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BR-112022011382-B1 - FOLDABLE CONNECTION SYSTEM FOR FLOOR PANELS, FLOOR PANEL, AND FOLDABLE SYSTEM FOR OBTAINING FLOOR

BR112022011382B1BR 112022011382 B1BR112022011382 B1BR 112022011382B1BR-112022011382-B1

Abstract

FLOOR PANEL CONNECTION SYSTEM, FLOOR PANEL, FLOOR INSTALLATION SYSTEM, AND METHODS FOR CONNECTING AND RELEASING A FIRST FLOOR PANEL. A connection system for floor panels (10, 20), comprising a female coupling formed in a first floor panel (10) and a male coupling formed in a second floor panel (20), the female coupling comprising: a female coupling recess (30) being arranged in a female coupling tongue (32) projecting away from a main portion (120) of the first panel (10) to the adjacent second floor panel (20), the female coupling recess (30) being adapted to receive a male coupling tongue (40) projecting from the adjacent second floor panel (20) in a direction away from a main floor surface plane (SP) on which the floor panels (10, 20) meet, the female coupling further comprising an upper guide surface (34) being located on one side (35) of the female coupling recess (30) in the first panel (10) forming a guide for the male coupling tongue (40) after its insertion.

Inventors

  • Bobby Markovski

Assignees

  • VILOX AB

Dates

Publication Date
20260317
Application Date
20201211
Priority Date
20191213

Claims (14)

