Set of floor panels for forming a floor covering

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018305937-A1
Application number	US-201615769127-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 20, 2016
Priority date	Oct 23, 2015
Publication date	Oct 25, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

A set of floor panels for forming a floor covering, which comprises at least two floor panels, which each comprise an edge provided with a coupling part, wherein the coupling parts are configured such that they allow realizing a coupled condition between the floor panels, by means of a substantially straight-lined coupling movement of the one floor panel in respect to the other floor panel, according to a direction substantially perpendicular to an installation plane; and wherein the coupling parts are configured such that they, in the coupled condition, realize a tensioning force pressing the coupled edges towards each other.

First claim

1 .- 37 . (canceled)

38 . A set of floor panels for forming a floor covering, which comprises at least two floor panels, which each comprise an upper side, a lower side, and a core extending between the upper and lower sides, and which each comprise an edge provided with a coupling part,
wherein the coupling parts are configured such that they allow realizing a coupled condition between the floor panels by means of a substantially straight coupling movement of the one floor panel in respect to the other floor panel, according to a direction substantially perpendicular to an installation plane; wherein the coupling parts in the coupled condition effect a locking in the direction parallel to the installation plane and perpendicular to said edges, as well as a locking in the direction perpendicular to the installation plane; wherein the coupling part of the one floor panel is made as a hook-shaped part directed towards the lower side of the floor panel, herein below denominated locking hook, and the coupling part of the other floor panel is made as a hook-shaped part directed towards the upper side of the floor panel, herein below denominated receiving hook; wherein the hook-shaped parts substantially are manufactured from the material of the core of the floor panels and substantially are made in one piece therewith; wherein the locking hook comprises a lip which is provided with a locking part extending towards the lower side of the floor panel, and the receiving hook comprises a lip which is provided with a locking part extending towards the upper side of the floor panel; wherein the locking parts, in the coupled condition, cooperate in such a manner that they effect at least the aforementioned locking in the direction parallel to the installation plane and perpendicular to said edges; wherein the coupling parts are configured such that they, in the coupled condition, realize a tensioning force pressing the coupled edges towards each other, by means of an elastic bending of the lip of the receiving hook; and wherein the lip of the receiving hook, in the coupled condition, in the direction perpendicular to the installation plane, has a maximum bending of at most 0.0625 times the overall thickness of the floor panel.

39 . The set of floor panels of claim 38 , wherein said maximum bending is at most 0.05 times the overall thickness of the floor panel.

40 . The set of floor panels of claim 38 , wherein the elastic bending relates to a downward bending, wherein the lip of the receiving hook partially is situated lower than a level defined by the lower side of the floor panel to which the locking hook is belonging;
wherein the elastic bending in distal direction in respect to the receiving hook relates to a continuously increasing bending, wherein said maximum bending occurs at the distal end of the lip of the receiving hook; and wherein the lip of the receiving hook is bent at least over 25%.

41 . A set of floor panels for forming a floor covering, which comprises at least two floor panels, which each comprise an upper side, a lower side, and a core extending between the upper and lower sides, and which each comprise an edge provided with a coupling part,
wherein the coupling parts are configured such that they allow realizing a coupled condition between the floor panels by means of a substantially straight coupling movement of the one floor panel in respect to the other floor panel, according to a direction substantially perpendicular to an installation plane; wherein the coupling parts in the coupled condition effect a locking in the direction parallel to the installation plane and perpendicular to said edges, as well as a locking in the direction perpendicular to the installation plane; wherein the coupling part of the one floor panel is made as a hook-shaped part directed towards the lower side of the floor panel, herein below denominated locking hook, and the coupling part of the other floor panel is made as a hook-shaped part directed towards the upper side of the floor panel, herein below denominated receiving hook; wherein the hook-shaped parts substantially are manufactured from the material of the core of the floor panels and substantially are made in one piece therewith; wherein the locking hook comprises a lip which is provided with a locking part extending towards the lower side of the floor panel, and the receiving hook comprises a lip which is provided with a locking part extending towards the upper side of the floor panel; wherein the locking parts, in the coupled condition, cooperate in such a manner that they effect at least the aforementioned locking in the direction parallel to the installation plane and perpendicular to said edges; wherein the coupling parts are configured such that they, in the coupled condition, realize a tensioning force pressing the coupled edges towards each other, by means of an elastic bending of the lip of the receiving hook; and wherein the coupling parts are configured such that at least a portion of the locking part extending towards the lower side of the floor panel fits into an opening defined between the locking part extending towards the upper side of the floor panel and a proximal side of the receiving hook, without having to elastically bend the lip of the receiving hook for this purpose.

42 . The set of floor panels of claim 41 , wherein the elastic bending of the lip of the receiving hook can be initiated from an already partially engaged condition of the hook-shaped parts.

43 . The set of floor panels of claim 41 , wherein the elastic bending of the lip of the receiving hook can be initiated by a mutual interaction of proximal sides, more particularly locking surfaces, of the locking parts.

44 . A set of floor panels for forming a floor covering, which comprises at least two floor panels, which each comprise an upper side, a lower side, and a core extending between the upper and lower sides, and which each comprise an edge provided with a coupling part,
wherein the coupling parts are configured such that they allow realizing a coupled condition between the floor panels by means of a substantially straight coupling movement of the one floor panel in respect to the other floor panel, according to a direction substantially perpendicular to an installation plane; wherein the coupling parts in the coupled condition effect a locking in the direction parallel to the installation plane and perpendicular to said edges, as well as a locking in the direction perpendicular to the installation plane; wherein the coupling part of the one floor panel is made as a hook-shaped part directed towards the lower side of the floor panel, herein below denominated locking hook, and the coupling part of the other floor panel is made as a hook-shaped part directed towards the upper side of the floor panel, herein below denominated receiving hook; wherein the hook-shaped parts substantially are manufactured from the material of the core of the floor panels and substantially are made in one piece therewith; wherein the locking hook comprises a lip which is provided with a locking part extending towards the lower side of the floor panel, and the receiving hook comprises a lip which is provided with a locking part extending towards the upper side of the floor panel; wherein the locking parts, in the coupled condition, cooperate in such a manner that they effect at least the aforementioned locking in the direction parallel to the installation plane and perpendicular to said edges; wherein the coupling parts are configured such that they, in the coupled condition, realize a tensioning force pressing the coupled edges towards each other, by means of an elastic bending of the lip of the receiving hook; wherein the lip of the

Assignees

• Flooring Ind Ltd Sarl

Inventors

• Cappelle Mark
• Devos Pieter

Classifications

• E04F15/02038 Primary

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

• E04F2201/023

  with a continuous tongue or groove · CPC title

• E04F2201/0153

  by rotating the sheets, plates or panels around an axis which is parallel to the abutting edges, possibly combined with a sliding movement · CPC title

• E04F2201/03

  Undercut connections, e.g. using undercut tongues or grooves · CPC title

• E04F15/04

  only of wood {or with a top layer of wood}, e.g. with wooden {or metal} connecting members (rollable parquet E04F15/16) · CPC title