SET CONSISTING OF TWO PANELS FOR CLADDING A SURFACE AND OF A PANEL CONNECTION ELEMENT, PANEL CONNECTION ELEMENT, AND USE OF A PANEL CONNECTION ELEMENT

Abstract

The disclosure relates to a set consisting of two panels for cladding a surface and of a panel connection element for connecting the two panels, wherein: two mutually opposing panel side faces have mutually complementary coupling elements in the form of an upper coupling element and a lower coupling element; the lower coupling element has a groove; the panel connection element has a first part and a second part which is coupled to the first part via a connection piece; the first part is introduced into the groove when the two panels are in the coupled state; the second part is pivotable about the connection piece relative to the first part; the second part comprises an upper portion, which has a latching element, and a lower portion, which has a lever, and the latching element has a bulge at the distal end; the locking element has a contact face which bears against the lever when the two panels are in the coupled state; the locking element has a latching receptacle which is complementary to the latching element and into which the bulge of the latching element engages when the two panels are in the coupled state. In this way, a set consisting of two panels and a panel connection element is provided which allows particularly fast and simple connection of the two panels via the panel connection element.

Claims

1. A set consisting of two panels for cladding a surface and a panel connection element for connecting the two panels wherein: the panels each comprise a panel core which is enclosed by a flat panel upper surface, a flat panel lower surface spaced therefrom and parallel thereto and four panel side surfaces each connecting the panel upper surface to the panel lower surface, at two mutually opposing panel side surfaces mutually complementary coupling elements in the form of an upper coupling element and a lower coupling element are disposed, which are designed in such a way that they enable a coupling of a first such panel to a second such panel by means of a relative movement of the upper coupling element of the first panel towards the lower coupling element of the second panel, the lower coupling element comprises a latching receptacle and the upper coupling element comprises a locking element which engages in the latching receptacle in the coupled state of the two panels, so that the locking element forms a first coupling section of the coupling elements together with the latching receptacle, the lower coupling element comprises a groove adjacent to the latching receptacle, the panel connection element comprises a first part and a second part coupled to the first part via a connecting web, wherein the first part is inserted into the groove in the coupled state of the two panels, the second part is pivotable relative to the first part about the connecting web, the second part comprises an upper section comprising a latching element and a lower section comprising a lever and the latching element comprises a bulge at the distal end, the locking element comprises a contact surface which abuts against the lever in the coupled state of the two panels, and the locking element comprises a latching receptacle which is complementary to the latching element and in which the bulge of the latching element engages in the coupled state of the two panels, so that the bulge of the latching element forms a second coupling section of the coupling elements together with the latching receptacle.

2. The set according to claim 1, wherein the lower coupling element comprises a second locking element at its distal end and the upper coupling element comprises a second latching receptacle, into which the second locking element engages in the coupled state of the two panels, so that the second locking element forms a third coupling section of the coupling elements together with the second latching receptacle.

3. The set according to claim 1, wherein the lower coupling element comprises a protrusion adjacent to the groove and a second contact surface adjacent to the protrusion and the upper coupling element comprises a third contact surface adjacent to the latching receptacle and the second contact surface and the third contact surface abut flat against one another in the coupled state of the two panels.

4. The set according to claim 1, wherein the panel connection element is arranged substantially stationary in the groove.

5. The set according to claim 1, wherein the latching element comprises a rear formation at the proximal end.

6. The set according to claim 1, wherein the protrusion comprises a mating surface against which, in the coupled state of the two panels, the rear formation of the upper section of the latching element abuts.

7. The set according to claim 1, wherein the panel upper surfaces of two panels terminate flush in the coupled state of the two panels.

8. The set according to claim 1, wherein the first part of the panel connection element comprises a base element and a plurality of mutually spaced support elements which are arranged adjacent to the lower side of the base element and on which the base element is supported in the vertical direction.

9. The set according to claim 1, wherein the connecting web is formed by a film hinge.

10. The set according to claim 1, wherein the panel connection element is designed in one piece.

11. The set according to claim 1, wherein the lower end of the lever projects into the latching receptacle.

12. A panel connection element comprising a first part and a second part coupled to the first part via a connecting web, wherein the second part is pivotable relative to the first part about the connecting web, the second part comprises an upper section comprising a latching element and a lower section comprising a lever, and the latching element comprises a bulge at the distal end.

13. The panel connection element according to claim 12, wherein the first part of the panel connection element comprises a base element and a plurality of spaced-apart support elements which are arranged adjacent to the lower side of the base element and on which the base element is supported in the vertical direction.

14. The panel connection element according to claim 12, wherein the panel connection element comprises plastic and/or metal.

15. A method for connecting two panels in the cladding of a surface using the panel connection element according to claim 12.

Description

DRAWINGS

[0037] The drawings described herein are for illustrative purposes only of selected embodiments and not all possible implementations, and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.

