SURFACE PANEL

Abstract

A surface panel is disclosed, the panel comprising two planar members in parallel spaced arrangement and being joined together by a plurality of mutually parallel tubular cells. Each tubular cell defines with the planar members an isolated cell volume. A tubular cell wall can be contiguously arranged with a neighbouring cell and also share a dividing wall with said cell.

Preferably a tubular cell has a hexagonal shape with the cells forming a honeycomb array. A planar member optionally comprises a surface which further comprises a plurality of ribs arranged in a hexagonal configuration, with the diameter of each said hexagonal tubular cell being larger than the diameter of each said hexagonal rib configuration of said first planar member.

Claims

1. A surface panel comprising: two planar members in parallel spaced arrangement and being joined together by a plurality of mutually parallel tubular cells; wherein each tubular cell defines with the planar members an isolated cell volume; and wherein at least one planar member comprises a surface which comprises a plurality of ribs arranged in a hexagonal configuration.

2. The panel according to claim 1, wherein each tubular cell is contiguously arranged with a neighbouring cell.

3. The panel according to claim 1, wherein two of the tubular cells share a dividing wall between the cells.

4. The panel according to claim 3, wherein each tubular cell is a hexagonal tubular cell.

5. The panel according to claim 4, wherein the tubular cells are arranged in a honeycomb configuration.

6. The panel according to claim 5, wherein the diameter of each hexagonal tubular cell is larger than the diameter of each hexagonal rib configuration of the first planar member.

7. The panel according to claim 6, wherein both of the hexagonal cells of the supporting structure and the hexagonal ribs of the first planar member, are of the same size.

8. The panel according to claim 5, wherein the ribs are arranged in a honeycomb configuration.

9. The panel according to claim 8, wherein a first vertex of the hexagonal tubular cell is located at a central position within a first hexagonal rib of the first planar member; and a second vertex located at a central position within a second hexagonal rib of the first planar member; whereby said second vertex is located from the first vertex by two hexagonal shaped ribs that extend along a horizontal axis on the first planar member.

10. The panel according to claim 9, wherein a third vertex of the hexagonal shaped cell within the structure is located from the first vertex by one and a half hexagonal shaped ribs that extend along a vertical axis on the first planar member.

11. The method of manufacturing a surface panel according to claim 1, wherein the first planar member and the plurality of tubular cells are moulded together, whereby a first end of each tubular cell is closed by the first planar member.

12. A method of manufacturing a surface panel according to claim 1, comprising the step of attaching the second planar member the plurality of tubular cells, whereby a second end of each tubular cell is closed by the second planar member.

13. A surface covering comprising a plurality of said surface panels according to claim 1, wherein each panel is attachable to a neighbouring said panel via interlocking means.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0018] FIG. 1 is a view of a portion of the internal structure of a floor tile having hexagonal supporting cells and a single planar surface which details the tubular hexagonal cells;

[0019] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a portion of the internal structure of a floor tile having hexagonal supporting cells and a single planar surface;

[0020] FIG. 3 is a view of a portion of the internal structure of a floor tile having hexagonal supporting cells and a single planar surface which details the honeycomb structure of the tubular hexagonal cells;

[0021] FIG. 4 is a view of a portion of the internal structure of a floor tile having hexagonal supporting cells and a single planar surface which details the hexagonal rib structures on the top planar member; and

[0022] FIG. 5 is a view of a portion of the internal structure of a floor tile having hexagonal supporting cells and a single planar surface which details the offset the tubular hexagonal cells relative to the hexagonal rib structures on the top planar member.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0023] FIG. 1 shows a portion of a floor panel generally indicated 1. The panel 1 has two spaced parallel planar members. The first planar member 2 is shown in the Figures. Extending between the, in-use, mutually opposed inner surfaces of the two planar members is an array of tubular cells, generally indicated 3. The tubular cells 3 have a tube axis which is, in the preferred illustrated embodiment set to be perpendicular to both of the planar members 2. The tubular cells 3 are so secured to the planar members that the ends of the tubular cells are closed, thus defining a closed volume within the tubular cells 3. Thus, the array of tubular cells 3 is joined to the top and bottom planar members and assists in maintaining the planar members in parallel spaced arrangement.

[0024] Each tubular cell 3 is defined by six side surfaces 5 which are identical in size and arranged in a regular hexagonal configuration. Further, in the preferred embodiment, a tubular cell shares each of its walls 5 with a neighbouring tubular cell 3 such that the tubular cells 3 form a regular honeycomb structure. In this, each tubular cell 3 is arranged next to a neighbouring cell generally indicated by arrow 3′ and arranged in a continuous sequence along both vertical V-V and horizontal H-H axes.

