WO2006008393A1

WO2006008393A1 - Covering panel for wooden flooring, wainscot paneling or similar, used for the assembly of several of such panels in order to dress a wall, ceiling or floor

Info

Publication number: WO2006008393A1
Application number: PCT/FR2005/001570
Authority: WO
Inventors: Valérie ROY; Alain Roy
Original assignee: Roysol
Priority date: 2004-06-22
Filing date: 2005-06-22
Publication date: 2006-01-26
Also published as: FR2871826A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a set comprising panels (la, lb) which can be used as wooden flooring, each of which is provided with a tongue (15) and a groove (19) extending between upper (21) and lower (23) lips. The upper lip has a first lower locking bead (41) defining a first hollow area (29); the lower lip has a second upper bead (31); the tongue has a third upper bead which is engaged in the first hollow area is wedged therein. The groove, between the bottom thereof and the first hollow area (29) and said bottom and the second bead, and the tongue, at least close to the free end thereof, extend in an inclined direction in relation to the general plane (5) of the panels, wherein the respective upper and lower surfaces thereof converge respectively towards the bottom of the groove and the free end of the tongue.

Description

RECOVERY PANEL, FOR PARQUET, BLADES OR THE LIKE, IN ITS USE

TO ASSEMBLE BETWEEN THE SAME PANELS, TO COVER A WALL, A CEILING OR A GROUND

The invention relates to a covering panel, for parquet, paneling or the like, in its realization

5 and in its use to assemble several such panels together, in order to dress a wall, a ceiling or a floor.

More specifically, in view of the fact that the invention relates to the assembly of at least two

10 panels of this nature, we will refer in particular here to the realization of an assembly comprising a first and a second panels.

In the field, such a set is already known, with panels each extending according to a plan

15 and each on at least one edge has a groove and, on at least one other edge, a tongue, the groove extending between an upper lip and a lower lip, the groove and the tongue being formed in the thickness of each panel and

20 having, in cross-section according to the depth of the groove, respective conformations complementary to each other, so that the tongue of the first panel is adapted to be tightly engaged in the groove of the second panel. In addition, the lip

The upper side has a lower face where a first locking bead is located which limits a first recess situated between it and the bottom of the groove, the lower lip has an upper face where a second locking bead is situated, and the tongue

Has an upper face with a third locking bead adapted to engage and engage with said first recess, while the tongue of the first panel is engaged in the groove of the second panel;

Thus, in an assembled state of the panels, one

35 ensures a tongue / groove engagement opposing a removal of a panel relative to the other, according to their said common general plan. However, difficulties remain to achieve assemblies relatively easy to lock, which effectively retain the panels together, which are not too fragile, which are cost effective performance on the market, and / or remain reliable in the time.

The attached claims are intended to satisfy some or all of these purposes. It is thus proposed in the invention that the groove, from its bottom towards its opening, to the first hollow at the top, and to the second locking bead at the bottom, and the corresponding tongue, from its end free in the direction of the body of the panel, extend, in cross section, in a direction inclined upward relative to the general plane of the (the) panel (s) concerned (s), the upper and lower faces of the groove and / or the tongue being convergent respectively towards the bottom of the groove and / or the free end of the tongue. In order to promote the simplicity of assembly between the panels, it is preferable to assemble flat ("flat click", in force two adjacent panels, the possible separation can be achieved by relative rotation.

Advantageously, for assembly efficiency typically achieved by "snap-action" (called in English "snap-in action"), it is further advised that:

the groove forms a bend at the location of said first hollow and the second locking bead, where it descends with a flat wall, in the direction of the free end of the lower lip,

and the tongue also forms a bend at the location of the third locking bead, on the upper face, and a hollow, on the lower face and then down again, in the direction of the body of the panel. In addition, it is furthermore advised that the plane of the panel (s) concerned being disposed horizontally, the groove, between its bottom and its free end, and the tongue, in correspondence, respectively form a "Λ" (that is to say inverted V), the two branches are inclined relative to the horizontal.

In particular, in the context of a projecting dome locking brought flat as indicated above, another characteristic provides that advantageously, in said straight section, the first hollow is farther from the bottom of the groove than the second bead. locking.

