Barb-type lock floor made of plastic material

Abstract

A barb-type lock floor has a simple structure, but is particularly suitable for the connection of sheets made of plastic material with relatively low rigidity. Said plastic sheets may be rectangular or square, the thickness may be relatively small, such as 3 to 5 mm. At the same time, it is suitable for relatively thick sheets. Therefore, the barb (hook) type floor of plastic material is usable with a broad range of suitable materials, can be easily processed, achieves firm connection, and makes the installation and replacement extremely convenient. Meanwhile, the overlapping part of the connecting portion of sheets with this structure takes up only about 1.5 to 2% of the total sheet area, which can save a lot of material during large scale production.

1 - 7 . (canceled) 
     
     
         8 . Plastic flooring comprising:
 a first flooring sheet having a first sheet upper surface and a first sheet lower surface separated by a first sheet thickness,
 at least one edge of the first sheet lower surface terminating in an external hook with an external hook outer surface, an external hook upper surface lying below the first sheet upper surface, and an external slot inner surface, 
 a first slot being defined between the external hook inner surface, a first slot lower surface extending between the first flooring sheet and the external hook and lying below the external hook upper surface, and a first slot inner surface, the first slot being opening upwardly and angled obliquely toward the first sheet upper surface; and 
   a second flooring sheet having a second sheet upper surface and a second sheet lower surface separated by a second sheet thickness, the second sheet thickness being equal to the first sheet thickness such that the first and second sheet upper surfaces lie in a common plane when the first and second sheets are connected,   at least one edge of the second sheet upper surface terminating in a tenon releasably engagable in the first slot, the tenon having a tenon outer surface, an tenon lower surface lying above the second sheet lower surface, and a tenon inner surface,   a second slot being defined between the tenon inner surface, a second slot upper surface extending between the second flooring sheet and the tenon and lying below the tenon lower surface, and a second slot inner surface, the second slot being opening downwardly and angled toward the second sheet lower surface, the second slot accommodating the external hook with the first and second flooring sheets connected.   
     
     
         9 . The plastic flooring of  claim 8 , wherein the first slot is angled toward the first sheet upper surface at an angle of 50 to 80 degrees relative to the common plane. 
     
     
         10 . The plastic flooring of  claim 9 , wherein the first slot is angled toward the first sheet upper surface at an angle of 60 to 70 degrees relative to the common plane. 
     
     
         11 . The plastic flooring of  claim 8 , wherein a transition between the first slot lower surface and the external hook inner surface is a smooth curve. 
     
     
         12 . The plastic flooring of  claim 8 , wherein a transition between the second slot upper surface and the tenon inner surface is a smooth curve. 
     
     
         13 . The plastic flooring of  claim 8 , wherein transitions between the first slot lower surface and the external hook inner surface and between the second slot upper surface and the tenon inner surface are both smooth curves. 
     
     
         14 . The plastic flooring of  claim 8 , wherein a gap is formed between the tenon outer surface and the first slot inner surface with the tenon engaged in the slot. 
     
     
         15 . The plastic flooring of  claim 8 , wherein a platform extends between an upper edge of the first slot inner surface and the first sheep upper surface, effectively increasing a width of the first slot opening. 
     
     
         16 . The plastic flooring of  claim 15 , wherein a complementary structure extends between the tenon outer surface and the second sheet upper surface and rests on the platform with the first and second flooring sheets connected, such that the first and second upper surfaces form a continuous surface. 
     
     
         17 . The plastic flooring of  claim 8 , wherein a gap is formed between the second slot upper surface and the external hook upper surface with the external hook accommodated in the second slot. 
     
     
         18 . The plastic flooring of  claim 8 , wherein the first and second sheet thicknesses are 3 millimeters to 5 millimeters. 
     
     
         19 . The plastic flooring of  claim 8 , wherein an overlap between the connected first and second flooring sheets is 2% or less of a width of either flooring sheet. 
     
     
         20 . The plastic flooring of  claim 19 , wherein the overlap is between 1.5% and 2%. 
     
     
         21 . A method of installing plastic flooring sheets comprising:
 pressing a downwardly and inwardly angled tenon of a first flooring sheet into a complementary downwardly and inwardly angled slot of a second flooring sheet such that engagement between the tenon and an external hook of the second flooring sheet releasably locks the flooring sheets together.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , pressing the tenon into the slot includes elastically deforming the tenon until fully inserted into the slot. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein a smooth transition between the tenon and the first flooring sheet to prevents cracking during the elastic deformation of the tenon. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising removing and replacing at least one of the first and second flooring sheets.