Patents by Inventor Bernard Thiers
Bernard Thiers has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Patent number: 10233655Abstract: A floor panel may include a substrate and a top layer located above the substrate. The substrate may include a closed cell foamed synthetic material layer with fillers, and have an average density of more than 300 kilograms per cubic meter. The top layer may include a back layer, a printed synthetic material film above the back layer, and a transparent or translucent synthetic material wear layer above the printed synthetic material film. The back layer may include a vinyl compound with fillers, and have a thickness of at least 45 percent of the thickness of the top layer. The floor panel may include first mechanical coupling parts at the pair of long edges and second mechanical coupling parts at the pair of short edges. The first mechanical coupling parts may allow horizontal and vertical locking of two of such floor panels using a turning movement along the respective long edges.Type: GrantFiled: October 12, 2018Date of Patent: March 19, 2019Assignee: FLOORING INDUSTRIES LIMITED, SARLInventors: Laurent Meersseman, Martin Segaert, Bernard Thiers, Benjamin Clement, Christophe Maesen
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Publication number: 20190071879Abstract: Hard panels formed from a wood-based material and having a decorative layer for floor coverings are provided, at least on two opposite edges, with coupling devices made in one piece with the panels wherein similar panels may be coupled together to form a floor covering, wherein these coupling devices provide for an interlocking in a direction perpendicular to the plane of coupled panels, as well as in a direction perpendicular to the edges concerned and parallel to the plane of coupled panels. These coupling devices are constituted of a tongue and a groove. The top side of the tongue has a protrusion that cooperates with a meshing recess located in the lower side of the upper lip of the groove of the coupling devices, and a portion extending generally parallel with the plane of the panel to form a contact surface cooperating with the lower side of the upper lip of the groove.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 8, 2018Publication date: March 7, 2019Inventors: Bernard THIERS, Mark CAPPELLE
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Publication number: 20190063078Abstract: A floor panel may include a substrate and a top layer located above the substrate. The substrate may include a closed cell foamed synthetic material layer with fillers, and have an average density of more than 300 kilograms per cubic meter. The top layer may include a back layer, a printed synthetic material film above the back layer, and a transparent or translucent synthetic material wear layer above the printed synthetic material film. The back layer may include a vinyl compound with fillers, and have a thickness of at least 45 percent of the thickness of the top layer. The floor panel may include first mechanical coupling parts at the pair of long edges and second mechanical coupling parts at the pair of short edges. The first mechanical coupling parts may allow horizontal and vertical locking of two of such floor panels using a turning movement along the respective long edges.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 30, 2018Publication date: February 28, 2019Inventors: Laurent MEERSSEMAN, Martin SEGAERT, Bernard THIERS, Benjamin CLEMENT, Christophe MAESEN
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Publication number: 20190063079Abstract: A floor panel may include a substrate and a top layer. The top layer may include a printed thermoplastic film and a thermoplastic transparent or translucent layer provided on the printed thermoplastic film. The substrate may be a synthetic material board including a filler. The substrate may include coupling means provided at edges of the synthetic material board. The coupling means may enable locking with a similar floor panel and prevent separation in a horizontal direction using locking parts with horizontally active locking surfaces. The horizontally active locking surfaces may be oriented at an angle A of more than 90 degrees with the horizontal direction. A first one of the locking parts may be an upstanding part at a bottom lip of a first one of the edges. The angle A may be between (a) a tangent of the horizontally active locking surfaces, and (b) a direction in a horizontal plane that points away from an open curved surface of the upstanding part.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 30, 2018Publication date: February 28, 2019Applicant: FLOORING INDUSTRIES LIMITED, SARLInventors: Laurent MEERSSEMAN, Martin SEGAERT, Bernard THIERS, Benjamin CLEMENT, Christophe MAESEN
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Publication number: 20190047172Abstract: A method for manufacturing a board as well as a profiled element for manufacturing the board. The method including the steps of providing a material mass including an organic material and a binding agent for binding the organic material together, pressing the material mass so as to form the board, and removing material from the material mass in one or more material zones before pressing so as to obtain after pressing a lower density in those zones compared to the remainder of the board.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 19, 2018Publication date: February 14, 2019Applicant: FLOORING INDUSTRIES LIMITED, SARLInventors: Bernard THIERS, Lode DE BOE, Peter HOCHEPIED
