FLOORING PANELS WITH SLIDABLE EDGE JOINTS

Abstract

A flooring system includes a plurality of rectangular flooring panels, the flooring panels individually including a core comprising two long edges, and two short edges with interlocking joints formed at the short edges. The interlocking joints are shaped to prevent flooring panels that are joined at the short edges from sliding apart. The long edges do not include interlocking joints.

Description

FIELD

This invention relates to flooring and more particularly relates to flooring panels with slidable edge joints.

BACKGROUND

Various types of flooring include rectangular panels. Some flooring panels may have straight edges on all four sides, and may be glued down to a subfloor or underlayment to hold the flooring panels in place. However, gluing down individual floor panels may increase the cost and time of flooring installation, and the difficulty of removal. Other types of floor panels may include interlocking joints on all four sides, so that the joints hold floor panels in place relative to surrounding floor panels. However, the nature of interlocking joints may make installation difficult in confined spaces, such as near walls or cabinets, and may complicate replacement of damaged floor panels.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In order that the advantages of the invention will be readily understood, a more particular description of the invention briefly described above will be rendered by reference to specific embodiments that are illustrated in the appended drawings. Understanding that these drawings depict only typical embodiments of the invention and are not therefore to be considered to be limiting of its scope, the invention will be described and explained with additional specificity and detail through the use of the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a top view of a flooring system, in one embodiment, in the process of installing a flooring panel short edge first;

FIG. 2 is a top view of a flooring system, in one embodiment, in the process of installing a flooring panel long edge first;

FIG. 3 is a cross section view of one embodiment of a flooring panel;

FIG. 4 is a side view of one embodiment of an interlocking joint between flooring panels in one embodiment;

FIG. 5 is a side view of an upper half of the interlocking joint of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a side view of a lower half of the interlocking joint of FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 is an end view of one embodiment of a tongue and groove joint; and

FIG. 8 is a cross section end view of one embodiment of a replacement flooring panel.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Reference throughout this specification to “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” or similar language means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment. Thus, appearances of the phrases “in one embodiment,” “in an embodiment,” and similar language throughout this specification may, but do not necessarily, all refer to the same embodiment, but mean “one or more but not all embodiments” unless expressly specified otherwise. The terms “including,” “comprising,” “having,” and variations thereof mean “including but not limited to” unless expressly specified otherwise. An enumerated listing of items does not imply that any or all of the items are mutually exclusive and/or mutually inclusive, unless expressly specified otherwise. The terms “a,” “an,” and “the” also refer to “one or more” unless expressly specified otherwise.

Furthermore, the described features, structures, or characteristics of the invention may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. In the following description, numerous specific details are included to provide a thorough understanding of embodiments of the invention. One skilled in the relevant art will recognize, however, that the invention may be practiced without one or more of the specific details, or with other methods, components, materials, and so forth. In other instances, well-known structures, materials, or operations are not shown or described in detail to avoid obscuring aspects of the invention.

The schematic flow chart diagrams included herein are generally set forth as logical flow chart diagrams. As such, the depicted order and labeled steps are indicative of one embodiment of the presented method. Other steps and methods may be conceived that are equivalent in function, logic, or effect to one or more steps, or portions thereof, of the illustrated method. Additionally, the format and symbols employed are provided to explain the logical steps of the method and are understood not to limit the scope of the method. Although various arrow types and line types may be employed in the flow chart diagrams, they are understood not to limit the scope of the corresponding method. Indeed, some arrows or other connectors may be used to indicate only the logical flow of the method. For instance, an arrow may indicate a waiting or monitoring period of unspecified duration between enumerated steps of the depicted method. Additionally, the order in which a particular method occurs may or may not strictly adhere to the order of the corresponding steps shown.

As used herein, a list with a conjunction of “and/or” includes any single item in the list or a combination of items in the list. For example, a list of A, B and/or C includes only A, only B, only C, a combination of A and B, a combination of B and C, a combination of A and C or a combination of A, B and C. As used herein, a list using the terminology “one or more of” includes any single item in the list or a combination of items in the list. For example, one or more of A, B and C includes only A, only B, only C, a combination of A and B, a combination of B and C, a combination of A and C or a combination of A, B and C. As used herein, a list using the terminology “one of includes one and only one of any single item in the list. For example, “one of A, B and C” includes only A, only B or only C and excludes combinations of A, B and C. As used herein, “a member selected from the group consisting of A, B, and C,” includes one and only one of A, B, or C, and excludes combinations of A, B, and C.” As used herein, “a member selected from the group consisting of A, B, and C and combinations thereof” includes only A, only B, only C, a combination of A and B, a combination of B and C, a combination of A and C or a combination of A, B and C.

