Floorboards provided with a mechanical locking system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11898356-B2
Application number	US-202217865772-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 15, 2022
Priority date	Mar 25, 2013
Publication date	Feb 13, 2024
Grant date	Feb 13, 2024

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 including a mechanical locking system, the mechanical locking system comprising a locking strip protruding from a first edge of a first floorboard,
wherein the locking strip includes 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,
wherein the first edge or the second edge includes 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,
wherein 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 a core of the first floorboard comprises a plastic material and a core of the second floorboard comprises a plastic,
wherein at least said second edge is flexible, wherein said second edge includes a calibrating groove adjacent said locking groove,
wherein the calibrating groove is open towards the locking groove, and
wherein the calibrating groove is configured such that the second edge is bendable downwards until a locking position in which the tongue enters into the tongue groove is reached.

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

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

4. The floorboards as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the tongue is formed of the same material as the first edge or the second edge.

5. The floorboards as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the tongue is provided at the second edge and extends vertically downward from an upper side of the second floorboard.

6. The floorboards as claimed in claim 1 , wherein a width of the tongue increases with a distance from the upper side of the second floorboard.

7. The floorboards as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the tongue is a displaceable tongue arranged in a displacement groove.

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

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

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

11. Floorboards including a mechanical locking system, the mechanical locking system comprising a locking strip protruding from a first edge of a first floorboard,
wherein the locking strip includes 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,
wherein the first edge or the second edge includes 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,
wherein 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 a core of the first floorboard comprises a plastic material and a core of the second floorboard comprises a plastic,
wherein at least said second edge is flexible, wherein said second edge includes a calibrating groove adjacent said locking groove,
wherein the calibrating groove is open towards the locking groove, and
wherein the calibrating groove being adapted to allow the second edge to be pushed towards a sub-floor on which the floorboards are adapted to be arranged to a position wherein the tongue can enter into engagement with the tongue groove.

12. The floorboards as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the calibrating groove is arranged at the lower side of the second edge of the second floorboard.

13. The floorboards as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the locking element has a curved outer upper part.

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

15. 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.

16. The floorboards as claimed in claim 11 , wherein a width of the tongue increases with a distance from the upper side of the second floorboard.

17. The floorboards as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the tongue is a displaceable tongue arranged in a displacement groove.

18. The floorboards as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the locking groove opens downward.

19. The floorboards as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the locking element protrudes upward.

20. The floorboards as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the calibrating groove connects with the locking groove at a bottom surface of the second floorboard.

Assignees

• Vaelinge Innovation Ab

Inventors

• Boo Christian

Classifications

• E04F15/02038 Primary

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

• E04F15/107

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

• E04F2201/0146

  with snap action of the edge connectors · CPC title

• E04F2201/042

  with grooves positioned on the rear-side of the panel · CPC title

• E04F2201/0547

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