Field of the Invention
[0001] The invention relates generally to the field of floorboards. The invention concerns
floorboards which can be joined mechanically in different patterns so as to resemble
traditional parquet flooring consisting of blocks. The invention also relates to methods
for laying and manufacturing floorboards. The invention is specifically suited for
use in floating flooring which consists of floorboards having a surface of laminate
and being joined by means of mechanical locking systems integrated with the floorboard,
for instance of the kinds that are not wholly made of the core of the floorboard.
However, the invention is also applicable to other similar floorboards which, for
instance, have a surface layer of wood or plastic and which are joined in a floating
manner by means of optional mechanical joint systems.
Field of Application of the Invention
[0002] The present invention is particularly suited for use in floating laminate flooring
with mechanical joint systems. These types of flooring usually consist of a surface
layer of laminate, a core and a balancing layer and are shaped as rectangular floorboards
intended to be joined mechanically, i.e. without glue along both long sides and short
sides vertically and horizontally.
[0003] The following description of prior-art technique, problems of known systems and objects
and features of the invention will therefore, as non-limiting examples, be aimed at
above all this field of application. However, it should be emphasized that the invention
may be used in optional floorboards which are intended to be joined in different patterns
by means of a mechanical joint system. The invention may thus also be applicable to
homogeneous wooden flooring and wooden flooring consisting of several layers, flooring
with a core of wood fibers or plastic and with a surface which is printed or which
consists of plastic, cork, needle felt and like material.
Background Art
[0004] Farquet flooring was originally laid by laying blocks of suitable shape and size
in different patterns and joining them by gluing to a sub-floor. Then the floor is
usually ground to obtain an even floor surface and finished using, for instance, varnish
or oil. Traditional parquet blocks according to this technology have no locking means
at all, since they are fixed by gluing to the sub-floor. The main drawback of such
a flooring is that it is very difficult to install. The main advantage is that the
absence of locking means allows laying in complicated and attractive patterns.
[0005] According to another known method the blocks are formed with a groove along all edges
round the block. When the blocks are then laid by gluing to the sub-floor, tongues
are inserted into the grooves in the positions where required. This thus results in
a floor where the blocks are locked vertically relative to each other by the tongue
engaging in grooves of two adjoining blocks. The surface becomes smooth and the blocks
can thus be delivered with a completed varnished surface. The horizontal joint is
obtained by nailing or gluing to the sub-floor.
[0006] Traditional parquet blocks are rectangular and usually have a size of about 7*40
cm. The advantage of the above flooring is that the blocks can be laid in attractive
patterns, for instance, in parallel rows with the short sides offset relative to each
other, in diamond pattern or in herringbone pattern where the blocks are joined long
side to short side. The drawback of such flooring is above all that laying and Manufacture
are complicated and expensive. Such flooring cannot move relative to the sub-floor.
As the blocks shrink and swell owing to changes in relative humidity (RH), undesirable
joint gaps arise between the blocks.
[0007] In order to solve these problems, first the floating wooden flooring was developed.
Such flooring consists of considerably larger floorboards with a width of for instance
20 cm and a length of 120-240 cm. The surface consists as a rule of parquet blocks
which are Joined in parallel rows. Such floorboards facilitate installation since
a plurality of blocks can be joined simultaneously. The main drawback is that it is
not possible to provide advanced patterns. Later, floating laminate flooring was developed,
which basically was a copy of the floating wooden flooring except that the decorative
surface layer consisted of a printed and impregnated sheet of paper that was laminated
to a wood fiber core. Such a floorboard was less expensive than a wooden floor and
had a more wear and impact resistant surface. Floating floorboards of this type are
joined only at their joint edges, i.e. without gluing, on an existing sub-floor which
does not have to be quite smooth or plane. Any irregularities are eliminated by means
of underlay material in the form of, for instance, hardboard, cork or foam. They may
thus move freely on the sub-floor. In case of changes in relative humidity, the entire
floor swells and shrinks. The advantage of floating flooring with a surface of e.g.
wood or laminate is that the joints between the floorboards are tight and the change
in size takes place hidden under the baseboards. Such floorboards have a significant.ly
larger surface than the blocks, which enables quicker laying and rational production.
Traditional such floating laminate and wooden floorings are usually joined by means
of glued tongue-and-grcove joints (i.e. joints with a tongue on one floorboard and
a tongue groove on the adjoining floorboard) on long side and short side. In laying,
the boards are brought together horizontally, a projecting tongue along the joint
edge of one floorboard being inserted into a tongue groove along the joint edge of
an adjoining board. The same method is used on long side and short side, and the boards
are as a rule laid in parallel rows long side against long side and short side against
short side.
[0008] In addition to such traditional floating flooring which is joined by means of glued
tongue-and-groove joints, floorboards have been developed in recent years, which do
not require the use of glue but are instead joined mechanically by means of mechanical
locking systems. These systems contain locking means which lock the boards horizontally
and vertically. The mechanical locking systems can be formed in one piece wich the
floorboard, e.g. by machining a part of the core of the floorboard, by machining a
part the core of the board. Alternatively, parts of the locking system can be made
of a separate material which is integrated with the floorboard, i.e. joined with the
floorboard even in the manufacture thereof at the factory. The floorboards are joined,
i.e. interconnected or locked together, by different combinations of angling, snapping-in
and insertion along the joint edge in the locked position. The floorboards are joined
successively, i.e. the preceding floorboard is connected to another floorboard on
one long side and one short side when a new floorboard is joined with the preceding
one.
[0009] The main advantages of floating floorings with mechanical locking systems are that
they can be laid still more easily and quickly and with great accuracy by different
combinations of inward angling and/or snapping in. In contrast to glued floors, they
can also easily be taken up again and reused in another place.
