Nonwoven surface covering elements having tongue and groove

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12258765-B2
Application number	US-202318689689-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 25, 2023
Priority date	Oct 25, 2022
Publication date	Mar 25, 2025
Grant date	Mar 25, 2025

Abstract

A surface covering element can have a rigid core. The rigid core can include at least one densified fiber batt. The rigid core can have a first surface and an opposed second surface that are spaced apart along a first axis. The rigid core can have a plurality of edges that define a periphery of the rigid core. The plurality of edges can include at least a first edge and an opposed second edge that are spaced along a second axis that is perpendicular to the first axis. The first edge can include a tongue, and the second edge can define a groove.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A surface covering element comprising:
a rigid core comprising a plurality of layers of densified fiber batts, the rigid core comprising a first surface and an opposed second surface that are spaced apart along a first axis, wherein the rigid core comprises a plurality of edges that define a periphery of the rigid core;
wherein the plurality of edges comprise at least a first edge and an opposed second edge that are spaced along a second axis that is perpendicular to the first axis, wherein the first edge comprises a tongue, wherein the second edge defines a groove,
wherein the plurality of layers of densified fiber batts comprise at least a first densified fiber batt and a second densified fiber batt, wherein the first densified fiber batt has a first density, wherein the second densified fiber batt has a second density that is greater than the first density,
wherein the second densified fiber batt defines the tongue, and wherein portions of the second densified fiber batt define the groove, and
wherein each densified fiber batt comprises a plurality of fibers, wherein at least a portion of the plurality of fibers have been melted to bind to adjacent fibers of the plurality of fibers.

2. The surface covering element of claim 1 , wherein the first and second densified fiber batts are needle punched together.

3. The surface covering element of claim 1 , wherein the first densified fiber batt defines the first surface.

4. The surface covering element of claim 1 , wherein the second density is from 40 lb/ft 3 to about 100 lb/ft 3 .

5. The surface covering element of claim 1 , wherein the first density is from 10 lb/ft 3 to 30 lb/ft 3 .

6. The surface covering element of claim 1 , wherein the tongue has a thickness along the first axis, wherein the thickness of the tongue is from about 0.5 mm to about 3 mm.

7. The surface covering element of claim 1 , wherein the thickness of the tongue is about 1 mm.

8. The surface covering element of claim 1 , wherein the first surface of the rigid core meets the first edge at a first boundary of the rigid core, wherein the tongue extends from the first boundary of the rigid core by a protrusion distance along the second axis, wherein the protrusion distance is at least 2 mm.

9. The surface covering element of claim 1 , wherein the tongue has opposed first and second surfaces that are spaced along the first axis, wherein a reference plane bisects the opposed first and second surfaces of the tongue, wherein the reference plane forms an oblique angle with the first surface of the rigid core.

10. The surface covering element of claim 9 , wherein the groove is defined between opposed inner surfaces, wherein the opposed inner surfaces comprise first opposed portions, wherein a second reference plane bisects the first opposed portions, wherein the second plane forms the oblique angle with the first surface of the rigid core.

11. The surface covering element of claim 9 , wherein at least one inner surface of the opposed inner surfaces that define the groove comprises a second portion that is parallel to the first surface of the rigid core.

12. The surface covering element of claim 1 , wherein the tongue has opposed first and second surfaces that are spaced along the first axis, wherein a reference plane bisects the opposed first and second surfaces of the tongue, wherein the reference plane is parallel to the first surface of the rigid core.

13. The surface covering element of claim 1 , wherein the tongue and the groove are formed by machining.

14. The surface covering element of claim 1 , wherein the first and second edges comprise opposed ends, wherein the plurality of edges further comprise opposed third and fourth edges that extend between respective opposed ends of the first and second edges, wherein the tongue is a first tongue, wherein the groove is a first groove, wherein the third edge defines a second tongue, and wherein the fourth edge defines a second groove.

15. The surface covering element of claim 1 , wherein the first edge has a length along a third axis that is perpendicular to each of the first and second axes, wherein the tongue has a length that is equal to, or substantially equal to, the length of the first edge.

16. The surface covering element of claim 1 , wherein the first edge has a length along a third axis that is perpendicular to each of the first and second axes, wherein the tongue has a length that is less than the length of the first edge.

17. The surface covering element of claim 1 , wherein the groove is defined by opposed legs, wherein the rigid core defines:
at least one through opening that extends through the tongue along the first axis; and
at least one through opening that extends through the legs that define the groove from the first surface to the second surface of the rigid core.

18. The surface covering element of claim 1 , further comprising a decorative portion having a first surface and an opposed second surface, wherein the second surface of the decorative portion is affixed to the first surface of the rigid core.

19. The surface covering element of claim 1 , wherein at least one densified fiber batt of the plurality of layers of densified fiber batts comprises randomly oriented fibers.

20. The surface covering element of claim 1 , wherein at least one densified fiber batt of the plurality of layers of densified fiber batts comprises substantially uniformly oriented fibers.

21. The surface covering element of claim 1 , wherein the first densified fiber batt comprises a first plurality of fibers having a first melting point and a second plurality of fibers, wherein at least a portion of the second plurality of fibers has a second melting point that is lower than the first melting point.

22. The surface covering element of claim 21 , wherein the at least a portion of the second plurality of fibers that has the second melting point is an outer portion of the fibers of the second plurality of fibers.

23. The surface covering element of claim 1 , wherein the first densified fiber batt comprises a first plurality of fibers having a first melting point and a second plurality of fibers, wherein the second pluralities of fibers comprises a multi-component fiber, wherein the multi-component fiber comprises a sheath and a core provided as a sheath core configuration, and wherein the sheath has a second melting point that is lower than the first melting point.

24. The surface covering element of claim 1 , wherein the rigid core comprises light transmitting fibers.

25. The surface covering element of claim 1 , further comprising an adhesive on the tongue.

26. The surface covering element of claim 25 , further comprising a release liner that covers the adhesive.

Assignees

• Shaw Ind Group Inc

Inventors

• Burns James
• Bass Derek
• Odum Thomas

Classifications

• E04F2201/07

  with connections using a special adhesive material · CPC title

• E04F2201/0505

  Pegs or pins · CPC title

• E04F2201/043

  with tongues and grooves being formed by projecting or recessed parts of the panel layers · CPC title

• E04F2201/023

  with a continuous tongue or groove · CPC title

• E04F2201/0146

  with snap action of the edge connectors · CPC title