EP1277896A1 - Floorboards - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to floorboards, e.g. for parquestry. Thefloorboards are intended to be joined with each other, wherein a firstboard (A) has a protrusion fitting into a recess in a second board (B).The protrusion on the first board comprises hooks (1) with intermediateslots (2). The recess (11) in the second board (B) is delimited on thetop side by a solid edge (3), and on the bottom side by an edge havingheads dimensioned to be inserted through the slots (2) of the firstboard (A). By providing slots in the protrusion corresponding to thetenon, and corresponding slots in the lower limiting edge of the groove,the boards can be joined in a substantially vertical movement and thenbe locked by a horizontal movement in the longitudinal direction of theboards.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
• The present invention relates to a joining system for floorboards, panels andsheaves, but foremost for parquetry. The invention will replace the traditionalgroove and tenon technique. By providing slots in the protrusion corresponding tothe tenon, and corresponding slots in the lower limiting edge of the groove, theboards can be joined in a substantially vertical movement and then be locked by ahorizontal movement in the longitudinal direction of the boards. At the same time,the protrusion is shaped like hooks engaging the groove. Through this, the joiningwill be very simple to perform, whilst at the same time providing a strong joint.
STATE OF THE ART
• The traditional groove and tenon technique for floorboards has been known inthe art for a long time. Furthermore, there are a number of alternative technicalsolutions available with various shapes of protrusions and recesses. Through givingthe protrusions various hook-like shapes, a firmer locking has been achieved thanwith the groove and tenon. During assembly, the boards are angled in relation toeach other, joined and pivoted to achieve a planar floor surface and a simultaneouslocking. Examples of this technique are e.g. shown in WO 94/26999, US Patent No5,797,237 and US Patent No 6,006,486. It is also known to complete the lockingwith separate auxiliary locking elements. This is illustrated e.g. in SE B 512 290.
• However, it is not always easy to join the boards, as the entire length of aprotrusion on a board has to be fitted into the recess of an existing, already laid-downboard, before the new board can be pivoted and locked into its final position.This is especially difficult if the board is warped and not entirely straight, and toolong for one person to control both ends simultaneously.
• The present inventor has realised that the joining will be simpler if the necessaryangle between the boards is reduced and the boards can be joined with an almostvertical movement. This is achieved by providing milled slots in the protrusionsand in the lower edge of the recesses, allowing the board to be joined to beinserted into the already laid-down board more or less from above. The new boardcan then be displaced longitudinally to obtain the final locking thereof.
• The invention allows for simple floor-laying that can easily be performed byone person. At the same time, the board manufacturing process is not made notablymore complicated.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
• The invention thus relates to a joining system for floorboards, comprisingboards intended to be joined together. The first board has a protrusion fitting into arecess in the second board.
• According to the invention, the protrusion on the first board exhibits hookswith intermediate slots, and the recess of the second board is delimited in theupwards direction by a solid edge, and in the downwards direction by an edge withheads, sized so as to enable insertion through the slots in the first board.
• Preferably, the lower edge of the recess has shoulders between the heads.
• The invention also relates to a corresponding board for such a joining system.
• The invention is defined in the appendedclaims 1 and 7, whereas preferredembodiments are described in the dependent claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
• The invention will be described in further detail below, with reference to theenclosed drawings, of which:

Fig. 1

is a partial cross section view of two boards, taken from the short sidethereof, not joined together, according to the present invention.

Fig. 2

is a view similar to Fig. 1, with the boards joined.

Fig. 3

is a perspective view, illustrating the recess on the long side of a board.

Fig. 4

is a perspective view from the other side, showing the hooks on the otherlong side of a board.

Fig. 5

is a view corresponding to Fig. 3, with joined boards.

