IP Library Granted Patent US 10,597,876
Granted Patent B2
US 10,597,876 · App. 15/695,163 · Granted Mar 24, 2020

Floor panel

Inventors: Laurent Meersseman (Kortrijk, BE); Martin Segaert (Ypres, BE); Bernard Thiers (Beveren-Leie, BE); Benjamin Clement (Waregem, BE); Christophe Maesen (Lichtervelde, BE)
Assignee: FLOORING INDUSTRIES LIMITED, SARL
E04F15/02038B29C48/21B32B3/06B32B3/12B32B5/145B32B5/18B32B7/02B32B7/12B32B21/02B32B27/065B32B27/08B32B27/20B32B27/30B32B27/40B32B37/06B32B37/153B32B37/16B32B37/226B44C1/24B44C5/04E04F15/02194E04F15/10E04F15/102E04F15/105E04F15/107E04F15/18B32B38/145B32B2266/0235B32B2266/08B32B2307/412B32B2307/414B32B2307/72B32B2309/02B32B2309/04B32B2309/105B32B2309/12B32B2310/0825B32B2327/06B32B2419/04B32B2451/00B32B2471/00E04F2201/0107E04F2201/023Y10T156/10Y10T156/1039Y10T156/1084
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,597,876
App. No.
15/695,163
Granted
Mar 24, 2020
Kind
B2
Abstract

A floor may include a substrate having a top side and a bottom side. A top layer may be provided on the substrate. The top layer may consist of a printed thermoplastic film and a thermoplastic transparent or translucent layer provided on the printed thermoplastic film. The top layer may be directly adhered to the substrate by heat welding the printed thermoplastic film and the top side of the substrate, in the absence of a glue layer. The substrate may be a synthetic material board including a filler. The substrate at least at two opposite edges may include coupling means provided in the synthetic material board. The thermoplastic transparent or translucent layer may be provided with a structure.

Claims (48)

1. A floor panel comprising:

a substrate having a top side and a bottom side; and

a top layer provided on the substrate;

wherein the top layer consists of a printed thermoplastic film, a thermoplastic transparent or translucent layer provided on the printed thermoplastic film, and a surface layer provided on the thermoplastic transparent or translucent layer;

wherein the top layer is directly adhered to the substrate by heat welding the printed thermoplastic film and the top side of the substrate, such that a glue layer is not situated between the printed thermoplastic film and the substrate;

wherein the substrate is a synthetic material board including a filler;

wherein the substrate at least at two opposite edges includes coupling means provided in the synthetic material board;

wherein the thermoplastic transparent or translucent layer is provided with a structure; and

wherein the substrate is rigid;

wherein the top layer has a higher density than the substrate;

wherein the substrate is a foam and extends from the top side to the bottom side of the substrate;

wherein the substrate has a locally higher density at the top side and/or at the bottom side as compared to the density of the substrate in a central layer.

2. The floor panel of claim 1 , wherein the locally higher density is at least 5 percent higher than an average density of the substrate.

3. The floor panel of claim 1 , wherein the substrate is of the closed cell type.

4. The floor panel of claim 1 , wherein the substrate has an average density of 450 to 900 kilograms per cubic meter.

5. The floor panel of claim 1 , wherein the top layer has a thickness of 0.5 to 3 millimeters.

6. The floor panel of claim 1 , wherein the printed thermoplastic film is a printed PVC film; and wherein the thermoplastic transparent or translucent layer includes a vinyl compound.

7. The floor panel of claim 1 , wherein the top layer is at least partially obtained from polyvinyl chloride.

8. The floor panel of claim 7 , wherein the polyvinyl chloride includes plasticizers.

9. The floor panel of claim 1 , wherein the surface layer is based on a UV hardened substance.

10. The floor panel of claim 1 , wherein the surface layer has a thickness of less than 0.1 mm.

11. The floor panel of claim 1 , wherein the surface layer includes aluminum oxide particles.

12. The floor panel of claim 1 , wherein the top layer has a density of more than 500 kilograms per cubic meter.

13. A floor panel comprising:

a substrate having a top side and a bottom side; and

a top layer provided on the substrate;

wherein the top layer consists of a printed thermoplastic film, a thermoplastic transparent or translucent layer provided on the printed thermoplastic film, and a surface layer provided on the thermoplastic transparent or translucent layer;

wherein the top layer is directly adhered to the substrate by heat welding the printed thermoplastic film and the top side of the substrate, such that a glue layer is not situated between the printed thermoplastic film and the substrate;

wherein the substrate is a synthetic material board including a filler;

wherein the substrate at least at two opposite edges includes coupling means provided in the synthetic material board;

wherein the thermoplastic transparent or translucent layer is provided with a structure; and

wherein the floor panel bends less than 10 centimeters per meter under its own weight;

wherein the top layer has a higher density than the substrate;

wherein the substrate has a locally higher density at the top side and/or at the bottom side as compared to the density of the substrate in a central layer.

14. The floor panel of claim 13 , wherein the surface layer is based on a UV hardened substance.

15. The floor panel of claim 13 , wherein the surface layer has a thickness of less than 0.1 mm.

16. The floor panel of claim 13 , wherein the surface layer includes aluminum oxide particles.

17. A floor panel comprising:

a substrate having a top side and a bottom side; and

a top layer provided on the substrate;

wherein the top layer consists of a printed thermoplastic film, a thermoplastic transparent or translucent layer provided on the printed thermoplastic film, and a surface layer provided on the thermoplastic transparent or translucent layer;

wherein the top layer is directly adhered to the substrate by heat welding the printed thermoplastic film and the top side of the substrate, such that a glue layer is not situated between the printed thermoplastic film and the substrate;

wherein the substrate is a foamed synthetic material board including a filler;

wherein the substrate at least at two opposite edges includes coupling means provided in the synthetic material board;

wherein the thermoplastic transparent or translucent layer is provided with a structure;

wherein the substrate is rigid and the top layer has a higher density than the substrate;

wherein the substrate has a locally higher density at the top side or at the bottom side as compared to the density of the substrate in a central layer;

wherein the substrate has an average density of 450 to 900 kilograms per cubic meter and the top layer has a density of more than 500 kilograms per cubic meter.

Assignments (2)
NUNC PRO TUNC ASSIGNMENT Recorded Mar 18, 2024
From: FLOORING INDUSTRIES LIMITED, SARL
To: UNILIN BV
Reel/Frame 066805/0445 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 21, 2017
From: MEERSSEMAN, LAURENT; SEGAERT, MARTIN; THIERS, BERNARD; CLEMENT, BENJAMIN; MAESEN, CHRISTOPHE
To: FLOORING INDUSTRIES LIMITED, SARL
Reel/Frame 044188/0314 →
Priority Claims (1)
BE 2010/0283 · May 10, 2010 · national
Continuity (4)
Continuation 15045389 · Feb 17, 2016
Continuation 14015307 · Aug 30, 2013
Division 13696769
Related Publication 20170362833A1 · Dec 21, 2017
Cited By (1)
US 12,612,789