Group of floor panels

Abstract

The floor panel (1) comprises a female locking portion (11) having an upper retention protrusion (21) and a lower retention protrusion (22) in the male engagement portion (9) and a male locking portion (12) having an upper retention surface (17) and a lower retention surface (24) in the female engagement portion (10). Furthermore, the male engagement portion (9) of the floor panel (1) has a sealing edge (16) shaped at an outer side surface (6 ') thereof, in which, in the locked state, the sealing edge (16) of the male engagement portion (9), when engaged with the female engagement portion (10) of another floor panel (1), is pressed downwards with a fixed force into the upper retaining surface (17) of the male locking portion (12).

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a set of floor panels designed for watertight joints at the joints of adjacent panels. The present invention is applicable to floor panels made of solid wood, engineered wood floor panels, laminated wood based panels and floor panels made of plastic agglomerates.

[0002] Floor panels, especially those made of wood-based materials, are not resistant to changes in humidity and temperature. Changes in the microclimate cause the wood to expand or dry out, which causes the wood to change in size. The percentage change in the size of the individual wood layers of the floor panel is highly dependent on its fiber orientation. The types of wood commonly used in the production of floor panels only slightly change their size when exposed to moisture when the fiber orientation is longitudinal, while in the case of radial or tangential fiber orientation, significant changes may occur in the size of the wood due to increased moisture. In addition, the compressive strength of wood in the radial or tangential direction is about five times lower than that of wood with longitudinal fiber orientation. The high compressive strength in the longitudinal direction is associated with the increased brittleness of the wood, which leads to localized spalling damage to the wood fibers near the edges of the short sides in the floor panel when the wood expands. On the other hand, in the case of radial or tangential fiber orientation, the low compressive resistance combined with ductility may lead to plastic deformation known as edge grinding. In order to prevent damage to the panel due to the expansion of the wood when exposed to moisture, a suitable expansion gap is designed at the joint of the adjoining edges of the upper layer. Background Art

[0003] The penetration of moisture from the upper surface of the panel through the expansion gap and the joint towards the lower surface of the panel is a disadvantageous phenomenon, because moisture accumulated in the lower part of the floor panel may cause the absorbent layer to expand and thus cause disadvantageous stresses and resulting bulging of the panel. Even in the case of panels made of waterproof or non-absorbent plastic material, moisture penetration through the joint may lead to the occurrence of disadvantageous phenomena such as the growth of bacteria, fungi or mold in hard-to-reach areas of the joint or beneath the laid flooring.

[0004] The known snap-fit ​​joint of the floor panel set disclosed in WO0047841 comprises a vertical fixing assembly for locking the joined floor panels in a direction perpendicular to the upper surface of the panels and having engaging parts made as male and female engaging parts, the engaging parts being provided with concave and convex locking parts acting in the vertical direction. In addition to fulfilling the basic function of the snap-fit ​​joint, these locking parts also have inclined surfaces elastically pressed against each other, which in addition to their locking function can also fulfill the function of a sealing assembly designed to prevent moisture from penetrating from the upper part of the panel into the floor below the panel.

[0005] From WO03016654 a joint for rectangular floor panels is known, which comprises a longitudinal joint element parallel to an upper surface and protruding horizontally beyond the upper surface. The longitudinal joint element also has a receiving recess for engaging with a protrusion of an adjacent floor panel. The joined panels together form a horizontal fixing assembly and a vertical fixing assembly. In addition, the longitudinal joint element has a retaining surface at its end that is spaced apart from the retaining surface of the adjacent floor panel, thereby creating an expansion gap. In particular, in an alternative embodiment, the known floor panel joint has a vertical fixing assembly, which has a locking assembly using an additional elastic locking element with a circular cross-section, which can simultaneously achieve the function of preventing moisture from entering the lower area of ​​the joined panels.

[0006] In EP1971736B1, the joint of the floor panel is sealed with a sealant. The sealing device may also include a horizontally extending protrusion that engages in the open side groove. This sealing system in the form of a horizontal protrusion cooperating with a horizontal groove may additionally contain a sealant contained in the horizontal groove. The protrusion and the groove may also be arranged vertically and in this form constitute a hook-type sealing joint.

