Mechanical locking system for floor panels

A set of two identical floor panels, a fold panel and a strip panel, each floor panel comprising connectors which are integrated with the floor panels and adapted to connect the fold panel to the strip panel, so that upper joint edges of said fold and strip panels in the connected state define a vertical plane,

• said connectors being designed to connect said fold panel with said strip panel in a horizontal direction perpendicular to said vertical plane and in a vertical direction parallel to the vertical plane,
• one of the connectors for making a vertical connection comprises a flexible tongue in an insertion groove in the strip panel,
• the insertion groove is formed in an edge of the strip panel and is open towards the vertical plane,
• the flexible tongue has a length direction along the joint edges, a width in a horizontal plane perpendicular to the length and a thickness in the vertical direction, the flexible tongue is designed to cooperate, in a connected state with a tongue groove of the fold panel,
• another one of the connectors for making a horizontal connection comprises a locking strip which protects from said vertical plane on the strip panel and carries a locking element,
• said locking strip is designed to cooperate, in a connected state, with a downward open locking groove of the fold panel,
• wherein the fold panel is adapted to be locked to the strip panel by vertical folding,
• the flexible tongue has a groove portion which is located in the insertion groove and a projecting portion which, in a connected state projects outside the insertion groove and cooperates with the tongue groove,
• said projecting portion has a bevelled and/or rounded sliding surface and the fold panel has a sliding surface adapted to cooperate therewith during vertical folding,
• the flexible tongue during the vertical folding is displaced twice in the horizontal direction,
• a first displacement is effected by the vertical folding of the fold panel whereby at least a part of the flexible tongue is bent,
• a second displacement of the flexible tongue towards its initial position is accomplished substantially by a spring effect caused by said bending of said flexible tongue,
• wherein the insertion groove is spaced vertically from the upper part of the locking strip.

A set of two identical floor panels, a fold panel and a strip panel, each floor panel comprising connectors which are integrated with the floor panels and adapted to connect the fold panel to the strip panel, so that upper joint edges of said fold and strip panels in the connected state define a vertical plane,

• said connectors being designed to connect said fold panel with said strip panel in a horizontal direction perpendicular to said vertical plane and in a vertical direction parallel to the vertical plane,
• one of the connectors for making a vertical connection comprises a flexible tongue in an insertion groove in the strip panel,
• the insertion groove is formed in an edge of the strip panel and is open towards the vertical plane,
• the flexible tongue has a length direction along the joint edges, a width in a horizontal plane perpendicular to the length and a thickness in the vertical direction, the flexible tongue is designed to cooperate, in a connected state with a tongue groove of the fold panel,
• another one of the connectors for making a horizontal connection comprises a locking strip which protects from said vertical plane on the strip panel and carries a locking element,
• said locking strip is designed to cooperate, in a connected state, with a downward open locking groove of the fold panel,
• wherein the fold panel is adapted to be locked to the strip panel by vertical folding,
• the flexible tongue has a groove portion which is located in the insertion groove and a projecting portion which, in a connected state projects outside the insertion groove and cooperates with the tongue groove,
• said projecting portion has a bevelled and/or rounded sliding surface and the fold panel has a sliding surface adapted to cooperate therewith during vertical folding,
• the flexible tongue during the vertical folding is displaced twice in the horizontal direction,
• a first displacement is effected by the vertical folding of the fold panel whereby at least a part of the flexible tongue is bent,
• a second displacement of the flexible tongue towards its initial position is accomplished substantially by a spring effect caused by said bending of said flexible tongue,
• wherein the insertion groove is spaced vertically from the upper part of the locking element.