Floor system, a coupling insert and a floor covering comprising such a floor system

Abstract

A floor system comprising a floor element, wherein said floor element comprises a top layer, preferably comprising a ceramic tile, and a support layer, wherein said support layer comprises edges provided with coupling elements, wherein the system comprises at least one coupling insert adapted to interact with one coupling element of the floor element.

1 . A floor system comprising a floor element, wherein said floor element comprises a top layer, preferably comprising a ceramic tile, and a support layer, wherein said support layer comprises edges provided with coupling elements, wherein the system comprises at least one coupling insert adapted to interact with one coupling element of the floor element. 
     
     
         2 . The floor system according to  claim 1 , wherein said coupling elements are the same on opposite edges of the support layer, and preferably on all the edges of the support layer. 
     
     
         3 . The floor system according to  claim 1 , wherein the coupling elements are configured such that in a coupling condition with the coupling insert, relative movement between the coupling insert and the floor element in one or more vertical and/or horizontal direction is limited or prevented. 
     
     
         4 . The floor system according to  claim 1 , wherein the coupling elements are disposed partially, preferably entirely, below said top layer. 
     
     
         5 . The floor system according to  claim 1 , wherein said coupling element partially or entirely extend beyond a respective edge of the top layer. 
     
     
         6 . The floor system according to  claim 1 , wherein the coupling element is present substantially continuously along the entire length of the respective edge. 
     
     
         7 . The floor system according to  claim 1 , wherein said coupling elements are at least in part, preferably integrally, formed in support layer. 
     
     
         8 . The floor system according to  claim 7 , wherein the coupling elements are milled in the support layer. 
     
     
         9 . The floor system according to  claim 1 , wherein the coupling insert is adapted to interact with two or more floor elements, for example three floor elements or four floor elements. 
     
     
         10 . The floor system according to  claim 1 , wherein the coupling insert comprises a central portion and two or more lateral portions extending laterally from said central portion wherein at least said lateral portions are adapted to interact with respective coupling elements of the floor elements. 
     
     
         11 . The floor system according to  claim 1 , wherein said coupling insert is adapted to interact with a corner area of the floor elements. 
     
     
         12 . The floor system according to  claim 11 , wherein the coupling insert is adapted to couple with two coupling elements on two different, preferably consecutive, edges of one floor element. 
     
     
         13 . The floor system according to  claim 9 , wherein said coupling insert is, in a top view,; —T-shaped or Y-shaped, for coupling together three floor elements; or -cross-shaped, for coupling together four floor elements. 
     
     
         14 . The floor system according to  claim 9 , comprising multiple coupling inserts of different types. 
     
     
         15 . The floor system according to  claim 10 , wherein said central portion is adapted, in an installed floor, to stay in between two or more floor elements so that its width can determine, or at least contribute to determine, a distance between the top layers of said floor elements. 
     
     
         16 . The floor system according to  claim 1 , wherein said coupling insert comprises first and/or second contact surfaces adapted to contact respective first and/or second contact surfaces of the coupling elements. 
     
     
         17 . The floor system according to  claim 10 , wherein one lateral portion is formed by an upper and/or a lower lip having one or more humps or protrusion adapted and to interact with respective recesses in the coupling elements of the support layer to define contact surfaces thereby defining contact surfaces that limit relative movement between the coupling insert and the floor element in one or more vertical and/or horizontal direction. 
     
     
         18 . The floor system according to  claim 1 , wherein the support layer is in the form of a panel, or a board, attached, for example laminated, to a lower surface of the top layer. 
     
     
         19 . A floor element comprising a top layer, preferably made of a ceramic material, and a support layer, wherein said support layer comprises edges provided with coupling elements adapted for being coupled with a coupling insert, wherein said coupling elements are the same on opposite edges of the support layer, more preferably on all the edges of the support layer. 
     
     
         20 . A floor covering comprising a plurality of floor elements wherein the floor element comprising a top layer, preferably made of a ceramic material, and a support layer, wherein said support layer comprises edges provided with coupling elements; and a plurality or coupling inserts, wherein each of said coupling inserts is mechanically coupled with at least coupling element of at least two of said floor elements and comprising an adhesive material, preferably a grout, at least partially filling a space between the top layers of the floor elements.