Locking system for floorboards

A floorboard having a core (30) and opposing first and second joint edge portions (4a, 5a and 4b, 5b, respectively), which are designed for joining with adjoining identical floorboards by mechanical connection of the first joint edge portion (4a, 5b) of a first floorboard (1) with the second joint edge portion (4b, 5b) of an adjoining second floorboard (1′) to a mechanically joined position at a vertical joint plane (F), the floorboard having a locking system which comprises

• a) for vertical joining of the first joint edge portion (4a, 5a) of a first floorboard (1) and the second joint edge portion (4a, 5a and 4b, 5b, respectively) of an adjoining second floorboard (1′), mechanical cooperating means (36, 38), and
• b) for horizontal joining of the first and second joint edge portions (4a, 5a and 4b, 5b, respectively), mechanical cooperating means (6, 8;
• 14) which comprise
• a locking groove (14) formed in the underside (3) of said second floorboard (1′) and extending parallel with and at a distance from the vertical joint plane (F) at said second joint edge portion (4b, 5b) and having a downward directed opening, and
• a strip (6) integrally formed with the core of said first floorboard (1), which strip at said first joint edge portion (4a) projects from said vertical joint plane (F) and at a distance from the joint plane (F) has a locking element (8) which projects towards a plane containing the upper side of said first floorboard (1) and which has at least one operative locking surface (10) for coaction with said locking groove (14),
• the locking groove (14), seen in the plane of the floorboards and away from the vertical joint plane (F) having a greater width than said locking element (8),
• characterised by the combination
• that said at least one operative locking surface (10) of the locking element (8) is essentially plane and located at the upper part of the locking element at a distance from the upper side of the projecting strip (6) and faces the joint plane (F),
• that the locking groove (14) has at least one essentially plane operative locking surface (11) which is located in the locking groove at a distance from the opening of the locking groove and which is designed to cooperate with said locking surface (10) of the locking element (8) in the joined position,
• that the locking groove (14) at its lower edge closest to the joint plane (F) has an inclined or rounded guiding part (12) which extends from the locking surface (11) of the locking groove and to the opening of the locking groove and which is intended to guide the locking element (8) into the locking groove (14) by engaging a portion of the locking element (8) which is positioned above the locking surface (10) of the locking element or adjacent to its upper edge,
• that said operative locking surfaces (10 and 11, respectively) of the locking element (8) and the locking groove (14) make a locking angle (A) of at least 50° to the upper side of the boards.

A locking system for mechanical joining of floorboards (1, 1′) having a core (30) and opposite first and second joint edge portions (5a and 5b, respectively), adjoining floorboards (1, 1′) in the mechanically joined position having their first and second joint edge portion (5a and 5b, respectively) joined at a vertical joint plane (F), said joint system comprising

• a) for vertical joining of the first joint edge portion (5a) of a first floorboard (1) and the second joint edge portion (5a and 5b, respectively) of an adjoining second floorboard (1′), mechanical cooperating means (36, 38), and
• b) for horizontal joining of the first and second joint edge portions (5a and 5b, respectively), mechanical cooperating means (6, 8;
• 14) which comprise
• a locking groove (14) formed in the underside (3) of said second floorboard (1′) and extending parallel with and at a distance from the vertical joint plane (F) at said second joint edge portion (5b) and having a downward directed opening, and
• a strip (6) integrally formed with the core of said first floorboard (1), which strip at said first joint edge portion (5a) projects from said vertical joint plane (F) and at a distance from the joint plane (F) has a locking element (8) which projects towards a plane containing the upper side of said first floorboard (1) and which has at least one operative locking surface (10) for coaction with said locking groove (14),
• the locking groove (14), seen in the plane of the floorboards and away from the vertical joint plane (F), having a greater width than said locking element (8),
• characterised by the combination
• that said at least one operative locking surface (10) of the locking element (8) is essentially plane and located at the upper part of the locking element at a distance from the upper side of the projecting strip (6) and faces the joint plane (F),
• that the locking groove (14) has at least one essentially plane operative locking surface (11) which is located in the locking groove at a distance from the opening of the locking groove and which is designed to cooperate with said locking surface (10) of the locking element (8) in the joined position,
• that the operative locking surfaces (10 and 11, respectively) of the locking element (8) and the locking groove (14) have a locking angle (A) which is essentially perpendicular to the upper side of the floorboards,
• that the operative locking surfaces (10 and 11, respectively) of the locking element (8) and the locking groove (14) have a height (LS) parallel with the joint plane (F) which is less than 0.5 times the height (H) of the locking element (8),
• that the locking groove (14) at its lower edge closest to the joint plane (F) has an inclined or rounded guiding part (13) which extends from the locking surface (11) of the locking groove and to the opening of the locking groove, and
• that the locking element (8) at its upper end has an inclined or rounded guiding part (9) extending from the operative locking surface (10) of the locking element and adapted to engage with the guiding part (12) of the locking groove during guiding of the locking element (8) into the locking groove (14).

A floorboard comprising a core (30) and opposite first and second joint edge portions (5a and 5b, respectively) which are designed for joining with adjoining floorboards by mechanical connection of the first joint edge portion (5a) of a first floorboard (1) with the second joint edge portion (5b) of an adjoining second floorboard (1′) to a mechanically joined position at a vertical joint plane, the floorboard having a locking system which comprises

• a) for vertical joining of the first joint edge portion (5a) of a first floorboard (1) and the second joint edge portion (5a and 5b, respectively) of an adjoining second floorboard (1′), mechanical cooperating means (36, 38), and
• b) for horizontal joining of the first and second joint edge portions (5a and 5b, respectively), mechanical cooperating means (6, 8;
• 14) which comprise
• a locking groove (14) formed in the underside (3) of said second floorboard (1′) and extending parallel with and at a distance from the vertical joint plane (F) at said second joint edge portion (5b) and having a downward directed opening, and
• a strip (6) integrally formed with the core of said first floorboard (1), which strip at said first joint edge portion (5a) projects from said vertical joint plane (F) and at a distance from the joint plane (F) has a locking element (8) which projects towards a plane containing the upper side of said first floorboard (1) and which has at least one operative locking surface (10) for coaction with said locking groove (14),
• the locking groove (14), seen in the plane of the floorboards and away from the vertical joint plane, (F) having a greater width than said locking element (8),
• characterised by the combination
• that said at least one operative locking surface (10) of the locking element (8) is essentially plane and located at the upper part of the locking element at a distance from the upper side of the projecting strip (6) and faces the joint plane (F),
• that the locking groove (14) has at least one essentially plane operative locking surface (11) which is located in the locking groove at a distance from the opening of the locking groove and which is designed to cooperate with said operative surface (10) of the locking element (8) in the joined position,
• that the operative locking surfaces (10 and 11, respectively) of the locking element (8) and the locking groove (14) have a locking angle (A) which is essentially perpendicular to the upper side of the floorboards,
• that the operative locking surfaces (10 and 11, respectively) of the locking element (8) and the locking groove (14) have a height (LS) parallel with the joint plane (F) which is less than 0.5 times the height (H) of the locking element (8),
• that the locking groove (14) at its lower edge closest to the joint plane (F) has an inclined or rounded guiding part (12) which extends from the locking surface (11) of the locking groove and to the opening of the locking groove, and
• that the locking element (8) at its upper end has an inclined or rounded guiding part (9) extending from the operative locking surface (10) of the locking element and adapted to engage with the guiding part (12) of the locking groove during guiding of the locking element (8) into the locking groove (14).