Mechanical locking of floor panels with a flexible bristle tongue
AssigneeVälinge Innovation AB
InventorsDARKO PERVAN, Agne Paisson
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Floor panels which are provided with a mechanical locking system including a displaceable tongue in a displacement groove. The tongue is molded and provided with bendable protrusions.
Claims45
A set of essentially identical floor panels comprising a first and a second connector, which are integrated with the floor panels and configured to connect a first floor panel to a second floor panel at adjacent edges,
- the first connector comprising an upwardly directed locking element at one of the floor panels configured to cooperate with a locking groove in the other of said floorboards for connecting said first floor panel with said second floor panel in a horizontal direction perpendicular to the adjacent edges,
- the second connector comprising a flexible tongue, of molded plastic, in a displacement groove in an edge of one of the floor panels, the flexible tongue is configured to cooperate with a tongue groove in the other of said floor panels for locking the floor panels together in a vertical direction,
- the flexible tongue being displaceable in the horizontal direction in the displacement groove,
- the flexible tongue comprising at least two protrusions at a first long edge of the tongue, bendable in a horizontal plane, and extending essentially in the horizontal plane,
- wherein the flexible tongue has a second long edge, which is configured to extend outside the displacement groove in the connected state, and the outer edge of the second long edge is essentially straight over substantially the whole length of the flexible tongue.
A set of essentially identical floor panels comprising a first and a second connector, which are integrated with the floor panels and configured to connect a first floor panel to a second floor panel at adjacent edges,
- the first connector comprising an upwardly directed locking element at one of the floor panels configured to cooperate with a locking groove in the other of said floorboards for connecting said first floor panel with said second floor panel in a horizontal direction perpendicular to the adjacent edges,
- the second connector comprising a flexible tongue in a displacement groove in an edge of one of the floor panels, the flexible tongue is configured to cooperate with a tongue groove in the other of said floor panels for locking the floor panels together in a vertical direction,
- the flexible tongue comprising at least two protrusions bendable in a horizontal plane, and extending essentially in the horizontal plane, and
- wherein a part of the protrusions are configured, in the connected state, to extend outside the displacement groove and into the tongue groove.
A floor panel having an edge portion presenting a sidewardly open groove, in which a tongue formed as a separate part is received, the tongue comprising at least two bow shaped protrusions at a first long edge of the tongue,
- wherein the protrusions are arranged bendable in the groove in a plane parallel to the front face of the panel and extending essentially in the plane.
A tongue for a building panel, said tongue is of an elongated shape and made of molded plastic, the tongue comprising at least two protrusions at a first long edge of the tongue,
- wherein the protrusions are bendable in a plane parallel to the upper surface of the tongue and extending essentially in the parallel plane, and
- wherein the tongue has a second long edge, which is essentially straight over substantially the whole length of the tongue.
A locking system for floor panels, the locking system comprising a mechanically locking system at two adjacent edges of a first and a second panel, the mechanically locking system comprising a first connector for locking in a horizontal direction perpendicular to the adjacent edges and a second connector comprising a separate tongue, for locking in a vertical direction, a part of the tongue is flexible and bendable in the horizontal and/or vertical plane,
- wherein the locking system is configured to connect a first panel to a second panel by angling, substantially horizontal snapping and vertical locking.
A method to connect floor panels comprising short edges with a mechanical locking system comprising a separate tongue with a flexible part for locking adjacent short edges vertically and a locking strip with a locking element cooperating with a locking grove for horizontally locking, and long edges with a mechanical locking system comprising a tongue, a groove, a locking strip and a locking groove for vertical and horizontal locking by angling, the method comprising the steps of:
- a) installing a second row of panels by connecting the short sides of the panels with vertical locking or snapping, whereby the flexible part of the tongue is displaced, and
- b) connecting the second row to an installed and adjacent first rows by angling.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.