KR101165107B1 - Semi-floating floor - Google Patents

Abstract

Floors are provided with a mechanical locking system that allows movement between floorboards when connected to form a suspended floor.

Description

Semi-suspension flooring {SEMI-FLOATING FLOOR}

[ Technology Field ]

The present invention relates to the technical field of locking systems for floorboards. The present invention relates, on the one hand, to a locking system for mechanically connectable floorboards and, on the other hand, to floorboards and flooring systems provided with such locking systems and to manufacturing methods for manufacturing such floors. More particularly, the present invention relates to all locking systems which relate primarily to suspended floors with a wide continuous surface and to the installation of floors which lead to a change in shape after installation.

[ Application Field ]

The present invention relates to wood floors, laminate floors such as large wooden floors, parquet floors, floors with veneer surfaces, laminates with high pressure laminates or direct laminate surface layers, and the like. Suitable.

In the following description of the prior art, the objects, features and known problems of the present invention will be described without limitation in the application area. However, it is emphasized that the present invention can be used for any floorboard and can also be used for floorboards by combining other patterns by mechanical locking systems. The invention is also applicable to floors having a subfloor or core and having plastics, linoleum, cork, varnished floorboard surfaces and the like.

[Definition of terms]

In the following, the visible surface of the floorboard to be installed is referred to as "front side" and the opposite side of the floorboard facing the subfloor is referred to as "rear side" . A "floor surface" is the major outer flat portion of the floorboard and is located on one single plane opposite the back surface. Bevels, grooves and similar decorative features may be on part of the front side, but not part of the floor surface. "Laminate floor" means a floor having a surface made of melamine impregnated paper, which is pressurized under pressure and heat. A "horizontal plane" relates to a plane extending parallel to the outer portion of the floor surface. A "vertical plane" relates to a plane perpendicular to the horizontal plane.

The outer part of the floorboard at the edge of the floorboard between the front and rear surfaces is called a "joint edge" . The "joint edge portion" is part of the joint edge of the floorboard. By "joint" or "locking system" is meant a cooperating connecting means, which are interconnected with the floorboard vertically and / or horizontally. "Mechanical locking system" means that it can be connected without an adhesive. The mechanical locking system can in most cases also be connected by adhesive. "Vertical locking" means locking parallel to the vertical plane. Normally, the vertical locking consists of a tongue that cooperates with the tongue groove. "Horizontal locking" means locking parallel to the horizontal plane. A "joint opening" is a groove defined by two joining edges of two joined floorboards and open to the front side. "Joint gap" means the minimum distance between two connecting edge portions in the area of two connecting floorboards and is defined by the front and top portions of the projections and the adjacent front sides. "Open joint gap" means a connection gap that is open toward the front side. "Visible joint gap" means a connection gap that is visible to the person walking on the floor from the front to the naked eye, or to a connection gap that is larger than typical on industrial connection gaps for various floor types. it means. "Continuous floating floor surface" means a floor surface that is installed as one piece without expansion joints.

[Background Art]

Conventional laminate or parquet floors are usually installed as floating on existing sub floors. The connecting edges of the floorboards are connected to form a floor surface, and the entire floor surface is movable relative to the sub floor. As the floorboard contracts and expands with respect to varying relative humidity (RH) throughout the year, the entire floor surface can change shape.

Suspended floors of this kind are connected by adhesive projections and grooved connections. In arrangement, the plates are brought together horizontally so that protrusions protruding along the connecting edges of one plate are inserted into the protrusion grooves along the connecting edges of neighboring plates. Protrusions and groove connections are placed and locked vertically to the floorboard, with adhesive locking the floorboard vertically. The same method is used on both the long side and the short side, and the plates are generally arranged in parallel rows with the long side to the long side and the short side to the short side.

In addition to these conventional suspended floors, which are connected by adhesive projections and grooved connections, the floorboards have evolved recently and do not require the use of adhesives, but instead are mechanically connected by means of a so-called mechanical locking system. Such a system includes locking means for locking the plates mechanically vertically and horizontally without adhesive. The vertical locking means are generally formed as protrusions that cooperate with the protrusion groove. The horizontal locking means consists of a locking member which cooperates with the locking groove. The locking member may be formed on a strip extending from the lower portion of the projection groove, or may be formed on the projection. The mechanical locking system can be formed by machining the core of the plate. Alternatively, parts of the locking system, such as protrusions and / or strips, may be made of separate materials, integrated into the floorboards, ie pre-connected to the floorboards in connection with manufacturing at the factory.

The floorboards can be mechanically connected by various combinations of insertion along the connecting edges and vertical changes in position such as angling, snapping-in, so-called vertical folding. All such installation methods require that only one side, ie short or long side, of the floorboard is displaced to the locked position, except for the vertical folding. Many known locking systems are manufactured as small play between the locking member and the locking groove to function as a displacement. The intention is to provide a floorboard that is displaceable and can be connected to one another at the same time and which is as tight as possible. Very small displacement clearances are, for example, 0.01 to 0.05 mm and are sufficient to reduce severe friction between wood fibers. European standard EN 13329 for laminated suspension connection openings between floorboards averages 0.15 mm and the maximum level of floors 0.22 mm. The purpose of all procedures of the suspended floor is to reduce the possible opening of the connection as much as possible. Some floors are manufactured with pretensioning in which the strip with the locking member bends back toward the sub floor in the locked position and the panel is pressed against the locking member and the locking groove so that they are free from each other. Such floors are difficult to install.

Wood and laminate flooring may also be connected as an adhesive or nailing to the sub flooring. This adhesion / nailing is weak against movement by humidity and keeps the floorboards connected. The movement of the floorboards takes place at an approximate center within each floorboard. Shrinkage and expansion are achieved only by the individual floorboards and do not change shape over the entire floor surface.
Floorboards connected to the subfloor by gluing / nailing require no locking system at all. However, they may have traditional protrusion and groove connections, which function as a vertical position. They may also be equipped with a mechanical locking system, which locks and positions the floorboard vertically and / or horizontally with respect to the floorboard arrangement.