FIG. 1 is a top view of a flooring system 100, in one embodiment, in the process of installing a flooring panel 104 short edge first. In the depicted embodiment, a flooring system 100 includes a plurality of rectangular flooring panels 104 (including panels 104a, 104b). FIG. 1 depicts a top view of the system 100 in the process of being installed in a space 102 indicated by a bold line. Although a rectangular space 102 is depicted, flooring panels 104 may be installed in a variety of spaces such as rooms, hallways, stairways, and the like.

In general, in various embodiments, flooring panels 104 are installed edge to edge on a sub-floor or underlayment, so that the flooring panels 104 form a unified floor that substantially covers the subfloor. (Small gaps at the perimeter of the space 102 may be covered by baseboards). The flooring panels 104 are rectangular, with two long edges and two short edges, and are installed in rows 106, so that flooring panels 104 are joined short edge to short edge within a row 106, and long edge to long edge between rows 106.

In some embodiments, flooring panels 104 at the perimeter of the space (e.g., in a first row, in first and last rows, at ends of rows, or the like) may be affixed to the subfloor or underlayment by gluing, stapling or the like. In some embodiments, the plurality of flooring panels 104 may be glued or stapled down. In some embodiments, some of the flooring panels 104 may be “floating” flooring panels 104 that are not affixed directly to the subfloor or underlayment, but that are coupled to adjacent flooring panels 104. For example, in some embodiments, flooring panels 104 at the perimeter of the space 102 may be glued or stapled down, and other flooring panels 104 may be “floating.”

However, one problem that may occur with “floating” floors is that flooring panels 104 are subject to significant horizontal forces when people walk on the floor, move furniture, or the like. Under sufficient force, a flooring panel 104 may move out of place. and may move. Anti-slip backing may be provided to reduce the tendency of flooring panels 104 to move out of place, but even with anti-slip backing and perimeter flooring panels 104 glued or stapled down, some flooring panels 104 may move horizontally, causing gaps between adjacent flooring panels 104, and especially between short edges of adjacent flooring panels 104. Such gaps may be unacceptable to users, and may be difficult to repair.

In some flooring systems 100, joints between adjacent panels 104 may couple flooring panels together allowing one or more of the flooring panels 104 to “float” instead of being glued or stapled down. However, some joints such as tongue and groove joints do not prevent flooring panels 104 from separating and causing gaps. By contrast, other types of interlocking joints (e.g., for “click lock” flooring” may resist motion of the joined panels 104 apart from each other, but may be difficult to install. For example, if installation requires inserting a panel 104 at an angle, before lowering the raised side of the panel 104 to the floor, it may be difficult to install panels in tight spaces, such as near cabinets or walls.

Accordingly, as described below, various embodiments of a flooring system 100 may include panels 104 with interlocking joints formed at the short edges, to prevent panels 104 from moving apart, but where the long edges of the panels 104 do not include interlocking joints.

The term “joint” as used herein, can refer to a coupling between adjacent panels 104, or to the features or structures on either of the adjacent panels that are involved in the coupling. Thus, connecting two panels together may be referred to as forming a joint between two panels 104, but an individual panel 104 may also be described as having a joint, where that panel 104 includes features or structures for coupling that panel 104 to another panel 104. For example, in a tongue and groove joint, the term “joint” may be used with reference to the tongue on one panel 104, the groove on another panel 104, or the assembly of a tongue coupled to a groove.

Directional terms, as used herein, such as “vertical,” “horizontal,” “upper,” “lower,” and the like, refer to the orientation of flooring panels 104 as installed in a floor. For example, a “vertical” direction is perpendicular to the plane of the floor, a “horizontal direction” is parallel to the plane of the floor, and an “upper” surface of a flooring panel is visible when the panel is installed in the floor. However, such terms are not used to imply absolute positions. For example, prior to installation in a floor, a flooring panel may be transported, stored, or the like in any orientation, such as with the upper surface facing down, but the same surface may still be referred to as the “upper” surface.