Definition of Some Terms
[0010] In the following text, the visible surface of the installed floorboard is called
"front side", while the opposite side of the floorboard, facing the sun-floor, is called
"rear side". The sheet-shaped starting material that is used in manufacture is called
"core". When the core is coated with a surface layer closest to the front side and generally
also a balancing layer closest to the rear side, it forms a semimanufacture which
is called
"floor panel" or
"floor element" in the case where the semimanufacture, in a subsequent operation, is divided into
a plurality of floor panels mentioned above. When the floor panels are machined along
their edges so as to obtain their final shape with the joint system, they are called
"floorboards". By
"surface layer" are meant all layers applied to the core closest to the front side and covering typically
the entire front side of the floorboard. By
"decorative surface layer" is meant a layer which is mainly intended to give the floor its decorative appearance.
"Wear layer" relates to a layer which is mainly adapted to improve the durability of the front
side. By
"laminate flooring" is meant a floorboard with a surface layer of a thermosetting laminate comprising
one or more paper sheets impregnated with a thermosetting resin. The wear layer of
the laminate flooring consists as a rule of a transparent sheet of paper with aluminum
oxide added, impregnated with melamine resin. The decorative layer consists of a melamine
impregnated decorative sheet of paper.
[0011] The outer parts of the floorboard at the edge of the floorboard between the front
side and the rear side are called
"joint edge". As a rule, the joint edge has several
"joint surfaces" which can be vertical, horizontal, angled, rounded, beveled etc. These joint surfaces
exist on different materials, for instance laminate, fiberboard, wood, plastic, metal
(especially aluminum) or scaling material. By
"joint" or
"locking system" are meant co-acting connecting means which connect the floorboards vertically and/or
horizontally. By
"mechanical locking system" is meant that joining can take place without glue horizontally parallel to the surface
and vertically perpendicular to the surface. Mechanical locking systems can in many
cases also be joined by means of glue. By
"integrated" means that the locking system could be made in one piece with the floorboard or of
a separate material which is factory-connected Lo the floorboard. By
"floating floor" is meant flooring with floorboards which are only joined with their respective joint
edges and thus not glued to the sub-floor. In case of movement due to moisture, the
joint remains tight. Movement due to moisture takes place in the outer areas of the
floor along the walls hidden under the baseboards. By
"parquet block" is meant a rectangular floorboard having the shape of a traditional parquet block
or strip. The most common format is about 40*7 cm. However, the parquet block may
also have a length of 15-80 cm and a width of 4-10 cm.
By "floor unit" are meant several floorboards which are joined and which constitute part of the flooring.
By
"length" and
"width" of the floorboard are generally meant the length and width of the front side.
Prior-Art Technique and Problems thereof
[0012] The size of a floorboard is to a considerable extent related to the material of the
floorboard, the machining of the edges, the type of locking system and the installation
of the floorboards.
[0013] It is generally an advantage to produce a floorboard of solid wood in a small size
since defects such as cracks, knots etc can be cut of and the wood raw material could
be used more efficiently.
[0014] It is however an advantage to produce most other types of floorboards, especially
laminate floorings, in large sizes since this gives a better utilization of the raw
material and lower production costs. This is especially favorable when the floorboards
are produced from large floor panels with an artificial surface, which is for instance
printed. In such a case, it is of course an advantage to reduce the saw cuts as much
as possible.
[0015] The machining of the joint edges to form floorboards is an expensive operation in
all types of floor materials. It is known that a floor consisting of large-sized panels
with few joints have a considerable cost advantage against a floor which consists
of many small-sized panels. It is also known that that small sizes of floor panels
would cause disadvantages in a floor, especially in a floor where the floorboards
are rectangular and narrow, thus having a large amount of joints at the long sides
of the narrow panels.
[0016] It is known that small-sized floorboards with mechanical locking systems would be
more expensive to produce than similar panels with traditional tongue and groove systems.
It is also known that mechanical locking systems, which enable a high quality locking
with angling, due to the larger amount of material required for forming the locking
system, are generally more costly and complicated to machine than the more compact
snap systems. Mechanical locking systems of any kind on the long sides of a rectangular
panel are in general more costly to produce than any type of mechanical locking system
on the short sides.
[0017] In general a floor, which consists of large panels, could be installed faster than
a floor, which consists of small floor panels.
[0018] WO01/66877 discloses a system for providing a patterned flooring consisting of laminate floorboards.
Two embodiments are disclosed: a first one (Fig. 4a, 4b) where an integrated locking
system is used, and a second one (Fig. 5 and Fig. 6,) where a separate joining profile
is used. The floorboards are locked by a vertical non-releasable snapping only. In
the first, integrated embodiment, two different types of floorboards, termed "male"
and "female", are required. Installation with vertical snapping is complicated and
there is a considerable risk that the edges or part of the locking system is damaged
during locking or unlocking. Furthermore,
WO01/66877 is aimed at floorboards having a size of 1200 mm by 200 mm.
[0019] WO00/20705 discloses a system for locking together laminate floorboards by means of a separate
joining profile, which is connected to the floorboards when they are being installed.
The joining profile is adapted for locking together the floorboards by non-releasable
snapping only. A specific objective of
WO00/20705 is to decrease the amount of material waste in connection with production of the
floorboards, and especially in connection with the forming of the mechanical locking
system.
[0020] DE 197 18 319 C2 discloses a solid wood parquet strip having a locking system along its long and short
edges, for locking together the parquet strip with other parquet strips in connection
with laying. Gluing the parquet strips is, however necessary, and the purpose ot the
mechanical locking is to keep the floorboards together while the glue cures. The Mechanical
locking is only provided in a horizontal direction. The parquet strips are stated
to have a length of 250-1000 mm and a width of 45-80 mm.
[0021] To facilitate the understanding and the description of the present invention as well
as the knowledge of the problems behind the invention, a more detailed description
of these specific size-related features and prior-art technique now follows with reference
to Figs 1-3 in the accompanying drawings.
