Multi-directional laminate flooring panel and system, and method for constructing a flooring surface

Multi-directional laminated paving panel and system, and method for constructing a paving surface

Continuation statement

This application is a partial continuation application of the pending application No. 09/436,317 filed on November 8, 1999.

Invention category

The present invention relates to a floor surface, preferably a decorative floor surface. In addition, the present invention relates to a system for constructing a floor surface, such as a decorative floor surface. More specifically, the present invention relates to a thin laminate flooring surface, which includes a top abrasion surface preferably of decorative nature, a matrix strengthening material or layer, and optionally a backing material or layer. The present invention also relates to components, systems and methods for constructing a detachable decorative laminate flooring surface with individual flooring panels. In addition, the present invention relates to decorative laminate flooring products or components, such as panels and components that connect the panels.

Background of the invention

In the past, various systems have been proposed to provide a component that is easy to construct a floor surface; however, so far there has been no overwhelming recognition in the market, especially with regard to the detachable thin laminate "floating floor" "surface.

Generally speaking, the manufacturer of laminate flooring panels has produced a flooring product that contains a tongue and groove profile in the same flooring panel. The tongue-and-groove profile is to be turned into one side and one end of the panel, and the groove is to be turned into the opposite side and the opposite end of the same panel. This manufacturing method produces a directional orientation or "handedness" (right or left orientation).

In the conventional system, a panel is manufactured with a top wear surface. After the panel is made, the edges are processed to remove a part of the top wear surface to form a tongue-and-groove extension for embedding in a corresponding groove of an adjacent panel. In order to form This tongue must be turned on the top wear surface, thus reducing the number of square feet of floor space that can be sold for each panel. In addition, removing more of the top wear surface will accelerate tool wear, so tools require more frequent maintenance and/or replacement. Therefore, the manufacturing cost and time are increased. Similarly, in the conventional system, a reinforced matrix material is manufactured and a part of it is turned to form a groove.

Generally speaking, when using the conventional system to construct a floor surface with handed tongue/groove panels, the construction process starts from one wall and proceeds through the space to the other wall. In addition, usually a floor space to be laid is not a size that can be exactly divisible by the size of a floor panel, that is, the panel at one end wall must be cut in length or width to fit the size. In the conventional system using directional panels, once a panel is cut, the remaining part of the panel is likely to become useless. For example, in a conventional system using rectangular panels with tongues and grooves on the edges of the intersecting edges, when one panel is cut to length, two panel pieces are formed, each panel One of the long sides of the small piece will be a tongue or groove. At the end wall, a part of a panel may need to have a groove on the long side for it to be inserted. Therefore, only a small piece of the panel with a tongue and tongue on the long side is left without a long groove edge.

Many conventional systems, such as those in U.S. Patent Nos. 5,706,621 and 5,860,266, require that a new panel to be joined is held at an angle with respect to a main plane of a first laid panel and the new panel is pressed down. It becomes a part of the first panel that is mechanically locked underneath. Repeat this before the completion of the first floor. If the No. 5 panel of a set of 20 panels needs to be replaced, for example because it is damaged, the No. 6 to 20 panels must be removed upside down to reach the No. 5 panel. This is for large floor systems that are prone to excessive wear in certain areas. For example, the space environment of a store is particularly unfavorable.

Some conventional systems are discussed here as the background of the present invention.

US Patent No. 3,310,919 entitled "Portable Floor" discloses a floor, which includes a plurality of identical panels with straight sides, and coupling elements located on the sides are used to cooperate with adjacent panels The coupling elements are arranged in a coupling arrangement, and the members accompanying the action of the coupling elements are used to releasably lock adjacent panels in a side-by-side continuous relationship. As shown in FIG. 2, the panels are coupled together with locking bolts 19 and nails 15.

US Patent No. 3,657,852 entitled "Floor Tiles" discloses a floor tile, which is composed of a single body composed of any one of several different materials or is composed of a plurality of stacked laminates. Each laminate is composed of several It is composed of any one of a variety of different materials. The floor tile is shaped to have a plurality of same laterally projecting tongues and tongues, and an equal number of the same recesses are provided on the bottom surface of the floor tiles. The recesses open toward the outer periphery of the floor tile and alternately appear around the outer periphery with the tongues and tongues. The shape of the tongue and the cavity is such that any tongue of any floor tile is suitable for engaging and fitting with any cavity of any other floor tile, and when engaged in accordance with this, the tongue and tongue are kept to resist pulling away from the cavity from the end. This prevents relative movement in the plane between the two tiles when they are in a common plane.

US Patent No. 4,449,346 entitled "Panel Assembly" discloses a panel assembly, which includes at least two panels and a connecting member for mounting the panels on a supporting surface, and the panels are coplanar The relationship edges are relatively positioned with a distance from the respective facing edges, the connecting member is positioned between the facing panel edges and the panels are interlocked together by being firmly fixed to the supporting surface. Each panel is in the first and second parallel planes There are first and second surfaces in the surface and each surface has a tongue and a groove on its respective edge. The tongue and groove extend along the edge of the panel between the first and second planes, and respectively protrude an opening at an angle outward toward the first plane. The connecting member includes a long body that fills the space between the edges of the facing panels, and on each side of the body, there is a tongue and a groove, respectively, and an opening that protrudes outward and angularly toward the second plane. The tongues and grooves on different sides of the division are complementary to respectively lockably engage the grooves and tongues on the respective facing edges of adjacent panels. The connecting member cooperates with the panel because when the member is fixed on the supporting surface, a compressive force is applied to the member in the direction of the supporting surface to push the panel toward the other panel into a tightly locked joint. The patent states that the appearance of this connecting member allows the nails or bolts previously known to be driven into the edge of the panel to fix the panel to the supporting surface to be removed, while still providing a tight locking joint between the panels. As shown in FIG. 2, the connecting member is firmly fixed to the supporting surface with bolts 86. In addition, the top surface 56 of the connector member 14 is coplanar with the top planar surfaces 16 and 18 of panels 10 and 12)", and therefore constitute a part of the top wear surface-this is easily visible to the naked eye.

U.S. Patent No. 4,135,339 entitled "Slatted Floor System" discloses a slatted floor system which is said to be easy to assemble, provide a firm foothold and comfort for imprisoned animals, resist corrosion, and prevent the accumulation of animal excrement. It is easy to clean and can be used to span much greater distances than conventional slats. The slatted floor system claims to include a plurality of long, spaced, substantially parallel slats. Each slat has a top loading surface with separated Opposite the outer edge. Each slat also has a bottom surface substantially parallel to the top surface and a pair of side surfaces are integrally connected with the top surface and the bottom surface. The side surfaces meet with the top surface along a line recessed from the outer edge of the top surface. It is said that each side surface narrows to the other side surface from the first position adjacent to the top surface, and then extends substantially parallel to each other and perpendicular to the bottom surface in the second part. It claims that this and the top and bottom surfaces form a substantially Y-shaped closed main compartment. The patent discloses that each slat also includes a first pair of protrusion receiving members extending longitudinally along the tapered first portion of the side surface and a second pair of protrusion receiving members extending along the second portion of the side surface. Adjacent slats are said to be connected and locked by a plurality of connectors in a spaced relationship. Each connector has a pair of protrusions, and each protrusion can be received by a first pair of protrusion receiving members on each of two adjacent slats and a second pair of protrusions on each of two adjacent slats One of the components is stored. At least one of the first and second pairs of protrusions on the connector is adapted to interlock with its corresponding protrusion receiving member on the adjacent slats. As mentioned above, and as shown in Figures 1 and 4, the upper wear surfaces of the slats are spaced apart from each other to provide a gap for the purpose of the invention, that is, to prevent the accumulation of animal excrement. In addition, as shown in the same figure above, the protrusion and the connecting member can only be assembled by sliding the edge of the slat and the connector together when the slat and the connector are kept in a parallel and coplanar relationship with each other. And as shown in the figure, the connecting member does not extend to the full length of the slat member.

U.S. Patent No. 4,461,131 entitled "Panel Interconnection System" discloses a rectangular panel assembly, such as a floor, for example, wherein the panels include upper and lower multi-ridged sheets separated by a core material (ridged sheets), long-shaped fittings (fittings) extend along the adjacent edges of adjacent panels and have lateral extension receiving members between the edge portions of the panel sheets. Each assembly has an upper opening channel located outside the edge of the relevant panel. Adjacent fittings and adjacent panels are fixed together by long connecting strips, and the connecting straps have parallel elongated ear pieces received in the channels of the adjacent fittings. As shown in FIG. 3, the belt 40 constitutes a part of the top abrasion surface, and therefore looks clearly different from the upper surface 10 of the floor panel P.

U.S. Patent No. 4,796,402 entitled "Step Silencing Parquet Floor" discloses a parquet board that eliminates footsteps. The footsteps can be sensed from other rooms because of the use of a surface pressure in the supporting structure layer underneath the worn surface layer of the parquet board. Combined with non-homogeneous fiberboard and silenced. The patent discloses that the board has longitudinal sides and ends with a tongue and groove, whereby the board will work with adjacent boards to form a self-silencing parquet floor.

