Panel, covering and method for installing such panels

Abstract

A panel for forming a covering, more particularly a floor panel for forming a floor covering, which at least at two opposite edges, comprises coupling parts arranged to couple two of such panels to each other by means of a downward movement of one panel in respect to the other. The coupling parts form a first locking system arranged to lock in the plane of the panels and perpendicularly to the edges, as well as form a second locking system, which effects a locking perpendicularly to the plane of the panels. At least one of the coupling parts is formed at least partially in soft PVC (polyvinyl chloride), as well as at least partially formed from a milled profiled part of this soft PVC.

1 . A floor panel for forming a floor covering;
 wherein the panel comprises a substrate of a material on the basis of synthetic material, for example PVC;   wherein the panel is rectangular, either oblong or square, and comprises a first pair of opposite edges and a second pair of opposite edges;   wherein both pairs of opposite edges comprise coupling parts allowing to couple a plurality of such panels to each other;   wherein the coupling parts, at both pairs of edges, form a first locking system effecting a locking in the plane of the panels and perpendicular to the respective edges, and form a second locking system effecting a locking transverse to the plane of the panels;   wherein the coupling parts, at least at one of said two pairs of edges, substantially are realized from said substrate and in one piece of said material on the basis of synthetic material;   wherein the coupling parts, at least at said one of said two pairs of edges, consist of a tongue and a groove, as well as locking parts, which, in the coupled condition, prevent the drifting apart of the tongue and groove, said locking parts defining cooperating locking surfaces;   wherein said groove is bordered by a lower lip and an upper lip, wherein the lower lip extends laterally up to beyond the distal end of the upper lip and wherein the lower lip comprises one of said cooperating locking surfaces;   wherein said tongue and groove have a shape which provides for that, in the coupled condition of two of such panels, a contacting portion at the underside of the upper lip cooperates with the upper side of the tongue and preferably forms a downward inclination in the proximal direction; and   wherein preferably, in the coupled condition of two of such panels, spaces are present between the two coupled panels on either side of the contacting portion at the underside of the upper lip, with a first space distally from the contacting portion at the underside of the upper lip and a second space proximally from the contacting portion at the underside of the upper lip.   
     
     
         2 . The floor panel of  claim 1 , wherein the tongue is beveled or rounded at its upper side, next to the tip; and wherein, distally from the contacting portion at the underside of the upper lip, a beveled and/or rounded portion is present at the underside of the upper lip. 
     
     
         3 . The floor panel of  claim 1 , wherein the distance from the tip of the tongue up to the distal end of the upper lip, is larger than 1.2 times and still better is larger than 1.3 times the average thickness of the portion of the tongue situated in coupled condition underneath said contacting portion at the underside of the upper lip, preferably the average thickness of the portion of the tongue situated in coupled condition underneath the contacting portion is less than 1.5 mm. 
     
     
         4 . The floor panel of  claim 1 , wherein the tongue and groove, including the locking parts, are arranged for allowing interconnecting two of such panels at the respective edges by means of a turning movement. 
     
     
         5 . The floor panel of  claim 1 , wherein the smallest thickness of the portion of the lower lip situated beyond the distal end of the upper lip, is at least 0.7 times the average thickness of the upper lip at the location of said contacting portion at the underside of the upper lip. 
     
     
         6 . The floor panel of  claim 1 , wherein the first space, extends from the contacting portion to beyond the upper lip. 
     
     
         7 . The floor panel of  claim 1 , wherein the tongue and groove are made such that, when two of such panels are presented to each other in a plane-parallel manner at the edges concerned, the tongue comes to sit at least with its tip already at least partially underneath the upper lip, without any bending being necessary already. 
     
     
         8 . A floor panel for forming a floor covering;
 wherein the panel comprises a substrate of a material on the basis of synthetic material, for example PVC;   wherein the panel is rectangular, either oblong or square, and comprises a first pair of opposite edges and a second pair of opposite edges;   wherein both pairs of opposite edges comprise coupling parts allowing to couple a plurality of such panels to each other;   wherein the coupling parts, at both pairs of edges, form a first locking system effecting a locking in the plane of the panels and perpendicular to the respective edges, as well as form a second locking system effecting a locking transverse to the plane of the panels;   wherein the coupling parts at least at one of said two pairs of edges substantially are realized from said substrate;   wherein said coupling parts, at least at said one of said two pairs of edges, consist of a tongue and a groove, as well as locking parts, which, in the coupled condition, prevent the drifting apart of the tongue and groove;   wherein said groove is bordered by a lower lip and an upper lip, whereby the lower lip extends laterally up to beyond the distal end of the upper lip;   wherein the tongue is in connection with the remainder of the panel by means of a narrowed portion;   wherein the smallest vertical thickness of the portion of the lower lip situated beyond the distal end of the upper lip, is smaller than the smallest vertical thickness of said narrowed portion.   
     