  1. 1. Folding connection system for floor panels (10, 20), characterized in that it comprises a folding female coupling formed in one piece with a first floor panel (10) and a folding male coupling formed in a second floor panel (20), the folding female coupling comprising: a female coupling recess (30) being arranged in a female coupling tongue (32) projecting away from a main portion (120) of the first floor panel (10) to the adjacent second floor panel (20), the female coupling recess (30) being adapted to receive a male coupling tongue (40) projecting from the adjacent second floor panel (20) in a direction away from a main floor surface plane (SP) on which the floor panels (10, 20) meet, the folding female coupling further comprising an upper guide surface (34) being located on one side (35) of the female coupling recess (30) on the first floor panel (10) forming a guide for the male coupling tongue (40) after its insertion, limiting the movement of said male coupling tongue (40) in a horizontal direction to the main portion (120) of the first floor panel (10); the folding male coupling comprising: the male coupling tongue (40) formed in one piece in the second floor panel (20), the folding male coupling being provided with a vertical locking means (50) allowing a vertical interlocking engagement with a corresponding vertical locking means (60) of the folding female coupling, wherein the female coupling tongue (32) is resilient and comprises a distally arranged locking protrusion (31) projecting from the female coupling tongue (32) in a direction to the main floor surface plane (SP) and being arranged to be received in a groove (70) in the second floor panel (20) for horizontal locking of the panels (10, 20), wherein the locking protrusion (31) is configured to contact the male coupling tongue (40) during the connection of the first and second floor panels (10, 20), the female coupling tongue (32) further comprising a lower recess (33), allowing the locking protrusion (31) of the female coupling tongue (32) to be compressed during the connection of the panels (10, 20), the folding connection system being configured for release by a coupling release tool (110) or by pivoting the second floor panel (20) relative to the first floor panel (10), wherein the folding connection system further comprises: a coupling release channel (41) being arranged between the locking protrusion (31) and an upper surface (71) in the groove (70) in the second floor panel (20), such that the coupling release tool (110) is positionable in the coupling release channel (41) to engage the female coupling tongue (32), to compress the female coupling tongue (32) to release the horizontal locking of the locking protrusion (31) and/or to release the vertical locking means (50, 60); or, an inclined backing surface (57) provided on the male coupling tongue (40) to abut the locking protrusion (31) of the female coupling tongue (32); or, an inclined backing surface (38) provided in the locking protrusion (31) of the female coupling tongue (32) to abut against the male coupling tongue (40); wherein the lower recess (33) extends in the lower part of the female coupling tongue (32) at a distance (D), from a distal surface (44) thereof, between 60% and 90% of the length (C) of the female coupling tongue (32), or wherein the male coupling tongue (40) has a protrusion length, measured from a lower surface of the male coupling tongue (40) to the upper surface of the groove (70) in the second floor panel (20), between 10% and 40% of the thickness of the second floor panel (20).
  2. 2. Folding connection system for floor panels (10, 20) according to claim 1, characterized in that the lower recess (33) extends from a distal surface (44) of the female coupling tongue (32), the recess (33) having a greater extension (D) than the width (F) of the locking protrusion (31).
  3. 3. Folding connection system for floor panels (10, 20) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the lower recess (33) extends into the lower part of the female coupling tongue (32) at a distance (D), from a distal surface (44) thereof, in 85% of the length of the female coupling tongue (32), as measured from the distal surface (44).
  4. 4. Folding connection system for floor panels (10, 20) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the lower recess (33) is defined by an inclined surface (45) extending a distance (D) from a distal surface (44) of the female coupling tongue (32) between 60% and 90% of the length (C) of the female coupling tongue (32), preferably approximately 85% of the length of the female coupling tongue (32), as measured from the distal surface (44).
  5. 5. Folding connection system for floor panels (10, 20) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the locking protrusion (31) further comprises an inclined backing surface (38) arranged between an essentially vertical backing surface (37) on the female locking tongue (32) and the top surface (42) of the female locking tongue (32), the essentially vertical backing surface (37) and/or the inclined backing surface (38) cooperating with a backing surface (47) on the male coupling tongue (40) to prevent horizontal movement of the panels (10, 20) away from each other.
  6. 6. Folding connection system for floor panels (10, 20) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the first floor panel (10) comprises a support surface (111) configured to cooperate with a support surface (112) on the second floor panel (20) to provide vertical support when the first and second panels (10, 20) are connected.
  7. 7. Folding connection system for floor panels (10, 20) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the male coupling tongue (40) is rigid and non-resilient.
  8. 8. Folding connection system for floor panels (10, 20) according to claim 6, characterized in that the second floor panel (20) additionally comprises an upper joint surface (114) adjacent to the support surface (112), the upper joint surface (114) being configured to abut an upper joint surface (113) on the first floor panel (10) when the first and second floor panels (10, 20) are connected together.
  9. 9. Folding coupling system according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that it comprises the coupling release tool (110) positionable in the coupling release channel (41) to deflect the female coupling tongue (32) and thus release the latch.
