Floor panel for forming a floor covering

Abstract

A floor panel for forming a floor covering comprises a substrate consisting of at least two substrate layers differing in density and, on at least one pair of opposite edges, is provided with coupling parts of the so-called push-lock type. Vertically active locking surfaces, where they cooperate in the coupled condition of two of such floor panels, define a tangent line which is horizontal or does not deviate more than 50 degrees from the horizontal. The locking surfaces are situated closer to the upper side of the first substrate layer than to the lower side of the first substrate layer.

Claims

1. A floor panel comprising: a substrate; and a decorative layer located above the substrate; wherein the substrate comprises a first substrate layer and a second substrate layer located above the first substrate layer; wherein the first substrate layer comprises a thermoplastic material; wherein the thermoplastic material of the first substrate layer is selected from a list containing polyethylene, polypropylene, and polyethylene terephthalate; wherein the second substrate layer comprises a thermoplastic material; wherein the thermoplastic material of the second substrate layer is selected from a list containing polyethylene, polypropylene and polyethylene terephthalate; wherein the floor panel comprises on at least two opposite edges coupling parts allowing two of such floor panels to be coupled to each other by means of a downward movement of one floor panel with respect to the other floor panel; wherein the coupling parts comprise a first locking system effecting a locking in a first direction in a plane of the panels and perpendicular to the edges and a second locking system effecting a locking in a second direction transverse to the plane of the panels; wherein the first locking system comprises an upward-directed lower hook-shaped part situated on one of the opposite edges and a downward-directed upper hook-shaped part situated on the other of the opposite edges; wherein the hook-shaped parts are engageable behind each other by means of said downward movement; wherein the lower hook-shaped part comprises a lip with an upward-directed locking element and the upper hook-shaped part comprises a lip with a downward-directed locking element; wherein the locking elements comprise locking surfaces effecting a locking in said first direction; and wherein the locking surfaces of the first locking system are at least partially formed in the first substrate layer; wherein the second substrate layer is not foamed or is less foamed than the first substrate layer; wherein the thermoplastic material of the first substrate layer is foamed.

2. The floor panel of claim 1, wherein the floor panel is devoid of polyvinyl chloride.

3. The floor panel of claim 1, wherein the first substrate layer comprises fillers, wherein the fillers are selected from a list containing bamboo, cork, wood, chalk, limestone and talc.

4. The floor panel of claim 1, wherein the second substrate layer comprises fillers, wherein the fillers are selected from a list containing bamboo, cork, wood, chalk, limestone and talc.

5. The floor panel of claim 1, wherein the first substrate material and the second substrate material comprise both the same thermoplastic material selected from the list containing polyethylene, polypropylene and polyethylene terephthalate.

6. The floor panel of claim 1, wherein the first substrate layer is rigid.

7. The floor panel of claim 1, wherein the first substrate layer is an extruded layer.

8. The floor panel of claim 1, wherein the second substrate layer has a thickness of at least 0.5 mm.

9. The floor panel of claim 1, wherein the second substrate layer has a higher density than the first substrate layer.

10. The floor panel of claim 1, wherein the foamed thermoplastic material of the first substrate layer is closed-cell.

11. The floor panel of claim 1, wherein the floor panel comprises a backing layer located below the first substrate layer; and wherein the backing layer comprises a material selected from a list containing thermoplastic material, cork and rubber.

12. The floor panel of claim 1, wherein the second locking system comprises locking surfaces effecting a locking in said second direction; and wherein the locking surfaces of the second locking system are at least partially formed in the first substrate layer.

13. The floor panel of claim 1, wherein the second locking system comprises locking surfaces effecting a locking in said second direction; and wherein the locking surfaces of the second locking system are at least partially formed in the second substrate layer.

14. The floor panel of claim 1, wherein the decorative layer is provided in the form of a print provided on a thermoplastic film.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) With the intention of better showing the characteristics of the invention, herein below, as an example without any limitative character, some preferred embodiments are described, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

(2) FIG. 1 in top view represents a floor panel according to the invention;

(3) FIG. 2 represents a cross-section according to line II-II in FIG. 1, however, in the coupled condition of two of such floor panels, which can be seen as an embodiment of at least the independent aspects 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5;

(4) FIG. 3 represents a variant of FIG. 2, which can be seen as an embodiment of at least the independent aspects 1, 2, 3, 4 and 6;

(5) FIG. 4 represents a cross-section according to line IV-IV in FIG. 1, however, in the coupled condition of two of such floor panels;

(6) FIG. 5 represents how such floor panels can be coupled by means of the so-called “fold-down” technique;

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

(7) FIG. 1 represents a floor panel 1 according to the present invention. The floor panel 1 comprises coupling parts 5-6 on at least two opposite edges 3-4.

