Joining system for floor panels

Abstract

The invention relates to a joining system for floor panels, comprising a female coupling recess formed in a first floor panel, said female coupling recess being adapted to receive a male coupling tongue projecting from an adjoining second floor panel in a direction perpendicular to a main floor surface plane in which the floor panels are laid. The joining system further includes an elasticity slot for facilitating resilient movement in said vertical snap joint interlocking engagement.

Claims

1. A joining system for floor panels, comprising a female coupling recess formed in a first floor panel, said female coupling recess being adapted to receive a male coupling tongue projecting from an adjoining second floor panel in a direction perpendicular to a main floor surface plane in which the floor panels are laid, said male coupling tongue being provided with vertical locking means enabling a vertical snap joint interlocking engagement with a matching vertical locking means in said female coupling recess, the joining system further including an elasticity slot for facilitating resilient movement in said vertical snap joint interlocking engagement, the male coupling tongue being configured to be essentially resilient whereas the female coupling recess is configured to be essentially rigid and non-resilient, wherein: the elasticity slot is located in the second floor panel, the male coupling tongue forming a side wall surface of the elasticity slot on the opposite side of the male coupling tongue with respect to the side with said vertical locking means, enabling enhanced resilience upon insertion of the male coupling tongue into the female coupling recess; an upper guiding surface is located on a side of the female coupling recess on the first panel, forming an essentially non-resilient vertical guide for the male coupling tongue upon insertion thereof, limiting movement of said male coupling tongue in a horizontal direction towards a remaining, main portion of the first floor panel; a lower guiding surface is located on an upwardly extending horizontal locking lip formed at a distal end of the female coupling recess with respect to the remaining, main portion of the first floor panel, said lower guiding surface forcing the male coupling tongue to resiliently deflect whilst in engagement with said upper guiding surface upon further vertical insertion thereof in a curved J-shaped deflection movement towards said remaining, main portion of the first floor panel, until the vertical locking means of the male coupling tongue snaps together with the matching vertical locking means of the female coupling recess; the uppermost horizontal width of the upwardly extending horizontal locking lip exceeds an uppermost width of the male coupling tongue when the joining system is joined, and said lower guiding surface at its lowest end transitions into an essentially vertically extending horizontal locking surface exerting a horizontal pressure on the male coupling tongue in a horizontal direction towards a remaining, main portion of the first floor panel, holding the vertical locking means in engagement with each other in a fitted state between the first floor panel and the second floor panel.

2. The joining system for floor panels according to claim 1, wherein at least a part of an upper limitation wall of the elasticity slot is essentially horizontally aligned with the vertical locking means of the male coupling tongue.

3. The joining system for floor panels according to claim 1, wherein the width of the elasticity slot essentially corresponds to the width of the upwardly extending horizontal locking lip formed at a distal end of the female coupling recess.

4. The joining system for floor panels according to claim 1, wherein the width of the elasticity slot is essentially half of the width of the upwardly extending horizontal locking lip formed at a distal end of the female coupling recess.

5. The joining system for floor panels according to claim 1, wherein the width of the elasticity slot is essentially a third of the width of the upwardly extending horizontal locking lip formed at a distal end of the female coupling recess.

6. The joining system for floor panels according to claim 1, wherein the elasticity slot is at least partially inclined so as to form a partial undercut into the side wall surface of the male coupling tongue.

7. The joining system for floor panels according to claim 1, wherein an upper limitation wall of the elasticity slot transitions into an essentially vertical side wall surface of the male coupling tongue via a curved transition portion thereof.

8. The joining system for floor panels according to claim 1, wherein a resilient waterproofing seal is positioned in the elasticity slot, said waterproofing seal being configured to seal between the elasticity slot and an upper sealing surface of the of the upwardly extending horizontal locking lip formed at a distal end of the female coupling recess.

