The invention generally relates to the technical field of flooring. The invention more specifically concerns floorboards having horizontally and vertically locking connecting profiles arranged on their sides.
A first aspect of the invention relates to a floorboard for a flooring system comprising a plurality of mechanically connectable floorboards. The floorboard comprises a first connecting profile along a first side (edge) and a second connecting profile along a second side that is parallel to the first side. The first connecting profile is configured for locking engagement with the second connecting profile of another floorboard both horizontally and vertically. (Likewise, the second connecting profile is configured for locking engagement with the first connecting profile of another floorboard.) The first connecting profile comprises a protruding strip at the bottom face of the floorboard, the protruding strip terminating outwardly in a locking element projecting towards the top face of the floorboard. The second connecting profile comprises an overhanging tongue delimiting at its bottom a recess for receiving the protruding strip, the recess comprising a locking groove configured for cooperating with the locking element so as to provide a horizontal locking effect. The first connecting profile comprises a tongue groove arranged above a stem portion of the protruding strip. By stem portion, we mean the “proximal” part of the protruding strip that is connected on one end to the main body of the floorboard and that does not include the locking element, to which it is connected on the other end. The tongue groove is configured to accommodate the tip of the overhanging tongue so as to provide a vertical locking effect. The overhanging tongue comprises an upper contact surface and a lower contact surface that are inclined with respect to each other. Complementarily, the tongue groove is delimited by an upper delimiting surface and a lower delimiting surface. The upper and lower contact surface of the overhanging tongue are configured to be put into contact with the upper and lower delimiting surface, respectively, of the tongue groove.
Preferably, the (virtual) intersection axis of the contact surfaces of the tongue lies outside of the respective floorboard. The (virtual) intersection axis of the upper and lower delimiting surfaces of the tongue groove preferably lies within the respective floorboard. It may be worthwhile noting that the above-mentioned intersection axes of two neighboring floorboards substantially coincide when the floorboards are connected.
The angles between the upper contact surface and the lower contact surface and between the upper delimiting surface and the lower delimiting surface are preferably comprised in the range from 2° to 30°, more preferably in the range from 3° to 25°, and even more preferably in the range from 3° to 20°.
According to an embodiment, the tip of the overhanging tongue has a (substantially) horizontal upper contact surface and the upper delimiting surface of the tongue groove is also (substantially) horizontal.
According to an embodiment, the stem portion of the protruding strip has a horizontal lower surface which forms part of the back face of the floorboard.
The floorboard can be of any suitable flooring material. Preferably, the floorboard is a wood flooring panel, a laminate flooring panel, a polymer-based flooring panel or a mineral-material (e.g. geopolymer or fibre cement) based flooring panel. In case of a polymer-based flooring panel, a vinyl flooring panel or a PVC-free thermoplastic flooring panel is preferred.
The floorboard may, for instance, be a luxury vinyl tile (LVT).
According to an embodiment, the floorboard comprises a third connecting profile along a third side and a fourth connecting profile along a fourth side, which is parallel to the third side. The third and fourth connecting profiles are preferable configured like the first and second connecting profiles, respectively. In particular, the third connecting profile is configured for locking engagement with the fourth connecting profile of another floorboard both horizontally and vertically. Like the first connecting profile, the third connecting profile comprises a protruding strip at the bottom face of the floorboard, the protruding strip terminating in a locking element projecting towards the top face of the floorboard. Like the second connecting profile, the fourth connecting profile comprises an overhanging tongue delimiting at its bottom a recess for receiving the protruding strip, the recess comprising a locking groove configured for cooperating with the locking element so as to provide a horizontal locking effect. The third connecting profile also comprises a tongue groove arranged above a stem portion of the protruding strip, the tongue groove being configured to accommodate the tip of the overhanging tongue so as to provide a vertical locking effect. The overhanging tongue comprises an upper contact surface and a lower contact surface that are inclined with respect to each other. Complementarily, the tongue groove is delimited by an upper delimiting surface and a lower delimiting surface. The upper and lower contact surface of the overhanging tongue are configured to be put into contact with the upper and lower delimiting surface, respectively, of the tongue groove.
According to an embodiment, the first and third connecting profiles on the one hand and the second and fourth connecting profiles on the other hand may be differently dimensioned.
According to an embodiment, the first and third connecting profiles on the one hand and the second and fourth connecting profiles on the other hand are identical. In this case, one could connect the first connecting profile of a first floorboard to either the second or the fourth connecting profile of a second floorboard and the same is true for the third connecting profile.
According to an embodiment, the floorboard has a height from the bottom face to the top face comprised in the range from 2.5 mm to 20 mm, preferably in the range from 4 mm to 15 mm.
A further aspect of the invention relates to a flooring system that comprises a plurality of floorboards described hereinabove.
By way of example, preferred, non-limiting embodiments of the invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
Each floorboard 10a, 10b comprises a structural body layer 12 consisting of fibreboard (e.g. high or medium density fibreboard) or wood, a top surface layer 14 and a balancing layer 16 at the back face. The surface layer provides appearance and durability to the floorboards 10a, 10b and has a thickness comprised in the range from, e.g., 0.15 to 1 mm in case of wood veneer or 2 to 5 mm in case of parquet. The structural body layer typically has a thickness in the range from, e.g., 3 to 8 mm and provides stability. The balancing layer is intended to keep the floorboard level when environmental conditions (e.g. relative humidity, temperature) vary.
The floorboards 10a, 10b are connected by complementarily shaped connecting profiles at the long and short sides of the floorboards. When the flooring is laid, the floorboards are brought together by inserting the tip 18 of the tongue 20 of the second connecting profile 22 of the floorboard to be installed into the corresponding tongue groove 24 of the first connecting profile 26 of an already installed floorboard. To do this, the floorboard to be installed is held inclined with respect to the floor and then brought into its final position in a rotational and, possibly, slightly translational, movement.