[0022] The major part of all floating laminate floors (Fig. la) consists of rectangular
floorboards 1' with a length 4a of about 120 cm and a width 5a of about 20 cm. By
means of modern printing technology, laminate flooring can be manufactured which in
terms of appearance are very true copies of various natural materials such as wood
and stone. The most common pattern is an imitation of parquet flooring consisting
of blocks 40. These blocks usually have a width of about 7 cm and a length of 20-40
cm. As a rule, the floorboard contains three rows of parallel blocks whose short sides
are offset relative to each other. This means that at least one block 41 at the short
side 5a, 5b of the floorboard will be shorter than the other two blocks. When the
floorboards are joined (Fig. 1b), the result will be an unnatural appearance compared
with a real traditional parquet floor consisting of blocks of equal length, with their
short sides offset. The same applies to floating wooden flooring.
[0023] A further problem which causes an unnatural appearance is related to the manufacturing
technology. This is shown in Fig. 2. Laminate flooring is manufactured by a printed
decorative sheet of paper being impregnated with melamine resin and laminated to a
wood fiber core so that a floor element 2 is formed. The floor element 2 is then sawn
into, for instance, some ten floor panels 3 which are machined along their edges to
floorboards 1. The machining along the edges is carried out by the long sides 4a,
4b of the panels first being machined in a machine 101, after which they are moved
to another machine 105 which machines the short sides. In connecticn with impregnating,
the decorative paper swells in an uncontrolled manner. The swelling and the manufacturing
tolerances arising in connection with laminating, sawing and machining along the edges
result in the position of the blocks in different floorboards deviating from the desired
position. When two floorboards are joined with their short sides against each other,
the blocks 41a, 41b may be laterally offset and their length may vary significantly
(Fig. 1c). All these circumstances cause great manufacturing problems in connection
with manufacture of laminate flooring with a 3-block parquet pattern.
[0024] In order to solve these problems, a number of expensive methods have been used to
control the manufacturing process when making laminate flooring. The most common method
is that the production is controlled using advanced cameras which automatically measure
and position the semi-manufactures during the manufacturing process. Different patterns
are also made by special displacements of the blocks so that the position defects
are concealed as much as possible. In wooden flooring, blocks of varying length and
parallel displacement are used to conceal the cut-off blocks on the short side. All
prior-art methods give an unsatisfactory result. Floating flooring could reach a larger
market if natural parquet patterns could be provided in combination with rational
production and laying.
[0025] Figs 3a-3d show examples of mechanical locking systems which are used in floating
flooring. All these systems cause waste W. This waste arises in connection with sawing
(SB) and in connection with machining of the mechanical connecting means. To minimize
this waste w, the manufacturer strives to make the floorboards as large as possible
and with as few joints as possible. Therefore the floorboards should be wide and long.
Narrow floorboards contain many joints per square meter of floor surface. Such narrow
laminate floorboards with a width and length corresponding to a traditional parquet
black are not known. The narrowest laminate floorboards have a width exceeding 15
cm and a length exceeding 100 cm. Fig. 3e shows connection by inward angling and Fig.
3f shows connection by snapping-in of two adjacent sides 1, 1' of two floorboards.
Summary of the Invention
[0026] An object of the present invention is to provide floorboards which can be joined
mechanically to a floating flooring with a natural parquet pattern which in terms
of appearance corresponds to traditional parquet blocks. A further object is to provide
suitable joint systems, laying methods and laying patterns for these floorboards.
[0027] The invention is based on a first understanding that modern production technology
and mechanical joint systems in combination with special laying methods make it possible
to join very small floorboards quickly and with extremely great accuracy. A surprising
result is that flooring which consists of small floorboards can be installs almost
as quickly and with the same quality as traditional flooring consisting of considerably
larger floorboards. It is also possible to provide an installation which is quicker
and gives a better result than large floorboards with mechanical joint systems. The
reason is that we have discovered that small floorboards are easier to handle, the
frictional surfaces along the long sides of the joint portions will be smaller, which
facilitates displacement, and finally snapping-in of the short side can take place
with lower force since the parts that are bent in connection with snapping-in are
smaller and afford less resistance. An additional advantage is that the short side
of narrow floorboards could be produced with a locking system, which only locks horizontally
and which do not require a vertical snap. Such a locking system could be accomplished
by for example removing the tongue 22 on the short side of a rectangular floorboard
with a locking system similar to Fig. 3b. The narrow short sides (5a, 5b) of two locked
floorboards will nevertheless be held in the desired vertical position by the locked
long sides (4a, 4b), in a floor where the floorboards are installed in parallel rows
with offset short sides (see Figs 9f, 4a-4d). Such a floor could be installed very
easy, since the installation only requires an angling of the long sides. Floorboards
could be produced with an angling locking system on long side and without any locking
system on the short side at all. The short sides could be kept together by the friction
of the long sides or by gluing and/or nailing down the floorboards to the sub-floor.
Such narrow short sides could be installed faster but with the same high quality as
wide short sides. Conversely, wider short sides, without any vertical locking system,
would increase the risk of the short sides becoming warped, thus creating an uneven
floor.
[0028] The invention is based on a second and very surprising understanding that the production
cost for small floorboards with mechanical joint systems need not necessarily be higher
than for large floorboards. Small floorboards certainly contain essentially more joints
per square meter of floor than large floorboards and the machining cost as well as
the amount of waste are great when using the prior-art mechanical joint systems. However,
these problems can largely be avoided if the floorboards are produced and if joint
systems are formed according to the invention. Small floorboards imply that a larger
amount of the raw material of wood can be utilized since it is easier to make small
blocks without knots and defects than it is in the manufacture of large boards. The
format of the floorboard and its location in the floor can also be used to create
in a cost-efficient manner the decorative appearance of a floor which is made by sawing
a floor element, for instance a laminate floor. By sawing, for example, a floor element
in the format 2.1 * 2.6 m with a printed veneer pattern, some hundred floorboards
can be manufactured. Such small floorboards, which can have the shape of a parquet
block, can be joined in different patterns with different laying directions. Then
a parquet pattern of blocks can be created, which cannot be manufactured using today's
technique. The swelling problems of the decorative paper are eliminated, and accurate
positioning and pattern alignment in connection with sawing are not necessary. This
reduces the production cost. If the floorboards are narrow, any angular errors between
long side and short side vill be less visible in a narrow floorboard than in a wide.