[Prior art and the problems;

The advantage of suspended floors is that morphological changes due to varying degrees of different relative humidity (RH) may not be visible on the floorboards, and the floorboards may be connected without visible connection gaps despite shrinkage and expansion. In particular, installation with a mechanical locking system can be made quickly and easily, and the floor can be repositioned and placed in various positions. A disadvantage is that the continuous floor surface is usually limited when the floor consists of a relatively dimensionally stable floorboard, such as a wood fiberboard core or several floors in different wood directions. The reason is that these dimensionally stable floors usually have a change in dimension, which is about 0.1%, which corresponds to about 1 mm per meter when the RH varies between 25% winter and 85% summer. Such a floor, for example over a distance of 10 meters, contracts and expands about 10 mm. The wide parquet surface is divided into smaller surfaces with expansion strips, eg every 10 or 15 meters. Without this distinction, there is a risk that the floor will change in shape when contracted and will no longer be covered by the line plates. In addition, the load on the locking system is very large as very large loads are transferred when a wide continuous surface is moved. The rod is particularly large in the passageway between the different rooms.

According to the regulations established by the European Producers of Laminate Flooring (EPLF), the expansion joint profile is a surface larger than 12 m in the direction of the length of each floor plank and a surface larger than 8 m in the width direction. Must be placed on the bed. This profile should be installed in the passageway between the rooms. Similar installation guidelines are used by the manufacturers of suspended floors with wooden surfaces. The extension connection profile is generally an aluminum or plastic section fixed on the floor surface between two separate floor units. This collects dust, gives an undesirable appearance and is more expensive. Due to this limitation on the maximum floor surface, laminate flooring has commercially only a small marketability, and therefore applies only in hotels, airports, and large commercial areas.

Unstable floors, such as homogeneous wood floors, can still cause larger changes in shape. Despite all the effects, it is true that the morphological changes in homogeneous wood floors are fiber orientation and wood type. Homogeneous oak floors are very stable in the fiber direction, ie in the longitudinal direction of the floorboards. In the transverse direction there is a 3% movement, equivalent to 30 mm per meter, which is larger depending on the various RHs throughout the year. Other types of wood still vary greatly in shape. Floorboards causing large changes in shape cannot usually be suspended. Although this installation is possible, the continuous floor surface is very limited.

The advantage of adhesion / nailing to the sub floor is that a wide continuous floor surface can be provided without an extended connection profile and the floor can be subjected to very large loads. Another advantage is that the floorboards do not require any vertical and horizontal locking system, which can be installed in an advanced pattern in which, for example, the long side is connected to the short side. However, this method of installation with regard to attachment to the subfloor has many serious drawbacks. The main weakness is that when the floorboard contracts, a visible connection gap occurs between the floorboards. The connection gap is relatively large, especially if the floorboard is a moisture sensitive wood material. Homogeneous wood floors nailed to the sub floor can have a connection gap of 3-5 mm. The distance between the plates may be irregular as some are small and some are large gaps, and these gaps are not always parallel. The connecting gap can thus vary over the length of the floorboard. The large connection gap contains a lot of dust, which penetrates into the bottom projections and prevents the floorboards from finding their original position when inflated. The installation method is time consuming and in most cases the subfloor should be adjusted to allow adhesion / nailing to the subfloor.

Therefore, it is highly desirable if the suspended floor can be provided without such a defect. Especially,

a) can consist of a wide continuous surface without an extended connection profile,

b) Suspended floors, which can be composed of humidity-sensitive floorboards that satisfy large dimensional changes even during various RH changes throughout the year, are advantageous.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to floorboards, floors and locking systems having a floorboard that makes it possible to install suspended floors on a wide continuous surface and that satisfies a wide dimensional change with changes in relative humidity (RH). The present invention also relates to a manufacturing apparatus and a manufacturing method for producing such floors.

It is a first object of the present invention to provide a suspended floor of rectangular floorboards with a mechanical locking system, wherein the layout and size and pattern of the floorboards within the floor cooperate to allow movement between floorboards. do. According to the invention, the individual floorboards can undergo a change in shape after installation, ie shrinkage and expansion, due to relative humidity. This is done in such a way that the morphological change of the entire floor surface can be reduced, or preferably can be removed while the floorboard remains interconnected without a wide visible connection gap.

It is a second object to provide a locking system that allows movement between the floorboards without large and deep dust collection connection gaps and / or that no open connection gaps are excluded. Such locking systems are suitable for particularly moisture sensitive materials such as wood, and are suitable when wide suspension floors are installed using wide and / or deep floorboards.

The terms long side and short side are described for explanation. The board according to the invention is square or rectangular and may optionally satisfy another pattern or angle to opposite sides.

It is emphasized that the floorboards, locking system and arrangement pattern in the following description are only examples in a suitable embodiment. Many alternatives are possible. All embodiments suitable for achieving the first object can be combined with the embodiments describing the second object of the present invention. All locking systems may be used partially on the long side and / or short side, and various combinations of the short side and the long side may be used. The locking system with vertical and horizontal locking means can be connected by angular motion and / or snap-in. The horizontal and vertical locking means operating and the geometric configuration of the locking system can be formed before or after machining the edges of the floorboards or formed of individual materials or alternatively connecting them to the connecting edges of the floorboards.

A third object is achieved, in whole or in part, in accordance with the appended claims.

According to a first aspect, the invention comprises a suspended floor consisting of rectangular floorboards connected by a mechanical locking system. The connected floorboards have a horizontal plane parallel to the floor surface and a vertical plane perpendicular to the horizontal plane. The locking system has a locking member that cooperates mechanically for a vertical connection parallel to the vertical plane and a horizontal connection parallel to the horizontal plane of the first and second connection edges. The vertical locking means consists of a projection cooperating with the projection groove and the horizontal part consists of a locking member with a locking surface cooperating with the locking groove. The flooring may have a floor surface of 1 meter by 1 meter in one or more directions in one or more directions when the locking system, format, and installation pattern of the floorboard are pulled away or compressed together. It is characterized by being. This change can be made without a visible connection gap.

