EA044643B1 - ADHESIVE DECORATIVE FLOORING SYSTEM - Google Patents

Description

Field of technology to which the present invention relates

The present invention relates to an adhesive decorative flooring system. The present invention also relates to an adhesive floor covering realized by interconnecting a plurality of tiles of an adhesive flooring system according to the claimed invention. The present invention further relates to tiles that are used in an adhesive flooring system according to the claimed invention.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Developed in the 1970s, Luxury Vinyl Plank (LVP) and Luxury Vinyl Tiles (LVT) were created as a means of enhancing the realism of vinyl sheet flooring, which is essentially polyvinyl chloride (PVC). Their popularity grew exponentially in the 2000s due to the emergence of adhesive construction as a low-cost alternative to HDF/MDF laminate, hardwood flooring and carpet. Around this time, so-called "self-adhesive" versions of adhesive tiles were introduced as an option for DIY consumers (do-it-yourself consumers). Adhesive decking is considered a permanent type of decking because this type of decking is physically bonded to the underlying deck using adhesive or tape. The adhesive coating is generally resistant to impact, moisture and scratches. Moreover, because the adhesive coating is physically bonded to the flooring, it is held securely in place. This makes the use of adhesive coating attractive for use in high-traffic areas. Although adhesive coatings have been quite popular for several decades, adhesive coatings of the known type also suffer from various disadvantages. The first major disadvantage of the known type of flooring is that this type of flooring is difficult to install due to the special requirements of the adhesive that must be used, which often requires the involvement of a specialist to install the floor properly. For example, excess adhesive can easily stain the top surfaces of the tiles, which is clearly undesirable. Moreover, it was found that it was difficult to ensure precise alignment of the tiles during installation. Another disadvantage of known types of flooring is that over time the adhesive used can lose its properties, causing the bond between the tiles and the flooring to weaken and even cause the tiles to come away from the flooring.

Brief Disclosure of the Present Invention

The object of the present invention is to provide an improved adhesive decorative flooring system that overcomes at least one of these disadvantages.

To this end, the present invention proposes a system of adhesive decorative flooring according to the introductory part of the description of the claimed invention, containing a plurality of interconnected decorative floor tiles, preferably flexible, and each floor tile is characterized by a thickness of less than 4.7 mm, and in a more preferred embodiment, a thickness of less than 4 mm, wherein each floor tile contains at least one backing, preferably flexible, which consists at least in part of polyvinyl chloride (PVC), and wherein each floor tile has a rectangular oblong or square shape and thus contains a first a pair of opposing edges and a second pair of opposing edges; wherein the first pair of opposing edges comprises mechanical connecting parts that enable the plurality of such tiles to be mechanically connected to each other, said connecting parts forming a first locking system that provides locking of the plurality of interconnected tiles in the plane of the tiles and perpendicular to the corresponding edges, and also forms a second locking system that locks a plurality of interconnected tiles perpendicular to the plane of the tiles, the connecting portions substantially extending from said substrate; wherein the connecting portions on said first pair of opposing edges are configured such that two such tiles can be connected to each other along those edges by performing a rotational movement and/or vertical displacement, and wherein the second pair of opposing edges preferably does not contain any mechanical connecting parts.

The adhesive flooring system of the present invention is designed to adhere to or adhere to the flooring, and the tiles are provided with so-called pivot joints that are located on two opposing edges of the tiles, typically the long edges of the tiles, which greatly facilitates the installation process. Firstly, the connecting parts make it easier to join the tiles during installation. Secondly, excess liquid adhesive applied to the bottom surface of the installed tiles and over the flooring is prevented from flowing between the interacting connecting parts of adjacent tiles during rotation of the installed tile, which significantly reduces the risk of contamination of the upper surface of the tiles. Since this adhesive flooring system of the present invention is relatively easy to install, there is no longer a need for a professional installer, and

- 1 044643 its installation can be done by a DIY user. Moreover, due to the connection between the connecting parts of adjacent tiles, which is preferably implemented in the form of a snap or locking connection to ensure locking in the horizontal and vertical direction, the installed adhesive floor covering will be more durable in comparison with known types of adhesive coverings. Even if the adhesive that holds the tiles to the floor loses its properties, the interaction of the connecting parts of adjacent tiles allows the tiles to be held in place.

