative
upper layer (3) of the floor elements (1) are mainly parallel, and that, b) the floor
elements (1), on a third edge (2III), are provided with a male vertical assembly joining member (10III) while a fourth edge (2IV) is provided with female vertical assembly joining member (10IV), the fourth edge (2IV) being arranged on a side opposite to the third edge (2III), or that, c) the floor elements (1) on a third edge (2III), are provided with a male vertical assembly joining member (10III) while a fourth edge (2IV) also is provided with male vertical assembly joining member (10III), the fourth edge (2IV) being arranged on a side opposite to the third edge (2III), whereby adjacent male vertical assembly joining members (10III) are joined by means of a separate vertical assembly joining profile (30), whereby
two adjacent edges (2) of a floor element (1) at the same time, and in the same turning
motion can be joined with a floor element (1) adjacent to the first edge (2I) and a floor element adjacent to the third or fourth edge (2III and 2IV respectively).
- 2. Flooring material according to paragraph 1 above, characterized in that the force
needed to overcome the static friction along the joint between two completely assembled
male and female joining members (10I and 10II respectively) is larger than 10N per meter of joint length, preferably larger than
100N per meter of joint length.
- 3. Flooring material according to paragraph 1 or 2 above, characterized in that the
floor elements (1) are provided with male vertical assembly joining members (10III) on a third edge (2III) and provided with female vertical assembly joining members (10IV) on a fourth edge (2IV), whereby the male vertical assembly joining members (10III) are provided with mainly vertical lower cheek surfaces (21) arranged parallel to
the closest edge (2), which lower cheek surfaces (21) are intended to interact with
mainly vertical upper cheek surfaces (22) arranged on the female vertical assembly
joining members (10IV) so that two joined adjacent floor elements (1) are locked against each other in
a horizontal direction and that the male and female vertical assembly joining members
(10III and 10IV respectively) are provided with one or more snapping hooks (23) with matching under
cuts (24) which by being provided with mainly horizontal locking surfaces limits the
vertical movement between two joined adjacent floor elements (1).
- 4. Flooring material according to any of the paragraphs 1 to 3 above, characterized
in that the joint between a third and a fourth edge (2III and 2IV respectively) of two joined floor elements (1) comprises contact surfaces which are
constituted by the horizontal locking surfaces of the under cuts (23) and hooks (24),
the mainly vertical upper cheek surfaces (22) and lower cheek surfaces as well as
upper mating surfaces (25).
- 5. Flooring material according to any of the paragraphs 1 to 4 above, characterized
in that the joint between two joined floor elements (1) also comprises cavities (6).
- 6. Flooring material according to any of the paragraphs 2 to 5 above, characterized
in that the snapping hook (23) is constituted by a separate spring part (7) which
is placed in a cavity (6).
- 7. Flooring material according to any of the paragraphs 2 to 5 above, characterized
in that the undercut (24) is constituted by a separate spring part (7) which is placed
in a cavity (6).
- 8. Flooring material according to paragraph 6 or 7 above, characterized in that the
spring part (7) is constituted by an extruded thermoplastic profile.
- 9. Flooring material according to paragraph 6 or 7 above, characterized in that the
spring part (7) is constituted by a profile of a thermosetting resin.
- 10. Flooring material according to paragraph 6 or 7 above, characterized in that the
spring part (7) is constituted by an extruded metal profile.
- 11. Flooring material according to any of the paragraphs 1 to 10 above, characterized
in that the joining members (10) and/or the floor elements (1) are coated with twin-faced
adhesive tape or glue.
[0034] The invention is not limited by the embodiments shown since they can be varied within
the scope of the invention.
1. Flooring material comprising sheet-shaped floor elements (1) with a mainly square
or rectangular shape, which floor elements (1) are provided with edges (2), a lower
side (5) and an upper decorative layer (3), whereby the floor elements (1) are intended
to be joined by means of joining members (10),
characterized in that
- the floor elements (1) are provided with male joining members (10I) on a first edge (2I), while a second edge (2II) of the floor elements (1) is provided with a female joining member (10II), whereby the male joining member (10I) is provided with a tongue (11) and a lower side (5) groove (12) while the female
joining member (10II) is provided with a groove (13) and a cheek (14), the cheek (14) being provided with
a lip (15), whereby the floor elements (1) are intended to mainly be joined together
by tilting the floor element (1) to be joined with an already installed floor element
(1) or a row of already installed floor elements (1), with the male joining member
(10I) of the floor element (1) angled downwards, and that the first edge (2I) is allowed to be mainly parallel to the second edge (2II) of the already installed floor element (1) or elements (1), whereby the tongue (11)
of the tilted floor element (1) is inserted into the groove (13) of the female joining
member (10II) of the already installed floor element (1) or elements (1), whereby the tilted floor
element (1) is turned downwards, with its lower edge as a pivot axis, so that the
lip (15) eventually snaps or falls into the lower side (5) groove (12) where the decorative
upper layer (3) of the floor elements (1) are mainly parallel;
- the floor elements (1), on a third edge (2III), are provided with a male vertical assembly joining member (10III), while a fourth edge (2IV) is provided with female vertical assembly joining member (10IV), the fourth edge (2IV) being arranged on a side opposite to the third edge (2III), wherein the male vertical assembly joining members (10III) are provided with mainly
vertical upper cheek surfaces (21) arranged parallel to the closest edge (2), which
lower cheek surfaces (21) are intended to interact with mainly vertical upper cheek
surfaces (22) arranged on the female vertical assembly joining members so that two
joined adjacent floor elements (1) are locked against each other in a horizontal direction,
wherein the male vertical assembly joining member (10IV) is provided with a single hook (24) intended to interact with an undercut (23) arranged
on the female vertical assembly joining member (10IV), and
- two adjacent edges (2) of a floor element (1), at the same time, and in the same
turning motion, can be joined with a floor element (1) adjacent to the first edge
(2I) and a floor element adjacent to the third or fourth edge (2III and 2IV, respectively).
2. Floor material according to claim 1, characterized in that said single hook (23) and said undercut (24) interact so that two joined adjacent
floor elements (1) are locked against each other in a vertical direction.
3. Floor material according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said single hook and said undercut are positioned underneath said upper decorative
layer (3), being spaced therefrom by a cavity (6).
4. Floor material according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the joint between a third and a fourth edge (2III and 2IV respectively) of two joined floor elements (1) comprises contact surfaces which are
constituted by the mainly horizontal locking surfaces of the undercuts (23) and hooks
(24), the mainly vertical upper cheek surfaces (22) and lower cheek surfaces as well
as upper mating surfaces (25).
5. Floor material according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that said floor elements comprise a core material and that said hooks (23) and undercuts
(24) are formed in the material of the core.
6. Floor material according to any of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that either said single hook (24) or said undercut is constituted by a separate spring
part which is placed in a cavity (6) available between joined floor elements (1).
7. Flooring material according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the force needed to overcome the static friction along the joint between two completely
assembled male and female joining members (10I and 10II respectively) is larger 5 than ION per meter of joint length, preferably larger than
100N per meter of joint length.
8. Flooring material according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the floor elements (1) have a core comprised of particles or fiber of wood bonded
with resin or glue.