Patent ID: 8341915
Filing Date: 2013-01-01
Classification: E04B,E04F,F16B

Abstract:
1. A set of essentially identical floor panels comprising: connectors which are integrated with the floor panels and adapted to connect a new floor panel to a first and a second floor panel, so that upper joint edges of said new and second floor panels in the connected state define a vertical plane, a first connector being designed to connect said new floor panel with said second floor panel in a horizontal direction perpendicular to said vertical plane and a second connector being designed to connect said new floor panel with said second floor panel in a vertical direction parallel to the vertical plane, the second connector comprises a flexible tongue in a displacement groove in one of the new or the second floor panel, the displacement groove is formed in an edge of one of the new or the second floor panel and is open towards the vertical plane, the flexible tongue has a length direction along the joint edges, a width in a horizontal plane perpendicular to the length direction and a thickness in the vertical direction, the flexible tongue cooperates, in a connected state with a tongue groove in the other of the new or the second floor panel, the first connector comprises a locking strip which projects from said vertical plane in the second panel and carries a locking element, said locking strip is designed to cooperate, in a connected state, with a downward open locking groove of the new floor panel, wherein the new floor panel is adapted to be locked to the first and second floor panels with vertical folding, a part of the flexible tongue during the vertical folding is adapted to be displaced twice in the displacement groove, a first displacement is effected by the vertical folding of the new floor panel whereby at least a part of the flexible tongue is bent in the horizontal direction, a second displacement of the flexible tongue towards its initial position is accomplished substantially by a spring effect caused by said bending of said flexible tongue, wherein the width of the flexible tongue varies along the length direction of the tongue.