Flooring

• US 6,581,351 B2
• Filed: 05/02/2001
• Issued: 06/24/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/02/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: David C. Devivi
• Original Assignee: David C. Devivi
• Inventors: DeVivi, David C.
• Primary Examiner(s): HORTON, YVONNE MICHELE
• Application Number:
  US09/846,336
• Publication Number:
  US 20020017071A1
• Time in Patent Office: 783 Days
• Field of Search: 525/33, 525/39, 525/95, 525/921, 525/924, 525/911, 525/891, 525/881, 403/334, 403/381, 403/345
• US Class Current: 52/592.1
• 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 2201/0107 by moving the sheets, plates or panels substantially in their own plane, perpendicular to the abutting edges
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 2201/023 with a continuous tongue or groove
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 2200/30 Dovetail-like connections

Abstract

A flooring member comprising a top, a bottom, a first edge, a second edge, a tongue member configured to be received within a groove member of an adjacent flooring member, the tongue member extending generally perpendicular from the first edge and having a top surface and a bottom surface, the tongue member top surface is inclined away from the flooring member top at a first angle, the tongue member bottom surface is inclined toward said flooring member top at a second angle, the second angle being less than the first angle so that a gap resistant interconnection of the tongue within a groove of an adjacent flooring member is achieved.

Claims

1. A flooring member comprising:

a) a top;

b) a bottom;

c) a first edge, said first edge extending from said top to said bottom;

d) a second edge, said second edge extending from said top to said bottom;

e) a tongue member configured to be received within a groove member of an adjacent flooring member, said tongue member extending generally perpendicular from said first edge and having a top surface and a bottom surface, said tongue member top surface is inclined away from said flooring member top at a first angle, said tongue member bottom surface is inclined toward said flooring member top at a second angle; and

f) a groove member configured to receive a tongue member of an adjacent flooring member, said groove member extending within said second edge and generally perpendicular thereto and having a top surface and a bottom surface, said groove member top surface is inclined away from said flooring member top at a first angle, said groove member bottom surface is inclined toward said flooring member top at a second angle, each of said second angles is less than each of said first angles.

2. A flooring member as in claim 1 and wherein:

a) each of said first angles is at least twice that of each of said second angles.

3. A flooring member as in claim 1 and wherein:

a) each of said first angles is about ten degrees and each of said second angles is about five degrees.

4. A flooring member as in claim 1 and wherein:

a) said tongue member top surface having a length greater than said tongue member bottom surface.

5. A flooring member as in claim 1 and wherein:

a) said flooring member is constructed from wood.

6. A flooring member as in claim 1 and wherein:

a) said tongue member bottom surface is longer than said tongue member top surface.

7. A flooring member comprising:

a) a top;

b) a bottom;

c) a first edge, said first edge extending from said top to said bottom;

d) a second edge, said second edge extending from said top to said bottom;

e) a tongue member configured to be received within a groove member of an adjacent flooring member, said tongue member extending generally perpendicular from said first edge to said second edge and having a top surface and a bottom surface, said tongue member top surface is inclined away from said flooring member top;

f) a groove member configured to receive a tongue member of an adjacent flooring member, said groove member extending within said second edge and generally perpendicular thereto and having a top surface and a bottom surface, said groove member top surface is inclined away from said flooring member top; and

g) means for maintaining contact of said tongue member against a groove member of an adjacent interconnected flooring member following shrinkage of said flooring member, said means provided on each of said tongue member bottom surface and said groove member bottom surface.