Source: http://www.google.es/patents/US20020007608
Timestamp: 2017-09-20 23:54:02
Document Index: 777083092

Matched Legal Cases: ['art.\n12', 'art.\n35', 'art 9', 'art 12', 'art 13', 'art 12', 'arts 9', 'arts 12', 'art 9']

Patente US20020007608 - Locking system for floorboards - Google Patentes
The invention relates to a locking system for mechanical joining of floorboards (1, 1′), a floorboard having such a locking system and a flooring made of such floorboards. The locking system has mechanical cooperating means (36, 38; 6, 8, 14) for vertical and horizontal joining of adjoining floorboards....http://www.google.es/patents/US20020007608?utm_source=gb-gplus-sharePatente US20020007608 - Locking system for floorboards
Número de publicación US20020007608 A1
Número de solicitud US 09/954,180
También publicado como CA2370054A1, CA2370054C, CN1196839C, CN1419625A, DE60113086D1, DE60113086T2, DE60136501D1, EP1272716A1, EP1272716B1, EP1617009A1, EP1617009B1, EP2014845A2, EP2014845A3, EP2014845B1, EP2275618A2, EP2275618A3, US6715253, US6918220, US7003925, US7356971, US7398625, US7845133, US8590253, US20030115821, US20050055943, US20060117696, US20070119110, US20080060308, US20100229491, WO2001077461A1
Número de publicación 09954180, 954180, US 2002/0007608 A1, US 2002/007608 A1, US 20020007608 A1, US 20020007608A1, US 2002007608 A1, US 2002007608A1, US-A1-20020007608, US-A1-2002007608, US2002/0007608A1, US2002/007608A1, US20020007608 A1, US20020007608A1, US2002007608 A1, US2002007608A1
Citada por (174), Clasificaciones (15), Eventos legales (6)
US 20020007608 A1
The invention relates to a locking system for mechanical joining of floorboards (1, 1′), a floorboard having such a locking system and a flooring made of such floorboards. The locking system has mechanical cooperating means (36, 38; 6, 8, 14) for vertical and horizontal joining of adjoining floorboards. The means for horizontal joining about a vertical plane (F) comprise a locking groove (14) and a locking strip (16) which is located at opposite joint edge portions (4 a, 4 b) of the floorboard (4). The locking strip (6) projects from the joint plane (F) and has an upwards projecting locking element (8) at its free end. The locking groove (14) is formed in the opposite joint edge portion (4 a) of the floorboard at a distance from the joint plane (F). The locking groove (14) and the locking element (8) have operative locking surfaces (10, 11). The locking surfaces are essentially plane and spaced from the upper side of the projecting strip and inside the locking groove and make a locking angle (A) of at least 50° to the upper side of the board. Moreover the locking groove has a guiding part (12) for cooperation with a corresponding guiding part (6) on the locking element (8).
1. A locking system for mechanical joining of floorboards (1, 1′) having a core (30) and opposite first and second joint edge portions (4 a, 5 a and 4 b, 5 b, respectively), adjoining floorboards (1, 1′) in the mechanically joined position having their first and second joint edge portion (4 a, 5 a and 4 b, 5 b, respectively) joined at a vertical joint plane (F), said locking system comprising
a) for vertical joining of the first joint edge portion (4 a) of a first floorboard (1) and the second joint edge portion (4 a, 5 a and 4 b, 5 b, respectively), of an adjoining second floorboard (1′), mechanical cooperating means (36, 38), and
b) for horizontal joining of the first and second joint edge portions (4 a, 5 a and 4 b, 5 b, respectively), mechanical cooperating means (6, 8; 14) which comprise
a locking groove (14) formed in the underside (3) of said second floorboard (1′) and extending parallel with and at a distance from the vertical joint plane (F) at said second joint edge portion (4 b, 5 b) and having a downward directed opening, and
a strip (6) integrally formed with the core of said first floorboard (1), which strip at said first joint edge portion (4 a, 5 a) projects from said vertical joint plane (F) and at a distance from the joint plane (F) has a locking element (8) which projects towards a plane containing the upper side of said first floorboard (1) and which has at least one operative locking surface (10) for coaction with said locking groove (14),
the locking groove (14), seen in the plane of the floorboards and away from the vertical joint plane, (F) having a greater width than said locking element (8),
characterised by the combination
that said at least one operative locking surface (10) of the locking element (8) is essentially plane and located at the upper part of the locking element at a distance from the upper side of the projecting strip (6) and faces the joint plane (F),
that the locking groove (14) has at least one essentially plane operative locking surface (11) which is located in the locking groove at a distance from the opening of the locking groove and which is designed to cooperate with said locking surface (10) of the locking element (8) in the joined position,
that the locking groove (14) at the lower edge closest to the joint plane (F) has an inclined or rounded guiding part (12) which extends from the locking surface (11) of the locking groove and to the opening of the locking groove and which is intended to guide the locking element (8) into the locking groove (14) by engaging a portion of the locking element (8) which is positioned above the locking surface (10) of the locking element or adjacent to its upper edge,
that said operative locking surfaces (10 and 11, respectively) of the locking element (8) and the locking groove (14) make a locking angle (A) of at least 50° to the upper side of the boards.
2. A locking system as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the floorboards (1, 1′) have a core (30), a surface layer (32) on the upper side of the core and a balancing layer (34) on the rear side of the core (30).
3. A locking system as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the operative locking surfaces (10 and 11, respectively) of the locking element (8) and the locking groove make an angle (A) of at least 60° to the upper side of the boards (1, 1′).
4. A locking system as claimed in claim 3, characterised in that the operative locking surfaces (10 and 11, respectively) of the locking element (8) and the locking groove make an angle (A) of at least 80° to the upper side of the boards (1, 1′).
5. A locking system as claimed in claim 4, characterised in that the operative locking surfaces (10 and 11, respectively) of the locking element (8) and the locking groove make an angle (A) of essentially 90° to the upper side of the boards (1, 1′).
6. A locking system as claimed in claim 5, characterised in that the mechanical means (36, 38) of the locking system which cooperate for vertical locking and the means (6, 8; 14) of the locking system which cooperate for horizontal locking have a configuration that allows insertion of the locking element (8) into the locking groove (14) by inward angling of one floorboard (1) towards the other floorboard (1′) while maintaining contact between the joint edge surface portions (41, 42) of the two floorboards close to the border between the joint plane (F) and the upper side of the floorboards.
