Locking system for floorboards
DC CAFCFirst Claim
1. A locking system for mechanical joining of floorboards, said locking system comprising:
- for horizontal joining of a first and a second joint edge portion of a first and a second floorboard respectively at a vertical joint plane;
a locking groove which is formed in the underside of said second board and extends parallel with and at a distance from said vertical joint plane at said second joint edge, a strip integrally formed with a core of said first board, which strip at said first joint edge projects from said vertical joint plane and supports an upwardly directed locking element with a locking surface for coaction with a locking surface in said locking groove, andfirst contact surfaces at the vertical joint plane; and
for vertical joining of the first and second joint edge portions;
a tongue which extends from the joint plane and having an upper tongue surface and a lower tongue surface,a tongue groove adapted to coact with said tongue, the tongue groove having an upper tongue groove surface and a lower tongue groove surface, andcoacting second contact surfaces positioned in said tongue groove and on said tongue,wherein the locking surfaces, the coacting second contact surfaces, and the first contact surfaces at the vertical joint plane are configured to be operative surfaces in a laid floor; and
further comprising;
a first inoperative space in the locking system between the first coacting contact surfaces and the second coacting contact surfaces when the first and the second floorboards are joined horizontally and vertically,a second inoperative space in the locking system between the second coacting contact surfaces and the locking surfaces when the first and the second floorboards are joined horizontally and vertically, andthe lower tongue groove surface and the lower tongue surface are not in direct contact with each other when the first and the second floorboards are joined horizontally and vertically,wherein said inoperative spaces are configured to be spaced from each other when the first and the second floorboards are joined horizontally and vertically.
2 Assignments
Litigations
1 Petition
Accused Products
Abstract
The invention relates to a locking system for mechanical joining of floorboards (1, 1′), a floorboard having such a locking system and a flooring made of such floorboards. The locking system has mechanical cooperating means (36, 38; 6, 8, 14) for vertical and horizontal joining of adjoining floorboards. The means for horizontal joining about a vertical plane (F) comprise a locking groove (14) and a locking strip (16) which is located at opposite joint edge portions (4a, 4b) of the floorboard (4). The locking strip (6) projects from the joint plane (F) and has an upwards projecting locking element (8) at its free end. The locking groove (14) is formed in the opposite joint edge portion (4a) of the floorboard at a distance from the joint plane (F). The locking groove (14) and the locking element (8) have operative locking surfaces (10, 11). The locking surfaces are essentially plane and spaced from the upper side of the projecting strip and inside the locking groove and make a locking angle (A) of at least 50° to the upper side of the board. Moreover the locking groove has a guiding part (12) for cooperation with a corresponding guiding part (6) on the locking element (8).
325 Citations
12 Claims
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1. A locking system for mechanical joining of floorboards, said locking system comprising:
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for horizontal joining of a first and a second joint edge portion of a first and a second floorboard respectively at a vertical joint plane; a locking groove which is formed in the underside of said second board and extends parallel with and at a distance from said vertical joint plane at said second joint edge, a strip integrally formed with a core of said first board, which strip at said first joint edge projects from said vertical joint plane and supports an upwardly directed locking element with a locking surface for coaction with a locking surface in said locking groove, and first contact surfaces at the vertical joint plane; and for vertical joining of the first and second joint edge portions; a tongue which extends from the joint plane and having an upper tongue surface and a lower tongue surface, a tongue groove adapted to coact with said tongue, the tongue groove having an upper tongue groove surface and a lower tongue groove surface, and coacting second contact surfaces positioned in said tongue groove and on said tongue, wherein the locking surfaces, the coacting second contact surfaces, and the first contact surfaces at the vertical joint plane are configured to be operative surfaces in a laid floor; and further comprising; a first inoperative space in the locking system between the first coacting contact surfaces and the second coacting contact surfaces when the first and the second floorboards are joined horizontally and vertically, a second inoperative space in the locking system between the second coacting contact surfaces and the locking surfaces when the first and the second floorboards are joined horizontally and vertically, and the lower tongue groove surface and the lower tongue surface are not in direct contact with each other when the first and the second floorboards are joined horizontally and vertically, wherein said inoperative spaces are configured to be spaced from each other when the first and the second floorboards are joined horizontally and vertically. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A locking system for mechanical joining of floorboards, said locking system comprising:
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for horizontal joining of a first and a second joint edge portion of a first and a second floorboard respectively at a vertical joint plane; a locking groove which is formed in the underside of said second board and extends parallel with and at a distance from said vertical joint plane at said second joint edge, a strip integrally formed with the core of said first board, which strip at said first joint edge projects from said vertical joint plane and supports an upwardly directed locking element with a locking surface for coaction with a locking surface in said locking groove, and first coacting contact surfaces at the vertical joint plane, and for vertical joining of the first and second joint edge portions; a tongue which extends from the joint plane and having an upper tongue surface, a tongue groove adapted to coact with said tongue and having an upper tongue groove surface, wherein the upper tongue surface and the upper tongue groove surface comprise second coacting contact surfaces in said tongue groove and on said tongue, and wherein the locking surfaces, the first coacting contact surfaces at the vertical joint plane and the second coacting contact surfaces are configured to be operative surfaces in a laid floor; and wherein all other adjacent surfaces in the locking system are inoperative surfaces in the locking system and said inoperative surfaces are configured to be spaced from each other when the first and the second floorboards are joined horizontally and vertically. - View Dependent Claims (12)
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Specification