[0007] Also known from EP1412596B1 is a floor panel with a seal that prevents moisture from penetrating at the borders of joined panels. To ensure that the underlying layers of joined panels are protected, the protruding portion of the joint of one panel is pressed against the shape-matching opposing joint surface of an adjacent panel. Summary of the invention

[0008] The object of the present invention is to develop a set of floor panels in which the design of the latching means ensures easy joining, vertical and horizontal securing of the set of floor panels and improves the tightness and compactness of the joint.

[0009] In a set of floor panels according to the invention, the joined floor panels are in the form of rectangular plates and comprise:

[0010] - an upper surface and a lower surface parallel to the upper surface designed to be laid on a lower floor,

[0011] - two long edges of the side surfaces,

[0012] - two short edges of the side surfaces,

[0013] - complementary latching means, which are formed near the edges which engage each other,

[0014] - vertical fixing assembly,

[0015] - Horizontal fixing assembly.

[0016] The vertical fixing assembly is used to lock the joined floor panels in a direction perpendicular to the upper surface of the panels, and comprises an engaging portion made into a male engaging portion and a female engaging portion, the engaging portion having a concave locking portion and a convex locking portion acting in the vertical direction. The concave locking portion has an upper retaining protrusion and a lower retaining protrusion, and the convex locking portion has an upper retaining surface and a lower retaining surface.

[0017] In addition, in the locked state, the upper retaining projection of the female locking portion rests on the upper retaining surface of the male locking portion, and the lower retaining projection of the female locking portion rests on the lower retaining surface of the male locking portion.

[0018] The horizontal fixing assembly is used to lock the joined floor panels in a direction parallel to the upper surface of the panels, and includes a horizontally acting inner side surface of the male joining part, wherein the inner side surface rests against the inner retaining surface of the protruding joining element in the locked state, and the horizontal fixing assembly includes a horizontally acting outer side surface of the male joining part, wherein the outer side surface rests against the inner retaining surface of the female joining part in the locked state.

[0019] The solution according to the invention is characterized in that the male engaging part of the floor panel has a sealing edge formed at the outer side surface of the male engaging part, wherein, in the locked state, this sealing edge of the male engaging part is pressed downwards with a fixed force into the upper retaining surface of the male locking part when engaging with the female engaging part of the other floor panel.

[0020] Preferably, the sealing edge is formed on the upper retaining projection of the female locking part.

[0021] Preferably, the sealing edge is formed by an inclined upper outer surface of the guiding male engagement portion.

[0022] Preferably, the sealing edge has a rounding radius of less than 0.3 mm.

[0023] Preferably, the sealing edge has a rounding radius within 0.1 mm to 0.2 mm.

[0024] The present invention solves the problems associated with moisture penetration from the upper side of the floor panel through the joint assembly.

[0025] The shaping of the sealing edge on the outside of the male joint part of the floor panel allows to apply less force to achieve tightness of the joint part. With a relatively low thrust, a high pressure acting on the surface is achieved, resulting in a better seal preventing moisture from penetrating into the lower area of ​​the joint and below the lower surface of the panel.

[0026] Pressing the sealing edge with a predetermined force into the upper retaining surface of the male locking portion is intended to achieve a tight fit even if there are some imperfections in the linearity of the sealing edge or in the shape of the upper retaining surface of the male locking portion. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0027] The subject matter of the invention is illustrated in its embodiment in the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0028] Figure 1 The floor panel is shown in top view,

[0029] Figure 2 The floor panel is shown in cross section,

[0030] Figure 3 A set of floor panels is shown in a locked state.

[0031] Figure 4 Depicted Figure 3 An enlarged portion of a floor panel set showing the complementary latching means in a locked state,

[0032] Figure 5 depicts an enlarged detail showing a latching device in the form of a male engaging portion,

[0033] Figure 6 depicts an enlarged detail showing a latching device in the form of a female engaging portion,

[0034] Figure 7 An enlarged detail of the engagement between the female and male locking parts is shown in the locked state. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0035] Figure 1 The floor panel 1 shown in is in the form of a rectangular plate having a core made of polyvinyl chloride and chalk agglomerate. The upper surface 2 of the floor panel 1 is bounded by two long edges 3, 3' of side surfaces 4, 4' and two short edges 5, 5' of side surfaces 6, 6'.

[0036] like Figure 2 As shown in the figure, the floor panels have complementary latching means 7, 8, which are formed near the short edges 5, 5' that engage each other during assembly. These latching means 7, 8 lock the joined floor panels 1 in a direction perpendicular to the upper surface 2 and in a direction parallel to the upper surface or lower surface 2a after the male engagement part 9 is engaged with the female engagement part 10. For locking in the vertical direction, the male engagement part 9 has a vertically acting concave locking part 11, and the female engagement part 10 has a vertically acting convex locking part 12.

