US 12,031,337 B2
Floor panel
Laurent Meersseman, Mont de l'Enclus (BE); and Martin Segaert, Leper (BE)
Assigned to UNILIN, BV, Wielsbeke (BE)
Filed by UNILIN BV, Wielsbeke (BE)
Filed on Jan. 18, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/156,003.
Application 14/015,307 is a division of application No. 13/696,769, granted, now 8,549,807, issued on Oct. 8, 2013, previously published as PCT/IB2011/051884, filed on Apr. 28, 2011.
Application 18/156,003 is a continuation of application No. 16/796,217, filed on Feb. 20, 2020.
Application 16/796,217 is a continuation of application No. 15/695,163, filed on Sep. 5, 2017, granted, now 10,597,876, issued on Mar. 24, 2020.
Application 15/695,163 is a continuation of application No. 15/045,389, filed on Feb. 17, 2016, granted, now 9,783,995, issued on Oct. 10, 2017.
Application 15/045,389 is a continuation of application No. 14/015,307, filed on Aug. 30, 2013, granted, now 9,322,184, issued on Apr. 26, 2016.
Claims priority of application No. 2010/0283 (BE), filed on May 10, 2010.
Prior Publication US 2023/0151618 A1, May 18, 2023
Int. Cl. B29C 48/21 (2019.01); B32B 3/06 (2006.01); B32B 3/12 (2006.01); B32B 5/14 (2006.01); B32B 5/18 (2006.01); B32B 7/02 (2019.01); B32B 7/12 (2006.01); B32B 21/02 (2006.01); B32B 27/06 (2006.01); B32B 27/08 (2006.01); B32B 27/20 (2006.01); B32B 27/30 (2006.01); B32B 27/40 (2006.01); B32B 37/06 (2006.01); B32B 37/15 (2006.01); B32B 37/16 (2006.01); B32B 37/22 (2006.01); B44C 1/24 (2006.01); B44C 5/04 (2006.01); E04F 15/02 (2006.01); E04F 15/10 (2006.01); E04F 15/18 (2006.01); B29C 48/17 (2019.01); B29C 48/19 (2019.01); B29C 65/00 (2006.01); B29C 65/56 (2006.01); B29C 65/72 (2006.01); B29C 65/78 (2006.01); B32B 38/00 (2006.01)
CPC E04F 15/02038 (2013.01) [B29C 48/21 (2019.02); B32B 3/06 (2013.01); B32B 3/12 (2013.01); B32B 5/145 (2013.01); B32B 5/18 (2013.01); B32B 7/02 (2013.01); B32B 7/12 (2013.01); B32B 21/02 (2013.01); B32B 27/065 (2013.01); B32B 27/08 (2013.01); B32B 27/20 (2013.01); B32B 27/30 (2013.01); B32B 27/40 (2013.01); B32B 37/06 (2013.01); B32B 37/153 (2013.01); B32B 37/16 (2013.01); B32B 37/226 (2013.01); B44C 1/24 (2013.01); B44C 5/04 (2013.01); E04F 15/02194 (2013.01); E04F 15/10 (2013.01); E04F 15/102 (2013.01); E04F 15/105 (2013.01); E04F 15/107 (2013.01); E04F 15/18 (2013.01); B29C 48/175 (2019.02); B29C 48/19 (2019.02); B29C 65/56 (2013.01); B29C 65/72 (2013.01); B29C 65/7861 (2013.01); B29C 66/45 (2013.01); B29C 2793/0072 (2013.01); B32B 38/145 (2013.01); B32B 2266/0235 (2013.01); B32B 2266/08 (2013.01); B32B 2307/412 (2013.01); B32B 2307/414 (2013.01); B32B 2307/72 (2013.01); B32B 2309/02 (2013.01); B32B 2309/04 (2013.01); B32B 2309/105 (2013.01); B32B 2309/12 (2013.01); B32B 2310/0825 (2013.01); B32B 2327/06 (2013.01); B32B 2419/04 (2013.01); B32B 2451/00 (2013.01); B32B 2471/00 (2013.01); E04F 2201/0107 (2013.01); E04F 2201/023 (2013.01); Y10T 156/10 (2015.01); Y10T 156/1039 (2015.01); Y10T 156/1084 (2015.01)] 15 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A floor, wall, or ceiling panel, said panel being rectangular and oblong, having at least a pair of longitudinal opposite edges and a pair of short opposite edges;
said panel comprising an extruded synthetic material substrate and a top layer located on top of said synthetic material substrate;
wherein said top layer includes at least a printed polyvinyl chloride film and a transparent or translucent wear layer; said synthetic material substrate having a density of more than 450 kilograms per cubic meter and comprising polyvinyl chloride and fillers;
wherein said synthetic material substrate is free from a foamed synthetic material;
wherein said printed polyvinyl chloride film is heat welded to a flat side of said synthetic material substrate in absence of intermediate glue layers, said flat side of said synthetic material substrate having a density which is at least 10% higher than 900 kilograms per cubic meter;
wherein said transparent or translucent wear layer being a vinyl layer having a thickness of 0.2 mm to 1 mm;
wherein said thickness of said transparent or translucent layer forms at least 25% of the thickness of said top layer;
wherein both the longitudinal pair and the short pair of edges of said panel comprises mechanical coupling means allowing to couple two of said panel by means of at least a turning movement along the respective edges, wherein said two of said panels, in a coupled condition, become locked to each other at the respective pair of edges in a first direction perpendicular to the respective pair of opposite edges and in the plane of the coupled panels and in a second direction perpendicular to the plane of said two of said panels; said mechanical coupling means being performed as a tongue and a groove;
wherein said groove is flanked by an upper lip and a lower lip extending in said first direction beyond said upper lip;
wherein in said coupled condition at least a first pair of vertically active locking surfaces is formed; said first pair of vertically active locking surfaces being formed between the upper surface of the tongue and the lower side of the upper lip;
wherein in said coupled condition at least a first pair of horizontally active locking surfaces is formed; said first pair of horizontally active locking surfaces being formed between an upstanding part on the lower lip and a recess on the lower side of the tongue;
wherein said first pair of horizontally active locking surfaces is oriented at an angle with a plane parallel to the top surface of said panel; said angle being more than 30 degrees;
wherein, in said coupled condition, at least a second pair of horizontally active locking surfaces is formed at least adjacent to the respective top layers of coupled panels, said second pair of horizontally active locking surfaces being substantially vertical;
wherein said coupled panels form a chamber by opposing portions of the synthetic material substrate underneath said second pair of horizontally active locking surfaces and above said first pair of vertically active locking surfaces;
wherein the circumference of said mechanical coupling means is provided for at least 70 percent in said synthetic material substrate;
wherein said first pair of vertically active locking surfaces and said first pair of horizontally active locking surfaces is formed in said synthetic material substrate.