Floor or wall covering system with laying units which can be combined in a modular manner

Abstract

Surface laying unit (100) for laying with other surface laying units (100) on an underlying surface (300), wherein the surface laying unit (100) has a useful layer (102) and a connecting structure (104) which is provided directly on an underside of the useful layer (102) and which is designed for connecting to the underlying surface (300).

Claims

1. An arrangement for forming a covering on a substrate, wherein the arrangement comprises: a plurality of substrate laying units, which can be laid together on the substrate to cover the substrate and can be connected to the substrate, wherein one substrate laying unit comprises: a stability layer, which is rigid in a board-like manner, for stabilizing a surface laying unit, which can be attached above the stability layer; and a connecting structure, which is attached directly to an upper side of the substrate laying unit and is configured for connecting to the surface laying unit, wherein the connecting structure does not comprise a portion of a hook-and-loop fastener; wherein an underside of the substrate laying unit opposite the upper side is configured for connecting to the substrate; wherein a first side face of the stability layer comprises a first engagement element, and a second side face of the stability layer comprises a second engagement element, complementary to the first engagement element, wherein the first engagement element can be connected to a corresponding second engagement element and the second engagement element can be connected to a corresponding first engagement element of corresponding substrate laying units; a plurality of surface laying units which are provided separately from the substrate laying units and are configured to cover the laid substrate laying units, wherein one surface laying unit comprises: a wear layer, wherein the wear layer is produced from solid wood, has a thickness in a range between 0.5 mm and 4 mm, and is formed as a board; a further connecting structure, which is attached directly to the underside of the wear layer and is configured for detachably connecting the surface laying units to the substrate laying units, wherein the further connecting structure does not comprise a portion of a hook-and-loop fastener.

2. The arrangement according to claim 1, wherein a side face of the wear layer is provided at least partially with the connecting structure, so that laterally adjacent surface laying units are connected to each other via the connecting structure when in the laid state.

3. The arrangement according to claim 1, wherein a main surface of the surface laying unit has an area in a range between 0.001 m.sup.2 and 0.5 m.sup.2.

4. The arrangement according to claim 1, consisting exclusively of the wear layer and the connecting structure, or consisting exclusively of the wear layer, the connecting structure and a protective coating.

5. The arrangement according to claim 1, comprising a further wear layer, which is arranged opposite the wear layer, separated by the connecting structure, so that the surface laying unit is configured as a reversible covering.

6. The arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the wear layer comprises a hard covering layer and a sound-absorbing structure, which is attached directly to a main surface of the hard covering layer and is configured for damping sound when the hard covering layer is loaded with a sound-generating load; wherein the hard covering layer is formed as a surface layer.

7. The arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the stability layer directly borders the wear layer.

8. The arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the stability layer is formed as a fibre layer or as a fibre mat and is selected from a group which consists of a glass fibre mat and a carbon fibre mat.

Description

(1) Exemplary embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below with reference to the following figures.

(2) FIG. 1 shows a cross-sectional view of a surface laying unit according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention.

(3) FIG. 2 shows a cross section of a substrate laying unit according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention.

(4) FIG. 3 shows parquet laid according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention, in which surface laying units according to FIG. 1 and substrate laying units according to FIG. 2 have been laid on a substrate.

(5) FIG. 4 shows another arrangement of laid parquet according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention, in which surface laying units according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention have been fastened to a substrate using two connecting layers.

(6) FIG. 5 shows another arrangement of surface laying units according to the invention and substrate laying units according to the invention, which have been laid on a substrate.

(7) FIG. 6 shows a view from below of a surface laying unit according to an exemplary embodiment with separate connecting structures.

(8) FIG. 7 shows a view from below of a surface laying unit according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention with a structured connecting layer.

(9) FIG. 8 to FIG. 10 show cross-sectional views of parquet modules according to exemplary embodiments of the invention.

(10) FIG. 11 shows a cross-sectional view of a surface laying unit according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention, which is configured as a reversible parquet.

(11) FIG. 12 shows a cross-sectional view of a surface laying unit according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention, which is on horizontal surfaces of a staircase.

(12) FIG. 13 shows another arrangement of a surface laying unit according to the invention and a substrate laying unit according to the invention, which are together formed as a double-floor laying unit.

