Source: https://patents.justia.com/patent/20150035422
Timestamp: 2019-08-24 00:52:28
Document Index: 566668499

Matched Legal Cases: ['Application No. 61', 'Application No. 1150400', 'Application No. 61', 'Application No. 1150400', 'art 4', 'art 9', 'art 10']

US Patent Application for MECHANICAL LOCKING SYSTEM FOR BUILDING PANELS Patent Application (Application #20150035422 issued February 5, 2015) - Justia Patents Search
Justia Patents Connecting PanelsUS Patent Application for MECHANICAL LOCKING SYSTEM FOR BUILDING PANELS Patent Application (Application #20150035422)
Oct 16, 2014 - Valinge Flooring Technology AB
Latest Valinge Flooring Technology AB Patents:
The present application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 13/464,512, filed on May 4, 2012, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/483,444, filed on May 6, 2011 and claims the benefit of Swedish Application No. 1150400-8, filed on May 6, 2011. The entire contents of each of U.S. application Ser. No. 13/464,512, U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/483,444 and Swedish Application No. 1150400-8 are hereby incorporated herein by reference.
FIGS. 1a-1c show a connection with a perpendicular snap action according to a preferred embodiment of the invention. FIG. 1a shows a first 1 and a second 2 panel. The first panel 1 comprises a groove 6, formed in the panel core 7. The groove comprises a bottom 6a and two opposite groove walls 6b, 6c. The groove is open towards a main plane MP of the first panel 1. An insertion groove 4 is formed in one of the groove walls 6b. The insertion groove 4 is preferably inclined in relation to the main plane MP of the panel such that the opening of the insertion groove 4a is closer to the main plane MP than the inner part 4b. It is preferred that a linear extension E of the insertion groove extends at or more preferably above the opening of the groove 6. This makes it possible to form the insertion groove with large rotating tools and to insert a separate tongue 3 into the groove. The insertion groove is preferably inclined with an angle A of about 10-45 degrees. The insertion groove comprises a flexible tongue 3, which has an inner part 9 and an outer part 10 and preferably two opposite sliding surfaces 3a and 3b between the inner 9 and the outer 10 parts.
FIG. 1b shows how the flexible tongue 3 with its displacement surfaces 3a, 3b is displaced inwardly into the insertion groove 4 when the second panel 2 is inserted into the groove 6 perpendicularly to the first panel 1.
FIGS. 2a and 2b show another preferred embodiment of the invention where the edge 15, of the first panel comprises a locking element 12 and the edge 16 of the second panel comprises a locking groove 14. The locking element and the locking groove locks the panels parallel to the main plane of the first panel. This embodiment may be used to connect corner sections. A tongue 3a and a tongue groove 5a may also be located and formed on the outer part of the locking element 12 and/or in a groove wall of the locking groove 14 as shown in FIG. 2b. There may be a space between the outer part of the locking element 12 and the locking groove, or a play or a tight fit. The insertion groove 4 may be formed in the second panel and the tongue groove 5 in the first panel. The insertion groove and/or the locking surfaces between the flexible tongue and the tongue groove may be inclined or essentially parallel to the main plane MP of the first panel.
FIG. 3 shows a connection of four corner sections 20a, b, c, d. Four panels of for example a kitchen cabinet may be connected. A first panel 1a is placed on a floor. A second 2a and a third 2b panel are connected with snapping to the first panel 1a. Finally a fourth panel 1b is connected to the second and third panels.
FIGS. 4a-4c show a known flexible bristle tongue 3, which is used to connect floor panels. Such a tongue may be used to connect panels according to embodiments of the invention. The tongue comprises flexible protrusions 7 that bend in the length direction of the tongue and that displace the tongue in the insertion groove during the snap action. FIG. 4a shows the tongue in the outer position prior to locking, FIG. 4b shows the tongue 3 in the inner position during locking, and FIG. 4c shows the tongue 3 in the outer and locked position.
