Patent Publication Number: US-2009229218-A1

Title: Composite flooring

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to flooring, and more particularly to a composite flooring that is inexpensive to manufacture mimics wood flooring and is easy-installed. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     Installing a lustrous, natural flooring is an important aspect of interior design and with many flooring choices available, the floor can become the centerpiece to design around. 
     Wooden, linoleum, carpeted and plastic flooring can be implemented for different reasons and each has different advantages and disadvantages. 
     With reference to  FIG. 7 , wooden flooring comprises multiple slats ( 50 ) comprising a wooden layer ( 51 ) and a covering layer ( 52 ). The wooden layer ( 51 ) can be made of pine, oak, bamboo, cork or the like, is formed in tessellating quadrangles and accordingly has four edges. Tongue and groove is used to align and hold slats ( 50 ) together, wherein at least one edge of the slat forms a tongue ( 511 ) while opposite at least one edge defines a groove ( 512 ) corresponding to the rib ( 511 ) of another slat ( 50 ). 
     The covering layer ( 52 ) is mounted on the wooden layer ( 51 ) to prevent water from permeating and may be a varnish, plastic film, laminate, lacquer or the like and have a wood-grained surface for appealing appearance. 
     When installing on the floor, the wooden floorings are orderly placed adjacent to and engaging each other via engagement of the tongues ( 511 ) and the grooves ( 512 ). Such work requires expertise and may take a long time to complete. Otherwise, wooden flooring is easily deformed due to humidity and amplifies vibration so can be noisy. Therefore a damp proof membrane and insulating material are laid between the wooden flooring and the floor complicating installation and causing inconvenience. Besides, since the wooden flooring is made of high valued timber, the wooden flooring is inevitably expensive. 
     To reduce costs of floor replacement, plastic flooring may be laid. Plastic flooring has an artificial decorating top surface and has a fastening structure for interconnection. Plastic floorings can be laid directly on the floor when installing, without implementation of a damp proof membrane or insulating material, so has easier installation than wooden flooring. However, the plastic flooring is hard and cannot match performance of the wooden flooring, such as elasticity, respiration, soft and warm feeling and the like. 
     Furthermore, said conventional wooden flooring and plastic flooring mostly interconnect using tongue and groove requiring precise alignment and making installation difficult. 
     The present invention therefore provides a composite flooring to obviate or mitigate the aforementioned problems. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     An objective of the present invention is to provide a composite flooring that is inexpensive to manufacture, mimics wooden flooring and is easy-installed. 
     To achieve the objective, the composite flooring comprises multiple flooring elements. Each flooring element comprises a plastic layer, an insulating layer and a covering layer. 
     The plastic layer is made of plastic and has a top surface. 
     The insulating layer is eccentrically mounted on the top surface of the plastic layer and is made of wood flour, wood chips, plywood, fibers or the like and has a top surface. 
     The covering layer is mounted securely on the top surface of the insulating layer and is made of timber to have a natural grain surface and mimic wood. 
     Furthermore, at least two edges of each flooring element respectively form alternatively an upper tongue and a lower tongue. The upper tongue and the lower tongue respectively correspond to and abut upon/under one another lower tongue/ upper tongue of adjacent flooring elements. 
     Accordingly, the composite flooring in accordance with the present invention is inexpensive and does not require precise alignment therefore facilitating installation. 
     Besides, the plastic layer prevents water permeation so that the flooring elements can directly put on the floor during installation without implementation of a damp proof membrane. Otherwise, the flooring elements interconnect via abutting of the lower tongue and the upper tongue that does not require precise alignment, thus makes installation easier and provides convenience for installation 
     Furthermore, the covering layer provides performance of elasticity, respiration, soft and warm. 
     Other objectives, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a composite flooring in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a top view of the composite flooring in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a cross sectional side view of the composite flooring in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a cross sectional side view of another embodiment of a composite flooring in accordance with present invention. 
         FIG. 5  is an operational cross sectional side view of the composite flooring in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 6  is an operational top view of the composite flooring in  FIG. 1 ; and 
         FIG. 7  is a cross sectional side view of a wood flooring in accordance with prior art. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     With reference to  FIG. 1 , a composite flooring in accordance with present invention comprises multiple flooring elements ( 10 ). Each flooring element ( 10 ) comprises a plastic layer ( 11 ), an insulating layer ( 12 ) and a covering layer ( 13 ). 
     With further reference to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the plastic layer ( 11 ) has a top surface, four edges and a bottom surface. The bottom surface may comprise multiple knobs ( 111 ) formed thereon to improve flexibility and contacts with a floor by generating friction. 
     The insulating layer ( 12 ) is eccentrically mounted on the top surface of the plastic layer ( 11 ) using adhesive ( 40 ) and is made of wood flour, wood chips, plywood, fibers or the like and has a top surface and four edges. With further reference to  FIG. 2 , at least one edge of the insulating layer ( 12 ) protrudes from above a corresponding edge of the plastic layer ( 11 ) to define at least one upper tongue ( 20 ), meanwhile at least one edge of the plastic layer ( 11 ) protrudes from below a corresponding edge of the insulating layer ( 12 ) to define at least one lower tongue ( 30 ). 
     The covering layer ( 13 ) is mounted securely on the top surface of the insulating layer ( 12 ) and is made of timber so has a natural grain surface and feels like wood and may be further treated by varnish, lacquer or plastic film. 
     With further reference to  FIGS. 5 and 6 , when installing the composite flooring in accordance with present invention, adhesive ( 40 ) is first applied to the floor to directly adhere the bottom surface of the plastic layer ( 11 ) to the floor. Accordingly, the upper tongue ( 20 ) corresponds to and abuts the lower tongue ( 30 ) of adjacent flooring elements ( 10 ) and the lower tongue ( 30 ) abuts adjacent flooring elements ( 10 ) and the floor. Adhesive ( 40 ) may be applied between the upper tongue ( 20 ) and the lower tongue ( 30 ) for enhanced bonding. 
     Accordingly, since each flooring element ( 10 ) is partially made of timber, the composite flooring in accordance with the present invention is inexpensive. 
     Besides, the plastic layer ( 11 ) prevents water permeation so that the flooring elements ( 10 ) can be put directly on the floor when installing, without implementation of a damp-proof membrane. Otherwise, the flooring elements ( 10 ) interconnect via abutting of the lower tongue ( 30 ) and the upper tongue ( 20 ) that does not require precise alignment makes installation easier and provides convenience for installation 
     Furthermore, the covering layer ( 13 ) provides elasticity, respiration and soft and warm feeling as people may have with natural wooden flooring. 
     Even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present invention have been set forth in the foregoing description together with details of the structure and function of the invention, the disclosure is illustrative only. Changes may be made in detail especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the invention to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.