(13) FIG. 14 shows another arrangement of double floor laying units according to the invention, according to FIG. 13.

(14) FIG. 15 shows a cross-sectional view of a surface laying unit according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention with a sound-absorbing layer close to the surface.

(15) FIG. 16 shows another surface laying unit according to the invention, in which a sound-absorbing layer is formed from a stabilisation part layer and a damping part layer.

(16) FIG. 17 shows a further surface laying unit according to the invention, in which a glass fibre mat is arranged as the stabilisation layer between a hard covering layer and a connecting layer.

(17) Identical or similar components are provided with the same reference numbers in different figures.

(18) According to exemplary embodiments of the invention, in particular a surface laying unit (removable top layer) is provided with a detachable connection to the substrate and a substrate laying unit (parquet element) is provided with a detachable connection to the top layer.

(19) Although specific exemplary embodiments are described below with reference to floor coverings, these exemplary embodiments can also be applied to wall or ceiling coverings.

(20) FIG. 1 shows a surface laying unit 100 for frictional or form-fitting laying together with other, similar surface laying units 100 on a substrate (not shown in FIG. 1). The board-like surface laying unit 100 formed according to the invention is shown in a cross-sectional view in FIG. 1. It can be seen there that each surface laying unit 100 comprises a wear layer 102 of single-piece wood, which has a thickness d of for example 2 mm. A protective varnish layer 106 is painted onto an upper side of the wear layer 102 to protect the wear layer 102 from mechanical and/or chemical influences of the environment. In other words, the protective varnish layer 106 is the layer on which a user treads when walking through a room in which the surface laying units 100 are laid as parquet.

(21) On an underside of the wear layer 102 opposite the upper side with the protective varnish layer 106, a connecting layer 104 is adhesively bonded or attached in another manner, which is configured for connecting to the substrate. The connecting layer 104 can for example be a magnetic mat, a hook-and-loop fastening layer or the like, with which the surface laying unit 100 can be placed simply on a substrate (with a corresponding connecting layer for connecting to the connecting layer 104) to form the parquet. Time-consuming laying of the parquet is thereby unnecessary, since the surface laying unit 100 can not only be placed onto a substrate manually and thus without tools, but also be detached reversibly from the substrate by merely overcoming the hook-and-loop connection or magnetic connection by means of muscular force. According to the exemplary embodiment shown, the connecting layer 104 is attached over its full area to the entire underside of the wear layer 102. For example, a magnetic mat can be adhesively bonded as the connecting layer 104 to an underside of the wear layer 102.

(22) As can be seen in FIG. 1, the structure of the surface laying unit 100 is conceivably simple, since it only comprises the wear layer 102, the protective coating 106 and the connecting layer 104, but does not comprise any further components and nevertheless can be placed directly onto a substrate to form the floor covering.

(23) The wear layer 102 can for example be produced from solid or single-piece wood. It can have a thickness d such that it is suitable for one use cycle and should be replaced after this use. Alternatively, its thickness d can be such that it can be for example sanded once before it should be replaced after being worn down again. The thickness of the wear layer 102 can thus be much less than conventional two- or three-layered parquet.

(24) In FIG. 1, it is indicated with dashed lines that a side face of the wear layer 102 can be provided at least partially (according to FIG. 1 only along half of the periphery) with the connecting structure 104, so that laterally adjacent surface laying units 100 are connected laterally to each other by means of the connecting structure 104 when in the laid state.

(25) FIG. 2 shows a substrate laying unit 200 according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention. This can be used for example together with the surface laying unit 100 shown in FIG. 1. The substrate laying unit 200 is configured for laying on a substrate (not shown in FIG. 2) with other substrate laying units 200 of the same type. This can in particular act as an underlay for the surface laying units 100 according to FIG. 1.

(26) The substrate laying unit 200 comprises a stability layer 202 with a thickness b of for example 15 mm. The stability layer 202 can be produced from single-piece wood and is configured for stabilising a surface laying unit 100 to be attached above the stability layer 202.

(27) On an upper side of the substrate laying unit 200, a connecting structure 104 is also adhesively bonded, which is fastened directly to the stability layer 202. The connecting layer 104 is configured for connecting to the connecting layer 104 of the surface laying unit 100 and is optional. In other words, the connecting layers 104 formed as magnetic mats are formed on the wear layer and on the stability layer 202 in such a manner that they attract each other.

