PANEL COMPRISING COUPLING PARTS

Abstract

A panel, which is rectangular and has long and short edges, includes a coupling part on each long edge and on each short edge, which allows coupling of the panel to another such panel.

Claims

1-35. (canceled)

36. A panel which is rectangular and has a first pair of opposite edges and a second pair of opposite edges, wherein the panel has a top surface, wherein, on each edge of the first pair of opposite edges and on each edge of the second pair of opposite edges, the panel comprises a coupling part which allows coupling of the panel to another such panel; the coupling part on the first edge of the first pair of opposite edges has a tongue and a downwardly directed locking groove; the coupling part on the second edge of the first pair of opposite edges comprises a groove and a locking lip; wherein the locking lip delimits the respective groove along the bottom and wherein the locking lip comprises an upwardly directed locking element; wherein the tongue is configured to cooperate with the groove on the second edge of the first pair of opposite edges of another such panel in order to achieve a vertical interlocking between the respective edges; and wherein the downwardly directed locking groove is configured to cooperate with the upwardly directed locking element on the second edge of the first pair of opposite edges of another such panel in order to achieve a horizontal interlocking between the respective edges; wherein the upwardly directed locking element of the locking lip has two oblique locking surfaces separated by a face which makes a smaller angle with the top surface of the panel than the two oblique locking surfaces; in that the downwardly directed locking groove has two oblique locking surfaces separated by a face which makes a smaller angle with the top surface of the panel than the two oblique locking surfaces; and in that the oblique locking surfaces of the downwardly directed locking groove are configured to form an interlocking in a horizontal direction together with the oblique locking surfaces of the upwardly directed locking element of the locking lip of another such panel.

37. The panel in accordance with claim 36, wherein the face of the locking lip which makes a smaller angle with the top surface of the panel than the two oblique locking surfaces of the locking lip runs parallel to the top surface of the panel and/or wherein the face of the downwardly directed locking groove which makes a smaller angle with the top surface of the panel than the two oblique locking surfaces of the downwardly directed locking groove runs parallel to the top surface of the panel.

38. The panel in accordance with claim 36, wherein, in the coupled position of two such panels, the face of the locking lip which makes a smaller angle with the top surface of the panel than the two oblique locking surfaces of the locking lip makes contact with the face of the downwardly directed locking groove which makes a smaller angle with the top surface of the panel than the two oblique locking surfaces of the downwardly directed locking groove.

39. The panel in accordance with claim 36, wherein the surface of the face of the locking lip which makes a smaller angle with the top surface of the panel than the two oblique locking surfaces of the locking lip is greater than the surface of each of the two oblique locking surfaces of the locking lip and/or wherein the surface of the face of the downwardly directed locking groove which makes a smaller angle with the top surface of the panel than the two oblique locking surfaces of the downwardly directed locking groove is greater than the surface of each of the two oblique locking surfaces of the downwardly directed locking groove.

40. The panel in accordance with claim 36, wherein the surface of the face of the locking lip which makes a smaller angle with the top surface of the panel than the two oblique locking surfaces of the locking lip is greater than the sum of the surfaces of the two oblique locking surfaces of the locking lip and/or wherein the surface of the face of the downwardly directed locking groove which makes a smaller angle with the top surface of the panel than the two oblique locking surfaces of the downwardly directed locking groove is greater than the sum of the surfaces of the two oblique locking surfaces of the downwardly directed locking groove.

41. The panel in accordance with claim 36, wherein the surface of the oblique locking surface of the locking lip positioned closest to the top surface of the panel is smaller than the surface of the oblique locking surface of the locking lip which is furthest from the top surface of the panel and/or wherein the surface of the oblique locking surface of the downwardly directed locking groove positioned closest to the top surface of the panel is smaller than the surface of the oblique locking surface of the downwardly directed locking groove which is furthest from the top surface of the panel.

