Panel and covering

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11149443-B2
Application number	US-201816649209-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 17, 2018
Priority date	Sep 22, 2017
Publication date	Oct 19, 2021
Grant date	Oct 19, 2021

Abstract

The present invention relates to a panel, in particular a floor panel, interconnectable with similar panels for forming a covering. The invention also relates to a covering consisting of mutually connected floor panels according to the invention.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A panel, comprising:
a centrally located core provided with an upper side and a lower side, which core defines a plane;
at least one first coupling part and at least one second coupling part connected respectively to opposite edges of the core,
which first coupling part comprises an upward tongue, at least one upward flank lying at a distance from the upward tongue and an upward groove formed in between the upward tongue and the upward flank wherein the upward groove is adapted to receive at least a part of a downward tongue of a second coupling part of an adjacent panel, wherein:
at least a part of a side of the upward tongue facing toward the upward flank is inclined toward the upward flank;
which second coupling part comprises a downward tongue, at least one downward flank lying at a distance from the downward tongue, and a downward groove formed in between the downward tongue and the downward flank, wherein the downward groove is adapted to receive at least a part of an upward tongue of a first coupling part of an adjacent panel, wherein:
at least a part of a side of the downward tongue facing toward the downward flank is inclined toward the downward flank,
wherein the upward flank is provided with a first locking element in the form of a rounded recess, and wherein a side of the downward tongue facing away from the downward flank is provided with a second locking element, in the form of a rounded bulge, wherein the first locking element of a first panel and the second locking element of a second panel are configured to coact in a coupled condition of the two panels;
wherein the rounded recess forms a first circular segment, wherein a centre of a first circle that forms the first circular segment is located within the upward groove; and
wherein the rounded bulge forms a second circular segment, wherein a centre of a second circle that forms the second circular segment is located within the downward tongue, and
wherein a central angle of the first circular segment measured from the centre of the first circle lies between 30 and 70 degrees and/or wherein a central angle of the second circular segment measured from the centre of the second circle lies between 25 and 85 degrees.

2. The panel according to claim 1 , wherein the centre of the first circle is located below the upper side of the upward tongue and/or wherein the centre of the second circle is located below an upper side of the downward groove.

3. The panel according to claim 1 , wherein in coupled condition the part of the side of the upward tongue facing toward the upward flank and the part of a side of the downward tongue facing toward the downward flank are in contact in a contact zone, wherein the centre of the first and/or second circle is located above the contact zone.

4. The panel according to claim 1 , wherein the upward flank is oriented substantially vertically and is provided with the first locking element in the form of the rounded recess and/or wherein the side of the downward tongue facing away from the downward flank is oriented substantially vertically and is provided with the second locking element in the form of the rounded bulge.

5. The panel according to claim 1 , wherein the width of the downward groove is larger compared to the width of the upward tongue, such that in coupled condition a space exists between the downward flank and a side of the upward tongue facing away from the upward flank.

6. The panel according to claim 1 , wherein the upward tongue is connected to the core of the panel by a first bridge part, and wherein the downward tongue is connected to the core of the panel by a second bridge part, wherein the maximal thickness of the first bridge part is less than the maximal thickness of the second bridge part.

7. The panel according to claim 1 , wherein a central angle of the first circular segment is less than a central angle of the second circular segment,
wherein the central angle of the first circular segment is about 60 degrees, and wherein the central angle of the second circular segment is about 65 degrees.

8. The panel according to claim 1 , wherein an upper part of the upward flank and an upper part of a side of the downward tongue facing away from the downward flank define a vertical plane in coupled condition, and wherein the distal part of the second locking element protrudes beyond the vertical plane, wherein the centre of the first and/or second circular segment is located halfway the distance between the vertical plane and the side of the downward tongue facing toward the downward flank.

9. The panel according to claim 1 , wherein the outermost part of the second locking element defines a horizontal level, wherein the centre of the first and/or second circular segment is located at said horizontal level.

10. The panel according to claim 1 , wherein an upper part of the upward flank and an upper part of a side of the downward tongue facing away from the downward flank define a vertical plane in coupled condition, wherein the second locking element is located below the upper part of the side of the downward tongue facing away from the downward flank and wherein an empty space is provided between the upper part of the side of the downward tongue facing away from the downward flank and the second locking element.

11. The panel according to claim 1 , wherein the total thickness of the panel is between 1.5 and 5 times the radius of the circular segment.

12. The panel according to claim 1 , wherein the part of a side of the upward tongue facing toward the upward flank, which is inclined toward the upward flank, and the side of the downward tongue facing toward the downward flank, which is inclined toward the downward flank, define a closed groove system, wherein the part of the side of the upward tongue facing toward the upward flank is directed upward towards the upper side of the panel, and wherein the side of the downward tongue facing toward the downward flank is directed downward towards the bottom side of the panel.

13. The panel according to claim 1 , wherein the downward flank is substantially planar and free of locking elements.

14. The panel according to claim 1 , wherein the upper side of the upward tongue and the upper side of the downward groove are spaced apart in coupled condition.

15. The panel according to claim 1 , wherein the width of the downward tongue lies between 1 and 3 times the radius of the second circle.

16. The panel according to claim 1 , wherein both above and below the second locking element the side of the downward tongue facing away from the downward flank is at least partially oriented vertically.

17. Covering, comprising a plurality of interconnected panels according to claim 1 .

Assignees

• I4F Licensing Nv
• I4F Int B V

Inventors

• Boucké Eddy Alberic

Classifications

• E04F2201/041

  Tongues or grooves with slits or cuts for expansion or flexibility · CPC title

• E04F2201/0146

  with snap action of the edge connectors · CPC title

• E04F15/02038 Primary

  characterised by tongue and groove connections between neighbouring flooring elements · CPC title

• E04F15/02022

  with means for aligning the outer surfaces of the flooring elements (E04F15/02038 takes precedence) · CPC title

• E04F2201/045

  wherein the elements are made of wood · CPC title