Flooring panel or wall panel and use thereof

Abstract

Flooring panels can have a variety of widths. In one embodiment, panels or boards of different widths are packaged together to give the installer a great deal of flexibility in constructing the floor in order to achieve a realistic looking surface. In another embodiment, the panels have locking joints which allow the panels to be maintained in an installed condition until a pre-applied glue is allowed to set.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A flooring panel comprising:
 a base;   an upper surface layer;   a first pair of parallel side edges, comprising a first side edge and an opposite second side edge;   a second pair of parallel side edges, comprising a third side edge and an opposite fourth side edge, wherein the third and fourth side edges are adjacent to the first and second side edges; and   joining members for joining the flooring panels in an inter-lockable manner with similar adjacent flooring panels;   wherein the base of the flooring panel is substantially made of plastic;   wherein the joining members are made of the same material as, and as a unitary part of, the base of the flooring panel;   wherein the flooring panel is provided with a male joining member on the first side edge and a female joining member on the second side edge;   whereby the first and second side edges can be joined with respective side edges of similar adjacent flooring panels via the male and female joining members through turning motion;   wherein the flooring panel is provided with a male vertical assembly joining member on the third side edge and a female vertical assembly joining member on the fourth side edge;   whereby the third and fourth side edges can be joined with respective side edges of similar adjacent flooring panels via the male and female vertical assembly joining members through vertical motion;   wherein the male and female vertical assembly joining members are provided with at least one snapping hook with matching undercut which provide cooperating locking surfaces that limit the vertical movement of the flooring panel when the flooring panel is joined with similar adjacent flooring panels;   whereby the male and female vertical assembly joining members provide a snap action when the third and fourth side edges are being joined with respective side edges of similar adjacent flooring panels;   wherein the male and female vertical assembly joining members each comprise one or more substantially horizontal support surfaces;   wherein the support surfaces form an end abutment when the male vertical assembly joining member is pushed downwards into the female vertical assembly joining member; and   wherein the locking surface of the male vertical assembly joining member extends further distally than any of the one or more substantially horizontal support surfaces of the male vertical assembly joining member.   
     
     
         2 . The flooring panel of  claim 1 , wherein the flooring panel is rectangular, with the first pair of parallel side edges forming long side edges and the second pair of parallel side edges forming short side edges. 
     
     
         3 . The flooring panel of  claim 2 , wherein the upper surface layer of the flooring panel consists of a paint. 
     
     
         4 . The flooring panel of  claim 2 , wherein the upper surface layer of the flooring panel is an ultraviolet (UV) curing layer. 
     
     
         5 . The flooring panel of  claim 4 , wherein the UV curing layer comprises a resin. 
     
     
         6 . The flooring panel of  claim 2 , wherein the upper surface layer of the flooring panel consists of a plastic foil. 
     
     
         7 . The flooring panel of  claim 2 , wherein the upper surface layer of the flooring panel consists of a thermoplastic foil selected from the group consisting of polyethylene, polypropylene, and polyvinyl chloride. 
     
     
         8 . The flooring panel of  claim 1 , wherein the joining member at the third side edge is configured such that it can be joined to the joining member of a fourth side edge of a similar adjacent panel, simultaneously upon joining the joining member of the first side edge to the joining member of a second side edge of a similar adjacent panel by a turning motion. 
     
     
         9 . A flooring panel, comprising:
 a base;   an upper surface layer;   at least a first pair of parallel side edges, comprising a first side edge and an opposite second side edge; and   a glue system applied at the factory and at least present at the first and/or second side edge;   wherein the base of the flooring panel is substantially made of plastic;   wherein the flooring panel is provided with a vertical assembly system on the first side edge, the vertical assembly system having an upward facing gluing surface, and a vertical assembly system on the second side edge, the vertical assembly system having a downward facing gluing surface, whereby the first and second side edges can be joined with respective side edges of similar adjacent flooring panels via the vertical assembly systems through vertical motion;   wherein the vertical assembly systems are made of the same material as, and as a unitary part of, the base of the flooring panel;   wherein the glue system is applied to the upward facing gluing surface and/or the downward facing gluing surface, the glue system capable of adhesively connecting the upward facing gluing surface and downward facing gluing surface with respective gluing surfaces of similar adjacent flooring panels; and   wherein the flooring panel comprises an upper surface of thermoplastic foil.   
     
     
         10 . The flooring panel of  claim 9 , wherein the upward and downward facing gluing surfaces comprise ridges provided to activate the glue system when the flooring panel is joined to similar adjacent flooring panels. 
     
     
         11 . The flooring panel of  claim 9 , wherein the glue system is activated upon removal of a protective strip from the upward and/or downward facing gluing surface. 
     
     
         12 . The flooring panel of  claim 9 , wherein the glue system comprises an adhesive that is contained within or activated by micro-balloons that are ruptured when the flooring panel is being joined to similar adjacent flooring panels. 
     
     
         13 . The flooring panel of  claim 9 , wherein the glue system is activated by use of an activator, wherein the activator comprises water or a solvent. 
     
     
         14 . The flooring panel of  claim 9 , wherein the glue system is located at a certain level, the level being lower than the level defined by the plastic foil. 
     
     
         15 . The flooring panel of  claim 14 , wherein the panel is rectangular and is provided with the glue system on all side edges.