Floor covering, floor panels for forming such floor covering, and method for realizing such floor panels

Abstract

Floor covering, consisting of hard panels, with a laminated structure, whereby at least at the upper surface a printed decorative layer with a wood pattern is present, with thereupon a transparent layer of synthetic material in which impressions are formed, wherein the impressions substantially follow the wood pattern.

1 . Floor covering, consisting of hard panels, with a laminated structure, whereby at least at the upper surface a printed decorative layer with a wood pattern is present, with thereupon a transparent layer of synthetic material in which impressions are formed, wherein the impressions substantially follow the wood pattern.  
     
     
         2 . Floor covering according to  claim 1 , wherein the impressions follow the wood pattern substantially in longitudinal direction as well as substantially in transverse direction and directions situated in between.  
     
     
         3 . Floor covering according to  claim 1 , wherein the transparent layer of synthetic material consists of a synthetic resin, whether or not in the form of one or more transparent or translucent material layers soaked in synthetic resin.  
     
     
         4 . Floor covering according to  claim 1 , wherein the impressions extend up to a depth, such that they still are situated entirely above the decorative layer.  
     
     
         5 . Floor covering according to  claim 1 , wherein among the aforementioned impressions, there are bent impressions which follow the bent shape of the wood pattern.  
     
     
         6 . Floor covering according to  claim 1 , wherein among the aforementioned impressions, there are longer uninterrupted impressions with lengths of 3 cm or more.  
     
     
         7 . Floor covering according to  claim 1 , wherein the impressions are provided at least in function of the course of the wood nerves of the printed wood pattern.  
     
     
         8 . Floor covering according to  claim 1 , wherein the aforementioned impressions comprise successive short impressions which, globally, follow the nerves of the wood pattern.  
     
     
         9 . Floor covering according to  claim 1 , wherein the impressions are provided at least in function of and, more particularly, at the location of the so-called wood pores of the printed wood pattern.  
     
     
         10 . Floor covering according to  claim 1 , said floor covering comprising impressions which are obtained by means of a pressing mold, more particularly pressing plate, the relief of which was realized by means of image-processing technology, starting from a wood pattern, either an image of a wood pattern or a real wood pattern.  
     
     
         11 . Floor panel, consisting of a hard panel, with a laminated structure, whereby at least at the upper surface a printed decorative layer with a wood pattern is present, with thereupon a transparent layer of synthetic material in which impressions are formed, wherein these impressions are formed in a manner as defined in any of  claims 1  to  10 .  
     
     
         12 . Method for realizing a floor panel, which floor panel consists of a hard panel with a laminated structure, whereby at least at the upper surface a printed decorative layer with a wood pattern is present, with thereupon a transparent layer of synthetic material in which impressions are formed, wherein, in order to realize said impressions, the method comprises the step of providing the impressions concerned in said layer of synthetic material by means of a pressing mold, more particularly a pressing plate, having a relief which substantially follows the wood pattern.  
     
     
         13 . Method according to  claim 12 , wherein use is made of a pressing mold, more particularly pressing plate, the relief of which was realized by means of image-processing technology, starting from a wood pattern, either an image of a wood pattern or a real wood pattern.  
     
     
         14 . Method according to  claim 13 , wherein for forming, on one hand, the pressing plate and, on the other hand, the patterns to be printed, one starts from one and the same wood pattern.  
     
     
         15 . Method according to  claim 14 , wherein, by means of image-processing, a separation is performed, on one hand, for forming one or more image layers and, on the other hand, for forming one or more structural layers.  
     
     
         16 . Method according to  claim 12 , whereby the floor panels are formed of larger plates and whereby during the formation of these plates, at least one printed decorative layer and a layer of synthetic material are provided on a base plate, whereby, when said layers are pressed onto the base plate, heat is supplied and simultaneously said impressions are formed, wherein previous to the pressing, a positioning is performed between, on one hand, the decorative layer and, on the other hand, the applied pressing plate, in order to position the printed pattern on the decorative layer and the pattern present on the pressing plate in respect to each other.  
     
     
         17 . Method according to  claim 16 , wherein the positioning takes place by shifting the base plate, together with the decorative layer and layer of synthetic material present thereon until the desired position is achieved.  
     
     
         18 . Method according to  claim 17 , wherein the positioning of the base plate and the decorative layer and layer of synthetic material present thereon is performed by means of one or more adjustable stops against which the base plate, together with the decorative layer and layer of synthetic material present thereon, is positioned.  
     
     
         19 . Method according to  claim 16 , wherein the positioning is performed by means of one or more marks provided on the decorative layer.