As already indicated, the first connecting profile 26 comprises a tongue groove 24, which is delimited to the bottom by a protruding strip 28. The protruding strip is arranged at the bottom face 30 of the floorboard 10a and terminates in a locking element 32 that projects towards the top face 34 of the floorboard. The second connecting profile 22 comprises the overhanging tongue 20, which delimits at its bottom a recess for receiving the protruding strip 28. At its proximal end, the recess comprises a locking groove 38 configured for cooperating with the locking element 32 of the protruding strip. When properly inserted into the locking groove 38, the locking element 32 and the locking groove cooperate to provide a horizontal locking effect. Specifically, the inwardly turned side surface 40 of the locking element 32 comes into abutment with the corresponding inwardly turned surface 42 on the bottom side of the tongue 20, so that the joined connecting profiles are prevented from separating horizontally. In the opposite direction, movement is blocked by the frontal top edges 44a, 44b of the first and second connecting profiles being in contact with each other.
The tongue groove 24 is configured to accommodate the tip 18 of the tongue 20, thereby providing a vertical locking of the connected profiles.
In the embodiment of
Each floorboard 110a, 110b comprises a structural body layer 112 consisting of fibreboard (e.g. high or medium density fibreboard) or wood, a top surface layer 114 and a balancing layer 116 at the back face. The thicknesses of the different layers may be as in the embodiment of
The floorboards 110a, 110b are connected by complementarily shaped connecting profiles at the long and short sides of the floorboards. The configuration of the connecting profiles is generally the same as in the embodiment of
The tongue 120 of the second connection profile 122 is similar to the tongue 20 of the embodiment of
The protruding strip 128 is configured differently than that of
The protruding strip 128 terminates in a locking element 132 projecting towards the top face 134 of the floorboard. The overhanging tongue 120 of the second connecting profile 122 delimits at its bottom a recess for receiving the protruding strip 128. At its proximal end, the recess comprises a locking groove 138 configured for cooperating with the locking element 132 of the protruding strip. When properly inserted into the locking groove 138, the locking element 132 cooperates with the locking groove 138 to provide a horizontal locking effect. Specifically, the inwardly turned side surface 140 of the locking element 132 comes into abutment with the corresponding inwardly turned surface 142 on the bottom side of the tongue 120, so that the joined connecting profiles are prevented from separating horizontally. In the opposite direction, movement is blocked by the frontal top edges 144a, 144b of the first and second connecting profiles being in contact with each other.
The floorboards 210a, 210b are connected by complementarily shaped connecting profiles 222, 226 at the long and short sides of the floorboards. When the flooring is laid, the floorboards are brought together by inserting the tip 218 of the tongue 220 of the second connecting profile 222 of the floorboard to be installed into the corresponding tongue groove 224 of the first connecting profile 226 of an already installed floorboard. To do this, the floorboard to be installed is held inclined with respect to the floor and then brought into its final position in a rotational and, possibly, slightly translational, movement.
As already indicated, the first connecting profile 226 comprises a tongue groove 224, which is delimited to the bottom by a protruding strip 228. The protruding strip 228 is arranged at the bottom face 230 of the floorboard 210a and terminates in a locking element 232 projecting towards the top face 234 of the floorboard. The second connecting profile 222 comprises the overhanging tongue 220, which delimits at its bottom a recess for receiving the protruding strip 228. At its proximal end, the recess comprises a locking groove 238 configured for cooperating with the locking element 232 of the protruding strip. When properly inserted into the locking groove 238, the locking element 232 cooperates with the locking groove 238 to provide a horizontal locking effect. Specifically, the inwardly turned side surface 240 of the locking element 232 comes into abutment with the corresponding inwardly turned surface 242 on the bottom side of the tongue 220, so that the joined connecting profiles are prevented from separating horizontally. In the opposite direction, movement is blocked by the frontal top edges 244a, 244b of the first and second connecting profiles being in contact with each other.
The tongue groove 224 is configured to accommodate the tip 218 of the tongue 220, thereby providing a vertical locking of the connected profiles.
The tongue 220 comprises an upper contact surface 246 and a lower contact surface 248 that are inclined with respect to each other. The (virtual) intersection axis A of both surfaces 246, 248 lies outside of the floorboard to which the tongue 220 belongs. The tongue groove 224 is delimited to the top by an upper delimiting surface 249 having the same slope as contact surface 246 and to the bottom by a substantially horizontal lower delimiting surface 250. The upper 246 and lower 248 contact surface of the overhanging tongue 220 are configured and arranged for contacting the upper 249 and lower 250 delimiting surface, respectively, of the tongue groove 224 when the connecting profiles 222 and 226 are engaged.
As shown in
The floorboards 310a, 310b are connected by complementarily shaped connecting profiles at the long and short sides of the floorboards. The configuration of the connecting profiles is generally the same as in the embodiment of
The tongue 320 of the second connecting profile 322 has a horizontal upper contact surface 346 and an inclined lower contact surface 348. The protruding strip 328 of the first connecting profile 326 is configured differently than that of
While specific embodiments have been described herein in detail, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications and alternatives to those details could be developed in light of the overall teachings of the disclosure. Accordingly, the particular arrangements disclosed are meant to be illustrative only and not limiting as to the scope of the invention, which is to be given the full breadth of the appended claims and any and all equivalents thereof.
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
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PCT/EP2016/064478 | 6/22/2016 | WO | 00 |
Publishing Document | Publishing Date | Country | Kind |
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WO2016/207251 | 12/29/2016 | WO | A |
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20190106887 A1 | Apr 2019 | US |
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62185187 | Jun 2015 | US |