AU4666599A

AU4666599A – Locking system and flooring board
– Google Patents

AU4666599A – Locking system and flooring board
– Google Patents
Locking system and flooring board

Download PDF
Info

Publication number
AU4666599A

AU4666599A
AU46665/99A
AU4666599A
AU4666599A
AU 4666599 A
AU4666599 A
AU 4666599A
AU 46665/99 A
AU46665/99 A
AU 46665/99A
AU 4666599 A
AU4666599 A
AU 4666599A
AU 4666599 A
AU4666599 A
AU 4666599A
Authority
AU
Australia
Prior art keywords
groove
tongue
locking
joint
locking system
Prior art date
1998-06-03
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)

Granted

Application number
AU46665/99A
Other versions

AU735245B2
(en

Inventor
Darko Pervan
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)

Valinge Innovation AB

Original Assignee
Valinge Aluminium AB
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
1998-06-03
Filing date
1999-05-31
Publication date
2000-01-05
Family has litigation

First worldwide family litigation filed
litigation
Critical
https://patents.darts-ip.com/?family=20411583&utm_source=google_patent&utm_medium=platform_link&utm_campaign=public_patent_search&patent=AU4666599(A)
“Global patent litigation dataset” by Darts-ip is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

1999-05-31
Application filed by Valinge Aluminium AB
filed
Critical
Valinge Aluminium AB

2000-01-05
Publication of AU4666599A
publication
Critical
patent/AU4666599A/en

2001-07-05
Application granted
granted
Critical

2001-07-05
Publication of AU735245B2
publication
Critical
patent/AU735245B2/en

2019-05-31
Anticipated expiration
legal-status
Critical

Status
Expired
legal-status
Critical
Current

Links

Espacenet

Global Dossier

Discuss

Classifications

E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS

E04—BUILDING

E04F—FINISHING WORK ON BUILDINGS, e.g. STAIRS, FLOORS

E04F15/00—Flooring

E04F15/02—Flooring or floor layers composed of a number of similar elements

E04F15/02038—Flooring or floor layers composed of a number of similar elements characterised by tongue and groove connections between neighbouring flooring elements

E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS

E04—BUILDING

E04B—GENERAL BUILDING CONSTRUCTIONS; WALLS, e.g. PARTITIONS; ROOFS; FLOORS; CEILINGS; INSULATION OR OTHER PROTECTION OF BUILDINGS

E04B5/00—Floors; Floor construction with regard to insulation; Connections specially adapted therefor

E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS

E04—BUILDING

E04F—FINISHING WORK ON BUILDINGS, e.g. STAIRS, FLOORS

E04F15/00—Flooring

E04F15/02—Flooring or floor layers composed of a number of similar elements

E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS

E04—BUILDING

E04F—FINISHING WORK ON BUILDINGS, e.g. STAIRS, FLOORS

E04F15/00—Flooring

E04F15/02—Flooring or floor layers composed of a number of similar elements

E04F15/02044—Separate elements for fastening to an underlayer

E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS

E04—BUILDING

E04F—FINISHING WORK ON BUILDINGS, e.g. STAIRS, FLOORS

E04F15/00—Flooring

E04F15/02—Flooring or floor layers composed of a number of similar elements

E04F15/04—Flooring or floor layers composed of a number of similar elements only of wood or with a top layer of wood, e.g. with wooden or metal connecting members

E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS

E04—BUILDING

E04F—FINISHING WORK ON BUILDINGS, e.g. STAIRS, FLOORS

E04F2201/00—Joining sheets or plates or panels

E04F2201/02—Non-undercut connections, e.g. tongue and groove connections

E04F2201/025—Non-undercut connections, e.g. tongue and groove connections with tongue and grooves alternating transversally in the direction of the thickness of the panel, e.g. multiple tongue and grooves oriented parallel to each other

E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS

E04—BUILDING

E04F—FINISHING WORK ON BUILDINGS, e.g. STAIRS, FLOORS

E04F2201/00—Joining sheets or plates or panels

E04F2201/05—Separate connectors or inserts, e.g. pegs, pins, keys or strips

E04F2201/0517—U- or C-shaped brackets and clamps

Abstract

A locking system for mechanical joining of rectangular floorboards having a body and long and short edges. Said locking system including a tongue and a groove for vertical locking of two joint short edges and for horizontal joining a locking groove formed in the underside of a first one of the short joint edges, and a portion projecting from the second short joint edge having a locking element cooperating with the locking groove. The tongue is arranged on the second short edge. The groove is arranged on the first short edge. The projecting portion is integrally formed with the board, by working of the body of the board.