According to a second aspect, the invention comprises a locking system for the mechanical connection of a floorboard, wherein the floorboards connected in the locking system have a horizontal plane parallel to the floor surface and a vertical plane perpendicular to the horizontal plane. The locking system has a locking member that cooperates mechanically for a vertical connection parallel to the vertical plane and a horizontal connection parallel to the horizontal plane of the first and second connection edges. The vertical locking means consists of a projection which cooperates with the projection groove and the horizontal part of the locking member consists of a locking member having a locking surface that cooperates with the locking groove. The first connecting edge and the second connecting edge have an upper connecting edge portion and a lower connecting edge portion located between the protrusion and the floor surface. The upper connecting edge portion is adjacent to the floor surface compared to the lower connecting edge. The locking system is such that when the floorboards are connected and pressed towards each other, the two upper connecting edge portions are spaced apart from each other and one of the upper connecting edge portions of the first connecting edge is lower in the second connecting edge. It is characterized by overlapping the connection edge portion.

According to some preferred embodiments of the invention, it is preferred that the floor consists of a smaller floorboard and a number of connections that compensate for shrinkage and expansion. The manufacturing nominal is smaller because well defined play and joint openings generally require high quality flooring in accordance with the present invention.

However, small floorboards tend to rotate in an uncontrolled manner during machining, making it difficult to produce the required nominal. The reason why the small floorboards are difficult to manufacture compared to the Khan floorboards is that the large floorboards have a large area and come into contact with the chain and the belt during the machining of the edges of the floorboards. This large contact area allows the floorboard to be fixed to the chain by the belt, so that it cannot move or rotate relative to the feed direction, as is the case when the contact area is small.

The manufacture of the floorboards consists essentially of the way that the tool set and the floorboard blanks are displaced relative to one another. The tool set preferably consists of one or more milling tools, which are arranged and dimensioned to machine the locking system in a manner known to those skilled in the art.

Frequently used devices are double or single end tenors, and chains and belts are used to move the floorboard very accurately along a well-defined supply direction. Pressure shoes and support units are used with chains and belts in many embodiments to prevent vertical deviations. The horizontal deviation of the floorboard is only prevented by the chain and the belt.

The problem is that in most embodiments the panel is not sufficient if it is particularly small.

A third object of the present invention relates to a manufacturing apparatus and a manufacturing method for making a mechanical locking system and endplates with end tenners more precisely than can be established by known techniques. The present invention therefore encompasses a device for manufacturing building panels, in particular floorboards. The apparatus has a chain, a belt, a pressure shoe and a tool set. The chain and the belt are arranged to displace the floorboard relative to the tool set and the pressure shoe in the feed direction. The pressure shoes are arranged to press towards the rear side of the floorboard. The tool set is arranged to form an edge portion of the floorboard if the floorboard is displaced relative to the tool set. One or more tools of the tool set form a guide surface in the floorboard. The pressure shoe has a guide device which cooperates with the guide surface and prevents deviation in a direction perpendicular to the supply direction and parallel to the horizontal plane.

Grooves are formed on the back of the floorboard, and it is known to induce floorboards when a ruler is inserted into the groove and displaced by a belt moving the plate on the table. It is not known that special guiding surfaces and guiding devices can be used in the end tenor in which the pressure shoes cooperate with the chain.

A fourth object of the present invention is to provide a semi-suspended floor of a rectangular floorboard with a mechanical locking system, wherein the locking system, format, and installation pattern of the floorboard have a wide semi-suspended continuous surface of 12 m. It is designed in such a way that it can be installed without an extension connection with an excess length or width.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

1A-1B relate to a floorboard with a locking system,

2A-2F illustrate the locking system and the arrangement pattern,

3A-3E show a locking system,

4A-4C show the locking system,

5a-5d show connected floorboards and test methods,

6a-6e illustrate a locking system,

7A-7E illustrate a locking system,

8A-8F illustrate the locking system,

9a-9d show a locking system,

10a-10d show a manufacturing apparatus,

11A-11D show a manufacturing apparatus,

12A-12C show a locking system.

EXAMPLES
1a to 1b show the floorboards of the first type (A) and the second type (B) according to the invention, in which the lengths of the long side surfaces 4a and 4b are short side surfaces 5a and 5b. 3 times the length. The long side surfaces 4a, 4b of the floorboard have vertical and horizontal connection means, and the short side surfaces 5a, 5b of the floorboard have horizontal connection means. In this embodiment, the two types are identical except that the locking means are mirror reversed. The locking means allows connecting the long side surface 4a to the long side surface 4b by at least an inner angular movement, and also allows the short side surface 5b to be connected to the long side surface 4b by vertical movement. The connection of the long sides 4a, 4b to the short sides 5a, 5b in a herringbone pattern or in parallel rows can be achieved by angular motion along the long sides 4a, 4b in this embodiment only. have. The long sides 4a, 4b of the floorboard are provided with connecting means, which in this embodiment consist of a strip 6, a projection groove 9 and a projection 10. In addition, the short side surface 5a is provided with the strip 6 and the protrusion groove 9, and the short side surface 5b is not provided with the protrusion 10. As shown in FIG. Various changes are possible. The two types of floorboards do not have to be the same type, the locking means can be of different types and the long side can be connected to the short side as described above. The connecting means may be of the same material or of different materials and of the same material with different material properties. For example, the connecting means can be plastic or metal. They may be made of the same material as the floorboard, but may be subjected to a procedure to modify properties such as impregnation and the like. The short side 55b may have a protrusion, and the floorboard may be connected by a conventional method of diamond pattern in another combination of angular motion and snap motion. The short sides may have respective flexible protrusions, which are displaced horizontally during locking.

