Patent Publication Number: US-7707792-B2

Title: Flooring system with grout line

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/935,303, entitled “FLOORING SYSTEM WITH GROUT LINE”, filed Aug. 6, 2007. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The invention relates to laminate flooring products. More particularly, the invention relates to laminate flooring panels including an edge profile providing for the application of a grout line replicating traditional tile flooring. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Numerous attempts have been made to replicate conventional ceramic tile and grout flooring surfaces with decorative laminate flooring products. However, none of these prior products have been able to fully replicate the look and feel of traditional ceramic tile and grout flooring surfaces. 
     As such, a need exists for a decorative laminate flooring system which replicates the look and feel of traditional ceramic tile and grout flooring systems. The present invention provides such a flooring system. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a flooring panel including a decorative upper surface and a lower surface shaped and dimensioned for engaging a support surface on which the flooring panel is to be installed. The flooring panel further includes a plurality of edges extending between the decorative upper surface and the lower surface. The plurality of edges are shaped and dimensioned for selective coupling with adjacent flooring panels, wherein each of the plurality of edges includes an edge profile having at least a male coupling member or a female coupling member shaped and dimensioned for engaging mating male coupling members or female coupling members of an adjacent flooring panel. The flooring panel also includes at least one notched transition section. The at least one notched transition section extends between one of the plurality of edges of the flooring panel and the decorative upper surface of the flooring panel. When adjacent flooring panels are brought together by coupling respective male coupling members and female coupling members along respective edges of the adjacent flooring panels, the at least one notched transition section of the flooring panel defines a grout receiving recess into which a material may be poured for creation of the a grout line between the adjacent flooring panels. 
     It is also an object of the present invention to provide first and second flooring panels as described above. The system includes a grout receiving recess at the coupling line of the first flooring panel and the second flooring panel and a material applied within the grout receiving recess to form a grout line at the coupling point of the first flooring panel and the second flooring panel. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide a method for installing flooring panels. The method is achieved by installing a first flooring panel as described above upon a support surface. A second flooring panel as described above is then installed upon the support surface in mating engagement with the first flooring panel. Material is then applied within the grout receiving recess to form a grout line at the coupling point of the first flooring panel and the second flooring panel. 
     Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description when viewed in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which set forth certain embodiments of the invention. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a top view of the present decorative laminate flooring system. 
         FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional view showing first and second flooring panels spaced from each other. 
         FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional view showing first and second flooring panels engaged and defining a grout receiving recess. 
         FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view along the line IV-IV as shown in  FIG. 1  and shows the creation of a grout line with the engaged first and second flooring panels. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     The detailed embodiment of the present invention is disclosed herein. It should be understood, however, that the disclosed embodiment is merely exemplary of the invention, which may be embodied in various forms. Therefore, the details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as the basis for teaching one skilled in the art how to make and/or use the invention. 
     With reference to  FIG. 1 , a flooring system  10  is disclosed. The flooring system  10  includes a plurality of flooring panels  12   a,    12   b  interconnected in a manner defining a predetermined flooring surface. Although the present disclosure describes the concepts underlying the present invention with reference to a first flooring panel  12   a  and a second flooring panel  12   b,  those skilled in the art will understand how the concepts of the present invention will be extended to a plurality of flooring panels covering a predetermined flooring surface. Those skilled in the art will further appreciate all the flooring panels are substantially identical. 
     As mentioned above, the present flooring system  10  includes at least a first flooring panel  12   a  and a second flooring panel  12   b  shaped and dimensioned for glueless coupling along a support surface  14 . Although glueless coupling techniques are contemplated in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the concepts of the present invention may be applied to coupling mechanisms utilizing glue or other coupling techniques without departing from the spirit of the present invention. 
     The first flooring panel  12   a  includes a decorative laminate  16   a  coupled to a top surface of a substantially rigid substrate  18   a,  wherein the first flooring panel  12   a  includes a decorative upper surface  20   a  composed of the decorative laminate  16   a  and a lower surface  22   a  shaped and dimensioned for engaging the support surface  14  on which the first flooring panel  12   a  is to be installed. In accordance with a preferred embodiment, the decorative laminate  16   a  is a conventional high pressure decorative laminate used in the flooring industry, although those skilled in the art will appreciate other laminates, for example, direct pressure laminates, may be used without departing from the spirit of the present invention. 
