Patent Application
20210207385
Embodiments of the present invention relates to panels, such as floorboards, which are configured to be locked together by a vertical displacement.
Panels are known that are configured to be assembled by a vertical displacement and to be locked together in a vertical direction and in a horizontal direction. Such panels are disclosed in, e.g., WO2014/182215. A tongue and groove connection locks a first edge of a first panel to a second edge of the second panel. The first and the second edge furthermore comprise a locking element configured to cooperate with a locking groove for locking in the vertical and the horizontal direction.
Embodiments of the present invention address a need to provide an easier assembling and/or an increased locking strength of the panels.
It is an object of at least certain embodiments of the present invention to provide an improvement over the above described techniques and known art.
A further object of at least certain embodiments of the present invention is to facilitate assembling of panels configured to be assembled by a vertical displacement and locked together in the vertical direction and the horizontal direction.
Another object of at least certain embodiment of the present invention is to increase the locking strength by preventing or at least decreasing damage of edges of the panels, particularly parts of the edges that have a locking function. The locking strength may also be increased by an improved configuration of locking surfaces at the edges of the panels.
At least some of these and other objects and advantages that may be apparent from the description have been achieved by an aspect of the invention comprising a set of panels comprising a first panel and a second panel. The first edge of the first panel and a second edge of the second are configured to be locked together and assembled by a vertical displacement of the second edge relative the first edge. The first edge comprises a locking element configured to cooperate with a locking groove at the second edge for locking in a horizontal and in the vertical direction. The first edge comprises a tongue configured to cooperate with a tongue groove at the second edge for locking in a vertical direction. An upper part of the first edge comprises a first guiding surface and a lower edge of a lower lip of the tongue groove comprises a second guiding surface, which are configured to cooperate during the vertical displacement. An upper part of the locking element comprises a third guiding surface and a lower edge of the locking groove comprises a fourth guiding surface, which are configured to cooperate during the vertical displacement. A tip of the tongue comprises a fifth guiding surface and a tip of the lower lip of the tongue groove comprises a sixth guiding surface, which are configured to cooperate during the vertical displacement.
The three pairs of guiding surface may have the advantage that damages of particularly the tongue may be prevented during the vertical displacement.
The tongue at the first edge, at the same edge as the locking element, may provide an improved guiding and at the same time an improved configuration for the cooperation with the tongue groove.
The third and the fourth guiding surfaces and fifth and the sixth guiding surfaces, respectively, may be configure cooperate at the same time during the vertical displacement.
The first and the second guiding surfaces may be configured to cooperate at a first guiding position, during the vertical displacement, before a second guiding position comprising the guiding by the third and the fourth guiding surfaces. This may have the advantage that the second edge is in a correct position relative the first edge when edges are guided by the third and the fourth guiding surfaces and fifth and the sixth guiding surfaces. This second guiding position may occur at the same time as a bending of the locking strip and/or a compressing of parts of the first and the second edge in order to displace the first and the second edge to a locked position. The bending and the compression involve a stress of the first and the second edges. A correct position may decrease the stress.
The fifth and the sixth guiding surfaces may be essentially parallel, preferably parallel and/or essentially vertical, preferably vertical.
The first guiding surface may be positioned above the fifth guiding surface.
The second guiding surface may be positioned below the fifth guiding surface.
An upper lip of the tongue groove may be configured to overlap the first guiding surface in a locked position of the first and the second edge.
A lower surface of the upper lip may be configured cooperate with the first guiding surface for restraining penetration of moisture and/or dirt between the first and the second edge in the locked position.
The first guiding surface may be a bevel or a rounding of the uppermost part of the first edge.
The first guiding surface may be adjacent, preferably transition into, the fifth guiding surface. A close positioning of the first guiding surface and the fifth guiding surface may provide room for a larger guiding surface that may improve the guiding.
A locking strip may protrude from the first edge under the tongue, wherein the locking strip comprises the locking element.
A first locking surface of the locking element may be configured to cooperate with a second locking surface of the locking groove for locking in the vertical and the horizontal direction, wherein a first angle between the first locking surface and an upper surface of the first panel is preferably within the range of about 45° to about 85°, preferably within the range of about 60° to about 85° or preferably about 80°.