  10. 10. Floor panel (10, 10’, 10’’, 10’’’), characterized in that it comprises a female coupling formed along at least one first side of the floor panel (10, 10’, 10’’, 10’’’) to interconnect the floor panel (10, 10’, 10’’, 10’’’) to a male coupling of a second floor panel (20), the female coupling comprising: a female coupling recess (30) being arranged in a female coupling tongue (32) projecting away from a main portion (120) of the floor panel (10, 10’, 10’’, 10’’’) to the adjacent second floor panel (20), the female coupling recess (30) being adapted to receive a male coupling tongue (40) projecting from the adjacent second floor panel (20) in a direction away from a main floor surface plane (SP) on which the floor panels (10, 10’, 10’’, 10’’’, 20) meet, a top guide surface (34) being located on one side (35) of the female coupling recess (30) in the floor panel (10, 10’, 10’’, 10’’’) forming a guide for the male coupling tongue (40) after its insertion, limiting the movement of said male coupling tongue (40) in a horizontal direction towards the main portion (120) of the floor panel (10, 10’, 10’’, 10’’’), a vertical locking means (60) configured to cooperate with the vertical locking means (50) in the male coupling, allowing a vertical interlocking engagement with the same, wherein the female coupling tongue (32) is resilient and comprises a a distally arranged locking protrusion (31) projecting from the female coupling tongue (32) in a direction towards the main floor surface plane (SP) and being arranged to be received in a groove (70) in the second floor panel (20) for horizontal locking of the panels (10, 10’, 10’’, 10’’’, 20), wherein the locking protrusion (31) is configured to contact the male coupling tongue (40) during the joining of the floor panels (10, 10’, 10”, 10’’’, 20), the female coupling tongue (32) further comprising a lower recess (33), allowing the locking protrusion (31) of the female coupling tongue (32) to be compressed during the joining of the panels (10, 10’, 10’’, 10’’’, 20), wherein the female coupling is configured for release of the second floor panel (20) by a coupling release tool (110) or by pivoting the second floor panel (20) relative to the floor panel (10, 10’, 10’’, 10’’’), wherein the female coupling forms at least part of: a coupling release channel (41) being arranged between the locking protrusion (31) and an upper surface (71) in the groove (70) in the second floor panel (20), such that the coupling release tool (110) is positionable in the coupling release channel (41) and can engage the female coupling tongue (32), to compress the female coupling tongue (32) to release the horizontal locking of the locking protrusion (31) and/or to release the vertical locking means (50, 60), or comprises: an inclined backing surface (38) provided in the locking protrusion (31) of the female coupling tongue (32) to abut against the male coupling tongue (40); wherein the lower recess (33) extends into the lower part of the female coupling tongue (32) at a distance (D), from a distal surface (44) thereof, between 60% and 90% of the length (C) of the female coupling tongue (32).
  11. 11. Floor panel (10, 10’, 10’’, 10’’’) according to claim 10, characterized in that the floor panel (10, 10’, 10’’, 10’’’) further comprises a second female coupling formed along a side substantially perpendicular to at least one first side of the floor panel (10, 10’, 10’’, 10’’’), for interconnecting the floor panel (10, 10’, 10’’, 10’’’) to a male coupling of a second floor panel (20), the second female coupling comprising: a female coupling recess (30) being arranged in a female coupling tongue (32) projecting away from a main portion (120) of the floor panel (10, 10’, 10’’, 10’’’) to the adjacent second floor panel. (20), the female coupling recess (30) being adapted to receive a male coupling tongue (40) projecting from the second adjacent floor panel (20) in a direction away from a main floor surface plane (SP) on which the floor panels (10, 10’, 10’’, 10’’’, 20) meet, an upper guide surface (34) being located on one side (35) of the female coupling recess (30) in the floor panel (10, 10’, 10’’, 10’’’) forming a guide for the male coupling tongue (40) after its insertion, limiting the movement of said male coupling tongue (40) in a horizontal direction to the main portion (120) of the floor panel (10, 10’, 10’’, 10’’’), a vertical locking means (60) configured to cooperate with the means vertical locking (50) on the male coupling, allowing a vertical interlocking engagement with the same, wherein the female coupling tongue (32) is resilient and comprises a distally arranged locking protrusion (31) projecting from the female coupling tongue (32) in a direction towards the main floor surface plane (SP) and being arranged to be received in a groove (70) in the second panel (20) for horizontal locking of the panels (10, 10’, 10’’, 10’’’, 20), wherein the locking protrusion (31) is configured to contact the male coupling tongue (40) during the connection of the floor panels (10, 10’, 10”, 10’’’, 20), the female coupling tongue (32) further comprising a lower recess (33) allowing the protrusion of locking (31) of the female coupling tongue (32) is compressed during the connection of the panels (10, 10’, 10’’’, 10”’, 20), wherein the female coupling forms at least part of: a coupling release channel (41) being arranged between the locking protrusion (31) and an upper surface (71) in the groove (70) in the second panel (20), such that a coupling release tool (110) positionable in the coupling release channel (41) can engage the female coupling tongue (32), to compress the female coupling tongue (32) to release the horizontal locking of the locking protrusion (31) and/or to release the vertical locking means (50, 60).
  12. 12. Floor panel (10, 10’, 10’’, 10’’’) according to claim 10 or 11, characterized in that the floor panel (10, 10’, 10’’, 10’’’) further comprises a first male coupling formed along a side parallel to at least one first side of the floor panel (10, 10’, 10’’, 10’’’), for interconnecting the floor panel (10, 10’, 10’’, 10’’’) to a female coupling of an additional floor panel (20), the male coupling comprising: a male coupling tongue (40) projecting from the floor panel (10, 10’, 10’’, 10’’’) in a direction away from a main floor surface plane (SP) on which the floor panels (10, 10’, 10’’, 10’’’, 20) are found, the male coupling tongue (40) being formed in one piece in the floor panel (10, 10’, 10’’, 10’’’), wherein the male coupling is provided with a vertical locking means (50) allowing a vertical interlocking engagement with the corresponding vertical locking means (60) of the female coupling, a groove (70) in the floor panel (10, 10’, 10’’, 10’’’) being arranged to receive the distally arranged locking protrusion (31) projecting from the female coupling tongue (32) for horizontal locking of the floor panels (10, 10’, 10’’, 10’’’, 20), wherein the male coupling forms at least part of: a coupling release channel (41) being arranged between the locking protrusion (31) and an upper surface (71) in the groove (70) in the floor panel (10, 10’, 10’’, 10’’’), such that the coupling release tool (110) is positionable in the coupling release channel (41) and can engage the female coupling tongue (32), to compress the female coupling tongue (32) to release the horizontal locking of the locking protrusion (31) and/or to release the vertical locking means (50, 60).
