Unlocking system for panels

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12338637-B2
Application number	US-202318242312-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 5, 2023
Priority date	Jan 10, 2019
Publication date	Jun 24, 2025
Grant date	Jun 24, 2025

Abstract

A set of essentially identical panels, such as building panels, provided with a mechanical locking system including a displaceable tongue arranged in a displacement groove having a first opening at a first edge of a first panel. The tongue is configured to be displaced in the displacement groove along a displacement axis to attain a locking state wherein a first portion of the tongue cooperates with a first tongue groove having a second opening at a second edge of an adjacent second panel, for vertical locking of the first and the second edge. A second portion of the tongue is configured to cooperate with the second edge of the adjacent second panel via an elongated element for vertical unlocking of the first and the second edge.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A set of panels, wherein panels of the set of panels are floorboards, the set of panels comprising:
a mechanical locking system, wherein the mechanical locking system comprises a displaceable tongue arranged in a displacement groove having a first opening at a first edge of a first panel, said displaceable tongue being configured to be displaced in said displacement groove along a displacement axis to attain a locking state;
wherein a first portion of the displaceable tongue cooperates with a first tongue groove having a second opening at a second edge of an adjacent second panel, for vertical locking of the first and second edges;
wherein a second portion of said displaceable tongue is configured to cooperate with said second edge of said adjacent second panel via an elongated element for vertical unlocking of the first and second edges;
wherein a first engagement portion of the second portion is configured to engage with the elongated element and delimits an unlocking groove configured to receive the elongated element to cause the displaceable tongue to be displaced along the displacement axis to attain an unlocking state for said vertical unlocking of the first and second edges; and
wherein a second engagement portion of the second edge is configured to engage with the elongated element and delimits the unlocking groove.

2. The set of panels according to claim 1 , wherein said second engagement portion is provided externally of said first tongue groove.

3. The set of panels according to claim 2 , wherein said second engagement portion is provided externally of and below said first tongue groove.

4. The set of panels according to claim 3 , wherein the second portion and the elongated element are configured to cooperate such that the displaceable tongue is displaced along the displacement axis at least to the extent that an outermost point of the second engagement portion and an outermost point of the first portion do not overlap.

5. The set of panels according to claim 3 , wherein the second portion and the elongated element are configured to cooperate such that the displaceable tongue is displaced along the displacement axis at least to the extent that there is provided a play in a horizontal plane between an outermost point of the second engagement portion and an outermost point of the first portion.

6. The set of panels according to claim 1 , wherein said first engagement portion and said second engagement portion are planar and extend side by side and/or in parallel or substantially in parallel.

7. The set of panels according to claim 1 , wherein said unlocking groove is configured to attain said unlocking state upon receiving an elongated element having a constant cross-sectional width in a longitudinal direction of said elongated element.

8. The set of panels according to claim 1 , wherein said displacement groove comprises a bottom surface, an upper surface and a lower surface.

9. The set of panels according to claim 8 , wherein the second engagement portion extends below a plane of the lower surface.

10. The set of panels according to claim 8 , wherein a dimension in a direction of a normal of a plane of said lower surface, between the lower surface and the first portion, corresponds at least to a maximum diameter of the elongated element.

11. The set of panels according to claim 8 , wherein a dimension in a direction of a normal of a plane of said lower surface, between the lower surface and the first portion, corresponds at least to a dimension along the displacement axis between the first engagement portion and an outermost point of the displaceable tongue.

12. The set of panels according to claim 11 , wherein the dimension is measured from a point on a lower surface of the first portion, said point being aligned, in the direction of the normal, with an uppermost point of the elongated element.

13. The set of panels according to claim 8 , wherein a dimension in a direction of a normal of a plane of said lower surface, between the plane and the first portion corresponds at least to a largest distance of a dimension along the displacement axis between the second engagement portion and an outermost point of the displaceable tongue in the locking state.

14. The set of panels according to claim 1 , wherein said second portion comprises a chamfered edge portion, said edge portion being an outer end portion in a longitudinal direction of the displaceable tongue, the chamfered edge portion forming a guiding surface configured to guide said elongated element in the transverse direction of said displaceable tongue.

15. The set of panels according to claim 1 , wherein said second edge comprises a chamfered edge portion for guiding said elongated element towards said displaceable tongue.

16. The set of panels according to claim 1 , wherein a cross-section of the elongated element comprises a round shape.

17. The set of panels according to claim 1 , wherein said elongated element has a circular cross-section in a transverse plane thereof.

Assignees

• Vaelinge Innovation Ab

Inventors

• Ylikangas Roger
• Quist Karl
• Nilsson Anders
• Landgård Caroline

Classifications

• E04C2/40

  composed of a number of smaller components rigidly or movably connected together, e.g. interlocking, hingedly connected {of particular shape, e.g. not rectangular of variable shape or size, e.g. flexible or telescopic panels (E04C2/041 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• E04F2201/023

  with a continuous tongue or groove · CPC title

• E04F2201/0523

  Separate tongues; Interlocking keys, e.g. joining mouldings of circular, square or rectangular shape · CPC title

• E04F2201/044

  with tongues or grooves comprising elements which are not manufactured in one piece with the sheets, plates or panels but which are permanently fixedly connected to the sheets, plates or panels, e.g. at the factory · CPC title

• E04F15/04

  only of wood {or with a top layer of wood}, e.g. with wooden {or metal} connecting members (rollable parquet E04F15/16) · CPC title