EP3983624B1 - Floor tile for the assembly of coverings on the floor of sports facilities - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a floor tile for the production of coverings on the floor of sports facilities according to the preamble of patent claim 1.

Floor coverings for indoor and outdoor sports facilities, which are composed of floor tiles, preferably plastic tiles, are particularly suitable for the efficient and cost-effective renovation of aging sports fields. Such modular floor coverings are used in particular for tennis, football and basketball courts. However, many of these flooring products provide little to no shock absorbing properties, resulting in increased fatigue and increased stress on ligaments, joints and discs from walking, running, jumping or other activities on the flooring. To ensure that the top surface of the floor is sufficiently strong to provide "ball bounce" properties and sufficient friction, synthetic floor tiles are made from a rigid or semi-rigid material.

A modular floor tile for making a flooring for sports fields is from the document US 2016/0222674 A1 CERNY ET AL. known. This known modular floor panel has a surface with a multiplicity of ribs or structural elements. A one-piece support system in the form of a grating is formed by the ribs or structural elements. Furthermore, the floor panel comprises primary support elements, one of which is arranged in each opening of the grating between the rib elements. Each primary support member includes a central support post which rests on the ground even when the floor panel is unloaded, and a plurality of flexible arms connected to the grating, the arms extending outwardly from the central support post. When a load is applied to the upper surface of the support system, the arms flex and the support system is pressed against the ground relative to the central support posts. The flexing action of the arms absorbs some of the impact associated with the load applied to the top of the floor tile, thereby reducing the impact effect of a person's foot on the floor. In the nodal points of the carrier system designed as a grating, secondary support elements are arranged, which in the unloaded state of the base plate above the ground surface are raised. Vertical downward movement of the truss system when a load is applied to the truss system is first cushioned by the flexures of the primary support members and lastly limited by the secondary support members as they make contact with the ground. However, this known floor tile has the disadvantage that a complicated structure is formed by the bendable arms, which connect the primary supporting elements to the ribs of the floor tile, which leads to a complex production of the floor tile. In addition, the downward movement of the floor tile is abruptly stopped by the secondary support elements when these secondary support elements hit the floor. The document U.S. 2014/237916 A1 also discloses such floor tiles.

This is where the invention aims to remedy the situation. The object of the invention is to create a floor tile with damping properties that are gentle on the joints, which can be produced simply and inexpensively.

The invention solves the problem with a floor tile for the production of coverings on the floor of sports facilities, which has the features of claim 1.

• durch die platten- oder schalenförmig ausgebildeten und elastisch durchbiegbaren Deckelemente eine ausreichende Federkraft herstellbar ist und kein abruptes Enden des Federwegs erzeugt wird;
• ein stossabsorbierender Bodenbelag für Sportanlagen herstellbar ist, welcher aufgrund seiner Zellenstruktur mit platten- oder schalenförmig ausgebildeten und elastisch durchbiegbaren Deckelementen gegenüber bekannten Bodenfliesen mit Federelementen, welche jeweils mehrere Arme und Stützpfosten aufweisen, eine einfache und kostengünstige Herstellung des Bodenbelags gewährleistet; und
• der Bodenbelag keine weitere Deckschicht benötigt.

The advantages achieved by the invention can essentially be seen in the fact that, thanks to the floor tile according to the invention:

• a sufficient spring force can be produced by the plate-shaped or shell-shaped and elastically deflectable cover elements and no abrupt end of the spring travel is generated;
• a shock-absorbing floor covering for sports facilities can be produced which, due to its cell structure with plate-shaped or shell-shaped and elastically deflectable cover elements, ensures simple and inexpensive production of the floor covering compared to known floor tiles with spring elements, each of which has several arms and support posts; and
• the floor covering does not require an additional top layer.

Further advantageous configurations of the invention can be commented on as follows:
In a preferred embodiment of the floor tile, the ratio FD:FZ is at least 70%, preferably at least 80%. The plate- or shell-shaped cover elements form thin plates or shells which are deflected when a load is applied and which, even with a relatively small thickness, can have a higher bending stiffness than linear arms which are loaded in bending.

