Method For Producing Floorboards, and Method For Sealing Connection Regions of a Floor Covering

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for producing floorboards for a floor covering with at least partly coated end faces. A plurality of floorboards are provided, each of which has multiple end faces, and at least one of the end faces of the plurality of floorboards is at least partly coated with a material which can be biologically grown or a component of a material which can be biologically grown in order to form a respective at least partly coated end face. The invention additionally relates to a method for sealing connection regions of a floor covering which has multiple floorboards, wherein multiple floorboards are produced for a floor covering with at least partly coated end faces using an aforementioned method for producing floorboards, and the floorboards are arranged on an underlying surface such that one of the coated end faces of the floorboards contacts a respective other end face of another floorboard of the floorboards while at least partly forming a connection region. The material which can be biologically grown or a material which is made of the aforementioned component can be biologically grown is biologically grown, and the connection region between the coated end face and the other end face is sealed.

Claims

1. A method for producing floorboards for a floor covering having end sides which are coated at least in portions; wherein provided are a plurality of floorboards which have in each case a plurality of end sides; wherein at least one of the end sides of the plurality of the floorboards is at least in portions coated with a material capable of biological growth, or with a component of a material capable of biological growth, so as to form in each case one end side which is coated at least in portions.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the material capable of biological growth, or the component of the material capable of biological growth, is designed to alter surface tension of the end side which is coated at least in portions.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the material capable of biological growth comprises a fungus mycelium.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the component of the material capable of biological growth comprises fungal spores.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one further one of the end sides of the floorboards is coated at least in portions with a nutrient for the material capable of biological growth so as to form in each case one further end side which is coated at least in portions.

6. The method as claimed in claim 5, wherein the further end side which is coated at least in portions is arranged opposite the end side which is coated at least in portions.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the material capable of biological growth, or the component of the material capable of biological growth, is provided in liquid form for coating.

8. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the floorboards after coating are radiated with electromagnetic radiation so as to activate growth of the material capable of biological growth.

9. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the floorboards after coating and/or after radiation with electromagnetic radiation are packed in such a manner that the biological growth of the material capable of biological growth is impeded.

10. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the material capable of biological growth grows biologically on the end side and forms a compressible coating.

11. A method for sealing connection regions of a floor covering having a plurality of floorboards; wherein a plurality of floorboards for a floor covering having end sides which are coated at least in portions are produced by a method as claimed in claim 1; wherein the floorboards are arranged on a substrate in such a manner that one of the coated end sides of the floorboards contacts in each case one further end side of another one of the floorboards while at least partially forming a connection region; wherein a material capable of biological growth, or a material capable of biological growth formed from the component, grows biologically and seals the connection region between the coated end side and the further end side.

12. The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein the end sides of the floorboards have in each case one tongue element or one groove element, and a tongue-and-groove connection is formed in the connection region when arranged on the substrate.

13. The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein the end sides of the floorboards have in each case one mechanical coupling element and a force-fitting connection of two coupling elements is formed in the connection region when arranged on the substrate.

14. The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein the floorboards prior to arrangement on the substrate are retrieved from a pack that impedes the biological growth of the material capable of biological growth.

15. The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein a nutrient and/or a growth-promoting substance are/is applied to the floorboards and/or the connection regions so as to activate and/or promote the growth of the material capable of biological growth.

16. The method as claimed in claim 15, wherein the nutrient and/or the growth-promoting substance are/is applied to the floorboards and/or the connection regions after arranging the floorboards on the substrate.

17. The method as claimed in claim 15, wherein the nutrient and/or the growth-promoting substance are/is applied to the coated end sides of the floorboards before arranging the floorboards.

18. The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein thermal energy is introduced into the floorboards and/or the connection regions so as to activate and/or promote the growth of the material capable of biological growth.

19. The method as claimed in claim 18, wherein the thermal energy is introduced by means of hot air and/or thermal radiation.

20. (canceled)

21. The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein: when coating, the end sides of different floorboards are at least in portions coated with different components of a material capable of biological growth; and when arranging the floorboards on the substrate, different components of the material capable of biological growth are brought in contact with one another in the connection region and form the material capable of biological growth.

Description

[0039] Further details and advantages of the invention are to be explained hereunder by means of the exemplary embodiments shown in the figures in which:

[0040] FIG. 1 shows a floor covering in a perspective illustration;

[0041] FIGS. 2A/B show end sides of an exemplary floorboard in a lateral view;

[0042] FIG. 3 shows a connection region of two floorboards in a sectional illustration;

[0043] FIG. 4 shows a schematic flow chart for explaining a first and a second exemplary embodiment of a method according to the invention for sealing connection regions of a floor covering;

[0044] FIG. 5 shows a schematic flow chart for explaining a third and a fourth exemplary embodiment of a method according to the invention for sealing connection regions of a floor covering; and

[0045] FIG. 6 shows a schematic flow chart for explaining a fifth exemplary embodiment of a method according to the invention for sealing connection regions of a floor covering.

