WO2006091100A2

WO2006091100A2 - Floor system

Info

Publication number: WO2006091100A2
Application number: PCT/NL2006/050033
Authority: WO
Inventors: Wilhelmus Jan Reinier Karel Snel
Original assignee: Unda Maris B.V.; Beukers Vloeren B.V.; Altracom Beheer B.V.
Priority date: 2005-02-24
Filing date: 2006-02-22
Publication date: 2006-08-31
Also published as: NL1028388C2; WO2006091100A3

Abstract

A floor system comprising several interconnectable flat floor panels at least substantially made of plate material, a special feature being the fact that each floor panel comprises interconnected layers of plate material, wherein each layer is at least substantially made up of a corrugated sublayer and a flat sublayer affixed to one side thereof, wherein the floor system comprises a heating system for carrying a hot or a cold medium through cavities formed between a corrugated sublayer and a flat sublayer of a layer of plate material , and wherein said heating system comprises a closed system for the medium.

Description

FLOOR SXSXEM

The invention relates to a floor system comprising several interconnectable flat floor panels at least substantially made of plate material.

Such a floor system is generally known. The known floor system comprises wooden floor panels, which jointly form a parquet floor.

A drawback of the floor system that is known from the prior art is that solid floor panels are used therein so as to obtain some degree of constructional stiffness. As a result, the floor panels are relatively heavy.

The object of the invention is to improve the known floor system, in the sense that a floor panel that is at least light in weight is provided, which panel nevertheless exhibits an optimum constructional stiffness, so that it can be used in a parquet floor.

In order to accomplish that object, a floor system according to the invention of the kind referred to in the introduction is characterised in that each floor panel comprises interconnected layers of plate material, wherein each layer is at least substantially made up of a corrugated sublayer and a flat sublayer affixed to one side thereof, wherein the floor system comprises a heating system for carrying a hot or a cold medium through cavities formed between a corrugated sublayer and a flat sublayer of a layer of plate material, and wherein said heating system comprises a closed system for the medium. In other words, the use of layers of plate material, each consisting of a corrugated sublayer and a flat sublayer, surprisingly leads to a construction which is very strong and at the same time light in weight, in which a hot or a cold medium, in particular hot or cold air, is blown through the cavities of the floor panels. An integrated floor heating and/or floor cooling system is thus provided, without this having an adverse effect on the weight or the stiffness of the panels. Preferably, the cavities of adjacent floor panels are aligned so as to form elongate passages for the hot or the cold air. Thus, the hot or the cold air can flow through the floor panels without impediment. In particular, the cavities form longitudinal channels provided with a closed wall for transporting the hot or the cold air in longitudinal direction therein.

In a preferred embodiment of a floor system according to the invention, each floor panel is at least substantially made of cellulose, wherein the floor panel comprises layers of paper/cardboard, wherein each layer is at least substantially made up of a corrugated sublayer and a flat sublayer affixed to one side thereof, wherein the paper/cardboard layers are interconnected by means of an adhesive applied to the corrugations of the corrugated sublayers, wherein the layers of paper/cardboard are impregnated, in particular with a resinous material, and wherein at least one strengthening layer is provided, which strengthening layer is stiffer (i.e. less deformable) than the paper / cardboard layers, wherein said strengthening layer is connected to a paper/cardboard layer by means of an adhesive on one side of the floor panel . In other words, the whole of several bonded-together layers of paper of / cardboard is connected on at least one flat (outer) side thereof to the stiffer a (i.e. less deformable ) strengthening layer. Tests have shown that the present construction leads to an unexpectedly great constructional stiffness, so that the floor panel can be subjected to heavier loads without its shape stability being affected. It will be understood that the present floor panel is very light in weight . Surprisingly, a parquet floor comprising an integrated floor heating and/or floor cooling system is provided, in which the component floor panels of cellulose exhibit such a large degree of stiffness that the hot or the cold medium, preferably air, will not cause the floor panels to "warp", for example. The invention provides an energy- saving and effective system for heating or cooling the floor that is built up of the floor panel.

