MECHANICAL LOCKING OF FLOOR PANELS WITH A FLEXIBLE BRISTLE TONGUE

• US 20110283650A1
• Filed: 08/01/2011
• Published: 11/24/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/11/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Valinge Innovation AB
• Original Assignee: Valinge Innovation AB
• Inventors: Palsson, Agne, Pervan, Darko
• Granted Patent: US 8,359,805 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 52/588.1
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 5/00 Floors; Floor construction with regard to insulation; Connections specially adapted therefor elements for floors, e.g. bricks, stones, filling bodies, girders, E04C; flooring as finishing work, insulation of flooring, sectional false floors, e.g. for computers E04F15/00
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 15/02 Flooring or floor layers composed of a number of similar elements of webs E04F15/16
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 15/02038 characterised by tongue and groove connections between neighbouring flooring elements
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 15/04 only of wood or with a top layer of wood, e.g. with wooden or metal connecting members rollable parquet E04F15/16
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 15/08 only of stone or stone-like material, e.g. ceramics, concrete; of glass or with a top layer of stone or stone-like material, e.g. ceramics, concrete or glass E04F15/02005 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 15/10 of other materials, e.g. fibrous or chipped materials, organic plastics, magnesite tiles, hardboard , or with a top layer of other materials
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 15/107 composed of several layers, e.g. sandwich panels layered products in general B32B; producing decorative panels or veneers B44C5/04
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 15/18 Separately-laid insulating layers; Other additional insulating measures; Floating floors insulating of buildings in general E04B1/62
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 2201/0115 with snap action of the edge connectors
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 2201/0138 by moving the sheets, plates or panels perpendicular to the main plane
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 2201/0153 by rotating the sheets, plates or panels around an axis which is parallel to the abutting edges, possibly combined with a sliding movement
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 2201/0523 Separate tongues; Interlocking keys, e.g. joining mouldings of circular, square or rectangular shape
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 2201/0547 adapted to be moved perpendicular to the joint edge
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/167 Cellulosic sections [e.g., parquet floor, etc.]

Abstract

Floor panels which are provided with a mechanical locking system including a displaceable tongue in a displacement groove. The tongue is molded and provided with bendable protrusions.

Claims

1. A set of floor panels comprising a mechanically locking system at two adjacent edges of a first and a second panel, the mechanically locking system comprising:

a first connector for locking in a horizontal direction perpendicular to the adjacent edges; and

a second connector comprising, in order to facilitate installation, a separate tongue, for locking in a vertical direction,

wherein a part of the tongue is flexible and bendable in the horizontal and/or vertical plane,

wherein the locking system is configured to connect a first panel to a second panel by angling, substantially horizontal snapping and vertical locking.

2. The set of floor panels as claimed in claim 1, wherein the flexible part is bendable in the horizontal plane in the length direction of the tongue.

3. The set of floor panels as claimed in claim 1, wherein the flexible part of the tongue is a snap tab bendable in the vertical direction.

4. The set of floor panels as claimed in claim 1, wherein the flexible part is configured to be displaced in a groove formed in the first and/or the second panel.

5. The set of floor panels as claimed in claim 2, wherein the flexible part is configured to be displaced in a groove formed in the first and/or the second panel.

6. The set of floor panels as claimed in claim 3, wherein the flexible part is configured to be displaced in a groove formed in the first and/or the second panel.

7. The set of floor panels as claimed in claim 4, wherein the tongue is made of a different material than the core of the panel.

8. The set of floor panels as claimed in claim 5, wherein the tongue is made of a different material than the core of the panel.

9. The set of floor panels as claimed in claim 6, wherein the tongue is made of a different material than the core of the panel.