FLOOR OR WALL COVERING

1 . A floor or wall covering comprising a plurality of rectangular panels, each panel comprising:

a decorative surface,

a first pair of opposite edges consisting of a first edge and a second edge, and

a second pair of opposite edges consisting of a third edge and a fourth edge,

each of said first, second, third and fourth edges having a first, second, third and fourth flank, respectively, extending from and substantially perpendicular to said decorative surface, the said flanks of adjacent panels being adapted to abut when said panels form said floor or wall covering, wherein

said first edge has a first primary male coupling part extending from said first flank and said second edge has a second primary male coupling part extending from said second flank, said first edge further having a first supplementary male coupling part extending from said first flank at a location between said decorative surface and said first primary male coupling part, and

said third edge has a first primary female coupling part partially formed in said third flank and said fourth edge has a second primary female coupling part partially formed in said fourth flank, said third edge further having a first supplementary female coupling part at least partially formed in said third flank at a location between said decorative surface and said first primary female coupling part,

said first edge of a first panel being adapted to be coupled to said third edge of a second panel and said second edge of said first panel being adapted to be coupled to said fourth edge of a third panel,

said first supplementary male coupling part extending at least partially along the first edge to thereby terminate at said fourth flank of said fourth edge.

2 . The floor or wall covering as in claim 1 , wherein each of said first and second primary male coupling parts are in the form of a tongue and each of said first and second primary female coupling parts are in the form of a groove, said male and female coupling parts providing for an interlocking in a direction perpendicular to the decorative surface of the floor or wall covering, as well as in a direction perpendicular to the coupled edges and parallel to the decorative surface of the floor or wall covering.

3 . The floor or wall covering as in claim 1 , wherein said male and female coupling parts allow for a mutual connection with an adjacent panel by means of a turning movement and/or a horizontal shifting movement.

4 . The floor or wall covering as in claim 2 , wherein each groove of said first and second primary female coupling parts is partially delimited by a lower lip that extends beyond the respective edge flank.

5 . The floor or wall covering as claimed in claim 2 , wherein said tongue of said first primary male coupling part extends beyond said first flank by a first extension and said first supplementary male coupling part extends from said first flank by a second extension, said second extension being between 10% and 60% of said first extension.

6 . The floor or wall covering as in claim 1 , wherein said location of said first supplementary male coupling part is spaced from said first primary male coupling part in a direction along said first flank towards said decorative surface.

7 . The floor or wall covering as in claim 1 , wherein said second edge has a second supplementary female coupling part at least partially formed in said second flank at a location between said decorative surface and said second primary male coupling part, and the fourth edge has a second supplementary male coupling part extending from said fourth flank at a location between said decorative surface and said second primary female coupling part.

8 . The floor or wall covering as in claim 1 , wherein each of said first and second supplementary male coupling parts is in the form of a tongue and each of said first and second supplementary female coupling parts is in the form of a groove.

9 . A floor or wall covering comprising a plurality of rectangular panels, each panel comprising:

a decorative surface and a bottom surface;

a substrate between said decorative surface and said bottom surface;

a first pair of opposite edges consisting of a first edge and a second edge, and

a second pair of opposite edges consisting of a third edge and a fourth edge,

each of said first, second, third and fourth edges having a first, second, third and fourth flank, respectively, extending from and substantially perpendicular to said decorative surface, the said flanks of adjacent panels being adapted to abut when said panels form said floor or wall covering, wherein

said bottom surface of said panel is provided with a first groove extending from said third edge in a direction parallel to, and at a first distance from, said first edge, and with a second groove extending from said first edge in a direction parallel to, and at a second distance from, said third edge, said first distance and said second distance being chosen such that said first groove and said second groove intersect each other,

said floor or wall covering further comprising at least one connector member, the connector member being dimensioned such it can fit in the first groove and simultaneously in the second groove.

10 . The floor or wall covering as in claim 9 , wherein the distance between said opposite walls substantially equals the sum of first distance and the second distance.

11 . The floor or wall covering as in claim 9 , wherein a first length of a first wall of said two pairs of opposite walls can fit in a corresponding length of said first groove simultaneously with a second length of an adjacent second wall of said two pairs of opposite walls fitting in a corresponding length of said second groove.

12 . The floor or wall covering as in claim 9 , wherein said first length of said first wall corresponds to said second distance of said second groove from said third edge, and said second length of said second wall corresponds to said first distance of said first groove from said first edge.

13 . The floor or wall covering as in claim 9 , wherein said first length of said first wall is greater than said second distance of said second groove from said third edge, and said second length of said second wall is greater than said first distance of said first groove from said first edge.

14 . The floor or wall covering as in claim 9 , wherein said first groove extends from said third edge to said fourth edge and said second groove extends from said first edge to said second edge.

15 . The floor or wall covering as in claim 9 , wherein each of said grooves has an opening, a base, a first side wall proximate said edges of said panel and a second side wall distal of said edges, said first side wall tapering at a first angle with respect to said bottom surface of said panel such that the opening is wider than the base.

16 . The floor or wall covering as in claim 15 , wherein said first angle lies between 3° and 15°.

17 . The floor or wall covering as in claim 9 , wherein at least said first pair of opposite edges are provided with mechanical coupling means so that a plurality of said panels can be coupled to one another, said coupling means providing for an interlocking in a direction perpendicular to the decorative surface of the floor or wall covering, as well as in a direction perpendicular to the coupled edges and parallel to the decorative surface of the floor or wall covering.

18 . A floor or wall covering comprising a plurality of rectangular panels, each panel comprising:

a decorative surface,

a first pair of opposite edges consisting of a first edge and a second edge, and a second pair of opposite edges consisting of a third edge and a fourth edge,

each of said first, second, third and fourth edges having a first, second, third and fourth flank, respectively, extending from and substantially perpendicular to said decorative surface, the said flanks of adjacent panels being adapted to abut when said panels form said floor or wall covering,

wherein at least said first pair of opposite edges, are provided with mechanical coupling means, substantially in the form of male coupling parts and female coupling parts, so that a plurality of said panels can be coupled to one another, said coupling means providing for an interlocking in a direction perpendicular to the decorative surface of the floor or wall covering, as well as in a direction perpendicular to the coupled edges and parallel to the decorative surface of the floor or wall covering;

wherein a recess is provided at the decorative surface of the floor or wall covering between two panels which are mechanically coupled to each other by a said male coupling part and a said female coupling part, and wherein said floor or wall covering has edge confluences where at least three panels meet and where said recesses adjoin in each other and form a joint, wherein said recesses comprise grouting material and wherein at the height of a least one said confluence, the floor or wall covering comprises at least one installation aid which form fits said adjoining recesses, seen according to a direction parallel to the decorative surface.

19 . The floor or wall covering according to claim 18 , wherein the height of said recesses according to a direction perpendicular to the decorative surfaces, is greater than the corresponding dimension of said installation aid, and wherein said grouting material is located above said installation aid.

20 . The floor or wall covering according to claim 18 , wherein said floor or wall covering comprises at least one confluence of three panels, wherein said corresponding recesses form a T-shaped joint and wherein a said installation aid is T-shaped and/or wherein said floor or wall covering comprises at least one confluence of four panels, wherein said corresponding recesses form a cross shaped joint and wherein a said installation aid is cross-shaped.