WO2003038210A1 - Device for assembling panel edges - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention concerns a device for assembling edges of panels, laths or sheathing (1), consisting of at least a male part (2) provided on a longitudinal edge and/or a transverse edge of said panels, laths or sheathings (1) and of at least a female part (3) of matching shape provided on the other two longitudinal and transverse edges of said panels, laths or sheathings (1). Said device is characterized in that the male (2) and female (3) parts are provided with at least an element (6 and/or 2''-3'' and/or 2'''-3''' and 5) for assembling by impact or pressure two consecutive panels, laths or sheathings (1) by their adjacent edges along an oblique direction, said panels, laths or sheathings (1) being initially offset in height and mutually parallel and their male (2) and female (3) parts being then partly mutually engaged. The invention is more particularly applicable in the building sector, particularly for floor, wall or ceiling finish, in particular in the form of panels, laths or sheathings made of different materials.

Description

 Device for assembling the edges of panels

The present invention relates to the field of construction, in particular floor coverings, walls or ceilings, in particular in the form of panels, slats or paneling in different materials, such as wood, laminate materials, synthetic materials. .., and relates to a device for assembling the edges of such panels, slats or paneling.

Currently, the elements of floor coverings, walls or ceilings are generally in the form of panels, slats or paneling made of different materials, such as solid wood, compressed particles provided with a synthetic coating or wood solid or entirely made of synthetic materials with an exposed textured face.

These various elements are generally assembled together by known means of the grooves and tongues type, two adjacent sides of these elements being, for example, provided with a tongue intended to cooperate with grooves provided on two corresponding sides of corresponding elements. Thus, each element has two tabs on two adjacent sides, the other two sides being provided with grooves.

These assembly means generally make it possible to correctly meet the requirements for connecting the elements together and for mutual upgrading of these elements, but, for the maintenance of the assembly and perfect jointing, require the implementation of glue or of means for gripping the lower face and fixing it on cleats or the like.

To overcome these drawbacks, it has been proposed to provide the panels, slats or paneling, near their tongue and groove assembly means equipping their longitudinal edges, with a mechanical device improving the quality of said assembly by creating a anti-dislodging means in the assembly position, that is to say when two successive elements are assembled with tongue and groove and are arranged flat. This mechanical device also allows, in the flat assembly position, a displacement along the longitudinal axis of the elements, in order to favor the fitting of their end tongues in the corresponding end groove of the element. adjacent. Such mechanical devices are essentially of two types, namely implementing complementary mechanical locking parts, or provided with an integrated locking part.

The complementary mechanical parts are either hook-shaped section profiles or hooks uniformly distributed over the entire length of the elements and cooperating with grooves of corresponding shape provided in the edges of said elements.

Such elements certainly allow a correct connection between the panels, slats or paneling, but require very specific laying maneuvers, namely an engagement of the connecting elements in a position of inclination of the panels, slats or paneling one by relative to the others, then a horizontal positioning of the latter with a view to their lateral engagement, that is to say a prior arrangement of the connecting sections with hook-shaped section, under the edge of one of the panels, slats or paneling and the 'engagement of the other end of these profiles under the corresponding edge of the adjacent panels, slats or paneling, the lateral engagement being produced after this mechanical connection along the longitudinal edges.

These known complementary mechanical connection devices have, however, the disadvantage of being of a relatively complex constitution implementing simultaneously groove and tongue assemblies and a mechanical holding means in the service position preventing any sliding of a panel, batten or paneling with respect to one another perpendicular to their longitudinal edges. In addition, in the case of making a mechanical connection between longitudinal edges by the sole cooperation in the form of complementary elements forming an integral part of the panels, slats or paneling and machined together with the grooves and assembly tongues , there arises, on the one hand, a problem of machining the mechanical connecting elements and, on the other hand, a problem of reliability over time of these mechanical connecting elements. Indeed, the known connecting and assembly means are essentially intended to ensure perfect mounting of the panels, slats or paneling with an assembly without play at their joints, equivalent to a traditional assembly by gluing the panels, slats or paneling between them or by nailing them on support brackets, while allowing complete disassembly for possible reassembly at another place of use. In addition, the known mechanical connecting elements are relatively complex in their constitution and in their implementation.