The adhesive flooring system of the present invention combines the traditional principle of bonding adhesive flooring tiles to the flooring with adhesive and the use of connecting pieces or connecting profiles that are typically only used in moving flooring systems. The combination of these two aspects gives rise to a new hybrid type of flooring. It is conceivable that the adhesive flooring system could also be used to realize wall coverings, ceiling coverings or other alternative coverings such as furniture coverings. The flooring system of the present invention can be used both indoors and outdoors. In a preferred embodiment, the flooring system is a waterproof flooring system. Because the backing is made of polyvinyl chloride (PVC), commonly referred to as vinyl, the tiles in a flooring system may also be referred to as luxury vinyl tiles (LVT) or luxury vinyl planks (LVP). Instead of PVC, other polymers such as polypropylene, polyethylene or polyester, polyurethane or other thermoplastic or thermoset material may also be used in the backing. In addition, alternative materials such as wood, composite materials and/or minerals such as magnesium oxide can be used as the base constituting the backing used in the tile system of the present invention. Tiles in the flooring system of the present invention can also be considered planks, slabs or panels.

As stated above, the connecting parts of the first pair of opposite edges are preferably configured to snap together during connection. This causes the formation of a snap-type lock between the tiles. Preferably, at least one of the connecting portions of the first pair of opposite edges is elastically deformable during interconnection. This elastic deformation makes it possible to implement a snap-type locking mechanism, in particular if the connecting parts are shaped in such a way that during the connection of two tiles to each other, the elastic part of at least one connecting part is first deformed and then returns, according to at least partially back to its original form. The connecting parts are preferably designed to fit relative to each other with a positive fit. The connecting parts are preferably designed to complement each other. However, this does not exclude the presence of free space (gaps) between the interconnected connecting parts of adjacent tiles.

In one preferred embodiment of the present invention, the connecting portions of the first pair of opposite edges comprise, at the first edge, a sideways tongue extending substantially parallel to the plane of the tile, the lower face portion of said sideways tongue being at least partially rounded or flat, and a lower rear portion of said tongue is configured as a support portion, the lower rear portion being located closer to the level of the upper side of the tile than the lower portion of the lower face portion; and wherein the connecting portions of the first pair of opposing edges comprise, on the opposite second edge, a cutout for receiving at least a portion of a tongue-to-groove portion of the next tile, wherein said cutout is defined by an upper abutment projection and a lower abutment projection, and said lower abutment projection is provided with an upwardly projecting a shoulder against which the support portion of the sideways tongue rests, wherein said sideways tongue is configured such that locking occurs when the next tile is inserted into the cutout of the sideways tongue and by performing a pivoting motion (rotation) about an axis parallel to the first edge , as a result of which the upper side of the sideways tongue engages with the upper thrust projection, and the supporting portion of the sideways tongue rests against and/or faces the shoulder of the lower thrust projection, causing mutual adhesion of adjacent tiles along the first and second edges . In a preferred embodiment, the laterally directed tongue is designed to fit into the cutout with a positive lock. It is quite possible that the external dimensions of the tongue directed towards the side exceed the dimensions of the cutout. This usually results in active locking, also called pre-tensioning, between the connecting parts in the engaged state. However, it is also entirely possible for the sideways tongue to fit into the cut-out in such a way as to ensure a positive fit, resulting in a connection between the connecting parts without

- 2 044643 pre-tension in clutch state. In the state of engagement of the connecting parts, the sideways tongue and the cutout preferably jointly close a plurality of gaps. These gaps may be provided to compensate for or absorb expansion of the joint parts, and/or they may also be used as cavities for adhesive that may flow out during installation, thereby strengthening the joint between adjacent tiles.

In a preferred embodiment, the lower surface of the support portion, which is configured to rest on and/or face the shoulder of the lower abutment protrusion, is deflected upward in the direction of the lower face portion of the tongue directed toward it. This causes the thinnest portion of the sideways tongue to be located between the front portion and the rear portion of the sideways tongue. This thinnest part is usually the least strong part that is most easily deformed (elastically), and by placing this least strong part close to the face portion of the tongue directed towards the tongue, the deformation zone is not only predetermined, but also located in such a way that during installation, a minimum amount of material directed towards the tongue is deformed, which reduces the stress of the material that increases during installation, and which extends the service life of the tiles. The upper surface of the lower anvil shoulder is preferably inclined toward the upper anvil. This orientation of the upper surface of the arm generally favors the formation of the required free space between the arm and the support portion, which space can be used as an upper adhesive cavity configured to receive adhesive during installation, further strengthening the bond between the tiles.

In this case, it is preferable that the distance between the upper surface of the tile and the lower surface of the support portion, which is configured to rest on and/or face the shoulder of the lower abutment protrusion, is less than the distance between the upper surface of the tile and the shoulder of the lower abutment protrusion. In a preferred embodiment, the entire space between the shoulder and the support portion is configured to be filled with adhesive during installation, and is filled with adhesive in the engaged state.

