Set of mutually lockable panels

• US 9,260,870 B2
• Filed: 03/24/2014
• Issued: 02/16/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Flooring Industries Limited Sarl (Mohawk Industries Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: IVC NV (Mohawk Industries Incorporated)
• Inventors: Vermeulen, Bruno Paul Louis, De Rick, Jan Eddy
• Primary Examiner(s): WENDELL, MARK R
• Application Number:
  US14/223,303
• Publication Number:
  US 20150267418A1
• Time in Patent Office: 694 Days
• Field of Search: 525/822, 525/881, 525/78, 525/821
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 13/0889 characterised by the joints between neighbouring elements, e.g. with joint fillings or with tongue and groove connections
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 15/02038 characterised by tongue and groove connections between neighbouring flooring elements
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 15/105 of organic plastics with or without reinforcements or filling materials
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 2201/0146 with snap action of the edge connectors
• 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 2201/041 Tongues or grooves with slits or cuts for expansion or flexibility
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 2201/0552 adapted to be rotated around an axis parallel to the joint edge

Abstract

A set of mutually lockable panels comprises a first panel having an edge including a male part and a second panel having an edge including a female part for receiving the male part of the first panel in unlocked condition of the panels. The male part has an outer side which, in locked condition of the panels, is directed to the second panel in a direction substantially parallel to the front face of the first panel, and an opposite inner side which is provided with a locking surface. The female part comprises a locking member, which is pivotable about a pivot axis that extends substantially parallel to the edge of the second panel and an actuator for rotating the locking member from its unlocked condition to a locked condition of the panels.

Claims

1. A set of mutually lockable panels, comprising:

a first panel having a front face, a back face and an edge including a male part which is directed in a direction from the front face of the first panel to the back face of the first panel,

a second panel having a front face, a back face and an edge including a female part for receiving the male part of the first panel in an unlocked condition of the panels,

wherein the male part has an outer side which, in a locked condition of the panels, is directed to the second panel in a direction substantially parallel to the front face of the first panel, and an opposite inner side which is provided with a locking surface,

wherein the female part comprises a locking member, which is pivotable about a pivot axis that extends substantially parallel to the edge of the second panel, wherein the locking member has a stop surface remote from the pivot axis, which stop surface cooperates with the locking surface of the male part in the locked condition of the panels so as to lock the panels with respect to each other at least in a direction substantially perpendicular to the locking surface and the stop surface,

wherein the second panel is provided with an actuator for rotating the locking member from a first position in the unlocked condition of the panels to a second position in the locked condition of the panels in which the locking surface and the stop surface cooperate,

wherein the actuator comprises a protrusion on the locking member on the back face of the second panel, and

wherein the pivot axis has a substantially fixed position with respect to the second panel.

2. The set of panels according to claim 1, wherein the locking member is formed integral with the second panel.

3. The set of panels according to claim 1, wherein the locking member causes a resistance requiring a minimum predefined force for rotating the locking member from the first position in unlocked condition of the panels.

4. The set of panels according to claim 1, wherein the locking member is pivotable by a living hinge.

5. The set of panels according to claim 4, wherein the living hinge is formed by a slit in the second panel.

6. The set of panels of claim 1 wherein the set of panels are configured to form a floor.

7. The set of panels of claim 1 wherein the set of panels are configured to form a wall.

8. The set of panels of claim 1 wherein the set of panels are configured to form a ceiling.