Description

WO99/66151 PCT/SE99/00933 1 LOCKING SYSTEM AND FLOORING BOARD Field of the Invention The invention generally relates to a locking system for mechanically joining floorboards. More specifically, the invention concerns an improvement of a locking sys 5 tem of the type described and shown in WO 94/26999. The invention also concerns a floorboard provided with such a locking system. It is known that board material can be joined mecha nically and that there are many different types of join 10 ing systems. The present invention suggests specifically how a modified tongue-and-groove joint for vertical lock ing and a joint for horizontal locking can be designed in an optimal manner for both function and cost level to be better than in prior-art designs. 15 The invention is particularly suited for mechanical joining of thin floating floorboards, such as laminate flooring and parquet flooring, and therefore the fol lowing description of prior art and the objects and fea tures of the invention will be directed to this field of 20 application, above all rectangular floorboards which have a wood fibre core having a size of about 1.2 * 0.2 m and a thickness of about 7 mm and which are intended to be joined along long sides as well as short sides. 25 Background Art Conventional floorboards are usually joined by means of glued tongue-and-groove joints along their long sides and short sides. In laying, the boards are moved together horizontally, a projecting tongue along the joint edge of 30 a first board being inserted into the groove along the joint edge of a second board. The same method is used for long sides as well as short sides. The tongue and groove are designed merely for such horizontal joining and with special regard to the design of glue pockets and glue WO99/66151 PCT/SE99/00933 2 surfaces to enable efficient adhesion of the tongue in the groove. The tongue-and-groove joint has cooperating upper and lower abutment surfaces which position the boards vertically to obtain a planar upper surface of the 5 completed floor. In addition to such conventional floorings that are joined by means of glued tongue-and-groove joints, floor boards have recently been developed which instead are mechanically joined and which do not require the use of 10 glue. WO 94/26999 discloses a locking system for mechani cal joining of building boards, especially floorboards. The boards can be locked by means of this locking system both perpendicular to and in parallel with the principal 15 plane of the boards on long sides as well as short sides. Methods for making such floorboards are disclosed in SE 9604484-7 and SE 9604483-9. The basic principles of designing and laying the floorboards as well as the methods for making the same that are described in the 20 above three documents are applicable also to the present invention, and therefore the contents of these documents are incorporated by reference in the present description. With a view to facilitating the understanding and the description of the present invention, and the under 25 standing of the problems behind the invention, a brief description of floorboards according to WO 94/26999 fol lows, reference being made to Figs 1-3. This description of the prior-art technique will in applicable parts also be considered to apply to the following description of 30 embodiments of the present invention. A floorboard 1 of known design is illustrated from below and from above in Figs 3a and 3b, respectively. The board is rectangular with a top side 2, an underside 3, two opposite long sides 4a, 4b which form joint edges, 35 and two opposite short sides 5a, 5b which form joint edges.
WO99/66151 PCT/SE99/00933 3 Both the long sides 4a, 4b and the short sides 5a, 5b can be joined mechanically without any glue in the direction D2 in Fig. lc. To this end, the board 1 has a planar strip 6 which is mounted at the factory and which 5 extends along one long side 4a, said strip extending along the entire long side 4a and being made of a flex ible, resilient aluminium sheet. The strip 6 can be mechanically fixed according to the embodiment illustrat ed, or fixed by means of glue or in some other fashion. 10 Other strip materials can be used, such as sheet of some other metal, and aluminium or plastic sections. Alterna tively, the strip 6 can be integrally formed with the board 1, for example by some suitable working of the body of the board 1. However the strip 6 is always integrated 15 with the board 1, i.e. it is not mounted on the board 1 in connection with laying. The width of the strip 6 can be about 30 mm and its thickness about 0.5 mm. A similar, although shorter strip 6′ is arranged also along one short side 5a of the board 1. The edge side of the strip 20 4 facing away from the joint edge 4a is formed with a locking element 8 extending along the entire strip 6. The locking element 8 has an active locking surface 10 facing the joint edge 4a and having a height of, for instance, 0.5 mm. In connection with laying, the locking element 8 25 cooperates with a locking groove 14, which is formed in the underside 3 of the opposite long side 4b of an adja cent board 1′. The short side strip 6′ is provided with a corresponding locking element 8′ and the opposite short side 5b has a corresponding locking groove 14′ 30 For mechanical joining of long sides as well as short sides also in the vertical direction (direction D1 in Fig. Ic), the board 1 is also formed, along one long side 4a and one short side 5a, with a laterally open recess 16. The recess 16 is defined downwards by the 35 associated strips 6, 6′. At the opposite edges 4b and 5b there is an upper recess 18 defining a locking tongue 20 cooperating with the recess 16 (see Fig. 2a).
WO99/66151 PCT/SE99/00933 4 Figs la-1c show how two such boards 1, 1′ can be joined by downwards angling. Figs 2a-2c show how the boards 1, 1′ can instead be joined by snap action. The long sides 4a, 4b can be joined by both methods, whereas 5 the short sides 5a, 5b – after laying of the first row are normally joined after joining of the long sides, and merely by snap action. When a new board 1′ and a pre viously laid board 1 are to be joined along their long sides according to Figs la-lc, the long side 4b of the 10 new board 1′ is pressed against the long side 4a of the previously laid board 1 according to Fig. la, so that the locking tongue 20 is inserted into the recess 16. The board 1′ is then angled downwards to the subfloor 12 according to Fig. lb. Now the locking tongue 20 complete 15 ly enters the recess 16 while at the same time the lock ing element 8 of the strip 6 enters the locking groove 14. During this downwards angling, the upper part of the locking element 8 can be active and accomplish a guiding of the new board 1′ towards the previously laid board 1. 20 In the joined state according to Fig. 1c, the boards 1, 1′ are locked in both D1 direction and D2 direction, but can be displaced relative to each other in the longitudi nal direction of the joint. Figs 2a-2c illustrate how also the short sides 5a 25 and 5b of the boards 1, 1′ can be mechanically joined in both D1 and D2 direction by the new board 1′ being moved essentially horizontally towards the previously laid board 1. This can be carried out after the long side 4b of the new board 1′ has been joined as described 30 above. In the first step in Fig. 2a, bevelled surfaces adjacent to the recess 16 and the locking tongue 20 cooperate so that the strip 6′ is forced downwards as a direct consequence of the joining of the short sides Sa, 5b. During the final joining, the strip 6′ snaps upwards 35 as the locking element 8′ enters the locking groove 14′. By repeating the operations shown in Figs 1 and 2, the laying of the entire floor can be made without glue and WO99/66151 PCT/SE99/00933 5 along all joint edges. Thus, prior-art floorboards of the above-mentioned type are mechanically joined by, as a rule, first being angled downwards on the long side, and when the long side is locked, the short sides are snapped 5 together by horizontal displacement along the long side. The boards 1, 1′ can be taken up again in reverse order, without damaging the joint, and be laid once more. In order to function optimally, the boards, after being joined, should along their long sides be able to 10 take a position where there is a possibility of a small play between the locking surface 10 and the locking groove 14. For a more detailed description of this play, reference is made to WO 94/26999. In addition to the disclosure of the above-mentioned 15 patent specifications, Norske Skog Flooring AS (licensee of V&linge Aluminium AB) introduced a laminate flooring with a mechanical joining system according to WO 94/26999 in January 1996 in connection with the Domotex fair in Hannover, Germany. This laminate flooring marketed under 20 the trademark Alloco is 7.6 mm thick, has a 0.6 mm alumi nium strip 6 which is mechanically fixed on the tongue side and the active locking surface 10 of the locking element 8 has an inclination of about 800 to the plane of the board. The vertical joint is formed as a modi 25 fied tongue-and-groove joint, where the term “modified” relates to the possibility of joining groove and tongue by inwards angling. WO 97/47834 (Unilin) discloses a mechanical joining system which is essentially based on the above prior-art 30 principles. In the corresponding product which this applicant has begun to market in the latter part of 1997, biasing between the boards is strived for. This leads to high friction and difficulties in angling together and displacing the boards. The document shows a plurality of 35 embodiments of the locking system. Other prior-art locking systems for mechanical join ing of board material are disclosed in GB 2,256,023, WO99/66151 PCT/SE99/00933 6 which shows one-sided mechanical joining for the provi sion of an expansion joint, and in US 4,426,820, which shows a mechanical locking system which, however, does not allow displacement and locking of short sides by snap 5 action. Summary of the Invention Although the flooring according to WO 94/26999 and the flooring marketed under the trademark Alloc have 10 great advantages compared with conventional, glued floors, additional improvements are desirable. There are today no known products or methods which result in suf ficiently good solutions to the problems, requirements and desiderata stated below and related to (i) manufac 15 ture of floorboards with mechanical locking systems of the type stated, (ii) handling and laying of such floor boards, and (iii) properties of a finished, joined floor prepared from such floorboards. 20 (i) Manufacture In connection with the manufacture of the floor boards, the following problems, requirements and desi derata exist: 1. It is known that angling-together of the floorboards 25 can be carried out with a tongue whose lower front part follows a circular arc. If this lower front part of the tongue should constitute a lower abut ment surface against the groove in the joined state, the lower abutment surface of the groove must be 30 made with a corresponding arcuate shape to fit the tongue in the locked position. This solution suffers from the drawback that it requires the making of arcuate surfaces and, consequently, a very accurate adjustment of the wood-working tools both vertically 35 and horizontally. 2. From the viewpoint of manufacture it is desirable for the abutment surfaces of the groove which are WO99/66151 PCT/SE99/00933 7 to cooperate with the abutment surfaces of the tongue to be planar and parallel with the floor surface since narrow tolerances for the abutment surfaces of the tongue-and-groove joint (a few 5 hundredth parts of a mm) can then be obtained with out a critical horizontal adjustment of the wood working tools being necessary for the forming of tongue and groove. 3. The manufacture is facilitated if there are as many 10 degrees of freedom as possible in respect of tole rances of manufacture. It is therefore desirable that the number of critical abutment and guide sur faces be limited as much as possible without lower ing the standards of perfect quality in the joined 15 state with small joint gaps and limited vertical difference (in the order of 0.1 mm) and excellent function in the angling upwards and downwards in connection with laying and removal. 4. To make it possible to form the groove by means of 20 horizontally operating wood-working tools in the case where the projecting portion is made in one piece with the body of the board, it is a great advantage if the locking element of the projecting portion is positioned under the lower abutment sur 25 face of the groove or on a level therewith. The working tools can then be inserted horizontally towards the joint edge above the locking element. 5. To achieve less waste of material when machining the boards for making the locking system, it is advanta 30 geous if the tongue projects to a minimum extent in the horizontal direction outside the joint edge. The bigger the tongue, the more material must be removed above and below the tongue.
WO99/66151 PCT/SE99/00933 8 (ii) Handling/Laving In connection with handling and laying of the floor boards, the following problems, requirements and deside rata exist: 5 1. It must be possible to join the long sides of the boards by angling together about the upper joint edges of the boards. In the angling together, it must be possible to insert the tongue in the groove, which necessitates a modification of the design of 10 conventional, glued tongue-and-groove joints which only need to be pushed together horizontally. 2. It should be possible to carry out the inwards angl ing so that the vertical fit between tongue and groove can occur with maximum accuracy or tolerance 15 to obtain good vertical locking of the completed floor. With prior-art tongue-and-groove joints it is difficult to satisfy such a requirement for a good fit in the joined state and at the same time achieve an optimal function in the inwards angling. 20 3. For easy laying without any undesired resistance, it is at the same time a wish that the tongue need not be pressed or forced into the groove during the angling movement. 4. Known mechanical locking systems suffer from draw 25 backs relating to the undesired possibility of back wards angling, i.e. the possibility of turning two joined boards relative to each other and downwards about the joint edge, i.e. past the horizontal posi tion. In the above prior-art flooring in Figs 1-3, 30 it is only the rigidity of the aluminium strip that restricts the possibility of backwards angling. When a user handles the boards it would be advantageous if backwards angling was made difficult or could be prevented since it would then not be possible for 35 consumers to open the boards in an incorrect manner in connection with testing and thus damage or bend the projecting portion, i.e. the aluminium strip in WO99/66151 PCT/SE99/00933 9 Figs 1-3. A solution where the strip is made more rigid is in opposition to the requirement that the strip must be bendable and resilient to achieve a good snap-in function. 5 5. If it should also be possible to take up the locking system, generally the same requirements and deside rata for upwards angling are applicable as for down wards angling. 10 (iii) Properties of the Joined Floor For the completed, joined floor the following prob lems, requirements and desiderata exist: 1. With a view to preventing undesirable vertical dis placement between the joint edges of the boards of 15 the completed floor, there should be a close verti cal fit between tongue and groove. 2. Curved abutment surfaces constitute a disadvantage not only from the viewpoint of manufacture. A high horizontal tension load on the joint, which may 20 arise especially owing to shrinkage at low relative humidity, can in combination with curved abutment surfaces of the tongue-and-groove joint cause unde sirable vertical displacement and/or undesirable vertical play if the tension load causes the boards 25 to slide away somewhat from each other. It is there fore desirable for the abutment surfaces of the groove that are to cooperate with the abutment sur faces of the tongue to be planar and parallel with the floor surface. 30 3. Also for the completed floor it is preferable to counteract or prevent backwards angling of the floorboards about the joint edges. When a complet ed floor swells in summer, it is possible – if the possibility of backwards angling is prevented – to 35 counteract rising of the floorboards. This is parti cularly important for large floors with a consider able degree of load and swelling.
WO 99/66151 PCT/SE99/00933 10 4. The depth of the groove should be minimised since drying in winter may cause what is referred to as edge rising if the groove is weakened by being mill ed out to a great extent, i.e. by having a great 5 depth. This wish for a limited depth of the groove is particularly important for mechanically joined floors where the edges are not held together by means of glue. 10 Known vertical and horizontal joints for mechanical ly joined floorboards do not satisfy the above-identified requirements, problems and desiderata and are therefore not optimal in respect of function and production cost. The general problem and the object of the invention 15 thus are to provide a mechanical locking system of the type described above, which permits inwards angling from above, which counteracts backwards angling and which yields an exact fit between tongue and groove, while at the same time the manufacture can be optimised in respect 20 of accuracy, number of critical parameters and costs of material. Summing up, there is a great demand for providing a locking system of the type stated above which to a greater extent than prior art takes the above-mentioned 25 requirements, problems and desiderata in consideration. An object of the invention is to satisfy this demand. These and other objects of the invention are achiev ed by a locking system and a floorboard which have the features stated in the independent claims, preferred 30 embodiments being defined in the dependent claims. The invention is based on the understanding that with prior-art locking systems it is difficult to solve all the above problems and desiderata at the same time, which means that a modification of the locking systems 35 is necessary. The invention is specifically based on the understanding that essentially all the above-mentioned requirements, problems and desiderata can be satisfied WO99/66151 PCT/SE99/00933 11 if the known tongue-and-groove joint is modified in a special manner. When developing mechanical locking sys tems, one has traditionally started from the design of the glued tongue-and-groove joint. From this starting 5 point, the known vertical joint has then been supple mented with a horizontal lock and the tongue-and-groove joint has been modified so that inwards angling can more easily be carried out from above. However, what has not been taken into consideration in this development is 10 that in a mechanical system it is not necessary to be able to glue tongue and groove together in an efficient way. Since gluing is not necessary, there is free scope for modifications of the known tongue-and-groove joint. Free scope for modifications is also allowed by the fact 15 that known glued tongue-and-groove joints also serve to ensure horizontal joining (by means of glue), which requirement does not exist in mechanical locking systems of the type to which the invention is directed. According to a first aspect of the invention, a 20 locking system is provided for mechanical joining of floorboards, said locking system comprising a tongue-and groove joint, the groove and tongue of which have coope rating upper abutment surfaces and cooperating lower abutment surfaces for vertical locking of two joint edges 25 of two adjacent floorboards, said upper and lower abut ment surfaces being essentially parallel with the princi pal plane of the floorboards, and said locking system comprising, for horizontal mechanical joining of the joint edges perpendicular to the same, a locking groove 30 formed in the underside of a first one of the joint edges and extended in parallel therewith, and a portion pro jecting from the second joint edge and integrated with a body of the floorboard, said portion supporting, at a distance from the joint edge, a locking element cooperat 35 ing with the locking groove, wherein said tongue is angl able into the groove, and wherein said locking element is insertable into the locking groove by a mutual angular WO99/66151 PCT/SE99/00933 12 motion of the boards about the joint edges. The locking system according to the invention is characterised in that, in the joined state, the cooperating upper abutment surfaces are limited horizontally inwards from 5 the joint edge and horizontally outwards to the joint edge by an inner vertical plane and an outer vertical plane, respectively; that the tongue-and-groove joint is so designed that there is in the groove, in the joined state, between the 10 inner vertical plane and the outer vertical plane and below the tongue, a space which extends horizontally from the inner vertical plane and at least halfway to the outer vertical plane; that the tongue-and-groove joint is further so 15 designed that the boards, during a final phase of the inwards angling when the locking element is inserted into the locking groove, can take a position where there is a space in the groove between the inner and the outer vertical plane and below the tongue; and 20 that the lower abutment surfaces are positioned essentially outside the outer vertical plane. By the expression “cooperating abutment surfaces” is meant surfaces of tongue and groove which in the joined state of the floorboards either engage each other direct 25 ly in the vertical direction or at least are in such immediate vicinity of each other in the vertical direc tion that they can be made to contact each other to pre vent the boards from being relatively offset in the ver tical direction. Thus, within the scope of the invention 30 there can especially be horizontal surfaces of both the tongue and the groove which do not form any “cooperating abutment surface”, but which can have some other specific function. In a conventional tongue-and-groove joint, both 35 upper and lower abutment surfaces are, as a rule, locat ed in the inner part of the groove. With planar abutment surfaces in the inner part of the groove, it is not pos- WO99/66151 PCT/SE99/00933 13 sible to achieve a good fit as well as optimal inwards angling. If tongue and groove are equilaterally designed on the upper and lower side, the floorboards are just as easy to angle upwards as downwards/backwards. 5 A locking system according to the invention, how ever, can exhibit, both during the final inwards angling and in the joined state, a space in the groove under the tongue. Thanks to this space, the tongue can unimpededly be angled into the groove when two boards are joined by 10 being angled together. Moreover, the locking system can be so designed that the angling together can take place while the boards are held in mutual contact at the upper corner portions of the adjacent joint edges. Despite the provision of this space in the groove under the tongue, 15 it is according to the invention possible to achieve an exact vertical fit between tongue and groove in the join ed state thanks to the fact that the lower abutment sur faces are, at least in large part, horizontally displaced outside the upper abutment surfaces. 20 The present invention solves, at the same time, the problem of undesirable backwards angling of the boards thanks to the lower abutment surfaces being displaced relative to the upper abutment surfaces in the direction of the locking element. In the known locking systems, 25 it is only the rigidity of the projecting portion that limits the backwards angling. In the invention, however, said displacement accomplishes an angular limitation of the movement of the tongue that effectively counteracts any angling of the tongue past its intended position in 30 the groove, i.e. that counteracts backwards angling of the boards. The invention also presents the advantage that manu facture can be carried out with working tools which ope rate only in the plane of the floorboards, thanks to the 35 fact that no curved surfaces are necessary in the tongue and-groove joint. The tolerances of the vertical fit can thus be made considerably better. The space in the groove WO 99/66151 PCT/SE99/00933 14 under the tongue thus solves not only a problem relat ing to inwards angling, but also solves the problem of achieving an exact vertical fit between the boards. Thus the space has a function both during the inwards angling 5 and in the joined state. Moreover the use of essentially plane-parallel abut ment surfaces in the tongue-and-groove joint means avoid ing the above-mentioned problems with vertical displace ment and/or play caused by any horizontal tension load on 10 the joint. Completely planar, horizontal surfaces are ideal, but there should be a possibility of implementing the invention with surfaces that marginally deviate from this ideal design. To sum up, the present invention provides a lock 15 ing system for mechanical joining, which permits inwards angling from above, counteracts backwards angling and yields an exact fit between tongue and groove. Inwards angling can be carried out without any vertical play between tongue and groove and without necessitating open 20 ing of the groove when the tongue is pressed in. The depth of the tongue and groove does not affect the possi bility of inwards angling and the fit between tongue and groove or the relative position of the floorboards. Back wards angling is counteracted, and the groove can be 25 manufactured rationally by means of horizontally operat ing tools which also permit manufacture of the locking device in a machined wood fibre strip. In a preferred embodiment, the space in the groove under the tongue, in the joined state, is horizontally 30 extended essentially all the way from the outer vertical plane to the inner vertical plane. Thus, in this embodi ment there is in the joined state a space over essen tially the entire horizontal range in the groove, within which the cooperating upper abutment surfaces are extend 35 ed. In this embodiment, essentially no part of the lower abutment surfaces are positioned inside the outer verti cal plane. In theory, this embodiment would be the most WO99/66151 PCT/SE99/00933 15 ideal one since the vertical fit between tongue and groove can then be optimised while at the same time the tongue can unimpededly be inserted into the groove. How ever, within the scope of the invention, there is a pos 5 sibility of the lower abutment surfaces extending some what inwards in a direction towards the bottom of the groove past the outer vertical plane. The space under the tongue can be limited downwards by a planar, horizontal surface of the groove, whose 10 extension to the edge joint forms the lower abutment surface of the groove, or by a groove surface which is inclined to the horizontal plane or arcuate, or a combi nation of a planar surface and an inclined/arcuate sur face of the groove. 15 Generally, the space in the groove under the tongue can be formed by the tongue being bevelled/cut away, or by the groove being hollowed out. In an embodiment which is preferred in respect of horizontal tolerances in manufacture, the groove has in 20 the joined state an upper and a lower horizontal surface, which constitute inwardly directed extensions of the upper abutment surface and the lower abutment surface, respectively, of the groove, and there is also an inner horizontal play between the bottom of the groove and the 25 tip of the tongue. Owing to the inwardly directed exten sions of the abutment surfaces of the groove as well as the play between the groove and the tongue at the bottom of the groove, working of tongue and groove in the hori zontal direction can be carried out without strict tole 30 rance requirements in the horizontal direction while at the same time it is possible to ensure both an exact ver tical fit of the boards and unimpeded inwards angling. According to the invention, the projecting portion is integrated with a body of the board. The term “inte 35 grated” should be considered to comprise (i) cases where the projecting portion is made of a separate component integrally connected with the body at the factory, (ii) WO99/66151 PCT/SE99/00933 16 cases where the projecting portion is formed in one piece with the body, and (iii) a combination of (i) and (ii), i.e. cases where the inner part of the projecting portion is formed in one piece with the body and its outer part 5 consists of a separate factory-mounted component. According to a second aspect of the invention, a floorboard is provided, having a locking system according to the invention, on at least two opposite sides and pre ferably on all four sides to permit joining of all sides 10 of the floorboards. These and other advantages of the invention and preferred embodiments will appear from the following description and are defined in the appended claims. Different aspects of the invention will now be 15 described in more detail by way of examples with refe rence to the accompanying drawings. Those parts of the inventive board which have equivalents in the prior-art board in Figs 1-3 are provided with the same reference numerals. 20 Brief Description of the Drawings Figs la-c show in three steps a downwards angling method for mechanical joining of long sides of floor boards according to WO 94/026999. 25 Figs 2a-c show in three steps a snap-in method for mechanical joining of short sides of floorboards accord ing to WO 94/26999. Figs 3a and 3b illustrate a floorboard according to WO 94/26999 seen from above and from below, respectively. 30 Fig. 4 shows a floorboard with a locking system according to a first embodiment of the invention, an adjacent floorboard being broken away. Fig. 5 is a top plan view of a floorboard according to Fig. 4. 35 Fig. 6a shows on a larger scale a broken-away cor ner portion Cl of the board in Fig. 5, and Figs 6b and 6c illustrate vertical sections of the joint edges along WO99/66151 PCT/SE99/00933 17 the long side 4a and the short side 5a of the board in Fig. 5, from which it specifically appears that the long side and the short side are different. Figs 7a-c illustrate a downwards angling method 5 for mechanical joining of long sides of the floorboard according to Figs 4-6. Figs 8a-c illustrate a snap-in method for mechanical joining of short sides of the floorboard according to Figs 4-6. 10 Fig. 9 illustrates a floorboard with a locking sys tem according to a second embodiment of the invention. Figs 10a and 10b illustrate on a larger scale broken away details corresponding to Fig. 9 and the importance of a space in the inner part of the groove during inwards 15 angling and in the joined state, respectively. Fig. 11 illustrates the making of the groove in the floorboard in Fig. 9. Description of Preferred Embodiments 20 A first preferred embodiment of a floorboard 1 pro vided with a locking system according to the invention will now be described with reference to Figs 4-7. Fig. 4 is a sectional view of a long side 4a of the board 1, and also part of a long side 4b of an adjacent board 1. 25 The body of the board 1 consists of a core 30 of, for instance, wood fibre, which supports a top laminate 32 on its front side and a balance layer 34 on its rear side. The board body 30-34 is rectangular with long sides 4a, 4b and short sides 5a, 5b. A separate strip 6 with a 30 formed locking element 8 is mounted at the factory on the body 30-34, so that the strip 6 constitutes an integrated part of the completed floorboard 1. In the Example shown, the strip 6 is made of resilient aluminium sheet. As an illustrative, non-limiting example, the aluminium sheet 35 can have a thickness in the order of 0.6 mm and the floorboard a thickness in the order of 7 mm. For addi tional description of dimensions, possible materials, WO99/66151 PCT/SE99/00933 18 etc. for the strip 6, reference is made to the above description of the prior-art board. The strip 6 is formed with a locking element 8, whose active locking surface 10 cooperates with a locking 5 groove 14 in the opposite joint edge 4b of the adjacent board 1′ for horizontal interlocking of the boards 1, 1′ transversely of the joint edge (D2). For the forming of a vertical lock in the D1 direc tion, the joint edge 4a has a laterally open groove 36 10 and the opposite joint edge 4b has a laterally projecting tongue 38 (corresponding to the locking tongue 20), which in the joined state is received in the groove 36. The free surface of the upper part 40 of the groove 36 has a vertical upper portion 41, a bevelled portion 42 and an 15 upper planar, horizontal abutment surface 43 for the tongue 38. The free surface of the lower part 44 of the groove 36 has a lower inclined surface 45′, a lower planar, horizontal abutment surface 45 for the tongue 38, a bevelled portion 46 and a lower vertical portion 47. 20 The opposite joint edge 4b (see Fig. 7a) has an upper vertical portion 48, and the tongue 38 has an upper planar, horizontal abutment surface 49, an upper bevelled portion 50, a lower bevelled portion 51 and a lower planar, horizontal abutment surface 52. In the joined 25 state according to Figs 4, 7c and 8c, the boards 1, 1′ are locked relative to each other in the vertical direc tion Dl. An upwards movement of the board 1′ is counter acted by engagement between the upper abutment surfaces 43 and 49 while a downwards movement of the board 1′ is 30 counteracted on the one hand by engagement between the lower abutment surfaces 45 and 52 and, on the other hand, by the board 1′ resting on a lower surface portion 7 of the strip 6. In the joined state, the two juxtaposed upper por 35 tions 41 and 48 define a vertical joint plane F. In the Figures, an inner vertical plane IP and an outer verti cal plane OP are indicated. The inner vertical plane IP WO99/66151 PCT/SE99/00933 19 is defined by the inner boundary line of the upper abut ment surfaces 43, 49 while the outer vertical plane OP is defined by the outer boundary line of the upper abutment surfaces 43, 49. 5 As is evident from Fig. 4, the lower part 44 of the groove 36 is extended a distance outside the joint plane F. The lower planar, horizontal abutment surface 45 of the groove 36 thus is positioned partially inside and partially outside the joint plane F while the upper abut 10 ment surface 43 of the groove 36 is positioned completely inside and at a distance from the joint plane F. More specifically, the upper abutment surface 43 of the groove 36 is in its entirety positioned between the vertical planes IP and OP while the lower abutment surface 45 of 15 the groove 36 is in its entirety positioned outside the vertical plane OP and extends partially outside the joint plane F. The significance of these circumstances will be described below. The joint edge 4a is in its underside formed with 20 a continuous mounting groove 54 having a vertical lower gripping edge 56 and an inclined gripping edge 58. The gripping edges formed of the surfaces 46, 47, 56, 58 together define a fixing shoulder 60 for mechanical fix ing of the strip 6. The fixing is carried out according 25 to the same principle as in the prior-art board and can be carried out with the methods described in the above documents. A continuous lip 62 of the strip 6 is thus bent round the gripping edges 56, 58 of the groove 54 while a plurality of punched tongues 64 are bent round 30 the surfaces 46, 47 of the projecting portion 44. The tongues 64 and the associated punched holes 65 are shown in the broken-away view in Fig. 6a. Reference is now made to Figs 7a-c. The angling together of the long sides 4a, 4b can be carried out 35 according to the same principle as in Figs la-c. In this context, a small downwards bending of the strip 6 can generally be carried out – not only for this embodiment – WO99/66151 PCT/SE99/00933 20 as shown in the laying sequence in Figs 7a-c. This down wards bending of the strip 6 together with an inclination of the locking element 8 makes it possible for the boards 1, 1′ to be angled downwards and upwards again with very 5 tight joint edges at the upper surfaces 41 and 48. The locking element 8 should preferably have a high guiding capability so that the boards in connection with down wards angling are pushed towards the joint edge. The locking element 8 should have a large guiding part. For 10 optimal function, the boards, after being joined and along their long sides 4a, 4b, should be able to take a position where there is a small play between locking element and locking groove, which need not be greater than 0.02-0.05 mm. This play permits displacement and 15 bridges width tolerances. The friction in the joint should be low. Figs 8a-c illustrate that snapping together of the short sides 5a, 5b can be carried out according to the same principle as in Figs 2a-c. However, the locking sys 20 tem on the short sides in this embodiment is designed differently from the long sides and is specifically adapted for snapping in by vertical displacement and downwards bending of the strip. One difference is that the projecting portion P – here in the form of an alu 25 minium strip 6′ – on the short sides 5a, 5b is arranged on the same joint edge 5a as the tongue 38′ while the locking groove 14′ is formed in the same joint edge 5b as the groove 36. A further difference is that the locking element 8′ on the short sides is somewhat lower than the 30 locking element 8 on the long sides. In this embodiment, it is bevelled undersides of the tongue and groove which cooperate to obtain this vertical displacement and snap ping in. Moreover, it may be particularly noted that the embodiment in Figs 8a-c in fact has double tongue-and 35 groove joints, one tongue and one groove on each joint edge, both joints being designed according to the inven tion with displaced upper and lower abutment surfaces.
WO99/66151 PCT/SE99/00933 21 Fig. 9 shows a second embodiment of a locking sys tem according to the invention. In contrast to the embo diment in Figs 4-8, the projecting portion P is formed, by machining, in one piece with the body of the board 1. 5 The body can be composed of the same materials as in the previous embodiment. In Fig. 9, the vertical planes IP, OP and F are also indicated according to the previous definition. Like in the preceding embodiment, the lower abutment surfaces 45, 52 are entirely displaced outside 10 the outer vertical plane OP. Fig. 10a shows on a larger scale how a downwards angling of the tongue 38 in the embodiment in Fig. 9 has already begun. As described above, the tongue 38 is in its lower part defined by a planar abutment surface 52 15 and a bevelled portion 51. The groove 36 in Fig. 9, how ever, is fully planar at the bottom, i.e. the planar, horizontal surface 45 extends all the way to the bottom of the groove 36. Reference numerals 52′ and 51′ indicate boundary lines of a prior-art tongue. As is clearly to be 20 seen from the Figure, it would with such a known design not be possible to easily angle the tongue 38 inwards into the groove 36 since the corner portion 53 of the tongue 38 would strike against the surface 45 of the groove 36. Such a tongue would therefore have to be 25 pressed into the groove if at all possible. Alternative ly, it would be necessary to make the groove 36 higher, which would result in an undesirable play in the vertical direction. It is evident from Fig. 10a, however, that according 30 to the invention there may, during the inwards angling, be a space S under the tongue 38 between the vertical planes IP and OP, which permits the tongue to be inward ly angled into the groove. In this embodiment and in the illustrated angular position, this space S extends all 35 the way between the vertical planes IP and OP. Fig. 10b shows the embodiment in Fig. 9 in the join ed state. In the area between the inner and outer verti- WO99/66151 PCT/SE99/00933 22 cal plane IP and OP there is under the tongue 38 still a space S, which also extends all the way between IP and OP. Fig. 11 schematically shows the making of the groove 5 35 in the embodiment in Fig. 9. A rotating working tool 80 with a cutting element 81 of, for instance, hard metal or diamond rotates about an axis A at a distance from the locking element 8. Such horizontal working by means of a tool with a relatively large diameter is possible thanks 10 to the locking element 8 being positioned on the same level or on a level under the lower abutment surface 45 of the groove 36. In connection with the laying, the major part of the short sides is locked by snap action, as described above 15 with reference to Figs 8a-c. However, the first row is frequently laid by angling together the short sides, in the same manner as described for the long sides in con nection with Figs 7a-c. When taking up the boards, the short sides can both be pulled apart along the joint and 20 be angled upwards. As a rule, upwards angling is a quicker operation. The inventive locking system should thus be designed while also taking into consideration the possibility of angling the short side. The aspects of the invention which include a sepa 25 rate strip can preferably be implemented in combination with use of an equalising groove of the kind described in WO 94/26999. Adjacent joint edges are equalised in the thickness direction by working of the underside, so that the upper sides of the floorboards are aligned with each 30 other when the boards have been joined. Reference E in Fig. la indicates that the body of the boards after such working has the same thickness in adjacent joint edges. The strip 6 is received in the groove and will thus be partly flush-mounted in the underside of the floor. A 35 corresponding arrangement can thus be realised also in combination with the invention as shown in the drawings.