(8) FIG. 2 represents a cross-section according to line II-II in FIG. 1, however, in a coupled condition of two of such floor panels 1. The floor panel 1 comprises a composed substrate 2, which in the example is realized massive. The floor panel 1 further has a thickness T which is smaller than 10 mm and still better is in the order of magnitude of 8 mm or thinner.

(9) The coupling parts 5-6 substantially are realized of the material of the composed substrate 2 and are made in one piece therewith.

(10) The coupling parts 5-6 allow that two of such floor panels 1 can be coupled to each other by means of a downward movement M of one floor panel 1 in respect to the other floor panel 1. In the coupled condition, the coupling parts 5-6 form a first locking system, which effects a locking in a first direction H in the plane of the floor panels 1 and perpendicular to the aforementioned edges 3-4, as well as a second locking system, which effects a locking in a second direction V transverse to the plane of the floor panels 1.

(11) The first locking system is formed by an upward-directed lower hook-shaped part 7 which is situated on the edge 4, as well as a downward-directed upper hook-shaped part 8 which is situated on the opposite edge 3. The hook-shaped parts 7-8 can be engaged behind each other by means of the downward movement M. The lower hook-shaped part 7 consists of a lip 9 with an upward-directed locking element 10, whereas the upper hook-shaped part 8 consists of a lip 11 with a downward-directed locking element 12.

(12) The locking elements 10 and 12 are made massive.

(13) The second locking system comprises locking parts 13-14, which respectively are situated in the proximity of the proximal extremity of the lower hook-shaped part 7 and the distal extremity of the upper hook-shaped part 8.

(14) The locking parts 13-14 are made as parts which, during said downward movement M, engage behind each other by means of snap action, wherein these locking parts 13-14 here are made in one piece in the material of the composed substrate 2.

(15) The distal extremity of the lower hook-shaped part 7 is free from locking parts, just like the proximal extremity of the upper hook-shaped part 8. The distal extremity of the lower hook-shaped part 7 here even is separated from the opposite floor panel 1 or from the opposite edge 3 by means of a space S.

(16) The composed substrate 2 consists of two substrate layers 15-16, to with a first synthetic material-based substrate layer 15 and a second substrate layer 16 situated there above. The second substrate layer 16 has a thickness D1 of at least 0.5 mm and preferably at least 1 mm. The first substrate layer 15 has a density D2 of at least 3 mm, preferably at least 4 mm and more preferably at least 5 mm.

(17) The substrate layers 15-16 can show one or more of the following characteristics:

(18) the density of the first substrate layer 15 is different from the density of the second substrate layer 16, and preferably the second substrate layer 16 has a higher density than the first substrate layer 15;

(19) the first substrate layer 15 is foamed and preferably is of the closed cell-type and still more preferably of the so-called hard foam-type, and preferably the second substrate layer is not foamed or is less foamed than the first substrate layer 15;

(20) the first substrate layer 15 is extruded; and/or

(21) both substrate layers 15-16 are glued to each other, preferably by means of a waterproof glue.

(22) In case that the first substrate layer 15 is foamed, this first substrate layer 15 can be foamed gradually, wherein the degree of foaming, for example, increases in downward or in upward direction.

(23) The substrate layers 15-16 further can be realized as described herein above in the introduction.

(24) The locking parts 13-14 are provided with locking surfaces 17-18, which, there, where they cooperate in the coupled condition of two of such floor panels 1, define a tangent line R which is horizontal or does not deviate more than 50 degrees from the horizontal. In the example represented here, the tangent line R deviates approximately 25 degrees from the horizontal.

(25) The locking surfaces 17-18 are situated closer to the upper side of the first substrate layer 15 than to the lower side of the first substrate layer 15. In the example represented here, the locking surfaces 17-18 are situated entirely in the first substrate layer 15.

(26) The upward-directed locking element 10 and the downward-directed locking element 12 are provided with locking surfaces 19-20. These locking surfaces 19-20, in the coupled condition of two of such floor panels 1, cooperate and prevent the moving apart of the floor panels 1 in the direction H or at least counteract such moving apart of the floor panels.