7. A locking system as claimed in claim 5, characterised in that the mechanical means (36, 38) of the locking system which cooperate for vertical locking and the means (6, 8; 14) of the locking system which cooperate for horizontal locking have a configuration which allows insertion of the locking element (8) into the locking groove (14) by a substantially horizontal motion of one floorboard (1) towards the other floorboard (1′) during bending of the integrated strip (6) for snapping in the locking element (8) into the locking groove (14).
8. A locking system as claimed in claim 6, characterised in that the mechanical means (36, 38) of the locking system which cooperate for vertical locking and the means (6, 8; 14) of the locking system which cooperate for horizontal locking have a configuration which allows insertion of the locking element (8) into the locking groove (14) by a substantially vertical motion of one floorboard (1) towards the other floorboard (1′) during bending of the integrated strip (6, 8) for snapping in the locking element (8) into the locking groove (14).
9. A locking system as claimed in claim 6, characterised in that the relationship W>0.5 H, where
W=thickness of the locking element (8) parallel with the upper side of the floorboards on a level with the operative locking surface (19) of the locking element,
H=height of the locking element (8) seen from the upper side of the strip (6).
10. A locking system as claimed claim 8, characterised in that the relationship W <5 * H, where
W=thickness of the locking element (8) parallel with the upper side of the floorboards on a level with the operative locking surface (19) of the locking element
11. A locking system as claimed in claim 8, characterised in that the locking element (8) has a thickness parallel with the upper side of the floorboards which is greater at the lower part of the locking element than at its upper part.
12. A locking system as claimed in claim 8, characterised in that the lower guiding part (12) of the locking groove (14) and the corresponding lower part of the locking element (8) are designed so as not to contact each other in the locked position.
13. A locking system as claimed claim 8, characterised in that the guiding part (12) of the locking groove (14) has a portion which is located inside a circular arc (C1), which has its centre (C3) where the joint plane (F) intersects the upper side of the floorboards (1, 1′) and which is tangent to the upper part of the locking element (8).
14. A locking system as claimed in claim 8, characterised in that the locking element (8) has an upper inclined or rounded guiding part (9) which is positioned above the operative locking surface (10) of the locking element (8) and outside a circular arc (C1), which has its centre (C3) where the joint plane (F) intersects the upper side of the floorboards (1, 1′) and which is tangent to the upper part of the locking element 8.
15. A locking system as claimed in claim 13, characterised in that the sum of on the one hand the horizontal distance (E1) between a lower edge of the guiding part (12) of the locking groove (14) and said circular arc (C1) and, on the other hand, the horizontal distance (E2) between an upper edge of the guiding part (9) of the locking element (8) and said circular arc (C1) always exceeds zero, said horizontal distance (E1) for the lower edge of the locking groove being considered negative if this lower edge is located outside said circular arc (C1).
16. A locking system as claimed in claim 13, characterised in that the guiding part (9) of the locking element (8) and the locking groove (14) are designed so as not to contact each other in the locked position.
17. A locking system as claimed in claim 14, characterised in that the height of the locking element (8) and the depth of the locking groove (14) are such that the upper part of the locking element in the locked position does not engage the locking groove.
18. A locking system as claimed in claim 14, characterised in that the mechanical means (36, 38) of the locking system which cooperate for vertical locking and the means (6, 8; 14) of the locking system which cooperate for horizontal locking have a configuration that allows the locking element (8) to leave the locking groove (14) in upward angling of the floorboard (1′) having the locking groove, while maintaining contact between the joint edge surface portions (41, 42) of the two floorboards close to the border between the joint plane (F) and the upper side of the floorboards.
19. A locking system as claimed in claim 15, characterised in that the mechanical means (36, 38) of the locking system which cooperate for vertical locking and the means (6, 8; 14) of the locking system which cooperate for horizontal locking have a configuration that allows the floorboards (1, 1′) to be displaceable parallel with the joint plane (F) in the locked position.
20. A locking system as claimed in claim 15, characterised in that the mechanical means (36, 38) for vertical joining of the floorboards are formed in the joint edge portions (4 a , 4 b ) of the floorboards.
21. A locking system as claimed in claim 18, characterised in that the mechanical means (36, 38) for vertical joining of the floorboards are formed as a tongue-and-groove joint.
22. A locking system as claimed in claim 18, characterised in that the strip (6) is made of a material other than that of the core (30) of the floorboard and is integrally connected with the core.
23. A locking system as claimed in claim 19, characterised in that the strip is made in one piece with the core (30) of the floorboard and integrally connected with the core.
24. A floorboard having a core (30) and opposing first and second joint edge portions (4 a, 5 a and 4 b, 5 b, respectively), which are designed for joining with adjoining identical floorboards by mechanical connection of the first joint edge portion (4 a, 5 b) of a first floorboard (1) with the second joint edge portion (4 b,5 b) of an adjoining second floorboard (1′) to a mechanically joined position at a vertical joint plane (F), the floorboard having a locking system which comprises
a) for vertical joining of the first joint edge portion (4 a, 5 a) of a first floorboard (1) and the second joint edge portion (4 a, 5 a and 4 b, 5 b, respectively) of an adjoining second floorboard (1′), mechanical cooperating means (36, 38), and
a locking groove (14) formed in the underside (3) of said second floorboard (1′) and extending parallel with and at a distance from the vertical joint plane (F) at said second joint edge portion (4 b,5 b) and having a downward directed opening, and
a strip (6) integrally formed with the core of said first floorboard (1), which strip at said first joint edge portion (4 a) projects from said vertical joint plane (F) and at a distance from the joint plane (F) has a locking element (8) which projects towards a plane containing the upper side of said first floorboard (1) and which has at least one operative locking surface (10) for coaction with said locking groove (14),
the locking groove (14), seen in the plane of the floorboards and away from the vertical joint plane (F) having a greater width than said locking element (8),
that the locking groove (14) at its lower edge closest to the joint plane (F) has an inclined or rounded guiding part (12) which extends from the locking surface (11) of the locking groove and to the opening of the locking groove and which is intended to guide the locking element (8) into the locking groove (14) by engaging a portion of the locking element (8) which is positioned above the locking surface (10) of the locking element or adjacent to its upper edge,
25. A floorboard as claimed in claim 24, characterised in that the floorboards have a core (30), a surface layer (32) on the upper side of the core and a balancing layer (34) on the rear side of the core (30).
