Sectional Flooring with Coupling Member, and Assembling Method Thereof

Abstract

Sectional flooring is provided. The sectional flooring includes first, second, and third floor boards ( 10,20 and 30 ) and a coupling member ( 40 ) for connecting the first and second floor boards ( 10 and 20 ) that are arranged to be adjacent to each other in a longitudinal direction. The coupling member ( 40 ) includes a base portion ( 41 ) placed over-adjacent first and second floor boards ( 10 and 20 ), a pair of side hooks ( 42 ) protruding from opposite ends of the base portion ( 41 ) toward top surfaces of the first and second floor boards ( 10 and 20 ), and a pair of cantilever hooks ( 43 ) spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance and protruding from a center of the base portion ( 41 ). Each of the cantilever hooks ( 43 ) includes a hook step ( 431 ). The hook step ( 431 ) includes an upper portion formed with an inclined surface inclined at a predetermined lead angle (OL) and a lower portion is formed with an inclined surface inclined at a predetermined return angle (OR).

1 . Sectional flooring comprising:
 first, second, and third floor boards each having a core formed of wood, the floor boards being provided at longitudinal and lateral sides with coupling structures and assembled together; and   a coupling member for connecting the first and second floor boards that are arranged to be adjacent to each other in a longitudinal direction thereof, the coupling member being coupled to lower portions of the lateral sides of the first and second floor boards, wherein the coupling member  40  comprises   a base portion placed over the adjacent first and second floor boards;   a pair of side hooks protruding from opposite ends of the base portion toward top surfaces of the first and second floor boards, the side hooks being fitted in the lateral sides the first and second floor boards to endure a stress applied in a longitudinal direction of the first and second floor boards; and   a pair of cantilever hooks spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance and protruding from a center of the base portion toward the top surfaces of the first and second floor boards, each of the cantilever hooks including a hook step engaged with the lateral side of the corresponding one of the first and second floor boards and an inclined portion extending downward from the hook step, the cantilever hooks supporting a stress applied in a thickness direction of the first and second floor boards,   wherein each of the hook steps includes an upper portion formed with a surface that is inclined at a predetermined lead angle θ L  with respect to a vertical line extending in the thickness direction of the first and second floor boards, and a lower portion formed with a surface that is inclined at a predetermined return angle θ R  with respect to a horizontal line extending in a length direction of the first and second floor boards.   
   
   
       2 . The sectional flooring of  claim 1 , wherein the lead angle θ L  is 5°˜45° and the return angle θ R  is equal to or less than 60°. 
   
   
       3 . The sectional flooring of  claim 1 , wherein the hook steps and the inclined portions are provided on outer surfaces of the cantilever hooks, which face the side hooks, and a width of each of the inclined portion is gradually reduced as it goes away from the base portion. 
   
   
       4 . The sectional flooring of  claim 3 , wherein a ratio between a lower end width H of the cantilever hook facing the hook step and a lower end width H L  of the hook step is about 2:1. 
   
   
       5 . The sectional flooring of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second floor board includes:
 a first recess portion for receiving the side hook, the first recess portion being formed on a lower portion of the lateral side that faces the coupling member; a coupling protrusion, protruding from a side of the first recess portion toward the lower portion of the first and second floor board and fitted between the side hook and the cantilever hook;   a second recess portion, that is provided on a side of the coupling protrusion that faces an outer side of the first and second floor board, to receive the hook step of the cantilever hook; and   a projection for guiding a motion of the cantilever hook, the projection being formed with an inclined portion on a lower portion of the second recess portion.   
   
   
       6 . The sectional flooring of  claim 5 , wherein the coupling protrusion has a width equal to or greater than 3.0 mm in a longitudinal direction of the first and second floor board. 
   
   
       7 . The sectional flooring of  claim 5 , wherein a cavity for receiving thermal expansion of the coupling member is formed between the first and second floor board and a coupling surface of the coupling member. 
   
   
       8 . The sectional flooring of  claim 7 , wherein a width “a” of the cavity between the coupling member and the first and second flooring board at a top surface of the base portion of the coupling member and the cantilever hook is 0.05-0.2 mm, and a width “b” of the cavity between the coupling member and the first and second floor board at an outer surface of the side hook is 0.05-0.5 mm. 
   
   
       9 . The sectional flooring of  claim 5 , wherein an upper portion of the lateral side of the first and second floor board that does not face the coupling member is formed with a vertical surface, and the vertical surfaces of the first and second floor boards and contact each other. 
   
   
       10 . The sectional flooring of  claim 5 , wherein a stopper projection is formed on an upper portion, which does not face the coupling member of the lateral side of one of the first and second floor boards, and a third recess portion for receiving the stopper projection is formed on an upper portion, which does not face the coupling member, of the lateral side of the other of the first and second floor boards. 
   
   
       11 . The sectional flooring of  claim 5 , wherein a protrusion is formed on an upper portion, which does not face the coupling member, of the lateral side of one of the first and second floor boards, and a groove is formed on an upper portion, which does not face the coupling member, of the lateral side of the other of the first and second floor boards. 
   
   
       12 . The sectional flooring of  claim 5 , wherein a glue pocket is formed on a bottom of the coupling protrusion that faces the base portion of the coupling members. 
   
   
       13 . The sectional flooring of  claim 5 , wherein:
 the first floor board is provided at a longitudinal side a with an upper hook step protruding toward the third floor board, an intermediate hook step protruding from a bottom of the upper hook step toward a bottom surface thereof, and a fourth recess portion provided at a side of the intermediate hook step, which faces an inner portion thereof; and   the third floor boards is provided at the longitudinal side with a fifth recess portion for receiving the upper hook step, a sixth recess portion for receiving the intermediate hook step, and a lower hook step that extends from the sixth recess portion to an external portion thereof and is received in the fourth recess portion.   
   
   
       14 . The sectional flooring of  claim 1 , wherein the floor boards are formed of wood panels, high density fiberboard, or medium density fiberboard. 
   
   
       15 . The sectional flooring of  claim 1 , wherein the coupling member is formed of a material having a modulus of elasticity of 1˜4 GPa. 
   
   
       16 . A method of assembling the sectional flooring claimed in  claim 13 , comprising:
 assembling the second floor board with the coupling member;   interconnecting the longitudinal sides a of the first and third floor boards by rotating the first floor board downward after fitting the upper hook step of the first floor board into the fifth recess portion of the third floor board; and   interconnecting the lateral sides of the first and second floor boards by assembling the first floor board with the coupling member by pressing the first floor board downward.   
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein when the first floor board is assembled with the coupling member, the projection biases the cantilever hook toward a center of the coupling member as the projection of the first floor board contacts and slides.