In some embodiments, a flooring system 100 may include flooring panels 104 with interlocking joints on short edges, and with non-interlocking joints on long edges. For example, non-interlocking joints may include butt joints (straight edges), rabbet joints, tongue and groove joints, or the like. In various embodiments, providing interlocking joints on short edges instead of on all four edges may prevent gaps between short edges while facilitating installation.

FIGS. 1 and 2 depict similar flooring systems 100, 200, including flooring panels 104 installed in a space 102 in rows 106, as described above. FIGS. 1 and 2 are intended to depict the general rectangular shape of floor panels 104 without implying specific dimensions or ratios. For example, floor panels 104 may be more square than depicted, more elongated than depicted, wider or narrower relative to a space 102, or the like. Similarly, offsets between rows 106 may be greater than depicted, less than depicted, non-uniform, or the like, or panels 104 may be of uniform or non-uniform lengths.

FIG. 1 depicts the system 100 in the process of installing a flooring panel 104a short edge first. The flooring panel 104a is lowered down vertically to the floor, so that the short edge of panel 104a engages the short edge of panel 104b in the same row. Panel 104a can then be slid in the direction indicated by the arrow, along its short edge, until the long edge of panel 104a contacts the previously-laid row 106.

FIG. 2 depicts a system 200 in the process of installing a flooring panel 104a long edge first. The flooring panel 104a is placed on the floor and positioned so that the long edge of panel 104a engages the previously-laid row 106. Panel 104a can then be slid in the direction indicated by the arrow, along it's long edge, until the short edge of the panel 104a interlocks with the short edge of panel 104b in the same row. Panels 104 and joints between panels 104 are described in further detail below with reference to FIGS. 3-8.

FIG. 3 depicts a cross section view of a flooring panel 300, which may be substantially similar to the flooring panels 104 described above. In the depicted embodiment, the flooring panel 300 includes one or more layers, including at least a core 304. Layers indicated by dashed lines in FIG. 3 are optional layers, which may be included in some embodiments or omitted in other embodiments.

A core 304, in one embodiment, is a layer that either forms the flooring panel 300 for single-layer panels 300, or that acts as a substrate for other layers for multi-layer panels 300. A core 304, in various embodiments, may include vinyl material, stone plastic composite material, magnesium oxide material, engineered hardwood material (e.g., layers of wood), wood polymer composite material, or the like.

In some embodiments, one or more upper layers 302 may be disposed above the core. For example, upper layers 302 may include a design layer with a visible design, a wear-resistant layer, and/or an ultraviolet-resistant layer. Various other or further upper layers 302 may be included in a floor panel 304.

In some embodiments, one or more lower layers 306 may be disposed below the core. For example, lower layers 306 may include a sound-absorbing layer. Various other or further lower layers 306 may be included in a floor panel 304. In the depicted embodiment, an anti-slip layer 308 is disposed beneath the core 304 (and any other lower layer 306). Providing an anti-slip layer 308 may prevent or mitigate formation of gaps between adjacent panels 300. Various types of anti-slip material used for various types of flooring may be used as an anti-slip layer 308 for a flooring panel 300.

FIG. 3 is intended to depict relationships between layers of a flooring panel 300, not the actual thicknesses of layers. A core 304 and various upper and lower layers 302, 306 may be thinner or thicker than depicted.

The core 304, in various embodiment, may support other layers, and may have substantially the same rectangular shape as the overall floor panel 300, with two long edges and two short edges. As described above, interlocking edges may be formed at the short edges, while the long edges do not include interlocking joints. Interlocking and non-interlocking joints are described in further detail below with reference to FIGS. 4-7.

FIGS. 4-6 depict side views of one embodiment of an interlocking joint 400, including an upper half 402 and a lower half 404. FIG. 4 depicts the joint once formed between adjacent flooring panels. FIG. 5 depicts the upper half 402, formed in one flooring panel, while FIG. 6 depicts the lower half 404, formed in another flooring panel. In some embodiments, flooring panels may be formed with the upper half 402 of an interlocking joint 400 at one end, and the lower half 404 of an interlocking joint 400 at another end.

The depicted embodiment of an interlocking joint 400 is provided as one example. Various other or further interlocking joints may be consistent with this disclosure. Additionally, dimensions in millimeters (mm) and angles in degrees are provided in FIGS. 5 and 6 for illustrative purposes, and are not intended as limiting. A person of skill in the art will recognize where dimensions, angles, or shapes may be changed, with corresponding changes made to both halves 402, 404, while preserving the interlocking nature of the joint 400. For example, the overlap between flooring panels may be shorter or longer than depicted, in various embodiments. Similarly, various additional features such as a bevel between flooring panels may be included or omitted in various embodiments.