The cover elements can be convexly curved towards the upper side in the shape of a shell. This results in the advantage that when a load occurs on the upper side of the cover elements, the force is preferably introduced in the middle of the cover elements.

The cover elements can have recesses in the corners of the polygonal cells. This results in the advantage that there are no accumulations of material at the corners of the polygonal cells, which would constitute a considerable disadvantage, in particular if the floor tile were to be produced by injection molding or die-casting techniques. This also avoids the accumulation of rainwater.

The cover elements can - viewed from the top - include a central recess. The central recess has the advantage that rainwater cannot collect and run off on the upper side of the plate-shaped or bowl-shaped cover elements. In addition, the central recess causes the plate or bowl-shaped cover elements to become more flexible.

The cover elements can also include pins or nubs on the upper side.

The pins can increase the slip resistance (grip) of the floor tile, especially in wet conditions in the case of outdoor arrangements of the floor covering. In addition, on sports fields for ball games, in particular on tennis courts, conditions analogous to hard courts are generated with regard to ball rebound and ball spin.

Viewed from the top, the cover elements can have a center and the pins or nubs can be arranged in one or more circles evenly distributed around the center. Each cover element advantageously comprises at least six pins or knobs.

The pins or nubs can expediently be arranged on perpendicular bisectors of the partition walls. The pins have a height H which is expediently at least 0.5 mm, preferably at least 0.7 mm. The height H of the pins is expediently at most 1.0 mm, preferably at most 0.8 mm.

The cover elements have a curvature with a height h, which expediently amounts to a maximum of 1.8 mm, preferably a maximum of 1.2 mm.

The cover elements can expediently be elastically deflectable by at least 0.7 mm, preferably by at least 1.0 mm, towards the underside. The cover elements can expediently be elastically deflectable by a maximum of 1.8 mm, preferably by a maximum of 1.2 mm, towards the underside.

In a particular embodiment of the floor tile, the cells each have the shape of a regular polygon, viewed from the top. Viewed from above, the cells can each have the shape of an equilateral hexagon. The advantage of this arrangement is that only three partitions meet at a node, i.e. in a corner of the cell, so that accumulations of material can be minimized. The equilateral hexagon expediently has an internal dimension of at least 30 mm, preferably at least 32 mm, between two parallel sides. The equilateral hexagon expediently has an internal dimension of at most 40 mm, preferably at most 38 mm, between two parallel sides. Typically, the inside dimension can be 35 mm.

The cells may be in the form of a prism, preferably a right prism.

The floor tile may be square and have four sides, the cells advantageously being arranged so that towards a first side seven cells are arranged next to each other. The advantage of this embodiment is that there is a smooth transition from tile to tile for a standard tile dimension of 10 inches x 10 inches, ie the resilience of the edge cells is not disturbed by additional partition walls because the connection is made at a node. Furthermore, when several floor tiles are joined together, a flowing optical transition of the hexagonal cells of the individual floor tiles, resulting in a uniformly harmonious surface of the floor covering.

In a particular embodiment of the floor tile, the seven cells lined up in the direction of the first side are arranged with juxtaposed parallel partitions of the equilateral hexagon.

The cells arranged in the direction of a second side perpendicular to the first side can each have two cells on the outside that are separated in the middle of two opposite corners of the hexagon.

The cover elements can have an increasing thickness towards the partition walls. A substantially constant tension in the cover elements can thus be achieved.

The thickness of the cover elements in the area of the partition walls is expediently at least 1.8 mm, preferably at least 2.0 mm. The thickness of the cover elements in the area of the partition walls is expediently at most 2.5 mm, preferably at most 2.2 mm. Typically, the thickness in this area is 2.1 mm.

The thickness of the cover elements in a central region of the cell viewed from the top is expediently at least 0.8 mm, preferably at least 1.0 mm. The thickness of the cover elements in a central area of the cell viewed from the top is expediently at most 1.4 mm, preferably at most 1.2 mm. Typically, the thickness in this area is 1.1 mm.

The floor tile is advantageously formed in one piece. This enables the floor tile to be produced by injection molding or die casting.

