Composed element and corner connection applied herewith

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10104960-B2
Application number	US-201314377584-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 7, 2013
Priority date	Feb 8, 2012
Publication date	Oct 23, 2018
Grant date	Oct 23, 2018

Abstract

Composed element, with at least two wood-based panel-shaped elements; wherein said panel-shaped elements can be coupled to each other at an angle and with a miter joint by means of a locking tongue and groove connection; wherein the tongue consists of a split tongue, with thus at least a first tongue portion and a second tongue portion, as well as a slit situated there between; characterized in that said slit, seen in cross-section, globally extends according to a direction which deviates from the direction of the center line of the panel-shaped element on which the tongue is provided.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A composed element, which comprises at least two panel-shaped elements, each with respective panel surfaces, wherein for each panel-shaped element a center line is defined centrally between the two panel surfaces of that panel-shaped element;
wherein said panel-shaped elements are manufactured of wood-based material;
wherein said panel-shaped elements can be coupled to each other at an angle by means of a locking tongue and groove connection and thereby respectively form an inner corner and an outer corner, wherein the inner corner and the outer corner define a theoretical miter line;
wherein said locking tongue and groove connection respectively is substantially formed of a tongue on one of said panel-shaped elements, of a groove on another of said panel-shaped elements, and of locking elements provided on said tongue and groove;
wherein, seen in cross-section, the panel surface of each panel-shaped element at the side of the outer corner extends at least up to the center line of the panel-shaped element to which it is coupled;
wherein the tongue consists of a split tongue, with thus at least a first tongue portion and a second tongue portion, as well as a slit situated there between;
wherein said slit, seen in cross-section, globally extends according to a direction which deviates from the direction of the center line of the panel-shaped element on which the tongue is provided;
wherein said slit in its inward direction points to the panel surface of the panel-shaped element comprising the tongue that is located at the outer side of the outer corner; and
wherein said locking element that is provided at said tongue is located on the side of the tongue that is located on the inner corner.

2. The composed element of claim 1 , wherein said theoretical miter line comprises a midpoint defined as a point equidistant from the inner corner and the outer corner, and wherein said tongue is arranged eccentric in respect to the midpoint.

3. The composed element of claim 1 , wherein said tongue on at least one side, by means of an incision is cut free in respect to adjacent panel material.

4. The composed element of claim 1 , wherein said locking elements are only present at one side of the tongue.

5. The composed element of claim 1 , wherein said groove, on at least one side thereof, seen in cross-section, is bordered by a lip which extends to beyond said theoretical miter line.

6. The composed element of claim 1 , wherein the composed element is a piece of furniture or a furniture part.

7. A composed element, which comprises at least two panel-shaped elements, each with respective panel surfaces, wherein for each panel-shaped element a center line is defined centrally between the two panel surfaces of that panel-shaped element;
wherein said panel-shaped elements are manufactured of wood-based material;
wherein said panel-shaped elements can be coupled to each other at an angle by means of a locking tongue and groove connection and thereby form an inner corner and an outer corner, wherein the inner corner and the outer corner define a theoretical miter line;
wherein said locking tongue and groove connection respectively is substantially formed of a tongue on one of said panel-shaped elements, of a groove on another of said panel-shaped elements, and of locking elements provided on said tongue and groove;
wherein the panel-shaped elements are configured such that they can be coupled to each other laterally and at an angle by means of a turning movement and/or a snap movement;
wherein, seen in cross-section, the panel surface of each panel-shaped element at the side of the outer corner extends at least up to the center line of the panel-shaped element to which it is coupled;
wherein said groove, on at least one side thereof, seen in cross-section, is bordered by a lip, which extends to beyond said theoretical miter line;
wherein said lip in a coupled condition of the panel-shaped elements extends along a side of the tongue which is situated closest to the outer corner and forms at least one contact surface with the tongue, which, in the coupled condition, provides for a support for the tongue at least in the direction perpendicular to the center line of said panel-shaped element having said tongue; and
wherein said locking element that is provided at the tongue is located on the side of the tongue closest to the inner corner.

8. The composed element of claim 7 , wherein the tongue consists of a split tongue, with thus at least a first tongue portion and a second tongue portion, as well as a slit situated there between.

9. The composed element of claim 7 , wherein said theoretical miter line comprises a midpoint defined as a point equidistant from the inner corner and the outer corner, wherein said tongue is arranged eccentric in respect to the midpoint.

10. The composed element of claim 7 , wherein said tongue on at least one side by means of an incision is cut free with respect to adjacent panel material.

11. The composed element of claim 7 , wherein said locking elements are only present at one side of the tongue.

12. The composed element of claim 7 , wherein said lip in coupled condition forms at least two separate contact surfaces with the tongue, which provide for support of the tongue at least in the direction perpendicular to the direction of the center line of said panel-shaped element having said tongue.

13. The composed element of claim 7 , wherein at least one of said contact surfaces is situated beyond the theoretical miter line at the side of the panel-shaped element having the tongue.

14. The composed element of claim 7 , wherein the tongue and the groove have such a profile that they can be brought into a mutually coupled condition by means of a turning movement as well as by means of a translation movement towards each other.

15. The composed element of claim 7 , wherein at least the tongue and preferably also the groove are formed by profiles which are made in one piece with the respective panel-shaped element by means of a cutting treatment.

16. The composed element of claim 7 , wherein the panel surface of the panel-shaped element having a groove at the side of the formed inner corner, continues at the height of this inner corner to beyond the theoretical miter line, as a result of which at that location a contact surface is formed, which coincides with a portion of said panel surface.

17. The composed element of claim 7 , wherein said panel-shaped elements, in respect to the material from which they are manufactured, show one or more of following characteristics:
the panel-shaped elements substantially consist of a basic board formed of solid wood;
the panel-shaped elements substantially consist of a basic board formed of a wood-based pressed board;
the panel-shaped elements substantially consist of a basic board formed of wood fibers including MDF or HDF;
the panel-shaped elements substantially consist of a basic board formed of particle board;
the panel-shaped elements are formed of multi-layered and/or multi-part board;
the panel-shaped elements are formed of melaminated board;
the panel-shaped elements are constructed as a hollow board or as a board provided with cavities;
the panel-shaped elements are constructed of a basic board with a covering of synthetic material or textile.

18. The composed element of claim 7 , wherein said groove, on at least one side thereof, seen in cross-section, is bordered by a lip, which, at least with a portion thereof, is situated beyond said theoretical miter line,

Assignees

• Unilin Bvba

Inventors

• Devos Pieter
• Maertens Luc
• Deman Luc

Classifications

• F16B2012/466

  using mortise and tenon joints · CPC title

• A47B47/042 Primary

  Panels connected without frames · CPC title

• F16B12/46

  Non-metal corner connections · CPC title

• F16B2012/463

  for wooden members without additional elements · CPC title

• F16B12/125

  using mortise and tenon joints · CPC title