Panel

Abstract

A panel having a panel upper side and a panel lower side and at least two opposing panel edges. One panel edge has a simple fold projecting in the lower region of the panel edge and recessed in the upper region. The opposing panel edge has a complementary simple fold projecting in the upper region and recessed in the lower region, so that both folds form together a stepshaped connection in the connected state. The panel edges each have an edge break on the panel upper side, which form in the connected state a joint in a covering surface. The edge break of one of the panel edges is larger than the edge break of the opposing panel edge. A lower part of the large edge break of the one panel edge is overlapped in the connected state by the small edge break of the opposing panel edge.

Claims

1. A panel, comprising: a panel top side; a panel underside; and at least two mutually opposite panel edges, of which one panel edge has a simple rabbet that projects in a lower region of the panel edge and is set back in an upper region and of which an opposite panel edge has a complementary simple rabbet that projects in an upper region of the panel edge and is set back in a lower region so that the two rabbets in a connected condition together form a stepped connection, wherein the panel edges at the panel top side respectively have an edge break which in turn in the connected condition together form a joint in a covering surface, wherein the edge break of one of the panel edges is larger than the edge break of the opposite panel edge and a lower part of the large edge break of the one panel edge in the connected condition is overlapped by the small edge break of the opposite panel edge, wherein at least one of: A) the rabbet that projects in the lower region of the panel edge and B) the rabbet that projects in the upper region of the panel edge in the connected condition bears against a set-back region of the complementary rabbet, wherein the rabbets each have a surface, at least one of A) in the lower region and B) the upper region, that forms an abutment, the surface forming the abutment being substantially perpendicular to the panel top side, wherein one of the rabbets has the upper region near the panel top side an undercut contour having a lateral projection and the small edge break is disposed at the lateral projection of said undercut contour, wherein the lateral projection of the contour has a locking surface directed towards the panel underside, and wherein a gap is provided between the locking surface of the lateral projection of the contour and an overlapped region of the large edge break when the panel edges are connected together.

2. The panel according to claim 1, wherein the locking surface of the lateral projection of the contour and an overlapped region of the large edge break are in contact with each other when the panel edges are connected together.

3. The panel according to claim 1, wherein the large edge break is arranged at the panel edge whose rabbet projects in the lower region.

4. The panel according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the edge breaks is formed as a bevel.

5. The panel according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the edge breaks is formed as a rounded portion.

6. The panel according to claim 1, wherein the rabbet that projects in the lower region of the panel edge or the rabbet that projects in the upper region of the panel edge in the connected condition ends at a spacing in front of a set-hack region of the complementary rabbet so that a gap is formed.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

(1) The invention is illustrated by way of example in a drawing and described in detail by means of a number of embodiments by way of example. In the drawing:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a diagrammatic plan view of a panel according to the invention of rectangular shape,

(3) FIG. 2 shows mutually opposite panel edges of a panel according to the state of the art in the connected condition,

(4) FIG. 3 shows mutually opposite panel edges of a panel according to the invention in the connected condition,

(5) FIG. 4 shows mutually opposite panel edges of an alternative embodiment of a panel according to the invention in the connected condition,

(6) FIG. 5 shows a development of the panel edges of FIG. 3,

(7) FIG. 6 shows an alternative development of the panel edges of FIG. 3,

(8) FIG. 7 shows mutually opposite panel edges of an alternative embodiment of a panel according to the invention in the connected condition,

(9) FIG. 8 shows mutually opposite panel edges of a further embodiment of a panel according to the invention in the connected condition,

(10) FIG. 9 shows mutually opposite panel edges of another embodiment of a panel according to the invention in the connected condition, and

(11) FIG. 10 shows mutually opposite panel edges of an additional embodiment of a panel according to the invention in the connected condition.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(12) The example shown in FIG. 1 involves a panel 1 of a rectangular base surface. The panel has two pairs of edges, whose panel edges 2, 3 and 4, 5 respectively are respectively disposed in paired opposite relationship. The panel edges are provided with complementary simple rabbets according to the invention.