2a shows the connecting means of two interconnected floorboards 1, 1 ′. In this embodiment, the floorboard has a surface layer 31, a core 30 and a balancing layer 32 of the laminate, which core is for example HDF and is more compressible than the surface layer 31. The vertical locking portion D1 consists of a protrusion groove 9 which cooperates with the protrusion 10. The horizontal locking part D2 consists of a strip 6 with a locking member 8 cooperating with the locking groove 12. This locking system can be connected by medial angular movement along the upper connection edge. In this way the locking by horizontal snapping can be modified. The locking member 8 and the locking groove 12 have cooperating locking surfaces 15, 14. The floorboard is assumed to be the position where the play gap 20 between the locking surfaces 14, 15 is located when connected and pressed in the horizontal direction D2. 2b shows that the connection gap 21 occurs at the front between the upper connection edges when the floorboard is pulled in the opposite direction and when the locking surfaces 14, 15 are pressed together in full contact. The play between the locking surfaces 14, 15 according to the invention is equally limited to the displacement of the upper connection edge when the edges are pressed together and pulled away as described above. This play in the locking system is the maximum floorboard movement that occurs when the floorboard is pressed and pulled away with the strength of the edge position and the appropriate pulling force and pressure in the locking system. Floorboards having a hard surface layer and edges which are pressed only at the interface when pressed together have a clearance essentially identical to or slightly larger than the connecting gap according to this limitation. Floorboards with smooth edges have pores significantly larger than the connection gaps. According to this limitation, the clearance is always greater than or equal to the connection gap. For example, the gap and the connection gap may be 0.05 to 0.10 mm. A connection gap of about 0.1 mm is appropriate. This is difficult to see in general dust particles that are too large to penetrate into small connection gaps into the locking system. In some embodiments, it is appropriate that the connection gap is 0.20 mm, for example 0.25 mm, if the clearance and the connection gap are used for significant pressure and pull forces. The maximum connection gap occurs only in extreme conditions where the humidity is very low or the load on the floorboard is very high, for example less than 20%. In general conditions and embodiments, the connection gap in this floor is 0.10 mm or smaller.

2b shows a normal laminate flooring on a 1.2 m × 0.2 m floorboard, which is installed as parallel rows. These laminate floors shrink and expand about 1 mm per meter. If the locking system has a clearance of about 0.1 mm, the five connections in the lateral direction D2 allow for 5 × 0.1 = 0.5 mm expansion and contraction per meter. This only compensates for half of the maximum expansion or contraction of 1 mm. There is only one connection per 1.2 m in the longitudinal direction (D2 A), which allows movement of 0.1 mm. Thus, the gap 20 and the connection gap 21 in the connection system reduce at the boundary only the contraction and expansion of the floorboard in the direction D2 parallel to the long side. In order to reduce the movement of the floor by half of the movement often occurring in the floorboard without the clearance 20 and the connection gap 21, it is necessary to increase the clearance 20 to 0.6 mm, which means that on the short side the connection gap ( 21) causes too big a result.

FIG. 2C shows a floorboard with a core 30 of a fiberboard such as HDF, for example, and a change surface layer of about 0.1% or 1 mm per meter. The floorboards are installed in parallel rows. In this embodiment, they are narrow and small, for example in the size of 0.5 m by 0.08 m. If the clearance is 0.1 mm, twelve floor plates with twelve connections over one meter floor length allow movement in the transverse direction (D2 B) of 1.2 mm greater than the maximum numerical change of the floor. Thus, the overall motion is caused by floorboard motion relative to each other, and the outer dimensions of the floor may not change. In the longitudinal direction D2 A, the two short side connections can only be compensated for with a movement of 0.2 mm per meter. For example, in a 10 m wide and 40 m long room, it may be appropriately selected against the recommended installation principle, and has a long side of the floorboard perpendicular to its longitudinal direction and parallel to the width direction of the room. According to this preferred embodiment, a large continuous suspended floor surface without a wide visible connection gap can be provided with a narrow floorboard with a locking system with clearance and connected in parallel rows perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the floor surface. have. The locking system, floorboard and mounting pattern according to the invention can be adjusted so that a floor surface of 1 m x 1 m can extend and press together about 1 mm or more in at least one direction which does not harm the locking system or floorboard. On suspended floors installed in home settings, the mechanical locking system is equipped with a mechanical locking system that withstands tension and compression loads of at least 200 kg per meter of floor length. More specifically, it can be achieved that the shape of the floor can be changed without a visible connection gap if the floor surface is subjected to 200 kg of tension or compression rods in any direction and under normal conditions the floorboard corresponds to 45% humidity. desirable.

The strength of the mechanical connection system is very important for large continuous suspended floor surfaces. This wide continuous surface is defined as a floor surface having a width and / or length greater than 12 meters. Very wide continuous surfaces are defined by floor surfaces having a width and / or length greater than 20 meters. If the mechanical connection system is not strong enough on a wide suspended floor, there is a risk of inadequate connection gaps or the risk of the floorboard slipping away. Dimensionally stable floorboards, such as laminate flooring with an average connection gap of more than 0.2 mm when a 200 Kg / m2 tension rod is applied, are generally not suitable for use in very high quality suspended floors. The present invention can be used to install a continuous suspended floor having a width and / or length greater than 20m or even 40m. In principle, there is no limit. Continuous suspended floors with a surface of 10,000 m ² or more can be installed according to the invention.

This new type of suspension floor, in which the main part of the suspension movement occurs between the floorboards and the mechanical locking system in at least one direction, is referred to hereinafter as semi-suspension flooring.

