FLOOR OR WALL PANEL

Abstract

The floor or wall panel has a substrate and a top layer applied thereon. The substrate consists mainly of a mineral material. The panel is provided, on at least two opposite edges, with coupling means that allow two such panels to be coupled together at the respective edges, wherein in the coupled state there is locking in the vertical direction perpendicular to the plane of the coupled panels and in the horizontal direction perpendicular to the coupled edges and in the plane of the coupled panels.

Claims

1.-35. (canceled)

36. A floor or wall panel, comprising a substrate and a top layer applied thereon, wherein the substrate mainly consists of a mineral material, and in that on at least two opposite edges the panel is provided with coupling means that allow two such panels to be coupled together at the respective edges, wherein in the coupled state there is locking in the vertical direction perpendicular to the plane of the coupled panels and in the horizontal direction perpendicular to the coupled edges and in the plane of the coupled panels; wherein the aforementioned coupling means of the one edge of the at least two opposite edges comprises at least a male part in the form of a tongue; wherein the aforementioned coupling means on the other edge of the at least two opposite edges comprise at least a female part in the form of a groove, wherein this groove is flanked by a lower lip and an upper lip, wherein the lower lip contains a locking element and wherein the bottom edge of the tongue comprises a recess, wherein, in the coupled state of two such panels, the contact between the locking element and the recess provides locking of the coupled panels in the direction perpendicular to the edges coupled in this way and parallel to the plane of the coupled panels; wherein the aforementioned coupling means comprise at least a male part in the form of a tongue, wherein this tongue comprises a sideways projection formed on the respective edge, wherein the sideways projection on the upper side thereof adjoins a surface or plane of the edge extending substantially vertically, wherein the junction of the upper side of the sideways projection with the surface or plane of the edge extending substantially vertically is free from roundings with a radius less than 0.2 mm and/or in that the angle between the vertices formed between adjacent surfaces of this junction is always greater than 150°.

37. The floor or wall panel as in claim 36, wherein the substrate comprises at least three layers, wherein these at least three layers comprise a first layer, a second layer and a third layer, wherein each of these first layer, second layer and third layer comprises mineral material, wherein the second layer is located between the first layer and the third layer, wherein, of these three layers, the third layer is located closest to the surface of the panel, wherein the tongue is mainly made in the second layer.

38. The floor or wall panel as in claim 37, wherein the third layer comprises more filler per unit weight than the second layer, wherein the third layer comprises, per unit weight, at least twice as much filler as the second layer.

39. The floor or wall panel as in claim 37, wherein the first layer comprises more filler per unit weight than the second layer, wherein the first layer comprises at least twice as much filler per unit weight as the second layer.

40. The floor or wall panel as in claim 36, wherein the substrate comprises several layers of mineral material, wherein the several layers of mineral material differ from one another in composition, wherein the lower lip is mainly made in a layer of the several layers, wherein the tongue is mainly made in some other layer of the several layers than the layer in which the lower lip is mainly made, wherein the layer in which the lower lip is mainly made has a higher specific elastic flexibility than the layer in which the tongue is mainly made.

41. The floor or wall panel as in claim 40, in which the upper lip is mainly made in a layer of the several layers that has a lower elastic flexibility than the layer in which the lower lip is mainly made.

42. A floor or wall panel, comprising a substrate and a top layer applied thereon, wherein the substrate mainly consists of a mineral material, and in that on at least two opposite edges the panel is provided with coupling means that allow two such panels to be coupled together at the respective edges, wherein in the coupled state there is locking in the vertical direction perpendicular to the plane of the coupled panels and in the horizontal direction perpendicular to the coupled edges and in the plane of the coupled panels; wherein the aforementioned coupling means of the one edge of the at least two opposite edges comprises at least a male part in the form of a tongue; wherein the aforementioned coupling means on the other edge of the at least two opposite edges comprise at least a female part in the form of a groove, wherein this groove is flanked by a lower lip and an upper lip, wherein the lower lip contains a locking element and wherein the bottom edge of the tongue comprises a recess, wherein, in the coupled state of two such panels, the contact between the locking element and the recess provides locking of the coupled panels in the direction perpendicular to the edges coupled in this way and parallel to the plane of the coupled panels; wherein the aforementioned coupling means comprise at least a female part in the form of a groove, wherein this groove is flanked by a lower lip and an upper lip, and wherein the lower surface of the upper lip adjoins the most inward located portion of the groove, wherein the junction of the lower surface of the upper lip with the most inward located portion of the groove is free from roundings with a radius less than 0.2 mm and/or in that the angle between the vertices formed between adjacent surfaces of this junction is always greater than 150°.

