GARCIA CALVO, Jose Luis (Ceramicas Del Foix, S.a.Av. dels Països Catalan, 27. P.I. Casanova Santa Margarida I Els Monjos, E-08730, ES)
C L A I M S
1. Flooring modular panel comprising a floor tile (1) and a base (2) joined to each other, said base (2) comprising engaging means (4) , characterised in that it also comprises a leading (3) , which is placed on the floor to the floored, provided with engaging means (5) complementary to the engaging means (4) of said base (2).
2. Modular panel according to claim 1, characterised in that said base (2) comprises a plurality of protrusions (4) which are housed inside a plurality of holes (5) provided at the leading (3), or vice versa.
3. Modular panel according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that said leading (3) is formed by two lengths perpendicular to each other.
4. Modular panel according to claim 1, characterised in that said base (2) comprises a gasket (6) around all its perimeter.
5. Modular panel according to claim 4, characterised in that said gasket (6) present two different thickness .
6. Modular panel according to claim 1, characterised in that said leading (3) comprises a groove (7) . 7. Modular panel according to claims 2 and 6, characterised in that said groove (7) is defined between two lines of holes (5) or protrusions. |
FLOORING MODULAR PANEL
The present invention refers to a flooring modular panel, which is snap-mounted and without using cement or fixing glues.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Some different flooring systems with floor tales are known which do not use cement or fixing glues. In these known systems each flooring modular panel comprises a base fixed to a floor tale provided with snap-coupling means.
E.g., some of these flooring systems are disclosed in documents WO 2005/124053 and WO 99/049152. The patent application WO 2005/124053 discloses a modular panel comprising a floor tale and a base joined to each other. The base comprises protrusions and recesses complementary with the protrusions of the base of the adjacent panel. To engage two adjacent panels it is necessary to push laterally one of said panels against the other.
The drawback present in this flooring system is that the modular panels are not practicable, i.e., a panel cannot be removed without removing previously the panels placed previously during the flooring. This is because the engagement between the different panels is lateral.
Furthermore, in this known flooring system, each floor tile is surrounded by a gasket only at two of its sides, so that, one placed in position, the gasket is in contact with the floor tile. This makes necessary to straighten the floor tile during its fabrication, such as in the conventional floor tiles.
DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
With the flooring modular panel of the invention said drawbacks are solved, presenting other advantages that will be described.
The flooring modular panel of the present invention comprises a floor tile and a base joined to each other, said base comprising engaging means, and it is characterised in that it also comprises a leading, which is placed on the floor to the floored, provided with engaging means complementary to the engaging means of said base. Thanks to this presence of said leading, it is possible to remove a floor tile from its corresponding base without removing the rest of the floor tiles, i.e. the modular panels are practicable. This is because the engagement between the base and the leading is done vertically, i.e. a vertical force is applied to engage or remove it. As stated previously, in the known flooring systems the engagement between the panels is done horizontally, i.e. it is necessary to apply a lateral force to engage or remove the panels. According to a preferred embodiment, said base comprises a plurality of protrusions which are housed inside a plurality of hole provided at said leading, or vice versa.
Preferably, the leading is formed by two lengths perpendicular to each other. Therefore, the base of a panel will also be engaged on the leading of the adjacent panels.
Advantageously, said base comprises a gasket around all it perimeter, which preferably present two different thickness, i.e. said gasket defines a container when the floor tile houses.
Therefore, when the panel are placed in position the joining between them is done between the gaskets, permitting to assure the suitable waterproof of the joining and play with the difference of the sizes, and no strengthen of the floor tiles is necessary during its
fabrication process. Furthermore, the gasket around the whole floor tile permits to use coarse floor tiles, i.e. with relief.
Advantageously, said leading comprises a groove, through which a cable can pass, not being externally visible and without doing any construction work. Said groove is preferably defined between two lines of holes or protrusions .
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
For a better understanding of what it has been described some drawings are attached in which, diagrammatically and only as a non-limitative example, a practical case of embodiment is shown.
Fig. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a flooring modular panel of the present invention, comprising a floor tile, a base and a leading;
Fig. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a flooring modular panel according to the present invention engaged;
Fig. 3 is a perspective view of three modular panels engaged to each other and a modular panel separated from the rest; and Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a detail of the engagement leading.
DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
As it can be seen in the figures, the flooring modular panel of the present invention comprises a floor tile 1, a base 3 and a leading 3. The floor tile 1 is fixed to the base 2 conventionally.
The base 2 is from plastic material and it comprises engaging means to the leading 3. In the
embodiment shown in the figures, said engaging means are formed by a plurality of protrusions 4 which are housed inside holes 5 provided at the leading 3, or vice versa, i.e. the protrusions at the leading and the holes at the base. It is stressed that it is not necessary said engaging means to be formed by protrusions complementary to holes, but it could be any suitable means to be engaged vertically.
The base 2 also comprises a gasket 6 extending along its whole perimeter, so that it surrounds completely said floor tile 1, i.e. said gasket 6 defines a container when the floor tile 1 houses.
Said gasket 6 has two different thickness, permitting to play with the sizes of the floor tile 1, so that it is not necessary to straighten it during its fabrication .
As stated previously, the joining between adjacent modular panels is done between the gaskets 6, and not contacting a gasket with the floor tile, as in the known flooring systems.
The leading 3, which is also made from plastic material, is formed by two lengths perpendicular to each other, as it can be seen in Fig. 1.
In the embodiment shown, each leading 3 comprises two lines of holes 5 separated by a groove 7. From said two lines of holes 5, the internal line is used to engage the base 2 which is placed on the two lengths of the leading 3, and the external line is used to engage an adjacent base, as it can be seen in Fig. 3. Said groove 7 can be used, if wished, to pass a cable 8 (Fig. 4), without any additional construction work and it cannot be seen externally.
To flooring a floor with the modular panels of the present invention firstly a first panel must be placed on the floor not using any kind of fixation glue or cement.
The modular panel of the present invention is provided originally with the base 2 joined to the floor tile 1, and preferably with a leading 2 engaged to said base 2, i.e. as it is shown in Fig. 2. Once the first modular panel is placed on the floor, two additional modular panels will be engaged on the exposed part of the leading, and then successively until the whole surface of the floor to be flooring is covered, as it can be seen in Fig. 3. To adjust the sizes of the panel to the available space, the panels can be cut easily with conventional tools now used to cut ceramic tiles. The base and the leading can also be cut easily, because they are made from plastic material. Even though reference has been made to an specific embodiment of the invention, it is apparent of a person skilled in the art that the described flooring modular panel is susceptible of several variations and modifications, and that all the details mentioned can be substituted by other technically equivalent ones, without departing from the scope of protection define by the attached claims.
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