42. The panel in accordance with claim 36, wherein the angles of each of the two oblique locking surfaces of the locking lip with the face at right angles to the panel and parallel to the edge of the panel are equal and/or wherein the angles of each of the two oblique locking surfaces of the downwardly directed locking groove with the face at right angles to the panel and parallel to the edge of the panel are equal.

43. The panel in accordance with claim 36, wherein the angles of one or more oblique locking surfaces of the locking lip and/or of the downwardly directed locking groove with the face at right angles to the panel and parallel to the edge of the panel is smaller than 30°.

44. The panel in accordance with claim 36, wherein the first edge of the first pair of opposite edges has a first substantially vertical contact face; the second edge of the first pair of opposite edges has a second substantially vertical contact face; in the coupled position of the first edge of the first pair of opposite edges of the panel and the second edge of the first pair of opposite edges of another such panel, the first substantially vertical contact face of the panel makes contact with the second substantially vertical contact face of the other such panel; the tongue extends further away from the first edge of the panel than the position of the first substantially vertical contact face.

45. The panel in accordance with claim 36, wherein the first edge of the first pair of opposite edges contains a first substantially vertical contact face; the second edge of the first pair of opposite edges has a second substantially vertical contact face; in the coupled position of the first edge of the first pair of opposite edges of the panel and the second edge of the first pair of opposite edges of another such panel, the first substantially vertical contact face of the panel makes contact with the second substantially vertical contact face of the other such panel; the groove extends further inwards into the panel than the position of the second substantially vertical contact face.

46. The panel in accordance with claim 36, wherein, in the coupled position of two such panels, the oblique locking surfaces of the locking lip press against the oblique locking surfaces of the downwardly directed locking groove as a result of a bending stress in the locking lip.

47. The panel, optionally in accordance with claim 36, which is rectangular and has a first pair of opposite edges and a second pair of opposite edges, wherein the panel has a top surface, wherein, on each edge of the first pair of opposite edges and on each edge of the second pair of opposite edges, the panel comprises a coupling part which allows coupling of the panel to another such panel; the coupling part on the first edge of the first pair of opposite edges has a tongue and a downwardly directed locking groove; the coupling part on the second edge of the first pair of opposite edges comprises a groove and a locking lip; wherein the locking lip delimits the respective groove along the bottom and wherein the locking lip comprises an upwardly directed locking element; wherein the tongue is configured to cooperate with the groove on the second edge of the first pair of opposite edges of another such panel in order to achieve a vertical interlocking between the respective edges; and wherein the downwardly directed locking groove is configured to cooperate with the upwardly directed locking element on the second edge of the first pair of opposite edges of another such panel in order to achieve a horizontal interlocking between the respective edges; wherein the first edge of the first pair of opposite edges has a first substantially vertical contact face; the second edge of the first pair of opposite edges has a second substantially vertical contact face; in the coupled position of the first edge of the first pair of opposite edges of the panel and the second edge of the first pair of opposite edges of another such panel, the first substantially vertical contact face of the panel makes contact with the second substantially vertical contact face of the other such panel; the coupling part of the second edge has a nose situated under the second substantially vertical contact face, wherein the nose projects further from the second edge than the second substantially vertical contact face; the coupling part of the first edge has an undercut under the first substantially vertical contact face; wherein the nose is configured to cooperate with the undercut on the first edge of another such panel in order to achieve a vertical interlocking between the respective edges.

48. The panel in accordance with claim 47, wherein the underside of the undercut is at least partly and completely defined by at least a part of the top side of the tongue.

49. The panel in accordance with claim 47, wherein the nose is configured to cooperate with the undercut and the tongue of the first edge of the first pair of opposite edges of another such panel in order to achieve a vertical interlocking between the respective edges.

50. The panel in accordance with claim 47, wherein, in coupled position of the first edge of the panel and the second edge of another such panel, the top side of the nose of the other such panel makes contact with the underside of the undercut of the first edge of the panel; and the underside of the nose of the other such panel makes contact with the top side of the tongue of the first edge of the panel, resulting in a vertical interlocking of the two coupled edges.