(13) FIG. 2 shows complementary panel edges of a panel according to the state of the art. The panel edges are shown in the connected condition.

(14) FIG. 3 shows the panel edges 2 and 3 of a panel 1 according to the invention, also in the connected condition. The panel has a panel top side 1a and a panel underside 1b. The panel edge 2 has a simple rabbet 6 which projects in the lower region 6a of the panel edge and is set back in the upper region 6b. The oppositely disposed panel edge 3 has a simple rabbet 7 which is complementary thereto and which projects in the upper region 7a of the panel edge and is set back in the lower region 7b. A contact surface 6c of the rabbet extends between the lower region 6a and the upper region 6b and a contact surface 7c extends between the upper region 7a and the lower region 7b. The contact surfaces are parallel to the panel top side. In the connected condition shown here the two rabbets 6 and 7 together form a stepped connection.

(15) At the panel top side 1a the panel edge 2 has a small edge break 8 while the panel edge 3 at the panel top side has a large edge break 9. The edge breaks 8 and 9 in turn in the connected condition together form a join 10 in the covering surface. The large edge break 9 extends under the small edge break 8. The large edge break 9 is partly overlapped by the small edge break 8. The two edge breaks 8 and 9 are in the form of a 45 bevel.

(16) The small edge break 8 is arranged at a contour which is of an undercut configuration as viewed from the panel top side. In the upper region of the rabbet 6, at its set-back region 6b, near the panel top side 1a, that contour forms a lateral projection 11. The lateral projection has a locking surface 12 which is directed towards the panel underside 1b. In FIG. 3 the overlapped region of the large edge break (45 bevel) bears against the locking surface 12 of the projection 11. In addition the rabbet 6 and the rabbet 7 are in contact over the entire cross-section with the exception of the region of the join 10.

(17) FIG. 4 shows an alternative configuration of a panel according to the invention and also shows the panel edges thereof in the connected condition. The panel 1 also has a simple rabbet 6 with a lower region 6a which projects and an upper region which is set back as well as a simple rabbet 7 with an upper projecting region 7a and a lower set-back region 7b. As a distinction in relation to the previous embodiment the edge breaks are interchanged, that is to say a small edge break 13 is arranged on the rabbet 7, more specifically at its projecting upper region 7a, and a small edge break 14 is provided at the set-back upper region 6b of the rabbet 6.

(18) The upper region 6b of the rabbet 6, near the panel top side 1a, has a lateral projection 15 which is directed towards the panel top side. The projection is here provided with the large edge break 13. The projection 15 has a locking surface 16, directed towards the panel underside 1b.

(19) Near the panel top side 1a the upper region 7a of the rabbet 7 has a lateral projection 17 directed towards the panel top side. That projection is provided with the small edge break 13 and it also has a locking surface 18 directed towards the panel underside 1b. That locking surface 18 overlaps a part of the large edge break 14 of the rabbet 6. Provided in the upper projecting region 7a of the rabbet 7 is a jagged contour 19 which includes a wedge-shaped groove 20, thereby forming an undercut configuration. In addition the rabbet 6 in the upper region also includes a groove 21, thereby forming a further undercut configuration so that this embodiment is as it were doubly of an undercut configuration. The rabbet 6 and the rabbet 7 are in contact over the entire cross-section with the exception of the region of the join 10.

(20) The embodiment of FIG. 5 is based on that shown in FIG. 3. Here once again a projection 11 having a locking surface 12 is provided upwardly on the rabbet 6. As a distinction in relation to FIG. 3 the overlapped part of the large edge break 9 of the rabbet 7 does not extend as far as the locking surface 12 of the rabbet 6, instead there is a gap. The projecting upper region 7a of the rabbet 7 however is in contact with the upper set-back region 6b of the rabbet 6. The set-back lower region 7b of the rabbet 7 is however at a spacing relative to the lower projecting region 6a of the rabbet 6. The contact surfaces 6c and 7c are in contact with each other.

