Panels with coupling means

Method for connecting panels, wherein a first panel is connected in an interlocking manner on a first side to a third panel by a rotary movement about a common connecting joint and in which the first panel is simultaneously connected at a second side, adjacent the first side, in an interlocking manner to a second panel by a lowering relative to the second panel without a rotary movement about a common connecting joint between the first and second panels, wherein the panels include coupling elements allowing an interlocking form-fitting connection between the panels, each panel provided with a coupling element on a first side such that the first panel and the second panel can be connected form-fittingly to the third panel by a rotary movement around the connecting joint, and wherein

• the first panel comprises on a second side, adjacent the first side, a laterally projecting flank on a top portion of the second side as an additional coupling element, and
• the second panel comprises on a third side, adjacent the first side, a laterally projecting flank on a bottom portion of the third side as an additional coupling element, and
• the projecting flank on the first panel comprises a first projecting locking element engaging in a corresponding first recess or indentation in the other flank in the joined state of the panels, which projecting flanks of the panels comprise further coupling elements, locking the panels in an interlocking manner in the vertical direction relative to the surface of the panels, wherein
• the additional coupling elements are configured such that the first panel can be connected in an interlocking manner by a lowering relative to the second panel without a rotary movement around the connecting joint of said additional coupling elements,
• the panels comprising a laterally applied groove on one panel and a laterally attached tongue in another panel, wherein the tongue engages in the groove in the joined state, one flank of the groove is longer than the other flank, the longer flank comprises a recess, the tongue comprises a projecting nose on a bottom or top side, the nose and the recess are arranged such that the nose can latch in the recess, and the side of the tongue comprising the nose comprises a recess so a gap remains between the side of the tongue comprising the nose and the longer flank of the groove in the joined state of the two panels owing to the recess formed, so the open end of the tongue does not touch the projecting flank when the two panels are joined.

A panel designed to be interlocked with another panel, the panel comprising two pairs of parallel side edges, one pair including first and second side edges having first and second coupling elements and the other pair including third and fourth side edges having third and fourth laterally projecting flanks, the first and second coupling elements being complementary for connecting the respective sides thereof with a rotary movement to adjacent sides of adjacent panels that respectively have like second and first coupling elements, and the third and fourth laterally projecting flanks being complementary for connecting the respective sides thereof by a lowering without a rotary movement around a connecting joint to adjacent sides of adjacent panels that respectively have like fourth and third projecting flanks,

• wherein the third laterally projecting flank comprises a projecting locking element configured to engage in a corresponding recess or indentation on the respective side of the adjacent panel and the fourth laterally projecting flank comprises a recess or indentation configured to be engaged by a projecting locking element on the respective side of the adjacent panel,
• wherein the projecting flanks on the third and fourth side edges include further coupling elements configured to lock the panel to the respective adjacent panels in an interlocking manner in a vertical direction relative to the surface of the panels,
• wherein the additional coupling elements are configured such that the third side edge can be connected to the adjacent panel in an interlocking manner by a lowering relative to the adjacent panel without a rotary movement around the connecting joint of said additional coupling element,
• the panel comprising a laterally applied groove on one side and a laterally attached tongue on the parallel side, wherein the tongue engages in a groove of the adjacent panel in the joined state, one flank of the groove is longer than an other flank, the longer flank comprises a recess, the tongue comprises a projecting nose on a bottom or top side, the nose is arranged such that the nose can latch in a corresponding recess of the adjacent panel, and the side of the tongue comprising the nose comprises a recess so a gap remains between the side of the tongue comprising the nose and a longer flank of the groove of the adjacent panel in the joined state of the two panels owing to the recess formed, so the open end of the tongue does not touch the projecting flank of the adjacent panel when the two panels are joined.