(27) There, where the locking surfaces 19-20 cooperate in the coupled condition of two of such floor panels 1, they define a tangent line R1, which is situated vertically or does not deviate more than 45 degrees from the vertical. In the example, the tangent line R1 is situated vertically.

(28) The locking distance A, which is formed by the horizontal distance between a vertical closing surface V1 formed between two of such coupled floor panels 1 and a vertical plane V2 through the middle of the zone over which the locking surfaces 19-20 make contact in the coupled condition, is smaller than 1 cm, preferably smaller than 5 mm and more preferably smaller than 3 mm.

(29) The floor panel 1 also comprises a top layer 21, which in this example is situated above the second substrate layer 16. The top layer 21 further can be realized such as described herein above in the introduction.

(30) FIG. 3 represents a variant of FIG. 2, wherein similar parts or elements are indicated by the same reference numerals and letters as in FIG. 2.

(31) As in FIG. 2, the composed substrate 2 in FIG. 3 consists of two substrate layers 15-16, which can be realized as described herein above in the introduction.

(32) The locking parts 13-14 are provided with locking surfaces 17-18, which there, where they cooperate in the coupled condition of two of such floor panels 1, define a tangent line R, which is horizontal or does not deviate more than 50 degrees from the horizontal. In the example represented here, the tangent line R deviates approximately 25 degrees from the horizontal.

(33) There, where the locking surfaces 19-20 cooperate in the coupled condition of two of such floor panels 1, they define a tangent line R1, which is situated vertically or does not deviate more than 45 degrees from the vertical. In the example, the tangent line R1 is situated vertically.

(34) The locking distance A is smaller than 1 cm, preferably smaller than 5 mm and more preferably smaller than 3 mm.

(35) Contrary to what is shown in FIG. 2, in FIG. 3 the locking surfaces 17-18, however, are situated in the second substrate layer 16. However, they are situated closer to the upper side of the first substrate layer 15 than to the lower side of the first substrate layer 15.

(36) As represented in FIG. 1, the floor panel 1 is rectangular and here more particularly oblong. Apart from the pair of opposite edges 3-4, which forms the pair of short sides of the floor panel 1, the floor panel 1 also comprises a pair of opposite edges 22-23, which forms the pair of long edges of the floor panel 1.

(37) The pair of opposite edges 22-23 also comprises coupling parts 24-25.

(38) FIG. 4 represents a cross-section according to line Iv-Iv in FIG. 1, however, in the coupled condition of two of such floor panels 1.

(39) The coupling parts 24-25 allow effecting a locking in a direction H perpendicular to the respective edges 22-23 and in the plane of the coupled floor panels 1, as well as effecting a locking in a direction V perpendicular to the plane of the coupled floor panels 1.

(40) The coupling parts 24-25 are configured such that they allow coupling two of such floor panels 1 by means of a turning movement W.

(41) The coupling parts 24-25 are manufactured substantially from the material of the composed substrate 2 and are made in one piece therewith.

(42) The coupling parts 24-25 substantially are made as a tongue 26 and a groove 27, which are provided with locking parts 28-29. These locking parts 28-29 prevent the moving apart of the coupled floor panels 1 according to the direction H or at least counteract such moving apart of the floor panels 1.

(43) FIG. 5 represents how the floor panels 1 of FIG. 1 can be coupled by means of the so-called “fold-down” technique. In the figure, a partially finished floor covering is shown with amongst others a row of already installed floor panels 1A and a row with the already installed floor panel 1B. The floor panel 1C is to be installed in the row of the floor panel 1B and thus must be coupled to the floor panels 1A and 1B. More particularly, the floor panel 1C must be coupled with its long edge 22 to the long edges 23 of the floor panels 1A, and must be coupled with its short edge 3 to the short edge 4 of the floor panel 1B.

(44) The fold-down movement is performed by turning the floor panel 1C, from an inclined position with its tongue 26 already partially introduced in the groove 27 of the floor panels 1A, downward according to a movement W. With this movement, the long edges 22-23 are coupled to each other and at the same time the short edges 3-4 are coupled by the downward movement M which is associated with the turning movement W. Thus, in other words, in one and the same movement W the floor panel 1, at its long edge 22 as well as at its short edge 3, is coupled to the already installed floor panels 1A-1B.

(45) The present invention is in no way limited to the herein above-described embodiments, on the contrary, such floor panels can be realized according to various variants, without exceeding the scope of the present invention.