[0029] The invention is based on a third understanding that it is possible and even advantageous
in floating flooring to use small floorboards with a format corresponding to, for
instance, traditional blocks. Such a floating flooring will consist of essentially
more joints than a traditional flooring consisting of large boards. The great amount
of joints per unit area reduces the movement of the floor along the walls since each
joint has a certain degree of flexibility. A laminate flooring moves for instance
about 1 mm per meter as relative humidity varies over the year. If the floorboards
have, for instance, a width of 66 mm, each meter will contain 15 joints. A shrinkage
will then result in a maximum joint gap between two adiacent top edges of two floorboards
of 0.06 mm, provided that the floor owing to load is prevented from moving. Such a
joint gap is invisible. This joint gap should be adapted to the floor type. In laminate
floors a joint gap of 0.01-0.1 or somewhat larger could be sufficient. In a solid
wood floor made of oak, a joint gap could be in the order of 0.1-0.2 mm. It may be
an advantage if such a joint gap could be combined with a bevel at the upper adjacent
edges, which in dry conditions hides the opening. Floating flooring consisting of
small floorboards can thus be laid in larger spaces especially if they are produced
with a locking system which allows at least some horizontal movement along and/or
towards the joint edges in locked position Such a floor will in fact behave as a semi-floating
floor which utilizes both the movement of the whole floor and movement within the
locking system to counteract changes in humidity.
[0030] The invention is based on a fourth understanding that narrow floorboards will be
considerably less curved than wide floorboards as RH varies. This results in a planer
floor and easier installation.
[0031] The invention is based on a fifth understanding that a flooring consisting of many
small floorboards gives better possibilities of providing a high laying quality with
invisible joint gaps. Laminate and wooden flooring can, owing to an uneven moisture
ratio in the board, be laterally curved. Such a "banana shape" may cause visible joint
gaps. If the length of the boards is reduced, for instance, from 1200 mm to 400 mm,
the joint gap will be reduced significantly. Narrow boards are also easier to bend,
and in practice the mechanical locking system will automatically pull the boards together
and completely eliminate the banana shape.
[0032] The invention is based on a sixth understanding that the moisture problems that often
arise in gluing of wood blocks to a concrete floor can be solved by the wood block
being joined in a floating manner so that a moisture barrier of plastic can be arranged
between the wooden floor and the concrete.
[0033] The invention is further based on a seventh understanding that a very convenient
method of creating a natural parquet pattern consisting of wood blocks displaced in
parallel, is that the floorboards are made narrow with a width and typically also
with a length corresponding to a parquet block.
[0034] The invention is based on an eighth understanding that it is possible to provide
a floor system which, for instance, consists of small floorboards with preferably
the same width and preferably different lengths where the length can be an even multiple
of the width, and in which floor system floorboards have mirror-invented mechanical
locking systems. Such a floor system enables laying in all the advanced patterns that
can be provided with traditional parquet blocks. Laying can take place considerably
more quickly and with better accuracy. Such a floor system can produce advanced patterns
also with a surface layer which in traditional use can only be used in a few variants.
A surface layer of needle felt or linoleum can, for instance, be glued to an HDF board.
If such floor elements are manufactured in different color variants and are machined
to a floor system according to the invention, joining of different floorboards in
different colors can give highly varying and advanced patterns which cannot be provided
with the original surface layer.
[0035] Finally, the invention is based on the understanding that a short side of a narrow
floorboard must be able to withstand the same load as a significantly longer short
side of a traditional floating floor. The reason is that a point load on an individual
row can be the same. For instance, an 85 mm short side of a floor according to the
invention must thus be able to withstand the same load as a 200 mm short side of a
traditional floor. The short side should suitably have a strength that withstands
a tensile load of 100 kg or more. Joint systems that are laid by downward angling
of the short side, displacement along the joint edge and downward angling of the long
side are particularly convenient for narrow boards. The reason is that a joint system
which is joined by angling can be made stronger than a joint system which is joined
by snap action. The floorboards according to the invention may have joint systems
on long side and short side which can be joined by downward angling.
[0036] Thus, the above means that according to the invention it is possible to provide small
floorboards, with a format corresponding to traditional parquet blocks, which, in
a surprising manner and contrary to what has been considered possible till now, may
contribute to giving advantages in floating flooring. These advantages significantly
exceed the known drawbacks.
[0037] The principles of the invention as described above can also be applied to floor systems
having other formats than traditional parquet blocks. For example, stone reproductions
can be made in the formats 200 * 400 mm, 200 * 600 mm etc with mirror-inverted joint
systems which can be joined by angling and/or snap action. These formats can be joined
in advanced patterns as stated above long side against long side, short side against
short side or long side against short side.
[0038] These objects are wholly or partly achieved by a floorboard and a flooring as set
forth in the independent claims. The dependent claims and the description define embodiments
of the invention.
[0039] Thus, there is provided a flooring comprising rectangular floorboards for providing
a patterned floating flooring, the floorboards being provided, along opposing long
edges, with integrated first and second connecting means for locking together one
floorboard with a second floorboard, such that upper edge portions of said floorboard
and said second floorboard, in a joined state, together define a vertical plane. Said
first connecting means comprise an upwardly projecting locking element on one long
side cooperating with a locking groove on the other long side of the second floorboard
for locking together said floorboard and said second floorboard in a horizontal direction,
perpendicular to said vertical plane, and said second connecting means comprise a
tongue and a groove for locking together said floorboard and said second floorboard
in a vertical direction, perpendicular to a main plane of said floorboard. A surface
of the floorboard has a decorative surface layer comprising, in the length direction,
at least two parquet blocks arranged short side to short side, and in the width direction
only one such parquet block. Each such parquet block has a long edge with a length
not exceeding 60 cm. A short edge of said floorboard has a length not exceeding 10
cm. The short edge of said floorboard has a locking system for horizontal locking.
