FLOOR COVERING WITH INTERLOCKING DESIGN

摘要

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.

主权项

1. A plank comprising:
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, and having at least one of the following features:
(a) wherein said first tongue having a first tongue length (TL) measured between the first side of the composite sheet and a distal end of the first tongue, wherein the ratio of the first tongue length (TL) to the composite sheet overall thickness (CSt) is at least about 1.5,(b) wherein said composite sheet having a first pair of opposing sides comprising said first and second sides that are shorter than a second pair of opposing sides extending between the first pair of sides, wherein the second pair of sides comprise a third side and a fourth side, wherein said first groove on said second side is defined between a first flange extending along a first edge of the composite sheet and protruding from said second side of the composite sheet and a second flange extending along an opposite second edge of the composite sheet and protruding from said second side of the composite sheet, wherein the second flange comprises an interference that projects in a direction toward a horizontal plane of the upper surface of the composite sheet and includes an inclined inner surface defining part of the first groove, wherein said first groove being defined between said first and second flanges and opening toward the horizontal plane of the upper surface of the composite sheet, wherein a locking angle defined between said inclined inner surface of the interference of the second flange and a horizontal plane parallel to the lower surface of the composite sheet is from about 55° to about 65°, and wherein said plank having a flexural force at 0.3″ (pli), as determined according to Modified ASTM D790, of 1±0.35, and/or(c) wherein said first groove on said second side is defined between a first flange extending along a first edge of the composite sheet and protruding from said second side of the composite sheet and a second flange extending along an opposite second edge of the composite sheet and protruding from said second side of the composite sheet, wherein said first groove includes a groove bottom portion and a minimum groove thickness (Tg) is defined between said groove bottom portion and a horizontal plane of the lower surface of the composite sheet, and the second flange comprises an interference having a first height (H) that projects in a direction toward a horizontal plane of the upper surface of the composite sheet, and said first tongue comprises a member having a minimum thickness (Tt) extending from the first side, and a distal end of said tongue includes a downward extending projection comprising a tongue underside and having a second height (H′) from the member, wherein Tg and Tt are within ±24% of each other and H and H′ are within ±7% of each other, and wherein a tongue tip thickness (Tt′) is defined as a shortest vertical distance between the horizontal plane of the upper surface of the composite sheet and the tongue underside, wherein Tg/Tt′ is from about 0.35 to about 0.82.