FIG. 4 depicts the interlocking joint 400 between short edges of adjacent flooring panels. Wavy, dashed lines in FIG. 4 and subsequent figures indicate that portions of the panels further from the joint are not depicted in the Figure.

In some embodiments, an interlocking joint 400 may be any joint shaped to prevent flooring panels that are joined at an interlocking joint from sliding apart. For example, referring to FIG. 4, it may be seen that the joint 400 between panels may be disengaged by moving one of the panels in a vertical direction, but not by sliding the panels horizontally apart. Rather, the joint 400 prevents one panel from moving horizontally away from the other panel.

A flooring panel may be laid in a row with a lower half 404 of a joint 400 at the end where the row will be continued. The next flooring panel in the row may be laid so that the upper half 402 of the joint 400, in that flooring panel, overlaps the lower half 404 of the joint 400, in the previously-laid panel. After lowering the short edge of the new panel (with the upper half 402 of the joint 400) in a vertical direction onto the short edge of the previously-laid panel in the same row (with the lower half 404 of the joint 400), the joint 400 is engaged. The new panel may then be slid horizontally so that a long edge of the new panel contacts a previously laid row of panels.

Alternatively, a new panel to be added to a row may be put in place with a long edge of the new panel contacting the previously laid row of panels, and the panel may then be slid horizontally until the short edge of the new panel (with the upper half 402 of the joint 400) couples to the short edge of a previously-laid panel in the same row (with the lower half 404 of the joint 400).

In the depicted embodiment, the interlocking joint 400 is shaped to permit up to 0.1 millimeter (mm) of movement between floor panels that are joined at short edges. A gap 406 in the joint 400, between the upper half 402 and the lower half 404, permits a small amount of movement. Such a gap 406 may provide a small amount of tolerance to changing conditions such as heat or humidity. A gap 406 may also facilitate sliding of flooring panels into place, either by engaging the joint 400 at the short edges first and sliding the long edge into place (as in FIG. 1) or by placing the long edge first and sliding a panel along the long edge until the joint 400 engages (as in FIG. 2). In some embodiments, tolerances may be tighter or looser. For example, a gap 406 may permit up to 0.09 mm of movement, up to 0.08 mm of movement, up to 0.11 mm of movement, up to 0.12 mm of movement, or the like. By contrast, interlocking joints without a gap 406, or with significantly tighter tolerances, may not allow flooring panels to slide into place, or may require an installer to angle flooring panels into place to engage the joint 400.

Referring to FIG. 5, the upper half 402 of the joint 400 includes a first portion 512 and a second portion 514, where the first portion 512 is thicker than the second portion 514, and is closer to the edge of the flooring panel (at the left of the drawing) than the second portion 514. Thus, the first portion 512 forms a lobe, and a recess 516 is formed near the narrower second portion 514.

Referring to FIG. 6, the lower half 404 of the joint 400 similarly includes a first portion 612 and a second portion 614, where the first portion 612 is thicker than the second portion 614, and is closer to the edge of the flooring panel (at the right of the drawing) than the second portion 614. Thus, the first portion 612 forms a lobe, and a recess 616 is formed near the narrower second portion 614. Accordingly, when the joint 400 is engaged the lobes 512, 612 on each half 402, 404 of the joint 400 engage the recesses 616, 516 in the opposite half. A slight undercut or hook in the joint prevents the joint 400 from slipping apart or pushing the upper half 402 up under a horizontal force that would otherwise move the halves 402, 404 apart. In the depicted embodiment, the undercut is 5 degrees, but an undercut may be steeper or shallower in another embodiment.

In the depicted embodiment, the gap 406 and the shallow undercut allow the joint to be engaged by moving the upper half 402 straight down onto the lower half 404, without additional vertical force beyond the weight of a flooring panel. The interlocking joint 400 engages without vertical force or with no more vertical force than the weight of the panels, and thus does not require additional vertical force, such as tapping with a mallet, to engage two panels together. One panel may be lowered onto another panel in the same row with short ends overlapping at the joint 400, then slid horizontally along the interlocking joint 400 until the tongue and groove joint along the long edge engages with panel(s) in an adjacent row. Alternatively, a panel may be installed by first engaging the tongue and groove joint along the long edge with panel(s) in an adjacent row, then sliding the panel along the tongue and groove joint to interlocking joint 400 with a panel in the same row (with a small vertical motion as the interlocking joint 400 engages).