9. The joining system for floor panels according to claim 1, wherein the vertical locking means on the male coupling tongue is constituted by a continuously curved bulb-shaped protrusion extending from the male coupling tongue and wherein the vertical locking means in the female coupling recess is constituted by a matching concave locking groove.

10. The joining system for floor panels according to claim 1, wherein the vertical locking means in said female coupling recess is constituted by a continuously curved bulb-shaped protrusion extending from the female coupling recess and wherein the vertical locking means on the male coupling tongue is constituted by a matching concave locking groove.

11. The joining system for floor panels according to claim 1, wherein the joining system includes a single set of mutually matching vertical locking means located on the male coupling tongue and in the female coupling recess, respectively.

12. The joining system for floor panels according to claim 1, wherein the horizontal length of the female coupling recess is less than the total vertical thickness of the first floor panel.

13. The joining system for floor panels according to claim 1, wherein the upper guiding surface is essentially vertical and extends directly above the vertical locking means of the female coupling recess.

14. The joining system for floor panels according to claim 1, wherein the upper guiding surface is inclined leaning towards a said remaining, main portion of the first floor panel and extends directly above the vertical locking means of the female coupling recess.

15. The joining system for floor panels according to claim 1, wherein the lower guiding surface is curved.

16. The joining system for floor panels according to claim 1, wherein the lower guiding surface is inclined.

17. The joining system for floor panels according to claim 1, wherein the vertical locking means of the male coupling tongue is located at a distance from a distal main vertical joint surface on the second floor panel in a direction towards a remaining, main portion of said second floor panel in order to avoid chafing contact between said vertical locking means and a top floor surface of the adjoining first floor panel upon insertion of the male coupling tongue into the female coupling recess.

18. The joining system for floor panels according to claim 1, wherein the vertical height of the vertical locking means measured from a bottom plane of the floor panels exceeds the corresponding height of the upwardly extending locking lip by at least 30%.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) With reference to the appended drawings, below follows a more detailed description of embodiments of the invention cited as examples.

(2) FIG. 1 shows a side view of a joining system according to the present invention, as applied on exemplifying floor panels. The joining system is shown in a joined, fully engaged and vertically locked position.

(3) FIG. 2 shows a similar side as in FIG. 1, albeit with the joining system in a first insertion position.

(4) FIG. 3 shows a further side view of the joining system in an intermediate insertion position, wherein the male coupling tongue is resiliently curved to the left in the figure, immediately before finally snapping into the final locked position as shown in FIGS. 1 and 4.

(5) FIG. 4 shows a final side view of the joining system shown in a joined, fully engaged and vertically locked position. Although this side view shows the joining system in the same position as in FIG. 1, this figure illustrates some additional dimensional features of the system.

(6) FIG. 5 shows a broken side view of a typical floor panel according to the invention, being provided with a male coupling tongue on one short side and a female coupling recess on the other side.

(7) FIG. 6 shows schematic top view of several adjoining floor panels provided with angle-in joints on the long sides thereof and fold-down joints on the short sides thereof.

(8) FIG. 7 shows a broken perspective view of a first floor panel with a female coupling recess according to the invention.

(9) FIG. 8 shows a broken perspective view of a second floor panel with a male coupling tongue according to the invention.

(10) FIG. 9 shows a side view of an alternative embodiment of a joining system according to the invention provided with a resilient waterproofing sealing compound or sealing trim mounted within the elasticity slot. The elasticity slot in this embodiment is deeper than the slots shown in FIGS. 1-8.

(11) FIG. 10 shows a side view of another alternative embodiment of a joining system according to the invention, wherein the elasticity slot is narrower than the previously illustrated slots.

(12) FIG. 11 shows a side view of yet another alternative embodiment of a joining system according to the invention, wherein the elasticity slot is narrower than the slot shown in FIG. 10.

(13) FIG. 12 shows a side view of yet an alternative embodiment of a joining system according to the invention, wherein the elasticity slot partially extends into the side of the male coupling tongue.

(14) FIG. 13 shows a side view of a further alternative embodiment of a joining system according to the invention, wherein the elasticity slot is inclined and extends into the side of the male coupling tongue.