51. The panel in accordance with claim 47, wherein the absolute value of the angle of the top part of the nose with the top surface of the panel is greater than the angle of the bottom part of the nose with the top surface of the panel.

52. The panel in accordance with claim 47, wherein the top side of the nose makes a positive angle with the top surface of the panel, this positive angle being between 30° and 60° and/or wherein the underside of the nose makes a negative angle with the top surface of the panel, the absolute value of this negative angle being between 0° and 15° and/or wherein the top side of the undercut makes a positive angle with the top surface of the panel, this positive angle being between 30° and 60°.

53. The panel in accordance with claim 47, wherein, in the coupled position of the first edge and the second edge of a such panel, there is an open space in a horizontal direction, between the most distal part of the nose and the undercut.

54. The panel in accordance with claim 47, wherein the locking lip projects further from the second edge of the panel than the nose.

55. The panel, optionally in accordance with claim 47, which is rectangular and has a first pair of opposite edges and a second pair of opposite edges, wherein the panel has a top surface, wherein, on each edge of the first pair of opposite edges and on each edge of the second pair of opposite edges, the panel comprises a coupling part which allows coupling of the panel to another such panel; the coupling part on the first edge of the first pair of opposite edges has a tongue and a downwardly directed locking groove; the coupling part on the second edge of the first pair of opposite edges comprises a groove and a locking lip; wherein the locking lip delimits the respective groove along the bottom and wherein the locking lip comprises an upwardly directed locking element; wherein the tongue is configured to cooperate with the groove on the second edge of the first pair of opposite edges of another such panel in order to achieve a vertical interlocking between the respective edges; and wherein the downwardly directed locking groove is configured to cooperate with the upwardly directed locking element on the second edge of the first pair of opposite edges of another such panel in order to achieve a horizontal interlocking between the respective edges; wherein, in the coupled position of the first edge of the panel and the second edge of another such panel; the contact face with the groove on the underside of the tongue projects further from the first edge than the contact face with the groove on the top side of the tongue.

Description

[0063] With a view to giving a more detailed description of the features of the invention, several preferred embodiments are described below by way of non-limiting example with reference to the attached drawings, in which:

[0064] FIG. 1 diagrammatically and in perspective shows a floor covering, wherein the floor covering consists of floor panels according to the invention;

[0065] FIG. 2 shows the component from FIG. 1 denoted as F2 on an enlarged scale;

[0066] FIG. 3 shows a top view of a floor panel of the floor covering from FIGS. 1 and 2;

[0067] FIG. 4 shows a cross section along line Iv-Iv in FIG. 3;

[0068] FIGS. 5 and 6 show details of the cross section of the coupling parts; and

[0069] FIG. 7 shows a cross section of two panels of the floor covering from FIG. 1 coupled along their long edges.

[0070] As is illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, the invention relates to rectangular decorative floor panels (1) for forming a floor covering, which floor panels (1) have a first pair of opposite edges (2-3) and a second pair of opposite edges (4-5). The floor panels have a thickness of, for example, 5 mm. FIG. 3 shows a top view of a floor panel of the floor covering from FIGS. 1 and 2. FIG. 4 shows a cross section along line IV-IV in FIG. 3. FIG. 7 shows a cross section of two panels of the floor covering from FIG. 1 coupled along their long edges.

[0071] The edges of the illustrated floor panels (1) from the example are configured in such a way that they are couplable to each other according to the so-called fold-down principle, which is a principle which is well-known per se and which makes it possible to couple such floor panels (1) to each other on the first pair of edges (2-3) via a rotating movement R and on the second pair of edges (4-5) via a downward movement M, wherein the downward movement M is the result of the rotating movement R and thus takes place substantially at the same time. In this case, the edges (2-3) and (4-5) of the floor panels 1 are also configured in such a way that eventually an interlocking in a vertical direction V and in a horizontal direction H, the latter at right angles to the respective edges, is effected.

