Floor panel

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9366035-B2
Application number	US-201414552870-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 25, 2014
Priority date	May 10, 2010
Publication date	Jun 14, 2016
Grant date	Jun 14, 2016

Abstract

A floor panel includes a substrate and a top layer provided on the substrate. The top layer is composed of a print and a transparent thermoplastic layer having a thickness of 0.5 mm or less and being situated above said print. The floor panel, at least on two opposite edges, is provided with a straight or curved chamfer extending to below the global level of the print.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. Floor panel having a rectangular and oblong shape with a pair of longitudinal opposite edges and a pair of short opposite edges, said floor panel comprising a substrate and a top layer provided on said substrate; wherein said top layer comprises a print and a thermoplastic layer situated above said print; said top layer forming a decorative side of said floor panel; wherein said substrate comprises thermoplastic material and fillers;
wherein said floor panel at least at said pair of longitudinal opposite edges is provided with coupling parts allowing to couple two such floor panels to each other, such that, in a coupled condition, said two floor panels are locked to each other at the respective edge in a vertical direction perpendicular to the plane of the coupled panels, as well as in a horizontal direction perpendicular to the coupled edges and in the plane of the panels; wherein said coupling parts include a tongue and a groove, and wherein, in the coupled condition, a contact surface active in the horizontal direction is formed above the tongue with a closed chamber available between an upper surface of the tongue and the contact surface, the contact surface and the coupling parts being at least partially formed in the substrate;
wherein said floor panel has a length of more than 110 centimeters and comprises means for limiting the bending by its own weight;
wherein said means for limiting the bending comprise at least one glass fiber layer underneath said print;
wherein said floor panel comprises at least one synthetic material layer other than a wood-based material and having a density of at least 1,000 kilograms per cubic meter.

2. The floor panel of claim 1 , wherein said means for limiting the bending further comprise at least one profile embedded in the substrate material, wherein this profile globally extends in the longitudinal direction of the floor panel; said profile being based on synthetic material or metal.

3. The floor panel of claim 2 , wherein this profile is situated closer to said tongue than to said groove.

4. The floor panel of claim 1 , wherein said glass fiber layer is embedded in the substrate material.

5. The floor panel of claim 1 , wherein said glass fiber layer is located outside of the center of said substrate.

6. The floor panel of claim 4 , wherein said glass fiber layer is located outside of the center of said substrate.

7. The floor panel of claim 5 , wherein said glass fiber layer is situated closer to the decorative side than to the lower side of the substrate.

8. The floor panel of claim 6 , wherein said glass fiber layer is situated closer to the decorative side than to the lower side of the substrate.

9. The floor panel of claim 1 , wherein said bending by its own weight is lower than 50 centimeters per meter.

10. The floor panel of claim 1 , wherein said substrate is waterproof.

11. The floor panel of claim 1 , wherein said substrate is a foamed synthetic material board.

12. The floor panel of claim 11 , wherein said foamed synthetic material board is of the closed-cell type.

13. The floor panel of claim 1 , wherein said top layer comprises an annealed thermoplastic layer having a thickness between 0.5 and 3 millimeters.

14. The floor panel of claim 1 , wherein the floor panel has a length of more than 180 centimeters.

15. The floor panel of claim 14 , wherein said print is a wood grain print extending in the longitudinal direction of said decorative side; wherein said print is free from repetitions over the entire length of said decorative side.

Assignees

• Flooring Ind Ltd Sarl

Inventors

• Meersseman Laurent
• Vanhastel Luc

Classifications

• B32B2255/10

  on synthetic resin layer or on natural or synthetic rubber layer · CPC title

• E04F2201/0123

  by moving the sheets, plates or panels parallel to the abutting edges · CPC title

• E04F15/02038 Primary

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

• E04F2201/049

  wherein the elements are made of organic plastics with or without reinforcements or filling materials · CPC title

• B32B21/02

  the layer being formed} of fibres, chips, or particles {, e.g. MDF, HDF, OSB, chipboard, particle board, hardboard · CPC title