EP1567731A1

EP1567731A1 - Mounting component for floor strip

Info

Publication number: EP1567731A1
Application number: EP03769497A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Patrick Deumer
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2002-10-23
Filing date: 2003-09-26
Publication date: 2005-08-31
Anticipated expiration: 2023-09-26
Also published as: DE60312728T2; ES2283836T3; EP1567731B1; DK1567731T3; AU2003278181A1; ATE357567T1; WO2004042160A1; DE60312728D1; PT1567731E; LU90980B1

Abstract

The invention concerns a floor strip mounting component comprising a base plate (12) adapted to be fixed on a support structure (16), the base plate (12) having a lower surface (14) urged into contact with the support structure (16) and an opposite upper surface (18); and at least one anchoring means (32, 34) on the base plate upper surface co-operating with a longitudinal slot (26) in a lower surface (28) of a floor strip (30), the anchoring means (32, 34) being designed to maintain the floor strip (30) in the vertical direction after being inserted in the longitudinal slot (26).

Description

Mounting piece for floor plank

introduction

The present invention relates to a mounting piece for a floorboard, in particular for mounting floors and similar structures, and more particularly for mounting exterior wooden terraces.

State of the art

Outdoor wooden terraces are usually made from planks or planks of wooden floor laid on a frame, consisting in particular of joists previously fixed to the ground or laid on the ground.

Given the exposure to the weather, these wooden terraces are often made of hard exotic wood, and it is necessary to pay particular attention to the assembly of the wooden slats in order to take into account the possible deformations of these slats under the effect of thermal cycles and humidity variations.

The fixing of the wooden slats on the frame is traditionally done by means of stainless steel screws, passing right through the slats to fix them on the joists. In order to allow the wood to expand, a gap is left between two adjacent boards, which is generally 3 to 8 mm depending on the type of wood.

For exotic wood species, the hardness of the wood is such that a pre-drilling is compulsory to avoid the splitting and splitting of the wood, respectively the breaking of the screws. This pre-drilling is followed by milling to allow the screw heads to penetrate until they are flush. These steps are long and laborious.

Treatment of wood (with oils or other) can be problematic. The oil stagnates on the screws, changes their color and the wood tends to flake relatively quickly. In addition, some woods secrete tannins which corrode the screws very quickly.

At the time of installation, at least two people must assist each other to achieve and maintain the required spacing between each blade (use of several wooden blocks, holding the blade, screwing, etc.). This long and meticulous work involves a very significant additional labor cost.

In order to simplify the mounting of terraces, application WO-A-95/25856 suggests using metal fixing pieces in the form of brackets, nailed or screwed on the joists between two adjacent floorboards. The mounting piece comprises a vertical tab which carries on each of its faces points projecting horizontally so as to be able to bite into the edge of each of the adjacent blades facing each other. Such a fastener eliminates the drilling of the blades, but does not really save time during assembly because the positioning of the fasteners and the blades is difficult. In addition, this technique is not suitable for hardwoods - especially exotic hardwoods such as teak, padouk or ipe, which are very popular for outdoor terraces - because the points and nails have difficulty penetrating the wood.

Application WO-A-02/066756 describes another mounting piece in the form of a square, comprising a horizontal wing with a lower face coming into contact with the upper face of a joist and an upper face coming into contact with the sub -face of a floorboard. The thickness of the horizontal wing is chosen so as to define a first dimension of spacer between the blade and the joist. The mounting piece also includes a vertical wing extending over a height less than the thickness of the blade. Each of the two faces of the vertical wing comprises tenons projecting horizontally and dimensioned so as to cooperate with a groove of homologous profile formed on the edge of the corresponding blade. The mounting piece therefore provides a function of fixing the blades to the frame, but also defines spacer thicknesses between adjacent blades and frame to allow the expansion of the blades and ensure the evacuation of moisture. The mounting piece presented in WO-A-02/066756 avoids the screwing of the blades and allows relatively simple and quick mounting. However, although this mounting part is described as allowing good circulation of air and water, the grooves in the edges form areas of water accumulation which are difficult to access. The edges are therefore suitable areas for the development of mold or moss, which affects the aesthetics of the terrace.

Object of the invention (Problem to be solved by the invention)

The object of the present invention is to provide another mounting part for the production of floors or terraces, which does not have the disadvantages mentioned above. This objective is achieved by a mounting piece according to claim 1.

General description of the claimed invention with its main advantages,

According to the invention, a mounting piece for floorboards comprises a base plate capable of being fixed on a support structure, the base plate having a lower face coming into contact with the support structure and an opposite upper face. . It will be appreciated that the base plate comprises at least one anchoring means on its upper face, which cooperates with a longitudinal groove in a lower face of a floorboard, the anchoring means being designed so as to hold the blade floor in the vertical direction after insertion in the longitudinal groove.