[0038] In the following, the disclosure is explained in further detail based on a preferred exemplary embodiment with reference to the drawings.

[0039] In the drawings:

[0040] FIG. 1 shows a schematic sectional view of the coupling elements and the panel connection element according to a preferred exemplary embodiment of the disclosure in an uncoupled state;

[0041] FIG. 2 shows schematically a sectional view of the coupling elements and the panel connection element according to the preferred exemplary embodiment of the disclosure in a coupled state;

[0042] FIG. 3 shows a schematic sectional view of the panel connection element according to a preferred exemplary embodiment of the disclosure in a detailed view; and

[0043] FIG. 4 shows a schematic sectional view of the coupling elements and the panel connection element according to a further preferred exemplary embodiment of the disclosure in a coupled state.

[0044] Corresponding reference numerals indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0045] Example embodiments will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0046] FIG. 1 shows two panels 1A, 1B in a schematic sectional view, which are provided for cladding a surface. Specifically, the preferred exemplary embodiment of the disclosure shown here involves two floor panels for cladding a floor area of a room of a building. FIG. 1 shows the panels 1A, 1B in an uncoupled state, i.e. separate from one another. The panels 1A, 1B shown here comprise wood, such as in the case of finished parquet or so-called engineered wood, or wood-based materials, such as in the case of laminate, as the base material. Consequently, the carrier comprises wood or a wood-based material, preferably the carrier consists of such a material.

[0047] The two panels 1A, 1B each comprise a panel core which is enclosed by a flat panel upper surface 2, a flat panel lower surface 3 spaced therefrom and extending parallel thereto and four panel side surfaces each connecting the panel upper surface 2 to the panel lower surface 3. As can be seen from FIG. 1, complementary coupling elements 4, 5 in the form of an upper coupling element 4 and a lower coupling element 5, which are designed in such a way that they enable a first such panel 1A to be coupled to a second such panel 1B by means of a relative movement of the upper coupling element 4 of the first panel 1A towards the lower coupling element 5 of the second panel 1B, are arranged at two panel side surfaces opposing one another.

[0048] The upper coupling element 4 comprises a first locking element 7 and a second latching receptacle 20 adjacent to the locking element 7. At the distal end of the first locking element 7 there is a recess that forms a latching receptacle 15. A contact surface 14 is located below the latching receptacle 15 and directly adjacent to the latching receptacle 15. The lower coupling element 5 comprises a first latching receptacle 6, into which the first locking element 7 of the upper coupling element 4 is inserted. Adjacent to the first latching receptacle 6 at the distal end of the lower coupling element 5 the second locking element 19 is disposed, which is inserted into the second latching receptacle 20 of the upper coupling element 4. Also adjacent to the first latching receptacle 6 but at the proximal end of the coupling element 5 the groove 8 is disposed, into which a panel connection element 9 can be inserted. In the illustrated embodiment of the disclosure, both coupling elements 4, 5 each have a second and a third contact surface 17, 18, respectively, which are disposed adjacent to their panel upper surfaces 2 and abut each other in the coupled state.

[0049] The coupling elements 4, 5 are connected via the panel connection element 9. The panel connection element 9 comprises a latching element 11 and a lever 12. In the uncoupled state, the panel connection element 9 can already be pre-assembled by inserting it with its first part I into the groove 8 of the lower coupling element 5 provided for this purpose. The second part II of the panel connection element 9 is disposed in an initial position. The latching element 11 is pivoted back and the lever 12 protrudes accordingly.

[0050] By coupling the two coupling elements 4, 5, two or three coupling sections are essentially created.

[0051] The first coupling section is created by inserting the locking element 7 into the latching receptacle 6 provided for this purpose. The contact surface 14 of the locking element 7 hits against the lever 12 during insertion and actuates the panel connection element 9 or triggers a pivoting movement of the part of the latching element 9 not located in the locking groove 8. The lever 12 is pushed back and accordingly the latching element 11 is pivoted forward and engages in the complementary latching receptacle 15 of the locking element 7 and establishes the second coupling section. A third coupling section is formed by a further pair of locking element 19 and latching receptacle 20. By bringing the coupling sections 4, 5 together, the second locking element 19, too, is inserted into the latching receptacle 20 provided for this purpose. The first and the third coupling section secure the panels 1A, 1B by preventing a displacement in the horizontal direction or in the longitudinal direction of the panels 1A, 1B. The second coupling section secures the panels 1A, 1B by preventing a displacement in the vertical direction. As a result, the panels 1A, 1B are immovable both in the horizontal and in the vertical direction in the coupled state.