The cover elements may have radially extending indentations on a surface facing the underside of the floor tile. These indentations form segments of the cover elements, which provide soft, 3-dimensional cushioning when the sports shoe steps on the upper side of the floor tile ensure that joints and intervertebral discs are protected from hard blows.

In a particular embodiment, the floor tile can have four sides and can comprise spring clips on two mutually perpendicular sides and plug-in elements that can be snapped into the spring clips on the respective opposite sides. The spring clip and the plug-in elements form a snap connection system for connecting several floor tiles to produce a covering on the floor of a sports facility and are preferably designed in such a way that the floor tiles according to the invention can also be combined with other floor tiles already known. The spring clips can additionally be designed to be elastically deformable in both directions parallel to the respective sides.

The spring clips and plug-in elements enable the floor tiles to be displaced relative to one another parallel to the upper side in a resilient manner in two axial directions.

The intermediate walls can be designed to be recessed from the upper side in relation to the cover elements.

The floor tile can advantageously be made from a homopolymer or a copolymer, preferably from a polypropylene.

The rigidity of the plate or shell-shaped cover elements is expediently designed in such a way that the limit stress of the material from which the floor tile is made is a maximum of 35 N/mm ² under maximum load.

The invention and developments of the invention are explained in more detail below with reference to the partially schematic representations of an exemplary embodiment.

• Fig. 1 eine perspektivische Ansicht einer Ausführungsform der erfindungsgemässen Bodenfliese;
• Fig. 2 eine Schnittdarstellung einer einzelnen Zelle der in Fig. 1 dargestellten Ausführungsform der erfindungsgemässen Bodenfliese von der Unterseite der Bodenfliese her betrachtet;
• Fig. 3 eine Schnittdarstellung einer einzelnen Zelle der in Fig. 1 dargestellten Ausführungsform der erfindungsgemässen Bodenfliese;
• Fig. 4 eine perspektivische Darstellung einer einzelnen Zelle der in Fig. 1 dargestellten Ausführungsform der erfindungsgemässen Bodenfliese;
• Fig. 5 eine perspektivische Darstellung einer einzelnen Zelle der in Fig. 1 dargestellten Ausführungsform der erfindungsgemässen Bodenfliese von der Unterseite der Bodenfliese her betrachtet; und
• Fig. 6 eine Draufsicht auf eine Ausführungsform der erfindungsgemässen Bodenfliese.

Show it:

• 1 a perspective view of an embodiment of the inventive floor tile;
• 2 a sectional view of a single cell of the in 1 illustrated embodiment of the floor tile according to the invention viewed from the underside of the floor tile;
• 3 a sectional view of a single cell of the in 1 illustrated embodiment of the inventive floor tile;
• 4 a perspective view of a single cell in 1 illustrated embodiment of the inventive floor tile;
• figure 5 a perspective view of a single cell in 1 illustrated embodiment of the floor tile according to the invention viewed from the underside of the floor tile; and
• 6 a plan view of an embodiment of the inventive floor tile.

The in the Figures 1 - 6 The illustrated embodiment of the floor tile 1 according to the invention has an upper side 2 and an underside 3 and, viewed from the upper side 2 , has a cell structure with a multiplicity of cells 4 adjoining one another, which are separated by intermediate walls 5 . The partitions 5 are formed on the underside 3 of the floor tile to rest on the floor 10 of an indoor or outdoor sports facility.

Viewed from the top 2, the cells 4 each have the shape of an equilateral hexagon, by way of example and not by way of limitation, so that in the nodes of the partitions 5, i.e. in the corners 17 of the cells 4, there are minimal accumulations of material. In alternative embodiments, the cells 4 can also have the shape of another regular polygon.

The cells 4 comprise on the upper side 2 of the floor tile 1 with the intermediate walls 5 connected cover elements 6, which are convexly curved towards the upper side 3 and towards the underside 3 of the floor tile 1 can be elastically bent. The cover elements 6 have a curvature with a height h which, depending on the embodiment, can be between a maximum of 1.2 mm and a maximum of 1.8 mm. The Partitions 5 between the individual cells 4 are recessed from the top 2 of the floor tile 1 in relation to the cover elements 6 .

Alternatively, the cover elements 6 can also be plate-shaped and designed to be level with the upper side 2 of the floor tile 1 .