U.S. Patent No. 5,022,200 entitled "Interlocking Sections for Portable Floors and the Like" discloses a purportedly improved locking mechanism that includes a first and a second member that cooperate together for locking purposes. The second locking member is equipped with a pin for movement along a known path between the first and second positions, which are called closed and open positions in the patent. This patent discloses a member generally used to advance a pin to its closed position. The first locking member has a member for moving the pin to the open position when the two locking members are moved together and allowing the pin to return to the closed position after the first and second locking members are engaged. The first locking member has an engagement surface that contacts the pin when there is a force to separate the first and second locking members. The shape or inclination of these joint surfaces relative to the known movement path of the pin causes the first locking member and the pin to be substantially The interference prevents the pin from moving to the open position and therefore prevents the locking member from being removed. An independent unlocking mechanism is provided to move the pin to the open position and thereby permit the mechanism to be unlocked. According to a preferred embodiment disclosed in this patent, the first locking member includes a flange and the second locking member includes a member defining a recess to receive the flange. The pin is generally positioned in the storage space, and the flange includes a surface for moving the pin to an open position on its outer edge, and the hook-shaped portion has an engagement surface for engaging with the pin in a locked position. The patent also discloses a supposedly improved panel structure in which a panel is formed in a single molding process that encapsulates a core member in urethane, molds edge tongue and groove parts and Contains notches for accommodating the locking components, and sticks on the decorative and durable floor surface.

US Patent No. 5,157,890 entitled "Floor" discloses a floor covering system which is composed of individual panel assemblies that can be cooperatively joined to each other. The patent discloses that each panel is bordered by a frame edge member having two substantially parallel flanges and a substantially vertical web extending between the flanges. Between the upper flange and the lower flange on one side of the net, the frame edge members include a track for receiving a key block. The wedge block includes a substantially rectangular base with a wedge-shaped tongue extending therefrom. The base can be accommodated in the track of a frame edge member and the tongue is accommodated in the track of an adjacent frame edge member. The frame edge members may be chamfered to a desired length and the corners are tied together by a corner tie.

US Patent No. 5,179,812 entitled "Flooring Product" discloses a flooring product, which includes a wooden panel with an L-shaped surrounding member, and the base of the surrounding member is located under the wooden panel. The patent discloses the connection to the bottom of the panel The use of multiple parallel aluminum batten in the seat. The slats are said to include a groove. In practice, the patent discloses that two flooring products with similar joint arrangements are fixed together by positioning the surrounding member base of each product in the groove and elongated member of the other product. This type of connection cannot be undone unless one floor panel is tilted relative to the other.

US Patent No. 5,295,341 entitled "Snap-Together Flooring System" discloses a floor covering system, which has a base member with a top side, a bottom surface, and four outer edges at a distance along the outer circumference, and a tongue-and-groove connector An interlocking rib and groove are fixed to one outer edge, a grooved connector is fixed to the other outer edge by an interlocking rib and groove, and a tongue-and-groove connector has a direction that terminates at the rear lateral locking surface The front meeting compressible side wall, the grooved connector has a large internal opening and a small external opening. The side wall of the tongue in a compressed position is smaller than the outer opening of the groove to pass through the outer opening, but can be elastically expanded to be larger than the outer opening to lock a tongue and a groove. The patent discloses that it is preferable that the connectors are the base member and the recess attached to the outer edge by additional tongues and grooves, and are attached to the base member in the manufacturing plant during the manufacturing process.

US Patent No. 5,736,227 entitled "Laminated Wood Flooring Product and Wood Floor" discloses a flooring product, which includes a top decorative layer, a middle layer bonded to the top layer, and a bottom layer bonded to the middle layer. The top layer, the middle layer and the bottom layer are bonded together to define a laminated strip of wood flooring. A tongue and groove are formed on different side edges of the flooring sheet. The tongue and groove extend along the length of the floor plank, and are locked side by side with the adjacent floor plank to form a combined wooden floor. The bottom layer has Many small distances transverse to the length of the flooring sheet are divided roughly over the entire length of the flooring sheet. These nicks relieve stress and improve the elasticity of the wooden floor tiles to more closely adhere to the unevenness of the sub floor.

U.S. Patent No. 3,694,983 entitled "Pile of Plastic Tiles for Flooring and the Like Applications" discloses floor tiles, which are juxtaposed with a continuous, plain or multi-patterned carpet or a revetment of textiles, plastics or other materials. Suitable for construction. Each floor tile is fixed to a backing material of the same size but with protrusions along two adjacent edges of the floor tile to form an embedded strip. Each belt is provided with a member that allows the tie structures under the edges of both sides of adjacent floor tiles to be connected to each other in the buried state. The thickness of these structural parts is less than that of the backing material, so in the assembled state, there will be no extra thickness related to the normal backing thickness.

U.S. Patent No. 3,859,000 entitled "Road Construction and Panel for Making Same" discloses a road structure composed of a plurality of identical invertible polygonal panels. Each panel includes a plurality of single-piece frame members fixed together to define a polygonal structure, and each member has a substantially L-shaped protrusion extending therefrom. The protrusion is adapted to interlock with one of the same protrusions of a companion member. Each panel also has a pair of load plates fixed on the opposite side of its frame member.

US Patent No. 5,706,621 entitled "System for Joining Building Boards" discloses a system for laying and mechanically joining building panels (especially thin and hard raised floors). This patent discloses that adjacent joint edges of two panels are joined to each other to provide a first mechanical connection to lock the joint edges in a first direction perpendicular to the main plane of the panels. In each joint, the patent It is stated that a band and one joint edge are integrated or integrally formed and this band extends behind the other joint edge. The patent discloses that the strap has an upwardly protruding locking element that engages in a locking groove on the back side of the other joint edge to form a second connection. The panels are locked in a parallel to the main plane of the panels and orthogonal to the joint. In the second direction. Both the first and second mechanical connections allow the joined panels to be displaced relative to each other in the direction of the joint. The patent discloses that the strap is installed on the bottom surface of the panel in a manufacturing plant and extends over the entire edge of the joint. The patent discloses that the strap can be made of flexible elastic aluminum sheet and can be fixed mechanically, using glue or any other suitable means. The patent discloses that another option is that the strip can be integrally formed with the strip panel. According to the patent, "in any case, the strip 6 should be integrated with the panel 1, that is, it should not be installed on the strip panel in a layered manner. (at any rate, the strip 6 should be integrated with the panel 1, ie, it should not be mounted on the strip panel in connection with laying.)".

US Patent No. 5,860,266 entitled "Method for Joining Building Boards" discloses a method of laying and mechanically joining rectangular building panels arranged in parallel rows. The patent discloses the following steps: (a) Place a new panel close to one of the long sides of a first laid panel in a first row and a laid second row in an adjacent second row One of the short sides of the two panels makes the new panel in the second row while keeping the new panel at an angle relative to the main plane of the first panel, so that the new panel is relative to the second panel. The final longitudinal position of the panel is at a distance and the long side of the new panel is provided with a locking groove to be placed in contact with a locking strip on the adjacent long side of the first panel; (b) then the new panel Swing down to lock one of the strips of the first panel The fixing element is installed in a locking groove of the new panel, whereby the new panel and the first panel are mechanically connected to each other in a second direction with respect to the long sides connected accordingly, wherein the long sides (And the swing-down position of the new panel) mutually engage and thereby also mechanically lock together in a first direction; and (c) make one of the new panels relative to the first insert in its longitudinal direction The plate is translated toward a final longitudinal position and moved to one of the locking elements of one of the short sides of the new panel and the second panel is snapped into a locking groove of the other short side, whereby the new panel and the second panel The two panels are mechanically connected to each other in the first and second directions about the connected short sides. The patent states that the strip 6 protrudes horizontally from a panel and is installed on the bottom surface of the panel at the manufacturing plant and extends over the entire edge of the panel. The patent discloses that the strap 6 can be made of flexible and elastic aluminum sheet and can be fixed mechanically, using glue or any other suitable means. The patent discloses the use of other strip materials, such as other metal sheets, and aluminum or plastic blocks. Alternatively, the patent teaches that the strip 6 can be integrally formed with the strip panel. The patent states "In any case, the strip 6 should be integrated with the strip panel, that is, it should not be installed on the strip panel in a layered manner. (at any rate, the strip 6 should be integrated with a strip panel, i. e., it should not be mounted on the strip panel in connection with laying.)"

Japanese Patent Application No. 56-5347 entitled "A Method for Partially Recovering Floor Plates" discloses floor plates laid on a floor bed with tongue-and-groove joints and groove joints Join. The patent teaches to insert a saw blade into the gap A between the two side paving slabs of a floor slab to be replaced and cut off the tongue-and-groove joints. This cuts off the connection between the floor slabs and removes the floor slab to be replaced. The patent instructs to remove the tongue-and-groove joints remaining in the groove joints of the adjacent floor slabs afterwards. Cut off the original tongue-and-groove joint in the floor slab and reshape it into a groove joint. Figure 4 of the patent statement shows a new floor slab with shallow and wide slots formed in the deeper concave portions along both sides of the floor slab. The bottom of the concave portion collapses to retain a foamed synthetic resin. Then insert the new floor slab into the original position of the removed floor slab and in a state where the new floor slab is level with the adjacent floor slab. The foamed resin is foamed and hardened. The hardened foamed resin expands into the groove joint and forms a tongue-and-groove joint. The patent also states that the contact between the new floor slab and the floor foundation is fixed by an adhesive.

