Floor panel

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10208490-B2
Application number	US-201815972633-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 7, 2018
Priority date	May 10, 2010
Publication date	Feb 19, 2019
Grant date	Feb 19, 2019

Abstract

A floor panel has a rectangular and oblong shape, and includes a substrate and a top layer provided on the substrate and forming a decorative side of the floor panel. The top layer is composed of a print provided on a carrier sheet and a transparent thermoplastic layer situated above the print. The substrate has a thickness from 2 to 10 millimeter and forms at least half of the thickness of the floor panel. The substrate is a polyurethane-based substrate and the transparent thermoplastic layer is polyurethane-based. The floor panel has a length of more than 1.1 meters and has a plurality of reinforcing layers situated outside the center line of the substrate. A reinforcing layer may be provided in combination with the substrate and the top layer.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A floor panel comprising:
a substrate; and
a top layer located above the substrate;
wherein the top layer is connected to the substrate by means of glue;
wherein the substrate is single-layered and includes a closed cell foamed PVC board having a density of more than 450 kilograms per cubic meter;
wherein the substrate has a thickness of 2 to 10 millimeters;
wherein the substrate forms at least half of the thickness of the floor panel;
wherein the top layer includes a back layer, a printed synthetic film located above the back layer and a transparent or translucent thermoplastic layer located above the printed synthetic film;
wherein the transparent or translucent thermoplastic layer includes a vinyl-based material;
wherein the back layer includes PVC with plasticizers and fillers;
wherein the floor panel is rectangular and oblong and includes a pair of long edges and a pair of short edges;
wherein the floor panel includes first mechanical coupling parts at the pair of long edges and second mechanical coupling parts at the pair of short edges;
wherein the first mechanical coupling parts are arranged for horizontal and vertical locking of two of such floor panels using a turning movement along the respective long edges;
wherein the first mechanical coupling parts include a tongue and a groove;
wherein the tongue and the groove are substantially responsible for the vertical locking;
wherein the tongue and the groove include locking parts substantially responsible for the horizontal locking;
wherein the first mechanical coupling parts are substantially realized in the substrate;
wherein the second mechanical coupling parts comprise a male coupling part and a female coupling part arranged for horizontal and vertical locking of two of such floor panels using a downward movement along the respective short edges;
wherein the downward movement is automatically created by the turning movement along the respective long edges; and
wherein the second mechanical coupling parts are substantially realized in the substrate.

2. The floor panel of claim 1 , wherein the back layer is located above the center line determined by the tongue-in-groove coupling.

3. The floor panel of claim 1 , wherein the closed cell foamed PVC board has a density of more than 650 kilograms per cubic meter.

4. The floor panel of claim 1 , wherein the transparent or translucent thermoplastic layer has a thickness of 1 millimeter or less.

5. The floor panel of claim 1 , wherein the vinyl-based material of the transparent or translucent thermoplastic layer is PVC.

6. The floor panel of claim 1 , wherein the top layer has a thickness of 0.5 to 3 millimeters.

7. The floor panel of claim 1 , wherein the top layer is connected to the substrate by means of dispersion glue based on polyurethane.

8. The floor panel of claim 1 , wherein the floor panel comprises a backing layer located below the substrate.

9. The floor panel of claim 8 , wherein the backing layer includes a thermoplastic material layer.

10. The floor panel of claim 1 , wherein the floor panel has a thickness of 5 to 15 millimeters.

11. The floor panel of claim 1 , wherein the floor panel has a length of more than 110 centimeters.

12. The floor panel of claim 1 , wherein the floor panel will bend less than 25 centimeters per meter under its own weight.

13. A floor panel comprising:
a substrate;
a top layer located above the substrate; and
a backing layer located below the substrate;
wherein the top layer is connected to the substrate by means of glue;
wherein the substrate is single-layered and includes a closed cell foamed PVC board having a density of more than 650 kilograms per cubic meter;
wherein the substrate has a thickness of 2 to 10 millimeters;
wherein the substrate forms at least half of the thickness of the floor panel;
wherein the top layer includes a back layer, a printed synthetic film located above the back layer and a transparent or translucent thermoplastic layer located above the printed synthetic film;
wherein the back layer includes PVC with plasticizers and fillers;
wherein the transparent or translucent thermoplastic layer includes a vinyl-based material;
wherein the top layer has a thickness of 0.5 to 3 millimeters;
wherein the floor panel has a thickness of 5 to 15 millimeters;
wherein the floor panel is rectangular and oblong and includes a pair of long edges and a pair of short edges;
wherein the floor panel includes first mechanical coupling parts at the pair of long edges and second mechanical coupling parts at the pair of short edges;
wherein the first mechanical coupling parts are arranged for horizontal and vertical locking of two of such floor panels using a turning movement along the respective long edges;
wherein the first mechanical coupling parts include a tongue and a groove;
wherein the tongue and the groove are substantially responsible for the vertical locking;
wherein the tongue and the groove include locking parts substantially responsible for the horizontal locking;
wherein the first mechanical coupling parts are substantially realized in the substrate;
wherein the second mechanical coupling parts comprise a male coupling part and a female coupling part arranged for horizontal and vertical locking of two of such floor panels using a downward movement along the respective short edges;
wherein the downward movement is automatically created by the turning movement along the respective long edges; and
wherein the second mechanical coupling parts are substantially realized in the substrate.

14. The floor panel of claim 13 , wherein the back layer is located above the center line determined by the tongue-in-groove coupling.

15. The floor panel of claim 13 , wherein the transparent or translucent thermoplastic layer has a thickness of 1 millimeter or less.

16. The floor panel of claim 13 , wherein the vinyl-based material of the transparent or translucent thermoplastic layer is PVC.

17. The floor panel of claim 13 , wherein the floor panel has a thickness of 7 to 10 millimeters.

18. The floor panel of claim 13 , wherein the floor panel has a length of more than 110 centimeters.

19. The floor panel of claim 13 , wherein the floor panel will bend less than 25 centimeters per meter under its own weight.

20. The floor panel of claim 13 , wherein the top layer is connected to the substrate by means of dispersion glue based on polyurethane.

21. The floor panel of claim 13 , wherein the backing layer includes a thermoplastic material layer.

22. A floor panel comprising:
a substrate; and
a top layer located above the substrate;
wherein the substrate is multi-layered and includes a closed cell foamed PVC board having a density of more than 450 kilograms per cubic meter;
wherein the substrate has a thickness of 2 to 10 millimeters;
wherein the substrate forms at least half of the thickness of the floor panel;
wherein the substrate includes a plurality of embedded glass fiber layers situated on both sides of the center line of the substrate;
wherein the top layer includes a back layer, a printed synthetic film located above the back layer and a transparent or translucent thermoplastic layer located above the printed synthetic film;
wherein the back layer includes PVC with plasticizers and fillers;
wherein the transparent or translucent thermoplastic layer includes PVC;
wherein the transparent or translucent thermoplastic layer has a t

Assignees

• Flooring Ind Ltd Sarl

Inventors

• Meersseman Laurent
• Vanhastel Luc

Classifications

• E04F2201/091

  with the edge-parts forming part of the panel body · CPC title

• E04F2201/0535

  adapted for snap locking · CPC title

• B32B2260/021

  Fibrous or filamentary layer · CPC title

• E04F13/0866

  composed of several layers, e.g. sandwich panels or layered panels (layered products as such in general B32B; producing decorative panels or veneers B44C5/04; E04F13/0864, E04F13/0875 take precedence) · CPC title

• B32B2471/00

  Floor coverings (B32B2419/04 takes precedence) · CPC title