Having Integral Key Patents (Class 52/589.1)
  • Patent number: 11873647
    Abstract: A floor panel for forming a floor covering, wherein the floor covering consists of floor panels, which, on at least one pair of edges, are provided with coupling parts. The coupling parts substantially are manufactured from the material of the floor panel, and the coupling parts are configured such that two such floor panels, at the pair of edges, can be installed and locked to each other by means of a downward movement and/or by means of the fold-down principle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignee: FLOORING INDUSTRIES LIMITED, SARL
    Inventors: Jan Eddy De Rick, Pieter Devos
  • Patent number: 11821216
    Abstract: The invention relates to a decorative panel, in particular a floor panel, ceiling panel or wall panel. The invention also relates to a panel covering, such as a floor covering, ceiling covering or wall covering, comprising a plurality of panels according to the invention. The invention further relates to a method of producing a decorative panel according to the invention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: Northann Building Solutions LLC
    Inventor: Lin Li
  • Patent number: 11668100
    Abstract: The invention relates to a floor panel, in particular a laminated floor panel. The invention also relates to a floor covering consisting of a plurality of mutually coupled floor panels according to the invention. The invention further relates to a method for mutually coupling two floor panels, in particular laminated floor panels, according to the invention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: I4F Licensing NV
    Inventors: Antonio Giuseppe Perra, Sander Gordon Zweed
  • Patent number: 11643822
    Abstract: The invention relates to a decorative surface covering element, in particular a floor panel, ceiling panel or wall panel. The invention also relates to a panel covering, such as a floor covering, ceiling covering or wall covering, comprising a plurality of panels according to the invention. The invention further relates to a method of producing a decorative surface covering element according to the invention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: Northann Building Solutions LLC
    Inventor: Lin Li
  • Patent number: 11492810
    Abstract: Wood flooring is described, which provides resistance to surface liquids by reducing or eliminating checking on the surface of the wood and transmission liquid through the seams in an installed wood floor. This is achieved by combining a surface coating, a wood veneer and core or solid wood, a tongue and groove profile, and application of a sealer along the tongue and groove or locking profile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: AHF, LLC
    Inventors: Travis E Bjorkman, Matthew S Myers
  • Patent number: 11479970
    Abstract: Building panels, especially floor panels are shown, which are provided with a locking system that is configured to lock the adjacent edges by angling and that have a tongue and a strip on the same edge, and a method to divide a board and produce such building panels. A method for dividing a floor element, into a first floor panel and a second floor panel, said floor element including a core provided with a decorative surface layer and a balancing layer, wherein the method includes the step of forming, through the balancing layer or the decorative surface layer, a second groove by displacing the floor element past a fixed tool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Assignee: VALINGE INNOVATION AB
    Inventors: Darko Pervan, Agne Palsson
  • Patent number: 11473315
    Abstract: A floor board including a decorative surface layer applied to a substrate, where the substrate has MDF or HDF material at a side edge thereof, where the side edge is treated both with an impregnation agent and/or a sealing agent based on a superabsorbing material. Also a method for manufacturing such floor boards.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: ALADDIN MANUFACTURING CORPORATION
    Inventors: Dieter D'Hondt, Aaron Shaw
  • Patent number: 11421425
    Abstract: A joining system for floor panels includes a groove and a tongue on opposite floor panel sides. The tongue is shaped for vertical locking engagement with the groove of an adjoining floor panel in a direction perpendicular to the sides of the panels and parallel to a horizontal floor plane. Two locking recesses are formed in a lower portion of the groove. A first recess is located in an internal portion and a second is located in a lip portion. Two locking lugs are formed in a lower portion of the tongue for engagement with the recesses. A first lug extends downwardly from a tip portion of the tongue and a second lug extends downwardly from a root portion. The first recess and the first lug have curved surfaces. The second recess and the second lug have inclined surfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2022
    Assignee: Vilox AB
    Inventors: Bobby Markovski, Bengt Rosander, Magnus Persson
  • Patent number: 11236513
    Abstract: A construction and methods of assembly and construction of boards, e.g. floor boards, are described. The boards have a peripheral connection arrangement for interconnecting of one board to another, a core layer e.g. made from a wood or fiber based material and a top layer applied to the core layer which may be decorative and may include or provide a wear layer. A further bottom layer may be applied to the underside of the core layer and is designed to be in contact with the floor or an underlay can be applied when in use. The connection arrangement includes interconnecting hooking tongues and corresponding catches which co-operate to produce both vertical and horizontal locking.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Assignee: BerryAlloc NV
