Panel Suitable as a Floor, Ceiling or Wall Covering, and Covering for a Floor, Ceiling or Wall, Which is Constituted by a Multitude of Such Panels

Abstract

Provided is a panel suitable as a floor, ceiling or wall panel, which panel is of a planar design having an upper side, a bottom side and side edges which include a first side edge provided with a first profile and a second side edge provided with a second profile. The first profile and the second profile are interacting profiles that can be coupled to each other, so that a first panel can be coupled in one common plane to a second, identical panel by the interacting profiles. The first profile and the second profile in coupled condition establish an interlocking with each other both in a horizontal direction and in a vertical direction. The first profile and the second profile are configured to allow for a coupling of the interacting profiles of the first panel with the second panel by a downward insertion of the interacting profile of the second panel into the interacting profile of the first panel.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A panel suitable as a floor, ceiling or wall panel, which panel is of a planar design having an upper side, a bottom side and side edges which comprise a first side edge provided with a first profile and a second side edge provided with a second profile,
 wherein the first profile and the second profile are interacting profiles that can be coupled to each other, so that a first panel can be coupled in one common plane to a second, identical panel by the interacting profiles, wherein the first profile and the second profile in coupled condition establish an interlocking with each other both in a horizontal direction and in a vertical direction,   wherein the first profile and the second profile are configured to allow for a coupling of the interacting profiles of the first panel with the second panel by a downward insertion of the interacting profile of the second panel into the interacting profile of the first panel,   and wherein the first profile comprises an upward tongue, and the second profile comprises a downward tongue, the respective tongues being configured to interlock with each other in coupled condition by respective interlocking surface areas, wherein the interlocking surface area of the upward tongue is at least partially inclined upwardly towards the first side edge, and the interlocking surface area of the downward tongue is inclined upwardly away from the second side edge,   wherein the interlocking surface areas of at least one of the upward tongue and the downward tongue, each comprises a section which is vertically divided in a plurality of area sections comprising an upper area section and at least one lower area section that are adjacent to each other, which section comprises a crease between the upper area section and the adjacent lower area section,   
       wherein at least proximal to the crease, the upper area section and the adjacent lower area section are each inclined differently under an inclination angle which is measured relative to an upward vertical vector of the panel, such that the inclination angle of the upper area section is smaller than the inclination angle of the adjacent lower area section, wherein the crease defines a cornered structure between the upper area section and lower area section, which cornered structure when viewed in a vertical plane perpendicular to the respective side edge encloses an obtuse angle. 
     
     
         2 . The panel according to  claim 1 , wherein the first profile and the second profile are essentially complementary profiles. 
     
     
         3 . The panel according to  claim 1 , wherein the interlocking surface areas of the downward tongue and the upward tongue are configured to be facing each other when the first panel and the second panel are in coupled condition. 
     
     
         4 . The panel according to  claim 1 , wherein the crease of the upward tongue and the crease of the downward tongue extend linearly in the longitudinal direction of the respective side edges on which the creases are provided and extend in a horizontal plane of the panel. 
     
     
         5 . The panel according to  claim 1 , wherein the entire interlocking surface area of the upward tongue is inclined upwardly towards the first side edge. 
     
     
         6 . The panel according to  claim 1 , wherein the inclination angle of the upper area section of the interlocking surface area of the upward tongue is in the range of 1 to 5 degrees, and wherein the inclination angle of the upper area section of the interlocking surface area of the downward tongue is in the range of 1 to 5 degrees. 
     
     
         7 . The panel according to  claim 1 , wherein the inclination angle of the lower area section of the interlocking surface area of the upward tongue, is in the range of 5 to 20 degrees and is similar or equal to the inclination angle of the lower area section of the interlocking surface area of the downward tongue. 
     
     
         8 . The panel according to  claim 1 , wherein the obtuse angle is in the range of 179 to 160 degrees. 
     
     
         9 . The panel according to  claim 1 , wherein the height of the cornered structure is less than 0.5 mm. 
     
     
         10 . The panel according to  claim 1 , wherein the upper area section and the lower area section are essentially flat sections. 
     
     
         11 . The panel according to  claim 1 , wherein the upward tongue and the downward tongue each have a rounded surface area above the upper area section and a rounded surface area below the lower area section. 
     
     
         12 . The panel according to  claim 1 , wherein a frontal side of the downward tongue of the second profile and a horizontally opposed side of the first edge comprise respective upper contact surfaces which extend substantially vertically towards the upper side of the panel and are configured to be in abutting contact when the first and second profile are in a coupled condition. 
     
     
         13 . The panel according to  claim 1 , wherein a frontal side of the downward tongue of the second profile is provided with at least one locking element and a horizontally opposed side of the first profile is provided with at least one counterlocking element, which said locking element and said counterlocking are substantially complementary, such that in a coupled condition of the two profiles, the locking element of the second profile interlocks with the counterlocking element of the first profile. 
     
     
         14 . The panel according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the upward tongue is connected to the first side edge by a lower bridge part extending parallel to the plane of the panel at the bottom side of the panel, and wherein the lower bridge part delimits a downward groove which is enclosed between the upward tongue and the first side edge; and   the downward tongue is connected to the second side edge by an upper bridge part extending parallel to the plane of the panel at a top side of the panel, and   wherein the upper bridge part delimits an upward groove which is enclosed between the downward tongue and the second side edge;
 further wherein the downward groove and the upward groove are configured to receive respectively the downward tongue and the upward tongue in a coupled condition of the two interacting profiles. 
   
     
     
         15 . The panel according to  claim 1 , wherein an interstitial space is present between a frontal side of the upward tongue of the first profile and a horizontally opposed side of the second edge, and wherein an interstitial space is present which is enclosed by the downward tongue, the upward tongue, and a downward groove. 
     
     
         16 . The panel according to  claim 1 , wherein the downward tongue comprises a convex, heel-shaped transition zone situated in between a bottom side and the interlocking surface area of the downward tongue. 
     
     
         17 . The panel according to  claim 1 , wherein a downward groove comprises a concave, hollow-shaped transition zone situated in between a bottom side of the downward groove and the interlocking surface area of the upward tongue. 
     
     
         18 . The panel according to  claim 1 , wherein a frontal side of the upward tongue of the first profile is provided with a lower protrusion and/or lower recess, and a horizontally opposed side of the second profile is provided with a lower recess and/or lower protrusion, wherein the protrusion and/or recess of the first profile and the recess and/or protrusion of the second profile are substantially complementary, such that in a coupled condition of two interacting profiles, the protrusion of the first profile and the recess of the second profile interlock with each other. 
     
     
         19 . The panel according to  claim 1 , wherein the panel is a decorative panel, comprising:
 at least one core layer, and   at least one decorative top section, directly or indirectly affixed to said core layer, wherein the top section defines a top surface of the panel,   a plurality of side edges at least partially defined by said core layer and/or by a side top section, comprising said first side edge provided with said first profile and said second side edge provided with said second profile.   
     
     
         20 . The panel according to  claim 1 , wherein the panel comprises a third edge provided with a third profile and a fourth edge provided with a fourth profile, wherein the third profile of said panel and the fourth profile of another panel are arranged to be coupled by means of an angling downward motion.