Mechanical locking system for panels

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12038029-B2
Application number	US-202117370521-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 8, 2021
Priority date	Jul 17, 2020
Publication date	Jul 16, 2024
Grant date	Jul 16, 2024

Abstract

A set including a first panel with a first main plane, a second panel with a second main plane and a mechanical locking device configured for locking the first panel to the second panel is described. The first main plane is arranged essentially perpendicular to the second main plane in a locked position of the first panel and the second panel. The mechanical locking device includes a first tongue and a groove surface at a first panel surface, and a locking groove and an edge surface at a second edge. The first tongue includes a first locking surface, the locking groove includes a second locking surface, the first locking surface is configured to interact with the second locking surface in the locked position, wherein the first tongue and/or the locking groove is/are flexible for facilitating locking of the first panel to the second panel.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A set comprising a first panel with a first main plane, a second panel with a second main plane and a mechanical locking device configured for locking the first panel to the second panel, wherein the first panel comprises a first edge and a first panel surface and the second panel comprises a second edge and a second panel surface, the first main plane comprising the first panel surface and the second main plane comprising the second panel surface, and the first main plane is arranged essentially perpendicular to the second main plane in a locked position of the first panel and the second panel, wherein:
the mechanical locking device comprises a panel surface groove at the first panel surface, and a locking groove and an edge surface at the second edge,
the panel surface groove comprises a groove surface and an opposite groove surface which comprises a first tongue,
the first tongue comprises a first locking surface and is configured such that at least a portion of the first tongue is displaced back and forth along a longitudinal axis of the first tongue during the locking of the first panel to the second panel,
the locking groove comprises a second locking surface,
the first locking surface is configured to interact with the second locking surface in the locked position, wherein the first tongue is flexible for facilitating locking of the first panel to the second panel,
the longitudinal axis of the first tongue extends at an acute first angle from the first main plane,
the groove surface extends at a second angle from the first main plane,
the second locking surface extends at a third angle from the second main plane,
the edge surface extends at a fourth angle from the second main plane, and
the first angle is greater than the second angle.

2. The set as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first angle is within the range of about 25° to about 45°.

3. The set as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the second angle is within the range of about 25° to about 45°.

4. The set as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the third angle is within the range of about 65° to about 45°.

5. The set as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the fourth angle is within the range of about 65° to about 45°.

6. The set as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first tongue is positioned in a first insertion groove.

7. The set as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the first tongue is a flexible tongue configured such that the at least a portion of the first tongue is displaced towards a bottom surface of a first insertion groove during the locking of the first panel to the second panel and springs back toward the second locking surface when the first and second panels have reached the locked position.

8. The set as claimed in claim 1 ,
wherein the mechanical locking device further comprises at least one rod-shaped element and at least one insertion groove,
wherein either the at least one rod-shaped element is located at the first panel surface and the at least one insertion groove is located at the second edge, or the at least one rod-shaped element is located at the second edge and the at least one insertion groove is located at the first panel surface, and
wherein the rod-shaped element is configured to be inserted into the insertion groove in the locked position.

9. The set as claimed in claim 8 , wherein each of the at least one rod-shaped element is arranged in a respective rod element groove.

10. The set as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the respective rod element groove is a drill hole.

11. The set as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the at least one insertion groove is a drill hole.

12. The set as claimed in claim 10 , wherein the drill hole is a bottom-ended drill hole.

13. The set as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the groove surface, the edge surface and/or the second locking surface is/are a milled surface.

14. The set as claimed in claim 1 , wherein a difference between the first angle and the second angle is less than 10°.

15. The set as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the third angle is smaller the fourth angle.

16. The set as claimed in claim 15 , wherein a difference between the third angle and the fourth angle is less than 10°.

17. The set as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the second edge of the second panel comprises a second tongue and wherein the second tongue comprises a flexing groove.

18. The set as claimed in claim 1 , wherein first tongue is compressed during the locking of the first panel to the second panel.

19. A method of providing a mechanical locking device configured for locking a first panel to a second panel, wherein the first panel comprises a first edge and a first panel surface and the second panel comprises a second edge and a second panel surface, wherein the method comprises:
providing the first panel; and
providing the first panel with an insertion groove and a groove surface of the locking device by milling using a first milling tool in only a single operation,
wherein, as a result of the providing of the first panel surface with the insertion groove and the groove surface, the first panel comprises a panel surface groove at the first panel surface, the panel surface groove comprising the groove surface and an opposite groove surface which comprises the insertion groove, the insertion groove extending from the opposite groove surface into the first panel.

20. The method as claimed in claim 19 , further comprising the second panel, wherein a first main plane comprises the first panel surface and a second main plane comprises the second panel surface, and the first main plane is arranged essentially perpendicular to the second main plane in a locked position of the first panel and the second panel,
wherein a first tongue is arranged in the insertion groove, wherein:
the mechanical locking device comprises the panel surface groove at the first panel surface, and a locking groove and an edge surface at the second edge,
the first tongue comprises a first locking surface,
the locking groove comprises a second locking surface,
the first locking surface is configured to interact with the second locking surface in the locked position, wherein the first tongue is flexible for facilitating locking of the first panel to the second panel,
a longitudinal axis of the first tongue extends at a first angle from the first main plane,
the groove surface extends at a second angle from the first main plane,
the second locking surface extends at a third angle from the second main plane,
the edge surface extends at a fourth angle from the second main plane, and
the first angle is greater than the second angle.

21. A method of providing a mechanical locking device configured for locking a first panel to a second panel, wherein the first panel comprises a first edge and a first panel surface and the second panel comprises a second edge and a second panel surface, wherein the method comprises:
providing the second panel; and
providing a second tongue the second edge of the second panel with an edge surface, and a locking groove comprising a second locking surface, at opposite sides of the second tongue, by milling using a milling tool only, in only a single operation.

22. The method as claimed in claim 21 , further comprising:
providing the first panel;
providing the first panel surface of the first panel with an insertion groove and a groove surface of the mechanical locking device by milling using another milling tool in only a single operation.

2

Assignees

• Vaelinge Innovation Ab

Inventors

• Boo Christian

Classifications

• F16B12/125

  using mortise and tenon joints · CPC title

• A47B2230/0081

  Mortise and tenon type joints with some general male and female joints · CPC title

• F16B12/24

  using separate pins, dowels, or the like · CPC title

• A47B2230/0096

  Assembling sheet parts by male and female parts formed in the sheet thickness · CPC title

• A47B47/042

  Panels connected without frames · CPC title