    Inventor: Dieter Simoens
  • Patent number: 11124973
    Abstract: A board consisting at least of a substrate formed at least of a gypsum-based and/or cement-based basic material layer. The board is provided with a chamfer extending through the basic material layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: FLOORING INDUSTRIES LIMITED, SARL
    Inventor: Benjamin Clement
  • Patent number: 11059320
    Abstract: A coated panel may include at least a substrate and a top layer with a printed motif. The top layer may be provided on the substrate. The top layer may also include a transparent or translucent synthetic material layer, which is provided above the printed motif. The top layer and preferably at least the transparent or translucent synthetic material layer may include a foamable or foamed synthetic material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2021
    Assignee: Flooring Industries Limited, SARL
    Inventors: Benny Schacht, Filip Tack
  • Patent number: 11060298
    Abstract: Disclosed is a panel comprising a substrate (1), wherein the outer surface of the substrate (1) is covered with a coating layer (8), wherein one edge of the substrate (1) is provided with a recess (3), and a groove (4) is arranged inside the substrate (1) adjacent and interconnected to the recess (4), and wherein the opposite edge of the substrate (1) is provided with a protrusion (7) that can be fitted into the recess (3), and a tongue (6) is extended from the protrusion (7) that can fitted into the groove (4). The substrate is made of 100 parts by mass of PVC resin or PVC powder, 25-45 parts of styrene elastomer, 180-280 parts of stone powder, sawdust or rock, 1-10 parts of an additive, and 1-4 parts of an elastomer coupling agent. Also disclosed is a decorative panel formed by arranging and interlocking the panels in sequence by fitting the protrusion of a panel into the recess of a neighboring panel, as well as a panel installation process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2021
    Assignee: JETCOAT (Shanghai) CO LTD
    Inventors: Huihuang Liu, Tungyueh Liu, Juntai Huang, Kuojiun Liu
  • Patent number: 11002021
    Abstract: A set of floor panels for forming a floor covering, which comprises at least two floor panels, which each comprise an edge provided with a coupling part, wherein the coupling parts are configured such that they allow realizing a coupled condition between the floor panels, by means of a substantially straight-lined coupling movement of the one floor panel in respect to the other floor panel, according to a direction substantially perpendicular to an installation plane; and wherein the coupling parts are configured such that they, in the coupled condition, realize a tensioning force pressing the coupled edges towards each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2021
    Assignee: FLOORING INDUSTRIES LIMITED, SARL
    Inventors: Mark Cappelle, Pieter Devos
  • Patent number: 10865571
    Abstract: A vertical joint system for a surface covering panel having an upper and lower surfaces, and a plurality of sides located between the upper and lower surfaces. The joint system has a male part along at least one side and a female part along an opposite side. The female part has a protrusion that extends from the lower surface and an outer most female surface on the protrusion. The male part has a recess that opens onto the lower surface with a portion of the recess forming an inner most male surface. The outer most female surface and the inner most male surface arranged so that when the male part of one surface covering panel is engaged with a female part of a second surface covering panel the outer most female surface overlies the inner most male locking surface at a first location and a second location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2020
    Assignee: VALINGE INNOVATION AB
    Inventor: Richard William Kell
  • Patent number: 10753105
    Abstract: Floor panel, characterized in that it is of the type that can be installed according to the fold down-technique, that it comprises coupling means in one piece on all four edges, and that measures are taken in order to avoid an undesired shifting on the long edges during the turning down of the floor panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2020
    Assignee: Flooring Industries Limited, SARL
    Inventor: Guy Van Hooydonck
  • Patent number: 10753103
    Abstract: Floor panel, characterized in that it is of the type that can be installed according to the fold down-technique, that it comprises coupling means in one piece on all four edges, and that measures are taken in order to avoid an undesired shifting on the long edges during the turning down of the floor panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2020
    Assignee: Flooring Industries Limited, SARL
    Inventor: Guy Van Hooydonck
  • Patent number: 10753104
    Abstract: Floor panel, characterized in that it is of the type that can be installed according to the fold down-technique, that it comprises coupling means in one piece on all four edges, and that measures are taken in order to avoid an undesired shifting on the long edges during the turning down of the floor panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2020
    Assignee: Flooring Industries Limited, SARL
    Inventor: Guy Van Hooydonck
  • Patent number: 10662532
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing an embossing element for decorative surfaces includes the steps of: a) UV curable inkjet printing a decorative pattern on a metallic surface; and b) forming a relief by etching metal from the metallic surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2020
    Assignees: AGFA-GEVAERT N.V., AGFA NV
    Inventors: Roel De Mondt, Rita Torfs, Johan Loccufier
  • Patent number: 10655338