Japanese Patent Application No. 1-30691 entitled "Floor Plates" discloses a floor slab to be laid on a ground floor, which is characterized in that a wooden decorative sheet is laminated on the surface layer of a substrateTop into flakes. Flake. An engaging projection is formed on one side of the base material, while an engaging concave portion that can be engaged with the engaging projection is formed on the other end thereof, and an engaging concave portion that can engage with the engaging projection is formed on the On the end of the other side. The patent teaches that the floor plank includes a stop protrusion formed on one side of the engaging protrusion and one side of the engaging concave portion. And a stopper concave part matched with the stopper protrusion is formed on the other side of the engaging protrusion and the other side of the engaging recessed part.

The West German Patent (Patentschrift) No. 200949 discloses a four-sided paving panel in Figures 1 and 2. The two sides contain a toothed extension, which is shaped as When assembling, it is inserted under the groove part of the upper part of an adjacent panel.

West German Patent No. 1 534 278 discloses the combination of two adjacent structures in Figures 1 to 3, wherein the first structure includes a groove and a recess for receiving a corresponding adjacent structure to be connected to it. Tongue and teeth.

German Patent No. 25 02 992 discloses a floor panel, which is particularly suitable for making a temporary floor, for example, in a camping tent. The floor panel has a flat thread surface bent back to at least two edges, one of the edges has a special contour and the other edge has a matching anti-contour. The patent teaches that these curved sections are preferably on opposite sides, one is generally U-shaped with its outer struts and the resulting slot-shaped opening face and the reverse profile includes a strut at right angles to the threaded surface. The patent teaches that another option is to use these contours on all four sides of the panel. The patent discloses that the panel can be a plastic product and is formed as a single body, and the wavy protrusions under the panel are preferably made of a softer material. As shown in Figure 3, the panels are assembled together using a tongue-and-groove arrangement.

German Patent DE 3041781A1 discloses the internal connection of two panels, wherein the panels include a tongue and groove on one side and a groove on the other side to provide two inserts especially for constructing a skating rink or bowling alley. Interlocking connection between boards. This patent discloses that two parallel sides at the root of the tongue are provided with facing parts aligned with edges of equal thickness at right angles. The patent discloses that the groove has two parallel side walls at the beginning to allow the tongue and tongue side parts to resist. The patent discloses that the groove in this part is connected to a semi-trapezoidal recess or a full trapezoidal recess. The patent discloses that the tongue may be rounded on the side facing away from its acute-angled side.

German patent DE 35 44 845 A1 discloses a method for manufacturing The panels join the panels of solid wood panels of complementary contours. The longitudinal edges of the plates have a joint profile segment extending at an angle to the edge of the vertical plate. The application discloses that the joint profile has two parallel straight side-shifting upright sides connected at its inner end via straight lateral sides. The inward and upward side faces an acute angle with the board surface, and the other side forms an obtuse angle with the relevant board surface. The upright side and the horizontal side have an acute angle.

European Patent Application No. 0248127 entitled "A Table Top for a Motor Lorry" discloses a freight truck table top, which includes a plurality of planks fixed to at least two beams forming part of the freight truck chassis. The plates consist of extruded aluminum and are fixed to the chassis by interlocking clips and plates so that the plates do not move relative to each other.

Finnish Patent No. 843067 (World Patent/Sweden 83/00423) discloses a member for interconnecting adjacent panels, in which the edges of the panels to be connected include tongues and grooves. In addition, on either side of the tongue-and-groove joints of the two connected panels, a notch is formed in the panels for receiving a U-shaped metal clip member to keep the two panels together at the tongue-and-groove joint.

French Patent Application No. 2 697 275 discloses that a surface is generated from a rectangular slab placed on a flat horizontal surface. The application discloses that the thick plate body has shaped sections on all four sides and the thick plates can be mechanically joined by a number of ribs extending along the length of the thick plate and shaped to slide into a matching groove of the adjacent thick plates Together. Figure 2 seems to reveal a member 33 connecting two adjacent thick plates. As shown in the figure, the top surface of the member 33 constitutes a part of the top wear surface of the finished floor. This can also be seen in Figure 1, in which members 5 and 6 form part of the top wear surface.

Japanese Patent Application No. 54-65528 shows a special tongue-and-groove arrangement for interconnecting two adjacent panels in Figures 1 to 3.

French Patent Application No. 2 568 295 discloses a prefabricated flooring system, which includes a series of flat panels placed directly on the ground. The panels are, for example, made of a resin composite containing reinforcing materials or adding durable material particles (such as quartz or emery). The patent discloses that the panels have interlocking joints made in the form of protrusions and recesses on all edges, and the bottom surface of each panel is covered with a layer of non-decomposable porous flexible material that can compensate for irregularities on the ground.

British Patent Application No. 424,057 discloses a construction method of parquet floor, which includes the use of invertible rectangular blocks and each block has protruding flanges to form wedge-shaped grooves on all four sides, and each groove is on its side. The edge traverses the entire side. The patent teaches that when the grooves on the two sides of the same end point are below the opening surfaces of the grooves on the other two sides, the opening surfaces of the grooves on the other two sides are used, whereby a plurality of blocks can be stacked in a floor covering, each of which One block is locked on each side that is laid to be continuous with the side of the other block. The method is stated to also include the use of flanged connectors, which are used to join under the suspended flanges of two adjacent blocks when the laying direction needs to be changed.

British Patent No. 1,237,744 entitled "Improved Building Structure" discloses the first idea of a building structure composed of panels, the edges of which are composed of elements located in the plane of the building structure. The mouth connection and the second tongue-and-groove connection with the element perpendicular to the plane are joined.

The British Patent No. 1,430,423 titled "Joint Structure" is shown in the picture 1 and 2 disclose a special tongue and groove/notch and tooth joint structure for interconnecting plastic and metal materials.

British Patent Application No. 2 117 813A entitled "Pivotal Assembly for Simulated Wall Panels" discloses a joint assembly which includes a pair of strips by folding the panel skin and by the foamed insulating material inside the panel A dovetail joint is fixed to the edge of the corresponding panel. The application discloses that the connecting strips provide an arc-shaped tongue and groove. The groove strip has a partially cylindrical pivot body, so that one strip has to pivot a tongue into the groove relative to the other strip. The application discloses the provision of a locking strip inserted into a groove to lock the panels together.

British Patent Application No. 2 256 023A titled "Joint" discloses a joint between the joining side edges of two similar panels, one of which has a channel-shaped cross-section cavity open to the front and the other has a The rib facing the back side is used to be received in the cavity to restrict the separation of the panels to provide a predetermined expansion gap between adjacent side edges. The application reveals that the panels may be, for example, match-and-match panels used to construct doors. The application discloses a special tongue and groove/notch and tooth joint in the drawings.

Utlengningsskrift No. 157871 discloses in the drawing that two adjacent members are connected by a tongue-and-groove joint at the edge, and it includes a cavity formed in the panels at a distance from the joint for receiving a U-shaped member. The two panels are held together at the tongue-and-groove joint.

The Swedish Patent No. 7114900-9 discloses in FIGS. 1 to 3 a connecting member that uses connecting blocks 2, 5 and 9 to connect two adjacent members, wherein these blocks constitute part of the top wear surface. The application also reveals a U-shaped member used to install Insert on the back of the panel to keep the two panels together at the junction where the joint block exists.

The World Patent Application No. 84/02155 entitled "Device for Joining Together Building Boards, Such as Floor Boards" discloses a device for joining together building panels such as floor panels in an edge-to-edge surface manner. The application discloses a system in which the plates include a groove on the back side of each plate, the groove extending over the entire length of the plate parallel to the joining edge of the plate, and a substantially U-shaped spring device. Each foot of the device is adapted to engage a groove of a plate, and the prestress is applied so that the plate is firmly clamped between the edge surface and the edge surface after being engaged with the spring device.

West German Patent No. 200949 discloses interconnecting panels in Figures 1 to 6, wherein the panels include extended tongue-and-groove strips on two intersecting edges and an extended groove strip on the other intersecting edges.

The World Patent Application No. 93/13280 entitled "A Device for Joining Floor Boards" discloses a device for joining floor panels, which includes a long flat body with a shape suitable for connecting to each floor panel. Legs with longitudinal grooves. The supporting feet are shaped at a distance from the end of the flat body so that the flat body supports the plate on each side of the groove.

US Patent No. 3,538,665 entitled "Parquet Flooring" discloses an overhead parquet flooring, which includes a rectangular double-layered flooring unit composed of a parquet layer and a backing layer. The bottom surface of the backing layer is provided with edge recesses along the four sides of the unit, and a piece of backing layer material is embedded in the space formed by the edge recesses to bridge the joints between adjacent units. The patent discloses the backing The tensile elastic modulus of the layer material does not exceed 5000 kg/cm².

