Patent ID: 9593491
Date: 2017-03-14
CPC Classifications: E04F

Claim:
1. A set of floor panels, said set of floor panels comprising a first floor panel and at least a second floor panel; wherein the first floor panel comprises a first edge; wherein the second floor panel comprises a second edge, the first edge and the second edge configured to establish a connection between the first and second floor panels; wherein said second edge is adapted to connect with the first edge by a relative downward movement of the second edge with respect to the first edge; wherein the first edge has a distally protruding lower lip with a step forming a horizontally active locking surface; wherein said step reaches into a downwardly open locking groove of the second edge in a connected condition of the first and second floor panels, said locking groove also having a horizontally active locking surface which cooperates with the horizontally active locking surface of the step in said connected condition of the first and second floor panels, thereby locking the second floor panel and the first floor panel in a direction in the plane of the floor panels and perpendicular to the first and second edges; wherein a separate clip is provided at the first edge, which clip has a clip head, at least said clip head being movable, and wherein said clip head, in the connected state of the floor panels, cooperates with a vertically active locking surface on the second edge, thereby locking the floor panels in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the floor panels; wherein said clip head is movable between at least an initial position in which said clip is in a free condition and an assembly position in which said clip is maximally deformed during connecting the floor panels; wherein said clip is inserted in a groove having a lower groove wall, an upper groove wall and a groove bottom wall extending between the lower and upper groove walls; wherein said upper and lower groove walls are substantially parallel to each other and include an angle in respect to the plane of the connected floor panels, said groove thereby forming an inclined seat for the clip; wherein said clip head does not protrude beyond an imaginary extension of said lower groove wall in the initial position; wherein said clip, including said clip head, does not protrude beyond an imaginary extension of said upper groove wall; said clip comprising a rear portion substantially positioned in said groove and a front portion protruding from the rear portion, said front portion comprising said clip head; and wherein said clip comprises a stepped lower side, said stepped lower side defining a transition between said rear portion and said front portion, such that the front portion protrudes from an upper region of the rear portion and is spaced from the lower groove wall, thereby defining a transition wall portion, which connects to a lower side of said rear portion and is more upwardly inclined than the lower side of the rear portion in order to connect to a lower side of the front portion.