43. The floor or wall panel as in claim 42, wherein the substrate comprises at least three layers, wherein these at least three layers comprise a first layer, a second layer and a third layer, wherein each of these first layer, second layer and third layer comprises mineral material, wherein the second layer is located between the first layer and the third layer, wherein, of these three layers, the third layer is located closest to the surface of the panel, wherein the lower lip is mainly made in the first layer.

44. The floor or wall panel as in claim 43, wherein the third layer comprises more filler per unit weight than the second layer, wherein the third layer comprises, per unit weight, at least twice as much filler as the second layer. wherein the aforementioned coupling means of the one edge of the at least two opposite edges comprises at least a male part in the form of a tongue; wherein the aforementioned coupling means on the other edge of the at least two opposite edges comprise at least a female part in the form of a groove, wherein this groove is flanked by a lower lip and an upper lip, wherein the lower lip contains a locking element and wherein the bottom edge of the tongue comprises a recess, wherein, in the coupled state of two such panels, the contact between the locking element and the recess provides locking of the coupled panels in the direction perpendicular to the edges coupled in this way and parallel to the plane of the coupled panels; wherein the aforementioned coupling means comprise at least a female part in the form of a groove, wherein this groove is flanked by a lower lip and an upper lip, and wherein the upper surface of the lower lip adjoins the most inward located portion of the groove, wherein the junction of the upper surface of the lower lip with the most inward located portion of the groove is free from roundings with a radius less than 0.2 mm and/or in that the angle between the vertices formed between adjacent surfaces of this junction is always greater than 150°.

49. The floor or wall panel as in claim 48, wherein the substrate comprises at least three layers, wherein these at least three layers comprise a first layer, a second layer and a third layer, wherein each of these first layer, second layer and third layer comprises mineral material, wherein the second layer is located between the first layer and the third layer, wherein, of these three layers, the third layer is located closest to the surface of the panel, wherein the lower lip is mainly made in the first layer.

50. The floor or wall panel as in claim 49, wherein the third layer comprises more filler per unit weight than the second layer, wherein the third layer comprises, per unit weight, at least twice as much filler as the second layer.

51. The floor or wall panel as in claim 49, wherein the first layer comprises more filler per unit weight than the second layer, wherein the first layer comprises at least twice as much filler per unit weight as the second layer.

52. The floor or wall panel as in claim 48, wherein the substrate comprises several layers of mineral material, wherein the several layers of mineral material differ from one another in composition, wherein the lower lip is mainly made in a layer of the several layers, wherein the tongue is mainly made in some other layer of the several layers than the layer in which the lower lip is mainly made, wherein the layer in which the lower lip is mainly made has a higher specific elastic flexibility than the layer in which the tongue is mainly made.

53. The floor or wall panel as in claim 52, in which the upper lip is mainly made in a layer of the several layers that has a lower elastic flexibility than the layer in which the lower lip is mainly made.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0067] For the purpose of better illustrating the features of the invention, some preferred embodiments are described hereunder, as examples without any limiting character, referring to the appended drawings, in which:

[0068] FIG. 1 presents a floor covering according to the invention;

[0069] FIG. 2 presents a panel—according to the invention—as used in the floor covering in FIG. 1;

[0070] FIG. 3 presents a cross section according to III-III of the panel in FIG. 2;

[0071] FIG. 4 shows two panels such as in FIGS. 2 and 3 in the coupled state on their long edges;

[0072] FIG. 5 presents a cross section according to V-V of the panel in FIG. 2;

[0073] FIG. 6 shows two panels such as in FIGS. 2 and 5 in the coupled state on their short edges;

[0074] FIGS. 7-10 show a second example of a panel according to the invention shown in the same way as respectively in FIGS. 3, 4, 5 and 6;

[0075] FIGS. 11-14 show a third example of a panel according to the invention shown in the same way as respectively in FIGS. 3, 4, 5 and 6;

[0076] FIG. 15 shows an example of panels according to the invention, in the coupled state, wherein the panels comprise three layers with mineral binder;

[0077] FIG. 16 shows an example of panels according to the invention, in the coupled state, wherein the panels comprise five layers with a mineral binder;

[0078] FIG. 17 illustrates coupling by means of an angling movement;

[0079] FIG. 18 illustrates coupling by means of a sliding movement; and

[0080] FIGS. 19 and 20 illustrate another example of a panel of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF VARIOUS EMBODIMENTS

[0081] Reference numbers that are not defined in the description of the figures are defined in the claims. The dimensions given in the figures are not limiting. The thickness of the panels may be between 7 and 14 mm.