Finally, all known assembly devices have the drawback of being relatively fragile at the joints, because the connecting tongue between the panels, slats or paneling is relatively thin and must fully absorb the forces at of said joints and in particular the significant shear forces occurring in the case of an arrangement above a vacuum due to unevenness of the ground or the like. Also known, from WO-A-00/47841, means for assembling the edges of panels constituted by two cooperating opposite lips each provided with a connection means with vertical engagement and with a vertical locking means in the form of a lug or hook intended to cooperate with the upper face of a recess. The connection means according to this document are parallel to the edges of the panels to be assembled. It follows that, during assembly, the lower lip fitted to one edge of the panel undergoes significant deformation due to the application of the upper lip, from above, in the housing delimited between the surfaces of the other panel, l 'lug of the first panel being applied, for its part, along the wall of said other panel. This interaction of the different elements during the application of a vertical force tends to induce jamming during assembly, this jamming can only be overcome by the deformation of the lower lip. This means that the dimension of the lug, in particular its length projecting from the edges is limited by the elastic limit of the lower lip. Consequently, sufficient locking cannot be obtained and such an embodiment is totally inapplicable with panels made of MDF or HDF. OA-01/66877 describes floor covering panels, which are intended to be assembled by means of male and female elements with vertical engagement. This document relates only to panels having different configurations of male and female elements for their assembly, all of the panels being intended for producing a floor covering. This document also describes an implementation of the assembly means of document OA-00/47841 ce, with complementary implementation of an intermediate piece intended to cooperate with two upper male elements.

The aim of the present invention is to overcome the drawbacks of assembly and holding devices known to date by proposing a device for assembling the edges of such panels, slats or paneling, making it possible simultaneously, by form cooperation, to favor the assembly of said edges and ensuring perfect and automatic jointing of the adjacent edges of the panels, slats or paneling and self-tightening of said panels, slats or paneling against each other, along said edges, in particular under load.

To this end, the device for assembling the edges of such panels, slats or paneling, which is constituted by at least one male part equipping a longitudinal edge and / or a transverse edge of said panels, slats or paneling and by at least one part. female of corresponding shape fitted to the other two longitudinal and transverse edges of said panels, slats or paneling, is characterized in that the male and female parts are provided with at least one element allowing an assembly by impact or pressure of two panels, slats or consecutive panels by their adjacent edges in an oblique direction, said panels, slats or paneling being initially offset in height and parallel to each other and their male and female parts then being partially engaged mutually.

The invention will be better understood from the following description, which relates to preferred embodiments, given by way of nonlimiting examples, and explained with reference to the appended schematic drawings, in which: FIG. 1 is a side elevation view in section of the device according to the invention in an assembly start position; Figure 2 is a view similar to that of Figure 1 of the device in the final assembly position, and Figures 3 and 4 are views similar to those of Figures 1 and 2 of an alternative embodiment of the invention .

Figures 1 to 4 of the accompanying drawings show an assembly of two panels, slats or paneling 1 by means of an edge assembly device, which is constituted by at least one male part 2 fitted to a longitudinal edge and / or an edge transverse of said panels, slats or paneling 1 and by at least one female part 3 of shape corresponding equipping the other two longitudinal and transverse edges of said panels, slats or paneling 1.

According to the invention, the male part 2 and female part 3 are provided with at least one element 6 and / or 2 "-3" and / or 2 "'- 3'" and 5 allowing assembly by shock or pressure of two consecutive panels, slats or paneling 1 by their adjacent edges in an oblique direction, said panels, slats or paneling 1 being initially offset in height and parallel to one another and their male 2 and female 3 parts then being partially mutually engaged (Figures 1 and 3). According to a first embodiment of the invention, shown in Figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings, the female part 3 is advantageously provided, in its upper side wall, with a recess or concavity forming an element 6 allowing assembly without deformation with the male part 2. Thus, as shown more particularly in Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings, at the start of the assembly between two edges, that is to say when the male part 2 is presented in front of the female part 3 following an oblique direction of insertion, said male part 2 comes into contact, with a portion 7 of its upper edge, with the outer edge of the recess or of the concavity forming the element 6 and is guided against the latter, while the opposite side of the male part 2 is continuously in abutment against the corresponding side wall of the female part 3, this ensuring a sliding adjustment guide, the entry of the portion 7 in its housing t corresponding 7 ′ in the female part 3 corresponding to the final horizontal approximation movement of the panels, slats or paneling 1. As a result, the assembly is carried out without any deformation, namely neither plastic nor elastic of the male parts and / or female.

According to an alternative embodiment of the invention and as shown in Figures 3 and 4 of the accompanying drawings, said male 2 and female 3 parts may be provided with elements 2 "-3", 2 "'- 3'" allowing an assembly by impact or pressure of two consecutive panels, slats or paneling 1 by their adjacent edges in an oblique direction, said elements 2 "-3" and 2 "'- 3'" being in the form of contact surfaces 2 "-3 "and 2"'-3'"provided on the male 2 and female 3 parts, these contact surfaces forming oblique ramps for inserting the male part 2 into the female part 3 of the assembly device and being advantageously connected together by a by a concave rounded guide means 5.

