IP Library Granted Patent US 11,975,523
Granted Patent B2
US 11,975,523 · App. 18/147,206 · Granted May 7, 2024

Floor panel and method for manufacturing a floor panel

Inventor: Kristof Van Vlassenrode (Deinze, BE)
Assignee: UNILIN BV
B32B7/023B32B3/06B32B3/263B32B5/022B32B5/18B32B5/245B32B27/12B32B27/304E04F15/02038E04F15/107B32B2255/10B32B2262/101B32B2266/0235B32B2307/4026B32B2307/412B32B2307/414B32B2471/00E04F2201/0153E04F2201/023E04F2201/042E04F2201/043
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,975,523
App. No.
18/147,206
Granted
May 7, 2024
Kind
B2
Abstract

A floor panel including at least one substrate and a top layer, where the substrate includes at least one first layer of a first thermoplastic material and a second layer of a second thermoplastic material. The second layer is adjacent to a first side of the first layer and the second layer provides the floor panel with its underside. The first layer is characterized by a first colour with saturation value S1 in the HSL colour space and the second layer is characterized by a second colour with saturation value S2 in the HSL colour space, where S1 is less than S2.

Claims (28)

1. A floor panel comprising at least one substrate and a top layer, said substrate comprising at least one first layer of a first thermoplastic material and a second layer of a second thermoplastic material, wherein the second layer is adjacent to a first side of the first layer, wherein the first layer is characterized by a first colour with saturation value S1 in a HSL (Hue, Saturation, Lightness) colour space and the second layer is characterized by a second colour with saturation value S2 in the HSL colour space, wherein S1 is less than S2.

2. The floor panel of claim 1 , wherein said floor panel comprises an additional layer on an underside of the floor panel.

3. The floor panel of claim 2 , wherein said additional layer forms part of said substrate.

4. The floor panel of claim 2 , wherein said additional layer is an undercoat that provides the underside of the floor panel with functionalities.

5. The floor panel of claim 1 , wherein said floor panel comprises one or more foamed layers.

6. The floor panel of claim 5 , wherein said foamed layers contain hollow spaces, in an amount such that the density of the material is reduced by at least 10%.

7. The floor panel of claim 5 , wherein said foamed layers are located centrally in the substrate.

8. The floor panel of claim 1 , wherein said first thermoplastic material is polyvinyl chloride (PVC).

9. The floor panel of claim 8 , wherein said polyvinyl chloride (PVC) material is provided with fillers.

10. The floor panel of claim 9 , wherein said fillers are present in an amount of at least 30 phr (parts per hundred) of the thermoplastic material.

11. The floor panel of claim 1 , wherein the absolute value of S1-S2 is greater than or equal to 15.

12. The floor panel of claim 1 , wherein S1 is greater than or equal to 15.

13. The floor panel of claim 1 , wherein the first colour has a luminance value L1 in the HSL colour space and L1 is less than or equal to 85.

14. The floor panel of claim 1 , wherein the second layer has a luminance value L2 in the HSL colour space and L2 is less than or equal to 85.

15. The floor panel of claim 1 , wherein the hue of the first colour is characterized by an angle H1 in the HSL colour space and the hue of the second colour is characterized by an angle H2 in the HSL colour space and where the smaller angle between H1 and H2 is greater than or equal to 25°.

16. The floor panel of claim 1 , wherein the top layer of the panel comprises a decorating layer, said decorating layer being located between the layers of thermoplastic material and an upper surface of the floor panel, wherein the decorating layer comprises a printed pattern.

17. The floor panel of claim 16 , wherein the decorating layer comprises a thermoplastic film, wherein the film is provided with a decorative print.

18. The floor panel of claim 16 , wherein the top layer of the panel further comprises a transparent or translucent wearing layer applied on the decorating layer.

19. The floor panel of claim 1 , wherein the top layer of the panel is provided with a relief on an uppermost surface of the top layer.

20. The floor panel of claim 1 , wherein the floor panel is provided on at least two opposite edges with coupling means that allow two such floor panels to be coupled together, wherein locking is brought about on said edges at least in a vertical direction perpendicular to the surface of the panels, wherein at least one of said edges is provided with a groove is located entirely above the second layer.

21. A floor panel comprising at least one substrate and a top layer, said floor panel comprising one or more foamed layers,

wherein said substrate comprises at least one first layer of a first thermoplastic material and a second layer of a second thermoplastic material, wherein the second layer is adjacent to a first side of the first layer,

wherein said first thermoplastic material is polyvinyl chloride (PVC) provided with fillers,

wherein said floor panel further comprises an additional layer on an underside of the floor panel, the additional layer forms part of said substrate,

wherein the top layer of the panel comprises a decorating layer, said decorating layer being located between the layers of thermoplastic material and the upper surface of the floor panel, wherein the decorating layer comprises a printed pattern,

wherein the top layer of the panel further comprises a transparent or translucent wearing layer applied on the decorating layer,

wherein the top layer of the panel is provided with a relief on an uppermost surface of the top layer, and

wherein the first layer is characterized by a first colour with saturation value S1 in a HSL (Hue, Saturation, Lightness) colour space and the second layer is characterized by a second colour with saturation value S2 in the HSL colour space, wherein S1 is less than S2.

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 Dec 28, 2022
From: VAN VLASSENRODE, KRISTOF
To: IVC, BV
Reel/Frame 062225/0151 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 28, 2022
From: IVC, BV
To: FLOORING INDUSTRIES LIMITED, SARL
Reel/Frame 062241/0109 →