Panel elements
Assigneehulsta-Werke Huls GmbH & Co. KG
InventorsRichard Schwitte, Ansgar Mensing
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Panel elements are provided comprising several interconnecting panel elements of the same type. The panel elements comprise a groove formed by an upper groove cheek and a lower groove cheek and a tongue. The tongue comprises a rib oriented in a longitudinal direction of the tongue, and the groove comprises a retaining channel for receiving the rib of an adjoining panel element. The tongue cooperates with the groove of an adjoining same-type panel element such that the two panel elements, when married, are safeguarded against parting forces acting in both axis oriented perpendicular to the side of the two panel elements.
Claims10
A panel element interconnectable with other same type panel elements on a laying plane to form a floor, said panel element comprising:
- a groove along a side of said panel element formed by an upper groove cheek and a lower groove cheek, said lower groove cheek having a retaining channel oriented parallel to said side;
- a tongue along another side of said panel element and having, at an underside, a rib oriented parallel to said another side, said tongue adapted for insertion into a groove of an adjoining, same type panel element and said rib adapted for insertion into a retaining channel of the groove of the adjoining, same type panel element;
- wherein said tongue cooperates with the groove of the adjoining panel element to prevent separation of said panel element and the adjoining panel element in an upwards direction and said rib cooperates with the channel of the adjoining panel element to prevent separation of said panel element and the adjoining panel element in a sideways direction perpendicular to said another side;
- wherein said upper groove cheek is ramped upwards to a mouth of said groove so as to create an insertion channel for a tongue of a second same type panel element;
- the groove of the adjoining panel element and said tongue of said panel element, defining four contact locations when interconnected, including:
- a first contact location between an upper side of said tongue of said panel element, and an upper groove cheek of the groove of the adjoining same type panel element;
- a second contact location between said underside of said tongue of said panel element at a position outboard of said rib, and the lower groove cheek of the groove of the adjoining same type panel element;
- a third contact location between an inboard portion of said rib of said panel element, and an outer sidewall of a retaining channel of the adjoining same type panel element;
- and
- a fourth contact location at said underside of said tongue of said panel element at a position inboard of said rib;
- wherein said third contact location is on a first plane and said fourth contact location is on a second plane, said first plane and said second plane being non-parallel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.