System for joining building boards

Claim 1

A system for providing a joint along adjacent joint edges (3, 4) of two building panels (1, 2), especially floor panels, in which joint: the adjacent joint edges (3, 4) together form a first mechanical connection locking the joint edges (3, 4) to each other in a first direction (D1) at right angles to the principal plane of the panels (1, 2), and a locking device (6, 8, 14) arranged on the rear side (18, 16) of the panels (1, 2) forms a second mechanical connection locking the panels (1, 2) to each other in a second direction (D2) parallel to the principal plane and at right angles to the joint edges (3, 4), said locking device (6, 8, 14) comprising a locking groove (14) which extends parallel to and spaced from the joint edge (4) of one (2) of said panels, termed groove panel, and which is open at the rear side (16) of the groove panel (2), characterised in that the locking device (6, 8, 14) further comprises a strip (6) integrated with the other (1) of said panels, termed strip panel, said strip (6) extending throughout substantially the entire length of the joint edge (3) of the strip panel (1) and being provided with a locking element (8) projecting from the strip, such that when the panels are joined together, the strip (6) projects on the rear side of the groove panel (2) with its locking element (8) received in the locking groove (14) of the groove panel (2), that the panels, when joined together, can occupy a relative position in said second direction (D2) where a play (Δ) exists between the locking groove (14) and a locking surface (10) on the locking element (8) that is facing the joint edges and is operative in said second mechanical connection, that the first and the second mechanical connection both allow mutual displacement of the panels (1, 2) in the direction of the joint edges (3, 4), and that the second mechanical connection is so conceived as to allow the locking element (8) to leave the locking groove (14) if the groove panel (2) is turned about its joint edge (4) angularly away from the strip (6).

Claim 4

A system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the first mechanical connection is provided by the joint edge (4) of the groove panel (2) engaging, in said first direction, between the joint edge (3) of the strip panel (1) and the front side of the strip (6).

Claim 5

A system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the strip (6) integrated with the strip panel (1) is made of a material different from that of the strip panel (1) and fixedly mounted on the strip panel (1) at the factory.

Claim 9

A system as claimed in any one of claims 5-8, characterised in that the strip (6) is fixed to the strip panel (1) by means of a mechanical connection.

Claim 12

A system as claimed in any one of claims 5-11, characterised in that the strip (6) is fixed to the strip panel (1) by means of a binder.

Claim 13

A system as claimed in any one of claims 5-12, characterised in that the strip (6) is made of a flexible, preferably resilient material, such as sheet aluminium.

Claim 14

A system as claimed in any one of claims 1-4, characterised in that the strip (6) is integrally formed with the strip panel (1), i.e. made in one piece with the strip panel (1).

Claim 15

A system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the locking element (8) consists of a locking edge extended continuously along the strip (6).

Claim 16

A system as claimed in any one of claims 1-14, characterised in that the locking element (8) consists of a plurality of spaced-apart locking elements distributed throughout the length of the strip (6).

Claim 17

A system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the panels (1, 2) are rectangular and intended, at each of their four edges (3, 4, 3', 4'), to be joined to a similar panel by a first mechanical connection of the aforementioned type and a second mechanical connection of the aforementioned type, each panel having a first pair of opposite joint edges (3, 4), one of which is provided with a strip (6) of the aforementioned type and the other of which is provided with a locking groove (14) of the aforementioned type, and a second pair of opposite joint edges (3', 4'), one of which is provided with a strip (6') of the aforementioned type and the other of which is provided with a locking groove (14') of the aforementioned type.

Claim 18

A system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that an underlay (46) of floor boards, foam, felt or the like is fixed to the rear sides (18, 16) of the panels.

Claim 20

A system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that a sealing means, such as a sealing compound, a rubber strip or the like, is provided on the front side (22) of the strip between the locking element (8) and the joint edge (3) of the strip panel to seal against the groove panel (2).

Claim 21

A system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the first mechanical connection as well as the second mechanical connection are such that they allow the locking element (8) to enter the locking groove (14) if the groove panel (2) is turned about its joint edge (4) angularly towards the strip (6) while holding the upper corner part of the joint edge (4) of the groove panel (2) in contact with the upper corner part of the joint edge (3) of the strip panel (1).

Claim 22

A system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the first mechanical connection as well as the second mechanical connection are such that they allow the locking element (8) to leave the locking groove (14) if the groove panel (2) is turned about its joint edge (4) angularly away from the strip (6) while holding the upper corner part of the joint edge (4) of the groove panel (2) in contact with the upper corner part of the joint edge (3) of the strip panel (1).