     
         9 . The panel of  claim 8 , wherein the tongue and groove, including the locking parts, are arranged for allowing interconnecting two of such panels at the respective edges by means of a turning movement. 
     
     
         10 . The panel of  claim 8 , wherein the tongue is beveled or rounded at its upper side, next to the tip; and wherein, distally from a contacting portion at the underside of the upper lip which, in coupled condition of two of such panels, cooperates with the upper side of the tongue, a beveled and/or rounded portion is present at the underside of the upper lip. 
     
     
         11 . The panel of  claim 8 , wherein, in coupled condition of two of such panels, a contacting portion at the underside of the upper lip cooperates with the upper side of the tongue, wherein the distance from the tip of the tongue up to the distal end of the upper lip, is larger than 1.2 times the average thickness of the portion of the tongue situated in coupled condition underneath said contacting portion at the underside of the upper lip. 
     
     
         12 . The panel of  claim 8 , wherein, in coupled condition of two of such panels, a contacting portion at the underside of the upper lip cooperates with the upper side of the tongue, wherein the smallest vertical thickness of the portion of the lower lip situated beyond the distal end of the upper lip, is at least 0.7 times the average thickness of the upper lip at the location of said contacting portion at the underside of the upper lip. 
     
     
         13 . A panel for forming a floor covering;
 wherein the panel comprises a substrate of a material on the basis of synthetic material, for example PVC;   wherein the panel comprises a top layer above said substrate;   wherein this panel is rectangular, either oblong or square, and thus comprises a first pair of opposite edges and a second pair of opposite edges;   wherein both pairs of opposite edges comprise coupling parts allowing to couple a plurality of such panels to each other;   wherein these coupling parts, at both pairs of edges, form a first locking system effecting a locking in the plane of the panels and perpendicular to the respective edges, as well as form a second locking system effecting a locking transverse to the plane of the panels;   wherein these coupling parts, at both pairs of edges, substantially are realized from said substrate;   wherein these coupling parts, at least at one of the aforementioned two pairs of edges, comprise a tongue and a groove, as well as a locking part at the tongue and a locking part at the groove, which, in a coupled condition of two such panels, prevent the drifting apart of the tongue and groove via contacting locking surfaces;   wherein said groove is bordered by a lower lip and an upper lip, wherein the lower lip extends laterally up to beyond the distal end of the upper lip;   wherein said locking part at the groove is located at said lower lip;   wherein the smallest thickness of the portion of the lower lip situated beyond the distal end of the upper lip, is at least 0.7 times the average thickness of the upper lip at the location of a contacting portion at the underside of the upper lip, which, in coupled condition of two of such panels, cooperates with the upper side of the tongue at the respective opposite edge;   wherein the locking part at the groove has an uppermost point defining a horizontal level, and wherein the horizontal level intersects the groove at a location that is situated proximally from a most distally situated point of said contacting portion at the underside of the upper lip.   
     
     
         14 . The panel of  claim 13 , wherein the tongue and groove, including the locking parts, are arranged for interconnecting two of such panels at the respective edges by means of a turning movement. 
     
     
         15 . The panel of  claim 13 , wherein the aforementioned tongue and groove are realized such that, when two of such panels, at the respective edges, are presented to each other in a plane-parallel manner, the tongue, at least with its tip, already comes to sit at least partially underneath the lip bordering the upper side of the groove, without any bending being necessary already. 
     
     
         16 . The panel of  claim 13 , wherein the tongue is beveled or rounded at its upper side, next to the tip; and wherein, distally from a contacting portion at the underside of the upper lip, which, in coupled condition of two of such panels, cooperates with the upper side of the tongue at the respective opposite edge, a beveled and/or rounded portion is present at the underside of the upper lip. 
     
     
         17 . The panel of  claim 13 , wherein the horizontal distance from the tip of the tongue up to the distal end of the upper lip is larger than 1.2 times and still better is larger than 1.3 times the average thickness of the portion of the tongue situated in coupled condition underneath the contacting portion at the underside of the upper lip, which, in coupled condition of two of such panels, cooperates with the upper side of the tongue at the respective opposite edge. 
     
     
         18 . The panel of  claim 13 , wherein said locking part that is located at said lower lip is situated completely in the lower half of the panel.