Granted Patent B2

US 12,385,260 · App. 18/435,188 · Granted Aug 12, 2025

Inventor: Mark Cappelle (Staden, BE)

Assignee: UNILIN, BV

E04F15/02038E04F15/02E04F15/02033E04F15/045E04F15/048E04F15/102E04F2201/0115E04F2201/013E04F2201/0138E04F2201/0146E04F2201/0153E04F2201/0161E04F2201/023E04F2201/026E04F2201/041E04F2201/043E04F2201/049E04F2201/0529Y10T29/49623Y10T29/49629

Abstract

Claims (59)

1. A floor element for forming a floor covering, comprising:

a first pair of opposite sides, including first and second opposite sides, comprising a first coupling part on the first opposite side, and a second coupling part on the second opposite side,

wherein the first coupling part comprises a male coupling part and the second coupling part comprises a female coupling part, and

wherein the first coupling part and the second coupling part are provided with vertically active locking portions, arranged such that, the first and second coupling parts cooperate with corresponding coupling parts of another floor element and, as coupled to the another floor element, effect a locking in a vertical direction, perpendicular to a plane of the floor covering,

wherein the first coupling part and the second coupling part comprise horizontally active locking portions, arranged such that the first and second coupling parts cooperate with the corresponding coupling parts of the another floor element and, as coupled to the another floor element, effect a locking in a horizontal direction, perpendicular to the first pair of opposite sides and in the plane of the floor covering,

wherein the first and second coupling parts are arranged such that the floor element is configured to couple to the corresponding coupling parts of the another floor element by a horizontal shifting movement and a downward movement;

wherein the floor element comprises a substrate and a top layer, and wherein the substrate is made of a filled synthetic material composite and the first and second coupling parts are formed in the substrate, such that both of the vertically active locking portions and the horizontally active locking portions are entirely made of the filled synthetic material composite, and wherein the top layer comprises a decorative film with a printed decor;

wherein the filled synthetic material composite comprises a thermoplastic material and an inorganic filling material;

wherein a weight ratio between the thermoplastic material and the inorganic filling material is between 50:50 and 10:90; and

wherein the first and second coupling parts are milled profiles.

2. The floor element of claim 1 , wherein the thermoplastic material is selected from polyethylene, polypropylene and polyvinylchloride.

3. The floor element of claim 1 , wherein floor element is rectangular and the first pair of opposite sides is located on a first pair of short sides of the floor element and a second pair of opposite sides, including third and fourth opposite sides, is located on a first pair of long sides of the floor element;

and wherein the third opposite side comprises a third coupling part and the other fourth opposite side comprises a fourth coupling part;

wherein the third coupling part comprises a male coupling part and the fourth coupling part comprises a female coupling part, and wherein the third coupling part and the fourth coupling part are provided with vertically active locking portions, arranged such that the third and fourth coupling parts cooperate with corresponding coupling parts of another floor element and, as coupled to the another floor element, effect a locking in a vertical direction, perpendicular to a plane of the floor covering,

wherein the third coupling part and the fourth coupling part comprise horizontally active locking portions, arranged such that the third and fourth coupling parts cooperate with the corresponding coupling parts of the another floor element and, as coupled to the another floor element, effect a locking in a horizontal direction, perpendicular to the second pair of opposite sides and in the plane of the floor covering.

4. The floor element of claim 1 , wherein the male coupling part for the first coupling part comprises a tongue and the female coupling part for the second coupling part comprises a groove delimited by a lower lip and an upper lip, wherein the horizontally active locking portions comprise an upright locking element on the lower lip and, interacting therewith, a downward directed locking element on an underside of the tongue.

5. The floor element of claim 4 , wherein the lower lip projects beyond an upper edge at the respective side and comprises a bendable portion, and

wherein the first and second coupling parts are configured to couple to the corresponding coupling parts of the another floor element by a snap-on action.

6. The floor element of claim 5 , wherein the bendable portion is configured to be capable of deforming and is at least partially relaxed at an end of the snap-on action.

7. The floor element of claim 1 , wherein said downward movement has a vertical component and a horizontal component.

8. A floor element for forming a floor covering, comprising:

a first pair of opposite sides, including first and second opposite sides, comprising a first coupling part on the first opposite side, and a second coupling part on the the second opposite side,

wherein the first coupling part comprises a male coupling part and the second coupling part comprises a female coupling part, and

wherein the first coupling part and the second coupling part are provided with vertically active locking portions arranged such that the first and second coupling parts cooperate with the corresponding coupling parts of another floor element and, as coupled to the another floor element, effect a locking in a vertical direction, perpendicular to a plane of the floor covering,

wherein the first coupling part and the second coupling part comprise horizontally active locking portions arranged such that the first and second coupling parts cooperate with the corresponding coupling parts of the another floor element and, as coupled to the another floor element, effect a locking in a horizontal direction, perpendicular to the first pair of opposite sides and in the plane of the floor covering,

