# US 12,768,173 B2 · Vertical joint system for a surface covering panel > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,768,173 B2 - Document ID: US12768173B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/302,566 - Filed: 2023-04-18 - Published: 2023-11-02 - Granted: 2026-10-20 - Earliest claimed: 2014-08-29 - Assignees: Välinge Innovation AB - Applicants: Välinge Innovation AB - Inventors: Richard William Kell - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12768173B2 ## CPC - E04F 15/02038: {characterised by tongue and groove connections between neighbouring flooring elements} - E04F: FINISHING WORK ON BUILDINGS, e.g. STAIRS, FLOORS (windows, doors E06B) ## Abstract A vertical joint system for a surface covering panel having an upper and lower surfaces, and a plurality of sides located between the upper and lower surfaces. The joint system has a male part along at least one side and a female part along an opposite side. The female part has a protrusion that extends from the lower surface and an outer most female surface on the protrusion. The male part has a recess that opens onto the lower surface with a portion of the recess forming an inner most male surface. The outer most female surface and the inner most male surface arranged so that when the male part of one surface covering panel is engaged with a female part of a second surface covering panel the outer most female surface overlies the inner most male locking surface at a first location and a second location. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A vertical joint system for a surface covering panel having an upper surface which is visible when the surface covering panel is laid and an opposed lower surface and a plurality of sides located between the upper and lower surfaces, the vertical joint system comprising: a male part along a first of the sides; and a female part along a second of the sides, the second side being opposite to the first side, the female part having a protrusion that extends from the lower surface toward the upper surface and an outermost female surface on the protrusion, wherein the male part has a male protrusion with an outermost male surface formed on the male protrusion, wherein the female part has a female recess adjacent the female protrusion, the female recess having an inner most female surface distant from the female protrusion, wherein the female part has a datum surface on which the male part bears when the male and female parts of respective vertical joint systems are in a locked position, the datum surface providing a depth control for the male part when inserted into the female part, wherein the datum surface of the female part, by abutting a datum surface of the male part in the locked position, is configured to provide resistance against further downward displacement of the male part, wherein, between the datum surface and a bottom of the female recess in a vertical direction, there is contact between a nib on the outermost surface of the male protrusion and a recess surface of the female recess in the locked position, wherein a minimum of about 30% of a total material thickness of the surface covering panel extends from the bottom of the female recess to the lower surface of the surface covering panel, and wherein the datum surface of the female part is horizontal. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The vertical joint system according to claim 1, wherein starting from the upper surface the male part has an upper edge from which extends a generally vertical surface. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The vertical joint system according to claim 2, wherein in a horizontal direction a point of contact between the nib and the recess surface is between the upper edge and an end of the datum surface in the locked position. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The vertical joint system according to claim 1, wherein the recess surface of the female recess is one of a plurality of recess surfaces of the female recess configured to contact the nib of the male protrusion when the male part pulled away from the female part. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The vertical joint system according to claim 4, wherein the plurality of recess surfaces are separated by undulations. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The vertical joint system according to claim 1, wherein the datum surface of the female part is contiguous with a concavity extending upward from the datum surface. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The vertical joint system according to claim 1, wherein the male part has a male recess that opens toward the lower surface, the male protrusion is adjacent to the male recess, and the outermost male surface is formed on the male protrusion distant from the male recess. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The vertical joint system according to claim 1, wherein the datum surface of the female part faces upward. ### Claim 9 A vertical joint system for a surface covering panel having an upper surface which is visible when the surface covering panel is laid and an opposed lower surface and a plurality of sides located between the upper and lower surfaces, the vertical joint system comprising: a male part along a first of the sides; and a female part along a second of the sides, the second side being opposite to the first side, the female part having a protrusion that extends from the lower surface toward the upper surface and an outermost female surface on the protrusion, wherein the male part has a male protrusion with an outermost male surface formed on the male protrusion, wherein the female part has a female recess adjacent the female protrusion, the female recess having an inner most female surface distant from the female protrusion, wherein the female part has a datum surface on which the male part bears when the male and female parts of respective vertical joint systems are in a locked position, the datum surface providing a depth control for the male part when inserted into the female part, wherein, between the datum surface and a bottom of the female recess in a vertical direction, there is contact between a nib on the outermost surface of the male protrusion and a recess surface of the female recess in the locked position, wherein a minimum of about 30% of a total material thickness of the surface covering panel extends from the bottom of the female recess to the lower surface of the surface covering panel, wherein the datum surface of the female part is horizontal, and wherein a portion of the recess surface of the female recess is vertically under the datum surface. ### Claim 10 A vertical joint system for a surface covering panel having an upper surface which is visible when the surface covering panel is laid and an opposed lower surface and a plurality of sides located between the upper and lower surfaces, the vertical joint system comprising: a male part along a first of the sides; and a female part along a second of the sides, the second side being opposite to the first side, the female part having a protrusion that extends from the lower surface toward the upper surface and an outermost female surface on the protrusion, wherein the male part has a male protrusion with an outermost male surface formed on the male protrusion, wherein the female part has a female recess adjacent the female protrusion, the female recess having an inner most female surface distant from the female protrusion, wherein the female part has a datum surface on which the male part bears when the male and female parts of respective vertical joint systems are in a locked position, the datum surface providing a depth control for the male part when inserted into the female part, wherein, between the datum surface and a bottom of the female recess in a vertical direction, there is contact between a nib on the outermost surface of the male protrusion and a recess surface of the female recess in the locked position, wherein a minimum of about 30% of a total material thickness of the surface covering panel extends from the bottom of the female recess to the lower surface of the surface covering panel, wherein the datum surface of the female part is horizontal, and wherein a first inclined surface extends from the datum surface of the female part, downward and outward from the surface covering panel. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The vertical joint system according to claim 10, wherein a second inclined surface extends from the first inclined surface, downward and inward of the surface covering panel toward the recess surface of the female recess.