In a preferred embodiment, the lower abutment is characterized by the presence of a first end surface, and in a more preferred embodiment, a substantially vertical first end surface. Preferably, the support portion is connected to a second end surface of the tile, in particular the backing, and more preferably to a substantially vertical second end surface of the tile. The second end surface is located below the support section (at a lower level than the support section). Preferably, in the adjoining state of adjacent tiles, the first end surface faces the second end surface such that the first end surface and the second end surface mutually cover the lower adhesive cavity. This lower adhesive cavity is preferably connected to said upper adhesive cavity (if used) and is configured to receive liquid adhesive during installation to further strengthen the bond between the tiles. In a preferred embodiment, the joint between the lower and upper adhesive cavities is filled with liquid adhesive during installation, causing the layer of adhesive from the upper adhesive cavity to extend into the lower adhesive cavity and onto the bottom surface of the tile(s).

Preferably, in the adjoining state of adjacent tiles, the first end surface faces the second end surface such that the first end surface and the second end surface mutually cover the lower adhesive cavity, the first end surface and the second end surface being spaced apart from each other, preferably at a distance of at least 0.2 mm, allowing a significant amount of adhesive to pass between the facing surfaces.

A positive effect is achieved if the first end surface and/or the second end surface is provided with at least one glue receptacle, in particular with at least one glue collection groove. This adhesive collection groove(s) preferably runs parallel to the connecting part and the corresponding edge of the tile. The use of this one or more adhesive receivers increases the contact area between the adhesive and the tile(s), which strengthens the bond between the adhesive and the tile(s).

In a preferred embodiment, the bottom adhesive cavity is positioned at a certain distance from the bottom surface of the tiles such that a certain vertical distance separates the bottom surface of the tiles from the bottom adhesive cavity, which prevents adhesive from accumulating on the bottom surface of the tiles.

The coupling portions on said first pair of opposing edges may be configured such that two of such tiles can engage each other along those edges by performing a vertical displacement, which is also referred to as a folding motion or a dropping motion. For this purpose, the connecting parts of the first pair of opposite edges preferably comprise: (i) on the first edge: one upwardly directed tongue; at least one upwardly directed end spaced at a certain distance from the upwardly directed tongue; and one upward groove formed between the upward tongue and the upward end; wherein at least a portion of the side of the upward tongue facing the upward end is inclined and extends in the normal direction of the upper side of the core (or away from it); and wherein at least a portion of the side of the upwardly directed tongue facing away from the upwardly directed end optionally includes a first locking element; and (ii) on the second edge: one downward tongue; at least one downwardly directed end spaced a certain distance from the downwardly directed tongue; and one downward groove formed between the downward tongue and the downward end; wherein at least a portion of the side of the downward tongue facing the downward end is inclined and extends in the normal direction of the lower side of the core (or away from it); and wherein the downwardly directed end optionally includes a second locking member configured to engage with a first locking member at the first edge of the next tile. Preferably, during interlocking, the downward tongue on the second edge of the interlocking tile will be pressed into the upward groove on the first edge of said other tile, and the upward tongue of said other tile will be pressed into the downward groove of the interlocking tile, deforming the first edge and/or the second edges, causing the adjacent tiles to lock at the third and fourth edges in both the horizontal and vertical directions. A first locking element may optionally be provided on the upwardly facing end, and a second locking element may optionally be provided on the side of the downwardly facing tongue facing away from the downward end.

Preferably, the second pair of opposing edges are not provided with any connecting parts, and these edges can be cut straight, preferably in a vertical direction, thereby defining a third end surface and a fourth end surface, respectively. The second pair of opposite edges is usually formed by the short edges of the tile. Typically, the third end surface and the fourth end surface face each other in a state of adhesion of adjacent tiles. Preferably, in the state of adjoining adjacent tiles, the upper portions of the third end surface and the fourth end surface engage with each other, preferably forming a connection that is invisible to the eye. In one preferred embodiment of the present invention, the top portions of the third end surface and the fourth end surface engage or contact each other over at least half the thickness of the tiles. As a result, a relatively large contact area is formed where the tiles come into contact with each other in a state of adhesion.

Preferably, at least portions of the lower portions of the third end surface and the fourth end surface mutually cover the side adhesive cavity. This adhesive cavity is configured to receive adhesive during installation, which also strengthens the bond between the tiles along this second pair of face edges. In this case, the third end surface and/or the fourth end surface can be provided with at least one glue receptacle, in particular with at least one glue collection groove. The adhesive receptacle and/or adhesive collection groove preferably extends from the bottom of the tile towards the middle or center of the tile, but no further than the middle of the thickness of the tile. This prevents the adhesive collected in the adhesive receptacle or adhesive collection groove from spontaneously flowing further upward towards the top surface of the tiles.

