IP Library Granted Patent US 10,208,490
Granted Patent B2
US 10,208,490 · App. 15/972,633 · Granted Feb 19, 2019

Floor panel

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,208,490
App. No.
15/972,633
Granted
Feb 19, 2019
Kind
B2
Abstract

A floor panel has a rectangular and oblong shape, and includes a substrate and a top layer provided on the substrate and forming a decorative side of the floor panel. The top layer is composed of a print provided on a carrier sheet and a transparent thermoplastic layer situated above the print. The substrate has a thickness from 2 to 10 millimeter and forms at least half of the thickness of the floor panel. The substrate is a polyurethane-based substrate and the transparent thermoplastic layer is polyurethane-based. The floor panel has a length of more than 1.1 meters and has a plurality of reinforcing layers situated outside the center line of the substrate. A reinforcing layer may be provided in combination with the substrate and the top layer.

Claims (90)

1. A floor panel comprising:

a substrate; and

a top layer located above the substrate;

wherein the top layer is connected to the substrate by means of glue;

wherein the substrate is single-layered and includes a closed cell foamed PVC board having a density of more than 450 kilograms per cubic meter;

wherein the substrate has a thickness of 2 to 10 millimeters;

wherein the substrate forms at least half of the thickness of the floor panel;

wherein the top layer includes a back layer, a printed synthetic film located above the back layer and a transparent or translucent thermoplastic layer located above the printed synthetic film;

wherein the transparent or translucent thermoplastic layer includes a vinyl-based material;

wherein the back layer includes PVC with plasticizers and fillers;

wherein the floor panel is rectangular and oblong and includes a pair of long edges and a pair of short edges;

wherein the floor panel includes first mechanical coupling parts at the pair of long edges and second mechanical coupling parts at the pair of short edges;

wherein the first mechanical coupling parts are arranged for horizontal and vertical locking of two of such floor panels using a turning movement along the respective long edges;

wherein the first mechanical coupling parts include a tongue and a groove;

wherein the tongue and the groove are substantially responsible for the vertical locking;

wherein the tongue and the groove include locking parts substantially responsible for the horizontal locking;

wherein the first mechanical coupling parts are substantially realized in the substrate;

wherein the second mechanical coupling parts comprise a male coupling part and a female coupling part arranged for horizontal and vertical locking of two of such floor panels using a downward movement along the respective short edges;

wherein the downward movement is automatically created by the turning movement along the respective long edges; and

wherein the second mechanical coupling parts are substantially realized in the substrate.

2. The floor panel of claim 1 , wherein the back layer is located above the center line determined by the tongue-in-groove coupling.

3. The floor panel of claim 1 , wherein the closed cell foamed PVC board has a density of more than 650 kilograms per cubic meter.

4. The floor panel of claim 1 , wherein the transparent or translucent thermoplastic layer has a thickness of 1 millimeter or less.

5. The floor panel of claim 1 , wherein the vinyl-based material of the transparent or translucent thermoplastic layer is PVC.

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

7. The floor panel of claim 1 , wherein the top layer is connected to the substrate by means of dispersion glue based on polyurethane.

8. The floor panel of claim 1 , wherein the floor panel comprises a backing layer located below the substrate.

9. The floor panel of claim 8 , wherein the backing layer includes a thermoplastic material layer.

10. The floor panel of claim 1 , wherein the floor panel has a thickness of 5 to 15 millimeters.

11. The floor panel of claim 1 , wherein the floor panel has a length of more than 110 centimeters.

12. The floor panel of claim 1 , wherein the floor panel will bend less than 25 centimeters per meter under its own weight.

13. A floor panel comprising:

a substrate;

a top layer located above the substrate; and

a backing layer located below the substrate;

wherein the top layer is connected to the substrate by means of glue;

wherein the substrate is single-layered and includes a closed cell foamed PVC board having a density of more than 650 kilograms per cubic meter;

wherein the substrate has a thickness of 2 to 10 millimeters;

wherein the substrate forms at least half of the thickness of the floor panel;

wherein the top layer includes a back layer, a printed synthetic film located above the back layer and a transparent or translucent thermoplastic layer located above the printed synthetic film;

wherein the back layer includes PVC with plasticizers and fillers;

wherein the transparent or translucent thermoplastic layer includes a vinyl-based material;

wherein the top layer has a thickness of 0.5 to 3 millimeters;

wherein the floor panel has a thickness of 5 to 15 millimeters;

wherein the floor panel is rectangular and oblong and includes a pair of long edges and a pair of short edges;

wherein the floor panel includes first mechanical coupling parts at the pair of long edges and second mechanical coupling parts at the pair of short edges;