26. A floorboard as claimed in claim 24, characterised in that the operative locking surfaces (10 and 11, respectively) of the locking element (8) and the locking groove make an angle (A) of at least 60° to the upper side of the boards (1, 1′).
27. A floorboard as claimed in claim 26, characterised in that the operative locking surfaces (10 and 11, respectively) of the locking element (8) and the locking groove make an angle (A) of at least 80° to the upper side of the boards (1, 1′).
28. A floorboard as claimed in claim 27, characterised in that the operative locking surfaces (10 and 11, respectively) of the locking element (8) and the locking groove make an angle (A) of essentially 90° to the upper side of the boards (1, 1′).
29. A floorboard as claimed in claim 28, characterised in that the mechanical means (36, 38) of the locking system which cooperate for vertical locking and the means (6, 8; 14) of the locking system which cooperate for horizontal locking have a configuration that allows insertion of the locking element (8) into the locking groove (14) by inward angling of one floorboard (1) towards the other floorboard (1′) while maintaining contact between the joint edge surface portions (41, 42) of the two floorboards close to the border between the joint plane (F) and the upper side of the floorboards.
30. A floorboard as claimed in claim 29, characterised in that the mechanical means (36, 38) of the locking system which cooperate for vertical locking and the means (6, 8; 14) of the locking system which cooperate for horizontal locking have a configuration that allows insertion of the locking element (8) into the locking groove (14) by a substantially horizontal motion of one floorboard (1) towards the other floorboard (1′) during bending of the integrated strip (6) for snapping in the locking element (8) into the locking groove (14).
31. A floorboard as claimed in claim 29, characterised in that the mechanical means (36, 38) of the locking system which cooperate for vertical locking and the means (6, 8; 14) of the locking system which cooperate for horizontal locking have a configuration that allows insertion of the locking element (8) into the locking groove (14) by a substantially vertical motion of one floorboard (1) towards the other floorboard (1′) during bending of the integrated strip (6, 8) for snapping in the locking element (8) into the locking groove (14).
32. A floorboard as claimed in claim 31, characterised in that the relationship W>0.5 H, where
33. A floorboard as claimed in claim 31, characterised in that the relationship W <5 * H, where
34. A floorboard as claimed in claim 33, characterised in that the locking element (8) has a thickness parallel with the upper side of the floorboards which is greater at the lower part of the locking element than at its upper part.
35. A floorboard as claimed in claim 34, characterised in that the lower guiding part (12) of the locking groove (14) and the corresponding lower part of the locking element (8) are designed so as not to contact each other in the locked position.
36. A floorboard as claimed in claim 35, characterised in that the guiding part (12) of the locking groove (14) has a portion which is located inside a circular arc (C1), which has its centre (C3) where the joint plane (F) intersects the upper side of the floorboards (1, 1′) and which is tangent to the upper part of the locking element (8).
37. A floorboard as claimed in claim 36, characterised in that the locking element (8) has an upper inclined or rounded guiding part (9) which is positioned above the operative locking surface (10) of the locking element (8) and outside a circular arc (C1), which has its centre (C3) where the joint plane (F) intersects the upper side of the floorboards (1, 1′) and which is tangent to the upper part of the locking element (8).
38. A floorboard as claimed in claim 37, characterised in that the sum of on the one hand the horizontal distance (E1) between a lower edge of the guiding part (12) of the locking groove (14) and said circular arc (C1) and, on the other hand, the horizontal distance (E2) between an upper edge of the guiding part (9) of the locking element (8) and said circular arc (C1) always exceeds zero, said horizontal distance (E1) for the lower edge of the locking groove being considered negative if this lower edge is located outside said circular arc (C1).
39. A floorboard as claimed in claim 37, characterised in that the guiding part (9) of the locking element (8) and the locking groove (14) are designed so as not to contact each other in the locked position.
40. A floorboard as claimed in claim 39, characterised in that the height of the locking element (8) and the depth of the locking groove (14) are such that the upper part of the locking element in the locked position does not engage the locking groove.
41. A floorboard as claimed in claim 40, characterised in that the mechanical means (36, 38) of the locking system which cooperate for vertical locking and the means (6, 8; 14) of the locking system which cooperate for horizontal locking have a configuration that allows the locking element (8) to leave the locking groove (14) in upward angling of the floorboard (1′) having the locking groove, while maintaining contact between the joint edge surface portions (41, 42) of the two floorboards close to the border between the joint plane and the upper side of the floorboards.
42. A floorboard as claimed in claim 41, characterised in that the mechanical means (36, 38) of the locking system which cooperate for vertical locking and the means (6, 8; 14) of the locking system which cooperate for horizontal locking have a configuration that allows the floorboards (1, 1′) to be displaceable parallel with the joint plane (F) in the locked position.
43. A floorboard as claimed in claim 42, characterised in that the mechanical means (36, 38) for vertical joining of the floorboards are formed in the joint edge portions (4 a, 4 b) of the floorboards.
44. A floorboard as claimed in claim 43, characterised in that the mechanical means (36, 38) for vertical joining of the floorboards are formed as a tongue-and-groove joint.
45. A floorboard as claimed in claim 44, characterised in that the strip (6) is made of a material other than that of the core (30) of the floorboard and is integrally connected with the core.
46. A floorboard as claimed in claim 44, characterised in that the strip is made in one piece with the core (30) of the floorboard and integrally connected with the core.
