Floor panel for forming a floor covering

Abstract

A floor panel for forming a floor covering, wherein this floor panel is at least composed of a substrate; wherein the floor panel, on at least one pair of opposite edges, comprises coupling parts, which coupling parts allow that two of such floor panels can be coupled to each other by means of a downward movement of one floor panel in respect to the other floor panel; wherein these coupling parts, in the coupled condition of two of such floor panels, form a first locking system, which effects a locking in a first direction perpendicular to the plane of the floor panels, and form a second locking system, which effects a locking in a second direction perpendicular to the edges and in the plane of the floor panels.

1 . A floor panel for forming a floor covering, wherein this floor panel is at least composed of a substrate; wherein the floor panel comprises first coupling parts on at least one pair of opposite edges, wherein the first coupling parts, in a coupled condition of two of such floor panels, form a first locking system which effects a locking in a first direction perpendicular to a plane of the floor panels, as well as form a second locking system which effects a locking in a second direction perpendicular to the edges and in the plane of the floor panels;
 wherein said first coupling parts substantially are formed of the material of said substrate and are realized in one piece therewith;   wherein the second locking system is formed at least of a downward-directed upper hook-shaped part which is situated on a first edge of said pair of opposite edges, as well as an upward-directed lower hook-shaped part which is situated on a second edge of said pair of opposite edges, wherein the hook-shaped parts can be engaged behind each other;   wherein said upper hook-shaped part consists of a lip with a downward-directed locking element, whereas said lower hook-shaped part consists of a lip with an upward-directed locking element;   wherein said first locking system comprises locking parts in the form of a protrusion, which, in the coupled condition of two of such floor panels, cooperates with an undercut;   wherein said upper hook-shaped part is provided with a support surface with which this upper hook-shaped part, in the coupled condition of two of such floor panels, rests on the lip of the lower hook-shaped part;   wherein said lip of the upper hook-shaped part is provided with an upward-directed recess in which said upward-directed locking element, in the coupled condition of two of such floor panels, is situated at least partially;   wherein the upper side of the lip of the lower hook-shaped part includes a first section and a second section, and a step between the first section and the second section, wherein the first section defines at least partially a downward-directed recess, in which said downward-directed locking element in the coupled condition is situated at least partially;   wherein a space is provided between the surface of the first section of the lip of the lower hook-shaped part and a lower surface of the downward directed locking element, or a space is provided between the surface of the second section of the lip of the lower hook-shaped part and a lower surface of the downward directed locking element.   
     
     
         2 . The floor panel according to  claim 1 , wherein each of the first section and the second section of the upper side of the lip of the lower hook-shaped part includes a surface that extends substantially parallel to the plane of the coupled floor panels. 
     
     
         3 . The floor panel according to  claim 1 , wherein a distance between the upper side of the floor panel and a most downward-situated point of said support surface is at least 1.2 times a distance between the upper side of the floor panel and a most upward-situated point of said upward-directed recess. 
     
     
         4 . The floor panel according to  claim 1 , wherein a distance between the upper side of the floor panel and a most upward-situated point of said upward-directed recess is less than half of an overall thickness of the floor panel. 
     
     
         5 . The floor panel according to  claim 1 , wherein a proximal extremity of the upper hook-shaped part is free from locking parts and/or wherein a distal extremity of the lower hook-shaped part is free from locking parts. 
     
     
         6 . The floor panel according to  claim 1 , wherein a said locking part in the form of a protrusion projects beyond a planar closing surface, which is formed between two of such floor panels in the coupled condition. 
     
     
         7 . The floor panel according to  claim 1 , wherein in the coupled condition the support surface, is situated higher than a most downward-situated point of said downward-directed recess. 
     
     
         8 . The floor panel according to  claim 1 , wherein a distance between a lower side of the floor panel and a most upward-situated point of said upward-directed locking element is at least 1.1 times a distance between the lower side of the floor panel and a most downward-situated point of said support surface. 
     
     
         9 . The floor panel according to  claim 1 , wherein a distance between a lower side of the floor panel and a most upward-situated point of said upward-directed locking element is more than half of the overall thickness of the floor panel. 
     
     
         10 . The floor panel according to  claim 1 , wherein the lip of the lower hook-shaped part comprises an incision on a lower side of this lip, which the incision extends in horizontal direction from a distal side of the upward-directed locking element towards a proximal side of the lower hook-shaped part. 
     
     
         11 . The floor panel according to  claim 10 , wherein the incision extends inwardly starting from a distal extremity of the lower hook-shaped part and at least up to a location where the locking elements cooperate with each other. 
     