    Abstract: A floor board including a decorative surface layer applied to a substrate, where the substrate has MDF or HDF material at a side edge thereof, where the side edge is treated both with an impregnation agent and/or a sealing agent based on a superabsorbing material. Also a method for manufacturing such floor boards.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2020
    Assignee: UNILIN NORTH AMERICA, LLC
    Inventors: Dieter D'Hondt, Aaron Shaw
  • Patent number: 10538922
    Abstract: Floor panels are shown, which are provided with a mechanical locking system that may be locked with a vertical displacement of a first panel against a second panel. The locking system includes a first rigid and a second flexible joint edge section with different locking functions. The first edge section provides a horizontal locking and the second section provides a vertical locking.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2020
    Assignee: CERALOC INNOVATION AB
    Inventor: Darko Pervan
  • Patent number: 10501943
    Abstract: Systems and methods directed to the art of installing flooring include untreated flooring planks having a hardwood top surface delivered to a jobsite and including improved thickness tolerances and/or top surface comparative coefficients of friction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Assignee: CUSTOM FINISH WOOD FLOORING LLC
    Inventor: Robert L. Peterson
  • Patent number: 10487494
    Abstract: An architectural building block system including a block having three side walls, each having an inside surface and an outside surface, the three side walls cooperate to form a triangular tube, the outside surface of each of the three side walls extending from the inner surface to the outer surface and the inside surface of each of the three walls is disposed substantially at right angle to each of the inner surface and the outer surface; and three channels, each channel disposed on one of the three side walls on the inner surface, wherein each channel extending from the inside surface to the outside surface of one of the three side walls and each pair of the three channels configured to receive a rebar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2019
    Assignee: Spherical Block LLC
    Inventors: Peter Andrew Roberts, Ryan Hall, Isis Cable, Nolan Kramer, Steven Lock, Jared Mason, Naqib Shahan, Nicholas Risley, Eric Chindamo, Sara Perez, Tyler Miller, Patrick Palmer
  • Patent number: 10428535
    Abstract: Floor panel, characterized in that it is of the type that can be installed according to the fold down-technique, that it comprises coupling means in one piece on all four edges, and that measures are taken in order to avoid an undesired shifting on the long edges during the turning down of the floor panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2019
    Assignee: FLOORING INDUSTRIES LIMITED, SARL
    Inventor: Guy Van Hooydonck
  • Patent number: 10309113
    Abstract: Floor panel for forming a floor covering, wherein this floor panel is at least composed of a substrate; wherein the floor panel, on at least one pair of opposite edges, comprises coupling parts, which coupling parts allow that two of such floor panels can be coupled to each other by means of a downward movement of one floor panel in respect to the other floor panel; wherein these coupling parts, in the coupled condition of two of such floor panels, form a first locking system, which effects a locking in a first direction perpendicular to the plane of the floor panels, and form a second locking system, which effects a locking in a second direction perpendicular to the edges and in the plane of the floor panels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2019
    Assignee: FLOORING INDUSTRIES LIMITED, SARL
    Inventor: Pieter Devos
  • Patent number: 10280627
    Abstract: A set of mutually lockable panels comprises a first panel having an edge including a male part and a second panel having an edge including a female part for receiving the male part of the first panel in unlocked condition of the panels. The male part has an outer side which, in locked condition of the panels, is directed to the second panel in a direction substantially parallel to the front face of the first panel, and an opposite inner side which is provided with a locking surface. The female part comprises a locking member, which is pivotable about a pivot axis that extends substantially parallel to the edge of the second panel and an actuator for rotating the locking member from its unlocked condition to a locked condition of the panels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2019
    Assignee: FLOORING INDUSTRIES LIMITED, SARL
    Inventors: Jan Eddy De Rick, Bruno Paul Louis Vermeulen
  • Patent number: 10100532
    Abstract: Floor element of the type which, at least at two opposite edges, comprises coupling means enabling two of such floor elements to cooperate with each other at the respective edges, wherein the floor element comprises at least two components, as well as entity-forming means, which, starting from the aforementioned components, can form an entity including the components, wherein said components can adopt at least two mutual positions, whether or not by means of the disruption of the entity formed by said entity-forming means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2018
    Assignee: FLOORING INDUSTRIES LIMITED, SARL
    Inventors: Benny Schacht, Luc Vanhastel, Mark Cappelle
  • Patent number: 10072428
    Abstract: A floor panel for forming a floor covering comprises a substrate consisting of at least two substrate layers differing in density and, on at least one pair of opposite edges, is provided with coupling parts of the so-called push-lock type. Vertically active locking surfaces, where they cooperate in the coupled condition of two of such floor panels, define a tangent line which is horizontal or does not deviate more than 50 degrees from the horizontal. The locking surfaces are situated closer to the upper side of the first substrate layer than to the lower side of the first substrate layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2018