Claims (19)

1. A locking system for mechanical joining of floor 5 boards (1), said locking system comprising a tongue-and groove joint (36, 38), the groove (36) and tongue (38) of which have cooperating upper abutment surfaces (43, 49) and cooperating lower abutment surfaces (45, 52) for vertical locking of two joint edges (4a, 4b) of two adja 10 cent floorboards (1, 1′), said upper and lower abutment surfaces (43, 49; 45, 52) being essentially parallel with the principal plane of the floorboards (1), and said locking system comprising, for horizontal mechanical joining of the joint edges (4a, 4b) perpendicular to the 15 same, a locking groove (14) formed in the underside (3) of a first one of the joint edges (4b) and extended in parallel therewith, and a portion (P) projecting from the second joint edge (4a) and integrated with a body (30, 32, 34) of the floorboard (1), said portion (P) support 20 ing, at a distance from the joint edge (4a), a locking element (8) cooperating with the locking groove (14), wherein said tongue (38) is anglable into the groove (36), and wherein the locking element (8) is insertable into the locking groove (14) by mutual angular motion 25 of the boards (1, 1′) about the joint edges (4a, 4b), cha r a c t e r i s e d in that, in the joined state, the cooperating upper abutment surfaces (43, 49) are limited horizontally inwards from the joint edge and horizontally outwards 30 to the joint edge by an inner vertical plane (IP) and an outer vertical plane (OP), respectively; that the tongue-and-groove joint is so designed that there is in the groove (45), in the joined state, between the inner vertical plane (IP) and the outer vertical 35 plane (OP) and below the tongue (38), a space (S) which extends horizontally from the inner vertical plane (IP) and at least halfway to the outer vertical plane (OP); WO99/66151 PCT/SE99/00933 24 that the tongue-and-groove joint is further so designed that the boards, during a final phase of the inwards angling when the locking element is inserted into the locking groove, can take a position where there is a 5 space (S) in the groove (36) between the inner and the outer vertical plane (IP, OP) and below the tongue (38); and that the lower abutment surfaces (45, 52) are posi tioned essentially outside the outer vertical plane (OP). 10

2. A locking system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said space (S) in the joined state is horizontally extended below the tongue (38) essentially all the way from the inner vertical plane (IP) to the outer vertical plane (OP), so that essentially no part of the lower 15 abutment surfaces (45, 52) is positioned inside the outer vertical plane (OP).

