RU2597900C2 - Mechanical locking system for floor panels - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: construction.

SUBSTANCE: invention relates to construction, particularly to mechanical locking systems for floor panels. Floor panel comprises vertical locking system on short edges, including removable tongue, that is displaced in one direction into a tongue groove during vertical displacement of two panels.

EFFECT: technical result consists in improved strength of locking.

6 cl, 8 dwg

Description

Technical field

The present invention relates generally to the field of mechanical locking systems for floor panels and building panels, and the technology for inserting a tongue into a groove.

The scope of the invention

Embodiments of the present invention are particularly suitable for use in floating floors, which are formed from floor panels that are mechanically connected to a blocking system integrally with the floor panel, i.e. installed at the factory, consist of one or more top layers of wood or wood veneer , decorative laminate, powder-based or decorative plastic surfaces, an intermediate inner layer of wood-fiber material or plastic, and preferably lower a balancing layer on the back side of said inner layer. These include floor panels with a surface layer of cork, linoleum, rubber or soft layers of wear, such as needle-punched felt, glued to a board, printed and preferably also lacquered surfaces, and floors with hard surfaces such as stone, tile and the like materials. Embodiments of the invention may also be used to join building panels that preferably comprise lumber, such as wall panels, ceilings, furniture elements and the like.

Thus, the following description of known technology, problems of known systems and goals and features of the present invention will be oriented, as a non-limiting example, primarily to this field of application and in particular to panels formed in the form of rectangular floor panels with long and short ribs, made with the possibility of mechanical connection with each other both on long and short ribs. Said long and short ribs are mainly used to simplify the description of embodiments of the invention. Panels may be square. The invention is preferably used on short ribs. It should be noted that the invention can be used in any floor panel, and it can be combined with all types of known interlocking system formed on long ribs, where the floor panels are made with the possibility of connection using a mechanical interlocking system connecting the panels in horizontal and vertical directions on at least two adjacent sides.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A laminate floor usually contains a central wood-fiber layer of 6-12 mm thick, an upper decorative surface layer of a laminate of 0.2-0.8 mm thick and a lower balancing layer of laminate, plastic, paper or similar material with a thickness of 0.1-0.6 mm. The surface of the laminate contains melamine impregnated paper. The most common material of the inner layer is a high-density fiberboard (HDF) with a high density and high strength, which is commonly called high-density fiberboard (HDF). In some cases, medium density fiberboard (MDF) is also used as the inner layer.

Laminate floors are mechanically connected by so-called mechanical interlock systems. These systems contain locking means that block the panels horizontally and vertically. Mechanical interlock systems are typically created by machining the inner layer of a panel. Alternatively, the parts of the interlock system can be made of a separate material, for example aluminum or HDF, which is combined with the floor panel, that is, connected to the floor panel in connection with its manufacture.

The main advantages of floating floors with mechanical interlock systems are that they are easy to install. They can also be easily removed and reused elsewhere.

Definition of some terms

In the description below, the visible surface of the installed floor panel is called the “front side”, and the opposite groan of the floor panel facing the concrete floor base is called the “back side”. A rib between said front and back sides is called a “connecting rib”. By “horizontal plane” is meant a plane that extends parallel to the outer part of the surface layer. The immediately adjacent upper parts of two adjacent connecting ribs of two connected floor panels together form a “vertical plane” perpendicular to said horizontal plane. A “vertical lock” is a lock parallel to said vertical plane. A “horizontal lock” is a lock parallel to said horizontal plane.

The term “above” means near the front side, the concept “below” means near the back side, the concept “inside” is mainly horizontal near the inner and central part of the panel, and the concept “outside” is mainly horizontal outside the center of the panel.

"Locking systems" are interacting connecting elements that connect floor panels vertically and / or horizontally.

Field of technology and its problems

For the mechanical connection of long ribs, as well as short ribs in the vertical and in the first horizontal direction perpendicular to said ribs, several methods can be used. One of the most widely used methods is the angle latch method. Long edges set at an angle. The panel is then shifted to the blocking position along the long side. Short ribs are blocked by horizontal popping. The vertical joint is usually a tongue-and-groove joint. During horizontal displacement, the rail with the locking element bends, and when the ribs come in contact, said rail springs and the locking element enters the locking groove and locks the panels horizontally. Such a latch connection is complicated since it may be necessary to use a hammer and a tapping block to overcome friction between long ribs and the bent rail during snapping.

Such locking systems can also be created with a rigid rail, and they are connected by turning to the desired angle, while both short and long ribs are turned to the blocking position.

Recently, new, very effective interlocking systems have been introduced with a separate flexible or displaceable integrated tongue and groove on a short rib that allows installation only when turning the desired angle, commonly called “vertical folding”. Such a system is described in WO 2006/043893 (Valinge Innovation AB).

