Panel

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12595666-B2
Application number	US-202117916300-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 16, 2021
Priority date	Apr 3, 2020
Publication date	Apr 7, 2026
Grant date	Apr 7, 2026

Abstract

The panel includes a first pair of opposite edges; these comprise male and female coupling parts—in the form of a tongue and groove and locking elements—in order to couple two such panels to each other on their first pair of opposite edges. The panel and coupling parts thereof are configured so that in a covering formed with these panels, the expansion and contraction of the panels in the coupling zone on the first pair of opposite edges is compensated in this coupling zone itself.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1 . A panel, wherein the panel comprises a first pair of opposite edges, including a first edge and a second edge;
wherein the first edge comprises a male coupling part, wherein the second edge comprises a female coupling part, wherein the male coupling part and the female coupling part are configured in such a way that first and second panels formed according to said panel, can, by the male and female coupling parts of the first and second panels, be coupled to each other in a plane and a coupled state can be realized between the first and second panels, said coupled state being defined as a condition at a completion of an installation of the first and second panels in both horizontal and vertical directions; wherein the male coupling part comprises a tongue; wherein the female coupling part comprises a groove, wherein the groove is delimited by an upper lip and a lower lip; wherein the lower lip extends in a distal direction beyond an open or free end of the upper lip; wherein the tongue and the groove, in the coupled state, form a tongue-and-groove joint, which produces a mechanical locking between the first and second panels in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the first and second panels; wherein the male coupling part and the female coupling part each comprise a locking element, said locking elements, in the coupled state, produce a mechanical locking between the first and second panels in the direction in the plane of the first and second panels and perpendicular to the first pair of opposite edges; wherein the tongue and the upper lip are configured with overlapping contours, so that in the coupled state of the first and second panels, on the first pair of opposite edges of the first and second panels a pretension is formed between the tongue of the first panel and the upper lip of the second panel; wherein, on account of the pretension, the lower lip in the coupled state is bent downwards at any degree of humidity; wherein due to the pretension, the tongue is arranged to bend, and the upper lip is arranged not to bend.

2 . The panel as in claim 1 , wherein an overlap of the overlapping contours in the direction perpendicular relative to a surface of the panel is at least 0.03 millimetre.

3 . A panel, wherein the panel comprises a first pair of opposite edges, including a first edge and a second edge;
wherein the first edge comprises a male coupling part, wherein the second edge comprises a female coupling part, wherein the male coupling part and the female coupling part are configured in such a way that first and second panels formed according to said panel can be coupled to each other in a plane by the male and female coupling parts, and a coupled state can be realized between the first and second panels, said coupled state being defined as a condition at a completion of an installation of the first and second panels in both horizontal and vertical directions; wherein the male coupling part comprises a tongue; wherein the female coupling part comprises a groove, wherein the groove is delimited by an upper lip and a lower lip; wherein the lower lip extends in a distal direction beyond an open or free end of the upper lip; wherein the tongue and the groove, in the coupled state, form a tongue-and-groove joint, which produces a mechanical locking between the first and second panels in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the first and second panels; wherein the male coupling part and the female coupling part each comprise a locking element, said locking elements, in the coupled state, produce a mechanical locking between the first and second panels in the direction in the plane of the first and second panels and perpendicular to the first pair of opposite edges; wherein the panel comprises a first bevel arranged as straight or curved on a top of the first edge; wherein a top edge of the tongue comprises a contact surface being parallel to an upper side of the first panel for coming into contact with a bottom edge of the upper lip of the second panel to which the first panel is coupled on the first edge; wherein the tongue comprises a slot, wherein the slot is located between the first bevel on the first edge and the contact surface on the top edge of the tongue, wherein the slot has a depth relative to the uppermost point of the tongue of at least 0.05 millimetre; wherein, in the coupled state just after coupling the first panel on the first edge thereof to the second edge of the second panel, at least one part of the slot is visible from above.

4 . The panel as in claim 3 , wherein a width of the slot is greater than a depth thereof, wherein the depth is measured relative to an uppermost point of the tongue.

5 . The panel as in any claim 3 , wherein the panel comprises a substrate and a decorative design;
wherein the decorative design runs continuously from an upper surface over the first bevel on the first edge of the panel up to at least a part of the slot; and over an entirety of the slot.

6 . The panel as in claim 5 , wherein the decorative design on the tongue does not run beyond the slot.

7 . The panel as in claim 5 , wherein the decorative design on the first edge does not run onto the contact surface on the top edge of the tongue.

8 . The panel as in claim 7 , wherein the contact surface on the top edge of the tongue is a milled contact surface.

9 . The panel as in claim 5 , wherein the panel comprises a substrate and a decorative design,
wherein the contact surface on the top edge of the tongue is formed from substrate.

10 . The panel as in claim 5 , wherein the decorative design on the first edge runs up to, but not onto the contact surface on the top edge of the tongue.

11 . The panel such in claim 5 , wherein the decorative design on the tongue runs continuously to beyond the slot.

12 . The panel as in claim 3 , wherein the panel comprises a second bevel arranged as straight or curved on a top of the second edge;
wherein the contact surface of the top of the first edge, in the coupled state of the first panel on the first edge to the second edge of the second panel, is located completely under the second bevel on the top of the second edge of the second panel.

13 . A panel, wherein the panel comprises a first pair of opposite edges, including a first edge and a second edge;
wherein the first edge comprises a male coupling part, wherein the second edge comprises a female coupling part, wherein the male coupling part and the female coupling part are configured in such a way that first and second panels formed according to said panel can, by the male and female coupling parts, be coupled to each other in a plane and a coupled state can be realized between the first and second panels, said coupled state being defined as a condition at a completion of an installation of the first and second panels in both horizontal and vertical directions; wherein the male coupling part comprises a tongue; wherein the female coupling part comprises a groove, wherein the groove is delimited by an upper lip and a lower lip; wherein the lower lip extends in a distal direction beyond an open or free end of the upper lip; wherein the tongue and the groove, in the coupled state, form a tongue-and-groove joint, which produces a mechanical locking between the first and second panels in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the first and second panels; wherein the male coupling part and the female coupling part each comprise a locking element, said locking elements, in the coupled state, produce a mechanical locking between the first and second panels in the

Assignees

• Flooring Industries Ltd Sarl
• Unilin Bv

Inventors

• Cappelle Mark
• Claerhout Matthias
• Rollier Bryan
• Naeyaert Christophe

Classifications

• E04F2201/043

  with tongues and grooves being formed by projecting or recessed parts of the panel layers · CPC title

• E04F2201/042

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

• E04F2201/023

  with a continuous tongue or groove · CPC title

• E04F2201/0161

  with snap action of the edge connectors · CPC title

• E04F15/02033

  Joints with beveled or recessed upper edges · CPC title