Patent ID: 7624552

Claim:
Floor covering comprising hard panels, wherein the panels are provided, at least on two opposite edges, with coupling parts made integrally in one piece with the panels, wherein said coupling parts are configured so as to enable several of such panels to be mutually coupled in a given plane by cooperative engagement at least between a tongue of one panel and a groove of another panel to define a floor covering; said coupling parts being arranged to provide for an interlocking in a direction perpendicular to a plane of the floor covering, as well as in a direction perpendicular to the edges concerned and parallel to the plane of the floor covering, wherein the coupling parts comprise a tongue ( 8 ) and a groove ( 9 ) extending distally relative to respective panel edges so that the groove opens distally relative to the respective panel edge, said groove having an upper lip ( 10 ) at the top side of the groove and a lower lip ( 11 ) extending from the bottom side of the groove that extends distally beyond the upper lip; wherein the tongue extends distally from an upper panel edge area ( 16 ) which is connected to its associated panel via an upper panel edge connection portion ( 17 ) which, relative to a direction perpendicular to the plane of the floor covering, is smaller than one-half the thickness of the associated panel and is located at the top-side of the associated panel; said tongue and upper panel edge area, upon coupling of two of said panels, engaging an upper side ( 13 ′) of the lower lip solely at a lower lip upper surface ( 21 ) located at a distal area of the lower lip located distally beyond the upper lip; wherein each panel is a laminate including a core and a top layer ( 18 ′), and wherein the top layer extends over said panel edge connection portion; and wherein, upon coupling of two of said panels, the distal end ( 11 ′) of the lower lip is spaced from the other panel coupled thereto to which said tongue is connected, the spacing extending in a direction parallel to the plane of the floor covering.