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US 10,947,741 B2Granted
Panel and covering
Assigneei4F Licensing NV
InventorsEddy Alberic Boucké, Johan Christiaan Rietveldt
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Interconnectable panels, such as interconnectable floor panels, are generally joined mechanically at edges of the panels by using complementary coupling profiles at opposite edges. Traditionally, rectangular floor panels are connected at the long edges by means of a traditional angling method. The invention relates to an interconnectable panel, in particular a floor panel.
Claims18
A panel, in particular a floor panel, comprising:
- a centrally located core provided with an upper side and a lower side, which core defines a plane;
- at least one first coupling part and at least one second resilient coupling part connected respectively to opposite edges of the core,
- which first coupling part comprises an upward tongue, at least one upward flank lying at a distance from the upward tongue and an upward groove formed in between the upward tongue and the upward flank wherein the upward groove is adapted to receive at least a part of a downward tongue of a second coupling part of an adjacent panel, wherein:
- at least a part of a side of the upward tongue facing toward the upward flank is inclined toward the upward flank
- which second coupling part comprises a downward tongue, at least one downward flank lying at a distance from the downward tongue, and a downward groove formed in between the downward tongue and the downward flank, wherein the downward groove is adapted to receive at least a part of an upward tongue of a first coupling part of an adjacent panel, wherein:
- at least a part of a side of the downward tongue facing toward the downward flank is inclined toward the downward flank,
- wherein the second coupling part comprises a resilient upper bridge part connecting the downward tongue to the core of the panel, wherein the bridge part is configured to deform during coupling of adjacent panels, to widen the downward groove, facilitating introduction of the upward tongue into the widened downward groove;
- wherein said bridge part is provided with at least one upper elongated slot, wherein the elongated slot has an open first end connecting to the downward groove, and a closed second end, such that a weakened area is formed in said upper bridge part between said closed second end of said elongated slot and an upper side of said upper bridge part, facilitating deformation of said bridge part;
- and
- wherein the closed second end of the elongated slot has a rounded shape.
7 more elements
A panel, in particular a floor panel, comprising:
- a centrally located core provided with an upper side and a lower side, which core defines a plane;
- at least one first coupling part and at least one second resilient coupling part connected respectively to opposite edges of the core,
- which first coupling part comprises an upward tongue, at least one upward flank lying at a distance from the upward tongue and an upward groove formed in between the upward tongue and the upward flank, wherein the upward groove is adapted to receive at least a part of a downward tongue of a second coupling part of an adjacent panel, wherein:
- at least a part of a side of the upward tongue facing toward the upward flank is inclined toward the upward flank,
- which second coupling part comprises a downward tongue, at least one downward flank lying at a distance from the downward tongue, and a downward groove formed in between the downward tongue and the downward flank, wherein the downward groove is adapted to receive at least a part of an upward tongue of a first coupling part of an adjacent panel, wherein:
- at least a part of a side of the downward tongue facing toward the downward flank is inclined toward the downward flank,
- wherein the first coupling part comprises a resilient lower bridge part connecting the upward tongue to the core of the panel, wherein the bridge part is configured to deform during coupling of the panels, to widen the upward groove temporarily, facilitating introduction of the downward tongue in the widened upward groove,
- wherein said lower bridge part is provided with at least one lower elongated slot, wherein the elongated slot has an open first end connecting to the upward groove, and a closed second end, such that a weakened area is formed in said lower bridge part between said closed second end of said lower elongated slot and a lower side of said lower bridge part, facilitating deformation of said lower bridge part;
- and
- wherein the closed second end of the lower elongated slot has a rounded shape.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.