(15) FIG. 14 shows a side view of an alternative embodiment of a joining system according to the invention, wherein the vertical locking means are inverted when compared to the embodiments shown in the previous figures. The joining system is shown in a joined, fully engaged and vertically locked position.

(16) FIG. 15 shows the same embodiment as in FIG. 14, but with the joining system in a first insertion position.

(17) FIG. 16 finally shows the embodiment introduced with FIGS. 14 and 15, with the joining system in an intermediate insertion position, wherein the male coupling tongue is resiliently curved to the left in the figure, immediately before finally snapping into the final locked position as shown in FIG. 14.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXAMPLE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

(18) The invention will now be described with reference to embodiments of the invention and with reference to the appended drawings. With initial reference to FIG. 1, this figure shows a side view of a joining system according to the present invention, as applied on exemplifying floor panels 10, 20. In the shown embodiment, the floor panels 10, 20 are each provided with a decorative top layer 12. The joining system initially is shown in a joined, fully engaged and vertically locked position and includes a female coupling recess 30 formed in a first floor panel 10, said female coupling recess 30 being adapted to receive a male coupling tongue 40 projecting from an adjoining second floor panel 20 in a direction perpendicular to a main floor surface plane SP in which the floor panels 10, 20 are laid, said male coupling tongue 40 being provided with vertical locking means 50 enabling a vertical snap joint interlocking engagement with a matching vertical locking means 60 in said female coupling recess 30. The joining system further includes an elasticity slot 70 for facilitating resilient movement in said vertical snap joint interlocking engagement, the male coupling tongue 40 being configured to be essentially resilient whereas the female coupling recess 30 is configured to be essentially rigid and non-resilient.

(19) The elasticity slot 70 is located in the second floor panel 20, the male coupling tongue 40 forming a side wall surface 80 of the elasticity slot 70 on the opposite side 90 of the male coupling tongue 40 with respect to the side 100 with said vertical locking means 50, enabling enhanced resilience upon insertion of the male coupling tongue 40 into the female coupling recess 30.

(20) An upper guiding surface 110 is located on a side 115 of the female coupling recess 30 on the first panel 10, forming an essentially non-resilient vertical guide for the male coupling tongue 40 upon insertion thereof, limiting movement of said male coupling tongue 40 in a horizontal direction towards a remaining, main portion 120 of the first floor panel 10. A horizontal load bearing abutment surface 111 is located directly above the upper guiding surface 111 in the female coupling recess 30. This horizontal load bearing abutment surface 111 is adapted to function as an abutment for a matching, downwardly facing horizontal upper lip surface 112 on the second floor panel 20, contributing to the overall stability and load bearing capability of the joining system.

(21) A lower guiding surface 130 is located on an upwardly extending horizontal locking lip 140 formed at a distal end 150 of the female coupling recess 30 with respect to the remaining, main portion 120 of the first floor panel 10. The lower guiding surface 130 forces the male coupling tongue 40 to resiliently deflect whilst in engagement with said upper guiding surface 110 upon further vertical insertion thereof in a curved J-shaped deflection movement towards said remaining, main portion 120 of the first floor panel 10, until the vertical locking means 50 of the male coupling tongue 40 snaps together with the matching vertical locking means 60 of the female coupling recess 30. The lower guiding surface 130 transitions—at its lowest end 160 transitions into an essentially vertically extending horizontal locking surface 170 exerting a horizontal pressure—schematically illustrated with P-marked arrows in the FIG. 4—on the male coupling tongue 40 in a horizontal direction towards a remaining, main portion 120 of the first floor panel 10, holding the vertical locking means 50, 60 in engagement with each other in a fitted state between the first floor panel 10 and the second floor panel 20.

