Abstract:
A method for manufacturing floor panels, wherein boards of laminate material are formed by means of a press treatment and wherein these boards are divided into several panels, from which the actual floor panels are formed. In a press treatment of the method, at least one impression is provided in the board, which at least is employed as a guiding groove for guiding the aforementioned board or the subsequently obtained panels in further treatments.
Abstract:
Method for manufacturing floor panels, wherein is started from panels (1), these panels (1), at their lower side (9), are provided with at least one guiding groove (22) and these panels (1), at least at two opposite sides (3A-3B/4A-4B), are provided with profiled edge regions (5A-5B) that comprise coupling parts (17A-17B), characterized in that at least one of the aforementioned two profiled edge regions (5A-5B) is formed such that this region, seen in a cross-section of the panel (1), transverse to the guiding groove (22), extends at the lower side (9) of the panel (1) at least up to the guiding groove (22). Further, the invention also relates to still other methods, for manufacturing as well as packaging of floor panels, and also relates to devices used therewith, as well as to floor panels.
Abstract:
A flooring system comprises a plurality of floor panels (1,1'') which are mechanically connectable to each other along one pair of adjacent edges, said floor panels comprising a tongue (10) and a groove (9), formed in one piece with the panels for mechanically locking together said one pair of adjacent edges at right angles to the principal plane of the panels, thereby forming a vertical mechanical connections (D1) between the panels and a first locking element (8) at one first edge formed in one piece with the panel and a second locking element (15), formed of a separate material connected to the panel, said first and second locking elements form a mechanical connection locking the panels to each other horizontally parallel to the principal plane and at right angles to the joint edges (D2) whereby said floor panels (1,1') can be mechanically joined by displacement of said two panels horizontally towards each other, while the first locking element (8) and the second locking element (15) are displaced first vertically away from each other and than vertically towards each other. The second locking element (15) is made of a sheet shaped material which has a higher density than the material of the first locking element. The second locking element has a first (40) and a second (41) surface and an edge portion (42) between the first (40) and second (41) surfaces, whereby the edge portion (42) forms at least a part of a second locking surface (22) which is in contact with a first locking surface (20) of the first locking element and prevents horizontal separation of the panels.
Abstract:
A system comprises building panels with a hard surface, e.g. stone or tile, which are mechanically connectable to each other along one pair of adjacent joint edges (5a,5b). Each building panel is provided with tongue (10) at a first joint edge (5a,5b) and groove (9) at a second opposite joint edge (5a,5b) formed in one piece with the panel for mechanically locking together two such panels at right angles to the principal plane of the panels, thereby forming a vertical mechanical connection (D1) between the panels. The panels are provided with a first locking element (8) at one of said first and second joint edges (5a,5b) formed in one piece with the panel and a locking groove (14) at an opposite first or second joint edge, the locking groove being open towards a rear side or a front side of the panel. Each building panel being provided with a second locking element (15) at the other of said first and second joint edges (5a,5b), formed of a separate material and connected to the locking groove (14), said second locking element (15) being positioned in the tongue side of the building panel (1,1') behind the tongue (10), or partly in the part of the tongue (10) being outside said vertical plane (VP) of the joint edge. The first and second locking element form a mechanical connections locking the panels to each other horizontally (D2) parallel to the principal plane and at right angles to the joint edges. The second locking element (15) is flexible and resilient such that two panels can be mechanically joined by displacement of said two panels horizontally towards each other, while a part of the second locking element at said second edge is resiliently displaced vertically, until said adjacent edges of the two panels are brought into engagement with each other horizontally and the second locking element at said second edge is displaced towards its initial position against the first locking element at the first edge.
Abstract:
A flooring system comprises floor panels (1,1') which are mechanically connectable to each other along one pair of adjacent joint edges, each floor panel being provided with a first groove formed in one piece with the panel at a first joint edge and a flexible tongue (30) connected to a second groove at a second opposite joint edge for mechanically locking together said edges at right angles to the principal plane of the panels, thereby forming a vertical mechanical connections (D1) between the panels, said panels being provided with a locking element (8), formed in one piece with the panel, at said second opposite joint edge and a locking groove (14) at said first joint edge for mechanically locking together said edges (D2) parallel to the principal plane and at right angles to the edges, the locking groove being open towards a rear side of the panel and the locking elements protruding vertically from a locking strip. The flexible tongue (30) is flexible and resilient such that two panels can be mechanically joined by displacement of said two panels vertically towards each other, while a part of the tongue (30) at said second opposite joint edge is resiliently displaced horizontally, until said edges of the two panels are brought into engagement with each other horizontally and the tongue (30) at said second opposite joint edge is then displaced towards its initial position and against a wall of the first groove at the first joint edge. An outer part of the tongue (30) extends beyond a vertical plane (V) of the edges, said outer part protruding downwardly. The tongue (30) is connected to the second groove by glue.
Abstract:
Method for manufacturing floor panels, wherein is started from boards (57) having an upper side, more particularly a decorative side (11), with a pattern (61) formed at least by a print, and the method moreover comprises the following steps: - dividing the aforementioned boards (57) at least by means of parallel cuts (69) into several panels (1) by means of a cutting device (58) with at least three cutting elements, wherein, by adjusting the cutting elements, the cuts (69) are performed at locations in function of said pattern (61); - and forming the actual floor panels (1) from the obtained panels (1), by means of further treatments, among which may or may not be a further dividing process;
with the characteristic that in said adjustment, at least the aforementioned three cutting elements (59) are adjusted in an manner independent from each other, in function of the pattern (61).
Abstract:
A floor element (1) for forming a floor covering, wherein the floor element (1) comprises a decorative layer (3) made of a ceramic material and a support layer (14) arranged below this decorative layer (3), wherein the support layer (14) comprises edges (15) provided with coupling elements (16, 17, 31, 35) configured to realize a mechanical coupling with coupling elements (16, 17, 31, 35) of an adjacent floor element (1) and wherein the floor element (1) comprises a reinforcing layer (11) arranged in between the decorative layer (3) and the support layer (14).
Abstract:
A method for manufacturing decorative laminates including the steps of: a) impregnating a paper substrate with a thermosetting resin by submersion of the paper substrate in a bath of thermosetting resin; b) applying on the thermosetting resin impregnated paper substrate an ink acceptance layer containing an inorganic pigment P and a polymeric binder B having a weight ratio P/B of inorganic pigment to polymeric binder of larger than 1.5; c) jetting on the ink acceptance layer a colour pattern with one or more aqueous pigmented inkjet inks and/or organic solvent based pigmented inkjet inks containing a colour pigment C; and d) heat pressing the thermosetting paper into a decorative laminate, wherein the weight ratio P/C of the inorganic pigment of the ink acceptance layer to the jetted colour pigment in the colour pattern is larger than 4.0.
Abstract:
A floating floor system and a floor panel and method for use with the same that includes an improved mechanical interlock system. The mechanical interlock system allows laterally adjacent floor panels that are mechanically interlocked to slide relative to one another a predetermined distance in a longitudinal direction, while prohibiting relative translation in the vertical and transverse directions. In one embodiment, the predetermined distance eliminates the need for precision cuts during installation, thereby making installation fast and easy. In a further embodiment, the invention optimizes the floor panels (and floating floor system.) to balance ease of installation and horizontal locking strength between laterally adjacent floor panels.