FR3078353A1 - SURFACE COATING ELEMENT OF SLAB TYPE, TOMETTE OR LATTE - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates mainly to a slab, tomette or lath type surface coating element (1a) extending in a plane and comprising at least three vertices and as many peripheral edges, characterized in that it is made in a polymeric material, in particular recycled high-density polyethylene, in that each peripheral edge has a corrugated profile which is adapted to come opposite a corrugated profile complementary to a peripheral edge of a surface-coating element adjacent (1a), to allow the abutment of these two elements (1a). The invention also relates to a surface coating (20) comprising a plurality of butted elements (1a).

Description

SURFACE COVERING ELEMENT OF SLAB, TOMETTE OR LATTER TYPE [0001] The invention relates to the field of coatings to be placed on a surface.

The invention relates more particularly to a coating intended to cover a floor, and even more particularly to the unitary elements making up the coating, these elements being of the slab, tomette or batten type.

It is well known floor coverings such as parquet or tiles, consisting of slats for floors or tiles for tiles, each slat or tile constituting an element of the coating considered. To ensure the structural integrity of the coating once placed on the surface considered, it is necessary to secure the elements together, either by chemical means (glue, cement), or by mechanical means (ribs with elastic engagement in grooves ).

But these securing means are complex to use and make the installation of the covering tedious. In addition, the known joining means limit the possibilities of separating the coating and reusing the elements on another surface.

This is particularly the case when the securing means are of the chemical type. In this case, it is on the one hand difficult to correctly control the spacing between the elements during the laying of the covering, and on the other hand impossible to undo the covering without damaging the constituent elements and therefore to reuse the elements of the coating on another surface.

The same problem relating to the separation arises in the case of the use of mechanical fastening means, often reserved for parquet slats. Indeed, these securing means are complex and fragile, causing deterioration of the slat when the latter is detached from the coating. In addition, these mechanical fastening means being rarely sufficient to maintain the structural integrity of the coating laid, it is often planned to combine them with chemical fastening means, the drawbacks of which have been previously stated.

Whatever the joining means used and the type of coating, there are thus difficulties related to the installation and / or difficulties of detachment without damage.

A first objective of the invention is therefore to provide a surface covering element, of the tomette, slab or batten type, facilitating the installation of the covering and offering sufficient structural integrity of said covering laid.

Another object of the invention is to provide a surface covering element whose attachment means allow the separation of these elements without damaging them.

Finally, it is also intended a surface coating element of the invention made of an inexpensive and environmentally friendly material.

To this end, the surface covering element of the slab, tomette or slat type extending in a plane and comprising at least three vertices and as many peripheral edges, the element being made of a polymeric material, each peripheral edge having a corrugated profile which is adapted to come opposite a corrugated profile complementary to a peripheral edge of an adjacent surface covering element, to allow the abutment of these two elements.

The element of the invention may also include the following optional characteristics considered in isolation or according to all possible technical combinations:

- The element is made of recycled high density polyethylene.

- The absolute value of the slope of any tangent taken at any point on the edge of the wavy peripheral edges is less than or equal to 1.

- The element includes four peripheral edges and four vertices, and the profile of each peripheral edge is complementary to the profile of the opposite edge.

- The element comprises at least a part of means for fixing at least two abutting elements.

- The part of fastening means comprises at least one transverse orifice disposed near a peripheral edge, and at least one portion of longitudinal groove formed at the level of the underside of the element and extending from the transverse orifice up to the edge of the peripheral edge considered, and the transverse orifice and the associated groove portion are adapted to form part of the housing of a staple with a U-shaped section, which staple is intended to fix two abutted elements between them.

- The part of fastening means comprises at least one rib projecting from the edge of a peripheral edge of the element, and at least one groove formed at the edge of the edge of the opposite peripheral edge, and in that said rib and groove are of complementary shapes.

- The element comprises at least two ribs respectively formed at the edges of two adjacent peripheral edges and at least two grooves respectively formed at the edges of two other adjacent peripheral edges, in that the ribs project from the edges considered according to a rectilinear direction parallel to the plane of the block, and in that the grooves are formed at the edges considered in the rectilinear direction, which direction corresponds to the direction of abutment and fixing of the elements between them.

The invention also relates to a set of first and second abutting elements, each of the first and second element being as described above, the assembly comprising means for fixing said two elements ensuring their joining together.