     As such, the decorative laminate  16   a  includes a plurality of layers of synthetic resin impregnated paper sheets consolidated or bonded together into a unitary structure under heat and pressure. In normal practice, the decorative laminate assembly, from the bottom up, includes a core of one or more sheets of Kraft paper impregnated with phenolic resin, above which lies a decorative sheet of alpha-cellulose paper impregnated with melamine resin and/or an overlay impregnated with melamine resin. The decorative laminate is consolidated by placing the resin impregnated core and decorative sheets between steel coated, steel, or stainless steel plates and subjecting the laminate stack to temperatures ranging from about 150° F. (65.6° C.) to about 500° F. (260° C.) and pressures ranging from about 800 to about 1600 psi for a time sufficient to consolidate the laminate and cure the resins (generally about 25 minutes to an hour). This causes the resin in the paper sheets to flow, cure, and consolidate the sheets into a composite or unitary laminated mass referred to in the art as a high pressure decorative laminate (HPDL). More than one laminate can be formed at one time by inserting a plurality of assembled sheets in a stack with each assembly being separated by a release sheet which allows the individual laminates to be separated after consolidation. Finally, the decorative laminates are further processed and ultimately secured to the substrate  18   a.    
     In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the substrate  18   a  is medium density fiberboard. However, those skilled in the art will appreciate, other materials, such as, but not limited to, high density fiber board, wood/plastic compositions, woods, plywood, hardboard, asbestos board, particleboard, ceramics, filled and unfilled plastics, closed-cell rigid foams, or the like, may be employed. 
     In accordance with a preferred embodiment, the first flooring panel  12   a  includes a plurality of edges extending between the upper surface  20   a  and the lower surface  22   a,  preferably, first, second, third and fourth edges  24   a,    26   a,    28   a,    30   a  define a floor panel in the shape of a square. Those skilled in the art will certainly appreciate a variety of panel shapes may be employed without departing from the spirit of the present invention. The plurality of edges  24   a,    26   a,    28   a,    30   a  are shaped and dimensioned for selective coupling with a second flooring panel  12   b  (or other flooring panels  12   c  substantially identical to the first and second flooring panels  12   a,    12   b  described herein), wherein each edge of the first flooring panel  12   a  includes an edge profile having at least a male coupling member  32   a,    34   a  or a female coupling member  36   a,    36   b  shaped and dimensioned for engaging a mating male coupling member  32   b,    34   b  or female coupling member  36   b,    38   b  of the second flooring panel  12   b  (or other identical flooring panel  12   c ). 
     In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the first edge  24   a  is provided with a male coupling member  32   a  shaped and dimensioned to mate with a female coupling member  36   b,    38   b  of the second (or another) flooring panel  12   b,  the second edge  26   a  is provided with a male coupling member  34   a  (identical to male coupling member  32   a  as shown in  FIGS. 2 ,  3  and  4 ) shaped and dimensioned to mate with a female coupling member  36   b,    38   b  (identical to female coupling member  36   b  as shown in  FIGS. 2 ,  3  and  4 ) of the second (or another) flooring panel  12   b,  the third edge  28   b  is provided with a female coupling member  36   a  (identical to female coupling member  36   b  as shown in  FIGS. 2 ,  3  and  4 ) shaped and dimensioned to mate with a male coupling member  32   b,    34   b  (identical to male coupling member  32   a  as shown in  FIGS. 2 ,  3  and  4 ) of the second (or another) flooring panel  12   b,  the fourth edge  30   a  is provided with a female coupling member  38   a  (identical to female coupling member  36   b  as shown in  FIGS. 2 ,  3  and  4 ) shaped and dimensioned to mate with a male coupling member  32   b,    34   b  (identical to male coupling member  32   a  as shown in  FIGS. 2 ,  3  and  4 ) of the second (or another) flooring panel  12   b.    
     Respective notched transition sections  40   a  extend between the third and fourth edges  28   a,    30   a  of the first flooring panel  12   a  and the decorative upper surface  20   a  of the first flooring panel  12   a.  The notched transition sections  40   a  are identical to those shown with reference to the second flooring panel  12   b  in  FIGS. 2 ,  3  and  4  (and described in detail below), and include a generally vertical first wall  50   a  that is oriented substantially perpendicular relative to the plane in which the decorative upper surface  20   a  of the first flooring panel  12   a  lies and a generally horizontal second wall  52   a  that is oriented substantially perpendicular relative to the plane in which the decorative upper surface  20   a  of the first flooring panel  12   a  lies. In accordance with a preferred embodiment, the vertical first wall  50   a  is approximately 0.9 mm to approximately 1.0 mm in depth and defines the depth of the grout receiving recess  44  discussed below in greater detail. The horizontal second wall  52   a  is approximately 4.3 mm in width and defines the width of the grout receiving recess  44  discussed below in greater detail. 
