Panel, in particular floor panel, having sealing function, and panel system

Abstract

Provided is a panel, in particular floor panel, with an upside, with a underside, with a first side edge, with a second side edge arranged opposite the first side edge, with a first locking element formed on the first side edge, with a second locking element formed on the second side edge. The first locking element and the second locking element are designed to correspond to one another, with a first bearing surface formed on the first side edge. The first abutment surface adjoins the upside, and with a second abutment surface formed on the second side edge. The second abutment surface adjoins the upside, in which the technical problem of preventing moisture and dirt from penetrating between the connected panels is solved.

Claims

1. A panel, especially a floor panel, comprising: a plate forming a core; an upside; an underside; a first side edge; a second side edge arranged opposite the first side edge; a first locking element formed on the first side edge; a second locking element formed on the second side edge, wherein the first locking element and the second locking element are designed to correspond to each other; a first abutment surface formed on the first side edge, the first abutment surface being adjacent to the upside; and a second abutment surface formed on the second side edge, the second abutment surface being adjacent to the upside, wherein the first locking element and the second locking element are able to establish a horizontal locking in a locking position, and wherein the material of the side edges corresponds to a core material of the plate, wherein a deformation element is arranged at least in sections on at least one of the abutment surfaces, wherein the deformation element is formed from the material of the side edge, wherein the deformation element protrudes with respect to the at least one of the abutment surfaces, a deformation section corresponding to the deformation element is provided on another abutment surface of the at least one of the abutment surfaces, wherein the deformation section runs flat with respect to the other abutment surface, and the deformation element and the deformation section are able to be deformed at least partly in the locking position due to a contact of the deformation element with an opposite abutment surface.

2. The panel according to claim 1, wherein a distance between a distal end of the deformation element and the abutment surface in a direction perpendicular to the abutment surface is in a range of 0.02 to 0.1 mm.

3. The panel according to claim 1, wherein the deformation element has a substantially triangular cross-section.

4. The panel according to claim 1, wherein the deformation element has a substantially trapezoidal cross-section.

5. The panel according to claim 1, wherein the deformation element has a substantially semicircular cross-section.

6. A system of a plurality of panels according to claim 1, wherein in a locking position, the first locking element on the first side edge of a second panel is in contact, at least in sections, with the second locking element formed on the second side edge of a first panel, in the locking position, the first abutment surface on the first side edge of the second panel is in contact, at least in sections, with the second abutment surface on the second side edge of the first panel, in the locking position the deforming element arranged on the first abutment surface of the first side edge of the second panel and/or the deforming element arranged on the second abutment surface of the second side edge of the first panel is in contact with the second abutment surface of the second side edge of the first panel and/or with the abutment surface of the first abutment surface of the first side edge of the second panel, and the contact of the deforming element with the opposite abutment surface deforms the deforming element and the opposite deforming section at least in sections.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) In the following, the invention is explained by means of an embodiment example with reference to the drawing. In the drawings show

(2) FIG. 1 a second side edge of a first panel according to the invention and a first side edge of a second panel according to the invention arranged at a distance from the second side edge,

(3) FIG. 2 the side edges of the first and second panels shown in FIG. 1 in a locked position,

(4) FIG. 3 a detailed view of the locking position of the panels shown in FIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(5) FIG. 1 shows two panels 2 according to the invention with an upside 4 and a underside 6 as well as with a first side edge 8 and a second side edge 10, which is arranged opposite the first side edge 8. A first locking element 12 is formed on the first side edge 8 and a first abutment surface 14 is formed in the area of the upside 4 of the panel 2.

(6) A second locking element 16 corresponding to the first locking element 12 and a second abutment surface 18 in the area of the upside 4 are formed on the second side edge 10. Both abutment surfaces 14, 18 are bounded by the upside 4 in the direction of the upside 4, i.e. they adjoin the upside 4. In the direction of the underside 6, the first locking element 12 and the second locking element 16 are arranged below the first abutment surface 14 and the second abutment surface 18 respectively.

