Panel with a Hook-Form Locking System

Abstract

The invention relates to a panel (1, 4, 5) comprising a panel upper side (1a) and a panel lower side (1b) and also at least four panel edges which are situated opposite one another in pairs, with complementary retaining profiles which are provided in pairs on the panel edges and which match one another in such a way that panels of the same type can be fastened to one another, wherein at least one of the retaining profile pairs is provided with hook profiles, namely on a panel edge with a receiving hook (6) and on the opposite panel edge with an arresting hook (7). Floor coverings, for example, are produced with panels of this kind and, in particular, such panels are suitable for floor coverings laid in a floating manner. The panels customarily have decorative surfaces.

Claims

1. A panel comprising a panel top side and a panel underside and comprising at least four panel margins which are situated opposite one another in pairwise fashion, having complementary holding profiles which are provided in pairwise fashion on the panel margins and which fit together such that identical panels are fastenable to one another, wherein at least one of the holding profile pairs is equipped with hook profiles, specifically with a receiving hook on one panel margin and with an arresting hook on the opposite panel margin, wherein the receiving hook has a receiving edge directed toward the panel top side and a receiving groove open toward the panel top side, and the arresting hook equipped with an arresting edge which is directed toward the panel underside and with an arresting groove which is open toward the panel underside, wherein the receiving edge has an inner side which faces toward the receiving groove, and said inner side serves as lower locking surface, and in a manner adapted to this, the arresting edge has an inner side which faces toward the arresting groove, and said inner side serves as corresponding upper locking surface, with the condition that both the lower locking surface and the upper locking surface are each inclined relative to the perpendicular to the panel top side such that, in the locked state, said lower locking surface and upper locking surface are oriented parallel to one another and can make contact, wherein the inclination of the locking surfaces is selected such that the normal vector with respect to the lower locking surface intersects the panel top side and the normal vector with respect to the upper locking surface intersects the panel underside, wherein a lower detent engagement point is provided which comprises a first detent means which is arranged on an outer side of the receiving edge, and the lower detent engagement point comprises a second detent means which corresponds to said first detent means and which is arranged on a recessed groove flank of the arresting groove, wherein at least a partial section of the top side of the receiving edge runs downward in an inclined manner in the direction of the outer side of the receiving edge, wherein at least a partial section of the groove base of the arresting groove is adapted in complementary fashion to the inclination of the partial section of the top side of the receiving edge.

2. The panel as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first detent means of the lower detent engagement point has a detent projection, and in that the second detent means of the lower detent engagement point has a detent depression adapted to said detent projection.

3. The panel as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first detent means of the lower detent engagement point has a detent depression, and in that the second detent means of the lower detent engagement point has a detent projection adapted to said detent depression.

4. The panel as claimed in claim 1, wherein an upper detent engagement point is provided which has a first detent means on an outer side of the arresting edge, and a second detent means corresponding to said first detent means is provided on a recessed groove flank of the receiving groove.

5. The panel as claimed in claim 4, wherein the first detent means of the upper detent engagement point has a detent projection, and in that the second detent means of the upper detent engagement point has a detent depression adapted to said detent projection.

6. The panel as claimed in claim 4, wherein the first detent means of the upper detent engagement pointer has a detent depression, and in that the second detent means of the upper detent engagement point has a detent projection adapted to said detent depression.

7. The panel as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one free space is provided between the underside of the arresting edge and the groove base of the receiving groove.

8. The panel as claimed in claim 1, wherein, in the locked state, a gap is provided between outer side of the receiving edge and groove flank of the arresting groove.

9. The panel as claimed in claim 1, wherein the underside of the arresting edge makes contact at least in regions with the groove base of the receiving groove in the locked state.

10. The panel as claimed in claim 1, wherein the receiving edge has a transition to the inner side of the receiving groove, and in that the transition is provided with a curvature.

Description

[0052] Below, the invention will be illustrated by way of example in a drawing, and will be described in detail on the basis of several exemplary embodiments. In the drawing:

[0053] FIG. 1 shows a fold-down method in a right-handed configuration,

[0054] FIG. 2 shows a fold-down method in a left-handed configuration,

[0055] FIG. 3 shows a first exemplary embodiment of a panel according to the invention, wherein the panel is illustrated in divided form in order to illustrate its oppositely situated hook profiles in the still-unlocked state,

[0056] FIG. 4 shows the hook profiles of the panel as per FIG. 3 in the locked state,

[0057] FIG. 4a shows an enlarged detail as per excerpt IVa in FIG. 4,

[0058] FIG. 4b shows an alternative for FIG. 4a,

[0059] FIG. 5 shows a further exemplary embodiment for hook profiles of the panel as per FIG. 3 in the locked state,