In a number of previous solutions, it has been considered important that the lower lip of such "snap-in" type assemblies be longer than the upper lip.

On the contrary, the solution presented here allows between the bottom of the groove and its free end, the lower lip defines a projection which can be shorter than or equal to that of the upper lip so that, the plane of the panel concerned being arranged horizontally, the free end of the lower lip is interrupted before or in the vertical of that of the upper lip. The panel is thus less fragile. To promote the reliability and efficiency of

1'encliquetage, with an elastic locking panels between them, it is further advised that at its free end the tongue has a slot defining in the thickness a fork with two branches.

The smaller thickness of the lower lip will preferably be greater than the greater thickness of each of these two branches.

It will thus be possible to obtain a snap-fitting connection by deforming said branches. An even more detailed description of the invention will now be given with reference to the accompanying drawings given by way of non-limiting example and in which FIGS. 1, 2, 3 and 4 show: FIG. 1, two parallel panels, in top view (face up),

- Figures 2 to 4, two adjacent panels, in cross section according to the depth of the tongue and groove, that is to say according to section II-II for Figure 2, the figures illustrating three stages of assembly / disassembly between the panels (figure 2: face-to-face presentation, figure 3: relative inclination that can be used to separate the panels, figure 4: flatlock (click), in figure 1, two rectangular panels Ia, can be used for parquet, in particular floating, as slats.

These panels, here identical, are elongate in the direction 3 where they have in the example the same length L.

5 is the reference of the general plan in which they extend.

Figure 2, e is their common thickness, between the visible faces 7a and hidden 7b, each planes, panels.

The visible face 7a presented to the view (on the top for a parquet laid on the ground), is, in the preferred embodiment presented, that of a decorative layer 9 which may be wood or a decorative sheet (for example paper) impregnated with resins, with a wear layer on the surface.

In addition to this decorative layer, each panel comprises a body 11 of compact fibers, high or medium density (HDF or MDF) and a back layer 12 impregnated with resins which serves as a counter-layer. the

swinging, with its hidden outer face 7b that is placed against the supporting support panels (the floor for a floor).

Along at least one edge, and preferably along two adjacent edges 13a, 13b (see FIG. 1), each panel has a tongue 15 and, along at least one other edge, and preferably both other adjacent edges 17a, 17b, each panel has a groove 19. The tongue 15 and the groove 19 are adapted so that the first (of a first panel) engages in the second (of a second panel) and s' locks, preferably in force, flat in the same plane, as in Figure 4 (common plane 5). Figures 2, 3 and 4 show precisely a groove and a tongue, as they will advantageously in reality, to a scale.

In the direction of thickness e of the panel concerned, the groove 19 is limited, above, by an upper lip 21 and, below, by a lower lip 23.

The depth of the groove will be referred to as the direction 20a (FIG. 2) which extends between its bottom (wall 25a) and its opening 27a through which the corresponding tongue engages; likewise for the tongue 15, between its free end 15al and its connection, by its opposite base 15a2, to the solid body of the panel.

Figure 2 in particular, it is noted that the groove 19 is, at least over part of its depth from its bottom, inclined relative to the plane 5, here upwards. Here, the groove 19 extends, always on its depth, along a double slope in "Λ" (inverted V), first then inclined upwards (axis 20a, in the direction of the plane of the visible face 7a of the panel ) then down towards the plane of the hidden face 7b (axis 20b). In lower face 21a of the upper lip 21, the change of slope occurs at the location of a hollow 29 (called above first hollow). In the upper face 23a of the lower lip 23, it is at the location of the bead 31 (called before the second bead) that this change in slope occurs.

As for the tongue 15, it has a shape complementary to that of the groove, to lock.

Thus, it also has at least one end portion 15a (see Figure 3) inclined (towards its free end 15al).

Here, note the shape again in "Λ" of this tongue, comprising the double slope on the upper face, with the upper elbow 33 (at the place called before third bead) and the lower double slope with the lower recess 35.

