Patent EP0969164A2 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
EP0969164A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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A method for laying and mechanically joining floor panels and a method for producing a floor
Assignee: Valinge Innovation AB
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Filing: 1994-04-29
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2014-04-29
Abstract
Abstract The invention relates to a system for laying and mechanically joining building panels, especially thin, hard, floating floors. Adjacent joint edges (3, 4) of two panels (1, 2) engage each other to provide a first mechanical connection locking the joint edges (3, 4) in a first direction (D1) perpendicular to the principal plane of the panels. In each joint, there is further provided a strip (6) which is integrated with one joint edge (3) and which projects behind the other joint edge (4). The strip (6) has an upwardly protruding locking element (8) engaging in a locking groove (14) in the rear side (16) of the other joint edge (4) to form a second mechanical connection locking the panels (1, 2) in a second direction (D2) parallel to the principal plane of the panels and at right angles to the joint. Both the first and the second mechanical connection allow mutual displacement of joined panels (1, 2) in the direction of the joint. <IMAGE>
Inventors
- 👤 Tony Pervan
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-06 19:46
CPC Classifications
E; E04; E04F; E04F15/00; E04F15/12; E04F15/14; E04F15/02; E04F13/00; E04F13/07; E04F13/08; E04F13/0801; E04F15/04; E04F2201/00; E04F2201/01; E04F2201/0107; E04F2201/0115; E04F2201/0153; E04F2201/04; E04F2201/042; E04F2201/05; E04F2201/0517; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T428/00; Y10T428/16; Y10T428/163; Y10T428/164; Y10T428/167
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
351 words
A method of laying and mechanically joining floor
panels in parallel rows, wherein relative positions of
the panels during the method can be defined as including
first and second mutual positions, a first mutual
position in which (i) the two panels are held in an
angled position relative to each other and (ii) upper
portions of adjacent edges of the two panels are in
mutual contact, and a second mutual position in which the
two panels are (i) located in a common plane, (ii)
mechanically locked to each other in a first direction
that is at right angles to the common plane, (iii)
mechanically locked to each other in a second direction,
that is at right angles to said first direction and to
the adjacent joint edges, as a result of a first locking
member disposed at one of the adjacent edges being
connected to a second locking member disposed at the
other one of the adjacent edges, and (iv) being
displaceable in relation to each other in the direction
of the adjacent joint edges, wherein said method
comprises the steps of: (a) bringing a new one of the panels into an
intermediary position where (i) a previously laid first
one of the panels is located in a first row, (ii) a
second one of the panels is located in a second row and
is in said first mutual position in relation to the first
panel, and (iii) the new panel is located in the second
row and is in said second mutual position in relation to
the second panel and is in a position relative to the
first panel such that a mutual distance is present
between the upper portions of the adjacent joint edges of
the new panel and the first panel; (b) while maintaining said second mutual position
between the new panel and the second panel, displacing
the new panel relative to the second panel into said
first mutual position in relation to the first panel; and (c) angling the new panel and the second panel
together into said second mutual position in relation to
the first panel.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
41 words
A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein one of
said first and second locking members is a locking groove
and the other of said first and second locking members is
a locking element which is received in said locking
groove.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
60 words
A method as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein said
step of bringing the new panel into the intermediary
position comprises the step of bringing the new panel and
the second panel into said first mutual position in
relation to each other and then angling the new panel
into said second mutual position in relation to the
second panel.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
358 words
A method of producing a floor by laying and
mechanically joining floor panels in parallel rows,
wherein said method comprises the steps of: (a) providing floor panels wherein relative
positions of the panels during the method can be defined
to include first and second mutual positions, a first
mutual position in which (i) two adjacent panels are held
in an angled position relative to each other and (ii)
upper portions of adjacent edges of the two panels are in
mutual contact, and a second mutual position in two
adjacent panels are (i) located in a common plane, (ii)
mechanically locked to each other in a first direction
that is at right angles to the common plane, (iii)
mechanically locked to each other in a second direction,
that is at right angles to said first direction and to
the adjacent joint edges, as a result of a first locking
member disposed at one of the adjacent edges being
connected to a second locking member disposed at the
other one of the adjacent edges, and (iv) being
displaceable in relation to each other in the direction
of the adjacent joint edges, (b) bringing a new one of the panels into an
intermediary position where (i) a previously laid first
one of the panels is located in a first row, (ii) a
second one of the panels is located in a second row and
is in said first mutual position in relation to the first
panel, and (iii) the new panel is located in the second
row and is in said second mutual position in relation to
the second panel and is in a position relative to the
first panel such that a mutual distance is present
between the upper portions of the adjacent joint edges of
the new panel and the first panel; (c) while maintaining said second mutual position
between the new panel and the second panel, displacing
the new panel relative to the second panel into said
first mutual position in relation to the first panel; and (d) angling the new panel and the second panel
together into said second mutual position in relation to
