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US 2009/0151290 A1Published application
Locking Mechanism For Flooring Boards
OwnerDavid C. Liuinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A locking system for floor boards comprises a plurality of floor boards and a plurality of locking devices. Each floor board has two tongues on one lateral side and another tongue and a locking groove on the opposite lateral side. The floor board also has two grooves on its bottom side. The locking device has three protruding gripping extensions. Few locking devices are placed on each floor board before the floor boards are sent to a job site. At the job site, two adjacent floor boards are assembled together by inserting the tongue of one board into a space defined by the locking device and the tongues of the adjacent board. The tongues are further secured in place by compression of flexible buffers located at each protruding gripping extension.
Claims27
A locking system for floor boards, comprising:
- a plurality of floor boards, each floor board having a top side, a bottom side, a first short side, a second short side, a first long side, and a second long side, each long side having a length,
- wherein the first long side having a first tongue and a second tongue along the length of the first long side, the first tongue being defined by a first upper abutment surface and a first lower abutment surface, the first upper abutment surface being lower than the top side, the second tongue being defined by a second upper abutment surface and a second lower abutment surface,
- the second long side having a third tongue and a first locking groove along the length of the second long side, the third tongue being defined by a third upper abutment surface and a third lower abutment surface, the first locking groove being defined by a first upper groove surface and the third upper abutment surface;
- and
- at least one locking device, the at least one locking device having a base, a first protruding gripping extension located at a first end of the base, a second protruding gripping extension located at a second end of the base, and a third protruding gripping extension located between the first and second gripping extensions,
- wherein the first protruding gripping extension further having a first receiving groove and a first buffer inserted in the first receiving groove and facing the third protruding gripping extension,
- the second protruding gripping extension having a first side facing the third protruding gripping extension and a second side opposite of the first side, the second protruding gripping extension further having a second receiving groove on the first side and a second buffer inserted in the second receiving groove, the second side having a tooth,
- wherein adjacent floor boards being joined and locked by inserting the third tongue of a first floor board into a groove defined by the first protruding gripping extension and the third protruding gripping extension and inserting the first tongue of a second floor board into the first locking groove of the first floor board and the second tongue of the second floor board into a groove defined by the second protruding gripping extension and the third protruding gripping extension.
5 more elements
A floor board comprising:
- a top side;
- a bottom side;
- a first short side;
- a second short side opposite of the first short side;
- a first long side;
- and
- a second long side opposite of the first long side, each long side having a length,
- wherein the first long side having a first tongue and a second tongue along the length of the first long side, the first tongue being defined by a first upper abutment surface substantially parallel to the top side and a first lower abutment surface substantially parallel to the first upper abutment surface, the first upper abutment surface being lower than the top side, the second tongue being defined by a second upper abutment surface substantially parallel to the top side and a second lower abutment surface substantially parallel to the second upper abutment surface, and
- the second long side having a third tongue and a first locking groove along the length of the second long side, the third tongue being defined by a third upper abutment surface substantially parallel to the top side and a third lower abutment surface substantially parallel to the third upper abutment surface, the first locking groove being defined by a first upper groove surface substantially parallel to the top side and the third upper abutment surface.
6 more elements
A locking device for floor boards, comprising:
- a base having a first end and a second end;
- a first protruding gripping extension located at the first end of the base;
- a second protruding gripping extension located at the second end of the base;
- and
- a third protruding gripping extension located between the first and second gripping extensions,
- wherein the first protruding gripping extension further having a first receiving groove and a first buffer removably inserted in the first receiving groove and facing the third protruding gripping extension, and
- the second protruding gripping extension having a first side facing the third protruding gripping extension and a second side opposite of the first side, the second protruding gripping extension further having a second receiving groove on the first side and a second buffer removably inserted in the second receiving groove, the second side having a tooth.
4 more elements
A floor locking system, comprising:
- a plurality of floor boards, each floor board having a top side, a bottom side, a first short side, a second short side, a first long side, and a second long side, each long side having a length,
- wherein the first long side having a first tongue and a second tongue along the length of the first long side, the first tongue being defined by a first upper abutment surface and a first lower abutment surface, the first upper abutment surface being lower than the top side, the second tongue being defined by a second upper abutment surface and a second lower abutment surface,
- the second long side having a third tongue and a first locking groove along the length of the second long side, the third tongue being defined by a third upper abutment surface and a third lower abutment surface, the first locking groove being defined by a first upper groove surface and the third upper abutment surface, and
- wherein two adjacent floor boards being tightly joined by inserting the first tongue of a first floor board into the first locking groove of a second board.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.