  13. 13. Floor panel (10, 10’, 10’’, 10’’’) according to claim 12, characterized in that the floor panel (10, 10’, 10’’, 10’’’) further comprises a second male coupling formed along a side substantially perpendicular to the side on which the first male coupling is formed, the second male coupling being adapted to interconnect the floor panel (10, 10’, 10’’, 10’’’) to a female coupling on an additional floor panel (20), the second male coupling comprising: a male coupling tongue (40) projecting from the floor panel (10, 10’, 10’’, 10’’’) in a direction away from a main floor surface plane (SP) on which the floor panels (10, 10’, 10’’, 10’’’, 20) The male coupling tongue (40) is formed in one piece in the floor panel (10, 10’, 10’’, 10’’’), wherein the male coupling is provided with a vertical locking means (50) allowing a vertical interlocking engagement with the corresponding vertical locking means (60) of the female coupling, a groove (70) in the floor panel (10, 10’, 10’’, 10’’’) is arranged to receive the distally arranged locking protrusion (31) projecting from the female coupling tongue (32) for horizontal locking of the panels (10, 10’, 10’’, 10’’’, 20), wherein the male coupling forms at least part of: a coupling release channel (41) arranged between the locking protrusion (31) and an upper surface (71) in the groove (70) in the floor panel (10, 10’, 10’’, 10’’’), such that the coupling release tool (110) is positionable in the coupling release channel (41) and can engage the female coupling tongue (32), to compress the female coupling tongue (32) to release the horizontal locking of the locking protrusion (31) and/or to release the vertical locking means (50, 60).
  14. 14. Folding system for obtaining flooring (100, 200), characterized in that it comprises a first floor panel (10, 10’, 10’’, 10’’’) having a folding female coupling arranged on one short side thereof and being formed in one piece, a folding male coupling arranged on an opposite short side thereof, a folding female coupling arranged on one long side thereof and a folding male coupling arranged on an opposite long side thereof, the folding system for obtaining flooring (100, 200) further comprising a second floor panel (C, D, B’) being identical to the first floor panel (10, 10’, 10’’, 10’’’), but mirrored either in a vertical plane along one of the short sides of the first floor panel (10, 10’, 10’’, 10’’’) or in a vertical plane along one of the long sides of the first floor panel (10, 10’, 10’’, 10’’’), each foldable female coupling of the first floor panel (10, 10’, 10’’, 10’’’) comprising: a female coupling recess (30) being arranged in a female coupling tongue (32) projecting away from a main portion (120) of the first floor panel (10, 10’, 10’’, 10’’’) to the adjacent second floor panel (C, D, B’), the female coupling recess (30) being adapted to receive a male coupling tongue (40) projecting from the adjacent second floor panel (C, D, B’) in a direction perpendicular to a main floor surface plane (SP) on which the floor panels (10, 10’, 10’’, 10’’’, C, D, B’) meet, the foldable female coupling further comprising a guide surface upper (34) being located on one side (35) of the female coupling recess (30) in the first floor panel (10, 10’, 10’’, 10’’’) forming a guide for the male coupling tongue (40) after its insertion in a downward direction, limiting the movement of said male coupling tongue (40) in a horizontal direction to the main portion (120) of the first floor panel (10, 10’, 10’’, 10’’’); each folding male coupling of the first floor panel (10, 10’, 10’’, 10’’’) comprising: the male coupling tongue (40) formed in one piece in the first floor panel (10, 10’, 10’’, 10’’’), the folding male coupling being provided with a vertical locking means (50) allowing a vertical interlocking engagement with a means of corresponding vertical locking (60) of the folding female coupling, wherein the female coupling tongue (32) is resilient and comprises a distally arranged locking protrusion (31) projecting from the female coupling tongue (32) in a direction towards the main floor surface plane (SP) and being arranged to be received in a groove (70) in the second floor panel (C, D, B’) for horizontal locking of the panels, wherein the locking protrusion (31) is configured to contact the male coupling tongue (40) of the second floor panel (C, D, B’) during the joining of the floor panels (10, 10’, 10’’, 10’’’, C, D, B’), the female coupling tongue (32) further comprising a lower recess (33), allowing the locking protrusion (31) of the female coupling tongue (32) is compressed during the connection of the panels (10, 10’, 10’’, 10’’’, C, D, B’), the flooring system being configured for assembly in a downward direction and for release by a coupling release tool or by pivoting the second floor panel (C, D, B’) in relation to the first floor panel (10, 10’, 10’’, 10’’’), wherein the folding flooring system further comprises: a coupling release channel (41) being arranged between the locking protrusion (31) of the first floor panel (10, 10’, 10’’, 10’’’) and an upper surface (71) in the groove (70) in the second floor panel (C, D, B’), such that the coupling release tool (110) is positionable in the coupling release channel (41) to engage the tongue female coupling tongue (32), to compress the female coupling tongue (32) to release the horizontal locking of the locking protrusion (31) and/or to release the vertical locking means (50, 60); or, an inclined backing surface (57) provided on the male coupling tongue (40) to abut the locking protrusion (31) of the female coupling tongue (32); or, an inclined backing surface (38) provided in the locking protrusion (31) of the female coupling tongue (32) to abut the male coupling tongue (40); wherein the lower recess (33) extends in the lower part of the female coupling tongue (32) at a distance (D), from a distal surface (44) thereof, between 60% and 90% of the length (C) of the female coupling tongue (32), or wherein the male coupling tongue (40) has a protrusion length, measured from a lower surface of the male coupling tongue (40) to the upper surface of the groove (70) in the second floor panel (20), between 10% and 40% of the thickness of the second floor panel (20).