The mounting piece according to the invention therefore allows fixing of the floorboard by its underside. The anchoring means being located under the blade, it is not visible. It should also be noted that the present mounting part allows the fixing of floorboards without screwing through the boards. This is particularly advantageous for the production of floors or terraces with relatively hard exotic wood species, such as by example teak, padouk and ipé. In addition, the floorboards do not require grooves in their edges, which is more aesthetic and removes areas of water accumulation. Thus, the mounting piece according to the invention allows simple and discreet mounting of the floorboards.

In a preferred embodiment, the anchoring means is a lug essentially perpendicular to the base plate and provided with a latching means on one face of the lug. Preferably, the attachment means comprises at least one stud projecting essentially horizontally. This post is preferably carried by the upper part of the tab. It is dimensioned so as to cooperate with a groove of homologous profile in a wall of the longitudinal groove of the floor plank to maintain the floor plank in the vertical direction after insertion of the post in the groove. Thus, to fix the floorboard to the frame, the mounting piece is first attached to the frame and then the blade is put on the mounting piece so that the tab enters the longitudinal groove and then the we translate the blade towards the tenon to make it penetrate into the groove. It is also possible to provide two grooves in opposite walls of the longitudinal groove, both capable of cooperating with the post, which avoids having to check the position of the groove before mounting the blade on the mounting part.

In a more preferred variant of this embodiment, the base plate comprises two pairs of lugs provided at the upper part with tenons to cooperate with two longitudinal grooves in a lower face of a floorboard, the tenons all being oriented from the same way.

The base plate is preferably provided with a stop protruding on its upper face, on the side opposite to the side of the tab carrying the attachment means. The position of this stop is determined so that the blade is in contact with the stop once the post is engaged in the groove. This stop is preferably positioned at the edge of the base plate, because it then allows, during assembly, to define a spacer dimension with an adjacent floorboard. In this case it blocks also the adjacent floorboard in position on its respective mounting piece. It will be noted that the elimination of the stop (whether it is removable or for example by milling), releases the adjacent floorboard in the transverse direction, which can then be disengaged from the anchoring means to be replaced. After replacing the blade, it can be blocked by fixing an element of similar thickness at the place of the initial stop. It is therefore possible to replace a worn or broken floorboard without having to dismantle the neighboring boards.

In another embodiment, the anchoring means comprises a pair of adjacent wings defining between them a slot. The two adjacent wings are capable of being separated by an insertion element introduced into the slot. In the present variant, the longitudinal groove in the floorboard cooperating with the attachment means has a dovetail section. It is thus possible to spread the wings to make them adopt a contained dovetail shape and thus immobilize the floorboard.

Such an insert is preferably made with the mounting piece and held at the entrance to the slot defined by the adjacent wings. It can for example be produced as a triangular profile. Thus, the insert is pushed into the slot by the bottom of the longitudinal groove, so that it spreads the adjacent wings. The insert could also be provided in the bottom of the groove, either as an insert, or by forming it in the wood of the blade.

The base plate according to the invention preferably has a generally rectangular shape, of the order of magnitude of the width of the floor plank to be supported, which ensures good stability for the plank. Advantageously, the base plate is made so as to present a central reinforcing rib with a predefined thickness, and thinned zones, preferably defining descending slopes from the central rib towards the edges to facilitate the evacuation of the water retained in these parts. At the level of the central rib, the base plate then defines a thickness of spacer between the floorboard and the framework. To facilitate alignment of the mounting parts when laying along a joist, the base plate is advantageously provided, at one of its ends with a tongue, and at the opposite end with a recess intended to receive the tongue of an adjacent part.

The mounting part is advantageously a plastic part molded in one piece. The material will be chosen to have good mechanical properties and to resist weathering and aging.

It remains to note that the mounting piece according to the invention can be used for fixing wooden strips in various types of assemblies, whether in horizontal or inclined planes, and even vertical. The present fixing device therefore makes it possible to produce floors and terraces, but also cladding and paneling.

Description using Figures

Other features and characteristics of the invention will emerge from the detailed description of some advantageous embodiments presented below, by way of illustration, with reference to the accompanying drawings. These show:

Fig.1: a top view of a first embodiment of a mounting part according to the invention; Fig.2: a view in longitudinal section of the mounting piece of Fig.1, on which is mounted a floorboard;

Fig.3: a sectional view A-A of the mounting part of Fig.1;

Fig.4: a top view of a second embodiment of a mounting part according to the invention; Fig.5: a cross-sectional view of the mounting piece of Fig.4 on which is mounted a floorboard.

In the figures, the same reference signs designate identical or similar elements.