the first panel.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
41 words
A method as claimed in claim 4, wherein one of
said first and second locking members is a locking groove
and the other of said first and second locking members is
a locking element which is received in said locking
groove.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
59 words
A method as claimed in claim 4 or 5, wherein said
step of bringing the new panel into the intermediary
position comprises the step of bringingthe new panel and
the second panel into said first mutual position in
relation to each other and then angling the new panel
into said second mutual position in relation to the
second panel.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
304 words
A method of laying and mechanically joining
rectangular floor panels in parallel rows, the method
comprising the steps of: (a) placing a new one of the panels adjacent to one
edge of a previously laid first one of the panels in a
first row and adjacent to another edge of a previously
laid second one of the panels in an adjacent second row,
such that the new panel is spaced from a final position
relative to both the first and second panels; (b) displacing the new panel towards the first panel
such that a locking element of a resilient locking strip
disposed at one of the new panel and the first panel
snaps up into a locking groove disposed at the other one
of the new panel and the first panel and to thereby
mechanically lock together the new and first panels in a
first direction that is at right angle to a principal
plane of the first panel and in a second direction that
is at right angles to the first direction and to the thus
connected set of edges of the new panel and the first
panel; and (c) displacing the new panel relative to the first
panel in a direction parallel with said connected set of
edges, while maintaining the new and first panels locked
together in said first and second directions, towards a
final position until a locking element of a resilient
locking strip disposed at one of an another edge of the
new panel and said another edge of the second panel snaps
up into a locking groove disposed at the one of the
another edges, whereby the new panel and the second panel
are mechanically locked to each other in both the first
direction and the second direction with respect to the
thus connected set of another edges.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the new
panel is placed in the same first row as the first panel.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the new
panel is placed in the same second row as the second
panel.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
296 words
A method of laying and mechanically joining
floor panels in parallel rows, wherein each two adjacent
panels of the panels are arranged to be brought into a
mechanically locked mutual position by placing the panels
at a mutual distance in a common plane and displacing one
of the panels into engagement with the other one in a
direction that is at right angles to adjacent edges of
the two panels, in which mechanically locked mutual
position the two panels are (i) located in the common
plane, (ii) mechanically locked to each other in a first
direction that is at right angles to the common plane,
(iii) mechanically locked to each other in a second
direction, that is at right angles to said first
direction and to the adjacent joint edges, as a result of
a first locking member disposed at one of the adjacent
edges being connected to a second locking member disposed
at the other one of the adjacent edges, and (iv) being
displaceable in relation to each other in the direction
of the adjacent joint edges, wherein said method
comprises the steps of: (a) placing a new one of the panels adjacent to a
previously laid first one of the panels in a first row
and adjacent to a previously laid second one of the
panels in an adjacent second row, such that the new panel
is spaced from a final position relative to both the
first and second panels; (b) displacing the new panel towards the first panel
until the new panel and the first panel have been brought
into said locked position; and (c) displacing the new panel relative to the first
panel and towards the second panel, while maintaining the
new panel and the first panel in the locked mutual
position.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
285 words
A method for disassembling floor panels which
have been mechanically joined in parallel rows, wherein
two adjacent panels of the panels are arranged to occupy
first and second mutual positions, a first mutual
position in which (i) the two panels are held in an
angled position relative to each other and (ii) upper
portions of adjacent edges of the two panels are in
mutual contact, and a second mutual position in which the
two panels are (i) located in a common plane, (ii)
mechanically locked to each other in a first direction
that is at right angles to the common plane, (iii)
mechanically locked to each other in a second direction,
that is at right angles to said first direction and to
the adjacent joint edges, as a result of a first locking
member disposed at one of the adjacent edges being
connected to a second locking member disposed at the
other one of the adjacent edges, and (iv) being
displaceable in relation to each other in the direction
of the adjacent joint edges, wherein said method
comprises the following steps for taking up a given panel
located in a given row, said given panel being in said
second mutual position in relation to an adjacent first
panel in an adjacent row and also in said second mutual
position in relation to an adjacent second panel in the
given row: (a) angling the given panel and the second panel
together into said first mutual position in relation to
the first panel; and then (b) while maintaining said second mutual position
between the given panel and the second panel, displacing
the given panel relative to the second panel in a
direction away from the first panel.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
87 words
A method as claimed in claim 11, wherein said
step of displacing the given panel relative to the second
panel in a direction away from the first panel is
performed to such an extent that the given panel and the
second panel are still in said second mutual position at
the end of said step of displacing, said method further
comprising the subsequent the step of angling the given
panel in relation to the second panel in order to release
the given panel from the second panel.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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