The two upper and lower flat walls of each tongue 15 which engage the deepest in the corresponding groove 19 and abut the top and bottom plane walls (respectively 15bl, 15b2 and 19bl, 19b2, see Figures 2 and 3 together) of the latter are convergent, like them, the first towards the free end 15al, the seconds in the direction of the transverse wall 19c of groove bottom.

In a preferred embodiment, and as illustrated, the tongue 15 has at its free end 15al a slot 37 located substantially halfway up the tongue (see Figure 4), and oriented along the inclined local direction of the part extreme of tongue. This slot 37 delimits an upper branch 39a and a lower branch 39b.

In the direction of its opening 27a, the upper face 19bl of the groove (that is to say the lower face of the upper lip 21) extends beyond the hollow 29 by a locking bead 41 (called before first bead; see Figure 3), adjacent to this hollow, and which is itself extended by a terminal projection 43 formed protruding upwardly and outwardly, defining a stop wall, transverse to the direction 57 of inter engagement of panels (Figure 2).

As for the lower face 19b2 of the same groove (that is to say the upper face of the lower lip 23), it advantageously has the form in "Λ" above, with this wall which culminates upwards (the panel being horizontal, with its visible face 7a at the top), along the second bead 31 (Figure 3) and down with another flat wall 45, slightly inclined relative to the plane 5. For an elastic locking "force" (so called "snap-in"), and if the tongue 15 is split at 37, it will then advantageously play on the elasticity of the corresponding branches 39a, 39b which, by coming closer to each other, will elastically crush the free end portion of this tongue during its engagement in the slot 19, in particular the passage of the lower bead 31, the bead 33 of the tongue engaged behind the bead 41 being wedged in the recess 29.

Even if one could invert above-below the panels such as la and Ib, that is to say, put face 7b face and face 7a face, the accompanying illustrations show that here the groove 19 down to the hidden face 7b towards its bottom wall 19c, the tongue 15 having a corresponding orientation.

Under these conditions, so that the elastic deformation of this "snap" occurs at the location of the branches 39a and / or 39b of the tongue, the thinnest thickness eJL of the lower lip 23 (here at the location of the groove bottom wall 19c, ^• figure 4) is greater than each of the thicknesses of the branches 39a and 39b. The engagement and the locking of the tongue in the corresponding groove must not take place with a notable elastic deformation of the lower lip 23. To promote the engagement of the tongues 15 in the grooves 19, it will be noted for example on the FIG. 2 shows that the first hollow 29 is farther away from the bottom 25a of the groove than the second locking bead 31. The constitution that has just been presented of the grooves and tongues makes it possible to limit the depth P of the lower lip 23 which will be at more substantially equal to that of the upper lip 21, so that as shown in Figure 4 (where the common plane is assumed horizontal), the free end of the lower lip stops in the vertical of (see before ) that of the upper lip.

When locking, and once the tab 15 locked in the groove 19 corresponding, we see in Figure 4 that the bead 41 of the upper face of the groove 19 is received in a recess 51 at the base and the upper part of the tongue 15, between the bead 33 and the bearing face 49, in the direction of the depth of the tongue, that is to say along the sectional plane of Figures 2 to 4.

It will be noted that the hollow 51 is larger than the projection of the bead 41, so that there is no contact between the panels 1a, 1b.

On the other hand, it is provided in the invention that in their assembled / locked state of FIG. 4, the two panels 1a, 1b are in contact with each other, preferably exclusively, in three zones: at the location of the upper bead ( called third bead 33) of the tongue which gets stuck in the hollow 29 (FIG. 3), with thus a support between these surfaces, at the location of the two surfaces (preferably flat, and vertical in FIG. 4) 43, 49 which therefore define an upper relative stop which limits the engagement depth of the tongue in the groove,

at the location of the inclined lower face 15b2 of the tongue, near its free end (see branch 39b in FIG. 2) which, near this end and the top of the (second) bead 31, bears against the upper face of the lower lip 23, on the side of the slope of this bead 31 closest to the bottom of the groove as shown in Figure 4.

In FIG. 3, it has been considered that to unlock two panels joined flat as in FIG. 4, they can be forced upwards, to the illustrated inclined relative position, by relative rotation of these panels around the axis. 47 (see arrows, figure 4).

