Composed element and corner connection applied herewith

• US 9,719,542 B2
• Filed: 05/23/2011
• Issued: 08/01/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/03/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Flooring Industries Limited Sarl (Mohawk Industries Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Unilin Bvba (Mohawk Industries Incorporated)
• Inventors: Deman, Luc, Cappelle, Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): Ferguson, Michael P
• Application Number:
  US13/701,327
• Publication Number:
  US 20130170904A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,262 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 2096/207 Furniture panels consisting of a frame with interchangeable insertable panel
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 47/042 Panels connected without frames
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 88/913 Drawers in which among the side walls, the rear wall or the bottom panel, at least one is connected to another one of these elements through a living hinge
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 88/9412 with at least two sides foldable or hinged
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 96/205 Composite panels, comprising several elements joined together
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 3/74 with wooden panels or frame E06B3/721, E06B3/725 and E06B3/76 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 3/984 specially adapted for frame members of wood or other material worked in a similar way E06B3/99 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 12/04 Non-loosenable joints for non-metal furniture parts, e.g. glued
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 12/125 using mortise and tenon joints
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 12/26 using snap-action elements
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 12/44 Leg joints; Corner joints
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 12/46 Non-metal corner connections
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 2012/463 for wooden members without additional elements
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 2012/466 using mortise and tenon joints
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 2200/30 Dovetail-like connections
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 5/00 Joining sheets or plates , e.g. panels, to one another or to strips or bars parallel to them F16B17/00 takes precedence; by sticking together F16B11/00; dowel connections F16B13/00; pins, including deformable elements F16B19/00; covering of walls E04F13/00; fastening signs, plates, panels or boards to a supporting structure, fastening readily-detachable elements, e.g. letters to signs, plates, panels, or boards, G09F7/00
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 5/0016 with snap action

Abstract

A composed element includes at least two panel-shaped elements, such as a locking tongue and groove connection, that are arranged to be coupled to each other at an angle, either directly or indirectly by means of an intermediate piece. The connection includes, at least at one of the panel-shaped elements, a tongue or groove, cooperable with a groove or tongue provided on the other panel-shaped element or on the intermediate piece. The tongue includes a split tongue, with at least a first part and a second part, and a slit located therebetween. A locking part is located at the outer side of at least said first part wherein the slit, seen in cross-section of the tongue, defines at least one side, the course of which, seen in cross-section, deviates from the main direction belonging to the tongue.

Claims

1. A composed element comprising at least two panel-shaped elements coupled to each other at an angle by means of a locking tongue and groove connection either directly or indirectly by means of an intermediate piece, said connection including, at least on one of the panel-shaped elements, a tongue which cooperates with a longitudinally-extending groove provided on the other panel-shaped element or on the intermediate piece;

wherein said tongue extends distally from an edge of the respective panel-shaped element;

wherein the tongue defines a split tongue, with a first part and an opposing second part, each longitudinally extending along the edge of the panel-shaped element, and a slit located therebetween;

wherein a laterally-protruding locking part is defined at an outer side of at least said first part, and a corresponding recess is defined in at least one inner side wall of the groove for receiving the at least one locking part, wherein said panel-shaped element comprising the tongue has a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface, respectively defining first and second planes, the first surface being located on the same side of the panel-shaped element as the first part of the split tongue, and the second surface being located on the same side of the panel-shaped element as the second part of the split tongue;

wherein the slit is defined between a first side of the slit and a second side of the slit opposite the first side, the first side bordering at least a portion of the first part of the tongue;

wherein the slit extends deeper than a base of the tongue;

wherein the first side of the slit, at least for a part of the slit reaching deeper than the base of the tongue and seen in a cross-section perpendicular to a lengthwise direction of the edge of the panel-shaped element comprising the tongue, has a directional course deviating from the first plane;

wherein said directional course of said part of the slit, for a direction inwards of the slit, is such that the first side for said part of the slit approaches the first plane;

wherein the tongue and groove define a profile such that they can be joined laterally by means of a displacement towards each other or by means of a turning movement; and

wherein at least one of the outer sides of the tongue and/or the inner side walls of the groove comprises an inclined portion such that when the tongue is inserted into the groove by means of said displacement, the first and second parts compress towards each other, and subsequently expand to lock the locking part within the recess.

2. The composed element of claim 1, wherein the second part of the tongue is free from locking parts.

3. The composed element of claim 1, wherein the tongue and groove are arranged to be turned into each other, wherein the angle from which they can be turned into each other forms an inner corner, and that of both said parts of the tongue, the first part is situated closest to the inner corner.

4. The composed element of claim 3, wherein the tongue is situated eccentrically in the direction of the inner corner.

5. The composed element of claim 1, wherein the first part of the tongue protrudes farther than the second part of the tongue as measured from a common closing plane.

6. The composed element of claim 5, wherein a distance with which the slit extends from said base, said common closing plane, respectively, inwardly in the panel-shaped element is larger than the largest distance by which the tongue reaches up to outward of the common closing plane and/or outward of its base.

7. The composed element of claim 1, wherein the second side of the slit situated on the second part has a directional course deviating from the first plane.

8. The composed element of claim 7, wherein said second side towards inside in the slit substantially approaches the first plane.

9. The composed element of claim 1, wherein the first and second sides both substantially extend globally inclined, and seen in cross-section, are straight-lined over a major part of their length.

10. The composed element of claim 1, wherein the slit, globally seen, extends at an angle with parallel sides made by an incision.

11. The composed element of claim 1, wherein the tongue and the groove define a profile such that they can be brought into a mutually coupled condition by means of a turning movement as well as by means of a displacement towards each other, which displacement is combined with a snap action.

12. The composed element of claim 1, wherein the tongue is made in one piece with each respective panel-shaped element, and formed in the material itself, from a basic board with which the panel-shaped element is formed.

13. The composed element of claim 1, wherein the groove is situated in a lateral face of each respective panel-shaped element.

14. The composed element of claim 1, wherein the groove is made in one piece in each respective panel-shaped element, and formed in the material itself, from a basic board with which the panel-shaped element is formed.

15. The composed element of claim 1, wherein the panel-shaped elements, in respect to the material thereof, have one or more of the following characteristics:

the panel-shaped elements substantially consist of a basic board which is a wood-based pressed board;

the panel-shaped elements substantially consist of a basic board formed of MDF or HDF;

the panel-shaped elements substantially consist of a basic board formed of particle board;

the panel-shaped elements are formed of melaminated board;

the panel-shaped elements comprise a light-weight board with borders of another material;

the panel-shaped elements are designed as a hollow board, or as a board provided with hollow spaces with a honeycomb core, and with borders of another material.