Patent ID: 7168217

Claim:
A panel mechanically connectable to another panel, the panel comprising: a first lateral edge having: a first contact surface located on an upper end of the first lateral edge and defining a first plane, 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, the distal end of the lower lip having a projection that protrudes upward to a point of greatest projection defining a first distance from said first plane, 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, the second contact surface bounding a side of the projection; 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, said distal end of the tongue defining a second plane, and a fourth contact surface located on the underside of the tongue away from the distal end of the tongue; wherein: the tongue has a depression on its underside between the fourth fitting surface and the fourth contact surface, said depression having a point of greatest depression defining a second distance from said second plane; the depression and the projection are shaped such that at least the upper end of the projection fits in the depression, and said second distance is at most equal to said first distance; and the first and second lateral edges are connectable to each other when on respective panels such that when the respective panels are connected to each other the first contact surface and the 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.