Granted Patent B2

US 12,595,664 · App. 18/039,443 · Granted Apr 7, 2026

Inventors: Benjamin Clement (Waregem, BE); Laurent Meersseman (Mont de l'Enclus, BE); Jan De Rick (Geraardsbergen, BE); Benny Schacht (Vlamertinge, BE); Bruno Vermeulen (Aldeneik-Maaseik, BE); Lieven Vangheluwe (Ronse, BE); Jonas Deman (Sint-Amandsberg, BE)

Assignee: UNILIN BV

E04F13/18E04F13/0894E04F2201/0153

Abstract

Claims (33)

1 . A wall or ceiling panel assembly comprising:

at least one panel of rectangular or oblong shape provided with coupling means on at least two opposite long sidewalls of said panel,

wherein a length of the panel is greater than 1200 mm, the panel comprising:

at least a base layer comprising a mineral-based filler, and a decorative layer on top of the base layer,

a coupling means on at least one long sidewall and a complementary coupling means on the opposite long sidewall,

wherein the panel further comprises a stiffening member adjacent to one of the long sidewalls;

wherein the suffering member is located within a distance of one-third of a width of the panel.

2 . The wall or ceiling panel assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the width of the panel is greater than 200 millimeters.

3 . The wall or ceiling panel assembly according to claim 1 , wherein a composition of the base layer comprises a thermoplastic polymer, wherein the thermoplastic polymer is a polyvinyl chloride.

4 . The wall or ceiling panel assembly according to claim 3 , wherein a mineral-based filler content of the base layer is above 40% in weight.

5 . The wall or ceiling panel assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the stiffening member comprises a thermoplastic polymer, said thermoplastic polymer having a Young's modulus at least one and a half times greater than the Young's modulus of the thermoplastic polymer of the base layer.

6 . A wall or ceiling panel assembly comprising:

at least a first panel of a substantially rectangular or oblong shape provided with coupling means that are complementary to each other on at least a pair of opposite sidewalls of the panel, the coupling means being configured such that two of such panels are arranged to couple to each other in a plane of the panel, the panel comprising at least a base layer and a decorative layer,

at least a second panel substantially similar to the first panel,

wherein a coupling means of the first panel and a complementary coupling means of the second panel allow to assemble the first and second panels together by a movement of the coupling means of the second panel, relative to the complementary coupling means of the first panel, said movement being oriented:

in a direction substantially perpendicular to a plane of the panels, and

towards the complementary coupling means of the first panel.

7 . The wall or ceiling panel assembly according to claim 6 , wherein a length of each panel is greater than 1600 mm.

8 . The wall or ceiling panel assembly according to claim 6 , wherein a composition of the base layer comprises a mineral-based filler above 40% in weight.

9 . The wall or ceiling panel assembly according to claim 6 , wherein a composition of the base layer comprises a thermoplastic material.

10 . The wall or ceiling panel assembly according to claim 6 , wherein a thickness of the panel is lower than 7 mm.

11 . The wall or ceiling panel assembly according to claim 6 , wherein a density of the base layer is greater than 1500 kg/m 3 .

12 . The wall or ceiling, comprising a wall or ceiling panel assembly according to claim 6 ,

wherein the wall or ceiling further comprises a supporting structure comprising elongated members extending in a direction perpendicular to a length of the panels, said elongated members running substantially parallel to the wall or ceiling, wherein a distance between two neighboring elongated members of the supporting structure is smaller than 400 mm.

13 . A wall or ceiling panel assembly comprising:

at least a first panel of a substantially rectangular or oblong shape, the panel having a front side and a back side and comprising:

at least a base layer and a decorative layer, wherein the decorative layer is applied on the side of the base layer directed to the front side of the panel,

a tongue on at least a first sidewall of the panel,

a groove in a sidewall opposite to the first sidewall, said tongue and said groove being configured such that two of such panels are arranged to couple to each other in a plane of the first panel;

wherein the wall or ceiling panel assembly further comprises at least a second panel similar to the first panel, a tongue of the second panel being coupled with a groove of the first panel, said tongue of the second panel is arranged to slide freely within said groove of the first panel in a direct to the sidewall opposite the first sidewall.

14 . The wall or ceiling panel assembly according to claim 13 , wherein the groove in the opposite sidewall defines an upper edge of the groove located closer to the front side of the panel, and a lower edge of the groove located closer to the back side of the panel, the decorative layer extending at least partially to an upper face of the tongue on the first sidewall, and to at least the upper edge of the groove.

15 . The wall or ceiling panel assembly according to claim 13 , wherein a composition of the base layer comprises a mineral-based filler above 40% in weight and wherein the composition of the base layer comprises a thermoplastic material.

16 . The wall or ceiling panel assembly according to claim 13 , wherein a thickness of the panel is less than 7 mm, and wherein a density of the base layer is greater than 1500 kg/m 3 .

Assignments (2)

Continuity (2)

References Cited (20)