Synthetic multilayer floor covering

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10400457-B2
Application number	US-201715822693-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 27, 2017
Priority date	Nov 27, 2017
Publication date	Sep 3, 2019
Grant date	Sep 3, 2019

Abstract

A synthetic multilayer floor covering has floor panels, each of which comprises at least a first and a second edge with a first and a second connecting profile, respectively. The connecting profiles are complementarily shaped so that adjacent floor panels may be coupled to one another. The first connecting profile of a first floor panel and/or the second connecting profile of a second floor panel is deformed when connecting profiles become coupled with each other. The deformation comprises a component that persists as the connecting profiles remain coupled. The persistent deformation results in stress within the connecting profiles, which are made of viscoelastic material. That material undergoes significant stress relaxation. At standard ambient temperature and pressure, the stress within the first and/or the second connecting profile decreases by at least 40% within 12 hours after the connecting profiles have become coupled.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A synthetic multilayer floor covering, comprising floor panels, each of which comprises a top face and a bottom face, at least a first and a second edge with a first and a second connecting profile, respectively, the first and second connecting profiles being complementarily shaped in such a way that adjacent floor panels may be coupled to one another via said first and second connecting profiles, the first connecting profile having a recess at said bottom face and a tongue overhanging said recess, the second connection profile having a protrusion at said bottom face and a groove for receiving the tongue of the first profile the shapes of the first and second connecting profiles being such that at least one of the first connecting profile of a first floor panel and the second connecting profile of a second floor panel is deformed when the first and second connecting profiles become coupled with each other, the deformation comprising a component persistent as the first and second connecting profiles remain coupled, the persistent component originating from a dimensional mismatch between the shapes of the male and female profiles and leading to a compression of the male profile and/or to stretching of the female profile, the persistent component resulting in stress within at least one of the first and second connecting profile;
wherein the first or the second or both connecting profiles are made of viscoelastic material such that, at standard ambient temperature and pressure, said stress within the at least one of the first and second connecting profile decreases by at least 40% within 12 hours after the first and the second connecting profiles have become coupled; and
wherein the dimensional mismatch amounts to less than 5% of the length of the protrusion or the length of the tongue in the direction perpendicular to the edge but parallel to the top and bottom faces.

2. The synthetic multilayer floor covering as claimed in claim 1 , wherein, at standard ambient temperature and pressure, said stress within the at least one of the first and second connecting profile decreases by at least 50% within 12 hours after the first and the second connecting profiles have become coupled.

3. The synthetic multilayer floor covering as claimed in claim 1 , wherein, at standard ambient temperature and pressure, said stress within the at least one of the first and second connecting profile decreases by at least 40% within 6 hours.

4. The synthetic multilayer floor covering as claimed in claim 1 , wherein, at standard ambient temperature and pressure, said stress within the at least one of the first and second connecting profile decreases by at least 60% within 1 hour after the first and the second connecting profiles have become coupled.

5. The synthetic multilayer floor covering as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the floor panels comprise a backing substrate, one or more core layers, a decorative print layer on top of said core layers and at least one transparent wear layer on top of said print layer.

6. The synthetic multilayer floor covering as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the floor panels are flexible floor panels.

7. The synthetic multilayer floor covering as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the floor panels have a thickness in the range from 3 mm to 8 mm.

8. The synthetic multilayer floor covering as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the floor panels are vinyl floor tiles or planks.

9. The synthetic multilayer floor covering as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the vinyl floor tiles or planks comprise a urethane wear layer.

10. The synthetic multilayer floor covering as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the floor tiles are arranged in rows and wherein the floor tiles of the different rows are arranged in a staggered manner.

11. The synthetic multilayer floor covering as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said first and second connecting profiles are machined into said first and second edges, respectively.

12. A rectangular synthetic multilayer floor panel for laying a floor covering, the floor panel having a decorative top face and a bottom face for contacting an underfloor, and further:
a first long edge with a first connecting profile, the first connecting profile having a recess at said bottom face and a tongue overhanging said recess
a second long edge with a second connecting profile that is complementary to the first connecting profile, the second connecting profile having a protrusion at said bottom face and a groove for receiving the tongue of the first profile,
a first short edge with said first connection profile; and
a second short edge with said second connection profile;
the first and second connecting profiles defining angling-type connectors, wherein the shapes of the first and second connecting profiles are such that at least one of the first connecting profile of a first floor panel and the second connecting profile of a second floor panel is deformed when the first and second connecting profiles become coupled with each other, the deformation comprising a component persistent as the first and second connecting profiles remain coupled, the persistent component originating from a dimensional mismatch between the shapes of the male and female profiles and leading to a compression of the male profile and/or to stretching of the female profile, the persistent component resulting in stress within at least one of the first and second connecting profile;
wherein the first or the second or both connecting profiles are made of viscoelastic material such that, at standard ambient temperature and pressure, said stress within the at least one of the first and second connecting profile decreases by at least 40% within 12 hours after the first and the second connecting profiles have become coupled; and
wherein the dimensional mismatch amounts to less than 5% of the length of the protrusion or the length of the tongue in the direction perpendicular to the edge but parallel to the top and bottom faces.

13. The rectangular synthetic multilayer floor panel as claimed in claim 12 , wherein, when looking at the floor panel from above the top face, the edges are arranged in the following order in the clockwise direction: 1) the first long edge, 2) the first short edge, 3) the second long edge and 4) the second short edge.

14. The rectangular synthetic multilayer floor panel as claimed in claim 12 , wherein when looking at the floor panel from above the top face, the edges are arranged in the following order in the clockwise direction: 1) the first long edge, 2) the second short edge, 3) the second long edge and 4) the first short edge.

15. The rectangular synthetic multilayer floor panel as claimed in claim 12 , wherein, at standard ambient temperature and pressure, said stress within the at least one first and second connecting profile decreases by at least 50% within 12 hours after the first and the second connecting profiles have become coupled.

16. The rectangular synthetic multilayer floor panel as claimed in claim 12 , wherein, at standard ambient temperature and pressure, said stress within the at least one of the first and second connecting profile decreases by at least 40% within 6 hours after the first and the second connecting profiles have become coupled.

Assignees

• Tarkett Gdl Sa

Inventors

• Simon Jean-Yves

Classifications

• E04F15/02038 Primary

  characterised by tongue and groove connections between neighbouring flooring elements · CPC title

• E04F15/105

  of organic plastics with or without reinforcements or filling materials · CPC title

• E04F15/16

  Flooring, e.g. parquet on flexible web, laid as flexible webs; Webs specially adapted for use as flooring; {Parquet on flexible web}(resiliently-mounted floors, e.g. sprung floors, E04F15/22; linoleum D06N; {carpets A47G27/00}) · CPC title