German Patent No. 26 16 077 A discloses a flanged connecting net for connecting plates lying flat on a supporting substrate. The patent application discloses that this arrangement is particularly suitable for connecting prefabricated parquet floor elements. The application discloses a flexible connection arrangement instead of rigid connections such as adhesives or nails. The application states that the system is advantageous by accepting expansion and contraction stresses to avoid rupture. It states that the connecting mesh prevents the edges of the plate from overlapping on the uneven substrate, and in use, the connecting mesh is installed in a tensioned state when the plate expands. When the panels shrink, the connecting mesh pulls the panels together and avoids the formation of gaps.

French Patent Application No. 1 293 043 discloses a four-sided floor tile in Figures 1 to 3, in which one set of intersection edges includes a tongue extending from it and the other two intersection edges include a groove with a floor tile bottom. Open sideways. Figures 4 to 6 show floor tiles with four sides, where the two intersection edges include a notch and a groove open toward the top side of the panel, and the other two intersection edges have a notch and a groove open toward the bottom of the panel.

Swedish Patent No. 8206934-5 discloses the joining of two panels, in which a tongue-and-groove arrangement is used. The figure also reveals that a U-shaped clip is inserted into the panel on either side of the joint to hold the two panels together at the joint.

The World Patent Application No. 97/47834 entitled "Floor Covering, Consisting of Hard Floor Panels and Methods for Manufacturing Such Floor Panels" discloses a floor covering composed of hard floor panels with at least two panels. The edges on the opposite side are provided with coupling parts that cooperate with each other. These coupling parts are roughly in the form of tongues and grooves, It is characterized in that these parts are equipped with integrated mechanical locking members. These locking members prevent the two coupled floor panels from separating into a direction perpendicular to the relevant edge and parallel to the bottom side of the coupled floor panel.

In view of the prior art, there is currently a need for paving panels that do not have a "handed" structure.

Summary of the invention

According to one embodiment, the present invention includes a detachable interconnected flooring system for forming a temporary or permanent flooring surface on top of a supporting structure with individual flooring panels. The system preferably includes two or more floor panels including a top wear surface and a bottom surface in contact with the support structure. According to this embodiment, the panels include at least three edges, all of which have the same grooves or cavities formed in them for receiving a protrusion from a connector. Preferably, the grooves or cavities extend substantially the entire length of the edge of the panel. The preferred connector includes a base and an extension extending perpendicularly from the base, at a distance from and substantially parallel to the base. The extension part is shaped to be received in at least one cavity of at least one panel in a detachable vertical connection manner.

According to a preferred embodiment, the preferred connector of the system of the present invention further includes an extension part shaped to be received in at least one groove or cavity of the panel in a detachable horizontal connection manner.

According to another embodiment of the present invention, the base of the novel connecting element has grooves or other recesses formed therein, and at least one panel edge is shaped to be received in the groove of the connecting element base in a detachable horizontal connection manner In grooves or cavities. The groove or cavity may be formed in the base or be a part of the above-mentioned extension. Department.

According to another embodiment of the present invention, an extension portion of the connector according to the present invention has a groove or a cavity formed therein, and at least one panel is shaped to be received in the extension portion groove in a detachable horizontal connection manner In grooves or other recesses.

According to another embodiment of the present invention, the distance from the connector base to the top or uppermost end of the connector extension, which is preferably tongue-and-groove, is smaller than the distance from the bottom surface of the panel to the top wear surface.

According to another embodiment of the present invention, a detachable interconnected flooring system is provided for forming a temporary or permanent flooring surface from individual flooring panels on top of a supporting structure. The system includes two or more floor panels, preferably laminates, and at least one elongated connector such as a track. The floor panels preferably have a top wear surface, an intermediate reinforcing matrix material, and a bottom surface in contact with a supporting floor structure. The panels preferably have four edges with the same grooves formed in them, and preferably all edges are used to receive a vertical extension of the track. The panels also have notches or other cavities such as channels formed in the bottom surface of the panels and are shaped to receive bumps, ridges or other protrusions from the connector. Preferably, the grooves and channels extend substantially the full length of the edge of the panel.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the connector preferably has a base with a single extension extending vertically therefrom and is shaped to be received in a groove or other cavity on the edge of the panel in a detachable vertical connection manner. Preferably, the lengths of the connector and the edge of the panel to be connected are not the same length but are substantially the same. Preferably, the extension portion extends over the entire length of the connector. The connector base has two bumps, ridges or two other protrusions from either side of the base and the single An extension extends vertically at a distance. The protrusions or ridges are shaped to be housed in the recesses or other recesses such as channels on the bottom surface of the panel in a detachable horizontal connection manner. Preferably, the protrusions or ridges extend substantially over the full length of the edge of the panel. When the panel is connected by the connector, the finished floor surface visible to the naked eye only includes the top abrasion surface of the panel.

According to another embodiment of the present invention, a vertical and horizontal interconnected flooring system is provided, which is used to form a flooring surface on top of a supporting surface. The system includes two or more individual floor panels, preferably laminated floor panels with a thickness, and at least one connecting track. The floor panels have a top wear surface and a bottom surface for contact with a supporting surface. The panels have at least three edges, and all edges have first identical recesses or grooves formed in them. The first recesses or grooves are shaped to receive a first connecting protrusion or flange from the track. The panels also have a second recess, such as a channel, located along the bottom surface of the panel and opening toward the ground or supporting surface to receive a second connecting protrusion or ridge from the track. According to this embodiment, the track has a base, a first connecting protrusion or flange, and a second connecting protrusion or ridge. The first connecting protrusion or flange is connected to the base and vertically extends a distance from the base and is shaped to be received in the first recess or groove of the panel to form a vertical connection between the panels. The second connecting protrusion or ridge is connected to the base and extends vertically from the base for a distance preferably shorter than the first protrusion and is shaped to be received in the second recess or channel of the panel for use in A horizontal connection is formed between the panels. According to this embodiment, the distance from the rail base to the uppermost vertical part of one of the first protrusions or flanges is smaller than the distance between the worn surface of the top of the panel and the bottom surface of the panel that is in contact with the supporting surface So that when the two panels are connected, the first and second connections form a floor covering only the top wear surface of the panels.

According to another embodiment of the present invention, a detachable decorative laminate flooring system is provided, which can be applied to an existing floor surface without using adhesives or other traditional fastening devices. The system includes multiple identical individual floor panels and connectors. Each floor panel has a top decorative wear surface and includes at least three edges, and each edge has the same receiver located within the edge, that is, each edge of each panel has the same structure. The connectors preferably include rails that are approximately the same length as the edge of the panel. The rails have a first protrusion and a second pair of protrusions extending perpendicularly therefrom. The first protrusion is shaped to be inserted into the receiver to detachably interconnect the individual floor panels vertically at the edges. The second pair of protrusions are shaped to be inserted into the receiver so that the individual floor panels are detachably interconnected horizontally at the edges. Preferably, the first protrusion and the second pair of protrusions extend substantially over the full length of the track. And according to this embodiment, when the panels are interconnected by connectors, the finished floor surface that is visible to the naked eye only includes the top decorative wear surface, that is, no part of the connector constitutes a part of the floor surface that is visible to the naked eye.

According to one embodiment, the present invention is directed to a detachable connector for vertically and horizontally interconnecting individual flooring panels to form a laminated flooring surface on top of a supporting structure. The connector preferably includes a base for contacting with the supporting structure. According to an embodiment, the base has a protrusion or extension extending perpendicularly from the base in a direction away from the supporting structure. The protrusion or extension has top and bottom parts composed of the same right half and left half, and each half preferably includes a tongue-and-groove extension or protrusion. The rim is substantially parallel to the base and extends a certain distance from the base. According to a particularly preferred embodiment, the base includes two additional protrusions or ridges extending perpendicularly therefrom as needed. The protrusions or ridges are at a distance from each other and are located on either side of the protrusion or extension.

According to another embodiment, the present invention is directed to individual flooring panels for forming a flooring surface on a supporting structure, the flooring surface being composed of horizontally and vertically detachably interconnected panels. According to this embodiment, the panels include a top surface, a bottom surface, and an edge between the top and bottom surfaces. The top surface includes a decorative wear surface. The edges include the same grooves and/or cavities extending substantially the entire length of the edges. The bottom surface includes the same channels formed therein and open toward the support structure or away from the top surface. The channels are parallel to the edges at a distance and preferably extend approximately the entire length of the edges.

According to one aspect of the present invention, a multi-directional laminated paving panel for building floors is proposed. The panel includes: a top surface, a bottom surface, and side edges extending between the top surface and the bottom surface, wherein The sides have the same groove profile.

According to another aspect of the present invention, a multi-directional laminate flooring system is proposed here, which includes: at least two panels, wherein each panel includes a top surface, a bottom surface, and a bottom surface extending between the top surface and the bottom surface. Side edges, wherein the side edges have the same concave contour; and a connector independent of the at least two panels and used to connect the at least two panels together to form a floor.

According to another aspect of the present invention, a multi-directional laminated paving panel is proposed. The panel includes: a top surface, a bottom surface and extending between the top surface and the bottom surface Each side has a groove and the bottom surface has a channel extending parallel to each groove.