[0072] As is illustrated in the figures, such a floor panel 1 is to this end provided with coupling parts (7-8) on its first pair of edges (2-3), whereas coupling parts (9-10) are also provided on the second pair of edges. These coupling parts (7-8, 9-10) are made in one piece with and from the same material as the actual panel (1).The coupling parts of the first pair of edges are described in more detail below with reference to FIGS. 4 to 7.

[0073] The panels have a top surface (16). The coupling part (7) on the first edge (2) of the first pair of opposite edges has a tongue (11) and a downwardly directed locking groove (12). The coupling part (8) on the second edge (3) of the first pair of opposite edges comprises a groove (13) and a locking lip (14). The locking lip (14) delimits the respective groove (13) along the bottom; the locking lip (14) comprises an upwardly directed locking element (19). The tongue (11) is configured to cooperate with the groove (13) on the second edge (3) of the first pair of opposite edges of another such panel (1) in order to achieve a vertical interlocking between the respective edges (2-3). The downwardly directed locking groove (12) is configured to cooperate with the upwardly directed locking element (19) on the second edge (3) of the first pair of opposite edges of another such panel (1) in order to achieve a horizontal interlocking between the respective edges. The upwardly directed locking element (19) of the locking lip (14) has two oblique locking surfaces (70, 72) separated by a face (71) which makes a smaller angle with the top surface (16) of the panel than the two oblique locking surfaces (70, 72).

[0074] The face (71) of the locking lip (14) which makes a smaller angle with the top surface (16) of the panel than the two oblique locking surfaces (70, 72) of the locking lip (14) runs parallel to the top surface (16) of the panel. The surface of the face (71) of the locking lip (14) which makes a smaller angle with the top surface (16) of the panel than the two oblique locking surfaces (70, 72) of the locking lip (14) is greater than the sum of the surfaces of the two oblique locking surfaces (70, 72) of the locking lip (14). The surface of the oblique locking surface (72) of the locking lip (14) positioned closest to the top surface (16) of the panel (1) is smaller than the surface of the oblique locking surface (70) of the locking lip (14) which is furthest from the top surface (16) of the panel.

[0075] The angles (α1, α2) of each of the two oblique locking surfaces (70, 72) of the locking lip (14) with the face at right angles to the panel and parallel to the edge of the panel are equal.

[0076] The downwardly directed locking groove (12) has two oblique locking surfaces (73, 75) separated by a face (74) which makes a smaller angle with the top surface (16) of the panel than the two oblique locking surfaces (73, 75). The face (74) of the downwardly directed locking groove (12) which makes a smaller angle with the top surface (16) of the panel than the two oblique locking surfaces (73, 75) of the downwardly directed locking groove (12) runs parallel to the top surface (16) of the panel. The surface of the face (74) of the downwardly directed locking groove (12) which makes a smaller angle with the top surface (16) of the panel than the two oblique locking surfaces (73, 75) of the downwardly directed locking groove (12) is greater than the sum of the surfaces of the two oblique locking surfaces (73, 75) of the downwardly directed locking groove (12). The surface of the oblique locking surface (75) of the downwardly directed locking groove (12) positioned closest to the top surface (16) of the panel (1) is smaller than the surface of the oblique locking surface (73) of the downwardly directed locking groove (12) which is furthest from the top surface of the panel. The angles (a3, a4) of each of the two oblique locking surfaces (73, 75) of the downwardly directed locking groove (12) with the face at right angles to the panel and parallel to the edge of the panel are equal. In the example. the angles (α1, α2, α3, α4) of the four oblique locking surfaces (70, 72, 73, 75) with the face at right angles to the panel and parallel to the edge of the panel are all 20°.