     
         12 . The floor panel according to  claim 1 , wherein, in the coupled condition of two of such floor panels, a space is present in the entire intermediary space between a distal side of the upward-directed locking element of a first floor panel of such floor panels and an edge of a second floor panel of such floor panels, wherein said space extends up to beneath the lip of the upper hook-shaped part. 
     
     
         13 . The floor panel according to  claim 1 , wherein, in the coupled condition of two of such floor panels, a space is present underneath the downward-directed locking element, wherein said space extends from said support surface up to where the upward-directed and downward-directed locking elements work in conjunction for effecting the locking in the second direction perpendicular to the edges and in the plane of the floor panels. 
     
     
         14 . The floor panel according to  claim 1 , wherein, in the coupled condition of two of such floor panels, a space is present, which extends from said support surface up to said protrusion. 
     
     
         15 . The floor panel according to  claim 1 , wherein said downward-directed locking element is provided with a locking surface of a first panel of such floor panels, the locking surface, in the coupled condition of the first panel and a second panel of such floor panels, cooperates with a locking surface of the upward-directed locking element of the lower hook-shaped part of the second panel, wherein the locking surfaces, where they work in conjunction, define a tangent line which is situated vertically or does not deviate more than 45 degrees from the vertical. 
     
     
         16 . The floor panel according to  claim 1 , wherein said protrusion and said undercut are provided with locking surfaces, which there, where they cooperate, define a tangent line, which is horizontal or does not deviate more than 60 degrees from the horizontal. 
     
     
         17 . A floor panel for forming a floor covering, wherein this floor panel is at least composed of a substrate; wherein the floor panel comprises first coupling parts on at least one pair of opposite edges, wherein the first coupling parts, in a coupled condition of two of such floor panels, form a first locking system which effects a locking in a first direction perpendicular to a plane of the floor panels, as well as form a second locking system which effects a locking in a second direction perpendicular to the edges and in the plane of the floor panels;
 wherein said first coupling parts substantially are formed of the material of said substrate and are realized in one piece therewith;   wherein the second locking system is formed at least of a downward-directed upper hook-shaped part which is situated on a first edge of said pair of opposite edges, as well as an upward-directed lower hook-shaped part which is situated on a second edge of said pair of opposite edges, wherein the hook-shaped parts can be engaged behind each other;   wherein said upper hook-shaped part consists of a lip with a downward-directed locking element, whereas said lower hook-shaped part consists of a lip with an upward-directed locking element;   wherein said first locking system comprises locking parts in the form of a protrusion, which, in the coupled condition of two of such floor panels, cooperates with an undercut;   wherein said upper hook-shaped part is provided with a support surface with which this upper hook-shaped part, in the coupled condition of two of such floor panels, rests on the lip of the lower hook-shaped part;   wherein said lip of the upper hook-shaped part is provided with an upward-directed recess in which said upward-directed locking element, in the coupled condition of two of such floor panels, is situated at least partially;   wherein the upper side of the lip of the lower hook-shaped part includes a first section and a second section, and a step between the first section and the second section, wherein the first section defines at least partially a downward-directed recess, in which said downward-directed locking element in the coupled condition is situated at least partially;   wherein a space is provided between the surface of the first section of the lip of the lower hook-shaped part and a lower surface of the downward directed locking element, or a space is provided between the surface of the second section of the lip of the lower hook-shaped part and a lower surface of the downward directed locking element;   wherein each of the first section and the second section of the upper side of the lip of the lower hook-shaped part includes a surface that extends substantially parallel to the plane of the coupled floor panels;   wherein a proximal extremity of the upper hook-shaped part is free from locking parts and/or wherein a distal extremity of the lower hook-shaped part is free from locking parts;   wherein in the coupled condition the support surface, is situated higher than a most downward-situated point of said downward-directed recess;   wherein the lip of the lower hook-shaped part comprises an incision on a lower side of this lip, wherein the incision extends in horizontal direction from a distal side of the upward-directed locking element towards a proximal side of the lower hook-shaped part;   wherein, in the coupled condition of two of such floor panels, a space is present in the entire intermediary space between a distal side of the upward-directed locking element of a first floor panel of such floor panels and an edge of a second floor panel of such floor panels, wherein said space extends up to beneath the lip of the upper hook-shaped part.   
     
     
         18 . The floor panel according to  claim 17 , wherein a distance between the upper side of the floor panel and a most downward-situated point of said support surface is at least 1.2 times a distance between the upper side of the floor panel and a most upward-situated point of said upward-directed recess. 
     
     
         19 . The floor panel according to  claim 18 , wherein a distance between the upper side of the floor panel and a most upward-situated point of said upward-directed recess is less than half of an overall thickness of the floor panel. 
     
     
         20 . The floor panel according to  claim 19 , wherein the incision extends inwardly starting from the distal extremity of the lower hook-shaped part and at least up to a location where the locking elements cooperate with each other.