Process for sealing of a joint

Abstract

A process for installation of surface elements ( 1 ), the surface elements ( 1 ) comprising a core, a decorative upper surface ( 3 ) and edges ( 2 ) provided with joining means for mechanically locking the surface elements ( 1 ) together. Predetermined portions of the edges ( 2 ) are provided with a glue which is present on the edges ( 2 ) of the surface elements ( 1 ) in a passive dry form and which may be activated by applying a liquid. The surface elements ( 1 ) are joined to each other by use of the joining means wherein a unit of a plurality of surface elements ( 1 ) is formed.

1 . A process for installation of surface elements ( 1 ), the surface elements ( 1 ) comprising a core, a decorative upper surface ( 3 ) and edges ( 2 ) provided with joining means for mechanically locking the surface elements ( 1 ) together wherein predetermined portions of the edges ( 2 ) are provided with a glue which is present on the edges ( 2 ) of the surface elements ( 1 ) in a passive dry form and which may be activated by applying a liquid, whereby the surface elements ( 1 ) are joined to each other by use of the joining means wherein a unit of a plurality of surface elements ( 1 ) is formed.  
     
     
         2 . A process according to  claim 1  wherein the glue is a PVA glue.  
     
     
         3 . A process according to  claim 2  wherein the glue is applied on the edges ( 2 ) as an emulsion which then is allowed to dry before the joining of the surface elements ( 1 ).  
     
     
         4 . A process according to  claim 1  wherein the liquid is water.  
     
     
         5 . A process according to  claim 1  wherein the liquid is a mixture of water and alcohol.  
     
     
         6 . A process according to any of the claims  1 - 5  wherein a thin coat of the liquid is applied on the upper surface ( 3 ) of the installed surface elements ( 1 ) wherein small amounts of the liquid will pentetrate into the joints thereby moisturising and activating the glue whereas the glue will expand and merge over the edges ( 2 ) of the joint and will act as sealant against further penetration of liquid.  
     
     
         7 . A process according to any of the claims  1 - 5  wherein small amounts of liquid accidently spilt on the upper surface ( 3 ) of the installed surface elements ( 1 ) will pentetrate into the joints thereby moisturising and activating the glue whereas the glue will expand and merge over the edges ( 2 ) of the joint and will act as sealant against further penetration of liquid.  
     
     
         8 . A process according to any of the claims  1 - 5  wherein the joining means comprises lower joining lips ( 10 ) at two adjacent edges ( 2 ) while the two remaining edges ( 2 ) are provided with upper joining lips ( 20 ), whereas the lower joining lips ( 10 ) are provided with intrinsically vertical lower lip surfaces ( 11 ) arranged parallel to the closest edge ( 2 ), the lower lip surfaces ( 11 ) being adapted to interact with mainly vertical upper lip surfaces ( 21 ) arranged on the upper joining lips ( 20 ) so that two joined adjacent surface elements ( 1 ) are locked together in a horizontal direction and that the joining lips ( 10  and  20  respectively) furthermore are provided with at least one heel ( 31 ) adapted to snap join with recesses ( 32 ) which, by being provided with intrinsically horizontal locking surfaces, limits vertical movement between two joined adjacent surface elements ( 1 ), whereby surface elements ( 1 ) are assembled by being pressed downwards once the edges ( 2 ) are vertically aligned.  
     
     
         9 . A process according to any of the claims  1 - 5  wherein the surface elements ( 1 ) comprises a combination of at least two different types of surface elements ( 1 ), which types comprises female surface elements ( 1   I ) and male surface elements ( 1   II ), whereby, 
 a) the female surface element ( 1   I ) is provided with a female joining member ( 210 ) on at least half of the number of its edges ( 2 ) and a male joining member ( 220 ) on less than half of the number of its edges ( 2 ) and that,  
 b) the male surface element ( 1   II ) is provided with a male joining member ( 220 ) on at least two thirds of the number of its edges ( 2 ) and a female joining member ( 210 ) on less than one third of the number of its edges ( 2 ), and that,  
 c) an optional joining profile ( 50 ) possibly constitutes a junction between two adjacent male joining members ( 220 ) of two adjacent surface elements ( 1 ).  
 