A first embodiment of a mounting piece 10 according to the invention is illustrated in Fig.1. It includes a base plate 12 capable of being mounted on a support structure, typically a frame formed of joists. As seen in Fig.2, the base plate has a lower face 14 in contact with a joist 16 of the frame and an upper face 18 opposite. In the present variant, the base plate 12 has a generally rectangular shape (for example a length of 109 mm and a width of 50 mm). The base plate 12 is advantageously made so as to have a central reinforcing rib 20 with a predefined thickness (for example 4 mm), and thinned zones 22, preferably defining descending slopes from the central rib 20 towards the edges for facilitate the evacuation of the water retained in these parts 22. However, the base plate 12 could alternatively be produced as a solid face.

The part 10 is advantageously molded in one piece from a plastic material which is chosen to have good mechanical properties and to resist weathering and aging. It is possible, for example, to use plastics such as PE, PVC or PP, or even composite materials (where appropriate loaded with glass fibers) such as for example. a polyamide-based composite.

The base plate 12 is provided with means capable of allowing attachment to the underlying joist 16, namely holes 24 intended to receive one or more mounting screws (not shown). These holes 24 can advantageously be oval to allow an adjustment margin to remain if, at the time of positioning of the part 10, the hole 24 comes to lie above a screw for fixing the frame. In such a case, an oval hole 24 will then allow the mounting screw to be placed a little further. It is also possible to increase the number of screw holes to overcome this difficulty. Finally, in the case of multiple holes, the bottom of the holes may be provided with a plastic veil which will be easily drilled for the hole which will be chosen and which will ensure sealing for the others.

It will be appreciated that this mounting piece 10 allows fixing of the floorboards from below. For this purpose, the part 10 includes anchoring means on the upper face 18 of the base plate 12 and cooperating with longitudinal grooves 26 in a lower face 28 of a floorboard 30 (see Fig.2).

These anchoring means preferably comprise two pairs of lugs 32 on the upper face 18 of the base plate 12, each pair of lugs 32 cooperating with a groove 26. In addition, each lug 32 preferably carries at the top, a stud 34 extending horizontally on one side of the tab and dimensioned so as to cooperate with a groove 38 of homologous profile in a wall of the corresponding longitudinal groove 26.

As seen in Figures 1 to 3, the studs 34 are all turned on the same side on their respective legs 32. This preferred configuration allows a simple mounting of a floor plank 30 on the associated fixing piece 10, by first lowering the plank 30 on the piece so that the tabs 32 penetrate into the longitudinal grooves 26, then the blade 30 is translated (to the right in Fig.2) to engage the pins 34 in their respective grooves 38. In this position, the blade 30 is held in the vertical direction. It will be noted that each groove 26 preferably has an opening of dimension slightly greater than that of the legs 32 provided with the pins 34, in order to facilitate the introduction of the latter into the grooves 26.

In addition, the part 10 advantageously comprises a stop 40 projecting from the upper face 18 of the base plate 12 and disposed at the end of the plate 12 opposite the studs 34. The position of this stop 40 is chosen so that when the blade 30 is translated to fit grooves 38 and tenons 34, the blade 30 comes into contact with the stop 40. This stop 40 is preferably positioned at the edge of the base plate 12, because it then allows, during assembly , to define a spacer dimension with an adjacent floorboard.

It will be understood from FIG. 2, that after the mounting of the fixing piece 10 (against the right fixing piece 10 ′) and the positioning of the blade

30 in the position shown, fixing the next 10 "mounting piece (at left of the mounting piece 10), causes the blocking of the floor strip 30. In fact, the stop 40 "of the piece 10" is placed against the floor strip 30, preventing any translation in the direction allowing the release of the floorboard 30. The stop 40, 40 "therefore has a double locking and bracing function between adjacent boards; its thickness can be for example 4 mm.

It will also be noted that the elimination of the stop 40 ", for example by milling, releases the floor plank 30 which can then be again translated to the left (in FIG. 2) to be dismantled. After installation a new floor board on the part 10, it will be possible to fix - for example by gluing - at the place of the stop 40, a shim of the same dimensions to again block the floor board 30. This allows an easy replacement floorboards 30, without dismantling the neighboring boards.

To facilitate alignment of the mounting parts 10 during installation, the base plate 12 is advantageously provided, at one of its ends with a tongue 42, and at the opposite end with a recess 44 intended to receive the tongue of an adjacent room. The mounting pieces are therefore fixed along a joist next to each other, by inserting the tongue of a mounting piece into the recess of an adjacent mounting piece.

A second embodiment of a mounting part is illustrated in Figures 4 and 5. As for the embodiment illustrated in Figures 1 to 3, the mounting part 110 is made of plastic and includes a base plate 112 having a lower face 114 coming into contact with a joist 116 and an opposite upper face 118.