The tip of the tongue may have a blunt shape which may improve the strength of the tip.
The tip of the lower lip of the tongue groove may have a blunt shape which may improve the strength of the tip.
The first edge and the second edge are preferably produced by mechanically cutting, such as milling.
The locking surfaces and the guiding surface may comprise a material of the core of the first panel and/or the second panel.
The first panel and the second panel may be resilient panels. The resilient panels may comprise a core comprising thermoplastic material. The thermoplastic material may be foamed.
The thermoplastic material may comprise polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyester, polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE), polystyrene (PS), polyurethane (PU), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyacrylate, methacrylate, polycarbonate, polyvinyl butyral, polybutylene terephthalate, or a combination thereof. The core may be formed of several layers.
The first panel and the second panel may comprise a decorative layer, such as a decorative foil comprising a thermoplastic material. The thermoplastic material of the decorative layer may be or comprise polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyester, polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE), polystyrene (PS), polyurethane (PU), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyacrylate, methacrylate, polycarbonate, polyvinyl butyral, polybutylene terephthalate, or a combination thereof. The decorative foil is preferably printed, for example by direct printing, rotogravure, or digital printing.
The firs panel and the second panel may comprise a wear layer such as a film or foil. The wear layer may comprise thermoplastic material. The thermoplastic material may be polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyester, polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE), polystyrene (PS), polyurethane (PU), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyacrylate, methacrylate, polycarbonate, polyvinyl butyral, polybutylene terephthalate, or a combination thereof.
Embodiments of the invention may be particularly advantageous for panels comprising guiding surfaces with higher friction and a tongue comprising a less elastic thermoplastic material.
The first and the second panel may comprise a wood-based core, such as HDF, MDF or plywood.
The first guiding surface preferably extends through the decorative layer and/or the wear layer and a part of the first guiding surface comprises material of the core.
The first panel and the second panel may be configured to be disassembled by downwardly rotating the first and/or the second panel.
These and other aspects, features and advantages of which embodiments of the invention are capable of, will be apparent and elucidated from the following description of embodiments of the present invention, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which
Specific embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. The terminology used in the detailed description of the embodiments illustrated in the accompanying drawings is not intended to be limiting of the invention. In the drawings, like numbers refer to like elements.
A known set of panels, such as floorboards, are shown in
An embodiment of the invention is shown during assembling in
The first panel and the second panel may have a thickness in the range of about 3 mm to about 12 mm.
The first edge comprises a locking element 5 configured to cooperate with a locking groove 4 at the second edge for locking in a horizontal direction and in the vertical direction. The first edge comprises a tongue 3 configured to cooperate with a tongue groove 6 at the second edge for locking in a vertical direction. The tongue groove 6 has an upper lip 7 and a lower lip 42. An upper part of the first edge comprises a first guiding surface 11 and a lower edge of the lower lip 42 comprises a second guiding surface 21, which are configured to cooperate during the vertical displacement. An upper part of the locking element comprises a third guiding surface 12 and a lower edge of the locking groove comprises a fourth guiding surface 22, which are configured to cooperate during the vertical displacement. A tip of the tongue comprises a fifth guiding surface 13 and a tip of a lower lip 42 of the tongue groove 6 comprises a sixth guiding surface 23, which are configured to cooperate during the vertical displacement. This embodiment of the invention may be easier to install compared to the known set of panels due to the guiding surfaces. An improved guiding may be critical for assembling panels having surfaces with a high friction and particularly if the panel edges comprise a less elastic material. Without the improved guiding such panels may be difficult to assemble or the panels or part of the panel, e.g., the tongue may break during the assembling.
A first guiding position is shown in
A second guiding position is shown in
As is shown in
The third guiding surface 12 and the fourth guiding surface 22 may be roundings. This embodiment may be advantageous for thinner panels with a thickness of about 3 mm to about 8 mm. The roundings may have a radius which is in the range of about 0.2 mm to about 0.4 mm, or about 0.3 mm. The radius may be in the range of about 5% to about 10% of the thickness of the panels.
