The present invention relates to a floorboard with a decorative joint portion comprising a U or V-shaped groove and a flooring with such floorboards.
In particular, yet not restrictive manner, the invention concerns a laminate floorboard comprising a mechanical locking system, formed at least at two opposite edges and a decorative joint portion comprising an U or V-shaped groove only at one of two opposite edges of the floorboard. The following description of prior-art technique, problems of known systems and objects and features of the invention will above all, as a non-restrictive example, be aimed as the field of the application. It should be emphasized that the invention can be applied to any floorboard and combined with all types of known locking system, where the floorboards are intended to be joined using a mechanical locking system connecting the panels in the horizontal and vertical directions on at least two adjacent edges.
A flooring is known with floorboards that is provided with a decorative joint portion, in the form of a bevel at both adjacent joined edges of the floorboards, for example as described in WO 03/078761. Another embodiment described in WO 03/078761 is a flooring comprising floorboards that is provided with a decorative joint portion, in the form of a lower flat portion only at one of two adjacent joined edges of the floorboards. A floorboard with a U or V-shaped groove is shown in DE 102 32 508 C1.
An embodiment of the present invention relates to a floorboard and flooring with a decorative joint portion, in particular a laminate floorboard, which provides for new embodiments according to different aspects offering respective advantages. Flooring and floorboards with a decorative joint portion known up to now have several disadvantages. The bevelled joint edge and the joint edge with a lower flat portion, both have the disadvantage that they collect moisture and dust, which penetrates into the joint down to the moisture sensitive core. The dust creates a gap in the joint when the panels move, e.g. due to humidity changes. The floorboard with the decorative joint portion according to an embodiment of the invention results in a more resilient edge, which make it possible to provide a tighter joint, and prevent dust and moisture to enter into the joint.
According to a first aspect, an embodiment of the invention provides for a laminate floorboard comprising a front face a rear face, a surface layer of resin-impregnated sheets, a wood-based core and a decorative joint portion comprising a U or V-shaped groove. If the joint edge is provided with a cut under the groove, forming a clearance when the edge of the floorboard is joined to an adjacent edge of another adjacent floorboard, the edges become even more resilient and tighter. A deeper grove also makes the joint more resilient.
Laminate flooring usually consists of a core of a 6-9 mm fibreboard, a 0.2-0.8 mm thick upper decorative surface layer of laminate, preferably comprising sheet material impregnated with thermosetting resins and a 0.1-0.6 mm thick lower balancing layer of laminate, plastic, paper or like material. The surface layer provides appearance and durability to the floorboards, and preferably contains at least one layer imprinted with a pattern, for example a wood pattern printed on a paper layer. The core provides stability, and the balancing layer keeps the board plane when the relative humidity (RH) varies during the year. The floorboards are generally laid floating, i.e. without gluing, on an existing subfloor.
A first advantage consists in that there are no dust or moisture collecting lower parts at the edge closet to the joint. A second advantage is that the U or V-shaped groove makes a joint gap less visible. A third advantage is that the joint with the U or V-shaped groove looks like a traditional joint with bevels, but is cheaper to manufacture since only one of the two adjacent joined edges is worked. A fourth advantage is that the groove makes the edge resilient, due to the upwardly directed ribbon closest to the joint, which makes the joint tighter and prevents dust and moisture to enter into the joint.
Preferably, a mechanical locking system is formed at least at two opposite edges of the floorboard, which facilitates the joining of a similar floorboard. Mechanical locking system are for example known from WO 94/26999, and another locking system, comprising a flexible tongue, especially advantageous at the short sides of rectangular floor boards, is described in PCT/SE2005/001586, owner Välinge Innovation AB. Other shapes of floorboards are also possible. Other mechanical locking system are also known, and possible to use, which are joined by Angling-Angling, Angling-Snapping or Snapping-Snapping. Floorboards with a mechanical locking system are generally laid floating, i.e. without gluing, on an existing subfloor. Floorboards according to the invention are especially beneficial in flooring installed semi-floating, with floorboards with overlapping edges. A semi-floating floor, which allows movement between the floorboards, is described in WO 2005/068747.
Evidently, it is also possible to use a tongue and a groove joint, usually combined with gluing or nailing or other fastening means.
According to a preferred embodiment of the first aspect, only one of two opposite edges of the floorboard is provided with the groove. A rectangular floorboard is preferably provided with the groove at only one long edge. It is also possible to provide a groove on only one of the long and only one of the short edges. Other shapes of the floorboards are also possible, e.g. a floorboard with 3, 5, 6, 7 and 8 edges.