47. A locking system for mechanical joining of floorboards (1, 1′) having a core (30) and opposite first and second joint edge portions (5 a and 5 b, respectively), adjoining floorboards (1, 1′) in the mechanically joined position having their first and second joint edge portion (5 a and 5 b, respectively) joined at a vertical joint plane (F), said joint system comprising
a) for vertical joining of the first joint edge portion (5 a) of a first floorboard (1) and the second joint edge portion (5 a and 5 b, respectively) of an adjoining second floorboard (1′), mechanical cooperating means (36, 38), and
b) for horizontal joining of the first and second joint edge portions (5 a and 5 b, respectively), mechanical cooperating means (6, 8; 14) which comprise
a locking groove (14) formed in the underside (3) of said second floorboard (1′) and extending parallel with and at a distance from the vertical joint plane (F) at said second joint edge portion (5 b) and having a downward directed opening, and
a strip (6) integrally formed with the core of said first floorboard (1), which strip at said first joint edge portion (5 a) projects from said vertical joint plane (F) and at a distance from the joint plane (F) has a locking element (8) which projects towards a plane containing the upper side of said first floorboard (1) and which has at least one operative locking surface (10) for coaction with said locking groove (14),
the locking groove (14), seen in the plane of the floorboards and away from the vertical joint plane (F), having a greater width than said locking element (8),
10 characterised by the combination
that the operative locking surfaces (10 and 11, respectively) of the locking element (8) and the locking groove (14) have a locking angle (A) which is essentially perpendicular to the upper side of the floorboards,
that the operative locking surfaces (10 and 11, respectively) of the locking element (8) and the locking groove (14) have a height (LS) parallel with the joint plane (F) which is less than 0.5 times the height (H) of the locking element (8),
that the locking groove (14) at its lower edge closest to the joint plane (F) has an inclined or rounded guiding part (13) which extends from the locking surface (11) of the locking groove and to the opening of the locking groove, and
that the locking element (8) at its upper end has an inclined or rounded guiding part (9) extending from the operative locking surface (10) of the locking element and adapted to engage with the guiding part (12) of the locking groove during guiding of the locking element (8) into the locking groove (14).
48. A locking system as claimed in claim 47, characterised in that the sum of on the one hand the horizontal distance (E1) between a lower edge of the guiding part (12) of the locking groove (14) and a circular arc (C1), which has it centre (C3) where the joint plane (F) intersects the upper side of the floorboards (1, 1′) and which is tangent to the upper part of the locking element (8) and, on the other hand, the horizontal distance (E2) between an upper edge of the guiding part (9) of the locking element (8) and said circular arc (C1) always exceeds zero, said horizontal distance (E1) for the lower edge of the locking groove being considered negative if this lower edge is located outside said circular arc (C1).
49. A locking system as claimed in claim 48, characterised in that the floorboards (1, 1′) have a core (30), a surface layer (32) on the upper side of the core and a balancing layer (24) on the rear side of the core (30).
50. A locking system as claimed in claim 49, characterised in that the mechanical means (36, 38) of the locking system which cooperate for vertical locking and the means (6, 8; 14) of the locking system which cooperate for horizontal locking have a configuration that allows insertion of the locking element (8) into the locking groove (14) by a substantially horizontal motion of one floorboard (1) towards the other floorboard (1′) during bending of the integrated strip (6) for snapping in the locking element (8) into the locking groove (14).
51. A locking system as claimed in claim 50, characterised in that the lower guiding part (12) of the locking groove (14) and the corresponding lower part of the locking element (8) are designed so as not to contact each other in the locked position.
52. A locking system as claimed in claim 51, characterised in that the locking element (8) has an upper guiding part (9) which is positioned above the operative locking surface (10) of the locking element (8) and further away from said centre (C3) than the circular arc (C1) which is tangent to the upper end of the locking element (8).
53. A locking system as claimed in claim 52, characterised in that the guiding part (9) of the locking element (8) and the locking groove (14) are designed so as not to contact each other in the locked position.
54. A locking system as claimed in claim 53, characterised in that the height of the locking element (8) and the depth of the locking groove (14) are such that the upper part of the locking element in the locked position does not engage with the locking groove.
55. A locking system as claimed in claim 54, characterised in that the mechanical means (36, 38) of the locking system which cooperate for vertical joining and the means (6, 8; 14) of the locking system which cooperate for horizontal joining have a configuration that allows the floorboards (1, 1′) to be displaceable parallel with the joint plane (F) in the locked position.
56. A locking system as claimed in claim 55, characterised in that the mechanical means (36, 38) for vertical joining of the floorboards are formed in the joint edge portions (5 a, 5 b) of the floorboards.
57. A locking system as claimed in claim 56, characterised in that the mechanical means (36, 38) for vertical joining of the floorboards are formed as a tongue-and-groove joint.
58. A locking system as claimed in claim 52, characterised in that the strip is made of a material other than that of the core (30) of the floorboard and is integrally connected with the core.
59. A locking system as claimed claim 58, characterised in that the strip is made in one piece with the core (30) of the floorboard and integrally connected with the core.
60. A floorboard comprising a core (30) and opposite first and second joint edge portions (5 a and 5 b, respectively) which are designed for joining with adjoining floorboards by mechanical connection of the first joint edge portion (5 a) of a first floorboard (1) with the second joint edge portion (5 b) of an adjoining second floorboard (1′) to a mechanically joined position at a vertical joint plane, the floorboard having a locking system which comprises
that the locking groove (14) has at least one essentially plane operative locking surface (11) which is located in the locking groove at a distance from the opening of the locking groove and which is designed to cooperate with said operative surface (10) of the locking element (8) in the joined position,
that the locking groove (14) at its lower edge closest to the joint plane (F) has an inclined or rounded guiding part (12) which extends from the locking surface (11) of the locking groove and to the opening of the locking groove, and
61. A floorboard as claimed in claim 60, characterised in that the sum of on the one hand the horizontal distance (E1) between a lower edge of the guiding part (12) of the locking groove (14) and a circular arc (C1), which has it centre (C3) where the joint plane (F) intersects the upper side of the floorboards (1, 1′) and which is tangent to the upper part of the locking element (8) and, on the other hand, the horizontal distance (E2) between an upper edge of the guiding part (9) of the locking element (8) and said circular arc (C1) always exceeds zero, said horizontal distance (E1) for the lower edge of the locking groove being considered negative if this lower edge is located outside said circular arc (C1).
62. A floorboard as claimed in claim 61, characterised in that the floorboards (1, 1′) have a core (30), a surface layer (32) on the upper side of the core and a balancing layer (24) on the rear side of the core (30).