    Assignee: FLOORING INDUSTRIES LIMITED, SARL
    Inventor: Pieter Devos
  • Patent number: 10041258
    Abstract: Building panels, especially floor panels are shown, which are provided with a locking system comprising several clips connected to a panel edge comprising a recess formed in a lower lip or in the tongue. Each clip may include an upwardly extending locking element, which is configured to cooperate with a locking groove for locking the two edges in a horizontal direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2018
    Assignee: CERALOC INNOVATION AB
    Inventor: Darko Pervan
  • Patent number: 9567753
    Abstract: A locking system for mechanical joining of floorboards constructed from a body, a rear balancing layer and an upper surface layer. A strip, which is integrally formed with the body of the floorboard and which projects from a joint plane and under an adjoining board has a locking element which engages a locking groove in the rear side of the adjoining board. The joint edge provided with the strip is modified with respect to the balancing layer, for example by means of machining of the balancing layer under the strip, in order to prevent deflection of the strip caused by changes in relative humidity. Also, a floorboard provided with such a locking system, as well as a method for making floorboards with such a locking system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: VALINGE INNOVATION AB
    Inventors: Darko Pervan, Tony Pervan
  • Patent number: 9399308
    Abstract: A floorboard (1), which along one long side has a female connecting means (2) and along its other long side has a male connecting member (4), is made of a raw board (18), which is substantially rectangular in cross-section. The raw board (18) has a carrier layer (14, 15) and, applied thereto, a wear layer (16). The raw board (18) is first subjected to limited profiling, which comprises the step of the surface layer (16) being provided with longitudinal edge bevels (17). After that, the surface layer (16) provided with edge bevels (17) is varnished. Finally the raw board (181) is subjected to final profiling intended for finishing of the connecting member (2, 4) and comprising the step of a downward and laterally open longitudinal recess (13) for receiving a connecting part (10) of the female connecting member (12) of another floorboard being formed under a connecting part (12) of the male connecting means (4).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2016
    Assignee: TARKETT AB
    Inventor: Magnus Fridlund
  • Patent number: 9249581
    Abstract: A method of assembling resilient floorboards is disclosed that includes the step of bending an edge of a floorboard during the assembling. The bending reduces the force required for connection of the edge to another edge of a juxtaposed floorboard.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2016
    Assignee: VALINGE INNOVATION AB
    Inventors: Mats Nilsson, Per Nygren
  • Patent number: 9145691
    Abstract: Floor covering, consisting of floor elements, which, at least at two opposite sides, comprise a male and a female coupling part, which allow that two of such floor elements can be interconnected at the respective sides at the respective sides by pushing one of these floor elements with the associated male coupling part, by means of a downward movement, home into the female coupling part of the other floor element, characterized in that at least one of said coupling parts, either the male coupling part or the female coupling part, is made as least partially in a filled synthetic material composite, such as extruded wood.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2015
    Assignee: FLOORING INDUSTRIES LIMITED, SARL
    Inventor: Mark Cappelle
  • Patent number: 9109366
    Abstract: The invention relates to a covering comprising mechanically interconnectable panels having the following characteristics: —adjacent first and second panels (1, 2) each have a groove (12, 17) on their mutually complementary sides, —in one of the grooves (12) a tongue (16) is arranged which is displaceable relative to the panel (1) and which is configured to engage in the groove (17) of the adjacent panel (2) when connecting the adjacent panels (1, 2), —the panel (1) which holds the tongue (16) has a lower locking rail (3) which engages the adjacent panel (2) underneath which is configured to secure adjacent panels (1, 2) against tensile loading in the plane of installation, —the panel (2) engaged underneath by the locking rail (3) is supported on the locking rail (3) as well as on the support rail (11) which is arranged at a greater distance to the locking rail (3) than the groove (12), —the support rail (11) engages in the same groove (17) into which the tongue (16) is displaceable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2015
    Inventor: Guido Schulte
  • Patent number: 9038341
    Abstract: A flooring system for installation over a surface that provides flooring using artificial wood panels over a plastic base formed from recycled plastics for even durable support over cement or dirt surfaces. The flooring system comprises a plurality of interlocking bases and a plurality of removable clips, wherein each clip has a pair of grippers for engaging at least one board of a plurality of boards, the base and clips supporting the boards apart from the surface and the plurality of boards connected between the grippers are capable of supporting a load of at least 300 pounds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: NEWTECHWOOD, LTD.