The second edge may be provided with a calibrating groove 25 adjacent said locking groove 4. The calibrating groove may compensate for floorboards having different thickness, especially any difference in thickness at the edges of the floorboards. The calibrating groove allows that the second edge may be pushed towards a sub-floor on which the floorboards are arranged. The shown calibrating groove is of a rectangular shape, however the calibrating groove may have other shapes such as a bevel.
A locked position of the first edge and the second edge is shown in
A vertical locking both at the tongue and the tongue groove and at the locking element and the locking groove may be an advantage, especially for panels with a locking in a resilient material. The double vertical locking may decrease the risk of unlocking and a separation of the first and the second edges.
The tongue 3 may comprise a locking surface 33 at a lower side and the tongue groove may comprise a locking surface 34 at an upper side of the lower lip 42.
The locking surface 33 of the tongue 3 may be parallel or essentially parallel to the locking surface 34 of the tongue groove.
The tongue 3 at the first edge, at the same edge as the locking element, provides an improved guiding. Furthermore, the locking surfaces 33,34 at the tongue 3 and the lower lip 42 may be larger and at a more advantageous locking angle of the locking surfaces which may increase the locking strength as compared to known locking systems.
The third and the fourth guiding surfaces 12, 22 and fifth and the sixth guiding surfaces 13,23, respectively, are configure cooperate at the same time during the vertical displacement.
The first and the second guiding surfaces 11,21 are configured to cooperate before the third and the fourth guiding surfaces 12,22 during the vertical displacement.
The fifth and the sixth guiding surfaces 13,23 may be essentially parallel to each other, and preferably extend essentially vertical or may be within a range of about 1° to about 5°, or about 2° to the vertical direction.
The first guiding surface 11 is positioned above the fifth guiding surface 13.
The second guiding surface 21 is positioned below the sixth guiding surface 23.
An upper lip 7 of the tongue groove is configured to overlap the first guiding surface 11 in a locked position of the first and the second edge. A lower surface 24 of the upper lip 7 may be configured cooperate with the first guiding surface 11 for restraining penetration of moisture and/or dirt between the first and the second edge in the locked position.
The first guiding surface 11 may be a bevel or a rounding of the uppermost part of the first edge. The first guiding surface 11 may be adjacent, preferably transitions into, the fifth guiding surface 13.
A locking strip 8 protrudes from the first edge under the tongue 3 and the locking strip comprises the locking element 5.
A first locking surface 31 of the locking element 5 is configured to cooperate with a second locking surface 32 of the locking groove 4 for locking in the vertical and the horizontal direction.
A curved surface 49 which is between the first locking surface and an upper surface of the locking strip may be configured to cooperate in the locked position with the fourth guiding surface 22. This may further increase the locking strength in the horizontal direction.
A first locking angle 43 which is between the first locking surface 31 and an upper surface of the first panel may be within the range of about 45° to about 85°, preferably within the range of about 60° to about 85°, or preferably about 80°.
A second locking angle 40 which is between the second locking surface 32 and an upper surface of the second panel may be within the range of about 45° to about 85°, preferably within the range of about 60° to about 85°, or preferably about 80°, and may be essentially equal to the first locking angle 43.
An embodiment of the invention comprises a first locking angle 43 which is larger than the second locking angle, such as about 1-2° larger. This may have the effect that a greater part of a pulling load is applied on curved surface cooperating with fourth guiding surface 22, and that a greater locking strength is obtained.
The locking element may have a first side, an opposite second side and an upper side. The first side is closer to the tongue 3 than the second side. The first locking surface is preferably at the first side. There may be a space between the second side and the locking groove 4. There may be a space between the upper side and the locking groove 4.
The tip of the tongue 3 may have a blunt shape which may improve the strength of the tip and improve the guiding. Each angle between adjacent surfaces, at the tip of the tongue, is preferably more than 90°.
A guiding angle between the first guiding surface 11 and the vertical direction may be about 10° or in the range of about 5° to about 20°.
The tip of the lower lip 42 of the tongue groove 6 may have a blunt shape which may improve the strength of the tip and improve the guiding. Each angle between adjacent surfaces, at the tip of the lower lip 42, is preferably more than 90°.
The distinguishing angle 97 between the locking surface 33 of the tongue 3 and the locking surface 34 of the tongue groove may be about 10°, or in the range of about 5° to about 15°.