(28) The surface laying unit 100 therefore only needs to be placed onto the substrate laying unit 200 which is already laid on a substrate. FIG. 2 further shows that a further connecting layer 104 is attached to an underside of the substrate laying unit 200 opposite the upper side. This is likewise optional. The further connecting layer 104 is attached to an underside of a counteracting veneer layer 204, that is, a thin wood layer, which is adhesively bonded between the further connecting layer 104 and the stability layer 202. The counteracting veneer layer 204 acts to reduce walking noise when the parquet is laid and can reduce mechanical stresses which can be produced in the laid parquet. A connection of the underside of the substrate laying unit 200 to an on-site substrate can be further improved with the optional further connecting structure 104 on an underside of the counteracting veneer layer 204.

(29) In FIG. 2, it is indicated with dashed lines that a side face of the stability layer 202 and/or of the counteracting veneer layer 204 can be provided at least partially (according to FIG. 2 along the entire periphery) with the connecting structure 104, so that laterally adjacent substrate laying units 200 are connected laterally to each other by means of the connecting structure 104 when in the laid state.

(30) FIG. 3 shows a parquet floor 310 according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention, which has been laid on a screed substrate 300.

(31) An arrangement 320 is obtained by first laying a plurality of substrate laying units 200, as shown in FIG. 2, on the screed substrate 300. Beforehand, the screed substrate 300 can if necessary be provided with a connecting layer 104, for example a magnetic mat. This can be provided such that it is magnetically attractive to the connecting layer 104 formed as a magnetic mat on an underside of the substrate laying units 200. After the substrate laying units 200 have been laid on the screed concrete floor 300 equipped with the magnetic mat 104, individual surface laying units 100 can then be placed thereon. The connecting layers 104, 104 formed as magnetic mats on a boundary between the surface laying units 100 and substrate laying units 200 are also formed to attract each other. The arrangement 320 shown in FIG. 3 is obtained thereby.

(32) Instead of the screed concrete floor 300, any other suitable substrate can also be used (e.g. tiles, parquet, screed, wood ceiling, asphalt etc.).

(33) If for example a surface laying unit 100 is worn or damaged on the surface, it can simply be detached manually by overcoming the attractive magnetic force between the magnetic mats 104, 104 between a surface laying unit 100 and a substrate laying unit 200 brought correspondingly into contact. Another surface laying unit 100 can then be simply inserted. This is possible without tools, destruction or great effort, it being possible for the substrate laying units 200 which are present underneath and possibly still intact to remain laid in an unchanged manner. If a substrate laying unit 200 is damaged, the surface laying units 100 arranged above it can be temporarily removed, the damaged substrate laying unit 200 correspondingly likewise removed and replaced by another, defect-free substrate laying unit 200. The surface laying units 100 can then simply be put back, so even the replacement of individual substrate laying units 200 is possible with very little effort.

(34) FIG. 3 shows in one dimension that the surface laying units 100 and the substrate laying units 200 have connecting edges to respectively adjacent surface laying units 100 and substrate laying units 200 respectively which are offset with respect to each other, which results in a configuration without butt joints which is therefore mechanically particularly stable.

(35) FIG. 4 shows parquet 400 according to another exemplary embodiment of the invention, which is formed particularly simply.

(36) According to one exemplary embodiment, individual surface laying units 100 are simply placed onto an on-site substrate 300 with a connecting mat 104 (for example magnetic mat) attached thereto. It is also possible to omit the connecting mat 104 on the upper side of the substrate 300, if for example the connecting layers 104 on the underside of the surface laying units 100 are formed from a multiple adhesive layer (for example double-sided adhesive tape) or as a non-slip mat or as an arrangement of suction cups, and therefore do not need a counterpiece.

(37) FIG. 5 shows parquet 530 according to another exemplary embodiment of the invention in the laid state. It is shown in FIG. 5 that the substrate laying unit 540 according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention, which is used there, comprises grooves 542 and corresponding tongues 5544 on side edges, so that adjacent substrate laying units 540 can simply be placed next to each other, forming a tongue and groove connection (other types of connections are likewise possible). It is also shown that cut-outs 504 in the form of air vents or cable channels can be provided on the underside and/or upper side of the substrate laying units 540, with which the functionality of the parquet 530 is further increased.