    Inventors: Richard Chorfoam Lam, Cliff Chorsum Lam, Terry Y. Lam
  • Patent number: 9038345
    Abstract: This specification describes a tray substrate for tile flooring that can be used in narrow grout line modular floating tile assemblies. The tray is preferably made of plastic and has vertical tray edges around the top of the tray substrate with upward and downward tabs protruding from the sides of the tray substrate wherein some of the tabs are at least partially recessed under the surface of the tray.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: CoMc, LLC
    Inventor: Yu Lin Tang
  • Patent number: 9027306
    Abstract: Floor panels are provided with a mechanical locking system having small local protrusions which reduce displacement along the joint when the panels are laying flat on the sub floor and locked vertically and horizontally.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: Valinge Innovation AB
    Inventor: Darko Pervan
  • Patent number: 9010059
    Abstract: A building block (100) comprises a first mating portion and a second mating portion which are complementary. The first mating portion comprises a mating protrusion (140) which defines an axially extending through bore (144) and the second mating portion comprises an axially extending mating receptacle (180) which is complementary to the mating protrusion (140). The mating protrusion (140) and the mating receptacle (180) are in communication via the through bore (144), and a fastener anchoring device (146) adapted for engaging with an engagement means (920) of a fastener (900) is formed inside the through bore (144). The through bore (144) is adapted to permit axial insertion of the engagement means (920) of the fastener (900) into the mating protrusion (140).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: Value Chain Network (Hong Kong) Limited
    Inventor: Chi Kin Lin
  • Patent number: 9010060
    Abstract: This application relates to a light-weight, multi-purpose construction panel. The panel may be formed, for example, from molded plastic. Each panel includes a substantially planar deck on a first side thereof and a second side comprising alternating male and female sleeves arranged in honeycomb-like compartments defined by a plurality of wall elements. A pair of panels may be releasably coupled together with their respective second sides facing inwardly to form a construction assembly. When a pair of panels is coupled together, the male sleeves of one panel matingly fit within the females sleeves of the other panel, and vice versa. The panel assemblies may be used for many different construction applications including flooring, roofing and wall structures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Inventor: Antonio Rapaz
  • Patent number: 8997429
    Abstract: Floor covering, including hard floor panels which, at least at the edges of two opposite sides, are provided with coupling parts, cooperating which each other, substantially in the form of a tongue and a groove, wherein the coupling parts are provided with integrated mechanical locking elements which prevent the drifting apart of two coupled floor panels in a direction (R) perpendicular to the related edges and parallel to the underside of the coupled floor panels, and provide a snap-action coupling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Unilin Beheer B.V.
    Inventors: Stefan Simon Gustaaf Moriau, Mark Gaston Maurits Cappelle, Bernard Paul Joseph Thiers
  • Patent number: 8984829
    Abstract: A modular flooring assembly including a flooring component adhered to a tray substrate is described. The modular flooring assembly may be interconnected with additional modular flooring assemblies to form a modular floor suitable for most flooring applications. The flooring component may be tile or wood or other materials commonly used in flooring applications. Convention fill-in grout or a snap-in grout may be used with the modular flooring assemblies. One suitable snap-in grout is a right angle grout member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: CoMc, LLC
    Inventors: Jonathan McIntosh, Nicole Sperling
  • Patent number: 8966851
    Abstract: A building panel comprising a device for connecting the building panel to at least one further similar building panel on a sub-surface. The building panel is intended to be lowered against an already installed building panel. Each building panel has first and second profiled side surfaces, at each of which an abutting surface is disposed, which is perpendicular to a usable surface or base surface of the building panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: Barlinek S.A.
