Patent ID: 7124549

Claim:
A panel mechanically connectable to another panel, said panel comprising: a first lateral edge having: a first contact surface located on an upper end of the first lateral edge, a groove, an upper lip that upwardly bounds the groove, a lower lip that downwardly bounds the groove, the distal end of the lower lip protruding beyond the distal end of the upper lip, a first fitting surface located on the upper lip, a second fitting surface located on the lower lip away from the distal end of the lower lip, and a second contact surface located on the lower lip at the distal end of the lower lip; and a second lateral edge having: a third contact surface located on an upper end of the second lateral edge, a tongue extending from the second lateral edge, a third fitting surface located on the top of the tongue, a fourth fitting surface located on the underside of the tongue at the distal end of the tongue, and a fourth contact surface located on the underside of the tongue away from the distal end of the tongue; wherein: the first and second lateral edges are connectable to each other when on respective panels such that when connected: the first contact surface and third contact surface, the second contact surface and the fourth contact surface, the first fitting surface and the third fitting surface, and the second fitting surface and the fourth fitting surface respectively adjoin one another; the second fitting surface and the fourth fitting surface have a cross-sectional contour in the shape of a segment of a circle, the circle having a center lying in a region of the upper sections of the first and second lateral edges, the circle having a radius measured from the center to the second and fourth fitting surfaces; the second contact surface and the fourth contact surface are spaced away from the center by a distance larger than the radius; and the distance increases in the direction of the distal end of the lower lip.