FIG. 5D shows a suitable test method for confirming that if the floor is a semi-suspended floor, it is sufficiently mobile with the floorboard connected and that the locking system is strong enough for use on a wide continuous suspended floor surface. In this embodiment, nine samples with 10 joints and length L of 100 mm (10% of 1 meter) were connected along each long side to correspond to a floor length TL of about 1 meter. Joints Here, the size of the ten joints is referred to as Nj. The floorboard is subjected to compression and tension loads using a force F corresponding to 20 kg (200 N), which is 10% of 200 kg. The change in length of the floor length TL, hereinafter referred to as ΔTL, should be measured. The mean clearance, hereinafter referred to as floor motion per AP or joint, is defined as AP = ΔTL / Nj. For example, when ΔTL = 1.5 mm, the average gap AP = 1.5 / 10 = 0.15 mm. This test method will also measure differences in the dimensions of the floorboards. This dimensional difference is very small in most floorboards compared to play. As mentioned above, due to the pressing of the upper edge and the very small dimensional difference of the resulting floorboard itself, the average connection gap is smaller than the average clearance AP. This is because only ΔTL is measured because ΔTL / Nj is always equal to or greater than the average connecting gap 21 to ensure that the floorboard movement is sufficient (ΔTL) and the average connecting gap 21 does not exceed the defined maximum level. It means to be controlled. The size of the actual average connection gap 21 at the floor can be measured directly, for example by a thickness gauge or a set of microscopes when the tensile force F is applied, and the actual average connection gap AAJG is calculated. The difference between AP and AAJG is defined as floorboard flexibility (FF; FF = AP-AAJG). It is preferable that the ΔTL in the laminate flooring exceeds 1 mm. Low or high forces F can be used to design floorboards, installation patterns and locking systems, which are used as semi-suspended floors. In some applications, for example in a home environment under normal humidity, a force F of 100 kg (1000 N) per meter is sufficient. On very large suspended floors a force of 250 to 300 kg or more is used. The mechanical locking system is designed with a locking force of 1000 kg or more. In this locking system, even when a force (F) of 400 to 500 kg is applied, the connection gap is limited to 0.2 mm. The pushback effect caused by the locking member 8, the locking surfaces 15, 14 and the locking strip 6 is measured, for example, by increasing or decreasing the force F in steps of 100 kg. If F increases from 0 to 100 kg (= ΔTL1) and F decreases from 0 to 200 kg to 100 kg (= ΔTL2), then the ΔTL is essentially the same, the pushback effect is high. Mechanical locking systems with a high pushback effect are desirable in semi-suspended floors. Preferably, ΔTL1 is at least 75% of ΔTL2. In some applications, 50% is sufficient.

2d shows the floorboard according to FIG. 2c installed in a diamond pattern. This installation method results in seven connections per running meter in both directions D2 A, D2 B of the floor. Since the seven connections result in a total mobility of 7 x 0.14 = 1.0 mm, the 0.14 mm gap eliminates 0.1% expansion and contraction.

FIG. 2E shows the m ² flooring surface consisting of the above-mentioned floorboards in which a long side is installed against the long sides in a herringbone pattern, for example the location of the floorboards in summer expanding to the maximum dimensions. 2f shows the position of the parquet in winter, for example, which shrinks. The locking system with the intrinsic clearance causes a connecting gap 21 between all connecting edges of the floorboard. Since the floorboards are installed in a herringbone pattern, the long side play helps to reduce the difference in floor dimensions in all directions. 2F shows that the critical direction is the diagonal direction D2 C, D2 D of the floor, and that the seven connecting gaps must be controlled to withstand a contraction of more than 1.4 m distance. This can be used to determine the optimized placement direction within the wide floor. In this embodiment, the 0.2 mm connecting gap completely eliminates the movement of the floor in all directions. This allows the outer part of the suspended floor to be attached to the floorboard, for example by adhesion that prevents the floor from moving out of the series plate upon shrinkage. In addition, the present invention allows the partition wall to be attached to the installed floorboard, which can reduce the installation time.

In practical trials, floors with veneer or laminate surfaces and cores of fibreboard-based panels, for example dimensionally stable high quality HDF, are very stable in dimensions and have a home setting of about 0.5 to 1.0 mm per meter. It is demonstrated that it can be manufactured to have the maximum dimensional change of the phase. If the floorboard preferably has a width of about 120 mm, this semi-suspended floor can be installed in a space of unlimited size and the maximum clearance can be limited to about 0.1 mm. Still small floorboards, for example 0.4 m by 0.06 m, are still preferred and it is clear that they can also cover large surfaces if they are made of less stable material in shape. According to the first embodiment, the present invention proposes a new type of semi-suspended floor in which each floorboard is movable and the outer dimensions of the floor do not need to be changed. This can be achieved by the proper use of the size of the plate, the mobility of the locking system using small clearances and small connecting gaps, and the installation pattern of the floorboard. Thus, according to the invention, a suitable combination of play, connection gap, floorboard size, installation pattern, and floorboard placement direction can be used to completely or partially eliminate the movement of the suspended floorboard. Installation of very large continuous suspended floors is possible, and the maximum movement of the floor can be reduced to about 10 mm which can be applied with current technology or can be completely eliminated. All of these can consist of connecting gaps that are not really visible, which are connected in parallel rows by pretensioning despite the penetration of humidity and dust and with very small displacement gaps that are not given sufficient mobility. It is different from the 0.2m wide suspension floor. In a non-limiting embodiment, the clearance 20 and the connection gap 21 are preferably 0.1 to 0.2 mm in dimensionally stable floors.

A particularly preferred embodiment according to the invention is a semi-suspended floor with the following characteristics: the surface layer is laminate or wood veneer, the core of the floorboard is a wooden base board such as MDF or HDF, and a force of 100 Kg / m 2 (F ) Is used, the change in floor length (ΔTL) is at least 1.0 mm, and when 200 Kg / m2 of force (F) is used, the change in floor length (ΔTL) is at least 1.5 mm, and the force of 100 Kg / m2 (F ) Is used when the average connection gap does not exceed 0.15 mm, and when a force (F) of 200 kg / m2 is used, the average connection gap does not exceed 0.20 mm.

The function and quality of the connection of the semi-suspended floorboards is similar to conventional suspended floorboards when the humidity conditions are general and the size of the floorboards is within the generally recommended limits. When installed with extreme weather conditions or very wide continuous floor surfaces, such semi-suspended floorboards will be larger than in conventional floorboards. Other combinations of force (F), change in floor length (ΔTL) and connecting gap 21 may be used for the design of the semi-suspended floor in various implementations.