The contact surfaces 2 "-3" and 2 "'- 3'" constituting the elements allowing an assembly by shock or pressure are discontinuously arranged and offset between them.

As shown in Figures 3 and 4 of the accompanying drawings, for mounting a new slat panel or paneling 1, it suffices to present it horizontally slightly above the slat panels or paneling 1 already installed and positioning its longitudinal and transverse edges corresponding to those of said slats or paneling 1 placed on the corresponding edges of the latter, with a slight transverse and longitudinal offset due to the positioning of the male 2 and female 3 parts. In this position, shown in Figure 3 of the accompanying drawings, the male part 2, by an element 2 'projecting from its upper edge, is in abutment against the start of the corresponding internal face of the female part 3 and the elements 2 "of the male part 2 and 3 '" of the female part 3 are simultaneously in contact with the corresponding concave rounded guide means 5.

Thus, two adjacent panels, slats or paneling 1 have upper and lower surfaces parallel to the start of the assembly and this parallelism is maintained during the final assembly. The latter is carried out by application of a force or a shock in an oblique direction corresponding to that of the vertical axes of the male 2 and female 3 parts, the application of the assembly force or the shock to the panel, batten or paneling 1 to be assembled is advantageously made with the interposition, on the side opposite to that of assembly, of a shim 4. During assembly by pressure or by a sudden knock, the element 2 'slides on the corresponding internal wall of the female part 3, while the element 2 "of the male part slides over the element 3 '" of the part. Then, the element 2 "of the male part engages on the element 3", female, after passage on the guide 5, while the opposite element 2 'engages in the housing forming the element 3' , to lock in the latter, the cooperation of elements 2 "-3" and 2 "'- 3'" locking the male part 2 in position in the female part 3 and ensuring perfect retention and blocking in the assembled position of the panels , slats or paneling 1. Simultaneously, a blocking in horizontal and vertical directions is ensured. This assembly by force, struck or by application of pressure, is carried out with a sliding contact guide without deformation of the male part 2 or of the female part 3, the male part 2 penetrating into the female part 3 by sliding.

The constitution of the male 2 and female 3 parts and the arrangement of the elements 2 "-3" and 2 "'- 3'" and 5 allowing assembly by shock or pressure therefore favor a progressive and directional engagement of the male part 2 in the female part 3, in an oblique movement, which has the effect of simultaneously bringing together the edges of the panels, slats or paneling 1 in the direction of their vertical joint plane and their application to the horizontal support. In addition, the very arrangement of the male 2 and female 3 parts allows simultaneous assembly of panels, slats or paneling 1 with the longitudinal and transverse edges of adjacent panels. In addition, such an arrangement preserves the decorative upper edges against any damage.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the male 2 and female 3 parts have an inclined orientation relative to the upper surface of the panels, slats or paneling 1.

Preferably, the male 2 and female 3 parts extend in a direction substantially perpendicular to an oblique plane joining the vertical joint plane between two adjacent sides of the panels, slats or paneling 1.

According to another characteristic of the invention, not shown in the accompanying drawings, the surface of the male part 2 connecting the side walls of the male part 2, as well as the corresponding surface of the female part 3 can advantageously have a parallel flat portion to the upper and lower surfaces of the panels, slats or paneling 1. There follows a good distribution of the load at the joint plane practically without any force component acting on the male 2 and female 3 parts.

According to another characteristic of the invention, and as shown in Figures 1 to 4 of the accompanying drawings, the upper edge of the female part 3 is advantageously cut or rounded, so that it extends in a vertical plane PN parallel to that P'V passing through the junction edge of the base of the corresponding side wall of the male part 2 (Figures 2 and 4). Finally, in accordance with another characteristic of the invention, not shown in the accompanying drawings, it is also possible to combine the recess or concavity forming an element 6 provided in the side wall upper part of the female part 3 with elements 2 "-3" and 2 "'- 3'" in the form of contact surfaces 2 "-3" and 2 "'- 3'" and the concave rounded guide 5 provided on the male part 2 and female part 3. In such a case, the ease of assembly is further improved. According to another characteristic of the invention, the male 2 and female 3 parts are offset outside the vertical joint plane of junction between the upper surfaces of the panels, slats or paneling 1. Thus, the vertical shearing forces are also offset from this plane and are distributed over the neighboring surfaces of the male and female parts. It is also possible, according to another characteristic of the invention, to arrange the end of the male part 2 in line with the vertical joint plane of junction between the upper surfaces of the panels, slats or paneling 1.

Given the length of the panels, slats or paneling 1 relative to their width, the application force exerted obliquely on the longitudinal edge is sufficient to allow a snap-fit assembly of the transverse edges simultaneously with that of the longitudinal edges. In fact, the assembly of a new panel on panels already installed is effected by an oblique movement, in the direction of two perpendicular edges of said panels already installed.

