Floor panel for forming a floor covering

Abstract

A floor panel for forming a floor covering, wherein the floor covering consists of floor panels, which, on at least one pair of edges, are provided with coupling parts. The coupling parts substantially are manufactured from the material of the floor panel, and the coupling parts are configured such that two such floor panels, at the pair of edges, can be installed and locked to each other by means of a downward movement and/or by means of the fold-down principle.

1 . A floor panel for forming a floor covering,
 wherein the floor panel has a top layer with a decor and has a substrate comprising wood-based material;   wherein this floor panel comprises a first pair of opposite edges, and a second pair of opposite edges;   wherein the first pair of opposite edges comprises first coupling parts, which allow that two of such floor panels mutually can be coupled to each other, and wherein said first coupling parts show the following characteristics:   the first coupling parts comprise a first horizontally active locking system, which, in a coupled condition of two of such floor panels, effects a locking in a plane of the floor panels and perpendicular to the first pair of opposite edges;   the first coupling parts comprise a first vertically active locking system, which, in the coupled condition of two of such floor panels, effects a locking transverse to the plane of the floor panels;   the first coupling parts substantially are realized from the material of the floor panel itself; and   the first coupling parts are configured such that two of such panels can be coupled to each other at the first pair of opposite edges by a turning movement;   wherein the second pair of opposite edges comprises second coupling parts, which allow that two of such floor panels mutually can be coupled to each other, wherein said second coupling parts show the following characteristics:   the second coupling parts comprise a second horizontally active locking system, which, in the coupled condition of two of such floor panels, effects a locking in the plane of the floor panels and perpendicular to the second pair of opposite edges;   the second coupling parts comprise a second vertically active locking system, which, in the coupled condition of two of such floor panels, effects a locking transverse to the plane of the floor panels;   the second coupling parts substantially are realized from the material of the floor panel itself;   the second horizontally active locking system of the second pair of opposite edges is formed at least of an upward-directed lower hook-shaped part which is situated at a first edge of the second pair of opposite edges, and a downward-directed upper hook-shaped part, which is situated on a second edge of the second pair of opposite edges, wherein the lower hook-shaped part defines a lip with an upward-directed locking element, which proximally thereof defines a female part in a form of a recess, whereas the upper hook-shaped part has a lip with a downward-directed locking element forming a male part;   the second coupling parts are configured such that two of such floor panels can be coupled to each other at the first and second edges by a downward movement of the one floor panel in respect to the other;   the second horizontally active locking system comprises horizontally active locking parts, which by respective contact surfaces, define at least a first contact zone, the horizontally active locking parts comprise a first locking part at a proximal side of the downward-directed locking element and a third locking part at a proximal side of the upward-directed locking element;   the first and third locking parts, in the coupled condition of two of such floor panels, define said first contact zone and define at least one inclined tangent line;   the second vertically active locking system comprises vertically active locking parts, which, by respective contact surfaces, define at least a second contact zone, the vertically active locking parts comprise a second locking part at a distal side of the male part, and a fourth locking part at a proximal end of the upward-directed lower hook-shaped part;   the second and fourth locking parts, in the coupled condition of two of such floor panels, define said second contact zone and define a second tangent line;   the lower hook-shaped part comprises at a distal side of a distal end a fifth locking part, wherein a sixth locking part is provided at a proximal end of the downward-directed upper hook-shaped part;   the first tangent line is steeper in respect to the plane of the floor panel than the second tangent line, and the angle between the first tangent line and said plane is at least 10 degrees more than the angle between the second tangent line and said plane;   the second tangent line makes an angle with the plane of the floor panel of less than 45 degrees.   
     
     
         2 . The floor panel of  claim 1 , wherein said fifth and sixth locking part are part of the second vertically active locking system. 
     
     
         3 . The floor panel of  claim 1 , wherein the first tangent line makes an angle with the plane of the floor panel of more than 50 degrees. 
     