[0077] The oblique locking surfaces (73, 75) of the downwardly directed locking groove (12) are configured to form an interlocking in a horizontal direction together with the oblique locking surfaces (70, 72) of the upwardly directed locking element (19) of the locking lip (14) of another such panel. In the coupled position of two such panels, the face (71) of the locking lip (14) which makes a smaller angle with the top surface (16) of the panel than the two oblique locking surfaces (70, 72) of the locking lip (14) makes contact with the face (74) of the downwardly directed locking groove (12) which makes a smaller angle with the top surface (16) of the panel than the two oblique locking surfaces (73, 75) of the downwardly directed locking groove (12).

[0078] The first edge (2) of the first pair of opposite edges has a first substantially vertical contact face (22) and the second edge (3) of the first pair of opposite edges has a second substantially vertical contact face (23). In the coupled position of the first edge (2) of the first pair of opposite edges of the panel and the second edge (3) of the first pair of opposite edges of another such panel, the first substantially vertical contact face (22) of the panel (1) makes contact with the second substantially vertical contact face (23) of the other such panel. The tongue (11) extends further away from the first edge (2) of the panel than the position of the first substantially vertical contact face (22). The groove (13) extends further inwards into the panel than the position of the second substantially vertical contact face (23).

[0079] FIG. 5 shows a detail of the downwardly directed locking groove 12. FIG. 6 shows a detail of the upwardly directed locking element.

[0080] In the coupled position, the oblique locking surfaces (70, 72) of the locking lip (14) press against the oblique locking surfaces (73, 75) of the downwardly directed locking groove (12) as a result of a bending stress in the locking lip.

[0081] The coupling part (8) of the second edge (3) has a nose (31) situated under the second substantially vertical contact face (23). The nose (31) projects further from the second edge (3) than the second substantially vertical contact face (23). The nose (31) is situated above the groove (13) and has a rounded top (35). The locking lip (14) extends further from the second edge (3) of the panel than the nose (31). The coupling part (7) of the first edge (2) has an undercut (33) under the first substantially vertical contact face (22). The underside of the undercut (33) is defined by the top side of the tongue.

[0082] The nose (31) is configured to cooperate with the undercut (33) and the tongue (11) of the first edge (2) of the first pair of opposite edges of another such panel (1) in order to achieve a vertical interlocking between the respective edges (2-3).

[0083] In the coupled position of the first edge (2) of the panel (1) and the second edge (3) of another such panel, the top side of the nose (31) of the other such panel makes contact with the underside of the undercut (33) of the first edge (2) of the panel; and the underside of the nose (31) of the other such panel makes contact with the top side of the tongue (11) of the first edge (2) of the panel, resulting in a vertical interlocking of the two coupled edges (2-3).

[0084] The top side of the nose (31) makes a positive angle (β1) with the top surface (16) of the panel, in the example this angle is 45°. The underside of the nose (31) makes a negative angle (β2) with the top surface (16) of the panel, this angle having an absolute value of 5° in the example.

[0085] The top side of the undercut (33) makes a positive angle (β3) with the top surface (16) of the panel, in the example this angle (β3) is 45°.

[0086] In the coupled position of the first edge and the second edge of such a panel, there is an open space (27) between the most distal part of the nose (31) and the undercut (33) in a horizontal direction.

[0087] Furthermore, one or more spaces or air gaps (24) are formed between the coupled edges (2-3) of the panels (1).

[0088] In the coupled position of the first edge (2) of the panel and the second edge (3) of another such panel, the contact face (41) with the groove (13) on the underside of the tongue (11) projects further from the first edge (2) than the contact face (43) with the groove (13) on the top side of the tongue (11).

[0089] The panels described in the example may be coupled with their first edge (2) onto the second edge (3) of another such panel by means of rotation; but it is also possible to couple the panel (1) with its first edge (2) onto the second edge (3) of another such panel by means of a substantially horizontal translational movement.

[0090] The present invention is by no means limited to the above-described embodiments, but such panels can be realised according to different variants without departing from the scope of the present invention.