In another preferred embodiment of a floor system according to the invention, the floor panel comprises two strengthening, layers, which are connected to a layer of paper/cardboard by means of an adhesive on either side of the floor panel. In this way a sandwich construction is obtained in which the holder of several bonded-together layers of paper/cardboard is connected on both flat outer sides thereof to a stiffer (i.e. less deformable) strengthening layer. This leads to an even greater constructional stiffness and a corresponding shape stability.

It is noted that the advantage of impregnating the layers with, for example, a resinous material is not only that a greater constructional stiffness is obtained but also that protection against the external influences, such as moisture, is provided. As a result of the additional rigidity, fewer layers of corrugated paper/cardboard are in principle required for realising the required stiffness of the flat wall panel. Said impregnation preferably takes place by vapour deposition, spraying or otherwise, with the direction of said vapour deposition or said spraying extending parallel to the direction of the "cell structure" of the corrugated paper/cardboard that is used. Impregnation can also be carried out by mechanical means, with toothed and/or flat panels being used for forcing the impregnating agent into the paper/cardboard. The resinous material is preferably an epoxy resin, a polyurethane resin, a polyester resin or a phenol resin.

In another preferred embodiment of a floor system according to the invention, the strengthening layer is made of wood, preferably multiply wood, in particular three-ply wood.

In another preferred embodiment of a floor system according to the invention, the floor panel comprises an even number of layers of paper/cardboard. In combination with the strengthening layer, this leads to a plate-shaped material that is hardly deformable, if at all. Preferably, the floor panel is mirror-symmetrical relative to a central longitudinal plane of the floor panel so as to enhance the shape stability thereof, so that "warping" is prevented at all times.

In another preferred embodiment of a floor system according to the invention, the floor panels are formed with a profile along a first part of the circumferential edge and with at least one outwardly extending lip along a second part of the circumferential edge, wherein, in the interconnected condition of adjacent floor panels, a lip of one floor panel is inserted in a corresponding profile of the other floor panel. Preferably, the profile is at least substantially made up of an internal, partially circumferential channel, preferably of U-shaped cross-section. In another preferred embodiment of a floor system according to the invention, the floor panels each comprise a core of paper/cardboard layers and strengthening layers provided on either side of said core, which core and which strengthening layers are staggered relative to each other. Preferably, the corner is staggered relative to the outermost (positioned directly above each other) strengthening layers. As a result, parts of the core that project with respect to the outer strengthening layers function as the aforesaid outwardly extending lip, whilst parts of the core that extend inwards with respect to the strengthening layers form the aforesaid, partially circumferential channel of said ϋ-shaped cross- section together with the outermost strengthening layers.

The invention will now be explained in more detail with reference to figures of a drawing that shows a preferred variant of the invention, in which:

Figure 1 shows the present floor panel in schematic, perspective view, both in connected condition to another, corresponding floor panel (A) and in a detached condition (B);

Figure 2 shows two side views of the floor panel along the line II in figure 1;

Figure 3 shows the floor panel of figure 1 in exploded view;

- Figure 4 shows the present floor system used as a parquet floor; and Figure 5 shows the present floor panel in detached condition.

Figures 1-3 show a flat floor panel 1 according to the invention configured as a "sandwich", in that sense that a core 2 built up of several layers of corrugated cardboard is connected on either side thereof to a stiffer strengthening layer 3a of wood.

In this case two layers of corrugated cardboard are provided, which are reached built up of a corrugated sublayer 4 and a flat sublayer 5 that is glued to one side thereof by means of a glue applied to the corrugations 6 of the corrugated sublayer 4. The core 2 is impregnated with a resinous material, for example an epoxy resin, a polyurethane resin, a polyester resin or a phenol resin. As already said before, the strengthening layers are glued to the core 2 on either side thereof.

The floor panel 1 is mirror-symmetrical relative to a central longitudinal plane 7 of the wall panel 1 that is made up of a flat sublayer 5.

As is shown in figures 1-3 and figure 5, a stiffer (additional) wooden layer 3b is provided on either side of the whole consisting of core 2 and strengthening layers 3b. The wooden layers 3b are staggered relative to the aforesaid whole. As a result, an internal, partially circumferential channel of U-shaped cross-section is formed along a first part of the circumferential edge of the floor panel 1, whilst a projecting lip is formed along a second part of the circumferential edge of the floor panel 1. In interconnected condition (figure 1) , the lip of one floor panel 1 is inserted in the channel of the other floor panel. It is noted that in a simpler embodiment the strengthening layers 3a may be left out, so that only the (staggered) strengthening layers 3b remain on either side of the core 2. In a preferred variant, the impregnating medium, in particular the resinous material, also functions as an adhesive, so that a separate glue need not be provided.