[0052] FIG. 2 shows in one embodiment of the disclosure the set consisting of the two panels 1A, 1B and the panel connection element 9 in a coupled and fully assembled state. The locking elements 7, 19 are inserted into their respective latching receptacles 6, 20. In this embodiment, the second contact surface 17 of the lower coupling element 5 lies flat against the third contact surface 18 of the upper coupling element 4. The lever 12 has been pushed back by the lower contact surface 14 of the locking element 7. The latching element 11 has been pivoted forward accordingly, so that it is pivoted into the latching receptacle 15 of the locking element 7 and connects or locks the lower coupling area 5 to the upper coupling area 4 in such a way that the two panels 1A and 1B are prevented from moving apart in the vertical direction. The locking between the lower coupling area 5 and the upper coupling area 4, which acts in the vertical direction, only occurs when the movable second part of the panel connection element 9 is actuated, i.e. by pushing back the lever 12 and thus pivoting the latching element 11 into the latching receptacle 15.

[0053] FIG. 3 shows a sectional view of the panel connection element 9 in a detailed view. The panel connection element 9 can basically be divided into two parts I, II. The first part I is the part that is inserted into the groove 8. The second part II is the movable part. It comprises the latching element 11 and the lever 12. The first part I and the second part II are connected to each other via a connecting web 10. The connecting web 10 is sufficiently thin and elastic to ensure the mobility of the second part II relative to the first part. The second part II can be pivoted about this connecting web 10. The connecting web 10 can also be formed by a film hinge 5 or similar mechanisms.

[0054] The first part I is composed of a base element 23 and, in this example, three support elements 24. The support elements 24 serve as a kind of feet on which the base element 23 stands. This design increases the flexibility of the first part I and facilitates the assembly or insertion of the first part I into the groove 8. In addition, such an embodiment leads to material savings compared to an embodiment of the base element 23 as a solid body. It can also be advantageous if the thickness of the base element 23 including the support elements 24 is slightly greater than the opening width of the groove 8. In such an embodiment, the support elements 24 are elastically deformed when the latching element 9 is inserted into the groove 8 and, due to the restoring force caused in this way, create a force-fit connection between the panel connection element 9 and the upper and lower walls of the groove 8, by means of which the panel connection element 9 can be retained within the groove and prevented from slipping out.

[0055] The second part II can in turn be divided into an upper section II.I and a lower section II.II. The upper section II.I comprises the latching element 11. The latching element comprises a front bulge 13 and a rear formation 21. The area between the front bulge 13 and the rear formation 21 can preferably be in the shape of a circular section. The lower section II.II comprises the lever 12. The upper section II.I and the lower section II.II are directly coupled to one another by being formed in one piece. A one-piece configuration within the sense of the disclosure also includes those in which the panel connection element 9 is manufactured from different materials, for example in the course of coextrusion of different plastics. In particular, it may be provided that the latching element 11 and the lever 12 are formed from a less elastic plastic material, whereas the connecting web 10 and/or the support elements 24 are formed from a more elastic plastic material. Pivoting the lever 12 inevitably causes the latching element 11 to pivot. The pivoting movement occurs in an arc around the connecting web 10. Due to the fact that the connecting web 10 lies at a level between the upper section II.I and the lower section II.II, the latching element 11 and the lever 12 move in opposite directions. This means that the latching element 11 is pivoted forward when the lever 12 is pivoted back and vice versa.

[0056] FIG. 4 shows in one embodiment of the disclosure a sectional view of the coupling elements 4, 5 and the panel connection element 9 according to a further preferred exemplary embodiment of the disclosure in a coupled state. The exemplary embodiment shown differs from the exemplary embodiment in FIGS. 1 and 2 in that the lower coupling element 5 comprises a protrusion 16 adjacent to the groove 8. In the protrusion 16 an edge with a mating surface 22 is arranged, against which the rear formation 21 of the latching element 11 abuts. The mating surface 22 of the edge acts as a kind of barb and prevents the latching element 11 from being pivoted back once it has been pivoted forward in the coupled state. In the initial position, the latching element 11 is pivoted back and the rear formation 21 is located behind the edge or behind the mating surface 22. If the latching element 11 is pivoted forward during coupling, the rear formation slides over the edge so that the rear formation 21 abuts against the mating surface 22. In this embodiment of the disclosure, it is no longer possible for the latching element 11 to pivot back. This additionally secures the connection between the lower coupling element 5 and the upper coupling element 4, since the latching element 11 must be pivoted out of the latching receptacle 15 in order to be able to release the connection. However, this is prevented by the mating surface 22 of the protrusion 16.

[0057] The foregoing description of the embodiments has been provided for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the disclosure. Individual elements or features of a particular embodiment are generally not limited to that particular embodiment, but, where applicable, are inter-changeable and can be used in a selected embodiment, even if not specifically shown or described. The same may also be varied in many ways. Such variations are to be regarded as a departure from the disclosure, and all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the disclosure.