The whole of the invention may also include the following optional characteristics considered in isolation or according to all possible technical combinations:

- Each of the first and second elements being as described above, the fixing means comprise a recess formed at the respective peripheral edges complementary to the two abutting elements and a staple with a U-shaped section which fits into the recess of complementary shape, in that the recess comprises the two transverse orifices respectively formed in the two abutting elements, and a longitudinal groove connecting the two transverse orifices and formed by the abutment of the two portions of grooves respectively formed in the two elements abutting, the clip thus ensuring the joining of the first and second elements together.

- The length of the base of the clip is greater than the length of the longitudinal groove when the two peripheral edges considered of the two abutting elements are in contact contact, so that the edges of said peripheral edges facing two abutted elements secured to each other by the clip are not in contact with surface contact so as to form an expansion joint.

- The fixing means comprise at least one of the ribs projecting from the edge of a peripheral edge of the first element, and at least one of the complementary grooves formed at the edge of the corresponding opposite peripheral edge of the second element , and in that the rib of the first element is fitted into the groove of the second element when these two elements are abutted.

- The thickness of the base of each rib of one of the elements is greater than the thickness of each corresponding groove of the other element, so that the edges of said peripheral edges facing the two butted elements and joined together by each rib and associated groove are not in contact with surface contact so as to form an expansion joint.

The invention also relates to a surface covering, in particular a floor covering, comprising a plurality of elements as described above, said elements being abutted together at their peripheral edges, the corrugated profiles of the peripheral edges in screws -to two adjacent elements being complementary, to cover the surface uniformly.

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will emerge clearly from the description which is given below, for information and in no way limitative, with reference to the appended figures among which:

- Figures 1 shows an overall perspective view of a plurality of elements of a first embodiment, these elements being abutted to form the surface coating;

- Figure 2 shows a top view of an element of Figure 1;

- Figures 3a to 3c respectively show views from above, from below and in section of an element in a second embodiment;

- Figures 4a and 4b show views from below and in section of an element in a second variant of the second embodiment;

- Figure 5 shows a sectional view of the junction between two elements of Figure 3a abutted and fixed together;

- Figure 6 shows the direction of installation of an element of Figure 3a or 4a, so as to result in three other elements already installed on the surface to be coated;

- Figures 7a and 7b are two perspective views respectively representing the top and the bottom of an element according to a third embodiment;

- Figure 7c shows a perspective view of two clips for fixing between them two abutting elements of Figure 7a;

- Figure 8a shows a sectional view of the junction between two elements of Figure 7a abutted and fixed together;

- Figure 8b shows a sectional view of the junction between two elements of Figure 7a butted together but not fixed;

- Figure 9 shows a coating placed on a surface and composed of elements of Figure 7a abutted and fixed together;

- Figure 10 shows a top view of a square plate from which four elements of Figure 7a and a plurality of staples are made.

It is firstly specified that in the figures, the same references designate the same elements regardless of the figure on which they appear and whatever the form of representation of these elements. Similarly, if elements are not specifically referenced in one of the figures, their references can be easily found by referring to another figure.

It is also specified that the figures essentially represent three embodiments of the object of the invention but that there may be other embodiments which meet the definition of the invention.

The present invention relates to a surface coating 20, and more particularly relates to an element 1a - 1c of this surface coating 20. The elements 1a - 1c are of the slab, tomette or batten type, and are intended to be butted between them at their peripheral edges 3a1, 3a2, 3b1, 3b2, 3c1, 3c2, 4a1, 4a2, 4b1, 4b2, 4c1, 4c2 to form a uniform and stable surface coating on the surface 100. Although the elements 1a - 1c of the invention are suitable for covering any surface 100, a preferred application is the floor covering 100. Thus, in the following description, the term floor will be used to denote the surface covered by the covering comprising a plurality of elements 1a - 1c according to the invention.

The coating element 1a - 1c of the invention is made of a polymeric material, preferably of high density polyethylene or HDPE. Particularly advantageously, the elements 1a - 1c are made of recycled HDPE. HDPE is one of the most widely used polymers in the industry, accounting for thirty percent of the world's production of plastic polymers. However, HDPE is only recycled to date at twenty-five percent. In addition, HDPE is not harmful during its re-transformation, which makes it a material of choice for the application sought in the context of the invention. The use of recycled HDPE thus has an advantage in the context of environmental protection.

In addition to this ecological aspect, HDPE has mechanical properties particularly suited to the production of the coating elements 1a - 1c of the invention. Indeed, a coating 20 comprising elements 1a 1c of HDPE is particularly resistant to mechanical shock and has a life comparable, or even greater than other well-known floor coverings. Finally, the HDPE has an intermediate hardness, typically between 60 and 70 on the D scale of Shore, which gives the coating 20 comprising a plurality of elements 1a - 1c abutted together optimum stability and structural integrity, as this will be discussed later.