[0060] FIG. 5a shows an enlarged detail as per excerpt Va in FIG. 5,

[0061] FIG. 5b shows an alternative for FIG. 5a,

[0062] FIG. 6 shows a further exemplary embodiment for hook profiles of the panel as per FIG. 3 in the locked state,

[0063] FIG. 7 shows a further exemplary embodiment for hook profiles of the panel as per FIG. 3 in the locked state,

[0064] FIG. 8 shows a further exemplary embodiment for hook profiles of the panel as per FIG. 3 in the locked state,

[0065] FIG. 8a shows an enlarged detail as per detail VIIIa in FIG. 8,

[0066] FIG. 8b shows an alternative for FIG. 8a,

[0067] FIG. 9 shows a further exemplary embodiment for hook profiles of the panel as per FIG. 3 in the locked state.

[0068] FIG. 1 shows, in a perspective view, a fold-down method for the locking of panels as per the prior art. Here, a new panel 1 is set at an oblique angle, and is placed, with a tongue profile margin 2 to the fore, onto a groove profile margin 3 of a laid panel 4 of a preceding panel row. Subsequently, the new panel 1 is pivoted down into the plane of the installed panels, wherein an identical panel 5 has already been laid in the same panel row. By means of the pivoting joining movement, the tongue and groove profile margins lock together. The new panel 1 furthermore has a pair of hook profiles, specifically a receiving hook (not illustrated) and an arresting hook 6. During the downward pivoting joining movement, the arresting hook 6 of the new panel 1 moves in the direction of the complementary receiving hook 7 of the identical panel 5 with a scissor-like movement. Here, the arresting hook 6 hooks together with the receiving hook 7 and form-fitting locking of the hook profiles occurs at the same time as the locking of the tongue and groove profile margins.

[0069] The structure of a floor surface is indicated in FIG. 1. In this example, a new panel is always laid toward the left in continuous fashion.

[0070] FIG. 2 shows a second example of a fold-down method, known from the prior art, for the locking of panels. Said second example differs from the method of FIG. 1 merely in that a new panel must be laid toward the right in continuous fashion, that is to say the panel margins which have the receiving hooks and the arresting hooks respectively have been interchanged in relation to the example of FIG. 1.

[0071] Groove and tongue profiles that are suitable for form-fitting locking by means of the fold-down method are well known from the prior art, for example from WO 97/47834 A1 or from WO 00/63510.

[0072] FIG. 3 illustrates a first exemplary embodiment of a panel 1 according to the invention, having a panel top side 1a and a panel underside 1b, wherein, in simplified form, only one holding profile pair of the panel is illustrated. The holding profile pair shown here has complementary hook profiles, specifically an arresting hook 6 (top) and a receiving hook 7 (bottom). To explain the mode of operation the panel 1 may be considered as having been divided into two parts, such that the two hook profiles (6 and 7) of the panel can be hooked together. Hook profiles of identical panels are self-evidently locked in the same way.

[0073] The receiving hook 6 has a receiving edge 8 directed toward the panel top side 1a and a receiving groove 9 which is open toward the panel top side. The arresting hook 7 is equipped with an arresting edge 10, which is directed toward the panel underside 1b, and with an arresting groove 11, which is open toward the panel underside 1b.

[0074] An inner side of the receiving edge 8 faces toward the receiving groove 9, and said inner side serves as lower locking surface 12. In a manner adapted to this, the arresting hook 7, on an inner side, facing toward the arresting groove 11, of its arresting edge 10, forms an upper locking surface 13 which interacts with the lower locking surface 12 of the receiving edge 8.

[0075] Both the lower locking surface 12 and the upper locking surface 13 are each inclined relative to the perpendicular L to the panel top side by an angle α. The inclinations are matched to one another such that the corresponding locking surfaces 12 and 13, in the locked state, are oriented parallel to one another and can make contact.

[0076] Furthermore, the inclination of the lower locking surface 12 is selected such that the normal vector N.sub.12, which is directed perpendicularly outward from the lower locking surface 12, intersects the panel top side 1a. It is correspondingly conversely the case that the normal vector N.sub.13 is directed perpendicularly outward from the upper locking surface 13, such that said normal vector N.sub.13 intersects the oppositely situated panel underside 1b. In general, it is the case that the panel top side 1a and the normal vector N.sub.12 enclose an angle which is of the same magnitude as the angle α mentioned above (alternate angles). The same applies to the panel underside, which encloses an equal angle (alternate angle) with the normal vector N.sub.13.

[0077] By means of an underside 10a of the arresting edge 10, the arresting hook 7 is seated firmly on a groove base 9a of the receiving groove 9 of the receiving hook 6. If a load presses against the panel top side 1a in the region of the arresting edge 10, the arresting edge 10 can bear said load, because the underside 10a of said arresting edge is supported on the groove base 9a of the receiving groove 9.