(22) In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the vertical locking means 50 on the male coupling tongue 40 is constituted by a continuously curved bulb-shaped protrusion 240 which extends from the male coupling tongue 40 and that the vertical locking means 60 in the female coupling recess 30 is constituted by a matching concave locking groove 250. Furthermore, in the shown embodiment, the joining system includes a single set of mutually matching vertical locking means 50, 60 located on the male coupling tongue 40 and in the female coupling recess 30, respectively.

(23) As seen in the figure, the bulb-shaped protrusion 240 has a radius R and a diagonal line 242 intersecting an apex point 245 and a lower edge point 248 of the male coupling tongue 40 is angled with an angle A between 40 and 50 degrees.

(24) The horizontal length L of the female coupling recess 30 is less than the total vertical thickness T of the first floor panel 10. Furthermore, the vertical height H of the vertical locking means 50, 60 measured from a bottom plane BP of the floor panels 10, 20 exceeds the corresponding height h of the upwardly extending locking lip 140 by at least 30%. In alternative, not shown embodiments said percentage may for example be 40%, 50% or 60%. The vertical distance D between an upper limitation wall 180 of the elasticity slot 130 and the upwardly extending horizontal locking lip 140 may be varied to achieve a desired resilience of the male coupling tongue 40 for various material properties in the floor panels 10, 20. In this embodiment, at least a part of an upper limitation wall 180 of the elasticity slot 70 is essentially horizontally aligned with the vertical locking means 50 of the male coupling tongue 40.

(25) The upper guiding surface 110 is essentially vertical and extends directly above the vertical locking means 60 of the female coupling recess 30. Furthermore, in the shown embodiment, the lower guiding surface 130 is curved in order to obtain a smooth and durable guiding action.

(26) FIG. 2 shows a similar side as in FIG. 1, albeit with the joining system in a first insertion position. As illustrated in the figure, the vertical locking means 50 of the male coupling tongue 40 is located at a distance d3 from a distal main vertical joint surface VS on the second floor panel 20 in a direction towards a remaining, main portion 280 of said second floor panel 20. This is in order to in order to avoid chafing contact between said vertical locking means 50 and a top floor surface 290 of the adjoining first floor panel 10 upon insertion of the male coupling tongue 40 into the female coupling recess 30.

(27) FIG. 3 shows a further side view of the joining system in an intermediate insertion position, wherein the male coupling tongue 40 is resiliently curved to the left in the figure, immediately before finally snapping into the final locked position as shown in FIGS. 1 and 4 the curved J-shaped deflection as mentioned initially, is illustrated by the curved arrow 45.

(28) FIG. 4 shows a final side view of the joining system shown in a joined, fully engaged and vertically locked position. Although this side view shows the joining system in the same position as in FIG. 1, this figure illustrates some additional dimensional features of the system. For example, the width W2 of the upwardly extending locking lip 140 exceeds the mean width W1 of the male coupling tongue 40. Furthermore, the width W3 of the elasticity slot 70 corresponds essentially to the width W3 of the upwardly extending horizontal locking lip 140 formed at a distal end 150 of the female coupling recess 30. An upper limitation wall 180 of the elasticity slot 70 transitions into an essentially vertical side wall surface 80 of the male coupling tongue 40 via a curved transition portion 210 thereof, with a radius R3. Also, the figure shows that the bulb-shaped protrusion 240 transitions into the male coupling tongue 40 via an upper transition radius R1 and a lower transition radius R2, the lower transition radius R2 being greater than the upper transition radius R1.

(29) FIG. 5 shows a broken side view of a typical floor panel 10, 20 according to the invention, being provided with a male coupling tongue 40 on one short side and a female coupling recess 40 on the other short side.

(30) FIG. 6 shows schematic top view of several adjoining floor panels 10, 20 provided with angle-in joints on the long sides LS thereof and fold-down joints on the short sides SS thereof.

(31) FIG. 7 shows a broken perspective view of a first floor panel 10 with a female coupling recess 30 according to the invention. Likewise, FIG. 8 shows a broken perspective view of a second floor panel 20 with a male coupling tongue 40 according to the invention.