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Publication number: 20190040634Abstract: A floor panel may include a substrate and a top layer located above the substrate. The substrate may include a closed cell foamed synthetic material layer with fillers, and have an average density of more than 300 kilograms per cubic meter. The top layer may include a back layer, a printed synthetic material film above the back layer, and a transparent or translucent synthetic material wear layer above the printed synthetic material film. The back layer may include a vinyl compound with fillers, and have a thickness of at least 45 percent of the thickness of the top layer. The floor panel may include first mechanical coupling parts at the pair of long edges and second mechanical coupling parts at the pair of short edges. The first mechanical coupling parts may allow horizontal and vertical locking of two of such floor panels using a turning movement along the respective long edges.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 12, 2018Publication date: February 7, 2019Inventors: Laurent MEERSSEMAN, Martin SEGAERT, Bernard THIERS, Benjamin CLEMENT, Christophe MAESEN
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Patent number: 10125498Abstract: Hard panels formed from a wood-based material and having a decorative layer for floor coverings are provided, at least on two opposite edges, with coupling devices made in one piece with the panels wherein similar panels may be coupled together to form a floor covering, wherein these coupling devices provide for an interlocking in a direction perpendicular to the plane of coupled panels, as well as in a direction perpendicular to the edges concerned and parallel to the plane of coupled panels. These coupling devices are constituted of a tongue and a groove. The top side of the tongue has a protrusion that cooperates with a meshing recess located in the lower side of the upper lip of the groove of the coupling devices, and a portion extending generally parallel with the plane of the panel to form a contact surface cooperating with the lower side of the upper lip of the groove.Type: GrantFiled: December 18, 2017Date of Patent: November 13, 2018Assignee: FLOORING INDUSTRIES LIMITED, SARLInventors: Bernard Thiers, Mark Cappelle
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Patent number: 10118311Abstract: Board, wherein this board substantially consists of a material mass which is pressed and which comprises at least two components, namely a first component consisting of organic material, and a second component functioning as a binding agent for said first component, with the characteristic that said material mass is composed differently in the plane of the board. The invention also relates to methods by which such board can be manufactured, as well as to panels comprising such board material.Type: GrantFiled: October 16, 2008Date of Patent: November 6, 2018Assignee: FLOORING INDUSTRIES LIMITED, SARLInventors: Bernard Thiers, Lode De Boe, Peter Hochepied
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Patent number: 10100533Abstract: A floor panel may include a substrate and a top layer located above the substrate. The substrate may include a closed cell foamed synthetic material layer with fillers. The closed cell foamed synthetic material layer may have an average density of more than 300 kilograms per cubic meter. The top layer may include a back layer, a printed synthetic material film located above the back layer, and a transparent or translucent synthetic material wear layer located above the printed synthetic material film. The back layer may include a vinyl compound with fillers. The back layer may have a thickness of at least 45 percent of the thickness of the top layer. The floor panel may be rectangular and oblong and may include a pair of long edges and a pair of short edges. The floor panel may include first mechanical coupling parts at the pair of long edges and second mechanical coupling parts at the pair of short edges.Type: GrantFiled: April 27, 2018Date of Patent: October 16, 2018Assignee: Flooring Industries Limited, SARLInventors: Laurent Meersseman, Martin Segaert, Bernard Thiers, Benjamin Clement, Christophe Maesen
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Patent number: 10094123Abstract: A floor panel may include a substrate and a top layer. The substrate may include a closed cell foamed PVC layer. The top layer may include a back layer, a printed synthetic material film, a transparent or translucent synthetic material wear layer, and a surface layer. The printed synthetic material film may be a printed PVC film. The transparent or translucent synthetic material wear layer may include a vinyl layer, and have a thickness of 1 millimeter or less. The surface layer may include a UV hardened substance. The floor panel may include a pair of long edges with first mechanical coupling parts and a pair of short edges with second mechanical coupling parts. The first mechanical coupling parts may have vertically active locking surfaces, and horizontally active locking surfaces formed in the material of the closed cell foamed PVC layer.Type: GrantFiled: April 27, 2018Date of Patent: October 9, 2018Assignee: Flooring Industries Limited, SARLInventors: Laurent Meersseman, Martin Segaert, Bernard Thiers, Benjamin Clement, Christophe Maesen