[0078] A further function of the hook profiles is that of counteracting a height offset of the locked panel margins. For this purpose, a lower detent engagement point 14 is provided. Said lower detent engagement point comprises a first detent means, in the form of a protruding detent projection 15, on the receiving hook 7. The detent projection 15 is arranged on an outer side 8a of the receiving edge 8. Correspondingly to this, a second detent means in the form of a detent depression 16 is provided on the arresting hook 7. The detent depression 16 is arranged on a recessed groove flank 11a of the arresting groove 11.

[0079] On the receiving hook 6, a partial section 8b of the top side of the receiving edge 8 is inclined downward, specifically in downward-sloping fashion in the direction of the outer side 8a of the receiving edge. In a manner adapted to this, on the arresting hook 7, a partial section 11b of the groove base of the arresting groove 11 is adapted in complementary fashion to the inclination of the partial section 8b of the top side of the receiving edge 8. In the locked state, the inclined partial sections 8b and 11b of receiving edge top side and arresting groove base are oriented parallel to one another.

[0080] Furthermore, on the receiving hook 6, a transition is provided from the top side 8b of the receiving edge 8 to the lower locking surface 12. The transition is formed as a curvature 17. In the present example, the curvature 17 is a radius. Likewise, on the arresting hook 7, a transition with a curvature 18 is provided between the partial section 11b of the groove base of the arresting groove 11 and the upper locking surface 13. The curvature 17 at the receiving edge offers margin protection and a guide surface. The margin protection is more intense than the protective action of a bevel which has the same width and height as the curvature 17. The curvature 18 forms a hollow. In the present example, it has a radius and serves for stability in the transition region from the upper locking surface 13 to the groove base of the arresting groove 11.

[0081] FIG. 4 shows the hook profiles from FIG. 3 in the locked state. The detent projection 15 of the receiving hook 6, which is arranged on the outer side 8a of the receiving edge 8, engages with a form fit into the detent depression 16, which is arranged on the recessed groove flank 11a of the arresting groove 11. The lower detent engagement point 14 counteracts a height offset of the two panel top sides 1a, that is to say a movement of the panel margins apart perpendicular to the panel surface is counteracted. On the panel surface 1a, a closed interstice F is also formed in the horizontal direction. At said interstice, an outer side 10b of the arresting edge 10 is in contact with a recessed groove flank 9b of the receiving groove 9.

[0082] A gap 19 is provided between the inclined partial section 11b of the groove base of the arresting groove and the inclined partial section 8b of the top side of the receiving edge 8. Said gap favors the avoidance of a height offset at the interstice F of the panel top side 1a. Furthermore, the gap 19 ensures a certain flexibility of the arresting hook 7. Said arresting hook 7 has a point with its smallest thickness, said point being situated where the arresting groove 11 is at its deepest. The flexibility thus obtained can be utilized because the gap 19 creates space into which a deformation can take place.

[0083] FIG. 4a shows, in a detail, an enlarged excerpt which is indicated in FIG. 4 by IVa. In FIG. 4a, the detent projection 15 is provided on the receiving hook 6, specifically on the outer side 8a of the receiving edge 8. The detent depression is provided on the arresting hook 7, and there, on a recessed groove flank 11a of the arresting groove 11.

[0084] In an alternative which is shown in the excerpt as per FIG. 4b, the positions of detent depression and detent projection have been interchanged. Here, a detent depression 15a is arranged on the receiving hook 6, specifically on the outer side 8a of the receiving edge 8. A detent projection 16a is then provided on the arresting hook 7, specifically on its recessed groove flank 11a of the arresting groove 11.

[0085] A further exemplary embodiment for a panel with special hook profiles is proposed in FIG. 5. The latter is based on the exemplary embodiment of FIGS. 3 and 4. It differs from said exemplary embodiment by an additional, upper detent engagement point 20. The upper detent engagement point 20 has, on the arresting hook 7, a first detent means in the form of a detent projection 21, which is arranged on the outer side 10b of the arresting edge 10. Said detent projection interacts with a second detent means, corresponding thereto, on the receiving hook 6, which second detent means is provided on the recessed groove flank 9b of the receiving groove 9. The second detent means forms a detent depression 22, as can be seen most clearly in the excerpt as per FIG. 5a. FIG. 5a shows, on an enlarged scale, the detail indicated in FIG. 5 by Va.

[0086] In an alternative which is shown in the excerpt as per FIG. 5b, the positions of detent depression and detent projection have been interchanged. Here, a detent depression 21a is arranged on the arresting hook, specifically on the outer side of the arresting edge 10. A detent projection 22a is provided on the receiving hook, specifically on the recessed groove flank 9b of the receiving groove 9.

