Floor boards having interlocking tongue and groove connection with pre-applied adhesive layer
AssigneeM. Kaindl
InventorFranz Knauseder
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Flooring panels having a tongue and groove locking mechanism. The tongue-and-groove configuration principle are provided at the areas being connected. The sides of the groove diverge from the groove base and converge at the end away from the groove base. The opening width of the groove is greater than the foremost area of the tongue in the direction of insertion. The tongue exhibits wedge-shaped areas that diverge from front to back which areas exhibit an undercut in the back area of the tongue that conforms to the groove cross-section. The undercut's borders, adjoining the wedge-shaped areas, converge at the same angle as the groove sides toward a connecting bridge that is part of the component.
Claims35
A configuration for combining flat structural components of relatively low thickness along their narrow circumferential sides, where connecting members that interact on the tongue-and-groove principle are provided at the areas being connected, and the sides of the groove diverge from a groove base and converge at an end away from the groove base at an angle that is greater than an angle of divergence, where an opening width of the groove is greater than a foremost area of the tongue in a direction of insertion, which tongue exhibits wedge-shaped areas that diverge from front to back at the same angle as the sides of the groove, each of which wedge-shaped areas exhibits an undercut in a back area of the tongue that conforms to the groove cross-section, while the undercut's borders, adjoining the wedge-shaped areas, converge at the same angle as the groove sides toward a connecting bridge, whereby a locking mechanism is integrated into the tongue and the groove, wherein a pre-applied adhesive layer, or a pre-applied layer of a substance which activates an adhesive, is applied off-site and is present on the groove at least in the area of its divergent sides or on the tongue at least in the area of its divergent wedge-shaped area, or on both areas.
A configuration for combining flat structural panels, comprising:
- a first panel having a groove with a groove opening and a groove base, the groove further having a first locking element and divergent sides,
- a second panel having a tongue with a second locking element which interacts with the first locking element when the first panel and the second panel are joined, the tongue having a divergent wedge shape;
- a pre-applied adhesive layer or a pre-applied layer of a substance which activates an adhesive applied off-site and being present on the groove at least in the area of the divergent sides or on the tongue at least in the area of the divergent wedge-shaped area, or on both areas, wherein
- one of the first locking element and the second locking element is a recess and the other of the first locking element and the second locking element is a projection,
- the projection and the recess have a triangular cross-section,
- a triangular side closer to the groove opening is shorter and more inclined than a triangular side closer to the groove base such that when the tongue is inserted into the groove, the longer side of the projection slides on a section formed prior to the shorter triangular side until the projection has overcome an inner edge of the section and is received by the recess.
A configuration for combining flat structural panels, comprising:
- a first panel having a groove comprising a groove opening, a groove base, at least one locking element, and divergent sides extending from the groove base,
- a second panel having a tongue comprising a divergent wedge shape and at least one locking element which interacts with the at least one locking element of the groove when the first panel and the second panel are joined by inserting the tongue into the groove;
- and
- a pre-applied first layer arranged on at least one surface of the groove at least in an area of the divergent sides and a pre-applied second layer arranged on at least one surface of the tongue at least in an area of the divergent wedge shape,
- wherein each of the pre-applied first and second layers comprises an adhesive layer or a pre-applied layer of a substance which activates an adhesive.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.