Several options are used on the market. One of the most commonly used options is shown in FIG. 1a-1d. During locking, the flexible tongue 30 moves into the horizontally extending offset groove 40 and into the tongue groove 20 of the adjacent panel. The movable tongue blocks the ribs vertically, and the rail 6 with a locking element that interacts with the locking groove 14 blocks the panels horizontally. The lock is a combination of vertical displacement and rotation according to the principle of scissors. During blocking, the tongue gradually moves inward from the inner edge to the outer edge, as shown in FIG. 1d, so that the tongue is folded in the length direction. Such systems are called vertical latch systems and they provide automatic locking during folding.

Although such systems are very efficient, there are still room for improvement.

A large blocking force can be obtained only with a high snapping resistance when the tongue is pushed inward and bent in the length direction. In this case, separation forces are formed, which tend to burst the panels during folding. The blocking may lose its strength if the flexibility and force of the tongue-and-groove installation decreases over time.

The flexibility should be significant and provide for the displacement of the flexible tongue in two directions by about 1-2 mm. The material used to make such sheet piles is quite expensive, and glass fibers are usually used to harden flexible sheet piles.

It would be highly desirable to eliminate latches in a system that automatically locks during folding.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The general objective of the present invention is to provide an interlocking system for predominantly rectangular floor panels with long and short ribs installed in parallel rows, which allows the short ribs to be automatically locked with each other without a snap action, which creates blocking resistance and separation forces of the short ribs during folding.

The specific task is to create a locking system with a separate movable tongue, which is made with the possibility of folding in the length direction with a smaller separation force and which contains means that prevent the tongue from slipping back into the groove after locking.

The mentioned objectives of an embodiment of the invention can be achieved in whole or in part by means of interlocking systems and floor panels in accordance with the present invention. Embodiments are apparent from the description and drawings.

One aspect of the invention is construction panels comprising a locking system for vertically locking the first and second building panels by vertically displacing said panels relative to each other. The movable tongue is secured in an open sideward offset groove provided on an edge of the first panel. Said tongue interacts with the tongue groove provided in an adjacent rib of the second panel to lock the ribs vertically. The rail protrudes below said displacement groove and outward beyond the upper part of said rib or below a tongue-and-groove groove and outside beyond the upper part of an adjacent rib. Said movable tongue comprises a pull-up extension in its outer part adapted to cooperate with a pull-up protrusion formed on an edge of an adjacent panel so that the movable tongue extends from the offset groove and into the tongue groove when the panel ribs are moved vertically close to each other.

Said pulling protrusion may be part of a tongue and groove.

Said pull-up extension may be angled relative to the main horizontal plane of the panels.

Said pull-up protrusion may be angled relative to the main horizontal plane of the panels.

The movable tongue may include a locking hook that prevents the tongue from slipping back into the offset groove after locking.

Mentioned locking hook can block, overcoming the resistance of the outer part of the offset groove.

Brief Description of the Drawings

The invention will be described below in more detail using exemplary embodiments with reference to the accompanying exemplary drawings, in which:

FIG. 1a-d show interlock systems in accordance with known technology.

FIG. 2a-e show a locking system of short ribs in accordance with the invention.

FIG. 3a-c show a short rib locking system in accordance with preferred embodiments of the invention.

FIG. 4a-c show preferred embodiments of interlocking short rib systems with a separate rail.

FIG. 5a-e show a locking system in accordance with an embodiment of the invention with a locking hook that prevents unlocking.

FIG. 6a-d show a tongue in accordance with an embodiment of the invention with increased flexibility associated with bending in the length direction.

FIG. 7a-d show a method according to an embodiment of the invention for inserting a tongue into a groove.

FIG. 8a-c show an embodiment of the invention.

Detailed Description of Embodiments

To facilitate understanding, several blocking systems are shown schematically in the drawings. It should be noted that enhanced or other functions can be obtained using combinations of embodiments.

All embodiments may be used singly or in combination. Angles, dimensions, rounded parts, gaps between surfaces and more are only examples that can be adjusted within the basic principles of the invention.