(7) In the embodiment example shown, a deformation element 20 made in one piece with the first side edge 8 is arranged on the first abutment surface 14 between the end of the first abutment surface 14 facing the upside 4 and the end of the first abutment surface 14 facing the underside 6. Due to the one-piece design, the deformation element 20 is made of the material of the first side edge 8, wherein the material of the first side edge 8 corresponds to the core material of the panel 2. In this embodiment, the first abutment surface 14 can also be referred to as the base surface of the deformation element 20.

(8) On the other abutment surface 18, a deformation section 21 corresponding to the deformation element 20 is provided, i.e. a material section of the side edge 10 which comes into contact with the deformation element 20 when the panels 2 are joined and is simultaneously deformed with the deformation element 20.

(9) The deformation element 20 is configured such that a distal end of the deformation element 20 protrudes in a direction perpendicular to the first abutment surface 14 relative to the first abutment surface 14. The deformation element 20 shown has a substantially triangular cross-section, with a tip of the deformation element 20 constituting the distal end of the deformation element 20. The distal end of the deformation element protrudes in the direction perpendicular to the first abutment surface 14 in the range of 0.05 mm to 0.2 mm, in particular 0.08 m to 0.12 mm.

(10) In the embodiment shown, the first locking element 12 is configured as a spring 12 at the first lateral edge 8 of the panel 2, the spring 12 having a spring upside 22, a spring underside 24 and a first locking surface 26 formed at the distal end of the spring 12.

(11) The second locking element 16, arranged on the second lateral edge 10 of the panel 2 and corresponding to the first locking element 12, comprises a groove 28 delimited in the direction of the upside 4 by an upper lip 30, at the distal end of which the second abutment surface 18 is formed. In the direction of the underside 6, the groove 28 is delimited by a lower lip 32, the lower lip 32 projecting distally with respect to the upper lip 30, and a projection 34 is formed on the distal end of the lower lip 32, on which projection a second locking surface 36 facing the groove is arranged at the proximal end.

(12) In the locking position shown in FIG. 2, the spring 12 is disposed on the first side edge 8 of the second panel 2 at least partially within the groove 28 on the second side edge 10 of the first panel 2, with a portion of the upside of the spring 22 in contact with a underside 38 bounding the upper lip 30 in the direction of the bottom 6 and the bottom of the spring 24 in contact with an upside 40 of the lower lip 32. As a result of the contact of the second locking surface 36 with the first locking surface 26, a bias of the lower lip 32 generated by the contact and by the corresponding configuration of the first connecting element 12 and the second connecting element 16 in the lower lip 32 pushes the spring 12 and thus the second panel 2 towards the first panel. The resulting contact force plastically deforms the deformation element 20 arranged on the first abutment surface 14 and the deformation section 21 of the second abutment surface 18 in contact with the deformation element 20 in such a way that the first abutment surface 14 is in contact with the second abutment surface 18 and no visually or haptically perceptible gap is formed between the first abutment surface 14 and the second abutment surface 18.

(13) The deformation of the deformation element 20 as well as the deformation section 21 of the second abutment surface 18, which is in contact with the deformation element 20, causes a local compression of the material, resulting in a linear surface pressure in this area, which can also be referred to as a sealing area or sealing line. Due to the close contact or the deformation of the deformation element 20 and the deformation section 21, the connection between the first panel 2 and the second panel 2 is sealed so that no moisture or dirt can penetrate into the gap between the panels 2, 2 below the sealing point.

(14) The deformation of the deformation element 20 and of the deformation section 21 of the second abutment surface 18 in contact with the deformation element 20 can be seen in the detailed view (III) of the sealing area shown in FIG. 3. The original outer contour of the deformation element 20 is shown by the dashed lines. It can be seen how the deformation element 20, although strongly deformed, has nevertheless penetrated the surface of the second abutment surface 18 and deformed the deformation section 21 due to the surface pressure. The deformation results in a compression of the material both within the deformation element 20 and the first abutment surface 14 and in the deformation section of the second abutment surface 18 that is in contact with the deformation element 20.