(38) FIG. 6 shows a plan view of an underside of a surface laying unit according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention, in which individual connecting structures 104, for example individual magnetic mat strips, only cover part of the main face of the surface laying unit shown in FIG. 6. Costs for the magnetic mats can be saved thereby. Thermal coupling through the surface laying units can also be improved, which can be advantageous if under-floor heating is to be laid under the parquet.

(39) FIG. 7 shows an underside of a surface laying unit according to yet another exemplary embodiment of the invention, in which an underside of a wear layer 102 is covered with a structured magnetic mat 104. This can likewise reduce costs and at the same time further improve the cohesion of the individual magnetic structures.

(40) Measures according to FIG. 6 and FIG. 7 can also be used for substrate laying units according to the invention.

(41) FIG. 8, FIG. 9 and FIG. 10 show different practical realisations of arrangements according to exemplary embodiments of the invention.

(42) FIG. 8 shows that a multi-layered parquet 800 is connected to an on-site substrate 804 by means of hook-and-loop connecting layers 802.

(43) FIG. 9 shows that a surface connecting element 900consisting of a thin wear layer 902 and a magnetic mat connecting layer 904is connected to an on-site substrate 804 with a substrate connecting element 906consisting of a thick stability layer 908, a counteracting veneer layer 910 and a further magnetic mat connecting layer 912.

(44) FIG. 10 shows that a surface connecting element 900consisting of a thin wear layer 902 and a magnetic mat connecting layer 904is connected directly to an on-site substrate 804, the substrate 804 comprising a further magnetic mat connecting layer 1000.

(45) FIG. 11 shows a cross-sectional view of a surface laying unit 1100 according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention, which is configured as a reversible parquet. According to this exemplary embodiment, the surface laying unit 1100 comprises a further wear layer 102, which is arranged opposite the wear layer 102, separated by the connecting structure 104, so that the surface laying unit 1100 is configured as a reversible covering.

(46) The surface laying unit 1100 contains two top layers 102 comprising a magnetic mat 104 in the centre. The parquet can thus be laid on both sides. E.g. each side comprises a different surface, colour etc. In FIG. 11, the two wear layers 102, 102 are shown with the same thickness d. It is however also possible to provide the two layers 102, 102 with different thicknesses. The force of the magnetic mat 104 clearly acts through the two wood layers 102. For this reason, it can be advantageous to form the thickness d in a size between 1 mm and 5 mm, in particular in a size between 2 mm and 4 mm.

(47) FIG. 12 shows an arrangement 1200 according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention in a cross-sectional view, surface laying units consisting of the magnetic mat 104 and wear layer 102 being laid on horizontal surfaces of stair treads 1202 of a staircase, which are laid with magnetic mats 104 as the connecting layers.

(48) FIG. 13 shows another arrangement of a surface laying unit 100 according to the invention (comprising the above-described features, see for example FIG. 3) and a substrate laying unit 200 according to the invention (comprising the above-described features, see for example FIG. 3), which are together formed as a double floor laying unit 1300. In this case supports 1302 are inserted as spacers between the substrate and the substrate laying unit 200. The surface laying unit 100 is placed detachably and replaceably on the substrate laying unit 200. Any desired functional elements, such as empty conduits 1304, electrical cables 1306 etc., can be accommodated in the empty space between the substrate and the substrate laying unit 200 maintained by means of the supports 1302.

(49) By means of the supports 1302 as the spacer structure, an empty space can be formed between an underside layer 1308 of the substrate laying unit 200 and the substrate and thus the underside layer 1308 can be kept at a distance from the substrate when the substrate laying unit 200 is in the laid state.

(50) In this connection, a double floor means a second floor over, i.e. at a distance from, the actual substrate of the room. Any point of the room underneath the double floor thereby remains accessible at any time. A double floor is thereby particularly suitable for rooms with frequent changes to the installations and if the installations should be quickly accessible at any time.