[0040] A flooring composed of such small floorboards will provide an improved imitation
of a classically patterned parquet flooring, since the joints will be consistent with
the parquet blocks and not exhibit any pattern offsets or "additional" joints such
as are exhibited by known parquet and laminate floor beards. Thus, compared with known
parquet floorboards, the problem of two adjacent floorboards having mutually non-matching
patterns will be eliminated. Due to the integrated mechanical locking system, the
floorboards are easier to install than floorboards for a classical parquet flooring.
[0041] According to one embodiment, the connecting means may be adapted for locking together
said floorboard and said second floorboard at least by means of inward angling, whereby
upper joint edges contact each other. The ability of the connecting means to allow
for a connection by an angling operation is advantageous since a joint system which
is joined by angling can be made stronger and easier to install than a joint system
which is joined by a snap action.
[0042] According to another embodiment, the connecting means may be adapted for releasing
said floorboard and said second floorboard by means of upward angling, away from a
sub-floor. Such releasing or unlocking of the floorboards facilitates laying, adjustment,
replacement and reuse of the floorboards.
[0043] According to another embodiment the second floorboard may be substantially identical
with said floorboard. Thus, only one type of floorboard needs to be produced in order
to provide the flooring.
[0044] According to another embodiment the floorboard may have a surface layer comprising
a thermosetting resin. By providing the floorboard with such a laminate surface, it
is possible to increase its wear resistance as compared with the wood surface of strips
for classically patterned parquet floors.
[0045] According to another embodiment the floorboard may have a surface layer comprising
wood or wood veneer. A surface layer of wood or wood veneer will provide the appearance
and feel of a real wood parquet floor, while reducing the cost as compared with traditional
parquet floors. Thus, the floorboard core may be of any known core material, such
as wood slates, HDF, MDF, particle board, plywood etc.
[0046] According to another embodiment the connecting means may consist of a separate part,
which projects from the joint edge and which is mechanically joined with a core of
the floorboard. Such a separate part may be utilised to instead of removing material
from the edge of the floorboard, thus reducing the amount of material waste.
[0047] Several variants of the invention are feasible. The floorboards can be provided with
all prior-art mechanical joint systems. Special floorboards can be manufactured, consisting
of, for instance, 9 floorboards according to the invention which are joined in three
rows displaced in parallel. The short sides are thus not straight but consist of displaced
rows. Such floorboards can be laid by a combination of downward angling of the long
side, lateral displacement and snapping-in of the short side. The other embodiments
can also be laid by inward angling of the short side, lateral displacement and downward
angling. Finally, also different combinations of snapping-in or insertion along the
joint edge of a long side or short side, lateral displacement and snapping-in of another
long side or short side can be used.
[0048] The invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying
schematic drawings which by way of example illustrate embodiments of the invention
according to its different aspects.
Brief Description of the Drawings
[0049]
Figs 1a-c illustrate prior-art floorboards.
Fig. 2 shows manufacture of laminate flooring according to prior-art technique.
Figs 3a-f show examples of known mechanical locking systems.
Figs 4a-e show a flooring according to the invention
Figs 5a-d show a joint system according to an embodiment of the invention.
Figs 6a-d show a laying method according to the invention.
Figs 7a-e show a laying method according to the present invention.
Figs 8a-e illustrate a manufacturing method for manufacturing floorboards according
to the invention.
Figs 9a-f show a floor system according to the invention.
Fig. 10 shows laying of floorboards according to tne invention.
Figs 11a-16e show examples of different patterns and laying methods according to the
invention.
Figs 17a-17c show examples of floor systems with floorboards according to the invention
in formats and laying patterns that are convenient to resemble a stone floor.
Description of Embodiments of the Invention
[0050] Figs 4a-c illustrate floorboards 1, 1' whose long sides 4a, 4b and short sides 5a,
5b are provided with mechanical locking systems. The vertical locking means may comprise,
for example, a tongue groove 23 and a tongue 22 (see Fig. 5a). The horizontal locking
means may comprise locking elements 8 which cooperate with locking grooves 14. All
floorboards are rectangular and have a width corresponding to a traditional parquet
block. Thus the width is about one third of a traditional laminate floorboard. In
Fig. 4a, the surface of the floorboard has the shape of a parquet block. In Fig. 4b,
the surface has a decorative surface layer consisting of two parquet blocks, and in
Fig. 4c the surface layer consists of three parquet blocks. The surface layer can
be laminate, wood, plastic, linoleum, cork, various fiber materials such as needle
felt and the like. The surface can also be printed and/or varnished.
[0051] Fig. 4d shows that such floorboards, which may thus consist of one or more blocks,
can be joined to a flooring which in a natural way forms a brick-bond pattern. All
blocks, except those at the outer portions of the floorboard, may have a full length.
If the floorboard consists of more than one block (Figs 4b, c) a certain pattern alignment
must take place in the production. On the other hand, if the floorboard consists of
a single block according to Fig. 4a, no such pattern alignment is necessary. The floorboard
can be made by sawing a floor element, which only has a pattern consisting of, for
instance, veneer with varying shades so as to resemble wood blocks that are made from
different logs of the same kind of wood. In the flooring according to Fig. 4d, the
blocks are displaced a distance corresponding to half their length. Fig. 4e shows
an example of a displacement by one third of the length.