63. A floorboard as claimed in claim 62, characterised in that the mechanical means (36, 38) of the locking system which cooperate for vertical locking and the means (6, 8; 14) of the locking system which cooperate for horizontal locking have a configuration that allows insertion of the locking element (8) into the locking groove (14) by a substantially horizontal motion of one floorboard (1) towards the other floorboard (1′) during bending of the integrated strip (6) for snapping in the locking element (8) into the locking groove (14).
64. A floorboard as claimed in claim 63, characterised in that the lower guiding part (12) of the locking groove (14) and the corresponding lower part of the locking element (8) are designed so as not to contact each other in the locked position.
65. A floorboard as claimed in claim 64, characterised in that the height of the locking element (8) and the depth of the locking groove (14) are such that the upper part of the locking element in the locked position does not engage with the locking groove.
66. A floorboard as claimed in claim 65, characterised in that the mechanical means (36, 38) of the locking system which cooperate for vertical joining and the means (6, 8; 14) of the locking system which cooperate for horizontal joining have a configuration that allows the floorboards (1, 1′) to be displaceable parallel with the joint plane (F) in the locked position.
67. A floorboard as claimed in claim 66, characterised in that the mechanical means (36, 38) for vertical joining of the floorboards are formed in the joint edge portions (5 a, 5 b) of the floorboards.
68. A floorboard as claimed in claim 67, characterised in that the mechanical means (36, 38) for vertical joining of the floorboards are formed as a tongue-and-groove joint.
69. A floorboard as claimed in claim 68, characterised in that the strip (6) is made of a material other than that of the core (30) of the floorboard and integrally connected with the core.
70. A floorboard as claimed in claim 60, characterised in that the strip is made in one piece with the core (30) of the floorboard and integrally connected with the board.
The present invention is particularly suitable for mechanical joining of thin floating floors of floorboards made up of an upper surface layer, an intermediate fibre-board core and a lower balancing layer, such as laminate flooring and veneer flooring with a fibreboard core. Therefore, the following description of the state of the art, problems associated with known systems, and the objects and features of the invention will, as a non-restricting example, focus on this field of application and, in particular, on rectangular floorboards with dimensions of about 1.2 m*0.2 m and a thickness of about 7-10 mm, intended to be mechanically joined at the long side as well as the short side.
WO 9426999 and WO 9966151 (owner Välinge Aluminium AB) disclose a strip-lock system for joining building panels, particularly floorboards. This locking system allows the boards to be locked mechanically at right angles to as well as parallel with the principal plane of the boards at the long side as well as at the short side. Methods for making such floorboards are disclosed in EP 0958441 and EP 0958442 (owner Välinge Aluminium AB). The basic principles of the design and the installation of the floorboards, as well as the methods for making the same, as described in the four above-mentioned documents, are usable for the present invention as well, and therefore these documents are hereby incorporated by reference.
[0008]FIGS. 3a and 3 b are thus a top view and a bottom view respectively of a known floorboard 1. The board 1 is rectangular with a top side 2, an underside 3, two opposite long sides with joint edge portions 4 a, 4 b and two opposite short sides with joint edge portions 5 a, 5 b.
Without the use of the glue, both the joint edge portions 4 a, 4 b of the long sides and the joint edge portions 5 a, 5 b of the short sides can be joined mechanically in a direction D2 in FIG. 1c, so that they join in a joint plane F (marked in FIG. 2c). For this purpose, the board 1 has a flat strip 6, mounted at the factory, which strip extends throughout the length of the long side 4 a and which is made of flexible, resilient sheet aluminium. The strip 6 projects from the joint plane F at the joint edge portion 4 a. The strip 6 can be fixed mechanically according to the embodiment shown, or by means of glue, or in some other way. Other strip materials can be used, such as sheets of other metals, as well as aluminium or plastic sections. Alternatively, the strip 6 may be made in one piece with the board 1, for example by suitable working of the core of the board 1. The present invention is usable for floorboards in which the strip is integrally formed with the core, and solves special problems appearing in such floorboards and the making thereof. The core of the floorboard need not be, but is preferably, made of a uniform material. However, the strip 6 is always integrated with the board 1, i.e. it is never mounted on the board 1 in connection with the laying of the floor but it is mounted or formed at the factory. The width of the strip 6 can be about 30 mm and its thickness about 0.5 mm. A similar, but shorter strip 6′ is provided along one short side 5 a of the board 1. The part of the strip 6 projecting from the joint plane F is formed with a locking element 8 extended throughout the length of the strip 6. The locking element 8 has in its lower part an operative locking surface 10 facing the joint plane F and having a height of e.g. 0.5 mm. When the floor is being laid, this locking surface 10 coacts with a locking groove 14 formed in the underside 3 of the joint edge portion 4 b of the opposite long side of an adjoining board 1′. The short side strip 6′ is provided with a corresponding locking element 8′, and the joint edge portion 5 b of the opposite short side has a corresponding locking groove 14′. The edge of the locking grooves 14, 14′ closest to the joint plane F forms an operative locking surface 11 for coaction with the operative locking surface 10 of the locking element.
[0011]FIGS. 1a-1 c show how two long sides 4 a, 4 b of two such boards 1, 1′ on an underlay U can be joined together by means of downward angling. FIGS. 2a-2 c show how the short sides 5 a, 5 b of the boards 1, 1′ can be joined together by snap action. The long sides 4 a, 4 b can be joined together by means of both methods, while the short sides 5 a, 5 b —when the first row has been laid—are normally joined together subsequent to joining together the long sides 4 a, 4 b and by means of snap action only.
[0013]FIGS. 2a-2 c show how the short side edge portions 5 a and 5 b of the boards 1, 1′ can be mechanically joined in the direction D1 as well as the direction D2 by moving the new board 1′ towards the previously installed board 1 essentially horizontally. Specifically, this can be carried out subsequent to joining the long side of the new board 1′ to a previously installed board 1 in an adjoining row by means of the method according to FIGS. 1a-1 c. In the first step in FIG. 2a, bevelled surfaces adjacent to the recess 16 and the locking tongue 20 respectively cooperate such that the strip 6′ is forced to move downwards as a direct result of the bringing together of the short side edge portions 5 a, 5 b. During the final bringing together, the strip 6′ snaps up when the locking element 8′ enters the locking groove 14′ , so that the operative locking surfaces 10, 11 of the locking element 8′ and of the locking groove 14′ will engage each other.
