Floorboards provided with a mechanical locking system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10407919-B2
Application number	US-201615333630-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 25, 2016
Priority date	Mar 25, 2013
Publication date	Sep 10, 2019
Grant date	Sep 10, 2019

Abstract

Floorboards provided with a mechanical locking system including a locking strip protruding from a first edge of a first floorboard. The locking strip is provided with a locking element configured to cooperate with a locking groove at a lower side of a second edge of a second floorboard for locking the first edge and the second edge in a horizontal direction. The first edge and the second edge are configured to be assembled by a vertical downward motion of the second edge towards the first edge. The second edge is provided with a calibrating groove adjacent the locking groove. Also, a method for producing a mechanical locking system.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. Floorboards provided with a mechanical locking system comprising a locking strip protruding from a first edge of a first floorboard,
wherein the locking strip is provided with a locking element configured to cooperate with a locking groove at a lower side of a second edge of a second floorboard for locking the first edge and the second edge in a horizontal direction,
the first edge and the second edge are configured to be assembled by a vertical downward motion of the second edge towards the first edge to lock the first and second floorboards in a locked state on a sub-floor,
wherein said second edge is provided with a groove directly adjacent said locking groove and positioned on the lower side of the second edge,
wherein the groove is open into the locking groove,
wherein the groove continuously extends into the locking groove, and
wherein a plane defined by a bottom surface of the groove is entirely below a vertical locking surface of the second floorboard.

2. The floorboards as claimed in claim 1 , wherein at least said second edge is flexible.

3. The floorboards as claimed in claim 1 , wherein at least the second floorboard is flexible.

4. The floorboards as claimed in claim 1 , wherein at least the second floorboard comprises a plastic material.

5. The floorboards as claimed in claim 1 , wherein a core of the second floorboard comprises a plastic material.

6. The floorboards as claimed in claim 1 , wherein a depth of the groove substantially equals or exceeds a mean variation in thickness between the floorboards.

7. The floorboards as claimed in claim 1 , wherein a depth of the groove substantially equals a difference in thickness between the first floorboard and the second floorboard.

8. The floorboards as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the groove is arranged at the lower side of the second floorboard.

9. The floorboards as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the locking element has a curved outer upper part.

10. The floorboards as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first edge or the second edge is provided with a tongue configured to cooperate with a tongue groove at the other of the first edge or the second edge for locking of the first edge and the second edge in a vertical direction.

11. The floorboards as claimed in claim 10 , wherein the tongue is formed of the same material as the first edge or the second edge.

12. The floorboards as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the tongue is provided at the second edge and extends vertically downward from an upper side of the second floorboard.

13. The floorboards as claimed in claim 12 , wherein a width of the tongue increases with a distance from the upper side of the second floorboard.

14. The floorboards as claimed in claim 10 , wherein the tongue is a displaceable tongue arranged in a displacement groove.

15. The floorboards as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the locking groove opens downward.

16. The floorboards as claims in claim 15 , wherein the groove opens at least in a downward direction.

17. The floorboards as claimed in claim 16 , wherein the floorboards comprise a front surface with a surface layer and an opposite rear surface, wherein the surface layer is a decorative surface layer or a print layer.

18. The floorboards as claims in claim 1 , wherein the groove opens at least in a downward direction.

19. The floorboards as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the floorboards comprise a front surface with a surface layer and an opposite rear surface, wherein the surface layer is a decorative surface layer or a print layer.

20. The floorboards as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the locking element protrudes upward.

21. The floorboards as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the groove connects with the locking groove at a bottom surface of the second floorboard.

22. Floorboards comprising a front surface with a surface layer and an opposite rear surface, the floorboards being provided with a mechanical locking system comprising a locking strip protruding from a first edge of a first floorboard,
wherein the locking strip is provided with a locking element configured to cooperate with a locking groove at a lower side of a second edge of a second floorboard for locking the first edge and the second edge in a horizontal direction,
the first edge and the second edge are configured to be assembled by a vertical downward motion of the second edge towards the first edge,
wherein said second edge is provided with a groove adjacent said locking groove and positioned on the lower side of the second edge,
wherein the locking groove opens in a direction facing the rear surface such that a bottom surface of the groove is parallel to, and offset from, a bottommost surface of the second floorboard.

23. The floorboards as claimed in claim 22 , wherein the surface layer is a decorative surface layer or a print layer.

24. Floorboards comprising a front surface with a surface layer and an opposite rear surface, the floorboards being provided with a mechanical locking system comprising a locking strip protruding from a first edge of a first floorboard,
wherein the locking strip is provided with a locking element configured to cooperate with a locking groove at a lower side of a second edge of a second floorboard for locking the first edge and the second edge in a horizontal direction,
the first edge and the second edge are configured to be assembled by a vertical downward motion of the second edge towards the first edge,
wherein said second edge is provided with a groove adjacent said locking groove and positioned on the lower side of the second edge,
wherein the locking element protrudes in a direction facing the front surface, and
wherein a bottom surface of the groove and a surface of the locking groove meet at an angled intersection on the second edge.

25. The floorboards as claimed in claim 24 , wherein the surface layer is a decorative surface layer or a print layer.

26. Floorboards provided with a mechanical locking system comprising a locking strip protruding from a first edge of a first floorboard,
wherein the locking strip is provided with a locking element configured to cooperate with a locking groove at a lower side of a second edge of a second floorboard for locking the first edge and the second edge in a horizontal direction,
the first edge and the second edge are configured to be assembled by a vertical downward motion of the second edge towards the first edge,
wherein said second edge is provided with a groove adjacent said locking groove,
wherein the groove directly connects with the locking groove at a bottom surface of the second floorboard,
and wherein the second edge is provided with a tongue configured to cooperate with a tongue groove at the first edge for locking of the first edge and the second edge in a vertical direction, wherein the tongue has a dovetailed shape, such that opposite surfaces of the tongue diverge from a vertical axis as the opposite surfaces extend toward a bottom of the second edge to provide vertical locking by both opposite surfaces.

27. Floorboards provided with a mechanical locking system comprising a locking strip protruding from a first edge of a first floorboard,
wherein the locking strip is provided with a locking element configured to cooperate with a locking groove at a lower side of a second edge of a second floorboard for locking the first edge and the second edge in

Assignees

• Vaelinge Innovation Ab
• Valinge Innovation Ab

Inventors

• Boo Christian

Classifications

• E04F15/107

  composed of several layers, e.g. sandwich panels (layered products in general B32B; producing decorative panels or veneers B44C5/04) · CPC title

• E04F2201/0547

  adapted to be moved perpendicular to the joint edge · CPC title

• E04F15/02 Primary

  Flooring or floor layers composed of a number of similar elements (of webs E04F15/16) · CPC title

• E04F2201/0146

  with snap action of the edge connectors · CPC title

• E04F2203/08

  with a plurality of grooves or slits in the back side, to increase the flexibility or bendability of the elements · CPC title