[0052] Figs 5a-d show that the waste can be reduced to essentially the waste that arises
in connection with sawing if the joint system is formed with a separate strip 6 which
is mechanically fixed by a tongue 38 cooperating with a tongue groove 36. Fixing can
take place by snapping into the joint edge of the floorboard 1 in such a manner that
the upper lip 20 and the lower lip 21 are bent upwards and downwards respectively,
when the strip 6 is inserted towards the tongue groove 36 of the floorboard 1. The
locking element 37 cooperates with the locking groove 39. Joining of the strip 6 with
the tongue groove 36 can take place in many alternative ways. For instance, the locking
groove 39 can be formed in the lower lip 21 and the locking element 37 can be formed
in the lower front part of the strip 6 so as to cooperate with the locking groove
39. Joining of the strip 6 with the joint edge of the floorboard can also take place
by inward angling of the strip 6 or snapping-in of the strip 6 in any upwardly angled
position. This locking system allows cost-efficient manufacture of narrow floorboards
without much waste. Fig. 5a shows an example of a laminate floorboard 1, 1' with a
wood fiber core 30 and a surface layer 31 of laminate. In this embodiment the separate
strip 6 consists of wood fibers. The material of the wood fiber based strip 6 could
be solid wood, plywood, particle board, fiberboard such as MDF, HDF, compact laminate
made of wood fibers impregnated with thermosetting resin, or similar materials. Figs
5a, b show a locking system which can be locked by inward angling and snapping-in,
and Figs 5c, d illustrate a locking system which can locked by snapping-in. The projecting
portion P2 of the strip 6 which extends beyond the upper part of the join edges may
in this embodiment be equal or larger than the floor thickness T. This facilitates
locking with angling around the upper part of the joint edges. A locking system which
consists which allows locking and unlocking by angling and which consists of a separate
strip is especially favorable on the long side of a narrow floorboard.
[0053] Figs 6a-6d illustrate a laying procedure. The floorboards are rectangular and can
be joined mechanically. The laying operation begins, for example, with a first row
R1 being joined by, for example, the short sides of the floorboards being angled together.
The first row, which may in fact be an optional row in the floor, contains a floorboard
G1 which is called the first board. A second floorboard G2, in a second row R2 (Fig.
6a), is arranged at an angle A to the first floorboard G1 and is with its upper joint
edge in contact with the joint edge of the first floorboard G1. Fig. 6b shows that
the laying may be faciLitated if a wedge-shaped tool WT is used as a support. A new
floorboard G3 in a second row R2 is then locked together with its short side against
the short side of the second floorboard G2 in the second row. This joining of short
sides can take place by insertion along the joint edge of the short side, by inward
angling or snapping-in against the joint edge of the short side. During inward angling
and preferably also during snapping-in, this joining is carried out in such a manner
that the upper joint edge of the new floorboard G3 is positioned at a distance from
the upper joint edge of the first floorboard G1. During insertion along the joint
edge of the short side, this is not necessary since the new board G3 can be inserted
so as to contact the first board. The new board G3 can also first be joined with the
first G1 by snap action, after which it is laterally displaced along the long side
so that the short side is snapped in against the short side of the second floorboard
G2. Then both the new G3 and the second floorboard G2 are laterally displaced (Fig.
6c) along their long sides parallel to the first floorboard G1. The first lateral
displacement may be essentially equal to the length 4a of the floorboard. A further
new floorboard G3' may then be joined according to Fig. 6d. When essentially the entire
row R2 has been filled, all floorboards are angled downward and locked. Essentially
the entire installation can take place in this way.
[0054] Figs 7a-7e show the same laying seen from above. When a new board G3, G3' and G3"
after angling is displaced, the second row R2 grows. This laying may be repeated until
the second floorboard G2 reaches the outer part of the floor according to Fig. 7d.
The main advantage is that the entire row R2 can be laid without a floor-layer needing
to move along the floor rows. Owing to the weight and flexibility of the floorboards,
the different upwardly angled floorboards will take different angles. They may easily
slide in a semi-locked state. This is shown in Fig. 5b. The locking means 22, 23 and
8, 14 are not fully locked and this reduces friction while at the same time the boards
1, 1' are prevented from sliding apart by the locking element 8 being partly inserted
into the locking groove 14.
[0055] This method of laying is particularly suited for small floorboards, but may also
be used in larger. The laying method renders it possible to automate laying. Another
advantage is that this laying method allows automated laying by means of a laying
device. According to the invention, which thus also comprises a laying device for
floorboards, the floorboards can be laid using a suitable device which, for instance,
consists of the following parts and functions. The device has a store containing a
number of new floorboards G3, G3' etc. These floorboards are, for instance, stacked
on each other. It has a first inserting device which first inserts the new board G3,
at an angle to the first board G1 in the first row R1. The inserting motion takes
place along the short sides so that the short sides of the second G2 and the new 63
board will be mechanically locked. The device further comprises a second inserting
device which displaces the two joined boards laterally parallel to the first row R1.
When the device is moved from the first row R1, all boards which have not yet reached
a position parallel to the sub-floor will finally be angled down towards the sub-floor.
[0056] Fig. 8 shows a method for manufacturing a flooring with mechanical joint systems.
The floor element 2 is sawn into new floor elements 2'. These floor elements are then
machined along their long sides, e.g. in a machine with two chains. In this manner,
a semimanufactured product in the form of a short side panel 2" is manufactured. This
machining, which thus is a rational machining of the long sides of the floor element,
in fact forms the short sides 5a, 5b of the floorboards. After this first machining,
the short side panel 2" is sawn into floor panels 3, the edges of which are then machined
along the long sides 4a, 4b, e.g. in a machine with only one chain. The method is
based on the fact that manufacture, contrary to today's manufacture, takes place by
the long sides being machined last and a special sawing or dividing operation taking
place between machining of the short side of the floorboard and machining of its long
side. The method thus implies that the short sides can be manufactured in a large
format very rationally even if the floorboards are narrow. Today's machines operate
with a lower capacity since machining of short sides Lakes place by means of cams
on chains and this means that the boards are machined with a distance that in Fig.
2 is designated D. The risk of angular errors between long side and short side can
be significantly smaller than in traditional manufacture. Any lateral crookedness
that may arise in connection with sawing into floor panels can be eliminated by the
boards being aligned with a ruler RL before the machining of the long sides.
[0057] If the floorboard has a width of 85 mm and a length of 6 * 85 = 510 mm, the machining
of the long sides will require a machining time which is six times longer than the
machining of the short sides. An efficient production line may consist of a short
side machine and a sawing unit and a plurality of long side machines, for instance
six.
[0058] Mirror-inverted locking systems can be provided by, for instance, the short side
panel 2" before sawing being rotated in the horizontal plane through 180 degrees.
Alternatively, the floor panel 3 can be rotated correspondingly after sawing.