By repeating the steps shown in FIGS. 1a-c and 2 a-c,the whole floor can be laid without the use of glue and along all joint edges. Known floorboards of the above-mentioned type are thus mechanically joined usually by first angling them downwards on the long side, and when the long side has been secured, snapping the short sides together by means of horizontal displacement of the new board 1′ along the long side of the previously installed board 1. The boards 1, 1′ can be taken up in the reverse order of laying without causing any damage to the joint, and be laid again. These laying principles are also applicable to the present invention.
In addition to what is known from the above-mentioned patent specifications, a licensee of Välinge Aluminium AB, Norske Skog Flooring AS, Norway (NSF), introduced a laminated floor with mechanical joining according to WO 9426999 in January 1996 in connection with the Domotex trade fair in Hannover, Germany. This laminated floor, which is shown in FIG. 4a and is marketed under the trademark Alloc®, is 7.2 mm thick and has a 0.6-mm aluminium strip 6 which is mechanically attached on the tongue side. The operative locking surface 10 of the locking element 8 has an inclination (hereinafter termed locking angle) of about 80° to the plane of the board. The locking element has an upper rounded guiding part and a lower operative locking surface. The rounded upper guiding part, which has a considerably lower angle than the locking surface, contributes significantly to positioning of the boards in connection with installation and facilitating the sliding-in of the locking element into the locking groove in connection with angling and snap action. The vertical connection is designed as a modified tongue-and-groove joint, the term “modified” referring to the possibility of bringing the tongue groove and tongue together by way of angling.
WO 9747834 (owner Unilin Beeher B. V., the Netherlands) describes a strip-lock system which has a fibreboard strip and is essentially based on the above known principles. In the corresponding product, “Uniclic®”, which this owner began marketing in the latter part of 1997 and which is shown in FIG. 4c, one seeks to achieve biasing of the boards. This results in high friction and makes it difficult to angle the boards together and to displace them. The document shows several embodiments of the locking system. All locking surfaces have an angle that does not exceed 60° and the joint systems have no guiding surfaces.
Other known locking systems for mechanical joining of board materials are described in, for example, GB-A2,256,023 showing unilateral mechanical joining for providing an expansion joint in a wood panel for outdoor use. The locking system does not allow joining of the joint edges and is not openable by upward angling round the joint edges. Moreover the locking element and the locking groove are designed in a way that does not provide sufficient tensile strength. U.S. Pat. No. 4,426,820 (shown in FIG. 4e) which concerns a mechanical locking system for a plastic sports floor, which floor is intentionally designed in such manner that neither displacement of the floorboards along each other nor locking of the short sides of the floorboards by snap action is allowed.
In the autumn of 1998, NSF introduced a 7.2-mm laminated floor with a strip-lock system which comprises a fibreboard strip and is manufactured according to WO 9426999 and WO 9966151. This laminated floor is marketed under the trademark “Fiboloc®” and has the cross-section illustrated in FIG. 4b.
In January 1999, Kronotex GmbH, Germany, introduced a 7.8 mm thick laminated floor with a strip lock under the trademark “Isilock®”. A cross-section of the joint edge portion of this system is shown in FIG. 4d. Also in this floor, the strip is composed of fibreboard and a balancing layer.
During 1999, the mechanical joint system has obtained a strong position on the world market, and some twenty manufacturers have shown, in January 2000, different types of systems which essentially are variants of Fiboloc®, Uniclic® and Isilock®. All systems have locking surfaces with low locking angles and the guiding, in the cases where it occurs, is to be found in the upper part of the locking element.
Although the floors according to WO 9426999 and WO 99/66151 and the floor sold under the trademark Fiboloc® exhibit major advantages in comparison with traditional, glued floors, further improvements are desirable mainly in thin floor structures.
Alloc® (see FIG. 4a) has an aluminium strip with a locking angle of about 80° and a clearance angle of about 65°. The other known systems with strips made integrally with the core of the floorboard have locking angles and clearance angles of 30-55° owing to the width of the strip being narrower and the radius of the circular arc being smaller. This results in low tensile strength in the horizontal direction D2 since the locking element easily slides out of the locking groove. Moreover, the horizontal tensile stress will be partly converted into an upwardly directed force which may cause the edges to rise. This basic problem will now be explained in more detail.
If the locking surfaces have a low locking angle, the strength of the joint will be reduced to a considerable extent. In winter the joint edges may slide apart so that undesirable visible joint gaps arise on the upper side of the floor. Besides, the angled locking surface of the locking element will press the upper locking surface of the locking groove upwards to the joint surface. The upper part of the tongue will press the upper part of the tongue groove upwards, which results in undesirable rising of the edges. The present invention is based on the understanding that these problems can be reduced to a considerable extent, for example, by making the locking surfaces with high locking angles exceeding 50° and, for instance, by the locking surfaces being moved upwards in the construction. The ideal design is perpendicular locking surfaces. Such locking surfaces, however, are difficult to open, especially if the strip is made of fibreboard and is not as flexible as strips of e.g. aluminium.
Perpendicular locking surfaces can be made openable if interaction between a number of factors is utilised. The strip should be wide in relation to the floor thickness and it should have good resilience. The friction between the locking surfaces should be minimised, the locking surface should be small and the fibre material in the locking groove, locking element and upper joint edges of the locking system should be compressible. Moreover, it is advantageous if the boards in the locked position can assume a small play of a few hundredths of a millimeter between the operative locking surfaces of the locking groove and the locking element if the long side edge portions of the boards are pressed together.
The invention is also based on a third understanding which is related to the guiding of the floorboards during inward angling when the floor is to be laid. Guiding is of great importance in inward angling of the long sides of the floorboards since the floorboards have often warped and curved and therefore are somewhat arcuate or in the shape of a “banana”. This shape of a banana can amount to some tenths of a millimeter and is therefore not easily visible to the naked eye in a free board. If the guiding capacity of the locking system exceeds the maximum banana shape, the boards can easily be angled downwards, and they need not be pressed firmly against the joint edge in order to straighten the banana shape and allow the locking element to be inserted into the locking groove. In prior-art locking systems, the guiding part is formed essentially in the upper part of the locking element, and if the locking surface is moved up to the upper part, it is not possible to form a sufficiently large guiding part. A sufficiently great and above all more efficient and reliable guiding is achieved according to the invention by the guiding part being moved to the locking groove and its lower part. According to the invention it is even possible to form the entire necessary guiding in the lower part of the locking groove. In preferred embodiments, coacting guiding parts can also be formed both in the upper part of the locking element and the lower part of the locking groove.