3. A locking system as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein said space (S) during the final phase of the inwards angling is horizontally extended below the tongue 20 (38) essentially all the way from the inner vertical plane (IP) to the outer vertical plane (OP).

4. A locking system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the groove (36) in the joined state has an upper and a lower horizontal surface which 25 constitute inwardly directed extensions of the upper abutment surface (43) and the lower abutment surface (45), respectively, of the groove (36), and wherein there is in the joined state a horizontal play (A) between the bottom of the groove (36) and the tip of the tongue (38). 30

5. A locking system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the outer vertical plane (OP) is located at a horizontal distance inside a vertical joint plane (F), which is defined by adjoining upper por tions (41, 48) of the joined joint edges (4a, 4b) of the 35 two boards (1, 1′).

6. A locking system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the lower abutment surfaces WO99/66151 PCT/SE99/00933 25 (45, 52) are located at least partially outside a verti cal joint plane (F) which is defined by adjoining upper portions (41, 48) of the joined joint edges (4a, 4b) of the two boards (1, 1′). 5

7. A locking system as claimed in claim 6, wherein the major part of the lower abutment surfaces (45, 52) is positioned outside the vertical joint plane (F).

8. A locking system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the projecting portion (P) and 10 the groove (36) are arranged in one and the same joint edge (4a) of the floorboard (1).

9. A locking system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the projecting portion (P) is at least partially made in one piece with a body (30, 32, 15 34) of the floorboard (1).

10. A locking system as claimed in claim 9, where in the locking element (8) of the projection portion (P) is positioned under or on a level with the lower abutment surface (45) of the groove (36). 20

11. A locking system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the projecting portion (P) is at least partially formed of a material other than that of the body of the floorboard.

12. A locking system as claimed in claim 11, where 25 in the projecting portion (P) is at least partially form ed of a separate strip (6) which is integrally connected (60, 62, 64) with the board (1) by being mounted in the factory.

13. A locking system as claimed in any one of the 30 preceding claims, wherein the projecting portion (P) is resilient transversely of the principal plane of the floorboards.

14. A locking system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the tongue (38) is insertable 35 into the groove (36) and the locking element (8) is insertable into the locking groove (14) by a mutual hori zontal joining of the joint edges (5a, 5b) of the boards. WO99/66151 PCT/SE99/00933 26

15. A locking system as claimed in claim 14, wherein the groove (36) has in its upper part a bevelled portion (42) for guiding the tongue (38) into the groove (36).

16. A locking system as claimed in any one of the 5 preceding claims, wherein the projecting portion (P), in the horizontal direction between the lower abutment sur faces (45, 52) of the tongue-and-groove joint on the one hand and the locking element (8) of the projecting por tion (P) on the other hand, has a lower portion (7) which 10 is positioned below said lower abutment surfaces (45, 52).

17. A locking system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the tongue (38) is anglable into the groove (36) and the locking element (8) is 15 insertable into the locking groove (14) by said mutual angular motion of the boards about upper portions (41, 48) of the joint edges (4a, 4b) while said upper portions (41, 48) are held in mutual contact.

18. A floorboard (1) provided along one or more 20 sides with a locking system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims.

19. A floorboard (1) as claimed in claim 18, which has opposite long sides and short sides and which is mechanically joinable along its long sides with long 25 sides of identical floorboards by downward angling and which is mechanically joinable along its short sides with short sides of identical floorboards by displacement along said long sides.

AU46665/99A
1998-06-03
1999-05-31
Locking system and flooring board

Expired

AU735245B2
(en)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Application Number
Priority Date
Filing Date
Title

SE9801987A

SE512290C2
(en)

1998-06-03
1998-06-03

Locking system for mechanical joining of floorboards and floorboard provided with the locking system

SE9801987

1998-06-03

PCT/SE1999/000933

WO1999066151A1
(en)

1998-06-03
1999-05-31
Locking system and flooring board

Publications (2)

Publication Number
Publication Date

AU4666599A
true

AU4666599A
(en)

2000-01-05

AU735245B2

AU735245B2
(en)

2001-07-05

Family
ID=20411583
Family Applications (1)

Application Number
Title
Priority Date
Filing Date

AU46665/99A
Expired

AU735245B2
(en)

1998-06-03
1999-05-31
Locking system and flooring board

Country Status (14)

Country
Link

US
(6)

US7444791B1
(en)

EP
(1)

EP1084317B2
(en)

JP
(1)

JP3515075B2
(en)

CN
(1)

CN1304475A
(en)

AT
(1)

ATE238469T1
(en)

AU
(1)

AU735245B2
(en)

BR
(1)

BR9911186A
(en)

CA
(1)

CA2333962A1
(en)

DE
(1)

DE69907179C5
(en)

ES
(1)

ES2193721T5
(en)

NO
(1)

NO314909B1
(en)

PT
(1)

PT1084317E
(en)

SE
(1)

SE512290C2
(en)

WO
(1)

WO1999066151A1
(en)

Families Citing this family (164)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party

Publication number
Priority date
Publication date
Assignee
Title

SE515210C2
(en)

2000-04-10
2001-06-25
Valinge Aluminium Ab

Locking systems for joining floorboards and floorboards provided with such locking systems and floors formed from such floorboards

US20020178674A1
(en)

1993-05-10
2002-12-05
Tony Pervan
System for joining a building board

SE9301595L
(en)

*

1993-05-10
1994-10-17
Tony Pervan

Grout for thin liquid hard floors

US6421970B1
(en)

1995-03-07
2002-07-23
Perstorp Flooring Ab
Flooring panel or wall panel and use thereof

US7131242B2
(en)

1995-03-07
2006-11-07
Pergo (Europe) Ab
Flooring panel or wall panel and use thereof

US6588166B2
(en)

1995-03-07
2003-07-08
Pergo (Europe) Ab
Flooring panel or wall panel and use thereof

SE9500810D0
(en)

1995-03-07
1995-03-07
Perstorp Flooring Ab

Floor tile

US7992358B2
(en)

1998-02-04
2011-08-09
Pergo AG
Guiding means at a joint

SE512313C2
(en)

1998-06-03
2000-02-28
Valinge Aluminium Ab

Locking system and floorboard

SE512290C2
(en)

1998-06-03
2000-02-28
Valinge Aluminium Ab

Locking system for mechanical joining of floorboards and floorboard provided with the locking system

US7386963B2
(en)

*

1998-06-03
2008-06-17
Valinge Innovation Ab
Locking system and flooring board

SE515789C2
(en)

1999-02-10
2001-10-08
Perstorp Flooring Ab

Floor covering material comprising floor elements which are intended to be joined vertically

SE514645C2
(en)

1998-10-06
2001-03-26
Perstorp Flooring Ab

Floor covering material comprising disc-shaped floor elements intended to be joined by separate joint profiles

SE517478C2
(en)

1999-04-30
2002-06-11
Valinge Aluminium Ab

Locking system for mechanical hoisting of floorboards, floorboard provided with the locking system and method for producing mechanically foldable floorboards

DE29911462U1
(en)

*

1999-07-02
1999-11-18
Akzenta Paneele & Profile Gmbh

Fastening system for panels

US7877956B2
(en)

1999-07-05
2011-02-01
Pergo AG
Floor element with guiding means

US6863768B2
(en)

1999-11-08
2005-03-08
Premark Rwp Holdings Inc.
Water resistant edge of laminate flooring

US7763345B2
(en)

1999-12-14
2010-07-27
Mannington Mills, Inc.
Thermoplastic planks and methods for making the same

AU3424100A
(en)

*

1999-12-27
2001-07-09
Kronospan Technical Company Limited
Panel with a shaped plug-in section

SE517183C2
(en)

2000-01-24
2002-04-23
Valinge Aluminium Ab

Locking system for mechanical joining of floorboards, floorboard provided with the locking system and method for making such floorboards

EP1120515A1
(en)

*

2000-01-27
2001-08-01
Triax N.V.
A combined set comprising a locking member and at least two building panels

SE522860C2
(en)

2000-03-10
2004-03-09
Pergo Europ Ab

Vertically joined floor elements comprising a combination of different floor elements

DE08166656T1
(en)

*

2000-03-31
2015-04-02
Pergo (Europe) Ab

Floor material made of plate-shaped floor elements, which are connected by means of connecting elements

SE518184C2
(en)

2000-03-31
2002-09-03
Perstorp Flooring Ab

Floor covering material comprising disc-shaped floor elements which are joined together by means of interconnecting means

FR2807694B1
(en)

2000-04-14
2002-07-05
Europ De Laquage Et De Faconna

DEVICE FOR ASSEMBLING LONGITUDINAL EDGES OF PANELS, SLATS OR PANELS

FR2808822B1
(en)

2000-05-15
2003-01-03
Europ De Laquage Et De Faconna

DEVICE FOR ASSEMBLING THE LONGITUDINAL EDGES OF PANELS, SLATS OR PANELS, WITH FORCE DISTRIBUTION

AT411374B
(en)

2000-06-06
2003-12-29
Kaindl M

COATING, COVERING OR THE LIKE, PANELS FOR ITS EDUCATION AND METHOD AND DEVICE FOR PRODUCING THE PANELS

BE1013569A3
(en)

2000-06-20
2002-04-02
Unilin Beheer Bv
Floor covering.

US6803099B1
(en)

2000-10-10
2004-10-12
Armstrong World Industries, Inc.
Self-adhering surface covering and method of making

US6769218B2
(en)

2001-01-12
2004-08-03
Valinge Aluminium Ab
Floorboard and locking system therefor

SI1349995T2
(en)

2001-01-12
2013-12-31
Valinge Innovation Ab
Flooring system comprising a plurality of mechanically joinable floorboards

DE10103505B4
(en)

2001-01-26
2008-06-26
Pergo (Europe) Ab

Floor or wall panel

FR2825734B1
(en)

2001-06-12
2004-07-09
Europ De Laquage Et De Faconna

DEVICE FOR ASSEMBLING PANELS, SLATS OR PANELS, WITH FORCE DISTRIBUTION

US8028486B2
(en)

2001-07-27
2011-10-04
Valinge Innovation Ab
Floor panel with sealing means

SE519791C2
(en)

2001-07-27
2003-04-08
Valinge Aluminium Ab

System for forming a joint between two floorboards, floorboards therefore provided with sealing means at the joint edges and ways of manufacturing a core which is processed into floorboards

DE20122778U1
(en)

*

2001-08-10
2007-10-25
Akzenta Paneele + Profile Gmbh

Panel and fastening system for panels

FR2828703A1
(en)

2001-08-14
2003-02-21
Europ De Laquage Et De Faconna

PROCESS FOR LAYING PANELS, SLATS OR SIDINGS INCLUDING A FORCE DISTRIBUTION EDGE ASSEMBLY DEVICE

US8250825B2
(en)

2001-09-20
2012-08-28
Välinge Innovation AB
Flooring and method for laying and manufacturing the same

SE525558C2
(en)

2001-09-20
2005-03-08
Vaelinge Innovation Ab

System for forming a floor covering, set of floorboards and method for manufacturing two different types of floorboards

SE525661C2
(en)

2002-03-20
2005-03-29
Vaelinge Innovation Ab
Floor boards decorative joint portion making system, has surface layer with underlying layer such that adjoining edge with surface has underlying layer parallel to horizontal plane

EP2281979B1
(en)

2002-04-03
2019-01-23
Välinge Innovation AB
Floorboard

SE525657C2
(en)

2002-04-08
2005-03-29
Vaelinge Innovation Ab

Flooring boards for floating floors made of at least two different layers of material and semi-finished products for the manufacture of floorboards

US8850769B2
(en)

2002-04-15
2014-10-07
Valinge Innovation Ab
Floorboards for floating floors

US7739849B2
(en)

2002-04-22
2010-06-22
Valinge Innovation Ab
Floorboards, flooring systems and methods for manufacturing and installation thereof

US8375673B2
(en)

2002-08-26
2013-02-19
John M. Evjen
Method and apparatus for interconnecting paneling

US7617651B2
(en)

2002-11-12
2009-11-17
Kronotec Ag
Floor panel

DE10262235B4
(en)

2002-11-12
2010-05-12
Kronotec Ag

Particle board, in particular floor panel or furniture panel, and method for its production

DE50309830D1
(en)

2002-11-15
2008-06-26
Flooring Technologies Ltd

Device consisting of two interconnected construction panels and an insert for locking these building panels

BE1015239A3
(en)

*

2002-12-09
2004-11-09
Flooring Ind Ltd
Floor panel and method for linking, or removing from floor panels.