The coating element 1a - 1c of the invention extends in a plane, and has a generally polygonal shape, that is to say that it comprises at least three vertices 2 and as many peripheral edges 3a1, 3a2, 3b1, 3b2, 3c1, 3c2, 4a1, 4a2, 4b1, 4b2, 4c1, 4c2. Advantageously, all the elements 1a - 1c are identical, de facto limiting the design costs of said elements 1a - 1c and facilitating the laying of the covering 20 on the ground 100. Preferably, each element 1a - 1c has an overall triangular, parallelepiped or hexagonal, and even more preferably but not limited to, each element 1a - 1c has a square shape.

In the following description, and whatever the embodiment, the surface covering element 1a - 1c has an overall square shape, and logically comprises four vertices 2 and four peripheral edges 3a1, 3a2, 3b1 , 3b2, 3c1, 3c2, 4a1, 4a2, 4b1, 4b2, 4c1, 4c2. We speak of a global square shape, because the broken line 19 connecting the vertices 2 together forms a square perimeter. We will use the term block 1a - 1c for such an element in the following description.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2, block 1a of the invention will be described in a first embodiment.

The block 1a comprises two parallel flat faces, one of the faces known as the lower face being intended to come into vis-à-vis the ground when the block 1a is installed, and the other face known as the upper face 21a being opposite on the underside. In order to guarantee the structural integrity of the covering 20 once it has been installed on the ground, the peripheral edges 3a1, 3a2, 4a1, 4a2 of each block 1a of said covering 20 each have a corrugated profile, each corrugated peripheral edge 3a1, 3a2 , 4a1, 4a2 comprising two peaks and two valleys. In addition and as seen in FIG. 1, each corrugated peripheral edge 3a1, 3a2 of a block 1a is adapted to come opposite the corrugated peripheral edge 4a1, 4a2 of an adjacent block 1a which has a complementary profile. This allows the pavers 1a to join together like a puzzle, so that the surface covering 20 thus laid covers the floor 100 in a uniform manner.

The block 1a comprising four peripheral edges 3a1, 3a2, 4a1, 4a2, the profile of each peripheral edge 3a1, 3a2 is complementary to the profile of the opposite peripheral edge 4a1, 4a2. Once the covering 20 has been laid, one of the peripheral edges 3a1, 3a2, 4a1, 4a2 of each block 1a is therefore opposite one of the peripheral edges 3a1, 3a2, 4a1, 4a2 of opposite profile d 'an adjacent block 1a, and the vertex 2 of each block 1a is in contact with three respective vertices 2 of the three adjacent pavers 1a (Figure 1). It is of course possible to have, prior to the installation of the pavers 1a, an insulating layer 22 thermal and / or acoustic on the floor 100.

The specific shape of this block 1a therefore makes it possible to produce a uniform coating 20. But above all, the corrugated peripheral edges 3a1, 3a2, 4a1, 4a2 avoid the longitudinal sliding of the pavers 1a relative to each other, which contributes to maintaining the structural integrity of the covering 20 laid.

Even more advantageously for the maintenance of this structural integrity of the covering 20, the specific hardness of the HDPE material makes it possible to produce blocks 1a which are both sufficiently rigid to prevent them from being irreversibly deformed in the event of normal mechanical stresses (that is to say linked to the use of a conventional floor covering), and sufficiently flexible to generate a self-locking effect of the blocks 1a between them, when the latter are butted together to form the covering 20 Thus, thanks to the specific hardness of the HDPE material and the corrugated shape of the peripheral edges 3a1, 3a2, 4a1, 4a2 of the pavers 1a, the floor covering 20 resulting from the abutment of these pavers 1a has optimal structural integrity, in particular in the face of any longitudinal stress (that is to say in the plane of the covering) exerted on any paving stone 1a of the covering 20 installed ed.

Without limitation, the distance between two consecutive vertices 2 is of the order of twenty to twenty-five centimeters, and the thickness of the block 1a is between nine and eleven millimeters. Of course, other dimensions are possible for block 1a without departing from the scope of the invention.

According to another advantage of the invention, the separation of the blocks 1a from the coating 20 is simplified compared to another known coating. Indeed, any block 1a can simply be removed by hand by exerting a force substantially perpendicular to the ground 10 and moving from the lower face towards the upper face 21a of the block 1a to be removed. The removal of the first block 1a can be carried out using a very simple tool, such as a suction cup, to overcome the lack of manual grip. As no means of joining the pavers 1a to each other is provided in the first embodiment, each of the pavers 1a removed remains intact and can be reused subsequently on another surface to be covered 100.