[0059] Machining of long sides and snort sides may take place in one and the same machine
and using the same set of tools. Several variants are feasible. For instance the long
sides may be machined first. The floor element then has a length corresponding to
several floorboards and a width corresponding to one floorboard. After the first machining,
the floor element is divided into several floor panels, the edges of which are then
machined along the short sides.
[0060] Figs 9a-9e show a floor system which consists of two different board formats with
mirror-inverted mechanical locking systems which can be joined by inward angling on
long sides and short sides.
[0061] Fig. 9a shows a locking system which in this embodiment is made integrally in one
piece with the core of the floorboard and which is so designed that a long side can
be joined with a short side. The vertical locking is obtained by a tongue 22 and a
groove 23. The horizontal locking is accomplished with a strip and a locking element
8 on one of the floorboards 1 cooperating with a locking groove 12 on the other floorboard
1'. It is an advantage if the locking system is essentially identical on both long
side and short side. In this embodiment, the locking system is identical. However,
it should be pointed out that the invention can also be applied to floorboards with
different locking systems and/or locking systems containing separate or different
materials than the core. Such differences can exist between different floorboards
and/or long side and short side. The locking system can be joined by inward angling.
In this embodiment, the locking system withstands a high tensile load corresponding
to about 100 kg in a locking system having an extent along the joint edge of 100 mm.
The locking element 8 has a considerable extent vertically VT and horizontally HT.
In this embodiment, the vertical extent VT is 0.1 times the floor thickness T and
the horizontal HT 0.3 times the floor thickness T.
[0062] Fig. 9b shows a floorboard 41A having a width 1M and a length 6M which is 6 times
the width. It may be an advantage if the dimensional accuracy can be less than 0.1
mm and maybe even within the tolerance of 0.05 mm or lower. With modern machines,
it is possible to achieve tolerances of 0.02 mm. Fig. 9c shows an identical floorboard
41B, with the difference that the locking system is mirror-inverted. 41A and 41B have
short sides with the same tongue side 22 and groove side 23. The long side of the
floorboard 41A has a tongue side 22 on the side where the floorboard 42B has a groove
side. Thus the locking systems are mirror-inverted.
[0063] Such a flooring system allows laying in advanced patterns since long sides can be
joined with short sides and the direction of laying can be varied. The module system
with the length as an exact multiple of the width increases the possibilities of variation.
[0064] Figs 9d and 9e show corresponding floorboards with a length 9M which in this embodiment
is, for instance, 9 times the width 1M. Moreover, if the floor system consists of
boards with different lengths, still more advanced patterns can be provided.
[0065] It is obvious that a number of variants are feasible within the scope of the above
principles. Fig. 9f shows two short sides 5a and 5b of two adjacent edges of floorboards.
In this embodiment there is only a horizontal locking consisting of a strip 6, locking
element 8 and a locking groove 12. Such floorboards could have a locking system on
long sides as shown in fig. 5a and they could be installed in parallel rows. If the
floorboards have mirror inverted locking system as described above, they could be
installed in a herringbone pattern long side to short side. Floorboards can be made
in many varying lengths and widths. The floor system may consist of three floorboards
or more with different sizes and the floorboards may have the same width but random
lengths. Some floorboards can have the width measure 1M and ethers 2M or more. Nor
do the floorboards have to have parallel sides. For instance, the short sides can
be made at an angle of 45 degrees to the long sides. Such manufacture can be carried
out rationally in a machine with two chains where the cams of the chains are displaced
so that the boards will pass the milling tools at an angle of e.g. 45 degrees. Also
other optional angles can be made in this manner.
[0066] Fig. 10 shows examples of how floorboards 41A can be joined by inward angling long
side against short side with an already laid floorboard 42B. According to the invention,
the long sides of the floorboards 41A are joined by inward angling. Such a floorboard,
referred to as second floorboard 41A, is in the initial phase of the laying in an
upwardly angled position relative to a first, previously laid floorboard 42B in the
first row. A short side of this second floorboard 41A is in contact with the long
side of the already laid first floorboard 42B. It is an advantage if a support WT
is used to hold this and the already laid floorboards in the second row in an upwardly
angled position. A new floorboard 41A' is angled with its long side against the second
floorboard 41A in the second row which is perpendicular to the first laid floorboard
42B. The new floorboard 41A which is locked to the second floorboard 41A is then displaced
along the joint edge in the locked position until its upper short side edge comes
into contact with the long side edge of the first board 42B. Subsequently, the entire
second row of floorboards 41A, 41A' is angled down towards the sub-floor. If a suitable
laying order is applied, advanced patterns can be Laid with this angle-angle method.
The joint system obtains great strength and large floors can be laid without expansion
joints between floor sections.
[0067] Fig. 11a shows how floorboards 41A and 42A of different lengths can be combined to
a floor unit FU in a floor system so that all rows will be of the same length and
the entire floor unit FU will have a locking system on all sides.
[0068] Figs 11b and 11c show how the length of the floor unit FU can be varied by combining
the boards of different lengths. The length of the floor unit can be changed in steps
which are half the length of the shortest board. The width can be varied by the number
of rows according to Fig. 11c.
[0069] Fig. 12a shows that the floor unit FU can be adjusted to the size of the room so
that a decorative frame of sawn boards 41a can be formed, which can be used to make
the final adaptation of the floor to the size of the room. To create the decorative
pattern, floorboards with mirror-inverted locking systems 41A and 41B are used. O1-O4
indicate a laying order which can be used to join the floorboards using the angle-angle
method. After installing the floor unit FU in parallel rows with boards of different
lengths, a mirror-inverted board 41B is joined with the short sides of the floor unit
O2. This board has a length which in that alternative corresponds to the width of
six floorboards. Then the vertical rows 03 are joined by the angle-angle method and
finally the laying of the floor is terminated by the horizontal rows 04 also being
locked in the same way.
[0070] This and other patterns can, of course, also be joined by the combination of angling,
displacement and snapping, or merely snapping, displacement and snapping. Also insertion
along the joint edge can be used. A locking system on short sides without a tongue
as shown in fig 9f allows installation with only angling of the long sides.