[0082] FIG. 1 presents a floor covering 40 according to one aspect of the invention. The floor covering 40 comprises a plurality of floor panels 41, in which the panels of the plurality are coupled to each other on their first pair of opposite edges 3, 4 by means of their respective coupling means; and are also coupled to each other on their second pair of opposite edges 22, 23. Wall coverings according to the invention can also be produced in the same way.

[0083] FIG. 2 shows a panel 41 as used in the floor covering in FIG. 1. The panel is oblong and rectangular and comprises on its long edges a first pair of opposite edges 3, 4 provided with coupling means. The pair of short opposite edges 22, 23 is also provided with coupling means.

[0084] FIGS. 3-6 show an example of a panel such as in FIG. 2. FIG. 3 shows a cross section according to III-III of the panel in FIG. 2. FIG. 4 shows two panels such as in FIG. 2 coupled on their long edges 3, 4, thus on the edges illustrated in FIG. 3. FIG. 5 shows a cross section according to V-V of the panel in FIG. 2. FIG. 6 shows two panels such as in FIG. 2 coupled on their short edges 22, 23, thus on the edges illustrated in FIG. 5.

[0085] The panel in FIGS. 2-6 comprises a substrate 1 and a top layer 2 applied thereon, and has a thickness T of 10 mm. The substrate 1 of this panel is a fiber-reinforced plasterboard with a density of more than 900 kg per cubic meter, namely 1000 or even 1300 kilograms per cubic meter or more. The plasterboard comprises at least cellulose fibers. However, it is also possible to make this substrate from some other mineral material: a mineral material that comprises at least one mineral binder, which forms the matrix of the substrate. The panel is provided on its two long opposite edges 3, 4 with coupling means 5 that allow two such panels to be coupled together at the respective edges, wherein in the coupled state there is locking in the vertical direction (V) perpendicular to the plane of the coupled panels and in the horizontal direction (H) perpendicular to the coupled edges and in the plane of the coupled panels.

[0086] The coupling means 5 of the one edge 3 of the two long opposite edges 3, 4 comprise a male part 6 in the form of a tongue 7; and on the other edge 4, a female part in the form of a groove 12. This groove is flanked by a lower lip 13 and an upper lip 14, wherein the lower lip comprises a locking element 32 and wherein the bottom edge of the tongue 7 comprises a recess 33, wherein in the coupled state of two such panels, contact between the locking element 32 and the recess 33 provides locking of the coupled panels in the direction perpendicular to the edges coupled in this way and parallel to the plane of the coupled panels.

[0087] The tongue 7 comprises a sideways projection 8 formed on the respective edge. The sideways projection adjoins, on the upper side 9 thereof, a surface or plane 10 of the edge, extending substantially vertically, wherein the junction 11 of the upper side 9 of the sideways projection 8 with the surface or plane 10 of the edge extending substantially vertically is free from roundings with a radius less than 0.2 mm.

[0088] The aforesaid junction 11 of the upper side 9 of the sideways projection 8 with the surface or plane 10 of the edge extending substantially vertically is curved and adjoins a non-curved part of the sideways projection, wherein the curved junction 11 extends in the distal direction to beyond the vertical plane 30 defined by the vertical contact surface 31 of this edge. This vertical contact surface is designed to make contact with a vertical contact surface 31 of the panel with which this edge is coupled.

[0089] The lower surface 15 of the upper lip adjoins the most inward located portion 16 of the groove 12, wherein the junction 17 of the lower surface 15 of the upper lip 14 with the most inward located portion 16 of the groove is free from roundings with a radius less than 0.2 mm.

[0090] The upper surface 18 of the lower lip 13 adjoins the most inward located portion 16 of the groove, wherein the junction 19 of the upper surface 18 of the lower lip 13 with the most inward located portion 16 of the groove is free from roundings with a radius less than 0.2 mm.

[0091] The coupling means of the pair of long opposite edges 3, 4 of the example in FIG. 3 may be coupled to each other optionally by means of an angling movement or by means of a substantially horizontal movement of the panels.

[0092] The coupling means on the two short opposite edges 22, 23 are shown in FIG. 5; FIG. 6 shows two panels such as in FIG. 5 coupled on their two opposite short edges 22, 23. The reference numbers have the same meaning as in FIGS. 3 and 4, which illustrate the long edges 3, 4 and the coupling on the long edges.