According to another aspect of the present invention, a method for constructing a floor surface on a fur floor support is proposed. The method includes: placing a first panel on the fur floor support, wherein the first panel has a The top surface, a bottom surface, and side edges extending between the top surface and the bottom surface, each of which has a groove; a connector is matched with a groove of the first panel; a second panel is placed On the fur floor support; wherein the second panel has a top surface, a bottom surface and side edges extending between the top surface and the bottom surface, wherein each side edge has a groove; and the connector is connected to the first One of the two panels is mated in a groove, wherein the mated connector is below the top surfaces of the first and second panels.

According to another aspect of the present invention, a method for constructing a floor surface is proposed. The method includes: mating a connector with a groove of a first panel, wherein the first panel has a top surface, a bottom surface, and On the side edges extending between the top surface and the bottom surface, each side has a groove; a second panel is placed in the same plane as the first panel, wherein the second panel has a top surface, A bottom surface and side edges extending between the top surface and the bottom surface, wherein each side edge has a groove; and while the first and second panels are in the same plane, the connector and the second panel are at the same time A groove fit, wherein the mated connector is below the top surfaces of the first and second panels.

The present invention is directed to a unique and novel system for easily joining and disassembling a floor surface. The floor surface is preferably an "overhead" thin (less than 1 inch thick) laminated floor surface. The system is designed to eliminate the need for additional traditional structural components, such as nails, bolts, adhesives, tacks, staples, etc. No need. The system of the present invention can accomplish this task without special tools or floor laying experience. The system of the present invention achieves this advantage by using preferably identical joint panels with novel edges that are preferably identical, making assembly easy and flexible, even for novices. In addition, the system of the present invention proposes a single connecting member for all edges of the novel panel-which again makes assembly and disassembly work easier. More importantly, because at least two edges of the panel are formed with cavities during the manufacturing process, it is a decorative top that requires less reinforced intermediate matrix material to manufacture the panel, which saves resources and/or is wasted. The surface material is less, that is, there is no need to remove so many top wear surface parts in order to prepare the interconnection system of the present invention.

Another advantage of the present invention is that the panel can be oriented in any direction during the installation process without mechanically modifying an existing tongue or groove profile at the factory. These panels can be manufactured in a cost-effective manner (there is no tongue-and-groove profile to be machined). The amount of material (approximately 1/8 inch wide) required to mechanically generate the tongue and groove profile does not need to be turned off. As a result, the cost is greatly reduced due to the elimination of tool trimming required to manufacture the tongue and tongue contour. In addition, it creates an extra 1/8 inch of net sellable surface area. The material that used to be turned off to form a tongue-and-groove profile (approximately 1/8 inch wide) is now turned inward with a groove profile. The creation of a groove, as opposed to a tongue and tongue, creates additional surface area. Larger surface area yields greater benefits because there is a saleable surface area instead of being discarded.

The system of the present invention also eliminates the "seam swell" or "peaking" caused by the traditional tongue-and-groove system. When moisture (water) penetrates the seam from above the floor or reaches the seam from the underside of the floor panel, the outline of the seam will bulge. After explanation, the tongue and groove profile will increase in size and the groove profile will shrink in size Inch. As a result, the thickness of the entire panel changes in the joint area (increased thickness). The result is a "rise" that appears directly above the seam area. Since the present invention uses a connector with a flange for joining between the two panels, the flange is no longer made of moisture-absorbing material. Therefore, there is no longer the problem of tongue and tongue swelling after absorbing moisture, so that there is no more problem of "bulging" when using the system of the present invention.

The present invention can be better understood by reading the description of the following non-limiting embodiments and referring to the accompanying drawings, in which the same parts in each drawing are distinguished by the same reference signs, and are briefly described below: Figure 1 is An embodiment of the connector of the present invention; Figure 2 is an embodiment of the connector of the present invention; Figure 3 is an embodiment of the connector of the present invention; Figure 4 is an embodiment of the connector of the present invention; Figure 5 is an embodiment of the connector of the present invention Embodiment of the connector of the present invention; Fig. 6 is a preferred embodiment of the connector of the present invention; Fig. 7 is an embodiment of the connector of the present invention; Fig. 8 is an embodiment of the connector of the present invention; Embodiment of the connector of the present invention; Figure 10 is an embodiment of the connector of the present invention; Figure 11 is an embodiment of the connector of the present invention; Figure 12 is an embodiment of the connector of the present invention; Figure 13 is an embodiment of the connector of the present invention Example of the device; Figure 14 is a particularly preferred embodiment of the connector of the present invention (the scale is 9 times; 1.00=1 inch); Figure 15 is an isometric perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the connector of the present invention; Figure 16 is an embodiment of the connector of the present invention; Figure 17 is an embodiment of the connector of the present invention; Figure 18 is a preferred embodiment of a connector of the present invention and a preferred embodiment of a panel of the present invention; Figure 19A is a top view of a panel with truncated grooves in the backing layer; Figure 19B is an end view of the panel of Figure 19A; Figure 20A is a top view of a connector with an angular end; Figure 20B is an end view of the connector shown in Figure 20A; Figure 20C is an end view of the connector shown in Figures 20A and 20B Side view; Figure 21 is a top view of a partially assembled section of a floor covering including a square panel and a connector with an angular end; Figure 22 is a top view of a connector including a square and triangular panel and its angular end The top view of the partially assembled section of the floor covering; Figure 23 is a top view of the partially assembled section of the floor covering including rectangular panels, transverse connectors and longitudinal connectors; Figure 24A is a transverse connector The top view; Figure 24B is an end view of the transverse connector shown in Figure 24A; Figure 24C is a side view of the transverse connector shown in Figures 24A and 24B; Figure 25 is a combination of a transverse connector and two longitudinal connectors The side view, the figure shows the end view of the longitudinal connector; Figure 26A is a top view of a rectangular panel with a complete groove; Figure 26B is an end view of the panel shown in Figure 26A; and Figure 27 is a pre-view of a partially assembled floor system with hexagonal and triangular panels.

However, the drawings indicated here only depict typical embodiments of the present invention and therefore should not be regarded as limiting the scope of the present invention, because the present invention may permit other equivalent embodiments.

Detailed description of the invention

In a preferred embodiment, the system of the present invention is aimed at decorative laminated floor panels, squares, floor tiles, rectangular objects, etc., each of which has a top abrasion surface, an intermediate matrix or a reinforcing material under the top surface, And if necessary, a backing layer surface is attached to the intermediate matrix material for contact with the support or the existing floor or ground surface.

The top abrasion surface of the panel of the present invention preferably includes a decorative laminate or a laminate prepared by thermocompression consolidation. These panels have been produced and sold commercially for many years, and are widely recognized in the construction and furniture industries for countertops and tabletops, bathroom and kitchen countertops, wall inlays, partition walls and doors. These decorative laminates can be described as containing several thin layers that are consolidated to form a composite or unitary structure carrying a surface decoration. The surface decoration ranges from simple such as a single color to complex such as a embossed imitation. Wood texture finish.

More specifically, a decorative laminate suitable for the present invention generally includes a plurality of layers of synthetic resin-impregnated paper sheets that are consolidated or bonded together under heat and pressure to form a unitary structure. In general practice, the decorative laminate assembly consists of one or more paper sheets impregnated with phenolic resin from the bottom up. A piece of paper impregnated with melamine resin and/or an overlay (overlay) impregnated with melamine resin is placed on the finished core material. The core or substrate is used to impart rigidity to the laminate and usually includes a solid matrix, which may or may not be formed before the initial lamination step. Before stacking, the core material sheet is impregnated with a hydroalcoholic solution of phenol and formaldehyde or a formaldehyde precursor, dried and partially cured in a hot air oven, and finally cut into slices. Examples of such a substrate or core material include: (1) A plurality of pieces of kraft paper of 90 to 150 pounds per ream is thoroughly impregnated and bonded with a substantially fully cured phenolic resin that has been converted into heat during the initial lamination step. Solid state; (2) a pre-cured plastic material sheet such as glass fiber reinforced thermosetting polyester resin laminate or similar materials; (3) a wood product such as cardboard, fiberboard, waste wood, particle board or similar materials; (4) A mineral board such as cement asbestos board, schist, gypsum board or similar materials; (5) plastic impregnated board; (6) plastic/wood composite; (7) plastic composite; (8) closed cell amino group Acid ester foaming material, such as RIM foaming material; (9) urethane impregnated board; (10) a combination of the above substrates; or (11) any material suitable for performing the desired function of the substrate or core material.

The decorative sheet suitable for the panel of the present invention is generally used to give the laminate an attractive appearance, and also to give the panel its surface characteristics (that is, resistance to chemicals, heat, light, vibration, and abrasion) ). The decorative sheet is usually a high-quality 50 to 125 ream, pigment-filled, alpha cellulose paper, which is impregnated with a melamine-formaldehyde resin hydroalcoholic solution, dried and partially cured, and finally cut into slices. The decorative sheet may be a single color or may include a decorative design or pattern or a photo of natural materials such as wood, marble, leather, etc. As mentioned above, the decorative sheet and/or a cover sheet may be impregnated with melamine resin.

