US 11,987,988 B2
Floor element for forming a floor covering and a floor covering
Rahul Patki, Richardson, TX (US); Laurent Meersseman, Kortrijk (BE); Claudio Beneventi, Sassuolo (IT); and Claudio Caselli, Dallas, TX (US)
Assigned to Unilin BV, Wielsbeke (BE)
Filed by Unilin BV, Wielsbeke (BE)
Filed on Apr. 27, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/660,866.
Application 17/660,866 is a continuation of application No. 16/612,574, granted, now 11,346,113, previously published as PCT/IB2018/053331, filed on May 14, 2018.
Claims priority of application No. 17000832 (EP), filed on May 15, 2017.
Prior Publication US 2022/0251851 A1, Aug. 11, 2022
Int. Cl. E04F 13/08 (2006.01); B32B 3/06 (2006.01); B32B 9/00 (2006.01); E04F 13/14 (2006.01); E04F 15/02 (2006.01); E04F 15/08 (2006.01); B32B 13/06 (2006.01); B32B 13/12 (2006.01); B32B 13/14 (2006.01); B32B 15/18 (2006.01); B32B 17/02 (2006.01); B32B 17/06 (2006.01); B32B 27/30 (2006.01)
CPC E04F 13/0866 (2013.01) [E04F 13/14 (2013.01); E04F 15/02005 (2013.01); E04F 15/082 (2013.01); B32B 3/06 (2013.01); B32B 9/002 (2013.01); B32B 9/005 (2013.01); B32B 13/06 (2013.01); B32B 13/12 (2013.01); B32B 13/14 (2013.01); B32B 15/18 (2013.01); B32B 17/02 (2013.01); B32B 17/067 (2013.01); B32B 27/304 (2013.01); B32B 2250/05 (2013.01); B32B 2262/0269 (2013.01); B32B 2262/101 (2013.01); B32B 2262/105 (2013.01); B32B 2262/106 (2013.01); B32B 2307/558 (2013.01); B32B 2307/7265 (2013.01); B32B 2471/00 (2013.01); E04F 2201/0146 (2013.01); E04F 2201/02 (2013.01)] 12 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A floor element for forming a floor covering, wherein the floor element comprises:
a decorative layer comprising a ceramic material, the decorative layer having an impact strength of above 1.91 Nm and a thickness between 7 and 15 mm;
a support layer arranged below the decorative layer, the support layer comprising fiber cement; and
a reinforcing layer arranged in between the decorative layer and the support layer, the reinforcing layer comprising a metal plate and having a coefficient of thermal expansion higher than the coefficient of thermal expansion of the decorative layer,
wherein the support layer comprises edges provided with coupling elements configured for a mechanical coupling with coupling elements of an adjacent floor element, and
wherein the floor element has a thickness of 15 mm or less.