Patent ID: 8191333

Claim:
A method of forming a panel having a core of a wood material or wood material/plastic mixture and a top side and an underside, the method comprising: forming a profile corresponding to one another on at least a first side edge and a second side edge lying opposite one another, such that two identically embodied panels can be joined and locked to one another through an essentially vertical joining movement in a horizontal (H) and vertical (V) direction; forming a hook connection with an upper locking section having a hook element and a lower locking section having a hook element which effects the locking in the horizontal direction; forming at least one spring element movable in the horizontal direction which effects the locking in the vertical direction (V), wherein during joining movement the at least one spring element snaps in behind a locking edge extending essentially in the horizontal direction (H), wherein: the at least one spring element is: embodied from the core in one piece, embodied on the lower locking section, and free in the direction of the first side edge lying opposite by an essentially vertical slot with respect to the core and connected to the core in the direction of the second side edge on at least one of two ends, and the panel is moved at a constant speed when the essentially vertical slot is formed.