[0037] In order to lock the joined floor panels 1 in a direction parallel to the upper surface 2, the male engaging part 9 has a horizontally acting inner side surface 13 and a horizontally acting outer side surface 6', and the female engaging part 10 has an inner retaining surface 14 and a horizontally acting side surface 6, wherein the inner retaining surface 14 is formed on a protruding engaging element 15. In addition, a sealing edge 16 is formed at the boundary of the outer side surface 6' of the male engaging part 9 with the female locking part 11, which is intended to be pressed into the upper retaining surface 17 of the male locking part 12.

[0038] Figure 3 and Figure 4 A set of two identical floor panels 1 is shown in a locked state. In this state, the male engaging portion 9 is coupled to the female engaging portion 10 and the male locking portion 12 is inserted into the female locking portion 11. Stable locking of the joined panels 1 is achieved by vertical fixing components 18 in a direction perpendicular to the upper surface 2, by the female locking portion 11 and the male locking portion 12, and by horizontal fixing components 19 and 19a in a direction parallel to the upper surface 2, wherein said horizontal fixing components 19, 19a comprise an inner side surface 13 of the male engaging portion 9 in contact with the inner retaining surface 14 of the female engaging portion 10, and also comprise an outer side surface 6' of the male engaging portion 9 in contact with the side surface 6 of the female engaging portion 10. With this snap-fit ​​engagement of the floor panels 1, there is a linear thrust of the sealing edge 16 against the upper retaining surface 17 of the male locking portion 12. The small contact area between the sealing edge 16 and the upper retaining surface 17 results in a high pressure at this contact area and thus ensures an increased tightness of engagement.

[0039] like Figure 5 and Figure 6 As shown in , the latching device 8 is shaped like a downwardly facing protrusion in the form of a male engagement portion 9 and is dimensioned to fit the latching device 7 so as to snap fit to the female engagement portion 10 .

[0040] like Figure 5 As shown in the figure, the male engagement part 9 has a flat outer side surface 6' that transitions into an inclined upper outer guide surface 20, which forms a sealing edge 16 in an upper retaining projection 21 at the junction with the upper part of the female locking part 11. The lower part of the female locking part in the form of a lower retaining projection 22 transitions arched into an inclined lower outer guide surface 23, which transitions smoothly into the lower surface 2a of the male engagement part 9.

[0041] In the embodiment presented, in the case where the core of the panel is made of polyvinyl chloride and chalk agglomerates, the sealing edge 16 preferably has a rounding radius within 0.15 mm, with a tolerance of ±0.02 mm. This rounding radius of the sealing edge 16 can also be used with positive effect for floor panels made of solid wood, engineered wood floor panels, laminated wood-based panels and floor panels made of other plastic agglomerates. Considering the possibility of increased tightness of the floor panel joints, the size limit of the rounding radius of the sealing edge 16 should not exceed 0.3 mm.

[0042] The rounding of the sealing edge 16 slightly increases the contact area with the upper retaining surface 17 of the male locking part 12 and thus reduces the pressure with which the slightly rounded sealing edge 16 contacts the upper retaining surface 17. It is also possible to use a sharp sealing edge 16 without rounding it, the sharp sealing edge 16 being in a shape directly formed by milling the female locking part 11 and the adjacent upper outer guide surface 20. However, even a slight rounding of the sealing edge greatly increases the resistance to possible damage that may occur to the sealing edge during the floor laying phase.

[0043] like Figure 6 As shown in FIG. 1 , the female engagement portion 10 has a flat inner side surface 6 transitioning into a male locking portion 12 having an upper retaining surface 17 and a lower retaining surface 24. The lower retaining surface 24 transitions through an arcuate portion 25 into an undercut 26 of a lower seating surface 27, which in turn transitions through an arcuate portion 28 into the inner retaining surface 14 and further into an inner guide surface 29.