The base plate is preferably made so as to have a central reinforcing rib 120 and thinned areas 122 to facilitate the flow of water. The fixing piece 110 also includes one or more fixing holes 124 for fixing it to an underlying joist.

It will be appreciated that the mounting piece 110 allows a fixing of a floorboard by its underside. For this purpose, the part 110 includes anchoring means on the upper face 118 of the base plate 112 and cooperating with longitudinal grooves 126 in a lower face 128 of a floorboard 130 (see Fig.5).

These anchoring means are preferably two in number, each cooperating with a respective longitudinal groove 126. Each anchoring means comprises two adjacent wings 132, essentially vertical, and defining between them a slot 134. As can be seen in FIG. 5, the longitudinal grooves have a dovetail section. Note that the wings have sufficient flexibility to be able to be separated by inserting an element between them.

In Fig.5, a triangular insert 136, of a length approximately equivalent to that of the slot 134, has been introduced therein so as to partially spread the wings 132, which then have a profile similar to a contained dovetail (complementary to the dovetail defined by the groove 126). In the configuration of FIG. 5, the floorboard 130 is immobilized on the mounting piece 110.

The triangular element 136 is preferably produced at the same time as the part 110 and is held at the entrance to the slot 134 by connection points connecting it to the wings 132. When the blade 130 is placed on the part. 110, the triangular inserts 136 are pushed down into the slot 134 by the bottom of the groove 126 (after rupture of the connection points), and therefore move apart as indicated in FIG. 5.

In the embodiments presented above, the mounting pieces 10 and 110 are intended to be mounted (in their longitudinal direction) contiguous to each other. The base plate 12, 112 is therefore advantageously designed so that it supports the floorboard over its entire width and that it further defines a spacer dimension with at least one adjacent floorboard. LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

, 10 ', 10 ", 110 mounting piece

, 112 base plate

, 114 underside

, 116 joists

, 118 upper face

, 120 central reinforcement rib

, 122 thinned areas

, 124 holes

, 126 longitudinal grooves

, 128 underside, 130 floor plank

paw

tenon

groove

stop

tongue

recess

2 wing

4 slot

6 insertion element

Claims

claims

1. Mounting piece for floor plank comprising:

a base plate capable of being fixed on a support structure, the base plate having a lower face coming into contact with the support structure and an opposite upper face; and

at least one anchoring means on the upper face of the base plate and cooperating with a longitudinal groove in a lower face of a floorboard, the anchoring means being designed so as to keep the floorboard in the vertical direction after insertion into the longitudinal groove.

2. Mounting piece according to claim 1, wherein the anchoring means comprises a tab substantially perpendicular to the base plate and provided with a hooking means on a face of the tab.

3. Mounting piece according to the preceding claim, in which the attachment means comprises at least one stud projecting perpendicularly to the tab and dimensioned so as to cooperate with a groove of homologous profile in a wall of the longitudinal groove of the floor board to hold the floor board in the vertical direction after inserting the post in the groove.

4. Mounting piece according to the preceding claim, wherein the tenon is arranged in the upper part of the tab.

5. A mounting piece according to the preceding claim, comprising two pairs of tabs provided in the upper part with tenons to cooperate with two longitudinal grooves in a lower face of a floorboard, the tenons all being oriented in the same way.

6. A mounting piece according to claim 2, 3, 4 or 5, comprising a stop on the upper face of the base plate, the stop being located on the side opposite to the side of the tab carrying the attachment means.

7. Mounting piece according to the preceding claim, wherein the stop defines one. spacer thickness between two adjacent floorboards.

8. A mounting piece according to claim 1, wherein

the anchoring means comprises a pair of adjacent wings defining between them a slot;

the anchoring means being provided to cooperate with a longitudinal groove having a dovetail section; and

the two adjacent wings being able to be separated during the introduction of an insertion element into the slot.

9. A mounting piece according to the preceding claim, in which the anchoring means comprises an insertion element which, before assembly, is held at the entrance to the slot, and which, when the pair of adjacent wings penetrates into the longitudinal groove, is pushed by the bottom of the groove into the slot and separates the adjacent wings from one another.

10. Mounting piece according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the base plate comprises a central rib and thinned areas open on the edges of the base plate.

11. Mounting piece according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the base plate comprises at one end a tongue and at the opposite end a recess capable of receiving the tongue of an adjacent mounting piece.

12. Mounting part according to any one of the preceding claims, molded in one piece in a plastic material.

13. Mounting piece according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the base plate is designed so that it supports the floorboard over its entire width and that it further defines a spacer dimension with at least an adjacent floorboard.

14. Floor, in particular a terrace, comprising adjacent and parallel floorboards resting on a framework, the floorboards having longitudinal grooves in their undersides, in which the floorboards are fixed to the frame by means of mounting pieces according to any one of the preceding claims.