In a preferred embodiment, the side cavity for glue on the second pair of edges or the glue receptacle or groove for collecting glue contains a section with a cutout, both on the second pair of edges and on the third and fourth edges. The cutout portions preferably extend horizontally and face each other and are preferably symmetrical. Thus, after the adhesive has been filled and cured, the adhesive passes through the second pair of edges in a horizontal direction, at least partially. Although it is not considered a mechanical joining portion that is part of the second pair of edges, the adhesive in the cutout portions will prevent vertical movement of the interlocking tiles, at least to a certain extent, thereby increasing the stability of the tiles.

The second pair of opposing edges does not contain any mechanical connecting parts, making the tile suitable for mechanical interlocking with only two other tiles. Each edge of the second pair of edges may be provided with a longitudinal groove extending parallel to the corresponding edge. The grooves of adjacent edges can be mutually connected and aligned with each other, forming a circular groove. The circular groove is intended, for example, to receive adhesive during the process of gluing the tiles to the flooring in order to strengthen the connection between the tile and the flooring, as well as between the tile 1 and adjacent tiles. The groove on the third edge and the groove on the fourth edge preferably face each other, and together they form an additional cavity (small) for glue. An adhesive passage may be formed at the bottom between the tiles to allow adhesive to flow into the adhesive cavity during installation. This glue passage may be formed by cut portions of the lower portions of the third edge and the fourth edge. Upper areas

- 4 044643 the outer surfaces of the third edge and the fourth edge are preferably located opposite each other. This additional adhesive cavity formed between the grooves further stabilizes the floor covering after the adhesive has cured.

Despite the fact that the second pair of opposing edges preferably does not comprise any mechanical connecting parts, it is conceivable that the second pair of opposing edges still includes mechanical connecting parts allowing a plurality of such tiles to mechanically engage each other. These connecting parts can be configured to form a first locking system that provides locking of mutually interlocking tiles in the plane of the tiles and perpendicular to the corresponding edges, and also with the possibility of forming a second locking system that provides locking of mutually interlocking tiles perpendicular to the plane of the tiles, these connecting parts substantially extending from said substrate. The coupling portions on said second pair of opposing edges may be configured such that two of such tiles can engage each other along those edges by rotating and/or vertical displacement. In this case, for example, the mutual locking of the tiles occurs during the rotation of the tile interlocking along the first edge with the second edge of the already installed next tile, and the fourth edge of the said tile to be interlocked makes a zigzag movement towards the third edge of the already installed next tile. In this case, it is quite acceptable that the third edge contains one upward-pointing tongue; at least one upwardly directed end spaced at a certain distance from the upwardly directed tongue; and one upward groove formed between the upward tongue and the upward end; wherein at least a portion of the side of the upward tongue facing the upward end is inclined and extends in the normal direction of the upper side of the core; and wherein at least a portion of the side of the upwardly directed tongue facing away from the upwardly directed end may comprise a first locking member; and it is also quite acceptable that the fourth edge contains one tongue directed downwards; at least one downwardly directed end spaced a certain distance from the downwardly directed tongue; and one downward groove formed between the downward tongue and the downward end; wherein at least a portion of the side of the downward tongue facing the downward end is inclined and extends in the normal direction of the lower side of the core; and wherein the downwardly directed end may include a second locking member configured to engage with a first locking member at a third edge of the next tile. Preferably, during engagement, the downward tongue on the fourth edge of the tile to be engaged will be pressed into the upward groove on the third edge of said other tile, and the upward tongue of said other tile will be pressed into the downward groove of the tile being engaged, deforming the third edge and /or fourth edge, which results in the locking of adjacent tiles along the third and fourth edges, both in the horizontal direction and in the vertical direction.

The tile flooring system of the present invention typically comprises at least one leveling layer attached, either directly or indirectly, to the bottom surface of the backing. This leveling layer is designed to maintain the flatness of the tile as much as possible. This leveling layer is usually formed by a PVC-based film. The leveling layer can serve as a sound-absorbing layer. Preferably, each tile contains at least one decorative layer attached, either directly or indirectly, to the top surface of the substrate. The decorative layer may be a printed layer and/or it may be covered with at least one protective (top) layer covering said decorative layer. The presence of a printed layer and/or a protective layer can prevent damage to the tile due to scratching and/or environmental factors such as UV radiation/moisture and/or wear and tear from use. The printed layer may be formed by a film on which a decorative print is applied, the film being attached to a substrate and/or an intermediate layer, such as a base layer, located between the substrate and the decorative layer. The printed layer may also be formed by at least one layer of ink that is applied directly to the top surface of the substrate or to a base layer located on the substrate. Each tile may comprise at least one wear layer attached directly or indirectly to the top surface of the decorative layer. Each tile may comprise at least one layer of varnish applied directly or indirectly to the top surface of the decorative layer, preferably to the top surface of the wear layer.