The process for manufacturing the pavement 1a in HDPE in its first embodiment will now be described.

The first step of this process consists of the fragmentation of the raw HDPE material into chips of a few millimeters, preferably between five and ten millimeters. In addition, the material may include larger chips, typically between two and three centimeters, to give the future pavement 1a to manufacture a heterogeneous aesthetic appearance, especially if the chips come from materials of different colors. Advantageously, the material used is recycled from HDPE from, for example, bottles, stoppers, or any other recyclable HDPE object.

During the second step, a portion of HDPE chips are inserted into a mold (not shown) having the shape of the block 1a to be manufactured. The quantity of chips is adapted to fill the mold in question. Preferably, the mold is made of stainless steel.

During the third step, a press (not shown) whose shape is complementary to the mold, is placed on the chips in the cavity formed by the mold. Means provided for this purpose exert pressure on the press, for example pneumatic or hydraulic means, to promote the aggregation of the chips together in a later step.

Preferably, the pressure exerted by the press is between one and twelve tonnes.

During the fourth step, the mold filled with chips and the press are heated by heating means to a temperature between one hundred sixty and one hundred ninety degrees Celsius, for a period of between twelve and sixteen minutes. This heating step ensures the agglomeration of the HDPE chips together to form a single piece, namely the block 1a of the invention.

During the fifth step, once the heating time has elapsed, the heating means are deactivated to allow cooling of the mold, the press and the block 1a.

Finally during the last step, after a cooling time of between ninety and one hundred and twenty seconds to allow the block 1a to reach a temperature less than or equal to thirty degrees Celsius to allow its manipulation, the block 1a is removed from the mold and ready for use. The six stages of the manufacturing process are repeated as many times as necessary, until the desired number of blocks 1a is obtained.

Referring to Figures 3a to 6, the block 1b of the invention will be described in a second embodiment.

This second embodiment of block 1b is distinguished by the fact that it comprises a portion of fixing means 7a (Figure 5) of at least two blocks 1b abutted. When two blocks 1b are butted together, this set of two blocks thus comprises the complete fixing means 7a ensuring the abutment.

The fixing means 7a, in this second embodiment of the invention, comprise at least one rib 16 projecting from the edge 5b1, 5b2 of at least one of the peripheral edges 3b1, 3b2 of the one of the blocks 1b of the set of two blocks 1b. The fixing means 7a also comprise at least one groove 17 formed in the section 6b1, 6b2 of at least one of the peripheral edges 4b1, 4b2 of the other block 1b of the assembly, so that the ribs 16 and the grooves 17 of the two blocks 1b considered fit into one another when these two blocks 1b are butted. To ensure this nesting visible in FIG. 5, each rib 16 is adapted to fit into the complementary groove 17.

Referring to Figure 3a, which shows the upper face 21b of the block 1b, the ribs 16 are formed at two adjacent peripheral edges 3b1, 3b2 of the block 1b, and the grooves 17 are formed at the other two peripheral edges 4b1, 4b2. Thus, two opposite edges 3b1, 4b1; 3b2, 4b2 of the same block 1b respectively comprise ribs 16 and grooves 17, as is particularly shown in Figures 3c and 4b. In addition, the same block comprises as many ribs 16 as there are grooves 17, and the ribs 16 of one of the peripheral edges 3b1, 3b2 are complementary to the grooves 17 made in the opposite peripheral edge 4b1, 4b2.

Preferably, the ribs 16 have a maximum width of the order of six millimeters, so that the maximum depth of the grooves 17 is also of the order of six millimeters. In this way, the two protuberances 23 extending from the edge 6b1, 6b2 of the peripheral edge considered 4b1, 4b2 on either side of the groove 17, remain rigid to avoid any risk of deformation of the latter.

Preferably with reference to Figure 5, the thickness of the base 18 of each rib 16 is greater than the width of the corresponding groove 17. In this way, the edges 5b1, 6b1; 5b2, 6b2 of said peripheral edges 3b1, 4b1; 3b2, 4b2 facing two abutting blocks 1b and joined together by each associated rib 16 and groove 17, remain apart so as to form an expansion joint 15, as shown in Figure 5. For example and without limitation, this expansion joint 15 has a width of about half a millimeter.