[0025] FIG. 2 provides a perspective view of the floor panel shown in FIG. 1. The thickness of the floor panel 1 is determined primarily by the length 30 of the tubular cells 3 located between the first 2 and second [not shown] planar members. Typically, a floor panel 1 has an overall thickness within the region of 30-200 millimetres. Further, it can be seen that in the preferred embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the base of the walls, in contact with a planar member, is of greater width than that of the central portion of the wall 4, and in a further preferred embodiment is thickened in the region of the expected in-use upper planar member. In a yet further preferred embodiment, the wall 4 is thicker in the region of both planar members. This adds increased strength to the structure.

[0026] In FIG. 4, a further important feature of the invention is shown. The inner opposed surface of either or both of the planar members has a further feature which provides a planar member with increased resilience in response to stretching and compressive forces in the plane of the planar member. This is important to the structural integrity of the planar members, as the downward forces imparted by a load can cause localised deformation in the plane of the panel member, thus resulting in stretching and compressive forces in that plane. Such forces can result in damage to the structural integrity of the panel. Without being bound by theory, it is believed the ribs of the current invention, as described below, act to absorb or otherwise minimise the forces within the panel member, so allowing the material of the panel member to stretch and/or contract. The increased resistance to such in-plane forces means that the planar member can be formed thinner than those used in conventional tiles with equivalent performance. This results in material and costs savings.

[0027] The first planar member 2 has ribs 40 which are joined at each end in a continuous hexagonal rib configuration generally indicated by arrow 12. The hexagonal rib 12 configurations are arranged in multiple identical hexagonal rib configurations along both the vertical V2-V2 and the horizontal H3-H3 axes. The hexagonal ribbed portions of height of 1-5 mm. The rib configuration is preferably integrally formed with the planar member itself as part of the moulding process.

[0028] The hexagonal rib configurations 12 arranged along a horizontal axis H3-H3 are offset from neighbouring hexagonal ribs configurations 12′ arranged along second horizontal axis H4-H4, whereby the bottom vertices 13 of the hexagonal ribs 40 cooperate with the vertices of the ribs 15 in forming the hexagonal rib configurations 12. This provides an array of hexagonal ribs configurations 12 and 12′ that are arranged to provide a honeycomb structure.

[0029] The side length of each of the hexagonal ribs 40 is preferably smaller than the side length of the hexagonal tubular cell 3.

[0030] From FIGS. 4 and 5, it can be seen that the hexagonal ribs 40 have sides of shorter length than the sides of the hexagonal tubular cells. The shorter side length provides a more compact structure and increases the strength of the planar member in which it is integrally formed.

[0031] Moreover, in the illustrated preferred embodiment, the ratio of side lengths and the positioning of the 2 hexagonal arrays of ribbed portions is such as to provide a structure in which the two arrays combine together to strengthen the overall panel. As can be seen, the ratios and orientations of rows of hexagons are such that when an apex of any particular hexagon of the tubular cell lies over the apex of one of the hexagons of the rib array in a first row of a rib array, then the opposed apex of the hexagon in the tubular cell is positioned over the centre of a hexagon in a third row of the rib array. Also, a first end of an edge of a hexagon in the tubular array lies over apices of 3 hexagons of the rib array, whilst a second end of the edge lies over the centre of a hexagon, in the rib array, reached by travelling along an edge extending from that apex.

[0032] The panel shape may be configured into many shapes and sizes, which can be seamlessly connected to other neighbouring panels, not shown.

[0033] The floor panel has side wall members (not shown) which enclose and seal the array of tubular cells in a spaced arrangement between both the top and bottom planar members.

[0034] In use, multiple floor panels are interlocked together to provide an overall floor covering. When a substantial load is applied to the top planar member of the panels of the covering, the disclosed features act in two ways to enable the floor panels to support the load. First, the load is supported by the array of hexagonal tubular cells located within the panel. The honeycomb design enables the cells to distribute the internally generated load throughout the panel structure. When pressure is applied to multiple tubular cells, each cell will apply pressure to the wall of a neighbouring cell. This pressure to and counter pressure from the connected neighbouring cells will prevent the void contained within each cell from collapsing or blowing outwards from the panel.

[0035] The hexagonal rib configurations, provides support to a planar member in relation to lateral forces across a planar member. This allows the overall thickness of the planar member and also the tile to be reduced.

[0036] Thirdly, the relative placement and size ratios of the hexagonal array of ribs and tubular cells can contribute to a further enhancement of the strength and resilience of a panel.

[0037] In use therefore, a floor panel as described above is constructed as follows. A first planar member is formed having a honeycomb structure of ribs formed in an in-use inner surface.

An array of tubular elements, all of the same length, and each having a hexagonal cross-section, and arranged in a honeycomb structure is secured to the in-use inner surface of the first planar member, by means known in the art. A second planar member is secured over the free ends of the tubular elements thus forming a closed tube volume inside the tubular elements. Side panels can then be secured around the edges of the planer members to form an enclosed panel volume.