The decorative laminate suitable for the manufacture of the panel of the present invention is generally obtained by but not limited to: placing the resin-impregnated core material and the decorative sheet between the steel coating, steel or stainless steel pressing plates and The laminate stack is exposed to a temperature of about 150°F to about 500°F and a pressure of about 800 psig to about 1600 psig for a time sufficient to consolidate the laminate and cure the resin (approximately 25 Minutes to 1 hour). This causes the resin in the paper sheet to flow, solidify, and consolidate the sheet into a composite or unitary laminate block, which is called a high pressure decorative laminate (HPDL) in this art. It is necessary to stack multiple groups of combined sheets into a stack and separate each group with a release sheet that allows individual laminates to separate after consolidation, so that more than one laminate can be formed at a time. Finally, the decorative laminates are further processed and usually bonded to a reinforced substrate, such as high-density fiberboard, wood/plastic composites, wood, plywood, cardboard, asbestos board, particle board, cement, filled and unfilled Plastic, closed-cell rigid foam, or the like. If a cushioning effect is desired, the reinforced matrix may be composed of open-cell foam.

Decorative laminates suitable for the implementation of the present invention can also be obtained by placing resin-impregnated core materials and decorative sheets between steel-coated, steel or stainless steel press plates and subjecting the stack of laminate materials to about 150°F to The temperature of about 500°F and the pressure of less than about 800 psig to about 1600 psig is sufficient to consolidate the laminate and cure the resin. This causes the resin in the paper sheet to flow, solidify, and consolidate the sheet into a composite or one-element laminated block, which is referred to as a low pressure decorative laminate (LPDL) in this art.

In addition, according to one embodiment, the reinforcing matrix of the present invention can be made of any suitable extrudable thermoplastic, provided that it has the structural and mechanical properties required for the end use. In particular, it is preferable that the substrate has a compression set that is approximately the same as or better than that of conventional media or high-density fiberboard or particle board (the compression set is measured in accordance with ASTM F970, and the thickness reduction is used as the compressive stress A function). Preferably, the thickness reduction is at most 0.01 inches at 2000 psi, more preferably at most 0.005 inches, and most preferably at most 0.001 inches.

The reinforced matrix suitable for the embodiment of the present invention is likely to include one or more members selected from the following group: hard urethane (such as RIM foam), acryl-butadiene-styrene three Meta-copolymer (hereinafter referred to as ABS) resins such as flame-retardant ABS resin and glass-filled ABS resin; polycarbonate; impact-resistant polystyrene (HIPS), polystyrene, polyphenylene oxide (PPO), and polyvinyl chloride ( PVC). Preferably, the reinforced matrix is prepared from a mixed resin system containing but not limited to one or more of the polymers listed above. In addition, these polymers must be filled or unfilled, but from the standpoint of impact resistance and physical characteristics, filled polymers are the best. Preferred fillers include calcium carbonate, talc, silica, glass fiber, alumina, and wollastonite. Among them, calcium carbonate and wollastonite are more preferred, and calcium carbonate is most preferred. Non-limiting examples of reinforcing agents include high molecular weight inorganic or organic products, including glass microspheres, glass fibers, asbestos, boron fibers, carbon and graphite fibers, whiskers, quartz and silica fibers, and alumina fibers , Fused fiber materials and organic fibers. When these conventional raw materials are used, they are usually present in about 0.01 to about 50 weight percent of the total weight of the reinforced matrix member, preferably the total weight of the member It is about 1 to about 25 weight percent.

Additional optional layers can be inserted between the core member and the decorative surface member, on the back of the reinforced matrix member, or on the decorative surface member. It should be understood that the backing layer and/or the decorative layer may be extruded together with the reinforced matrix member, or may be applied by any suitable method after the extrusion step.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the panel is preferably water-repellent and most preferably substantially waterproof. Like the conventional floor panel, the panel of the present invention includes a decorative layer, a substrate, and a backing layer. The decoration layer and the backing layer are respectively adhered to the substrate in a conventional manner to form the panel of the present invention. According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the reinforced matrix material is a fiberboard, and the backing layer counts from bottom to top including a hydrophobic waterproof layer and three layers of phenolic resin impregnated kraft paper. Like the bottom resin impregnated layer of the decorative layer, the top resin impregnated layer of the backing layer is sanded to bond with the substrate. The hydrophobic waterproof layer can be a DYLARK compound. DYLARK is a styrene maleic anhydride copolymer manufactured by NOVA Chemicals, Inc. DYLARK has excellent adhesion properties to phenolic resin impregnated kraft paper. This excellent adhesion property is believed to be due to the carboxyl groups found on the maleic anhydride of the DYLARK copolymer. The carboxyl group is bound to the phenolic resin to produce a very stable laminate. Although DYLARK is a preferred material for the bottom layer of the backing, other polymers with equivalent functions and structures can be used without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Not only is it desirable to prevent moisture from penetrating the backing layer, but it is also desirable to maintain the original factory moisture content of the panel to prevent the panel from warping.

In addition, although phenolic resin impregnated kraft paper is used according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, other resin impregnated paper (or similar materials) can be used without departing from the spirit of the present invention. The resin impregnated layer is maintained in the backing layer to balance the common A resin impregnated layer that may be used with the backing layer in the decorative layer. In other words, the resin impregnated layer in the decorative layer and the backing layer also expand and contract due to temperature to maintain the roughly flat structure of the floor panel. If the backing layer does not contain a resin impregnated layer, the decorative panel will expand and contract at a different rate than the backing layer. This will cause the floor panel to warp in a way that is not what we want. Therefore, those skilled in the art should understand that the phenolic layer may be different to maintain a balanced relationship between the backing layer and the decorative layer.

As described above according to an embodiment of the present invention, the matrix is an acryl-butadiene-styrene terpolymer (ABS) foam material. The construction of the backing layer and the substrate creates a waterproof floor panel that is not susceptible to harmful environmental conditions that are common in certain environments. Specifically, the ABS matrix and the styrene maleic anhydride copolymer layer create a moisture barrier to protect the resin impregnated layer from adverse effects of moisture.

The above-mentioned floor panels are manufactured using techniques well known in this art. During the manufacturing process, the panel may be processed to form appropriate cavities in the edges, or it is preferably manufactured so that at least two edges are formed with cavities in the panel during the panel manufacturing process to reduce the need for manufacturing the panel. The amount of material. In addition, according to an embodiment of the present invention, the panel of the present invention can be manufactured by injection molding technology, in which all edges are formed in the process.

The connector of the present invention includes several embodiments. Referring now to Figures 1 to 18, where the same numbers are used to identify the components of the connector of the present invention, in these Figures the end views of various embodiments of the connector 1 are shown. The connector 1 includes a base 2 and an extension 15. The base 2 is a substantially flat part to be placed on the floor or surface to be covered by the combined rear panel and the connector. The extension 15 is a protrusion shaped like a "T", which has a vertical support 3 and two horizontal Flanges 4 and 5. The support 3 is the vertical part of the "T"-shaped body and the flanges 4 and 5 are the parts extending horizontally on the top of the "T"-shaped body. As shown in many exemplary embodiments, the connector 1 has ridges 6 and 7 extending perpendicularly from the base 2 near the end of the base 2 away from the center where the support 3 is attached to the base 2. In other embodiments, the connector 1 has dimples 8 and 9 on the upper surface of the base 2 adjacent to the two sides of the support 3. Some embodiments of the connector 1 have vertically extending protrusions 10 and 11 at the end ends of the flanges 4 and 5 of the T-shaped extension 15. In some embodiments, a groove 12 is formed in the top of the T-shaped extension 15 between the vertically extending protrusions 10 and 11. The embodiment of the connector 1 further includes notches 13 and 14 located in the bottom side of the base end of the flange 4 and 5 connected to the support 3. Preferably, the system of the present invention includes a connector 1 with a T-shaped extension and ridges 6 and 7, and the panels have recesses and channels so that the two panels can use the connector in a horizontal and vertical manner Removably interconnect without the use of glue or other adhesives.

It should be understood that FIGS. 1 to 18 are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention, but to provide exemplary embodiments of the components of the novel connector of the present invention including preferred embodiments. Of course, it is possible to use various combinations of different embodiments of the individual components of the connector, that is, to use non-limiting examples of different bases as shown in Figures 1, 2, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, etc. 2 Non-limiting examples of structure matching. As shown in Figures 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 16, 17, 18, etc., the different extension embodiments may not be shown in the drawings even if the exact combination structure is. Preferably, the height of the connector is less than 0.240 inches.

The connector of the present invention can be made of materials selected from the following groups: filled and unfilled plastics, rubber, wood composites, cement, metal, and The combination of the above. Preferably, when used with a better laminated floor panel, the connector of the present invention is made of metal or plastic. Depending on the material and size, the connector can be manufactured using techniques well known in the art. For example, the connector is preferably made of aluminum.

The panel of the present invention has cavities formed therein, and the cavities are shaped to receive a connector so that when the panels are connected, the top surface of the floor is visible to the naked eye and only the top wear surface, which is preferably a Decoration layer. The connector protrusion and the panel cavity are shaped so that when two panels are connected together by a connector of the present invention, the panels are connected together vertically, that is, if the two panels are connected at their edges, the two panels are connected together vertically. The edges of the facing panels will not move up or down (vertically) relative to each other, providing a smooth and uniform seam between the two. For example, in a preferred embodiment, once the panels are connected, they resist relative movement between the panels in a direction perpendicular to and perpendicular to the plane extending from the supporting surface.