Figure 3a shows a second embodiment and is used to solve the problems caused by movement due to humidity in the suspended floor. In this embodiment, the floorboard has a core of HDF and a surface 31 of the direct laminate. Under the laminate surface there is a layer 33 of melamine infused wood fibers. This layer forms when the surface layer is laminated to HDF, melamine is injected into the core and the surface layer connects to the HDF core. HDF core 30 may be softer and pressurized than laminate surface 31 and melamine layer 33. In accordance with the present invention, the laminate surface layer and, if appropriate, part or all of the melamine layer 33 under the surface layer can be removed such that the decorative groove 133 forms the shape of a shallow connecting opening JO 1. These connection openings are common with wide connection gaps in homogeneous wood floors. The groove 133 can only be made on one connecting edge and can be colored, coated or injected in such a way that the connecting gap is less visible. Such decorative grooves or connection openings may have, for example, a width (JO`) of 1 to 3 mm and a depth of 0.2 to 0.5 mm. In some embodiments, the width of JO 1 is preferably less than about 0.5-1.0 mm. The floorboards 1, 1 ′ are pressed against each other and the upper connection edges 16, 17 can be pressed. This pressurization can be 0.1 mm in HDF. This pressurization possibility replaces the aforementioned play and allows movement without a connection gap. The above-described chemical treatment can change the properties of the connecting edge portion and enhances the possibility of pressing. Of course, the first and second embodiments can be combined. With a clearance of 0.1 mm and a pressurization potential of 0.1 mm, a total of 0.2 mm of movement can be provided in a 0.1 mm visible connection gap. Pressurization can be provided to the locking member 8 and the actuating locking surfaces 15, 14 in the locking groove 12. Under normal climatic conditions, the separation of the floorboards is prevented when the locking members 14, 15 are in contact with each other so that no coarse pressing occurs. If additional tension rods are applied under extreme climatic conditions, for example when the RH drops below 25%, the locking member will be pressed. This pressurization functions when the contact surface CS of the locking surfaces 14, 15 is small. It is preferred that this contact surface CS be 1 mm or less at typical floor thicknesses of 8 to 15 mm. With the technology, floorboards can also be made with connecting gaps and clearances of about 0.1 mm. If the RH drops below 25% and is above 80% in extreme weather conditions, the compression of the upper connection edge and the locking surface may allow movement of, for example, 0.3 mm. The techniques described above can be applied to many other types of flooring, for example floorings having surfaces of similar materials, such as high pressure laminates, wood, veneers, plastics and the like. This technique is particularly suitable in floorboards which can increase the compression of the upper edge connection by removing some of the upper connection edge portions 16 and / or 17.

3B shows a third embodiment. 3C and 3D are enlarged views of the connecting edge of FIG. 3B. The floorboard 1 ′ has an upper connection edge portion 18 and a lower connection edge portion 17 in the upper edge portion of the projection 10, the upper portion of the groove 9 and the edge area of the connection defined by the floor surface 31. The floorboard 1 has an upper connecting edge portion 19 and a lower connecting edge portion 16 in the corresponding area. When the floorboards 1, 1 ′ are pressed together, the lower connecting edge portions 16, 17 come into contact with each other. This is shown in Figure 3d. The upper connecting edge portions 18, 19 are spaced apart from one another, and one upper connecting edge portion 18 of the floorboard 1 ′ overlaps the lower connecting edge portion 16 of the other floorboard 1. In the position pressed together, the system now has a clearance 20 of, for example, 0.2 mm between the locking surfaces 14, 15. If the overlap is 0.2 mm in the pressed position together, the plates can be separated from each other 0.2 mm without the visible connecting gap visible from the surface when pulled away. In this embodiment, the connecting gap is not covered by the connecting edge portion 18 where the connecting gap overlaps. This is shown in Figure 3c. It is preferred that the locking member 8 and the locking groove 12 be capable of separation, ie the play is slightly smaller than the overlapping. Preferably, a small overlap of, for example, 0.05 mm is present in the connection when the floorboards are mutually pulled and the pulling force F is adapted to the connection. Overlap prevents humidity from penetrating into the connection. The connecting edge will be stronger because the lower edge portion 16 supports the upper edge portion 18. Decorative grooves 133 can be made very shallow, and any dust or the like collected in the grooves can be removed by a vacuum cleaner associated with general cleaning. No dust or humidity penetrates into the locking system and under the projections 12. Of course, this technique with respect to the overlapping connecting edge portion can be combined with the other two embodiments on the same side or on the long side and the short side. For example, the long side may be provided with a locking system according to the first embodiment, and the short side may be according to the second embodiment. For example, the visible and open connection gap may be 0.1 mm, compression of 0.1 mm, overlap of 0.1 mm. The movable floorboard will be 0.3 mm together, and this important movement can be combined with a small visible and open connection gap and the limited horizontal range of the overlapping connection edge portion 18, which overlapping edge must not weaken the connection edge. . This is because the overlapping connecting edges 18 are very small and made in the strongest part of the floorboard, which consists of laminate surface and melamine-infused wood fibers. Such a locking system that can provide mobility with no visible connection gap can be used in all the embodiments described above. Moreover, in all embodiments where the floorboards are installed in parallel rows or the like, i.e. in all embodiments requiring large mobility to prevent dimensional changes in the flooring in the locking system, the locking system is suitable for use on a short side in the floorboard. . It can be used on the short side of the floorboard consisting of a frame FR or a frieze covering the floor installed in a herringbone pattern according to FIG. 5C. In this embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 3B-3D, the vertical range of the overlapping connecting edge portion, ie the depth GD of the connecting opening, is less than 0.1 times the floor thickness T. A particularly preferred embodiment according to the invention is a semi-suspended floor with the following features: the core of the floorboard is a wooden baseboard such as MDF or HDF, the floor thickness T of 6 to 9 mm, of 100 Kg / m2 When the force F is used, the overlapping portion OL is smaller than the average clearance AP. For example, the depth GD of the connection opening may be 0.2 to 0.5 mm (= 0.02 × T −0.08 × T). On the long side, the overlapping portion OL may be 0.1 to 0.3 mm (= 0.01 × T −0.05 × T). The overlapping portion OL of the short side may be the same as or greater than the overlapping portion of the long side.