The tiles in the adhesive flooring system of the present invention may be of any thickness, typically ranging from 2-12 mm, but are preferably limited to a thickness of less than 4.7 mm, and more preferably less than 4 mm, e.g. 2.5 mm (or less), 2.8 mm (or less), 3.0 mm (or less), 3.5 mm (or less), or 3.8 mm (or less), which is most typical for adhesive floor tiles. Tiles in

- 5 044643 compositions of the adhesive flooring system according to the present invention are preferably flexible. It is advantageous if the polyvinyl chloride (PVC) of the substrate is provided with a plasticizer, typically in the amount of 0-20 weight percent. Although it is possible that the backing could be semi-rigid or rigid, and/or that each tile could also be semi-rigid or rigid. The backing can be foamed, but for adhesive tiles a monolithic backing is more often used. The support preferably contains at least one inert filler, such as calcium carbonate (chalk) or talc, or a mixture of various fillers, the volume of filler/fillers preferably being 20-70 weight percent.

It is conceivable that the bottom surface (back side) of each tile may be provided with an adhesive to allow the tile to adhere to the flooring. It may be any suitable adhesive and/or self-adhesive material, the adhesive effect of which is enhanced by the application of mechanical pressure. Thus, the step of applying a special adhesive to secure the tiles to the flooring can be skipped. Optionally, the adhesive is initially provided with an easily removable coating, resulting in a self-adhesive type of adhesive floor covering.

The present invention also relates to an adhesive floor covering realized by interconnecting a plurality of tiles of an adhesive flooring system according to the claimed invention.

The present invention further relates to tiles used in an adhesive flooring system according to the claimed invention.

Ordinal numbers used herein, such as first, second, and third, are used for identification purposes only. The term complementary in relation to connecting parts or connecting profiles means that these connecting parts can interact with each other. However, to achieve this, the connecting parts that complement each other do not necessarily have to have matching shapes. As used herein, the direction-indicating term horizontal should be understood to mean parallel or coincident with the plane defined by the tile(s), and the direction-indicating term vertical should be understood as perpendicular to the plane of the tile(s). Thus, locking in the vertical direction means locking in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the tile. Locking in the horizontal direction means locking in a direction perpendicular to the respective interlocking edges of the two tiles and parallel or coincident with the plane defined by the tiles.

Brief description of the figures

The present invention will be described below on the basis of illustrative, non-limiting examples of its implementation, which are presented in the following figures, where:

In fig. 1 is a perspective view of adhesive tiles included in an adhesive flooring system according to the present invention;

In fig. 2 is a side cross-section of the tile shown in FIG. 1;

In fig. 3 is a longitudinal cross-section of the tile shown in FIG. 1;

In fig. 4 shows an adhesive floor covering consisting of a plurality of interconnected adhesive tiles shown in FIG. 1;

In fig. 5 is a detail view of part A of the floor covering shown in FIG. 4;

In fig. 6 is a cross-section along line B-B of the floor covering shown in FIG. 4;

In fig. 7 is a top view of an adhesive floor covering consisting of a plurality of interconnected tiles shown in FIG. 1, which are installed according to the first installation diagram;

In fig. 8 is a top view of an adhesive floor covering consisting of a plurality of interconnected tiles shown in FIG. 1, which are installed according to the second installation scheme; A

In fig. 9 shows a cross-section of (parts of) two identical panels according to the present invention in a state of adhesion.

Detailed Disclosure of the Present Invention

In fig. 1 is a perspective view of a rectangular adhesive tile 1 included in the adhesive flooring system 2 (see FIGS. 4-8) according to the present invention; in fig. 2 is a side cross-section of the tile shown in FIG. 1; and in fig. 3 is a longitudinal cross-section of the tile shown in FIG. 1. The tile 1 is mechanically connected to two similar tiles to form said covering 2. The tile 1 comprises a first pair of opposing long edges 1a, 1b, referred to as first edge 1a and second edge 1b, and a second pair of opposing short edges 1c, 1d, referred to as third edge 1c and the fourth edge 1d. The first pair of opposing edges 1a, 1b contains complementary mechanical connecting parts 3, 4, called the male connecting part 3 and the female connecting part 4, which provide mechanical adhesion of the tile 1 to the other two tiles 1. The second pair of opposing edges 1c, 1d does not have any mechanical connecting