Figure 4 shows a room 8 provided with a parquet floor according to the invention, which floor is built up of several floor panels Ia, Ib, Ic, Id, ... arranged in side-by- side relationship. Hot or cold air is carried from a convector unit 9 to a hollow plinth 12 via an air duct 11 provided along a wall 10 of the room 8. From said plinth 12, the hot or cold air can be pumped through internal cavities 13 in the floor panels Ia, Ib, Ic, id, ... . Said cavities 13 are formed between each corrugated sublayer 4 and each flat sublayer 5 glued to one side thereof (see figures 2 and 3). The cavities 13 thus form longitudinal channels provided with a closed wall, as it were, for transporting the hot or the cold air in longitudinal direction therein. Once the hot or the cold air has flown through the floor panels Ia, Ib, Ic, Id, ... , the hot or the cold layer is carried from a hollow plinth 14 to the convector unit 9 again via an air duct 15. A closed circulation system of hot or cold air is realised in this manner. The present floor system is thus configured with a floor heating and/or cooling system.

Figure 5 shows another separate floor panel 1 according to the invention, in which parts that correspond to parts from preceding figures are indicated by the same numerals . It is noted that the invention is not limited to the embodiment that is shown in the figures, but that it also extends to other variants that fall within the scope of the appended claims. Thus it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the wall panel may exhibit a (slight) curvature, whilst the wall panel may also comprise a curved longitudinal edge.

Claims

CZAIMS

1. R floor system comprising several interconnectable flat floor panels at least substantially made of plate material, characterised in that each floor panel comprises interconnected layers of plate material, wherein each layer is at least substantially made up of a corrugated sublayer and a flat sublayer affixed to one side thereof, wherein the floor system comprises a heating system for carrying a hot or a cold medium through cavities formed between a corrugated sublayer and a flat sublayer of a layer of plate material, and wherein said heating system comprises a closed system for the medium.

2. A floor system according to claim 1, wherein said cavities form longitudinal channels provided with a closed wall for transporting, the hot or the cold medium.

3. A floor system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein each floor panel is at least substantially made of cellulose, wherein the floor panel comprises layers of paper/cardboard, wherein each layer is at least substantially made up of a corrugated sublayer and a flat sublayer affixed to one side thereof, wherein the paper/cardboard layers are interconnected by means of an adhesive applied to the corrugations of the corrugated sublayers, wherein the layers of paper/cardboard are impregnated, in particular with a resinous material, and wherein at least one strengthening layer is provided, which strengthening layer is stiffer (i.e. less deformable) than the paper / cardboard layers, wherein said strengthening layer is connected to a paper/caafdboard layer by means of an adhesive on one side of the floor panel.

4. A floor system according to claim 3, wherein the floor panel comprises two strengthening layers, which are connected to a layer of paper/cardboard by means of an adhesive on either side of the floor panel .

5. A floor system according to claim 3 or 4, wherein the strengthening layer (s} is (are) made of wood.

6. A floor system according to claim 5, wherein the strengthening layer (s) is (are) made of multiply wood, preferably three-ply wood.

7. A floor system according to any one of the preceding claims 3-6, wherein the floor panel comprises an even number of layers of paper/cardboard.

8. A floor system according to claim 7, wherein the floor panel is mirror-symmetrical relative to a central longitudinal plane of the floor panel.

9. A floor system according to any one of the preceding claims 1-8, wherein the floor panels are formed with a profile along a first part of the circumferential edge and with at least one outwardly extending lip along a second part of the circumferential edge, wherein, in the interconnected condition of adjacent floor panels, a lip of one floor panel is inserted in a corresponding profile of the other floor panel.

10. A floor system according to claim 9, wherein the profile is at least substantially made up of an internal, partially circumferential channel, preferably of U-shaped cross-section.

11. A floor system according to claim 9 or 10, wherein the floor panels each comprise a core of paper/cardboard layers and strengthening layers provided on either side of said core, which core and which strengthening layers are staggered relative to each other .