Fig. 6

is a view corresponding to Fig. 4, with joined boards.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION
• The invention will be illustrated by means of an embodiment where thefloorboards are made of wood. It should be understood that other materials, such aslaminates, plastic, etc. could be used just as well.
• In Figs 1 and 2, two boards A and B are shown in a cross sectional view fromtheir short sides. The boards have anupper wear layer 8 of hardwood and a carrierlayer of simpler wood, as is conventional. It should be understood that the boards Aand B are identical, but Figs 1 and 2 show only the joint between a right hand longside of board A and a left hand long side of board B.
• See also Figs 3, 4, 5 and 6, showing perspective views of the boards. Insteadof a traditional tenon, board A exhibits hooks 1 with intermediate milled slots orcuts 2. Board B has arecess 11, corresponding to a traditional groove. The recess isdelimited on the top side by asolid edge 3, and on the bottom side by a non-solidedge comprising heads 4 with intermediate milled slots. Preferably, these slots do not extend to the full depth of therecess 11 but there is ashoulder 7 remaining. Thefunction of theshoulder 7 will be described below.
• The joining is performed as follows:
• Board A is laid in place and is to be joined with the next board B.
• Board B is fitted from above in such a way that theheads 4 will pass throughtheslots 2 of board A. Through angling board B somewhat, and holding it at an appropriatedistance from board A, theshoulders 7 will be allowed to pass the hooks.
• Eventually, thesolid edge 3 of board B will abut thetop side 5 of thehooks 1,and theshoulders 7 can be pushed under thehooks 1 through pivoting and pushingthe two boards together.
• Subsequently, board B can be displaced longitudinally, into its correct positionin relation to the walls and the other floorboards. Theheads 4 will thereby alsobe displaced to a location below thehooks 1, to form a strong joint. The joint maybe further reinforced by glue, applied e.g. to thetop side 5 of the hooks beforemounting board B. Theshoulders 7 may for example be about 2 mm long. It is alsoconceivable to mill away theshoulders 7 completely, down to the bottom of therecess. Board B can then be laid down entirely vertically, but at the same time, thejoint will be weakened, as theentire head 4 generally will not happen to be locatedbelow ahook 1.
• Thetop side 5 of thehook 1 is preferably angled, as is thematching underside6 of therecess 11. A suitable angle is about 45°. The hooks may also have other profiledshapes than the configuration shown with straight edges and a flat exterior endsurface, e.g. convexely or concavely rounded shapes or other curved and hook-shapedconfigurations (not shown). Naturally, the recess will have a complementaryshape. The main point is that the configuration should result in that the boards A andB cannot be pulled away from each other sideways after having been joined.
• After the joining, a small clearance will remain between the boards A and Bin the carrier layer 9, as may be seen from Fig. 2. Thewear layer 8 should preferablynot have any remaining gap between the boards. If the boards, after the joining,should become warped, or if the underlying floor is uneven, the boards can pivot inrelation to one another about a point located at the top side of the hooks and theunderside 6 of therecess 11. It is advantageous for this point to be located as high aspossible, thus avoiding the creation of any gap in the wear layer if the angle betweenthe boards is changed.
• In the illustrated embodiment, the widths of thehooks 1 and theintermediateslots 2 are the same. This may be varied as long as theheads 4 have a width correspondingto theslots 2. The heads 4 (and the hooks 1) should be about 8 mm wideand the slots 2 (and the shoulders 7) should be about 10 mm wide. As the tenon at the short side is 6 mm, the displacement will be at least 6 mm. If the heads are madewider, e.g. 20 mm, the total surface locking the boards will be reduced.
• The short sides of the boards may be provided with conventional groove-and-tenonjoints. This is illustrated in Figs. 3, 4, 5 and 6 by agroove 10. Thecorresponding tenon is located at the other short end and thus is not visible.
• The illustrated embodiment may be varied e.g. through modification of thethickness of the wear and carrier layers, the angles and configuration of the hook,the width and the length of the boards, etc., all of which should be obvious to a personskilled in the art. The scope of the invention will only be limited by theappended claims.

Claims (12)

1. A joining system for floor boards, comprising boards intended to be joinedwith each other, wherein a first board (A) has a protrusion fitting into a recess in asecond board (B),characterised by said protrusion on the first board comprisinghooks (1) with intermediate slots (2); and by said recess (11) in the second board (B)being delimited on the top side by a solid edge (3), and on the bottom side by anedge having heads (4) dimensioned to be inserted through the slots (2) of the firstboard (A).
2. The joining system according to claim 1,characterised by the hooks (1)exhibiting profiled top sides (5) and by the solid edge having a correspondingly profiledunderside (6).
3. A joining system according to claims 1 or 2,characterised by the bottomedge of said recess (11) exhibiting shoulders between the heads (4).
4. A joining system according to claims 1, 2 or 3,characterised by the hooks(1), the slots (2) and the heads (4) having the same size in the longitudinal directionof the boards.
5. The joining system according to claim 4,characterised by the heads (4)being slightly narrower than the slots (2).
6. A joining system according to any one of claims 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5,characterisedby the short sides of the boards being provided with grooves and tenons fitting intoeach other.
7. A board for a joining system, having a protrusion on a first long side of theboard and a recess on a second long side of the board, said protrusion fitting intosaid recess,characterised by said protrusion on said first long side comprisinghooks (1) with intermediate slots (2); and by said recess (11) in said second longside being delimited on the top side by a solid edge (3), and on the bottom side by anedge having heads (4) dimensioned to be inserted through the slots (2), thus allowingidentical such boards to be joined with each other.
8. The board according to claim 7,characterised by the hooks (1) exhibitingprofiled top sides (5) and by the solid edge having a correspondingly profiled underside(6).
9. A board according to claims 7 or 8,characterised by the bottom edge of saidrecess (11) exhibiting shoulders between the heads (4).
10. A board according to claims 7, 8 or 9,characterised by the hooks (1), theslots (2) and the heads (4) having the same size in the longitudinal direction of theboards.
11. The board according to claim 10,characterised by the heads (4) beingslightly narrower than the slots (2).
12. A board according to any one of claims 7, 8, 9, 10 or 11,characterised bythe short sides of the boards being provided with grooves and tenons, allowing identicalsuch boards to be joined with each other.

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