The cells 4 each have an area FZ enclosed by the partitions 5 on the upper side 2 of the floor tile 1, while the cover elements 6 each have an area FD in the region of the upper side 2, the ratio of FD:FZ being exemplary and not limiting is about 80%. The plate or shell-shaped cover elements form thin plates or shells which are deflected when a load is applied and which, even with a relatively small thickness, have a higher flexural rigidity than linear arms which are loaded in bending. The cover elements 6 can be elastically bent against the underside 3 of the floor tile 1 by at least 0.7 mm, preferably at least 1.0 mm and at most 1.8 mm, preferably at most 1.2 mm.

The cells 4 are designed as a right prism, the equilateral hexagon having an internal dimension 18 of 35 mm between two parallel sides. In alternative embodiments of the floor tile 1 according to the invention, the inner dimension 18 between two parallel sides of the equilateral hexagon can be at least 30 mm, preferably at least 32 mm and at most 40 mm, preferably at most 38 mm.

The cover elements 6 have recesses 15 in the corners 17 of the polygonal cells 4 so that material accumulations do not occur at the corners 17 of the polygonal cells 4 . This avoids the accumulation of rainwater.

Furthermore, the cover elements 6, viewed from the top 2 of the floor tile 1, comprise a central recess 16, which serves to prevent rainwater from collecting on the top of the plate-shaped or bowl-shaped cover elements 6 and which at the same time reduces the rigidity of the bowl-shaped cover elements 6. The partitions 5 point from the underside 3 of the floor tile 1 penetrating indentations 19, so that the partition walls 5 rest only in the area of the nodes, ie in the area of the corners 17 of the cells 4 on the floor 10 of a sports facility.

On the upper side 2, the cover elements 6 include pins 7 or nubs, whereby the slip resistance (grip) of the floor tile 1 is increased, especially in wet conditions in the case of outdoor arrangements of the floor covering. The pins 7 or nubs are arranged, by way of example and not by way of limitation, evenly distributed on a circle around the center 14 of the cover element 6 , each cover element 6 comprising six pins 7 or nubs, which are each arranged on perpendicular bisectors of the partitions 5 . The pins 7 have a height H which, in various embodiments of the floor tile 1 according to the invention, is at least 0.5 mm, preferably at least 0.7 mm and at most 1.0 mm, preferably at most 0.8 mm.

Furthermore, the cover elements 6 have an increasing thickness towards the intermediate walls 5, so that a substantially constant tension can be achieved in the cover elements. The cover elements 6 in the embodiment of the floor tile 1 according to the invention shown here have a thickness of 2.1 mm in the area of the partitions 5 and a thickness of 1.1 mm in a central area of the cell 4 viewed from the top 2 . In other embodiments of the floor tile 1 according to the invention, the cover elements 6 can be designed in such a way that the thickness of the cover elements 6 in the area of the partitions 5 is at least 1.8 mm, preferably at least 2.0 mm and at most 2.5 mm, preferably at most 2.2 mm and is at least 0.8 mm, preferably at least 1.0 mm and at most 1.4 mm, preferably at most 1.2 mm, in a central region of the cell 4 viewed from the top 2 .

In addition, the cover elements 6 are provided with radially extending depressions 8 on the surface directed towards the underside 3 of the floor tile 1, so that segments are formed which ensure soft, 3-dimensional damping when the sports shoe steps on the upper side 2 of the floor tile 1.

In the in the Figures 1 - 6 In the embodiment shown, the floor tile 1 is, viewed from the top 2, in the form of a quadrilateral, by way of non-limiting example, and has four peripheral faces 9a, 9b, 9c, 9d, on each face 9a, 9b, 9c, 9d means 13 of connection the floor tile 1 are arranged with a further floor tile 1. In particular, the floor tile 1 is square in shape, with the cells 4 being arranged in such a way that seven cells 4 are arranged next to one another in the direction of a first side 9a. The seven cells 4 lined up in a row in the direction of the first side 9a are arranged with parallel intermediate walls 5 of the equilateral hexagon arranged next to one another. The cells 4 arranged in the direction of a second side 9b, which is perpendicular to the first side 9a, each have 2 cells 4 that are separated in the middle at two opposite corners of the hexagon. For a standard tile dimension of 10 inches x 10 inches, there is a transition from floor tile 1 to floor tile 1 in such a way that the resilience of the cells 4 lying on the edge is not disturbed by additional partition walls 5 because the connection is made at a node.