(32) FIG. 9 shows a side view of an alternative embodiment of a joining system according to the invention provided with a resilient waterproofing seal 220 which is positioned in the elasticity slot 70. The waterproofing seal 220 is configured to seal between the elasticity slot 70 and an upper sealing surface 230 of the upwardly extending horizontal locking lip 140 formed at a distal end 150 of the female coupling recess 30. The elasticity slot 70 in this embodiment is deeper than the slots shown in FIGS. 1-8. Water droplets 235 indicate water spillage on the decorative top layer 12.

(33) FIG. 10 shows a side view of another alternative embodiment of a joining system according to the invention, wherein the elasticity slot 70 is narrower than the previously illustrated slots. More particularly, the width W3 of the elasticity slot 70 is essentially half of the width W2 of the upwardly extending horizontal locking lip 140 formed at a distal end 150 of the female coupling recess 30.

(34) FIG. 11 shows a side view of yet another alternative embodiment of a joining system according to the invention, wherein the elasticity slot is narrower than the slot shown in FIG. 10. More particularly, the width W3 of the elasticity slot 70 is essentially a third of the width W2 of the upwardly extending horizontal locking lip 140 formed at a distal end 150 of the female coupling recess 160.

(35) FIG. 12 shows a side view of yet an alternative embodiment of a joining system according to the invention, wherein the elasticity slot 70 partially extends into the side of the male coupling tongue 40. As seen in the figure, the elasticity slot 70 is at least partially inclined so as to form a partial undercut 190 into the side wall 200 of the male coupling tongue 40. The width W3 of the elasticity slot 70 and the width W4 of the undercut 190 is indicated in the figure.

(36) FIG. 13 shows a side view of a further alternative embodiment of a joining system according to the invention, wherein the elasticity slot 70 is inclined by an angle C and extends into the side of the male coupling tongue 40. Like in the embodiment previously shown in FIG. 12 the elasticity slot 70 is at least partially inclined so as to form a partial undercut 190 into the side wall surface 80 of the male coupling tongue 40. The width W4 of the undercut 190 is indicated in the figure. In this embodiment the lower guiding surface 130 is inclined as opposed to the curved lower guiding surfaces 130 shown in the other embodiments.

(37) In both embodiments shown in FIGS. 12 and 13, the upper guiding surface 110 is inclined with an angle B, leaning towards said remaining, main portion 120 of the first floor panel 10 and extends directly above the vertical locking means 60 of the female coupling recess 30.

(38) FIG. 14, FIG. 15 and FIG. 16 shows a side views of an alternative embodiment of a joining system according to the invention, wherein the vertical locking means are inverted when compared to the embodiments shown in the previous figures. In this embodiment the vertical locking means 60 in said female coupling recess 30 is constituted by a continuously curved bulb-shaped protrusion 260 extending from the female coupling recess 30 and that the vertical locking means 50 on the male coupling tongue 40 is constituted by a matching concave locking groove 270. Apart from this reverse configuration, the dimensional properties as illustrated by the measurement indications are the same as described earlier with respect to the embodiments above. Hence, In FIG. 14, the joining system is shown in a joined, fully engaged and vertically locked position. FIG. 15 shows the same embodiment as in FIG. 14, but with the joining system in a first insertion position. Finally, FIG. 16 shows the embodiment introduced with FIGS. 14 and 15, with the joining system in an intermediate insertion position, wherein the male coupling tongue 40 is resiliently curved to the left in the figure as illustrated by arrow 45.

(39) The joining system according to the invention is equally applicable to a wide variety of materials, such as for example solid wood, laminated wood, different types of fibreboard materials like MDF or HDF materials, plastic or composite polymer materials like PVC, or other polymer materials and metals such as aluminium. The joining system may also be used for joining hollow profile beams in plastic, steel or aluminium.

(40) It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above and illustrated in the drawings and a skilled person will recognize that many changes and modifications may be made within the scope of the appended claims.