According to a first aspect of the invention, a locking system is provided of the type which is stated by way of introduction and which according to the invention is characterised by the combination that the locking element has at least one operative locking surface which is positioned in the upper part of the locking element, that this operative locking surface is essentially plane and in relation to the plane of the boards has an angle (A) which exceeds 50°, that the locking groove has at least one locking surface which is essentially plane and which cooperates with said locking surface of the locking element, that the locking groove has a lower inclined or rounded guiding part which guides the locking element into the locking groove by engagement with a portion of the locking element which is positioned above the locking surface of the locking element or adjacent to its upper edge.
The invention concerns a locking system for mechanical joining of floorboards and a floorboard having such a locking system. The locking system has mechanical cooperating means for vertical and horizontal joining of adjoining floorboards. The means for horizontal joining about a vertical joint plane comprise a locking groove and a locking strip which are positioned at the opposite joint edge portions of the floorboard. The locking strip extends from the joint plane and has an upwardly projecting locking element at it free end. The locking groove is formed in the opposite joint edge portion of the floorboard at a distance from the joint plane. The locking groove and the locking element have operative locking surfaces. These locking surfaces are essentially plane and positioned at a distance from the upper side of the projecting strip and in the locking groove and form an angle of at least 50° to the upper side of the board. Moreover, the locking groove has a guiding part for cooperation with a corresponding guiding part of the locking element.
[0042]FIGS. 1a-c show in three stages a downward angling method for mechanical joining of long sides of floorboards according to WO 9426999.
[0043]FIGS. 2a-c show in three stages a snap-action method for mechanical joining of short sides of floorboards according to WO 9426999.
[0044]FIGS. 3a-b are a top plan view and a bottom view respectively of a floorboard according to WO 9426999.
[0045]FIGS. 4a-e show four strip-lock systems available on the market and a strip-lock system according to U.S. Pat. No. 4,426,820.
[0046]FIG. 5 shows in detail the basic principles of a known strip-lock system for joining of the long sides of floorboards according to WO 9966151.
[0047]FIG. 6 shows a variant of a locking system (applicant Välinge Aluminium AB) for which protection is sought and which has not yet been published.
[0049]FIG. 9 shows another example of a floorboard and a locking system according to the present invention.
The cross-sections shown in FIG. 5 are hypothetical, not published cross-sections, but they are fairly similar to the locking system of the known floorboard “Fiboloc®” and to the locking system according to WO 9966151. Accordingly, FIG. 5 does not represent the invention but is only used a starting point of a description of the technique for a strip lock system for mechanical joining of adjoining floorboards. Parts corresponding to those in the previous Figures are in most cases provided with the same reference numerals. The construction, function and material composition of the basic components of the boards in FIG. 5 are essentially the same as in embodiments of the present invention, and consequently, where applicable, the following description of FIG. 5 also applies to the subsequently described embodiments of the invention.
In the embodiment shown, the boards 1, 1′ in FIG. 5 are rectangular with opposite long side edge portions 4 a, 4 b and opposite short side edge portions 5 a, 5 b. FIG. 5 shows a vertical cross-section of a part of a long side edge portion 4 a of the board 1, as well as a part of a long side edge portion 4 b of an adjoining board 1′. The boards 1 have a core 30 which is composed of fibreboard and which supports a surface layer 32 on its front side (upper side) and a balancing layer 34 on its rear side (underside). A strip 6 is formed from the core and balancing layer of the floorboard by cutting and supports a locking element 8. Therefore the strip 6 and the locking element 8 in a way constitute an extension of the lower part of the tongue groove 36 of the floorboard 1. The locking element 8 formed on the strip 6 has an operative locking surface 10 which cooperates with an operative locking surface 11 in a locking groove 14 in the opposite long side edge portion 4 b of the adjoining board 1′. By the engagement between the operative locking surfaces 10, 11 a horizontal locking of the boards 1, 1′ transversely of the joint edge (direction D2) is obtained. The operative locking surface 10 of the locking element 8 and the operative locking surface 11 of the locking groove 14 form a locking angle A with a plane parallel with the upper side of the floorboards. This locking angle A of 60° corresponds to the tangent to a circular arc C which has its centre in the upper joint edge, i.e. the intersection between the joint plane F and the upper side of the boards, and which passes the operative locking surfaces 10, 11. In upward angling of the floorboard 1′ relative to the floorboard 1, the locking groove will follow the circular arc C, and taking-up can therefore be made without resistance. The upper part of the locking element has a guiding part 9, which in installation and inward angling guides the floorboard to the correct position.
[0057]FIG. 6 shows an example of an embodiment according to the invention, which has not yet been published and which differs from the embodiment in FIG. 5 by the tongue 38 and the tongue groove 36 being displaced downwards in the floorboard so that they are eccentrically positioned. Moreover, the thickness of the tongue 38 (and, thus, the tongue groove 36) has been increased while at the same time the relative height of the locking element 8 has been retained. Both the tongue 38 and the material portion above the tongue groove 36 are therefore significantly more rigid and stronger while at the same time the floor thickness T, the outer part of the strip 6 and the locking element 8 are unchanged.
[0058]FIG. 7 shows a first embodiment of the present invention. The locking element 8 has a locking surface 10 with a locking angle A which is essentially perpendicular to the plane of the floorboards. The locking surface 10 has been moved upwards relative to the upper side of the strip 6, compared with prior-art technique.
[0062]FIG. 7 also shows that the operative locking surface 11 of the locking groove 14 and the operative locking surface 10 of the locking element 8 have been moved upwards in the construction and are located at a distance from the upper side of the locking strip 6. This positioning brings several advantages which will be discussed in the following.