wherein the male coupling part for the first coupling part comprises a tongue and the female coupling part for the second coupling part comprises a groove delimited by a lower lip and an upper lip, wherein the horizontally active locking portions comprise an upright locking element on the lower lip and, interacting therewith, a downward directed locking element on an underside of the tongue,

wherein the first and the second coupling parts are arranged such that the floor element is configured to couple to the corresponding coupling parts of the another floor element by a downward movement, said downward movement comprising a horizontal component and a vertical component;

wherein the floor element comprises a substrate and a top layer, wherein the substrate made of a filled synthetic material composite and the first and second coupling parts are formed in the substrate, such that both of the vertically active locking portions and the horizontally active locking portions are entirely made of the filled synthetic material composite, and wherein the top layer comprises a decorative film with a printed decor;

wherein the filled synthetic material composite comprises a thermoplastic material and an inorganic filling material;

wherein a weight ratio between the thermoplastic material and the inorganic filling material is lower than 50:50;

wherein the first and second coupling parts are milled profiles; and

wherein the thermoplastic material is selected from polyethylene, polypropylene and polyvinylchloride.

9. The floor element of claim 8 , wherein the filled synthetic material composite has a content of thermoplastic material greater than 10 percent.

10. The floor element of claim 8 , wherein the filled synthetic material composite has a content of thermoplastic material greater than 20 percent.

11. The floor element of claim 8 , wherein the male coupling part for the first coupling part comprises a tongue and the female coupling part for the second coupling part comprises a groove delimited by a lower lip and an upper lip, wherein the horizontally active locking portions comprise an upright locking element on the lower lip and, interacting therewith, a downward directed locking element on an underside of the tongue.

12. The floor element of claim 11 , wherein the lower lip projects beyond an upper edge at the respective side and comprises a bendable portion, and

wherein the first and second coupling parts are configured to couple to the corresponding coupling parts of the another floor element by a snap-on action.

13. A floor element for forming a floor covering, comprising:

a first pair of opposite sides, including first and second opposite sides, comprising a first coupling part on the first opposite side, and a second coupling part on the second opposite side,

wherein the first coupling part comprises a male coupling part and the second coupling part comprises a female coupling part, and

wherein the first coupling part and the second coupling part are provided with vertically active locking portions, arranged such that the first and second coupling parts cooperate with the corresponding coupling parts of another floor element and, as coupled to the another floor element, effect a locking in a vertical direction, perpendicular to a plane of the floor covering,

wherein the first coupling part and the second coupling part comprise horizontally active locking portions arranged such that the first and second coupling parts cooperate with the corresponding coupling parts of the another floor element and, as coupled to the another floor element, effect a locking in a horizontal direction, perpendicular to the first pair of opposite sides and in the plane of the floor covering, wherein the male coupling part for the first coupling part comprises a tongue and the female coupling part for the second coupling part comprises a groove delimited by a lower lip and an upper lip, wherein the horizontally active locking portions comprise an upright locking element on the lower lip and, interacting therewith, a downward directed locking element on an underside of the tongue,

wherein the first and second coupling parts are arranged such that the floor element is configured to couple to the corresponding coupling parts of the another floor element by a horizontal shifting movement or a downward movement;

wherein the female coupling part comprises a bendable portion formed at least by a portion of the female coupling part projecting beyond an upper edge at the respective side;

wherein the first and second coupling parts are arranged such that the floor element is configured to couple to the corresponding coupling parts of the another floor element by a snap-on action;

wherein the floor element comprises a substrate and a top layer, wherein the substrate made of a filled synthetic material composite and the first and second coupling parts are formed in the substrate, such that both of the vertically active locking portions and the horizontally active locking portions are entirely made of the filled synthetic material composite, and wherein the top layer comprises a decorative film with a printed decor;

wherein the filled synthetic material composite comprises a thermoplastic material and an inorganic filling material;

wherein a weight ratio between the thermoplastic material and the inorganic filling material is lower than 50:50;

wherein the first and second coupling parts are milled profiles; and

wherein the thermoplastic material is selected from polyethylene, polypropylene and polyvinylchloride.

14. The floor element of claim 13 , wherein said downward movement has a vertical component and a horizontal component.

15. The floor element of claim 14 , wherein the horizontal component dominates.

16. The floor element of claim 14 , wherein the filled synthetic material composite has a content of thermoplastic material greater than 10 percent.

17. The floor element of claim 16 , wherein the milled profiles are made with a milling process using rotating milling tools.

18. The floor element of claim 13 , wherein the filled synthetic material composite has a content of thermoplastic material greater than 20 percent.

19. The floor element of claim 13 , wherein the substrate comprises an upper side and an under side facing downward toward the floor, the upper side provided with the top layer,

wherein the floor element comprises a backing layer on the underside,

wherein the filled synthetic material composite is between the backing layer and the top layer.

20. The floor element of claim 13 , wherein the filled synthetic material composite is an extruded filled synthetic material composite.

Assignments (2)

Priority Claims (1)

Continuity (13)

References Cited (400)