Referring to Figure 3a, the ribs 16 of the block 1b protrude from the edges 5b1, 5b2 considered in the same rectilinear direction D, this direction corresponding to the direction of abutment and fixing of the blocks 1b therebetween. This direction D parallel to the plane of the block 1b is also represented by the arrows in FIG. 6: the abutting direction is parallel to the straight line connecting the vertex 2 joining the two peripheral edges 3b1, 3b2 with ribs 16 and the opposite vertex 2. The abutting direction is naturally that of the interlocking of the ribs 16 in the corresponding grooves 17 of two adjacent blocks 1b, as shown in FIG. 6.

Referring to Figure 3a and section 5b1, the three ribs 16 extend at three portions of sections 5b1a, 5b1b, 5b1c of the peripheral edge considered 3b1, whose tangent taken from any location d any of these portions of sections 5b1a, 5b1 b, 5b1c is perpendicular to the direction D. These ribs 16 can further extend on either side of these portions of sections 5b1a, 5b1b, 5b1c, without reaching the portions of adjacent sections 5b1a ', 5b1b' whose tangent taken in any place is parallel to the direction D.

This arrangement of the ribs 16 applies mutatis mutandis to the arrangement of the grooves 17: the three grooves 17 formed at the edge 6b1 extend at the level of three portions of edges of the peripheral edge considered 4b1, the tangent of which taken from any place of any of these slice portions is perpendicular to the direction D. These grooves may further extend on either side of these slice portions, without reaching the adjacent slice portions whose the tangent taken at any location is parallel to the direction D. As will be explained below, this configuration of the ribs 16 facilitates the removal of an element 1b from the covering 20, without damaging said element 1b.

Thus the block 1b of Figure 3a comprises three ribs 16 on the peripheral edge 3b1, and two ribs 16 on the peripheral edge 3b2. In a complementary manner, the block 1b comprises three grooves 17 on the corrugated edge 4b1 complementary to the corrugated edge 3b1, and two grooves 17 on the corrugated edge 4b2 complementary to the corrugated edge 3b2. The wafer portions 5b1a ’and 5b1b’ without ribs 16 and grooves 17 are flat and smooth.

Thus, the successive interlocking in the aforementioned direction D of the pavers 1b makes it possible to produce the floor covering 20, which has optimal structural integrity since the pavers 1b cannot slide relative to each other in the plane of the coating 20, by the combined effect of the corrugated peripheral edges 3b1, 3b2, 4b1, 4b2 and the particular hardness of the HDPE material between 60 and 70 on the D scale from Shore. In addition, the fastening means 7a of the blocks 1b in this second embodiment further increase the structural integrity of the covering 20, since the interlocking of the ribs 16 in the grooves considered 17 makes it possible to avoid any transverse displacement (this is ie perpendicular to the plane of the covering 20) of a block 1b with respect to another. Of course, the plane of the covering 20 is coincident with the plane of each block 1b making it up.

In addition, the fixing means 7a shown in FIGS. 3a to 6 make it possible to separate the blocks 1b from the coating 20 without damaging them: an operator simply has to pull longitudinally on the block 1b to be removed from the coating, in the direction of butting D but in the opposite direction, to separate it from the covering 20 without damaging it. In addition, since the ribs 16 only project from the edges 5b1, 5b2 of the peripheral edges considered 3b1, 3b2 only on the first portions of edges 5b1, 5b2 which are not parallel to the direction D, it suffices to pull the block 1b in the direction and the direction considered from a distance equal to the maximum length of the rib 16 in order to completely disengage the ribs 16 of a block 1b from the grooves 17 of the other adjacent blocks 1b. It only remains for the operator to pick up the intact block 1b for later use.

To make possible the removal by sliding of the block 1b, it is necessary that the undulations of the peripheral edges 3b1, 3b2, 4b1, 4b2 are sufficiently large to avoid any jamming of a vertex 2 or a crest of the one of the wavy edges 3b1, 3b2, 4b1, 4b2 of said block 1b. To avoid this pitfall, it is necessary that the absolute value of the slope of any tangent taken from any location of the section 5b1, 5b2, 6b1, 6b2 of the corrugated peripheral edges 3b1, 3b2, 4b1, 4b2 of block 1b is lower or equal to 1. In addition, the angle formed by each vertex 2 of the block is 90 °.

Optionally, the lower face 10b of the block 1b is partially hollowed out. This not only makes it possible to reduce the quantity of material necessary for the preparation of a block 1b without altering its mechanical strength properties, but also to reduce the cooling time of the block 1b during its manufacture. In addition, the grip of the underside 1b of the paver on the ground 100 is improved.

Several reasons are possible, among which two variants are shown on the one hand in Figures 3b and 3c and on the other hand in Figures 4a and 4b.

