METHOD, APPARATUS AND ROTATING CUTTING TOOLS FOR PROFILING EDGES OF A PANEL

Abstract

A method and apparatus for profiling edges of panels, includes using rotating cutting tools. The rotating cutting tools include a first group of teeth with a first form and a second group of teeth with a second, different form.

Claims

1.-60. (canceled)

61. A method for profiling edges of a panel, wherein the panel comprises a first interlocking profile on a first edge and a second interlocking profile on a second, opposite edge, which first and second interlocking profile are configured to cooperate and thus to realize mechanical interlocking between two such panels; wherein the first interlocking profile is configured in the form of a tongue; wherein the tongue comprises, on the upper side thereof, a vertically active interlocking surface and, on the underside thereof, an interlocking groove with a horizontally active interlocking surface; wherein the second interlocking profile is configured in the form of a groove; wherein the groove is bounded by an upper and lower lip; wherein the upper lip comprises, on the underside thereof, a vertically active interlocking surface that is configured to cooperate with the vertically active interlocking surface on the upper side of the tongue and thus to realize a vertical interlocking between two such panels; wherein the lower lip comprises, on the upper side thereof, an interlocking element with a horizontally active interlocking surface that is configured to cooperate with the horizontally active interlocking surface in the interlocking groove and thus to realize a horizontal interlocking; and wherein the method comprises at least the following steps: moving the panel into a feeding device with the first edge relative to a first tool device comprising a first and second rotating cutting tool and with the second edge relative to a second tool device comprising a third and fourth rotating cutting tool; forming a first and second, different subcontour of the tongue by means of the first and second rotating cutting tool, respectively, wherein the first subcontour comprises the horizontally active interlocking surface of the tongue and the second subcontour comprises the vertically active interlocking surface of the tongue; and forming a third and fourth, different subcontour of the groove by means of the third and fourth rotating cutting tool, respectively, wherein the third subcontour comprises the horizontally active interlocking surface of the groove nd the fourth subcontour comprises the vertically active interlocking surface of the groove; wherein at least one of the abovementioned rotating cutting tools comprises a first group of teeth with a first form and a second group of teeth with a second, different form, so that different parts of the contour of the respective interlocking profile are formed with the teeth of the first and second group.

62. The method in accordance with claim 61, wherein only a limited part of the respective subcontour is formed with the teeth of the second group.

63. The method in accordance with claim 61, wherein the entire respective subcontour is formed with the teeth of the first group.

64. The method in accordance with claim 61, wherein the respective interlocking surface is formed with the teeth of both the first and the second group.

65. The method in accordance with claim 61, wherein the at least one rotating cutting tool comprises at least three groups of teeth, each having at least two teeth, or each having four teeth.

66. The method in accordance with claim 61, wherein the at least one rotating cutting tool comprises a tooth sequence that repeats along at least a part of the circumference of the at least one rotating cutting tool, which tooth sequence comprises a tooth from both the first and the second group.

67. The method in accordance with claim 61, wherein the at least one rotating cutting tool is the first and/or the second rotating cutting tool.

68. The method in accordance with claim 61, wherein the at least one rotating cutting tool is the third and/or the fourth rotating cutting tool.

69. A method for profiling edges of a panel, wherein the panel comprises a first interlocking profile on a first edge and a second interlocking profile on a second, opposite edge, which first and second interlocking profile are configured to cooperate and thus to realize mechanical interlocking between two such panels; wherein the first interlocking profile is configured in the form of a tongue; wherein the tongue comprises, on the upper side thereof, a vertically active interlocking surface and, on the underside thereof, an interlocking groove with a horizontally active interlocking surface; wherein the second interlocking profile is configured in the form of a groove; wherein the groove is bounded by an upper and lower lip; wherein the upper lip comprises, on the underside thereof, a vertically active interlocking surface that is configured to cooperate with the vertically active interlocking surface on the upper side of the tongue and thus to realize a vertical interlocking between two such panels; wherein the lower lip comprises, on the upper side thereof, an interlocking element with a horizontally active interlocking surface that is configured to cooperate with the horizontally active interlocking surface in the interlocking groove and thus to realize a horizontal interlocking; and wherein the method comprises at least the following steps: moving the panel into a feeding device with the first edge relative to a first tool device comprising a first and second rotating cutting tool and with the second edge relative to a second tool device comprising a third and fourth rotating cutting tool; forming a first and second, different subcontour of the tongue by means of the first and second rotating cutting tool, respectively, wherein the first subcontour comprises the horizontally active interlocking surface of the tongue and the second subcontour comprises the vertically active interlocking surface of the tongue; and forming a third and fourth, different sub contour of the groove respectively by means of the third and fourth rotating cutting tool, wherein the third subcontour comprises the horizontally active interlocking surface of the groove and the fourth subcontour comprises the vertically active interlocking surface of the groove; wherein in the first interlocking profile, first the first and then the second subcontour are formed, and/or in the second interlocking profile, first the third and then the fourth subcontour are formed.

70. The method in accordance with claim 61, wherein the first rotating cutting tool forms the final contour of a first part of the underside of the tongue and the second rotating cutting tool forms the final contour of the upper side of the tongue and the final contour of a second part of the underside of the tongue.

71. The method in accordance with claim 61, wherein the third rotating cutting tool forms the final contour of a first part of the upper side of the lower lip and the fourth rotating cutting tool forms the final contour of the underside of the upper lip and the final contour of a second part of the upper side of the lower lip.

72. The method in accordance with one claim 61, wherein the final contour of the first interlocking profile is mainly formed by the first and second rotating cutting tool.

73. The method in accordance with claim 61 wherein the final contour of the second interlocking profile is mainly formed by the third and fourth rotating cutting tool.

