Patent ID: 7644554
Filing Date: 2010-01-12
Classification: B27F,B27M,E04B,E04F,F16B,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A floor panel having a laminated construction and comprising: a core having an upper side, said core comprising medium density fibreboard or high density fibreboard; one or more layers of material at the upper side of the core; an underside on which is disposed a backing layer constituting a counterbalancing element; said one or more layers of material at the upper side of the core and said backing layer comprising layers impregnated with resin; said floor panel having a thickness of 0.5 to 1.5 cm.; said floor panel having an upper side, and at least two pairs of opposing side edges including upper side edges adjacent the upper side of the panel, and wherein at least a first pair of said opposing side edges is provided with coupling parts substantially in the form of a tongue and a groove, said groove being bordered by an upper lip and a lower lip, said coupling parts enabling two of the floor panels to be coupled to each other by the tongue of one panel being received in the groove of the other panel, with the respective panel upper side edges adjoining each other; said lower lip extending beyond said upper lip and having an underside; said coupling parts having integrated mechanical locking elements including locking surfaces which contact and cooperate with each other upon coupling of panels to prevent the drifting apart of two coupled panels in a direction perpendicular to the related edges and parallel to the undersides of the floor panels when coupled together; said locking elements comprising a locking element bordering a recess in the lower lip and a locking element formed by a protrusion at the lower side of the tongue, said recess having a lowermost point; said backing layer extending substantially completely along the underside of the lower lip; said lowermost point of the recess being completely located in a portion of the lower lip which lies beyond the upper lip; said locking surfaces of said coupling parts contacting each other when a pair of the panels are coupled by placement of the tongue of one panel into the groove of the other panel with the upper side edges of the panels adjoining each other, to thereby secure the upper side edges of said coupled panels in adjoined relationship while preventing unintentional separation between the upper side edges that would produce undesired gaps between the upper side edges in directions perpendicular to the related side edges and parallel to the underside of the coupled floor panels; the second pair of opposing side edges including tongue and groove coupling parts comprising cooperating and complementary locking elements associated with the coupling parts; said coupling parts and locking elements of said second pair of side edges, upon coupling of a pair of the panels at said second pair of side edges, engaging each other and securing said side edges against separation in a vertical direction perpendicular to the underside of the coupled panels upon coupling of two panels, with the tongue of one panel received in the groove of the other panel and with the upper side edges of said side edges in adjoined relationship, and against unintentional separation between said adjoining upper side edges that would produce undesired gaps between the upper side edges in a horizontal direction perpendicular to the related side edges and parallel to the underside of the coupled floor panels.