[0064]FIG. 8 shows how upward angling can take place when taking up an installed floor. The locking surface 11 of the locking groove exerts a pressure on the upper part of the operative locking surface 10 of the locking element 8. This pressure bends the strip 6 downwards and the locking element 8 backwards and away from the joint plane F. In practice, a marginal compression of the wood fibres in the upper joint edge surfaces 41, 42 of the two floorboards and of the wood fibres in the locking surface 10 of the locking element and the locking surface 11 of the locking groove takes place. If the joint systems are besides designed in such manner that the boards in their locked position can assume a small play of some hundredths of a millimeter between the locking surfaces 10, 11, opening by upward angling can take place as reliably and with the same good function as if the locking surfaces were inclined.
[0065]FIG. 9 shows another embodiment of the invention. In this embodiment, the groove 36 and the tongue 38 have been made shorter than in the embodiment according to FIGS. 7 and 8. As a result, the mechanical locking of two adjoining floorboards 1, 1′ can be carried out both by vertical snap action and by inward angling during the bending of the strip. The vertical snap action can also be combined with known shapes of locking surfaces and with a possibility of displacement along the joint direction in the locked position and also taking-up by pulling out along the joint edge or upward angling. However, the Figure shows the floorboards during inward angling of the floorboard 1′. The lower part or guiding part 12 of the locking groove guides the floorboards and enables the introduction of the locking element 8 into the locking groove 14 so that the locking surfaces 10, 11 will engage each other. The strip 6 is bent downwards and the locking element 8 is guided into the locking groove although the edge surface portions 41, 42, facing each other, of the floorboards are spaced apart. The locking angle A is in this embodiment about 80°. The bending of the strip can be facilitated by working the rear side of the strip, so that a part of the balancing layer 34 between the joint plane F and the locking element 8 is wholly or partly removed.
[0066]FIG. 10 shows an enlargement of the locking element 8 and the locking groove 14. The locking element 8 has an operative upper locking surface 10 which is formed in the upper part of the locking element at a distance from the upper side of the locking strip 6. The locking groove 14 has a cooperating operative locking surface 11 which has also been moved upwards and which is at a distance from the opening of the locking groove 14.
By the operative locking surfaces according to the invention being made essentially plane and parallel with the joint plane F, the critical distance between the joint plane F and the locking surface 10 and 11, respectively, can easily be made with very high precision, since the working tools used in manufacture need only be controlled with high precision essentially horizontally. The tolerance in the vertical direction only affects the height of the operative locking surfaces but the height of the locking surfaces is not as critical as their position in the horizontal direction. Using modern manufacturing technique, the locking surface can be positioned in relation to the joint plane with a tolerance of ±0.01 mm. At the same time the tolerance in the vertical direction can be ±0.1 mm, which results in, for instance, the height of the operative locking surfaces varying between 0.5 mm and 0.3 mm. Tensile tests have demonstrated that operative locking surfaces with a height of 0.3 mm can give a strength corresponding to 1000 kg/running meter of joint. This strength is considerably higher than required in a normal floor joint. The height H of the locking element 8 above the upper side of the strip 6 and the width W of the locking element 8 on a level with the operative locking surface are important to the strength and the taking-up of the floorboards.
At the short side where the strength requirements are considerably higher, the locking element should be low and wide. The lower front part 13 of the locking element, i.e. the locking element portion between the lower edge of the locking surface 10 and the upper side of the strip 6, has in this embodiment an angle of about 45°. Such a design reduces the risk of cracking at the border between the upper side of the strip 6 and the locking element 8 when subjecting the installed floor to tensile load.
[0075]FIG. 11 shows another embodiment of the invention. In this case, use is made of a locking element 8 which has an upper operative locking surface 10 with an angle of about 85° which is greater than the clearance angle, which is about 75°. In this embodiment, the guiding part 12 of the locking groove 14 is also used as a secondary locking surface which supplements the operative locking surfaces 10, 11. This embodiment results in very high locking forces. The drawback of this embodiment, however, is that the friction in connection with relative displacement of the floorboards 1, 1′ in the lateral direction along the joint plane F will be considerably greater.
[0076]FIG. 12 shows one more embodiment with essentially perpendicular locking surfaces 10, 11 and small guiding parts 9, 12, which makes it necessary to bend the strip 6 in connection with laying of the floorboards. The joint system is very convenient for use at the short sides of the floorboards where the need for guiding is smaller since in practice there is no “banana shape”. Opening of the short side can be effected by the long sides first being angled upwards, after which the short sides are displaced in parallel along the joint edge. Opening can also be effected by upward angling if the locking groove and the locking element have suitably designed guiding parts 12, 9 which are rounded or which have an angle less than 90°, and if the operative locking surfaces 10, 11 have a small height LS (FIG. 12), so that their height is less than half the height of the locking element. In this embodiment, E2 is greater than E1, which makes the sum of E2 and E1 greater than zero (E1 represents in this case a negative value). If in this case E1 and E2 should be of almost the same size, the guiding may be effected by downward bending of the strip 6, which automatically causes displacement of the guiding part 9 of the locking element 8 away from the intended joint plane F and also causes a change in angle of the locking element 8 so that guiding takes place.
The height of the locking element and the angle of the locking surfaces can be varied. Nor is it necessary for the locking surface of the locking groove and the locking surface of the locking element to have the same inclination or configuration. Guiding parts can be made with different angles and radii. The height of the locking element can vary over its width in the principal plane of the floorboard, and the locking element can have different widths at different levels. The same applies to the locking groove. The locking surface of the locking groove can be made with a locking angle exceeding 90° or be made slightly rounded. If the locking surfaces of the locking element is made with an angle exceeding 90°, taking-up of the floorboards by upward angling can be prevented and permanent locking can be achieved. This can also be achieved with a joint system having 90° locking surfaces which are sufficiently large or in combination with specially designed guiding parts which counteract upward angling. Such locking systems are particularly suited for short sides which require a high locking force.
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Clasificación de EE.UU. 52/578, 52/581, 52/579
Clasificación cooperativa E04F2201/026, E04F2201/0115, E04F2201/0153, E04F2201/023, E04F2201/042, E04F15/04, E04F15/02, E04F2201/0138
Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:PERVAN, DARKO;REEL/FRAME:012176/0705
Free format text: CHANGE OF NAME;ASSIGNOR:VALINGE ALUMINIUM AB;REEL/FRAME:018231/0170