     As with the first flooring panel  12   a,  the second flooring panel  12   b  includes a decorative laminate  16   b  coupled to a top surface of a substantially rigid substrate  18   b,  wherein the second flooring panel  12   b  includes a decorative upper surface  20   b  composed of the decorative laminate  16   b  and a lower surface  22   b  shaped and dimensioned for engaging the support surface  14  on which the second flooring panel  12   b  is to be installed. In accordance with a preferred embodiment, and as discussed above with regard to the first flooring panel  12   a  the decorative laminate  16   b  is a conventional high pressure decorative laminate used in the flooring industry and described above with reference to the first flooring panel  12   a.    
     In accordance with a preferred embodiment, the second flooring panel  12   b  includes a plurality of edges extending between the decorative upper surface  20   b  and the lower surface  22   b,  preferably, first, second, third and fourth edges  24   b,    26   b,    28   b,    30   b  define a panel in the shape of a square. As with the first flooring panel  12   a,  a variety of flooring panel shapes may be employed without departing from the spirit of the present invention. The plurality of edges  24   b,    26   b,    28   b,    30   b  are shaped and dimensioned for selective coupling with the first flooring panel  12   a  (or other flooring panels  12   c  substantially identical to the first and second flooring panels  12   a,    12   b  described herein), wherein each edge of the second flooring panel  12   b  includes an edge profile having at least a male coupling member  32   b,    34   b  or a female coupling member  36 ,  38   b  shaped and dimensioned for engaging a mating male coupling member  32   a,    32   b  or female coupling member  36   a,    36   b  of the first flooring panel  12   a  (or other identical flooring panel  12   c ). 
     In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the first edge  24   b  is provided with a male coupling member  32   b  (identical to male coupling member  32   a  as shown in  FIGS. 2 ,  3  and  4 ) shaped and dimensioned to mate with the female coupling member  36   a,    38   a  (identical to female coupling member  36   b  as shown in  FIGS. 2 ,  3  and  4 ) of the first (or another) flooring panel  12   a,  the second edge  26   b  is provided with a male coupling member  34   b  (identical to male coupling member  32   a  as shown in  FIGS. 2 ,  3  and  4 ) shaped and dimensioned to mate with a female coupling member  36   a,    38   a  (identical to female coupling member  36   b  as shown in  FIGS. 2 ,  3  and  4 ) of the first (or another) flooring panel  12   a,  the third edge  28   b  is provided with a female coupling member  36   b  shaped and dimensioned to mate with a male coupling member  32   a,    34   a  (identical to male coupling member  32   a  as shown in  FIGS. 2 ,  3  and  4 ) of the first (or another) flooring panel  12   a,  the fourth edge  30   b  is provided with a female coupling member  38   b  (identical to female coupling member  36   b  as shown in  FIGS. 2 ,  3  and  4 ) shaped and dimensioned to mate with a male coupling member  32   a,    32   a  (identical to male coupling member  32   a  as shown in FIGS.  2 ,  3  and  4 ) of the first (or another) flooring panel  12   a.    
     Respective notched transition sections  40   b  extend between the third and fourth edges  28   b,    30   b  of the second flooring panel  12   b  and the decorative upper surface  20   b  of the second flooring panel  12   b.  The notched transition sections  40   b  include a generally vertical first wall  50   b  that is oriented substantially perpendicular relative to the plane in which the decorative upper surface  20   a  of the first flooring panel  12   a  lies and a generally horizontal second wall  52   b  that is oriented substantially perpendicular relative to the plane in which the decorative upper surface  20   a  of the first flooring panel  12   a  lies. In accordance with a preferred embodiment, the vertical first wall  50   b  is approximately 0.9 mm to approximately 1.0 mm in depth and defines the depth of the grout receiving recess  44  discussed below in greater detail. The horizontal second wall  52   b  is approximately 4.3 mm in width and defines the width of the grout receiving recess  44  discussed below in greater detail. 
     More particularly, and in accordance a preferred embodiment, the male edge profiles of the first and second edges  24   a,    24   b,    26   a,    26   b  of the first and second flooring panels  12   a,    12   b  include (as described with reference to the first edge  24   a  of the first flooring panel  12   a ) a generally vertically oriented first male profile wall  54   a  that extends downwardly from the decorative upper surface  20   a  until it reaches a generally horizontally oriented recess  56   a  defined by a generally horizontal recess wall  58   a,  a generally horizontal upper wall  60   a  of the male coupling member  32   a,  and a generally vertical connecting wall  62   a.  A male coupling member  32   a  extends outwardly below the horizontally oriented recess  56   a  and is defined by the generally horizontal upper wall  60   a  and a downwardly tapered lower wall  64   a  connected by a generally vertically oriented end wall  66   a.  The downwardly tapered lower wall  64   a  includes a recess  68   a  adjacent to the connected edge of the male coupling member  32   a.  A generally vertically oriented second male profile wall  70   a  extends from lower wall  64   a  of the male coupling member  32   a  to the lower surface  22   a.    