DE10306118A1
(en)

2003-02-14
2004-09-09
Kronotec Ag

building board

KR101206395B1
(en)

2003-02-24
2012-11-29
뵈린게 이노베이션 에이비이
Floorboard and method of manufacturing thereof

US20040206036A1
(en)

2003-02-24
2004-10-21
Valinge Aluminium Ab
Floorboard and method for manufacturing thereof

US7845140B2
(en)

2003-03-06
2010-12-07
Valinge Innovation Ab
Flooring and method for installation and manufacturing thereof

US7677001B2
(en)

2003-03-06
2010-03-16
Valinge Innovation Ab
Flooring systems and methods for installation

US7678425B2
(en)

2003-03-06
2010-03-16
Flooring Technologies Ltd.
Process for finishing a wooden board and wooden board produced by the process

DE20304761U1
(en)

2003-03-24
2004-04-08
Kronotec Ag

Device for connecting building boards, in particular floor panels

AT413840B
(en)

*

2003-07-07
2006-06-15
Poschacher Natursteinwerke Gmb

PLATE FOR LAYING ON FLOORS, WALLS, CEILINGS, FAÇADES OR DGL.

DE502004007033D1
(en)

*

2003-09-05
2008-06-19
Tilo Gmbh

Element for a floor covering with a thin middle layer

DE10362218B4
(en)

2003-09-06
2010-09-16
Kronotec Ag

Method for sealing a building board

DE20315676U1
(en)

2003-10-11
2003-12-11
Kronotec Ag

Panel, especially floor panel

US7886497B2
(en)

2003-12-02
2011-02-15
Valinge Innovation Ab
Floorboard, system and method for forming a flooring, and a flooring formed thereof

US7261947B2
(en)

*

2003-12-04
2007-08-28
Awi Licensing Company
Plywood laminate having improved dimensional stability and resistance to warping and delamination

US20050166516A1
(en)

2004-01-13
2005-08-04
Valinge Aluminium Ab
Floor covering and locking systems

DE102004011931B4
(en)

2004-03-11
2006-09-14
Kronotec Ag

Insulation board made of a wood-material-binder fiber mixture

BE1016216A5
(en)

*

2004-09-24
2006-05-02
Flooring Ind Ltd

FLOOR PANEL AND FLOOR COVERING COMPOSED OF SUCH FLOOR PANELS.

SE527570C2
(en)

2004-10-05
2006-04-11
Vaelinge Innovation Ab

Device and method for surface treatment of sheet-shaped material and floor board

US7454875B2
(en)

2004-10-22
2008-11-25
Valinge Aluminium Ab
Mechanical locking system for floor panels

US7841144B2
(en)

2005-03-30
2010-11-30
Valinge Innovation Ab
Mechanical locking system for panels and method of installing same

ES2298664T5
(en)

2004-10-22
2011-05-04
Välinge Innovation AB

A SET OF SOIL PANELS.

US8215078B2
(en)

2005-02-15
2012-07-10
Välinge Innovation Belgium BVBA
Building panel with compressed edges and method of making same

BE1016938A6
(en)

2005-03-31
2007-10-02
Flooring Ind Ltd
Floor panel manufacturing method, involves providing panels at lower side with guiding groove and providing two opposite sides with profiled edge regions that comprise coupling parts

US20130139478A1
(en)

2005-03-31
2013-06-06
Flooring Industries Limited, Sarl
Methods for packaging floor panels, as well as packed set of floor panels

US8061104B2
(en)

2005-05-20
2011-11-22
Valinge Innovation Ab
Mechanical locking system for floor panels

US20060260253A1
(en)

*

2005-05-23
2006-11-23
Quality Craft Ltd.
Laminate flooring panel bevel and method of manufacturing same

EP1888859A1
(en)

*

2005-06-06
2008-02-20
Dirk Dammers
Panel, in particular floor panel

SE529664C2
(en)

*

2005-07-11
2007-10-16
Pergo Europ Ab

A joint profile for a panel

SE529076C2
(en)

2005-07-11
2007-04-24
Pergo Europ Ab

A joint for panels

DE102005042658B3
(en)

2005-09-08
2007-03-01
Kronotec Ag
Tongued and grooved board for flooring has at least one side surface and tongue and/or groove with decorative layer applied

DE102005042657B4
(en)

2005-09-08
2010-12-30
Kronotec Ag

Building board and method of manufacture

US7854986B2
(en)

2005-09-08
2010-12-21
Flooring Technologies Ltd.
Building board and method for production

DE102005063034B4
(en)

2005-12-29
2007-10-31
Flooring Technologies Ltd.

Panel, in particular floor panel

SE530653C2
(en)

2006-01-12
2008-07-29
Vaelinge Innovation Ab

Moisture-proof floor board and floor with an elastic surface layer including a decorative groove

DE102006007976B4
(en)

2006-02-21
2007-11-08
Flooring Technologies Ltd.

Process for refining a building board

DE102006008792A1
(en)

2006-02-24
2007-08-30
Isaria Corporate Design Ag
Structure plate for forming e.g. floor tile, has connection receiving unit provided for connecting unit, where longitudinal slot and unit are arranged on top of each other in two levels in vertically-shifted manner

BE1017157A3
(en)

2006-06-02
2008-03-04
Flooring Ind Ltd

FLOOR COVERING, FLOOR ELEMENT AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING FLOOR ELEMENTS.

SE533410C2
(en)

2006-07-11
2010-09-14
Vaelinge Innovation Ab

Floor panels with mechanical locking systems with a flexible and slidable tongue as well as heavy therefore

US7861482B2
(en)

2006-07-14
2011-01-04
Valinge Innovation Ab
Locking system comprising a combination lock for panels

US11725394B2
(en)

2006-11-15
2023-08-15
Välinge Innovation AB
Mechanical locking of floor panels with vertical folding

US8689512B2
(en)

2006-11-15
2014-04-08
Valinge Innovation Ab
Mechanical locking of floor panels with vertical folding

SE531111C2
(en)

2006-12-08
2008-12-23
Vaelinge Innovation Ab

Mechanical locking of floor panels

US8353140B2
(en)

2007-11-07
2013-01-15
Valinge Innovation Ab
Mechanical locking of floor panels with vertical snap folding

US8499521B2
(en)

2007-11-07
2013-08-06
Valinge Innovation Ab
Mechanical locking of floor panels with vertical snap folding and an installation method to connect such panels

US7805903B2
(en)

*

2007-12-13
2010-10-05
Liu David C
Locking mechanism for flooring boards

SG187516A1
(en)

2008-01-31
2013-02-28
Vaelinge Innovation Belgium Bvba
Please see remarks (exceeded 200 characters)

US8029880B2
(en)

2008-04-24
2011-10-04
Liu David C
Water resistant wide flooring boards

JP5623429B2
(en)

*

2009-01-30
2014-11-12
ベーリンゲ、イノベイション、アクチボラグＶａｅｌｉｎｇｅ Ｉｎｎｏｖａｔｉｏｎ Ａｂ

Mechanical locking of floor panels and tongue blanks

US8857121B2
(en)

*

2009-02-27
2014-10-14
Awi Licensing Company
Linear surface covering system

US11717901B2
(en)

2009-07-31
2023-08-08
Valinge Innovation Ab
Methods and arrangements relating to edge machining of building panels

RU2534578C2
(en)

2009-07-31
2014-11-27
Велинге Инновейшн Аб
Methods and systems for trimming of construction board edges

RU2534569C2
(en)

2009-07-31
2014-11-27
Велинге Инновейшн Аб
Method and devices related to construction board edge trimming

US11725395B2
(en)

2009-09-04
2023-08-15
Välinge Innovation AB
Resilient floor

US8365499B2
(en)

2009-09-04
2013-02-05
Valinge Innovation Ab
Resilient floor

EP3623543A1
(en)

2009-12-17
2020-03-18
Välinge Innovation AB
Floorboards

PL2524090T3
(en)

2010-01-11
2022-06-13
Välinge Innovation AB
Surface covering with interlocking design

US8544230B2
(en)

2010-01-12
2013-10-01
Valinge Innovation Ab
Mechanical locking system for floor panels

DE102010004717A1
(en)

2010-01-15
2011-07-21
Pergo (Europe) Ab

Set of panels comprising retaining profiles with a separate clip and method for introducing the clip

US8776473B2
(en)

2010-02-04
2014-07-15
Valinge Innovation Ab
Mechanical locking system for floor panels

ES2533581T3
(en)

*

2010-03-05
2015-04-13
Texas Heart Institute

ETS2 and Mesp1 generators of cardiac progenitors from fibroblasts

CN104775594B
(en)

2010-05-10
2017-09-22
佩尔戈(欧洲)股份公司
Floor panel assembly

CN102261178A
(en)

*

2010-05-25
2011-11-30
康为敦
Joining device for locking buckle floor

EP2657428B1
(en)

*

2010-10-20
2018-08-08
Kronoplus Technical AG
Surface covering comprising laminate panels and an extraneous locking element

US8191328B1
(en)

*

2011-02-04
2012-06-05
Liu David C
Hardwood flooring with sliding locking mechanism

US8806832B2
(en)

2011-03-18
2014-08-19
Inotec Global Limited
Vertical joint system and associated surface covering system

UA114715C2
(en)

2011-07-05
2017-07-25
Сералок Інновейшн Аб
Mechanical locking of floor panels with a glued tongue

US9725912B2
(en)

2011-07-11
2017-08-08
Ceraloc Innovation Ab
Mechanical locking system for floor panels

US8650826B2
(en)

2011-07-19
2014-02-18
Valinge Flooring Technology Ab
Mechanical locking system for floor panels

US8763340B2
(en)

2011-08-15
2014-07-01
Valinge Flooring Technology Ab
Mechanical locking system for floor panels

US8857126B2
(en)

2011-08-15
2014-10-14
Valinge Flooring Technology Ab
Mechanical locking system for floor panels

CN112709400A
(en)

2011-08-29
2021-04-27
塞拉洛克创新股份有限公司
Mechanical locking system for floor panels

BE1020433A3
(en)

*

2012-01-05
2013-10-01
Flooring Ind Ltd Sarl

PANEL.

EP2662192B1
(en)

2012-05-08
2017-07-12
Ab Gustaf Kähr
Floor panel and method of its production

CN104302854B
(en)

2012-05-08
2017-01-18
古斯塔夫康氏公司
Core, panel blank, floor panel and methods of their production

US20170204620A9
(en)

2012-05-10
2017-07-20
Michael Freedman & Associates, Inc.
Multi-layer acoustical flooring tile and method of manufacture

CN109025152B
(en)

2012-06-19
2020-09-22
瓦林格创新股份有限公司
Method for dividing a panel into a first and a second panel, method for forming a mechanical locking system and building panel

US9140010B2
(en)

2012-07-02
2015-09-22
Valinge Flooring Technology Ab
Panel forming

US9366036B2
(en)

2012-11-22
2016-06-14
Ceraloc Innovation Ab
Mechanical locking system for floor panels

US9194134B2
(en)

2013-03-08
2015-11-24
Valinge Innovation Ab
Building panels provided with a mechanical locking system

JP6392847B2
(en)

2013-03-25
2018-09-19
ベーリンゲ、イノベイション、アクチボラグＶａｅｌｉｎｇｅ Ｉｎｎｏｖａｔｉｏｎ Ａｂ

Floor board provided with mechanical fixing system and method for manufacturing the fixing system

CN110259027B
(en)

2013-06-27
2021-09-14
瓦林格创新股份有限公司
Building panel with mechanical locking system

BR112015032687B1
(en)

2013-07-09
2022-03-15
Ceraloc Innovation Ab

Floor panel set

US8973328B2
(en)

*

2013-07-12
2015-03-10
Macneil Ip Llc
Floor tile expansion joint

FR3009731A1
(en)

2013-08-19
2015-02-20
Findes

BLADES OF ASSEMBLABLE COATINGS ON BOARD BY EMBOITEMENT AUTOBLOQUANT AND INSTALLATION ACCESSORIES FOR THEIR SOLIDARIZATION WITH A WALL

ES2728351T3
(en)

2013-10-25
2019-10-23
Ceraloc Innovation Ab

Mechanical locking system for floor panels

CN110453881B
(en)

2014-05-14
2021-07-13
瓦林格创新股份有限公司
Building panel with mechanical locking system

US10246883B2
(en)

2014-05-14
2019-04-02
Valinge Innovation Ab
Building panel with a mechanical locking system

PT3169532T
(en)

2014-07-16
2023-10-27
Vaelinge Innovation Ab
Method to produce a thermoplastic wear resistant foil

PT3567184T
(en)

2014-08-29
2023-03-06
Vaelinge Innovation Ab
Vertical joint system for a surface covering panel

WO2016085397A1
(en)

2014-11-27
2016-06-02
Välinge Innovation AB
Mechanical locking system for floor panels

US9567755B2
(en)

*

2014-12-23
2017-02-14
Afi Licensing Llc
Sound-absorbing interlocking floor panels and system

WO2017105335A1
(en)

2015-12-17
2017-06-22
Välinge Innovation AB
A method for producing a mechanical locking system for panels