(21) The embodiment of FIG. 6 is also based on that shown in FIG. 3 and in turn a projection 11 having a locking surface 12 is provided upwardly on the rabbet 6. Here the overlapped part of the large edge break 9 of the rabbet 7 bears against the locking surface 12 of the rabbet 6. In addition the contact surfaces 6c and 7c are in contact with each other. The projecting upper region 7a of the rabbet 7 is however not in contact with the upper set-back region 6b of the rabbet 6. The set-back lower region 7b of the rabbet 7 is also not in contact with the lower projecting region 6a of the rabbet 6.

(22) A variant in which there is a gap in the upper region 7a/6b of the rabbets and the lower regions 6a/7b are in contact with each other is also possible (this is not shown).

(23) FIG. 7 shows an alternative configuration of a panel according to the invention which is also based on the embodiment of FIG. 3. It differs therefrom only in that the edge breaks 8 and 9 are not bevels but rounded portions. In the present embodiment they are circular arcuate portions. The small edge break 8 is formed from a shorter arcuate portion and the edge break 9 is formed from a longer arcuate portion. The small edge break 8 is arranged at a projection upwardly on the set-back region 6b of the rabbet 6. A locking surface 12 of the projection 11 is also of an arcuate configuration, with the arcuate portion of the locking surface being matched to the circular arc of the overlapped part of the large edge break 9 of the rabbet 7. The rabbet 6 and the rabbet 7 are in contact over the entire cross-section with the exception of the join 10.

(24) The embodiment of FIG. 8 differs from FIG. 7 by virtue of different rounded configurations of the edge breaks 8 and 9. The large edge break 9 is of a quarter-circular cross-section. The small edge break 8 is of the same radius as the quarter-circle cross-section, but is shorter.

(25) A locking surface 12 of the projection 11 is again of an arcuate configuration and has a matching radius which is adapted to the radius of the overlapped part of the large edge break 9 of the rabbet 7. The rabbet 6 and the rabbet 7 are in contact over the entire cross-section with the exception of the region of the join 10.

(26) FIG. 9 shows an embodiment for edge breaks in the form of rounded portions which however have their center point outside the panel cross-section. The rounded portions are of a configuration in the manner of a hollow fillet. Together they form a V-shaped join 10, wherein the V-limbs are curved outwardly. In this embodiment also a projection 11 having a locking surface 12 directed towards the panel underside is provided upwardly on the rabbet 6 and in turn the locking surface is of an arcuate configuration and its radius is adapted to the radius of the overlapped part of the large edge break 9 of the rabbet 7. The rabbet 6 and the rabbet 7 are in contact over the entire cross-section with the exception of the region of the join 10.

(27) The embodiment of FIG. 10 is based on that shown in FIG. 9. It includes the hollow fillet-shaped small edge break 8 in an identical configuration. The large edge break 9 is also in the form of a hollow fillet in the region which is not overlapped and forms the one side of the join. In the overlapped region however the rounded configuration is not hollow fillet-shaped but is turned outwardly.

(28) Reference was made to FIGS. 5 and 6 to describe embodiments with 45 bevel variants, which can have a gap at various locations of the connection and have mutually butting surfaces at other locations. It will be appreciated that the embodiment of FIG. 4 or the embodiments of FIGS. 7 through 10 can also be modified in such a way that, in front of the upper projecting region of the rabbet 7 and/or the lower projecting region of the rabbet 6, there is a gap when the panel edges are connected together. Equally there can then be a gap over the overlapped part of the large edge break.

LIST OF REFERENCES

(29) 1 panel 1a panel top side 1b panel underside 2 panel edge 3 panel edge 4 panel edge 5 panel edge 6 simple rabbet 6a lower region 6b upper region 6c contact surface 7 simple rabbet 7a upper region 7b lower region 7c contact surface 8 small edge break 9 large edge break 10 join 11 lateral projection 12 locking surface 13 small edge break 14 large edge break 15 lateral projection 16 locking surface 17 lateral projection 18 locking surface 19 jagged contour 20 wedge-shaped groove 21 groove S1 gap S2 gap S3 gap