In FIG. 2a-2e show a first preferred embodiment of a locking system for short ribs comprising a flexible and displaceable tongue 30 in an edge of the first panel 1 inserted in a horizontally extending displacement groove 40. The movable tongue 30 comprises a tightening extension 31 comprising a tongue tightening surface 32 and a tongue blocking surface 33. The second adjacent panel 1 ′ comprises a pulling protrusion 21 with a pulling surface 22 in the groove, which is also part of the tongue groove 20, containing the locking surface 23 of the groove. Tightening surfaces 22, 32 interact during vertical movement and tighten the movable tongue 30 into the tongue groove 20. Tightening extension 31 comprises a tongue blocking surface 33 that engages with the locking surface 23 of the groove and prevents the ribs from moving vertically in the first vertical direction. The locking rail 6 and the lower part 39 of the adjacent panel block the ribs in the second vertical direction. The locking element 8 and the locking groove 14 block the ribs horizontally together with the upper ribs. A vertical connection can be used without horizontal locking, as shown in FIG. 2e. Short ribs can be locked horizontally by, for example, friction between long ribs.

The tongue may be attached to an offset groove 40 formed on a panel containing a rail 6, a panel with a rail, or a panel containing a locking groove, a panel with a groove, as shown in FIG. 3a-3c. The engaging protrusion 21 may extend up or down, and the offset groove may be located at an angle to the horizontal plane HP.

In FIG. 4a-4c show that rail 6 may be made of separate material. The tightening protrusion 21 can be flexible, and this can eliminate manufacturing tolerances and facilitate the displacement of the tongue 30 into the tongue groove 20 during folding.

In FIG. 5a-5e show that the movable tongue 30 may include a locking hook 34, which can act as a joint by means of friction to prevent it from falling out of the groove 40, and also to prevent the tongue from slipping back after locking. The blocking angle A1 is preferably about 45 degrees or more. A larger angle facilitates movement into the tongue groove 20, but also the reverse movement. This can be prevented by means of a hook connection 34, which preferably engages with the upper or lower part of the offset groove 40. Said hook connection is pressed into said groove by means of a hammer, which inserts tongue 30 into groove 40 during manufacture. The hook 34 slides close to the inclined surface formed in the offset groove 40, as shown in FIG. 5s The upper part of the locking member 8 is preferably vertically below the tongue blocking surface 33, as shown in FIG. 5d. This provides a stronger lock. Said locking system may be configured with a geometry that provides locking and unlocking during rotation.

In FIG. 6a-6c show that the movable tongue 30 rotates and bends in the length direction during folding when the inner short edge of the tongue, which is shown in FIG. 6b is in the locked position, and the outer short edge of the tongue 30 is in the unlocked position, as shown in FIG. 6d. The locking function can be improved if cavities 35 are formed on the movable tongue 30. The blocking can also be improved if the blocking surface 32 at the edge has a smaller angle than the inside, as shown in FIG. 6b and 6c. Cavities 35 may be formed in those tongue portions where the locking hooks 34 are formed. The displaceable tongue 30 preferably contains polymeric material and is preferably formed by injection molding.

In FIG. 7a-7d show that the locking hook 34 may comprise a hook part 34a that is used to push the hook connection up by inserting the guides 36 while inserting the tongue 30 into the offset groove 40.

In FIG. 8a-8c show that the locking hook 34 can be used to prevent unlocking in any locking system where the tongue is configured to move into the groove from the internal position to the external position. The interlocking system shown comprises tightening protrusions 38 located in the tightening cavities 37. The tightening protrusions engage with the locking element 8 and tighten the tongue 30 into the tongue groove 20. The locking element 8 is preferably located vertically below the interacting locking surfaces 23, 33 of the tongue 30 and the tongue groove 20.

Claims (6)

1. Building panels comprising a locking system for vertically locking the first (1) and second building panel (1 ′) by vertically moving said building panels (1, 1 ′) relative to each other, with the movable tongue (30) fixed to the open side a bias groove (40) made in the rib of the first building panel, wherein the tongue is adapted to interact with the groove groove (20) made in the adjacent rib of the second building panel (1) to block said rib and the adjacent screw rib In this case, the rail (6) acts:
below the offset groove and outward beyond the top of said rib; or
below the tongue and groove outside the top of the adjacent rib,
moreover, the panels differ in that
the movable tongue (30) contains in its outer part a tensile extension (31) adapted to interact with the tongue protrusion (21) formed in the adjacent rib so that the movable tongue (30) extends from the offset groove (40) into the tongue groove ( 20) when the ribs of the building panels are moved vertically relative to each other. 2. Building panels according to claim 1, in which part of the tightening protrusion is part of the tongue groove (20). 3. Building panels according to claim 1 or 2, in which the traction extension (31) and the trailing protrusion (21) are located at an angle relative to the main horizontal plane (HP) of the panels. 4. Building panels according to claim 1, in which the movable tongue (30) contains a locking hook (34), preventing the tongue from slipping back into the offset groove (40) after locking. 5. Building panels according to claim 4, in which the locking hook (34) is engaged with the outer part of the offset groove (40). 6. The construction panels of claim 1, wherein the construction panels are floor panels.

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