US10557265B2
(en)

*

2016-04-26
2020-02-11
Embassy Ceiling Inc.
Clip for suspended ceiling members

CN109790722A
(en)

2016-09-30
2019-05-21
瓦林格创新股份有限公司
It is assembled by vertical displacement and in the panel component both vertically as well as horizontally locked together

US11225799B2
(en)

*

2017-04-18
2022-01-18
Louisiana-Pacific Corporation
Self-spacing lap siding product

US11156002B2
(en)

*

2017-04-18
2021-10-26
Louisiana-Pacific Corporation
Self-spacing lap siding product

EP3612688A4
(en)

*

2017-04-18
2021-01-20
Louisiana-Pacific Corporation
Self-spacing lap siding product

US20220042319A1
(en)

*

2017-04-18
2022-02-10
Louisiana-Pacific Corporation
Self-spacing lap siding product

US10337190B2
(en)

2017-08-08
2019-07-02
Ranat Tarananopas
Board with tongue and tenon and method for manufacture of said board with tongue and tenon

AU2018400651A1
(en)

2018-01-09
2020-07-02
Välinge Innovation AB
Set of panels

CA3086281A1
(en)

2018-01-10
2019-07-18
Valinge Innovation Ab
Subfloor joint

WO2019240656A1
(en)

2018-06-13
2019-12-19
Ceraloc Innovation Ab
A flooring system provided with a connecting system and an associated connecting device

WO2020117117A1
(en)

2018-12-05
2020-06-11
Välinge Innovation AB
Subfloor joint

KR20210110687A
(en)

2019-01-10
2021-09-08
뵈린게 이노베이션 에이비이

Set of vertically unlockable panels, method and device thereof

PT3686008T
(en)

2019-01-23
2021-08-24
Flooring Technologies Ltd
Method for producing an abrasion-resistant and waterproof multilayer panel and a panel obtained with said method

EP3686029B1
(en)

2019-01-23
2022-04-20
Flooring Technologies Ltd.
Method for producing an abrasion-resistant and waterproof multilayer panel

PT3702172T
(en)

2019-03-01
2022-06-20
Flooring Technologies Ltd
Method for producing a multilayer structured panel and panel manufactured by means of this method

WO2020180237A1
(en)

2019-03-05
2020-09-10
Ceraloc Innovation Ab
Methods for forming grooves in a board element and an associated panel

EP3947849A4
(en)

2019-03-25
2022-12-07
Ceraloc Innovation AB
A mineral-based panel comprising grooves and a method for forming grooves

DE202019101807U1
(en)

*

2019-03-29
2019-05-06
Akzenta Paneele + Profile Gmbh

paneling

EP3798385A1
(en)

2019-09-24
2021-03-31
Välinge Innovation AB
Building panel

CN114829126A
(en)

2019-12-27
2022-07-29
塞拉洛克创新股份有限公司
Thermoplastic-based building panel comprising a balancing layer

EP3851294B1
(en)

2020-01-15
2022-02-16
Flooring Technologies Ltd.
Method for providing laminate panels with individualized decorative elements

WO2021144201A1
(en)

2020-01-13
2021-07-22
Flooring Technologies Ltd.
Method and device for providing laminate panels provided with individualised decorations

US20210246656A1
(en)

*

2020-02-06
2021-08-12
Louisiana-Pacific Corporation
Self-spacing lap and panel siding

IT202000001333U1
(en)

2020-03-27
2021-09-27
Holz Fach D O O

MECHANICAL ATTACHMENT MEANS FOR FLOORING OR COVERING PANELS AND FLOORING OR COVERING PANEL EQUIPPED WITH SUCH MEANS

Family Cites Families (252)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party

Publication number
Priority date
Publication date
Assignee
Title

US3125138A
(en)

1964-03-17

Gang saw for improved tongue and groove

US1194636A
(en)

1916-08-15

Silent door latch

US213740A
(en)

1879-04-01

Improvement in wooden roofs

US714987A
(en)

1902-02-17
1902-12-02
Martin Wilford Wolfe
Interlocking board.

US753791A
(en)

1903-08-25
1904-03-01
Elisha J Fulghum
Method of making floor-boards.

US1124228A
(en)

1913-02-28
1915-01-05
Ross Houston
Matched flooring or board.

US1371856A
(en)

1919-04-15
1921-03-15
Robert S Cade
Concrete paving-slab

US1468288A
(en)

1920-07-01
1923-09-18
Een Johannes Benjamin
Wooden-floor section

US1407679A
(en)

1921-05-31
1922-02-21
William E Ruthrauff
Flooring construction

US1454250A
(en)

1921-11-17
1923-05-08
William A Parsons
Parquet flooring

US1540128A
(en)

1922-12-28
1925-06-02
Houston Ross
Composite unit for flooring and the like and method for making same

US1477813A
(en)

1923-10-16
1923-12-18
Daniels Ernest Stuart
Parquet flooring and wall paneling

US1510924A
(en)

1924-03-27
1924-10-07
Daniels Ernest Stuart
Parquet flooring and wall paneling

US1602267A
(en)

1925-02-28
1926-10-05
John M Karwisch
Parquet-flooring unit

US1660480A
(en)

1925-03-13
1928-02-28
Daniels Ernest Stuart
Parquet-floor panels

US1575821A
(en)

1925-03-13
1926-03-09
John Alexander Hugh Cameron
Parquet-floor composite sections

US1615096A
(en)

1925-09-21
1927-01-18
Joseph J R Meyers
Floor and ceiling construction

US1602256A
(en)

1925-11-09
1926-10-05
Sellin Otto
Interlocked sheathing board

US1644710A
(en)

1925-12-31
1927-10-11
Cromar Company
Prefinished flooring

US1622103A
(en)

1926-09-02
1927-03-22
John C King Lumber Company
Hardwood block flooring

US1622104A
(en)

1926-11-06
1927-03-22
John C King Lumber Company
Block flooring and process of making the same

US1637634A
(en)

1927-02-28
1927-08-02
Charles J Carter
Flooring

US1778069A
(en)

1928-03-07
1930-10-14
Bruce E L Co
Wood-block flooring

US1718702A
(en)

1928-03-30
1929-06-25
M B Farrin Lumber Company
Composite panel and attaching device therefor

US1714738A
(en)

1928-06-11
1929-05-28
Arthur R Smith
Flooring and the like

US1790178A
(en)

1928-08-06
1931-01-27
Jr Daniel Manson Sutherland
Fibre board and its manufacture

US1787027A
(en)

1929-02-20
1930-12-30
Wasleff Alex
Herringbone flooring

US1764331A
(en)

1929-02-23
1930-06-17
Paul O Moratz
Matched hardwood flooring

US1809393A
(en)

1929-05-09
1931-06-09
Byrd C Rockwell
Inlay floor construction

US1734826A
(en)

1929-10-09
1929-11-05
Pick Israel
Manufacture of partition and like building blocks

US1823039A
(en)

1930-02-12
1931-09-15
J K Gruner Lumber Company
Jointed lumber

US1898364A
(en)

1930-02-24
1933-02-21
George S Gynn
Flooring construction

US1859667A
(en)

1930-05-14
1932-05-24
J K Gruner Lumber Company
Jointed lumber

US1925070A
(en)

1930-10-04
1933-08-29
Bruce E L Co
Laying wood block flooring

US1940377A
(en)

1930-12-09
1933-12-19
Raymond W Storm
Flooring

US1906411A
(en)

1930-12-29
1933-05-02
Potvin Frederick Peter
Wood flooring

US1988201A
(en)

1931-04-15
1935-01-15
Julius R Hall
Reenforced flooring and method

US2015813A
(en)

1931-07-13
1935-10-01
Nat Wood Products Co
Wood block flooring

US1953306A
(en)

1931-07-13
1934-04-03
Paul O Moratz
Flooring strip and joint

US1929871A
(en)

1931-08-20
1933-10-10
Berton W Jones
Parquet flooring

US1995264A
(en)

1931-11-03
1935-03-19
Masonite Corp
Composite structural unit

US2089075A
(en)

1931-12-10
1937-08-03
Western Electric Co
Flooring and method of constructing a floor

US2044216A
(en)

1934-01-11
1936-06-16
Edward A Klages
Wall structure

US1986739A
(en)

1934-02-06
1935-01-01
Walter F Mitte
Nail-on brick

US2026511A
(en)

1934-05-14
1935-12-31
Storm George Freeman
Floor and process of laying the same

US2088238A
(en)

1935-06-12
1937-07-27
Harris Mfg Company
Wood flooring

US2123409A
(en)

*

1936-12-10
1938-07-12
Elmendorf Armin
Flexible wood floor or flooring material

US2276071A
(en)

1939-01-25
1942-03-10
Johns Manville
Panel construction

US2266464A
(en)

1939-02-14
1941-12-16
Gen Tire & Rubber Co
Yieldingly joined flooring

US2303745A
(en)

1939-02-21
1942-12-01
M B Farrin Lumber Co
Manufacture of single matted flooring panel

US2324628A
(en)

1941-02-07
1943-07-20
Kahr Gustaf
Composite board structure

US2387446A
(en)

1943-07-31
1945-10-23
Irwin Machinery Company
Board feed for woodworking machines

US2398632A
(en)

1944-05-08
1946-04-16
United States Gypsum Co
Building element

US2430200A
(en)

1944-11-18
1947-11-04
Nina Mae Wilson
Lock joint

US2495862A
(en)

1945-03-10
1950-01-31
Emery S Osborn
Building construction of predetermined characteristics

US2780253A
(en)

1950-06-02
1957-02-05
Curt G Joa
Self-centering feed rolls for a dowel machine or the like

US2740167A
(en)

1952-09-05
1956-04-03
John C Rowley
Interlocking parquet block

US2851740A
(en)

1953-04-15
1958-09-16
United States Gypsum Co
Wall construction

US2805852A
(en)

1954-05-21
1957-09-10
Kanthal Ab
Furnace plates of refractory material

US2928456A
(en)

1955-03-22
1960-03-15
Haskelite Mfg Corp
Bonded laminated panel

US2865058A
(en)

1955-04-12
1958-12-23
Gustaf Kahr
Composite floors

US3045294A
(en)

1956-03-22
1962-07-24
Jr William F Livezey
Method and apparatus for laying floors

US2947040A
(en)

1956-06-18
1960-08-02
Package Home Mfg Inc
Wall construction

CH345451A
(en)

1956-06-27
1960-03-31
Piodi Roberto

Rubber floor or similar material

US2894292A
(en)

1957-03-21
1959-07-14
Jasper Wood Crafters Inc
Combination sub-floor and top floor

AT218725B
(en)

1959-01-16
1961-12-27
Jakob Niederguenzl

Machine for the production of small parquet boards

US3100556A
(en)

1959-07-30
1963-08-13
Reynolds Metals Co
Interlocking metallic structural members

US3203149A
(en)

1960-03-16
1965-08-31
American Seal Kap Corp
Interlocking panel structure

US3120083A
(en)

1960-04-04
1964-02-04
Bigelow Sanford Inc
Carpet or floor tiles

FR1293043A
(en)

1961-03-27
1962-05-11
Piraud Plastiques Ets

Flooring Tile

US3182769A
(en)

1961-05-04
1965-05-11
Reynolds Metals Co
Interlocking constructions and parts therefor or the like

US3259417A
(en)

1961-08-07
1966-07-05
Wood Processes Oregon Ltd
Suction head for transporting veneer sheets

US3204380A
(en)

*

1962-01-31
1965-09-07
Allied Chem
Acoustical tiles with thermoplastic covering sheets and interlocking tongue-and-groove edge connections

US3282010A
(en)

1962-12-18
1966-11-01
Jr Andrew J King
Parquet flooring block

US3247638A
(en)

1963-05-22
1966-04-26
James W Fair
Interlocking tile carpet

US3301147A
(en)

1963-07-22
1967-01-31
Harvey Aluminum Inc
Vehicle-supporting matting and plank therefor

US3200553A
(en)

1963-09-06
1965-08-17
Forrest Ind Inc
Composition board flooring strip

US3267630A
(en)

1964-04-20
1966-08-23
Powerlock Floors Inc
Flooring systems

US3310919A
(en)

1964-10-02
1967-03-28
Sico Inc
Portable floor

US3347048A
(en)

*

1965-09-27
1967-10-17
Coastal Res Corp
Revetment block

SE301705B
(en)

1965-10-20
1968-06-17
P Ottosson

US3481810A
(en)

1965-12-20
1969-12-02
John C Waite
Method of manufacturing composite flooring material

US3460304A
(en)

1966-05-20
1969-08-12
Dow Chemical Co
Structural panel with interlocking edges

CH469160A
(en)

1966-10-20
1969-02-28
Kuhle Erich

Floor covering and method of making same

US3387422A
(en)

1966-10-28
1968-06-11
Bright Brooks Lumber Company O
Floor construction

US3508523A
(en)

1967-05-15
1970-04-28
Plywood Research Foundation
Apparatus for applying adhesive to wood stock

US3377931A
(en)

1967-05-26
1968-04-16
Ralph W. Hilton
Plank for modular load bearing surfaces such as aircraft landing mats

US3553919A
(en)

1968-01-31
1971-01-12
Omholt Ray
Flooring systems

US3538665A
(en)

1968-04-15
1970-11-10
Bauwerke Ag
Parquet flooring

US3526420A
(en)