[0044] Figure 7 1 shows an enlarged detail of the engagement between the female locking part 11 and the male locking part 12 in the locked state. In this state, when the male engaging part 9 is engaged to the female engaging part, the male locking part 12 enters the female locking part 11. By this coupling, the upper retaining protrusion 21 of the female locking part 11 rests with its sealing edge 16 on the upper retaining surface 17 of the male locking part 12, and the lower retaining protrusion 22 of the female locking part 11 rests on the lower retaining surface 24 of the male locking part 12. Taking into account the elasticity of the core material of the floor panel 1, by selecting the dimensional tolerances of the female locking part 11 between the contact points with the male locking part 12, the pressure acting on these contact points can be determined. In the locked state, the sealing edge 16 also applies this force on the upper retaining surface 17 of the male locking part 12, thereby enhancing the tightness of the set of engaged floor panels 2.

[0045] Reference numerals list

[0046] 1 floor panel;

[0047] 2 upper surface;

[0048] 2a lower surface;

[0049] 3, 3' long edge;

[0050] 4, lateral surface of 4' long edge;

[0051] 5, 5' short edge;

[0052] 6, 6' side surface of the short edge;

[0053] 7, 8 latch device;

[0054] 9 male joint part;

[0055] 10 female engaging portion;

[0056] 11 concave locking portion;

[0057] 12 convex locking portion;

[0058] 13 inner surface;

[0059] 14 inner retaining surface;

[0060] 15 engagement element;

[0061] 16. Seal the edges;

[0062] 17 upper holding surface;

[0063] 18 vertical fixing assembly;

[0064] 19, 19a horizontal fixing assembly;

[0065] 20 upper outer guide surface;

[0066] 21 upper retaining protrusion;

[0067] 22 lower retaining protrusion;

[0068] 23 lower outer guide surface;

[0069] 24 keep the surface;

[0070] 25 arcuate portion;

[0071] 26 undercut;

[0072] 27 lower seating surface;

[0073] 28 arc-shaped portion;

[0074] 29 inner guide surface.

Claims

1. A set of floor panels, wherein: The joined floor panels (1) are in the form of rectangular plates, and the floor panels (1) comprise: - an upper surface (2) and a lower surface (2a) parallel to said upper surface (2) designed to be laid on a lower floor, - two long edges (3, 3') of the side surface (4, 4'), - two short edges (5, 5') of the side surface (6, 6'), - complementary latching means (7, 8) formed near the edges (3, 3'; 5, 5') engaging one another, - vertical fixing assembly (18), - horizontal fixing assembly (19, 19a), wherein the vertical fixing assembly (18) for locking the joined floor panels (1) in a direction perpendicular to the upper surface (2) of the panels (1) comprises a joining portion made as a male joining portion (9) and a female joining portion (10), the joining portion having a concave locking portion (11) and a convex locking portion (12) acting vertically, wherein the concave locking portion (11) has an upper retaining protrusion (21) and a lower retaining protrusion (22), and the convex locking portion (12) has an upper retaining surface (17) and a lower retaining surface (24), wherein, in a locked state, the upper retaining protrusion (21) of the concave locking portion (11) rests on the upper retaining surface (17) of the convex locking portion (12), and the lower retaining protrusion (22) of the concave locking portion (11) rests on the lower retaining surface (24) of the convex locking portion (12), Furthermore, the horizontal fixing assembly (19, 19a) for locking the joined floor panel (1) in a direction parallel to the upper surface (2) of the panel (1) comprises a horizontally acting inner side surface (13) of the male joining portion (9), wherein the inner side surface (13) rests against the inner retaining surface (14) of the protruding joining element (15) in the locked state, and the horizontal fixing assembly (19, 19a) comprises a horizontally acting outer side surface (6') of the male joining portion (9), wherein the outer side surface (6') rests against the inner retaining side surface (6) of the female joining portion (10) in the locked state, characterized in that the male joining portion (9) of the floor panel (1) has a sealing edge (16) formed at the outer side surface (6') of the male joining portion (9), Wherein, in the locked state, the sealing edge (16) of the male engaging portion (9) is pressed downwardly into the upper retaining surface (17) of the convex locking portion (12) with a fixed force when engaging with the female engaging portion (10) of another floor panel (1).

2. A set of floor panels according to claim 1, characterized in that The sealing edge (16) is formed on the upper retaining projection (21) of the female locking portion (11).

3. A set of floor panels according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that The sealing edge (16) is formed by an inclined upper outer guide surface (20) of the male engagement portion (9).

4. A set of floor panels according to claims 1 to 3, characterised in that The sealing edge (16) has a rounding radius of less than 0.3 mm.

5. A set of floor panels according to claim 4, characterised in that The sealing edge (16) has a rounding radius in the range of 0.1 mm to 0.2 mm.

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