     The female edge profiles of the third and fourth edges  28   a,    28   b,    30   a,    30   b  of the first and second flooring panels  12   a,    12   b  includes (as described with reference to the third edge  30   b  of the second flooring panel  12   b ) a generally vertically oriented first female profile wall  72   b  that extends downwardly from the notched transition section  40   b  until it reaches a generally horizontally oriented projection  74   b  defined by a generally horizontal projection wall  76   b,  a generally horizontal upper wall  78   b  of the female coupling member  36   b,  and an obliquely oriented connecting wall  80   b.  The horizontally oriented projection  74   b  is shaped and dimensioned to fit within the horizontally oriented recess  56   a  when adjacent panels are coupled in accordance with the present invention. A female coupling member  36   b  extends inwardly below the horizontally oriented projection  74   b  and is defined by the generally horizontal upper wall  78   b  and an upwardly tapered lower wall  82   b  connected by a generally horizontally oriented end wall  84   b.  The upwardly tapered lower wall  82   b  includes a projection  86   b  adjacent to its free end. The female coupling member  36   b  is shaped and dimensioned for coupling with the male coupling member  32   a.  The recess  68   a  and projection  86   b  along the lower walls  64   a,    82   b  of the respective male and female coupling members  32   a,    36   b  are shaped and dimensioned for selective coupling to hold adjacent flooring panels together. A generally vertically oriented second female profile wall  88   b  extends from lower wall of the female coupling member  36   b  to the lower surface  22   b.    
     Relative orientations of the various components of the flooring components are described above through the use of terms such as vertical and horizontal. Those skilled in the art will appreciate these relative terms are used to describe the flooring panels in the usual placement on a horizontal support surface, and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. While specific profiles are disclosed in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, those skilled in the art will appreciate the present invention is not limited to the specific edge profiles disclosed above and various edge profiles may be used within the spirit of the present invention. 
     When the first flooring panel  12   a  and the second flooring panel  12   b  (or other identical flooring panels) are brought together along the coupling line  42  by coupling respective male coupling members  32   a,    32   b,    34   a,    34   b  and female coupling members  36   a,    36   b,    38   a,    38   b  of the respective edges of the first flooring panel  12   a  and the second flooring panel  12   b,  the respective notched transition sections  40   a,    40   b  create a grout receiving recess  44  defined by the vertical first wall  50   a,    50   b  of the notched transition section  40   a,    40   b,  the horizontal second wall  52   a,    52   b  of the notched transition section  40   a,    40   b  and the vertically oriented first male profile wall  54   a  of the adjacent flooring panel. A grout material  46  may then be applied within the grout receiving recess  44  to form a grout line  48  at the coupling line  42  of the first flooring panel  12   a  and the second flooring panel  12   b.  Although grout material is used in accordance with a preferred embodiment, it is contemplated other materials, for example, paint, adhesive, plastic, rubber, epoxy, etc., may be used within the grout receiving recess. 
     In practice, the first flooring panel  12   a  is installed upon a support surface  14 . The second flooring panel  12   b  is then installed upon the support surface  14  in mating engagement with the first flooring panel  12   a.  In accordance with a preferred embodiment, installation of the second flooring panel  12   b  in mating engagement with the first flooring panel  12   a  includes positioning the second flooring panel  12   b  adjacent the first flooring panel  12   a  and upon the support surface  14 . Thereafter, an edge (for example, a third edge  28   b ) of the second flooring panel  12   b  is brought into mating engagement with an edge (for example, a first edge  24   a ) of the first flooring panel  12   a  along a coupling line  42 . Mating of the first flooring panel  12   a  with the second flooring panel  12   b  creates the grout receiving recess  44  at the coupling line  42  of the first flooring panel  12   a  and the second flooring panel  12   b.    
     Thereafter, a grout material  46  is applied within the grout receiving recess  44  to form a grout line  48  at the coupling line  42  of the first flooring panel  12   a  and the second flooring panel  12   b.    
     As those skilled in the art will appreciate, the manner in which the first and second flooring panels are matingly engaged will depend upon the specific engagement profile adopted by the flooring manufacturer. Some edge profiles require that the flooring panels be brought into engagement with an initial angular offset, while other edge profiles allow the flooring panels to be mated while the sit in the same plane, for example, along the plane defined by the support surface upon which they sit. 
     While the preferred embodiments have been shown and described, it will be understood that there is no intent to limit the invention by such disclosure, but rather, is intended to cover all modifications and alternate constructions falling within the spirit and scope of the invention.