In the first variant shown in Figures 3b and 3c, the recessed portions 24 are regularly spaced and each have a shape of straight parallelepiped. The solid parts 25, adapted to come into contact with the ground 100 during installation, form a square matrix of projections 25 perpendicular to the lower face 10b of the block 1b, each projection 25 having a rectangular shape in section. For example and without limitation, each recess 24 has a depth of the order of four millimeters, so that the distance between the upper face 21b and the bottom of a recess 24 is at least five millimeters. In addition, the width of one side of the recess 24 is of the order of six millimeters, and the projection 25 separating two recesses 24 is approximately three millimeters thick.

In the second variant shown in Figures 4a and 4b, the perpendicular projections 27 have in section a rectangular shape and form a star pattern. The recesses 26 are made along these projections 27 up to a determined distance from the peripheral edge considered 3b1, 3b2, 4b1, 4b2, this distance being of the order of three to five millimeters. The depth of the recesses 26 is in the order of four millimeters, so that the distance between the upper face 21b and the bottom of a recess 26 is at least five millimeters. In addition, the width of each projection 27 is of the order of five millimeters.

The method of manufacturing block 1b in the second embodiment is similar to the method of manufacturing block 1a in the first embodiment. The difference lies on the one hand in the configuration of the mold, and on the other hand in the configuration of the press.

Regarding the press, its face intended to come into contact with the chips is not flat, but has a three-dimensional pattern to allow the realization of the recesses 24, 26 and the corresponding projections 25, 27 in the lower face 10b of the block 1b.

Regarding the mold, the latter is composed of three pavement imprints 1a according to the first embodiment, identical and superimposed. Each impression is made from a stainless steel plate, in which the impression of the block 1a without ribs 16 has been cut, for example with a high pressure water jet. To allow the production of the ribs 16 and the grooves 17 in the future block 1b according to the second embodiment, the intermediate impression is offset with respect to the other two, in a direction which corresponds to the direction of abutment D of the blocks 1b between them.

By implementing the method described above with the mold described in the previous paragraph, a block 1b is obtained according to the second embodiment for which the ribs 16 and the grooves 17 are directly produced in the mass of the block 1b . This manufacture in a single piece is a pledge of solidity of the paver 1b of the invention. Finally, like block 1a in the first embodiment, each corrugated peripheral edge 3a1, 3a2, 4a1, 4a2 of block 1b in the second embodiment comprises two peaks and two valleys.

Referring to Figures 7a to 9, the block 1c of the invention will be described in a third embodiment. As for the blocks 1a, 1b in the two other embodiments, each corrugated peripheral edge 3c1, 4c1; 3v2, 4v2 of block 1c comprises two ridges and two depressions.

In this third embodiment and with reference to Figures 7a to 7c and 8a to 8b, the fixing means 7b of the blocks 1c of the assembly comprise at least one clip 8 with a U-shaped section adapted for s' fit into at least one recess 9 of complementary shape made in the respective lower faces 10c of two abutting blocks 1c. The recess 9 comprises two transverse orifices 12 respectively formed in the two abutting blocks 1c, these orifices 12 opening out from the upper face 21c as can be seen in FIG. 7a.

The recess 9 also includes a longitudinal groove 11 formed in the respective lower faces 10c of the two abutting blocks 1c, this longitudinal groove 11 connecting the two transverse orifices 12. With reference to FIG. 8a, the legs 13 and the base 14 of the U forming the clip 8 are intended to be respectively housed in the transverse orifices 12 and in the longitudinal groove 11 of the recess 9 to secure the two abutting blocks 1c together. FIG. 9 also shows a covering 20 made up of blocks 1c in the third embodiment, abutted and fixed together using staples 8 with a U-shaped section.

The base 14 of the clip 8 has a length slightly greater than the length of the longitudinal groove 11 when the two peripheral edges 3c, 4c considered as two abutting blocks 1c are in contact contact. In this way, when the clip 8 is put in place (FIG. 8a), the slices 5c1, 5c2, 6c1, 6c2 of said peripheral edges 3c1, 3c2, 4c1, 4c2 of the two blocks 1c abutted and secured to each other by the clip 8 are spaced apart so as to form the expansion joint 15. Preferably but without limitation, the width of this expansion joint 15 is of the order of half a millimeter.

The manufacturing method described above also applies to block 1c in the third embodiment, with the exception that the mold no longer has an imprint of the shape of the paver, but has an imprint of square shape, in order to obtain a HDPE plate 28 in which a plurality of blocks 1c and staples 8 will be cut. This method of cutting staples 8 and blocks 1c in the third embodiment will now be described, with reference to FIG. 10.