74. The method in accordance with claim 61, wherein the first and second rotating cutting tool are arranged at different angles.

75. The method in accordance with claim 61, wherein the first, second, third and/or fourth rotating cutting tool is a rotating milling tool.

76. The method in accordance with claim 61, wherein the first and/or second tool device comprise a pre-treatment tool, by means of which at least a part of an abutment surface of the respective interlocking profile is formed.

77. The method in accordance with claim 76, wherein the pre-treatment tool is a rotating cutting or milling tool.

78. The method in accordance with claim 61, wherein the first and/or second tool device comprises a finishing tool, by means of which a bevel or chamfer is formed on the respective edge near the upper side of the panel.

79. The method in accordance with claim 78, wherein the finishing tool removes an amount of material, in addition to the forming of the bevel or chamfer.

80. The method in accordance with claim 61, wherein the panel comprises a core or core layer that comprises plastic material with an amount of filler of at least 40 percent by weight based on the total weight of plastic material.

Description

[0076] In order to better illustrate the characteristics of the different aspects of the invention, several preferred embodiments are described below as examples that are by no means limitative, with reference to the attached drawings, in which:

[0077] FIG. 1 shows a top view of a panel, more specifically a floor panel, wherein the edges of this panel are profiled by methods in accordance with the invention;

[0078] FIG. 2 shows an expanded cross-sectional view along line II-II in FIG. 1;

[0079] FIGS. 3 and 4 show how such panels can be coupled;

[0080] FIG. 5 shows a method and an apparatus in accordance with the invention, wherein this method and this apparatus are used for profiling the edges of the panel of FIG. 1;

[0081] FIGS. 6a, 6b and 6c show cross-sectional views on a larger scale of the way in which the cutting tools denoted by the reference symbols F6a, F6b and F6c act on the edges of the panel; and

[0082] FIGS. 7 to 10 each show one tooth of the three groups of teeth from which the rotating cutting tools denoted by the reference symbols F7 to F10 are constructed, wherein the teeth 32-34, the teeth 35-37, the teeth 38-40 and the teeth 41-43 each form a tooth sequence that repeats along the circumference of the respective rotating cutting tool, in particular four times, so that each of the respective rotating cutting tools comprises twelve teeth.

[0083] The figures illustrate—as an example of the different aspects of the invention—a method and an apparatus for profiling edges of a panel. The panel (1) comprises a first interlocking profile (6) on a first edge (2) and a second interlocking profile (7) on a second, opposite edge (3). The first and second interlocking profile (6-7) are configured to cooperate and thus to realize mechanical interlocking between two such panels (1). The first interlocking profile (6) is configured in the form of a tongue (8). The tongue (8) comprises, on the upper side thereof, a vertically active interlocking surface (9) and, on the underside thereof, an interlocking groove (10) with a horizontally active interlocking surface (11). The second interlocking profile (7) is configured in the form of a groove (12). The groove (12) is bounded by an upper and lower lip (13-14). The upper lip (13) comprises, on the underside thereof, a vertically active interlocking surface (15) that is configured to cooperate with the vertically active interlocking surface (9) on the upper side of the tongue (8) and thus to realize a vertical interlocking between two such panels. The lower lip (14) comprises, on the upper side thereof, an interlocking element (16) with a horizontally active interlocking surface (17) that is configured to cooperate with the horizontally active interlocking surface (11) in the interlocking groove (10) and thus to realize a horizontal interlocking. The method comprises at least the following steps:

moving the panel (1) into a feeding device (FD) with the first edge (2) relative to a first tool device (18) comprising a first and second rotating cutting tool (20-21) and with the second edge (3) relative to a second tool device (23) comprising a third and fourth rotating cutting tool (25-26); forming a first and second, different subcontour (28-29) of the tongue (8) respectively by means of the first and second rotating cutting tool (20-21), wherein the first subcontour (28) comprises the horizontally active interlocking surface (11) of the tongue (8) and the second subcontour (29) comprises the vertically active interlocking surface (9) of the tongue (8); and
forming a third and fourth, different subcontour (30-31) of the groove (12) respectively by means of the third and fourth rotating cutting tool (25-26), wherein the third subcontour (30) comprises the horizontally active interlocking surface (17) of the groove (12) and the fourth subcontour (31) comprises the vertically active interlocking surface (15) of the groove (12).

[0084] At least one of the abovementioned rotating cutting tools (20-21, 25-26) comprises a first group of teeth (32, 35, 38, 41) with a first form and a second group of teeth (33, 36, 39, 43) with a second, different form, so that different parts of the contour of the respective interlocking profile are formed with the teeth of the first and second group.

[0085] The respective interlocking surface is formed with the teeth of both the first and the second group (32, 33, 35, 36, 38, 39, 41, 43).

[0086] The at least one rotating cutting tool comprises at least three groups of teeth (32-43) each having at least two teeth, and preferably each having four teeth.

[0087] The first and second rotating cutting tool are arranged at different angles. The third and the fourth rotating cutting tool are arranged at different angles.

[0088] The first, second, third and/or fourth rotating cutting tool are rotating milling tools.

[0089] The first and the second tool device comprise pre-treatment tools (19, 24), by means of which at least a part of an abutment surface (50, 51) of the respective interlocking profile (6, 7) is formed. The pre-treatment tools (19, 24) are rotating milling tools.

[0090] The first and the second tool device comprise finishing tools (22, 27), by means of which a chamfer is formed on the respective edge near the upper side of the panel. In the example, the finishing tools (22, 27) remove an amount of material in addition to forming the chamfer. The finishing tools (22, 27) are rotating milling tools.

[0091] The present invention is by no means limited to the above-described embodiments, but such methods, apparatuses and cutting tools can be realized in accordance with different variants without departing from the scope of the present invention.