(51) FIG. 14 shows another arrangement 14 of double floor laying units 1300 according to the invention, according to FIG. 13. FIG. 14 shows further functional elements in the form of electrical devices 1400, which can be electrically supplied and/or connected to each other by means of the electrical cables 1306.

(52) FIG. 15 shows a cross-sectional view of a surface laying unit 1500 according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention with a sound-absorbing layer 110 close to the surface.

(53) A wear layer 1502 is again provided in the surface laying unit 1500. This wear layer 1502 comprises a hard covering layer 102, 106 of thickness d (see FIG. 1) and a sound-absorbing layer 110, which is attached directly to an underside of the hard covering layer 102, 106 and is configured to damp sound when the hard covering layer 102, 106 is loaded with a sound-generating load. FIG. 15 shows that the hard covering layer 102 is formed as surface layer.

(54) The hard covering layer 102, 106 is a surface layer consisting of superficially varnished (coated) solid wood. That means that the hard covering layer 102, 106 forms the surface of the substrate covering when the surface laying unit 1500 is laid. In other words, a user places his foot 180 directly on the hard covering layer 102, 106 when he walks on the parquet when it is laid. The hard covering layer 102, 106 has the thickness d of 3 mm in this exemplary embodiment. Furthermore, a continuous foam layer is attached to the underside of the hard covering layer 102, 106 as the sound-absorbing layer 110. This is configured to damp acoustic waves or sound generated when a walking load is exerted on the hard covering layer 102, 106 or to suppress further production of sound. Therefore, if a user walks on the surface laying unit 1500 laid on a substrate (not shown in FIG. 15), the production of sound waves can occur. Owing to the provision of the hard covering layer 102, 106 with the said low thickness, a movement of a user on the surface laying unit 1500 results in the hard covering layer 102, 106 being noticeably bent and thus avoiding a corresponding load. This effect is combined with a corresponding compression, generating a restoring force, of the sound-absorbing layer 110. The combination of these two effects results in a significant suppression of the sound produced and thus in a parquet laying unit 1500 with low walking noise, as measurements of the applicant have shown.

(55) The hard covering layer 102, 106 consists in this exemplary embodiment of one single-material wood layer 102, which is covered on the surface side with a layer of protective varnish (or oil) 106. The protective varnish (or oil) 106 is a highly elastic varnish on the surface of the surface laying unit 1500, which is exposed to the direct effect of mechanical and chemical influences. This varnish is configured to follow the compensating movement of the thin wood layer 102 elastically (that is, without breaking or plastic deformation) and to block mechanical effects on the surface of the hard covering layer 102, 106 from the wood layer 102.

(56) FIG. 16 shows another surface laying unit 1600 according to the invention, in which a sound-absorbing layer 110 is formed from a glass fibre mat 110b as the stabilisation part layer and a foam layer 110a as the damping part layer. The foam layer 110a can be adhesively bonded, in particular glued, to the glass fibre mat 110b. Alternatively to FIG. 16, the foam layer 110a can be arranged on the upper side and the glass fibre mat 110b can be arranged on the underside.

(57) The glass fibre mat 110b has the function of stabilising the wood layer 102 in the event of continued working (i.e. continued slight movement) of the wood layer 102 following production or laying of the surface laying unit 1600. The glass fibre mat 110b clearly blocks off the wood layer 102, i.e damps or suppresses this work.

(58) To produce the composite of the glass fibre mat 110b and the foam layer 110a, liquid adhesive can be applied to the underside of the wood layer 102. After the glass fibre mat 110b and then the foam layer 110a have been applied to the underside of the wood layer 102, the liquid adhesive penetrates first the glass fibre mat 110b and then the foam layer 110a and thus ensures a close connection of these components.

(59) FIG. 17 shows a further surface laying unit 1700 according to the invention, in which a glass fibre mat 1702 is arranged as the stabilisation layer between a hard covering layer 102, 106 and a magnetic mat 104 as the connecting layer. The said stabilisation layer can absorb or suppress forces of the wood of the wood layer 102 when the wood is worked.

(60) It should also be pointed out that comprising does not exclude any other elements or steps and a or one does not exclude a plurality. It should also be pointed out that features or steps which have been described with reference to one of the above exemplary embodiments can also be used in combination with other features or steps of other above-described exemplary embodiments. Reference symbols in the claims should not be considered a limitation.