- 6 044643 parts, which makes tile 1 suitable for mechanical interlocking of only two tiles. Each edge 1a, 1b, 1c, 1d is provided with a longitudinal groove 5a, 5b, 5c, 5d running parallel to the corresponding edge. The grooves 5a, 5b, 5c, 5d of adjacent edges 1a, 1b, 1c, 1d are mutually connected and together form a circular groove 5. The circular groove 5 is designed to receive adhesive while gluing the tile 1 to the floor deck 6 in order to strengthen the connection between the tile 1 and flooring 6, as well as between tile 1 and adjacent tiles. The male connecting part 3 includes a sideways tongue 7, which is integrally connected to the central body 8 of the tile 1. The face portion 7a of the sideways tongue 7 is characterized by having a flat bottom surface 9. The outer end (tip) of the face portion 7a of the sideways tongue 7 is provided on its upper side with an inclined locking surface 10. A rear portion 7b of the sideward tongue 7 is located between the front portion 7a and the central body, and it connects the front portion 7a to the central body 8. The lower side of the rear portion 7b may be called a support surface 11. This support surface 11 is inclined towards the face portion 7a of the sideways tongue 7. The support surface 11 connects to a substantially vertical first end surface 12 of the central body 8. The female connecting part 4 includes an upper abutment 13 and a lower abutment 14, defining a cutout 15. Both thrust projections 13, 14 are integrally connected to the central body 8. As shown in FIG. 1, the width of the upper abutment 13 is generally smaller than the width of the lower abutment 14. The cutout 15 has a shape mating with the shape of the sideward tongue 7. In particular, the upper surface 16 of the rear portion 14a of the lower abutment 14 has a flat (matching) shape, configured to engage the flat bottom surface of the face portion 7a of the sideward tongue 7, while the face portion 14b of the lower abutment 14 is provided with an upwardly projecting shoulder 17 that is configured to face the support surface 11 of the sideward tongue 7 of the other tiles, and is spaced at a certain distance from said supporting surface 11. The space thus formed in the adhesion state is defined as the upper glue chamber 21. The bottom surface 18 of the upper abutment 13 is inclined and corresponds to the locking surface 10 of the tongue 7 directed towards the side. The substantially vertical distal end surface 19 of the lower abutment 14 is connected to the bottom surface 20 of the tile 1, and in the state of engagement with another tile it will face the end surface 12 of the central body 12, and will be spaced a certain distance from the specified end surface 12 of the central body 8. The space thus formed in the adhesion state is defined as the lower glue cavity 22, which is connected to the upper glue cavity 21, which is shown in more detail in fig. 4 and 5. In FIG. 4-8 show a flooring system according to the present invention, in particular a flooring implemented by said flooring system, which consists of a plurality of interconnected tiles 1, and in which the tiles 1 are glued to the flooring 6 using a cured adhesive 23. As shown in fig. 5, the glue flowed into the upper and lower glue cavities 21, 22 (and froze there). As shown in FIG. 6, the groove 5c of the third edge 1c and the groove 5d of the fourth edge 1d face each other and together form a (small) additional cavity 24 for glue. At the bottom between the tiles 1, a passage 25 for glue is formed, allowing the glue to flow into this cavity 24 for glue during installation. This glue passage 25 is actually formed by the cut portions of the lower portions of the third edge 1c and the fourth edge 1d. The upper portions of the outer surfaces of the third edge 1c and the fourth edge 1d are typically positioned opposite each other, with (retracting, loose) direct contact being provided between these upper portions. Optionally, a thin film of adhesive may flow between these two top areas during installation. The above-mentioned additional adhesive cavity 24 formed between the grooves 5c and 5d helps to further stabilize the floor covering after the adhesive has cured. Two tiles 1 can be mechanically connected by performing a rotational movement (downward rotation) of the mounted tile 1, which is indicated by arrow C in FIG. 4, and the male connecting part 3 of the tile 1 is inserted into the female connecting part 4 of the already installed tile 1. During this turning movement, when the connecting parts 3,4 interact with each other, the mounted tile 1 will fall into place automatically and be properly aligned , while preventing the adhesive from flowing between the connecting parts 3, 4 and getting on the upper surfaces of the tiles 1 (which could stain the tiles 1). During this rotational movement, at least the connecting parts 3, 4 will have to be temporarily deformed so that the tongue 7 directed to the side can be inserted into the counter cutout 15. In the installed state, the connecting parts 3, 4 return to their normal position original form, i.e. into the mating shape of both connecting parts 3, 4. This temporary deformation of one or more connecting parts 3, 4 provides a snap or locking connection in which the male connecting part 3 must snap or lock into the female connecting part 4. This interconnection causes the two tiles 1 to lock together. , both in the horizontal direction and in the vertical direction. As shown in FIG. 5 and 6, the tiles 1 have a layered structure, with the backing layer 26 (base layer) typically being the thickest layer and containing PVC, a plasticizer and a preservative.