wherein the first mechanical coupling parts are arranged for horizontal and vertical locking of two of such floor panels using a turning movement along the respective long edges;

wherein the first mechanical coupling parts include a tongue and a groove;

wherein the tongue and the groove are substantially responsible for the vertical locking;

wherein the tongue and the groove include locking parts substantially responsible for the horizontal locking;

wherein the first mechanical coupling parts are substantially realized in the substrate;

wherein the second mechanical coupling parts comprise a male coupling part and a female coupling part arranged for horizontal and vertical locking of two of such floor panels using a downward movement along the respective short edges;

wherein the downward movement is automatically created by the turning movement along the respective long edges; and

wherein the second mechanical coupling parts are substantially realized in the substrate.

14. The floor panel of claim 13 , wherein the back layer is located above the center line determined by the tongue-in-groove coupling.

15. The floor panel of claim 13 , wherein the transparent or translucent thermoplastic layer has a thickness of 1 millimeter or less.

16. The floor panel of claim 13 , wherein the vinyl-based material of the transparent or translucent thermoplastic layer is PVC.

17. The floor panel of claim 13 , wherein the floor panel has a thickness of 7 to 10 millimeters.

18. The floor panel of claim 13 , wherein the floor panel has a length of more than 110 centimeters.

19. The floor panel of claim 13 , wherein the floor panel will bend less than 25 centimeters per meter under its own weight.

20. The floor panel of claim 13 , wherein the top layer is connected to the substrate by means of dispersion glue based on polyurethane.

21. The floor panel of claim 13 , wherein the backing layer includes a thermoplastic material layer.

22. A floor panel comprising:

a substrate; and

a top layer located above the substrate;

wherein the substrate is multi-layered and includes a closed cell foamed PVC board having a density of more than 450 kilograms per cubic meter;

wherein the substrate has a thickness of 2 to 10 millimeters;

wherein the substrate forms at least half of the thickness of the floor panel;

wherein the substrate includes a plurality of embedded glass fiber layers situated on both sides of the center line of the substrate;

wherein the top layer includes a back layer, a printed synthetic film located above the back layer and a transparent or translucent thermoplastic layer located above the printed synthetic film;

wherein the back layer includes PVC with plasticizers and fillers;

wherein the transparent or translucent thermoplastic layer includes PVC;

wherein the transparent or translucent thermoplastic layer has a thickness of 1 millimeter or less;

wherein the top layer has a thickness of 0.5 to 3 millimeters;

wherein the floor panel is rectangular and oblong and includes a pair of long edges and a pair of short edges;

wherein the floor panel includes first mechanical coupling parts at the pair of long edges and second mechanical coupling parts at the pair of short edges;

wherein the first mechanical coupling parts are arranged for horizontal and vertical locking of two of such floor panels using a turning movement along the respective long edges;

wherein the first mechanical coupling parts include a tongue and a groove;

wherein the tongue and the groove are substantially responsible for the vertical locking; and

wherein the tongue and the groove include locking parts substantially responsible for the horizontal locking.

23. The floor panel of claim 22 , wherein the first mechanical coupling parts are substantially realized in the substrate.

24. The floor panel of claim 22 , wherein the second mechanical coupling parts comprise a male coupling part and a female coupling part arranged for horizontal and vertical locking of two of such floor panels using a downward movement along the respective short edges;

wherein the downward movement is automatically created by the turning movement along the respective long edges; and

wherein the second mechanical coupling parts are substantially realized in the substrate.

25. The floor panel of claim 22 , wherein the back layer is located above the center line determined by the tongue-in-groove coupling.

26. The floor panel of claim 22 , wherein the closed cell foamed PVC board has a density of more than 650 kilograms per cubic meter.

27. The floor panel of claim 22 , wherein the floor panel comprises a backing layer located below the substrate.

28. The floor panel of claim 22 , wherein the floor panel has a thickness of 5 to 15 millimeters.

29. The floor panel of claim 22 , wherein the floor panel has a length of more than 110 centimeters.

30. The floor panel of claim 22 , wherein the floor panel will bend less than 25 centimeters per meter under its own weight.

Assignments (3)
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 Mar 21, 2019
From: SEGAERT, MARTIN; CAPPELLE, MARK
To: FLOORING INDUSTRIES LIMITED SARL
Reel/Frame 048660/0782 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 7, 2018
From: MEERSSEMAN, LAURENT; VANHASTEL, LUC
To: FLOORING INDUSTRIES LIMITED, SARL
Reel/Frame 045733/0097 →
Cited By (1)
US 12,392,139