[0087] The exemplary embodiment of FIG. 6 shows hook profiles which have a modification proceeding from FIGS. 3 and 4; specifically, in the illustrated locked state of the hook profiles, a free space 23 is formed which extends between the groove base 9a of the receiving groove 9 of the receiving hook 6 and an underside 10a of the arresting edge 10 of the arresting hook 7. The free space 23 extends as far as the outer side 10b of the arresting edge 10 or as far as the recessed groove flank 9b of the receiving groove 9. The free space 23 can accommodate dirt particles or other loose particles. In the case of panels composed of wood materials, it is for example possible for particles to become detached from the panel margin. Detached particles must not pass between the joining surfaces of the hook profiles and become stuck there, because they otherwise impede correctly positioned locking of the hook profiles. The free space 23 proposed in FIG. 6 is formed in the manner of a gap between the under side 10a of the arresting edge 10 and the groove base 9a of the receiving groove 9. The gap-like free space 23 becomes wider toward the groove base 9a and thereby creates the desired space for accommodating undesired particles.

[0088] The exemplary embodiment of FIG. 7 shows hook profiles which likewise have a modification proceeding from FIGS. 3 and 4, specifically such that, again, in the locked state of the hook profiles, a free space 24 is formed which extends between the groove base 9a of the receiving groove 9 of the receiving hook 6 and an underside 10a of the arresting edge 10 of the arresting hook 7. The free space 24 extends as far as the lower locking surface 12 of the receiving hook 6 or as far as the upper locking surface 13 of the arresting hook 7. To realize the free space 24, the underside 10a of the arresting edge 10 is equipped with a shallow shoulder 24a which is set back from the underside 10a of the arresting edge 10. The free space 24 can likewise accommodate dirt particles or other loose particles and, in the case of panels composed of wood materials, accommodate any detached wood particles that would otherwise become stuck between the joining surfaces of the hook profiles and impede correctly positioned locking of the hook profiles. The remaining region of the underside 10a is, in the locked state, in contact with the groove base 9a of the receiving groove 9 and thereby supported.

[0089] The exemplary embodiment of FIG. 8 likewise shows hook profiles which proceed from FIGS. 3 and 4. In relation to said figures, only the lower detent engagement point 14 has been modified. In FIG. 8, the detent projection 15 of the receiving hook 6 protrudes further from the outer side 8a of the receiving edge 8 than in FIG. 4. The depth of the detent depression 16 is unchanged in relation to FIG. 4. As a result, a gap 25 is formed between the outer side 8a and the recessed groove flank 11a of the arresting groove 11 of the arresting hook 7. The gap 25 improves the detent engagement capability of the lower detent engagement point 14.

[0090] FIG. 8a shows the lower detent engagement point 14 as an enlarged excerpt. An alternative to FIG. 8a is shown in the excerpt as per FIG. 8b. In the latter, the positions of detent depression and detent projection have been interchanged. A detent depression 15a is now arranged on the receiving hook 6, specifically on the outer side 8a of the receiving edge 8. For this purpose, a detent projection 16a is provided on the arresting hook 7 on its recessed groove flank 11a of the arresting groove 11.

[0091] A further exemplary embodiment for hook profiles of the panel is illustrated in FIG. 9. This, too, is based on FIGS. 3 and 4 and furthermore integrates all modifications that have been proposed in the examples of FIG. 5, FIG. 6, FIG. 7 and FIG. 8.

LIST OF REFERENCE DESIGNATIONS

[0092] 1 New panel [0093] 1a Panel top side [0094] 1b Panel underside [0095] 2 Tongue profile margin [0096] 3 Groove profile margin [0097] 4 Laid panel of preceding row [0098] 5 Panel of the same panel row [0099] 6 Receiving hook [0100] 7 Arresting hook [0101] 8 Receiving edge [0102] 8a Outer side [0103] 8b Partial section, top side [0104] 9 Receiving groove [0105] 9a Groove base [0106] 9b Recessed groove flank [0107] 10 Arresting edge [0108] 10a Underside [0109] 10b Outer side [0110] 11 Arresting groove [0111] 11a Recessed groove flank [0112] 11b Partial section, groove base [0113] 12 Lower locking surface [0114] 13 Upper locking surface [0115] 14 Lower detent engagement point [0116] 15 Detent projection [0117] 15a Detent depression [0118] 16 Detent depression [0119] 16a Detent projection [0120] 17 Curvature [0121] 18 Curvature [0122] 19 Gap [0123] 20 Upper detent engagement point [0124] 21 Detent projection [0125] 21a Detent depression [0126] 22 Detent depression [0127] 22a Detent projection [0128] 23 Free space [0129] 24 Free space [0130] 25 Gap [0131] α Angle [0132] F Interstice