In the assembly position obtained in accordance with the present invention, it clearly appears that the cooperation of the various elements equipping the adjacent edges of panels, slats or paneling 1 to be assembled makes it possible, on the one hand, to achieve perfect positioning of a panel, slat or paneling with the neighboring panel and, on the other hand, clamping and locking in position of such panels, slats or paneling between them.

In addition, the positioning of the assembly means forming the male part 2, outside of the vertical joint plane, allows, when any force is applied to a joint, transmission of most of the force applied directly on the corresponding faces, while the assembly device is practically not directly loaded and, in particular, is practically only subjected to a very low shear force.

Thanks to the invention, it is possible to produce panels, slats or paneling, the assembly of the edges of which allows self-tightening and self-jointing of said edges, as well as self-locking of said panels, slats or paneling. in the mounted position. In addition, the invention allows an optimal recovery and distribution of the loads, such that the resulting forces are applied mainly to the edges of the panels, slats or paneling and that the assembly means proper is practically not subjected to any effort likely to lead to its destruction by fatigue. In addition, the assembly of panels, slats or paneling 1 can be carried out in an oblique movement of inclination corresponding to that of the male 2 and female 3 parts and by application of a simple pressure or a shock in this direction. The panels, slats or paneling thus produced can be machined in a particularly simple manner with standard tools and with a relatively small need for intermediate adjustment of the tools.

As a result, the panels, slats or paneling thus produced are of a lower cost price than those currently known, while offering increased resistance at the joints.

Of course, the invention is not limited to the embodiment described and shown in the accompanying drawings. Modifications remain possible, in particular from the point of view of the constitution of the various elements or by substitution of technical equivalents, without thereby departing from the scope of protection of the invention.

Claims

1. Device for assembling the edges of panels, slats or paneling (1), consisting of at least one male part (2) fitted to a longitudinal edge and / or a transverse edge of said panels, slats or paneling (1) at least one female part (3) of corresponding shape fitted to the other two longitudinal and transverse edges of said panels, slats or paneling (1), characterized in that the male (2) and female (3) parts are provided with at least one element (6 and / or 2 "-3" and / or 2 "'- 3'" and 5) allowing an assembly by impact or pressure of two consecutive panels, slats or paneling (1) by their adjacent edges in an oblique direction , said panels, slats or paneling (1) being initially offset in height and parallel to each other and their male (2) and female (3) parts then being partially mutually engaged. 2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the female part (3) is provided, in its upper side wall, with a recess or concavity forming an element (6) allowing assembly without deformation with the male part ( 2) 3. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the male (2) and female (3) parts are provided with elements (2 "-3", 2 "'- 3'" and 5) allowing assembly by impact or pressure of two consecutive panels, slats or paneling (1) by their adjacent edges in an oblique direction, said elements (2 "-3" and 2 "'- 3'" and 5) being in the form of contact surfaces ( 2 "-3" and / or 2 "'- 3'") provided on the male (2) and female (3) parts, these contact surfaces forming oblique ramps for insertion of the male part (2) in the female part (3) of the assembly device and being advantageously connected together by one by a concave rounded guide means (5). 4. Device according to claim 3, characterized in that the contact surfaces (2 "-3" and 2 "'- 3'") constituting the elements allowing assembly by shock or pressure are discontinuously arranged and offset between they. 5. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the male (2) and female (3) parts have an inclined orientation relative to the upper surface of the panels, slats or paneling (1). 6. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the male (2) and female (3) parts extend in a direction substantially perpendicular to an oblique plane joining the vertical joint plane between two adjacent sides of panels, slats or paneling (1). 7. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the surface of the male part (2) connecting the side walls of the male part (2), as well as the corresponding surface of the female part ( 3) have a flat portion parallel to the upper and lower surfaces of the panels, slats or paneling (1). 8. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the upper edge of the female part (3) is cut or rounded, so that it extends in a vertical plane (PV) parallel to that (P ' V) passing through the junction edge of the base of the corresponding side wall of the male part (2). 9. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the recess or concavity forming an element (6) provided in the upper side wall of the female part (3) is combined with the elements (2 "-3" and 2 "'- 3'") in the form of contact surfaces (2 "-3" and 2 "'- 3'") and the concave rounded guide (5) provided on the male parts (2) and female (3). 10. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the male (2) and female (3) parts are offset outside the vertical joint plane of junction between the upper surfaces of the panels, slats or paneling (1). 11. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the end of the male part (2) extends in line with the vertical joint plane of junction between the upper surfaces of the panels, slats or paneling (1).