Although some forms of flooring require an installer to angle a panel to hook one interlocking edge under another interlocking edge, flooring panels with the joints 400 formed as disclosed herein can be maintained in a horizontal orientation during installation, thus facilitating installation in tight spaces such as near walls, cabinets, or doorways.

FIG. 7 depicts a tongue and grove joint 700. In some embodiments, flooring panels may include tongue and groove joints 700 formed at the long edges of the flooring panels. In FIG. 7, panels are depicted in an end view, so that the shape of the tongue and groove joint 700 along the long edges is visible. A tongue 702 in one panel engages a groove 704 in another panel. Unlike the interlocking joint 400 described above, a tongue and groove joint 700 does not prevent edges from sliding apart. However, both the interlocking joint 400 and a tongue and groove joint 700 couple adjacent panels, allowing some panels to “float” rather than being glued or stapled down. Combining tongue and groove joints 700 with interlocking joints 400, as disclosed herein, prevents separation that may happen between short ends of panels in high-traffic areas, without the installation problems that may be associated with other forms of joints.

FIG. 8 depicts a cross section end view of a replacement flooring panel 800 for a flooring system 100. In various embodiments, if a flooring panel is damaged, but is coupled to adjacent flooring panels in a floor, it may be difficult to remove and replace the damaged panel without removing several other panels. Destruction of the damaged panel may allow it to be removed in pieces, but the joints to adjacent panels on all four sides may make it difficult to install an identical replacement. Thus, in the depicted embodiment, a replacement panel 800 includes interlocking joints 400 at the short ends of a core, as described above, but without full tongue and groove joints 700 at the long ends. The interlocking joints 400 are not visible in the cross section of FIG. 8.

Rather than full tongue-and groove joints 700, the replacement panel 800 includes an extension 802 along one of the long edges of the replacement panel. The replacement panel 800 also includes an undercut portion 804 along the other long edge. The extension 802 covers the tongue 702 of an adjacent panel, while the undercut portion 804 covers the groove 704 of another adjacent panel. In another embodiment, the extension 802 is a standard tongue and groove configuration with extensions 802 on more than a single side of the tongue 702.

The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from its spirit or essential characteristics. The described embodiments are to be considered in all respects only as illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the invention is, therefore, indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description. All changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are to be embraced within their scope.

Claims

1. A flooring system comprising: a plurality of rectangular flooring panels, the flooring panels individually comprising: a core comprising two long edges, and two short edges; andinterlocking joints formed at the short edges, the interlocking joints shaped to prevent flooring panels that are joined at short edges from sliding apart,wherein the long edges do not include interlocking joints.

2. The flooring system of claim 1, wherein the flooring panels individually comprise tongue and groove joints formed at the long edges.

3. The flooring system of claim 1, wherein the core comprises one or more of: vinyl material, stone plastic composite material, magnesium oxide material, engineered hardwood material, and wood polymer composite material.

4. The flooring system of claim 1, wherein the interlocking joints are shaped to engage by lowering a short edge of a first panel, in a vertical direction, onto a short edge of a second panel in the same row as the first panel.

5. The flooring system of claim 4, wherein the interlocking joints are further shaped to permit sliding the first panel so that a long edge of the first panel contacts a second row of panels.

6. The flooring system of claim 4, wherein the interlocking joints are shaped to engage without additional vertical force beyond a weight of a panel.

7. The flooring system of claim 1, wherein the interlocking joints are shaped to engage by sliding a long edge of a first panel along another row of panels, until a short edge of the first panel couples to a short edge of a second panel.

8. The flooring system of claim 1, wherein the interlocking joints are shaped to permit up to 0.1 millimeter of movement between floor panels that are joined at short edges.

9. The flooring system of claim 1, wherein the flooring panels individually comprise an anti-slip layer beneath the core.

10. The flooring system of claim 1, further comprising at least one replacement flooring panel, comprising a core, interlocking joints at short edges, an extension along a first long edge to cover a tongue of a first adjacent panel, and an undercut portion along a second long edge to cover a groove of a second adjacent panel.