Patent ID: 9695601
Date: 2017-07-04
CPC Classifications: B32B,E04F

Claim:
1. A surface covering plank comprising: a resilient composite sheet that is flexible and having an overall thickness of 5 mm or less, a planar upper surface, four sides, and a lower surface, and said composite sheet comprising at least one base layer, wherein said at least one base layer includes at least one polymeric material and at least one filler, wherein the composite sheet has a first tongue on a first end thereof and a first groove on an opposite second end thereof, wherein the first tongue has a shape that is complementary to a shape of the first groove so that the first tongue and the first groove are interlockingly engageable with a corresponding groove or tongue on an adjacent plank, wherein said first tongue and said first groove each have at least one flexible portion that flexes during mechanical locking with the corresponding groove or tongue on said adjacent plank, and wherein the plank is configured to have, while said first tongue is interlockingly engaged with said corresponding groove on said adjacent plank so that uppermost edges of the surface covering plank and the adjacent plank are joined at a vertical joint seam, a first clearance between a distal end of the first tongue having an upper side that is slanted or sloped relative to the planar upper surface and a groove deck of said corresponding groove, the first clearance continuously from the vertical joint seam to the a tip of the first tongue, and a second clearance exists between a distal edge of a lower lip of said corresponding groove and a channel wall of the first tongue.