In a plurality of preferred embodiments, in addition to the vertical connection, the panel and the connector are shaped to provide a horizontal connection at the edges between adjacent panels, that is, if the two panels are connected at their edges, the edges cannot Moving a few minutes to each other horizontally creates a gap between adjacent panels. For example, and according to one embodiment, once the panels are connected, they resist relative movement between the panels in a direction that is horizontal and parallel to the supporting surface.

The non-limiting embodiments of the connector of the present invention have been described above, and although the panel of the present invention is not shown, it must be planned to conform to the connectors, for example, to achieve the advantages of the present invention. It should be understood that as long as the advantages of the invention are achieved, the panels may be designed to provide a precise fit or an inaccurate fit with the connector. For example, in situations where a permanent structure is required, a permit The embodiment in which the space for glue accumulates between the panel and the connector may be appropriate. In addition, when using certain reinforced matrix materials, it may be undesirable that the panel and the connector fit together precisely, especially when a temporary structure is desired. For example, as long as the advantages of the present invention are achieved, in particular, a finished floor has only the top abrasion surface with flat and uniform seams visible to the naked eye, and some gaps between certain parts of the connector protrusions and the panel recesses can be tolerated.

The panel is constructed to be detachably interconnected with the connector of the present invention, that is, while the connector and the panel are firmly connected to perform a floor covering function, the panels can be lifted when necessary. Remove the panel and pull the panel away from the connector (disassemble the panel/connector interconnection relationship).

According to one embodiment, the panels of the present invention are constructed such that when they are connected together using a connector of the present invention, they always form a tight, uniform and flat seam between the panels. According to a preferred embodiment, the panels are constructed such that the depth of the cavity or channel in the bottom surface of each panel is always a distance from the top wear surface. As mentioned above, the cavities or channels are shaped to receive a protrusion (preferably a track) extending from the connector base to connect the two panels horizontally and detachably. Therefore, both panels are mounted on the connector at the interconnection. Therefore, even if the supporting structure or the ground layer is uneven or non-level, the seams are always tight, uniform and flat. Therefore, even if the panel thickness is changed, when the two panels are interconnected, the depth of the recess or channel in the bottom surface of each panel is shaped to a distance from the top wear surface to provide a uniform and flat seam. Therefore, the top wear surface of two adjacent panels will always be at the same height, that is, a certain distance from the bottom of the connector. Preferably, the thickness of the panel of the system of the present invention ranges from about 0.240 inches to about 0.320 inches. According to another In one embodiment, the panels are less than one inch thick.

The system of the present invention also provides panels that use substantially all of the top abrasion surface of the factory laminate, and therefore provides an economic advantage over most prior art systems. Using the system of the present invention, the amount of abrasion surface on the top of the panel that must be processed to remove the decorative top abrasion surface portion that has been made for payment is greatly reduced. Almost all ex-factory decorative top wear surfaces are sold to the end user-avoiding the waste experienced in the prior art system. As a result, the total saleable floor square feet produced by a single factory is increased and the cost is reduced.

In addition, the connector of the present invention is not fixed to the panel at the factory, so there is no need to apply adhesives or other structural components-again reducing material costs, labor costs and production time. In a preferred embodiment, the panel is manufactured by injection molding technology so that all necessary cavities are formed in it. In another preferred embodiment, where the middle reinforcing matrix of the panel is extruded, only two edges must be processed to form a cavity in it-the other two edges extending in the machine direction are formed during the extrusion process. The above two embodiments both provide additional saving effects due to the reduction in the amount of intermediate reinforcing matrix material used (that is, it will never be produced).

The system of the present invention also provides a panel that is less susceptible to damage than the conventional tongue-and-groove system. For example, the tongues and tongues of known panels are easily damaged during transportation, handling, and even assembly and disassembly. If a tongue is broken or deformed substantially, it will not be able to engage with the groove of an adjacent panel and thus becomes useless. The panel of the present invention does not contain tongues-it only has cavities or grooves formed in it. Even if it is not impossible, it is difficult to damage a cavity or groove during transportation, handling, assembly and disassembly. Therefore, the panel of the present invention is much more durable than many prior art panels. This pair is used for "raised floors" The surface and the use of panels for temporary flooring structures that will be removed and reassembled many times are a big advantage. The system of the present invention provides a connector (preferably made of metal) that is relatively robust, easy to replace, and inexpensive compared to the cost of a new panel. The system of the present invention greatly reduces the danger even if the risk of damaging a panel to the unusable level is not eliminated.

The flooring system of the present invention provides a flooring surface that is easy to repair and/or replace. The panel of the system of the present invention does not require a unidirectional placement sequence, so a damaged panel can be removed and replaced by removing adjacent panels in any direction first. Adjacent panels can be removed in a direction with the fewest panels to simplify removal and replacement procedures. The system of the present invention substantially shortens the time and deterioration of the removal and replacement of the panels. In addition, since the floor may be constructed in multiple directions, more than one person must simultaneously apply different parts of a single paving surface. According to an assembly procedure, the panel is laid on a central part of the floor space and the panel is added outward from the central part. This is particularly advantageous for the installation of large-scale floor surfaces such as stores.

The panel of the system of the present invention also provides higher aesthetic flexibility than the conventional technology panel. For example, because the panels are not right-oriented or left-oriented, that is, single-directional, but because each edge is the same, they are multi-directional, and each individual panel can be constructed in the most pleasing way and placed in a pavement. Within the surface. In addition, the panel of the system of the present invention takes into account the flexibility of the design and construction of the parquet floor surface. For example, it is known that a panel is usually manufactured with its texture arranged in the machine direction; however, because the panel of the present invention is multi-directional, the direction of the texture on the floor surface can be easily changed to form a parquet or It is a floor with any texture design.

The panel of the system of the present invention also reduces waste during floor construction. Using the panels of the present invention, that is, each panel is constructed with grooves on all edges, so that any panel part on a part of the end wall after the completion of the floor is likely to be used for the completion and the end wall The other part of the floor.

The panel of the system of the present invention is constructed such that when two panels are to be assembled together, there is no need to grasp one panel at an angle relative to the other panel and then press the new panel into position. The fact that the panels have to be placed on the same plane while pressing the two panels together and interconnected by force is difficult for paving due to various physical boundaries, such as the junction between a floor surface and a fireplace. Certain parts of the ground surface are very advantageous.

Referring now to FIG. 6, a preferred embodiment of the connector 1 of the present invention includes a base 2, an extension 15, and ridges 6 and 7 that are separated from both sides of the extension 15 and protrude perpendicularly from the base 2. The ridges 6 and 7 are preferably rounded on the top part as shown in the figure, and tapered, that is, their height decreases as one moves away from the center of the base 2 toward the end of the base. Therefore, the portion of the ridge closest to the center of the base 2 and the extension 15 extends vertically for the maximum distance.

A particularly preferred embodiment of the connector 1 of the system of the present invention is shown in FIG. 14. The scale in Figure 14 is 9 times the actual size. However, it should also be understood that although not shown in the figure, the base 2 of the connector 1 may be constructed such that it does not touch the supporting structure, that is, the connector is completely surrounded by two connecting panels.

19A and 19B, a top view and an end view of a square panel 20 are shown, respectively. The panel 20 has a top wear surface 21, an intermediate substrate 22 and a backing layer surface 23. In the illustrated embodiment, the panel 20 has four grooves 24 in the middle substrate 22 on the four sides of the panel 20. In addition, the panel 20 is on the surface of the backing layer There are four channels 25 in 23 parallel to the four sides of the panel 20 and a little distance from the latter.

In an alternative embodiment (not shown in the figure), two or more channels 25 are formed in the backing layer surface 23 adjacent to each side of the panel 20. Of course, in this embodiment, the connector 1 has two or more corresponding ridges (6 or 7) on each side thereof.

A connector shown in Figures 20A to 20C is used to connect the panels shown in Figures 19A and 19B. The top view, the end view and the side view of the connector 1 are shown respectively. The connector 1 has a base 2 and an extension 15 as previously described. The base 2 has two ridges 6 and 7 on the upper surface. The extension 15 has a support 3 and two flanges 4 and 5. The extension 15 has a slot 12 at its top. The end of the connector 1 is inclined at an angle of 45 degrees (see FIG. 20A) to produce the end face 16. Since the end faces 16 on the same end are all chamfered at an angle of 45 degrees, a 90-degree corner point is formed in the middle of the connector 1 at each end.

As shown in Fig. 21, one of the assembled blocks of the floor includes square panels 20 joined together by connectors 1. The end surfaces 16 of the two connectors 1 are placed in contact with each other, wherein the connectors are fixed on the adjacent sides of the single panel 20. An advantage of this structure is that the top wear surface of the panel 20 is completely supported by the connector 1, even at the corners where the connector 1 meets.