All known flexible tongues that are used to lock floor panels may be used in embodiments of this invention. Tongues that bend in the length direction are preferred, for example, bristle tongues and bow shaped tongues, as shown in FIGS. 4a and 4d, since such tongues have the advantage that flexibility may be combined with a rigid and strong outer part that creates a strong locking even in rather soft core materials such as particle boards that are generally used as a core in furniture components. It is an advantage if the tongue creates a pre tension against the tongue groove in locked position. This gives a stronger locking and eliminates production tolerances especially if the locking surface of the tongue/tongue groove is inclined against the main plane of the first panel. The tongue is preferably formed of an injection moulded plastic material preferably reinforced with glass fibres.
FIG. 5a shows an embodiment with two tongues 3a, 3b. The edge of the second panel 2 may comprise a separate material 25.
FIGS. 7a-7c show alternative positions of the flexible tongues. FIG. 7a shows that the second panel may be somewhat inclined for example 45-89 degrees against main plane of the first panel. FIG. 7b shows two tongues 3a,3b attached to a middle section of a first panel 1 and FIG. 7c shows a corner section.
All fixation and tongue grooves may be formed over the complete length or with of a panel. They may also be formed as one or several local grooves, which only extend along a part of the panel. Such grooves may be formed in many ways for example with rotating jumping tool heads. Such a local groove 6 is schematically shown in FIG. 9a.
2. The set of panels as recited in embodiment 1, wherein the flexible tongue has two opposite displacement surfaces (3a, 3b) located between the inner and the outer parts, each of the two opposite displacement surfaces of the flexible tongue (3) are displaceable against an upper and a lower wall respectively of the insertion groove during locking, inwardly towards the bottom of the insertion groove (4) and outwardly into the tongue groove (5).
4. The set of furniture components as claimed in claim 1, wherein an extension of a lower part of the insertion groove is located at or above an upper part of the opening of the groove.
5. The set of furniture components as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second panel comprises an outer edge with a smaller thickness than a panel body of the second panel such that the panel body overlaps at least one part of an opening of the groove when the second panel is inserted into the groove of the first panel.
6. The set of furniture components as claimed in claim 1, wherein the inner part of the separate and flexible tongue comprises one or several flexible protrusions extending in the length direction of the separate and flexible tongue.
7. The set of furniture components as claimed in claim 1, wherein the insertion groove is formed in the groove of the first panel.
8. The set of furniture components as claimed in claim 1, wherein the insertion groove is inclined in relation to the main plane of the second panel with an angle of about 10-45 degrees.
9. The set of furniture components as claimed in claim 1, wherein the rectangular panels comprise at least two flexible tongues separated from each other.
10. The set of furniture components as claimed in claim 1, wherein the groove is formed as a partial groove extending along a part of a rectangular panel.
11. The set of furniture components as claimed in claim 1, wherein the a rectangular panels are provided with a locking element and a locking groove for locking the panels parallel to the main plane of the first panel.
12. The set of furniture components as claimed in claim 1, wherein adjacent outer panel edges in a corner portion are inclined inwardly against the main plane of the panels.
13. The set of furniture components as claimed in claim 1, wherein the separate and flexible tongue is locked with pre tension against the tongue groove.
14. The set of furniture components as claimed in claim 1, wherein the separate and flexible tongue includes resilient parts that are formed of an injection moulded plastic material.
15. The set of furniture components as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and the second panel comprise separate materials that form an edge or a groove portion.
16. The set of furniture components as claimed in claim 15, wherein the separate material is covered with a foil.
17. A set of furniture components formed as rectangular panels comprising a first panel and a second panel, an edge of the second panel is essentially perpendicularly insertable into a groove of the first panel, to obtain a mechanical lock between the first panel and the second panel, the second panel being displaceable essentially perpendicularly to the first panel, wherein:
18. The set of furniture components as claimed in claim 17, wherein the insertion groove is inclined upwards with an opening of the insertion groove closer to the main plane of the first panel than an inner part of the insertion groove.
Patent Grant number: 9538842
Applicant: Valinge Flooring Technology AB (Viken)
Inventors: Niclas HAKANSSON (Viken), Darko PERVAN (Viken)
Application Number: 14/515,988
International Classification: A47B 55/00 (20060101); A47B 47/00 (20060101); A47B 96/06 (20060101);