Preferably the wood based core is made of MDF or HDF or a particleboard and the groove extends down to the core, which optionally is coloured.
The groove is according to another embodiment treated with oil or varnish or filled with a filling material.
It is also possible to replace the resin-impregnated sheets with a wood veneer, preferably treated with oil or varnish.
According to a second aspect, an embodiment of the invention provides for a floorboard comprising a solid wood body, a front face a rear face, a decorative joint portion comprising a U or V-shaped groove.
Preferably, a mechanical locking system is formed at the edges. Evidently, it is also possible to use a tongue and a groove joint, usually combined with gluing or nailing or other fastening means.
Optionally the floorboard is treated with oil or varnish and/or the groove is filled with a filler.
According to a third aspect of the invention, the floorboard provided with the decorative joint portion comprising a U or V-shaped groove is further provided with an horizontally protruding part configured such that it overlaps an adjacent edge of an adjacent similar floorboard when the floorboard is joined to the similar adjacent floorboard. In the third aspect, the cut under the groove and above the connecting means is for some applications not necessary since the protruding part prevents dust and moisture to penetrate in to the joint. However, the joint still looks like a traditional joint with bevels, but is cheaper to manufacture.
According to a second object, an embodiment of the invention provides for a flooring comprising at least one of the floorboards above in the first object, joined to one or more similar floorboards. Preferably, the flooring is joined floating or semi-floating.
In particular, an objective of this invention is to provide a floorboard with a decorative joint portion that prevents dust and moisture to enter into the joint and which also is cheap and easy to manufacture.
All references to “a/an/the [element, device, component, means, step, etc]” are to be interpreted openly as referring to at least one instance of said element, device, component, means, step, etc., unless explicitly stated otherwise.
a)-(c) and
a-b show embodiments of a floorboard according to the invention comprising a decorative joint portion.
a-c show embodiments of a floorboard according to the invention comprising a decorative joint portion.
a-c show a floorboard and a flooring according to one embodiment of the invention.
a-b show a floorboard and a flooring according to one embodiment of the third aspect of the invention.
As represented in
a-2b show floorboards with decorative joint portions known in the art.
b shows another embodiment according to WO 03/078761, with decorative joint portions 2, 2′ comprising a bevelled edge 15, 15′ at both adjacent joint edges 12b, 13b and/or 12a, 13a.
c shows another embodiment according to WO 03/078761, with a decorative joint portion 2, comprising a lowered horizontal surface 16 at one of the adjacent joint edges 12b, 13b and/or 12a, 13a of the floorboards to be joined. In this embodiment, the mechanical locking system comprising a locking strip 17 with a locking element 9, a tongue 8 and a tongue groove 10.
a shows a floorboard 1 intended to be joined semi-floating with an adjacent floorboard 1 according to WO 2005/068747, with a horizontally protruding and overlapping part 21 at the joint edge and a decorative joint portion 2, 2′, comprising a bevel, at both adjacent joint edges intended to be joined.
b shows another embodiment according to WO 2005/068747, intended to be joined semi-floating, with a decorative joint portion, comprising a lowered horizontal surface, at one of the adjacent joint edges 12b, 13b and/or 12a, 13a of the floorboards to be joined. The horizontally protruding and overlapping part 21 is thin and consists of the high strength layers of the resin-impregnated sheets of the surface layer and optionally a part of the core, which preferably also is impregnated with resin.
According to a first embodiment of the invention, represented in
Preferably a mechanical locking system is formed along the joint edges 12a, 13a and/or 12b, 13b of the floorboard. One embodiment of the locking system is represented in
The joint edge is provided with a cut 34, which in combination with groove 31, makes the edge more resilient and tighter. A deeper grove also makes the joint more resilient. In
The wood-based core is preferably a particle, MDF or HDF board.
A second embodiment of the invention, represented in
In
In
According to a third embodiment of the invention, represented in
An object of the invention is a flooring comprising at least two of the floorboards above, according to the first or second embodiment, preferably joined as floating or semi-floating floor.
A semi-floating embodiment is shown in
The invention has mainly been described above with reference to a few embodiments. However, as is readily appreciated by a person skilled in the art, other embodiments than the ones disclosed above are equally possible within the scope of the invention, as defined by the appended patent claims.
Generally, all terms used in the claims are to be interpreted according to their ordinary meaning in the technical field, unless explicitly defined otherwise herein.
The present application is a continuation of U.S. Ser. No. 11/643,881, filed in the United States on Dec. 22, 2006, which claims the benefit of provisional application Ser. No. 60/757,893, filed on Jan. 11, 2006.
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