1968-05-22
1970-09-01
Itt
Self-locking seam

US4037377A
(en)

1968-05-28
1977-07-26
H. H. Robertson Company
Foamed-in-place double-skin building panel

US3555762A
(en)

1968-07-08
1971-01-19
Aluminum Plastic Products Corp
False floor of interlocked metal sections

US3579941A
(en)

1968-11-19
1971-05-25
Howard C Tibbals
Wood parquet block flooring unit

SE515210C2
(en)

2000-04-10
2001-06-25
Valinge Aluminium Ab

Locking systems for joining floorboards and floorboards provided with such locking systems and floors formed from such floorboards

US3548559A
(en)

1969-05-05
1970-12-22
Liskey Aluminum
Floor panel

CH526974A
(en)

1970-02-20
1972-08-31
Bruun & Soerensen

Floor to lay on an ice rink

DE2021503A1
(en)

1970-05-02
1971-11-25
Freudenberg Carl Fa

Floor panels and methods of joining them

US3694983A
(en)

1970-05-19
1972-10-03
Pierre Jean Couquet
Pile or plastic tiles for flooring and like applications

US3738404A
(en)

1971-02-22
1973-06-12
W Walker
Method of producing dressed lumber from logs

GB1385375A
(en)

1971-02-26
1975-02-26
Sanwa Kako Co
Floor covering unit

US3729368A
(en)

1971-04-21
1973-04-24
Ingham & Co Ltd R E
Wood-plastic sheet laminate and method of making same

USRE30233E
(en)

1971-05-28
1980-03-18
The Mead Corporation
Multiple layer decorated paper, laminate prepared therefrom and process

US3768846A
(en)

1971-06-03
1973-10-30
R Hensley
Interlocking joint

US3714747A
(en)

1971-08-23
1973-02-06
Robertson Co H H
Fastening means for double-skin foam core building panel

US3759007A
(en)

1971-09-14
1973-09-18
Steel Corp
Panel joint assembly with drainage cavity

SE372051B
(en)

1971-11-22
1974-12-09
Ry Ab

DE2159042C3
(en)

1971-11-29
1974-04-18
Heinrich 6700 Ludwigshafen Hebgen

Insulating board, in particular made of rigid plastic foam

DE2238660A1
(en)

1972-08-05
1974-02-07
Heinrich Hebgen

FORMAL JOINT CONNECTION OF PANEL-SHAPED COMPONENTS WITHOUT SEPARATE CONNECTING ELEMENTS

US3859000A
(en)

1972-03-30
1975-01-07
Reynolds Metals Co
Road construction and panel for making same

NO139933C
(en)

1972-05-18
1979-06-06
Karl Hettich

FINISHED PARQUET ELEMENT.

US3786608A
(en)

1972-06-12
1974-01-22
W Boettcher
Flooring sleeper assembly

US3842562A
(en)

1972-10-24
1974-10-22
Larsen V Co
Interlocking precast concrete slabs

US4028450A
(en)

1972-12-26
1977-06-07
Gould Walter M
Method of molding a composite synthetic roofing structure

US3902293A
(en)

1973-02-06
1975-09-02
Atlantic Richfield Co
Dimensionally-stable, resilient floor tile

US3988187A
(en)

1973-02-06
1976-10-26
Atlantic Richfield Company
Method of laying floor tile

GB1430423A
(en)

1973-05-09
1976-03-31
Gkn Sankey Ltd
Joint structure

US3927705A
(en)

1973-08-16
1975-12-23
Industrial Woodworking Mach
Methods and means for continuous vertical finger jointing lumber

US3936551A
(en)

1974-01-30
1976-02-03
Armin Elmendorf
Flexible wood floor covering

US4084996A
(en)

1974-07-15
1978-04-18
Wood Processes, Oregon Ltd.
Method of making a grooved, fiber-clad plywood panel

AT341738B
(en)

1974-12-24
1978-02-27
Hoesch Werke Ag

CONNECTING ELEMENT WITH SLOT AND SPRING CONNECTION

US4099358A
(en)

1975-08-18
1978-07-11
Intercontinental Truck Body – Montana, Inc.
Interlocking panel sections

US4169688A
(en)

1976-03-15
1979-10-02
Sato Toshio
Artificial skating-rink floor

DE2616077A1
(en)

1976-04-13
1977-10-27
Hans Josef Hewener
Connecting web with flange for parquet floor – has pliable connecting web with flange held in floor plates to accommodate expansion and shrinking stresses

US4090338A
(en)

1976-12-13
1978-05-23
B 3 L
Parquet floor elements and parquet floor composed of such elements

SE414067B
(en)

1977-03-30
1980-07-07
Wicanders Korkfabriker Ab

DISCOVERED FLOOR ELEMENT WITH NOTE AND SPONGE FIT

ES230786Y
(en)

1977-08-27
1978-03-16

GASKET FOR ROOF PANELS.

SE407174B
(en)

1978-06-30
1979-03-19
Bahco Verktyg Ab

TURNING HAND TOOLS WITH SHAFT HALL ROOM FOR STORAGE OF TOOL ELEMENT

DE2828769A1
(en)

1978-06-30
1980-01-03
Oltmanns Heinrich Fa

BOX-SHAPED BUILDING BOARD MADE OF EXTRUDED PLASTIC

US4426820A
(en)

*

1979-04-24
1984-01-24
Heinz Terbrack
Panel for a composite surface and a method of assembling same

US4304083A
(en)

1979-10-23
1981-12-08
H. H. Robertson Company
Anchor element for panel joint

DE3041781A1
(en)

1980-11-05
1982-06-24
Terbrack Kunststoff GmbH & Co KG, 4426 Vreden
Skating or bowling rink tongue and groove panels – have tongue kink fitting trapezoid or half trapezium groove recess

GB2117813A
(en)

1982-04-06
1983-10-19
Leonid Ostrovsky
Pivotal assembly of insulated wall panels

US4471012A
(en)

1982-05-19
1984-09-11
Masonite Corporation
Square-edged laminated wood strip or plank materials

SE450141B
(en)

1982-12-03
1987-06-09
Jan Carlsson

DEVICE FOR CONSTRUCTION OF BUILDING PLATES EXV FLOOR PLATES

DE3343601A1
(en)

*

1983-12-02
1985-06-13
Bütec Gesellschaft für bühnentechnische Einrichtungen mbH, 4010 Hilden
Joining arrangement for rectangular boards

US4641469A
(en)

1985-07-18
1987-02-10
Wood Edward F
Prefabricated insulating panels

DE3538538A1
(en)

1985-10-30
1987-05-07
Peter Ballas

PANEL FOR CLOTHING WALLS OR CEILINGS

US4819932A
(en)

1986-02-28
1989-04-11
Trotter Jr Phil
Aerobic exercise floor system

US4944514A
(en)

1986-06-06
1990-07-31
Suitco Surface, Inc.
Floor finishing material and method

US4822440A
(en)

1987-11-04
1989-04-18
Nvf Company
Crossband and crossbanding

JPH01178659A
(en)

1988-01-11
1989-07-14
Ibiden Co Ltd
Floor material

JP2777600B2
(en)

1989-01-13
1998-07-16
株式会社名南製作所

Manufacturing method of plywood with less distortion

SE8900291L
(en)

*

1989-01-27
1990-07-28
Tillbal Ab

PROFILFOEBINDNING

US5029425A
(en)

1989-03-13
1991-07-09
Ciril Bogataj
Stone cladding system for walls

US5148850A
(en)

1989-06-28
1992-09-22
Paneltech Ltd.
Weatherproof continuous hinge connector for articulated vehicular overhead doors

JPH03169967A
(en)

1989-11-27
1991-07-23
Matsushita Electric Works Ltd
Set-laying floor material

US5216861A
(en)

1990-02-15
1993-06-08
Structural Panels, Inc.
Building panel and method

NO169185C
(en)

1990-05-02
1992-05-20
Boen Bruk As

SPRING SPORTS FLOOR

SE469137B
(en)

1990-11-09
1993-05-17
Oliver Sjoelander

DEVICE FOR INSTALLATION OF FRONT COVER PLATE

CA2036029C
(en)

*

1991-02-08
1994-06-21
Alexander V. Parasin
Tongue and groove profile

AU1870192A
(en)

1991-04-01
1992-11-02
Walter Lindal
Wooden frame building construction

FR2675174A1
(en)

1991-04-12
1992-10-16
Lemasson Paul
Construction element

GB2256023A
(en)

*

1991-05-18
1992-11-25
Magnet Holdings Ltd
Joint

DE4130115C2
(en)

1991-09-11
1996-09-19
Herbert Heinemann

Facing element made of sheet metal

US5286545A
(en)

1991-12-18
1994-02-15
Southern Resin, Inc.
Laminated wooden board product

US5349796A
(en)

1991-12-20
1994-09-27
Structural Panels, Inc.
Building panel and method

DK207191D0
(en)

1991-12-27
1991-12-27
Junckers As

DEVICE FOR USE IN JOINING FLOORS

SE9201982D0
(en)

1992-06-29
1992-06-29
Perstorp Flooring Ab

CARTRIDGES, PROCEDURES FOR PREPARING THEM AND USING THEREOF

US5295341A
(en)

1992-07-10
1994-03-22
Nikken Seattle, Inc.
Snap-together flooring system

US5474831A
(en)

1992-07-13
1995-12-12
Nystrom; Ron
Board for use in constructing a flooring surface

JP2550466B2
(en)

*

1992-11-02
1996-11-06
大建工業株式会社

Floor material

DE4242530C2
(en)

*

1992-12-16
1996-09-12
Walter Friedl

Building element for walls, ceilings or roofs of buildings

US5274979A
(en)

*

1992-12-22
1994-01-04
Tsai Jui Hsing
Insulating plate unit

NL9301551A
(en)

1993-05-07
1994-12-01
Hendrikus Johannes Schijf

Panel, as well as hinge profile, which is suitable for such a panel, among other things.

SE9301595L
(en)

1993-05-10
1994-10-17
Tony Pervan

Grout for thin liquid hard floors

US20020178674A1
(en)

1993-05-10
2002-12-05
Tony Pervan
System for joining a building board

SE509060C2
(en)

1996-12-05
1998-11-30
Valinge Aluminium Ab

Method for manufacturing building board such as a floorboard

US7121059B2
(en)

1994-04-29
2006-10-17
Valinge Innovation Ab
System for joining building panels

JP3362919B2
(en)

1993-05-17
2003-01-07
大建工業株式会社

Manufacturing method of building decorative materials

GB9310312D0
(en)

1993-05-19
1993-06-30
Edinburgh Acoustical Co Ltd
Floor construction (buildings)

US5540025A
(en)

*

1993-05-29
1996-07-30
Daiken Trade & Industry Co., Ltd.
Flooring material for building

FR2712329B1
(en)

1993-11-08
1996-06-07
Pierre Geraud

Removable parquet element.

JP3363976B2
(en)

1993-12-24
2003-01-08
ミサワホーム株式会社

Construction structure of flooring

JP3134142B2
(en)

*

1993-12-28
2001-02-13
朝日ウッドテック株式会社

Flooring and floor structure

JP3461569B2
(en)

1994-05-02
2003-10-27
大建工業株式会社

Floor material

JP2816424B2
(en)

1994-05-18
1998-10-27
大建工業株式会社

Architectural flooring

JP2978403B2
(en)

1994-10-13
1999-11-15
ナショナル住宅産業株式会社

Wood floor joint structure

US6898911B2
(en)

1997-04-25
2005-05-31
Pergo (Europe) Ab
Floor strip

US5496648A
(en)

1994-11-04
1996-03-05
Held; Russell K.
Formable composite laminates with cellulose-containing polymer resin sheets

US6148884A
(en)

1995-01-17
2000-11-21
Triangle Pacific Corp.
Low profile hardwood flooring strip and method of manufacture

SE502994E
(en)

*

1995-03-07
1999-04-28
Perstorp Flooring Ab

Floorboard with groove and springs and supplementary locking means

US7131242B2
(en)

1995-03-07
2006-11-07
Pergo (Europe) Ab
Flooring panel or wall panel and use thereof

US6421970B1
(en)

1995-03-07
2002-07-23
Perstorp Flooring Ab
Flooring panel or wall panel and use thereof

SE9500810D0
(en)

*

1995-03-07
1995-03-07
Perstorp Flooring Ab

Floor tile

US5618602A
(en)

1995-03-22
1997-04-08
Wilsonart Int Inc
Articles with tongue and groove joint and method of making such a joint

US5560569A
(en)

1995-04-06
1996-10-01
Lockheed Corporation
Aircraft thermal protection system

US5830549A
(en)

*

1995-11-03
1998-11-03
Triangle Pacific Corporation
Glue-down prefinished flooring product

US5755068A
(en)

1995-11-17
1998-05-26
Ormiston; Fred I.
Veneer panels and method of making

JP2757282B2
(en)

*

1996-04-11
1998-05-25
南海プライウッド株式会社

Floorboard

BE1010487A6
(en)

1996-06-11
1998-10-06
Unilin Beheer Bv

FLOOR COATING CONSISTING OF HARD FLOOR PANELS AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING SUCH FLOOR PANELS.