Description

Field of Invention [001] The invention relates to a connection system for floor panels, comprising a female coupling recess formed in a first floor panel. The female coupling recess is shaped to receive a male coupling tongue that projects from a second adjacent floor panel in a direction away from a main floor surface plane on which the floor panels meet. The male coupling tongue is provided with a vertical locking means that allows a vertical interlocking engagement with a corresponding vertical locking means in the female coupling recess. Fundamentals of the technique [002] A current trend in connection systems for precast floor panels is to use one of the many variants of inward angle tongue and groove joints on the long sides of typical rectangular floor panels and then use the so-called fold-down joint to connect the remaining short sides of the floor panels. This combined use of inward angle joints and fold-down joints makes it easier and less time-consuming to lay a floor for both professionals and customers who wish to do the work themselves compared to previous inward angle/inward angle connection systems that required the long and short sides of the floor panels to be angled into connection. [003] A fold-down joint system typically includes some type of vertical snap-lock action that allows the joint to easily snap into place as the floor panels are folded down into interlock along the short sides of the floor panels. Existing prior art snap-lock designs for fold-down joints include various forms of vertical locking means, such as angled or rounded locking handles intended to snap into interlock with corresponding locking recesses—or vice versa. Some fold-down joints include separately inserted resilient rubber or plastic tongue elements to achieve efficient and positive locking between two adjacent floor panels. These joints generally work well, although they are also more complicated and therefore more expensive to manufacture compared with joints without these separate inserts, making them unsuitable for large-scale flooring production. [004] Prefabricated floor panels are manufactured globally in a wide variety of materials and structural designs, such as laminate flooring, wood flooring, LVT (Luxury Vinyl Tiles), PVC, to name just a few. All of these floor panels have very different materials and manufacturing properties, and it is not well known whether a given folding connection system that works well on one type of floor panel will work equally well on another type of floor panel of different composition and material. For this reason, it is highly desirable that floor manufacturers find a folding down connection system that allows for effective interlocking action on as many widely used floor panel types as possible. Summary of the invention [005] Taking into account the above, the objective of the present invention is to provide a connection system for floor panels that solves some of the problems with the solutions of the prior art. [006] To achieve at least one of the above objects and also other objects that will be evident from the following description, a link having the aspects defined in claim 1 is provided according to the present invention. Preferred embodiments of the device will be evident from the dependent claims. [007] More specifically, according to the present invention, a connection system for floor panels is provided comprising a female coupling formed in a first floor panel and a male coupling formed in a second floor panel. The female coupling comprises: a female coupling recess being arranged in a female coupling tongue projecting away from a main portion of the first panel to the adjacent second floor panel. The female coupling recess is adapted to receive a male coupling tongue projecting from the adjacent second floor panel in a direction away from a main floor surface plane on which the floor panels meet. The female coupling further comprises an upper guide surface located on one side of the female coupling recess in the first panel forming a guide for the male coupling tongue after its insertion, limiting the movement of the male coupling tongue in a horizontal direction to the main portion of the first floor panel. The male coupling comprises: the male coupling tongue being formed in one piece on the second floor panel; the male coupling being provided with a vertical locking means allowing a vertical interlocking engagement with a corresponding vertical locking means of the female coupling. [008] The female coupling tongue is resilient and comprises a distally arranged locking protrusion that projects from the female coupling tongue in a direction toward the main floor surface plane and is arranged to be received in a groove in the second panel for horizontal locking of the panels. The locking protrusion is configured to contact the male coupling tongue during the joining of the first and second panels. The female coupling tongue further comprises a lower rece