     
         4 . The floor panel of  claim 1 , wherein the sixth locking part is provided by a protrusion; and
 wherein the fifth locking part is provided by a recess or an undercut.   
     
     
         5 . The floor panel of  claim 4 , wherein the fifth locking part is provided by said recess, wherein said recess is present at a lower side of the lower hook-shaped part, and extends from a certain location at the lower side up to an end of the lower hook-shaped part. 
     
     
         6 . The floor panel of  claim 1 , wherein the second pair of opposite edges also shows the following characteristics:
 at the male part, at a height lower than the second contact zone, a contact surface is provided, which, in the coupled condition, together with a contact surface on the coupled floor panel, forms a support point which limits the movement of the male part in downward direction; and   the contact surfaces forming said support point are situated on a lower side of the male part and on the upper side of the lip of the lower hook-shaped part, respectively, wherein in the coupled condition, seen in cross-section, spaces between the lower side of the male part and the upper side of said lip are present on the left and on the right of the support point.   
     
     
         7 . The floor panel of  claim 1 , wherein the floor panel has a thickness of between 8 mm and 10 mm. 
     
     
         8 . The floor panel of  claim 1 , wherein the floor panel is rectangular, wherein the coupling parts are configured such that the floor panels can be installed in a floor covering by a fold-down installation principle. 
     
     
         9 . The floor panel of  claim 1 , wherein the contact surfaces of the second and the fourth locking part are made flat. 
     
     
         10 . The floor panel of  claim 1 , wherein the second contact zone is situated between ¼and ¾ of the overall thickness of the male part, in other words, the vertical height measured between the lowest point of the male part and the upper side of the floor panel, and wherein the second contact zone is situated completely above the first contact zone. 
     
     
         11 . The floor panel of  claim 1 , wherein, at the female part, inclined and/or rounded portions are formed, which are configured such that the male part, during the downward movement thereof, automatically is guided into the female part, this during a joining according to the folddown principle. 
     
     
         12 . The floor panel of  claim 1 , wherein the first coupling parts at the first pair of opposite edges are configured such that in coupled condition a pretension is existing, which forces the respective floor panels towards each other, wherein this performed by applying overlapping contours. 
     
     
         13 . The floor panel of  claim 1 , wherein on the proximal side of the female part, above the second contact zone a proximal surface is provided, which, in respect to the recess of the female part, is inclined in upward direction, and wherein above the second contact zone a distal surface is present at the male part, which, in the coupled condition of two of such floor panels, works in conjunction with the aforementioned proximal surface, wherein said proximal surface and said distal surface, in coupled condition, coincide. 
     