A first locking surface angle 99 is between the locking surface of the tongue and an upper surface of the first panel. A second locking surface angle 98 is between the locking surface 34 of the tongue groove and an upper surface of the second panel 2. The first locking surface angle 99 is preferably larger than the second surface angle 98.
The first locking surface angle 99 may be about 35° or in the range of about 10° to about 45°, or preferably in the range of about 20° to about 40°.
The second locking surface angle 98 may be about 25° or in the range of about 10° to about 45°, or preferably in the range of about 20° to about 40°.
An upper surface 36 of the locking strip may be configured to cooperate in a locked position with a lower surface 35 of the second edge.
The upper surface 36 of the locking strip may be essentially parallel to an upper surface of the first panel.
The upper surface 36 of the locking strip is preferably parallel to lower surface 35 of the second edge.
The first panel 1 and the second panel 2 may be configured to be disassembled by downwardly rotating 70 the first and/or the second panel, see
A lower side of the locking strip may comprise a space 41, such as a recess or bevel, under the locking element to facilitate bending of the locking strip during the assembling.
The first edge may comprise a lower groove 9 below the tongue 3. The lower lip 42 may be configured to be inserted into the lower groove 9 during the vertical displacement.
The assembling may comprise a displacement in the horizontal direction.
The firs edge and the second edge may be short edges of the first and the second panel.
The assembling may also comprise an angling motion along a long side of the first and or the second panel.
An embodiment of the set of panels is shown during assembling in
The space in the embodiment in
The embodiments described above may be resilient panels. The resilient panels may comprise a core comprising thermoplastic material. The thermoplastic material may be foamed.
The thermoplastic material may comprise polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyester, polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE), polystyrene (PS), polyurethane (PU), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyacrylate, methacrylate, polycarbonate, polyvinyl butyral, polybutylene terephthalate, or a combination thereof. The core may be formed of several layers.
The embodiments described above may comprise a decorative layer, such as a decorative foil comprising a thermoplastic material. The thermoplastic material of the decorative layer may be or comprise polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyester, polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE), polystyrene (PS), polyurethane (PU), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyacrylate, methacrylate, polycarbonate, polyvinyl butyral, polybutylene terephthalate, or a combination thereof. The decorative foil is preferably printed, for example by direct printing, rotogravure, or digital printing.
The embodiments described above may comprise a wear layer such as a film or foil. The wear layer may comprise thermoplastic material. The thermoplastic material may be polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyester, polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE), polystyrene (PS), polyurethane (PU), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyacrylate, methacrylate, polycarbonate, polyvinyl butyral, polybutylene terephthalate, or a combination thereof.
The embodiments described above may comprise a wood base core, such as HDF, MDF or plywood.
The first edge with the first groove 72 may be combined with the second edge with the second groove 71.
An embodiment of the first edge and the second edge is shown in
The notch 82 may comprise a notch surface 84 which may configured to cooperate for locking in the horizontal direction with a protrusion surface 83 of the protrusion 81. The notch surface 84 and the protrusion surface 83 are preferably parallel and arranged at angle 86 which is within the range of about 45° to about 90° to the upper surface of the first panel 1
The notch surface and the protrusion surface may be configured to be positioned at a distance 85 from each other, such as about 0.01 mm to about 0.1 mm, or about 0.05 mm, in the locked position. An advantage with the distance may be that assembling of the first panel and the second panel is facilitated.
In a further embodiment (not shown) the locking strip comprises the protrusion and the lower surface of the second edge comprises the notch.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1651290-7 | Sep 2016 | SE | national |
The present application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 16/366,173, filed on Mar. 27, 2019, which is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 15/404,617, filed on Jan. 12, 2017, now U.S. Pat. No. 10,287,777, which claims the benefit of Swedish Application No. 1651290-7, filed on Sep. 30, 2016. The entire contents of each of U.S. application Ser. No. 16/366,173, U.S. application Ser. No. No. 15/404,617, and Swedish Application No. 1651290-7 are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 16366173 | Mar 2019 | US |
| Child | 17076445 | US | |
| Parent | 15404617 | Jan 2017 | US |
| Child | 16366173 | US |