[0046] The illustration in FIG. 1 shows a floor covering 5 which is formed from a plurality of floorboards 4 which are arranged so as to lie next to one another on a substrate. The floorboards 4 can be formed from timber, for example, or from a laminate comprising timber. The floorboards 4 are connected to one another in connection regions 1. One end side of a first floorboard 4 bears in each case on one end side of a second floorboard 4 in the connection region 1.

[0047] The illustrations in FIGS. 2A and 2B show two lateral views of end sides 2 of an exemplary floorboard 4. A first end side 4 is formed in the manner of a tongue side, cf. FIG. 2A. A second end side 4, which is arranged so as to be opposite the first end side on the floorboard 4, is formed in the manner of a groove side, cf. FIG. 2B.

[0048] The floorboards 4 for forming the floor covering are arranged, thus installed, on the substrate in such a manner that one tongue side is in each case brought in contact with a groove side. A sectional illustration of a corresponding connection region 1 having a groove side and a tongue side is illustrated in FIG. 3. It can be seen that the end sides 2 lie next to each other. The end sides 2 have in each case one chamfer 3 on an upper edge, so that a joint between two floorboards 4 lying next to one another is formed on the upper edge.

[0049] According to a variant of the floorboards 4 shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the end sides 2 of the floorboards 4 can in each case have one mechanical coupling element, for example a click-lock coupling element. A force-fitting connection of two coupling elements can be formed in the connection region 1 when these coupling elements contact one another, thus during arrangement of the floorboards 4 on a substrate.

[0050] Different design embodiments of the method for sealing connection regions of the floor covering according to the invention are to be explained hereunder with reference to the design features of the floor covering 5 shown in FIGS. 1 to 3.

[0051] Illustrated in FIG. 4 is a flow chart of a first exemplary embodiment of a method for sealing connection regions of a floor covering according to the invention. In the process, a method 10 for producing floorboards for a floor covering having end sides which are coated at least in portions is first carried out in order to obtain floorboards. In the process, a plurality of floorboards which have in each case a plurality of end sides are provided in a first method step 11.

[0052] In a coating step 12, one or a plurality of end sides of these floorboards are coated at least in portions with a material capable of biological growth, or with a component of a material capable of biological growth, presently with fungal spores or with a fungus mycelium. The fungal spores, or the fungus mycelium, can be applied to the groove sides of the floorboards, for example. A further one of the end sides of the floorboards is coated at least in portions with a nutrient for the material capable of biological growth, for example with a malt or a vegetable oil, in particular linseed oil. This herein is preferably an end side which is arranged on the floorboard so as to be opposite the end side that is coated with the material capable of biological growth, or the component, respectively. Once the fungal spores or the fungus mycelium have/has been applied to the groove sides, the tongue sides can be coated with the nutrient. For coating in the coating step 12, the material capable of biological growth, or the component of the material capable of biological growth, is provided in liquid form. This offers the advantage that conventional coating methods for liquid paints can be used for coating.

[0053] The floorboards which are coated in portions are then packed in a packing step 13, in particular packed in an air-tight and liquid-tight manner in such a way that the biological growth of the material capable of biological growth is impeded.

[0054] The floorboards 4 are retrieved from the pack in a retrieving step 14 shortly before the floorboards 4 are actually installed.

[0055] In an installing step 15, the floorboards 4 are then arranged on a substrate in such a manner that one of the coated end sides 2 of the floorboards 4 is in each case at least partially in contact with one further end side 2 of another one of the floorboards 4 while forming a connection region 1. The components of the material capable of biological growth come in contact herein, or the material capable of biological growth comes in contact with the nutrient, respectively. Consequently, the material capable of biological growth grows biologically and as a result seals the connection region 1 between the coated end side 2 and the further end side 2.

[0056] A second exemplary embodiment of a method for sealing connection regions of a floor covering according to the invention can be explained by means of the flow chart shown in FIG. 4. In a first method step 11, a plurality of floorboards which have in each case a plurality of end sides are provided. In the coating step 12 herein, the same material capable of biological growth, for example fungus mycelium, is applied either to in each case only one end side 2 of the floorboards 4, or a plurality of, in particular all, and sides 2 of the floorboards 4. The material capable of biological growth is capable of growth to a certain extent and forms a compressible and water-impermeable coating on the end sides 2 of the floorboards. The growth can start immediately after the coating step 12 and continue at least until the floorboards 4 are packed, in particular in an air-tight and gas-tight manner, in a packing step 13.

[0057] Installing takes place after the floorboards 4 have been retrieved from the pack in the retrieving step 14. In the installing step 15, the end sides 2 of the floorboards 4 are brought in contact with one another in such a manner that the compressible and water-impermeable coating is compressed and completely closes a gap between the end sides and/or a joint edge on the chamfer 3.

[0058] A flow chart of a third exemplary embodiment of the method for sealing connection regions of a floor covering according to the invention is illustrated in FIG. 5. Here, a method 10 for producing floorboards for a floor covering having end sides which are coated at least in portions is first carried out in order to obtain floorboards. In a first method step 11 herein, a plurality of floorboards which have in each case a plurality of end sides are provided. In the following coating step 12, the same material capable of biological growth, for example a fungus mycelium, is either applied only to in each case one end side 2 of the floorboards 4, or to a plurality of, in particular all, end sides 2 of the floorboards 4.