- 7 044643 respectfully, at least one filler. The plasticizer softens the PVC, which usually gives the tile 1 a certain flexibility. Attached to the underside of the backing 26 is a backing layer 27, also called a leveling layer, the function of which is generally to level the tile 1 itself. Layers such as a decorative printed layer 28, a wear layer 29, and an ultraviolet-cured varnish layer 30 are successively applied on top of the substrate 27. The thickness of this panel preferably lies in the range of 2.8-4.7 mm. As shown in FIG. 4 and 7, rectangular tiles 1 can be arranged in a horizontal grid; but, as shown in Fig. 8, it is also quite acceptable to place tiles, for example, in an offset pattern or in a checkerboard pattern in the form of brickwork.

In fig. 9 shows a cross-section of (parts of) two identical panels 31 according to the present invention in a state of adhesion. This figure shows only the first pair of complementary opposing edges, in particular their mating connecting parts. The panels 31 are typically square or rectangular in shape (elongated rectangle shape), with the second pair of opposing edges preferably not having any connecting parts. The thickness of the panels 31 shown is 4.7 mm or less, and is preferably in the range of 3.2-3.5 mm. This cross-section does not show all the layers of the panel, but typically these panels 31 comprise a core 32 and a laminated top structure, preferably of a decorative nature, which is secured on top of said core 32. The core 32 is typically made of a PVC-based material, although alternatively as of the material constituting the core 32, mineral-based and/or wood-based and/or polymer-based compositions may be used. A back layer may be provided which is applied to the underside of the core 32. The connecting parts are integral with said core. One of the connecting parts, which is an integral part of the panel 31, which is shown in the figure on the left, includes a lower transition part 33, to which an upwardly directed tongue 34 is connected. The upwardly directed tongue 34 is characterized by the presence of an inner side 34a, which faces the upward end 32a of the first connecting parts. The inner side 34a of the upward tongue 34 and the upward end 32a cover the upward groove. The outer side 34b of the upward tongue 34 is provided with a locking member such as a projection 35. The second connecting portion shown forms part of the right panel 31 and includes an upper transition portion 36 to which the downward tongue 37 is connected. The lower transition portion 33 and/or the upper The transition part 36 is preferably made elastic (to a certain extent), which facilitates adhesion. A downward tongue 37 is inserted into an upward groove. An upward tongue 34 is inserted into a downward groove covered by said downward tongue 37 and a downward end 32b. The downward facing end 32b is provided with a second locking member, such as a cutout 37, configured to engage in an engaged state, preferably in an offset engaged state (with the panels slightly tilted relative to each other). A gap 38 is provided between the outer side 34b of the upward tongue 34 and the upward end 32b to allow adhesive to flow into the gap 38 to enhance adhesion between the panels 32 and the flooring (not shown). Optionally, there are additional cooperating locking elements 39a, 39b, such as a lip and a mating cutout, indicated by dotted lines, which are located near the top seam between the two panels 32. There is free space between the panels 32 to allow expansion of the panels and/or acceptance of adhesive. A portion of the inner side 34a of the upward facing tongue 34 is inclined toward the upward facing end 32; and preferably, a portion of the inner side 37a of the downward facing tongue 37 is inclined towards the downward end 32b to provide an (additionally) vertical locking effect (ie, perpendicular to the plane defined by the panels 31). As can be seen, the illustrated connecting parts are configured to engage with each other by undergoing a vertical displacement, also called a swinging movement, or a lowering movement, or a snapping movement.

The innovative ideas described above are illustrated by several embodiments of the present invention. It is quite possible that individual innovative ideas can also be introduced without using other details of the described example. It is not necessary to specify all possible combinations of the innovative ideas described above, since one skilled in the art will understand that multiple innovative ideas can be combined/recombined for a particular application.

It should be understood that the present invention is not limited to the working examples shown and described herein, but that many other variations will be within the scope of the appended claims as will be apparent to one skilled in the art.

The verb contains and its derivatives used in this patent publication should be understood not only to mean contains, but also to mean includes, essentially consists of, is formed of, and derivatives of these phrases.

Claims (17)