The floor tile 1 is designed in one piece, with the means 13 for connecting the floor tile 1 to a further floor tile 1 comprising spring clips 11 on two mutually perpendicular sides 9a, 9b and plug-in elements 12 which can be snapped into these spring clips 11 on the opposite sides 9c, 9d. The spring clips 11 are designed to be elastically deformable in both directions relative to two mutually perpendicular sides 9a, 9b, i.e. parallel and perpendicular to the respective sides 9a, 9b in both directions, so that parallel to the upper side 2 of the floor tile 1 there is a resilient displacement in two axial directions of the floor tiles relative to each other is allowed.

The floor tile 1 is made of a polypropylene. In alternative embodiments, the floor tile 1 can also be made of another homopolymer or a copolymer.

Although there are various embodiments of the present invention as described above, it should be understood that the various features can be used both individually and in any combination.

This invention is therefore not limited simply to the particularly preferred embodiments mentioned above, but rather by the scope of the appended claims.

Claims (15)

1. A floor tile (1) for producing surfaces on the flooring (10) of sports complexes, wherein the floor tile (1):

   comprises a top side (2) and a bottom side (3);

   is formed as a triangle or square as viewed from the top side (2) and has three or four sides (9a, 9b, 9c, 9d) peripherally;

   comprises means (13) for connecting the floor tile (1) to another floor tile (1) on each side (9a, 9b, 9c, 9d);

   has a cell structure with a plurality of cells (4) adjacent one another as viewed from the top side (2), which cells are separated by dividing walls (5), wherein

   the cells (4) each have the shape of a polygon as viewed from the top side (2) and the dividing walls (5) on the bottom side (3) thereof are formed to rest against the flooring (10), characterized in that

   the cells (4) on the top side (2) comprise surface elements (6) connected to the dividing walls (5), which surface elements are plate-shaped or shell-shaped and elastically bendable against the bottom side (3); wherein,

   as viewed from the top side (2), the cells (4) each have a surface FZ restricted by the dividing walls (5) and, as viewed from the top side (2), the surface elements (6) each have a surface FD, and wherein

   the ratio of FD:FZ is at least 50%.
2. The floor tile (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the FD:FZ ratio is at least 70%, preferably at least 80%.
3. The floor tile (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the surface elements (6) are curved convexly in the shape of a shell against the top side (2).
4. The floor tile (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the surface elements (6) have recesses (15) in the corners (17) of the polygonal cells (4).
5. The floor tile (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the surface elements (6) comprise a central recess (16), as viewed from the top side (2).
6. The floor tile (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the surface elements (6) comprise pins (7) or knobs on the top side (2).
7. The floor tile (1) according to claim 3, possibly combined with any one of claims 2 or 4 to 6, characterized in that
   the surface elements (6) have a curvature with a height H which is at most 1.8 mm.
8. The floor tile (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the cells (4) each have the shape of a regular polygon, as viewed from the top side (2).
9. The floor tile (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the cells (4) are formed as a prism, preferably as a straight prism.
10. The floor tile (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the floor tile (1) is formed in a squared shape and has four sides (9a, 9b, 9c, 9d), wherein the cells (4) are arranged such that seven cells (4) are arranged next to one another in the direction of a first side (9a).
11. The floor tile (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the surface elements (6) have a thickness increasing toward the dividing walls (5).
12. The floor tile (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that the floor tile (1) is formed in one piece.
13. The floor tile (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that the surface elements (6) have radially extending depressions (8) on a surface oriented against the bottom side (3) of the floor tile (1).
14. The floor tile (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that the dividing walls (5), as viewed from the top side (2), are recessed as relates to the surface elements (6).
15. The floor tile (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 14, characterized in that the floor tile (1) is produced from a homopolymer or copolymer, preferably from a polypropylene.

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