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Publication number: 20180266122Abstract: A floor panel has a rectangular shape and an upper surface. The floor panel includes a substrate and a top layer provided on the substrate. The top layer is made on the basis of synthetic material extending over a substantial part of the upper surface. The top layer includes a printed decor extending over a substantial part of the upper surface. The substrate has at least two opposite edges, with the edges being provided with coupling parts. The upper surface, at one or more edges, shows a sloping edge portion sloping down to the respective edge. The sloping edge portion, viewed according to a cross-section transverse to the respective edge, has a shape and/or angle varying in function of the longitudinal direction of the respective edge.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 16, 2018Publication date: September 20, 2018Inventors: Laurent MEERSSEMAN, Christian VANDEVOORDE, Bernard THIERS
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Publication number: 20180258650Abstract: A panel may include a substrate and a top layer provided on the substrate. The top layer may include a printed motif provided on a paper sheet and a transparent or translucent synthetic material layer. The paper sheet may be impregnated with polyurethane or polyisocyanate. The synthetic material of the transparent or translucent synthetic material layer may be polyurethane.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 16, 2018Publication date: September 13, 2018Applicant: FLOORING INDUSTRIES LIMITED, SARLInventors: Laurent MEERSSEMAN, Martin SEGAERT, Bernard THIERS, Benjamin CLEMENT, Christophe MAESEN
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Publication number: 20180245353Abstract: A floor panel may include a substrate and a top layer located above the substrate. The substrate may include a closed cell foamed synthetic material layer with fillers. The closed cell foamed synthetic material layer may have an average density of more than 300 kilograms per cubic meter. The top layer may include a back layer, a printed synthetic material film located above the back layer, and a transparent or translucent synthetic material wear layer located above the printed synthetic material film. The back layer may include a vinyl compound with fillers. The back layer may have a thickness of at least 45 percent of the thickness of the top layer. The floor panel may be rectangular and oblong and may include a pair of long edges and a pair of short edges. The floor panel may include first mechanical coupling parts at the pair of long edges and second mechanical coupling parts at the pair of short edges.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 27, 2018Publication date: August 30, 2018Applicant: FLOORING INDUSTRIES LIMITED, SARLInventors: Laurent MEERSSEMAN, Martin SEGAERT, Bernard THIERS, Benjamin CLEMENT, Christophe MAESEN
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Publication number: 20180245354Abstract: A floor panel may include a substrate and a top layer. The substrate may include a closed cell foamed PVC layer. The top layer may include a back layer, a printed synthetic material film, a transparent or translucent synthetic material wear layer, and a surface layer. The printed synthetic material film may be a printed PVC film. The transparent or translucent synthetic material wear layer may include a vinyl layer, and have a thickness of 1 millimeter or less. The surface layer may include a UV hardened substance. The floor panel may include a pair of long edges with first mechanical coupling parts and a pair of short edges with second mechanical coupling parts. The first mechanical coupling parts may have vertically active locking surfaces, and horizontally active locking surfaces formed in the material of the closed cell foamed PVC layer.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 27, 2018Publication date: August 30, 2018Applicant: FLOORING INDUSTRIES LIMITED, SARLInventors: Laurent MEERSSEMAN, Martin SEGAERT, Bernard THIERS, Benjamin CLEMENT, Christophe MAESEN
