# US 12,006,701 B2 · Building panels comprising a locking system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,006,701 B2 - Document ID: US12006701B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/220,101 - Filed: 2021-04-01 - Published: 2021-10-07 - Granted: 2024-06-11 - Earliest claimed: 2020-04-07 - Assignees: Välinge Innovation AB - Applicants: Välinge Innovation AB - Inventors: Christian Boo - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12006701B2 ## CPC - E04F 15/02038: {characterised by tongue and groove connections between neighbouring flooring elements} - E04F 13/0894: {with tongue and groove connections} - E04F 15/04: only of wood {or with a top layer of wood}, e.g. with wooden {or metal} connecting members (rollable parquet E04F15/16) - E04F 15/102: {of fibrous or chipped materials, e.g. bonded with synthetic resins} - E04F 15/105: {of organic plastics with or without reinforcements or filling materials} - E04F 15/20: for sound insulation - E04F 2201/0115: with snap action of the edge connectors - E04F 2201/0153: by rotating the sheets, plates or panels around an axis which is parallel to the abutting edges, possibly combined with a sliding movement - E04F 2201/0161: with snap action of the edge connectors - E04F 2201/023: with a continuous tongue or groove - E04F 2201/043: with tongues and grooves being formed by projecting or recessed parts of the panel layers - E04F: FINISHING WORK ON BUILDINGS, e.g. STAIRS, FLOORS (windows, doors E06B) ## Abstract Building panels including a locking system for locking of a first edge portion to an adjacent second edge portion. The locking system includes a tongue and a tongue groove configured to cooperate for vertical locking. The tongue groove includes an upper and a lower lip protruding horizontally beyond the upper lip. In a locked state of the building panels an outer end portion of a lower vertical locking surface of the tongue is provided horizontally closer than an outer end portion of an upper vertical locking surface of the upper lip to a locking element provided on a strip extending beyond an upper portion of the first edge portion. Alternatively, or additionally, an inner end portion of a lower vertical locking surface of the lower lip is provided horizontally closer than an inner end portion of an upper vertical locking surface of the tongue to the locking element. ## Claims ### Claim 1 Building panels comprising a locking system for vertical and horizontal locking of a first edge portion of a first building panel to an adjacent second edge portion of a second building panel, wherein upper portions of the first and second edge portions in a locked state of the first and second building panels together define a vertical plane perpendicular to a horizontal plane, which is parallel to a front side and/or a rear side of the building panels, wherein the locking system comprises a tongue provided in the first edge portion and a tongue groove provided in the second edge portion, the tongue and the tongue groove being configured to cooperate for vertical locking, the tongue groove comprising an upper lip and a lower lip protruding horizontally beyond the upper lip, wherein the tongue is configured to cooperate with the upper lip at upper vertical locking surfaces and with the lower lip at lower vertical locking surfaces, wherein the locking system comprises a locking element provided in the first edge portion and a downwardly open locking groove provided in the second edge portion, the locking element and the downwardly open locking groove being configured to cooperate for horizontal locking, said locking element being provided on a strip extending beyond the upper portion of the first edge portion, wherein a bottom portion of an outer end of the tongue includes a bottom non-square edge profile that is longer than any non-square edge profile at an upper portion of the outer end of the tongue, such that, in the locked state of the first and second building panels: an outer end portion of a lower vertical locking surface of the tongue contacts the second building panel and is provided horizontally closer than an outer end portion of an upper vertical locking surface of the upper lip to the locking element; and/or an inner end portion of a lower vertical locking surface of the lower lip contacts the first building panel and is provided horizontally closer than an inner end portion of an upper vertical locking surface of the tongue to the locking element, wherein the locking system comprises a space between an upper portion of the strip and a lower edge portion of the second edge portion, and wherein the space extends under an entirety of the lower lip, and from under the lower lip to the locking element. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The building panels according to claim 1, wherein a horizontal extension of the lower vertical locking surface(s) of the tongue and/or of the lower lip is larger than a horizontal extension of the upper vertical locking surface(s) of the upper lip and/or of the tongue. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The building panels according to claim 1, wherein the locking element and the locking groove cooperate at horizontal locking surfaces. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The building panels according to claim 3, wherein each of the horizontal locking surfaces is essentially planar. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The building panels according to claim 3, wherein in the locked state of the building panels each of the horizontal locking surfaces is spaced vertically and/or horizontally from a linking portion in the first building panel provided at an inner base of the locking element. ### Claim 6 (depends on 3) The building panels according to claim 3, wherein the horizontal locking surfaces extend below a horizontal strip plane provided along an upper strip surface disposed inwardly of the locking element. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The building panels according to claim 1, wherein the locking element and/or a protrusion of the second edge portion comprises a bevel, said protrusion being configured to be provided in a recess of the first edge portion. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The building panels according to claim 1, wherein said locking system is configured to assemble the first and second edge portions by angling of the first and second building panels relative each other and/or by a horizontal displacement of the first and second panels towards each other. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The building panels according to claim 1, wherein the tongue and/or the strip is formed in one piece with a core of the building panels. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The building panels according to claim 1, wherein a horizontal extension of the tongue from the vertical plane is larger than a horizontal extension of the lower lip from the vertical plane and/or the upper lip. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The building panels according to claim 1, wherein the upper and lower vertical locking surfaces are essentially parallel with the horizontal plane. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The building panels according to claim 1, wherein the locking system further comprises outer vertical locking surfaces provided horizontally outside of the tongue in said locked state. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The building panels according to claim 12, wherein the outer vertical locking surfaces engage with each other along a width portion along a transverse direction of the first edge portion. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The building panels according to claim 1, wherein the locking system further comprises outer vertical locking surfaces provided horizontally outside of the tongue in said locked state, and wherein the outer vertical locking surfaces are horizontal and are provided in an upper portion of the locking element and in a lower portion of the locking groove. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The building panels according to claim 1, wherein a core of each of the building panels is a wood-based core. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The building panels according to claim 1, wherein a thickness of a portion of the strip is at least 0.3 times a thickness of the first building panel. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The building panels according to claim 1, wherein a thickness of the tongue is less than 0.2 times a thickness of the first building panel. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The building panels according to claim 1, wherein the upper lip includes a lower non-square edge profile that ends at the outer end portion of the upper vertical locking surface. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) The building panels according to claim 1, wherein the upper and lower vertical locking surfaces are offset horizontally such that the upper vertical locking surfaces are provided horizontally closer than the lower vertical locking surfaces to the locking element. ### Claim 20 (depends on 1) The building panels according to claim 1, wherein the bottom non-square edge profile is a bevel. ### Claim 21 (depends on 1) The building panels according to claim 1, wherein the lower vertical locking surface of the tongue and the lower vertical locking surface of the lower lip are horizontal surfaces. ### Claim 22 Building panels comprising a locking system for vertical and horizontal locking of a first edge portion of a first building panel to an adjacent second edge portion of a second building panel, wherein upper portions of the first and second edge portions in a locked state of the first and second building panels together define a vertical plane perpendicular to a horizontal plane, which is parallel to a front side and/or a rear side of the building panels, wherein the locking system comprises a tongue provided in the first edge portion and a tongue groove provided in the second edge portion, the tongue and the tongue groove being configured to cooperate for vertical locking, the tongue groove comprising an upper lip and a lower lip protruding horizontally beyond the upper lip, wherein the tongue is configured to cooperate with the upper lip at upper vertical locking surfaces and with the lower lip at lower vertical locking surfaces, wherein the locking system comprises a locking element provided in the first edge portion and a downwardly open locking groove provided in the second edge portion, the locking element and the downwardly open locking groove being configured to cooperate for horizontal locking, said locking element being provided on a strip extending beyond the upper portion of the first edge portion, wherein a bottom portion of an outer end of the tongue includes a bottom non-square edge profile that is than any non-square edge profile at an upper portion of the outer end of the tongue, such that, in the locked state of the first and second building panels: an outer end portion of a lower vertical locking surface of the tongue is provided horizontally closer than an outer end portion of an upper vertical locking surface of the upper lip to the locking element; and/or an inner end portion of a lower vertical locking surface of the lower lip is provided horizontally closer than an inner end portion of an upper vertical locking surface of the tongue to the locking element, wherein the locking system comprises a space between an upper portion of the strip and a lower edge portion of the second edge portion, wherein the space extends under an entirety of the lower lip, and from under the lower lip to the locking element, and wherein the lower vertical locking surface of the tongue and the lower vertical locking surface of the lower lip are horizontal surfaces.