     
     
         10 . A process according to  claim 9  wherein; 
 a) the female joining member ( 210 ) comprises an upwards protruding lip ( 211 ), being parallel to the edge ( 2 ), with a guiding surface ( 212 ), the guiding surface ( 212 ) facing the edge ( 2 ) and a locking groove ( 213 ), being parallel to the edge ( 2 ), having a locking surface ( 214 ) facing downwards, which locking surface ( 214 ) terminates in a locking edge ( 2 ), that an angle αI between the guiding surface ( 212 ) and vertical plane is in the range 0-30° and that an angle αII between the locking surface ( 214 ) and a horizontal plane is in the range 0-30° as seen in a perpendicular cross-section, and that,  
 b) the male joining member ( 220 ) comprises a groove ( 221 ), being parallel to the edge ( 2 ), on the lower side with a guiding face ( 222 ), the guiding face ( 222 ) facing away from the edge ( 2 ) and a locking heel ( 223 ), being parallel to the edge ( 2 ), having a locking face ( 224 ) facing upwards, that an angle βI between the guiding face ( 222 ) and a vertical plane is in the range 0-30° and that an angle βII between the locking face ( 224 ) and a horizontal plane is in the range 0-30° as seen in a perpendicular cross-section and that,  
 c) the possible joining profile ( 50 ) comprises two upwards protruding rims ( 511 ), being parallel to each other and distanced from each other by a centre section ( 506 ), the two upwards protruding rims ( 511 ) being provided with guiding areas ( 512 ), the guiding areas ( 512 ) facing inwards and that the joining profile ( 50 ) furthermore is provided with two locking cheeks ( 513 ) placed on an extension, the locking cheeks ( 513 ) having locking areas ( 514 ) facing downwards, which locking areas ( 514 ) terminates in a locking edge ( 515 ), that an angle ψI between the guiding area ( 512 ) and a vertical plane is in the range 0-30° and that an angle ψII between the locking area ( 514 ) and a horizontal plane is in the range 0-30° as seen in a perpendicular cross-section whereby, the angles αI and βI are mainly the same, the angles αII and βII are mainly the same and the angles ψI and -II are also mainly the same.  
 
     
     
         11 . A process according to any of the claims  1 - 5  wherein the surface elements ( 1 ) are joined by means of joining members ( 200 ), the edges ( 5 ) being separated into a first and a second edge ( 2   I  and  2   II  respectively), which first and second edges ( 2   I  and  2   II  respectively) are arranged on opposite sides, and a third and a fourth edge ( 2   III  and  2   IV  respectively) being adjacent to the first and the second edge ( 2   I  and  2   II  respectively) and which third and fourth edges ( 2   III  and  2   IV  respectively) are arranged on sides opposite to one another, whereby the surface elements ( 1 ) are provided with male joining members ( 220 ) on the first edge ( 2   I ) while the second edge ( 2   II ) of the surface elements ( 1 ) are provided with a female joining member ( 210 ), that the male joining member ( 220 ) is provided with a tongue ( 110 ) and a lower side ( 5 ) groove ( 12 ), while the female joining member ( 210 ) is provided with a groove ( 13 ) and a cheek ( 14 ), the cheek ( 14 ) being provided with a lip ( 15 ), whereby the surface elements ( 1 ) are joined together via the male and female joining members ( 220  and  210  respectively) by tilting the surface element ( 1 ) to be joined with an already installed surface element ( 1 ) or a row of already installed floor elements ( 1 ), with the male joining member ( 220 ) of the surface element ( 1 ) angled downwards, that the first edge ( 2   II ) is positioned mainly parallel to the second edge ( 2   II ) of the already installed surface element ( 1 ) or row of surface elements ( 1 ), whereupon the tongue ( 110 ) of the tilted surface element ( 1 ) is inserted into the groove ( 13 ) of the female joining member ( 210 ) of the already installed surface element ( 1 ) or row of floor elements ( 1 ), whereby the tilted surface element ( 1 ) is turned downwards, with its lower edge ( 2 ) as a pivot axis, so that the lip ( 15 ) eventually snaps into the lower side ( 5 ) groove ( 12 ) where the decorative upper layer ( 3 ) of the surface elements ( 1 ) are mainly parallel, and that the third and fourth edges ( 2   III  and  2   IV  respectively) of the surface elements ( 1 ) are joined by means of joining members ( 200 ) selected from the group consisting of; 
 a) wherein the surface elements ( 1 ), on the third edge ( 2   III ), are provided with a male vertical assembly joining member ( 220   I ) while the fourth edge ( 2   IV ) is provided with a female vertical assembly joining member ( 210   I ), the fourth edge ( 2   IV ) being arranged on a side opposite to the third edge ( 2   III ), and,  
 b) wherein the surface elements ( 1 ) on the third edge ( 2   III ), are provided with a male vertical assembly joining member ( 220   I ) while the fourth edge ( 2   IV ) also is provided with a male vertical assembly joining member ( 220   I ), the fourth edge ( 2   IV ) being arranged on a side opposite to the third edge ( 2   III ), which adjacent male vertical assembly joining members ( 220   I ) are joined by means of a separate vertical assembly joining profile ( 50 ),  
 whereby two adjacent edges ( 2 ) of a surface element ( 1 ) at the same time, and in the same turning motion is joined with a surface element ( 1 ) adjacent to the first edge ( 2   III ) and a surface element ( 2   III ) adjacent to the third or fourth edge ( 2   III  and  2   IV  respectively).