Patent ID: 6880307

Claim:
A panel element that is interlockable with other same type panel elements on a laying plane to form a floor, the panel element comprising: a first long side having a long side groove and a second long side having a long side tongue, said long side tongue including a rib, and said long side groove including a retaining channel for receiving a rib of an adjoining same type panel element, said long side tongue of said panel element adapted to be located at an angle to the laying plane and to be inserted into a long side groove of an already laid same type panel element, said long side tongue further adapted to then be swiveled downwardly in a direction of the laying plane so that said long side tongue is positioned in the long side groove of the already laid same type panel element, and said rib is received in a retaining channel of the long side groove of the already laid same type panel element, said long side tongue of said panel element adapted to cooperate with the long side groove of the already laid same type panel element, when engaged, to prevent separation of said second long side of said panel element and a first long side of the already laid same type panel element in an upwards direction, and said rib adapted to cooperate with the retaining channel of the long side groove of the already laid same type panel element, when engaged, to prevent separation of said panel element and the already laid same type panel element in a sideways direction perpendicular to said second long side, a first short side of said panel element having an upwardly facing end groove and a second short side of said panel element having a downwardly facing end tongue adapted to mate with an upwardly facing end groove at a first short side of a previously laid panel element to prevent separation therebetween in a sideways direction perpendicular to said second short side of said panel element and to prevent separation in the upwards direction, said downwardly facing end tongue at said second short side of said panel element adapted to be mated to the upwardly facing end groove at the first short side of the previously laid same type panel element by the same swiveling movement that joins said long side tongue of said panel element to the long side groove of the already laid same type panel element.