3E shows an embodiment in which the connection opening JO 1 is very small or not transposed when the floorboards are pressed together. When the floorboard is pulled away, the connection opening JO 1 takes place. The connection opening will generally be the same size as the average clearance AP. Decorative grooves can be colored, for example, in a design suitable for the floor surface, and the play will not cause an open connection gap. Very small overlapping portions of about 0.1 mm (= 0.01 x T -0.02 x T) and smaller average voids (AP) can give sufficient floor motion, which can be combined with very high quality connections with humidity resistance. The play also functions to lock, unlock, and displace in the locked position. In order to enhance the functionality of the mechanical locking system, such overlapping edge portions can be used in known mechanical locking systems.

4a and 4b show how the locking system can be designed to allow suspension installation of floorboards made of a material sensitive to humidity. In the present embodiment, the floorboard is made of the same kind of wood.

4A shows the locking system in a tensioned rod, and FIG. 4B shows the locking system in a pressurized state. For an attractive appearance floor, the relative size of the connection openings should not differ much from others. The smallest connection opening JO 2 must not be greater than half of the largest connection opening JO 1 such that the visible connection opening is free from kicking in the floor movement. In addition, the depth GD is preferably less than 0.5 x TT, where TT is the distance between the floor surface and the upper part of the protrusion / groove. In the absence of protrusions, GD should be less than 0.2 times the floor thickness (T). This serves to clean the connection openings. It is preferred that JO 1 is about 1-5 mm, which corresponds to the general gap of homogeneous wood floors. According to the invention, the overlapping connecting edge portion is preferably arranged in close proximity to the floor surface. This allows for shallow connection openings at the same time as the vertical locking is made using the protrusions 10 and the grooves 9 in the central part of the alternative floor between the front and rear with good stability to the core 30. An alternative method of providing a shallow connection opening to allow movement is shown in FIG. 4C. The upper portion of the protrusion 10 rises and moves toward the floor surface. The drawback of this method is that the upper connecting edge portion 18 above the projection 10 may be too weak. The connecting edge portion 18 can be easily cracked and deformed.

Figures 5a and 5b show the long side connections of the floorboards 1, 1 ', 1 "having a width W. Figure 5a shows a floorboard with a low RH, and Figure 5b shows a floorboard with a high RH. Similar to homogeneous flooring, it is desirable that wide floorboards have a wider connection gap compared to narrow floorboards JO 2 is suitably at least about 1% of the floor width (W). With the smallest connection opening of 1 mm, for example, the corresponding connection opening in a 200 mm wide flank is at least 2 mm, of course, if there are special requirements due to different types of flooring and different types of climatic conditions. Other combinations may be used in wood floors.

6a shows a wood floor consisting of several layers of wood. The floorboard consists of a high grade floorboard, for example oak constituting the decorative surface layer 31. The core 30 is composed of, for example, plywood, which is a different wood type and a corresponding wood type of different quality. Alternatively, the core can be made of wood lamellae. The top layer 31 has in principle a different wood direction compared to the bottom layer. In this embodiment, the overlapping connecting edges 18, 19 consist of a top layer. It is an advantage that the visible connection opening JO 1 is made in the same kind of wood and fiber direction as the surface layer 31 and the appearance is the same as that of the wood floor of the same kind.

6B and 6C show an embodiment with a small clearance 22 between overlapping connection retractable portions 16, 18 that function as a horizontal movement in the locking system. FIG. 6C shows the connection by angular motion and has upper connection edge portions 18, 19 in contact with each other. The clearance 20 between the locking member 8 and the locking groove 12 plays an important connection function by the inner angular motion, especially in wood floorboards that are not always straight.

In the above-described embodiments, the overlapping connecting portion 18 is made in the side of the protrusion, ie in the connecting edge with the protrusion 10. The overlapping connecting edge portion 18 can be made in the groove face, ie in the connecting edge with the groove 9. 6D and 6E illustrate this embodiment. In FIG. 6D the plates are pressed together in their inner position, and in FIG. 6E they are pulled to the outer position.

7A-7B show whether it is preferable for the upper connecting edge 18 to overlap the lower 16 to be located on the protruding side 4a. The groove side 4b can be connected to the side 4a by vertical movement, which is free of protrusions and is shown in FIG. 7B. This locking system is particularly suitable for short sides. 7c shows such a locking system in the connected and pressed state together. Figures 7d and 7e press the tool shaft HT acting vertically and thus for example of the strip 6 and the locking member 8 by only one tool TO which can form the entire connecting edge. It shows how the vertical locking means in the form and the upper and lower connecting portions 19, 16 can be made. Such a tool can be mounted, for example, in a circular tooth, and the connecting edges of the laid quality can be made by guide bars. In addition, the tool can be serrated from the floorboard 1. In a preferred embodiment, only partial separation of the floorboard 1 takes place at the outer part 24 of the strip 6. The final separation is achieved by the collapse of the floorboard. This reduces the risk of the tool TO being damaged by contacting the sub floor, for example concrete. This technique is used, for example, to provide a frame or frieze FR of the floor installed in a herringbone pattern according to FIG. 5C. The tool can be used to provide a locking system of the conventional type without the overlapping connecting edge portion.

8A to 8F show another embodiment. 8a to 8c consist of a projection 10 having a locking member 18 which cooperates with a locking groove 12 made in a groove 9 in which the horizontal locking part is defined by an upper lip 23 and the locking groove. It shows how the invention is used in a locking system in which 12 is arranged in the upper lip 23. The groove also has a lower lip 23 that can be removed to allow connection by vertical movement. 8d shows a locking system with separate strips 6, for example made of aluminum sheet. 8e shows a locking system with a separate strip 6, which can be made of fibrous plate-based material or plastic, metal or the like.

8F shows the locking system connected by the vertical snap action. The projection 10 is a groove 9 'which allows the upper and lower parts with the locking members 8, 8' to bend towards each other in relation to the horizontal displacement of the connecting edges 4a and 4b towards each other. Has In this embodiment, the upper and lower lips 23, 24 in the groove 9 do not need elasticity. Of course, the present invention may also be used in conventional snap systems where the lip 23, 24 may be elastic.