4, it is noted that moving away from the bottom of the groove and the free end of the tongue, the upper face 23a of the lower lip and the lower face of the tongue have between them, beyond the corresponding bends 33,35 (slightly offset), a space 53, so that in this state the two locked panels have between them a slot inclined relative to the plane 5 and which extends vertically 55 to their hidden face 7b. On the side 7a, it will be noted the possible sloping cut 57a, 57b of the panels, above the abutment walls 43,49. Even if a body 11 of MDF or HDF compacted cellulosic fiberboard is preferred, with the tongue (s) and groove (s) incorporated therein, an (all) or substantially solid wood realization is possible. Also, even if it is preferred to cut by a numerically controlled machine the edge (s) of the raw panels to make said tongue (s) and groove (s), thus integrating them to the block 11 which then extends over the entire surface of the panel, it could be expected to bring the tongue (s) and groove (s) on independent blocks attached to the body, in particular glued.

Claims

An assembly comprising at least a first and a second panel (1a, 1b) covering at least one of a wall, a ceiling and a floor, in particular for parquet, each extending in a general plane (5). ) and each having on one edge a groove (19) and on another edge a tongue (15), the groove extending between an upper lip (21) and a lower lip (23), the groove and the tongue being formed in the thickness e of each panel and having in cross-section, according to the depth of the groove, conformations respectively complementary to each other, so that the tongue (15) of the first panel is adapted to being engaged in the groove (19) of the second panel so that, in an assembled state of the panels, the conformations of the tongue engage with the conformations of the groove to oppose a removal of a panel with respect to the other according to their common general plan (5) when they are assembled, the upper lip (21) having a lower face (21a) where is located a first locking bead (41) limiting a first recess (29) situated between it and the bottom (25a) of the groove ( 19), the lower lip (23) having an upper face (23a) where a second locking bead (31) is located, and the tongue (15) having an upper face with a third locking bead (33) adapted for engaging in said first recess (29) and jamming therein, while the tongue of the first panel is engaged in the groove of the second panel, characterized in that the groove (19) from its bottom towards its opening, to the first hollow (29) at the top, and to the second locking bead (31) at the bottom, and the tongue (15) at correspondence, from its free end towards the body (11) of the panel, extend, in cross section, in a direction inclined upward relative to the general plane (5) of the (the) panel (s) concerned (s) ), the upper and lower faces of the groove and / or tongue being convergent, respectively towards the bottom of the groove and / or the free end of the tongue.

2. An assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that: the groove (19) forms a bend at the location of said first recess (29) and the second locking bead (31) where it descends with a flat wall (45) in the direction of the free end of the lower lip (23),

- And the tongue (15) also forms a bend at the location of the third locking bead (33), on the upper face, and a hollow (35), on the lower face, then down again, towards the body ( 11) of the panel.

3. An assembly according to claim 2, characterized in that, the plane (5) of (the) panel (s) concerned (s) being disposed horizontally, the groove (19) between its bottom and its free end, and the tongue (15), in correspondence, respectively form a "Λ" whose two branches are inclined relative to the horizontal.

4. An assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at its free end the tongue (15) has a slot (37) defining in the thickness a fork with two branches (39a, 39b).

5. The assembly of claim 4, characterized in that the smallest thickness of the lower lip (23) is greater than the greater thickness of each of the two branches of the tongue (15), so that the assembly between two adjacent panels is made by 1 snap, via deformation essentially of the branches of the tongue.

6. An assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that in said straight section, the first recess (29) is further from the bottom of the groove than the second locking bead (31).

7. An assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that between the bottom of the groove (15) and its free end, the lower lip (23) defines a projection shorter than, or equal in length to that of, the upper lip (21) so that, the plane of the relevant panel being disposed horizontally, the free end of the lower lip (23) stops before or in the vertical of that of the upper lip (21) .

8. Assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the third bead (33) of the upper face of the tongue (15) has, at its base opposite its free end, a hollow (51) to the inside which engages the first bead of the upper face of the groove (19) of the second panel, in the assembled state of the panels.