[0071] Fig 12b shows a variant which in this embodiment comprises a plurality of mirror-inverted
boards 41B. The laying can be effected in the same way as above, for instance according
to the laying order O1-O9.
[0072] One condition for the above laying of the floor to be done with high quality without
large visible joint gaps is that the floorboards are manufactured with great dimensional
accuracy. It is advantageous if each joint can be given a certain degree of flexibility
so that the manufacturing tolerances are balanced. A play P between the locking surfaces
of the locking element 8 and the locking groove 12 of e.g. 0.05 mm, as shown in fig.
9a and 9f, is advantageous in this context. Such a play P does not cause a visible
joint gap. Beveling 133 of upper joint edges can also be used to conceal a joint gap
and also to remove parts of the hard surface layer so that the upper joint edges will
be more flexible and can be compressed.
[0073] Fig. 13a shows another pattern which can be laid according to the angle-angle method
in the order O1-O7. The pattern can be created with only one type of boards which
need not have mirror-inverted joint systems.
[0074] Figs 14a-b show a diamond pattern with offset diamonds that can be laid by first
joining floorboards to two floor units FU 1 and FU 2. Then these two floor units are
joined with each other by, for instance, inward angling.
[0075] Figs 15a-c show alternative patterns which can be created with a floor system and
laying methods as described above.
[0076] Figs 16a-b show herringbone patterns which can be joined by the long sides being
angled inwards and the short side being snapped against the long side. Laying can
be carried out in many different ways for example with only angling of long sides.
In Fig. 16, the floor is laid with both groove side 23 and tongue side 22 in the laying
direction ID. It is still more convenient if laying takes place with merely the groove
side 23 in the laying direction according to Fig. 16b.
[0077] Figs 16c-e show herringbone patterns with two and three blocks.
[0078] Figs 17a-c show how the corresponding patterns can be created with floorboards having
a format which, for instance, resembles stone. The floorboards have a decorative groove
DG on one long side and one short side which is made, for example, by part of the
outer decorative layer being removed so that other parts of the surface layer that
are positioned under the decorative layer, or the core, become visible.
[0079] Fig. 17c show how mirror-inverted floorboards can be joined in advanced patterns
where the decorative groove after installation frames the floorboards.
[0080] It is noted that the invention may be applied to even smaller boards, blocks or strips
than those described above. Such strips may e.g. have a width of 2 cm and a length
of 10 cm. The invention may also be used to produce very narrow floor panels, for
instance of about 1 cm or less, which could be used to connect different floor units
or as decoration.
1. A flooring, which comprises rectangular floorboards (1) for providing a patterned
floating flooring, said floorboards (1) being provided,
along opposing long edges (4a, 4b),
with integrated first and second connecting means for locking together one floorboard
with a second floorboard (1'),
such that upper edge portions of said floorboard (1) and said second floorboard (1'),
in a joined state, together define a vertical plane (VP),
whereby said first connecting means comprise an upwardly projecting locking element
on one long side cooperating with a locking groove on the other long side of the second
floorboard for locking together said floorboard (1) and said second floorboard (1')
in a horizontal direction (D2), perpendicular to said vertical plane (VP), and
whereby said second connecting means comprise a tongue and a groove for locking together
said floorboard (1) and said second floorboard (1') in a vertical direction (D1),
perpendicular to a main plane of said floorboard (1),
characterized in that
a surface of the floorboard has a decorative surface layer comprising, in the length
direction, at least two parquet blocks arranged short side to short side, and in the
width direction only one such parquet block,
each such parquet block has a long edge (4a, 4b) with a length not exceeding 80 cm,
a short edge (5a, 5b) of said floorboard (1) has a length not exceeding 10 cm, and
the short edge (5a, 5b) of said floorboard has a locking system for horizontal locking.
2. The floorboard as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first connecting means comprise
an upwardly projecting locking element on one long side cooperating with a locking
groove on the other long side of the second floorboard.
3. The floorboard as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein said second connecting means comprise
a tongue and a groove.
4. The floorboard as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the short side
has a locking system, which only locks horizontally.
5. The floorboard as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein said connecting
means are adapted for locking together said floorboard and said second floorboard
at least by means of inward angling, whereby upper joint edges contact each other.
6. The floorboard as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein said connecting
means are adapted for releasing said floorboard and said second floorboard by means
of upward angling, away from a sub-floor.
7. The floorboard as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein said second
floorboard (1') is substantially identical with said floorboard (1).
8. The floorboard as claimed in any cne of the preceding claims, wherein said floorboard
has a surface layer (31) comprising a thermosetting resin, wood, wood veneer, plastic,
linoleum, cork or a fiber material.
9. The flooring as claimed in any one of the claims 1-7, wherein the surface of said
floorboard is printed and/or varnished.
10. A rectangular floorboard for providing a patterned floating flooring in accordance
with claim 1, said floorboard being provided,
a along opposing long edges (4a, 4b) with integrated first and second connecting means
for locking together onefloorboard with a second floorboard (1'),
such that upper edge portions of said floorboard (1) and said second floorboard (1'),
in a joined state, together define a vertical plane (VP),
whereby said first connecting means comprise an upwardly projecting locking element
on one long side cooperating with a locking groove on the other long side of the second
floorboard for locking together said floorboard (1) and said second floorboard (1')
in a horizontal direction (D2), perpendicular to said vertical plane (VP), and
whereby said second connecting means comprise a tongue and a groove for locking together
said floorboard (1) and said second floorboard (1') in a vertical direction (D1),
perpendicular to a main plane of said floorboard (1),
characterized in that
a surface of the floorboard has a decorative surface layer comprising, in the length
direction, at least two traditional parquet blocks arranged short side to short side,
and in the width direction only one such parquet block
each such parquet block having a long edge (4a, 4b) with a length not exceeding 80
cm,
a short edge (5a, 5b) of said floorboard (1) has a length not exceeding 10 cm, and
the short edge (5a, 5b) of said floorboard having a locking system for horizontal
locking.