In an alternative embodiment, some panels 20 are made triangular. The triangular shape improves the decorative possibilities of the floor covering after assembly. One possible arrangement of the assembled floor section is shown in Figure 22. Of course, a different connector 1 is needed to connect the triangular panel. These connectors must have some end faces that are chamfered at an angle of 22.5 degrees and others are chamfered at an angle of 45 degrees.

In other embodiments, the panel has square, rectangular, triangular, pentagonal Shape, hexagon and octagonal appearance. According to the assembly system of the present invention, it is possible to assemble panels with these appearances, because the panel and the connector are assembled while the panel is lying flat on the floor support. For example, FIG. 27 shows a top view of the hexagonal panel 20 of the floor system after partial assembly. Although a connector is used to achieve the connection between the panels 20, the connector 1 is not shown in the figure for simplicity. The panel 20b is in a position to be connected with the panels 20f and 20g. Since the panels 20f and 20g have been combined, they are laid flat on the floor support. The panel 20b is connected by placing the panel 20b flat on the rugged floor and sliding the panel 20b toward the panels 20f and 20g. The contact with the panels 20f and 20g is achieved at the same time, and the panel 20b is snap-fitted and connected with the inter-panel connector (not shown in the figure). Similarly, the panel 20a shown in the figure is at the position to be connected to the panels 20c, 20d, and 20e. The panel 20a is placed on the rough floor adjacent to the other panels so as to be in the same plane as the other panels. The panel 20a is then slid toward the panels 20c, 20d, and 20e until it comes into contact with the panel at the same time.

Figure 18 best shows a panel/connector assembly. The panel 20 is connected to the connector 1 by "clamping" a flange 4, 5 of a connector 1 into a groove 24 of a panel 20. The initial contact is achieved by inserting the flanges 4, 5 into a groove 24. As the panel 20 and the connector 1 move further toward each other, the ridges 6 and 7 slide over the surface 23 of the panel backing layer. When the panel 20 and the connector 1 are completely moved together, the flanges 4, 5 fully extend into the groove 24 and the ridges 6, 7 "snap" into the channel 25. During the whole process, the base 2 of the connector 1 and the panel 20 are maintained approximately in the same plane. Since the connector 1 and the panel 20 are maintained in the same plane during the assembly process, it is possible to connect one panel to a plurality of other panels at the same time. This single-plane "snap-in" assembly process allows Various exterior panels as mentioned above can be used.

Referring to Fig. 23, there is shown another structure of the floor covering of the present invention including rectangular shaped panels. In this embodiment, the panel 20 is connected by two different connectors: a longitudinal connector 30 and a transverse connector 31. In an embodiment of the present invention, the longitudinal connector 30 is connected to several panels 20 and is therefore much longer in the longitudinal direction than any known panel. In another embodiment of the present invention, the longitudinal connector 30 and the panel 20 are approximately the same length in the longitudinal direction. The width of the transverse connector 31 and the panel 20 are approximately the same length. The transverse connector 31 extends orthogonally between two adjacent parallel longitudinal connectors 30. In the configuration shown in FIG. 23, each set of panels 20 extending between the ends in the longitudinal direction is offset from each set of adjacent panels extending between the ends in the longitudinal direction. Since the panels terminate at different positions on both sides of a particular longitudinal connector, this assembly is significantly stronger because the joints are more evenly distributed throughout the assembly. If the ends of all the panels are not staggered in each row, a "four corner" area weakness in the floor will occur where adjacent horizontal connectors 31 are connected to a single longitudinal connector 30. Moreover, for similar reasons, in some embodiments of the present invention, the ends of the longitudinal connectors 30 do not overlap with the longitudinal ends of the panels 20, so the connectors span at least two consecutive panels 20.

Referring to FIGS. 24A to 24C, a top view and a side view of a cross connector 31 are shown respectively. Similar to the previously described connector, this transverse connector 31 has a base 2 and an extension 15. The extension 15 includes a support 3 and flanges 4 and 5. The transverse connector 31 further includes ridges 6 and 7 located at two opposite ends of the base 2. An obvious feature of the transverse connector 31 is that the extension 15 is longer than the base 2. Therefore, the extension 15 extends beyond the base 2 at both ends. As shown in Figure 24C, in There are cutouts 32 and 33 at both ends of the extension part 15. The shapes and sizes of the notches 32 and 33 are negative images of the ridges 6 and 7 (negative images).

One of the horizontal connectors 31 assembled to the two longitudinal connectors 30 is shown in FIG. 25. The longitudinal connector 30 is viewed from the end and the transverse connector 31 is viewed from the side. The longitudinal connectors 30 are parallel and the transverse connectors 31 are positioned at right angles between the longitudinal connectors 30. A notch 32 of the transverse connector 31 is located directly above the ridge 7 of the longitudinal connector 30. As shown in the figure, the notch 33 of the transverse connector 31 is located directly above the ridge 6 on the left side of the longitudinal connector 30. As mentioned above, the extension 15 of the transverse connector 31 extends to a part of the base 2 of the longitudinal connector 30.

Referring to Figures 26A to 26B, a top view and an end view of a rectangular panel are shown. The panel 20 is particularly suitable for combination with the longitudinal and transverse connectors described in FIGS. 23-25. Similar to the previously described panel, this panel has a top wear surface 21, an intermediate substrate 22, and a backing layer surface 23. The panel 20 also has a groove 24 for mating with the flanges 4 and 5 of the connectors 30 and 31. The groove 24 extends around the entire circumference of the panel 20. The panel 20 also has four channels 25 extending parallel to the four sides of the panel. The channel 25 is cut or formed in the bottom of the panel 20 or the surface 23 of the backing layer. The channel 25 extends completely between the sides of the panels. The channel 25 of the panel 20 is adapted to cooperate with the ridges 6 and 7 of the longitudinal and transverse connectors 30 and 31.

Although the specific embodiments of the flooring system and its components described in detail in this specification with drawings and texts can fully achieve the objectives and advantages stated before, it should be understood that they are only exemplary descriptions of the preferred embodiments of the present invention and are not included in the In addition to the content stated in the scope of the patent application, the details of the structure or design described in this specification are not restrictive.

(Wilsonart Case 1062Pl. This paragraph of text is used to re-introduce the scope of the US patent application that was deleted when the patent scope of the European application was drafted.)

Another object of the present invention is a method of constructing a floor surface on a rugged floor support, the method comprising:

Placing a first panel on the rugged floor support, wherein the first panel has a top surface, a bottom surface, and sides extending between the top surface and the bottom surface, and each side has a groove;

Mating a connector with a groove of the first panel;

Placing a second panel on the rugged floor support, wherein the second panel has a top surface, a bottom surface, and side edges extending between the top surface and the bottom surface, each side having a groove; and

The connector is mated with a groove of the second panel, wherein the mated connector is below the top surfaces of the first and second panels.

According to the present invention, the method further includes the following steps: during the mating process of the first and second panels, the first and second panels are laid flat on the rugged floor support.

Another object of the present invention is a method, which includes:

Matching a connector with a groove of a first panel, wherein the first panel has a top surface, a bottom surface, and sides extending between the top surface and the bottom surface, and each side has a groove;

A second panel is placed in the same plane as the first panel, wherein the second panel has a top surface, a bottom surface, and side edges extending between the top surface and the bottom surface, each side having a Groove; and

While the first and second panels are in the same plane, the connector is mated with a groove of the second panel, wherein the mated connector is below the top surfaces of the first and second panels .

Another object of the present invention is a system in which each concave profile includes a groove.

Another object of the present invention is a system in which each recessed profile extends to and intersects with a recessed profile on the other side.

Another object of the present invention is a system that further includes a channel corresponding to the side of the panel in the bottom surface of each panel.

Another object of the present invention is a system in which a channel in the bottom surface of each panel extends substantially over the full length of the corresponding side.

Another object of the present invention is a system in which one channel in the bottom surface of each panel extends to and intersects with the other channel.

Another object of the present invention is a system in which one connector is a longitudinal connector.

Another object of the present invention is a system in which a connector is a transverse connector.

Another object of the present invention is a system, wherein each panel further includes an intermediate matrix between the top surface and the bottom surface, wherein the intermediate matrix includes a material selected from the following: medium density fiberboard, high density fiberboard, wood/ Plastic composite, wood, cement, unfilled plastic, filled plastic, closed-cell rigid foam, or a combination of the above.

Another object of the present invention is a multi-directional laminated paving panel, which includes a top surface, a bottom surface and side edges extending between the top surface and the bottom surface, wherein each side edge has a groove and the bottom surface has a A channel extending parallel to each groove.

Symbol description of main components

1. . . Connector

2. . . Base

3. . . supporting item

4. . . Flange

5. . . Flange

6. . . Ridge

7. . . Ridge

8. . . Pit

9. . . Pit

13. . . Notch

14. . . Notch

15. . . Extension

16. . . End face

20. . . Panel

20a. . . Panel

20b. . . Panel

20c. . . Panel

20d. . . Panel

20e. . . Panel

20f. . . Panel

20g. . . Panel

twenty one. . . Top wear surface

twenty two. . . Intermediate matrix

twenty three. . . Backing layer surface

twenty four. . . Groove

25. . . channel

30. . . Vertical connector

31. . . Cross connector

32. . . gap

33. . . gap