For example, the HDPE plate 28 obtained is rectangular and allows four blocks 1c to be produced.

In a first step of the cutting process, the blocks 1c are cut with suitable means, for example using a digital milling machine.

During the second step, the recesses 9 of the fixing means are made in the lower faces 10c of the blocks 1c. Portions of longitudinal grooves 110 are produced at the peripheral edges 3c1, 3c2, 4c1, 4c2 of each block 1c, for example two portions of grooves 110 per peripheral edge 3c1, 3c2, 4c1, 4c2. Each portion of longitudinal groove 110 extends from the transverse orifice 12 considered to the edge of the peripheral edge considered 3v1, 3v2, 4v1, 4v2, in a direction perpendicular to the broken line 19.

In addition, the portions of longitudinal grooves 110 are positioned so that, when two blocks 1c are butted, the groove portions 110 of the two peripheral edges 3c1, 3c2, 4c1, 4c2 opposite the two blocks 1c are aligned two by two to form the two longitudinal grooves 11 in which the clips 8 are intended to be housed.

During the fourth step of the cutting process, the transverse holes 12 are made in the blocks 1c.

Finally, during the last step, the staples 8 are cut in the peripheral edges 29 of the HDPE plate 28.

Although the cutting of material in the HDPE plate 28 generates losses, these losses are said to be recoverable, because HDPE is a material which can always be recycled.

A floor covering 20 produced with pavers 1c abutted and assembled together with the staples 8 described above also has optimum structural integrity, since the pavers 1c cannot slide relative to each other in the plane of the coating 20, by the combined effect of the corrugated peripheral edges 3c1, 3c2, 4c1, 4c2 and the particular hardness of the HDPE material, between 60 and 70 on the Shore D scale. In addition, the fastening means 7b of the blocks 1c in this third embodiment further increase the structural integrity of the covering 20, since the interlocking of the staples 8 in the recesses considered 9 makes it possible to avoid any transverse displacement in the direction of the ground 100 of a block 1c compared to another.

The embodiments described above are in no way limiting, and modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, it is quite possible to use other materials than HDPE to make the blocks 1a - 1c, as long as these materials have a hardness on the D scale of Shore satisfactory (typically between 60 and 70) . On the other hand, it is possible to use pavers 1a - 1c of different shapes, provided that the assembly of said pavers 1a - 1c between them makes it possible to obtain a coating 20 covering the surface 100 in a uniform manner, and having the advantages mentioned above.

Claims (14)