US5671575A
(en)

*

1996-10-21
1997-09-30
Wu; Chang-Pen
Flooring assembly

SE509059C2
(en)

1996-12-05
1998-11-30
Valinge Aluminium Ab

Method and equipment for making a building board, such as a floorboard

IT242498Y1
(en)

1996-12-19
2001-06-14
Margaritelli Italia Spa

FLOORING LISTONE CONSTITUTED BY A LIST IN PRECIOUS WOOD AND A SPECIAL MULTILAYER SUPPORT IN WHICH THE LAYERS PREVAL

US5768850A
(en)

1997-02-04
1998-06-23
Chen; Alen
Method for erecting floor boards and a board assembly using the method

JPH10219975A
(en)

1997-02-07
1998-08-18
Juken Sangyo Co Ltd
Setting structure of setting laying floor material

SE506254C2
(en)

1997-02-26
1997-11-24
Tarkett Ab

Parquet flooring bar to form a floor with fishbone pattern

US5797237A
(en)

*

1997-02-28
1998-08-25
Standard Plywoods, Incorporated
Flooring system

US5925211A
(en)

1997-04-21
1999-07-20
International Paper Company
Low pressure melamine/veneer panel and method of making the same

DE29803708U1
(en)

1997-10-04
1998-05-28
Shen Technical Company Ltd

Panel, in particular for floor coverings

US6139945A
(en)

1997-11-25
2000-10-31
Premark Rwp Holdings, Inc.
Polymeric foam substrate and its use as in combination with decorative surfaces

US6324809B1
(en)

1997-11-25
2001-12-04
Premark Rwp Holdings, Inc.
Article with interlocking edges and covering product prepared therefrom

SE513151C2
(en)

*

1998-02-04
2000-07-17
Perstorp Flooring Ab

Guide heel at the joint including groove and spring

US7386963B2
(en)

1998-06-03
2008-06-17
Valinge Innovation Ab
Locking system and flooring board

SE512313C2
(en)

*

1998-06-03
2000-02-28
Valinge Aluminium Ab

Locking system and floorboard

SE512290C2
(en)

1998-06-03
2000-02-28
Valinge Aluminium Ab

Locking system for mechanical joining of floorboards and floorboard provided with the locking system

CA2343815C
(en)

1998-09-11
2009-01-20
Robbins, Inc.
Floorboard with compression nub

SE515789C2
(en)

1999-02-10
2001-10-08
Perstorp Flooring Ab

Floor covering material comprising floor elements which are intended to be joined vertically

DE19851200C1
(en)

*

1998-11-06
2000-03-30
Kronotex Gmbh Holz Und Kunstha
Floor panel has a tongue and groove joint between panels with additional projections and recesses at the underside of the tongue and the lower leg of the groove for a sealed joint with easy laying

FR2785633B1
(en)

*

1998-11-09
2001-02-09
Valerie Roy

COVERING PANEL FOR PARQUET, WOODEN PANEL OR THE LIKE

US6021615A
(en)

1998-11-19
2000-02-08
Brown; Arthur J.
Wood flooring panel

US6134854A
(en)

1998-12-18
2000-10-24
Perstorp Ab
Glider bar for flooring system

SE517478C2
(en)

*

1999-04-30
2002-06-11
Valinge Aluminium Ab

Locking system for mechanical hoisting of floorboards, floorboard provided with the locking system and method for producing mechanically foldable floorboards

ES2182582T3
(en)

*

1999-06-30
2003-03-01
Akzenta Paneele & Profile Gmbh

PANEL, AS WELL AS FIXING SYSTEM FOR PANELS.

DE10001076C1
(en)

2000-01-13
2001-10-04
Huelsta Werke Huels Kg
Panel element to construct floor covering; has groove and spring on opposite longitudinal sides and has groove and tongue on opposite end faces, to connect and secure adjacent panel elements

SE517183C2
(en)

*

2000-01-24
2002-04-23
Valinge Aluminium Ab

Locking system for mechanical joining of floorboards, floorboard provided with the locking system and method for making such floorboards

DE20008708U1
(en)

*

2000-05-16
2000-09-14
Kronospan Tech Co Ltd

Panels with coupling agents

BE1013553A3
(en)

*

2000-06-13
2002-03-05
Unilin Beheer Bv
Floor covering.

US6769218B2
(en)

2001-01-12
2004-08-03
Valinge Aluminium Ab
Floorboard and locking system therefor

US6851241B2
(en)

2001-01-12
2005-02-08
Valinge Aluminium Ab
Floorboards and methods for production and installation thereof

DE10103505B4
(en)

*

2001-01-26
2008-06-26
Pergo (Europe) Ab

Floor or wall panel

US8028486B2
(en)

*

2001-07-27
2011-10-04
Valinge Innovation Ab
Floor panel with sealing means

US8250825B2
(en)

*

2001-09-20
2012-08-28
Välinge Innovation AB
Flooring and method for laying and manufacturing the same

SE525558C2
(en)

2001-09-20
2005-03-08
Vaelinge Innovation Ab

System for forming a floor covering, set of floorboards and method for manufacturing two different types of floorboards

DE10206877B4
(en)

*

2002-02-18
2004-02-05
E.F.P. Floor Products Fussböden GmbH

Panel, especially floor panel

SE525661C2
(en)

2002-03-20
2005-03-29
Vaelinge Innovation Ab
Floor boards decorative joint portion making system, has surface layer with underlying layer such that adjoining edge with surface has underlying layer parallel to horizontal plane

EP2281979B1
(en)

*

2002-04-03
2019-01-23
Välinge Innovation AB
Floorboard

SE525657C2
(en)

2002-04-08
2005-03-29
Vaelinge Innovation Ab

Flooring boards for floating floors made of at least two different layers of material and semi-finished products for the manufacture of floorboards

US7051486B2
(en)

2002-04-15
2006-05-30
Valinge Aluminium Ab
Mechanical locking system for floating floor

US7739849B2
(en)

2002-04-22
2010-06-22
Valinge Innovation Ab
Floorboards, flooring systems and methods for manufacturing and installation thereof

PL191233B1
(en)

*

2002-12-31
2006-04-28
Barlinek Sa
Floor panel

US20040206036A1
(en)

*

2003-02-24
2004-10-21
Valinge Aluminium Ab
Floorboard and method for manufacturing thereof

US7677001B2
(en)

2003-03-06
2010-03-16
Valinge Innovation Ab
Flooring systems and methods for installation

US7886497B2
(en)

2003-12-02
2011-02-15
Valinge Innovation Ab
Floorboard, system and method for forming a flooring, and a flooring formed thereof

US20050166516A1
(en)

2004-01-13
2005-08-04
Valinge Aluminium Ab
Floor covering and locking systems

US7516588B2
(en)

2004-01-13
2009-04-14
Valinge Aluminium Ab
Floor covering and locking systems

SE527570C2
(en)

2004-10-05
2006-04-11
Vaelinge Innovation Ab

Device and method for surface treatment of sheet-shaped material and floor board

US7454875B2
(en)

2004-10-22
2008-11-25
Valinge Aluminium Ab
Mechanical locking system for floor panels

US7841144B2
(en)

2005-03-30
2010-11-30
Valinge Innovation Ab
Mechanical locking system for panels and method of installing same

ES2298664T5
(en)

2004-10-22
2011-05-04
Välinge Innovation AB

A SET OF SOIL PANELS.

US8215078B2
(en)

2005-02-15
2012-07-10
Välinge Innovation Belgium BVBA
Building panel with compressed edges and method of making same

US8061104B2
(en)

2005-05-20
2011-11-22
Valinge Innovation Ab
Mechanical locking system for floor panels

US20070175144A1
(en)

2006-01-11
2007-08-02
Valinge Innovation Ab
V-groove

US7854100B2
(en)

2006-01-12
2010-12-21
Valinge Innovation Ab
Laminate floor panels

US8464489B2
(en)

2006-01-12
2013-06-18
Valinge Innovation Ab
Laminate floor panels

SE530653C2
(en)

2006-01-12
2008-07-29
Vaelinge Innovation Ab

Moisture-proof floor board and floor with an elastic surface layer including a decorative groove

SE533410C2
(en)

2006-07-11
2010-09-14
Vaelinge Innovation Ab

Floor panels with mechanical locking systems with a flexible and slidable tongue as well as heavy therefore

US7861482B2
(en)

2006-07-14
2011-01-04
Valinge Innovation Ab
Locking system comprising a combination lock for panels

US8689512B2
(en)

2006-11-15
2014-04-08
Valinge Innovation Ab
Mechanical locking of floor panels with vertical folding

SE531111C2
(en)

2006-12-08
2008-12-23
Vaelinge Innovation Ab

Mechanical locking of floor panels

US8353140B2
(en)

2007-11-07
2013-01-15
Valinge Innovation Ab
Mechanical locking of floor panels with vertical snap folding

EP3623543A1
(en)

2009-12-17
2020-03-18
Välinge Innovation AB
Floorboards

US8763340B2
(en)

2011-08-15
2014-07-01
Valinge Flooring Technology Ab
Mechanical locking system for floor panels

1998

1998-06-03
SE
SE9801987A
patent/SE512290C2/en
unknown

1999

1999-05-31
EP
EP99930052A
patent/EP1084317B2/en
not_active
Expired – Lifetime

1999-05-31
DE
DE69907179.8T
patent/DE69907179C5/en
not_active
Expired – Lifetime

1999-05-31
WO
PCT/SE1999/000933
patent/WO1999066151A1/en
active
IP Right Grant

1999-05-31
JP
JP2000554948A
patent/JP3515075B2/en
not_active
Expired – Lifetime

1999-05-31
CA
CA002333962A
patent/CA2333962A1/en
not_active
Abandoned

1999-05-31
ES
ES99930052T
patent/ES2193721T5/en
not_active
Expired – Lifetime

1999-05-31
PT
PT99930052T
patent/PT1084317E/en
unknown

1999-05-31
AU
AU46665/99A
patent/AU735245B2/en
not_active
Expired

1999-05-31
AT
AT99930052T
patent/ATE238469T1/en
active

1999-05-31
CN
CN99806954A
patent/CN1304475A/en
active
Pending

1999-05-31
BR
BR9911186-1A
patent/BR9911186A/en
not_active
Application Discontinuation

2000

2000-11-17
US
US09/714,514
patent/US7444791B1/en
not_active
Expired – Fee Related

2000-11-29
NO
NO20006036A
patent/NO314909B1/en
not_active
IP Right Cessation

2007

2007-07-09
US
US11/822,690
patent/US7954295B2/en
not_active
Expired – Fee Related

2007-07-09
US
US11/822,713
patent/US7913471B2/en
not_active
Expired – Fee Related

2011

2011-05-03
US
US13/099,488
patent/US8429869B2/en
not_active
Expired – Fee Related

2013

2013-03-29
US
US13/853,665
patent/US8869486B2/en
not_active
Expired – Fee Related

2014

2014-10-01
US
US14/503,800
patent/US9528276B2/en
not_active
Expired – Fee Related

Also Published As

Publication number
Publication date

AU735245B2
(en)

2001-07-05

US7913471B2
(en)

2011-03-29

WO1999066151A1
(en)

1999-12-23

SE9801987D0
(en)

1998-06-03

JP3515075B2
(en)

2004-04-05

US20150027080A1
(en)

2015-01-29

DE69907179T3
(en)

2009-06-18

SE9801987L
(en)

1999-12-04

DE69907179C5
(en)

2014-12-31

US20130219820A1
(en)

2013-08-29

BR9911186A
(en)

2001-02-13

NO20006036D0
(en)

2000-11-29

JP2002518613A
(en)

2002-06-25

ES2193721T3
(en)

2003-11-01

DE69907179T2
(en)

2003-12-18

US20080000182A1
(en)

2008-01-03

US20110203214A1
(en)

2011-08-25

US9528276B2
(en)

2016-12-27

NO20006036L
(en)

2001-02-01

CN1304475A
(en)

2001-07-18

EP1084317A1
(en)

2001-03-21

DE69907179D1
(en)

2003-05-28

SE512290C2
(en)

2000-02-28

CA2333962A1
(en)

1999-12-23

ATE238469T1
(en)

2003-05-15

NO314909B1
(en)

2003-06-10

US7954295B2
(en)

2011-06-07

PT1084317E
(en)

2003-09-30

US7444791B1
(en)

2008-11-04

US8429869B2
(en)

2013-04-30

EP1084317B1
(en)

2003-04-23

ES2193721T5
(en)

2009-03-01

EP1084317B2
(en)

2008-09-17

US8869486B2
(en)

2014-10-28

US20080005992A1
(en)

2008-01-10

Similar Documents

Publication
Publication Date
Title

AU4666599A
(en)

2000-01-05

Locking system and flooring board

EP1437457B1
(en)

2013-05-15

Floorboard

JP4762473B2
(en)

2011-08-31

Locking system for mechanically joining floorboards and manufacturing method thereof

EP1626136B2
(en)

2015-08-19

Flooring system comprising floor panels with a short edge locking system

RU2602459C2
(en)

2016-11-20

Panel

US8033075B2
(en)

2011-10-11

Locking system and flooring board

US6918220B2
(en)

2005-07-19

Locking systems for floorboards

EP2813639B1
(en)

2019-11-13

A flooring material of sheet-shaped floor elements joined with joining members

Legal Events

Date
Code
Title
Description

2001-11-01
FGA
Letters patent sealed or granted (standard patent)

2019-06-20
MK14
Patent ceased section 143(a) (annual fees not paid) or expired

Download PDF in English