9A-9D illustrate alternative embodiments of the present invention. When the plate is pulled away, the separate cooperating locking surfaces 14, 15 are prevented. When the plates are pressed together, certain alternative parts within the locking system can be used to define the internal position. In FIG. 9A, the inner positions of the locking member 8 and the locking groove 10 are defined. According to FIG. 9b, the protrusion 10 and the outer part of the groove 9 cooperate. According to FIG. 9c, the front and lower portions of the projection 10 cooperate with the groove 9. According to FIG. 9d, the locking member 10 ′ on the lower part of the projection 10 cooperates with the locking member 9 ′ on the strip 9. Certain outer parts in the locking system can be used to define the inner position of the floorboard according to this principle.

10A shows a manufacturing apparatus and a manufacturing method according to the present invention. An end tenor (ET) has a chain 40 and a belt 41, which displace the floorboard 1 in the feed direction FD in relation to the tool set, in this embodiment five tools (51, 52, 53, 54) and the pressure shoe 42 are provided. The end tenor also has two chins and two belts. 10B is an enlarged view of the first tooling station. The first tool 51 in the tool set makes the guiding surface 12, which is a groove in this embodiment, and mainly forms the locking groove 12 of the locking system. Of course, other grooves may preferably form part of the floorboard that the mechanical locking system can form. The pressure shoe 42 'has a guide device 43', which cooperates with the groove 12 to prevent deviation from the supply direction FD and is in a plane parallel to the horizontal plane. 10C shows the end tenor shown from the feeding direction when the floorboard is pressed from the first tool 51. In this embodiment, the locking groove 12 is used as the guide surface of the guide device 43, which is attached to the pressure shoe 42. 10D shows that the same groove 12 can be used as the guide surface at all tool stations. 10D shows how the protrusion is formed with the tool 54. Machining of certain parts of the floorboard 1 occurs when these parts are guided by the guide device 43 at the same time. 11A shows another embodiment in which the guide device is attached in a pressure shoe. The disadvantage is that the plate can have grooves on the back side. FIG. 11B shows another embodiment in which one or two outer edges of the floorboard can be used as the guide surface for the guide device 43, 43 ′. In this embodiment, the end tenor supports the units 44, 44 ′ cooperating with the pressure shoes 42, 42 ′. The guide device may alternatively be attached to the support units 44, 44 ′. 11C and 11D show how the floorboard is manufactured in two steps. The protruding side 10 is formed in a first step. The same guide groove 12 is used in the second step (Fig. 11d) in which the groove side 9 is formed. This end tenor is very flexible. The advantage is that different widths, floorboards smaller or larger than the chain width can be produced.

12A-12C show that it is ensured that a semi-suspended floor can be installed in a general position, preferably where the working connection gap is about 50% of the maximum connection gap. For example, if all floorboards are installed with the edges 16 and 17 in contact, problems may arise around the wall if the floorboards are wet or at their maximum size. According to the invention, the locking member and the locking groove can be formed in such a way that the floorboard is automatically guided to the optimum position during installation. 12C shows a locking surface with a high locking angle LA close to 90 degrees in the horizontal plane. The locking angle LA is greater than the angle of the tangent TL to the circle C centered on the upper connection edge. 12B shows that this connection geometry can press the floorboard 4a against the floorboard 4b during the angular motion, the connection between the gap between the locking member 8 and the locking groove 12 and the upper edges 16, 17. It can be seen that it can be made within the above-described preferred position with a gap.

Claims (24)

A semi-floating floor consisting of rectangular floorboards 1, 1 'joined by a mechanical locking system, The floorboards connected in the locking system have a horizontal plane HP parallel to the floor surface 31 and a vertical plane VP perpendicular to the horizontal plane, The locking system is provided with mechanically cooperating locking means for a vertical connection parallel to the vertical plane of the first and second joint edges (4a, 4b respectively) and a horizontal connection parallel to the horizontal plane, In the locking system the vertical locking means consists of a projection 10 which cooperates with the projection groove 9 and the horizontal locking means has a locking surface 8 which cooperates with the locking groove 12. Composed of, In the semi-suspended floor, The locking member 8 and the locking groove 12 have cooperating locking surfaces 14, 15, Upper connection edge portions 18, 19 are formed in the connection edge region defined by the upper portion of the projection 10, by the upper portion of the locking groove 9 and by the floor surface 31. , When the floorboards 1, 1 ′ are connected and pressed against each other in the horizontal direction D2, a clearance 20 is formed between the locking surfaces 14, 15, and the floorboards 1, 1. ') Is pulled in the horizontal direction opposite to and separated, whereby a connecting gap 21 occurs between the upper connecting edge portions 18, 19, when the edges are pressed together and when the edges are pulled and separated; The clearance 20 is greater than or equal in size to the connection gap 21, The format, installation pattern and locking system of the floorboards are: When the floorboards are subjected to compression or tension rods in the horizontal plane HP, such that the length change ΔTL in which the floor surface of 1 meter by 1 meter changes in one or more directions can be 1 mm or more-the length change ΔTL is Calculated as the product of the number of joints Nj per floor length TL and the average play (AP)-, The length change ΔTL can occur without visible connection gaps 21, and The surface layer is laminate or wood veneer, the core of the floorboard is wood-based boards such as MDF or HDF, and the floor length change (ΔTL) is 1.0 when a force (F) of 100 Kg / m2 of the connecting edge is used. mm and above, floor length change (ΔTL) is greater than or equal to 1.5 mm when a force of 200 Kg / m2 of the connection edge is used, and average connection gaps are 0.15 when the force (F) is 100 Kg / m2 of the connection edge. so that it can be 0.20 mm or less when it is mm or less and the force (F) is 200 Kg / m2 of the connecting edge, A semi-suspended floor characterized in that it is designed. The method of claim 1, The locking system, format, and mounting pattern of the floorboards are characterized in that they are designed and combined in such a way that a wide semi-suspended continuous surface can be installed without expansion joints with a length or width of more than 12 meters. doing, Semi-suspended floor. The method of claim 2, The floor surface is a continuous floor surface having a length or width of more than 20 meters, Semi-suspended floor. The method according to claim 2 or 3, The floorboards are characterized by having a width greater than 0 and no more than 100 mm, Semi suspension floor. delete delete delete delete delete delete delete delete delete delete delete delete delete delete delete delete delete delete delete delete

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