[0059] The floorboards 4 are packed in a packing step 13, in particular in an air-tight and gas-tight manner. In the packed state, the floorboards 4 can be moved to their installation site and at the latter unpacked in a retrieving step 14. The floorboards 4 are installed at the installation site in an installing step 15, wherein one of the coated end sides 2 of the floorboards 4 comes in each case at least partially in contact with a further end side 2 of another floorboard 4, and forms a connection region 1.

[0060] After installation, a nutrient, for example a malt or a malt extract or a vegetable oil, in particular linseed oil, and/or a growth-promoting substance, in particular water, is then applied to the floorboards 4 and/or the connection regions 1 in an activating step 16. The growth of the biological material is activated and/or promoted as a result. The material capable of biological growth grows to a water-impermeable mass and seals the connection region 1 between the floorboards 4.

[0061] Alternatively, the nutrient and/or the growth-promoting substance can be applied to the floorboards 4, in particular to the end sides 2 of the floorboards 4, prior to the installing step 15, i.e. before arranging the floorboards 4 on the substrate.

[0062] A fourth exemplary embodiment of a method for sealing connection regions of a floor covering according to the invention, in which the method steps of producing 10, packing 13 and unpacking 14 are performed as in the third exemplary embodiment can be explained by means of the flow chart shown in FIG. 5. Reference is therefore made to the explanations pertaining to the third exemplary embodiment. As opposed to the third exemplary embodiment, activating or promoting the growth of the biological material in the activation step 16 is performed by introducing energy, in particular thermal energy. This input of energy into the floorboards 4 and/or into the connection regions 1 preferably takes place after arranging the floorboards on the substrate. Alternatively, the introduction of the energy can take place prior to installing 15.

[0063] The thermal energy can be introduced by means of hot air and/or thermal radiation, for example.

[0064] A flow chart of a fifth exemplary embodiment of a method for sealing connection regions of a floor covering according to the invention is illustrated in FIG. 6. Here, a method 10 for producing floorboards for a floor covering having end sides which are coated at least in portions is first carried out in order to obtain floorboards. In a first method step 11 herein, a plurality of floorboards which have in each case a plurality of end sides are provided. In the following coating step 12, the same material capable of biological growth, for example a fungus mycelium, is either applied in each case to only one end side 2 of the floorboards 4, or to a plurality of, in particular all, end sides 2 of the floorboards 4. In an activating step 17, following coating 12, the floorboards 4 are radiated with electromagnetic radiation, in particular UV radiation, so as to activate the growth of the material capable of biological growth.

[0065] The floorboards 4 are then packed in a packing step 13, in particular in an air-tight and gas-tight manner. In the packed state the floorboards 4 can be moved to their installation site and at the latter unpacked in a retrieving step 14. The floorboards 4 at the installation site are installed in an installing step 15, wherein one of the coated end sides 2 of the floorboards 4 comes in each case at least partially in contact with a further end side 2 of another floorboard 4, or is separated from the further end side 2 at most by a minor gap (e.g. 0.05 mm), and forms the connection region 1.

[0066] After installation, a further activating step 16 can optionally be carried out. As described above in the context of the other exemplary embodiments, a nutrient, for example a malt or a malt extract or vegetable oil, in particular linseed oil, and/or a growth-promoting substance, in particular water, can be applied to the floorboards 4 and/or the connection regions 1. Alternatively, energy, in particular thermal energy, can be introduced in the activating step 16 for promoting the growth of the biological material.

[0067] In the exemplary embodiments of the method according to the invention discussed above, the material capable of biological growth, and/or the component of the material capable of biological growth, and/or the nutrient and/or of the growth-promoting substance can be a applied as a coating to an end side 2 of the floorboards 4. These materials or substances are advantageously provided in liquid form so that coating can take place by means of a transfer wheel by way of which the material capable of biological growth, provided in liquid form, is applied to the portion of the end side. For this purpose, the respective material, or the respective substance, can be received from a container by the transfer wheel. The transfer wheel can have a bevel, wherein the bevel is aligned so as to be parallel to the portion of the end side that is to be coated. The layer thickness of the material to be applied, or of the substance to be applied, can be adjusted by a squeegee. The transfer wheel, in particular the bevel, is spaced apart from the end side of the floorboard by a gap on application. The application of the material, or of the substance, from the transfer wheel to the end side preferably takes place by way of adhesive forces.

List of Reference Signs

[0068] 1 Connection region [0069] 2 End side [0070] 3 Chamfer for forming a joint [0071] 4 Floorboard [0072] 5 Floor covering [0073] 10 Method for producing floorboards [0074] 11 Providing step [0075] 12 Coating step [0076] 13 Packing step [0077] 14 Retrieving step [0078] 15 Installing step [0079] 16 Activating step [0080] 17 Activating step