     
         14 . A floor panel for forming a floor covering,
 wherein the floor panel has a top layer with a decor and has a substrate comprising wood-based material;   wherein this floor panel comprises a first pair of opposite edges, and a second pair of opposite edges;   wherein the first pair of opposite edges comprises first coupling parts, which allow that two of such floor panels mutually can be coupled to each other, and wherein said first coupling parts show the following characteristics:   the first coupling parts comprise a first horizontally active locking system, which, in a coupled condition of two of such floor panels, effects a locking in a plane of the floor panels and perpendicular to the first pair of opposite edges;   the first coupling parts comprise a first vertically active locking system, which, in the coupled condition of two of such floor panels, effects a locking transverse to the plane of the floor panels;   the first coupling parts substantially are realized from the material of the floor panel itself; and   the first coupling parts are configured such that two of such panels can be coupled to each other at the first pair of opposite edges by a turning movement;   wherein the second pair of opposite edges comprises second coupling parts, which allow that two of such floor panels mutually can be coupled to each other, wherein said second coupling parts show the following characteristics:   the second coupling parts comprise a second horizontally active locking system, which, in the coupled condition of two of such floor panels, effects a locking in the plane of the floor panels and perpendicular to the second pair of opposite edges;   the second coupling parts comprise a second vertically active locking system, which, in the coupled condition of two of such floor panels, effects a locking transverse to the plane of the floor panels;   the second coupling parts substantially are realized from the material of the floor panel itself;   the second horizontally active locking system of the second pair of opposite edges is formed at least of an upward-directed lower hook-shaped part which is situated at a first edge of the second pair of opposite edges, and a downward-directed upper hook-shaped part, which is situated on a second edge of the second pair of opposite edges, wherein the lower hook-shaped part defines a lip with an upward-directed locking element, which proximally thereof defines a female part in a form of a recess, whereas the upper hook-shaped part has a lip with a downward-directed locking element forming a male part;   the second coupling parts are configured such that two of such floor panels can be coupled to each other at the first and second edges by a downward movement of the one floor panel in respect to the other;   the second horizontally active locking system comprises horizontally active locking parts, which by respective contact surfaces, define at least a first contact zone, the horizontally active locking parts comprise a first locking part at a proximal side of the downward-directed locking element and a third locking part at a proximal side of the upward-directed locking element;   the first and third locking parts, in the coupled condition of two of such floor panels, define said first contact zone and define at least one inclined tangent line;   the second vertically active locking system comprises vertically active locking parts, which, by respective contact surfaces, define at least a second contact zone, the vertically active locking parts comprise a second locking part at a distal side of the male part, and a fourth locking part at a proximal end of the upward-directed lower hook-shaped part;   the second and fourth locking parts, in the coupled condition of two of such floor panels, define said second contact zone and define a second tangent line;   the lower hook-shaped part comprises at a distal side of a distal end a fifth locking part, wherein a sixth locking part is provided at a proximal end of the downward-directed upper hook-shaped part;   the first tangent line is steeper in respect to the plane of the floor panel than the second tangent line, and the angle between the first tangent line and said plane is at least 10 degrees more than the angle between the second tangent line and said plane;   wherein said fifth and sixth locking part are part of the second vertically active locking system;   wherein the sixth locking part is provided by a protrusion; and wherein the fifth locking part is provided by a recess or an undercut.   
     
     
         15 . The floor panel of  claim 14 , wherein the fifth locking part is provided by said recess, wherein said recess is present at a lower side of the lower hook-shaped part, and extends from a certain location at the lower side up to an end of the lower hook-shaped part. 
     
     
         16 . The floor panel of  claim 15 , wherein the second contact zone is situated between ¼ and ¾ of the overall thickness of the male part, in other words, the vertical height measured between the lowest point of the male part and the upper side of the floor panel, and wherein the second contact zone is situated completely above the first contact zone. 
     
     
         17 . The floor panel of  claim 16 , wherein the second pair of opposite edges also shows the following characteristics:
 at the male part, at a height lower than the second contact zone, a contact surface is provided, which, in the coupled condition, together with a contact surface on the coupled floor panel, forms a support point which limits the movement of the male part in downward direction; and   the contact surfaces forming said support point are situated on a lower side of the male part and on the upper side of the lip of the lower hook-shaped part, respectively, wherein in the coupled condition, seen in cross-section, spaces between the lower side of the male part and the upper side of said lip are present on the left and on the right of the support point.   
     
     
         18 . The floor panel of  claim 17 , wherein the floor panel has a thickness of between 8 mm and 10 mm. 
     
     
         19 . The floor panel of  claim 18 , wherein the floor panel is rectangular, wherein the coupling parts are configured such that the floor panels can be installed in a floor covering by a fold-down installation principle, wherein, at the female part, inclined and/or rounded portions are formed, which are configured such that the male part, during the downward movement thereof, automatically is guided into the female part, this during a joining according to the folddown principle. 
     
     
         20 . The floor panel of  claim 19 , wherein the first tangent line makes an angle with the plane of the floor panel of more than 50 degrees and/or wherein the second tangent line makes an angle with the plane of the floor panel of less than 45 degrees;
 and wherein the first coupling parts at the first pair of opposite edges are configured such that in coupled condition a pretension is existing, which forces the respective floor panels towards each other, wherein this performed by applying overlapping contours.