1. An adhesive decorative flooring system comprising a plurality of interconnected decorative flexible floor tiles, each floor tile having a thickness of less than 4.7 mm, and more preferably having a thickness of less than 4 mm, wherein each floor tile contains at least , one flexible substrate that is composed at least in part of a thermoplastic material such as polyvinyl chloride (PVC), and wherein each floor tile has a rectangular oblong or square shape and thus includes a first pair of opposing edges and a second pair of opposing edges ; wherein the first pair of opposing edges comprises mechanical connecting parts that enable the plurality of such tiles to be mechanically connected to each other, said connecting parts forming a first locking system that provides locking of the plurality of interconnected tiles in the plane of the tiles and perpendicular to the corresponding edges, and also forms a second locking system that locks a plurality of interconnected tiles perpendicular to the plane of the tiles, the connecting portions substantially extending from said substrate; wherein the connecting portions on said first pair of opposing edges are configured such that two such tiles can be connected to each other along those edges by performing a rotational movement and/or vertical displacement, and wherein the second pair of opposing edges does not contain any mechanical connecting parts parts, and the connecting parts of the first pair of opposite edges contain: on the first edge, a sideways tongue extending substantially parallel to the plane of the tile, wherein a lower front portion of said sideways tongue is at least partially rounded or flat, and a lower rear portion of said tongue is configured as a support portion, wherein the lower the rear section is located closer to the level of the upper side of the tile than the lower part of the lower front section; and on the opposite second edge, a cutout for receiving at least a portion of the tongue-and-groove of the next tile, wherein said cutout is defined by an upper abutment protrusion and a lower abutment protrusion, and said lower abutment protrusion is provided with an upwardly protruding shoulder against which a support portion of the tongue-and-groove abuts. side of the tongue, wherein the sideways tongue is configured such that locking occurs by inserting the next tile into the cutout of the sideways tongue and by making a pivoting motion about an axis parallel to the first edge causing the top side of the sideways tongue to engage with an upper abutment projection, and the supporting portion of the sideways tongue rests against the shoulder of the lower abutment protrusion and/or faces towards it, causing mutual adhesion of adjacent tiles along the first and second edges, and the lower abutment protrusion is characterized by a substantially vertical first end surface, the supporting portion is connected to a substantially vertical second end surface of the tile, in particular the substrate, and in the state of adhesion of the abutting tiles, the first end surface faces the second end surface such that the first end surface and the second end surface mutually cover the lower cavity for adhesive, and wherein the second pair of opposing edges is comprised of a third edge and an opposing fourth edge, the third edge being characterized by having a substantially vertical third end surface, and the fourth edge being characterized by having a substantially vertical fourth end surface, the third end surface and the fourth end surface the surface is equipped with at least one groove for collecting glue. 2. The flooring system of claim 1, wherein the connecting portions of the first pair of opposing edges are configured to snap or lock during mutual engagement. 3. The flooring system of claim 1 or 2, wherein at least one of the connecting portions of the first pair of opposing edges is elastically deformable during mutual engagement. 4. The flooring system according to claim 3, wherein during mutual engagement of the connecting parts, at least one connecting part is forcibly deformed. 5. The flooring system of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the outer dimensions of the sideways tongue exceed the dimensions of the cutout. 6. The flooring system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, in the state of engagement of the connecting parts, the sideways tongue and cutout mutually close a plurality of gaps. 7. The flooring system according to any one of claims 5, 6, in which the lower surface of the supporting portion, configured to rest on the shoulder of the lower thrust protrusion and/or facing towards it, is deflected upward in the direction of the lower facing portion of the tongue directed towards it. 8. The flooring system according to any one of claims 5-7, in which the lower cavity for glue is spaced - 9 044643 at a certain distance from the bottom of the tile, and/or wherein the first end surface and the second end surface are spaced apart, preferably at least 0.2 mm, allowing a significant amount of adhesive to pass between the facing surfaces . 9. The floor covering system according to claim 8, wherein the end surface and/or the second end surface is provided with at least one adhesive receptacle, in particular at least one adhesive collection groove. 10. The flooring system of claim 9, wherein the adhesive collection grooves of adjacent edges are interconnected and aligned with each other to form a circular groove. 11. The flooring system of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the second pair of opposing edges consists of a third edge and an opposing fourth edge, the third edge being characterized by having a substantially vertical third end surface and the fourth edge being characterized by having a substantially vertical fourth end surface, wherein in a preferred embodiment, the upper portions of the third end surface and the fourth end surface engage or contact each other over at least half the thickness of the tiles. 12. The flooring system of claim 11, wherein, in the state of adjoining abutting tiles, the third end surface faces the fourth end surface such that the upper portions of the third end surface and the fourth end surface are engaged with each other, and thus that at least portions of the lower portions of the third end surface and the fourth end surface mutually cover the side adhesive cavity. 13. The flooring system of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the top side of the tile is configured to engage the top side of another tile to form a substantially invisible joint. 14. The flooring system of any one of the preceding claims, wherein each tile contains at least one decorative printed layer affixed directly or indirectly to the top surface of the backing, wherein each tile contains at least one wear layer affixed directly or indirectly on the upper surface of the decorative layer. 15. The flooring system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the substrate contains at least one inert filler such as calcium carbonate. 16. The flooring system of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the bottom surface of each tile is provided with an adhesive to enable the tile to adhere to the flooring, and wherein the adhesive is initially provided with an easily removable coating. 17. Adhesive flooring, realized by connecting together a plurality of tiles of the adhesive flooring system according to one of claims 1-16.