[0093] FIGS. 7-10 show a second example of a panel according to the invention, shown in the same way as in FIGS. 3, 4, 5 and 6 respectively. The thickness T of this panel is 10 mm. The reference numbers in FIGS. 7-10 have the same meaning as in FIGS. 3-6.

[0094] FIGS. 11-14 show a third example of a panel according to the invention, shown in the same way as in FIGS. 3, 4, 5 and 6 respectively. The thickness T of this panel is 7 mm. This panel comprises a substrate that comprises a magnesium oxide binder, but may also be made of other mineral material. The reference numbers in FIGS. 7-10 have the same meaning as in FIGS. 3-6. Besides the characteristic features shown in FIGS. 3-6, the coupling means on the two long opposite edges 3, 4 and on the two short opposite edges 22, 23 have the feature that in the coupled state of two such panels there is no horizontal contact surface between the top edge of the tongue 7 and the bottom edge of the upper lip 14, but that this contact surface slopes downward over its entire length in the direction toward the distal end of the tongue.

[0095] FIG. 15 shows an example of panels according to the invention, in the coupled state, wherein the panels comprise three layers with mineral binder. With respect to thickness and the configuration of the coupling means, these panels are the same as the configuration of the coupling means shown in FIGS. 11 and 12. The reference numbers in FIG. 15 then also have the same meaning as the corresponding reference numbers in FIGS. 11 and 12. The panels in FIG. 15 comprise a substrate that comprises three layers made of mineral material: a first layer 35, a second layer 36 and a third layer 37. The second layer 36 is located between the first layer 35 and the third layer 37, wherein the third layer 37 is located closest of these three layers to the surface of the panel. At least two of these three layers have a mutually different composition. Preferably at least the second layer 36 has a different composition than the first layer 35, and preferably also than the third layer 37. The tongue 7 is mainly made in the second layer 36. The lower lip 13 is mainly made in the first layer 35. The upper lip 14 is mainly made in the third layer 37.

[0096] It is advantageous if the first layer 35 has a higher specific elastic flexibility than the second layer 36. The first layer 35 may for example comprise more filler per unit weight than the second layer 36. It is also possible to produce the first layer 35 in such a way that it comprises less mineral binder per unit weight than the second layer 36.

[0097] The third layer 37 may comprise more filler per unit weight than the second layer 36.

[0098] It may be advantageous to produce the second layer 36 in such a way that it has a lower elastic flexibility than the first layer 35.

[0099] FIG. 16 shows an example of panels according to the invention, in the coupled state, wherein the panels comprise five layers with a mineral binder. The panels in FIG. 16 are largely identical to those in FIG. 15, except that the panels comprise, besides the first layer 35, the second layer 36 and the third layer 37—all made of mineral material—a fourth layer 38 and a fifth layer 39 mainly made of mineral material. The reference numbers have the same meaning as the corresponding reference numbers in the other figures. The fourth layer 38 consists mainly of mineral material and is located between the first layer 35 and the second layer 36, wherein the fourth layer 38 comprises less filler per unit weight than the second layer 36. The fifth layer 39 is located between the second layer 36 and the third layer 37. The fifth layer 39 comprises less filler per unit weight than the second layer 36.

[0100] FIG. 17 illustrates coupling by means of an angling movement (W) such as is possible in embodiments of the invention.

[0101] FIG. 18 illustrates coupling by means of a sliding movement (S) substantially parallel to the surface of the panel, such as is possible in embodiments of the invention.

[0102] FIGS. 19 and 20 illustrate—in the same representation as in FIGS. 3 and 4 respectively—another example of a panel 1 according to the invention. FIG. 19 shows a panel 1 with its long edges 3, 4. FIG. 20 shows two such panels as in FIG. 19, coupled on their pair of long edges 3, 4. The reference numbers have the same meaning as in the other figures. This panel is broadly similar to the panel illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4. For the panel shown in FIGS. 19 and 20, the angle A1 between the vertices formed between adjacent surfaces of the junction 11 of the upper side 9 of the sideways projection 8 with the surface or plane 10 of the edge extending substantially vertically, is equal to 157°. The angle A2 between the vertices formed between adjacent surfaces of the junction 17 of the lower surface 15 of the upper lip 14 with the most inward located portion 16 of the groove is 165°. The angle A3 between the vertices formed between adjacent surfaces of the junction 19 of the upper surface 18 of the lower lip 13 with the most inward located portion 16 of the groove is 161°.

[0103] The present invention is by no means limited to the embodiments described above and hereunder—these floor or wall panels may be produced according to different variants while remaining within the scope of the present invention.