    Inventor: Marek Konstanczak
  • Patent number: 8955281
    Abstract: A building product which includes a hollow extrudate, unitary reinforcing ribs resisting collapse of the hollow extrudate and, in an embodiment, an exterior surface comprises a low gloss, textured pattern having a gloss level of less than about 50 on a 60° glossmeter, in which the textured pattern extends for about 2-20 feet. Methods and an apparatus for manufacturing such products are also provided by this invention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2015
    Assignee: Certainteed Corporation
    Inventors: Christopher B. Pietruczynik, Kenneth D. Bosler, Thomas Gilbert, Mark Suchyna, Mark Dunmire
  • Patent number: 8950138
    Abstract: A process for the manufacturing of surface elements is provided herein. The surface elements can include a decorative upper layer and a supporting core. A supporting core with a desired format is manufactured and provided with an upper side and a lower side. The upper side of the supporting core is provided with a décor, by for example printing, which décor is positioned after a predetermined fixed point on the supporting core. The upper side of the supporting core is provided with a protecting, at least partly translucent, wear layer by for example spray coating, roller coating, curtain coating and immersion coating or by being provided with one or more sheets of ?-cellulose impregnated with thermosetting resin or lacquer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: Pergo (Europe) AB
    Inventors: Krister Hansson, Johan Lundgren, Hakan Wernersson
  • Patent number: 8935899
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to a semi product for building panels or structural elements comprising several wood lamellas (5) fixed by distance elements (4), a building panel with such a semi product and a method of producing the semi product and the building panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2015
    Assignee: Valinge Innovation AB
    Inventors: Marcus Bergelin, Darko Pervan, Hans Brännström, Agne Pålsson
  • Publication number: 20150007517
    Abstract: This specification describes a tray substrate for tile flooring that can be used in narrow grout line modular floating tile assemblies. The tray is preferably made of plastic and has vertical tray edges around the top of the tray substrate with upward and downward tabs protruding from the sides of the tray substrate wherein some of the tabs are at least partially recessed under the surface of the tray.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2014
    Publication date: January 8, 2015
    Inventor: Yu Lin TANG
  • Patent number: 8904729
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: Flooring Industries Limited, Sarl
    Inventors: Bernard Thiers, Mark Cappelle
  • Publication number: 20140352248
    Abstract: Surface coverings, such as floor coverings, with an interlocking design are described. Methods of making the surface coverings are further described. A plank including a resilient composite sheet having four sides, an upper surface, a lower surface, and an overall thickness, and said composite sheet comprising at least one base layer, wherein said at least one base layer comprising at least one polymeric material and at least one filler, wherein opposite sides of the composite sheet comprise a first tongue on a first side and a first groove on the opposite second side, wherein the first tongue and first groove have complementary shape to each other to be interlockingly engageable with a corresponding groove or tongue on an adjacent floor plank.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 19, 2014
    Publication date: December 4, 2014
    Inventors: John M. WHISPELL, Hao A. Chen
  • Patent number: 8869486
    Abstract: A locking system for mechanical joining of rectangular floorboards having a body and long and short edges. Said locking system including a tongue and a groove for vertical locking of two joint short edges and for horizontal joining a locking groove formed in the underside of a first one of the short joint edges, and a portion projecting from the second short joint edge having a locking element cooperating with the locking groove. The tongue is arranged on the second short edge. The groove is arranged on the first short edge. The projecting portion is integrally formed with the board, by working of the body of the board.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignee: Valinge Innovation AB
    Inventor: Darko Pervan
  • Patent number: 8863473
    Abstract: Interconnectable panels having tongue-and-groove connections are mechanically connected to each other by first moving two panels into an intermediate position and then pivoting one panel with respect to the other. The underside of the tongue of one panel has a depression, while the groove of another panel has a protruding lower lip. The lower lip has a projection that fits in the depression when the two panels are in the intermediate position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignee: Fritz Egger GmbH & Co.
    Inventor: Jurgen Weber
  • Patent number: 8857127
    Abstract: Floor covering (10) including panels (12,14; 112) having a core (24) of a plastic material and at least one cover layer (28,30) covering the upper side of the core, the panels being provided with complementary and mutually engaging locking profiles (20,22; 120) at their connected lateral edges (16,18). For forming a groove between two connected panels (12,14; 112) at least one of these panels is provided with a milled-out portion (60,160) at the upper side of its lateral edge, with the cover layer (28,30) excavated completely over the width of the milled-out portion (60,160) so that the bottom (62,162) of the milled-out portion (60,160) is formed by the material of the core.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: Ulrich Windmöller Consulting GmbH
    Inventor: Ulrich Windmöller