Patent US6101778A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US6101778A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Flooring panel or wall panel and use thereof
Assignee: Unilin Nordic AB
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Filing: 1996-02-29
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Granted: 2000-08-15
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Expires: 2016-02-29
Abstract
Abstract Flooring panel or wall panel and a use thereof in a wet room. The panel is provided with a locking means in the form of groove (6) and tongue (7) forming a tongue/groove joint for assembling of the panels. The groove (6) and the tongue (7) are made of water tight material and formed with a snap-together joint.
Inventors
- 👤 Goran Mårtensson
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-06 15:09
CPC Classifications
E; E04; E04F; E04F15/00; E04F15/02; E04F15/04; E04B; E04B1/00; E04B1/38; E04B1/61; E04B1/6108; E04B1/612; E04B1/6125; E04B1/6129; E04F13/00; E04F13/07; E04F13/08; E04F13/0875; E04F13/0878; E04F15/12; E04F15/14; E04F2201/00; E04F2201/01; E04F2201/0107; E04F2201/0115; E04F2201/0123; E04F2201/02; E04F2201/023; E04F2201/04; E04F2201/044; E04F2201/049; E04F2201/07; F; F16; F16B; F16B2200/00; F16B2200/30; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T403/00; Y10T403/70; Y10T403/7045
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
328 words
A panel designed to be interlocked with another similar panel, said panel comprising two pairs of parallel side edges, two of said side edges being provided with a locking means in the form of a groove and the other two of said side edges being provided with a locking means in the form of a tongue, each said tongue being adapted to be received in a groove of a similar panel; each said groove of said panel comprising at least one first snapping web formed on an upper side of said panel edge and each said groove further comprising at least one second snapping web formed on a lower side of said panel edge and each said groove further comprising a stabilizing groove portion remote from said panel edge; said stabilizing groove portion comprising substantially parallel walls; at least one of said first and said second snapping web defining a depression therein adapted to receive a protrusion on said tongue of a similar panel; each said tongue of said panel extending from said panel edge, each said tongue having distal and proximate ends, said proximate end being adjacent said panel and said distal end being remote therefrom; and at least one protrusion on said tongue intermediate said distal and proximate ends, said protrusion being adapted to be received by said depression defined by at least one of said first and second snapping webs of said similar panel and located intermediate said distal and proximate ends such that when said protrusion is interlocked with said depression on a similar panel, a stabilizing portion of said tongue extends beyond said interlocked protrusion so as to be received by said stabilizing groove portion on said similar panel, said stabilizing portion of said tongue comprising substantially parallel walls, whereby when said panel is interlocked with another similar panel both said tongue stabilizing portion and said at least one protrusion in said panel are fully received within said groove of said similar panel.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
328 words
A panel designed to be interlocked with another similar panel, said panel comprising two pairs of parallel side edges, two of said side edges being provided with a locking means in the form of a groove and the other two of said side edges being provided with a locking means in the form of a tongue, each said tongue being adapted to be received in a groove of a similar panel; each said groove of said panel comprising at least one first snapping web formed on an upper side of said panel edge and each said groove further comprising at least one second snapping web formed on a lower side of said panel edge and each said groove further comprising a stabilizing groove portion remote from said panel edge; said stabilizing groove portion comprising substantially parallel walls; at least one of said first and said second snapping web defining a depression therein adapted to receive a protrusion on said tongue of a similar panel; each said tongue of said panel extending from said panel edge, each said tongue having distal and proximate ends, said proximate end being adjacent said panel and said distal end being remote therefrom; and at least one protrusion on said tongue intermediate said distal and proximate ends, said protrusion being adapted to be received by said depression defined by at least one of said first and second snapping webs of said similar panel and located intermediate said distal and proximate ends such that when said protrusion is interlocked with said depression on a similar panel, a stabilizing portion of said tongue extends beyond said interlocked protrusion so as to be received by said stabilizing groove portion on said similar panel, said stabilizing portion of said tongue comprising substantially parallel walls, whereby when said panel is interlocked with another similar panel both said tongue stabilizing portion and said at least one protrusion in said panel are fully received within said groove of said similar panel.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
14 words
The panel of claim 1 wherein the panel is formed from a thermosetting laminate.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
16 words
The panel of claim 1 wherein the grooves and tongues are made of water tight materials.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
35 words
The panel of claim 1, wherein each of said first and second snapping webs defines a depression therein and each said tongue has protrusions sized, shaped and located so as to interlock with said depressions.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
16 words
The panel according to claim 1, wherein the stabilizing portion has a width of 2-10 mm.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
24 words
The panel according to claim 1, wherein an underside of the grooves is situated in the same level as an underside of the panel.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
24 words
The panel according to claim 1, wherein an underside of the tongues is situated in the same level as an underside of the panel.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
45 words
The panel of claim 1 wherein the panel is formed of a non-water absorbing base with a surface layer, wherein said surface layer is selected from the group consisting of paint, a thermoplastic foil, a paper sheet impregnated with thermosetting resin, and a thermosetting laminate.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
50 words
The panel of claim 1, wherein two of said side edges of said panel provided with a locking means in the form of a groove are adjacent and the other two of said side edges of said panel being provided with a locking means in the form of a tongue.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
47 words
The panel according to claim 1, wherein said locking means in the form of a tongue are made of a material selected from the group consisting of a thermoplastic, a thermosetting laminate, a chipboard impregnated with a thermoplastic, a particle board impregnated with a thermoplastic, and aluminum.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
43 words
The panel according to claim 1, wherein the panel is formed from a non-water absorbing base with a surface layer, wherein the non-water absorbing base consists of a board produced by pressing thermoplastic impregnated wood particles together to form said non-water absorbing base.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
14 words
The panel according to claim 1, wherein there are two protrusions on each tongue.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
10 words
The panel of claim 1 designed as a flooring panel.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
25 words
A method of covering a floor of a wet room by applying flooring panels according to claim 13 to the floor of said wet room.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
39 words
The panel according to claim 1, wherein said locking means in the form of a groove and said locking means in the form of a tongue are formed as a ledge fixed to the side edges of said panel.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
26 words
The panel according to claim 15, wherein the ledge formed grooves and tongues, respectively, are fixed in a recess along the side edges of the panel.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2003-08-15 | 2004-02-14 | 2004-08-15 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2007-08-15 | 2008-02-14 | 2008-08-15 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2011-08-15 | 2012-02-14 | 2012-08-15 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |