MECHANICAL COUPLING MEANS FOR FLOORING OR COVERING PANELS AND FLOORING OR COVERING PANEL PROVIDED WITH SUCH MEANS

A coupling device couples first and second edges of first and second flooring or covering panels. The coupling device includes a projection on at least a portion of the first edge and a groove in at least a portion of the second edge, the coupling device locking the first and second edges one in a first direction perpendicular to the lying plane of the panels and in a second direction parallel to the lying plane. The projection includes first and second retaining appendages, the first projecting from the first edge along an axis inclined by a first angle with respect to the main plane of the first panel, the second being arranged below the first appendage and projecting along an axis orthogonal to the lying plane of the first panel, the groove having a first and second retaining seats counter-shaped with respect to the first and second retaining appendages.

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to mechanical coupling means, in particular for coupling a pair of modular flooring or covering panels, and a modular flooring or covering panel provided with such means.

State of the Art

Among the various alternatives that can be used to floor an environment, whether for residential or commercial use, the flooring with pre-finished parquet is the most appreciated.

Generally, pre-finished parquet floors are made by laying, in different ways and according to a desired geometry, a plurality of modular panels, up to covering a resting surface, commonly referred to as “substrate”, of the environment to be floored.

For convenience, these panels, also referred to as “strips”, are generally rectangular parallelepiped-shaped, of variable sizes and thicknesses, and they substantially consist of at least one support layer, often made of a multilayer of birch wood with thickness comprised between 7 and 10 mm, to whose top part there is applied a “hardwood” layer forming the walking surface, made of hardwood, having a thickness generally comprised between 2.5 and 4 mm, but sometimes even less. Furthermore, a “counter-balancing” layer may be optionally provided for beneath the support layer.

Currently, floorings with pre-finished parquet are made by freely installing modular panels in the substrate, coupling them to each other with a male-female coupling.

However, a flooring obtained with a male-female coupling of the aforementioned type reveals the drawback lying in the fact that the modular panels of the floor are subject to displacement, for example due to climatic and environmental factors, and as a result undesired openings or localised lifting can form.

In order to overcome this drawback, for example there can be provided for applying an adhesive agent at the connection point between two adjacent panels, so as to make the coupling more stable and durable; however, besides deteriorating the health of the environment and complicating the laying operations thereof, the use of adhesives complicates the subsequent removal or replacement of the modular panels.

Alternatively, when laying the floor, there can be provided for special connection brackets, preferably made of metal or polymeric material, suitable to be arranged at the joining point between two adjacent modular panels so as to hold them in mutual contact. However, such connection brackets entail additional costs and they require particular care when laying the floor.

Lastly, the mechanical coupling means of the “click” type which allow a fully dry laying of the floor, without the aid of adhesive agents have proven to be very handy and effective: such coupling means provide for a suitable shaping of the male-female couplings so that the coupling of two modular panels occurs by means of a roto-translation.

Therefore, such mechanical coupling means prevent the displacement of two modular panels previously coupled both in a perpendicular direction and also in a direction parallel to the plane defined by the panels. An example of such coupling means is shown in document WO9966151.

Although such mechanical coupling means operate in a rather satisfactory manner, being widely used in laying floating parquet floors throughout the world, creating special shapes to be conferred to the male and female coupling portions requires complex machining operations, carried out using machines provided with numerous tools.

Furthermore, machining waste is quite high, with a high economic loss, given the large number of the parquet flooring currently made.

The same drawbacks noted above are also observed in the manufacture and laying of covering panels for any type of surface, which generally consist of a single layer of the desired material, such as wood, polymeric material or other material, depending on the function they are designed for.

Therefore, the main object of the present invention is therefore to provide mechanical coupling means for flooring or covering panels which, considering the same sealing as that of the existing coupling means, allows to reduce the machining waste, allowing saving in economic terms.

In the context of the task outlined above, an object of the present invention is to provide mechanical coupling means for modular flooring or covering panels which are capable of effectively resisting against any movements due to dilations or contractions caused by thermo-hygrometric variations of the environment in which the panels are laid.

A further object of the present invention is to provide mechanical coupling means which allow to lay modular flooring or covering panels in a simple and rapid manner and which can be produced using machines and commonly used and low-cost material.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a flooring or covering panel that is functional and durable.

The tasks and objects outlined above, and others which will be more apparent from the following description, are attained by coupling means for flooring or covering panels as defined in claim1, and by a modular flooring or covering panel as defined in claim3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

With reference to the aforementioned figures, represented is a flooring panel1, adapted to constitute the base module for creating a floor100, such as for example a parquet floor of the pre-finished type and suitable to be laid dry. It is clearly understood that the present invention also relates to a modular covering panel for covering any resting surface.

In the following description, terms such as “above”, “under”, “higher”, “lower”, “high”, “low” or the like refer to a panel1in its normal operative configuration, i.e. in use, as shown in the attached figures.

FIG.1illustrates a floor portion100directly laid on a flat resting surface, referred to as “substrate”, consisting of a plurality of modular flooring panels1arranged side by side, for example in staggered rows (quincunx).

For practical reasons, each modular flooring panel1according to the present invention is preferably substantially parallelepiped-shaped, and furthermore it is advantageously provided with coupling means8by means of which it can be mechanically connected to adjacent modular panels1for forming said floor100, as explained more in detail hereinafter.

As shown inFIG.2, said modular flooring panel1is advantageously perimetrically delimited by a pair of longitudinal side edges2,3and by a pair of opposite transversal edges4,5with respect to the longitudinal extension direction X-X of the panel1, an upper walking or aesthetic surface70and a lower surface60for resting against the substrate, preferably flat and parallel to each other.

Preferably, the body of a flooring panel1comprises a body layer6, for example made of a multilayer made of birch wood, MDF, HDF or other suitable material, defining, at the bottom part, the lower surface60and to whose top part there is coupled a surface covering layer7preferably made of wood, for example hardwood, suitable to form said upper surface70.

The body layer6has a thickness S1preferably comprised between 6 and 10 mm, and the covering layer7has a thickness S2lower than the thickness S1and preferably comprised between 2,5 and 4 mm, but sometimes even lower.

Alternatively, were said panel1to be a covering panel, it can consist of a single body layer6made of a suitable material, defining the upper70and lower60surfaces.

Preferably, as represented inFIG.3, at least on said pair of longitudinal edges2,3, but possibly even on said transversal edges4,5, mechanical coupling means8are provided, advantageously made in a single piece with the material forming the body layer6of said panel1and shaped so that two or more modular panels1can be mutually coupled to each other by means of said mechanical coupling means8.

In particular, said coupling means8advantageously comprise a projection8A, extending at least along a portion of a first longitudinal edge2of the panel1, and preferably for the entire extension thereof, and a groove8B extending at least along a portion of a second longitudinal edge3of the panel1, and preferably for the entire extension thereof.

Preferably, said projection8A and said groove8B are obtained by removing the material forming said body layer6through special tools, such as in particular milling cutters arranged at a suitable angle.

Said mechanical coupling means8are advantageously shaped so that the projection8A obtained on a first longitudinal edge2of a first panel1is adapted to be engaged, as explained more in detail hereinafter, with a groove8B obtained on a second longitudinal edge3of a second panel1, so as to couple the two modular panels.

Advantageously, as explained more in detail hereinafter, the coupling between two adjacent modular panels1can be obtained by means of at least one rotation of said projection8A in the corresponding groove8B.

As observable inFIG.3, said projection8A is shaped so as to have a first and a second retaining appendage9,10, preferably directly connected.

Said first retaining appendage9is advantageously arranged in proximity of the upper surface70of the panel1and projecting from the first longitudinal edge2along an axis Y-Y having an inclination with a first angle α comprised between 10° and 30°, and preferably equal to about 20°, with respect to the lying plane defined by said panel1.

Said first appendage9is configured so as to have an end head9A that is advantageously rounded, lying on a curved surface having a radius of curvature R, advantageously equal to about 3.5 mm.

Said second retaining appendage10, on the other hand, is advantageously arranged below said first appendage9, proximal to said lower surface60of the panel1, and projecting downwards from said first appendage9with an extension along an axis Z-Z essentially orthogonal to the latter. Also said second appendage10is preferably provided with a rounded end head10A lying on a curved surface preferably having the same radius of curvature R as the head9A of said first appendage9.

Said first appendage9is connected to the upper surface70of the modular panel1through a first edge portion11, preferably straight and lying on a first plane P1orthogonal to the lying plane of said panel1, said second appendage10is connected—at the bottom part—to said lower surface60through a second edge portion12, preferably straight and lying on a second plane P2advantageously parallel to said first plane P1and arranged more receded toward the internal of the body of the panel1with respect to the latter by a distance D equal to about 3 mm.

Said second appendage10preferably extends in a space comprised between said first and second plane P1, P2.

Advantageously, arranged between said first edge portion11and said first appendage9is a connecting section13, having an extension substantially parallel to the main lying plane of the panel1, suitable to allow the recovery of clearance between two coupled adjacent modular panels1, as explained more in detail hereinafter.

As regards said groove8B, it is substantially counter-shaped with respect to said projection8A. In particular, said groove8B comprises a first and a second retaining seat19,20preferably obtained in the body layer6of the modular panel1. Said first seat19is adapted to receive said first appendage9and thus it extends recessed in the body layer6with respect to said longitudinal edge3along an axis Y-Y having an inclination with the same first angle α and it is provided with a rounded bottom surface19A, advantageously lying on a curved surface having a radius of curvature R.

Said second seat20, on the other hand, extends in proximity of the lower surface60of the panel1, along a direction Z-Z orthogonal to the plane of the panel1, and it is adapted to receive said second appendage10. Advantageously, said second seat20is provided with a rounded bottom portion20A, lying on a curved surface having a radius of curvature R.

Said first seat19is connected to the upper surface70of said panel1through a third edge portion21lying on a third plane P3advantageously inclined toward the external by a second angle β, equal to about 2°.

On the other hand, said second seat20is directly connected to the lower surface60through a fourth edge portion22lying on a fourth plane P4orthogonal to the latter and positioned more arranged more advanced toward the external of the of the body of the panel1with respect to the third plane P3.

Said second seat20preferably extends in a space comprised between said third and said fourth plane P3, P4.

As shown inFIG.4, in order to obtain the stable coupling between a pair of modular panels to be arranged adjacent, it is necessary to couple said coupling means8with a dry mechanical joint.

In particular, a first modular panel1is initially laid, so that the lower surface60rests on said resting surface and subsequently approaching the projection8A of a second modular panel1to the groove8B of the latter, by means of a translation movement indicated by the arrow T, keeping it inclined by about 20°, so as to allow said first appendage9to penetrate into the corresponding first seat19.

As soon as said first appendage9engages into the first seat19, it is sufficient to rotate said second modular panel1, as shown by the arrow V ofFIG.4, so that the entire profile of the projection8A is received in the groove8B.

Such rotary movement is advantageously guided by the rounded shape respectively of the end heads9A,10A of the appendages9and10and of the corresponding bottom portions19A,20A of the retaining seats19,20, thus making the coupling between two side by side panels fluid.

Once insertion has been completed, the second edge portion12of the second modular panel1is positioned substantially in abutment against the fourth edge portion22of the first modular panel1.

Similarly, said third edge portion21is arranged partially in abutment against the first edge portion11of the adjacent panel but, thanks to the slight outward inclination thereof by second angle β, it is possible to confer continuity to the walking surface defined by the corresponding upper surfaces70, by limiting the amplitude of the gap between the two panels. The connecting section13provided for on said projection8A allows to recover the clearance between the two panels, keeping them firmly in contact with each other.

Advantageously, it is possible to obtain the de-coupling of said pair of modular panels1by proceeding with a reverse rotary and translation movement in the opposite direction with respect to the coupling direction.

In case that also said transversal edges4,5of the panel1are provided with coupling means8such as those described above, it would still be possible to lay a floor or a covering by mutually connecting the transversal edges4,5of panels1to each other according to the process described above, to form a row of adjacent panels; subsequently, the entire row can be moved to allow the coupling of the coupling means8provided for along said longitudinal edges2,3. Alternatively, said transversal edges4,5may optionally be provided with different coupling means, or even without them.

In conclusion, in the light of the above it is clear that the present invention attains the objects and advantages initially provided for.

In fact, mechanical coupling means8for modular flooring or covering panels which allow to effectively stand against any movements due to dilations or contractions caused by thermo-hygrometric variations of the environment in which the panels are laid are provided.

Moreover, thanks to the particular configuration of the coupling means8, in which retaining appendages9,10oriented according to different directions are provided, a double resistance against stresses can be obtained, allowing to maintain the initial hardness of the coupling over time.

The coupling means8according to the present invention allow a quick and simple laying of the flooring or covering panels that are provided therewith, also making it easy to remove them for possible replacement. Furthermore, the entire floor100or covering can be removed and repositioned in a different environment, if necessary.

However, once coupled, said modular panels cannot be de-coupled either by means of a translation along a direction orthogonal to the lying plane of the panels, or by means of a translation along a direction parallel to the plane of the panels, thus ensuring the stable coupling thereof.

Lastly, as will be apparent to a man skilled in the art, the shape of the coupling means8can be easily obtained with simple machines equipped with a reduced number of tools.

Furthermore, given that the shape of said coupling means8is rather compact, the waste that is obtained for the provision thereof on a panel1is less than that of the prior art solutions, allowing to save material by about 3%; this, taking into account the large number of the parquet floors that are laid each year, allows considerable saving from an economic standpoint.

Obviously, the present invention is susceptible of numerous applications, modifications or variations without departing from the scope of protection, as defined in the attached claims. Furthermore, the materials and equipment used to implement the present invention, as well as the shapes and dimensions of the individual components, may be the most suitable depending on the specific requirements.