1. Element (1a, 1b, 1c) of surface covering (100) of the slab, tomette or batten type extending in a plane and comprising at least three vertices (2) and as many peripheral edges (3a1, 3a2, 3b1 , 3b2, 3c1, 3c2, 4a1, 4a2, 4b1, 4b2, 4c1, 4c2), characterized in that it is made of a polymeric material, in that each peripheral edge (3a1, 3a2, 3b1, 3b2, 3c1, 3c2, 4a1, 4a2, 4b1, 4b2, 4c1, 4c2) has a corrugated profile which is adapted to face a corrugated profile complementary to a peripheral edge (3a1, 3a2, 3b1, 3b2, 3c1 , 3c2, 4a1, 4a2, 4b1, 4b2, 4c1, 4c2) of an adjacent surface covering element (1a, 1b, 1c), to allow the joining of these two elements (1a, 1b, 1c). 2. Element (1a, 1b, 1c) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that it is made of recycled high density polyethylene. 3. Element (1a, 1b, 1c) according to claim 1 or 2 characterized in that the absolute value of the slope of any tangent taken at any point of the slice (5a1, 5a2, 5b1, 5b2, 5c1, 5c2, 6a1, 6a2, 6b1, 6b2, 6c1, 6c2) wavy peripheral edges (3a1, 3a2, 3b1, 3b2, 3c1, 3c2, 4a1, 4a2, 4b1, 4b2, 4c1, 4c2) is less than or equal to 1. 4. Element (1a, 1b, 1c) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises four peripheral edges (3a1, 3a2, 3b1, 3b2, 3c1, 3c2, 4a1, 4a2, 4b1, 4b2, 4v1, 4v2) and four vertices (2), and in that the profile of each peripheral edge (3a1, 3a2, 3b1, 3b2, 3v1, 3v2, 4a1, 4a2, 4b1, 4b2, 4v1, 4v2) is complementary to the profile from the opposite edge. 5. Element (1b, 1c) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises at least one part of fixing means (7a, 7b) of at least two butted elements (1b, 1c). 6. Element (1c) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the part of fixing means (7b) comprises at least one transverse orifice (12) disposed near a peripheral edge (3c1, 3c2, 4c1, 4c2) , and at least a portion of longitudinal groove (110) formed at the level of the lower face (10c) of the element (1c) and extending from the transverse orifice (12) to the edge (5c1, 5c2 , 6v1, 6v2) of the peripheral edge considered (3v1, 3v2, 4v1, 4v2), and in that the transverse orifice (12) and the associated groove portion (110) are adapted to form part of the housing of a clip (8) U-shaped section, which clip (8) is intended to fix two elements (1c) abutted between them. 7. Element (1b) according to claim 5, characterized in that the part of fixing means (7a) comprises at least one rib (16) projecting from the edge (5b1, 5b2) of a peripheral edge (3b1, 3b2) of the element (1b), and at least one groove (17) formed at the level of the edge (6b1, 6b2) of the opposite peripheral edge (4b1, 4b2), and in that said rib (16) and groove (17) are of complementary shapes. 8. Element (1b) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that it comprises at least two ribs (16) respectively formed at the edges (5b1, 5b2) of two adjacent peripheral edges (3b1, 3b2) and at least two grooves (17) respectively formed at the edges (6b1, 6b2) of two other adjacent peripheral edges (4b1, 4b2), in that the ribs (16) protrude from the considered edges (5b1, 5b2) in a rectilinear direction ( D) parallel to the plane of the block (1b), and in that the grooves (17) are formed at the level of the considered slices (6b1, 6b2) in the rectilinear direction (D), which direction (D) corresponds to the direction d 'abutment and fixing elements (1b) between them. 9. Set of a first and second abutting elements (1b, 1c), each of the first and second element (1c) being according to claims 1 to 8, characterized in that it comprises means for fixing said two elements (1b , 1c) ensuring their joining together. 10. Assembly according to the preceding claim, each of the first and second element (1c) being according to claim 5, characterized in that the fixing means (7b) comprise a recess (9) formed at the respective peripheral edges complementary to the two butted elements (1c) and a staple (8) with a U-shaped section which fits into the recess (9) of complementary shape, in that the recess (9) comprises the two transverse orifices (12) respectively formed in the two abutting elements (1c), and a longitudinal groove (11) connecting the two transverse orifices (12) and formed by the abutment of the two portions of grooves (110) respectively formed in the two abutting elements (1c), the clip (8) thus ensuring the joining of the first and second elements (1c) between them. 11. Assembly according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the length of the base (14) of the clip (8) is greater than the length of the longitudinal groove (11) when the two peripheral edges considered (3c1, 4c1; 3v2, 4v2) of the two abutting elements (1c) are in contact contact, so that the edges (5v1, 6v1; 5v2, 6v2) of said peripheral edges (3v1, 4v1; 3v2, 4v2) opposite the two butted elements (1c) and joined together by the clip (8) are not in contact with surface contact so as to form an expansion joint (15). 12. An assembly according to claim 9, each of the first and second element (1b) being according to claim 7 or 8, characterized in that the fixing means (7a) comprise at least one of the ribs (16) projecting from the edge (5b1, 5b2) of a peripheral edge (3b1, 3b2) of the first element (1b), and at least one of the complementary grooves (17) formed at the level of the edge (6b1, 6b2) of the peripheral edge opposite correspondent (4ba, 4b2) of the second element (1b), and in that the rib (16) of the first element (1b) is fitted into the groove (17) of the second element (1b) when these two elements (1b) are abutted. 13. The assembly of claim 12, characterized in that the thickness of the base (18) of each rib (16) of one of the elements (1b) is greater than the thickness of each corresponding groove (17) of the other element (1b), so that the edges (5b1, 6b1; 5b2, 6b2) of said peripheral edges (3b1, 4b1; 3b2, 4b2) opposite the two elements (1b) butted and secured between them by each rib (16) and associated groove (17) are not in contact with surface contact so as to form an expansion joint (15). 14. Surface covering (20), in particular floor covering, comprising a plurality of elements (1a, 1b, 1c) according to any one of claims 1 to 8, said elements (1a, 1b, 1c) being butted together at their peripheral edges (3a1, 3a2, 3b1, 3b2, 3c1, 3c2, 4a1, 4a2, 4b1, 4b2, 4c1, 4c2), the corrugated profiles peripheral edges (3a1, 3a2, 3b1, 3b2, 3c1, 3c2, 4a1, 4a2, 4b1, 4b2, 4c1, 4c2) opposite two adjacent elements (1a, 1b, 1c) being complementary, to cover the surface (100) uniformly.