Flooring system having sub-panels with complementary edge patterns

Abstract

Laminated flooring planks include decorative motifs, mechanically embossed-in-registration surface textures, recessed perimeters, and locking mechanisms. Adjacent planks substantially aligned allow embossed-in-registration patterns to be substantially continuous across adjacent flooring panels. The recessed perimeter prevents the edges of the flooring panel from prematurely wearing. Individual planks within the flooring system may comprise at least one partial sub-panel having a decorative motif and/or embossed surface texture (i.e., pattern)that is complementary with a pattern of a neighboring partial sub-panel or plank. Each plank may include edge patterns adjacent a portion of an edge of the plank and at least one bulk pattern adjacent the edge patterns. Edge patterns within a plank and of planks within a flooring system are substantially identical to each other. Bulk patterns form a substantially continuous pattern within an individual plank when adjacent a plank.

1 . A flooring system comprising: 
 a plurality of distinct flooring planks, at least a first and second plank of said plurality having a first edge pattern along a portion of an edge of the plank and a second edge pattern running along the remainder of the portion of that edge of the plank, wherein the first and second edge patterns are placed on the side of the first plank opposite the side where the first edge pattern and the second edge patterns are located in the second plank,    wherein the positions of the first and second edge patterns on one edge of the first plank are different from the positions of the first and second edge patters on the opposite edge of said first plank.    
     
     
         2 . The flooring system of  claim 1 , further comprising a bulk pattern in an interior region of said first plank.  
     
     
         3 . The flooring system of  claim 1 , wherein the first edge pattern further comprises a portion of a décor pattern continuous with said bulk pattern and wherein the second edge pattern comprises a discontinuous pattern.  
     
     
         4 . The flooring system of  claim 2 , wherein the décor pattern of the first edge pattern is a wood grain pattern and wherein the discontinuous pattern is a seam.  
     
     
         5 . The flooring system of  claim 1 , further comprising a third plank wherein the third plank has the first edge portion running along the same portion on both edges of the plank and a second edge portion running along the same other portion of both edges of the planks.  
     
     
         6 . The flooring system of  claim 4 , further comprising: 
 a fourth flooring plank having a first edge pattern along the portion of both edges of the plank, said portion different from the portions of the third plank where the second edge pattern is located.    
     
     
         7 . The flooring system of  claim 1  wherein the first edge pattern and the second edge pattern are different from one another.  
     
     
         8 . The flooring system of  claim 1 , wherein the first edge pattern and the second edge pattern are the same height but are on opposite sides of the first and second flooring plank.  
     
     
         9 . A flooring system comprising a plurality of planks, each of said planks having a plurality of edge patterns disposed along edges of the flooring plank such that each of said edge patterns is positioned along the opposite edges of the flooring planks such that the edge patterns on any one of said plurality of planks aligns with the edge patterns of at least two other of said plurality of flooring planks when said two other flooring planks are placed adjacent said first flooring plank.  
     
     
         10 . The flooring system of  claim 9  wherein at least one of said plurality of distinct planks has an arrangement of said edge patterns in which the arrangement of the plurality of edge patterns on one side of the plank matches the arrangement of the edge patterns on the opposite side of the plank.  
     
     
         11 . The flooring system of  claim 9  wherein at least one of said plurality of distinct planks includes an arrangement of said edge patterns on one side of the plank that is opposite the arrangement of said edge patterns on the opposite side of the plank.  
     
     
         12 . A flooring system comprising: 
 a first plank;    a second plank;    a first edge pattern at a portion of a first edge of said first plank and at a portion of a second, opposite, edge of said second plank; and    a second edge pattern at a portion of the second edge of said first plank and at a portion of the first edge of said second plank.    
     
     
         13 . The flooring system of  claim 12 , further comprising: 
 the second edge pattern at a portion of the first edge of said first plank substantially opposite the portion of the second edge of said first plank where said second edge pattern is located.    
     
     
         14 . The flooring system of  claim 13 , further comprising: 
 the first edge pattern at a portion of the second edge of said first plank substantially opposite the portion of the first edge of said first plank where said first edge pattern is located.    
     
     
         15 . The flooring system of  claim 13 , further comprising: 
 a discontinuous pattern between said second edge patterns of said first plank.    
     
     
         16 . The flooring system of  claim 12 , wherein said first edge pattern is a discontinuous pattern.  
     
     
         17 . The flooring system of  claim 15 , further comprising: 
 a discontinuous pattern between said first edge patterns of said first plank.    
     
     
         18 . A building panel system, comprising: 
 a plurality of distinct planks having an interior décor pattern;    each of said planks having a first edge and a second edge opposite said first edge;    a continuous edge pattern on at least a portion of said first edge of at least two of said plurality of distinct planks;    a continuous edge pattern on at least a portion of said second edge of at least two of said plurality of distinct planks;    a discontinuous edge pattern on at least a portion of said first edge of at least two of said plurality of distinct planks; and    a discontinuous edge pattern on at least a portion of said second edge of at least two of said plurality of distinct planks.    
     
     
         19 . The building panel system of  claim 18 , wherein at least one distinct plank of said plurality of distinct planks has a continuous edge pattern along the entire first and second edges of said plank.  
     
     
         20 . The building panel system of  claim 18 , said distinct planks further comprising a third edge and a fourth edge opposite said third edge, wherein a continuous edge pattern is along at least a portion of said third edge.  
     
     
         21 . The building panel system of  claim 20 , further comprising: 
 a continuous edge pattern along at least a portion of said fourth edge, wherein none of said continuous edge patterns on said first, second, third, or fourth edges are adjacent any other continuous edge pattern on a different edge.    
     
     
         22 . The building panel system of  claim 18 , wherein said building panel system is a flooring panel system, and said planks are flooring planks.