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Patent number: 10000936Abstract: Floor panel, more particularly a laminate floor panel, which, at least at two opposite edges (2-3-4-5), is provided with coupling parts (6-7-8-9), whereby this floor panel (1), at its decorative side, forms an imitation of wood, from which, by means of a tool, wood portions have been removed from the surface, more particularly forms an imitation of so-called scraped wood, and whereby this floor panel (1) comprises a decor (10) representing a wood pattern (18), a top layer (11) on the basis of synthetic material (12), and an underlying substrate (13), whether or not composed of several layers or parts, characterized in that the floor panel (1), in the surface over which the decor (10) extends, is provided with embossed portions (19 and/or 20) continuing up into the aforementioned substrate (13), whereby these embossed portions (19 and/or 20) are at least applied in order to imitate the aforementioned removed wood portions.Type: GrantFiled: March 7, 2017Date of Patent: June 19, 2018Assignee: FLOORING INDUSTRIES LIMITED, SARLInventors: Laurent Meersseman, Christian Vandevoorde, Bernard Thiers
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Publication number: 20180106050Abstract: Hard panels formed from a wood-based material and having a decorative layer for floor coverings are provided, at least on two opposite edges, with coupling devices made in one piece with the panels wherein similar panels may be coupled together to form a floor covering, wherein these coupling devices provide for an interlocking in a direction perpendicular to the plane of coupled panels, as well as in a direction perpendicular to the edges concerned and parallel to the plane of coupled panels. These coupling devices are constituted of a tongue and a groove. The top side of the tongue has a protrusion that cooperates with a meshing recess located in the lower side of the upper lip of the groove of the coupling devices, and a portion extending generally parallel with the plane of the panel to form a contact surface cooperating with the lower side of the upper lip of the groove.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 18, 2017Publication date: April 19, 2018Inventors: Bernard THIERS, Mark CAPPELLE
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Publication number: 20180106051Abstract: Ceramic tile having a ceramic base layer and a cover glaze layer including a printed pattern, where the surface of the ceramic tile has a relief having structural features corresponding to the printed pattern. The structural features are at least partly formed in the surface of the ceramic base layer and manifest themselves through the glaze layer to the upper surface of the tile. Additionally, a method which allows for the manufacturing of such ceramic tiles.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 14, 2017Publication date: April 19, 2018Applicant: FLOORING INDUSTRIES LIMITED, SARLInventors: Bernard THIERS, Christine WALMSLEY-SCOTT, Bart VAN DER STOCKT
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Patent number: 9874030Abstract: Ceramic tile having a ceramic base layer and a cover glaze layer comprising a printed pattern, wherein the surface of the ceramic tile comprises a relief having structural features corresponding to said printed pattern. The invention further concerns a method which allows for the manufacturing of such ceramic tiles.Type: GrantFiled: December 18, 2014Date of Patent: January 23, 2018Assignee: FLOORING INDUSTRIES LIMITED, SARLInventors: Bernard Thiers, Christine Walmsley-Scott, Bart Van Der Stockt
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Patent number: 9856657Abstract: Hard panels formed from a wood-based material and having a decorative layer for floor coverings are provided, at least on two opposite edges, with coupling devices made in one piece with the panels wherein similar panels may be coupled together to form a floor covering, wherein these coupling devices provide for an interlocking in a direction perpendicular to the plane of coupled panels, as well as in a direction perpendicular to the edges concerned and parallel to the plane of coupled panels. These coupling devices are constituted of a tongue and a groove. The top side of the tongue has a protrusion that cooperates with a meshing recess located in the lower side of the upper lip of the groove of the coupling devices, and a portion extending generally parallel with the plane of the panel to form a contact surface cooperating with the lower side of the upper lip of the groove.Type: GrantFiled: April 14, 2017Date of Patent: January 2, 2018Assignee: FLOORING INDUSTRIES LIMITED, SARLInventors: Bernard Thiers, Mark Cappelle
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Publication number: 20170362833Abstract: A floor may include a substrate having a top side and a bottom side. A top layer may be provided on the substrate. The top layer may consist of a printed thermoplastic film and a thermoplastic transparent or translucent layer provided on the printed thermoplastic film. The top layer may be directly adhered to the substrate by heat welding the printed thermoplastic film and the top side of the substrate, in the absence of a glue layer. The substrate may be a synthetic material board including a filler. The substrate at least at two opposite edges may include coupling means provided in the synthetic material board. The thermoplastic transparent or translucent layer may be provided with a structure.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 5, 2017Publication date: December 21, 2017Applicant: FLOORING INDUSTRIES LIMITED, SARLInventors: Laurent MEERSSEMAN, Martin SEGAERT, Bernard THIERS, Benjamin CLEMENT, Christophe MAESEN